mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111 
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 8, 2015 20:35:40 GMT -5
I was given this by the widow of a 90 year old friend. He started this, but passed away before finishing it. I'd like to do it justice in his memory.
It is a Midwest kit #965, of a Chesapeake Bay Flattie, scale 3/8" = 1'. Completes to 10 3/4" L X 3 1/2" W. It is a pretty simple kit as wood ships go, but I wish to do it right. Flatties were used around 1900 along the coat of Virginia and North Carolina, carrying produce and oystering. Very shallow draft and could be run aground without suffering damage and were relatively cheap to build. This version was built and worked in the Chesapeake Bay and Pamlico Sound area.
He had started it and had the keel, bulkheads and stern board, and the main deck assembled and the mast steps and keel strips installed. Quite a ways to go yet though.
This is what was there. All the wood except one stick of basswood, the stuff in the pics and a couple old bottles of paint, bent saw, xacto knife. One sheet of the plans, showing the masts, booms & sheets was missing, so I contacted Midwest and they provided a new sheet.
And these extras. I don't know what I'll ever do with those giant cast bronze propellers.
Should be a fun build to go in between my other builds.
EJ
|
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Feb 8, 2015 20:48:55 GMT -5
Looks like a fun build.
|
|
|
|
Post by TRM on Feb 8, 2015 20:51:21 GMT -5
Nice!! I have one of Midwest's kits in the stash...was looking at it last week!! Quickly realized I have way too much going on to even think about it!! Looks like this will be a great way to fill in some time!! Count me in!! Enjoy!!
|
|
|
|
Post by deafpanzer on Feb 9, 2015 12:30:52 GMT -5
Great start... count me in too!
|
|
|
|
Post by wbill76 on Feb 9, 2015 19:03:04 GMT -5
Should be a fun project, off to a great start!
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 13, 2015 16:02:18 GMT -5
Well, after looking a bit closer, I discovered the transom/stern board and the main deck were mis-aligned, and there was a small "hump" in the deck where the keel board was. So, I cut the join, adjusted the positions and re glued it all. Next, started installing the chines. Put them in the soakers for a while, then glued the stern ends in place.   While the glue set up, I soaked the panels for the sides of the cabin, then set them up in a jig to dry in the appropriate curve.  I bent the chines to the notches in the bulkheads and glued them up. When the glue set, I cut the bow ends to fit and glued them in place.  Then spent some time with a sanding block and "faired in" the chines, stern board, bow stiffeners, ready for planking.   Next day, when the cabin walls were dry, I installed them, sanded them to fit and installed the cabin roof beam.  Then the cabin roof.  Next will be the side hull planking and the bottom hull planking, and on to more detail work and a bit of filling. EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Feb 13, 2015 17:13:32 GMT -5
Making really good progress EJ! Keep up the great work.
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 14, 2015 21:43:02 GMT -5
Todays Flattie update - Added a piece at the stem as I didn't think there was enough glue area there.  With the new stem piece faired in, next was the two side hull panels. went on pretty well.   After having a cup of coffee to let the glue kick well, I faired in all the panel edges at the stem, stern, top edge and at the chines.    Now it's ready for the bottom planking. EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Feb 15, 2015 6:22:49 GMT -5
EJ! This is really shaping up nicely.
|
|
|
|
Post by wbill76 on Feb 16, 2015 17:34:02 GMT -5
Looks like it's really coming together nicely EJ. Nice!
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 16, 2015 17:50:35 GMT -5
Little wood flattie update 2-16-15 Eased the edges of the bottom planks so they fit to the keel. Installed both planks.   Faired the plank edges to the stern and side planks.  Installed the chafing planks on both sides of the keel, fitted to the plank angle.  Made and installed the rough keel post.  Faired in the keel post, made and installed the stern post too.   The bench is getting messy, so I'll clean it up a bit.  The easy stuff is done. The rough in crew is done and the painters and trim crew are up next. I'll put a couple coats of sanding sealer on it, smoothing it out and ready for paint. Now comes the fiddly stuff, trim, deck items, do da's, sails and rigging. The work slows down a bit, but I'm pleased with the look so far.  EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Feb 16, 2015 18:29:02 GMT -5
You should be pleased EJ! Your doing some fantastic work.Looking forward to seeing some color.  |
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 26, 2015 20:31:43 GMT -5
Little wood flattie update. The hull and superstructure done and painted. Looks pretty good I think.  The sticks for the mast, boom and gaff.  The sticks - tapered, drilled for rigging, stained and varnished.  Some do da's pre-assembled and stained and varnished. Trim pieces and toe rails, Samson post, rudder ( I made the tiller out of walnut for looks), centerboard, companionway door and hatch, coaming trim.  Will put a coat of clear gloss on this stuff tomorrow, the, ready to trim this little baby out. So far, I havn't even broken a stick. EJ |
|
|
|
Post by TRM on Feb 26, 2015 20:57:52 GMT -5
Just fantastic!! Clean lines!! Looking forward to that finish going on!! |
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Feb 26, 2015 21:10:02 GMT -5
Thanks. This has been a nice build. Got me out of the doldrums and back at the bench. Just got a new wood kit last week so it'll keep me busy and at the bench.
EJ
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Mar 15, 2015 18:55:20 GMT -5
Update to the flattie.
Got tied up with life for a bit, but back at the bench now.
The do-da's in front are the centerboard, rudder, gunnel trim, mast and booms, all ready to be installed yet. Then the rigging and a bit of dressing, rope coils and other trappings of a working oyster boat. I boogered the deck stain yesterday by spilling a bit of clear gloss on it. Instead of letting it dry and sanding the lump down, I tried to wipe it off, therby removing the layer of Vallejo matt clear and the wiped stain under it back to the white base. Crap. I might have to cover it with a crate or a lobster pot or something. Anyway, it's been a fun little wood kit to build. I like these to space in between regular plastic kit builds as it takes me a year to to an aircraft carrier. Here she is at present. Should have her done in a week or so.
EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Mar 15, 2015 19:15:12 GMT -5
WOW!!! That looks fantastic EJ ! Looking forward to seeing it all dressed out. |
|
|
|
Post by deafpanzer on Mar 15, 2015 21:51:36 GMT -5
WOW! She is starting to look like a beauty now...
|
|
John Everett
Full Member
Member since: January 2012
July, 2016 MoM Winner
Posts: 1,278
Jan 17, 2012 0:53:48 GMT -5
Jan 17, 2012 0:53:48 GMT -5
|
Post by John Everett on Mar 16, 2015 0:10:58 GMT -5
Hard to believe it's all wood. A beautiful little build. Any plans for RC?
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Mar 16, 2015 7:40:05 GMT -5
Hard to believe it's all wood. A beautiful little build. Any plans for RC? Not RC, but I might put it in the tub just to see what she looks like. 
EJ
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Mar 25, 2015 18:46:49 GMT -5
Little wood Flattie update Got a bit more done this week. Before I started on it, I had been asked if it would float, so, I put it in the kitchen sink to see. There's no top hamper yet, so it could be top heavy then, but for now, it floats beautifully.   Got a few more bits installed - the rub rails along the sides, the coaming trim on the well, companionway door and hatch, mop board at the base of the cabin, and some cleats.   The bench is getting messier the closer I get to completion.  Next, the stand, centerboard and rudder. Instructions say to glue the rudder in place, but I'm gonna make straps and pintles so it actually works. then the metal trimwork and the mast and rigging. EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Mar 25, 2015 19:37:40 GMT -5
Great update EJ ! The Flattie looks right at home in the water.Just need to add a few fish and you'll have a great live dio.  |
|
|
|
Post by deafpanzer on Mar 25, 2015 23:38:08 GMT -5
She is starting to look like a beauty!
|
|
Wes
Full Member
Member since: November 2011
Posts: 686
Nov 16, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -5
Nov 16, 2011 9:34:50 GMT -5
|
Post by Wes on Mar 26, 2015 4:48:25 GMT -5
I can imaging relaxing on the deck with a cold beer watching the sun set.
Great work.
|
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Apr 3, 2015 14:10:52 GMT -5
Got my taxes done, now back to the bench. Some more stuff came this week Lost my solder equipment so -  solder, flux, heat sink clamps  Some cool looking toothpicks that look like mini hiking sticks, bamboo skewers for tool handles, ex nuts, a free paint mixer, teeny tubing and rod to make rudder hinges for the Little Wood Flattie  EJ |
|
|
|
Post by Leon on Apr 3, 2015 17:46:17 GMT -5
Nice little haul there EJ! |
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Apr 4, 2015 12:17:20 GMT -5
Back on the Flattie - In the last week I've been looking for "prettier" woods to use for wood boat trim with limited success. Never seem to find exactly what I want and if I do it's usually out of stock. So, out to the workshop. In the "save this" bin, I found blocks of American black walnut, mahogany (not sure what kind), rosewood, clear western red cedar, various types of pine, clear redwood and a few I'm not sure of what they are. Spent about 3 hours building a fixture for the table saw to cut very narrow strips. The pics show what I was able to do. Able to get down to 1/16" X 1/16". pretty nice. I'm working on a fixture for the drill press to use as a thickness sander.   Next - went to work with the new soldering stuff. Making the Pintles and Gudgeons for the rudder. I call em hinges. I tried the lower melting point solder first, 275 degrees, but had two joints fail, so then used the higher temp silver solder, 430 degrees, with great success. The low temp I think might work very well with PE railings and such, but the high temp seems to be better for joints that might get stressed. Anyway, they are done and ready to install. The materials -  Bent, fitted and soldered,  Cut off, pins fitted and cleaned up, ready for paint.  Next, the crib to set it on. EJ |
|
|
|
Post by deafpanzer on Apr 4, 2015 12:18:53 GMT -5
Looking real good... still following your build!
|
|
|
|
Post by wbill76 on Apr 4, 2015 19:13:53 GMT -5
You know you've gone the limit when a penny won't do and you start using a dime for scale! Nice work on these little details EJ. |
|
mm2snipe
Full Member
Member since: July 2013
Posts: 111
|
Post by mm2snipe on Apr 4, 2015 19:23:17 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I got the sternpost hinge halves mounted and the boat crib to set Flattie on today. Will get the rudder halves and a couple more bits tomorrow, then post a couple pics.
EJ
|
|
