Beef Wellington

Harrier was laid up in ordinary for a while due to other projects like building an outdoor fireplace over summer and general issues like having a life and job. 
 
But there has been some decent progress. I haven't many pics through this stage of the build as it's been mainly incremental. 
 
 
Here's the highlights:
-The yards have all been completed, including a yet to be mounted spitsail yard. topgallant yards are done but just absent for the pic. 
 
-the standing rigging is largely complete with just ratlines to be tied (joy). This follows Petrejus fairly closely and includes shrouds with catharpins, stays and backstays, martingale stay etc.
The shrouds are fixed as due to limited lateral movement the only issue there is the cord stretching. The deadeye lanyards can always be tightened if this happens.
The main and forestay are likewise fixed as the lower masts won't really move but the top stays and up are rigged with adjustable length plates (think tent guy ropes) so tension can be adjusted. 
This is necessary as the top and and topgallant masts can drop by about 6-7 inches combined for transport. Likewise the jib boom can come inboard by its own length.
I'm impressed with how rigid the masts are both fore and aft and laterally.
- working rigging blocks for the top and topgallant masts have been made to allow working braces run from servos.
- Sails have been made, just the main course to be done once I decide how much wire bracing to include (more on this later).
-servos are all installed (pics to come) and all yards have been temporarily rigged to check functionality. Fore and mainmast yards rotate independently on separate servos with about 55 degrees of rotation to each side.  ( video to come which will explain the concept better.)
 
More pics:
Foretopmast stays etc at the front end. The hearts are made from wood. The bowsprit stays with dead eyes are fixed while the fore topmast stays, to the right in the pic, running through the bees abaft down through the bowsprit cap are adjustable due to the wooden blocks acting as length plates to disguise their real function. I want to avoid anything that looks less than period correct near the hull. Higher in the rigging is not so obvious.

 
Forestays. The white line visible are the temporary sheets for the forestays. They travel from the servo through a brass tube in each side embedded in the forward bitts. The black line running from the deck straight up the mast is the temporary main brace rigging.

 
Fore chains and shrouds, with backstay dead eyes at left. If the line ever stretches and slackens it's easy enough to just cut the lanyards off and rerig.
Topmast shrouds and stays. The upper masts have a brass pin through them which can be removed to drop them a bit. The mast caps are also not fixed to allow this to go a bit easier. Close tolerances and the rigging tension keep them very firmly in place. 

 
Maintop and yard etc. The main and top yards on each mast are on a rotating pin set forward to allow a greater arc of rotation.
Also visible here are the working blocks to take the brace sheets to the yards. These were made from timber with brass sheaves from RB Models. I've used their blocks elsewhere on the model where they don't have major stress on them but they don't seem to make the large single blocks anymore and I'm a bit more comfortable with these made from NZ Matai timber which is fairly hard. 
 
Running braces from this position isn't accurate but borrows from concept used by the likes of RC square rig kit manufacturer SC&H.
Attribution time- this design is based on looking at their fine products (I wanted a smaller scale and couldn't afford theirs with shipping to the ends of the Earth) and many fine builders and modifiers of their work including Dan Lewandowski and others, plus the work of Jerry Todd, who you've seen commenting here.
Also you can see the mouses/mice (?) on the main and main spring stay.
 
Main topgallant top. Same concept as before but smaller.

The driver sail is a temporary job. The other has been made but not fitted. It's hard to find a backdrop given the size of the vessel.

Next steps are bending the sails and installing running rigging. This is waiting on the rigging. I've been unable to find the right sizes in a white or otherwise braid. I've got .5mm and 1.1m in white which can be dyed ok but while the smaller is ok for the deadeye lanyards etc neither size is right for braces or other similar functional rigging.
RC square rigger Dan mentioned above has been kind enough to offer to make me some rigging line on his rope walk. A true gentleman who not only doesn't worry about me using his ideas but makes the rope for me to do it with.
 
While I wait for the rope I'll tidy up the servo wiring and install fuses (pretty clueless with electrics), and test the ballast keel weight and depth below keel in a mate's pool.
 
There are still carronade slides to be made and guns installed and the spritsail yard but these are cosmetic and I'll concentrate on the bits that'll get Harrier in the water soonest before moving on to the pretty bits.
 
I'll post a vid of the yards in action soon. The optimist in me wants me wants her on the water in the next couple of months The weather should be better then.
 

Hi everyone,another overdue update. All the topmast shrouds are now done. The camera is brutal,but they look ok from a foot away. I have also started doing some of the ratlines for a change of pace. Cow hitches were used on the end shrouds,with clove hitches on all the others. This may take some time...............
 

 

 

 

 

 
Mark

Looks wonderful Bob, really nice joinery, there must be quite a few complicated angles to deal with.

Wasn't quite sure where to put these pics, but here seemed as good a place as any (Sorry these aren't exactly professional quality).  One of the interesting models in the Rogers collection at the Annapolis Naval Museum is this the following model of a Cruizer Class sloop.  I curse myself because I forgot to take picture of the plate, so if anyone else has that info then please share.  I'm not going to analyze, but the following jumped out at me.  I wonder how much of this was reflective of reality and how much was model makers whimsy....
 
Dare I say, the square tuck.... The presence of a Spritsail Topsail Yard Figurehead which are not shown on any plans Cannons rather than carronades, and the inclusion of 2 additional stern chasers Stern deck houses appear consistent with those shown on many plans Presence of fore platform, and bucklers on the foremost gun port Capstan placement consistent with plans and more logically located toward stern Aft davits which were RN anathema

Looks wonderful Bob, really nice joinery, there must be quite a few complicated angles to deal with.

Moving forward on the aft lower deck, I've now completed the next set of partitions. These are the the second of the three transverse portions (and it's attached upper deck beam) and two fore and aft partitions which create what the plans refer to as the captain's bed place and the mate's cabin. I also did the interior hull planking in this area.
 
All of the partitions were made up from boxwood strip, as was the hull planking. The doors were made from boxwood strip, with cut off  round head brass pins for handles and blackened brass hinges from a PE set in my stash. As always, everything was finished with Wipe-on Poly.
 
My next work will be to finish the work on the aft lower deck and to add the remaining deck beams for the upper deck above the lower deck area.
 
Bob

Glen -  thanks for taking the trouble to show the rope machine. Sorry for my delay in replying. I've been away for a few days. However  I took my rope experiment with me. I saturated the 'rope'(shown earlier) with water, twisted it again, left it for an hour,  dried it with my wife's hair drier (for my hair it's more a search party), then, having clamped it at both ends, left it overnight under slight tension.  Joy.
 
I'm almost finished with the Vanguard - I hope - and I will give the rope making a try if I need to make some longer stuff.

Yay .
 
I'm into my 3rd day on the Bridge and still won't finish it today. So many small details to make - and most of them won't be visible later on . At least I know they are there, and it's all good practice.
 
There are three different types of Binocular Stand to make. I guess this one incorporates a Bearing Compass?



I've painted the step irons and PE doors. There's also some bracing under the overhanging part of each side - this is made from 0.3mm nickel-silver tube, the only stuff in that diameter that the Hobby store had (not cheap ). Here are some shots overall :



And one last pic to give an idea of scale :

 
  Danny
 

B.E., just looking at the pictures (without having read your text) my first reaction was that this little ship is shaping up very, very nicely! As the builders of our models we all have the problem that we see 'imperfections' which nobody else will ever see .
 
Thomas

B.E.,
Don't get frustrated just yet. Your Pinnace looks better than most at this stage. There is a lot of sanding inside and out ahead for you. What follows will be a much better looking boat. I think the colors of planking v. stem and keel contrast just fine. Enjoy your trip!
Steve

Nice jig!  Much better than the "Fair-a-Frame".

Thank you for all the likes and comments. The port side plank has been shaped and installed. I spent a lot of time trying to get these two planks symmetrical. After installation, I removed the braces at the transom. Additional fairing in this area will be next along with lining off the hull. 
 
Shims were created and faired with the bulkheads to repair a piece that broke earlier in the build.
Steve

Thank you very much for the likes and comment.
 
The panels were completed and glued into position.  You could leave them like that with just the empty panels which has been seen on many contemporary models.  In this case I chose to insert printed friezes into them like the contemporary model shown above.
 
I actually patterned the same same frieze design from that contemporary model and used it on my prototype.  What do you guys think.   I will be working on the step into the stern sheets next and then started on the outboard details again shortly after.
 

 

 

 

 
 
Chuck

Just amazing Greg, the weathering and the PE detailing just look awesome....picks chin off floor....

Starting to look like a warship

Treenails of course come down to personal opinion, but my opinion is I like your opinion 🙂  I hope one day to be able to admire your completed Terror in person!

So here's where I landed with the lettering.  First the letters were painted in a darker brown and then overpainted with yellow ochre and few highlights.  The goal here was not perfection as I new that was not going to remotely close, hopefully "impressionistic" describes it.  Was very happy with the outcome, may touchup a little more but I'm forcing myself to stay away for now.  The placement may look a little odd, but I had to estimate where the decorative rails will be so it should be correctly aligned when those are in place...something to potentially still go awry.  I'm following the guidance that the letters should fill the upper counter leaving a little space between the rails.  The photos are a little unkind and to my eye looks better in person.
 
First picture is the obvious comparison to the kit supplied PE letters, and you can see the perspective narrowing of the font.  I placed the lights in the stern while fine tuning the angle as it seemed that these need be complimentary somehow, although the angle varies from every viewing angle.
 

So here's where I landed with the lettering.  First the letters were painted in a darker brown and then overpainted with yellow ochre and few highlights.  The goal here was not perfection as I new that was not going to remotely close, hopefully "impressionistic" describes it.  Was very happy with the outcome, may touchup a little more but I'm forcing myself to stay away for now.  The placement may look a little odd, but I had to estimate where the decorative rails will be so it should be correctly aligned when those are in place...something to potentially still go awry.  I'm following the guidance that the letters should fill the upper counter leaving a little space between the rails.  The photos are a little unkind and to my eye looks better in person.
 
First picture is the obvious comparison to the kit supplied PE letters, and you can see the perspective narrowing of the font.  I placed the lights in the stern while fine tuning the angle as it seemed that these need be complimentary somehow, although the angle varies from every viewing angle.
 

Gromit was right to question the remaining space to take two strakes.
It proved to be too tight to take two reasonably tapered planks; one to be the sixth plank from the top, and one spiled plank running just below the curve of the hull to complete the planking.
My approach was to perform an insitu taper to the uppermost lower plank (fourth from keel) to equalise the  necessary taper at the bow.

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Here the sixth strakes are fitted, leaving just the final spiled strake to be fitted.

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This is a very interesting shape but at the bow and stern the widths are not out of kilter with the other planks. Most of the length is otherwise obscured by the curve of the hull.

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To get the spiled shape I stick Tamiya tape over the space and cut the shape out with a scalpel.
This is then applied to a strip which is then wetted and cut out allowing a margin for fitting.

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The rather contorted shape of the final plank.
It is all then down to sanding the edge to fit; I start with the widest section, mark the position on both the plank and the planks above and below it, and by degrees fine tune the edges to fit in the gap.

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This is not difficult but takes time with constant fit checking.
For this last strip both edges are lined to reflect the caulking.
So here's the hull complete but without the very necessary fettlin' that will be required.

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At this point I also added the stern post, but I replaced the provided kit part with a Boxwood version.

8915
Once again one of the annoying little sheer plank extensions snapped off during handling, I have glued it back on but I think I will add a back-up strip behind it to make it more robust.
If that fails, the bally things will be removed permanently.
Time now for tidying up, scraping the hull, and 're-caulking' where necessary.
Can't say I'm entirely happy with the way things have gone thus far but work will proceed.
 
B.E.

Shipyard Update
Jeer Blocks for the 3 Masts:
 
I had a look at the Endeavour Fore and Main Mast Jeers single blocks. Each has 3 single blocks. The AoTS p103 indicates doubles on the yard and mast.

The Endeavour Mizzen just 1 single on the yard, stropped around the mast. And the AoTS p105 indicates similar. But how it was raised ? does not indicate.

 
Therefore I am using the following:
Added in the Jeer Blocks to raise the Yards up to each of the 3 Masts.
 
Fore Mast:  7mm double blocks either side, with lashing to the mast and the block double stropped.
The Yard will have 2 single 7mm.

Maine Mast(same as Fore):  7mm double blocks either side, with lashing to the mast and the block double stropped.
The Yard will have 2 single 7mm.

The Mizzen Mast:  For this block I deviated from the AoTS and Endeavour, to have blocks either side, so the mizzen yard can be raised by these.
Note: The mizzen topmast topsail yard has single blocks either side of the mast and a double on the yard. Page 104 AoTS.
I used a 6mm single block either side. The Yard to have 1 x double 6mm.
      
 
Might have a look at the crowsfeet and Main Stay Tackle next/soon ?
 
 
Dave R

Looking great Christian,  love the crowsfeet!

Just amazing Greg, the weathering and the PE detailing just look awesome....picks chin off floor....

So here's where I landed with the lettering.  First the letters were painted in a darker brown and then overpainted with yellow ochre and few highlights.  The goal here was not perfection as I new that was not going to remotely close, hopefully "impressionistic" describes it.  Was very happy with the outcome, may touchup a little more but I'm forcing myself to stay away for now.  The placement may look a little odd, but I had to estimate where the decorative rails will be so it should be correctly aligned when those are in place...something to potentially still go awry.  I'm following the guidance that the letters should fill the upper counter leaving a little space between the rails.  The photos are a little unkind and to my eye looks better in person.
 
First picture is the obvious comparison to the kit supplied PE letters, and you can see the perspective narrowing of the font.  I placed the lights in the stern while fine tuning the angle as it seemed that these need be complimentary somehow, although the angle varies from every viewing angle.
 

So here's where I landed with the lettering.  First the letters were painted in a darker brown and then overpainted with yellow ochre and few highlights.  The goal here was not perfection as I new that was not going to remotely close, hopefully "impressionistic" describes it.  Was very happy with the outcome, may touchup a little more but I'm forcing myself to stay away for now.  The placement may look a little odd, but I had to estimate where the decorative rails will be so it should be correctly aligned when those are in place...something to potentially still go awry.  I'm following the guidance that the letters should fill the upper counter leaving a little space between the rails.  The photos are a little unkind and to my eye looks better in person.
 
First picture is the obvious comparison to the kit supplied PE letters, and you can see the perspective narrowing of the font.  I placed the lights in the stern while fine tuning the angle as it seemed that these need be complimentary somehow, although the angle varies from every viewing angle.
 

Thanks everyone for the encouraging comments.
 
@Carl - I looked at Baskerville, before you posted this I decided to follow Perpetua Titling as a guide as it is probably the closest to whats seen on Victory that I could find, Baskerville looks good as well.  There is one problem with all these fonts, and that is the "J", in nearly all of these older fonts the J drops below the level of the other letters (it is invariably the only one to do that) which I don't think is how it would be done.  I've decided to us the 'Castella' font as a guide for the J, as the other letters are similar stylistically but a little thicker.
 
However, there is a big caveat here, given that I'm choosing to paint the letters so despite lofty ideas I still need to execute that somehow, and I doubt my skills are up to this level of accuracy or refinement and I'm keeping my expectations at an appropriate level.  I think it would be a good game afterwards to play 'guess' the font because I know it will not be as pure as the printed examples.