20 - Decks (1st hull) - Naval Cutter Alert [1777] 1:48 build log

 

Chapter 20. Decks (1st hull). 

 

23.07.2026

Lower deck. Grating frames.

The entire lower deck will be as bare as possible, so that all the frame components are clearly visible. Therefore, there will be no gratings in the frames. There will also be no planks, with the exception of two between the two rear frames.

Making such simple parts isn't difficult, but here's a step-by-step process.

 

25.07.2026

The part is complete. Below are all the frames for the two models, but some will soon be glued to one of them...

But before that, the parts will be coated with Tung oil.

To create color contrast, I'll alternate between Tung and Danish oils to prevent the pieces from blending into a single blob.

The final fitting will be done, and the pieces will dry for several weeks before I glue them to the deck.

Before I secure the upper deck, I really want to shoot a video with a good camera and show the lower deck's structure and the inner frames in detail. Even though I didn't glue all the bulkheads in place, visibility is still, to put it mildly, poor enough to see everything clearly.

Knees.

Я сделал так чтобы палуба все равно могла выниматься даже после установки книц. Так как они фиксируються поверх досок, то у меня есть запас дистанции и этого как раз достаточно, чтобы кница не мешала.

Next up are the window sills, a tedious process of fitting them into place. But this is the most challenging part, and I spent weeks pondering how to implement it. Especially considering that it will be different on the two models.

 

 

27.07.2026

 

Sill rails.

 At first glance, this doesn't seem like a difficult element, but I spent weeks, if not months, thinking about it! My implementation on the two models is slightly different, but very similar. On the first hull, the pillars are all identical, while on the second hull, the gun ports are arched. But the idea is the same: there are sills between these elements. I really don't like the way this component was implemented in the kit (with all due respect). The pillars are often misplaced, vary in thickness, and the sills are very bulky (it's difficult to give them the correct longitudinal overall curve), with huge gaps between them and the pillars. This didn't suit me, so I decided to complicate the design, but make it as close to the anatomy as possible.

As you've noticed, I made the outer section of the sill (rail) first. It's two-toned (yellow on the bottom and black on the top). The steps were different for the two models, but the idea was the same: to set the desired curvature and level. Now I'm making the intermediate section (between the posts). I use a ruler to ensure this section is completely flush with the outer section. These intermediate sections will then be sanded inside the frame, and the inner sections of the sill/rail will be glued to them (leveled). Since this is black hornbeam, I'll fill all the seams with CA and then use a scraper to smooth them out to a uniform plane. This will all blend into one solid piece, making it virtually invisible that it's not a single piece.

The inner part will be fixed later, since the upper deck needs to be glued in first, otherwise it will be impossible.

 

 

 

29.07.2026

 

Waterways.

I decided to take a risk and make the design a little more complex (mill it) and took the blanks from the set for this in case something goes wrong... in this case, I would have made new ones... but everything worked out.

Nails.

Scuppers.

The waterways are ready, but they will not be glued in yet, since the deck itself still needs to be glued, then the rails, the inner side boards, and only then the waterways.

 

 

02.08.2026

 Ladder (gangway).

 

As I mentioned earlier, I changed the direction of the rear ladder (not from the pumps and the dinghy, where there's physically no room to move), but from the skylight, where there's plenty of room to enter.

I made the ladders for two models at the same time, but I'll be assembling them for the first hull this time.

 Ну и вот результат (сухая примерка), но пока без одной детали...

Before making the second ladder, I wanted to clarify something. The kit's aft ladder and skylight, as well as the bilge mainsail hatch, are significantly narrower than the model's. Unfortunately, I noticed this after I'd completely finished the deck of the first hull. I'd made everything correctly for the second hull, but I had no desire to redo the first hull's deck. Since I made the grates and ladders at the same time, I already had them made to the correct dimensions. The problem is that the openings for these parts on the kit's deck are smaller, resulting in this...

The carlings protrude from under the gangway frames. BECAUSE who wants to do everything right from the start? You need to download my drawings, calculate the width of each grating and gangway, and fabricate new beams with slots for the carlings in the right places. I would have done exactly that, but unfortunately, it's too late. So, I made the gangway a little wider (as it should be) and placed it under the carlings instead of between them. Unfortunately, all this is a "cheat," but I don't want to redo the entire deck and I also didn't want to knowingly fabricate the wrong frames for the gangways and gratings. Let's hope no one notices this mistake.

On small and medium-sized vessels, the ladders were not permanently installed (meaning they could be removed as needed). To ensure the ladder was securely fastened at the bottom, it was inserted between stoppers, which held it securely in place.

 In this case, they'll be practically invisible, because I simplified them a bit. And here's the dry result.

Since there won't be any flooring on the lower (or upper) deck other than these two planks, the ladders are essentially floating. This is all for the sake of maximum transparency.

Today, I coated all the grate frames and ladders with Tung Oil, and the entire deck and waterways with Danish Oil. Now they should dry quickly, as it's 45°C (a good time for drying) here. I'll tell you how I did it and show you the results soon.

 

 

 

05.08.2026

 Oil.

To create a contrast in color, I previously coated the lower deck of the first hull with Tung Oil. (I used Belinka Oil back then, but it thickened and I didn't really like it, so I switched to Rustins.)

This time, I coated the upper deck and waterways with Rustins Danish Oil. I coated the grates and ladders with Rustins Tung Oil, and I was very pleased with the results on both sides.

I should point out that this time, I did NOT thin any of the oils with solvent. I applied them with a cloth, but a semi-damp brush will do just fine. The main thing is to wipe them dry after 10-20 minutes.

This time, I almost lost the boat with the deck and pure Danish Oil! It was 45 degrees on the balcony, and the oil started to harden faster than I could apply it... Honestly, at one point, I thought I was done for, because it started to stick. But I took a cloth, soaked it in oil paint thinner, and started wiping all the surfaces, immediately drying them with napkins, and I was pleased with the result.

I'll repeat: this time, I didn't dilute the oil with thinner right away because I noticed that as it dried, shiny dots-stripes, the size of a hair but 1 mm long, sometimes formed on the surface. I realized through experimentation that this was due to the thinner. Now I don't dilute the oil at all. I apply it with a semi-damp brush or cloth and rub it in well, then after 10-15 minutes, wipe it dry with a paper towel. Yes, it's more difficult than when it's liquid, but the result is more important to me.

A little later, I'll show you some more experiments with oils that I've been monitoring for several months, but that's for next time. For now, here's the result after applying the oil: