Beef Wellington

HMCS Sea Cliff checking up on Convoy stragglers. Based on a well known photo of Sea Cliff.
W/C 15” X 11”
 

Lull at Murmansk
There must have been periods between raids, but little rest for the cargo handlers.
W/C 15” X11”

many thanks for catching up Pete,
 
thanks for commenting the oven and other details...., and yes the etched fish will be used, I will try to pad them up a bit with Fimo clay and bake it over if it works, to get them a bit more flechy 3D looking. I also wanted to do some eels wiggling in the fish boxes.
I have ordered some reddish (bordeau colored) cotton cloth for the sail making, but may also try a more brownish tinted color, perhaps even two colors on the 5 sails, like some of the actual Zeesboots have
 
Nils

waterkettle (scale 1:24)  for tea or coffee making
 

oven chimney tube
 


 
revoveable chimney-tube rain cover

Hi Martin,
 
thanks for your check-in, and for your nice comments...
For further fitting out gadgets I was searching for an oven (Cabin heating and boiling up water for tea / coffee). I was looking for doll house furniture or so, etc... but these were all in wrong scale 1:12
Then by luck found one in brass  at Ebay in scale 1:24, did a bit of modification, painting to it, built a setz off tube over the cabin roof leading chimney tube, and here we are... Even found a small waterkettel in scale 1:24..
the fire extinguishers and the ax are also in the correct scale. I`m also looking out for some red/brown polyester or dralon cloth (surplus rest bits from an actual sailmaker) for making the sails from.
Also many thanks to all who clicked the "likes"
Nils

 
 

 
 

one fire extinguisher near to the engine and gasoline storage
 

 
 

the chimney top will be modified
 

 
this view into the cabin is from the outside, here without the ladder
 
 

Status:
cabin roof and slide hatch both planked and varnished. For the two crew members I made two mugs from brass tube and a big jug for fresh drinkwater (made from wood dowel)
The porthole flanges are pinned to the cabin walls.
I`m intending to fit an oven with a waterkettel on it, also inside the cabin, as well as a fire exstinguisher and a fire axt for safety reasons
Have meanwhile also received the textile for making the berth pillows, unfotunately there was no old shirt I could sacrafice for that job...
 
Nils

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

Status :
Raw deck is on, new glassed portholes with rivet holes, openable cabin hatchway, outcuts for viewing cabin  and chain pan, deck and cabin roof and will be planked sperately...
The cabin will be mounted permanently when the deck is planked. A water can and two mugs will be stowed in the little locker between the berths. As soon as I find some waste-cloth with checkered blue white decore, the pillow cases will be made, and last not least the small iron oven will be set between ladder and portside berth, perhaps with a kettle on the top...., the oven exhaust will be led over the cabin roof....
 
Nils

front view engine, flywheel, waterpump, generator and transmission V-belts
 

view of working cockpit and rudderstand for helmsman, also access to mizzen mast and its sail lines
 
 

outcut in cabin and deck for cabin inside view
 

cabin hatch closed, with removeable slide pannel and slide hatch cover
 

cabin hatch opened
 

open hatch with access to the ladder on the innside. The main mast slides into the 8 mm square socket
 

the ladder will be shifted a bit, in order for the drawers under the berth to be opened. if access is required there
 

view to chain pan in front compartment. Access to the chain-and storage compartment is through the hatch in the openable front cabin bullwark under deck
 

ladder down to cabin floor
 
 

Good morning Pete,
 
thanks for your compliment to the scetches. Most times whilst I do them there come ideas for further impovement....
A pitty your book got damaged, but trust it will still be of great help for you.
 
I`ve just done the two masts for mine yesterday, shaved them frome sqare to octogonal and then rounded an tapered a bit. The 3/4 mizzen can be layed flat
The harnesses for the deadeyes are done and blackened, and I still have some Morope for shrouds and laceings..
It would be better, if the deck is started now
 
Nils

 
 

 
 

mizzen layed down
 

main mast from 8 mm square, mizzen from 6 mm square
 

Finishing the hull
 
Next was the starboard fore channel. Instead of wooden knees on top, the kit contains iron supports below to stabilize it. I'm not sure if this is historically correct but the Victory in the AOTS series book shows similar features. And they are in the same positions as the knees would be. So I followed the easy way and did as the manual told me.
Fortunately I found RMC's note about attaching the associated gun port lids together with the channel and could  avoid later difficulties.
 
A feature I wanted to add was the anchor lining or bolster. In the AOTS books Bellona and Pandora I found drawings to show some information about the form but there was still some guesswork needed to build them as historically correct as possible. Finally I tried to keep it simple while offering maximal protection for the chains without blocking the foremost gun too much.
 

 
It looks OK. The skipper came to enquire about the argument between the carpenter and his mate.
 
 
 

anchor lining

I haven't had much opportunity to work on the boat.  Here is progress such as it is.  I have begun on the ratlines for the main mast shrouds - probably my least favourite part of the job..  I will do six rows alternately starboard and port to make sure the number of lines on each side line up properly.  Here is the first six on the starboard.
 

This was quite alot of work...

 
Unfortunately my maple is really rough and each plank require alot of side sanding. My Proxxon has been invaluable to fix the tips of the planks.


Each plank is 15cm long and i am doing a 3cm pattern. I am using a pencil for the caulking since i thought that a Black pen made it to harsh. Hopefully i Will finish this i a few days. The laser engraved pattern feels very tempting for my Speedy now...

Cleaning up the mess. Main back stays are in place and now starting with shrouds. 

Cutting the reef points. This is a method I come up with. 
1.I copied the sail template several times
2. I cut the shape of the "reef line" out of the paper. 
3. I insert the template between sail and reef ropes so I can see the lenght and direction 
4. I fix the reef ropes straight in correct direction with the tape. 
5. Cover the ropes with diluted PVA glue and let it dry
6. Cut the ropes with exacto knife according to the template
 
It is little bit time consuming but accurate. Works quite well! 

All guns in place with breeching ropes secured for sail. I think it looks interesting and different. Gun tackles will follow. 

Full army...... It is scary big! 

Jig for breeching rope and ready gun for first "Sharp fit" 

Gun on the deck with first tackle


 

Second attempt with bobstay turned out much better. 

The rudder tillers from thin ropes look also much better! 

And the whole ship 

Post 67

 
Thinking about securing the yards.

 
Everything I’ve read about cutters of this period suggests that the yards were not secured to the mast by use of parrels or truss pendents, which presents the modeller with a real problem as the yards will need to be secured if only temporarily to get the rigging in place.

The kit gets around the problem by the simple expediency of having a parrel or truss on every yard and gluing and pinning the yards to the mast.

 
I have been here before, albeit back in the 1980s with my first cutter build.

0307(2)

0304(3)
A later spec cutter but even so no trusses, parrels, or pins were used in the building of this model.


0305
I wish I could remember how I approached this job, but it long preceded such things as ship modelling forums.


0303(2)
The yards are however perfectly secured in position by a combination of the braces and Bowlines.

 

Hawke model mast detail
I cannot detect any sign of a truss or parrel on the Hawke model.


 
I am starting with rigging the Spread-sail yard, but before I can even consider raising the yard the tackle blocks need to be attached, starting with the yard Tye block.


0309
This is a tricky little beggar, a 4mm single block with a served stropping formed into a ring that fits around the centre of the yard.

It is by trial and error that the size of the stropping ring is determined using unserved thread to confirm the size.

Two other blocks need to be attached at this stage; the Topsail sheet fall blocks, hanging below the yard just outside the slings.

 

0312
 Raising the Spread-sail yard.


0314
I need to have this yard in place so that I can consider the practicalities of raising the Square-sail yard on a horse afore it.


 
B.E.

09/02/2020

Post 66

 
Preventer Stay (Part Three) – lower end attachment.

 
For the Preventer Stay Steel indicates 9” deadeyes and 3” circ lanyards. (0.4mm ø at scale)

THE PREVENTER-STAY sets up with a laniard, reeved through the holes in the dead-eye in the lower end of the stay, and another dead-eye in an iron-bound-strap, bolted on the fore part of the stem.

 
I was surprised to see Steel referring to deadeyes for the Preventer stay in his 1794 work, as all the cutters I have seen either have hearts or thimbles.

 
The Alert book shows hearts, and the Kit instructions a thimble and lanyard arrangement hooked onto the stem.

Hawke model
The Hawke model shows the stay secured to a single thimble strapped to the stem.

 
Not least because I happen to have them, I have opted for Chuck’s closed hearts, but also hearts had been widely used for stays on ships of this period.


0297
5mm Syren Hearts, spot on.
 


0298
For the Lanyard I have attached some 0.4mm Morope.


Can’t get them to look completely right until they are pulled taut and seized.

 

0299
The lanyards won’t be tied off until the Bowsprit has been fitted and the yards raised.



0296
 
Moving on to that tricky business of yards.


 
 
B.E.

06/02/2020

Post 64
 
Mainstay and Preventer stays  (Part One)
 
The kit uses 1mm and 0.75mm diameter line for the stays and has a simplified attachment around the masthead.
 
The line equates to an 8” circ line for the Mainstay and 6” for the Preventer stay. This seems somewhat under-weight, even the much smaller Sherbourne has respectively 9” and 5” cables indicated.
 
Steel indicates a 13” circ Mainstay and a 6½” circ Preventer Stay for a 200-ton cutter.
This equates at scale to 1.64mm ø and 0.82mm. ø
 
A 1.6mm ø line looked too heavy at scale to my eye, particularly when serving is added, so I opted for Syren 1.37mm line for the Mainstay and 0.88mm for the Preventer.
 
This was dyed and left under light tension until required.
 

0259(2)
To give a more authentic look the stays should be served around the masthead and along the stay for some six feet below the mouse, used to prevent the collar of the stays tightening around the masthead.
I served the Mainstay with the kit provided 0.1mm line.
 
Mouses
 
Mouse - Main Stay
L = 1/3 circ of stay = 3.96mm
ø = 3 x ø of stay =4mm
 
To make the Mouse for the Main Stay I used styrene tubing; a length of 3.2mm ø tubing inserted inside a length of 4mm ø tubing. This gives me the required external diameter whilst having an internal hole that fits the served stay.
 

0250
Testing the mouse fit on the stay collar.
 
In reality mouses were woven onto a stay, but as model makers we mostly use a solid core covered in line.
Ladies tights material is perfect for replicating the weave look particularly at smaller scales, but don’t get caught  rummaging thro’ her underwear drawer.
 

 
2395
The weave treatment is applied
 

0266(2)
A completed Mouse.
 

0280
Main Stay in place
 
Mouse - Preventer Stay
 
The Mouse is simply a smaller version of the Main Stay mouse.
L =1/3 circ of stay = 2.77mm
ø = 3 x ø of stay =2.64mm
For this smaller mouse I used 2.3mm ø tubing inserted inside 3.2mm ø tubing.
 

0253
The Preventer Stay Mouse before shaping.
 

0291(2)
Preventer stay mouse in place.
 

0288
I opted to place the mouses Mainstay (port), Preventer stay (Starboard)
 

0292
 
Part Two will cover the lower end attachments.
 
 
B.E.
04/02/2020
 
 
 

Post 63

Completing the masthead blocks and raising the Gaff.

 
Standing blocks are required for the Boom topping lift and the Gaff Halyards.

0229(2)
These are stropped with served line using a 4mm block for the boom topping lift and 3mm blocks for the Gaff Peak halyards.

(The kit has them stropped to eyebolts in the masthead)

 
When it comes to the how and where elements of rigging the gaff and boom tackle things get a little more confusing.
Gaff


4421
Raising the Gaff.

 
The Gaff Throat Halyard or Gaff jeer tackle, as it is referred to in the Alert book is set up with the standing block secured around the masthead, with the tackle hooked to an eyebolt atop the gaff jaws, the fall being secured at the bitts. (behind the mast)

The kit instructions also show the fall secured to the bitts.

Steel calls this the inner tye, but describes a completely different set up.

INNER-TYE is similar to the outer tye, and hooks to an eye-bolt in the jaws of the gaff; then reeves through the lower iron-bound-block, that hooks to an eye-bolt in the aftside of the mast-head, below the rigging. It has a double-block bent to the lower end, and sets up by the haliards;, the lower block hooking to an eye-bolt on the opposite side to the other tye.

The Cheerful rigging plan shows this secured to the pin rack on the Portside.

I have opted to follow the Alert book /kit arrangement.
 


0228
Throat halyard tackle attached to the gaff.

 
Peak Halyard

The Alert book indicates that the Gaff peak halyard tackle block is secured to the Portside channel but doesn’t indicate further where the tackle fall is belayed.

The kit shows the running end of the peak halyard belaying to the bitts without a tackle attached.

Steel calls this the outer tye and indicates that the halyard block is hooked to an eyebolt in the deck close behind the mast.

TYE, OR HALIARD, reeves through a block on the span, that clinches or splices round the middle of the gaff. The standing-part of the tye clinches round the mast-head, or hooks to an eyebolt in the mast-head: the other end reeves through a second iron-bound-block, hooked to an eyebolt in the mast-head, and at the lower end is the double-haliard-block, that does not splice as other haliards, but reeves through the strap, and makes fast with a hitch; and the remainder is expended in turns round the block and strap. The haliard-block connects by its fall to a single or double block, hooked to an eye-bolt in the deck, close behind the mast.
The Cheerful rigging plan shows this without a standing end with the halyards belayed to both the Portside pin rack opposite the mast, and to a cleat on the mast. Cheerful did however post date Alert by some thirty years.

 
I have opted to follow the Alert book arrangement with the tackle block hooked in the Portside channel the running end will be secured to a shroud cleat.

This at least keeps the tackle away from the boom.

0221
Upper end of the Peak Halyards.

04424
Connecting the block to the peak halyard using a ‘false’ splice.

0219
Lower end of Peak halyards tackle hooked to the Portside channels.

 
Boom Topping Lift

The Alert book has the standing part clinched around the boom end, runs up thro’ the standing block at the masthead, with a single block seized into the fall which is positioned at a level just short of halfway down the mast.

The tackle block is hooked to an eyebolt in the aft end of the  starboard channel.

The kit plan follows this arrangement with the running end secured to a cleat on the drift rail.

Steel has a slightly more substantial arrangement:

TOPPING-LIFT is taken upon the starboard-side, and reeved through the upper-block, hooked to an eye-bolt in the mast-head; then lead down and reeved through the block at the boom-end. The standing-part clinches round the mast-head, or hooks to the same eye-bolt; the leading-part comes down, and has a double-block spliced in, or turned, that connects by its fall to a single-block, and hooks to an eye-bolt in the after part of the channel, and belays to a pin in the shroud-rack. Sometimes it has the addition of a runner and sometimes rigged as the driver-boom in ships.

I have opted to follow the Alert book /kit arrangement.
 
Rigging the Topping Lift

For the lift I am using Syren 0.6mm line with a 4mm single block spliced into the end. The tackle is 0.3mm line, spliced into the strop of the lift, with the tackle running thro’ a 4mm single block hooked to the starboard channel.

This is slightly heavier tackle than shown on the kit plan.


0233
Topping Lift spliced around the boom end.

0234
Topping lift passing thro’ the masthead block.

0230
'Splicing' the block into the lift end.

0245
Tackle hooked to the Starboard channel.


0244(2)
Run of the Topping Lift.

0232
Not in any hurry to secure these lines yet, snagging lines that have been tied off can present problems, and there are endless opportunities for this to happen.


 
 
B.E.

02/02/2020

 
 
 
 
 
 

Post 62

 
Time to attach the shrouds

Not one of my favourite jobs stropping the upper deadeyes, but it’s that point in the build.

It’s a little more tricky stropping the deadeyes if the correct procedure is followed whereby the line crosses in front of the shroud with a cross seizing above the deadeye before applying two further seizings to the standing part.

0195
Fitting the cross seizing.


0200
Seizing the shroud ends.


0202(2)
The seized end lies aft on the Portside and forward on the Starboard side as shown above.

I note that the centre channel deadeye has twisted around, one of the benefits of macro photo’s is highlighting issues.


0204
I rig the shrouds alternatively starboard and port, setting the level with the foremost shroud. From that point onwards I set them by eye as I move along the channel.

I temporarily rigged a section of the rope guard rail as an additional guide.


0207
The seizings are yet to be dyed, I find it easier with my less than good eyesight to fit them in natural thread, better contrast against the dark shrouds.

I am using Morope 0.1mm line for the seizing, and Syren 0.3mm line for the lanyards. I won’t tie off the lanyards until later in the rigging process, when I will adjust the final tension.

 

0203

0210

0212

0215

0216
A sort of build milestone when the shrouds are rigged, but there’s still a long way to go in this build.


 
 
B.E.

29/01/2020

Post 61
Blocks and strops around the Masthead
 
There are a number of blocks and strops to fit around the masthead for the yard ties, and other tackles.
I held-off fitting these before stepping the mast and fitting the standing rigging so I could better assess the pendent lengths and positions relative to the yards.
 
Atop the running backstays the pendent and strop for the Gaff jeer tackle block is fitted.

4418
A 4mm double block is stropped into the pendent.

4413
At the lower end a 4mm single block is hooked to the gaff.
 

4417
This now allows for the gaff and its tackle to be fitted to the model, temporarily secured at present in the lowered position.
 
Above this are the pendents and standing blocks for the Spread-sail and Square-sail yards.
I adopted the Alert book arrangement of hanging the Yard tye pendents from the mast head rather than follow the kit arrangement of having separate cleats to support the tyes at different levels down the mast.
 
However, once again there are inconsistencies in the Alert Book
Drawing H18/3 AND H22/1 show the spread-sail and Square-sail tye blocks in opposing positions.
 
I took the view that the longer Spread-sail tye pendent went over the masthead first.
 

4408
Seizing the pendent around the mast head.
 

4416
The tyes were made from 0.3mm ø served line stropped with a single 4mm blocks.
 
The final strop below the T’gallant mast is for the Topsail yard tye.

0180

0181
This fits between the trestletrees and is held in place by cleats on the Topmast head.

0179
The three standing tye blocks for the Topsail, Square-sail, and Spread-sail yards.

0187

0189
Now getting into a very messy stage with loose ends, there are still strops to make and the fitting of the horse to figure out.
 
 
 
B.E.
27/01/2020
 
 

Post 58
Fitting the shrouds
 
The biggest serving job relates to the fore shroud where the line is served overall.
I used Syren 0.88mm line served with the kit provided 0.1mm line.
Once served the line was re- dipped in the dye to darken it.
 
An afternoons’ work to prepare and serve the forward pair of shrouds Port and Starboard.
With the pendents and first two pairs of shrouds fitted I am in a better position to check the room necessary for the rest of the standing rigging.
 
I had made an estimation in the position of the rigging stop to allow for increased size of rigging due to extra lines and serving but this has proved insufficient to fit it all in.
The prospect of moving the stop down the mast was a little nerve jangling but with water and gentle tapping with a hammer this was achieved without drama.
 

4389
The top of the stop now sits 14mm below the cheeks as compared with 4mm on the kit plan.
Something to bear in mind if you intend to go off piste with the rigging, as Dirk found out and noted in a previous post.
 

0150
It proved less irksome than I had imagined seizing the shrouds atop the stop, but I’m thankful it is only a cutter I’m rigging.
 

0152
There is now sufficient space to accommodate the remaining  lines.

0148(2)
The last line in the set along the channel is the *lower mast standing backstay, effectively an additional shroud except the ratlines don’t cross it.
* Or is it – see subsequent post.

0155

0153

0156(2)
After this point the rigging gets confusing which will be the subject of my next post.
 
 
B.E.
22/01/20
 
 

Post 49

Hull completion

This post marks six months into the build and completion of the hull by the fitting of the gun side tackles and remaining deck fittings.

4089

4094

4084

4085(2)

7771

4097

4091(2)

4092

4090

7764(2)
 
That’s it for 2019.

Wishing my fellow MSW members successful modelling in 2020


 
 
B.E.

29/12/2019

 

Post 48
Gun rigging (Part 2)
 
 The breeching ropes are at last attached, and scuffs on the iron work touched in.
 

4005(2)

4001(2)
It is time to fix the guns in place along the bulwarks.
A small dot of pva is applied to the trucks to fix them to the deck, and the breeching lines can then be attached to the bulwark.
 

4023
Quite fiddly getting the eyebolts into the bulwark holes without marking the paintwork or even worse the gun blackening.
 

4024
The eyebolts also have to be orientated to allow the Breeching line to hang properly.

4028

4015
The Breeching lines are not glued down and it’s quite nice not to have to fight them to get them to drape naturally.

4013

4025(2)

4026(2)

4029
 
I’m quite pleased with the look of her, but now onto those side tackles, 24 tackles to make up, - what joy. 🙄
Happy Christmas to my fellow MSW members, and thank you to those who have shown interest in my build over the past six months.
 
 
Gun Rigging (Part 3)

In this post I am making up the Side tackles, again jigs are required to ease the pain of making up these fiddly little items.

4036(2)
The Alert Book indicates 5” double* and single (hooked) block combinations for the side tackles. These equate to 2mm blocks at scale.

 
*I seem to recall that only single blocks were used on small guns such as six pounders, so that is what I will use.

 
The tackle line is given as 2” circumference with 30’ length

This scales to 0.25mm ø with a length of 143mm.



Making up the tackles

 I am using Syren Boxwood 3/32” blocks (2.38mm) to give me a little leeway over the tiny 2mm blocks given that hooks must be attached.

 

4033(2)
For the hooks I am using Syren 3mm black plastic hooks, something Chuck no longer supplies, but they are ideal for tackle rigging at small scales, much neater than the equivalent 3mm brass etched versions.

 
For the tackle lines I am using Syren 0.20mm line which will provide a visible contrast to the heavier Breeching lines.

 
The blocks are rigged using a third hand tool, and the tackles are completed on the ‘Gun’ jig.

 
 Each tackle assembly takes me around 20 minutes to complete. For the full set around eight hours of work are required, but it feels a lot longer than that.

 
Side tackles are difficult to get looking right; often on models the blocks look over-scale and with the necessary addition of hooks there is only a short space between the two blocks, which makes the tackle arrangement look unconvincing.

 
There is a particular issue with Alert where the securing eyebolts for the tackles are placed in the faces of the shot garlands, reducing the distance between the tackle blocks.

 
In practice with guns run out the tackle blocks are quite close together as apparent on this shot of a twelve pounder on the Quarterdeck of Victory.


12 Pounder gun, Victory Qtr Deck.
I much prefer this look of secured tackles rather than stylized cheeses arranged on the deck.
The Royal Yacht Squadron it ain’t.

Getting a loose frap arrangement at model scale is very tricky, so my approach is to frap the lines and arrange the line ends in a loose coil.

This too is somewhat stylized, but it is my option at this scale.

Once made it is fairly simple to attach the tackles to the guns. and making up separate coils completes the job.

 
 
B.E.
24/12/2019
 

Post 44

Bits and pieces

Side steps

These are plain affairs that will stand a little enhancing with extra profiling. The kit items do however include the hand holds.

Two outboard steps are indicated although I note that four are shown on the Marshall painting.

Same problem here as with Cheerful; it looks like there ought to be additional steps.

Two steps may just pass muster with the open drift arrangement, effectively an extra step, but the distance between the upper of two steps and the closed in Drift rail is the same as the distance taken up by both two lower steps.


3862(2)
For this reason, I have decided to fit three outboard steps, the added third step being fixed just above the sheer rail.

Inboard steps: the kit doesn’t provide these, whereas the Alert book shows a three-step inboard entry ladder between deck and Drift rail.

With my current set up a ladder would cover the shot rack and interfere with gun side tackles for the second from aft gun.

Still, I think there should be steps, so it looks like re-visiting the Rough-tree rail and shot rack.


3630
I identified the problem as the hance coming too far forward on the Drift-rail, preventing the ladders clearing the side tackles.

Worth mentioning that use of pva allows for painless removal of the rail, quite a delicate fitting, which would not have been the case had I used ca.

I keep use of ca to the absolute minimum on my builds, there is often a need to do modifications and ca tends to make the wood brittle and using acetone to loosen ca can be a messy business.

 

3852
The hance has been modified, the shot rack moved aft, and the inboard ladders installed.


3864(2)

3860(2)
Layout looks more logical to my eye now.

Not yet ready to fix the deck fittings but it’s been a while since I reviewed the layout.


3839(2)

3840(2)

3845(2)

3843

3842

3838
Time to move on.

B.E.

12/12/2019