Enterprise by src - Constructo - 1:51 - or Lessons in Adapt Improvise and Overcome

[src]

Wow Robbyn, thank you. Welcome back to building. I am enjoying watching your progress.

 

That is the great part of this hobby, you can make it as easy or as complicated as you wish and you dont have to make anybody happy but yourself.

 

The etching was actually easier than I expected, other than finding the chemicals here in California; it seems like any time Darwin rears his head in this state, our congress critters feel the need to protect the rest of us from ourselves. Otherwise it was pretty straight forward. Now the cleanup on the other hand...All those little inconstancies are mine alone.  

 

And as far as the "skill" part, when I get over my latest boo boo I will post a picture, it seems I have mounted my stem too low on the bow. I think I have a work around that wont entail ripping a bunch of work out..... I hope.

 

Stay tuned.

 

Sam

[Rich.F]

Hi Sam,

 

Whats the Boo Boo?? 

 

Hey  Robbyn, Have to agree with Sam, Each end every build is you own, I try to follow advice other build and at times instructions  but if i like it then im happy. BUt im going to use the pre made gun ports. two reasons, TBH, really cant be bothered to try and make something at my skill level. 2nd, it was in the kit LOL

 

Looking forward to pictures Sam

 

Rich

[src]

Rich,

Still trying to figure out where I went wrong. I will get some pictures up later today or Saturday (have to go to THAT Park tomorrow morning, early)

Basically I have the stem too low for the Whales and feet as the are called n the instructions. Take a look on page 41, See how everything lines up with the lower curve of the stem? Mine does not. So far my measurements are all within a bout .5mm so I dont know where I have gone wrong. If I was the only one building this now or in the past I would assume the part was cut wrong. But you, Auger, and I think desert sailor as well as others whos names I cant remember and dont appear to be "Active After Crash" have all done it wright. Stands to reason I have done something wrong. Correcting it will require some serious surgery on a multi-step-stained hull. Not to mention the glue that will have to be cleaned off. I am working on a fix, but I have to bend up some strips and see what it looks like.

 

As far as the deviations from the kit, I am not really sure how all this "bashing" as Robbyn calls it happened. I started out with the intent to just build the kit with minimal investment, somewhere along the line I started making "improvements." I am going to blame it all on Russ's advice to do my scuppers in brass tube instead of cutting them out like the instructions called for. Yep Russ, Its All YOUR Fault! I had nothing to do with it. hahaha 

 

BTW, Russ, am I missing a build of yours? Havent seen anything from you in a while. Teaching taking up all your time? 

 

Sam

[russ]

Sam:

I had NOTHING to do with it, NOTHING I say. I was not even in town that month.

 

Looking forward to more pics so I can see that for which I am taking blame.

 

Check my signature for builds.

 

Russ

[src]

Oh I see... Out of town were you?? hahaha

 

Ok so here is something that is entirely my fault all alone, I cant blame this on anybody but myself no matter how much I would like to blame it on the manufacturer.

 

This first photo shows how the instructions say the stem should be trimmed out.  

 

This shows what I have built

 

Here is how the instructions call for the stem to be finished.

 

I installed the stem so it is inline with the keel. One nice straight line from the stern to where the stem starts to curve up. Its been so long since I installed the stem that I dont recall if it matched the drawings on the plans or not. Part of the problem is I put too much upsweep on the wales i think. The red lines show where I believe the wales should have landed.

 

Whatever mistake(s) I made I now have a dilemma, tear it out and redo it or find a work around. At this stage I am leaning towards a work around, tearing out the stem will potentially damage the hull and moving the wales down will definitely damage the hull, re-staining will be beyond difficult.

 

I am leaning towards the picture below, just forming the parts correctly.

 

I also notice a couple of spots where commander Lorcan was trying to inform me of my error a few weeks ago.

 

Commander Lorcan, 9 pounds of frolicking feline fury:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[russ]

Sam:

I would work around it. No sense throwing the baby out with the bath water.

 

Russ

[BolianAdmiral]

Nice work... I happen to like this ship.

[Rich.F]

HI Sam More or less made the same mistake, Work around it. How you have the work around looks pretty good 

 

I realized very soon after taping the lower wales on and making the other parts, so could change it....but do what ever you feel happy about, .

 

Re-looking at the picture. you could always get a few strips of 1x1 (part 62)  and put it on both side of the lower wales blend it it i think that's what i would do.

 

 

.Darn it... ""work around""  always works for me

 

Rich

[cog]

Sam,

 

Maybe some Muy Tai will help. Probably not ... But you know: Work arounds have been invented just for these precious moments.   I know, I've had a few myself ...

 

Some soothing food might help your feline fury against sudden urges ...?

[src]

Admiral, Thanks for stopping by and the kind words.

 

Rich, Russ, I agree "work around" is probably the solution. The potential for making things worse is very real. It will be a reminder in the future to check, check, and RECHECK everything.

 

Carl, yes Muy Tie would be one solution, but a bit more drastic than even I am willing to try. Explosives.... now there is a thought... "There isnt a problem in the  world that cant be solved with the proper application of high explosives!" 

As far as Commander  Lorcan, that little beast eats WAY more than she needs. She helps the dog eat his dinner, eats her own meals and now in the last couple of months she expects a treat at night when Gunnar gets his! She even sits right next to him for it. I have found the best solution is to limit her diet of modeling stuff by only letting her in my work room when I am there. Opening the window for her to sit in has helped tremendously also.

 

No building for me tonight, my day started at 2am. I will work around the situation and get some pictures tomorrow.

Sam

[cog]

High explosives ... hmmm, that's a blast for a change!

 

As is with all animals ... you can't give enough, as far as treats and 'jummy' things, they'll eat until they puke, and after that continue, you never know when you get to eat again

[src]

Carl, you're so right there. Captain Lorcan is turning into a Chunky Monkey, gonna have to put her on a diet, else she will sink her next command!!

 

Just a quick update. Have not been able to build this week, an old "friend" dropped in for a visit and wont leave. He is a real pain in the a$$, his name is Sciatica. I thought I had banished him to the cornfield forever 6 years ago, but he escaped and stopped by to say "Hey! Remember me?? We dont talk any more, dont you love me?" 

Needless to say, not much has been done build wise this week. I did get the hawse hole reinforcements and the guard rails a the instructions call them on. One of my reinforcements needs to be replaced though, it slipped when i glued it up.

Thats it for now, hopefully i can start buil;ding again in a couple of days  when I can sit again.

Sam

 

 

[Rich.F]

HI Sam, Great Pictures. 

 

Hope you get better real soon

 

Rich

[russ]

Sam:

The hull is looking very good. Nice work on the hawse hole doublers look good. Nice work. Hope you feel better.

 

Russ

[cog]

Sam,

 

Three words: Standing work bench. No sitting required, so you do not need to 'invite' your friend to pester you - 'though he probably will at dinner time and so on ...

 

That slip is only a slight move off center. Knowing you, you'll have that fixed in a jiffy. See you soon, and take care!

[Rich.F]

Hi Sam Hope your not working too hard... \hows the build coming along??

 

Regards

 

Rich

[src]

Thanks everybody for the wishes.

 

Carl, I have been thinking the same thing. Hey, you didnt give my "friend" my address for pestering you did you????  Or is that Aikido technique related to voodoo?

 

Rich, no work, just an annoying visit from a long lost "friend," Sciatica.

 

I am leaning against my office chair, draped over the back so I dont have to sit to write this. I went to a acupuncturist yesterday and was looking at the pins and tubes he was using and thinking, how can I modify these into a modeling tool/part?

I have done a small bit of work this last few days nothing worth a picture though. Removed the offensive haws reinforcement, sanded the rudder and drilled out the hole for the rudder. As things slowly loosen up I should get a chance to do a bit more.

Sam

[cog]

Sam, Aikido is to physically defensive, whilst VooDoo is based on superstition (or not ...)

 

Take your time Sam, we aren't in hurry. Besides, in this way, at least we can keep up with you!

[Rich.F]

HI Sam,

 

He still there?, OMG I Hate people that never leave..LOL... Hope you get better soon I know how you feel wife has a friend just like that...

 

Rich

[flyfisherman]

Sam,

Nice to see you making some steady progress.  I'm buried in a new job at work and haven't touched mine in weeks.  Unfortunately, I think it is going to be that way for awhile.  I will try and get on here occasionally and view your progress and live vicariously through you!

 

Cheers.

 

Shawn

[src]

Rich, Shawn, Thanks.

Starting to feel better, I can at least drive to work and dont have to lay down in the back of the GF's to go to the chiropractor. I do have to wait for traffic to  ease up before I leave for work and leave work before it starts so I am only working 4-5 hours a day. Was actually able to work on the ship for a few minutes yesterday and today. Nothing to show here but it felt good to start getting back in the saddle again.

Cog, I wonder if acupuncture could be a kind of voodoo, pins and needles..... This has been my first experience with it, mixed thoughts on effectiveness.

Shawn, new jobs are always fun. One if the reasons I tend to stay at a place for a while.

Anyway, hopefully by Friday I can have something worth a picture.

Till then.....

Sam 

[flyfisherman]

Sam,

Good to hear that you are feeling and getting better.  New job is with the same company, technically.  My company was bought by another company.  So my new job is a little bit of a promotion, but LOTS more work right now.  Should slow back down in about 6 months or so as we get into the swing of things.

 

Look forward to seeing your progress.

 

Cheers.

Shawn

[src]

Just a quick update. I can finally sit long enough to build a bit. I got the hull masked off and stained the cap rails and the inner bulwarks(?) The instructions call them rough tree timbers. I used Varathane Dark Walnut. I like the Varathane for working around masked off areas, it is a bit thicker than Minwax stains and doesn't bleed under the tape as easy as the more watery Minwax does. The Varathane is more like a cream consistency.  

I also put some grain filler on several sub assemblies; stern gun port lids, the hawse hole reinforcements and the fore rails. I need to dig out the macro lens and tripod for those so pictures will have to wait till tomorrow. As for now I have a date with the cast iron elbows of my masseuse.

 

Sam

 

 

 

Edited April 27, 2013 by src

[russ]

Sam:

The stain job looks very good. I like the color contrast. Couple of pieces of deck furniture, some sticks, some string, and you will have a finished model.

 

Russ

[Rich.F]

Looking Great Sam, Great Pictures

 

Glad your back on the build 

[cog]

Sam, Sam, Sam,

 

I love the way she looks! Maybe mine gets that way once ...

 

Cheers mate!

[src]

Thanks everybody!

Russ, I wasnt sure about the color at first and its a much more labor intensive staining process than I really wanted to do, but its really grown on me. The contrast of the light box wood against the mahogany is even working for me. I was very close to gong with a slightly darker wood, I am glad now you talked me out of it months ago, thanks.

 

Rich, thanks. Its good to be building again. I still cant sit for very long before things start locking up on me, but I can work on little things. Perhaps some gun carriages are in my near future. So your gonna be jumping out of a perfectly good airplane again? Nice! That is something I would like to do again one day. I dont know what I enjoyed more, the rush of freefall or the absolute silence once the chute opened.

 

Carl, thank you. Yours will get there too. Take your time, I will learn to be patient one day and not bug you. ( I dont want you to demonstrate you technique on me) 

 

Yesterday I got the second stain on the mahogany parts and then dug out the tripod and macro lens. This morening I glued the stern ring on the transom, dont have pictures yet. 

 

The top picture is grain filler only, the bottom is final stain.

 

 

The hinges need some additional clean up, havent decided weather to polish and lacquer or to blacken them.

 

 

Thats all for now.

Sam

 

 

[slagoon]

Beautiful work Sam. The edges of your smaller parts are so clean and crisp!

[src]

Sarah, thank you!! I dont think I could have done the hinges with out photo etching them. They still need a lot of clean up and I need to decide pretty soon if I will blacken them or leave them bright. Decisions decisions!!!

Sam

[src]

Progress has been slow, but I have been getting some build time in here and there. I built, finished and installed what the instructions call the "Boat Davits" I think it is a translation error since its the part that will hold the anchor. Whatever the are called it took a couple of hours (nights) to build and then another to stain and install. I am liking how they turned out. I vacillated on the details; round over the edge or chamfer the edges, chamfer the edges or pyramid them, that was part of why it took a couple of nights to complete. Sometimes I just need to kick myself in the backside and say "Get on with it!" 

 

I went to install the transom and discovered I never fit up the bottom edge! I had to carefully plane the edge to match the angle, now I have to redo the lower edge of the stern ring. I just realized I never took pictures of the stern ring installed. I will have to get pictures after I re-complete it.....

 

Sorry for the poor quality on some of these shots, I was too lazy to get a tripod out last night and was hand holding a macro lens

 

 

Port and Stbd fit up before staining

 

 

Brass reinforcements and stain Stbd

 

Final port install

 

@$#@^&**!!!!!!!

 

Thats it for now,

Sam