NMBROOK

Her shape is just about starting to come through now mate ( BTW what is 'Splicing the Planking at the Waterline' ?  Just when I thought I had a handle on this planking lark you spring 'Plank Splicing' on me !!         )
 
All The Best Nigel
 
Eamonn

Clever! I'm really looking forward to see how this will look.
 
/Matti

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Ok then,I thought I would take the opportunity of waiting for glue to dry and upload some more pics.
I was not happy with my original strategy for the topsides as I thought in the long run it would be more work.The tops of the bulkheads have been replaced with solid Pear to a more authentic profile.These can be integrated in the topside framing detail,whereas the ply would have needed replacing later.The ply deck beams were inconsequential,I only left them in place as temporary braces.An authentic deck construction will be used gun deck upwards when I get to that stage.These pear extensions have been fitted with brass dowels epoxied in.The extensions have also been tweeked to allow for single planking.The remaining section of the bulkheads have been 'banded' with 1.5mm lime strip to compensate for single planking.I have incorporated a small section of orlop deck in front of the mizzen step as a ladder runs down here.There is also one right at the bow which will result in a significant amount of work in this area.I am leaving this until the 'donkey' work is complete on the rest of the hull as it will involve removing considerable amounts of material from the false keel.As you may have noticed the lower hull is filled with limewood.This is to provide substantial support to the single planking and is a good aid as this is one of the most complex shaped hulls I have worked on.The area where the pear frames meet the deck is a crucial point.The sheer on the outer edge has to be perfect as everything will be measured from here.This is the reason for setting 6mm lime sections in around the perimeter.It ensures the ply subdeck will conform to exactly the right profile.One section is clamped in place while the glue dries.I have clamps ranging from 20p up to £95 but sometimes the easiest solutions are the best    
Kind Regards Nigel

Cheers mate! You're partly to blame for that.
 
/Matti

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Finally able to do some light work on my ship. Slowly working on the masts - foremast finished.Not perfect but neither is the rest of the build.Had to make new mast caps as the kit ones were ugly plywood & didn`t show the metal bands holding the upper sections to the caps.The dowels for the masts are walnut so they are probably a little darker than they should be.Got some of Chuck`s blocks - super nice.
 

 

 
Mark

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I got hooked by the carving bug and decided to try and make the small tritons sitting above the lion. The ones with red hats, my wife refered to them as Totem Santas and that's a good name to describe them.
 
First reference pics:


 
I used lime (ha thanks Nigel) and it was pretty small to carve and ended up quite fragile, so I wanted to mount it as soon as I could so I wouldn't break the fin.

 
I feel it was missing before, and I grew found of it´s quirky and odd design.
 
 
/Matti
 
 
 
 

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Andy, BE, Scott, Matti, Stergios, Pawel, John - thanks again for the interest and kind words
 
Final stages of the ratlines are on hold for a bit - I'm out of thread and it seems that what I'm looking to replace can't be found anywhere local so had to resort to the internet.  Meanwhile, my attention has moved to something that I've been thinking about for a while...the futtock strops.  The kit supplies some rather pathetic cut loops, the same as provided for the larger deadeye strops.  I can't see how they could possibly work as the bottom doesn't even clear the thickness of the top.  I'd also like to to get s slightly more authentic look with a hook for the futtock shrouds, which seems to leave two options, make something out of wire, or thread.  I tried both.  Any other ideas would be welcome.
 
Meanwhile as I ponder, I'll turn to making up the topgallant masts.
 
Wire was easiest to make, but not completely sold on the look

 
Thread took an age, maybe looks a little better, but I'm not sure how sturdy this would be (it broke as I removed it after the photo)

Ferit, Eamon, B.E., Timmo - cheers guys!
 
Still proceeding at a snails pace.  Following picture for the benefit of other Snake builders.  The block on the foremast for the maintopmast preventer stay could very easily interfere with catharpins on foremast shrouds, felt a bit lucky that I didn't run afoul of this, the positioning of the futtock stave is important as the block couldn't move any higher because of the mast cheeks.  One more catharpin to go on foremast (which I'm remaking again because it didn't fit....)
 

Finished up making the wire strops for the top deadeys, usual pins and excess wood making up the jig.  Went with a slightly shorter version than my first mock up as some hooks from a 'Badger' photo-etch kit I'd ordered last year were used (unfortunately none of the supplied PE strops fitted the 3mm deadeyes).  Once bent a spot of CA was used to close any remaining gaps and a coat of paint applied.  These were then epoxied into the tops so the top mast shroud tensions don't cause any knock-on complications.  Completed one set of futtock shrouds to see if everything would work OK before continuing, and pretty happy with the results.
 
Given that I'm planning on taking Snake to the Connecticut model ship show, I'm only going to finish up the other futtock shrouds and various small repair/touch-up jobs for now.  Am planning to start on the various spars once thats complete and get these finished before installing any of the top and topgallant masts as these would be an accident waiting to happen I suspect.
 

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I have decided to give myself a short break from the small fiddly stuff on my Caroline build and take up where I left off with this.I am continuing on with infilling the hull with limewood.The sections are cut from 20mm sheet.Not much to show,but work shall be continuing on over the next week or two.As I mentioned earlier the bulkheads have been altered to use 1.5mm single planking.The wales will be 3mm ebony,but I am considering splicing the planks at the waterline,ebony above and box below.I do not want to use holly or maple for the 'whitestuff' because I will already have pear,box and ebony and I personally feel that is enough colour variation,any more and it will be too much.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I am NEVER disappointed when I look at your log! Those new figures/sailors are absolutely wonderful! You have mentioned in several logs that we inspire you? YOU inspire all of us!!! (pretty sure everyone agrees) 

Absolutely fabulous work Doris      Your model is full of life and detail,I could easily spend hours looking at the pictures.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

After a long day in the shipyard it was time to sit back and have a glass of bourbon. Sorry for the sacrilege, but I like my bourbon cold so I put it on ice. I managed to get all of my bulkheads in place and glued in permanently. I also got the spacers in place just below the gundeck. This really helped with ironing out a very very slight bend in my keel. The one picture shows a nice straight keel. The bearding line was marked and the keel was sanded in the appropriate area. Next up will be the actual keel, the basswood blocks up front and some more studying to figure out which way to shape the filler blocks for the stern. Thanks to all for looking in.

Hi Doris,
 
just found your very interesting build log here. I send you few photos of Royal Caroline, a very dear friend from Zagreb/Croatia, Mile Bijelić built before several years. He won with this model his first gold-medal at the World championship 1998.
 
If you want to have more photos (I have several) in higher resolution, send me a PM please. Mile is right now building his 2nd Royal Caroline, he has just finished the decks and is moving to the planking.
Unfortunately he is not using computer at all so, I will try to take some photos next time I visit Zagreb and him.
 
Have fun!
Dražen

Other pics in a better resolution:

 
 
Best regards
Doris
 

Hello dear friends,
I am very honored and pleased reading your posts. Thank you a lot for you support.
 
Janos: Your work is admirable and very inspirational. I love your carvings, they are awesome.  I am looing forward to continuing your beautiful masterpiece.
Keep up the work.
 
Mark: Well, other two seamen boarded and immediately started to fire from the guns.
 
Vivian: I also browsed your thread (Red Dragon) and really enjoyed all the pics from process, especially the interior of cabins. I can say only WoW, you are really very skillful.
 
*****
These days I have started the work on plastic model IJN Yamato 1:350, but also continue with Royal Caroline.
There were added other small decoration on the top of front railings and I also created other crew members - they will fire salute from cannon...
Enjoy the pics ( some are in better resolution) and have a great time.
 




 
 
 

 

Dear friends,

your words mean a lot for me and I appreciate your praise and comments very much. I warmly thank you!
 
 
 
 
 
Well, on the model there will be about 15 crew members from the mid -18th century. The figure of Nelson could be possible only as a very young child, but I do not plan to create him for Royal Caroline. I only answered Sjors.
 
 
No problem, it is possible to purchase here:
LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN BECAUSE THIS SITE HAS SOME SERIOUS COPYRIGHT ISSUES>>><>THEY PIRATE EVERYTHING. 
 
 
 
Hello Robert,

I have an idea - some of my crew members could  visit your beautiful ship, maybe we will meet on the sea one day...
 
 
 
Maybe in the future, but for diorama I need larger space. Now I have only one room, where I keep all models protected against dust and air humidity.
 
 
 
300 figures of men - but not for my model. It would be mission impossible for me.   I am going to create only 15 figures for Royal Caroline.
 
 
 
Oh yes, dear Michael, the figures bring better imagination about real size of the ship and I also try to create more authentic clothes of the crew from 18th century.
 
************************
Here are some larger and actual pics of Royal Caroline:

 
Kind regards
Doris

Totally agree with you on this one Chris.Many of the models I build have internal decks but no accurate drawings exist for the layout.I try to calculate the serviceable area required for the armament and develop the interior around this.This not only applies to obstructions,but also to deck levels as several of the works by Van de Velde I use for reference do compromise feasability.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel