Blue Shadow - Build log

Danno71

Danno71

Joined
Aug 22, 2019
Messages
179
Points
113

Location
Hollywood, Maryland
I retired finally, and mostly due to Bypass Surgery last year which was the last nail in a long career of working with the US Navy. I'm now on the home stretch and time to take a little break. I received the USS Blue Shadow (A Christmas gift from my wife) so I feel obligated to build when I'm not laboring at my new job, 'house husband' duties. LOL!
I apologize for not documenting the build process from the beginning which started in February of this year. Below are photos of the build to date.
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As per usual, controlled chaos.

Blanking process which is now complete.
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I improvised on the cabin doors and went with wood vice soft metal provided with the kit. Also utilized Cherry wood railing from a tree I had to remove from the property. It had been drying for almost two years, waiting to be utilized in a ship build. Thanks to all staff and crew of SOS! I appreciate you all!
 
She's just lovely! A very impressive first build thus far. I very much look forward to seeing the finished product.
Enjoy the retirement and "house husband " status. I know the drill!;)
Stay heart healthy. I'm in that same bag as well.
Great work! I hope it's the first of many.

Pete
 
Just completed the entry way hatch cover.
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And now working on the rudder. I didn't want to veneer the rudder as stated in the plans so improvised (test piece to left of rudder). First scribed grooves with back of exacto knife, then burnished the surface of the rudder, next lightly worked graphite into the grooves. Brushed away graphite powder, lightly sanded and then used the back of an exacto blade to clear the saw dust from the grooves exposing the graphite. The rudder has a worn look but acceptable.
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Peter Gutterman said:
She's just lovely! A very impressive first build thus far. I very much look forward to seeing the finished product.
Enjoy the retirement and "house husband " status. I know the drill!;)
Stay heart healthy. I'm in that same bag as well.
Great work! I hope it's the first of many.

Pete
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Thanks Pete! I'm bad about leaving projects incomplete (accept wife projects). I plan to piddle my way through this one and finish it. I've never experience rigging so don't know what to expect. It could turn out a bit rough. cheers!
 
If your rigging comes out on a par with your work so far, you have nothing to worry about. Remember, be patient with yourself and don't be afraid of do-overs, You can tear it apart and redo stuff until you're satisfied( or until you declare victory and move on...) Thumbs-Up

Cheers back!

Pete:cool:
 
I agree with Danno's comment about do-overs. I have pulled so many things apart because it just didn't work or look correct. Be patient and redo until it suits you. Key is "to your satisfaction".
 
Danno71 said:
Thanks Pete! I'm bad about leaving projects incomplete (accept wife projects). I plan to piddle my way through this one and finish it. I've never experience rigging so don't know what to expect. It could turn out a bit rough. cheers!
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This being my first, I found the rigging plans easy to follow, albeit 30yrs after building her as far as masts with yards ready to fit! The delay was due to business commitments, health problems of late wife, & then in '98/99 getting bit by the 'Model Railroad bug', until my physical fitness made loft access difficult in 2017. This brought on the return to ship building by completing Blue Shadow. Since, I've built Mantua USS Connie, OcCre Montañés & Beagle, Billings Bounty, Columbo's 3,& Mantua's (present build) Le Superbe.
 
Bruce Ritchie said:
I agree with Danno's comment about do-overs. I have pulled so many things apart because it just didn't work or look correct. Be patient and redo until it suits you. Key is "to your satisfaction".
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I noticed that the main deck gunports on my Le Superbe, looked too big. I think this was a case of following the plans, which involved using the awful metal frames & covers, which I decided not to use, & then not adjusting the dimensions. At this point, I had not realised that the main deck ports should have been slightly smaller than those for 38 pdrs on the gun deck. This was bugging me, so I stripped off the second layer of planks as far as the wale above the gun deck. Now I'm repairing/replacing some of the first planking & preparing to re-plank the second layer & re-cut the gun ports.

Oh, well - Happy days!
 
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Remember on ship design and quality, its your ship, not a 100% accurate model of the real ship, which we could never due in real life.

So if you are happy with the work and the way she looks, be happy and move on, don't loose hope as many do when things don't come out perfect!
 
Kurt Konrath said:
Remember on ship design and quality, its your ship, not a 100% accurate model of the real ship, which we could never due in real life.

So if you are happy with the work and the way she looks, be happy and move on, don't loose hope as many do when things don't come out perfect!
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Kurt,
Thanks, that's the exact advice I needed to hear. I'm always over focused on exactness. By far a major fault of mine. Especially at my building level. Thumbsup
 
I couldn't agree with Kurt more. Especially his last comment. We tend to be our own worst critics. My definition of a perfectionist is: "someone who never completes a project." I can relate to Stuart Little's last comment. I've ripped up vast amounts of work in order to "Make it right". Mostly stuff that would be of no consequence to the casual observer, or making a hash of something that was perfectly acceptable, and making hours of unnecessary reconstruction for myself, only to have it come out less satisfactory than it was before.Cautious

By the way Stuart, while "Charlotte's Web" got all the acclaim, when I was a kid I was a "Stuart Little" fan. Especially the part with him dressed up in the little yachting outfit, racing a pond yacht model of the schooner yacht" America" in a pond regatta in Central Park! :cool:

Pete
 
Stuart, I'm sorry about the loss of your wife. I am just now becoming a sophomore in the art of caregiving and the slow inexorable decline of a loved one. As well as the health and physical challenges of (dare I admit it?) looking through the telescope from the big end. Old age is not for the faint of heart.Sick

Pete
 
Peter Gutterman said:
I couldn't agree with Kurt more. Especially his last comment. We tend to be our own worst critics. My definition of a perfectionist is: "someone who never completes a project." I can relate to Stuart Little's last comment. I've ripped up vast amounts of work in order to "Make it right". Mostly stuff that would be of no consequence to the casual observer, or making a hash of something that was perfectly acceptable, and making hours of unnecessary reconstruction for myself, only to have it come out less satisfactory than it was before.Cautious

By the way Stuart, while "Charlotte's Web" got all the acclaim, when I was a kid I was a "Stuart Little" fan. Especially the part with him dressed up in the little yachting outfit, racing a pond yacht model of the schooner yacht" America" in a pond regatta in Central Park! :cool:

Pete
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Guess what? I'm still a fan! I got my name from a guy working out of a neighbouring industrial unit, & being taller than myself, I then called him 'Little bit Bigger David'.
Peter Gutterman said:
Stuart, I'm sorry about the loss of your wife. I am just now becoming a sophomore in the art of caregiving and the slow inexorable decline of a loved one. As well as the health and physical challenges of (dare I admit it?) looking through the telescope from the big end. Old age is not for the faint of heart.Sick

Pete
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Thanks, Peter, my wife passed in '97 (MS). After all my other hobbies came to an end due to 'aches & pains, and Brexit put paid to travels in Europe by RV, I resumed my very first hobby of ship building.
Yesterday ended in near disaster for Le Not-so Superbe, when the first planking started breaking up.
She is now back in 'ordinary' to give my brain a rest, while I build Frankie Drake's Golden Hind & maybe start Señora del Pilar. I bought Superbe kit as 'pre owned, unused', so have no idea how old the kit is, but the wood, especially the walnut 2nd planking is very poor ('stringy),easily peeled apart by masking tape. I'm seriously thinking of other wood for the re-fit/restoration. At least all's well & ship-shape 'Bristol fashion' above deck!
Stuart Little, no 'Snowball', but I do have 'Mabel' my furry assistant first mate.
 
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