Charles W Morgan by texxn5 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:64

[popeye the sailor]

I can just picture you doing that........

[texxn5]

Hey Popeye......it's happening......actually this is fun ....... I have about 400 bricks looking at me........

[popeye the sailor]

good!   if they speak to you.........shoot 'em! :D

[texxn5]

Here's an update to the brick laying.  Have had some honeydo's and Admiral time, so not progressing as quickly as it could.  I'm pleased so far.  Lot's of details to go yet, this is prominent focal point on the deck once installed.....yes, Augie.....fiddly little stuff.....fortunately, Piet has given me ideas how to do some things so, it should get interesting...more later hopefully......

[texxn5]

Hi Popeye....got the .38 near by.....hope they don't get wise.....

[Landlubber Mike]

Really nice work John.  Thanks also for sharing the pictures of the actual ship - gives a lot of food for thought on how to improve it.  Great job!

[texxn5]

As I am reviewing post #1170 above, it shows a clear picture of the Miller Lite cardboard brick mortar.  The strips glue in on top of each layer of brick, set back from the edge around .5-1mm.  Each brick has to be sanded on the ends to square them up since cutting them is never perfectly straight when using the chopper and the PVA glue is absorbed quickly by the cardboard so you must work rather quick.  I lay about 3 or 4 bricks at a time, then square them up and try to get them level.  The cooktop and cauldrons are going to be a challenge to say the least.  Might start that later in the day should I get the opportunity...

[texxn5]

Thanks Mike, I am going to include some pictures of the real Tryworks front, which shows the sides with the wooden insulator boards in place....

[riverboat]

Nice work John

Frank

[Charley54]

John.. all I've got to say is " I have got to get me one of these!".. Your work is ingenious. I love this ship more and more. I think the C.W. just went to the top of my short list for my next build.

 

Of course I do need to find some time to wotk on my Syren first.

 

Charley

[texxn5]

Thank you Frank and Charley.  Charley, I would highly reccomend this as your next ship.  It has been a lot of fun to build it and repricate the structures.  I have alway liked this ship since I was a kid.  Even though I live in South Texas, I have been abord the Morgan 4 times, the last being in September of this year.  There is a lot of reference material available, and the MS kit was designed by Ben Langford and approved by  Mystic Seaport of America where the ship is located and currently undergoing a 5 year restoration.  I'm having a ball building this ship.....and learning so much more than I knew prior to this.. sometimes you can find MS models on ebay and save a little money..enjoy

[Piet]

Moi?  What ideas did I give your John - - - hmmmm oh yes, good Belgian beer - - - that's it isn't it John ?      

 

Your masonry looks splendid, now to paint it and weather it.  Some soot maybe?  You gonna have a wood pile too for the fires?  Or did they use cole?  

 

Cheers,

[augie]

That's a good question, Piet.  Maybe they used whale oil?????

[popeye the sailor]

wow!  I missed your last progress photo........it looks really good!   there is some nice texture to it and shows the mortar definition quite well.

      once filled in,  and indented,  you could use a fine tipped white paint pen to define the mortar............you certainly stir so many ideas to accomplish this............YES!!!!    it can be done! 

[SkerryAmp]

John, John, John.... leapt RIGHT over to the darkside, did not pass go....

 

NICELY done though.   Nicely done.   can see it really shaping up and should look outstanding once it is on!!

[popeye2sea]

So, now your a bricklayer too?  Fantastic work.  It really amazes me how many skills we learn and employ in miniature in order to build these models.

[texxn5]

Yes Piet, you got it right Belgian Ale.....Proost

[texxn5]

Augie and Piet.....I'm actually not sure what they used to fuel the fire....I hadn't thought about it....I don't know if whale oil could get hot enough without something else to feed it.. I don't recall the use of coal when at the museum ...good question....I'll have to check that out.  I would think that wood would be too cumbersome and take up a lot of room.....whale oil is sounding more realistic...and readily available to this ship....

[texxn5]

Thanks Popeye I'm glad you mentioned the white paint pen, I'm going to be at the hobby store this afternoon and I'll pick one up.  You are right about this stirring up lots of ideas for doing this, and I appreciate everyone's input.....looks like it stirs up some interest in everyone...

[texxn5]

Hi Adam, hmmmm scratch.......well to be truthful, about 90% or more of this build is (I hate to use the word here)......ewwwww---- is sratch built.   OK, there I've said it...Other than a few laser cut items, Primarily bulkheads and keel and a few Brittania parts, it's all sticks.  Of course there are the plans and a limited instruction book, but those could be obtained anywhere if one were scratching.................thanks for the kind words....

[texxn5]

Hi Henry, good to hear from you.  Yeah, this week I'm a brick layer and a blacksmith.....many "hats" worn by this group.  To me that is one of the great things to enjoy as we build our ships......glad I'm not in Boston this time of year....brrrrr  Stay warm my friend 

[popeye the sailor]

the holes at the top......are they for these 'kettles'....or are they openings to vats?   I notice there is some sort of piping coming out of the side.......I wonder if they are for the draining of the oil after it is boiled down.    the blubber must simply be thrown into the vats,  boiled to release the fat {oils},   and the renders are later removed........wouldn't want to be doing that part of the task.......yuck!

[SkerryAmp]

hehe John, it is funny that you mention that.   I think 90% of wooden ship building is scratch building although people don't look at it that way because it is in a kit and like you said there are plans and instructions and what not.  So, ship builders are scratch builders to some degree.

 

But man,  that oven!!    THAT is a new level of scratch building -

[popeye the sailor]

while there are some kits that supply detail oriented parts,  most do not........they instruct what size of wood to use,  and the builder makes the part or structure,  using creativity and aptitude.   again,  another example as to why I say that kits are mainly generic.  it is the modeler who adds in the minute features,  that gives life and beauty to a model.  as we all have seen and experienced,  there are many way to accomplish the tasks involved....I find in quite pleasing,  when I see a person succeed.

[texxn5]

Hi Popeye.  First, the holes in the top go into cast iron cauldrons for cooking the oil out of the blubber.  The piping on the sides are actually bolts that are currently protected by thread protectors for holding the wood insulation boards to the sides of the oven, as well as the large cast iron angle brackets to keep the entire oven from flying around the deck in rough seas....not good......The oil from the cauldrons is transferred to a cooling tank that will mount on the starboard side of the oven.  The blubber is cut up on the workbench that will be on the aft side of the oven, then tossed into the cauldron, cooked, then by the use of a long handled cup, transferred over to the cooling tank and then when cooled transferred to wood barrels.  The renders are then discarded into a copper bin on the portside of the oven to be eventually discarded overboard unless they were needed for some other purpose.  This area is a heavy work area for processing the whale, so you can see, not only do I build the brick oven, but also all the elements mentioned above to accompomplish this.....should look cool when finished.....I hope.....

[texxn5]

Thanks Adam, lots to go yet, but moving on...

[popeye the sailor]

I sure it will........your doing a fantastic job of it so far 

[Landlubber Mike]

Hi John,

 

I came across this try works guide online while hunting for info on the Morgan.  Thought I'd pass it along:

 

http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/furniture/Tryworks_Building_Guide.pdf

[WackoWolf]

Mike,

 

 ,  Now that's cool. John hopefully this will get you to where you need to be. Never seen that before. Thanks Mike.

[texxn5]

Hi Mike, thanks and yes, I am aware of that link.  I studied it trying to decide how to construct this part of the ship.  It's a great reference and helped me decide to lay bricks.