rlb

Thanks, JJ, druxey, Michel, and all those looking in, and liking.  I appreciate the encouragement.
 
I took a leap of faith and followed Ed Tosti's lead from his Naiad books to start permanently gluing (well, there's always Isopropanol) each transom as it is fit.  I really hate gluing anything until I feel confident about the whole assembly, but here goes--

 
The lowest transom is glued to the fashion timbers only, not to the sternpost, nor the fashion timbers to the deadwood--

 
I wasn't sure how the assembly would work as it's added to, but it's really quite simple.  Here's the next transom in place on the sternpost, and the previous transom and fashion pieces sitting on the deadwood below it--
 
 
The fashion pieces/transom are then just slid up the deadwood, the lower transom fitted into its spot on the sternpost, and the upper transom test fitted with it's tenons into the fashion pieces--

 
If all is satisfactory (and believe me it took many tests and refinements to the second transom piece before it was satisfactory), then it is now glued to the fashion pieces--
 

 
Now on to the third (from the bottom) transom.  This is the deck transom, and it must slope down and to the sides.  I'm on the third try with the piece pictured here--

 
I took a different approach shaping this one.  Instead of shaping it all over at the beginning, I just thinned it at the top (stern) and two lower forward ends, and made sure those fit, as they do in the photo above.   Here is the piece showing the bottom--

 
And the top--

 
Once this fit was good, I then tapered and smoothed the top and bottom before gluing it into place--

 
So far so good.  Remember the transoms are glued to the fashion pieces here, but not to the sternpost, and the transom/fashion piece assembly can be taken off .  There is an enormous amount of fairing that will need to take place on the transoms and fashion pieces once it's all together.  And I don't know how much of that I will do with it as a separate assembly, or glued finally to the deadwood and sternpost.  We'll see.  I am pleased so far with the general method.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 

Thanks, JJ, druxey, Michel, and all those looking in, and liking.  I appreciate the encouragement.
 
I took a leap of faith and followed Ed Tosti's lead from his Naiad books to start permanently gluing (well, there's always Isopropanol) each transom as it is fit.  I really hate gluing anything until I feel confident about the whole assembly, but here goes--

 
The lowest transom is glued to the fashion timbers only, not to the sternpost, nor the fashion timbers to the deadwood--

 
I wasn't sure how the assembly would work as it's added to, but it's really quite simple.  Here's the next transom in place on the sternpost, and the previous transom and fashion pieces sitting on the deadwood below it--
 
 
The fashion pieces/transom are then just slid up the deadwood, the lower transom fitted into its spot on the sternpost, and the upper transom test fitted with it's tenons into the fashion pieces--

 
If all is satisfactory (and believe me it took many tests and refinements to the second transom piece before it was satisfactory), then it is now glued to the fashion pieces--
 

 
Now on to the third (from the bottom) transom.  This is the deck transom, and it must slope down and to the sides.  I'm on the third try with the piece pictured here--

 
I took a different approach shaping this one.  Instead of shaping it all over at the beginning, I just thinned it at the top (stern) and two lower forward ends, and made sure those fit, as they do in the photo above.   Here is the piece showing the bottom--

 
And the top--

 
Once this fit was good, I then tapered and smoothed the top and bottom before gluing it into place--

 
So far so good.  Remember the transoms are glued to the fashion pieces here, but not to the sternpost, and the transom/fashion piece assembly can be taken off .  There is an enormous amount of fairing that will need to take place on the transoms and fashion pieces once it's all together.  And I don't know how much of that I will do with it as a separate assembly, or glued finally to the deadwood and sternpost.  We'll see.  I am pleased so far with the general method.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 

Thanks, JJ, druxey, Michel, and all those looking in, and liking.  I appreciate the encouragement.
 
I took a leap of faith and followed Ed Tosti's lead from his Naiad books to start permanently gluing (well, there's always Isopropanol) each transom as it is fit.  I really hate gluing anything until I feel confident about the whole assembly, but here goes--

 
The lowest transom is glued to the fashion timbers only, not to the sternpost, nor the fashion timbers to the deadwood--

 
I wasn't sure how the assembly would work as it's added to, but it's really quite simple.  Here's the next transom in place on the sternpost, and the previous transom and fashion pieces sitting on the deadwood below it--
 
 
The fashion pieces/transom are then just slid up the deadwood, the lower transom fitted into its spot on the sternpost, and the upper transom test fitted with it's tenons into the fashion pieces--

 
If all is satisfactory (and believe me it took many tests and refinements to the second transom piece before it was satisfactory), then it is now glued to the fashion pieces--
 

 
Now on to the third (from the bottom) transom.  This is the deck transom, and it must slope down and to the sides.  I'm on the third try with the piece pictured here--

 
I took a different approach shaping this one.  Instead of shaping it all over at the beginning, I just thinned it at the top (stern) and two lower forward ends, and made sure those fit, as they do in the photo above.   Here is the piece showing the bottom--

 
And the top--

 
Once this fit was good, I then tapered and smoothed the top and bottom before gluing it into place--

 
So far so good.  Remember the transoms are glued to the fashion pieces here, but not to the sternpost, and the transom/fashion piece assembly can be taken off .  There is an enormous amount of fairing that will need to take place on the transoms and fashion pieces once it's all together.  And I don't know how much of that I will do with it as a separate assembly, or glued finally to the deadwood and sternpost.  We'll see.  I am pleased so far with the general method.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 

Thanks, JJ, druxey, Michel, and all those looking in, and liking.  I appreciate the encouragement.
 
I took a leap of faith and followed Ed Tosti's lead from his Naiad books to start permanently gluing (well, there's always Isopropanol) each transom as it is fit.  I really hate gluing anything until I feel confident about the whole assembly, but here goes--

 
The lowest transom is glued to the fashion timbers only, not to the sternpost, nor the fashion timbers to the deadwood--

 
I wasn't sure how the assembly would work as it's added to, but it's really quite simple.  Here's the next transom in place on the sternpost, and the previous transom and fashion pieces sitting on the deadwood below it--
 
 
The fashion pieces/transom are then just slid up the deadwood, the lower transom fitted into its spot on the sternpost, and the upper transom test fitted with it's tenons into the fashion pieces--

 
If all is satisfactory (and believe me it took many tests and refinements to the second transom piece before it was satisfactory), then it is now glued to the fashion pieces--
 

 
Now on to the third (from the bottom) transom.  This is the deck transom, and it must slope down and to the sides.  I'm on the third try with the piece pictured here--

 
I took a different approach shaping this one.  Instead of shaping it all over at the beginning, I just thinned it at the top (stern) and two lower forward ends, and made sure those fit, as they do in the photo above.   Here is the piece showing the bottom--

 
And the top--

 
Once this fit was good, I then tapered and smoothed the top and bottom before gluing it into place--

 
So far so good.  Remember the transoms are glued to the fashion pieces here, but not to the sternpost, and the transom/fashion piece assembly can be taken off .  There is an enormous amount of fairing that will need to take place on the transoms and fashion pieces once it's all together.  And I don't know how much of that I will do with it as a separate assembly, or glued finally to the deadwood and sternpost.  We'll see.  I am pleased so far with the general method.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 

Very nice work Ron.

It's been a while since I checked in on your build, Ron. Coming along very nicely.

Looks good Ron, very crisp. 

Post One Hundred and fifty
 
Completing the ports
The two  enclosed Qtr deck ports remained to be done.
Usual top hinged lids into the Great cabin, and a pair of side opening doors into the Coach and Bed space.

3660
I thought I had done with queries about ports, but I’m not entirely convinced why side opening doors are shown in the position they are, constrained by Mizen chains which only allow  them to open half way.
 
They are a feature usually found in positions above the channels, or at the foremost bow port, where space is restricted.

2231
This shot onboard Victory taken when I blagged my way onto the Poop deck shows similar doors in place.
 
The photo also has other interesting features. Note the tube thro’ which the port lid lanyard goes inboard, and that the port only has one lanyard presumably due it being of lightweight construction over a Qtr deck cabin.
 
The final interesting feature for detail fans is the knot secured on the Mizen channel.
 
This is the reason at the time I wanted to look over the Poop.
The knot secures the Rudder pendant which attaches to the chains and is used to control the rudder should the tiller lines be shot away.
 
Back to INDY..
Notwithstanding the above, the side doors do make a nice feature and provide additional interest to the build, more so if displayed closed.

1901a
I used a normal port lid as it makes more sense to me.
 
Stern Ports
There are two stern ports engraved on the lower counter, the plans show use of provided hinges (PE47) over the patterns, but I didn’t seem to have sufficient to do this, but the Laser board Syren straps filled in nicely.

3794
This is not a very prominent area of the model but that is no reason not to enhance it.
3796
Addition of double lift rings and lanyards complete the effect.

3800
The trickiest part is securing the lanyards thro’ the lifting rings using a false splice.

3799
Getting the needle thro’ the 0.3mm line is a severe test of my aging eyesight.
 

1900a
Still lot to do on this build.
 
B.E.
26/02/2024
 

Hi ☺️

Thanks so much Allan.  
 
Incremental progress.   I'm now trying to put together the transoms and fashion pieces.  So far I've had to cut new transom pieces.  I had shortened them too much when fitting them to the sternpost earlier.  I cut a mortice in the fashion timbers, and tenons on the first transom, and here I have the lowest transom dry fit with the two aft fashion timbers resting in place--
 
 
The correct angle of the fashion timbers is verified with the squares--


 
I milled and chiseled out the next couple mortices in the timbers--

 
And am starting to fit the second transom--

 
This is all very slow going.   I've had to recut the third transom also.  It has a complex shape that needs to match the round up of the deck that it supports.  Though none of these pieces (transoms and fashion timbers) have been faired at all, that third transom needs a lot of shaping to get it to transition from the slot on the sternpost down to the mortices on the fashion timbers, which should be about five scale inches down.   All this seems to be going okay so far (apart from having to re-cut all the previously done transoms); hopefully I won't discover some egregious error that makes me start over, as with the bow timbers.
 
Ron
 
 
 

Looking good, Chris.  Glad you're back at it.
Ron

Hi, and thanks to all
 
 

Good morning Group,
 
After some spending some time in the doldrums, I have restarted Le Gros Ventre and spent the past month working on this assembly.  I probably built each part a half dozen times...
 
Decisions, do I begin the installation of the frames or tackle the other really tough part of the build, the hawse extensions?

Thanks so much Allan.  
 
Incremental progress.   I'm now trying to put together the transoms and fashion pieces.  So far I've had to cut new transom pieces.  I had shortened them too much when fitting them to the sternpost earlier.  I cut a mortice in the fashion timbers, and tenons on the first transom, and here I have the lowest transom dry fit with the two aft fashion timbers resting in place--
 
 
The correct angle of the fashion timbers is verified with the squares--


 
I milled and chiseled out the next couple mortices in the timbers--

 
And am starting to fit the second transom--

 
This is all very slow going.   I've had to recut the third transom also.  It has a complex shape that needs to match the round up of the deck that it supports.  Though none of these pieces (transoms and fashion timbers) have been faired at all, that third transom needs a lot of shaping to get it to transition from the slot on the sternpost down to the mortices on the fashion timbers, which should be about five scale inches down.   All this seems to be going okay so far (apart from having to re-cut all the previously done transoms); hopefully I won't discover some egregious error that makes me start over, as with the bow timbers.
 
Ron
 
 
 

Thanks druxey.  I would love to go back in time to visit one of those shipyards!
 
In between sessions of fairing the interior of the bow section, I am preparing the sternpost, deadwood, and transoms.
 
I hadn't cut the rabbet in the sternpost, or tapered the inner post, before gluing them together, so doing that work now is likely more difficult than it needed to be, but many shavings later, it's just about there--

 
The fashion timbers are cut out, and shaping of the deadwood below the bearding line has begun--

 
The transoms are cut.  Test fitting, and rough shaping is underway.  The complex warped shape of the number IV Deck transom is tricky.  That's the one without the paper pattern, in the photo.  I haven't started the wing transom yet--
 
 
Ron

Thanks everyone for the comments, likes, etc.!
 
I adjusted about a quarter of the frames which were slightly out of alignment, ungluing and regluing them.  Those starboard hawse timbers that gave me so much trouble needed to be disassembled and adjusted as well.  I'm using my bottle of isopropyl alcohol quite a bit, but hopefully now everything is good to go.  
 
Fairing the interior has begun--

 
I'm also starting to cut out the aft cant frames, with the ongoing puzzle of laying out frame pieces as efficiently as I can manage--

 
Finally for today, a near eye-level view, with a scale figure.  He's holding a modern-day 2x4 to help give some idea of the size of the massive timbers that went into these ships--

 
Ron 

Thanks so much Allan.  
 
Incremental progress.   I'm now trying to put together the transoms and fashion pieces.  So far I've had to cut new transom pieces.  I had shortened them too much when fitting them to the sternpost earlier.  I cut a mortice in the fashion timbers, and tenons on the first transom, and here I have the lowest transom dry fit with the two aft fashion timbers resting in place--
 
 
The correct angle of the fashion timbers is verified with the squares--


 
I milled and chiseled out the next couple mortices in the timbers--

 
And am starting to fit the second transom--

 
This is all very slow going.   I've had to recut the third transom also.  It has a complex shape that needs to match the round up of the deck that it supports.  Though none of these pieces (transoms and fashion timbers) have been faired at all, that third transom needs a lot of shaping to get it to transition from the slot on the sternpost down to the mortices on the fashion timbers, which should be about five scale inches down.   All this seems to be going okay so far (apart from having to re-cut all the previously done transoms); hopefully I won't discover some egregious error that makes me start over, as with the bow timbers.
 
Ron
 
 
 

I made 4 card templates, and sanded the area of the deadwood below the bearding line.   In between sessions of doing that, I beveled the aft side of the sternpost-

 
After this was done, I glued the sternpost to the keel, and went back to sanding the deadwood.
 
When I was satisfied that I had done enough there, I cut two shallow mortices into the bottom of the deadwood assembly, and then glued in two small tenons.  These weren't meant to be historically accurate, but would add some strength, and help in keeping the piece aligned when gluing the deadwood to the keel and sternpost--

 
The tenons were filed down until they extended only about 1/32nd of an inch.  I then cut two shallow mortices in the keel and glued the deadwood to the keel and sternpost.   I had also morticed and tenoned the sternpost to the keel when I glued it to the keel earlier.   I did not tenon into the sternpost from the deadwood.
 
Here is the sternpost and deadwood glued to the keel.  You can see 4 pencil lines on the upper part of the deadwood (the fourth is barely visible) that had marked the locations for using the card templates--
  
 
Next will be work on the transoms, and fashion timbers.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 

Thanks so much Allan.  
 
Incremental progress.   I'm now trying to put together the transoms and fashion pieces.  So far I've had to cut new transom pieces.  I had shortened them too much when fitting them to the sternpost earlier.  I cut a mortice in the fashion timbers, and tenons on the first transom, and here I have the lowest transom dry fit with the two aft fashion timbers resting in place--
 
 
The correct angle of the fashion timbers is verified with the squares--


 
I milled and chiseled out the next couple mortices in the timbers--

 
And am starting to fit the second transom--

 
This is all very slow going.   I've had to recut the third transom also.  It has a complex shape that needs to match the round up of the deck that it supports.  Though none of these pieces (transoms and fashion timbers) have been faired at all, that third transom needs a lot of shaping to get it to transition from the slot on the sternpost down to the mortices on the fashion timbers, which should be about five scale inches down.   All this seems to be going okay so far (apart from having to re-cut all the previously done transoms); hopefully I won't discover some egregious error that makes me start over, as with the bow timbers.
 
Ron
 
 
 

I completed #5 (glue the boxing joint), and I'm not sure how this happened, but it was not glued precisely correctly.  The upper end of the stem was not quite far enough forward.  I'm mystified by this, as it was good when I glued and clamped it.   Wishing not to start off on the wrong foot, I made the decision to re-glue it.  For the first time (and not the last, be assured), the isopropyl alcohol comes out--
 

 
 
With the tinted glue, this is not a pretty sight--
 

 
 
In cleaning up the residue, I kind of massacred the joint.  This is a shame, as it will be visible.  After re-gluing, the boxing joint doesn't look bad, but the first attempt looked almost perfect, though it was unfortunately "off" somehow.  The re-glued stem positioning looks good though, and this is probably more important than the boxing joint LOOKING perfect; but it better not somehow change again overnight!!
 
Here is the newly glued stem, and the blanks for the bollard timbers cut out.  The paper pattern is on the underside of the bollard timbers, but the picture was better showing the wood side--
 

 
 
Ron
 
 

I have spent a lot of time on the boxing joint.  It is dry fit here.  The stem is now centered side-to-side, and reaches the forward point as it should--
 
 
 
 
A close-up shows that there is some final tidying up of the upper curve to do, as it reaches the aft end of the joint--
 

 
 
Here it is after that final shaping has been done--
 

 

 
 
There are still many pieces to be shaped and fit before the boxing joint can be glued.  The next piece will be the tricky lower apron, and here it is roughly cut out, and and held in place against the stem and keel to test its initial fit--
 

 
 
I  have also marked and drilled the holes for the keel scarf bolts, and lightly marked the rabbet line--
 

 
 
Ron

I've worked on the stem scarfs.  
 
Here are the three stem pieces test fit together against the drawing--
 
 
 
 
And a look at the joints--
 

 
 
These are just being test fit, and the shadow on the first (upper) joint is due to the upper stem piece being wider than the rest, to allow for the stem taper.
 
In this photo, the scarf between the lower and middle stem has been glued, and paper shims are being used to (hopefully) maintain the alignment as the scarf between the middle and upper stem is glued--
 
 
 
 
Now I can test fit the stem to the boxing joint and get a rough look at what needs to be refined.  There is a lean to starboard that will need to be corrected as the joint is made--
 

 
 

 
 
I have to say, that tree trunk is distracting!!
 
 
Ron

Thanks, Ed.  I will continue work on Oneida.  It would be unacceptable to abandon her at this point!  
 
I plan to use Swiss Pear for the framing.  The stock I have is a light shade--not as dark as most I see.  Hopefully this will not cause problems down the road (when I run out and have to restock).  Castello Boxwood for hull planking and carvings, and maybe Holly for deck planking.  I'm not sure, will have to see how it looks.  Black will be "ebonized" pear, as I did on Oneida.  I'm very happy with the way that looks.
 
Still using hand tools, though I have also become a Byrne's customer!
 
Right now this is taking shape in my living room.  This is one advantage to being single!--
 

 

 
 
I don't have a place for it in my regular workshop.  I'm running up and down the stairs (my workshop is upstairs) constantly.  Eventually I'm going to have to fit it in my workshop somehow.   Ah, that's why I should finish Oneida sooner rather than later.
 
I have the gantry mostly complete, have installed a sternpost support, have trued two more of the keel scarfs, and worked on the boxing joint a bit.--
 

 
 
The last three keel pieces lie true, and you can see I have work to do on the forward two scarfs.--
 

 
 
Ron

Work continues--
 
I have fastened the layout plan to the baseboard, though I had some issues when I sprayed a matte protective finish over it.  The protective spray seemed to weaken the spray adhesive underneath, and in the high humidity of recent days I have some bubbles in some areas.   I don't think it is a problem, but I am considering taking the plan off, re-copying it on heavier paper, and trying again.
 
I built two clamp squares (a sliding gantry will also be built), and cut out the 6 keel pieces.  They are slightly oversized—especially the foremost which will receive the boxing joint. The keel alignment pieces are adjustable and can be snugged up when the keel is finished to its final width--
 
 
 
 
I cut the keel scarf edges with a razor saw--
 

 
 
And after cutting the long angle roughly on a bandsaw, worked to smooth and true it with a chisel and files--
 

 
 
The scarf between 6 and 5 is ready to be glued, but that won't happen until the rest are also ready--
 

 
 
I have also made a few "Tosti" clamps (of the simpler "basic" variety), which I plan to use to clamp the keel pieces together when they are ready--
 

 

 
 
Ron
 
 
 
 
 

I am embarking on a new build.   I had thought to not start another until I finished Oneida, but progress is going slow on her, and I am not getting any younger!  Since Oneida is getting near the rigging stage, perhaps going back and forth between hull work on Euryalus, and rigging on Oneida, will keep my interest up in both.
 
I am building a proper layout board, and this is the extent of my progress to date!   It's not finished, and the framing guide is not fastened down yet.
 

 

 

 
It is based on Ed Tosti's Naiad building board, but bigger, as his was for a similar sized ship, but at 1:60 scale.  I understand why the smaller scale.  When I saw the Euryalus plans which are drawn at 1:48, I was quite surprised at the size.  However, I quite like the idea of always building at the same scale, so as my Oneida is 1:48, so also will be my Euryalus.
 

 

 
As I mentioned, I am rigging Oneida, but I have no plans to rig Euryalus.  I would have no place to put it.
 
I have one issue, as I begin.   Volume 1 of Euryalus is now sold out, and out of print at Seawatch books.  I have purchased a new Vol. 2, so I have a complete set of the second volume drawings, but I am missing some drawings from Volume 1.  I am wondering if anyone out there, who owns Volume 1 would allow me to copy the ones I am missing--I believe the ones I need are #6 Body; Bow Pieces; Rudder; Cross Section, and #13 Beam Patterns; Stern Timbers.  Or, if you own Volume 1 (with all the drawings) and do not think you want to keep it.....
 
If the book was still in print I would, of course, purchase it and support the authors, Allan Yedlinsky and Wayne Kempson; and Seawatch books.  Allan and Wayne have been very helpful to me in getting off the ground (off the ways?).  I just need to get copies of those missing drawings!  PM me if you can help.
 
Ron