Karleop

Hi everyone!!
 
After almost seven months, finally I finished all the deck furniture and glue them in their proper place. Here some pictures:
 

 
Next step, start with the masts.
 
Saludos, Karl
 
 
 
 

I put some yards in place to see how they look. Iphone lens makes them look a bit thicker at the near end

Hola Michael:
I find this picture of the Wasa Museum, and regarding the upper yard hailing rope you are right. If you make a zoom on the picture you can see (unfortunately not very clearly) a sheave for the hailing rope.
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 
 

Ok,  I decided to take a look at improving the main hatch issue.
 
For reference, here's what it looked like after my initial work:
 

 
Today, I removed the hatch, which wasn't too difficult.  I use a water-soluble glue, so a little water loosened it right up.
 

 
I masked the area under the hatch and painted the planks black:
 

 

 
 
Here's final result.  I did not add anything to the clear panes at this point.  I didn't glue it back together yet, so I have some time to consider how I like it.
 

 
Andy.

Most of the weekend spent making the yards, all done by hand, just lots of sanding. Something not clear on the AOTS drawings is the fact that the yards that are eight square in the centre section had battens nailed onto the flat sections. The battens were 1" thick so at 1:51 scale thats 0.5mm - the deck planking material is 0.5mm so I used some of the left over planks for the battens. Its terrible open wood so hard to keep edges straight. SIx done six to go. Pics are of the main yard.

Hola;
Following with the cannons and carriages, apparently the problem was solved changing the eyebolts but that was not so. I tried to accommodate the cannons in its place but they do not look good, the reason: the blocks are out of scale and are to big (the correct size would be less than 5/64 instead the ones provided 3/32). So, instead of two blocks per side I remove one of them to get more space. They are not as they must be but they look better.
 
Here with the two blocks:
 

 
Here with one block removed:
 

 
Here you can see the difference of both
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 

Hi Mates,
Well I am partially “confused”. Returning to the bowsprit area, for my first attempts at securing the deadeye ropes, and then actually starting the ratlines.
THEN - JanV was right – way back – when he posted, “how will you remember where all of those pre- attached bowsprit mast ropes are supposed to go”?
Now working from the Vasa museum rigging sheet, the Billings sheet, and the Corel -no sails - sheet just don’t know what I’m doing right or wrong ha ha ..
AND Fred Hocker recently posted that the Vasa Museum rigging plan sheet is wrong and is no longer being sold. The Vasa II book will have the correct rigging plans within – a book that is already two years beyond its promised publication date L
 
Updated pics. Need to add a fid for the flagpole? Probably.

 
As a novice, I thought that pre-attaching the blocks and lines would be easier before securing the mast to the bow.
That said I am actually moving forward – now that part is satisfying.
I did finish the upper main platform and added the rat lines (crosstree blocks are missing – I just realized as well) well at least those will be easy.
 

Finished the mainmast upper platform, and discovered that several blocks are also missing at the already installed crosstree for the lower main platform– grrr
These learning experiences are actually valuable as often as I include -grrrr - in my remarks, The next build will benefit from these learning experiences.
 
Cheers mates,
 

 

Oh, I have a quick response related to the hinges.  First, thanks for the tip - the metallic painted paper is a really good idea!
 
Second, and this is more of an overall approach to my build - there are a ton of little details included in the kit and the plans.  Things like the extra pads when doing the deck planking, the skylights embedded in the deck, the hinges on the boxes, the fire hose on one of the deck hatches, etc.  I've deliberately left a lot of those out - some I may add later, but many I may not.  I appreciate the accuracy of those parts, but I also want my build to have cleaner look and not have so many little details that they seem to clutter the overall model.  I'm certainly not criticizing those folks that put them in - they have more skill than I do to pull them off anyway.  But, I feel there's also some value in leaving some of those off as well.  Or I'm just lazy!
 
For example, I've not drilled hawse holes at the bow.  I may never do that - for one, I'm hesitant to drill into my painstakingly planked deck and wales.   I know it would inaccurate to leave them out, but aesthetically I may prefer it that way.  Mind is not made up, I may still do it, but it's an example.
 
Andy.

Hola Andy:
I also had several problems trying to do the box hinges, but finally I got good results doing them with little strips of paper that were previously painted with metallic bronze color. You can see the results in my post #61.
 
Saludos, Karl

Hola:
 
Continuing with the last steps of the deck I installed the Gunports lids that must remain closed:

 
Also I fixed the rudder blade to the hull:

 
Special mention deserve the cannons and carriages: If you try to follow the instructions you are dealing with an impossible task mainly because the gun tackles are out of proportion (compared with the instructions drawing) and there is no way to accommodate both tackles in the space provided, additionally the eyebolt position on the carriage is in wrong place, instead of being at the center it must be put a little behind the smaller trucks and in a vertical position: All of these changes can be seen in the real picture of the ship.
 

 
Here you can see the differences I talk about. The first two are according to the instructions and the other ones with the corrected position.
 

 
Final comment about the carriages: the brass rod provided to serve as the tackle rods are very thin and so I must to do them  filing toothpicks to the right size.
 
Saludos, Karl

Hi friends:
I am almost finishing the deck furniture (so many details!!  ).  Now  there are the Fife Rails, including the winches:
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 

Hola:
 
Continuing with the last steps of the deck I installed the Gunports lids that must remain closed:

 
Also I fixed the rudder blade to the hull:

 
Special mention deserve the cannons and carriages: If you try to follow the instructions you are dealing with an impossible task mainly because the gun tackles are out of proportion (compared with the instructions drawing) and there is no way to accommodate both tackles in the space provided, additionally the eyebolt position on the carriage is in wrong place, instead of being at the center it must be put a little behind the smaller trucks and in a vertical position: All of these changes can be seen in the real picture of the ship.
 

 
Here you can see the differences I talk about. The first two are according to the instructions and the other ones with the corrected position.
 

 
Final comment about the carriages: the brass rod provided to serve as the tackle rods are very thin and so I must to do them  filing toothpicks to the right size.
 
Saludos, Karl

After a long absence from the shipyard I have started making the yards. Started with the gaff

Thanks Michael
 
In relation to your question about caps on Dave Rowe's build, here is an explanation;
 

 
The cap has a square hole to fit on the top of the lower mast which is squared off
 

 
Here is the lower mast cap in place. It has a round hole for the topmast. The round hole must be a slightly larger diameter than the thickest part of the rounded section of the topmast
 

 
As Dave mentioned the topmast is raised through the hole in the cap, once in place the fid is put in place to stop the topmast from sliding back down. In the third pic shows the base of the topmast and the fid. The base of the topmast is squared off and wider than the rounded part so its not able to be slid down through the hole in the cap, that why the topmast must be slid up through the cap.
 



 
The square part of the topmast base is just smaller than the square hole in the top so it can fit through
 

 
The topmast cap is the same deal, a square hole for the top of the mast and a round hole for the topgallant mast to slide up through. For model building purposes you can just slide the cap down onto the topmast or topgallant mast from the top
 

 
It all fits together nicely without glue if all the dimensions are right
 

 
Cheers
Steve

It was at this point in the build that I was going to switch to the Pinnace and come back to this later, but I have changed directions. I will display them separately. I made a small modification to the rudder (can you tell what it is?). Here are photos of where it stands.
 
Masting and rigging is next!
Steve

Thanks for the encouragement! We are reading all comments together, and it really makes her surprised that some People From All Over The World are watching her progress
 
Progress was really slow, but for a good reason - we were busy with lots of other activities.
From now on, most of the photos are described by Daria, and I am my few cents where necessary:
 
Daria: here I am cleaning up the glue with dremel, so we will be able to glue some other parts on it
My comment: making sure that using proper safety gear is a habit and not something "weird". That was easy, since at the moment she wants to be like a dad, and if dad wears safety glasses and respirator - then she will do it as well Of course the fit is not good, the respirator is basically useless if it does not fit the face properly, so I am not doing any dusty work when she is around.

 
Daria: we steamed the hull sides with boiling water so they could be bent. We do everything without mistakes (trying to)

 
Daria: I am building a city here, myself, without any help. My dad gave me a lot of small wood pieces.
There is a man in this city, a kite, and one butterfly. This city is imaginary. It also has a trampoline, airport and few small ships. That ships sail by themselves, they know where to go.

 
Daria: here we are gluing the right side of the hull and then we clamp it. Clamping was very tricky!

 
Daria: we will build a box, I will help as well. I already used a hand plane to smoothen the wood plank! I selected the most interesting parts of the planks - one looked like butterfly, one like sun, and another one like a squirrel tail!
My comment: I was really pleased that she got the idea of a wood figure, and prefers some interesting parts ("sun", "butterfly" and "squirrel") instead of just a smooth part of the plank without any figure. My previous epoxy fill was not very good, lots of bubbles, so I am redoing it properly this time, using torch to quickly get rid of all bubbles.

 
So there would be a delay again - this time to make a jewellery box, exactly like I did for my wife (photos are here: http://imgur.com/a/7fNCc ), but smaller. I promised, now need to deliver

Hola Michael:
 
I am sending you the drawings of the BB Wasa, I am not sure if they are correct or not (as many other parts in the instructions), but anyway is better something than nothing.
 

 
 
 
Saludos, Karl

Hola Michael:
I find this picture of the Wasa Museum, and regarding the upper yard hailing rope you are right. If you make a zoom on the picture you can see (unfortunately not very clearly) a sheave for the hailing rope.
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 
 

Hola Michael:
I find this picture of the Wasa Museum, and regarding the upper yard hailing rope you are right. If you make a zoom on the picture you can see (unfortunately not very clearly) a sheave for the hailing rope.
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 
 

Hola Michael:
 
I am sending you the drawings of the BB Wasa, I am not sure if they are correct or not (as many other parts in the instructions), but anyway is better something than nothing.
 

 
 
 
Saludos, Karl

Hi Mates,
 
Thanks for the likes much appreciated.
 
Tigersteve thanks for your kind words.
 
Dave We shall see – thanks – I am enjoying the learning of how these ships were made to function – sort of “state of the art” technology of their days. Which as ours does today changes as more is learned.
 
Parenthetically, we are certainly, today, spoiled by comparison. When I was working and having to cross the Atlantic from LAX to LHR in a 747 at 36,000 feet. Champagne in hand CD player [yes CD player J] and Sony headphones around my ears, looking down at the ocean –it struck me that C Columbus in his wildest magic mushroom dreams could NEVER imagine  - ever – this reality of a crossing.
 
The joke is now, of course – that in a 100 years from now travellers will look at antique digital flashes of history and laugh about people having to spend 16 hours, packed with 450 others in an Airbus A380 just to get to Australia ha ha ……
 
My father was in the airline business for most of his life – I followed and worked as a pilot for quite a few years. (Champagne was when I was just sitting doing nothing)
 
==============================
 
 
Back to business: I’m sure that I’m “preaching to the choir” here, but wanted to share some techniques that you prob. are already using – but here goes.
 
1) For threading deadeyes (or any rope for that matter) I first use Gorilla Gel, and run a bead at one of the ends of a rope. Then as I clean off the excess glue (thumb and forefinger with a cloth), I twist the rope ends tighter into their turns - as I’m pulling the rope through the cloth. 
 
This results in a hard “needle like” - tip after the glue dries. Then nip the ends to create a thinner entry point making threading deadeyes much easier. It also allows using ropes that are larger and possibly more to scale.
 
The big eye needle (I have not tried) it would seem would require a thinner scale rope because as you pull the needle out the inserted line then doubles over as it is pulled through the deadeye –??
 

 
To secure the deadeye ropes
 
First I insert (in this case) a thread between the doubled tied shroud, looping it twice. Then, twice wrap the deadeye rope around its shroud; hold it in place, and securing it with a bit of G-S Hypo Cement. Let it set then. The last bit is then very simple just run the left over rope through the two thread spools, tighten and nip.
 

 
OOPS mistake – should have done this work for the mizenmast before securing it to the ship. Hmmm grrr - Still learning protocols.
 

 
Learned that not all deadeyes are created equally. In the future need to look through more carefully making sure that eyelets are more equally spaced before attaching to shrouds. Yes I did finally realize that rotating them does help.
 
Also the upper mast rigging work is easily done at the bench – I have not yet tried working with the other shrouds already on the ship Hmmm?
 
OH !!! Ferit, as I have mentioned before you are the one that introduced me to G-S Hypo Cement SO perfect. Thanks again.
 
Apologize about the long opening personal notes in this post J
 
 
Cheers,

Karl,
 
Thanks for confirming this. Much appreciated - como siempre...
 
Played around with the jpg in iPhoto and yes that opening in the mast is very clearly evident, along with a sheave.
 
Charter33 (Graham) thank you for your nice words, and welcome aboard. I'm glad that we found each other's logs (:-)
 

Hola Michael:
I find this picture of the Wasa Museum, and regarding the upper yard hailing rope you are right. If you make a zoom on the picture you can see (unfortunately not very clearly) a sheave for the hailing rope.
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 
 

Hi friends:
I am almost finishing the deck furniture (so many details!!  ).  Now  there are the Fife Rails, including the winches:
 

 
Saludos, Karl
 
 

Hola Michael:
I find this picture of the Wasa Museum, and regarding the upper yard hailing rope you are right. If you make a zoom on the picture you can see (unfortunately not very clearly) a sheave for the hailing rope.
 

 
Saludos, Karl