allanyed

Your idea of using a stiffer material is a great idea.  I have used my machinist squares similar to your use of right angle acrylic plates.  Looking forward to your progress.
Allan

Welcome to Model SHIP World JF. Hopefully someone here will be able to give you some help, but this is a ship model group not a stage coach group so you may not get a ton of responses.  We do have a forum here at MSW called Non-ship/categorised builds and there are stage coach builds posted there.   https://modelshipworld.com/search/?q=stage coach&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=73   You may want to post in the non categorised builds to get more viewers or contact the members that posted the stage coach projects.  Hope someone here will be able to help you out.
 
Allan

I am always amazed and happy to see the exactness that you put into every part of your builds.  
Allan

A small update - not much time this past week for modelling, unfortunately, but I have a short break from work over the weekend, so hopefully I'll be able to make some progress. Today, I spent a very short time putting together a simple jig for taking vertical measurements - it's just the profile drawing adhered to a piece of 3/4" plywood with a batten clamped along the line marking the bottom of the keel. I made some tick strips out of card, but I think I will take a different approach to transferring these marks - I have a number of right angle plates that I made from 1/8" acrylic some time ago and the taller of these can be used to transfer vertical measures to the model - instead of using tick strips on the drawing, I will use 1/4" masking tape which can then be fixed to the right angle plate itself - perhaps a more stable way of transferring the measures, but we'll see how it goes - I'm going to try to mark and file out the notches for the sweep port sills and lintels this weekend using this method. 
hamilton

Welcome to Model SHIP World JF. Hopefully someone here will be able to give you some help, but this is a ship model group not a stage coach group so you may not get a ton of responses.  We do have a forum here at MSW called Non-ship/categorised builds and there are stage coach builds posted there.   https://modelshipworld.com/search/?q=stage coach&quick=1&type=forums_topic&nodes=73   You may want to post in the non categorised builds to get more viewers or contact the members that posted the stage coach projects.  Hope someone here will be able to help you out.
 
Allan

This might help.  From the Shipbuilder's Repository 1788 which should be close for Agamemnon 1781:
Fourth futtocks moulded at the upper deck 9 3/4" 
Top timbers <at the top end> moulded in the range of the forecastle 5 1/4"  The dimensions below are what they would be if made to scale 1:64  This would apply to the forward frames as well.
 
It looks like the forward most frames moulded dimension is too heavy.    Perhaps the kit has it extra thick due to the pressure of the planking bend in that area.
 
Allan

There do not appear to be any marks on the bulkheads for the widths of the strakes of planking.  It is best explained in the Articles database here at MSW and in the planking videos by Chuck Passaro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCWooJ1o3cM   Hope you don't mind the right side up pic of your model......😀
Allan
 
 

I am fairly new to this also and started with the Model expo ship shipwright series. A series of 3 boats each a little more complex. They can be bought as a set or individually, They have a plan if you build the first (Grand Banks Dory) and send them a picture of it you will get full credit for your next build. I had a lot of fun with these kits and I think you learn a lot going from one to the other.
 
https://modelexpo-online.com/Model-Shipways-Shipwright-3-Kit-Combo-Series_p_5465.html
 
Rob

It is my understanding that Vasa had pins, but I do not know about Sovereign of the Seas.  If she followed common practice for British ships of the line for that era she would not have had any.  The model of SoS built circa 1830 which is held by RMG has no belaying pins.  Other 100 gun ship models as late as 1725 held by RMG  have no belaying pins so it may be safe to assume SoS would not have any either.   Belaying points shown on drawings in Lees show a first rate built to the 1733 Establishment and may be a good guide for other British first rates of that era and earlier as he describes in drawing and text where every line is belayed.  There is no mention of any belaying pins.
Allan

That'll work.

For a first ship model I would have to recommend the Model Shipways "Shipwright Series" of three models.  This series was designed by renowned ship modeler David Antscherl.  The modeling series begins with a dory followed by a pram which is a little more challenging and ending with a shipjack.  Model Expo has these kits on sale now.  They are also offering the "Shipwright Series" as a combo which includes a basic set of tools, glue and paint.  Once you successfully complete this series, you'll be ready to take on something more challenging.
There are a number of reputable wooden ship manufacturers such as Syren, Vanguard, Bluejacket and Model Shipways.  Be careful of some disreputable manufacturers who use other manufacturer's designs without permission to make their own kits.  Checkout the list of banned manufacturers elsewhere on MSW.
 

 Welcome to Model Ship World and the wonderful hobby of ship modeling.
 
 

I am going to give a different perspective on the cost.  I have two hobbies.  Golf and model ships.  I spend $60 on a four hour round of golf ($15 per hour) and I spend $300 - $400 for a ship kit that I spend 500 - 1000 hours building (yes I am not very fast).  Add $200 for some basic tools and that works out to less than $1 an hour.  You certainly don't need power tools to build a kit.  I have spent some money on some tool upgrades, but those are nice to have and not need to have items.  The money an individual spends on tools can vary greatly, but there is no reason you can't get the basics for a couple hundred dollars.  The only power tool I don't think I could get by without is a power drill that I use when tapering a dowel for a mast or yard.  

I bought this and find it very instructive and straight forward.  A great place to start and learn the basics before a tougher model.
 
Which ever model you start with, buy the best tools you can afford.

I was so tired of Victory builds, UNTIL NOW.  Just tuned in and catching up.  I love that it is the Victory when built in 1765 as it is rarely modeled as she looked then.
Allan

Hi photo Victory .
 

Welcome to MSW Doug!
From the photos the model looks lovely.   Maybe some closeups would be better if you are looking for input on anything specific. 
Allan
 

Coming soon.   Resin cast barrels.
 
I have three sizes of cast resin barrels that will soon be available on my site.  Currently I have the 11/16" tall and the 1" tall barrels.  I am waiting for my casting guy to make the third smaller size.  I may even make a fourth smaller size later as well.
 

 
I have the two smaller sizes and I am waiting for the last larger size not shown. They are cast in white resin or a light tan like my carvings for the ship models I make.   This makes it so much easier to prepare than building my laser cut versions.   Those will still be available but these resin versions will give you guys more options.   These can be prepared in minutes...
 
Just clean whatever flashing which is minimal.   And remove the small vent hole plugs with a sharp #11 blade.   
 
Then brush on some gel stain...in my case pictured,  I used General Finishes Fruitwood gel stain as usual.   I have one coat of stain on these.  You can add more to deepen the color as you see fit.  Then I just used a black sharpie to color the raised iron hoops.   You could use any color you want for those as well.  You could use a copper leaf pen for example.   It isnt difficult....and takes just a few minutes vs. a much longer time to build my laser cut versions.
 
Each size will be sold two per package.
 
Its unfortunately too late for me to add these in the hold of Speedwell....but when you need to make a dozen or more barrels for the hold its nice to not have assemble them one at a time.
 

 
And Buckets...crates...and other items will soon follow.   And whatever else I can possibly think of...please let me know if you guys fancy something in particular.

It means it qualifies to be sold in the gift shop of a museum..😁
 
Regarding comments on historical accuracy,  if that were something most kit builders were concerned with, most kit manufacturers might as well close up shop.
 
For those who don’t care to lower their standards to build a kit, much less one with some historical inaccuracies, we shouldn’t discourage those who want to enjoy the hobby by building these kits.
 
Thanks for the review Kevin.
 
 

Great piece of information Dafi!!!
 
It took me a little while but I did find this in his Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship, Volume I, page 283, 1794 edition
 SLINGS have a long and short leg, and a large thimble seized in the bight. The long leg passes round the after-part of the mast, and reeves through the eye in the short leg; it is then brought back, and securely seized to its own part in several places. By these the yard is retained at the mast-head with a laniard, that splices in the thimbles in the slings, at the fore part of the mast and then reeves through the thimble in the strap upon the yard, and so alternately till the laniard is expended. The end then fraps round the turns, and makes fast with two half hitches. In time of action, the yards are slung with chains.
 
Looking at Lees, he conjectures that rope slings came into use about 1773 and the use of chains in time of action appeared about the same time.   He goes on to say chain was used at all times as of about 1811.  
 
Allan

A warm welcome to MSW Brent!!
Allan

... and already Steel is a mere collection*** of earlier works that were simply updated.
 
XXXDAn
 
And those earlier works the same ...
 
... and later works too ...

Yepp, it is Lees where I found it first, then being confimed by the find at Steel. By this resaerch it became quite obvious that Lees uses quite a lot of Steels informations, sometimes word by word. (This is not a moan 🙂 ). These details can be found in Part III "Progressive Method of Rigging Ships" in the article of "Rigging the the Lower-Yards" in the passage about Fore- and- Main-Braces, Preventer-Braces and Slings.
 
Also most of these details are repeated in the "Tables of the Dimensions of ..." in the sections for lower fore mast and lower main mast.
 
XXXDAn

Great piece of information Dafi!!!
 
It took me a little while but I did find this in his Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship, Volume I, page 283, 1794 edition
 SLINGS have a long and short leg, and a large thimble seized in the bight. The long leg passes round the after-part of the mast, and reeves through the eye in the short leg; it is then brought back, and securely seized to its own part in several places. By these the yard is retained at the mast-head with a laniard, that splices in the thimbles in the slings, at the fore part of the mast and then reeves through the thimble in the strap upon the yard, and so alternately till the laniard is expended. The end then fraps round the turns, and makes fast with two half hitches. In time of action, the yards are slung with chains.
 
Looking at Lees, he conjectures that rope slings came into use about 1773 and the use of chains in time of action appeared about the same time.   He goes on to say chain was used at all times as of about 1811.  
 
Allan

Great piece of information Dafi!!!
 
It took me a little while but I did find this in his Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship, Volume I, page 283, 1794 edition
 SLINGS have a long and short leg, and a large thimble seized in the bight. The long leg passes round the after-part of the mast, and reeves through the eye in the short leg; it is then brought back, and securely seized to its own part in several places. By these the yard is retained at the mast-head with a laniard, that splices in the thimbles in the slings, at the fore part of the mast and then reeves through the thimble in the strap upon the yard, and so alternately till the laniard is expended. The end then fraps round the turns, and makes fast with two half hitches. In time of action, the yards are slung with chains.
 
Looking at Lees, he conjectures that rope slings came into use about 1773 and the use of chains in time of action appeared about the same time.   He goes on to say chain was used at all times as of about 1811.  
 
Allan

Someone over in Deven, England needed a pair of 2-banded Brooke rifls for a 1:48 scale model of the Confederate ironclad Neuse.
I hadn't printed either of the Brookes as yet, so I soon discovered some bits were missing, ie, I forgot to mirror a part to the other side of the gun, actually, just the slide. 
I fixed the STL on Thingiverse, but to fix the already printed models, I printed that part and a couple of eye-bolts separately, attached them to the models with resin zapped with UV light.
They're carefully packed and off to England, making me an International Arms Dealer    It's very expensive shipping a 95 gram box to the UK from the US, over $30 USD in fact, but he was adamant there was no one local to 3D print them for him.