Bill Hime

Thanks for the encouragement, guys!  I'm on the fence about the filler blocks.  Since my model already has partial filler blocks at the bow and stern, I think it would be a little tricky to fit additional ones in...  I might give it a shot without them, and add them if I find them necessary.  I can't go too much further with the hull right now, as I am currently waiting for my sheets of 1 mm thick lime and walnut to arrive from Crown Timberyard so that I can begin spiling my planks.  I don't want to plank the decks yet, as I'd like to get the bulwarks planked and painted before I do that.  I went ahead and tapered one of the planks that came with the kit, just to see how it would look.  After bending it around the bulkheads and beveling the edge so that it met flush with the stem, I was quite pleased with the results.  I also took a practice run at tracing a plank's curvature for spiling.  I used masking tape (since it's low-tack), and ran it smoothly across the portside bulwark.  Using the edge of my pencil lead, I rubbed against the edge of the bulwark, through the tape, and it gave me a nice pattern of the curvature of the bulwark's lower edge.  I didn't take any pictures of this process, but I'm sure I'll have plenty to show you guys once I begin planking.  I feel fairly prepared for this task, and I can't wait to get started!    
 
Since I didn't want to be idle while I wait for my sheetwood to arrive, I decided that I would take a stab at tapering the main mast.  This has been a process I've been dreading -- the mast materials that come with the kit are round dowels, and I don't have a lathe.  I spent a good deal of time reading about the various ways that people taper their masts, as well as trying to determine the best way to proceed in order to achieve a perfectly tapered and straight mast from these round dowels.  
 
My first idea was to place the dowel in a drill chuck and secure the other end, forming a makeshift lathe.  So, I tried it out -- with my drill on a level surface, I tightened the dowel in the chuck.  At the other end, I took a plastic zip-tie and formed a loop, securing the "tail" of the zip tie in a vise.  Then, I slipped the end of the dowel into this loop, and checked to see how the dowel turned.  While this method might work, I found that it was hard to tighten the chuck around the dowel in a way that let it spin completely true -- there was a bit of wobble, although it was lessened by the zip-tie loop at the end.  I was not satisfied with this setup, as I felt that the slight wobble might lead to a less-than-straight tapered mast.  Plus, the only tools I had for tapering the dowel on this little "lathe" were some files and sanding sticks.  I found that using these tools on the dowel while it was spinning put some downward pressure on the dowel, causing it to bow slightly.  I thought this might be detrimental, and might even lead to the dowel breaking when it got thin enough.  The situation would be even more precarious when I started tapering thinner dowels for the yards, etc.  Another problem was getting the taper right -- even with the miniature "lathe," it would still be up to me to work the file/sanding stick up and down the length of the dowel to get the proper taper, and that seemed difficult and very time-consuming.  
 
The next technique that I tried was the one I ultimately chose.  First, I compared the dowel to the plans, making the necessary diameter measurements and marking the positions of the flared sections on the dowel itself.  I marked the ends of the mast on the dowel in such a way that I had extra space on either end.  Next, I took my X-Acto blade and scored along the lower edge of the base of the lowest flared section (the edge that would be closest to the deck).  I knew that the base of the mast would be tapered to this point.  The base of the mast needed to be ~7.8 mm, tapering down to 5 mm at the lower edge of the flared section.  With my X-acto, I began to shave material away from just under the bottom edge of the flare (about an inch below) up to my scored line, forming a distinct "shoulder" in the material.  I apologize for not having a photo to illustrate this process, but I hope I've explained it well enough.  Once I had a discernable "edge" carved out, I took my miniature wood plane, set the blade just barely below the bottom surface, and began to plane this 1-inch section very carefully, allowing the blade to shave off tiny curls of wood, up to the newly formed "edge."  Each time I ran the plane up to the edge, I would rotate the dowel just a hair, which kept the planed surface round.  The edge, which was still as wide as the dowel itself, gave me a nice surface for the body of my plane to slide against, keeping the cuts at a consistent depth throughout the process.  Here are some photos of my progress:    
 

 

 
I continued this process, gradually adjusting the blade depth on the plane to slowly decrease the diameter of the dowel below my "edge."  This photo shows the process as it unfolded (note how smooth the dowel is after planing, due to the tiny rotations of the dowel between each pass with the plane -- I had not done any sanding at this point):
 

 

 

 
I continued painstakingly planing this small section of the dowel until it's diameter was just slightly larger than the dimensions given in the plans.  I knew that I couldn't continue this process down the length of the dowel, as I would no longer have my "edge" to guide the body of the plane and keep the cuts consistent.  Even if I could somehow manage to make straight cuts in small sections of the dowel, I'd still end up with a mast that looked more like a bunch of progressively smaller concentric mini-dowels stacked on top of each other, which I would have to find a way to sand down.  So, it was time to change things up a bit.  I place my dowel in my keel clamp, which has level metal plates on the top edges, specifically as guides for planing.  Using a straight edge, I angled the dowel in the vise so that the face of the thin end was flush with the top of the metal plates, and the face of the full-size end was also flush with the plates at the opposite end of the vise.  This exposed only the wood of the dowel that needed to be removed in order to form a flat taper.  I then set to work planing this exposed wood:
 

 
I found that it was a bit difficult to run the plane smoothly down the length of the dowel, so at some point I ended up switching to an X-Acto whittling blade, running it at an angle down the metal plates instead.  This was the result:
 

 
When I had formed a flat taper on the dowel using this method, I repositioned the dowel in the keel clamp so that I could do the opposite side, and then the third and fourth sides.  When I was done, a had a fairly square tapered mast (it's a bit hard to see the square shape in this photo, but it's the best I could do):
 

 
Next, I place the dowel back in the vise and, following the same procedure, shaved away the corners of my square shape, forming a tapered octagonal mast:
 

 
I then used my sanding stick, running it against the grain (to remove more material), and rounded out the edges.  After that, I tightened the dowel in my drill chuck and wrapped a piece of 400-grit sandpaper around it, letting it spin a bit to further smooth it out.  The result was a glassy smooth, round, tapered mast:
 

 
Now it was time to reduce the diamter of the dowel in between the first and second flared section.  I basically just started repeating the process on the other side of the lower flared section:
 

 
In this photo, you can barely see my pencil mark for the second flared section, on the right:
 

 
Here's another photo of my progress:
 

 
And here's where I left off for the night, as it was getting past my bedtime:
 

 
This constitutes about 6 hours of work, for a total of 22 hours spent on this project thus far.  You'll notice that the flared sections are still untapered.  I'm planning to use the same method of tapering in the vise for these sections, although I will have to be a little more careful with them.  I'm really pleased with the results so far, and I have to say that I did feel like a shipwright while I was slowly but surely planing down this mast.  It gives me a great sense of accomplishment to see it taking shape!  I'm going to continue tapering dowels until my sheetwood arrives, and I'll try to document the process.  

As you say, it'll be painted over, so no need to worry. Just another learning experience.
 
And don't worry too much about the rabbet as it's not so hard to line the planks up -- as you say. Lots of modellers use filler if they don't line up. Again, as it'll be painted there should be no worry.
 
You might want to consider putting filler blocks between the bulkheads, especially at stem and stern. That would make the process of planking and fairing much easier. I used balsa, but next time I'll use something firmer such as pine or basswood/linden/lime.
 
Tony

After the bulwarks had soaked for an hour, I took my binder clips and clamped the bulwarks to the bulkhead posts carefully, making sure the top edges of the bulwarks were flush with the tops of the posts:
 

 

 
I used Zap-A-Gap to attach the bulwarks.  I mainly glued the bulwark to the edge of the false deck, since I knew I'd be removing the bulkhead posts later.
 

 
When I was done, I thought it looked pretty good.  The bulwarks are just a bit below the tops of the rear bulkhead posts and stern supports, but I can bevel those down to look better later.
 

 

 
In this photo, you can see that the little dip in the portside bulwark for the bowsprit to sit in is a little too far over to the starboard side:  
 

 
I'm not sure if I should have started the bulwark further aft, as the instructions weren't very clear on that.  I can always carve out a more aligned dip once the bulwarks are planked.  If I end up with some space at the aft end because the bulwarks were set too far forward, I can let the planks on the outside of the bulwarks carry out a little further and cut some small pieces to extend the bulwarks on the inside.
 
The bulwarks look a little strange where they meet at the bow, but this would be covered by the stem, so I wasn't too worried.   
 

 
I took my sanding stick and filed them down a bit, just for good measure:
 

 
All things considered, I think the bulwarks came out looking pretty nice.
 
  
 
Here's where things started getting challenging...  I wanted to cut a rabbet joint in the center keel so that my planks would fit flush with the walnut keel.  I had seen this done in the Lauck Street Shipyard video practicum for this model.  However, I don't really think this kit was designed to have a rabbet joint.  There is no mention of it in the instructions, and the center keel and walnut keel piece are both only ~2.8 mm thick.  With two layers of planking, each 1 mm thick, it would be physically impossible to bevel the deadwood down enough to get the planks flush with the sternpost.  I decided to try my best to get a good bevel on the center keel so that I could hopefully sand down the planking near the sternpost to make everything flush.  The instructions for this kit are really lacking here, as they make no mention of how to achieve the flush look.  Anyway, I started to draw out a bearding line:
 

 

 
Then, I started to carefully carve out a bevel, checking to see how it looked with the keel piece in place:
 

 

 

 

Here's how the Lady Nelson looked after I took the rubber bands and clips off.  The false deck looks great, with nice curves:
 

 

 

 
Next, I glued on the stern supports:
 

 

 

 
When the glue cured, everything looked great:
 

 
Next, I soaked the bulwarks in hot water, using a very sophisticated and historically accurate technique (holding them down in the bathtub with forks):
 

 
While the bulwars were soaking, I took my Dremel and got rid of the excess glue that had dried on the top of the center keel in the hatch openings:
 

 
I also took my sanding stick and made sure the edges of the false deck were flush with the bulkhead posts:
 

 

 

 
I decided to take a look at my fairing job, so I temporarily pinned a spare plank to the bulkheads.  For the most part, I was rather pleased with the results.  The bevels of the bulkheads followed the curve of the plank fairly well.
 

 

Thanks, guys!  I'm a little worried about my fairing job.  I had planned on getting the bulkheads glued in before I started fairing, but the instructions suggested that this be done beforehand, so I gave it a shot.  It was not easy to figure out how much to take off each bulkhead while things were only in the "test fit" stage, so I'm worried that the angles might be a little off.  I suppose I can always go in with a little wood filler and then sand the edges of the filled bulkheads to the proper angle if I find that this is the case...  
 
I had planned to spile the planks for each layer of the hull, but since I don't yet have my wider lime and walnut sheets from which to cut my spiled planks, I'm wondering if I should just plank the first layer normally and spile the outer walnut layer...  I don't think this will affect the final appearance of the hull, and it would give me experience with both methods of planking.  Decisions, decisions!

Hi Dave.
Nice model for a first time build.
And welcome to MSW.
The faring of the frames/bulkheads can now be finished. I normally do this after the stage you are at now.
There are plenty of build logs of the Lady Nelson on the forum. Read up and look for issues they have had during the build.
A very nice start and I'me real happy to see you making sure everything is square at this stage.
Will you be filling the spaces between the bulkheads with timber to help with the lines and planking ?.
 
Will follow along on this one. I like cutters. And the lady Nelson has nice lines.
 
Regards Antony.

Good looking start Daveward.  Seems like you've done a good amount of reading before you started, as you seem to have a very good idea of what needs to be done at this point in your build. 
 
Good luck and welcome to the hobby!

I used the false deck to check the alignment of the bulkheads, and everything looked good.
 

 

 
I marked a center line on the false deck to aid in planking the deck later (note that the holes for the bowsprit bitts are offset to the LEFT):
 

 
Interestingly, my false deck was slightly warped, but I was confident that this would work itself out when the false deck was glued to the tops of the bulkheads and false keel.
 

 
I used a combination of rubber bands and modified binder clips to hold the false deck down during gluing.  I made sure that the deck was centered, and that it followed the slight curve of the tops of the bulkheads (the deck curves downward on the port and starboard sides, which was done to allow water to drain from the deck at sea; it also curves upward toward the bow and stern):
 

 
The foremost hatch opening was too small for me to fit a binder clip into, so I ran a rubber band around the center keel and held it in place with toothpicks:
 

 
In this picture, you can see how the binder clips hold the deck down against the center keel, allowing it to take on the right curvature while the glue sets:
 

 
In these pictures we can see the false deck held in place, with the proper curvature:
 

 

 

 

 
And this is how I left it for tonight, to give the glue time to completely cure:
 

 
So far, I've spent 9 hours on this model.  Stay tuned for more!

Here are the bulkheads sitting in the center keel, with their bevels:
 

 

 
The bulkheads sat slightly low in the center keel, which I took care of later:
 

 
Here is one of the bow filler blocks, with its edge beveled:
 

 
Here it is during one of my test fits:
 

 
Here's the beveled stern block during a test fitting:
 

 
I applied some Titebond III and clamped the bow filler blocks to the center keel (I did this first to allow me to position the first bulkhead square in the slot).
 

 
To make the bulkheads sit flush with the top of the center keel, I cut a small piece of index card so that it could be glued into the top of the slot of each bulkhead.  This was the perfect thickness to get a flush fit.  In this photo, the card has not been trimmed down to match the width of the slot yet (I did this to make it easier to see in the photo):
 

 
Here are the bulkheads, sitting flush, during the gluing process:
 

 
I glued each bulkhead, checked for perfect alignment, then let it set up before moving to the next bulkhead.
 

 
The results were quite pleasing:
 

 

 

 

This log will document my progress as I build the Amati/Victory Models Lady Nelson.  I've always wanted to build a wooden ship model, but I've never had the time.  Now that I'm finally out of school, it's time to get started!  I've done a good amount of research before starting this build, but I'm sure I'll have some questions for the experienced and knowledgeable members of this forum as I make my way through the build.  Thank you in advance for your help!  
 
I'm going to do my best to take as many closeup photos of the process as I can.  Perhaps they will be helpful to other modelers in the future!  So, let's get started!
 
After taking a look through the kit and getting acquainted with the instructions (which are basic), I sat down at my workspace with the sheet containing the bulkheads:
 

 
First, I numbered all of the bulkheads, based on the plans.  Then, I cut them out using my X-Acto.  The cutting left some rough remnants of the tabs that held the pieces into their sheets:
 

 
So, I sanded these smooth with my sanding stick:
 

 

 
The final bulkhead/transom sits at an angle in the center keel:
 

 
This piece had to be beveled to match the angle of the center keel:
 

 

 
Here it is, sitting flush with the center keel:
 

 
Next came the fairing of the fore and aft bulkheads.  I did this before I glued anything in place, as it made the process easier.  I fit the bulkheads in the center keel and bent a plank around them to get a feel for the required curvature, then filed by hand:
 

 

 
Here is the second bulkhead fitted in the center keel, with its bevel on the forward edge:
 

 
Here is the foremost bulkhead, with its extreme bevel:
 

 

 
I test fit each bulkhead, marking each with the letters "F" and "A" to represent the fore side and aft sides, respectively:
 

The framing continues, though I took a little break from working on the hull to play with the little Unimat lathe a bit. I gave turning some cannon barrels a go.

Jerry,
 
I spent some time this morning going through your build, including your first version.  Sorry to be playing catch-up.  There are so many fine builds going on MSW that it is very hard to keep up with them.  First, let me thank you for purchasing the Naiad book and for the nice comments on it.  Even better, I like the fact that you are adopting some of the ideas and tools.  I think you are off to a great start on what I am sure will be a beautiful model.  This is clear from the lovely joinery on the initial work.  It looks great.
 
By the way, the Naiad build log is still there on MSW.  See the link below.
 
I second Druxey's thoughts on wood selection, especially if your are able to purchase large stock and cut the model sizes yourself.  Considering the overall effort on a model like this, to say nothing of the cost of tools and other necessities,  wood cost is a small item, but one that has major impact on final model quality.  Cherry is a lovely wood.  I used a lot of it (along with European boxwood) on my first model, Victory.  For subsequent work I switched to Swiss Pear and Castello.  Cherry remains my favorite wood for other work like furniture, because of the beautiful grain as well as the color. Pear is similar in color to cherry, but the grain is generally much straighter, making it a superior model wood, but less beuatiful in grain for furniture, etc.  However, I am sure you will be happy in your choice of cherry.
 
I noticed that you have begun finishing frames with Tung oil.  Keep in mind that once given an oil finish, glue will no longer adhere to it.  My advice would be to hold off on finish until you are sure that gluing is no longer needed.
 
Congratulations on your Unimat purchase.  I bought mine  - also used - in 1978 and have added many accessories since.  Unfortunately many of these are now unavailable, though I do keep an eye on eBay - Toms Tool Store comes to mind as a source.  The tool has been a reliable workhorse.  I do have occasional problems with the original motor tripping my ground fault protection when it gets hot.
 
So, I look forward to your continued progress on Poor Richard.
 
Ed

Framing continues. I have installed from frames 49 through 61. I have also begun fairing the frames from the stern forward as I go. I also applied a coat of Tung oil finish to the frames to help show off the grain and also to show the low spots a little better. It's starting to look a little more like a hull.

Update. Keel is mostly done, it still needs bolts. I wanted to wait on installing bolts until I got Vol. 1 of the 74 gun ship series. I mistakenly ordered the second volume first. No big deal as I intend to get all four volumes anyway. I did move onto the framing since there aren't many visible bolts there. Ever since I laid eyes on Ed Tosti's Naiad build I have wanted to build those tools, his Ship Ways is superb. So, I ordered his first book on the Naiad build. I have been reading through it for a few days now. Gleaming Ed's little pearls of wisdom from it's pages. Unfortunately, Ed the pages of your book is now covered with sawdust as I spent the day building an Ed Tosti style Ways for the Bonhomme Richard. I sourced my T-track from Rockler woodworking supply. They sell a universal T-track kit that comes with one 4 foot track and a bag of knobs and T-bolts for $31.99, the track alone is $25.00 for a 4 foot section.  If I were to buy just the track I would get it from Woodcraft Supply. So, I bought 2 universal kits giving me plenty of bolts and knobs. I still have to build the gantry and probably another height gauge. Each of those will be fabricated from maple since I have a good stock of that in the shop. I also added a Unimat Lathe to the shop. I purchased it on eBay. The first of two boxes came today, luckily it was the lathe itself. I powered it up and played with it a bit. Its used obviously but is still pretty tight throughout. Overall, I am impressed with the quality of this little machine.

So work on the keel continues. Rabbet is cut so onwards we go.
Also, new lighting for the shop.

Cherry boards - resawn and planed down to roughly 1/4" thick. My first build went awry when I scanned my drawings and then printed them out to use as templates. I did spend some time checking for scanner distortion and initially everything checked out. However, going back over the maple version I could see where things were slightly over size. So, in Version 2 I transferred the required profiles directly to the wood using drafting vellum and spray adhesive. I cut out each piece on my scroll saw leaving a slightly over size edge for later fairing.

Progress,
The stern is coming along nicely. It's pretty close to the stage from version 1. I've started cutting the sternpost and keel. I also cut the rabbit into the sternpost as detailed in the pictures. This was done using a Pfiel 3mm V-chisel. You can see the small cuts I made working the rabbit down to it's final dimension. I have not as of yet cut the rabbit in the keel itself, that will be done once I have all the pieces cut out and glue together.
 
Another word of note for those of us living in the U.S. Upon my return to this project I was pleased to find that ANCRE has redone their website, It is much friendlier as they now have shipping options for the U.S. listed directly in the order process. So, we don't have to email them and wait weeks to hear back. Also, You may or may not know the Ancre publishes a 4 volume set pertaining to the build of the 74 gun ship. This is kinda THEEE authority on French shipbuilding.As with most Ancre products it has been a little difficult to get here in the States. I think I've seen volume 2 priced between $150 and $300 on the used book market. Well, good news!!!!!! Because the dollar is strong against the Euro at the moment and with the new an improved website. I jumped at the opportunity to purchase Vol. 2 of the 74-gun ship series directly from Ancre. It is priced at 103 Euros or about $120 US, Shipping was another 5 Euros. I received my copy this morning 11 days after ordering it. I'm so jazzed right now because I've been wanting this book for 3 years now and beating myself up over the cost of buying it used. Now I have a new copy hot off the press. I will be adding the rest of the volumes shortly to round out the collection.

Ok I'll post a few teaser pics. So the first one doesn't involve shipbuilding at all. It is a carving that I did late last year. The carving is done in cherry. In doing this carving I found I really liked how it carved and really liked the figure and finish of the wood. The carving is on the lid of a humidor that is sitting on my workbench. It's pretty much what convinced me that I'd rather have such a fine model in Cherry rather than Maple.
 
The rest of the pictures are of the stern. I am doing some rough shaping and contouring on these pieces. I have included a couple pictures with the original maple stern alongside the version 2 Cherry stern. Hopefully you can get an idea of the difference in wood figure from these. I'll have to work better lighting for photos in the future.

Yup, cumulative error can really mess things up. Good on you for having the courage to re-start, Jerry!

Hello Everyone,
Wow, it's a little over 2 years since I've posted anything. So, here's a little update. One of my other life long hobbies is R/C aircraft - large R/C aircraft. Back in April of 2013 my dad approached me with the question of whether I could build a replica of the TBM Avenger torpedo bomber in which my grandfather was a turret gunner aboard during WWII. I informed him that it was indeed possible and that yes I could do it. My Grandfather just turned 90 years old last Dec. Due to his age such a project required immediate attention as I wanted to get it finished before he passed on - we just don't know how long we have. So, that meant putting the Richard on the shelf and shifting focus to the Avenger. I am happy to report that last summer we fired the engine up and taxied the plane around my Granddads backyard. There is still a lot of work to do on it yet, painting for one - which due to the size of the model (little over 9 foot wingspan) must be done outside. Basically, I need to wait until spring when it stops raining here in Washington State. So, I am taking a little break from the Avenger for a couple months.
 
More importantly, I started the Bonhomme Richard as a long term project. Back when I started it I really had no place to put the model once it started reaching finished dimensions. My home was too small to house a  4 or 5 foot long model ship. So, I am happy to report that as of November of last year I purchased a house large enough to house the Bonhomme Richard in its yet to be built case once completed. A fringe benefit to the larger house is that I now have a larger shop. I went from a small table in a single car garage to an entire two car garage. This has allowed me to expand my collection of shop tools. Things like a new 48" lathe, 14" bandsaw, planer, and one heck of a nice delta table saw. I had one of those little Craftsman table saws and one day I was trying to rip a full size sheet of plywood for some storage cabinets in the garage. I got tired of chasing the table saw across the shop floor and down the driveway. Plus the thing is insanely loud. Since I was on a mission to improve my tool inventory I also took the opportunity to improve my wood carving tools. I years ago I had looked into quality woodcarving tools and choked at the cost of them, as a result I turned to low quality Chinese wood carving tools from Harbor Freight - I hated them. They took hours of work to put and edge on them only to have it lost 5 minutes into carving. Advice DON"T BUY THAT JUNK. I finally bit the bullet and started buying Pfeil gouges and I now have about 30 different ones. I am still simply in disbelief at the quality of these gouges They take a razor sharp edge and they hold for a long time cutting through oak, maple and cherry. When they do dull all they really require is a couple passes on a strope to bring back that razor edge. I'm not kidding about how sharp these are either, they are like scalpel sharp. So do yourself a favor and don't skimp on tools.
Now for a bit of bad news - well good news then bad news, and then good news. Last weekend I finally located the box in which I had packed away the Monography for the Bonhomme Richard. Finding it got me eager to jump back in a work on her some more. The hull had been sitting on a shelf in my office in the state I left it in two years ago. I brought it in to shop and laid out some of the plans to figure out where I left off and that's when I noticed problems. Alignments where off due to certain parts getting cut wrong. I began to realize that when I started this project I was making little errors here and there and trying to compensate for them as I continued one. I spent the better part of last Saturday going over the hull rechecking everything thinking that I could pull the bad parts off and remake them and drive on. Honestly, I could have done that but sometime last Sunday I decided to scrap the entire hull and start over only this time instead of using maple I would switch to cherry. In addition to the stock of maple I have in my shop I acquired roughly 500 board feet of cherry that I used to make some cabinets inside the house. I really like the figure and character of the cherry wood and decided it would look nicer than the maple on the model. So, I am in the process of rebuilding the model in Cherry at this time. I'm not going to post pictures just yet because it would really be just a rehash of the ones I've already posted just with a different wood. Once I get caught up to where I was I start posting pics again.

some more pictures of the bow after performing a little sanding and shaping

More frames. As you can see from the previous pictures there is 61 frames that make up this hull.

The next piece I chose to tackle is the the bow stem. This piece was the most difficult piece I had done at the time. I think it turned out quite well.

Stern frames continued

the stern frames continued