Bluenose by jre8655 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:100

[Timothy Wood]

A very nice job!   

 

Tim

[Cuda1949]

Got here late all I can say is WOW. Great Job.

 

Al

[jre8655]

Thank you all for the kind comments and encouragement.  Now comes the part of the build that I have no experience with; the rigging.

 

I am looking over the instructions and am at the point where I cut the fore mast, fore top mast, main mast, and main top mast.  It appears that these parts need a great deal of work before even thinking about joining them together.

 

There are several blocks that need to be tied to the masts and trestletrees and mast heads constructed.  I can see where the trestletrees should be built onto the main and fore masts before the blocks are tied.  I am scratching my head though as to the correct time to join the top masts to the construction.

 

I'm thinking that the main and fore masts should be built up to the trestletrees and then glued into the hull.  Am I correct in thinking that the shrouds should be rigged before adding the top masts?

 

I still have to taper these parts before proceeding.

[hopeful]

Nice, Jack. Very nice indeed! Look forward to the rigging of your BN.

 

Cheers,

Hopeful aka David

 

"There is wisdom in many voices".

[hamilton]

Hi Jack:

 

First of all, great work so far! I also replaced the anchor rigging (and the bobstay) with chain when I built this kit - it makes a big difference in the finished look.

 

As for the masts, approaches may differ, but mine is always to prepare the lower mast as much as possible prior to adding the topmast. At least you should NOT add the mast caps onto the masts before the topmast is ready to be fit. You will need to fit the mast caps at an appropriate position on the topmasts before adding the topmasts to the lower masts.

 

As for the shrouds, I've done it both ways - adding all masts and then starting on the rigging and rigging upward mast by mast. I prefer this second approach now because it avoids a lot of complications in positioning the lines. Adding the shrouds and stays before installing the lower masts, installing the masts rigging the shrouds and stays and then moving up. Doing this, though, you need to be careful to leave the opening in the trees for the topmast heel open and uncluttered by the shrouds & stays tied around....

 

I hope this makes sense....I haven't had a coffee yet....

hamilton

[jre8655]

Hamilton;

 

Thank you for the insight. I believe I will secure the Main and Fore Masts and then begin rigging the Shrouds and Stays before adding the top masts.

 

The parts to form the mast heads were, as I expected, not to the task.  The grain ran lengthwise through them and the holes were so misshapen that any attempt to drill or file them out would have resulted in a total failure of the part.  I opted, again, to manufacture my own parts.  I made them out of 2.5mm plywood.

After tapering the masts I measured the diameters and selected the appropriate drill sizes for the holes.  Once I had all the holes drilled for the four pieces I cut them to size and finished them.  Each one is specific to the locations they go.

 

Next I constructed the Trestletrees and added the cheek pieces.  The plans call for holes to be drilled in the longer cross members of the Trestletrees to accept rigging.  In this case I thought that drilling would weaken the piece so I installed eyebolts in the ends instead.

 

Next step is to add the blocks to the masts.

[hamilton]

Hi Jack:

 

Those mast caps look a lot different from the ones I had in my 1:100 Bluenose....at least from what I remember. Unfortunately, this was not a build that I extensively documents - I was building it on a schedule to give to a family friend as a birthday present....However, I do remember the quality of the dowels being very poor - very uneven grain and at this scale requiring a lot of gentleness and care in shaping the spars....

 

Anyway, it does build up into a very nice model once you get past some of these difficulties. Bye for now

hamilton

[jre8655]

Thus far, the only real problem I've encountered is with the Mahogany parts I've already mentioned.  The dowels in this particular kit have a very good grain structure and are, for the most part, very straight.  Two of the 5mm dowels had a slight curvature toward one end.  I found that I was able to use them by keeping the curve toward the upper end of the piece I was making.  In this way I eliminated the curve when I tapered the piece.

 

Building from this point on is probably going to be slow.  School is back in session here and we will be babysitting our two year old grandson while his mother (a teacher), father (a school administrator), and sister (starting Kindergarten) are all engaged.  Trying to keep a two year old out of your build is a chore.

[4whelr]

Jack,

Will say a prayer for you, two year olds can be a hand full! The up side is you will have time with your grandchild which, in my opinion, makes it all worth while! They grow up so fast it's scary!

Enjoy it while you can! The build will still be there when you can come back to it!

Eddie

[greatgalleons]

If you are interested in seeing the bluenose ship in action there is a 2 part movie on Netflix called the "Sea Wolf". I came across this show right after I finished my blue nose model and it really shows the scale of the working ship in comparison with the crew. Nice build by the way.

[jre8655]

Thanks for the information about the movies.  I'll have to check that out.

 

Over the past several days I've been assembling the masts.  Seems like every time I get ready to add another bit I realize there is something else that will have to be put in place below it before gluing it in place.  That includes the shrouds and stays.  So I'm putting all the various parts in place then will disassemble the construction and do a final reassemble before securing the masts in the hull.

 

Once I have the masts secured I can get on with the rigging.

[jre8655]

The masts are ready to be glued into the hull.  In one photo I have of the Bluenose I found that there is a collar (Boom Jaws Rest) on each mast.  The kit includes 20 brass rings (10 for each mast) to secure the Main and Fore Sails to their respective masts.  These rings were placed on the masts then the Boom Jaws Rests glued in place.  This really helped prevent the rings from dropping all the way to the deck and in the case of the Main Mast they would have rested inside the Fife Rail.

 

With the masts in this configuration I set about epoxied them into the hull.  On this model there is no rake to the masts so they are set perpendicular to the deck.  I cut some cardboard braces to size and secured them to each mast to hold the mast at 90 degrees while the epoxy set.

 

I believe I’m ready to move on to the booms, gaffs, and jaws.

[hamilton]

Looking great Jack!

hamilton

[jre8655]

I was away from this build for a little while.  I’m trying to plan ahead and thought that ultimately I would need to build a display case for the Bluenose.  We have a fantastic woodshop in our community so I spent the last two weekends over there getting to know some of the woodshop members and familiarizing myself with all the machinery.  They have everything you could want.

 

Found one of the members builds what he calls “toys.”  They are more like scale models rather than toys.  I’ve already been told by some of the other members that I’m as crazy as he is because of the small work I’m doing.  Guess I’m in good company.

 

Onward with the build; the jaws will have to be made from scratch (as with the mast caps) because the originals are cut from the same Walnut as was the Fife Rail.  In fact one of the jaws has already cracked when I removed it from the sheet. 

 

I used the scrap 1mm plywood for the jaws that I used for the mast caps.  Each jaw is cut to make two identical parts that are then glued together.  I now have a much better fit around each mast and can control the width and taper of the slots to better fit the boom or gaff it will go to.

 

The other task at hand is tying all the blocks that will be secured to the Bowsprit, masts, booms, and gaffs.  This is a tedious chore.  This must be what a rat’s nest looks like.  My mother always said that’s what my room looked like.

[Jan Sadlo]

Jack

I have been watching you progress on the Bluenose.  You are really quit a craftsman.  Being new to 

model building I am working on the We're Here by Bluejacket. It is very similar to the Bluenose.  

My question is what kind and brand of primer did you use on the hull. 

I really appreciate the step by step detail photos and text you share. 

Jan

[jre8655]

Jan,

 

I've been using the Model Expo Paints and Primer.

 

The primer coat was applied with a brush, sanded, and a second coat applied the same way.  The color paint was applied to the hull with an airbrush.  All the colors on the Deck Furniture was applied with a brush.

 

After airbrushing the red color on the hull I used 3M Automotive Masking Tape to mask off the water line, then applied the black using an airbrush.  The Model Expo Paint produced a very smooth surface and the masking tape created a beautiful, straight line.  Once the colors were done I used the Automotive Masking Tape for the water line, which was applied with a brush.

[Elia]

Jack,

 

I've just found, and have begun following, your Bluensoe build here.  I am very impressed with your work on it.  It is all very clean and crisp.  The phull shape, the planking, painting, everything.  I am impressed with how clean you've kept all of the small details.  I'm working on a schooner at more than twice the scale of your model and you've made it look easy.  Very very nice work.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[jre8655]

Elia,

 

Thank you for the kind remarks.  This is actually my first wood ship model build, but I've had some experience building wood model airplanes when I was a kid.  I'm finding that a great deal of the woodworking techniques used for the airplanes translates very nicely with the wood model ship.  One thing I caught onto very quickly is don't hurry.  When you get tired, put it down, walk away, then come back later.

 

Prime example; I had to suspend my build for a couple of weeks here because of some family health issues.  All is much better now and I’m actually somewhat refreshed with the build.

 

I found a scrap piece of oak one evening while at the community woodshop and decided that it would be good building material for a display stand for the Bluenose.  Using a band saw I striped it into 5/16” square rods and came up with a base resembling a pseudo dry dock bed.

 

The next step is to bend some strips to fit along the contour of the hull that will form a buttress for support beams.

 

Now I have to get back to seizing blocks.

 

[Jan Sadlo]

Jack

Thank you for sharing the information.

Jan

[jre8655]

Finished the display stand this afternoon.  It does have the desired look I wanted.

 

When the Admiral saw it she remarked, “It looks like what we saw in San Diego where they’re building that ship.”  She was referring to the San Salvador that the San Diego Maritime Museum is building.  So even she thinks it looks like a dry dock.  That’s praise enough for me.

 

What I discovered in building this was that I managed to get both sides of the hull very close in contour.  All the support pieces on the stand are identical Port and Starboard.  That pleased me.

[DBorgens]

Jack,

Great looking stand and it fits very well with your Bluenose. I need a stand or mine and you have provided an excellent option that doesn't look difficult to build.

 

Dave B

[hamilton]

Nice looking stand Jack - can't wait to see more of the rigging!

hamilton

[captainbob]

What I discovered in building this was that I managed to get both sides of the hull very close in contour.  All the support pieces on the stand are identical Port and Starboard.  That pleased me.

 

That is great.  I wish I could be as lucky more often.

 

Bob

[Yambo]

I wish I could be as lucky more often.

 

Bob

 

 

"The harder I work, the luckier I get."  Samuel Goldwyn

 

 

Excellent stand Jack!

Edited September 29, 2013 by Yambo

[jre8655]

Progress has been very slow.  I finally have all the Booms and Gaffs tapered, fitted with jaws, and rigged with their pulleys.  Additionally I have the Shrouds seized at the mastheads and ready to be rigged with the Deadeyes.

 

I acquired a Loom-a-line some time ago and have always scratched my head trying to figure out how to use the thing.  None of the holes really corresponded to the actual measurements of the model.  I did use it as a jig to hold my shrouds in place while seizing them for placement over the mastheads.  It gave me some very consistent spacing and held everything nicely while winding the seizing.

 

After completing the blocks, I noticed that on the plans the rigging for the Booms and Gaffs shows some of the pulleys in a “Gun Tackle” arrangement.  The instructions do not mention this and all the blocks are only single hole.  I selected some of the blocks that were originally drilled a little off center and drilled a second hole.  These will go in the locations needed for the Gun Tackle rigging.

 

I’m going to make a jig to hold the Deadeyes in place while securing the Shrouds.  I want to make sure that all the Shrouds are of the same length with the Deadeyes in place so the Channels are as close to the same as possible.  Once I have the Shrouds finished, I can start on the Ratlines.

 

Now my question is, when should I consider making and installing the sails?  I was thinking that once the Ratlines are in, the sails should be attached to the Booms and Gaffs then rig all of them in place.  Any suggestions?

 

[ZyXuz]

nice job on the launching way

[DBorgens]

Jack,

I made my sails early and set the main and fore sails to the masts and booms before starting rigging. I figured the easiest way to rig the mast hoops would be off the ship. It was easy and so far the sails have not interfered with rigging. I'm currently tying ratlines. I haven't posted any photos in my log for some time (shame!). I did post a method of seizing mast hoops in the mantling, rigging and sails forum, here. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/3288-seizing-mast-hoops/

Hope this helps.

 

Dave B

[hamilton]

Hi Jack:

 

I agree with Dan as far as the sails go - make them early. As I recall from building this kit, I had the mast hoops on the masts before adding the sails, though. This makes lacing them to the sails quite difficult (not impossible, just delicate). I definitely laced the sails to the booms/gaffs where appropriate (obviously unnecessary for the staysails, flying jibsail, jibsail, fore staysail. Anyway, I wish I had some photos of that part of the process, but i don't....it seems to be coming along very well in any case and I'm sure you'll get through the sails with some excellent results

hamilton

[bhermann]

Jack - for the foresail, the mainsail and the topmast sails (in short, everything that ties to the mast hoops), I agree that earlier in the process is better.  I am in the process of making the sails at this point, so can't speak from experience, it just feels right.  Lacing the sails to the mast hoops feels like the most difficult part of the process.  If it could be done off the model, great.  If not, it may be a bit finicky working inside the shrouds.  I'm not sure I see as much of a need for early on the various staysails.  At one time I thought about adding the hanks and getting the sails on the stays before attaching the stays, but as this is my first build it feels like an extra complication that would make setting up the stays that much more difficult.

 

In any case, I would definitely attach the "mast" sails before doing the ratlines, and if possible, before stepping the masts in place.

 

Bob

[jre8655]

Thank you all for your quick replies to my question.  I have not begun the tast of securing the Shrouds, much less the Ratlines, so I can stop rigging at this point and concentrate on making and installing the sails.

 

Sail making is one aspect I have no experience with.  I do have a copy of the "Making And Forming Sails For Your Model" that is posted in the archives.  I'll print that out and start doing my research.

 

Dave; I do remember reading your post on attaching the sails to the Mast Rings using a cow hitch.  I actually down loaded it and have it stored in my build folder.  Thank you.  At least I can roll the Shrouds up and clip them to the Mast Head to get them out of the way.

 

Bob; you pointed out that you attach the sails before stepping the masts.  The photos I posted were with the top masts in place.  These have not been glued in place yet and are easily removed.  I shall do so and continue.