Fair American by KenW - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:48 Scale

[KenW]

Thanks Ed.  I will have to watch out for splitting!  Perhaps using a slightly larger drill will prevent that.

Cheers.

Edited July 24, 2014 by KenW

[SawdustDave]

Just joining your build Ken.... Enjoyed browsing your postings....very nice work.

Dave

[SawdustDave]

Ken....have you done any work with "sculpy"?

You can get some amazing detail with this median that works like play dough....allows you to use sharp objects like needle points to simply press it into shape while laid out onto a piece of glass. Then, once you have the detail you want, simply place the finished piece into an oven and back it to a beautiful finished product.

Then, after it is baked hard, you can still carve and scrape on it if refinements are needed.

Sculpy....look it up.

I think you will love it.

Dave

[KenW]

Hey Dave.  Never heard of "sculpy".  But at some point I want to start trying my hand at sculpturing figureheads and stern designs.

I will look into it.

[SawdustDave]

The figurehead on my Confederacy was done with sculpy....also the figurines seen on the stern....check them out as well.

Good luck.

Dave

[KenW]

I see you are an excellent craftsmen yourself.  I must say you look nothing like your avatar.

Sculpey seems to be a type of clay.  Do you find it easier to work with than sculpting in wood?

Cheers.

[SawdustDave]

My Avatar....goes back to my old high school (Lumberton Pirates)....this guy stands in the hallway beside the memorial pirate ship I donated in honor of my old football / basketball coach.

Sculpey... I highly recommend you give it a try. Yes, it is a polymer clay, and works like modeling clay....allows very fine sharp details....allows extremely thin thickness.

Then, once baked in the oven, gives you a beautiful finished piece that can be painted or stained.

Good examples can be seen on my Confederacy....

I could have never done these with my "average" wood carving skills.

[Mirabell61]

lovely work Ken,

I like it very much...

 

Nils

[KenW]

Just to set the record straight.  The above ship, Confederacy, was not done by me.  That honor belongs to SawdustDave.

Dave:  I know my wood carving skills are negative; but I'm afraid that my clay sculpting skills are about the same.

[SawdustDave]

Ken....no intention on my part to cause confusion with the posting of pics of my Confederacy. I was thinking the example of how sculpey can be used fit the conversation much better than words.

Trust me, my wood carving skills are not all that great either....the very reason I turned to sculpey.

Think of it this way....wood carving is much less forgiving than clay. With the clay, you can shape it and re-shape it. With wood, when you mess up by taking off too much, you usually toss it and start over.

Other than this option, not sure what I would suggest.

You will come up with something....that's what Modelers do.....lol

Dave

[KenW]

The masts are constructed.  The top masts and top gallant masts are not glued yet, so they may not be perfectly straight.  The hounds were a challenge but turned out all right.  I followed the same painting scheme as Bob ‘rafine’.  My main worry as I go forward is that I moved the guns slightly closer to each other to allow for the two aft guns to be further away from the housing front.  This means that the dead eyes on the channels are crowded together, especially on the aft channels.  I’m waiting to see what they ultimately look like.

Edited July 31, 2014 by KenW

[GaryKap]

Hi Ken -

Thanks for posting the update.  She's lookin' good!  I'm not far behind you.  And I am having the same problems with the deadeyes on the channels; especially for the main mast.  They seem to be too close to the gun barrels.  I have lowered the channels so they are touching the top of the black strake, but am not convinced this will solve the problem.  So I keep procratinating.  I did the basic mast construction, and when I stepped the masts, I was surprised at how TALL they look on the vessel.  I have not constructed the hounds yet.  I will likely paint similar to you and Bob Rafine.  It is worth studying his build log (page 2) to identify all of the blocks and rings need to be attached to the masts.  Also be aware of "sheaves" that are embedded in the masts.

 

Do you know the purpose of those fid holes in the masts?

 

<<Gary>>

[dgbot]

Ken,  I just finished going through your build.  I have always like the Fair America painted and in wood.  You are doing a bang up job that makes me jealous.  As for the Sculpy,  I have seen plenty of modelers use it for many carvings.  It is also used in modeling military miniatures.

David B

[KenW]

Thanks for the likes and comments. 

Gary:  I was also surprised at the height of the masts.  I guess that made her fast. 

The fids are to position the upper masts into the tops.  They determine how far the top mast or top gallant mast 'drops down' into the slot in its top. 

As for the channels, I tried to make them as long as I could given the situation.  I just finished installing the lower main shrouds and there is enough room for the two aft guns.  Unlike the plans however, I have one shroud fore of its gun and the others aft of the gun.  Hopefully I will have a photo tomorrow.

Edited August 1, 2014 by KenW

[KenW]

Attached are photos of the lower main mast’s shrouds and stays.  I was pleased that the ‘line of sight’ of the aft guns were unaffected by the lanyards of the shrouds.  Hope the fore mast shrouds come out as well. 

I made the mouses from 1/8 inch dowel: first drilling the hole, then shaping the end and finally cutting off the finished mouse. 

I never realized that my fingers were so fat, and there are thinner lines and tighter spaces yet to come. 

I also see from one of the photos that I forgot to trim the lanyard of the main preventer stay.

[russ]

Ken:

So far so good. She looks great so far.

 

Russ

[SawdustDave]

Nice work Ken. Reminds me a lot of the Syren.

[KenW]

Thanks Russ and Dave.

I'm using the documentation for the Syren to help me with the rigging.  The only thing is that when there is a difference between the Syren doc and the FA plans, I defer to the plans.

[aliluke]

Looking really sharp Ken. Nice stuff, she's headed for a great outcome.

[rafine]

You're off to a great start on the rigging Ken.

 

Bob

[scott larkins]

That's coming along really well.  I noticed that the pic with the foremast looks like there is a grain to it.  What kind of wood did you use to get that?  Or are you really good with a brush?

[KenW]

Thanks Alistair, Bob and Scott.

As to the type of wood used for the masts:  I used the dowel supplied by the kit which I assume is basswood.  The main mast is a 5/16 inch dowel purchased at the local hardware store and thinned down to 9/32.  It is probably pine.  I stained both masts with Minwax 'Golden Oak' stain.

 

I do have a question -  While I'm still working on the lower mast's standing rigging, I am researching the rigging for the topmasts.  The main topmast stay attaches to the main topmast with a mouse and the stay passes through a 1/4 inch block on the foremast.  It then is seized to a 'fiddle' block (which I call a sister block) halfway down the aft side of the lower foremast.  "A purchase is rove between a single-becket block on deck and the fiddle block, the hauling end being hitched to the deck block at its strap."  Does anyone know, or have a picture of, how that hitch is done exactly?

Thanks.

Edited August 4, 2014 by KenW

[KenW]

I’ve just about finished with the lower standing rigging.  The only thing left to do is the shroud cleats.  The problem is the kit didn’t come with any.  So I’ve asked Model Expo for shroud cleats from the Armed Virginia Sloop; they are the perfect shape and size.  Don’t know if they will comply.

The lower ratlines were done with thin sewing thread and fastened with clove hitches as the FA instructions recommend.  I found clove hitches were not hard to make – I was worried about using them.  I also added an extra ratline above the futtock staff since I know the only way I will ever get to the top is through the lubber’s hole, and an extra ratline would be most welcome.  We land lubbers have to stick together.

[KenW]

I’ve been away on a week’s vacation out in the American West and am now anxious to get back to modeling. 

My first task is to correct a problem with the work that’s already done.  Two more blocks need to be added underneath the main top for braces.  Adding blocks when the top is already glued in place is not as easy as when the top is free, but the task was done. 

Next I added the shroud cleats to the port side of the model.  The kit didn’t include any shroud cleats so I ordered a pack of them from ME not thinking that their package comes with 10 cleats and I need at least 16.  So I ordered some more and will work on the starboard side when they come.  The cleats are 10mm, and they need to be filed down to about 8mm.  The metal is soft and the filing was easy.

I added the bunt line and brace blocks to the cross trees of the top masts.  I initially used 5/32 blocks, but they were obviously too big, so I took them off and used 1/8 blocks.  They seem much better. 

I also installed the pendants to both top masts.  Lots more rigging to do.

[russ]

The shroud cleats look good. That is nice work.

 

Russ

[EdatWycliffe]

Nice work, Ken. I've had to take a little break from modeling so I could finish a small addition for a new shipyard. The admiral thought it was time that I moved the shipyard out of the living room. Soon I'll start rigging and your work will be a great help. Ed.

[KenW]

Thanks Russ and Ed.

Always obey the Admiral.

[rafine]

Very nice work on the shroud cleats Ken. The rigging is looking really good.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Your build looks great! I think this is a kit I want to attempt at one point.

 

- Tim

[KenW]

Thanks Bob and Tim.

Tim - you should try it; although the kit has problems that my log documents.

Cheers.