Fair American by EdatWycliffe - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kit-bashed per LSS Practicum

[EdatWycliffe]

This starts my build log for MSW's Fair American. Mainly I'm following the Lauck Street Shipyard Practicum Kitbashed to simulate plank on frame and to open the great cabin. The following are photos of the build to date.    

 

 

This and the next three photos show the hull fully planked sanded and a coat of polycrylic. I may need to add an additional plank after the deck is laid depending on the relationship between the height of the cannon barrel and the gun port. The first photo shows the kit-bashed cutout simulating a plank on frame model on the starboard side. (One day maybe I'll be accomplished enough to build one.). The next three photos show the stern, bow and bottom (keel up) of the ship. I've primed (using automobile gray spray primer) and sanded twice since these photos. 

 

 

 

 

 

The fifth photo shows a top view of the bulwarks almost ready for the deck planks. I've decided to add the hatches first so that the deck pad will fit neatly around the hatch coamings.

 

The sixth and seventh photos show hatches under construction. (Thanks, Fiffuerres, Rafine and KenW for the great help.)

 

 

 

That's it for now. 

 

 

[rafine]

Very nicely done and a very interesting approach. I'm looking forward to your progress.

 

Bob

[KenW]

You model looks great!  You hull planking is excellent.  Are you planning on painting or going with the natural finish look?

Cheers

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Ken. I think that I'll paint this time, but the natural look is kinda neat.

 

I need to improve the way I fair the bulkheads. That will help planking a lot. Also, I still am not very good at reading the plans showing the ship's curves and the water lines. I need to find some basic literature on interpreting hull planking schemes. All in all, I'm improving my skills and enjoying the hobby immensely. I appreciate your help and your build log.

 

Take care.

[EdatWycliffe]

These are a few more photos. I've completed the deck planking, including a pad. I'm reminded how important it is to fair the bulkheads properly so that the planks lay naturally. I had to use a few shims so that the deck lay in a somewhat acceptable fashion.

 

I tried to simulate proper lumber length by creasing the planks and tree nails by drilling holes. The creases and holes were highlighted with a .05 mechanical pencil. It looks OK, I guess, but I think that the 1/8 " planks were too narrow (I might have substituted 3/16" planks) and I could not figure out how to get brown Elmer's wood putty into the small holes without ruining the finish on the deck. [Any suggestions would be appreciated.]

 

I placed the covering board per plans. It's now time for framing the gun ports. I'll probably have to add a plank or two so that the barrels are centered in the gun port frame. Still enjoying immensely and learning a great deal (mostly from Bob Rafine's log and my own errors).

 

Ken, how is your FA build progressing?

 

[rafine]

It's looking very nice Ed. The filler should be put in the holes before any finish is applied to the deck and then the deck can be sanded and/or scraped. You could still possibly fill the holes and then sand and refinish the deck.

 

Bob

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Bob. I sanded the planks so much to fair the deck, I'm afraid that they are too thin in many places to sand more. I'll do it better on the next build.

 

Qs: I'm having a tough time assembling the cannon carriages. The axels all seem to be the same length, so it's difficult to determine the correct angle of the cheeks. (I understand that the forward section of the carriage is narrower than the aft section.) Any suggestions? Do you use a tool other than a #22 Xacto for removing fragile laser-cut parts from the board?

 

Thanks much, Ed

[KenW]

My FA build progresses.

I like your deck.  I don't think the 1/8 inch planks look bad at all.

I notice that your grating is done with the 'crisscross' method.  How come you didn't run out of wood grating pieces?  I don't think I wasted any; but I didn't have enough to do both hatches that way.  (see my build log.)

I used the gun carriage parts from the kit and didn't worry about the fore cheeks being narrower that the aft cheeks.

I am worried about the gun port placement.  My gun carriages seem to be higher/larger than the plans.

I guess everything will work itself out in time. 

Best of luck.

Cheers.

[EdatWycliffe]

I've finished framing the gun ports. It was more difficult than I thought. The vertical supports were easy except that a few faux bulkheads that simulate frames on the starboard side were smack in the middle of the place where I needed to put vertical supports for the gun ports. So, I had to cut those few faux frames off above the deck line and move on. The horizontal supports are small (about 1/4" ) and not so easy to handle and the bottom horizontal supports can slip down into the hull between the waterway and the planking. My set of tweezers came in handy placing the supports into position. I used CA to glue the supports.

 

Attached are a photo of the test gun carriage used to determine whether an additional hull plank was needed (it was) and a couple of photos of the gun port framing. I'm now opening the gun ports. I suspect that I'll need to do a lot of cleaning so that the ports align and are about the same size. I also have to decide whether to open up the "port" that's within the great cabin or just treat it as a "window" as Bob did.

 

BTW, thanks for the info behind the holes in the aft hatch.

 

Regards, Ed

[KenW]

Your model is coming along great.  I really like your quoin.  I'm going to have to rework mine.

Great job.

[EdatWycliffe]

This photo shows the gun ports framed and cut out and the hull painted. I also trimmed the deck planks just aft of BH 12 and cut the gammon hole (I don't know what it is for and my naval-terms glossary didn't help) in the stem. As you will see, the ghost of not doing a good job squaring and fairing the bulkheads at the start of the build has reared its ugly head once more. The space between gun ports 4 and 5 is not consistent with the plans (too wide) on the starboard side. Its OK on the port side. Overall, though, I'm not unhappy about the progress and will proceed now with the interior planking.

 

[EdatWycliffe]

I just wasn't happy with the spacing of the gun ports on the starboard side. So, remembering, after all, that the model is wood, I spend a couple of hours (or so) moving gun port five about 5/16" aft. I think that it came out OK. (Photo attached) Onward to the inboard planking.

 

[trippwj]

Nice work on the gunport, Ed - the spacing looks much better!

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Wayne. Appreciate.

[KenW]

Good to see that your progress is going so well.  Your hull looks really great.

I'm in the process of framing my gunports, as well, and it is taking a while.

Keep up the good work.

[EdatWycliffe]

With apologies, I have not posted for too long a time, so this post is overly long. I'll try to do better in the future.
 
Deck: I first added the raised portion of the deck and then finished the starboard and port sides simultaneously. Tree nails were simulated with small drilled holes colored with a sharp pencil lead. Plank lengths were simulated by Xacto knife scoring traced with a sharp pencil point. I primed the hull with spray gray auto primer and applied a first coat of Pollyscale acrylic paint according the plan paint scheme.
I took several breaks while planking the hull and the deck to fashion a binnacle, tree pumps, capstan bitts, cannon (14) and rudder. I followed Bob's lead and made the grudgeon and pintle from folder stock. The main rail came next.  I then added the ringbolts for the cannon carriage rigging, cleats and pin rails. (I still have the two bow pin rails to add.) I drilled scuppers and the fairleads into the hull and added the gangway stairs and chess tree. The transom was a bit of an engineering challenge because I built it too narrow. It resulted in just four windows rather than the six in the plan (or five if you did not want windows beyond the width of the great cabin.) Still, once the transom was painted, it looked OK, even if it lacked authenticity. I fitted the rudder to the stern post and then put it aside until the ship is mounted. (I knocked the rudder off the stern post twice before I got the brilliant idea, to put it aside until later.) 
 
As the photos indicate, I kept the quarterdeck open so that the great cabin could be "finished" per the Lauck Street Shipyard plans. I had a good time modeling the great cabin and adding details such as the checkered floor and a cleat used to tie off the rope that opens the gun port cover. The door to the great cabin is probably too small at the ship's scale, but in order to build it to five feet, it would have had to be 1 1/4" high and I simply did not know how to do that. So, I'll assume that my captain was very short. The "HL" door hinges were also made from folder stock painted black. I then planked the inside of the transom and added the flagstaff chock and socket and the main sheet horse.
 
The fancy rail, quarter badge and fashion piece came next. I made my own gun port cover and hinge assembly, copying Bob's ("Rafine's") work and the plans. Then the beak head--wow! That's as close as my hobby ever came to work. Nothing measured right and I ended up relying on the seat of my pants as much as the plans. I hope it looks half decent. (I do not have Bob's bending and laminating talent, or any other of his great ship-building skills, so I cut the rails from a solid piece of birch plywood.) Next came the timber heads, knight heads and catheads. I did manage to fashion the sheaves in the catheads by filing, drilling, adding the skinny part of a toothpick and laminating the sides. The channels and chain plates are in progress and I still need to add the steering wheel standard assembly. I anticipate another month or so to complete the hull and place the cannons, rigging and deck furniture.
 
I'm looking forward to starting the masts, spars and rigging. Great thanks to Bob and Ken for the invaluable guidance in their Fair American posts.

[rafine]

The post was a long time in coming Ed, but the work is very nice and you've added some interesting features like the cabin interior. Keep up the good work and don't wait so long to post again.

 

Bob

[KenW]

Great to see your build progress again; and I must say it is coming along nicely.

I really like the cabin interior with the checkered floor and the cleats and line to open the windows/ports.  Everything looks good as well.  I agree with you and plan to replace all the dye cast deck furniture. 

I hope you keep up with regular posting - seeing the problems and solutions of others helps me as I'm sure it helps others as well.

Cheers.

[GaryKap]

Thanks for the updates.  You are doing great work.  I am especially impressed by your attention to detail.  I like the rings for the gun carriage tackle.  And the rudder...you and Ken both put a piece on the aft end that the MS instructions call a "chatter groove".  Can you tell me any more about this?

 

Anyway, as others have said - keep the pictures coming.

 

<<Gary>>

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Bob, Ken and Gary--appreciate the kind words. Gary, my understanding is that rudder vibration was lessened by tapering the rudder and adding a groove along the aft end.

 

Just completed the starboard main channel and I'm starting to fashion the chain plates. I used Bob's technique to attach the dead eyes to the channel leaving a loop under the channel on which to attach the hook of the chain plate.

[KenW]

Good work on the channel and chains.  Also the gangway steps.  They are small and a real challenge.

As to my rudder, I just liked the look of the groove.  Didn't know that there was a reason for it.

[KenW]

I am looking at your capstan.  I believe that you altered the kit supplied one; is that correct?  

I like the 'V' slots you made in the bottom.  Any advice - since I am starting to evaluate mine?

Thanks.

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Ken. Hope you are fully recovered. I added the grooves and will add a " catch plate" on the deck, the end of which will fit into a groove. I thought that there should be a mechanism that would prevent the capstan from slipping back after it is rotated. I got the idea from Rafine's build.

 

Alde, thanks for the kind words. Ken built the AVS, I believe, and I went to FA as my second build. I think that Ken is doing real well and so you might want to follow his lead and try the AVS. When I complete FA, I think I'll try Rattlesnake.

 

Amazing! I just looked at my build log and saw that I started FA in the summer of 2013-nearly a year. If you divide 365 by the cost of this hobby, I can't imagine that there are not too many things in this world that can give so much pleasure for so little cost. And when you add the comraderie of MSW into the equation, this hobby is the best deal in town! Thanks all.

[EdatWycliffe]

I've been on the high seas for the past few weeks with erratic email and no internet reception. I'm just catching up with the discussion regarding the rigging of the gun carriage. I'll be there soon and much appreciate the inputs. First I need to finish the dead eyes and chain plates (see pics attached). I stepped a faux mast so that the angle of the chainplates was not completely off. After the channels and chainplates,  I'll fine tune the deck furniture. Then, finally, I'll start from the aft and place cannon carriages and deck furniture in that order. It's very nice to be back in the chip yard. Yep, better than being on a real (modern) ship. Ed

[EdatWycliffe]

I'ver worked lately to get better at seizing lines for the cannons. While waiting for Syren blocks to arrive, I pulled all the breech line eye bolts and rings I installed in the bulkhead. I should have installed them off deck when I rig the cannons. So now I've complete the breech lines for all 14 cannon. See picture. I will soon face the task of finishing the cannon rigging and from Ken's description, my hands are already shaking. Perhaps I'll take a cannon break and work on the bowsprit and jib boom. Ken's turned out nicely.

 

[EdatWycliffe]

The cannons and cannon rigging are done and the deck furniture added. The eyes, padeyes and rings need to be added to the deck, but I see a start to masts and rigging soon.

 

 

Rigging the cannons was difficult, but through the trial and error process, I learned a technique for wrapping the blocks and preparing the pulley rigging that I'd like to share. The pictures below reflect the following steps:

 

1. I purchased 3/32 single boxwood blocks from Syren. Using a jeweler's saw with a very fine blade, I scored the groves a little deeper on both sides of the block.

 

2. Cut two pieces of 28 gauge wire each about 1" long. I used black colored Artistic Wire purchased at Michael's. Its has both strength and flexibility.

 

3. Lay each wire on the block and add a small drop of CA on top of the wire where it lays on the block. (I use Zap medium+ gap-filling formula).

 

4. By hand, bend the wire around each block. At the end of one of the blocks, lay a piece of rigging rope about 5" or 6" long between the wire and the block. ( I used .20mm tan rope I purchased from Syren and was very pleased with the quality.) Leave about 1 1/2 " of rope at one side of the wire and the remaining length on the other side. I first prepared the rope by passing it through a block of bee's wax I purchased at Jo-Ann Fabrics. Add another drop of CA on top of the wire on this side of the block.

 

5. Bend the wire around the block until it goes entirely around the block. Add a small drop of CA on top of the wire where it lays on the end of the block and press down on the wire with the flat end of a needle nose plier (or other tool) so that the wire lays flat against the end of the block. 

 

6. I then used a #76 drill bit to ream out one of the holes in the block (I chose the hole closest to the wire bend that is furthest away from the end of the wire where the hook will be formed) to make reeving the rope easier. This step may not be necessary.

 

7. Seize the rope on one of the blocks. This block will eventually attach to the bulkhead and the other block will eventually attach to the eyelet on the cannon.

 

8. For, a hook at each at the end of each block. I used a needle nose plier with round ends.

 

9. Reeve the rope through the blocks and add the finished block and tackle assembly to the cannon. I found reeving so much easier of I dipped the end of the rope through a small amount of CA to make the rope stiff.

 

Edited October 18, 2014 by EdatWycliffe

[EdatWycliffe]

I apologize for the gap between postings. By way of explanation, last March I was elected president of our country club, and it's a real time sync. Nonetheless, it has made working on Fair American that much more important to my down time. 

 

I've completed the bowsprit and jib boom and the lower fore and main masts and I've started the main top mast. As the pictures below show, the bowsprit and jib boom were constructed (as best I could) using Bob's (Rafine) build log.

 

I adopted KenW's wooldings on the lower foremast. The rationale for including them seemed quite acceptable and I think that they look good.I hung eight double blocks under the mast top using the wire (alternative) method suggested by Chuck Passaro in the Syren instructions and made the deadeye plates from .012 rope (from Syren) shaped with an awl and a heavy application of CA. The blocks on the mast were hung using a double loop seizing method taught by Bob Hunt (Lauck Street Shipyard). I glued the mast cap in place but should have waited until I complete the topmast. (I'll have to put the fid in place after sliding the top mast through the cap.)

 

The lower main mast was built the same way as the fore mast, less wooldings. I've added a hook for the main boom. 

 

The main top mast is well under way. The hounds were difficult to make and I did use the build-up method shown in Fig. 22C of the instruction manual. I'm having a few conceptual problems with construction of the trestle and cross trees and asked KenW a few questions since he has completed that part and it looks real good.

 

So, I've got to finish the topmasts, make the top gallant masts and attach the bowsprit. And then I can finally start the standing rigging.

 

Edited October 18, 2014 by EdatWycliffe

[rafine]

A long time in coming Ed, but well worth the wait. It's all looking very good. Very nicely done.

 

Bob

[KenW]

I agree with Bob, it looks good.  Don't worry, I think we have all realized that there were some 'things' we should have attached earlier.  We'll do better on our next build.

Cheers.

[EdatWycliffe]

Thanks, Bob, Ken and Pine Tar. Very much appreciate. Onward and upward!