tarbrush

I have completed the gun deck gun port framing on the starboard side.  It turned out much better than the port side.  When I did the port side I attached a batten and then used it to mark the bulkheads.  I then attached the sills.  I didn't end up with a very smooth flow especially as the deck curves upward at towards the stern.  
 
When I did the starboard side, I left the batten in place and use it to line up the sills.  This produced a much smoother flow of the gun port sills.  
 

 

 

 

 
I am currently adding the gun port framing to the quarter deck.  
 
Then the big decision is what to do with the disappointing port side.  I know there right answer is the remove the sub-standard work and redo the port side.  I am not looking forward to redoing the work, but I know I will always regret it if I do not redo it.
 
 

I have made some progress on the stern.  I have managed to repair and reattach the frame pieces that broke. I also figured out that the problem I was anticipating with the arched frame for the windows on the stern.  As I described in a previous post it appeared that the top of the arch would end up above the cap rail which would not be correct.  It turns out that I misunderstood where the the sills were to be placed on the stern.  I used alcohol to free the sills and then place them correctly.
 

 
I also created some parts that will help re-enforce the bulkheads above the deck on the last bulkhead.  I left some extra material at the deck level to help add some strength until the outer planking is complete.  I will need to remove that material before the decking in installed.  I use some 3/16 inch thick walnut.  I am hoping the walnut is a little stronger than basswood.  This part will also create the side of one of the gun ports.  the 3/16 thickness was what I needed to have the side of the gunport in the right position.
 

 
I still need to do a little more sanding and on the stern, but I have started to work on the placement of the gun port sills also.  I will post an update on the sills soon.  
 
 

The second issue I have with the stern is this piece that frames the windows.  
 

 
There is not a lot said about how this piece fits in the instructions.  However, the images clearly show the top of this part below the top of the stern framing, however the stern framing doesn't seem to be high enough.  I will be adding some additional material to make the stern taller to accommodate the window frame piece.
 
 

I have been working on the stern and as I was afraid of, the fragile nature of the stern framing are causing some difficulties.  The frame pieces are cut from the same plywood as the bulkheads and the bulkhead former.  I am not sure if it the quality of the plywood or the damage caused by the laser cutting process, but on some of the frames it seams as if the middle layer of wood is damaged, or maybe the heat from the laser damaged the glue.   Either way it is really hard not to break these parts as they are being sanded and shaped.  I have a similar issue with the the two aftmost bulkheads.
 
I followed the instructions and used the provided template for shaping the stern after the window openings were framed.  After re-gluing some of the stern frames that were de-laminating and fixing one that broke, I eventually shaped the stern to match the template
 

 

 

 
My first issue is the last bulkhead is quite a bit narrower that the stern, so the planking will need to curve inward then back out.  This seams odd, and the images in the instructions do not show that bulkhead that narrow. 
 

 
I am considering shiming it to make it wider, but is is so fragile I am worried I will break them when I shape them.  Hopefully the gun port framing will add some strength. 
 
 

I have all of the braces between the bulkheads added as well as filler blocks for the masts and to accommodate pins if I decide to do a pedestal mount.  The braces and fillers are from a sheet of 1/4 basswood I picked up at Joann Fabrics at their going out of business sale.   With the braces and the large number of bulkheads on this model, I feel I will have a very sturdy framework for the ship.  
 

 
You will notice I purchased a swivel vise to hold the ship during this phase of construction.  I purchased the vise at Menards for about $85.  Menards had a few swivel vices to choose from.  I bought one that used a suction device to secure it to the work bench, but the suction didn't hold.  The rubber feet on this one grips the cutting mat very well and the base is heavy enough that even when I have the ship tilted it doesn't tip over.  The base has holes that can be used to attach to your bench if desired.  Being able to manipulate the ship as I added the braces made the work quite enjoyable.  This will come in handy as I frame the stern, frame the gun ports and add the upper planking.  
 
I was quite nervous about clamping on the keel.  Even though I pinned it to the bulkhead former, I felt there would have been too much stress on the bulkheads former to rabbet strip to keel joints.  My solution was the build a wooden bracket out of the 1 x 2 wood that would attach directly to the front and back section of the bulkheads former and then clamp into the vise.  I cut a slot into the vertical sections of the bracket and used 4mm bolt to attach it to the bulkhead former.  This keeps any of the stress off the joints between the bulkhead former, rabbet strip and the keel.  It also allows me to avoid clamping on the joint between the two pieces of the bulkheads former. 
 

 

 

 
Next up is the fairing the bulkheads.  I expect to go slow.  If I get a little done every day for 2-3 weeks that will fine.  If I get bored or frustrated with fairing the hull, I will take a break and work on the ship's boat that I have started.  
 

I have made some progress with the Bulkheads.  I started by adding all but the most forward bulkheads.
 

 
I then added the two strong backs.  These pass through the second forward bulkheads through the third bulk head aft.  They are 5/16 x 5/16 inch basswood.  
 

 

 
I didn't take a picture but I have added the forward bulkheads also, so all of the bulkheads are on.   I will start adding the braces between all of the bulkheads next.  I think with the strong backs and the braces I will have a very solid framework to plank.
 
 

I made some progress on the bulkheads today.  I started by dry fitting all of the bulkheads that have the cut out for the strong backs to make sure that the strong backs would go through all of the cut outs easily after they were installed.  I need to do a little extra sanding on a couple of the bulkheads to widen the cut outs.  
 

 
I then started adding the bulkheads starting at the rear.  I used Legos to keep the bulkheads square as the glue was a setting up.
 

 

 
I checked the alignment of the strong back cut outs after every two or three bulkheads.  I dry fitted the first bulkhead that the strong backs goes through to confirm that the cut outs all line up.  
 

 

 
I am about a third of the way through adding the bulkheads.  
 

 

 
While I was waiting for the glue to dry on the bulkheads I started to assemble the ship's boat.  This uses the method of assembling layers of material to create a hull that is sanded smooth on the inside and outside of the hull.  
 

 

 
This was my first time building a boat using this technique.  I am not sure I sanded enough on the interior, but I am pleased with the exterior of the hull.  There is a lot of detail to add, and I will probably wait until I can focus 100% on the boat to finish it.
 

 

 
Hopefully I can get all of the bulkheads installed this week.  
 
 

I have glued the two pieces of the bulkhead former together and added some support pieces on both sides of the joint.    I left a gap in the support pieces to accommodate the strong back on each side of the bulkhead former.   
 

 

 

 
The rabbet strip is 1/16 x 3/32 basswood.  I preshaped the rabbet strip after soaking it in hot water for about 15 minutes.  
 

 
Getting it centered was a little challenging.  I used a small drop of CA at the bow to get it started in the center and then used Titebond to secure the rest of the strip.    At the stern I was successful with just Titebond.   
 

 

 
Adding the stern post, keel and stem is also a little tricky.   I used only Titebond because I needed a little working time to ensure it was lined up even with the bulkhead former.   The stern post and keel went on fine, but when I placed the stem against the keel, the bottom didn't create a straight line with the keel.  To get the bottom of the stem and the keel to create a straight line I needed to leave a small gap between the keel and the stem.  I will fill this in with some putty and it will be covered with cooper eventually. 
 

 

 

 

 
I also pinned the stern post, keel and stem to the bulkheads former to make it more secure.
 
The bulkhead former and bulkheads are laser cut from plywood and they have a significant amount of laser char.  More than I experienced with my previous Occre models.   The stern post, keel and stem are laser cut from solid basswood and I was happy to see there was far less char and it was easily sanded off these pieces.  
 
I have almost all of the bulkheads released and the char removed.   I will be starting to install them next. 
 

Good luck on your next journey!

Until recently I assumed I would build my Syren next, but I think I felt a little burned out on rigging with my Frigate Diana so I decided to go with the Essex instead.  I was drawn to this kit in large part from the details like the pumps, stove, and Binnacle.  I am looking forward to building those items.  I am also looking forward to building that allows the gun deck to be viewed though areas of the upper decks that are left open.  The instructions say that each builder can decide what portion of the upper decks to leave open.  I plan to leave as much as possible on one side of the ship open.  I think I will plank as much as I need to to support the deck features that are placed along the center of the ship, and leave the area between those features and the margin plank open.  I will leave the cannons off on the side of the ship that I left open  
 

 
As I get started, I am considering a few updates to the kit.  I am considering upgrading the blocks (used mainly for the guns), and possibly looking into finding someone to 3D print the gun barrels.   
 
After opening the kit and going through all the parts, if there is one thing that is disappointing, it is the quality of the cast metal parts.  The gun barrels will take a lot of time to file/sand smooth.  I am a little familiar with the process of die casting parts from a former job, and it is clear that the molds that are being used for these parts have outlived their useful lives.   
 
If model shipways ever wanted to rejuvenate their lineup of models, replacing these metal parts with 3D printed parts would go along way towards making these kits more modern.   
 
The model isn’t designed to have any decks below the gun deck, but the instructions do show an option of cutting away parts of the bulkhead former and certain bulkheads and adding some sections of deck below the hatches in the gun deck.  I am not sure how visable those decks will be, and I think I will skip this option. 
 
One other option that you won’t see if you look at the online instructions is the optional strongbacks.  The bulkheads have been cut with a slot on either side of the bulkhead former to accommodate a 5/16 inch x 5/16 inch piece of wood glued along both sides of the bulkhead former to help keep it straight.  I will add this option.
 

 
This model has 22 bulkheads spread over about 20 inches, so on average less than an inch between bulkheads.   This should provide a good framework for planking the hull.  I will need to be patient and be sure to fair it properly.   It took me at least two weeks on my NRG half hull, this model has two sides and more bulkheads, this process may take me a month.
 
I do have more confidence in successfully fairing the hull and planking the hull after the NRG Half Hull.  I can’t speak highly enough of this kit if you are struggling with planking.  I will expand my planking skills on this model by using the edge bending technique with the 1/16 x ⅛ inch planking material that is supplied with the kit.  
 
The bulkhead former comes in two pieces.  The aft section on mine had a slight warp in it so I soaked it in some hot water and used an iron for heat to attempt to flatten it. 
 

 

 
I put some weights on it to be sure it stayed flat.  
 

 
Those are 1.75 liter bottles of scotch.  Part of my tariff protection stockpile.   
 
I found that the slots in the bulkhead former are all a little bit oversized, so I have added shims to the slots.  I will need to sand a little bit to get a good snug fit.  
 

 
With 22 bulkheads, I will be spending a lot of time removing laser char so it might be awhile until my next post.  

It's nice to see someone build a West Coast Lumber Schooner.  This genre seems to have been ignored since I haven't seen too many lumber schooner models built.  I am eagerly anticipating the release of Bluejacket's West Coast Lumber model which is currently in development.  Bluejacket has informed me that they expect to release the kit sometime at the end of the year.  I'm planning to build the model as the Wawona, hence my screen name.  I visited the Wawona in 1966 as a cub scout field trip.  I also took my kids (now fully grown) to visit her when they were four and seven years old.  They pretended they were pirates.  Great memory.  I'm looking forward to following your build of the Forester.
 

Since I cut some laser templates, it time to start a build log for the Forester.  I did extensive preliminary research in this (thread.)
 
The Forester was one of many West Coast lumber schooners.  These were built to similar plans and specifications. Without careful study it is hard to tell them apart.

(caption May. 1931 At west end of Government Island, from left to right: COMMERCE, SAMAR (built 1901; schooner, 4m) , JOHN ENA (built 1892; bark, 4m) dismasted and behind COMMERCE and SAMAR, DUNSYRE (built 1891; ship, 3m), FORESTER (built 1900; schooner , 4m) rigged down, PHILLIPINE (built 1899; schooner, 4m) jibboom in, JAMES ROLPH (built 1881; ship, 3m), GOLDEN SHORE (built 1899; schooner,4m), and GOLDEN GATE (built 1888; bark, 4m) )   
 
Of this class of ship, the Forester is probably the best documented.  It was built in 1900 and retired in the early 1930s after being used as a temporary fender during the construction of the Carquinez Bridge in the late 1920s.  This bridge complex is now interstate 80 near Mare Island, Vallejo. The ship was then used as a houseboat on the Martinez shoreline, by it's only captain Otto Daeweritz and later Charlie Fitzgerald.  In 1975 it burned to the water line.  The remaining parts of the lower hull remain in the regional shoreline park, visited by 1000s of people a year.   One of the more accessible large shipwrecks there are many photographs online showing it operational and in the slowly deteriorating condition.
 
In the early 1960s it was dis-masted and much of the ships rigging was removed by the SF maritime museum. Some of the items have also been spread about with parts used in the Tonga room (Tiki bar at the Fairmount San Francisco) Online searches show the bowsprit in San Diego.  Charlie Fitzgerald did his best to keep people from collecting souvenirs. These are said to be in collections about town.  I remember him shouting at me when I got too close to the ship.  I also watched the ship burn. It was in the evening and quite visible.  This is a photograph zoomed in taken from our driveway about a mile and half away shortly before the ship burned in 1975.

 
Research shows that the kit plans which are dated 1951-1957 are a composite of these ships.  Mostly Forester and Commerce.  Photos of both ships are included in the kit for detail suggestions.  The main differentiation is in the Officer's cabin windows which are rectangular in the Commerce plans and round port holes in Forester photographs. It looks like some of these were also extensivly modified when the ship was converted to a houseboat.  A third ship in photographs Phillipean was also used as a temporary fender in the 1920s.  At the time of writing this log the fate of the other ships is not known.  Over the last century it is possible there are some misattribution of these photographs. I created a thread here for discussion of these differences.  
 
There were at least two commercial 'kit' models labeled 'Forester' produced.  A "Yellow Box" Model Shipways and a plastic Lindburg model.  So at one time this was a popular ship to model.  No photographs of completed model from this kit were found other than the box photo.
 
This log will cover the Model Shipways example.  At the time of this log, there were a few of these for sale in various online marketplaces.  There is also a print dated 1968 which is based on the 1951 drawings. 
 
The kit is rather rough in contents. The instructions quite sparse. With only a few simple paragraphs describing the finishing of the hull. Which basically states to carve the bulwarks to size and then sand the hull to shape and paint it. This kit was missing many of the blocks and all of the metal fittings. So there will be quite a bit of kit bashing involved.   The kit also had a mostly complete set of plans, which was what I wanted.  The rest of the instructions and the plans do have drawings on things like rigging the bowsprite bob stays and the other masts.  Most of this is fairly generic, and would have been common knowledge to post war kitbuilders.
 
 
The first step was to make digital copies of the plans.  Ideally this would be done with a flat bed scanner.   For expediency  the images were photographed on a copy stand and stitched together using a panorama app.  The results were then traced in the program Lightburn for cutting on a large bed laser engraving machine.   
 

 
There was some pin barrel distortion in the center of the image.  Given the small scale of the model this was deemed acceptable and in some places compensated for. The resulting templates are a good fit for the plans themselves.  According to my 3/32 ruler these variations are within 3 inches of scale.

 
 
The sparse kit 'instructions.' do indicate that the stem and stern need the most fitting. which is consistent with the resulting templates.
For fun the full set of templates were test fitted to the hull block. This shows the close fit.

The laser leaves interesting waste (enough for a second plank on bulkhead model if desired.)  These were numbered.  one side of the template was also left longer to use as a handle for holding.  The templates also work as a sort of temporary cradle. 
 

 
Downside is the template sides tend to get soot over things, which can be wiped off.
 
-julie
 

Been a while as work has been nuts and motivation low and to be honest I have been avoiding starting planking. 
 
I completed the breaking up the haul into sections as recommended and placed one plank so help with spiling. I stopped there many week ago. When reading about the spiling I was so confused and couldn't picture how this would actually work. My spouse told me to just try and if I needed more planks we could get some locally or pull from my other builds left over stock. So I jumped in and he handed me a compass and I started. 
 
I was surprised that it actually worked! I opted to split the lengths into 3rd's and the offset by a bulkhead or two. I had some issues with the second row as I forgot to trim the oft side. Have to go back later and fix it by hand. 
 

 
I used a c clamp to help get a plank to get set right as it wasnt laying well even with water and iron. 
 

 
Also continue to utilize rubber bands and clips to help hold the plank ends in place. 
 
Took me about 2 hours to get 4 planks (two on each side). Its looking good. 
 

 

I should say at this point, despite the mistakes and rough edges, I was absolutely loving the build. Planking was one of the most satisfying stages for me. It was the first time it really started to feel like I was building a proper ship.
 
I experimented with a few different plank-bending techniques. Most of the time, soaking the wood in water for about five minutes followed by ironing gave me an okay curve. For planks that needed a lateral bend, I made a simple jig using three nails and wedged the damp plank between them, leaving it to dry in shape. I also tried twisting damp planks by hand and using a hairdryer set on hot (clamped upright on my desk) to set the curve while I worked the wood in front of the heat. That method actually worked surprisingly well.
 
Still, one clear takeaway for future builds: I’ll be buying a proper plank-bending tool next time. From what I’ve seen, people who use them get more consistent results, quicker curves, and a much easier time when fitting everything neatly.
 
You can probably tell from the photos that both the bow and stern ended up ragged. I didn’t realise at the time just how much material I should have removed from the bulkheads and reinforcements, and I may also have placed the hull reinforcements incorrectly. As a result, when I laid the planks over the top, they bulged.  I also didn’t give much thought at this stage to where the keel would be!
 
Still, even with the imperfections, I was chuffed to see it all coming together. Slowly but surely, I was building a ship and even better, it was actually starting to look like one!

A build log would be of limited value if it only showed the forward achievements and none of the worts that occurred during the build.  About a month ago I had a bit of an accidental disaster that I did not mention.
 
Photo 1 shows a floor lamp I use to light my work area.  Its a great lamp except for the fact it is top heavy and poorly balanced.  Well the inevidable happened last month.  It toppled over and grazed some of the foremast and bowsprit rigging on the model, pulling out a few of the securing eye bolts holding lines.  As these were easy enough to repair, I chose not to comment about it.   I fixed the lamp problem by adding two 3-pound weight to the based.  And so I thought thatvwas the end of it.  BUT NOT SO 😪.
 
Early last week I noticed that the thin diameter  top section of my foremast was leaning, and on further inspection realized that in fact the cause break was a complete.  I was at wits end what to do about it.   Fortunately a fellow member of   model boat club I belong to (Model Shipwright's of Niagara, MSON) is a master builder and restorer of model ships (Ray Peacock).  He was able to save the mast by drilling holes in the adjacent broken ends and epoxy gluingvthem back together with a brass pin inserted in the drilled holes like a dowel (see last photo).
 
Thanks Rayvfor saving the day!  I have to reinstall 3 stays then the repair will be completely done.  The moral of this story is that sh!# happens in models build's but things are often repairable.  Thanks for reading.
 

Got a bit more done!
 

 
After I finished planking I was a bit discouraged, it looked pretty rough, but I’m quite pleased with how it looks after the wood filler and sanding…

Work continues on the model.  I am working on the hood for the fcastle hatch currently.  But I realized I hadnt yet posted an image of my new workspace for building the actual models.  This is probably the largest work bench I have ever had.  Its actually a ping pong table.  LOL
 
BUT its a pleasure to have such a large uncluttered surface to build on top off.   Speedwell at 3/8” scale is a very big model but it looks puny on my bench.
 

 
Oh and these new and inexpensive LED lights from Amazon are a real treat.  I have them on the forward side of the table and they can be manipulated in so many ways.  Its also very bright (up to 6000 lumens) and can be adjusted in intensity and other colors etc. 
 
In addition I have about 30 green cutting mats many are large and many are small.   I bought these for when my local club members come by for a workshop.  So everyone gets a cutting mat.   But in the meanwhile I can cover the whole front side of the space to keep everything safe and clean.
 
So now I can start being productive on my models again….until I am
compelled to beat my high score in pinball.  Which isnt that high actually.
 
Chuck

Hi Mati,
I just found your build log and am amazed at your work!  I love this era of Dutch ships and I think this is the best model of one I have ever seen.  Very inspiring.  Will be watching your progress eagerly.  Thanks for doing this build log.

Continuing to respond to your query on Mustafa's (mtbediz) blog, here are the seven additional images I have of the 1797 version model by Mark Antczak.

Another week, another zone.  5 down, three to go.
 
As I was struggling with the plank work at the bow today, I really wish I'd taken the time - up front, to add some filler blocks between bulkhead A and B. Likewise between bulkhead Q and R.  Getting the planks to curve properly in those areas now is problematic.  Not noticeable at a distance, or right side up, but up close, where I've been spending all my time of late? Sigh..   This is not the ideal hobby for a perfectionist.  
 
April 16 Post Script  -  (after having read part 1 of the piece on building the Brig Niagara in the Spring 2024 Issue of the Nautical Research Journal (Vol 69, NO. 1)) :  Evidently there's a forum somewhere here at Model Ship World with a tip to add additional filler blocks.  The photo in the Niagara build article shows no less than three filler blocks at the bow.  I amend my previous wish to include at least two additional filler blocks.   
 
Resumption of April 11 post:
The good news is that the extra time getting the tick marks on the bulkheads right is paying dividends now.
 

 

 

 

 

Zone 4 complete.  4 to go.  Pictures follow.
 
Note:  the experiment with the rare earth magnets as clamps was failure.  The magnets I got were too small in diameter.  I can barely separate them. and when I try to position them between planks they reconnect.  Weaker magnets were manageable but didn't have the holding power.  I'm getting to the point where I can't use clamps.  So, I've got to prep the bulkheads and planks very carefully so that when I glue the planks up, they lay the way they're supposed to.   Sorry, no pictures of the experiment.  I'm going to try one more time with larger diameter magnets.  Stay tuned.
 

 

 
 
Note to SUBaron (Andre):
When you shape the stern filler blocks, pay attention to the way you flare the aft end of those.
You can't really tell from this photo, but the angle coming to the stern isn't flat enough.  The
aft end of the planks need to run all the way to the the rabbet.  If the filler block is too rounded,
the ends won't reach.  I just spent an hour with chisel and x-acto knives to modify the shape.
I may have a small gap to fill with filler for the absolute aftmost portions of the last strake I just
added, but for the next four or five, I should be good. 

 

Zone 3 complete.  5 to go.  
 
First four, right side up.  Last 4, work side up.

 

 
Still struggling with the lighting.  Note to self:  Self, bring camera and tripod to shipyard.  
 

 
The camera picks up details the eyeballs don't.  The symmetry is slightly off again.  Oh well..

 
Not so obvious in this view.  

 

 

 

 

All three lower masts are now on the hull.
 
The Fore and Main peak and throat halyards and the topping lifts are in place and secured, at least by clamps after passing through the the respective pin board hole.
 
When I got to the mizzen I realized that the pin rails there (and I think at the bow) are going to be a problem. The instructions call for 3/32" X 5/32" material for the pin rails. Those work out fine at the Fore and Main masts but because the bulwarks are shorter on the quarterdeck (13mm vs 5mm below the cap rail) the 3/32" thickness ( 2.5mm) leaves a pretty narrow opening below the bottom of the pin rail. There are similar measurements at the pin rails on the forecastle but there is no deckhouse getting in the way up there.
 
I am in the process of fabbing new pin rails from 1/16" X 3/16 stock. Hopefully I can get these installed without messing up the deckhouse or the bulwark. I am not sure the additional 1/32" is going to "solve" the problem but it is a step in the right direction. It is not clear to me how anyone could use the pin rails as provided  -  even sticking the line in the pin rail hole and jamming a belaying pin to secure it would be problematic.

And yes I recognize that the Fore mast is racked back too much. I hope to correct this to some extent when all the forward leading stays are in place and tightened.

Next boat on my bench is Picket Boat #1. I have many to choose from but most are tall ships. I thought this would be a good way to practice and develope better planking skills along with some other unique/different features. 
For those that will follow along know this build log will be slow as I can only really work on it during weekends and we just started car show season (we have some 1950's cars). I'll try to post as I make progress and hope to share a little more frequently than I did with my first build log. 
 
We got this kit in a trade a while back. After laying it out about a month ago I found I was missing two lazer cut pieces. Nothing huge to keep me from starting but I delayed and reached out to Model Shipways. Took a little biut got the parts in and that motivated me to start. So with new sandpaper on the block and pulling out the files the dust started flying and glue flowing. I find early that, like many logs have mentioned, while the instructions and drawings are great compared to other brands, it is still written so that the reader/modeler needs some background or knowledge of ship building. 

 
The section that tripped me up the most was the center keel assembly. It mentions on the drawings to reference a template but in my review of the plates I did not locate a template. So using a different image I traced the center keel and made my own template then carved away. Picture below shows the plate in the set. Then picture of keel as O carved.  

 
I wrapped up my bench session with the bulkheads, shaping them and then putting in place and ensuring they were 90 degrees off keel. Overall made some progress and its not going back in the box anymore :). 


(I drew the lines on the wrong side of the bulkhead as this won't be visible I opted to not erase)

Following Tom Luria's methodology (seen on YouTube) I fabricated the Fore Sail for the Simpson, lashed it to the boom and gaff and added the mast hoops. Then I made a little stand with a spare piece of 3/8"dowel to simulate the mast and "hung it up".

I did not add the reefing bands/ties or the panel lines since the sail will be furled and much of this detail would be lost. I also made the sail only about three quarters as tall as shown in the sail plan. Previous experience has shown (me) that the larger the sail the more difficult it is to get it furled "properly". Not to say that mine are properly furled, just enough to look more or less "presentable" IMHO.
 
Continuing on with the fore mast I added the rest of the detail using laser board for the bands around the square section and the required blocks. I glued on the trestle trees, added the mast cap and rigged the spreader lifts (using turnbuckles instead of deadeyes - I just could not manage to get the 3mm deadeyes to "work" - too small for my old eyes and hands). I fabricated the "stay irons" from brass flat stock and brass eyebolts soldered into the brass stock. At least I remembered how to do that as it has been many years and models since I had to solder brass fitting together.
 
With the fore mast more or less completed (I am sure I forgot something) I furled the sail and added it to the mast along with the mast cap and the boom rest. Then I rigged the throat and peak halyards - took a bunch of line with the gaff down on top of the boom. Next up are the topping lifts and lazy jacks - then on to the Main sail.