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Santa Maria1:48 (Pavel Nikitin)

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From reading other's builds, one is pretty much on their own as to were rigging goes. The rigging sheet is pretty much just blank lines going nowhere or no lines at all.
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I may attach the rudder, anchors and some of the deck pieces first as not looing forward to starting the rigging.
Well, from the work you've done so far, the rigging will look great, no matter the loose instructions. Beautiful work.
 
Thank you Tim. Overall this is a pretty nice kit.
I'd agree, as I built Pavel's Shallop - and I liked that kit - all those jigs. Didn't put sails on it though (still might). And I've been looking at Pavel's Santa Maria and his San Bartolome ever since I completed the Shallop. Be ready for a new ship in about 2 months. Dunno yet - selection is part of the fun.
 
Yes. I've seen you link when searching for Shallop builds. What a find build you made. I built the Shallop too and gave it to my daughter. Thought I have posted a build here on SOS. Guess I didn't. I was having some difficult times a few years ago and started some builds here, but could never complete them. I'm going to finish this build. I bought Pavel's Bartolome a few years ago but just couldn't work on models anymore and gave it away. However, I ordered the Pavel's kit again last November and will build it this time (that is if it ever arrives!!), when I finish the Santa Maria.
 
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I chose the rudder first. As mentioned on a couple of logs a couple of the hinges are just a little too long.
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I found it hard to bend the hinges correctly so I shaped a small piece of wood with the same dimentions as the rudder and bent the hinges over it.
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I added a small piece of wood inside the hinge to make it sit further from the front edge of the rudder. This solved the 'too long' hinges.
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The ship doesn't really have anyting 'bright' on it. I dulled down the gold in the stern. I decided to paint the hinges a dull black. To me, it fits in with the surroundings better than the bright gold color.
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Will probably work on the anchors next.
 
That looks great. Nice fix. I like our muted color scheme.

A retro question for you. I'm at the point of adding the frames to the keel with the spacers between the frames. I'm puzzled by frames # 1 and # 2. Parts 51L and 51R appear to be the same size as parts 52L and R. Parts 51 are added to the top of frame #1 and parts 52 are added to the top frame #2, I've puzzeld over the paper instructions and re-watched Pavel's videos of adding the frames to keel.

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Part 51in the red circle. The noched piece is the wrong size

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If I fit it into frame #2 the whole assembly won't fit properly into the keel.

I'm thinking of "adjusting" it.

Anyway did you have that problem?

Jan
 
Gosh Jan. Hard to remember what I did. I know the parts didn't fit correctly. Seems I had to cut or trim to fit the 'spacers'... to make the pieces fit correctly . I'm pretty sure the parts aren't cut correctly and had to be 'fitted' to make the 'space' the correct size. I just 'eyed' and trimmed the pieces until everything looked correct.

I believe Pavel glued the first 3 frames together then fitted them to the keel. I didn't do that. I put them in one at a time.

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Gosh Jan. Hard to remember what I did. I know the parts didn't fit correctly. Seems I had to cut or trim to fit the 'spacers'... to make the pieces fit correctly . I'm pretty sure the parts aren't cut correctly and had to be 'fitted' to make the 'space' the correct size. I just 'eyed' and trimmed the pieces until everything looked correct.

I believe Pavel glued the first 3 frames together then fitted them to the keel. I didn't do that. I put them in one at a time.

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Thanks for the quick reply. I thought I had made a mistake or missed something. I also did a quick assembly fitting the frames to the keel and inserting the deck spacers. I stopped mid ship when I noticed the frames were being bowed out by the spacers. Looks like another " adjustment" project.

Jan
 
I finally fininished the masts and yards. If you remember, I am missing the pulley pieces which attach to the tops of the masts. I wrote Denis at Pavels asking he send the Pack14. This was his reply... "pack 14 is a small box with a small plates. please check. It cant be missed, at least we didnt have such situation". As if I didn't look for the parts several times before I wrote him. I didn't reply. I'm make something or drill pulley holes in the top of the masts.

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I created a lot of wood dust sanding the dowels. A couple of the yards were made by splicing two pieces of wood together. I didn't feel like doiing this, so I made all the yards out of a one piece dowel. One on the builds, the person says Pavel didn't believe the trees at the time were large enough to make the mast and larger yards from one piece. Guess that's the reason he provided pieces of wood to glue together then round off.
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As the dowels were slightly different looking woods and shades of whitish color, I coated them with Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner. I have several shades of walnut stain. I applied each of them to 'test' pieces of dowel. Didn't like the looks of any of them. Then had to thought maybe airbrush them. So, I tested the Pavel alcohol dyes on a dowel. First the patina, light sanding and then the Oak dye. This turned out so miuch better. I airbrushed them all this way.
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There's climbing lines at the crowsnest. They go from the top of the shrouds to the framework of the crowsnest. furtock?
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There's two (furtock?) lines going to the crowsnest in the drawings.

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I decided to put 3 lines as don't care for the 2 line look. I'm drilling small holes everywhere I see where an eyebolt goes and inserting an eye into the holes. I'm not gluing the eyebolts in yet as they probably need blocks attached and I find it easier to attach a block before gluing the eyebolt in place.
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The rigging plans concern me. I don't have the knowledge to know where lines go. The drawings have empty blocks (no lines) and lines going nowhere. I'm hoping I can look at other builds and try to figure out where the lines go. And the sails... No sail lines makes it worse... May just leave sails off, unless I can find builds (including Pavels own images of his ship) where I can see the lines enough to rig sails. The numbers on the drawings are mostly the rigging line size. #1 through #6.
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For anyone having a boring Thursday afternoon, and tried of standing in the yard watching your tomato plants grow... I have a treat for you. Buy this kit and make some deadeyes!!

I decided to put together the chainplate.
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But first one must put the deadeyes together...
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Three tiny pieces glued together and the center piece is smaller. I made a jig the same size as the larger pieces.
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Insert the bottom piece, apply a little CA glue, then the middle piece, apply a little more glue, then the top piece.
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Then repeat this about 24 times. Plus I made a couple extra as these kind of things always go missing.
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I've been working on my brass wire soldering skills. Ruined some wire and solder, Melted some wire. But, think I finally got it. Tried using a torch like Olha does. But melted the brass. But, she also uses a soldering iron. That worked much better. I'm going to replace the lfat brass chainlink pieces (they don't look nearly are good as wire) with blackened brass wire.
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I tried putting small nail in the outline and bending wire around them. That didn't look too good. Then thought to glue down one of the deadeye haves (there's extras). I put the rouinded side down so the wire would 'kind of' fit in the small groove between the rounded edge of. the deadeye and to board it's glued to. Then put in 3 nails to form the bottom of the wire.
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This worked pretty good. So I'll make all the pieces from 20 gauge brass wire.
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Blackened the wire then bent the 'eye' end around a nail. I'll probably make the deadeyes black too.
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Still working on the chainplate. I used a tiny 3 sided file to enlarge the groove around the deadeyes. The groove was made for the thin brass piece which comes with the kit. As I'm using wire a larger goove is needed. Plus the shroud rope in the kit is pretty large and a larger groove with help hold the rope in place.
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Making wire loops for lower deadeyes.
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And there's a longer and short link beow the deadeye oop wire.
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All the pieces cut and bent. Ready for solder.
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Pieces soldered together. And blackened.
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Stained the deadeyes black and put them in the wire loops.
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The retaining bar gets added after the deadeyes are in place. The bar has predrilled holes. I held it in place and drilled a hole in the chainplate board.
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The deayeye wire (pass through) grooves in the chainplate board are small as the kit supplied loop for the deadeye is a small, flat brass piece. I'll have to enlarge the grooves for the wire.
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I still need to make more, smaller, deadeye loops for the deadeyes over the gunports. Plus there's a eye for a hook between the deadeyes. I must have done something wrong as the as the deadeye loops cross over both gun ports. If I recall, the chainplate board is not the same on both ends. It' likely I put the board on wrong. No big deal really. I'll just put a short loop at both gunports.
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