Virginia 1819 by Travis - FINISHED - Artesenia Latina - Scale 1:41

[travis]

First build log for first ship attempt.  Already planked realizing I should create a log to document it!  So far I found planking to be pleasantly challenge.  Love the fact that if you take your time, most mistakes can be sanded out!  I minimized the number of nails when I planked and pulled many out after glue dried (tightbond capenter's glue and cy to "spot weld" when needed).  I've got the rubbing strakes on and now working on the railing.

 

Need to give a shout out to DocBlake for his keel clamp.  I followed his sample images substituting wingnuts because I had them available.  Awesome clamp!

[travis]

Almost all the rail struts are on (going to save the last strut on each side until after the lumber boards are on to get the right angles.

Rudder is shaped and hinged.  Companion and hatch mostly ready as well.  Going to start wiping on poly for these items.

Still need to finish the lining of the upper stern but as most have found, that piece seems to be wrong.  It's too tall and the opening for the rudder/helmet is to high.  I already cut a new opening and covered the old.  Going to grind down the stern a little after limber boards are on to make it look better.  We'll see how that goes.

[travis]

Anyone have good/bad experience using wood glue for furnishings on deck after wipe on poly?

[travis]

Also doing some research as I get closer to rigging.  Looking in history at america gaff schooners, while there are a lot of varieties, one detail seems consistent.  While the 1819 virginia seems to only have a single staysail ahead of the foremast, all the examples I have found have no less than a stay sail and a jib (sometimes two jibs).  Seems like I should add a proper jib and shorten the stay sail behind it?  I'm toying with making sails anyways.  Wondering if anyone else has thoughts on this?  Best comparison I found was the 1894 Morrissey.  Seems very similar to this Virginia model with the exception of the leading sails/rigings. 

Another items I am seeing often are the nets on the forestays which this model omits.  Can sort of see them in the Morrissey photo.  Wondering if it is worth adding.  Can anyone point to a good post for making these (without being to complex for a first timer!).

[WalrusGuy]

3 hours ago, travis said:

Anyone have good/bad experience using wood glue for furnishings on deck after wipe on poly?

I mostly try to apply finishings after I install most or all furniture. That being said, for my current build I have applied tung oil to the deck and will lightly sand areas where I intend to install furniture.

[Matt D]

This model was my first ship model.  It’s a really nice kit and looks great on display. You’re doing an excellent job so far.  Regarding sails, I made my own because I didn’t really like the ones that came in the kit. I think you could pretty easily add a jib sail if you plan it out well.  I don’t think I’ve seen that in any other build logs, so it will be neat to follow.

[travis]

1 hour ago, WalrusGuy said:

I mostly try to apply finishings after I install most or all furniture. That being said, for my current build I have applied tung oil to the deck and will lightly sand areas where I intend to install furniture.

I think I'll go for the sanding approach afterwards too.  That way I can get a nice even finish on the desk with no pooling.  I tried the watco wipe-on poly with the companion and I like look.

[travis]

45 minutes ago, Matt D said:

This model was my first ship model.  It’s a really nice kit and looks great on display. You’re doing an excellent job so far.  Regarding sails, I made my own because I didn’t really like the ones that came in the kit. I think you could pretty easily add a jib sail if you plan it out well.  I don’t think I’ve seen that in any other build logs, so it will be neat to follow.

I'll plan on more details in the log when I get to the sails.  I have a feeling I might need a longer foremast.  Bowsprit might be a little short too so going to see what it looks like if I use a little longer stock.  Got a bit more to go before I decide that though.  How'd you like the material you used for your sails? Anything you would have done different there?

[travis]

Lower rail on.  Time to grind height for upper rail.  You can see how the upper stern is too high in this model for their own design. it's not supposed to be much higher than the rail.  Time to grind.

 

Just fabricated a wooden bowsprit masthead.  Used alder to replace the posts from metal.  Like how it turned out.  I think I like the alder grain for scale.

 

I also finally added an extension to the rudder (guess I'm in the rudder club now!)  A little more shaping and it should be ok.  Hoping the tiller will hide the joint.

 

Working on replacing the metal tiller with wood but keep breaking it!

[Matt D]

On 6/28/2020 at 11:27 PM, travis said:

How'd you like the material you used for your sails? Anything you would have done different there?

I used a remnant of off white cotton linen to make my sails.  I like it a lot, but I should have picked a darker thread for the simulated seams.  The one I picked looked dark enough until I had it all done.

[travis]

49 minutes ago, Matt D said:

I used a remnant of off white cotton linen to make my sails.  I like it a lot, but I should have picked a darker thread for the simulated seams.  The one I picked looked dark enough until I had it all done.

I'll try that.  Thanks!

[travis]

Rails done.  I like how it turned out running them flush to the stern.  

Helms battens on the deck.

New tiller crafted.  Just need to trim the end once the rudder is on to get a good fit 

Dont like the look of the wire traveler that goes mid-deck.  Going to see if I can find a sample of something crafted where I could maybe use a painted dowel the same thickness. More to research.

Working on the caronade next.  Need to decide if I'm going to replace the metal firing quin. Painted the canon and hinge (i like the polished brass look for these smaller guns - takes me back to my navy days polishing vertigre off brassworks with the fruit punch they served in the mess hall!)

[travis]

Finally moving forward again after a little pause.  Decided to get a better setup to shape the masts.  Built a new drill press that was setup well to horizontally taper the masts like a lathe.  Now that I'm back, the masts are ready. Placing temporarily to get placement for the shrouds and channels.  Got one side set for channels.  I'm following the process of making the channels.  Then slice the end off through the holes for the chain plates.  Drilling two holes through the channel into the rubbing stakes and pinning the channels while gluing (I take more picks on the other side).  I didn't like the challenge of soldering the lower dead eye chainplates.  After lots of research, I decided to go with larger brass wire and twisting.  I also decided to use actual chain.  May or may not be historically accurate (couldnt figure out for sure from my research) but looks good and is stronger than the wire that some complain about stretching.

 

[Cathead]

Travis, I added full sails to my topsail schooner revenue cutter and used bond paper and was happy with that result. See log linked in my signature; see also this thread I wrote about using paper. Also, on installing items on the deck, it can help to drill a small pin into the bottom of the item and then insert it into the deck; this helps hold such items firm against slight but inevitable knocks.

 

Nice work so far!

[travis]

1 hour ago, Cathead said:

Travis, I added full sails to my topsail schooner revenue cutter and used bond paper and was happy with that result. See log linked in my signature; see also this thread I wrote about using paper. Also, on installing items on the deck, it can help to drill a small pin into the bottom of the item and then insert it into the deck; this helps hold such items firm against slight but inevitable knocks.

 

Nice work so far!

Good idea on the pins!  I think I am going to rag on poly next so that will make it easier to add the deck items after.

[travis]

First attempt to set a block for the caronade.  This is going to take a while!

[travis]

A little more carronade rigging done.  I also decided to ditch the pot metal goosneck saddles and make my own that are more accurate.  Rather than the one piece version, I mad the saddle with the two halves, nailed on and then even include the "shoe" (??) in between with a wire to allow it to actually pivot against the mast when the boom would be raised and lowered.  Turned out pretty well for the first one.

[travis]

Boom and gaffs set with new gooseneck.  Added cleats to the boom for topsail sheet and topping lift.  Anchors wrapped and ready to attach.

[travis]

I'm finding I struggle with block stropping falling apart.  My current process form a block with no becket is to put a dot of cyano on the opposite end of the block to temp hold the line in place.  Wrap it around into an eye or around a large wire to create the loop.  One of the lines comes back to the block.  Then strop.  My stropping basically waraps around three lines in total.  This pulls loose unless I cyano the stropping which then looks crappy.  Any suggestion out there?

[travis]

Redoing the lower dead eye and chainplates after watching some videos.  Much happier with this. (Too much brass wire shown before!)  I know the "chains" for chainplates is probably not authentic but I really like the look of it over the cheap wire for this kit.  I'm thinking of using the same chain for my anchor chain (again, might not be authentic but should look really good!

First gaff is almost fully set with blocks.  Decided to use more rings for hanging the sail.  Found a good dock on how these gaffs were historically rigged with eye plates and for the spanker sheets, collars around the lines to hang the blocks.  Added some banding to the goos neck too.  This also shows eye bolts for the parcels but I'll need to find/make smaller eye bolts to get that right.  We'll see.

[travis]

First sail.  Used a combo of techniques.  Panel seams are created by slowly removing a single threse from the fabric for each seam.  Edge seems are folded like true seams and fabric glue to hold.  Cut and glued strips for reef bands.  Sowed bolt rope on edge with fabric glue to hold.  Wrapped traditional cringles.  The used micro drills and toothpicks to ream the eyelets for brails.  Only 4 more sails to go!

[travis]

Bending first sail.

[travis]

[travis]

Decide to go with cleats on the mast instead of the eyelets on the deck.  Also got a distance line on the mast hoops.  Should make the hole setup look better.

 

[WalrusGuy]

1 hour ago, travis said:

Decide to go with cleats on the mast instead of the eyelets on the deck.  Also got a distance line on the mast hoops.  Should make the hole setup look better.

Wish I did that on mine. It'll look very neat once the rigging is done.. 

[travis]

If only it wasn't so slow and detailed to make the cleats!

 

Moving on the the bowsprit. And stays

[Matt D]

Really nice work on your rigging, Travis.  I made sails for mine also, but didn’t do nearly as good of a job.  Yours look terrific!

[travis]

Thanks matt.  Sail material is a little heavy but I'm liking it so far.

 

Main sail rigging in process now

 

[travis]

Top sail on.  Added split rings around edges for the down haul to collapse the top sail which the model excluded.  In to the forsails.  Thus model has a single staysail.  I'm thinking I'll do a proper jib on the forestay and then a staysail behind it.  Current day schooners seem to always have a boom on the staysail but I would have to do a bit more mode for that so I'll probably just eliminate the boom on the added stay sail and lash the line from the tack clew to a rail.

[travis]

More work on the deck.  Decided to add a classic windless since I am using anchor chain.