KevinR

Allen,
I would like copies of what you have. It would be a nice addition to my reference material.
 
Thank You,

Allen,
I would like copies of what you have. It would be a nice addition to my reference material.
 
Thank You,

Allen,
I would like copies of what you have. It would be a nice addition to my reference material.
 
Thank You,

I received a note from Christopher Rowsom, Executive Director of Historical Ships in Baltimore along with Smithsonian drawings of skipjack rigging.   If anyone is interested I can forward the drawings (they are photographs in sections of the two pages from the Smithsonian) and/or pass on Chris' contact information. A couple examples of the pieces of the puzzle follow
 
Allan 

Good Morning, Happy Friday, Everyone!!!
 
E.J.,
Thanks for the tip.  The "conventional" finish is paint on the hull and vertical surfaces, and stain on the deck and other horizontal surfaces.  I think I'll end up doing just that, depending on how the decking turns out.  I think the hull looks great with the hull red below the waterline and white above.
 
I forgot to post the last couple of photos I took last night that show where I was when the yardworkers punched out.


I need to pluck up the courage to start carving the chunks; the ONLY experience I have with a chisel was the other night when i shaped the forward bottom planks.
 
See you in the Fleet!!
 
Cheers,
Rob

Rushing into things as I am prone to do I started a build log before introducing myself in the prescribed manner. My apologies to the moderator and all those who follow directions. I've copied below what I began my build log with not realizing this was the proper venue for that.
 
I still haven't mastered photo inserts so hopefully that will change soon.
 
Long time modeler, limited internet user, first time poster to this amazing site I was clued into by my grandson. I have no initial picture to post as I begin my HMAV Bounty build from Artesania Latina, but will remedy that on the next lesson from my grandson. I'll use this post to introduce myself and applaud all those who have already proven helpful as I launch into this build. You gals and guys who contribute to this hobby are wonderful. Lots of plastic modelers around where I live but few wood folk, especially ship builders, so to have a brain trust like this to pick away at and learn from is a welcome companion. My modeling began with the melding of my friend's slot car set up and my HO train set in his basement From the beginning we bashed or scratch built everything because neither one of us had money to buy much. We'd scrounge whatever cardboard, plastic, wood, or thin metal scraps we could find and cut, bend, carve pieces until we ended up with something that resembled what we were looking for. Looking back I'm sure by my standards now they were pretty ratty, but at the time we were well pleased and it kept us out of trouble, mostly. As high school rolled around we had a bit more money for kits, but those most often ended up looking vastly different by the time we modified, added spare parts, and basically cannibalized the manufacturers design to fit our needs. College left everything at his house and I took up model ship building for relaxation with a kit from the old Scientific Models series. My first was the solid hull Flying Cloud. I knew nothing about tall ships, didn't bother to do any research, just followed the kit instructions and was quite pleased with the results. Did much better on the model ship than my freshman year studies. The need to raise my GPA and pursue that degree I was told I needed took me out of the modeling hobby for the rest of college. The Flying Cloud sat on my desk safely but suffered damage on the trip home after my senior year. It still sits in a box waiting to be resurrected. A couple year's into marriage I built Scientific Models Pequod. That has survived moving around for 43 years. One of my grandkids got into O scale Lionel trains which led to numerous scratch built buildings for his layout drawing on my childhood imagination and skills, although with much more "professional" looking results. In 2008 my children and wife all chipped in to buy me the Artesania Latina Independence kit for my 60th birthday after I dropped many not so subtle hints. It was my first large ship build. It took over a year to complete, working on it in spurts as time allowed and the results were very pleasing. As you LA builders are aware, I found the illustrations and directions of this kit to be inaccurate, misleading, and limited in some crucial areas, but my history of scratch building and substituting material got me passed this to a nice finished model. Since then I have learned they may have taken some liberties with the historic accuracy of their interpretation of the ship. Furniture building, needle point, and, wooden toy creating occupied my time until this new year began. I had been researching models for about a month when I settled on the HMS Bounty. I would have liked the HMS Victory but the budget said no. Which leads to the reason for this log.
My first step upon opening the box was to inventory the parts. I remember on the Independence missing a couple prefabricated parts which I was able to replace on my own, but I felt the need to double check the packing from the manufacturer. I have since learned some of you have had terrible luck with poor lumber. I am one of the fortunate one in that all my wood pieces appear in great shape. However, I did find that a number of prefabricated pieces were missing. Finishing the inventory I sent off an email to Omni/Tower Hobbies from whom I purchased the kit. They forwarded my message to Artesania Latina. It has been two weeks since and I'm not holding my breath for a response from them. I believe I read they have switched their production out of Spain to China and this is leading to quality control issues. Next kit will likely be from another company.
I figured I could get started since the missing items were for later in the build. Staining and assembling the framing was going along smoothly and then I read about John McKay's book, The Armed Transport Bounty. Oh dear! Since receiving that I'm not sure if I've found a friend or foe. The details in that volume are so clear and make so much historic sense that I can see this build is going to take me back to my childhood days of kit bashing and stretch way over a year. I've already dismantled my framing, glad nothing was glued, and made some modifications, maybe not totally historically accurate but I think closer tha what LA choose to present. I'm spending literally hours pouring over the book and comparing it to the kit noting what I will adjust, add, leave out. That's where I'm at.
So, there's a long first entry. Sorry if I bored you with background that maybe wasn't necessary. My next computer lesson from my grandson is how to get pictures in with my entries. At 69 I'm fairly good with email, developing some good research skills on the web, but taking further tech directions from a grandson in exchange for lunch at places of his choice. So far he's been nice to me and I still have coffee money left over.
 
CrowCreekhiker

Underside planked.  I used holly.  Finish is minwax polycrylic satin, which is water based and doesn't seem to change the color of the wood.  It says on the can that it is good for light colored wood.  I started using it 13-14 years ago, and the holly on those models has not changed color.  It does seem like the can has a shelf life.  When I reopened my old can and tried it on scrap, it did darken the wood a little.  It was probably about 15 years old.  I bought a new can which worked fine.
 
I don't think I am going to treenail the holly.  I will treenail the boxwood, but not until the upper hull is planked,  Plan is to do the upper hull, at least to the level of the shear strake, then start installing all the inside parts that I was working on.

Don't feel bad, Kevin.  I think we all forget things in the process.  There's just too much to remember. 

Mark,
Thanks for the advice. I remember reading to annel the brass before using, but, when it came time to do it, I forgot.
 
Thanks,

Mark,
Thanks for the advice. I remember reading to annel the brass before using, but, when it came time to do it, I forgot.
 
Thanks,

Hello to all,
I have been enjoying the craftsmanship and attention to detail as I peruse the build logs and forum topics.
I was given a Constructo kit of the Enterprise circa 1799 back in the 80's. It has sat on the shelf ever since and I always thought I would "get around to building it someday". I am now almost retired and I think the time is coming very rapidly to finally take it on.
As I look at the amazing work you all seem capable of I also have come to the understanding that this particular kit is not necessarily a first timers kit! I did a lot of modelling as a kid and enjoyed it immensely but I realize that to do this ship justice I will need to proceed with caution! Perhaps a simpler kit to start? I think so...
Anyway, as I consider all this I want to thank MSW and all the builders for giving me a site that will be an unbeatable source of information and techniques as I move forward into this incredible world.
Thank you!
 
Jim Neil

hello friends my name is django56 and a am new here in thes great forum 
grettings from Belgium ( Oostende ) and sorry for mi poor englich

Looking for model ship builders living in Cairns. I am in the process of packing up house and have lots of boat stuff to relocate as I can't take anything with me.
I have posted in the for sales - but I would be willing to give some supplies away if I can't sell. Hate to have to throw it in the rubbish.
 
Meredith

Hi
I'm new to MSW.  I have built 5 ships previously.  I have been in the study phase for my next project  (Flying Fish Clipper ship) and have found a couple of unanswerable questions in the plans. I am looking for photos of completed deck details on the forecastle deck.

I am just getting back to shipbuilding after an absence of some years. I recently purchased Bluejacket's 1/4" scale POF 'America' kit. Does anyone know of a build log or practicum for this kit? It doesn't necessarily have to be connected with NRG. Also, I am located in western North Carolina, and would very much like to make contact with other shipbuilders either here in the Asheville area, or even in the upstate area of South Carolina.

Hello,
 
I am a new member and the daughter of a someone who made ship modeling his life's passion. Dad has now passed away, and after giving part of his collection of ship models to family and friends, we are left with 7 ships that we'd like to give to someone, anyone, who might appreciate them. His favorite is a replica of Flying Cloud. I don't know the names of the other ships, but I can provide photos next week.
 
We're not looking to sell them. We just can't bear the thought of throwing them in a dumpster, since Dad put so much love and care into each hand-carved hull and put meticulous detail into every single project. Any advice on what we can do with these beautiful models? We are located in northwest Connecticut. Thank you!
 
Sarah Day
 

Hi everyone.
 
I am George.  I'm 48 years old, and enjoy trying new things.  In the past I have taken on stained glass projects, putting together guitars, making cheese from scratch, and growing (edible...not magical) mushrooms.  I just like to try new things.
 
Now I am going to try my hand at building a wooden ship model.
 
Though tempted to go big or go home, I have decided to go with the Constructo model of Ernest Hemingway's fishing boat, Pilar.  I chose it because the planking looks straight forward, the size is relatively small, and that Hemingway was cool.
 
Anyway, I am sure I will have some questions over the next many weeks, and I am sure you will all be helpful.
 
Best regards,
 
George B.

Hi glad to be aboard. I need some help. I had an accident with a coffee cup that spilled on my instruction manual for my recent build the Mayflower by AL. Any suggestions on how to retain another copy would be helpful. Kind of lost without it

Greetings Everyone,
 
My name is Jesse.  I am not completely new to model shipbuilding.  As a matter of fact, one of my fondest memories is building a plastic model of some Spanish galleon with my dad when I was 5 years old.  he did most of the work of course, but I loved it.  From then on I built a lot of different models of varying size and difficulty including a building a large plastic model of the Cutty Sark with my mom   Well, life happened and I joined the United States Navy and served aboard a nuclear ballistic missile submarine.  After I got out and was attending school at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, my wife bought me a POB kit of the Thermopylae.  I had never built a wood ship model before.  I had built a few wooden airplanes from scratch, but that's about it.  Of course 25 years ago, the internet was in it's infancy, so I didn't have this kind of resource.  Consequently I made a lot of mistakes, however I loved it.  Once again, life happened and I got a job and kids and my free time was at a premium.  The kids are grown now and I have a new job and recently visited Amsterdam for work.  I had a little free time, so I went to the art museum to take in a little dutch culture.  One room of the museum was dedicated to model ships.  I spent the rest of the day in there marveling at the skill and artistry.  Anyway I was hooked again.  I came back home and started searching for information of model building and stumbled across this wonderful site and started lurking.  I've read a lot of posts and build logs and I am preparing to jump into my own scratch build.  Since I have never built from scratch, I am going to follow the Bodnar practicum on the Brig Eagle.  I am looking forward to it and following the advice and experience that this site overflows with.

Actually, i dont think this will be a rewarding kit.
It looks like a bunch of slightly-out of-scale-put-together-parts.
 
It is not size as such which is the determining factor, it is scale. Anything below1:64 is kind of fiddly. A large scale model of a small ship is easiervin that respect.
 
Plastic is a different terrain, but not necessarily easier. Most plastic models are small scale, and therefore have their problems in painting, and detailing. Mking a convincing model out of a plastic kit is something quite daunting:)
 
With respect to starter: I would choose a model of a relatively snall ship (not a rowing boat;) ), from a fairly known company (so you can find fellow builders)
 
Solid hull or pob? Each their own problems. I did a couple of solid hulls when i was a kid. Problem was that the raw hulls in the kot weren't symmetrical. Took me ages to get them reasonable .... when the basic is OK, it should be easier.
 
Jan

Hello to all. My name is Bruce, recently forced into retirement and I'm a rookie to wooden model building.
I have read the posts on choosing your first build and have learned a lot about the topic. Most posts though are several years old and was wondering if anything pertinent has changed recently.
I am debating between plastic or wood. I believe plastic offers more of a straight forward build (meaning no fabricating of parts, but due to age of molds a lot of flash to remove as well as the chance of parts being missing or warped) and usually less rigging allowing a newbie to get their "feet wet" but it is plastic.
Small wooden kits of row boats, long boats, cut aways and viking boats just don't perk my interest. I was wondering if this might be a good first model. https://www.amazon.ca/Bluenose-Starter-Boat-Kit-Wooden/dp/B00MOBMJZ2
I also have a few questions if you don't mind:
is this being a smaller model of only 13 inches, will tying the rigging be an Issue?
Is trying to shape a solid hull that much easier than building a single plank pob model?
Thank you in advance for those who respond.
Cheers,
Bruce

Kevin,
 
If you're not doing so, annel the brass before cutting and bending.  It makes it a lot easier to work with.

Mark,
Thanks for the advice. I remember reading to annel the brass before using, but, when it came time to do it, I forgot.
 
Thanks,

Hello Everyone and thanks for stopping by.
Today I attempted to make my first metal parts, the Pentle and Gudgeon.

The first try went well. It looked good until I tried to trim it with the rotary tool. It heated up and twisted in the vise.
 

The second try went better (not smoother). I kept dropping the tiny parts on the floor. I had to re-cut a couple of times because I could not find it.

I used a hand saw to cut the tubing this time and a lot more hand filing.
I still need to notch the rudder so the gudgeon is centered under the rudder post.
 

This is the tin snips I purchased to cut the sheet of brass. I am hoping I can find some smaller. This pair is too large and makes it hard to see the score marks for cutting. Anyone have a recommendation?
 
Well that is it for today. Tomorrow is a holiday so I may get more time in tomorrow.
Untill next time,
 
Catch Yall Later,