Professor

No further progress on this marvelous build? I'm certain we would all love to see more of your excellent craftsmanship. I hope all is well with you, Kmart.

21 minutes ago, David Rice said:

They sent me some replacement wood.  The same kind, but of better quality (not chipped or charred).  I'll deal with what I received.  But, I will never except that pink stuff with the horrible finish again.  I can't believe they would peddle that stuff. That weird pink finish is a real pain to work with. Never again. I ordered some Birch Plywood.  I think I will start a US Brig Syren build using my own wood. Or tweak the Syren, and build a unarmed Merchant Ship at the same scale. Then work on  both models at the same time.  Compared with other retirement activities,  wood model ship building is a pretty economical hobby.

No kidding, David. It's not exactly cheap but it certainly is way less expensive than another hobby I have enjoyed, building custom M1911 pistols. As the old saying goes, "It's all relative..."

 I know the feeling all too well, Doug. I can only pass along the old joke about the famous sculptor who, when asked how he managed to create such exquisite mythological figures, replied, "Well, I start out with sharp tools and the best Italian marble, then remove everything that doesn't look like a goddess." Hang in there!

 I've built the Prince twice now, though that was many years ago, and it has always been a personal favorite subject. I wish now that I had bought an extra. I'd love to have another go at building this sleek privateer but the few offerings I could find on the net were prohibitively priced. Guess I'll have to settle for being a "voyeur shipwright" and enjoy watching your progress from afar.

MUCHAS gracias, amigo.

 That concise little tutorial is going to be SO helpful when I reach the point of rigging the Mamoli HMS Victory model I recently received as a gift. Once I went over the plans a few times with your outline close at hand, I found to my pleasant surprise that the system you described actually should make the whole rigging process faster and easier. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with your fellow model shipwrights.

Ciao,

Professor

Marvelous execution thus far, amigo. I'm pulling up a comfy chair and anticipating more of this entertaining and I dare say very informative build.

Carry on, Moonbug.

- Professor

Beautiful work you have going there, Karl. Thanks for taking the time to share it with your fellow model shipwrights.

"P/S" means Port (left side) and Starboard (right side). It indicates that whatever modification or accessory addition is being shown should be performed on both sides of the specified part. For example, in the picture you posted, the P/S notation shows that a cleat needs to be installed on both the left and right boom jaws.

Brilliant!

Karl, the Syren being refereed to is probably Syren Model Ship Company, a modern day chandler for us model shipwrights. Here's a link:

http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/

 Other than affixing ratlines to the shrouds, which is perhaps the most hideously tedious task I have ever inflicted on myself on a fairly regular basis, I have always enjoyed the sort of  zen sensation that accompanies the rigging process. If the rigging can be made to actually function accurately, it is a source of a wonderful sense of accomplishment. Intricate rigging, authentically executed, is a highlight of any ship model and a true thing of beauty in its own right. The extravagant sculpture that is the rigging of a big frigate or windjammer is breathtaking when done well, and worth every second of the requisite effort.

 Marvelous job, Karl. Particularly impressive are the multiple light prisms for illumination of the deck below. (Were those kit pieces or did you fashion them? In either event, might you have a macro photo of one?) Well done build, mate.

 Nice going, Doug. I hope you don't mind terribly if I steal your jig design when working on my schooner "Atlantic" model. Following foreign language or badly translated instructions can be a real bear. As you seem to have discovered a few posts ago, Google translator is frequently less than spot-on in its renderings too. In fact it often reminds me of the old Monty Python skit in which a guide book translates requests for directions into such nonsequitors as "Please fondle my bum" or the famous "My hovercraft is full of eels!"

 Ahhh, sanity is overrated.   Thanks, Ken.

Well done, Doug. No gaffes on the gaffs. Nice work...and nice word play.

Professor

 They seem as though they would be more to scale than similar offerings but I'm guessing they're still too large. I have passed  in the past on attempting to add the bulwarks rivets; every other effort I have seen, including those by some fabulously talented model shipwrights, has resulted in rivet heads that would be the size of small grapefruits if the model was expanded to life size. Inevitably the ship winds up looking as though it has contracted a bad case of nautical smallpox or perhaps maritime measles. (I appreciate your sharing the link all the same, Ken. It says much good about you that, with all you have on your plate, you took the time to research the product and post it.)

Professor

Superbly executed, Karl. I'm greatly enjoying the build and look forward to seeing this beauty completed.

Sierra Hotel!

"Professor" Ray

I am off and running to continue my education of model ship building and hopefully on this one I will add sails. Like my Niagara build I will start with the small boats which are mini model kits in themselves and that my two young granddaughters like looking at the "baby boats". They are 2 and 4 years old.

 

I will skip the presentation of the box and contents since others have done it so well. I am starting with the pinnace the larger of the four. I started by marking the top surfaces of the laser cut parts before removing them from their parent sheet. The reason is that the laser cutting process burns a slight angle in the wood and when layering and gluing together you can use this angle to your advantage and avoid super thin areas.

Pinnace 01.jpg

I glued all the layers of all the boats together minus the bottom layer. I used the scrap center as a clamp surface to provide even compression.

Pinnace 02.jpg

Here is the reason to leave the bottom layer off and allow clearance to work on the inner walls.

Pinnace 03.jpg

Here is the finished up inner walls rough cut and then sanded.

Pinnace 04.jpg

Next I added sparingly automotive glazing putty to the inner walls for additional smoothness. This glaze dries quickly and is very easy to sand. Think of it as a thick layer of primer filler.

Pinnace 05.jpg

Here is the finished exterior 

Pinnace 06.jpg

Here the bottom layer was added and shaping started by rough cutting with an Xacto blade, sanding block and sanding sticks.

Pinnace 07.jpg

Here is the finished exterior ready for the keel.

Pinnace 08.jpg

Here is the finished sanded interior ready for keel and other details.

Pinnace 09.jpg

First I had to address the bow to stern sidewall curve which I developed using 1/4" masking tape, then marked the upper edge with a pencil and removed the tape and trimmed to the pencil line.

Pinnace 10.jpg

Here is the interior with all the details added that will be painted while the rest will be bright stained finish. The exterior keel has also been added. The ribs are .0208" square Basswood Midwest Scale Lumber item number 8000. I have used their micro cut lumber for years on airplane builds.

 

Next the pinnace will be primed and sanded and readied for paint per the plan scheme. 

 

 

Ken, I'm in awe of the surgical precision involved here. Superbly done, sir. I can hardly wait for the build to continue.

MORE! MORE! I want MORE!

Sierra hotel so far. Looking forward to following your progress.

Have a happy and healthy New Year.

 Bill, allow me if I may to add my belated praise. Your cabinetry is superb, as indeed is your model shipwright presentation. The log was well written and I rather like that you retained a bound copy. Altogether, a beautifully executed project. Sierra Hotel.

 One question: what did you think of the Mamoli plans and instruction manual? I have heard conflicting opinions of their value, On the one hand, some say the plans are at least in part spurious and the instructions virtually unusable; one chap described them as having been written "by an Italian grade school boy who had heard English being spoken once." Others grade the manual from "quite adequate" to "well thought out" or "excellent, despite somewhat fractured English." Of the plans, I have heard opinions running the gamut from "serviceable"  to "the best Constitution plans available in any scale, period." I am planning a 1/96 scale scratchbuild of Constitution, with one one side intact and the other largely cut away to show off her innards. Among other references, I have acquired the Model Shipways plans (which seem to be the gold standard) and those from Bluejacket Shipcrafters, each with its respective instruction manual. I'd be interested to know how the Mamoli paperwork compares, in your opinion.

 Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2017. Happy modeling, mate.

 "Professor" Ray

I'll be joining the audience for your build of what has always been my favorite of the majestic China tea clippers.

May the coming year bring you all good things. Happy modeling, mate.

I did not know there was a scale deck version Evan.

 

Can you give me pointers please(who to contact), doe's sound like a good idea for the decking.

 

Following your build as ever. 

 

foxy 

If I may be so bold as to respond in Evan's stead, if you're looking for wooden veneer decking for the big Revell Constitution, try these folks:

http://www.scaledecks.com/our-story.html

Have a safe and healthy New Year, mate, and may all your builds be top class.

G'Day!

I hope Santa was as kind to y'all as he proved to me and the Mrs.

I was wondering if anyone has had any transactions with this rather unique sounding cottage firm. The inventory described in their site looks splendid.

http://www.dlumberyard.com/cannons.html

Best Regards,

"Professor"

Thanks, Canute. Now for the internet hunt!

 Forgive my ignorance in the matter, Stubby, but what book is that? Would you please be so kind as to share the title and ISBN? Ken's ship modelling skills are truly exceptional and couple well with a not a inconsiderable talent for macro photography and the ability to explain tasks in a straightforward, easy to absorb fashion. Despite long experience of my own, I'm never going to be too old to learn something new or just appreciate the work of a model shipwright rock star. I'd certainly want to lay my hands on anything he has authored on the model shipwright's craft and art.

 Best Regards,

 Professor    

 Ah, good to see you've returned  to the fray. The crispness of your precision woodworking is most admirable. I've always been fond of this sleek privateer and will be following the build with great interest. Meanwhile, good sir, you have my kindest wishes for a merry Christmas or joyous Hanukkah and a most rewarding New Year.

"Professor" Ray