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Your build is super. There is bashing, and then there is bashing. The fact that you went out of your way to get the NMM plans for Sherbourne is fantastic. Can't remember other kit builders doing this, but if they did, kudos to you and to them as well. Allan

Lucien, I am curious to see the answer as well. The length, assuming your scale is 1:60 is about right at 19" so hopefully the shape is right. The handle diameter should be about 2" real world (0.033" or .84mm) This is very small and maybe weak if they are wood. For this size, you may be better off with brass pins that are painted a wood color. I scaled the top picture in CAD and the handle diameter is way oversized at about 3.5", nearly double what they should be. They do look better than most but once in a pin rack, they will not look right. As was posted quite a while ago by another member, try to put your hand around a too large diameter rod and you will understand better why this would not work. The photo has a can 3.25" diameter so it would be even more uncomfortable and hard to hold a pin that is 3.5" diameter. Again, the ones in the photo do look better than many other but they are really not close to scale. Allan

Welcome aboard MSW David!! You choices are extremely well thought out. So many (including me) start off with a 1st rate ship of the line and struggle for months. Per the above, do start a build log and you will have a lot of help from the membership if you hit a bump in the road. Allan

Gary, First and foremost, she is looking great!! Not 100% sure about Confederacy, but raised letters on the stern are a modeling thing, not what was really done as they were painted on if the name was even there which was not normally the case. The names of the ships were painted on British ships only for a short period in the late 18th century but then stopped by order of the Admiralty as they wanted to give as little information to the enemy as possible. Maybe too late for your Confederacy as they look to be glued on, but something to consider for the next project. Again, very nice work!! Allan

WG, These have to be the best coiled ropes at this small scale I have seen. WELL done!!! Allan

Do the instructions give each size an ID number and then show where they go on the model? For carronades, I don't have information for American ships, but for the British, it varied with time, size, and design of the carronade carriage. Can you post a picture of the carronade carriages and carronades? The split rings should be soldered into a solid ring regardless of where they are being used. This is near impossible to do in-place so best to do the soldering before using them. Once soldered they can be cleaned up and blackened chemically or with paint. Hopefully the rough sketch below will explain better than words. Allan

Glenn, Meticulous build and very clear and informative photographs that not only help others, but inspire everyone of us. Well done. Allan

BE, Going back a few days/weeks, how did you silver solder the beads on the crown without any falling off as you soldered the next ones? I have used several different solders with three different melt points, but that would not work with so many beads. I sometimes use clips as heat sinks on the first items soldered, but on this small and delicate piece, I would love to hear your secret. The entire project looks great ! Allan

The build is magnificent overall, but I especially like your blocks. Amazing what can be done with modern tools compared to the old days. The problem is that every time I see what can be done by folks like you, it makes me want to spend money on the latest technology. Thankfully my accountant/admiral/wife asks me to wait and see if I really need it. Saved us LOTS of money over the years. Allan

As always your work is an inspiration to those interested in working with watercolors. Beautiful. Allan

Hi CC, Welcome to MSW. You now have upwards of 40,000 advisors to answer any questions you have in your journey. Allan

Welcome to the fray Bob!!! Allan

Kent Years ago I found that these are limited to a few diameters and do not work any better than a simple steel draw plate. Most treenails are from 1" to 1.5" diameter so scale sizes for 1:48 would be from 0.02 to 0.03 and for 1:64, they would be .015 to .023. Obviously smaller needs for smaller scales, but treenails on scales less than 1:64 are VERY difficult to make with any device and usually wind up making the model look like it has the measles. There are so many models shown here that are excellent, then some are ruined with out of scale treenails. They serve little purpose for strength unless you use bamboo which works beautifully with a good quality draw plate such as the ones offered by one of our sponsors, Jim Byrnes. I am only speaking from my own experience. Others have gone to monofilament and other solutions. Again, be wary of making oversized trennals, regardless of the method you choose. Allan

Paul, Your workmanship is a delight to follow. Victory models have been done so many times, including two that I did, lo those many years ago but yours is exceptional in the details. Allan

Red, Your first time out is really good, better than most of us (meaning mostly me) did when we got the bug to get into this hobby of ours. Hope to see more from down the road. Allan

As a big fan of schooners I love seeing a framed versus bulkhead model progressing so well. She looks really good Maury! Do you plan to leave off a few pieces of planking to show off your work on the frames? I think it would add a very nice touch and give viewers a better appreciation of what you have gone through. Allan

Thank you very much for posting these photos. Worth far more than a thousand words to be sure!!! Allan

The use of high quality, very sharp chisels shows through very clearly!!! Allan

Gaetan, Your work is some of the best we have had the chance to see, and I have new found respect in cell phone cameras after seeing your post a few months ago. Allan

Amalio, All the adjectives on how beautiful your work has been have been used. Just wanted to say I am enjoying all of your posts!! Allan

Rom, Seven miles of rope, oh my. At 1:85 scale that's over 400 feet of combined sizes. Having a rope walk is starting to make more sense!! Allan

Check the following episode of Trafalgar Squared! https://www.icloud.com/attachment/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fcvws.icloud-content.com%2FB%2FASTi5XZHNCrbapCiuhER4xP0Cv8NAYt8NrqwqGfuUfoivb6rGl5FMWG-%2F%24{f}%3Fo%3DAn-NdYmLOZXLu2WnfEfd2mFb8oa6QCrPwq7ey8lKctuv%26v%3D1%26x%3D3%26a%3DCAogCcAiVz0PpWQ8VAiQ2lFbUYUn21WcPXgAt6z2A8V2hxASeBDyhczwmS8Y8pXHxKMvIgEAKgkC6AMA_ymSMk9SBPQK_w1aBEUxYb5qJpCYMnHcgR8lEkPvuggEFgwjNZ1UcN6mJuUZHOdH2wLERkFT7QJTciaYBHLOuO4iDTOHY0khd-r3fLI2e7w2FfL5Ak1igoaJCf0kEAIJ5w%26e%3D1624446716%26fl%3D%26r%3DCC200114-6D51-4F3C-AB00-31A03BCA4BE0-1%26k%3D%24{uk}%26ckc%3Dcom.apple.largeattachment%26ckz%3D2B15FC09-AF0B-4E4C-946B-9BC81AE52F29%26p%3D16%26s%3DULhvfq1WZ8A17HxYIS8sLM-v0Iw&uk=eNMEEulzILK9kQW-YzRREQ&f=Trafalgar Squared Episode 2.mp3&sz=59972739

Ulises I have never been a fan of sails on a square rigger model, but your furled sails are giving me second thoughts for the future. 😀 I would probably go with silk span sails as they are closer to scale but yours are very well done!!! Allan

VTH, Great to see another beautiful piece of work from Florida!!! The acrylic case was new for me and will be in my back pocket for future use. Do you have pics of the jig set up that you used? Thanks Allan

My personal order of preference for scantlings starts with contemporary AS BUILT drawings and original contracts. Other drawings that were not as-built would still be a preferred guide in many cases. The Establishments from 1719 through 1750 would be next in line if the timing is appropriate. The Shipbuilder's Repository and Steel's scantlings in The Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture are great if a contemporary drawing or contract does not provide all of the information. I have never seen any detailed and complete Establishment scantlings after 1750, but perhaps others may have. I have no idea if the SBR and the EPNA were used by a few, many, or any shipwrights as the Establishments had supposedly been guides that were used previously. For that matter, I have never read why the SBR and/or David Steel even prepared these treatises. I just looked on line for information and only found a few copies for sale but no information on the purpose of the book and draughts. I almost fainted when I saw the prices for the Sim Comport edition of Steel starting at over $800. The Foreward in the Sim Comfort 1977 reprint edition of David Steel states that Steel wrote principally, of course, for the mariner and the shipwright who sought to broaden his knowledge of his profession and the one thing common to both: the ship. The publisher also notes that no other work, has in any language at any time, the theories and practicalities of designing and actually building a Man of War at the time of Nelson. Of further interest is that The Elements and Practice of Naval Architecture involved a good bit of plagiarism of the SBR.