Kevin

Thanks very much for the kind comments Sherry, JesseLee, Ben, Bindy, Mark, John, Keith and Mike.  And thanks again to all of the "likes".
 
Ship's Boats continued....
 
This weekend I tackled the task of making Oarlocks and Splashboards for the Pinnace.  The oarlocks were quite tricky.  I started with a strip of 3/64" sq Boxwood stock, into which I cut a 1/64" rebate, about 1/64" deep using the Brynes saw  :
 

 
Then I made up a simple jig to use on the Byrnes saw that would enable me to cut a tenon-like leg for each of the oarlocks before separating it by hand from the main stock.  Here's what they look like before cleaning up:
 

 
These were then installed into the Caprail and 1/64" x 1/16" Boxwood strips added for the washboards.  I decided to make the bow washboards one continuous strip that was bent around the bow after soaking, and once dry the underside was sanded and shaped to fit the shape of the sheer line.  On the real thing, all of the washboards apart from the bow and aft-most ones were removable.  I decided to glue mine all in so that they didn't accidentally remove themselves later on.    Here they are in place:
 

 
I should perhaps have painted all of these parts before installing them, but I was worried that the paint would clog up the channels in the oarlocks and make the washboards too hard to fit.  So, I had to paint them in situ.  I also decided that I wasn't completely happy with the seat back I had made for the Sternsheets (the proportions looked wrong to me), so I decided to make another one.
 
Here are a few pictures of the completed Pinnace (I don't intend to make oars or rudder).  To continue my experimentation with photography, this time I've use a mid-blue background so that the black-painted parts don't get lost.
 

 

 

 
Next up, back to the Cutters........

Thanks again everyone for all the encouraging comments and the "likes".
 
Mark - not having a unicorn to hand, I just asked the dog.  He's not sure, but as long as I keep feeding him he's prepared to say I'm sane!
 
Remco - I've been following (mainly) my Warrior practicum for constructing these boats.  Thanks for the reminder about the Antscherl cutter practicum - I'm pretty sure I downloaded that some time ago, so I'll have another read through that as well before I start the clinker planking.
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
Today I concentrated on constructing and installing the Sternsheets, along with the lifting rings fwd and aft, and the Caprails.  For the Sternsheets, I opted to include a seat-back as well. To keep the colour theme going, I trimmed the sternsheets with 1/32" square Boxwood, but for the seat-back, I used two laminates of 1/64" Holly to achieve the curvature required.
 
Here's couple of overall shots of the sternsheets in place.  Continuing the photography experimentation, I've gone back to a black background for this series of shots.  I think that for this little boat it works better than the blue, particularly with the white hull.
 

 

 

 
Here's a couple of close-ups of the Lifting rings installed:
 

 
Note in this pic, the cutouts at the fwd end of the sternsheets.  This is to allow some extra leg room for those on the aft most thwart.
 

 
And here's a couple of shots of the Caprail in place.  This really makes the whole thing really pop.
 

 

 

 
And finally, just for another scale check, here's a pic of that giant fake hand again
 

 
All that's left now is the washboards/oarlocks.  I've started preparing the stock for these, and all I can say is thank goodness for my Byrnes saw, and all the practice I had in preparing stock for very small blocks!!!!
 
That's all for now folks.

Thank you one and all for all the very generous comments and praise - it really does help me to keep going when I start to question my sanity!  Thanks also to all the "likes". 
 
Rafterrat - not sure I understand your question re blocks.  What do you mean by "running the blocks to the yards"?  If you could you try asking the question in a slightly different way, I may be able to answer it for you.  I don't believe there are any tricks - just a  lot of patience and perseverance.  I used Longridge as my main guide through the process.
 
Sherry - you better start getting that extension ladder out.............
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
After a week or so of painting, I am finally able to continue with the Pinnace.  Today I installed the Thwarts, which are made of 1/32" x 3/32" Pear, trimmed with 1/32" x 1/32" Boxwood (same as the Launch).  There is also a 1/32" x 1/32" Boxwood stanchion supporting the centre of each Thwart except the forward most and aft most ones.  There were no particular difficulties in installing these.
Still experimenting with photography, so here's today's efforts to keep you-know-who happy:
 
A couple of overviews of the Thwarts in place:
 

 

 
This shows the supporting stanchions.  I could swear they were perfectly aligned when I viewed them with the naked eye! 
 

 
Here's a side shot that shows a little of the exterior painting.  I'm quite pleased with the end result - it is silky smooth to the touch and yet it is still possible to make out the planking.
 

 
Finally, I have progressed the framing on the two 25ft Cutters.  They are both now at the same stage:
 

 
Next up, Stern sheets for the Pinnace and then Caprails.  At some point soon, I'll have to start planking the Cutters, and yes folks, we're going to have a crack at clinker planking!     

Okay, so here's the photos that I didn't get to take last night.   I'm still experimenting with the photography, but the pics seem to be getting better. 
 
First up, I made a "handle" from copper wire and looped it through the gunwales to provide a handhold while painting.  It also served as a holding post for the vice while the paint dried:
 

 

 
Here is the current state of play with painting.  Probably just one or two clear coats of Dull Cote for protection now:
 

 

 
Meanwhile, progress with the Cutters (well, one of them anyway):
 
Here's the keel:
 

 
And with frames placed in the building board and frame "plugs" inserted (as per the Launch):
 

 
And without the Plug:
 

 

 
Finally, here's a couple of shots of both the Pinnace and Cutter Plugs for comparison.  They are really quite different hull forms:
 

 

 
The Admiral is giving me "the look" again, so that's it for now!!!

Thanks everyone for all the kind comments and also for all the "likes".
 
mtdoramike - your model is a similar scale to this one, maybe an inch or two longer, so you should have no problem with a similar case if you choose to go down this route. Mine is 1200mm long (about 48inches) and is made from 4.5mm thick Perspex. I would have liked to have used 6mm for added rigidity, but that would have added 50% more to the already expensive cost.
 
Short progress report on the ship's boats.
 
I have been slowly but surely painting the external hull of the Pinnace - just applied the ninth coat. I'm thinking maybe one more coat and then a final protective coat of Dull Cote. Following others advice, I've been using very thin coats of paint. I'm using a Humbrol enamel thinned 50% with Thinner. While tedious, it does seem to improve the appearance.
 
While watching the paint dry, I've been progressing the framing for the two 25ft Cutters. I finished cutting the keels for both today, and have cleaned up all the frames. This took quite some effort. Releasing the spot-glued frames from their inner supports required the judicious use of the isopropyl alcohol - judicious because the frames are laminated and too heavy a hand with the IPA and I might just have twice as many frames! Once separated and dry, the remaining glue residue had to be cleaned off using a needle file and a very light touch - these things are REALLY fragile. Only broke two.
 
Once cleaned up, I started fitting the frames into the build boards. One set is complete and the other ready to fit. The Admiral kicked me out of the shipyard before I could finish the second set. Something about needing to go to sleep as tomorrow is a work day!
 
Consequently, I didn't get time to take some pictures. Sorry Sjors I'll try to get some taken tomorrow and post them up then.

The new case was worth every penny (or whatever you folks use for legal tender) you invested.  The black base is a great idea.
 
Now ---- as for Viking funerals.......I'll have none of it!  Your Cutty Sark is a proud ship that has stood the test of time.  Some respect, PLEASE!

Thanks Augie, Mark, Bob, Sherry and Mike, and once again to all the "likes".
 
Even though it has been a long weekend here this weekend, I'm afraid I didn't get too much time in the shipyard.  I did however, get to collect my new case for Victory.  Even though I haven't quite finished her, I wanted to get her under a cover to protect her from damage and keep the dust off while I finish off the last few bits and pieces.
 
I know I could probably have made a case for a fraction of the price I paid for this (which was a lot!), but I wanted a "frameless" look for this model, so had it professionally made by a local plastics firm (Plastic Creations in Fyshwick for the local Canberrans - highly recommended).  I also decided that rather than use a wood base, I would continue the theme and had a black perspex base made at the same time, with a channel routed in it to accept the "box".  The idea of the black base (which is also partially reflective) was to tie in the black and yellow colours of the ship.  I like the effect.
 
I took a few pictures of it this afternoon, but it was getting a bit dark.  I've shown a couple of pictures here, but they don't really do it justice.
 
Here's one with only what's left of the daylight:
 

 
And here is one with the overhead downlights on. 
 

 
The table that it sits on I originally made to display my Cutty Sark model.  I think the timber is Yellow Stringy Bark if memory serves me correctly.
 
While I had the camera out, I thought I may as well take a picture of the Cutty Sark that has sat proudly in this position (just inside the front door) for many years until usurped by Victory.  This was a Billings kit and was my first serious foray into wooden ship building. As such, it is fairly basic - if only I knew then what I know now!  The case that this one is in I made myself. It has survived four house moves, including from one side of the country to the other and back again.  The only damage it received was to the rigging on one move, which I then replaced and did a better job on.  Even so, when I look at that rigging compared to Victory, it seems ever so basic.  It is now in the lounge room as a "temporary" measure until we figure out what to do with it. A "Viking Funeral" is still on the cards..........
 

 
You can see in the reflection of this photo my wife's collection of stuffed animals - they at least are an appreciative audience!
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
With the limited time I did manage in the shipyard this weekend, I did manage to paint the internal hull of the Pinnace, fit the Risers for the thwarts, and fit the previously made footling.
 

 

 
I'm now making up some gratings to fit, using 1/32" pear stock that Jeff Hayes at Hobbymill made up for me some time ago.  It's the same stuff that I used on the Launch.  Hopefully I'll get that installed next weekend and then be ready to paint the exterior of the hull before moving on to the fittings.
 
 

Thank you very much Sjors, Mobbsie, Bob, Augie, Lawrence, Leanne and Jim for your kind remarks, and also to all of the "likes".  A little more progress to report:
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
Among bits and pieces for the Pinnace, I have cut out the frames for the two Cutters.  Here is one set:
 

 
Meanwhile, back at the Pinnace, the next job was to install the Keelson and Gunwales.  I used 1/32" x 3/64" boxwood strips for each of these, bending the gunwales using my usual water and steam iron method:
 

 
Then it was time to install the stringers for the footwaling. I used leftover bits of 1/64" x 1/16" Holly planking stock for these.
 

 
The footwaling itself is made up of the same material.  After darkening one edge with a pencil, I edge glued 9 planks together:
 

 
After a bit of fiddling getting a paper pattern to fit, I transferred this to my pre-prepared footwaling stock and carefully shaped it using the Byrnes disc sander.  This was a somewhat delicate operation, noting that the stock is only 1/64" thick.  The notches were then marked and cut with the trusty Exacto knife:
 

 
This was then set aside to be fitted a little later on.  The interior of the boat was then given a light coat of white Gesso. This is to help with the painting - it is sort of an undercoat and will ensure the paint grips over some of the excess glue that could not be removed.
 
The next job was to make the cap rails.  I used 1/64" thick Boxwood sheet stock for these.  A paper pattern was made to provide the approximate shape and the cap rails then cut out.  When I say "cut", it was more a case of sanding than cutting.  I used a combination of Byrnes disc sander, Oscillating spindle sander, and hand held rotary tool to achieve the aim.  I deliberately cut these over-size so that they could be shaped in situ.  In this next photo, you can see the white Gesso applied to the interior, as well as the oversize cap rails tack glued in place.  The port cap rail has received some partial shaping in this shot:
 

 
This shot shows again partial shaping of the cap rails, but also gives a good sense of the long, narrow, sleek form of this particular boat:
 

 
And finally, here are the cap rails in their final shape.  By tack gluing them in place, I was able to sand them to a very good fit. I used a combination of sanding sticks and rotary tool with stone polishing attachment to achieve this.  I'm quite happy with the way these have come out - they are flush with the gunwale on the interior, and have just a tiny overhang on the exterior.
 

 
Once I was happy with the shape of these, I had a rather nerve-wracking time with some Isopropyl Alchohol and an Exacto blade to unattach them again.  Once again, they will be finally fitted at a little later stage, but needed to be made now.
 
The interior of the boat has now been given it's first coat of yellow ochre paint, while the cap rails have been painted black.  The next job (once the painting is completed) will be to fit the footwaling and then the risers for the thwarts.
 
In between waiting for paint to dry etc, I will start assembling the framing for the two Cutters.

Thank you Lawrence, Ben, Mark and Jesse, and also to all of the "likes".
 
Minor update this weekend - not a lot of time in the shipyard after another week away.  Did manage to find time to host a visit from fellow Canberra modeller Leanne (Moo) - always nice to make personal contact with other members of this great community!
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
I applied some filler to the Pinnace hull, using a product recommended in my Warrior practicum - Durham's Rock Hard Water Putty (that's a 4 pound (1.8 kg) can in the photo:
 

 
It comes in powered form which you then mix with water to a consistency of softened butter or 'soft cooked cereal'.  It is then applied using a small stiff flat brush, left to harden for a couple of hours and then sanded off.  It claims to never shrink.  Clean up was easy (using only water).  Sanding was also pretty easy, and the putty sands off in a dust form, similar in consistency to talcum powder.  This product is not readily available in Australia, so as usual I let my fingers do the walking and found some on-line.  The postage cost more than the product, but all in all not expensive.  Having used it, I can say that I like it - and I now have a "lifetime supply".  It is much easier to use than regular wood filler, especially on the extremely fragile boat.  I suspect similar results could be obtained with Spakfilla (for the Aussies reading this).
 
I then released the boat from the build board.  I was a little too enthusiastic with this and damaged a few frames in the process.  Managed to repair them all without too much fuss.  Still a bit of cleaning up do do, but here is how she looks now:
 

 

 
And just as a reminder of the scale of this little one:
 

 
I've also finished the first part of cutting out the frames for the two Cutters, so should have them in the build boards next weekend, as well as progressing with the Pinnace.

Thanks B.E. and Alan.
 
In my last post I commented on the difference between the Dremel and the Marathon Micro Motor rotary tools.  Here is a pic to show the relative size.  Not only is the Dremel considerably larger, it is much bulkier to handle, heavier, and has no effective speed control (despite it being nominally variable speed).
 

 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
I finished the planking the Pinnace today, along with an initial (rough) sanding.  As this hull will be painted, I could afford to take a few liberties with planking technique.    So while it is not absolutely correct, it does provide a good foundation.  I will be applying a little filler using a new (to me) product next, to achieve a nice smooth hull surface. I am inclined to do this prior to separating the hull from the build board.  In the meantime, here are a few pics of the progress to date:
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Ship's Boats continued:
 
With the Hawse timbers completed, it's time to start planking.  I'm using 1/64" x 1/16" Holly for the planking.  The first plank to be installed is the Sheer plank.  All planks are soaked briefly in water, then pre-bent using a small travel steam iron. I find the steam iron gives me good control of the bends - especially the tighter ones. 
 
The gap mentioned in the last post comes into play here as it seats the forward end of the plank neatly while it bends around the bow.  The second photo below shows a close-up of this.  
 

 

 
The next plank is the Rubbing Rail.  This is thicker, but narrower plank, and I used 1/32" x 1/32" Costello Boxwood plank for this.  Again, pre-bending with the steam iron is essential.
 

 

 
The next plank is the first of the tapered planks.  There is not a lot of science applied here.  While it would be nice to do this the "proper" way, the scale and size of the actual materials make this impractical - at least for this apprentice shipwright.  in this case, I have simply tapered the plank to half it's original width at the bow, starting from about the fourth frame back.
 

 

 
More planking to come.  It will take another 7 or 8 strakes of planking to complete the hull.  Hopefully, I'll get to finish that tomorrow. The beauty of these little boats is that while they are fiddly and delicate, they do come together quite quickly.

Ship's Boats continued:
 
Back home for the weekend and have managed to get a little bit more done on the Pinnace.
 
First up was trimming and shaping the hawse timbers.  The weapon of choice for this task was the micro motor dental polishing unit that Janos had put me onto some time ago:
 

 
While it looks large in comparison to the task at hand, using the polishing stone tip makes this task controlled and quite easy. The unit has a variable speed foot control that I am growing to love very quickly.  I can see the Dremel being relegated to the "used technology drawer" in the near future.
 

 

 

 
In the last photo above, you can just see a small gap between the Stem and the Hawse timbers at about the junction with the build board.  This is important and the reason will become apparent in the next post............

Thanks Mark, Keith and Danny, and once again, all the "likes".
 
Just a brief update. I've had to head off to Sydney again on family business, but did manage to take a couple of pics of progress on the Pinnace before leaving. Now I've had a chance to upload these
 
Having fitted all the frames in place, the next stage was to install the Stemson.  I used some 1/32" x 3/64" castello box for this.  It is simply bent (with the aid of a small travel steam iron) to follow the curvature of the keel/apron:
 

 

 
Next was the creation of the Hawse Timbers.  The same 1/32" x 3/64"stock was used for these, and again they were simply bent to follow the shape of the Stemson.  Here are the first pair of Hawse timbers going in - they have yet to be trimmed to shape:
 

 

 
The remaining Hawse timbers were then created in similar fashion, following the curve of the last piece and stepping back along the curve of the bow, to eventually fill in the space between the keel/stem and the first frame.  They are yet to be trimmed to length and faired in.
 

 
Next job will be to trim the ends of these to match the shape of the first frame, and then fair them to form a smooth, solid surface around the bow.  This will provide a good foundation for the planking at the bow.  Sounds easy enough - what could possibly go wrong?   
 
 

Thanks Andy, Alan, B.E., Sjors, Bob, Keith, Sherry, Leanne, Ben, John, and Lawrence, and once again, all of the "likes".
 
Ship's Boats continued:
 
Last night I glued the frames and their inner pieces into the building jig.  The trick with this is to ensure that the inner frame pieces are glued only to the main cutout insert and not the frames themselves, and that the frames are glued only to the jig slots and to the keel, and not to the either the frame inner pieces or main cutout insert.
 
Here's what that actually means:
 

 
The above is the completed assembly.  During planking, the inserted pieces will give stability and strength to the frames.
 
Here is what it looks like without the inserts:
 

 
In this next shot you can notice two things.  Firstly, that my keel slots were not aligned as well as they might have been, so I had to widen some of them (this won't be visible later, so no big deal).  The second thing is that you can see where the pressure of the Mk 1 Finger Clamp was slightly above tolerance and resulted in snapping the keel in two places.       Once again, I don't think it will be too noticeable in the end as the entire hull will be painted, allowing me to apply a little filler as/where needed.
 

 
And in the final shot below, the inner support pieces removed from the jig.  When in place, they are quite a snug fit so won't drop out accidentally if I pick the whole thing up.
 

 
Overall, I'm reasonably satisfied with the outcome so far and will proceed to the next step - making the stemson and hawse timbers.  This should be fun!     
 
 

A question of size:
 
I was chatting on Skype with Mobbsie this evening and when I held up one of my boat frames, he commented that he hadn't fully appreciated the tiny size of these from the previous posts.  So, at his suggestion, here is a picture of the smallest of the Pinnace frames, poised on the fingernail of my left forefinger. (No comments on the enormous hand size please ).
 

Think I've come cross model ship buildings worse job, framing canon ports. Only manage a few and get fed up

long may it stay that way

I'll join the first time responders to your log with another "wow". That is some beautiful work that you've done Kevin. The port lids are something special.
 
Bob

long may it stay that way

the copper tiles took me 140+ hours - to be in a position where i was happy with them, I made lots of mistakes and found ways to correct them
 
few things i learnt
 
i used superglue,, but there are different formula's - i found the medium jel worked for me in the end,
ensure you have a good waterline
from the waterline i worked down about 14 rows and found from there i had a continual run of tiles which hit the waterline forward and aft, then worked from the keel up this ensured that that the gore line was hidden under the belly of the build
the stern up to the rudder post was a pain to get - so that it looked the same when viewed from there looking forward, this was because both side were not exactly the same
 
i used a thin strip of plastic on the waterline to tidy the tiles up
 
copper tape always was an option - i decided against this
i required to purchase more tiles
i would change the glue type next time to something light something like evostick - something that gives you time to move the tile around, and easier to get any residue off
 
hope this makes sense

long may it stay that way

Four pieces, Kevin;  with cross-grained structure, it never would hold up otherwise..
 
Thanks for looking in;
 
~Bob

long may it stay that way

long may it stay that way

long may it stay that way