Bob Cleek

1.     The ensign is flown from the aftermost gaff peak when a ship is under sail. The halyard is lead down to a convenient cleat on the boom inboard (or sometimes at the mast) so that the halyard belaying point is easily accessible from the deck. In this fashion, the halyard moves with the gaff sail as it moves across the centerline of the vessel.
 
2.     The ensign is flown from a staff on the centerline at the stern when the vessel is not under sail. When not under sail, the aftermost boom is secured slightly to port or starboard of the ensign staff. The ensign staff is struck and and stowed on deck when the ship is sailing. If your model will not have sails set, the ensign should be flown from the ensign staff. If the model has sails, the ensign should be flown from the aftermost gaff peak and the ensign staff should be stowed on deck. When the ensign is flown from the ensign staff, the ensign halyard and its block remain rigged at the gaff peak with the halyard belayed at its cleat. 
 
At present, photos indicate that Victory secures her aftermost boom to port of her ensign staff. I can't discern the ensign gaff peak halyard in the below picture. It may be that because she is in a dry dock and never sails, they haven't bothered to rig a gaff peak ensign halyard at all. (I don't see the boom topping lifts, either, perhaps for the same reason. The ensign in the photo is much smaller than the ensigns flown in earlier times, which were much larger for better visibility at sea.)
 

 
 
On the other hand.... I expect the duty signalman found himself on report the day this photo was taken!  
 

 
Large ensign flying from the ensign staff while the ship is anchored. A spectrum of various sized ensigns were carried for various occasions.
 

 
 
 
 

Different ships, different long splices, I guess. Me, when I see the word Victory, I just yawn and keep on scrolling. I'd rather see a good model of a working boat than a naval vessel any day. I guess I'm just a pirate at heart.  

The Victory and first time builder don’t go together in the same sentence in my opinion, plus 1/72 isn’t a fun scale. There are plenty of interesting tall naval ships that present a good challenge, like Vanguard’s HMS Flirt. These will  teach the necessary skills and not be a source of frustration.

I'm neck deep in the HMS Granado as a 2nd build, and I am running on 2 years and haven't started the rigging. I can't imagine doing the Victory for many reasons, but the most important one is, I don't think my lifespan would accommodate it.  

Phantom may be worth a reevaluation for what it is, instead of what it is not.
 
Phantom has an elegant hull.  The curves are appealing.  The vessel itself is spare but the overall presentation has a beauty to it.  
I remember it as coming as a carved hull in both 1/4" and 1/8" scale.   If it has a copper bottom,  using actual metal at either scale would probably ruin the elegance.  Tissue paper or just paint  or  - a planking over the solid using a veneer of an appropriate species of wood?
A small vessel at 1/8th scale is more an expression of a skill at miniature scale. A lot of the materials that we use at larger scales begin to lose translation ability at 1/8th and artful faking begins to be needed. 

Please read Jaager's above post again and definitely read the link listed at the beginning. This is an internet forum and free advice on the internet often costs much more in the end than one paid for it. The reader must always separate the fly specks from the pepper. Too quickly believing what you want to hear is an ever-present danger.
 
The author of the above post is one of the most experienced and accomplished modelers on this forum. Seven members (as of this post) have endorsed his advice to you. One of those who gave Jaager's post a "thumbs up" is Chris Watton, owner of Vanguard Models and world-renowned model ship kit designer. I believe he is currently working on designing a kit model of HMS Indefatigable, a 64-gun third rate ship-of-the-line designed in 1761, which, in modeling terms, poses most of the challenges posed by any fully-rigged ship of the same period as HMS Victory. Notwithstanding the well-intentioned encouragement of some responses to your post, what does Chris Watton's endorsement of Jaager's post tell you?
 
Choose wisely, Grasshopper. Master walking before you try to run. 
 
 

Please read Jaager's above post again and definitely read the link listed at the beginning. This is an internet forum and free advice on the internet often costs much more in the end than one paid for it. The reader must always separate the fly specks from the pepper. Too quickly believing what you want to hear is an ever-present danger.
 
The author of the above post is one of the most experienced and accomplished modelers on this forum. Seven members (as of this post) have endorsed his advice to you. One of those who gave Jaager's post a "thumbs up" is Chris Watton, owner of Vanguard Models and world-renowned model ship kit designer. I believe he is currently working on designing a kit model of HMS Indefatigable, a 64-gun third rate ship-of-the-line designed in 1761, which, in modeling terms, poses most of the challenges posed by any fully-rigged ship of the same period as HMS Victory. Notwithstanding the well-intentioned encouragement of some responses to your post, what does Chris Watton's endorsement of Jaager's post tell you?
 
Choose wisely, Grasshopper. Master walking before you try to run. 
 
 

Do yourself a favor and read this ASAP:        https://modelshipworld.com/topic/13703-for-beginners-a-cautionary-tale/
 
In the spirit of a scientific thought experiment, I propose the following:
 
It is true that more than a few have begun with a Victory kit (or SotS or Constitution) and managed a successful completion.  But I seriously doubt that any one of them would have felt the need to ask the question that you did.   The self assured arrogance or whatever personality traits that are required to carry them past the initial intimidating barrier and all the many subsequent ones on to a finish are the mental tools that would also keep them from even considering asking anyone else about the wisdom of their choice.
 
Starting with a monster and finishing it is a infrequent occurrence.   For these most popular of ship model kit subjects, the number that have been barely or even never been started vastly,vastly out number the number taken to completion. 
 
If you have no background in miniature wood working,  if plastic kits are your only experience, then you would do well to spend time and imagination reading a lot of kit build logs.   Plastic is a separate skill set for skills beyond research and painting.
 
This is a new world.  It is broad enough to engage several lifetimes, but not impossibly open ended.  Nothing else will expose you to the technology - the entire technology - of the time period of a chosen subject.  
 
 

Hi Steven,
 
The last part of your post set off an alarm bell in my head. I am also a first time model builder. I would simply ask you one question: are you prepared to take on a truly monumental project, one that may take you several years?
 
Forgive me if I sound like I am disrespecting your skills or motivation. It is just that when I was getting into this hobby, I too was enamoured with the idea of building a ship of the line, and quickly realized from browsing the many amazing builds here that I was way in over my head. I decided to cut my teeth on a simple sloop of war first, and it has already taken me over 2 years (and I still have not completed the hull).
 
I'm sure others will be quick to chime in, but to start, if you have not already seen it I would recommend this excellent thread by @ccoyle:
 
 
Whatever you decide, I wish you luck.
 
-starlight
 

Right on! Truer words were never spoken.

 
Excel 55666 - Mitre Box w/ K5 Handle and Saw Blade - Midwest Model Railroad (midwestmodelrr.com)
 
This will do just fine for $17.50 and you're about $150 or 25% of the way to getting your Byrnes "Jim Saw" with the sliding miter table!
 

 
Byrnes Model Machines - Thickness Sander
 
Come on now. You know you really want one. You know everybody eventually gets one and then wonders why it took them so long to getting around to it. You know it will pay for itself over time in savings over the cost of pre-cut strip wood and it's accurate to a thousandth of an inch. Set aside a few bucks a month and you'll be able to buy one without the purser ever missing it from the sugar jar.   
 

 
Go on! Don't be a wimp! Show some spunk! JUST DO IT!

Right on! Truer words were never spoken.

 
Excel 55666 - Mitre Box w/ K5 Handle and Saw Blade - Midwest Model Railroad (midwestmodelrr.com)
 
This will do just fine for $17.50 and you're about $150 or 25% of the way to getting your Byrnes "Jim Saw" with the sliding miter table!
 

 
Byrnes Model Machines - Thickness Sander
 
Come on now. You know you really want one. You know everybody eventually gets one and then wonders why it took them so long to getting around to it. You know it will pay for itself over time in savings over the cost of pre-cut strip wood and it's accurate to a thousandth of an inch. Set aside a few bucks a month and you'll be able to buy one without the purser ever missing it from the sugar jar.   
 

 
Go on! Don't be a wimp! Show some spunk! JUST DO IT!

Right on! Truer words were never spoken.

 
Excel 55666 - Mitre Box w/ K5 Handle and Saw Blade - Midwest Model Railroad (midwestmodelrr.com)
 
This will do just fine for $17.50 and you're about $150 or 25% of the way to getting your Byrnes "Jim Saw" with the sliding miter table!
 

 
Byrnes Model Machines - Thickness Sander
 
Come on now. You know you really want one. You know everybody eventually gets one and then wonders why it took them so long to getting around to it. You know it will pay for itself over time in savings over the cost of pre-cut strip wood and it's accurate to a thousandth of an inch. Set aside a few bucks a month and you'll be able to buy one without the purser ever missing it from the sugar jar.   
 

 
Go on! Don't be a wimp! Show some spunk! JUST DO IT!

Right on! Truer words were never spoken.

 
Excel 55666 - Mitre Box w/ K5 Handle and Saw Blade - Midwest Model Railroad (midwestmodelrr.com)
 
This will do just fine for $17.50 and you're about $150 or 25% of the way to getting your Byrnes "Jim Saw" with the sliding miter table!
 

 
Byrnes Model Machines - Thickness Sander
 
Come on now. You know you really want one. You know everybody eventually gets one and then wonders why it took them so long to getting around to it. You know it will pay for itself over time in savings over the cost of pre-cut strip wood and it's accurate to a thousandth of an inch. Set aside a few bucks a month and you'll be able to buy one without the purser ever missing it from the sugar jar.   
 

 
Go on! Don't be a wimp! Show some spunk! JUST DO IT!

It looks like a nice tool - however this falls into the "Not really needed modelling tools" category for me.
 
There are so many expensive modelling tools that just don't make the grade. As has been said there are so many ways to make this type of cut and basically its a levered razor blade.  It costs $175 ........wow..........add $300 and you can buy a Byrnes table saw.  Its 3 times the price and 100 times the tool. 

Jaager's explanation is as accurate and succinct a treatment of the issue as I've ever read. I agree wholeheartedly! What he's described is an excellent example some of the problems which are often encountered with model kits designed in that era. (Modernly designed high quality kits are better by orders of magnitude.)
 
Jack's perspective has its adherents. It simply depends upon how you feel about how you spend your modeling time. He is enjoying building his model and is happy investing his time and efforts in producing that which promises to be a very nice model that will please the eyes of its beholders and display his efforts and skill in its building, regardless of its lack historical accuracy. If "a nice looking (fictional maybe) model of an old warship under sail" works for you, Jack's your man.
 
My own instinct was to suggest relying on the somewhat extensive available research to accurately bash the AL kit to model the 1855 corvette. That would result in a model which tells an historically accurate and very interesting story which will remain relevant into the future, which demonstrates your own modeling skill, and will be a thing of intrinsic beauty in itself. However, Jaager's relating Mark Taylor's experience doing just that leads me to reach somewhat the same conclusion as Jaager: I'd sell the kit on eBay for whatever you can get for it and apply the proceeds to buying a high quality historically accurate modern kit. With an equally enjoyable investment of effort and time you'll end up with something which will be capable of communicating much more than a stock build of the AL Constellation kit can. 
 
I don't know how old your are or how much modeling you've done, but most of us who do it long enough and get old enough come to realize at some point that we've only got time left to build a limited number of models. That leads us to focus on spending what time we have left building the best models we can, not only in terms of technical building skill, but also in terms of historical accuracy. It really boils down to whether one wishes to leave behind a large collection of built kits that are destined for the landfill in a generation or two at most or what we hope will be a very few very well done works of historical research and modeling artistry that might... just might... survive to serve some useful purpose for longer than that.

If the comments and complaints I read in the plastic kit modeling forums are any indicationi, it seems there's an ongoing problem with the fitting accuracy of a lot of plastic model kits. Apparently, it's not all that easy to manufacture plastic parts to the degree of fit accuracy many plastic modelers expect. I'd expect fitting plastic planking would be a nightmare if the problems that are encountered just fitting two plastic hull halves together without gaps is any indication. 

I've heard rumors of a Foredom 45 degree adapter for their standard handpieces, but I've never seen one. That said, the belt-driven dental engine handpiece selection is unlimited and angled dental engine handpieces come in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Particularly for working inside a hull, the dental handpieces, which are designed to do fine drilling and grinding in the confines of the human mouth, are the right tool for the job. That would require acquiring a dental engine which is an expensive proposition at around $1,000 for an engine and $200 and up per handpiece, but belt-driven, foot controlled bench model dental engines, while still made, are very common on the used market because many dental labs are now going over to micromotor technology. I was recently able to come across an unused Buffalo Dental Co. bench dental engine and handpiece on eBay for seventy-five bucks. It was listed as a "inoperable steam punk" decorator piece. Upon examining the photos closely, It looked brand new, but was missing a belt and a couple of the belt wheels. The manufacturer told me they had parts available, so I decided to take a chance. It turned out to be missing the belt, wheels, and motor brushes, which cost me another fifty bucks or so from the manufacturer. I suspect it was stock on hand somewhere that had been cannibalized for the missing parts as a matter of convenience and the parts never replaced. Working dental engines and handpieces can be found on eBay for five hundred dollars or less these days. Having a Foredom, I found the dental engine a much better option for very fine work.
 
While I have an older Foredom flex-shaft tool and the two most common handpieces, the collet head and the Phillips chuck, I prefer hanging mine from the Foredom hanger that clamps to the lip of a bench. This allows me the option of putting it wherever I desire on whichever bench I am using. While other's like the benchtop base, before I had the hanging post, I found that with the bench top mount the flex-shaft was always getting in the way of things on the benchtop and, when I was focusing on the handpiece, it was all too easy to pull the shaft across the top of the bench and foul something on the bench with potentially disastrous consequences. The choice of mount is obviously a matter of the operator's preference and I'd say that, considering the relatively small cost involved, getting the hanging yoke and hanging post in addition to the bench base is probably a smart move because you'll have twice the flexibility is setting up for any particular job (e.g. sanding frames inside a hull.) 
 
As for Foredom handpieces, you will want both the chuck and the collet basic handpieces. You will also want to purchase a collet set for the collet handpiece. The collet makes swapping 1/8" Dremel bits more convenient than the chuck and if you have a 3/32" collet, you can do the same for standard dental burrs which are available online and of much higher quality and variety than the `1/8" shaft bits offered by Dremel. (You may even get your dentist to save you his old dull dental burrs, which remain just fine for woodworking.) You will also need a "reduction chuck," which permits the use of very small drill bits. This is essentially a small pin vise with a 1/8" shaft. (There's one demonstrated in the video below.)
 
Before you take a look at the Foredom drill press, I would strongly suggest you consider the Vanda-Lay drill press, or, better yet, the Vanda-Lay "mill/drill" with an X-Y table and an optional Z axis as well, The Vanda-Lay system is a reasonably affordable alternative to a much more expensive dedicated heavy-duty micro-mill. The Vanda-Lay drill press is similar to, but probably at a lower price point than the Foredom drill press, and nearly all the reasons a modeler would want a small drill press are reasons why they'd find they needed an X-Y table on it as well. The last time I spoke with Vanda-Lay (a family owned business,) they assured me that they could provide a holder for the 1" Foredom handpieces instead of the Dremel Moto-tool on special order. (Milling one yourself would be an easy task if you had access to a larger mill.)  See: https://www.vanda-layindustries.com/
 
If you haven't seen this video yet, it's worth a watch. The guy is a dentist and master modeler and gives a great overview of rotary tool options.
 
 

Attach AC outlets below the rolling bench top and wire these to an extension cord that hangs from a hook on the side of the bench. You then roll the bench around and plug it in wherever's convenient like a big "power strip."
 
I have pegboard covering all the walls of my shop bench area which aren't already covered by hanging cabinets. I also should mention that architectural recycling outfits, places like Habitat for Humanity stores, and many kitchen remodeling contractors will have used kitchen cabinets available. (Some contractors will readily give these cabinets and bases away for the taking, because the generally have to pay to take them to the dumps.) I have kitchen cabinets hung above all of my wall-mounted benches.

Oh, yeah! Copper is through the roof. The next time I need some, I'm considering going to my local scrap yard to see if they have any they'd sell me cheap. That's where the "tweakers" who steal wiring from unoccupied buildings fence heir loot. 
 

Might I also suggest AC outlets in the front of workbenches just below the bench top?. These make it very easy to plug, unplug, and use hand-held corded power tools like Dremels and soldering irons at the bench with the cords hanging down in front of the bench rather than running across the bench top where they can foul on stuff on the bench top.  Each power outlet circuit should have a ground-fault interrupter on it for those occasions when you inadvertently lay your hot soldering iron across it's plastic power cord.  
 
15 amp service is fine for lighting and small power tools, but I'd suggest you provide 30 amp service to all outlets for when you may need it. (Like when your electric coffee pot, microwave, and portable space heater are all running at the same time.  )  As you anticipate doing full-size woodworking in your shop, I think you'd also be wise to run 220 VAC to power outlets in appropriate areas. You may well come across a really great deal on a used stationary power tool that requires 220 VAC power, as all the best ones do. Having 220 VAC available, will greatly increase the number of available quality used tools for sale to pick from and if you are going to spring for a new 10" table saw or other stationary power tool, the 220 VAC will enable your stationary tool to operate at its full potential
 
In addition to workbenches against the wall, I suggest you also acquire a free-standing workbench on locking casters that can be rolled around as the job requires. It should as big as you can make it, 8'X10', if possible, and be the same height as your table saw + router table (in the saw table extension) so the bench can serve as an extension table if needed. I've found a free-standing, solid, heavy, rolling table is necessary for working on things that are too large to fit on the wall-mounted bench, like furniture and model cases. Since you are planning on doing full-sized work, your rolling workbench should have a decent below the bench top woodworking vise mounted on it (preferably one with a raising bench-dog bar on it) and your wall-mounted bench should have the biggest machinist's vise the bench can handle (4" jaws minimum) very securely mounted on a corner of the wall-mounted bench. (Think in terms of something that will hold a workpiece rock steady while you really put your back into a pipe wrench with a breaker bar.) A large rolling workbench can have drawers and cabinets installed in the body of it for tool storage. The added weight of the tools contributes to the stability of the table.
 
Since this workshop area will be in the back of your garage, I'd suggest you provide a way to roll your free-standing workbench and stationary power tools out to the drive way or at least to the threshold of the garage doors and, if it's not a huge undertaking, that may involve running 120 and 220 VAC outlets closer to the doors. When this is possible, and with a large fan at your back, spray painting, powered sanding, table sawing, and other messy jobs can be done without resorting to an expensive built-in sawdust and shavings vacuum system. The fan will blow a large amount of the airborne fine dust outside and save you a lot of shop cleanup time. (This practice is subject to the circumstances however... Some neighbors take exception to late-night power tool operating noise and perceive a cloud of sawdust drifting towards their front porch like it was mustard gas.) 
 
As your new workshop in the garage is presumably attached to the house and not removed some inconvenient distance away, you will almost certainly encounter the problem of household members employing your shop benches and tabletops... indeed any available horizontal surface in your shop... as a place to dump whatever they don't want to be inside the house at any given moment. Alas, as hard as I've tried, I've never discovered a solution to this problem that didn't involve getting a divorce. If anybody's solved this problem, please share your secret!  

Jaager's explanation is as accurate and succinct a treatment of the issue as I've ever read. I agree wholeheartedly! What he's described is an excellent example some of the problems which are often encountered with model kits designed in that era. (Modernly designed high quality kits are better by orders of magnitude.)
 
Jack's perspective has its adherents. It simply depends upon how you feel about how you spend your modeling time. He is enjoying building his model and is happy investing his time and efforts in producing that which promises to be a very nice model that will please the eyes of its beholders and display his efforts and skill in its building, regardless of its lack historical accuracy. If "a nice looking (fictional maybe) model of an old warship under sail" works for you, Jack's your man.
 
My own instinct was to suggest relying on the somewhat extensive available research to accurately bash the AL kit to model the 1855 corvette. That would result in a model which tells an historically accurate and very interesting story which will remain relevant into the future, which demonstrates your own modeling skill, and will be a thing of intrinsic beauty in itself. However, Jaager's relating Mark Taylor's experience doing just that leads me to reach somewhat the same conclusion as Jaager: I'd sell the kit on eBay for whatever you can get for it and apply the proceeds to buying a high quality historically accurate modern kit. With an equally enjoyable investment of effort and time you'll end up with something which will be capable of communicating much more than a stock build of the AL Constellation kit can. 
 
I don't know how old your are or how much modeling you've done, but most of us who do it long enough and get old enough come to realize at some point that we've only got time left to build a limited number of models. That leads us to focus on spending what time we have left building the best models we can, not only in terms of technical building skill, but also in terms of historical accuracy. It really boils down to whether one wishes to leave behind a large collection of built kits that are destined for the landfill in a generation or two at most or what we hope will be a very few very well done works of historical research and modeling artistry that might... just might... survive to serve some useful purpose for longer than that.

Ceiling insulation.  
It is not likely that the back work room will ever used for heavy machines, so under the concrete pour having a layer of 2" or more of solid foam sheet insulation  be between the ground and the cement.  makes heating easier.   probably a wash in summer since the 52 degree layer is a lot farther down.   
I would probably be happiest if all three outside walls had windows and the long one was more window than solid.  
For about six months of the year, having fresh air would make it less claustrophobic.
It is not really living space so looks are irrelevant so at night - in winter - instead of  Window Quilt barriers,  a push fit of solid foam sheet pieces will save heat loss. 

Thanks again, everyone.
 
The floor will be reinforced concrete continuous with the floor of the garage. Who knows, someone may want to work on something heavy in there some day.
 
I will need mats on the floor, at least in front of machines (mill, lathe) that I will be standing in front of for long periods. I'll use adjustable height stools or chairs that I can move in front of other work areas.
 
I like the way the bench was constructed in the video vaddoc linked to. There will be a "L" shaped bench across the end of the room and along the short side where the outside tool locker will be. I think 30" (76 cm) deep will be about right. This bench will be about 12 feet (3.66 meters) on the long side and ?? feet (?? meters) on the short leg.
 
Here is an overhead view of what I have in mind:
 

 
It is a small "retirement" house, with a single car garage. The workshop is an extension of the garage. The wall with the door is 13.75 feet (4.2 meters) long and the wall along the long side of the fixed bench is 11.65 feet (3.55 meters) long, inside dimensions. You can see the 6.5 foot long (2 meter) CLG hull on the moveable bench. The benches are 30 inches (76 cm) deep.
 
The "tool locker" is an outside accessible store room for a lawn mower and gardening tools. They currently occupy the space in the garage between the end of the cabinets and the upper wall in the picture. When I put in the doorway I will need somewhere to put all those things. I will put the vacuum and air compressor in the cabinets in the garage and plumb them into the work room. That way the noise will not be in the work room.
 
The shop isn't very large but it is a major improvement. Right now I do most of my work on the kitchen table with hand tools.
 
Now I just need to draw up 2D plans and get some bids from contractors. I'm sure there will be changes. I will need at least one window. I have been building and remodeling houses since I was a kid, and I suppose I could do most of this except the concrete work. But I'll have a contractor build the foundation, framing, exterior walls and roof. That's a caveat to my age (and my significant other). I can finish the interior myself.

My garage is reasonably (aka to my wife as really. really) dusty. That keeps people at bay.

Attach AC outlets below the rolling bench top and wire these to an extension cord that hangs from a hook on the side of the bench. You then roll the bench around and plug it in wherever's convenient like a big "power strip."
 
I have pegboard covering all the walls of my shop bench area which aren't already covered by hanging cabinets. I also should mention that architectural recycling outfits, places like Habitat for Humanity stores, and many kitchen remodeling contractors will have used kitchen cabinets available. (Some contractors will readily give these cabinets and bases away for the taking, because the generally have to pay to take them to the dumps.) I have kitchen cabinets hung above all of my wall-mounted benches.