Beef Wellington

Still working on the forecastle. One of the remaining pieces of the puzzle is the funnel for the stove. I used the kit supplied parts for this but modified the fixing element for the baffle plate. I used 1mm diameter brass tube to accept a 0.5mm brass rod fixed on either side of the baffle plate. I then added some 0.5mm brass rod details and painted it black to finish off. I found I had to add an additional spacer at the base as I suspect that my custom stove was sitting at a slightly lower level than the kit part. I installed timber around the base and added a flange by cutting out a disk from some photographic paper I had lying around and then painting black.
 




I added the cat block on the plansheer. I milled this out of some 4 x 3.5mm walnut. I didn't really have a plan for this and just made some fairly arbitrary moves with the mill to take some material off the one end. The sheave was cut out of a 4mm diameter brass rod with a 0.5mm diameter brass rod as the axle. It could actually rotate if enough force was applied. Compared to the kit part it is a slight improvement but still looks a bit clumsy to my eye.
 




In a flurry of finishing activity I installed the ringbolts in the deck for the canon relieving tackle. I also put in the ringbolts around the mast collar.
 

I installed the previously constructed rigging timber heads and then remade the fore jeer and fore topsail sheet bitts, which I had said I wasn't going to do, to include the triple sheave at the base. This was done using a 0.6mm mill bit to give me enough room to fit the 3 slots in. I added a styrene collar around the base to try and improve the junction between the bitt and the deck.
 


 

The forecastle is nearly there though I have still to rig the guns but before I do that, I have to get round to painting the barrels however in the spirit of procrastination I am moving back to the quarterdeck to finish of some of the structures there instead. I still have the barricade, the capstan, the taffarel fife rail and a myriad of eyebolts still to install. I cannot say that I am enthusiastic about any of these as they are all quite problematic in their own right except for the eyebolts.
 




 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Post Twenty-five – fettlin’ the crew
Working these figures is hard on the fingers, drilling out the flash between the legs, holes drilled to secure the heads to the bodies, drilling and filing of the hands to fit over the oars.
The figures are then filed to reduce their bulk, to make them a better fit.
After a couple of days, the basic figures are complete, and an opportunity to get an impression of how the set up would look.

9862

9858(2)

9856(2)

9855(2)
 

9853(2)

9849(2)
I think it’s going to work, a little more fettlin’ of the individual figures, and then a chemical black wash.
 
B.E.
31/12/2022
 

Yep, looking good there, they are.
Of course a lot of work and sore fingers, but worth it. 
Adding a crew makes the whole piece more alive, I like it.
 

Thanks friends! 
I'm very impressed with your feedback and wishes! Let's hope it all goes well.
 
Any modeler, like an actor on stage and an artist in a gallery, needs grateful spectators.
  I am glad that my little performance and the picture that resulted from it gave pleasure to the audience on your forum.
 
The model of the cruiser was made to order for a private collection, but I have no right to disclose the name of its owner, sorry.
The purpose of my future work has not yet been determined, but it will certainly appear and I hope that I can show it here. 
 
I wish everyone a lot of interesting models and a pleasant pastime for their construction!   

I congratulate everyone on New Year's holidays. I wish you good models and a peaceful sky over your head!   

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

I am now working on the top of the Poop deck. But before doing that, I have to flip the hull to access in a more comfortable position the ceiling of the rear balcony. That delicate operation is done with the help of a friend. The hull is now close to 20 pounds in weight and all the protruding guns are very fragile: 
 

 

 
The Copper tape has been doing great after a few months and is gaining that reddish golden color that makes it so attractive. Most likely, this is the last time I will have to do this kind of acrobatic stunts. Of course, having the Poop deck bulwarks, full and re-unforced, allows to flip the heavy hull without any damages.
 
After working and finishing the ceiling, the top of the Poop deck can now be completed: 
 

 
The kit does not provide chicken coops and other cages for animals and birds to be installed on the Poop deck.
 
Poop deck Railing...
 

 
Ladders.... These are too short from the kit. I had to modify them and add an extra step on the top.
 

 
 
 

 
The veranda to provide light into the main cabins.... and the bitts for the mizzen mast: 
 

 

 
Overall view of the Quarterdeck and Poop deck: 
 

 
I think it is time to move to the middle of the ship and mostly to the bow.....
 

 
Yves

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

Think it is also worth adding that there is not always an answer to all questions, even with AOTS books, NMM plans, models etc.  There are often many small discrepancies and inconsistencies between even contemporary sources (especially the Artois's!), but part of fun is learning from this and working through these challenges to find the direction you want to go in.  Look forward to seeing you start.

Thor,
 
A few years ago when visiting Kew Palace I came across a contemporary painting of the Royal Caroline. Its subdued colours in comparison to other contemporary artefacts suggests it could have been painted from real life.  It confirms what Mark says.
 
I did post these here several years ago so you may already have seen them.
 
Gary
 
 

There are more than 20 low resolution contemporary plans of Diana 1794 at RMG Collections as well as a contemporary model.  You may want to download these and compare to the AOTS book to look for any differences that might be there.
 
https://www.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/search/Diana plans 1794
 
Seven of these plans can be found in high resolution on the Wiki Commons site and are downloadable for free.  I think they are on pages 4 and 5 and labeled as Artois.  These are more than likely applicable to any of the  Artois class 38 gun ship, including Diana 1794 as pointed out on the RMG site which lists eight of the nine the ships of the class on each plan description.    https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Ship_plans_of_the_Royal_Museums_Greenwich
 
You might also find it a good idea to use these contemporary plans as you can have them printed at any scale you want on single large sheets.
 
Allan
 
 
 
 

This will be the only large sheet in the OREGON kit (28" x 40").  The rest will be 11" x 17" in a spiral-bound book.  With a few exceptions, all of the drawings on the smaller sheets will be full scale.  This takes up a lot less bench space.

Not a false path James, they seem to be the only game in town as far as scale rowers are concerned.
I still hope I can make a passable  job of them, fingers crossed it's not a forlorn hope!
 
B.E.

If you could get the figures to look right, I think they would be a nice addition to your barge.
 
But is it just me, or do the screenshot sample figures you posted look vaguely like “The Who”?
 
Andy

I am neither condescending nor troublesome, but as a moderator of this forum I am tasked with taking appropriate actions with regard to any new member who cannot be bothered with familiarizing himself with the rules and expectations of the public forum he has just joined and who, upon not receiving the desired response to a question that has already been asked and answered dozens of times on this site (which might have been discovered by the new member had he attempted even a modest amount of research before posting the question), immediately pitches a fit and treats the staff shabbily. You will note that I have indeed taken appropriate action in this instance.
 
Kind regards,

Something for Everyone Topic, or how I learned to love how Santa's mind works.

Special "Rigging Gloves" with two bright LED lights positioned at the base of the forefinger and the ring finger (or pinky, to suit). ..and the best part?

 
They come in pairs, left & right, batteries included and installed. These SpaceAge gloves will come in handy for those who no longer want to hold a small flashlight between their teeth whilst rigging (or doing anything else where these awesome gloves might come in handy).
 
Endorsed by thieves with a specialty in lock picking and by poker players who can still have a game when there are rolling blackouts.
 
Essential Wear/WARE for 2023. 
If there's sufficient interest here, I'll contact Santa and see if his workers are not out on strike...
 
 

Next on my list was to make and install the brass inserts and the chafing plate for the boom jaws on the main and foremast. While I have decided to cut the mast short and skip the rigging (in order to save costs on the size of a display case) I did leave the masts long enough to mount the booms.
 
After some careful measurements I cut a piece of .005 aluminum sheet to the proper size (.45 inches high and .87 inches wide). While not photographed, this width left the proper gap on the aft side of the mast.
 
I picked up the aluminum sheets from UMM when I visited the model expo at the Dupage County Fairgrounds.  In an attempt to make the aluminum look a bit more like galvanized metal, I scuffed it up with some 400 grit paper and sprayed it with Easy Off Oven Cleaner. Not quite the look I wanted but not too bad either. I toyed with the idea of using a rivet wheel to simulate the nails that would hold the chafing plate to the mast, but at this scale I decided against it.
 
For the brass band inserts I used an automotive feeler gauge to measure the gap. Then cut a .032 wide strip from a .005 brass shim stock I had on hand. This, and the aluminum, cut very easily with a utility knife.
 

 
I used fast epoxy to attach the plate and band inserts.

Now it’s on to building the gooseneck for the foremast, which looks a bit challenging.
 

Work continues slowly, but not really anything that would be noticeable in a photo update.  In a shameless attempt to cover this up, sharing some contemporary print images that I've been trying to get my hands on for quite some time now.   (The 3rd print below first appeared in my second post in this log back in 2014...ahem...I'm including here for completeness).  Three of the four are by Robert Dodd, and the other is by John Fairburn, and correlating with NMM records, were contemporaneously created between 1798 and 1801.  Its hard to corroborate the details between artists because the Robert Dodd prints are of a much higher quality - a comment on Dodd reflects that he is likely a reasonably reliable source "Although technically accurate and meticulous, his artistic talents were somewhat eclipsed by the greatest of his peers, and it is his contribution to the historical record that is his greatest legacy".  Considering that the representations were 'inscribed to' the ship's captains, one might think that they would be accurate on key points.
 
Full details below, but a couple of things jump out, nothing here will change the approach being taken on this build, but may be of value to others.  I'm really hoping I can get my hands on building contracts now.
Shock and horror! - there 'aint a figurehead!  Jason is clearly shown with a fiddlehead stem! - this is contradictory to available plans and seems unlikely to be an artistic creation.  Especially as other ships represented show quite detailed figureheads. Jason is shown with 14 quarterdeck 'guns' - impossible to tell whether these are carronades or cannons.  In any event, these exceeds the number described in AOTS Diana and seems to exceed Admiralty regulations.  Perhaps Capt. Sterling pulled in some favours to obtain additional ordinance...It's hard to draw any conclusions on the bow armament because its just not clear enough. The Mizzen channel is also clearly shown at its original lower location together with a backstay stool (4th picture below).  This reflects the earlier (original as designed/built?) configuration, and contradicts the single channel configuration located higher up the hull that is shown in AOTS and (possible subsequent alterations) on NMM plans.  Interestingly, the same configuration is shown in second picture below, but the mizzen backstay stool is missing. Try as I might, I just can't resolve much in the way of clues to the stern decoration.  Maybe wishful thinking, but the central figure on the stern in second picture below could be a golden fleece (as would possibly be expected!), and what I'm noodling over for 'my' Jason.  The outboard supporting figures also look 'male' to my eye...but not sure.  There are a number of details here that suggest a different representation here (e.g. ar those columns between the lights?).  Wish I'd managed to get my hands on this years ago.  Unfortunately, the representation by John Fairburn is of much lower artistic and technical and just seems to show smudges. Sequel to the action between L'Hercule and Mars (April 21, 1798): Artist: Robert Dodd ca.1798
Inscription “Sequel to the Action of L’HERCULE and MARS, on the Night of April 24th 1798.  Representing the MARS bringing her PRIZE out of the Passage Du Raz, the JASON FRIGATE having come up some time after the ENEMY had STRUCK, assisting in shifting the Prisoners.” 

Capture of La Seine: Artist: Robert Dodd
Inscription “CAPTURE of LA SEINE most respectfully Inscribed to the Captains STERLING & MILNE.  This Action commenced in a running fight between LA PIQUE and LA SEINE the former was disabled by the loss of her Main Topmast and the JASON coming up between & received the fire of the Enemy Her Action continued when the [unreadable] Ships grounded on the French Coast near Midnight LA SEINE still making a most exemplary defense, and did not surrender until totally dismasted with the loss of 170 Men killed & 100 badly wounded” 

A REPRESENTATION of the JASON 38 guns capturing LA SEINE:  Artist: John Fairburn, 1 Oct 1798
Inscription “A REPRESENTATION of the JASON 38 guns capturing LA SEINE, a FRENCH FRIGATE of 42 Guns near PENMARK ROCK, June 30th 1798  The La Pique Frigate had engaged the La Seine for a considerable time, before the Jason came up, but did unfortunately run aground in the action & bilged & was afterwards burn'd by her own crew"

 
 
Situation of Jason and La Pique the morning after the engagement: Artist: Robert Dodd
Description taken from NMM:  A depiction of the British frigates Jason and La Pique on moderate seas, flying the British ensign, with their prize, La Seine, on 29 June 1798; troops can be seen on land in the distance. The Jason is shown in the foreground in port-broadside view, behind her is La Seine with her masts cut off; La Pique (port quarter view) is on the right in the process of sinking, shown with her crew climbing down on to a rowing boat. Several other rowing boats can be seen in the foreground. The sails of the Jason and La Pique show extensive damage from cannon fire.
 
Inscription “SITUATION of the JASON and LA PIQUE with their Prize on the Morning after the Action.  Representing the Jason as just having hove off the ground.  La Pique being unfortunately bilged was cleared of her Stores and destroyed by her own Crew, the wounded Men of the Enemy were put on Shore and given in charge to a division of their [unreadable] ARMY of ENGLAND who appeared in numbers on the Beach unable to molest(?) the British Ships or prevent their captured Frigate from being brought off.”

 

What a wonderful model Derek, only just caught up on your progress. Aside from the excellent execution, the tones of the boxwood sit very nicely with the eye.

Running Rigging - brief update
 
I've not kept the log up as conscientiously as I should, partly because it is difficult to photograph the model properly in the dust cabinet, but mainly because this stage of the build is an almost identical repeat of the same stage in HMS Speedy's construction. I confess I baulked at the idea of simply mirroring my entries in the earlier log. I hope anyone wanting more details will check the latter.
 
Here's the current state of play:
 

I've completed most of the rigging to the bowsprit, along with the ties and lifts on the main and fore masts, the ties on the mizzen and the vangs on the mizzen yard. 
 
As usual I haven't secured most of the lines yet, preferring to wait until a final squaring up. 
 
I found the bowsprit a little challenging, and had to have a couple of attempts to get the various lines to run cleanly without fouling:

The first of these shots reminds me of another lesson I keep forgetting, despite keeping logs, which is that it is much easier to rig lines to eyebolts off the model. In my enthusiasm to complete the hull in line with the drawings I glued all such fittings in place long before I started thinking about the rigging, and of course I then had the pleasure of trying to seize lines on the model, usually through a cats cradle of existing ropes and spars. The one exception on the Duchess was the pair of cleats on the transom. I forgot these until I came to rig the vangs, at which point I had great fun drilling holes without destroying deck fittings and shrouds. Hey ho.
 
Similarly, I usually regret not fitting more lines to spars before attaching them to the model. Quadhands is often my saviour, although I had to develop other solutions for higher parts of the ship. Here's me rigging the main topgallant yard tie:

On a more positive note, I found that the beige 6/0 fly tying thread I rejected as an option for the crowsfeet works well as a seizing. I normally use the thinner 18/0 thread but the 6/0 version looks good on heavier lines:

Anyway, my new year's resolution will be to work harder at keeping my log up. I'll also have to work harder in the dockyard - I've got Sphinx waiting on the stocks and I've ordered Indefatigable 😁.
 
In the meantime, I'd like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.
 
Derek 
 
 

That's not a lame question. In trying to rig decent ratlines I've tried half hitches, overhand knots and cow hitches but I always end up using clove hitches. I believe that's what was used on real ships, and most modellers do the same. 
 
The best guide I've found is this youtube video: 
 
 
Couple of points to note. He's pinned some white card behind the shrouds which makes it much easier to see what you're doing. However he's using plain card whereas I prefer to use lined card to help me get the ratlines evenly spaced and parallel with the waterline. Here's an example:

Second, he starts with an overhand knot on the first shroud whereas I prefer to start as I mean to go on - with a clove hitch. 
 
It's very easy to tighten the ratlines as you work your way up, producing an hourglass shape in the shrouds which just looks wrong. One way to help avoid this is to rig the every fifth or sixth shroud first, then fill in the gaps. Some people draw lines on the card to represent the shrouds and use these to try to keep the shrouds straight. I find that more difficult, but you might find it worth trying. 
 
Couple of other points. I try to use the finest line I can for ratlines. In real life the lower ratlines would have been made from 1.5" line (that's circumference, ie less than 0.5" in diameter). On a model that's just under 0.20mm in diameter; any thicker looks too heavy, at least to my eye.
 
Also, I find the knots can slacken quite easily, so I usually put a dab of glue (I use dilute pva or shellac) on each knot as I finish each line.
 
Finally, if you tie each clove hitch the same way there's a danger that you'll end up with 'S' shaped 'rungs' in your ratlines. Here's a photo where I've tied some rope to a pair of door handles to illustrate the point:
 

You need to try to tweak each knot as you tie it to minimise this effect. 
 
Just out of interest, I tried tying alternate knots upside down which works for the first rung, producing a nice downward curve...

...unfortunately the next rung slopes up and looks worse than an S-bend!
 
I hope this is of some help. I suggest you look at the video then try practicing some knots. Practice really is the answer although I've been practicing for years and still can't do it to my own satisfaction!
 
Derek