Beef Wellington

OC, Carl, Rob, Thomas, Mike, Dave, Pat and all the likes...definitely helps keeping one moving forward!
 
Finally, have all the guns in position an the breeching ropes in place.  Amazingly time consuming, no more need be said, and glad its behind me.  I did allow myself the small concession of using a ringbolt for the less visible guns, and went with a ringbolt and ring for those visible in the waist area.  Despite the latter being more 'correct', the jury is still out on whether the results totally warrant it at this scale as the eyebolts only version seems acceptable to my eye (comparison photo below).   As usual, dilute PVA was used to help keep the breech ropes in position and to try give them a sense of weight.  Photos seem to call attention to all the little dings and dents that seem unavoidable and thankfully not really noticeable during normal viewing.
 
A very simple jig was used to help keep lengths consistent.  When using rings, I found that opening up a ringbolt using a small metal point and reclosing was easier, faster and predictable than opening up the ring itself.
 

Oh dear... I may well become the test case for that theory... my guns are installed and I haven't begun the channels yet.
 
Those brackets look perfect!
 
Happy new year Jason!

Beautiful work!
 
Thomas

Wow, stunning work Jason!

Happy New Year t you too mate.
 
Very (VERY) nice work on those channels, brackets and guns Jason.  Those are very neatly executed brackets and look just right.
 
cheers
 
Pat

Jason, beautiful work! Your log also makes for further guidance of how to think through the build.
 
Dave B

Since thanks for all the likes and replies.
 
More work on the wee boaty  -  I  painted the grey/black all over,  then when dry I highlighted  ontop including the top framework and a slight amount to the bottom deck section,   then I glued the lower deck inplace followed by the top framework.
 
Just a few pics to show this stage.
 
OC,

Ok, boats are painted and time to tie them to the dec. the aft funnel and mast  have been removed for this part 

Forcastle area, there are so many little bits to add it has to be done piecemeal or I get lost. I still have a lot to add to this and weatherthere are about 60 coal scuttles added, and a few skylights. 

Next I decided to tackle the little side project  - the pearls  small shore boat,   this is a kit in itself  and comes all together on a fret  with everything there,  first off  I cut both hull sides away and did a bit of tidy work inside and out to remove a couple of injection marks and to give the inside walls a bit of texture.
Next off I worked on the lower deck fitting - this was aslo worked on a bit then I applied a couple of coats of bluff paint, then after drying with the hairdryer I mixed up a watery mix of dark grey/black  and just brushed it on in a rought fashion  - several light coats with drying between coats, and the final result is a weathered old deck.
 
This is my current situation - here's the pics -
 
OC.

Evening all, some good progress on the pearl today  - firstly I drilled out the holes in the hull, then I applied some glue and fitted the nine lid rope devices,  I then turned the ship around and tied the ropes together that I had fitted before  - just need trimming than painting.
 
OC.

Hi folks, I have made some progress on the winches, with the parts now all turned, photoetched etc.  I have managed to put the ironwork (brass) for one of them together but still to add the wooden 'bed'.  The photos show the progress as I went along but still a lot of cleaning up to do.  Most of this is fine metal powder, but a few 'dags' here and there to fix. 
 
The whole assembly is only 15mm long by 11mm high.  The small handwheel was purchased but the rest of the parts including the larger hand wheel, except the tapered drum which I turned, are PE that I drew up and had etched.  The slightly grooved effect n the drum is deliberate as it had grooves for the first turns of the wire to lay up into.  I have styled this after a winch illustrated in Underhill's 'Masting and Rigging the Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier'.
 
The cog wheel is two pieces of .2mm bras with tiny alignment holes which allowed me to solder them together and keep the teeth aligned.  The worm gear is still beyond my skills so I simply used some brass tube (1.5 mm).  The other handwheel is set into a short length of 1.0 mm tube, which is then partially inserted into some small brass square section, to represent the gear box for the drum brake, which is made from thin copper (bends more easily).
 
The small ding in the tapered wire drum is bigger than planned but is intend as a 'flat' to let me drill through as a starting point for the steel wire rope that will be attached.  The halliards (steel wire) were bent to the winch and remained there permanently  with the tension held by the drum brake.  My next problem is to work out how to fit this strongly enough to allow me to create a 'little' tension on the scaled halliards without pulling the winch away from the deck.
 
cheers
 
Pat
 

 

 

 

For the last few days it's been too hot to do anything very much- temperatures where I live in Sydney are in the middle 30s C with high humidity, and it's far hotter elsewhere.  Passing our nearby golf course, it is the first time I have seen it completely deserted on a Sunday.  I have done a little work on the ladders which has been quite difficult.  If the steps are even a fraction out of alignment it shows.  Here are two dry-fitted and before two coats of polyurethane.  I have used Tamiya tape as guides for their placement, and the piece of strip across the railings shown in the first photo checks that  the steps are horizontal.
 


 

Here is the US take from FOX NEWS, I'm sure many will find the inaccuracy of the picture of HMS Serapis somewhat amusing 🙂  (spoiler alert...they pictured the 1866 troopship rather than 1779 5th rate)
https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/science/remains-of-us-revolutionary-war-frigate-discovered/vi-BBQOCzj?ocid=spartanntp

 

Love the those deck shots at the bow, really shows off the accuracy of your planking and ties everything together so nicely.  You didn't comment, but in addition to everything else, had to admire the excellent consistent clean profile you achieved on the timberheads.  Did you use some sort of jig for these?  Would be very interested to learn from your approach.

Post 61
Hawse Holes, cables, and Catheads.
At this point there is a lot of inter-related stuff to consider.
 
1) I intend to rig anchor cables, so I need to establish the size.
 
2) I also need to enlarge previously drilled undersized hawse holes at the bow and the hawse holes sizes are relative to the circumference of the anchor cables.
 
3) A check needs to be made that the anchor cables will have a clear run from the hawse around the windlass, and back to the Main Hatch without fouling the Catheads yet to be fitted.
 
Firstly Anchor cables
Calculating anchor cable sizes can be a confusing subject.
 
According to Lees the formula for anchor cable circumference calculation is 0.62 of Mainmast diameter.
 
Peter Goodwin  - The Naval Cutter Alert 1777 gives 11½" as the main cable circumference (1.93mm ø at 1:48 scale)
He also gives the Mainmast ø as 22", which using the Lees formula would give a cable of 13.64" circ. (2.29mm at 1:48 scale)
 
There is another formula  based on the maximum beam of a vessel. - Cable Circumference being ½" for each foot of beam.
Using the Alert figures we have a beam of 25'.11" which would give a cable circumference of 12.95" (2.18mm ø at 1:48 scale)
 
So from a given set of reference figures you do get variances using the different formulas, but in modelling terms the differences are minor, and in practice the dockyards worked to range sizes, and the nearest fit was generally close enough.
 
In relation to Cheerful the mast at the partners (model) is 10mm ø ( x 0.62 (Lees formula)) =  1.97mm ø line.
Using the beam formula; Cheerful, with a beam of 23.5' would give 11.75"circ  also = 1.97mm at 1:48 scale.
 
Having eventually arrived at a scale anchor cable diameter, we can return to the Hawse hole.
*To calculate the hawse hole size:- cable ø ÷9/4 = hawse ø
*Construction and fitting of The English Man of War - Peter Goodwin
 
I used incremental drill sizes to carefully enlarge the Hawse holes ensuring the drill was kept both horizontal and parallel to the keel.
In considering cable sizes on models I don't think that arithmetically calculated scale line sizes are the whole story, Sometimes, 'true scale' doesn't suit the eye or model.
2mm ø line looked a little heavy, particularly bearing in mind that it will have to pass around the windlass three times.
 
I am leaning towards 1.75mm ø line for the anchor cables which equates to a 10.3" circumference, and looks right to my eye.
The calculated hawse ø scales to 3.93mm.
This is pretty much the hawse ø given on the Cheerful plans.
 
The related positions of the Windlass, Bowsprit, Bowsprit step,  catheads, winch, and cables need to be assessed to avoid problems later.

5541
With the cables in place the Cathead positions can be tweaked to avoid any awkward abrasions.
Before I do any further work I attended to the bow pin rack which butts against the Catheads each side.

5544
Bearing in mind that there may be an issue with belay pins where the Bowsprit passes beneath the rack I have held off drilling the holes until later.
 
In making the Catheads I have followed Chuck's lead using 3/16th square boxwood section.

5548
The rebates to fit over the waterway and spirketing on the vertical sections of the Cathead were initially cut on the little mill, but to get the inboard shape to scribe closely to the bulwark took a fair bit of manual work with scalpel and sanding stick. The base needed sanding at an angle to sit flush on the margin plank.

5550
The sheaves for the outer end were cut on the little Proxxon mill using a 1mm bit, and holes were drilled to take the sheave  pins.

5551

5552
Assembling and fitting the Catheads I found a little tricky. 
The Cathead should have something of a stive, angling slightly upwards outboard.

5569
This means that either the vertical section or the inboard tail of the outboard section needs to be angled. I decided to angle the uprights.
Once I had got close to the angle required I glued the upright to the bulwark.

5590
The outboard section was then roughly shaped at the inboard end and glued and pinned, with final sanding done insitu.

5591
The Catheads in their raw state
Here you can see a comparison of 2mm line (Starboard) and 1.75mm line (Port)

5587
I was a little surprised that a supporting bracket below the outboard cathead beam was not present on Cheerful.
 
 
B.E.
25/01/2019
 
 

Those carronade carriages look especially good BE.  The countersinking of the ringbolts is a detail I'd like to replicate when I come to my upper deck armament, curious how you did it?  Also, what are the approximate dimensions - always find it hard to visualize a larger ship at smaller scale compared to smaller ships at larger scale.
 
Can completely relate to the task of completing these, I'm hoping to emerge from the same tunnel myself soon 🙂

Found some time to tinker a bit on that exotic gem 🙂
 
Got a signal gun - one of 6 on the ship for salutes - and one historical barrel. The rest will be windows. The gun is a self made brass one made in my Dremel to give it a slightly conical shape. Also the chainboards with the accurate number and position for the irons is there together with the small port that gives access to the shrouds.
 

 

 

 
A child that only a mom is able to love - or a dafi 😉
 
XXXDAn

Looking great Rob.  You nicely dodged the bullet of having gunport/deadeye conflicts by the look of it.  Agree with you on the walnut, yours looks very similar to mine - at this point I think I almost have the kit parts.  Can't quite tell from the photos but don't forget to place the cavil blocks (for the for brace and the main courses).  I opted to go with a range cleat as I felt the kit parts looked too clunky.
 
Hoping to have a minor update on my side soon...

Looking great Rob.  You nicely dodged the bullet of having gunport/deadeye conflicts by the look of it.  Agree with you on the walnut, yours looks very similar to mine - at this point I think I almost have the kit parts.  Can't quite tell from the photos but don't forget to place the cavil blocks (for the for brace and the main courses).  I opted to go with a range cleat as I felt the kit parts looked too clunky.
 
Hoping to have a minor update on my side soon...

Hi all,
 
Since my last post, I've dry-fitted the skid beams and begun working on the channels. These were drawn out in cad to work out the basic shape based on AOTS and the NMM plan of Ethalion. Interestingly the foremast channel (in AOTS and the Ethalion plans) only has five slots at the rear end compared to the six on the caldercraft kit... I've followed AOTS, and at some point I'll hopefully work out the difference in rigging between kit and AOTS.
 
Anyway - here's a PDF of my channels plan...
 
ChannelsV2.pdf

As I don't have access to 2mm sheet, I laminated 2x6mm guitar stringers to make up the channels. I needed three wide for all but the fore channels which were four wide.
 
The plans were pritt-sticked onto the sheet and then cut out using a small plane, files, and the slots cut undersize with a saw and a file used to make them uniform.
 

A grooved edge was scraped into the channels. Once the chains are in place, I'll use strip to fill the gaps and sand it gentle back to match the profile.
 
Pins were added and the positions marked on the hull. So far, I've dry-fitted the starboard channels.
 
 



I'm pleased with progress so far. It took a few attempts to get the smaller channel aft of the main channel to the right height so that it matched the mizzen channel, but I think we're there now.
 
It wasn't too bad doing this step with the guns installed, but care does have to be taken not to drill too far into the hull when making the holes for the pins. A strip of masking tape round the drill bit did the job wonderfully.
 
Happy building!
 
Rob

Great result with the PE Pat, you really have some fantastic details coming together now.  I can't help but feel this would open up so many opportunities and would love to give it a go myself, combining with the laser cutting.  I really need to figure out some PC drafting software.

The bow section is also done.
The blocks are glues and shaped.
Now a little stern and primer time.
But that will be for next week I think.
Picture time.
 
Sjors
 

Looking good Kevin.

Looking good Kevin.