modlerbob

Hi.
 A update.. and the finish.
A few photos of the finished Ship.
The hardest part for me was the rigging as my hands are not very nimble.
The painting was OK and we did this without struggling.
 I enjoyed building the Black Queen.
 

 

 

 

 
Well thanks for all the very supportive messages and the likes
The base board is cherry with a huge knot in. Not usable by Antony my carer.
But I like the pattern.
 
Alex.

final photo session

The last 2 projects were put side by side for a photo session. They are built in roughly the same scale (1/64 and 1/66).
I find it quite interesting to compare those two schooners, Pickle from about 1800 and America from about 1850. Although they were built for different purposes both were built as seaworthy vessels and for speed. Although Pickle may have needed about 20 sailors alone to serve her carronades she had with a complement of about 40 still a much more numerous crew than America with about 7. It seems that the deliberately kept simple rig of America gave a better speed and was easier to work.



 


the widest part of the hull is about 30% further aft on America


 



Pickle must have been cramped: less hull volume and six times the crew of America.


 



round stern versus square stern

 


 


a sharper bow for speed

 


 


about double the sail area on America - no wonder she went ahead

finished!
Before America could set sail for her maiden voyage she was the object of a photo session:
 
 


 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
conclusion
 
Despite several shortcomings definitely a interesting and rewarding kit. I would very much appreciate a reissue e.g. by Dusek. The general kit conception is ok and the scale 1/66 (even better would be a standard 1/64) is a good choice for America. Building with the actual documentation could be difficult for beginners and clearer and more detailed instructions would help.
Among the other possible improvements could be real copper plates, better deadeye strops and a general rethinking if white metal parts could be replaced by photo etched brass parts. The layout of the rigging, especially the standing rigging of the schooner topmast, should be rechecked. Also the construction and exact form of the stern could be clarified. And I still don't believe in areas of vertical running short planks on the stern as they are used here or also in the Cutty Sark kit.
 
 

The outer jib was the last sail to be hoisted. The making was similar to the other sails. I used again the lighter Amati rigging hooks to set it "flying". The sheets were lashed to the sail according to a picture found in Lees.

i decided to thrust the kit's instructions and added the disputed block for the gaff topsail's tack. Although I still wonder about its usefulness the rig looks better with it.

There remain still a few loose ends to be stowed. Next will be boats and the flag.





all sails set (and the gaff topsail tack runs now through an additional block)

 


 


sheet lashed to the outer jib

 


 


mast tops

 


 


still a few loose ends to stow

Chuck,
 
When carving the lower hull I secure the hull block to a reference board that provides a common baseline for station/profile templates.  Shaping of decks and bulwarks is performed in a cradle that supports the model with the waterline level.
 
Regards,
Pete 

This work is inspiring.   

I’ve added the main topmast and main topsail yard with its sail.  The area of this sail is really large, even larger than the main course on my model.  I’m starting to wonder if I should be making the sails to be full size.  I thought that the sails on my last model, which were half size, were too small; now I’m thinking these may be too big.  No turning back now, however.  My sail plan is a cross between David Anscherl’s and the kit’s plan drawn up by George Campbell based on Harold Hahn’s plans.  My decisions are based on what I feel looks and/or seems right.  Most of the lines are still not tied off.  I’m waiting until the top gallant lines are all in place.  Now I’m off on a 12 day vacation, so the shipyard will be quiet for a while.

I've finished all of the masts now (see picture below).  Some of the Amati pictures of the Revenge show the masts yellow, while others show them natural.  I left mine natural, but I'll paint the yards black.
 
Now on to the yards.  One not so clear point is when they should be mounted.  The instruction book stops when the hull is done, and everything else (masts and rigging) is done from an extensive set of plans.  If I were to follow the plans in order, I'd make the yards now, but not mount them until after all of the mast stays and shrouds are done.  But the main way the yards are fastened to the masts uses a parrel assembly that I think I'd really struggle with if the masts are already mounted and a lot of rigging is in place.  
 
So once I make and paint them, I'm going to mount the yards using the parrel assemblies, and then glue the masts in place before rigging.  I've looked ahead on the plans, and I don't foresee any pitfalls here, but if anyone has experience from the Revenge or another model that suggests this could be a mistake, please let me know.
 
Thanks,
David Robinson
 
 

And at the first sail down at the lake.
 

LATEST PHOTOS OF THE NIAGARA.
 
And here are some updated photos of the Niagara in its new shipyard.
 
 

Everyone must be on vacation. I haven't seen anything new in any of the riverboat threads. I think cathead is still in the drawing stage, but i haven't seen any update so I thought that I would add a small one. Looking back i also have not done any updates and really haven't taken any real pictures, but have made some progress as the picture shows.
 
If anyone is interested there are 719 railing columns.(60ft of 1/6 in dowel) That means 1440 1/6 holes, which used two 1/6" bits. I still have quite a bit of detail and fixture stuff to do plus all the stern. I have all the lighting done, and have toned it down a little.
You will have to excuse all the junk, but since the model is 49 inch long I don't have any place to put it for pictures. I gave my son my model of the "San Filipe" and going to use that space when completed.
 
The wheelhouse is done except for the roof. (neglect the junk on the roof.)
 
For those still out there stay in touch, and if there are any new threads I am not aware of let me know.
 
Clarence
 
 

Placed lane ropes ..





 
 

Thank you Mirabell61. The pursuit of realistic rendering on this scale is really challenging, it doesn't always work out ...
The sail control ropes tied to the fasteners, the rope sticks will be placed later..




Placed staysails between the front and the main mast..





 

Rigging complete
 
Now she's almost done,  only need some rope coils and to attach the swivel guns.  Some touch ups are needed like gluing down some of the fuzziness on the rigging with 50/50 Pva and doing a final dusting before being put in a display case.
 

 
Rope coils
 
I've been making lots of rope coils and not liking them.  The one that I did manage to make and like is on the belaying rack right now. It's a bit small so I'll keep at it until a satisfactory result comes along.
 

1st Planking finishing up
 
My carelessness left me with a lot of sanding and filling to do. Also I tried carving the rabbeting back into the the keel as the 1st planking ate most of it.
 

 
2nd Planking
 
I ran the stern planking level to the deck like the instructions said. I wish now I did something more like the other Sherbourne builders did.
 

 
The Binder clips made for a nice smooth run of the planks.
 

 
Pulled the bulkhead tabs off and lined the bulwarks with .5mm Walnut because it was easy to bend to shape. Cutting the gun ports and the oar ports to size took a lot more time than I imagined. The walnut is super easy to chip and flake so a lot of care is needed. 
 

 
2nd Planking trouble
 
I was trying up to this point not to have a huge gap in the middle so I ran a strip down the middle of it and planked outward from that. That is totally not how a ship is planked or a model ship should be planked!
 

 
2nd Planking finished
 
After a few hours of sanding and a few blisters it looked like this. It started looking pretty ok at this point.
 


 

I've completed the outer hull first planking to the edge of the wale.  Nothing too difficult, but I did use a little filler here and there to address any low spots.  The one thing to note is that the plans, as well as the actual ship, show the area between the plankshear and wale as seven rows of planks.  This comes out around 14mm of space to plank, or 2mm per plank.  The planks given in the kit don't seem to match that width, so what I did was end up using five wider planks and one narrower plank for that section.  Once I get to the second planking, I'll cut the ebony planks in the widths I need to get seven rows of fairly equal widths.
 
 

 
This ship is different than a lot of ship kits you see out there as there is no independent row or rows of planking for the wales - instead, the wale line is demarked by a thicker line of planks that extend at the wale line and lower.
 

I've been taking my time in trying to get the stern right, as I think the stern tends to make or break a lot of models.  You can see from these pictures how curvy the stern is, and how the planks tuck around the transom and up into the counter.
 


The European kits I've worked on tend to use stern extensions and a counter piece to frame this area.  This kit (and it looks like other kits in the Model Shipways line), require you to create a framing block with a number of curves into it.  The plans are good in this regard, but it still is a little complicated if you're a relative beginner like myself and are working through it the first time.  To help others that are building the kit, here are top and bottom pictures of my block:
 

Here is how my stern looks at the moment.  I think I've managed to capture the curves pretty nicely, and the wale will run into the middle of the name board as you can see on the plans and on the pictures of the actual ship.  I used filler to help get the lines right, but being able to sand down the first planking should help as well.  Thanks for looking in!
 

I added the boom foot ropes and then moved on to the davits (still waiting for hooks to get in stock) detailing the sheave axles with square nuts.
Here is the boom foot ropes.
 

 
I used a brass strip to make the nuts due to it's strength this small and drilled a .020" hole to receive the #8 pin shaft.
 

 
I decided to use rope for the spreader rather than the white wood brace shown in contemporary pictures.
 

 
Once the davit arms were rigged a single block was seized at the futtock brace with a double block at the of the single lift rope. The line was rigged through a single block with a hook engaged on a hook on the deck and seized at the rail with a belaying pin.
 

 
Here is an overview of where I am at until I get the 3mm hooks to complete the rigging. Now to sort out my next steps which may be finishing up the gunports and other hull details.
 
 

After much searching, and following your advice about correcting the scheme as give by Shipyard.  I found what I was wishing to know.  Here is the Berbice as modeled on display at the National Museum of History, USA.
This will be the colors used.  Shipyard got the hull and hardware very close.
Thanks for sending me in the search for period corrections.

They have 1/72 and 1/96 kits. I know at least one of them is being offered in both versions. 1/96 are usually just plain card models, only formers and details are offered as an extra.
1/72 comes as a kit.
btw, im still waiting for shipyard to release their newest model... its been over a year since they released a sailing ship...

I saw the method that Alex had used (with Antony UK) for ratlines in their build of the Black Pearl:  
and copied it.  The jig worked nicely and made reasonably short work of the ratlines.  You probably could trim them closer, but I decided it was close enough for me.  And, the risk of accidentally cutting a shroud was a bit too much to take.  

Ratlines are done!  Now to put on the tops and then I believe it is off to work on the bowsprit.  Progress!

Tha ks Mark and Popeye.  
 
Bob your absolutely right there's no sheer at all.  Might explain why the ladders dont quiet fit.  I'm certain the gun deck is a tad high too but all well.  Just building with what I've got at this point.  Its good being on a forum like this and being able to see these types of problems.  Makes us all better modelers in the long run.
 
To make up for this ships lack of sheer I've posted this little model.  Its got sheer to spare.  
 

Bob,
The hull that the model is based on is straight and no sheer. AL used the Constellation as a reference but that was before the restoration while it was still be touted as the "original".

Here is the mockup promised earlier... I already see the framing around the fiddley grates  is too thick, it will get trimmed by a good half of its current thickness, all else seems to fit ok, all current positions a approximate...when the time for mounting arrives measurements will be transferred off the plans...pics follow
 
THX for the likes

 

 

Now  starts the section where it is difficult to picture progress due to the size of the ship. 
Standing rigging in progress....