[img][]Well, I have started!

First off, I have to admit I haven't yet made a jig/drydock. I still might make one later. The bow has been traced onto a piece of 4mm ply just in case.

I notice that Tomick's official build doesn't use a shaped bow support anyway, just the supplied bow stand (pieces C1/C2).

The first 2 pieces of keel are a straight as a die when glued together with the bracing pieces. Just a slight warp of about 1mm, right at the tip of the bow, which the jig wouldn't correct anyway. I will sort this later, when the bowsprit is added.

Rib 6 had a slight warp too. About 1mm diagonally across the main piece. Not enough to send the part back but I made another problem by sanding too much out of the slots of the joint to the keel.

The problem was using a loose sheet of fine sandpaper. I was very gentle but I have rounded out the slots very slightly, so there was a slight wobble in the fit - which was tight as could be before I sanded. 45p at Tesco got me a pack of 10 fine emery boards; £1 at the local Asian hardware shop gave me a set of 6 needle files of different shapes. Controlled sanding is the way to go!

Correcting the wobble-fit and warp was done by packing the assembly. I knew that rib 7 was a perfectly square and tight fit - I had dry-fitted it when joining the keel pieces and clamping the bracing pieces to butt against it. Now that 7 is glued in, I dry-fitted 6 and used a vernier to measure the correct centre distance between them at 52mm. Packing was done with a piece of foam insulation slab (49mm) and two slips of cardboard from a wine-box, the same both sides. Anything would do really, so long as it is exactly the same on both sides and really tight.

I will keep the rib packed out until the lower deck is glued and pinned in place.

No work on the cannons except making one carriage. I will wait until more metalwork arrives before deciding on paints. Loooks like that will be when the ship's launch equipment arrives: anchor, bucket and oars.

Still not decided about balsa infills. The ship will be double-planked, so there is an opportunity for fairing up between the two layers. If I find I need more glueing area for the planking, I might add 10mm blocks of balsa either side of the ribs. This would also strengthen the rib joints.

That's it for now. I wonder when the next bits will arrive? Customer Service "despatch dates" seem to be 2 weeks before the parts arrive. I guess that is the date they give the order to their distribution contractor, not when it is actually sent. Royal Mail doesn't take 2 weeks to deliver!

I still have to work out how to attach photos!

Congrat's on your diary build medal and well done!

Loverly detailed diary entry will be following your progress

J

Thanks Delboy.
I just plonked it down on a spare bit of worktop to take the photos. Until the rest of the keel and the ribs are added, it is a bit front-heavy. If I fit the support piece, this does the opposite, raising the front of the keel about 2mm off the board.
I can only think that they made the support this way, so that the keel lays flat on the bench after planking is added to the base of the hull.

Delboy, just looked at yours, mate. Looks good. I love seeing everyone's work before I have to do mine

There is a lot to look at. Still not finished Gandale's. Getting through them all though!

Welcome to the forum nicely detailed start to your diary
regards
Andy