HM Cutter Cheerful 1806 by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Syren Ship Model Company - 1:48 scale

[Kurt Johnson]

Very nicely done, in typical B.E. fashion.

 

Kurt 

[Seventynet]

B.E. (and Kurt) you are just so darn inventive. I wish I was behind you guys so I could benefit from your ideas but I’m well into hull planking now. The only small suggestion I can make is that when it comes to thinning the stern flank pieces, think about using a jewelry saw instead of a dremel drum to get very close to where you need to be. I just didn’t trust myself to hit the adjacent stern frames. Worked perfectly and reduced the sawdust and noise fury.

 

Ian 

[MEDDO]

 Excellent work as always B.E.    When you said ports, I thought you had meant gun ports.  When I was looking at them I started to wonder how they would get a gun all the way up to that area because that large curve up from the deck. Then I went and looked at the reference pictures on the Syren site and realize that there were no guns in that area.

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys,

Thanks Ian, that's a good idea re thinning the stern frames, one slip with the dremel could be very nasty indeed.

@ Michael, I've wondered as well, are they supposed to fulfil the role as gun ports, how would guns fit and be secured, if not for guns what are they for? maybe things will become clearer later, I haven't really looked that far ahead.

 

B.E.

[Kurt Johnson]

It doesn’t clear up concerning those ports. The forward most ports have regular guns, but I can’t imagine how you could fight them either, they’re shoe horned in there.

 

I was very leary of thinning those frames, I have a very fine fret saw blade that should do the trick. Thanks.

 

[Landlubber Mike]

Very nicely done BE.  The stern to me is one of those make or break parts of the model, and it looks like you executed it flawlessly. 

[Blue Ensign]

Those Stern ports are still niggling  Kurt, other examples of cutters show a small aft platform covering the Rudder head on which stern chaser guns are mounted. There is an example of such an arrangement in The Naval Cutter Alert book by Peter Goodwin, showing a cutter model circa 1785 (The Science Museum)

Still I've more pressing matters on my mind at present but I may return to the subject later.

@ Mike, 'flawlessly' - if only

Post 11

Square Tuck, and completion of Chapter Two.

The Square Tuck piece was easily cut from 1/32" sheet Boxwood using a scalpel. 

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I briefly wet the piece before clamping it in position overnight to give a bit of conformation and to take the stress out before gluing.

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Glued into place using pva.

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There is a subtle concave shape to the Square Tuck piece once it is glued into place.

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A Balsa infill was placed behind the Square Tuck piece as indicated in the Instructions.

Now the tricky bit, getting the formation around the two outer stern frames properly faired to take the wale termination, struggling a little to get my head around this at the moment.

 

B.E.

03/02/2018

 

[rdsaplala]

Hi B.E.,

 

Just catching up with your latest build, you're off to an excellent start, that's shaping up to be one slick-looking hull

[Kurt Johnson]

Coming along very nicely. We’re pretty much at the same place. I’m planning to put a bamboo treenail in the first wale layer at each bulkhead since I had to spend so much time with the warping. Probably won’t do anything other than make me feel better. 

 

Kurt

 

 

I can’t figure out how to place images where I want them with regards to text.

[Blue Ensign]

Good shots Kurt, I see I have some way to go to fair down the section of the outer stern frames between the last bulkhead and the Square Tuck piece. Your base layer wale looks good, I'll be pleased when that part is over.

ps: do you have a log on the forum?

 

B.E.

[DelF]

Hi B.E.

 

Just found (and am admiring) your latest build. I first came across your work when I was struggling with my Royal Caroline. I'd given up on the kit version of the ship's boat and I was searching for inspiration on the forum. Your superb use of the scaled down MS Pinnace kit for your Pegasus was just what I needed and I shamelessly copied your idea, albeit at the slightly more forgiving 1:48 scale. I've got the added bonus of the pinnace kit to look forward to when I (eventually?!) finish the Royal Caroline. I subsequently read your Pegasus log from start to finish, and still frequently dip into it for ideas and inspiration (and to chuckle at your emojis and dry wit!).

 

I'm interested to see that you're also a Proxxon fan. I couldn't manage half as well without my Proxxon tools, particularly the micro-mill, spar lathe and bandsaw - especially in terms of accuracy. I was interested to see that you have now gone for both their planer and their thicknesser. I'd wondered about adding one or both to my workshop but was concerned that they might be slightly too beefy for the small scales we work at. How have you found them so far? By the way, thanks for the tip on the German supplier - I hadn't realised we could save so much over UK prices.

 

Anyway, many thanks for taking the time and trouble to share your builds - it's much appreciated.

 

Derek

[Kurt Johnson]

No, as of now I don't have a build. When I start reading builds I find them almost addictive waiting for the next installment. That is the case with your builds. I really find it a disappointment when a build you are following closely suddenly stops and leaves you hanging. I started this model almost 2 years ago and it sat for a year and a half untouched ( I have no idea why), and that's when it decided to warp. I have started many model projects that just abruptly stopped for no valid reason other than I became interested in something else. One of my challenges with this beautiful model is to see it through to completion. I have worked on hundreds of models over the years and finished one or two, and I feel this is one of the finest I have ever seen. After reading Longridge's Victory, and Underhill's Leon 2 or 3 times over the years, I have always wanted to create something like that. My personal dream would be a 74. Hopefully, I'll complete this. That is my goal. One regret I have with this project is that I didn't get all the wood before hand. All my old sources are no more, and it is getting harder to obtain decent wood. I'm presently waiting on some from Wood Project Source so we'll see how that works out. I only have a small amount of 3/64 inch for planking. I have a few pieces of 1/16 inch, but I'm very reluctant to reduce it and then really need 1/16 inch. So that's my story.

 

Regards,

Kurt

 

[Blue Ensign]

Kind of you to say so Derek, I'm glad my stuff has been of help to you.

 

I haven't used either the planer or thicknesser very much yet, but they certainly have their uses on the model makers bench. The thicknesser is ideal for thinning down sheet and strip stuff when what you've got is just a tad too thick, but it is quite an expensive bit of kit.

I have used the planer more, particularly for reducing square stuff to specific sizes and cleaning and squaring up stuff for scratch building. Much easier than trying to hand plane smallish lengths of timber.

The Mill is a very useful tool, and I wouldn't be without it, but the machine I've used most is the scroll saw, wouldn't have liked to attempt the frames for the 1:64 scale Pinnace and Longboat for Pegasus without it.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

 

 

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Kurt, I hope my build continues to hold your interest; my Pegasus build was seven years in the doing, although I did also fit in a French Seventy-four conversion during the build.

Running out of model space now so  I intend to take my time with Cheerful, but I don't think I will be able to resist Chuck's  Royal Barge when it becomes available.

 

B.E.

[DelF]

Thanks again B.E. I used a jeweller's piercing saw to cut out the frames for the pinnace and spent most of the time threatening to get a scroll saw. However I'd just spent rather a lot on one of my other hobbies (astronomy) and felt it politic not to upset Senior Management. So I struggled on.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 12

Preparation for the Wale.

To mark the lower wale edge I  gave the trial strip a lateral curve using wet and heat, hoping to take some of the fight out of it when fixing to the bulkheads.

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It strikes me that this could be left temporarily in situ as a guide rail to fix the actual lower Boxwood Wale strip on top of it to follow the correct sheer.

Any of my fellow Cheerful builders got any thoughts on this, any potential snags envisaged in following this approach?

 

B.E.

 

07/02/2018

 

[Kurt Johnson]

I just marked the line, but you could leave the strip intact. If you've pre-bent the first several inches of the wale at the bow, it pretty much takes the shape easily without much fuss. We're just about even. Looking good.

 

Kurt

[Rustyj]

I did it like Kurt did but I don't see why you couldn't leave it place. 

[alde]

She looks really nice BE. I have this kit and all the accessories sitting on the shelf right over my work bench staring back at me every day. I have 3 projects going right now but am itching to start a new one. I'll follow along with you until I decide what to do.

[MEDDO]

Looks great.  For some reason I thought that leaving a "temporary" strip to place the permanent wales on was normal practice for modeling.  Then removing it prior to any lower planking.

[Kurt Johnson]

I think its just a matter of preference. What ever you feel comfortable with. The next step is a 1/16 inch strip for molding just below the gun ports, that for some reason has me feeling a little apprehensive. Not sure why.

 

Kurt

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks for your responses guys.

Leaving the strip in place seemed a logical thing to do given the time spent getting the line right but as there had been no mention of doing this it set a doubt in my mind that there was some issue I hadn't considered.

With the strip in place the  boxwood 'proper' strip can be pressed down into position without having to watch for slippage below the line whilst gluing, and the guide strip can also be used to assist holding the wale strip in place.

Only thing I can see as a possible problem is the risk of excess glue sticking the wale to the guide strip.

 

I'll give it a go. 

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 13

Fixing the Wales

The 5/32" x 3/64" milled Boxwood Strips provided by Jason, are a pleasure to work with.

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The forward end was given a little  water/heat treatment to impart a tension free curve around the bow, but along the sheer the strips sat down on the guide strip without much pressure.

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I left the guide strips in situ during fixing the lower wale strip which I found to be useful. The push pin heads held the wale strip close to the bulkheads whilst the glue set, and wooden pegs held the strip down tight on the guide.

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The second upper layer of the wale is added.

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Paint considerations

At this time painting around and inside the gun ports is suggested, mainly I suspect because once the moulding strip  below the ports, and the bulwarks are planked, painting the small rebate around the ports without marring the Boxwood would be difficult.

This doesn't fully address the issue tho'  as I can imagine there will need to be a fair bit of touching up following the thinning down of the bulwark interiors.

 

I have used the paint mix I used for my Long boat build to lay down an initial coat of paint, but doubt I have enough for Cheerful . These days I am always careful to make sure I have enough to finish the job when using a mix, something that has caught me out on a previous project.

 

I've ordered a few paint samples to run a test, if I can find a ready mixed paint that fits the bill, all the better.

 

B.E.

12/02/2018

[Kurt Johnson]

Looking great. I just started the first plank above the wale.I highly recommend heat bending the planks with a hair dryer ala Chuck Passaro. It’s the first time I tried it and it worked like a charm! Best part is there isn’t any wait to use the plank. There are videos on MSW, under Chuck’s planking videos.

 

Kurt

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Kurt, I'm well acquainted with Chuck's magic hairdryer method, use it all the time. What an asset he is to us ship modellers.

I've been thinking ahead today about the False Deck and I realise that I don't have the material for this as yet. Chuck used 1/16" Basswood sheet which would need to be some 6" wide x 16" long.

We don't have such sizes in the UK readily available, although 1.5mm x 100mm x 1000mm  sheets are.

Looks like at least over here I will have to glue two sheets together to form the false deck, not really a problem, and I will have the centre line clearly marked.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

 

 

[Kurt Johnson]

I’ve read your builds, but I couldn’t recall whether or not you had used it. It was my first time and I am really pleased with it. It’s kind of funny that we use the Imperial system and you no longer do. When I was in college there was rumbles of going metric, but the excuse was retooling for industry would cost to much. Industry lobbies have a lot of clout. I can use both, but visually can guesstimate better in inches. I never could convert Celcius in my head though. 

 

Kurt

[Blue Ensign]

Although I have to work in metric, our materials are now mostly sold in metric, I still think in imperial.

Weights in particular I visualise in imperial, and I also still  convert petrol in litres to gallons in my head as I’m filling the car up. Old habits die hard.

Maybe we’ll convert back when we leave th E.U. - but I’m not holding my breath. 

 

B.E.

 

Edited February 13, 2018 by Blue Ensign

[davyboy]

Hi BE,your Cheerful is coming along nicely. Have you considered using 1.5 mm ply for the false deck it's only 5 thou thinner and you can cut it in one piece out of a sheet. I did for mine it worked a treat,just epoxied it down. I had the same problem as you with the bow fillers just added a thin piece on top. Thought I'd made a booboo as I'm scratch building mine except for the windlass. Building is on hold just now until I have the cataract op on my left eye next month. My vision just now with one good and one bad eye leaves much to be desired as my specs are now useless.

 

Regards and keep up the good work.

 

Dave 

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Dave, I did have a quick look for 1.5mm ply in the UK, but nothing immediately came up. I suppose the advantage of Lime wood / Basswood is that it’s easy to cut.

 

Best wishes for a successful op in March and a speedy return to your build.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[davyboy]

Hi BE,if you are interested have a look at this website. www.massiv-holz-werkstatt.de 

 

He has a large selection of timbers at good prices, eg a 1000mm x 200mm x 1.5 mm plank of Linde (Limewood) would cost €7.30 +p&p.

I bought all the Pearwood for my Cheerful build from him,excellent quality it is too. He says he will cut wood to any size you wish,so

I guess he would do Imperial sizes if you asked. He does speak English,however his website is in German. I did my order by email and

bank transfer.

On his homepage click on Produkte,then scroll down to Brettchen (planks) all are from .5mm to 50mm thick x 1000 x 100 mm.

I've no connection to his company just a happy customer. My order arrived within a few days of payment.

 

Kind regards and thank you for your good wishes, 

 

Dave