3
Before You Begin
The
Newsboy
is an interesting model for
beginner and expert alike. This kit contains a
solid hull which has been machine-carved
from select, medium-hard, fine-grained bass-
wood. This style hull provides a quick and
easy lesson in the basic shapes and propor-
tions of hull design and helps to develop
woodworking skills. Although the exterior of
the hull has been carved close to the hull
lines as shown on the plans, further carving
is necessary for reasons of accuracy. (Carving
and finishing the hull to its final shape are
discussed in the instructions.)
Constructing the
Newsboy
model also will
provide you with the opportunity to develop
some scratch-building techniques. During
construction, you may want to substitute
some of the kit fittings with your own cre-
ations. By all means try them, especially if
you think you can improve the model.
If you are a beginner, completing this model
will prepare you for a more complicated
model such as the
Pride of Baltimore II,
which is outfitted with a plank-on-bulkhead
hull. In the meantime, happy modeling!
Working with the Plans & Parts
Before starting model construction, examine
the kit and study the plans carefully. Familiar-
izing yourself with the kit will serve two
purposes. First, it will let you determine that
all parts have been supplied as listed. And
second, you’ll be surprised at how quickly
handling the parts allows you to better under-
stand the kit requirements. Try to visualize
how every part will look on the completed
model. Also, determine ahead of time what
must be done first. The instructions will help
you in this regard, but a thorough knowledge
of the plans at the outset is essential.
It is also suggested that all small fittings and
hardware be sorted into labeled boxes or
compartments to avoid loss during the build-
ing process.
Three Plan Sheets and Three Template Sheets
are provided:
1. Hull Templates - 1 of 3 (heavy stock paper)
2. Hull Templates - 2 of 3 (heavy stock paper)
3. Hull Templates - 3 of 3 (heavy stock paper)
4. Hull Plan - Sheet 1 of 3
5. Masting and Rigging Plan - Sheet 2 of 3
6. Details & Hints Plan - Sheet 3 of 3
In addition, a set of sketches appears through-
out the instruction manual to further
illustrate the various stages of construction.
The
Newsboy
kit is manufactured to a scale of
1/8" = 1'0" and matches the plans. Conse-
quently, most of the dimensions can be lifted
directly from the plans using a “tick strip”.
This is simply a piece of paper (a roll of calcu-
lator paper tape works very well). Mark a
dimension from the plan onto the tick strip
and transfer it to the model.
The
Newsboy
kit is supplied with Britannia
metal, brass, as well as wooden fittings to
eliminate problems in making such parts
from scratch. Because the Britannia metals
contain no lead, there are no possible corro-
sion problems. Many of these fittings will
require final finishing before installing on
the model.
Before painting the cast-meal fittings, clean
them up by removing all the mold-joint
flash. To do this, use a No. 11 hobby blade
to cut the flash, then sand with fine sand-
paper. It is also suggested that you clean
the fittings thoroughly with warm soapy
water before applying primer. Make sure
they are rinsed thoroughly and allowed to
dry before painting.
What You’ll Need To Start
The following tools and supplies are recom-
mended for the construction process.
Modelers who have built before may have
their own favorites. Almost all are available
at Model Shipways web site,
www.modelexpo-online.com.
A. Knives and Saws
1. Hobby knife with No.11 blades
2. Razor or jeweler’s saw
B. Files
Set of needle files
C. Sharpening Stone
Necessary to keep the tools razor sharp
D. Clamps
1. A few small C-clamps
2. Several wooden clothespins
3. Rubber bands
E. Tool Set
A small carving tool set or individual
gouges and chisels for shaping the hull.
F. Boring Tools
1. Set of miniature drills: #60 to #80
2. Larger bits for holes such as mast,
hawse pipe, and mooring pipe holes
3. Pin vise
G. Miscellaneous
1. Tack hammer
2. Tweezers (a few)
3. Small fine pointed scissors
4. Miniature pliers
a. Small round
b. Flat nose
5. Bench vise (small)
6. Soldering iron or torch
a. Solder (lead-free solder
recommended)
b. Flux
7. Sewing thread (for seizings; other
rigging is supplied)
8. Beeswax block (for treating rigging lines)
9. 1/2" or 3/4" masking tape
10. Wire cutters (for cutting fine wire
and strip metal)
H. Sandpaper
Garnet or aluminum oxide sandpaper
(#100 to #400 grit).
I. Finishing:
1. Paint brushes
a. Fine point for details
b. 1/4" to 1/2" flat square for hull
J. Supplies:
(will be covered in detail in
the Painting & Staining section and
throughout instructions)
1. Paints
2. Primer
3. Stain and Varnish
4. White or Carpenter’s (yellow) Wood Glue
5. Five-minute epoxy
6. Cyanoacrylate (Super) Glue
Note about glues:
White or Carpenter’s yel-
low wood glue will suffice for most of the
model. Five-minute epoxy provides extra
strength for gluing fittings. Cyanoacrylate
(Super) glue, called CA glue for short, such as
Zap is excellent for quick adhesion and is ideal
for dabbing onto a rigging seizing to hold it in
place. The best CA glue for most applications
is a medium viscosity gap-filling type. The
watery-thin type is recommended only to fill a
narrow crack by capillary action. For CA glue,
you can also purchase a liquid accelerator such
as Zip Kicker. A spray or drop of the accelera-
tor will instantly cure the glue. This is handy
to eliminate clamping parts for long periods of
time waiting for glue to harden.
Use CA glue with caution. You can easily
glue your fingers or eyelids together and the
fumes can burn your eyes. It would be a
good idea to have a bottle of CA debonder
on hand. This product will dissolve the glue
if you do get it on your body.
Painting and Staining
It may seem strange to begin an instruction
manual with direction on applying the finish-
es to the model. Not so! Much time and effort
can be saved and a more professional result
can be obtained if the finishing process is car-
ried out during construction. Proper timing
in application of finishes and the use of mask-
ing tape to define painted edges should
eliminate unsightly glue marks and splotchy
stained surfaces. In the end, following these
general suggestions will be to your advantage.
Paint Colors
The color scheme for
Newsboy
is provided on
Plan Sheet 1. However, the following modi-
fications are recommended, based on Model
Shipways acrylic paint colors, to better
define the color:
