Jim Lad

Very nicely fitted, Danny, but would the doors have had glass panels, or did you do that for effect?

John

Replica of the schooner 'Enterprize' under construction in Melbourne some years ago.  In this view the spiling of the planks is very obvious.

John

and I'll probably unship the upper masts for as long as possible during the rigging process

Andy,

Take it from one who's been there and who knows - please do that - it'll save a lot more of 'those' words!

John

Thank you all for your encouragement!  I have to say it wasn't a nice feeling to see that pair of deadeyes just dangling in the air!  The situation wasn't helped by one of the security blokes wandering past while I was trying to fix it and having a look.  "What's happening?"  "The pin somehow came out of this deadeye strap."  "Hmmm.  Obviously a totally incompetent model maker."  Grins and walks off while contemplate the penalties for 'securitycide'.

John

Oops!  First thing I did this morning when I got the Stag out at the museum was to start 'sweating up' the shrouds prior to finally securing them.  Blow me down if the lower deadeye strap pin on number two starboard didn't carry away when I put a bit of pressure on it!  

I've no real idea what happened as it was fine last time I touched it, and when I went to try and drill the old pin out of the upper end of the chainplate there didn't seem to be a pin in there.  Very strange!!

Oh, well!  A bit of fiddling with some copper wire for a strap and another piece for a pin and I was back in business.

A little black paint and all was well again - just don't tell the foreman rigger or there'll be hell to pay!

Once the shroud was back on and they were all tensioned correctly on both sides, I put in some time making a start on the ratlines.  Hopefully I can finish them off next time I'm in.

John

Crikey, Mark!!    You're probably pretty lucky that that's all the damage done.

John

Bruce,

How wide was the main yard?  If it was very wide then I'd imagine that the bumpkins would be somewhat like lower studding sail booms, that could be rigged out when needed.

John

Great stuff, Popeye - almost there!!

John

I've never seen it at the Town Hall. Danny.  This model and the Supply used to be near the entrance of the old Tech. museum in Harris Street.

John

Lars,

As the Vespucci's spanker gaff is "standing" - ie it doesn't hoist with the sail - it would be more usual for it to be fitted with a gooseneck rather than jaws as shown, but i can't find a photo of the ship that shows the gaff clearly.  Do you have any photos of that area of the ship?

John

 

Coming Soon - More Rigging!

 

Cant' wait!

John

Mark,

The storage buildings are airlocked and temperature/humidity controlled, but seeing those models sitting on the floor where workmen carry stuff in and out is certainly a bit scarey!

John

Very nicely worked panels, Danny!

John

Andy,

Sounds like it was the quality of your original wood that was causing the problem, but I'm glad to see that you've beaten it!

Matbe for your next model you could scratch build your current ship - slightly less rigging!  

John

I'm sure it's worthy, Danny, but what's the name of the ship!  

John

While photographing the Sirius, I was also able to take a few photos of the Finecraft Models Pty Ltd model of Endeavour, which is also in storage at Castle Hill and rarely available for viewing.

I thought some photos of this model would give Endeavour builders another perspective on this famous ship.

The same conditions of very poor light and hence slow shutter speeds also applied to this model.

John

And a few photos of the masts and rigging.

John

As the Sirius is now available in kit form and is being built (or planned) by some of our members, I thought these photos may be of interest.

The Ingleton model of the Sirius is in storage at the Powerhouse Museum's storage faciliy at Castle Hill (Sydney).  I was able to visit the storage area this morning and take a few photos.  Some of the photos aren't great as the light was pretty poor and no flash was permitted, but I thought they may be helpful for anyone building or researching the Sirius.

First, some photos of the hull and deck.

John

Augie,

How can Alcoa carry any weight?  (1) Alunimium doesn't weigh very much at all, and (2) They can't spell!    

OK, I'll shut up now!

John

I've been quiet here for a bit as working is stytene is ouitside my experience, but I think I have to agree with Tom that the windows are flat.  I think the reflection in the windows of the sunken ferry are creating an illusion of a bent window.  On a purely practical note, I think windows other than flat would be very rare indeed on this type of craft - but maybe in America they built ferrys like that?

John

Great to hear that you're feelong better at last, Kats!  Welcome back to the work bench.

John

Brighten your day; liven up your breath; try all new minty mast.  Available from your local supermarket now!!

Sorry about the mast, Andy, but at least you seem to have taught a couple of Yanks to spell 'colour'.  Now, if you can all just learn to say alumin - i - um!

John

John

Andy,

You've obviously read that popular book, "How to talk gooder English."

John

A late entrant into the 'full nine yards' controversy.

A Vickers machine gun ammunition belt held 250 rounds and was 20 feet long when empty (shorter when loaded) and so was 7 feet short of nine yards.  The U.S. Browning .50 machine gun however, had a metal link belt of 350 rounds which, at 13 rounds per foot, gives 351 rounds exactly for nine yards.

Make of it what you will!

John

PS. Nice masts, Andy!