Swift 1805 by SUBaron - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - 1:50 - first build - 2016 kit version

[Keith Black]

 Looks good, SU. You should make the chain more taut. The chain keeps the bowsprit from lifting due to the force of lift created by the running lines and stay. 

[allanyed]

Su 

FWIW, the clamps you are using for the planking are meant to have the screw go into the frame or bulkhead, not into the plank.  The tab is rotated to press against the plank itself.  The design is so you do not have holes in the planks.  Forgive the poor sketch below, but I think you can see what I mean about how these clamps are meant to work.  As you add planks these will cover the holes made in the bulkhead previously. I realize with the painted hull it does not make a bit of difference if there are holes or not, but If your next project has a hull an unpainted finish for the planking, it will make a difference.

 

For possible future consideration, if you spile or prebend and taper the planks you really don't need any clamps at all.  Finger pressure on a properly formed plank is all you need for whatever glue you prefer.  PVA will require just a minute to hold whereas some glues are more instant.   Your choice as each has its advantages.    

 

Allan

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2022 by allanyed

[SUBaron]

15 hours ago, Keith Black said:

 Looks good, SU. You should make the chain more taut. The chain keeps the bowsprit from lifting due to the force of lift created by the running lines and stay. 

Thanks @Keith Black Still working on it - I bite whatever I can chew throughout my workday 😂 I thought the chain was interesting- I suspected that was what it was for, but don’t recall seeing a chain on other ships. 

[SUBaron]

13 hours ago, allanyed said:

Su 

FWIW, the clamps you are using for the planking are meant to have the screw go into the frame or bulkhead, not into the plank.  The tab is rotated to press against the plank itself.  The design is so you do not have holes in the planks.  Forgive the poor sketch below, but I think you can see what I mean about how these clamps are meant to work.  As you add planks these will cover the holes made in the bulkhead previously. I realize with the painted hull it does not make a bit of difference if there are holes or not, but If your next project has a hull an unpainted finish for the planking, it will make a difference.

 

For possible future consideration, if you spile or prebend and taper the planks you really don't need any clamps at all.  Finger pressure on a properly formed plank is all you need for whatever glue you prefer.  PVA will require just a minute to hold whereas some glues are more instant.   Your choice as each has its advantages.    

 

Allan

 

 

 

Thanks @allanyed!  That makes sense, and your illustration was very clear  

[SUBaron]

Preparing to attach the bowsprit support chain

[Keith Black]

 Su, in my post #352 I showed how I strop blocks. 

 

 

[SUBaron]

@Keith Black Much appreciated. It’s a neater look than the AL instructions offered. As these are my first strops, I’m not unhappy with the results, but shall employ your method next time. 

[SUBaron]

Bobstay complete (lunch project, between MS Teams calls). I lost two links to the chain before I successfully attached the bobstay to the U-bolt/bow eye on the hull. My first rigging 😃

Edited April 7, 2022 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

Money well spent on a glass chair mat. My previous chair mat split, cracked and had to be patched with gorilla (duct) tape. It was filled with little pits and valleys that caught my chair wheels.

Edited April 7, 2022 by SUBaron

[Keith Black]

2 hours ago, SUBaron said:

As these are my first strops, I’m not unhappy with the results

SU, you should be happy with your first results. 

[SUBaron]

When positioned on the port and starboard, are these still referred to as bobstays? Also, am I using too much wax on the lines? How many passes through the wax bar is typical?

Edited April 8, 2022 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

…found an interesting discussion on https://modelshipworld.com/topic/28407-waxing-modell-rope-thread/ wax.

 

[Oldsalt1950]

SUBaron, it is an interesting discussion, but misses a lot of other factors that play into preserving and protecting the finished product. I just added to that discussion posting what I know from my vast storehouse of somewhat useless information that most people don't care about. : )

[SUBaron]

@Oldsalt1950 I read your post and agree - especially with your summation to use whatever you want because it all evens out in the end (paraphrasing). I agree - and logically, beeswax just doesn’t scream “Acidic” to me. I found it interesting that with such in depth discussion on acidity, reactions, etc, nobody brought up that the content of the rope/lines/thread will play a big part in how they may or may not react. Another plus to your summation.

 

I had actually considered for a moment putting one of my staff Toxicologists (US EPA) on this issue, but decided it wasn’t a good use of taxpayer dollars 💵 😆.

 

In the end, I suspect I’ll be long gone before the beeswax eats through my bobstay lines. 
 

Cheers!

[Oldsalt1950]

SUBaron, exactly! By the time any of it matters, we will all be long gone.

Jim

[Keith Black]

 The problem with cotton line is its fuzzy and it deteriorates rather rapidly. Adding beeswax only increases the deterioration process. I've worked on models that are twenty years old and the lines were already rotten. For these reasons I only use polyester thread. Polyester may stretch a bit more than cotton but I'd rather see a bit of droop than completely parted lines. Museums are even using polyester thread in some of their model restorations.  

[SUBaron]

For some reason, twenty years doesn’t seem to be long enough to completely rot out thread that is subjected to little or no torque or tension. I wonder how much of the deterioration is exacerbated by sunlight, smoking (cigarettes, pipe, even fireplace/stove), the environment (home humidity levels, variable swings in AC/Heating temps), and others (including the wax?)?

Edited April 8, 2022 by SUBaron

[Oldsalt1950]

SUBaron, you've hit on the crux of the problem. We have no way of measuring how other environmental inputs contribute to the degradation. Since it would be cost prohibitive to engage in testing to find out, we will never know. 

Jim

[Keith Black]

 And not all cotton thread is created equal. 

[SUBaron]

3 hours ago, Keith Black said:

 And not all cotton thread is created equal. 

Nor apparently, is wax!

[SUBaron]

Attached the out structures today. The model design leaves a gap between the deck and stern. I’ll likely try and shape something to fill the gap. 

[SUBaron]

Big day - fore and main mast installation! The main top mast was difficult. According to the plans connection to the main mast wasn’t supposed to require glue. However, I intentionally shaped both the fore and main masts about 1.5mm thicker than the instructions (they seemed too thin to scale). However, as usual, such deviation had consequences further in the build. The increased mast width was too large for the brass connections. I ended up needing to create a very strong bond that would stick brass to varnished mast, so I used epoxy and instead of having the brass ends connect, I nailed them into the top mast. I think it ended up looking okay considering my backup was to order more brass and fashion new parts (I need a few more years under my belt to acquire that much patience). 

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

I was a little nervous about installing the masts as there are no do overs there. I was happy with the results.

 

whenever feasible, I try to use appropriate nautical knots. I have a great app called “Knots 3D”. It features a complete set of knots (sailing, camping, fishing, fire & rescue, etc), with explanations and 3D motion controlled graphic simulations of the knot being formed.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 10, 2022 by SUBaron
Text and pic

[Oldsalt1950]

Really starting to take shape now. Will you be adding sails?

[SUBaron]

Yes - sails came with the kit and I’ll be adding them at the end of the build to keep from any accidents with glue, paint or stain touch ups. I’m currently hanging the sails with small weights to remove the perma-crease from packing. It’s worked a bit, but I’ll likely steam them later.

[SUBaron]

Back from Easter Break in Aruba. Up next - Shrouds.  Preparing dead eyes 👀  

Edited April 26, 2022 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

Learned my lesson from the masts. Always let the stain fully set before proceeding. New lesson - stain all the dead eyes prior to rigging the lanyards. 
 

After pre-cutting all the lines - I noticed that the wax application wasn’t  enough to tamper the line fuzzies. I tried adding more but it gave the line an unnatural looking stiffness. I like them being a little loose, then getting a more natural look when pulled taught. Hopefully I’ll be able to achieve this on these shrouds using an initial slip knot. 
 

This will be it for the day - Draft Report due for the Inspector General today. 

 

Edited April 28, 2022 by SUBaron
Reorientation of pic

[SUBaron]

Deadeyes attached. I nearly broke both the rudder and the bowsprit getting the nails in. I probably should’ve pre-drilled them, but I wanted them to hold without glue. 
 

Does anyone have a build log, or ideas they can share on how to attach the Shroud (or are they back stays?) lines to the deadeyes, keeping tension? I have a set of Quad Hands thanks to @hollowneck. Maybe weighted clothes pins? 

Edited May 1, 2022 by SUBaron
Typo

[allanyed]

SU

I hope you don't mind my asking but I am curious why the strops on the blocks are wire instead of rope?   I do not recall having ever seen this kind of rigging on a  model or in any book based on contemporary information except for VERY small scale models such as made by McNarry and McCaffery.  

Thank you

Allan

Edited May 2, 2022 by allanyed

[SUBaron]

@allanyed I suspected it was a cost cutting issue at first. This model version by AL has done away with numerous features, such as a hold, and double planked hull. Other versions I found on MS included “chain plates” consisting of a metal rod. This kit offered thin gauge wire. However, it’s hard to believe that wire is cheaper than thread. As this is my first attempt at ship modeling, I haven’t felt comfortable deviating much from the instructions or materials provided. I do agree that it looks a bit off - even as I believe this is an example of a ship class, and not an historical replica. As I gain confidence with this build, I find there are numerous things that I would do differently if starting over. I’ll definitely utilize these changes in my next build, the Connie (MS2040).  
 

In the end, I’d like to believe it was a necessary feature to bare the load of the bowsprit as it crashed through the waves on the Chesapeake in a January Nor’Easter
 

cheers!

Edited May 2, 2022 by SUBaron
Typo