hollowneck

Good idea. The reddish hue of bronze will better complement the warm wood colors.

Thanks! No other nearby vessels will miss this ship's service and allegiance!🤫 Yes, also called "bond" photocopy paper, typically indicated also as #20 lb multipurpose printer paper. As Brits might say: "Bog standard" but not literally meaning "The Bog." (which is the seat of ease to ship modelers...)

Thank You, B.E. Your commentary is always much appreciated. When I completed the flag and held it in place initially I was somewhat disappointed with the slight "sheen" of the paper. After touching-up the fold line with paints - but before tying it off to its halyard - I gave the flag a shot of dulling lacquer. Not knowing if it would react negatively with the inkjet colors, I had printed an extra sheet and tested the spray on it first to see if the lacquer would have an adverse affect. As they say in the French Navy: "Tre´bien!, No problemo!"

While waiting for the glue to dry on the model's case joinery, I made HMS Camilla's ensign, primed the new Captain and his cannoneers for their detailing and started affixing her 80+ rope hanks. The British flag is made from copier paper (folded over), inkjet printed. I carefully shaped the flag with my fingers utilizing three different sized dowels. The doubled thickness of the copier paper (and possibly some spray mount adhesive to hold the two sides together) holds its shape. A quick spritz of dull cote spray magically turns the semi-gloss printed paper into a convincing fabric. A single tackle block for the flag's halyard line was mounted to the gaff to haul the flag. HMS Camilla's diorama will show her with a strong following wind, hence the largely unfurled ensign at her stern. I have yet to make her Mainmast pennant which will also be made from paper. Because of the pennant's length, I'll mount a thin wire between the paper layers to retain its long waving shape (same wire used for the sail bolt rope shaping) The new 3D-printed Captain and his gun crew get primed prior to detail painting. The figure's thin base will be removed with a scalpel, not a disc sander this go-round! I believe the detail painting of the figures will be a little easier with them temporarily glued in-place on the cardboard sheet. Holding these with fingers - even clamping tweezers - gets tedious. There are jigs made expressly for holding small figures but I don't have them. A view of the rope hanks mounted to Camilla's mainmast shroud cleats (starboard). A little trimming and dressing remains. Essentially, this last stretch of the rigging is complete at this position.

This involves the water and math calculations of Archimedean physics: soak the tongues for another 24 hours and you'll possibly be close to their original configuration. If not successful, toss the whole lot and start over!😂

Thank You, much appreciated. For me, crafting the presentation is yet another extension of the challenges and pleasure I get making these beautiful models. I transition from intricate rigging with surgeon's and dentist tools to chopping up large sections of plywood with power saws, sanders, jig saws and large cabinetry clamps. Once Camilla's base is completed (but not yet stained and sealed), then it'll be time to make water... all in the endeavor to present the pinnacle of late 18th century technology: a fast-sailing frigate of His Majesty's Service. Post base-making with my power tools, the ship's new Captain and the balance of my 3D-printed crew will get their colors.

I only use poly sealers on my models (and base/cases). Fun fact: Shellac is made from the carcasses of beetles(“🎶…Yeah,yeah, yeah”).

Thanks Bob, much appreciated. I'm hoping my "wind up" is helpful since it really does set a proper stage for the creation of the water. I contemplated going "plain" on the base, but this ship needed a little something more for its dramatic presentation. There are layers of Home Depot house insulation (foam board) to glue together and shape which will get the process underway. Unusual tools for the first steps are coming up: bread knives, hot wire foam cutter, saw blades, etc.

Making rope hanks continues, tidying-up rigging continues too. Two days ago, the custom millwork I'd shown a few posts ago arrived for Camilla's base/diorama! About 30 coils made. 50 more to go. grrrrrrrrrr.... This is tedious, repetitive busy work, but necessary. I'll be very glad when I can start mounting these guys where they belong. Ta-da! the millwork for Camilla's base/diorama arrived. I temporarily set-up "shop"on my pong table to eyeball the proportions of the base in context with the model. I've decided to make the width an even 36" and the depth (port-to-starboard- more or less), 26". In this photo I've cut two lengths with their 45 degree mitres and temporarily stuck them together to get a sense of the completed base size. The architectural door casing wood came in two 7 foot lengths which will give me little room for error; there will be short length cut-offs I can use for experimenting with the color of the stain and the infill accent on the repeating acanthus pattern. The wood is poplar, medium soft, nearly knot-free and from experience I know it should take the base and accent stains evenly. A lower view of what the model will look like (sort of - since HMS Camilla will be quite a bit lower once she's placed into position in the "base" after the sides are affixed to a plywood base). The height of this casing millwork is 4". The nominal thickness is 13/16". "Nominal" because the shaped profile isn't uniform, patterned front to back: there is a 1/16" thickness variance across the section. This small difference required me to shim the stock when cutting the mitres so the 45 degree angled cuts wouldn't be skewed owing to this small disparity. Here is a mitered corner of the casing, before gluing, sanding and filling (if necessary). Because of the convoluted section profile, the mitre saw I own (power) required the stock to be securely clamped and shimmed while on the saw's platen before making the angled cuts. There is less than a 1/16" fudge factor to all the cuts; once glued and clamped any small discrepancies in the corner tolerances should come together without thin corner cracks showing. This process is similar to what custom picture framing shops do: precision measurements requiring very precise cutting. I use a 10.5" dia. narrow kerf blade in my mitre saw. Dramatic lighting, huh? 🙄...Hopefully, after I've glued the four sides to the ply base (the next process), all four corners should look like this. 🤞The play of lighting on the diorama's base will be very interesting once colored and finish sealed. Art history buffs will notice I'm shooting for an English "Georgian" period look to the overall base design. I'm about to dive into the English Channel's freezing water within just a few days. Most materials I need are in the shop - including some Earl Grey's tea, scones, clotted cream and raspberry jam. Mmmmmmmm Cheers Mates!

Doug, I agree with Glenn, your boat looks fine with your Speedy. I suggested the resin ones from Vanguard as a "bookmark" possibility for future model projects. I should point out that Chris' 3D-printed clinker hull "cheaters" have molded in ribs, thwart rails and a tapered keel to the transom - so no fiddling with making and mounting these details. I also like that the clinker overlaps are partially visible in the boat's interior. BTW: Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated.

Same for me on difficulties with these small boats in the kits. Vanguard has provided an excellent solution for those who would like to include a small boat (or more) with their ship - without the demanding and critical skills needed to fashion a decent-looking small boat; these small craft (in small scales) are very challenging to construct. Here is a link for the Vanguard 3D-printed, resin boats offered in hulls only or complete "mini kits". I will also add that the prices are quite reasonable, especially for those who are in the U.K. as the Royal Mail cost is a pip. https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/clinker-hull-boats-3d-printed/ Here is a photo of the launch I made with a Vanguard 3D printed resin hull. I scratched wood pieces to simulate the boat's interior elements and used some of the laser cut pear parts in the larger kit (HMS Sphinx). This pic from my WIP Build Log and not a final arrangement.

😁...Indeed, he could be dancing a jig... however, I've updated my Log with an important announcement that he'll be given another post. I confess I have no whale bone in my shop since it's now illegal.

Completed rope hank jig, a test for the Ensign, and reassigning Cpt. Pennypincher... My completed hank jig has five stations. The Matte Medium adhesive for securing the coils as well as the beeswax that acts as a release agent on the wood armature (I rub this along the top and facing surfaces about every two or three runs of hanks). On the righthand side, three short coils; on the left, two longer ones. The openings in the wood came with the spare piece. The ends of the hanks have been taped down with a strip of Tamiya tape until the coils dry. I've estimated that I'll need a total of approximately 90 total rope hanks, a mix of the two sizes shown below. These are the two sizes for nearly all of the running rigging on the model: .35 mm & .45 mm tan rope. I found a good image for the Royal Navy ensign online and I downloaded it so I could edit it in P'Shop. I then resized it in good resolution (200 ppi). I wanted to double-check the overall size before committing to a color print file. However, I no longer have a color printer so I've printed out the flag in its correct size with a home office black & white printer: 3.62"W X 2.12" H. I'll take the image file (including a reverse image "flipped file" for the opposite side of the flag) to an imaging vendor (probably Staples) and print out a couple copies in color (Red Ensign). Notice how large the ensign is next to the sailor figures. When I was removing the resin bases for three of my 3D printed sailors with my disc sander, Captain Pennypincher's leg disappeared into the void somewhere on my shop floor, never to be found again. I've considered fashioning him a "peg leg" with a toothpick but now owing to his disability, I decided to transfer him to another post ship and bring aboard a new Captain... ... meet HMS Camilla's new man-in-charge, Captain C.W. Wigglesworth. He may be a tad shorter than Pennypincher, but he is much-admired among his sailors. The ultra-thin 3D print base will allow me to remove it with a sharp craft knife and thus, I can save his leg post-painting. What's one more figure to paint? Wigglesworth will get in line with his six cannoneer crew next week for wardrobing. The grey sprue on the right is Wiggleworth's sword & scabbard.

Link works for me fine: iOS on an iPad in Safari. Also o.k. on my Mac, also using Safari.

With only a few of her rigging details left to complete (rope hanks, flags, sail weathering details, etc.), I need to estimate the base area for her diorama so I can order custom millwork. In the two photos, I've placed some long strip stock on the table tennis top to get a visual on the maximum size of the "pan" I'll construct from plywood and the 4" high architectural door casing for its sides. I needed to get the lengths of the custom casing right to confirm my order. The tentative dimension of the base is 36" W X 24" D. The placement of the model here is not exact. I have two long carpenter's clamps that will be necessary to hold the sides to the ply base when I do the lay-up. The final base measurements help me determine the size of the water creation materials too, which I'll need to order in the next couple weeks. This photo shows an approximate "heel" to the ship (to starboard). Her bow will be riding up on a wave. Her keel will likely rest on the plywood base, like my other dioramas. This means that there will be an approximate "depth" of the water/wave action of about 3"-5," a little deeper than my previous dioramas (weathery, choppy seas with a couple rollers). The ply base will likely be from 3/4" surfaced ply (to help prevent warping over time). This results in the 3" minimum measurement for the water depth effect. For visual reference on the overall diorama size, my previous 6th-rate model (HMS Swan-12) was placed in a 40" X 20" base presenting the model on a slight port heading, bow forward. HMS Camilla will be presented with a starboard heading on a significant tack showing her stern in an approximate position shown in the previous photos. ------- So, until I the custom door casing millwork arrives at my doorstep (a long 94" tube via Fedex), I'll go back to some loose ends (literally!)... To make numerous rope hanks, I've made a new rope hank jig. I will need two different rope hank lengths for Camilla's rigging. I had to toss an older hank jig as the placement of the pins didn't correspond well with the smaller hanks; it was also pretty tired from previous projects. The photo shown here was a test to check a new approach for gluing and I'll add several more "stations" to it subsequent to my successful test. I've drilled three (3) pin (brass brad nail) holes in two edges of this 9" long piece of spare wood (an armature) for making the hank loops: one hole is on the thin top and two others on the wider face. The forming nails are brass because the water solution of the glue will - in just a few uses - start to rust regular nails. In the photo, the coil has been turned four times and secured on the shortest length of two facing pin holes for the brass nails. Next to these nail positions, I've drilled another much smaller hole on the top for a sample belaying pin. This is the 8 mm size pear pin that I've used throughout the model. I did this this to check the fidelity of the thickest running rope that I'll use as well as the size of the loops. A little less than half the total number of hanks I'll need will be on the small belaying pins, the other hanks will mount to the larger shroud and bulwark cleats (hence, the longer size pin placement that will facilitate fashioning longer coils - the dark hole at the base of the coil will be the maximum hank length, another 4 mm). This single station at the jig's end was to determine whether or not I could use diluted Liquitex Matte Medium adhesive on my hanks/coils. It worked. On some previous models, I used diluted PVA for hanks and struggled with this approach; I recall a nearly 50% failure rate with various issues that plagued my method. When I thought I got the perfect mix of glue and water to allow a hank to be smoothly removed from the jig, they fell apart when I began mounting them because the glue wouldn’t hold the shape.Grrrrr… The long top edge of the wood armature is rounded-off slightly because... ...before coiling a precut length of rope around the two brass pins, I rub a small disc of beeswax along the edge where the rope will contact the wooden armature. The beeswax helps to release the completed rope without having it come unravelled (I still use pointed tweezers to carefully remove the dried coil after pulling the brass pins out by carefully twisting them with my fingers). After coiling the rope and leaving a short length on the final "tail" wrap, the entire hank is coated with diluted Matte Medium with a small brush (about a 50/50 mix). The "tail" gets tucked back through the coil and trimmed after removing it from the jig. The matte adhesive dries in about 15 minutes (in a warm shop). From previous experience I know I can also use a hair dryer to speed this up to under 5 minutes per run. I will now add another 5 or 6 "stations" to his jig so I can lay-up multiple hanks at a go. I'll post another photo of my final hank jig. I'll show how I dress the formed hank to their belaying pins and cleats when I add them later. Another detail here, before I paint the balance of Camilla's crew (the six impressed cannoneers). I've coated the sailor on the left with a light touch of the Testor's Spray Lacquer ( previously branded "Dull Cote") to diminish the natural shine of the acrylic paint job. In comparison, the Captain hasn't been spritzed yet. The effect is certainly subtle, but to my eye nonetheless dramatic under less intense lighting. I lit this purposefully to show the contrast between the "dulled" figure and one that hasn't been toned-down. Placing the two in position on the model under normal overhead lighting the dull figure is much more convincing. Tamiya makes a "Clear Coat" spray product but I've never used it. The recommendation from this manufacturer is for it's use on polycarbonate surfaces. I'm not certain what this would do to acrylic paint on 3D-printed resin figures. These are the sort of OTT details some of us OCD "miniaturists" obsess over.😂 ...and, I aver...18th-C sailors' clothing was made from wool (or linen) primarily and would not have been "shiny." Shiny is for the Captain's buttons, epaulettes and sword handle.

I like how both models complement one another in your sophisticated, elegant presentation; the table has worked quite nicely in the sitting room also. I believe I’ve spotted a Geoff Hunt print on the right, but I can’t quite make out the one to the left. The Syren capstan is a nice touch. I’d be quite comfortable in this room were I your guest; you’d find me sprawled on the carpet straining to get closer looks🤩 Like many of our colleagues here, I’ll be keeping a sharp weather eye out for the next Blue Ensign masterwork.

Thanks for your encouragement, druxey. When I have nothing else to do, I just might attempt to put a 17:00 shadow on one of these dudes.

Thanks for the insights on the ensigns, B.E. You share with us an encyclopedic knowledge of the British Navy and her fighting sail. Not mounting a Union Jack is how I've been leaning. The Main T'gallant pennant is a must and will be accompanied by a large ensign at her stern. I did Google for Royal Navy sailors, early-18th-C and the uniforms that appealed to me matched the Captain's. HMS Camilla's dress code is shipshape and - Fashion Forward. As far as the cannon team, I've seen that a couple of the impressed men from Cinderford go shirtless, so their dress will be considerably less formal. 😂 Appreciate your info on the books, especially the Osprey one; I believe what popped-up in my image search was from a page in Nelson's Sailors.

Thanks for the good words, Mike - and the fast look-in on this Build thread. I'm getting excited to see the special order carpenter's casing wood arrive so I can begin to address the "box" she'll sit in. There's still a bunch of details (like making/mounting rope hanks), weathering of all the sails and the paper flags so Ive got some things to do before Big Shop Tools start making sawdust!

An update on the completion of some details that get me closer to having HMS Camilla ready for her diorama to be made. Some final rigging has been accomplished on the gaff sail at the stern (spanker). I have yet to make the large ensign that will be hoisted on haliards rigged to the gaff yard. The large flag will require a block and tackle to haul it. The ensign staff provided in the kit has been removed; this created the space for the flag as well as the rigging required for handling the fore-to-aft sail. With the rigging of the gaff I've nearly completed all the critical sail rigging; the large array of temporarily positioned ropes - sail as well as running - can now be tightened, battened down and then fixed in place. In addition to a large Royal Navy ensign, HMS Camilla will fly a lengthy top gallant pennant. I haven't decided yet whether or not to fly a Union "Jack" at her bow. The flags will be made from paper and shaped to show the effect of the following wind. After rigging the gaff, the final running rigging ropes were run from the Main top gallant yard to the deck. The bracing lines (adjusting the top gallant's yard for tacking & wearing) require the longest run of ropes on the model. From the foc'sle's forward pin rails to the midship jeers and cleats on the main shrouds, the area is still relatively wide open for finishing all the belaying points. Once rope hanks are made and mounted, the skids and the ship's boat will be returned along with a spare topmast. I thought it might be helpful to show the array of tools I use for rigging. Of course, there are others who will use other tools. For my work, all these long manipulation tools are essential for getting into a myriad of tight spots. There are a few areas where the long surgeon's scissors can more effectively trim a line where the small embroidery ones and fingers just won't fit. Even the dental pick is handy, especially for mounting rope hanks to cleats and belaying pins. ....a follow-up look at how I approached making and mounting the hawse buckler's (large stoppers for the anchor ropes that have been removed). I led a small rope from each buckler pair up to the caprail, both starboard and port. ... just when I needed a break from never-ending rigging*, two sailors showed-up to crew Camilla! I did a little research on the uniforms of the era and I believe I got it reasonably correct. The two "tars" (Royal Navy sailors) flanking Cpt. Pennypincher came all the way from the 3D printing machine in Chris Watton's shipyards in the U.K. The bases on the figures will be removed (likely with a disc sander); retaining them while detail painting is a help. Since my pared-down crew (eight plus Pennypicher in total) is an active one in a diorama, I have taken my builder's liberty to "weather" their clothing. Clean,white trousers and stockings? No way. With figures of this quality, the subtle details of the sculpts can be easily emphasized with finishing "washes" after the principal colors have been painted. After I've let the painting thoroughly dry I'll spritz them with some Testor's DullCote ( a lacquer acrylic) to tone down the "shine" of the paint. A closer look at the Boss and one of his employees. These figures are superbly-sculpted and cast in very fine, high-quality resin. The details are quite extraordinary, right down to facial expressions and details of the hands. But, I do have to admit I couldn't see fingernails or whiskers. There's always room for improvement, right?... I'm happy to say "Good Bye" to the sad Amati crew from the 70's....and, there are rumors that a Vanguard six man gun crew is about to board ship. And the brushes needed to paint these 28mm (1:64 scale) figures: a 20/0, a 12/0 and a #1 round pointer brushes. Small acrylic bottle for scale. * never-ending rigging. Yes, it seems at times that I'll never see the end of the rope(s)! The Truth is that I do like this stage of building. But it is quite draining, especially on the eyes and the steadiness of my hands and fingers. Only a few hours at a time is how it works for me. Taking a break to work on something else keeps my sanity - and fun - a thing of delayed gratification. I believe anyone on this forum who rigs sailing ships of any era or variety won't have a problem with this sentiment..

Tis’ a thing of beauty, Sir. Congratulations and kudos. Your build has truly been an inspiration for many of us.

Welcome to our community,Jack. You’ve made a great start with getting your materials lined-up for your build. I have no problem with you posting photos from my Build Log on yours, especially the materials and various tools and techniques I use. The photos of some components to your Polaris model look well done. You’ re off to a very solid start. Everything you’ll need in the way of information for your ship modeling journey is right here - including a very supportive membership that will be eager and responsive to lend plenty of advice when and if you ask for it.

Your model is looking good. Nice job on your hull plating, a very difficult and fiddly task. I've been dealing with my model's sail belaying for the past month. There is not a lot of information on the specifics of where and how sail management lines get rigged on a 17th-C, three-masted frigate. Detailed sail and belaying plans for frigates are also in short supply!

A brilliant "foot (& peg leg) - ectomy" surgery to your cook. He'll still hit his head on deck beams but I'm certain there were other more lethal hazards working in the ship's galley! BTW: Horatio Nelson was 5'6", so was Churchill and Hitler. Napolean was rumored to be 5'2". 250 years ago people were, on average, much shorter. You know, like Vladimir Putin, who is 5.3" and shrinking daily... I'm very tempted to start painting my crew for HMS Camilla. There will be no cook on HMS Camilla: she has a solar-powered microwave in the First Officer's cabin...

Bravo, B.E. Looks good- and you needn’t change her badge to HMS Porcupine. Also, there will be no excuses now for losing a drunken sailor over her side! 😉 …every time I sit down and look at my model, I see things that need touch-up… Dust: I keep a can of compressed air handy and it works a treat. Prior to final photography, I’ll give my Camilla a Force 5 blast.