US Brig Niagara by cardensb - Model Shipways MS2240 - 3/16" scale - lessons more than a log

[cardensb]

I recently opened up my Niagara kit, bought back in 2011, and began inventorying it, referencing the included instructions and plans.  I immediate noticed I had an odd amount of cannonades and a missing ship bell; Modelshipways sent me a new package of carronades (they are a slightly different size than the originals) and a bell using their replacing missing parts app on their website. I recently realized if I am going to fully rig all the guns and spares, I don't have enough eye bolts or split rings.  The instructions demonstrated how to make both with wire but the kit includes no extremely fine wire. I am going to write MS's customer service since their search engine does not resolve the part numbers and guessing that small size is a gamble.

 

Part of my normal preparations are to come to this forum and skim recent build logs.  There are several excellent logs here with great photography, excellent descriptions, everything you could ask for.  I am using the following ones as my references:

- Ablerson's build started in 2022

- 6ohiocav's build began in 2016

 - mikiek's build began in 2015

 

 

My intent is to document significant challenges I had to work through along with other builders' challenges so the next new builder as one more place to reference when confused.  I will periodically update here after I collect a few challenges and feel it is time to update. This post includes assembling the bulkheads, framing, installing laser cut pieces and beginning to plank.

 

This kit is intended to be painted, the wood provided does not provide a dramatic look in the raw or even stained.  ADVANTAGE: This allows the builder to use wood fillers like putty and scrap wood to fix mistakes easily as paint will cover it up.  This makes a complex ship model, a nice one for someone that is new to ship building, a way to get stuff built quickly without worrying about the appearance until its time to paint.  If you are a builder that likes the look of natural woods, you may find yourself replacing provided strip wood with other materials though. I normally hate to paint now instead using exotics like bloodwood and ebony, but the kit was purchased and I won't let it sit in storage forever (two more sitting in boxes).

 

FRAMING.

1. Beard line. It was much easier to shape the beveled edge of the keel assembly before gluing in the bulkheads or permanently attaching the keel.  The instructions show to carve and chisel wood to the breading line with the keel attached, I have yet to not accidentally damage a keel in this manner so I marked all lines before the keel was glued and used a simple sanding jig to have a more consistent angle and depth of wood removal.

 

2. Additional blocks between bulwarks.  All logs I have skimmed included adding some size of additional support between bulwarks using additional softwoods.  At a minimum, I think building up 2-3 bow sections is important to allow planking material plenty of surface area to adhere too.  I placed narrow blocks between each bulkhead to where they would provide more glue surface area at the rounded edge while ensuring the center keel did not bend to the port or starboard accidentally (I had an early build end up with a twist due to I suspect, time to complete stabilization, humidity, and working one side completely then the other instead balancing support to each side. I think this blocks also help in the process of fairing the hull smooth by giving more surface area for your files or sanding methods.  I skipped completing this fairing step for a while and intend to final shape it this weekend now that the "ceilings" are planked.

 

2b. Coaming support. I have not added coaming supports yet, if I could go back, I would do this before planking the inner bulwarks and then fair all the deck supports only once.

 

2c. Stern's shaped blocks. At the stern, I shaped a block for each side to fill the space above  the deck line to the rail allowing an even shape for planking too along that distance. The kit calls for four total blocks below the deck line too. Now that I go back to the manual, a "fashion piece" is shown in Fig 2-6 that I have unconsciously ignored on the plans and manual.  I hope that it does not mean my stern railing piece is still not wide enough.

 

3. Stern L-shaped framing pieces. These four pieces look the same but they have different angles and despite me labeling them as inner left, outer, left, etc... I somehow still had to cut them away because I installed the inners where the outers should be. Holding all of these while gluing to remain level is tricky.  I used a small hand clamp on the top of each, binding them to a scrap of strip wood, forcing them to remain even. Abelson's log has excellent photos of what it should look like when done right the first time.

 

4. Mounting options.  Before I plank the lower hull, I have added some support blocks, above the beard line, to allow screws to hold the brass pedestals in place since I don't thing the inner keel piece is wide enough to fully support wood screws.  The kit does not provide any basing options (this is called out in the documentation though). I ordered two 1/4 inch wide opening pedestals from model shipways.  Other builders have glued in small metal nuts for a screw through the keel. Just do something before you plank up access.

 

PLANKSHEER and RAILING.

5. Laser cut pieces do not fit perfectly. As others pointed out, the laser cut parts due not quite fill the space completely (planksheer has gaps towards the bow)  or the rialing is not wide enough to provide a small lip on each edges to include the stern piece.  The stern piece is actually probably slightly undersized in length and width. Some builders option to use the provided part as a template to start from and replace the wood.  Fundamental, I do not intend to buy a kit and replace all the provided wood and laser cut parts.  I would have just bought plans and hardware from the multiple dealers out there. I opted to fill the gaps with strip wood and wood filler putty.  Paint will be my ally. For the railing, after completing the above the whale planking and inner bulwarks, I added a 1/32 x 1/32 strip to each side of the railing.  The kit includes 20 strips plus I had leftovers from other builds.

 

GUN and SWEEP PORTS.

6. Framing the openings. Make a final shape desired block for each to place on the model and frame around.  I did not, my gun ports are uneven and I am finding myself adding vertical strip wood to some and was filing away excess framing material on others.  I knew better but did not take the time because I hate gluing the block in place if I use excess glue.  Ideally, you have some scrap metal square stock that can be sized to the dimension for each opening.  The stern gun ports are not square on the plans once planked but were framed the same unless you realized they are rhombus shaped early on. I used scrap materials from the laser cut sheets to build the side walls up allowing to be shaped to the size on the plans stern planking section.

 

6b. Painting too early. Painting above the wales and inner bulwarks or "ceilings" as the this kit calls them...  Most builder's logs agree that painting early ends up being a waste of time because paint gets damaged during later steps.  I do intend to paint before I install the deck or eye bolts. Your gut will be to paint the strips so you have a clean edge between colors, your gut is failing you this time.

 

6c. Testing gun ports fit. Before you install the railing, you should consider how you plan to do the decking so your gunports are tall for the carronades to fit.  At least one builder added an additional 1/16th of strip wood on top of the framing and bulwarks to account for laying their deck out on thin plywood, card stock or replace the provided deck strips with something thicker. I plan to build my deck on manila folder material.  I did assemble one gun and make sure it fits on a mock up with the 1/16th inch provided deck wood.

 

PLANKING.

7. Missing second dimensions. Both the manual and sheet plans lack information on which strip wood should be used where in the planking process.  Both only reference one dimension such as 3/64" thick plank. 

Abelson based his build on the provided materials and planned to use as this copied from his #6 log entry August 22, 2022:
 

Quote

 

1st outboard strake below rail, the "Stringer" 3/64”x 3/32”

1st inboard strake below rail, the "Stringer" 1/16" x 3/32"

Next 5 strakes 1/32”x 3/32”

Next strake 1/32” x 1/8” (see Note below)

2 strakes below gun port 3/64”x 1/8” (see Note below)

Belt A strakes 1/16” x 3/32”

Belt B strakes 1/16”x 1/8”

Belt C and D strakes 1/16”x 3/16” (These are noted on the Hull Planking Layout as 5/32”. The Parts List says to use 1/8” wide strips)

Note: On the Hull Planking Profile the strake below the sweep port and the 2 strakes below the gun port appear to be wider, so I made these 1/8”.

 

I am following his recommendations and so far above the wales and inside all line up pretty well. I did have to use one strip of slightly taller plank as I progressed towards the bow, I hope that is not a problem later as I don't know why my bow as a slight gain of about 1/16th inch beyond where the plans specify an additional strake in front of the forward gun port. I did not do any excessive shaping to the tops of the bulwarks, fearing I would break them off.  I did install the rail before planking and it has a slight wave to it that was corrected with some woodworking skills.

Again, I have not bothered to paint any of the strakes yet and will tape them off prior to deck installation for painting by hand, airbrush, or both.

I am also aware that to rig the ship per the plans, the kit lacks enough blocks, variety of cordages, etc... 6ohiocav's log has an extensive shopping list within it.  When I go back through his log, I will note here where it can be found.

 

That's where I am after opening the kit a few months ago and only touching it occasionally because I have a lot of hobbies, a job and a family.

I will add to the log when I gather more hard lessons learned to share.

I appreciate the most recent three logs and will continue to use them as a reference.

 

[Dr PR]

Shawn.

 

Don't sweat the missing eye bolts. You can find several gauges of brass wire at a local hardware store and it is easy to make more pieces when you need them. If you want to get fancy you can solder the rings to close the gap (if you have a soldering iron and soldering experience). And if you really want to go all out you can blacken the brass with Birchwood Casey Brass Black.

 

I posted about my method here:

 

https://modelshipworld.com/topic/19900-brass-black/?do=findComment&comment=991402

 

You will find it handy to have the brass wire around to make a number of fiddly bits not supplied in the kit.