Beef Wellington

Miracles happen ...
 
... I finally found time to finish the refined side steps on the spare kit ...
 

 
... first prepared single steps ...
 

 
... and here the revised version with the different depth of the steps underneath the admirals entrance :-)
 

 
Still a tad uneven, as just being fixed on double sided tape, but very near to what I wanted.
 
XXXDAn

Trying to set a correct device for the rigging of the guns.
This is a second hand "jig" for 24's carronades (I'll use the 32's) just to feel more familiar with the rigging of the breeching rope.
The whole procedure especially for the seizing and using PVA to secure the knots is so time consuming... Thinking of use cyano to proceed faster.
In the other hand an alternative option to avoid the knots: pro-made seizing (using 0,25 line and PVA. Cyano glue makes too dificult to withdraw the setting from the drill...). 

Fixing the wire-hole for the breeching rope.. 
The second photo illustrates a minor complication regarding the thread of the passing screw...

I spent some more time the other day working on the headblock. I've just got a few finishing touches left to do. I also got the gooseneck connection to the head of the A frame pretty much finished. A miracle in that I managed to keep the glue away from the working parts, so it pivots and swings freely in all directions required (the capillary action of Tenax is incredible).
 
Last night I also got the first three rollers from my friend. He's done an amazing job, they are perfectly identical to the master I gave him, and aside from some expected flash, there are no defects or bubbles. He makes his moulds and sets them in a vaccuum to get rid of any air bubbles. After he pours the resin, he puts the casting under pressure. I've seen some other examples of his work, it's the finest resin casing I've ever seen.
 
Anyway, just that small update for today. The way things are right now, progress is slow. Just the nature of the monster really.
 
 
Andy

Here are some pictures of the copper cleanup.
 
The first three provide a good idea of the original disaster: the second and third showing the difference after stripping the polyurethane with acetone.



 
The next four show the complete cleanup.




 
Having spent nearly 20 hours cleaning, I then reached for the spray can of poly - the stuff in the blue can.
One should read the label of course. Having given the (blue) can a good shake I proceeded to spray the copper matt black.  This was obviously not a good idea, and having said, "Oh, how unfortunate" (or words to that effect) I spent the next 2 hours taking the paint off with mineral turps. But fate had more in store. Having brought the finish back to its pristine cleanliness, I again tried the poly - this time, having read the label.  After making a couple of passes the can was empty, and to show its displeasure, sent, what I can best describe as a sploop of poly onto the copper surface.  Back to the acetone for which I have now probably acquired a sniffing addiction, then to what I hope is a final and successful spraying.
 



 







 
One positive came out of the black paint episode.  The cleaning left a tiny residual in the rivets which now shows them up very nicely.  However I do NOT recommend trying this at home.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The nine pound carriage guns were made up in the same way as were the eighteen pounders. The caronades were made up in stages as shown in the photos, I first looked for the tackle arrangement and used the one that seems most common, the issue was the fixing of the front carriage pin it shows it pinned through the bulwark on the bottom of the gun port, the problem with this would be, in lowering the bottom of the port to keep the cartridge level, it would be to low and look wrong, so I looked at every photo of caronades I could find, on models, and as mounted on H M S Victory, and most had the front swivel pin going through a block mounted on the deck in front of the port, so that is how I built mine.I am just starting to rig them in place.
 
Carriage parts

 
assembling carriages


Carriages built up minus barrels and some rigging eyes

Extra rigging brackets from spruce and 3mm rings

Made up and painted

On deck working out how the rigging will run

I'd say, just go with whichever makes you happier..... And at the moment, you and pretty much everyone else so far seem to be in favour of the Victory.
 
Andy

Oh that feels great ...
 
... after being off for that many weeks - job, holiday, job - now back on the drug ...
 
... back in the shipyard again :-)
 
I already showed the carving ...
 
 
 
... I tried long to finally find the right way to display those tendrils on the supports of the side entry port canopy. Positive carving, modeling with clay - nothing worked.
 
Then the idea to carve it in the negative way ...
 

 
... and have a thin cast and glue it together :-)
 
Here the family juwels:
 

 
Left bottom the old casted parts from the carved styrene carvings of the ones on my model. Left top sculpted with Magic Sculpt - not successful - , then the negativ carvings with a thin cast, below left the first test and right the improved carving with the thin face side sculted with Magic Sculpt and right the final casts and black the final cast with primer :-)
 
From near it looks like this:
 

 
And with some paint it is near what i wanted to achieve ...
 

 
... then the small crown underneath the canopy with its flags ...
 

 
... both parts together ...
 

 
... feels good :-)
 
Now just the new canopy ...
 
Cheers, Daniel

Neptune, Poseidon, Nij

Wonderfully neat clean work Jason!!
 
Kind Regards Nigel

Your rigging is looking superb Jason. Serving seems well worth the effort and I will attempt it when I get there - a while away. What machine do you use or did you make your own?
 
Cheers
Alistair

Main shrouds
 
Some "notes to self", managed to get a process going for doing the shrouds in a way that felt comfortable, details below and results.  Apologize for the quality of the photos, for some reason these just seem off today.
 
Hope someone can help with a list of questions:
Instructions indicate that the futtock stave should be made with 1mm brass wire.  What would this have been made of on actual ship, would it have had rope wrapped around it like serving or puddening? Would people advise to attach the futtock stave before doing ratlines - seems that it might hold the shrouds a little more in place What dictated whether stretchers were attached (or not), and would these have been attached 'permanently', in as much as anything would be permanent. Would catharpins have been so attached so as to deflect the shrouds inwards at the futtock staves, or would the line of the shrouds be maintained? Any insights much appreciated!
 
Shroud pulled at taught as possible around deadeye, twin spacers being used to keep it steady.  (End that will be trimmed passed up through the tops temporarily)

 
Overhand knot tied at back and front of shroud a close as possible to the deadeyes.  

 
Overhand knots then alternated working downward to close up the hole, no more than 3-4 typically required.  Last know secured with G-S Hypo cement and ends trimmed.  Found using some tweezers made this easier to manipulate as the shroud can be controlled much easier.

 
End trimmed and then end and middle seizing tied using same method as described above

 
There's something very pleasing about a stack of shrouds!  The fore-most shrouds are served to protect against wear from the sails, this allowed me to establish a new personal best for longest length served (268mm).  I've found it helpful while serving to keep compacting the serving line even if it doesn't appear to need it, it seems to give a more consistent result although I've still not perfected this technique.

 
Despite best attempts, I just could get the line of the serving to be straight across the shrouds.  I'm guessing that this would have not always been perfect on real ships either despite the pictures in books.  At least thats my story/excuse.

 
Main shrouds in place, I'll leave in place for now and do a final tightening once all shrouds in place.

Andy - appreciate the observation, I had tried what you describe before taking the photo, but it just didn't look right.  Turns out, I had the stay going under the wrong cross tree arm.  All corrected now and sits a treat on the crosstree
 
BE, John, Jim and the 'likes' - thanks as always
 
Main Stay and Preventer Stay collars
 
Started tackling the main and preventer stay collars while waiting for some line to stretch out for the main mast shrouds, (still don't feel I have the shroud thing figured out just yet, but its early days...).  After a bit of a break in the shipyard, these took a full day to complete.  The instructions indicate that the collars should be lashed under the bowsprit through some eyes, but I decided to take the approach outlined in Lever for these.  Unfortunately, because the gammoning is in place, a lot of fiddly steps needed to be done on the ship.
 
As anyone who's done any serving knows, and I'm rapidly learning, is that the process requires you to know the correct length of line you need to serve because 'trimming a bit off' isn't an option.  Here's the first step figuring out the length of served line I'll need.  Marker pen on similarly sized natural line.

 
Detail of the final collar as per Lever

 
Main stay collar in place...

 
...and preventer stay.  I had added the cleats onto the bowsprit before mounting, and commented at the time that the plans were inconsistent.  Luckily the collars seem to sit nicely where intended

 
 
 
 

Hi Guys,
 
Thanks everybody for the nice comments and remarks, and also the guys who pressed the "like" button.
 
I am going to try for an update using IE10, hopefully I've not been scuppered again.
 
The Lower Main Mast is now done as far as the shrouds and ratlines are concerned and the next step is the Lower Foremast, I have just put the ropes into the black dye in readiness for that, so as far as the pictures go it's mainly the Main Mast.
 
I have soaked the Burton Pendants with diluted white glue and they are weighted down so that they hang right.

 

 
Next up is the completed Starboard side ratlines

 

 

 
Now for the Port side, all the deadeyes had to be retied due to the mast leaning to Starboard, the shrouds on retying could almost play a tune they are so tight, but the mast is now straight and all is well.
 
This is my method of holding the deadeye and rope so that I can seize the shroud.

 
You can see by the tails just how much I have had to adjust the shrouds

 
All the shrouds have been adjusted and the ropes have been tied off and trimmed.

 
This is my method when tying ratlines, the shrouds are clamped together with two boards , the boards are the correct size for the ratlines and keep them straight, they also help to keep the shrouds from moving out of alignment but care still needs to be taken

 
Portside shrouds completed prior to trimming up

 
All trimmed and finished

 
So there we are, right up to date, a bit long winded I know but it's been a while and I wanted to give IE10 a good workout.
 
Be Good
 
mobbsie
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Happy New Year to all.
Well the ladders have arrived and have been placed between the floors.
It's hard to be seen in the photos inside a room, so I took the chance to use the Greek sky as a background even in January...
I think you can see two ladders between the first and third floors.

 
I placed also the shelves for the searchlights and the observation post at the top of the mast, all made by pieces of plastic.

 
It can't be seen but I haven't placed one last wire because I need an open, through which I will place some fittings
of the open bridge (a ship's wheel, compass). As some other items, they have to be waiting the painting of the mast.
Thanks

 

Hi Ferit,
 
I'm a little late responding to this, but I came across a very similar figure (both in form and location) in the Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde kit that I just picked up (which is a very similar 17th century German frigate).  Pretty creepy looking isn't it?

Build update:
 
Made turntable (bracket $4.50 from HomeDepot).  Solved my rigging problem for turning model as I rig.  Bracket is attached to plywood board, and top is attached to a 2x4 where ship base is attached.  The bracket corners have holes which after drilling some holes in the plywood allows me to use a wood pin for a stop.  
 
Purchased Chucks blocks and rigging for the larger lines.  Plans calls out 3mm blocks for buntlines and such.  I wasn't satisfied with the size (pix attached showing these on yard ), so I reordered larger 4mm blocks to replace these.  I'm using the "Masting and Rigging spreadsheet" found in the articles section on this site which I believe was setup using "Lee's" book.  This also confirmed these blocks should be larger by the size of rigging line to be used.  I also ordered triple blocks for the jeer falls where the plan shows to use double blocks.  I wish I would have waited before ordering blocks until I got to this phase of the build.  Building without the kit I had this luxury, but purchased all the blocks I thought I needed with all the other material before the start.  Wish Chucks were available then.
 
Started serving lines.  Purchased Alexey's. serving machine. Serving has been quite a learning process.  Each type of situation has been a new source of frustration, but I think I'm getting use to what works and what doesn't. Making the eyes and determining the length of the particular piece are the frustrating areas. Can't tell you how many attempts it took to come up with a satisfactory result for a eye.  Although I'm still new to this and I'm sure additional frustrations will occur.  I'm using Gutermann dark brown  2960 for the serving which matches up good with Chucks brown line.  For seizings I'm using coats 80wt line and staining with General Finishers Expresso Acrylic.  I used Minwax Jacobean on my other models, but switched for an easier cleanup product.  I would have liked to use Uni-thread fly line, but their dark brown I purchased didn't match well with Chuck's line.  Staining this line didn't work, that's why I went with Cotona Madeira which is cotton.  It is less strong, so care must be taken when tightening seizings.
 
Also in picture 5 shows yard sling which I think the thimble I choose is too small 3mm.  Didn't have larger, so when I was going to order a larger size from Model Expo saw a not saying "you can make a larger thimble from a deadeye by routing out the center".  I had 3.5 mm deadeye which I made thimbles from.  The new pieces aren't shown.
 
In the attached pictures all examples are served with the exception with the lifts which also use non-Chuck blocks (7mm Amati sister blocks). 
 
Picture 1 at top 
Picture 2 closeup of turntable and stop pin
Picture 3 closeup showing smaller 3mm blocks (look too small to me)
Picture 4 closeup of served jeer blocks
Picture 5 shows main/fore pendents, two served blocks need to redone, lift blocks for mast cap, sling yard.
Picture 6 redone block under top not completed (original made with beige line)
 
 
Thats all for now.
 
Happy modeling,
Len

Reworked quarter deck gun ports
 
I first cut out the bulwark as necessary and laminated some wood to the right thickness, and the glued and pinned it on to the cut out section, I then re-cut the gun ports and added the rails, and the trim and when all done repainted, I did one side first, and then the other, a real pain to do but it had to be done, I could not have left it as it was as it would have botherd me. Over all the repair is not to bad and when the cannons are fitted and rigged you will not see it, if you did not know it was there,and the one good thing was the beech top rail did not break so that looks as good as before and its the part that the eye catches.Also all the channels, dead eyes and links are now complete and painted. Next the fore and quarter deck fittings and guns.
 
Second side cut out

 
 
Laminated insert

 
New gun ports cut out

 
 
Rework completed


 
 
Reworked gun ports and finished channels and dead eye linkage

Looking Good Jason, sorry but I can't be of any help re your questions, I haven't gotten that far ahead yet, and my new builds are probably too small to have any of those rope/shroud issues, not too many catharpins on schooners I feel (one benefit of not having 'Tops' )
 
Sláinte,
 
Eamonn
 
PS Photos look great to me!

1.  Darcy Lever in The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor says:  "The Futtock Stave is sometimes made of rope, served, and sometimes of wood; and it is only seized to those shrouds which are to be catharpinned in."
2.  Makes sense to me. It's also the way they were done for real.
3.  Also from Lever:  "A piece of wood, called a Stretcher, or Squaring Staff, is seized to the shrouds, just above the Dead Eyes, athwart the whole of them; which keeps them from twisting, and makes the lanyards lie fairly."
4.  Again from Lever, one of the steps in the directions for rigging the catharpins:  "The Shrouds are then bowsed in..."  According to Lever the primary purpose of catharpins was to stiffen the arrangement of futtocks attached to shrouds and futtock stave and to keep the lee shrouds from sagging when the ship heeled. Secondary purpose was to provide clearance for the lower yard to brace up sharper allowing the ship to lie closer to the wind. It is not known if Snake had the catharpins rigged per Royal Navy practice (the outer shrouds not rigged with catharpins) or per merchant practice (with a catharpin on all the shrouds). Snake was built in a private shipyard (as were all un-rated vessels at that time) and could have had the catharpins rigged either way.

Fantastic looking work Jason.
 
Can't quite tell by looking at the pictures but did you cross the shroud line above the deadeye and knot together or did you simply siexe the two ends side by side?
 
I crossed all of mine, and I can tell you it was really difficult to keep the deadeye in position and secure the shroud in place with it crossed.....

Neat work Jason, the top looks  great.
 
Re the deadeye seizing; in practice the line was crossed behind the shroud on the port side and forward of the shroud starboard side. and secured with a throat seizing. The deadeye lanyards passed through the bight so formed between the deadeye and the shroud seizing before being secured.
 
It is an added complication and at smaller scale may not be considered worth the effort; I use a temporary seizing close to the deadeye to hold it in place whilst I do the proper seizing.
 
The Futtock stave was made of rope but for modelling purposes I think brass rod served with line gives a better security for the futtocks whilst maintaining a reasonably  genuine look.
 
I'm not sure that the 'stretcher' or 'squaring' staff referred to in the post above featured on British warships of the period., but certainly sheer poles were commonly seen on ships of the mid nineteenth century; clippers such as the Cutty Sark come to mind.
 
I think attaching the Futtock Stave  before rattlin' down  is a good idea, as is the initial fitting of a few ratlines at intervals to help maintain the shroud line. There is an ever present danger of pulling the shrouds out of line and anything to counter this must help.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

Main shrouds
 
Some "notes to self", managed to get a process going for doing the shrouds in a way that felt comfortable, details below and results.  Apologize for the quality of the photos, for some reason these just seem off today.
 
Hope someone can help with a list of questions:
Instructions indicate that the futtock stave should be made with 1mm brass wire.  What would this have been made of on actual ship, would it have had rope wrapped around it like serving or puddening? Would people advise to attach the futtock stave before doing ratlines - seems that it might hold the shrouds a little more in place What dictated whether stretchers were attached (or not), and would these have been attached 'permanently', in as much as anything would be permanent. Would catharpins have been so attached so as to deflect the shrouds inwards at the futtock staves, or would the line of the shrouds be maintained? Any insights much appreciated!
 
Shroud pulled at taught as possible around deadeye, twin spacers being used to keep it steady.  (End that will be trimmed passed up through the tops temporarily)

 
Overhand knot tied at back and front of shroud a close as possible to the deadeyes.  

 
Overhand knots then alternated working downward to close up the hole, no more than 3-4 typically required.  Last know secured with G-S Hypo cement and ends trimmed.  Found using some tweezers made this easier to manipulate as the shroud can be controlled much easier.

 
End trimmed and then end and middle seizing tied using same method as described above

 
There's something very pleasing about a stack of shrouds!  The fore-most shrouds are served to protect against wear from the sails, this allowed me to establish a new personal best for longest length served (268mm).  I've found it helpful while serving to keep compacting the serving line even if it doesn't appear to need it, it seems to give a more consistent result although I've still not perfected this technique.

 
Despite best attempts, I just could get the line of the serving to be straight across the shrouds.  I'm guessing that this would have not always been perfect on real ships either despite the pictures in books.  At least thats my story/excuse.

 
Main shrouds in place, I'll leave in place for now and do a final tightening once all shrouds in place.

Main shrouds
 
Some "notes to self", managed to get a process going for doing the shrouds in a way that felt comfortable, details below and results.  Apologize for the quality of the photos, for some reason these just seem off today.
 
Hope someone can help with a list of questions:
Instructions indicate that the futtock stave should be made with 1mm brass wire.  What would this have been made of on actual ship, would it have had rope wrapped around it like serving or puddening? Would people advise to attach the futtock stave before doing ratlines - seems that it might hold the shrouds a little more in place What dictated whether stretchers were attached (or not), and would these have been attached 'permanently', in as much as anything would be permanent. Would catharpins have been so attached so as to deflect the shrouds inwards at the futtock staves, or would the line of the shrouds be maintained? Any insights much appreciated!
 
Shroud pulled at taught as possible around deadeye, twin spacers being used to keep it steady.  (End that will be trimmed passed up through the tops temporarily)

 
Overhand knot tied at back and front of shroud a close as possible to the deadeyes.  

 
Overhand knots then alternated working downward to close up the hole, no more than 3-4 typically required.  Last know secured with G-S Hypo cement and ends trimmed.  Found using some tweezers made this easier to manipulate as the shroud can be controlled much easier.

 
End trimmed and then end and middle seizing tied using same method as described above

 
There's something very pleasing about a stack of shrouds!  The fore-most shrouds are served to protect against wear from the sails, this allowed me to establish a new personal best for longest length served (268mm).  I've found it helpful while serving to keep compacting the serving line even if it doesn't appear to need it, it seems to give a more consistent result although I've still not perfected this technique.

 
Despite best attempts, I just could get the line of the serving to be straight across the shrouds.  I'm guessing that this would have not always been perfect on real ships either despite the pictures in books.  At least thats my story/excuse.

 
Main shrouds in place, I'll leave in place for now and do a final tightening once all shrouds in place.

Main shrouds
 
Some "notes to self", managed to get a process going for doing the shrouds in a way that felt comfortable, details below and results.  Apologize for the quality of the photos, for some reason these just seem off today.
 
Hope someone can help with a list of questions:
Instructions indicate that the futtock stave should be made with 1mm brass wire.  What would this have been made of on actual ship, would it have had rope wrapped around it like serving or puddening? Would people advise to attach the futtock stave before doing ratlines - seems that it might hold the shrouds a little more in place What dictated whether stretchers were attached (or not), and would these have been attached 'permanently', in as much as anything would be permanent. Would catharpins have been so attached so as to deflect the shrouds inwards at the futtock staves, or would the line of the shrouds be maintained? Any insights much appreciated!
 
Shroud pulled at taught as possible around deadeye, twin spacers being used to keep it steady.  (End that will be trimmed passed up through the tops temporarily)

 
Overhand knot tied at back and front of shroud a close as possible to the deadeyes.  

 
Overhand knots then alternated working downward to close up the hole, no more than 3-4 typically required.  Last know secured with G-S Hypo cement and ends trimmed.  Found using some tweezers made this easier to manipulate as the shroud can be controlled much easier.

 
End trimmed and then end and middle seizing tied using same method as described above

 
There's something very pleasing about a stack of shrouds!  The fore-most shrouds are served to protect against wear from the sails, this allowed me to establish a new personal best for longest length served (268mm).  I've found it helpful while serving to keep compacting the serving line even if it doesn't appear to need it, it seems to give a more consistent result although I've still not perfected this technique.

 
Despite best attempts, I just could get the line of the serving to be straight across the shrouds.  I'm guessing that this would have not always been perfect on real ships either despite the pictures in books.  At least thats my story/excuse.

 
Main shrouds in place, I'll leave in place for now and do a final tightening once all shrouds in place.