Greg Davis Posted June 2 Author Share #31 Posted June 2 Amongst other details, I've added a number of balusters - 6 on the quarterdeck to support falconets on the quarterdeck, and a pair to aid in anchor stowage. The raptor figurine has been added to the front - it is painted a blackish color to match the other decorations on the ship with the exception of the eyes that are now red. However, the most noticeable piece of work is that the three masts have been cut to their final heights and have been tapered. A few holes need to be drilled and a couple of accessories need to be added to the mast before they are affixed permanently and some rigging can be added. I should probably get the bowsprit made up soon. The last major piece of construction will be the three yards. They look to be a bit of a challenge. Each is made from two tapered dowels. The dowels also need to be flattened on one side to form a stronger joint where they overlap. Besides creating a longer yard, the overlapping joint will also be instrumental in maintaining the curved shape of each completed yard. gsdpic, steamschooner, Harvey Golden and 3 others 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 4 Author Share #32 Posted June 4 I've spent the last couple of days working on the ship's boat. The provided hull is metal and it has been challenging (for me) to get it painted similar to the wooden parts. It has gone thru quite a few color changes to get to the point that I was willing to start adding the wooden parts. It still looks painted, but is now in a state that I am not ashamed to put it on the ship! The paints are from some of the wood effect collections that Vallejo makes. I have yet to paint the exterior of the boat. I thought it best to wait until the interior was completed as I am having to handle the boat quite a bit at this point. Barbossa, PvG Aussie, steamschooner and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 6 Author Share #33 Posted June 6 While I wait for primer on the exterior of the ship's boat to get really dry, I have started to work on the yards. At this point I have the pieces for the main and fore yards completed. Each yard is made from two 5mm dowels. The lower portion of the yard has a conical end and a pair of slots for rigging. This piece is not tapered, but does have one side flattened leaving the piece 4mm thick. I cut the flat by passing the dowel thru my Byrnes table saw. The end of the cut was then squared up with a chisel. The groves were also formed on the table saw by repeated passages and rotation of the dowel. Finally the tip was sanded to the desired conical shape. The upper part of the yard is tapered at the extreme end to 2.5mm and the rest of the piece has also been flattened to match the lower piece. The pieces will later be glued together along the flattened edges. Here the main mast components are set together along their flattened edges. They will be glued together over a curved pattern provided in the kit's set of plans. To be safe, I think it may be a good idea to soak the pieces and fasten them over the plans and let them dry to help form the shape before gluing them together - the dowels are pretty strong and I'm not sure how well they will keep their shape without a bit of coaxing. The mizzen yard will be constructed in a similar fashion using smaller diameter dowels. JacquesCousteau, Barbossa and steamschooner 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 7 Author Share #34 Posted June 7 I made the pieces for the mizzen yard today, as well as the bowsprit. The six yard parts were soaked for about 45 min and have been formed into their respective curves. Currently they are drying over the provided template and being held in place by finishing nails (to big a job for pins). I expect that by tomorrow the wood will have dried and that I will be able to glue the three pairs of pieces together. Here is a picture of the yard pieces as they are this evening (as well as the bowsprit). P.S. the nails are driven into wood under the cork. This work is being done on a building board I had made for a different project where I could hold pieces by inserting pushpins into the cork. JacquesCousteau and Barbossa 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 9 Author Share #35 Posted June 9 The yards are now completed, the last steps were to add the rope bindings and then to varnish them. The bowsprit is attached to the hull as are the masts. Here I have tried to get an idea of what the ship may look like when completed. It is now time to get this vessel rigged! Jorez de Saint Nazaire, JacquesCousteau, gsdpic and 5 others 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirabell61 Posted June 9 Share #36 Posted June 9 good progress Greg, she`s looking great Nils Greg Davis and Paul Le Wol 1 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 June 13 Author Share #37 Posted June 13 The bowsprit is totally rigged - just two lines so not a huge deal. More importantly, I've had success putting up the first set of shrouds on the foremast. It has been a learning experience! Installing and working with the toggle system feels strange after always working with deadeyes. I hope I get the hang of this soon as there are more than 50 toggles yet to install. gsdpic, Mirabell61, JacquesCousteau and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 16 Author Share #38 Posted June 16 The shrouds for the main mast are now installed - off to the mizzen mast now! Barbossa, gsdpic and ccoyle 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 17 Author Share #39 Posted June 17 Standing rigging complete! gsdpic, Barbossa, ccoyle and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted June 19 Author Share #40 Posted June 19 Yards are all in place and rigged! Just a few details left to attend to: mounting of the anchors, falconets, and the ship's boat. JacquesCousteau, BobG, gsdpic and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacquesCousteau Posted June 20 Share #41 Posted June 20 Looks great! Greg Davis 1 Quote Kits: Model Shipways Dory (1:24) - Finished NRG Half-Hull Planking Kit (1:48) - In-progress Midwest Maine Peapod (1:14) - In-progress Scratch Builds: Xochimilco Trajinera (1:32) - Finished Lake Chapala Canoa de Rancho (1:32) - In-progress Juana y José Cross Section (1:32) - Finished Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Davis Posted Friday at 06:54 PM Author Share #42 Posted Friday at 06:54 PM Done! Boat with oars in place, anchors stowed, and four falconets ready to fire. There are actually suppose to be six falconets, the other two go on the quarterdeck rail; however, there was a missing support bracket. So I decided to mount the four that aim outward. I've sent a parts request to Amati to see if they can send me a replacement The actual time spent on the kit was minimal considering that nine years have gone by since opening the box. Thank you to everyone that has taken a look at this build log and even more to those that have offered comments and support over the past months. Greg JacquesCousteau, gsdpic, Barbossa and 1 other 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gsdpic Posted Friday at 07:11 PM Share #43 Posted Friday at 07:11 PM Well done, that is a fine looking model. You wrapped it up pretty quickly once you got back to work on it. Greg Davis 1 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...
ccoyle Posted Friday at 08:52 PM Share #44 Posted Friday at 08:52 PM Great work, Greg! Xebecs are just very interesting vessels -- very rakish-looking! Greg Davis 1 Quote Chris Coyle Greer, South Carolina When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk. - Tuco Current builds: Brigantine Phoenix, Salmson 2, Speeljacht Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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