Tyrnac

You and me both, Medic! I set mine down for about six months and am only now getting back to it. Andy, how did you fit the channels? I've been pondering on it today, and have almost decided to cut holes into the hull to insert the tabs on the channels. What did you do?

I used CA occasionally (often at the stem, when I was in a rush), but tended to use PVA and pressure whenever possible. You will need to narrow some planks, and you will find the thinner walnut will be much easier to work with - though brittle!

I opted to finish the wood with tung oil, and I have been really pleased with the results so far. It really adds a nice luster to the walnut. I'll try to post some before and after pics sometime soon. Keep any and all questions coming!

Hi Medic, Nice work so far! I too am working on the Racehorse (on and off for several years now, as work and family allow), and have the deck furniture and rigging left to go. I'm happy to answer any questions you may have up to where my progress has stopped. As far as the kit goes, I find the instructions lacking and the parts sometimes less than optimal. That said, you get what you pay for, and I chose this kit as it was one of the cheapest. I figured, if I screwed it up too bad, I'd give it a Viking funeral at sea. So far, it has not come to that. Good thing there are so many experienced builders here to show the way! This is my first model too, and I chose to take it slow and try to learn while I go. As such, I treated the first planking as a primer on how to plank, so that my second planking would look good. Feel free to screw up as much as you'd like on the first planking, as no one will ever see it! You can sand any bumps to oblivion, and if you mis-fared any of the bulkheads, after you finish the first planking is a great time to use sandpaper and filler to make things right. You've hit the point where you will either have to start spilling planks, or start reducing the width from full at midship down to half original at the prow and stern. I chose the latter route with decent results. Please let me know if you have more questions and I will do my best to answer them. There is also a nice build log from Zyxuz here: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/1732-hms-racehorse-by-zyxuz-sergal-scale-147/?hl=racehorse Cheers, and good luck! Tony

Hi Shacks! I'm building this kit as well (my first build) and your questions look awfully familiar. If you want a rabbet on this one, you have to cut it yourself. I worked out the run based on the bottoms of the bulkheads, and used a #11 blade to cut the bow and bottom and a small chisel to cut a smooth run in the stern. Basically, you want a notch that the plank will fit into nicely, and at the stern I cut away some of the ply so that the planks would end up more flush with the back. Sorry if this is not making sense, it's a bit hard to describe in just words. I too used my first planking to work on the technique, and on the second planking did my best to taper the planks at the bow so as to have a nice run (more straight than straight up) and not clinker too much. Have you started a build log yet? I'd love to see more of your ship in progress. I started mine a few years ago, but had two kids since and each time a child came along the Racehorse got shelved. I got up to the deck furniture this past year but moved countries over the summer, so I have to enjoy other peoples' build logs until all of my stuff gets here. There is a nice log from ZyXuz, and sooner or later I'll have to start one myself. In the meantime, welcome aboard! Tony

I'm getting on board late, on page 21 it seems. All the seats were full, so I pulled up my cooler full of beer and sat on that! I love the Agamemnon and am working up to it (bomb ketch now, maybe a brig next, then old Eggs n Ham) so I'm reading with great interest. There's some really fine craftsmanship going on here

I'm building the Mantua Racehorse, theoretically a bomb vessel from 1754 but really more of a platonic ideal or conglomeration of mid-18th century bomb vessel characteristics. I'm only painting a thin section of the hull, between the wales, and finishing the lower hull with tung oil, but I thought blackening the yards might make for a nice contrast.

Hello all, As I reach the time to shape the masts and yards on my first vessel, I come to a question of blackening. I'm no nautical authority, but I recall reading about "properly blackened yards" frequently in Patrick O'Brian. Can anyone give me any background on this? Were most yards blackened? My vessel is a British man of war. Thanks, Tony

Thanks all. I gave in and had my brother send me some low-gloss tung oil. Now I have to figure out what to do until it arrives!

Thanks, Steve. I'm fishing for opinions right now as I currently live in Thailand and cannot find any kind of woodworking oils. I'm sure that they are around, but I don't even know where to look, and there are no big box Home Depot-type stores that carry that sort of thing. I'm going to have family ship me something from the States once I decide what I want to use. I'm looking for something that gives me more of a matte than gloss finish. Do you think tung or True would be better, as you have used both?

Hi All, I'm just finishing up the deck furniture on my Racehorse and trying to decide which oil to use to finish the hull, furniture, and other wooden bits. A friend recommended True Oil, of which I had never heard, but by which he swears. Some quick research showed that it is manufactured as a finishing oil for gunstocks (which means it must be weather-resistant), and it seems to be popular for re-finishing guitar necks. The manufacturer says it is a mixture of linseed (unsure if raw or boiled) and other oils. So, has anyone ever used it? Does it work better/worse/same as regular linseed oil or tung oil? Thanks, Tony

Gotcha! I think some of my slow progress in my build can be attributed to my desire not to mess things up. Then, I stop caring, take a decision, and make huge progress. I started planking the inners with the 2x3mm lime the other day, and got everything except for the forecastle finished. I still have to saw out the holes for the catheads before I plank that. Did you just bend the wood (plank bender? cut and bend? clamp and glue?) or did you cut out several pieces to make the curve run smoother?

Great looking ketch, ZyXuz! I'm working on the same model myself, and have been for the past five years - I took some serious breaks when my kids were born. Having a look at your build log has really helped me as I build, as the instructions and plans sometimes leave something to be desired. My hull and deck are all planked and I'm working on the deck furniture now. I do have a question for you: what did you use for the handrails on top of the bullwarks? It looks like the lighter basswood, but what size? Thanks! Tony