Stuntflyer

Here's wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
 
While waiting for boxwood sheet needed for deck planking, I was able to complete a few small projects. Those being the shaping the channels, backstay plates (unpainted), jib outhaul block and scuppers.
 
The channels and backstay plates were made as described in Chuck's log.

 

 
This was my build sequence to complete the outhaul block. .
 

 
Step 1. 1/16" strip was cut to the overall size of the block. Holes were measured and drilled for the treenails (#76) and center pin (.028"). Drilling incorrectly at this stage seemed far better than doing so after the whole thing was assembled and shaped.
 
Step 2. Used as a guide a short length of 22 gauge wire was inserted through the center hole. A 5/32" dowel center drilled and sliced to 3/64" was placed over the wire. The dowel was then secured to the strip.
 
Steps 3-4. 3/64" strip was glued to the 1/16" strip with a .024 pin used as a spacer. This allows the .018 rigging rope to pass through the block. 
 
Steps 5-8. The overhanging 3/64" strips are trimmed off and the block is shaped. Once completed the treenails are simulated and 22 gauge wire is inserted through the center hole, standing proud slightly. The back of the wire is filed flush.
 

Erik, druxey, thank you for the nice comments and for all the "Likes".
 
With the waterway completed I was finally able to add a few of the deck structures. These were all done a while back as a diversion, that kept me from getting crazy, when I was re-doing the planking. The photo below shows how I was able to set the structures with the correct spacing and parallel. You can't see it here but there is a lower deck below the skylight. The skylight windows have been antiqued thus reducing reflections, though quite subtle when viewed in person.
 

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

I started lining off the deck today. . .
 
Using a tick strip, the deck beam reference line on the fore side of the main hatch was divided into equal segments. Mine needed eleven, each segment being slightly under 3/16". I divided the eleven spaces into two belts seven inner and four outer. 
 
To establish the two belts down the length of the hull I decided to get the initial curve from the plan and adjust it later if needed on the deck itself. I had already made a copy of the plan sheet showing the deck. I made a few changes to the plan to correspond to the actual build. I placed a thin sheet of glass over the plan and used a ships curve and a fine line marking pen to draw the curve. Once I was satisfied with the run of the curve I placed 1/8" tape along the line directly to the glass.
 

 
A photo was taken and printed so the curve could be glued to card stock. Placing the curve on the deck showed that only a slight adjustment was needed at the location of the tick mark which divides the two belts. With the curve redrawn and a line transferred to both sides of the deck, I was ready to complete the remaining tick marks. Connecting the tick marks really helps to see what the run of planks will look like. In a few places I included the planks tab into the measurments and that was enough to throw off the even flow of planks down the hull. If I had not connected the tick marks it would have been very difficult to spot these errors.
 

 

Mike
 

Thanks guys!
 
Erik - Thanks for the feedback. I know that there are many different methods out there, some being better than mine, for sure. Still, I really enjoy sharing these things with other modelers.
 
Bob - I plan on doing the curved planking. I hope you're right about it not being too difficult.
 
Mike

Planking the deck is not exactly what I would call a milestone though it does feel like I'm moving along. . .
 
Though not very scientific, I did come up with a way to get those center planks in a straight line. After setting the first plank at the stern I used a card template at each location along the deck to keep the planks straight. To confirm alignment, I marked the center of the plank at its forward edge as well as the aft edge of the deck structure. After pulling the plank to the card template I could see whether or not two marks matched closely
 

 
The four remaining planks (two on each side of center plank) where then installed using PVA and clamps. I was careful not to glue anywhere close to the red deck structures. Scrap strips were used between the clamp and the deck planking to avoid any dents that might be caused from tightening of the clamps. I don't have any of those high-tech wooden clamps like those used by EdT though the ones from Dewalt (found at Home Depot) worked well enough. The clamp's protective covers were removed in order to get a better grip on the planks. The Irwin Quick-Grips have a more rounded shape underneath the covers and tend to slip off too easily.
 

 
My deck planks are approximately 3/16" wide and in various locations will have a small tab. These have to be made using a wider strip. I tried making one that would have been 7/32" at its widest point using a 7/32" strip. Guess what, it didn't work. There wasn't enough room to allow for adjustments to the shape. I decided to go with a 1/4" strip, which worked quite well. Once the shape was completed it was only a matter of reducing the width to 3/16" outside of the tab location. This is an important step if you want to maintain consistency to the overall look of the planking.
 
This is the plank which goes on either side of the "ventilation scuttle grating", just behind the skylight.
 

 
Once the first five rows were completed, excess glue was removed and the planks were lightly sanded. I will hold off doing the final sanding until all of the remaining planks are in.
 

 

Wonderful work Mike.

Nice work on the deck !

Beautiful joinery there. :)

Beautiful deck and scarph joints, well done

Absolutely well done.

Mike,
 
The deck looks awesome!!  Can't wait to see the photos after the final sanding and WOP.
 
Erik

Beautifully done Mike.
 
Bob

Wonderful!!!!!

Excellent method and result, Mike. Well done!

That is an excellently executed deck!

Very well done!!!!!  

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

Hello Everyone,
 
Normally I like to do a final sanding and a coat of W-O-P before posting. Today I'm just too excited as I have finally finished all the deck planking. Much of it was done with the aid of Dewalt Trigger Clamps. As space became tight I reverted to using wedges cut from 1/16" basswood or scrap boxwood sheet. The wedges allow for as much pressure as needed to close gaps. PVA was used throughout. The Bulwarks where masked of to prevent any damage to the red paint. As you can see in the photos, I have started sanding the starboard side. There is much more to do so I will spend the next day or two finishing up. Will post some photos once the W-O-P is applied. Yippee!
 

 

I managed to complete the waterways today. .
 
They are very small and fragile being only 1/32" x 1/32" before being rounded off. The shape was created by taping a 1/32" sheet at the edge of a table with a slight overhang. Another piece of tape was laid down about 1/8" back of the sheets edge, to prevent any sanding of the wood further back. A long, flat sanding block was used to shape the quarter round. A 1/32" strip was then ripped from the sheet with the flat side up on the table saw. Done the other way the round edge would have slid underneath the saws fence. The waterways were glued in with medium CA.
 

 

 
 

The margin planks are done. .
 
The only way that I could get the four sections of planks located between the stern frames at the same angle was to add shims onto the false deck. You can see where I placed them between the stern frames on the port side. The shims taper across the deck from 1/64" to less than 1/32". Without them the two sections on the port side would have dropped too much. Prior to installing these four pieces I could see where the false deck was slightly lower on the port side near the counter.
 
The scarph joints were made with a #11 blade and some needle files. I went slowly, spending time trying to get a close fit. I also had to figure out the proper length of each section so the joints would center between the gun ports. The three long sections on each side were joined, sanded and given a coat of W-O-P off the ship prior to placing them into the hull.
 
I decided to soften the inside edge of the caprail. It's a small thing but it does make the overall appearance better, I think. I'm also refining the paint work around the fashion pieces as you can see. I'm not in any hurry to finish painting around the caprail since other parts have to be installed on top, which would only require more sanding and painting.
 

 

I've been hard at work completing a number of tasks and thought that it would be better to post after all of them were completed. Here are a few notes that might be of interest to others who are building Cheerful.
 
Before installing the false deck, the four stern frames were thinned down gradually, 1/16" at the top to 1/8" at the bottom.
 
The 2nd layer of bulwark planking is slightly rounded at its top outside edge where it sits directly below the gun port sills.
 
The Caprail's fancy molding was added after painting its bottom edge black. It was glued to the caprail using medium CA from the top. Consequently, there was no CA seepage below its bottom edge. The width of the Caprail, which includes its fancy molding, is slightly under 5/32". 
 
After shaping the boarding ladder steps I installed the top one to the hull before starting on the remaining fancy molding. This was easier for me than to try and cut out the space for the top ladder after the molding was glued to the hull. All of the remaining fancy moldings were then added to the hull including the small “ear” at the stem. The moldings are quite thin being under 1/32". I could see that the 1/32" Hawse Plates would stand proud of the molding, which I didn't like, so I made them from .025 sheet.
 
On the transom, the port lids are stationary with simulated hinge straps using Chuck's Laser Board kit. There are tiny holes in the hinges that are filled with glue during application which aid in holding the hinges in place. They are stiff, easy to paint and easy to install. Highly recommended. Missing are the four hinges on the top of each strap. I am still trying to decide how I want to make them.
 
Some prep work was necessary before painting the bulwark planking. Using soft 4-6 lb balsa (left over from the airplane building days) I fitted plugs into each gun port to protect them from any overspray. They are only 1/8" thick and were easy to shape and fit into the ports. Then the entire hull including the false deck was masked off. The paint was applied using the Paasche air brush. W&N Galeria Acrylic paint, when properly thinned, does not clog this airbrush. I also noticed that cleaning the airbrush between coats was not necessary. Seven coats were applied.
 
I laid down some 3M fine line tape inside the hull along the bottom edge of the caprail. Using a black .020 Micron Archival pen, I scribed a line against the tapes edge to establish the bottom of the caprail. Now it was a simple matter of painting from the line up to the top of the caprail.