Niagara by Carlmb - Model Shipways - 1/64

[Carlmb]

Stick with it. Planking around the coamings seems to be the trend. Still working on the deck.

[GuntherMT]

Looking good.  I plan to tackle the Niagra at some point in the future, so watching this (and all the other Niagra builds) with great interest.

[Carlmb]

Thanks Brian. Deck planking is all done. Gonna hit it with 400 in the morning, a couple coats of pre-stain wood conditioner and then some satin mystery color. I have a couple finishes drying overnight and well see what we come up with.

[Laxet]

You did that fast. It took me a couple of weeks to plank my deck. You'll be past me in no time

[Carlmb]

At this point I have sanded the deck with 400 grit sandpaper and applied 2 coats of Minwax pre-stain conditioner. This helps fill the pores and helps prevent the stain and urethanes from soaking in to the wood. (especially with the soft woods we generally use). In the last picture I am wondering which stain to use. I can put a satin urethane directly over the wood or apply a stain/satin polyshade from minwax. The one on the left is oak and the one on the right is pecan. Any thoughts?

[GuntherMT]

Kind of hard to tell on the stains with the lighting in the pictures to be honest, but I like the lighter colored deck and I'm not sure I see much (if any) difference between the un-stained deck and the one on the left, other than consistency, but that could be simply due to using a single piece of planking for the test sample vs. the many pieces in the deck.

 

I think the differences between the different planks on the deck look good though, so who knows. 

[Carlmb]

With the flash it is difficult to tell. Went with the oak and letting the first coat dry. It does look good with the different color boards.

Working on the aft fife rail now.

 

[Don Quixote]

My 2 cents, I'm glad you went with the oak. It looks like it went on better and I always like lighter colors anyways. And thanks for the tip on the pre-stain.

[Carlmb]

Hopefully this does not become to irritating. As I learn I am trying to document everything for others. I am in the process of rigging the cannons. At the cannon side you have a single eye and at the bulkhead you have a double eye. According to Niagara paperwork there is a hook at each end. 24 gauge wire will go through the small eyelets. I am starting with 13 inches of rigging which will go through both ends and allow me a nice coil of line. I am using 4 of these for each cannon times 20. 2 done, 78 to go. Hopefully these pictures will help. 

Edited October 11, 2014 by Carlmb

[GuntherMT]

I tried to use some of the Model Shipways rigging line from the AVS in my Carmen build, and I thought that stuff was just horrible.  If you manage to make good looking rigging out of that stuff without pulling all your hair out, then you have super powers that I do not possess. 

 

Good luck, certainly paying attention here!

[Carlmb]

Don't have much hair left so I have a good start. Chuck's line at Syren looks awesome but I am going to try and make do with this stuff for now.

[Carlmb]

Started rigging the cannons this evening. Holy cow this is not easy. The breech line is difficult on the carronades since you kind of have to tie it off while it is run through the gun. Finished half of one this evening but I am sure it will move quicker as I go.

[ccoyle]

First one of anything is always a booger.

[GuntherMT]

I've yet to rig a gun, but I think I saw in someone else's log on here that they got the measurements for the line, then rigged it completely to the gun with the eye-bolt lose, and then put the gun into position and secured the eye-bolt with the rigging already complete.

[Carlmb]

Brian, that's what I ended up doing on the breech line, attached the eye bolts on the bulkheads last. On the other lines it was actually pretty easy attaching the hooks. I am sure the future cannons will be somewhat easier.

[Don Quixote]

 

First one of anything is always a booger

1st wives. AKA the plaintive.

[Carlmb]

Have not had much time to work on ship this week. Replacing blown up car (don't drive car without oil) for oldest daughter. Still rigging cannons. Has anyone ever quit due to the amount of cannons?

[Carlmb]

9 ships in place, 11 more to go.

Model Shipyards supplies 120 small eyebolts and just rigging the cannons uses 240. I just ordered more today. Should these be supplied?

[Laxet]

You should make your own eyebolts. Thats what I am doing. It's pretty easy with a pair of round nose pliers & a spool of wire. Looks really good so far.

[GuntherMT]

Check the plans for notes - on the AVS there is a note to use one size of eye-bolts for all the deck things, and to use the other size for all the rigging.  My guess is that the Niagra kit only supplies the rings for the rigging, and all the deck eye-bolts are to be made per the instructions on page 21, figure 5-9.  As Dale said, it looks like a simple matter of twisting a bit of wire around a drill-bit of the appropriate size to make the eye-bolts.

 

Looking good by the way!

[Carlmb]

Thanks for the heads up. Didn't realize where the eyebolts were applied.

[Laxet]

Now that I think about it, the way I made them was to wind brass wire around a 5/64 drill bit into a coil 10 or 20 times. Then I nipped the rings one at a time & flattened them closed them with needlenose pliers. This is how I made rings for the cannons. For eye bolts, just wrap once around the bit & make a tail.

[Carlmb]

Working on rudder, rudder chains and tiller.

[Carlmb]

Working on the capstan today. Found a good picture of the original. Do you think the star on top is new?

[Carlmb]

Still working on the cannon rigging and completed the bowsprit.

Edited November 5, 2014 by Carlmb

[Carlmb]

Continue to move along on a few different things. Installed the main rail which made a huge difference in the appearance. Hung the capstan bars at the rear. installed the bowsprit and hawse pipe details. Finishing up the 3 life boats.

[scott larkins]

Wow, that's been a lot of work.  Nice going.

[Carlmb]

Thanks Scott, been off the ship for a couple weeks but should be back on soon.

[Carlmb]

Finally back on the Niagara. Was busy setting up a new saltwater aquarium. Need to wait a couple weeks to stock it..

Finished the pair of long guns for the front of the boat. Also replaced the Model Shipways grates (just didn't like them) with some from modeler's central.(Amati)

 

[Carlmb]

Todays the day. Finished rigging the cannons.