Lettie G Howard by captainbob - FINISHED - 1:48 - POB - schooner

[pete48]

Hey Pete, Looks like we were logging at the same time. 

Great Minds Think alike

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[captainbob]

Michael, Pete, Lawrence and Likes,

 

Sorry I haven’t been posting but I now think the research is far enough along that I can start rigging.  I threw together a rope walk and a serving machine.  Their noit pretty but they will do the job.  I was also given a new book, ”A Scratchbuilder’s  Evolutionary Development”.  Wow, what a book.  He goes into how to do things that he has learned, and I say to myself, ‘Do I really need to do that on this boat?”  Decisions, decisions, decisions.  Ah well hope to have pictures soon.

 

Bob

[themadchemist]

You would have to go and mention another book I'll need.  

 

and to your question of "do I really need to do that on this boat?"  I would ask this, do you "need" to even build this boat at all?

which the answer, if your like me, is definitely YES...... oh those decisions... they are what keeps holding me back.

I say, push the envelope - watch it bend

 

now I must resist the urge to purchase another literary resource   

 

...which is leading to a shelving shortage problem   

 

...oh the trials We endure

[captainbob]

Keith, you’re not helping.  You say, “Go for it.” The admiral says, “Finish it.”  Sorry but you know who wins that one.  But there will be other boats and I keep learning.

 

Bob

[themadchemist]

I never said "go for it"... I said push the envelope....watch it bend....

 

I've found when the admiral becomes that envelope, it bends much less easily....

and sometimes if you push that envelope to hard, you may be the one to bend... Oh, the things we do for Love

[captainbob]

I've found when the admiral becomes that envelope, it bends much less easily....

and sometimes if you push that envelope to hard, you may be the one to bend... Oh, the things we do for Love

 

Amen to that, Brother.

 

Bob

[captainbob]

Finally I feel I know enough to start the rigging.  I did the starboard shrouds, the fore stay and the spring lines.  I had to do the deadeye lacing three times and the spring lines twice.  I made a jig to help make the thimbles but I’m still scrap a lot.  I may have to remake the jig.  Still a long way to go but at least I’m started.

 

Bob

 

                         Starboard side

 

                         Main shrouds

 

                        Fore shrouds

 

                        Main topmast looking aft

 

                        Main masthead

 

                        Fore masthead

[Jim Lad]

Nice start on the rigging, Bob!

 

John

[themadchemist]

Just amazing Cap'n'Bob, Beautiful Rigging work.

 

Those thimbles are a pain to get looking right. I'm glad that I'm stalled building ATM, as your making many of the details I'd like made for the DSotM rigging and it is always good to have a finished example to look over.

The added look of the detailed metalwork, in my opinion, makes so much difference in the finished built. Plus figuring out just how to simulate this little pieces stretches us as builders. 

For me, just doing the metalwork in the bow shrouds, I had lots of waste and do overs. Every time you repeat a process though you learn a bit new and get just that better at making the next one.

 

Your Lettie's turning into one heck of a Lady.

[Elia]

Bob,

 

Lettie looks great with the masts stepped and the shrouds and stays going up. The bails and figure 8 links, the topmast band and shackle, the deadeyes and lanyards - really nice.

 

Elia

[popeye the sailor]

looks superb Bob.........your a lot farther than you let on     lots of metal detail throughout........nicely done!

[michael mott]

Bob the rigging is looking super, seeing, the mast hoops on the topmast surprised me at first, but then it made sense.

 

Keith said "Every time you repeat a process though you learn a bit new and get just that better at making the next one."

 

I couldn't agree more.

 

Michael

[Bedford]

Very nice progress Bob, keep it comming

[Mirabell61]

Hi Bob,

 

your rigging Looks good, also all the fine metal work on it....

 

What is the block size at the fore masthead you did the metal block stropping on with brass wire ?

 

Nils

[captainbob]

Thanks for all the replies and likes.

 

You’re right John, just a start.

 

You got me Keith.  I was hoping you would be ahead so I could follow you.

 

Thanks Elia, Now I'm learning those names, it’s a bit different then the little day sailors I usually build.

 

Popeye,  “a lot farther than you let on”  I can only hope that is true.

 

"Every time you repeat a process though you learn a bit new and get just that better at making the next one." Michael and Keith, if that is true I should be an expert by the time the Lettie is finished.

 

Bedford, don’t worry there’s a lot more to come.  After the rigging and sails I have a seine boat and a dory to add.

 

Nils, the throat halyard blocks scale to about 14” and the peak halyard blocks are 10”.  The brass wire stropping goes along with the black and gold request by the admiral.

 

Bob

Edited September 9, 2014 by Cap'n'Bob

[Mahuna]

Hi Bob:

 

You're doing a great job on the rigging.  I feel another trip to your area coming up so I can see it in person.  I'll send you a PM when I know a good day - possibly next week.

 

Frank

[captainbob]

Thanks for the complement Frank, come up any time.  For those that don’t know Arizona geography Frank lives in the southern part at about 1100 feet elevation.  I live farther north at about 5300 feet.  So he really does come “up” to visit.

 

Bob  

[Alfons]

Nice work Bob! Your rig is comming together great. Will be a useful source of information for me, once I start my own rigging work on the Smuggler.

 

I am particularly impressed by your iron work, your soldering skills are admirable.

 

/Alfons

[captainbob]

Thanks Alfons. 

 

A few months ago I tried a something new while soldering.  Instead of getting the metal hot and then applying the solder, I shaped the metal and put flux in the joint.  I touched the iron to the solder to pick up a small amount on the tip of the iron.  I then touched the wet soldering iron to the edge of the metal where the surfaces joined.  The solder wicked in beautifully without too much if any overflow. 

 

Bob

[Omega1234]

Hi Bob.  Thanks for sharing that tip about the soldering as it's good to learn the tricks of the trade.  It must mean less cleaning up afterwards, which is always a good thing, I guess.

 

All the best!

[captainbob]

Yes, less cleanup afterwards was an unexpected joy.  If the flux (I use a liquid that is so old the label is gone and I don’t know what it is) only wets the touching surfaces that is where the solder goes.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

Bob I have a very old liquid flux called Duz-all and the label on it has fallen off as well.

 

Michael

[pete48]

Beautiful work Bob, she is looking Great

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[Alfons]

Thanks Alfons. 

 

A few months ago I tried a something new while soldering.  Instead of getting the metal hot and then applying the solder, I shaped the metal and put flux in the joint.  I touched the iron to the solder to pick up a small amount on the tip of the iron.  I then touched the wet soldering iron to the edge of the metal where the surfaces joined.  The solder wicked in beautifully without too much if any overflow. 

 

Bob

Hi Bob.

 

It sounds that you are using soft soldering, judging by the use of an iron?

 

/Alfons

[captainbob]

You found me out.  Really it all depends on what is being soldered.  In the case of a spar band where the two ends make a tab with a hole through it and a ring to fasten a line or block soft solder is ok.  But something like deadeye strops where after soldering you have to shape them and there may be forces on the solder joint then I use silver solder.

 

Bob

[Alfons]

This sounds very reasonable Bob. So far, I have only used hard soldering on my Smuggler. But ones there are adjecent material that cannot stand the heat, I have had problems.

 

I will need to start practicing soft soldering that is for sure 

 

/Alfons

[dgbot]

i have tried to do a combination of both.  Though at the moment I am out of practice.  For me it depends on what I am making. and if it is to be handled. I am no expert. Just experiment with both.  I learned a lot from doing so and at the same time had a good experience.

David B

[captainbob]

Thanks for the interest.  I make the bands out of .005 brass sheet.  When I touch the thin brass with the solder melted on the tip of the iron, the brass gets hot and the solder wicks in before the wood scorches.  It’s quite fast.  Only one or two seconds. 

 

Bob

[Cap'n Rat Fink]

HOWS IT GOING CAP,

    I HOPE YOUR A BIT MORE WETTER THEN US HERE IN SOUTHERN CAL. WE BE SO DRY OUT HERE I DROPPED A GLASS OF WATER OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO. WE CONSIDERED IT A FLASH FLOOD!!! YOU KNOW I ALWAYS LIKED THE SLEAK LINES OF A SCHOONER. I JUST LOVE THIS BUILD OF YOURS. REALLY NICE CRAFTSMANSHIP MY FRIEND.

 

HOPE THINGS ARE WELL MY FELLOW DESERT RAT

 

MARIO

Edited September 27, 2014 by Cap'n Rat Fink

[captainbob]

Mario, glad to see you posting again.  Hope you can find time to build.  I’ve missed your fine boats.  And yes, it has been dry here.  No open fires, no BBQ.  The hundred acre puddle they call Willow Lake was so dry you could almost walk across it.  The this last couple of weeks the rains came.  Hallelujah.

 

Bob