Blue Ensign

My dear Martin and B.E.
Please be aware that you may leave yourselves open to an accusation of "murmuring" and you could be requested to bear the consequences according articles 20, 21 and 22 while Martin also most probably committed an offence against article 2 of the Royal Navy Articles of War.
Martin, very nice detail and it will always be visible - at least to the thousands, or so, of followers here in MSW.
Cheers
Peter

Fantastic B.E., just fantastic. 

Thank you Chuck, Nils, and Michael, and to all those  who have re-visited the log and hit the 'like' button multiple times.
Scuppers
One of tidy up items to do is the Scuppers for the Manger.
I had much earlier in the build attended to the other six scuppers required along the hull and this is the last one.
These are 'false' scuppers in the sense that they are drilled from outside and do not connect to the scupper outlets in the waterway, a much too fraught exercise to consider.

The lead flanges are made from thin slivers of aluminium tubing bashed flat on my anvil and painted  with a flat lead grey colour.

The run of seven scuppers along the hull.
With Pegasus out of her cover I took the opportunity to take some general shots.




I keep spotting things that require attention or that I have overlooked, I think this process could take a while.
B.E.
 
 

Hoisting the Ensign
This is a schematic of how I attach the Ensign to the Staff.

Incidentally this is Blue Ensign made for my Victory build, using the tissue/printing method.
I had made the Ensign and Jack Staffs some time back in the build.



The Ensign is raised.



The Jack before tweaking...............

 .........and after.
 
Almost there folks, some tidying up now to do, and a base to make.
This post marks the seven day task of rebuilding this log, I think I've got it all in the correct order.
B.E.
11 March 2017.
 
 

Ensigns.
I have opted for the Red Ensign, and a Union Flag at the Jack staff. There should also be a Commissioning Pennant worn at the Mainmast head, but these very long pennants can be difficult to  get to hang right on a model, and may be best left off, I am undecided at present.
The two references I use for flags are:
Flags for Ship modellers and marine artists by Alec A Purves
Flags at Sea by Timothy Wilson.
For Pegasus the pre 1801 Union flag design is appropriate; for Fly with a career spanning the Act of Union of Great Britain and Ireland, either would be appropriate.
Many depictions of the pre 1801 Ensign, and Jack show quite a broad white diagonal representing the Scottish Saltire

However, contemporary marine  art does tend to show the Union flag with a much darker blue ground and a much narrower white diagonal.

This extract is of a painting that hangs above my desk. It is entitled A Two-decker and a Frigate off Harwich  by One of my favourite contemporary marine artists, Charles Brooking, and is my guide for the Pegasus Ensigns.

This is my preferred design, albeit in rough form.
Making the Ensign
A photo of the Ensign is printed out at the appropriate size to form the pattern. This scales to 57mm x 87mm.
 
To make the Ensign I used Modelspan tissue.

A piece of Modelspan is taped across a box with a rectangular hole in it.
It is then painted both sides with dilute pva, and dried with a hair dryer.
It is then taped over the photo image of the Ensign and  run thro' the printer.
I allow sufficient extra on the hoist edge to form the hoist thro' which the halyard will be fitted.

The printed image on Modelspan is a little too faded so it is again taped over a backing piece and is painted over.
At this point I place a sheet of polythene beneath the image to prevent paint bleed sticking the Modelspan to the paper beneath.
To paint the flags I have used Humbrol Acrylic paints, No 60 (Red) No 77(Blue) and No 34 (White)

Painting both sides of the Ensign completed.

The Jack was prepared in the same manner, measuring 23.8mm x 36.5mm.
The next stage is to get the flags to hang limply in a natural fashion.
My approach is to steam them and tease them into shape.

These little hand steamers are just the ticket, beats holding it over the kettle spout.

A heath Robinson device to hold the Ensign at the correct angle
whilst it is steamed and pulled into shape.

The Ensign is left to dry and hopefully stick in the arranged position.

Line is loosely tied around the  flag to assist in shape holding.
The next post will deal with attaching the flags to the staffs.
B.E.
 
 
 
 

Stanchions, and miscellaneous finishings
Stanchions.
These run along the Foc'sle and the waist.
Foc'sle

A passing rope (2½" - 0.30mm) threads thro' the Foc'sle stanchions. Eyebolts at either end of the stanchions in the planksheer and bollard timbers to secure the line.
Waist

The iron stanchions along the waist are topped by a rough tree rail. I have used a length of 'ebony' boxwood strip.

Always a fine point to when to fit these delicate pieces, don't want to do it until I am sure no more fiddling in the waist area is required, hope I'm right.
Entry stanchions and Entering ropes.
The stanchions are kit provided in brass etch, but seemed a little too short to me, so I modified them. According to Steel the Entering ropes are of 3" line (0.38mm)
I  initially used Morope 0.40mm. which is closest to scale, knotted at 5mm intervals down to the water level.
On reflection I thought the overhand knots looked too bulky; I retried it using pva blobs to represent the knots, didn't like that either.

Finally I downsized to Syren 0.3mm line and this suited my eye best.
 
Swinging Studding Booms
I made these a long time ago, there are sets for the Fore and Main Studding sails.
The Fore booms are a problem inasmuch that unlike the Main booms which lie along the Main channels, the Fore Booms have nowhere to lie insitu when not in use.

When in use the Gooseneck hooks into an eye bolt fixed in the hull just aft of the Bridle port and forward of the Billboards.
The Upper deck seems to be only practical place to store these, or perhaps lashed to the spare topmasts on the Gallows.
At over 30ft in length manoeuvring and fitting these items must have been an awkward exercise when at sea.
The Main booms hook into an iron strap with an eye at the Fore end of the channel and is supported by an iron crutch towards the aft end of the channel.

Not quite sure how these are secured along the channels but I have taken the view that lashing to a deadeye strop is a reasonable option.

The Main booms do have various guys rigged to operate, but I have not included these.
B.E.

 
 

The Fore Sheets

4½" line 0.56mm Syren 0.45mm
Eye spliced to eyebolt below fixed block in hull, 5mm fwd of  sweep port.

Thro' sheet block at the yard,then aft thro' aft fixed block.

.......to the range cleat in the waist.
 
The Fore Tacks
TACKS, SINGLE, lead through the block lashed round the outer end of the boomkin on each side, then lead upon the forecastle, and belay round a large cleat upon the cat-head, or to the topsail-sheet-bitts.
Deciding the run of this lead caused me some  trouble and I raised the issue in a separate post.
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/15232-run-of-the-fore-tack/
The response to my query was somewhat thin but I have concluded that the tacks should run outside of other rigging lines leading into the Foc'sle.

On a purely practical basis, with the sail set, the tack line would otherwise be fouled.

Tack line taken inboard and belayed around top of Head rail.
B.E.

Main mast rigging ongoing
Tying up a few more loose ends.
Firstly the Main Topmast and T'gallant backstays need to attached with their deadeyes to the Channel, and secondly the Main sheets which pass outside of the stays, but then pass thro' a fixed block and inboard to belay at a timberhead.
At this point I have one of those 'oh bugger' moments, as I realise I have slipped betwixt two stools (no pun intended) when it came to the backstays.
The kit provides for two Topmast backstays, the ffm only one, and I find I have one too many deadeyes on the channel. Needless to say I have only one backstay hanging from the Topmast head.
Too late to remove all the top hamper to add another backstay in the proper manner, but it was just about possible to thread the line up beneath the stay collars, feed it around the masthead and down to the channel.
I am encouraged by Lees comment that Main Topmasts sometimes carried one more backstay than the Fore topmasts.

Crisis over and I move on, no real visual impact of this little deception, and only you and me know about it.
My approach is to attach the deadeyes to the backstays, but leave off applying the lanyards until the sheets have been fitted and belayed.
 
Main Sheets
 I had trialled the run of the Main sheets back in November,now is the time to fix them.

The run of the Main sheets can look awkward because without sails rigged they tend to lie against the Backstays before they lead inboard. For this reason I like to have a degree of slackness in the sheets so that they do not  bind hard against the stays.
That the Channels are sniped towards the aft end on the ffm plans, which throws the backstays a little more inboard may be done to counter this .
Of course the simplest method is to not rig the sheets and tacks on a bare stick model.

The sheets are a substantial line scaling to 0.56mm ø This is an awkward size in relation to scale line. Syren has 0.45mm and 0.63mm and Morope has 0.4mm 0.6mm
I need also to take into account the tack line which is larger at 0.69mm.
I would prefer to use Syren for this particular line as the synthetic Morope needs to have some tension on it to avoid unnatural looking  kinks.
For these reasons I am using Syren 0.45mm line for the sheets, and 0.63mm for the Tacks, which give a visible difference between the two.
To get a smooth kink free run of the sheet between the sheet block and lead block on the hull I dip the line in very dilute pva, wipe off the excess and put the line under light tension for a while.
The standing end of the sheet is 'false' spliced around an eyebolt  above the aftermost gunport.

It leads thro' the sheet block from out to in, runs down to a lead block seized just above and aft of the standing part, and runs thro' the fixed block to belay at a timberhead.

The Main Sheet belay can be seen opposite the gratings.
With the Main sheet belayed I can now secure the T'gallant backstay.
 
Main Brace Falls

The ffm (18.43) indicates that once the brace line has passed thro' the the fixed block it is belayed to a timberhead some 6 to 8 feet forward to allow the Mizen topsail braces and Vangs to belay aft of the Main brace.
 On the kit model this would place the belay on a timberhead adjacent to the tiller lines.

I have run the brace falls forward to belay opposite the Mizen mast.
The Main Tack

Belaying the tack to the forward Range cleat in the waist proved a little tricky, mostly because I added the waist gangboards.

Just about managed it from the opposite sides with very long tweezers, but there are several risks poking around beneath the Pinnace at this stage.
Ffm Vol 11 para 12.15 indicates an eyebolt for the Main tack fixed in side. - note this is applicable for double tack rigs not the single tacks as used in 6th rates.
I will now move onto the Fore Sheets.
 
B.E.

Tidying up the Foc'sle.
For the past few days I having been trying to sort out the confusion of lines around the Foc'sle.
There are a lot of loose ends now that need securing, and looking ahead a little there is the perennial problem of sufficient belaying points.
I note that the Belaying plan (Plan#3) of the ffm Vol IV shows 10 cleats conveniently placed around the inner bulwark of the bows between the Bowsprit and Cathead, but what is not shown is the Breast hook which fits over the Bowsprit and is bolted to the bow timbers which would preclude cleats in the position shown but presumably they could be fitted to the face or top of the Breast Hook.

The Breast hook can be seen in this shot.
Steel specifically mentions a pin in the breast hook to take the Fore T'Gallant bowlines.
Bowlines are a feature I am thinking of adding even tho' mine is a bare stick model, in this case they are simply hitched to their respective yards before running to belay points.
The Foc'sle is just about tidied up now and the T'gallant Backstays have been rigged.
 In a final crowning to the mastheads the trucks are added.
The photos

Tidying the line ends


Belaying to the Belfry rails is a test of patience, so many lines to snag.


Fore T'gallant backstays on the stools now secured.

Lead of the Fore Tack, something that is causing me some confusion at present, not yet ready to be secured.

Truck at Foremast head

....and at the Mainmast head; Main T'gallant back stays yet to be secured.


Coming together now I think.
 
B.E. 31/01/2017
 

Nice progress Steve, great job on the traveller ring.
B.E.

Hoisting the Ensign
This is a schematic of how I attach the Ensign to the Staff.

Incidentally this is Blue Ensign made for my Victory build, using the tissue/printing method.
I had made the Ensign and Jack Staffs some time back in the build.



The Ensign is raised.



The Jack before tweaking...............

 .........and after.
 
Almost there folks, some tidying up now to do, and a base to make.
This post marks the seven day task of rebuilding this log, I think I've got it all in the correct order.
B.E.
11 March 2017.
 
 

Stanchions, and miscellaneous finishings
Stanchions.
These run along the Foc'sle and the waist.
Foc'sle

A passing rope (2½" - 0.30mm) threads thro' the Foc'sle stanchions. Eyebolts at either end of the stanchions in the planksheer and bollard timbers to secure the line.
Waist

The iron stanchions along the waist are topped by a rough tree rail. I have used a length of 'ebony' boxwood strip.

Always a fine point to when to fit these delicate pieces, don't want to do it until I am sure no more fiddling in the waist area is required, hope I'm right.
Entry stanchions and Entering ropes.
The stanchions are kit provided in brass etch, but seemed a little too short to me, so I modified them. According to Steel the Entering ropes are of 3" line (0.38mm)
I  initially used Morope 0.40mm. which is closest to scale, knotted at 5mm intervals down to the water level.
On reflection I thought the overhand knots looked too bulky; I retried it using pva blobs to represent the knots, didn't like that either.

Finally I downsized to Syren 0.3mm line and this suited my eye best.
 
Swinging Studding Booms
I made these a long time ago, there are sets for the Fore and Main Studding sails.
The Fore booms are a problem inasmuch that unlike the Main booms which lie along the Main channels, the Fore Booms have nowhere to lie insitu when not in use.

When in use the Gooseneck hooks into an eye bolt fixed in the hull just aft of the Bridle port and forward of the Billboards.
The Upper deck seems to be only practical place to store these, or perhaps lashed to the spare topmasts on the Gallows.
At over 30ft in length manoeuvring and fitting these items must have been an awkward exercise when at sea.
The Main booms hook into an iron strap with an eye at the Fore end of the channel and is supported by an iron crutch towards the aft end of the channel.

Not quite sure how these are secured along the channels but I have taken the view that lashing to a deadeye strop is a reasonable option.

The Main booms do have various guys rigged to operate, but I have not included these.
B.E.

 
 

The Fore Sheets

4½" line 0.56mm Syren 0.45mm
Eye spliced to eyebolt below fixed block in hull, 5mm fwd of  sweep port.

Thro' sheet block at the yard,then aft thro' aft fixed block.

.......to the range cleat in the waist.
 
The Fore Tacks
TACKS, SINGLE, lead through the block lashed round the outer end of the boomkin on each side, then lead upon the forecastle, and belay round a large cleat upon the cat-head, or to the topsail-sheet-bitts.
Deciding the run of this lead caused me some  trouble and I raised the issue in a separate post.
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/15232-run-of-the-fore-tack/
The response to my query was somewhat thin but I have concluded that the tacks should run outside of other rigging lines leading into the Foc'sle.

On a purely practical basis, with the sail set, the tack line would otherwise be fouled.

Tack line taken inboard and belayed around top of Head rail.
B.E.

Return to the blunt end.
Over the past few days I have  turned my attention back to the stern.


Some of the previously rigged lines now need to have the falls formed before the area gets too crowded.
Mizen Topsail Yard Braces

I used 1½" line (0.20mm) eye spliced around the Gaff end taken up thro' the brace pendant blocks  and down thro' the lead blocks at the gaff peak.

Eyebolts are fitted to the top of the Tafferal to take the tackle blocks for the Mizen Topsail braces
The falls pass thro' the outer lead block on the Tafferal, and thro' the fixed block to belay at the Qtr deck rail. 6" single blocks (I used Syren 3/32nd blocks) and 3mm hooks
Vangs
Steel says:
VANGS. The bight is put over the peek-end with an overhand-knot, and the double-blocks spliced in the lower ends are connected by their falls to a single block, that hooks to an eye-bolt in the upper part of the quarter-piece on each side. The standing-part makes fast to the becket in the **** of the single-block, and the leading-part leads from the double-block, and belays to a cleat nailed on the taffarel fife-rail, or round the **** of the single-block.
A Pendant line of 3" (0.37mm) is hitched around the centre of the Gaff - I used Morope 0.4mm with 6" blocks (2.38mm) spliced in. Falls of 1½" line (0.20mm)

Although they don't look it on this photo the pendants are of equal length below the Gaff.
The falls pass thro' the lead block  hooked to the Tafferal to belay. Again  Syren 3/32nd blocks and 3mm hooks were used.
For those using the ffm Vol IV as their rigging reference you should note that the guidance to run the falls of the Mizen Topsail Braces and Vangs thro' the fixed block at the Qtr deck rail may not work with the kit version at least because there is less Tafferal outside of the rails in which to bring the falls in from the outside.  The book references are in relation to the Resolution model which has Quarter Galleries, and more space to work with.
This is not a problem the Vang falls can either be expended around the lower blocks or  hitched to a cleat on the inner face of the Tafferal.
 
Mizen Topmast Backstay
This was fitted a while back but now is a convenient time to secure with the deadeyes. For this I used 2.5mm Boxwood Deadeyes.
To recap:
The kit arrangement shows two topmast backstays set up with deadeyes hooked into eyebolts just forward of the Quarter Badge.
Lees indicates the use of a stool or a deadeye plate bolted to the ships side.
The ffm (Standing rigging plan) indicates a single backstay for which the addition of a small stool fitted at drift rail height aft of the Quarter badge is required.

I opted for a deadeye plate fixed to the hull forward of the Quarter Badge, a lot less fussy than a mini stool and a little more secure.

A peek thro' the Quarter badge lights. Looks like someone needs to have a sweep up in the Great Cabin.
 
The lantern
Chuck's little beauty was fixed some time ago, but there remained the supporting braces which have now been fitted.


 


B.E.

Tidying up the Foc'sle.
For the past few days I having been trying to sort out the confusion of lines around the Foc'sle.
There are a lot of loose ends now that need securing, and looking ahead a little there is the perennial problem of sufficient belaying points.
I note that the Belaying plan (Plan#3) of the ffm Vol IV shows 10 cleats conveniently placed around the inner bulwark of the bows between the Bowsprit and Cathead, but what is not shown is the Breast hook which fits over the Bowsprit and is bolted to the bow timbers which would preclude cleats in the position shown but presumably they could be fitted to the face or top of the Breast Hook.

The Breast hook can be seen in this shot.
Steel specifically mentions a pin in the breast hook to take the Fore T'Gallant bowlines.
Bowlines are a feature I am thinking of adding even tho' mine is a bare stick model, in this case they are simply hitched to their respective yards before running to belay points.
The Foc'sle is just about tidied up now and the T'gallant Backstays have been rigged.
 In a final crowning to the mastheads the trucks are added.
The photos

Tidying the line ends


Belaying to the Belfry rails is a test of patience, so many lines to snag.


Fore T'gallant backstays on the stools now secured.

Lead of the Fore Tack, something that is causing me some confusion at present, not yet ready to be secured.

Truck at Foremast head

....and at the Mainmast head; Main T'gallant back stays yet to be secured.


Coming together now I think.
 
B.E. 31/01/2017
 

I'm with the programme Martin, just because it's hidden is no reason not to do it. Mrs Shires W is generally supportive of my modelling activity, but having read the frank disclosure by Mrs Prairie W, I now begin to wonder why.
She did once express an interest in making an Airfix Spitfire (had to be an Airfix) and indeed started it, when I asked which Mk she would like I was promptly told not to get nerdy! just get her a Spitfire.
Still on with the show - don't forget to get the Catheads the right way up, and you will need to temporarily fit the main head Rails to assist getting the position right.
Cheers,
B.E.

Thank you Chuck, Nils, and Michael, and to all those  who have re-visited the log and hit the 'like' button multiple times.
Scuppers
One of tidy up items to do is the Scuppers for the Manger.
I had much earlier in the build attended to the other six scuppers required along the hull and this is the last one.
These are 'false' scuppers in the sense that they are drilled from outside and do not connect to the scupper outlets in the waterway, a much too fraught exercise to consider.

The lead flanges are made from thin slivers of aluminium tubing bashed flat on my anvil and painted  with a flat lead grey colour.

The run of seven scuppers along the hull.
With Pegasus out of her cover I took the opportunity to take some general shots.




I keep spotting things that require attention or that I have overlooked, I think this process could take a while.
B.E.
 
 

Hoisting the Ensign
This is a schematic of how I attach the Ensign to the Staff.

Incidentally this is Blue Ensign made for my Victory build, using the tissue/printing method.
I had made the Ensign and Jack Staffs some time back in the build.



The Ensign is raised.



The Jack before tweaking...............

 .........and after.
 
Almost there folks, some tidying up now to do, and a base to make.
This post marks the seven day task of rebuilding this log, I think I've got it all in the correct order.
B.E.
11 March 2017.
 
 

Thanks for all the compliments guys.
 
Michael (Ca.shipwright) - the metal work is very very tricky and those stunsail boom irons, being so small, were super tricky to do. The hardest part is holding the parts together during soldering, then not getting too much solder. I am not very good at it and it took a few tries to get them right but i persisted. I used silver solder. I have a silver solder kit that I bought, which consists of the solder, a mini gas torch and the flux. I used some 1/8" brass tube for the rings and brass rod hammered flat on four sides to make it square, for the arms. If you look at this photo you will see that the rings are a little off centre but once on the model its hardly noticable because they are so small. There was usually too much solder on the joints so I just filed off the excess.
 
Cheers
Steve

I have been making the stunsail booms, plus I added a few more items in preparation for the rigging. The bowsprit traveller, the iron horse, and some cleats. I fitted the belaying pins to the bow, I used brass ones that are blackened because the are a better more realistic size and I reckon the look just like dark wood once blackened.

One more pic

I spent the day finishing off the foremast lower yard arm and then painting all the yards.

I have finshed all the yards, a lot of sanding!!. Just need to add the hoops for the stunsails. Now comes the big job of adding all the blocks and footropes

at last - Pinnace and Pegasus come together
Seems to have taken forever but here are the photo’s of the union of Pinnace and Sloop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I am quite pleased with the way the Pinnace  looks on Pegasus and whilst I have the momentum I am moving straight into making the other allocated boat for a 14 gun sixth rate sloop.
B.E.

 

Pinnace Inboard fittings cont’d
For the risers I have used 1.5mm wide boxwood strip.
Fixing one side first, and the second once the first was dry but checking the horizontal level by use of a thwart before the glue set.
This revealed that the aft platform was slightly out of level so out it came. Also gave me the opportunity to further pare the frames down to get the platform a tad closer to the footwaling.

Next up was the seatback which took a fair bit of fiddling with to get it to look anything like it should. Numerous paper patterns were made and tweaked before cutting out on the scroll saw and then more tweaking to fit.
Onto the sharp end and a little platform. Quite tricky this and further modifications to the first two frames and adjustment of the risers in the bow area were required.

Fortunately the less than beautiful hacking about of the frames will all be hidden by the platform.

 

These photos show wip on the thwarts and stern sheets nothing fixed as yet just tweaking the layout.
I am making minor changes to the layout compared to The Model Shipways kit which is of a 21’ four oared single banked Pinnace, circa 1750, mine represents a 25’ Pinnace of a period some 25 years later.
Somewhat simpler and less ornate as befits a Sixth rate.
The thwarts are fixed, the hinges applied to the small cockpit trunk, and the support stanchions fixed beneath the thwarts. I also added a small compartment face beneath the fore platform.
The next and potentially tricky bit is adding the internal planking above the thwarts. For this I am using 3.7mm wide strip. This fortunately is just the size for the area above the thwarts.

Wetted, clamped, and instantly heat dried the strip needs to be bent both laterally and curved to suit both the round and upward sweep of the bow. In practice it didn’t present the problems I first thought may arise.


Applied a couple of coats of ochre to the inner planking and French polish to the thwarts.
Onto the capping rails next and the tricky little problem of forming decorative mouldings to the inner planking
 
The capping rails
Cut from 1.5mm boxwood sheet on the scroll saw with the final shaping once they were attached.
The Breast hook was then shaped and glued above the platform in the bows.
At this point the interior paintwork needed rubbing down with P1000 and recoating.

Here also I have started to apply the decorative moulding along the inside planking above the thwarts.


The moulding does improve the look of the boat by reducing the plain expanse of Red Ochre, and I rather like the look of the boxwood against the ochre.

Once the Helmsman’s seat has been installed I can return to the hull exterior for a little more fettlin’ and the application of the decorative frieze along the gunwales.

Bashed it about a little clamping the moulding rail to the hull, the joints need resetting.
The deficiencies in my planking require a tad of filler to even out the most noticeable flaws. For this I use Model lite filler, very fine, and with the addition of a spot of yellow ochre paint gives a reasonable match to the boxwood planking.