Agilis by popeye the sailor - Steingraeber - 1:60 - brig

[popeye the sailor]

thanks John  

[popeye the sailor]

today was deck planking day     I already started it.......the fun continues.  I'm still getting used to the new camera......these beginning pictures are with flash.  as I was planking,  I fleshed out one more mast collar and painted the grate and the collars flat black.

I added the couple extra lines for the butt staggers.   it did add a bit of confusion,  but in the end,  it creates a fairly interesting deck.

 

the flash started to get blurry......  now with the other camera,  I never used flash........I didn't have to with the lighting I've been using.   at this point I turned it off.

Almost to the portside bulwark......I thought I had waited too long to take the picture.   cameras with auto focus usually go out of focus if you wait too long.....I took a second.

here I only waited a couple seconds......something to get used to  

the port side is completely done now.  I had to leave it here.......seems the admiral wanted to go shopping.   I'll finish the starboard side when I get back.

[popeye the sailor]

the deck is finished.......I still have enough wood strips to do the aft deck.   I also found that I had cut a fore deck.  it still needs to be fitted if I intend to use it.  I wanted to flesh out the catheads too,  but the errand changed the plans.  I will try.

 

here you can see the contrast between the two decks

the grate has been cemented in place.   more to come   

 

Edited October 30, 2020 by popeye the sailor

[lmagna]

Nice progress Denis.

 

Glad to see that you were able to get a new camera you are happy with.

[popeye the sailor]

thanks Lou........I wish I had found it sooner.   I try now NOT to keep my soda so close to the printer        

[Old Collingwood]

Hey!   thats looking impressive  - love that deck mate.

 

OC.

[lmagna]

As a thought about using the flash on this camera. Does it have a "Red Eye Reduction" setting? If so you may try using that as i think it offsets the flash timing just enough to eliminate glare while still giving the proper amount of light for the picture.

[popeye the sailor]

I think it does.......I'll check it out     thanks OC     fleshing out the aft deck now....raising the area another 5 mm.   perhaps I can even do the catheads and get further with the head gear.

[popeye the sailor]

I had done a bit more on her,  but not enough to write home about.   I drilled out the hawse holes for the anchors........I added to the inner bulwark to thicken it up for the hawse eyelets.  I didn't want them to stick out like a sore thumb.

they were cleaned up and painted the same Medium green color.  I don't think I will paint the hawse holes eyelets.......I kind of like them white.

I still need to add the wales......once done,  then I can add the bumpers for the anchors.  I wanted to get further.......like make the cat heads,  but time was limited.   I did paint the bow spirit though,  along with the Clotilda's.......

 

 

as with the Clotilda,  I will paint the masting the same color as the inner bulwarks.   I want to wish you all a very merry Christmas  

[Jim Lad]

All looking very neat, mate!  A very merry Christmas to you and Phyllis!

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

my apologies John.......I saw your post a few weeks ago.  I thought I'd get something done before now,  but I never made it to that table {I have three now}. 

 

    somehow,  through my 20 or so active projects {and others I may not have remembered to count},  I finally ended up at table white......a bit of a throw back to Game of Thrones.  my two other tables are Table Black and table beech {the top is a 5/8 slab of beech plywood}.   I am slowly getting my way.......

and my vision              anyway..........

 

most of the playtime was on the Agilis,  but some of it will be used for the Clotilda.  I did sort out some of the clutter......but it just keeps coming back!

as a refresher.......most of the parts supplied in this kit is junk.  either they are too thick,  or the parts do not even resemble what they are intended for.........so a lot of this model will be scratch.  anyone who followed JCT's build of this model,  knows what he went through with his.  a while ago,  I began to make my own mast caps........I started with a few 1/4 X 5/32 for the bow spirits of both ships.

but for the masts,  I made a different combination.......1/4 X 3/16.   I made these out of frustration.......all of the caps I made either chipped badly or broke.  so I said the heck with it and set out to make the different size.  I really need to come up with a better way to cur these.......I'm using a hack saw along with this miter box I have another miter box for the wood saws.........I may get another.......these do wear out after a while.  they are a lot better than the plastic one I started out with   {Zona}

as mentioned.....the ones in the kit are junk.

while I was blundering along with this dilemma,  I made the rudders for both ships......doubling up two scrap pieces of 1/16 basswood and cutting them out on the scroll saw.  I used the one from the kit as a template.......I would have used it,  but it too suffers from the delamination,  as all the other parts did when I cut them out.

they still need shaping.......and then make the gungeons and pintles to attach them to the ships.  the Agilis is to be a brig,  so the masts will be fitted with tops.  I made up the top for the fore / main mast.  I did some reasonable bit of framing underneath.  the trees are also scratch made.

in JCT's log,  a fellow posted a picture of the one he built.   first observation was that the mast were too tall in my view,  so I made the first and second segments a bit shorter.  there is another segment to go on this mast still.....I wanna say its called the top gallant.  I know each segment has a name,  but I'm not sure of the terminology.

I know the cap may not be correct.......but it kept me sane.

all of the main sections of the mast have been cut for both ships.......I went out to get more 1/4 dowel to do them all.

 

I still need to come up with a deck plan.........since adding the poop deck.  I still need to add the wales to her as well.  darn it........I still haven't made the cat heads for them!  don't think I'll be using that cabin either.......I'll work something off the poop deck.  the mizzen mast is complete except for the crosstree......the fore / main mast will be slightly taller.   one thing I forgot was the top for it {I think it has one instead of the crosstree}.  the small blunder will not go to waste........it will be used for the Clotilda,  since she was a top sail schooner.  I guess it can be considered a perk  

it was kinda nice to be working with wood again.......more soon.....fingers crossed   

[Jim Lad]

Nice progress, mate!  Keep up the good work and stay safe!!

 

John

[popeye the sailor]

a big hello John..........still doing great!    the admiral and I are well and plan to stay that way!  we have our appointments for the Covid shot,  the first week of April.  wouldn't miss if for the world     good to see you and Pam are ok as well.......we'll beat this darn thing yet!

 

thanks for the good word.......the caps were a small problem....these might not be period correct,  but they pass muster with me     I gotta find a better way to cut these darn things though........I'm going to try a Dremel to see if it works better.   the only thing is Gibbs.........he hates the sound the Dremel makes.  we'll see what happens  

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

Ahoy Popeye!  'Glad to see your work on this build.  I inherited the SAME kit from my father, and I remember quite a few years ago that he had the hull planked and ready for the deck strips to go over the false deck, but somehow in the 'cleanup' some well-meaning people did in his workshop after he passed, the hull was never found and may have been discarded.  So I have the box with mast/spar materials, fittings and stuff ... That's just as well since I don't want to make a 'slaver' - or at least a kit that has been identified as such for a long time.  I DO have an intact Steingraeber kit for the Fair American, and THAT is one I intend to build.  My friend John F. Millar of Williamsburg (an expert in things Colonial and Nautical) said that the model of the Fair American in the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis has some 'inaccuracies' and he has provided some drawings for me to refer to.

 

  Before I take on that, I MUST finish, or at least bring to a greater degree of completion - perhaps as an 'Admiralty' model - the original 70s issue of the BB Wasa my Dad started me building as a teen back then.  I have started a build log and would greatly appreciate you taking a look at it and perhaps to give any feedback you care to offer.  'Guess its under build logs of the 1600s (or whatever date range that falls into), but by typing Wasa in the search field, my log should be near the top since I'm not seeing any other current Wasa logs going on right now.  There are sure plenty of past logs, and I'm pouring over then like crazy ... I have 40 years of catching-up to do.

 

  I sure enjoyed your Thermopylae build, and that is another project I'd like to do sometime - just not at the same scale (1:124).  I procured the lines and have scaled them in my computer to produce them in three scales: 1:124 (a tad small), 1:110 and 1:100.  I'm leaning to 1:110, but if built in 1:100 it would be comparable to the Revels size.  Plenty of time to think on that choice...

 

Fair Sailing!   

Johnny

[Kevin]

Coming along a treat Dennis, its nice getting back into a bit of boat building

[popeye the sailor]

hey there.........thanks Kevin   yes......it is nice to get back in the 'wood' saddle again.  ahhhhhh......it's like I never left     thanks for look'in in.....glad that you and others are a patient lot {considering the way I build}.  I hope to get some meaningful progress done on her and the Clotilda.  after all.....I can't let JCT have ALLLLLLL the fun   

 

hello Johnny!  glad to hear your getting back into the hobby    that's a sad story my friend.......to hear you won't be able to carry on your dad's work.  the thing about this kit,  is it can be built in a couple of different configurations.  the Agilis was a fictitious ship.....no records of a slaver with the name.  this is part of the reason why I created two hulls from this one kit.  I just did an update on the Clotilda......I'd be pleased you'd take a look.  you may find that the Fair American kit you have,  may suffer from some of the same problems that JCT and I ran into.  I hope that our logs can give you some remedies to those issues.

    good thoughts on the Thermopylae........and the choice there of    this Sergal kit is pretty close to terrible in my opinion,  and I don't know too many who have actually completed it.  if you can find A Revell kit,  you'd be building a fine representation of the vessel.  there may be a few discrepancies,  but nothing that can't be modified to suit.  I've built two Cutty Sark kits to date......both have been a lot of fun....the second I modified the windlass so it looks more functional....even have a blog log out there that can be found in a search.   I'm a confirmed Billings nut........might be fun to built a Wasa,  but if I did, I'd lean more towards the Norske Love.  I even had the notion to 'blow up' the Gothenborg instructions and add the cannons.....but I still need to finish the 1:100 model first.  your full story makes me happy though.......another enters the fold.......I wish you the very best,  and I hope the sawdust bug bites you REAL good  

[michael mott]

Hi Dennis, just catching up with whats been happening in your shipyard, looks like you are keeping busy, and I thought I had a lot of projects on the go. Glad to hear you and family are safe and getting a Covid shot, might be a while before I can get mine, so it goes.

Happy new year to you and Phyllis.

 

Michael

[popeye the sailor]

OK.........it's snowing here in the Northeast........a storm that was to produce around 7 - 8 inches,  has only delivered 5 at best.  I made more progress on the Agilis........ first with the wales.   I laid them with enough of a gap from the gun ports,  to add the dead eye channels later.

 

as can be seen,  I have the Dremel out.......I need to make a different size cap,  and I'm going to try cutting them,  rather than by hack saw.  I have two accessory kits for it,  so I think I have what I need.  I made the channels from 1/8 strip....had to double up on the width to keep them far enough away from the cap rails when I get them on.  .........cut out with the scroll saw and sanded round,  around the edges.......

 

I was just going to add a ladder to reach the poop deck,  but I though I'd complicate the matter,  by adding a companionway too.

 

 

the companionway was painted in the medium green....the roof will be planked over in mahogany.  then the wales and channels were painted.  I thought the flat black {Model Master} would over shadow the Billing's flat black I originally painted the hull in,  but the sheen and hue was unchanged.

 

 

by evening,  I was back on the masts.  I had soldered the needed cap......5/16 X 3/16.  sorry to say,  but the Dremel didn't help matters.......the heat built up by cutting melted the solder and everything fell apart    I ended up soldering them back together again.  I have a feeling that the process should be changed to reflect this..........cut all the slices and THEN......solder them together.  this way,  I can make them as I need them,  in the size combinations required.  the mizzen was assembled......but I forgot again about the top!  I'll make amends somehow.......

the mast height is around 22 inches tall..........I figure I knocked them back about 3 - 4 inches,  from other models I've seen of this particular kit.  most took them as precut and likely didn't think they needed to.   there is a size chart for each section,  as well as the yards.  note the drill index hanging on the strip organizer....I use it to gauge the dowel size.  I have a similar organizer on table black.......the original one.   great use for toilet and paper towel roll tubes,  and parcel tubes.  with the progress made,  I'm closer to finally building those cat heads   

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

hello Michael.........we two are the pair,  aren't we    although your projects are a lot more 'in depth' than mine.    kind of miffed that we aren't getting our shots on the same day,  but glad we are getting them.   there are many folks who want and need them........I hope the supply gets better.  I haven't hear much about how Canada's doing in the news....if they are going by age groups or what their structure is.  all we can do for the time being,  is follow the guidelines and do what we can to stay safe.  I'm glad to hear you and the your admiral are well.   please stay safe  

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

Ahoy Popeye!  Thanks for the reply. I opened the box on the Fair American and conclude that it was likely under the water damaged BB Vikingskibbe box.  All the plywood for the hull is Really warped ... of course, the pieces can be copied on new stock, as well as increasing the number of bulkheads.  However, there is insufficient drop in the keep going aft, per drawing of a nearly identical ship Andrea Doria of the same period .  It seems that they were built on the ways so the keel drops at the angle of the ways fro launching but the deck (and waterline) are level.  There may be some improvement in the lines as well, so that will essentially mean customizing the hull design - as scratch build.  The masts and spars are that of an 18th c. clipper (like the Agilis kit), in that they have royals.  Not so with the brigs of the Revolutionary war.  The mast/spar stock can be used, but I'll have to research the correct mast architecture (sizes and all), and since the tops are way simplified in the kit that means scratch built.  The directions in the kit are scant and the rigging is over simplified - so R.C. Anderson's book will have to provide the details.  Hmmmm, since the deadeyes and blocks in the kit are plastic, I'll have to get wood ones elsewhere.  Gosh, this turns out to be a scratch build if I want to be close to accurate for that particular ship (captured on the Delaware by the British and re-named), so I won't do that until A.) I'm happy with the Wasa and B.) I've looked into Thermopylae.

 

    I've lucked out to get a Revell kit (mostly complete, yet unbuilt) from someone in the forum who passed it on just for the shipping.  (The box is damaged, but the components appear to be there.)  What I'm considering is to do a wooden hull of the same scale but matching her lines correctly, then using parts from the Revels kit (like the figurehead, pump, wench and the mast/yard components that were steel on the original.  The Hulmes model is a guide for how to do the correct deck configuration, and I've ordered a couple books on rigging.

 

  Now I have two other kits to compare/contrast.  I picked up an Artesania Latina 'San Juan' Spanish galleon not long ago on sale at a local shop (supposedly 1:30, but its more likely to be 1:60 in actuality).  I knew that it was a 'simplified' galleon type, but I wanted  more materials to use on the Wasa (since a lot of stuff went missing decades ago from what was left of the original box) ... wooden blocks and deadeyes, tiny brass nails, rope, parts that assemble for grating/ladders -  and plenty of wood.  I'm impressed with the quality of the drawings and instructions (that include some high quality color photos), and can say that it would be a great kit as a first build PRIOR to taking on a Wasa (or Victory for that matter).  The hull components are laser cut and appear precise with no fuss.

 

  But my Dad left me one other kit that I've just examined closely - an old Mamoli Milano Golden Hind (stated 1:53) kit.  Now the materials in the kit are impressive - several sizes an types of deadeyes (round and triangular), single and double blocks - plus all sorts of fittings and a wonderful selection of wood of several species and thicknesses.  The hull components are fully separate (not just laser cut but carefully packaged - fully cut out and accurate - ready for assembly.  There is attractive painting for the sides of the stern printed by some dort of lithography (very precisely I might add) on a large, wide piece of veneer.  The instructions show it being trimmed and applied to the stern above the second planking (this is a double planked kit) in the stern area - probably what should be done by someone learning how to model), but these pieces can also be carefully trimmed (by many successive light cuts with a SHARP ex-acto) into planks to match the thickness of the second planking - so the appearance on the stern can look even better.  There are SIX large sheets of drawings (five of them printed on both sides), and aside from some simplifications on this intermediate model, with a little research the kit can be 'mildly' busted into a very nice work indeed.   I have forgotten entirely the idea of scrounging material from this fine kit, but fully intend on building the Golden Hind in future (I hope to have at least 20 years of retirement ahead of me) and do it justice.

 

  The Artesania kit excels in rigging instructions and pictures, but the Mamoli has better materials and draftsmanship.  Both kits, I fear, put the old Steingraber kits to shame ... plastic deadeyes and blocks, hard to cut components, excessive simplification, too much borrowing of design elements from other kits in the line and too few instructions or drawings.  I'm learning a lot by viewing build logs on the forum, and will proceed with care - I've delayed this long, so there is no need to rush and certainly no FOMO.

 

Fair sailing !

 

Johnny

[popeye the sailor]

yes.......old kits can be daunting.  these Steingraber kits are also quite primitive,  compared to {I use the term loosely} more modern kits.  age plays a big part when cutting the parts out......they utilize a different sort of billet for the parts.  delamination is the most common problem.  I was removing the shredded layer and cementing on a layer of 1/32 basswood,  in an effort to save the parts.  it was then decided to simply trace and cut the parts from newer plywood.  I had all these parts that I had repaired.......I hated to toss 'em out.  now that I am where I am with the Clotilda and the Agilis,  it would be silly to quit on them now.......I'm gonna build 'em with what I got,  staying with the 'lines' as best I can.  if you venture into the Fair American,  I want a front row seat   

 

the Revell 1:96 kits have always been dear to me.......I have built many of them.  I don't sub the eyebolts and stick stuff in the masts either.....done correctly,  there really isn't any need.  there are wooden decks for these models....look into Scale decks

Laser Cut Wood Decks - scaledecks.com

back a few years ago,  I acquired another kit of the U.S.S. United States {long story}.....I actually recreated the decks for her and planked it with 2 mm planking........what a job!  there's a log on her somewhere.  had I known this......I would never had done it.....but it was a vendetta in the effort to get away from the visible deck section lines.  I also got another kit of the U.S.S. Constitution...I plan to do something different with her.

 

sounds like you have a good outlook towards the future........good times ahead for you,  my friend    

[Edwardkenway]

Blimey Denis, what with this, Clothilde and your PT boat you've been busy! As others have said, good to see you back on the wood, both these are looking nice.

You may have said earlier, but are you giving these sails?😉

 

[popeye the sailor]

that's in the plans Ed.....although I have no templates to work with.  I don't think it will be too big a task......I've got plenty of material

[Kevin]

coming along very nice Dennis

[popeye the sailor]

thank you Kevin  

[popeye the sailor]

toward the end of last week,  I got a little bit done........until I realized that I forgot to taper toe top sections of  **all** the masts.  I settled in doing that for what seemed like the rest of the session.....but then I got sucked into this 'what if...'can I build it' thing  {and the rest is history}.

 

what I did get done,  was to flesh out the companionway....

....and then taper the mast tops.   they are done and ready for more fittings and yards,  which I still need to cut to length.

[popeye the sailor]

yesterday,  I settled in at my desk to flesh out the cannons for the Agillis.  two of them are the bow cannons from the United States and the Constitution kits that I have.  the rest are from the Constitution kit........I won't need them    I made up the caps for the  trunions {terminology check} from some sheet brass I have on hand.

painted the same color as the inner bulwarks,  holes were drilled for the eye bolts and installed.  the barrels were painted in flat black,  and dry brushed with bronze.  when finished,  I took them into the spare room,  for better light.

 

 

 

gotta go........need to take the admiral to her doctor's appointment.

[popeye the sailor]

the doctor's appointment turned into breakfast and a trip to the store.  then helping the admiral in making lasagna........with sausage {of course}!

 

very good.......I might add                            not too much done today....I set up the cannons in a dry fit to see how they'd look.  since they don't put out any magazines at the doctor's at this time,  I brought one of my ship books to glean over while I waited.

 

still no catheads yet...........I'm gonna have to come up with a windlass for this one.  I was thinking about a fore deck,  but I may kick it to the curb.   spent the rest of the day working on the guns for the 'what if'

[popeye the sailor]

hey.......guess what?!?!?!   there's an update going on!    I wish I had a larger one,  but I've been splitting time with a 'what if' that's been rattl'in 'round in my head for some time now......  time to put it to the test to see what comes of it     it's been occupying brain cells since 2018.  I'll have some time on my hands coming up as well.......March 26th is coming!  this is when the admiral and I gets the second vaccine shots.........I'm taking that week off {yes,  a vacation....first one in probably three years},  so I'll be able to gets some decent modeling time in.  work is allowing us to use more of our sick time,  so I'm taking advantage of it    they say that the second shot may make you feel icky { mild side effects},  so I'm not taking any chances.

 

finally.......I got around to the catheads.  with the Clotilda,  it's not too bad,  but with the Agilis,  the cannons and the pin rails need to be in place before the cap rails can go on.  I decided to go a different route than I normally do.......I'm actually going to fit a reel {rollie thing} in the end,  rather than drill simple holes.  there aren't too many pictures of the assembly process,  but you'll get the idea.  it's all in sandwiching pieces of strip together.....the head part is slotted for the reel and a filler piece.

since the Clotilda is similar,  I'm making two pairs.  the base will be trimmed at an angle to sit flush on the deck.  I ordered a windlass for this one too...........I still have more parts to order,  but mostly for the PT boat    deciding to go with the smaller one,  the holes were drilled and fitted,  and the filler pieces were added.

can't see it too good,  but the reels are in there.  the pair for the Agilis were trimmed at the base and dry fitted in place.

 

I'll fit the Clotilda a bit later,  when I get the pin rails done.  they won't be as labor intensive as the Agilis.......these will have the eye bolts for the cannon rigging.   two sets of the forward and aft rails were cut,  for each of the ships.  there will be reinforcement posts on both side of each of the gun ports,  and those that involve the rails will be built in to them.  I still need to drill all the holes for the belaying pins and such.....but they are fleshed out and ready for paint.

here,  starting with the forward rails,  they are cut out,  to accept the posts and gun ports.  the aft pair still need to have the gun ports cut out.  strip wood was cut for these posts.......some are really short,  but will reach the deck.

here,  all the posts are added,  and the one not involved with a rail,  are whole length and ready for paint...  they are labeled as such.  there are other parts that need painting too......when I get them all together,  I'll do it all at once.

I will endeavor to come up with more soon..........  

[lmagna]

Congrats on both the build and the upcoming shots.