Armed Virginia Sloop by greenmutt24 - Model Shipways - 1:48 - First Build

[greenmutt24]

So I’m taking the leap and starting my build log.  This is my first real build, I picked up the Midwest Dinghy on a whim and built it.  Enjoyed that so now I’m trying something a little more involved and longer build.

 

For a couple different reasons I went with the Armed Virginia Sloop by Model Shipways. For guidance I will be using the wonderful build logs here on Model Ship World, Ship Modeling Simplified, The Model Boatyard’s Practicum, and the occasional reference to Lauck Street Shipyards partial practicum that I got with my eBay purchase of the kit.

 

After selecting the kit I happened to find a good deal on eBay for it.

 

Did an inventory seems the only thing missing was the full sized plans.  Model Shipways luckily has just the plans for sale.  

 

On the recommendation of a few build logs I’m probably upgrading the decking and rope.  And despite warnings I considering adding sails.  

Time to start building.

Edited September 2, 2014 by greenmutt24

[greenmutt24]

1. The Hull (Bulkheads and Keel)

 

Seeing as the everything is built on the keel and bulkheads I’m trying to avoid as many problems as possible, checking everything many times over.  The problem with avoiding problems on my first build is I don’t know what I don’t know.

 

I removed the bulkheads and false keel from the billets.  Then I cleaned up the burnt marks from the keel and bulkheads.

 

 

After the cleanup I checked the parts against the plans and added some shims to the keel and resanded to get the bulkhead slots in the correct spots.

 

 

After the keel was in order I turned to the bulkheads I got bulkheads A, B, and C roughly beveled.

 

This is where I finally noticed my problem.  Bulkheads E through J are wavy when mounted on the keel.  The bulkheads and keel seem to match the 1st sheet, but the 2nd sheet plans showing the decking the bulkheads aren’t lining up.  Do I bulk up the bulkheads that seem low?  There isn’t much material to remove on the top of these bulkheads.

[HIPEXEC]

It looks like a very good beginning. This website is the greatest for helping you with problems that will crop up.

[aliluke]

Hi

Always good to see another AVS get off the ground. She builds into a great ship model and you have made a solid start. As to those pesky bulkheads you have to add as well as remove material. I probably added the most amidships and removed the most at the bow and stern. Take your time on this part of the build...good foundations count for a lot. There is no reason why you can't go back and forth. Sometimes I'd add a shim only to sand it off again as I adjusted the bulkheads to get the right flow for the planks.

 

I'll be following and thanks for sharing.

[jwvolz]

Nice start. Good luck with your build. 

[dragzz]

hello looks like it going . a for the keel did u check for warp in the keel if u can take the bulk head off lie the keel on flat peace of to make sure it lvl and no warp in just a thot take a look at that make sure ok. keep up the great work

[greenmutt24]

Alistair  - Thanks for popping in, I've read your log several times over, I'll start adding some shims to the mid bulk heads.  As to taking my time, I am. I spend most of my time at work fixing problems caused by being forced to do something on time instead of doing it right.  I'm in no rush to finish and want to do it as right as I can.

 

Dragzz - Yeah I measured the keel its flat so no worries there.

 

Thanks every one for stopping by. Ill update again when there is more to see than glue drying.

[dragzz]

its looks good keep the pic comming

[greenmutt24]

Small update.  Added some shims to the outside of a couple bulkheads so I can get the smooth lines I'm looking for.  Did some more sanding and added some more shims to the bulk heads to get their height right.

 

I also started the rabbet.  I left it a little shallow for now, Ill deepen it after I get the keel glued on when I can properly measure how deep I need it.

Side note: Don't think Ill use this method of marking the bearding line again.  Took more time to clean the rubber cement off then it took to sand down the rabbet.

 

And finally I started gluing the keel.

 

 

Next up is gluing the rest of the keel, bulkheads, transom... There seems to be a lot of gluing and waiting on glue in my future.

[GuntherMT]

Nice to see another AVS starting up.  I've got the kit staring at me now, waiting for me to finish the Carmen, and then I'll be starting on this one.  Will follow along in the meantime, and it looks like you are off to a good start.

[greenmutt24]

GuntherMT - Thanks for stopping by. Loved your library, Ship looks good too >.>

 

Managed to attach the sternpost with a a few shims it looks real nice.  Most of what I did will be hidden by the planking. But I know it there and that is what really matters.

 

 

 

Another wave of dry fitting and measuring led me to see that about of my bulkheads are very slightly out of square with the keel.  Some are just slightly crooked (port or starboard side slightly forward, the opposing side aft) others are slightly tilted with the bottom being forward and the top being back.  None are really over 1 or 2 mm.

 

 

Everything I've read said to make everything as square as possible, but with spacers being added I'm not sure if this is 'close enough' or if I need to try and get things in square.  

 

Out of town for the next week on business, so the only shipbuilding I will be doing is research.

 

Thanks guys.

Tony

[bear]

Hi

 

I am just finishing up on my build of this kit. These are what I would say were the critical parts and their steps in importance in the build of this kit.

 

!- straight keel

 

2-bulkheads set level with the top of the keel,which will be the deck.To me this is what you will build the rest of the ship off of. You will go off of the deck for the height of the top rail,base the whale shape and level. 

 

3-the side to side of the bulkheads -center them up as close as possible-open up the slot in the middle to be able to move them. There are a couple in the middle that are not wide enough tho. Add strips to them,so that when you fair them in with the others,that you will have wood to even them up. Same goes with the tops of the bulkheads. Not all will be the right height,or thick eneogh after you start to fair in the shape of the hull.

 

Add strips to where you end up too short or wide.

 

The reason that you need to strt out with the deck level,and not going with the outside bottom of the bulkheads is that you can add or take off of the outside surfaces of the bulkheads in an easy way.

To level out the deck is NOT EASY TO DO- you do not have an open area to work with first off,then you have the thin basswood upper bulkhead tops that break when you just look at them.

So do yourself a favor to start out with,base your build with the top of the keel and all of the bulkhead deck surfaces level to each other-taper the bulkheads deck surfaces to match the curvature of the deck fore and aft and port to starboard before go to gluing.

 

After the deck is level,you need to make sure the bulkheads are 90 deg. to the keel,note the bulkheads might have a slight curve to them,not flat across,if they are not flat across,just make sure that they are even on each side.

 

Have fun,just take the time to start off on a level deck,it will realy make to rest of the build  an easy build.

 

Keith

[greenmutt24]

Thanks for stopping in Keith.

 

1- straight keel - Yes

 

2-bulkheads set level with the top of the keel,which will be the deck.To me this is what you will build the rest of the ship off of. You will go off of the deck for the height of the top rail,base the whale shape and level. - Yes each bulkhead is level with the higher end of the keel, I have not beveled the tops of the bulkheads yet. Will do that after they are glued in place.

 

3-the side to side of the bulkheads -center them up as close as possible-open up the slot in the middle to be able to move them. There are a couple in the middle that are not wide enough tho. Add strips to them,so that when you fair them in with the others,that you will have wood to even them up. Same goes with the tops of the bulkheads. Not all will be the right height,or thick enough after you start to fair in the shape of the hull.  - I have shimmed the insides of each bulkhead the needs to be higher or was loose side to side.  All the bulkheads match the plans and fit have a snug fit.

 

 

 

 

1- straight keel

 

2-bulkheads set level with the top of the keel,which will be the deck.To me this is what you will build the rest of the ship off of. You will go off of the deck for the height of the top rail,base the whale shape and level.

 

3-the side to side of the bulkheads -center them up as close as possible-open up the slot in the middle to be able to move them. There are a couple in the middle that are not wide enough tho. Add strips to them,so that when you fair them in with the others,that you will have wood to even them up. Same goes with the tops of the bulkheads. Not all will be the right height,or thick enough after you start to fair in the shape of the hull.

 

Add strips to where you end up too short or wide.

 

The reason that you need to strt out with the deck level,and not going with the outside bottom of the bulkheads is that you can add or take off of the outside surfaces of the bulkheads in an easy way.

To level out the deck is NOT EASY TO DO- you do not have an open area to work with first off,then you have the thin basswood upper bulkhead tops that break when you just look at them.

So do yourself a favor to start out with,base your build with the top of the keel and all of the bulkhead deck surfaces level to each other-taper the bulkheads deck surfaces to match the curvature of the deck fore and aft and port to starboard before go to gluing.

 

After the deck is level,you need to make sure the bulkheads are 90 deg. to the keel,note the bulkheads might have a slight curve to them,not flat across,if they are not flat across,just make sure that they are even on each side.

 

Have fun,just take the time to start off on a level deck,it will realy make to rest of the build  an easy build.

 

Keith

 

[BareHook]

Looks like you're off to a good start! Welcome to the AVS club!