"Flying Cloud " by Mamoli - kit bash

[Peter Gutterman]

Any port in a storm!

 

[pugwash]

Peter I admire your determination.
A lesson not to give up; sit back, think about it and carry on.
Recognising an error is not a failure, just change your tack and feel the rewards.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Peter I admire your determination.
A lesson not to give up; sit back, think about it and carry on.
Recognising an error is not a failure, just change your tack and feel the rewards.

Thanks, Pug.

 

[Peter Voogt]

The system send me not alerts about new posts in your log. That’s why I had to read a lot of posts with new items on you model. It’s looking very nice and detailed!
Ps: Wait with the ‘Winter Gloves’ until the rigging is finished ………
Regards, Peter

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Well, my phone intermittently craps out and won't send my photos to my yahoo email. Unpredictable. As a result, I can't upload some process Pics that detail the process of how I accomplished what I could show.. Oh well, my wife's phone works a little better. I'll get my son (or daughter) to show me how to upload the pics directly from the phone. "Til then I'll make do.
The process of stropping and attaching necessary blocks to the channels is (news alert here!) excruciatingly fussy, fiddly, and slooow. After a few hours work, whatcha got to show for it doesn't look like much to write home about. I'll fill in the gaps using "plan B" phone.

 

[pugwash]

I'll follow your example and be patient

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Mostly there's no other choice.

 

[pugwash]

Mostly there's no other choice.

Seems to me, you're making all the right ones

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Starboard channel blocks installed. My wife's phone will suffice until my technical abilities are up to speed. Still don't know why mine keeps crapping out. And I just got a notice that they are finally paid for. Planned obsolescence?
(I'm rapidly approaching my "Use by" date myself! )

 

[Peter Gutterman]

I've been comparing all the clipper rigging plans I have, Mamoli and A.J.Fisher for "Flying Cloud" and Model Shipways for Flying Cloud's near contemporary, also by Donald McKay, if not exactly sister ship, "Flying Fish". I landed on the "Fying Fish plans as they seem to be the most comprehensive, clearly drawn and easy to follow. The other choices differ one from the other as much as they do from the "Flying Fish" plans. I'm guessing that the plans I'm using are close enough for government work. Both ships are McKay creations and overlap in their period of construction. Ben Lankford, who created this set of plans was a naval architect and model designer of some serious credibility. Although later research has turned up some pertinent revisions to his plans.

 

[Peter Voogt]

The hull comes to live with all those details, Pete. Looking forward to the (complex) rigging ……..

I've been comparing all the clipper rigging plans I have,

Got a Deja-vu by this quota of you. I did the same with my Bluenose and that they also differs from each others.
I also used Lankford plans for the overall rigging. (With some details from Jenson.)
Regards, Peter

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Peter, given the high regard I have for your work, your meticulous attention to detail and exceptional craftsmanship your input is especially appreciated.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

A few more process pics and the completed port mizzen channel, all thanks to my suddenly co-operative phone, now grudgingly agreeable to uploading a couple of past photos. We are grateful for small favors and takes what we gets.

 

[pugwash]

Were the original ships lower deadeyes straps, rods or chains.
How are yours made, Peter?

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Were the original ships lower deadeyes straps, rods or chains.
How are yours made, Peter?

I believe originally chain. Then rods with couplings. Mine are synthetic line, wrapped around the deadeye the two sides glued together with CA, threaded through the holes in the channels and nailed with tiny brads through the ends.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

Port side channels, boomkin and after rail blocks installed. What a fussy ordeal for shaky hands. I future I'll have my caffeine (bLack iced tea) fix earlier.
All the tiny fussy thread, wire and knots! makes me wonder at my impulsive decision to go for a full rig!
Simplify, simplify, simplify!!
My mantra moving forward.
Also, with that in mind, smaller scales. (See @ Shipbuilder's Log! He had the drill down to a science AND an art!)

 

[Peter Gutterman]

 

[Peter Gutterman]

I have NO idea how I inadvertently managed to divide that post up into two different ones. But W.T.H. the net result is what matters...
Thanks, Peter Voogt.
Et al.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

I guess the next step is modeling spars. I found a few pre-turned ones in my stash. Despite all the discussion over the virtues of starting from scratch it's always nice to have a leg up. There is still a lot of work to do with these. I start my shaping with a nice sharp block plane, then on to the belt sander, slow and easy with a light touch with a fine grit. You can always take off more. You can't put it back on. I twirl the spar between my thumb and first two fingers of my right hand and lightly hold the spar against the belt with my left. Just the weight of my hand will do holding the end of the spar at a slight angle against the belt. I keep twiring the spar constantly back and forth and frequently check for evenness and consistent roundness. Taking it very slowly leaves lots of room for correction. You have to be careful, also, of maintaining a proper angle and never allowing the dowel to lay flat. the final shaping is best done by hand with a sanding block. Again, use a pretty fine grit. It' easy to take off too much too fast. Any scratches you put into the wood have to come out later. Try to find the half-life of getting to the finished piece. If you get to the edge, you've gone too far.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

By the way, I like birch dowels best. Real birch is getting pretty rare these days. Used to get 'em at the local hardware in a wide variety of diameters. Fortunately, I always bought waaay more than I needed at any given time. There were always a wide variety of diameters of pretty dry, straight dowels. Now it's all some flimsy green warped crap from heaven knows where. I guess to get the real thing You need to go online.

Yours, as ever, the grumpy old fart longing for "the good old days"
Pete