Ditto. I banned my house keeper from vacuuming my shipyard as “lost” parts were sucked away. I always seem to find my lost parts when I’m not looking for them
. Cheers Grant
MarisStella Ragusian Carrack by Signet [COMPLETED BUILD]
. Cheers Grant
Good morning. Been catching up on your build. Lost and found parts, scratch built doors from scrap, re doing the bowsprit etc, etc…I’m enjoying your detail of your log. I will pull up a chair here. Have fun. Cheers Grant
Late as usual but some very entertaining commentary to accompany your build. Most enjoyable and a good learning experience for me.I just realized when looking ahead at some other builds that the centered door in the above panel is right behind the mizzenmast. Like the door could not open outwards, and if opening inwards, a sailor (or captain) would have to squeeze past the mast to get through. Whoops! Well, the door will be even less visible than I described, if it's behind the mast. Still, makes me think I should at least add another door to the side. Or maybe just tell people "Don't Look In There!"
Thanks for your comments, guys, and glad you're here. My purpose, after all, is not to educate on proper building, like Olha, but to warn away from the numerous pitfalls of going down the wrong path. 
I think that is important too!
One pleasant, and quite surprising, detail is that we have two cats, and my work area and workbench are always open to them, yet they don't bother a thing! The worst that might happen is Toby (Tobi-Wan Kenobi) might nibble on my plan edges a bit. Quite surprising, actually. Of course they're no longer kittens.
I think that is important too!One pleasant, and quite surprising, detail is that we have two cats, and my work area and workbench are always open to them, yet they don't bother a thing! The worst that might happen is Toby (Tobi-Wan Kenobi) might nibble on my plan edges a bit. Quite surprising, actually. Of course they're no longer kittens.
Continuing on adding the hinges and door handle to bulkhead 18, I decided not to add the pivots to the hinges, but rather cut them short. The pivots are not necessary, as the doors do not move, and seem oversize. As further justification, Olha did the same thing:
While the rings shown as door pulls look good, they make no sense to me. For cargo hatches or large boards covering same, an eye and ring makes sense to attach a rope and pulley(s), but to me a ring on a door makes no sense. I think a fixed handle, or (on the actual ship) a pivoting handle/latch makes more sense, so used some of the included 0.7mm brass wire bent into a U. Rather than try to get both ends into a hole, I simply drilled one hole and made one side of the U longer:
I think it looks good that way. On the down side, while holding a hinge with tweezers to apply super glue, it went "pop" and flew who knows where. So of my 8 required hinges, with 8 being included, I am already down one. This happened a LOT on my photo-etched stainless models of the USS Missouri and the Yamato, enough so that I bought an 18" wide rolling magnet to recover all my dropped pieces. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on brass. :-(
Wanting to get the "decorated" bulkheads out of the way, I started on the large bulkhead 17, with 2 doors and 3 rows of windows. The wood strips and windows are to be placed at the same arc as the deck, so I used the deck bottom to make a template:
then laid out approximate cross-piece, window and door locations. Since two of the windows are over the holes where tabs are entering, I glued the tabs 1.7 and 1.7 in place and filled the area where the 2 windows will go with my favorite putty (for painted areas). All the areas behind the windows will be painted black, as previously mentioned, rather than being cut out.
Wifey is calling me for our nightly TV time, so I will continue later. Putty has to dry before sanding, anyhow.
While the rings shown as door pulls look good, they make no sense to me. For cargo hatches or large boards covering same, an eye and ring makes sense to attach a rope and pulley(s), but to me a ring on a door makes no sense. I think a fixed handle, or (on the actual ship) a pivoting handle/latch makes more sense, so used some of the included 0.7mm brass wire bent into a U. Rather than try to get both ends into a hole, I simply drilled one hole and made one side of the U longer:
I think it looks good that way. On the down side, while holding a hinge with tweezers to apply super glue, it went "pop" and flew who knows where. So of my 8 required hinges, with 8 being included, I am already down one. This happened a LOT on my photo-etched stainless models of the USS Missouri and the Yamato, enough so that I bought an 18" wide rolling magnet to recover all my dropped pieces. Unfortunately, it doesn't work on brass. :-(
Wanting to get the "decorated" bulkheads out of the way, I started on the large bulkhead 17, with 2 doors and 3 rows of windows. The wood strips and windows are to be placed at the same arc as the deck, so I used the deck bottom to make a template:
then laid out approximate cross-piece, window and door locations. Since two of the windows are over the holes where tabs are entering, I glued the tabs 1.7 and 1.7 in place and filled the area where the 2 windows will go with my favorite putty (for painted areas). All the areas behind the windows will be painted black, as previously mentioned, rather than being cut out.
Wifey is calling me for our nightly TV time, so I will continue later. Putty has to dry before sanding, anyhow.
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This kit has intrigue me since watching a video of Olha building the kit. Even though I can’t quite get my head around Carrack’s The kit appears to be complex and a test of the builders k
skills. I am looking forward to following your build. I like what you have done to this point. Keep up the good work, and log.
skills. I am looking forward to following your build. I like what you have done to this point. Keep up the good work, and log.
Hopefully, it's not TOO complex, as this is my first build where the hull is planked (and this one is single-planked), and my first full rigged ship in over 60 years. Thanks for your kind words and for following along.
They do mention in the instructions that some of this is less accessible later, but previous builds by others, including Olha, as mentioned in my first post showed doing this as well. That's one thing that takes me so long is planning what order to do thing in.
In my case, I'm doing everything I can to avoid the actual hull work, which I think is going to be a real challenge for me.
Continuing on with Bulkhead 17, I decided to go with Olha's method of inserting doors and windows within the planking, rather than gluing them on top of the planking. In addition to providing a flat background for the windows, I felt it would look more realistic with the windows "built in" rather than "tacked on". I would live to regret my decision, as without Olha's skills, this is a difficult method. But this thread is not about perfection, after all.
after sanding the putty-filled areas, I began with the easy stuff: straight cut wood strips glued in place. The fit around the doors wasn't too bad, but now I contemplated making all those rounded cuts, 3 each above each of the 10 windows.
The above view also shows a piece of scrap that I marked with the exact curve of the deck on this bulkhead. This will be used later to measure and installed overlay pieces.
After a bit of contemplation, and knowing my inconsistency with an Xacto blade, I decided to make a jig to help me shape the strips over the windows. I took a piece of wood, but a 1/2" hole in it, opened it up, then took my smallest diameter sanding drum and smoothed it into a long 'U'. This diameter approximated the radius at the top of the windows. I would later find it wasn't as close as I thought, but still, I think, better than roughing it. The 4 glued wood strips will hold the strips to be sanded in place, one at the edge of the window (flipped over for the other edge), and the other centered:
The strips were then sanded out using the sanding drum. I also clamped the jig in place, so I didn't have to worry about it moving around during sanding:
It's obvious how a strip is inserted to be sanded, but here's a pic anyhow:
Here, the first window is in place with the sanded strips. A bit loose side-to-side, as I now found out. Olha's seemed to fit precisely. Perhaps she thinned all the 1.5mm x 4mm strips a bit. I probably should have as well, but did not.
Of course I didn't glue the windows in at this point. A lot to do before that. Oh, I stained the doors, windows and add-on trim (shown later) using water-based dark bourbon stain. Only a light coat required with water base-stain.
All strips have now been installed, with space for all windows. Window frames now have the etched brass grids super glued to the back of them.
(On the left is my first attempt at rounding strips over windows: just a guide to show where to hold the strip while sanding by hand. Didn't work well.)
Next, but bottom four pieces of the overlay sections were measure, cut and placed. Some builds simplify this area by making the horizontal pieces straight, but I think the look is really enhanced by the curve matching the deck, so developed a method.
Since the desired curve of the horizontal overlays above this point match the deck below, this template is also used to confirm the length and angle of the vertical pieces. I calculated the angle of the inner vertical pieces as 1 degree, and outers as 3 degrees. When cutting them, first they should all be the exact same length (along a side), and top and bottom angles should be the same. I know you're laughing at 1 degree, but 3 degrees is visible. And when using my miter box, it is 3" from the left side to the cutting point. For a 3 degree angle, I simply held the far end about 3/16" from the back, which gives close to 3 degrees (since the angle includes the length of the piece too), and a little over 1/16" for the 1 degree. Thus, an easy way to approximate angles and make them consistent.
I applied glue to the back of the cross piece, and clamped it in place over the center two vertical pieces, using small pieces of scrap to keep the glue away from all but the center area for now.
I then used the template to push and bend the horizontal piece into the correct shape.
I then removed the pieces of scrap, and pushed the ends of the curved strip into contact to glue it in place.
Here's where multiple clamps really help:
After clamp removal, we have a nicely curved piece:
This worked so nicely that I ignored the old rule "measure twice, cut once" and did more of a "measure once, cut 15". I couldn't see the forest for the trees, so my upper horizontal piece is about 2mm higher than it should be. And I'm not thrilled with my cuts around the windows, especially as there are gaps.
But I'm hoping that with leaving the window grid inserts brass, guys, especially, will just think "Oooh, shiney!" and ignore the poor workmanship. If you're not that kind of person, just stand about 10 feet away from your computer monitor; I guarantee it will look good from there.
In retrospect, I wish I'd placed the upper horizontal bar in the right place. I wish I'd thinned the planks in the window section to result in a closer side fit, and that the top and bottom fit was better. I wish I hadn't already cut down the left hand door for use elsewhere and didn't have the hinge marks in the wrong place. I wish I had extra materials do do it all over again. I wish I wasn't going to be 80 years old in 2 months.
But wishes aside, I think the completed bulkhead will go well with the ship, which I do hope to complete some day, and no doubt there are greater challenges and worse errors to come in the future.
after sanding the putty-filled areas, I began with the easy stuff: straight cut wood strips glued in place. The fit around the doors wasn't too bad, but now I contemplated making all those rounded cuts, 3 each above each of the 10 windows.
The above view also shows a piece of scrap that I marked with the exact curve of the deck on this bulkhead. This will be used later to measure and installed overlay pieces.
After a bit of contemplation, and knowing my inconsistency with an Xacto blade, I decided to make a jig to help me shape the strips over the windows. I took a piece of wood, but a 1/2" hole in it, opened it up, then took my smallest diameter sanding drum and smoothed it into a long 'U'. This diameter approximated the radius at the top of the windows. I would later find it wasn't as close as I thought, but still, I think, better than roughing it. The 4 glued wood strips will hold the strips to be sanded in place, one at the edge of the window (flipped over for the other edge), and the other centered:
The strips were then sanded out using the sanding drum. I also clamped the jig in place, so I didn't have to worry about it moving around during sanding:
It's obvious how a strip is inserted to be sanded, but here's a pic anyhow:
Here, the first window is in place with the sanded strips. A bit loose side-to-side, as I now found out. Olha's seemed to fit precisely. Perhaps she thinned all the 1.5mm x 4mm strips a bit. I probably should have as well, but did not.
Of course I didn't glue the windows in at this point. A lot to do before that. Oh, I stained the doors, windows and add-on trim (shown later) using water-based dark bourbon stain. Only a light coat required with water base-stain.
All strips have now been installed, with space for all windows. Window frames now have the etched brass grids super glued to the back of them.
(On the left is my first attempt at rounding strips over windows: just a guide to show where to hold the strip while sanding by hand. Didn't work well.)
Next, but bottom four pieces of the overlay sections were measure, cut and placed. Some builds simplify this area by making the horizontal pieces straight, but I think the look is really enhanced by the curve matching the deck, so developed a method.
Since the desired curve of the horizontal overlays above this point match the deck below, this template is also used to confirm the length and angle of the vertical pieces. I calculated the angle of the inner vertical pieces as 1 degree, and outers as 3 degrees. When cutting them, first they should all be the exact same length (along a side), and top and bottom angles should be the same. I know you're laughing at 1 degree, but 3 degrees is visible. And when using my miter box, it is 3" from the left side to the cutting point. For a 3 degree angle, I simply held the far end about 3/16" from the back, which gives close to 3 degrees (since the angle includes the length of the piece too), and a little over 1/16" for the 1 degree. Thus, an easy way to approximate angles and make them consistent.
I applied glue to the back of the cross piece, and clamped it in place over the center two vertical pieces, using small pieces of scrap to keep the glue away from all but the center area for now.
I then used the template to push and bend the horizontal piece into the correct shape.
I then removed the pieces of scrap, and pushed the ends of the curved strip into contact to glue it in place.
Here's where multiple clamps really help:
After clamp removal, we have a nicely curved piece:
This worked so nicely that I ignored the old rule "measure twice, cut once" and did more of a "measure once, cut 15". I couldn't see the forest for the trees, so my upper horizontal piece is about 2mm higher than it should be. And I'm not thrilled with my cuts around the windows, especially as there are gaps.
But I'm hoping that with leaving the window grid inserts brass, guys, especially, will just think "Oooh, shiney!" and ignore the poor workmanship. If you're not that kind of person, just stand about 10 feet away from your computer monitor; I guarantee it will look good from there.
In retrospect, I wish I'd placed the upper horizontal bar in the right place. I wish I'd thinned the planks in the window section to result in a closer side fit, and that the top and bottom fit was better. I wish I hadn't already cut down the left hand door for use elsewhere and didn't have the hinge marks in the wrong place. I wish I had extra materials do do it all over again. I wish I wasn't going to be 80 years old in 2 months.
But wishes aside, I think the completed bulkhead will go well with the ship, which I do hope to complete some day, and no doubt there are greater challenges and worse errors to come in the future.
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Thanks for sharing. I’m aboard!
Welcome aboard, Vic! The more, the merrier!
Well, Olha made it great. I'll be very happy with making it "good".Looks great, great kit, great photo's as well. Count me in, I'm following. Let's make this kit "great" again....
Peter
Signet, I'm on board following your build and enjoying your comments. Should be fun! Magic Mike
Adding the finished bulkhead 17 to the back of bulkhead3, and adding both to the previously assembled bulkheads, keel and stem:
Easily seen in these pictures is the off-center bowsprit. May not look as funny as I thought it might. I'm assured it is correct, though, so I'm going with it.
Easily seen in these pictures is the off-center bowsprit. May not look as funny as I thought it might. I'm assured it is correct, though, so I'm going with it.
I love these forums, but has anyone else written up a long, detailed post, with pictures, only to find out the next day that they did not actually "Post" it? I can't tell you how many times I've done that, and I think/know it's because a post you are in the midst of creating looks exactly like one that has already been posted. Oh, except for that "Post reply" button.
Welcome, Mike, glad you're with us. I might mention, though, that this is a "No Dancing" zone. If that starts, I'm going to lose all my viewers!
OK one clear reason is, that the "Post Reply" button was not clicked
but another reason could be, that you by accident clicked on the backwards arrow at the left top of your browser. Than your screen is showing the unposted post, although it was already posted. Your brwoser is showing only a past version of your screen..... Just an idea. Usually our software is doing what it should and what the members "click"...
I wasn't complaining. Many times with forums you have no idea what your final post will look like, but this forum shows you all the time. What is different here, I think, is that the color scheme of the posting area is the same as the rest, while other forums it looks completely different, so is obvious it's not posted yet.
But the problem is certainly with me. Especially with pictures involved, I'm constantly going back and forth from the forum post to my PaintShop Pro program, or looking stuff up and such, and maybe I'm called to dinner in the meantime (can't miss that, of course). Anyhow, I can forget that while I'm done with the post, I didn't actually post it. That's never happened to me elsewhere, but here I've had it go to the next day, even two, and realize I didn't post it. But again, it's me.