Santa Ana 1784-Artesania Latina-1/84 bashed

What you do to kits is just amazing! Thank you for taking time to share your work and explain the process. Have a beer or two on me bud. Happy New Year!
Mikey, Nigel bashing them! :p A great way to learn, how this should be done! Thank you, Nigel and Mike!!! Happy New Year!
 
Could you please describe a "M4" captive nut. (just a basic threaded nut?) I've been trying to come up with a decent mounting technique, and I do believe you are doing would I would like to accomplish. I got the concept...picture would be great if it's more than just a threaded nut. Obviously, it has to be square and true. How do you set it to make it true? (use a 90 degree square and a level?) I've been making decorative cradles with pins through the sides. Although I've never had any problems with this, every time I set the pins, I just cringe. This is a permanent mounting technique, and the pins are hidden. Coming up through the bottom and center of the cradle would be ideal. Your technique would also make the cradle removable if needed.

Guess I could just take a small wing nut that would accommodate a threaded rod and grind it down so that there are some lateral pins for retention and set that in the skeleton?

Anyway, "M4"? Thank you, Ken
 
Hi Ken
I used M4(metric 4mm thread) version of these mounted in 6mm ply slotted into the keel horizontally over the holes I drilled.The top hat bit goes at the top so the thread pulls the insert against the plywood.They were lined up by insert M4 threaded rods in whilst I set them up and glued.I did add some Epoxy around the top to prevent the being pushed out as the rods are screwed in.I get these from my local modelshop,they are used in RC boats and planes.


Kind Regards

Nigel
 
NMBROOK- thank you very much. That is pretty much what I pictured in my head after thinking about it. Once again, thank you. Will be adamantly watching your build.
 
Some posts to illustrate the Rabbet milling process.

To produce the Rabbet on the concave section of the stem I set up a simple stop on the mill from scrap timber,the only criteria is that it's face has a radius smaller than the curve of the piece to be milled.The workpiece is carefully fed through by hand in an arc motion.The only time the table is moved is towards the mill pillar to gradually increase the width of the Rabbet.The workpiece can be turned over and the operation repeated to do both sides of the stem.

Kind Regards

Nigel
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To cut the Rabbet on the keel and also the stern post I am currently working on,I use a straight fence and guide the workpiece through by hand.It does not matter that the fence is perfectly in line with the table.This system can also be used on external,convex curves.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Moving back to the build.I had left the keel deliberately overlong.Firstly the Tongue between the two Rabbets is trimmed flush with a scalpel on the protruding section.The stern post shown in the previous post is offered up to mark the length of the keel to be trimmed.
The next step was to cut the rebates at the top of the sternpost to accommodate the black veneer.Because this was such a small area,I cut these using a scalpel

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Thanks Uwe

With the veneer applied to the stern post and it Epoxied in place,I now turned my attention to the hole for the tiller.Those familiar with this kit will notice that the counter is a completely different shape.This has been reprofiled to be closer to the original.One issue with the unusual shape of this in this kit and also Artesania's Victory is that the stern cannons can only ever fire downwards,the gunport lids are almost horizontal when closed!

I shaped a piece of basswood and glued some abrasive paper to the radius to shape the hole.This custom sanding stick also served to clamp the black veneer in place while the Epoxy dried.Obviously the veneer will be trimmed and sanded flush top and bottom when the glue has cured.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Thankyou Michael

With the tiller aperture finished I turned my attention to the stern.There is an element of continual development as this goes together,it is so far away from that in the kit.The geometry on the original is a little mindboggling as to how it all ties in together.

The inside framework will be completely removed from the top of the lower gundeck upwards.The kit design is good in that all gunports do not foul the bulkheads.However the carriage wheels do foul this and result in the guns not being able to fit fully into the gunports.I would have to remove material from the bulkheads so I figured it would be better to just remove them.

The plan is to remove two bulkheads at a time,smooth the internal face of the first planking.Then two layers of walnut planking(discarded material from other kits)will be laid vertically.The final internal planking will then be laid in the conventional manner.I am gluing temporary braces on the top of the hull as I go along.

The stern transom I made earlier is actually in two pieces as it broke during clean up when I made it two years ago.This is actually doing me a favour as it enables me to fit it in two stages.I think the ceiling of the upper balcony may need reworking,it is about 2mm too low plus ideally it needs to extend either side of the hull to form the roof of the stern quarter galleries.The upper part of the stern section is not glued,simply placed for the pictures.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Hi All

I have decided to plank the hull below the waterline before removing any more frames.The hull sits nicely upside down on the temporary bracing pieces.

There works out to be 30 plank runs each side and I am determined to use the supplied timber and obtain a realistic planking run.This will mean lots of bending,edge bending,clamping and general manipulation of the awkward Sapele.I anticipate around 4 months of work to complete this job as I will be doing less than one run per day.
It was always my intention to push this build forward to the planking stage before I return back to work tonight after two weeks off.I feel I have achieved that in that I essentially took the carcass part infilled and got it to it's present stage in one month.
My rash is still present,which I have some cream for.It obviously is not the Padauk that caused the issue.So my intention is to keep plodding with the planking on this build whilst I will return in the main to my Saint Felippe scratchbuild next weekend.
I leave you with a couple of pics of fitting the plank from hell,the Garboard.This has to be right otherwise it effects all the rest of the planking runs.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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I am holding back my return to Saint Felippe just a little longer.I was struck down with a heavy cold and have also thought about a table for the Pillar drill for sanding the frames incorporating dust extraction.I know I could just buy a spindle sander but I would rather put the money towards a metal lathe.Space is becoming a premium due to all my power tools and the lathe will need a home.So it makes sense to me to make an attachment for a tool that is permanently bolted to the bench.I also picked up some storage drawers in Aldi's Thursday bargain corner so need to get these wall mounted.

So for the meantime,I am plodding along with Santa Ana's lower hull planking,a quick job it ain't.The 5 x 2 mm Sapele strips are "interesting" to work with and have been a bit of a learning curve.Soaking the strips for 15minutes in water and then using an electric plank bender has enabled me to bend the strips in both directions to reduce clinkering although this hasn't been eliminated completely.Blocking the hull out in pine has helped in that I can put pins wherever I want,not just at bulkheads.This has been vital at the bow and stern.
I have been pushing forward on one side.I do not need to balance planking between sides as the hull is effectively a solid wooden block and the keel will not bend or twist.I would rather work this way,the second side is then a case of replicating this.
The pictures are very much warts and all but I am confident the outcome will come good after sanding.No caulking is being represented,I felt it would look to much due to the grainy appearance of the timber.

BTW the old dog bed makes an ideal soft work platform.I will have to buy one for a Afghan hound to do that with Saint FelippeROTFROTF

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Yep the Sapele ( mahogany) planking is fun not to work with at all, however scrapes ( unipro precision scraper get rid of the klinker edges with no effort ) & sands very well due to the fine grain. It looks sensational with just a oil based sanding sealer applied, Photos do not do justice to the rich red/brown finish it produces ( a major reason for leaving the timber natural on my build)
 
Nigel,

Love your choice of wood for the planking - will certainly look perfect when done.
Do you plan on painting the lower hull area? As Paul just mentioned an oil stain would indeed look superb.
Was this a ship that would have been coppered?

Cheers,
 
Hi Michael

The Sapele lower planking is what is supplied in the kit.It is a royal PITA to work with but I did want to change it as I saw it as a challenge and is a different look to anything I have done before.I am currently struggling to find time to work on anything and even participate in the forum as work is chaotic at the moment.Not happy:confused:.I have managed to fully plank the first side on what little time I have managed to grab and will post pictures soon.
Finish wise,I have to be careful as I do not want the timber to look too dark.
Currently Shellac with a burnished finish is my favourite.It will allow a smooth satin finish,bringing the colour out but not darkening it.I may use Garnet Shellac on the lower hull first to attenuate the red hue in the Sapele.
The original vessel was launched with white antifouling and then coppered later.

Kind Regards

Nigel
 
Well finally it seems I have made some progress on something:rolleyes:The lower planking is complete on one side.I have chosen to treat the timber with pure Tung oil before the Shellac.Treating this first side with oil and allowing it to harden will offer some addition protection from damage whilst I continue planking the other side.The shellac will not be applied until both sides are planked and oiled.There is the odd gap between the planks which I am not overly concerned about as the planks are full glued to the pine infill,the many layers of finish will fill these.
Because this is a long process,I can now reorganise my shop ready to continue Saint Philippe:)

Kind Regards

Nigel

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