If you want a good bond then remove the paint from the tops of the gun support beams; what you dont want is one of the supports mounted to it coming loose when the dummy barrels are inserted, where you may then be unable to gain access to re-glue the support.

You should complete the planking prior to where the magazine says to install the gun support beams, the planking provides rigidity to the hull, adding the support beams too soon may create a frame movement problem which is then set.

The mounting holes for the dummy guns are being drilled central to the port openings, the additional gun support pieces are there to take into account of end to end deck camber, which in turn means that some of the mounting holes will be slightly higher than those in the full gun mount beam, but will look okay, and hence why an additional piece is added, otherwise there would be nothing to drill into.

There's nothing to change in the magazine as the tops are unpainted, mine we're painted as it was not apparent at the time that additional gun supports were being added for additional height, where any painted area's of the tops was then sanded for the securing of the additional gun supports, ultimately it depends on what sort of glue is used for the best fix

Hi,

Looking good I'm at a similar point to yourself, but have been too shy to add pics!

Noticed your post about not using pins, have you tried the bulldog clip method?

Remove the silver lever portion from 1 clip and insert in the black sprung portion so that the rounded end protrudes one side, you can then clamp onto the ribs & the rounded end holds the plank against rib. Can also add pressure in a vertical plane to squeeze planks together but this does depend on plank to deck level.

I've found this method very useful but must add not my idea, stole/borrowed it from someone else on here!

Keep up the great work.

Wilfy

OK so on to the next.

I used the gauge to mark out the middle row of gun ports but of course the line is angled at the stern and bows.

I remember we had to the the ports level to the waterline so I presume these lines are not helpful. Should I just measure 31mm to the centre of the gun port and make a square, level hole from there?

John

Sad day today as I go back to the UK and leave the lady behind for 3 months so no more complaints about the issues being 2 days late please.

I thought I would put the latest pics up and as usual any advice would be very welcome (apart from - remove all the planks and start again).

In the meantime I'll continue with the forum except when I'm abroad, and watch you all get further ahead but no problem.


The last rib is flat to the keel but there is a bit of a curve, hope that's ok.




As I mentioned previously I got into all sorts of contortions because of not using the pins and the planking is not as good as I would have liked but hopefully won't look to bad with a good rub down.


I was hoping to get the middle gun ports all cut out before I left but ran out of time. Will now have to relearn all the knife skills.


I couldn't get the template to line up with the bottom plank and the rib correctly and on top of that one of the planks broke while the glue was drying so I decided not to cut them until I had finished. Not sure if that is a good idea or not. Looking at some of the pics in the official build it seems the gallery will cover everything up though.


Yes the dummy cannon positions are a bit out but they don't actually look to bad with kebab sticks in the ports as I couldn't resist see what the effect looked like.




A good shot of the extra packing required for rib 12 here. All seems OK now but I guess I will know at some stage for sure.

So final question, I am keen to do the lower planking now so that I can turn the ship over without too much damage to the work done already. I will then finish rows 13 and above after that together with the upper deck gun ports.

Can anyone say if this would cause a problem later?

So there we are. Good building to everyone and more pics in a while.

John

As my build is by the book I can only comment if your building by the book if that makes sense, otherwise its departing from the intended build, where should anything go wrong it would be down to you to resolve.

What I will say is that if you turn over now then there is high risk of breaking the frame tops, where if these are first planked they will be supported.

Thanks. Yes I have a jig which I used to do the fairing on the main hull when the ship had to be upside down.

John

Thanks Darron, I will move ahead on that basis and if I cock up it's all your fault.

John

Definitely.


Great stuff, thanks.


Looks like I'll be busy over the whole of Summer.

John