Nirvana

Chuck how much do you want for it - asking for a friend 😂👍

Many of you are curious about this photo.   Its floating around the forums without an explanation.  I brought my Medway Longboat to the New London show last week where it was photographed..   You may not be able to see it right away but yes I changed this Medway English longboat to be an American boat.   This model was used in the movie that I worked on last year which I talked about a while back.   I changed the flag and the nameplate on the model.  They wanted it to be American and have the Character's Name on the model.  They were going to slowly pan across it for the movie and wanted Ed Harris' character name very visible etc.
 
To my Surprise after spending a bunch time with him trying to teach him how to fake being a ship modeler,   Ed Harris signed the model.  But of course not the base....Black sharpie right across the hull.   No fixing that!!!  So rather than put the model back to its original English origin and remove the nameplates, I decided to just leave it as is.  It will make for a nice conversation piece.   The movie is supposed to come out in July I believe....It was about 10 degrees out the day he signed it.  The workshop was set up in the garage of the set.  I have no idea how they acted as if it wasnt freezing all the time.  I suppose that is why he is considered such a great actor.
 
Starring Ed Harris, Dustan Hoffman, Bill Murray, Gabrielle Union, Jenifer Coolidge, Pete Davidson and a bunch of others you would certainly know.   We shall see how the movie turned out!!!   At least I have a memento for the wonderful experience.
 

Bulwark planking has finally been completed.  It really wasnt too bad.   You just have to keep plugging away and while making careful cuts between those ports.   All the cracks, gaps and dents were filled and sanded in preparation for painting.
 
The second layer of spirketting was added as well to finish off the bulwarks below the ports.  The top edge was softened or even rounded off.  I dont like to leave a hard edge here.  I used a 1/32" strip the same shape and size as the first layer.  I took the shapes from the plans because this wide 1/2" strip needs to be tapered like the first layer and shaped before you glue it on.  Every model will have slight differences so it will take some time to get it right.     Then the top of the sills were very carefully sanded and the cracks filled there as well.   I was careful not to sand into the top of the spirketting which would ruin the nice continuous run along its top edge.  You can see how bad port sills look now but the surfaces are now smooth and once painted will look really nice.  
 

Before I paint however I needed to add the 4 fixed blocks on the inside of the bulwarks.  On Winnie, I had used laser cut fixed blocks the same thickness as the planking.   You would glue them to the framing before planking and then plank around them.  I went a different way this time.  I just planked the entire interior bulwarks and then just drilled the fixed blocks through from the outboard side.   Then I sanded them clean and reamed them a bit with a round file.  To finish off these simulated fixed blocks I took a very small "V" gauge chisel and made a small simulated sheave slot between the two holes.   Since the bulwarks will be painted this seemed like the better way to go.  You can see the two fixed blocks below at the bow on the starboard side.  I used a sharpened pencil to color the sheave to simulate a more appropriate color.   
 
I have also hi-lighted in this photo how I planked the bow inboard.   I first glued a 1/4" x 3/64" strip down the inboard side below the bowsprit hole.   See the red arrow.  This allows me to push the planking strakes up against it which for me makes the process easier and neater.  There were two more strakes to add on each side of this to plank the bow inboard.   The cracks were filled and it was all sanded smooth for painting.
 

 
Here is a photo showing the aft portion of the bulwarks planked and ready for painting as well.  Note the two fixed blocks here as well. 
 

The one last thing you might notice is that I did in fact add the margin plank all along the bulwarks.  This is 1/4" wide and 3/64" thick.   It finishes it off neatly.   You dont have to add this yet but I find it easier to paint the bulwarks when I have a nice right angle to paint down to.   Hopefully I wont bugger it up and get red paint all over the margin planks.  But if you find it easier to paint the bulwarks first without making a mess then fell free to do it that way.
 
At the bow,  the margin planks on each side were cut from a 3/64" thick sheet of yellow cedar.   I used the plans and planking template provided.  I cut it out and used that paper template as a starting point.   After seeing what I needed to adjust for a tight fit, I transferred this shape to the wood sheet and cut it out with a sharp #11 blade.  If you look at the photo again you can see my first attempt which I discarded.  It didnt fit as nicely as I wanted.   So I made more adjustments and cut another.   You would be best served to buy a few extra 3/64" thick sheets of Yellow cedar for stuff like this.   Every model will be slightly different and you will want to go through this exercise as well for a good fit.   
 

 
I am ready now for painting....the bulwarks will be carefully painted red over the weekend.  Depending on my honey-do list.
 
 

If you go to the Royal Museums Greenwich site, there are many open boat plans showing davits and windlasses. An example:
 

The windlass and stern davit was used for various tasks, one of thich was to help work the anchors with their parent ship, helping lifting the crown so that the anchor could free itself, and the the ships capstan did the work of raising it. The windlass was used to coil the buoy rope.

I have the second in my new line up of alternative printed resin boats almost ready. This is a 24 and 26 foot launch, complete with windlass and davit.

Many innocent sheets of material died to bring you these pictures...
 
This is the fifth hull I have made up, with incremental changes with each new version. I usually just remove and replace the parts I change, but there are many interlocking parts with this one, that I felt more comfortable restarting the whole hull assembly with all updated designs, so that I know all fits as they should. This will not be the final form, however, but am comfortable continuing using the hull form (which is final) to get more information for parts that fit onto it.
 
Hull has been sanded, ready to take gunport bulwark template (which are next to design)
 
(This will be thrown away once all info has been garnered from it...)
 

That free Zoom presentation for NRG members with Ian McLaughlan on "The Sloop of War" last month or so was fabulous.  Worth the cost of admission right there.  
 
I know I wouldn't be nearly as far without the MSW and NRG family - you guys rock.  Member if you can or want, and just continue to post and share if you can't or don't want to.
 
Oh yeah, and like $2 off on NRG's uber-legible "Steele's Tables" was awesome as well.
 
Love this corner of the internet.

I suspect some of that 40k+ number are those that joined, stayed for awhile and just never returned.

Should I be worried now? hahaha
 

LOL... spot on Keith.
 - from a fellow junkie

Silkjc,
It's probably the other way around, to haunt you down when you haven't paid your dues.
Besides it's only visible to yourself and staff of NRG's MSW.
 
But that magazine that comes in the mail, it's worth the money. 
Great articles, history, builds and tricks.

Thanks guys….
 
Yes I have mailed a few.  It depends on the country.  Some countries wont allow first class mail or the cheapest option and only allow priority mail.   It weighs about 9 pounds give or take.
 
I just shipped one to Italy for $99 US shipping.
 
I sent others which were around $85
 
So far the most expensive was $149 but I charge $99 usually so I take the hit if its more.
 
So probably around $99
 
 

Hej Klas och välkommen ombord, 
Hello Klas 

Hej Klas och välkommen ombord, 
Hello Klas 

Hej Klas och välkommen ombord, 
Hello Klas 

I never had issues with that and the ones you are using, I know those, have two of those myself but with my arthitis I can´t rally twist the wrist properly to use them and my hands het shaky very quick. I have no issues to fix the part I want to drill in. If it really needs to be accurate I use the Dremel Workstation or a benchtop drill press from Makita (20 yrs old) which works fine with the matching Makita corded drill (30 yrs old) which I can adjust from 15 - 2,200 rpm. They don´t build drills like that anymore nowadays lol but it still works, changed already two times the brushes in it.
 
My problem is really the hand and wrist, doesn´t work anymire like 30 yrs ago

That's a bit of thread drift now, but for really delicate work I use a watchmakers archimedean drill that requires both hands, as it does not have a return spring. I can precisely control the pressure needed/permissible (with tiny drills). Of course, the workpiece has to be fixed (some 'cello-type' suffices often), but this is good practice anyway. Mine can clamp drills down to 0.1 mm diameter.

Yes, since we use walnut instead of beech wood, the quality of the blocks has increased, they are smoother and stand out beautifully. Regarding the color, it must be said that there is a certain variability, some walnut blocks are even lighter depending on the log. This is a tribute to nature 🙂

You can see it on this picture. While the front triple block is dark, the other blocks have a more or less lighter shade, but this is nothing that detracts from the beauty of the model.

Welcome to the site.  Looking forward to the delivery for my CSS Alabama build.  You did a great job helping me out!

I have used their CNC Sails on my Revell USS Constitution. Great products. 
 
Their Rope is of Excellent Quality as well. 

Hej Klas och välkommen ombord, 
Hello Klas 

Welcome! And have fun here