Jack12477

Mark,
 
Thanks for the lead. I've been looking for this website for a week now after I say the server on Gil Middleton's build log.
 
Jack

Louie, any scrap wood that you remove from your pear trunk can be used for smoking food. I often chuck pear chips into my Kamado smoker and get amazing ribs. I know this is REALLY off topic but here are some ribs I smoked with cherry wood:
 

 
So if you cut up your pear branch, first dibs on the offcuts! I'll even drive up to Ballarat to collect it
 
If you can't make a ship model out of the wood, you may as well use it to flavour your food, eh!!!

Brian,
 
I guess I should ask:  define reasonable?  
 
Alexy (one of our sponsors)  makes a very nice one that has a motor option:  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/5366-serving-machine-25-serving-machine-20-power-option/?hl=serving
 
I have this one:  http://www.shipahoymodels.com/equipmentforsale.htm  (near the bottom of the page).

:D  Gil, if by that you mean number of completed kits!?!  Yes, I have a lot of practice making a lot of mistakes. None of my finished models holds a candle to your in-progress Victory.  Planking and rigging are my weak points and I have been paying close attention to your methodology as I hope it will help me improve my own.  Your skills are impressive. Thanks for the compliment tho. Hope you enjoyed your cruise.
 

 
Jack

I'll add my Thank You as well. Nice tutorial, Mike
 
Jack

First, the clews are created and attached.  I made them using 0.25mm natural thread from kit.  I ended up making them a tad longer and ran them into the sail and up along the outside edge a bit farther than necessary to ensure that the clews were visible when the dog-ears were folded down.  They were attached with fabric glue.

 



 



 

Next step was to bend the sail to the yard.  I didn't take pictures while this was in process, so hopefully the following description makes sense.  I used 0.25mm thread here as well.  First step was to mark on the front of the sail the points where the thread would be run through the sail - I marked points 5mm apart.  Second, I used a running knot to attach the line on one end of the yard.  Third step was to run the line from the front into the rear of the sail, then as you loop it over the yard, run it underneath the prior line and repeat til the end.  It got a bit tricky with the yard horses and blocks, but after a while you get the hang of it.  Once the sail was fully attached, go back and tighten the lines by pulling the vertical line towards the other end of the yard, and down along the top of the rear of the sail.

 



 



 

Next step was the first fold.  From the front of the sail, the bottom half was folded up so that the bottom line between the two dog ears was at the top of the sail.

 



 

Next step was to fold the bottom corners up and in, to help add more volume to the middle of the yard, and reduce the volume at the ends.

 



 

Next step was to furl the sail and attach the gaskets.  From my research, when furling the sails, the sails were "gathered up" such that the sail was folded into an accordion type of pattern with the final fold up and against the top of the yard.  That was a bit hard to do at this scale, so I ended up just folding and rolling the sail up from the front until it was tight against the yard.  Took a few tries, which helped I think to get the cloth more relaxed to get a tighter furl.  

 

Then the gaskets were installed.  I started with one in the middle, and then added three to each side roughly evenly spaced out.  These were fairly easy to do using a running knot, and then using tweezers to help tighten the furl as the gasket was tightened (sometimes with the help of some fabric glue to help keep the material furled).  After a few final adjustments, the knots were sealed with diluted PVA, and then the extra lines cut off.

 



 



 

Finally, using fabric glue, the dog ears for the clews were bent downward and glued into position.   

 



 

There you have it - the no sew method of furling sails.    I spent an inordinate amount of time researching and thinking about how to do these, so hopefully these look relatively authentic.  I know that opinions differ on whether sails should be attached or not, but I think furled sails add a nice touch and are a good compromise given the scale issues with adding full sails - plus, these are sailing ships after all 

 

I think there were lines running from the clews downward which helped to keep them in their downward orientation (and probably keep the furl tight).  I haven't figured out where those lines go, so if anyone has the answer, I would love to hear it 

 

The topsails and courses will be a bit trickier, given that they have blocks for the bunt lines, and yard horses.  I'm thinking that I will pre-rig the bunt lines by gluing a portion of the line into the sail to be furled, which will eventually be run through the blocks.  The instructions have the line started at the block by knotting one end of the line before it is run through the blocks - I think, however, that the line is technically started at the buntlines in the sail which are run through the blocks on the yard.  Haven't fully figured that out yet, so again, would love to hear from anyone with answers on how that works. 

 

I also have to do a little more research on the spanker and jibs - the spanker should be relatively straightforward, but how to reduce the sail to remove bulk while maintaining the brail lines will be tricky.  The jibs are are complicated, in that there are hanks, jib stays and travelers that need to be attached.  All part of the fun I suppose 

 

Thanks for looking in!

Finished another bank of hammocks. Only about fifty to go.

Finished another bank of hammocks. Now I have a regular hammock folding factory. Now I'm about 40% done.

Hi Dan,
 
Here's something that has worked pretty well for me.

Depending on the length of the spar or mast, I chuck up the dowel in my drill press, and use a piece of scrap wood to steady the stock and prevent whipping.  You may have noticed that the stock isn't exactly plumb in the photo.  I set this up for this post, and didn't excatly take my time.

A little bar soap can be used as a lubricant, if you are concerned about generating heat from the friction that might occur.

It's not a very good photo, but here's my mainmast, which was done in this manner.  As you can see, the plug that rotated inside the base is still attached, and there aren't any heat marks.
 
BobF

I'm not going to try to recreate the whole log, but here's all the pictures from the previous log.  They're not in any particular order but they might help someone.
 
Feel free to hit me with any questions.
 




 

We've just returned to Seattle after a few months.
It has been six months since the kind posts of Daniel (Sailor1234567890), Scott Larkin and Jason (Beef Wellington) to this site.  While taking the "Victory" out of mothballs, I've replied by PM.
Peter, many thanks for your remarks.  I'll look for photos on rope coils, or make them, however it may take a bit of time to get organized.
And Jack, thanks for your kind comments, however you are far more experienced than I in model ship building.
There is still work to be done in preparing our real boat for the winter, but I look forward to bringing the Victory back to life.
Cheers, Gil
 
 
The "Victory" mothballed.

Steve, Mark
 
I just bought one this summer from MM on sale for less than $80 (US) based on the recommendations of many on these forums.  Steve you can also use the "nail file" emery sticks you can get in an drug store or grocery - they have a different grit on each side. Have used them for over a year and they work fine. Seem to last quite a while as well.
 
Jack

Bluejacket Shipcrafters sells a blackening solution that I have used for over ten years. Works well. They are a MSW sponsor and you can find their advert on the forums page.
 
Russ

Amazon sells what seems to be a similar product.
 
http://www.amazon.com/Birchwood-Casey-Brass-Touch-Up-3-Ounce/dp/B0000C514O/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1411595890&sr=1-1&keywords=blacken-it
 
And Model Expo will have it in 15-30 days
 
http://www.modelexpo-online.com/product.asp?ITEMNO=AW2

It's time I got around to working on my 18th Century Longboat.  I'm about six months behind my fellow Tri-Club Members.  (I'm a member of the Nautical Research & Model Ship Society of Chicago.)  My excuse? I was finishing up Scottish Maid.  This was my first model -- since I was a teenager, anyway -- and it took me eight years to finish.
 
Granted, my wife and I had two kids during that eight years and there were several years when nothing got done, but still -- start to finish -- eight years.
 
I think it turned out really well, though.  I entered it in the 37th Annual Model Ships and Boats Contest and Display.  On May 18th, it was awarded a Gold Award and I got received the Best Novice Builder Award.  I'm still walking on air.  It was the culmination of a lot of work.  The ship was judged by people who really know what they're looking at and the contest was held in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  I grew up near there, in Green Bay.  It was like being recognized by the people of my native land.  (For those who don't know, life in Wisconsin, is very different from life in Illinois, where I live now.  I live near Chicago, a city of 2.6 million, about 8 million in the metro area.  Green Bay, when I was growing up, had a population of 47,000.  There is no metro area ... unless cow pastures count.)
 
Anyway, while others in the Tri-Club were making progress on their longboats, I was toiling away on Scottish Maid.
 
 

I have been using Great Planes sticky back sandpaper that was meant to be used on their aluminum hand sander.  I got it from Tower Hobbies. The roll is 12 feet long and cost about $8.00.  I just cut a piece off and stick it to the pad.  It sticks well and the grit lasts longer than the Micro Mark version which is hugely expensive.  I bought this roll when I started the Oseberg and as you can see the roll seems to last forever.
 
  
 
I have had both of these tools for more than 10 years.  The pen sander just chugs along and with no signs of giving up.  I have had to replace the tips over the years because I just wore them out.  The Wahl sander is cordless and I have replaced the battery and now the switch is going south.  I will replace it when it finally gives up but I will probably buy the corded version.

Rich
 
Nice job on the hammocks. Really adds to the model. I have the USS Constellation by AL yet to build; I think I will follow your lead and add them to mine as well. Thanks for the inspiration. Your model is very impressive
 
Jack

In the Spring 2014 issue of the Nautical Research Journal I read a brief review by Kurt Van Dahm (page 69, Vol 59 No 1) of a new tool called a Micro Combo Saw by Unique Master Models of Deerfield Illinois.  It seemed to be exactly what I was looking for in order to make very fine cuts, so I ordered the saw and the Micro Miter Box that was designed for it.  I couldn't be happier with it.  I've shown it to a few other ship modelers, and everyone who has seen it has wanted one, so I thought I'd share it on MSW (I haven't seen any other references to it).
 
The saw itself has a plain wooden handle, and the blades are very similar to 2-edged razor blades. 

 
The blades are .005 inch thick, and have a 'coarse' side and a 'fine' side.  The 'coarse' side is finer than any razor saw I've found.  There are also some spacers included in the kit so you can mount two blades in the handle for parallel cuts.
 

 
Everything comes in a nice storage box.
 

 
The Micro Miter Box has positions for 45, 60 , and 90 degree cuts.
 

 
Since the Micro Miter Box is very small, I made a small holding jig so that I could hold it securely in my vise.  This keeps the miter box from slipping out of my fingers.
 

 
The next picture shows the underside of the jig.
 

 
The saw and miter box are very economically priced, and I recommend them for anyone looking to make fine cross-cuts on small stock.  You can find them on the Unique Master Models website at www.umm-usa.com
 
Frank
 
 
 

At the museum, most of the model you are all building were there. most looked scratch built and old. Some were very big like 7 feet long. One exhibit was the prison ship models made of carved bone scraps by the prisoners on the infamous British prison ship during the American Revoltuion. They were astonishing! It was dificult to take photos because of the lighting so I show a few where the lighting was okay.

Continuing with the braces.
 
We think of rigging as complicated, rather tedious and once done, to be left alone. However, I'm currently reading "The Life of Captain James Cook" by J.C. Beaglehole and I'm intimidated by the fact that in severe gales or storms, Cook strikes the topmasts and yards, only to send them aloft again  when the weather moderates.  Can any of us do that with our models?  Perhaps Grant is the most experienced among us, with his vast experience with broken masts. (Sorry Grant, I couldn't resist). Of course the point is that when one looks at real life experience, rigging takes on a dynamic role with every line serving the ship.
 
This will complete the braces for the mainmast yards and crossjack yard.  Then we can deal with the prodigious excess of line each generates.
 
Main Topgallant Yard Brace. Originates from the mizzen topmast stay collar, passing through the yard block and back to a block on the collar, then to a shroud cleat.
 
 
 
Main Topsail Yard Brace. Originates from the Mizzen stay collar and returns to a block on the mizzen just below the bibbs.
 

 
Main Course Yard Brace.
 

 
Lizzard off the after mizzen shroud.
 

 
The origin at an eyebolt, passing through a block at the rail and belaying to a large deck cleat.
 

 
 

Crossjack Yard Brace.  Braces arrise from the aft main shroud, pass through the opposite yard block and return to the block on the shroud before leading to the pinrail. Note the yards cross each other, seen better in the second photo.
 

 
This completes the braces. 
 
Cheers, Gil

The fun stuff.
Small details that were left unfinished earlier.  The chain from the spectacle plate acted to  secure the rudder when it was unshipped as well as provide another method for emergency steering.  The end was left free to avoid interference with the gun port lids.
 

 
A hook connecting the chain with the line (made from an eyelet).
 

 
Lashing the hook
 

 
28 G. dark annealed wire through a hole in the channel, to allow seizing the line at the eye formed in the wire, and to act as a messenger to pull the line up to the channel.
 

I found the "emery" sticks you can purchase in the cosmetics dept of most drug stores and/or grocery stores to be equally useful as sanding sticks. The usually come in packages of 8-10 sticks.
 
Jack

So I redid those stairs and I like them much better now that you can see the lower deck cannons.
 
Working on finishing up the chainplates. Decided to just go ahead and do all the brass brass and focus on the practice on construction this time around. I"m not going to be painting this ship so I'm just going for modeling and natural woods. On my next ship I  I plan on utlizing paints and will blacken my brass to start trying to get more authentic colors.
 
Question: Gunports on the main deck (top deck) don't get any sort of gunport lid or cover? Do they just stay how they are?
 
What a great hobby.

Moving onward at a nice clip.
 
I finished getting the rest of the deck furniture on. The wheel mounted. Had a tiny bit of trouble getting the line through the deckholes on the wheel. I've noticed it's always the last thing I I try to do for the night that gives me the most trouble. 
 
I didn't like the cannonballs. The way I framed the spaces for them on the box just didn't look right, they were chrome and I would have needed to blacken / paint them, etc. I ended up using left over black metal chain I had from my San Francisco which was already black, was easier to work with and I'm pretty happy with how it looks. On my next one? I'll try to measure and trim better the alleys for the cannon balls and fight with blackening them. I also didn't have enough cannon balls for what I laid out and I wanted my ship to be armed to the teeth!
 
My next step was to place the cannon ports. The kit had me using mahogony strip to make the covers. This wasn't to bad. Dremeling the ports into uniform shape and sanding them went pretty well as well. Gluing brass onto wood is a real pain in the butt and then when I tried to get into drilling holes for the pins on the hinges I admit I got a tinge frustrated. I decided to opt out of that. For all you vets out there you can criticize if you must but I like how the finished product looks, they're small enough and tucked under the rail enough that a bystander won't really be able to tell. I got the ropes to hoist attached and I like that, once again a learning opportunity. ON my next ship I'll approach it a little bit different and I think it will come out better.