Bonhomme Richard - Pear Cross section kit (with scratch duplicate using alder) Unicorn Model

Peter,
Your observations are spot on. There would be 3 three "thicker" planks on the right side of the belay rail.

I never thought to make the cutout for them (since they are not there). Yes, it is already glued...so it will stay without the cutouts unfortunately!

I appreciate your feedback and observations, as they make me think more and more about the details!
 
Workers switched focus from the quarterdeck to the bowels of the ship. The dividing wall in the lower hold.

The shipyard Superintendent insisted the wall not be built against the main rider. He felt a seaman would not be able to climb the monkey pole, with cannon shot, if the wall was built on the rider (see photo below).
hold wall11.jpeg

Guidance was to ensure 3 feet between the monkey pole and the wall. So, workers steamed some 2x2mm (mini riders) to nail the wall against.

After steaming, they were secured with rubber bands, to forms and left overnight.
20250213_212226.jpg

After drying, they fit the curve of the hull perfectly. They were then trimmed to length.

20250214_084417.jpg

Next, a 2x2 stud was secured to the ceiling timbers to nail the top of the wall.

20250213_235033.jpg

Vertical wall members were next installed, using a spacer (top and bottom) to ensure they stayed parallel and evenly spaced.
20250214_094437.jpg

Once all vertical wall members were in place, workers were given time off to buy Valentine's Day flowers and a card. They also got steaks and chocolate covered strawberries to a special Valentine's dinner.

20250214_105912.jpg

Tomorrow, workers will begin on the gate structure and add the horizontal support members to this wall in the lower hold.
 
BradNSW said:
Workers switched focus from the quarterdeck to the bowels of the ship. The dividing wall in the lower hold.

The shipyard Superintendent insisted the wall not be built against the main rider. He felt a seaman would not be able to climb the monkey pole, with cannon shot, if the wall was built on the rider (see photo below).
View attachment 501249

Guidance was to ensure 3 feet between the monkey pole and the wall. So, workers steamed some 2x2mm (mini riders) to nail the wall against.

After steaming, they were secured with rubber bands, to forms and left overnight.
View attachment 501250

After drying, they fit the curve of the hull perfectly. They were then trimmed to length.

View attachment 501251

Next, a 2x2 stud was secured to the ceiling timbers to nail the top of the wall.

View attachment 501252

Vertical wall members were next installed, using a spacer (top and bottom) to ensure they stayed parallel and evenly spaced.
View attachment 501253

Once all vertical wall members were in place, workers were given time off to buy Valentine's Day flowers and a card. They also got steaks and chocolate covered strawberries to a special Valentine's dinner.

View attachment 501254

Tomorrow, workers will begin on the gate structure and add the horizontal support members to this wall in the lower hold.
Click to expand...
Dear Brad
I Love your joinery work !
Looking very good.
 
The cargo hold door was completed. Workers drilled holes for the hinges and a coat of primer was applied to the hinges.
20250215_105544.jpg

QUIZ CONTEST:
3 of 4 hinges workers used metal pin-heads for the bolts. In the 4th, workers pulled a toothpick through a drawplate and then cut thin slices, which were glued, to simulate bolt heads. CAN YOU SPOT the hinge with wooden bolts?
hinges.jpg

If you guessed the lower left, you were correct.

The horizontal support beams were added (with small pinholes at intersections). Then the gate was attached (and it actually opens/closes). Photos below show it in two different positions.
20250215_173102.jpg20250215_173200.jpg

Finally, the Shipyard Superintendent has proposed that the wall on the opposite side be minimal (see photo below).

20250215_173545.jpg

Viewers should understand that the wall did continue. HOWEVER, the Superintendent want's them to be able to see the main riders, bolts, framing, planking, etc.

Barrels and ballast will be stacked high and fill the side with the full fence (see below). The other side will be open to view structural elements.

full hold.jpg

Thanks for viewing and I hope my long posts help other modelers, as they go through the thought process of modifying kits or custom building.
 
Shipyard turned into a cooperage (barrel making factory) for a day.

I have never been fully satisfied with the scale/proportions of the barrels provided in the kit. After searching many sites on barrel sizes, I have concluded the ones provided in the kit are:
1) A "Tun" barrel (216 gallons / approximately 5ft high)
2) a "British" barrel (32 gallons / approximately 2.5ft high)

I felt there should be some barrels in between (like Hogshead or Puncheon) size, see chart below:

ka6ggphx5mj61.jpg

Ali Express had some barrels that looked like they might be the "Hogshead" size.

Superintendent ordered 8 Barrels for $27, including shipping, then a 2 week wait. PO Brutis and ENS Newbee spent several hours yesterday putting them together. Link if interested: AliExpress Barrels 1:48 Hogshead

The Cooperage produced the medium barrels in the middle below.
20250217_141454.jpg

Shipyard is also awaiting arrival of 1:48 scale ballast stones. Then PO Brutis and ENS Newbee will begin experimenting with different ways of staging the cargo hold. Several different examples are shown below.

PO Brutis advised to keep ballast stone low (like photo 1 and right-side photo 2). If anyone has additional advice, suggestions or pictures, it would be appreciated.


hold wall7.JPGhold wall6.jpg
 
NOTE on hinges. Anyone building this in the future, I would recommend hanging the doors in the manner Signet did (see below discussion).

The hinges I built, following the kit drawings, are NOT the best/most structurally strong way to hang a door!
door hinges.jpg

IMHO, Signet hung his door in the most structurally sound way (i.e.: Both door hinges drop onto the frame hinges).
Signets door hinges.jpg

I remember seeing Signets doors and thinking the kit drawings (below) are not as strong/correct as the way he constructed them. Unfortunately, when I build my door, I did so over the kit drawings (below).

I did manage to hang them.
1st: Set the top door hinge on the frame hinge and drop in the bolt.
2nd: Put the bottom door hinge UNDER the frame hinge and drop in the second bolt.

Door is hung but not as strong as it could be.
20250218_1205484.jpg
 
From a Cooperage (barrel production) to tedious Treenailing.Sleep

The numbers:
1. Decks 1-4 (treenails completed and in place): 1,736
2. Interior hull planking (treenails completed and in place): 2,304
3. Exterior hull (treenails completed and in place): 1,276
4. Exterior hull (treenails on the assembly line now): 1,100
Projected total # of treenails: 6,416

Shipyard was avoiding this last batch of 1,100 treenails, but sequencing requires it:
1. The Barrels are ready to be placed in the hold.
2. BUT to place the barrels, the ballast needs to be laid.
3. BUT to lay the ballast, the keel and exterior planking need to be in place to keep the ballast from falling out.

So, the keel was finally attached:
20250218_193240.jpg20250218_193044.jpg

Next 34 exterior hull planks were marked with the frame locations

20250218_195330.jpg

Four treenail holes/frame were drilled, following the Boudroit plans (top 3 planks). Then the treenails were inserted, sanded and finally oiled with Watco Natural Danish wood oil to bring out the grain and subtly highlight the treenails (bottom5 planks).
20250220_155649.jpg

The final result, once installed will- look like this:
20250111_150705.jpg

Long post, as the shipyard is celebrating being near the end of treenails!!!

A test plank was butted up against the keel rabbit. It looks like a tight fit, which should become perfect with some delicate sanding.
20250218_193435.jpg
 
BradNSW said:
From a Cooperage (barrel production) to tedious Treenailing.Sleep

The numbers:
1. Decks 1-4 (treenails completed and in place): 1,736
2. Interior hull planking (treenails completed and in place): 2,304
3. Exterior hull (treenails completed and in place): 1,276
4. Exterior hull (treenails on the assembly line now): 1,100
Projected total # of treenails: 6,416

Shipyard was avoiding this last batch of 1,100 treenails, but sequencing requires it:
1. The Barrels are ready to be placed in the hold.
2. BUT to place the barrels, the ballast needs to be laid.
3. BUT to lay the ballast, the keel and exterior planking need to be in place to keep the ballast from falling out.

So, the keel was finally attached:
View attachment 502471View attachment 502470

Next 34 exterior hull planks were marked with the frame locations

View attachment 502474

Four treenail holes/frame were drilled, following the Boudroit plans (top 3 planks). Then the treenails were inserted, sanded and finally oiled with Watco Natural Danish wood oil to bring out the grain and subtly highlight the treenails (bottom5 planks).
View attachment 502475

The final result, once installed will- look like this:
View attachment 502478

Long post, as the shipyard is celebrating being near the end of treenails!!!

A test plank was butted up against the keel rabbit. It looks like a tight fit, which should become perfect with some delicate sanding.
View attachment 502481
Click to expand...
amazing work Okay
 
Small update, as the shipyard continues to drill and press in 1,100 treenails for the final exterior hull planks.

1. Here is how the final exterior hull planks are lining up.
20250223_134228.jpg

2. Below is a test of ballast with the small and medium barrels. Shipyard ordered the ballast on Amazon see link below:
Woodlands Scenic Coarse

20250223_134054.jpg

The Shipyard also ordered Woodlands Scenic Grey Blend Medium. it was too fine/small for 1:48 scale. It would probably look fine at 1:75 to 1:100 scale.
Woodlands Scenic Medium
 
Work halted for a 2-day trip to Kalispell MT (the gateway to Glacier National Park). It's as beautiful in winter as in the summer.

I was able to get some boxes made for the cargo hold.
20250225_145108.jpg20250225_153113.jpg20250226_070306.jpg20250226_070143.jpg

When I get back tonight, I should be able to put "THE LAST PLANK" on the hull and start playing with the ballast and cargo configurations.
 
Shipyard moved to 9,000ft above sea-level! Workers skied Breckenridge for the last two day!

After skiing, workers played with placement of ballast, and the various size barrels and cargo boxes. The boxes are now glued along the centerline of the hold (with room under them for ballast stone).
20250303_194455.jpg20250303_194609.jpg

Next step will be to mix the (50/50 - glue/ballast) concoction, then lay the first row of barrels (4 large barrels in photo below). Workers also cut 50 pieces of lumber for bracing/wedging between the barrels.
20250302_175121.jpg

Grey dust on the deck is from several test where the ballast was laid, to see how it looked and how it could be manipulated. Time will tell how realistic it all looks when complete.
 
After 6 days skiing Breckenridge, workers rested and placed the ballast.

This was something new, so I searched build logs for placing ballast. Most agreed a 50/50 mix of water and wood glue worked well, so this is what I used. The link for the ballast is:

Grey ballast 1:48 scale

I also added wood dunnage to fill the voids between barrels/add bracing. Below photos show the ballast/barrels/crates/dunnage. Only the bottom row of barrels is glued into position.
20250308_114550.jpg20250308_165358.jpg20250308_165812.jpg

I also added some "hard-tack" to one of the crates (thin slices of toothpicks).

20250308_182745.jpg

I'm satisfied with the results.
 
BradNSW said:
After 6 days skiing Breckenridge, workers rested and placed the ballast.

This was something new, so I searched build logs for placing ballast. Most agreed a 50/50 mix of water and wood glue worked well, so this is what I used. The link for the ballast is:

Grey ballast 1:48 scale

I also added wood dunnage to fill the voids between barrels/add bracing. Below photos show the ballast/barrels/crates/dunnage. Only the bottom row of barrels is glued into position.
View attachment 505639View attachment 505640View attachment 505642

I also added some "hard-tack" to one of the crates (thin slices of toothpicks).

View attachment 505641

I'm satisfied with the results.
Click to expand...
Nice work, Brad. The crew can leave with peace of mind. They have been well looked after.
Regards, Peter
 
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