Kingfisher 1770 1:48 POF

dockattner said:
While I don't think the headworks are the hardest thing I have done on this ship model (hawse timbers still hold that place of pride), they are making a case for their inclusion near the top of that list.

The problems are legion - but counted among them are the many planes of space that need to be simultaneously balanced (nothing is square) - and the fact that nothing should be fixed (glued) until future components are fabricated. Indeed, TFFM (Antscherl) suggests that fabricated parts just be pinned in place and then everything is taken apart later in preparation for final assembly. I am aware of three swan class ship builds that followed this model precisely.

As it turns out you are not reading a fourth.

Following the permanent installation of the upper and lower cheeks (no problem with doing that) comes the fabrication of the main rail. Antscherl dedicates several pages to this complicated piece but then says to just pin it in place while you fabricate the head beam (runs athwartships just like a deck beam) and the knees (just like lodging knees). And then go ahead and fabricate some carlings that terminate at a crosspiece (hey you, do NOT touch that bottle of glue). Next, make a lower rail which has to be precisely fit in place so that you can fabricate the head timbers (several more pages of instruction) which it passes through. Whatever you do DON'T glue anything yet.

Now, take everything apart and glue it all in place in reverse order.

Well, "that dog don't hunt" (an American colloquialism that my international friends will hopefully take the meaning of).


The main rail was fabricated and pinned in place (I was still following the instructions at this point):

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It was during the fabrication of the head beam that I realized this "fit it in place and glue it together later" approach wasn't going to work for me. I permanently cemented the main rails and carried on...

In the following image you can see the athwartships head beam - the carlings - the crosspiece (forward end of the carlings) and notched battens attached to the hull:

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So far so good.

But then it came time to fabricate and install the head timbers. There were four of these on the Pegasus (that's the sample ship highlighted in TFFM) but only three on the Kingfisher. The head timbers sit on the upper cheek and support the main rail.

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Not only do the head timbers sit on the upper cheek, but they should also sit over the top of (saddle over) the standard that sits on the knee of the head. The problem is you can't install these parts if you have cemented other things in place...

My solution (and in fairness, a solution that I did not invent) was to cut the head timbers into two pieces. I did attempt to make these appear as if they were a single piece via scarf joints, but that was a comprehensive failure.

These six little pieces represent a full day of work...(really Paul? a FULL day? Yes, an eight hour day on these six pieces and I don't even know yet if they will be usable until I sort out the lower rail...).

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And now I need to figure out how to run a lower rail through these head timbers.

I should have chosen a different hobby: maybe gardening, or genealogy... my dad collected coins...
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Paul …… what is the fun of a simple ‘plug and play’?:rolleyes:
The front of this kind of ship is complex and a real challenge. Thinking one step ahead is in your position not enough. Not with your model and not in your profession. I'm pretty sure you can tackle this 'problem' with your project-based approach.:)
And with a (small) re-do you earned a coin for you jar. That almost in the footsteps of you dad’s collection …….. ROTF
PS: I feel very very honored that you mentioned my current build. You made me blush.
Regards, Peter
 
Masters Mate said:
Just step back and admire your workmanship, Paul.
Except that you are such a clever photographer AND precise model builder, no-one else would notice your joins or scarfs in what will look just like a cleverly placed single piece. You are too hard on yourself (and just in case you are tempted, you don't get much out of eight hours doing genealogy!!) Cautious
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Thank you, Ian. It is true that I can be hard on myself. For the record there is little danger that I will fall into a genealogy habit ROTF.

Mirek said:
Witaj
Bardzo trudny etap pracy Pawle radzisz sobie doskonale. Pozdrawiam Mirek
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Thanks, Mirek. Yes, this bit of construction is very challenging.

Peter Voogt said:
Paul …… what is the fun of a simple ‘plug and play’?:rolleyes:
The front of this kind of ship is complex and a real challenge. Thinking one step ahead is in your position not enough. Not with your model and not in your profession. I'm pretty sure you can tackle this 'problem' with your project-based approach.:)
And with a (small) re-do you earned a coin for you jar. That almost in the footsteps of you dad’s collection …….. ROTF
PS: I feel very very honored that you mentioned my current build. You made me blush.
Regards, Peter
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Thank you, Peter. The mention is well-deserved.

GrantTyler said:
Yah!

True story. I include you and others who have done the same for myself
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We have both been on the receiving end of some great teaching - either directly or by way of example.

Peter Gutterman said:
What a humbling yet instructive, motivating and inspiring experience to follow your build. Well done, sir. I look forward to the ongoing installments!
Happy and productive new year!

Pete
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Thanks, Pete. It is a joy to share my work on this forum.
 
dockattner said:
Hello Friends! Happy New Year!

January 1 happens to mark the birthday/anniversary of this build report.

Now two years into it I have learned a lot about modeling from this POF build. My understanding of ships has grown, and I have become much more comfortable using benchtop machines to add some precision to the fabrication of certain parts. Still, the hobby for me is just as much about making things with my hands and hand tools so that will remain the central part of my work habit (as well as a source of great satisfaction in the artistic sense).

Along the way I have made many forum friends; these relationships are a critical part of the hobby for me. I would not find as much enjoyment in the work if it was completed in isolation. Plus, I have often been challenged to improve my work by so many of you - I am grateful for you and the opportunities you provide to pursue (my version of) excellence in model building.

I have been fiddling with the head structures, and they have been frustratingly difficult. I'll report on those efforts in another post when I have sorted through a few of the challenges.

But for now, I think I'd like to celebrate two years of progress on the Kingfisher. What follows are images taken at one year followed by images taken today at two years.

January 1, 2024

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January 1, 2025

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Thanks for joining me along the way and for your encouraging likes and posts. Onward into the new year!
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Too late for the party, but when people ask me if I rather look to Firefox or pictures of Paul's Kingfisher, I prefer the Kingfisher. Happy New Year to you and your family.
 
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