Glenn-UK

I have been working on the foremast today making sure everything is ready before I start adding the shrouds. I realised I had not added any of the hooks and eyebolts to the deck. I drilled the holes and fitted them as per the plan sheet. If I had my time again I would pre drilled the deck assembly before it was fitted. Doing it after all the deck items had been fitted made it a bit tricky but I did manage it without incident. I also glued the cannon balls in place.

Before I started the shrouds I noted that the Fore Top assembly required 16 off block adding. I decided to complete this before gluing the Fore Top assembly to the lower fore mast.

I thought I would share my current method to rig these blocks. I did try the method shown on J Brent's YouTube video which I think is a great method but I could not seem to get to grips with it. I don't think my method is the best or correct method but is one that works really well for me.

Step 1 - I check the holes in the block are clear, using a 0.5mm micro drill bit.

Step 2 - I place the block in my reverse action tweezers and add the black thread, carefully positioning the half hitch knot to one end of the block before adding a touch of ca glue.

Step 3 - This is where I could do with a second set reverse action tweezers, which I have now ordered. I hold the block in one set of tweezers (with a croc clip as these are not reverse action). I hold the black thread ends fairly taut using my reverse action tweezers. I then add the whipping using some natural thread, I normally try to whip the thread 3 or 4 times. Finally I add a touch of ca and trim away the excess natural thread.

Step 4 - I thread both ends of the black thread the eyebolt (in opposite directions) and secure with two half hitch knots, one either side of the eye bolt. I add a touch of ca before trimming away the excess thread. As you will note from the following picture I'm not very good at taking photos.

1 hour ago, SpyGlass said:

Absolutely great work. 

Just having a think myself, looking forward, this little vessel seems set up to carry a enormous amount of sail, I was wondering if I could find any illustrations of similar vessel working with less sail and spars - not to avoid work of course !!!😀

Thanks, I'm not very good at this rigging lark but there seems quite a bit to do. I will be much happier once the shrouds and ratlines have been completed as that aspect be very time consuming.

43 minutes ago, glbarlow said:

It’s always a good plan to rig out masts and spars as much as possible off the ship.  It’s so much easier if all you.re doing at that point is connecting stuff. 

I think you are right, particularly with some of the small blocks (3mm). I did find it easier to get the thread started and I had better visibility and room to manoeuvre.

I have now completed the installation and rigging of the spritsail yard. The task really tested my patience at times, due to my poor rigging skills.

I thought it would it good idea to pre rig the all the external 3mm single blocks.  This is shown in the first two photos below.

After I had fitted the spritsail yard to the bowsprit I noticed that the clue lines should have been rigged using a natural thread. I removed the pre rigged black thread and then re rigged in situ using a natural thread, it was not as bad as I thought. The next two pictures shows the clue lines rigged but not belayed, but I do have the lines under tension.

Finally I belayed the three lines using the method shown in J Brent's YouTube video. It was without doubt the most difficult aspect of this rigging phase for me. I can always add the belay loops, as shown in J Brent's YouTube video at a later stage. It is really satisfying to note haw much more secure the spritsail yard became once the clue lines had been rigged and belayed. The following two photos below shows the completed Spritsail Yard rigging. Next I plan to move on to adding the Foremast shrouds.

I am not very good a rigging, but I have made a start and I'm fairly happy with the result.

I started with the gammoning, this turned out to be quite a fun task, the only tricky bit was I had to be careful when passing the thread through the bow rail assembly.

I also added the banding, cleats, blocks, boarding pike and hatchet racks to the foremast

Finally I completed the bowsprit stays. I was not looking forward to tackling this task as everything is quite small and densely packed. However it was nowhere near as bad as I feared. In terms of the method each stay was fitted as follows:

a) I cut a length of black thread and fixed a deadeye at one end, ensuring I left a small gap so the lanyard thread could pass through for whipping on the stay thread.

b) I checked all the deadeye holes were clear using my 0.6mm drill bit.

c) I loosely secured the stay at the hull.

d) I completed the lanyard rigging and adjusted the tension and position of the stay's deadeye.

e) Once I was happy I completed the whipping of the lanyard.

I have included a couple of pictures of the work in progress and one of the completed bowsprit stay rigging.

I have made a bit more progress today. I have made and fitted the two boomkins, these parts are shown on plan sheet 4, as shown in the picture below

I then completed the bowsprit assembly and started with the rigging, as can be seen on the two pictures below.

The following picture also shows the yards, booms and masts

The next task will be to add the gammoning and then to fit the bowsprit stays. Once that is complete I will install and rig the spritsail yard. Once this is complete the next task will be adding the shrouds. Fun times ahead.

Welcome back David. It is looking really nice.

I now have completed the basic manufacturing of the yards, sorry for the poor quality of the photos. I plan to add the various cleats, eyebolts, etc. prior to painting and installation to the fore and and main masts, as dictated by the rigging process.

I just have the main and driver booms left to shape which should not take too long. I hope to start the rigging process later this week, starting with the gammoning of the bowsprit.

The first picture is work in progress on a yard, in my mini lathe. The second picture shows the completed yards on the plan sheet.

1 hour ago, Richard44 said:

Er, Glenn..., I could be horribly wrong here, but haven't you got the lower trestle tree upside down?

 

Richard

It is only a fry fit to make sure the crosstrees fits after I had squared the 8mm dowel. It will be the other way once the blocks have been added and it has been glued in place

A bit more progress today with the Fore Topmast and the Fore Topgallant masts.

Today I started work on the Fore Mast. I decided that the first part to work on would shaping the 5mm square section for the crosstrees assembly. I used some ideas I had seen on the "John Build Iconic Models" YouTube channel with regards to marking and removing the excess wood.

With reference to the picture below I started with two lengths of masking tape. Each tape was cut to 26mm which is the approx. diameter of the 8mm dowel. I then added a centre line to the tape and marked 4mm either side of the centre line and 4mm from each edge. The tape was then wrapped around the dowel at the top and bottom edge of the 5mm square area. I then drew lines on the dowel so I had a reasonable guide to how much wood needed to be removed.

I started by making a cut to the approx. depth at the top and bottom with my saw so I would have a neat edge. Using my sharp craft knife, in conjunction with a sanding stick, I removed the excess wood. I positioned the dowel in my mini vice so that I had to stay above the top of the vice jaws when cutting and sanding. I continued with this process until I was happy I had a 5mm x 5mm square section, as shown in the two pictures below.

To make the 5mm circle for the end cap I did toy with the idea and using a small section of 5mm dowel and fixing to fore mast with a pin and glue. I rejected this and using my mini lathe with some sandpaper I had soon reduced the dowel to 5mm . I then marked the position of the cheeks, and using my craft knife and sanding stick removed the excess wood. I was reasonable happy with the end result. Once completed I dry fitted the crosstrees, cap and cheeks and I was happy that everything fitted together OK, as shown in the final two pictures.

I have had a good morning as I finally completed adding all the blocks and deadeyes to the bowsprit. I thought I would share my method, which may not be the best (or indeed correct) but it worked well for me.

To start with I looked at the requirement, and began to ponder how I could replicate the multiple deadeyes (and blocks). I watched the J Brent YouTube videos a few times for ideas, which I found really helpful and something I will use but it did not really address this requirement as shown in photo  below.

I started with cutting a length of thread which I then ran through my beeswax  block a few times. After that I positioned the first deadeye in my tweezers and added a touch a ca glue and attached the thread centrally, as shown below.

I then wrapped the tread around the deadeye and secured with another touch of ca. 

I then added the next deadeye and moved it down the length of the thread to the correct position, checking the position by test wrapping it around the bowsprit, as shown in the pictures below.

The final picture is the completed bowsprit, dry fitted to the hull. I will now start work with making the fore and main masts, yards and booms.

Progress has been slow, partly due to me enjoying the sunshine in the garden and partly due to nature of the current phase of the build.

I have now completed the Spritsail Boom, you will note I have added a pin ready for when spritsail boom is fixed to the bowsprit and a couple of the eyebolts could be better positioned, but it looks Ok to the naked eye.

I have also started to add the blocks and deadeyes to the bowsprit.

Great answer Chris. I will continue to use the kit supplied belaying pins

2 minutes ago, Suzdal said:

Glennard

 

I've been following along your build of the Speedy with a lot of interest while in confinement. Am also interested in tackling the ship.

 

Forgive me for asking, if you've already answered the question.

 

What is your mini lath that you're using to tackle the various yards and etc, ... ?

 

Richard

Hello Richard

I bought the Proxxon DB250 Micro woodturning lathe a few years ago. It seems to do the job Ok. 

35 minutes ago, NewbyMark said:

I took the alternative view. I could not stand to see them without restraints, so I have ordered the required parts. I also ordered replacement belaying pins because I didn't really like the PE pins (not sure PE is really suitable for these parts). I think they were the only two changes I'd make to the kit though, thoroughly enjoying the experience otherwise. Your build looks great, looking forward to seeing her finished!

I would normally rig the cannons. I was not too sure about the PE belaying pins but will try using them. I do have some wooden belaying pins which I could possible use if necessary. 

I'm still working on the bowsprit assembly. I have now manufactured the flying jibboon and spritsail. It has been a lot of fun using the mini lathe to get the correct tapering.

The picture below shows the bowsprit, jibboom and flying jibboom dry fitted to the hull. It was a bit difficult to add the spritsail to the dry fit but I did manage to take a picture. I will add the cleats, deadeyes, blocks, eyebolts, etc. to these items before moving on to the manufacture of the fore mast and main mast and their associated  yards and spars. I think this will take quite a few days.

With Spritsail

Without Spritsail

Today I started work in earnest on the bowsprit.

I used my 1mm and 2mm tape to mark the edge and the angle for the cut for the bowsprit cap (part 126) and to indicate the correct positions of the various parts, see the two photos below.

Some items need to be fitted to the side(s). As the material for the bowsprit is a 6mm dowel I used a 3mm wide piece of wood to mark the correct position as shown in the photo below which was taken when marking the position of the bowsprit bees. The break in the tap edge tape is the 0.8mm hole I had drilled for the jibboom saddle.

The photo below shows the test fitting of the 2 off bowsprit bee's, jibboom saddle and bowsprit fairlead cleat. The parts were then removed and painted black. I have also drilled the holes for (and painted black) the 11 off bowsprit cleats. The bowsprit was tapered (using my mini lathe) so the bowsprit cap would fit.

I have also started work on the jibboom. I started by drilling the 0.8mm hole and then tapering the jibboon (using my mini lathe) so the bowsprit cap and jibboom and flying jibboom bracket will fit.

The final photo show the bowsprit and jibboom dry fitted to the boat.

I have rigged cannons before, however this kit dies not include the parts for this task. Also I decided that once Speedy has been rigged the lack of rigging on the 4lb cannons would not overly distract from the final build. I would have probably rigged the cannons if I could have done them "off deck" using a cannon rigging jig, which I used in a previous build. This was not going to be possible as I had already glued in the eyebolts to the cannon assemblies.

Speedy has now come to life now that all the deck fitting have been fitted. After much inner discussions I have decided not to rig the 4lb cannons.

Next stage will be the production of the all masts. bowsprit, yards, etc.

I have painted and fitted the swivel guns (all twenty) and I have started to add all the deck fittings.

I have dry fitted the bowsprit, fore mast and main mast, all cut on the long side. The yellow  tape indicates the true length of these items.

Very nice copper plating, well done

I have now dry fitted the chain plates with the channels. According to the plan sheets the lower end of the 5mm deadeye chain plates should terminate at the lower edge of the wale. It would seem they actually terminate just below the lower edge of the wale. From what I can see from the build photos in the manual the chain plates do terminate below the bottom edge of the wales.

It is possible to ensure that the chain plates terminate with the lower wale edge, noting the deadeye would be slightly raised above the channel.

After Post Comment

After looking at the bending and shaping of the lower part of the chain plate and noting the channel can be raised up a tad as the top edge needs to be level with the lower edge of the gun port (the are only dry fitted at the moment) I have decided to locate the top chain plate pin hole in the wale and to locate the lower chain plate pin hole below the wale.

The two photos below shows the channel can be repositioned a tad and also the shaping and current position of one of the chain plates.

The pins have now been glued in the channels and cleats. I then dry fitted the cleats to ensure the support pins had been trimmed to the right length.

To ensure the channels are correctly positioned and so that I drill the holes accurately on the hull to accept the support pins I used my 2mm tape. I positioned lengths of tape in the correct position for the channels based plan sheet 4 along the hull. I then offered up each channel to the tape (at 90 degrees) and marked the position of the support pins on to the tape. Once I was happy the markings on the tape were in the correct position I used my 0.6mm drill to make the holes for the channel support pins. See pictures below (not great quality)

Cleats dry fitted

Taping of channel positions and marking of the support pin locations.

Dry fitting of the channels to check the pin holes are deep enough.

I have now painted the channels and cleats. They have all be drilled (using a 0.6mm drill) so the pins for additional support when fixing these items to the hull can be glued in place. It should be noted that only 6 off (3 per side) of the larger cleats are provided with the kit which is in line with the instruction manual requirements. I will fit 4 per side however, as indicated on plan sheet 4, as I did have  some spares.

I have also fitted the 3mm and 5mm deadeyes to their respective chain plates. It did not take to much effort to open up the chain plates to accept the deadeyes and then to close them back up again. The deadeye can still be rotated to ensure they are in the correct position when the rigging stage commences. I may add a touch a ca in advance to help secure the deadeyes in the correct alignment.

I did drop one 3mm deadeye on the floor and despite my best efforts it is now deemed to be "MIA"