John AA

Hi All, shipyard closed for a while, but I picked up a base last year and wondered what you think. I was going to oil or satin varnish the base and possibly paint the posts black, maybe with a little dry brush of gold? Also, any ideas about attaching posts and Terror - wondered about long screws or maybe brass rods? This would mean some careful woodwork and drilling into Terror which I'm not sure I'm up to.

Thanks Keith, will do, have been busy with our cold spell - hoping to get a few minutes in the shipyard soon. This area is not very clear in the book, it would have been good to have a larger version of the rigging, or maybe a link to larger scale to bring out the detail. Meyy Xmas all, Regards, John

Currently reading about Leonidas off Korea and Dawlish being challenged by politics between China, Korea and Japan - a brilliant narrative and would be great if a kit was released.

Resurrecting this thread, I’m into book 4 now and the first in the series is possibly one of the best I have read since Aubrey-Maturin by Patrick O’Brian. This is a strong claim, I know, but the characters are well drawn, the stories really capture you and it is a chaotic period of European and American history. Supporting characters are believable, there is a good technical level and plenty of politicking with Dawlish caught in the middle. Also, they are not plain sailing, and the hard times are very hard, reflecting advances in the ships and weapons. There are now plenty of square sail series, and some in earlier periods, but I would recommend these. I would love to see some models based on Vanner’s diagrams.

Thanks Keith, bit more work on the small bits and pieces and new bowsprit in place with some gammoning (I think). Found some 1mm waxed thread online which seems Ok and doesn't fray, rigging line seems to be a bit out of stock, and I would like to see a sample first. Foremast and mainmast nearly complete and first coat of paint on, using the Occre ships boats, adding thwarts and rudder. I'm intending to put glazing bars in the skylights and use some acetate for glazing - fiddly, but better than brass wire IMO. Enjoyed making the masts, one of the worst jobs has been the rudder and stern brasswork, I don't like the overcall effect of pins very much. Rebuilding windlass with some wider diameter dowling and I think I'll use a Vanguard 1/64 capstan I've just built, a bit over scale but it looks the part - and a fantastic quality little kit, thanks Mr Watton. Busy this morning winter prepping bees, a pic if you're interested - have put on winter feed now and you can see my hive heart which connects with a weather station and other monitors to a 4g gateway - I monitor temp, sound frequency and humidity, and the general weather conditions.

Hi All, Matthew Betts book arrived and isn't it great? I'm rebuilding the bowsprit as per the plan in the book, and would ask for advice regarding stanchions and railings - I can see loads including PE but not doing so well with something suitable for the main top and on deck. Also (and I will look through MSW), have you any nifty techniques for making heart (dead - edit, typo) blocks and for securing the boomkins please?

Thanks Keith, managed to shape the drum last night, cannons are a bit off piste but I liked the idea of them - these were Occre I think, but Vanguard look really good, and I would love to have a go at one of Chris Watton's kits (prob HMS Speedy).

Some more work in progress pictures, have worked on stern davits, catheads, building various small bits (loose on deck) and getting metal items painted. Bit happier with overall finish, one of the rear davits looks like it needs a tweak to reposition it and also scratch building the windlass - in it's basic form now, will shape with files. I don't like the jailhouse look for the glazing, planning to add small glazing bars for the skylights. Working on shaping main mast, went for some thicker dowelling, and bowsprit is in its basic form - might replace striker. Thanks all for your advice in your build logs.

Thanks Keith, tidying up paintwork and rudder; have ordered a few bits from Cornwall Model Boats (no interests) including chain plates, mast rings and some other bits and pieces to make it nice. Finding metalwork a bind, sticking my fingers to Terror more than the pins or brass. Found the bow armour a bit of chore, bot the repetition but the fact that it took ages to get each plate right, more or less. Will weather up the paintwork to take off the shine. Will be starting deck work this week, Regards, John

Thanks all, hope you are all well. Have been back in the shipyard a bit recently after helping builder with knocking through a couple of rooms and installing a new kitchen. Also, bees have been busy and have been working in different tutors and friends apiaries for experience, and have just removed some honey from one of my hives tonight whilst the bees are asleep. Decided to go with black and white colour scheme port, and a bit different starboard. Test fitting part completed bowsprit and 8mm main mast, and have decided to use some Amati chainplates for a better finish than I can achieve. Some paintwork to touch up and put right yet, but I quite like the two different sides to my Terror. Missing the planking, I enjoyed that bit seeing the shapes emerge from a box of bits. Best wishes all, Regards John

Up to date pictures of second planking and first varnish. Plan is to paint hull, no varnish on bow where plating will be placed. Will give a light sand to remove any final bumps and blips (can see a couple) to give smooth surface for black. Stained keel just to see what it looked like and to show up any areas for sanding, again, will be painted.

Thanks DanielD, trying to get hull to a state where I can put it to sleep for the Summer - might work on masts and spars, but have to do outside work now.

Couple of WIP pics, have more or less finished second planking and varnished last night, will post later - lots of gentle sanding, gluing in fine strips and sanding again:

Started second planking and have varnished planing on wales and lining them with planking - needs a second rub down and varnish yet. Enjoying this bit, ice chocks sanded and sanded and sanded, almost there. Have worked a lot more on the various cut outs to square up corners and straighten lines, slowly slowly to get it right. Have trialled dry fitted bow sprit and keel and all looks Ok.

Sanding completed and enjoyed Easter eggs, started on ice chocks before second planking - first major error, stuck and pinned on 5 instead of 3 deep because I was enjoying myself so much, but when I realised, glue had started to cure! (Think this was because I thought 5 deep instead of 5 thick). Anyway, managed to cut two excess planks off but made a bit of a mess, so more filling and sanding. Finding planks easy to bend after soaking, just using hands and find this shaping bit very therapeutic. Lots more to do with

Thank you, finding Covid thing a bit of a nuisance right now, and wondering about protection from dust. I sand outside on a handy wall, but just wondered what everyone else does. I wanted a good surface for the second planking, used a rasp today to take back some of the bow packing but a way to go yet. Also, distracted by a H0/00 railway suspension bridge, laser cut, used pins to detail it this afternoon.

Finished planking, have glued and pinned bow pieces and giving a day or so to set and cure the glue.Bit of epoxy filler in the pin holes (pins extracted). Have sanded fairly thoroughly yesterday, trying to do outside in good weather. 1; Do you wear a mask for sanding, and 2; can anyone recommend scale sailing crew from this period, not really finding anything when I look. P.S. Also, really liking Mantua aliphatic glue (I'm nothing to do with them), it's been easy to use and does what it says, no sprung planks,

Thanks All, I know it's a bit bit boring, but thanks all, furiously planking mainly my my thumb, enjoying this part of the build after a bit of sanding. Soaking planks in a drop of water, amazing how well they bend and shape.

Thank you all, I'm grateful for your welcome and replies. I', hoping to put some hours in later this week and next week, and to start planking. Looking forward to this part of the process.

Dear All, I have started my little Terror after reading through build logs by the Keiths, DanielD, particularly Wahka and colleagues here who inspired me to have a go, and they have been full of great information to make my build and experience that little bit better. I was going to stay mainly kit, but have already looked at places to detail a bit more, although won't be anywhere near some of the excellence I've seen here. Have false keel and deck with planking made up sp far, maybe bend the bulwarks later today. My background is in healthcare and UK higher education, wrote a paper on pandemic flu in 2007 and it's all come true, but a different virus. Why was/is it such a mess...anyway, I'm retiring early in a few weeks now, so Terror is one project I wanted to get under way, have a break in the Summer and get going again later in the year. I built lots (lots) of plastic kits when I was a nipper, a lot of everything in the Airfix catalogue, some Revell and a few Frog, and have just restarted and got a few on the go - haven't touched them for 40+ years, but picked up a Trumpeter Bf 109 1/32 and Dornier 1/48 by ICM, planning to get the airbrush out and have a go. Also, working on a large HO/OO layout acquired from my other half's Dad, warming up some old Hornby trains, lot of cleaning and a bit of soldering. No 1 grandson 12 months highly amused by this. Also run a 5 inch Maksutov and getting involved in beekeeping. I would ask for your advice if you are willing: My eyesight for close up and wire work isn't so great, so thinking about buying chainplates - I assume these need to be 20 mm as per Ochre measurements and have seen some on Cornwall Model Boats (e.g. Billing), but thought would ask for advice about measurements and what to get. I'm not keen on making these, I know it's part of the learning process but I know it will be hard. I've seen a few posts about the masts/bowsprit and accuracy of Ochre measurements - I'm a bit unsure now if their measurements include what's under the deck. Finally, there was a small thin strip of what looks like lime wood in the box of bits (in the largest compartment with the boats and brass wire) that comes in the kit - not sure what this is for (edit - looks like I dropped it in there, whoops, not sure when - because I hadn't started planking at this point) and struggling a bit with parts list. Not a big one, but frustrating. Apologies for the essay, Regards and stay safe, John Not sure why images are sideways, show right way up on Mac