puckotred

...

...

I have had this kit for a few months - on the shelf. Niagara being my main effort to this point. Watching Bob a.k.a. Cobr@ work this kit got my interest up. I am also at a stage with Niagara that is painfully monotonous, so this will be a good distraction. I don't plan on adding every gory detail to this log. Bob has done a fantastic job of that. I will make notes on what happens along the way with this build.
 
One interesting thing already - Niagara's scale is 1:64. This kit is 1:23.  Parts are huge in comparison, notably the 1 1/2" long gun barrel on Niagara is about 5" here. The kit has a lot of pieces - buckets, cannonballs, etc. that could not be replicated at 1:64.
 
I will spare you the pix of the kit, but I will say the materials seem fairly good. The wood is well cut, brass is clean with no casting sludge on it. The one negative I have run into has to do with the laser cut parts. There are several places where the laser did not get all the way thru. Had the sheets been basswood this would be no big deal. Not sure what wood the ply sheets are but it's pretty hard and also 1/4" thick. Trying to get thru that with an Exacto has been an ordeal. I have been tempted to pull out the scroll saw as one place where the laser failed is some of the cannon carriage wheels, meaning a round cut.
 
Next note - this is probably no biggy for most of you but as this is my second build, it is my first with plans in a non-english format. So far not a real problem as I am not paying a lot of attention to them. Most steps are pretty obvious and a look at the pix in the instruction book ( each step is described in one or two words - like 'glue') help to determine what part to use.
 
I started putting together the frame. It was pretty flimsy at first, but Panart did a good job of providing braces/knees to beef the structure up. Each piece I add makes the whole thing a bit stronger.
 
Here's where I'm at tonite:
 

 

 
The gun deck is the 'ground level' deck in this build. There will also be a portion of the main deck above that. I am refraining from putting the some of the main deck supports/beams in yet. I can already see it's going to get tight trying to build the gun deck so any extra room to move hands around is a bonus.
 

 
 

Incredible. Thanks for letting us follow this build!!!

Incredible. Thanks for letting us follow this build!!!

Hello all,
 
This is the last update of this build log as I decided the project is completed - I'm working on it for 9 years now so it was just about time to declare it finished. For all who followed my build these long years and are interested to see her in "completed" state here is the link to my personal web site where you can see the last set of pictures made just before putting her in the case: http://www.alexshipmodels.com/2016/07/09/hms-victory-gallery/
 
Thank you very much for your support and see you again soon when I start working on my next project.
 
Regards,
Alexandru

]Well after being a little ill I have started.
As mentioned there are no instructions for her other than a good set of plans that show what to do from step to step.
These are pictures after step 4
 

Well I have made a little progress. Have the hull half way planked.
 

 
One more comment on the kit. The planking wood is top grade. Grain is stright, edges are square, and finish very smooth. 
 
I made a comment before that the locating holes for the items on the deck get covered up when you plank the deck. Here is a picture of the aft deck before planking.
 

Finally,  the main deck structure is framed and planked.  Just a few more details before moving to the boiler deck.
 
 
Port side framing.  I just noticed that I haven't finished the framing of the outhouse at the stern.

 

 

 
 
Milling the window frames.  The mill is a 1 mm ball nosed mill.

 

 
 
After milling, I took the back side off with the thickness planer.  I'll clean it up and square the corners with a file.

 
 
Test fit of the first frame.  The windows will ge glazed with mica as per druxey's tip.  The mica will be sandwiched between a pair of window frames.

 
 
Starboard side painted -- still need a few touch-ups.

 

 
 
Test fitting a couple more windows.

 

Roger:
W/o taking over Mike's build - I read your comments about the flat bottomed boats with interest - makes perfect sense.  And I don't dispute that this might have been the most common type of boat carried.  Like I said it makes sense. 
 
But I thought that this was something I should have caught doing my research.  So I went to my file on the Chaperon to see what the photos I have might tell me about the boats on the Chaperon.  I have a whole bunch more of the Chaperon than what I have posted here. And some show only a direct side view of the boats on the Chaperon and from a profile I can't tell if they are flat bottomed or not though some show a low rake angle at the bow which makes me think you are partly correct as related to the Chaperon.
 
However, the photos I have attached of the Chaperon do show that the boats in the photos are not flat bottomed boats with large flares.  They do have flat transoms unlike the kit boats though one photo (bottom photo) does show a boat almost identical to the kit boats.  These are the photos from my collection with the best views of the boats - most don't even show the boats due to angles and some are too fuzzy to tell.
 
So, at least in the case of the Chaperon the kits boats can be used with some authenticity.  But, I am going to look into this further.  You don't per chance have any idea of what issues of the Journal might have had the plan(s) you referred to?  Maybe we should take this to the other forum on general discussion  STEAMBOATS & OTHER RIVERCRAFT - GENERAL DISCUSSION  so Mike's build log isn't taken over by this?  Although if we keep it to the Chaperon it's a fit here.
 
Take care,
Kurt
 

I found the last picture I took of Bohuslän.
 
 
 

Small update. Cutting out some parts for the stern with the milling machine and drilled holes for stand screws. The milling machine is so fun to work with .
 
Also received the first delivery of the next long time project and the parts looks very good.
 
I will have a pause in the workshop for some weeks since we are traveling to my wife's parents in Russia. 3 hours flight and 18 hours by train...... I have time to figure out how to make the stern on Sherbourne. Maybe do as on Cheerful?
 
Have a nice summer!

Thanks Paul
 
Wacko: Yes, one can really tell the difference...

Thanks Paul
 
Wacko: Yes, one can really tell the difference...

I'm going crazy waiting like this. Hopefully there will be a longer building period when I get 4 issues a month...
 
In the meanwhile I have had some fun with Chuck's blocks:
 

 

 

 
Also tied ratlines on Amphion. Not as awful task as I remembered actually 

I'm going crazy waiting like this. Hopefully there will be a longer building period when I get 4 issues a month...
 
In the meanwhile I have had some fun with Chuck's blocks:
 

 

 

 
Also tied ratlines on Amphion. Not as awful task as I remembered actually 

Thanks Bob 

I found the last picture I took of Bohuslän.
 
 
 

I'm going crazy waiting like this. Hopefully there will be a longer building period when I get 4 issues a month...
 
In the meanwhile I have had some fun with Chuck's blocks:
 

 

 

 
Also tied ratlines on Amphion. Not as awful task as I remembered actually 

Nice   you sneaked that build in

I'm going crazy waiting like this. Hopefully there will be a longer building period when I get 4 issues a month...
 
In the meanwhile I have had some fun with Chuck's blocks:
 

 

 

 
Also tied ratlines on Amphion. Not as awful task as I remembered actually 

I found the last picture I took of Bohuslän.
 
 
 

Bob,
Maybe this place?

Bob,
Maybe this place?

Bob,
Maybe this place?