Fifie by Ras Ambrioso - FINISHED - Amati - 1/32 scale

[Ras Ambrioso]

Eamon, in reference with your thought about the hinges, I didn't make them. Wish I had. They came with the Amati kit. As a matter of fact , they sell them as separate fittings. They are great for the 1/32 or 1/24 scale. Thanks for the comment, I appreciate your input.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Last night I spent a couple of hours following Wefalk's (Everhard?) build. He is scratch building the SMS Wespe, Imperial Navy armored cruiser (1876) in N scale (1/160). Amazing craftsmanship where 1 mm is a large dimension. He is fabricating every fitting and part of this boat using watchmakers tools. I learned a lot about preparation and the perseverance required. .

 

I am again taking a break from the ship's hull and doing some more detailing. I love details. Figuring out how to fabricate them is the pleasures of this hobby. I have not, and probably will never, manage to to do museum class miniature work. I am not a perfectionist and I don't hesitate to using available materials. That said, I am trying to "super detail" my pilot house. In a previous post I described how I fabricated the engine instrument panel but I still wanted a little more. I found a lot of scale brass mast rings in a box and figured that they will make great brass bezels for the instrument. Then I decided that, going on to the cold waters of the north sea, the fisherman will have to navigate using  a compass (already furnished), a chart and a clock. Also, in those waters, weather changes dramatically and a barometer may be necessary. Therefore I decided to provide said necessities.

 

First we do the charts. I googled the fishing area charts and found several admiralty charts of the upper NE sections of Scotland including the northern isles. I downloaded some of the pictures and printed them reducing it to scale size.

Folded it down and set it on top of the instrument cabinet. Note: The pilot house is very small and should have had some space for a table.

 

 

Then, I turned my attention to the gauges. In my case a 6" gauge will be reduced to 5 mm. The mast rings I found were of the same size (5mm) but looked too thick (2mm). So I had to shave at least 1mm off the ring. I made a parallel out of leftover wood and set the ring on my milling vise.

 

 

My reduced instrumentation was printed in glossy photo paper. The required printed gauge was cut, the bezels added and a wood base was cut from a slice of mahogany and installed in the only available wall space.

 

 

 

And it can even be seen from the side windows.

 

 

 

[VTHokiEE]

Looking like a great build! I've had my eye on this kit for awhile (but wow she is huge!) and I'm very much enjoying following your build. You've added some great details in there.

[Ras Ambrioso]

VTH, I am also following you. Once I finish Fifie I am going to do the NRG half hull to sharpen my planking knowledge. I love doing the small details and to improvise from common objects. This scales, 1/32 and 1/24, are perfect to make semi-real miniatures.If you want to see perfection, watch Wefalk. Happy having you as a follower.

[Ras Ambrioso]

A little more progress. Fabricated the fresh water tank and the rope hatch. Working on the bulwark inside strake (I don't know the nautical term. Had a lot of trouble lining up the roller brackets. Too small for my fingers.

 

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful tank and hatch. What a clean work.

 

Yves

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks Yves, I also admire your work.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Doing a little research I found that the inside strake at the top of the gunnel is called "quickwork". So, I finished the "quickwork and installed the large cleats. Proceeded to fabricate and install the boards in the fish pound. I also fabricated a small addition to the stem in order to install the etched piece with the holes for the rigging.

 

 

 

I have been looking at the size of the companionways and had figured that a big strong scot fisherman will have a hard time sneaking in to get below. I had made the aft a companionway, leading to the engine room, a little larger and decided that the fwd companionway, leading to the leading to the crews area, would also be larger. Following is my concept of this reviosed design.

 

 

 

There were no etched parts for the hinges and door knobs so, I decided to try and make them. It was a little frustrating as the size is so small that even my pincers were too big and my hands could hardly handle the pieces. I used brass shim plate and cut brass nails. The large nail became the door knob.

 

 

And I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. The results were installed in my new fwd companionway.

 

 

 I started to notice a little sloppiness in my painted pieces but, as I said before, I am not good at paint. And I figure these boats belonged to poor people that were more busy trying to make a living than having neatly finished boats. 

To continue, I completed the installation of the propeller and even installed a lock pin on the hub. Then I proceed to install the rudder. It was actually easier that I thought it would. I had already installed the pintles in the rudder and had located the lower gudgeon. That made it easier to line up the other gudgeons. I had a little trouble because my rabbet line was closer to the end of the stern post. Had to do a little bending of the gudgeon flanges but, the result was not too bad. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the finished job but you may be able to see it in the general views that follows.

 

 

 

All in all, I am having a ball building this fifie. Can hardly wait to finish it to get on with my next project: the Brazilian customs gunboat (1907) Amapá. This will be scratch built form plans I obtained back in 1996 while I was living in the Netherlands.

 

 

[G.L.]

Looks beautiful, Ras, and the colors go so well together. Excellent work and a fascinating log to follow.

[egkb]

Ras That Is Mighty ! You Should Be Proud .. 

 

Eamonn

 

PS Don't forget to post a link on here so we can follow your Gunboat from the start  

 

E

[Ras Ambrioso]

Eamon and G.L. thanks for you nice comments.Your encouragement is much appreciated

[Ras Ambrioso]

I am trying to get all the miscellaneous work done before getting into the serious business of rigging the ship. 

While working on the rudder, I drilled the holes for the operating chains and , would you guess? My shaky hand slipped . But the magic MiliPutty came to rescue and all thats left is to retouch the paint. As I mentioned before this boat belongs to a very poor scotsman.

 

 

While working on the aft mast tabernacle the front EB piece disappeared, like by magic, now here then is gone. I went in my fours and searched all over the carpet , the workbench, my pants, et al, to no luck. then I just cut a piece from the brass etched leftover and this is the result

 

All I need now is to drill a hole for the cleat.

Then I worked on the stem brass piece. I was going to paint it black but decided to try and use the blackening system and I seen you all use. I bought the Birchwood Black Metal Finish. In my first try the color was not even and I blamed it both on the slick surface of the brass and the lack of cleanliness of the piece. I sanded the piece with 400 grit and wearing rubber gloves wiped it with alcohol and this is the result

 

 

Next , I am going to work on the forward mast tabernacle and the fabrication of the masts. 

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Being a while since my last post but I have been quite busy working on details for my fifie. On my last post I showed you the blackening of the stem water cutter. Following is the part installed.

 

Next I dry fitted the aft mast and the engine exhaust pipe. I have been considering insulating the exhaust pipe but it looks good to me as a plain copper pipe.

 

 

Fabricated and dry fitted the forward mast tabernacle.

 

After this, I started what I considered microscopic work: fabricating the pieces for the after mast. 

 

 

Then I ran into a problem. My mast tapering did not match size of the holes in the provided brass hooks.

Back to the drawing board.... 

Since the purpose of the hook was to a provide a place for the eye I decided  to fabricate the eyebolts and drill the mast for installation.

 

 

I made a simile of the deck on a piece of wood, installed the after mast, and proceed install the beginning of the standing rigging. This will make the rigging easier (for me) to place it in the model once I have completed the rest of the deck details and fixed some of the boo-boos.

 

Keep watching, more is coming.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Guys, thanks a lot for the likes. I have been busy with other projects. I forgot to tell you that I got multiples hobbies. One of them is to help out some of the old ladies on my building. Thus one has an old dog and a high bed that the dog can’t reach. So I

am building her a ramp for the dog. 

[Ras Ambrioso]

The dog ramp is finished so I am back in the workbench.  At this time I am concentrating in completing all of the fixed deck detailing before continuing with the mast and the rigging. First item was to install all the eyebolts and cleats at the deck level. This was done. Then I thought that the chains running to the rudder presented an obstacle to the traffic through the stern.

 

 

 

I built a sort of gangway with leftover wood:

 

 

Then I fabricated and installed the bilge pump and the steam winch.

 

 

I am still considering adding insulation of the engine exhaust pipe and the free standing steam boiler flue. Would appreciate comments about this. I have seen the actual pictures of the working fifies but it seems to me that the hot pipes present a hazard on deck.

 

 

 

 

 

[egkb]

Great solution to the chains Ras, I have seen local fishing boats with the exact same gratings over the chains (the chains ran in metal 'channels' to keep them off the wooden deck too, if that helps)

 

Eamonn

[bobandlucy]

Ras, in central plants I've seen pipes insulated up to the 10 foot level, so a man with upraised arm could not contact the hot pipe.

 

Bob

[Ras Ambrioso]

To Egkb and Bob, thanks for the tips. I am still trying to figure out about adding the the eye rings to the hold hatch covers. 

 

This is the engine exhaust

 

And this is the fabricated stack for the boiler and stove in the forward cabin. 

 

[bobandlucy]

Oops, I see the exhaust is not that high. . .

[Ras Ambrioso]

I have been working these past weeks in the rigging of the Fifie. It seems to take forever to rig those double blocks. I stropped the blocks by wrapping a brass wire and making eyes on the ends a needed. Had trouble getting the lines though the little holes even after using sewing needle threaders. in some cases the force necessary to get the the line across was enough to get the tiny wire from its base handle. All that even after I enlarged the holes. This is microscopic work and I praise Everhard (with his Wespe). Anyway I manage to get the rigging you see in the following photos but there is still a lot to be done. But I have to admit that I am enjoying the whole thing.  After I finish the rigging I am going to install a sail in the furled position

 

Still don't know what to do with the hold opening cover boards: to ring or not to ring.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for watching and your comments are really appreciated

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful rigging. You are a Master....

 

Yves

[bobandlucy]

I love the rigging! I intend to construct this model next- and I will be looking to copy some of your details. . .

 

Bob

[Ras Ambrioso]

Bob and Ives, thanks for your comments and support. Progress now is getting slow as these details take a long time for very little to show. This week I’ll be off since we are visiting friends in Minnesota.

[Cathead]

Just read through your build, I love the extra details that help bring a kit alive and give it a personal touch. A very attractive model thus far.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks  Cathead. I have been inspired by other builds in this forum. I am trying to build something a little different than just an "out of the box" kit. For my next adventure I am going to try a "scratch" build. But, I'll tell you these details are what makes it fun. I am going to make nets and improve on my fish. The boat will be presented as ready to unload crans of herring. Bumpers out, mooring lines ready and hold partially open etc, etc. Chris Coyle, PJG and  Big Dan have been great models to follow.

[Ras Ambrioso]

Almost finished the aft mast rigging

 

 

 

 

After a little review of my work, I found that I could control the tension of the stays only in those stays with tackle. The ones rigged with eyes remained loose.

 

 

I blamed it on the fact that they are looped to the mast to a brass ring and, when I tied the knots, I had no way to tension the stay. 

 

 

I also was having trouble trying to serve the loop. So I remembered my Boy Scout days and the sliding knot we used to tighten the tent stays.

 

 

And this was the result

 

 

It was easier to rig the stay on the bench and then place in the model. The lower part has a hook on an eyebolt on the rail and the upper loop went through the ring loop and then the knot was tied and tighten.

 

Then, it dawn on me, that it would have been a lot easier to rig the whole stay in the bench and use a hook to connect the stay to the mast ring. Thats what you call afterthought. But I think I will revise all of the stay loops and replaced them with these knotted style.

 

 

 

[yvesvidal]

Beautifully done Ras. I like the white board in the background.....it really helps when you install riggings and tie knots.

 

Yves

[Ras Ambrioso]

Thanks Yves. Today I worked on one of the stays in fwd mast. These ones are actually controlled with a regular block tackle but I wanted to check my idea of the sliding knot. I rigged the blocks and attached the one end of the stay, made a loop and served it in the bench. Then I run the other end through the mast ring and tied my sliding knot. Success.

 

 

I didn't tighten it up completely because I need the opposite stay in place to keep the mast plumb. The only thing to watch, when tying this knot, is that the tightened loop be the size you want. 

I have dyed the sail cloth using the RIT Chocolate brown color. I made a template and cut the pattern and now all I need to do is to complete the hems and having my old lady friend stitch the panel lines. I am going to leave the stitching off the edge of the sail since I may consider furling the sail.

 

 

Notice I added reinforcement at the sail corners

 

 

[Ras Ambrioso]

Today I have, technically, finished the rigging on the Fifie. Next will be to complete all the loose deck details. During this rigging I had trouble with the mast stays as it became very difficult to balance port and starboard to keep a plumb mast. As a result some of the tackle for my stays looks a little loose. I would appreciate any comments on the subject of controlling the stays tension to keep the plumb. MY method was a rolling knot but then the loops look unequal. Your advise will be appreciated.

I also noted an interference between the after-mast forward stay and the load line for the derrick. The indicated arrangement in the drawing will only allow for loading from one side of the boat. This is shown on the drawing as item 1.

 

 

The drawings are no very clear as to how to belay the control lines for the load, supposedly handled by the crew during the unloading. These are marked in the photo as item 2. Are they supposed to be tied to the stay? If so, what knot should be used? 

Following are photos of the actual unloading of the Fifie:

 

Notice the messy decks. LOL

[Ras Ambrioso]

I am including some pictures of the rigging and the dry fitted sail. Little work still remains since I broke one of the stays while installing the sail. On my next boat I will definitely do the whole rigging including the sail in a scale mockup away from the model. On this one, I had trouble with the final length of the stays and, in retrospect, I would have  done the gaff halyard a little different.

 

 

 

Notice the slack in the aft mast stays.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Ras

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Ras Ambrioso