Jack Panzeca

After proving to myself that I could actually do the shields the way that I planned I scored the strips and cut them into smaller pieces and cut the circles as shown in the last update, 32 in all.  30 for the ship and 2 spare for screw ups.  I am still researching how I will decorate them.   
 

 
The rudder supplied with the kit is the usual plywood so as usual I felt the need to replace them.
 

 
The mounting pieces were cut from 1/16 in oak and I was having control problems with my skip tooth scroll saw blades.  The wood was hopping around and driving me nuts.  After an exhaustive search of every place I could have hidden blades from myself I found a pack of very nice blades I picked up in Japan 15 or so years ago with 36 teeth per 25mm (about 1 inch).  They cut like butter with great control.
 
The rudder itself is 5/32 inch oak and I put the pieces together and cut a 1 mm slot for the rudder handle.  The handle was carved from a piece of 2.5 x 5 mm oak scrap and placed into the slot.
 

 
I think that the hull plank nails are next.  The were iron with a few showing washers.  I am still working out how to do this. 
 
In re-reading this before I posted I realized that I have been switching back and forth between metric and fractions of inches.  I promise to pick one and and stick with it (as much as I can anyway).

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

wq3296 I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss Chinese products. You would be surprised how many items you use in everyday life are made in China. Granted, there is a lot of garbage that comes from China, but it all comes down to quality control. A friend of mine has business dealings in China where a Chinese factory manufactures items for his company. The stuff that comes out is as good as anywhere in the world, but he says that you have to inspect each shipment carefully to make sure that standards are maintained.
 
The two largest laptop manufacturers (Lenovo and Apple) are both made in China. Nothing wrong with my Lenovo, it is four years old and still going strong.
 
BTW not everything made in the USA is good, either. Just look at the cars.

Hi Bindy,
 
Years ago I visited the Victory and took many pictures.  I even took the "Modelers Tour" where, for a few pounds, they let you explore many places the regular tour is not allowed.  As life would have it I never got around to the Victory and now I can't remember the details anyway.  At least I still have the pictures (somewhere).   It will be a long time before I develop the patience to anything with that much repetition.  Thanks fro stopping by.

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

Gunports redux.
 
Okay. I decided to re-do the upper gun ports using a strip of plank. They are now more precisely aligned with the deck above. Not perfect, but seems like perfection is still beyond my capabilities  
 
So now I made the ultra-super-high-tech jig you see below to measure the distance between high and low frames, and will start re-aligning them tomorrow, once the glue is dry.
 
These frames are obviously a bit too low.

 
After some work, they lay now parallel to the temporary plank. Inclination is easily fixed.


 
Jig
 

 
 
 
 
Cheers.
 
 

Many an alteration has hidded a mistake.  Been there as well.  Long before I joined a club I did a model of a Thames barge,  not my greatest piece of work.  All I remember was the bottom of the hull looked pretty bad.  So I made a diorama and made it a waterline model.
David B

Both cleaver and lovely.

After considering several methods of creating the Great Cabin floor, I decided to use Chuck's method.  In my experience, doing so is never a bad idea!
 
The floor will be made from walnut and boxwood 3/16 x 1/32" strips.  A paper template of the area to be covered was made and a piece of 6 x 6 x 1/32" plywood was used as the base.  First, the strips were cut to approximate length and glued to the plywood base:
 

 

 
The curvature you see is created by the camera.  Next, a jig was made in order to create 3/16" strips to be cut with an Exacto blade:
 

 
The individual strips were then cut:
 

 
The strips were offset and then edge glued together to create the pattern:
 

 
The paper pattern was then used to cut and sand the floor for a tight fit.  Here's what we got:
 

 
Finally, just some overall shots.  The floor was finished with natural stain, WOP for protection and Dullcoat to give a flat finish:
 

 

 
Although most of the floor will be covered by the (open) upper decking and deck beams, I think we have a nice overall detail.  I'm pleased 
 
Will be closing the shop for the upcoming Holiday festivities (Happy Independence Day to all of my fellow Americans).  When we return, the strains of DECK PLANKING music will be heard in the Rockies.
 
Oh, we have just passed 600 hours into the build.

Hi Jack,
 
Thank you for sharing exactly how made the first shield, it really does look great !!  And already better than the kit one 
 
I have taken a screenshot of your post so I can tease you with it when you create your first ship of the line 

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

Hi Grant,
 
I think that is a good idea.  A small tutorial with examples and open it up for suggestions and questions.  There are two types to consider: build log pictures and more formal gallery images.  Let me think about the outline and we can collaborate before we start.

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

The mast is oak and I tapered it using power drill and sandpaper method.  This is a very simple mast and took no time at all, I did make a huge mess.
 
The shields will be next.  The kit version is (as usual) laser cut plywood.  
 

 
I felt the need to improve on that. The choices are to build the shields out of planks or cut the disks and score to look like planks.  Chuck Passaro demonstrated a technique on his HMS Winchelsea Quarter Gallery columns that I thought was really interesting so I decided to try it on the shields.  There are 30 of them and I have a pile of mahogany given to me by a friend that is close to the correct thickness and can be quickly dimensioned by the thickness sander.  I would have taken me a week on the old Preac but the new Byrnes will handle it in no time.
 
I used a .016 kerf blade raised 1/64 above the table.  I spaced the cuts 5mm apart and they lined up nicely.
 

 
I cobbled together a mini mill using a Vanda-Lay drill press with a "Z" axis fine adjustment attachment, a Proxxon X-Y table and a toy rotary table that I got years ago with a Unimat 1.
 

 
I set it up on the rotary table and cut out the shield, using a 3mm end mill.  The mahogany is soft enough to use a smaller mill but that was the smallest I had on hand.  
 

 
I did not dimension the strips for the test because I wanted to prove to myself that it would work before I spent the time.  Now all I have to do is score and cut 30 more.  I will score in long strips before I cut shield size pieces.  
 
Thirty identical things taxes me enough but the thought of over 100 gun ports and canon carriages for a ship of the line seems beyond my concentration level.  I guess the maximum ship for me is a frigate.

Hi Grant,
 
Welcome aboard.  I have really enjoyed doing the log.  It is nice to discuss shipbuilding with others who actually are actually interested.  
 
I took a quick look at your Victory.  Amazing, the talent on this forum is endless.  I will enjoy going through it in detail soon.
 
Thank you for looking in and the kind words.  I will throw in a little photography occasionally.  Maybe I should do a photo topic in Shore Leave.  I avoid photography sites because they are so negative and nasty.

Hi David B,  the Driftwood is on the way, thanks for the recommendation.  I am sitting around like a kid waiting for Santa Byrnes to arrive.  I plan to spend the entire weekend making saw dust.
 
Thanks Vivian, I like the Aged Oak very much as well.  David B suggested Minwax Driftwood so I will test that also and put them side by side and you get to judge again.
 
I am happy that you both liked the images.  It was really fun to get outdoors and play before it gets really hot here.
 
Here are a couple of close ups of the Atlas Moth posted above.  It is a facinating insect.  They are about 9 inches wide and the wing tips really do look like snake heads.  Incredible evolutionary adaption.
 

Next up is the mast foot, partner and the planking around them.  The planks are 1/16 inch thick. The 2 rows adjacent to the mast are slightly curved so I reduced the thickness to 1 / 32 inch to make them easier to bend.  The planks are about 1 ½ inches long.   I soaked them in water and wrapped  them around a mailing tube end and let them dry and cut to length.
 

 
The kit version of the mast foot and partner were both plywood and were replaced with oak.  The partner is made of oak about ⅛ thick.  It mounts on a curve and ties into the bulkhead.  The kit version has it tying into the hull and adds knees on top to make it look like the bulkhead existed.  Since I added the extra bulkheads I did not need to do this.  Then I added the ledge under the partner to hold the planks.  Since the bent planks are thinner I raised the ledge on the far side to bring them up flush.
 

 
Here are the curved planks with one row of flat laid in loose.  I will bag them and keep them with the others until I am ready to install permanently.  They really fit together well but keeping them in place long enough to take a picture was maddening.   
 

 
I think that I will work on shields for a while to give myself time to think about nailing the hull planking.     One of the reasons I am not gluing the planks yet is in case I decide to nail access may be helpful.  The nails were round headed iron rivets.  in some pictures square washers can be seen in a few places.
 

Thank you both very much for visiting and the kind remarks.. Like yourself I have been inspired by many other members on MSW and I hope to inspire and pass my ideas to many others as well with my contribution.   Jack, your doing very well yourself with your Oseberg. a beautiful build with good solutions (I love you’re pictures and not to forget you’re “steaming rig”) 

I only recently discovered your log.  It is a real pleasure to see.  Your work is beautiful.  

Here’s the update I promised earlier today..
 
I decided to glue the stern-plate in its final position before gluing any ornament or the balconies in place.
 

 
and I think this was a wise decision as it would have been an delicate task if they were.
 
After this it was just a matter of gluing the ornaments & balconies on the correct spot.
This is how she looks now ..
 

 

 
.. up to the next challenge : the quarter galleries 

Next up is the mast foot, partner and the planking around them.  The planks are 1/16 inch thick. The 2 rows adjacent to the mast are slightly curved so I reduced the thickness to 1 / 32 inch to make them easier to bend.  The planks are about 1 ½ inches long.   I soaked them in water and wrapped  them around a mailing tube end and let them dry and cut to length.
 

 
The kit version of the mast foot and partner were both plywood and were replaced with oak.  The partner is made of oak about ⅛ thick.  It mounts on a curve and ties into the bulkhead.  The kit version has it tying into the hull and adds knees on top to make it look like the bulkhead existed.  Since I added the extra bulkheads I did not need to do this.  Then I added the ledge under the partner to hold the planks.  Since the bent planks are thinner I raised the ledge on the far side to bring them up flush.
 

 
Here are the curved planks with one row of flat laid in loose.  I will bag them and keep them with the others until I am ready to install permanently.  They really fit together well but keeping them in place long enough to take a picture was maddening.   
 

 
I think that I will work on shields for a while to give myself time to think about nailing the hull planking.     One of the reasons I am not gluing the planks yet is in case I decide to nail access may be helpful.  The nails were round headed iron rivets.  in some pictures square washers can be seen in a few places.
 

Hi Keith,  thanks for the kind words.  The thought of crossing oceans in similar ships with a deeper draft is mind boggling.  They were definitely tougher than most.
 
Hey Pete, thanks for looking in, your Herreshoff Buzzards Bay is absolutely beautiful.
 
Hello Bindy,  my children are grown and they still think that I am Santa Claus.  The stain choice continues to drive me nuts, it will probably be one of those last minute dart throw decisions.  On the other since it is so hard to chose I probably cannot go wrong whatever the decision.
 
Thanks to all the "likes".

Next up is the mast foot, partner and the planking around them.  The planks are 1/16 inch thick. The 2 rows adjacent to the mast are slightly curved so I reduced the thickness to 1 / 32 inch to make them easier to bend.  The planks are about 1 ½ inches long.   I soaked them in water and wrapped  them around a mailing tube end and let them dry and cut to length.
 

 
The kit version of the mast foot and partner were both plywood and were replaced with oak.  The partner is made of oak about ⅛ thick.  It mounts on a curve and ties into the bulkhead.  The kit version has it tying into the hull and adds knees on top to make it look like the bulkhead existed.  Since I added the extra bulkheads I did not need to do this.  Then I added the ledge under the partner to hold the planks.  Since the bent planks are thinner I raised the ledge on the far side to bring them up flush.
 

 
Here are the curved planks with one row of flat laid in loose.  I will bag them and keep them with the others until I am ready to install permanently.  They really fit together well but keeping them in place long enough to take a picture was maddening.   
 

 
I think that I will work on shields for a while to give myself time to think about nailing the hull planking.     One of the reasons I am not gluing the planks yet is in case I decide to nail access may be helpful.  The nails were round headed iron rivets.  in some pictures square washers can be seen in a few places.
 

Next up is the mast foot, partner and the planking around them.  The planks are 1/16 inch thick. The 2 rows adjacent to the mast are slightly curved so I reduced the thickness to 1 / 32 inch to make them easier to bend.  The planks are about 1 ½ inches long.   I soaked them in water and wrapped  them around a mailing tube end and let them dry and cut to length.
 

 
The kit version of the mast foot and partner were both plywood and were replaced with oak.  The partner is made of oak about ⅛ thick.  It mounts on a curve and ties into the bulkhead.  The kit version has it tying into the hull and adds knees on top to make it look like the bulkhead existed.  Since I added the extra bulkheads I did not need to do this.  Then I added the ledge under the partner to hold the planks.  Since the bent planks are thinner I raised the ledge on the far side to bring them up flush.
 

 
Here are the curved planks with one row of flat laid in loose.  I will bag them and keep them with the others until I am ready to install permanently.  They really fit together well but keeping them in place long enough to take a picture was maddening.   
 

 
I think that I will work on shields for a while to give myself time to think about nailing the hull planking.     One of the reasons I am not gluing the planks yet is in case I decide to nail access may be helpful.  The nails were round headed iron rivets.  in some pictures square washers can be seen in a few places.