HM Cutter Cheerful 1806 by JPR62 - 1:48 scale

[JpR62]

Over the past few days, I have been finalizing the internal planking.

I first applied the first layer of planks having decided not to cut them between the gun ports in order to obtain a very regular curvature.

 

The gun ports are then opened with a cutter and sanded. I had to add some wood filler on the 2 bottom rows because I must have been a bit heavy handed when sanding the bulwarks. It doesn't matter because a second layer of planking will cover them.

 

The second layer of planking was added below the ports in order to simulate the spirketing.

 

The whole is sanded to prepare the coloring that will be applied first with an airbrush.

 

The gun ports are closed again to prevent paint drift during airbrush application. A liquid masking film is applied in the joints.

 

And the whole hull is protected. We often spend more time protecting what should remain color free than the coloring itself.

 

Rather satisfactory result. No trace of color on the hull.

I will be able to finalize the part of the hull above the wales by adding the fancy moldings then add the cap rail.

[Chuck]

Lovely!!!  😄

[glbarlow]

It’s looking great!  I don’t have the nerve to airbrush anything on board the ship for fear of paint drifting to places I don’t want it. So well done.  I like the red.

[archjofo]

Good work !

[JpR62]

Thanks guys for your kind comments and Thank you for all the 'Likes'

 

I started by working on the boarding ladder. It seemed like a better idea to do this task before I put the molding in place because it saved me from having to cut and peel the molding segment at the ladder location afterwards (thanks to Stuntflyer for bringing this to my attention in his excellent build log).

 

The boarding ladder steps were constructed from a 3/32" x 3/32" boxwood strip.I used my proxxon MF70 micro milling machine for this. Once the different levels were milled, they were rounded with emery paper.

 

For a precise cutting of the angles a small jig was built in order to be able to reproduce regularly the angles. Once the steps were cut, I used a needle point and the blade of my cutter to continue the profile on each side.

 

 

The bottom step is painted black since it will be positioned on the wales.
Next step is the moldings.

 

[JpR62]

The fancy moldings were made using the scraping technique.

 

 

I used 2 different profiles and the 1/16" x 1/32" boxwood strips were then shaped by making many light passes across the strips.

 

[JpR62]

The small "ear" was cut out of a sheet of boxwood. I first cut its shape out of a sheet of cardboard and after several adjustments I was able to use this template to reproduce its shape on the boxwood.

The last segment of molding was glued on after the 'ear' was in place.

[JpR62]

Before installing the hawse plates, I glued the front part of the cap rail.

 

 

I cut it out of a 1/16" sheet of Alaskan Yellow Cedar with a cutter (I don't have a scroll saw at the moment and boxwood of this thickness is really too hard for a cutter). Alaskan Yellow Cedar is ideal for this job and since the cap rail will be painted black, the wood species used is of little importance.

 

The cap rail has been intentionally cut out leaving a margin on each side. It is then sanded to the correct width after gluing to the model. Protective tape was applied to the inner bulwarks to protect the red paint as much as possible.

 

 

 

[glbarlow]

The jig for cutting the ladder angle is a great idea, wish I’d thought of that. Very nice work.

[JpR62]

Thanks to the people who follow my work. It's always motivating and reassuring to know that you can count on the support of others.

 

I like to try new techniques. I really liked the result of ebonizing to get a nice natural black color.
In his excellent log on the 'Fifie' produced by Amati, Tim Moore had shared his technique (see link below).

 

Fifie by Tim Moore - #19 - April 4, 2021

 

On 4/4/2021 at 1:58 PM, Tim Moore said:

Thanks Jean-Paul and G.L...Ebonizing is a piece of cake once you’ve prepared the two necessary solutions.  It is accomplished by the reaction between iron acetate and tannin.  For the acetate I submerge a clump of fine raw prewashed steel wool in a plastic container containing 10% (double strength) cleaning vinegar. Put holes in lid for offgassing and leave for a week and then filter using a coffee filter. For the tannin I steeped a dozen tea bags in a cup or so of water to make ridiculously strong tea. 
The tannin solution is the key to the process.

When you’ve concocted these two witches’ brews paint the wood with the tannin solution first, let soak in for a few minutes, then paint on the acetate. Let that dry, and then apply the tannin solution again and your wood will magically be dead black and ready for any finish.

 

 

I decided to use this technique to stain the cap rail before installation to make it easier to color.

After a week of soaking, the iron acetate preparation is ready. The tannin preparation is quicker to prepare, it is simply 12 tea bags in a cup of hot water. I made a first test on a piece of Alaskan Yellow Cedar and miracle it works perfectly. It's quite magical... and simple. Just apply the process described by Tim.

 

 

I cross my fingers and do the treatment on the front part of the cap rail. And the chemical reaction works again.

 

 

The result seems to me correct and I will be able to apply it for the other segments.

Again a great proof of the richness of this site and the wonderful sharing of techniques 👍.

 

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

very nice work Jean Paul.  enjoy. 

[JpR62]

Small progress.

The hawse plates were cut from a 1/32" sheet of boxwood and put in place.

 

The holes for the bowsprit and for the hawse cable were drilled in the sheet before cutting the shape to avoid any breakage.

 

 

Once the cap rail is in place, the model will really start to look like a cutter.

 

[niwotwill]

Jean-Paul I must say each time I look at her i love the wood colors. Wonderful job.

Regards

Will

[JpR62]

Thank you to all the 'Likes' and thank you Will for your kind comment. I am also following your build log on the Erycina Fishing Trawler with attention. It is really a nice model.

 

Cap rail

I started by adding the cap rail over the transom.

 

 

A cardboard template was taken directly from the model and then reproduced on a 1/16" thick Alaskan Yellow Cedar sheet.

As I don't have a scroll saw, I preferred to work with Alaskan Yellow Cedar, which is perfect for making the cap rail and can be cut easily with a cutter.

For an easy installation of this piece, I first shaped it: the piece was moistened with water and clamped on a pan whose curvature corresponds to the desired shape.  I used a travel iron to keep the curvature of the piece.

 

 

The piece is then ebonized using my 2 miracle mixes.

 

 

Once glued, I sand the back part level with the stern. The 1/32" wide fancy molding will be added after the entire cap rail is in place.

 

 

[JpR62]

While preparing the two sides of the cap rail, I notice that there is still a small gap on each side. So I added a small triangular plank on the outside and inside to be level with the rear part of the cap rail.

 

 

 

 

[JpR62]

For both sides (port and starboard), I proceed in the same way. I first make a card template by directly taking its shape from the model and use this cardboard template to reproduce the pieces to be cut on the cedar sheet (leaving a safety margin of 1 mm on each side).

 

 

I decided to reproduce the cap rail in 2 segments, the joint being placed between gun ports 3 and 4.

 

 

The 4 segments are then ebonized and glued. I then protect (on both sides of the bulwarks: outside and inside) the planking with masking tape and sand to be level. Despite the masking tape, some paint was scratched and will need to be touched up.

 

 

 

The fancy moldings are prepared, ebonized and glued to the outer side of the cap rail. I protect the first part of the cap rail (the 5/32" wide strip) with masking tape so that I can fill the small gaps between the cap rail and the molding without getting too dirty.

This will also allow a faster sanding...
On the picture below, the cap rail on the port side is already sanded while the wood filler (tinted black) has been applied and dried on the starboard side

 

 

The cap rail is then painted black.

 

 

I'll be able to concentrate on the last details (drilling the hawse holes and bowsprit) and start the deck planking.

And always as much fun.

 

[Dave_E]

Jean-Paul,

 

VERY good work Sir… perfection! 👍😀

[Chuck]

Looking great....love the wood choices.

[FriedClams]

Excellent Jean-Paul - she's looking very smart.

 

Gary

[Blue Ensign]

Having a catch-up Jean-Paul, your beautiful Cheerful continues to delight. 👍

 

B.E.

[jfhealey]

Any progress on your Cheerful Jean-Paul?

Fred

[JpR62]

No, unfortunately not.  😒

I had a complicated year in terms of health which unfortunately kept me away from my workshop since the beginning of June. At the beginning of June, I suffered a heart attack which required several hospital stays during the summer. From mid September, I followed a cardiovascular rehabilitation program, which lasted 10 weeks and allowed me to recover completely.

I will finally be able to go back to my workshop. ☺️ I am looking forward to it because I have missed it.

I hope that 2023 will be a less eventful year ! 😅

 

[Chuck]

That is awful news but I am so happy you had a full recovery.   I am looking forward to you making more progress.   Stay well!!!

[BobG]

I'm so glad to hear you are on the mend, Jean-Paul, and I'm looking forward to seeing your wonderful work again.

[wool132]

Full recoveries are good! Now, your next challenge is to stay recovered! 🙂

 

Apt name for the model, too.

 

Jonathan

[JpR62]

Thank you for your words of support. Indeed, an important point is to stay well.

On the advice of my cardiologist, I now attend cardio-training 2 evenings a week, physical activity being an essential point.
And this week, I was able to go back to my workshop 😁

[jfhealey]

 I was dismayed to read of your ill health Jean-Paul but delighted to read you are on the mend. I had a heart attack in 2015 and thought it was the end of the world, but I do the exercise and take the pills and, fingers crossed, I feel fine.

Keep well and best wishes

Fred

[JpR62]

I was finally able to start working on the Cheerful again. What a pleasure!

I worked on the margin planks. They were cut out of a 3/64" thick sheet of boxwood. Instead, I will outline the method used to determine the shape and size of these planks. I first made a photocopy of the deck plan that I cut into two parts along its length.

Two small adjustments were needed to the bow of the cutter, either by gluing paper on the backside to add volume, or by cutting to best fit the shape of my model's deck.

I then glued a white sheet on the photocopy and traced with a compass the inside line of the margin to obtain the final shape of the margin planks. Then I added the two scarph joints obtained again from a copy of the plan. The whole thing was colored with stabilos boss  to separate the three segments of the margin.

New copy of the work done in order to cut the 3 segments on all their length. My templates are ready.

The three margin planks are cut out of the boxwood sheet with a cutter using these templates. The work on the scarph joints is not always easy and I had to do it three times for the small section at the bow before being satisfied with my work. In the picture below, nothing is glued yet.

The edges for the scarph joints are darkened with pencil before gluing them on the model. And the same process is performed on the port side

It's a bit tedious, but it allowed me to work serenely with the help of templates to cut the margin planks.
Next step: setting up the waterway.

 

[Nunnehi (Don)]

Jean-Paul,

 

Great to see you on the mend and back at it - looks really good! Your build is on my permanent reference list when I get ready to start mine. 
 

Don

[glbarlow]

An excellent process for a challenging step, thanks for sharing. 
 

I’m happy you are feeling better and on a better path for your health.