San Francisco by SiriusVoyager - Artesania Latina - 1:50 - Cross-Section

[SiriusVoyager]

This will be my 5th ship/boat model.  I wanted to keep things fairly simple and focus on improving model building skill.  This model isn't based on any specific ship and is supposed to be representative of a 17th century Spanish Galleon.  I know from some other build logs that there are historical inaccuracies.  I am not sure how much I will focus on that as my intent is to focus on technique.  I may make some changes inspired by some of the other build logs I have seen here.

 

 

My first impression opening the box was that everything looked very clean and well packaged.  I am not very thrilled about not having paper instructions and plans.  I downloaded the instructions to my phone and will have to use my computer if I need to look at the high res images on the CD (that is actually nice having those). 

 

Getting started, some of the outer layer of plywood broke off while cutting out the four frames.  I also found that two of the frames were bent, one sort of significantly.   I was able to flatten them out using some water and an iron while giving it a bit of bend in the opposite direction.

 

 

I started attaching the frames to the false keel.  I probably should have started with the inner frames, but it was fine.  The outer frames weren't supported on the outer edges by the false keel so care was needed to make sure that they were straight and square.

 

 

Middle two frames

 

    

 

sub deck sheets fit perfectly

 

 

 

[SiriusVoyager]

The next step is to plank the deck.  The instructions call for laying all of the planks and then drawing on the caulking.  I decided to cut the planking and do a 1324 pattern.  The deck is just over 11mm across and the strips are 4 mm wide which means I will need 7 of each size to get started.  The instructions call for each plank to be 50mm, so I will use that length.  That means the lengths for the four starting planks will be 12.5mm, 37.5mm, 25mm and 50mm.  Upon measuring the strips to cut the 50mm planks, I found that each of the "300mm" strips are closer to 299mm.  Of course I found this out after I cut the smaller planks.  I hate wasting material unnecessarily.  I also found that no matter how carefully I measured and cut, all of my planks vary in length by about a mm.  I suppose in theory, if I place them randomly it should all average out and not be noticeable.

 

[SiriusVoyager]

First level deck planking completed.  My intention was to do a 1324 pattern, but after about 6 rows I realized I was doing a 1234 pattern.  I decided that it would be more trouble than it was worth to change it since it won't be easily seen when two more levels are added.  For caulking I first attempted to use pencil lead on multiple strips being held together.  That didn't really work very well because most of the strips didn't get any pencil lead on them.  I then decided to try black paint.  That didn't work well either because the paint spread too much.  I went with the more time consuming method of running a pencil along each individual edge.  The remnants of which can be seen on the marked up scrap wood.  I gave it a once over with sand paper, but everything always looks worse once you look at it in a photo so I will go over it again prior to varnishing.

 

[SiriusVoyager]

I had previously thought that the hull would be planked on the inside, but looking at the instructions, it is only above the main deck that is planked on the inside.  I cleaned up some of the char markings in areas that would be visible.  The deck also has been varnished with a few thin coats of shellac.

 

 

The cross beams installed as well as two of the stanchions shaped and installed.