Blackheath9

I'm looking for some advice today.  I'm making good progress on Essex, and will be ready to start the copper sheathing in a few weeks.  This will be my first attempt at sheathing, and am at a loss as to the best adhesive to use to apply the copper tiles.  Could anyone give me some suggestions?

Stu

Steffan:

 I have a "new" kit, and can find no markings on the box to so indicate.  If you can examine the kit, the "new" one contains revised bulkheads 13 through 22.  These bulkheads will be about 1/4 inch taller than is shown on sheet 1 of the plans.  If they are the same as shown on the plans, it is the old kit.

I hope this helps.

Stu

Another slightly different subject:  last weekend I toured the replica of the French frigate "Hermione" when it arrived in Jamestown.  It's very similar to layout and construction to "Essex", so go to see it if you possibly can -- it's well worth it.  Just google "Hermione" and you'll get its schedule.  It should be in the Washington, DC area as I post this.

Stu

Be careful of the plans!  There is a 1/4" difference in the height of the quarterdeck bulkheads shown on the plans and the new parts; I did my transom windows over as a result.  There are also numerous discrepancies between the manual and the plans, and not just the elimination of the lower decks.  Be sure to read ahead, as you may want to opt for a different sequence in building.

Having said all that, this is going to be a magnificent build.

Stu

Thanks Dr. Per;

I checked Amazon and the price of Takakjian's book has gone up, almost double.  Considering the time I plan to expend on this project, and the cost of upgraded materials, it's probably still a good buy.  I intend to do so shortly.

Stu

Thanks, Mark;

I went on line and downloaded the current manual, but it turned out to be the same one I downloaded last year, vintage 2013.  I think this is ME's way of convincing me I should scratch build.

Anyway, I'll call next week just to hear what they might say.

Thanks again,

Stu

Finally started the new, revised Essex I received in January.  Immediate problem: the plans, instruction book, and laser-cut former are all different.  SOME of the pictures in the instruction book show three lower decks being finished, while others do not.  The longitudinal section on sheet 5 shows the decks, but the former clearly does not include the cut-outs shown in some pictures in the manual.  And although the pictures in the manual show the decks, there is no mention of them in the text.  I assume this is a detail that was eliminated when the kit was revised, and unless advised to the contrary, will ignore them and proceed.

To add to the mystery, I looked at an unrevised manual I download in August, 2014 which is dated August 2013, and found the same problem.  These pages, at least, are the same as in the original manual. (!!!)

Any comments?

Stu

I, too, received my new Essex kit today; it has been on order since last spring.  I hope it will be worth the wait.  But now I have to finish the project I started in its absence, so it will have to wait a bit longer.  In the meantime, I'll watch MSW to see if all goes well with the new kit.

Stu

It's now October 2014 and ME still has the Essex on "backorder".  Does anyone have any information as to when it might become available?

Russ, thanks a lot for the tip!  I found the book at the Mariner's Museum library, and Voila! one problem solved.  I checked the book out and will now compare the plans to Chapelle's notes and try to head off any future problems.

Again, thanks!

Stu

Yes, Mark, thank you.  I have requested a new print, and when I did they also suggested I try MSW for additional help, so I did.  Still hoping.

Stu

I am currently nearing the end of construction of my Model Expo kit of the Benjamin Latham, and am just beginning the running rigging.  I find that the plans are somewhat inadequate, largely because of the poor reproduction and printing.  There are many places on the plans that are fuzzy or smudged, making it nearly impossible to trace lines to their beginning or ending.  Unfortunately, the instruction book does not illuminate all of these areas with words or pictures.

Having said all this, can anyone recommend a source for clarifying the rigging plan?