NMBROOK

Hello shipmates, Lawrence-Edwin-Elia-Nils-Mike-Brian and Igor I do thank you for passing by and also for your kind comments and likes!! :)
The bow rudder housing is almost ready.
I begin to assembling the hatchways of the ship.
Also I finished the four side crates.
 
Kind Regards
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, Slog-Brian-Mike-Nils-Igor I do thank you for your visits to my build log and also for your likes. :)
 
I continue to construct the bow rudder housing's glass dome. I copied the design from 1/84 Vespucci because I did not like the design in the plans that came with the kit. I used walnut strips 0.5 X 3mm to make it. It needs 2 more coats of paint.
 
Kind regards
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, I installed the bow's and stern's decorations of the ship and I also opened the portholes below the stern's balcony.
 
Best Regards 
Dimitris

Hello shipmates.
 
Elia I do thank you for visiting my build log, for your nice comments and also for your likes :)
Slog-Igor I do thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes. :)
 
So.. I finished the A.V.'s balcony on the stern. I have to say that it is a tricky spot and it gave me a hard time  bending the brass fence and installing it right....
 
Kind regards
Dimitris

Hello to all. Edwin,Brian and Mike I do thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes.. :)
I finished the windlass assembly that includes the crane of the ship. I also glued the stern's balcony and painted with mahogany brown.. :)
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, Brian-Mike, I thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes.   The things in the shipyard are moving slowly.. Weekend udate.I constructed the chimney, the Mantua didn't come with any clue on how to install the four rings on the chimney. The kit's  handrail stanchions are not of my taste. They look fake.So i decided to cut some stanchions to construct a base for the 4 rings of the chimney.
 

 
I also start to assemble the windlass.
 

 
Further more I constructed the Radar too.
 

 
And finally finishing the quarter's deck house with mahogany varnish, also I put  transparent pieces (it was not included in the kit)of plastic to simulate the glasses of the windows.
 

 
 
 
P.S. I decided to change the portholes with better quality products http://www.rbmodel.com/index.php?action=products&group=048
 
Kind Regards
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, Elia-Brian-Mike-KeithW, I thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes.
 
Now to my build progress. I installed the portholes to the port side and also  opened the  doors with my Dremel . I also start to construct the deck house that is going to the quarter deck.
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Hello shipmates, Mike and Edwin I thank you for your nice comments for visiting my build log and also for your likes!!
Elia-Carl-Brian-Chevygrunt I thank you for passing by and also for your likes!! :)
 
A small update to my build log..
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Hello shipmates.
Carl thank you for passing by and also for your likes.
Elia, thank you for your nice words and also for your likes.
Mike, thank you for your likes and also for your kind words.
 
A Sunday update....
 
Cheers
Dimitris
 

Hello shipmates, Lawrence ,I thank you for your kind words for passing by and also for your likes. Edwin-Elia-Mike I thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes.
I applied one more hand of red paint to the hull.
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Hello my friends, Edwin, I thank you for visiting my build log, for your nice comments and also for your likes. I am very glad that  I helped you . If you have any questions about painting procedures let me know.
Elia I thank you too for your nice comments, for visiting my build log and also for your likes.
Mike thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes.
I did some additional work...
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Hello shipmates , Lawrence-Xristos and Mikegerber , Thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes. :)
A small update...

Hello shipmates! Elia thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes. Mike thank you for your kind and encouragement words and also for your likes.
Edwin I thank you also for your visits to my build log and for nice and encouragement comments. And of course for your likes.
Lawrence thank you for your likes  for visiting my build log and also for your very encouragement and nice words about my work.
Now regarding the painting of the ship I use Vallejo model air with an airbrush.The primer was not Vallejo and on the second white stripe i noticed that the paint did not seem well attached. So i decide to remove the paint and applying a Vallejo surface primer that is surely compatible with Vallejo Paints.Also I noticed that Vallejo primer has more sticky texture. (Just in case to avoid future problems).
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Greetings to all. Nigel-Carl-Brian , thank you for visiting my build log and also for your likes. Another small update to my build...
 
Cheers
Dimitris

Update - finally got all the weather deck guns rigged. Also got most of the deck fittings in place including the slightly modified capstan.
 

 

 

 
Thanks for looking.
 
/Mark
 
 

A small update - started rigging the guns.I am using Chuck`s nice little 2mm blocks. The blocks are really nice but also really small - I don`t know how he makes them so small and yet so nicely shaped. They are a bit difficult to handle but I am slowly getting them done.
 

 
/Mark

A little progress.........Most of the bow figures done. I may start on the guns & port lids next - tired of painting.Need to make some sawdust!
 

 

 
/Mark
 
 
 

Thanks Frank - I have corrected the placement of the tall figures on the sides of the upper stern 
. I had them on the wrong sides.
 

 
/Mark

Update - finally got the stern finished.Corel only gave 2 knights to stand guard by the windows in the stern & they were way too tall to fit in the space provided so I used some of the extra figures in the kit instead.They are just a little bit short but at least there are 6 instead of 4.Also built the front railing - I didn`t like the dolphins the kit provided so I used some nice columns I had in my spare parts box.Also built the knightheads while waiting for paint to dry.I don`t have a milling machine so I tried to make the sheaves by drilling & filing but that didn`t work too well so I made them by laminating a number of thin strips glued together to form the sheaves. Then I cut some thin pieces off a dowel to make the pulleys. Not perfect but they look good from a foot or two away.
 

 

 

 

 

 
/Mark

A small update - been painting figures. Most of them don`t match what`s on the real ship but they look ok from a distance. The kit did not provide for the 4 port holes in the upper gallery so I made some from some brass eyelets from the fabric store. I also didn`t like the oversize plastic windows so I searched through my spare parts boxes & found a couple of etched brass windows which were just the right size,so I used them.
 

 

 

 
Now back to more painting
 
/Mark
 
oops - I meant the lower gallery

Apologies for the lack of updated folks but work has been going on in the background.. in fact I'm pretty close to a Photo Update .. ('WooHoo' I hear you say  )
Well I have assembled the Rudder at last (Today) it is sitting in place on its Gudgeons & Pintles and awaiting the final painting.  I didn't want to complete painting (Hull & Rudder) till all the Rudder metal work was fixed in place, due to the scraping and rubbing usual to my clumsy assembly methods.. seriously, if it's possible to damage paintwork then I'll find a way ! 
- The upgraded pumps are assembled and ready to install
- The Ordinance is pretty much ready to go too (only final assembly required.. 'Only'  hmmm heard that before eh?  )
- I located a small chain that will act as the Rudder Preventer (or whatever it is called) and soldered up the connection to the Rudder for it (the 'Spectacle' or somesuch.. Wow is it small, couldn't believe I actually managed to make it !! seriously though it is small  ) 
- Made up a bunch of Mast Hoops also using Dee Dee's method .. So big Thanks to D for that (the method is over on her build, 'bout half way down.. I used ordinary paper though, no Dollar Bills to hand     http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/4670-muscongus-bay-lobster-smack-by-dee-dee-from-midwest-to-chapelle-124-small/page-6 )
- Almost have the Boom Rests done (the fellas that support the boom's at the mast, proper name unknown  ) and the fake 'copper sheet' to stop the Boom Jaws from rubbing the mast too much.. Thanks David for info on that last bit !
 
Question Time Folks..Re the 'Boom Rests' ..   Ballahoo only has one Boom (on the Main Mast)  the Fore Mast is 'loose footed' !! should I put a 'Rest' there also, even though there is no Boom.. in other words would this sail have always been 'loose footed' or could a boom have been used at different times ? (I'm inclined to put the Rest in place regardless)
 
Hopefully Photos next time.. don't forget the question above folks   
 
All The Best
 
Eamonn

Back to work....
Starboard side.... Gun ports cut in, framed, and painted red....

 
Bamboo skin planks added up to top wale, and planking above the wale painted black.
Still must complete the second planking below the main wale. Since those planks will be painted white, I will not be using bamboo for that area.

 
Sideboards have been added above the decks to form the bulwarks....will be planked and painted red.
The rough framing for the starboard galleries is temporarily tacked on, but will be removed to add the arched windows and extremely heavy ornamentation.

My little shop pal "Smokey" spends most of the time roaming around the shop floor looking for something wood to tear up.
So I leave the ship yard to do a quick run to the grocery store for the Admiral.... forgot to put him in his mansion.... and here's what I find upon my return. 
Little thanks for allowing him to hang out with me, huh?

Completed the first planking this morning, and began with several strakes of outer planking


 
And here's a dry fitting of the bulkhead I've been working on.... Not done with this yet....
 

 
Back to outer planking.... Note the use of Bondo (auto repair filler) to level and smooth out the surface of the first planking layer.

Next, before planking the next level of the aft decks.... The plans I used to cut out this deck were drawn with two large gratings, which I will now reconfigure to allow one smaller grating and an opening for an open passage way with rails (as seen in the inset photo of AVBiker's build)....