Biloxi schooner by Russ - FINISHED - 1/48 scale - POB

[SawdustDave]

Good job Russ. Those last chainplates look much better.

Dave

[russ]

Thanks. I am hoping to get some time on her soon. I have to finish another paying project and then I can get back to this one.

 

Russ

[Mahuna]

Hi Russ:

 

Nice build - I enjoy working craft, and will be following along with the remainder of your build.

 

Frank

[russ]

Frank:

Thanks for dropping by.

 

Russ

[gerty]

Nice job on the deadeyes and chainplates Russ !     They look like the real deal !

[russ]

Gerty:

Thanks. I will be glad when I get the other side completed.

 

Russ

[SkerryAmp]

Nicely done!   I look forward to and dread the fiddly bits part of the ship.  Dread because they are tiny and usually a lot of them!  Look forward to because it starts to bring the ship together.

 

 

Liking it!

[russ]

Adam:

I was frustrated for a while not because the parts are small (and they are), but because I had not figured a way to engineer them properly. I think I have that worked out now and it is a matter making some time in the shop to get them completed. Once you know how to make them, the rest tends to get a bit easier.

 

Russ

[WackoWolf]

Glad your back. Also glad you figure out the problem of getting them to work the way you want. Sometime you have to sit back for awhile and think about the problem instead of trying this and trying that. When things start getting to you it's time to take abreak and think about it for awhile.

[russ]

Joe:

I promise I never went anywhere. Just got really busy.

 

There are always challenges to find a way to make something in a given scale. That is one of the things I love about model building.

 

Russ

[adivedog]

Nice job on the schooner.

 

I have a question on the planking. When you sectioned off the bulkheads, did you measure from top to bottom and divide or did you use a strake in the center and divide ?? Will start planking the Swift in a couple of days.

 

Thanks

[russ]

John:

 

For some photos of the process, see the first page of my log.

 

I used a piece of masking tape to measure the distance to be planked on each bulkhead. I placed the tape on a given bulkhead using a longer piece of tape and then marked the deck line on the tape and the top edge of the keel. Then I took the tape off and laid it out flat. Now, I measured the total distance between the two marks and divided that by the number of planks from deck to keel in the hull. That gave me the width each plank on that bulkhead. Now replace the tape on the bulkhead with part of the bulkhead showing and transfer the marks for the width of each plank onto the bulkhead. I repeated this operation for each bulkhead and now I have the width and shape of each plank laid out on the bulkheads. I did this along the angle of the bow and for the stern frame as well. I do this for both sides of the hull.

 

When I planked this hull, I did not use any premilled strips, I cut each plank out of a sheet of basswood. These can be gotten for a few bucks at your local hobby or crafts store. I got mine from Hobby Lobby. I used white card stock for spiling and tapering each plank.

 

Cut a piece of card stock just a little longer than you first plank at the deck at the bow. Make sure it is somewhat wider than you need as well. Hold or tape it against the hull so that its edge sticks up above the deck. Now, run a pencil along the edge of the deck against the card. This is the upper edge of your first plank. Now, cut the card to that line. Mark the bulkheads that your first plank crossed on the card and measure from each bulkhead the widths of the first plank on the card, using the upper edge of that plank on the card as you reference line. Do it for the bow rabbet as well. Once you have these widths marked on the card, connect the dots. Now you have the shape of your first plank. Decide where the butt end of the plank will occur.

 

Now, cut the card to that shape and check it against the hull to make sure you have got the shape exactly as it is laid out on the bulkheads. If it has been done carefully, all is correct. Lay the card on a piece of basswood and trace the shape. Cut the plank out and use the card template as a guide to fine tune the shape of the plank. You can leave the plank a little long until you are ready to fit and glue it in place. If you need to soak the plank to get it to bend easier, that is no problem. I held mine under hot water from the faucet for a minute or so and then clamped it in place on the hull and let it dry. Once it was dry, the plank held its shape well enough that I was able to glue it place, using my fingers to hold it for a few seconds while the glue set enough.

 

For planks that have their edge against another plank, use the card again as a template and use a compass to trace the edge of the plank above onto the card. You can connect the dots to get that edge shape for your next plank. That is spiling. Then you can measure the widths as before to get the bottom edge of that next plank. That is tapering.

 

Where you have a bulkhead in the stern that does not extend down to the keel, draw lines extending that bulkhead's position on the deadwood down to the keel. Your measuring tape will need to cover that distance since planks will fill that area.

 

Let me know if you need anything further.

 

Russ

Edited August 23, 2014 by russ

[adivedog]

Sounds good. Thanks Russ

[russ]

Here is a little more progress. Got some time to work on some deck fixtures. There is still a good deal more fitting to be done. The corner joints on the hatch coamings still need some cleaning up and the coamings need to have their bottom edges cambered to match the deck.

 

Russ

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Looking good, Russ.  Nice to see her still progressing.

 

John

[russ]

John:

Thanks. As the weather cools a bit, I have been able to do some work in the shop.

 

Russ

[BANYAN]

Nice to see another update Russ; she is progressing slowly (like my Endeavour) but with a lot of "class" 

 

cheers

 

Pat

[russ]

Pat:

Thanks for the kind words. I need to get this project moving along as I have a few others who are waiting patiently for space on the bench.

 

Russ

[pete48]

Looks good Russ, shes staring to come together. Nice work

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[russ]

Pete:

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Thanks everyone for all the likes.

 

Russ

[captainbob]

Beautiful job.

 

Bob

[SawdustDave]

Russ....your progress on the deck fixtures are inspiring. I love your clean, sharp details. Beautiful job mate.

 

Dave

[russ]

Dave:

Thanks for the kind words. However, they are obviously cleaner and sharper in the photograph than in real life.

 

I will say that making the half lap joints was enjoyable. Just me, a few hand tools, and the wood. They are not perfect, but it was a great way to pass a few hours.

 

Russ

[dgbot]

Russ do you plan on any painting or are you going natural?

David B

[russ]

David:

Yes, the trunk cabin and hatches etc will be painted white. 

 

Russ

[SkerryAmp]

Love your work Russ.   Really appreciate clean crisp work - something I am still striving for.  The deck structures look fantastic!

[russ]

Adam:

Thanks for the kind words. They are appreciated.

 

Russ

[russ]

Here is a little more progress. I managed to make the wheel box today. Not too bad, but it still needs some sanding now that I look at the hi res photos.

 

Russ

[Elia]

Russ,

 

Your Biloxi schooner looks great. The bitts, the deck hatches and coaming, and the wheel box all look quite sharp. Very nice! And its good to see you getting a little time in the shipyard.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[src]

Russ,

So nice to see you getting some build time in. Those small parts sure look good. 

Sam