Sloop Speedwell 1752 by Chuck - Ketch Rigged Sloop - POF - prototype build

[glbarlow]

Next level, quite amazing!

[Chuck]

Thank You...

 

The cabins on the aft lower platform are completed.   No detailed explanation since they are built exactly like the others.   Each partition wall is built up with two layers glued together.   Then they are detailed with hinges and door handles as required along with any upright timbers 1/8" x 1/8" strips.   Their heights and widths are adjusted to fit under the deck beams etc.   Finally they are assembled and glued into position.

 

Here is the tiny powder and filling rooms completed.  These walls are slightly thicker than the other cabins as was normally the case.  An extra laser cut sheet of parts shows how all the cabins are prepared for you.   They are all numbered and shown on the plans.  I built them in the order that they are numbered.

 

All of the cabins completed.

 

Next up is to complete the remaining deck beams carlings and ledges.

 

 

[Toolmaker]

Can I ask if any of sets 1&2 have been sent across the Atlantic, and if so can you indicate the cost of the carriage?

Thank you.

 

[Freebird]

Just fantastic!

 

Best Regards …. Rick

[dvm27]

The officer gets a spoon and cup (great details by the way) but no light in the filling room? I think OSHA would level a fine for that.

[druxey]

Wait a moment - I've got a match here somewhere....

[Chuck]

Thanks guys….

 

Yes I have mailed a few.  It depends on the country.  Some countries wont allow first class mail or the cheapest option and only allow priority mail.   It weighs about 9 pounds give or take.
 

I just shipped one to Italy for $99 US shipping.

 

I sent others which were around $85

 

So far the most expensive was $149 but I charge $99 usually so I take the hit if its more.

 

So probably around $99

 

 

[Chuck]

I have reached another small milestone.  All of the below deck fittings and cabins are completed.  The gun deck is fully framed as well.   Next up I will start planking the inboard bulwarks.   That should make a huge difference.  

 

I hope to see many of you this weekend at the New London show.   It should be a very enjoyable weekend.   I am looking forward to it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck

[druxey]

Looking very ship-shape, Chuck.

 

Have a great weekend. Wish I was there!

[chris watton]

That is truly stunning!

[Chuck]

Thank you guys...it will be at least a week before I can do more on the model.   

[Rustyj]

4 hours ago, Chuck said:

I hope to see many of you this weekend at the New London show.

What fantastic workmanship. I can't to see all the work you've completed since last year's show!

[scrubbyj427]

Well done Chuck. Stunning model of speedwell you’ve created.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

It is looking really nice. One question: I miss the different knees, especially where the guns are situated. David has shown them in his drawings. Why do you have omitted them?

[Chuck]

The knees wont be seen so they will be omitted.  Its easy enough for folks to add should they want to.  Thats a benefit of having Davids book while building the kit.  But it will really complicate and make adding all of those ledges take forever.  And all for something that will never be seen.  I think most folks will be relieved not to make them.
 

the contemporary model doesnt have them either.  My guess is for the very same reason.  
 

It also reduces the cost and time to manufacture the kit quite a bit. I did add them on the fcastle however because the ends of the knees will be slightly visible in the open area left unplanked.  So once the gun deck is planked…the casual viewer will actually assume you did add all of those knees for the entire model.  LOL

 

I will take a picture with the planking templates in position.  You will see what I am talking about pretty clearly. The same is true of all the ledges down the center line.  They will not be seen either.  The contemporary model also omits these..whats the point really.

[Chuck]

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Thanks for the information. I fully understand your motivation not to make the knees

[Chuck]

It was so great to see everyone at the New London show yesterday.  There were some fantastic models on display.  I hope everyone has a safe trip back to their workshops.

 

And talking about a safe journey back to the workshop.  Many of you may recall that 4 and maybe even 5 years ago, Someone swiped my mini-me off the Winnie model under construction at the show.  
 

I am happy to report that after several years as hostage…and with no ransom paid,  someone anonymously released mini-me and placed him in the depths of the speedwell model at this years show.  I was happy to find him below deck upon my return to the shop.  No harm was apparent on “mini-me” and he is in good health.  Thank you goes out to person for having a change of heart and I am sure that both of you will sleep a bit  more soundly this evening!!   Since I have lost 30 pounds this year so far...mini-me will now undertake the same dietary and exercise regime that I am now unfortunately tolerating.

 

You cant make this stuff up!!!

 

[druxey]

Welcome back, mini-me, to minier-me!

 

Nice to read a good-news story for a change! Thanks, Chuck.

[realworkingsailor]

Did Mini-me bring a camera? I’m sure he’s had an adventure! How many model ship decks has he walked since he left?

 

Or is the next piece of electronic equipment that he’s going to get an ankle monitor?
 

Andy

[JeffT]

was just out sowing his royal oats.

[Tigersteve]

Perhaps he was infiltrating other workshops. 😎

Steve

[Chuck]

Just a small update...

 

I was eager to get started with the planking of the bulwarks.   There is no trick for this.  Its just a grind of cutting and shaping planks to fit between the ports.   Its a slow process and you must be very neat and keep the cuts around the ports straight etc.

 

The planking is all 3/64" thick.   Just as I did with the Winnie, the two strakes below the the ports (the spirketting) were added first.  The spirketting is normally thicker than the planks above it and stands proud.  I have always accomplished this by planking the spirketting in two layers.  It still amazes me how few kit mfgs even show this feature.  You dont have to do it this way if you dont want to.  You could just use 1/16" or even 5/64" thick planking and do it one layer.   Its up to you.  I will add the second layer of spirketting once the entire side has been planked.  I will use a .025" thick second layer.  

 

Having said this...some notes are in order.   The top of the spirketting is lined up perfectly flush with the bottom of the gun ports and sweep ports.   This is great if you happened to get lucky and they all line up perfectly.   I dont care who is making the model, this is pretty impossible to do.   Even the most skilled builders will need to tweak the bottom sills of each port so they line up perfectly with the top edge of spirketting.  This will become very apparent after you run your planking strip down the inboard bulwarks.   I was very lucky in that most of the ports only needed some minor tweaking.   Some were just a hair too high.  Less than 1/64".   So I used a sharp chisel to  make the ports sits flush along the top of the spirketting.  you can see that in the photo below.  The ports will need a lot of paint touch up which was expected.  Whatever you do,  do not notch out your spirketting to accommodate a port.  Try and keep the top edge of the spirketting a nice continuous run without notching it.  Should one of your ports sit too low...I recommend instead that you add a sliver of wood on top of the port sill to raise it up in line with the spirketting.

 

I hope that makes sense.

 

See below...notice how I did not use any pencil to simulate the seams between each strake.   In fact, just the opposite.   I am painting the bulwarks red so this allowed me to take a small shortcut.  You may want to consider it as well.  I dont want any seams to show at all.  In fact I didnt even have to use two individual strakes for the spirketting.   If you look towards the fcastle bulwark planking you can see the area I havent planked yet.  I used one wide strip of 3/64" thick cedar instead of using two narrower strakes as is typical.  I believe it was around 1/2" wide.  Probably slightly wider on the aft portion.   

 

Then because we know the sweep ports are 3/16" high,  a 3/16" strip was used next and cut between the ports and sweeps.   I was careful to be very neat with these cuts.

 

Finally the remaining planking above the sweep ports would normally consist of two more strakes.   Because I am painting the bulwarks, I once again used ONE wider strip of 3/64" thick cedar so I could quickly fill in those areas in one pass.  It should paint up very nicely.  This reduced the number of neatly cut ends to all those strakes between the ports.   There are fewer seams to keep neat as well.   The photo almost looks like a solid hull because there are few seams showing between strakes.  

 

Now if you are NOT going to paint the bulwarks red....this means you will have to use individual narrow strakes.  It will take many more cuts and trial fittings...repeat and repeat again.  That is your choice.  I will take more pics after the second layer of spirketting is added and after the bulwarks are painted red.  The bow area will be planked with narrower strakes just as they should be.  It will be easier to bend those.   But once the bulwarks are painted red nobody will be able to tell how many strakes you actually used.   So you must make a decision ...to paint or not to paint.  Essentially you can plank what's remaining of the bulwarks with just three rows cedar strips.   The wood package comes with your typical 3/16", 7/32", 1/4" and 9/32" wide planking strips that are narrow, so you will need to buy some 3/64" sheets should you want to plank your bulwarks like I have done here.  Then you can cut some 1/2" wide strips instead.   But only if you will be painting the bulwarks red.