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druxey

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Everything posted by druxey

  1. I believe that the pawls were only on the upper capstan, Siggi. This is the case on the contemporary model of Princess Royal, 1773. (Legacy of a Ship Model by Rob Napier, page 75.)
  2. I agree with your short pawl version, Siggi. I've seen many contemporary models with pawls similar or identical to the ones in the photo you've posted. They are on the upper deck partners.
  3. Once again, beautiful, clean detail. That is one lovely model, Alex!
  4. I use a propane torch over a cast iron ladle. Cutting the pewter ingot into smaller pieces and using a small quantity speeds things up. RTV rubber is quite soft, so I recommend an outer plaster retaining jacket to prevent distortion of the casting or leakage between the mould halves. Don't forget to make the vent channels through the plaster continuous with the RTV mould. Please make sure the plaster is completely dry before casting, for safety's sake!
  5. When I cast (in pewter) I made the mold muzzle up, with relieving vents at the trunnions. I made sure that the pouring vent was large. This helped filling and also provided mass, so that the metal would not solidify before filling the mold. In addition I talcum-powdered the mold to improve metal flow. The first few pours were defective (possibly the RTV mold needed to 'mature'), but after that everything worked perfectly.
  6. Just discovered this thread: fascinating presentation idea!
  7. Looks pretty convincing to me! Nicely adjusted. Small point: make sure that the lips of the scarphs in the stem are wider than the rabbet.
  8. My preferred method is to cut small slices of copper or softened brass tube. Then I flare both sides on a hard block using a center punch. Finally, I chemically blacken the thimbles.
  9. Very neatly done, Toni. I believe that in real life the rudder sole was higher and angled a bit to ensure it wouldn't snag if the ship touched ground. Your call, of course.
  10. Brilliant! I don't know of many modellers who would go to the trouble and detail of installing hammock battens. I suppose there will be hammocks as well?
  11. Unfortunately, Victory's weather decks have been re-laid many, many times. What you see today is very late 20th century and far from original.
  12. Very neatly done! That is a beautiful deck.
  13. I agree with Chuck. Nibbing was a 19th century development.
  14. I would imagine that, whether the sovereign were present at a launch or not, the Royal Standard would be flown as the ship belonged to 'His (or Her) Brittanic Majesty'.
  15. Possible, Henry, but still difficult, I would think, given the length of line required. Jud; the crowfoot line was already a very light one (¾" circumference). One would still have the problem of reeving it which may have been done as Henry suggests and hauled taut as Mark described. Thank you everyone, for your responses!
  16. The bosun's chair would solve the tensioning and hitching off issue all right, Mark. But threading all those fathoms of line without tangling or snarling must have been a nightmare.
  17. While rigging some crowsfeet - a tedious task allowing plenty of time for thinking! - I began to wonder how on earth this was done in real life. A model maker can do this in the air. In reality this is some 40' 0" or more above the deck and a long way out from the front of the top. Does anyone know how this work was carried out by the old-time riggers? All I can think of was that the tackle was slacked off enough to enable the euphroe to be threaded while the rigger was on the top, but there would be many fathoms of line snaking all over the place and liable to tangle while this was being done. Even so, the tackle fall need to be heaved tight after the crowfoot was installed. The fall line was rigged in such a way as to point away from the top along the stay. How could this be done?
  18. Yes, that flag bothered me, Clare. That's why I queried it. I can't find any reference to such a design, though. Artist's license?
  19. Love the accurate details, including those square nuts! Das ist echt!!
  20. Thanks for giving that url, Jason. I didn't mention the fine model of Mermaid, as the flags she flies correspond with the Cambridge and Buckingham images.
  21. George is correct, I believe.
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