coxswain

Because the parts are too small and the rate of good products is not high, today we can finally solve the problem of this part.

To those who gave likes, thank you and thanks for stopping by.
 
Steve
 
No more railings!

The last pile of railing wire and stanchions was trimmed, sanded and fitted in place.

After the sections were built up they were washed and air dried with help from the Admiral’s hair dryer.

All port side railings and davits are installed.  Celebratory photos are below.






With the ship nearing completion I wish to thank all those who contributed so much during the 100 episodes to date.  Without your support, guidance, helpful criticism, terrific ideas, gentle and not so gentle nudging the ship would not be what it is today.  It could always be better but it is way more than I ever thought it would.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

...yep, tempest fugit!
 
I bought your Aggy kit from CALDERCRAFT and turned it into HMS Ardent - NOT Amati/Victory. Nonetheless, your design has long legs, Chris; it was excellent 20 years ago and remains so for this legacy kit.
 
Check the attached pics out: not my build, but a colleague's in my ship model club who completed it this year as a modified "dockyard" styled model.

Very nice model! I know Rif Winfield's reference, but the problem is that the original Admiralty plans show 7 windows for the only official contemporary lines for one of the (full two decked, not razee'd) Ardent class. This is the conundrum..
 
Funny you mention HMS Temeraire, I have been reading The Fighting Temeraire during my  tea breaks at work, and it is almost exactly like Victory, if a couple of inches longer. Not much of a career though, only Trafalgar and few much lesser actions.
 
I will be glad to move on from models that have very fragile sterns! But Speedy isn't too bad at all.
 
I designed that Aggy two decades ago, where does the time go....

Ed/Chris,
 
Ed: Might you have a web address for the "Perry Brothers" miniatures?
 
Chris: attached is a view of my HMS Ardent (64) that shows the 7 stern windows; I highly modified your Victory Aggy kit in 2014. Indy was a razeed 64 of the Ardent class as you/others have noted; as such, 7 windows would be accurate according to Rif Winfield's reference. If you produce the Indefatigable, you'll sell at least one to a Anglophile in Connecticut. Until then, if Amati/Victory decide to sell your Vic1/64-scale before the Indy is available, I remain interested to modify a big Vic into the HMS Temeraire.🤨
 
Speedy looks very nice. Good second kit choice IMHO.
 
I'm in the hull planking stage with yummy pear on your Alert at the moment. It's tricky business with the stem and stern piece configurations, but not unmanageable (with some finesse).
 
When I'm finished with the hull planking, I'll post a shot or two of the results.
 
Ron

Beautiful kit, will watch with interest  and hopefully learn plenty along the way as I'm very new to this wonderful hobby. And I commend u on what u have on display.
all the best with the build.

Just a little more done next on agenda building the stern gallery's 

Post 9
Going off Piste - So to begin the next stage
At this point things start to get interesting.
I am departing from the kit arrangement of completing the second planking and then adding the wale.
I need to add the wale at this point because below this level the planking is Clinker built, above the wale it is carvel.
The lower hull planking will start at the garboard plank  because below the wale the planks overlap the one below.
 
If I sound confident and knowing what I'm talking about - always remember - appearances can be deceptive, and there will be plenty of time for me to bail out and revert to a carvel hull.
 
The Wale
According to the Goodwin book Alert had a single plank wale measuring 15" broad x 5" thick. (6mm x 2mm) This correlates pretty well with the kit dimensions of (2) 3mm x 1mm planks, which allowing for the second planking, is spot on.
 
Fixing the wales is one of the most critical parts of a build and it takes some time and adjustments to get it looking right to your eye.

1391
I used Tamiya tape to  initially mark the position of the lower line of the wale, this again correlates with measurements comparisons between the book and kit drawings.

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I then add a narrow strip at the lower edge of the wale position, to use as a guide to fit the wale. Actually this was the same strip as I used for my Cheerful build, pretty close for sheer but obviously shorter in length.
I am using 6mm x 1mm strips of Boxwood for the wales, each wale will consist of two layers to give a finished thickness of 1mm over the second planking layer.
The top layer will have the butt and hook scarphs scribed into the surface, but  these may not clearly show once the wale is blackened.

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The wales are shaped at the stern to allow for the lower stern side counter pieces.
These I cut out from some broad Boxwood Strip using the kit part (76) as a template.

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They are temporarily pinned into place until the upper bulwark top layer planking is completed.
I have followed the arrangement for these side timbers as indicated in the Alert Book.

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A funny angle but the photo shows the curve of the side counter pieces  to follow the wale line.

1383
Moving on...
 
B.E.
01/08/2019

So it's time to install the outriggers for the main braces. The instructions say to drill a hole, then use a sharp blade to square out the hole for the outrigger. In a moment of inspired laziness, I figured it would be easier to round out the square piece than to try and square out the hole. Worked like a charm.
 

@ccoyle thank you. Each person different feeling. Personaly I like more less colours on the model.
 
As parts became smaller and smaller the progress slows Down as well. I have installed few cleats (they are laser cut from the side and also from above so it is shaped very well I only had to remove the char). I have assembled the pulley on the bow from 3 photoetched parts and add the horseshoes to the keel. All is blackend with "brass black". 

Working on some more details of the Officers Compartment. It is taking a lot of time and progress are limited.
 
First, the lights for the Officers' quarter and the Radio/Sonar room. This is done on two separate circuits with common ground. These white LEDs requires close to 2.7 volts to work under 15-10 mA current. By placing them in series (four of them), I am getting close to 12 volts which will be the power source for this model. A variable resistor in each circuit will allow me to fine tune the light intensity of each room. When using only two LEDs, a larger resistor will be required. The reason why the Radio and Sonar rooms are not on the same circuit, will become apparent once the top floor is finished.

The putty is to prevent light leaks through the pressure hull. Once dry, it will be painted dark grey.
 
Then, the canon stand: 

It will be barely visible but I am happy to know that there is some of it.
 
Then, a few details on the front bulkhead. I have removed the door that was preventing to get a glimpse of the John's (through the food closet) and will most likely glue it shut, isolating this quarter from the noisy and stinky front torpedoes compartment.

In the ceiling, you can see the large air circulation pipes. One brings fresh air to the front Torpedoes compartment, the other one expels the polluted air from it. Air circulation is mostly done by two large fans located in the Machine compartment.
 
Finally, a close look at the sailor checking the contents and good condition of the ammunition. Next to him, the inner fuel/diesel tank. 

Once the top floor is installed, it will be almost impossible to see anything down there.
 
Yves

The deck moldings and the channels are now on the ship, and they make it look much more finished.  
 
I'm having to work out of sequence waiting for the hull plates to arrive, but fortunately there are deck structures I can do.
 
Regards,
David

You're doing a wonderful job.  You're almost done....   I couldn't get my head around the nearly 2000 copper plates that were needed for my scratch built Great Republic...so I created my own system, by using copper tape cut into 8" strips and run through a clothes press roller that I modified for the purpose.  With a wire mesh gauge and some drywall sanding mesh paper I was able to emboss the nail imprints and  plate seams onto the strip, all in one simple pass through the press..
Then all I did was affix them...fast and easy compared to the tedium of single plate work.
I also loathed the final shiny copper color...and since the Gr was not covered with copper but with the yellow *muntz* metal plates....I chose to paint over my copper plates with a metallic paint that represented the muntz metal after it has oxidized.  It turns a metallic *brown*...instead of the typical greenish wash you see from weathers copper.   The Cutty Sark was also coppered in *Muntz* metal NOT copper.
When new the muntz metal was quite *Yellow*….more like brass.
 
Here is a pic of my copper strips..ready to be applied to the hull.

A bit more -- there is nice molding to dress the area where the planked deck meets the bulkhead.  See before & after pics.  [and again, pictures in reverse order]
 
Regards,
David

To those who gave likes, thank you and thanks for stopping by.
 
Steve
 
Kiss these lips?

Hawse lip fabrication from two thicknesses of 1.5 mm styrene.

Test appearance with anchor.

To those who gave likes, thank you and thanks for stopping by.
 
Lou, thanks for the little ladies lead and for your kind remarks.  The admiral says nothing less than a full bottle of bubbly will be acceptable on launch day.
 
Denis, thanks for your ongoing interest and feedback.  I have had plenty of railing practice on this one, and I'm really looking forward to it being over.  The port side lifeboats and davits are ready and chomping at the bit to be installed but I need the railings first or the boats and davits get in the way.  The marshaling area (acrylic serving dish) below also includes some surplus cowl vents.

To those who gave likes, thank you and thanks for stopping by.
 
Lou, I’m fortunate to have three lamps, two good and the injured one.  I needed multiple lamps during my drafting days because the table is 3 ft x 5 ft and I always had a plan table nearby.
 
Kevin, thanks for staying with me and for your kind remarks.  The exercising nurses are very popular and I'm mulling over whether to try to find some at 1:96 scale.
 
Steve
 
Masts and rafts

I built up the foremast.  The instructions show a sort of clunky plastic support for the signal halyard crossbar but I tried to make it cleaner with a pin through the bar and a bit of brass wrapped around the mast and extending under the bar.  After I installed the ladder and after seeing the photo I discovered the ladder was photo etched with two treads missing.  Fortunately I have some spare railing and grabbed the miniscule replacements.

The foremast and signal halyards are installed.  I'll clamp the hooks a bit tighter now that everything is tensioned.  While checking measurements and photos I discovered the shrouds appear to pass through the mast, rather than being wrapped and swaged, so I pulled the mainmast shrouds and re-did them to match the foremast.

With the masts and rigging installed I set the carley float rafts.  The one in the foreground that will sit above the awning is still loose.  The top deck railing has turned the aft corner and is almost finished.

Overview of the top deck

The forward rigging at deck level.  The real ship has a forestay but that would conflict with the removable upper decks.

I added the rope reels to the bow and stern.

Thank you guys. I will keep the cutter in for the kit. This one I have tried to design to be as easy and as painless as possible to put together, but at the same time, keep all of the detail. This does mean it will be a little more expensive though (especially with the 34 cast resin cannon barrels and laser engraved deck..), but I think it's worth it if people enjoy building it, and it looks nice once complete.
 
Regarding Agamemnon, I think I am edging towards the idea that it did have 7 windows, rather than 8. I know that when I designed my first one 2 decades ago, this info wasn't so easily accessible, so we ordered the Aggy plans, which have no stern detail, and I used paintings and the Bellona book to fill in the gaps. I would never do that now. Hell, I even ordered the Speedy upper deck plan after the main lines because I couldn't quite make out what the hatch was near the stern (turned out to be the bread hatch). I know Bristol (Portland class 50 gun ships) had 7 windows, but that is a full 14 foot shorter in keel length. I have double checked all available plans on the NMM site, and the Indi is the only one of the Ardent class of 64's that shows the stern. I feel that logically, knowing this, I should go with that. If there were alterations after the drafts, then surely they would have been highlighted on the plans?
 
How many paintings, even the most famous, have we seen of ships we know well, Victory especially, where the details show them at a much later stage in their careers than they should be at the time of the battle depicted?
 
I have attached a copy of the full lines plan for Indie.

Bruce, I do not mind at all! This is why I put it to you guys on here, who may have more ideas or information than me. Getting the stern right on these ships is important, I just want to ensure all bases are covered regarding research and the correct conclusions - or, as correct as one can hope for.
 
Right, I think I have gone as far as I can with the Speedy build, as I am waiting for the missing 0.4mm PE parts that include the pump, deadeye strops and other things. Here is where I am at, the cannons are not glued in place as I need to add deadeyes and chain plates first. I have my painted Cochrane figure standing on the deck.
 
The cutter took around two days, and I have positioned it between for the fore and aft hatches, on chocks high enough that the keel clears the combings by a healthy margin. Should I keep this in the kit, does it look OK?
 
I took a couple of shots almost side on, so you can see the great curves, more elegant than the later variants. The stand should be crystal clear, but it is a sacrificial building stand, and I sprayed varnish on it... 

Hi,
 
I do have the Lord Nelson figures in stock, 50 each in 1:64 (£12.50) and 72nd (£12.00). However, my website is not good at adding new stuff, so it will change to a platform that is more product based.
 
If you want a figure, please PM me - not much more I can do until my website is sorted.
 
On a different note, I have been studying my plans for Indefatigable. It seems the full hull and stern detail is only shown on this particular variant of the Ardent Class. I note the number of lower stern windows is seven (I know there is a later Ardent Class with eight, but not the 1764 class).
 
As this is (apparently) the only contemporary set of plans for the class showing the stern in detail, would it be safe to assume that Agamemnon would also have seven and not eight windows? I ask because one day, I would like to have another go at Egg's 'N' Bacon, but in her as launched form and a lot more internal detail. (Once I have the lines done for Indefatigable and before I chop the bulkheads down, I have the lines for the Ardent Class)

Not much progress since I was out of town. Still working on the bathroom and the Officers quarters: 


  
The toilet apparatus was far from being easy to use. Among the crew, a voluntary sailor was in charge of operating that delicate and precious "resource", especially when submerged. It is important to realize that the flushing could only be done at periscope depths and that deeper dives required the use of the internal sewage tank or pails distributed among the crew, when total silence was required.
 
The following explains (in the language of Goethe) how to operate that "facility": 

For most sailors, the best was to do everything outside and it is interesting to note that the deck railing was designed for that specific need: 
  
When nature calls.....you have to bend to it!
 
Yves
 

While I'm waiting for the rest of the copper plates to arrive from Ages of Sail, I'm doing what I can to move forward.  Here are the planked decks.
 
I can do the next steps involving more deck finishing, but don't want to do the port covers or the white hull strips until I finish the coppering, because they will mar/bend when I lay the ship on its side.
 
Regards,
David

Working on the framing. I decided to make all of the little cutouts in each of the bulkheads even though they are not really needed for the build. It will reduce the weight of the finished model. With all of the metal decorations, this model will be quite heavy. Making all of these cutouts will take considerable time.
I made a little milling machine for making the cutouts. I mounted my Dremel Tool in the stand and am using a milling bit. It makes the cuts clean and accurate. My Dremel Tool died after the first 8 bulkheads though. I have had it for about 8 years and used it heavily while working on my models. I just bought the same model as I like the feel of it and it does a good job.
 
Vince P. 
 

So, I completely re-arranged my workshop to prepare for building the Prince. I had my friend who is a carpenter, build cabinets to place my ship cases on and get them off the floor. Everything came out perfect and looks great.   
 
Now on to building the Prince. First up will be to cut out the false keel and all of the 34 bulkheads.
 
Vince P.
 

Since there are so many bulkheads that have to be squared and each cut out by hand, I will need all the help I can get. I saw this Professional Building Slip advertised by a foreign company names Hobbyzone. I ordered one and built it. It is very sturdy and complex but is designed to facilitate constructing the framework of the hull and squaring it properly. The hull can be left in the slip once the framework is complete and the hull can be rotated in place for planking. I am going to give it a try.
All of the parts were laser cut and the construction consisted of sub-assemblies that had to be glued together. The instructions consisted of just photos in sequence. The photos are pretty small and I had to use a magnifier because it is possible to glue some of the parts in incorrect positions. Carefully examining the photos made it easy to construct without mistakes.
 
Vince P.