Blue Ensign

Those are the Bunt line blocks Doug. On a 'bare stick' model a simple knot will suffice to secure the bunt line before it goes thro' the lead blocks beneath the tops and down to belay. Cheers, B.E.

Post 51 Getting down to decking. I have glued into place the side tackle eyebolts for the guns, and ensured the ring bolts will slide easily into their holes later on. The deck beam positions have been marked on the false deck and the centre line fittings glued into place. I spent a fair amount of time staring at the deck plan and noting the reference details. It has been over seven years since I last planked a deck, one year into my previous Pegasus build, and I'm feeling somewhat ring rusty. The long planks outside of those between the centre line fittings range between 32 - 35' scale feet, and there is a four shift butt pattern.( 3 plank widths between butts across a beam.) The provided plan shows a joggled layout but Chuck has opted for a curved plank arrangement with hooded planks. I last used this arrangement on the Fo'csle deck of Pegasus, but they were much shorter lengths and far fewer in number. The process starts with the centre line planks and the narrative indicates that the first is placed right down the centre of the deck. The plan shows the centre two planks joining along the centre line. 4730 I played around with both arrangements to see which provided the better outcome when I came to fitting the adjacent full length planks either side. 4734 I eventually settled on the 'Chuck' arrangement but either way I would need to cut wider planks for the outside run to avoid slivers of planking alongside the centre line fittings. The section around the Bread room scuttle at the stern required cutting from some 3/64" x 9/32" strip. 4725 Tricky little patterns to cut but they do make for an interesting layout. 4727 With the planks in place the scuttle was sanded flush with the deck. 4731 4728 So another milestone reached which is also twelve months from the start of the build. I now need to do some working out of the remaining deck layout before I move on to complete the planking. B.E. 29/11/2018

Hi Dave, Steel makes reference to the standing end of the clew line being timber hitched to the yard and then stopd. B.E.

With double skinned hulls you do get two bites of the cherry, and sanding and light filling will provide an excellent base for the second layer. For getting a little twist into planks such as where they run along into the stern post, I wet them and apply a hair dryer on full heat whilst I twist and hold with a pair of pliers. It really helps to take the spring out of planks and assist gluing. Nice start tho' James. B.E.

Those 17th century Dutch ships make very attractive models. Fine work zappto, well done. B.E.

Thanks Wallace, This is my blackening kit, during the gun blackening process on my previous build. I use the metal black for brass diluted by around 20% As you will know the greatest part of success is having a chemically clean metal to work on. Regards, B.E.

Thanks Jason, Silver soldering is fairly simple at it's basic level such as closing rings or joining two bits of metal, all I have is a Microtorch butane burner and a couple of syringes of solder at different melt points. The beauty of silver solder is that it blackens along with the alloy. Cheers, B.E.

Received today my copy of the second volume of the Rogers Dockyard Models covering Third rates. Another beautifully presented book, and a worthy addition to my library. Excellent service, 11 days from order to door,USA to UK. Thank you Bob and Cathy. B.E.

Post 50 Thinking about Gun tackle scales Fairly early in the stage, but I will fit the tackle eyebolts along the bulwarks and ensure that the holes for the breeching ring bolts are sufficiently deep and of the correct size to smooth the fitting later around all the encumbrances that will be on the deck by then. I am conscious the more stuff on the deck the more difficult it is to get the drill square into the bulwark. Chuck indicates using 28 gauge wire for the eyebolts and 24 gauge for the breeching tackle rings. I presume he is referring to AWG and not SWG which we are more familiar with in the UK. There is not a huge difference but AWG is finer than SWG by equivalent gauge. AWG 28 = 0.3211mmØ SWG = 0.376mmø AWG 24 = 0.5106mm Ø SWG = 0.599mmø I recall from my Pegasus build; Breeching rings: 1"ø 4" in the clear at 1:48 scale:= 0.5mm ø 2mm internal ø Port Tackle eyebolt: 1"ø 1¾" in the clear at 1:48 scale:= 0.5mm ø 0.92mm internal ø For the Breeching rings I used 0.5mm ø brass wire wrapped around a 2mm drill bit and snipped. A spot of silver solder secured the join. I went this extra step to reduce the risk of a ring failing and simply because I fancied doing a spot of silver soldering (or brazing as us professionals properly call it) 😉 For the bolts that hold them an eyebolt will suffice, modified slightly. 4557 Once cleaned up, the assembly is chemically blackened. 4569 4566 Apart from the forward port-side port where I don't intend to fit a gun, I will defer fitting the other ring bolts as it will be easier to pre-attach the breeching rope before they are inserted into the bulwark. With a short stub stem I find these things tricky to fit at the best of times, and the risk of marring the bulwark paint is high if the fitting hole isn't a clean fit. Time to start scratching my head over decking. 🙄 B.E. 15/11/2018

Another fine build Rusty, and one I also have beneath the bench for when I finish Cheerful. Your models are an inspiration, and a pretty hard act to follow😊 B.E.

Nice copper job Peter, well done.👍 B.E.

I too would opt for the heavier breeching line, it appeals more to my eye. I also like a clear distinction between that and the side tackles. Worth looking at the two elements together before making a final decision. Regards, B.E.

Thank you Wallace. B.E.

Thanks Wallace for looking in, and for your kind words.☺️ B.E.

Hi Paul, I got it from Jason at Crown Timber yard when I ordered the original timber package. I have in the past few months had another order from Jason of some wider Boxwood Strip, and he provides a good service. Regards, B.E.

Thanks Dave, mine is the same, so that is a relief, just had a moment of doubt. The scale figure is 35mm = to a height of 5'6" which is appropriate. 4548 Still I needed to cut out the figure and the inboard plan to convince myself. Not too far out I'm relieved to say.🙂 B.E.

Well done Thunder, great job. 👏 B. E.

Thanks Dave, can you tell me what the height is midships between the deck and capping rail top on your model? I’ve been looking at the scale figure on the plan and the capping rail top on my Cheerful appears higher in relation to a 1:48 scale figure but I can’t figure out why. 🤔 B.E.

Looks a fine kit Steve, one thing you won’t need is the Union Flag at the main masthead. 😊 B.E.

Post 49 Margin for error? In accordance with the plan the Margin plank is fitted in three sections joined by scarph joints. The short sections between the stern frames were fitted first using 3/64" x 1/4" strip. There seems to be a little variation for the positioning of the scarphs between the supplied plan and the build instructions. The plan shows quite a short Bow section whereas Chuck has it extending aft past the second port in his build, which seems to me a more manageable arrangement. I am using 3/64" x 1/4" strip for the aft section of the margin, heat bent and with the scarph then cut with a No 11 scalpel. I have terminated this section just past the third port from aft. The more tricky bow section was cut from 3/64" sheet using a card template. 4133 With the Bow and stern sections temporarily in place a card template can be marked with the scarphs for the centre section which is then cut out from the 3/64" sheet. 4134 Took quite a bit of time faffing around with these sections. 4156 4159 On reflection I suppose I could have used a simpler form of scarph The final piece is the Waterway for which 1/32" (0.8mm) square stock is called for, rounded on the top edge. This seems incredibly small, at full scale a mere 1 1/2" 4534 Try as I might I couldn't get consistent widths cut from a 1/32" sheet, at the required lengths, so I took the easy way out and ordered some 1/32" square stock from Chuck. 4531 My main concern with fitting the Waterway was not to get glue over the painted Spirketing, so I used a fine smear of glue and had water available to immediately clean any excess. 4532 A growing collection of mini delights. This is a convenient point to drill the holes to take the bulwark eye and ring bolts, before the deck gets cluttered. 4508 Taking the positions from the plan a simple hole guide jig is used to mark the bulwark. In practice the upper gun tackle eye bolts are 7mm above the spirketing and 2mm in from the port edge. The Breeching rope ring bolts are 2mm above the spirketing and 2.5mm in from the port edge. 4528 Time now to think about the decking. B.E. 11/11/2018

Hi Dave, I admire you're resilience in scratching those gun carriages.👍 Re the Swivel posts; I think 3/16" square stuff is too heavy, but 1/8" looks about right, and fits on the capping rails as a timber head extension quite well. The 1:24 scale drawings of the swivel posts in The Cutter Alert book, has them at 6.36" which is a tad over 1/8" at our scale. I think I will go with 1/8" square stuff. Thanks Martin, I have decided to go with the Red version. No plagiarism on here Martin, just a mutual development of ideas to advance our obsession.☺️ Thank you Thomas, I do enjoy playing with the fittings, far more than the basic construction stuff. Cheers, B.E.

Very nice result Tomek, such a lot of fine detail in a model so small. Well done.🙂 B.E.

I would agree Steve the kit supplied blocks for the bijou carronades are over scale. I used 2mm versions from the now defunct JB Models, today I would use Syren versions. I think the rigging line sizes for the guns also needs looking at, there does need to be a visible difference between the side tackle lines and the breaching rope. 0.1mm dia line for the tackles is more than enough. Line isn’t the only issue when rigging these guns, getting tiny seizings is also problematic. I cheated on my build using fine wire and frapping to try and get a scale appearance. One thing I find with many kits is that the mast and yards are too heavy for the scale and could do with fining down somewhat. Regards, B.E.

Post 48 A test Carronade I am assembling one Carronade at this stage to use as a test item for Gunport fit etc; and develop my assembly technique. Cheerful was armed with ten 12 pounder carronades and two 4 pounder long guns. The carronades as supplied for the kit have a somewhat unusual appearance sitting on carriages with trucks, and with trunnions to secure the barrels. This is at a time when slide beds were more common for Carronades, fitted with iron retaining hoops below the barrel, and Breeching rings above the cascable. There were however many variations to how these guns were configured, and Chuck's carronades which are a thing of beauty, will do very nicely. 4313a This arrangement from the NMM is very close to Chuck's version, but with the addition of the Breeching Ring atop the cascable. I think a simple jig is essential for this process, in fact assembly jigs in general are an excellent idea, I used many such devices on my Pegasus build. 4313 Even with a jig these are tricky little things to set up right. I take the between axles measurements from the plan and transfer to the jig. Small strips of scrap Boxwood secure the axles in place, and the finished item looks remarkably like Chuck's little jig. 4325 The axles are rounded at each end to take the Trucks before fitting in the jig for the attachment of the transom on the front axle, and the Bolster on the rear axle. 4322 One point to note is that the Transom above the front axle is not vertical but should lean back slightly. 4316 I used some 0.7mm ø wire, chemically blackened to represent the iron connecting bar which ties the side brackets and supports the carriage bed. 4331 I added Truck keys using 0.4mmø brass tubing flattened at one end to retain the trucks on their axles. These were then chemically blackened after trimming. 0.45mm ø holes were drilled thro' the axles to take the key. I will finish this off at some point but for the present it will suffice, and I need to concentrate on the decking next. B.E 05/11/2018

Thank you Thomas, Martin, and Paul. 🙂 Post 47 Faffing with fittings part 3. The final deck fitting in this section is the Skylight. I have Chuck's little mini kit which I assembled . The version with the coaming around it doesn't appeal to me, something to do with proportion of the coamings in relation to the skylight I think. 4268 I seem to be in a constant state of indecision whether to paint or varnish the inboard fittings but I eventually decided to varnish the kit Skylight with the window frames painted using Admiralty Paints Light Ivory. I comforted myself with the thought that I can always arrange for another little skylight to wing its way across the pond if I don't like it. While waiting for a further timber supply to complete the margin planks I carried on and made a scratch version from Boxwood sheet. 4204 4201 The frame completed. 4265 I decided to paint this one red but leave the lights framing natural. 4207 There wasn't that much extra effort involved in scratching the Skylight compared to assembling the delicate little kit. 4278 4279 4285 The deck covering below the Skylight shows sufficiently to make the effort worthwhile. 4282 To my eye the scratch version has slightly more 'presence' on the deck compared to the kit version, sweet as it is, and no doubt true to scale. B.E. 02/11/2018