Smuggler by juhu - FINISHED - BlueJacket Shipcrafters- 1:48

[juhu]

Smuggler (planked hull, natural wood finish)

Gloucester fishing schooners belonged to the most beautiful sailing ships ever crafted. (Just in my humble opinion, from period ships only Baltimore clippers can compete here). They have paid very high tolls for that privilege though. Handsome and very fast, but not very stable, they often fell victims to dangerous waters of Grand Banks. According to Chapelle, more than 160 ships and over 1000 fishermen perished in 1860s and 1870s. The voices for safer ship designs grew and resulted eventually in construction alternations, but this is another story….

 

The Smuggler by BJ, although not a mainstream kit is quite well known here I would say. Switching from plastic kits after many years, I wanted to build the model ship in natural wood finish as much as possible. Again just my personal taste, also after searching through the MSW galleries, I prefer the pure beauty of the wood to any paint cover, although the latter might be closer to reality.

 

This build log is my first build log here and I must confess a little “cheating” here: As a first time builder I simply did not want to eagerly start another log, that would eventually be never finished – I have learnt the risk is surely there for the firstimers. Now, after a year of slow progress, one terrible project restart and many reworks I say, let’s try to put her in the light! Maybe I believe the most feared steps are behind me already. Maybe I could then kindly ask you for some advice or moral boost when needed – there is still a long way to go…. 

 

I know my build is far from perfect, but personally am quite happy so far, crossed fingers! I will now post my build progress here chronologically. Thank you for watching, commenting or just stopping by in advance!

Juraj

 

[juhu]

Obligatory box content. I think, thanks to the age of the kit, it lacks many fine tricks of the newer products. No laser cuts parts, just some timber, metal castings, paperwork and the eyecatcher: precarved machine-turned hull - as will be proved later, not such a big advantage as one may expect

 

 

 

The hull has even thin carved line, presumably waterline, not very visible here. However after closer examination, it does not match the plan and I did not use it in any way.

Edited September 30, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

I started with preparing the card templates for hull shaping. Well, easier to be said than performed. Making the templates went fine, however how to use them?

One problem I have encountered was the question: Where is my base? Starting point, hull centerline, whatever? The pre-carved hull is rough and needs to be trimmed. The hull of every ship is quite complicated shape itself. If you have no centerline, if everything is uneven, bulwarks not of the same thickness, material to be removed from here and there, how will you determine the point of symmetry? I expect, when building a classic POB kit, you have a keel, frames or bulkheads than would guide you to get a symmetrical shape. Here it was a bit of challenge.

 

[juhu]

Few thoughts on instructions: Very extensive, several levels above the typical European kits instructions. However, this is not a big task, because European producers are often known for virtually non existing instructions

 

Still from my beginner's point of view, there are things to improve: For example, the manual will show you, how to thin the side bulwarks. Described, pics attached. But how to remove the mass of the wood from the bow and transom section, where it is much more difficult and  the same approach simply cannot work, is fully left up to the builder.

 

 

Oh, some furious mackerel-catch attack? No, just a chisel went through...

 

 

Eventually, the success achieved:

 

Frame and cL lines drawn - to mark the scupper openings

Edited September 30, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

Well, here it happened. I followed with hull shaping, deck planking and then..... 💥 

 

Strike from above or below? When doing the deck plank nibbling I realized too late how off my deck planking is angled from cL. In addition, the bulwarks proved a real trouble. I could not achieve even thickness; neither make them thinner enough, so  they could adopt inner and outer planking, which was my intent from the beginning - no paint. Alas. Here I have no photos but the whole project was seriously sitting at the edge of scrap firewood box. As you predict, it did not happen, otherwise you would not be reading this blog. But it took me several days of deep breathing and even deeper thinking.

Lessons learnt: as a pure beginner I would not say the solid hull kit is easier and better choice compared to POB. You may say you have solid base for painting or planking, but it is not true. The demands on accuracy, correct drawings of all the construction lines to achieve even hull shape, are much higher.

If solid hull kit, then I would say, making the bulwarks a part of the carved hull is not the best design decision. Although any experienced builder can probably achieve good results in thinning them, I am tempted to say that to build the bulwarks separately is much better way. Also I guess, to machine-carve the hull with bulwarks would naturally increase the kit manufacturing complexity and eventually purchase costs....

  End for today. Resurrection story comes tomorrow!

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, juhu said:

as a pure beginner I would not say the solid hull kit is easier and better choice compared to POB

 

I agree. Each method of construction has its own particular learning curve. I started with POB and have attempted two solid hulls, neither of which I was entirely happy with (never finished either model). One of our members, Chuck Passaro, has written a couple of practicums based on Model Shipways solid-hull kits -- here's a link to the one based on Sultana. You might find some useful tips in there.

 

Over the years, a couple of MSW members have finished Smuggler. It makes a very handsome finished model, so I hope you will press on through the difficult patches.

 

Cheers!

[juhu]

Thank you Chris. Indeed I pressed on and here is what I have done: 

After few days of pure depression from the project, I realized, that if restart should happen, something must be done with bulwarks. As said earlier, they went pretty bad. Also opening the scuppers as suggested by instructions had, well, raised my eyebrows. So, I have removed pre-carved bulwarks completely.

 

 

 

I made new inner bulwarks from planking strips (I really wonder what type of wood this is, has been in my stock for a long while). Also, before attaching them to the hull, the scuppers were made using a small square file. The only thing I was worried was how strong would such a structure be...

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

As seen also in previous pics, I have also done some preparation for keel attachment. I really did not like the idea of butt joint keel - nothing specific of how it shall be attached strongly enough was described. So I have made some locator pins (I guess my plastic model kit past will never leave me ) from the wood. The keel parts were carved out from my boxwood stock supply. I did not have sheet wide enough, just pretty narrow pieces as seen below, so more pieces were edge-glued together to get a base material platform. Then the thing was carved out of it:

 

 

Locator pins should help to provide needed robustness of the construction:

 

[juhu]

OK, let's go. Here I started the bulwarks attachment. All the time thinking: Would it hold? Would it be strong enough? The attachment surface is very narrow, only the edge of the plank actually, 1mm. Yet the curvature, at least fore, should help.

 

 

[juhu]

I started to think about the deck planking. Following the plans but also Chapelle's "American fishing schooners" book I knew I would try to do deck plank nibbing  (I only hope I use correct English terms). Being warned by my disaster earlier, this time I tried totally different approach. Instead of cutting the already glued deck planks, I have prepared the considered deck part first. It looked quite good and actually, this is the first part of the model that has got its final outer appearance.

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

Here the parts are already attached and I have started the deck planking job itself. According to plans and Chapelle, main deck has straight planks with nibbed ends, quarter deck featured planks following the bulwarks curvature.

 

 

 

[juhu]

To make a short break from planking I have played a bit with masts and bowsprit. As said at the beginning, no precut parts, everything carved from scratch. The masts have quite a delicate shape variations - I have decided to make upper parts of the lower masts from square profile. The odd step between rounded and square profile will be covered by trestle trees later.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

Deck fully planked with tanganika strips. Actually, when ordering the wood stock I supposed the "tanganika" wood is the pale wood I have used for the inner bulwarks as you see in pictures. To my surprise, the delivered tanganika is much darker, for sure another type of wood. What is actually the material I have used for bulwarks I do not know then 😒. But never mind, future will show it is as it should be   Here is clearly seen that much of the kit wooden stock will be replaced by other wood. The reason is simple: not wanting to paint the ship, some better looking wood shall be used for finished surfaces.  First deck planking in my life looks like this and am quite happy with that.

 

 

A also marked with pencil the deck layout of the hull planks. Hope, this would help nice and even plank layout. It would be my first hull planking and there is no room for errors then. To my delight, the whole bulwark construction, supported with glued stanchions feels to be quite strong!

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu
typo corrected

[juhu]

The hull planking slowly continues. Boy this was something! One narrow plank after another and it always seemed like there is no end and the unplanked part is only growing . The planking was made with boxwood strips. I have always like the yellowish look of this wood, got some stock while being in US years ago. Quite uncommon to get in Europe unfortunately!

 

 

Each plank is precisely cut and shaped before gluing. Wanted to use no stealers at the bow, all the planks had to be trimmed. Lot of mark-cut-repeat steps. Sometimes I wondered if I did not taken too much for the first planking job

 

Although I do have electrical plank bender, I found to use it not so often to my own surprise . Rather than waiting while the tool is heated, soaking the strip in warm water and let it dry twisted as needed for a while was more effective.

 

[juhu]

One after another, one after another.... Securing the plank strips was sometimes fun, sometimes not. The bulged hull shape can be quite "slippery" for any clamps that you want to use! But it did work at the end. I made myself a simple hull cradle from some package EPS as you might have noticed. Much more stable and secure than any commercial keel and hull holder I have tried.

 

 

 

 

[juhu]

Hull planking done. I have also simulated tree nailing with drilling the small holes and filling them with light wood filler. Next time I may try to use toothpick ends. Still acceptable, Tree nails are there, just barely visible as they should be in scale I hope.

 

 

The same approach applied for deck...

 

 

 

...and done!

 

[Nirvana]

Juhu,

That is a very nice build log you have created. And the build of her is beautiful.  Looking forward seeing the rigging. 

[juhu]

Thanks a lot for kind words. Rigging is still a far future, hopefully will get there....

 

Here I started with the main rail. I have tried to implement the correct strip joints, although as will be seen later, they will not be seen at the end anyway.

 

 

[juhu]

As I said earlier, my biggest worries were, how durable would be the whole structure of bulwarks I had introduced. I can now say, that with inner+outer bulwark planking, supported by stanchions and glued rails, the bulwarks are really strong, in spite the butt-joint technique used. They would not move or bend even under quite a pressure. It is good to see the idea worked.

 

Then there was a time to attach quarter deck rail and monkey rail. Even more intriguing task due to even less support. Here I decided to use some thin metal pins located between inner and outer planking.

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

Catheads - after several attempts I was able to achieve satisfactory result carving them manually from one piece of boxwood

 

[juhu]

At this point I already somehow lost connection with kit's instruction manual. It is intended to provide a guide for the painted ship. As I wanted the natural wood finish, I had to alter the work step order. I still do use manual to check the drawings and overall approach, yet I found I am much more getting info directly from plans, which are excellent and Chapelles's book. Now my biggest fear is, that I would forget, overlook something among those zillion of various details.

Nevertheless, show goes on. I tried to treat the hull with some pre-final layer - danish oil. The picture shows how dramatically it enhanced the wood appearance - oil on the left, no oil right. The only problem is too glossy look for my taste, but this I will handle later. The holes in the keel will accommodate two screws for base plate pedestals.

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

The hull fully treated with danish oil

 

 

 

[juhu]

Here you see I have also attached those noble trailboards. In the kit, they are provided as metal castings. I was planning to replace them with the wood pieces (In general, I am not so impressed with metal castings from the kit). Trailboards in my case were not of the same thickness, neither length - aft protruding parts on one of them looked like not casted fully. But I abandoned this plan - to replicate faithfully nicely done decoration would be above my skills. Here I came back to plastic modelling world, took some Tamiya spray cans and AK weathering pencils.

 

 

 

 

[juhu]

In the meantime, some bitts and cleats were made. Again, where possible, I try to secure the things with some locating pins to have stronger attachment.

 

 

[juhu]

Full set of various bitts and cleats added, as well as samson post, bowsprit, hawse rims, rudder.

 

The hull and the base were sprayed with matt Lord Nelson lacquer for wooden ship models. Via this I dimmed the glossy look of the danish oil that I have found somewhat disturbing. This shall be the final outer look of her.

 

Well, this is the current status of the project. Lot of work still to do. I still must recall, whether I did not omitted something, that would be problematic to add. Hopefully not  🤔 (yes, I had to make the completely new bowsprit. In the first version I forgot to keep the square profile at the samson post and later totally screwed the piece by foolish varnishing attempt - happens).

 

The project progress I have presented so far covers the whole year of activity. Not too much I know, and from now on the build log will be written in 'real-time' manner, thus even slower. Never mind, I believe it will eventually be finished also with the help from the community here. See you then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 1, 2021 by juhu

[Tim Curtis]

Fantastic. You are creating a splendid model. 

[juhu]

Thanks a lot Tim and all the others. Currently am working on some smaller details on the deck, then windlass comes and sure also more photos.

[juhu]

Hi all,

as mentioned earlier, windlass work is in progress.

 

Here is the starting line. The cast windlass barrel was a hot candidate for a scratch sub-project. But I have abandoned the idea: I probably could have done it, but it would be simply way too time consuming and there is still a long way to go...

 

Little bit rough at the beginning...

 

Getting shaped. I have cut off the barrel's heads to make paint work easier.

 

And here it is. While the wooden parts are treated only with danish oil and matt lacquer, the body is color-sprayed and weathered.

[juhu]

Another small step, ship's bell and all the windlass gear:

Positioned on the deck, for now dry-fitted only to make a photo. Will be removed and glued later, to avoid damages, while working on deck structures:

 

 

 

Now I will make a short pause - have to focus on completely different "project" - one diatonic accordion is waiting to be tuned, let's see how it goes... See you later.

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by juhu

[juhu]

Ok, work on Smuggler is resumed now. I have started to build the fwd. companionway:

 

Still little bit rough, but getting some shapes. I decided to replace cast grating from the kit with the wooden one. I also realized, that many commercially available gratings kits look like taken from the prison cell window, once assembled. Eventually found one, that I like much more than the metal piece. Will see, how it looks at the end.