Glenn-UK

Build Log Index Date: 12/08/2024 - 15/08/2024 Time worked today: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 37 hours. Painting The Hull Continues The hull has now had a few iterations of the painting process and as I indicated in my last post it is not a task that can be rushed. After each coat of paint had been applied, I continued sand and apply filler where necessary. Once I was reasonably happy with how the hull was looking the rudder strap PE parts were added. Cut down pins were then inserted in rudder strap holes. After a couple more sprays of paint the hull is now looking good. I am hoping that once the paint has dried there will be no more worked required. The paint is still wet in the attached photo’s hence the shiny nature and reflections.

Build Log Index Date: 10/08/2024 & 11/08/2024 Time worked today: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 35 hours. Sanding. Filling and Painting The Hull It takes time and patience to sand, fill and paint the hull, requiring a few iterations of the process. It is not a task that can be rushed. Prior to starting work I used tape to protect the patterns. I then brushed a diluted mixture of wood filler to the hull so that all the little gaps between planks were filled. I also added more filler to the visible depressions in the planking. Once the filler had hardened the hull was given a light sand with some 120-grit sandpaper to remove the excess filler. The hull was the giving a light spray of white paint. Using my palm sander fitted with 80-grit sandpaper and then 120-grit sandpaper the hull was sanded smooth again. The aim is to remove as much as the white paint as possible which indicates the hull smooth. As can be seen in the photos below there are still a few areas which will require some filler. After filling and sanding the hull once again another coat of white paint was sprayed on the hull. As can be seen in the next photo’s there is still a bit more filling work required but the hull is starting to look better. After filling the gaps with more diluted filler and then sanding smooth again another coat of white paint was sprayed on. The hull is now looking good but it will require another round of sanding and filling as there are still some imperfections. Once the hull has been sanded and filled I plan to add the stern post and the stern transom (upper outer) pattern to the hull before I start the formal painting process.

Many thanks Uwe.

Many thanks Bob.

Many thanks Ronald.

Build Log Index Date: 07/08/2024 & 08/08/2024 Time worked today: 3 hours. Total time spent on build: 33 hours. Second Planking Completed I managed to complete the second planking this morning. As this section of the hull is to be painted white I was not overly worried with the technique. The hull is now ready to be filled and sanded, as necessary prior to painting. If you have a nervous disposition, please do not look at the final photo which shows what can happen if you’re not careful when trimming planks.

Thanks Andrew. Probably should have gone to A&E to get it stitched. It is a bit sore and I seemed to have stopped leaking copious amounts of red fluid so it just needs time to heal.

Many thanks for you comments. Finger is a bit sore and will take a few day to heal. Hoping to resume in the morning.

Build Log Index Date: 07/08/2023 & 08/08/2023 Time worked today: 6 hours. Total time spent on build: 30 hours. Completion of Carronade’s I have now added the various PE parts and barrels to the carronade carriages. I started by fitting the 4 off eyebolts to each assembly. Once that was done, I then added the ringbolt straps and breeching ringbolts to each assembly. The final task was to glue the barrels to their respective sliding beds. Garboard Plank As reported in my last post I was finding it very difficult to shape the bow end of the garboard plank and decided to take a break. It was a wise decision as I was quickly able to discover the problem and correct. These planks were then glued in place. Start Of Second Planking Working downward I started to add the planks. I tapered the planks down to 2mm at the bow. I did not add any taper to the stern end of each plank. I am adding a lateral plank bend to the bow section of each plank. I did tape the stern area to protect the lower pattern from any excess super glue spills. First three planks fitted. I am shaping by the left and right and planks at the same time before bending and fitting. Nine planks have now been fitted. I have also fitted a second plank next to the garboard plank. I am very pleased that by adding the planks in pairs they are looking nicely matched As I started to trim the next plank I managed to run the blade of my craft knife right across my left hand index finger resulting in a long deep cut close to the bone. I am hoping it will not hinder me too much and that I can return to the shipyard in the morning.

Build Log Index Date: 04/08/2024 & 05/08/2023 Time worked today: 4 hours. Total time spent on build: 25 hours. Second Planking Initial Work With the two outer bulwark side patterns clamped to the hull the first second plank was ready to be pinned in place. As can be seen in the photo below I am trying to work out the central point for the lateral plank bend. After soaking the plank in some hot water for about 1 or 2 minute it was clamped to my bending jig. I used a hair dryer for a minute or two to apply the required heat to enable the plank to retain the required bend when it was released from the jig. It was then a case of checking how the lateral bend plank fits. I am happy with how this plank looks when test fitted. A good close fit with the bulwark when it is pinned in place. I then repeated the lateral bend process for the first plank on the other side. There when then pinned to the hull and the two outer bulwark side patterns were then removed for the time being. As I am currently waiting for a delivery of super glue I am unable to start adding planks below the pinned plank. Therefore I decided to look the garboard plank. Using a spare piece of 0.6mm strip wood I made a template which seem to be a good fit. However, transferring the bow shaping from the template to a test piece of 0.8mm planking material I found it very difficult to get the bow shaping to fit in the rabbet. As I could not work out what the problem was I decided it was better to take a break and therefore decided to start making the remaining 11 off carronades. Carronade’s The various wooden parts were glued to their respective carriage and to the slide bed assemblies. After removing the laser char the slide bed assembly was glued to the carriage assembly. The carronade wheels were also added at this stage. Once the glue has dried the top of the side pin was sanded smooth with the slide bed. The top of the wheel assembly was also sanded smooth with the carriage base. A light coat of varnish was then brushed on each carronade assembly and once dried a couple coats of flat red paint was brushed on each assembly. The carronade’s just require the PE parts and barrel to be fitted.

Hello Andrew, many thanks

Many thanks. It is a sharp bend around the bow. I plan to experiment with some laterally bent planks as I think that make the second planking much easier to do.

Many thanks Bob, your comments are greatly appreciated.

Build Log Index Date: 04/08/2024 Time worked today: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 21 hours. Pre Second Planking Work After a fabulous 8 days cruising along the Blue Danube it is time to return to the shipyard. Before starting the 2nd planking there are a few tasks to complete. Stern Transom (Lower Outer) After brushing some wood glue to the hull the stern transom (lower outer) pattern was added. To ensure this pattern was correctly positioned I did clamp the stern transom (upper outer) to the hull (not shown in the attached photos). The bottom edges of the stern transom (lower outer) were then sanded so they followed the flow of the hull planking. Main Keel The two main keel parts were then added to the hull. Prow Patterns The two outer prow patterns were the next parts to be added to the hull, using the locating tabs provided with the kit to ensure they correctly aligned. The excess locating tab material was trimmed and sanded smooth. Lower Keel Patters The two outer keel patterns were the next parts to be added to the hull, using the locating tabs provided with the kit to ensure they correctly aligned. The excess locating tab material was trimmed and sanded smooth. Outer Bulwark Side Patterns The two outer bulwark side patterns were soaked in hot water and then clamped to the hull and were left overnight to fully dry out. They will not be glued to the hull for the time being but will be clamped in place to get the correct planking line for the first second planking strip. They will then be removed to protect the engraved lines. They will then be fitted after the hull has been painted.

Thanks Uwe

Great work Dan.

Build Log Index Date: 24/07/2024 Time worked today: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 19 hours. Sanding the Hull After 1st Planking I started using a mouse sander with 80 grit sandpaper. I then switched to using 120 grit sandpaper (by hand) and 600 grit sanding sticks. During the sanding process there were a few areas where I needed to add some filler. The method I used to fill the depressions is as follows. Add a lump of wood filler to the centre of the area to be filled. Use a wooden tooth pick (or similar) to spread the wood filler by rolling it back and forth. After a few rolls back and forth the depressions was filled and the excess wood filler is on the tooth pick.. Once the filler had cured it can sanded smooth. The end result is there is no longer any sign of the depression. I then checked how the second planking would look at the stern area. I started with fitting the main keel (aft) along with some 1mm planks to simulate the outer keel patterns. A small piece of the second plank material was then test fitted. As can be seen the second plank looks to be reasonably flush with the keel. There is a bit of wood filler that still required to be sanded. I then repeated the process with the stern post fitted. Next I test fitted the rear stern counter patterns. I was really pleased with how these look. After these are fitted I noted that there will be a bit of sanding required to ensure the stern post fits flush. The hull now looks and feels nice and smooth and is now ready for the next stage of the build upon my return from holiday.

Thanks. We did the same trip last year and really enjoyed it

Build Log Index Date: 23/07/2024 Time worked today: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 17 hours. Carronades As I was only able to work in the shipyard in fits and starts I thought I would build one of the carronades. The first job was to locate all the PE parts and to chemically blacken them. The process I used, which works really well, is as follows: a) Soak the parts in acetone for a few minutes, agitating them b) Transfer the PE parts to a solution of hot soapy water for a few minutes c) Wash the parts in clean warm water and return to the acetone solution for a few more minutes d) Give the PE parts a final rinse in clean hot water and then place them on a paper towel to dry them e) Place a few parts at a time in some solution to blacken them. I use AK Interactive Metal Burnishing for this task. f) Once blackened the parts are placed on a paper towel to dry off. g) Once dried the parts are place in a container for storage until required. I then painted the framework of the 3D print wheel assemblies flat red. I will touch up / clean as necessary when these parts have been fitted to the carriage frames. All the wooden parts and cannons, required for the assembly, were collected. The carronade assembly process was as follows: a) Remove laser char the various wooden parts b) Glue the wooden parts together. c) Apply a coat of varnish to the wooden assembly d) Brush a couple of coats of flat red painted to the wooden assembly e) Glue the 3D printed wheel to the wooden assembly f) Fit all the PE parts, using super glue. g) Glue the cannon to the carronade carriage assembly. The final task was to add the various PE parts to the two previously assembly cannon assemblies. I opted to add rings to the middle side eyebolts, which are used for the breech line. I am hoping to have some time to sand the hull tomorrow, but as we travel to Budapest on Thursday for a river cruise visiting places along the Danube, including, Bratislava, Vienna and Salzburg, I might have to put that task on the back burner until we return home.

Build Log Index Date: 22/07/2024 Time worked today: 4 hours. Total time spent on build: 15 hours. First Planking With reference to my last post regarding how not to add a stealer, I have actually managed install the stealer correctly. I added planks in pairs, working in both directions (top to bottom and bottom to top). When adding the upper planks it would have been much better and neater if I applied a lateral bend to the planks. Given this is a relatively small hull and the planking will be sanded smooth (and any gaps filled) and covered with a second layer I decided not to use using lateral bends for this layer. By working in both directions, I ended up abandoning tapering the planks at the bow when working from keel upwards. As can be seen in the attached photo’s the first planking layer is not my finest work. The purpose of the 1st planking is to create a solid base and once this planking layer has been sanded smooth it will be ready for the 2nd planking layer. I will use lateral plank bends when adding the 2nd planking layer to ensure I get a much neater finish. I also need to trim the excess bulwark material from the stern area as can be seen in the next photo.

Thank you

Hi Dan Definitely should be two eyebolts on the each platform and the K block is secured to an eyebolt. There are holes provided on parts 75 and 78 for these eyebolts so there should be no need to drill. I normally seize blocks to eyebolts before fitting them to ship. Hope that helps Glenn

Build Log Index Date: 20/07/2024 Time worked today: 1 hour. Total time spent on build: 11 hours. How Not To Fit A Stealer I was planning to detail how I fitted a stealer. Halfway through the process I had a brain fart and made a schoolboy error. As I ran the next plank lower plank I felt the natural flow of the plank is as shown in the photo below and will require a stealer to fill the gap. The plan was to make a stealer as shown by the red outline. The yellow left-hand arrow shows where the stealer will sit over a bulkhead and will be 2.5mm wide (half a plank width). The yellow right-hand arrow shows the stern post area where the gap is a full plank width gap (5mm). I carefully marked the plank and the stealer. So far so good. After making the stealer I was happy with how it interlocked with the plank, before fitting. I did not notice my error. I was really pleased with how it looked once the plank and stealer were glued in place. The more eagle eyed of you will notice my brain fart. I was also not very happy with how the lower bow planking looked, as left and right lower planks are not nicely aligned. Thankfully the stealer brain fart and misaligned bow planking is not an issue with the build once the 2nd planking and hull planking is completed.

Build Log Index Date: 19/07/2024 to 20/07/2024 Time worked: 2 hours. Total time spent on build: 10 hours. Start of First Planking I took some measurements between bulwark and master plank which are listed in the table below. Location Length Plank Width Bow 30mm 2.5mm Bulkhead 1 48mm 4.0mm Bulkhead 2 52mm 4.3mm Bulkhead 3 55mm 4.5mm Bulkhead 4 57mm 4.7mm Bulkhead 5 57mm 4.7mm Bulkhead 6 58mm 4.8mm Bulkhead 7 58mm 4.8mm Bulkhead 8 58mm 4.8mm Bulkhead 9 58mm 4.8mm Bulkhead 10 58mm 4.8mm Bulkhead 11 56mm 4.7mm Bulkhead 12 55mm 4.5mm Bulkhead 13 52mm 4.3mm Bulkhead 14 54mm 4.5mm Bulkhead 15 55mm 4.5mm Stern 60mm 5.0mm Based on the above information then, at the midship area, 11 x 5mm planks required to fill the gap, together with a final 3mm plank to close the gap. The planks will require a taper toward the bow down to 2.5mm. Although the planks may require some tapering toward the stern I will let the planks run as natural as possible and will then trim / fit steelers as necessary. I started by making a test plank for the bow area. This was done to check the plank taper and hull fairing. I followed the advice in the build manual and soaked the plank in warm water for a few minutes before cutting the taper into the plank. The tapered test plank is a good fit around the bow. I am happy that the hull fairing is correct and that the taper is also correct. I then used a paper template to show the bulkhead positions and required width on the planks for the required taper. Using my digital vernier calipers I transferred the taper measurements to the planks. I then used a ruler and sharp pencil to draw the required cut line on both planks. I am tapering and fitting the planks in pairs (left and right) so both sides should look the same. This should also prevent any possible twisting/warping of the frames and keel as the glue cures. In the two photos below the top plank has been glued and pinned to the hull. The second plank has been shaped and they are test fitted / clamped to the hull and will now be left for a while to allow the planks to dry out and retain the shape around the bow before they are glued in place.

Build Log Index Date: 18/07/2024 Time worked today: 0.5 hour. Total time spent on build: 8 hours. 24-Pound Cannons There are 2 off 24-pound cannons to assemble. After I had removed the laser char from all the wooden parts I glued both left-hand carriage sides to their respective carriage front and rear axles. I then applied a coat of varnish to all the wooden parts and once the varnish had dried two coats of red and black paint were brushed on to all the carriage parts, excluding all the wheels. Once the paint had dried the right-hand carriage sides were glued in place, noting the 24-pound cannon also had to be fitted at this stage. It was then a case off adding the wheels. With a length of copper bar temporarily inserted the carriage stool bed and quoin were also added. The various eyebolts and copper bar will be added later on, when I am ready to chemically blacken them along with other PE parts. To complete this post the 24-pound cannons were placed on the sub-deck for a photo opportunity.