Armed Virginia Sloop by captgino - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1/48

[Ryland Craze]

I used a sanding stick to taper my bow section.  I slightly tapered mine down to the flat portion of the keel.

[GuntherMT]

Making good progress there umm... whatever your name is.  

 

I also just sanded it down, although I don't remember the exact tools I used.  Probably just a sanding stick/block of some kind, and I just did it by eye and kept it even on both sides.

 

Looking at it now, it appears that I just tapered it to about 1/3 of the overall width, maybe just a bit wider than that, but pretty close it looks like.

[captgino]

Thank you for the replies, Ryland and Brian.

My name is Jean-Philippe, JP.

I will follow your recommendations and come up with some kind of sanding tool.

[GuntherMT]

Sandpaper attached to a small block of wood works just fine.  Glued or pinned or whatever works for you.  I've got both purchased sanding blocks/sticks, and ones I made by attaching sand paper to something.  Just depends on what I'm sanding what I grab and use.

[captgino]

Worked on the transom this evening and installed the filler blocks[.

This was pretty straight forward. With that said I am discovering that the windows are going to be a pain.

[captgino]

Are the windows supposed to be flushed to edge of the frame?

[captgino]

Thank you Zoltan. This is helpful.the directions for this ship are at time quite difficult to understand or in the 'wrong' order.

[captgino]

Thank you Zoltan. I am going back and forth between your log and Brian's for clues, tips and guidance. There is a lot of good logs of NRG for the AVS.

[captgino]

Starting to work on the windows fitting.

I have a quick practical question:

Once all the fillers and Windows frames are installed, do you sand the back of the transom flathis?

It seems logic but I just want to make sure.

[GuntherMT]

I read somewhere (do not remember where, sorry) that the window frames should stand proud of the transom planking just slightly.  What I did was get the windows fit about right, then removed them and sanded and finished the stern before reinstalling the windows.

 

If I was doing it over again, I would leave the windows out after finishing the stern until the entire model was just about finished, as I used Krystal Klear (or something similar) to make the 'glass', and the sawdust from later construction has them really dirty and they are impossible to clean since it's a water soluble product.  Doesn't really detract from the model, but it bugs me.    Another reason to leave them out until later was that I regularly messed up the paint on the stern and windows while handling the model, and I ended re-painting and re-finishing the entire stern probably 5 or 6 times because of my own clumsiness.  If the windows had not been installed it would have been easier, but would have also opened up the possibility of doing something to make them not fit properly later, so sort of weigh the risks there.

 

In retrospect, I would re-install them after all the sanding and finishing was done, but before starting on the rigging so that if I made an error I could still easily handle the hull in any direction (upside down, etc.) while getting them installed properly.

 

To do this properly, you would likely want to install some small 'stops' inside the frame openings to prevent the windows from pushing inside the stern and being lost.

[captgino]

Thanks Brian and Zoltan!!

You both have some very good advice. The idea of the stopper in the back of the window is definitely a must as I drop them inside a few times already. As for installing the windows at a later time in the build this makes sense.

[captgino]

Thanks Zoltan. I got a bottle of Krystal Klear and I think I will go with that. However I will keep this in mind for my next build

[captgino]

Made some dust last night and sanded the transom. After looking at it this morning I think I may have to do some touch up here and there

[captgino]

I have also worked on the timberhead and the Knighthead. It is a ok result. I may try to redo them but I haven't decided yet

Edited July 4, 2016 by captgino

[mtaylor]

I'm playing catch up, JP.       So many great logs and not enough time.     Looking pretty darned good.

[captgino]

Worked on the Wales this evening.

[captgino]

Hi Zoltan,

Thanks for the note. The scupper is the inside part above the waterways and mirroring that piece on the outside of the hull is the black strake, correct? The holes should be going across the hull. My plan was to install the waterways start working on this scupper and I would get the correct height and placement to start drilling. Are you suggesting to remove the 1/8 all together and determine the scupper holes location?

[captgino]

Thanks Zoltan. This is very useful to know. My plan will be to drill the holes in a rough matter at an earlier and to cover them with the scupper and black strake. In this case it will achieve both goals, which is a clean look while still allowing it holes to go all the way through.

[GuntherMT]

My log probably isn't the best one to use for scuppers.  I did find a nice way to shape the internal scuppers using a file that was exactly the right width, and then shaping with round file prior to installing that piece, but I also completely forgot to cut them into the black strake and had to drill them later and then shape with a file.  They came out ok, but if I'd screwed it up there would have been a great deal of deconstruction involved to replace the black strake.

[captgino]

Installed the waterways and started planking the transom.

[DocBlake]

Good start on the planking.  Your hull looks like it's faired nicely - it should be smooth sailing!

[captgino]

Small Update on this log.

I have completed the first planking of the transom and added some stoppers to prevent the windows to fall through (Thanks for the recommendation Brian).

Painted the inside of the inside of the cabin black, not very carefully as you can see on the picture. Of course, it is going to be cover so it does really matter.

 

Started the second planking in Walnut. On this picture, the back does not look straight but this is really a visual effect. The square confirmed it.

 

[captgino]

Finished the second planking of the transom and dry fitted the windows.

Some mistakes already :/

[GuntherMT]

You can clean up the windows when you go to do the final installation by simply using small slices of walnut to fill the gaps and wedges.  Sand it down smooth and once you hit it with wipe on poly (or paint it) nobody will ever know.

[captgino]

You are right Brian!

Just a bit frustrated to have spent some much time and not having the desired results. It is part of the process and experience i guess

[captgino]

OK, so I continue working on the transom and I decided to take a different approach than the plan indicates. I wanted the taffrail to have more of a courbe. I know it is not in the directions but since this is a fictional ship so i decided to take this little liberty. At this point, it is pretty abrupt but i can soften it if needed when i will be installing the taffrail.

Is it a big no no?

[captgino]

I need some suggestions on how the AVS builders have bended this piece.

I am not sure how to tackle this so the piece of walnut is hard and thick.

 

What should I do?

[GuntherMT]

Which piece are you asking about bending?  The cap rail on the stern or the curved fashion piece on the side?  If it's the fashion piece, you don't bend it at all, you cut the shape out of a wider piece of walnut.  If it's the cap rail, it should be basswood and bend just fine with heat and/or water.

[captgino]

Hey Brian,

I was referring to the curved fashion piece. I guess I have to get some asap. Thanks for the prompt feedback.

[GuntherMT]

Jean-Philippe,

 

You can see my fashion pieces before they were painted in this post - http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8085-armed-virginia-sloop-by-gunthermt-finished-model-shipways-scale-148/?p=248130

 

They are just cut to shape out of a piece of walnut, there is no bending involved at all.