HMS GREYHOUND by Jackson7 - Corel - Collaboration With My Past Self

[Jackson7]

These last few steps have been so finnicky and small that they have hardly felt worth photographing. For the stair to the poop deck, I measured and cut a set of stairs, glued the ladder together seperately, then glued it in. I've left some stairs measured to its length over so that all the ladders can be the same consistent size.

 

For the gratings, I glued and assembled them, then sanded them with 800 grain sandpaper until they were smooth. So far, I've attached three. I've been framing them with leftover 2x4mm wood. I have a lot of it.

 

Each time, I sand the gratings on the left and right sides with about 20 strokes, then check if they fit. By "fit," I mean "can be just barely jammed in without making me afraid they will break."

 

If not, I repeat the process.

 

I've decided to kitbash a stern with the help of a good friend of mine who owns a 3D printer. But I'll only take action on that once he visits me with his completed prints. I need to see that it works before committing to a course of action.

[Nirvana]

Jackson, I just went through your build log of HMS Greyhound as it looks really good.

Best luck to finish your build.

[Jackson7]

On 6/14/2025 at 3:54 AM, Nirvana said:

Jackson, I just went through your build log of HMS Greyhound as it looks really good.

Best luck to finish your build.

Thanks so much! I'll take a look sometime!

[Jackson7]

Yesterday, I finished the grates on the stern. 

 

As Corel's instructions have no comprehensive and clear pictures on how they should look, I copied from the work of @hamilton and @harlequin.

 

Thanks guys, your pics of the Greyhound have been extremely useful to me. I couldn't have done it without y'all.

[Jackson7]

This step is fairly self-explanatory. 

 

I put the ladders, final gratings, and planks around the gratings on. 

 

It's probably pretty obvious that as much as possible, I put the ladders in first. Then I cut them to be relatively flush to the deck. This step was difficult, and I had to make a correction with glue at one point. But overall, it went well.

 

Finally, I put on the gratings.

 

When I was done, I sanded the gratings, planks, and ladders until they were level with each other.

 

Here's a picture.

 

With this step, I've come to a point where I must decide: build my own stern out of wood pieces, or use the kit?

 

Predictably, I've decided on building my own. But I won't make a final commitment until I know the 3D pieces my friend is printing for me work and look good.

 

Of course, that means progress will prove slow and sporadic.

[Jackson7]

The clown show continues. I decided I might as well get the rudder done tonight so I can be certain that all the stern pieces I plan to use are safe to build with and not reserved for some other, more important role later.

 

It turns out the rudder directions are total nonsense. The 1-to-1 scale pieces are nowhere near 1-to-1. The kit calls for a 4x4mm piece when the three is the only one that fits. And to top it off, one of the hinges is broken. 

 

 

I'm thinking of buying more hinges from Amati or some other place. I'll need more 1mm x 1mm wood anyway, as mine is basically all used up. 

[harlequin]

yes...corels fitting can lead you to drink......keep going with her...it will frustrate and annoy but will eventually reward you..

[ccoyle]

8 hours ago, Jackson7 said:

It turns out the rudder directions are total nonsense. The 1-to-1 scale pieces are nowhere near 1-to-1. The kit calls for a 4x4mm piece when the three is the only one that fits. And to top it off, one of the hinges is broken. 

 

I built Corel's Flying Fish. The list of problems with that kit could fill several large volumes. 😑

[Jackson7]

Thank you for the encouragement, gentlemen. The end is in sight.

[Jackson7]

I've attached the side ladder. It's pretty much exactly what it looks like. L-shaped wood pieces glued to the side.,

 

After I smoothed the side with a little knifework and sandpaper, it went on fairly easily. I only had to bevel the L-shapes a couple times.

[Jackson7]

I've ordered the parts I need for my next few steps. But while they are waiting, I'm skipping ahead to keep working on other parts of the ship.

 

This morning, I finished the cathead beams. 

 

 

No matter what the instructions say, the correct size for them should be 4mm by 4mm. 

 

I looked ahead in the kit, so I knew I had to drill holes in them for some rope to pass through. This task would have been almost impossible if I had mounted them on the bow where they go first.

 

As it was, drilling the holes out took three pieces to do. They are quite good enough for my standards at this point, and I think if I tried four or five more times, I'd just have the holes slightly off in a different way. Drilling stuff is so finnicky.

 

Now all that remains is to cut out a slot for them and glue them on.

[Jackson7]

To the surprise of perhaps no one, a day of reflection led me to re-drill the holes on the catheads. The new ones are to the left.

 

And to my surprise, it worked! Now for the next step.

 

[Jackson7]

I discovered last night while installing the catheads that I had angled mine way too much, even if they did look roughly like the ones in the instructions.

 

 

Believing the instructions on this was simply a mistake.

 

After cutting out the slots in the bow for them, I had to make new catheads. Unlike the old ones, the new ones were vere slightly sanded to an angle.

 

Cutting out the slots was relatively easy. After measuring and cutting with an X-Acto knife, I used a file to sand the final bit to shape. I was worried about the potential to cut the slots too wide, but I was careful, and it worked.

 

It's fortunate I had extra wood to make a full seven catheads. Here's the finished product.

 

[Jackson7]

Still waiting on the remaining pieces. 

 

Today, I finished everything about the rudder that I can do without hinges. It was a pretty simple matter to clamp and glue it all together, and use a mix of knife work, sanding, and a circular file to round it into the right shape. 

 

It all went well. It's nice to have an easy step that feels very satisfying to complete, once in a while.

[Old Collingwood]

You are doing some fine work of this Very frustrating kit that Corel should have corrected,  you are in a selective club like a few of us  - who lost lots of hair  and  resorted to bad language while building this kit.

 

OC.

[Jackson7]

22 hours ago, Old Collingwood said:

You are doing some fine work of this Very frustrating kit that Corel should have corrected,  you are in a selective club like a few of us  - who lost lots of hair  and  resorted to bad language while building this kit.

 

OC.

Thank you for your kind words. It's getting there, one step at a time.

 

 

[Jackson7]

I know what some of you are wondering...

 

Are those just planks? What kind of build log shows just plain walnut planks?

 

Any build log that features the Greyhound, that's what kind.

 

One of these humble 1mm by 4mm walnut planks began life as one of seven surplus 2mm by 4mm plank that Corel generously provided for reasons unknown, given that hardly any wood in the kit requires wood of these measurement.

 

At the same time, I need 1 mm by 4 mm walnut to build my own transom, given that the metal one Corel provided is slightly off in terms of shape.

 

Therefore, with the help of my patented X-Acto Knife and 400 grain sandpaper program, our patient lost half his body weight in under an hour! *

 

It was exactly what the ship needed. Although steps like these aren't quite as thrilling as building something new or getting something into the perfect shape, they nevertheless remain an important part of ship building.

 

*(I do not endorse this weight loss technique as a legtimate medical remedy for any condition.)