BLACK VIKING

After the nice word that I received after the fix it's time for an update.
I places all the gratings ,railings, paintwork that has to be done.
Cleaning a little bit .
So we are on track again.
And I have put 12 eyebolts with rings on the hull.
I don't know the purpose of that but it looks nice 
 
Sjors
 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Got myself into a bit of a mess. As I’ve mentioned this is my second build. My Santa Maria so many years ago, by comparison, was a walk in the park, even for me a first time builder.
 Well as I have been really learning so much about rigging this Vasa I realize now, in retrospect, that I had/have very little foresight.
 
 For example; I installed the knights with cross-bits at the base of the foremast and main, without thinking ahead. I was happy that I had learned how to use the Proxxon to make slits for the sheaves. And let it go at that – happy to install. Even added nails in the cross pieces to “look” better.
 
So, now, looking ahead at the Corel rigging plans I realize that the cross-bits also needed pin holes (a lot of them) It took the THIRD, and last Corel rigging page to point this out to me (a learner) grrrrr. There was no way that I could drill these fourteen holes at this point.
 
Thought that I could wiggle the knights free and pull them up through the weather deck. The first set install they were just glued into place on the weather deck. When I built new ones with the sheaves I also cut holes through the deck and ran the new knights to the deck below.
They were not “going anywhere” curses. Then thought that I would just tear out the two cross pieces and make new ones, but was nervous about those cross bit nails.
 
Turns out the nails were only decorative and the cross bits just snapped off using small pliers.
 
=====================
 
Sharing because I’m super relieved, and in case another builder misses this foresight as I did as a newbie.
 
Cheers Mates sorry for the long prose. Ok time for a single malt – I think ha ha

 
 

Yes good plan EJ.
Learning is part of the seasoning. This particular "issue" won't happen with my next build. I will certainly do as you suggest also looking at all rigging sheets.
I wonder if the "pin" rigging problem that I had is only particular to Corel instructions?. Though I assume that kits at this level the instruction writers assume that "we know what we are doing" (:-) and would be aware of needed pins later on...
 
That aside, now working on the shroud ratlines for the lower main (first time here as well) So with eight strands clover hitched, realized that rows were not aligning horizontally with the platform above. Though I thought that I had figured this bit in with the first lower row. And, of course, the expert that I am, I glued many of the knots so as not to have then loosen later. HA HA. So had to unstring all the rows and start all over again. Luckily none of the main shrouds were damaged,
 
So learned NOT to glue anything until all rows up to the platform are attached. Then I can use tweezers for minor spacing adjustments. THEN glue. Having fun - good learning going on here as well.
 
Cheers,

Hi mates,
 
Anton T, and costeo - You are so kind –thanks so much for your thoughts
 =======================
 Almost back-to-back updates, this one is small but there was a lot of needed learning. This small bit took almost four hours to figure out and execute. Hmmmm.
 Decided, rather than removing the already attached Futtock shrouds (used Chuck’s .018s his .012s would have been too thin.
 --------------------------------------
 So did the following
 1-2) unspooled the center futtock shroud at the stave. Wrapped it around the stave separating the three “threads, then re spooled them between the shroud to add a bit of glue at the joint.

 
3) removed the third ply from the shroud and attached one to each side of the shroud at the ratline.

 
4-5-6) did the same for the other two end shrouds also removing one strand. After wrapping around the shroud scale “looked” ok.

 
7-8-9) secured the mizzen backstay.

 
10-11) Now onto the lower mainmast shrouds, BUT the dilemma starts. Looked at the 1/1 for guidance, for the mizzen shrouds, then noticed the 1/10th where the work looked much neater then “finally saw” the difference. Hmmm?

 
12-13) went back to my picture bible (what I have been modeling so far. Then read/looked at Anderson – either way it seems is “ok”.

 
 
Certainly the 1/10th method would be so much less work, but having already done all the topmasts, the bowsprit area, and the mizzen on one side the Peterson way – I will probably need to continue with the extra work for all of the lower shrouds.
 
PS: I’m not even totally comfortable with the work that I have done tying off the ropes around the shrouds - so dilemma indeed. I assume that ALL “finishing off” as Anderson calls it should be the same for the entire ship?
 
PS: Part of the problem is that I used lines that are probably too large for this area. Though the museum 1/1 seems to use a “thick” rope. Again hmmm
 
As always thanks for your kind thoughts and visits,
 
Cheers,
 

Hello again
Here is the finished national coat of arm. I am really happy about it and I think it better than the first one I did.
 

 
And here is a idea how the real size is. Really difficult to paint all the small details.

 
This is how far I am on the ship itself. I must give the advise to other people that might to build this ship and this is to wait to glue all the frames to the gun supports until all of the parts for the upper false deck has arrived. I ended up in a situation were the frames didn't fit the precuts in the false decks. So I had to bend the frames lose and refit them.   
Now must I wait for other deck parts to arrive so over to paint more figures.
 
 

I have dry fitted the foremast. Finished the aft cabin mostly. Door handles were too much for me. They are actually functional! Lots of CA all over my fingers.

Frames, false decks and stumps for cannon glued in place. The old instructions are very limited and the English translation is worse than a google translator! Haha
 
but progress is coming along. 

Thank you all! I will start my next build as soon as I read through the in
structions a few times as well as Kurt's articles. I also need to rearrange my work area to better suit the new build. Anyway, here are the photos! I apologise for the unprofessional background.


Until next time!
 

... The wale, the rubbing strake ...
The rubbing strake is comming first, below it the wales are comming in two thickness; 0,5mm the lower strips and 1mm the upper ones.
They are to be glued onto the planking, so it looks like they are the strips of different thickness.
...Some coloring is good to do before the next steps. This is the way to avoid the stains later on ...
 

 
 

Hi Mates,
 
Continuing with the mizenmast shroud rigging as a “test start”. This area is all new to me. Ratlines look ok – but will get better. Yes - as has been SO noted very repetitive indeed. And I’ve barely started. So;
 Removed those totally wrong futtock plates and added hooks (to be painted flat black).
 But the following bit is confusing; need to think this bit out.
 Installed the first futtock stave. Should be tarred, but left it as is just to highlight details. But here is where is gets more involved.  I believe that my futtock shrouds are too large. Should have used a smaller diameter rope. Attaching these three shrouds to the stave will make for too “thick” a look (after spooling/tying these to the shrouds).
I think that I will remove a strand from each at the point of attachment; then wrap them over the staves. Also note the 1/10th photo (during its construction) it appears that these shrouds should also be split and attached in two places. Noted that this photo is for the main mast. Hmmm. I will do that for the center of the three shrouds that I am presently working on. 
 Then again, I may (since I have to remove all of those lower cap plates just re-rope these first three and start again. Just sharing my frustrations (J)))
 
Cheers,

 

EJ,
 
Still laughing  about that your 1/1 photo from your previous post. So thought that I would be a bit immature (my wife swears that I still am (:-))
 
So here is one looking up ha ha - iPhone was none too pleased - too close

I've just pasted in the article so we don't have to figure out what's wrong.
 
 
Which wood is that? Are you sure? A warning tale by John Wheeler
Over the Christmas period I have re-started work on a project which has been on “hold” for a while – my Zuiderzee Botter. It was originally an Artisiana Latina kit, bought many years ago while on holiday in the Netherlands.
One of the problems of building from a kit – especially a kit where all of the instructions are in Dutch or German – is that you have to understand how the kit makers would approach the various challenges of creating their model. I went back to the parts list to find out which bit was which on the plans and found the parts numbers I was looking for – brilliant!
Next to the description I noticed a “material” column which had the word “Manzonia” next to my pieces. In fact, “Manzonia” was next to lots of pieces.
The word rang a bell. I looked at the pieces – the wood was gorgeous. I had bought and used wood just like it over many years. My first kit had called this wood ‘African Walnut’, but a quick look on the web told me that this wasn’t African Walnut – it was indeed Mansonia or Manzonia.
Mansonia (also called Bete or Ofun) is a dark greyish colour and is finely grained. It ‘works’ well and can be drilled and sanded to thin sections. It can be polished and looks very fine as masts and spars. Indeed, its colour and strength mean that it is almost designed for model making. But something still nagged – something that I had seen in the past...
I looked the wood up on the Internet Wood Database ( an invaluable resource). Under Allergies and Toxicity it said this:
Mansonia is on the short list as one of the worst wood species in terms of toxicity and commonness of allergic reactions. Mansonia has been reported as a sensitizer, and though the most usual reactions simply include eye and skin irritation, the wood dust can also produce a wide range of other effects, including nausea, giddiness, sneezing, headaches, nosebleeds, infected splinters, and asthma-like symptoms. Additionally, both the bark and heartwood have been found to contain cardiac poisons, which can cause heart disorders.
Now, I have asthma and I had found it really getting me down over the holiday. Indeed, instead of getting out and about, I had stayed indoors to do more modelling - which included cutting, and sanding pieces of mansonia. Even if there was only a slight chance that this dust had aggravated my condition, this was serious. I did not want a stay in hospital because of something I had done to myself...
I immediately removed all the mansonia scrap that I had built up and carefully wet-dusted and hoovered the entire room throwing away the hoover bag at the end.
I looked up modern kit contents to find out which woods are included today. No- one includes mansonia and it is difficult to buy it even over the internet. Presumably, no-one wants to take the risk of supplying it. But I know that I had bought extra pieces from a show only a couple of years ago – again wrongly labelled “Walnut”. (I also looked up other toxic
woods. Many of these (like Yew) are quite potent, but are unlikely to be used by model makers for various reasons.)
In other words, there are fairly large stocks of this wood still in circulation and if you have a personal stock of wood that you have collected for projects in the past, there is a good chance that you have some mansonia kicking around in there – especially because it has often been mis-labelled by suppliers.
While it can be worked safely, this does include precautions that most people would find impractical (facial respirators, professional quality dust removal, gloves, etc). It is interesting to note that the Health and Safety limits for hazardous wood dust is 5mg (5/1000ths of a gram) per cubic metre of air.
I am in the process of removing all mansonia from my model and rebuilding with other (safer) materials.
If you want to check whether you have mansonia in your stock, then the best guide is the colour. Mansonia is an even greyish colour with a close grain whereas walnut tends to be russet and brown with a greater variation of shades. (As always with natural products, there is variation and there are a range of types of walnut.)

There is a lot more information on toxic woods and how to deal with them at:
http://www.wood-database.com/
 
 

Ugh, the sanding part.... yeah, I'm already looking to see if I can use my electric palm sander to hit the really rough stuff then finish by hand. That is one of those jobs suited for sitting on my back porch with a few adult beverages while I sand and sand and sand and sand and sand.....
 
Thanks for the compliment Zoltan and to all the likes! No matter how many times I see them it always feels good to see that others are enjoying the build with me.

Finally I have bought a little lifeboat kit online (don't worry - its not from one of the banned manufacturers - I checked) and I am in the midst of putting it together. Its probably a couple of decades too old in it's design. But I found it hard to find a good quality little kit of the right size. This was as close as I could find. About $18 AUD. I like it. Not finished yet, but making progress. Its about 80mm long, so the planking is quite tricky. 
I have been using the steamer on my coffee machine and a bit of CA (no pins) and a few miniature clothes pegs to bend the planks - and it seems to go pretty well.

Hi Mates,
Well I am partially “confused”. Returning to the bowsprit area, for my first attempts at securing the deadeye ropes, and then actually starting the ratlines.
THEN - JanV was right – way back – when he posted, “how will you remember where all of those pre- attached bowsprit mast ropes are supposed to go”?
Now working from the Vasa museum rigging sheet, the Billings sheet, and the Corel -no sails - sheet just don’t know what I’m doing right or wrong ha ha ..
AND Fred Hocker recently posted that the Vasa Museum rigging plan sheet is wrong and is no longer being sold. The Vasa II book will have the correct rigging plans within – a book that is already two years beyond its promised publication date L
 
Updated pics. Need to add a fid for the flagpole? Probably.

 
As a novice, I thought that pre-attaching the blocks and lines would be easier before securing the mast to the bow.
That said I am actually moving forward – now that part is satisfying.
I did finish the upper main platform and added the rat lines (crosstree blocks are missing – I just realized as well) well at least those will be easy.
 

Finished the mainmast upper platform, and discovered that several blocks are also missing at the already installed crosstree for the lower main platform– grrr
These learning experiences are actually valuable as often as I include -grrrr - in my remarks, The next build will benefit from these learning experiences.
 
Cheers mates,
 

 

Hi Mates,
 
Continuing work on the upper main mast, putting all of the bits together, time consuming work that seems as if nothing is really moving forward. But enjoying this part of the build.
 
I found a photo (can’t seen to locate it now) but on this model the fid had a rope attached to it and was then attached to a shroud at the platform. Hmm made sense.
 
So, decided to follow that idea and did the same for the main upper mast.
 

 
 
The sheaves that I added near the tops of each mast were very out of scale. It looks as if I took too much “meat” out of each mast when adding the sheaves. So decided (incorrectly) to add side reinforcement bits on the sides.
 

 
 
Same problem with upper foremast – but too late for a “fix”

 
 
Thought that I would also do minor reshaping of the blocks, I have seen models that actually have blocks that appear narrower on the upper and lower sides.
 

 
FYI’s bought a new lamp. Excellent. It has three levels of brightness. LED, of course, and 6000k daylight. Very light repeated taps on that circle at the outer top adjusts the light; from Amazon.

 
As always thanks for dropping by, the likes and your kind posts.
 
PS: Really enjoying the last season of Black Sails……
 
Cheers,

At last the new shipment arrived. Issues 33 to 36.
 
And this is what I got:
False deck parts, another 51 planks (239 so far) and some deck planks. no decorations this time.

 
 
This is how far I've come with the first planking:
 

 
Planks differ some in both width and thickness, but I will have to do some heavy filling and sanding anyway so...
 

 
 
Three of the deck parts in place.

 
 No matter how I measured and checked, the slots on the decks did not align with the frames. There are reinforcements from earlier that line up correctly but the frames are still off. I knocked them loose but hit a little too hard on one and it broke.
 

 

 

 
 
A couple of doors will go here:

 

 

 
 
Everything fit nicely with the beam.
The right frame was pulled forward a little and glued in place later

 
 
And the last piece of deck:

 
So, back to planking...

John, I dont like those at all.   You mean the clay instant mold stuff that you press the master into???   Our masters for ship model parts and decorations are VERY VERY fragile.   They are also very intricate.  If you want the smallest of details to transfer to your mold, stick with the poured type shown.  Rather than use that stuff which will break or distort your master,  Better control is achieved when you can isolate the master and pour the mold material over it so it seeps into all the small details...as it is less likely to damage the delicate masters.  It replicates the small details and textures a lot better as well.  That clay stuff wont replicate the details and wont work its way into the crevices etc.    When you pull the master from the reusable putty the molds are almost always distorted.  Especially if you have deeper cavities and undercuts. 
 
That is a cheaper type of mold intended for larger and less intricate masters than we deal with.  If you have lots of small detailed texture or undercutting it is very hard to press that cheaper mold putty around your master so the mold replicates the most intricate of details.  I know that it is a lot more expensive but in the long run its just plain better all around to stick with a pour type compounds of good quality.  After spending many many hours carving and creating a master I really dont want to risk breaking it by saving a few bucks or a few minutes when making a mold.

Finished guns with hoists ..
 

 

 

 

 
 
I decided to provide the model with sails, so I ordered the ones Sergal offers as a complement to the model ..
 

 

 
The quality of the sails, however, is comparable to the quality of the model, it is poor ....
 
I measured the sails according to the plan, modified them a little for greater historical authenticity. I had them dome by Radelshipmodels ....
 

 
The quality is much better ...
 
I also decided to replace lime logs from the kit with Ramin, it has a better color of the wood.
 

 
bowsprit made of Ramin ...
 

 
 
http://www.radekshipmodels.cz/en/list-of-kits-and-accessories/accessories---sails

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for the likes much appreciated.
 
Tigersteve thanks for your kind words.
 
Dave We shall see – thanks – I am enjoying the learning of how these ships were made to function – sort of “state of the art” technology of their days. Which as ours does today changes as more is learned.
 
Parenthetically, we are certainly, today, spoiled by comparison. When I was working and having to cross the Atlantic from LAX to LHR in a 747 at 36,000 feet. Champagne in hand CD player [yes CD player J] and Sony headphones around my ears, looking down at the ocean –it struck me that C Columbus in his wildest magic mushroom dreams could NEVER imagine  - ever – this reality of a crossing.
 
The joke is now, of course – that in a 100 years from now travellers will look at antique digital flashes of history and laugh about people having to spend 16 hours, packed with 450 others in an Airbus A380 just to get to Australia ha ha ……
 
My father was in the airline business for most of his life – I followed and worked as a pilot for quite a few years. (Champagne was when I was just sitting doing nothing)
 
==============================
 
 
Back to business: I’m sure that I’m “preaching to the choir” here, but wanted to share some techniques that you prob. are already using – but here goes.
 
1) For threading deadeyes (or any rope for that matter) I first use Gorilla Gel, and run a bead at one of the ends of a rope. Then as I clean off the excess glue (thumb and forefinger with a cloth), I twist the rope ends tighter into their turns - as I’m pulling the rope through the cloth. 
 
This results in a hard “needle like” - tip after the glue dries. Then nip the ends to create a thinner entry point making threading deadeyes much easier. It also allows using ropes that are larger and possibly more to scale.
 
The big eye needle (I have not tried) it would seem would require a thinner scale rope because as you pull the needle out the inserted line then doubles over as it is pulled through the deadeye –??
 

 
To secure the deadeye ropes
 
First I insert (in this case) a thread between the doubled tied shroud, looping it twice. Then, twice wrap the deadeye rope around its shroud; hold it in place, and securing it with a bit of G-S Hypo Cement. Let it set then. The last bit is then very simple just run the left over rope through the two thread spools, tighten and nip.
 

 
OOPS mistake – should have done this work for the mizenmast before securing it to the ship. Hmmm grrr - Still learning protocols.
 

 
Learned that not all deadeyes are created equally. In the future need to look through more carefully making sure that eyelets are more equally spaced before attaching to shrouds. Yes I did finally realize that rotating them does help.
 
Also the upper mast rigging work is easily done at the bench – I have not yet tried working with the other shrouds already on the ship Hmmm?
 
OH !!! Ferit, as I have mentioned before you are the one that introduced me to G-S Hypo Cement SO perfect. Thanks again.
 
Apologize about the long opening personal notes in this post J
 
 
Cheers,

Hi Mates,
 
First thanks for dropping by and the likes. AND
 
Lawrence, I just don’t know how to respond. Your post is well so touching indeed. I am so pleased that you have found this build a pleasure to follow – however slowly it has evolved.
 
Your words are so encouraging; we have all seen builds that make our jaws drop here at MSW. For you to place some of my work on that level, well it’s touching indeed. BIG thanks.
 
PS: I think, by-the-way that you finished your entirely awesome HMS Victory in the time that it took me just to make the crows nests (;-)
 
===============================
 
Minor update on upper foremast;
 
Mistake;
Deadeyes were way too large for the upper platform. I learned through a posting that deadeyes should be about half the width of a corresponding mast. That (in scale) is almost impossible to do – that said my use of the same size deadeyes as with the lower shrouds was all wrong; lack of foresight.
 
So pulled them out, had to make up some smaller chainplates. Used wire that was then joined together with CA Gel glue, and painted flat black. Not correct – but such a minor area that will become lost in the aggregate.  So fixed that.
 

 
Then Karl was helpful and led me in the right direction regarding the upper yard hailing rope bit. I took it a step further and decided (right or wrong) to add a sheave within the upper mast. I assumed (there’s that word again) that a sheave was probably how it was done. Though Anderson does not make that specific detail clear (I might have missed that text?)
 
  
 
Foremast all done now onto putting the upper main bits together THEN attaching the two other uppers at once.
 

Getting a bit nervous regarding that swing-arm light. In a nightmare to be I was thinking of hanging a large double fluorescent fixture with chains from the ceiling of my son’s room.
 
 He’s no longer on my payroll !!J , and I use a corner of that room as my shipyard. Notice the nightmare idea. The admiral would force me to walk the plank for sure.
 
PS: Not complaining lucky to have the space, I know that some builders need to move their work after each session, but lighting needs to be re-visited. Bowsprit and upper fore just for this photo - not installed.
 

Counter in...think I might have over angled my sanding strip but the stern whale piece should cover it. Also built up the bulwarks and trimmed down the port side at main deck. Wood filler to the rescue in evening out bulwark walls...
 
Taking it slow now.

Hello folks...
Due to a lot of things happening at home I have not been able to do any building...
 
I have to do a lot of sanding and fairing on the frames and can not do this in the kitchen. 
My work has also moved to a larger building and we have a lot to do there putting everything in place so I just can't sit down there and sand my ship as the others run around doing all the work...
But a new shipment has arrived. Issues 29-32.
 
 
This was in the bag:
 

 
Mostly hull planks (81 of them. Good quality), one section of the deck and 3 decorations.
There are now 188 hull planks at 300mm each. Thats 56,4 meters...
 
(Around issue 48 the second planking will start so the poor quality planks will be covered)
 
 
 
And the decorations:

 
I will start painting the decorations again as soon as things quiet down here. Have patience...