San Francisco 2 by Shaz - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - Wood

[lamarvalley]

Thanks for the tip Robbyn... a needle makes sense... a lot more svelte than my fingers

 

My first car was a Plymouth Barracuda... purple...an ugly purple fast but yuk! Didn't shine like that either...

[Cap'n Rat Fink]

Nice progress Robbyn,

  

   My buddy that retired a few years back has a 30 ford. His girls aren't interested in it. He says when hes too old to drive it anymore He will let me have first shot at it. Thats what you get when you work together for 25yrs. first dibs!!!  

[Shazmira]

WOW Mario, now that is a good friend. His girl's loss, too bad they don't realize it

 

For some picture clarification of the rat line process. i taped the tail onto my cardboard. Since I am now using embroidery thread I can leave a bigger tail which is speeding the process of the first knot up.

 

 

These tweezers work really well for pulling the thread tight, and pulling the needle through when space is limited.

 

Make the first loop

then the second loop and only tighten partially

Tighten the top half using the tweeezers

I use my thumb to hold that tight and then pull the second half tight.

 

If I am happy with everything then I use the tweezers to squeeze everything tight together. I add a drop of PVA only on the outside knots.

 

 

[Sjors]

Thanks for the tutorial Robbyn.

 

The only thing that I still need are those fingers…….

 

 

 

[Bedford]

See Robbyn, you are now the teacher, I like that cardboard template with the lines on it, I do it freehand but keep checking spacing etc. the needle seems to be a good tool as well.

You say your shrouds are quite tight, as they should be, all mine are because I reason that they were on the real thing so as to brace it all. It will work exactly the same way on a model.

 

You will find though that you won't be able to tighten the top mast shrouds as much because the "chainplates" for want of a better term will only be decorative. Model shrouds are nowhere near heavy enough to attach a deadeye chainplate to and tension it. Instead you have to glue the dead eye rope "chainplate" into the tressle so it takes all the strain. You can still apply reasonable tension but not too much.

[Shazmira]

Steve, thanks for the warning. I finished all my rat lines tonight, so I will be tackling those upper shrouds come tomorrow!!

[riverboat]

Very nice work on the shrouds and ratlines Robbyn..........women are so much better with a needle  than men (except Popeye  )

Frank

[src]

Robbyn,

Nice work! You are progressing so fast I am going to have to drop by more than 2x a week or I miss out on a lot. (I have to visit MSW more often, isnt that a shame?)

[Shazmira]

No Sjors, only took 8 hours to do the ratlines....the shrouds took me more than a week!!! I hate shrouds!!

And yes there is another corner...but it is a small table, so no room for all three. the longboat only takes up about 5 inches of space!

[Sjors]

So I don't have to blame myself that is takes such a long time for those shrouds…….

I know a very good compromise for the small table……buy a bigger one! 

 

[Ferit]

Salute Robbyn,

The ratlines... To make the same things over and over again is too boring.   But they are characteristic for wooden ships.

You are making them in a different way. But very accurate... Congratulations...

[Shazmira]

Thanks Ferit, I have seen your work, so I am honored to receive a nod from you. I am learning and getting better. Hoping the next build reflects the improvement I feel in my heart

[ScottRC]

Lookin good on the shrouds and ratlines.  I agree with shrouds, the making of which is like herding a group of three legged cats through a square dance competition, I could never seem to get them to all be the same height.

[Timothy Wood]

It's been a while since I've checked in on your build, and I must say it's looking very good.

 

Cheers,

Tim

[Shazmira]

Thanks Tim, appreciate you stopping by for a peek again.

I have been working on those upper shrouds, but last night as I was finishing the last of the deadeye jigs, and seizing the lower ropes to the bottom deadeyes, I realized that my furry pug vacuum once again has eaten something I need, This time he managed to scarf down 6 of the 8 shroud lines I had cut and served. I do not have anymore of the rope left for these to make more, so I am at a standstill.

[newbuilder101]

Happy Birthday Robbyn! Have a great long weekend - we had ours last weekend.

[michael mott]

Robbyn it is this one.

 

 

Michael

[Shazmira]

Ropewalk....well I really like the idea of making my own, any color, any thickness....they really are pretty simple to make. But honestly Randy, it is the serving machine I want to make, and Michael yours looks great!!! I will buy it from you lol. Randy, I have a heck of a time serving my lines so they look neat...maybe it is because my right hand still doesn't work right yet, but I am not happy with the look I get. Mark suggested that cheap ropewalk from ME so I could use the gears on it to make one like Andy did.

 

I thinnk it is time to put the SF aside for awhile. I messed around on the upper shrouds all day yesterday and I have run into multiple problems with them. I don't like the replacement thread I purchased over the weekend (I have ordered some from Morope, and it shipped today). But the issues are bigger than that. I wasn't real pleased with my channels that hold my lower deadeyes to begin with....I believe I need to space the "holes" further apart to get better spacing on my shroud lines.  on the upper shroud lines...at the base I am only about an inch wide...that just doesn't seem, wide enough...it makes the rat lines look stupid, because they are just too close together.  I made the mistake of following the instructions so I have nothing to attach the upper shroud lines lower dead eye to except the tops of the lower shroud lines.....things just don't lay well at all and everything wants to twist and turn.

I should have drilled holes through the crows nests so those deadeyes have something to set firmly on.  I don't believe I can drill the holes now with the masts fully assembled without breaking something.

 

My best bet I believe is to cut off all my rigging, soften the glue holding the masts in place and take them out. Then soak the assembled masts (fore and main) in acetone to separate all the pieces without damaging anything. I will also make new channels with better spacing, and new chainplates (NOT twisted wire).  this way I can assemble my masts as I work my way upwards. I think that will bring a better and neater looking result.

I have not been happy with either of my attempts at shroud lines thus far, so perhaps the third time will be the charm.

 

I know, I know, the end was in site. Finish the main mast upper shrouds and it was down to putting on the sails and calling it good. Part of me wanted to just call it all "good enough" and finish...but I don't want to be ashamed of the finished build either.

 

So tomorrow I will start the longboat, while I wait for my morope order and as I get to places on the longboat where I have to wait for things to dry, or bend I will come back to the pieces on the SF.

 

No fear, I will finish her, but even though I have deemed her my learning build, I still want something I can be proud of when she is done!!

[mtaylor]

Good for you Robbyn.  Keep plugging away until you're happy with it otherwise it sit there and mock you forever. 

[Adrieke]

a big decision and lots more work but i can tell from your post it is the right thing to do for you. the longboat wil be a good diversion until you feel ready again

[DCIronfist]

First I would like to wish you a belated birthday wish and second do what you need to do to be happy with the build. It doesn't matter if its your first build or your 20th if your not happy with the results you can always do something about it :)

[sport29652]

Robbin I think you should be able to drill the crows nests without removing them. I would jut make sure you make a good starter mark and use a dremel. Take your time and don't force it, the metal is relatively soft. I understand your feelings about the line material, the new line will look great.

[michael mott]

Robbyn starting over on an area that has taken a lot of time is indeed one of those soul searching decisions, I think is it what separates an excellent journey from a good one. When something feels wrong it is much better in my opinion to start over and not tinker trying to fix something that will end up bugging you down the road.

 

Regarding the serving machine make me an offer I can't refuse   

 

Regards Michael

[newbuilder101]

Wow Robbyn - that's a huge and brave decision to make! I totally understand wanting to make everything look as good and accurate as possible so, best of luck on the re-work. I'm sure it will look great when you're done!

[augie]

Agreed, that's a major decision.  Undoing all that work would certainly thwart many.  But you have the right attitude.....this project is for learning and yet you want something to show for it.....to look back on later and say 'I'm a lot better now'.  You'll discover just how satisfying that is as you're completing your 5th build.

[Sjors]

Hi Robbyn,

 

It seems you have read my build log of the Mirage….

Great decision!

It's better to store her before you are doing things that you regret later

I know that there is a virus of multiple builds but also a virus of shrouds that not goes as we want to ?

Can we make a agreement?

You finish later on the SF and I finish later on the Mirage?

Deal?

And when both are finished we will be proud of our self…….

 

[gjdale]

Brave decision Robbyn, but the right one. I applaud your courage and determination. As one who has already been down the "major re-work" path, I can assure you it is worth the effort. The hardest part of the process is making the decision to do it, and it seems you've already done that. It all gets easier from here on.

 

Enjoy your longboat diversion in the meantime.

[Shazmira]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. I really stressed over this decision. I know I can finish the build as it is, and I also know the sails and yards are going to cover up most of these upper shrouds anyway....but there is that part of me that would know...and I am craving that sense of accomplishment when she is done. I am afraid if I leave it as it is, I just won't get that feeling and she will be more an embarrassment than an accomplishment and I have too many hours invested, not to mention the pint of blood lol, to finish her off as an embarrassment.

 

Eric, I just worry that my control of the dremel will not be good enough to drill the nests in place...I guess I could try, if I break a mast then I am not really much further behind than if I tear them all apart....I will think on that for a day.

 

Michael, I wish I could offer you what she is worth, but my price limit runs in the $40 range and I am betting you want more for it than that.

[Geoff Matson]

Good move on your part. If it bothers you now it will bother you forever. The one thing I learned from this list is that there is no shame in doing things over. When you check out the scratch build logs you see a lot of great work on do overs. I am sure you Al San Francisco will turn out great

[captainbob]

Robbyn,

 

I agree with the rest.  It doesn't matter what others think, If it doesn't feel right to you, do it over. 

 

Bob