HMS Bounty Launch by Meredith - Model Shipways

[Meredith]

Thanks all.. and yes Mark the lid opens on the chest - I just have to attach the hinges (plan to do that this coming weekend). Seems to be a bit of a drawn out affair - I keep running out of stuff I want to use and cant buy anything locally........ so its a long wait on the postal system. Unless I get it express posted it can take anything up to 5 weeks to arrive - if it doesn't get lost.

 

Even though I beg and pay for express post or air courier for overseas stuff- many merchants thing they know better and send by ordinary parcel post - which as stated above for parcels within Australia can be 5 weeks and more. Bit frustrating when its a crucial part to finish something off. But I guess I can finish the other oars and barrels without any other supplies. And I still have my Syren to work on - I am up to wales and deck planking etc. That should be fun - but I am tossing up about changing the deck planking to box or something similar... so another wait.................................

 

 

I am seriously thinking about doing the boat again in huon pine - for my dad. But I need to rip the huon pine I have. I have been researching bandsaws - but cant make up my mind (and the freight is a killer) - so in the meantime I have purchased a frame saw with a Japanese blade - I have read heaps of good things about them - and I really don't have a lot of timbers to re-saw - but like everything else - I am waiting on delivery  - its been weeks. Hmm.. does that also mean I REALLY NEED a Jim thicknesser :)...of course another wait.. wait.. wait. that's all I seem to do lately. Just as well I have the patience to worry a sheep dog!!!!!

[Jim Lad]

Meredith,

 

Trying to get a band saw up there would be murder, but doesn't the plant have a carpenters shop?  Maybe you could get your timber ripped there.

 

John

[Meredith]

Carpentry is really about the only trade they don't have. Any building maintenance (eg housing) is done off site by a contractor. And due to my work hours - pretty hard to get to see them. I did have one place lined up to do it for me - but I changed jobs and hours. It was an indigenous enterprise - just trying to get off the ground. But they close up at about 3 pm( that's if they bother opening at all ) and I would want to there when the work was done or you wouldnt know what you wiuld get

So most likely for future builds - I will buy timbers already cut to a reasonable size. Something I can cope with on the Jim table saw.

Now if it was metal we were talking about - I have great access to anty sort if machinery!

[Meredith]

Ok - bit of an update. Just been plodding away making all the little bits and pieces. Going to finish the masts tonight - do a big clean up and then start attaching stuff. Almost everything in the photos is just dry fitted.

 

Finally got the cap rail on - I had to wait for some timber to be sent as I had to re-make them as the supplied stuff just wast right. I got one side on - but decided I didn't like it and didn't want to have to bend it both ways. My hull obviously got a little wider when I put the tween frames in - so lesson learned - I should have braced the top at the exact width before installing the tween frames. No great harm done. Got to use my new saws I purchased from Germany A lovely little set of Japanese miniature hand saws (really nice - and boy are they quick when you get the hang of using them) and a very nice jewellers/fret saw (Knew Concepts Fret Saw) - very impressed with that too. One of the little Japanese saws has an amazingly fine kerf and a beautiful smooth cut.

 

 

Got the hinges attached to the chest and did 3 more barrels - only 4 more to do.

 

All I really have left to do is the spars - might get to them tomorrow - and then is just the final assembly. Ohh I will probably make the windlass - not included in the instructions - but the plans have a drawing and I have sort of moved the thwarts (not glued yet - so I can still change my mind) to more easily accommodate it.

 

Onto the photos:

 

Staining all the little knees...

 

 

 

 

Just testing out the placement of the foremast.. had to tie it up because the front thwart is just sitting there too.. glue comes later -

 

 

 

 

 

[Meredith]

And a few more...

 

Hinges now on chest - Should have made the lid hollow - bit late now. Can always re-make it I guess.

 

 

 

few more barrels done.

[captainbob]

She's looking good and I love the chest.

 

Bob

[Jim Lad]

Very elegant, Meredith!

 

John

[mtaylor]

Very crisp and clean and I love the way the wood colors blend and accentuate.  Beautiful.

[Meredith]

Thanks gentlemen...today the glue comes out A few more little finish up things.. like the blocks and tiller - but then its assemble time.

[Meredith]

Ok.. got the blocks done...and the tiller.... then it was onto the metal/brass brackets to attach tiler to rudder.. that was ok too... blackened them and moved on to the easy part - attaching them to the tiller and rudder...Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... rather fiddly. Didn't go nearly as easily as I hoped. I had made the metal bits exactly matching.. but of course that leaves very little room for the nails. Sure I cut them down - but to re-file a little point when they are that short is a pain. What I probably should have done is off set the holes on either side so I could use a longer nail. But its finally done now and on the boat. AND I burnt the cake I was cooking because this too much longer than I anticipated

 

 

The new blocks with sheave.. forgot to take a pic of the ones that came with the kit.

 

 

tiller and metal bits before blackening

 

 

finally attached

 

 

Edited September 15, 2013 by Meredith

[Jim Lad]

Nice rudder and tiller, but sorry about the cake!

 

John

[Meredith]

Its ok.. I'm on to Mark II of the cake now. This one didn't get burnt/overcooked

Bounty on hold...really just need to make the spars and then assemble everything and its done.. might do a little bit each night after work. Then I can get back to Syren. I have been doing little bit on siren - but I am up to the wales and the copper plating and I think I am procrastinating - but like everything once you start - its not as bad or scarey as you think.

Edited September 17, 2013 by Meredith

[usedtosail]

Your launch looks fantastic. I like the way you added detail to the thwart risers.

[spill50]

wow your launch just looks fantastic. Gonna go check out your Syren now.

 

Good stuff!

[Meredith]

Thanks gents. I actually got the glue out and she is all assembled now. Even the blocks and two rigging lines . Just have the spars to do - and the sew the sails.

[Meredith]

I have started the sails tonight - but there is very little detail in the instructions. I have done a bit of a search online and would love to see some photos/pictures of what they SHOULD look like - not a "dumbed down" version - then at least I can make my own mind up where to take short cuts or simulate something due to size etc. And I need to workout how thick the rope on the edges should be scale wise. I am presuming it isn't appropriate to have eyelets. How were the real sails attached to the spars? Just lashed between the spar and the rope edge of the sail?

 

I didn't like the "rope" in the kit and used something I made - but I think it looks too thin (used the same scale as the kit) - so I tried something thicker. still playing with that a bit - and really its only 4 lines - I can re-do them numerous times. I guess I need to do some research to see what the right scale would be.

 

I think its going to take me longer to work out what to do - than actually doing it

[old salt]

Good Morning Meredith,

3:45  here in Las Vegas, Nv.   Couldn't sleep. Have been following your build.  I'm quite impressed.

Now to your comment about what the sails should look like.

There is a Great book, by a man named John McKay, "The Armed Transport Bounty".  I is very detailed, and upon request Mr.McKay will sell you large scale drawings of his work. At least he has to me.

I believe you may get the book from Amazon.com.

Good luck!

Here's to calm seas and fair winds.

[Meredith]

I will have a look for that book - pretty sure I will probably want to make the bounty at some stage as well - so should be very useful.

 

I have sewn some sails - the first ones were actually better than the ones I ended up with - I like the colour on the first ones better - and the eyelets are much smaller - but probably too small to thread the rope through. So version two got much bigger eyelets and the fabric was a different base colour - so after the dye - they are no quite the same colour as first.

 

Onto some pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Very nice, Meredith!

 

John

[Meredith]

Thanks John...

 

Ok I have the sails on....

 

 

[Meredith]

^{Some more photos..... just have some more oars to do... and whatever else I might put in the boat.}

 

^{I will probably do it in between other tasks on my Syren.}

 

^{So for intents and purposes - I can sort of call this finished}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Meredith]

And some more.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Congratulations, Meredith - she looks terrific!

 

John

[Meredith]

For a simple little boat - she has taken me a long time! But I have learnt a few more things on the journey.

[captainbob]

She's a beauty.  Well done.

 

Bob

[gjdale]

Congratulations on completing a fine build Meredith. Well done.

[usedtosail]

The launch came out really nice, Meredith. I love those sails.

[Meredith]

Thanks gents. Now it's back to the Syren.

[mtaylor]

A super nice build, Meredith.  She looks fantastic.

[Keith_W]

Meredith, I am building this boat as well. I was wondering how you made the hinges and lock in the toolbox? Would you be able to post a close-up?