davyboy

Here are some better pics....the last one was just on my phone.
 
I wasnt just painting figures today, I also finished up the tiller.  I was going to do a mash-up with metal and mixed media or even just make the tiller from all brass like Greg did.  But that seemed a lot when I am awful at metal work.   I also dont have those tools and havent soldered a thing in my life.  So I said why not just 3D print the tiller.  Its all painted black and many of you kit builders dont have the tools to do the metal work anyway.  So the Tiller is 3D printed and all you have to do is paint it black which was done on the contemporary model...and glue it in position.  I would say that it looks as it is supposed to and much better than if I fumbled through a soldering exercise. 
 

 
All of the deck-work and fittings are now done except for the binnacle.  But next up is the remaining outboard hull details.  Starting with the channels and deadeyes.
 
But here are a few pics of the deck fittings all done including the tiller.
 





 
 

It has been a couple weeks...
 
I cut all the jigsaw pieces and then fitted them together on top of the plan I made. It required considerable fiddley adjustments to all pieces... sort of akin to chasing your own tail.
Here is a photo of a group I was working on... right side goes against the stem post.

Then I had to decide where to start. David Antscherl suggested starting at dead centre in his four volume series The Fully Framed Model (aka TFFM). I was concerned that if I was off a bit I'd not have adequate length to reach the stem post. So I've decided to start at the stem post and work back.
 
While dry fitting to the stem post I noticed the thickness of the wales was an issue. Then I read in TFFM that they need to be tapered to fit to the stem post. 
 
I tried steaming the forward most lower piece to bend it. Then I tried soaking in boiling water. In each case I couldn't quite get the curve quite right due to spring back... and the wait for it to dry adequately was unsettling.
 
In the end I decided to use my soldering/wood burning pen to dry bend it. It has a round bar  like shaft extension that heats up. The nibs screw into it but I left them off and used the bar alone. No spring back, and results are instantaneous.
 
David suggested I install a guide strip of wood at the bottom to help keep the bottom row aligned at the proper elevation. So after some hesitation... I mean, thinking things through, I began installing the guide strip from the stem post and back on both sides (port and starboard). A short piece for now with a few dabs of glue and a number of clamps.

I'm ready to begin. I'll post after I have a few installed and see how well I've managed to do.
 
Why is beginning something you've never done before so difficult?
It's not like I'm going on my first date here.
I've learnt to chuck my fair share of first, second, and third tries.
 
Oh well...
 
 

Preparing work about fore half-deck :


 

I regret to say that the cannon certainly is not a good example of a well made product.

Just a little side project.   My local club is having a figure painting workshop at my shop in a couple of weeks.  So I printed a bunch more figures and painted one.  Mind you I have never painted a figure before.  I think maybe 20 years ago I added one to the Syren model which looked awful.  But one of our members who is an accomplished miniature figure painter will be doing the teaching.  I am very much looking forward to it.  One photo shows the unpainted version.  Painting figures is hard, LOL.  The eventual owner of this model requested that the officer be holding a rope leash in his left hand walking an English Bulldog!!  I have yet to print the English Bulldog.   Yikes, it should be interesting.
 

Thank you very much Ab and Kirill.
 
I have been making tackle pulley halters for a long time.
I chose a system of tying and gluing the tapered ends of the cables..
 





Now I'm already preparing for a weekend trip to see this beauty..🔥😍 https://www.vasamuseet.se/cs

Corrections made - after more times than I can count to get this assembly aligned and built to my satisfaction - I am ready to move on at last




 

following preparation work about back stern of ship :

I have now completed the clews, tacks and sheet rigging. The following set of photos are related to the work related to the lower yards on the main and fore masts.
 
My first attempt at seizing the double blocks failed when tension was applied. thankfully all was good second time around.

Belaying the rigging was not to bad to do.

I have already started work and rigging the braces, and once that is done the final rigging task will be the bowlines. I would expect to complete the model later his month.
 
The final photo shows the current rigging status.

 

All the yard lifts have been rigged and belayed fore both the fore and main mast assemblies. For the most part I was able to set the lift tension so each yard was set at 90 degrees with the mast when belayed.
 
The main yard lifts is shown in the photo below.

The next two photo's shows the current build status. The lift rigging is difficult to see as the natural thread is not really visible when set against the white background. Clews, tacks and sheet rigging will be my next task which will take a few days to complete.

 

Thanks everyone for the likes and the nice comments.
 
Now, first, I need to make the shields that are still missing from the fore castle. These are based on the remains of shields from the rear castle.

the first one is ready

test

production

These shields are finished; there are about 40 to do on the rear castle.

 

Another small step forward!
Only the aftmost frames remain, and they require the most attention to ensure the wing transoms fit properly.

Today, I added a few more frames.

 

Good morning

All 18 pounder guns carriages ready for install their... 104 wheels :




 
 

Planking strips of different sizes all cut.
 
At full size and (1:48) they are as follows going downwards along the hull:-
 
3" ( 0.0625") thick basswood frieze panels as supplied with the kit.
3" ( 0.0625") thick boxwood from Channel wales up to the frieze panels ( 2 strakes ).
5" ( 0.1042") thick boxwood Channel wales ( 3 strakes )
4" ( 0.0833") thick boxwood thickstuff above wales ( 4 strakes )
5.5" ( 0.1145") thick ebony black strake ( 1 strake )
6" ( 0.125") thick ebony Main wales ( 4 strakes )
4" ( 0.0833") thick Holly thickstuff below wales ( 1-2 strakes as required )
 
The sizes above came from the "scantlings" book for a 50gun 4th rate ( steel's table ).
 

 

Rigging progressing slowly.

Another bulkhead under the rear deck.

Today work about upper gun-desk (16 about 26 now prepared) : 


 

Today work about 18 pounder guns :

After taking a short vacation and devoting myself to other activities, I finally started building the aft frames on the starboard side.
But first, I partially sanded down the deadwood and frames on the port side to ensure that I could use the same assembly procedure on the starboard side.

Boxwood and Ebony sheets milled down from big stock, now to cut lots of planking strips.
 

Today work about guns :

*

Cut of upper gun-desk :

 

I think these are my final pics of my mule belong in this thread, too. Am very much looking forward to seeing what magic Jim works on her...
 
I am currently doing the full parts list (always fun...) and making sure every single part is assigned with a part number for the final production cut files.
 
At this time, I can confirm that for the first 100 kits, photo etched copper plating will be included as standard for this kit, with the only optional extra being the CNC blocks (because not everyone wants masts and rig and most are happy with standard anyway)
 
Some have asked in the past about including the CNC blocks as standard. This would be impossible for the quantities I order. You see, ordering just 30 Indy or Sphinx kits worth of CNC blocks takes literally at least a whole season, with the costs many times higher than standard blocks. So they will always only ever be an option.