UdoK

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

I have send an message to CAFmodel, Tom concerning the missing Parts E1 and E2.
He replied right away with the information that he will send out the pieces immediately.
That's what I'am calling a outstanding customer service........
 
The construction of the building cradle will be suspended until arrival of the pieces.
 
Construction of the frames has been started with the first full frame number 4.
In the first step of cleaning up and sanding the frames I have used my disc sander to sand the pieces front and end smooth.
Afterwards the individual pieces are properly aligned over the drawing and clued together.
 
For sure it will provide a lot of fun to clean up the laser char and sanding all the clinker planking teeth into shape on all the frames.
 

 

 

 

Nice to see this kit in a build log! I'm following

The keel assembly has been completed and cleaned up finally.
Removing laser char is a real pain, but much more to go for the frame construction.
 
Next chapter of the instructions are calling for the frame construction, I will skip this and rather continue with the building cradle assembly. This to have a safe storage for the keel and frames to come.
 
The inspector of construction ia already onsite and satisfied with the progress so far.
 



 
 

The keel assembly has been completed and cleaned up finally.
Removing laser char is a real pain, but much more to go for the frame construction.
 
Next chapter of the instructions are calling for the frame construction, I will skip this and rather continue with the building cradle assembly. This to have a safe storage for the keel and frames to come.
 
The inspector of construction ia already onsite and satisfied with the progress so far.
 



 
 

Well, construction starts...
 
I'am following the instructions which are asking for the keel assembly as the first step.
 
The required keel parts are located on two lasercut plates 9 and 10. It is very gratifying that both panels are of the same exact thickness, just under 4mm.
All parts are already pre tapered on both sides to form the rabbet. It is only a little more sanding and fine tuning on the tapering required.
After the usual activities of cleaning and removal of the laser char the accuracy of the joints is excellent.
To highlight the finished joints I have painted all edges both sides with a pencil 6B.
 

Planking the gun deck -
So the adventure continues with this kit. It's so different from the others that I've build, I feel like I'm flying blind.
 
I think I mentioned in any earlier post that the decking comes all pre-cut, tapered etc. You cut the pieces out of a billet. Below is the billet with the gun deck planking all removed -
 

 
The system works in theory, but it's quite a different matter in practice. The pieces include a "frame" which comprises the nibbing strakes, which is infilled with the decking planks. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. In a perfect environment, they all fit together with impressive accuracy, but the problem is, there is absolutely no margin for error. There are four pieces to each side of the outer frame and they all fit together with scarf joints and of course they have a curve. If any of them is misplaced by even a millimetre then the whole thing falls out of whack and nothing will line up on the other side or at the other end.
 
In addition, there's the problem of having to sand each plank. As you can see in the photo, there are the little bits that attached each plank to the billet and they have to be sanded off. The least variation in how much you sand affects the fit and the effect is cumulative.
 

 
It's normal to start planking in the centre and work out to each side, however I felt that if I did that this time, I would have a poor fit on each side where the last planks meet the outer frame. So this time I started on the port side and worked across the deck, my thought being that I would have to adjust only on one side.
 
I got a good fit all the way across at the bow, but by the time I got to the stern, here's what the fit looks like -
 

 
It's hard to believe how quickly the errors in placement compound and I can't imagine how to compensate for them. Nevertheless I got a passable result in the centre of the deck which is the only part that will be visible when the upper deck is in place. Even so, due to sanding inconsistencies, I was short by almost the width of one plank, and because all of the joints are pre-determined there was no way to maintain the staggering of joints at the spot where I inserted the extra plank.
 

 
I was pretty sure these issues would arise, but I decided to proceed anyway, because about 95% of the gun deck is completely obstructed from view by the upper deck. There's only one area that's open and the life boat is over top of that, and I made sure the planking looked ok in that area, so I figured I couldn't do too much harm. My thought was if the right approach to this planking method became apparent in this "practice" run, then I would use it on the upper deck. But at this point I don't believe I can successfully plank the upper deck using this method, so I have ordered some wood and will plank the upper deck in the more usual way.
 
I'll report again when I discover the next surprise!
 
David

Thanks everyone for checking in -
I've started in on this project and trying to get used to its idiosyncrasies. On the positive side, the pieces fit together with much more precision than I am used to on Model Shipways kits, but on the other hand already there have been some pitfalls which I have managed to catch, but I am worried about the ones further down the line that I miss until it's too late.
 
The stem, keel and stern went together beautifully -

 

 
They attach to the false keel and fit virtually perfectly. The false keel is 4mm thick and the keel/stem/stern assembly are 6mm thick. I tacked a 1mm strip down both sides of the false keel to help position it correctly -

 

 

 
I would have expected the kit to include a thin walnut strip to fit along the bottom of the keel, but there was nothing even close in size. So I used a piece of basswood that I had that was the right thickness, but I had to sand it down to the right width.
 
There are two pieces that are held in place by two of the bulkheads which receive the ends of the two masts. These are not mentioned in the instructions and it takes a bit work to even find them in the plans. They have to go in at the same time as the bulkheads or else it's too late.
 

 
This one is for the fore mast

 
This one is for the main mast, but look where it's located. Right in the middle of the bulkhead. That bulkhead will have to be cut out to accommodate the mast!
 
Similarly, I discovered that some serious adjustments have to be made to accommodate the bowsprit -

 
The part marked BH comes as one piece, but it needs to be cut in two and a large opening made it in. Also, the first bulkhead has to be cut, otherwise there is nowhere to put the bowsprit, which passes through the upper deck and rests on a bitt on the lower deck.
 
Otherwise, it's progressing nicely. There are horizontal strips that tie the bulkheads together and they fit so precisely that it's amazing. Once I have all the bulkheads in place and the strips glued it, it should make for a quite rigid structure.

 
The odd location of the bulkhead where the main mast goes caused me to look ahead at the gunports and how they're located vis-a-vis the bulkheads. I actually found a casual reference to it in the instructions, which suggested that it might be possible to find that a gunport opening was obstructed by a bulkhead  (as if it was something that might or might not happen!) It looks from the plan that it is a certainty.
 
Anyway, that's all for now.
 
Thanks again,
David

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

The keel assembly has been completed and cleaned up finally.
Removing laser char is a real pain, but much more to go for the frame construction.
 
Next chapter of the instructions are calling for the frame construction, I will skip this and rather continue with the building cradle assembly. This to have a safe storage for the keel and frames to come.
 
The inspector of construction ia already onsite and satisfied with the progress so far.
 



 
 

Well, construction starts...
 
I'am following the instructions which are asking for the keel assembly as the first step.
 
The required keel parts are located on two lasercut plates 9 and 10. It is very gratifying that both panels are of the same exact thickness, just under 4mm.
All parts are already pre tapered on both sides to form the rabbet. It is only a little more sanding and fine tuning on the tapering required.
After the usual activities of cleaning and removal of the laser char the accuracy of the joints is excellent.
To highlight the finished joints I have painted all edges both sides with a pencil 6B.
 

Seems that I'am one of the first who opens a buildlog of the CAF Le Coureur kit..
 
Unlike other buildlogs I will not start with a extensive kit review since this can be seen in other threads, like the one from CAF
My kit has been arrived after 6 days from the reception of the shipping notification to door delivery, very fast!
The kit was very well packed to ensure a safe transport.
 
Before the construction starts, here are a few thoughts as per today about my intentions on how to show the model.
I will try to display the Coureur as she appeared in 1776, just before the capture of the English navy.
For reference I will follow the Ancre monograph.
I want to show as much interieur as possible without neglecting too many details like masts, rigging and deck furniture. How this task turns out in detail will be determined throughout the construction as it progresses.
 

 

 

Better check mine as well.

I had those parts missing in my kit, but Tom is sending them straight over.

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for your interest and Likes!
 
I have started to take care for the building cradle parts and it's construction.
The base plates B1 – B5 have been screwed down to a solid board as per the instructions.
The keel has been placed and Plywood pieces A and C so far are only cleaned up and dryfitted,
Most of the parts A1 – A7 are not holding tight the keel laterally, I will install some additional guides to hold the keel in position firmly.
The stem post pattern part A8 requires some grinding to fit the contour of the lower stem and it's proper spot in the cradle.
 
Instruction manual 1, figure 19 shows the installation of the two end plates E1 and E2. Unfortunately both pieces are missing in my kit. I will check out if it is possible to create a solid and accurate cradle without the pieces.
More to come....
 

 

 

 

 

 

The keel assembly has been completed and cleaned up finally.
Removing laser char is a real pain, but much more to go for the frame construction.
 
Next chapter of the instructions are calling for the frame construction, I will skip this and rather continue with the building cradle assembly. This to have a safe storage for the keel and frames to come.
 
The inspector of construction ia already onsite and satisfied with the progress so far.
 



 
 

Well, construction starts...
 
I'am following the instructions which are asking for the keel assembly as the first step.
 
The required keel parts are located on two lasercut plates 9 and 10. It is very gratifying that both panels are of the same exact thickness, just under 4mm.
All parts are already pre tapered on both sides to form the rabbet. It is only a little more sanding and fine tuning on the tapering required.
After the usual activities of cleaning and removal of the laser char the accuracy of the joints is excellent.
To highlight the finished joints I have painted all edges both sides with a pencil 6B.