dafi

The mail carrier was good to me this week (as I sprinted to the mailbox ahead of my wife😱). I’m still far off from serving shrouds but I’m glad to have my Serv-O-Matic at my disposal. The rigging book will be a great complement to the other books I have already. I love the fact that it’s almost entirely pictorial 😁👍

I managed to snag this near-perfect used copy from eBay at half the price of new.

Installed port-side bowsprit shrouds earlier this week. Turned out ‘ok’ but taming the fuzzies while manipulating the lanyards through the hearts and keeping them neatly aligned was a challenge. As always, lanyard and shroud ropes were pulled through beeswax. I noted the beeswax was very visible and clumpy so I tried the trick of running the coated thread over a light bulb to seal the wax. Even a 40W bulb generates quite a bit of surface heat! Seemed to work reasonably well but not consistently as is evident in the foremost lanyard. I’m wondering if my beeswax needs to be ‘reconstituted’ or something by warming it. Any tips or hints would be appreciated. I am doing my build in the lower level of our house so it’s inherently cooler. You may have noticed I dispensed with thimbles on the hooks (I currently don't have any) and just realised I didn’t twist the hooks at a right angle to the the eye - should I have?  Still trying to achieve a good and repeatable seizing & serving technique. Next up, starboard-side shrouds and bobstays.

Just a small warning for those who follow the sequences of my build: Please remember to put the shrouds before putting up the stays! My stays are up for test purposes, I will still have to reopen the lanyards take the stays off, fit pendents and shrouds and then finally reset the says and its lanyards 🙂
 
All the best, DAniel

Post One Hundred and Fifty- eight.
 
Building the 32’ Pinnace (Part One)
This is the one boat example that I may include on the skids of my Indy.
I think the Pinnace is the nicest looking boat type and my go to for display on a ship.
 
I have built an example of every boat type in the Vanguard range, and my detailed logs are elsewhere on MSW, most recently on my Sphinx log.
 
My approach in building the Pinnace will be as previously recorded, so I’ll include less detail with this log. 
There are a few areas of approach to building these bijou boats that may be of use to others.
 
Setting up the frames.
These are delicate parts and I like to protect the framing, and I add support pieces to protect the bow and stern.

3981
These slotted strips protect the very delicate stem by avoiding the risk of flex when fitting the first strakes.

3979
At the stern the transom is secured square.

3982
This is a weak part and support boards are added to reduce any risk of flex during fairing or attaching the planking strakes.
 
The planking strips are nominally 2mm x 0.8mm and as I found with the Sphinx Pinnace, they have very little excess in length to accommodate edge bending which applies very near the bow end.

3984
Both lateral and edge bending and also a degree of taper is required to maintain the flow of planking. These features were applied once the first plank had been installed.

3988
The first four planks fit into the stem rabbet, followed by the addition of the Garboard plank. For the Garboard I used a wider 3mm strip.

3993
Planking continues to completion.
The final spiled plank that sits below the round of the hull is traced onto Tamiya tape and cut out of the 0.8mm Pear fret.

3998

3999
Three days’ work and the planking is completed, albeit still in a rough state.
This will be cleaned up before moving onto the next stage.
 
B.E.
16/03/2024

Post One Hundred and Fifty- seven
 
Mast Making.
Starting with the Mainmast:-
For the reduced height masts I firstly need to work out the relative positions of the wooldings, iron bands, and the point where the side cheeks and front fish terminate.

3967
I replaced the Pear laser cut cheeks and fish with Boxwood versions to better match the Ramin masts.
 
The iron bands need to be fitted before the cheeks are put into place. With a 12mm ø mast my go to use of heat shrink tubing will not work, so it’s back to thin strips of black card.
 
Once the cheeks are fitted the remaining iron bands need to be applied, they sit beneath the Front fish. I work the bands so that the join will also be beneath the Fish.

3970
The Fish is then fitted

3972

3973

3974

3976

3977
The saddle for the Driver Boom was also replaced with a Boxwood version.

3978

3971
The woolding remains to be done, but I am out of the correct line sizes.
 
B.E.
12/03/2024
 

Actually, no. I used the AotS Diana for those, coupled with James Lees The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War 1625-1860. No Victory references were used at all for Indy.

Ah, but where did they get them from😉
B.E.

Post One Hundred and Fifty- six
 
Bits and pieces 
From this point on the comforting crutch of the glossy manual has ended.
There are many small fittings to add and in this session I will mainly be referring to Plans 5 and 9.
 
Working from in to out there is brass wire(0.8mmø) to be inserted thro the faces of the skid beams across the waist (plan5)- shown as belay pins on (Plan 9).

3955
The arrangement seems to have been taken from that of the Victory where one rigging source indicates that the triple aft three relate to the belay of the Staysail sheets and those on the second from forward beam for the Main Topmast Stunsail downhauls.
 
Fortunately for me this has no practical application.

3946
The inner guide rope stanchions (PE59) are fitted along the waist gangboards followed by a wooden rail (2X1mm Pear) atop the inner hammock crane arms, the fit into the brass etched crutches is perfect.
 
I have diverted from the plan by adding iron stanchions between the timberheads around the Fo’csle.

3953
Not provided in the kit I used spare items from the Sphinx kit- a slightly shorter stanchion.
It seemed reasonable to me that given the low height of the rails, stanchions would have been fitted.
 
The kit provides etched versions of the belay pins, they are a mere 8mm in length, and barely 0.8mm in width, but still have a visible shape, and I think they look quite good at the scale.

3947

3956
Blackened to give them some tooth and painted a bare wood colour I added a few to the pin rails for effect.

3949
There are quite a few eyebolts to add along the channels together with the iron work for the Main studding booms.
 
I dare say I will find other little additions as I continue to re-check the plans but for now I am moving onto dressing the stump masts.
 
B.E.
10/03/2024

Thankyou Yves, the drawings in the AoTS Bellona provide a good guide, and the given anchor dimensions for a Seventy-four are taken from Steele.
If your anchors match the scale the arrangement looks ok to my eye, at least on paper.
 
'Indy' is more problematic, ideally the anchor arm should  fit between the first and second deadeyes, to bring it as close to the hull as possible, but there is no room. This accords with the Adm plan.
The aft bower is easier as it will fit as per the Bellona drawing.
 
Victory had a  different arrangement.

1834
Here, Billboards and linings are dispensed with and the anchor fluke sits  in a heavy shoe.
How they manipulated that 81cwt  lump of iron into position without marring that pristine paintwork I can only wonder at.🤔
These of course are replicas.
 
B.E.

Thank you Bug, glad to see work has restarted on your Pegasus.👍
 
Post One Hundred and Fifty- five
 
I continued to fit the Port side billboards and linings.

3939

3936

3937
I think I have made a better job of the Port side, so off came the starboard side for a re-fit.

3941
Starboard side re-done, happier now.

3942
I have also taken the opportunity to replace the bow port lid and add double lifting lanyards.

3852
Small sections of telephone wire sleeving are used to represent  the port lanyard tubes, but they did need drilling through to take the 0.30mm line which was stiffened with ca for the purpose.

3932
Another small job is to add the rudder chains. I used some Caldercraft Brass chain, 18 links /per inch.
I will get around to trimming them at some point.
 
B.E.
08/03/2024
 
 

Post One Hundred and Fifty- four
This post follows on from Post 152 having a close relationship to anchors.
 
One of the reasons I made up the anchors is that I have also been thinking about anchor linings and billboards.
These do not feature with the kit and do not tend to appear on contemporary plans.

Many contemporary models show them, as on Amazon above. 
They were an important feature on ships of the period to protect the hull from the anchor flukes.

Chuck’s Winnie
My go to reference, here you can see the lining running over the wale.

7396
I added billboards to my Sphinx build as above.

3906
Having an anchor made up is useful in that the arc made by the anchor as it is swung horizontal from the cathead for securing, determines the position of the lining and billboards.
 
In considering Bolsters and Billboards for Indy I am hamstrung by the absence of specific sizes of timber to use. With Sphinx it was relatively easy having the TFFM book to refer to.
I know where these fittings were placed so it is basically down to what looks good to my eye.
 
I firstly made the Bolsters using some Boxwood square stock of 2.75mm. This was topped by some 3.5 x 0.7mm  boxwood strip.

3910
The length of the bolster worked out at 26mm. 
Notches were cut out of the back side to fit over the first two preventer plates of the Fore channels and a slight curve was induced to match the curve of the bow.
The bolster was fixed to the Black strake only with pins.
 

3913
With the bolsters  in place the Billboards can be made. For this I use some 1mm Boxwood scrap inscribed with 3mm wide boards which reflect the topsides planking.
 
The Linings

3914
These cover the main wale in the case of Indy and scribe an arc at the fore end that follows that of the anchor swing.
I settled on using some 0.6mm Pearwood scrap which suits my eye.
 

3917
3919

3929
In fixing the linings  I have used double sided tape. This gives me the option of easy removal if I decide I don’t like them, and the jury is still out on that.
 
Altho’ I’m not fitting the anchors I don’t think it will be an easy fit to get the bowers to look right.

3923

3924
If the bill is to rest on the Fore channel there is little room between the deadeyes.

3930
A possible fixing with the arm atop the fore end of the channel secured with shank painters around the timberheads.
 
I will be interested to see how others tackle the anchor rigging.🤔
 
 
B.E.
07/03/2024

Hello William,
 
congratulations for your persistence and the want to learn!

If this is the mizzen mast the Slice is right, if this is the main or fore mast then the pendants should be looped over the masthead in a pair like the shrouds do. Here a cutout from Peterssen.

 
As for the blocks, McKay apparently omitted them - as it was for many years on the V. in P. Steel is using Single 24 Inch for main and fore (15 and 36 in AOTS and the spreadsheet that I did send), and 11 inch for the mizzen. Also for Runner and fall that are hooked in there Steel uses normal single and double blocks, as for most of the literature there are long takle blocks mentionend.
 
For your build there is a sprue in the standing rigging section called "Pendants of Tackles" 015-036with enough good blocks of the said size. Also the 11 inch for the mizzen and topmasts can be found there 🙂
I added a PDF with an overview which blocks to be found on what sprue, hope it helps.
 
I did some more crosschecking on the matter of blocks and added some more blocks to fit for different rigging sources. All those that already did purchase blocks, there will be a new version of the spreadsheet and free "extension set" coming soon 🙂
 
XXXDAn
Layouts Blockversand V3.pdf

Hello William,
 
congratulations for your persistence and the want to learn!

If this is the mizzen mast the Slice is right, if this is the main or fore mast then the pendants should be looped over the masthead in a pair like the shrouds do. Here a cutout from Peterssen.

 
As for the blocks, McKay apparently omitted them - as it was for many years on the V. in P. Steel is using Single 24 Inch for main and fore (15 and 36 in AOTS and the spreadsheet that I did send), and 11 inch for the mizzen. Also for Runner and fall that are hooked in there Steel uses normal single and double blocks, as for most of the literature there are long takle blocks mentionend.
 
For your build there is a sprue in the standing rigging section called "Pendants of Tackles" 015-036with enough good blocks of the said size. Also the 11 inch for the mizzen and topmasts can be found there 🙂
I added a PDF with an overview which blocks to be found on what sprue, hope it helps.
 
I did some more crosschecking on the matter of blocks and added some more blocks to fit for different rigging sources. All those that already did purchase blocks, there will be a new version of the spreadsheet and free "extension set" coming soon 🙂
 
XXXDAn
Layouts Blockversand V3.pdf

Laniard imho ok, but see my scribble for the rest. The joint of the ropes is hidden underneath the seizing.
 
XXXDAn

Thank you druxey for your confimation. Very appreciated!
 
A little project in between, the Vic's fire buckets on the railing of the cabin deck.





And since the good pieces are made of leather and not metal, I gave them a little deformation as a little dafinistic touch.



XXXDAn

Yes, dafi knows how to do it, dafi hasn't forgotten anything ...

...

...

... the wrecking ball!





What happened again?

I always say it, my biggest problem is getting the big exhibit in P. out of my head.

For almost 20 years now, I've been looking forward to those great special shoulder and quarter blocks that I discovered back then back there, building them exactly according to McKay and Bugler's plans and, in my exuberance, not even realizing that they are much rounder in the classic literature ...

Thank goodness there are some people in my german pack and also here in the MSW who are not so obsessed and have a keen eagle eye and have pointed this out to me. Thank you!

So I made new rounder blocks. I used this too to do some more research, as I was slightly irritated at the first pass when I noticed that these blocks on the foremast lower mast and topsail are all the same size, just like on the main mast lower mast and topsail. Thanks to you @druxey for reassuring me in theses sizes and confirming this on the basis of Steel's information.

At this point, in response to a few questions, I would like to repeat the painting method: first, using an old disheveled brush, two layers of very thin paint in a darker brown, which is the base color. The thin paint makes it easy to get to the sides without pasting over the holes.



The highlighting color in a lighter brown, applied with a dry brush, is applied on top. This emphasizes the edges and the depths remain slightly darker, which gives optical depth. And the deliberately uneven application of color keeps the whole thing alive and no longer looks like plastic.



Then the grand finale: as the new round blocks are the same size as the old square ones, simply press the new ones back into the strop from the side and you're done.



The same with the sheet quarter blocks, before - after http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif





You see dafi still can do it http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif

XXXDAn


PS: All those of you that already got a delivery of blocks will get a free upgade of the blocks in question http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif

Do not worry - looking great!
 
XXXDAn

Do not worry - looking great!
 
XXXDAn

Verdict on using the acrylic is “bulky”.  Same number of applications.  Tinted glue did the same job with a smaller diameter result. (Bottom with hook)

 

Just a small warning: Before the main- and forestay can be set, do not forget to put up the shrouds!
 
XXXDAn

"Oh Victory!, Victory!, how you distract my poor brain."
Those were some of the last words spoken by Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson on the 21st of October, 1805. Mortally wounded, Nelson lay below deck in the surgeon’s quarters while the battle raged above. 
Whether the good admiral was expressing anxious anticipation of a British victory or, he was reflecting on his flagship each time the mighty ship shook to the roar of her guns, his words echo in my head every day. But it's the myriad lines/ropes and their associated blocks, hearts, deadeyes, thimbles, eyes and hooks that need to be ‘seized’, ‘served’, 'sized', ‘spliced’, ‘stropped’, ‘lashed’, ‘wormed’, ‘parceled’, ‘gammoned’, ‘snaked’ and ‘frapped’ that are "distracting MY poor brain". But I wouldn't have it any other way! 😃In my never ending quest to render words into pictures here's my 'simplified' (hardly) take on the bowsprit standing rigging. The first picture is a sort of consolidated view focusing on the lines/ropes that 'reeve' through the Dolphin Striker, the outer ends of which terminate elsewhere on the bowsprit/jib boom/flying jib boom. The other two pictures are my take on how those lines are routed and eventually 'purchase' on the knighthead. I still have plenty of research/questions to go but please fire away with any suggestions, comments, corrections, etc. 👍 Knighthead Purchases:

Post One Hundred and Fifty-two
 
Anchors 
As a change of scene, I thought I would make up a couple of the anchors.
The kit includes the four main bower anchors, if the smaller stream and kedge anchors are required they are easily obtained using aftermarket suppliers.
 
The kit provided anchors have a scale shank length of 77mm (16’ 2”) which equates to a weight of 43cwt
This weight falls between the allocated anchor weights for 38-50-gun ships.
The outer diameter of the ring is 29” which scales to 11.5mm.
The thickness of the ring scales to 1.4mm.
A 64-gun ship had 4 bowers at 57cwt plus stream at 15cwt and a kedge of 7cwt 2qrts.
 
The kit anchors are 3d printed and very finely sculpted. All the subtle features are moulded into the shank and arms.
I think the day of the white metal anchor is coming to a close.
As with all resin stuff the parts need washing and priming.
 
The stocks are pre-cut from Pearwood and are faced with a thinner veneer that contains the Trenails correctly positioned and with engraved markings for the iron retaining bands.

3831
The only modification I felt necessary was to taper the arms thickness a little from outside the central area towards the outer ends.
This reflects a more authentic shape.
 
Once primed, I used Vallejo black/grey, followed by dark brown /rust weathering powders.

3824
The anchors on the left have had the weathering treatment, those on the right as painted.

3830
Brass wire of 1.4mm ø was used to make the rings which have an outside ø of 11.5mm.

3835
The ends of the rings were reduced in size to fit the shank and chemically blackened to give a little tooth for the puddening.
 
The stock halves have mortises cut into the inner sides to fit against the shank. There should be a gap between them but I thought it a tad too large so I deepened the mortice somewhat.
Glued together the facings are then added.

3834
Those familiar with my stuff know that I favour heat shrink rubber tubing to represent iron hoops.
 
The final part is to add the puddening to the anchor ring.
I used Syren 0.45mm ø and Morope 0.1mm stuff for the seizings.

3838
In applying the puddening unless you glue the ring in place it needs to be held steady. As I work around the ring I apply pva to help keep it in place.

3842

3847
 

3849
Capt. Pellew is dwarfed by Indy’s anchors.
 
I won’t be fitting or rigging the anchors but as far as I can see there is no reference to this in either manual or plans, so other sources will have to be found; fortunately there are many available.
 
 
B.E.
02/03/2024

Post One Hundred and fifty-one
 
All things brass
A few days taken up with the fitting of deck eyebolts, stanchions, and hammock cranes.
3810
These items are beautifully crafted by Chris particularly the waist cranes with integral retaining hooks and eyes.
 
Cranes also line the Qtr deck bulwark and are placed atop the Qtr deck breast rail.
Before removal from the fret I clean with fine steel wool which aids the subsequent blackening process.

3813
Once removed the Qtr deck cranes needed careful cleaning up to remove all traces of the fret nubs and are then trial fitted to reduce handling later.
They are given an acid bath, followed by the blackening procedure.

3818

3819

3814
I use 0.5mm ø brass tubing to maintain the line whilst progressively fitting the waist cranes.

3815

3816

3817

3823
I did notice that cranes or stanchions are not provided for the Fo’csle rails between the timberheads. 
Should there be, I don’t know. 🤔
Victory was equipped with cranes, and the Sphinx model has stanchions around the Fo’csle.

The contemporary model of Amazon (32) 1773 had stanchions around the Fo’csle between the timberheads.
 
I am inclined to think that 'Indy' may have had them for safety on the exposed Foc’sle, particularly as we know these razees were prone greater rolling.
 
I’ll have a ferret thro’ my spares box and see how they look.
 
 
B.E.
29/02/2024

Just a small warning for those who follow the sequences of my build: Please remember to put the shrouds before putting up the stays! My stays are up for test purposes, I will still have to reopen the lanyards take the stays off, fit pendents and shrouds and then finally reset the says and its lanyards 🙂
 
All the best, DAniel

Just a small warning for those who follow the sequences of my build: Please remember to put the shrouds before putting up the stays! My stays are up for test purposes, I will still have to reopen the lanyards take the stays off, fit pendents and shrouds and then finally reset the says and its lanyards 🙂
 
All the best, DAniel