Beef Wellington

Just added the b ling. There is a beam that goes atop the side gallery in  the plans but I can't find anywhere where they describe or number them to knwo how to make it. Any suggestions?
 

 
Still have to add the side figures to the stern

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Looking at the picture of the barrel and the carriage, think your problem simply comes down to the supplied parts.  The carriage looks a little big for the cannons provided which may be contributing to the problem you're seeing.  The common consensus seems to be that the metal Amati carriages are not the most authentic.  If you're set on keeping these items, my suggestion would be to add some additional wood quoins (on top of the simulated molded one) to raise the level of the rear of the barrel.

Working with the whales. First a layer or walnut and now on to the boxwood for a nicer surface.

All canon ports done... My Proxxon discsander really help me out during this step. 
 

 

 

 

This cost me a small fortune.... but decided to go for some upgrades 🙂
 

Okay. The plane is all skinned and radio-controlled and ready to go. I'm just waiting for the battery charger
 

 
So... time to go back to the bigger project.
 
I've ummed and aahed and wondered how to best go about the topgallant bulwarks, and eventually I just had to bite the bullet and get on with it. And it turned out to be not so bad. I used styrene square section as shims on either side, and pre-bent the parts using my rib-bending iron. They were glued in place with carpenter's glue (Alphatic resin), and left overnight to set really solid.
 
Once in place I painted the inside of the rail white, and tidied up a bit before the topgallant bulwark rail was stuck on. This is made up of laser-cut parts from the 2mm walnut, and as with the main rail, it was the perfect size and shape. So that was a relief. I glued it all together using masking tape to hold the parts together while they stuck, on the desk, and then glued the whole thing in place in one go. This allowed me to get a nice sweeping curve from front to back. Then I gave myself a big pat on the back, and THEN I realised it was glued too far inboard. So I've just unglued the sides, and restuck them further outboard, so the top rail ends at the same point as the main rail, as per the plans.
 
The thing that made me see my mistake was looking at the plans and seeing that the deadeyes are going to go on the main rail, and if the top gallant rail is too far inboard it leaves no room for them. I suspect they're going to be somewhat challenging to rig anyway, so I'm leaving myself as much room as possible to ease the process. It's only a matter of 2 - 3mm but something tells me I would have been rueing the day I chose not to bother moving it.
 
Anyway - here's a photo I took before I realised the rail was too far inboard.
 
Also in some of these photos are the mockups for the photo-etch cabins I want to put onto this model. Currently they're a bit heath-robinson, but they prove the concept, I think.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Happy building
 
 
 

Okay - so updates here have been a little less frequent, as I got distracted helping my son get stuck into warhammer and with those flying things - a refreshing change for a little, and a work in progress... 
 

 
I'll be back onto Stefano soon

Very nice crisp work on that companionway. Good to see HMS Jason moving forward again. And a good idea to fit that deck in parts. I didn't and ended up with a slight wave along the quarterdeck on the starboard side which I'll always know is there even if no-one else notices.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

I had a delivery today from one of my suppliers. This included more machined pearwood blocks, so these are again available as an option for Alert, Speedy, Flirt and Duchess.
 
As well as lanterns, I also had new cannon barrels arrive. I did read in a few threads on the forum that more than a few are disappointed with standard kit barrels, as they never seem to be the correct size, made worse by mating them with equally inappropriate carriages. Someone mentioned that all kits have problems in this area. I don't think this is strictly true.
 
Here are some pics (still got packaging fibres on them, sorry..) of the three sizes of barrel I had made for a future development - a 24 Pounder Armstrong long barrels, 12 Pounder Blomefield  pattern long chase barrel (only 2 per kit), and a 42-Pounder carronade and fittings (the kit they are for has 18 of those bad boys)! These are all exact scale and correct for the model they are intended for.
 
And finally, while I wait for the USB stick from Jim, which contain the Sphinx pics for the manual, I just started a new little kit. The pics show the very first time the parts for the hull were assembled (yesterday), and probably do not 100% reflect the final designs. I just needed to check all major structural parts - it will be quite a cute little thing...

After a long period of time I'm attaching a couple of pics of the model.. 
Additional touching up is needed to a later stage on some structures/fittings.
 
I think that I've finished the running rigging part "A", and I'm about yo start part"B".
What are people's reccomendations on the order to start part B rigging?
Cheers
 
Stergios

Next step the foremast topgalant yard....
Or leave it for later and start with the mainmast lower yard...??

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Mike_H
 
Retirement......for you it's 5 weeks Mike ,for me a little bit longer 😞
10 years ago you can ( have to ) get retired at 65......now it is 66 and 10 months for me.
It depend in what year you are born.
Yesterday was my 65 birthday so I know that I can go on for more then 1 1/2 year.
But ok, it is what it is.
The the update.....
All deck furniture is on it.
Bowsprit is done
Lower masts are in place.
Now I can go on with the shrouds and ratlines.
Not so much as I use to be.
 
Sjors
 
 

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.

Time to clear away the cobwebs and dust from this buildlog and play a little catch-up.  Have been grabbing a few moments here and there to on some items that aren't really that interesting, and especially mulling over the approach to take on a few things.  The quarterdeck and forecastle decks are in place, this is a very large piece so these were cut into more manageable sections which works better for me, otherwise I find that the PVA glue has set too much by the time all surfaces have been glued up.  Cutting sections at points where there is support from the beam underneath makes this a much more manageable exercise and allows the sheer of the deck to be maintained.  Once installed, glue was forced into the gap at the edges of the deck to prevent any future flexing, and then filled and faired to get as smooth a run as possible.  The stern fascia has also been finished with some interior planking and a preliminary coat of paint, a margin deck plank installed and the rear gun ports finished.  The strips on the stern fascia were shaped by steaming longitudinally first, otherwise the two compound curves would make this very challenging.

One feature that I've been obsessing over is the quarterdeck skylight.  The kit provides a structure that reminds me a lot of a small greenhouse enclosure, and this is a feature that I found hard to find many suitable examples of on contemporary frigate models.  The various Artois models show both an exaggerated grating or the 'greenhouse'.  Somehow I mislaid some of the pieces so scratching something myself was always going to be a requirement.
 
Like many features, this seems to be a transitionary period, moving from the skylight being an addition to a existing companionway (e.g. clerestory style top that is wider than long - the example BE put on his Pegasus being excellent example), to more modern structures that are longer than wide and form the more typical shape.  Interestingly, some slightly later plans (e.g. the very slightly later Leda class) show this feature on the plans suggesting it being a more permanent or standardized feature, but none of the Artois plans show anything beyond a small coaming.  In the end, I decided to take some inspiration from HMS Trincomalee, and build a structure that has side lights similar to the cleristory top, but with solid wood roof.  In the main, the was driven by the fact that glass at this time period was still realistically only available in smaller panes, and that a solid top just seems a little more utilitarian and cost effective.  Once that decision was made, I needed to figure out how to execute...
 
Firstly, a very simple jig was made up with blocks the size of the needed glass panes, this would allow the narrow strip to be secured while being glued to what will be the lower part of the structure. The method of assembly required that at each end, a wider 2mm piece is needed to simulate what will be the corner structure.  Once dried, the supports can be cut back to th e necessary height before removing from the jig.

The upper structure can then be attached out of the jig either a strip for the side wall or a shaped 'end'.  The end of the left and rigt supports are approx 1mm wide so that when joined with the sides the corner support will be of consistent dimension.

When fully glued, the structure is stronger than I expected, but still clearly very delicate.  The end pieces were cut back as close as possible flush to the last support with a knife, but the last effort had to be with a sanding stick.  Clamping the structure between some ply offcuts allowed the ends to be carefully sanded relatively safely.  The structure could then be assembled, lego blocks were used to keep everything as square as possible.

Once fully cured, a rectangular section was inserted to introduce some additional strength (forgot to take a photo) before the side were carefully sanded back flush.  A profile was introduced into some 1x1mm strip for the upper molding which was attached prior to installing the sloping roof pieces.  Not finished yet, but this is sufficient to allow for some planning of the deck planking.

And finally, the various coamings and capstan partners have been made up to give a sense for the layout.  These items will be attached to the subdeck so deck planking will butt up against them as was actual practice which I suspect will prove to be a little challenging, but more to come on that hopefully.  One compromise that I saw as being unavoidable is that the 3 hatchways directly aft of the capstan should taper slightly.  In practice I believe that the battens in the gratings themselves would taper as well, but that is just not an option. Given that it would look very odd to my eye to taper the coamings but not the gratings, the decision was made to not taper.  Don't think this will be noticeable, and a compromise I can happily accept.