BLACK VIKING

Hi Sjors I will post some pics tomorrow but I have noticed you are building the Sovereign of the seas from Deag I built it as my first ship about four years ago 
 
rgd Martyn 

Hi all just a little update on the SR. 
I have now finished the first planking on both sides, just letting it dry over night then on to giving it a good sanding ready for the second planking to begin. 
Thanks for looking in 
Martyn 

David: nice to have you on board!  
Ron: thank you for the review. I am happy that the MA kit is wood: I am enjoying that a lot. The wing ribs are about as accurate as laser cutting can make them without them getting too fragile. Seeing real Sopwith's in the shop, all their components are more fragile... they were pretty light weight with thin components. 
 
This week finished the wings' wooden components and am about to add their compression bars and tensioning wires. I am ...just... almost concerned about cutting free the ailerons. We'll see how that goes!
 
~john
 
 
 

Hello Everyone, 
 
I left off having just finished the head gratings, here's the continuation.
 
The rails were far more difficult to build up than they first appeared. The cast pieces needed to be bent forming what were three dimensional curves and each in some sort of relation to the others so that they eventually fit together forming the structure, this was done by eye as there was only a 2D plan. I tried heating the castings with my solder iron, the heat it gave was too localised and I managed to snap the first top rail which caused me quite a problem. I ended up using a gas BBQ lighter to heat the casting, it was trial and error, too hot and they quickly melted, not hot enough and they snapped.
 
I eventually ended up with an acceptable structure. The uprights are made up again from cast strips which needed to be cut and angled to fit between each rail, I think that they would have been easier to cut and sand by using 4x4 wood strip instead. I painted them and then fitted that beautifully cast figurehead. 
 
When viewed closely it looks like it's made up from spaghetti, but from a pace away it kooks quite good.
 
It's like everything else on this build I am managing but feel that if I were able to do each section again I could easily improve them knowing what was needed and how it should be done, I think it's called a learning curve.
 
 
 
 
Ken
 

Sjors, 
 
As long as I don't start another build I might be done in a month or 2 but, the odds of me not starting another project of some sort are very small... In fact I need to get to work on a book case for the Admiral and the display case for La Couronne in addition to finishing repairing a bench that sits on our porch. It has just been way to hot out side lately (over 100 F) so I have not been in the mood to work in the wood shop lately.
 
Oh, and there is the cross section scratch build that I am in the planning stages of for La Couronne also. Hmm.... guess I better get off of here and get working on something!

Hi all just a little update on the SR. 
I have now finished the first planking on both sides, just letting it dry over night then on to giving it a good sanding ready for the second planking to begin. 
Thanks for looking in 
Martyn 

EJ,
 
When you finish planking, let me know......
 
Sjors

More work on the first runs of planks and wales and one side is now complete! Making my way around the bow and getting ready to start the same run on the starboard side.
 
As always, thanks for looking in!

Got the hanging knees and one pair of diagonals in for the gun deck, as well as one of the beams.  Added a comming for the opening for the pump hoses, painted (mostly) one side of the ship and made a template of the gun deck to test fit the location of the hole in the gun deck for the mast.  Suddenly this thing looks much bigger.

 
One issue is looming, however.  As we all know, the main mast tapers slightly from the seat to where it comes through the spar deck.  The kit comes with mast rings to cover my imperfections where the mast pierces the decks.  The good and bad news is that the openings in these rings decrease in size to match the change in mast diameter as it tapers - largest diameter would go on the berth deck, smallest on the spar deck.  Good news: makes it look more realistic; bad news: unless I step the mast before I install the spar deck and slip the smaller ring for the gun deck on (before installing the top) how do I get the ring on the mast and seated on the gun deck - file the opening larger?  cut a slit into the ring and spread it over the wider foot of the mast???

Thanks Rob and Michael. I appreciate the support.
 
Well, the lower mast rigging is just about completed. I finished the ratlines on the futtock shrouds, added the breast backstays, and the sheer poles on them. I made the sheer poles from brass rod that I served in the serving machine, like the ones I made for the lower deadeyes. I also cleaned up a lot of the excess rigging line around the bow.
 

Next up is the topmast rigging, so I made a few more thimbles for the topmast burton pennants and will start making up the shrouds tonight.

Hi all thanks for the likes and following my build 
A small update I have finished planking one side and started on the other, it's going to be a slow process as I have torn the tendon in my elbow so planking is a little painful but onwards and upwards. Can't wait to get it all closed up and give it a good sanding 
 
Martyn

I have been looking forward to seeing the second planking going on and I can't wait to start on mine . Lovely work EJ 
Martyn

I have been looking forward to seeing the second planking going on and I can't wait to start on mine . Lovely work EJ 
Martyn

I have been looking forward to seeing the second planking going on and I can't wait to start on mine . Lovely work EJ 
Martyn

Now that La Couronne is done I've returned to S.R. to begin the second planking. To start that I have located the two wales in between the lower and middle gun decks. Those were about the easiest to locate as I have the gun ports for reference. These will be my guides to base all the rest of the hull planking off of. 
 
And the work begins with the first sections going in place and continuing down the hull with planks below the first wale going in next and then the bottom wale for that section completing the run. I always enjoy seeing color going onto the hull. Makes me feel like I'm bringing her to life.

Thanks for the comments EJ really quite pleased with the way it turned out as its a beast to plank . Looking forward to your next update 
 
Martyn

Hi all thanks for the likes and following my build 
A small update I have finished planking one side and started on the other, it's going to be a slow process as I have torn the tendon in my elbow so planking is a little painful but onwards and upwards. Can't wait to get it all closed up and give it a good sanding 
 
Martyn

Thank you for all the likes 
A very small update on the SR . I have finished planking the upper hull and have now started on the lower planking.
 The garboard plank has been fitted and left to dry over night. The second one was butted up and glued to the first one, it's a bit of a slow process as that nasty four letter word gets in the way ie work so the time for building is limited at the moment. Can't wait for next week as I am on the early shift and get all the afternoon to build. As you can see there are gaps between the planks that end in a sharp point at the stern , not to worried about them as this is the first planking and will be filled with steelers. The second planking will be layed differently and hopefully no steelers or very few 
 
Thanks for following rgd Martyn 

Thanks for the likes and comments 
Hi Antony the kit is very well made and the carvings are brilliant and well cast .
As promised a few pictures of what I have been up to. The first planking is going on and to break it up I have built the ships boats. The largest launch I have included some carvings on the stern , not quite sure if they had them but I like them .
More to come so thanks for looking 
 
Rgd Martyn 
 

Hi Sjors I will post some pics tomorrow but I have noticed you are building the Sovereign of the seas from Deag I built it as my first ship about four years ago 
 
rgd Martyn 

Hi all this is my first build on this site so please be patient . I will be changing a few things on the kit. 
 
rgd Martyn 

Hi all thanks for the likes and following my build 
A small update I have finished planking one side and started on the other, it's going to be a slow process as I have torn the tendon in my elbow so planking is a little painful but onwards and upwards. Can't wait to get it all closed up and give it a good sanding 
 
Martyn

Hello,
 
Three years ago I received as my birthday gift (now that's what I call a nice present) a kit of the Union brigantine from Constructo, scale 1:100. Even if there weren't any ship of that name, Constructo says it is representative for its period (late 18th century, first of 19th). 
 
The box looks something like this:
 

 
And the content:
 

 
These are not my pictures, I posted them so you can have an idea of what's inside. The hull is solid. It needs a lot of sanding and filling to get the shape right and smooth, especially when it comes to joining the keel and the bulwarks. I didn't take pictures 3 years ago when I started, I was way too enthusiastic and I wasn't sure it will come to an end that I would like. I've worked for about 1 month then, taking a 2 year break after that. Two month ago I returned to this kit and I am posting now a few pictures showing the progress to this day.
 
 
 
 

Hi all thanks for the likes and following my build 
A small update I have finished planking one side and started on the other, it's going to be a slow process as I have torn the tendon in my elbow so planking is a little painful but onwards and upwards. Can't wait to get it all closed up and give it a good sanding 
 
Martyn

17 months, 910 construction hours and no idea how many more spent reading and researching and this build is complete!
 
The wind is actually nice and calm today, (something must be getting ready to go wrong...) and so I took La Couronne on her maiden voyage out of the shipyard and into the open sea (front yard)   She sailed great with no mishaps or sinking and has completed her voyage and returned to the ship yard for supplies before going into active duty. Here are some pictures of her on her voyage.