Your ladder is very nicely executed. 
-
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. -
PRE-ORDER SHIPS IN SCALE TODAY!
The beloved Ships in Scale Magazine is back and charting a new course for 2026!
Discover new skills, new techniques, and new inspirations in every issue.
NOTE THAT OUR FIRST ISSUE WILL BE JAN/FEB 2026
Your's turned out way nicer than mine. Mine is twisted.
Pillars under the upper deck beams.
The next step are the lower deck cabin bulkheads; but to make them more accurately and positioned correctly( without the later alterations that I was required to make for the platform structures) better reference to later structures will be used.Thus the pillars- which also require the temp. fitting of the upper deck beams. Positions located on plans. Some coincide with structures such as coamings and there seems a difference on how to treat these- notch the structure or have the pillar sit on it.
Eleven are shaped- for beams #2,3,4,6,10,13,14,15,16,17,18
4 are plain-squared- #7,9,11,12
Previously made (at time of pillars beneath lower deck)- #19,20
Instead of tenons, copper pin into foot and underlying structure.
Options for shape in TFFM and plans.
Dimensions given-the head-2.9x2.9mm and heal 3.45x3.45mm
The centre ⅔, rounded- narrowing upwards to match the thinner head.
The height to be set individually beneath each beam - therefore made heal overlong for later shortening.
(Little experience with turning small structures and my Unimat has a 3jaw chuck- not good for square pieces. Bought the contraption shown in the picture for such work. Overpriced, poor quality and very inaccurate- but having bought it, used it)
Beams and Pillars dry-fitted
The next step are the lower deck cabin bulkheads; but to make them more accurately and positioned correctly( without the later alterations that I was required to make for the platform structures) better reference to later structures will be used.Thus the pillars- which also require the temp. fitting of the upper deck beams. Positions located on plans. Some coincide with structures such as coamings and there seems a difference on how to treat these- notch the structure or have the pillar sit on it.
Eleven are shaped- for beams #2,3,4,6,10,13,14,15,16,17,18
4 are plain-squared- #7,9,11,12
Previously made (at time of pillars beneath lower deck)- #19,20
Instead of tenons, copper pin into foot and underlying structure.
Options for shape in TFFM and plans.
Dimensions given-the head-2.9x2.9mm and heal 3.45x3.45mm
The centre ⅔, rounded- narrowing upwards to match the thinner head.
The height to be set individually beneath each beam - therefore made heal overlong for later shortening.
(Little experience with turning small structures and my Unimat has a 3jaw chuck- not good for square pieces. Bought the contraption shown in the picture for such work. Overpriced, poor quality and very inaccurate- but having bought it, used it)
Beams and Pillars dry-fitted
Wow, looks very good.
Lower Deck Cabin Bulkheads.
TFFM says “ build up as you did the platform bulkheads” as if I can remember!!
Even referring to relevant chapter and my notes, it feels almost like learning anew.
This time however I will take better notice of height while building and not correcting afterwards.
Therefore, keep beams in place and built around them.
Stanchions 2.12 x 2.12mm.-
The first bulkhead is forward aft running on the port side of the mast, ( to a athwartship bulkhead centred on the #3 pillar).
It is made with short planks separated/supported by stanchions with rabbets. After breaking 2 thin milling bits, I used the alternative method with battens!!
The cabin layouts are shown clearly in TFFM plan. Three pairs fore and aft, the first two unequal because of the offset separation bulkhead.
Some have a narrow “angled” joining bulkhead which I found some difficulty in making. Several attempts still leave me dissatisfied with the result
In order to maintain the horizontal and vertical angles, allowance and correction for the camber and slope are needed. Sometimes only after fixing, are errors apparent, but a sharp blade and alcohol can undo and allow for necessary corrections.
Notches are made to allow beams to sit flat- other corrections for the deck architecture will be made as required.
Further “simple” bulkheads (longer horizontal planks) for the aft of the deck are similarly made.
The deck ends with an aft bulkhead that runs from side to side. Some more severe shaping was needed where it meets the hull, so I made it in 2 halves for ease.
TFFM says “ build up as you did the platform bulkheads” as if I can remember!!
Even referring to relevant chapter and my notes, it feels almost like learning anew.
This time however I will take better notice of height while building and not correcting afterwards.
Therefore, keep beams in place and built around them.
Stanchions 2.12 x 2.12mm.-
The first bulkhead is forward aft running on the port side of the mast, ( to a athwartship bulkhead centred on the #3 pillar).
It is made with short planks separated/supported by stanchions with rabbets. After breaking 2 thin milling bits, I used the alternative method with battens!!
The cabin layouts are shown clearly in TFFM plan. Three pairs fore and aft, the first two unequal because of the offset separation bulkhead.
Some have a narrow “angled” joining bulkhead which I found some difficulty in making. Several attempts still leave me dissatisfied with the result
In order to maintain the horizontal and vertical angles, allowance and correction for the camber and slope are needed. Sometimes only after fixing, are errors apparent, but a sharp blade and alcohol can undo and allow for necessary corrections.
Notches are made to allow beams to sit flat- other corrections for the deck architecture will be made as required.
Further “simple” bulkheads (longer horizontal planks) for the aft of the deck are similarly made.
The deck ends with an aft bulkhead that runs from side to side. Some more severe shaping was needed where it meets the hull, so I made it in 2 halves for ease.
Very good and steady progress, Stuglo. I can feel your excitement. 
Lower Deck Structures cont.
In the mid deck area, between the fore and aft deck cabins, are the Sail room and Pantry. (These are unpaired)
The fore bulkhead of the sail room abuts the aft headledge of the fore hatch. The door is aft.
The aft bulkhead of the Pantry, abuts the ladderway. The door is to the port side.
The upper ⅓ of the sidewalls are lourved.
The stanchions are grooved in the same way as the pump well (30deg. jig on sliding table).
In the mid deck area, between the fore and aft deck cabins, are the Sail room and Pantry. (These are unpaired)
The fore bulkhead of the sail room abuts the aft headledge of the fore hatch. The door is aft.
The aft bulkhead of the Pantry, abuts the ladderway. The door is to the port side.
The upper ⅓ of the sidewalls are lourved.
The stanchions are grooved in the same way as the pump well (30deg. jig on sliding table).
Lanterns.
On either side of the 1st fore aft bulkhead.
Tried a different method this time ( TFFM has a short tutorial but beyond my patience at present)
Anyway, I found some leftover bits of gratings from an old kit (? scale 75)
By drilling out cross pieces either side of a vertical, was left with a piece lookin like a window, and at the size required-11.5X5.8mm.
Thinned them down, joined into a “V” and added floor, roof and support bracket.
Better than lat effort, and will be hidden anyway.
On either side of the 1st fore aft bulkhead.
Tried a different method this time ( TFFM has a short tutorial but beyond my patience at present)
Anyway, I found some leftover bits of gratings from an old kit (? scale 75)
By drilling out cross pieces either side of a vertical, was left with a piece lookin like a window, and at the size required-11.5X5.8mm.
Thinned them down, joined into a “V” and added floor, roof and support bracket.
Better than lat effort, and will be hidden anyway.
I like your lanterns. I struggled with mine for the magazine.
Lower Deck Structures, cont.
While beams in place check alignment and centre of each
Doors -simplified. Thinner vertical planks and reinforcing “Z” on the inside.
Holes, not fancy louvre or bars (I remember such things as a child on outside loos)
Height 28 mm but some variety in width.
As almost all will be hidden despite leaving off some planks, I will not fit cabin furniture but rather made a set to display alongside the oven, outside of the ship.
This finishes t5he 1st vol of TFFM,
? continue now or have a break to build something else.
Watch this space !!!
While beams in place check alignment and centre of each
Doors -simplified. Thinner vertical planks and reinforcing “Z” on the inside.
Holes, not fancy louvre or bars (I remember such things as a child on outside loos)
Height 28 mm but some variety in width.
As almost all will be hidden despite leaving off some planks, I will not fit cabin furniture but rather made a set to display alongside the oven, outside of the ship.
This finishes t5he 1st vol of TFFM,
? continue now or have a break to build something else.
Watch this space !!!
Correct. I suppose I was hurrying to finish the 1st vol. Lack of patience is inversely proportioned to quality. Seriously, constructive criticism is beneficial. Thanks.the doors you could make them better ....
No surprise, decided to continue onto vol 2 TFFM.
Semi scratch kits no substitute at present for the hardcore, mainline stuff.
Inner Counter Timbers
These are for equidistant timbers (suggested separation,16.43mm) between the outer counter timbers (the aftermost part of the ship)
Double check angles and distancing (ref. 2.21 TFFM) because these have been knocked about and repaired twice.
Using the markout pattern, mark the position of the feet on the wing transom. I left this pattern slightly forward on the transom knees, to aid later sighting.
Using stock 3.71mm. I decided to forgo the pleasure of making a scarf joint and sticking the patterns given on the blanks, cut the shape. Mark each piece as there is a difference.
The “soles” of the feet are bevelled- middle 10deg and inner 3.5deg- so the “legs”are “knock-kneed”.
The sides are now tapered from a top of 2.12mm to near bottom using a sanding board.
I checked alignment with a card cut out of the quarterdeck transom-they seem ok individually
Semi scratch kits no substitute at present for the hardcore, mainline stuff.
Inner Counter Timbers
These are for equidistant timbers (suggested separation,16.43mm) between the outer counter timbers (the aftermost part of the ship)
Double check angles and distancing (ref. 2.21 TFFM) because these have been knocked about and repaired twice.
Using the markout pattern, mark the position of the feet on the wing transom. I left this pattern slightly forward on the transom knees, to aid later sighting.
Using stock 3.71mm. I decided to forgo the pleasure of making a scarf joint and sticking the patterns given on the blanks, cut the shape. Mark each piece as there is a difference.
The “soles” of the feet are bevelled- middle 10deg and inner 3.5deg- so the “legs”are “knock-kneed”.
The sides are now tapered from a top of 2.12mm to near bottom using a sanding board.
I checked alignment with a card cut out of the quarterdeck transom-they seem ok individually
Last edited by a moderator:
Quarter Deck Transom.
This is one of the most complicated pieces so far.
Basically, the part stabilizes the counter timbers and acts as the aft most quarter deck beam.
It sits on an upward sloping clamp, curves in both vertical and horizontal planes, the aft curve beveled to match the angle of the counter timbers.
The notches or slots for the counter timbers, must allow for the side taper and the angle as they pass through.
There is also a rabbet on the fore-upper surface, and extra thickness to be left on outer ends for later use as waterways.
Think 3D and double it.
With its function as a beam, it has a thickness of 2.9mm
Added to this is the thickness of the planks at 1.33mm
Total thickness 4.23mm. It is also rounded up (full width beam 3.25mm), so the suggested blank is 6.36mm thick.
First cut width to fit and ensure symmetry-keep midline marked.
Athwartships curves sanded and by placing piece in position, the aft bevel can be taken directly from the line of the outer counter timbers.
4 slots as marked milled and by trial and error, enlarged to allow the angles and tapers of the other counter timbers.
Result- TOTAL BALLS UP !!.
This needs thinking out properly. Early night, wake up at 2.30, clear headed and inspired.
it in stages and learning to adapt the blank to the limitations of my tools and ability seems to have paid off.
This is one of the most complicated pieces so far.
Basically, the part stabilizes the counter timbers and acts as the aft most quarter deck beam.
It sits on an upward sloping clamp, curves in both vertical and horizontal planes, the aft curve beveled to match the angle of the counter timbers.
The notches or slots for the counter timbers, must allow for the side taper and the angle as they pass through.
There is also a rabbet on the fore-upper surface, and extra thickness to be left on outer ends for later use as waterways.
Think 3D and double it.
With its function as a beam, it has a thickness of 2.9mm
Added to this is the thickness of the planks at 1.33mm
Total thickness 4.23mm. It is also rounded up (full width beam 3.25mm), so the suggested blank is 6.36mm thick.
First cut width to fit and ensure symmetry-keep midline marked.
Athwartships curves sanded and by placing piece in position, the aft bevel can be taken directly from the line of the outer counter timbers.
4 slots as marked milled and by trial and error, enlarged to allow the angles and tapers of the other counter timbers.
Result- TOTAL BALLS UP !!.
This needs thinking out properly. Early night, wake up at 2.30, clear headed and inspired.
- Measure angles of the timbers as they pass through the transom vertically (Z axis)6deg and 1.25deg
- Make a new blank overly wide.
- Again bevel the aft curve as before.
- Match this curve to the fore surface- now the piece with sit on the milling table so that when the milling bit moves horizontally,it will cut the wood at the angle matching the counter timbers
- Adjust the blank so the Y axis movement matches the 6deg(middle) and 1.5deg (inner)
- Mill bit slightly less than width of counter timbers at level of transom-similarly depth of notch.
- While fixed in vise, slightly enlarge slots to fit timbers.
- Revise fore curve to match aft (but without the bevel)
- Measure rounding up for this length of beam from the pattern in TFFM (I have assumed as with other beams, that this is for a full length and thus the camber is constant) With this width, round up 2.2mm
- Leave outer margin of 3or so mm for waterway
- Rabbet (for deck planking)1.9 wide and 1.33 deep
- Fix the quarter transom ensuring it is centred.
- Locate the feet of counter timbers on their place on the wing transom and place in respective notch and fix . (One edge will stand slightly proud because I postponed the suggested bevel when the timbers were first made).
- Eyeball from sides , aft and above to ensure alignments ok.
- Fix, cross fingers and leave the glue to do its job
it in stages and learning to adapt the blank to the limitations of my tools and ability seems to have paid off.
Well done!
Straps to Counter Timbers.
Found my Wing Transom Knees overlong to allow inner straps to be fixed to wing transom. Cur shorter and reshaped.
Can't understand “reinforced with iron bolt”- must be hidden by the strap.
This strap is 1.86wide and 0.33 thick. Used black paper.
The middle counter straps lie on the knee, the inner pair over the fore aspect of the wing transom.
The Helm Port.
Fills the gap between the inner counter timbers,wrapping the stempost to the fore, and a pear-shaped opening for the fudder head,aft.
I wasn’t confident with the 2D plan, so I just used the “hole” part.
I made it with a “body” and 2 legs.
The width was as measured between the timbers at the 1st knuckle, plu a coupe of mms- the sides are not perfectly parallel/
The hole is slanted to the piece and further allowance for the incline of the rudder.
Using the patterns of the inner counters on a blank, thick enough to allow for the curve of whole 1st knuckle to about halfway to the “foot”
This curve sits at 22deg to horizontal, and the rudder at about 4 deg.The piece set in the milling at 18deg and the aperture milled out using the pattern.
The curves of the inner counter and knuckle sanded and the aft curve aft of knuckle, similarly formed.
This is dry fitted and the “legs” shaped similarly to match the forepart of the inner counter timbers incl. The feet.
These last I gave a small bevel of 2deg.
The parts matched to allow the legs to extend slightly aft of the sternpost.
Found my Wing Transom Knees overlong to allow inner straps to be fixed to wing transom. Cur shorter and reshaped.
Can't understand “reinforced with iron bolt”- must be hidden by the strap.
This strap is 1.86wide and 0.33 thick. Used black paper.
The middle counter straps lie on the knee, the inner pair over the fore aspect of the wing transom.
The Helm Port.
Fills the gap between the inner counter timbers,wrapping the stempost to the fore, and a pear-shaped opening for the fudder head,aft.
I wasn’t confident with the 2D plan, so I just used the “hole” part.
I made it with a “body” and 2 legs.
The width was as measured between the timbers at the 1st knuckle, plu a coupe of mms- the sides are not perfectly parallel/
The hole is slanted to the piece and further allowance for the incline of the rudder.
Using the patterns of the inner counters on a blank, thick enough to allow for the curve of whole 1st knuckle to about halfway to the “foot”
This curve sits at 22deg to horizontal, and the rudder at about 4 deg.The piece set in the milling at 18deg and the aperture milled out using the pattern.
The curves of the inner counter and knuckle sanded and the aft curve aft of knuckle, similarly formed.
This is dry fitted and the “legs” shaped similarly to match the forepart of the inner counter timbers incl. The feet.
These last I gave a small bevel of 2deg.
The parts matched to allow the legs to extend slightly aft of the sternpost.
The Lower Counter -Planking.
A pattern is given for the planks- which are 1.06mm thick
The lower edge is fixed to the margin of the Wing Transom. There is some beveling as per side view, but otherwise DO NOT EDGE THEM is emphasised.
Also emphasised is to square off the outer ends, avoiding a curve, where it meets the outer counter.
The 1st 4 are paired -either side of stem or aperture.
The 5th piece stretches across -up against and extending past the knuckle.
Unless your model is EXACTLY as the pattern, it won’t fit. (can;t expect to be spoon fed everything). Adapting the formed “blank” was frustrating.
I therefore cut the paper pattern along the center, fit to model, sellotaped together and the sticking to a blank, the piece more simply formed.
Final shaping of aperture and ends by file, trying to avoid that curve.
A pattern is given for the planks- which are 1.06mm thick
The lower edge is fixed to the margin of the Wing Transom. There is some beveling as per side view, but otherwise DO NOT EDGE THEM is emphasised.
Also emphasised is to square off the outer ends, avoiding a curve, where it meets the outer counter.
The 1st 4 are paired -either side of stem or aperture.
The 5th piece stretches across -up against and extending past the knuckle.
Unless your model is EXACTLY as the pattern, it won’t fit. (can;t expect to be spoon fed everything). Adapting the formed “blank” was frustrating.
I therefore cut the paper pattern along the center, fit to model, sellotaped together and the sticking to a blank, the piece more simply formed.
Final shaping of aperture and ends by file, trying to avoid that curve.
Last edited by a moderator: