Blue Shadow by SkerryAmp - Mamoli - 1:64 - Fictional Revolutionary War Brigantine - Recommissioned as the Kara June

[SkerryAmp]

Let me see….

 

The Harriet Lane is on the corner.

The books are on the box.

There is a ship with no planking.

To what ship I'm watching now ???

I don't know it anymore 

 

 

It's the blue shadow my friend,  the Harriet lane came close to being opened because I was stalled

[SkerryAmp]

I don't know how this one escaped my radar..I should have seen it on the right side of the forum page {like I did this morning}     I never had good luck with battens......I'd end up off somewhere.  one thing good about them,  is you'll get a good idea of how much tapering you'll need to do.   I start just the way you did,  even with the deck line.   it creates the sills,  in the event you need to do scuppers.  for the following planks,  I'll cut to fit the bow rabbit,  beveling the end,  so it will sit flush to the stem.  from here I let the plank tell me how it wants to lay.   laying the plank in place,  any material that starts to encroach the preceeding plank is trimmed off.  the edge is then beveled slightly so it butts up better.  should a plank not follow the line,  and leaves a gap,  then the gap can be filled with a stealer, or a jogger,  which ever works best.  I'm sure your books cover these two processes.  if your unsure about tapering,  don't use full planks......this way you can concentrate on both ends,  bow and stern,  one at a time. 

 

you've done a nice job with the frame so far.......you'll do just fine with the planking      I have no doubt 

 

That is what I am hoping, what you describe is pretty much how the one book describes it and it seemed to click with me the most.  I know it is the base planking and a second one will go on top so technically I could just piece it together, sand and fill and just be done with it.  However, I figure the times I try to do clean planking the better chance that eventually I won't need a tub of filler .

[popeye the sailor]

with most of my builds,  the hull is painted,  so all I had to do is sand - fill in the bad spots - and sand smooth.   the Gothenborg is the only one I did a second planking on,  and that one was to be a single plank.   Tom was so sorry that I had to do it....but it's like I told him.....it was only because of all the glue blotches,  that I did it.   frankly,  I was glad to have done it.....I love the way it came out.  I'm no expert either.......how some folks do it,  is sheer magic.   I hope one day,  to be as good.   Russ hit the nail on the head.....everyone has a method that they feel comfortable with.   I hope your first planking goes good......but if you do have to do a second planking,  try the thin strips,  I think you'll like it much better.    they behave better and trimming is much easier.......and incorporating the wales in the second planking step give the hull a really nice look.........they don't protrude so much.

 

so,  take your time.......and careful planning........you'll have her planked in no time

[SkerryAmp]

Thanks popeye,  this one will have the lower hull painted but has some maple and something else (can't recall right now) for the upper.  So as long as I can get a good first planking down and smooth it will be fine.  I can fill and sand the heck out of it.

Not sure why but it is going much slower than the mayflower did.  The planks on that one laid in nicely and glued and setup quite well not much fuss.  This one isn't behaving quite as well, a lot of clamping pinning resetting going on.

 

But it is on it's way....

[SkerryAmp]

This is not deja - vu,  putting some of the same update across all my projects so much of this is a copy of what I updated the others with.

 

So, I figured I would try to get around here a bit more and get back into the swing of things.  As I mentioned in the willie log our family was dealt another blow, my Mother in law passed away very suddenly a couple of weeks ago.   We have now been to 6 wakes/funerals since last summer.  4 on the admirals side of the family and 2 related to close friends of ours.

 

On top of that I have decided to go back to school to finish up my degree.  1 year left for the bachelors and then another year to get my masters.

 

So have been once again sidelined by life.

 

However - the admiral and I decided this weekend we needed to get back to some sense of normal so have been back on the site at least and getting up to get back to the bench.

 

 

I can say that since my last update and prior to getting sucker punched the Kara June now has one side of the hull planked.  Nowhere near as neat and tidy as I would like, much filler and sanding was used - one day i will get the hang of it!

Edited November 5, 2013 by SkerryAmp

[popeye the sailor]

WOW bud!   sorry to hear of all the set-backs.......life can be pretty mean sometimes.   again.......very sad to hear of your loss,  your admiral is going to need all the comfort you can muster.  us,  here at the wharf,  send our regard.

 

when everything settles down.......you can get back to the hobby.........no rush.  perhaps you picked it back up to soon....heart and mind wasn't in it.   remember that the hobby is a progressive art.........it takes time.   I'm no expert..........I just keep in mind that there's always paint......or a second planking.   whatever I can do to achieve what I want to do.   just take your time.........make progress when you can,  I'll look forward in seeing it when time allows.   take care and I wish you well.

[SkerryAmp]

Thanks - yeah,  life has had it in for us for some reason this year.   Starting to feel like us and ours have a big ole target on us - but,  that is part of life right?   Good and bad, it will even out at some point!!

[S.Coleman]

Sorry to hear about the misfortunes that have happened recently, Must be hard, but chin up we are here for support! I have just started the ratlines on this ship as I am currently building it now. Yours is looking great by the way. It's not a bad ship to build actualy

[lamarvalley]

I don't know how I missed this build log but until today I did. Great read and good info... except for the funeral parts of course. Sorry to hear of so many losses... my condolences to you and your wife   Here's to improved karma for the future 

 

Now, i hate to say it and sound like... well.... someone else... but where are the most recent planking pics. Enquiring minds and all that... 

[SkerryAmp]

Sorry to hear about the misfortunes that have happened recently, Must be hard, but chin up we are here for support! I have just started the ratlines on this ship as I am currently building it now. Yours is looking great by the way. It's not a bad ship to build actualy

 

Thank you very much,  the chin is up - the admiral and I are keeping each other up and moving getting things back in order.   She has her jewelry to keep her mind occupied and I have my Ships - and boy are they a wonderful help!  SO many good things about this hobby!

 

Nice to hear someone else is building this one,  I would LOVE to see your work on it so far!    The ratlines are a bit down the road but are already making me nervous, and I have TWO ships that need em....   ... so have a little bit of pre anxiety going on with that.

 

You are right about the kit,  it is a nice and relatively fun kit to build.

 

I just need to find a cat type figuring in the right pose to use as the figure head for this to be transformed to the Kara June for the admiral, that seems to be my biggest challenge now that I have figured out the planking (so far that is)

[SkerryAmp]

I don't know how I missed this build log but until today I did. Great read and good info... except for the funeral parts of course. Sorry to hear of so many losses... my condolences to you and your wife   Here's to improved karma for the future 

 

Now, i hate to say it and sound like... well.... someone else... but where are the most recent planking pics. Enquiring minds and all that... 

 

Thanks Randy, a appreciate that a lot.  The good Karma I am sure is on it's way, and thanks to our great friends and you awesome people at MSW,  things are going quite well all things considered.

 

As for pics... well, I will be updating the build as soon as a I submit this here response   I don't want to cause anyone undue stress ya know

[augie]

An unique method!  I think I still prefer my ignorance, superstition and brute force technique

[S.Coleman]

I came across the that in the plans too. I went ahead and planked the deck after the bulwarks and wished I hadn't.but it came out alright. Just abit more time consuming. I have tried and tried to get pics on this site but to no avail. Will keep trying as I have quite a few of this build.

[popeye the sailor]

the deck can be done after the bulwark planking......to make it easier,  I make waterway strips to follow the bulwarks and notch them to fit the posts.   I want to change it up the next time I do this with nibbing the bow planks.   the only problem with waiting to do the bulwarks,  is the hull might be thicker that the bulwark planking.   you'll need to sand anyway.......but you might have to do more to match them up.  I find it better to look at what would be easier,  rather than save time.   it can be done either way.........just be sure that the lip of the hull will mate well with the first bulwark plank.   looking great so far Adam........keep up the good work 

[SkerryAmp]

You are right Popeye, i hadn't even though of waterways over the deck edges.

 

I have slowly started building up the bulwarks;  will have an update with this one once the bulwarks take some shape!

[HIPEXEC]

That's some collections of clamps to hold the planks...I thought I was the only one with such an array.

[JesseLee]

Hi Adam. Just found your build. This ship looks very interesting. It's cool you are going to rename it after your wife. I've got a pre-owned & very poorly started Mayflower that I am bashing & will rename it after my wife (if I can ever get back to it). Look forward to following along!

[SkerryAmp]

(Returning Preamble)

Whew.  Hey all.

 

I am not sure what protocol or etiquette is for continuing a build log after a very long hiatus.  I feel the need to explain my absence though, so whether necessary or not here goes.

 

It has been one heck of a year.  Shortly before my last updates here I was beginning to venture into a new career as well as getting involved in Muay Thai Kickboxing.  The first, for security the second for health reasons.   That, very quickly, became my life for the last year.   If the admiral and I were not going to the gym or sparring I was dug deep into code projects and work related things.  It pretty much consumed my world and thus my time.  Combine that with a bit of frustration and a disheartening event with the mayflower and well - a building hiatus ensued.

My career seems to be going well at the moment (hopefully I did not just jinx myself) and I have evened out on the learning curve. The Kickboxing has hit a nice groove with a nice schedule that we have fallen into.  This has, luckily for me, freed up some time and let me return to my other loves - writing, playing guitar and building these wonderful wooden vessels.

I popped back on shortly before Christmas to get caught up.  Am amazed, as always, at the progress of several projects and all the new ventures I saw.  As I searched for updates on some of you guys I sadly came across the news of Augie.  That took me back a bit - so sorry to hear that (even though I am late to the news).

Well, after re-evaluating my process and goals with building ships I am getting back to it.  I sort of have a very high bar set for myself which did lend itself to frustrations with my various builds.  I have decided to put that to the side.  After all, I am far from an expert - heck barely out of novice really - so my ships will be as good as I can do them with the skills i have.  Each ship will get better and my skills will grow - and that will do just fine =)

So - if there my seat at the table is still around here some place - I think I will get back to building =)

Good to see you all again!

(Since I have many build logs going, this will be CnP'd to the my first post across all of them - sorry for the repetition).

 

 

The Shadow will remain on the lifts for a bit.  Going to focus efforts on the Santa Maria, see if I can't move some of these builds along a bit more with a little more focus.   I tried it the first round (focusing on one build at a time, but got the bug - bad) will see how I do with round 2.  Whew - wish me luck!

Again, glad to see you all again - missed ya'll quite a bit and am glad to be able to return and look forward to a nice solid year of modeling!

 

Enjoy!

[popeye the sailor]

good to see your back Adam.......hope you had a happy holidays

[SkerryAmp]

Thank you Denis - I did indeed.  And looking forward to a solid productive year!

[popeye the sailor]

hmmmmmmmmm........#3..........

[SkerryAmp]

Yessiree.

 

Picked up a couple of doo dads from Hobby Lobby for this one the other day.  Since it is being recommissioned in honor of the admiral I needed things that were kind of "her.  Found a couple of charms in the jewelry isle that will make nice deco for the ship. 

[popeye the sailor]

I love H.L. for that..........you can find eye bolts in the jewelry isle........buoys in the bead isle.......deck calking writing isle {the isles of wight}  {a pun....who knows!}  you never know what you'll find.   I wish you luck {let me know if you find anything good }

 

I be wait'in ta see 

[Sjors]

And a second log from a new member.........

You are a busy man Adam !

 

Sjors