catopower

And, what's a build log without some photos to share? Here's what I've been doing most recently...
 
It seemed like a good time to get those mast cleats mounted. Very tiny laser-cut cardboard. I glued them with Aleene's tacky glue. When adjusted and in the right place, I reinforced with some thick CA, then a drop of thin CA to stiffen up the part itself. 10 cleats mounted this way.
 

 

 
And then there are the blocks I've been adding to the yards. Topgallants are done, as is the main topsail yard.

Lots more to do...
 

Hi Chuck, thanks for checking out my build log and for your comments on the model.
 
I'm going to wait on the new 4mm deadeyes before I continue with the chainplates and shrouds. I want to see if they look better on the model. I guess it's just a matter of opinion at this point, as to which deadeye size to use, the 4mm or 5mm, since as I mentioned, the kit's supplied "5mm" deadeyes actually come out to 4.5mm. 
 
You absolutely have me sold on the quality of your new blocks – they are amazingly looking! I ordered a sample with my last order from you. I still have a supply of your old pear wood blocks,  so I'm using those here, though I think I have only just enough of the smaller sizes to finish the Wolf. After that, I'll be buying your resin blocks.
 
I still want say that I would love to see 3.5mm blocks in your lineup. I'm building more in 1/72 scale and so many of the paper models are either 1/96 or 1/100 scale. At these scales, the jump from 3mm to 4mm blocks seems pretty noticeable to me, and I'd love to be able to buy an in-between size. 
 
 
 
 

And, what's a build log without some photos to share? Here's what I've been doing most recently...
 
It seemed like a good time to get those mast cleats mounted. Very tiny laser-cut cardboard. I glued them with Aleene's tacky glue. When adjusted and in the right place, I reinforced with some thick CA, then a drop of thin CA to stiffen up the part itself. 10 cleats mounted this way.
 

 

 
And then there are the blocks I've been adding to the yards. Topgallants are done, as is the main topsail yard.

Lots more to do...
 

Hi Chuck, thanks for checking out my build log and for your comments on the model.
 
I'm going to wait on the new 4mm deadeyes before I continue with the chainplates and shrouds. I want to see if they look better on the model. I guess it's just a matter of opinion at this point, as to which deadeye size to use, the 4mm or 5mm, since as I mentioned, the kit's supplied "5mm" deadeyes actually come out to 4.5mm. 
 
You absolutely have me sold on the quality of your new blocks – they are amazingly looking! I ordered a sample with my last order from you. I still have a supply of your old pear wood blocks,  so I'm using those here, though I think I have only just enough of the smaller sizes to finish the Wolf. After that, I'll be buying your resin blocks.
 
I still want say that I would love to see 3.5mm blocks in your lineup. I'm building more in 1/72 scale and so many of the paper models are either 1/96 or 1/100 scale. At these scales, the jump from 3mm to 4mm blocks seems pretty noticeable to me, and I'd love to be able to buy an in-between size. 
 
 
 
 

And, what's a build log without some photos to share? Here's what I've been doing most recently...
 
It seemed like a good time to get those mast cleats mounted. Very tiny laser-cut cardboard. I glued them with Aleene's tacky glue. When adjusted and in the right place, I reinforced with some thick CA, then a drop of thin CA to stiffen up the part itself. 10 cleats mounted this way.
 

 

 
And then there are the blocks I've been adding to the yards. Topgallants are done, as is the main topsail yard.

Lots more to do...
 

Nothing new to report, except that I removed the jib boom for now. This allows me to put the model under a nice dust cover. Kind of looks like a good way to display a hull model...
 

And, what's a build log without some photos to share? Here's what I've been doing most recently...
 
It seemed like a good time to get those mast cleats mounted. Very tiny laser-cut cardboard. I glued them with Aleene's tacky glue. When adjusted and in the right place, I reinforced with some thick CA, then a drop of thin CA to stiffen up the part itself. 10 cleats mounted this way.
 

 

 
And then there are the blocks I've been adding to the yards. Topgallants are done, as is the main topsail yard.

Lots more to do...
 

Those new deadeyes look very good on the model.   Well done.  I am shipping your 4mm deadeyes out this morning!!!  I cant remember if you you bought any of my resin blocks in the past but if you want to sample them also let me know.   No 3d print layer lines and they are very smooth.  Even down to the 2mm sizes.  I am actually making a bunch more of them today....sister blocks and clue blocks.... as they are selling out quicker than I thought.
 
Chuck

I will consider that....I have a lot more unusual blocks to make first....shoe blocks and rack blocks and euphroe blocks for example.   Also some cleats and other misc stuff.
 
Chuck

Hi Chuck, thanks for checking out my build log and for your comments on the model.
 
I'm going to wait on the new 4mm deadeyes before I continue with the chainplates and shrouds. I want to see if they look better on the model. I guess it's just a matter of opinion at this point, as to which deadeye size to use, the 4mm or 5mm, since as I mentioned, the kit's supplied "5mm" deadeyes actually come out to 4.5mm. 
 
You absolutely have me sold on the quality of your new blocks – they are amazingly looking! I ordered a sample with my last order from you. I still have a supply of your old pear wood blocks,  so I'm using those here, though I think I have only just enough of the smaller sizes to finish the Wolf. After that, I'll be buying your resin blocks.
 
I still want say that I would love to see 3.5mm blocks in your lineup. I'm building more in 1/72 scale and so many of the paper models are either 1/96 or 1/100 scale. At these scales, the jump from 3mm to 4mm blocks seems pretty noticeable to me, and I'd love to be able to buy an in-between size. 
 
 
 
 

Merry Christmas all!
 
I took a couple weeks to work on some other stuff, but then got back to my HMS Wolf build.
 
I decided to take a look at using Chuck's (Syren Ship Model Company) new resin deadeyes. I don't love the idea of using resin parts on my wooden ship models, but my paper models are really multi-media models anyway, as I'm using wood for masts, yards and blocks, metal cannon barrels... so why not resin deadeyes that so beautiful? You can see them here, along with a couple of the cardboard deadeyes from the kit.

Below, you can see how the model looked like, or would look like, with cardboard deadeyes...

And then, compare that to how it looks with Chuck's resin, 3D-printed deadeyes.

The larger deadeyes are 5mm diameter, and they look a bit big in comparison to the cardboard ones, which are also labeled 5mm, but are closer to 4.5mm. I wish there were 4mm deadeyes available from Chuck's store, but it's currently "Closed for Maintenance", so I have no way to see if he makes them in this size. I'd consider substituting the 5mm ones with 4mm ones if he makes them. If not, these will do.
 
Certainly the 3mm deadeyes on the mast tops look really good. I'm very happy with them!
 

For Christmas, I decided to get myself a new serving tool, which I intend to use with this model. So, I have a brand new Serve-O-Matic that I'll be assembling this week. In the meantime, I'm putting together a rigging table, so my line sizes should be more accurate than using sizes provided solely from the kit plans. Also, I have plenty of work to do on fixing blocks to the yards, and adding those mast cleats I mentioned a few posts back.
 
 
 

Today, I check Chuck's store and it's open. I was able to see that he does carry 4mm deadeyes, so I went ahead and ordered some. I guess I will wait until they arrive before I decide if I will use the 4mm or 5mm deadeyes on this model, but I'm happy to do so.
 
I'm still sanding off the laser-char before I assemble my Serve-O-Matic, which is just as well. I plan on using fly-tying line to serve the shrouds. I haven't done this in a long time and discovered I can't find any in my supplies. The store I used to get it from is gone now, so I went ahead and ordered some online. Won't be here until next week.
 
Meanwhile, there was plenty of work adding blocks to the yards. Also, I need to go ahead and finish the topgallant masts, so I still have lots to work on here.

Hey vossiewulf, it's been a long time since I've done any serving on any model. I'll definitely post my results. Probably in a week or two. Chuck mostly seems to be building at 1/4" scale and larger, so heavier thread would make more sense.
 
I've seen the serving you've been doing on your blog – Excellent job you're doing with your build, by the way – and it's looks amazing. Are you using CA glue to secure the ends of the served area? 
 
I'll try the fly-tying thread, but I expect I'll only be serving the shrouds and stays. Is there a certain brand and size you're using? I've got Uni-Thread 6/0 here.
 

Today, I check Chuck's store and it's open. I was able to see that he does carry 4mm deadeyes, so I went ahead and ordered some. I guess I will wait until they arrive before I decide if I will use the 4mm or 5mm deadeyes on this model, but I'm happy to do so.
 
I'm still sanding off the laser-char before I assemble my Serve-O-Matic, which is just as well. I plan on using fly-tying line to serve the shrouds. I haven't done this in a long time and discovered I can't find any in my supplies. The store I used to get it from is gone now, so I went ahead and ordered some online. Won't be here until next week.
 
Meanwhile, there was plenty of work adding blocks to the yards. Also, I need to go ahead and finish the topgallant masts, so I still have lots to work on here.

Merry Christmas all!
 
I took a couple weeks to work on some other stuff, but then got back to my HMS Wolf build.
 
I decided to take a look at using Chuck's (Syren Ship Model Company) new resin deadeyes. I don't love the idea of using resin parts on my wooden ship models, but my paper models are really multi-media models anyway, as I'm using wood for masts, yards and blocks, metal cannon barrels... so why not resin deadeyes that so beautiful? You can see them here, along with a couple of the cardboard deadeyes from the kit.

Below, you can see how the model looked like, or would look like, with cardboard deadeyes...

And then, compare that to how it looks with Chuck's resin, 3D-printed deadeyes.

The larger deadeyes are 5mm diameter, and they look a bit big in comparison to the cardboard ones, which are also labeled 5mm, but are closer to 4.5mm. I wish there were 4mm deadeyes available from Chuck's store, but it's currently "Closed for Maintenance", so I have no way to see if he makes them in this size. I'd consider substituting the 5mm ones with 4mm ones if he makes them. If not, these will do.
 
Certainly the 3mm deadeyes on the mast tops look really good. I'm very happy with them!
 

For Christmas, I decided to get myself a new serving tool, which I intend to use with this model. So, I have a brand new Serve-O-Matic that I'll be assembling this week. In the meantime, I'm putting together a rigging table, so my line sizes should be more accurate than using sizes provided solely from the kit plans. Also, I have plenty of work to do on fixing blocks to the yards, and adding those mast cleats I mentioned a few posts back.
 
 
 

Today, I check Chuck's store and it's open. I was able to see that he does carry 4mm deadeyes, so I went ahead and ordered some. I guess I will wait until they arrive before I decide if I will use the 4mm or 5mm deadeyes on this model, but I'm happy to do so.
 
I'm still sanding off the laser-char before I assemble my Serve-O-Matic, which is just as well. I plan on using fly-tying line to serve the shrouds. I haven't done this in a long time and discovered I can't find any in my supplies. The store I used to get it from is gone now, so I went ahead and ordered some online. Won't be here until next week.
 
Meanwhile, there was plenty of work adding blocks to the yards. Also, I need to go ahead and finish the topgallant masts, so I still have lots to work on here.

Hey vossiewulf, it's been a long time since I've done any serving on any model. I'll definitely post my results. Probably in a week or two. Chuck mostly seems to be building at 1/4" scale and larger, so heavier thread would make more sense.
 
I've seen the serving you've been doing on your blog – Excellent job you're doing with your build, by the way – and it's looks amazing. Are you using CA glue to secure the ends of the served area? 
 
I'll try the fly-tying thread, but I expect I'll only be serving the shrouds and stays. Is there a certain brand and size you're using? I've got Uni-Thread 6/0 here.
 

Today, I check Chuck's store and it's open. I was able to see that he does carry 4mm deadeyes, so I went ahead and ordered some. I guess I will wait until they arrive before I decide if I will use the 4mm or 5mm deadeyes on this model, but I'm happy to do so.
 
I'm still sanding off the laser-char before I assemble my Serve-O-Matic, which is just as well. I plan on using fly-tying line to serve the shrouds. I haven't done this in a long time and discovered I can't find any in my supplies. The store I used to get it from is gone now, so I went ahead and ordered some online. Won't be here until next week.
 
Meanwhile, there was plenty of work adding blocks to the yards. Also, I need to go ahead and finish the topgallant masts, so I still have lots to work on here.

Hey vossiewulf, it's been a long time since I've done any serving on any model. I'll definitely post my results. Probably in a week or two. Chuck mostly seems to be building at 1/4" scale and larger, so heavier thread would make more sense.
 
I've seen the serving you've been doing on your blog – Excellent job you're doing with your build, by the way – and it's looks amazing. Are you using CA glue to secure the ends of the served area? 
 
I'll try the fly-tying thread, but I expect I'll only be serving the shrouds and stays. Is there a certain brand and size you're using? I've got Uni-Thread 6/0 here.
 

If you have any tips about how to get the servomatic working using fly-tying thread, please let me know. I'm using fly-tying line to serve ropes at 1:64 and it looks good (to me) but it's time consuming, so I also bought a serving machine from Chuck that should be arriving in a few days. I wasn't sure it would work with fly-tying thread, considering his pics all show a heavier thread being used.

Merry Christmas all!
 
I took a couple weeks to work on some other stuff, but then got back to my HMS Wolf build.
 
I decided to take a look at using Chuck's (Syren Ship Model Company) new resin deadeyes. I don't love the idea of using resin parts on my wooden ship models, but my paper models are really multi-media models anyway, as I'm using wood for masts, yards and blocks, metal cannon barrels... so why not resin deadeyes that so beautiful? You can see them here, along with a couple of the cardboard deadeyes from the kit.

Below, you can see how the model looked like, or would look like, with cardboard deadeyes...

And then, compare that to how it looks with Chuck's resin, 3D-printed deadeyes.

The larger deadeyes are 5mm diameter, and they look a bit big in comparison to the cardboard ones, which are also labeled 5mm, but are closer to 4.5mm. I wish there were 4mm deadeyes available from Chuck's store, but it's currently "Closed for Maintenance", so I have no way to see if he makes them in this size. I'd consider substituting the 5mm ones with 4mm ones if he makes them. If not, these will do.
 
Certainly the 3mm deadeyes on the mast tops look really good. I'm very happy with them!
 

For Christmas, I decided to get myself a new serving tool, which I intend to use with this model. So, I have a brand new Serve-O-Matic that I'll be assembling this week. In the meantime, I'm putting together a rigging table, so my line sizes should be more accurate than using sizes provided solely from the kit plans. Also, I have plenty of work to do on fixing blocks to the yards, and adding those mast cleats I mentioned a few posts back.
 
 
 

Merry Christmas all!
 
I took a couple weeks to work on some other stuff, but then got back to my HMS Wolf build.
 
I decided to take a look at using Chuck's (Syren Ship Model Company) new resin deadeyes. I don't love the idea of using resin parts on my wooden ship models, but my paper models are really multi-media models anyway, as I'm using wood for masts, yards and blocks, metal cannon barrels... so why not resin deadeyes that so beautiful? You can see them here, along with a couple of the cardboard deadeyes from the kit.

Below, you can see how the model looked like, or would look like, with cardboard deadeyes...

And then, compare that to how it looks with Chuck's resin, 3D-printed deadeyes.

The larger deadeyes are 5mm diameter, and they look a bit big in comparison to the cardboard ones, which are also labeled 5mm, but are closer to 4.5mm. I wish there were 4mm deadeyes available from Chuck's store, but it's currently "Closed for Maintenance", so I have no way to see if he makes them in this size. I'd consider substituting the 5mm ones with 4mm ones if he makes them. If not, these will do.
 
Certainly the 3mm deadeyes on the mast tops look really good. I'm very happy with them!
 

For Christmas, I decided to get myself a new serving tool, which I intend to use with this model. So, I have a brand new Serve-O-Matic that I'll be assembling this week. In the meantime, I'm putting together a rigging table, so my line sizes should be more accurate than using sizes provided solely from the kit plans. Also, I have plenty of work to do on fixing blocks to the yards, and adding those mast cleats I mentioned a few posts back.
 
 
 

This weekend, I finally made progress stropping deadeyes. I made my own fixtures for this, as you can see in the photos. A wire is is wrapped around it, and I use small, bent nose pliers to squeeze the wire around the post and metal plate. The excess wire is then cut off and the deadeye is fitted inside.



In the last photos, you can see the masts are temporarily installed. I drill out the base of masts so I could glue in a section of a straight pin into each. The pin will push into the center backbone of the model when the masts are inserted into place. This helps hold the masts in place.
 


The instructions call for installing temporary stays, which you can see in at least one photo. These white lines will be removed later. For now, these will provide the main support for the masts while I work on the shrouds and on getting the correct angle for the chainplates, which attach to the deadeye stropping and secure the deadeyes agains the pull of the shrouds, which will also get installed later.
 

By the way, here is one of the Super Modeler Plan Sets and the beginnings of the Spanish 34-gun frigate Santa Leocadia.
 
I put together this much of the hull several years ago, to see how it goes together, but I didn't have any of the paper model experience or skills necessary to take on a task of this sort. It's really a set of scratch builder plans, with some parts provided to start off on the model.
 

 
Shipyard re-released a 1/96-scale paper model kit of this same ship. I have that too. In many cases, I should be able to scan and scale up any parts I may need for this 1/72 scale model. So, I could try to take this on.
 
As I already mentioned, I also have the super plans set for HMS Enterprize as well. This is almost identical to HMS Mercury, of which Shipyard also makes a big 1/72 scale kit, but it's something like $450. Still, all the parts are laser cut, and I wouldn't be risking this rare sper plans set. 
 
Anyway, just thought I'd share. HMS Wolf construction continues...

Jeff, they're not very different from Seahorse kits, and you've obviously done a terrific job with that U.S. Revenue Cutter of yours!