HM Cutter Cheerful 1806 by niwotwill - Syren Ship Model Company - scale 1:48

[glbarlow]

You could start on the boom crutches, and the heads. Hope you aren’t gone long. 

[allanyed]

Will, 

Next time you glue up the strips, here is an alternative that you might like.   I  glue  long strips (6" or more) together slightly thicker than needed.  Once dry I run them through my thickness sander to get to the final thickness.  Once done I can cut of pieces to suit the lengths and widths that I need.

Allan

 

 

[niwotwill]

I want to thank everyone for the looks, like and nice comments. 

 

Allan

I like your idea of how to make strips it definitely would make life easier. I think I just need to get over being frugal with wood. Make a bunch use what you need and feed the barrel with the rest should be my motto.

 

Kind Regards

Will

[niwotwill]

I took your advice Allan and glued 14" strips together and then ran them through the surface sander. I had some 1mm by 5mm by 14" AYC left from planking. I have a scrape piece of 2cm granite from a kitchen remodel that I use for a flat surface. It also has another helpful property glue doesn't adhere. I simple scrape with a straight razor and it clean.

Glued the strips together on the granite and used weights to keep it flat from warping and after letting it dry overnight sanded it down to .026 thick.

also had granite samples left over from picking the granite to use in the new kitchen

 

Now I have enough to remake the companionway. Can't thank you enough Allan.

Many Regards

Will

[niwotwill]

It would be funny to say "Well I'm back" since I've been gone for 2 years but I'm back. A little history 4 years ago we moved to Arizona to become snowbirds but it never felt like home. In Nov of 22 we moved back to Colorado. New house, no shop, and too many boxes. I did a miserable job of packing my workshop and now I don't know what box has what. We finished our walkout basement and framed up an area for my shop. All that being done today I finally started just unpacking boxes not knowing what I'd find. One box had soldering equipment both soft and silver solder. Put all of the equipment in a wall cabinet and boy did that feel good. So much to do but I'm back.

Now I'm ready to start planking the Cheerful's deck so new will be progress posts.

[niwotwill]

So I thought I was ready for planking but, I forgot the small forward hatch and galley cover. Needing my mill and having everything packed in boxes from the move forced me to unpack 14 boxes of shop stuff. Spent two days doing the first organizing in my new space. I have some tall cabinets on order so I'll do a proper job of organizing. With the mill found now how to put together. Took quite awhile to remember what went where and then put it all together. Spent the afternoon aligning and squaring and thank goodness for lasers to make it level and square. 

It had been two years since I cut any wood and I can't tell you how good it felt. Found the stock from the larger hatch and went to work. Previously I had made the grate using Syrens kits so it was striaght to the coaming. True confessions the wood bin was well fed.

Completed grate after one coat of wipe on poly

Next on the the galley vent

[niwotwill]

Short post bringing everything I completed up to date. 

Finished all the deck furniture

Lined off the hull

First plank laid

More planks tomorrow

 

[niwotwill]

Another short update. The center planks completed from bow to first hatch.

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Now its on the lining off the deck for final planking. Prior to lining the deck I needed to protect the finish planking. I've used foam rubber on another model with copper plating with great results. No damage. I'll use the same method this time. Bought a remnant of 5" foam at JoAnns. Cutting a slot the length of the hull and then cutting along the sides creating a valley where the ship sits. I also find that this is very helpful when rigging on the top of a lazy susan. 

Now on to lining off the deck for planking.

[niwotwill]

Started post and went to lunch so I'm not sure how the photos got reversed. OOPS on my part.

[niwotwill]

Couple of days working on the center plankings between the furniture pieces. A lot of measuring, cutting, filing and fitting and making a new one. Slow and methodical work with not much to show for the hours spent. 

This is where I stopped today.

The starboard piece laying on the false deck is the next to be notched around the companionway and skylight. Studying the work I've done and how it progresses along with several decks where the bent the planks rather that ribbing them into the waterway I decided to nib them. I feel the bent deck planking makes the deck appear to bulbous and the straight seem to be more common.

[niwotwill]

Center planking completed. Several logs mentioned how difficult the center planking had been for them. The manual simply states to start in the center and makes no mention of dificulty. During this process my wood bin got its fair share to fend off hunger. I found it necessary to add an additional plank that facilitates a slight notch around the largest hatch. This worked well finishing the planking by making a logical plank length to build off starting the 4 plank shift pattern. The walnut wood is more varied in color than I wished but after scraping at the mast hole the colors were not as varied so i'm hoping that the deck will blend into a more uniform pattern. Tomorrow I'll start the second plank of the 4 plank shift pattern.

[Ian B]

Looking good , planking the deck is a really satisfying task, all the enjoyment but non of the stress of other elements of a ship build😁

Edited April 6 by Ian B

[Chuck]

Nicely done…

[niwotwill]

Finished the planking up to needing to start ribbing. I've never nibbed a deck into the waterway so I'm going to Rocky Mountain Shipwrights meeting tomorrow. The club is part of Nautical Research and has a meeting on the first Saturday of each month to help and just meet on the third Saturday is the club general meeting. This is a very active club and I'm glad to be a member.

More after the meeting tomorrow

[niwotwill]

Starboard side deck complete and ready for scraping and sanding. Cutting the margin plank was not very difficult towards the bow but when cutting the aftermost was very difficult. Forward  the margin plank has a rather severe curve that allowed the cuts rather short. The short cuts made matching the plank into the nibbing fairly quick without too many oops along the way. The after plank nibbing made for long cuts into the margin plank. Several of these were slightly off grain so many new blades were required. The last is 1/4" wide and made of three pieces. I was able to make the ends from 3/16" planks nibbed into the margin. The center plank is the 1/4" wide with a radius cut into the margin plank side which allowed the ends to align with end pieces. The center was extremely difficult to make. First I tried making a pattern from paper and then cutting a poster card with no success. Finally taking the plank sanding one end to align with the 3/16" end piece and with trial and error getting the width and radius correct I cut the plank to length. Lastly sanding the shape to match the curve and butt against the forward end piece.

It all came together

The photo exaggerates the butt joints which are tighter than the iPhone photo

 

[niwotwill]

Not much to say except the deck is planked waiting for glue to set. Tomorrow I'll sand and scrape if I get that done wipe on poly will be applied. Next is reading the instructions and start with another project.

 

[niwotwill]

Now with the deck completed its time to start the cap rail tops. I spent a few hours trying to decide whether to use Alaskan Yellow Cedar or Boxwood. The Boxwood held an edge better the AYC but was very hard to cut so in the end I'll use AKC. First were the timberheads where I followed the suggested method by drawing a pattern on a shaped piece of wood. I cut the first and then used it as the pattern so I could make all 6 with the same shape. It was also time to shape the rudder and make a hole in the counter. Drilling the hole in the counter was nerve wracking let me tell you. All done for some photos.

Rudder shaped with a piece that simulates the rudder post inside the counter

 

Forward timberheads

After timberheads and you can see the rudder hole that still needs to be painted

[niwotwill]

With all that done it is time to make the boom crutches. These are going to be simulated to be an extension of the fashion piece. Following the manual I first made the stem angle aligned with the fashion piece when viewed from the rear. The second angle is to align with fashion piece when viewed from the side. These are to simulate being one piece with fashion piece. Now the face needs to be looking at the mast and with this done I glued the crutch to the cap rail. Next will be filling the joint and sanding making it appear as an extension of the fashion piece. That said it took two full days and seven attempts to make one. 

Couple of photos from stern and side

Not to sand the top making the last angle toward where the boom would be at rest. Putty and paint. Oh yea I have to make another for the other side.

 

 

[niwotwill]

Finally finished the starboard crutch and added some putty so now let it all set up. Too Chucks statement is "now just do it again" that was a classic understatement. I can tell how hard it was to make another as it took days of cutting, filing and sanding to get a somewhat correct piece. 

Now as to how many attempts can be seen in this pile

Now I'll and some gesso to seal the new wood and putty before painted. While in the painted process I proceed to the mounting ladder and channels.

 

 

 

[Chuck]

It looks good.  Yes those pieces are small and you would never think that they would be so difficult to make.

 

Chuck

[niwotwill]

Finished the boom crutches final shaping and applied the first coat of black paint. 

Next to be built are the mounting steps with the first being creating a scraping tool to make the edge shapes. Using a 1/32" thick piece of brass sheet I files the shape making sure the sides would fit the piece of woods thickness.

Using the tool the shapes were drawn onto the wood strip. The strip was cut into 6 correct lengths and sanded to the finished shapes.

Shape shown on end of strip before being cut to length.

After carefully removing a section of strip the steps were glued in place as shown on the plans using a piece of masking tape to ensure step alignment.

Next to paint and apply wipe on poly to the bare wood matching the existing.

 

 

[bdgiantman2]

Your model of Cheerful is coming along very nicely

[niwotwill]

Been awhile since the last post so here's what's been happening. I didn't mention that while in Arizona I thought that I could do two models concurrently and started Cheerful while in the middle of the Syren brig kit, BAD IDEA. I had gotten Syrens standing rigging complete and then the move. So I've been working on the Syren and neglecting Cheerful. The work I've done was the make the boarding steps, channels and rigging eyes which I completed today.

Port picture which I now realized that I had not painted the step on the black wales.

Starboard side step painted

Next on to chain plates etc. and I'll dry dock Syren.

[niwotwill]

Started backstays with a sheet of .016 copper from K&S Metals. The monograph calls for the backstays and chain plates to be 3/64" thick and 3/32" wide strips. The first step was to rip the strips from the K&S .016" sheet using a 296 tooth slitting 3" blade on the table saw.

After putting blue painters tape on the backside I ripped several .1 strips. Next a .04 hole was drilled in the strip and the end radius'd. The strip was brought into shape per the monograph.

With the 6 backstays shaped they were annealed using a propane torch before bending the end loop. A needle nose pliers was used forming the loop.

With parts completed the loops were silver soldered closed to ensure from opening when rigging pulled taught. Image is of the backstays after pickling and before ultrasonic cleaning.

Parts will be painted and coated with aging dust after the chain plates are completed

 

[glbarlow]

Nice work on the back stays and boom crutches, two big challenges on Cheerful, well done! May I suggest sanding the bread room hatch flush with deck. 

[niwotwill]

Thank you Glenn. Your work has always been my inspiration. Now I'll look at your Cheerful for the bread room hatch. 

[niwotwill]

Per Glenns suggestion I went back and looked at his and others Cheerful and decided to follow their lead. Using a small set of Veritas chisels I slowly removed the protruding hatch until nearly flush. Next with 220grit the grate was brought flush with the deck. Several coats of wipe on poly were applied and tomorrow I will wipe the deck with WOP.  I'm really glad that I did this and like the way it turned out.

[niwotwill]

With the backstays complete except blacking it was time for chain plates and dead eye strops. After the backstays the chain plates seem fairly straight forward but the dead eye strops appear to be another story. So on to looking at what others had done and it seems that everyone has their method. I found one method that appears that it'll work and keep me within my abilities. I'm using Syren Shipmodels 6mm deadeye. So I have to make the deadeyes before I can make determine my strop length. Once again I know I had a block buster but can't find it in my boxes, so ordered a new one. Making the deadeyes from the Syren kit it very straight forward. While waiting for the block buster I made belaying pins. Rather than Boxwood I decided to use Swiss Pear to add some color character.

I had a sheet of .05 Pear so I ripped .05 strips, or as close as I could get, for the pins. A note on my table saw I had micrometers on the saw from Byrnes Model Machines, but since Jim died I not sure if you can still buy parts. So with the micrometer I was able to make strips .05X.O49. Also while writing this I went the Byrns website and the micrometers are still available in metic and english.

Enough talking  let's make belaying pins. A short stick was chucked into my Proxxon hand machine and guessed the shape of the belaying pin making multiple until I found one the looked good to me. Using that one pin as a pattern I marked  each feature on a new stick. 

Pattern pin alongside the next strip

Strip ready for shaping

I used a flat file from my swiss file set to shape the pins. I made 20 pins before I realized I had made the pins so the top would not be curved when the holder was cut from the pin. So another 20 pins made so the small end was held and the top was curved.

Top row second pass bottom first pass

Carfuly sanding the tops and now ready for some WOP

After WOP

Now wait for the mail to get the block buster and on to the chain plates

 

 

[glbarlow]

On 7/21/2024 at 3:58 PM, niwotwill said:

really glad that I did this and like the way it turned out.

It looked great, well done! A much better look I think.

[niwotwill]

Well the block buster arrived the other day so now on the building 6mm deadeyes. I've used Syren block kits before so the deadeyes were no problem just more of the same. When I used my old block buster on kit blocks without removing the char from the edges the sawdust was black and stained the blocks. With that in mind the edges were sanded removing the char before the block buster. When complete of the 28 deadeyes made I had 5 come apart. When completely sanded I applied WOP giving the deadeyes a nice golden tint. 

Deadeyes

Now it was time to make the strops. Reading other logs a user said a 22mm length of wire was used to create the strops. I found the diameter of a 22mm circumference and started the with the appropriate drill bit. Taking a length of wire wrapped around the drill bit to form a strop. Silver solder was used to complete the circle and then placed the deadeye and wire in a vice that allowed the wire to be squeezed into a strop. I found it necessary to have a .5mm overlap on the wire giving it strength to hold during the squeezing. The joint was squeezed into almost not seen and when placed on the deadeye at the top it will be hidden bye the ropes. I like the strop on the bottom and right side in another and I may give a slight squeeze to bring more into shape as the drawing.

Tomorrow will be making all the strops and blackening them.