Blue Ensign

And here is the starboard side...

Hello,
 
Here is another "retro-update". I decided to remove the original, kit included, stairs so that I could replicate more closely what has been installed on the 1:1 in Stockholm.
 
The pics are self-explanatory (the first pic was my original installation). I purchased two sets of stairs and glued the step's vertical timbers together so that I could then reshape them with the curves.
 
The Stockholm Vasa ladders are, I think, new so I assume (that word again) that the museum historians copied ladders that were in use at the time that included those curves. I also noticed that some of the 1:1 photos have a curved deck cutout at the top of the stairs, so I did some cutting and fixing as well.
 
My center area between the two ladders is incorrect, but too late to deal with that. I may add some kind of figurine details on that center wall. Hmmmm
 
Moving on I will now start on the bow figures. They will be painted similarly to my stern figures. With these figures I will attempt to add some sort of slim framing that I see on the 1:1 photos. I have to think about how to do this.
 
Again, I so appreciate, and I am certainly motivated with your kind posts as well as those of you whom are kind enough to just visit this build in progress. Thanks everyone.
 
Regards,
 
Michael
 
 

Peter,
you may be right, but there are still so many fine Details to be done. Next to the rigging sometime this year I would also intend to make a full suit of sails of which I have no plans yet.
But in the meantime there Needs to be a lot more work on the hull. Regarding to the coppering, which I completed today I shall go for the rudder now (a double nail capline on the copperline is not attached yet) to provide a neat horizontal finish to the coppering. It went so well, doing the "plates" from tape, actually 4-5 in row at a time, I could hardly believe the Speed myself. Also I have a prototype of a brass Investment casting of the figurehead under way, am expecting it curiously next week, if it works out well.
 
Nils
 

 

 

 

 
 
 

Pegasus, build log Picture lot 19
 
Beginning with the rudder System....
 
 

started with a Trial sample on the rudderblade hinges, the rudder was made from 4 bars 4,5 x 4,5mm, fitted after coppering the rudder
 

These hinge parts will be cut off, they go to the hull, after coppering
 

the ruddershaft goes through all the decks
 

self explaining
 
 
 

Trials for coppering now completed,
 
started with coppering yesterday (pic. lot 18), simultaniously started with the ruddersystem (pic. lot 19), because that shall be fitted when the coppering is finished
 
Nils
 
 
Lot 18
 

shall probably follow the flattend verion
 

after 6 Trials made up my mind....
 

beginning with starboard side
 

not so accurate, as industrial made plates, but therefore selfmade
 

the copperline was drawn with a soft pencil
 

it turned out best results when following the planking pattern...
 

i am pleased in not using CA glue, that allways messes up the fingertips
 

Startpreparation bottom Stern on port side
 

the sternpost is 4,5 mm wide, the rudder will be 4mm (would be 256 mm on actual ship)
 

view from aft
 

Hello Nils, re the English terms used in shipbuilding - here's a little schematic I did on the plans to help me sort out what was what.
 

 
 Hope this helps.
 
B.E.

Hi Mark,
 
Amati sell the copper sets as an aftemarket item.
 
Here's a link to a UK Supplier, The Model Dockyard.
 
http://www.model-dockyard.com/acatalog/amati-Copper_Hull_Plates.html
 
They're showing nil stock at present but you may be able to get a delivery date from them. The Model Dockyard are a reliable UK supplier.
 
Regards,
 
B.E.

Hello Ross,
 
Looking at the drawings in The Bounty by John Mckay in the AotS series of books, the waterline starts off right under the Main wale amidships. He states that she was coppered when taken into Naval service in 1787, but if you wish to display her uncoppered but painted she would probably have been payed with 'White stuff' over wooden sheathing, to give an off white shade of colour.
 
If when you have marked the waterline as indicated by David, it appears to sag towards the bow and stern when viewed from the side this is an optical illusion brought about by the rounding of the hull. To counter this  just bring the line up a fraction from where it starts to round until it satisfies your eye.
 
Once the line is marked I use Tamiya tape to mask the area for painting, and it also gives another opportunity to check all round how the waterline looks on the model.
 
Good luck.
 
B.E.

Sorry to disappoint Peter, but this is a tricky problem. Logic to us would dictate that some sort of chock arrangement would be fitted across the spare topmasts to seat the boat on.
 
My books contain a few photos of contemporary models with boats stowed on the booms and these don't seem to support that theory.
 
Here's a sixth Rate from 1745.

 You can't see all the boat, which I have seen in a book, but the boat sits down slightly between the booms and appears to simply be lashed to the booms.
 
Here's a shot of the Lowestoft model

 
Again no indication of any sort of chocking, the beam of the boat is supported by the booms and is held down by lashing.
 
You only tend to see one boat on the gallows on contemporary models, possibly because the larger one was towed?
 
Nesting of boats again seems to be a logical solution to a problem, but according to Lavery (Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War)
 
This is unlikely to have been done in the eighteenth century or before. Although  boats often had  some removable thwarts, these were intended to allow the carriage of casks, and there were enough fixed thwarts to make nesting very difficult. At least one thwart was fixed and kneed in midships to support the Mainmast.
 
He goes on to cite the case of a ships Pinnace which was often longer and narrower than the Longboat, making nesting impossible.
 
I'm dodging the problem by only showing one boat on the gallows
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.
 
 

Some small but noticeable items on the hull exterior ...anchor lining, fenders and steps.

 
 
The kit fenders are ply and have lamination lines down the vertical face which are very noticeable under varnish. New ones were made from walnut stock off one of the kit sheets. Kit part on the right, homemade ones on the left.

 
Likewise the entrance steps have laminations on the top faces. They had a thin veneer of walnut plank added to cover it.

Hi all,
 
Well, I said I was going to get on with the Running Rigging but a couple of things happened along the way.  Firstly, I decided I'd like to use some of Chuck's excellent rigging line, so I've ordered a bunch of that and it's on the way.  Secondly, rather than buying Chuck's superb looking blocks, I decided I'd really like to have a go at making my own "Chucky Blocks" by following the method described in Chuck's outstanding post on this subject.  The following describes my journey to date in "learning how to fish" (and I'm not talking trout or moose here!).
 
First of all, I must say what an excellent description Chuck gives in his post.  I think that anyone with a Mill should have no problem at all in following suit.  I did however make a couple of minor mods along the way.
 
Chuck describes (and shows) making some feather boards for the Brynes Saw to assist in cutting both the Sheave groove and the Stropping groove.  These are really easy to make and work like a charm. The best part is, by using these it's virtually impossible to get your fingers anywhere near the saw blade!    You need two feather boards for each size block you're making, one each for the Sheave and Stropping groove.  Here's a pair for the 5/32" (4mm) blocks:
 

 
In making the "box" jig for the mill, I made a couple of minor mods.  First up, I decided to attach the base to the mill by using the standard Sherline hex cap head bolts, which meant making a counter sunk hole in the box base plate.  The advantage of this approach is that the base then becomes flush, with no bolts to get in the way of the drawer (or anything else). Here's a pic showing the box unit attached to the mill using the countersunk hex cap head bolts:
 

 
The next mod I decided to try was the top of the box jig.  Chuck advises that you need a separate jig for each size block you are making.  I thought that if I made the top removable, I could make a set of interchangeable tops and save myself a bit of extra time and effort making up more boxes.  The lids are held in place by locating pins (cut off nails). Here's the box with the lid separate:
 

 
Because I'd be placing and removing the lids fairly frequently, I thought I'd protect the locating holes from wear by inserting a small brass bush in each locating hole.  This was simply made by cutting off a piece of brass tube and inserting it in the hole with some epoxy glue.  The result is a snug fit that doesn't get looser over time. Here's a close-up of the arrangement:
 

 
The next mod was fairly simple.  I just replaced the nuts on the adjustable fence with wing nuts to make them easier to operate.  In this picture, you can see a set of strips with grooves cut placed in the jig ready for the milling process.
 

 
And here is the result of two passes of the mill, using the special round-over cutting bit (as recommended by Chuck):
 

 
I tested the set-up by making some small batches of both 1/4" (6.35mm) and 5/32" (4mm) blocks.  I am waiting on some boxwood stock from Jeff at Hobbymill, but for test purposes I used what I had at hand in the appropriate thickness - some crappy walnut for the 1/4" and some basswood for the 5/32".  I did the larger blocks first and discovered I had made both sheave and stropping grooves too deep.  I adjusted a little with the smaller blocks, but there is still room for improvement.  I don't have a small drill press like Chuck's (yet   ) but had no real difficulty drilling the holes with the Dremel in its drill stand.  I finished off the blocks by giving them a quick tumble in my previously built tumbler.  They could do with some more finishing, but as these were for "proof of concept" only, they will do.  Here's a selection from my test run:
 

 
Observations:
 
1. It works!     
 
2. The feather boards are a must - they are just brilliant.
 
3. All of my mods seem to work just fine.
 
4. The key to successful blocks (in my opinion) is getting the groove depths right.  Unfortunately, there is no magic way to get this right.    Trial and error and calibrating your eyeball is about the only way.
 
Thanks again to Chuck for "teaching me to fish". 
 

I omitted to fit bow and stern blocks when framing, but this was mainly because I didn’t know of them back then (well, that’s my excuse). They may perhaps have helped, but I don’t recall any particular difficulties in planking the bow or stern as a consequence.
 
I really didn’t encounter that many problems with the first lime planking either and it seemed to go relatively smoothly, provided the individual planks were properly tapered. I had also never thought to cut a rabbet line for the garboard plank, however, thinking about it in retrospect, it would probably have been a good idea. (In passing, I have sometimes wondered why the kit manufacturers never think to pre-cut this, since its placing is somewhat critical, and I would imagine is something of a daunting prospect for the beginner.) A fore rabbet, up the stem, would also certainly have been advantageous since I encountered a problem with what I have termed ’plank creep’. This is where the first planking, and thus by association the second, comes rather nearer the bow than necessary – and is your own fault! It is not that noticeable now, but you can see it should you care to look closely (please don’t!) Anyway, I tried to ensure a close fit of the garboard plank, by sanding down the inner edge, and this seemed to make a good joint.
 
Next came the second walnut planking, and here I made a perhaps ’radical’ departure from the instructions (easy enough to do now, but in those distant days…) and clinker-plank the second layer.  All that I had read about cutters told me that their hulls were so planked, and inherited from vessels of an earlier period, so I wondered why the Sherbourne was of carvel construction. However, having been designed by Thomas Slade (responsible for the design of the Victory two years later) and built in Woolwich Dockyard, the answer appeared obvious – they were more used to that kind with warship construction. I believe Chris Watton, the kit’s designer, has also said she was carvel. I imagine that the real Sherbourne would probably have been clinker planked, as was more usual, had she been constructed in a private yard. Moreover Peter Goodwin, in what had now become my ’bible’ (the Naval Cutter Alert), maintains that clinker construction remained in cutters until around 1810 – apart that is, from those constructed in the Dockyards. So, I persuaded myself I was on sort-of-safe ground for the project, and in any case I wanted to try the technique – so, clinker it was to be!
 
Planking of course had to commence at the garboard strake, since the planks above overlap onto those below. I overlaid my planks by about a third, which seemed about right, sanding down the top edge of each plank so that it formed a good joint with the one above. A thin bead of glue along the top of the strake below, plus a small amount along the reverse of each plank, ensured a good bond. I learnt early on not to use too much glue, as it tended to seep out onto the planking, which of course was not desirable! Provided the planks were sufficiently tapered at bow and stern, I don’t think I encountered many problems – or perhaps I have conveniently forgotten about them!  A few small stealers were needed at the stern, but apart from that the planking went surprisingly well. 
 
For both planking layers I opted to use scale length planks, staggering them as in full size practice. This was not only more historically correct, but I found that the shorter lengths made for easier positioning. I believe I planked about three strakes, on alternate sides, until the planking was done, and it was actually quite exciting to see it progress. At the time I was a member on the old Dry Dock Models site, and remember that posting a few pictures of my build encouraged at least one other member there to try clinker planking for himself. His results were pretty impressive too, so far as I remember.
 
Perhaps I should say a little about painting the waterline. Marking this was quite literally achieved by cutting a hull-shaped hole in a piece of hardboard, gradually enlarging it until I was satisfied the model was at the height I required, and then drawing a line with a pencil around the hull. Rather heath-robinson, but it seemed to work! The painting was a little tricky, especially at bow and stern, where the lie of the planks tended to interfere with a good line, but I think I managed it reasonably well. I opted to use an ivory shade rather than white, since it is a largish area and I felt that the white would be too harsh. It also has a somewhat old look to it. The planks from the waterline to the wale were left natural, although they were treated with beeswax.
 
The hull pictures are reproduced below:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Next, the bulwarks, stern and deck.

Continuing...
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
She will now take her place in the Dining Room to compliment the Naval cutter model that I bashed quite some time ago.
 

They are a good match I think, and more importantly have the full approval of Mrs W
 
Specific reference works I have used during this build I list here.
 
The Naval Cutter Alert -  Peter Goodwin  (Conway AotS series)
 
The Global schooner - KH Mardquardt
 
The Colonial Schooner - H. Hahn.
 
Rigging Fore and Aft Craft - Lennarth Petersson
 
News of Nelson John Lapenotiere's race from Trafalgar to London  - Derek Allen and Peter Hore
 
My thanks to all who have  made such supportive comments on this log which I hope will provide a useful reference to those contemplating the build.
 
Regards,
 
B.E.
 

Completion Photos
 
This post concludes my log of a nine month build.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
More to follow
 
B.E.

Launch cont'd
 
Jotika only provide two half chocks to support the boat, the inference being that the boat is supported on the starboard side by the Pickle’s bulwark.
 
This seemed odd to me so I fashioned a pair of full chocks on which to rest the Launch.

 

Having spent a fair bit of time making the bally boat, I’m now not sure I like it - hmmn I think I will have to ponder on that.
I certainly think I will only display one boat on the deck even if I decide to go ahead.
 

The kit arrangement.
 
How would they manhandle a boat of that size outboard given the rigging incumbrances.
 
I've a fair idea of how the boats were swung in and out, using a triatic stay slung between the two mast pendants, with tackles attached to ring bolts within the boat to raise it above the bulwarks, further tackles slung from the yardarm, and probably the Fore gaff, to swing it out.
 
Can you imagine how tricky that could be with an overlarge ships boat, keeping it steady to avoid crashing into the rigging, or worse the masts, she would have to hove to in any case to launch a boat, but in anything other than a millpond sea, she would still be rolling and pitching to varying degrees.
 
I really wanted to display a boat on the deck, maybe a replacement cutter of slightly less size, and some modifications learned from the building of the Launch.
 
The 14’ Cutter
 
This is not a bad shape and at least I know it will fit on the deck without giving the impression of trying to squeeze a quart into a pint pot.
 
I took a different approach with the Jolly boat.
 
Exterior planking was done clinker fashion using strips from computer label paper.
 

I decided that planking the inside of the hull was a waste of time as the planks were hardly visible on the larger boat when finished, and they just add to the thickness of the gunwales.
 
On this boat I used styrene strip of 0.5 x 1.5mm for the ribs and keelson, 0.5 x 2 mm for the rising plank.
The gunnels I made from 0.75mmx1.5mm styrene strip.

Small boats are tricky to hold whilst working, but a cut out in a block of balsa goes a long way to keep it steady.
To avoid unnecessary thickness I left the ribs long so that they would support the thin gunnels.

Basic internal structure completed, paper patterns for the foredeck and stern sheet gratings
 
Jotika suggest that there were no bottom boards or knees, but I have modified the interior to reflect the drawings in the McGowan Victory book, and other reference sources.

Bottom boards have been fitted, a grating in the stern sheets, and a small foredeck at the bow. The gratings which are nice features in small boats were left over from the main build but necessitated taking down to a fraction of their original thickness to suit.
 
Boxwood strip was used for the thwarts and ring bolts fitted at the bow and stern.

Modified chocks.
 

 

In keeping with the muted colours of the main model I decided to colour the oars in a natural wood finish, white looked too stark to my eye, and there is no white anywhere else on the vessel.
 
She certainly looks more in scale to the size of Pickle, so the 19’ launch will not be displayed on the model.
 
B.E.
 
 

Okay Floyd, your wish is . . .
Photos courtesy of Mike Graff.
 
End-iron chain block on jumbo jib boom

 

 

 

 

 
Easy turnbuckles

 

Restarting my Bluenose log.
Since this is my first build, I am writing to share the many things I learn along the way and perhaps some of the solutions I have found. I started about four years ago and am getting closer to stepping the masts and starting rigging. I used Bob Hunt’s practicum, which was invaluable while getting started. This is how she looks today.
 

 
I originally planned to display bluenose with sails furled. The photo shows two attempts at the sails. The fore sail was made form kit fabric cut down to ½ the full sail size. It is still too heavy and far out of scale. The main sail is sillkspan, which looks better to scale. This sail was a quick fit for comparison. The silkspan looked good but it helped me change my mind and build her under full sail. After all, massive sail area is one thing that makes these fishing schooners so lovely. So I got to hone my sewing skills making a second set of sails. This is all part of the fun, we get to use so many different skills.
 

 
Some photos from the original log.
June 2009, completed planking. Photo shows frame bracing, not in the plan but I was afraid of damaging frames when fairing the hull. A little stiffness never hurts.
 

 
December 2010, pintles and gudgeons. The plans show forming the gudgeon out of brass strip. I could not make it work well so I soldered some brass tubing instead. Much easier.
 

 
January 2011, most of the deck furniture is installed.
 

 

 
December 2011, masts and spars made while learning how to solder.
 

 

Its down to personal preference I think Nils, the Amati plates are quite easy to apply using thick ca and again the set can be purchased separately. Any misplacements are easily removed sometimes with the assistance of a little acetone.
 
Pegasus was coppered from the outset, but with neat hull planking and given your particular approach  to your build there is no reason why you couldn't  leave one side uncoppered, perhaps even applying plates to the 'open' side only to show the effect or vice versa.
 
Whatever, you decide I'm sure you will achieve a good result.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Love those last two shots Juergen, what a fine model she is.
 
Regards,
 
B.E.

Hi mates,
 
Adam (SkerryAmp): Thanks for looking at the build and for your comments, much appreciated.
 
Post #9 of my Phantom Build Log
 
Task was to paint the hull, bulwarks (exterior and interior), and the rudder. As mentioned, I will not be adding copper plates to the hull below the waterline.
 
The acrylic paint scheme is black, copper over black to the exterior of the hull and bulwarks, and egg shell white to the interior of the bulwarks.
 
First step was to reapply the waterline to make sure that the pencil line is dark. I then painted gesso everywhere paint was going to appear.  After the gesso I applied ¼” wide Tamiya tape at the upper hull side of the waterline. I use Tamiya tape because it is thin, has a cut edge, and is very sticky.  Bob (bburlman) recommended I use Tamiya when I built my first vessel. It works far better than masking tape or blue tape.
 
As I am using acrylic copper paint to represent copper below the waterline I painted black as an undercoat prior to applying the copper color.  Process was gesso, black, and copper colors below the waterline. Copper over black is much deeper and richer in appearance.
 
Photo 38
 
Shows black color applied over gesso. I gently rubbed the black paint with number 400 steel wool before apply the copper color.  I used the wool to eliminate paint brush strokes and cut the gloss of acrylic paint. Note how the tape line is revealed after using the wool. Paint tends builds up along the waterline and needs to be smoothed out.
 

 
Photo 39
 
Painted the copper color over the black undercoat and removed the tape to show the waterline.
 

 
 
Photo 40
 
Next step was to apply tape over the copper color as close to the edge of the paint as possible prior to painting the black color above the waterline.
 

 
Photo 41
 
Hull painted black and the tape removed to show the completed hull. The rudder was painted away from the hull and then added for the photograph.
 

 
There was a very, very fine raised line where the two paint colors met.  The line is visible to the eye and obvious to the touch and must be leveled out to look right.  I used number 400 steel wool to accomplish the task. Now the paint colors blend beautifully into one another. Do not use sand paper for this task. The fine line to be removed is measured in microns.
 
Thanks for looking in on the build. Comments and questions always welcomed.
 
BFN,
Hopeful aka David
 
“Standards set are standards met”.
 
 
 

Build update:
 
Finished mounting and rigging the carronades on the poop deck.  Wasn't sure how to rig them properly, so I took my best shot.  The drawing I have shows the train tackles bulkhead eyelets spaced about the length away from the perpendicular.  I had two problems: one being the lack on bulkhead on this deck and second if I put the eyelets this distance the two aft most carronades rigging would overlap.  I guess the train tackles were spaced as specified to allow it to be pulled parallel with the deck.  I just mounted a eyelet for running out, breeching and train next to one another on each side.  I also think there was a tackle running on each side from the front eyelet on the slide of the carronade to an aft eyelet on deck for the purpose of bringing the slide aft for loading.  I had seen a drawing of this, but can't find it.  There are so many versions of carronade assemblies.  I've attached the picture of the one I used for example.  Would be great to have a reference for the use of each eyelet.
 
For rigging I used single and double blocks (3/32) purchased from Syren Model Company. The rigging line for breeching is from Amati and the tackles are DMC 100 and using UNI-thread 6/0 for seizings.  Hooks are made from black annealed #28 gauge wire.
 
Made up purchased buckets from Amati (these are made attaching two halves which did have some offset therefore required sanding, not good).  I did make the mistake of only purchasing 8, but 12 are needed to complete bucket rail, oh well.  Made the handles from 32 black annealed wire.
 
Presently working on the hammock cranes netting.  I'm using a material that I purchased when building my HMS Fly from JoAnn Fabrics (craft store).  It only comes in black, but has the diamond shape and pretty close to scale.  I think I paid about $1.25 for a yard of the stuff which is enough for many builds.  Prior to mounting this material, I ran DMC 40 thread through each hammock crane and secured a knot on each end.  Then made strips of eight rows of diamonds from the netting, folded in half and pushed into position, then using UNI-thread 6/0  tied a knot connecting each top diamond to the top thread rail.  Once complete used diluted Vallejo black paint, therefore the reason for covering deck.  Thin paint will spatter.
 
Continuing on.

The Port Side is at the same progress as the Starboard Side.
I don't make many words because the procedure is the same.
Here some photos of the current progress.

 

... and the most tricky, cleaning up the top edge with some fine and sharp nail scissors - without cutting the top rope!
 

 
Looks intriguing enough :-)
 

 

 
And another fascinating task, painting the hammocks using my beloved casein paints with all kind of whiter shades of pale ...
 

 
... looking if the colors work if hidden behind the netting ...
 

 
... some differentiation with some more different shades of ochre ...
 

 
... put in place ...
 

 
... gently and pushed in :-)
 

 
Fascinating!
 

 

 
And as you see on the left - the Tic-Tac would not fit in :-)
 
Good night and sleep well,
 
Daniel

Hi Nils, I suppose if you go with gangplanks the ladderway is not needed. Having a ladderway in that position does solve the practical problem of gun fouling, but doesn't the deck beam foul access to the Fo'csle? - or are you intending to modify the beam by the addition of ledges and carlings to form the hatchway?
 
The swivel gun modifications are looking good, those hooks I modified for the mountings are available as a separate purchase so you don't need to use up the kit supplied ones.
 
Regards,
 
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.