USF Confederacy by cdrusn89 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1/64

[cdrusn89]

After messing around most of the afternoon trying to fashion the other two pieces of the mid rail (using the kit supplied pieces to make shaping easier than working in the Swiss pear) I finally decided that as long as I am going to fabricate these pieces in Swiss pear, I might as well do it in one piece rather than two.

 

So I made a template out of an old file folder to run from under the cat head to the already attached mid rail.

I cut this piece out of 3/16" Swiss pear since the 1/4" thick material is only really needed for the bolster under the cat head (which I will add as a separate piece).

 

I shaped it using the spindle and disk sanders then "adjusted" it with several grits of sanding sticks and a few files.

 

When I was satisfied with the shape I added the molded edges and a pin at the junction with the forward mid rail.

 

Here is what it looks like now - need WoP and the bolster under the cat head. I had to put a notch in the back side to allow the wales to go through, otherwise it would had to bend it and I learned my lesson on adding stress to the model structure. On the port side I will try and get the grain running vertically rather than horizontally as it is here so the part running down from the cat head will look better than it does here. Although after the WoP it may not be as noticable as it is here (at least in the photo).

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Well, at least if I made an error that caused the starboard side mid rail to miss the after two head timbers then I did the same thing on the port side because again, only the first three timbers had to be notched to get the end of the mid rail to approximately where it is on the starboard side.

 

Consistency must be worth a few points.

 

Here is the forward section of the port mid rail awaiting the fabrication and detailing of the after section. I am using the starboard side as the template. It should work, right?

[cdrusn89]

I went back to the starboard side to add the "decorations" and was faced with a choice. I had painted all the decorations as I was doing the stern carvings so the default color for the dedications is sort of yellow. That worked fine at the stern, figurehead and cheeks but for the head rail I thought the yellow would stand out too much (not to mention my likely less than perfect placement) so I decided to paint it something closer to the color of the varnished Swiss Pear.

 

Here is the starboard side with the decorations added.

The port side after mid rail is finished and is waiting for the WoP to dry before adding the decorations .

N

Before I got the final items on the port side done I started the head gratings. Since the structure is in Swiss Pear I toyed with the notion of doing the head grating in Swiss pear as well but decided that the beakhead deck is boxwood that I should make the head grating of boxwood as well. I started (per instructions) with the elements then outline the box for the bowsprit gammoning. Cutting and fitting all those small pieces sounds like as much fun as the head timbers (not really since most of the pieces are somewhat independent of each other, unlike the head timbers).

 

Here is an overhead shot of the bow with the first three head timbers in place.

 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

More head gratings in place.

 

I haven't decided yet about the framing for the "seats of ease" since you can't see them and handling those little pieces is a real challenge (for me).

 

I am going to try the framing between the beakshead deck and the head rail - plans show 17 pieces on each side. Much fun anticipated.

[cdrusn89]

Working the head gratings - still.

 

I got tired of losing the grip on the small pieces of 1/16" X 1/16" material and having them fall through while keeping the aft end of the pieces level with the beakhead deck did not look too difficult. But keeping them level looked like a challenge since the head rail is rising as you proceed aft. To provide some reference for "level", after I got the corner piece and the next one aft installed I glued (thin CA) a piece of .025" phosphor bronze rod to the bottom of these pieces to try and have a way of locating the forward end since the head rail is not going to be any help.

 

Here are the first five pieces and you can see the wire helping to locate the forward end. The plans show 7 pieces so I need two more - they are going to be "really" short.

Edited April 20, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

After I got the "slats" to port of the "corner" I took the rod out and glued another to support the starboard side of this section. There should not be a problem with determining that the slats are level with the beakhead deck since (in theory) the head rail is level with the beakhead deck here.

 

For those who may build this kit in the future - work from the edges inboard rather than from the center out. It took me 20 minutes to get the piece next to the stem in place. It is really short and I had to use tweezers with long points to test fit the piece (probably a dozen times). I probably had 3 or 4 of them go flying (somewhere, I will find them some day) because of the thin grip of the tweezers.

 

But, I did get the port side area completed.

 

Not the most even and "fan-like" but with all the other stuff above the gratings it will be hard to notice the inconsistencies (at least that is what I am telling myself).

 

I did manage to get 17 pieces just like the plans show so I guess I got at least that part correct. No to try and do the same on the starboard side.

 

Edited April 20, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

To take a break from the tremendous fun of adding the head gratings (NOT) I fabricated the "seats of ease" and the false rails from boxwood.

 

The seats were relatively easy except trying to get trhe hole in the exact center of the 3/16" X 3/16" base. I decided to drill the hole in the seat before try to shape them, especially the ones by the round house. Boxwood is not as temperamental as basswood in thin sheets but it pays to make thing like holes (especially relatively large ones) away from the edges of the sheet.

 

The false rails were somewhat more of a challenge and again it takes a bit of planning on how you cut the shape to avoid cutting along the grain and then trying to curve across the grain, better to cut, at least partially ,the curve across the grain before cutting along the grain.

 

Here at the seats of ease and false rails after fabrication. They will get a final 320 grit sanding and WoP before installation.

Since I had the grating on the starboard side completed I decided to see how they will look.

 

 

Not sure yet how to "disguise" that the false rail in made of two pieces. Instructions suggest painting to look like wood but I am not inclined to follow that. Even filler will be pretty obvious. I think maybe nothing is the path I am on.

 

[cdrusn89]

The uploaded image was right side (aft at bottom) up. I do n ot know why the site wants to turen it around.

 

Anyway, the head grating is done, finally.

 

I followed the plans from the forward most cross timber back to the start of the gammoning opening, i.e. five cross timbers between those two.  I continued using the same spacing 9more or less) continuing toward the timber at the front of the stem but only have four timbers instead of the six shown in the plans. It is hard to tell from the pictures in the instruction manual whether there is supposed to be a change in spacing because that is not obvious in the plans.

 

I would not want to have done the head gratings using this thin basswood. The boxwood at 1/16" X 1/16" was still pretty flexible and it took a good deal of care to not unintentionally bend one piece trying to get it to fit. It took several (maybe many) tries to get the piece to fit without bending it or what it was bearing against. Plus there were several occasions where a glue joint failed on the perpendicular piece while trying to fit in one of the gratings.

 

Anyway, it is done, a final sanding a WoP next then on to the seats of ease and the bowsprit.

 

Edited April 23, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

WoP is dry and I glued the seats of ease in place. I dry fit the bowsprit and despite  messing around with the tendon I still needed a 1/16" block on top of the stem to keep the bowsprit from sitting DIRECTLY on top of the figurehead. Too late to do much else (IMHO)

And here is the bowsprit - waiting for glue to dry before I try the gammoning.

 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

Glue is dry and gammoning is complete.

 

I would suggest that the seats of ease abreast of the bowsprit not be installed until the gammoning is completed. Don't ask how I know this would be better.

 

[cdrusn89]

I fabbed the knightsheads from Boxwood previously and had to add a 1/16" "filler" to the bottom to get the profile to match the bowsprit. I could have redone them but I am out of boxwood in 1/8" wide enough to do so instead of thinning out some other piece I took the path of least resistance and added the filler.

 

Here is the bow with the knightsheads installed. I need another coat of WoP but will wait for the boomkins.

Speaking of Boomkins, I am thinking that waiting to install them might be the right move. I am nervous of having things sticking out from the hull at this point since there is still a good bit of work that needs to be done;  not necessarily at the bow but elbows being what they are I still think waiting until the "last moment" to install these in probably a good idea.

 

I am going to fab the boomkins from boxwood so I cut some 6" lengths of 1/8" X 1/8" boxwood and sanded them to eight sided then soaked them in water and put them in a jig to bend them to approximately the required shape.

 

Here are four pieces (just to be on the safe side) and the laser cut piece from the kit on the jig drying.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

I finished the fab of the boomkins and the false rails in boxwood.

 

I glued in the false rails and the boomkins are just sitting in approximately the correct position.

As I said before I am going to defer installing the boomkins until the end of the build to keep my elbows (or other appendages) from tearing them off during the remaining construction.

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Starboard side boarding ladder and fenders in place but not yet WoPed.

 

I decided to make these items in boxwood instead of Swiss Pear so they would standout like the other "trim" items, at least on this side. I may do the other in Swiss Pear just to be different. The boxwood is much easier to fashion using moulding cutters than the pear. And don't ask about walnut, at least the walnut I have is very "grainy" and not suitable at all (IMHO) to being shaped with a cutter.

 

Here is the starboard side.

 

 

I used the Artesania Latina cutters shown below. I used the 3X3 cutter on the bottom left for the boarding steps and the 2X3 one on the top right for the fenders. I used the thickness sander to thin down some 1/8" X 1/8" boxwood to either 3X3 or 2X3 mm to fit the cutters.

 

[cdrusn89]

On to the starboard side gun port doors. The port side was done some time ago as I am showing them closed.

 

Luckily I made up plenty of "stock" from which to make the doors so it was just a matter of cutting them to size and matching the plank pattern - not that it will be noticeable with the open doors but...

 

I used the Byrnes table saw and a .040" kerf blade to make the rabbet around the sides but only did three sides. I left the side that faces the hull the full width. I have my doubts about the ability of the sprue to support the door so I think having a full 1/16" bearing surface against the hull might be prudent. And it is not like the absence of the rabbet at the back of the door is going to be noticeable.

 

So here are the 14 doors ready for adding the eyebolts and hinges.

And here they are after the details have been added. I just touched up the edges with red paint. Next I will sand to get the "extra" paint off the outside and then add a coat of WoP. The "stock" was already  WoPed so (hopefully) the red paint is not soaking into the outside of the doors.

 

 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

On to the channels now that the gun port doors are "done".

 

The instructions recommend extending the molding strips around the channels by using the provided scrapers to do the ends of the channel,platforms.

 

I decided to do the channels in Swiss pear so scraping the ends of the channel platforms does not really match the instructions intent. So, I decided to add the boxwood molding on the ends of the channel, platforms. The same molding (in boxwood) will cover the outer edge of the channels once the deadeyes and hardware are installed. thus the model will have a more or less continuous boxwood molding strip at the channel level to match to one on the follows the main rail at the gun deck level.

 

I also decided to fab the standards (inverted knees) in boxwood rather than Swiss pear in keeping with my plan of having the detail in boxwood. I made enough for both sides but may reconsider the port side since I did the boarding ladder and fenders in Swiss pear on that side.

 

Here are the forward, starboard channels, molding and standards in place but no WoP yet.

 

 

[cdrusn89]

This is probably my last post for awhile. I am leaving on a month long trip overseas tomorrow at some point. It will be Memorial Day weekend when I get back so next post will probably be in early June.

 

Keep up the good work everyone.

[cdrusn89]

He's back! From a month long trip to Europe.

 

So I better get to work. We leave again on 6/29.

 

I have struggled since I started this build with what to do about the chainplates. I was not crazy about the photo etched brass that came with the kit, since they are not round and look pretty easy to "mis-handle" so I ordered samples of some of the chainplates that are available commercially.

 

However, I could not find anything that is close to the arrangement shown on the plans and most of what is available would seem to be out of scale compared to what is provided with the kit. So I have decided to use the kit provided materials.

 

I have all the channels installed on the starboard side along with the eyebolts. I have completed the chainplates for the fore mast channels and here they are.

 

The "trim pieces" around the channels are not is "nice" looking as I had hoped but it is too late to try something else so I hope it grows on me.

 

Also getting the bottom of each chainplate to end at the same place is somewhat of a challenge, even with the multiple lengths of one of the links provided.

Edited June 1, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Main chainplates done.

 

Mizzen is almost done, then on to the port side.

 

[cdrusn89]

Starboard side chainplates complete.

[cdrusn89]

Port side Fore mast chainplates completed. And this time I remembered to put the eyebolts between the preventer plates. I am not sure what these were/would be used for but they are on the plans and mentioned in the instructions sooooo. Unlike the starboard side on this side I remembered to narrow the channels on each side to account for the additional molding piece on each side. I forgot about that "detail" on the starboard side. but am not about to tear it all out and start over. Besides, I probably do not have enough spares of the photo etched chainplates to do another set.

Edited June 3, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Port side chainplates complete - getting close to "THE END" of this project. There are only three relevant pagers left in the instructions (I already built the anchors and ship's boats).

 

On to the various railings and the gangways. I thought about only putting the gangway on one side but then I could not figure out an "elegant" way of holding up the boat skids on the side with no gangway so I will install both.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 3, 2022 by cdrusn89

[Brucealanevans]

Beautiful build!

Good on you for having the ships boats built ahead of time.

[cdrusn89]

Thanks Bruce. I actually did all the guns ahead also - then found out the ones I built (from Syren) were too big and got to do it all again. I am saving them for the Wenchelsea which I hope will be next.

 

The final detail on the quarterdeck, the railing around the ladder leading below.

 

I found some really nice looking railing stanchions I got somewhere a long time ago (I think from BlueJackets but ...). They are round (not flat like the photo etched ones) but are drilled for three rows of railings which might look like overkill for the period. Hopefully the extra holes will not detract from their appearance.

 

Here is what they look like before painting.

Unfortunately they only came drilled straight through (no special "corner" stanchions) so I had to run the railing "around" the corner. I thought about steel wire but even this short a length may be hard to get a straight piece and keep it straight while installing.

So I used some .025"  phosphor-bronze wire. It bends and cuts pretty easily (compared to piano wire) and I have plenty as I anticipated it might take several tries to get the bends exactly where they need to be.

 

Anyway here it the quarterdeck in all its glory. Including a few spare pieces of flotsam since removed.

 

 

 

Edited June 4, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Port side gangway complete. Deck needs a bit of sanding a WoP but other than that I think it came out pretty well.

 

I simulated (holes filled with wood putty) treenailing the gun deck but (IMHO) the appearance was not worth the effort so I have neglected that on the quarter and fo'c'sle decks so to be consistent I will not do the gangways either.

[cdrusn89]

Looking forward to the masts I utilized my "poor mans lathe" (aka Drill Press) to turn some square boxwood stock into 5/16" and 7/16" dowels for the mizzen, main and fore mast stubs.

 

After a first coat of poly they await cutting to size and the accessories (cleats and woodlings).

The second gangway has been completed, both sides have received a coat of WoP, and the ladders (assembled previously) and the railings around the companionways have been installed.

 

Next up the skid beams, waist railing and the quarterdeck railing. This time I super glued phosphor-bronze wire into the extra holes in the stanchions and filed them smooth before painting - not sure it was worth the effort but...

Edited June 5, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

The first (aft) skid beam is in place and the other three are in place. I used a piece of 3/32" scrap to make a spacer to get the 3/32" clearance between the beam end and the deck.

 

Although the instructions warn about making sure the beams are square and evenly spaced IMHO with the boats in place this will not be apparent unless they are badly misaligned. I located one side by the plans and then replicated the spacing from that side to the other to locate to holes for the pins on that end. One of them ended up pretty close to the edge of the planking but I manged to keep from splitting the plank by using a rattail file to carefully enlarge the hole to get the pin to slide in.

 

I had to remove the two forward ladders to the gnagway since where I had them they were going to be too close to the skid beams. Luckily I got them out without damage. Will reinstall when the skid beams are secure.

 

Here are the skid beams as I secure the other three. You can see the spacers at each end of the three forward beams.

While waiting for the glue to set on the laserboard "brackets I installed the quarterdeck railing.

 

Same stanchions and rail as are on the companionways.

 

 

[cdrusn89]

Starboard side boomkin rigged. I used a 5mm Model Shipways swiss pear block and .5mm black rigging thread from Ropes of Scale.

 

I am not sure I got the required downward slope but I can't find the boomkin on the drawings except in plan viewso I have only the instruction pictures to work from. I made my own boomkins in Boxwood but bent them to match what was provided in the kit.

 

I need to reorient the model to work the port side but I have a few other details to work on the starboard side.For instance, I need to replace the gun port doors for position 5 and 6. They are in a vulnerable spot and don't have any protection from the channels so they both came adrift while I was working the gangways. I would suggest that at a minimum there two not be installed until pretty much everything else is done.

[cdrusn89]

Starboard side waist railing completed.

 

I decided that I would not use the provided photo etched stanchions. I generally do not like flat photo etched parts substituting for what would be round section items. At this scale it is probably hard to tell but "I will know".

 

I started with 1/16" X 1/16" boxwood strips. I marked where the stanchions would go using the actual model instead of the plans. I then drilled a shallow (not through the wood) hole at the locations where the stanchions will be located. I took particular care to get the hole in the center of the strip. I made three sets of railings to accommodate a potential failure (should probably have made four). Once the holes were drilled for all the stanchions (two sections on each side) I ran the 1/16 X 1/16" strips (carefully) through the thicken sander and reduced the width to about .04" - more than the 1/32" (.0313") called for in the plans but about as narrow as I was willing to go and still have a hole rather than a groove.

 

For attachment I used a similar scheme to the skid beam fittings. Small (hopefully approx 1/32" wide) pieces of black laserboard were glued to each side of the railing and then the railing was used to mark the locations of the holes on the model.

 

I pre-painted .025" phosphor-bronze wire flat black and used thin CA to glue appropriately sized pieces into the railing.

 

Now the fun, getting the stanchions into the holes in the deck while not distorting the railing enough to cause one of the areas with a stanchion to fail.

 

I got the forward section in okay but the shorter aft section failed while I was maneuvering it into position and adjusting the heights.

 

Here is the starboard side:

Now on to the port side.

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Since I already assembled the ship's boats it is time to get them mounted.

 

Here is the longboat mounted and secured per the instructions. The securing lines for the pinnance can be seen in the background. I will probably do that before I install the waist rail on that side since I almost damaged the one on this side getting the securing lines secured.

Somehow in my relief to have completed the details in the bow I manged to bypass the "birthing rail".

 

I used a length of .025" music wire for the rail and fashioned two stanchions from .020" phosphor-bronze wire to replace the photo-etched parts provided. I could not make a loop in the end smaller than the one on the photo etched stanchion. Here is the completed starboard side of the bow except for some touch up painting once the CA I used to secure the wires to each other is completely dry.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2022 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Port side boomkin and birth rail complete.

 

Pinnance mounted

Port side waist rail and mounting on display board are next.

 

Then the stub masts and COMPLETE!!!