18th Century Longboat by Erik W - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:48 - First wooden ship build

[Erik W]

Danny, David, 

 

Thanks for the kind words!  I think one thing I've learned as I've progressed through this build is to take it sloooowly.  The results of slow, planned, methodical building seem to be bearing fruit.

 

I'm looking forward to the masting and rigging aspects of the build.

 

Erik

[Dimitris71]

Hello Erik, she is looking great!!

 

Kind Regards

Dimitris

[MRJG]

Erik, your longboat looks great! I hope my longboat comes out as nice as yours does.

[Erik W]

A quick shot of the oarlocks I added.  I used .019" brass wire I had instead of the .023" wire included with the kit.

 

 

Erik

[mtaylor]

That is one pretty longboat, Erik.

[dgbot]

Awestruck and amazing.

David B

[Erik W]

I finished the windlass and handles.  I followed the prototype longboat model photos in the Greenwich Maritime Museum for inspiration.  The windlass has rounded ends and the holes in the windlass for the handles are offset.  Adds a bit of interest to that part of the boat.  As I've found on other parts of the boat, the soft, "fluffy" basswood is hard to shape crisp details from . . .

 

 

 

 

 

Erik

Edited October 22, 2015 by Erik W

[Nirvana]

Erik, very nice work.

Getting close to the rigging process.

[Dan Vadas]

As I've found on other parts of the boat, the soft, "fluffy" basswood is hard to shape crisp details from . . .

 

 

Can't wait to see what you can do with REAL wood then Erik, if you are turning out this excellent quality work with a softwood. Wait until you try using something like Castello or English Box - you'll think you're in heaven .

 

  Danny

[Erik W]

Danny,

 

I was committed to building this kit as-is when I started this project, knowing full well that upgrading the wood would produce better results.  So, I also am happy with the results I'm getting with this type of wood.    The main tests for me with this kit are the skill development aspects that are specific to ship modeling.  Also, I wanted to see how deeply the ship modeling bug has bitten before I spend more money on this hobby  That said, I'm happy to say this is a lot of fun and very fulfilling.  So, there will be a second build  . . . and it will most definitely involve using higher quality woods.

 

Erik

Edited October 22, 2015 by Erik W

[Dan Vadas]

That's good to hear, and I look forward to seeing it Erik .

 

  Danny

[dgbot]

You did a terrific job. Now you have been bitten , what do you plan on next?

David B

[Erik W]

I've been sharing my photos of the build with my dad.  His reaction to the last set was that he couldn't see the detail of the windlass.  Point taken.  So here's a shot with the lighting at a low enough angle to show the shaped windlass to good effect.  It's a bit dark, but you get the point.  The holes for the handles are not centered because each side is offset, as seen in the photos of the longboat model at the NMM.  The ends are also rounded, rather than 8 sided.

 

 

David, I'm seriously considering Chuck's Cheerful as a second build, also the Echo cross section looks like a fun project.  Though different, both look like they'd be the same commitment level as far as build time.  My ultimate goal (3rd build?) is I'd like to build a fully rigged frigate (Chuck's Winchelsea maybe) or a ship-of-the-line (perhaps using Alex M's 64-Gun HMS Anson plans . . . or if Chuck does a 74-gun ship at some point . . . I see the background to this page is the HMS Cumberland.  A hint Chuck? ).  But I'm getting ahead of myself . . .

 

Erik

 

P.S. - I'm really looking forward to working with boxwood.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Erik W

[dgbot]

Model Shipway's New bed ford Whaleboat is a good model to test your skills. I have seen one entered in Manitowoc many times and the amount of detail you can add is amazing. Just a thought.

David B

[Mike Y]

Ever thought about starting a fully framed model? With your skills - I am looking forward to follow!

[Erik W]

David, I've looked at that New Bedford Whaleboat.  It looks pretty cool, but I'm not really interested in doing another boat at his point.  Also, there are enough low quality materials (basswood, etc.) in this longboat kit, that I don't think I'd build another ship from a kit. 

 

Mike, I haven't seriously thought about doing a fully framed model.  I like my framing covered , so a POB build would be ideal.  If I did built the Echo cross-section I'd leave half the model without planking though.

 

What appeals to me about the both Cheerful and the Echo cross section are that they are basically scratch-builders-light builds, with plans, instructions, and wood available.  They're a good intro into full scratch building.

 

Erik

[Erik W]

Got the rudder done.  It's sitting a little weird in the photos.  Once the masting and rigging are finished and I permanently attach it, it'll snug up to the hull better at the top.

 

 

 

 

Erik

[dgbot]

Your longboat is shaping up nicely.  The planking is spot on and the trim looks good.

David B

[Erik W]

This is pretty funny.  As they say . . . necessity is the mother of invention.  Because I don't have any power tools, other than the basic tools most home owners have, I am forced to improvise.  I'm tapering the dowel used for the mast.  Pictured here you see my hand-me-down 30 year old drill holding one end of the dowel, while the other end is held by a hole drilled into my build-board.  I left extra dowel length on both sides of the mast.  I used my digital calipers to measure, and then mark, the diameter of the mast every few inches on the plans.  I measure regularly as I removing material from the dowel at the places on the mast that correspond with the plans.  I'm feeling kind of proud of my jury rig.  It's sort of a poor man's lathe. 

 

 

Erik

[mtaylor]

I think we've all been there on the improvisation, Erik. We shipbuilders seem to have adopted this motto:  "Adapt, Improvise, Overcome".

[Nirvana]

Erik,

I like that simple contraption of yours.

I am about to do my mast and booms so your idea comes handy because I have been pondering how to taper the masts instead of doing by hand.

Thanks for the idea.

[Erik W]

Per,

 

Tapering the mast using that method worked well (I'll post a photo tomorrow).  I was concerned I would wind up taking off too much material by accident, but using medium grit sandpaper gave me the control I needed.  I think the total time to get the mast down to the way I wanted it was about 2 hours.  Take your time . . . measure frequently.

 

Erik

[Nirvana]

Erik,

I am to use the boxwood which I got from HobbyMill.

And it is a square piece which has to become octagon before any rounding and shaping can take place.

[dgbot]

Good show I have done that myself several times.

David B

[Erik W]

A quick shot of the turned mast before I remove the ends. 

 

 

Erik

[Stuntflyer]

Erik,

 

Be careful when you make the sheaves. On mine, also basswood, the area around them was very thin and weakened the mast considerably.

 

Mike

[Erik W]

Mike,

 

I figured the 2 upper sheaves in the thinnest part of the mast would be the weak spot.  Since the line running through them will be .012", I figure I'll drill the holes at around .015" in diameter.  Trying to minimize compromising the strength of that part of the mast.

 

Erik

[Nirvana]

Wondering if drilling the holes prior shaping would be better.

[Erik W]

The mast is complete.  I haven't permanently attached it to the boat yet.  I'll do that after I get the bowsprit completed and attached.

 

 

 

Erik

[Erik W]

I shaped and attached the bowsprit.  A couple of decades experience soldering in my model railroad hobby have made that element of the build easy.   Also, I'm getting the hang of my poor man's lathe using a drill, so I'll shape the boom and gaff now.

 

 

 

 

 

Erik