Keith_W

As of tonight, the hull is almost complete and will be ready for planking in a couple of days. I still need to shape the stern and bow fillers and bevel the bulkheads. 
 

 
I installed additional reinforcements for the top deck bulkheads. The frame is now incredibly rigid. 
 

 
I thought I would draw attention to a problem with bulkhead "F". I am not sure if other RW builders encountered the same problem as me - none of them have mentioned it at least. Note that bulkheads E and F are correctly installed with respect to the false keel. Also, the stringers for the main and middle deck run straight and true - they are so perfectly aligned that they simply fell in! Yet, bulkhead F has a pronounced 1mm step at the level of the fo'c'sle deck, AND the lower deck stringer is bent downwards. 
 
The exact same problem is present on the other side, so it's not as if I installed bulkhead "F" at an angle. Did any of you have this problem? 

INDEX OF PLANS
 

 
Sheet 1: Overview of ship
 

 
Sheet 2: Masts and Yards
 

 
Sheet 3: Decorations
 
   
 
Sheets 4, 5, 6, 7: General construction details
 

 
Sheet 8: Longitudinal and Cross section (for scratch builders) 
 
 
 
Sheets 9, 10: Deck furniture
 
 
 
Sheets 11, 12: Standing rigging
 
  
 
Sheets 13, 14, 15: Running rigging
 

 
Sheet 16: Mast and yard details
 

 
Sheet 17: Ships plan

Planking down to the keel is now completed. I have also cut out the second row of gunports. Here she is, all sanded down and ready to go ... while I ponder what to do next.
 

 

 

 
My ambition when I started out was to use no filler. Sad to say, I had to resort to the dreadful stuff. At least I didn't have to use much of it! Yes, I know it will be hidden by the second planking, but it would have given me a lot of satisfaction if I did not have to use any of it.

Planking down to the keel is now completed. I have also cut out the second row of gunports. Here she is, all sanded down and ready to go ... while I ponder what to do next.
 

 

 

 
My ambition when I started out was to use no filler. Sad to say, I had to resort to the dreadful stuff. At least I didn't have to use much of it! Yes, I know it will be hidden by the second planking, but it would have given me a lot of satisfaction if I did not have to use any of it.

She looks great, Capn! I remember when my boat was at the same stage, the feeling of relief that I had finished planking AND she still looked decent was palpable. Congratulations, that's probably the most intimidating part of the build over. Hopefully the rest will be smooth sailing.

Just a little update to remind you that i'm still beavering away at this little boat. Not much to say except that first planking is almost finished up to the level of the second deck!
 

 

 

Chris, I would give one of my kidneys for a Prince or the 64th scale Victory. At least I know that the Victory is close by, she should hopefully be on the market by the time I finish my current build.

Decided to hang the sail this morning. Not easy to tie these knots without a serving machine. Definitely my next investment. Was like revisiting Boy Scouts again. Bowline, slip knot, clove hitch. Was never taught the Snotter belay which is the center hanger for the sprit pole.

Thanks for all the likes, everyone! It's a nice feeling to have more likes than posts Anyway, work continues.
 

 
As per other build logs, I installed some nails into the keel to keep it stable because a great heavy mass of metal decorations will be cantilevered off the beakhead.
 

 
The keel is also attached to the false keel by means of wooden dowels. Even with no glue, the whole shebang is rock solid!
 

 
Planking has now proceeded to below the level of the wales, and up to the second deck. Not shown are the blocks to support the dummy guns. These things are virtually impossible to photograph, because they are painted black against the entire lower deck, which has also been painted black. This is a good thing, because I don't want to see the dummy blocks. It IS a bit difficult trying to locate the holes for installation of the dummy guns when everything is black though.
 
BTW, the second deck fit perfectly a few weeks ago when I was fettling it. Now, with all the planks in place, somehow the deck won't fit! After quite a bit of cursing and a lot of anxiety (did I somehow distort the shape of the ship when I planked it?) ... it all measures correctly. Phew.
 
As you can see, the second deck is also painted black. The rear section has been covered with foil for lighting.
 

 
I was not sure how to route power into the ship. You can see a little excavation which I dug out on the false keel because I was planning to put a connector there. Then I hit upon a simple idea - why not simply electrify the support rods that I was planning to install anyway? I soldered the wire unto a nut and installed it.
 

 
We have no lights ...
 

 
AND NOW WE HAVE LIGHTS! EUREKA!! The idea worked!!!
 
As you can see, the LED's are SMD's (surface mount diodes) which are absolutely tiny. I glued them to a block of wood and then angled them outwards slightly. Yes, I know that Euromodel supply metal plates in place of windows, so you will never see the LED's if you build the ship as per the kit. However, I plan to fabricate my own replacement windows. I'm not sure how i'm going to do that, given that I have never made windows as small as this before, but time will tell ... I'll think of something! I hope!
 
That's it for now. I will install the garboard planks and then work the planking upwards to close the gap.

INDEX OF PLANS
 

 
Sheet 1: Overview of ship
 

 
Sheet 2: Masts and Yards
 

 
Sheet 3: Decorations
 
   
 
Sheets 4, 5, 6, 7: General construction details
 

 
Sheet 8: Longitudinal and Cross section (for scratch builders) 
 
 
 
Sheets 9, 10: Deck furniture
 
 
 
Sheets 11, 12: Standing rigging
 
  
 
Sheets 13, 14, 15: Running rigging
 

 
Sheet 16: Mast and yard details
 

 
Sheet 17: Ships plan

My kit room has been tidied and prepared for the new build. It won't look as neat as this for another three years. Let's go!!! 
 

 
The room has been re-arranged with the power tool bench behind me, and the main modelling table in front of me. All I need to do is turn around to have access to power tools. The desk by the window is where I will do all the Dremelling. Not pictured is my new shelving unit where all my tools, paints, and glues are neatly stowed away. Also not pictured is the clipboard where the plans will be displayed. 
 

 
The main modelling table with the modelling lamp. You can also see my handheld vacuum which is vital for keeping the peace in the household. 
 

 
The tool bench, from (L-R): Sherline 4410 Lathe, Byrnes Disc Sander, Proxxon MF70 mill. 
 

Thanks for visiting my build log. The first few posts will be updated as I go along
 
From Wikipedia:
 

 

 
HMS Prince was rebuilt by Robert Lee at Chatham Dockyard in 1692, and renamed at the same time as HMS Royal William. During the War of the Grand Alliance the ship saw action at the Battle of Barfleur of 19 May 1692. The Prince belonged to the red squadron and carried the flag of Rear Admiral of the Red Sir Cloudesley Shovell. She was the first ship to break the French line during the battle.
 
Later she was rebuilt for a second time by John Naish at Portsmouth Dockyard from 1714, relaunching on 3 September 1719. She was laid up after her re-launch and saw no service at all until she was reduced to an 84-gun Second rate ship in 1756. One year later, she was part of an unsuccessful expedition against Rochefort led by Admiral Sir Edward Hawke. Her squadron, under Vice-Admiral Charles Knowles, attacked the Île-d'Aix and forced her garrison to surrender. In 1758 she participated in Boscawen's and Wolfe's attack on the French Fortress of Louisbourg (Nova Scotia) and an indecisive skirmish with a French squadron. The following year the Royal William returned to Canada under the command of Captain Hugh Pigot to join the attack on Quebec. After the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and the capture of Quebec she sailed back to England with the body of General Wolfe. In 1760 the Royal William was Boscawen's flagship when he took command of the fleet in Quiberon Bay. However, after a severe gale he was forced to return and shift his flag to the Namur. During the expedition against Belle Île of 1761 she was detached with several other ships to cruise off Brest and prevent a French counter-attack from there.
 
The Seven Years' War seems to be the last time that the Royal William played an active role. She was broken up in 1813.
 
 
LINKS TO RESOURCES
 
Euromodel website
- Royal William Product Page
- Interpretive Information by PiratePete
- Royal William Resource Information
 
Build logs on MSW
- Royal William by VinceP (Euromodel)
- Royal William by Brian C (Euromodel)
- Royal William by Denis Pink (Euromodel) 
- Royal William by Ersin Derebek (scratch) 
- Royal William by Kay (scratch) 
- Royal William by Marktiedens
- Royal William by ken3335
 
Other resources
- USNA model of Royal William
- Royal William by Victor Yankovitch, also alternative source.

Some prefabbed planks and tops and bottoms were supplied with the kit. After being assembled I treated the wood with weather-it which is a cool wood ager I had used years ago when train modeling. I then cut some brass sheets into 1/16 strips that I fit around the drums and soldered. I then treated the strips with blacken it and CA'd them on.

Fantastic work, thank you!! The mods should consider making this a PDF and moving it into the articles section. 

You will definitely lose tactile feedback by using surgical gloves. I am a little confused as to why your skin is splitting. Do you have a skin condition? Perhaps you should see a doctor?

Got more timber placed around the stern and roughly sanded back- still needs smoothed off and cleaned up. Cut the pieces from a sheet of lime wood as the billing timber isn't that good.



Keith

Just a little update to remind you that i'm still beavering away at this little boat. Not much to say except that first planking is almost finished up to the level of the second deck!
 

 

 

Thanks for all the likes, everyone! It's a nice feeling to have more likes than posts Anyway, work continues.
 

 
As per other build logs, I installed some nails into the keel to keep it stable because a great heavy mass of metal decorations will be cantilevered off the beakhead.
 

 
The keel is also attached to the false keel by means of wooden dowels. Even with no glue, the whole shebang is rock solid!
 

 
Planking has now proceeded to below the level of the wales, and up to the second deck. Not shown are the blocks to support the dummy guns. These things are virtually impossible to photograph, because they are painted black against the entire lower deck, which has also been painted black. This is a good thing, because I don't want to see the dummy blocks. It IS a bit difficult trying to locate the holes for installation of the dummy guns when everything is black though.
 
BTW, the second deck fit perfectly a few weeks ago when I was fettling it. Now, with all the planks in place, somehow the deck won't fit! After quite a bit of cursing and a lot of anxiety (did I somehow distort the shape of the ship when I planked it?) ... it all measures correctly. Phew.
 
As you can see, the second deck is also painted black. The rear section has been covered with foil for lighting.
 

 
I was not sure how to route power into the ship. You can see a little excavation which I dug out on the false keel because I was planning to put a connector there. Then I hit upon a simple idea - why not simply electrify the support rods that I was planning to install anyway? I soldered the wire unto a nut and installed it.
 

 
We have no lights ...
 

 
AND NOW WE HAVE LIGHTS! EUREKA!! The idea worked!!!
 
As you can see, the LED's are SMD's (surface mount diodes) which are absolutely tiny. I glued them to a block of wood and then angled them outwards slightly. Yes, I know that Euromodel supply metal plates in place of windows, so you will never see the LED's if you build the ship as per the kit. However, I plan to fabricate my own replacement windows. I'm not sure how i'm going to do that, given that I have never made windows as small as this before, but time will tell ... I'll think of something! I hope!
 
That's it for now. I will install the garboard planks and then work the planking upwards to close the gap.

Planking continues. The lower deck gunports have been cut out and the dummy gun supports have been installed. The lower deck has been painted black.

Just a little update to remind you that i'm still beavering away at this little boat. Not much to say except that first planking is almost finished up to the level of the second deck!
 

 

 

Planking continues. The lower deck gunports have been cut out and the dummy gun supports have been installed. The lower deck has been painted black.

INDEX OF PLANS
 

 
Sheet 1: Overview of ship
 

 
Sheet 2: Masts and Yards
 

 
Sheet 3: Decorations
 
   
 
Sheets 4, 5, 6, 7: General construction details
 

 
Sheet 8: Longitudinal and Cross section (for scratch builders) 
 
 
 
Sheets 9, 10: Deck furniture
 
 
 
Sheets 11, 12: Standing rigging
 
  
 
Sheets 13, 14, 15: Running rigging
 

 
Sheet 16: Mast and yard details
 

 
Sheet 17: Ships plan

Just a little update to remind you that i'm still beavering away at this little boat. Not much to say except that first planking is almost finished up to the level of the second deck!
 

 

 

The main and forecastle deck waterways have been added. They are just raised strips of wood running along the bulwarks where they join the deck. Walnut 2x2mm strips were used. The plans don't really show these because they are covered by the railings when looking down on the decks, but in plan sheet #8 there are what looks to be waterways in the hull cross section views.
 
Also, if you are going to full rig the deck guns as I am, the last gun aft in the open on the main deck on each side will pretty much be coveed by the quarterdeck, so the eyebolts on the bulwarks for the rigging need to be placed now. There ar 4 eyebolts per gun. The upper ones can be added later, but the holes should be drilled now. The lower ones should be placed now.
 
Next up is placing the false quarterdeck.
 
Vince P.

Matti do you ever get tired of reading all this praise for your build? I hope not, because i'm only going to add to the chorus of praise for the work you have done. She looks superb. In fact I think your ship looks nicer than the one in the museum, it just seems more human.