Armed Virginia Sloop by Hill202 - Model Shipways - scale 1:48

[Hill202]

Slow progress because apparently "it's impolite to work on your model, when family is visiting". 

 

The deck is not glued down yet. I'm working on drawing the knight heads notches. The tab is broken off the deck at the tip. I am going to get the plans out and trace the tip and install the missing piece so I can properly mark for the notches. The remaining notches in the main deck or somewhat over sized but that's all covered by waterways and decking so I'm not worried about it...much.

 

I have no idea how I managed to mess up that notch on the port side at bh A.

Edited October 25, 2016 by Hill202

[Robin Lous]

Looks good, but take it easy. Slow is good, nobody here expects you to finish it anytime soon.

 

Give all you do some thought...before you do it.

 

I love your enthousiasm, but you move like a steamroller...and that's scary.

 

Robin

[Hill202]

Jo,if the picture is right the false deck hatch opening supposed to be on the other side,I mean on the port side.

 

Thanks, yes  I was just dry fitting it to show the tab broken. But thanks for looking out for me!

Edited October 25, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

Looks good, but take it easy. Slow is good, nobody here expects you to finish it anytime soon.

 

Give all you do some thought...before you do it.

 

I love your enthousiasm, but you move like a steamroller...and that's scary.

 

Robin

 

I'm trying to keep up with MichaelB 

Edited October 25, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

I'm cranking the steamroller back up. Marking the notches for the timber head and knight head is proving to be a little difficult. My deck alignment somewhat made the notches not quite align. The knight head looks to be too close to the stem. 

 

Edit- Comparing it to Brian's. I guess I'm close.

 

 http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8085-armed-virginia-sloop-by-gunthermt-finished-model-shipways-scale-148/page-4#entry246213

Edited October 28, 2016 by Hill202

[DocBlake]

Joe:  Don't worry about the fit of the notches at the bow, or even the fact that one broke off.  This will all be covered by the waterways and decking and will not show at all on the finished model.

 

As to the scuttle location:  It's your call!  The AVS is a fictitious vessel.  Dr. Feldman drew the plans with the scuttle on the port side, but you're the captain of your ship, and a scuttle on the starboard side is absolutely appropriate.

[Hill202]

One small obstacle I have been having, is the lack of scrap basswood. My experience from rc planes is mostly balsa and some spruce. I ordered a few basswood planks from a supplier that I found online. I'm not sure if they are a sponsor here. My thoughts were that I wanted plenty of extra to practice with and also I did not want to be in a position where I was forced to use a bad cut plank due to the lack of wood.

 

For some reason I did not order a block of basswood. I wish I had because I would practice cutting the knight head rabbets. ( I've been calling them notches). I think its important for a beginner, like me, to practice with some wood before shaping or notching any basswood, especially if you are not accustomed to working with it. Not that it's difficult to work with, it's just different.

 

Just a thought that may help a future beginner.

Edited October 28, 2016 by Hill202

[GuntherMT]

If you have a Hobby Lobby near you, they sell packages of random sized blocks of basswood (some fairly large) for under 10 bucks.  If that fails, you can get them from various wood working places, as carvers use it a lot.

 

You can get a 10lb 'grab bag' box of basswood from Woodcraft if you have one near you (or you could order it online, but shipping might suck).

 

http://www.woodcraft.com/product/149262/basswood-grab-box.aspx

[Hill202]

The notches are cut. I think wood filler and a little adjusting will correct any issues. I also included a pic of my practice rabbet. I realize it was just 4 simple notches. I'm just trying to heed the advice to slow down.

 

I think I'll wait to glue the deck down until after the posts are installed and then just trim the deck to the posts.

Edited October 29, 2016 by Hill202

[GuntherMT]

I highly recommend pinning those 4 pieces in place.  Even if you manage to get the notches to perfectly fit the pieces (I sure didn't) they will still be natural weak points and very easy to knock off without pinning them.

[Hill202]

Thanks Brian, I saw where you pinned them. I agree it's a good idea. I definitely plan on doing it. 

[Hill202]

My busy schedule has slowed the building down,some. I have the deck glued down and the Knights heads and timber heads made and will be glueing them in today. I will have photo updates later today.

[DocBlake]

Joe:  I didn't pin the knightheads and timberheads.  I used 5 minute epoxy.  The next step is adding planking that defines the wales.  Once installed, the planking "locks" the knightheads and timberheads in their mortises, and there is no danger of knocking them loose.

 

I use 5 minute epoxy that comes in two separate bottles, so mixing it is easy, even in small batches.  I bought it at Michael's or Hobby Lobby.  Most 5 minute epoxy comes in a syringe that dispenses resin and hardener at the same time - messy, and inaccurate.  Get the separate bottles!  I use the epoxy for tons of things on my models!

[Hill202]

Dave, I read your post and put the brakes on. I'm going to use epoxy also. Thanks for the advice.

 

Regarding pinning them, hats off to Brian for doing such a neat, clean job pinning them. For me, it looked to be a disaster waiting to happen. I could see me screwing up that filler block somehow. Not to mention drilling into 3/32 wood and gluing a pin in. Perhaps you guys are all surgeons? 

 

Edited

Edited November 2, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

I do have some 30 minute epoxy leftover from the plane days. I'm not sure what it's shelf life is, this stuff is 5 years old, but never opened. Once this stuff gets into the rabbet, it's not coming out easily.

Edited November 2, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

I just stuck a bunch of pins in the deck while it dried.

[Hill202]

The knight heads and timber heads are installed. I used 30 min. epoxy ( what I had on hand). They are not perfect but I believe a plank will lay across them like it should. There is still some fairing to do. It looks like I have more work to do on the stem post. I think I read where I need to cut a rabbet into the stem post as well.

 

So far, I've not had any problem following the practicum. I've been comparing it to the kit instructions and the practicum is much easier to follow.

Edited November 4, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

Reminder to myself - Several forgot about the scuppers. I need to figure out what a scupper is and when and where it goes.

 

I'm learning the terminology as I go. Its strange to me, to see every other board with its own name.

[DocBlake]

Joe:  Read ahead a bit and the practicum will explain each of the terms. There is also a cross section drawing through the bulwarks showing the location and sizes of the bulwark planking, the waterways, the spirketing plank, the black starke, the wale and the hull planking!  The scuppers are holes through the bulwark that allow water that has found it's way on deck to drain overboard.  The scuppers on the AVS are through the waterways, and exit the bulwark through the black strake.

[Mike40]

Great progress Joe, and a nice fix on the notch. 

[Hill202]

I would like to discuss the technique you guys are using to apply the planks. 

 

The first plank that is installed 1/8 inch below the deck line only needs to be bent at the bow. I have practiced on a few using heat, with decent results. I would soak the end that I was bending for just a few minutes and then bend it using the heated plank bender. This process was pretty much drying the plank back out as well.

 

A few questions to the guys here that are not using heat:

 

Are you guys soaking the end for a good while and then bending it by hand?

Are you pinning it wet and letting it dry before glueing?

The practicum mentions soaking the entire plank, are you guys doing that?

 

It appears that after the bow you can just push the board around and glue it, without wetting it.

 

I apologize for all the questions but I want to follow the technique you guys are using, so maybe I can get similar results.

 

Thanks

[GuntherMT]

By the end of my planking, I was using heat only except in the case of extremely tight bends, where I would apply both water and heat.

 

I don't care for the water 'expanding' the wood, meaning that if you don't have it perfectly dry when you apply it, you'll end up with gaps as the wood will shrink as it dries.

 

I do know that lots of people make very good models using only water, but I prefer heat.  I use a heat-gun, not the electric plank-bender, although I did start out with one of those.

 

System:  Fire up the heat gun (it has a built in stand to prop it up) and then hold the plank in front of it while holding the bend into the wood.  When I think the bend is about right, move it away from the heat and let it cool.  The planks will cool very rapidly.  Once cooled, the bend will be part of the wood, so test fit, and repeat as needed.  Depending on the bend I used flat bladed pliers with no cross-hatch to mark the wood to hold one or both ends as needed.

 

For edge bending, go to the planking sub-forum and do a search for Chuck's planking video that is posted there.  He uses heat only and his system works really well for me.

[Hill202]

I extended the rabbet through the stem post.

[Hill202]

This is a dry fit of the first 1/4 plank. When I align it on the marks on the bulkheads, the inside line does not follow the bow in the deck. The practicum says this line should follow the deck line.

[Hill202]

I remarked the bulkheads and I believe I have it corrected. I had to edge bend this plank a little so it could rise up at the stern without stressing the plank.

[DocBlake]

Joe:  That plank is the most important plank in the entire process.  You have to get it right, because it defines the sheer profile of the wales (and the subsequent planking). With your remarking it looks like you nailed it.  Great job!  If you want to see how this plank can be installed incorrectly, read my log over at the Lauck Street forum and see how I screwed it up!

[Hill202]

Thanks Dave, I have been reading your log.

 

I may be wrong but I can't find any build log on the AVS that mentions edge bending that first plank. The practicum does not mention doing it either. It makes me wonder if I'm the only one that had to.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Hill202

[Hill202]

In that last photo I have the bottom of the plank too high at the stern. It is supposed to lay where the bottom edge is even with the joint between the wing transom and filler piece. It still would've had to be edge bent.

[Hill202]

That one in the pic was a trial run with pre-bending the board. I am going to clamp one that has been soaking and let it dry to form. Suitable clamps are proving to be an issue.

[Hill202]

I let the 1/4 inch plank soak for 2 hours and have it clamped to the hull. I will let it dry overnight and see how it forms tomorrow.

 

There has got to be a better way. 

 

I'm going to try Dave's steam iron trick next.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Hill202