Aussie048

I was finally able to assemble the bridge wings.  This proved to be simple, yet the wrong move could mean a do over.  The first thing I did was locate the parts and cut them out.  This time I cut out one side first and on completeion did the other side.  This will prevent clutter as well as not getting anything mixed.


Since each wingg consisted of two pieces gleud back to back I took care that all the fold were correct before the final glue up.  This also meant dry fitting them together and to the bridge,  Considering the condition ,y eyes were in this was not fun. but tediou.  However the end result was worth the extra care.


After making sure of the fit I glued them on and am happy with the result..



  The funne;s will be next.
David B

I proceeded to redo the bridge compoments.  This time I took care to be careful of the folds and where I used a knife.



This time I test fitted the lower component to make sure of a snuck fit

The upper compnent was the one I really made a has out of so I took extra care to make sure the folds were correct

I used a fine marker and traced out the folds

I then started from the aft sect and worked my way forward making sure everything was a good fit before i applied the glue and test fiiting at the same time.


Then came the test fiitng of everything and applying a marker as needed



I am happy with the redo.




Now for the rest of the model
David B
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

And a drink to everybody !
 
Of course, popcorns
 
 
Today is littlle thing to celebrate: over 30.000 visits to topic and at the same time promotion in rank
 
 
 
Thanks everybody for support, interesting and likes

Factory starts working
 
After too much philosophizing, let`s finally do it !!!
 
In addition is Carton/Comic about making stanchions with rings
 
Explanation is added as edit
 
As I decided earlier about thickness of wire, next question was - what type of wire. Silver and cooper - to soft. Jewelry steel wire - to hard. What left without going to downtown - wire from thin office clips, hard enough, but still soft enough to allow work with
 
First move is to rectify wire by hand and pilers for wire as much it is possible
 

 
Additional rectify on anvil must follow. I learned this technique during building my house, same technique is used to rectify small parts of reinforcing iron. Every corner/angle/curve leaved on wire can cause problems later. There are very little parts, and curvature on wire on place you do not think about, can be large on place where you do not need them
 
I have not hammer small enough, so "big" allen key can help. 
 

 
Cleaning wire with sandpaper 280. Significant from two reasons: 1 - there will be some soldering; 2 - roughened surface allow better adhesion of colour later
 

 
Making rings. Do I mention I like rings ? This is most usual way to make them, I think there is no need for wider explanation, but some notes. As mold, at first, I use little nail little over 1 mm in diameter. Rings were about 2,5-3 mm in external diameter, what means about 1,5-2 mm in internal diameter, so there arise problem how to cut rings from spring. My scissors for wire in comparsion with ring seem like Tyrannosaurus Rex against mosquito, and there is no way to cut anything in with them inside spring
What is solution ? I use one number bigger nail as mold, and make cutting line with Dremell cutting circle. Trace of cutting is little less than 1 mm, so when you connect edges, you got exactly diameter as you use narrow nail 
 

 
Dont forget to allign edges to right position in spring, Use pair of fine wire pilers
 

 
Define safe place to hold and keep them. Even sneezing can blow them from table. And there is no way to find this little rings on dusty floor . Do not even try. Make more rings than you need. some of them will sure be unworkable
 

 
Correct curvature, but do not connect edges !!! If you connect edges in this phase, you go in trouble latter, because then will be very hard to open edges
 

 
Correct and form next piece of wire, cutt to dimension, and start making some stanchion around smaller than two nails
 
Tight edges with pilers until stanchion is still on nail, then take it of and align in all direction. Tighten ring on stanchion from all direction slightly, keeping in mind not to change its diameter and shape. Align again and tight again until you will be satisfied
 

 
And here is product
 

 
Stanchion is strong enough
 

 
No soldering has to be done. But I did it for aesthetic reasons - surface is much better looking with "holes" little "filled up". Also make more than you need. Then you can chose better of them to mount
 

 
Carefully and slightly clean soldered part with Dremell ( I must use magnyfier)
 

 
Put stanchion in table clamp, and then with medical pean take ring. It is important to take ring in opposite side of the opening. Pean or tweezers that can remain tight are essential for this
 
Carefully with blade spread hole, only enough to squeeze trough ring on stanchion
 

 
Squeeze gently, and do not unhold pean !!! Keep in mind elevation of ring and correct it before mounting
 

 
Holding pean with ring in one hand, with other hadn use pilers to close opening slightly. Tight closed ring again. If you want and know how, you can solder connection on ring    
 

 
Finished stanchions put somewhere in safe place to wait for painting
 

 
It takes 10-15 min for one stanchion, if they do not fall from workspace. There have to be 52, 26 with rings

Thanks for the positive input, gentlemen;
 
Thanks again to Nenad for helping my laziness in adding details. 
 
I'm not putting as much time as I'd like into the build right now, but I am making slow (SLOOOW....) progress.  (Slow progress is still progress, right?)
 
What I found surprisingly cool is that adding these aluminum rivet strips around the freeing ports is making my thin 1/32" basswood bulwarks noticeably stronger, as when I added the stanchions.
 
Starboard side rivet strake is laid, and verticals along the outside of the first three freeing ports are done, as well as some of the rivet panels behind the stanchions.

Well, FINALLY!!!!  Here are a couple of shots - not sure how well you can tell the difference, but first is a picture of the shrouds on the fore mast.  These are with the kit supplied thread.
 

 
This shows the shrouds on the main mast using thread from Chuck. I used the brown vs the black - think it is a better approximation for this scale.  To me, the thread looks better than the kit thread but, more importantly, it is much easier to work with!
 

 
 

Progress continues, albeit very slowly!  Each step now seems to take a goodly bit longer as I plan out the sequence, and at the same time try to keep from blocking other things I still need to do!
 
The major accomplishment is moving the Model onto the stand - I had to cut down the stanchions about 1/8" but that was fairly straight forward (thanks to the new Dremel!)
 
View of the Fore mast (with my ships superintendent Almanza).  Have started to belay the lines from the lower lift.
 

 

 
With all of the shrouds set, I have started on those miserable rat lines.  I have not yet calculated how many are needed - I think I would disolve into a deep funk if i knew!  The shrouds are .018" diameter from Chuck - I love this stuff!  So much easier to work with than the synthetic that came with the kit.
 

 
Last, a couple of views of the full ship. 
 

 

So - progress continues (SLOWLY!!!).  Too much time on the road this month, but home now through mid-January (with any luck, at least...)
 
Moving along with the rigging - one backstay left to install on the main mast and then start belaying all these lines.
 
The doublings get rather busy at this scale!
 

 
Not the best shot, but gives you an idea of the number of lines involved even at this small scale!
 

 
Once I get the lines all belayed will start on the ratlines - using fine embroidery thread to try and stay in scale.  WIll be putting them on about 3/32" apart.  I may go blind in the process......
 

Update: Feb 21 2014
The area of the bowsprit is finished, coils and all. Only thing missing is the flag.
Thanks for visiting!!!
 

 

 

 

 
There are some 2mm blocks here. Can you see them? They were a nightmare.

 

 

 
BTW, there was a sail in this mizzen lower yard. (see previous page) According to Vasa Museum plans there was no sail there,
so it had to go. I'm glad the sail went off without major consequences.
I'm surprised no one catch that mistake before!!! 

More work with the mast fish and surrounding areas.

Excellent work, thank you for re-posting your log, I truly love how you managed to do it! Congratulations!

First step in aligning the mast fish with the deck and the mast.
 

Even more deck. This final section was very time consuming.

More deck.

The deck.

9:th post - More planking pictures

Moving on....
 
after going through the kit... I was perhaps a bit impatient to get going and therein lies the mistake....
 
I will not even bother numbering my mistakes.. cos there are too many!!! hehe..
 
I started with the false keel and assembled the frames...
 

 
My assumption here was that all the laser cut pieces would magically 'fit' with the false keel....Dhuuuuu... no such luck...
 
Each of the frames had to be sanded a bit and chiseled out to fit the frame...
 
Lucky for me, I did not glue the frames in place at this time...
 
I then started on the different decks.... absolutely enjoyed planking the decks...
 
After gluing the planks, sanding it and applying the varnish, it looked beautiful...
 

 
I finished the wheelhouse frames as well...
 

 
I then glued the frames in place and the decks in place.
 

 
I penciled the planks and the tree nails as well.
 
I was observing how matt had done the gratings and frames for them... I could not get how his edges were so precise while I could not get them to fit???
 
Ahem... a mitre box could be a bit helpful with the frame edges.... dhuuuu... off to ebay to buy one... but the sad news is... I could not undo the work so far.. so the gratings and the frames will stay....
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
All set and ready for the first planking....
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Well, I've completed the cannon rigging and working on getting all the spars fabricated.
 
I now need to get the sailmaker (wife) involved, as I plan to include sails and hope to be able to lash the mainsail to the hoops before they are installed over the mast.
 
For the Bowsprit, Jibboom, and Mainmast I used the "drill spin and sand" method.
 
I tried making a bowsprit with a trimming plane, but only managed to create scrap, so for now I havent had much luck with the planer.
 
I'm not quite sure how I'll taper both ends of the spreader and topsail yards, maybe just by hand (planers bad news for me right now  ) any suggestions? Probably just by hand.
 
Ken

Here is my first fully rigged cannon. Sorry about the fuzzy pics, I'll start using a regular camera or better phone camera.
The crew says the Captain is a real pain in the a**, he likes the lines coiled down neat as if for an Admirals inspection...ARR!
I replaced the 5/32 blocks with smaller 1/8 blocks based upon previous logs info and feedback.
 
Ken

Working on finishing up the deck furniture. Those scary dark rigging clouds are looming on the horizon
Installed the timberheads and decided to keep them with a natural finish. Fabricated the Bowsprit but still need finishing and details, just placed loose. Tried to do it the "planer/octagon" method and created scrap, had better luck with the drill motor and sandpaper. (would still like to achieve plabner skills, prob need better planer than $10 stanley trimming plane?) Catheads installed/Painted Swivel posts installed, I opted for a pair on the quarter deck instead of between the shrouds, plus provides a bit more firepower toward the stern area. Stairs were a pain in the butt, managed it but spiked my BP  , (next time make a fixture). Working on the cannons. The laser cut trucks end up a bit small when made true round, so I used the large ones as the small and fabricated large trucks. Next up, blackening metal for all the various ringbolts, cleats etc. Question regarding cannon rigging.
There is an eyebolt and a ringbolt on each side of the carriage. I know the size to use for the ringbolt, but what about the eyebolt? Large 3/32 or small 1/16 dia provided? It is where the hook on the block attaches.

Vivian's question about figureheads prompts me to talk about the stern decoration of junks. Many of the hundreds of illustrations of Chinese junks that you can view on the internet show an enormous range of stern decoration,and the bigger the junk, the more ornate the artistry.
 
Not being an artist of any merit, I used a modified Amati pattern and coloured it with poster paints. I used a monstrous face as anyone who has spent time in the Far East will know that Chinese art falls into two broad categories, either delicate washes in watercolour and ink or brightly coloured monstrous figures of demons or dragons. My attempt falls into the latter "school" but that presents a problem of coordinating the colours with the Walnut, Pear and Sapele used in the hull construction.
 
My solution was to paint the lower hull off-white (actually "cotton white" whatever that is) and frame the stern decoration in the same colour. I think it successfully links the two elements. What do you think?

I have been busy for the last several weeks primarily assembling and installing most of the deck fittings. I ran into a problem with the bell tower. I had the wood components but I could not locate the brass columns and the bell. I have tried to be very careful with all of the kit components, but although I searched diligently, I could not find them. I had 4 surplus brass columns from a previous build, and although not exactly the same I used them and they worked pretty well. I have ordered a bell from Cornwall Model Boats, and will install it as soon as it arrives.
 
While searching for the bell tower parts I came across a carved lifeboat hull that also came from a previous build, and since it seemed to be about the right size, I decided to use it. I made the rest of the parts from scratch but couldn't make oars that looked right. Along with the bell, I ordered some from Cornwall. I also installed the rudder with a lot less problem than I thought I would have.
 
The ship is so heavy now that I finally put it permanently in its cradle. The kit's cradle is somewhat ugly, but I dressed it up with a brass nameplate holder I had. I used Photoshop to create an appropriate label and glued it on.
 
Next, it is on to assembling and installing the 50 chain plates required. Assembling the components requires soldering, and soldering is not my strong point. Not only is there soldering, but itsy-bitsy somewhat neat joints are required. I have gathered solder, flux and a decent soldering iron  and will give it a try tomorrow.
 
On the theory that a picture is worth a 1000 words, here are four:
 

 

 

 

Hi Andy
 
Your doing a fine job of your build.
Just one thing that I noticed, have you got room to put the catheads in.
 
Denis.

Hi everyone,
 
I have been working for the last couple of weeks on completing the gun port covers, attaching them to the hull, and inserting the cannons into the previously installed support blocks. Very tedious, but I finally have finished.
 
It all went pretty well, but I wish I had used slightly smaller line for the ropes used to raise the covers. When I started it looked right, but I couldn't get the line to look taut, as it should with the weight of the cover pulling against it.
 
Oh well! Hopefully there is so much bling on the ship that no one will notice except in really close-up pictures. Also, I really should have dusted before taking the pictures.
 

 

Between the Holidays and a lingering cold a couple of weeks went by without any ship building work. I think things are now finally back to normal.
 
I have been working on completing the brass decorations for the bow and the 64 gun port covers for the hull. The directions, as shown in the photo below, call for 3 layers of wood to be glued together to make each cover. I built one as directed and decided it looked unnaturally thick. I checked with the other Sovereign build logs, and as near as I could tell, they were built as directed. I still couldn't get over the thickness, so I went with 2 layers.
 
As i examined the pictures of the gun port covers on the other build logs I noticed they had used black rope for the lines used to hoist the gun port covers up and down. I wondered if this is correct since this rope would have been used frequently while sailing and would have been more like running rigging than standing rigging.
 
Anybody have any thoughts?