themadchemist

There's nothing wrong with a break. I haven't worked on the DSotM in quite a while as I've been following other pursuits, such as building the long boat and dinghy. Plus a whole lot of study on the fore and aft gaff sail rig of the pilot boats so I can incorporate quite a few changes. I don't see a hobby as a race, so I take how ever long I take.

Your keel and stem look to sit nice and tightly against your hull, which is one of the more difficult tasks. Nice going on a tough job..

On the second planking your question is a tough one. I completely switched the walnut planking for cherry. I purchased it from Lee Valley, but they no longer carry it. ...And even if you ordered there is no chance it would match. Wood of the same type, cut from different sources can have huge colour and grain differences.

I would recommend a sealing iron for making the thin planking conform to the shape needed. Hate to say t but the second planking to me was more difficult then the first in some ways. I found it required just as much measuring and marking as the first. Just work it one plank at a time as with the first and you do great.

I believe its flat as otherwise it would not meet the rear curved area that houses the rudder post correctly. The rest of the deck has a lovely compound curvature towards the center and out though. hard to shape, but nice to look at.

I haven't checked in to see your log in a while Michael and as always I'm just simply astounded with your manufacturing of so many varying parts.
I truly appreciate that you take the time to photograph and share the step by step processes.
 
As I soon plan to restart the DSotM I have plans to borrow your bow shroud design and hadn't even considered how to line the bulwark hole. That is some beautiful metal work my friend. More beautiful shackles also.

I really like the boom support knees, something else I never considered, but now am.
Your build really gets the gears in my head working, which is a good thing as that is how we grow in this hobby from one another. Thanks for being a mentor to myself and many others I'm certain.
 
I really appreciate the effort you put into your log. I have learned so much from it and have absorbed so many ideas. Take a bow, for not just a spectacular build, but for the build log that goes that extra mile and shows the  beauty of the construction process.

By the way, I love the journal entry. Its good your living that dream.

As Leo Buscaglia use to say - if I had my life to live over I wouldn't change anything, I'd just do MORE.

Hello, is there anybody out there......

I too have been missed your presence Ferit, hoping everything is well.

Hey Robbyn

I missed your restart but saw you post today.

I am very saddened to see your news about your mother, It's a sad fact of life that most of us will be forced to see our parents' end. My own mother is in very bad health and your words sum it up well, We are never ready to give them up.

I'm glad to hear of her attitude and mind set and pray for her to have the strength needed for the struggle ahead. Attitude is everything and it can have such a great effect on the experience of trauma, no matter the outcome, patient and caregiver. Sometimes these wake up calls force us to relook at just how important our families are and it teaches us to cherish each moment more closely. You all will be in my thoughts, just as so many are. This is exactly why MSW is a community. The ships we build and share are representations of a real thing, while the friendships we share are the real thing.

As a chemist, I prefer to see the glass completely full, 1/2 with water, 1/2 with air

Be Well, my friend.

Wow, mobbsie.

I haven't checked in on your log in quite a bit and BAM, you have had a very busy shipyard.

I really like the contrast of your shroud to ratline colours. It really is quite strikingly beautiful and what makes it even more so is your attention to proportion of the 2 lines, as well as the contrasting colours.

Your work is crisp as a fresh picked apple and shows off some amazing rigging skills.

Your ratline spacing jig is simple yet elegant, I WILL be adding that one to my tool chest of ideas.

And on your snaking, I'm so glad you showed your first attempt and then the second. I am slowly learning that with every task you get  better the more times you do it. Your first snaking was fine and worth a brag, but the second time you really nailed the symmetry and spacing and made the 1st pale in comparison. It is good to be remindered that practice makes perfect.

Absolutely astounding work my friend. Your really giving Egg's and Bacon the detail she deserves. Nelson himself is probably looking down and smiling.

This is an interesting little kit and fun to mess around with and modify.

I  really like the teak and the black accent, Its going to look really nice.

Beautiful work Jesse,

I see I'm not the only one that saves small containers of different wood fine sanding dust for just those perfect times when its needed.  

As the kits designed and using the kit pieces it would be tough as the keel doesn't provide enough room for carving the rabbet. Part of the design of the kit is to prevent the builder from having to do all that process, which for most is a daunting task.
I attempted to simulate the rabbet, by planking the first planking, then attaching the keel, stem and stern posts. I then carved a small 0.5 mm rabbet along the keel into the first planking for the second planking the fit into.
 
I completely changed the wood on my build  for the stem and keel and one could go further. If one were to go to that depth of modification on the kit though I would say scratch build it. After all there is a lot more then just the keel, which won't show, that can be modified on the Swift kit. The biggest changes being or course to the rigging.
 
That's one of the great things about this hobby is that you can change just about anything you want to.... and figuring out how is half the fun.
I've modified several features which have lead to other changes that were then required.
For example, to accommodate the space needed for the Prism transom inlay, I had to increase the height of the transom, which meant building an upswept stern quarter. This kinda makes it not a pilot boat anymore, but it was my build and what I wanted. By doing this, I also am forced to raise the main lower boom to clear the taller transom. Another example is by adding the pig with wings figurehead it will play a part in the placement of the bow shrouds which I'm adding, but the kit neglects all together. The bowsprit will also need lengthening to allow clearance.

I found the Cunliffe's book Pilots: Pilot schooners of North America and Great Britain an excellent resource in studying rigging a very useful resource and its available for partial viewing in google books.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VNsGi3nmuaQC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false

Peterssons book RIGGING PERIOD SHIP MODELS: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO THE INTRICACIES OF THE SQUARE-RIG is a great source for learning the fore and aft rig. Its a great book that's all illustrations and labels.
http://www.libramar.net/news/rigging_period_ship_models_a_step_by_step_guide_to_the_intricacies_of_the_square_rig/2009-11-05-48

The one thing that I can say, if you want to attempt something, DO! Spend some time researching build logs and asking questions. Push the envelope, watch it bend.

Its always good to see a new Swift build log. The instructions are atrocious, agreed, but that allows you to modify her quite a bit, Especially in the rig. Plus there are Swift builds a-plenty on MSW with LOTS of great ideas. I've been studying all the changes I want to make on my build for quite a while. I look forward to seeing your version of this classic develop.

The furled sails on a fore and aft rig do look, as you put it, a bit wonky. They look much better done on a square rig in my opinion. I've been working on my version of the Swift 'the DSotM' again. You addressed many of the issues and changes I've been mulling over. I plan to have the throat halyard blocks you mention. I also need to make a bunch more wooden mast hoops.

You did a really beautiful job illustrating how easily upgrading the Swifts rig is and how much more it does for the quality of the finished build. If you wanted to post even more pictures of your excellent job from more angles, it wouldn't bother me (hint, hint). There is quite a lot of upgrades in your build and they are magnificently done. The yoke and parrrels are such a must, I can't even image the bent strap connecting the spars, although there may have been pilot boats rigged that way (which I doubt)

I'm not seeing the seams your talking about either, unless its the scarf joint which should show. The stem/keel fits very nicely with the hull and the second planking turned out really nice also. I'd say that small gap in the scarf joint will disappear when glued. If not sanding it when the glue is wet seems to help gap fill small spaces like that.

She's turning out very nicely, beautiful work my friend.

Sorry Sam, but yes I HAD to post it.
If I'm going to be bitten by the buy-buy bug then I figure everyone else should be also.
 
Seriously, I've been in contact with Karyn at Cape Forge several times and she has been helping me figure out what I wanted/needed. Look on their custom page at the "battleaxe". They couldn't make the triple blade battleaxe in the 3/4" size I wanted but they are making a two bladed fishtail skew that is very similar and should work for what I'm needing. I was told custom work usually takes 3 - 5 weeks so I have a short wait before delivery. I'll be sure and post a review once they arrive so everyone has some added info. For me I just got tired of broken surgical blades. I also like the fact that there carbon steel rather then stainless, which in my years as a butcher I found to be superior in sharpening and simple stropping in order to keep it like a razor.

I also love my Veritas carvers knife I purchased from Lee Valley but its time for just a bit more blade as the boxwood I'm attempting to carve is really a bear on blades.
I held back on the $29 price of the Veritas for a LONG time but I have to say, the Aluminum body with brass fitting is a VERY solid tool and kicks sand in the face of all other exacto-esk handles I've tried. It also is not round and won't round off the table. The storage in the handle is also a very nice feature.
http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=31088&cat=1,130,43332,43393&ap=1

MH Crafters has a great price on the dockyard chisel sets. The 4 piece dogleg/micro-bench chisel set is $38 versus other retailers I've seen selling it for $50 and over

http://www.mhcrafters.com/servlet/the-Dockyard-Tools/Categories

Also Cape Forge makes some excellent chisels and knives for those interested. I have an order with them being processed at the moment. One nice thing with Cape Forge is its a father and daughter family business and they hand forge al their stuff. Plus They make custom blades to order in what ever your needing, shape or size wise.

http://www.capeforge.com/index.html

Is good to hear the good with the bad. The MSW community forum is as much a tool as a #11 blade and sandpaper. MSW helps get the word out of what companies are doing correctly and poorly. Its really our only place to speak out and help others know what to expect.

I think I'll now go to the tool forum and pass on the excellent customer service I recently received from HS Walsh. It's as important the exhort the positives as the negatives.

Thanks for sharing your experience

Of the designs by Chuck, I would consider the Pinnace over the longboat for one reason alone, Scale. Although the longboat has plenty of build logs and rigging to boot, its scale is 1/2 that of the Pinnace. Both are constructed similarly, but the longboat is 1:48 vs the Pinnace's 1:24 scale. Plus with both you have Chuck's instructions and Chuck just a PM away. I'm not familiar with the AL Jolly Boats construction method, but the Pinnace and Longboat have an interesting POF method of building. 

Often smaller is mistaken for easier and I've found this not to be the case.

The Emma C Berry is another excellent choice and a step up from the JollyBoat/Ships boat type of build. It is a POF though which is again something to consider for difficulty.

Personally I have found the AL Swift a great learning build and would recommend it to anyone. Its POB and can be build as is or modified. Its a great build to wrap your head around fore and aft rigging and provided many places to upgrade the kit for more accurate rigging. Also they can be picked up really reasonably on ebay. Hope I didn't muddy the waters too awful much. Mainly and most importantly, make sure you love the style boat you chose. Passion goes a long way in this hobby.

Beautiful work Gabe.
 
You have addressed many on the issues I have with the AL pilot boat's rigging plans. Very nice upgrades.
Have you considered adding sails? PopJack has sail plans he acquired from somewhere. I've seen a scratch built Katy that has the sails furled with the spars lowered which makes for a striking display also, in my opinion.

http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11029348_a-replica-of-the-virginia-pilot-boat-the-katy-in

I planked the inner bulwarks before adding the stringers also, but it shouldn't matter as it looks like the stringers and bulwarks are tight against each other. Russ is dead-on about not worrying about the tops, once the stanchions are on and the bulwarks inner and outer planked, the cap rail will cover any unevenness of the inner bulwark.

You'll also find that adding the stanchions help solid up the bulwarks considerably.

Nice job on the bulwarks. To bad your plank bender is only seasonal (winter use), nice improvisation.

I plan to get back to my Swift rigging soon also. Gabe just finished rigging his Swift and incorporated many of the changes I've been contemplating. My advise on using the AL instructions.... I quit using them very early and used the MSW communities advise instead. I would have never learned to plank as I have without Russ's excellent mentorship. Everything I know, has been taught to me by someone here. I have yet to find an MSW member that doesn't answer questions when asked and usually without even asking.

Hey Trevor,

The deck looks great, I like the 5 plank stagger it looks really good without being to busy.

Capt Harv suggested using 3'' basswood sheeting to cut the bulwarks from rather then using the kits ply and I found it to be excellent advise.

I found the razor thin gaps easily fill with a small dab of glue rubbed into the gaps, then sand with 220 paper and the dust mixes with the glue and fills the hull gaps quite well. They shouldn't be an issue though. Unless the 1st and 2nd plank gaps lay on top of each other, which they didn't for me.

Hey Jesse

Looking good, your moving right along.

I know what you mean on that thin veneer second planking that AL provides. I sanded the edges with a small block and 220 grit to try and even them out. A trick I used on the DSotM was that after I shaped the plank, narrowing to prevent crowding at the bow and stern (I lined the hull for 2nd planking just as I did the bulkheads for first planking to guide me on that). Any ways, I glued the plank at just the stem then once it was dry I used a paint brush and wet the plank front and back with water down its full length. I then used my sealing iron (a clothes iron would work) to steam the plank to the hull shape and also up against the adjacent plank. I found this helped reduce the gapping between the planks greatly. Having it glued at the stem helped hold it while I steamed it down and made the need for extra hand not necessary.

Personally I hated working with that thin 2nd planking so much, I plan to single plank from here out. For me I felt I did a better job laying the thicker 1st planking, then the veneer 2nd planking.  

It looks great, I like the transom stripe also. It adds character and your personality to the build. I like seeing builds where the builder colours outside the lines, so to speak. That ability in this hobby, of being able to build it with our own ideas are kind of what I really like about this hobby. ...and from what I've read about the pilot boats, they were mostly privately owned and I'm sure had their owners personal touch. 

Hello 3s10

I was just looking back at my build log its been so long since I worked on that area I couldn't remember. Its on about page 32 of my build log if you want to see pictures. I used the ramin and cherry striping facing up on the deck, then planked over that (actually under) with the basswood planking as you have with the mahogany. IIRC, I stopped with the horizontal planking about where you did and didn't continue planking down to the keel but rather sanded and shaped the planking so it thinned into the stern. I then sanded the Stern Post to fit, again if I remember, the stern post was sanded with a bit of a curve where it transitioned up into the lower stern curvature.  

Personally I don't think it really matter how you cover it just that its shaped smooth so the stern post sits tight against the rear. It may effect the rake/tilt of the rudder a bit but that can be managed later. In the last picture it looks like you attached a vertical plank where the stern post will sit, which should work and give a nice flat attachment of the stern post.

I like the mahogany waterways and rear decking contrast with the rest of the decking. Does the kit use mahogany for the stanchions also? I switched out most of the wood so I don't remember how it was supposed to be. The stanchions with really give the inner bulwarks a lot of detail and if it and the cap rails are mahogany it should really make the waterways contrast even better. I'm not sure on the newer kit but the older version of the kit has some strange wood combo's. One of my reasons for switching to cherry was that a lot of the mahogany in my 20 something year old kit was so varied in colour. The mast and spar dowels had the worst colour variation of all. The walnut and ramin planking veneers were excellent though and will be used elsewhere.

I think your headed in the right direction, she's looking good. You should be ready to attach the stem/keel/stern post soon.

I hope to get restarted on my DSotM again soon, Rigging ...Yikes!

Looks good 3s10.

I completely went off the deep end on that section. I used the thin veener (second planking stuff) but striped with ramin and cherry so as to match the decking. I then laid the lime/basswood over that (actually under) as the thin stuff didn't seem enough. The outer planking was then done in a diagonal stripe which wrapped around the side and into the 2 ramin stripes followed down the wales.

I'm with Bug though, do what you prefer. As you used the Ramin on the deck, you might used that with a backing of the first planking for some thickness. Then when you second plank the rest, cover it with the walnut outside. That would make the deck match and the hull/stern match. I would recommend putting some thicker lime/basswood in there as it will add reinforcement for when you drill out the rudder hole.

Also don't be surprised if the 2 knee braces don't fit, I've seen nearly everyone have to remake those or at least reshape the kit pieces.

Having the bulwarks on her really makes a big difference, doesn't it? I found that addition really made me fall in love with the shape and sheer of the pilot boats.

Oh and your right, the pilot boats were workers, so weather her up good. Many had numbers on there sails also which I think is an interesting feature. I still paln to build another one day and this time make it historically rather then custom.  

Nice detail work. It will definitely pay results down the road.

Nice job Jesse

Hey Jesse,

On my Swift build the waterways came to a point as the stem is outside the bulwarks. Not sure how the SM compares, but how ever you proceed I'm sure it will look good. I found fitting them a bear on my build as I changed wood and had to force the waterways to bend laterally (side-bending) on the bow curvature, which was a real pain. I didn't have wider stock to cut from and if doing it over I'd have scarf jointed them as I did the cap rails. I found fitting them one of the more difficult parts of the build, especially because clamping wasn't really easy due to their position.

and your right, AL instructions are more of a frustration then a help. It doesn't seem to be stopping your progress.

Its good to see you have help. Keep up the good work. I enjoy seeing your build.