Atkin Fore An' Aft Cutter Model

[Bob Cleek]

Like all fine art, any quality model, and especially one of this quality, should be displayed in a proper case and never, ever in direct sunlight. A model with any detail that is not in a case will have a short life. There are the outrages of little hands (it's not a toy!) and ignorant cleaning ladies who are prone to have at them with dusters. The pollutants in the air will quickly take their toll on finishes and adhesives. Don't put off building her a case. The job is not done until you do. (BTW, you might want to put something soft, like thin foam rubber on the bearing surfaces of that cradle you've got there. Without it, it's likely the bracing will eventually mar the finish.)

[outofthenorm]

I completely disagree with that POV Bob. With absolutely no disrespect to the model or the modeller, it's a fine wee vessel, but it isn't a museum quality piece. It wasn't meant to be one either. Of my models, the ones in cases are looked at less and appreciated less than the ones out in the open. The case is a barrier to the experience. I believe that one of the best things about a model like this is that you can hold it in your hands and study it from every possible angle. You can actually feel its balance points and its COG, and imagine the forces at work when she heels under a press. As for wear and tear, the model will simply acquire an honest patina over time, just as we all do. IMO, wear marks and signs of handling are proof of life.

- Norm

[Bob Cleek]

I completely disagree with that POV Bob. With absolutely no disrespect to the model or the modeller, it's a fine wee vessel, but it isn't a museum quality piece. It wasn't meant to be one either. Of my models, the ones in cases are looked at less and appreciated less than the ones out in the open. The case is a barrier to the experience. I believe that one of the best things about a model like this is that you can hold it in your hands and study it from every possible angle. You can actually feel its balance points and its COG, and imagine the forces at work when she heels under a press. As for wear and tear, the model will simply acquire an honest patina over time, just as we all do. IMO, wear marks and signs of handling are proof of life.

- Norm

I agree completely, Norm, that for a builder contemplating building the real boat, "hands on" examination is invaluable. A case doesn't need to prevent one from doing all the things you mention. All my models are in cases which simply lift off, leaving the model fully accessable. What cases do prevent, however, is accidental damage and mishandling, as well as environmental deterioration, which is inevitable otherwise. There is really no way to effectively clean a model that has been left to gather dust, airborne cooking grease in the home, and what all else. It's much like a fine violin. Certainly, if it lives in a case, it cannot be played, but when it isn't being played, it will last much longer if it is kept cased. "Patina" isn't becoming to a model (as I said) that will have much fine detail and excessive handling will destroy the detail quickly because it simply isn't possible to have fine details strong enough to hold up to handling. The model here is in its early stages and can be respectfully handled without much risk of damage, but when it is fully rigged and full of fine details, that won't be so. Much of that detail will, quite truly, "hanging by a thread."

[jsjpd1]

My Rotten Stone and Pumice Stone powder showed up in the mail today. Good times are here!

Bob, are you're display cases made from plexiglass? If I'm going to put all the rigging on then it definitely needs a case or there's no point in going to the trouble (besides just getting a better idea of how it's put together).

Jim

[Bob Cleek]

I use glass in the cases. I get picture frame glass from an art store like Michael's (a chain of them out here at least.) It's got some sort of UV filtering built into it, or so they say. It's also perfectly flat, so there's no distortion. According to the museum business literature, there is some concern, particularly regarding "lead bloom," that plastics gas off and the gas is corrosive to the model parts. I've seen plenty of nice plexiglass cases, though. Plexiglass is more expensive than glass and more prone to scratching. If you want a frameless plexiglass case, you pretty much have to have it made by a plastics outfit like Tap Plastics and that ain't cheap. I get 1/8" thick picture frame glass and that fits pretty well in a notch cut with a standard table saw blade. Truth be told, I hate making cases. It's tedious. All the mitres have to be perfectly square and all that. You need three or four hands to assemble it all, or so it seems. They are simple enough to measure and cut but getting all the mitres perfect is tricky. You have to have a good mitering set up. (Trick: put two mitred edges together and clamp well perfectly square. If the joint is off a bit, I cut down the joint with a dovetail saw with it clamped perfectly square and the joint will then fit perfectly, even if not at an exact 45 degree angle. Of course, that will throw all the other three joints off square, but three more saw cuts down the other seams and it's all fine, if a bit smaller. Leaving some extra depth in the saw cuts for the glass solves that problem.)

[jsjpd1]

Finished getting all the frames in today.





Next come the floors.

Jim

[johnno]

That is really impressive! Are you looking forward to doing that again full size now Jim?

[jsjpd1]

I've been thinking about it quite a bit Johno. The order of operation will be slightly different since the frames will all be bent in prior to planking and I go back and forth whether to steam them in or laminate in place. So in answer to your question, um, yeah. But I also know that it will be a long term project and that tempers my enthusiasm somewhat.

[johnno]

I know my project is so small relatively, but even I have noticed the difference between the beginning where the mind set is 'one job at a time' with no sense of the end of the project. It's quite a good feeling, and makes each task enjoyable.

Now that I'm getting closer to the end of the project, and the end is imaginable, the final tasks have changed from being jobs in themselves to almost impediments to getting the job finished. I'm trying to regain the former feeling, so that these last tasks remain as enjoyments within themselves too.

I imagine that multi-year builds work that way too.

[jsjpd1]

I know exactly that feeling, it's been that way with each boat so far.

[Oyster]

jim,
on a lighter note, it must be fresh fish depravation but i'm looking at the photo taken from above straight towards the bow from the stern and see a fish skeleton. boy i must need to get out. way neat project
royce

[jsjpd1]

jim,
on a lighter note, it must be fresh fish depravation but i'm looking at the photo taken from above straight towards the bow from the stern and see a fish skeleton. boy i must need to get out. way neat project
royce

MMM...fish. I could go for catching a few myself, Royce. Maybe tomorrow.

[JoshuaIII]

Nice work!

[PeterSibley]

It's such a good way to get to know the shape and this model planking will pay you back big time on the real one .

[jsjpd1]

Nice work!

Thanks Stephane.

It's such a good way to get to know the shape and this model planking will pay you back big time on the real one .

It is nice to see the shape in three dimensions and building as a model has taken the mystery out of the planking process, which is what I was hoping for.

[ChrisBen]

Ahem,hem... Good thing you only get one birthday a year, hope the fishing was good.

[jsjpd1]

Mea culpa, mea culpa Chris. Not much progress to report I'm afraid. A couple new floors were put together after reading up on the subject in Bud McIntosh's book How to Build a Wooden Boat. I decided to try a composite approach to spread out the load to as many planks as possible.







Then the awful realization struck that it was already May and Sparrow wasn't in the water yet, nor was she ready for the Maritime Festival next weekend. So the rest of my spare time, including just about every waking moment this weekend has been spent to rectify the situation. If the weather cooperates Sparrow should be in her summer berth at about 3:20 tomorrow afternoon (she would have been there last night but the weather wasn't cooperating). On the plus side the new set of oars I started yesterday are coming along nicely. Sparrow will have two functional rowing stations this season, I can't wait.



Jim

[jsjpd1]

Not much has happened in the last month, model wise. But with Sparrow safely back in her element, I thought maybe I'd bump this thread up and start plugging away again.

Sparrow at the somewhat cold and rainy maritime festival, sporting a fresh paint job.



Back at the basement boat yard, work continues on the floors.





Here the floor at station 3 is being fitted.



And, of course, everything looks better with shellac.





Jim

[Oyster]

hi jim,
nice to to see sparrow wet and your headway on your model. what did you use for wood on your new oars?
thanks
royce

[jsjpd1]

Thanks Royce. The oars are made from clear rough cut sitka spruce my dad had in is wood pile. They're 10 footers but still nice and light.

[PeterSibley]

[


I really like that colour scheme Jim!

[jsjpd1]

Thanks Peter, I like it too. As an aded bonus, the painted rails should stand up better than varnish too.

[jsjpd1]

I spent a few hours on the model today. It didn't seem to get me too far, most of it was adjusting floors. I did work on the mast step. The plans call for a mast step that only covers three floors. After seeing few rebuilds here where that was an issue I thought that might be a bit skimpy.











Jim

[PeterSibley]

Now that's a serious mast step !

[PeterSibley]

Bump, I just thought I'd drop by and see how things are progressing Jim.

[donald branscom]

The model is looking great!
The size will make a very impressive model.

[jsjpd1]

The model is looking great!
The size will make a very impressive model.

Thanks Donald!

Bump, I just thought I'd drop by and see how things are progressing Jim.

Well summertime is over, Sparrow has been tucked away until next season, and my canoe project is getting close to being done, so there should be progress again soon.

Jim

[jsjpd1]

Started working on the model again today. A pleasant hour and a half saw the back half of the floors finished. I'll finish up the front ones tomorrow, then it will be on to the ceiling and sheer clamp.




Jim

[PeterSibley]

Hi Jim , I'm looking forward to your progress, I'm even more inclined to see building a model as an essential precursor to building a full sized hull, if only to get a manual understanding of plank runs .

[jsjpd1]

Hi Peter, I'm feeling a little bit like an over stimulated labrador retriever I used to have, when it comes to projects recently. I just get- oh look! a squirrel!

But this has been a fun project and it felt good to get something started.

[PeterSibley]

Hey, I'm actually knocking over a few of my to does lately, a great feeling ! All I have on it now is finish JIM, finish the biodiesel plant, make a start on 160 foot of wall around my vegetable garden ... that will be a 5 year spare time project. Almost nothing !

[jsjpd1]

Floors are done and the sole is started.





The bilge is getting crowded.

Jim

[PeterSibley]

Big keel bolts to fit that nut !

[jsjpd1]

Wouldn't want it to break!

[Canoe]

Oh! what a thing of beauty!!

I think this model really deserves to be a working model, I can already picture her creaming across the water with a happy jsjpd1 standing on the shore with an RC transmitter in his hands, it would be so easy to link up two servos to take care of the rudder and both sheets.

Greetings from a relativley mild Germany,

Alan (maybe RC sailing this afternoon)

[Autonomous]

Jim, I just discovered this thread and while reading it a smile has been sitting on my face. Good job and thank's for taking the time to document the build.

[jsjpd1]

Canoe & Autonomous thanks for the kind words.

Jim

[jsjpd1]

Three nights in a row, this is turning into a habit!





Jim

[donald branscom]

Three nights in a row, this is turning into a habit!





Jim

You are going to put this model in a case right?
How large is it?

Maybe a self with plexiglass on the front and a light overhead?

[donald branscom]

I completely disagree with that POV Bob. With absolutely no disrespect to the model or the modeller, it's a fine wee vessel, but it isn't a museum quality piece. It wasn't meant to be one either. Of my models, the ones in cases are looked at less and appreciated less than the ones out in the open. The case is a barrier to the experience. I believe that one of the best things about a model like this is that you can hold it in your hands and study it from every possible angle. You can actually feel its balance points and its COG, and imagine the forces at work when she heels under a press. As for wear and tear, the model will simply acquire an honest patina over time, just as we all do. IMO, wear marks and signs of handling are proof of life.

- Norm

Lets hear that after you hear the first, Oops!!! Sorry!!

Also most cleaning people are very respectful of things. They are not all ignorant.
I remember once when I was selected for jury duty and they asked each juror what their profession was.
As soon as I said welder, I was dismissed. Who knows what they had in their head.
I also have a masters degree in Sculpture. People can be very narrow .

[jsjpd1]

You are going to put this model in a case right?
How large is it?

Maybe a self with plexiglass on the front and a light overhead?

Hey Donald, a case is definitely part of the plan. I like the idea of an overhead light and I'm thinking that it will also have a hinged door front, but that might not be practical. Sparred length over all comes in at 40 inches, will come in around 50 inches from the base to the top of the mast, and 10 inches wide.

[jsjpd1]

Bilge stringers and shear clamps today.





Jim

[wizbang 13]

such a beautiful thing

[Yeadon]

Agreed, it is very beautiful. What's the LOA ... 2'?.

[PeterSibley]

If they dismissed you they'd have thrown me out ! I'm just a carpenter . The lowest rung !

Lets hear that after you hear the first, Oops!!! Sorry!!

Also most cleaning people are very respectful of things. They are not all ignorant.
I remember once when I was selected for jury duty and they asked each juror what their profession was.
As soon as I said welder, I was dismissed. Who knows what they had in their head.
I also have a masters degree in Sculpture. People can be very narrow .

[jsjpd1]

Thanks Wiz, Yeadon.

The LOA is 2'4" and the bow sprit will add another 9-10 inches.

[upchurchmr]

Just found this thread. Completely impressive and an inspiration to me. I have collected model making books for my retirement but never started with one with this kind of detail. Possibly the biggest deterrent is the need to buy the plans! I would like to do a multihull and there just aren't books showing any accurate detail.

For the guys who got thrown out of a courtroom, I am an engineer and left just about as fast. My belief is that showing any kind of intelligence disqualifies you. I asked one simple question, it wasn't answered and I was out the door - no real cleverness in the question either.

Great thread, lots of interesting comments, I am going to save it all so I can study it when I start my retirement hobby.

Thanks.

[jsjpd1]

Ceiling going in.

[BBSebens]

So awesome.

How far do you intend to go with the interior fitting out? Is some tiny upholstery in your future?

[jsjpd1]

I'm not sure about upholstery, but certainly bunks, bulkheads, and lockers.