18th Century Armed Longboat by TKAM - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:24 Scale

[TKAM]

I finally finished Syren after two years and five months so I started a smaller project as a "breather" before I launch into another multi-year build.

 

 

 

[TKAM]

The scale is 1:24 but it's small enough to only measure 26 inches from stem to stern.  The wood parts are all basswood as most MS kits are, the quality is good.  The white metal parts are plentiful and realistic looking.  The only thing I'm going to replace are the barrels which really should be wood, as well as the bucket.  The rigging line is the same cheap-ish nylon stuff in all MS kits as well as the single hole blocks, I'll replace both of those with Chuck Passaro's stuff.  

 

 

[TKAM]

What's really cool is the etched decorations for the wales and stern transom.

 

 

[ccoyle]

Hi, TKAM! I have been busy updating the build logs area of our site, and the MS longboat turns up frequently there. Click here to see a partial list of other builds for this kit.

 

Cheers!

[Chuck]

Tim its great to see your build log.  You did a super fine job on Syren and I know this one will be even better.  I will follow along.

 

Chuck

[TKAM]

I started with sanding off the laser char on the keel (two pieces) and false keel (two pieces).  Those other four pieces are the simple display base which is included in the kit.

[TKAM]

Gluing the keel pieces and false keel pieces together.  I'd advise doing it on top of wax paper or aluminum foil so you don't glue the whole shebang to your work surface (ask me how I know this).

 

 

[TKAM]

One question I have for anyone.  Although the photo etched brass looks really slick on the transom I still like the idea of having a ship's name on the stern.  What would this armed longboat have been shore based?  Or if it came from a ship what name, what ship would be a good choice?

[TKAM]

Cutting the rabbit was a tad tricky.  The bearding line was printed on one side of the center keel on the forward section and the other side on the aft section.  I'm not sure why they didn't print the bearding line on both sides for both sections (cost control?).  So it requires the builder to take careful measurements from the printed side and transfer the figure to the other side.  We're talking lengths of 1/32" or less and it's almost impossible to do it accurately even using a pencil sharpened to a deadly point.  Oh well, some kits don't even have a bearding line so I'm counting myself lucky.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Bulkheads starting to go in.  I found the slots for the bulkheads a tad bit too snug requiring a little bit of sanding.  None of the bulkheads were out of square however so that's good.  

 

 

[TKAM]

All the bulkheads now installed and also the stern transom.  I faired the outside of the bulkheads (will require some fairing on the inside as well eventually).  Two bulkheads #2 and #3) are much too low as compared to their surrounding bulkheads and no amount of sanding of the neighbor bulkheads will bring everything even.  I have no choice but to install shims.  The problem with this is the inside of the bulkheads will be visible or at least a goodly portion of them on the sides of the boat.  These two bulkheads were exactly on line with the bearding line so I can only assume it's a flaw in the manufacturing process.  

 

 

[TKAM]

"Faired" better after those shims for bulkheads #2 and #3 installed.  Bow filler installed and the garboard strake glued on.  

 

 

[TKAM]

About halfway done with planking.  Most of the planks are 1/4" wide because of the scale so the twist required at the stern is severe.  The other challenge is that the hull planks will be visible both on the outside (of course) AND the inside.  Tight planking is essential...but impossible for a novice like me.  I'm mitigating as much as I can.

 

 

[TKAM]

Just a note for anyone working on this kit.  The plan calls for 1/16 x 1/4 x 12" strips for the hull planking, I think because that's what fits in the box.  

 

1) There are not enough strips in this kit to complete the planking.  I'm lucky as I have a few 24" long strips of the same dimensions from a previous project so I don't have to go shopping.  But plan ahead and get some more strips so you don't have to stop and wait for the mail.

 

2) The first strip at the top of each side that defines the wales should be long enough to extend from stem to stern, the practicum calls for you to use the 12" strip up to bulkhead zero, a butt joint, then another strip to the transom.  The problem is there is a pronounced dip at bulkhead zero and it's virtually impossible to have a nice graceful curve if you split this top plank between two planks.  One continuous plank with a simulated butt joint at bulkhead zero is so much better.  But a single 1/16 x 1/14 strip long enough to extend all the way.  

 

Cheers

Edited April 3, 2020 by TKAM

[TKAM]

Closing in on finishing the planking.  I thought it would be easier using these extra wide planks, wider planks = fewer planks = less time planking, right?  Wrong.  Wider means much harder to twist and bend at the bow and stern and it means you take longer doing it where it counts.  Especially the bow has been a real challenge.  All the flaws have been erased on the outside of the hull but the inside...

 

 

[Chuck]

It wouldnt have had a name on the transom.  It wouldnt have that molding there either.  They would have just had a painted frieze.  
 

 

[TKAM]

Hull planking finished, before sanding:

 

 

[TKAM]

After rough sanding using 150 grit.  100% better.

 

 

[TKAM]

After conditioning the wood I sanded again with 230 grit then stained with Minwax golden oak.  I'll do the simulated tree nails, then a second coat of stain.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Tree nails.  All I did is punch a dimple using a, well...a punch, and twisted a very sharp #2 pencil in the dimple.  Looks genuine.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Cutting out the middle bulkheads.  Each bulkhead has laser cuts in them along the curve leaving the top and bottoms connected.  It takes a saw at the top, then rocking the bulkhead back and forth at the bottom and the inside portion of each bulkhead pops out.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Once the bulkheads are all cut out the top of the keel needs to be shaved down to the level of the bulkheads.  Gross cuts with a chisel to start then sanding.  The inside of the hull planks also need to be sanded down, it's easy on the outside of the hull and it's not so easy on the inside.  Each little space in between each bulkhead needs to be sanded.  Also the laser char needs to be sanded off.  Oh, and the tops of each bulkhead needs to be lopped off and sanded smooth to match the level of the shear strake.

 

I flailed about for awhile making very little progress then I hit on something.  I cut a strip a little narrower than the spaces out of sandpaper then wrapped the sandpaper strip around a mostly used roll of electrical tape.  Now I can just scrape up and down with ease. 

 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by TKAM

[TKAM]

All sanded, conditioned and two applications of stain.  I went with again Minwax golden oak....and I regret it.  I love that shade for the outside of the hull and hate it for the inside.  Oh well, too late now.  

 

 

[TKAM]

The first two planks from the top are painted red.  After the first coat it's much easier to see the defects in sanding as well as glue slop.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Some wipe on Poly for the stern transom and the hull parts which won't be painted. 

[TKAM]

A quick overhead shot of the angle needed for fairing the bulkheads towards the bow.  

 

 

[TKAM]

Next step is to install the floorboards. One center plank 1/2" wide, two neighboring planks 3/8" wide and two further planks on the extreme outside 1/4" wide. Well, the extreme outside floorboards are supposed to be 1/4" wide but as I indicated in an earlier post there are simply not enough 1/4" wide included in this kit for the hull planking let alone for other applications like this here. I am using 3/16" wide strips instead. 

!!If you are going to do this kit buy more 1/4" x 1/16" planks in advance!!

So, the center floorboard plank has to be tapered towards the bow per instructions. When the neighboring floorboards are laid down it's pretty tricky to glue them down and still maintain a 1/16" clearance evenly down the entire length of the floorboard, the strip has to be subtly curved as it's glued down. The solution is to soak the neighbor planks in hot water then edge clamp with the already tapered center floorboard until dry. Then stain and set aside. Tomorrow I'll glue them down and simulate nails.

The picture shows the (wet) outside floorboards edge clamped to the center floorboard. After drying the subtle curve is maintained and it should (fingers crossed) be easier to glue down with consistent spacing between boards.

[TKAM]

So....I was talking about soaking the floorboards then edge clamping to make it easier to keep the floorboards aligned. Forget all that. Just ignore that portion of the practicum. The curve just does not hold after removing the clamps, even after letting the strips dry overnight. In any case, it's not a huge problem. Placing a 1/6" strip in between each successive neighbor floorboard when gluing them down is more than sufficient. CA (medium) glue is best. Laying down a drop on each bulkhead, then laying the floorboard down one/two bulkhead(s) at a time keeping flush with the 1/6" spacer does the trick. 
 

[TKAM]

Stern locker bulkhead installed. This was actually the center portion of bulkhead #6 and shaped a bit to fit behind bulkhead #7, then two wood strips are glued to the inside of the transom. This is where the lid for the stern locker will be installed at a later step. "Stern locker...think.....a Coleman cooler filled with ice and beer and placed at the aft end of your fishing boat. The stern locker was permanently installed on this armed longboat of course.

Edited April 6, 2020 by TKAM

[TKAM]

Supports for the forward platform and the aft platform. No need to stain these pieces as they'll be underneath the platforms. Just keep 'em as level as possible port/starboard. 

The instruction in the practicum to measure down 3/8" from the top of the strake to where the platform supports should rest is valid for the aft platform. There is very little curve on the rails aft, but there is a severe curve up towards the bow where the forward platform will be. 

I'd advise locating the forward wood strip for the forward support at the 3/8" point down from the strake (or close to it depending on how you have sanded down the bow pillar) then when the glue dries on that piece lay a straight edge or wood strip on the glued in forward support. Eyeball it from a profile view and locate the aft support for the bow platform as close to level as you can estimate. 

The practicum just says "install the bow supports as you did the aft supports". ??What?? No mention of measurements and no mention of that severe curve I mentioned. Initially I marked out 3/8" down from the strakes for both the forward and aft supports for this bow platform and it was almost comical how much it sloped down towards the stern. I decided to do it this way. Notice the pic with the forward platform supports. The aft support is much higher towards the strake as the forward support, this is to compensate for the curve downwards that the strake makes.