Mike Dowling

What kind of rope do you have. Twisting is often a result of rope that has some stretch in it.
The less 'elasticity' there is inthe rope, the less twisti g there is.
 
Jan

The second deck with wall and without the greenhouse.

Well, my beloved Royals have won the baseball World Series, and I'm back to work on the Bertrand. 
 

 
The main deck structures are complete, and I've mostly finished framing up the boiler deck. This was surprisingly difficult, as there's no flat frame of reference (the main deck curves in every direction). Getting the support posts vertical in both directions was quite interesting. I've been very bad about taking "process" photos during this stage, so you'll just have to imagine things. The only consistently flat frame of reference is, oddly enough, the bottom of the hull. So I made a complicated jig of solid wood strips clamped to the hull, from which I could extend vertical squares, onto which I clamped cross-ways strips, to which I could clamp the vertical posts. Fiddly, but effective. I also made strong use of the eyeball; I'd rather a line of posts LOOK straight relative to each other, even if they're slightly out of line relative to true vertical.
 
Once the posts were in place, I began adding cross-pieces. Technically the boiler deck should have a slight bit of camber to it, but I decided that would be too difficult and would be barely visible at this scale, as most of the deck will be covered by the cabins. The more significant camber of the main deck shows up nicely, and is sufficient for my taste. Thus the deck is flat athwartships, but curves gently fore and aft to follow the rise of the main deck in both directions. 
 

 
I finished planking the main deck as far I as intend to; this extent will allow the model to look complete from a port 45-degree angle fore or aft, but still leaves plenty of internal view from the starboard side. It's a little rough in places, but will have to do. I'll put a crate or something over a few plank ends that stick up more than I'd like.
 

 
View from the open starboard side. I've also finished installing the hog chain braces; these angled posts support metal rods running fore-and-aft, with turnbuckles on them, which keep the long, narrow hull from sagging/hogging. I won't install the actual rods until near the end of the project, as they'll be in the way, but needed to do the braces now as they extend through multiple decks. They're intentionally a bit longer than necessary, so I can cut them off just as I like them once I finish the superstructure. 
 
Currently I'm building the boiler assembly, which sits just forward of the cargo shed on the main deck. I intentionally haven't installed the vertical support posts at the front of the boiler deck, to allow me to slide the boiler in there. Once it's in place, I'll finish that area and install the staircases (already built) just in front of the boilers.
 
I think things will go rapidly for a little while, now. Install the boilers, connect them to the engines with steam lines, plank in the entire boiler deck, and then move on to building the cabin area. I still have to decide whether to order a bunch of styrene windows and doors, or try to make my own out of strip wood. The former would be far faster and more consistently detailed, but more expensive and hard to make look just like the surrounding wood. The latter would take a long time, but be a lot cheaper and fit in better if I can make them realistically enough. I'll decide once the next deck is done.
 
I'm holding out hope of reaching my goal to complete this model by the end of the year. Luckily the approach of winter means nice long evenings for quiet model work. She's certainly starting to look something like a steamboat. In the meantime, here's a fine Ozark fiddler playing "Jefferson City", one of Bertrand's ports of call on her way upriver.
 

 
 

The Captain will play piano:-)

Thanks to all that have been looking in on the build.
I was on the replica on the 6th Oct, took plenty of pictures to assist in details.
 
Windlass Update,
I have spent hours on this baby so far.
The side Standards & Bit Pins are glued in place now. This allowed me to fit the pin rails to the Pawl Bits(the bell tower !)
The barrel is 95% complete, fitted and turns in place between the Bits(pin & cheek) complete with brass bolt and nut to lock in place - for final lockup. Neat eh!
Made up some pawls - bit rough but at this scale lucky to get them. Need to trim them back a bit.
 
Still more to go - the belfry cap to finish off.
 
Then onto more bibs and bobs.
 
 
Dave R

Thinking forward a bit I realize I probably need to change course and work on getting my channels in order and make up some deadeye chain arrangement.  There isn't much more to put on this mizzen lower mast before I fit it to the boat, and I'll need to do that so I can loop the shrouds over them and put the chains in the proper angle.  So I'll set aside the mast until I have the chains made up and the channel fixed.
 
Recall that I already drilled holes in the channels for the deadeye chain plates.  But having drilled them too far inboard, I'm faced with either filling and redrilling holes, or filling the holes and cutting slots in the channel edges to slip the chain into.  I've decided to do the slots as I don't like the size of the holes that would be needed to insert the chains that I want to make.  Besides, slots are more authentic.  They'll be covered with a closure strip of 1.5mm x 5.  The process of cutting these slots is pretty straightforward other than lining them up with the angle the shrouds will take up to the mast head.  I'll get that angle and then use a razor saw to cut the opening (maybe have to sand or file them a bit wider than the saw blade kerf, but I don't know that yet).
 
I've been worried about knocking the channels off as I sawed the slots, so I've rigged up a bit of a bracing system to hold the channels rigid while I make the cuts.  Much better I think than my fingers.  See pix below.

Some progress on the Windlass.
I turned up the barrel on my home made lathe.
The Bit pins & cheeks(ends) come apart to house the barrel, the cheek bottom held in with a brass bracket, the top with a brass bolt. Took a while to finely tuned the fitting to get the barrel to turn.
I was surprised the figure heads came up fairly well I reckon.
Only 2 days work. !
Next to add the pin rail, whelps, brackets etc. make the bell tower thingy. Mine will be something based on the replica, 2 posts.
 
PS. I have yet to trim the ends of the barrel off, left them on for now.
 
Dave R

I have been doing ratlines today as well - it is just such a joy don't you find !!!!

I have decided to go with the Occre kits and they should be here in a few days. Thanks everyone for the suggestions

Tks George , i,m hoping they will get better with practice .
 
Mike ,It is hard to keep the motivation going at times and i have fought the urge a few times to start another project but am afraid i won,t finish the Vic if i do , I,m beginning to understand why some people keep 2 or 3 builds going at once . As for the tools , they are not really necessary and in fact the mill and table saw have hardly been used although i,m hoping they will be usefull in the future , at least thats what i keep telling myself .There is no tool for tying ratlines ????   Deciding the next build is a common problem . some days i,m convinced i,ll start a scratch build and then i think a small straight from the box build would be a lot less hassel ,The only thing i,m faily sure is my next build will be smaller in size and bigger in scale ,1:60   or maybe even 1:40  so at least i have narrowed it down a bit !!!  It,s a  case of an easy build and getting bored or a challange and getting frustrated ,which is the most enjoyable ????

Rat-lines look great Boyd! 

I have been doing ratlines today as well - it is just such a joy don't you find !!!!

Yes, easy stages and you get there in the end !! I am still working on my Santisima Trinidad cross section. Not the most rewarding model I have done but it is helping me practice my rigging skills - or lack thereof !! Still haven't decided on my next creation but I am beginning to think the Victory is a bit too clever for me. I don't have all the wonderful tools you have collected to bail me out of problems. I don't know about you but if I get too many problems I stop enjoying it all and after all that is not the idea. I will never be a master scratchbuilder like Danny but enjoyment is the most important thing. I can still enjoy other peoples wonderful models as long as I enjoy what I am doing.
 
Your ratlines by the way look terrific.

Yes, easy stages and you get there in the end !! I am still working on my Santisima Trinidad cross section. Not the most rewarding model I have done but it is helping me practice my rigging skills - or lack thereof !! Still haven't decided on my next creation but I am beginning to think the Victory is a bit too clever for me. I don't have all the wonderful tools you have collected to bail me out of problems. I don't know about you but if I get too many problems I stop enjoying it all and after all that is not the idea. I will never be a master scratchbuilder like Danny but enjoyment is the most important thing. I can still enjoy other peoples wonderful models as long as I enjoy what I am doing.
 
Your ratlines by the way look terrific.

I have been doing ratlines today as well - it is just such a joy don't you find !!!!

I have been doing ratlines today as well - it is just such a joy don't you find !!!!

After trying several variations which included served futtock shrouds ,black futtock shrouds with white seizing and the other way round ,attached with hooks and without hooks i finally settled for a fairly simple method which was within my abilities  . the ratlines are tied with a  clove hitch i found the overhand knot difficult to keep tight , and although not perfect i will have to be content
 

 
I used 2 4mm strips cliped together to roughly measure the spacing 
 

 
Been trying to work out how to finish the mast top , getting there but is still ongoing 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Well folks, here she is warts and all !! I can't say I am sorry that she is finished but I do think she looks better than I expected her to. I am very glad I put on the extra railings as I think they make a big difference. The rigging such as it is, is rather minimal but there has been a lot about this kit which has been like that from the start.
 
Despite my best efforts the decks have continued to warp even after gluing and even managed to break some of the glue joints. Without doing a complete rebuild there is absolutely nothing I could do about it so I just have to live with it.
 
I really love the wood finish because of the colours and it does make it very different from the other Robert E Lee builds I have seen. Apart from the lovely pre warped decks etc the biggest challenge of this build for me has been the really tight bending of various kinds of wood and I have learnt a few lessons from it. The only painted bits on her are the windows, doors, railings and funnels,  otherwise it is all varnish.
 
It will not surprise any of you to know that I couldn't recommend Constructo kits to anyone. Having done two now I share others opinions about the poor quality of supplied wood. I had to raid my 'stores' on several occasions. I know Constructo kits are at the cheaper end of the market and now I know why. I shall not be doing another kit from that stable !!
 
My next effort will be another kit from my tried and tested OcCre manufacturer.
 
 

Thank you to everyone, Strangely enough after all this time I decided to put another row of railings on the wheelhouse deck because somehow the boat just didn't look finished. I reckon it was well worth the effort.
I really am very grateful for all the comments and especially glad that the unpainted approach is appreciated.
 
 
 

I thought it was about time I did an update !
 
Columns and railings are now done, the instructions said 111 columns and 113 spacers !!!! That took a while and I know they are not all straight. The railings were pressed brass strip which had to be bent and painted and then 1mm square hand and foot rails put on each length. A fair test of wood bending I can assure you !
 
Just to make life harder for myself I have also put railings on the third deck which the Constructo model doesn't have but the real R.E.L did. I managed to get some extra strip from Constructo which is about the only good thing I have to say about them !!
 
There is some more varnishing to be done before the funnels and smoke stacks and rigging get done along with the gangplanks and a few more bits and pieces.
 
But, here she is to date.
 
 

Here goes then, next update.
 
The ventilation deck is now on and in the right place !! I had a senior moment when I first glued it on and managed to get it off centre. So, more soaking to get it off before replacing it correctly.
 
I have also included a photo using a 5p piece to show the 'right angle' bends that this kit requires I can tell you my wood bending skills have been tested with these. I have tried several methods but the way it has worked out has been to soak the wood in really hot water but only for about 15 minutes then bend really carefully using a hand held mechanical plank bender - the one with the blade - very, very carefully. If the wood isn't soaked enough it just snaps, if left too long it gets too soft and the 'blade' goes straight through it. I am very glad to say that with this particular wood I only have four more bends like those to do.
 
Plenty more bending to come for hand rails though with 1mm square bass wood and if I can't do it I will have to resort to styrene. Anyway that is in the future.
 
I have also put in one photo of the 'invisible' paddle wheels !! Someone else said it was an awful lot of effort for things that don't show and I am very inclined to agree with them !!
 
 

Maybe i,m wrong in my method but as i,m at a similiar stage ,masts and rigging , i found that if you can possibly leave off the fittings on the top section of the mast untill the shrouds are fitted ,it means they can be slid on and off easily meaning tying the  deadeyes can be done off ship on the bench ,if that makes sense ???? 

Dave,
 
CA glue is Cyanoacrylate, what most folks call 'super glue'.  
 
PVA glue is Polyvinyl acetate - this family of glues includes most of your white (Elmer's) glues and white & yellow wood glues. 
 
They are most definitely not the same!

YES to pretty much every question/answer you asked.
 
Seizing the loop after it goes around the mast is easier than it looks, especially if the deadeye lanyards haven't been fitted and the shrouds are still loose. Alternatively, I loop the shroud around the mast, use a bent wire through each deadeye to keep them the same length, tie a half-hitch with the seizing line around them, give it a dab of PVA to hold the knot, let the PVA dry for 10 minutes, remove the wires and slip the shroud off the mast, and finish the seizing on the bench.
 
I use Carpet Thread for the seizings. It's a lot stronger than normal thread and has a thin wax coating which eliminates the "fuzzies".
 
  Danny

I sent Mike a PM about his question. Here it is for those of you who may get some benefit from it :
 
Yep, it is impossible to get the 2nd deadeye through the gap between the lower mast and the topmast. That's why I don't fit the topmast until AFTER I've rigged all the shrouds and stays. The pics below will show my method :
 

 

 
 

 
I do a similar thing with the topmast shrouds and stays - I leave the topgallant mast off until they are all rigged. I make all the pieces of the whole mast up on the bench before I start fitting anything permanently without gluing the three pieces of mast together. I even leave the Mast Tops off until that section has been rigged.
 
Here's a LINK to the post in my build log of Vulture where I start fitting the shrouds.
 
BTW - the shrouds don't go from starboard to port. They are rigged in pairs for each side. That is, the first two shrouds on the starboard side are looped around the mast, followed by the first two for the port side. Then the 3rd and 4th shroud for starboard, 3rd and 4th for port etc. If there is an uneven number of shrouds the aft one for each side goes from starboard to port using a "cut splice" around the mast.
 
I hope my explanation is what you were looking for.
 
  Danny