Medway Longboat 1742 - 1/2" scale - by BobG - FINISHED

[BobG]

O'k, I'm finally getting around to making my first build log after encouragement by some the members here. I've been reading the forum since the fall of 2014 but only began posting recently and I completed my first model boat two years ago. To date I have built a small dory by Artesania Latina, the Indian Canoe by Midwest Products and the Batelina by Maris Stella. I began working on the Medway Longboat about 3 months ago and I am about to start the rigging. None of my previous builds had any rigging so this will be completely new to me and I'm sure I will be able to use some good advice as I attempt rigging for the very first time.

 

Even though I'm pretty far along in my build I thought I would go ahead add some photos and brief comments from the beginning. Perhaps in reading my log someone might find something useful for them. I've certainly benefited from reading build logs by others and, at least for me, photos can often be more helpful than words. I'll try and point out some of the stumbling blocks I encountered along the way and how I tried to overcome them. None of these difficulties had anything to do with the kit itself, they were all self-made by me and were just part of the learning process for me. As you probably know, the kit itself is simply fantastic in every way.

 

This build has been a big step forward for me from my previous builds and that's been a very good thing. It has challenged me just the right amount for my continued growth in ship modeling. I'm learning so much and my confidence is growing with each completed step. Chuck describes the skill level for he kit as intermediate/advanced and it's certainly been that for me. It's been the perfect next step in the evolution of my ship building knowledge and skills and continues to be a pleasure to build.

 

Any comments whatsoever are whole-heartedly welcome 100%.  Thank you for reading if you got this far.

 

I've completed the interior and am currently working on the rudder. Here are some fairly recent photos of where I'm at on my Longboat build: 

 

Bob

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

[Nunnehi (Don)]

Bob,

 

She’s beautiful! I really like your planking - it’s so precise! And thanks for starting your log, I very much look forward to more!

 

Don

[BobG]

Thanks, Don. I was careful to position it so you couldn't see a couple of places where the planking could be much better!

 

I had some difficulty knowing just exactly when and how to correctly bevel the edge of a plank when there was a gap. Oftentimes, I could see that a plank would be tight in some sections a have a gap in other sections while I was test fitting it. So I tried only beveling those sections on either side of the gap thinking that, if those sections are a bit too wide, then by making them narrower it would help close the adjacent gap. It worked sometimes and yet there were other times where I just couldn't get a plank tight all the way along it and there would still be small gaps. I'd be happy to hear what's the best way to overcome those small gaps that appear when you are not going to be using filler and painting the hull.

 

Bob   

[Ryland Craze]

Bob, you have done an excellent job on building your Longboat.  Your craftsmanship is so clean and crisp. I cannot wait to see your next steps on this build.

[BobG]

Thanks very much, Ryland. I've really slowed myself down and am taking my time trying to be more precise. I'm about done with the rudder and then the rigging starts. I'm really unsure about that whole process but I'm determined that this boat will be my first rigged boat.

 

Bob

[oneslim]

BobG,  Very nice,  well done.

 

BobW

[BobG]

Thanks everyone for the likes and taking the time to stop by and look at my build. I'm finishing the rudder and will add some posts soon.

 

Bob

[BobG]

I finished the rudder today. It's really cool since it's actually functional. Adding the oar tholes are next for me.

 

Bob

[Chuck]

She is a beauty.  Beautifully executed.

[Ryland Craze]

Beautiful job on this model.  Thanks for sharing your progress.

[Osmosis]

Absolutely gorgeous. 

[BobG]

Thanks so much everyone for taking the time to stop by and for the likes! I plan to drill the holes for the tholes today and get them glued on and then spend some time reading Chuck's instructions again for the rigging. I'm feeling a bit intimidated about this part of the build since it is the first time I'll be attempting to rig a boat. I'll scan some of the other logs here also to see what I can glean from them about rigging the Longboat.

 

Bob

 

Edited February 10, 2020 by BobG

[gjdale]

That’s a really lovely job so far Bob. I’m sure you’ll do equally well with the rigging. What could possibly go wrong? 😉

[BobG]

5 hours ago, gjdale said:

That’s a really lovely job so far Bob. I’m sure you’ll do equally well with the rigging. What could possibly go wrong? 😉

Believe me when I say, "If something could go wrong, I'll find it!" 🤣 

 

I was a little worried that I would mess up the lap joint on the keel when I started building this model so I worked very slowly and carefully while constantly checking it. It turned out great. When the keel was finished and the transom had been added I gave it a couple of coats of Wipe-on-Poly and was really happy with it. I admired it for a couple of days and then noticed that the lap bolts I had added were not in the same place on either side of the keel! One set of bolts was aft of the seam on one side and forward of the seam of the other side. My admiration plummeted and I thought, "well how stupid was that!"

 

I could have used the other simplified keel that's included in the kit but I really liked the keel with the lap joint. So I ordered another keel from Chuck and did it over again even though my wife said, "You're the only one that would ever notice that!"

 

Bob

 

 

[BobG]

My build log updates are overdue but I have made some progress although it has slowed to a snail's pace as I learn to do the rigging. It will take me a few posts to get completely caught up. So here goes:

 

I used my electric drill to sand the mast, boom, gaff and bowsprit to shape after shaving then into octagons with a mini plane. I had to do the boom twice since I assumed that it simply tapered from the middle towards both ends identically. It doesn't. I noticed that it tapers less severely towards the forward end and is thicker as it tapers towards that end as a result. I should have checked the plans more carefully but I was able to make another one and get it right checking it often with my digital calipers.

 

 

 

 

I broke the tiny tendon off at the top of the mast so drilled holes in the top of the mast and ball truck, glued a piece of wire in the ball truck with CA and glued it to the top of the mast.

 

I used Chucks method of using black masking tape to simulate the iron mast bands, made some eyebolts and used some Doc O'Brien's Rusty Brown Weathering Powder on them. 

Edited March 16, 2020 by BobG

[BobG]

I shaped the end of the gaff using small files and sandpaper.

I made the belaying pins using by chucking the square stock in my Dremel and shaping them with 220 sandpaper. It wasn't easy to get 4 of them that were closely similar but they turned out pretty good.

 

[BobG]

Chuck says that making thimbles are optional but I wanted to try and make them. His are really nice. I tried the method that he describes but, try as I might, I couldn't get the edges rounded symmetrically. I was using a nice set of Starrett mini center punches but they weren't quite right. 

 

So I went to a plan B. I took some 1/16" brass tubing and filed it it half. Then I took the resultant U-shaped tubing and bent them into small thimbles and used Jax Pewter Black to blacken them. I got a couple of Wubber's jewelry pliers recently and they work great for working on small metal and wire parts like eyebolts, hooks and thimbles. My thimbles don't look as good as Chuck's but they are so small they actually look ok in use. The photos below look really rough but that's because they are so magnified.

 

The pliers in the first photo are from left to right: needle nosed, wide flat needle nosed and round nosed:

 

This is what the brass tubing looks after I filed it in half and before it is rolled into a circular thimble and then blackened.

Here is a block that I stropped with a thimble in the eye and a hook that I made

 

 

 

 

 

[BobG]

I put together the Syren deadeyes and tumbled them using the Model Shipways Block Tumbler modified like Chuck recommends on his instructions for making the deadeyes. I gave them a coat of Wipe-on-Poly and stropped them with wire and they look good. Here's a link for his instructions: https://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/resources/Assembling your Syren Ship Model Company Deadeyes.pdf

 

[BobG]

I struggled to find ways to securely hold blocks while stropping them with rope and seizing the rope with rounds of thread. The "Helping Hands" thing I have was practically useless since it is so light and tippy. A tool called Quadhands was recommended in another post I read and so I got one. It's fantastic. It's highly adjustable, extremely stable and heavy and gives you plenty of space to work in. Here's a link to that discussion: 

 

Here is a photo of me seizing a loop on the boom using the Quadhands

 

[BobG]

So I'm finally making some headway in the rigging. There's been a lot for me to learn and it's been a slow process for me. Strangely, as bewildering as it seems at times, I'm actually enjoying it!

 

 

 

[BobG]

I got a Syren Serv-O-Matic and had fun assembling it. Now I need to try it out so I can learn to serve the rope for the shrouds. That's my next task along with making the chainstays and getting them mounted on the boat and rigging the deadeyes. I've still got a ways to go but there's a light at the end of the tunnel! 

 

 

Edited March 16, 2020 by BobG

[BobG]

I could use some advice about how to make natural looking coils of rope and how to seize them to belaying pins etc. Thanks.

[VTHokiEE]

9 hours ago, BobG said:

I got a Syren Serv-O-Matic and had fun assembling it. Now I need to try it out so I can learn to serve the rope for the shrouds.

I should pick one of these up for my build. I'd be interested to know if you find out any tips/tricks as you start learning.

 

9 hours ago, BobG said:

I could use some advice about how to make natural looking coils of rope and how to seize them to belaying pins etc. Thanks.

did you take a look at this thread?

 

 

[Chuck]

I just wrap the rope around a dowel or the handle of a paint brush.  I try and use the smallest amount of white glue...just on the top of the coil.   

 

Thats the real trick....try not to handle them too much and certainly less glue is better...watered down white glue.  Otherwise the rope gets mashed and you stick to it and pull fuzz up from it.  Keep your rope clean.  Less handling is key with clean fingers.

 

Then I take one of the hanging coils and wrap it around the top tightly to form the handle....so-to-speak.  Wrap it around the coil from the inside.   Twice around does the trick.

 

[BobG]

Thanks everyone for the likes and thanks very much Chuck and VTHokiEE for the info on coiling ropes and making them hang naturally. The California governor has advised that everyone over the age of 65 stay home indefinitely. I guess I should be able to get quite a bit done before I go stir crazy. We are living in unusual and uncertain times. If there ever was a time for the whole world to come together for a common cause, this is one of those times. Stay healthy and safe everyone. Hopefully, we'll get through this sooner rather than later.

 

Be well my friends,

Edited March 16, 2020 by BobG

[BobG]

I'm making the chainstays and I have a question about their final shape. I see where they are bent around the molding and extend up a bit over the cap rail. Are they glued to the outer edge of the cap rail or just lay up against it?

[Chuck]

They are not glued anywhere.  Just pinned into the hull.  The pins are glued into place.

[BobG]

I made a little progress today. I made 4 of the chainstays and got them mounted on the boat. I also used the Syren serving machine for the first time. It went well and the machine was fun to use. I was slow and careful at first but, once I began to get the hang of it, I was able to go much faster.

 

I have a couple more questions about the rigging. I am about to to thread the lanyards on the deadeyes. It looks like a lanyard ends up being tied off  to a shroud. Is that correct? If so, what kind of knot is used to tie a lanyard to a shroud?

 

Also, is it best to get all the the rigging lines rigged up in their places but left loose before doing a final tensioning on all the rigging or is there another better sequence where certain lines are tensioned and tied off before others? I am just leaving the lines loose with an alligator clip on the ends to provide some tension as I continue the rigging the rest of the lines and then do a final tensioning before coiling and hanging the ropes in their places. I'm not sure if this is the best way to go. I hope what I'm asking about makes sense.

 

Many thanks. 

  

 

 

Edited March 18, 2020 by BobG

[BobG]

Just a little bit of progress today. I got the port and starboard shrouds seized around the mast and I made a crude jig to help me begin to reeve the deadeyes and seize the lanyards to the shrouds. 

 

 

[BobG]

I've just completed a ship modeling milestone for me. I finish rigging my first ever shroud and reeved the the 2 deadeyes to it. How to go about doing this and get a reasonably taut shroud had me a bit befuddled but I figured out a way that worked pretty well for me after a lot of reading here on the forum. I'm pretty excited about it...only 5 more to go! 😅

 

Outboard view below:

 

Inboard view below:

 

 

I'll be spending much more time on my model since we have now been officially ordered to shelter in place in Sacramento County. The world has been turned upside down. It's all very tragic. Please be calm, safe and well my friends.