st george

Thank you dear friends for your comments and "likes". 
I am pleased you enjoy my work.
Now I am finishing the cannons for lower and middle deck. It remains to make 32 smaller cannons for the upper and quarter deck but 18 of them will be fully detailed with rigging. I have given a detailed tutorial to this thread some time ago if you are interested in "how to do".
I have to admit that I am totally bored of such monotonous work.... Oh yes, I told to myself in past - "I will never build a three decker again"... Well, and I couldn't resist it again....😃
 


 
 
 
 

As far as I know, there are no records of how Speedy appeared, colour-wise. For a while, she was painted to look like a Danish ship to fool enemies, so you could paint her any colour and it probably wouldn't be wrong (within reason...)
 
OK, yesterday we finished putting up the insulation layer in the laser workshop, and have just taken some pics (before shiplap is applied to interior), so it looks like a set off a low budget '80's Roger Corman sci-fi film..
 
I have now cut a few sets of Speedy upgrade ladders in pearwood, which I have taken a pic of. Also, I have done a few samples of cleats. The keval cleats are done in 72nd and 64th, and the staghorns I have done in three sizes, 20, 23 and 26mm long. I will sell these in pairs. I have done a 'yard cleat pack', is this a good idea? I know I hate having to cut each cleat from wood strip, and then having to make sure they all look the same. I have located the retention tabs to they are easy to file down, and none are on the contact/gluing surface, so should sit flush to whatever they are glued to. Would people be interested in that kind of thing, do you think?
 
I will laser cut the kevals and staghorns today, and should be on the site to buy at some point during the next week or so..
 
Oh, also sorted out how to do the laser engraved decks (many pieces of plywood were sacrificed to get that far...), and have laser engraved the Speedy deck complete with small treenails.

One interesting thing would be to see some "comparison photos" of how the difference in different wood will look like. It doesnt need to be the full ships but just something which will explain the difference in style using Tanganyika, pear,  box and walnut. 

Forgot to mention,
 
The original Alert kits (limewood laser cut and cast metal cannon) are now on sale for a set time, the pearwood planking version being £145 and the Tanganyika version £125. Have just done a small update to the home page of my website to advertise this. 

Thank you, Derek, I am so pleased you like the kit. Alert (which is being brought up to Speedy fittings & material standards) was like a trial by fire for me, and Speedy is the result of more experience and more supplier contacts.
 
There will be a new version of Speedy soon. I am just waiting for the pearwood blocks. I am sure I have mentioned before, but this will be the main version, which has pearwood laser cut parts and planking, and drop down options for the Cochrane book and pear blocks. This makes the kit like the original Master Shipwright versions, with the only difference being the second planking is pear and not box. Also, the new kits will have the new laser cut ladder kits in pearwood, which have been designed (did these yesterday)! to fit exactly for the two Speedy companions.
 
I have not had chance to continue the development of my third kit for a while, as I have had a lot to sort out and re-organise, for the better in the long run I hope - no longer having to pay someone else for the laser cutting is a huge plus..

Yes, as TOM G wrote, I create and build the model by myself, but Kpt.KL gives me plenty of professional advice for more realistic result. I appreciate his help a lot, he learns me (and also other people) to do things better - not only making nice looking models, but also models corresponding to a real ships.
There are several models of the Royal Katherine that people build according to this modeling plan:
 
 
https://www.amazon.in/Bauplan-Katherine-Modellbau-Modellbauplan-UY-W8EHF3196054/dp/B01IAKRG6W
 
but the result does not correspond to the design and construction of real English ships around 1670. In this plan there's a whole bunch of total nonsense that the planmaker invented. 
My question is - why to spend thousands of hours building something, what is only nice but not tied to a real ship, when I can do it correctly according to the reality in the same work?
Therefore, my model is based on historical evidence, quality literature and archaeological findings. I know that I can't always manage to do it right, but if I can, I try. It's the most demanding project I've ever done.

I am trying to improve making wooden blocks to reach more realistic result. I use only basic tools (knives, raspers, sandpaper) and mainly my hands.  Here are several pics of blocks (with red points) I made last time, and you can compare them with others that were made in the begining.
 

I also hung the fore and main lower yards on the masts for imagination, how large the model will be. The main lower yard is about 55cm long.(proportions are partly based on the plans of the HMS Lenox)
 

 

 

Cheers guys, and Happy Christmas!
 
The machine wasn't cheap (hence the business loan) due to the quality laser tube, plus you do not just buy the machine, you also need the fume extractor and special compressor for the airflow. I also bought a special airflow nozzle that focuses the air better, so the cutting area on the parts should look cleaner. But I haven't attached this yet, as it requires me to manual focus rather than auto focus the laser.
 
I am thinking of perhaps added those laser cut pear ladders in with the Speedy kit, rather than the standard Amati fittings, if I can fit them on the 1mm pear sheet..

Hello dear friends,
thank you all very much for your kind words,praise and comments, that is a great honour for me and i do appreciate your support a lot.
Yesterday I finished ladders on shrouds, this is always so boring work for me, but this time I have decided to do it in the beginning....

 
 
 
 
 

I did have to simplify the heart blocks, as they originally had the correct number of semi-circles/notches for the lanyard rope to fit into. however, the laser was spending too much time in that area (not that I mind the time), and so the parts were more burnt that I thought was acceptable. They are very small, however, and when in place, these notches are hidden completely anyway.
I will also start to laser etch the part number into the structural parts.

Those lazers are increadable! Putting modelling to a New level.  How much do they actually costs?

Looks great, Chris.  You got the hang of running the laser quickly.  Can I ask which brand and the laser power?
 
As for the etching... low, low, low power and speed will need to pretty fast.

Cheers guys,
 
I have been playing around with the machine, and here are some of the results. I have cut a dozen or so sets for  Alert kits, and designing 'fittings', such as 64th and 72nd scale open and closed heat blocks, and 64th and 72nd scale ladders, all in pearwood.
 
Not sure about the ladders, as the steps are already cut to length, so am wondering if I offer these with an option for the customer to ask me to do the length they need (to fit in the combings) and I do the steps to order, is that a good idea? I have already made the steps in 1mm incremental lengths. Do these look OK?

Thank you dear friends, I am pleased you like my work.

Have a beautiful Christmas and a lot of health and happiness.

My laser machine arrived Friday, so the weekend was spent sorting out new workshop, which still needs finishing. However, I did use the machine, and I am very happy with the cutting and quality. I have cut another 12 complete sets of Alert parts (pearwood version), and parts fit together perfectly. It was one of the better machines on offer, though, with a top quality laser tube that's made in Germany. 
 
I did one set of Speedy 3mm MDF with part numbers laser etched in each part, and this seems to work very well. As I am no longer having to pay for a sub contractors time, I can now do this.
 
Still a lot of learning regarding the laser etching side though - tried a Speedy deck and completely nuked it! Still, I am very pleased I made the investment.

I have also started making own wooden blocks, so far only larger sizes, the smaller ones I will probably use from a CNC machine.
 

 
And now I am going to make them such way from this wreck pattern: 

 
 
So enjoy the pics from progress and have a great Christmas time.
Kind regards,
Doris
 

And also the wooden belaying pins are my own handmade product, but I have also a handy helper to do that....😄 

 
 

Handmade deadeyes for mainstay and forestay...
All these elements are made using only basic tools. The ropes are painted with suitable paint and impregnated by flat clear coat ( Tamiya TS-80). The mainstay thickness is about 2,4mm. 
 

I prepared ropes for shrouds using my basic ropewalk from Amati:
 

 

And finally I have started with rigging....
Mast tackles:

 
 

Channels and other fitting - here I mainly use wood to achieve high solidity.

 

And here you can see some pics from creating the wooden capstan - all is handmade using only basic tools:

 
 

Making the largest flag on the model  - I used a fine red fabric on which I painted white rectangles. Finished flag was oversprayed with flat coat to achieve unchangeable shape.
 

 
 

Not for a while, though!
 
I will not be able to work on the third kit for a week or two, as all time (when not at work in my other job) is taken up by sorting future Speedy kits and getting things ready for laser machine next week.
 
At the moment, I have 7 Speedy's in stock. The laser cut is by the same company that did the Master Shipwright pearwood version, all is the same except basswood laser cut parts and pearwood second planking and blocks).
 
I have sent off wood to the laser company for another 20 Speedy kits (in case it takes longer than I thought to master my own laser machine). These will be for the new main kit, which will have pearwood laser cut parts and pearwood planking, with options in drop down menu for the Cochrane book and pearwood blocks. This version will be £280, but not sure if I will have parts cut this side of Xmas.
 
 

OK, I have booked the UPS pick up for Speedy PE parts from Italy today, and I should receive them tomorrow. They will need to be prepared for each kit, so all ordered kits will be ready to send on Monday, all being well.
 
I have also been accepted for the funding of a high end laser/engraver machine, which I will be getting within the next few weeks. This is quite an investment, but feel it is essential if I am to continue.