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Benjamin W. Latham by matt.s.s. - Model Shipways 2109 - 1:48


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Welcome to my newest build log my friends. I picked the Benjamin W Latham because it's the largest model I have. It a 1:48 scale so I should have ample room for details.

 

With my Ranger bash there was virtually nothing left of the original model. With this bash I'm going to build most of everything, but leave it the same ship. I'm also going to take this one as far as I can with the details, adding any/everything that was on this fishing schooner. I like the look of real wood so I'll be staining, not painting, this model.

 

Launched on Oct 30, 1902, she was designed by Thomas F McManus(Boston) and built in the shipyard of Tarr & James(Essex, Massachusetts) for Captain Henry Langworth(Noank, Connecticut). She was built as a sailship and fitted with a 48-horsepower engine sometime during her 2nd or 3rd season. A 72 ton mackerel seiner, she had in tow one seine boat and accommodations for a crew of 15. As with most fishing vessels, most of her career was undocumented, finally lost off San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1943.

 

So take a seat and buckle up, we're going on a journey. I will attempt to make this build an intriguing one. Thank to everyone for all the help and encouragement I received on my previous builds, I welcome you all back again.

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Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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CaptainSteve pulls up a barrel and takes out a large pack of Nutz to snack on ...

"If this one is anything like yer Ranger, then I be sure not wanting to miss it !!"

:cheers:

Edited by CaptainSteve

CaptainSteve
Current Build:  HM Granado Bomb Vessel (Caldercraft)

My BathTub:    Queen Anne Barge (Syren Ship Models)       Log:  Queen Anne Barge (an build log)

                        Bounty Launch (Model Shipways)                 Log:  Bounty Launch by CaptainSteve
                        Apostol Felipe (OcCre)
                        HMS Victory (Constructo)
Check It Out:   The Kit-Basher's Guide to The Galaxy

Website:          The Life & Boats of CaptainSteve

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Barrel?  I'm grabbing a stool near the workbench.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Think I'll plop down on this here rope coil and open my box of popcorn. This will be good. ;)

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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I like this boat, I hope you don't mind me following along. I'll have to find somewhere to sit or hang out :D.

-Elijah

 

Current build(s):

Continental Gunboat Philadelphia by Model Shipways

https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/15753-continental-gunboat-philadelphia-by-elijah-model-shipways-124-scale/

 

Completed build(s):

Model Shipways Phantom

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?showtopic=12376

 

Member of:

The Nautical Research Guild

N.R.M.S.S. (Nautical Research and Model Ship Society)

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Welcome a board CaptainSteve, Mark, Buck, Ken and Elijah!

 

So we're off! Thankfully after a couple builds fairing ain't so bad. I got the keel-stem assembly(yep, that's the term they use) and bulkheads together squared and true. Transom turned out well, after a soak and steam. I got an idea from my son and used an old hair iron for bending. This worked surprisingly well.

 

So instead of jumpin right in I'm going to study up a bit and take my time on planking. I really like how the double planking turned out on my pirate ship so I may do this again. Since I'm staining. I'm considering using several contrasting woods to get a contrast. So I'm off to start this process.

 

post-17116-0-08809300-1463026783_thumb.jpegpost-17116-0-80317000-1463026807_thumb.jpegpost-17116-0-26271000-1463026819_thumb.jpegpost-17116-0-11709300-1463026830_thumb.jpeg

Edited by matt.s.s.

Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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This makes into a very nice model and a very large model, when I made it all those years ago. Have fun, and a really good start to Matt.

Thank You all...

 

Mario

 

 

:piratetongueor4:  :piratetongueor4:

"Each of us is a mixture of some good and some not so good qualities. In considering one's fellow man it's important to remember the good things ... We should refrain from making judgments just because a fella happens to be a dirty, rotten SOB(biscuit) ;) "

 

 

 

My Builds....

 

BETTEAU WAR OF 1812     BOUNTY LAUNCH(bashed)    CHESAPEAKE BAY FLATTIE

 

THE SEA of GALILEE BOAT   VICTORIAN STEAM LAUNCH(bashed)    HOWARD CHAPELLE's CRABBING SKIFF

 

LADY KATHRINE 1812 SCHOONER

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Great start, Matt. Looks like the rabbet was neatly built in with the way the keel-stem assembly attaches.

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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The Benjamin W. Latham makes into a pretty model.  And leaves much to the imagination on the amount of detail you wish to do.  I found that Chappelle's American Fishing Schooners invaluable in building her.  Have fun.

David B

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I bought a Benjamin W. Latham kit almost 20 years ago and never finished it.  It was the second kit I purchased - the first being the Phantom.  In the course of moving from Virginia, to Iceland, to Hawaii, and then to Florida, I'm not sure i even have all of the pieces anymore.  I made a lot of mistakes in construction, as resources like this were less available back then, but I've learned a lot looking though these build logs, and i plan on picking it up again and finishing as much as can be done before moving on to the other kits I have in waiting.  I'll be very interested in following your progress!

 

Stubby

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep."

- Psalm 107:23-24 (KJV)

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Thanks Mario, Ken, CH, David, Stubby and to everyone for the likes and encouragement.

 

I'm definitely going to double plank, but I'm taking my time doing a decent first plank for the practice. I decided to hack off the bulkhead/stanchions points since I'm staining and they are ply, which doesn't look good when stained. I'll build all the stanchions and install them later on.

 

The next step was making a solid plank sheer since the models piece had cutouts for the stanchion points. It took a minute to visualize how the plank sheer met up to the transom.

post-17116-0-47195900-1463629141_thumb.jpegpost-17116-0-87132600-1463629156_thumb.jpeg

 

Next was to divide the planking into belts and lay them out with battens. Measurements were taken at each bulkhead and evenly spaced ticks were drawn on.

 

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The top six planks (7 at aft deck) were fairly simple to install since they were all close in size. I only had to spill a few of them. Now I'm off to the next belt of 6 planks,

 

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Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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Matt, I like the look of the "to scale" planking.

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Matt,

 

Wow!  You're moving right along.  I'll be interested to see how the double planking works; I didn't do that on my build.  I also like the idea of hacking off the stanchions.  They were a pain to shape and match to the rest of the non-bulkhead stanchions when they were added.

 

Stubby  

"They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep."

- Psalm 107:23-24 (KJV)

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Thanks Ken, Stubby, Sam and everyone for the likes and words of encouragement.

 

I know, I know...I broke the rules and used CA for the first planking. However, the lines of this ship are smooth and gradual. That, and making the planks more true to scale, made things so much easier.

 

post-17116-0-76922500-1463948340_thumb.jpeg

 

Now I'm left with a very nice, smooth and flowing surface to double plank. I've been reading MS's book 'Planking the Built-up Ship Model', and I highly recommend it. Made my first stealers which turned out ok, except I should have done one more(note the sliver). But hey, that's what practice is for.

 

post-17116-0-54066100-1463948380_thumb.jpeg

 

As I mentioned previously, instead of painting, I plan on leaving finished wood instead. I would like to use different materials to accentuate where these color changes are made. Next up, the decks.

 

 

 

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Edited by matt.s.s.

Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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NIce planking, Matt.  It looks good enough to just finish it and not add the second layer.  

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Thanks Mark. I think my main reason to double plank is for coloring. But, as with my other builds, things could change at any moment.

Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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What are your thoughts on the 2nd planking? Walnut, cherry or some more exotic hardwood?

Ken

Started: MS Bounty Longboat,

On Hold:  Heinkel USS Choctaw paper

Down the road: Shipyard HMC Alert 1/96 paper, Mamoli Constitution Cross, MS USN Picket Boat #1

Scratchbuild: Echo Cross Section

 

Member Nautical Research Guild

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Thank you daddyrabbit1954, Ken, CH, Elia and all those who've pushed the like button.

 

Well Ken, no clue yet. I have piles of veneer, and no clue what most of them are. I've been spinning ideas through my head, maybe split the hull on the waterline with two colors, same thing on the deck.

 

I have to go through my supply and start cutting strips to see how workable they are. I want to make this one lighter than the ol pirate ship.

Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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Thanks Sam. I've painted a couple of boats in the past and I'm starting to like the look of wood. Kinda makes me take longer to make it look good.

Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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Beautiful! job on your first planking, like Mark said ..."good enough to put a finish on"     nice work Matt

 

frank

completed build: Delta River Co. Riverboat     HMAT SUPPLY

                        

                         USRC "ALERT"

 

in progress: Red Dragon  (Chinese junk)

                      

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Thank you Frank and Buck. I always enjoy hearing from a couple of master-craftsmen.

 

So I decided on these two woods(cherry and yellow poplar I think) and will split these on the waterline.

 

post-17116-0-39239200-1464756954_thumb.jpeg

 

Got the keel/stem and stern post covered as well as a portion of the planking below the waterline.

 

post-17116-0-37671200-1464756967_thumb.jpegpost-17116-0-19899300-1464757029_thumb.jpeg

 

More to come soon.

 

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Matt - aka The Squirrel Whisperer

 

Current builds - Benjamin W. Latham by Matt

 

Competed builds - USS Ranger by Matt

HMS Bounty Launch by Matt

18th Century 10" Sea Mortar by Matt

18th Century Naval Smoothbore by Matt

 

Future builds - Willie L. Bennett Chesapeake Bay skipjack (MS) Half Moon (Corel) Emma C Berry Lobster Smack (MS)US Brigantine Eagle (Corel) New Bedford Whaleboat (MS)

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She should look real good with your choices of wood

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