Cutty Sark by Chef de Gare - Sergal

[Chef de Gare]

Having had guidance on how to start a log, I'm posting a couple of photos that first appeared in my sign-up mails.

[Chef de Gare]

And having done a bit of head-scratching on now to reconcile an upper stern made of short inclined sections of battens with needing a vertical section at the top, my possible solution.

 

Any comments from old hands gratefully received - I'm a complete beginner,  only trying this one because I saw it at a good price in a second-hand shop and I like doing intricate work!

 

Also struggling a bit with how to post additional items in my build log....the only way seems to be to reply to oneself, so maybe I'm missing something about how it's done.

 

Chris

 

 

 

Quite good progress so far.... now working on completing the first layer on the other side.   Then I can look forward to repeating the whole job again with the walnut second layer! 

 

 

Edited June 7, 2014 by Chef de Gare

[Anja]

Hello Chris,

 

It's great you started a log of your Cutty Sark.

May I also suggest you create your signature and place a link to your build there.

That way your log is just a mouseclick away. This topic explains how to add the link to your signature: http://modelshipworl...your-signature/

 

If you want to add, delete or change text in an existing post, click the 'edit' button on the bottom of your post.

Use the 'edit' button also If you want to add additional pictures. http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/540-how-to-add-pictures-in-your-posts-and-pms/

 

If you want to add a link to your post: http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/4355-how-to-add-a-link-into-a-post/

 

Good luck with your build and enjoy it.

 

Anja

[clearway]

looks good so far- i built the billings cutty sark and their method was to use blocks of balsa which were then sanded to shape after fitting- you then sealed and painted the hull so no good ifyou want a natural wood finished hull.

Keith

[NenadM]

I joined and will follow

 

When you have idea, try first and after that, if you are satisfied, apply.

Edited June 6, 2014 by Nenad M

[Chef de Gare]

Good progress so far once I'd realised that the second layer of planking does not start at the top of the first layer! 

[NenadM]

Very well done! Keep on planking

[rfolsom]

Nice job, Chris.  I was too late to help you with your vertical stern part, but you solved it in exactly the same way I did...

 

Looking forward to your progress!

 

Cheers,

 

~Bob

[Chef de Gare]

Progress since my last posting...

 

I did the copper plating on the first side before I discovered glue syringes!  So some got onto the front faces of the plates and even wiping off quickly left them a bit tarnished, but actually the effect is of their being appropriately weathered.

 

I also found that the rudder hinges were thinner than the thickness of the wood on the stern post and the rudder itself so I had to reduce the thickness of the wood to suit them...!

 

The brass plate sections at the top I painted black because they were quite scratched (the kit had been started by someone and left for a few years afterwards) but again I like the effect, and the slight overpainting at edges will be covered by the walnut strips that are the next job.

 

BUT I am struggling with how to bend 2 x 3 mm walnut strip along its 2mm edge for the stern top rail without it cracking!  I've looked at MSW posts and tried steaming and the hot pipe method, but no luck so far...I think I may need to get some wider strip and cut curved sections like those on the deck rail.

[NenadM]

It seems you will have fun with width of rails on back deck, also with position of round hole ... I have no doubt you will resolve this.

 

Weathering cooper plates - good idea. You can apply different techniques ( there is topic about on MSW) or just play with thin layer of acrylic mat warnish with a drop of acrylic color

 

You will very soon reach the point to ask yourself - ok, this is how kit author want Her to look. And how do I want Her to look ? All wooden ? In Her Greenwich color? Bright and shine or weathered? Simplified or with all possible details?

 

Then real fun starts

 

Keep on good work

Edited October 25, 2014 by Nenad M

[Chef de Gare]

Having concluded that trying to bend 2 x 3mm strip along the 2mm edge was impossible without loss of sanity and buying a lot more strips to fail with, I ordered 8 x 2mm walnut and cut three curved sections from that to get the required 2 x 3 mm stern top rail. Success!!

[Chef de Gare]

A bit of a dry dock disaster! I managed to knock the fully finished hull onto the workshop floor but fortunately nothing badly damaged... 

 

The main loss was a few of the bulwark stanchions (?) -see photo of intact one - four popped out and a couple were broken.  They don't seem to be available as spare fittings but I think I can make the few that I need out of sheet lead.  

[NenadM]

... I think I can make the few that I need out of sheet lead. ..

Yes, you can!!!

 

And be carefull, this is a path to the dark side ...

 

That things just happenes to everybody. Too much focus and concentration to singular point, and we lose wide screen/stage

 

I can not remember how much paints I swiped from table, how much CA stoned , how much paint brush I forgot to wash, how much little parts just dissapear, how many times I squeze bullwarks too strong trying to fix something in hull or on rudder...

 

Only medicine is - patience with good focud. But we are live man, aren't we?

Edited November 10, 2014 by Nenad M

[Chef de Gare]

Thanks for this Nenad, a good thing that I have lots of patience..... (or I wouldn't be doing the build anyway).  And a good spell of bad weather this week so a good time to be indoors!

[Chef de Gare]

It's been a wet week here in Wiltshire so good for being indoors in retirement!

 

Latest progress is fitting all the freeing ports and the port side deadeyes and belaying pins.  I spaced the deadeye cut-outs and pin holes from the spacings given on the plan sheet but in life when assembled they are a bit closer together than the plan sheet shows.

 

All this latest progress would have been very difficult without the Amati keel clamp that I bought recently!  I hesitated because it's quite an expensive item but it makes holding the keel so much better. The only drawback is that it grips on only about a 5mm depth where the keel projects below the planking, so I might glue two short depth extension pieces to give more to grip on and then cut them off when the whole thing is finished.

[GuntherMT]

The Cutty Sark chain plates are mounted to the inside of the bulkheads?  I've never seen that before.

[NenadM]

The Cutty Sark chain plates are mounted to the inside of the bulkheads?  I've never seen that before.

 

 

Brian

 

Here is picture of CS. If you want accurate model. it must be so

 

[GuntherMT]

Cool, I just never noticed it before when skimming through the other Cutty Sark builds.

[Chef de Gare]

And they are very difficult to fit!  

 

The side elevation drawing of the chain plates on the model shows them fixed at the bottom with a cut-off brass pin, but pushing the pin into the wood takes quite a lot of pressure even with a pilot hole.  I'm finding that as the pin is into only a thin layer of wood it tends to come out again through pressing on the wood to fit the one next to it.  So I've glued as well as pinned.

 

Interesting that in Nenad's photo the device with a cranked handle that is in the Sergal kit (see my second photo above here) isn't to be seen at all.  I don't know what it was meant to be but in the kit there is one for each set of deadeyes and pins.

[NenadM]

Maybe this helps?

 

[Chef de Gare]

Thanks!  Now I see. Your photos also show that in following the Sergal plan view my deadeyes are too far inwards, but it's quite difficult to make deeper cuts spaced so close together into a 6mm wide strip of quite soft wood.... 

[Chef de Gare]

After looking at Nenad's photos (for which many thanks!) and some web searching I found that although the model kit has all the pinrail deadeyes the same size, in real life there were 6", 7", 9" and 10" ones.  That is shown in the extract I found on the web from Campbell plans (second picture).

 

That Campbell drawing also shows some chainplates were fixed in front of freeing ports.  The kit version has the thin brass chainplates bent to be clear of the ports but in practice it's almost impossible to make those bends without distortion and certainly not to have the foot at deck level as shown in the elevation view in my first picture.

 

 If one follows the kit drawing and cuts slots for the chainplates as shown, where the deadeyes are closest together and because they are all the same - largest-  size,  it's very difficult to avoid breaking off the tiny wooden pieces that are left after cutting a long way back into the 2mm thick strip.

 

 So...I decided to take off all that I'd done and to make new strips with holes bored in them to set the deadeyes at the sort of angle they have on the real ship,  then cut off the chain plate tops and soldered them to the brass wire projecting through the holes as shown. With care and a small iron it's possible to make the joint without scorching the wood.  I've fixed one finished set in place so far and when installed the soldering is scarcely visible, but I'll add a touch of suitable paint to hide it.

 

A lot of extra work but the result is much better than cutting slots, and looks more realistic!

[NenadM]

Very good!!!

 

You give me "bad" ideas !!!!

[rfolsom]

That's a good observation,Chef.   Seems like your plans were designed by an artist, not an engineer, as the shrouds's lines of force should be transmitted along the axes of the load bearing members (tension in the shrouds, as well as all standing rigging, transmitted through the chainplates into the hull).

 

Campells' plans are accurate in this sense;  as they show the chainplates in direct alignment with the shrouds.  Non-parallel forces would tear the chainplates free from the ship, promoting total catastrophic failure for the entire system.

[Chef de Gare]

Happy New Year!  

 

Progress here since my last posting....cutting all the aft hatch apertures was definitely a trial of patience and sanity.

 

And now I've taken the photos I see a bit more straightening of the rear deck rails is needed ! 

[NenadM]

Verry verry nice. What is next?

[keelhauled]

looking good

[rfolsom]

Wonderful work!  Looking forward to your progress!

 

~Bob

[keelhauled]

sorry to hear about your hull.  We've all done similar things.  I've swung my ship around on the turn table and slammed the figure head's arm into my cement wall.  Unfortunately more than once.  I just broke chains and boomkins last week.  Just finished remaking them.  In fact, the more you scratch build items, the more confident you become that there isn't anything on the ship you can't make or make better the second time around.  It's very liberating!

 

Marc

[NenadM]

 

 

...In fact, the more you scratch build items, the more confident you become that there isn't anything on the ship you can't make or make better the second time around. It's very liberating!

 

Marc

 

Truth, truth, nothing but the truth !!!