• Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

I need help!

C

czarroman

Joined
Feb 20, 2025
Messages
10
Points
8

Hi all,
This is my 3rd build.
I am building the Nikitin Captain John Smith Shallop. I am assembling the skeleton. Most of the ribs are in place and glued but as you can see in the pictures the last few will not fit into the frame to be glued. I have broken a few ribs already by pressing and gluing them onto the frame.

I don’t know how to proceed.
Should I make more cutouts in the frame for the ribs?
Should I unglue the ribs and fit them in the frame and then glue?
Thoughts?
I have seen a few videos on YouTube and placing the ribs look so effortless on them. It is certainly not for me!
Thanks for your help in advance.
MarkIMG_0082.jpegIMG_0083.jpegIMG_0084.jpeg
 
If the wood came out of your kit looking so rough and 'chewed up' as what I see in your photos... I'd return the kit and get my money back! If not... I'd find a different hobby!
 
dockattner said:
I literally hate it when I see comments like this. The gentleman is asking for assistance. Find another forum @MThomas.
Click to expand...
Sorry, but I see something wrong here. Kinda looks like a troll. when is the last time you saw the face of factory kit parts come out like that? He ruffed those parts up, intentionally! He's after a reaction from folks!
 
I am truly asking for help. The close-up photos of the ribs are probably magnified quite a bit and that’s why it looks so rough. If you look at the long shot of all the ribs, you can see it looks pretty normal.

If anyone has any thoughts on how to help me, I would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Mark
 
Why did you sand the 'entire' face of your frames with such coarse sandpaper? I'll help if I can, but I'm really curious about the true intent of your post at this point...???
 
David, look in the background of his first photo. You'll see what material. Can't remember the name, but it is basically particle-board.
 
Last edited:
Mark,
I think I see the problem. When you glued the frames together, did you do so over the plans, for a template... or did you just glue them together without using any template/reference to ensure that the geometry was indeed proper? What type of glue did you use?
 
Last edited:
Per pictures the frames are not assembled together properly. Only way I see is unglue with water and do frames again, one by one but exactly per drawings provided.
 
For my two cents, Youtube videos can be are extremely decieving when showing builds. Often, it's editing that hiding a lot of hours or prepping steps that most viewers aren't interested in seeing.

I have very limited experience with wooden kits, but from what I've experienced, the pieces aren't always cut exactly, requiring that you do some additional shaping with either a hobby knife or (my preferred method) sanding. @MThomas made a good point with the templates. If they are provided, it's usually because you need to double check that the geometry lines up well in case of manufacturing errors.
 
if the ribs are made from particle board, do NOT use water as water causes particle boards to swell big time.
 
Sorry. But I suggest, major surgery. There are three contact points to align the ribs; the keel, the lower row of notches, and the upper row. I’m assuming that this building jig was provided by the kit manufacturer.

It is essential that each frame is attached to the keel and at the same time fully engages both the respective upper and lower notch. Looking at your first photo, it appears that in your case this has not happened; not only for the cant frames but also for the square frames. When you try to plank the planking will not lay against the frames forming fair (smooth) curves.

What to do? If you used a PVA glue like Titebond denatured alcohol will dissolve it. The best is that sold for camp stove fuel. Acetone I believe will dissolve CA glue. Completely disassemble the model. I would clamp the three frame segments together and offer the dry fitted frame to the correct set of notches in the jig. Move the segments until they fit into the notches as intended then glue.

Roger
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top