Gartside cutter model

[Ed Armstrong]

About a year ago, I started a model of Paul Gartside's 22-foot cutter. I tend to get distracted with other projects, but I'm closing in on finishing it, and I figured that posting a few photos might help me to get it done.

Prior to starting, I emailed Paul Gartside to get his permission to build the model from lines printed in BDQ. He graciously approved. I scanned the lines, enlarged them in AutoCAD, and printed them at 1-1/2"=1' scale:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/1_laying%20out%20forms.jpg

I set up a jig from some scrap pine, cut out the molds with scrap marine ply left over from my Acorn dinghy, and set up the strongback:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/2_building%20jig.jpg

The keel and stem were attached next:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/3_keel%20and%20stem.JPG

It took me awhile to figure out how to do the curved transom. I considered building it over curved forms, either laminating plywood or using strips, but in the end, I figured it was easier to carve it out of a block of redwood:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/4_first%20strips.JPG

The first strips are attached in the last photo. I originally started using redwood, since I had salvaged some scrap when my sister rebuilt her deck, but it proved to be too brittle. Bob W was picking up some WRC for the Goat Island Skiff he was building, and since he was coming up to mill it at my place, he kindly grabbed an extra board for me. It turned out to be beautiful stuff, and worked well for the strip planking:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/5_first%20strips%202.JPG

to be continued...

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

I used straight pins to hold down the strips while the glue dried. Since I didn't want to mix epoxy for each strip, I opted for Titebond III. The planking was fairly straight-forward, but took awhile, since I'd install two to three strips, then let the glue dry.

It looked like a pincushion after a few strips were installed. The dark areas are where I painted epoxy onto the strips to help fill gaps and lock them in place:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/6_hull%20nearly%20complete.jpg

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/7_hull%20nearly%20complete%202.jpg

When the hull was completed, I faired the strips, then fiberglassed the exterior. I can see how fairing a full size stripper hull could be tedious. Here's a photo of the completed hull flipped rightside up, with several coats of epoxy over the fiberglass. My daughter's ken doll provided scale:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/8_hull%20complete.JPG

More later...

[Rob Stokes, N. Vancouver]

I'm liking this...

[goodbasil]

Me too. Plus I get to snoop around your shop.

[Tom Freeman]

Too late now, but I would have recommended thin cyanoacrylate glue for your strip planking. I use it all the time on my scale WWII aircraft models when I'm strip planking round sections of the fuselage prior to glassing. You can add a plank that has been cut to size and dry fitted in about 5 minutes.

[donald branscom]

Very nice photos and a beautiful model in the making.

Good work.

Who is the rockstar???

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks for the compliments. I thought about using CA glue, but I wasn't sure about the permanence of the bond. Maybe I'll try it for my next model. This strip-planking is slow work, and the CA would speed things up somewhat. The really slow part was making the strips, though, which I milled using my bandsaw, planer, X-acto and hand plane. The strips were 1/8"x3/16" -- 1/8" is as thin as my planer will do, and 3/32" seemed about right. If I used a softer wood like balsa, instead of WRC, I could buy the planking material in thin sheets, cut the strips with an X-acto knife and be done in maybe half the time.

Once the hull was turned over, I reinstalled some of the molds as permanent frames, and started on the centerboard trunk. At this point, I made a HUGE, rather embarrassing, error. After assembling the case and cutting the slot in the inner keel, I carefully epoxied in the centerboard trunk and left it to dry for the night. Coming back out to check on it the next day, I realized I'd GLUED THE TRUNK IN BACKWARDS!! :eek: At this point, I wasn't going to cut it out, but was I sure glad this was a model and not the real thing! :o

Anyways, after spending some time berating myself, I proceeded onwards, installing some floorboards and starting on deck framing:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/9_deck%20framing.JPG

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/10_deck%20framing.JPG

Here is where I went further astray. I liked what Dana Martin did with the cabin on his 18-foot Gartside cutter, and someday I'd like to build a 20-foot weekend cruiser, so I decided to add a cabin to this cutter model. I hope Gartside isn't too disgusted:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/12_partially%20decked.jpg

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/14_partially%20decked.jpg

The cabin top is obviously not framed the way you'd do it full-size, because I wanted to leave sufficient openings to add radio gear at some point in the future. I still haven't decided that the cabin was a good idea, but I had to try it.

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

Here is a photo of the deck framing before the decking went on:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/11_deck%20framing%20complete.jpg

and a photo of the mostly completed cabin. The opening in the center will be covered by a hatch to allow access for radio gear:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/16_cabin.jpg

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

and finally, I made the outer keel out of some walnut I had sitting around the shop:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/17_keel.jpg

and installed the cabin radio hatch:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/18_cabin%20hatch%20installed.jpg

That pretty much brings me up to date. I'm working on the outer stem, and after it's fitted and glued on, I'll start on the trim (cabin hatch, cockpit coamings, etc.) Oh, the aft decking is still not installed because I still need to trim the top of the transom. That'll likely get done before the trim.

Ed

[Tom Freeman]

I'm enjoying your project. Nice work! I was a scale modeler before the boat found me. Don't wait to long to plan and install your servo mounts, pulleys, pushrods, etc. It's much easier before the hull is closed up too much. I often do this before adding any planking.

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks Tom, I did install the pushrod from the cockpit to a pivot on the starboard stern and another from the pivot to the rudder area. I haven't planned the servo mounts yet, though.

Ed

[RodB]

Really nice job, Ed. Please keep posting...:)

RodB

[Dave Gray]

Great series of posts, Ed. It looks like a lot of fun. Out of idle curiosity, where does one get servo motors and RC controls for a project like this?

[PeterSibley]

Inspirational Ed , I might build a model of my hull prior to the real thing , it would be an interesting exercise .

[SBrookman]

That's great looking model, and design. How do you plan to ballast it for RC'ing?

I really enjoyed building a model of my next build (a tuckup) this winter. Now I want to build one for RC next winter. So keep the photos and info coming as I've no clue how to do it.

[Tom Freeman]

@ Dave Gray - http://www.towerhobbies.com is a good source of RC gear.

[Saltiguy]

Great! Someone else with a mascot - Tenner Lemonhands has Simon, You've got Ken, and KnottyBoyz has Barbie.
Where does that leave me? Without a mascot - that's where!

Great project - thanks for posting!

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks for the kind words guys.

Dave, there's a Hobbytown, USA near my work, but I may just reuse RC gear from past projects. I had one of my old transmitters narrowbanded by these guys: http://www.radiosouthrc.com/, and they did a good job, so I'd consider ordering from them, if I were to buy over the internet.

Steve, I'm not sure yet if I'll ballast it for RC. It may just become a shelf model, but I'm setting it up for RC in case I want to go that way. If I do, I may just build a bolt-on fin with ballast that removes for display purposes. I've also considered just cutting out part of the keel, and replacing it with lead, but I've heard that doesn't work so well, since ballast doesn't scale the same as the rest of the model.

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

I've been a little distracted lately, trying to enclose my spring garden so that I can plant my starts without fear of the chickens eating them. I finished the fencing and built a new garden gate this past weekend:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/03%2029%202010%20garden%20gate.jpg

Even so, I was able to make a little progress on the model. I shaped and attached the outer stem. It turned out slightly wider than Gartside had designed, I think because my planking was thicker (in scale) due to the limitations of my Delta planer:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/03%2029%202010%20stem%20complete%201.jpg

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/03%2029%202010%20stem%20complete.jpg

Now, onto that back section of decking.

BTW, I haven't seen any updates from Steven on the Footy Eun Mara that he was building. Making any progress Steve?

[Songololo]

Ed, looking good! Her lines just want you to dash out and build the full size version...

The outer stem and keel definitely seem robust :) Will you be chamfering them? Leave a full width stem head?

Lance

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks Lance. I did chamfer the stem slightly, but I think I'll take off some more. When I initially looked at the BDQ plans, the stem looked full width, but looking more closely at the plans on Paul's website, it's definitely chamfered. I guess that's the danger of not building the model from the full plan set.

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

I was inspired by Donald Branscom's postings of the great model he's building of the Brewer catboat, so I thought I'd post some of my latest progress pics of this Gartside cutter model. I've been working on it for longer than I'd care to admit, but I've spent most of the time procrastinating while it sits idly on my workbench. Anyways, since my last post, I finished the deck, cockpit, rubrails, and a few other details. Please excuse the messy workbench.

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/decking_and_cockpit_1.JPG

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/decking_and_cockpit_2.jpg

Cockpit close-up:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cockpit.jpg

I struggled a bit with how to make the hatch cover, and it didn't quite come out as I expected, but it'll do

[SBrookman]

Thanks for updating, I was wondering how this model was coming along. Very nice I see, are you still considering RC?

Don's modeling has a way of motivating us. I'm looking forward to doing a 1 1/2" scale of a 16' Melonseed, but not RC.

[donald branscom]

I used straight pins to hold down the strips while the glue dried. Since I didn't want to mix epoxy for each strip, I opted for Titebond III. The planking was fairly straight-forward, but took awhile, since I'd install two to three strips, then let the glue dry.

It looked like a pincushion after a few strips were installed. The dark areas are where I painted epoxy onto the strips to help fill gaps and lock them in place:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/6_hull%20nearly%20complete.jpg

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/7_hull%20nearly%20complete%202.jpg

When the hull was completed, I faired the strips, then fiberglassed the exterior. I can see how fairing a full size stripper hull could be tedious. Here's a photo of the completed hull flipped rightside up, with several coats of epoxy over the fiberglass. My daughter's ken doll provided scale:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/8_hull%20complete.JPG

More later...

What is a rockstar doing in a workshop? LOL

Very nice model!!
I hope you paint that hull.

It is going to be very good when finished.

[Ed Armstrong]

Steve, I might do RC, but I think it'll start as a desk model. I did include removable hatches in the cabin top and after deck to get at the radio gear and connections.

Donald, I'll probably paint the hull, though I like the fact that a clear finish shows how it went together.

Thanks for the compliments. I need to get it off my workbench so I can start on the Wee Rob that I've been planning to build for a year or so.

Ed

[Ed Armstrong]

This has to be about the slowest model ever built. I occasionally make it out to the garage to do something on it, but not very often. Too many other things that require attention. I finally painted the deck:

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/deck%20painted.JPG

http://www.directcon.net/edarmstrong/cutter%20model/deck%20painted%20-2.JPG

I still have to make some buttons to hold down that radio gear after-hatch. The deck took five or six coats of paint, and still wasn't quite to my liking, but that's primarily because I messed up and tried brushing the paint on first. I got a lot of ridges, so I switched to my airbrush, which needs pretty thin paint to flow properly, thus the number of coats. I've made the spars, but I'm not sure what to do about fittings. I tried my hand at silver soldering to make a simple gooseneck, but I couldn't get the parts to bond. I think the surfaces were clean, and they fit well. I was getting them to a nice cherry red color, which was melting the silver solder, but it wouldn't flow between the two pieces. Maybe the flux was bad.

Anyways, I'll finish it one of these days ;). Then I can start on the Wee Rob. Those plans have been sitting on my desk for over a year now waiting for me to get the model off my work bench.

Ed

[Duncan S]

Interesting project, nice work and I like your workshop! I think the cabin looks good, no great height to it so it dosent look 'boxy' and mess up the lines.

I asume you will have to fit some sort of balasted keel to make it sail under RC?

Duncan

[Ed Armstrong]

Thanks Duncan. Yes, if it doesn't just become a display model. If I ever finish rigging it, that is...

[donald branscom]

Thanks for the photos!
The cabin that you added looks just right.
It will be a great model.