john2013

Post 3
Assembling the skeleton.
Preparing the false keel
I have marked the bearding line and attached a strip of 0.5mm x 1.5mm styrene strip along the area to gauge the required 0.75mm each side reduction.

354
According to the instructions the keel and stem are not attached to the false keel until all the bits that make up the basic frame are completed.
I think it is easier to attach and clamp the stem and keel to the false keel flat on the bench rather than with all the bulkheads in place.

358
With the keel and stem in place the model is also better supported on the building board.
Once secured I added the stern post which slots into the false keel.

357
It is quite a loose fit and  the tabs need to be glued down against the lower slot to properly align with the keel.

364
The whole thing was then reassembled dry to check the fit before applying pva to the bulkheads and inserting the lower deck.

369
Whilst the glue was setting I temporarily fitted the longitudinal securing patterns to align the bulkheads.
The system of a slotted lower deck and securing patterns negate a lot of the work otherwise involved in ensuring the bulkheads are both square to the keel and vertical, so the initial assembly is fairly rapid on this build.
To complete the main skeleton filling pieces* are added at the bow and stern.
* if you pre-attach the stem it helps to fair the edges of these fillers before fitting.
 
The final part is attaching the rather delicate stern frames. The fragility of these fills me with some trepidation.

374
A point to note. On my kit the frames which come in three pairs were not placed on the holding sheet in the same configuration as in the build manual part identification drawings. As they are slot specific the parts need to be removed and checked against the drawing before numbering them up.
I would advise test fitting these very gently before gluing them into place. Even so I snapped one of the outer frames during this process.

375
One other point to note is that on my build all the stern frames are at the same height, the manual build photo's at this stage appear to show the two inner frames (17) lower than the others?

382
In common with my other builds I do like to have a glimpse of the lower deck thro' the various hatches/ companions etc; so I  have indulged a little kit bashing to facilitate this. Totally unnecessary  but it's one of my little foibles.

384
The next given stage is to fit the Upper deck, but I think I will consider fairing the bulkheads first, besides I want to plan out the presumed beams and planking pattern before  proceed.
 
B.E.
26/06/2019
 

1:64 H.M. Cutter Alert 1777
Vanguard Models
Catalogue # VM-01
Available from Vanguard Models for £180
 

 
 
The Alert, built in Dover by Henry Ladd and launched on 24th June 1777, was the largest class of cutter in the Royal Navy. Alert originally carried ten four-pounder carriage guns and six to twelve half-pounder swivel guns. She was one of fifteen cutters built for the Royal navy between 1777 and 1778. Smaller cutters were often purchased or built by private yards and then purchased by the Navy, but Alert was purpose built from the keel up.
 
In February 1778, Alert docked at Plymouth for an overhaul, to which some alterations were made to her hull and the ten four pounder carriage guns were replaced with twelve six pounder guns, raising her broadside weight by 30%. The guns were changed because six-pounder shot was more commonly available and, of course, they were more effective. Because of the increase in ordnance, the crew of the Alert was increased from sixty to eighty men, and recommissioned under a new commander, Lieutenant William George Fairfax. In May 1778, Fairfax was promoted to Commander and Alert was re-classed as a sloop to comply with Admiralty requirements. (Although always remained cutter rigged)
 
On 17th June 1778, the Alert, in company with the frigate Arethusa, spotted and intercepted the French frigate Belle Poule and the armed lugger Coureur, with the latter overhauled by the Alert and surrendered, returning to Spithead after the action with her prize. On 8th July of the same year, whilst on an independent deployment, searching for the enemy fleet, Alert was taken by surprise and captured by the French frigate Junon. Alert is reported as lost without trace on 15th December 1779. Alerts sister, Rattlesnake lasted a little longer, being wrecked on the island of Trinidad on 11th October 1781.

The model kit of the Alert is depicted after her refit with twelve six-pounder guns and a full complement of twelve half-pounder swivel guns, giving an ordnance total of twenty-four guns. Although not stated in the records when researching, it is possible that the upper bulwarks were fully planked, rather than having the open drift. The decoration that adorns the upper sides and stern is optional, as it is unlikely that the original vessel, when in service, would have had such decoration. This is inspired by the two paintings of the vessel by Joseph Marshall, which formed part of the George III collection of ship model paintings. It is possible the decoration would have been painted on during launch day, or if a prominent (Royal) figure visited to review the fleet.
 
The kit


H.M. Cutter Alert 1777 is the very first kit from Chris Watton’s own brand label, ‘Vanguard Models’. Of course, you will have heard of Chris’s name from kits released under the Amati (Victory Models) and Caldercraft/JoTika companies, as well as some magazine part-work stuff etc. I’ve bbeen watching this project come together both on and off Model Ship World, and the sort of effort that goes into producing a model kit. Vanguard’s new kit comes in a reasonably large box which is adorned with photos of the completed model, and some profile illustration too. Guess what? I got kit #001!! I’ll not claim any preferential treatment though! Lifting the lid and the first layer of bubble-wrap reveals a personalised customer letter and also a MASSIVE A3-size instruction manual which is spiral bound. We’ll look at this again a little later. 
 
Fittings

A neat little labelled box contains all of the fittings for Alert, carefully kept in one place, and very professional-looking too. Cutting the tape tab reveals a series of labelled bags. Everything in this kit is also labelled in the same way and easily cross referenced against both the parts inventory and during construction. It really does appear to have been made as intuitive and easy to follow as humanly possible.

The fittings are generally a mix of either resin or white metal. In the first pack we have the large winch which is cast in resin. This was originally intended to be white metal, but the quality of the parts was poor, so a new part was 3D designed and cast in light grey resin. Only a little clean-up is required to push this into service on Alert. Also in resin is the smaller windlass for the topsail bitts. The anchors are cast in white metal, and these look great. Very little preparation will be needed before they can be used.

More white metal fittings are supplied for the twelve 6-pounder cannon and the twelve half-pounder swivel guns. I would give these a clean-up with a file and some steel wool. Another pouch is supplied for the cannon shot.

One of the next packs contain steel pins for assisting with the first layer of planking. These look very nicely made and are sharp, with nothing malformed. It could be an idea to pilot drill the plank before using these, so as not to split any of the MDF frames or the planks themselves. The next two packs contain deadeyes and deadeye sheaves. The quality of these is very good, and definitely some of the nicest I’ve seen recently.

Three more packets contain two sizes of single block and one size of double block. Again, quality is evident here.

In the last three packets in the fittings box, you’ll find triple blocks, parrel beads and also the mainstay ‘mouse’.

 
Rigging

A zip-lock wallet contains six spools of very high-quality rigging cord in natural and black colours, as well as a sleeve of thicker natural thread which I think is for the anchor cables. This latter is handmade by Syren in the US, so you can be assured of its standards. Also note how each spool is labelled and inventoried so you won’t accidentally use the wrong cord when rigging.


 
Timber strip
Onto the timber strip. This initial release of Alert contains boxwood for the deck planking and pearwood for the hull. This sort of timber isn’t normally found in kits, with the recent exception of Master Korabel’s Avos kit’s XS Edition. It certainly is very welcome to see, and the standard of timber is excellent. I do believe that Chris will be releasing a slightly cheaper version of Alert with Tanganyika instead of pearwood and boxwood. Chris hopes this will retail for around £155 and is actually the same as he used in the prototype model you can see on the box lid and the photos in this review. All timber strip is packed into thick, sealed plastic sleeves, and clearly labelled so you can cross reference with the inventory to make sure you are indeed using the correct wood for the specific task.










Timber standards are high with a nice uniform colour per batch, no coarse grain or split ends and fuzziness. 
 
Sail cloth is supplied too, just in case you do indeed want to display in this manner. The material is provided as sheet, and you will need to use the drawings to draw out the shapes on the cloth and cut/sew. Sails aren’t really for me, but the option is there, should you want to display her in all her sheets to the wind glory!


 
Sheet material

Now we come to the sheet material. There are two thick, clear sleeves containing laser-cut material. This first sleeve holds all of the main constructional elements plus something rather unusual for a kit like this, and that’s a clear acrylic display base! 


The base is a simple but attractive slot-together affair whose parts just need to be gently removed from the sheet. They are also covered in a protective film that makes it look dull in my photo. Rest assured that the material underneath is crystal clear. To assemble this, you could either use an acrylic cement such as Tensol, or an epoxy that will also dry clear. One such product that comes to mind is from HpH Models in the Czech Republic. You can of course use Cyano glue, but make sure it’s the odourless variety so it won’t cloud the clear plastic.






The constructional stuff here comes in two sheets of 3mm MDF and one sheet of 2mm timber, all nice and warp-free. On the MDF, you’ll find the false keel, bulkheads, inner and outer bow patterns, stern planking and securing patterns, and the ship’s stove flue. The timber sheet contains the lower deck pattern (constructional element), and stern frames (middle, inner, outer). Laser-cutting is nice and neat with almost no localised scorching. It wouldn’t really matter either way though as these parts will be either hidden or bevelled. 

Our second sleeve of parts are all laser-cut from timber, with no MDF. Here, we have a combination of 3mm, 1.5mm and 1mm sheet material, containing parts for absolutely everything else timber-related on Alert, from gun carriages, hatch coamings, keep parts, cap rails, transom rails, tiller arm, trestle trees etc. You name it, it’s here. There are a few parts on the 1mm sheet which are hanging by only a few tabs due to the relative fragility of the tabs on a thin sheet, but all parts are perfectly fine. This material isn’t too rigid either, so those parts that need to be curved, such as the transom, will do so without any problem whatsoever. 






 
Photo-etch

The inclusion of photo-etch in models these days is almost de rigueur, and Alert is no exception. Three frets are included in 0.2mm, 0,4mm, and 0.6mm bare brass, and all as good as any such material that I’ve used in any of my magazine and book work over the last 10yrs. As well as the obvious and intricate outer hull scrollwork embellishments, you’ll find metalwork here for the bowsprit and masting, cleats, windlass parts, stanchions, rudder gudgeon and pintle brace, eyebolt rings, deck grating, anchor ring, rigging components, and even a neat nameplate for the clear acrylic stand. All parts should be nice and easy to remove with them being held with thin, narrow tabs. A jeweller’s file will be needed to clean up any nibs remaining from the tabs. 










 
Instruction book

This is epic in size! Printed in colour on thick paper stock in A3 size, the manual us spiral-bound instead of just being stapled. This means it will be easy to turn pages over, and the size is good for the eyes for those of us of whose youth has long since slipped away. The manual is 56 pages and begins with a side and upper elevation drawing of Alert, followed by a history and building tips/suggested tools and materials list. A full inventory is then supplied, along with images of the various sheets and PE frets. As the timber elements aren’t numbered on the sheets, you are advised to number each yourself before removal from the sheet. 


 
 
Construction sequences are given in photographic form with crystal clear English explaining everything along the way. All illustrations are also clearly annotated where required. The photographs are interspersed with more drawings of the vessel in various profiles, clearly showing the task at hand. A good example of how comprehensive the instructions are is the inclusion of a deck plank showing the planking format and the shift between the planks.



 
When it comes to masting, drawings are supplied for this with accompanying dimensions and diameters. As I always find masting the most frustrating task, the drawings are a big help and clearly mark out the plan of attack. Excellent rigging illustrations are also supplied, showing everything clearly, including seizing, ratlines etc. A guide to exactly which rigging block to use is also provided. No guessing like on many of the legacy kits that got so many of us started in this hobby. As also mentioned, sail plans are supplied so you can make and add these from the cloth that’s provided.


 
Conclusion
What a great start to Chris’s new venture, Vanguard Models. He does keep telling me that he’s learnt so much from this that he will change in future releases, but he does sell himself short, dramatically. If you know of Chris’s work from his previous designs with Amati and Caldercraft, then you will know his own personal style comes through in attention to detail and design approach. This is a gorgeous kit that will present many hours of fulfilling bench time. Materials quality is what what we have come to expect from high-end kits. All in all, a fantastic package!

 

 
My sincere thanks to Chris Watton for getting this out so quickly for me to feature as a review here on Model Ship World. To purchase directly, click this link at the top of the article.
 

 
 
 

Thanks Mark

As much as i am enjoying looking at the pictures and admiring what i see, i cannot stop wondering at the fact that Albert did not answer a single question any members would ask him. Its all thank you this, thank you that... i would love to ask too, but i noticed its kind of pointless. Curse the tower of Babylon and what it did cause to the mankind...

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 167– Topside Rails
Posted 12/09/12
 
The first picture shows the roughed out forward forecastle rail being fitted.
 

 
Once it was fit between the knighthead and the first timberhead, the outer curve was shaped, the width marked along the inside and the forward curved section cut parallel to final width.  Both edges were then molded with the half-round scraper.  The aft end was then boiled and curved to fit the frames.
 
In the next picture this rail is almost complete.
 

 
The center pieces and the inside rails have been fitted to the completed outside rail.  The next picture shows the final rail installation completed.
 

 
Before installing the roughtree rail on the quarterdeck, the two fixed blocks and the last parts of the drift rails needed to be installed.  The next picture shows that work completed.
 

 
Work also began on the other side.  The next picture shows the planksheer at the waist on the port side installed.
 

 
The piece of boxwood on the waist beams will be used for the port side forward forecastle rail.
 
In the next picture the first section of the starboard roughtree rail is being installed.
 

 
First it was formed with the half-rounds on each side.  The width of this rail is just under 16 inches.  The tops of the frames are just under six inches, the top planking inside and out is 2 ½ inches and the 2 ½ inches of half-round extends outside of the planking on each side.  If my math is right that is just less the 16 inches.  The forecastle rail width was set in the same way but is slightly wider because the spirketing on the forecastle is thicker.  The inside of the frames were given a light sanding to bring them to the correct thickness.  The rail was pinned to the correct curve and projection on the planked side.  In the picture it has been raised up on the pins to allow glue to be applied.
 
 I joined the fore and aft sections of this rail with a hook scarph.  In the next picture the aft section of rail is being glued down.  The two clamps are making the hook scarph joints tight.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the forward section of rail on the opposite side glued down.
 
 

 
Ed

Danny, really?!?! Wow, then there is hope for me yet!!!

Time for another update.
 
I've been working on the stern lights, trying to work out how to create these myself so that I could ditch the photo-etch ones, which others have documented are not the same shape as the lights in AOTS... they are smaller, and the curve is not uniform.
 
To that end, I started making some 5mm deep ones, version 2 was 3mm deep, and now I'm trying some that are ~2mm deep. All out of .7mm boxwood veneer.
 
These are built up on a CAD drawn template based on the AOTS stern view (which has been extended vertically to take into account the diagram being directly stern-on, and the actual fascia being tilted - further astern at the top and further towards the bow at the bottom.
 
I've also been working on the stern fascia itself. I've taken "Beef Wellington"'s lead and recreated this myself. The kit parts are all 2mm ply... I've used 3mm walnut, and used the extra depth to shape the covings. They're also based on the vertically extended AOTS pattern, which was cut out and stuck onto the walnut to provide the template to cut out. The new cutouts for the lights are to proper scale, and should fit the new windows nicely (it looks pretty close at the moment, but time will tell.) As it stands I'm feeling much more confident about this part of the model. The stern will be considerably narrower than the kit, but the lights should look more to scale. It will mean that the quarter galleries will need to be shallower.  If I were starting again, I would have narrowed the last few frames to bring this in... but this would have been far from simple, and it'll have to stand now.
 
Planning: (this is all a bit Ted Heath, but I'll have another crack at it now I've got a bit further with the stern fascia.)
 

 
Stern light trials... They are very uneven here, but the uneven face will face into the stern, and the even face (face down on the board) will be the side that you see...

 
And the stern fascia...
 
 


Using some maths (that was a bit of a shock to the system), I worked out that for 140mm of width, and 8mm of depth for the horizontal curvature (creating a radius of just over 310mm), the additional length for the stern fascia would only be 1.1mm.... basically, I need to leave a tiny bit on instead of sanding down to the line!
 
Much happier with this than with the kit-supplied parts. Nothing wrong with those parts... they'd be fine... but I'm enjoying the kit-bashing aspect of this even more (and it has the added benefit of making the whole process last a bit longer, and giving me an excuse to use lovely wood.)
 
Happy building and a very happy new year to you all!
 
Rob
 
 

Hi all,
 
A short update. I've completed planking the forecastle, gangways and quarterdeck. The next task was to plank the bulkheads, which were pre-painted red ochre. These could have been yellow ochre, but I figure light levels aren't an issue on an open deck, and I like the contrast.
 

I planked the bulwarks on the quarterdeck, which was simple enough, but when I reached the foc'sle I realised that I'd cut down the hull too far. A good while has been spent building this up again so that the sheer rails look right next to the rail at the top.  I think I'm nearly there, but it's tedious, fiddly and time-consuming... I'd work harder to avoid this in the future. Thankfully it's on an area of the hull that's painted.
 
To break the tedium I decided to add the channel supports. As others have noted, there are 22 supplied, and _at least_ 26 are required according to the Caldercraft planks. I reused some of the rudder hinges (which I'd replaced with black card because they seemed too bulky for that) for this purpose. Even then, I reduced the six supports on the main channel to five so there were enough to go round. (One could buy another set of the Diana photo-etch, but at £95 it's a bit steep for 6 channel support brackets!
 
The brackets were blackened first. The channels themselves aren't glued onto the hull yet, so they were removed and the brackets stuck to the bottoms, then the channels temporarily reinstalled. These will need gluing on soon, and once glued on, then I'll drill the holes to pin the brackets to the hull sides. (After a good sleep, and when I'm feeling confident I won't leave the hull looking like a swiss cheese!)
 

 
I'm very pleased with the results so far.
 
All comments welcome, and all likes appreciated.
 
Rob
 

Thank you John and Mustafa.
 
I'm working on the boomkins and bowsprit next.

The crow's nest is complete.

Beautiful work.
 
Still no problems with vampires?
 
Steven

Hammock cranes: Phase 2.
 
While I'm deciding whether to fit the port side fore channel before or after the foredeck hammock cranes, I made a start on the starboard waist cranes.
While I had to fit the foredeck cranes individually, I was worried that I wouldn't make a very good job of fitting the others while trying to keep them all vertically parallel to each other as well as being equally spaced . . . so I decided I would try to fit the 7 waist cranes as a single unit by soldering them onto a base plate which could then be taken to the ship and fitted as one unit.
 
I cut a 5mm wide strip off a sheet of 0.005 inch (0.125mm) brass shim and soldered the cranes on to that >>>
 
​In that photo above, the soldering looks much worse than in reality. In any case, when blackened, the soldering is almost invisible and it will be completely hidden once the netting is fitted. >>>
 
​When I was soldering the 'legs' on to the foredeck cranes I found it very tricky trying to get these tiny parts stuck together (and not burn my fingers at the same time) so I made up a very simple clamping device.
​Getting these 7 cranes soldered vertically on to the base plate for the waist was also going to need some sort of jig. . . and that's what I came up with --- "some sort of a jig".
​From some scrap material, I concocted what must be the most crude jig ever seen by mankind! . . . but it worked perfectly.
Have a look . . . (please try not to laugh.) >>>
 
​In the photo above, the brass base strip is held securely against the fence, and down on to the melamine base by the sliding 'clamp' on the right.
 
In the next picture the crane is held vertically in the slot that is part of the fence, and is being held securely by the sliding wooden 'clamp' on the left.  This 'clamp' has a 1mm notch cut into the end that makes contact with the crane in order to prevent the crane from moving to the left or right.
​Once clamped like this I have 2 free hands with which to concentrate on soldering . . . as well as not burning my fingers! >>>
 
​This 'jig' (is it OK to call this thing a 'jig'?) will work for the other waist cranes as well as the cranes for the poop & Q/deck rails, but as the cranes aren't at 90 degrees to the poop side rails I'll have to adjust the vertical slot in the fence to being slightly off vertical . . . and I'll have to do that twice as each side is a mirror image of the other, so what works for starboard won't work for port.

Good work Jim,
 
you`ve sure been busy and the results look beautiful....
 
Nils

Staying on the foredeck, the timberhead 'bases' for the rails have been fitted along with the 2 gun 'ports' for the bow chasers. >

 
 . . . then the rails were added >


 
The forward corners where the fife rail meets the side rails are presently just 'hanging ' there without support. The plan is for support to come along in the form of the head timbers which are an "in the very near future" project ~ as soon as I can figure out how to make these fancy, curly things, and fit them!
 
Some of you may have noticed from a couple of the pics above that the head platforms are already fitted to the ship. (Yeah, go back and have another look!)
These were fitted prior to the foredeck rails making an appearance >
 


 
These were fairly straightforward, if fiddly and time consuming, to make, but I'm not sure the head timbers will be straightforward.
(At least the sailors now have toilets to go to!)
 
 
 

Scuppers
 
The Scuppers drain the upper deck. They are cut into the Waterway and angle down outwards to exit through the Black Strake :
 
 

 

 

 
 
To simulate the Lead scupper Linings I used "Evergreen" polystyrene tubing - 2mm for most, and 2.5mm for the Hawse and Pump Dale scuppers. I heated the end of the tubing gently over a gas flame and then pushed it onto a cold piece of brass sheet to make the flange. These were done in two pieces meeting in the middle :
 
 

 

 
 
After fitting all the scupper linings I painted them Lead Grey :
 
 

 

 

Thanks for that, BE.  I tried out an RB barrel on the Syren carriage, and found that it didn't fit well at all.  I measure Syren's length at 29.82 mm, and its base width at 4.01 mm, which makes it considerably slimmer.  The real problem I had with the RB kits lay with its overall appearance -- the slots for the trunnions are set well back behind the front axle tree, and the trucks are simply enormous.  Still, the RB turned brass barrels do look nice.
 
I'll be rooting aroung the other place quite a bit as I work through these guns.  Your log remains the most complete narrative of a Swan build, and of absolute ingenuity in solving numerous problems.
 
  I still haven't started the soldering yet, but am thinking seriously of setting the base eye-bolt for the ring bolts into the brackets as semi-circles; that would seem to adhere more closely to the description in FFM of the eyes being embedded.  If that's at all clear.
 
Cheers,
 
Martin

Hi Steve, of course there is modelling life without Proxxon, just takes much longer by hand, but I would hate to give up my scroll saw in particular.
I do have the Crown wood set for Cheerful, but haven't used any as yet. I have a stock of old Boxwood that I've used thus far for the Port frames, and have some sheet stuff from :- http://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/category_Saw_Cut_Veneers_3.htm
 
I planked both Pickle  and Pegasus using the Boxwood flat lines from the above company. Very useful 0.7mm thick strips in varying widths up to 10mm, and small square section stuff.
Cheers,
 
B.E.
 
 

Hi Louis
I've had a closer look at your photos. To be blunt- you are in trouble. You really need to take a step back. The model is founded on the plywood patterns, bulkheads and first planking. You need fillers between the bulkheads - see my log - and much more fairing of the bulkheads. The plywood pattern must follow the flow of the hull. If it is flat and the planks below it angle down it is wrong. This, by your photos, is what you have made. Sanding and filling will not fix this. You will really struggle from here on if these issues aren't fixed and the kit and your investment in it deserves better. There is joy to be had in making these things but I see pain ahead for you.
 
I do not like saying this and you don't want to hear it, but to continue, with success, you have to undo the plywood gun port pattern and all of the planking to date. This is my opinion. This forum would be pointless if I couldn't express this and I hate to see model makers fall at the first hurdle and then disappear.

Thanks Jason,
 
Yes, the more I thought about it overnight the more I came to the same conclusion... the figure overall is about 1cm longer than the Diana figurehead, and most of that extra height is above the head (although the legs are longer too). Thankfully Aethelion gives a solution - for the brave! I launched in to remodel the figure to have a dolphin's tale - one fluke on each side of the beakhead... I can't claim credit for the tail - it was part of a plastic dolphin ordered on Amazon.
 
After a LOT of hollowing out using a Proxxon drill/engraver, the figure sat much lower on the beakhead, and was able to lean forwards more. That solved the clearance issue, and then it was "simply" a case of cutting off the legs with a mini-hacksaw, splitting the dolphins tail vertically with a craft knife, and using 1mm wire and CA glue to strengthen the join between the figure and the halves of the tail.
 
There's still a little work to do to make the join invisible, but here's the progress so far (with some shots against the plans to show how the jib boom at AOTS angle should clear the figurehead).
 
Here's the figure with the dolphin tale attached, but no filling / painting. The white is where I've carved the tail back to fit the figure.
 

 
And after some filling / painting:
 

 
A bit of work to do to hide the join, but I think I'll make his clothes come down to the join - that'll hide the join more easily.
 

 
Oh, yes... and I got two more gunports lined... onwards and upwards! Thanks for all the advice, likes, and encouragement.
 
Rob
 

So... I'm working on transcribing the master's logs for Ethalion - a time-consuming process, but I'm finding it really interesting, and the task of reading the handwriting well enough to write it down accurately helps me take in what's being said. So far I'm completely amazed by the sheer amount of fresh beef a Frigate got through! So far Ethalion has taken her maiden voyage to Copenhagen doing convoy escort with HM Sloop Scorpion through some pretty unpleasant weather... the Topgallant masts have been up and down a few times already in only a month or so. The logs start in July 1797, and Ethalion spends a good part of July and all of August in the Nore. One of the things going on at that time is hangings for mutiny aboard various ships to be witnessed... I wonder whether these are punishment for the Nore mutiny a few months earlier. Certainly it must have been a tense time for everyone.
 
For example:
Tuesday
1st August 1797
SSW to WSW
P.M. Mod’t and Cloudy. Employ’d occasionally. Answer’d Signal for a Lieutenant. AM fresh Breezes with Rain Sent a boat Manned and Arm'd to attend the execution of the Mutineers of H M Ship Sandwich. Read the Articles of War to the Ship’s Company.
 
Sandwich was the flagship in the Nore at the time with Admiral Lutwidge aboard. And below is the original (apologies, the photo I took of this page was somewhat blurry):

Anyway - a little progress on the model, too... after a LOT of sanding, the gratings are finished.
 
The row nearest the camera is the upper (gun) deck, and the row behind is the forecastle and quarterdecks... both laid out so right is towards the bow, left is towards the stern.

Thanks for all the kind comments and likes.
 
Rob

I was looking at Ethalion yesterday evening and wondering why something was jarring. Earlier on in the build I'd decided not to have red bulkheads on the gun (upper) deck. Having just visited HMS Victory I thought I'd paint them white, but in retrospect, at 1:64 scale, it just looked jarring, and to my mind took away from the lovely yellow tone of the boxwood. So. After some careful masking, I decided to paint them ochre instead. The hope is this will tone them down so they sit more in the background. It will also be a good moment to add some of the detail on the deck.
 
This morning I decided I didn't like the look of the deck right towards the stern. I'm sure no-one will see it, but I know it's there. So, inspired by HMS Mercury, I drew up a bulkhead on QCAD, and have spent the day turning it into a reality.
 
Here's the pdf of the CAD drawing. (I make no claim to absolute authenticity, but it looks correct to my eye)
 
Artois.Gundeck_bulkheads.20180913.pdf
 
I pondered whether to use wood to make the bulkhead, but the details were so fine that I wasn't sure I was up to it. I didn't want it all to end up looking clunky and overscale... So I used a mix of 1mm plastic for the bulkhead shape, 0.5mm plastic for the uprights and top and bottom beams, and paper for the detailing. I still need to finish the doors (these will have boxwood windows as per the stern lights and quarter galleys. Having painted it ochre I'm pleased with the result so far (it still needs final fitting, and to have the doors attached - they'll be open a little). According to AOTS it should fit just behind the sternmost grating, and before the third gunports from the stern.



 
The white line along the bottom of the outer walls is where the spirketting will go (I've pre-painted some wood strip that will be fixed to neaten it all up)
 

To Dirk - I bought this machine from one Czech company - https://cnc.inshop.cz/cnc-frezky-a-routery/mala-modelarska-cnc-frezka-pro-gravirovani-a-ryti. This company is co-owned with one man from German and milling maschines are made in China under inspection people from German. So I hope the quality of production will also be under tight control. Milling speed is in my case cca 15-20 mm/s, time required for one frame production is aprox. 7 minutes (milling maschine makes 10 passes). 
Beveling was done in two phases, rough sanding was made with help of Proxxon maschines, fine sanding was made manually with sanding paper glued on the wooden sticks. Beveled frames are temporarily situated on the keel.

Thank you, good to be back!

Wonderful detail, BE! Your Cheerful is just an exceptional model!
 
Thomas

Good day,B.E.
Very nice and clean job You do! 
watch your model building process  with great interest!