Beef Wellington

... and I finished step #3 over the weekend! 
 

 
Got the life rings and hose reels on... I decided to go with the KA PE life rings over the Pontos rings (Pontos provides little rubber o-rings that look a bit out of scale to me and aren't as flat as the real thing) 
 
As I had to glue the superstructure to the wood deck which in turn is only stuck to the plastic with wood glue (and the superstructure pieces had to be flexed a bit to sit entirely flat on the deck) I rigged up a quick and  dirty setup with string and thick styrene strips to help hold the superstructure down and guard against future separation problems:
 

 
I also added some stairways and rails on the back end of the superstructure:
 

I also went around to every vent with a tiny needle and tried to poke out any parts of the vent screens that were clogged with paint/glue, most of 'em cleaned out just fine. I then hit the vents with a wash to darken them up a little. 
 
Still debating whether to attempt weathering the whole ship or going with a clean "museum style" build... what do you guys think would be better? 
 

Very interested to see this 'officially' come together, this is a beautiful ship - of course there can be no complaints about the kit 🙂

Finally, sheet 5 is the belaying points, and the cast fittings and resin lifeboats. My prediction is that it will take me about 1 1/2 years to finish.

Hello - and thank you for the likes in the previous posting and thank you Busby for your nice comments and I wish you well with your build.
 
Had a go to slightly improve the dip in the Main Stay.
 
 
The lantern (Caldercraft) and rudder chain.
 

 
Bobstays and Bowsprit Shrouds done and so that is Sheet 11 all done. My heart sank once I studied Sheet 12 as there was so much more rigging and it was already getting hard not to lean on existing lines without a fair chance of some damage.
 
 
Start of Sheet 12 with a Tack Toggle. Not sure if you can see it clearly in picture and not sure what the Tack Toggle does. It looks like a quick release system perhaps.

Lines to the rail have all gone through a deck ring before being tied off to the rail. Have added more eyelets than were originally asked for.
 

 
Thanks for looking.
 
Regards
 
Doug

@Pat - I tried using a very fine sanding stick after coat of primer had been sprayed on.  This worked in some cases, but less so in others, and not at all in all those hard to reach corners.  I've never seen many samples of 3D printing to compare to so I may be being a little unfair, and of course it comes down to the materials supplied.  I ordered the "Smoothest Fine Detail' option which was the 'best' finish of those available.  Its odd as one side is almost perfect, the other much rougher...https://www.shapeways.com/product/9VPR7D8CW/1-64-lower-capstan-18th-and-19th-century?optionId=64749325.  I suspect other materials offered by other suppliers could give better results.
 
Taking stock:
 
Not too much time in the shipyard this weekend, trying to get the garden ready for winter.  The shipyard did however get a bit of a spring cleaning as I was getting a little bit tired of working in a 2"x2" square on my cutting mat despite working on a pretty large table.  A few overall shots of where things stand as its been a while.  Now the channels are glued, the chainplate locations could be drilled as well as the emergency rigging eyebolt positions.  The scuppers have also been completed.  The positioning of all of these things requires quite a bit of planning and luckily I didn't encounter any problems with the airing ports.  (I seem to recall leaving off the foremost one because it is very tightly positioned between preventer links and would have been impossible to locate correctly and likely resulted in a necessary compromise with the chain alignments. 
 
Nearly all the parts for the upper gun deck have been completed an I'm still following the mantra of not gluing something into place until it absolutely needs to progress.
 

 
Syren rope will be used, and I would welcome peoples' opinions on which size to use for the breech rope.  Picked two sizes that seemed most appropriate, left is 0.025"/0.63mm, the right is 0.35"/0.88mm.  Even though I'm sure it exists, I can't find info on what regulation would be - and even if I did, the carriages and barrels are best efforts at matching scale and undoubtedly not spot on, so the right "look" is probably more important.  Upon consideration, I think I'm leaning toward the smaller size, but again would appreciate input...
 

 

Those breeching rings came out really nicely an look just perfect, I'm sure at 1:48 its worth going that extra step to close these.  I really need to dive in and learn soldering and metal working techniques, been a little wary to try up to now. Love overall photo with the cut out figure, he enhances the look of the model by being a little more well defined than the ubiquitous "Captain Amati"...

The photo below shows the thole pins on the contemporary model.  There is a discrepancy between this model and the other contemporary model.  This one has an extra row or two more pairs of thole pins than the other model.  I opted to go with fewer.  I made my thole pins from boxwood but you guys can easily replace with wire if you wanted.  I took a 3/64" x 3/64" strip and rounded it off in my Dremel.  I dont like the way the wire takes paint and because of this large scale I opted for wood instead, but this means you must also round off your stock in a Dremel as well.  If that is too much of a hassle though then wire can be used in its place....probably 16 gauge or 18 gauge. 
 
I drilled holes along the cap rail with a #55 drill bit and glued them in place.  Then they were painted red.  But you could leave them natural too....if you use the boxwood that comes with the kit.
 




 
THIS COMPLETES THE HULL!!!  Except for the oars but I will do that after I rig it......So let the masting and rigging begin.

Here is a small update to the super structure of the ship  Time consuming even for cardboard.

Finally the superstructure is done! Here's some pics. Sorry it took so long. NOW! Time to start with the main battery guns.

Work time: 1 hour
Total Work time: 26.5 hours
Tools used: Xacto #11, #17, #18, Xacto razor saw, jewelers files
Material used: Isopropyl alcohol, Titebond glue
 
 
Well, I pulled my first screw up. After installing the Great Beam and the Deck Beam yesterday I laid a piece of deck plank on each side of bulkhead H, where these are installed. Looking back, I should have done that yesterday before I glued these pieces in.
 
The Great Beam (aft of bulkhead H) looked just fine.
 

 
But there was a big problem where I had installed the Deck Beam, forward of bulkhead H.
 

 
If I would have looked closer at the kit instructions, I would have seen that the Deck Beam needed to be even with the top of bulkhead H. I had installed it on top of the bulkhead.
 

 
Using some 91% isopropyl alcohol,  I painted the joint and slowly wedged it loose with a wide Xacto chisel blade. Took about 15 minutes or so to work the Deck Beam loose.
 
So I figured I had 2 options. I could cut the Deck Beam into two pieces and install one on each side of the keel or I could notch the keel to fit the Deck Beam in one piece. I decided to notch the keel.
 

 
After letting the Deck Beam dry out and cleaning things up, I glued the Deck Beam into the notch. Laying a piece of deck plank over the new configuration it looked good.
 

Mike - yes, the scuppers are PE from the kit...and yes, I had the same experience as you!  The carpet monster also ate a few, and I don't even have carpet!  I found the technique of attaching to masking tape, smearing some CA glue on the back side and then positioning, seemed to be enough time to adjust before it fully set.  Holes were drilled at an angle to the hull to try and give the impression of the tube angling up to the deck,  but that proved a little hit or miss.  Closeup, think the PE definitely looks overscale, but from regular viewing distance they blend in OK, and they will probably blend further when the other hull fixtures are added.
 
Well, I asked the question and MSW answered!!  Thanks everyone for your input, you've swayed me to the larger size, not a single vote for the smaller dimension.  Of course the larger rope will require far more taming but I'll solve that in due course.  Now to figure out how to attach to the ringbolt with a scale appropriate solution...
 
Just before putting this to bed, here is a picture I found from Endeavour which shows a smaller size breech rope which initially played into my deliberation.
 

 

Thanks, Ed and druxey, I am resolved to do a better job on the cannon this time around. Good thing I had to put that project aside while retiring and moving. A little time away made it very clear that I needed to do better. And now I have renewed energy to tackle it again.
 
Thanks, John, for your kind comments. I have come to think of this as a lot of separate parts, each of which needs full time and attention. I have continued to be inspired by Remco's comment "Treat each part as if it is a model on its own, you will finish more models in a day than others do in a lifetime".
 
Here are a few pictures of the wales refined a little more at the stern. I temporarily attached the mouldings at the stern, made many years ago and just waiting for their time again.
 
Reflecting on the wales, now they are almost done, It is pretty remarkable how a series of relatively short planks can be fitted together not only for structural strength longitudinally, but also how they can accommodate to a hull curving gracefully in several directions. The individual parts recede in emphasis, revealing the beauty of the collective whole. Like so many things on these models, the individual parts will likely not show themselves in the final model, but we all know they are there!
 
Mark
 
 

I have attached the stern Facia followed by the stern counter. Facia has been sanded down to match ply gun port strips.
 






The triangular corners have been filled and shaped. Done so first planking can terminate up against the filler and second go over it.

Good progress and happy to say I haven’t totally forgotten everything!
 
I had already created the foremast yard. I just needed to get the metalwork primed and then paint the main coats of black. 
 
Spent the next next few nights rigging up the blocks to the yard. 
 

Next used length of 0.5mm brass rod to fashion four foot rope stirrups. 
 

Finally to create the impression of the stirrups being tie to the yard I tied a loop of thread with a half hitch around the brass rod. Just been soaked with watered down PVA and waiting to be trimmed once dry. 
 

 
 
 

Hanging out the washing!! Some weight to keep gunport ropes taught while glue drys.

 
Prepping the breech ropes
 

 
Laying out the 18lbs on the upper gun deck.  Can anyone see my "fix" for a much earlier mistake?
 

That's right - gunports too low when compared to deck.  Luckily only occurs under top deck.  Had to lower cannon by removing wheels.  Oops.  And no, I'm not going back to redo ports....
 
Very wet weather the other day and my man cave/workshop developed a drip.  Lucky not on anything vital.  Hoping for a dry weekend to fix the roof.

 
Upper deck fitting attached and breeching ropes fixed to carriages but not to hull yet; gun tackle still too be started and finished.  But I'm getting there I think!  Need to be tidier on gratings.
 

 
 

After several months of effort, I have finally completed the frieze on the starboard side, at least.  I’m still ornamenting the port quarter.
 
Here’s one last comparison shot:
 

Taken as a whole, I think this experiment in stretching Berain’s frieze downward and forward is a success, even though it is not what was strictly drawn.  I happen to think that the acanthus escutcheon carvings are just too large to exist between the quarter deck guns, and that their presence, at that location, cramps the frieze.  There are certainly many things wrong with the Heller kit, but their decision to move these ornaments down to the main deck level was a sound one, in my opinion, and one that was grounded in documented practice among SR’s contemporaries.
 
A closer look:
 

 
And, I think, a pretty fair run with the drift rails:
 

 
While this particular phase of the project represents one of the most dramatic alterations to the kit, and the process of creating it was very educational and satisfying - it was also extremely fatiguing.  I love it, but I’m kinda’ sick of it.
 
While I still have work to do on these upper bulwark pieces - the upper amortisement of the quarter galleries, and the bow and stern angels - I will soon put these parts away for a while, after I have cut and framed the two small octagonal windows at the poop-royal level.
 
Following that, I will focus on getting the lower hull halves painted so that I can mount them and begin actually building the model.  I bought a sheet of 3/32” styrene sheet that will serve as the base cap of my waterline diorama.  Dan Pariser once suggested using brass, instead, out of concern that a styrene base would warp.  Styrene to brass sheet would be a purely mechanical bond.  My thoughts are that styrene to styrene would provide a welded joint and I plan to gusset and epoxy the hull interior like crazy, for extra lateral stability.  Does anyone out there have additional thoughts/experience on this point?
 

Those breeching rings came out really nicely an look just perfect, I'm sure at 1:48 its worth going that extra step to close these.  I really need to dive in and learn soldering and metal working techniques, been a little wary to try up to now. Love overall photo with the cut out figure, he enhances the look of the model by being a little more well defined than the ubiquitous "Captain Amati"...

Post 50
Thinking about Gun tackle scales
Fairly early in the stage, but I will fit the tackle eyebolts along the bulwarks and ensure that the holes for the breeching ring bolts are sufficiently deep and of the correct size to smooth the fitting later around all the encumbrances that will be on the deck by then.
I am conscious the more stuff on the deck the more difficult it is to get the drill square into the bulwark.
 
Chuck indicates using 28 gauge wire for the eyebolts and 24 gauge for the breeching tackle rings.
I presume he is referring to AWG and not SWG which we are more familiar with in the UK. There is not a huge difference but AWG is finer than SWG by equivalent gauge.
AWG 28 = 0.3211mmØ SWG = 0.376mmø
AWG 24 = 0.5106mm Ø SWG = 0.599mmø
 
I recall from my Pegasus build;
Breeching rings: 1"ø 4" in the clear
at 1:48 scale:= 0.5mm ø 2mm internal ø
Port Tackle eyebolt: 1"ø 1¾" in the clear
at 1:48 scale:= 0.5mm ø 0.92mm internal ø
For the Breeching rings I used 0.5mm ø  brass wire wrapped around a 2mm drill bit and snipped. A spot of silver solder secured the join. I went this extra step to reduce the risk of a ring failing and simply because I fancied doing a spot of silver soldering (or brazing as us professionals properly call it) 😉
For the bolts that hold them an eyebolt will suffice, modified slightly.

4557
Once cleaned up, the assembly is chemically blackened.

4569

4566
Apart from the forward  port-side port where I don't intend to fit a gun, I will defer fitting the other ring bolts as it will be easier to pre-attach the breeching rope before they are inserted into the bulwark.
With a short stub stem I find these things tricky to fit at the best of times, and the risk of marring the bulwark paint is high if the fitting hole isn't a clean fit.
 
Time to start scratching my head over decking. 🙄
 
B.E.
15/11/2018
 

Received today my copy of the second volume of the Rogers Dockyard Models covering Third rates.
Another beautifully presented book, and a worthy addition to my library.
Excellent service, 11 days from  order to door,USA to UK.
 
 Thank you Bob and Cathy.
 
B.E.
 

And this is a few photos of the imperial yacht Standart, the construction of which is already being completed. According to my calculations, it will take me another four months of work to complete and install all the details.

Glad I have just found your log before you have got too far Valeriy, love this style of model.  Making all of the metal parts must be so time consuming and sadly I'm not familiar with the techniques so looking to be educate by you.  I can't even imagine the amount of work you have ahead of you...but it will be worth it.

Mike - yes, the scuppers are PE from the kit...and yes, I had the same experience as you!  The carpet monster also ate a few, and I don't even have carpet!  I found the technique of attaching to masking tape, smearing some CA glue on the back side and then positioning, seemed to be enough time to adjust before it fully set.  Holes were drilled at an angle to the hull to try and give the impression of the tube angling up to the deck,  but that proved a little hit or miss.  Closeup, think the PE definitely looks overscale, but from regular viewing distance they blend in OK, and they will probably blend further when the other hull fixtures are added.
 
Well, I asked the question and MSW answered!!  Thanks everyone for your input, you've swayed me to the larger size, not a single vote for the smaller dimension.  Of course the larger rope will require far more taming but I'll solve that in due course.  Now to figure out how to attach to the ringbolt with a scale appropriate solution...
 
Just before putting this to bed, here is a picture I found from Endeavour which shows a smaller size breech rope which initially played into my deliberation.
 

 

Beautiful model, I take my hat off to you Channell on your patience (and all others.) who also) enhance with PE.  The results are really amazing and I think always makes the incredibly hard and tedious look simple when just looking at the results.  The wood deck is a really nice addition with all the individually coloured planks.  I too would like to see more of the Hood!

Glad I have just found your log before you have got too far Valeriy, love this style of model.  Making all of the metal parts must be so time consuming and sadly I'm not familiar with the techniques so looking to be educate by you.  I can't even imagine the amount of work you have ahead of you...but it will be worth it.

Mike - yes, the scuppers are PE from the kit...and yes, I had the same experience as you!  The carpet monster also ate a few, and I don't even have carpet!  I found the technique of attaching to masking tape, smearing some CA glue on the back side and then positioning, seemed to be enough time to adjust before it fully set.  Holes were drilled at an angle to the hull to try and give the impression of the tube angling up to the deck,  but that proved a little hit or miss.  Closeup, think the PE definitely looks overscale, but from regular viewing distance they blend in OK, and they will probably blend further when the other hull fixtures are added.
 
Well, I asked the question and MSW answered!!  Thanks everyone for your input, you've swayed me to the larger size, not a single vote for the smaller dimension.  Of course the larger rope will require far more taming but I'll solve that in due course.  Now to figure out how to attach to the ringbolt with a scale appropriate solution...
 
Just before putting this to bed, here is a picture I found from Endeavour which shows a smaller size breech rope which initially played into my deliberation.