Frigate Essex by Rafine - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kitbashed

[HIPEXEC]

Bowsprit looks great. How in the world did you drill those 7 holes in that tiny piece? Mine broke every time I tried.  In regards to Sjor's remark....I built a bowsprit protector so I could not accidentally break it while turning my model.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Sjors, Tim and Rich and the"likes".

 

Nothing to fear yet Sjors and Rich, because the bowsprit is still not installed, but I know the fear from sad experience in the past. Rich, the trick is to drill the holes before you cut the piece from the sheet or strip. It's then relatively easy to cut it a little oversize and sand to final shape. Using a hard, close grained wood like boxwood also helps.

 

Bob

[KenW]

Looking good Bob. 

I always try to turn the ship with the bowsprit away from me.  Of course, I often forget; but no breakage so far.

Great model.

Cheers.

[ChrisLBren]

Bob - hang in there with the figurehead.  Its a leap of faith to learn to carve - I recommend sticking with  boxwood and a scalpel.  You can do it !!!

Chris

[Rustyj]

Hi Bob,

 

Great work on the bowsprit and all the pieces. Keep after sculpting the figurehead. I know you can do it!

[mtaylor]

Bob,

 

Everything is looking great.  I'm sure you'll figure out how to get that figurehead to step out of the wood.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Ken, Chris, Rusty and Mark and the"likes". 

 

I appreciate your confidence in my ability to do the figurehead, but at the moment I'm afraid that I don't share that confidence.    

 

Bob

[mtaylor]

Bob,

 

What's the kit figurehead look like? I wonder if there's one out there for another ship that would work?

[gjdale]

Nice work on the bowsprit Bob. For the figurehead, just take a block of wood and remove all the bits that don't belong to the figure.

[Gahm]

One way of using a figurehead included in a kit could be to generate a mold out of polymer clay using the kit-provided piece, create the figurehead in polymer clay based on this mold, and then refine the figurehead to your liking. In that way you start out with a solid basis, you have the general proportions and only need to worry about the details - and if you don't like the result just remold it  

 

Thomas 

[BareHook]

Or inspire Chuck at Syren to create a molded upgrade figurehead as was done for confederacy.

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob, 

 

I have done some minor carving, but not on the scale you are for the figurehead so I am not sure I would have advice that helps. I have often rough cut with a scroll saw, then finished with a combination of a Dremel tool and files.

 

There are some guides out there, but I am not sure how useful they are to your present situation.

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Thanks guys for the thoughts and suggestions.

 

Thomas, the kit figurehead is much too large and can't be used as the basis for any kind of casting.

 

Mark, the figure is a full length native American and the scale of the model is unusual (1:76.8) -- not likely to find anything useful out there.

 

Ken, Sam Cassano had offered to do a resin casting for me some time ago, but Sam has sort of disappeared. Does anyone know if he is OK?

 

I'm going to work on other things for a while and then give the figurehead another go.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Thanks guys for the thoughts and suggestions.

 

Thomas, the kit figurehead is much too large and can't be used as the basis for any kind of casting.

 

Mark, the figure is a full length native American and the scale of the model is unusual (1:76.8) -- not likely to find anything useful out there.

 

Ken, Sam Cassano had offered to do a resin casting for me some time ago, but Sam has sort of disappeared. Does anyone know if he is OK?

 

I'm going to work on other things for a while and then give the figurehead another go.

 

Bob

 

 

I think he has some health concerns (mentioned by a rep. from Model Expo when I cancelled my Essex kit order), but I don't know for sure.

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Thanks for the info  Tim. I was afraid that might be the case. 

 

Bob

[augie]

I'm sorry to hear the news about Sam.  Hopefully he can return to us in good health.  Best of luck on the figurehead, Bob.

[Remcohe]

Bob,

 

For a long time I could not make a decent drawing of a person let alone make a sculpture of a face. Until I bought  copy of this book and my results improved dramatically after I understood the concept of proportions. I still have to make the step from polymer clay to actually caving in wood but that is just a matter of time.

 

Remco

[rafine]

Thanks Remco for the tip on the book. From just glancing at it, the book certainly made things look easier to do than I found them to be. Perhaps the author would like to do a figurehead.    

 

Bob

[rafine]

Work on the bowsprit is now finished. I made collars for the hearts and deadeyes and attached them to the bowsprit. The collar for the mainstay actually passes through a hole in the stem, rather than attaching to the bowsprit, and this was a fussy little job to accomplish in place.The others went fairly easily.

 

After this work was done, I mounted the bowsprit permanently. That left the gammoning to be done. I realized when I went to do it, that I shouldn't have installed the seats of ease earlier. They made access to do the gammoning more difficult than it should have been. It all worked out in the end, however.

 

The last item was to attach the fairlead to the bowsprit. I still need to do the boomkins, the railing and some eyebolts for rigging attachment to complete the work on the head (and of course the figurehead).

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

lovely done stay collars Bob,

 

your bow rails and gratings look very nice

 

Nils

[Guest Tim I.]

The collars look really nice. After following your build log thus far, I am really impressed with your workmanship and the qualities of the boxwood you are using.

 

- Tim

[gjdale]

That's just stunning Bob!

[Sjors]

Perfect Bob !!!!!

 

Sjors

[Pheasant]

Again, I learn so much watching your work,  wonderful!

 

Terry

 

stop the rain; leaving for FL Weds.....

[rafine]

Thanks so much Nils, Tim, Grant, Sjors and Terry for the kind words and also to the likes". Always appreciated.

 

Bob

[Kevin]

everything is so nicely finished off, and clean and tidy

[rafine]

Thanks so much Kevin and the"likes".

 

Bob

[Gahm]

Fantastic work on the bowsprit, Bob! 

 

Thomas

[rafine]

Thanks so much Thomas and the "likes".

 

Bob

[rafine]

I neglected in my last update to explain how I am going to proceed from here. The kit was designed as a hull only Admiralty type model. As a result, all of the masting and rigging has to be done from scratch. My two primary references for this work will be AOTS Essex and Lees. I am confident that a representative job can be done this way. All of the blocks and rigging line will be from Syren (Chuck). The deadeyes are from Model Expo (I have a lot of them on hand). Some specialty items, such as the already done hearts, will be done from scratch.

 

The order of the work should be roughly as follows: the bowsprit (done); the lower masts and tops; the lower deadeyes and chains; complete the hull by doing the hammock netting; the lower standing rigging; the topmasts and jib boom and their standing rigging; the topgallant and royal masts and the flying jibboom and their standing rigging; the yards and the running rigging; the boats, anchors, lantern and any remaining undone items.

 

I've begun the lower mast work by starting on the tops. So far, I've made up the decking from holly strip and added the rims and other reinforcing pieces from holly and boxwood. i've also made up from boxwood and dry fitted the trestletrees and crosstrees. A lot of holes need to drilled and other parts such as railings need to be added. These assemblies will be painted black. Before finishing the tops, I will at least partially make the lower masts.

 

Bob