rvchima

Bitts and Pieces
 
I've been busy building a winch, several bitts, two gallows, a small hatch, two ladders, a companionway, a capstan, and a skylight. Here's a look at the lot.
I am very tight on space between the main and mizzen masts, so I think I'll have to remove some material around the base of the capstan.
 
The aft deck of the Endeavour has quite a slope to it, and that leads me to an important question. What things should be vertical and what should be perpendicular? The plans show the bitts and buildings vertical, and the wheel and capstan perpendicular. That seems almost backwards to me. The capstan almost has to be vertical so the shaft can extend to the deck below, and the captain would probably want to stand up straight at the wheel. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this.
 
I couldn't stand the thought of using the photo-etched brass wheel supplied with the kit so I ordered a wheel kit from Chuck at the Syren Ship Model Company. While I was at it I ordered a kit for a grate for the main hatch, and kits to make four pumps. It all looks like fun.

Channels and Chains
The channels were fun to make - not too tedious and a big effect on the look of the model. Here's a top view with the channels in place.
Then I looked at what was involved with the chains themselves. OMG - 24 chains for large deadeyes. 22 chains for small deadeyes. 3 or 4 photo-etched parts per chain. It took me a couple of hours to make a table of all the different combinations of deadeyes and photo etched parts that I would have to make.
 
I started by making 4 chains for large deadeyes on the main mast, and it took 2 hours. I was ready to quit. But then I switched to assembly line mode:
Put patina on all the brass.
Strop all the large deadeyes.
Rotate deadeyes to proper position and CA in place.
Solder joint closed.
Attach 2nd & 3rd link.
Solder 2nd link.
I was done with 24 large chains in 5 hours.
Yesterday I built 22 small chains in 4 hours, and attached the fore starboard chains.
Today I attached the rest of the chains.
Total for chains about 17 hours in just 3 days.
Here's a photo of the completed deadeyes and chains. I started to line everything up for a nice photo, but it was taking too long. After the photo I dumped everything in the patina again to cover the solder joints. I also put patina on a bunch of nails.  And here's a photo of the fore and main chains. You can also see the painted anchor lining on the left. I like it a lot better than the stained basswood.
 
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I built the ladders. It took a while to sand the zillions of little pieces, but everything went together pretty smoothly.
 
So now I get to start building cool stuff that goes on deck. I'm psyched.

Anchor Linings
Seems like everyone else had trouble with the anchor linings too. Dashi and I both found that the kit parts were way too small, and wouldn't bend through the compound curvature of the hull if they were the right size. Here's what I came up with.
 

First I cut a paper pattern to the correct shape. Then I covered the hull with some nice, adhesive food covering. It wasn't adhesive enough, so I laid a strip of double sided tape down the middle. 
Then I planked the hull with strips of basswood (limewood) left over from the first hull planking. I copied the paper pattern on top of the wood.
I removed the plates, trimmed them to shape, Dremeled out a little of the inside so they would lay flat, and finished the outside with linseed oil. Except then they looked like, well, basswood, so after a few days' thought I painted them the same tan trim color that I've been using. See next post.

Hawse Holes
 
I ran into the same problem with the anchor hawse holes ending up below the deck that DaveRow and Banyan did. It's amazing to me how much DaveRow's Corel kit at 1:60 resembles my Caldercraft kit at 1:64, and now both kits end up with the hawse holes too low.

The hawse plates are supposed to sit below the tan colored rail, but then the holes end up below the deck. My solution was to remove part of the rail and move the plates up. Doesn't match the plan but the ropes will end up on deck.

Railings Completed
 
I stayed up late last night and finished the rails. Just for fun I did a test fit of the masts.
 
I now have 160 hours invested in my Endeavour (pun intended) over almost 8 months. However, because of the long gap with no work early on, I have only worked on the model on 39 separate days, averaging about 4 hours/day.

The bumpkins and tiller arm are not permanently attached yet.

And here's a look at the stern.

Hull Painted, Rudder Completed, and Deck Planked

I painted the hull trim a perfect painter's tape blue. It's actually French Blue, and it sure makes the ship look proud.

The rudder was fun to make but hard to attach. I broke 3 of the pins off of the cast metal hinge pieces and had to drill in tiny brass pins. I used a patina chemical for stained glass (another hobby) to darken the photo etched brass.

The decking pieces were cut as long as possible, then notched lightly every 2.25 inches (12 feet scale) to look like separate planks. When everything was planked I covered the deck with a thin coat of light colored Timbermate wood filler. When that was dry I sanded it off and stained everything with linseed oil. The filler stains a little darker than the wood and makes the individual planks stand out.

Workshop
Does anyone care what my workshop looks like? I live in a house built in 1933 in an old mill town (Chagrin Falls Ohio - is that a great name for a city?), and I have the only not-scary basement in the city. I enjoy woodworking and have as many tools as I can handle. My shop is small but I have a band saw, table saw, drill press, and planer and jointer (out of the photo). Plus lots of other smaller stationary tools on the opposite wall. Most of my ship-building tools are in the oak tool box left of my work bench in the panorama. Ship plans typically get spread out on my table saw. Not the most convenient location, and may explain how I overlooked the bulwarks.

I am a retired NASA rocket scientist (well almost - I mostly worked on jet engines) so that explains the posters.

Second Planking
The second layer of planks is walnut, slightly thinner than the first layer. I love walnut - it's my favorite wood. I started planking at the main wale as shown on the plans, and worked up to the bulwar... Arrgh! There were no bulwarks!
 
This was when I came back to MSW and started paying serious attention to the other build logs. I had misinterpreted my plans but could see immediately what the bulwarks were supposed to look like from other builders' logs. THANK YOU ALL!
 
So I built temporary bulkhead extensions, put on a first layer of planking, then the second walnut layer. I worked down from the main wale until the curvature became compound and the planks just wouldn't bend that way any more.
 
Then I worked up from the keel. I worked upwards until the bottom planks hit the top planks at the bow, but there was still a gap amidships. So I put in some stealer planks as needed. Not correct, but the result looks good.
 
The Caldercraft parts are cut with numerically controlled machining and seem quite precise, but I have already run into several situations where the parts just don't fit.  Now the keel was not nearly deep enough and barely showed below the planking. I had to build it up an additional 6 mm or so to make it look right.

I sanded for ages (again), filled all the gaps with Timber-Mate's walnut colored wood filler, and sanded some more. I stained everything with Watco walnut penetrating oil stain. I love that stuff. I also added the wales and painted them black. I have no plans to show scale planks or tree nails.
 
So I finally corrected all my stupid mistakes and am proud to show the results. The walnut planking couldn't be prettier. I know that there are a million fiddly pieces to go on this model, but it's all stuff I've done before and can do again.

Here I have started to plank the decks. The Tanganyika strips supplied with the kit are very rough and require a lot of sanding, but they finish up beautifully with linseed oil. I am currently about a week beyond this and will try to get some photos up soon.
 
 

Shipyard Update:
We have moved onto the Mizzen Gaff and TopGallant Yard.
The Gaff has a number of blocks and slings on it, all providing the hoisting, Vang, bracing to the TopGallant yard, Brails to the sail.
Below is Gaff nearly ready to hoist to the Mizzen.

Below picture of the components added to the Gaff:
 

Fitting the Parrell to the Gaff beak.

Top the 4mm JeerBlock and below the 2 x 3mm Throat Brails
 
      
Mid and Peak Brails Blocks 3mm
 

Derrick Block(4mm)
 

Gaff Paek; a lot of ropes and blocks attach to the end.
Mizzen Topsail Yard Braces(2 x 3mm) topside
Fancy Line blocks(2 x 3mm) underneath
Vangs Slings(2)
Peak/Derrick halyard(1) - single lighter rope on top
 

Derrick 4mm DoubleBlock is lashed to the Mizzen-cap
 

Halyard through the Derrick Blocks(4mm)
 

JeerBlock(4mm) with sling, around and under the Mizzen Cap.
The AoTS had a fixed sling for this. I replaced it with Jeer Blocks like the Replica has. Made sense so the Gaff can be raised more easily.
 

Vang - lower 4mm blocks with hooks
 

Vangs(2) falls fitted to end of Gaff to eye-bolts in the quarters
 
 

TopGallant Tye fall: top end rope runs through a hole under the shrouds with a 3mm double block(top red arrow), lower end 3mm block hooked into an eye-bolt(lower red arrow)
 

The Mizzen Mast base - Halyards and Jeers running through blocks
 
Bit of tidying up to do, but nearly their. 
Add the Fancy and Brails lines.
All up it's taken me a couple of weeks on/off to get it all together.

Boat Storage
 
The longboat and pinnace go in cradles on deck. They look awesome up there.

Eight spare top masts are lashed to the tops of the bits fore and aft of the boats. While I was making spare masts I went ahead and made another set. That way I could use the worst ones as spares and the best ones above.

The spare masts are lashed in place. If I'd known I would be doing this much lashing in 2018 I would have paid more attention in Boy Scouts in 1968. The longboat and yawl are lashed atop the spare masts.

Someone please tell me why I spent so much extra time and money on a curved grating kit for the main deck hatch. Now I totally understand why Pat Banyan built his model with only 2 boats aboard.

My wife Cinda Chima is an author of popular young adult fantasy novels. She posted a photo of my model similar to the one below on Instagram the other day, because her latest series includes scenes with pirates. Her post has 161 Likes right now. I told her I don't have 161 Likes TOTAL in all my posts on MSW.

Hi Dave,
I definitely have not paid enough attention to your build log. i just went through the last 10 - 12 pages of your log and realized that you pay as much attention to detail in your log as you do in your build. I saw a lot of details about how you built your masts, spars, and rigging that will be a huge help when (if?) I ever get to that point. I'll keep following the new posts and searching the old for ideas that I can use.
 
Rod

Hi Dave,
I definitely have not paid enough attention to your build log. i just went through the last 10 - 12 pages of your log and realized that you pay as much attention to detail in your log as you do in your build. I saw a lot of details about how you built your masts, spars, and rigging that will be a huge help when (if?) I ever get to that point. I'll keep following the new posts and searching the old for ideas that I can use.
 
Rod

Hi Dave,
I definitely have not paid enough attention to your build log. i just went through the last 10 - 12 pages of your log and realized that you pay as much attention to detail in your log as you do in your build. I saw a lot of details about how you built your masts, spars, and rigging that will be a huge help when (if?) I ever get to that point. I'll keep following the new posts and searching the old for ideas that I can use.
 
Rod

Not long Dave
 
cheers
 
Pat

Hi All,
Thanks Anton, Steve & Pat for providing background to the Shroud configurations.
After checking on several sources, I must admit I followed the AoTS, early in the build.
So this is why my Endeavour has on:
Fore Mast:     6 large dead-eyes for shrouds, 2 smaller dead-eyes for backstay's on the channel, 1 top-gallant backstay on the hull
Main Mast:     (same as above)
Mizzen Mast:  4 small dead-eyes for shrouds, 1 mizzen backstay on the hull
 
I would lean to agree the Main & Fore(based on the Deptford draft), these masts probably had 7 shrouds, the rear shroud being a swifter. With single backstay's to the top-mast and top-gallant.
However, as much as I would like to correct my channel/dead-eye configuration, a big change now, which I am not prepared to undertake.
 
So an update to where the shipyard is at.
Placed all the masts into position to see how they look.

The ForeMast Pendant Tackle - temp. held down for the shrouds to go over.


Shrouds from "Chuck's rope" 0.89mm shroud with 0.2mm serving. 1 of 2 sets made so far.

Main Trestle-Tree with MastTackle & Shrouds

I've tagged each shroud, each will be a different length to the dead-eye.
Plan is to:
- tie a length of seizing to the shroud, at top position of the dead-eye
- take all the shrouds off the mast then
- finish the seizing to the dead-eyes on my rope making jig, where I can clamp and have many hands at work.

This is going to take some time..... 3 masts, 32 shrouds, 96 seizings to the shroud dead-eyes.
How long can that take. ??
 
Dave R

4 ships Boats Lashed down
 
What does one do when stuck inside during the tropical cyclone "Debbie" makes its way past.
Lashed all the reserve spars onto the gallows and 2 smaller boats on top .
 


 
A little rest to work out what to do next.
 
Dave R

Ships Boats Update
Mid Deck Mounting
 
The AoTS indicated 3 boat chocks each for the 2 lower boats to be strapped down onto. Each consists of laminating 0.6mm ply either side of balsa.
 

Chocks painted and in place for boats.

2 largest boats just fit in between the Gallow Frames.

 
Reserve Spares
 
I had enough dowel to make 7 Spare Spars:
- Fore Top Mast
- Main Top Mast
- Mizzen Top Mast
- 2 x Fore Top Gallant Mast
- 2 x Main Top Gallant Mast

The reserve spars arranged(trial fit) on the gallows top beams.

 
Next > onto the tie down lashings.
 
Dave R
 

Ships Boats Update
Skiff
Started on the fit-out of the Skiff.
Added the gunnels at this stage and removed the removable sections of the frames. 

 
Inner fit-out nearly completed.

 
Yawl
Started on the fit-out of the Yawl.
Middle of the frames in front.

 
4 Ships Boats
Has taken a while to get his far with the 4 ship boats.
Each is about the same stage, next to finish hull paint job, rudders and some oars maybe masts.
 

 
 
Dave R

Shipyard Update:
The shipyard has been a little busier.  
We have fitted the Fore Top Gallant Shrouds, but lower ends not tied off yet.
Same for the Main Top Gallant Shroud lower ends.
Just cannot get into it at the moment so...
 
Fore Top Gallant Stay:
I made the Stay off Mast, Top end Loop larger to fit over the Mast Cap

Above:  Using 0.45mm rope I made the Loop which goes around the TG Mast, above the Shrouds.
I leave a length of the wrapping thread to close up the gap to the mast. See below.
 

 Above:  Stay in place with further wraps of the thread to close the gap to the mast, then 50/50 PVA water over the lot.
 

 Above:  Stay to the end of the Boom Jib.

Above:  End is lashed between 2 thimbles as per above, detail from the AoTS.
Need to get the left thimble tied around the Fore Stay Boom Lashing.
 

Above:  Lashing under & between the red arrows.
 

Above:  Which, with a bit of luck managed to sneak a rope under and attached to Thimble. 
 

Above:  ForeTopGallantMastStay end lashing.
Tip:  take the stay loop end(top) off the mast and do the thimble end lashing before fitting it all. 
 
Lots more to do.  
 
 
 

Shipyard Update:
We have moved onto the Topsail Yards Tye and Reef Tackle and Lift Blocks.
I decided to do these now before I get to fit and stay the Top Gallants.
 
Getting the Blocks ready:
The Single Masthead Tye Blocks fit up in the space under the trees.

Red arrows point to where the Single Tye blocks are to go. Not much space up in there.

The Single Tye blocks being made. I've used 6mm singles as the 7mm (scaled size) were just little bit too thick across the cheeks to fit up in the space. 

Other 3 completed. Now I made these with 1 pull thread, so when in place simply pull on the 1 thread to lift up under the shrouds/trees.
 

Single Tye Blocks in place. This is a shot at the Main, Fore similar.
The Burton Pendant is very close and will have to keep an eye that it stays to the side when fitting the Tye Lifts.
 
Next I made the Long Stropped Lift & Reef Tackle Blocks
These need to be made now as the loop end of the strop pairs go under the Tye Lift. 

Each made the same way as in Pic above.
 

2 sets of each per Main & Fore completed.
 

The Long Stropped lift blocks (Green Arrow) are looped about the mast head as are the Long Stropped Reef Tackle Blocks(Blue Arrow).
The lighter color over the top being the Tye Lift.
An keen eye may see that the Lift Tackle about the masthead splays outside the 2 main beams of the cross tree. I suspect it should drop more vertical behind the bottom of the TopGallant. But their is no space for this when the TopGallant is fitted. 
 
Next was to fit the Yard Tye Block Lift Tackle
 

Trial fit of the Lift Tackle.

Parrel fitted around the Mast (Red Arrow). They run up/down very well.
Tye Tackle upper Double Blocks (Purple Arrow)
Next will be to do the Fore Mast then run the Tye Tackle down to the eye on the channels.

All above items in place.
 
Getting close after all these Topsail Yards and Tye Blocks/Lifts to fit and shroud to Top Gallants.
 
 

Shipyard Update:
The slackers in the yard have been a little busy fitting the Blocks & Ropework on the Main & Fore TopSail Yards.
 
Getting the Blocks ready:
I find it easy to make all the items of similar items at the same time, so when it comes to putting it all together, can do more than 1 and speeds things up. Plus maintain consistency. 

Above: Each sized block I groove the sides and ends for the rope to go around.

Above: Progress with the Jeers ready to be attached, some others already on etc.
Matter of progressively working  

Above: Little jig to hold the yard whilst setting up the Horse Stirrups. Set them with 50/50 PVA/water mix to hold in place.
 
Below is a short set of 3 pictures showing how I make the rope loops, to attach to the yards (or other situations)

Above: I use a peg of similar size to the spar, loop the rope about and hold with enough space to seize with twine.
Above: I have a number of hooks and clips to hold the main rope, also to hold the seize twine.
See if I can describe the process.
I start with the twine held by the blue clamp on the right.
The twine passes to the left through the left hook (blue arrow) and back to the right.
(the twine loop through the hook is used later to pull the final wrap into the seized section)
Just before the red clamp I start wrapping the twine around the 2 lines back towards the "peg", wrapping/seizing the required number (3 or 4).
This can be hard at first, but with pointy nose tweezers you can hold the twine in place and start the wrapping.
The wraps might not go all the way to the peg. That can be fixed later.
You hold the the final wrap/seize (I put pressure with a finger), loosen and unhook the hook from the loop.
Then thread the twine through the "hook loop".
Whilst holding the twine end (yellow arrow), pull the right side/end of the twine, in direction of the "red arrow".
This pulls the loop towards the seized section, and pull the twine on the right side till the loop is gone, and the left twine end goes under the seized section a bit.
 

Above: Hopefully you end up with something like this.
I usually can slide the seized section alone the main ropes when attaching to the yard or other item.
Glue in place and trim the unwanted ends.

Above: Here is a Horse loop in place on the yard.

Above:  The 2 Top Sail Yards completed.
 
 
 

Shipyard Update:
You may say "I'm Back"
 
Well it looks like a full month my shipyard has been on an extended break.
With the Commonweath Games, then catching up with some paid work, time got away.
 
Mizzen Crossjack:
I just had to add something to the model.
I had made the 2 Main & Fore Lower Yards and the Mizzen Crossjack a month ago. 
Time to get things onto the model and finish her off.
 

Above: Mizzen Crossjack in place, the Sling for the Yard Sling Block highlighted.
Tying knots in-situ, is a challenge in itself.
Many more to come is the reality. 

Above: Crossjack, other (Port) side.

Above: Crossjack stern view, Parrel Sling for the Crossjack.
 
Sling and block details >> page 105 of the AoTS.
 
 
 

Boat Storage
 
The longboat and pinnace go in cradles on deck. They look awesome up there.

Eight spare top masts are lashed to the tops of the bits fore and aft of the boats. While I was making spare masts I went ahead and made another set. That way I could use the worst ones as spares and the best ones above.

The spare masts are lashed in place. If I'd known I would be doing this much lashing in 2018 I would have paid more attention in Boy Scouts in 1968. The longboat and yawl are lashed atop the spare masts.

Someone please tell me why I spent so much extra time and money on a curved grating kit for the main deck hatch. Now I totally understand why Pat Banyan built his model with only 2 boats aboard.

My wife Cinda Chima is an author of popular young adult fantasy novels. She posted a photo of my model similar to the one below on Instagram the other day, because her latest series includes scenes with pirates. Her post has 161 Likes right now. I told her I don't have 161 Likes TOTAL in all my posts on MSW.

Boat Storage
 
The longboat and pinnace go in cradles on deck. They look awesome up there.

Eight spare top masts are lashed to the tops of the bits fore and aft of the boats. While I was making spare masts I went ahead and made another set. That way I could use the worst ones as spares and the best ones above.

The spare masts are lashed in place. If I'd known I would be doing this much lashing in 2018 I would have paid more attention in Boy Scouts in 1968. The longboat and yawl are lashed atop the spare masts.

Someone please tell me why I spent so much extra time and money on a curved grating kit for the main deck hatch. Now I totally understand why Pat Banyan built his model with only 2 boats aboard.

My wife Cinda Chima is an author of popular young adult fantasy novels. She posted a photo of my model similar to the one below on Instagram the other day, because her latest series includes scenes with pirates. Her post has 161 Likes right now. I told her I don't have 161 Likes TOTAL in all my posts on MSW.

Oars
 
The kit came with a lot of photo-etched brass oars in 2 lengths. There is no mention of oars in the instructions or plans, but they obviously go with the ship's boats. The p-e brass parts in this kit are beautiful, but flat oars just didn't look right because they stack up flat. I briefly considered carving 24 oars out of basswood, but only briefly. Instead I decided on composite oars with brass blades and wooden handles.
 
The handles on the brass pieces were 1.2 mm across. I thought about buying a draw plate to make the handles, but our friends at Bluejacket Shipcrafters had 1.2 mm dowels sold as treenails. Besides, the 10 mm dowel supplied with the kit for the mainmast was misshapen and Bluejacket had that too. I ordered 2 of each and had them in 2 days.
 
I cut the 1.2 mm dowels to length, spun them in a rotary tool and shape the handles, and split the other end. I cut the blades off the p-e brass oars, glued them to the handles, painted my composite oars, and tied them into little bundles for the boats. You can see them in the previous post.