Blue Ensign

Lower masts
The three lower masts were made up next profiling as necessary and the fore and main having the sides filed for the cheeks to be added, they were then painted and the metal bands added I used black plastic insulation tape as seen in the photos, the cheeks and front fish, were added and also the hounds and bibs which are in one piece they then had the wooling added and the bands to the top square section, I have also started making the tops.







Tops

Just for you JP I'll dig out my posts on the subject.
 
A Simple man’s guide to small scale sail making.
 
For this I used modelspan tissue at 21gsm.
 
This is where it all starts, my patent jig for sail making.
 

 
Well alright it’s a box with a hole cut into it.
 

The Modelspan tissue is taped over the hole – make sure the hole is large enough for the sail dimensions.
 

The witches brew – ear of bat, eye of toad, you know the sort of thing - actually pva diluted to the consistency of milk with a little yellow ochre  paint added.
 

Once the potion is mixed it takes on a fetching ochre colour.
 

The potion being applied, note the colour change and how the tissue has started to sag.
 

The completed effect, just needs to be set aside to dry............. but if you’re impatient like me...
 
 

A quick blast with the CPO’s hairdryer, diffuser in place – and were ready to go.
 
The tissue is now as tight as drum skin and much the same colour, a little more ochery than appears in the photo.
The sail ‘material’ is removed by cutting around the edges of the hole with a scalpel, or any other such sharp implement that is to hand, and is taped over the drawing as previously made.
 

I had previously  drawn out a scaled sail from the works of Jean Boudriot.
 
The lines are transferred and the fiddly business of making the sail up begins.
 
This will be the subject of the next post.
 
B.E.

A simple man’s guide to sail making (part two)
 
The sail has been cut out complete with a hem all the way round, the positions of the cringles have been marked along the edges.
The hems are folded over and a small slit where the cringles are to be placed is made with the scalpel.
0.1mm line is then placed along the hem inside the fold and fished thro with a small pointy thing, to form the cringles.
This is the position so reached.
 

 

After the first few cringles have been formed the hem is glued down using neat PVA to hold the cringles in place.
 
In the pic below all the cringles have now been put into place.
 
Down each side from the top are the three pairs of Reef cringles, followed by three Bowline cringles; the leech line is attached thro’ the top two.
 
At the clue is the cringle for the blocks..
 
Across the foot of the sail are the cringles for the buntlines.

Bands, patches and linings
Additional strengthening pieces of ‘cloth’ are now required to be added to the sail. These are all attached to the aft side of the sail as shown above (Fore side on British ships.)
They comprise:
The reef bands, three narrow strips thro’ which the reef points are fixed.
The Patches small squares of material below the reef cringles at the leech.
The Top lining, the most distinctive addition whose purpose is to protect the sail from wear by friction against the mast top.
The Lining cloths which are strengthening strips staggered down the leech of the sail.
A bit like wallpapering this part, cut it to size, slap on the paste, and stick it down.
 

With the light behind the full effect of the various additions can now be seen.
A series of holes were drilled thro’ the Reef bands to take the Reef points, and again on the Head lining to take the Robands.
Some 150 reef points are required on the Topsail.
 
Once the sails are in place they can be manipulated at any later stage by the simple expediency of wetting them down.
 

The Mizen sail, the Brails that control the sail furling are all in place, there are matching lines on each side of the sail.
 
 

a simple wet down of the sail and haul on the Brails and the sail is loosely furled.
 

 
Modelspan is a tough material and in my workings with I had no failures.
 
 

 

I would use modelspan for kitting out models certainly up to 1:96 scale.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Detail shots of the completed model


Long boat with the sheep pens beneath.
 

Activity on the Qtr deck, the crew are converted ‘N’ scale rail figures.
 

Poop deck detail.
 

 

Crew ascending the Main shrouds.
 

Fore deck detail.
 

Crew at the Fore Topmast head.
 

 

Head details.
 


 

 

Stern Qtr details.
 
 
Full shots of the model
 


 

 
 

 

 

 

 

Secure in her protective case.
 
I think this has been the most exacting build I have undertaken due to the small scale and my
less than good eyesight, I am very pleased with the result but I don’t think I
will attempt another at this scale.
 
I am much more comfortable with 1:64 scale, as with my current Pegasus build.

B.E.


 


 


 
 
 
 
 


 



 
 
 


 


 


 
 


 


 
 


 


 


 


 
 


 
 


 


 


 


 


 


 

Continuing:

Details of the sails.




These were drawn from the plans of Boudriot and are made of Modelspan
tissue .
 



 



 
Attaching reef points nearly destroyed what little was left of my sanity.



As did the ratlines using 125g copper wire.
 

Almost done.


 


 


 

 







 

Continuing


Waist with Longboat and sheep pens.
 

Quarterdeck modifications with added cabin detail.

Modified berthing of the Main Ladderway and added Chicken Coops on the Poop deck.


Modified Head.
 

Copper wire and strip used to make the chains and preventer plates.


Upgrading the Long boat.


Modified ‘N’ scale figures fit just right.


The finished boat.
 
 

Rigging the ‘show’ guns was a bit of a challenge at this scale



 
 

 
Rigging can get a tad untidy at this scale, blocking yourself out is so easy.
 
 
 



 
 




 
 


 
 
 
 

Continuing:
 

Raising the Topsail yards.
 
A word about yards.
 

Working out the details.
 

Parrals at 1:150 scale are pretty small.
 

Topsail yard in place,
 

A member of the Royal Corps of Marine Infantry gives scale to the top.
The sails were attached, dampened and pulled into position using the Buntlines, Leechlines, and clues.
 

Rigging the anchors.
 
 
 

There is no mention of a taper of the Main Wale in The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War 1650 - 1850.
 
In Volume 11 of the ffm it is noted that the top strake of the wale tapers from 41/2" to 3" in thickness to accommodate the fit into the rabbet of the stem.
 
There is no indication of taper in the width of the timbers.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

There is no mention of a taper of the Main Wale in The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War 1650 - 1850.
 
In Volume 11 of the ffm it is noted that the top strake of the wale tapers from 41/2" to 3" in thickness to accommodate the fit into the rabbet of the stem.
 
There is no indication of taper in the width of the timbers.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Hi Mike, I only removed the three waist extensions once the outer planking had been completed. I did partly cut thro' the pieces from outboard before planking and I added a strip of double sided tape to the outer face of the extension pieces.
  With the aid of a veneer saw it was then easy to remove them cleanly and without splintering.   I left the final deck planking runs until this had been done. Veneer saws are a very handy tool for this job.   Cheers,   B.E.

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

It's always such a pleasure to see your updates Doris, and I love your little 'how to' videos.
 
B.E.

Hi everyone,
 
I finally managed to finish the upper deck clamps, with a side tour to rearrange my wall of tools for the table saw, mill and lathe (it is like cleaning the closets or filing papers when you can't get going on something else).
 
I decided to color the clamps and quickwork red, and spirketting black, like many of the admiralty models I admire. So here is a nice ribbon of red around the hull until more inner works come in.
 
My long clamps came in very handy. I wish I had made more.
 
On the the quarterdeck and forecastle clamps...
 
Mark
 
 

silicone de- molding for the main gun turrets
then poured into the mold to the reisin

The pumps were built up largely as per the instructions with the addition of some black paper iron banding. The handles were all left blackened rather than painted a woody colour. It would have still looked like a metal piece.

The tiller is the most obvious missing piece of deck fitting.
The housing was made up from the kit parts with a decorative square cut in each face.

The tiller bar was tapered in the dremel and bent according to the kit instructions. It's a bit of an angular bend and a check with the NMM museum shows a more fluid bend which was copied.


An end 'knob' was turned on the dremel from a bit of spare 2mm yard dowel.

And the finished result. Some thread was added as a concession to the helmsman who would presumably want some added grip.

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

Actual pics of Royal Caroline:






 
The tackles are tied temporary and I am going to modify them later.
 
Enjoy the pics and have a great holidays.
 
Best regards,
Doris

Thank you dear Crackers , I am also pleased and feel great to be with you - we all are the family of ship lovers!! I like this forum and people here a lot.
 
And here are other pics of my work....
I improve almost all the CNC blocks to place the rope around them in a better way:

Preparing the pendants and tackles:

Some of wooden blocks with weathering - I use Tamiya acrylic paint for this:


 

Making other masts:




 
 
The masts are made from more parts, cause I haven't a lathe. This way is easier for me and the masts stay strong enough owing to metal reinforcements.