Trident Model HMS Alert 1777 1:48 POF, built by mstritzl

Joined
Mar 19, 2019
Messages
147
Points
143

Location
Gaaden - Austria
Well, since I am participating so much from all of yours help in this great forum, I thought I’d share my bit back to it. I am no great photographer and have quite limited time to build, so this log won’t be a leading guide like others, but maybe my insights are still valuable for someone.

I have started quite some kits over the last few years and put them aside 1/3, 1/2 or nearly finished due to several reasons: I didn’t like the quality of materials (and/or broke something) or instructions – or wasn’t able to follow them…the scale was to small for me to handle… or I simply lost the interest in the model…

But with this kit – and the associated Group-Build – all should be different, I decided to go slow and easy, due to work I have quite some forerunners to sneak peek from ;)

All comments, criticism, suggestions, assistance are very welcome!

This is my first PoF-Kit, I was quite amazed by the amount of wood panels in the box! – it is also my first cnc-milled kit, so I started with the cleaning of the boards. I picked my Dental-Tool and started to scratch out the shavings – and realized I scratch all way through the remainder of the wood, that holds the parts in their panels…the other thing I noticed was the amount of sawdust, that comes out of just one panel – and the time to clean just one of them.
Thinking about a better and “safer” way to clean them, I switched to inventory and labelling the parts. I used a soft pencil (2b) to transfer the numbers from the instructions to the components. I noticed that the layout of my boards 11 and 12 differs from the instructions – some parts where simply arranged different (AL 42, 55, 57), but one of eighter FL96 or 102 was missing.
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Finally I found a small board – that was nowhere mentioned – in my box with “another” 20 of those half rounded parts (page 35, FL92, 94, 96, 98, 100, 102; part of the Gunports I think). I hope the are all the same (or at least easily adjusted).

The Chocks of the Ribs differ a little, so they needed careful labelling. Also the parts of a single rib are spread over several boards … planning to cut just the parts needed at the moment I decided to fill a little worksheet to help me finding them – @paulv1958 was so kind to rework it and put it in the “Build Reference Documents” thread.

Back to cleaning the panels. After trying to hoover them out with my old ShopVac vacuum cleaner – still >1000W, long time forbidden to sell in Europe now ;) – I thought, why not do it the other way around? I took the boards to the workshop in our garden shed, turned on the compressor to blow the chippings out and – they laughed at me :p
Ok, with increased pressure (almost 8bar) and carefully tickling out the chippings with the Dental-Tool all the panels finally got cleaned. I (like others) noted quite some colour differences between some of the panels and wondered if it was the same wood – the chippings from the lighter boards seem to almost “paste” in the grooves, as if the lighter coloured wood was softer, damper, more resinous – or the milling bit was more dull at that time as even the cut edge was rougher. But the parts will get sanded – sorry, polished ;) – later and I liked that all the parts that for example form the Keel can be truly identified. I already knew I would not put and kind of paper/foil to simulate caulking in between them. I’m quite sure in the elder days they also took the wood they got to build their ships and just selected concerning form/function and not looks of it – or painted/coppered over it anyway ;)

Cutting the parts out of the boards was the next adventure … Yes, it’s easily to cut through the thin remaining wood that holds the part, but there where a lot steps and corners I couldn’t get my scalpels in to actually “cut” it … I tried “piercing” it with a very slim blade, even with a needle.
Then I remembered seeing the all the grooves from the backside, when holding the panels against the light while cleaning them.
I got my light-board out on the table, put a glass for protection over it and started to cut the parts of the Keel/Dead Wood from the rear – at least the tiny corners I could not get the scalpel in – nice clean cuts without any splintering.
After I was almost done, I saw Pauls Video-Log where he cuts/breaks the parts out of the boards. What a sissy I was :p
Simple cut along the long edges, mark/scratch a little the tiny ones, that don’t allow the blade in and with a little pressure the part comes out – no splinters, the thin veneer breaks where it should – will safe me a lot time when doing the ribs!
Just remember to cut at the outside of the Groove, it is easy to clean the remaining seam with a sharp knife. I used my (narrow) Stanley/Olaf for cutting and the scalpel (since all my handles are Nr.3 #10 curved and #10A straight/pointed) for cleaning.

Back to the Keel: the notches in the Hog needed quite some work! Most of them didn’t meet the template. But all in the “plus”, so I grabbed my needle files and opened them to meet the jig. When I was pleased with the fit, I started to glue the parts according to the instructions. The little “tenon” at the top of BL19 can/must be removed to fit into the jig, but I think that should be done later … it strengthens the top, where the Wing Transom will be seated later and the groove needs to be adjusted. So at this point it would be better to just turn the jig aground and let this tenon lie over it.
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The “Trick” with the cling film worked very well and all parts where glued only to each other!

While the freshly glued fore part dried inside the jig, I bevelled the aft part of the Keel according to the instructions and, again, with the help of a template.

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Next step was the “bilateral chamfering” of the lower Keel/Stempost section and the upper Rising wood/Apron part. This was done by simply sliding a knife over the edge – as I learned in this forum: in only one direction …and also in the “right” direction of the wood! You will notice, there is one direction the wood is scratched smooth, the other way it tends to ravel out.
Then both parts where glued together – again using the provided jig.

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After taking the finished module out of the jig and removing the cling film I noticed some glued congested the back/down side of the earlier formed Rabbet …so I picked up my needle files again to clean and also widen the Rabbet a little more. Thanks again for the tip to use a copper brush for cleaning, it didn’t do any harm to the wood!
So that’s where I stand now with the construction:

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While thinking – and asking ;) – about the Wing Transom (BL30), I started with the berth of the kit.
It is also my first time to work with MDF in a kit, I was quite interested how it should be handled!
First impression: very nice material, all flat, no warping. Soft but stable, easy to cut, but does not like to be stretched – I managed to tear apart one of the templates for the bevel of the ribs, but it was easily glued together again!
Every time I took a “closer look” - yes, for sure with my fingers, how do you take a “closer look”? ;) – at any of the parts, my fingers got blackened all over …and everything I touched afterwards… I didn’t want the soot from the laser-cutting get all over the beautiful wood, so back to cleaning – again… Being not sure about the tolerances of all the grooves and how the MDF would react to being filed/sanded I started to tickle off the char … what a mess!! But the material was much more stable than the “soft” first impression it gave … no fraying or splintering like plywood used to do on me, I doubt all the little spacers between the ribs would still live after my treatment…
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well, when starting to clean the templates for the Ribs I noticed that wiping them with some wax seals the soot very well ... if I only had known earlier :p

So this was my journey so far … and it was a very fun and pleasing journey! The fun was not (all) just about reading the English manual – I hope my English is clearer, at least most of the time ;) – but a very well prepared and executed kit! I like the materials to work with and the way Trident tried to make it easier/possible for the first-time-PoF-builder to think: Yes, that’s doable!
With this Group-Build here at SoS it is a great opportunity to dive into this new experience!

Since I was advised to “orientate” me on the surrounding structure I think I’ll prepare some ribs and parts for the Stern next, while thinking about the shape of the Wing Transom …

…but that is a new story for the next few weeks.
 
Hello again, many thanks for your interest!

Well, bevor moving on to the Ribs I noticed I missed a part - actually 4 - on my Keel: BL33 & BL34 forming the Rising Wood... so back to cleaning and polishing ;)

The parts where quickly found thanks to my list, but again took me some time to get them out of the panel - they have 14, 15 "steps" on their upper side, so there where a lot of corners to cut.
Forming them to their proper shape - like a "wedge" I'd say - was done with now problems.
Just be sure to process the "right" side! They are precut the same, but have to look "mirrowed" when finished!

I decided to wait with gluing them in place till I finished the Wing Transom. The final placing of them should be an easy task - again there is a template provided! And also the Instructions are quite clear on that point ;)


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Hello again, just a quick sign to proof I'm not on vacation ;)

Part of my Rib Production Line:
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Again, no major problems, another Thumbsup to @Trident Model for the good overall quality and preparation. On their next kit, if they don't need to produce a hundred kits at once because all are eager to get their hands on it, but do it in bunches of 20, 25, I am sure the quality will be even more constant over the singel panels - or possibly rise!
Your "best friend" here again are tools of high quality!
I don't know why sometimes I am so thrifty, but after a short calculation I had to admit how unbalanced I acted... I got 50 "super sharp" blades for my Olaf (10 Euro) and 200 Blades for my skalpell (again 10 Euro - and a raised eyebrow of the pharmacist) and change them every 3 to 4 ribs now - cutting is a realy joy, no tear outs or ripping any more, nearly no force needed for the cut!

So: Don't save at the wrong end!
 
Well, I finally did it:
The Wing Transom (BL30)

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all the pictures in the other threads helped a lot and using the provided sticker as a guide it wasn't as complicated as I first thought ... even the little tip on its underside almost got shaped by itself

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I then noticed - ok, I was hinted at it in the other build logs ;) - that the grooves for the Counter Timbers (BL38 & BL40) are quite narrow: about 3mm where the parts are 3,4mm
Since I didn't want to fit them inside the building berth I started to prepare all the parts "on the fly" while I can handle them unobstracted

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Part BL37 was easy to shape, I wonder why I got 9 of them on my panels - I could only find 2 to be needed and it was almost impossible to ruin them ;)
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I didn't even use the sticky template, I just transfered the lines with a pencil to the wood... after shaping BL30 I found the template a little too "sticky", I needed some time to get it off again ...and all of the remaining glue ...

But I am still trying to figure out the "best" way to open up the grooves for the Parts that will form the Counter Timbers ... I tried filing, cutting/scratching with the blade - and now ended with a combination: first cutting/scratching (almost planeing), then using my needlefiles to finalize the grooves...

How do you do that? Or do you reduce the thickness of the CounterTimbers to fit in? ...would be much easier I'd say but I am afraid they would become too thin then ....

Have a nice weekend!
...now back to the Rib Production Line ... ;)
 
Yes Paul, my square Needle-File also perfectly fits in the slots for the final sanding - after I have widen it enough ;)
I will try the nail file emery boards, I always thought they would be too soft... thanks for that tip!

I really like this kit! Working with this real full wood is so much more fun than all the plywood provided in the other kits I build so far ... I haven't managed to break a part - till now ;) - even though they are handled quite rough some times ... all the shaping, filing, polishing - even the beveling - no splinter or ravel out

Still thinking if I will do the bolting too ... it looks so nice on all the (macro) pictures ... not sure if I would see it without my magnifyer ... well, I still got quite some time befor the final decission has to be made ;)
 
Well, since I am always interested in the tools others use, here are some of mine:
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Narrow "Olaf" with ultra sharp blades for the "all days" cutting


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Scalpel #11 is great to get the parts out of the panels. The blade is very narrow and flexible, easy to get it into the milled grooves and follow the curved lines
Scalpel #10A also has a long flat blade, but also more "hight". Not as flexible as #11, but more stable ... cutting perpendicular to the grain I often use to "nip off" the wood. Also great to cut the "round" milled corners sharp when joining the parts of the Ribs like Jimsky showed in his buildlog.
Scalpel #10 got this rounded blade ... great for all other cuts - lasts a lot longer than the others, because you can use almost all of the blade ... not only the "tip"
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my beloved Needle-Files
Diamond coarse D181 for the "rough" work - I don't like graters, I think they are too rough (at least they where to the plywood)
(swiss) slash 1 (Hieb 1, how do you designate files in English?) for the finer work
(swiss) slash 2 for the "polishing" - I really like the instructions ;)

Pencil, ruler, pva-glue and lots of sandpaper (180, 240, 360 mainly) - I think that where all the "tools" I used so far!
Oh, concerning PVA-Glue: I like to apply it with a (small) brush - or toothpick ... so one of my best buys in the last years has been this "Glue-Boy" 0,4l with different colored caps - blue for waterproof, red for express, (another)red (with some black marks I put on it) for normal PVA ... I haven't used the "waterproof" for nearly 1 year now and it is still in good condition in it!
 
art BL37 was easy to shape, I wonder why I got 9 of them on my panels - I could only find 2 to be needed and it was almost impossible to ruin them
Hello Markus, Very good progress!!
Initial beveling of the part BL37 is not much of a problem, but... when you will assemble the 'deck transom' and 'counter timbers' you will need to shape, or as I like to say 'adapt' this part. It is positioned on multiple geometry points. While the 'foot' of part BL37 has to reside flat on top of part BL30, the 'head' of the part BL37 must align with the end-cut of part 32. This is really tricky as foot and head must be shaped to align. On top of this, ends of the parts BL40 and BL38 must go in slots of part BL32. Intrigued already??? Don't glue anything until you dry-fitted all parts...and keep the spares handy... ;)

All parts must be sanded and slots enlarged (really small amount). I use the square needle file: First sand the parts to make them the final shape\size, then enlarge the slots.
 
(swiss) slash 1 (Hieb 1, how do you designate files in English?) for the finer work
(swiss) slash 2 for the "polishing" - I really like the instructions
Marcus,
Most hand files are classified as Swiss Pattern or American Pattern. In English the 'hieb' marked as 'cut'. Swiss Pattern files are available in 8 cuts, ranging in coarseness from ØØ to No. 8. The lower-numbered files (#00) have fewer teeth per inch and will take off more material. The higher numbered files (#8) have more teeth per inch, and take off less material, leaving a finer finish.
American Pattern files are available in three grades of cut: Bastard, Second Cut, and Smooth.
 
so "cut" would be the right term ... thank you - for the whole post!
Again learned something new here! - great forum, awesome community!!

Intrigued already??? Don't glue anything until you dry-fitted all parts...and keep the spares handy... ;)
You can bet on that!!
That's why I started to "prefabricate" the Stern-Parts though the "original" plan was to only cut the parts out of the panels I need at the moment.
Now I store all the (little) Parts (countertimbers, transoms,etc) in small closeable plasticbags (to be seen in one of the pictures) and lable them, makes it easier to find them later.
Well, I actually can't throw away anything ... I even keep the "empty" panels in an extra "waste wood" box ... you never know whether you'd need some of the wood later for a "repair" ;)
 
Unbelievably! Last time I whined in PaulV's Log that widening the grooves in the floor timbers seems unimpossible...
But after some told me to "just go ahead and file" I started to work on that groove...
And Yes, widened to 5mm, enough to fit over the Keel!
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and still "enough" wood for the tips at the side! sharp and nicely formed ...but still "stable" ... Did I already mention how much I love working with this "real" wood"? ;) ...maybe this was also the reason why Trident turned the parts on the panels in comparson to the layout in the instructions,for the better "grain" direction....
Well, I hope the other 20 ( ! :eek: ! ) of this floor timbers will work out just as fine...
 
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