AON

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

I am presently installing the two strakes above the main wale, cutting my notches in the gun deck beams for the carlings, and trying to plan how much of the hull exterior I will leave exposed.... and the lights went on. Finally!
 
About two years ago I struggled to complete the counter timbers at the stern (posting #1512 on Feb 21 2023). Something didn't make sense and I just couldn't put my finger on it. I followed the detailed instructions I'd found in a reference book but the balcony seemed quite shallow. The quarter galleries had two doors on each side at the upper level. Why would they need two doorways into the one toilet facility?
 
I discovered that all my counter timbers above the quarterdeck elevation need to be cut off. The wall (bulkhead) is set back between the two doors making the balcony deeper (less shallow). You can see it in RED in this image below. I followed the wrong example. Sad thing is Garyshipwright had showed me the proper assembly in his posting #1422 of Oct 2022 and I couldn't see the "forest for the trees". Sorry about that!
 
I'm going to leave it for a bit yet but it will get cropped by the time I install the quarterdeck beams
 
I still don't see why the officers needed the separate access from the balcony to use the facility. Couldn't they just take a few extra steps?
 
There is always something new to learn.

Time for an update, even though things are in flux. I have finally tackled the balcony and the fretwork on the quarter galleries that correspond to the fretwork in the balcony. First a bit of a re-visit on this detail that I knew was going to be the most challenging part of this build so far.
 
In the images below I am showing the first Bellona model built ca. 1760 followed by the second Bellona model representing the ship after its major refit 20 years later. My project is reconstructing the Bellona as she was originally designed, as shown in the original admiralty drawings and in this first model.
 
However, the first model did not show the quarter galleries, and so I have had to interpolate what the original quarter galleries might have looked like, related to the original balcony and then to the quarter galleries shown on the second model.

So let's look at these more carefully to see what is the same and what is not.
 
The original model shows a very distinctive fretwork on the face of the balcony, which we can assume was meant to be open as seen on the second model. The vertical stanchions in the original model are painted red, with a covering filigree subtly projected out forward of the fretwork within the rectangular panels.
 
Note also that the first model balcony sweeps in a gorgeous serpentine curve from one side to the other. the second model, on the other hand, curves the balcony into a sharp corner one panel in from each side. It took me a long time also to realize that the first model is wider outboard of the outermost rectangular panels, with a more substantial bracket between the panel and the carved female figures.
 
I saw the necessity of this extra width when I tried to reconcile the stern design with the original admiralty plans. The extra width was needed to make the quarter galleries big enough at their after ends. This then had a knock-on effect for the windows below. which also needed the extra width. You can see my interpretation of how this might have worked in the line drawing below, a little bust on a pedestal.
 
Final thing to note before leaving the balcony. The original model has this beautiful filigree detail over the red stanchions. The second model did not even attempt to recreate this, choosing instead to drill crudely arranged holes in white panels. I had sympathy for their plight, attempting to cut these exceptionally fine filigrees. My own efforts at this failed spectacularly. Then I thought, I'll bet Chuck and his laser cutter can accomplish what the 18th century model builders had failed to do. Before looking at this in more detail, I'll turn to an overview of the quarter galleries themselves.
 
 

 
Following are the quarter galleries on the second model. The model builder continued his scheme from the balcony, with stanchions represented as crude drilled holes in white panels.
 


I decided in contrast that I would continue the first model scheme of fine filigree over red stanchions, keeping the dark blue paint behind the rectangular patterns. I drew up the quarter gallery pattern with this idea, and it is shown here as a colored pencil paper pattern:
 

While working on this, I began to realize that this entire panel was a different shape compared to the one on the second model. You can see that the second model panels are much more rectangular with more upright sides, mine were turning out with more extreme sloping sides. And mine had a much stronger sweeping backward curve at the fore edge. What was going on?
 
It took me some time finally to realize that the first Bellona model and admiralty drawings show a much smaller upper quarter gallery off the quarterdeck. Here is the original admiralty drawing immediately below. Note the more extremely curved forward edge of the panel between the lower and upper windows, needed to reconcile the larger windows below with the much smaller windows above. Compare this to the quarter galleries in the second model shown above; the windows above and below in the second model are almost the same size, needing a less extreme slope from the one to the other in the fretwork panel between them.
 

I think we can assume that when the first captain saw that the quarter gallery of his brand new ship was substantially smaller than the one below shared by his officers, he strongly suggested that this would need to be rectified in any subsequent re-build!
 
Pressing on, I worked up the drawings of the panels and sent them to Chuck, who returned the most beautiful fretwork panels and delicate filigree stanchion covers. I am showing them here loosely located; they still need to be glued down to the concave surface to pull them in more tightly. And I still need to paint the blue backgrounds behind the fretwork panels:
 

These needed sanding down in thickness from the thinnest plastic Chuck could provide. I did this by trapping the plastic in a frame as thick as the final desired thickness, giving me a gauge for sanding down to the frame:
 

Meanwhile, I started work on the balcony itself, so I can draw these final panels and stanchions for Chuck's laser magic.
 
It frankly took a great deal of trial and error to craft the geometry of the serpentine curve. It needs to fair into the curved side panels and then reverse its curve twice. Also, the upper balcony railing is narrower in athwartship width but still needs to slope back enough in its narrower space to maintain at the center of the balcony the backward slope of the side panels.
 
I could not visualize how this would work. I tried carving a blank out of basswood, which helped, and then built a card blank multiple times to keep refining the curves until they seemed right.
 
Then I worked out the actual geometry in plan:
 

This gave me the patterns for roughing out the  lower and upper moldings, shown here. the blocks are spacers to keep the two moldings parallel to each other while I refine their fit against the side panels. These are still much oversized, until I get all of the parts to talk to each other handsomely.
 

I intend to trap the laser cut fretwork in rabbets as shown here:
 

I now need to create an accurate pattern of the shape between the two railings, to draw the fretwork and filigrees for Chuck. The saga continues!
 
Mark
 
 

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

It's looking great Alan. 

Working on the installation of some exterior hull planking above the main wales.
Two rows of "thick stuff upon the wales". First row 6-1/2" thick, second row 5-1/2 inches thick.
Now working on 3 rows of 4 inch thick planking above that.
One row installed.
 
Thought it best to get this on while I can still use my 4" bar clamps through the gunports. If I attempt this after the main deck is installed I'd be in trouble.
Turns out it was a lucky thing I had to tear that deck out earlier.

We now have some guard-rails up.  Lots more stuff to add, but a big step in adding details like this!

Making foremast rigging continues...
While waiting for the paint to dry on the jib sail sheet blocks I completed the bottle screws for the foremast shrouds, and the foremast back stays which are now ready to go onto the model after a bit of line trimming.
The insulators on the back stays, and that will be on the rest of the standing rigging, are dark brown single sheave plastic blocks. These were donated by someone who gifted a bunch of goodies to another model club, and they look exactly like porcelain wire line insulators!
 
A while ago I appealed for a very small propeller for St. Roch's motorboat... a member of another model club stepped up and offered to 3D print one for me!
Also, since scaling is easy with 3D printing, he cranked out a larger one that I can use as St. Roch's ship's prop, which saved me the time and trouble of making a brass prop like I did for HMCS Chicoutimi!!
 
These parts recently arrived despite Canada Post's best efforts, and the small prop and plastic blocks can be used as-is... the larger prop got some final sanding to shape the blades. Both received a coat of brass paint, then a dry-brushing of semi-gloss black. Going over the paint with a drop of thinner on the brush smoothed out the colours. I am hoping to get a bronze look... if successful then they are also ready to be mounted onto the model.
 
All these parts are shown in the picture...
 

I must say how much I appreciate all the positive feedback I have received so far during my build of St. Roch, and also the fellow modelers who have stepped up with offers of 3D printing and donating parts I couldn't make or find... Thank you so much for improving my model!
Bruce
 
 
 
 

I am only now understanding this post. I did not realize that youtube now offers multiple languages. How fantastic.

what can I say....
 
WOW!  
 
Well done.

Congratulations on winning the photo contest! I went through the log and it is well deserved indeed. Quite the piece of art you've made here, I hope you're proud. 

I am presently installing the two strakes above the main wale, cutting my notches in the gun deck beams for the carlings, and trying to plan how much of the hull exterior I will leave exposed.... and the lights went on. Finally!
 
About two years ago I struggled to complete the counter timbers at the stern (posting #1512 on Feb 21 2023). Something didn't make sense and I just couldn't put my finger on it. I followed the detailed instructions I'd found in a reference book but the balcony seemed quite shallow. The quarter galleries had two doors on each side at the upper level. Why would they need two doorways into the one toilet facility?
 
I discovered that all my counter timbers above the quarterdeck elevation need to be cut off. The wall (bulkhead) is set back between the two doors making the balcony deeper (less shallow). You can see it in RED in this image below. I followed the wrong example. Sad thing is Garyshipwright had showed me the proper assembly in his posting #1422 of Oct 2022 and I couldn't see the "forest for the trees". Sorry about that!
 
I'm going to leave it for a bit yet but it will get cropped by the time I install the quarterdeck beams
 
I still don't see why the officers needed the separate access from the balcony to use the facility. Couldn't they just take a few extra steps?
 
There is always something new to learn.

what can I say....
 
WOW!  
 
Well done.

what can I say....
 
WOW!  
 
Well done.

An enjoyable catch up, the build descriptions are excellent - very educational. 

Moving right along, the first photo shows the pinrails at the base of the foremast with the rigging tied off...

Next I added the rings to the jib, completing that sail...

After which I reeved the jib stay and added the bottle screw and block at the foot of the sail...

The chain at the end of the bottle screw attaches to an eye on the stem of the ship, while the jib stay ends in an eye near the top of the foremast. The block is for the downhaul line.  Note the iron cringle at the clew, this is for the pair of jib sheets. The next picture is the jib clew on St. Roch. That line is not a sheet, it just spreads the sail for public viewing. The actual sheets are the rope coils on top of the companionway roof, if they were rigged they would interfere with public access to the fo'c's'le deck.

This last picture is the jib furled on the bench...

I think it looks pretty much like the bundles I see in photos. and it should hang realistically once the stay is fitted to the ship (fingers crossed). 
I shackled the downhaul line to the head of the sail. Most photos show the jib triced up to the foremast by the clew, and that is how I will mount mine to the model.
That comes up next (I hope)!
Regards,
Bruce
 
 
 

It would  be the beer in the mug. I'm a CAD man so I know
 

Having done some for the MSON, I feel for you and the massive quantity of videos you've committed to indexing, but rest assured that everyone using them will appreciate the work.
I hope you haven't committed to a deadline!

NRG has agreed to post a video log which i am presently indexing. With 134 videos it is taking much longer that i thought as i now have to watch each one and make notes.  The first few were very primitive. So yes a index and log is essential.

I also masked the launch line yesterday - a very light first coat that will be re-coated tonight to give it some depth.
 
A LOT of tape for a little bit of paint!