Swift 1805 by stripehunter - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - 1:50 - first build

[stripehunter]

was home sick today with a cold. I made use of the time to get all of my masts and booms cut and shaped.  Chucked the dowels in my hand drill, and with some 80 grit in a gloved hand spun them down to the right taper.  A lathe would have made things easier, but have one I do not.  The hand drill and 80 grit worked fine.  just need to remember to cut the dowel long at first so the chuck doesn't mar good mast.

 

[stripehunter]

Mast work continues.  getting the brass work for the topmast mounting took me a while to figure out how to form the brass tight, solder it shut, etc.  I was quite happy with how it turned out. 

 

 

Dry fitted the masts again just for quick look.  Just need to get my booms finished, then I can start pulling line.

 

[Dutchman]

Looking really good! You're doing a better job than I'm doing ( it's my first build) . I've almost finished the deck furniture, so you're a few steps ahead of me (which is very helpfull to me). I'm really enjoying your log, so please keep posting

 

Cheers!

[DocBlake]

Great progress!  It's going to be a very attractive little ship.

[stripehunter]

Thanks all.  I think my admiral is more excited than I about finally nearing completion.  Been almost a year I've tinkered with this off and on now.  Tonight I got all my cargo done and installed.   I made a couple of wooden boxes to add to the mix. 

 

 

I also finally got around to working on the chain plates.  One side done.

[Elijah]

She is looking very nice and shiny! Very well done!

[Moonbug]

Nicely done. Very clean work.

 

-Bug

[stripehunter]

finally started my first rope work.  Took a while getting things snug, but will go quicker as I progress.

[stripehunter]

Rigging continues.  Finally got the rest of my deadeyes rigged.  I think i used a different technique on each one.  I finally got the seizing knots how I wanted by the time I got to the last one.  I also got the boom strung up.  Rigging figure 8s around the belaying pins was a bit of an adventure but worked out in the end.  

 

Next will be the two smaller booms but im not sure how that will go without weight to hold against the lines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dutchman]

Oh, well done! Beautiful! I'm still trying to work out how to get the chainplates and lower deadeyes fixed. Your build is a very nice example to me. Thanks! Are you going to rig the sails as well? And do you have any idea what your next build will be?

[stripehunter]

Thanks.  I still have not yet made up my mind on sails.  In general, I'm not a fan of sails on model ships (IMO it's hard to make them look genuine, and they hide lots of details), but I think this one may suit my eccentric tastes better with them.  Perhaps I may see how she looks when done, I can always go back and add them later. 

 

I have a couple of kits on the shelf; my next one will either be a sergal president (ship rigged sloop of war) or a corel victory cross section.  The president isn't the best looking ship in the world ( a total fantasy with some design issues), but I bought it as I found one dirt cheap, and thought it a perfect step up in complexity compared to the swift.  Similar size, but more complex square rig and some carronades to port and rig.  On the other hand I like the cross section a lot too, and it looks like I should be able to knock it out much quicker than another full ship.  Both will be done before I move into the AL Constellation I also have on the shelf.  At the pace I work I have enough to keep me busy for a couple years I think.  Although, I am getting much faster at things as I do them more.

[Dutchman]

Right. There's pro's and cons. I think I will put them on. Also for the extra rigging. I looked up the President. Looks like a frigate to me. It doesn't have a high difficulty rating and is quite cheap (€92), but the rigging looks complex to me. Especially compared to the Swift. But it looks really nice. I wonder what quality the instructions/manual are, extensive and highly detailed (step by step) or sparse (figure it out yourself-style)? I hope you will start log here so I can enjoy you building her. My next model will be the lady Nelson and I also have the frigate Hermione ( I have visited the real one in France) waiting for me. But by then I hope to be more experienced.

[S.Coleman]

The president is a kit that requires a lot of fumbling with plans. No pictures on step by step type. I found it frustrating! The rigging plans are very minimal.

[Dutchman]

Oh dear! A challenge then.

[stripehunter]

Got the smaller booms to the masts. Ready to string them up next time i can work

Edited October 11, 2016 by stripehunter

[DocBlake]

Good work on the rigging so far.  She is really coming along.  Good job!

[stripehunter]

Rigging continues.  All i need yet are my anchors, and sails if I decide to add them or not.  I keep alternating my stance on the sails.

 

 

 

[donrobinson]

She looks real nice now, I'm not so sure about the sails............you are the Capitano    . Great work

[stripehunter]

I got my anchors done. Still need to blacken the rings. I wanted real wood stocks which were easy enough to make. For the bands i used electrical tape for one then went out and bought some car pin stripe for the other. The pin stripe was a hundred times easier to work with. One of the better tips i picked up here.

I decided to sew up and rig one sail then decide if i want to continue with the rest or remove it based on how it comes out.

Edited October 14, 2016 by stripehunter

[DocBlake]

Good work! About the sails: I decided not to add them because I think they are grossly out of scale. It's your choice! You're the captain!

[stripehunter]

Got my anchors rigged and installed.   I spent the day with the admiral's sewing machine stitching up sails.  I suppose I could toss them in the trash and basically be done, but I think I'm going to string them up and have a look.

 

 

 

 

 

[Dutchman]

Great! Looking forward to see the outcome! I'm going to start on the rigging myself. Already seeing some illogical ways of attaching a halliards in the manual/riggingplan (through the mast!!!), so I'm looking for another way of doing that. Keep up the good work!

[stripehunter]

I agree there are some oddities there. I decided to just go with them and build pretty much as-is given my lack of experience. I think i'll be improvising a lot more when i get to the president.

[stripehunter]

I stained the sails to age them a bit by soaking them in Tea.  I read that somewhere, and like the outcome. my tet sail is centered unstained for comparison.

 

 

First sail rigged up:

 

With the jib added:

 

 

If all goes well I may have this completed within the next week.

[Dutchman]

looks great! 

[DocBlake]

Very nice job!

[stripehunter]

In preparation for the inevitable, I began work on a glass case to keep the dust off when I do get finished.  Used some clamps and angle iron pieces to keep everything lined up while the silicone cures.

 

 

 

[Dutchman]

Admirable! But, are you going to build a case for every model you're going to make? I might consider doing it for my ultimate goal; the HMS Surptise (from Jotika/Caldercraft if/when they release it. Or else from AL). But the others are going to collect dust, I'm afraid.

[Robin Lous]

Looks great!

 

Robin

[stripehunter]

I bought the swift kit a week shy of one year ago. Given my pace and the increasing complexity i plan on, i have lots of time to decide on that. Regardless this one will always be very special to me.

Got the top glued on this morning.