Khufu's Solar Boat by Snug Harbor Johnny - FINISHED - Woody Joe

[Louie da fly]

It's been a while since I've looked at this log. You're really powering ahead!

 

Steven

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Back from a long weekend of service, and safely home to putter about.  Making 6 thread rope (two threads each on the three strand spun on the Rocket) from high quality cotton thread #80 (the thinnest I found, ergo easy to break a single thread by hand as some quilters do rather than to trouble themselves with scissors), and the result was mini rope .0125" thick.  That size will be great to represent thin rope at 1:100 projects (easier math than the actual scale of 1:96), but seemed just a little thin for where I want to use it on the Khufu barge at about 1:70. 

 

  Going to three threads per strand (that makes better rope - and is how a lot of full-size rope is produced), I made mini rope .016" thick - representing just over an inch at 1:70 scale.  It looked good for my application and could still be threaded through the curved needle I'm using. The cotton rope has little 'stretch' and does not unravel much.  Polyester mini rope has more 'stretch' and is can unravel more on an untreated end.

 

  Rope making threads on the forum talk about tempering poly rope by careful baking to lessen unraveling.  I found that just a tiny bit of thin CA applied to the end of a polyester rope secured it well.  One has to use rope diameters that can pass through the block or deadeye holes, and many builders re-work said holes somewhat before use.  There is a step in mini rope making I haven't seen mentioned that is used when making full size rope.  That is 'pulling' on the rope after spinning to 'set' the twist.  Doing this with poly mini-rope takes out much of the 'stretch', lengthens it slightly and makes for a better rope.  The cotton rope was also pulled.  I did this by holding on one section at a time with both hands and tugging on it.  One can also tie an end to something solid and mere ly pull on the other end to 'set' the twist.

 

  Before using my new rope, I decided to apply a light coat of amber shellac to the hull and deck side beams to enhance the color slightly - as well as to protect the water-based colorant from any accidental water spotting, as well as to seal the grain.  This will keep dust from getting into the surface, as dust is the long-term enemy of unpainted wooden ship models.  In wood working where an oil finish is not going to be used, a light coat of shellac is referred to as a 'spit coat'.  Zinsser is a good commercially available shellac, and I let the contents settle for at least a few weeks - so a top level is formed of a clearer amber ... some of the solids settle into the lower half - so don't stir it up.

 

  The cedar in the kit is very light, and (per prior posting) was darkened with thinned water-based colorant.  But the surface still seemed dull as a flat brown.  Many think that shellac is high gloss - but not with a single application.  Carefully brushing small amounts (keeping a 'wet edge' as you go) will have it soak into the wood.  Any that might remain on the surface in places needs to be immediately wiped off.  What you get is a semi-gloss effect.  If no alteration in the color is needed, then clear shellac can be used.  One can alway lightly sand with a very fine sandpaper to make the surface matte.  There is some photo flash shine in the picture below.

 

 

    I took a side view - the linen threads tie-downs are seen on the near side, and the next step will be to use the new mini rope in the empty slots on the other side.  

 

 

  OK, so I used the new rope and it is definitely an  improvement over the first side as seen below.  Its just a tad out of focus, but you can clearly see the twist in the rope ... almost no fuzz, either.  I love it!  BTW, the look I went for was a new ship - versus the very dark 4,000+ year old ship.  The interior was colored darker so that what little will show through will help make the deck beams stand out.  Doing the side rail tie-downs was a PITA, as mentioned before, but definitely add something to the project.

 

 

 

  The picture below was taken on the spinet, which had many coats of shellac to make a high-gloss finish.  There is also a hurdy-gurdy (wheel fiddle) from a U-Gears kit (busted quite a bit to make a playable instrument) where different colorations were used by either the case wood (mahogany on the sides) or water color toner (on the very light plywood top) or the absence of toner ... where everything got either an amber shellac overcoat or clear shellac where I wanted a nearly white wood.  Yes, I'm a fan of shellac - but many other wood projects of mine were finished with a 50-50 'boiled' linseed oil and turpentine mix.

 

 

  Off the the left is some papers I marbled at a workshop - nice material to have for bookbinding.  There was an old saying:  Give someone a fish and they have a meal.  Teach someone to fish and they have food for life.

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
typos

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Once past the optional step of installing 50 rope tie-downs, the main deck was easily bent ... Rather than go upstairs to get some water, I ended up just licking the underside then using both hands to flex the piece some.  Since the rope form the tie-downs takes a little space inside the deck rails, more shavings were made on the sides of the deck to allow for this - and it was trial fitted several times before bending.

 

  The shape of the deck is not symmetrical fore-and-aft (but close) - so I should have marked on the underside of the deck "bow" and "stern", since I was careful enough to mark other parts earlier in the build.  Everything looks similar and one can't be too careful since a mixup can occur.  Note that the planks are laser cut into many boards with different shapes that correspond to the actual planks used on the original.  Builders didn't want to waste good planking wood and made use of irregular shapes.  ( ... 'Calls to mind Inca masonry that incorporates all sorts of irregular blocks cleverly dressed to fit together well.)  There are small attachment points that are not cut by the laser ... obviously so the whole thing does not fall apart.  I suppose someone OCD enough (not me) might try separating all the pieces and gluing them individually.

 

 

 

  I have used the plastic clamps shown below in a number pf applications, since they have swiveling jaws that adapt to odd angles sometimes encountered on workpieces.  Other clamping aids have included clothespins (large and miniature), lengths of elastic, rubber bands, painters' tape and sometimes 'finger clamps' .  I often sport one or more bandaids due to 'boos'.  "No, no - Not the boo box!" ... from the movie Hook.

 

 

  OK, mates ... what is wrong with the picture below?  The bow is to the right.  (Hint, note the slight gapping on the left between the deck and the side rails on what had been a carefully pre-fitted component.)   That's right, class - I flipped the deck when gluing !   I didn't take my own advice and mark the underside "bow" and "stern" respectively.  Now that the glue is dry, it would be madness to try and tear it out - something not possible without damaging everything.  Not to worry, only an expert on the subject vessel who was closely scrutinizing the model would perceive that the unique deck planking is reversed ... and even then might miss it. 

 

   When applying glue to the deck beams and along the edges go the underside of the deck, it somehow got dis-oriented.  No wonder I had trouble fitting it in place  (Duh,  another clue to look out for - if something is not fitting right, check it out.)  The bow taper is slightly narrower than toward the stern, so the fit was snug enough to require some forcing with a smooth tool.  BTW, the picture was taken after I grooved over the connection points in the laser cut deck, and filled in the grooves with a little graphite using a mechanical pencil.  The look is good, however - and I'm going to stay with it.

 

  Below is a closer shot of the deck after tooling to make the planking have the proper appearance.

 

  Ok, now I discovered another goof that I decided had to be fixed.  The "assumption" (ooh, there's that word - 'assume') was that the kit was engineered with uniform precision, but that turned out not to be the case with the bow projection assembly done earlier.  I knew that the cheek pieces were too thin, so sanded the hull planks near the join to compensate after gluing.  BUT, the angle of the bow hull bulkhead 'as-assembled' needed adjustment.  It would have been a good idea to check it against the full-sized drawing BEFORE gluing the bow projection on.  (Note to self:  Try checking the drawing occasionally while building ... it can save some headaches - as well as expletives.)

 

  The picture below shows that the angle discrepancy was magnified going out to the lotus vertical member (a distinctive stylistic on these ships seen in contemporary artwork) tilted inward when held against the drawing.

 

 

  I checked the stern, and it was OK, but something had to be done to fix the bow.  Trying to alter the angle of the bow projection was going to be a real problem and fraught with difficulty.  So the decision was to change the angle for the lotus.  It was winkled off the brass pin after breaking the glue bond (well, it was on end grain after all).  A flat file was used to dress the angle of the lotus base and also the mounting point at the extreme bow.  Then I re-assembled the piece and used 'finger clamping' since nothing else would do.

 

 

   After holding it down for about 15 minutes (I didn't want to trust CA, nor did I want to mix epoxy), every held OK and comparing to the drawing after re-gluing showed an acceptable result.

 

 

  Lessons learned (hopefully).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Now all the decking is done and toned, plus two places to mount stern rudder oars.  The kit shows 4 cross ties, other models copy the museum exhibit and show one just behind the last access 'hatch' (movable piece of decking).  I compromised with 2 so the access hatches are left free (seems logical) and will mount 2 pairs of steering oars - one pair for each cross tie.

 

 

  The next step per the instructions is to build the deck cabin.  This has been ingeniously engineered by the kit designers.  With close attention to the correct parts and orientation, it should go together without too much trouble.  I plan to use differing shades of color so the various 'layers' of the deck structure will be easy to see.  The cabin wall planks will be lightest, with medium brown for the battens, and a darker brown for the surrounding shade frame.  Hmmmm, or maybe I should make the battens darker and the shade frame medium ... can't finally decide just yet.

 

  What delays construction on just about anything I do, is thinking about how to proceed.  Hopefully (as with any forum build) any else who decides to do this kit will get the benefit of seeing a prior build, heeding caveats found in the build and getting ideas of how to do it differently - perhaps better.

 

  A friend showed me a few models she inherited from her Dad's estate, which I found to be good intermediate kit builds.  On one, a fife rail had popped loose ... a recurring problem at times when things glued to a deck can be subject to rigging stress (whether when rigged or later with atmospherically induces shrinkage).  Gluing end grain makes for a weak join ... something that made it easier for me to fix the angle of the  lotus as previously posted.  But this is an exception to the rule.

 

  Some kits have 'sub decks' which the builder planks-over  separate from the hull before gluing the whole thing in place.  This presents a great opportunity to pre-mount deck eyes with the end of the wire going right through all the decking material to be bent-over underneath and fixed with a blob of epoxy for good measure.  

 

  Drilling holes in such a deck and squaring with a file to match the dimensions of the fife rail leg (or other thing to be attached) will provide a socket to accept the wood (the legs have to be longer by the amount they will go into the deck).  I might be inclined to mount things at that time so the legs can go right through and be pinned on the underside ... no way they'd come loose.  Now if the above is not an option, a hole might be drilled from above.  If not able to be 'squared' from above, then the piece to fit in might be whittled round on the end.

 

  Pin rails present their own challenges.    All food for thought.

 

 

 

[Waldemar]

 

Hello Johnny,

 

Many thanks for this log, as for some reason I also have a weakness for ancient Egyptian ships. I once made a simple block model of a solar barge myself, which I gave to my sister. If time permits, I will still try to build an Egyptian boat one day in the way you do.

 

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

31 minutes ago, Waldemar said:

 

Hello Johnny,

 

Many thanks for this log, as for some reason I also have a weakness for ancient Egyptian ships. I once made a simple block model of a solar barge myself, which I gave to my sister. If time permits, I will still try to build an Egyptian boat one day in the way you do.

 

 

 

   How beautiful !    You got the lines perfectly.

[Waldemar]

 

Maybe so, but gold painting this nearly four-foot beast was a real horror show. Everything around became solar 🙂.

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  A little more progress has been made - mostly after mulling over what to do.  The sides of the cabin come in several pieces - due to the way the grain has to run and the limitations on the stock available for the kit.  So one has to keep track of the correct part number AND orientation before gluing them together.  I decided to put a little wood glue on the edges (useing the end of my finger as an 'applicator'), and did this over waxed paper to prevent the sides from getting stuck to the assembly surface.  When 1/2 dried, I shifted the location on the waxed paper - even then there was a little sticking to the paper at the first location.

 

  BTW, I'm doing this kit on the end of a movable table, with other stuff unceremoniously pushed to the opposite end.  Other than a little use of a flex shaft (rather then a high-speed Dremel), and the end projections being roughed a bit on a grinding wheel (could have used the flex shaft) - the project is being done with a few simple tools in a very limited space.  This is compatible with a 'beginner' kit.

 

  Then I remembered about pre-tinting the parts, so I used a light wash over the planking, and a more concentrated solution over the stringers.  Water-based color allows further use of wood glue with full adhesion.  If said glue is used prior to tinting, then dried glue 'blocks' even coloring - which doesn't look so good.  Color first, then glue - so the inevitable glue slips won't show.  If excess glue is spotted, it can be scraped away after setting, but preferably before full cure.  I said before that I favor shellacs, and any glue slip-ups do not affect the application of shellac at all.  In some applications, linseed (or other oil) is wiped-on first, then later the shellac is compatible with previously oiled wood. Shellac will not make water based colorants 'run', as the carrier is methanol.

 

  Sometimes I'll use water colors, but this time I used a handy product meant for hard maple (preferably 'curly' maple) gun stocks.  Other than being marked 'poisonous', they do not reveal their 'secret' formula.  Diluted, it has the characteristic light orange look of dissolved potassium dichromate (which I have a crystalline supply of).  When the commercial product is used full strength, a dark brown is produced on the light cedar.  Of course, heartwood gets darker than the near-white sapwood.  

 

  Simple PD works best on woods that have tannic acid in them, so will only color white woods light orange (meaning minimal chemical reaction).  So by adding tannic acid (I also have a chemistry set bottle of that - as well as a bunch of other stuff they used to let us kids play around with), the brown color was added to the PD and the result tuned out the same as supplied in the commercial gunstock stain.  Diluting more makes the effect of lighter shades of brown that slowly 'develop' as the stain dries out.  This is due to a chemical conversion with the wood fibers and the ingredients of the stain in the presence of oxygen.

 

  In the photo above, note the 'gaps' in the laser cutting of the planks.  These will be covered  by horizontal stringers - then they'll appear as uninterrupted planks.  I started gluing some stringers before staining - so had to go back and try and paint then after they were glued ... and there was a little running as can be seen on the bottom edge due to the grain of the plank pieces.

 

  Everything else was glued after staining.  There are a lot of 'fiddly bits' not uncommon in our hobby.  One end of stringer stock was placed, then the other end marked with pencil to cut to length prior to gluing.  The curved edge will conform to the curved deck, whereas the roof lays flat

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

[druxey]

Looking good, SHJ! I use Saran wrap stretched with masking tape around the edges rather than waxed paper for a non-adhesive surface.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Decided to assemble the cabin in a different order shown on the instructions ... the roof top is slightly curved (as it is on the original) - presumably to divert the occasional rain.  (The frame for the canopy above is flat, and is built later.)  NOTE:  The instructions make much over getting an end angle correct on the framework for under the roof.  HOWEVER, close examination reveals that the laser cutting of the central roof support beam has the angle correct for the AFT end (not the forward end shown in the picture).  I assemble the curved-top side beams with the central rail flipped so the angle would be correct.  No matter, it is a slight angle to be sure - and regardless of how assembled, the end of the central beam can be adjusted as needed to fit the angle of the cabin ends.

 

 

  The roof was clamped to the curved supporting framework SEPARATE from anything else (the thin roof was easy to flex, but low-pressure clamps made sure there would be no spring-back before the glue cured).  Having a fixed, curved roof will make cabin assembly much easier.

 

  Later, the battens (stringers) on the roof top are similarly glued in advance.  The 1 x 2mm pre-tinted stock was moistened slightly on the underside (after cutting each to length) and hand sprung to get some curvature (to make clamping easier).  The pieces that cover the 'disconnects' in the laser cut roof planking were done first.  Next will be the addition of two more roof battens in the spaces between the first battens to be glued.

 

 

  The cabin ends are on the right, and it was wise to pre color the different parts first.  I noted that there was JUST enough of the stock (1 x 5mm) above the doors to make those two pieces (which will later be trimmed to match the roof curvature).  A nearly exact amount was provided for the 1 x 4mm and 1 x 3mm stock for the places indicated on the instructions.  Geeze, they could have given a little more in the kit in case of a goof ... but what you see is what you get.  I've heard of some other kits where the stock does not allow for ANY goofs ... and even cases where its not quite enough to do what needs to be done due to the inevitability of cutting waste.

 

  Still, I find the design of the cabin clever - and there are notches/tabs where the pieces will go together.  This build is a welcome diversion from all the 'honey do' projects and the demands of home maintenance, yard work and hospital work.  I'm now accepting fewer shifts per month, in that I'm finally (after 4 years) making the transition into retirement - which has been worked towards for the past 50 years.  I'll still keep my finger in the trade for a while for the funds generated and the camaraderie of my co workers.  Those not so far along in their careers can look to me for evidence that there CAN be retirement some day - with a little planning and luck.

 

  You only live so long, and just recently a friend of mine had a slip ... resulting in a brain bleed followed by death soon thereafter.  It only takes one fall ...  or a bad microbe, or any number of unexpected things to change one's life - or worse.  So I'll live each day granted to the full and have no regrets whenever my course runs out.  Laughing hurst less than crying, and you'll get farther with a smile than with a frown.

 

  Fair weather and smooth sailing!      Johnny

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Two steps forward, one step back.  'Seems the sides ended up about 1/16" longer than the roof of the cabin - even though the laser cut  pieces glued edge-to-edge to make the sides butted closely.  Hmmm here is another tip for whoever builds this kit - in that when laying out the sides, the butting edges need to be sanded just a little.  Then the top piece (with tabs) can be used as a gauge to see if the combined length of the side pieces has been adjusted properly.

 

  So what I had to do is cut both side pieces at a seam, sand those mating edges equally and check against the roof assembly to judge when the right amount of material removal had been achieved.  Then I glued the sides together, flipped them and placed a batten on the inside for extra stability.  

 

  Note that the laser cut pieces pop out of sheet stock of varying thickness, which provide the extra material one can use if needed for cases like this - or any other mis-step.  I plan to keep all the extra stock material, instructions and plans in the kit box as a future resource on another project.

 

  I also realized that the top battens need to overhang (they can be trimmed and the ends colored after cabin assembly), so I glued small pieces at the edges.  There will be two additional battens spaced equally between these first ones.  The assembled cabin will get some shellac after that.

 

 

Edited August 12, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
typos

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  'Found that the cabin pieces were definitely tricky to hold together.  First, there were many trial fits - each time I had to see what needed sanding or tab trimming so that things would fit properly (squarely).  Then it was still a bit 'rickety', so I glued some stabilizing battens along the top of the side pieces.  These had to be positioned 'just so', and I used wood glue.

 

 

  I couldn't figure how to clamp everything ... or even if I should attempt a single 'mass glue-up'.  Well, the decision was to hold it all together with one hand, then make sure one corner was fitted just right - then use CA to 'tack weld' that bit.  The 'thin' CA tends to 'wick' its way quite a bit, so I had to hold the workpiece so that a near lever applicator tip could release the smallest amount.  This stuff can be 'wicked', and wants to stick to fingers like crazy.

 

  I kept an open tin of acetone handy to get off any as quickly as possible.  The stuff gives off some sort of gas while curing (within 10 seconds), so I'd blow that away.  Yet the process is exothermic, and I could feel the heat of the joining.  So then I'd go on to another point, etc. etc. 'tack welding' as I went - then finishing the in between joins with CA.  The result was OK, and the small notches at the base of the end pieces (both sides of each piece) 'fit in' to the deck side rails within a narrow range - exact location to fix will be determined by (duh) consulting the drawing.

 

 

  'Doesn't look too bad at this stage.  I'll figure how I want to mount the doors and apply the top coat of shellac.  I'm thinking that I'd like the canopy framework to be pinned together (might be better than gluing).  A method of making better 'lotus' style canopy supports is still being debated.

 

  BTW, I found that the side rails (as laser cut) have (just astern) one of the rails slightly longer than the other.  This makes one of the steering oar mounts a little crooked ... 'don't know right now if I want to bother 'fixing' this - and tilted the rearmost one to match.  But it is something to check for anyone else doing this build.  

 

 

 

  A previous builder noted this kit is 'easy, but not too easy' ..  I'll second that opinion - as there is some good exposure with wood bending, gluing, etc. - and I needed some skill building in this area.  Luckily this project doesn't have a lot of rigging to do.   'Thought I was an 'old salt' before starting ... but it seems that I'm not as salty as I imagined.  Hmmm, though the Admiral thinks at times I'm a 'salty dog'.  Rruuh - rhrooh.

 

 

Edited August 14, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
typos

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  The cabin doors needed top and bottom battens, so they were glued in place.  It seemed best to install the open door IN the cabin first while there is access from the bottom ... and scrap material was glued behind the doorframe sides where a door will hang, so there is something to glue the door to besides the frame.  Again, nothing in the instructions about this, but it seems a useful thing to do.  The picture below shows the clamped pieces.

 

   After curing, the wood behind each doorframe was trimmed and the door test fitted to judge the angle.  The doors were glued and appear in the picture below.

 

  I slopped a little color inside where it might be possible to see from the outside once installed.  The cabin was given a light coat of shellac and placed (without gluing for now) to the deck to see how it will look.

 

 

 

  I'll tape the two plan sheets together to make one large sheet, so I can frame the canopy right on the plan ... not unlike building a model plane many, many years ago (won't say how many).  This build has gone reasonably smoothly - with just a couple of digressions/modifications.  Each step has me thinking on how to proceed, so I generally ponder it while doing something else.  That's why its helpful to have more than one 'pot on the fire'.

 

 

[catopower]

Hi Snug,

 

I love the way this model is coming along. I really like your choice of finishes. It looks nice and it looks very real to me. I expect any day now to see "The Mummy" emerge from that cabin 😁

 

I have to thin out my stockpile of Woody Joe kits first, but this one will probably be my next purchase from them. 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

4 hours ago, catopower said:

Hi Snug,

 

I love the way this model is coming along. I really like your choice of finishes. It looks nice and it looks very real to me. I expect any day now to see "The Mummy" emerge from that cabin 😁

 

I have to thin out my stockpile of Woody Joe kits first, but this one will probably be my next purchase from them. 

  'Just got the idea to look for some 1:72 ancient Egyptian figures to put on deck.  Given the popularity of several scales of historical figures used in gaming and dioramas, I might be able to scare some up.  That will affect how I decide to configure the oars.  Maybe they have a Pharo (Kufu may have used this yacht while still alive), or perhaps an 'inner coffin' brought on board post mortem.  The immense sarcophagus was already in place inside the pyramid - with the King's chamber built around it.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Old Johnny's been doing too many things lately, but thinking about what is described as 'palm' capitols on the canopy supports (somewhat like the capitols of pillars in the hypostyle hall at Thebes) I've decided that 'rounding' the 1.5mm x 1.5mm stock provided inboxed the kit (while adequate) may not be the best way to go.  The cedar stock is so thin that its quite quite bendable ... a little too much perhaps.  Rounding all that can be tedious, with the risk of too much removal and too much irregularity.  But then, many aspects of this hobby can appear 'tedious' to the casual observer.

 

  So a universal three-jaw chuck was put on my Unimat to try and turn the supports from 1/8 hardwood dowel (found in an  old-style hobby shop).  Other vendors like Hobby Lobby may have it with other wood stocks.  The long dowel goes right through the headstock like it does on a full-sized lathe, and the concentricity of the Unimat chuck seem right-on.  With the dowel advanced only a little, the tailstock with a pin-chuck head (meant for drilling) and a #60 drill was used to put a hole in the end of the dowel about 3/16" deep.  The tiny drill was a little wobbly, but the hole ended up close enough to center for my purposes - to accept the pointed end of a brass escutcheon pin without splitting the dowel.

 

  Then the dowel was advanced some to turn the 1.5mm shaft (target somewhere between .060 and .070) partially, since the end is not supported and there would be too much deflection if it was worked too far from the chuck.  Sequential advancement of the stock permitted turning more until an oversized length was achieved (to be trimmed during trial fitting as needed).

 

 

 

  OK, I realize that this piece of equipment will not be in the toolbox of a beginner ... perhaps an electric drill mounted on a horizontal drill stand (purchased or home-made) might spin a piece of stock to be sanded at a moderately slow speed with a folded piece of sandpaper?  Alternative 2 might be to use 1/16" diameter toothpicks or match sticks as the verticals, then drill-out 1/8 inch dowel to cut-off short pieces to glue onto one end.    One may need to be creative - or just round the 1/5mm square stock from the kit.

 

  I had to use a small file to form the capitol on the end - so I'm thinking about making a form tool to do that on the lathe.

 

 

  Below is a view of the end-hole drilled in step 1.

 

 

  So now I've done 4 of the anticipated 48 needed, and at over 10 - 12 minutes a piece I may take between 8 and 10 hours (altogether) to do the lot.  They

are still a little rough, and I may fuss with them some more.

 

 

 

 

  Today some 1:72 Egyptian military figures arrived (bought on Ebay) and enough of them can be modified to put on the barge.  There is one Pharaoh, a couple of attendants and one drummer - plus various men at arms that I want to modify into standing oarsmen.  'Guess careful heating and some re-modeling with a heated dental tool can do the job.  They'll all be painted.  This model is somewhat off the 'mainstream' on the Forum, so why not add some figures?

 

 

 

  I did see  a source for seated Egyptian oarsmen, plus an overseer and standing steersman made in several scales via a resin solidification process done in an Eastern European country ... but without paying $$, the production-to-order would be 2-3 weeks plus slow shipping.  My payment information would also have to go to the manufacturer.  Buying through a trusted third party like Ebay, Amazon or ETSY is safe, as it can be done by credit card as a 'guest', and the seller never sees personal information (other than the name and address to ship to).  I'm reluctant to do business otherwise.

 

 

 

[druxey]

Ah, the old faithful Unimat! Mine is still going since 1970. Had you considered using a center in the tailstock to provide more support? That would take care of the hole that you need to drill anyway.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  I'd like to keep the end hole in the supports small, and trying a center support wouldn't stop the length from springing.  The best results (not clear in the picture) is to turn the wood close to the chuck (no more than 1/2" at a time) before advancing to do a little more.  There is still post-processing ... these supports are also a little out of scale.

 

  Now the problem:  The original ship does have wood at the ends that 'notches' to the side deck rails ... which fixes the position of the cabin nicely.  But note that the walls of the cabin have room for the vertical canopy supports to fit between the wall and the side rail - even at the ends.  Towards the middle where the rails bow out, there is more room - and the verticals tilt out some, so that the bases are against the inside of the rail (and cannot slip out).

 

 

  Another picture from a lower angle showing the cant of the verticals in the middle section of cabin.

 

 

  Now look at what I have on the model at present.  Verticals can just fit between the cabin wall and the side rail ONLY in the middle section - and then they must be straight up (not canted, like on the original). They are still longer than needed, and will only be trimmed when trial fitted ... but they cannot fit into the gap fore or aft of the two shown.  The end facades are OK with the notch, but the walls should be about 1/16" more away from the side rails.  This is a subtle effect that would have required much forethought ... perhaps taping the cabin together with blue tape for a trial fit (as well as deciding on the method to make the canopy frame verticals) and finding this out.  Even so, the end substrates were already glued to the end facade wood.

 

 

   The underlying end pieces would have had to be trimmed back in width on each side when originally built (and also the top piece, carefully keeping the contour of the tabs) - so this fit problem was likely unforeseeable.  Someone doing this kit who sees this build can likely take the steps to correct the oversight in the kit design ... the door(s) on both ends also shift slightly - making the cabin build a touchy thing.  Internal blocking in the corners would also aid assembly.  I moved the cabin a little to the side to simulate where the cabin walls should be.  Not straight, but you likely get the idea.

 

   But now I can't go back on what I've done, and must look at the alternatives.

 

  #1 will be to place the bottoms of the verticals on top of the side rails ... and this is implied on the drawing, as the overhang of the many sideways canopy stringers go out as far (seen from above, aka 'top view') as the side rails.

 

 

 

  #2 might be to place them on the outside of the side rails - and a thin rope would have to be go from the existing holes in the rail to pass over the verticals to 'retain' them ... still they seem precarious sitting on narrow deck beams.

 

 

 

 

  #3 would be to shave the bases of the verticals enough to 'force' them into the gap near the cabin ends (where there is almost no gap).  Perhaps some discreet whittling of the cross bracing wood at the base of the cabin wall where each vertical has to go might be done.  The modification would not be obvious with so much going on elsewhere on the model - especially once the canopy, oars and figures are added.  BTW, the rail 'tie downs' done with flax thread are decidedly inferior to the tie downs on the other side done with miniature rope I made on the Rope Rocket.  As I said, this build offers a learning experience.

 

  My inclination is to go with option #3 as best as I can manage, as that will appear closest to the original.

 

 

 

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

   'Just had to think about the problem some before a likely solution came to mind.  The battens glued to the outside of the cabin walls (stained darker) are a source of interference near the ends.  So why not sand them down where needed?  They are of 1mm x 2mm cedar stock, so the thickness can be reduced by half, and they can be re-colored.  I used my sandpaper covered hacksaw blade as a handy tool.

 

  'Still needed some more relief, so I filed round grooves where the vertical canopy supports will go.

 

    The cabin was a little wobbly on the deck, so sandpaper was put  on the deck, and the cabin was rubbed against to hit any 'high points' ... the result was a much better fit.

 

 

  The notches at the bottoms of the stern facade were filled to adjust the exact location of the cabin a little.  Then I set the works on the model stand and found that the end verticals will nest between the cabin wall and deck rail just fine.

 

  So far, so good.  Now I have to make another 40 verticals (plus some for the little pavilion that will go farther forward on deck),  then make an altered plan view of the canopy frame - which will only go a little further beyond the cabin roof as seen on the original - and build the frame.  Then the verticals can be pinned and trimmed to length.

 

 

 

[druxey]

A very creative solution, SHJ!

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

   Ahoy !   Its been a busy couple of weeks, and I've been slow turning the palm (not lotus) head verticals ... and pondering how to best make the upper framework.  Today I got around to putting the forward canopy together - and it was a lot of trouble ... more than anticipated.  The supports had to be cut in pairs to different lengths so the top would be more or less 'level' given that the forward deck is ascending with the graceful curve of the vessel.

 

  I put brass wire into the pre-drilled hole in the  head of each support, then secured with 'penetrating' CA.  The top piece proved to be very fragile - so when I nearly broke it completely, gel 'gap filling' CA was used to get a pretty good repair.  As mentioned elsewhere, I find CA wicked to work with and can't seem to avoid getting some on my fingers.  So I chew it off (the crusty CA ... not the finger itself !), spit out the bits (not recommended to eat) and touch up any rough spots with fine sandpaper.  Too much of this might temporarily remove fingerprints ... something a safe cracker might want to do, but not me.

 

  Once each wire set, flush cutters left enough at the tops to engage the wooden canopy roof.  Perhaps I should have left extra to help in the assembly - then made a final cut flush with the roof.  The photo below shows how I set-up the verticals.  The bottom of the verticals were whittled carefully so they would fit into the laser cut post holes.  There is stock in the kit (very thin indeed) that one is instructed to 'round' and use for these verticals - but I wanted something a.) more substantial and b.) having the profile at the top.

  After many attempts because things kept falling apart and getting mixed up, I finally succeeded in getting the thing positioned to accept CA at the top joints.  Then the bottoms were glued.  The shot below shows the forward canopy trial positioned on the boat.  I still will add some shellac finish on the canopy assembly.

 

  I realize that a miniature lathe is something a 'beginner' is unlikely to have ... but if one is going to get involved in kit building (or other types of craft work), I highly recommend one.  It occurred to me after the fact that I could have a.) chosen a wire drill to match the 20 ga. wire on hand, b.) used the drill butt as an end support then c.) turned a somewhat thinner diameter to the vertical ... but not too much.

 

  One can also use toothpick stock with pointed ends to go into the laser cut holes (not unlike the original pictured earlier in this log),  The profile head could be a piece of wider dowel drilled out to the diameter of the toothpick and cut off into a little ring that can be glued on to the end of the toothpick.  'Just thinking about alternate ways of doing these bits.  In this hobby, one can imagine all sorts of alternative ways to go to tackle any sticking point in the assembly.

 

 

  The verticals are a little out of scale with-wise, but they 'read' very well at an observing distance - and I'm satisfied with this bit.  With th3 Ca cured, it is very sturdy and resists finger pressure.  Making the main canopy frame is going to be another challenge.  A detail from the Scientific Robt. E. Lee steamboat kit instructions gives me an idea of how to proceed with the skeleton canopy top.

 

  We'll see.  I do have enough verticals, but will make a few spares.  Once again - there's no rush in finishing this build, since I want to 'get it right'.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 16, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
clarification of lower photo

[catopower]

Looks great Snug, though I can see how it could give you some headaches. That thin cypress can be awfully delicate.

 

3 hours ago, Snug Harbor Johnny said:

 So I chew it off and touch up with sandpaper.

 

Hope that was the excess CA and not the finger. But, that would be REALLY dedicated...

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

17 hours ago, catopower said:

Looks great Snug, though I can see how it could give you some headaches. That thin cypress can be awfully delicate.

 

Hope that was the excess CA and not the finger. But, that would be REALLY dedicated...

 

  I clarified my post to make it clear I wasn't cannibal ... something that marooned sailors (or those adrift at sea overlong - like the survivors of the Essex) might be driven to do. 😉  

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Often I think and re-think how to proceed with something ... a chess game of sorts.  What one does can affect other aspects of a project, and 'painting oneself into a corner' is something to be avoided.  OK, so after enough prevarication I taped the two-piece plan together - pictured below.

  The way the main canopy frame has to go together, I decided to build it "upside down".  The instructions provided by the manufacturer on how to exactly go about building this feature are ... well ... vague.  There are edge stringers on top over cross ties that rest on a pair of thin beams to compensate for the side-to-side curvature of the cabin roof.  I put the cabin (upside down) on the plan and marked with a pencil points where the palm-head verticals must go.  These were connected with pencil lines to use as a guide when laying down cross pieces.  On closer examination, I had to **** some of the dots slightly - and I decided to add some overhang in the back.  Below are the top stringers applied first (after bending them - moistening the point of bend first)), and retained with cross pins.  I didn't want to pin-thru to avoid pin marks as well as to avoid splitting the wood, which is delicate.

 

 

  A couple of pencil line adjustments were made, then I started gluing cross ties using medium-thickness (gel) CA ... and it is much easier to work with than the thin stuff that wants to go all over the place.  I just put a small amount where needed on each end a cross tie.  I used the plan to measure each tie - making a small pencil mark where needed and cutting the piece off the stock with an XActo.  The CA did take about 15 - 30 seconds to 'kick' - this time varied slightly, but once it grabbed the 'weld' was pretty good. 

 

  Below, the ties are in place, and I added the support rails on top - putting a small amount of gel CA on each spot where needed.  It did have enough 'open' time to apply to all the points and position the rail.  The plan shows a central top-stringer that I don't see on the original ship - so it was omitted.  The last three cross ties on the left were slightly askew - so I was able to cut the affected joints open, adjust the position and re-CA.

 

 

  The canopy frame came off the paper plan, but a few points stuck due to excess glue getting around a few of the joins.  The frame was placed on top of the cabin (now right-side up and nothing glued down yet) for a visual check.  It will get shellac as the bow mini-canopy received.  Things are shaping-up!

 

 

    I hand-drilled 48 holes by hand, as the placement is important.

 

 

  Note that I put a piece of scrap under the frame while drilling to prevent a bunch of small holes in the top of the workbench .  It might otherwise have looked like a piece of old furniture with post-hole beetle holes in it.

 

 

  I used a small file to smooth everything over, then CA'd 20 gauge brass wire into 48 canopy verticals (count 'em).  I suppose (in hindsight) that I could have turned the very ends into thin points that would have gone through the canopy frame pieces (like on the original) ... whatever.  If I thought putting the mini canopy together was 'fun' (who's having fun?), doing the main canopy ought to be hilarious!

 

 

 

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Installing the cabin and cabin took several steps.  After a couple trial fits, it was clear that some indents needed to be dremeled along the cabin roof to accommodate the swelled heads of the canopy uprights.  As previously noted, these are a bit out of scale, and the space between the cabin walls and the upper deck beams is tight.  There seems to be a slight miscalculation somewhere in the kit design, since there is a little more space in that area on the original.  It appears that they show the upright resting ON the deck beams (where they are more easily glued) rather than behind.

 

  In a do-over (and advice for someone else with the same project) should have me moving the attachment points of the side panels further in on the back of the end panels ... a move would require a little re-engineering of the slots that the side tabs go into.  Another route would be to remove a sliver from the center of the end panels (prior to building them with framing wood) - perhaps only 1/8", regluing the panels together, then making the framing wood go out 1/16" further on each side.  The cabin top would also have to have 1/16" removed on either side - following the edge contours already laser cut.

 

  This would be a great model to scratch build in 1:48 scale ... about 3'long, and planking could be individual strips - the canopy uprights would be closer in scale (the way I made them).  'Enlarging' the plans and kit parts would be a faster track to a larger version.

 

  Anyway,  after adjusting the cabin, it was glued at the corners using get CA.  Now that I'm getting the hang of using this bonding agent, I can see how handy it is for many modeling applications (but by no means all).  Then I set and glued the front verticals.  In any tight spot, some gel CA can be put on a non-porous surface and the tip of an XActo or dental tool can pick up a little bit to touch to any small area.  The gel CA tend to go where it needs to in the 'nooks and crannies'.

 

  Then I started working both sides toward the back, first putting the raw vertical (they came out all different lengths) to the cabin and using verniers to gauge how much needed to come off each one (the resultant lengths also vary).

 

 

  That bit was transferred to the vertical and trimmed by rolling a knife over the end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  Now each piece is winkled in by lifting the back end of the canopy frame upwards (the thin wood is bendable without snapping), and tilting the base of the vertical enough to get it over the deck rail and moved into position.  Some of them needed a slight length adjustment, then were refitted.  The excess soft brass jewelry was pliable - so helped in this process, whereas if the wood had been turned into thin spiked ends they would likely have kept breaking.  Soooo, it seems doing them the way I did worked out better, and the excess pin material will be flush-cut when complete with ... jewelry (beading, actually) flush cutters.  The Admiral turned me on to the many tools one can get originally designed for bead and wire work.  One caution ... when flush cutting a small protruding bit, it can 'fly off' at h high speed - so wearing clear plastic  eye protection (if you don't wear glasses already) is advisable.  Mate, you don't want a wee bit of sharp-edged wire getting into your eye ... and you don't want to start wearing an eyepatch.   Arrrrrrrrrr !

 

 

  Positioning was adjusted with any convenient tool.

 

 

  The wood turned has enough natural color to it (not sure which wood) that I didn't want to darken them with further color ... otherwise they might 'blend in' to the back drop.  The top frame was made of a very white cedar, so color was need there.  Once again, if the manufacturer used heartwood cedar (and some of the planks had heartwood zones), then only natural (clear) finish would be needed.  Cedar can naturally darken over time (just look at photos of the original), and unfinished heartwood (where certain rot-resistant chemicals are) cedar will oxidize better left unfinished so more oxygen can get to it.   The 'porch' areas were done from the cabin outward, end everything was tacked well with CA.

 

 

 

  Now THATS what I'm talking about.  Phew,  I'm getting into the home stretch.  There are only the oars to make and mount, plus perhaps some figures (optional).  'Feeling good now how everything is turning out with this build.  I'll have some final analysis when done.    Johnny

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 22, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
clarification of lower photo

[druxey]

Looking good, SHJ.

[catopower]

Very nice, meticulous work, Johnny. I think there may be some light at the end of the tunnel...

 

Your project is reminding me that I need to get back to completion of a couple Woody Joe projects I've got!

[Waldemar]

 

I have the irresistible impression that it is your model that most resembles the originals. More so than those with perfectly smoothed lines from the age of computers and industrial robots.

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Well, mates ... looks like I've finished the Khufu boat as far as it goes - except for painting a few figures for display purposes.  So I'll take you through the final steps.  

 

  The oar assembly appears straightforward, but still requires care to do right - as does just about everything on this (and every) model.  The shot below shows the blade cut-outs that go on lengths of 2mm dowel stock ... and different oar positions have different cut lengths due to the shape of the ship and the increased height above the water near the bow and stern.  You can see that the last inch of the oar handle has been turned down (on the Unimat).  Otherwise it would have to be abraded in some other manner.  Note that the round stock is just a wee bit too wide, so that when put in the slot - the wide ends of the blade spread a little.  Don't force this, as the blade stock will split at this point.

 

 

  A flat file was used to carefully remove a little material from opposite sides of the handle stock that will engage the oar blade.  Each was trial fitted and adjusted.  Since the blades are laser cut, they have flat surfaces along the perimeter.  Filing flats on the handle stock provides flat mating surfaces for a good join.  Woody Joe got this detail figured right during kit design.  Of course, there were a couple (previously mentioned) glitches ... with work arounds.

 

  The blades were fitted on the adjusted handles, and I used a dental tool to pick up a tiny amount of CA.  By just touching the bit of CA clinging to the tip of the dental tool (one can use a tooth pick) to the joint, the gel CA 'wicked' right into the joint.  I'm now sold on the 'gel' form of CA (not the super-thin stuff that gets EVERYWHERE) for fastening all sorts of details.  Structural assembly still is done with wood glue.

 

 

  CA sets pretty quick - and I notice hat the gel form has a little more 'open time' (for repositioning, if needed) than the insta-cure thin sort.  Then the oar handle is tapered with sandpaper (in this case I'm using a sandpaper covered hacksaw blade as shown earlier in this build), and the oar blade is thinned around the perimeter on both sides.

 

   The oars got a thin coat of amber shellac (the semi-clear stuff at the top of an unstirred can of Zinnser shellac, as previously mentioned).  The kit instructions said to tie a clove hitch of the supplied thin rope (not too bad, actually - and I used it because it had a 'stiffness' to it that allowed for easier insertion through the tiny gaps in the deck rails) to the oar handles, then tie then to the ship.  I decided to 'go' with that, although the original had a somewhat more sophisticated bundling of rope between the deck rail and the oar handle.

 

  I favored the 'staggered' rowing oar format, since apparently these oars were manned with standing rowers.  A staggered format would keep them from getting in each others way due to the length of oar handle above deck - and resulting longer 'sweep'.  I'm showing them in a 'shipped' (or resting) position ... the handles could be extended a bit for active use.  The museum in Egypt tied them together in a vertical position ... a likely 'at harbor' position.

 

  Oh yes, the LAST thing that I glued was the little forward canopy.  It would have been in the way while fixing the oars.

 

  Another view.

 

 

 

   For the stern, I used two steering oar positions with a wider space than on the kit drawing.  The museum shows the rearmost position with a pair of steering oars.  I put a second set further forward.  Perhaps round stock could have been used for mounting these oars on, but it would have to be lashed to the boat.  The flat stock use per the kit is simply glued.  If my supports were a bit longer (going further out board), the lashing of the steering oars would have been easier.  Hopefully, all the hindsights mentioned throughout this build will help other builders who choose to do this project.

 

  The sternmost pair were lashed together and tilted by means of the rope.  The next pair had the oar handles 'hitched up' so the ends could be swiveled under the end frame of the canopy.  A little CA on the lashings will prevent future slippage, and the need to re-adjust the oar angles.

 

  I'm very happy how this one turned out, and declare it a FINISHED build.  Huzzah!   I knew at the start that this was something do-able over the summer (the slow way I work), yet my estimate is that the actual BUILD time was only about 60 hours ... something that could be done in a couple of weeks (with glue or finish drying time allowed) if one had nothing else to do.  I find myself best by Admiralty tasks, plus work and teaching assignments ... well, its better to be busy than 'going to seed'.

 

   I suppose I'll have to do some more on the Wasa (Vasa is now preferred by the Swedes), but managing all the carvings/decorations plus guns and gun ports is daunting.  I've decided to portray it still 'under construction' with only the first sections of masts in place - and minimal rigging.  Yup, a slight unsteadiness these days in the hands/fingers make the prospect of extensive rigging a challenge.

 

  Below I've put a figure of Pharaoh inspecting his new Solar Ship ... and I might paint-up a few of these figures for fun sometime.  I will add a rolled-up cloth to represent an underplayed canopy cover.

 

 

  Apart from having minimal rigging, this is not a 'tall' ship ... so it fits right on a shelf as shown below.  'Didn't care for the supplied nameplate, so I omitted it.

 

 

     I'd still rate this Woody Joe kit in the beginner category ... but it's really on the 'cusp' of intermediate.  As another builder remarked, "Its easy, but not too easy."  Now, one can build it without the enhancements I did - specifically, turning palm-head verticals for the canopy supports ... and doing all the lashings of the deck rails to the cross supports for the deck.  If one is happy with building "as supplied", the kit will fall in the 'middle' of the beginner level. 

 

  During the build I discovered how to make my own rope, and any kit requiring rope can benefit from better 'miniature' rope.  If you don't want to  bother with a mini rope-walk, there are sources to buy superior rope.  Why go to all the trouble and time of doing a wood ship model and just used 'fuzzy' rigging thats not much better than heavy sewing thread?  Of course some kits provide rigging rope that is better than average, and imperfectly usable.

 

  The journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step!    Fair sailing,    Johny

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Just now, an afterthought hit me on the attachment of the forward rowing oars!  The way I did them - which is the way in the kit instructions - doesn't make for effective rowing, since the pivot point needs to be at the gunwale for the oars to dip low enough to be effective.  THAT is why the original had (as recovered from the Giza boat tomb) those 'bundles' of rope that made a 'column' arrangement that went out to the gunwale where the oar handles were attached. 

 

  So how to do that? ....  The simplest way to approximate effectively is to tie a 'hangman's noose' having a wrapped portion of the length needed to go from the deck beam to the gunwale.  To give it enough body (strength), the noose would be made with 4 ropes (but tied in the same way as an ordinary noose.  The noose would be snugged on the oar handle, and two of the four ropes would be passed through the slot in the deck beam - then tied to the other two.

 

  Hmmmmm, I suppose I could go back and revise those oar attachments at some point - perhaps when I do all the figures.  If so, then I can add a final picture to this log ... a sort-of epilogue.

 

  EDIT:  Since the deck beams are higher than the gunwale, when extended - the oars DO have enough downward angle for the blades to engage the water if the oar handles are lashed to the deck beams per instructions.  But the handles will drag along the gunwale (eventually wearing grooves) and the oars can't be arranged with the handles high as seen in the museum (a way to ship them keeping the deck clear) without the rope bundles to move the pivot point to the gunwale. I'm likely to leave things as they are, as the appearance is OK - and I want to work on other projects.

 

  This build has been a great learning experience ... as with all builds.     Johnny

 

 

Edited October 4, 2022 by Snug Harbor Johnny
addendum