Craigie65

Have just ordered some more books....

Just had a new book arrive for stock:
 
Ship Models from the Age of Sail – VANGUARD MODELS
 
It is very nice, written by Kerry Jang, and features Speedy as one of the builds. There is reference to Chucks (Syren Models) great models, and a picture of the fantastic Winchelsea  and Cheerful.
 
Book is hardback and full colour. I shall keep one for myself...

OK, regarding Saucy Jack, the Barking Well Smack, thanks in no small part to James Hatch, the box art and plans and manual are with the printers. As soon as I am in receipt of the plans, manual and boxes, it can go on sale (or sail...)
 
I have attached a pic of the box art I did yesterday, and the manual will be available to download in the usual way once the product page goes live. Price will be £137, same as Nisha. So the Saucy Jack folder has been moved from the 'Kit Designs in Progress' folder to the 'Completed Kits' folder.
 
This is my 10th kit since 2019, Ranger will be the 11th (and the last non navy vessel for a good while). Indefatigable will be the 12th, and this is what I am working on right now, and hope to have this released this year. It is a very big project, and I did promise myself I wouldn't go too far, but as usual, I cannot help myself....
 
One last thing, I get emails on quite a regular basis asking when Amati Victory is out. I do not know, I do not work for Amati, so those who ask have as much idea as I do! 

I spent the day fixing the mounts. I filled in the old cut out and square holes, then laid out the new position for the cross brace, cut new notches and the sprit sits at the angle per the drawing. 👌 I then drilled a 1mm hole through the mounts and the sprit and will use wire. I don’t have what it takes to cut out a 1mm square. On to other deck equipment and more eyelets.
 

 

Beautiful!  You have set a high bar for others to reach.

Dave,
The Vanguard site has links to the various instruction manuals.  Have a look and you will see the difference.  As well as the manual there are the usual plans for masts, rigging, etc.
 
 

Dave,
To respond to your original post!
 
I have Diana in my stash.  She is an older model and with that she has her flaws.  The plywood for the keel extends to the stem and knee of the head. I have seen a few conversions which replace this with boxwood or similar.  Same issue for the stern.  My version has the latest cannon and carronade - none of the bulbous cannon.  The instructions are typical of early Caldercraft and by today’s standards are poor. Mind you Chris at Vanguard has us spoiled by the standard of his instruction booklets. 
 
I had been thinking of starting her. However with the Indy on the horizon (fingers and toes crossed) I am back filling with a couple of Vanguard’s trawlers and will go straight to the Indy when launched.  Perhaps that is the most telling point of all for (against?) Diana.

Time for a break from all of the hull work. I started on the various fixtures located on the main gundeck.  I noticed that the kit supplied galley stove has been radically simplified which is understandable as it is not really visible beneath the forecastle. Unfortunately the portion that is visible is not built correctly and I thought that I could easily scratch build a replacement as there are detailed drawings in the AOTSD and it did not look that complicated. Turns out it was more challenging than I first imagined. The following is my second version. I started off assembling the carcass using 3D printed parts. In retrospect I should have replaced some of these with styrene to improve the finish. I added some details such as the lid handles using brass rod and nails. I used the kit supplied cast condenser as it was OK.

 

 

 

 
Everyone likes a shawarma so I decided to add the rotisserie. I bent some brass strip for the support and added the spits using brass rod with the chain wheels lathed from larger diameter rod. I built the spigots from some copper tubing which I tapered on the lathe and finished with a faux copper bead. The final product is a little more accurate than the kit part but it is a good thing it is hidden under the forecastle.

 

 

 

 

 

 
I then had a stab at the elm tree pumps. Again the kit supplied cast parts looked all wrong. I suspect they are for a larger scale build. I made the handle assembly from wire, styrene and a 3D printed hinge. It is quite tiny and very fragile. The body and head hoop were 3D printed and then the whole thing was painted and assembled. It will be secured to the deck using a pin and a pre-drilled hole.
 

 

 

 
The chain pump cistern and hoods were tackled. No surprises that the kit part seemed too large and had no articulation so I scratch built these. The drawings in the AOTSD were contradictory. Possibly a couple of the drawings were resized at the printers to fit on the page and they do not match up with the stated scale. Nevertheless I had to make up my own dimensions to fit into the available space so as not to clash with the mast and mast step. I turned an aluminium tube on the lathe to form the pump dale but this is a bit too big. The handle bearings were made out of styrene and the pump brakes will be out of 0.8mm diameter brass rod. I will deal with the pump brakes at a later date as they are a delicate construction and I do not want to risk damaging them during the installation of the rest of the deck fittings.

 

 

 
I prepared all of the riding bits and the support structures for the forecastle fore jeer bits and fore topsail bits. I thought I was dutifully following the AOTSD dimensions but I seem to have taken a wrong turn somewhere and they ended up a bit thin. These are also not that visible so I will just go ahead and use them.
 

 
The eight interior columns that come with the kit are laser cut out of 5mm walnut and are quite basic in their detailing. The AOTSD indicates there are two types of column. Four slender round columns located near the capstan and four more robust square columns surrounding the main mast. I turned the circular columns on the lathe using 4 x 4mm walnut. I went mad and made eight of these so that I would have a good chance of getting two matching pairs. For the other columns I resorted to 3D printing so that I could get some of the finer detail and integrate the sheaves into the base.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The kit capstan is not a complete disaster but lacks some detail so back to the CAD and the AOTSD. I managed to break it down into a dozen pieces that were printed then assembled and painted save for the step which was made out of some walnut sheet. The finish is not great but, again, this is a piece that sits below the quarterdeck and is barely visible. For the upper deck portion of the capstan I will see if I can swap out some of the elements for timber to try and improve the overall appearance.

 

 

 

 

Post One Hundred and Two
 
 Bitts and pieces.

6261
This is a convenient point to fit the Main Ladderway, but the stanchions I will leave until later.

6263
I’m glad I took the trouble to shape and paint the support columns on the lower deck.
 
A significant feature of the fore part of the Upper deck are the Riding Bitts.

6245
There are two sets of these; the aft Bitts which have a substantial cross piece, and the fore Bitts which sit beneath the Foc’sle deck either side of the Fore Mast.

6244
 
Shoe-horned between the aft Riding Bitts and the stove is the Galley door frame and doors. There is no doubt that these were a feature of ships of this period, but the position seems awkward and on a practical level one wonders why they are there.
I suppose that when closed they do provide an element of weather protection, but little else to my 21st century eye.
 
From a modelling display aspect the more immediate question is how much fitting this feature will further hide the pretty little stove a good few hours spent in the making of.
The only way is to trial fit it.

6255(2)
The view of the Stove end is not unduly obstructed.

6256

6258
…  but the doors do impinge on the Riding Bitts.
I’m not sure at this point if I will keep the doors but If I do I will varnish them rather than paint them red.
The Marshall painting does show them fitted and painted red, but I think there is already an excess of red paint in that area.
 
The Bowsprit step is also now glued into place. The step and the support legs of the Topsail sheet bitts are one unit in my build as the manger boards  butt against the unit at the Upper deck level.

6265
I made the Manger boards back in posts 79/80, they now have to be put into position before the Foc’sle deck beams are fitted.

6268
6270
I can now move onto prepping the Foc’sle deck beams.
 
B.E.
23/03/22
 
 
 
 
 

Ok, I know the following photo has nothing to do with my build log, but it came today. 😁
 

Dave,
The Vanguard site has links to the various instruction manuals.  Have a look and you will see the difference.  As well as the manual there are the usual plans for masts, rigging, etc.
 
 

I believe that kit bashing is an important step on the path to scratch building.  So, my advice is build what you want and feel free to bash it as much as you want in the name of accuracy and learning.   I also believe it's not the destination but the journey that's important.  To learn, pick up skills, etc. is a big part of the journey.

I have Erycina in my stash.  I had a quick look at the main sail against the plan. The sail is about 15% larger than the plan, as Andrew found with his Nisha.

Dave,
The Vanguard site has links to the various instruction manuals.  Have a look and you will see the difference.  As well as the manual there are the usual plans for masts, rigging, etc.
 
 

Dave,
To respond to your original post!
 
I have Diana in my stash.  She is an older model and with that she has her flaws.  The plywood for the keel extends to the stem and knee of the head. I have seen a few conversions which replace this with boxwood or similar.  Same issue for the stern.  My version has the latest cannon and carronade - none of the bulbous cannon.  The instructions are typical of early Caldercraft and by today’s standards are poor. Mind you Chris at Vanguard has us spoiled by the standard of his instruction booklets. 
 
I had been thinking of starting her. However with the Indy on the horizon (fingers and toes crossed) I am back filling with a couple of Vanguard’s trawlers and will go straight to the Indy when launched.  Perhaps that is the most telling point of all for (against?) Diana.

You could buy Cornwall Model Boat’s online discount card beforehand.  It is £10 and gets you a 5% discount.  A net saving of £20 on Diana at current prices.  Useful if you also buy lots of supplies from them.

I have Erycina in my stash.  I had a quick look at the main sail against the plan. The sail is about 15% larger than the plan, as Andrew found with his Nisha.

Dave,
The Vanguard site has links to the various instruction manuals.  Have a look and you will see the difference.  As well as the manual there are the usual plans for masts, rigging, etc.
 
 

Thank you again for your input Craig it is truely appreciated. Yes I have seen a couple of the blogs where modellers have had issues with the plywood stem and I think I will do the same and replace this with boxwood if I can. I have had a number of issues too with my Endeavour ,mainly the warped keel,but was able to overcome this. Also some of the cast fittings such as the rudder hinges are more or less useless  but will try the hinges os another manufacturer next time and see how it goes.Hopefully I will get the kit with the better cannon. Regards the instructions. I have found most kit instructions to be pretty vague ( Have not tried Vanguard as yet) but hopefully I will find a good blog to follow and keep me right. Any recomendations would be appriciated here.
I have also seen a couple of bloggers who have had issues with the height of the stern and therefore having trouble with the stern counter not fitting properly. Hopefully I will be able to overcome these issues but will just have to hope I get enough help .
                   Thanks again for your input best regards Dave.
 

Dave,
To respond to your original post!
 
I have Diana in my stash.  She is an older model and with that she has her flaws.  The plywood for the keel extends to the stem and knee of the head. I have seen a few conversions which replace this with boxwood or similar.  Same issue for the stern.  My version has the latest cannon and carronade - none of the bulbous cannon.  The instructions are typical of early Caldercraft and by today’s standards are poor. Mind you Chris at Vanguard has us spoiled by the standard of his instruction booklets. 
 
I had been thinking of starting her. However with the Indy on the horizon (fingers and toes crossed) I am back filling with a couple of Vanguard’s trawlers and will go straight to the Indy when launched.  Perhaps that is the most telling point of all for (against?) Diana.

Dave,
To respond to your original post!
 
I have Diana in my stash.  She is an older model and with that she has her flaws.  The plywood for the keel extends to the stem and knee of the head. I have seen a few conversions which replace this with boxwood or similar.  Same issue for the stern.  My version has the latest cannon and carronade - none of the bulbous cannon.  The instructions are typical of early Caldercraft and by today’s standards are poor. Mind you Chris at Vanguard has us spoiled by the standard of his instruction booklets. 
 
I had been thinking of starting her. However with the Indy on the horizon (fingers and toes crossed) I am back filling with a couple of Vanguard’s trawlers and will go straight to the Indy when launched.  Perhaps that is the most telling point of all for (against?) Diana.

Beautiful!  You have set a high bar for others to reach.

I've certainly noticed the price of kits like Diana going up a lot in the last couple of years, sign of the times generally costs are going up across the board, and hobby costs are no exception.
 
I also would love to build a 'Heavy' frigate, though at £600 I am beginning to think that might buy a few more power tools (saws etc.) and plans to scratch build what I aspire to.  My dream build would be a 1/64 version of the grand old lady from 1817 that is gently bobbing around in Hartlepool....  I'm not sure a Leda class frigate would come out in kit form these days, so scratch building seems the only way to go.
 
The only flaw in my cunning plan are my woodworking skills! 🤣 I have two more CC kits in my stash (Snake & Endeavour) and I will see how I feel about scratch building a frigate when I get the other side of those. The first one is going to get "kit-bashed" into a different Cruizer class sloop, so that might be a good stepping stone, or put me off entirely!  😳
 
Then again Chris keeps tempting me with his lovely trawler kits!  😁

I have Erycina in my stash.  I had a quick look at the main sail against the plan. The sail is about 15% larger than the plan, as Andrew found with his Nisha.

Update showing the correct size sail templates I made for positioning and finally fixing the bowsprit.  From reference to March I added a heel rope for the Bowsprit; a knotted end in the starboard bitt round the heel of the bowsprit, fastened to the bitt near the Gypsy winch, then back around the heel to a cleat on the starboard bitt again and a coil of rope added to finish off.
 
Also fixed and lashed down the boat, again with refence to the Marsh drawings/plans.  Other little details added was a pump handle for the top of the Tow Post/Dummy and some card to represent iron straps on the tiller.