L'Orenoque Mamoli 1:100 scale

[Ted Robinson]

Ted! I had my "15 minutes of fame" during the academic year 2015-2016. I haven't ever posted anything outside of SOS and LinkedIn and I am about to quit LinkedIn. Although it is less upsetting now to know how many pictures of me are out there including misinterpretations of my words and down-right misquotes, I could never YouTube.

Sorry, shipmate!

On the other hand, I can take the time to fully describe the process and include pictures - my Admiral will be the photographer. I'll get a "how I did it" post up in December. Promise!

Blessings. And, Ted, thanks for the interest and support!
Chuck

It’s an interesting process. Also consistent results as opposed to planking a frame

 

[The Gavel]

It’s an interesting process. Also consistent results as opposed to planking a frame

Ted! I agree with the first sentiment! As to the second, I was completely inconsistent in moving from prototype which was too big, to the second boat - too few "planks" (keeping in mind that the hulls of these bateaux-tambour were iron), to the third boat - the right amount of planks and the fourth boat which came out ALMOST identical to the third boat . I have to confess that my process is less mathematical than it probably should be. Many of our shipmates would run mad or even worse, shun me, if they knew how much I did by eye. In reality they probably already know. As we all know, this art, when it is art, is about symmetry and delicacy and craftsmanship, It has taken me a while to get comfortable with my skills in some of the basic processes of our avocation, like planking. I remain a junior journeyman, but I manage to increase the consistency of my results every next time. That's the learning curve for me - a shallow one.

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude,
Chuck

 

[The Gavel]

What ho, shipmates! Before I pipe down, a couple of pics from today's work. Got the benches and the thole pins installed on the bateaux-tambour. I turned my attention to the oars. The kit-supplied oars are very delicate once shaped. Remember to work on thinning the blades first. Otherwise you'll wind up breaking the oar if you first shaped the shaft and hand-hold and then tried to shape the blade. Lucky me, I got away with doing it wrong once. As I was doing it wrong the second time, I thought: I should probably shape the blade first because the shaft is so thin . . . So on the second second oar, I started with the blade. And you'll be pleased, I hope, with the color I chose to paint the oars!



Only 12 more to go! And they take about 5 minutes each to shape YAY!!!

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

 

[Ted Robinson]

Ted! I agree with the first sentiment! As to the second, I was completely inconsistent in moving from prototype which was too big, to the second boat - too few "planks" (keeping in mind that the hulls of these bateaux-tambour were iron), to the third boat - the right amount of planks and the fourth boat which came out ALMOST identical to the third boat . I have to confess that my process is less mathematical than it probably should be. Many of our shipmates would run mad or even worse, shun me, if they knew how much I did by eye. In reality they probably already know. As we all know, this art, when it is art, is about symmetry and delicacy and craftsmanship, It has taken me a while to get comfortable with my skills in some of the basic processes of our avocation, like planking. I remain a junior journeyman, but I manage to increase the consistency of my results every next time. That's the learning curve for me - a shallow one.

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude,
Chuck

You're talking to the master at tearing work out to rebuild. I get it right eventually too. Or at least close enough
Happy Thanksgiving weekend

 

[GrantTyler]

Good shipmates are necessary for success!

This is a true story Chuck. I owe the guys on this platform plenty for their advice and friendship. Cheers Grant

 

[GIG1810]

Hey Chuck,
nice dinghy and really great oars. I've never seen them in green before! Very nice. Really great build report...

 

[Martin By Eye]

just been making some oars from bamboo toothpicks, has pretty good grain structure to work with, quite robust.

 

[The Gavel]

This is a true story Chuck. I owe the guys on this platform plenty for their advice and friendship. Cheers Grant

Grant! Amen brother! I don't know how I would have made as much progress with skill development and personal satisfaction with my results without the intrepid crew of SOS. In addition to the expert guidance, I also find that the audacity and tenacity of my shipmates has sparked the same qualities in me. Bless you all!

Chuck

 

[The Gavel]

Hey Chuck,
nice dinghy and really great oars. I've never seen them in green before! Very nice. Really great build report...

Gunther! Thank you, my friend! I appreciate the appreciation! About the oars, what can I say - I really like that green color and I my artist's eye likes the repetition of the natural wood, black and green between the paddle wheel and the bateaux-tambour. Once rigged, the bateaux will be at a level where the eye will see the bateaux against the backdrop of the paddle wheel. I'm so excited!!! I can hardly wait - until I finish a long, long list of to-dos before the final step of rigging the boats.

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

 

[The Gavel]

just been making some oars from bamboo toothpicks, has pretty good grain structure to work with, quite robust.

Martin! It's as if we were twins - as I finished up the oars project, last night I thought that I should probably have a draw plate and bamboo so that I can make extra oars!!!

I wish you would post some pics of your process. I managed to make 14 oars for the bateaux of the 16 attempts. I have five other ships boats to build and supply with oars and what not. The kit-supplied oars won't be nearly enough particularly if I decide I need 14 more oars for the stowed bateaux-tambour on the starboard sponson

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

 

[The Gavel]

What ho, shipmates! Well, I finally pulled the trigger on a scaled down purchase from @Dry-Dock Models & Parts . Total "duties"/tariff was 20% of the purchase. I'm going to have to really double down on my savings to be able to complete the full order. But, in the end, I am telling myself that the Best is the Best and always worth the cost.

As a suggestion, it would help with the sticker shock to see a notice on the Dry Dock website that US purchasers are not looking at the real prices when they full up their carts - alternatively, Dry Dock could simply incorpate the tariff into the unit pricing - another Canadian company I frequent, Spier & Mackay, has done the latter. Well, that's the news for the next little while. See you in the funny papers!

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

 

[Corsair]

What ho, shipmates! Well, I finally pulled the trigger on a scaled down purchase from @Dry-Dock Models & Parts . Total "duties"/tariff was 20% of the purchase. I'm going to have to really double down on my savings to be able to complete the full order. But, in the end, I am telling myself that the Best is the Best and always worth the cost.

As a suggestion, it would help with the sticker shock to see a notice on the Dry Dock website that US purchasers are not looking at the real prices when they full up their carts - alternatively, Dry Dock could simply incorpate the tariff into the unit pricing - another Canadian company I frequent, Spier & Mackay, has done the latter. Well, that's the news for the next little while. See you in the funny papers!

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

Oh you tease ! You're not even going to tell us what you got !!!!
I call foul !!!

 

[Namabiiru]

Ted! I agree with the first sentiment! As to the second, I was completely inconsistent in moving from prototype which was too big, to the second boat - too few "planks" (keeping in mind that the hulls of these bateaux-tambour were iron), to the third boat - the right amount of planks and the fourth boat which came out ALMOST identical to the third boat . I have to confess that my process is less mathematical than it probably should be. Many of our shipmates would run mad or even worse, shun me, if they knew how much I did by eye. In reality they probably already know. As we all know, this art, when it is art, is about symmetry and delicacy and craftsmanship, It has taken me a while to get comfortable with my skills in some of the basic processes of our avocation, like planking. I remain a junior journeyman, but I manage to increase the consistency of my results every next time. That's the learning curve for me - a shallow one.

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude,
Chuck

The TLAR method features prominently in my builds as well

 

[Martin By Eye]

Martin! It's as if we were twins - as I finished up the oars project, last night I thought that I should probably have a draw plate and bamboo so that I can make extra oars!!!

I wish you would post some pics of your process. I managed to make 14 oars for the bateaux of the 16 attempts. I have five other ships boats to build and supply with oars and what not. The kit-supplied oars won't be nearly enough particularly if I decide I need 14 more oars for the stowed bateaux-tambour on the starboard sponson

Blessings. Peace. Gratitude.
Chuck

 

[Martin By Eye]

Good lord, Chuck , there is no process to sanding toothpicks ! You have got the only important bit...blade first ! That is usually with an exacto then all the rest is flat needle file or even a small drum sander in the dremel if you are pushed for time ! They might be a bit small for your project as i am at 1/115 but sometimes kebab skewers are bamboo at 3mm diameter. I only whittled a couple for my Cutty boats to break from dressing the main mast for stepping (i'm half way through!) photo's to keep you happy !(don't know why it's gone sideways)