Thunder

Gratings in place on the deck. None are these are true to size of the plan. I cut the deck back to the apertures on the false deck. Big mistake, not only are the grating parts provided insufficient in length to cover the holes the subsequent built size are not to plan. My advice would be to plank the deck completely and apply the gratings over the top. Not correct to real manufacture which is the opposite way round. The over issue is the small gap between the gratings and between them and the companionway. The planks are too small and to easy to keep breaking away. Hole for the companionway ( still visible above) is also too large. I have this ready to put in place and have had to run a plank round the bottom edge to make it wide enough to cover the hole.

Lou, Thank you for taking an interest, Below is another view of the deck showing the nibbling strake and planking. Gun port eyebolt positions were drilled through a simple jig made out of two layers of scrap ply. The larger layer had the jig holes drilled through, the smaller layer is the exact size of the gun port. Has a planking screw through the centre so can be passed through the port and held from the outside whilst drilling for the eyebolts from the inside. Take a note of the hawse hole positions as predetermined by the kit. They are too far from the stem post. Any anchor cable would rub on the cathead brackets when running in a direct line too their access to the cable tier. If you look to the next photos of the outside of the hull you will see they are too far out compared to the cheeks. Funny our good the kit looks to you photograph it. View of headrails etc, Not much like the kit, I managed to shape the grating / marines walk by soaking for hours and then shaping with a hot iron.

Have you not watched 101 Dalmatians? I thought they were plain but slightly pink. Love them, don't see these types of breed much any more only mongrels with poo in the name somewhere!

I am the reverse of this, I really struggle to hold the yard whilst dressing it so fit to the mast and then fit all blocks and finally sails.

Hi, Your cracking on with this, have overtook my Cruiser. I tend to agree, those pump handles are too fragile to work round. I'm intrigued by the 'sills' on the bottom edge of your gunports, are these in the kits plans, I have not noticed them before?

Very unusual bowsprit arrangement on the gallion, mounted as if intended to swivel!

What would be useful is if each person posting on this topic posts a picture of their first kit and: experience of wood working, other forms of modelling / crafts experience of first wooden build opinion of the kit tools and resources already acquired before build whether they would recommend as a first kit.

I will take a look to see how you are getting on. Where abouts in Derbyshire are you. I am almost slap bang on the Derbyshire / Staffordshire border.

Hi Edward, I see you made your choice of kit. Good choice I think. Look forward to seeing your build.

For my last two models I have used the Caldercraft Admiralty Varnishes at £2.18 for 18mL. Last year I brought samples of floor varnishes for renovating the lounge floor. To be honest I tried Manns Extra Tough, Bona Mega and Osmo Polyx high solid and none of them lasted more than a day with my mad border collies. However, The Manns and the Bona I have kept to trial on my kits. I am currently trying the Manns and have found no difference to the Admiralty varnish. It smells, looks and dries exactly the same, has the same consistency and when dry you cannot tell the difference. Samples of 100mL are available from the website below for £2.25. This is the same as paying 40p for the Admiral. Bona is £3.99 for 100mL and between the 2 makes you get Extra Matt, matt, silk matt, satin, gloss and high gloss. Primers can be purchased at 100mL as well. As soon as I have completed the deck on my HMS Cruiser I will post and give feedback on how well it has taken. https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/manns-extra-tough-floor-varnish

Looking great. How will the pre-drilled gun port tackle eyebolt positions work on Speedy? It means you will have to plank the inner bulwarks first so that you can drill through from the outside to maintain the positions. This means cutting the bulkhead tabs off first before completing the second layer of outer planking. Great idea if can get to work as I hate marking and drilling them from the inside and there is always at least one where the drill bit goes all the way through the outer planking.

Not posted anything for a while. To be honest not thought that there was much of interest to anyone. Anyway since last post have: Completed second planking fitted Wales. fitted entry port steps completed the deck planking fitted cat heads Bulwark capping timber heads I broke both of the for timber heads, (are these knightheads), so these are very weak. You can see the timber head in place above the starboard cathead. I could not get happy with the positioning of this as these are supposed to be an extension of the ships frames and as such would not pass through the cathead. I have cut the larboard one off and then filled it. I have since re-installed these aft of the catheads as in the plans at the NMM. I have since completed the head timbers and Hawse holes as well as the gun port gun tackle eyebolts and rudder brackets. Not photographed yet.

I have used paper before to replace vacform sails. I sewed the boltropes etc into place by soaking the paper so that the needle would pass through without taring the paper. I soaked again whilst bending to the yards which allowed me to have the mainsails partly furled. Once as required I used a strong hairdryer to dry them and doing so from aft made them form a shape as real sails would when in use.

Although I know some Merlin engines were built in Glasgow I thought it was developed at Rolls Royce in Derby England. My family lived in Derby during the war and the factory made it a target for the Luftwaffe. Welcome James.

Do the sails have a 'canvas like' texture? I tended to paint the sails with a light linen colour. Then mix a paint 'wash' of a diluted light brown. Paint over the sail allowing to run into the moulded creases etc. Just prior to becoming completely dry, (just a few seconds), take a tissue and wipe off the raised areas and centre of the sail. This highlights the deeper areas and, if done correctly, can make some areas seem faded as if worn through use. I might do this three or four times till I get the look I want. I might vary for each sail to highlight some as more worn than overs, remember topsails would see the most use. I might, if the mouldings show sails as 'bolts' of cloth, pick out certain sections differently. It is best to get some photos or paintings of ships under sail to keep at hand whilst you work for reference.

I leave the painting of my models to completing plastic or resin kits, and then here is the curve ball as in this case I would strive to make most of it look like wood. I have only painted one wooden model but that was because of the era being predicted this is my least favourite of my models. It really depends on what you want. I do not consider wooden kit building in the same league because most modellers of cars etc would paint it but also strive to make it look like a replica of the real thing. Therefore they would also weather it and use painting techniques such as applying washes, stippling etc. Where as your paintwork is good it looks too clean and does not have depth (just my opinion). For me it still does not look authentic. For this reason I categorise wood model ship building differently to using plastic etc. Wood is more about the build process. Other mediums are more about the authentic painting etc. This is kind of proven when you see someone building a ship such as Gorch Foch out of wood. In this case painted plastic would look far more accurate. I would also disagree that ships were all painted, pre 1800's when paint was very expensive wouldn't they have been ''paid' or varnished. In the case of your model above I would probably paint the same apart from the lower hull which I feel is more authentic varnished. This of course is only an opinion and it is about what each individual wants to get from their hobby. My opinion is that you have to be careful with painting not to make it look like a toy.

Hi, That's what I thought, the threat to trade was primarily the Barbary Pirates.

Hi, Does this ship still need a home? I live local to the lady?

Yes, been to a village location in Dorset that was abandoned after the Barbery pirates took the community into slavery and this was late 1700's. Nothing there to tell you about it. Wasn't the original reason for the USS Constitution being built to protect her ships from the same fate?

I think the diversity rarely spread further than the seafaring community. There is quite good coverage of this in Nelson's period and particularly at Trafalger. However, you only have to look at the influence behind designs of castles and who was contracted to build them to see that this was nothing new in the Tudor times. Remember that it also had not been long since we had developed Mediterranean practices for building ships , carvel, to allow us to have gun ports.

I wasn't surprised to find that there would be persons from many different backgrounds and nationalities on the ship, after all Matthew Cabot was Italian and we had been trading with Africa and Asia for hundreds of years. Evidence from the Vikings shows this. I hated the program. It could of been excellent but as usual these days it was produced to fuel certain persons agendas with little regard to history. I hate any prejudism and positive is just as poor. The outcome of the whole program was obvious from the start when the program's second sentence was to the effect of that it would be great if the persons on board were black. His last sentence of the program was that he had spent his whole career trying to prove that persons of African origin were living in Britain during Tudor times. Hardly makes him unbiased. The scientific evidence was not much better. I was doing the deck planking on cruiser by this time so may of missed it but most of us have African origin in our DNA it is usually very low but we did all descend from the same people. So when the first tests suggested British they dug deeper. Finding the descendants of Grenville was the same, the excited little dance when one of possible hundreds of people found was a woman. It didn't say much for facial reconstruction techniques either did it. How wrong were they the first time!! Can't say I am surprised with the program but then it wouldn't of been aired if the results were different. I suppose, taking the risk to speak about what I thought of it will make people think I am prejudiced my self but I am not. Just would like History to be researched properly and not be bent to the demand of modern thinking. But I suppose history has always been written that way.

Definitely do not go back to that idea. It will just mean lots of half finished models and despondent people leaving the hobby. We left that behind long ago and need to encourage people back.

Chris, I wouldn't go to the bother of causing extra work by having two versions for that and two versions of box artwork etc. Just provide an inner and out ring to be cut out on your false deck and add the alteration and flags. The dowel for the topgallant masts could be used for the flag staffs. I recently finished my Royal Caroline with stub masts. They are not glued in so if I want to return to her and complete the rig they just need pulling out. The bowsprit just needs modifying and gammoning is in place.

Those bottom photographs are the paintings of the model commissioned for the king of the time and this model would be top of the list for me. I am wondering if would be ready for my big 50 birthday so I can ask the good lady now (18 months time).

Bellona-yes would be interested but due to size would have to build as a hull only kit. Would want her as built rather than later in career. Victory - yes interested but only of the as built version. 50 gun Portland class - definitely and now I know the date of vessel proposed would be a good compliment to Mordaunt instead of wanting to sell her. I would like as in the painting of the model of Portland i.e. decorative stern gallery and frieze / ginger bread work. I have been in the process of buying a new side board for the lounge. The wife has not worked out yet that the size I have asked for is to accommodate a very large model on top. She will be pleased!!