leginseel

Welcome back Nigel and glad to hear your had a great time in the UK and your birthday celebrations! I'm looking forward to your continuing build log as well as how well your airbrush compressor works for your already good Bounty build to date.
 
I'm now .on holidays and won't be back till the end of September. Had a great day in Stockholm visiting the Vasa museum. When I get enough build experience will no doubt give that ship a go. I see from other build logs that it can take anything up to 2  years!!!!
 
Looking forward to heading back to Sydney to continue my build of the Norfolk.
 
Cheers.......Fernando

I'm still going, putting the many blocks and fittings on the mast, lower ratlines are ready but I will leave them as late as possible before fittings go on to keep access to the mast bases. lots of work but little to show and trying to rig her as she really was is very time consuming and tricky at this scale 

I have done just the main mast upper shrouds, reading other forums this was recommended to be carried out on the bench, this make life mush easier. I actually made them the same thickness as the main shrouds as the kit states but I felt them to be to thick and after further research found that the uppers are actually thinner ropes. Yep after all the work I had to strip them and start again.
 
 

Shipyard Update
Top Mast Shrouds and Breast Stays:
 
View of how she looks so far.

 
So what has been added since last post ?
 
Checked the rake of all 3 Masts.
The Mizzen is not raked enough by approx. 1 maybe 2 degrees.
Not sure how I got this wrong, as I checked it was right before I glued the collar in at the deck.
And that is where the error crept in, and now too late to rectify.
 
TopMast Shrouds.
Shroud Jig:
My arms and hands got so tired when I fitted the lower shrouds, in-situ, I decided to try "off the boat" using a jig to make the shrouds.
First step was to make all the shrouds with the loop at the top.
Second was to mark the length of the leading shroud of each pair and transfer to the jig.  
Third, I transferred the shroud(pair) to the jig and tied off(do the rope work) the end to the dead-eye.
Some pictures of the Jig below.
 
The front pair from the Port and Starboard sides of the Fore TopMast.

On the left I have some "pegs" in holes that I can move to simulate where the loop is in relation to the dead-eyes below.
On the right I have a sliding plate which moves accordingly with the length of the shrouds.
 
Close up of the dead-eye end.

The small board was not very stable, moving about when I made the first set above.
Upgrade to Jig.
So I attached the small jig board to a large piece of wood, fitted snugly between 2 runners, so it can slide left/right.
I did this so one could get your hand around the dead-eye end.
 
The next pairs of shrouds(stern side) with the shrouds crossed to simulate the rake aft. 

It might not be perfect but at this scale pretty much close enough.
Saved my hands being up in the air for ages trying the knots.
 
View on Fore - Top Mast

 
View on Main - Top Mast

 
Breast Stays:
Either side of the TopMasts are Breast Stays leading down the the channels.
5mm single block on the lower end of 0.45mm rope.
 
Fore TopMast - Breast Stay fall

Just got temp. lines holding the block, so I can take it off when I do the Rattling lines.
Tackle to go on after the Rattlings.
 
And the Main TopMast - Breast Stay fall

Again temp. lines holding the block, so I can take it off when I do the Rattling lines.
 
Next jobs for the shipyard to look at:
- the Fore & Main TopMast Backstay pairs
- Fore & Main Stays(main and preventor) forward.
- then onto the Rattling Lines to all the Shrouds. Can't wait for that little task to start.
 
However, most of the above will have to wait, as the Admiral and I are off on a holiday to Italy. 
Bwon a sera
Arri ved erci
 

Shipyard Update
Top Mast Burton Tackles:
 
So for the Burton Tackles we used 4mm double and single blocks with 0.45mm tan rope.
 
First step we made the 2 pendants.
Each with a loop to drop over the top mast(holds the rope in place).
The "loop" was from same 0.45mm rope threaded through the main run and CA glued used to hold in place.
The outer leg cut when dried. 

 
The legs of the pendant seized from the loop to the start of the dead-eye off the mast top(20mm).
We cut a groove in the cheeks of the 4mm double blocks, for the rope to drop in.

Completed Pendants.
The Main Burton being longer than the Fore Burton.

 
Below the Fore Top Mast with Burton Tackles in place.

 
Below the Main Top Mast with Burton Tackles in place.

 
 
Below a closer look at the bottom of the Tackles:
> the rope end finished/wrapped up.
> small hooks were made to hook into the eye bolts.

Next the Shrouds
 
Dave R

Thank you for the likes and thank you Kevin for your comment. Looking forward for your Victory updates.  Your work is lovely.
 
A small update:
I finished the planking on the top gun deck inner bulwark, still needs sanding. I painted the first lower plank before fixing so that I have a clean cut line from the deck.


 


 
 
 
 
 
Started work on the outer gunport pattern planking.  Planned how many planks go in and what tapering and bending they need.
 


 
 
 

 
 
 
Width for individual planks calculated and marked on the patterns.

 
 
 
In the coming days hopefully I will start the planking and continue with the wales.
 
 
Robert
 

Thank you for the likes and thank you for your nice comment Nigel.
 
Upper gun deck planking ready.  Since I had to remove quite a bit from the lower edge of the inner bulwark pattern to align the gunports I have also added a strip of basswood all around the upper edge of the inner bulwark pattern to bring it to the right level and to avoid any problems in planking its sides.  As for the treenails I was not sure if to do them or not.  I decided to do them.  I think the deck looks better with them.  I just marked a dot lightly with a pencil after the first varnish coat.
 
 

 

 
 

 

 
 
Next step is the planking of the inner bulwark pattern
 
 
Robert
 
 

Thanks for the comments and likes.
 
A little progress.  Mizzen stay made off to the main mast and a start on the main shrouds >>>

The 2 black 'ropes' hanging loosely behind the main mast are shrouds number 6 for each side  of the main still waiting to be attached.
 

The line hanging over the mizzen topmast top is the mizzen topgallant halliard. At it's fixed end it is attached to a block which is attached to the topside of the mizzen top platform. When I looked at Petersson's rigging plan it seemed to me that block would have been extremely difficult to fit into the very tight space available on that platform, so I fitted it to the platform while the platform was still off the mast.
I had already fitted the first 2 pairs of shrouds to the main when I realised that I hadn't made and fitted the Burton pendants. I made the two pairs (Burton pendants) and managed to get them squeezed down through the shrouds and secured in position over the masthead and bolsters.
The upper jeer blocks have been attached to the masthead for some time.

I had a lengthy respiratory infection and was staying away from making any sawdust for a while. That's why there have only been the main and mizzen lower and topmasts making an appearance on and off the ship for some time. I've been back at my makeshift lathe and the fore lower mast is now in position.

 
 

Thanks for the comments, guys.
 
Finally made a start on the rigging.  The shrouds for the mizzen lower mast are now basically in position.  They've been attached by the lanyards but the lanyards are still to be fully tightened.  The mizzen stay has been looped around the masthead but hasn't been attached to the main mast yet. >>>
 In the pic above the stay had been incorrectly looped inside the trestletrees instead of outside -- that has since been rectified.  The heart block has also been seized into the lower end of the stay since the photo.
So that I could get the gaff and boom from flailing around loosely they've been rigged, but only after the mizzen top and topmast were fitted. >>>

Petersson's book shows the line for the boom topping lift going to a block on the mizzen channel then to a belaying pin on a side pinrail.  Leopard has no side pinrails on the poop deck so I led it via a double block to a pin on the central pinrail immediately behind the mast  >>>

 
The gaff vangs and boom guy pendants have also been rigged >>>



There is one thing that these photos have revealed that is virtually invisible to the naked eye --- and that is all the 'fuzz' on the rigging threads, so I'll have to get some bees wax on the job.
 

The braces are now finished. The driver boom(spanker?) is the only bit of rigging that needs to be done and it will have to wait until I receive a (very) little more 0.47 thread from Syren.  I have tried to show the rigging of the braces in the following photos, but I'm afraid it doesn't show up well.  They may be of use to someone though. One thing that may come across, however, is the complexity of the rigging of these ships.
 

 


 

Here is the saddle attached to the mast. It's shape is more or less a guess.  If it turns out to be wrong, at least the mistake won't be all that obvious.  In the photos below the boom is simply resting on it to give the general idea.  I have run out of 0.45mm thread (by about 20cm ) so I will have to order more and finish it when I return.
 
 

 

 


 

Shrouds are in progress

I started rigging

That is a great idea! We live close to some apple orchards actually.   I could go by and ask! I never thought of that before.  I might also get some cherry soon and see how it looks.
 
Thanks Steve!  I checked out their site and was able to order some boxwood!
 
I had to order strips for deck planking because if I used the supplied kit strips,  I know I would run out before I was done. 
 
I finally was able to add the hatches and stair sections to the middle deck (minus the gratings I will add those in a bit). I used the book plans for the placement, size,  and thickness of the wood.   I think it turned out better than when I did this for the upper deck.   Next up, is either to plank this deck, or cut out the side frames and glue them on.  I'm leaning more towards finishing the frames first and then plank. 
 
Jeff 

Thanks you guys for the comments! It made my day reading them!
 
Dan, question for you.  I really like the idea of adding the deck beams, carlings, and ledges to the upper deck! I have the plans so I'm good with what I need to build.  My question is, what's the normal wood used to build those pieces? I've looked around, but couldn't figure out what wood I should use. That step is farther out in the build,  but I woukd like to get the supplies.
 
Thanks!!
Jeff 

Thanks everyone for the nice encouraging comments! They have inspired me to sit down and think about what I want to get out of this model.  I took a few days off to relax and think about what I want to do and how I want to fix it.  I think I came up with a solution that, I hope, will actually work out better in the end.  It will require more effort, time, and materials, but if it goes well, will result in a better outcome than what I had completed before the insident.
 
 I am not deterred and will continue on! I might not post much for a week or so because I'll be busy with figuring out how I want to proceed.
 
Jeff

I have done some work on the hatches.  Im thinking of adding 1 hatch to the left of the main mast as shown in the book but not in the kit.
 
I have painted the deck floor black where the gratings will be. I need to also build the stairs as well.
 

 
Jeff
 
 

Absolutely brilliant Jeff. You are an inspiration and through your clear thinking and first rate application I'm sure you'll end up with a much better model. Congratulations. 

Really sorry Jeff, happy birthday anyway. Richards advice to take a break may be best but keep your perspective- it's wood and it can be fixed. All the very best and I look forward to seeing it back on stream soon. 

Really sorry Jeff, happy birthday anyway. Richards advice to take a break may be best but keep your perspective- it's wood and it can be fixed. All the very best and I look forward to seeing it back on stream soon. 

That's exactly why I recommended John Mackays book to you.  I've had the similar issues with my Constructo Bounty. You have to take a view between authenticity and 'look' and unfortunately make some compromises. It's for this reason that I am creating a Victory fund to buy a Caldercraft kit which I understand is about as good as it gets. Keep your chin up and I'm confident that you'll find a way through it. 

Hi Guys I'm signing off from posting on the log till September so here are the last couple of photos before I moor her up.

That's exactly why I recommended John Mackays book to you.  I've had the similar issues with my Constructo Bounty. You have to take a view between authenticity and 'look' and unfortunately make some compromises. It's for this reason that I am creating a Victory fund to buy a Caldercraft kit which I understand is about as good as it gets. Keep your chin up and I'm confident that you'll find a way through it. 

What a great idea for the oars - they say the simple ideas are usually the best.

Fabulous work Don, it was a real pleasure to read through your log - a master class in model shipbuilding.