MEDDO

Outstanding frieze!  I agree with you on the painting, I have never been too good at it either.

The Great Cabin has a frieze shown on the wall in the practicum and sense I am not much of a painter I decided to use a simple floral relief carving for decoration.

I added some grating and planking to the main deck over the weekend.

So after lots of holes and filling them up again .....
 
The hull ready to be sanded
 

 
Close up of the end result 
 

 
 
Remco

My sincere apologies for not posting sooner - my computer was either very sick or dead these past few weeks - all fixed now .
 
Thank you for your replies Allan, Druxey, David, Mark, Doris, David, Crackers and Johann, much appreciated.
 
 
Of course it would have Allan (and David , but you must have missed my comment regarding that bit - I didn't have any tubing of the right size, and to get some would have meant a 1 hour round trip with no certainty of success in getting any from the "local" hobby shop . I figured correctly that I could file the hinge straps in about the same time .
 
Deadeyes
 
Although my computer has been down I haven't been idle. I've turned ALL the Deadeyes and drilled them as well - all 142 of them, in four sizes - 64 off 10" (real size) or 5.3mm, 20 off 8" (4.25mm), 42 off 7" (3.7mm) and 16 off 5" - a tiny 2.65mm, the holes were a lot of fun to get right in these ones .
 
First, an explanation of why I made my own when there are very good quality ones available from companies like Syren Ship Models and some of the Russian sites. While these are of very nice quality, none of them had them in the sizes I needed. For example Chuck supplies all of his in even millimetre sizes (with good reason) and I thought the differences in some of the sizes I needed would have been too great and noticeable. For the 8" and 7" deadeyes I would have had to go with a 4mm deadeye for both, as you can see from the previous paragraph. The 5" deadeyes would have been either too large or too small.
 
Besides - I like a challenge .
 
After turning the diameter of the "huge" 5.3mm deadeyes I used a 1mm Parting Tool to cut the groove and also part it from the stock - the Digital Readout came in very handy to keep them all to exactly the same dimensions. For the 7" and 5" ones I ground an old parting tool down to 0.7mm. I rounded the edges with a needle file :
 

 

 
To drill the three 0.6mm holes for the 10" and 8" ones I used my new Rotary Table in the Mill. The holes are 1/4 of the way in from the outer edge and are spaced evenly at angles of 120 degrees apart. The 7" and 5" deadeyes have 0.45mm holes :
 

 

 
All the deadeyes separated into sizes :
 

 
An idea of the small sizes of them. Some 10" and 5" deadeyes on top of a 5 cent piece :
 

 
  Danny

This model is of the 100 gun first rate Royal William for the 1714-19 rebuild. Originally the 100 gun Prince of 1670, she was rebuilt, enlarged and renamed Royal William in 1692. She was enlarged again for the 1719 rebuild. Royal William had her armament reduced to 84 guns in 1756 and was scrapped in 1813.
 
This is a spectacular model and remarkably well preserved for being 300 years old! It is not on display at the NMM, Greenwich. I've posted the entire gallery of photos of this model. For best viewing click on an image (the photos shown on the page are just thumbnails), use the "prev" and "next" tabs near the upper corners (or keys "p" and "n") to scroll through the photos - and be ready to pick your jaw up from the floor.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Thank you, Jason, for bringing this stunning model to our attention.
 
Dave

This model will not be built as a Plank On Frame model for many, different and personal reasons: 
 
the ANCRE monograph and the related drawings contained in it does not show the outline of the framework as, for example, the case of other similar books from the same publisher;
for the reason previously listed the well-known ship modeler Bernard Frolich, the author of "The art of shipmodeling", built this ship in the more traditional system known as Plank On Bulkheads, so if he made this choice with all the support that surely should have found in France from his followers, why should I do it myself ? 
even the British plans of these bricks, made ​​after their capture and preserved at the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich (NMM), do not allow to reconstruct the frame structure;
I just decided to build the model in the configuration when he was serving in the Royal Navy, that is, with english ordnance, english masting and rigging and who knows what else (maybe not visible) in order not to confront with the equivalent models based on ANCRE plans only;
I would like to deceive myself to make a model almost "unique," or at least I hope so;
I have a strong inclination towards the dislike for modeling in POF, after some past critical experiences on italian forums with some kind of italian POF modelers and the present is not likely to change my mind. 
 
So do expect to see a ship hull made up of all those little pieces of pearwood; this model will be a peaceful sailship with keel and bulwarks in poplar plywood, double planking and so on. As far as I know now I will complete everything, hull, masts, rigging and sails though, knowing myself, I will have to spend a lot of time to see this model finished and during this time lapse it's possible i'll change my mind in the future . . . 
 
Regards, Jack.

A few years ago I purchased from A.N.C.R.E. the research monograph written by Jean Boudriot and Hubert Berti about the "Brick de 24" Le Cygne. The underlying idea was to start an experience in admiralty style (or POF), starting with a simpler sailing ship such as a "brick" (French) or "brig" (English).
 
The brig is a sailing vessel with two masts, foremast and mainmast, with a single gun deck and generally armed with 18-20 guns or carronades. Initially, there were traditional guns of 6-8 pdrs, then the armament evolved using 24 pdrs carronades while maintaining a couple of long guns for shooting during hunting.
 
During the period of the wars between England and France, the Revolutionary Wars first and then the Napoleonic Wars, a large number of these sailing ships were built on projects belonging to three/four french engineers (Pestel, Sanè, Forfait, etc.) and builts in several replicas in various French, Dutch and Italian shipyards.
 
The monograph about Le Cygne proposes a model of brick designed by the french engineer Francois Pestel and was reproduced twenty times plus two additional ships faithfully reproduced by Sanè, for a total of twenty-two historically established ships.
 
Upon receipt of the monograph I noticed, however, that the plans were not useful to build a "Plank On Frame" model as the drawings in the monograph didn't show the frame layouts, so my attention veered out of other ideas.
 
Recently I finished the building of the Soleil Royal and I found myself to decide on which to build a new model. After some researches I took back the monograph of Le Cygne and I carefully re-read it. Immediately, I was very intrigued by the fact that almost all of these brick had a very short lifetime in the French Navy and the monograph itself was unclear, in a table list, specifying only the year of "radiation".
At the beginning I thought about some structural defects that made them short-living, although the same was also true for other bricks designed by French engineers. Then, going deeper, I discovered the truth, hidden in the monograph of Boudriot / Berti probably from the usual and by now well-known "french chauvinism".
 
In short: of the 22 "Brick de 24" designed by Pestel, 18 were captured by the Royal Navy, 2 were transferred to the Italian navy and 2 have gone missing, coincidentally the year that were struck off in the table is the same the ship was commissioned in the Royal Navy, participating with great success in the war against Napoleon. So, ironically, the French Navy seems to have been the major supplier of brigs for the Royal Navy !!!
 
Hence the idea to complete the historical research in relation to the British viewpoint in order to have a complete picture of the operational life of these ships. Consequently, I have identified a number of these brick in service in the Royal Navy, sometimes with similar names and sometimes totally different, and I decided to build one, although at the moment I do not know exactly which.
 
According to the monograph, the only distinguishing features were the figurehead and bottles aft .. and, obviously, the armament.
 
The story continues in the next message which will follow shortly. . Yours sincerely, Jack.Aubrey.

Happy anniversary!  Looks great, very neat and clean scarphs.

Fore Cants up to #10 have been installed, now to make #11 with the 2" cast top timber for the forward gunport.

Ben

I like what Janos said "extreme kitbashing". Sounds like a reality tv show As always your build is an inspiration.

Truly excellent work. I am still amazed at how much you can get done so quickly.

Ahoy Ben  
 
The way i see it; Its really just one big repair until its done. With each repair we learn a little more and make room for that information by forgetting what we learned on the last mistake.  

I have been working on the framing for the main deck and this is a few progress photos.

Thank you Kees, I made the Boom for the boat today ( So the masting has started, I had already made the Mast , I still have to add the Spraeders) after adding the thru Deck Fittings for the Stays, and the Toe Rail , I painted the Deck.
 
Thanks Piet, I am really into these Boats, they are just Amazing. I am having a great time building this one . I re- Faired the Hull this morning and decided to take away some of the Blue on the Deck .
 
Best Regards,
Pete
 
Here are the results

This set of photos shows the floor being assembled and a 1/64” thick sheet of Beachwood being applied for backing. The final picture shows the floor in place on the model.

I used a different design for the floor pattern. This set of photos shows the tiles being made.

After six coats of paint I discovered that I did not camber the top of the wale sufficiently.  There was also something about the finish that I did not like.  So I sanded it all down and added the camber.  I put on four coats of Model Master flat black enamel and sanded the last two coats with 1500 grit.  This makes the plank seams and treenails a little more apparent and gives a luster to the wood without being shiny.  Bolts at the butts were added after the picture was taken.
 

 

 
The hawse holes were left undersized until now.  They are 10.5" in diameter.  I used the top of the wale as the base to run a compass along marking the center of the holes.  On the starboard side I used the ribband.  The holes were enlarged with a combination of drill bits, Swiss files and sandpaper wrapped around a dowel.  
 

 

 

 

This set of photos shows the rest of the lower decks. 

A relatively simple, but tedious, job underway. I am making and installing the remaining gunport lids (earlier, I had done a few just to see how they would look and fit). As can be seen from the photos, I added the PE brass hinges and eyebolts only  to the lids that won't be covered by the channels. For whatever reason, the tight tolerances under the channels wouldn't allow for them (they will be completely covered and invisible in any event).
 
The lids are made from boxwood strip matching the hull planking with an inner piece painted red. The PE hinges are from the kit. The lids are pinned as well as glued for strength.
 
Next will be the channels.
 
Bob

Bowsprit Chock made and installed, what a tricky little piece!!
 
Ben

The sink and stove made a nice break from all the framing. This set of photos shows the sink being assembled the cabinet is basswood, the doors, drawers and back is beach wood and the top is walnut.

The stove was next. I used bloodwood for the bricks and basswood for the hood and vent. It sets between two different deck levels that is why it is not level in the photos.

This set of photos show the sink and stove in place. I also added the lower hatches and grating to the lower deck.

The planks of the main wale have been drilled for the bolts at the butts and the treenails have been installed.  The bolts are 0.75" in diameter and the treenails are 1.25" in diameter.  Although not quite to scale, I used a 77 bit for the bolts and a 75 for the treenails.  I usually dry-fit the treenails, relying on the finish to hold them in place.  However, I wanted some structural strength with these treenails so I drilled them deeper into the frames and dipped them in dilute glue to secure them.  I realize no one will see them, but it only took a few hours and the added security is worth it.  I wet the wale in the second photo to make the treenails stand out.  
 

 

 
Next came applying a black finish to the wale.  I tried several approaches before making my final decision. I found an unopened bottle of Floquil hull black.  This looked good but when I applied the Watco's finish it rubbed right off.  Next I tried archival marker.  Looked good but the length of time it took to apply tried my patience.  Feiberg's leather dye also looked good and allowed the joint lines to be slightly more apparent but it bleeds into the wood and I was afraid of getting it onto the stem (even with masking).  My winning choice was artist acrylic paint.  This comes in a tube and can be diluted to the desired consistency.  It applies nicely and there was no concern about ruining the stem.  I was a little sloppy in getting paint on the frames when painting the edges of the wale but this will be covered with planking and so will not show.  The photos show the first coat applied.   I am up to 3 coats and will probably go with 3 more.  In between coats I am sanding with 600 grit wet/dry sandpaper (used dry).  Each subsequent coat is more dilute than the initial one.  I have left the aft edge a little long for final shaping later.  The bolts will be installed after the painting is completed.