NMBROOK

Thank you Kester
No plans to dive in on the model at the minute as I am attempting to progress a little more with Mordaunt.I will use the time to consider possible plans of action,but do know for certain that it will need stripping back to a skeleton.The hull was sheeted/planked and decks fitted and that was about it really.The pictures will explain better this weekend .
Other than the lion figurehead,no plastic ornaments were supplied.The builder was expected to carve these from the printed Obechi sheet.
I had every intention to go and watch the Tour de France in person,but common sense prevailed.Leaving home at five am to get a semi good position to see the peleton go past for several minutes put me off.Got a much better view on the Eurosport channel  
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Thanks B.E. ,some great pics and one great model.I notice you added the roundhouses,corrected the shape of the tops and rigged her in keeping with the correct period.I am wondering whether the shape of the bow in the kit is a little too pointed and needs to be more bluff,inline with other vessels of the period?
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Just some pics of the plans and instructions included with the model.Note date on drawing,not quite as old as me,but older than my wife   .The instructions actually include more information than some of the current ones from Billings!I will take pics of the model at the weekend as I have several bags of loose items to wade through.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Fabulous Alexander    A truly beautiful piece of carving!You must have taken extreme care to avoid anything breaking off,particularly the claws that run against the grain.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

Update - I thought it would be a good time to build the bell tower. It`s simply 3 metal pieces glued together with the bell. I also added a rope for the clapper.
 

 

 
The side entry was next to build. after opening some of the recessed areas the sides & floor were painted black with gold trim. I had some L shaped timber from a previous build which I cut to length & chamfered the ends to make the steps. After those were glued in place I fitted the roof & turned some support posts from 2mm timber & glued in place. Finally ,2 floor supports were shaped & glued in place under the floor.
 

 

 

 
Mark 
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Patrick _ Thanks I do, in fact, have those plans AND never saw the fid there either. Nice bit of detailing on the part of Billings.
=========================
Mizenmast bits have all been put together. Some general pics….
 
A few personal quibbles;
 
Lower cap is too close to platform and prob. a bit too big,
 
Flag mast is too thick. hmmm
 
Will now attach upper mast shrouds to deadeyes and do ratlines as well before attaching mast to deck. Will add some of those bracing pins as noted in photo.
 
And, as always, thanks for the likes, helpful advice and just dropping by – always so appreciated.
 
Cheers,

Hey Michael
 
Nicely done as always
 
Here you have a picture of the other side
Taken in the museum.

 

Take a look at the Wasa plans from Billings.
Who also use a "fid"
 
BB490 Wasa_Instruction-2-min.pdf
 
Groetjes
Greetings
Patrick

Peter,
 
What's that song with --"Open your eyes"??
 
I've had that photo in my files and never "saw" the fid staring at me right in the middle of the photo. Looked at the photo for help with the platforms and totally ignored the masts - Gee whizz--But thanks so much for your guidance. much appreciated indeed. Now I will also add a fid to the main (:-)
 
Cheers,

 
Making some progress
 

 
 
 
 

Peter,
 
Thanks so much for your answer - super helpful - now I understand more (:-)
 
And thanks for your so kind words. The tops were a bit of a challenge, I'm comfortable with how they came out. 
 
Regarding your post - This is what I understood you to say. Hope that I got it right?
 

 
 

Hi Mates,
 
I NEED some advice, before I attach the two mizzenmast shafts together, I don’t know what should be the correct mounting?
 
Pic 1)
 
Lower main then attaches its mid shaft with the correct clamp and pins, along with the center pulley that will have a rope run through it – then attached to the lower cap on each side. This I understand – in case of a need to lower that mast.
 

 
Pics 2 & 3)
 
But – here is my confusion – for the mizzenmast I also added the metal brace and pins.
SO should the mid shaft of the mizzen be attached permanently to its lower mast with those two pins? (Excuse my lack of correct vocabulary)
 
Are those two pins correct?
 
As always thanks for the posts, and for the likes.
Thanks in advance for your advice for this bit.
 
Cheers,
 

Hi Mates,
 
Took some time, and now getting back to the yard. Here is a minor update (as mine seem to always be) so still working on the mizenmast putting the bits together;
 
••Fiddle blocks for mainstays (amazing how long these small bits actually take to put together) – nothing new here you have all certainly thought the same thing working on your builds—
 
••Lower cap along with its release clasp metal bits- done
 
••Completed the lower platform
 
••Finished the lower mast as well
 
So now - onto installing everything Hmmm….
 
PS: those two locking pins will be cut to proper size (:-)
 
Cheers
 

 
 
 
 
 

E.J, thanks glad to be helpful. It's nice that we all learn from each other (:-)
 
Buck, Don't know the bit size (all Greek to me). I just "eyeballed" it. (as I do all of them) hmmm
 
That said I really need to give a 5 Star review to the Proxxon Rotary tool AND I't Flex shaft. This shaft is SO precise. It accepts the absolute smallest of drill bits and rotates perfectly in line. Absolutely no wobbling whatsoever - bearings are absolutely precise. Love this combination tool, super dependable doing this kind of detailing.
 
PS: last photo is the supplied Corel platform along with its metal trim ring. FYI
 
==========================
 
Heading out-of-town for an anniversary celebration with my 19 year old girlfriend from 43 years ago xo
 
Cheers Mates
 

 
 

Hi Mates,
 
A little more work on the mizzen lower platform. Self-explanatory so keeping text to a minimum.  As always thanks for the likes.
 
Michael
 

 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for all of the kind words, very much appreciated.
 
Mizzenmast continued;
 
Getting used to the Proxxon – used it to open a slot within the mast for the single needed sheave
 

 
Added some lateral wood bits to shape the platform braces.
 

 
Now time for the pulley, glued together two pieces of wood. Rounded the wood by spinning it on a rotary tool, and using a Dremel sanding drum in counter rotation. Neat trick that I learned from another builder (though he was using this to make carriage wheels).
 
Lastly used a routing bit to add the groove, as the now rounded wood was spinning. The routing bit needs to be held very stiffly because it wants to wander sideways, which would destroy the groove edge. Took two attempts to get this one right. 

 
Put the mast aside for now, and working on the platform base. First photo is of the three lower mast platforms, along with their relative size differences. 
 
The foremast platform is not configured quite right, but I built it before I discovered the reference that I used for the main, and now for the mizen platform. These also take a bit of time, as they end up with many tiny parts that need to be fashioned.
 

 
There must be an easier way of making the rings? If anyone has an easier procedure I’m up for it ---
 

 
 
Cheers,
 
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Small update. Now working on the mizen mast installation, or should I say –re-working that area again.
 
Turns out that the framing I had installed (quite a while ago) was incorrect, and the mast (per Corel) was too thin;
 

 
so reconfiguring was needed.
 

 
Made a new mast deck framing more with the shape of the 1/10th. Not sure about that center darker piece (don’t know what I was thinking). Also edging trim details were not added, but its an improvement.
 

 
More noticeable Corel errors that I did not know about when I first started this build, and when I was mostly building “out of the box” referring to Corel’s plan sheets
 

 
Will update as this moves forward (lower mast and platform)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Dave, thanks indeed. One of these days I may get to your level with interior lighting.
 
Martyn, JanV is right. This has been discussed with we Vasa nut cases. And yes that new DAgostini looks to be excellent. Even the canon artillery is correct.  Though it is a very big model. In a way I’m relieved that it will not be available in the USA, I would be too tempted. Too few here probably know much about the ship. This, of course, is not the case in Europe. The vasa Museum is one of the most popular in Europe. So for modelers the Vasa is a well known ship.
 
E.J, This is only my second model ship. The first one was soooo many years ago. Did some other hobbies (plastic) in between, but always wanted to get back to wood. Here is one that fell through the cracks. Needs to be completed. Hmmm.
 

 
Back to wood -pitting aside the falconets for a bit after redoing the vertical frames and instead starting the mizzenmast and its platform.
 
 
Thanks, mates for your continued interest
 
Cheers,
 

 
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for dropping by -always;
 
EJ_L  Yes, my thoughts as well – but needed to make the changes. They would have indeed bugged me J
 
Edwin-  always a pleasure when you drop by and comment –thanks !
 
Buck, see my notes below regarding wheel sizes as well as carriage framing. Thanks so much for your thoughts.
 
Mark, see last pic lol
 
JanV, yes a bit of a headache trying to add arguably a bit too much detail. But I am mostly enjoying the challenges.
 
Dave & Patrick Thanks for your suggestions and photos.  Good idea on the angling. Dave point well taken indeed,,,
 
Some thoughts –strictly for edification, not as complaints.
 
Mentioned before; Vasa was mounted with many diff. size artillery. I chose the two that are circled as my guides for the main weather deck, and the two falconets for the quarterdeck. Chose to replicate the looks of the carriages and their wheel sizes.
 
Even so the actual artilleries are all wrong. (Casting is way above my skill set – forever!!) So after-market examples were good enough; actually very nice indeed. Huge improvement over Corel included examples (as with most kits)
 
Note Clayton Johnson’s amazing work in these two photos.
 

 
In regard to carriage spacing, note the actual carriage length beyond back of cannon. I had originally built all carriages in this correct way, but subsequently realized that I needed to trim the entire overhang away in order to have the carriages fit more properly onto the too narrow weather deck. Again Corel!!.
 

 
Main deck (no forecastle) seems better scaled. Though I still needed to cut carriage overhangs. Also - I know that I need to re-paint my knighthead figures (PS; weak quality castings)

 
For the dummy carriages in the upper and lower gun decks, well that was a gift ha ha.

 
So working on the fix for the quarterdeck falconets. Smaller blocks are the first step, scaling also looks better.

Chuck and his Syren Comp.  We are very good acquaintances. In fact all rigging are also from his company, excellent quality products indeed; well deserved plug Chuck…

 
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
A rather frustrating bit here with these falconets. First, as has been discussed Corel’s deck is too narrow. So carriages tend to be too close to each other in any case.
 
OK then the double blocks that I am using, as I had thought earlier, are a bit too large.
 
When laced with carriage single blocks they run into each other.
 
Then pulled the carriages away from the hull sides a bit, but as you can see they are (the carriages) way too close to each other now.
 
Then ha ha  I also realized that the blocks and tackles were way too close to the cannons on each side.
 
After looking at the other installations, realized that cannon vertical framings are double pieces, allowing for the blocks to mount a bit away from the carriages (pic 4)
 
Well as you can see in last photo – time for a fix again.
 
Cheers as always,
 

 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for the “likes” much appreciated, as well as for your visiting this shipyard. 
 
Finished up the falconets. Install will be easy compared to the busy work that these little pieces required, but I am pleased with the results. Pics are self-explanatory so keeping this brief.
 
PS: I simulated the axle braces and the metal framings attaching cleats by using a small drill bit and barely indenting those surfaces. The illusion works well enough to look as if these parts are in fact properly attached to the carriages, I think J
 
The washers that became wheel caps were sourced from a model railroad hobby company. The washers are a bit too large, but I did not want to increase the size of the wheels. Close enough hmmm.
 
Cheers,

 
 
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Minor update, continuing work on the quarterdeck falconets; put together the needed block and tackles. Though I fear that the double blocks may be a size too big – not sure.
 
Ferit, as you can see I added your front framing (thanks for the tip).
 
Used small basswood strips, added a bit of a curve, painted and attached to carriage sides as axle and wheel supports.
 
I’ll post next after these two are installed.
 
Cheers,
 

Thanks Frank - yes,plenty of room on this deck. Here is a little better picture -
 

 
Mark

Another update - all the cannons with carriages are now in place & rigged. Very fiddly work - the blocks are only 2.5mm long & difficult to work with. Also the curved ladders are now in place & a curved handrail added up to the upper quarter deck breast rail.
 

 

 

 

 
Mark

Another small update - made up the skid beams for the ship`s boat using 2x2 & 2x3mm lumber,& added gussets at the corners,& glued in place.
After that I drilled & filed the holes in the catheads & glued them in place. Still waiting for some small blocks to arrive so I can get the rest of the guns in place on those upper decks.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Mark

Hi all - another update. Figured I may as well do the curved stairs. First thing I did was cut the steps from some 3x5mm strip.
 

 
Then I glued them up into a curve.
 

 
Then I added a landing at the top plus one more step. I made the hand rail stanchions by putting a round wood toothpick in my Dremel & cut some grooves with a file. After staining & gluing in place,I formed the handrail with my plank bender & glued them in place.
 

 
This last picture shows the curved stairs in place. They are not glued down yet - the quarter deck guns need to be mounted first as access will be limited after the stairs are permanently in place.
 

 
As always,thanks for looking in. Also the hand rail will be finished after the stairs are permanently in place.
 
 
Mark

Another update - upper quarter deck breast rail completed. first I cut 11 3X3X5MM posts for the rail. They were then glued onto a 3mm wide strip - spaced 6mm apart according to the plans. I happened to have a 6mm wide half round file which I used to create the arches,then a 2x4mm strip was bent to the curve of the deck camber & glued on top of the arches. Then the assembly was glued to the deck. I may work on the curved staircases next - have to think a while on those.
 

 

 

 
Mark