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18th Century Long Boat by desalgu - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:48


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As I finish Syren, I decided to start on this kit that I bought some time ago.  I've seen many build logs, so won't go into a lot of detail except on things that I did different.

 

The first couple of photos are of the kit box and plans, so you can verify the kit that I am starting to build.  I purchased from Model Shipways, and I believe it cost about $50.

Kit_Box.JPG

Plans.JPG

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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I started by sanding lightly sanding edges of frame and keel parts to remove laser char.  I also beveled the edge along the bottom of the frame part which will form a rabbit when glued to the keel pieces.

 

I used a file to remove char from the notches in bulkheads and frame.  I also test fit the bulkheads.  Most required a little extra filing to fit.  A couple were a little loose, but I can shim them when I assemble.  Then before gluing anything, I stained with "golden oak".

Frame_Bulkhead_Parts.JPG

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Desalgu,

This kit shouldn't give you any issues as you already built one longboat already, which was a kit in the kit of Syren.

I loved this kit, even with it's intraget details involved.

I have Syren started and now waiting on the shelf.

Looking forward of your build log.

 

 

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Respectfully

 

Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics 
593661798_Keepitreal-small.jpg.f8a2526a43b30479d4c1ffcf8b37175a.jpg

Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan

Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS

Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey

Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry

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You can see in previous photo, I also drew centerlines on all the bulkheads which I hope will make alignment easier.

 

Next I glued the frame to the keel pieces, and here I did something different from others.  My background is model airplanes, and we use a building board that you can stick pins in to hold pieces together.  Mine is old and something called celotex, which I believe is no longer available.  Dad has told me suspended ceiling tiles work just as good and are readily available.

 

The long boat is small, so you only need a small piece.  Only requirement is it needs to be flat.  Mine has a little texture to it, but is essentially flat.  I put a piece of parchment paper over it, so glue won't stick.  I'll use titebond to glue these pieces together and I know it doesn't stick to parchment.  CA will stick a little to parchment, but you can usually peel it off.

 

To hold pieces to the board I use straight pins.  Almost any kind of pin will work.  You can angle them to hold a piece firmly to the building board, and by angling them you can clamp two pieces together.  It's simple and it works.  Airplane builders have been doing this with balsa for 75 years.  They sometimes pin directly thru balsa, but basswood is too hard to do this, plus it will split.

 

Here's frame and keel pieces glued and pinned to the board.  Not the greatest photo, but I think you can see my approach.  You can barely see the rabbit in the photo.  It's all along the edge, but mostly shows up near the bow.Frame_Keel.thumb.JPG.cf272909fbf8bd90717b9c41ac51e327.JPG

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Nice to see another Longboat build log.  It builds into a very nice model.

Ryland

 

Member - Hampton Roads Ship Model Society

            - Ship Model Society of New Jersey

               - Nautical Research Guild

       

 

Current Build - Armed Virginia Sloop, 18th Century Longboat

Completed Build - Medway Longboat

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I started gluing the bulkheads to the frame.  I put in the center one first ("0"), and tried to be careful getting it aligned.  I used some little blocks I made on my table saw some years ago that I know are all 90 deg angles.  Using these I got it aligned in two directions easily, but there was still the direction looking from the bow or front down the length of the keel.  I put a small strip of wood along top of bulkhead and eyeballed it making it parallel to the building board.

 

Once I got the first bulkhead in, I aligned all the others to it.  I used some scrap balsa spacers between bulkheads, and eyeballed the view from the front keeping each bulkhead aligned with the others.  I'm hoping this simple method will be accurate enough.  

First_Bulkheads.thumb.jpg.2bc42068a36ff63c1aedd09717717290.jpgAll_Bulkheads.thumb.jpg.55ad467d1954c1a7b1986b6d60ba4e4e.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Before fairing I added some strips (scrap wood) along the top of the bulkheads to strengthen things before trying to fair bulkheads.  I'm guessing it will still be pretty fragile, so it will require delicate sanding to fair things.  Bulkheads_Strengthened.thumb.jpg.c2ecebfa5b7598bce2f366a490db40da.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Be sure to fair the bow area frames properly for the rabbet. 

 

Please, visit our Facebook page!

 

Respectfully

 

Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics 
593661798_Keepitreal-small.jpg.f8a2526a43b30479d4c1ffcf8b37175a.jpg

Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan

Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS

Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey

Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry

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I added the extra bow fairings.  Then I started to fair the bulkheads.  I mostly used a sanding stick about half inch in width and about 6" long, and sanded with gentle pressure.  It took a while especially in bow area.  In the bow area I also used some small jewelers files.  I think the bow is starting to look ok.   I had to trim out some excess glue from the bow rabbit, and may need to trim and sand it some more.  I'm to the point I need to make a test plank and see how it fits.

 

But first I glued on the transom so I could get it faired in as well.  I added a pin near the bottom to add a little strength and to hold it while glue was drying.  And I added a temporary strengthener to the top.  Hoping this will be strong enough to handle some gentle sanding while fairing.

 

Bow_Frames.jpg

LongBoat_Frames.jpg

Transom.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Finally glued on first planks.  I used Chuck's idea of travel iron for heating and bending planks and it worked well.  Hard part is figuring out how much to bend them and bending in the right direction.  I did edgewise bend first, and then the bow curvature bend.

 

First_Plank_1.jpg

First_Plank_4.jpg

First_Plank_5.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Chuck's idea using heat worked out fine for me....
Looking good for you.

 

Please, visit our Facebook page!

 

Respectfully

 

Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics 
593661798_Keepitreal-small.jpg.f8a2526a43b30479d4c1ffcf8b37175a.jpg

Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan

Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS

Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey

Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry

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I've been a bit distracted with a couple of other projects.  Weather turned nice, so took advantage for some early yard work and golf.  This time of year you have to take advantage when it warms up.

 

Planking has been going slow.  Each one has to be individually fit.  The small size makes it more difficult for me to get planks curved right, and I've had to start over on a couple.  Using a little water (no soaking), a travel iron, and forms work as good as anything.  The hardest part for me is the twist near the stern.  

 

I've been using medium thickness CA to glue, and hand holding in place until it sets - 30 sec or so.  On bow I put glue on only rabbit and first couple of bulkheads and hold plank until it sets.  I also started putting a little glue along edge of plank in the bow area.  I use straight pins to apply small amounts of glue.  Then I put glue on maybe 6-9 bulkheads working aft, and hold plank in place until it sets.  I keep doing this until stern is reached.  If the plank fits halfway decent, it doesn't take long to glue.  The work is  bending and tapering the plank.

 

The photo makes it look like the 2nd plank, the one next to garboard, has odd curvature to it, but I don't see this looking at the model.  I used phone for photo and it might be some odd effect from wide angle lens.  Perhaps I should use my good camera.

 

Hull_Planking.thumb.jpg.8841ab5e5410800236f8346efe847eec.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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David, the progress of your is looking good.

And yes, the built in camera in phones has the tendency of creating illusions of non-straight lines.... has happened to me too.

I used the heat-only technique for bending my planking. Tricky but does work.

 

Please, visit our Facebook page!

 

Respectfully

 

Per aka Dr. Per@Therapy for Shipaholics 
593661798_Keepitreal-small.jpg.f8a2526a43b30479d4c1ffcf8b37175a.jpg

Finished: T37, BB Marie Jeanne - located on a shelf in Sweden, 18th Century Longboat, Winchelsea Capstan

Current: America by Constructo, Solö Ruff, USS Syren by MS, Bluenose by MS

Viking funeral: Harley almost a Harvey

Nautical Research Guild Member - 'Taint a hobby if you gotta hurry

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The wavy look in previous photo was also caused by changing dimensions in the open area.  As I continued planking and starting measuring closely where I needed to taper, I realized it wasn't as even as I thought.

 

For plank bending, I have some water in a little dish that I can dip my finger into.  I dip into it, and rub it on the part of the plank that I want to bend.  Then clamp one end of plank to a form and use the iron to heat and bend the plank around the form.  When iron hits the little bit of water, it steams and makes it easier to bend the plank.  Then I clamp the other end, and perhaps along the middle.

 

If you let it cool and dry completely (overnight), it holds the shape real good.  I've learned, though, that you only need to let it cool a little.  When released from clamps, it will spring back a little, but you can bend it a little too much allowing for the spring back.  

 

Here's photo showing a form, water dish, clamps, and travel iron.  This was a good little boat to practice on.  I struggled a little at first, but it's gotten much easier now that I'm about done.  Isn't this always the case!Plank_Bending.thumb.JPG.2035202ce6e6ca8ba63d05f3b057b6da.JPG

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Planking is finished.  It took a fair amount of sanding.  I guess if I had done a better job of planking (bending and tapering planks more carefully), I wouldn't have had to sand as much.  I found planking this small model more difficult than a larger model.  But it was certainly a good learning experience.

 

I also glued on stern post, which is just a small triangular piece of wood, and did a little more sanding.  Then I put on stain to see what it would look like. 

 

I'm curious what anyone thinks about leaving hull stained instead of painting below waterline white.  I've seen a lot of models painted white below the waterline.  I'm guessing this is more scale than leaving it natural wood.  I like some paint on a model as an accent, but I think I like the natural wood color, and it shows off planking for what that's worth. 

 

Hull_Planked_1.jpg

Hull_Planked_2.jpg

Hull_Planked_3.jpg

Hull_Planked_4.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Removed centers of bulkheads leaving the frames.  I used file like Chuck recommended for cutting the tabs at the top of the bulkheads, but also tried a xacto to make a wedge shaped cut.  I found the xacto knife worked as good or better than the file for me (it has to be a new blade).  I used xacto to score each bulkhead along the bottom just above the keel frame, and then used small pliers to twist and break off the center section.  

 

Here's what it looked like at that point. Bulkheads_Removed.thumb.JPG.676c78b9e8cbbaaed6bc19c95a5c1574.JPG

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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I wasn't sure what to use for sanding or removing wood inside the hull.  I have a mini vibration sander that seemed to work, but it takes a long time to remove much wood.  Also, the only rounded head provided with it has a pretty small radius.   I also have a Dremel tool and have a lot of experience with it, but wasn't sure I wanted to try it on something this fragile.

 

First I decided to make a new head with a larger radius.  Tool and heads are shown in photo.  But I forgot to match the length of my tool to the original heads.  So...when it vibrated, instead of the head moving at most about 0.10", it was more like 0.5".  Turned out this was good idea, but I didn't think it thru very good, and ended up with it not working.  I could shorten the tool, but by now I didn't really need it.  Turned out combination of Dremel and mini sander worked fine.

 

Mini_Vibrating_Sander.thumb.jpg.0d2bda4333c51227372347646c3bb195.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Here's what it looked like after first session working with Dremel tool and mini sander.  BTW, my favorite cutting heads for Dremel are the structured tooth tungsten carbide cutters.  I use the ball shaped one the most.  These work great on balsa or basswood.

 

Hull_Frames_Sanded_1.jpg

Hull_Frames_Sanded_2.jpg

Hull_Frames_Sanded_3.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Making progress.  I haven't seen many photos during sanding of hull interior, so thought I'd include some.  Here's what it looks like after another session.  I'm guessing at least one more session before I call it good enough.

Hull_Frames_Sanded_4.jpg

Hull_Frames_Sanded_5.jpg

Hull_Frames_Sanded_6.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Here's cap rail glued on and partially sanded.  I can make it a little narrower, but not as much as on plans.  I didn't sand the frames thin enough.  I'll sand cap rail as narrow as I can, until it almost hits the frames on the inside.

Cap_Rail.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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You are making good progress.  Your Longboat looks really nice.

Ryland

 

Member - Hampton Roads Ship Model Society

            - Ship Model Society of New Jersey

               - Nautical Research Guild

       

 

Current Build - Armed Virginia Sloop, 18th Century Longboat

Completed Build - Medway Longboat

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  • 2 weeks later...

It's been a while since I added some photos, but I've been slowly working and making progress.  These pictures show the cap rail after it's finished and painted.  I don't think I got it quite as narrow as I should have, but I was starting to hit the inside frames and there's not a lot left on the outside of the hull.  

 

Cap_Rail_1.thumb.jpg.15a99f48c5bdc4f5aa20f8e5ac577b59.jpgCap_Rail_2.thumb.jpg.a5a6f8b0794ec480598e836d6d494ddf.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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I had little trouble gluing on friezes along the side.  I decided to use cement glue.  I didn't like the idea of spray adhesive on such small strips of paper.  It worked out fine.  I suspect almost any type of glue could be used.

 

The stern frieze was more difficult.  It took several tries to get a pattern, and then a couple of tries to get the real one to fit.  I'm very glad the kit included two copies of the stern frieze.  

 

Here's some pictues.  For whatever reason, photo doesn't show the frieze continuing on to the tip of the bow, but it does.  Frizes_Side.thumb.jpg.440d195e462f27d66f4a0d5403690f70.jpgFrieze_Stern.jpg.28da2396b399f208ec13f5a2aa1b7cb5.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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The next step is to add molding strips below the side friezes.  I tried to round the 1/32" square strips on the two outside edges, and I painted them white before gluing to hull.  After gluing to hull, I ended up sanding them slightly less than 1/32" so they matched up with the cap rail better.  I added a little molding under the frieze on the bow stem.  All this required quite a bit of touchup paint.Hull_Exterior_2.jpg.45aa9cd723dc8944d6f6e4f2b78c3b8b.jpgHull_Exterior_3.jpg.d1994ff125d7134fb5ebb9270598f21a.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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I added floorboards to the inside of the hull.  I had a little trouble getting them aligned and parallel.  Afterward I thought of a way I could have done this better.  Isn't that always the way. 

 

I aligned them (or made them parallel) by eye, but I could have put small shims between them to keep the distance between floorboards the same.  First photo shows the floorboards.  Lighting in photo makes them look lighter than they actually are.

 

Then I started working on patterns for the bow and stern platforms.  I saw how the platforms have notches, and I knew basswood has a strong tendency to split.  To avoid this problem, I glued the planking strips to a 1/32 sheet piece of basswood crossgrain.  The planks run one direction, and the grain on the sheet runs 90 deg to them.  Afterward I sanded bith sides so the total thickness was about 1/32".  

 

Laminating two pieces of basswood with wood grain 90 deg to each other reduces its tendency to split.  It all but eliminates the problem.  This is a common solution to the problem when building model airplanes with balsa.  Balsa splits easily also.  The 2nd photo below shows what this looks like.

 

Floorboards.thumb.jpg.490d8f23a8afb869df1e2c9b952f2945.jpgPlatform_Wood.thumb.jpg.d84de0400d25e5cfd0badca07938dfeb.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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Looking good 👍

🌻

STAY SAFE

 

A model shipwright and an amateur historian are heads & tails of the same coin

current builds:

HMS Berwick 1775, 1/192 scratchbuild; a Slade 74 in the Navy Board style

Mediator sloop, 1/48 - an 18th century transport scratchbuild 

French longboat - CAF - 1/48, on hold

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Thank you bruce d.  Here's the patterns I came up with for bow and stern platforms.  All these do is get you close to the final.  I cut out the stern platform, but found I needed to tweak it a fair amount to get it to fit good.

Platform_Patterns.jpg

David Salguero

Wichita, Kansas

 

Current Build:  Royal Yacht, Duchess of Kingston - Vanguard Models

Completed:  US Syren - Model Shipways

On Deck:  HM Cheerful - Syren Ship Models

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