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Build log for Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack by Don Ricardo

11320 Titanic said:
Sanding the bow blocks a little each day.
day.
When spreading PVA on the sail material, does it go on thin or full weight? Both sides?
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The PVA should be diluted down. Put the sail material on something like plastic wrap or wax paper so it doesn't stick to the other surface. (Ask me how I know this! :rolleyes:) The PVA will seep through so one side is fine.

Rob
 
Got the cleats glued on with super glue, eyebolts in. Some paint touch ups, and ready to start rigging. Now, how to make sails...looking online what do you use to make the holes in the sails?
 
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Rob444 said:
The PVA should be diluted down. Put the sail material on something like plastic wrap or wax paper so it doesn't stick to the other surface. (Ask me how I know this! :rolleyes:) The PVA will seep through so one side is fine.

Rob
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Thanks Rob. Got some aluminum foil, and a larger brush to use, PVA diluted 50%. Will be doing that today. I will use the sail to determine where the mast rings go, and add the parrel to the mast. Looking for something to punch the holes in the sails with, standard paper hole punches are too large, maybe Hobby Lobby or Model Expo.
 
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Stan Stocker said:
Probably a heretical approach, but how about ignoring the provided thick and hard material and skinning the sucker with 1/16 basswood instead? I ended up with two Sakonnet Daysailer kits somehow. The first I fought like a dog to use the thick stuff they provided for "planking" and it's OK but far from fun. Having a second kit on hand I tried using 1/16 basswood instead. Still needed a wee bit of water and some heat and gentle persuasion but the hull looks better, the job went quicker, and all seems perfectly fine. Just need to remember you don't have all that wood on the hard chine so care in refining the line with sandpaper is needed.

I haven't done the Lobster Smack yet, it's waiting in queue while I finish up a Mighty Mite tug and the two daysailers. Odds are I'll do a Dumas kit or two before I get back into the Midwest kit world. I sure do recognize that hard unyielding planking material you are fighting with through.

Cheers, and maybe running and ducking!
Stan
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Sadly, Dumas is going out of business, sir.
 
Ready to prepare the sails on the Lobster Smack, to start with white PVA glue mixed with water at 50/50 ratio, went online to check the proper way to do this and online was totally confusing...what is a good PVA white glue to use? Any advice on this? Sail cloth is ironed and read to go.
Also, what do you use to make holes in the sail cloth once it had dried, and grommets, or is this kit to small to use grommets?
 
Question on the Lobster Smack sails...do grommets come in sizes small enough for this model? The smallest I can fine online seem to be 3/16 or larger. Or is this too small for using grommets? They would really dress up the sails if the proper size. Tried Hobby Lobby and Michaels and Amazon.
 
11320 Titanic said:
Question on the Lobster Smack sails...do grommets come in sizes small enough for this model? The smallest I can fine online seem to be 3/16 or larger. Or is this too small for using grommets? They would really dress up the sails if the proper size. Tried Hobby Lobby and Michaels and Amazon.
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I think any kind of PVA would do. I believe I used Elmers wood glue.

I did not bother with grommets with my similar sized sailing pram. I agree they would probably be too big. I used a fine point sharpie and marked the sites where the grommets go with black ink (test the sharpie first on a spare piece of cloth to make sure the ink does not spread). I made a small hole in the middle of the spot with a small drill bit to thread the rigging through.

Rob
 
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I ironed the sail material. No one ever told me you were supposed to add water to the iron, so now I have brown sail cloth. Fortunately, I have the sail cloth from the Smack I broke, and my Captain is going to teach me how to "iron". She also showed me how to take a spray bottle and spray the cloth if I want to do it that way.
Of course this was accompanied by a lot of,"don't you know anythings?, and what's wrong with you men?"
Of course I would never dream of asking her to do the brakes! And kept my silence!
 
11320 Titanic said:
I ironed the sail material. No one ever told me you were supposed to add water to the iron, so now I have brown sail cloth. Fortunately, I have the sail cloth from the Smack I broke, and my Captain is going to teach me how to "iron". She also showed me how to take a spray bottle and spray the cloth if I want to do it that way.
Of course this was accompanied by a lot of,"don't you know anythings?, and what's wrong with you men?"
Of course I would never dream of asking her to do the brakes! And kept my silence!
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Keeping your silence is key! I hope you are not ironing the cloth after you soak it with water/glue.

Rob
 
Rob444 said:
Keeping your silence is key! I hope you are not ironing the cloth after you soak it with water/glue.

Rob
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Got the mast stepped and rigged to the bowsprit. But I have to unrig and wax the rope...forgot about that. The last thing you need is fuzzies on your riggin
11320 Titanic said:
No, I did the ironing first.
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About waxing your rigging...is it best to melt bees wax and rub it on, or boil it in a pot and soak the rope in it then rubbing the excess off? Will the knotting still require gluing after using bees wax?
Looking for 1/24 scale figures to populate the Smack with, too, looking online. Some adjustments to poses would have to be made, which would require heat?

20260328_094451.jpg
 
11320 Titanic said:
Got the mast stepped and rigged to the bowsprit. But I have to unrig and wax the rope...forgot about that. The last thing you need is fuzzies on your riggin

About waxing your rigging...is it best to melt bees wax and rub it on, or boil it in a pot and soak the rope in it then rubbing the excess off? Will the knotting still require gluing after using bees wax?
Looking for 1/24 scale figures to populate the Smack with, too, looking online. Some adjustments to poses would have to be made, which would require heat?

View attachment 587786
Click to expand...
Personally I don't use bees wax but from my understanding people use bees wax sticks and rub the rope through it a few times.


Rob
 
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