Mirabell61

Lovely work, Nils.  What wood did you use to carve the heart blocks?  They look spot on -- consistently shaped, smooth, and detailed.  Your seizing is also to be commended for its tightness and consistency.
 
Cheers,
 
Martin

Build log part 53
 
 
 
Still doing the masting, top platforms and started tackling the bowsprit
 
 
 

self made "heart blocks" for the stays and violin block
 

All blocks put on
 

 
 

The Standing rigging for the bowsprit can be put on...
 

 

 

lazy day at the Fitting out shipyard
 
 
 
 
Nils

Build log part 53
 
 
 
Still doing the masting, top platforms and started tackling the bowsprit
 
 
 

self made "heart blocks" for the stays and violin block
 

All blocks put on
 

 
 

The Standing rigging for the bowsprit can be put on...
 

 

 

lazy day at the Fitting out shipyard
 
 
 
 
Nils

Build log part 53
 
 
 
Still doing the masting, top platforms and started tackling the bowsprit
 
 
 

self made "heart blocks" for the stays and violin block
 

All blocks put on
 

 
 

The Standing rigging for the bowsprit can be put on...
 

 

 

lazy day at the Fitting out shipyard
 
 
 
 
Nils

Build log part 53
 
 
 
Still doing the masting, top platforms and started tackling the bowsprit
 
 
 

self made "heart blocks" for the stays and violin block
 

All blocks put on
 

 
 

The Standing rigging for the bowsprit can be put on...
 

 

 

lazy day at the Fitting out shipyard
 
 
 
 
Nils

Work on the forecastle is now complete. I have made and added the roughtree rail. This was a straightforward task, but still fussy, mostly because of my desire to strengthen it by pinning all of the pieces.
 
The first job was to make the stanchions from boxwood strip, paint them black and then pin and glue them to the cap rail. I then made the rails themselves. Initially, I had thought that I would cut them from boxwood sheet, but decided to try bending them to shape from boxwood strip. Somewhat surprisingly, I found that I could edge bend 1/16" x 5/32" strip using boiling water and my old electric plank bender. I added the pin rail portion with additional pieces of bent strip. After rounding the edges, I prepainted the rails, drilled the holes for the belaying pins, added pins for the attachment to the knight heads and then glued the rails to the stanchions and the knight heads. Once the glue had set, I drilled through the rails and into the stanchions and used brass wire pushed into the holes with a drop of CA to pin them. After cutting off the wire and filing it smooth, I then did the final painting and added the belaying pins.
 
The result is a fragile looking structure that should be strong enough to withstand rigging stress. I'm pleased. My avoidance of the headwork will continue for a while as I do the channels and the remainder of the port lids.
 
Bob

Peter,
 
Thank you very much for your kind and appreciative words.
Agree with the praise of the beer brewer when a nice cool beer hisses down after work
 
Nils

Peter,
 
Thank you very much for your kind and appreciative words.
Agree with the praise of the beer brewer when a nice cool beer hisses down after work
 
Nils

Hallo Nils
 
About ship modeling being an art form: Yes. Maybe a bit less if you just put a kit together as an exact copy of 200 similar models but then again it will never be an exact copy and always show traces of your individual style, your artistic skills.
I like the definition of art according to the German Wikipedia which supports a more general understanding of what it is: 
 
‘Das Wort Kunst bezeichnet im weitesten Sinne jede entwickelte Tätigkeit, die auf Wissen, Übung, Wahrnehmung, Vorstellung und Intuition gegründet ist.‘
 
That roughly translates as:
 
Art describes in the broadest sense every advanced activity which is based on knowledge, practice, cognition, imagination and intuition.
 
Yes, Nils, you are definitely an artist.
 
I read about your intention to rig a full set of sails – great, this will certainly improve your artistic skills even further. Adding the details of the rigging with the same meticulousness you already demonstrated will make your Pegasus a really outstanding object of art – and will be quite a challenge requiring all your knowledge, practice, cognition, imagination and intuition.
 
Cheers
(Just asking myself if thoughtfully and carefully drinking a cool, fine beer with all the practice you have and the entire appraisal the brewer deserves could be defined as art?)
 
Peter

You`re right B.E.
 
I had my doubts with that mizen platform on the plan when I first saw it. Now all 3 platforms are corresponding with you research results, many thanks again.
In the Moment I have not made up my mind yet, if the masts shall be or partially blackend in the platform Areas. If I put black wooldings on It perhaps may be contrast enough to the natural Wood, I was thinking of blackening the Yards though.
 
The mizen topmast as well as the fore- and main top masts and the two topgallant masts (acc. to plan ) look ver fragile in the waist Areas. Did you follow the plan here with yours ?
 

platform widths now:
mizen 44 mm
Foremast 54 mm
Mainmast 59,5 mm
 

 
 
 
Nils

Build log part 52
 
 
 
Starting with the masting, and the top platforms.
 
 
 

as I have no milling Equipment the mast dowels are being filed down to the required measurements
 

shaping, fore, main and mizzen
 
 

it worked dfine so far and the main top platform has a tight fit within the rated dimensions
 

the lower cheeks are fitted, the upper cheeks will be of ply
 

B.E once showed a wonderful tuteral for Platform Ratings, more orientated on Steel`s dimensions rather than the plans dimensions. Here the main top is 59,5 mm broad instead of 56 mm
Thanks to B.E. for this Research !
 

The fastening Points for the blocks are prefitted. The outer platform rim is of 3 mm ply and the Slots for the deadeye tacke are ready, as well as the 16 0,5 mm holes for the crows feet lines
 

the threstle timbers are quite sturdy
 
 
 
Nils

Crackers,
 
I dont want to go philosophical, but I trust I know what you mean...
 
I have thought of this also many times and come to the conclusion that there probably is a certain range within which an individual can, or is willing (with pleasure) to perform acc. to imagination of the final result and what constantly comes to mind or is added or changed during the processing duration...
 
This wonderful Forum is the best example of what I mean with ref to the range, and every fellow model builder with full right is proud of his /her results when he /she goes to the Limits of that set Obligation range.
Considering this for a painting Artist, a musician, a sculpturer,or even a shipmoldel builder is somewhere the same attitude, depending on the set Obligation level, there I am with you.
 
There is a Little jokie i like..., A sculpturer is asked how the hell he is possible to carve such a wonderful Lion out of a wooden tree chunk, with chissel and carving knives, and he says... "well it is not so difficult, I just knock off and cut away everything that does not look like Lion"
 
Cheers, Nils

Hi everyone,
 
I finally managed to finish the upper deck clamps, with a side tour to rearrange my wall of tools for the table saw, mill and lathe (it is like cleaning the closets or filing papers when you can't get going on something else).
 
I decided to color the clamps and quickwork red, and spirketting black, like many of the admiralty models I admire. So here is a nice ribbon of red around the hull until more inner works come in.
 
My long clamps came in very handy. I wish I had made more.
 
On the the quarterdeck and forecastle clamps...
 
Mark
 
 

Thank you Nils,
The interior is included with the kit. Hopefully it will look cozy with the lightning.
 

 

 
 

Planking of cafeteria:
 

 

 

 

 
The original floor is darker but I only varnished the planks so there will be some contrast against the tables and chairs.
 
And here is some tables:
 

 

 
The ply for the tables and chairs is 0.5 mm and extremely bristle. brushing the ply with sanding sealer gave it enough strength for assembling.
 
On to glue 30 chairs....

I am asking myself this question:
Did somebody saw modelships in the NMM which are copper plated?
 
The closest I can come to answer is by the pictures below.
Images are not clear enough to tell the answer.
 
Copper plating is probably dating after 1770, so Bellona could be?
 
What would be the color of copper  from a model after 200 years?

Hi Gaetan,
 
The Bellona model is a contemporary model which I believe was coppered to to demonstrate the procedure to King George111

This is a slightly more detailed shot
 
As the copper is also contemporary, I suppose the answer as to colour is as is.
 
B.E.

Hi Bob,
 
I know it sounds crasy, no joke, but I have neighther a lathe nor milling machine. Rotation symetric parts are done with my electr. Speed contgrolled hand Drilling machine as good as it goes, and small round parts are cut off with a saw blade.
 
Nils

Thanks to everyone for the positive feedback. It gives me great encouragement for further work.
I decided to make wales from separated parts. It took me about 40 hours to make and stick 4+4 wales nad 1+1 black strake .

You`re right B.E.
 
I had my doubts with that mizen platform on the plan when I first saw it. Now all 3 platforms are corresponding with you research results, many thanks again.
In the Moment I have not made up my mind yet, if the masts shall be or partially blackend in the platform Areas. If I put black wooldings on It perhaps may be contrast enough to the natural Wood, I was thinking of blackening the Yards though.
 
The mizen topmast as well as the fore- and main top masts and the two topgallant masts (acc. to plan ) look ver fragile in the waist Areas. Did you follow the plan here with yours ?
 

platform widths now:
mizen 44 mm
Foremast 54 mm
Mainmast 59,5 mm
 

 
 
 
Nils

Michael: I sort of like the floor for working because it is just a big flat space after all. But my back does get tired after a while. Someday I will have a real workbench.
Eamonn: Thanks for the kind words! I too get ancy when builds I’m following go stale for a while. 
 
Hamilton: I checked out your build log for the Glad Tidings and what a wonderful model!  It is an inspiration for this Emma build. Good to see another non-warship. The rig looks pretty similar to Emma so I will definitely refer to your build when it comes time to rig. I also browsed the Blandford build and will get back to it in detail tonight if I get a few free minutes.  It is amazing how much progress you make on your models in a short time.  My Phantom took 6 months, rushing.  A warship in about a  year is crazy fast!
 
**-------------------**
Pretty similar progress to last time.  I finished test-planking the stern over on the larboard side.  That went OK. Looks nice.  The blueprints say the ceilings don't extend this far back, but again, I'm doing it for practice.  
 


 
I also tapered a few more interior ceiling planks. I tried to get all scientific about it. The accepted method of planking seems to be measuring the frame with a slip of paper, dividing the distance and making up a “tic strip.” I will do that for the outside because 1) it is what everyone does and probably works well and 2) the way I did this didn’t work too well.
I made an excel spreadsheet to do the math for me, thinking this was easier. Then I scribed the width right on the plank, sanded to the mark and glued it up. 
 

 
What ended up happening though was that I didn’t check the width very well after sanding to the mark (live and learn) so the planks were wider than needed and some significant “creep” started happening.  I tested the remaining width and it was just right for a bit less than 5 planks as predicted. No problem right?
 

 
So then I started actually measuring the taper of the plank with a digital caliper before gluing up.  Of course, I over-corrected somehow, resulting in a plank that is noticeably skinnier than all its neighbors.  It is kinda hard to see so I made a big red arrow.
This was actually waaay too skinny and now the remaining width is just a shade wider than needed, and I will probably have to use a slightly wider plank as the last one to make up for it.  Ha! Live and learn.  I remind myself the whole point of test planking the interior is precisely because it won’t be seen.  And I’m learning a lot!
 

 
I’m now waiting for my magnets to arrive in the mail. I plan on using them to hold the planks while the glue dries.  My homemade clamps won’t fit any more, and this is a good stopping point.
 
I am also thinking of good ways to sand the exterior hull planks to shape in an efficient manner.  Maybe making a master plank of brass as a sanding template? One that is very carefully measured to dimension then sort of clamp it to the wood plank to be formed as a guide? I seem to recall seeing this on the forum here some time before. I will also DEFINITELY do the tic-strip method too, that way any creep will be immediately noticed and corrected early on. Finally I will line out the hull with temporary battens and some extra narrow architectural tape to maintain a nice true planking run. 
 
Happy building!
 

Hi Doris,
 
many thanks for your appreciative words, its great to find you back at the Forum...
 
Nils

What a beauty! My admiration to your inspirational ideas and a high level of realism.
Have a great time and a lot of pleasure during the work.
Kind regards
Doris

Build log part 49
 
 
 
 
 

Aft view Quarterdeck
 

 
 

view Forecastle deck
 

Midship
 

all three decks
 

headrails and anchor fishing pulley mounted
 

 
 

cranes for hammock netting fitted to waist bulwarks and QD ballustrade
 

stanchions and security chain on stepover area
 

found some nice 0,2mm etched brass material for nettings ( will still be chemicaly blackend)
 
 
 
 
Build log part 50 to follow....
 
 
nuils

Have reworked the galley chimney a bit this afternoon....
 
 
 
 

exhaust will be turned to face leewards, resp. out of the wind
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Build log part 49 to follow...
 
 
 
Nils