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Hello everyone, this is my third kit build and my first build-log. I wanted to build the excellent cheerful semi-scratch cutter designed by Chuck Passaro next but decided to build this one first cause it was a gift from my wife last christmas and she keeps asking me when I will begin building it. So construction has begun with little one-year delay. The kit itself seems to be of good quality but I may replace some wood with boxwood and some cast-parts. First thing I did was to build a rack to put the model on during the construction. Then I carefully released the bulkheads to dry-fit on the keel. -
This kit wasn’t planned. I was struggling to find a suitable ship’s boat for my Royal Caroline when I came across Blue Ensign’s excellent Pegasus build log. B.E. based his boat on Model Shipway’s Pinnace, scaling down the plans to his smaller scale. I decided to do the same. I was pleased with the result, and am looking forward to completing the kit as intended. I debated whether or not to start a log – there are already several very good Pinnace logs on the forum and I wasn’t sure I would be able to add anything useful. However I decided that logs aren’t just about showcasing advanced skills, they’re also about those of us with more modest abilities learning as we go, and especially learning from our mistakes and sharing those experiences. I scratch built the small version from boxwood, but for this model I plan to use the supplied timber for the frames, keel, stem and stern post then mill my own planks and internal fittings. The other decision I've made in advance is to leave out the rather strange extension piece at the stern. As the original model and plans were by Chuck Passaro I'm sure this extension is historically accurate, however I just find it odd. I'm sure a practically-minded captain would have drawn the line at such a fragile and seemingly useless piece of decoration! I left it out on the Caroline build and I liked the result so I'll do the same here. Anyway, I'm looking forward to a comparatively short project and my first build log. -
Dear Friends, It's been a while since I've built my first model so I've finally decided to continue with this wonderful hobby. After some doubts on whick kit to choose I went for the Confederacy from Model Shipways. I've ordered it through Cornwall Models in the UK and the've dispatched it the same day - amazing service! Got the kit yesterday and to be honest I was slightly dissapointed with the quality of the castings (ok I knew it from this forum they are not amazing), but also some laser cut parts came off as they were not properly packed. Anyway seems that all the little pieces are intact -
Hello all! This will be my build of the Continental Gunboat Philadelphia. A brief history of her is taken from the model shipways website. "Launched in August of 1776, the gunboat Philadelphia is the oldest American fighting vessel in existence. Part of the American fleet commanded by General Benedict Arnold, she sank on October 11, 1776 during the Battle of Valcour Island against the Royal Navy on Lake Champlain. She remained sitting upright in the cold waters of the lake until she was raised in 1935. Today, she’s on permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., complete with 24-pound ball that sent her to the bottom. " Length 26-3/8” Width 13-3/4” Height 24-5/8” Scale 1:24 (1/2” = 1 ft.) The actual gondolas built by Benedict Arnold were armed with two nine pounders, one twelve pounder and a few swivel guns. Arnold's gondolas were around 53 feet long with 15 1/2 foot beam and 2 foot draft. An overview image from the website is the following. The first few steps were pretty simple. I removed the parts I needed for the keel, stem and sternpost and glued them together. The keel was very straight with no noticeable war page. I sanded most of the laser char off. The pieces of wood that form the rabbets are pretty simple to carve. I just used an Xacto blade and a sanding block. There are also the visible parts of the stem and sternpost a which get narrower towards the ends. I have yet to make these rabbets at the bow. That's it for now. Thank you for looking in! -
Well, here goes. This will be my 3rd build log on this site, the previous ones being the King of the Mississippi and the Bounty. Both of those projects were Atesania Latina kits. While I enjoyed building them, I did feel that the instructions left much to be desired. I was only able to complete the Bounty thanks to the full-scale plans and to the excellent advice, support, and direction found on this site. Anyway.... the USS Constitution! The Admiral gave me the Anatomy of the Ship book last Christmas, as I have been planning this as my next project for some time. The box arrived a week ago and I've commandeered my pool table as a good spot to spread everything out and check for damaged, missing, or warped parts. As far as I can tell, everything is in the box that is supposed to be there, though there does appear to be some discrepancy between exactly which sheets contain exactly which parts. This will the subject of some investigation over the next day or so, but I suspect it is only the result of some changes and additions to the supplied parts since the contents list was written nearly 20 years ago. I've already decided on one likely deviation from the supplied instructions, based on what I've seen in Captain Al's 'Mayflower' work. The Constitution kit does provide a fair amount of balsa filler blocks, but I am going to augment what was provided with enough filler blocks to give complete gluing surfaces to both the bow and stern curves. At least, that's my current plan. Here a few shots of the sorted contents of the kit...
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Hi everyone, I just finished building the Greyhound by Corel at 1:100 scale. I have placed a few pics of it in the Gallery. I just started my new build of the Charles Morgan and will post pics as I go! I purchased the kit from Model Expo and have been a long time customer of theirs. After inventory of everything in the box I was short 30 pieces of 1/16 X 3/32 X 24" and short 2 pieces of 1/16 X 1/4 X 24". I contacted Frank at Model Expo and these were sent out ASAP no problems! They do indeed stand behind their product. This is one reason I like getting things from them if they have what I'm looking for. The Keel, stem and stern post went together well and were all very straight. I tried something different this time and won't know how well it will work or how clean it will look until I start planking the hull. I took the center keel before gluing on the false keel, stem and stern pieces and after marking the bearding line used my Dremel tool sander instead of chisel. Then I glued the remaining flat surface to the full-size stem, false keel and stern pieces. I'd appreciate any input if others have done this and if it worked well for you. I then pre-shaped and dry fitted the bulkheads. Once square they were glued in place and I then did some additional bevel cutting and sanding. I suspect there will be some tweaking along the way. I then cut and installed the stern stems. Make sure you align the posts and watch the height making sure not to cut them too short. I then installed the Planksheer and even though I was careful I managed to break (several times) the part going around the bow. I then installed the stanchions and it's very important to make sure they are aligned and most important that when you install the mainrail (again I managed to break this very thin piece several times) they leave enough overhang so that it will accommodate the batten planks. I looked at a few other build logs at this point and of interest, after the hull was planked it was eventually sanded smooth. However, one would then have to add a fashion piece that is usually painted white along the outside of the plank sheer and I suppose main rail. This was troubling for me and I had to cut off all stanchions and realign to accommodate the stepped look. I really don't know if that was the correct thing to do or take the easy way out, sand the whole thing smooth and add the extra piece later??? Now, currently I'm struggling with the stanchions on the bow that go from the main rail down to the filler block. And, at the same time keep the exterior "future" planking aligned with the balance of other stepped planking. The problem is that the interior bow has this ceiling and waterway planks that are supposed to be sweeping up and smooth (just at the bow). I've taken this apart a few times and naturally busted up the plank sheer and main rail several times. I look at the blueprint sheets everything lines up but I just don't have the sweeping angle it needs. I'll keep messing with this until I get it! Meantime any advice is always welcome. Also, I'm thinking of getting a ropewalk jig. Is Model Expos as cheap as it looks? I'm also thinking of ordering a few different chemicals from Jax to oxidize the copper plates before I install them. I was then thinking of putting a sealer on them before handling and installing? I really like the way the Model Shipways picture on their kit looks. Frank said the guy that built it actually used paper! you could use a thick paper and still roll over it with the ponce wheel to get the rivet effect. But, I'll use the copper and will sample a bunch of different shades and methods. Do I want more realistic or what appeals to "me"!!! -
All, Back to ships! With so many excellent builds of the Syren here on the site, I have decided to put my skills to the test and give her a whirl. I'll need all the help I can get, as this will be my first plank on bulkhead build. Looking through the other logs, I can tell there will be more scratch work than I have done to date, too. I am really looking forward to the journey! All parts have been accounted for. Plucking out the keel board, the very first order of business is to straighten it out. There is a slight curve to it, so I gave it a quick soak in water and have clamped it flat. We'll see how it looks in a couple of days when dry. The curve is slight, so filler blocks would very likely be able to set it right, but I like to make things a little easier on myself. Making those filler blocks is something I am not quite sure that I am looking forward to doing. Well, I can say this: my woodworking skills are going to get a workout! Onward! ~john -
Well ordered the model and after reading about a dozen threads on here I'm about to start my first wooden model build. I'm totally new to this so please bear with me if my terminology is incorrect at times 🙂 -
So - after several hours without a model in the drydock (which is actually a lie - it just wasn't out of the box yet) I've started my Bluenose build. I haven't got further than seperated the keel and bulkheads from their sheets yet, and started some careful sanding to get rid of burn marks before my first questions pops up. 1. Do you cut the rabbet line before or after you have assembled the keel? I'm leaning towards before to make the handling easier. 2. Do you bevel the bulkheads any before you add them to the keel, or do you do all the beveling after assembly? I'm wondering if assembling the jkeel and put everything temporarily in place and then bevel a little bit here and a little bit there until everything is smooth is my plan - unless someone persuade me otherwise. -
Greetings to all fellow model shipwrights. I am working on Model Shipways Pride of Baltimore II. I have done a few previous kits from Dumas and MidWest, with some rather nice results and have decided to make this a lifetime hobby. I'm throwing this build log up to get some help as I go along and provide some inspiration to others starting out. I am thinking that I am a younger member here (43) and love that this hobby is still going on. A little about me, so that all other readers can get where I am coming from. I am a nuclear physicist. I grew up on the chesapeake bay and my father had a Morgan 28' outisland that I learned to sail on. I'm a bit of a perfectionist and love how this hobby combines the meticulous nature of a technical build with the final result of a beautiful piece of what I would call architectural art. Here is where I am at... early stages. I got the kit and set out to getting started. One thing that struck me was the imperfections of the cuts and plans... A lot is off by ~ 1/16th". I know that this is art, not technical designs, but my machinists would have kittens if I provided parts this far off. That being said, I have been consulting a great book that my wife gave me; "Ship[ Modeling Simplified" by Frank Mastini. So far, it has been crucial in getting the bulkheads symmetric and centered. Here are the current pictures. I have tapered the false keel and used machinist blocks to get dowels (I filed down tooth picks) centered. I glued the keel/stem assembly to the false keel. Also, I have marked (the now centered and symmetric) bulkheads for tapering. One extra note that makes this build a little more difficult and unique. I have a 2 y.o. son who thinks that the most important thing in his life his to get his hands on the parts and 'help.' My wife is a NICU nurse who works nights so I have a lot of parenting time, and building this model is a little harder with a toddler trying to crawl up your leg. -
I just got a used 1/4=1 MS Katy of Norfolk schooner off of ebay the other day and I need some advice on it. The kit is MISSING the following items: rings for the sails, the boom/gaff yokes, parrel beads, an anchor the belaying pins they say should be in the kit, the rudder, rudder hinge, rudder bar, keel stem and stern post instructions that make a modicum of sense. (what's in included is rubbish), blocks and deadeyes that are not 1/8" in size, mastcaps. What IS in the kit: hull (partly carved), rigging, a packed of itty bitty deadeyes, a packet of really tiny nails, a packet of blocks that a spider couldn't fit a web through the hole, wood for the masts, bowsprit, blocks to carve for the hatch/cabin, two pieces of wood I am guessing I am suppose to make the sternpost, rudder bar and keel stem from, really useless instructions, a packet of itsy bitsy teeny weenie eye pins. I will use the instructions to make sail templates and then make them from silkspan So what i need is advice on where to buy the blocks (in bulk), deadeyes (in bulk), anchor, bit heads or belaying pins (in bulk), mast caps (I will probably make these). The other thing is SIZE of the items needed. Most everything is in MM out there and I don't know what MM is close to scale for 1/4 inch = 1 foot. thanks, Keith BUILDS : AL Scottish Maid (complete) AL Virginia Schooner (under construction)
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Just started this kit-- Question: in cutting the rabbet,do you cut from the bearding line to the edge of the false keel on the stern half as per MS plans? (It's a pretty big rabbet ) I cut it per plans,but the hull shape has me baffled as to how to plank. I'd like to be able to make sense of it before proceeding w bulkheads etc. Any suggestions will be appreciated. -
I can honestly say that if I was not a member of MSW, it would not have occurred to me to build this boat. After admiring usedtosail's build, I did a search and found a wealth of other builds on MSW. I have pored over them in detail, and I managed to gain an appreciation of the kit's idiosyncrasies even before I started. These are the other build logs on MSW: Cap'n Rat Fink Meredith Tom Bombadillo usedtosail Many years ago, when I built the Artesania Bounty, I built a Launch as well. Here it is: What I wish to do is build a larger model of this launch, with missing planking on the starboard side, showing off the frames, admiralty style. I also plan to ignore the paint scheme as suggested by the kit (which I find to be rather ugly) and finish the boat to my liking. Along the way I will hopefully be guided by some reading material: Anyway, on to the model and unboxing photos. Photograph of the box. Instruction manual and plans. The manual can be downloaded from MS' website here. Up to now, I have been building kits by Artesania, Amati, etc. and have come to expect poor quality instructions in poor English. I was blown away by the detail in these instructions for such a simple boat. They even specify what type of blade you should use to carve the rabbet! Unfortunately, everything is in Imperial units, so I have been keeping my metric converter busy. The model is built on a jig. Pre-cut planking strakes are supplied. Bulkheads for the construction jig. Note the planking guide and fairing guide. The instructions tell you to fair the bulkheads to the dotted line. Easy enough to do. More parts. Note that the all builders of the Launch on the other logs complained about the laser lettering on the Transom, and here it is! Awful decision by the kit designer. I tried to sand the lettering off, but it goes down way too deep. Short of painting the transom (I wish to leave it stained and unpainted), some solution has to be found. More pre-cut planks. Finally, the sailcloth and various little accessories. ... and my pristine (for now) workplace with my new modelling lamp We're all ready, let's get started. -
By way of introduction, I'm a longtime sailor. All my life I've been fascinated by miniatures of - frankly - just about anything. I'm handy with tools and have a lot of patience, but I have never considered myself much of a woodworker. While I love boats and the water, I've found it more appealing of late to spend more time closer to home. Combine that with the long, gray winters of Cleveland and I'm enjoying immersion in this new hobby. I'm 51 now and haven't built a model of any kind since I was a kid. I've never built a wood one so this will really demand a new set of skills for me. I chose the Armed Virginia Sloop as my first kit for the following reasons: 1) It's suitably ambitious without being too daunting 2) Model Shipways kits were highly recommended because of the extra documentation they provide in the instruction manual 3) The boat itself is attractive. It's salty, with nice lines that in its day must have made it a great performer - fast, maneuverable and relatively easy to handle. 4) From what I can tell, this type of boat has rich history. It's very much like the boat Blackbeard seems to have first sailed - he named her Revenge - before stepping up to the larger boat in which he became most notorious, the two-masted (barkentine rig?) Queen Ann's Revenge. I suppose anyone who gets involved in this hobby has several shades of geek in him, and now you know mine. I started my build in mid-January 2014. I was hesitant to start a build log because in the earliest going I didn't feel I had anything to offer. But I've appreciated the great photos offered by BareHook's log of the same kit, and hope my own perspective will be helpful to someone else down the road. I'm a bit impatient with forums (having managed several large ones with really rancorous memberships) but I'm impressed with the good citizenry of this one. I'll make a few consecutive posts over the next few days to catch up on the build so far. My biggest concern is that I may not have the patience or desire to post a very thorough log here - but I'm going to make an honest effort. -
I have made a decision to purchase and build the US Brig Syren. My goal is to become a better Wood Model Ship Builder. Learn the craft, and improve my work. I started building wood ship models 4 years ago. I started by building from scratch. With any wood and materials I could scrounge up. I completed 2 Commercial Fishing Boats. However, It was a very difficult experience for me. I became disabled, and have problems with spatial interpretations, reading, writing, and hand coordination. Four of my previous attempts to build a model ended up in the wood stove. The finished Fishing Boats are rough, and somewhat resemble folk art. My next project was a scratch built replica of the Armed 14 Gun 1801 Russian Merchant Neva. It took me 6 months working all most full time to build the Neva (over 600 hours). The Neva is a little rough, and I made many mistakes. Many of the parts I built for the Neva were built out of scale. The rigging was my own invention! To my astonishment the Sitka Historical Society took the Neva and will display it in the new Russian America Museum which opens this summer. I have many pictures of building the Neva. But, I did not set up a Build Log. I was afraid that the quality of my work was poor, and worse yet, I was afraid I would abandon my attempt. After working on the Neva, I felt ready to try a official kit. For the past six months I have been working on the Caldercraft HMS Snake. I must have gotten a older kit that had been bumped around a lot. Some of the wood was in very poor condition. Cracked and chipped. Some of the metal parts had broken pieces. So I tweaked the model a little. I have been struggling with the HMS Snake. Being disabled, I am finding it hard to read the provided directions. My spatial interpretation problems makes viewing plans very difficult. I still can't rig a canon. That is why I have chosen to build the US Brig Syren. I am impressed with the directions I downloaded, and the Build Logs I have read. I am hoping to become a better builder. The Syren is scheduled to arrive in 10-14 days. Which really means 14-21 days to Sitka Alaska. I'll start this log officially, when I start unpacking. At which time, the HMS Snake will be taken out of Dry Dock and put in storage. Photo's of my past mistakes attached. -
Here's to a new log! I am starting the Kate Cory now, a solid hull 1:64 scale model from Model Shipways. The hull came in excellent shape with only minor re-shaping to get down to the final measure. The hardest part was the bulwark thinning, which they recommend a chisel to carve down. I used a Dremel Tool.... Wear a mask if you try this, as basswood in the lungs is a bit unhealthy ;-) The sterm of the ship needed the most wood removal and reshaping. That also prompted me to use a Dremel sanding drum, which worked swiftly. With some hand sanding afterwards, the whole thing is coming along nicely. I used a smaller chisel to square off the deck levels and trim the bulwarks closer to the deck. Next I am going to work on the deck bevel and do some fine sanding to the exterior. I want to add a shiny coat of varnish or something to make the coppered portion stick better... raw wood is a no-go for self adhesive copper tapes it turns out, as a simple experiment shows that smooth wood just lets the tape peel off. Testing is good. ~johnb
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Hello, this will be my build log of the Model Shipways Phantom New York Pilot Boat. Some things about myself: I got this kit for Christmas. I am thirteen and don't have a very high budget for tools or other things. My parents are divorced, so I will have to bring my kit back and forth. Fortunately, my papa (father) has a good amount of tools at his house. I do have some tools at my mama's (mother) house which I am currently at. My work space is also a little small, but it is a small boat . I will now start counting and sorting all the pieces. Have a Merry Christmas and I'll be back!
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Static: Rattlesnake 1780 (Model Shipways MS2028) 1:64 Note: The first section of this log is a repost originally created in 2012 First, I would like to thank all of those who have taken the time to create or re-create thier logs on Model Ship World. Your efforts have been invaluable to me and I am sure will be to many others. Thank You All As for my story: I purchased the Model Shipways Rattlesnake kit around five years ago from a local hobby store. After assembling the false keel, I realized the magnitude of this endeavor and decided it best postponed for another day. The box sat on my shelf until recently when I found the Model Ship World forums. This is where I discovered the build logs, like great sagas, some taking years to complete, they inspired me, renewing my interest in ship modeling and giving me the confidence to restart this project. Kit Review/Preview: According to the manufacturers website http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=MS2028 The kit is an Intermediate Level build. Originally, a solid hull kit, it was converted to plank on bulkhead with updated instructions in 1994 by Ben Lankford. The rigging, hull details, and original kit were done in 1963 by George F. Campbell based on Admiralty draughts and an earlier reconstruction published by Howard L Chapelle. The manual is informative and judging by comments posted regarding other manufacturer’s attempts, seems to be above average. It is not however, as clear as some of the other manuals provided by this same manufacturer. All of instructions for the Model Shipways kits sold on the Model Expo site are available for download at no cost. As are some very helpful practicums. These were very useful to me, either clarifying the steps in the manual, or elaborating on tasks in which I have no experience. The parts in the kit are, again to my untrained eye seem to be of good quality. The wood contained in the kit is primarily Basswood and this I am sure is to maintain an affordable initial cost, allowing the builder to add wood upgrades at his own expense, and choosing. Castings seem OK, only requiring minimum cleanup, and a generous supply of additional hardware is included. Two double-sided sheets of plans round out the kit. I picked up some inexpensive wood for the optional second planking and recently purchased a few additional lengths of Cherry plus a sheet of Walnut. Overall, I am very pleased with the product Model Shipways provides. I would like this log to be as open as possible. I will attempt to post pictures, comments, questions, and any information I discover on the way as I have seen others do. I will also try to accommodate any request for additional pictures or responses so please feel free to ask. My goal is to create an atmosphere encouraging feedback, especially those pertaining to any corrections/improvements regarding the methods needed to complete this model. I enjoy writing so I will apologize for my wordiness from the start. My main priority however is to just have fun and enjoy the hobby and this blog. Comments, criticisms, or suggestions, are always welcome and appreciated! Please note that I have very little or no experience in model shipbuilding. I have built some RC aircraft, rockets, and if I can use the phrase “a boatload” of plastic. -
Hello, everyone. I am a semi-retired 67-year old Nevadan and have built Model Airways model aircraft in the past. I am embarking on the Model Shipways brig, Syren. It is, to say the least, an ambitious project but it's also best suited for my tastes and skill sets. I have pored over the threads herein and spent a couple of weeks (literally!) reading the manual provided by Chuck Passaro (my hero). One question looms: Is there anything in particular that you can recommend, guide or even warn me about when building this model? Please let me know! I am starting the beading lines and bevels in the bulkheads, et al. today. I move slowly. Thanks!
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I'm just starting the Model Shipways brig Syren. I spent 3 weeks reading thru the Chuck Passaro practicum and feel ready to go. I pre-fitted bulkheads onto the former and immediately spotted a problem. When I line up the laser guidelines on the BF with those on the bulkheads, the "tee" intersection for the deck is not always on point. Sometimes, the bulkhead is higher, lower or dead-even with the deck line on the bulkhead former. So ... what is the proper way to compensate for these "misalignments"? Any advice would be appreciated. -
Well folks I am going to jump in here. I will dispense with posting any pictures of the box etc. I am sure that has been covered by the wealth of logs on this forum. My recent acquisition of this kit is explained elsewhere (see Dr. Per) So let me begin with my impressions and a few question for my fellow Longboat builders First of all this is a 1st class kit. Extremely well designed (what else would you expect from Chuck?) and the materials are very good. I have done a trial fit of the bulkheads and they all fit very snugly with almost no adjustment. I plan to use this as a learning tool. I want to experiment with Boxwood (which I have never used before). I also plan to use this as a platform to do treenailing (another item I have never attempted). I am especially interested in Chuck's method of using putty. Lastly Sam has inspired me to think outside the box and so I am not sure yet how I will modify the kit from the standard provided. So now some questions for those who have built this kit - The Basswood sheet that contains the bulkheads is 3/32 of an inch thick. Also on this sheet are the 2 lengths for the keel & 2 rudders. is this just extras or are we intended to glue then together to get a thickness of 3/16? The same occurs on the sheet with the Stem. I have 2 stems. Next question, On the 3/32 sheet with the stem there are 2 small pieces which I believe are the stern post. Again is the intent to glue them together to get more thickness. Finally there are 3 bow blocks on this sheet. I can figure out what to do with 2 bow blocks but is the 3rd one extra? Last question (for now) - I see many using brass rods to mount the longboat. In particular concentric brass rods. can you tell me where you got these? this method looks quite nice. A final comment, since Jeff is backed up supplying all of us builders with wood. This log may move a bit sow for the next couple of months. I started it now because this is a great opportunity to gather info from those who have gone before me. I also felt this was the best way to ask questions without cluttering someone else's build. PS you should all hound Dr. Per to start his build log here too. he has agreed to do a group build with me. My local club is meeting at my house today. I am going to suggest that this would be a great club build. -
I have four Model Shipways kits in my closet waiting to be built. since I haven't actually built and completed a ship model yet, I'm wondering which out of the three ships is the easiest to plank for a first time ship build? The Mayflower Pride of Baltimore 2 Benjamin Latham
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Hello all, Last year, after much debate, I bought the Phantom to start me on my way in Model Shipbuilding. I don't have any experience at all in modeling, and it is my first venture. I was very pensive about taking on a solid hull, as I am really quite terrible at wood carving, but my dad, who does do Norwegian wood carving agreed to shape the hull for me. He did the Amati Drakkar, which I did the sails on for him as his one and only model ship, and it turned out great. I sent it off with him for the hull molding and now its back, so I've been reading Chuck's practicum and the logs of others. I should start out by saying that the size of this model is extremely small, so I'm nervous about how tiny its pieces are, and I have pretty low expectations for the final result but I would at least like to give it a try, and maybe learn some things along the way. My goal as a complete beginner with no background knowledge in modeling is merely to finish. Eventually, I'd like to do the Pride of Baltimore II as I both got to see her in the Philadelphia harbor and she looks much like a schooner I sailed on in college (the S/V Westward) and/or the Bluenose, both of which have a letter better scale for me. So, anyway, I've ordered a cutting mat, and I'm waiting on it. I only have the tools from the deluxe kit from Model Shipways, and its going to take a little bit to get organized. In the meantime, it looks like my Dad may have taken a bit too much off the depth of the forward area, as it is 1/8" below the -R mark but the aft deck matches perfectly. So, I guess that might impact the waterline a little, but I don't think there is much to be done at this point. The length of the hull is 9 1/2" but the plans show 9 1/4" so I'm also unsure if the plans are meant to be drawn exactly to scale, but the length does match the size of the hull template. It looks like the first thing I need to do is install the keel, stem & sternpost, and I've looked through all the other logs and Chuck's practicum. I know I'm meant to glue some pieces together before cutting out the keel, but I haven't found much else about how to do it. It seems like once it is glued on, it would be very easy to break off, and I understand people use pins and such but I don't know a resource to help a total newbie to figure this stuff out. I sort of feel like I wish I had a video of someone putting together a solid hull to help me out, but I guess I'll just do my best, right! It'll be awhile until I post any substantive work until I receive my cutting mat (which apparently won't ship until next month), but thought I would at least get my log set up! - Ginger -
Greetings All!! This is actually my second undertaking. My first was the Phantom which I will be putting up shortly. This was a Christmas Present from my lovely wife, and as such had to cut ahead in the Ship queue. We start with the traditional unboxing. We begin with the documentation which consists of one manual, a parts manifest, 2 large plan sheets and an errata sheet. The model is kind of a hybrid POF/POB so the contents consist primarily of strip stock, raw brass, and some laser cut sheets as well as various white cast parts which appear at first glance to be of decent quality and useable as is. Finally the normal supply of blocks, string and normal ship fittings. The instructions are not too too bad. It is quite informative with history anecdotes as well as examples of how the real ship is built. The trouble is these are intermingled with instructions on how to build them in the kit and they tend to get muddled at some points. I like the information however, being a novice, I found it confusing at points. To kick off the build a template needs to be attached to a build board which will be used to set up the build molds. I just grabbed an old particle board shelf as the build board and using a glue stick attached the template. I think next time I will use rubber cement to make it semi-permanent because at the moment I am having issues getting the template off of the board - and would like to reuse it as it is a very nice build board =). Once the template is down it is just a matter of attaching the laser cut build molds to the build board using the template as a guide. I added some spars at the base to stabilize the molds and give them some reinforcement. Once all of the molds were in place and proven square it was time to attach the keelson and chine logs. This was very straight-forward, no muss no fuss. The next part is construction of the hull shell itself. The side planks are a single piece of wood cut to follow the chine logs, bent to shape and attached stem and stern. Remember, do NOT glue them to the molds - that would be very very bad. If you should by accident you can carefully pop them off when it is time to separate the shell. *You can, to avoid getting glue stuck to the molds place some wax over them. Once you get the sides in place, time to lay the planks along the bottom of the hull. Again, pretty straight-forward. Cut and place the planks up to the chunk, place the chunks, sand and shape and walla! One Willie Bennett hull shell!! Sand, sand, sand and sand!! I went ahead and primed mine prior to removing it from the molds but there is no requirement to do so, I just wanted to be sure my hull was as finished as possible before flipping it over. Once the shell is complete and removed from the build molds it is decision time!! The next step is the deck framing. There are two ways given to go about it, the first is a basic framing and the second is a "realistic" framing. The main reason to do the second is if you want to build the ship as close to the real thing and/or plan to have it opened up or have some of the interior visible. If the latter is not the case, the basic framing is more than adequate as it just needs to support the decking. I opted to do the realistic framing including the blocking, more so for the experience than anything else. I did not however detail the bunk areas or the internals of the different wells since the ship will be in a display case and not easily accessible to move and scrutinize close enough to see the detail. The next four pics are of the framing, the first pic is actually partial framing prior to deciding which way to go. At that point I could have gone either way. The last three are the framing completed and ready for the plankshears! The BIGGEST tip I can give at this point, regardless of which style you decide to do - make sure you mark and cut the notches in the clamps which hold the deck beams PRIOR to attaching them to the hull. It is doable after they are attached, but much much easier to do after the fact - so I found out =( From here, I had to break. I was working on the plank shears trying the cuts to get a nice curve and well - let us just say I have some more practice needed! I chewed up a fair amount of wood trying to get them right so had to replace the wood. To keep working I did some work on another kit while waiting to be able to pick up the wood at which point will return to the Willie. that will be tomorrow =) Thank you for popping in!! And as always - whatever you do, and however you do it... enjoy it!! -Adam -
Hi All, Welcome to the start of my build log of the USF Confederacy from Model Ship Shipways as designed by Chuck Passaro. Her full history has been summarized in Chuck’s fabulously detailed instructions which can be downloaded from the Model Shipways site. Suffice it to say here that the Confederacy was an unlucky ship, surviving some actions, hurricanes and collisions before being captured by HMS Roebuck and Orpheus in April 1781 and taken into the British Navy as HMS Confederate. However, while only 2 years old, inspections showed a great deal of rot, probably due to the use of green timber during her construction. She was then broken up, but her lines were at least preserved by the British Admirality. Below is a Revolutionary painting of the Confederacy from the Navy Art Gallery at the Washington Navy Yard. My impressions of the kit are very favorable. The kit arrived very well packaged with all items present. I’ve already mentioned the great instructions, but the plan sheets are also extremely clear. All the wooden parts are laser cut and the etched brass and cast metal parts are nicely detailed. I am perhaps fortunate as all the more fragile parts are intact, like the figurehead and ships wheels. Images of kit contents and parts are below. The Confederacy’s rigging plan has not survived, but I do plan to fully rig her following the plans by Crothers. The exception are the belaying points as Chuck has kindly warned me the Crothers belaying plan is incorrect. So, following his advice, I will be working out the belaying points using other contempory frigates as a guide. This will be a long build and all advice and help will be most appreciated. I will certainly be referencing all the other great Confederacy build logs to help me along the way so my thanks in advance here! My dream for this build is to try and bring the Navy Art Gallery painting to life! I hope you find some time to stop by and enjoy this voyage with me! Cheers, Nigel.
Our Emblem
