davyboy

A little bit of a progress, two more frames to go...





Happy modelling..

Thank you for your kind words. Now I'm sitting here with red ears from embarrassment. I realize you're joking when you compare me to Netflix. But just in case, I still wonder which actor could play me in a movie? I'd like it to be Tom Hanks. I'm ready to sign a contract now. 😄
 
I've always looked with particular envy at the fact that your avatar has a reference to Versailles in the location. One day I might pack my bags and go to France and visit the museums. It's a very longtime dream of mine. And now I've also read about your collection in the glass cases. And my curiosity is just bursting out. Your house must look like this? In my imagination, that's exactly what it must look like.
 

 

 That's it, I'm going to get on with my work. If I can finish this project with Fulminant, I'll have a better chance of getting Tom Hanks to agree to play me in a movie. And then I'll be famous and I'll definitely be able to go to Paris.
 

A major step forward (at least in my opinion). The 'Duchess is now boasting a sail!  Obviously a bit more work to do before this sail is complete on the model, but at least it's there! Only 33 more to go.
 
Concerning sails:
I broadly followed Tom Lauria's method with silkspan. I found the silkspan much easier to work with than I anticipated - it seems pretty strong and stable considering its structure. Having said that, I would highly recommend handling it carefully when it's wet (don't ask me how I know that); dry - it's great. I painted my silkspan with one coat of flow acrylic on one side and that seems to be sufficient - the paint soaking through the sail. I used a 'toy' iron as Tom demonstrated to iron down the linings and that worked very well - both sealing the dilute PVA glue and smoothing out the wrinkles at the same time. I had no issue with having a little too much glue on the seam. I tried furling a test sail in the workshop by spraying it with a fine mist of water and then coaxing it into folds; it worked well; hopefully the same will happen on the model.
 
Edit: In mentioning the delicacy of wet silkspan above, I should have clarified that I meant really wet - in this case the corner of a jib was soaked with glue and I was silly enough to try and fiddle with it.
 
John
 

 

@albert
I am very pleased and grateful for such nice comments.
Of course, professional advice and comments, even critical ones, are also welcome.
Nobody is perfect and life is a constant learning process.
Here are some more details:
 
Additional blocks, including in the area of the topmast crosstrees
I should have recorded most of the blocks for the La Créole by now. The blocks in the area of the topmast crosstrees and on the mainmast cap still need to be made, as can be seen in the following pictures. These are blocks for guiding leech lines, braces and bowlines.
When guiding the braces for the mizzen topgallant yard, I am following the Paris model, where they go to the mainmast cap. The variant shown by J. Boudriot in the monograph, guiding the braces to the main topmast crosstrees, seems less practical to me for stability reasons on the high-rigged corvette.


 
In addition to making these blocks, I am currently still trying to figure out which blocks I still need for the upper area of the rigging on the royal topgallant crosstrees. I don't think there will be too many left.
To be continued...
Feedback geben
 

I managed a couple of hours model making between eating, drinking and making merry.
Got the pumps made. Not sure if they need iron lids or not.
 

 

 
Hope every one has a great year in 2025
 
Tim
 
 

It’s more than time for an update, but there’s not that much to report as progress has been far too slow. Most of my attention has been devoted to the rigging. There are lots of problems, of course, many as a result of the small scale I’ve ambitiously adopted. Remember that the hull is only about 15 inches long.
 
I’ve cheated with the ratlines, and have simply glued them into place. I don’t think I could possible knot them neatly, without pulling the shrouds. In any case, to do them properly would involve making eyes for the ends of the ratlines, as well as knotting them. I added the ratlines after the shrouds were installed - I don’t like the idea of the alternative technique of  making shrouds, with ratlines, on a jig before mounting them.
 
Blocks are a problem. So far, I’ve mainly been using 2 and 3 mm blocks from Cornwall Boats. In practice, there would have been a far greater range of size. Steel stated that blocks vary in size from 17 inches to four inches, while I read that Victory had blocks ranging from 26 to six inches.  In the mid-eighteenth century, Invincible had, according to the archaeological record, single blocks ranging from five to twenty inches in height.  At the scale I am using, the 2 and 3 mm blocks would equate to about 12 and 18 inches. I have found it possible to cut down the 2 mm ones somewhat, but they then look a bit clumsy.  So, I have a problem. I need to find a way to make smaller ones if the rigging of the topgallants, and royals if I fit them, is not to look grotequely oversized. Does anyone have ideas? It may be that all I can do for the tiniest blocks is to tie knots, and dab them with glue, but it would be hard to shape them. Milliput may be the answer, and I’ll try that. One irritation with the bought blocks is that the holes in them are mostly too small for easy threading, and it take time to drill them out, though it can be done. Parrels are a nuisance to make, but Cornwall Boats provides appropiate tiny beads, and the spacers work cut from wood. I have previously used wire not thread, and that seems best. I will, however, cheat, and simply glue the completed parrels in place. Nor, to date,  can I make them small enough for the topgallants.
 
One problem with the rigging is what to leave out. Bowlines, for example, do not go easily with furled sails. It’s possible that they were unshipped when the sails were furled, or somehow folded up within the sail. The only answer is just not to fit them. And I’ll omit many of the lines used to control the sails. Ideally I suppose there should be rigging for the stunsail yards, but I have no idea how it would work, and won’t try to fit it. My hope is that I’ll be able to provide a reasonable general impression.
 
Some idle thoughts about the differences between making model ships now, and in the late 1950s. One very important change is the availability of plans and photgraphs, primarily through the National Maritime Museum website. That has transformed research. In the old days, I used to cycle to the Natural History museum in Oxford, go through the hall with the dinosaur skeletons, into the Pitt Rivers museum. After a quick look at the shrunken heads, I would note down what I could of the model of HMS Lizard and that of an eighteenth century 50 gun ship. Since those days the range of relevant publications also exploded, and there was of course no equivalent of the web, nor of this magnificent site. In the 1950s I used what materials I could get from Oxford’s two model shops - mostly balsa wood and glue. Professional model makers had, of course, good access to materials, but I did not. Cornwall Boats has transformed all that.
 
Lastly, a photo showing the present state of play.
 
 

Hello start cant frames.

Post 14
Onto First Planking
For the past week I have been busy planking the hull.
The Gunport patterns have been fitted and trimmed to fit the stern counter and I’m liking the look of her.
My younger modelling self of the 1970’s/80/s would be amazed  to get this far in only three weeks of work.
 
First Planking.
This is in 5 x1mm Limewood and the kit provides a good standard of timber.
I have covered my first layer planking method in my previous builds, so I won’t go fully into it here.
Suffice to say I use a combination of taper, edge bend, bevel, tick marks, and eye.

035

033
Having completed seven strakes down from the Gunport pattern, the Garboard strake is fitted using a wider 7mm limewood strip.

038

040

046

041
This is followed by the adjacent plank using 6mm strip.
 Planking continues….
 
B.E.
05/01/2025

So, I happened to be visiting family in the Toronto area over the holidays and went to see the Surly model at the Art Gallery of Ontario.  My pictures have been posted.  I hope they are useful to vossiewulf and others.
 
 

The stempost leans to port compared to the transom.
 
The only solution seems to be to rip off the planking and hope that the ‘backbone’ straightens itself again.

Hi All
First things first....Happy New Year and hoping you all have a  great 2025.
Looking back at the date of my last post it's taken me 7 months to complete the second layer of planking - I envy those who can plank in a matter of weeks as it (obviously) to take me an age to do.
 
This seems such a small update bearing in mind the effort
 
Planking has been done with cherry at 4mm x 1mm and in 100mm lengths.  I've used a 4 shift butt shift.....not sure if this is historically accurate but I like the pattern.
 
I've a little work to do in finishing off and it needs a sand but the following photos show the progress 
 
Side view.....there are a few gaps 3-4 strakes below the gun ports   but this was rough planking as they will be covered by the wales

 
To ensure the ports were all the same size, I made a "tube" and sliced an appropriate length to go through all layers of planking (internal and external).
First step was to create a former off the correct squareness  and then used 1mm cherry to "plank" around the former
 
 
 


   Following shows the ports installed

 
Just some more photos showing the planking
 

 
Hopefully the next post won't be as long in the making
 
Thanks for looking in
 
Mark

Hi, cants frames choks.

Happy New Year everyone.
 
Meanwhile lower hull to plank.

Still catching up the post with work completed pre Christmas.
 
I finished the various bits of decoration.

 
I put on a second coat of metal paint and left it for a couple of days before overpainting with Vallejo gold paint. The under-paint turned out to be still a bit soft when I applied the gold which fortuitously produced a textured finish which I felt was better than a smooth finish.

The decoration was quite flimsy and this allowed it to be easily contoured to the hull. I held the decoration against the hull with an elastic band and a plank and then dripped CA glue into space around the decoration to permanently attach it.

I welcome everyone to the new year!  
Installation of cargo handling equipment for holds No. 1 and No. 2

@Keith Black
@MarcM
Thank you very much for your support.
Thanks to everyone else too for the LIKES.  
Completion: Addition of the lifts of the lower yards - Balancines de basse vergue
As I wrote before, I always make the blocks based on a theme, such as here for the tackles of the lifts of the lower yards.
Among other things, this ensures that I produce exactly the required quantity in the required size and thus do not produce excess capacity.
This also keeps you motivated and does not become monotonous, which can ultimately take away your desire to craft. However, this does not necessarily work for everyone.
Accordingly, I made 4 double blocks with a length of 5.6 mm, 4 single blocks with a length of 5.6 mm, 2 double blocks with a length of 4.0 mm and 2 single blocks with a length of 4.0 m.
I have already described the method of making the blocks many times in my construction report.
A few pictures are below.




After making the eyebolts with thimbles for attaching the tackles to the rigging, I was able to tie the single blocks into block strops and add the tackle ropes.

The last picture shows the finished tackles for the lifts of the lower yards.

We will continue in the new year with the last blocks in the area of the topgallant masts.
 

Thank you very much MikkiC, thanks for the like..
 
I keep going slowly, I'm turning the yards..🔥


I came across a new Proxxon, a 4-jaw chuck.. Great Christmas gift. The placement of the prisms is more accurate..😍


The first yards have been dialed in. Additional items will be placed..

I wish all modelers a lot of peace and, most importantly, diligence and a passion for building in the next construction year 2025.
 

continue








 

Been working on the getting the ships steering put together,made up the pulleys and some scale rope, made the ships steering wheels drum and positioned it where it would be so I can get the rope tension right,everything seems to line up and now I need to make the tension pulleys that run down the side of the tiller ,I deviated on the plans a bit on the first set of pulleys that are right under the orlop deck,they called for them to be set parallel with the center line of the ship but everytime I put pressure on the line the rope jumped off the pulley,so I decided to give them a slight offset, now the lines run alot smoother back to the second set of pulleys. 

Post 13 – unlucky for some
In Post 11 I mentioned the potential hazard of snapping the keel. This turned out to be a self-fulfilling prophecy.

0314
Manoeuvring with the model in the Keel clamp it happened. Re-attached with pva I hope the repair holds until I fit the outer panels.

0320
Styrene provides a useful support when inverting the model.

0345
I took the pre-caution of adding temporary boards to protect the False keel during the next stages.

0333
The Fiddle head at the prow which also split earlier has been removed for safe keeping.
These set-backs are minor and won’t have a lasting effect on the model.
 
B.E.
29/12/2024
 

Thank you the twins!
Druxey - thank you and complements of the season to you and yours.
Thank you Glen - I hope you had a wonderful Christmas.
Hopefully Andy. Because she is with her alternate grandparents in Lyme Regis she won't be getting it until 1st January when we go to "sit on" the Grandchildren before they return to school / nursery.
 
Anyway back to the main event and a start on reporting the few jobs that I managed in parallel with the dolls house build.
 
I tried both versions of your suggestions for cutting out the gingerbread. The reverse blade method worked but I found it a bit slow so I glued the 2 sheets of brass together with double sided tape and attached them to a third sheet of 1/16" plywood. This worked well. The cutting was somewhat quicker than the reverse blade method but still slow enough to provide an acceptable degree of control. "Somewhat quicker" is a relative term as it took me ages to work my way around all those nooks and crannies.
 
The length of the decoration was circa 7" and my jewellers saw only has a 3" throat so I has to make the decoration in 3 pieces. The next photo is part way through the first piece, and features the first broken blade.
And here is the first piece completed.

And then the second piece - sawing completed but still mounted on the backing plywood.

Then separated, using white spirit to dissolve the double sided tape.

I then applied a first coat of metal paint to start building the thickness.

I also started building up the prow decoration.
The scroll was turned and glued in place.

Next i turned the elongated "bead" before shaping it and attaching it to a piece of 1/32" ply.

The next photo shows it temporarily in position with a couple of extra bits of carving also in place. The 4 beads in front of the scroll are .04" ball bearings.

I have still much to do in this area to reproduce the finished article and of course much of it will be painted gold.
 
I'll catch up a bit more before the New Year.
 
 

I few more frames added...





Happy modelling..

Merry Christmas everyone!! I hope you all had a great holiday.
 
I was excited to start on the next step of the build - working on the frames. David's book suggests working on the aft cant frames first of all and so this is what I have done. All of the frames for the Hayling Hoy are doubled frames with simple butt joints between the futtocks and top timbers. There are seven aft cant frames in total and they are made from either 8" or 9" stock. As this is my first foray into frame making I decided to start off by simply using up two small pieces of spare stock which was thicknessed to 8" and 9" and these were just large enough to allow me to glue on the templates for the eight pieces needed for aft cant frame 1 (AC 1) and the eight pieces for aft cant frame 2 (AC 2).

The aft side of AC 1 is made up from 9" stock whilst the fore side of that frame is 8". Both sides for AC 2 are 8". The templates were cut out from the stock just a little oversize with the scroll saw.

I glued together the parts for AC 1 on a flat board on which the paper pattern was placed. I was then able to use the spindle sander to finesse the shape of the frames to just a fraction oversized.

Due to the shape of the hull the rear part of AC 1 will need to be faired to quite an extent and the final shape of the aft edge of the frame is helpful provided on the pattern. At this time though I haven't made any attempt to pre fair that edge - I'm not sure if this is something that will be easier to do once the frame is in place on the keel or not? Do you think I should make a start on that before affixing the frame perhaps? Obviously each cant frame sits at a slightly different angle to the keel and the foot of AC 1 needs to be cut at 17.5 degrees. I think it will be easiest to set this angle on the table sander and shape the foot that way. I think I will make frame AC 2  and then get both of these frames fixed to the keel before I make the parts needed for the remaining cant frames. 
 
Any advice you have on framing would be most welcome!