Greg Davis Posted February 20 Share #1 Posted February 20 I hope there are no limits on the number of build logs one can have open at any particular time! I'm trying to make more bench space to get back to may 'main project' - a scratch-built model of L'Invention 1799 based on G. Delacroix's amazing ANCRE monograph. Unfortunately, I have a problem with starting models and not always finishing them directly. So lately it had been pointed out to me, by the resident space allocator, that I don't need more space, I just need to finish a few projects to reclaim the space I need. I concede that this is a truth. There are at least two models, well along that could / should be finished. Once done a good deal of space will open up again. This is a picture of the two as they sat a few days ago: In the back is the Corel model of La Couronne that I purchased in 2011 and started in 2020. In the foreground is the Amati model of the 1753 xebec Sciabecco; purchased and started in 2015. With the help of this log, I hope to make some steady progress and finish the Sciabecco in tandem with my Santos-Dumont 14bis airplane kit build and my Santos-Dumont No18 Hydroplane scratch build project. Big hopes, but I figure something a retired person can achieve. Unfortunately, I don't have any photographs of the early stages of the Sciabecco build so I will try to provide some background in a written form. I believe the key aspects wood be that The plywood keel assembly was replaced with one made of cherry so that the ply's in the stem and stern would not be visible when finished The lower deck was extended / planked past the gratings on the upper deck The gratings were glued to the false deck prior to planking and then sanded flush with the deck. The instructions call for the gratings to be added on top of the deck planking. The large stern grating is made from cherry (this was my first try at making my own grating) and replaces a plastic grating that had spaces too large for the model. Over the last couple of days I have been adding the quick stuff to the bulwarks and getting this material painted to match the interior paint. The first layer of planking was pretty well done, so it shouldn't take much time to prep the model for the second layer. It may get up to 50 degrees (F) here tomorrow - that would be just fine to sit out back for a while and smooth out the hull. At some point I'll open a log for La Couronne - it will be great to get that one done also. I really like the rigging of that time period. JacquesCousteau, BobG, Harvey Golden and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted February 25 Author Share #2 Posted February 25 I've had time to smooth out the first layer of planking and started to attach the second layer. The sheer has been adjusted as well - I find this type of ship to be very gracefully designed. ccoyle, BobG, CTDavies and 5 others 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted March 3 Author Share #3 Posted March 3 I used single strips of wood for the first three strakes below the sheer. This area of the ship will be pierced by a large number of holes - gun ports and oar ports. There will also be two half round moldings added to this section. Because of all the additions (and subtractions) I thought the planking would hold up better with a minimal number of butt joints in the region. Also, with the 'business' of this region, the joints will likely not be missed from a visual perspective. Now moving down the hull, I've marked out two planking belts. Each will accommodate 9 strakes. These are being set in with 8cm long planks. Typical strakes will have 5 planks each of the 4mm wide planking material provided in the kit. The supplied wood is quite nice, a great feature of the kit. Mr Whippy, GrandpaPhil, BobG and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James G Posted March 3 Share #4 Posted March 3 Greg, you are a model making machine! 😆 Really do enjoy your logs. Greg Davis and Mr Whippy 1 1 Quote Jim Current Build: HMS Winchelsea, Model Shipways Mayflower Completed Builds: NRG Half Hull Project Model Shipways 18th Century Armed Longboat Dumas 1954 Chris Craft 36' Commander Dumas 1940 Chris Craft 19' Barrel Back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted March 8 Author Share #5 Posted March 8 The first belt on the port side is done. It should look nice once it is smoothed and a finish is applied. Time to mark out the lower belt and continue on. TurkSailor, JacquesCousteau, GrandpaPhil and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted March 15 Author Share #6 Posted March 15 I've finished the 2nd planking of the port side. I was hoping not to need any stealers, but it turned out that one was required. If the kit had come with wider material for the garboard (or I had matching wood available), then I could have done the planking stealer free. Either way it's looking good to me. Barbossa, BobG and GrandpaPhil 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted March 31 Author Share #7 Posted March 31 Earlier today I was able to hang my latest finished model - the Santos-Dumont 14 Bis airplane in my office / workroom. So I got some space back to do other tasks, and started the second planking of the starboard for the Sciabecco model. Knocklouder, GrandpaPhil, mtaylor and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 4 Author Share #8 Posted April 4 Made some good progress - there has been a spring snow storm here, so more modeling time than usual! JacquesCousteau, ccoyle, Barbossa and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsdpic Posted April 4 Share #9 Posted April 4 Nice start, the planking looks excellent. Xebecs always look to me like the sports cars of the ship world. My "build someday" list definitely includes one, we'll see. Quote - Gary Current Build: Artesania Latina Sopwith Camel Completed Builds: Blue Jacket America 1/48th Annapolis Wherry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 4 Author Share #10 Posted April 4 10 hours ago, gsdpic said: Nice start, the planking looks excellent. Xebecs always look to me like the sports cars of the ship world. My "build someday" list definitely includes one, we'll see. I totally agree - they just look fast! Mirabell61 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabell61 Posted April 4 Share #11 Posted April 4 very nice build Greg, Nils Greg Davis 1 Quote Current builds -Lightship Elbe 1 Completed - Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild - "Zeesboot" heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB clinker scratch build scale 1:24 - Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild - Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build - Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) "SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild) "HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan -"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96 (scratchbuild) -"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) "Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild) original was my grandfathers ship -"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 "Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32 under restoration / restoration finished "Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 5 Author Share #12 Posted April 5 On 4/4/2024 at 9:51 AM, Mirabell61 said: very nice build Greg, Nils I appreciate your evaluation and I hope that my final result does not pale too much in comparison to your 'Eagle of Algier'. I've looked through your log quite a few times for inspiration! Mirabell61 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabell61 Posted April 5 Share #13 Posted April 5 thank you very much Greg, I`m happy that my "Eagle of Algier" could be helpfull for inspiration with your build. You`ve realy created a wonderful model, so neatly built. In fact the Eagle is off the same Amati plan, only magnified to scale 1:48 I`m looking foreward to see your sails and rigging as well. Wishing you further success and much fun with your build you can be proud of. Nils Greg Davis 1 Quote Current builds -Lightship Elbe 1 Completed - Steamship Ergenstrasse ex Laker Corsicana 1918- scale 1:87 scratchbuild - "Zeesboot" heritage wooden fishing small craft around 1870, POB clinker scratch build scale 1:24 - Pilot Schooner # 5 ELBE ex Wanderbird, scale 1:50 scratchbuild - Mississippi Sterwheelsteamer built as christmapresent for grandson modified kit build - Chebec "Eagle of Algier" 1753--scale 1:48-POB-(scratchbuild) "SS Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse" four stacker passenger liner of 1897, blue ribbond awarded, 1:144 (scratchbuild) "HMS Pegasus" , 16 gun sloop, Swan-Class 1776-1777 scale 1:64 from Amati plan -"Pamir" 4-mast barque, P-liner, 1:96 (scratchbuild) -"Gorch Fock 2" German Navy cadet training 3-mast barque, 1:95 (scratchbuild) "Heinrich Kayser" heritage Merchant Steamship, 1:96 (scratchbuild) original was my grandfathers ship -"Bohuslän" , heritage ,live Swedish museum passenger steamer (Billings kit), 1:50 "Lorbas", river tug, steam driven for RC, fictive design (scratchbuild), scale appr. 1:32 under restoration / restoration finished "Hjejlen" steam paddlewheeler, 1861, Billings Boats rare old kit, scale 1:50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 7 Author Share #14 Posted April 7 Completed the starboard planking this evening. Everything worked out well - same number of planks on each side! Hopefully there will be some nice weather coming this week so that I can sit outside and sand the planking smooth. I prefer to do the major sanding out of the house and with the wind at my back! I don't think it will take very long as I was able to lay the 1mm x 4mm x 80mm planks quite tight to the hull. I would have preferred for the material to be a little more uniform in color; however, the variation is much less noticeable to my eye than it is in the photographs. Barbossa, JacquesCousteau and GrandpaPhil 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 13 Author Share #15 Posted April 13 Starboard planking smoothed! ccoyle, Barbossa, Mr Whippy and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 16 Author Share #16 Posted April 16 I am now done smoothing the hull. In the previous post, I had smoothed the hull as best possible with paper as fine as 180 grit. I've now gone over the planking with 220 grit sandpaper - this is the finest that I will be using. Here's the starboard side again; not sure if there is any visual difference, but it is now glassy smooth to the touch. One final picture at this stage of the planking from the bottom / aft looking forward. I believe the next step will be some painting. I no longer like the current interior red I had chosen. Now I'd like it to be a deeper darker shade. I also need to make some decisions on the amount of coloring that will be used on the exterior. I think that there will be some exterior paint, but not anywhere near the amount shown on the model as presented in the kit. In my mind the planking looks too nice to cover up with paint. GrandpaPhil, Barbossa and JacquesCousteau 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted April 17 Author Share #17 Posted April 17 Did some exterior painting today. This was a bit of an experiment for me as the deep blue was done with a watercolor paint. ccoyle, GrandpaPhil, gsdpic and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted Tuesday at 08:25 PM Author Share #18 Posted Tuesday at 08:25 PM I've attached the top half-round molding to each side of the hull. Gun port wreaths fit between this molding and a second molding. The instruction booklet shows the second molding being attached next. I've decided to open the gun ports and attach the wreaths before attaching the second molding. I feel that I will have a better chance of having these pieces line up if I work in this order. I could see how I could easily not leave enough space between moldings and not be able to get a wreath in place and/or leaving too much space and then having gaps between the wreaths and moldings. So here's a look with the 7 starboard gun ports being opened up. I drilled a 1/8th hole and then have been increasing the hole's diameter with round files. There is just a small amount of filing left to do on this side. JacquesCousteau, GrandpaPhil and gsdpic 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted yesterday at 02:57 AM Author Share #19 Posted yesterday at 02:57 AM Now all 14 gun ports (and two more ports aft) have been opened to 1/4". They need to be opened a bit more - I've a larger round file on order to do the job. Mirabell61 and JacquesCousteau 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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