Jack Panzeca

Hi Marc,
 
This is the best result of my "bug and flower" hunt last week.
 

 
I am trying to work out attending the NRG Conference.
 
Good luck on your "Utrecht" I will follow along when you start the log.  I finished the Oseberg nails (unless I decide to nail the deck planking).  I am working on the deck planking now.  I should have an update soon.
 
Thanks for dropping in.

Time for another update.
 
The kit makes no mention of the iron nails that hold the overlapping planks together.  I felt that the ship would really be incomplete without them so I decided to spend a few weeks and do it.
 

 
The nails are about 200 mm apart on the Oseberg but do show some randomness.  That scales out to 8 mm.  I did a couple of test planks 1 at 8 mm and 1 at 16 mm.  I was hoping that the 16 mm spacing would look great and save me about 700 nails.  Oh well, no luck.  I did widen the spacing to 10 mm.
 
 
 
I bought the smallest brass nails that I could find and blackened them using the method sited in various places on MSW but I specifically read it in Augie"s Confederacy log (great log by the way!).  I marked the holes with dividers and patiently drilled the 720, ½ mm holes.  It took over a week to mark and drill and insert all those nails.  I broke several bits in the process.  I forgot to mention that this is only the port side.  
 

 
I will place a drop of CA at the base of the nail forest and cut them off before I glue the deck in place.
 

 
I decided to go ahead and stain after the holes were drilled and before the nails were inserted.  I spent some time cleaning up the glue that was left where the planks overlapped so the stain would go on evenly.  I had cleaned up carefully when the planks were glued but the best laid plans...
 

 
I still have some touch up to do on the stain and I will add the wipe on poly at the very end.  I have taken a couple of days off to decompress after the first half and it is back to work tomorrow.
 

This update has been a long time in development.  Since the last update I finished the second 720 nails, planked the deck and stained the deck and cavities at the stem and stern.  The second set of nails went more quickly as usually happens after all that practice.
 
The kit plans call for the planking to be in line from bulkhead to bulkhead but the book I have been using calls for the planks to be staggered.
 

 
I had cut and tapered the planks back months ago and packaged them up to hold until I finished the nails.  Well the "best laid plans" rule applies here.  I picked them up in order and put rubber bands around them with nice little labels.  The rubber bands in the shipyard are at least 10 years old and a large number of them gave up and the planks got jumbled in the plastic bag.  Dee Dee: this photo is for you.  You knew I was going the muck this up.     It took longer to complete the filler planks at the end of each row than it did to straighten out my pile of unlabeled planks.
 

 
I set up the center line and glued one than two planks down the center and then worked my way out to the edges.  The image below has the stain on the left and just pre stain on the right.  The pre stain sure shows off the grain.  I love oak.  The curved and wedged planks at the mast foot came from Von_Kossa and looks really great.  Thanks Pal.
 

 
I still have some cleanup to do on the stain (glue spots and such) and then I will add some wipe on poly.  The mast and foot are just loosely placed.
 

 
Oars, shields, rigging and sail are next.
 
Thanks for looking in.  This sure is fun.

This update has been a long time in development.  Since the last update I finished the second 720 nails, planked the deck and stained the deck and cavities at the stem and stern.  The second set of nails went more quickly as usually happens after all that practice.
 
The kit plans call for the planking to be in line from bulkhead to bulkhead but the book I have been using calls for the planks to be staggered.
 

 
I had cut and tapered the planks back months ago and packaged them up to hold until I finished the nails.  Well the "best laid plans" rule applies here.  I picked them up in order and put rubber bands around them with nice little labels.  The rubber bands in the shipyard are at least 10 years old and a large number of them gave up and the planks got jumbled in the plastic bag.  Dee Dee: this photo is for you.  You knew I was going the muck this up.     It took longer to complete the filler planks at the end of each row than it did to straighten out my pile of unlabeled planks.
 

 
I set up the center line and glued one than two planks down the center and then worked my way out to the edges.  The image below has the stain on the left and just pre stain on the right.  The pre stain sure shows off the grain.  I love oak.  The curved and wedged planks at the mast foot came from Von_Kossa and looks really great.  Thanks Pal.
 

 
I still have some cleanup to do on the stain (glue spots and such) and then I will add some wipe on poly.  The mast and foot are just loosely placed.
 

 
Oars, shields, rigging and sail are next.
 
Thanks for looking in.  This sure is fun.

Time for another update.
 
The kit makes no mention of the iron nails that hold the overlapping planks together.  I felt that the ship would really be incomplete without them so I decided to spend a few weeks and do it.
 

 
The nails are about 200 mm apart on the Oseberg but do show some randomness.  That scales out to 8 mm.  I did a couple of test planks 1 at 8 mm and 1 at 16 mm.  I was hoping that the 16 mm spacing would look great and save me about 700 nails.  Oh well, no luck.  I did widen the spacing to 10 mm.
 
 
 
I bought the smallest brass nails that I could find and blackened them using the method sited in various places on MSW but I specifically read it in Augie"s Confederacy log (great log by the way!).  I marked the holes with dividers and patiently drilled the 720, ½ mm holes.  It took over a week to mark and drill and insert all those nails.  I broke several bits in the process.  I forgot to mention that this is only the port side.  
 

 
I will place a drop of CA at the base of the nail forest and cut them off before I glue the deck in place.
 

 
I decided to go ahead and stain after the holes were drilled and before the nails were inserted.  I spent some time cleaning up the glue that was left where the planks overlapped so the stain would go on evenly.  I had cleaned up carefully when the planks were glued but the best laid plans...
 

 
I still have some touch up to do on the stain and I will add the wipe on poly at the very end.  I have taken a couple of days off to decompress after the first half and it is back to work tomorrow.
 

Thanks for the comments and the likes.
 
David,
The hull will be planked in swiss pear with ebony wales.  I'm having a toss up situation on the stern area.. maybe plum?  
 
Pat & Piet,
Minor milepost...  according to my list.. Framing (major) - full frames (minor) - aft frames (minor) - forward frames (minor).         I have about 5 pages of notes on the list so I don't forget anything.
 
Bryan,
This is fun.  It has it's frustration moments to be sure, but when those get solved, it's even more fun. And then there's those moments... when I sit back with a cup of fresh coffee and realize "holy crap... I did that!".

Mark, I follow your progress (and other POF´s) with an increasing desire to jump on these waters. Your framing looks great from here. Keep those pictures coming! ^_^

Hi Marc,
 
This is the best result of my "bug and flower" hunt last week.
 

 
I am trying to work out attending the NRG Conference.
 
Good luck on your "Utrecht" I will follow along when you start the log.  I finished the Oseberg nails (unless I decide to nail the deck planking).  I am working on the deck planking now.  I should have an update soon.
 
Thanks for dropping in.

Thanks Grant,  the nails were definitely the right decision.  Real life, not to mention all those nails, has intervened lately so I am still late on the photo tips.  I am working on them, just not as fast as I intended.
 
Thanks Davit B, sainthood would certainly be a stretch.  The process was tedious but the result was worth it.
 
Hi Dee Dee, thanks, the chaos is semi intentional.   The real Oseberg pattern appears sort of random.  I think that it has to do with the different curve rates of the planks throwing the spacing off.
 
The photos were done with a set.  The umbrellas are white on the inside to bounce the flash onto the ship in a diffused, soft manner.  The black outside also has the function of blocking the awful fluorescent light from the ceiling.  The shipyard was originally a garage.
 

 
Thanks, Keith, I have to admit that it is turning out better than I expected.  Now all I have to do is not screw it up.
 
Hi Pete, thanks for the kind words as well.  I did the wall side first in case it did not look good.  The Oseberg has a definite wall side because of the rudder.
 
Hello Vivian, thanks.  The stain is Minwax Aged Oak (one of the samples shown previously).  I was nervous before I started but I applied it inside the storage compartments at the stem and stern first knowing that I would cover most of it up if it was ugly.  But, as you can see it looks very nice.  This is a gel stain and although it looks good it is a little unpleasant to work with.
 
Thanks to all the likes.  I may play with the shields a little bit and take a little longer break from the nails.

Hi Marc,
 
This is the best result of my "bug and flower" hunt last week.
 

 
I am trying to work out attending the NRG Conference.
 
Good luck on your "Utrecht" I will follow along when you start the log.  I finished the Oseberg nails (unless I decide to nail the deck planking).  I am working on the deck planking now.  I should have an update soon.
 
Thanks for dropping in.

Hi Marc,
 
This is the best result of my "bug and flower" hunt last week.
 

 
I am trying to work out attending the NRG Conference.
 
Good luck on your "Utrecht" I will follow along when you start the log.  I finished the Oseberg nails (unless I decide to nail the deck planking).  I am working on the deck planking now.  I should have an update soon.
 
Thanks for dropping in.

Minor milepost... aft half-frames are installed.  I need to trim a bit and then rough fair them before moving to fore half-frames.
 
 

Hi Vivian,
 
Happy to hear that you are feeling well.  Sorry about the hole in your deck, you might want to consider a second led in the cabin and run the wires into the switch box and leave them.  In case of a future problem all you have to do is connect the wires.
 
Your saw is just what the doctor ordered.  I personally believe that it is not possible to have too many toys, I mean tools.  
 
I have been meaning to ask you if you built models of your designs when you were doing architectural design?  The way you furnished the cabin shows a special talent.
 
Your ship looks great. 

David and Chuck, thanks! much appreciated. Chuck, you said in the Longboat Instruction Manual ". . take your time and treat each plank as a small milestone", which I think is great advice. I am trying to do this with each step regardless of how simple it may seem.

Jack, I´m like 85% now ! Might I grab your idea? Think that would be the best to do, to leave only the led inside I mean. A second one would bring too much light into my cabin. Regarding tools, I´m buying as I need them, but it seems it´s just the beginning, lol.
 
And then, yes, I built models for my designs. That was something I loved to do and am really sorry almost all pictures for them are gone - in 2010 I lost almost a life on stored data (among other too much important things) and saved only one. It shows two models - on first plan a two stored home 1:50 model at it´s first stages. On second plan u can see another 1:50 model of a medieval tavern for a medieval town I was building at the time. It´s a pitty I don´t have any more pictures from it since the town had about 15 houses beyond the tavern and the beginning of a castle. The tavern and 3 houses were furnitured.
 

 
 

Hi Vivian,
 
Happy to hear that you are feeling well.  Sorry about the hole in your deck, you might want to consider a second led in the cabin and run the wires into the switch box and leave them.  In case of a future problem all you have to do is connect the wires.
 
Your saw is just what the doctor ordered.  I personally believe that it is not possible to have too many toys, I mean tools.  
 
I have been meaning to ask you if you built models of your designs when you were doing architectural design?  The way you furnished the cabin shows a special talent.
 
Your ship looks great. 

Hi Ulises,
 
Great build, it looks great.  If you want to look at the Minwax Aged Oak that David B mentioned take a look at my Oseberg log (post # 162).
 
I definitely agree with Mark and would pre bend the beams to unload the bulkhead tops.  
 
Thanks for sharing.

Time for another update.
 
The kit makes no mention of the iron nails that hold the overlapping planks together.  I felt that the ship would really be incomplete without them so I decided to spend a few weeks and do it.
 

 
The nails are about 200 mm apart on the Oseberg but do show some randomness.  That scales out to 8 mm.  I did a couple of test planks 1 at 8 mm and 1 at 16 mm.  I was hoping that the 16 mm spacing would look great and save me about 700 nails.  Oh well, no luck.  I did widen the spacing to 10 mm.
 
 
 
I bought the smallest brass nails that I could find and blackened them using the method sited in various places on MSW but I specifically read it in Augie"s Confederacy log (great log by the way!).  I marked the holes with dividers and patiently drilled the 720, ½ mm holes.  It took over a week to mark and drill and insert all those nails.  I broke several bits in the process.  I forgot to mention that this is only the port side.  
 

 
I will place a drop of CA at the base of the nail forest and cut them off before I glue the deck in place.
 

 
I decided to go ahead and stain after the holes were drilled and before the nails were inserted.  I spent some time cleaning up the glue that was left where the planks overlapped so the stain would go on evenly.  I had cleaned up carefully when the planks were glued but the best laid plans...
 

 
I still have some touch up to do on the stain and I will add the wipe on poly at the very end.  I have taken a couple of days off to decompress after the first half and it is back to work tomorrow.
 

Time for another update.
 
The kit makes no mention of the iron nails that hold the overlapping planks together.  I felt that the ship would really be incomplete without them so I decided to spend a few weeks and do it.
 

 
The nails are about 200 mm apart on the Oseberg but do show some randomness.  That scales out to 8 mm.  I did a couple of test planks 1 at 8 mm and 1 at 16 mm.  I was hoping that the 16 mm spacing would look great and save me about 700 nails.  Oh well, no luck.  I did widen the spacing to 10 mm.
 
 
 
I bought the smallest brass nails that I could find and blackened them using the method sited in various places on MSW but I specifically read it in Augie"s Confederacy log (great log by the way!).  I marked the holes with dividers and patiently drilled the 720, ½ mm holes.  It took over a week to mark and drill and insert all those nails.  I broke several bits in the process.  I forgot to mention that this is only the port side.  
 

 
I will place a drop of CA at the base of the nail forest and cut them off before I glue the deck in place.
 

 
I decided to go ahead and stain after the holes were drilled and before the nails were inserted.  I spent some time cleaning up the glue that was left where the planks overlapped so the stain would go on evenly.  I had cleaned up carefully when the planks were glued but the best laid plans...
 

 
I still have some touch up to do on the stain and I will add the wipe on poly at the very end.  I have taken a couple of days off to decompress after the first half and it is back to work tomorrow.
 

Hey Marc,
 
Thanks for dropping by.  I see you have a new name and a new hat.  The name is perfect for you and the hat looks great.  Is your peak season winding down? This is the beginning of "brown" season in Texas.
 
Happy that you found the log, this is a fun ship to build and a very pleasant group of watchers.  I just joined the Nautical Research Guild in honor of the new  merger.  
 
I used a divider with one pencil point to mark off the 10 mm spacing starting where the planks join together and working out to the stem and stern.  Then change the spacing to about 1.5 mm and run the metal point along the edge of the plank and mark each of 10 mm points.  Easy!  
 
Originally I used wood doors on the steamer tube and that was a bad idea.  The all PVC version works much better.
 
Glad you like the photos, I am going out chasing butterflies and moths on Saturday.
 
Thanks again for dropping by.  Are you building anything now?  I really enjoyed your "Mary". 

Hi Nigel,
 
Thank you for looking in and all the kind words.  I was amazed how much difference the nails made as well.
 
I actually first bought the Amati kit and upgraded before I started.  The Billing Boats kit was larger and the only kit out there with the scrollwork provided.  The thing that I like the least is the large amount of plywood used and all the exposed ends.  I had committed to covering these early on.  Adding bulkheads to get the deck planking the right proportion was not something I planned on but with the urging of Von_Kossa I am really glad that I did it.  When I purchased the kit I liked that it had wooden shields but they are really sad so replacement was a given, again the inspiration came from Von_Kossa.  I was spending a lot of time wishing that I had cut all the hull planks from oak but now that the nails are there that is no longer a problem..
 
Thanks again for dropping by.

Thanks Grant,  the nails were definitely the right decision.  Real life, not to mention all those nails, has intervened lately so I am still late on the photo tips.  I am working on them, just not as fast as I intended.
 
Thanks Davit B, sainthood would certainly be a stretch.  The process was tedious but the result was worth it.
 
Hi Dee Dee, thanks, the chaos is semi intentional.   The real Oseberg pattern appears sort of random.  I think that it has to do with the different curve rates of the planks throwing the spacing off.
 
The photos were done with a set.  The umbrellas are white on the inside to bounce the flash onto the ship in a diffused, soft manner.  The black outside also has the function of blocking the awful fluorescent light from the ceiling.  The shipyard was originally a garage.
 

 
Thanks, Keith, I have to admit that it is turning out better than I expected.  Now all I have to do is not screw it up.
 
Hi Pete, thanks for the kind words as well.  I did the wall side first in case it did not look good.  The Oseberg has a definite wall side because of the rudder.
 
Hello Vivian, thanks.  The stain is Minwax Aged Oak (one of the samples shown previously).  I was nervous before I started but I applied it inside the storage compartments at the stem and stern first knowing that I would cover most of it up if it was ugly.  But, as you can see it looks very nice.  This is a gel stain and although it looks good it is a little unpleasant to work with.
 
Thanks to all the likes.  I may play with the shields a little bit and take a little longer break from the nails.

Hi Nigel,
 
Thank you for looking in and all the kind words.  I was amazed how much difference the nails made as well.
 
I actually first bought the Amati kit and upgraded before I started.  The Billing Boats kit was larger and the only kit out there with the scrollwork provided.  The thing that I like the least is the large amount of plywood used and all the exposed ends.  I had committed to covering these early on.  Adding bulkheads to get the deck planking the right proportion was not something I planned on but with the urging of Von_Kossa I am really glad that I did it.  When I purchased the kit I liked that it had wooden shields but they are really sad so replacement was a given, again the inspiration came from Von_Kossa.  I was spending a lot of time wishing that I had cut all the hull planks from oak but now that the nails are there that is no longer a problem..
 
Thanks again for dropping by.

Hi Scott,
 
Welcome to the party.  Thanks for reading the log.  This ship is a lot of fun to build and the bashing is helping me develop my skills.  I really enjoy the wood work and solving problems.  I don't think that I would be doing half as well without the truly incredible amount of help from this forum.  The experience and artistry here is amazing.
 
The steamer is a great toy.  It came from Rockler here in the US.  http://www.rockler.com/steam-bending-kit-w-free-bentwood-carryall-plan-download
 

 
Their plan for a wooden steam box was not very realistic so I used 4" PVC with wooden end caps.  That was not a very good idea either.  I did a long overdue and much needed re design this past weekend.  The version 1 leaked and split the wood ends.  The blast of steam when the door opened required wearing barbeque gloves.
 

 
The new one has a solid PVC cap on one end with a hole drilled for the steam input hose.  The condensate drain is in the bottom of the pipe near the back.
 

 
The front is a clean out plug that is much easier to open than the previous hinged gate.  The front is elevated to allow the condensate to drain.  There is a steel rack to keep the wood out of the muck,  I may want to change to some sort of plastic rack later but the steel rack has not marked the wood so far and it was carried over from version one with many hours of use.
 
It really makes bending easy.  Thanks for looking in.

I said that the simulated iron rivets were next but I lied.  I could not find any brass nails locally so I had to wait for them, they just arrived.  I will do a test layout and decide on the spacing. I also played with the oars.  As usual I will do them from oak.  For the test I cut a strip of 3.5mmx3.5mm oak and routed off all four corners to create a round dowel.  It worked well enough but I need to figure out some sort of jig since working on something that small freehand put my fingers way too close to the router bit for comfort.  The oar blade was cut out using a scroll saw.
 
I had a crisis of confidence when I started to work on the oar holes.  The realization that I was about to drill 30 holes into my ship was nerve racking to say the least.  I laid them out and checked them many times.  The are positioned mid way between each bulkhead.  I did find that the spot where the top planks on the port side come together had a little hump (about 1mm by 150mm) which I sanded off to make it level.  I put masking tape behind each hole to help prevent splintering. 
 

 
The shield rails were next and they are made of oak pieces at each bulkhead covered with a strip 1.5mmx4mm.  
 

 
I had a board long enough so I made them out of a single strip on each side.  I installed the rudder support to give the strip a place to land where it meets the rudder.
 

 
The shields just drop in.
 

 
Nails, oars and shield decoration are next.  I am still looking for a proper center piece for the shields.  The bead supplied with the kit is both too small and too ugly.