Niagara by Carlmb - Model Shipways - 1/64

[Carlmb]

Well, it appears to be that time. I have cracked the box and going to try and make some thing that appears like a ship. I gained a little bit of experience building the New Bedford Whaleboat but this is a whole different animal. Checking off the items now and looks like a whole lot of laser burn removal in my future. Made a build board for this part but I am wondering if I should buy a keel clamp or make something similar. Anyone have any thoughts on what is best to build and plank?

I know a lot of people have completed or in the process of building a Niagara so I will have plenty of questions. Will continue to update as I go. Thanks for everyone's help.

 

p.s. I did a search for adding completed builds to login and could not find it. Any help would be appreciated.

[kenr]

Hi Carlmb

Welcome to the Niagara Club

The best thing you can do now is start your own build log so

that we can watch, help and encourage.

There are a number of build logs underway at the moment so you

should check them for help

 

 

Regards

Ken

[Carlmb]

Started by cutting out all the bulkheads and pre-fitting them on to the keel assembly. It was now time to cut the bearding line from the keel. I placed a piece of wax paper over the plan and cut out the bearding line on the wax paper. Placed the wax paper over the keel and traced the line on the keel. Also using wax paper you could flip it over and do both sides of the keel. Using a compass I drew a center line down the keel so I did not sand to far. Using my handy bearding line sander I sanded with 120 till the line was complete. .

 

[Carlmb]

Bearding line is now on main keel and the lower keel is glued and waiting for install.

[Carlmb]

Purchased some 3/4 inch aluminum angle iron and cut it into 2 inch pieces. Sanded some of the bulkheads and with the angle clamped for 90 degree angles. Hit everything with Titebond II.

[Carlmb]

Things to do if you get bored. Paint 18 thirty-two pound carronades (assembled the upper and lower sections and metal rollers). Also painted the cannons. Hit them first with blacken-it then a light coat of spar black paint. Also built one of the coamings.

[Laxet]

Welcome to the Niagara club. Looking forward to watching your build. I'm just finishing the hull & working on masting. If I can help, just ask.

[Carlmb]

Thanks for the offer Laxet, I have been watching your build. One thing I have found in the instructions is that they do not list specifically what strips go to what. On my previous whaleboat build they listed what the strips fit.

Just finished adding the supports between the bulkheads and working on carronades and structures in between.

[Laxet]

Yeah, especially on the hull planking they sort of leave it to your preference. They do call out a lot of dimensions on the plans, but a lot of times it takes a measurement from the print. You have to be careful, though. Often, if there are multiple views of a piece, there will be multiple dimensions also. You have to guess which one is right. Luckily, they give you a lot of extra wood.

[Carlmb]

I also find it interesting that the line sizes they recommend using don't match the one's they supply.

[Laxet]

But in their defense, they can't stock all sizes. It would be nice if they supplied something other than nylon. The do sell a ropewalk. I have made some lines that I needed. They do give a table of line sizes & equivalents.

[Carlmb]

I am hoping that doing the stern on this ship is the hardest part of the build. Looked at a bunch of builds on this board and finally figured it out. Thanks to everyone in the Niagara club for the guidance.

[schooner]

Carl,

 Looks like you picked a beauty, should turn out to be a great model.

Could I ask you to pull a quick measurement off the plans? I'd like to know the max length of the model, from the tip of the bowsprit to the aft most end of the boom on the main mast. I'm asking because the Model Shipways catalog shows the length as 36.5" but I happen to have a copy of the box cover (sent as packing material when I ordered another MS kit) and it shows the model's length as 43". Could you tell me which is correct?

 

thanks

Tim

[kenr]

Hi Tim

I measured my hull ( including stern boat davits ) at 24 in

And the bowsprit off the plans at 12in  Total 36in

 

Regards

Ken

[Carlmb]

Good call schooner. My tape is showing 36.5 and my box is showing 43. Not sure where the extra 6.5 is.

[schooner]

Thanks Ken, that's all I needed to know!

Tim

[Carlmb]

Now it is time to attack the bow. Added the front blocks and sanded them close with a Dremel and sanding barrel. Added the 2 supports and upper frame at bow. Added some scrap around the 2 mast holes. Also pinned the lower keel on using a hand drill and some small T pins which I cut with wire cutters. In the process of building the companionway and a ladder.

 

[Laxet]

Looks good. Everything is nice & symmetrical. I see you fitted the bowsprit already. That's something I failed to do & had to correct later.

[Bill Hime]

Carl,

Looks like you're off to a great start! A well-detailed build log is a benefit to everyone. Thank you for sharing, I'm following closely

 

Warm Regards,

 

Bill

[Carlmb]

Thanks for the positive comments. Installed the waterway and planksheer. Noticed there was to much space between the planksheer and the edge of the bulkhead. I am now adding 1/16 square on the edge that will be sanded down to be flush with the bulkhead.

[kenr]

Hi Carl

I think just about all of us have had similar problems with the fit of the planksheer

Also I think many of us paint the planksheer before we go any further

 

Regards

Ken

[Carlmb]

Planksheer fit was terrible. I am going to airbrush the planksheer after I have completed the gun ports and sweep ports and shoot everything in red. Here I have sanded the 1/16th filler between the bulkheads. I made a handy gun port/sweep port fitting device and with 3/16 square and 3/32 x 1/8 board I can frame everything. 

[Carlmb]

Didn't make sense to add separate spacers for the gun ports. Removed the spacers, trimmed the bulkheads to gun port height then added a 3/32 square at top of gun ports. Soaked it for 15 minutes and it bent well.

[Carlmb]

Here is something to kill some time if you are interested. On Ebay for $20.00 you get 4 flickering candles with a remote. Cut the candle to pieces and you get an LED, circuit board and a battery. Build a little ladder for your structure, a small box with a hole in it for the led, assemble it and you get a flickering candle controlled by a nifty remote.

[Laxet]

I think I see what you are doing with the gun ports. I'll be interested in seeing how it comes out. Good idea with the candles. My wife has tons of them. What do you do about batteries?

[Carlmb]

Some of these use AAA batteries but this one is a 2030 watch battery in the bottom of the chip

[Guest Tim I.]

Changing batteries should not be an issue if you make the piece it is in removable. Considering they sit over the deck or a coaming it should be easy to modify them.

 

- Tim

[Carlmb]

That's the intention. Have them lift right out of the deck.

[Carlmb]

Finally all the gun ports and oar sweeps are framed and once dry they will be sanded to be flush with the bulkheads. Also working on sanding out and filling the life boats.

[Carlmb]

Gun ports and bulkheads are all sanded smooth both inside and out. Need to be ready for planks on both sides. Some 1/32 inner supports bent up for the life boat.