HMCSS Victoria 1855 by BANYAN - 1:72

[BANYAN]

Thanks Druxey; appreciate the feedback.  I think I will have to live the three (and a half) wraps now as i have permanently fitted the platform but I have noted that in my drawings and research notes.

 

It was a great loss losing John, I have a couple of his books and find them very useful.  I found his work on 'trick stopper' anchor release mechanisms in his ‘The Transition from Hemp to Chain Cable Innovations and Innovators’ especially useful.  

 

I think I will have another trawl of the net to see if I can find some additional works by him relating to steering arrangements.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[michael mott]

Nice work on the railings and support structure Pat.

 

Michael

[BANYAN]

Thanks for the likes and comments guys.  

 

Thanks Michael, still debating with myself on how best to create and fit a canvas backing to the handrails.  My current thoughts are leading me towards using 'washed' linen drafting paper but I am also intending to use that to make the canvas rolls (rolled hammocks) so there would be little contract.  That said the two cloths (in real life) were probably similar.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[popeye the sailor]

checking in Pat on your progress.........amazing!     

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in Denis; slow progress at the moment while I concentrate on further research and get the 3D printed parts underway.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Louie da fly]

On 8/22/2018 at 10:03 AM, BANYAN said:

My current thoughts are leading me towards using 'washed' linen drafting paper

Can you still get that stuff? I used it for the sails of my Great Harry model way back in the 60's, but I thought it had vanished off the face of the earth.

 

I have to warn you, however, that my sails went all brown and brittle over the decades, but that may have been the mistreatment and neglect after I stuffed the part-demolished model in a cardboard box and left it for about 40 years. (I'd intended to fix it all up, but moved states, changed jobs and repeatedly changed address and got on with other things in life. I still intend to fix it up after the current build and I'll probably do a better job now than I would have then).

 

Steven

Edited September 1, 2018 by Louie da fly

[BANYAN]

Thanks for the head's up Steven.  I can't say it is readily available these days but I have a little bit tucked away.  look forward to seeing the restoration of your Royal Harry.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi all, another small update,  I am being slowed with research at the moment but finding a little time to do a few small things such as making the hammocks for stowing around the funnel as shown in the photo.  I posted a photo of the railings earlier; these are only 11mm high with the hammocks 22mm.

 

 

I did these by rolling some washed drafting linen around a styrene rod (.8mm) then cutting them into lengths before attaching the marline hitch lashings.  The rolled linen was soaked with a diluted fabric glue (water) solution and I originally had intentions of removing the rod.  However, even with the stiffening from the solution it proved to keep these straight enough as shown in the photo so I left the rods in-situ.   I have just noted i need to tidy up some of the rod end (to hide them a bit better).

 

I also did try to add the clews and ring that would have been folded inwards (as shown below) but simply could not achieve it with my clclumsy fingers at this scale 🙂  As these faced in towards the funnel they would not have been seen anyway (well that is my poor excuse.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[cog]

nice collection of mummies Pat. Those lashings turned out nice an' tight

[DaveRow]

Hi Pat,

They look like they will do the job anyhow Pat.

I was looking at how to roll a taper in the ends. Could you of cut the linen with a triangle each side, then when rolled(with tri's at either side)  would of been thin on the ends ?

 

 

[EdT]

Nice work, Pat.  There must be a ton of these hammocks to make?

 

Ed

[BANYAN]

Thanks for the comments and ideas guys; much appreciated.

 

Carl, thanks - I am reasonably happy with them but practice will make better

 

Dave,  I had thought of that but once I decided to avoid the fold over I did not pursue the option.  I will certainly try that on the 1:48 versions.

 

Thanks Ed, only 22 this time as they were only shown stowed around the funnel.  the crew allowance was for 140, but by the time you take out the senior sailors and officers etc it would have been closer to 100 crew.  I have yet to establish their purpose there (except that is a great place to air and dry them over the stoke hole ventilation above the boilers.  The only other purpose I can think of is some form of protection for the Captain and conning officer in battle?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[wefalck]

I was going to ask these questions too. It seems like an unusual place to store the hammocks, as it would be difficult to cover them in foul weather. Or were they put there only to dry ?  But why then rolled ?

[BANYAN]

These are good questions Eberhard, and I really don't know for sure; but, I think these were only stowed here/used in action or for ceremonial.  Attached is the picture (crop) I used as reference.  The photo was taken in late 1867 when the ship was the escort for the visit of Prince Alfred, and is shown dressed overall.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[mtaylor]

Pat,

Are those actually around the mast? Just seems strange but then <shrugs>.   Since it was for a dignitary, might they have put there to keep exploring fingers away from the stack?

[wefalck]

At least the level of evidence on her is quite high, when I compare this with the navies of my home-country of the same period - usually we only have some pictures taken from the distance, if any at all, and virtually no plans 😥

[BANYAN]

Hi Mark; definitely not around the masts which are clear in the full photograph. I think this was done more often than not as the permanency of that rail with canvas around the stack suggest?   The whole arrangement sits atop the stoke hole ventilator and coaling/access hatches so it would need to be a determined individual to touch the 'hot' stack

 

The few photos I havre do provide some nice detail Eberhard, but I would really appreciate finding a photo providing details of the forecastle and midhips sections of the upper deck

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Tecko]

Awesome build. The details are exceptional.

[BANYAN]

Thanks Tecko; appreciate you looking in and commenting.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Old Collingwood]

Loving your work pat,   very tidy work  and such amazing detail.

 

OC.

[BANYAN]

Thanks OC, things have slowed a little lately while I do more research and produce some parts (and a road trip of 10 days departing Monday coming)   Hope to do some work on my Vampire on return also.

 

cheers

[dashi]

Wow Pat very nice work 👍

[BANYAN]

Thanks for looking in and kind remarks Dashi; appreciated.  The log has not been updated in a while but some updates are not too far away.  i have been busy researching and preparing drawings for some PE (Rigmaiden Lanyards and the like).

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Louie da fly]

Looking very good, Pat. I love the hammocks.

 

Referring to an earlier post of mine, here are the original sails from the Great Harry - drafting linen 40 years on . . . a rather unfortunate brownish tint and some unexplained holes - silverfish? - mice? ?

On the other hand, part of that may be the conditions they had to endure. I certainly wasn't looking after them.

 

Steven 

Edited November 9, 2018 by Louie da fly

[BANYAN]

Hi Steve, thanks for the compliment and the photos.  That does look like insect damage; a pity as the sails look good otherwise (shape etc0 but yep they have browned a little. too much.    

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi again folks, no update for a while as I have been busy designing/drawing up the images for the PE I intend to use for the Victoria.  this includes the chain plates, rigmaiden lanyards, patent purchase winches (halyard winches), handwheels for the downton pumps and winches, ventilation louvres and various brackets/straps.

 

I have also made a start on the downton pumps - are these small?    There were two of these (5") on the upper deck and another 7", probably engine driven, in the engine room There will be two suction plate assemblies between the pumps.

 

I have managed to make three bodies that are relatively the same size (as best I could with my lathe) they are within .5 mm for height and diameter.

 

With the spare, I experimented with the best way to fit the drive rod, onto which the round main turning handle, and the L shaped ancillary handle will fit.  I need to find a better way to file the square onto one end of the rod (for the L handle) and I think I will do that before I cut it to length next time.   i also need to try and make this outlet a bit smaller yet.   This one is the spare as the bottom part of the barrel is slightly tapered and it should be straight.

 

The photos show the spare pump with the rod, and the outlet spigot (two ended) with one end capped (as per the diagram as shown in the first photo).  I have yet to clean this up properly but it is getting there; just need to add the round handle when they have been etched.  The L handle will hang on the back of the engine room skylight.

 

cheers

 

Pat

 

 

[wefalck]

For put squares (or hexagons) onto the end of round material, there is the classical solution watchmakers use (for the watch winding stems), the 'double roller filing rest'. Here is a picture from the Internet (as I didn't have a picture of mine to hand):

Source: http://www.myford-lathes.com/

 

The above is shop-made, but in the old days watchmakers lathes came with them. You also need a way to index the headstock of the lathe (an indexing plate was integrated into the pulley of watchmakers lathes).

 

A more artisanl way is to find a pin-vise with a square nut, hold the nut down onto the work-table and try to hold the file as horizontal as you can while filing. It is a good idea to use a file with a 'safe-edge' for this, i.e. a file that does not have teeth on the narrow side. I have done dozens of square and hexagonal (with a hexagonal nutted pin-vice) like this, before I had a lathe.

 

 

[BANYAN]

Thanks Eberhard, your advice is always most helpful.  I used the sherline for turning the body of the pump with my duplicator (which needs some refinements for smaller work I found  ).  I really need to get my jewellers lathe up and running for this finer stuff - I have been lazy (well I could say too busy elsewhere) but I really need to do this sooner rather than later.  I purchased some of that green pulley belting you recommended; now to set up the motor and get some decent attachments such as this double roller - excellent idea.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[BANYAN]

Hi again folks,

 

Checking in with another small (and I mean small) update   While it may appear not much is being done, you are right - as far as the model goes not much has been done.  however, in the background a lot has been done.  

 

Most of my time has been doing the drawings for the Photo Etch parts (which should be completed this week).  These include the chain plates, rigmaiden lanyards, deck winches, some fine gratings for skylights etc.

 

I have also been busy with research getting ready to draw the plans for the spars, rigging and sails.  Ed Tosti has been a great assistance in that YA has many common features and he has been most helpful.  I have also been into our Public Records Office and made a great find - the actual 'Rigging Warrant' for the ship which lets me know what where wire rope, chain or natural (hemp) rope was used (sizes and lengths), where shackles and thimbles were used, the number and sizes of blocks, where rigging screws were used and also what lines etc were used with which spar etc.  For example I now know the gammoning was chain and not rope etc.

 

The research also uncovered that there were several drawings/plans (Profile, deck arrangement, midship section, sail plan, engines, boilers, 27ft gig etc) sent back, but unfortunately these may not have been kept - the search goes on however .

 

I have also made some updates to the Downton pumps, managing to make the pump spigot smaller; this is where the 'gutta-purchase' (indian rubber) hoses would have connected.  The updated ones are shown compared with the larger spigot version I had made - old one to the left obviously .  The newer versions reflect the pump body shape better and shown with temporary handle axle/spindle; but I had to replace the spigot on one as the close up showed I had filed at a very oblique angle.  One small detail loss in making the spigots smaller was that I could not add the squared lug on top of the upper spigot cap.  The second photo shows the pumps primed ready for their white topcoat.  This has been done, along with the wood base, but no photos yet.

cheers

 

Pat

 

 

[druxey]

Nice find, that rigging warrant!