tarbrush

I got the hull painted and put the decal on the transom. I still have to seal the decal though. 

Hi Mark,
The Contarina ship, on which Woodrat based his 14th century Round Ship was about 20 metres (60 feet) long.
 
But there were merchant ships of every size in the Mediterranean from quite tiny, and I don't know what the maximum size would be, but probably smaller than we'd normally expect for something of this type.
 
I'm making mine the same size as Contarina, despite having three masts instead of Contarina's two. Unless I change my mind, which I might - at this size it would be slightly smaller than my nef, which in turn is based on the size of the knarr Haithabu/Hedeby 3.
 
Steven

This is the first Ship model I built. It was an Artensian Latina 1805 Swift. It is one of 3 ships I bought from our local hobby store when it was going out of business in 2003. It was also the simplest build and I finished it in less than a year which prompted me to lunge into the Mayflower kit,,, blindly. 

The mistake I made was assuming that this kit would be a fair representation of the actual Mayflower. I soon learned that it isn't even close. Unfortunately by the time I came to that conclusion I had already assembled the framing, so I had to modify an existing frame in the most brutal way possible. I won't blame you if you cringe at the next image [ Viewer beware]
 

After purchasing "The Frigate Constitution And Other Historic Ships" I became disenchanted with the Billings Kit. It was already - by my inexperienced standards - not as good as the Artesania Latina Swift kit. The instructions were minimal and the plans were hard to cross reference. So I did a couple of months of research and decided that I would try to model the Mayflower II which was supposedly a reproduction of the actual Mayflower although if I am to believe the "TFCAOHS" it is not. According to Thomas Miller (quoted in TFCAOHS) the real Mayflower wouldn't have had a spritsail, topsail or mizzen. So with that shocking revelation I decided to stick to a ship that was already built, the Mayflower II. After obtaining some rough images of the plans for that vessel online, I began hacking away at the kit. I used some white cedar I had in my shop and some sugar pine for the timbers. I completely rebuilt the quarter deck, forecastle and poop deck so that they were closer to the dimensions I gleaned from the images of the plans. The modifications used up all the planking material that was included with the kit, so I used stirring sticks. Then I cast away the plastic bowsprit beak assembly and built my own from scraps from my shop.

It's as close as I could get from the sketchy plans I had and the plentiful images shared on the internet.
 

I added ballast and some paint prior to blanking the upper decks because I concluded it would be impossible to add after everything was covered. I like to paint as I go, it keeps accidents from happening. I chose to weather the paint job to approximate the wear and tear that was present on most of the images I had collected. 
I also 3D printed a lot of the details, like the capstans. 

I am currently rigging the vessel, using images as reference along with the book "Rigging Period Ship Models" by Lennarth Petersson. It is well illustrated and a huge help. With any luck I should finish this by the beginning of next year. I intend to work on this model in tandem with the Artesania Latina Constellation Frigate model - which also will require a lot of mods. I know there are a lot of mistakes I made on this Mayflower model; I learn from my mistakes, so when I start building the frame for the Constellation it will be after I've made the necessary modifications to the transom and bow and after .

Nice recovery! One of the things I love about the hobby is you never stop learning and have to be resourceful. Looks like you’re going to end up with a fine model. I’ll be starting the Model Shipways Mayflower soon and am sure there will be lots of bumps along the way. Part of the fun, right?

Perhaps the most important event to shape the Middle Bronze Age was the demise of the so-called minoan civilization of Crete. Minoan is a term pulled from the rather creative brain of Sir Arthur Evans, the excavator and popularizer of the Palace of Knossos which he, on the basis of no evidence, called the Palace of Minos. The people he named the minoans were an expert sea people who were known to have traded extensively, especially with Egypt (who record the cretans as the keftiu). The demise of the minoan palace-based civilisation is poorly understood and probably was not sudden. The eruption of the volcanic island of Thera in about 1600 bce may have played a part in this. Certainly, the palaces of Crete were not destroyed by a monster tsunami, as is popularly depicted, but it may have destroyed the minoan war fleet and left the palace-based civilization open to opportunistic takeover by their erstwhile trading friends the mycenaeans. The Late Bronze Age (Late Helladic when applied to Greece) is regarded as that period between the fall of the minoans (1600 bce) and the catastrophic collapse of the Bronze Age civilizations in the early 12th century bce. 
 
 
The mycenaeans, also known as achaeans (and likely corresponding to the ahhiyawa of the Hittite records), traded extensively throughout the Aegean Sea and the Levant. They were also likely involved in piracy and freebooting including the famous siege of Troy which may have occurred in the Late Bronze Age and was later celebrated in oral performance by whoever Homer was (or were). In any case, the mycenaeans were based in the Peloponnese and what later became Greece during the Iron Age. By fair means or foul, they became the heirs to the palace civilization of Crete and together with the syro-canaanites of the Levant took over the minoan trade networks. The mycenaeans were known as deep-sea traders but they also were more war-like.  It is likely to the mycenaeans that the next revolution in sea-warfare is owed, namely the large, rowed war-galley which became the raiding longship of the age. This is not to say that the mycenaeans invented the concept but they certainly popularized it and brought it to a level of prominence and sophistication which led to its evolution into what became the most feared weapon of war of the Age of Bronze. These in turn were to further evolve during the Iron Age into the battleships of the Geometric and later Attic periods of Greece, the biremes and triremes.
 
 
It is my intention to build as convincing a reconstruction model of a Late Helladic war-galley as I can with the very limited and confusing contemporary evidence available from paintings on pottery, graffiti, carvings on seals and small clay or lead ship models which have survived the ages.
It is not my intention to use other reconstructions or modern artistic representations of these vessels but to sail unescorted into uncharted waters.
I will, of course, be greatly guided by the archaeologists and historians whose knowledge of the period is vast but all the while recognizing the controversies which abound in their literature.
 
Where possible I will try to use construction methods which were known to be extant at the period we are discussing. I may come up with the occasional idea of my own When I carried out my “reconstruction” of the mediaeval hulc vessel, I found that the method of construction greatly influenced the final shape of the hull and it is likely that the same will occur with this build.
I have no academic axe to grind and really it is immaterial to me whether this model meets with academic approval. I claim all my mistakes as my own but welcome them being pointed out.
 
 
No wrecks of any of these war-galleys or similar vessels from the period have survived. The only wrecks of relevance are a couple of trading vessels such as the Uluburun ship found off the coast of Turkey which give some clues to keel and plank configuration. But all the rest relies on the surviving imagery on fragments of pottery and crude models.
I hope you will bear with me as I blunder through this putative reconstruction and, of course, I would like to encourage any MSW members to contribute. There is a vast body of knowledge in MSW which I hope will protect me from the more egregious errors. So, please help me if you can.
 
 
 
Dick

Alex, welcome to MSW. Glad to have you aboard. 
 
 You can get plans here.
 
https://maine-maritime-museum-store.myshopify.com/collections/vessel-plans/products/charles-p-notman

looking for plans for the CHARLES P NOTMAN. I don't build kits only from scratch. and about 300% over size
Does anyone know of where I can get a set of plans. This might be my last model, age, eyesight are against me. So this one will be on a 8 foot hull size. Thanks in advance 

I’ve now built and mounted both of the leeboards - working with brass (for the narrow strips along the edges of the leeboards) turned out to be a huge learning curve with much trial and even more error.  After a lot of research on MSW, I figured out there was no way to drill the necessary holes in a 2mm wide brass strip without a drill press and an x-y table attachment.  Once I had those tools in hand, I used a mini-blow torch from my kitchen (that I normally use to make the crisp topping on crème brûlée!) to anneal the brass.  I had read about that on MSW, and it really does make the brass more pliable and easier to work with.  Finally, I figured out that carbide tipped drill bits were necessary, as HSS just didn’t cut it (pun intended).  All of this research and trial and error occupied most of the past month, but I’m pretty happy with the result and I’m definitely gaining some new skills.  Onward!
 
 

I got this kit back in March both for its historical interest and as a skill-building exercise - it has definitely been a stretch, but a fun one! Over the past month, I’ve been focused on finishing the stern cabin, its roof, and the extensive ornamentations.  The coat of arms I painted is for the city of Amsterdam.  The work at the stern is  mostly done now, though I still need to make a flagpole. I invested in a Proxxon mini-lathe to make that job easier, as well as the masts and spars on this and future projects. Will figure out how to use it tomorrow! After that, I’ll begin work on the bow. 

Continuing with the stem/keel assembly....
 
The remaining sections of keel were added working my way aft.  The keel is actually two layers.  I added one layer at a time.  Each segment is numbered.   The numbers face inward so when the two layers are glued up you cant see them.
 

Here is the entire keel all put together.   Each segment remember is in two layers and I added them one layer at a time trying to get real nice and tight scarphs.   Its not difficult when done in layers.
 
I also added the false keel.  This is the thin strip on the bottom.  This was done with 1/8" wide strips the same depth as the keel.   I simulated the seams with a pencil.  There is still no finish on these parts so it will really look great once I add some wipe on poly.
 

On the aft section you will see a small step where the rabbet strip will end.   You will probably need to adjust where this is.  I made the parts so this was a bit forward of where it should be.  Just lay the keel assembly as it stands on top of the plan and mark the exact location for this slanted step.  Then use a sharp chisel or #11 blade to cut this step in the exact location.
 
Also note that the false keel may seem a bit wide top to bottom.  I have done this intentionally.  It is about 1/32" larger than needed.  I have found that the false keel when made of cedar will take a beating throughout the project.  It will get dented etc.   Even if you tape it to protect it.  So I made it slightly taller so I can sand the bottom of the keel down smooth much later in the project.  Just to smooth out any creases and dents.

The Rabbet...
 
The rabbet is done as I typically do on all of my projects.  I realize the rabbet is a complex organism of sorts.  It should have a "V" shape with and ever changing profile depending on how the hull planking enters it.   I usually make a mess of that if carved with a chisel.  Those of you who have the Speedwell books from Seawatch can see how Greg did this.  He is much more handy with a chisel than I am.
 
So this will be simplified and should you choose to add the garboard hull plank will mostly be covered anyway.   Using a simple strip here is neat and clean.
 
The one thing I have done differently this time is I laser cut the curved sections at the bow in two lengths.   See the photo below.  The two lengths are already glued on the stem assembly but I also show some extras on the table for clarity.   They are 1/16" thick.  The longer segment goes on first and is centered port to starboard.   This will leave a nice lip on both sides.  Then the shorter laser cut rabbet strip is added.   No need to sand the laser char off these.
 
The remaining rabbet strip that works itself aft is just made using a 7/32" x 1/16" cedar strip.  It ends at that slanted step you so carefully chiseled just a moment ago.
 

The Upper and Lower Aprons...
 
Now these pieces you have no doubt seen being made on many POF model.   The upper apron is nothing special.   Its a plain segment that is 3/8" thick.   Simple enough.  The LOWER apron is a different story all together.  It is much more complex.  You have probably seen folks hand chiseling tiny steps into both sides of the lower apron...once again take a look at Volume one of the Speedwell books.
 
I wanted to simplify this however.  Not because it could be difficult to do but because I know that most folks dont have vertical mill, or disc sanders or all the gadgets you often see when folks make the lower apron.
 
I have decided to make the lower apron using many separate parts instead.   Looking ahead to adding the forward cant frames, each set of cant frames has a different angle sanded into the heel of it.   This is so it can be "canted" forward.   This is simply not going to work to easily if you dont have a disc sander.  So I created small wedges with the angles already pre-set on them to accept straight right angled heels on the cant frames.
 
I hope that makes sense.
 
See below.  The upper apron is in front...easy peasy.  Set that one aside for now.  The lower apron is laser cut with a series of steps.  On these steps we will glue the pre-angled wedges.  But using this approach leaves the bottom of the lower apron very thin even at this scale.  It can easily break or get misshapen.  So I have laser cut the "stepped" lower apron attached to a sacrificial piece of wood.   You can use it as a handle.  DO NOT remove the lower apron from this "handle" until all of the little angled wedges are glued to it.  Those will give it enough strength...a remarkable amount of strength actually.  In the photo below I have already added two of the laser cut wedges which show the angles for the cant frames.  Check your plans as these are prominently shown.  Work from the aft side forward.
 
Each angled wedge is made on two layers.   They have laser etched numbers on them and correspond to the plan.  Gle the two layers together with the numbers facing each other.  This is important.   Glue the two halves together "number facing number".   The next to be done for me are the parts marked "7 & 6" in that photo.   I will glue them together now.

Once glued together with the numbers facing each other,  you could make life easier for yourself later by cutting them down a bit.  Once the two pieces are glued together they are too tall.  This doesnt matter at all but if you trim them to match the plans it will be so much easier to fair the inside of the hull when the time comes.   The Keelson will fit so much nicer on top of this when the time comes.  Below you can see me doing just that.  With a sharp blade I am trimming the top to match the plans.   Make sure you have the piece facing the correct way.  Place it on the plan and draw a line where the top portion can be shaved away.  Do this for every piece...I know its a pain.  But you will thank me when it comes time to add the cant frames later. 

When all of the segments are glued onto each step of the lower apron base,  you can finally cut away the bottom handle.  It was held on by just a few connectors which are easily cut with a sharp blade.  Hopefully you glued those wedges onto each step securely and didnt skimp on the glue.  Glue each onto its step and also to the wedge proceeding it.  Nice and secure.  Center them down the top of each step.   Dont mix up the numbers either.  That would be bad because the angles match each individual cant frame.  I also sanded the top of all those wedges so it looks nice and neat.  It also matched the shape for the lower apron shown on the plans.
 

Note that you should not remove any of the laser char on the angled sides of these wedges.  Not only would that screw up the angles laser cut into each of them, but it would also reduce their size.   That should be avoided.
 
A dry test fit of the upper and lower aprons on the keel assembly below.  trying my best to match the curve.   Use the plan to find the exact location for the aft edge of the lower apron along the keel.  You dont want it too forward or even too aft.   Place the keel assembly on the plan and mark where the exact locations are for the upper and lower aprons.  Note how the upper apron extends above the rabbet strip.
 
Note how the aprons are wider than the keel.   The aprons should be centered on the rabbet strip leaving a nice over hang on both sides.
 


 
Still no finish applied to these parts yet.  I will do that once the entire keel/stem assembly is completed.  Thats it for today!!!
 

 
Any questions?
 
 

Gerhard,
Attached is one of the contemporary photos I was referring to in my previous message. This is identified as  the "USS DeKalb" which was originally the USS St. Louis and clearly shows the deck and roof cambers and window arrangement. The Dekalb was sunk in 1863 so this can't represent some post-Civil War  peacetime modification. All decks  and roofs were similarly cambered to shed rain water and accumulation of snow to the scuppers.
 
johnhoward

USS Cairo is a fascinating vessel and I'm thrilled to see a build log for her.  I visited the Vicksburg NMP for the first time about 20 years ago.  I've been back twice since and it's an amazing place.  Grant's Vicksburg Campaign was the most complex and successful of the war and the more one learns about it the more amazing it becomes.  Outside of professional military circles, I don't think it gets the attention it deserves.  Inside military circles, it does.  The U.S. Army used the campaign as a model of operational warfare until the first Gulf War when it was replaced in the field manuals with General Schwarzkopf's campaign in Iraq.
 
I'm really looking forward to your build!
 
 
Dan



 
 

Hello Everyone,
 
Welcome to the beginning of my build log for my first scratch build model.  I recently completed work on the 1884 Packet Steamer Chaperon, which was my first attempt at a build log, and I enjoyed it so much that I wanted have another go at it. The comments and suggestions and overall conversation on the build was way more than I had expected. There are so many people out there with so many great ideas that helped along the way. Not to mention the knowledge I gained from the research.
 
For this build I will be taking on the City Class USS Cairo American Civil War Ironclad as she was shortly before her sinking in 1862. I have been in love with this particular ship since my first visit to Vicksburg NMP back in 1984. Something about the mystique of the recovery of a sunken ship and the history of those who lived aboard is just fascinating. And, since there are no large-scale wooden model kits out there for this particular ship, I figured this was the perfect opportunity to scratch build one.
 
My plan is to build this model in 1:48 scale using the Bob Hill plans, the USS Cairo HSR documentation from the Vicksburg NMP, and several other builds, especially the build log for the Civil War Ironclad USS ST. LOUIS by the Gateway Model Shipcrafter's Guild. This is an exceptional build and their extensive research has found many discrepancies with the USS Cairo HSR and I hope to “borrow” some of their research findings to accurately build my representation of the USS Cairo.
 
I won’t be building out a whole lot of interior details, with the exception of what can be see through the gun ports, skylights and deck vents. I will probably build out the tops of the boilers, flue, capstan, and possibly simulate the engines. I haven’t quite determined what material I will use for the iron plate cladding, but for the railroad irons on the forward and aft casements, I plan on using HO scale model railroad track to try and make it look as authentic as possible.
 
 
Without boring you with too much of a detailed history of this ship, here is a little background info on it:
 
 The USS Cairo, along with her six sister ships (Carondelet, Cincinnati, Louisville, Mound City, Pittsburg, and St. Louis) were commissioned by the U.S. Army (later transferred to the U.S. Navy), designed by Samuel M. Pook and built by James B. Eads at the Carondelet and Mound City Shipyards in 1861.
 
USS Cairo was 175’ in length with a 52’ 2” beam and drew only 6’ of water. Not very deep for a 512-ton heavily armored ship. Ironically, she was sunk by a Confederate “torpedo” on December 12, 1862 in the Yazoo river while on a mine clearing mission. The USS Cairo wreckage was located in 1956 and finally raised from the mud in 1964. She sat in neglect at the Ingalls Shipyard in Pascagoula, MS for several years, until 1977 where she was transported, restored and placed on permanent display at the Vicksburg National Military Park in Vicksburg, MS.
 
This will definitely be a learning experience for me, so if you would like to follow along, please pull up a chair and feel free to offer up any suggestions. I am always open to new ideas and constructive criticism. If you see something that I am doing wrong or see a better way to do something, by all means, please let me know. I welcome the input.
 
As she sits today (well, six years ago when I took this picture):

 
-Brian

Let me dive right in...
 
Dont forget that if you eventually build this kit,  the two volume set from Seawatch will be a must have.   Yes you will spot the differences easy enough,  but the books along with my instructions absolutely compliment each other and you will want to have them at your side.
 
I always like to begin by building the stem assembly.   As was true with Cheerful and the Winnie,  All of the parts are laser cut.  In this case yellow cedar was used.  But there is one major difference.  On the Winnie, you could just punch out the pieces and glue them together with little or no tweaking.  But this model is being built at 3/8" scale.  That means the parts are much thicker than with Winnie.

 
The laser cutter as you know will not cut with the edges at a perfect right angle.  Normally I would just flip some parts and that would do the trick so everyone would get a perfect fit with the edges fitting nice and tight.  These parts however are so thick that even with the best of laser cutter settings, more than just an exaggerated bevel is produced.   When the wood starts to reach 5/16" or 3/8" thick, the laser starts to introduce a slight curve as well.   Most of this can be compensated for by doing my usual flipping of parts.
 
But where the edge is narrower, lets say at the end of scarph joint....the flipping isnt enough.  So each part has been strategically made a fraction longer on one end only so you can make adjustments for the tightest fit possible.
 
In fact...most edges still dont need to be touched and I recommend that you dont touch almost all of them.  I have taken the liberty of circling every edge in the stem knee assembly that should be tweaked.   I am talking about knocking off the char and sanding the edge very slightly to get a really nice fit.  Just a few swipes with a sanding stick along these narrower edges and you will have a perfect fit.  Not too much though.  Test the it regularly and flip it over to look at the joint on both sides.   
 
Just a quick hitting with the sanding sticks on the edges marked with red circles will make these parts fit nice and tight.
 

Also Note 
 
The lower end of the stem will form an actual and true boxing joint.   But to simplify the building process this segment of the stem needs to be built in two layers.  I will do this a lot on this project which you will soon see.  Make sure you assemble the two layers carefully and have the longer piece on the correct side.   The two halves were glued together first and then that segment was glued onto the completed head/stem assembly after tweaking the scarph joint for a tight fit.  Hope that makes sense.
 

Also note above the dashed red line where the boxing joint will be.  The top layer of the stem was left a bit longer than needed to assure it could be trimmed back flush with the end of the gripe.  I used a sharp #11 blade to slice it back so it was flush and neat.  You can see this was done on my assembly already but once you glue that segment of the stem on your assembly you will see its just a hair too long....that was done intentionally so you could get a great fit on your model and the boxing joint will have nice tight seams.
 
Once completed the thinner knee of the head was also sanded and installed...note how that is pre notched to receive head timbers much later in the project.  Just center it port to starboard.   Dont sand any laser char off at all until you test it on your assembly.   It will fit almost perfect from the get go so only the edges that are visible after gluing it in position should be sanded free of char.  This piece can be delicate so more than one laser cut piece is provided just in case.
 
Now it was time to thin down and taper the entire head assembly to receive the figurehead.  The fore edge of the stem was sanded so a graceful bevel was introduced.  Just like on the Winnie.   The forward edge was reduced to 4mm so the space between the legs of the figure will actually fit.  Otherwise the figurehead will not fit...I wont go nutty with the instructions here because so much of this is repeated from the Winnie and other projects.   But this completes the first part of of the project which means its truly official now.
 

The start of my build log...always a very exciting moment for a model builder!!
 
I am assuming most of you are somewhat familiar with the Ketch Rigged English Sloop Speedwell - 1752.   David Antscherl and Greg Herbert have produced a wonderful series of books for model builders on how to build a great model of her.   Not only can you build one as a POF model,  but as a POB and lift model as well.
 
Why would I choose this as my subject.  Those of you that know me,  I have always selected a subject that was unique at the time.  Never been done!!!  The Syren, The Winnie, The Cheerful etc.  I chose this subject for several reasons actually, knowing full well that this would become a commercial laser cut kit like my other Syren projects.
 
First- I never really wanted to build a POF model.  I prefer the look of a fully planked hull myself.  But the craftsman side of me won out as I was looking for a challenge beyond just another POB project.  I can build those and sometimes it feels like I am just going through the formulaic motions with each of them.   This would certainly be a design and engineering challenge as much as a builder challenge.
 


Second-  I am always increasingly frustrated and disappointed to regularly see pirated kits come out almost monthly as of late.  Mostly all the rage are those POF kits from China. 
 
A coincidence??  That almost all of them released are also subjects of Ancre, Seawatch, or Anatomy of the Ship Books.  I think not.
 
You may have noticed the latest pirated kit produced from one of David Antscherl's designs, the Hayling Hoy is now making its rounds.  None of the parts fit as is typical and the instructions render this kit almost unbuildable....again very typical.  Just check out the build logs of pirated Hayling kit from China on other forums.  Its a complete disaster and a waste of money.  Literally unbuildable but they are still selling them to unsuspecting builders.
 
So I reached out to David and Greg and asked them if I could develop the Speedwell before a really bad pirated version is released (and one is actually on the way-surprised?)  They agreed and are as excited as I am about it.  I just dont want to see a crappy unbuildable version of Speedwell being sold to builders.   Hopefully they will wait until this one is released.  Maybe I should do one of Hayling as well. LOL.
 
My goal...to design a kit based on the books where the parts actually do fit.   One that would encourage POF building for folks who want to give it a try.   To also write a set of English instructions that are in depth and easy to understand.  In short, to make a legitimate kit of from a Seawatch book under license and permission from the author with the authors help and guidance.  Will this stop folks from building the knock-off version when it comes out.....probably not.  But at least you will now have a choice.  The pirated version of Speedwell is currently almost ready and being done by the same company who pirated Hayling.   Coincidence again??  I think not.
 
Also and I dont mean to digress....but a pirated version of yet another Seawatch book....Ed Tosti's Naiad Frigate is also set for release very soon as well.   Again a coincidence...I think Not.    Why dont you ever see a subject from these guys that wasnt first a Seawatch Book or Ancre book?   Honest inquiring minds want to know.
 
Anyway
 
There will be differences between my Speedwell of course.  I will be modifying it for simplicity so  you dont have to be a master builder with every expensive tool in shop.   The design concept for this POF model will be unique and allow a novice and intermediate builder to tackle it.   It will also be at 3/8" scale which should also make it much easier to build.  BUT I will also make my Carvings available in 1/4" scale so folks building directly from the books will be able to buy them.  Some preliminary views of the unfinished CAD work on the carvings.  There is much work left t do on these but I hope you agree that they look pretty amazing so far.



 
 
Here is the preliminary framing plan which will show just how different it will be.
 

It will be planked from the wales upward so there is no reason to over complicate the project with bent frames....If you compared this to David's plan it is completely different.  BUT make no mistake.   Yes the folks who pirate these POF projects will claim its different and therefore original. 
 
BUT make no mistake.  This is a 100% copy of Davids work.   All of this is directly lifted from his plans and only modified to make production and building a bit easier.   But it is a copy...literally traced.  But the difference here is I give full credit to David and will be paying for the privilege to use his knowledge and expertise and hard work and years of research on this subject.  
 
I do hope you will swing over a chair and watch this new Speedwell project come to life.  A huge thank you to David and to Greg who will no doubt think I am pain in biscuit by the time this is completed.
 
 
speedwellsheetone.pdf
 
speedwellsheettwo.pdf
 
speedwellsheetthree.pdf

 
 
 
 

Thanks for likes and comments! Always appreaciated 🙂 
So, filler work continued in stern area. Since I hadn't drafted this part mostly due to lazyness all pieces were cut oversized.
First a copule of pictures for scale...


I especially like the second picture and the little fella with the torch. What also can be seen in the second picture is how even and nice all the filler pieces are.
Mine, not so much as we'll see shortly.
In the next picture starboard side is more or less roughly to shape. Port, as can be seen, is not started.

When both sides where filled and after some initial sanding with 60 and 100 grit paper I drew a bunch of waterlines to see the shape more clearly.
Looks okay from this angle...

Not so much from this angle (see below) 😮 
As the lines reveal the lady needs to loose some pounds from her rear end. (Do Not, I repeat, do Not say that to the Admiral!)
The lines should in a perfect world describe a nice arch and lines from both sides should meet att no more than 90 degrees to the centreline. Problematic areas are highlighted.

After even more sanding things are starting to look okay.

A bit wavy close to the centreline, but I put that in the bag for hard to reach areas when drawing the waterline.
Right side up and things are looking even better (yup, I'm biased).

 

Now over to the rabbet and planking can soon be started. Yay!
Pax et bonum, friends!
 

Thanks guys for all the well-wishes ❤
A couple more progress photos today.
The shapes are a bit crude, but nothing some sanding can't fix. "Oh, glorius sanding" 




 

Hi  and thanks for the coments and likes 😊
it going slowly at this time, but i did make the flag and union jack, the flags hs 48 stars and is from timeperiod 1912-1959
it was copy on tissue paper (cred to Chuck ) on how to do it.
so here is the result ☺
 
svein erik
 

thanks for the coments and likes😊
am allmost there..... lol
i do need some bits and peaces, paint, rope coils, signs etc and i need to print some flags
the base needs to be finished , but over all am soon finished... yeeeeh😊
sorry about the mess in the shop,  when the model is finished i wil move it an take new finished photos☺
 
svein-erik

Hi Everyone, thank you for dropping by and for the Likes. They are very appreciated. Before starting the deck and furnishings I decided to make a new rudder out of AYCedar using the kit supplied rudder as a template. The pieces of 1/8” x 1/8” strip have holes drilled in them for the pintle pins so that the pintles are integrated into the rudder. The pintle straps will be applied later. The gudgeon straps are made from left over laser board.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The iron bar pinned to the stem is blackened 3/32” brass strip.
 

 
Now it’s time to make the hatches. The frames are made from 3/16” x 1/16” cherry. I’m roughly using examples found in Chapelle’s book American Fishing Schooners. A piece of 1/16” basswood sheet is used to support the covers and it is supported by 1/8” x 1/8” strips. The covers are glued together, squared, and a line is scored down the center to suggest that there are two halves.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The strap that holds down the covers is supposed to have a hinged hasp at one end. Both ends fit over a staple. The bar should be slotted where it fits over the staple but I just drilled two holes so that the staple would hold the bar in place. No glue is used to hold down the bar. The iron bars that run down both sides of the frame are made from Cedar strip sanded down to .5mm . They look thicker but that’s as thin as I could get it. Did not want to try and glue brass strip along there.
 

 



 

 

 

 
Then a bit more planking was applied to the deck and sanded around the cockpit.
 
 
 

 

 

 

 
The cabin and more deck planking will be next. See you next time 
 

After completing my first build, the cap code cat boat from bluejacket I've decided to build the maine lobster boat for a gift to my father in law.  Dont mind my messy work bench! Im working on converting it to a more appropriate work station

The spider band for belaying pins created some difficulty. Forming the rings and stem out of 1 piece of wire didn't work out well. The 2nd attempt was kinda complicated, but it worked.
 

 

 

 
It required an 8mm thick piece of steel to act as a heat sink to protect the rest of the assembly whilst soldering the rings.
 

 
A comparison between the 2 methods.
 

 
Cleaned up, blacked and in place with the rest of the mizzen "iron work".
 

 

 
I'm now officially fed up with my trusty butane torch, controlling the flame/heat is too difficult for this work. There were moments when it appeared everything was about to melt. I'm starting to look at a Smith Little Torch or one of the cheaper copies.
 
Grant.
 

Further progress. Not sure of the correct terminology for the top two pieces, they support the gooseneck for the spanker boom. The other piece is the lower mizzen spider band.

Wefalk,
thanks for the suggestion. I've previously tried a home made chisel (from the shaft of a broken 0.5mm drill bit), I found it awkward to use effectively. The diamond  coated blade sounds like a good idea. None of my jewellers files are small enough. The tapered tips are ok, but they become too large too quickly for comfortable use. Any suggestions on where to purchase the diamond blades? I've found some blades for a jewellers fret saw, though they appear to be a rare item.
The block tumbler has worked out quite well. I based the design on Grant's (gjdale) version, with a few variations. There were a couple of flanged bearings (left over from a rope walk built several years ago) that came in handy. 65mm sewer pipe and some glue on caps provided the body and ends. The caps are not permanently fixed, the pipe ends were sanded down to allow the caps to 'slip fit'. I've used 3 grades of sandpaper: 180, 240 and 320. The drill powered set up with miscellaneous bits of packing and a vice for support will be temporary.....eventually. I'd rather be modelling.