HMS Pegasus by daveor - Victory Models

[daveor]

Hi all,

 

My first build log so I don't really know what I'm doing but I'll have a go...

 

Received the kit and checked that all the components were present. I noted that two small photo etched parts seemed to have been manufactured incorrectly so I immediately contacted the company that I bought the kit from and a replacement part was dispatched almost straight away.

 

I started by dry fitting the bulkheads, plank termination patterns, prow, decks, etc together to make sure I understand how everything is supposed to fit together. I also built the temporary stand that comes with the kit to support the work.

 

 

Now that I'm pretty sure I know how these parts are going to fit together, I've started working on shaping the keel and bulkeads to create a better fit for planking. I've also marked a bearding line on back of keel.

 

 

There aren't any build logs that I can find that show these early stages of the build, so any advice that any of the other pegasus builders have, I'd love to hear it.

 

daveor

[st george]

Hi daveor,

 

Great to see another Pegasus build. I'll grab a seat in the front row to watch your progress.

[ZyXuz]

good to hear the good service provided by Victory model!

And good luck on your Pegasus!

[realworkingsailor]

Great to see another Peggy build. I'll offer what advice I can, unfortunately most of my early work (at least the writing part) got wiped out in the "Great Crash".

Don't be in a rush to secure the focsle and quarter deck before you've finished the second planking and interior bulkhead planking. You may want to add more details and they really just get in the way. Also when you plank the main deck (unlike what the instructions say, you can just leave off the few outside planks until you snap off the bulkhead extensions, don't bother with those odd athwartship running planks.

 

The MDF is relatively strong, so you shouldn't have too many problems fairing the hull. And don't be shy either

 

Just a hint, the bearding line should connect to the forward edge of the bulkheads, as the aft edge will be faired away.

 

Oh yeah, cutting a rabbet is not hard (very recommended), and easiest done before you attach the bulkheads permanently.

 

If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask, there are more than a few of us builders around here who've gone down the same path as you and we've all made through safely.

 

One more thing, before I forget, when you go to attach the stern counter pieces, use the quarter deck as a guide to get the angle right for the outer pieces. They should be lined up with it's outside edge, not square to the last bulkhead (the inside ones should be square). I made that mistake, but caught it before the glue set, but others have been caught with it as well.

 

Good luck with your build

 

Andy

[Ray]

Hi Daveor

My build log is on the site I reloaded it from beging to end and might help in the early stages look for HMS Pegasus by Ray in the search under titles for kits

[daveor]

That's great advice Andy, thanks.

 

Ray, I will definitely look up your build log. In fact I have already started reviewing it.

 

I'll post another update soon.

 

daveor

[daveor]

Hi everyone,

 

a brief update on progress over the last while, which has been all about shaping the keel, bulkheads and plank termination patterns.

 

I started by shaping the bulkheads at the bow. I used a planking strip to estimate how much shaping was required and I think the fit is pretty good now. The finished shaping can be seen here:

 

 

I then shaped the bow plank termination patterns. I shaped them separately and then dry fit them in place and shaped again to make sure the overall shape of termination patterns plus bulkheads is consistent.

 

I shaped the bulkheads and the stern plank termination pattern using the same technique. I also thinned the keel at stern end between the bearding line and the end of the keel. I tapered to a maximum reduction in thickness of approx 2mm off total thickness.

 

I carved a rabbet along the bow and bottom of keel and also into the tongues of the walnut prow (as per the advice above from Ray and by reviewing Spyglass's build log).

 

 

 

I still haven't glued anything together because I'm not 100% convinced of the shaping of the bulkeads at the stern. The bend in the planks over the last couple of bulkheads seems to be quite substantial so it's very difficult to assess whether you've shaped them correctly. I'm going to keep trying to test fit planks to the bulkheads until I can convince myself that they're shaped correctly.

 

daveor

[realworkingsailor]

I don't know if this will help give you some idea or not:

 

http://modelshipworld.com/uploads/monthly_02_2013/post-34-0-31278200-1360953768.jpg

 

I have some other photos that may help as well, if you'd like

 

Andy

[rdsaplala]

Hello Dave,

 

Welcome to MSW as well as to the "Swan Class Builders' Club", there are plenty of Swan Class builders here to help you along the way 

 

Very nice work so far, your bulkheads are coming along very nicely. Just a slight note: the bulkhead extensions at the forecastle and quarterdeck are a bit fragile and can snap especially during planking, you could protect them by temporarily taping their corresponding deck beams (see pic in the link below):

 

http://s1182.photobucket.com/user/rdsaplala/media/MSW/msw031Medium.jpg.html?sort=3&o=40

[daveor]

Andy: Thanks for the picture; your stern shaping seems to be about the same as mine. In fact, I think I may have chamfered mine even a bit more than yours...

 

Aldo: I appreciate the advice, I'll definitely do that when it comes to the planking.

 

Best regards,

daveor

[realworkingsailor]

Andy: Thanks for the picture; your stern shaping seems to be about the same as mine. In fact, I think I may have chamfered mine even a bit more than yours...

 

Not a bad thing, I found (and you can sort of see) a small kink at the last second frame from the end. Nothing that I couldn't sand out later on, but had I been a bit more energetic sanding down the bulkhead, I could have avoided it altogether.

 

Andy

[vulcanbomber]

Hello Dave,

 

Glad to see another Pegasus build.

 

One thing I would suggest is to fill out the bow with some balsa, it will help you a lot when you come to do the planking. You can see how I did my planking in my build log if it is of any help.

 

Keep up with the good work.

 

Caroline

[Ray]

Hi I agree filling between the frames at the bow and even a couple at the stern will aid the planking as it will give you the shape and a large surface to glue to, I used this method on Pegasus and Diana have a look at the logs, the photos say much more than the words.

Ray

[daveor]

Hi Caroline and Ray,

 

Thanks for the input regarding the balsa fillers in the bow and stern. I saw the fillers in Ray's Pegasus build log and I had thought that the kit provided plank termination patterns would probably suffice. Since my last post I have fitted the bulkheads to the keel, as well as the plank termination patterns. 

 

I'm looking at the model now and I'm sure that I could still fit balsa in over the termination patterns if I decided to. I think I'll get some balsa next week and experiment with fitting it over the termination patterns.

 

daveor

[vulcanbomber]

If you can fit in the balsa, I would, you'd be glad you did when it comes to the planking.

[daveor]

Hi all,

 

two questions for anyone who might know:

 

1) should the rabbet be able to hold the width of both the first and second plankings or just the first planking?

 

2) where the keel has been thinned aft of the bearding line, should it be thinned by twice the thickness of the first planking or twice the thickness of the first and second plankings?

 

thanks,

daveor

[realworkingsailor]

I had no trouble with a single rabbet for only the first planking. As for the bearding line, I thinned mine a little more than twice the thickness of the first planking. Only a little sanding was needed to allow the second planking to sit nicely against the keel.

 

Andy

[vulcanbomber]

Yes, I echo Andy, just the first planking for the rabbet  and twice the thickness for the bearding line.

[daveor]

Andy, Caroline,

 

Thanks for the input. I'm working on a balsa retrofit between the bow and stern bulkheads at the moment so another update to follow....

 

daveor

[daveor]

Hi all,

 

An update on the balsa retrofit, which I have just completed. Turned out to take a lot longer than I expected - nearly two weeks since my last post.

 

The shaping was performed by using a test plank to check for fit and a knife, file and sandpaper.

 

Anyway;

 

Built up balsa "sandwiches" in front of the first bulkhead, between first and second bulkheads and between second and third bulkheads:

 

Filled the area below the deck with a solid piece of balsa:

 

 

Finished shaping the balsa at the bow:

 

 

Filled the area between the twelfth and thirteenth bulkheads using a balsa sandwich and the area below the deck between the eleventh and tweltfh bulkheads with a solid piece of balsa:

 

 

That was a surprisingly large job, but moving on now to looking at planking the deck. I might have a couple of questions about this for the more experienced builders as I figure out what I'm going to do.

 

All the best for now,

daveor

[Ray]

Balsa fillers are well done and well worth the extra time and work spent on them.

[aliluke]

Hi

Looks good. Although I have yet to start on my Fly hull I'd suggest that the stern bulkheads should be faired to the extent that you can see no laser cutting burn marks . That is the entire outside edge of the bulkhead should have a taper from its fore face to its aft face - as your bow bulkheads have. Just a thought based on my last model.

 

Cheers

Alistair

[daveor]

Hi Alistair,

 

Thanks for the input. With the exception of the most aft bulkhead (the thirteenth one), I'm pretty happy with the shaping. A test plank fits well over the bulkheads in about five or six different locations. Regarding that final bulkhead, I found it very hard to know how much needs to be shaved off and I suspect a bit more shaping of that one will need to be done when the planking actually starts.

 

daveor

[daveor]

Hi all,

 

My first question concerning the deck planking - when to do it.

 

I've been looking through a few of the build logs and here's what I've noted:

 

1) Instructions indicate planking the two deck sections before gluing them onto the bulkheads at this point in the build.

2) Ray's build log seems to show the deck glued into place and then planked in-situ at this point in the build.

3) Spyglass's build log shows the deck planked separately and then put into place but with the gunports put on first so that the tops of the bulkheads can be cut off and the full deck planked in one go.

4) Seasick's build log doesn't seem to go back that far.

5) flyer's build log doesn't seem to go back that far.

6) vulcanbomber's build log doesn't explicitly mention deck planking as far as I can see, but it seems to have been done before the first hull planking and the gunports are in place.

7) realworkingsailor's log shows the deck in place in the first picture in the build log - no gun ports, no hull planking.

 

I'm wondering if, based on all of the above experience, people would have any thoughts on whether there's a best way to proceed? My inclination is to glue the deck in place and plank in there as per Ray's build log....

 

daveor

Edited July 15, 2013 by daveor

[realworkingsailor]

If I was to do it again, I think I would plank the deck after gluing in place. I found that as I planked, the false deck took a concave curve. When first fit, this resulted in a ridge running down the centreline. It too a lot of clamping to knock that down, and in some hidden places, I've got a small gap where things didn't close up quite right.

 

The only expediency that I could see from planking first then installing, you can plank right over any openings, turn the thing over and cut them out from underneath.

 

Andy

[vulcanbomber]

I'm trying to remember what I did with my deck planking, I know I mentioned what I did on my old log on MSW1, but unfortunately, I've lost the first 100 or so photo's of the beginning of the log.

 

I think I planked the two halves of the main deck off the ship, but left the centre row down the middle and the bulwark sides of the deck unplanked. Thinking about it, I'm pretty sure that's what I did because it is quite a squeeze to fit it in which is why it's in two halves. Once i'd planked most of it I stuck it into place and then attached the gunport patterns.

 

Once that was done, I removed the bulkhead bits indicated (by the way, now is the time to cut partway through those bulkhead extensions, it will make them easier to remove when the time comes.)

 

After removing the bulkhead extensions, I completed the planking on the main deck. The foredeck and the quarterdeck I planked off the ship, in fact I've only just fitted the foredeck in place, the quarterdeck is still lying fully planked in the box!

 

To simulate the calking I used one strand of dark brown embroidery thread between the planks.

 

Hope this helps.

[daveor]

Does anyone know the scale plank length for the Pegasus and whether the planks are laid using a three butt or a four butt shift? Alternatively, where I could find out?

 

Thanks,

daveor

Edited July 15, 2013 by daveor

[realworkingsailor]

I figure the standard plank length could be either 15 or 20 feet. As for the butt shift... Try on some scrap and see which one you like better.

 

If you want a good resource, look into buying a copy of the Swan series, The Fully Framed Modelship, from Seawatch books. Highly recommended. A word of caution though.... You may find other parts of this kit that might require modification based on new information you discover in this series of books..... It might lead you down a strange mysterious path.... To an alternate universe....

 

Andy

[daveor]

Hi Andy,

 

Thanks for the book reference. I was looking them up and they're fairly pricey, especially when you take into account the shipping. Have you used these books? I was wondering if I could get away with just volume 3 (BUILDING THE SWAN CLASS SLOOP PEGASUS 1777)? I'm interested in going for the greatest degree of historical accuracy that I can.

 

Your comment gave me a chuckle; I was imagining the universe where I end up concluding that it would be just quicker and easier to build a full size replica of the Pegasus :-)

 

daveor

[aliluke]

Hi Daveor

I have all 4 volumes - bought them some time ago. Your best bet for upgrading the Amati kit is Volume 2. I'd also recommend Volume 4 which covers the rigging. All 4 volumes add up to a stunning series of books and I'm pleased to have them. Volume 1 and Volume 3 are much more aimed at a POF build and although they are fascinating they are less helpful for the kit build. Volume 3 - although a great build log - will not assist with the kit very much.

 

If you can afford it - get them all, they are beautifully produced and very instructive. If you can afford less, at least get Volume 2 and then later get Volume 4 for rigging as well.

 

Cheers

Alistair

 

P.S.

Where are you shipping to? Your signature has no location.