Aussie048

Hello guys !! After a long absence from  my build due to workload , I finally manage to finish it.
Thank you for your support. I will post some photos to the gallery.
 
Dimitris
 
 
 

With no ship being built in my shipyard....I constructed a flight simulator base for my 8 year old grandson.

George I am pretty excited to see the ropes from Chuck. I am hoping his smaller ropes will look better when in blocks, as the stuff I have is kind of stiff and wants to stick out away from the blocks.
 
Steve - I don't know about that strong, but hopefully it will lessen the oops factors as I proceed.
 
Last night I did find some rope I had from an older kit that matches what I made really well, so I am using that for the starboard side breaching lines. Firstly, I tied up the loose ends (literally?) on the port side last night, so here ii is with all the rope coils installed:
 

 
From the outside, I am pretty happy with the alignment of the guns. The head on shot shows some reflection from deep inside the gun barrels that doesn't show up in real life:
 

 

 
I was able to drill into the underside of the barrels. I made a starter hole with a pin vise then put one of the barrels into my drill press vise and drilled deeper. This worked great except that these barrels are so soft that the vice kind of crushed the details on the sides of the barrel, so for the second barrel I drilled the whole hole by hand. I glued a piece of wire into that hole and will make a corresponding hole in the quoin for the other end. I suppose I should also pin the quoins down to the carriage, which I can do when installing them by just drilling through the quoin and the carriage base and putting a piece of wire through the holes. You can also see in this picture the how the line I found for the breaching ropes (right) compares to the line I made (left).
 

 
I am glad I can continue with the guns, but there is still many other pieces that I can work on if I had to wait. I ordered the line from Chuck yesterday and it has shipped today, so I would not have had to wait too long. That is great service. I also ended up ordering the rope walk to play with, but since that is coming from Russia I have a feeling it will take a little longer.

I am checking again with our mail service as it seems that several members in Australia have not received their issues yet.  When I spoke to them on Tuesday they said that the Australia issues are supposed to be delivered within 30 days of leaving NY.  They were shipped on 3-16 from NY so they should be delivered by now.  We are also tracking some missing issues for N. Ireland and several in the UK.
 
I would ask that any overseas members to send an email to info@thenauticalresearchguild.org to let us know the date when you receive/received this issue of the Journal.  Due to a mix up in Cuba, NY all but 3 or 4 non US members were mailed 2 issues of this Journal.  Please let us know if you get one or two copies also.  If you do not get a reply to your email to info@thenauticalresearchguild.org let Mary or me know with a PM here on MSW.  Several members seem to have a problem with receiving emails from the info@.... email, but get emails sent from Mary's personal email - please check your SPAM filter before sending a PM.
 
We are working to find out what has happened and we will make sure everybody gets their Journal.

Here's my rigging tools. Thank goodness I have a surgeon friend. He gave me those surgical tools which allow me to reach into the tangle of shrouds and ratlines to fasten lines to the rails. I finished the braces on the main mast. Mizzen next.

RIch,
Your hiding your lack of skill with, er.......skill!
She looks great.
Sam

Just a small update from the weekend's activities. To add the large arches to the transom, I first glued a copy of the transom plan to some manilla folder, then cut it out along the top arch to use as a template. I taped this to the transom, then glued down the trim piece, starting at the middle and working outward. When I had most of it glued down, I removed the template and cut the ends to fit into the side trim.
 

 
When this was dry, I cut the template back to the lower arch and did the same thing for that trim piece.
 

 
I then made up the columns that I put along and between the windows. These were made from three separate pieces of wood that I primed and painted white. The two end piece were cut and the inside corners rounded off with a sanding block. The thinner center pieces were scored with a razor blade scraper before I painted them. I glued the end pieces on first, then cut the middle pieces to fit tight to them.
 

 
I have primed and painted the eagle, including the shield, but forgot to take a picture of it. I have also started working with the Sculpey to create the stars and figures. So far, I think I can get that technique to work.

A small update on the state of the cannons.
 
I have taken Monkeyman's suggestion and cut the top of the gun carriages, and cut extra 'steps' into the sides. I have also cut the back out to simulate the rear axle. 

 
Here is a photo of the carriage with the practice cannon (that is painted black), on the deck. this is the new red that I am going to finish carriages in.
The eye bolts and rings were made with .03 wire and painted black, I still need to finish painting the red.

 
The size looks a lot better next to the gun port.

 
I have been playing with the wire to try to make small hooks but the smallest I can make is about 2.5 mm, so I think I am going to just put the breaching rope on the cannons, as the other ropes with their hooks, single and double blocks, they would be too small for me to make look convincing and uniform.
But I will put the eyebolts on the carriages and the walls for them. as well as eyebolts for stowing cannon.
For now I am still working through these cannons and pumps before I can move on with the model.

Hello Peter (Flyer) and Keith,
 
as promised, I made a trial with the transfer paper and it worked out very well
Both of you showed interest in this technique, so here I have some pics for you and for all who may be thinking of using this method..........
Now I remember where I became aware of this, it was a post by member Matija in the topic "how to print flags"
Many thanks to Matija for sharing this input....
 
Nils
 
 
 

 
first make an ordinary file for printing (scale the required size) on normal paper. Note that for the flag rear side you need a mirrored version
 
 

 
these are 15 sheets of transfer paper (appr. 7.- Euros at Ebay)
the sheets are well protected and come in a plastic bag with zip closer. The backside has these red squares printed on, as a help for shifting on the cloth, when doing the backside of the flag
 
 

 
here the first side of the ensign has been ironed on, set medium cotton temp, and press the iron down on the rearside of the transfer paper. After gently pulling off the transfer paper, the picture will be completely removed and transfered on to the cloth
 
 

 
now do same wih the mirrored side of the motive to the rear cloth side. Hold against light to adjust the right orientation, perhaps a little shift correction is required
 
 

 
when both sides are done in this way it should look like this, a clean, neat print on the cloth. Cut out the outer ensign con tour an leave a little margin for the seam that will be glued or sen around the ensign line later
 
 

 
two little pieces of wood span down the glued seam (fabric glue) until the glue is dry.
 
 

 
new White-Ensign hoisted under the spanker gaff
 
 
 
In all I am very pleased with the result so far. It may also be a good technique also for those who are intending to fix a chosen historic ; badge, etc,...motive on a square sail for example
 
But please remember :  Do`nt use this transfer paper with laser printers, the unit may be seriously damaged and become unrepairable
 
Ammendment : another advantage of this method is that after cutting the outer edge of the flag, you wo`nt need to secure the cloth edges, here the tranfer medium fixes the cloth quite well

Status update.....
 
 
as the complete rigging shall take some more weeks from now on, I have here some status impressions as  intermediate pics for those who like to follow the build log. I noticed that due to the bracing yard positions some of the buntlines, leech- and reeflines have become a bit too taught, so they will have to become worked over again
 
 
Nils
 
 
 

 
Stern view on aft QD
 
 

 
view to the decks, from keel to gun deck.
Many supporting pillars are placed beneath the overhead deck beams
 
 

 
bottom hold with storage area for anchor cables, all sorts of containment barrels.
One elevation higher, intermediate deck here with fresh water drum and long spoon on port side of sail room
 
 

Mizzen cross jack yard with Mizzen top sail, The white ensign shall be made new by using ink-printed transferpaper ironed on cotton cloth
 
 

 
impression of mizzen mast
 
 

 
main mast lower plattform
 
 

 
captain is checking out the rigging progress of his new ship in command
 
 

 
sailor standing on bulwark hand rail
 
 

 
main course braced to opposite side for better access to attaching the upper ratlines (mainmast)
 
 

 
some of the stay sail sheets attached to the foremost and aftmost shrouds, lines lead down through thimbles to the appropriate shroud cleats
 
 
 

I figured out the first of the upper braces. 

I temp installed the spanker to see how it fits. I'll take it down to work on the main rigging.

Here I am putting the "wind" into the spanker.

I'm still distracting myself from completing installing all the braces, halyards, sheets, etc of which I still have very little idea how to proceed while I study all the info you have sent me as well as many rigging books, .....by building the whole spanker sail rig.  I do this everytime I get stuck not knowing how to proceed. Instead of being paralyzed by the lack of knowledge....I just jump ahead to something I think I can do. It's the only way I've gotten this far. Full speed ahead...dam the lack of skill and knowledge...is my motto!

Next pieces are the Stirrups and Horses. I've made these from "tarred" line as they get a lot wetter than the horses on the other yards.
 
The Stirrups have an eye in their lower ends. I made the eyes by passing the line back through itself using a needle threader :
 

 
The upper ends of the stirrups turn three times around the yard. On the real ship they were nailed to the yard, but PVA does the job on the model :
 

 
Finally the Standing Lifts are fitted. These also have a thimble seized into their outer ends :
 

 
I haven't glued the stirrups to the horses yet - I'll do that after the yard has been slung to get them to "hang" neatly.
 
 Danny

All the blocks and fittings are much easier to fit BEFORE the yard is fitted to the mast. I didn't do these in the right sequence for this yard, but I learned my lesson .
 
First things to make and fit are the Sling Cleats. These were made from English Box.
 
I also made the Spritsail Halyard Strop. This has an eye in each end, with a thimble seized into it's "centre" - it's actually a bit off centre with a long and short leg. A lanyard fixes the two eyes around the yard :
 

 

 
Next I made and fitted the Stop Cleats near the ends of the yard. This was the mistake I mentioned earlier - they should have gone on AFTER the other blocks had been fitted as I couldn't slip the block strops over them. It would have been a lot easier if I'd left them until later in the piece.
 
A strop with a thimble seized into it is fitted at the 3rd quarter of each end of the yard for the Jib Guys :
 

 

 
An overall view of the yard to this stage :
 

 
The Clueline blocks are fitted 3 feet from the slings :
 

 
 Danny

Thank you very much Dave and Bryan. 
 
 
I don't mind at all Dave . I look forward to seeing the start of Pegasus.
 
Spritsail Yard
 
I've started making the Yards. The basic method of making them is pretty much the same for all of them, so I won't detail each step for all of them. Where there are differences in the construction I'll show those details.
 
Construction starts by marking out the tapers using the 7-10-7 method. Two opposing tapers are sanded into each end using the disc sander - this is easier than it may seem with a bit of practice. Then the other two tapers are done in similar fashion.
 
Next I marked out the octagons :
 

 
and cut them in with a very sharp chisel using my "V" block rest :
 

 
The central portion of some of the yards are octagonal in shape with only the outer parts rounded off. The rounded sections were done with a sanding block. I used the lathe to cut a sharp neat transition on each end of the octagon before sanding the round sections.
 

 
 Danny

Billboard
 
With the standing rigging completed I can now finish off the Billboard. As you can see from the pics below it covers the first three chains on the foremast. The billboard protects these from damage when the anchor is stowed.
 
The first thing to fit is the previously made Bolster :
 

 
Next come two stanchions to which are bolted the planks :
 

 

 
Finally the planks are fitted and "bolted" with 0.7mm headed round head rivets :
 

 
 Danny

Just little testing materials and method of making ...





Obviously it is more interesting to play with some tests than to finish roman numbers on stern, to mount eyes and to finish bowsprit rope/chain - hard new word to remember

Line is good, scale is good. Squared batten is made of balsa, and this is not good. All structure is glued on paper with CA, it will be better to glue on very thined veneer. Curve can be better shaped, panel surface maybe will get a bit of putty. Rounded batten has to be a bit more thinner, angle of curve maybe go little higher (1-2 mm) just to meet central batten and upper panel on more easy way. Upper panel will be problem because it is higher positioned it has to be

Marc, thank you for your support
 
 
You force me to learn strange language terms to understand your comment, and, ….   to understand what I have to / I am actually, doing … Thank you very much for moving lazy Nenad
 
So, this is for me not to forget meaning of terms with some comments and answers
 

 
 
Gammoning  (The lashing or iron strap by which the Bowsprit is secured to the Stem) - originaly made of chains, on my model it will be of spetialy prepared rope. Wish me luck with this. I tried to make it from very thin iron - dropped very ugly
 
 
Bowsprit support - IT IS actually there. Is it neccessarry ? I do not think so. Is it visible ? I do not think so. In my case, considering too much space I have between bowsprit and stem, I do not think to make it - I think it will be too large and too much visible. So, question was pure academic consideration
 
Bowsprit sheave - it seems that it can be only simulated in my scale, but I am not sure will it look as a sheave or as a scrap and mistake … something to think about
 
Hinged jibboom ring which can be opened - Also thinking will that be visible, and is it possible to make neat, strong enough and in scale to can open. And what is point od this - another thing to think about
 
Dolphin striker - for me - far away for serious consideration, but thanks for pointing it
 
“G” - it really seems to be a light - if you englare some photos, you can see thin thin thin wire roads to it. Definitely not to be made on model. No point if it has to be only 1 mm long
 
           
Sheaves for the top mast stays - yes there are on my drawing, but I can not make sheaves in such a scale, so decided to made them as eyes
 
 
Middle eye on the top of the bowsprit cap - here it is. I enter confusion because I didn't  draw them in scale on my drawing, I draw it only as a remark not to be forgotten later
 

 
 
“… you'll need to rig the fore  top mast stay  to the bolts beside the bowsprit before putting on the rails, etc.  Otherwise you wont' be able do it later.  Same is true for the bowsprit foot ropes where they connect beside the bowsprit … The jib boom guys and bowsprit guys are much easier to rig the lines to the eyes off ship and then just slide the eyes into place on the ship, especially if you are using lanyards.  Also do this before the rails are put into place - at least for the bowsprit guys … Bottom line is make sure that you have all of the lines that either originate or terminate around the base of the bowsprit in place before you put the rails and billboards in place. …"
 
Thanks, I ll keep it in my mind  (I hope to)
 
The fun of history - аh, yes
 
“ … jib boom guys … deadeyes …  … hearts …  lanyards  …. “
 
To understand this, I have to consult wiki and another sources ... and to enrich my dictionary

Massproduction ...Telephone line wire









Make smaller ... no sense ... and impossible to me

I'm working on the boom and gaff for the spanker while I ponder rigging braces, etc.

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

Thanks for all the likes and looks.
 
While the wind howls outside and the temp reads below zero I set my sights on getting the middle stuff (my term) set in the lower hold.  This is 3/32" basswood strips primarily on either side of the thickstuff (1/8" basswood).  Finally I can call it good.
 

 
Next up is the regular planking (1/16" basswood).  It shouldn't take too long.
 
When I started this process of the internal planking I thought the big question was going to be whether to plank up from the keelson or down from the berth deck clamp.  The reality was a bunch of jumping around to set the thickstuff and now I am left with the filler.  A lot more respect for trying to accurately plank the internal hull of a complete hull, regardless of scale!
 
Mark

Another update in the evolution of the Druid-X, this time focusing on the garboard and limber strakes.  
 
For the limber strakes I am still using the thickstuff stock (1/8").  These require a slot to allow the limber boards to fit in between this and the keelson.  Using the Byrnes saw I quickly had my raw stock.
 

 
Using a spacer piece of wood to insure consistent separation from the keelson I glued in both limber strakes.
 

 
Everything ended up looking fit and proper.  A good result.
 
As a companion it was time to put on the first regular planks on the hull (1/16").  The natural choice was the garboard strake - and in fact I did one better, the garboard strake plus one each side.  These were again cut rectangular with no specific shaping.  The rest of the planking will be custom fit and cut.
 

 
The ends of the planks aren't perfectly flush with the aft and fore frames.  I am resisting the urge to sand them into all the outside and inside planks are attached to avoid screwing up the face of the frames - as much.
 
Next up is the middle stuff (my term - hah hah).  Some 3/32" stuff that abuts a lot of the thickstuff prior to the regular planking.  I also want to get the berth deck clamp in.  It wont be too long before the lower hold is sealed in.
 
Mark