Aussie048

Hello to all!!
At last, Amerigo Vespucci has arrived! This is my second ship build.
First impressions: wood quality is better than that of my previous build and the manual, consists of 9 large sheets with general instructions (compared to the step by step manual of the previous build).
Attached you may find photos from unpacking the kit and first dry fit.
And now comes my first question:
Starting from the bottom of the keel, at which distance should I carve the rabbet  line?
 
Thank you in advance for your help
Dimitris

Top Stanchions and Railings
 
The final things to add before attaching the Tops are the Stanchions and Railings. TFFM advise against doing it at this stage as they may get damaged whilst rigging, but I found them difficult enough to fit on the bench let alone when they are on the ship. I'm confident that they will stand up to any punishment later on .
 
I made the stanchions from 1.0mm brass rod and 1.6mm brass tube. The tube's ID was only 0,8mm so every piece had to be drilled. I did this on the lathe, and also cut the pieces of tubing from the stock using the parting tool held about 1mm from the chuck. They are a rather tight fit, and didn't really need soldering so I didn't bother :
 

 
The stanchions were also a tight fit in the previously drilled holes in the tops so I glued them in with CA. I drilled the rails 3/4 of the way through, and once again they were a good fit. I glued them on to the stanchions with PVA :
 

 

 
  Danny

Thanks John. It was harder to make than it looks .
 
Blocks under the Top
 
Returning to the tops. The blocks are held under the tops by a strop which has a wooden peg through it's top end on the top floor.
 
Here are a couple of pics of my method of stropping a block. The "splice" is a simple overhand knot held in place with PVA and neatly trimmed. It's very difficult to tell with the naked eye that it is a fake seizing :
 

 

 

 
I pulled the end of the strop through the top using a piece of thread :
 

 
The top view of a pegged block strop :
 

 
  Danny

Thanks for that Grant. I might just try that method next time .
 
Berthing Rail
 
A slight departure from the masts/rigging while I remember it. Before I get too much more rigging around the Head it was time to make and fit the Berthing Rail. This is an iron rail supported by a stanchion in the middle. It fits into a small eyebolt at each end (I'd fitted these earlier) :
 

 
  Danny

BRASS TUBING, BRASS STRIP and COPPER WIRE
 
With his permission, the following is copied from member GTM's Santisima Trinidad build log (1/90 scale):

FOLDER MECHANISM part 4
 
Star
 

 
On second and thirs from left, blue ring is MADE of telephony cooper wire

PAPERCLIPS, TELEPHONE WIRE,  MULTI-HAIR WIRE AND TOOTHPICKS
 
In mission to become "boomkin and chain" on Cutty Sark
 
Here is goal
 
 

 
 
So called "Boomkin and chain" on Campbell plans. In my scale, it has to be about 10mm long, has four rings up and two down, movable hinge and a chain to connect to bulwark eye
 
So, let us begin
 
1. Material
 

 
2. Making a tool
 
Main material is telephon cooper wire. Thin enough, and fitted on such little dimensions, hard enought
 
But, how to make tool for making little rings ?
 
Open paperclip, line it, and make this, considering dimensions you need
 

 
Tight strenght this structure in table clamp, and cut as on picture
 

 
You got perfect modeling pattern, and massproduction can start
 
3. Boomkin itself
 
Following next pictures, make four little rings, taking care to keep wire tight all time
 

 

 
Pull out wire with rings, turn wire backward, and make new two rings on proper places
 

 

 
Pull out whole structure, align and fit it on anvil
 

 
Soldering is neccessary to tight both parts and to give some mass, but it can be tricky on such a small piece. To avoid rings to stay clean and open, use toothpicks
 

 
4 Hinge - preliminary idea, it probably can be done better. Hinge is on toothpick top before soldering
 

 

 

 

 

 
Soldering is neccessary, and a little correction with Dremell ... 
 
Mount boomkin in hinge, and fit hinge, and boomkin can move !!!!
 
It is preliminary idea
 
5. Chain
 
I think that on the market you can not find chain thick 0,2 mm ... Also I think that is imposible to make such a chain ... ot it haas no sense ...
 
So, idea is to make something "TO LOOK AS THE CHAIN"
 
And I remember cooper multiwired cable, and use cooper hairs as thin tread, and with torsion two hairs, I got this
 

 

 
Eye is made earlier from telephony wire, as I show in my log
 

 
 
Connect with "chain" boomkin and eye
 
 

 
And after painting in blac acrylic with a little drop of gold acrylic
 

 
Root of hinge and eye can be mounted in bullwark. Line of moves can be different, and I conected chain for demo purpose.
 
Also, depending of patience, little chain can be made in different way ( some macrame technique, still has to be investigated)
 
But, whole structure is so small, and there is unanswsered question, will all this ( movable hinge, chain structure) be visible at all ?

Thanks Popeye and Dave.
 
 
Probably a museum.
 
 
Not yet - I'm going to finish Vulture first, and then I have a model of Norske Lowe to finish off for another guy.
 
Making Blocks
 
There are 24 blocks attached beneath the Fore and Main Tops. Each has 4 Buntlines, 4 Leechlines and 4 Tricing Line blocks. The buntlines are 8" double sheaved (4.23mm long), the leechlines are 7" doubles (3.7mm) and the tricing line blocks are 6" single sheaved (3.18mm).
 
I started by cutting the stock to the appropriate sizes for the three sizes of block. Next I cut a shallow groove (or two) for the representations of the sheaves the full length of each piece of stock. Then I made up a Spreadsheet for the co-ordinates of each hole. The spreadsheet has co-ordinates for all sizes of block from 4" to 12" :
 

 
I set the stock up in my mill and proceeded to drill (a Digital Readout is a MUST for this operation). I made about twice as many blocks as I needed. The co-ordinates allowed for twice the thickness of my smallest saw blade (0.20" or 0.54mm) so that I could make all the blocks with a minimum of setting up :
 

 
Next came the most labour intensive part of the exercise, shaping the blocks using a sharp Xacto :
 

 
The grooves for the strop were cut last before cutting each block from the stock and finishing the cut end :
 

 
EDIT - After making a few sets of blocks I found it easier to saw the grooves for both the "sheave" and the strop in the stock before drilling the holes etc.
 
  Danny

Thank you Michael.
 
The planks were overlapped and glued together. Note the change of direction in the fore-aft and athwartship planks :
 

 

 
Then the outer edge was trimmed to shape :
 

 
To make the outer rim I rebated the straight sections with the table saw. The curved forward piece was milled and trimmed with an Xacto chisel :
 

 

 
The four pieces were glued to the platform and a sloping angle was cut into the curved section using a sharp Xacto blade :
 

 
The Battens were fitted next :
 

 
Finally, all the holes for the topmast deadeyes, stanchions, crowsfeet and blocks were measured, drilled and filed :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Used a fine point Sharpie to paint window trim

done with copper plates

After receiving the ordered blocks out of Chucks store today I put on the first sail (spanker). Except for the in- and outhauler tackle and the ensign that should be complete now.
There are some extra lines and belaying points for these at the base mizzen mast . Will rig the the ready stay sails next and their operating lines .
 
 
 

 
leave away the ratlines and the last backstays and ensign until later
 
 

 
the horizontal driver boom is about 3mm (scale 1:64) over the catains head / hat
 
 

 
 
 
Build log part 68 to follow
 
Nils

More on the shelf, I have made 'legs' for the self, here is the first set getting treenailed.
 

 
Here is both sets of 'legs' being tree nailed to the shelf, and put into temp position for photo, the upper cleat has been glued into position, the lower cleats will be also glued in but I will hold of on installing till lots else is finished.
 
The ends of the legs need to be trimmed to bring shelf to horizontal (it has slight upwards incline at the moment).

Part one:
 

 

 

 

 
Enough for today. Glueing was problem ...
 
Color corection follows when all will be done
 
Btw, here is place and part of work when lost lines, angles and proportion of fields make problems

Second attempt ...
 

 
 
Made from thin wood strips
 
 
Ok, I think it can pass ...
 
And now starts harder part with very thin lines, less than 0,5mm. I made some tests, and for now it seems that thin rope will take main role. We ll see tomorow

Got the shelf started for the sailcloth and lumber store.
 

 
I scratch built it from some plans I scribbled.
 
I am still going to add five legs to the frame, and some 'temporary' clets to the inside of the hull to stay the legs.
 
It has a section missing so there is still clearance for the hatch, and will sit in this position of the hull
 

 
I also have to notch the back of the frame to accept the knees, I will build it outside the ship and fit it before the deck beams above it.

Thank you for the encouragement.  I wouldn't be able to do this without all the help I'm getting. I feel like a real landlubber but at one time I did have a small sailboat called the Mayflower - it was just a single sail and was made out of plastic, but I had lots of fun with it.  Tipped over a few times, but it was fun.

Time for an update
 
I have made a jig to laminate the floor beams in the correct curve, I thought this would give more consistent results.
It uses more stock than the suggested way.
 

 
Things went well for the first 10 (I need 15), Then I picked out some more stock from the supplied wood, I proceed with the next 5, thinking the jig was a bit tighter then when I started, but the wedges where getting a bit worn. When I checked the last 5 they were wider because the stock I had picked was same width but slightly thicker, it is supposed to be used for the planking of the hull. I have been stocking my 'wood pile lately so I should be able to substitute something (most of them are painted so matching size is only concern)

 
 
I finished putting pear wood on the exposed ribs, I will tree nail this in brass wire.
Then I went on the inside planking (I think it is called the ceiling wood, but it is on the floor , crazy sailors) .
this I am going to tree nail in wood, but only the exposed joints, most of this will have ballast or cargo covering, 
 

 
I am thinking of putting a lumber rack in the lower hold, on one side that would essentially be a shelf that had some large timbers, sail cloth, etc. (suggestions please)
 

 
 
I have been playing around with some of the smaller things as well
 
The table had enormous feet so I trimmed them down too look like legs, I made 2 small (4mm high) benches to go with the table (what to put on the table).
 

 
 
Sorry for bad quality photos, is hard to get small parts with just a phone
 

 
And some tool boxes that still need hinges and handles 
 
and sea chests, sailors need chests (in case of booty).
 

 
I am up building the decks next, as well as get the cannons out to see what height they will be, as the plans are a bit vague on some measurements, and I do not trust they will be accurate enough if I want cannons in middle of gun port, so they will have to be built so I can measure accurately the height.
 
So till next update.
Happy building.

Hi Geoff
I'm only three steps ahead of you, practising and serving lines...
Waiting to see your serving progress and discuss our initial procedures!
Cheers
 
Stergios

Hi guys
I'm about to serve the shroud to create the served loop for the lowermast

 
but I'm not sure about the length of that "served loop" I have to create...
Is there any basic rule for that?
Thank you for your help.
 
Stergios
 
PS: Thank you Jason for the photo...

I've left the two pairs of seizing unglued and the second line-branch untrimmed till the next placement of the shrouds to see better the relative lengths etc

 
I have nt used water pva to simulate better the gravity of the pendants.
I hope that water pva works fine and do not interfere with the serving of the ropes...

Later on I have passed the second served line through the same two proximal pairs of seizing to create a kind of loop to suspend it around the mast... 
These are the two served branches side by side

...and suspanded around the lower mizzen mast


 
Thank you
 
Stergios

Hi everybody
Let me present you my point of view for the mizzen burton pendants using the served (with No 40 cotton line) 0,75 rope of the kit.
I'm definitely a fun of zip seizing. Those are three pairs of seizing created around a wire/axis of 1,5 mm diameter
The line for the seizing (as a basic rule is #0,25mm)

Well I have passed those three pairs of zip seizing through the served line of 0,75 mm

Created the main loop for the eye at each edge and secured with a double knot

The distal pair of seizing placed then and secured (using pva on the left edge and hypo gs cement on the right to see the final resluts)

 
Those are the semi-final results

Build log part 67
 
 
Sails, sails and sails......
 
 
currently I`m working on the sails, all 18 are sewn, the bolt ropes are on, and I´m continuing with the cringles ( for bowlines, reef- and buntlines, etc....) and the short reef  lines on the appropriate sails and sail areas.
The two waterholes of the sprit sail required some Handsewing to prevent fringing out.
 It took me round about a week for the sails, now I Need to order some additional blocks for their rigging
 
Nils

Thanks again guys for the encouragement. I am feeling a bit better about the state of the planking now that it is almost done. I am down to one plank section per side, which I should be able to finish up tonight. Those screw in planking clamps have worked really well on these small gaps. I bought a bunch of them a few years ago when Micro Mark had them on sale, so I didn't run out once on this build. They were a bit expensive even on sale, but they sure came in handy. There were even a few planks where I did not have a gap left that I just screwed the post through the plank to hold it, which I will fill the hole with putty now. I first tried straight pins, but they would not hold the planks flat to the filler blocks.
 

 

 

 

 
I am seeing some wavy-ness when looking down the hull, but I think that will be sanded out when I complete the sanding. That is going to be the next big task, one in which I always have a hard time. I think that I am getting close to being done, then look at the hull with light from a different angle and see all sorts of anomalies. And this hull is bigger by a lot than any previous planking that I have done. So, I just need to get at it and take my time and be generous with the wood putty (although most of it will get sanded off).
 
Since I am down to working one plank per side at a time, I have had some time to make all the quoins for the gun deck cannons. I also made all the ring bolts for them, which I have blackened along with the eye bolts for them. I have started making the hooks for the gun tackles, as well. I can do about 10 per night before my eyes give out, and I need about 90 of them. I started out trying to use a pair of pliers with round ends for the loops, but ended up using tweezers instead, which resulted in smaller loops. The hook part is made by bending around the end of a needle nose pliers. I do this all with the wire still on the roll, then cut off the hook and file the end somewhat pointy, although not as pointy as I would like yet. It is really hard to hold them still while filing, since they are so small.
 

 
I will post pictures of the sanding as it progresses.