Here I’m making the Gun Port Hatches. There are 6 of them around the level of the Upper Rubbing Strakes.
Bokapi Wood looks very similar to Mahogany to me… 🤔🙄
I am gluing the Bokapi to a strip of flat basswood I had to glue together to come out to 12mm. I’m just using White Glue and finger pressing them tight until all the glue squeezes out and I wipe it off with a damp paper towel.
My first Gun Port. I figured I better cut all of these out before I do the Painting.
The Gun Port itself is 12x12mm.
For the Gun Port Doors, I’m making some. This kit didn’t really provide the adequate parts so I had to make my own out of spare Lumber that I have.
X-Acto #24 Precision Blades is my main tool for this. I carefully push it into the wood. Unfortunately for this first Door, I went right into a Bulkhead!!! .. 🤔🙄😲
As you can see, I used some Masking Tape, which I cut right through! ..
I’m really annoyed with myself that I accidentally made the 4 Stern most Gun Ports too big. They are supposed to be 10mm Square and I made them 12mm Square and 13 in one case!!! .. Why did I do that???!!! .. Fuck if I know!!! .. 🤔🙄😲
So annoyed with myself!!!
The 2 Forward most Gun Ports are 10mm Square though.
Port side is correct… I screwed up on the Starboard side but I am not going to mention it because it will be barely noticeable…
The Instructions called for 1.5x2mm Bokapi Planks for the Gallery Planking but I decided to use some spare .5x5mm Walnut Planks which I had lying around which I used my mini Table Saw to cut down to 2.5mm.
I’m using some .5x5mm Walnut Planks which I cut down to 2.5mm. 🤔🙄
I also used Contact Cement.
I had to put those .5mm Strips inside the Windows to bring out the Windows more than they were.
I ended up cracking in two the Center Window as I was trying to fit it in the middle slot…
So… I chose a couple of Planter Hooks to hang a Line so I could dangle these Clips to hold the Planks as they dry…
Here’s a picture of the Port Wale at the Stern…
I may have forgotten to mention that I used DAP Weldwood Contact Cement on the Wale Hull contact… Wood on Wood with the exception of the very Forward part where there was the most pressure and the very Stern where I used SuperGlue.
I had the Walnut Wood Strips 1.5 x 3mm soaking in Water + Glycerin for almost 24 hours. I had no problem bending it.
These DeWalt Clamps only go so deep. The Wale will be down below the Sapelle Wood.
I used Contact Cement and in some spots SuperGlue.
Yeah… I put another coat of Black paint on it…
I always feel like an Able Bodies Seaman sitting in a Bosun’s Chair while painting over the dings in the Wale up some river in England… 🙄🤔
I finally got the .5 x 4mm Tanganyika Wood that I ordered from Model Expo. Seems like it took forever! .. At least I bent some Wale while waiting…
Anyway… Here’s my Tanganyika…
I also trimmed all the excess Planks that peeked over the Bulwarks with my Ibex Plane.
By the way, the distressed wood is intentional…
I haven’t Posted much because I am currently stalled while I wait for the UPS to arrive from Model Expo from whom I ordered a bunch of Tanganyika Wood.
I ran out of the .5 x 3mm Tanganyika Wood. Had to order some more… I swear, after I ordered it, it sat at “Processing” for nearly 3 Days until I got totally frustrated and wrote ol’ J Garcia at Model Expo an Email asking him “WTF?!?!!!!…” FINALLY, they shipped it and I’ve been checking UPS Tracking like 3 times per day, but it’s STILL “On the Way…”
I suppose I can soak and bend the 1.5 x 3mm Walnut for the Wale.
I had to order some more .5 x 3mm Tanganyika to finish the Upper Hull so I decided to work on the Gallery while I’m waiting.
The first thing I had to do was to open up the Hole a lot bigger for the Rudder Post to go into.
Then, I filled in the Gap with some Plastic Wood so that I can Plank it with some 1.5 x 2mm Walnut.
I am using 1.5 x 3mm Walnut Wood for the Transom Planking. The kit specified 1.5 x 2mm but the Wood they provided was less than desirable! .. 😫🙄😲
I am using White Glue to glue the Planks. No Clamps.
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This is Pre-Sanding…
