Artesania Latina 1/75 Bluenose II

[fox]

Hi all you skippers out there on the briney deep. This is my first WIP on this forum. I used to post on FSM for years but recently moved here. As of 1/2 hour ago, I finally figured out how to get my photos here, so here goes nothing. I can only get links to show but if you click on the links I hope photos will show up.

First I'll show you a couple of pics of my last build the USS Kearsarge. Finished last year after 3 years of on and off building.



photos.app.goo.gl/Dyk1J1JjS5BsnJSc7

I've done a few wooden ships also. My avatar is one of them. It's an Artesania Latina Scottish Maid. My latest is the Bluenose II by the same company. If you know how to work with wood, their kits pose a few problems but can be overcome with just a little work. This one is no exception. Excellent instruction manuals. Full size photos of each step in color. Laser cut parts. Two large plastic boxes of fittings and rigging thread. 

photos.app.goo.gl/5uyit7Sd3RVcLzqM6

First problem. Bulkheads are plywood with grain running horizontally. When attaching the bulwarks small brass nails split the wood almost every time. Predrilling the holes helps but many different ways of clamping is necessary to keep pieces in place while glue is curing.

photos.app.goo.gl/5Zg5oFq6HK1qzPmaA

Planking the deck is easy enough but the planking is not as long as it's supposed to be. Lots of waste and more strips needed. Good thing I have lots of spare wood from other kits. 

photos.app.goo.gl/2PHWYeM9R9VEwEjw8

After struggling with the bulwarks, which are not long enough (naturally), I started with the planking. So naturally the pieces are too short and slightly brittle. Spare stock came in very handy here too.

When I send this post, I'll be able to tell if the pics came through or not. I'll try to fix or send again.

Stay safe
Jim

 

[fox]

Sorry for the mixup on the photos. The right photos are there but some added ones crept in and others from past stayed with new ones. I think I'll leave it alone for now. You experts out there will be able to tell which photos go where. I will practice with this and get better at it with time.

Stay safe.
Jim

[noname]

Looks good to me. Lots of detail.

[kyledehart5]

I do particularly love the tall ship. That is super cool. Look forward to seeing more

[fox]

Thank you for the kind words guys.

I think I've solved the photo problem. Well, half of it. After I send the link, I have to go back and unclick all the photos I clicked. That keeps them from going along with the next batch I send. Simple, right? Oh man, this stuff is tuff for us old codgers, well, at least this one.

Stay safe.
Jim

[fox]

Iiiiiimmmmmm baaaaack! 

Sorry for the time lapse. Life and computer related problems. Got the first planking of the hull finished after I followed the suggestions of CapnMac and worked from the keel up to the bulwarks instead of the other way around. Gave the hull a good sanding, filled a couple of imperfections and started to do the second planking. I put the first 2 planks below the bulwarks to give me a line to work with as I worked up from the keel instead of down to it. 


photos.app.goo.gl/4YU7Met4VvcfBF4M9

The second planking went very well. Installed 1 plank on each side of the hull at the same time and held them in place with strips of masking tape overnight. When completed, I gave it a good sanding and fixed a couple of minor imperfections. Next, I installed the rudder. It had no hinges included in the kit or on the plans. Using a sheet of thin brass to replicate hinges. Working on the bowsprit now. My small lathe is getting a workout. I used it for polishing the windlass, capstan and now using it to taper the bowsprit.


photos.app.goo.gl/YGfmUyouWbRDxNVo7

While the planks were drying overnight, I got some work done on various "deck furnishings".

photos.app.goo.gl/x3P37mkJr5GTVb8M6



Hope all the pics came out OK. We had trouble getting the pics from my wifes phone to the computer. She said she tried something new and it worked OK. So, I'm back in business.

Stay safe.
Jim  

[406 Silverado]

Man this is intense Jim!! I really like all the details that you are putting into this one.

Good to see you back at this one fox!!

[kyledehart5]

Great work Jim!! As Joe said you’re really packing the detail into this one. Looking awesome!!

[fox]

Thanks for the kind words guys! I'll tell you, without the help from CapnMac on FSM I wouldn't have gotten this far this fast. That man is something else. He is a walking library of any kind of ship that floats on water. His suggestions on the planking of the hull saved me a lot of time and work. It took me about a year to finish the hull of the Scottish Maid (my avatar) and that ships hull is smaller than the Bluenose. It also helped to have a collection of leftover parts and scrap wood left from previous ship and plane kits that I've built over the years. 

I've started to do the finishing sanding on the bottom of the hull. Then comes the painting of the bulwarks and installation of the bowsprit. I plan on getting quite a bit done today (famous last words).


Stay safe.
Jim

[kyledehart5]

So cool to see these tall ships built like this so thanks for sharing Jim.

[Leon]

This is looking good Jim!

[fox]

Thanks guys! I really like building these wooden ships. If I could afford them I'd have a lot more all around the house. Years back, the man who lived in a double wide trailer next door to my in-laws used to have them all over the trailer. They were on shelves, in cabinets, on the floor against the walls and on table tops. It was like a small museum in there. He had absolutely no room for another one so he would give one away to anyone who wanted one and any orginazation that would take one. He said if nobody wanted one he would throw it in the trash. I took a couple of them and gave them to people who I knew would like to have them. I gave one to one of my bosses and she put it up on top of her filing cabinet in her office. Then I built one for her other cabinet. 

Stay Safe.
Jim

[fox]

Hi there! Got a couple of pics of the Bluenose II over to this computer so all of you can see her as she sits today. The basic hull is now finished. The bowsprit has been installed. I also made a new stand for her as the one that came with the kit kept breaking. The uprights on the stand were made with the grain running horizontally so any movement of the hull ends up snapping off the upright. I'm now starting to get the deck "furniture" glued to the deck. Following the measurements on the plans usually ends up with the parts in the wrong place. The one that really got me was the placement of the "cowls" that funnel air to below the deck. If you followed the measurement on the plan, one of them was to be placed right in front of a set of doors leading below deck. Going to the photo of the finished ship, I placed it where it appears to be, not where the plans said it should be. Those photos will be here in a couple of days.

photos.app.goo.gl/dvWtxP1iLS6i2TgU9

Stay safe.
Jim 

[armornutii]

   Dang fix between you and You Tube Harry Hudini from Oz you guys will have me building masts yet. Amazing

[handiabled]

Amazing work sir! This schooner is such a sleek looking ship

[fox]

Thanks guys! These AL kits are a lot of fun to build. They will bring out the best or the worst in you and your building. I'm hoping for the former. 

Armornutii, everyone should try at least one in your lifetime. You know the old saying "Try it, you'll like it". 

Handiabled, I used to race R/C sailboats that were made from a tank test model of the America's Cup 12 meter boats. The lines of both those boats were designed for one thing, sailing as fast as possible. The 12's and the Bluenose have quite a bit in common.

I'll have a few more photos up in a couple of days. It's starting to look good with the "deck furniture" on.

Stay safe.
Jim 

[fox]

Hi guys! Here are some photos of the Bluenose II as of today. 

Most of the deck "furniture" is now on deck. When I started working on the ships boats, the small size gave me a lot of trouble so i've put them aside for the time being. Still thinking about them and think I've come up with a solution but it'll keep for now. I can work on them later. The railings in the aft end of the boat were fun too. The "rope" is twisted stainless steel and makes bending and seizing the loop at each end slightly difficult. The wire to do the seizing did not take well to bending more that once. Soooo, I looked through my extensive collection and found a reel of each size wire that was clear plastic coated, left-over from my R/C boat days. That went so much easier. That's good because I now have 6 lines to attach to the bowsprit. Then there's all those white metal fittings that need to be "Polished". It's tough holding a fitting that is 1/8" long in your hand and polishing it at the same time. Lots of work done and lots of work still ahead. 

photos.app.goo.gl/XVXcNdpfA4dUJL4P7

If I can be of help to anyone just ask. If you see anything you think I need help with just let me know. I'm always open to help, giving and/or receiving. And I accept constructive criticism readily.

Stay safe. 
Jim 

[buddho]

What a gorgeous build! The rigging alone, would make me daffy.

[handiabled]

The added details to the deck look outstanding Jim! Bluenose II has taken part of the "Tall Ships" Great Lakes tours but I don't recall it coming to Duluth (a couple hours from me) They always draw a huge crowd when they show up

[fox]

Thanks guys! I appreciate the kind words. I really enjoy building sailing ships (most of the time). I was on a sailboat in the N.Y. harbour in '76 when the Tall Ships came in for the celebration. It was fantastic. The guys on our boat had me in a "Bosuns chair" up the mast taking photos of whatever I could. Got a lot of great photos. One of my high school friends is a permanent member of the crew of the "Gazella" sailing ship that is based at a dock in Philadelphia. He is on her when she travels to some of the other ports.I have been on her several times. I get a Christmas card from him every year with the "Gazella's" postmark. I think those two events helped to push me to like sailing ships. My racing R/C sailboats didn't hurt either.

Stay safe.
Jim