druxey

Of course, there is no single 'right' way'. Some of us prefer power carvers, some hand tools. My preference is the latter, as I never was able to achieve as much control with a rotary tool at small scale, unlike others. The other point I'd like to make is the polished surfaces and sharp inner corners made by an edge tool a power bit can't achieve. But, each to his or her own.

It's been 1.5 months of "aging" the Pink Ivory sample - the plank was laying on one specific side in a sunlight on my table, but not in an extreme way, sun hits it at an angle. As expected, it got darker, almost like a fresh vs aged red brick  Coincidentally I bought that piece of Ivory because of the build log where brick oven was made out of pink ivory "bricks": https://modelshipworld.com/topic/11140-washington-galley-by-yamsterman-148-scale-pof/?do=findComment&comment=436782
 
To simplify the comparison I split it in half, the difference is clear (on the second photo both halves are flipped).
No sanding to avoid damaging the "patina" layer, so sorry for some stains or fingerprints. Text says "shadow" and "exposed", but you can easily guess which one is which  
Both pillars were also in a direct sunlight, and looks like the one with Osmo finish aged tiny little bit less.

Even when aged they look quite fine, and I think I'll go with it instead of a pear / box / ebony that are the usual candidates  
The texture is interesting - it has some grain, but not extreme like a walnut. It looks rougher when surrounded by the pear/box hull, but not too extreme or out of scale, even on close-up photos:
 

(I know that this is not how pillars are attached to the beams, these are just test pieces freestanding on the keelson)
 

Okay, I broke down and started rigging the gun tackles on the Mary's cannons. The way I'm building her, she'll only need six guns. And, given that at this scale, they're not too tiny, that's about as easy a rigging job as there could be. It's not going to get any easier in the future, and perhaps this will help me decide if and how I can rig the guns on my smaller HMS Wolf model.
 
First, in order to mount the guns securely, I've been pinning them to the deck. In this case, a sewing pin cut off and inserted into a hole I drilled into the bottom of the gun carriage. Don't ask me why I chose sewing pins and not just some brass rod. The pins are a hard steel and hard to cut. 

I tested out each gun in position, to locate where I need to drill a hole in the deck. Note that they don't line up quite right, but that's because the locations of the gunport in the hull are off slightly. But, that's the way it was built, and it's not actually very obvious.

Then, test fitting each one. This particular gun gave me the most trouble. I don't think the carriage is quite square.

I'll probably shorten the pins a little. Some are longer than they need to be. They seem pretty well hidden underneath those carriages, and then definitely keep the guns solidly in place.
 
Now, I'm in the process of rigging the gun tackles. I'm using Chuck's 3/32" 3D printed blocks. To be safe, I drilled out the holes with a #78 bit, which worked well, and allows me to pass a his .008" Ultra rope through it pretty easily. I decided to do a simplified job of it, using no hooks, just tying the strop through the eyebolts.  
 

I don't have a photo of them, but I have double-blocks stropped through eyebolts that will be attached to the bulwarks. Oh, and I realize that this particular gun is missing the trunnion caps. That's because it was one of two "spares" I decided not to use. Then, during the rigging process, one of the eyebolts got stuck and broke off. So, I just put one of these spares back into service. It'll get it's trunnion caps shortly.
 
My work schedule changed today, and I think I may actually have enough spare time today and tonight to complete these! 🤞

As Clare pointed out, the model in Davis' book is NOT the Lexington. However, I've had a soft spot for this book ever since, aged about ten, I found a copy in my local library!

Here's a thread on the subject from six years ago:
 
 

As Clare pointed out, the model in Davis' book is NOT the Lexington. However, I've had a soft spot for this book ever since, aged about ten, I found a copy in my local library!

I FINALLY made some progress on setting up the shrouds on the Mary. I find this to be a lot of work and am usually much happier when I get to the part where I can just mindlessly tie clove hitches for the ratlines.
 
Took me quite a while to be happy with the work I was doing, first seizing the shrouds around the mast head, then adding the deadeyes, and then seizing them into place. This was a good project for easing back into this process, since there are only four shroud pairs total.
 

Note that the shroud lanyards are not yet secured, since the setup is only temporary, to make sure everything lines up okay. The slight variation in the line of upper deadeyes should mostly go away when I secure the lanyards. They're still loose enough to cause that bit of variation.
 
This is also kind of a practice run for rigging the shrouds on my HMS Wolf card model, which is currently on hold, but I'll be getting back to shortly.
 

All the rigging here is Syren's Ultra Scale Rope, and the deadeyes are also Syren's 3D printed swiss pear colored resin deadeyes. It's been a while since I made my own chain plates of this type, and stropped deadeyes with them. I had to handle and work the parts a lot to adjust the fit, which is why so much of the blackening has worn off the deadeye strops. I'll get back to working on my technique in future builds.
 

While I was working on the model, I also decided to secure the anchors and run the hawsers around the windlass and down the chain pipes. The cat heads were made by my predecessor and had only one sheave, so I had to get a little creative with the rigging of the tackle. I think it works okay.
The more I work on the model, and the closer it gets to completion, the more that rudder gap bugs me. I'm getting closer to the point where I'll probably just cut off the hinges, and pin the rudder into place.
 

I hope to have the model done by the next meeting of the South Bay Model Shipwrights in Santa Clara. We had our most recent meeting this past Saturday. This month's was a small gathering, but we meet in a rather small meeting room anyway, so it wasn't crowded. I didn't really make that much progress on the model since the last meeting, so I decided to leave it at home and bring something that would hopefully inspire me to get back to.
 
Below, you can see my 1/72 HMS Wolf model, sitting in front of a 1/72 Master Korabel kit of the Russian tender Avos. There's also a 1/72 Disar kit of l'Hermione, the French 32-gun Condorde-class frigate. And in the second photo is a USS Constitution cross section, and the Spanish treasure ship, Nuestra Seniora del Pilar de Zaragoza.


 
Anyway, next, I will need to come to a decision on the rigging of the Mary's cannons. There are only 6 or 8 guns depending on what information source you use, so it shouldn't be TOO bad. But, I've been having such a hard time working with the small blocks needed to rig the gun tackles. Wish me luck...
 
 

And, I still really love the lines of that ship, whatever it actually is!

As Clare pointed out, the model in Davis' book is NOT the Lexington. However, I've had a soft spot for this book ever since, aged about ten, I found a copy in my local library!

When I first began ship modeling, more than 30 years ago (!), I had the Davis books in paperback and tried building the Lexington.
 
Having never built a wooden ship model before, I wasn't up to the task, lacking skills and knowledge, so it was a failed attempt. In fact, I don't think I got very far at all before I realized this was way too much for me at that time. I think it could be done if you have the plan set, but there may be easier or more well documented methods of building up a framed model from scratch.
 
Also, it's been argued for decades how that ship is very unlikely to actually represent the Lexington. So, you should just be aware of that.

The rear structure framing is complete... behind the lobby and head is the wireless office relocated from the lower deck.

The ventilators and galley stack are installed... leaving room for the main boom that passes across the top of the deckhouse.
The aft structure is painted and the roof set on to check fit. The lobby and head are original and retained the 1928 stained and varnished finish, The rest of the new deckhouse is white.

Here is the ship sitting on the display base, just seeing how it looks for now. I'm making the doors and windows for the aft structure, then time for some paint touch up and a few more small parts then the hull is basically complete!

Next up will be the rudder and steering gear, followed by the boat platforms and davits.
Thanks for looking in!
Bruce
 

Same principles, but formed over a curved surface and 'fixed' with acrylic matt medium.

But we do! See SeaWatchBooks:
 
https://seawatchbooks.com/products/swan-iv-sail-making-supplement-from-the-revised-and-expanded-edition-by-david-antscherl
 
 

Planking the rear of the forecastle.
A part of a decorative "drain" was found at the remains of the rear castle. This probably served to drain water from the deck to the sides of the hull.
So why wouldn't there be one at the forecastle?
This drain was made of a solid oak tree trunk, and on the model it is built up from several layers of cherry and twisted iron wire.

The drain is in place and the planks applied. Gluing plank by plank and letting it dry took a while.

Planking sanded and further finishing in progress.

Glad to see you back at it Chris.

Craig, without doubt the prop is driven off the crankshaft. If the engine was thermosiphon cooled the need for a water pump is eliminated and the two pumps at the rear can be oil and fuel.
 
 When I was restoring cars I restored a 1919 Model T (a for real fairground racer out of Wisconsin)  and the engine was thermosiphon cooled. I rebuilt a couple of Chevrolet 216 engines and they didn't even have oil pumps! I think every early designed engine was unique and far far different than today's engines to say the least.   

Steadily getting things done. both sides I have finished the big ropes and putting irons. Now just the shrouds (?)
I really have to get back into english terminology again.
 

 

 
I also started to machine the lion for the front figurehead. Followers know I am into CNC for building the ornaments.
 

 

If it's real sable it will be a very expensive brush! However, properly looked after, it will last decades. Some of my brushes lasted for many years, so the initial cost amortised over time was far better than a cheapo brush. The performance of a real Kolinsky sable brush, if you've never used one, is a revelation.

Same principles, but formed over a curved surface and 'fixed' with acrylic matt medium.

But we do! See SeaWatchBooks:
 
https://seawatchbooks.com/products/swan-iv-sail-making-supplement-from-the-revised-and-expanded-edition-by-david-antscherl
 
 

It seems quite reasonable to me that all QG windows would be false.  You have given me good reason to black-out the single window on the Quarter Deck level of my model.  Observe Tanneron’s model of L’Agreable of 1697.  All QG windows are shown as false:

 
As for placement of guns within the quarter galleries, one thing seems pretty certain to me.  A gun would not have been rigged in the door opening to the QG.  This, for all the reasons you mention, but most especially because it must remain a clear pass-through - even in battle.  If one doubts that officers had the need to use the facilities during battle, they must consider that battle raged for hours and hours at a time, and they were certainly anxiety producing affairs.
 
The Tanneron model of Soleil Royal is a confusing representation of the structure and function of the QGs.  I will preface my following comments with the disclaimer that they are merely my observations, and not expert-verified facts.
 
Tanneron, in my opinion, has created a composite of what Soleil Royal may have looked like, both at the beginning of her career in 1670 and after the replacement SR was built in 1693.
 
Early features include the very tall stern, the completely open quarters and three stern balconies.  The overall shape of the QGs, on the other hand, suggests the style of ships built during the second major building program of the 1690’s.  The primary difference would be that the bottles, by this later date, would have been completely closed-in, in order to adhere to the reglements mandating this change in approach.
 
Tanneron shows an extra port on the main deck level, at the forward edge of the QG, where it makes structural sense to place a port within the QG.  Also, though, he shows a port in the middle of the QG at the middle deck battery.  This should be where the entry door to the QG is placed.  Instead Tanneron shows this door opening from the center of the lower stern balcony, which is represented as open and walkable.

Perhaps, Tanneron pulled this idea from the conceptual LeBrun drawing for the Royal Louis of 1668, and the finished Girardon drawing of the same.  Both show an open doorway in the center of the lower stern balcony, which suggests a walkable balcony:


In my view, though, there are several issues with Tanneron’s construction, at this level.  My primary issue is that it seems to ignore the practical function of the QG as a functioning toilet.  If the lower stern balcony wraps to the quarters, where is the seat of ease supposed to be?
 
The other issue has to do with the fact that even at this early time in the 1670’s, a lower stern balcony would be vulnerable to heavy following seas, and could be washed away.  It is my belief, that the lower stern balcony was always a bit of theatrical representation; a shallow decoration of the lower stern counter, made to look like a walkable balcony, but whose functional purpose is really to serve as a shelf for the Four Seasons figures that support the middle balcony.
 
As you mention, though, there are early contemporary drawings that support the idea that the QG’s were occasionally armed.  See the Royal Therese, below:

 
And, also, a contemporary drawing of the port of Rochefort:


The vessel above shows a gun through a panel opening, forward of center.  I think, perhaps, that your idea for a split panel has some traction.  That is the solution Lemineur applied to the middle deck stern chase ports of the St. Philippe of 1693:

As for your email problems, perhaps the issue might resolve itself, if you created a new email account for your client correspondences.  ‘Might be a glitch in your current account.  Computers and their inner workings remain a mystery to me.  I am like the dog that has no conception of what happens to their owner, when he walks out the front door.

Added the endboss, the cheeks, and the bolsters.

If it's real sable it will be a very expensive brush! However, properly looked after, it will last decades. Some of my brushes lasted for many years, so the initial cost amortised over time was far better than a cheapo brush. The performance of a real Kolinsky sable brush, if you've never used one, is a revelation.

If it's real sable it will be a very expensive brush! However, properly looked after, it will last decades. Some of my brushes lasted for many years, so the initial cost amortised over time was far better than a cheapo brush. The performance of a real Kolinsky sable brush, if you've never used one, is a revelation.

For being that tiny those are some well executed cap rails, Eberhard.  🙇