Shipbuilder Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 (edited) I started this today, 17th June. It is 2.8 inches long on the waterline, and is a 79 ton two-masted topsail schooner. Length 84.2 feet and beam of 21.3 feet, completed at Peterhead in 1878. Scale 32 feet to 1 inch. It has taken me 1.5 (1 1/2) hours to get so far. It will not be going in a bottle, but I suppose this size is very suitable if you have the necessary skills to do it (which I don't ). It is just a "quickie" because I haven't done anything for ages. The hull is completed, and I have just started "fitting out" with deck details etc. Bob Edited June 17, 2015 by Shipbuilder Chasseur, IgorSky, Alex Bellinger and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubjugger Posted June 17, 2015 Report Share Posted June 17, 2015 As you mention Bob, the scale is about right for a ship-in-bottle, so it will be very interesting to see how you handle the details, even though you have no intention of ultimately bottling the model. TJ Gwyl Blaser and Bernard Kelly 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwyl Blaser Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Nice work so far Bob. I too am interested in seeing this and how you handle the details on this beauty. Gwyl Bernard Kelly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CharlieB Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Looking forward to seeing more? Bernard Kelly 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 There is nothing special in this one, it is simple in the extreme. As it is my normal preferred scale of 32'=1" it will not present any difficulty or challenge. Probably take a couple of hours to complete the deck details and not very much longer for the masts & rigging! Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Kelly Posted June 18, 2015 Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 Looks great Bob. You sure work fast. Are most of your masts and spars ready to go or do you make them as you go along? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 18, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2015 (edited) I have not started the masts. The model is as you see it above. I did not do too much on it today as I went out in the morning. In the afternoon, I made and fitted the forward hatch and cut and painted the wheelbox. During the afternooon, I prepared a piece of 2 thou' brass shim for the production of 20 steering wheels, one of which will be for the schooner. That was quite time consuming putting the rub-on circles and lines onto the brass and then masking it all off with a fine paint brush. Tomorrow, I will etch them, but that process takes care of itself after I have put the sheet in the etching fluid. Then, I can forget about making wheels for the next 19 models! I do tend to work quite fast, but I don't have to think about making it all fold down. I haven't got a great deal of patience! The attached picture shows the situation just before I began work on the model at 1050 hrs yesterday morning! Bob Edited June 18, 2015 by Shipbuilder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbeckiv Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Wow! That looks sooo cool. Can't wait to see the finished product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted June 19, 2015 Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 Bob... what is the book in the picture your pulling your drawing from? Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 19, 2015 It was Schooner Sunset, by Douglas Bennet. It is a very good book for anyone inetersted in modelling small sailing ships, as it has numerous plans for ketches, topsail schooners (2 & 3 masts), barquentines and brigantines, Amongst others it has plans for Mary Sinclair, Squirrel, Minnie, Lochranza Castle, Brooklands, Susan Vittery, North Barrule, Henrietta, Mary Barrow, Flying Foam, Gaelic, Cymric and others. You can find 2nd hand copies by going to: www.bookfinder.com and entering the details. Bob Gwyl Blaser 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 20, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 I have now completed the hull, apart from the boat. The masting and rigging will not take very long on something this simple. I am now just over 8 hours into the build, spread over four days. This little ship, although completed in 1878, was still in the Lloyds Register in 1931/32! Bob IgorSky and Gwyl Blaser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwyl Blaser Posted June 20, 2015 Report Share Posted June 20, 2015 Looking great Bob. That is fine work. Im looking forward to your rigging of this little beauty. Gwyl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted June 21, 2015 Report Share Posted June 21, 2015 Bob, Thanks for the info on the book. It's now on my wish list and the build is coming along nicely! Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 I am now 11 hours into the build. I made and painted the masts and spars this morning. I have fitted and rigged the furled foresail between the boom and gaff, and also rigged the bowsprit/jibboom. Not long to go to completion now. Bob Gwyl Blaser and IgorSky 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwyl Blaser Posted June 22, 2015 Report Share Posted June 22, 2015 She is shaping up very nice Bob. Looking forward to the next update! Gwyl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted June 24, 2015 Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hey Bob, Your next build should go into a bottle my friend. It's time to push the envelope! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 Jeff Afraid it is out of the question - I simply do not have the patience! I don't need to think too much when putting them in display cases where I do not have to bother about folding them down and up again. I would not know how to start making the Minnie fold up successfully, although I am aware of the techniques. But as I have said many times, it is really of a matter of wanting to do something that makes it possible more than anything else. I supose I am drawn to this forum because by their very nature, SIBs are not generally built from kits, and they are also built to miniature scale. I really do not like kits, although they are the accepted norm these days which is very obvious when you look at other forums. I have just been looking at the Preussen build on MSW from the 1st posting to the last. It has given me the impression that this is the first SIB that you have attempted - is this correct? Having built two Preussen's (one under sail and one with sails furled), I realise what a complicated vessel it is! I could not even start to think how I could make all that rigging fold down and up again! How many sails do you intend to set? Will the staysails be set between the masts? It is certainly a mighty ambitious project at that scale which works out at about 71 feet to one inch. You mention laminated spars, and again, I wonder how it could be done on that scale. Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 I got in 3.4 hours work today, and completed the standing rigging. The next task is to fit the furled fore-and-aft sails, and then fit and rig the four yards. Finally, make & fit the boat. Then it will be complete - not long to go now. Then, I will need to make the display case and carrying case. Bob IgorSky and Lboro 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DSiemens Posted June 24, 2015 Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 That was quick work on the rigging. I'm curious what method did you use on the rat lines? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2015 (edited) The ratlines are 38swg tinned copper wire wound around a frame. The shrouds are also tinned copper wire soldered across them. The whole process takes about 15 minutes. I then spray them with red oxide primer and then satin black. The deadeyes are slices of thin resin cored solder stuck on before painting. The rest of the rigging is also copper wire, but it is just glued on. The block are blobs of white wood glue mixed with black paint. This method of rigging is totally unsuitable for SIBs! Bob Edited June 24, 2015 by Shipbuilder IgorSky and Gwyl Blaser 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted June 25, 2015 Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 Bob, Yes the Preussen is my first attempt. I have no fear as I built lots of 1/700 scale waterline models as a young lad. I'll rig her with almost a complete complement of sails less a few at the top and just figuring out what to furl below to show some deck detail. Your build on MSW is what inspired me in the first place. Aye will set stay sails as well! The laminated spars are John Fox III's technique which I will utilize. Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 At that scale, the upper spars will be very thin. Even at my scales, I use metal as it can be made much finer than wood. For me, Preussen was a tedious build at 25'=1" and 70ft to 1 inch would require skills I can only dream of Making that lot fold down at any scale are beyond my comprehension. I couldn't even contemplate it with a model such as Minnie! I have just downloaded John Fox III article of building BonHomme Richard in a light bulb, and it is mind-boggling! Here are two shots of my "under sail" Preussen. Bob Alex Bellinger 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shipbuilder Posted June 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 25, 2015 Nearly fiinshed now. All I have to do is make and fit the boat, and rig the braces on the four yards. Bob IgorSky 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gwyl Blaser Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Looking real nice Bob. I think I might try your rigging techniques on a static display to see how it all works. Gwyl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted June 26, 2015 Report Share Posted June 26, 2015 Bob, Lower yards John's technique, uppers .5 mm wire turned to a taper on end. Just another tricky day ... Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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