leginseel

Shipyard Update:
Cleats to the lower Shrouds:
The shipyard took on the task of adding cleats to the lower shrouds.
Tricky little buggers to lash onto the inside of the shrouds.
3 x 2 loops per cleat.
Each cleat had a groove filed to the inside leg to "sit"  over the shroud/rope.
 

Starboard Fore Shroud cleats.

Starboard outer Shroud cleats.

Inner Port view Shroud cleats.

Inner Port Mizzen Shroud cleats.
 

Cleats on the shrouds - picture on the HMB Endeavour Replica at AMM - Sydney
 

Thanks Tom, Nigel and Popeye for the comments and the helpful suggestions, and to the others for the likes.
 
When I was looking for diversions from "ratlining" a couple of months ago I made the basic platform for the fore top. It has been some time since I made the main and mizzen tops and had forgotten just how much work is involved, and how much time it takes to complete just one top!
It has probably taken me the best part of the last 2 weeks to complete the fore top.  I'm glad I have a small milling machine for milling the slots for the futtock plates as well as drilling the holes for the crowsfeet and for the stanchions for the aft safety rail. (Did they really have any 'safety features' in the 18th century!)

The trestletrees have been on the mast for some time but I have kept the crosstrees off for the fitting of their 12 blocks.  As I don't intend to have sails only 4 lines will actually pass through these blocks - - the braces for the spritsail and for the spritsail topsail. When I looked at the underside of the main top it seemed obvious that it just might be somewhat tricky getting these lines through the tiny holes in the blocks up there in all the clutter (crowsfeet, futtock shrouds etc.) surrounding the fore top's underside . . . SO ~ I 'threaded' these lines through their blocks BEFORE mounting the crosstrees onto the trestletrees.

I measured how much line would be needed for each brace and added about 30% just to make sure there will be enough length when it comes time to rig these braces . . . and just to make sure that they don't come out of the blocks accidentally, I tied the end of each line to it's other end, so for the time being each brace is a loop until knot cutting time. (At least when it's time to rig the braces I think I may have saved myself some frustration and the uttering of foreign sounding words!)

(The top is not yet permanently in it's home -- it's just placed on in the following photos.)

 
 
 

wow Jim.......I can imagine that the other shrouds will be just as labor intensive.  I don't blame you .......anyone who has attempted shrouds that large,  don't either,  I would say.  wonderful job though......I hope mine come out as well,  when I get to them.   running rigging can be quite a balancing act.......that's why I came to a formula.......finding the true 'zero' tension and staying within this tolerance.  it's not like the thread runs free in the blocks either.  once tension is applied,  the blocks tend to hold the tension,  until you manually adjust them.......it can be frustrating.
 
here is how I found 'zero':   {you may have to do this with all different types of thread,  so you'll know with that particular type}   hold a piece of the thread in your fingers......pull outward as tight as will allow.   release the tension slowly and watch the string as it relaxes.  do this as many time as needed.....watch the string.....you will see the point where the string will begin to go slack.  the point before it begins to go slack,  is zero.   the more you do this,  you'll be better able to hone in on the exact point where zero is.   this has helped me a lot with plastic kits......the yards bend very easy......but too much tension will also cause wood to bow as well.   I know it sounds crazy........but give it a try.  it may help in some cases      BTW.......you've made quite a bit of progress.   you might not think so,  but I think your humm'in right along!     

Hi Guys still making slow progress
With the Mizzen Tops I decided that I'd rig them so that the tails connect down to the rat lines (eventually) which the kit doesn't call for but from what I've picked up that seems to be the correct method.  I'm starting to realize that I have to double think everything to make sure that I don't create a problem in the future.  I've also realized that my sausage fingers are not build for this sort of work!!
 

Hi Guys still making slow progress
With the Mizzen Tops I decided that I'd rig them so that the tails connect down to the rat lines (eventually) which the kit doesn't call for but from what I've picked up that seems to be the correct method.  I'm starting to realize that I have to double think everything to make sure that I don't create a problem in the future.  I've also realized that my sausage fingers are not build for this sort of work!!
 

Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.  I'm back in the Boatyard after the Xmas break in the UK and glad to be back with the smell of glue and sawdust.
Apart from a few minor things the hull and deck are almost complete so I thought it was time to look at the masts.  The Tops seem to have an important part to play in the assembly of the masts so these were my first task.

This is my progress to date but the edgings around the tops drove me crazy!!  No matter how carefully I tried to bend the edging strips they broke every time so I scratched my head for a minute and decide to try Lollypop Sticks and they worked a treat!!  The Mizzen Top is now ready for the paint shop with just the Main and Fore to complete which hopefully I will do in the next few days. 
 

Hi Guys still making slow progress
With the Mizzen Tops I decided that I'd rig them so that the tails connect down to the rat lines (eventually) which the kit doesn't call for but from what I've picked up that seems to be the correct method.  I'm starting to realize that I have to double think everything to make sure that I don't create a problem in the future.  I've also realized that my sausage fingers are not build for this sort of work!!
 

Nice comments, thank you, I have started making a few coils for the belay pins, I also do a few lines a night well until I have had enough, I couldn’t sit there bashing them out all night, I also find I have to be in the mood to do the ship and really I am one of the lucky ones as she lives in a room of her own and I can just come and go. That said If I have a long break it takes me ages to pick her up again, this log helps to look back on. I have prowled other builders sites and taken advise from there errors regards rigging and trying to avoid them. It’s certainly the hardest part especially, hard in respect of lots of research required, if your going for the real way things were done, problem is it’s very visible too 

Paul. I've mentioned before that this was my very first build, too. You are doing waaay better than I ever did !!
 
With regards the rigging, I just followed the numbers. Do two or three (or four or five) lines each night, and you'll get there in no time at all. I think your decision to leave the stay-lines temporarily unattached will prove very wise. I do recall experiencing difficulties getting my fat fingers in to tie lines off to the belaying pins.
You may find that you will need to fix the stays and rat-lines before the rigging is finished, as some later lines tie-off to the rat-lines (flying rigging).
 
Have you considered pre-making some rope coils ?? You'll need about 40 or more. Tie off your lines to the pins, super-glue in place, trim the excess rope, and slip a coil over the belaying pin. Use a diluted PVA mix (about 30 PVA/70 H2O) and "paint" a bit onto your coils and then shape them into place with your tweezers, so that they will permanently hang down convincingly.
 
Also, I found left-over rope coils to be very useful for hiding mistakes (obviously, YOU won't be requiring those).
 
When I was rigging the upper masts, I found it quite tiring on the wrists/forearms. Never tried this myself, but mayhaps you could try setting your model at ground level for these sections.
  
Keep up the great work !!
  
 
 
 
 

Shipyard Update:
Binnacle:
I created a 3D model of the Binnacle and printed it on my Creator Pro 3D printer with a PLA wood filament.
Below is the finished 3D print after some tidy up of the print, before paint-job.

Below the Binnacle with paint-job in position - ready for tie-down.
       
      
Back to the Rigging.
 

Joe: I have looked at your Granado.  It's very, very well done indeed. I hope you don't mind if I steal shamelessly from your work. Your paint work, in particular is really impressive.
 
The first planking is taking far longer than I thought.  The instructions are particular in specifying PVA for gluing the planks to the bulkheads. Waiting for it to dry properly is a bit frustrating.  In previous build I have use medium CA.
 
While waiting I have been putting together the gun carriages. Taking off the char from the laser cutting is tedious and in particular the char on the wheels is a bit of a pain.
 
Here is a relatively painless war of 'decharring' the wheels.
 
I had piece of 2mm dowel that I had tapered to about 1mm. I further reduced the 1mm end so that it fitted the axle hole.   The hole and the dowel must be very snug.  The dowel and wheel are fitted to the collet of a Dremel or similar - switch on and very lightly apply the turning wheel to some 400 glass paper.  The second photo shows the result.
 

 

 
 

Joe: Whoops - it is Caldercraft!  After the time spent with Victory models it's hard to get used to.  Sorry about that.
 
Rob: thanks for your interest. I don't think the difference in scale will prove all that significant.  It was though one of the things that attracted me to the model. I found with Vanguard that you could provide more detail than in the plans, though most of it is below deck and is now obscured.  At least I know it's there.
 
Jorgen: I bought them quite some time ago and can't remember where I bought them.  That's age for you. I do remember that there was a discussion of this type of thing in the tools section of this site.  It would be some years ago though. 
 
Thinks: they may have come from a ship modeling shop in Melbourne in Australia.  I do have their website somewhere and I will try to find it.  However it will have to wait until next week as I will be away for the next few days.
 
Peter: good to hear from you.
 
At the moment I am doing battle with Windows 10 again and agai  it is far ahead on points.  I'm going to try to upload a couple of photos now.  At least as a pessimist I'm rarely disappointed.  Well, well. It worked.
 
For what it's worth here is a detailed picture of the clamps (they may actually be called something like 'planking screws') and the piece of scrap strip I use to help position the clamps.
 

I use a standard hypodermic syringe for gluing with PVA.  In this country you may buy then at a chemist shop.  I then grind off the sharp tip. The glue keeps indefinitely provided you stick a pin in the tip after use.

In the first planking I cut joins at about 45 degrees. - it makes it easy to keep the new plank correctly aligned, especially as the plank is obscured when the clamp is applied.

The plank is glued and clamped ....

 

Having just finished 5 years or so building Amati's Vangard, I have decided to do something quite different: the bomb vessel Granado.  There are a number of good logs for Granado  on this website and I don't know if I can add much to them, but you never know. 
 
Most of the materials in the kit seem to be of good quality, though I am working on the first planking now and have found the wood strip splintery and cross-grained.  The gun carriages could be improved and consequently I have substituted Syren  carriages which are excellent though rather fiddly to put together (photos in my vanguard log).
 
Here a few photos of the very beginning of the building process.  I hope to have something a little more interesting soon.
 
Having I hope, installed the bulkheads squarely The gunport patterns are next having given then a good soaking in warm water. The red-handled clamps are particulary strong and were necessary to made the pattern conform with the curved bulkheads
 

Bulkhead 10 is rather more complicated than the rest.  It has 4 extensions, two of which are at an angle, and is best completed off the model.

Here is the bow.  I have installed a balsa guides to help shape the wood strip around the bow.  The screw-in clamps I find a far better than nailing the strip to the bulkeads.

 
I have tried to upload a couple of other shots, but for some reason the uploads failed.
 
I find that I have photographed one of the small drills I use mostly in preference to my Dremel.  I have two of them and they save time and annoyance switching tools. Also shown are couple of the small pieces of wood strip with notches which help position the screw in clamps.
 

Still here, slowly building through life’s commitments, rigging is taking quite some time studying what went where and what it does and how to rig avoiding the, I can not get to it now because I rigged that first scenario. The rigging fitted so far is just loose except main stays and when I’m happy the access is not comprised I will fix them. There is no rush and she will probably take me as long as the real ship to complete at this rate of knots. Hope your all ok out there. 

Thank you everyone for all your likes!
 
I finally finished cutting out the tops of the frames and glued them on the ship. 
 

That took a while and a few attempts using the scroll saw.
 
I am currently working on the walls and doors that I will be placing on the deck.

This is the first section and door. I know that the position of this wall and the doors aren't correct compaired to the real ship, but I'm good with that. I wanted to keep the frames from view.  I hope to be able to build more of the doors and walls soon.
 
Jeff 
 

That is sound reasoning and the mockup looks like it fits nicely.  WRT height, I worked on a couple of guiding principles: 1. height of eye of the average sailor to enable a clear view of the compass top within the shelf/compartment; and 2.  ability to view over the top of the binnacle to monitor ship's head and sails to maintain course.
 
The 3D print is a great idea as you would get some amazing detail, which at this scale, is hard to do with wood (well for me anyway ).
 
cheers
 
Pat

Shipyard Update:
Binnacle/s:
For those who recently have dropped in, following my build.
I decided to remove my first attempt of the single Binnacles beside the skylight, in front of the steering wheel. What was I thinking ?!%$##@
 
I contemplated enlarging each, but my mind kept drifting to the design in the AOTS, the ability to open the hatches of the skylight, the fixing of the binnacle/s to the deck, the functionality as Pat pointed out and to the storage of navigation equipment.
 
The Replica seems to have at least 1 Binnacle(pictured in post above) resting on the deck, to one side and aft to what appears to be a modern day Binnacle. No indication of how this item is tied down. Which brings me to think it is placed on deck for historical purposes whilst in port.
 
Further posted above(Jim Lads post) is the Replica at sea, with the 2 single Binnacles in use, nav. equipment in use either side for the helmsmen to use. Each is permanently fixed to the deck. I assume to cater for the wiring of the Nav. gear(coms. and power). Modern version, not historically correct ?
 
Therefore I'm drawn back to the design in the AOTS, which Marquardt has depicted(at no scale) on page 69.
Page 14 of the AOTS describes reasoning behind a Binnacle which straddles the skylight. "The common Binnacle of the period was described by Falconer, 'a wooden case or box, which contains the compasses, log-glass, watch-glasses, and lights to shew the compass at night". It was necessary to have the 2 compasses 7ft apart to prevent reciprocal interference...... The Binnacle was usually placed directly in front of the steering wheel, so that the compasses could be easily read by the helmsmen on one side and officer of the watch on the other side.
 
Got to agree it all makes sense and decided to construct a paper mock-up of a Binnacle(second attempt) to see how the above will work in the area in front of the wheel. I believe it would allow the skylight hatches to lift up horizontally, and house the 2 compasses and lantern. Might need to be slightly deeper and possibly a little higher. I don't want it to be overpowering in size though.
The 2 x compass housed in each top outer compartments(external raked lid to inside), draws below and to the inner bridge. Lantern housed in middle of bridge. My wheel drum blocks the back of the middle section of the bridge, so lantern lowers into the middle from top ?
 
All too much I know, most will look at it and see it as a red box in front of the steering wheel.
 
Might have a go at making it on my 3D printer with wood filament !.
 
Again open to suggestions.

 



 
 
 

Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.  I'm back in the Boatyard after the Xmas break in the UK and glad to be back with the smell of glue and sawdust.
Apart from a few minor things the hull and deck are almost complete so I thought it was time to look at the masts.  The Tops seem to have an important part to play in the assembly of the masts so these were my first task.

This is my progress to date but the edgings around the tops drove me crazy!!  No matter how carefully I tried to bend the edging strips they broke every time so I scratched my head for a minute and decide to try Lollypop Sticks and they worked a treat!!  The Mizzen Top is now ready for the paint shop with just the Main and Fore to complete which hopefully I will do in the next few days. 
 

Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.  I'm back in the Boatyard after the Xmas break in the UK and glad to be back with the smell of glue and sawdust.
Apart from a few minor things the hull and deck are almost complete so I thought it was time to look at the masts.  The Tops seem to have an important part to play in the assembly of the masts so these were my first task.

This is my progress to date but the edgings around the tops drove me crazy!!  No matter how carefully I tried to bend the edging strips they broke every time so I scratched my head for a minute and decide to try Lollypop Sticks and they worked a treat!!  The Mizzen Top is now ready for the paint shop with just the Main and Fore to complete which hopefully I will do in the next few days. 
 

I've been having a torrid time trying to create the Cutwater Braces etc for the bow as the plans and instructions are severely lacking (not for the first time!)  However, between McKays book and other builders on this site, notably Steve1234, I've managed to bring something together but it's still very much work in progress.  Also they say the camera never lies and seeing the photos I've got quite a bit of paint to touch up.

Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.  I'm back in the Boatyard after the Xmas break in the UK and glad to be back with the smell of glue and sawdust.
Apart from a few minor things the hull and deck are almost complete so I thought it was time to look at the masts.  The Tops seem to have an important part to play in the assembly of the masts so these were my first task.

This is my progress to date but the edgings around the tops drove me crazy!!  No matter how carefully I tried to bend the edging strips they broke every time so I scratched my head for a minute and decide to try Lollypop Sticks and they worked a treat!!  The Mizzen Top is now ready for the paint shop with just the Main and Fore to complete which hopefully I will do in the next few days. 
 

Great work as always Jim.  I'm just embarking on my masts and rigging and I'm truly mesmerized at your attention to detail as you're providing me with a fantastic 'go to' build for general information, thank you.
 

Great work as always Jim.  I'm just embarking on my masts and rigging and I'm truly mesmerized at your attention to detail as you're providing me with a fantastic 'go to' build for general information, thank you.
 

Great work as always Jim.  I'm just embarking on my masts and rigging and I'm truly mesmerized at your attention to detail as you're providing me with a fantastic 'go to' build for general information, thank you.
 

Can't believe it's almost 3 months since my last post . . .
 
 . . . I continued with the ratlines at an average of 4 - 5 per night and eventually finished up to the futtock stave on the starboard side of the main mast, by which time I was beginning to become very weary of ratlines!  Nevertheless, I pressed on with the port side and got to around 60% of the way up to the futtock stave when a couple of 'life things' happened along and all work on the ship ground to a halt.
To be honest, I had become seriously weary of tying what felt like millions of knots and not seeing any great progress and I think I just needed a break away from the ship, and that 'break' lasted around 6 or 7 weeks.
Have now since returned to that main mast and have finished the ratlines up to the futtock stave. I was keen to get to that point on each side of the mast so that I could finally get the braces of the mizzen crossjack secured to the aftmost main shrouds.
Time to get that crossjack secured - - - that shouldn't take long ??? . . . well, if that's what I thought before, I now know differently!
 
As it's the only yard on the ship that is braced 'forward', any tension on the braces was tending to pull the yard well away from the mizzen mast. I have no rigging plan for this ship, so, following Petersson's  book I rigged the truss pendant to a block on the mizzen channel then back through it's own block to a pin on the pinrail behind the mast. (Petersson's book shows a pin on the side bulwark of the poop deck, but as Leopard has none there, it would have to be the pinrain at the mast.)  That wasn't working for me because all it was doing was holding the yard downwards BUT wasn't preventing the braces from pulling the yard forward by too much to be acceptable.  So I had to modify where the truss pendant would have to be belayed.
I fitted a block on top of the taffrail, outboard of the spanker gaff vang on the port side and from there back through it's own 'inline' block then to a cleat on the inside of the taffrail. At least this has had the desired effect of exerting an aftwards pull against the forwards pull of the braces, thus holding the yard much closer to the mast >>>

So, it "only" took me 2 night's work getting the lifts equalised, followed by much frustration trying to get the lines made off to these tiny pins behind the mast . . . equalising the braces and having a similar amount of frustration getting their lines belayed while trying to maintain the correct amount of tension in the truss pendant.
All in all, it was a bit like a 5 way juggling act! . . . and I have no previous juggling experience.