Stuntflyer

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

● Pumps: The pumps were made according to the kit instructions with one change. When I tried making the main cylinder from 3/16" dowel the diameter ended up too small according to the plan. I was successful when I used 3/16" square strip and a "V" groove jig to hold the strip in place while forming the eight sides. The black bands were made from card stock.
 
I glued the tiny spouts to a piece of scrap wood with PVA glue to hold it while sanding them with my newly acquired "True Sander". I dipped the spout into boiling water to release the glue.
 

 
This photo shows how small the spouts are.
 

 
Finished pumps with a coat of Wipe-on Poly.
 

● Pumps: The pumps were made according to the kit instructions with one change. When I tried making the main cylinder from 3/16" dowel the diameter ended up too small according to the plan. I was successful when I used 3/16" square strip and a "V" groove jig to hold the strip in place while forming the eight sides. The black bands were made from card stock.
 
I glued the tiny spouts to a piece of scrap wood with PVA glue to hold it while sanding them with my newly acquired "True Sander". I dipped the spout into boiling water to release the glue.
 

 
This photo shows how small the spouts are.
 

 
Finished pumps with a coat of Wipe-on Poly.
 

● Pumps: The pumps were made according to the kit instructions with one change. When I tried making the main cylinder from 3/16" dowel the diameter ended up too small according to the plan. I was successful when I used 3/16" square strip and a "V" groove jig to hold the strip in place while forming the eight sides. The black bands were made from card stock.
 
I glued the tiny spouts to a piece of scrap wood with PVA glue to hold it while sanding them with my newly acquired "True Sander". I dipped the spout into boiling water to release the glue.
 

 
This photo shows how small the spouts are.
 

 
Finished pumps with a coat of Wipe-on Poly.
 

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

● Pumps: The pumps were made according to the kit instructions with one change. When I tried making the main cylinder from 3/16" dowel the diameter ended up too small according to the plan. I was successful when I used 3/16" square strip and a "V" groove jig to hold the strip in place while forming the eight sides. The black bands were made from card stock.
 
I glued the tiny spouts to a piece of scrap wood with PVA glue to hold it while sanding them with my newly acquired "True Sander". I dipped the spout into boiling water to release the glue.
 

 
This photo shows how small the spouts are.
 

 
Finished pumps with a coat of Wipe-on Poly.
 

● Pumps: The pumps were made according to the kit instructions with one change. When I tried making the main cylinder from 3/16" dowel the diameter ended up too small according to the plan. I was successful when I used 3/16" square strip and a "V" groove jig to hold the strip in place while forming the eight sides. The black bands were made from card stock.
 
I glued the tiny spouts to a piece of scrap wood with PVA glue to hold it while sanding them with my newly acquired "True Sander". I dipped the spout into boiling water to release the glue.
 

 
This photo shows how small the spouts are.
 

 
Finished pumps with a coat of Wipe-on Poly.
 

Peter, it's wonderful to see where you've taken Newsboy.  You're missed here on the North Shore, but glad to hear you're well.

Mike that capstan looks great, can't wait to see what you do with the tops, those britannia ones look horrible.

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

● Capstan: While waiting for the tools to arrive I thought it might be a good opportunity to scratch a few parts. Here is the first one, the capstan, compared to the kit supplied one.
 

Yes,mine are made from wood. I purchased the kit from MS about 2 years ago. 

Ouch!!   Those are awful

Beautiful, clean work on your Mayflower so far! Well done!
 
Thomas

Mike this is looking very nice. Its funny, I just came across this website a few weeks ago. Until I started looking at these models I never knew the Mayflower had canons onboard. 

Turns out I made the two hatches the wrong size.  The forecastle false deck has squares marked on it for the placement of these hatches. Instead of adding the 1/16" square strips outside of these markings I placed them inside. My thinking was that the markings represented the overall size. Wrong! Chuck's watchful eye caught the mistake.
 
Before and after
 

 

Turns out I made the two hatches the wrong size.  The forecastle false deck has squares marked on it for the placement of these hatches. Instead of adding the 1/16" square strips outside of these markings I placed them inside. My thinking was that the markings represented the overall size. Wrong! Chuck's watchful eye caught the mistake.
 
Before and after
 

 

Interesting process for making the tops, Dave. I assume tou cut the angled ends on the side pieces to get sufficient glue surface? Nice job. Those knees should really strengthen the assembly.
 
Ed

Sorry to hear about your injury Adam. Torn calf muscles not fun to go through... Been-there-done-that ....
By the way.... Among the very last things I would want my wife trained in would be the art of kicking.... If you know what I mean.

So now the fun begins....
 

 
As always, like most every other painful thing in our lives, ratlines too shall pass........

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 103 – Planking and Wales continued
 
The work proceeds apace.  Post-holiday lull and the winter weather helps.  Work on the lower hull requires either some gymnastics or some other support for the model.  The first picture shows the simple setup that allows the model to be tilted as needed – a very un-shipyard-like look.
 

 
The wale on this side is about one-half planked in this picture.  The next picture shows the wale planks converging at the lowest perimeter strake at the stern.
 

 
The brass rod is the diameter of the gudgeon eyes and is being used to mark the center of the helm port by laying it on the sternpost.  In the next picture a hole for the port has been roughed out.
 

 
The rudder head was round and was encased at the port in a sleeve – wood or iron – to prevent ingress of water.  The diameter of the rudder shaft was 16” – matching the sternpost.  With the sleeve the opening will take up much of the area as yet unplanked.  I decided to fill the area with a single chock as shown in the next picture.
 

 
A circular opening for the sleeve and rudder head will be cut through this later.  In the next picture the hole has been centered.
 

 
Additional wale strakes are being added in this picture.  In the next picture the final piece on the port side has been boiled and is being fitted to dry.
 

 
The planks on this side are being stepped back at each frame to allow the stern area to be completed without adding more strakes on this unplanked side.  Hence these last two pieces are very short – the lowest will be half the length shown.
 
The next picture shows the final wale strake in place at the stern on the starboard side.
 

 
This side will be planked down below the waterline so there are more strakes to be fitted at the stern.  These will diminish down to the thickness of the common lower planking.
 
I don’t want to use this forum to pitch the forthcoming book, but I feel that a few words are in order, since several people have asked about it. 
 
Bob Friedman of Seawatchbooks and I were both quite enthused about a book on American clipper ship modeling.  We both felt this was a neglected area.  However, I had some concerns about another “full framing” methodology book that would be a rehash of previous material.  I was also concerned about writing a book about a large, fairly advanced structural model that would probably appeal mainly to a small slice of experienced modelers.
 
 It took some time for me to resolve these issues and decide to write the book – two books hopefully – the first on modeling the hull and the second on masting and rigging. 
 
Like the Naiad books – and unlike this build log – the books will be very heavy on methods – I like the word processes.  As work on YA progressed, the processes used were both different enough and in some ways unique and this allayed some of my concerns about redundancy. 
 
However, I still wanted to reach a broader range of modelers – specifically potential or less-experienced scratchbuilders looking for a foothold and some help on methods.  To this end the book will also include methods, drawings, text and pictures for construction of a smaller, simpler POB version of the model.  The processes developed for this model are designed to provide a basis for advancement to fully-framed modeling using the upright, shipyard-like, methods that many of us favor.  The planned volume on rigging – if we get that far – will apply to both versions. Simpler tools, fewer fancy devices and readily available materials will also be used for the POB model.
 
To support this important content, a second, 1:96 POB model is being constructed.  Until making the book decision, I have been careful to exclude this from posted pictures but that precaution is now no longer necessary so I will show one picture of the current work area with both models in progress.
 

 
Although having two models in the shop has exponentially increased the clutter, the biggest problems are keeping the two scales straight and using the right drawings – and getting all  the work done on schedule.
  
Ed

I love your doors!
 
Thomas

Here's a picture of about 10 hours work.
 
People who do not understand this "modeling thing" would never understand.
 

 
Next.... Rig some shrouds and get on with some rat killin.