NMBROOK

Thanks Nigel - planking is already well underway. Not going too bad - just takes some time to shape the spiled planks.
 

 

 
Mark

Excellent work MarkTamiya do masking tape up to 40mm wide I think and is low tack.Dampening the veneer can also help to reduce splitting when cutting.Just make sure it is bone dry before gluing.Only thing you can't use both as the tape won't stickI have found life easier to roughly cut the spiled plank oversize,then trimming the edge that butts the fitted plank first.This can then be held to the hull with tape to mark the second edge.Cut slightly oversize then shape with a sanding stick.
 
Kind Regards
Nigel

Excellent work MarkTamiya do masking tape up to 40mm wide I think and is low tack.Dampening the veneer can also help to reduce splitting when cutting.Just make sure it is bone dry before gluing.Only thing you can't use both as the tape won't stickI have found life easier to roughly cut the spiled plank oversize,then trimming the edge that butts the fitted plank first.This can then be held to the hull with tape to mark the second edge.Cut slightly oversize then shape with a sanding stick.
 
Kind Regards
Nigel

Futtock staves, ratlines and catharpins.

Thank you guys for nice comments and all likes.
I continue with stays (including mouses), stay tackle pendant and fore hatch stay pendant.

Continuing.

Hi Greg, it was not so complicated, it just needed enough patience and time .
Next task - the shrouds.

Thank you to all for the comments and likes.
Tha last rigging on the bowsprit - main stay collar and bumkin shrouds - is done. Now I start the works on the shrouds.

Thank you Albert.
So finally is here a moment when I started the installation of masts and related standing rigging. As first I installed bowsprit and the following ropes: gammoning, inner and outer bobstay, bowsprit shrouds. At the same time, I have prepared footropes with a netting, the picture shows only temporary attachment, the final attachment will occur after the installation of the stays.

Thank you NMBrook, it is nice to see you again back on the forum.
Rest of yards is completed with all blocks and prepared for installation.

Lovely work MartynI still have a massive soft spot for this vessel.
Kind Regards
Nigel

Hi everyone - just a small update.
The lower deck is provided in 4 pieces which the instructions say to plank before gluing them in place. I prefer to plank the decks after they are glued in place,so I glued all 4 sections to the bulkheads - they fit almost perfect. Next will be to plank that deck,but there is a slight problem - every single strip of wood provided to plank the deck is terribly warped as you can see in the picture. I just happen to have a bunch of leftover walnut strips which are nice & straight,so I will bleach them to a light grey & use them
 

 

 
 
Mark  

Hi everyone. Getting started,I located the keel former which is in 2 pieces. The bad news is the front section has a nasty warp in it.
 

 

 
Using the lower gun deck & the stiffening bars along with some creative clamping,the bulkheads lined up acceptably & were glued in place. To straighten the warp some slots were cut into the stem section so it would bend more easily & the 2 reinforcements were glued & clamped to the sides,eliminating the warp. Many of the wood sheets were enclosed in shrink wrap,so moisture or dryness should not have been a problem. The shrink wrap was pretty tight,so maybe that caused the warping. There was more warping further back on the former,but did not affect the bulkhead alignment. A little disappointed that pretty much all the wood in the kit is plywood except for the planking strips,so a little creative painting or veneering will be needed in some areas. Also,I found some more plan sheets hidden in the bottom of a couple of boxes so the kit does contain the usual number of plans showing the deck layout & etc.
 

 

 
Mark

Hi Mates,
 Andre: Thanks – much appreciated – it has been a challenge getting a Vasa sort of looking correct.
 
 Ferit: Well the time that it has taken to almost finish this build I would imagine that some children have become teenagers.
Some builders whom I happily follow have completed three amazing ships in the time it has taken me to do this one – that is still not finished. Thanks so much for following along since I joined as well as some excellent advice that you have offered.
 Zappto:  thanks for your very nice thoughts
 
 Denis: Thanks, Yes, I am very happy with how the base came-out. Also thanks for your continued support.
 
All of the outer lines and pin rails have been installed and looped with coils. Now focusing on the last bits of the weather deck rigging. The “inner” bits that attach to knighthead rails.
 
PS: The mainmast rail is MUCH to close to the mast. My mistake I did not consider the stern leaning angle of the main mast. Still badly placed. Grrr. Installed - way back -before I new very much. 
 
Well these last ropes are challenging indeed. These fiddly bits are very hard to reach and “set” without disturbing/stretching already pre- attached and glued lines. Not a complaint – but it’s slow going - as you all know rigging is.
Foremast ropes will be easier to get to. 
 
Thanks for the likes & just dropping by…..
 
A few more pics.
 
Regards,
 

Denis,
 
The wood is in fact Western red cedar -well done!!.
 
It looks much too reddish in the posted photo that was taken under 3k soft halogen-ceiling lights.
Here is a more representative shot. Still working on a way to attach the ship to the base. I do not want to drill side holes into the keel.
These four brass Pegasus I had “antiqued” looking. They will add a nice touch.
 
Made a nameplate. Was going to drill small holes at each corner and add brass nails, then I remembered my left over canon door lions. 
The nameplate (done at a local trophy shop) is not brass – they could not etch my chosen font and text in brass. So instead they laser printed the text on a “look like brass” plastic plate.
 

 

Dunno Mark,I tried it yesterday,but it kept including an image from my first post.Need to read up on it as I think it has changed with the new forum platform.
Kind Regards
Nigel

Looking forward to following on Mark
 
Kind Regards
Nigel

Catching up with your work after a long absence from the forum,all I can say is WOW!Incredible work Marsalv
Kind Regards
Nigel
 

The Quarterdeck Upper Capstan.
I don’t know how true the kit Capstan representation is, but on my Pegasus I have modified it to reflect the model shown in the Swan Books.
Firstly the whelps:
There are too many of these around the central spindle and they are too thin.

Six are required and by gluing two whelps together a more realistic size is achieved. (I had to fabricate a couple of extra whelps from spare walnut sheet)
Fitted towards the top and bottom of the Capstan and between the whelps are the Chocks. (Amati simply have a ring fitted around the bottom of the Capstan.)

The chocks are made from some walnut strip shaped to fit between the whelps.
An interesting feature of these chocks is that the upper ones are convex in their outer profile, and the bottom ones concave.
Around the top of the drum head is fitted an iron plate, here represented by a card circle, and the domed central top is from the central cut out from the walnut rings used in making the drumhead.
The two Capstans are now aligned and connected as they should be, or at least will be once the Quarterdeck is installed.

This is a fairly simple modification to make requiring only a bit of dowel and a recess cut in the deck beam.

Another fitting connected with the Capstan is the Capstan Partners, a platform on which the Capstan sits and which has the pawls fitted. This does not feature in the Kit.
This again can’t be fitted until the QD is installed and planked. The Partners need to be fitted level against the rise of the QD at 90 ⁰ to the capstan base.
 
B.E.

 

Elm Tree Pumps
Returning to the Main Mast area of the Upper deck the holes were drilled for the Elm tree pump tubing which was then inserted and glued down tho’ the lower deck.

This is a good time to sort the pumps out before the area gets too cluttered with other fittings.
Swans had two Elm tree pumps just forward of the Main Mast and slightly aft of the Bitts.

The Walnut dowel supplied with the kit will not be used for the masts, I just use stump pieces to align the holes.
With Walnut the masts have to be painted Yellow Ochre, too strong a colour for the Boxwood finish I am using, so Lime -wood dowel will be used instead.
This can be varnished to a more sympathetic tone.

In their wisdom Amati decided not to supply the makings for these pumps or indeed mention them at all.

Fortunately Jotika make a 1:64 scale set from brass etch (part No 87160) that will just fit the bill.
So many aftermarket pump kits are way out of scale having yokes and brakes that are far too heavy.
The yokes and Brake handles are brass etch and the trunks are fashioned from some 4mm dowel. The base is cut at an angle to allow the trunks to slant outwards in line with the tubing that converges to the bilges at the centre line of the ship.
Pictured in a raw state here I am going to try dunking the assembled pump in metal black to see how well it covers and whether it will affect the cyano used to glue the bits together.
The problem with blacking small bits like this is that much of it is rubbed off when handling.

The trunks are quite small affairs being only 8mm high with a 23mm brake handle length.
The Gallows atop the bitts shown in this photo is another area where some modification may be required.
The dimensions do not accord with the Swan book, and the shape is not one I am familiar with although it does have a certain practicality for storing spars and the boat.

This shot shows the relative position of the pumps to the Bitts and mast.
With the tubing cut to protrude slightly above decks it will be a simple matter to fix the pumps later in the build when risk of damage to these delicate items is less likely.
A small enhancement to the kit but one that is easily made.
 
B.E.
 

Thinking about the Foc’sle
One of the things that has been flitting in and out of my mind is how to edge the Foc’sle deck.
I have pinned the carriages in the two forward ports, and I need to consider fitment of the Galley stove and deck arrangement for the Fo’csle.
There are two beams which span the Foc’sle (4A and 39) that require some attention as they are way over scale at 6.6mm and 6mm deep. The beams should be 5” deep which equates to 2mm at scale.

For strength purposes I have reduced the beams to only 3.5mm deep and a notch has been cut in beam 4A where it would otherwise encroach on the aft steam grating for the galley stove.

Beam 39 which is provided in Walnut is a facing beam for the Fore deck, and is supposed to be fixed to the underside of the deck flush with the back edge.
In reality it is the breast beam which should have a moulded facing and be rebated to take the deck planks.

This has also been reduced in size and a camber put on the underside to match the deck curvature. This has the effect of a better scale appearance and also allows a better view beneath the deck of the stove and guns.
I have decided not to fit a Foc’sle bulkhead as I prefer the open look.
I will however look to install the Bulkhead cants which would otherwise secure the bottom edge of the screens when in place.
To re-work the Fore deck breast beam the reduced beam is set a fraction back from the edge.

A 4.5mm boxwood plank is set athwartships overhanging the edge to which a 1mm square section boxwood strip is glued, later to be rounded. There is a sort of lip to the edge of the breast beam which will be formed from this strip.
The deck planking will butt up to the athwartships plank.
The 1mm square section strip is now fayed back into the beam strip and rounded down on the aft side to meet a strip of half round styrene. A channel is filed into the edges to allow the water to run down onto the Upper deck and away thro’ the scuppers.

The actual deck planking will take a little working out.
A margin plank is required and the deck planking at this time period is not joggled into the margin but is tapered and scarphed. Should be an interesting exercise, one I’ve yet to get my head around.

 

This then is the initial modification to the Foc’sle deck. Still not able to finally fit the deck and fittings until I am clear in my mind how to sort the Foc’sle guns and for that matter those beneath the Quarterdeck.
When to fit the ‘hidden’ guns seems pivotal to the whole bally build.
I don’t want to simply push them thro’ the gun ports in retrospect securing them with a blob of ca, but I can’t have them properly fixed whilst the hull is still being turned about not least for any coppering.
Life is so much simpler doing an oob build
 
B.E.

I have now settled on the shade of blue ground for the frieze work.

This is a modification to my original mix by the addition of Humbrol 96 and black to reduce the brightness a little and darken the shade slightly.
It is now somewhere between my first two choices.

These photo's also show the waist rails which are now fitted. 
In scale only 2mm deep.(full scale 5½”) which hardly allows for producing any sort of clean profile moulding in timber, and even in other mediums 3mm seems to be the minimum depth.
Still I thought the plain walnut strip provided in the kit needs a little fancying up to give the impression at least of a moulded rail.
The first important job is to mark the lower edge of the strip and provide the sheer line. For this Tamiya tape is used.
The second important job, because the strip is cut into sections between the Gun ports, is to take care that the sheer curve is not lost.
I used the provided Walnut strip as the base of the rail and once fitted I overlaid a 1x1mm strip of Boxwood at the top edge which was then given a round on the lower edge.
 
The Sheer Rail
This sits above the blue ground and runs parallel to the Waist rail, the spacing is such that the frieze work sits between the two.
Plain Walnut strip is used for this rail as the Channels are fixed to it. Once they are in place the free area can be fancied up a little.
The strip has been stained with an ochre enhanced varnish to blend it in with the boxwood.

Above the Sheer Rail sits the Drift Rail again with Frieze work between it and the Sheer Rail, and herein lies a problem.
I am satisfied that the Waist rail follows the correct line, just touching the aftermost Gun-port top as it passes to the stern parallel with the Main Wale.
The Sheer rail runs above it just allowing enough space to take the Frieze work.
The space between the Sheer and Drift rails also follows the line again allowing sufficient space only to take the Frieze work.
Using this arrangement the Drift rail naturally follows the line to end at the very top of the bulwark at the stern, at least on my build it does.

There now appears to be something adrift with the Drift rail; on the plans it appears to run parallel with the top planking line some 3mm below from Quarterdeck to the stern.

The five Swivel gun posts then rest atop the Drift rail and key into the counter rail above (yet to be fitted)
As can be seen on these photos the Friezes sit tight between the rails, and the rails look right in relation to each other.

 

However on this basis the two aftermost Swivel gun posts would encroach down onto the Frieze work between the Sheer and drift rails, although on the Swan book plans the posts do appear to extend below the Drift Rail.

 

I am rather at a loss to see what has happened here, looking at the many other Pegasus/Fly builds around the forums there is a clear space between the Drift Rail and the bulwark top, yet the Waist Rails seem to follow the same lines along the Gun ports as do mine, intersecting across the top of the aftermost gun port.

The waist rails determine the position of the other two rails, and to alter the strips to give them less sheer would I think spoil the lines.

It may be that I will have to modify the bulwark as it rises towards to Tafferal, not too much of a problem as adjustment can be made when I do the inner bulwark planking on the Quarter deck.
But....
A major board of inquiry is now sitting to look into the circumstances of this apparent departure from the plans, but I’ve a feeling that a satisfactory explanation will not be arrived at any time soon.
B.E.





 

I have also at this point been giving some thought to the colour shade for the ground of the Frieze work.
I know what I don’t want but the jury is still out on what I will ultimately decide.

All the colours are brighter on the screen than the actual hues
David Antscherl favours Prussian Blue, and for Humbrol paints suggests No 25, slightly darkened.
The Admiralty French Blue by Caldercraft probably represents the modified result.
These shades are too dark and strong for my taste, what I am seeking is that sort of dusky blue with a slightly grey tinge as seen on contemporary models.

This is what I mean.

Now it may well be that the paintwork has faded with age, not that the use of Blue on models can be relied upon entirely as being historically correct, the recorded (1715) official ground colour was always Black, and model makers may have used a degree of artistic licence.

Still if it’s good enough for the wonderful Eighteenth century craftsmen it’s good enough for me and In any case I am more concerned with the aesthetics, and I like the combination as shown above particularly with the boxwood planking I have used.

I was initially quite pleased with the mix I made up.
The base paint is Humbrol Matt 89 (Middle Blue) to which Matt 25 (Matt Blue) and Matt 27 (sea Grey) and are added.

The proportions are roughly 60% (89) 30% (25) 10% (27)

Having pondered on it a while I’m now not so sure, it now seems a little too bright.

The third sample shown is in fact RAF Blue (96) and it is my current favourite, it has that sort of subtle tone to it that I associate with 18th century colours.
It may well be that models planked with a darker walnut timber would stand a stronger blue, but on Boxwood I think the mellow toning suits very well.

Again both of these look brighter than in reality.
I think I have a little way to go before I am entirely happy, and before I finally commit I will try a little frieze work painting by hand on a suitably sized Boxwood Strip to ensure that the yellow ochre designs look good against the ground. I remember agonising over the shade of blue for the beakhead bulkhead on my Victory build, it looks like this is going to be no different.  
More on this later.
 
B.E.
 

I have been slowly progressing the internal fittings below the Quarter-deck before I turn again to the exterior hull.

 

The deck beams have been fitted, partitions installed, and the chequered Sailcloth floor covering fitted.

The two hatches beneath the Quarter-deck are in place along with the Lower Capstan.


The four gun carriages are pinned thro’ the bed down to the Lower deck, but at this stage can be removed.

The recess in the deck beam to allow connection of the Upper and Lower Capstan.
The pawls will lock the lower Capstan in position.

Trial fitting of the Bitts and foremost deck support, these will be removed to allow easy access for fitting the aftermost waist bulwark gun tackle iron work .
 
B.E.

 

Complications with Cap squares
Amati have provided pre drilled and pre scored brass etched cap squares for the guns, (they call them trunnions- something lost in translation perhaps)
Wonderful thinks I, but when it comes to forming the little beggars they become tricky in the extreme, the pre scoring hinders rather than helps, and they are very prone to snapping off.
Having scrapped two at the outset a little jig is essential I think.

It is not advisable to bend them over the gun with the barrel in situ, the pressure is likely to snap the axles.

My approach has been to bend them over a trunnion bar set in a groove, after first trying to start the bend holding them in fine long nosed pliers. A shallow groove and a deeper groove is required to progressively increase the bend whilst trying to ensure that the thing remains central and the pre scored ends don’t break off.

 

I’m not even sure if I like them, they look a little too long to my eye, but then I don’t see how they could be any smaller in a practical sense to pin to the carriages.

 

Perhaps they will look better once blackened.
Amati suggest that the cap squares are pinned to the top of the brackets using cut down brass pins, which look a little thick to my eye.
Not much room for error here the bracket is only 1.43mm wide and the hole is 0.4mm ø
I think the 0.3mm brass etched eyelets of Jotika fame may come in useful to represent the cap square retaining bolts on the forward end .
 
B.E.