md1400cs

Keith,
 
Noted. Thanks for the nice words. In retrospect I would have opted for the Sergal/Mantua. It is larger, but much closer to the 1-1
I have seen your previous work. You are so talented. A Wasa, other than the Corel, would be much better for your needs.
 
If were to start this project again I would also use this absolutely beautiful Sergal example as a guide. This artist is about as good as it gets for this ship, and this hobby.
 
(Moderators! I hope that I'm not breaking any rules by posting this link, if I am please let me know and I will re-write this post.)
 
http://warshipvasa.freeforums.net/thread/84/shels-vasa-completed           such a beautiful example 
 
PS: Hindsight is always so 20/20 
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Keith,
 
Hi, thanks so much for dropping by. When I started this log, I did not include the very early stages, as those tend to be very redundant for so many kit builds. However in the case of the Corel's Vasa it could be informative in that Corel very much miss-managed the shape of the stern. Here are some early pics of the build. I hope that they are helpful. I followed the kit plans to a "T".
 
With regard to adding 8 mm per side it would, I think create other issues.
 
1) it would sort of "Bow" outward the entire stern as you would need to add girth from the keel up to the weather deck. You would have to start a bit aft of mid-ship to still create proper longitudinal look to the hull
 
2) it would probably create larger gaps when you install the decorative pieces. Note on my build that I did not broaden the stern and there still are minor gaps in the spacing of the "wooden" decorative artwork. See the museum photo compared to mine, everything is tightly connected. Widening the stern may not look good, given the sizes of Corel's gilded parts.
 
The primary issue with this kit is the mis-shaped stern, which I did manage to fix after the fact. Now that is an area you could easily circumvent during the initial stages.
 
As I went along, I was very self critical with certain failures, on my part, that could have been avoided had I also referred to other sources during early build stages. I've learned a lot since. The Corel is a nice kit, though it is the least accurate of the three available commercially. With much extra detail work it will produce an acceptable and beautiful build. All of my friends who know nothing about this ship think its perfect--funny, only we fanatics here at MSW, especially Vasa builders will be able to see the errors among the kits. I've droned on a bit too long (:-)
 
If you have any other questions, please post them. I'm very happy to assist in any way I can. And as I said, if your scroll through what I've criticized of my work, it will certainly be helpful for you to  avoid if you decide on the Corel.
 
MIchael

Keith,
 
Noted. Thanks for the nice words. In retrospect I would have opted for the Sergal/Mantua. It is larger, but much closer to the 1-1
I have seen your previous work. You are so talented. A Wasa, other than the Corel, would be much better for your needs.
 
If were to start this project again I would also use this absolutely beautiful Sergal example as a guide. This artist is about as good as it gets for this ship, and this hobby.
 
(Moderators! I hope that I'm not breaking any rules by posting this link, if I am please let me know and I will re-write this post.)
 
http://warshipvasa.freeforums.net/thread/84/shels-vasa-completed           such a beautiful example 
 
PS: Hindsight is always so 20/20 
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Hans,
 
Nice project I'm glad that I looked in. I'm sure that you already know this, but in case that you don't (:-)
 
http://www.bataviaphotos.com/gallery.html
 
I'm building her cousin (:-)
 
Regards,
 
MIchael.

This picture is from a museum in Stockholm showing an interpretation of the Oseberg ship. I have made some very nice looking arrows pointing at two metal pieces holding the thingies (?) on the left and right of the mast fish in place. As you can see on the other picture from Oslo showing the real ship, the metal pieces is also present on the original.
 
I have tried to find some apropriate material to use for this on my own model, i have searched everywhere and i am starting to loose hope for finding anything usable. It has to be some metal which is so thin that you can easily shape it to fit.
Is there anyone out there who can tell me what i should be looking for?

Hi Everyone,
 
Well, I have an actual update that moves this build forward a tiny bit. These little bits were labor intensive, but I really enjoyed the challenge.
 
This also required me to make needed pulleys for the first time. Both Nigel (for wood), and Joachim (for brass) had some excellent solutions for this. I tried Nigel's method, but his skill-set is working on 12 cylinders RR. I'm still at maybe the imported turbo four-cylinder stage. Nigel, I tried and failed, but thanks for your kind explanation, which I understood.....
 
So, not to belabor this post, alternatively you can see my first attempts at using my Proxxon lathe to make pulleys.
 
Early stages looked ok. Then came the part that I had to cut and trim the grooved dowel piece in order to slip the new pulleys into the new blocks I just built (used when the mast-tackles were hauled taut [Landström]).
 
Hmmm no good - they looked weak. I then noticed that I had a loose cannon wheel lying about that was the same width as my dowel. Eureka, as a solution I used my Proxxon rotary tool to spin the carriage wheels in order to cut grooves; weak and inconsistent results again.
 
Then another thought popped in. I could use small deadeyes that are so nicely pre-grooved and then just thin their sides a bit, and just slip then in; Voilà.
 
Here are a few pics. of how this part of the weather deck got a detail upgrade. I'm content.
 
Note that one of the pics. has a bunch of beached-out deadeyes, they will be re-born as future pulleys (:-)
 
Again, thanks for dropping by it is always so appreciated.
 
PS: A big thanks to one of the other builders who used the fishing line idea for his deck treenails. So sorry I forgot who it was. with apologies (:-(   -- but I always remembered that brilliant idea.
 
PS2: I will be removing those incorrect fife rails, and give my milling machine a go at it, now that I'm an expert with pulleys ha ha.....I hope that the pics load in order.
 
 
Michael
 

A minor update, but still slowly moving forward. Here are a few pics of the installed channel deadeyes for the main mast. Thanks to all of you who are so kind spending time on my log, clicking and of course offering your thoughts; much appreciated.
 
As many other builders have said, close up photos are scary....I see all kinds of errors that I have made (:-) 
 
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for all of your very kind and supportive postings, like clicks, and also for just dropping by, all much appreciated.
 
Just finishing up the mizzenmast channels as well their corresponding chainplates and deadeyes. For these small and claustrophobically located deadeyes, I decided to pre-rig them. I did not trust my skills by waiting to thread the ropes. I will adjust the ropes once the shrouds are attached to the mast.   They look as though they have not been threaded correctly, but they are ok, I just need to rotate the deadeyes back and forth a bit.
 
I know that the channel has been mounted too low, but that has been relegated to hindsight, because stern decorative pieces would not have positioned properly (too many gaps) had I lowered the upper galleries due to my miss-calculations during stern assembly. My fault -  Grrrrr.
 
The last two pics. show the beginnings of the next bit; the two blocks that are mounted on those channels. I'm using balsa to create the proper shape, and angles (still a work-in-progress), and then I will cut two out of other wood.
 
The milling machine will get flipped on, hmmm - lets see if I can drill and groove out a proper space for the needed pulleys? On the plus-side pulleys are just already waiting in the wings for just a bit of weight loss on their sides ha ha....
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

Hi Michael
I do see where you are coming from there.I cannot be doing with the faff of making my own,I would rather spend the time on other parts of the build.I too am considering ordering in from Chuck,including replacing the kit blocks with Pear ones,for my Caroline build.I haven't taken a sidestep to assess my requirements yet.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel

really looks great Michael, I understand there is nothing like Chuck's ropes....probably make things easier for you.

all figures are mounted
 

 

 

 
next step will be the finalization and repair of paintwork.
also I hava to make a to-do list for the last items on the decks
- stairs
- doors finalization
- decorations between the doors
- .........

Hello all!!!
I finished the running rigging in my Fore mast. 
Next Main, Mizzen, Flags and done!!!!
 
Thanks for watching.
As always, comments and critiques welcome!!!
 

Wacko,
 
Thanks for your always generous postings, always very much appreciated.
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

That is a very clever system for marking gun ports - impressive work!
 
Cheers
Alistair

JPett Joachim, John, Nigel, JanV, Mark
 
Guys thanks so much for your latest encouraging words. I have, as you might know, been bothered with past mistakes (ship-of course (:-) the other parts of my life have been perfect Hmmmmm..
 
I went back and looked at an error that would be too hard to fix now. Corel, as opposed to Billings, did not properly indicate how the upper deck entry framings should look, nor how high they should be above the deck.
 
So, if this might be of help for Corel Wasa kits under your tables, it could have been an easy adjustment (had I known)
 
I could have installed that middle portion of the weather deck template a bit lower, and added a rearward slope to the housings themselves, then added the cover planks.
 
Moving forward; looking forward to my next steps. Again thanks to all of you who post, click Like or just look in Big Thanks.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Hello everyone,
 
Joachim, Matti, thanks for your comments. Buck I will check this out. I do remember something like that in JPett's log. Thanks
 
Here is the third, and last update regarding this "fix". It is hard to believe that I'm almost totally done with fixes.
 
The first photo was the original look of that part of the ship; before rebuilding the ladders, the gratings, the transom railings, the poop deck, as well as adding those two benches on each side of those doors, and adding white trim all along the outer edges of the railings.
 
The second pic is the same view after all of the repairs. Oh, as you can also see on that second pic, those "rope pulley things" (knightheads?) have been removed. They will also get re-invented to look correct. Those railings that Corel indicated should be added have also been removed.
 
In second photo you can really see the error built into the Corel kit regarding those "center" entry door framings. The housings are much too high. Just the upper rounded tops should rise above the weather deck. AND my lack of shaping them with a rearward slope (MY error) added to the problem. grrrrr (:-) That section of the deck should be just a bit lower. I could have done that as I was installing that first deck layer, but I was ignorant of that issue at that time. I've become a bit more critical since.
 
The rest of the pics are just a look around sort-of speak. I'm comfortable with this repair work and can now move forward.
 
1) Drill all hull cannon door and draw rope holes.
2) Build and install ratline frames
3) Figure out what to do regarding those square hole dilemmas for the railings
4) Cut in half, and paint the remaining gilded figures for the deck railings decorative bits.
 
Thanks for stopping by, always very much appreciated.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Hi everyone,
 
Here is part 2 of my poop deck railing fixes. Due to errors in the Corel framing, the new cannon openings will "sit" too high. But I wanted to add the stern most cannon port decorative pieces. So you and I will know of this error but it will escape everyone else's attention.
 
Ironically enough even if I had understood this before installing the weather deck, and made height adjustments, it would have thrown off the entire stern and galleries. As it is, the upper galleries sit too high along the hull. But had I incorporated the adjustments then the stern windows as well as the window stranding soldiers would have not had the proper space in which to stand. Corel hello??? Moving on....
 
I also needed to add filler pieces to the upper weather deck stern decorative piece (piece where the flag pole will mount) in order to have it properly align with the deck edges after removing those hull trim pieces from my previous post. These fillers will visually mostly disappear as I add more details during the third and final update of this repair.
 
I also decided to remove all of the wood trim along the entire upper hull railings, and replace them with stained white trim. It will look much more detailed as well as adding a sense of "paint" that the Vasa wore so well for an hour or so.
 
The upper rails will also have this white trim added when the poop deck work is completed as well as the very last third railings. These wont be installed until the very end of this build.
 
Though in the interim I need to drill all of the holes for the vertical uprights. These holes need to be square (no idea how to do this without damaging the already fragile rails). Thanks, as usual, for stopping by.
 
Regards,
 
Michael

Doris,
 
Every time that I log onto your build, I now think of the movie Gravity in IMAX 3D (loved it) --and I think, "this can't be real, you must be posting images that are digital, and playing with our minds", but no! your work is real...
 
Your level of art is Amazing. On our planet you are mostly beyond comparison. An amazing pleasure for all of our eyes. Thank you. 
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

B.E.
 
Thanks for the compliment, it is certainly nice to read this from such an artist as you are. Very much appreciated.
 
Ah the "old World" how nice it is to hang on to traditions, including active vocabulary. This word being originally British, never got exported to our side of the pond. I need to start using it to confuse my friends (:-)
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael

Hello Mates,
 
OK that's enough pain for one morning; such poor results. Going downstairs to make myself a second latè, maybe Irish style (:-). Then, go online and order real ropes from Syren. 
 
I could, arguably, get better -practice, practice, practice I get that. But this very inexpensive Model Expo Ropewalk also won't allow for really long runs. So I'm moving forward, and, I don't want to spend the big bucks for the Byrnes (excellent product from all reviews).
 
I don't have a closet full of pending builds. It would need several ships just to pay for itself. Deferring to the experts on ropes. Oh I will also order a complete set of pear wood blocks from Syren as well (:-)
 
PS: The Ropewalk's only problem is operator malfunction, I'm not in any way disparaging the product. It works (:-) Model Expo is an excellent company. In fact I bought my Corel from them, along with many  other things.
 
Regards,
 
 
Michael