Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack by cdrusn89 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1/24

[cdrusn89]

Cabin sides and coaming fitted and the coaming is glued in while the cabin sides are drying.

 

Holding the cabin side down in front makes the sides want to flare out so the two toothpicks and rubber band are trying to keep them vertical.

 

Paint scheme is still "under consideration". but I think cream inside the cockpit including the cabin front and access door (to match the floor) and the same light blue as the deck for the outsides of then coaming and the cabin walls. For the cabin roof I think white or off-white and maybe the cream or the dark blue for the cabin roof access slider and the tank tops.

[cdrusn89]

5/16" Boxwood blocks and 12mm Boxwood cleats with .025" phosphor bronze "pins" to increase stability. Some of these will actually have to sustain a load not just be ornamental.

 

Blocks will be stropped with line rather than wire - I find it easier and neater and makes attaching them to an eyebolt easier. I have little faith in the holding power of PE or vinyl hooks.

 

Both items are from Syren Ship Model Company.

[cdrusn89]

I have the coaming and cabin sides in place and while waiting for the cabin roof to "dry and take shape" I started working on the rigging.

 

I believe that one should attempt to get as much of the rigging as reasonably possible done before the spars are attached to the hull.

 

To this end I attached the blocks to the boom and gaff.

Attached the two blocks with lines attached and the single block to the mast.

And the block and turnbuckles to the bowsprit.

And yes you are correct those are not the kit provided turnbuckles - these actually work. Will come in handy to "tune" the rigging when that time comes.

 

They are not cheap (~ $2.50 each) and are made by Caldercraft. Probably a bit out of scale here but would be about 2.5" in diameter at the widest point at full scale so not completely unreasonable (IMHO).

 

I will probably chemically blacken them or at least tone down the shine before actually using them.

 

[MajorChaos]

Those turnbuckles look great. The ones in the kit didn’t survive my attempts. Those look sturdy! 

[cdrusn89]

Here they are after blackening and with the larger set for the shrouds.

 

I used these on my 1/35th scale Endeavour and they did not look out of scale there so here at 1/24 they should be okay.

 

I got them from the ShipWrightShop.com in the UK so shipping is expensive and the small ones are about $3.50 each (5.40 UK Pounds for two).

[cdrusn89]

Time to make sails while the hull gets a new paint job - with the beakhead on this time.

 

I looked at the sail plan and "on a lark" laid the boom up against the sail.

Wow - the sail looks to be a panel too long. If the stop cleats are to hold the outer end of the sail, as the pictures in the instructions show then this sail would be way too big.

 

I checked the boom against the drawing and it is "spot on" so I will cut the sail one panel shorter than the plan.

 

If I cut the main one panel shorter I may have to shorten the gaff a bit of at least move the stop cleats forward a bit.

 

Glad I measured and did not just cut to the plan. Could have been worse, sail could have been too small, then cutting first would have been a REAL problem.

 

 

[cdrusn89]

While waiting for the glue to dry on the sail material I tackled the traveler and associated block.

 

I did not see a way to avoid using metal stropping on this block. A rope eye on the traveler would not last very long.

 

Not a big fan of the technique in the instructions (mostly because I have never been able to make it work as nicely as the instructions).

 

So I tried another tack.

 

In my pile of material I have eyebolts which I believe I got from Model Shipways several years ago (pre-Pandemic).  A quick look at their website does not show these now; they are about 1 1/8" long.

I drilled a hole in one end of the block just big enough (#70) to fit the eyebolt shank. I drilled the hole deep enough to pass through the channel where the rope has to run but not all the way through, not quite half way.

 

I cut the shank of the eyebolt so just the eye was exposed, inserted the eyebolt and added a drop of thin CA. Then I used a #68 drill to drill through the rope channel that is now blocked by the eyebolt shank. Hopefully there is enough material in the upper part of the block for the thin CA to hold the eye in place. Another drop of thin CA can't hurt.

 

Then I bent the shank at was removed in a "U" and glued it on the sides of the block.

I had a old piece of 1/16" brass rod (all the shine was long gone) and slipped the eye over the rod after it was bent to the shape in the instructions and check fit on the hull.

 

 

 

 

[cdrusn89]

I managed to get the sail "manufactured" without significant issue, except a little dirt seems to get entrained in the glue no matter how much I cleaned the surface beforehand.

Now to the "holes".

 

On a previous build at a slightly smaller scale (1/35) I used metal eyelets instead of just "holes" in the sail. Less chance of to hole not staying the drilled size or the line pulling through the material if it is pulled too tight. Plus it is pretty much what the "real" boat had.

These are 1mm eyelets (from  Amazon, although you have to look carefully through the "1mm eyelet" search results to actually get 1mm eyelets). This set includes the tools necessary to install them too. Since I can't really measure the inside diameter mof the eyelet easily I measured the outside diameter of the "barrel" at 1.6mm so a wall thickness of 0.3mm would have the interior opening at 1mm or about 1" at full size. Certainly not too big.

 

First you need the hole and for that they provide a "punch".

I used a scrap piece of wood under the sail while I punched the holes. Sometimes it took several "hits" to get all the way through as there are three or four layers of "sail" in some places The "plug" is held in the punch until enough accumulate then they fall out a slot in the tool.

 

You insert the eyelet (not that easy, I use an awl to put the eyelet on then use that to get the eyelet through the hole. The eyelet is then placed on the anvil and the other end "mushed over" by striking the end of the "mushing tool" shown on the left below.

This eyelet has already been mushed but you get the idea. Using a small jewelers hammer it takes five to eight strikes to get a proper "mush". The real trick (for me) is making sure the eyelet is properly seated on the anvil. I put the mush tool on the eyelet and try and move the anvil. If it is seated properly it should not move, otherwise relocate the eyelet and try again.

 

Here is the bottom of the sail with all the eyelets installed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28 by cdrusn89

[GGibson]

Awesome job with the eyelets, Gary!  The sails look very sharp with them! 👍 🏆

[cdrusn89]

Thanks Gregg - I take no credit for originality but to be honest I do  not remember where I first saw this.

 

As I said I used it on the 1/35 scale Endeavour and it worked out fine.

[MajorChaos]

Very nice addition with the eyelets. The hole punch worked great for me, I'd still be drilling holes in the sails without it. I'll have to remember the eyelets. Looking great! 

[cdrusn89]

Thanks Major - getting the 1mm ones has so far involved buying the set (tools and 100 eyelets, 25 in each of four colors -less than $12 including tax). Maybe somewhere other than Amazon you can get just the eyelets, but then 25 is all I needed for the main and if the jib is in a slightly different color - oh well.

 

Meanwhile back at the hull some more progress and some not so progressive moves.

 

First, the instructions warn that the trailboards are fragile - I completely agree having broken both (shipbuilding god owes me another $1) of them trying to get them installed after painting. I tried to piece them together but was never able to get the joint to disappear - maybe I should have opted for the scroll work to hide the joint but...

So anyway I fabed some new trailboards from boxwood, soaked them and clamped them in place to dry. I will probably finish them natural rather than try to paint them.

 

And I installed the cabin roof and painted it white. - going to be at least three coats based on recent experience with this paint. I am going to have the sliding cover in natural boxwood and the slides are from the kit, stained Fruitwood and varnished (WoP) so they should be a close match.

 

All the cleats, oar locks and traveler are installed now. Display stand and all the spars are ready.

 

I fabed and blackened the "chainplates" but can't install until the roof paint job is finished.

 

Need to "build" the jib now that the main is done.

 

 

[cdrusn89]

Making some progress.

 

Have the cabin hatch and sliders, tank covers, Sampson post (the photo exaggerates the forward slope - it may well be to much but I will see how it looks on the display stand before taking action.

 

Chainplates are next.

The sail is finished except foe the reef straps on the other side. These were cut to 1" and I may leave them that long. Trying to trim them (and get them all the same) without pulling them off the sail seems not to be worth the potential damage. I am not sure why the instructions are this way. I am not sure a 3/4" piece would be any harder to handle than 1" but...

 

Edited February 29 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

More progress - sail is finished - now to getting the hoops on.

 

Tiller is installed (no the rudder does not turn - intentionally.

 

Bowsprit is in place and jack stay reeved and tensioned.

 

Chainplates are in place and the turnbuckles for the stays are ready.

 

I had to make a new jib. I put the eyelets too far back from the luff and I did not have the correct size split ring to substitute for what was provided. And I put the stripes showing the panels going the wrong way - parallel to the luff instead of the leech. It will be dry and ready for eyelets installation in the morning.

 

Rigging should start in earnest tomorrow.

[SiriusVoyager]

Very nice jobs on the eyelets, they look great!

[cdrusn89]

Jib is complete ready for hoisting.

 

I had to use two different size eyelets in order to utilize the actual functioning shackles that i got from CalderCraft. They are too large but I am going to use them anyway. not sure when/if I will ever work at a scale larger (or is in smaller) that 1/24.

 

Anyway I had 2.5mm eyelets that are almost big enough to get the shackle through. I did have to sand down the sides of the shackle a bit to get them through the eyelet but...

 

So I put the 2.5's on the corners and the 1mm for the hanks.

 

Speaking of hanks, I did not have any split rings the correct size (and the kit provided ones were too small) so I made my own from 1/32" brass rod. It took a couple of false starts until I got a size that would work. I made them with the round nose pliers shown below. The blue tape marked where on the nose I put the rod to get the correct (and consistent) size.

 

So here is the completed jib ready to "fly".

Attaching the sail to the mast/boom/gaff was no big deal except I recognized that my changes to the sail shape were not necessary. I was measuring the sail position too far aft on the boom. It really is just behind the jaw opening, not, as I thought) at the aft end of the jaws. So I have a boom/gaff that are too long. Too late to do anything now but I will know next time.

 

So I attached the sail as best i could "under the circumstances) and once that was done stepped the mast.

 

\Rigging is underway now and hopefully we are close to the finish line.

 

 

Edited March 1 by cdrusn89

[cdrusn89]

Lobster Smack is finished and ready for  display.

 

I think it si going in the family room. somewhere. Hopefully out of the way of dogs, children, etc.

[ccoyle]

Very nice! Congratulations!

[MajorChaos]

OUTSTANDING! It looks wonderful. 

[JacquesCousteau]

Nice job!

[Paul Le Wol]

Gary, congratulations on finishing your Lobster Smack. Beautiful looking boat!

[druxey]

Both nicely done and enhanced! I really like the neat 'flaked  down' coils of line.

[Bryan Woods]

You did an excellent job Gary! I can easily see me building another smack:-)

[SiriusVoyager]

Looks great! especially the mast and sails.  Nice personal touches.

[Capt. Kelso]

Looks great!

[jerome]

Beautiful!

[cdrusn89]

Thanks guys - really appreciate all the comments. And of course no lobster boat in history coiled lines down like that.

 

On to HMS Sphinx which has a double planked hull, a first for me. Get to cover all the first time mistakes😄

[Knocklouder]

Congratulations very nicely done