Dec. 13, 2005 - Here is the finished model with its double gold boot stripe and gold cove stripe. The boot stripe is painted and covered with varnish. The cove stripe is 24 ct gold on marine vinyl. The model also includes the boomkin that is a distinctive characteristic of the Sparkman and Stephens designed Swan 57 ketch.
Nov. 2, 05 - Today I built the backplane for this model. The bulk of the backplane is balsa, but it has a teak rim around it. Tonight I will laminate the backplane with fiberglass. Tomorrow I plan to install the station frames and the teak deck.
Nov 4, 05 - This picture shows the model with the station frames in place. I have also glued the deck and the shear and waterline planks on. I am using 0.167" wide planks for this model. I will be milling teak planks for this model over the next few days, so I won't get back to it for a week or so.
Nov 18, 05 - Today I finally got back to this Swan 57 model. This morning I milled ten 0.167" (6" scale width) teak planks and planked the model down to the waterline. Over the next few days I will mill 15-20 more planks and finish planking the model. When that is done I will epoxy the entire model and then start varnishing.
Nov 22, 05 - Today I finished planking this model. I also sanded the hull fair, built the centerboard and shaped the rudder. After this picture was taken I coated the model with epoxy to fill any gaps between the planks. Tomorrow after the epoxy cures I will sand the model down and start varnishing. Teak models like this one usually take 10-12 coats of varnish to achieve a perfect surface.
Nov. 24, 05 (Thanksgiving Day) - Yesterday I sanded the epoxy coated model down and then put the first coat of varnish on. For the next two weeks or so I will be sanding the model down and revarnishing every day or two until the surface is perfectly smooth. Once I achieve a smooth surface, I will sand the model and put on the boot and cove stripes, then put a final coat of varnish over the entire model. My next update will not be for a week to 10 days when the model has 6 coats or so of varnish on it.
Dec. 3, 05 - The varnishing
of this model is going quite well. The picture above shows the model
after 5 coats of varnish. There are still a couple of surface flaws
that will require another 3-4 coats of varnish to fill. I sanded
the model down and recoated it with varnish right after I took this picture.
I am putting on one coat of varnish a day, so I should be ready to put
the boot and cove striping on this model around
Friday, December 9.
Dec. 10, 05 - The varnish build-up is now finished. I have also built the boomkin with its teak grate. The boomkin is not actually attached to the model in theis picture. Tomorrow I will paint the double boot stripe onto the model. After that paint cures for a couple of days I will varnish the model again. After that final coat of varnish cures for a couple of days I will put the gold leaf on vinyl cove stripe on the model and it will be finished.