NMBROOK

Well, I have certainly been remiss in updating this!  Yes, the repairs were successful.  You may recall that I had a problem with the bulkhead former being less than flat/straight.
 

 
Based on the advice provided, I widened the holes that the supporting dowels passed through, as well as slightly thinning the dowels.  It isn't particularly attractive, but will be planked over fully so not visible.  Important thing is the repair worked.
 

 
Next step was to clamp the keel thingy between two pieces of steel for about 3 days (arbitraty - had to go on a business trip so let it sit for the duration)
 

 

 
After removing the clamps and metal, the former is nearly flat.
 

 
 
While I haven't gotten a great deal done, have not been totally idle.  In the above you can see the supports for the garboard plank have been installed and shaped.  In addition, #1 son has started to work on preparing the stern and quarter galleys for painting and installation. 
 

 

 

 
While he is working on that, I have been pondering the planking of this beastie and planning the approach. 
 
It appears that the first plank will be about at the level of the deck and follow it toward the stern, with a slight rise in the bow.
 

 
First plank piece has been bent to shape, now getting ready to cross check between sides and take the plunge of putting glue to wood.
 
Until next time,

Top masts and topgallant masts are completed.

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

The knightheads look fabulous in position mate   She is really starting to come 'alive' now
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I've been continuing with work on the bow end of the gun deck. Completed and installed are the fore jeer bitts and the fore topsail sheet bitts. These were made from boxwood strip with the sheaves "faked" in the same way that I did the bulwark sheaves ( two drilled holes with a scored line between them, blackened with a marker). I also made and installed the fore mast wedges. This was done with a single piece with the wedge lines marked in.
 
I then made up the base for the stove. This was done as discussed in the various recent posts. A metal base plate resting on wooden beams, set in a metal tray with a shallow lip. The parts were made of boxwood, with the beams left natural and the metal parts painted black. This was installed but the stove was stlll left off, although it's position, like that of the bitts , was determined by temporary fitting of the forecastle deck beams.
 
Lastly, I ran the anchor cable from the hawse holes back along the deck and around the riding bitts.With the exception of mounting the stove, this concluded the work under the forecastle deck. I am now working on the forecastle deck framing and will finish that before moving back along the gun deck.
 
By the way, I've noticed that some of the earlier posted photos in the log have now disappeared. Does anyone know how to retrieve them?
 
Bob
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks mate! I found a piece of wood I bought at the local hobby shop a while back and thought it could be lemon (I have a hard time to recognize wood). I gave it a go trying to make a sculpture, but it didn't work at all, so it must have been something else. It's pretty hard and good for details, but it turned out to break easily, so after a few hours work, the face broke off.
 
Ps. Weird, couple of posts have disappeared...
 
 
/Matti

Nigel,
 
Yes I did misunderstand. Thanks for the input input Well, for the four most rearward cannons, so be it. It seems as though, however, that I may not be the only Vasa kit builder with this dilemma irrespective of manufacturer.
 
So this issue is still to be resolved, and is a work in mental progress. I may opt for those smaller guns, and build small carriages. At this point I remain irritated, and may move on to an other area.
 
Also, when I look at photos of the 1/10th, that has some very long weather deck guns, It would seem to be a problem for them as well? As always thanks for your sage input.
 
Speaking of guns I finally received those four stern swivel guns that I had ordered. I may segue and install those in the interim. A nice part of this hobby; One can meander all over the place, exclusive of when it comes the time to rig. That needs to be specifically ordered.
 
 
Cheers,
 
Michael

Nigel,
 
Thanks for the clarification, and the information.  
 
I will follow your advice and assume 8mm as "enough scaled room". I will build two smaller carriages (oversizing them just a tad) and then position them at those last positions on each side of the weather deck, mounted with smaller cannons.
 
The larger guns just won't work, even with the Corel included smaller carriages. So a custom approach would have been needed in any case. The second pic. has an 8mm reference piece of wood.
 
As usual an always big thanks for your active visits, and suggestions to my build log, very kind of you.
 
Cheers,
 
Michael

Small update. I had lots of work this week, but had time to mount the knights.
 
First two reference pictures of the real ones:
 

 

 
And here are how mine turned out:
 

 

 
 
/Matti

Great work mate!!Very nice job on the planking,she will look fabulous when you apply the paint
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Hi All.. Photo as Promised are below..
 
Have Completed 1st Sanding Phase and discovered a small few 'Dips' in the planking, due it would seem to slight Inconsistencies in the 1mm thick planks, will have to watch out for this in future! tis no biggie though as I've plenty of Filler in reserve!!
2nd Sanding wont be happening until Sunday at best due to work, but it will give me occasion to examine those 'dips' more closely and open my Filler Warehouse..
The Gun Ports have been filed out a little accurately more but there is 1mm or so to go, I want to complete inner bulwark planking before finishing them properly. The First & Last Ports are to be cut to the Cap Rail too.
I have Angled Files coming in the post as we speak and hopefully they will arrive just before my timber order for the deck (I need to file down the Bulkhead Spurs which I removed a few days ago before addressing the deck.. have to get the Order of things sorted too re Spirketting, edge of Deck Planks, Painting etc. before going too far)
 
BTW Contrary to appearance in photos the hull is exceeding smooth, even at this stage.. Honestly !!     :mellow:  
 
OK Photo Time..
 
Sail 'er Easy Folks..
 
Eamonn
 

Hi Michael
 
The cannons only need to come back far enough to provide workroom for the gun crew.The end of the rammer would have been poked out the gunport then fed into the cannon.I think if you can get the 'room' to two feet or around 8mm in your scale that would be feasable.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I took the gratings out before painting/coating the decks. The cross parts are not beveled as they shall be (also not on the frame where they lay), but this is hidden/not seen on the model - so I did not make it.
 
Dražen
 

Just few pictures what I did in last days
 
Dražen

Now the ship is on its "legs"

Just placed the order for the Maple in a few different widths.. hopefully it will be here before I need it this time..     :mellow:  
 
Still a bit more to do before I get to the decking stage so fingers crossed..
 
Next up:
 
Much Sanding!! and maybe a little filling where it will be painted.. Oh and some Photos too, can't forget them
 
Bye For Now
 
Eamonn

Dear friends,
thank you very much for your support and kind comments, that´s a great pleasure for me.

I will make every effort to make you liked the "crew in action".

Few days ago I have started modelling first two men - a lieutenant and a young sailor, who will work with a tackle on the right side of cannon. Now they are ready on the board. Soon I will make other sailors and add tackles at cannons.
Enjoy the pics:

On the board:

Have you been looking at those Russian/Ukranian builds with contrasting planking either side of the hatches?         You will just have to try and do a 'mock up' and see how it looks The thin stuff is ok,but I use thick cyano for that with one of those superfine nozzles.Glue seeping out is a problem and it takes some practice not to glue yourself to the deck      
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Thanks Nigel for that, I was a bit 'anxious' over the 0.5 mm part of the deck work for the reasons you mentioned as I'm not the neatest builder and my work can require a 'clean-up' sanding!!
 
I think I'll order some more Maple from CMB later (I still have some wider pieces left and I kinda have a hankering to do the Middle 2 Planks at 6mm instead of 4mm, I also have some Beech in the 6mm & 4mm thickness which could give a nice contrast on the deck if put in the right place, say 1/3rd out from the Centre boards .. not set in stone, just an idea to play with!  )
 
Thanks again Nigel
 
Eamonn

Thanks for the "likes" and gentle commentary everyone.
 
 
I haven't done it before either, Denis.  
 
 
Rob,
I hit it with 2 coats of wipe on poly. Heavy coats at that.  Then I put on 2 coats of furniture polish.  On my test piece, nothing stuck to it.
 
 
It's a pity there's no dado blades (I double checked the Thurston catalog), or the washers for the Byrnes saw.  You do a fantastic job of it, Danny.   
 
Well, after almost a week of sorting out this mold and testing poly and wax for glue rejection, and I won't even get into water supply issues and spring yard work,  the mold is ready.
 
It's been treated as I told Rob (up above) and glued to the base.  I have some, but not enough, cherry soaking to make the frames.  I'm headed off across the room to cut some from strips.... hopefully, tomorrow I can start actually building the longboat.
 

 

The mold is almost done.   I cut out the lifts and glued them together then sanded and shaped and sanded some more.  I'm in the process of cutting in the slots for the stem, keel, and stempost.
 
The first figure shows how I jigged up a sled on the saw and cut the slot using a 1/16" dado washer.  MM doesn't do dado blades, you add an appropriate washer next to blade and since the washer is cut on an angle, the blade is angled and cuts a slot.    The rest of the pictures show the mold with the slots cut and being cleaned up.  There's still more work on the mold before I start laying the frames.
 
It's a fun but nerve-wracking process (to me at least) as I'm in unknown territory here. 
 



 
 

Hi Mate
Yes sounds like lime to me with the 'fingernail' test  .Personally I would go for 4 x 1mm planking.The really thin stuff can get curly when you apply wood glue.The extra 0.5mm allows a bit for sanding,with 0.5mm planks one speck of hard glue or muck can result in sanding through when you are finishing the deck.4mm width is definitely ok at your scale giving a 10 in plank
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

I received shipment of the Le Renommee kit directly from the Italian  manufacturer EuroModel in quick fashion......actually took only a couple days to reach my hometown. A glitch with the local couriers delayed things a few more days (partly because of a weekend) but I can now present the contents to anyone interested. I hope to start construction and a log as soon as my WVH (by Corel) is done....(I've made solemn vows with her).
   While costly, the EuroModel kit is superb with respect to the quality of components and the plans are detailed and comprehensive. A major effort is underway by the manufacturer  to lessen the burden with the language barrier and provide direct  translations of ship related terminology. Also, "interpretive files" and references for the various ships available thru Euromodel are available at the website. I hope to mimic the achievements of one particular build represented in the customer galleries, also found at the website...just like any kit or scratchbuild, the effort and time invested is generally revealed later when viewed by those who express some interest.th
   Images with comments to follow.....
 
 
A safe and secure package
No lack of plans here!
 

Blank piece of Boxwood cut out for figurehead.
 

 
Carved Eagle`s head for figurehead.