Mike French

Mike If you are interested there is a complete build of the Unicorn on YouTube Here is the linkhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hTzsjrzMeM 

I think this works  Mike

Hi Dan I have been using the index a few times the last week and found it great. Went to use it today and it opens as an XLS file and not adobe When I try to open one of the sites it says it cant find it. This is showing up in XLS . Before it came up as an adobe file which worked. I have checked my computer for adobe updates but everything is ok. Any ideas or is it me?🤔 

Thanks Mike I have the masts in now and most of the deck furniture. The head timbers when first done was pretty ordinary so I wrecked it and started again More to the design of Chapmans drawing I think it is a lot better now. I am about to put in the Bowsprit but will study the angle a bit more . The cross trees and mast tops pulled after I had glued them and have become slightly lopsided Not much I can do unless I wreck them and start again . But I thought that once all the rigging was in place you probably won't see it.🙄  Will post a couple more picks soon. Mike I went through the Unicorn builds today and noticed that most posts  about these builds all stop at about the end of 2015. Did something happen to the site or is that just a coincidence?

Hi mike good to hear from you Here are a couple of picks from last year.

Hi Fellas I am back at it .The saga of the Unicorn . After my last post I Had issues with my hands and lost confidence in doing the build.so it sat for quite a long time . Last winter I decided something had to be done and restarted very slowly. I had completely forgotten about my posts (age related I think ) and I will post some more photos once I catch up on everything . I only found this when looking up some references for standard rigging which I am about to start😲 . 

Mike 

Thanks fellas .quite an interesting array of answers . I am currently building the HMS Unicorn and am about to start rigging. Corel did not supply the cordage with any sizes marked and as a novice I have had to try and work it out. Thank you Mark you method appears to work in the parameters that I am using. I work in metric Mike 

Has anyone a good method of measuring rope diameters  I have several sizes but I need to measure for scale and a dial gauge doesn't really work.  

Mike

Hi Ian Great job as usual. Dan let me in on a tip for boxwood . Go to the markets and buy old wooden carpenters rulers. the fold out type. I have picked up a few

Elliot Lucas ,made in Holland or the Rabone  made in England  

Mike

Welcome Tom I have been away for a while and will be commencing building again . If you start a new model I will follow it with interest. Mike

Hi Ben I say what this site is all about "Do it your way" I will be watching with interest.

Mike

Here is an update. I altered the base for the rear windows again and will leave it at that

I have cleaned up the transom.

Next was the cats head . Corel said the size was 7x5 mm but I only had 5x5. so I laminated two 5x1 pieces.

The only thing is if you scale it up the cats heads are about 600 wide in real terms .Is this too much?

Next was the Bow sprit a bit fiddley but as luck happened the plank I left on the front proved to be the correct angle and will use this as part of the base  for the Bowsprit support as shown by  Chapman.

I then had to make some cathead supports as the Corel ones (well). These were made out of Huon Pine .

This is Molly a 9 month old British Blue who oversees every thing I do on the ship.

I have now started on the Head Timbers  and after studying Chapman's drawing I am going to follow his lines as much as I

can Because of the position of the unicorn. I studied Danny's work on the Vulture (magnificent) for the head works to give me more of an idea of how it works> I haven't the skill of Danny  or the equipment for a finer scale but I will try. Here are the lower cheeks . the second cheeks and hair brackets All these will be fitted shortly.

Not sure I will get much done in the next few weeks as I am heading across the Nullabor Desert to Perth for 5 weeks.

See yu when I get back.

Mike   

Thanks for that John .I was thinking along those lines but wasn't sure it would work. Went out today an plashed some cash on a new Scroll saw to help with the head boards etc.  I will start practising with it shortly.

Mike

Hi John The stove looks very impressive  I like what I am seeing as we are travelling along similar time Lines . How did you drill out for the Bowsprit as I am about to put it in . Also at the moment I am Contemplating the headworks the same as Chapman .I will have to get some wider and thicker timber so that I can shape them.

Mike

Thanks for the comments I wasn't really happy . So I have done some modifications I deleted the metal crown and reshaped the Base which I am much more happier . I will stain the blocks the same as the hull. Is this better?  Ian when you opened up the waist what did you use to cut the deck? I have been considering your idea and will go the same way as you ,But probably no real life stove. Its a beauty.

and yes I have popped a cannon  probably the worst one to lose.

I tried to fit the lower decorative piece to the side windows . It ain't gonna happen . So I did an Ian Job and destroyed them to use the crown centre in a piece I have made myself. Do you think it looks right .It will be painted flat grey the same as the top with the centre piece gold and I Have put it in place temporally to give you an idea . Any thoughts.

I have just sent you a post about your log . I wish now that I had read it before doing the rear galley windows . I have fitted them and the side windows. . I have just destroyed the bottom decoration bits and will do a similar fitting as John did for the top on his. I think that the wooden windows of the earlier kits were wider and higher. Any way we will see what happens!!!

Mike

Hi Ian I have just spent all night going through your log. Where do I start  . I get very envious of people like yourself with so much skill. dedication to detail

and perseverance. You have done a wonderful job. I will just have to lift my bar higher. By opening up the waist makes the model so much more of a ship.I am now contemplating doing the same on mine as I will not have to destroy as much as you did. I am  just in awe and lost for words.. The printer has been running hot in printing out various pages for notes.

Mike  

Hi Ian , Another problem  Did your kit come with the Catheads cut to length because I can only find 5x5 mm walnut in 40 cm lengths.

The number 54 only says 5x7 mm .I may have to check with my local hobby shop or add a couple of strips of 5x1 walnut board. Also It looks like I have to measure off the full size plan to get the right length.

Mike

Hi Ian Again .Just a thought How did you fit the catheads as I cannot find any real position instructions?

Mike

Hi Ian I noticed that on the Chapman drawing . It will also make it easier with the position of the figure head. Thanks for the drawings for the bow sprit  in your

discussions with Mike

Mike

Thanks Mike  I have just spent most of this afternoon studying yours and Ian's posts concerning the bowsprit position instead of building. Really like the effort

you two have put in also Johnb40. I have plans and drawings all over the place. To S  Colman no the kit did not have them but I have seen a couple of photos of the Unicorn with them added and like the look Not sure if I can fit them in. J parsley When II finish the other Gallery window I will put more pics up.

Mike

I Have to fit the other gallery and then I will be working on the prowl. I think I will fit the Bowsprit first as that seems

to be a Bit fiddly , if the head timbers are in . The supplier of my kit included helpful build notes and one was from Keith Julier

with notes and photos. and he suggested to do the Bowsprit first.

Mike

Thanks for that Ian I will study that. I have the camera working an here are the photos of where I am up to at the moment.

Thanks fellas for the nice comments.  To Ian I have already fitted the rear part of the gallery and the port side gallery with no real problems .(photo coming)

I stopped because I lost confidence in my rigging of the cannons . and then had a long break before I decided to continue. To Mike I did not like the thickness of the prow so I planked it both sides to hide the Craftwood I also fitted a plank on the base of the keel. It did take a bit of fitting for the figurehead (Photo Coming) and now I have to work  out how to apply the head timbers.I just have to get my camera working.

Mike