Beef Wellington

Hi, RMC! 
My method, it may be interesting for you.

While watching paint dry, I have finally completed the bow fittings, now including the gun doors.  Applying the hinges and then attaching the doors ended up testing my vocabulary.  They came out reasonably well but as usual there is some touching-up to do.



 
 
 
 

The rudder is an awkward little project.  Here are the steps others may find useful.
First the rudder was mounted on a piece of strip to keep it in position,  and the positions of the gudgeons marked on tape.

Once the gudgeons were fitted, the rudder was mounted.

 

Tape was then used as a guide for the straps.
 

While some of this was going on, the side decorations were completed.  It's unfortunate that there is no record of the correct colours, and it is certainly highly unlikely that my colours are remotely accurate. However the bronze at least is closer to the colour of the mythical phoenix than white. Anyway, I thought I would use a little more of the bronze paint to prevent it going to waste.  This photo shows up every little imperfection.  In the flesh, they look quite good.
 

 
 

Progress is slow as there are others things that must be done.  The transom decorations are now mounted.  The Kristal Klear will be put on the widows when the lower trim is attached.  This is how it looks at the moment.  The instructions suggest the taffrail is mounted after the decoration.  I suggest the contrary.  The decoration needed minor trimming to fit.  Doing it in situ would have difficult.  Fitting it with the taffrail in place enabled close fit which in the flesh looks close to perfect, though I see in the (considerably enlarged) photo a couple of tiny gaps to be closed.
 

The lower (finishing) trim is supposed to be brass rod.  I am trying the same profile timber I used along the sides.  This entails bending the timber to fit the curvature - something it is reluctant to do.  Having given it a good soak in boiling water, it has been wedged in the cutout for the transom. I am hoping that after a few days under stress it will fit.  If it doesn't, there is always the brass.
 

Finally, I wasn't too happy with the brass rod specified in the instructions for the tiller.  I had seen Joe V's tiller and 'appropriated' his idea. (The cheque is in the mail.)  It needs a coat of polyurethane, but it should turn out acceptably.
 

 
 
 
 

Thank you Gary and Mark.
 
As long as I still keep gathering the input for 1805, I kept working on the version of 1765 to 1788 (great repair) or 1797 (decommissioned).
 
Luckily I did 2 slices in the old and long forgotten days :-).
 

 
One was fitted with deadeyes and chains, but proved to have some inaccuracies, that is why I decided to keep on working on the other one.
First came the frieze. First the base with the medium color then the shadows and the highlights.
 

 
One can see that the chain board was removed. was atop the whales and not on them. The good thing on the painting technic that I use is, that repairs can be nicely done.
First the priming with the classical small pots from Humbrol/Revell.
The 2 shades of brown with the casein paint and blended with the mostly dry brush. As the knees will be on the same place, I took it easy on that part 😉
 

 
Replaced the chain boards and gave it a new color suiting the 1765 model.
 

 
As it was too easy until now, I decided to open one gun port. So back to the heavy machines do dig deep ...
 

 
... cleared the back too ...
 

 
... and faked the inside boards.
 

 
Yes I mean faked 😉 ...
 

 
Also the port with the half lids was updated.
 

 
And then some paint and the reason for the opening. The model shows an interesting color scheme for the middle deck: White insides of the ports with a red rabbet.
 


Cheers, Daniel

Thanks for checking in, GrandpaPhil -- what are you working on?
 
Having taken the stern decorations about as far as I can, and then finishing off a few other details, I think it's time to turn to the Quarter Badge, something I feel a bit intimidated by.   I've looked over as many builds as I can think of, and I'm pretty well torn over whether to try the slightly rounded version or to take the safer route and put flat badges on.  It's pretty much impossible to tell if the NMM plans show a rounded or flat badge for the Fly, so either way would stand an equal chance of being historically accurate.  FFM notes usefully that even the rounded version should not extend outward any farther than the quarter pieces, which on my build would limit it to 3/8 inch.  With the decorations, that would be essentially flat.
 
Here's a tracing from the NMM plans to show the rough placement of the badge (I've actually placed this much too high):
 

 
This tracing doesn't show the decorations, just the general outline. 
 
I'm leaning toward the flat version.  And that then raises the question of whether to cut out the pieces and then apply carved decorations, or to cut the pieces from thicker stock and carve the decorations into them  (I'm also thinking that Plain is Good).  There's also the question (perhaps a bigger question) of the three lights:  there's only one window cut into the hull here, and because of the furnishings in the Captain's Cabin I can't cut any more.  So I'd have to simulate lights with black paper or something.
 
Any suggestions or guidance would be more than welcome!!
 
Cheers,
 
Martin

So, it's been some four months since I updated here.  Well, I have been working at it, but, in my usual fashion, which mostly means making a piece, scrapping it, making it again, realizing it was even worse than the first version, and so on.  My problem in this case had to do with the fact that the lower quarter piece had the size & shape restriction, it needed to support the upper quarter piece, and at the same time it needed to allow the upper piece to stand slightly away from the bulwark.
 
I decided to follow the pattern I showed above of the Kraken/Squid/Monster, and to make it pretty much of a round carving instead of a relief.  The latter option prevented me from showing any detail at all, and it caused problems with the requirement of supporting the upper quarter piece.
 
At some point, after carving a fair version and working out a few ideas, I realized the trailing legs needed to look interesting from three different angles, which meant that I had to make each leg look separate from the others, without losing any strength.  Carving that detail -- of the separate trailing legs -- took a surprising amount of time for the simple reason that they kept breaking, so I had to start over.
 
So here's the result:
 
First straight on of the Stern in its entirety.
 

 
And next is the view from starboard:
 

And the same from slightly forward, to show the separation of the trailing legs:
 

 
The very tail of the legs revert to a kind of relief, and that's because the tips of the legs broke off too many times to leave them as a round carving.  I'm hoping that after I apply the poly that will be less obvious.
 
Next is starboard from below:
 

This image might be a bit confusing, but what you're seeing is the head of the dogfish that twirls around the Triton's legs (its eye is mostly what you see), and below that is the Kraken/Squid's lower jaw and trailing legs.  So, here you can see the separation of the legs.
 
And next is the Port version:
 

And with this, you can see how far the upper quarter piece stands out from the bulwark of the stern:
 

 
As for the fastening:  I used 2 pins, one connecting the Triton's head to the tafferal, and another connecting the Kraken/Squid's head just below the horns. 
 
And in shaping the lower piece, I tapered it on the outer surface so that the outboard side of the mouth is the farthest distance from the bulwark and the outboard side of the tip of the trailing legs the closest; and I tapered the inner, gluing surface just the opposite way, with the trailing legs close and the mouth far.  In that way, the gluing surface of the inside surface of the Kraken/Squid remains flat but angles the entire carving outward.  And even though I think the Kraken/Squid's "head" (they don't really have heads, after all) is a touch large, I am reasonably satisfied with the appearance of Curvaceous Baroque Ornamentation and delicacy/bizarreness.
 
There's a covering board that goes over the tafferal, followed by the rail running along the tops of the turret mounts (forget the name).  And those are up next, before I take on the challenge of the quarter badge.
 
Cheers,
 
Martin

This afternoon's painting. Corvette HMCS Arvida and Sloop HMS Mermaid passing stores by Line 
Watercolour 13” X 10”

Minesweeper HMS Halcyon and  Liberty Ship (take your pic for a name!) in ice off the Kola Inlet 
Watercolour 12” X 7”
Jim

Thank you,   and the play continue
 
 

Cheers Jim and the likes, and thanks Mort - unfortunately I'm way beyond that decision but something to think about for the future...
 
Rigging seems to be a little bit of a neglected area on this site, so wanted to post few pics of progress, for things specific to this kit where may be of help to others and also to hopefully capture where I've deviated from the plans.  Petersson has been INVALUABLE!
 
As a side note, I also nearly had a heart attack when I brought Snake outside for a few photos - I normally work in artificial light in my basement, and the natural light made all sorts of sorts of previously unseen 'fuzzies' VERY apparent.  I vow never to use kit supplied line again, but am committed to making it work here for consistency.  Will probably try brushing on some dilute PVA to try to tame them at some point.
 
I've found the following 3 scenarios to be common:
Plans are not clear - in these cases I've tried to follow Petersson Plans are clear enough and are somewhat consistent with Petersson - in these cases I've followed the plans but tweaked in some cases where it seems to make more sense Plans are clear enough, but differ from Petersson - in these cases I've followed the plans, unless Petersson seems more logical/elegant.  
Foreyard and Fore Topmast
 
Fore yard prior to installation.  Jeers and slings also pre-rigged


 
Foremast installed.  I used thicker line on the jeers (.75mm) as this seemed more in keeping with pictures I've found and attached round the yard following Petersson.   As expected, I found lashing the slings rather challenging.


I found the trusses could be made following plans and Petersson, but was the devil trying to get in place with all pendants and catharpins.  Truss in place (sorry picture is little blurry), I did not even attempt to put in the knave line!

 
Fore-topmast in place.  Found the parrals very fiddly to do, but they can be done according to Petersson.  I gave the parral beads a couple of goes in the drum sander to take off the shine and it gave a very pleasing result.

The fore-topsail yard tie and lifts were taken around the fore-topmast with an eye splice as per Petersson.


Belaying items for the foremast is rather challenging on Snake as the for'd bits are very close to the platform and leaves very little room for maneuver.  I also didn't make this any easier by belaying the hawsers around the bits either.

 
And finally, where things stand currently...I added flemish horses to the fore-topsail which are not identified in the Snake plans, but seem pretty ubiquitous and covered in Lever.

In the meantime the arming of the quarterdeck continued. The 9-pounder guns forward of the cabin bulkhead will be 'fully' rigged. To simplify the process the tackle blocks are directly attached to the eyebolts, bypassing the hooks. I use black thread which could be taken for iron binding and hook - considering the scale and my eyes.
When I'm fed up with rigging the tiny blocks I work a bit on the stern. Bellerophon got her name (or is it his name? - a female ship with a male name - the English language can be confusing). Instead of the kit's photo etched letters I tried 6mm gold gothic font letters. A full stop was added with a dot of gold paint. (There was a discussion in this forum about how the ships were named and it seem the names ended with a full stop. ) I think the result looks quite acceptable.
 
 

step by step reworking of guns and carriages
 
 

the skipper checks a gun which is ready to be hoisted on board
 
 

port side of the quarter deck
 
 

although the name is already there, I didn't break a bottle of champagne on the bow (yet)

The rigging of the guns continues. I will have to put tackles to the 12 of them, which could be visible from above. On this sides you find a lot of great looking, meticulously made rope coils. However, as I'm a bit afraid of hard work I was looking for a simpler solution. Now, if the guns are run out but not ready to fire but fixed in this position, wouldn't you lash the tackles instead of just coiling the ropes on the deck, leaving the guns free to move? Well, this skipper does. Most probably you would fix the gun with the side tackles, leaving you free to take off the train tackles to stow them out of the way. This skipper doesn't. The train tackles will stay in place but lashed with the free end of the rope. This is easier to do, looks tidy and perhaps isn't completely wrong.
 
 

 
the skipper checks a finished gun
 
 
 
 
 
 
stern
Between placing the guns I worked a bit on the stern for a change. The bulkhead was assembled and put in place. Two nail heads serve as door knobs. Also the two ports on the lower counter got their portlids, the toping lifts still missing.
 

 
glazing of the windows was done with some leftover cellophane sheet - thinner and easier to work with than the kit's part
 
 
 

 
ports on the lower counter
 
 
 
 
 
The cast stern decoration for Bellerophon is a problem. It doesn't fit well and I can't bend it to follow the curve of the transom. But Elephant has an identical decoration with the exception of the middle part. This, an elephant, was scratched away. Then I made a casting mold from the white metal original kit part and first tried a plaster casting. This came out nicely but was much too brittle to work with. A second try with dual component glue came out quite well and even stayed a bit flexible - probably I made a little mistake in the mixture. I need a few more tries, but this will be the way to go.
 
 

 
Elephant decoration with elephant scratched away
 
 
 

 
original cast part, plaster casting and mold
 
 
 

 
white painted cast  of Bellerophon made with dual component glue
 
 
 

 
Bellerophon replacing the Elephant
 
 

After installing gudgeons and pintles the rudder got also a spectacle plate (made from cartridge paper) and eyebolts for emergency steering and securing the rudder.

The following painting of the outer hull was even more cumbersome than expected - mainly because I used a much too stiff masking tape for the first side. With a better tape the second one was a bit easier. I used tree paint covers and countless corrections and I still see flaws every time I look at the build. However I keep telling myself that all those imperfections add to the 'handmade' quality of the model. The paints are Admiralty water based paints, with 15% white in the yellow ochre and about 5% white in the dull black. The black looked rather grey on the brush but I like the finished paint.

The upper part of the rudder was painted as well and all the lower hinges touched up with copper paint.

The inner part of the side galleries and the cabins were 'grey washed'. I used white with just a little bit of black in order to get as close as possible to the impression on the pictures of Victory.

After touching up the gun port frames with red and provisionally hanging the rudder it was time for a photo session.


 



seen from a distance, the paint looks ok


 



the captain, inspecting the newly hanged rudder, is dwarfed by the ship


 


 

Finished some of the bow work and played with some of the small sculptures on the stern. Michael Angelo has nothing to worry about. 😁. Progress is a good feeling no matter how small. 



At 1:85 scale the sculptures can get pretty small so detail is very difficult. At least for me. 

 
Tom

Hull nearly complete just some tidying up to do.
 
I used Manns floor varnish to finish the hull and deck. I put this on another topic.
 
 



 

Lou, Thank you for taking an interest, Below is another view of the deck showing the nibbling strake and planking.

Gun port eyebolt positions were drilled through a simple jig made out of two layers of scrap ply. The larger layer had the jig holes drilled through, the smaller layer is the exact size of the gun port. Has a planking screw through the centre so can be passed through the port and held from the outside whilst drilling for the eyebolts from the inside.
 
Take a note of the hawse hole positions as predetermined by the kit. They are too far from the stem post. Any anchor cable would rub on the cathead brackets when running in a direct line too their access to the cable tier. If you look to the next photos of the outside of the hull you will see they are too far out compared to the cheeks.
 

Funny our good the kit looks to you photograph it.

View of headrails etc, Not much like the kit, I managed to shape the grating / marines walk by soaking for hours and then shaping with a hot iron.
 
 

Gratings in place on the deck. None are these are true to size of the plan. I cut the deck back to the apertures on the false deck. Big mistake, not only are the grating parts provided insufficient in length to cover the holes the subsequent built size are not to plan.
 
My advice would be to plank the deck completely and apply the gratings over the top. Not correct to real manufacture which is the opposite way round. The over issue is the small gap between the gratings and between them and the companionway. The planks are too small and to easy to keep breaking away. Hole for the companionway ( still visible above) is also too large. I have this ready to put in place and have had to run a plank round the bottom edge to make it wide enough to cover the hole.

Rudder pintles added, rudder ready to be fitted but leaving off for now. Paint will need touching up.

Hull entrance steps

Now the forward deckhouse is painted and various parts glued to the roof.
 

Post 2
Getting to grips
First thing to note is that the part numbers are not laser cut into the mdf parts. It is necessary to mark all parts with the reference number before removal from the host sheet.

336
When starting a kit I like to dry fit the parts to get a feel for the build, and make up a simple build board to support the stem and keel.
 On my kit the bulkhead parts and the false keel are quite a loose fit so great care will need to be taken make sure that the bulkheads remain square during assembly while the glue dries.

338
The lower deck which slots over the bulkheads helps to stabilise the bulkheads square to the keel, but still allows  some movement in the vertical plane.
The stern post fits loosely into slots on the false keel and is glued into place, but before this can be done the instructions say to reduce the stern area  to half its thickness to allow for subsequent planking to fit flush against the stern post.
The actual area of the stern to be reduced is indicated as relating to the very aft edge of the false keel and the tabs attached to the stern post.

347
A specific  bearding line has not been indicated, but I have drawn one in for the purposes of my build.

348
Altho' there is a long slot down the stem piece which in effect is the rabbet for the bow planking, the set up doesn't seem to lend itself easily to a keel rabbet to secure the Garboard plank.
Any such rabbet would need to be cut along the actual keel leading up to the stem slot.
There is only a 3mm width of keel to play with so any rabbet would have to be fairly shallow and would inevitably reduce the gluing area to the false keel. I think faying the Garboard strake into the keel is the safe option.

345
It is interesting to note that the stem, rudder post and rudder are quite close to the  1:64 scale drawings in the Goodwin book.

343
I will scribe the section joins that make up the stem as indicated in the Goodwin book, onto the kit provided stem.
I had considered reproducing these items in Boxwood, but as I intend to paint the stem this would be a waste of good timber.
 
B.E.
23/06/2019
 

Update.  Not much to add really.  I have had a free morning so finished the majority of the upper section of the second planking in boxwood on both sides.  I will do the quarterdeck and the trimming around the transom area later.  I then cracked on with some walnut planning on the hull that will be below the waterline and will eventually be covered by copper tiles. My planking is not great so I am using this to get practice and improve even though my labours will be masked in due course.  I think this phase might take some time!     

Hi Peter - planking is looking good, you handled that tricky area at the stern under the wale very nicely! Always hard to tell in the photos, but did you leave a lip for those few ports that will receive a lid at the bow and stern?

Glad you've jumped into this BE, very intrigued to see one of Chris' new kits come together with your usual excellence in execution.

I need to bevel the bottoms of the false rail before fitting, a coat of sanding sealer and final sanding of the head timbers first though, oh ! and the seats of ease
Regards
Paul