NMBROOK

Good news and bad news: First the bad news -- after beating my head against the wall trying to do the cathead supports and eking, I decided to take a time-out. The good news is that I did do the lower rail and then decided to do other work on the head ( the gratings, ledges, knees, boomkin chocks).
 
Apart from the grating, which is a laser cut kit part finished with golden oak stain, all of the other parts were made from boxwood strip.The lower rail is a two part lamination to create the molding.
 
I will now return to the cathead supports and eking.  
 
Bob

Michael,
 
When I built mine seemingly eons ago, info was coming out hot and heavy.  For example, the color info came out just after I painted.  What I'm saying is to tell yourself, "ok.. there's new info but enough is enough, I'm building it now."  and get on with it.  With this ship in particular, the info will be changing for many years to come and if you wait, it will never get built.

Thank you Michael
Like Buck,I can appreciate the frustration that this build has caused in the past.However I think you can draw from the experience in that you have learned that you enjoy another pastime.That of historical research.It isn't every builders 'cup of tea' but it can be as enjoyable as the build itself if you are that way inclined.
Besides your next project you have stashed ,the only advise I could offer looking into the future is to seriously consider scratchbuilding.I think this way you can enjoy the research and start from a blank sheet of paper with having to redo someone's inaccurate kit design.You certainly shouldn't have any reservations about your ability,I am confident you would excel with whatever vessel took your fancy.
Enough waffle from me   I look forward to seeing more updates of your Wasa
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Thank you Michael
Like Buck,I can appreciate the frustration that this build has caused in the past.However I think you can draw from the experience in that you have learned that you enjoy another pastime.That of historical research.It isn't every builders 'cup of tea' but it can be as enjoyable as the build itself if you are that way inclined.
Besides your next project you have stashed ,the only advise I could offer looking into the future is to seriously consider scratchbuilding.I think this way you can enjoy the research and start from a blank sheet of paper with having to redo someone's inaccurate kit design.You certainly shouldn't have any reservations about your ability,I am confident you would excel with whatever vessel took your fancy.
Enough waffle from me   I look forward to seeing more updates of your Wasa
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Hi Michael,
 
I understand your frustrations with this. That being said, what you have created here is just so amazingly stunning that it stands on its own for the work of art that it is. Hang in there!

Mark,
 
 
Thanks for the info. That, it seems to me, will make it even harder for the smaller rear towers to rise up enough to overlap the lower parts of the upper galleries as we have been discussing. It will be interesting to see how you figure that one out, allowing enough room for the standing stern guards.
 
PS: Fred has also just sent me a post indicating that the quarterdeck pinrails should not be there. “The museum got it wrong”, he said. You can check that out at the Vasa specific site, at my build postings. So, I just removed mine, and it left scars grrrrrrrrrr. He also discusses what should be there instead.
 
PS: No I am not rebuilding my towers.
 
This will be an ongoing problem with this ship as new data are turned up and subsequent changes to our builds are needed.
 
Enough already (:-) I'm just going to move forward from now on. My log is already SO filled with "going backwards” tearing out and making fixes. I'm now done with that. And as you said maybe six members here out of the more than ten thousand would even know the differences, and errors........
 
As Fred had mentioned last year there is some interest for a new kit that may be in its development stages. One that is 100% based on Vasa’s 1/1 current info inclusive of 3D/cad computer renderings. I say current info because the way this ship is "changing" I can just imagine after this kit "is released???" the museum will find more areas where they got it wrong.
 
Just going to have fun moving forward, not sideways, and definitely not backwards anymore. Pulling out those two pinrails that left scars is the last change for me.
 
I will however absolutely highly regard member’s suggestions for how to get this right in regard to nautical accuracy. Nigel, B.E, Ferit as well as some kind other members have been so gracious in offering their guidance as I move along.
 
Big thanks to the nice people, who click, or post comments. I need this project to be fun, not an exercise in frustration J
 
Sorry for the long post, but I needed to vent as well
 
PS: I do very much believe, however, that seeking the most accurate build possible is a wonderful goal that I wholeheartedly support. I'm only writing for myself here, certainly out of frustration. And Corel's is the furthest from what should be Oh well..
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Thanks everyone for the feedback regarding painting. I still have enough time for a final decision.
I soon interrupt work on Pandora and start finishing Royal Caroline. I make now only minor works from this reason - preparation of deck beams and deck planks.

continuation. .   
Here below the keel inserted into the assembly base, with two small rods inserted into the slots of the two masts, and two "exercise" bulkheads in place just to give the idea that there is something more . . .
 
01 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090955_zps5410c7cc.jpg

 
02 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090956_zps713f170c.jpg

 
03 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090957_zpse540cc02.jpg

 
04 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090958_zpse1ace459.jpg

 
05 Brick%20de%2024%20Plans/P1090959_zpsa0dbedf5.jpg

 
Tomorrow I'll go for three/four days in Pisa with my daughter, so do not expect news shortly. 
Sincerely, Jack.
 

Hi Mates,
 
Continuing with the bow anchor cathead details, now turning to their needed kevels.
 
It turns out that I had built and installed a second pair that was at one time attached to the quarter-deck, turns out that this was incorrect (see first two pics).
 
 An early Vasa museum plans set (1980) showed two sets per side at that location, as did Landsröm. A second plan set dated 1981 had one set removed. I communicated with Fred Hocker, who indicated that the ’81 set had been corrected.
 
So the two kevels were just lying around, how convenient; shortened them for use at the bow railing, and just added a framing bit for attaching.
 
After gluing, then drilled small holes and inserted black fishing filament to simulate the needed nails.
 
The brilliant fishing line idea is not mine but belongs to one of our MSW members; apologetically I don’t remember whom (I did post a notation on his build log at the time of seeing his very clever idea)
 
Inserted the lines from the rear and left the front ends just a tad proud to simulate nail heads-sort of J
 
G-S cement is perfect for this task. If there were a bit of glue that travelled through the hole to the front end, after a few moments it can be removed with your thumb nail or tweezers, pulls completely off as would rubber cement. LOVE this glue! It has proved to be so versatile. Ferit thank you Again!! You found this.
 
Hint: I attempted to just “hack of" the front tips of the black filament to adjust them, but the blade snagged them and some resulted in angled cuts. Solution was to actually use the razor blade as a slicer moving the blade as I cut. Worked very nicely allowing for a nice clean flat cut. PS: Exacto type blade not up to the task.
 
--------------------
 
Thanks for your “likes”, dropping in for a look, as well as the very welcome supportive suggestions and comments J
 
Regards, as always
 
Michael

I would give serious consideration to waiting for Amati's Victory to hit the shelves in 1/64.This will certainly 'trump' all others as the leviathan of model ship kits.There is also the fact this will probably be one of the most advanced wooden kits on the market when it is released.It's development is shown in the Amati and Chris watton thread if you haven't seen it already.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

That looks spot on Michael Like Ferit says,sometimes we can't see the wood for the trees when we get wrapped up making these details.Looking at your recent pics reminds me of the great amount of work you have put into your model and what a joy and privilege it has been to follow your journey.I look forward to continue following along with the rigging and masting
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I would give serious consideration to waiting for Amati's Victory to hit the shelves in 1/64.This will certainly 'trump' all others as the leviathan of model ship kits.There is also the fact this will probably be one of the most advanced wooden kits on the market when it is released.It's development is shown in the Amati and Chris watton thread if you haven't seen it already.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I would give serious consideration to waiting for Amati's Victory to hit the shelves in 1/64.This will certainly 'trump' all others as the leviathan of model ship kits.There is also the fact this will probably be one of the most advanced wooden kits on the market when it is released.It's development is shown in the Amati and Chris watton thread if you haven't seen it already.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Very interesting. I saw this too, and the plans for the Chris Watton, Amanti HMS Revenge, which I'm super excited about. Thanks

Jim, Mobbsie and Frank...welcome aboard!  Always appreciate more people looking over my shoulder.
 
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
 
Wish I could take pictures of 'thinking' and 'fiddling' because I'd have more progress.  Wanted to get caught up on a few things before I lose sight of them.
 
The stern and counter:
Heres a current state photo of the stern.  I built up the rearmost bulkhead by laminating some additional waste ply to the forward face to hopefully give me a bit more surface area to play with and glue planks to when I get there, same is true for the shaper pieces attached to the keel former.  You can see how I'm hoping then sandwich in a replacement section in boxwood for the exposed sternpost.  Some additional scrap was used to provide some additional strength here as well as the stern is hanging of a relatively thin extension until I get this installed.  The starboard side has had only rough shaping, I'm still working on the port side.  It was apparent that the rabbet for the first planking needed to be extended further up than indicated in the plans.
 
I have decided to leave the troublesome transom profiles (26 & 27) off until last possible moment, and use the gunport positions to help determine the vertical position of the quarter galleries and the stern fascia.
 

 
Interior of foremost frames:
The kit indicates that interior planking on the upper deck should terminate at bulkhead 4.  I wanted to bring this as far forward as possible to give me some options as I may want to add some additional detail in this area (forward bitts, manger etc).  However, the upper deck forward frames are thicker than required so I had to reduce their thickness at the upper deck level to be consistent with the other frames.  The was a bear to do, and wish I had done this before the frames were installed, you can see where I've inadvertently disfigured other parts of the bulkheads.
 

 
The other thing to note is the additional ply added to frame 3.  The plans indicate that gunport 1 sits right over the 3rd frame, which is just plain poor design by Caldercraft.  To hopefully give me some options to cut gun port in the correct place, I built up the rear so to maintain structural stability in the event I cut through the original bulkhead.  Hopefully with planking in place this should be enough
 

 
Decking:
Have started the upper deck planking.  I replaced the supplied tanganyika decking material with maple which seems a pretty cost effective alternative to holly on such a large ship.  Edges were still quite jagged, and rather than sanding each strip individually I used a small jig to line multiple strips and sand all together to get a smoother edge.  Definitely quicker!  You can see the comparison of the maple against the supplied tanganyika which has lots of brown stripes and flecks - didn't like it.
 

Nigel and Ferit,
 
Thanks so very much for your advice. I have made the subtle, but very noticeable change to the knots by counter-sinking the holes. I have also changed how the blocks were laced.
 
Lastly I added the small details of the metal bracings at the sides of the cathead pulley rods.
 
Cheers guys and (:-) for you
 
Michael

Thank you very much indeed Tom for you kind words I do plan on returning to this model,possibly over the Christmas period.Everything is so involved with this build,I just can't do a bit now and then and life is hectic at the moment.A two week holiday from work with a little festivity,but a lot of modelbuilding should remedy that        
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I would give serious consideration to waiting for Amati's Victory to hit the shelves in 1/64.This will certainly 'trump' all others as the leviathan of model ship kits.There is also the fact this will probably be one of the most advanced wooden kits on the market when it is released.It's development is shown in the Amati and Chris watton thread if you haven't seen it already.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Nigel,
 
Your post got me very interested and I found this, a comprehensive look at the kit in development. Looks to be awesome. I'm sure that some of you may have already seen this pdf......but in case not, here is the link.
 
http://www.shipmodelersassociation.org/misc/VictoryKitResearchWatton.pdf
 
Michael

I have edited this first post in view of my log relocation.This build did start as a modified version of the Deagostini partwork,but as you read through the log,you will discover virtually nothing remains from the kit.
  To date I have built and planked the hull.So far the only kit parts I have used are the bulkheads.These had to be reprofiled at the stern to give a 'proper' round tuck stern.The planking below the walnut wales is maple and that above is boxwood.The walnut section at the top is to be painted black(I used walnut as it is a third of the cost of boxwood).I have cut the gunports as per the instructions but I am going to 'double line'the gunports on the upper deck to reduce them in size.
 At present before I final size the gunports and add anymore detail,I am replicating the treenailing on the whole hull.After reading about the many different techniques I chose to drill 0.4mm holes then use dark wood filler.The hull was glass smooth and fully sealed before starting,and I found the process fairly simple akin to grouting tiles,although I estimate at between three and four thousand holes to be drilled!I made a simple jig to assist in marking where the frames would be.
Regards Nigel

Thank you very much indeed Tom for you kind words I do plan on returning to this model,possibly over the Christmas period.Everything is so involved with this build,I just can't do a bit now and then and life is hectic at the moment.A two week holiday from work with a little festivity,but a lot of modelbuilding should remedy that        
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Wow Nigel, just read through this whole log. What wonderful carving. I can't wait to see you back at it.

Thanks Nigel.,Thanks Mark,Thanks İanmajor

Thanks Nigel. I totally understand what you're saying. Models as complex as these are labours of love, so I know that your hands are full at the moment. Mine took 3 years, even at such a small scale.
 
I'm sure that someone will stick their hands up.
 
Anyone?

That is a very generous offer Omega.I would have said yes as I would like to build a model of Lennox,however it will be a long while before I start anything else.It would only be fair to let someone else have them who would put them to use quite a bit sooner.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel