Jack Panzeca

Scroll work...
 
 

Yes, but not for me... That is, if not Jack does something about this, then i will have to reconsider.

Hi Vivian, I was about to start the Amati kit of the Oseberg when I found Von_Kossa's build.  I put it in the closet and bought the Billing kit.  His work is wonderful.  The Billing Boats kit is larger than most Viking boat models and it is the only one I could find with the scroll at both ends like the actual ship.  I love the toys (tools) too.  My other hobby (photography) lends itself to large collections of gadgets as well.

Gracias, Raymond! Well, as for the door, I should´ve designed it before installing. Truth is I thought it easier than it actually was. Updates coming soon. ^^
 
Thanks, Matti!
 
Popeye, even if I wanted to, I couldn´t overdo (even when I´m having lots of fun) - What the heart and mind wishes, the body controls. When I´m feeling tired, it´s difficult to go on and I drop it rightaway - My ship isn´t going anywhere. Ty!
 
Sam, many thanks. Things have to go that way for now, but in no hurry I´ll be back in full speed.
 
Jack, my many thanks. That´s a kit I wish to buy, when I can find it cheaper on e-bay, lol. If u ask me, I say a weathered look is always a way to give your ship a life of its own - but that´s my view on how ship models should look like - I´m following Von_Kossa´s building and finding his clear work formidable, too. Personal matter, always.

Hi Vivian, it is god to see you working a little.
 
The windows and doors look great.  I also really like the weathered look of the deck.  I have that decision ahead of me on the Oseberg soon.  Your ship looks wonderful and I am happy to see you feel well enough to work on it.

Naww ty Jack!   I have no doubt you would be an amazing people Photographer as well and have to admit I went through your whole gallery looking for you capturing the spark and soul and life and stories of people in a single shot (which I think you would to easily with your talent).  Sorry but my avatars are just cropped bits out of mostly iPhone pictures taken by my partner's daughter haha.  She takes some nice photos, but lots and lots and lots are not hahaha

Here is a small update on the added bulkheads.  They really do look nicer than the spacing provided by the kit.  I traced one of the ends of the plywood kit bulkheads and and cut a cardboard template.
 

 
Then I transferred the shape to a stack of 3 or 4 pieces of basswood and cut them out on a scroll saw.  After they were separated I would measure the space where each one was to live and cut the tails appropriately.
 

 
Since all they support are the planks, for the center of the bulkhead I just glued in a piece of basswood wide enough to stick out on either side of the oak strip.
 

 

 
All of the extra bulkheads are cut but I still have a lot of oak to bend and a whole lot of planks to cut and sand.  
 
I will do a mock up to see how caulking looks.  Surely the Vikings had something they used for waterproofing.
 
 

I stripped off the back layer of the inside piece of scrollwork with a scalpel blade so that it would lay flat with the rest of the scrollwork.
 
  
 
There is a spacer at the top of the scrollwork where it pinches together.  It is sanded down and glued to the top of the structure.  There is also a small spacer needed where the scrollwork meets.
 

 
Another small piece cut to fit at the bottom of the scroll.  Also, a full hull length spacer at the top of the hull planking to give the last two vertical planks a place to land.  Obechi was specified but it would not take the bend without cracking so I used basswood.   I soaked it and bent it with a curling iron.
 

 
Added the last two vertical planks.
 

Here is a small update on the added bulkheads.  They really do look nicer than the spacing provided by the kit.  I traced one of the ends of the plywood kit bulkheads and and cut a cardboard template.
 

 
Then I transferred the shape to a stack of 3 or 4 pieces of basswood and cut them out on a scroll saw.  After they were separated I would measure the space where each one was to live and cut the tails appropriately.
 

 
Since all they support are the planks, for the center of the bulkhead I just glued in a piece of basswood wide enough to stick out on either side of the oak strip.
 

 

 
All of the extra bulkheads are cut but I still have a lot of oak to bend and a whole lot of planks to cut and sand.  
 
I will do a mock up to see how caulking looks.  Surely the Vikings had something they used for waterproofing.
 
 

Here is a small update on the added bulkheads.  They really do look nicer than the spacing provided by the kit.  I traced one of the ends of the plywood kit bulkheads and and cut a cardboard template.
 

 
Then I transferred the shape to a stack of 3 or 4 pieces of basswood and cut them out on a scroll saw.  After they were separated I would measure the space where each one was to live and cut the tails appropriately.
 

 
Since all they support are the planks, for the center of the bulkhead I just glued in a piece of basswood wide enough to stick out on either side of the oak strip.
 

 

 
All of the extra bulkheads are cut but I still have a lot of oak to bend and a whole lot of planks to cut and sand.  
 
I will do a mock up to see how caulking looks.  Surely the Vikings had something they used for waterproofing.
 
 

Here is a small update on the added bulkheads.  They really do look nicer than the spacing provided by the kit.  I traced one of the ends of the plywood kit bulkheads and and cut a cardboard template.
 

 
Then I transferred the shape to a stack of 3 or 4 pieces of basswood and cut them out on a scroll saw.  After they were separated I would measure the space where each one was to live and cut the tails appropriately.
 

 
Since all they support are the planks, for the center of the bulkhead I just glued in a piece of basswood wide enough to stick out on either side of the oak strip.
 

 

 
All of the extra bulkheads are cut but I still have a lot of oak to bend and a whole lot of planks to cut and sand.  
 
I will do a mock up to see how caulking looks.  Surely the Vikings had something they used for waterproofing.
 
 

Here is a small update on the added bulkheads.  They really do look nicer than the spacing provided by the kit.  I traced one of the ends of the plywood kit bulkheads and and cut a cardboard template.
 

 
Then I transferred the shape to a stack of 3 or 4 pieces of basswood and cut them out on a scroll saw.  After they were separated I would measure the space where each one was to live and cut the tails appropriately.
 

 
Since all they support are the planks, for the center of the bulkhead I just glued in a piece of basswood wide enough to stick out on either side of the oak strip.
 

 

 
All of the extra bulkheads are cut but I still have a lot of oak to bend and a whole lot of planks to cut and sand.  
 
I will do a mock up to see how caulking looks.  Surely the Vikings had something they used for waterproofing.
 
 

Hi Nigel,
 
Thanks for the kind words, they mean a lot coming from you.  Your work is truly amazing.  
 
I am a better photographer than I am a model builder but I am working on it.  This website is the best thing to happen to the hobby.  Having access to the resources here as well as be able to learn from and be inspired by the artisans here is a real gift.  Thanks for looking in and I am happy that you enjoyed the log and my photographs.  

I started on the deck.  The planks fit between the bulkheads. The Oseberg was made primarily of oak so along with the rest of  the modifications the planks will be made of red oak.  The top of the bulkheads are exposed plywood ends.  The kit has fewer bulkheads than the ship so the planks are longer than the real thing.
 
I had a false start with the bulkhead strip.  The planks are 1/6 in thick so I thought I could use three layers of the oak veneer that I used on the keel.  (3 layers plus the thickness of the glue was pretty close to the thickness of the oak planks.)
 

 
The veneer bent around the curves easily but was so brittle that I could not get it to hold a sharp edge on the long side.  It looked a little sloppy where the planks butted up to the strip.  I decided to rip 3/16 inch pieces of the planking material to use as the strips.  Soaking the oak was not enough to get it to bend to the curve of the bulkheads without breaking so I went to the steam rig.
 

 
15 or 20 minutes was enough and rather than build a form I just pulled them out of the steamer one at a time and pressed them into the curve using a bit of an old packing tube and clamped them into place until they set.  Even with the steam, trying to bend the strips with my fingers, it was difficult not to crack the wood but the tube made it easy.  Clamping required a little creativeity. 
 

 
Next was to add a frame to hold the planks at the same level as the top of the bulkhead.
 

 
I will probably face that small bit of visible plywood where the bulkhead turns up with oak veneer.  I say probably because I have not tried it yet and do not know if it will work.  Stain may work as well.
 

 
There is still a ton of work to do on the deck and mast foot.  Updates as they happen.  Thanks for looking.
 

 
Thanks to all for the "Likes".

Hi Bindy, it is good to hear from you.  Thanks for looking at my photography, very happy that you liked it.  When I get around to updating the website I will let you know.  I hope that you are well and look forward to your return, we miss that permanent good attitude of yours.
 
This was made in the Florida Everglades a couple of years ago.
 
 

Well with the corrections nearly complete I thought it might be a good idea to do produce a proto-type build log (of sorts). Obviously unlike other kits ESSEX has already been released but it and the members here on MSW didn’t have the benefit of seeing it come together.
This will hopefully give everyone a chance to see the details in the kit, ask any questions they may have and hopefully clear up any misconceptions about the kit.
How I’ll conduct this is to follow along with the manual, although I won’t be posting the actual pages but some of the photos and details.
I’ll do this over a series of weeks (the manual is 15 chapters). It’s my intent to complete this in no more than half that time.
One note, any updates regarding the corrections will continue to be posted in that thread. This thread is solely about the design and build of the proto-type.
 
 

Thanks Pete, The steam box has been a big help.  I have a fair amount of experience with it now and I am working on a redesign.  The steam generator works great but the box could use a better condensation drain, vent and door.  My barbecue gloves are perfect for avoiding burned hands.  Thanks for looking in.

Ha, you caught me.  I was going to try to avoid doing them.  Oh well, no getting away from them now.  
 
Here is a look at a rough cut of two of the additional bulkheads.  I had a piece of red oak the correct thickness.  I obviously like oak and have a fair assortment on hand.  I traced the laser cut out left over from the kit bulkheads and I need to adjust the height to account for the fact that if I use the oak I will not need to add the oak strip as was done on the plywood bulkheads.
 
I will have to study this a little since the strip turns up and the grain continues up as well.  With the new ones the curve cuts across the grain.  The difference in the look is pretty obvious.  I can always cut them out of junk wood and add the strip.
 
 

Ha, you caught me.  I was going to try to avoid doing them.  Oh well, no getting away from them now.  
 
Here is a look at a rough cut of two of the additional bulkheads.  I had a piece of red oak the correct thickness.  I obviously like oak and have a fair assortment on hand.  I traced the laser cut out left over from the kit bulkheads and I need to adjust the height to account for the fact that if I use the oak I will not need to add the oak strip as was done on the plywood bulkheads.
 
I will have to study this a little since the strip turns up and the grain continues up as well.  With the new ones the curve cuts across the grain.  The difference in the look is pretty obvious.  I can always cut them out of junk wood and add the strip.
 
 

I started on the deck.  The planks fit between the bulkheads. The Oseberg was made primarily of oak so along with the rest of  the modifications the planks will be made of red oak.  The top of the bulkheads are exposed plywood ends.  The kit has fewer bulkheads than the ship so the planks are longer than the real thing.
 
I had a false start with the bulkhead strip.  The planks are 1/6 in thick so I thought I could use three layers of the oak veneer that I used on the keel.  (3 layers plus the thickness of the glue was pretty close to the thickness of the oak planks.)
 

 
The veneer bent around the curves easily but was so brittle that I could not get it to hold a sharp edge on the long side.  It looked a little sloppy where the planks butted up to the strip.  I decided to rip 3/16 inch pieces of the planking material to use as the strips.  Soaking the oak was not enough to get it to bend to the curve of the bulkheads without breaking so I went to the steam rig.
 

 
15 or 20 minutes was enough and rather than build a form I just pulled them out of the steamer one at a time and pressed them into the curve using a bit of an old packing tube and clamped them into place until they set.  Even with the steam, trying to bend the strips with my fingers, it was difficult not to crack the wood but the tube made it easy.  Clamping required a little creativeity. 
 

 
Next was to add a frame to hold the planks at the same level as the top of the bulkhead.
 

 
I will probably face that small bit of visible plywood where the bulkhead turns up with oak veneer.  I say probably because I have not tried it yet and do not know if it will work.  Stain may work as well.
 

 
There is still a ton of work to do on the deck and mast foot.  Updates as they happen.  Thanks for looking.
 

 
Thanks to all for the "Likes".

I started on the deck.  The planks fit between the bulkheads. The Oseberg was made primarily of oak so along with the rest of  the modifications the planks will be made of red oak.  The top of the bulkheads are exposed plywood ends.  The kit has fewer bulkheads than the ship so the planks are longer than the real thing.
 
I had a false start with the bulkhead strip.  The planks are 1/6 in thick so I thought I could use three layers of the oak veneer that I used on the keel.  (3 layers plus the thickness of the glue was pretty close to the thickness of the oak planks.)
 

 
The veneer bent around the curves easily but was so brittle that I could not get it to hold a sharp edge on the long side.  It looked a little sloppy where the planks butted up to the strip.  I decided to rip 3/16 inch pieces of the planking material to use as the strips.  Soaking the oak was not enough to get it to bend to the curve of the bulkheads without breaking so I went to the steam rig.
 

 
15 or 20 minutes was enough and rather than build a form I just pulled them out of the steamer one at a time and pressed them into the curve using a bit of an old packing tube and clamped them into place until they set.  Even with the steam, trying to bend the strips with my fingers, it was difficult not to crack the wood but the tube made it easy.  Clamping required a little creativeity. 
 

 
Next was to add a frame to hold the planks at the same level as the top of the bulkhead.
 

 
I will probably face that small bit of visible plywood where the bulkhead turns up with oak veneer.  I say probably because I have not tried it yet and do not know if it will work.  Stain may work as well.
 

 
There is still a ton of work to do on the deck and mast foot.  Updates as they happen.  Thanks for looking.
 

 
Thanks to all for the "Likes".

I started on the deck.  The planks fit between the bulkheads. The Oseberg was made primarily of oak so along with the rest of  the modifications the planks will be made of red oak.  The top of the bulkheads are exposed plywood ends.  The kit has fewer bulkheads than the ship so the planks are longer than the real thing.
 
I had a false start with the bulkhead strip.  The planks are 1/6 in thick so I thought I could use three layers of the oak veneer that I used on the keel.  (3 layers plus the thickness of the glue was pretty close to the thickness of the oak planks.)
 

 
The veneer bent around the curves easily but was so brittle that I could not get it to hold a sharp edge on the long side.  It looked a little sloppy where the planks butted up to the strip.  I decided to rip 3/16 inch pieces of the planking material to use as the strips.  Soaking the oak was not enough to get it to bend to the curve of the bulkheads without breaking so I went to the steam rig.
 

 
15 or 20 minutes was enough and rather than build a form I just pulled them out of the steamer one at a time and pressed them into the curve using a bit of an old packing tube and clamped them into place until they set.  Even with the steam, trying to bend the strips with my fingers, it was difficult not to crack the wood but the tube made it easy.  Clamping required a little creativeity. 
 

 
Next was to add a frame to hold the planks at the same level as the top of the bulkhead.
 

 
I will probably face that small bit of visible plywood where the bulkhead turns up with oak veneer.  I say probably because I have not tried it yet and do not know if it will work.  Stain may work as well.
 

 
There is still a ton of work to do on the deck and mast foot.  Updates as they happen.  Thanks for looking.
 

 
Thanks to all for the "Likes".

I started on the deck.  The planks fit between the bulkheads. The Oseberg was made primarily of oak so along with the rest of  the modifications the planks will be made of red oak.  The top of the bulkheads are exposed plywood ends.  The kit has fewer bulkheads than the ship so the planks are longer than the real thing.
 
I had a false start with the bulkhead strip.  The planks are 1/6 in thick so I thought I could use three layers of the oak veneer that I used on the keel.  (3 layers plus the thickness of the glue was pretty close to the thickness of the oak planks.)
 

 
The veneer bent around the curves easily but was so brittle that I could not get it to hold a sharp edge on the long side.  It looked a little sloppy where the planks butted up to the strip.  I decided to rip 3/16 inch pieces of the planking material to use as the strips.  Soaking the oak was not enough to get it to bend to the curve of the bulkheads without breaking so I went to the steam rig.
 

 
15 or 20 minutes was enough and rather than build a form I just pulled them out of the steamer one at a time and pressed them into the curve using a bit of an old packing tube and clamped them into place until they set.  Even with the steam, trying to bend the strips with my fingers, it was difficult not to crack the wood but the tube made it easy.  Clamping required a little creativeity. 
 

 
Next was to add a frame to hold the planks at the same level as the top of the bulkhead.
 

 
I will probably face that small bit of visible plywood where the bulkhead turns up with oak veneer.  I say probably because I have not tried it yet and do not know if it will work.  Stain may work as well.
 

 
There is still a ton of work to do on the deck and mast foot.  Updates as they happen.  Thanks for looking.
 

 
Thanks to all for the "Likes".

Hi Bindy, it is good to hear from you.  Thanks for looking at my photography, very happy that you liked it.  When I get around to updating the website I will let you know.  I hope that you are well and look forward to your return, we miss that permanent good attitude of yours.
 
This was made in the Florida Everglades a couple of years ago.
 
 

What incredible photography and pieces of art you have on display here Jack.  I am truly in awe!!  Thank you SO MUCH for sharing!