grendel

today there will be no update, as I have only just walked through the doors due to a road closure on the A2 exit from the M25, tailbacks from junction 2 to the M11, dinner has just gone into the oven, so by the time I have eaten I wont really have time to do anything tonight.

after a trip to my parents, more patches put on their conservatory roof (it was damaged 2 years ago and leaks like a sieve) I did offer to put new corrugated sheeting on it, but they have been humming and hawing about a new conservatory (the existing one is about 40 years old and the wood on top of the wall is rotting. while I was there my aunt turned up with one of my cousins, one afternoon gone. anyway another narrow plank shaped up and steamed, and the one I did this morning glued in place. I see now that I am within spitting distance of completing the planking to the top of the bow.

My firms Christmas do is Friday, so watch out anyone near Daventry, as we usually have a good time.

Right - nearly ready to go out, the first narrow plank has been shaped steamed and fitted, the last wide bottom plank has been glued in, I reckon that with a plank on the transom we almost have got to the point where she would float (though there might be a slight gap at the bow to fill first). Dont worry, I wont be trying this just yet, the planking has to be finished before she comes off the build board, but we are looking good to finish this hull before Christmas. then the second hull can be started on the build board, and work can be done on both as the second hull is built up.

999 calls will use any available phone network, they will also override the normal battery protection that turns the phone off when the battery is low. http://www.lbc.co.uk/radio/special-shows/the-mystery-hour/science-technology/how-can-mobiles-always-make-emergency-calls-7034/

not sure if I will put up the tree this year, the furry decorations would like me too, but the are a bit big and heavy and bend all the branches.

Thanks Griff, if they have a pdf copy of the artwork, even that would help. I have added another plank and steamed the last of the wide planks, now to do the corner, then back to wide planks up the sides. I have to pop over to my parents tomorrow after delivering a chest of drawers, but I will try and get some work done before and after. My dad wants to see pictures of the build (and maybe take a copy to show my Uncle (the one that built the Victory)). Well if I leave the laptop lid open it could easily have been one of the cats, but you can usually tell as their spelling is atrocious. plus they have not got the knack of posting pictures yet.

This morning I have steamed and bent another plank, fixed another, I will be coming to the narrow planks that go around the corners, this means I have almost finished the bottom part of the hull, once around the corner we will be onto the sides. The lettering, I think I will add the various pictures I have together in CAD and from there I can create the graphics, these will be stuck temporarily just above the area they will be copied to on the finished model, then freehand copied directly to the hull, maybe a practice piece will be done first. what am I saying maybe? - of course a practice piece will be done

Well I recovered, up as usual this morning, that cider was lethal stuff, one pint and I couldnt walk straight - so went to bed.

actually its more of a double shadow, with white (hull colour) between the letter and the shadow, all I really need is a straight on view to print out as a template to copy.

make that - very strong - very very strong.

Whew, thats nice stuff, I opened one of my bottles this evening, and I have a very nice (strong) lightly sparkling cider, one bottle at a time will be plenty, its only been bottled for 4 weeks, so I will be leaving the rest to mature (I just had to give it a try though) I will certainly be making more next year, maybe a whole tree worth.

so being a weekend a second rib has been shaped and steamed, and the one done earlier today has been glued in place, the keel / hog has been faired into the planking using the belt sander and its looking good, very happy with progress at the moment.

you are talking to the man who used to paint the eyeballs of 25mm figures, then pluck a single hair dip it in blue paint and apply the pupil to the eye, now I do need a stronger magnifying glass these days (or wear 2 pairs of glasses), but I dont reckon the skill has quite gone yet, if the real lettering is 6" high I do have 12mm to do each letter, it will just take care and patience.

It does look like it, I will still await input from Griff on this one though.

plus 3 of the boats looked like dinghys full of water in the pictures.

I also purchased a few more spare clamps, some more 1" 4 2" and a couple of 3", these have already come in handy ( the 4x 1" and 4x 2" have already been ground down to fit between ribs), one rib steamed, another glued in place and the other sprung plank is being forced back into shape. I also spotted Lidls still had a couple of finger belt sanders left, so got one to help smooth the hull down later.

Well a shopping visit has got the liquid gold leaf and brushes for that lettering, when he time comes my draughtsmans skills will be called into play for hand painting the names, gold with a red lining.

Just a quick question for Griff - do you know the font used for Broad Ambitions name? and also the exact height of the letters?

a couple more pictures- hopefully without any camera shake this time., and I am sanding the keel back to plank level at the back

first task this weekend is to fix those wayward planks at the front, so stiff piece of 1/2 x 1/4 oak strip as a brace, plus a couple of clamps and a wedge, and now for the glue to dry, this side was the worst one, and we will give the glue plenty of time to set.

It looks to me that the photographer arranged some papers to make it appear more business like.

Good evening - its me again, another plank started, another plank finished, and a long weekend ahead.

as long as yo dont change the signs like a local wag did to the village of Wormshill, by converting the L's into T's

I suppose you could have a 3 part mould, front middle and back, then with just a different middle you could produce a different length. cheaper than building a new front and a new back.