Vivian Galad

Thanks all for your advise and especially Ed for your research. I added a pic showing the 'problem' a bit better. Under normal light conditions it's very obvious, it just doesn't show very clear on a picture unless I over expose it.
 

 
I dare not use any solvents for the risk of letting the dye getting into places I really don't want it to be or dissolve glue. I could try to carefully scrape the topcoat of the tung oil and hope the Fieblings will penetrate the wood. But this also has the risk it might get into places where it shouldn't go. Let me sleep on it for a couple of nights
 
Remco

I'm going to redo the mast step, I try to avoid "I'll do that better on the next one"  as much as possible. Before you know........
 
Ok but first the port stops for the gunport and sweep ports. A nice challenge to follow the contour of the hull. Well, I just used the hull to mark the contour and the rest was a matter of time and patience, fun to make.
 

 

 
Here you can see something that concerns me, the black strikes getting lighter and lighter over time. And also quit blotched  I used Fieblings to dye pear strips of wood. Unfortunately it already received a few coats of finish (tungoil) so there is not much I can do about it.
 
Remco
 
 

Thank you all for your very generous comments and likes. It's you folks that keep me building, without MSW I probably would have quit years ago to start an other model only to leave it unfinished later. 
 
I moved on to the capstan step. The first version had no rebated parts, I didn't like it and made a second and a third version. The second was scrapped as I chipped a bit of that was very visible the third one is below.
 

 

 
I'm also considering redoing the cross blocks for the main mast step. I was not paying attention an accidentally added bolts that are way to big. Most bolts in the build are 1" but in this case I need 0,75" bolts like the ones on the capstan step. The difference is quite obvious.......
 

 
Remco

Great framing, fantastic job.

Great framing, fantastic job.

Great framing, fantastic job.

Hello,
 
Another small progress update.
 
Alexandru

Alexandru,
Your work is truly inspirational. On the one hand it makes me regret that I didn’t start this hobby several decades ago so that I would have had a chance of attaining 1/10 of your skill level – and on the other, it makes me happy that I am engaged in a hobby that is so truly remarkable.​
Best, Ian

Thanks all for your birthday wishes. No one was too late as I still have 1:15 hours of birthday left today
 
Remco

False keel was attached to the stand, first picture shows the before first modification:
 

 
Second picture shows the after, as I cut the tail off. As I intend on building an engraved cover, that part had to get out of the way.
 

 
I waxed the false keel, then and started placing the bulkheads. They were glued and fixed to the block I made for 90° aligning. I took pictures only after they were already glued and I could verify they were rightly fixed.
 

 

 

 

 
As the ship seems too fragile at this point, I decided to place beams between the bulkeads to assure they wouldn´t bend while planking.
 

 
And that´s it for now. Hope to be posting more pictures soon. :D

Hello again! Well, maybe I´ll get more updates as I enter the final laps. Here is the hole fix over the cabin and the switch for my cabin´s lighting. I made a step by step on the fixing/lighting as I´m proud to have done it. I know it´s not the greatest of executions or the best mechanism I could´ve used, but those hours spent on science fairs at school weren´t wasted. :D
 

First picture shows the led with a circuit board - I used the led from a garden beacon with a timer, so the battery wouldn´t be consumed when I forgot to turn it off.
 

This is my remade lantern - first version I used tin and painted paper. Replaced the painted paper for silk and better painted the tin frame.
 

Attached the lantern to the circuit board.
 

Cut two 2mm copper stripes from a copper foil and soldered them to the battery box.
 

Cut another 2mm copper stripes and soldered them to the circuit board.
 

Fixed the circuit board on its place (there was a hole for the lantern to be placed in the cabin) and glued the copper stripes parallel - that way the battery box could be placed and turned into the switch.
 

 

After the eletronics were placed, used the same wood for deck planking to close the hole. Part of the stripes were left for the switch.
 

Hole closed, planking aged and battery box/switch placed - ligths on. I thought on replacing all the planks so that trapdoor look wouldn´t be there, but kinda liked the idea. Maybe I´ll fix some holder for it.
 
Next pictures shows the lighting effect.
 

 

 

 
Now, all for the rigging!!!!!

So, I took some pictures from my latest efforts. Masts are rigged and waiting for sails. Main mast is a little bit too tensioned, as you can see. I don´t know if with sail on it will bring it to it´s rightful position or if I should release some tension before installing the sail - my fear is to let it go and have loose ropes on my model. Would be great to have some opinions in that.
 

 

 

 

 
There are some few additions beyond sails, as the eyes on front rails and the painting on stern (I´ll make it as the kit´s decal don´t fit in my ship).

Well, was just experimenting and did this:
 

 
That´s the first modification on the kit, since this brass windows won´t be glued to my ship. Also, as I wish to have cabins or something of the sort, windows need holes, so ppl can peer inside. Thinking about some led to throw light in there too.
 
It seems a good window frame or should I work a little harder on them?

Hi again and well, I coundn´t hold myself that much. 3 days after finishing my caravel I´m beginning a new project and hope you all enjoy it. Took me 3 months and some days to my last ship to be finally complete, and, today I started a new counter ^^ (not that I want to beat it).
 
So, first thing first, I´ll say my impressions on the kit. I bought it from an e-bay auction. The box is a little bit worn, with some small scratches on the fringes. Since the kit is from the 80´s, there´s that look in it:
 

 
Opening we can see a good care with pieces and wood, all arranged in a practical manner. My last experience was a bit disappointing regarding opening the box, cause the fittings and everything else were almost thrown in the box, with no preoccupation about the pieces´ overall look. AL, in other hand, do know how to sell it´s fish.
 

 
Unboxing the fittings box I found a beaultifull set of small wooden and metal parts. Loved the distribution and care. Didn´t like the brass fittings for doors and windows, or even the lanterns - decided those will be made by me.
 

 
The wood planks with pre-cut parts are easy to cut. It´s not laser cut, since in 1989 it wasn´t that common, lol. There´s a fine selection for woods, all woods. I detached the first parts to take the false keel and mount the structure.
 

 
For this build I just designed a holder - Big change for better, for my last ship was builded almost in my lap, or on the kit´s base, which devastated my hull, as I saw sometime after the mistake. So, false keel on holder ready to receive framing.
 

 
After cutting and sanding the frames, got numbers to them so I could follow the instructions - and make no mistakes.
 

 
So, I took care to align all frames with the false keel, since some of them needed some fixing to go smooth with the keel. After that I glued them and the girders, as follows
 

 

 

 

 
I got the impression that it was a little bit crooked and drawn a line to compare, but was just an impression. Began first planking but need to buy a small hammer, so, all paused till I buy one.
 
Other consideration - after studying the plans I found it easy to give the ship some cabins. With a little modification on the castle I can put some nice furniture inside the ship and, following Doris inspiration, will let the windows and doors show the inside (after scratching my own windows and doors, of course).
 
Well, that´s it!

Hi mates,
 
Thanks for dropping in. Mark thanks as well for your supper compliment SO appreciated. Yes four more (bowsprit done) Hmmm
 
Though the next ones should be easier. Learned a few things with this lower foremast plate, as well as having a grasp on how to fashion the needed parts.
-------------------------
Continuing, I started to fashion the deadeye “chains” using 20 gauge black wire (pic 1) not correct, but such a small almost hidden detail once the plate gets busy with ropes everywhere.
 
I then realized that the lower ring braces were extending outward too far (see pic 2, 3, 4) and the chain would not hang properly outside of the lower already attached ring
 
So removed the ring and Dremeled down the braces (see pic 5)
--------------------------
 
I then took some leftover bits that I had purchased to use as chains for the hull, but then decided against it. So those bits will now become (after blackening them) the way to attach deadeye/chains to the ropes below the mast cap. See pic 6.
 
The last three pics show the “fix” my favorite word with this very very slow build. (:-)
 
So, the next caps will have a bit larger flat ring and or cap floor will be a bit smaller.
 
Thanks for still following along at this snails pace,
 
Regards,
 
Michael
 

And now for something completely different. I took a break from the tedious deck work, intrigued by Garus' steering wheel on his excellent Victory and especially his duplicating device, I build the steering wheel. Using the technique described in TFFM 2 and 3. Not easy but lots of fun, frustration and multiple redo's later, the results:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Remco

Thank you all.
Here are more progress pictures.
 
Alexandru

Hello,
 
Thank you for following my build and your comments.
 
Here is a bit of rework I have done this last week: the upper row of windows on the stern gallery was following an excessing curve. You can see it in the first picture and in the second picture is the new curve. The pictures are not quite from the same angle but the change is noticeable.
 
Interesting fact is that I noticed this first in the pictures than on the model after I posted them here. I think it happened to me before to see in the pictures I took things that are more difficult to spot on the model at first. After I was aware of it it became obvious on the model too.
 
Thank you,
Alexandru
 

Installment 10.


Remade mainmast knightheads, installed woolings on foremast, installed railing on poopdeck. Remade and installed knightheads for foremast.


Mainmast with woolings.


Foremast with its knightheads and fife rails.  Here observe the belaying pin shelves that Amateur Jan suggests to
remove and use the railing cap instead. This is done a little later on.


Belaying pin rails on the quarter and poop decks. Here too Amateur Jan suggested to reduce them in length, which was done a little later on.


mainmast chainplates


Removed the forecastle pin rails and drilled pin holes in railing cap.


Modified pin rails looking aft.
 

Cheers,

Installment 8.


Rudder installed with blackened hardware.


Helmsman bulkhead being clinker planked per Amazon Dirk’s suggestion.


Close up of helmsman's painted bulkhead.


Poop deck deck beams installed and officer's quarters made. The last two will be furnished.


Officer's and passenger’s quarters roughed in.


Sides of the quarter deck and poop deck in the process of being clinker planked. Paper pattern for the counter in temporary position.


The removable counter / achterspiegel is semi completed and fists snug.

 
Cheers,


 

1665 VOC Ship, installment 2.



The build jig with a seven degree incline for the required drag (stuurlast in Dutch), with the central bulkhead frame in place. Steel 900 angles are screwed to the base of the jig to ensure  accuracy.  My workbench top is a perfect
horizontal surface both ways and so is the build jig.  The cutout is to accommodate a section of individual frames
and an opening in the starboard side of the hull for a view in the hold. 

 


This shows all bulkheads installed with the individual frames waiting.  This action was actually an afterthought.  Originally I only intended to show the outside with minimal plank on frame construction.  I then changed my mind and wanted to
also show more detail such as the hold and the captain and officer’s areas.

 


All individual frames installed in the waist area.

 


This shows the deck beam shelves installed for the gun deck and spar deck.  I also added extra wood to the
bulkheads for better fairing and glue surface for the planks, and installed
wiring for lights.

 


Cargo hold ceiling planks installed with simulated deck planking to accommodate the 18
pounder cannons on the gun deck.

 


Part of the orlop beams with carling cutouts with the carlings in the waist area.

 


Orlop deck beams with carlings installed. Portions of the frames cut away for visual
access to the hold.

 


Planking in progress using 2 mm maple planks.
 

 

The article by Salisbury has a diagram of the mast remnants. It is also found in the excellent monograph "The Good Ship" by Ian Friel. I cant reproduce here because of copyright.
Dick

Good seeing you back again and surely hope things are going on the possessive side.
 
Cheers,

here's hoping that this post find you in better spirits and feeling better     we miss you  

Guys, you made my day. Have a smile from ear to ear in here. Thank u all, a lot.