catopower

Managed to finish these preliminary chainplates yesterday. Hopefully, this will make the rigging of the shrouds easier, which is coming soon.
 

Meanwhile, I just recieved some of Chuck's 2mm 3D printed blocks to use for the gun tackles. Wow, are these things tiny! I have some of Chuck's original 2mm pear wood blocks, and the size difference is more than I'd expected, at least visually. Wooden blocks on the left, 3D printed on the right.


I measured the wooden blocks and they come out to 2.13mm long, the 3D printed ones are 1.92mm.  So, they really are very close. The 3D printed ones are a little shorter and noticeably narrow, so they SEEM so much tinier. I guess the test will be to see what a gun tackle and train tackle look like, rigged. 
 
This assumes, of course, that I can actually add them to already placed cannons... 🤔
 
 

Managed to finish these preliminary chainplates yesterday. Hopefully, this will make the rigging of the shrouds easier, which is coming soon.
 

Meanwhile, I just recieved some of Chuck's 2mm 3D printed blocks to use for the gun tackles. Wow, are these things tiny! I have some of Chuck's original 2mm pear wood blocks, and the size difference is more than I'd expected, at least visually. Wooden blocks on the left, 3D printed on the right.


I measured the wooden blocks and they come out to 2.13mm long, the 3D printed ones are 1.92mm.  So, they really are very close. The 3D printed ones are a little shorter and noticeably narrow, so they SEEM so much tinier. I guess the test will be to see what a gun tackle and train tackle look like, rigged. 
 
This assumes, of course, that I can actually add them to already placed cannons... 🤔
 
 

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...
 
 
 

With yesterdays meetings behind me, I'm turning my energies back to HMS Wolf.
 
The new deadeyes are all stropped now, and I'm trying to rig up "faux" chainplates, which I'm expecting I will cover with some kit provided paper parts that LOOK like chainplates, but have no strength to them. 
 
What I'm installing are chainplates that don't look right, but should add strength to support the shrouds.

After these are all done, I'll face them with the kit pieces. And, if that doesn't look right, I may try to come up with something that makes these pieces LOOK like they're bolted to the hull. Not perfect, but at least it's progress!
 
I'll add that the amount of support these provide are pretty limited on this model, as many of the wires can only penetrate into the hull a very short distance, as they'll are above deck level.
 
Getting the length right for these short wire pieces is somewhat painstaking work. Were this wood, I could apply a lot more pressure in forming these links. 

Hi Jeff,
 
Vallejo isn't the greatest location, but I think it's better than it was when I first moved to the area in 2000. The museum, however, has been very accommodating, and works out very well for us. 
 
Yesterday, we returned to the museum for the first time in... maybe 7 years(!). It worked out very nicely and they even have a bigger table now, which was great, as it gave us more room to spread out and share our model progress (or lack!). 
 
We're going to try to alternate our meetings between the museum and the Mare Island Brewing Company's Coal Shed taproom, which is a great location for beer and bar food. I think I mentioned before that one of our members has done some model work for one of the owners, so we're appreciated there as well.
 
We were kind of hoping the Park Service would stick to their timetable and move the historic ships from Hyde Street Pier at SF's Fisherman's Wharf, to there, where they're supposed to be docked while the pier is being rebuilt.

With yesterdays meetings behind me, I'm turning my energies back to HMS Wolf.
 
The new deadeyes are all stropped now, and I'm trying to rig up "faux" chainplates, which I'm expecting I will cover with some kit provided paper parts that LOOK like chainplates, but have no strength to them. 
 
What I'm installing are chainplates that don't look right, but should add strength to support the shrouds.

After these are all done, I'll face them with the kit pieces. And, if that doesn't look right, I may try to come up with something that makes these pieces LOOK like they're bolted to the hull. Not perfect, but at least it's progress!
 
I'll add that the amount of support these provide are pretty limited on this model, as many of the wires can only penetrate into the hull a very short distance, as they'll are above deck level.
 
Getting the length right for these short wire pieces is somewhat painstaking work. Were this wood, I could apply a lot more pressure in forming these links. 

Hi Jeff,
 
Vallejo isn't the greatest location, but I think it's better than it was when I first moved to the area in 2000. The museum, however, has been very accommodating, and works out very well for us. 
 
Yesterday, we returned to the museum for the first time in... maybe 7 years(!). It worked out very nicely and they even have a bigger table now, which was great, as it gave us more room to spread out and share our model progress (or lack!). 
 
We're going to try to alternate our meetings between the museum and the Mare Island Brewing Company's Coal Shed taproom, which is a great location for beer and bar food. I think I mentioned before that one of our members has done some model work for one of the owners, so we're appreciated there as well.
 
We were kind of hoping the Park Service would stick to their timetable and move the historic ships from Hyde Street Pier at SF's Fisherman's Wharf, to there, where they're supposed to be docked while the pier is being rebuilt.

With yesterdays meetings behind me, I'm turning my energies back to HMS Wolf.
 
The new deadeyes are all stropped now, and I'm trying to rig up "faux" chainplates, which I'm expecting I will cover with some kit provided paper parts that LOOK like chainplates, but have no strength to them. 
 
What I'm installing are chainplates that don't look right, but should add strength to support the shrouds.

After these are all done, I'll face them with the kit pieces. And, if that doesn't look right, I may try to come up with something that makes these pieces LOOK like they're bolted to the hull. Not perfect, but at least it's progress!
 
I'll add that the amount of support these provide are pretty limited on this model, as many of the wires can only penetrate into the hull a very short distance, as they'll are above deck level.
 
Getting the length right for these short wire pieces is somewhat painstaking work. Were this wood, I could apply a lot more pressure in forming these links. 

Hi Jeff,
 
Vallejo isn't the greatest location, but I think it's better than it was when I first moved to the area in 2000. The museum, however, has been very accommodating, and works out very well for us. 
 
Yesterday, we returned to the museum for the first time in... maybe 7 years(!). It worked out very nicely and they even have a bigger table now, which was great, as it gave us more room to spread out and share our model progress (or lack!). 
 
We're going to try to alternate our meetings between the museum and the Mare Island Brewing Company's Coal Shed taproom, which is a great location for beer and bar food. I think I mentioned before that one of our members has done some model work for one of the owners, so we're appreciated there as well.
 
We were kind of hoping the Park Service would stick to their timetable and move the historic ships from Hyde Street Pier at SF's Fisherman's Wharf, to there, where they're supposed to be docked while the pier is being rebuilt.

With yesterdays meetings behind me, I'm turning my energies back to HMS Wolf.
 
The new deadeyes are all stropped now, and I'm trying to rig up "faux" chainplates, which I'm expecting I will cover with some kit provided paper parts that LOOK like chainplates, but have no strength to them. 
 
What I'm installing are chainplates that don't look right, but should add strength to support the shrouds.

After these are all done, I'll face them with the kit pieces. And, if that doesn't look right, I may try to come up with something that makes these pieces LOOK like they're bolted to the hull. Not perfect, but at least it's progress!
 
I'll add that the amount of support these provide are pretty limited on this model, as many of the wires can only penetrate into the hull a very short distance, as they'll are above deck level.
 
Getting the length right for these short wire pieces is somewhat painstaking work. Were this wood, I could apply a lot more pressure in forming these links. 

With yesterdays meetings behind me, I'm turning my energies back to HMS Wolf.
 
The new deadeyes are all stropped now, and I'm trying to rig up "faux" chainplates, which I'm expecting I will cover with some kit provided paper parts that LOOK like chainplates, but have no strength to them. 
 
What I'm installing are chainplates that don't look right, but should add strength to support the shrouds.

After these are all done, I'll face them with the kit pieces. And, if that doesn't look right, I may try to come up with something that makes these pieces LOOK like they're bolted to the hull. Not perfect, but at least it's progress!
 
I'll add that the amount of support these provide are pretty limited on this model, as many of the wires can only penetrate into the hull a very short distance, as they'll are above deck level.
 
Getting the length right for these short wire pieces is somewhat painstaking work. Were this wood, I could apply a lot more pressure in forming these links. 

Hi Jeff,
 
Vallejo isn't the greatest location, but I think it's better than it was when I first moved to the area in 2000. The museum, however, has been very accommodating, and works out very well for us. 
 
Yesterday, we returned to the museum for the first time in... maybe 7 years(!). It worked out very nicely and they even have a bigger table now, which was great, as it gave us more room to spread out and share our model progress (or lack!). 
 
We're going to try to alternate our meetings between the museum and the Mare Island Brewing Company's Coal Shed taproom, which is a great location for beer and bar food. I think I mentioned before that one of our members has done some model work for one of the owners, so we're appreciated there as well.
 
We were kind of hoping the Park Service would stick to their timetable and move the historic ships from Hyde Street Pier at SF's Fisherman's Wharf, to there, where they're supposed to be docked while the pier is being rebuilt.

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...
 
 
 

And, what's a build log without some photos to share? Here's what I've been doing most recently...
 
It seemed like a good time to get those mast cleats mounted. Very tiny laser-cut cardboard. I glued them with Aleene's tacky glue. When adjusted and in the right place, I reinforced with some thick CA, then a drop of thin CA to stiffen up the part itself. 10 cleats mounted this way.
 

 

 
And then there are the blocks I've been adding to the yards. Topgallants are done, as is the main topsail yard.

Lots more to do...
 

All the blocks have been added to the lower, topsail, and topgallant yards. 60 blocks in all. Still have the gaff, jib boom , and spritsail yards to do. Also still have the brace pendants and foot ropes to rig. But, I think I need a short break first...

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...
 
 
 

All the blocks have been added to the lower, topsail, and topgallant yards. 60 blocks in all. Still have the gaff, jib boom , and spritsail yards to do. Also still have the brace pendants and foot ropes to rig. But, I think I need a short break first...

Then why are we talking about hammocks and such? If bravado was so important why did ships have hammock cranes and nets?  Why not just line the crew up topside as targets for the enemy to shoot at just to show who was bravest?
 
I had my share of "spilling your guts for your country" lectures. And sailors were expendable, just like ammunition and toilet paper. But lives were not to be wasted foolishly. As Aubrey said in Master and Commander, "We must survive this day."

Officers and gentlemen were required to display a level of disinterest and decorum at all times.  They had to hold themselves above the fray. Even in social situations. It was one of the ways to show your social status and worthiness to be called a gentlemen.
Officers were also on display for the crew.  The sailors would be more likely to follow an officer who did not show fear in the face of danger.
 
Regards,
Henry

Hy all,
 
I am quite sure that in the picture shown above those were simple cloth - or hammocks - but no hammock stanchions or solid builds for many reasons.
 
First the picture from my Constitution fighting top in #4 is taken out of context, as this was a mere test shot for the proportions of the small howitzers placed up there during engagements. There is still missing the usually placed netting on the wooden rail, that served for safety reasons.
 
The cloth on the rails are seen often and served for several reasons:
Originally I know them as fighting cloth already from the times of the galleons and they served as view protecion for the crew while engagements on decks and atop. Often seen on Van der Velde. Those develloped very fast to be a colorful assets and in the 17 hundrets it was a most colorful decorative element to make ship look great as seen on many paintings. Also the same colored cloth was used for the handrails and bulkwards along the ship´s sides and in the tops. Sadely those elements were often taken out from historical models during restauration and I know of three that suffered that fate.
 
Later appearing were those simple white cloth - sail cloth or hammocks - in case of engagement as view protection to hide the situation onboard or atop and the whereabouts of the fighting measures. Also on Trafalgar it was mentioned that wet white cloth was used covering the hammocks on Victory.
 
I doubt that it was a permanent fixture especially in the tops as this would add unwanted surface for wind pressure and quite sure no fixed bulkwark for the same reasons plus the extra weight. The same goes for the hammock cranes.
 
For the quote in #1 with the hammocks in the tops I give you another guess:
In many pictures of engagements I saw the deadeyes and lanyards wrapped in cloth to protect them. So my guess is that the hammocks could have been used for that reason in the tops. 🙂
 
XXXDAn
 
PS: Some fast found samples 🙂
 

 

Could tops just mean topsides? Meaning the rails? 
Just a thought.
 
Gaffrig.

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...
 
 
 

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...
 
 
 

This weekend, I finally made progress stropping deadeyes. I made my own fixtures for this, as you can see in the photos. A wire is is wrapped around it, and I use small, bent nose pliers to squeeze the wire around the post and metal plate. The excess wire is then cut off and the deadeye is fitted inside.



In the last photos, you can see the masts are temporarily installed. I drill out the base of masts so I could glue in a section of a straight pin into each. The pin will push into the center backbone of the model when the masts are inserted into place. This helps hold the masts in place.
 


The instructions call for installing temporary stays, which you can see in at least one photo. These white lines will be removed later. For now, these will provide the main support for the masts while I work on the shrouds and on getting the correct angle for the chainplates, which attach to the deadeye stropping and secure the deadeyes agains the pull of the shrouds, which will also get installed later.
 

Thanks for the encouragement, Jeff!
 
I have to admit, I tend to have purist leanings, but with card models, I'm not good enough to stick to them. Anyway, these laser cut Shipyard kits provide wood for the spars, acetate for the windows, resin for the figurehead and some decorations, cloth for the sails, and turned brass barrels for the cannons and swivel guns. So, it's not really a purist's kit anyway. 
 
Plus, these deadeyes from Chuck look so darned good!
 
I just received the 4mm deadeyes and, like all blocks and deadeyes I get, one size seems too big, and another seems too small. But, measured against the plans, the 4mm deadeyes are a good match, so I guess that's the way I'll go.
 

 
I'll get to stropping now and post pics afterwards.
 
In the meantime, I decided to upgrade my serving tools with a new Siren Serve-O-Matic (my Christmas present to me). I'm just now cleaning up the wood parts and assembling it now. I'll make use of this with the Wolf's shrouds and stays. Been a long time since I've done rope serving. I skipped it on some of my more recent builds. 
 

Progress on the Wolf is slowed up right now, as I'm trying to get some other things ready for a ship model meeting of the Mare Island Ship Modelers at the Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum next week. This marks the resurrection of the group and its official return to the museum.
 
However, I did start to get started on the foot ropes. I know some modelers just use wire for the stirrups, but I think they tend to look too perfect. So, I prefer making them from rigging line.

More after the meeting next weekend...