US Confederacy 1778 by Bossman - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:64

[Bossman]

Some more work today. Or should I say the past few days. The upper counter is now planked and the lower part of the quarter galleries are in. I may replace the molding on the upper counter. Looking at it now, it should be beveled on the back as it hits the quarter gallery mounding at a different angle. Everything is lining up pretty well. 

[Bossman]

Thanks for the likes gents!I have been fairing the inside of the hull for the last 3 days and I’m almost done. Sand, take a break. Sand some more. Another break, sand again and it’s time to play with the ponies. 

Edited April 13, 2020 by Bossman

[Bossman]

Good day folks, I have painted a little and added the cap rail. The laser cut cap rail fit perfectly. No hiccups. 
Then on to the the quarter galleries. This was not too bad. If you follow Chucks directions and take your time, they turn out pretty nice. I have put one coat of paint on. It will be sanded once more and then another coat and I will add the decorative molding. The windows fit perfectly.  One quarter gallery down, one to go!

 

The more I see that nasty looking spot below the counter, the more it bugs me. This will not do. It has to be fixed. There is filler and white paint in my future. 

[Bossman]

We are moving right along folks. Thank you for the thumbs up! I am working on the quarter gallery and stern lights. A few smudges gluing the clear to the frames but we will call them salt stains. 

[Edwardkenway]

Looking good Bossman

[Bossman]

Thank you Edward and all the likes. Encouragement is always appreciated. I did not really like the look of the clear plastic behind the windows. For the most part, they were invisible. I took some Testors canopy and window maker glue using a small brush and gave them a coat. I like this look much better. 

[Chuck]

Looks very good and its a tricky part of any model to make.  Well done!! 

 

Chuck

[Bossman]

Thanks for the thumbs up gents, and thank you Chuck. Time to paint the stern carvings. Ok, yellow ochre, burnt umbre, antique white acrylic. Mix this, mix that. Looks like it needs more of this, nope too dark, add more white, getting close. Paint the suckers! Now a little dry brushing and a coat of Tamyia clear orange and this is what I have. 
they seem to look very close on the model. We will find out tomorrow after they cure. 

[Bossman]

And here is the result. Again, not perfect but I’ll take it right now. Need to do a bit of touch up. Can someone tell me the name of the phenomenon where you say “that’s good.” Then you take a picture and when you look at it you say “where did those mistakes come from.”

[Script]

Hi Bossman,........Found your log and will be watching.......you are a superior modeler and it's great to see what is ahead from your posts and photos and how you've handled things! 

[Bossman]

14 minutes ago, Script said:

Hi Bossman,........Found your log and will be watching.......you are a superior modeler and it's great to see what is ahead from your posts and photos and how you've handled things! 

Thank you Sir! Don’t know about “superior” but I’ll show that to she who must be obeyed and see how far that gets me. Thank you again. 

[Bossman]

We are rolling right along with the stern. I fitted the 2 decorative pieces under the galleries. I forget what they are called at the moment. Also one piece under the stern lights and the lettering. I cut a piece of tape and fitted it to the counter to give me a line for the bottom of the lettering. I then marked off the letter spacing on the tape. I glued the “D” in the middle and then worked left and right. Thanks to Model Shipways for supplying 2 sets of lettering. One of the E’s went into the black hole of modeling parts, never to be seen again. 
The hole for the rudder was cut also. 

[Bossman]

Between retirement and this quarantine stuff a fellow can get a bit done. I hate mounting a rudder. Don’t ask me why but I do. I deviated from the norm by not using brass. I have used black construction paper for my last 2 models. They were done over 20 years ago and still good so I will continue using it. It is easier to work with than brass and when coated with polyurethane looks just like blackened brass. In his instructions, Chuck says “the rudder should swing freely.” I pin my rudders. Let’s face it. It ain’t going but in one direction. Now that I’m fifnished with the dreaded task of the rudder, I’ll have a cup of coffee. I also painted the stem black according to a contemporary sketch of the Confederacy after her capture  

Edited April 22, 2020 by Bossman

[Bossman]

Thank you all for the likes. It’s means a lot. The encouragement keeps me motivated. 

[Bossman]

The stern is done except for the anchor chain and gunport ropes. I have struggled with the photo etch. I have a lot to learn working with that. Also, keeping a consistent color painting it. It is what it is. My last eyebolts were correct. So much for the other ones. This was a skill I had to relearn.  All in all I’m happy with it. I hope all are staying safe. 
 

[Script]

Looking Great Bossman!

[captain_hook]

The stern gallery is beautiful!

[EricWilliamMarshall]

On 1/6/2020 at 5:05 PM, Bossman said:

The clamps used there are scrap PVC pipe cut in 1/8” and 1/4” widths.

Clever!

[Bossman]

Script and Captain, thank you both very much! Cheers from one’s peers means a lot. 
Eric, I wish I could take credit for that little idea but I cannot. I don’t even remember where I saw it. The ones I have are going on 20 years old. 

[Bossman]

Good day ladies and gents. I have finished the permanent birth for this lady. As she is somewhat of an admiralty style model I wanted the stand to be somewhat of an “in the slip” look. This is the final result. The main board is made of tiger stripped oak with the routered edge painted black. The slip is made of cherry. Thank you all for the likes. It keeps me motivated. 

[Bossman]

Thanks you all for the likes folks. I have been working on the checkerboard deck for the captains quarters. It all went smooth following the directions. I did have a few of the walnut squares to pop out while sawing but were easily replaced. I wondered why only walnut squares did not glue good? I have a few more to go. I purposely left my DNA signature on the finished product. 
I also completed the inside bulwarks and deck clamps. I had one hiccup here. The f’castle went fine. If you follow Chucks directions and take your time it all works out. When I got to the quarterdeck, the deck lamp at the waist went in perfect. When I went to put the second deck clamp piece from there to the stern, it was a bit too long. The directions say it is a bit long so you can trim to fit but I was going to have to cut into the last deck beam notch to make it fit. After measuring, cussing, walking away and coming back I finally figured out I did not fair the stern frames enough. After a cup of coffee, discussions with the admiralty and getting a signed change order I decided that it would be better to move the last small deck beam 1/8” forward instead of redoing the whole stern. 

 

[Bossman]

Work on the margin planks this morning. This went fast once I figured out how to clamp them. Made a few from scrap wood and push pins. The angle of the pic makes it look like the gunports are way short. They are not. It’s just an optical confusion. Thank you all for the likes!

[OldChur]

This thing is really looking great.  I have it on the shelf waiting behind my constitution.  I am currently doing the stern decoration and it is just tedious and difficult.  As a result, I find myself not sitting down at the workbench as often as i would like.  I know I just have to push through it and I will cause I cant wait to start my confederacy.  LOL.

 

  I just have to ask, What is up with those crazy round wooden clamps?  Did you make them?

 

Thanks,

Frank B.

[Bossman]

Frank, thank you so much for the kind words. Yep, the stern is a head scratcher.  Those “crazy clamps”, good name for them by the way, are PVC pipe. Take any diameter of pvc and cut it into 1/4” widths. Make a through cut and you have a clamp. A little felt or some protection on the clamping ends works for finish work.  The clamp in the above picture is just 3/8 basswood cut for purpose with a push pin. 
 

I heard this somewhere, but when someone ever looks at one of my models and says, “you have a lot of patience!” My answer is “patience is waiting for something to happen, you have to have dedication to build a model ship.” I find myself putting off a difficult task, such as the stern, and think of that quote. It helps motivate me. 

[Bossman]

We on now to my favorite part of ship modelling. The deck and all it’s part. Hull planking starts out fun but before it finished I’m ready to pull my hair out. Once your on the deck, it’s something different every week. Sometimes every day! I started with the hatch combings. I’ve never been much of an assembly line modeler but there is a ton of time to be saved if you employ it when you can. In the pics below. I cut out all the for and aft pieces. 1 setting on the saw. After that I cut out each of the corresponding broadside pieces. 4 saw settings. After that I cut the laps for each piece keeping them in the correct orientation. 1 saw setting. Then I cut the slot for the two dividers. Again, 1 saw setting. Beats the dickens out of building 1 then going to another. 
 

I then used a scrap piece of balsa, a piece of used laser cut sheet with a nice rectangle and some scrap basswood and push pins for a jig. Once assembled I lined the inside to form the rabbet for the gratings. The final step was to use a handmade sanding block with the curvature of the hull so they would sit nice and flat. Boy did I have fun today!

[Bossman]

 

Good day folks. A little more work on the hatch combings. Here I have made the bricks for the galley  I used the same jig I used for making the hatch combings. After setting the individual strips in I filed the grooves for the mortar joints. You can see my original file marks on the jig itself.  Then I staggered them and edge glued together.

 

In the second picture you can see the grey primed piece with half of it painted with a coat of base acrylic. I mixed red, brown and white until it looked right using a dry brush technique to lay it on. After this I mixed a little more brown and then black doing the same thing. I liked the result.

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by Bossman

[Bossman]

Thank you all for the likes gent! She’s all ready for deck planking. Looking at the picture I realize that the forward scuttle hatch is on the wrong centerline! Good thing there is a spare in case I Screw this one up getting it off. 

Edited May 16, 2020 by Bossman

[Bossman]

Wow! I just realized it’s been almost a month since I last reported for duty. Thanks for the likes gents. It is much appreciated. 
 

While  planking the deck I kept thinking about treenails. No, too much. Sure would look nice. Back and forth. Well I finally took the plunge. Can’t go back now. They are simulated using the method in the instructions. Drill a hole, twirl a pencil in the hole, fill with wood filler. Sometimes I get the caulking ring effect, sometimes not. Since they are virtually invisible at 2’ distance, what the hey. 

[Bossman]

I have been alternating between deck planking and treenails. I think the deck planking will finish 1st! One thing I would do in hind sight is lay a batten the full length of the deck to make sure all deck combings are dead on the same line. I didn’t and it has caused some problems. Otherwise I am happy with the results so far. 
 

Thank you all for dropping in and the likes. They are much appreciated!

[Bossman]

The deck planking is complete. I can live with the mistakes. Time to start working on some artillery. Thank you all for the likes. It keeps me motivated.