18th Century Long Boat by SkiBee - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:48

[SkiBee]

This is the start of my second build, the ‘18^th Century Long Boat’ by Model Shipways.

I had bought this boat prior to reading some threads on this web site, which convinced me that my first build should be the ‘Lowell Grand Banks Dory’ by Shipways.  This model was a fantastic first build; it was cheap, simple in design, covered a number of needed skills for the future, and allowed me to make a lot of mistakes on a cheap model.  Even with the errors, I was very satisfied with the outcome and enjoyed the build.

 

Actually, my first wood boat was a Model Shipways solid hull that I tried to build about 20 years ago.  I never got past shaping the hull.  I tried to start it a few times and always got frustrated since I didn’t know what to do or how to finish the hull.  Now with COVID, I started building plastic airplane models again which I enjoy very much.  But I wanted to do something different and thought about wood ship models.  I always like how they looked in stores and really enjoyed them in the U.S. Naval Academy museum.

 

So here I am with my second build, the ‘18^th Century Long Boat’.  I’ve tried to apply what I learned from t he Lowell Grand Banks Dory and this web site.

 

 

 

 

 

False Keel: not sure I got the rabbet right, did it all by just sanding, we’ll see when I start planking.  For a model that I’m sure a lot of beginners build, the instructions could use a lot more pictures.  Didn’t look at other build logs until now.

Attaching the Bulkheads: I built a simple jig to hold the keel while I glued the bulkhead on, learned that from this site.  I applied a lot that I learned about the importance of getting the bulkheads plum and level from my first build and tried to apply here.  I relied on a small 1/64 metal scale I had from the old days and did a lot of measurements on each bulkhead while the wood glue was setting.  I also glued scrap wood pieces to the top of the waste bulkheads to keep them plum/level.  This work extremely well since I could not figure a way to hold the bulkheads with the few clamps I have.  Learned this from other build logs.

[Justin P.]

Ill follow along.   I enjoy this little boat.

[Nirvana]

SkiBee, 

Warm welcome to MSW and great start on the longboat. This one is surely one of the popular kits to build.
Not to big, great challenge but not overwhelming. 

I will follow along - have already pulled up a chair, now I trying to find the popcorn and something to drink.

[SkiBee]

Fairing the Hull: I did take my time to ensure that there were good transitions from bulkhead to bulkhead, something I learned from my first build.  Also not to remove to much wood from the depth of the bulkhead frames.

Planking: Even the first port sheer plank compound bend was a challenge, it seems to go well.  There is not as much bend that I have seen in other builds but I think it will be ok.  The instructions were misleading, the written instruction say to follow the drawn plans for the bend which was about a 1/8 inch below the top of the bulkhead, but then the written instructions say it should be a 1/16 inch drop. Mine start at about 1/16 inch in the middle few planks and then decreases to almost 0 at the transom and bow stem.

 

I then glued the starboard sheer plank, but once dried it looked almost straight for most of the bulkheads and less then 1/16 inch.  So out came the alcohol and will start over.  As I was removing the plank, broke a small chunk out of the bulkhead frame, so glued in back in.

 

Question for someone who has built this model: Started to look at how to trim the garboard plank and I don’t have a clue on how it should be ‘tapered toward the bow’.  Most pictures show it curved and some show it a straight cut tapper.  And if it is curved, how much?

[SkiBee]

I looked at Justin P’s build on this web site and decided to cut the fwd end of the garboard plank in a curve taper.  Also, I tried to bend a second plank around a straight diagonal cut and it didn’t bend smoothly, so I went with the curve cut.  Decided on a ¾ in. cut, after bending a plank on a small French curve, it seemed to be the smoothest curve length. It appeared to be a good choice as I continued to plank.

 

I also used the small French curve as a jig to bend the remaining planks, worked grate!  I knew I saved my old high school drafting tools for a reason and my old wood drafting pad has worked great as a mobile work table top.

 

[Nirvana]

Hm, wonder where I have my old drafting tools.

[SkiBee]

Planking the model: In general, the planking went well except two errors that I learned from.  First, I laid down the garboard and shear planks and one additional plank next to them.  Then I tried to determine the number of planks and started to adjust the width of the remaining planks.  I followed the recommendations in this website on how to determine the width of the planks and installed the next three planks after trimming them to a reduced width, from bottom up.  But as I tried to continue to determine the width I came to the conclusion I should have followed the instructions and started to lay down full width planks from top down.  When I got to the point that a full plank would leave to small and irregular plank, I then cut down two planks to fill the gap.  In the pictures you can see the final gap on the starboard side and if you look closely you can see the number of small planks that I installed prior.

  

Second lesson learned, when clamping the planks down I indented the basswood plank on the forward end on both sides.  Now I have to figure out what kind of putty I can use that will take a light stain, anybody have a recommendation.

 

[Chuck]

That looks very good.  Its a difficult hull to plank and you did an exceptional job.

[Havelock]

Yes, really impressed with what you've done! I struggled with the planking and have it on hold for now. Plan to spend time on and off, while doing other projects, to get better at shaping the strips. I might even start again. This is one model where there is really no room for error. 

 

Definitely following your build!

[SkiBee]

Does anyone have a recommendation on what to use to fill mistakes?  I would like to stain the repair.

[VTHokiEE]

53 minutes ago, SkiBee said:

Does anyone have a recommendation on what to use to fill mistakes?  I would like to stain the repair.

You might try collecting the saw dust from your hull sanding and adding a little wood glue to make a filler that matches your wood. I would try some on a piece on scrap wood to see if it stains evenly before using it on my hull.

[Ryland Craze]

Be careful staining basswood.  It will soak up the stain and could cause the overall finish to become blotchy.  I thinned my stain with Minwax natural.  I also used Minwax pre stain wood conditioner.  There was a lot of discussion on staining basswood in the early Longboat build logs.  It is a good idea to test the stain before you apply it to the hull.  You are making good progress on your build.

[SkiBee]

Ryland & VTHokiee, I ended up using "Elmer's Carpenter's  Wood Filler" to fill the gaps since I have used it on larger projects and it sands, takes stain and paints well.  Plus it comes in a small container.

(VTHokiee, great school, I lived in Springfield, VA for ten years and had some great co-workers and neighbors that were Hokiee's)

 

      I installed the Floorboards and Platforms next, not the Cap Rail and frieze.  I wanted to build the platforms and then stain the hull, floorboards and platforms all at the same time without the cap rail. There were gaps between the hull and the platforms, below was even a second attempt cutting them, I did use a template made from a file folder. I think I just need to take more time next time I cut something like this. I'm hoping that the thwarts and locker/seats will hide most of my sloppy work.

      I used the mixture of 50/50 Minwax Natural and Light Oak per the instructions, I did use Minwax pre-stain first.  The results were not as rich of a hue while being very light as I hoped, I think that was the natural color of the basswood and the way it absorbs the stain compared to a hard wood.  But I think it will look better once I paint the red on the cap rail and the white below the waterline.

 

Next I painted the inside two top planks red.  I was not happy about the coverage of the red paint over the stained basswood, it turned out quite dark after two coats.  The red paint on the top of the frames was even darker due to the amount of stain they took, so I painted the top of the frames white then repainted them red.  That turned out much better.

On to the Cap Rail and Risers.

[Ryland Craze]

2 hours ago, SkiBee said:

The results were not as rich of a hue while being very light as I hoped, I think that was the natural color of the basswood and the way it absorbs the stain compared to a hard wood.

I used Minwax Wipe-On-Poly on my hull and it enhanced the color as well as providing a protective finish.  Your staining looks good.

[VTHokiEE]

2 hours ago, SkiBee said:

VTHokiee, great school, I lived in Springfield, VA for ten years and had some great co-workers and neighbors that were Hokiee's

Go Hokies! 😁

 

Glad that you found a nice solution; it looks like you're getting on very well with the build!

[SkiBee]

     Cap Rail: This was a challenge to try cut it to a form as close to the end product as possible, still ended up sanding to size quite and bit.  Based on my poor cutting to size of the platforms I took more time.  I should have tried a template to see if that had helped, but I was ok with the end product.  Also, used filler to fill in the cap at the bow next to the stem, I wasn’t worried to much since it would get painted red.

I painted the outside edge of the Cap Rail white but I covered it up when I painted the top of the rail red.  Maybe, I will try tape off the top of the rail next time I paint the edge of the rail white.

     I took a little more time cutting the aft seats and they turned out better than the platforms.

 

HELP NEEDED:

1. The instructions say to pre-spray the frieze with a ‘protective artist’s fixative’, does anybody of a recommendation of what to spray the frieze with?  I was thinking of just waiting to the end of the build, since I like to spray all the wood with a Matte clear coat.

2. Does anyone have a recommendation on what should I use to glue the frieze to the hull with?

 

[Nirvana]

18 minutes ago, SkiBee said:

HELP NEEDED:

1. The instructions say to pre-spray the frieze with a ‘protective artist’s fixative’, does anybody of a recommendation of what to spray the frieze with?  I was thinking of just waiting to the end of the build, since I like to spray all the wood with a Matte clear coat.

2. Does anyone have a recommendation on what should I use to glue the frieze to the hull with?

 

 

 1, I simply used some hairspray of my wife's. Does the same job and was way cheaper, if is better? I don't know but still after three years it's holding up. This is just to keep the "ink" from smearing.
2,  I personally used diluted wood glue, yes the frieze curled up a little bit because of the extra water, but after sitting a little while I applied it to the hull and it was stuck.
 

I am aware there are many other methods of doing this, and you will get more information. 
 

Looking good though.

[whitejamest]

2 hours ago, SkiBee said:

HELP NEEDED:

1. The instructions say to pre-spray the frieze with a ‘protective artist’s fixative’, does anybody of a recommendation of what to spray the frieze with?  I was thinking of just waiting to the end of the build, since I like to spray all the wood with a Matte clear coat.

2. Does anyone have a recommendation on what should I use to glue the frieze to the hull with?

 

 

I sprayed the entire sheet of friezes with Testors Dullcote before cutting any of them out. I sprayed the back, let it dry for 15 minutes, and then sprayed the front. 

 

I used little thinly spread dots of super glue to attach the frieze. Because it was well sealed by the Dullcote none of the glue bled through. (That's one reason I would recommend sealing it before installing, whatever you choose to seal it with). The super glue doesn't give you much working time, but I found I didn't need it. 

[SkiBee]

Thanks for the input it was very helpful!

I did use Testor’s Dullcote on both sides of the frieze as a protective coat, then I used my wife’s mod-podge (essentially water downed white glue) to glue the frieze to the boat.  Both worked very well.

 

 

Next, I made the hinges and mast retainer.  I glued both with white glue but I was concerned about the mast retainer not being strong enough so I put some supper glue on as a overlay and fillet.  I made it a little shiny but later I’ll spray the whole boat with a matte finish which should dull it.

 

Then I made the pintles and glued them onto the rudder.

I think I’m going to take a break from completing this boat and start the Model Shipways Norwegian Sailing Pram.  It looks like the rigging is simpler and might be easier to learn about rigging and sails.  My first build was the Model Shipways Lowell Grand Banks Dory by David Antscherl, which I’ve stated before was a fantastic first build.  So I think the Pram will be a good learning tool also, back in a while.

[SkiBee]

I did start the build of the Norwegian Sailing Pram and I’m almost done but the kit was missing a part so I’m waiting to receive it in order to finish it.

 

Started building the masts and spars, the hardest part was cutting the jaws for the gaff, they are not pre-cut and had to cut them out of left-over stock.  I failed a number of times drilling the hole and cutting them out of stock.  Then I noticed that the extra ‘knees’ left in the stock I was cutting the jaws out of were about the shape of a jaw, so I used them for the jaws.  Drilled the hole in them and then cut them out, sanded them to a ‘similar shape’ of the jaws and glued them on.  I think they look ok and it was easier then trying to make them on my own.  I do need to figure out and practice making small parts like the jaws but not now.

 

I tried to make the iron bands for the mast but I can’t drill the holes in the small (1/32” x 1/64”) piece of brass strip. 

HELP, does anyone have a recommendation on how to drill a hole in that small of brass strip?

[whitejamest]

The boat is looking really lovely, well done.

 

I found it pretty challenging to drill the holes in the brass bands, especially because all I had to work with at the time was my little pin vise. It was hard going by hand. I managed to do it for the lower band that receives the hook on the boom, but for the two upper bands I actually cheated. I glued a couple of spare ringbolts to the bands, snipping most of the long end off first. You can see photos in the gallery on my profile page if you want to see how that looks. It was a minor enough detail as far as I was concerned. 

 

 

[SkiBee]

whitejamest - thanks for the info.  I glued two 'eyes' on the band and they seem to work ok.  On the boom, I cut a 1/8" piece of brass tube from my Pram kit and glued that to the band at the lower end of the mast.

[SkiBee]

HELP again, between the lines provided don't match the few notes in the instructions, I don't know what line goes where in the rigging.  Does anyone know of some of the build logs that go into detail on the rigging?

[Ryland Craze]

Check out the rigging instructions for the Medway Longboat, which is a larger scale version of your longboat.  It is chapter five download on the Syren website.  Here is a link: https://syrenshipmodelcompany.com/medway-longboat-1742.php

 

[SkiBee]

So I'm back to working the Longboat since I finished the Norwegian Pram.  It was a good learning experience, especially for the rigging which was simple but a great first try at rigging.

 

So I have the mast installed and spars installed and some rigging done.  The rigging has been a challenged but it's another good learning experience.

 

Suggestions always welcome.

[JohnN]

Looking good @SkiBee.  This kit definitely more complex than the Pram.

[Ryland Craze]

Your rigging has turned out very nice.  You are on the home stretch for finishing this model.

[SkiBee]

I’m proceeding with the rigging of the Longboat; it is a lot harder than the Norwegian Pram since the lines are so thin.  I’m having problems with seizing the ends of the lines, they don’t look like a real line termination, just some ratty knots.

 

Does anyone have a reference to a blog thread or any other reference on methods to terminate ship model lines?

[Nirvana]

SkiBee, it took me several tries before I got the seizing correct.

And yes, close up we are all our worst critics. If you stand three feet away from your model, you won't see it.

 

[SkiBee]

@Nirvana ; I appreciate and agree that we our own worst critics.  But, I want to learn how to do better at rigging, I've read information on planking and general model boat building but have not found any information on rigging.  If you know of any source please let me know.

 

Does anyone have a reference to a blog thread or any other reference on methods to terminate ship model lines?