Bob Fraser

I saw a model of this many years ago at a local swimming baths (New Brighton outdoor baths now long gone), but it was in a showcase behind a window.

There was a local group wanting to raise money to salvage her. She was built only a couple of miles from where I lived.

I've also recently found out her Executive Officer was a cousin (distant)!

Great build 🙂

The boilers look good.  Will you be connecting the wheel arms to them?

Mine are just through the walls.

Bob

I feel your pain. I've an AL Endeavour on the shelf with about half the fittings missing that they wouldn't replace. It'll end up as a lower mast only model.

Good catch withthe balsa , it'll give the gun stubs something solid to glue to, not much chance of them coming away.

Hi Wayne.

Welcome.

Have a look here, there's a lot of pinned info that will help you.   card-and-paper-models

Cheers,

Bob

3 hours ago, TreeSqueak said:

..I might get my dremmel out.

Go careful, you can quickly take too much off with it.

Use a piece of string, or a 0.5mm length of stripwood to check for lumps or gaps as you're going.

This is where, many years ago, I trashed a model 🥵 and didn't really touch another until now.

Is this a double planked hull?

2 hours ago, Swoolley2002 said:

Can you please help me understand where the keel is at in the model parts?  There is nothing specific that I can find and I don't want to screw this up too badly.

Hi.

Don't know if Anna is able to reply.

Part 26 is a length of walnut, 500mm long and 4mm x 5mm. You have to cut this to length yourself, and shape it to fit as in pic 9 where it meets part 25, and pic 10 where it meets the end of the flat bottom.

Before cutting and fitting ensure part 25 sits flush to the hull, as it hasn't fitted too well on my build.

Your best idea would be to start a build log of your model in the 1850 - 1900 area, (check out how to create a build log name), and use the same tags as this log so that other builders of this model who are currently active can follow along and give you help and advice.

Bob

Before you plank, check the glue you'll be using to the dummy barrels to the polystyrene. Some glues just melt it.

It may be better to replace with balsa.

Fairing the bulkheads make all the difference with planking!

Thanks Halfdan.  The Captain has now been joined by a very stern Mate!

Thanks to all for the likes.

I did these, one side only, before the 4 week illness 🤢 break. 

Distances between were measured as per the large plan page as advised (thanks @John Gummersall)

Measured the height with a micrometer - great - cut one out to test fit.

Fitted - then realised these are angled 🤬 Each one differnt height.

Then the Mate inspected the sternmost post. His comment was "a bit of a tight squeeze there!"

He also inspected the stairwell fence for height.

said it was "fair enough"

Looking at sorting an easier way of putting a slit into the beams to sit the brass etch into.

May be a while before another update, decorating the son's bedroom.

Cheers,

Bob

It looks like step 15 in the booklet shows the proper placement. Pic from @toms10

These should be shown on the A4 sheets that show all the cutouts from plywood?

Sometimes these parts look like throw aways after a larger piece has been removed, as I've found.

Sorry I can't be of more help on this one 🙁.

Bob

Hi Treesqueak

Have a look at Toms10s build. It shows where and what these pieces are for. Maybe ask him about them?

It also looks as if he has an English copy of the instructions too!

I see what you mean, you'll need to cut out the window parts and put the plastic ones in their place, keeping the rest of the metal stern. Go careful and slowly!

Like Backer, scored lines and black paint on plastic sheet is how I did the Mississippi windows in simple square windows.

Or you'll need to make the inner window frames and use something like Microscale Micro Krystal Klear (other products available!) to fill in the gaps.

Don't forget you'll need to put a colour wash behind them to show them off. I recall some doing black or dark blue behind the panes.

Enjoy the "freestyling".

Bob

On 6/14/2020 at 11:33 PM, thegrindre said:

"HI"

That said, I hope these forums are what they seem to be, very helpful and informative for us greenhorns. I've been lurking here a few days now and like what I've seen so far.

 

Hi, They really are!

Oh, and welcome from across the Pond

Bob

From over the Pond, a scouse welcome.

Bob

Hi Teetree.

Simply put - especially for me - The bottoms don't line up because of the way the hull is designed, you'll see this in the pictures.  The tops line up decause that's where the deck lies. I completely messed up my first attempt 40 years ago and gave up until recently - no internet for help back then!

Have a read of these tutorials Hull and Planking Lots of info there.

[Also I would suggest starting a build log in the 1751 - 1800 area.  Loads of help and advice to be gained by that.

Read this on how to name your log too! Naming your log]

Edit - see you've already done this!

Bob

Two others that come up are "The Anatomy of Nelsons Ships" by Longridge, and "18th Century Rigs and Rigging" by Mardquart although Lees covers this and a wider time period.

"Building Plank on Frame Ship Models" by McCarthy, books by Keith Julier and Scott Robertson have lots of general info and particular model info depending on the book - should be reasonably priced, and then if you have a particular ship in mind, the "Anatomy of the Ship" book for it will help with the details.

Forgot to add - "The Sloop of War 1650 - 1763" by Ian McLaughlan I found it a great reference for research on these smaller unrated ships.

@shipmanI have all of Lou's photos, but they are copyright him, so I'm not sure about being able to share them. They are a total of 1.4Gb, around 12Mb each.

Unfortunately the link shared in his original post is no longer working.

I know he last logged on April this year, so maybe PM him to ask if he has an updated link?

From the pics in the 1957 pamphlet it seems the roof colours changed over the years, wood, white, or white edged wood, as did the deckhouses themselves, all wood, or wood with white panelling. The boat chocks always seem to be white though.  So again, whatever way you decide to go, it's right for part of her life.

Have you seen rwiederrich's build of her as the Ferreira?

Hi Halfdan,

I think it's meant to be a lion. The Admiralty passed several edicts about paint and figureheads. The basic RN figurehead was the rampant lion, and even this was "banned" from the lower rates during the mid 1700s because of the cost.  If a captain wanted fancy paintwork, scrolls and figureheads he had to pay out of his own pocket.

From the RMG Website, good description given. Figurehead

Looking good though!

Cheers,

Bob

Hi Bill, found something that you might like to see.

A contributor here, Lou van Wijhe, (Thanks Lou!) took some high resolution photos back in 2012 and kindly made them available to us.

The mention of the "Cable Lifter" as "a sprocket wheel on the winch spindle with large teeth to fit the links of the anchor cable" got me thinking and I remembered these photos.

Here's exactly what it is

Showing the run of the anchor chain around the hatch, but going behind the spokes that fit into the gaps between links, which would raise it above the hatch when raising or lowering.

No need to weather your hatch! 😄

This detail IS on the winch assembly for the model, easily overlooked without a magnifier 🙁 but might well be over large for the chain provided.

There's another good one of the windlass showing the chain coming off the top of it, again providing lift to clear the hatch!

Keep up the good work she's looking good.

Cheers,

Bob

Hi Bill.  Forgot I had Longridges books!  I also have Modelling the Cutty Sark by Edward Bowness, 1959, and The Cutty Sark and the Days of Sail by Frank G G Carr, 1957 for the Cutty Sark Preservation society.

The first shows this, but doesn't say where he got the drawings from other than mentioning Underhill revised his original drawings later on, so I suspect his model is from them.

which shows what looks to be a sliding hatch forward of the cargo hatch and the anchor run.

In the glossary he also mentions a "Cable Lifter" as "a sprocket wheel on the winch spindle with large teeth to fit the links of the anchor cable" This could be to lift the chain clear of the cargo hatch?

This one from the Carr book showing the forward area is completely different.  Unfortunately no date for the photo.

Note the cowls, the anchor chain running alongside the (now boxed in) cargo hatch a through a tunnel, and the small hatchway in front of the windlass.

As Shipman said, she changed a lot over the years, so it would seem that no matter which plans you follow you'll get a good representation of her at some point in her life.

I have this model myself (which is why I have the plans and books), half built, but our ever helpful remodelling cats have sent her off the shelf a couple of times resulting in parts broken off and damaged so she's laid up while I consider my options.

Have you seen this build by Sailcat? Quite an amazing transformation. I could only wish for the skills he shows.

@shipman All the photos in the Carr booklet show white rails, including the photo of her after losing her rudder in 1872

All the best,

Bob

Hi Bill.

Here's two close ups from the Cutty plans.

1st is from Campbell, the plans are "as built 1870".

This secong is from Underhill. Dated 1932

It would seem the Revell model is from the "as built" plans.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Bob

Great start. I know what you mean about the painting, not so good myself. Good job on straightening the deck.

I've the big brother waiting for me when I'm ready, but some wood projects to do in the meantime.

There are quite a few Revell Constitution builds on the site. Lots of help about too if you need it.

Stay safe,

Bob

Managed to complete the sternwheel - eventually. Turns out the new one piece single laser cut parts need to be fitted further back than the pictures show to allow for the wheel to turn.

(Or maybe that's just me?)

Found some copper rivets for the piston arms, and blanked off the massive holes in the engine room. Wheel turns nicely.

Sorry it's a bit fuzzy.

Next adventure yet to come is the gangway. It doesn't fit where it should because of the stairs.  The original model, and Occre's model, both have one each side, so I'll be following that when i get there.

Cheers,

Bob

Whilst waiting for the wood to arrive for the new stairs I did this one. Revell Titanic at 1/1200. (Revell 1/570 waiting in the wings)

Our 11 year old son is autistic and has had a fascination with the Titanic for over 5 years.  Turns out his mum had a cousin (2nd turkish bath attendant) who went down with her.

Not done a plastic kit in over 40 years, so thought I'd start small. Drilled all the upper portholes out and tried to seperate the pipes on the stacks.  Need to learn the esoteric art of sprue stretching for the radio wires and rigging.

Anyway, the wood arrived, new stairs cut out and put together.

Brass wire railings added in keeping with the rest of the stairs.

Cheers for now, stay safe and well,

Bob

On 5/9/2020 at 4:47 PM, Paul Jarman said:

The spiral staircase did not fit too well, but is mostly hidden so not too bothered.

I found this too. Admiral says she wants normal stairs, so just waiting on the order delivery of sheet wood to make them.

As for putting the railing bars width up - I think at least some of these boats were built to owners specs, and you're the owner! 😁

Keeps safe,

Bob

Really nice and clean lines, I like it. I think every build of this model has been different - your own stamp on a model makes it yours, not just the way the manufacturer wants you to buid it.

"Without the cardboard, the picture ends of me taking a picture of me."

So there's a mirror behind - don't blame you for covering it, I hate picrures of me too. 😄

Looking forward to your next model.

Take care,

Bob