hamilton

Alright - the last time I updated this log seems an eternity ago! I have not, however been idle (unless you ask the admiral, in which case I am only ever idle...)
 
As I mentioned previously I have completed the rails. I've left off the decorative metal scrolls that Corel supplied and opted for something very simple - and closer to the representations in the Goodwin book. I also had to confront a structural problem that is very difficult to describe but that resulted in a situation where if I had followed the exact scheme of laying the rails as provided by Goodwin I would have had gunports that were 12mm wide and roughly 20mm tall!! Clearly absurd and to be avoided at all costs.
 
Goodwin's book shows Blandford with open bulwarks - the cap rail along the waist establishes the top of the gun ports and should be 12mm above the gun port sills to create a nice square opening. However, given the height at which the quarterdeck and forecastle sit, I could not build the bulwarks up in a way that truly reflected Goodwin's drawing. I might have been able to do this had I anticipated it back when I was building the framework - but that would have involved replacing and recrafting each and every bulkhead in the kit - something I am not equipped to do....so the structural aspects of the Corel kit are, in this instance, inadequate for reproducing the Blandford as depicted in Goodwin.
 
I needed to make some compromise - and what I chose to do was to make sure that the gunports were of normal dimensions. This necessitated making a little "step" in the main caprail both towards the forecastle and towards the quarterdeck. Goodwin shows the main caprail running smoothly from the break of the quarterdeck to the break of the forecastle...mine does not do so due to this unanticipated aspect of the Corel kit....
 
The results are not altogether awful, though they make the ultimate appearance of the vessel less satisfying than if I have been able to achieve the nice smooth lines of the Blandford....
 
Anyways, I'm trying not to get too upset about it....
 
Along with the rails have gone the frame ends in the waist as well as a set of sheave blocks situated in the open bulwarks for sheets and tacks.
 
In other news, I've also completed plotting out the belaying arrangement and re-doing my rigging tables based on information gleaned from Lees and Goodwin - the Lees book is quite amazing and will undoubtedly come in handy when I turn to the Bellona some time in the future.
 
I finally returned to actual building two days ago and have now completed the rigging details on the inboard bulwarks (cleats, kevel cleats and kevel blocks). The kevel cleats are a bit large for scale....but I am not entirely annoyed by their appearance....
 
My next step will be to shape & fit the catheads, add the knightheads and bow/quarterdeck timberheads, fish davit cleats, and some outboard details (ringbolts for rigging elements, fenders, ladders, etc.). Not sure how much I'll be doing in the next week since, though I'm technically "off" for the summer", Fall registration begins on Monday and as a program advisor for my department, I expect to be swamped with emails from anxious students about what they should be doing (should have asked a month ago!)....
 
Anyway, photos follow - hope you all are keeping well and happy 4th of July to our American friends!! Oh - and happy belated Canada Day to all the Canucks!
hamilton
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Augie - very high quality indeed! Have a nice fishing trip!
hamilton

Here are some pics of the gun tackle I made up last night.

 

 

The rigging of the masts and their associated yards has been completed !  
 
Spent the last day or so doing some needed housekeeping on board.  Dusting, a little touching up of the paint, some minor line retensioning and a spot of dullcoat here and there.  Had to get her ready for her photo op.
 

 

 

 
And a few more just to keep you-know-who happy:
 

 

 
We shall now be moving on to one I'm particularly looking forward to ---- the Spritsail yard.  If I can get that on properly I will have completed  ........  wait for it.........
 
THE WHOLE NINE YARDS    :D 
 
 
Then we'll tackle the anchor and it's tackle, including the anchor buoys.  Da_ _ed, I believe I see a light at the end of this tunnel!!!!!!
 
Now don't expect the next update to come too quickly.  Got some fishin' and flyin' to do first. 
 
Everyone be well !
 
 

I decided to take Russ's advice and install the backstays to complete the standing rig before I started on the running rig. Tensioning up the backstays certainly tightened everything up.
 
I have started fixing the blocks to the yards. Now is the time to REALLY work out what all the ropes do!
 
Cheers,
 
David.
 

 

 

Part 3 standing rig. Fore and main topgallant masts and jib boom and associated stays. The Amati kit instructions don't show the topgallant mast shrouds at all and about half of the stays.
 
I am not going to fit the backstays at this stage, I think they would really get in the way of the running rig which it must be about time to start.
 

 

 

 

Part 2 standing rig, topmasts, shrouds, ratlines, futtock shrouds and stays done.
 
Now for the topgallant masts and jib boom, no more ratlines.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Well.. a big thank you to everyone who endeavoured to keep this thread alive (for good or evil) during my last work session. I have a small update before I head north later today. Let us hope that normality will be restored and the weirdness will stay hidden under whatever dark rock it came from in the first place....
 
So... without further a-do...
 
 
The first set of main shrouds....
 
Serving the leading shroud took a good while. Anyone who recalls my machine is only good for about 6 inches of serving at one time.... (well 5 1/2 to give yourself a little working space)... anyway, to server a length of line almost 12 inches required a few adjustments along the way. A simple matter of securing the leading edge of the serving with a single overhand knot to keep things from unravelling, adjust the position of the shroud and resume. I found I didn't need to untie the knot as it's almost invisible. It actually served as a proof of concept for more complicated servings I will have to do in the near future (cut splices etc.) .... it is possible to stop, adjust and restart.. without having things turn into a rat's nest later on... at least not by themselves... what I do with them will be another matter altogether.
 
Andy
 
 
 

Alright - the last time I updated this log seems an eternity ago! I have not, however been idle (unless you ask the admiral, in which case I am only ever idle...)
 
As I mentioned previously I have completed the rails. I've left off the decorative metal scrolls that Corel supplied and opted for something very simple - and closer to the representations in the Goodwin book. I also had to confront a structural problem that is very difficult to describe but that resulted in a situation where if I had followed the exact scheme of laying the rails as provided by Goodwin I would have had gunports that were 12mm wide and roughly 20mm tall!! Clearly absurd and to be avoided at all costs.
 
Goodwin's book shows Blandford with open bulwarks - the cap rail along the waist establishes the top of the gun ports and should be 12mm above the gun port sills to create a nice square opening. However, given the height at which the quarterdeck and forecastle sit, I could not build the bulwarks up in a way that truly reflected Goodwin's drawing. I might have been able to do this had I anticipated it back when I was building the framework - but that would have involved replacing and recrafting each and every bulkhead in the kit - something I am not equipped to do....so the structural aspects of the Corel kit are, in this instance, inadequate for reproducing the Blandford as depicted in Goodwin.
 
I needed to make some compromise - and what I chose to do was to make sure that the gunports were of normal dimensions. This necessitated making a little "step" in the main caprail both towards the forecastle and towards the quarterdeck. Goodwin shows the main caprail running smoothly from the break of the quarterdeck to the break of the forecastle...mine does not do so due to this unanticipated aspect of the Corel kit....
 
The results are not altogether awful, though they make the ultimate appearance of the vessel less satisfying than if I have been able to achieve the nice smooth lines of the Blandford....
 
Anyways, I'm trying not to get too upset about it....
 
Along with the rails have gone the frame ends in the waist as well as a set of sheave blocks situated in the open bulwarks for sheets and tacks.
 
In other news, I've also completed plotting out the belaying arrangement and re-doing my rigging tables based on information gleaned from Lees and Goodwin - the Lees book is quite amazing and will undoubtedly come in handy when I turn to the Bellona some time in the future.
 
I finally returned to actual building two days ago and have now completed the rigging details on the inboard bulwarks (cleats, kevel cleats and kevel blocks). The kevel cleats are a bit large for scale....but I am not entirely annoyed by their appearance....
 
My next step will be to shape & fit the catheads, add the knightheads and bow/quarterdeck timberheads, fish davit cleats, and some outboard details (ringbolts for rigging elements, fenders, ladders, etc.). Not sure how much I'll be doing in the next week since, though I'm technically "off" for the summer", Fall registration begins on Monday and as a program advisor for my department, I expect to be swamped with emails from anxious students about what they should be doing (should have asked a month ago!)....
 
Anyway, photos follow - hope you all are keeping well and happy 4th of July to our American friends!! Oh - and happy belated Canada Day to all the Canucks!
hamilton
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Mike:
 
Thanks for the compliments and for stopping in! The Unicorn looks like a really nice ship - generally I think Corel makes good kits (I've done the Toulonnaise, the Brittany Sloop and the Flattie and all were a lot of fun and very high quality - I also have the Bellona and it looks like a real beauty!). The Greyhound seems to be an exception to the general rule - though even before I discovered the extent of the badness, I'd already decided to bash the kit quite heavily.
 
Thanks also for the tip on CMB - I will check it out and see if there's anything at 1:100 that might work! 
 
I would strongly recommend you have a go at scratch-building the transom and galleries - despite some historical inaccuracies on mine (which you can avoid by being less lazy and more keen eyed than I am) I am much happier with (and prouder of) these results than I would have been had I stuck with the material supplied by Corel. Having said that - Harlequin's Greyhound build is proof that you can make a beautiful model even with a kit as desperately imperfect as this one!
 
Looking forward to the Unicorn and bye for now
hamilton

Looking good hamilton you're certainly making her special. Love the kevels, I know they are tricky little beasts to make.
 
B..E

Hi Hamilton, just wanted to say you're doing a fantastic job on this build.  It's very inspiring as for my next build (the Corel Unicorn), I plan to do a lot of similar kit bashing.
 
Not sure if you finished your transom or not, but one thing you might consider is buying decorative pieces from Cornwall Model Boats - here is the link to decorative pieces offered by Corel that they sell (click on other manufacturers for the decorative pieces they sell):
 
http://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/acatalog/corel-decorations.html
 
The Unicorn kit's transom and stern gallery tops and bottoms are cast metal, bulky and not all that nice looking.  I'm thinking of scratching the transom and galleries, and adding the decorative pieces separately.

That's a 'different look' that you've created there blending the kit aspects with the Goodwin descriptions.  My bottom line is that it looks good!  VERY good.

A nice compromise. You've captured the essence of what the book describes despite the shortcomings of the kit. I still can't get enough of those quarter galleries you built either
 
Andy

Hi hamilton,
The progress looks great, being detailed and painted...

Hi Mobbsie:
 
I had to go back and check the date of your last update - June 28....6 days ago - and in that time, how many guns did you rig?!?! I hope you've been getting enough sleep! And going easy on your eyes! Should we be worried.....? Have a great holiday! The closest I'll get to a walking tour any time soon is in about 10 minutes or so when I'll walk out to buy some vegetables up the road....I'm jealous...
hamilton

Alright - the last time I updated this log seems an eternity ago! I have not, however been idle (unless you ask the admiral, in which case I am only ever idle...)
 
As I mentioned previously I have completed the rails. I've left off the decorative metal scrolls that Corel supplied and opted for something very simple - and closer to the representations in the Goodwin book. I also had to confront a structural problem that is very difficult to describe but that resulted in a situation where if I had followed the exact scheme of laying the rails as provided by Goodwin I would have had gunports that were 12mm wide and roughly 20mm tall!! Clearly absurd and to be avoided at all costs.
 
Goodwin's book shows Blandford with open bulwarks - the cap rail along the waist establishes the top of the gun ports and should be 12mm above the gun port sills to create a nice square opening. However, given the height at which the quarterdeck and forecastle sit, I could not build the bulwarks up in a way that truly reflected Goodwin's drawing. I might have been able to do this had I anticipated it back when I was building the framework - but that would have involved replacing and recrafting each and every bulkhead in the kit - something I am not equipped to do....so the structural aspects of the Corel kit are, in this instance, inadequate for reproducing the Blandford as depicted in Goodwin.
 
I needed to make some compromise - and what I chose to do was to make sure that the gunports were of normal dimensions. This necessitated making a little "step" in the main caprail both towards the forecastle and towards the quarterdeck. Goodwin shows the main caprail running smoothly from the break of the quarterdeck to the break of the forecastle...mine does not do so due to this unanticipated aspect of the Corel kit....
 
The results are not altogether awful, though they make the ultimate appearance of the vessel less satisfying than if I have been able to achieve the nice smooth lines of the Blandford....
 
Anyways, I'm trying not to get too upset about it....
 
Along with the rails have gone the frame ends in the waist as well as a set of sheave blocks situated in the open bulwarks for sheets and tacks.
 
In other news, I've also completed plotting out the belaying arrangement and re-doing my rigging tables based on information gleaned from Lees and Goodwin - the Lees book is quite amazing and will undoubtedly come in handy when I turn to the Bellona some time in the future.
 
I finally returned to actual building two days ago and have now completed the rigging details on the inboard bulwarks (cleats, kevel cleats and kevel blocks). The kevel cleats are a bit large for scale....but I am not entirely annoyed by their appearance....
 
My next step will be to shape & fit the catheads, add the knightheads and bow/quarterdeck timberheads, fish davit cleats, and some outboard details (ringbolts for rigging elements, fenders, ladders, etc.). Not sure how much I'll be doing in the next week since, though I'm technically "off" for the summer", Fall registration begins on Monday and as a program advisor for my department, I expect to be swamped with emails from anxious students about what they should be doing (should have asked a month ago!)....
 
Anyway, photos follow - hope you all are keeping well and happy 4th of July to our American friends!! Oh - and happy belated Canada Day to all the Canucks!
hamilton
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Moose anecdotes welcome here!  Thing is, you picked a dangerous time to be near a big boy........that period is close to the rut and they get a lot less friendly.  Same with elk.  It's great to be outdoors with the creatures who call it home.  N. America must have been really spectacular 200 years ago.  Just glad some of it still is.

I recall driving with my mum between St. John and Fredericton NB one late summer/early fall evening in the early 90s. There was construction on the highway and we were crawling along at around 20km over gravel, but it being a Sunday there was no one around and not much other traffic.
 
We were good naturedly bickering about something when a shadow fell across her. It was a very large bull moose jogging beside the car. My mum decided it would be "fun" to roll down the window and have a chat. I argued against this, but she's a powerful woman.
 
She had the window down and the moose lowered its head and looked in at us as it was running alongside. I thought we were in serious trouble - especially if the beast decided to try to put its snout in the car....my mother was giggling like a school girl and I was probably swearing like the proverbial longshoreman (no offence to any stevedores out there!). After what seemed like an eternity in which my mum cooed at the moose like it was a newborn babe, it finally peeled off, jogged across the highway and disappeared into the woods....the closest I have ever been to one of these majestic animals
 
Sorry for hijacking your brilliant Syren log for this anecdote, Augie!
hamilton

I recall driving with my mum between St. John and Fredericton NB one late summer/early fall evening in the early 90s. There was construction on the highway and we were crawling along at around 20km over gravel, but it being a Sunday there was no one around and not much other traffic.
 
We were good naturedly bickering about something when a shadow fell across her. It was a very large bull moose jogging beside the car. My mum decided it would be "fun" to roll down the window and have a chat. I argued against this, but she's a powerful woman.
 
She had the window down and the moose lowered its head and looked in at us as it was running alongside. I thought we were in serious trouble - especially if the beast decided to try to put its snout in the car....my mother was giggling like a school girl and I was probably swearing like the proverbial longshoreman (no offence to any stevedores out there!). After what seemed like an eternity in which my mum cooed at the moose like it was a newborn babe, it finally peeled off, jogged across the highway and disappeared into the woods....the closest I have ever been to one of these majestic animals
 
Sorry for hijacking your brilliant Syren log for this anecdote, Augie!
hamilton

Hamilton - appreciate the support and kind comment, your Blandford is looking great as well!
 
Finally managed to get a good few hours in today and managed to get the channels and chains close to completion, only some final sanding and another coat of paint needed.
 
As I've mentioned, I was a little wary of the deadeye strops coming off the chains when I get to rig the shrouds.  To hopefully make this a bit more secure I used some epoxy in the channel slots.
 
Once all done, the instructions say to use 1.5x1.5mm strip to close the channels, only problem is that the channels are 2mm thick, so I decided to cut my own to be 2x1.5mm.  Think it looks more in keeping.
 
Onto something else...
 

Wow! She's shaping up very nicely Mobbsie! Makes me wish I could afford one of these myself!! 
hamilton

Before the boiler top is fixed on I can still access the inside of the stove. So I have made 2 cocks which will be soldered in place from the inside of the end plates.
 
I have made some cocks from 3mm diameter brass rod, these were end drilled 0.5mm, then turned to the profile in the photo. They were also cross drilled to take wire handles. However I am not happy with these. Looking at photos of the replica stove on Victory the spouts should be longer and tapered. The left hand cock in the photo has also got an off centre hole. So I will replace these.
 
Photo 10)
 

 
I will soon be fixing legs on the stove. These will be made long so that they can fit in to holes in the brick base. I need to complete the brick base first so that I can determine how long the feet need to be. That is the current job in hand.
 
Time to go back to the work bench.       
 
 

Hamilton, that is very impressive mate, I love the innovation with the stern windows, very clever.
 
well Done
 
mobbsie

The scratch built quarter galleries and transom look fantastic!  What an improvement over the kit parts.  The fact that it was done without detailed plans makes it an even bigger achievement.  Keep it up!