HMS Bounty by leginseel - Constructo - Scale 1:50 - First wooden kit build

[leginseel]

Hi Guys current progress is slow I'm afraid. I've set up and got to grips with my Airbrush and I was going to try it on a cheap Bluenose kit I have but then I thought better of it and decided to make all the small fiddly cleats and belays which has been fun.  I made some holders by soldering croc clips to brass wire.  I bought a large plastic box to house a turntable I've also made.  The Box contains the spray, which I have to say is much less than I expected and doubles up as storage for all the paint and paraphernalia.  I'm really pleased with it as the finish on the cleats etc is great. 

[leginseel]

I've been having a torrid time trying to create the Cutwater Braces etc for the bow as the plans and instructions are severely lacking (not for the first time!)  However, between McKays book and other builders on this site, notably Steve1234, I've managed to bring something together but it's still very much work in progress.  Also they say the camera never lies and seeing the photos I've got quite a bit of paint to touch up.

[John Allen]

Nigel,

 

Sharp looking Bounty, its coming along nicely Kudos

[Fernando E]

Looking good Nigel!

 

Cheers..........Fernando

[leginseel]

Morning all, been working pretty well this week and I have completed the nightmare called the Cutwater.  I'm sure that all the lessons I've learned constructing this will save me in good stead for future builds.

After this I turned my attention to the steering gear and for the first time tried my hand at seizing ropes.  You guys make it look so easy!!  It was fairly easy to seize the rope on the Tiller while it wasn't fixed but when I'd fitted all the blocks I used a little CA to hold the ropes together but when it came to seizing my big fingers kept getting in the way.  I can only hope that this process gets easier with practice.  Here are the photos.

[leginseel]

Could I please get some advice from those builders more experienced than me?  I'm planning ahead a little but I'm looking at the design of Chain Plates provided with the kit (left in the photo).  Firstly, I think they are what I would call straps not chains and I don't think that they look right.  As you can see I've made up some others and I intend to attach this by one link to the Deadeyes and I would blacken them before fitting. My dilemma is am I right or am I overthinking it and which of mine look the best alternative?

Any comments or suggestions would be much appreciated

[zappto]

I am not so good with rigging, i like your paintings, your have nice touch!

[leginseel]

It seems like ages since I last posted but I've been otherwise employed as my wife has had a back operation so whilst I've been working on the Bounty it's been some small jobs.  As I've said in a previous post I wasn't impressed by the chain links in the kit so I've fashioned some myself

They need tidying up but they look a little more realistic than the kit supplied brass strips.

The next job was the cannons.  The kit shows just a simple rope draped over the pomiglion which looked awful, so I decided to a little research.  As there is no pomiglion ring I found some pictures with a rope fashioned to fit around the button as follows.

I started by seizing a small rope and then splicing it onto the main rope.  The third photo shows the top one with both sides of the 'ring' seized.  This produced a fitting which was much too stiff so I only seized one side of the others and coloured the non seized rope black.  Then I looked at the tackle which is not mentioned at all in the kit.  Looking at the posts of others I needed double and single blocks to create the 8 sets for the four cannon.  I realized that I would have to make these as there was insufficient in the kit.  So I ventured into the world of block making.

After some sore fingers, lost parts and much swearing I managed it.  I have to take my hat off to all the scratch builders out there as making 100's of these must be a nightmare!!  I then rigged the blocks and the cannon.

On reflection it would have been better to not have waxed the pomiglion ropes as they don't sag in this forward position, but that's another lesson I've learnt for future builds.

My wife is now getting over her operation and mobile so I hope to have a little more time in the shipyard.

Thank you all for your comments and likes on my previous postings, it's much appreciated.

 

[zappto]

Beautiful work on the canons, will you use some white glue to place it on the deck?

Edited November 5, 2017 by zappto

[leginseel]

38 minutes ago, zappto said:

Beautiful work on the canons, will you use some white glue to place it on the deck?

Thank you Zappto, yes, I've glued the cannon to the decks and I'm now in the process of sorting the rope coils out and then I'll start on the port side.

[RMC]

Just caught up with your log Nigel.  You're doing a lovely job.

 

All the best

Bob (rmc)

[Fernando E]

Hi Nigel, good to see you back in the shipyard. Those cannons look first rate...good work as usual

Cheers...........Fernando

[leginseel]

Cannons completed

[leginseel]

Aft deck equipment almost completed and anchors and culverins are in the spray booth waiting for their final coat.  Looking at the aft quarter galleries now which doesn't look like and easy job.  Done an initial paint job but not totally happy so I'll give them another look.

[leginseel]

Hi Firstly I'd like to thank my followers and 'Likers' for their continued encouragement.

I've made a little more progress and as I said on my last post I wanted to tidy up the paint job on the aft galleries, which I hope look a little better.

I'm currently in the process of fitting the window panes but after a while straining my eyes I thought I would take a break and fit the Windlass and Anchor ropes

Now back to the Aft Galleries!!

 

[Estoy_Listo]

I see these pictures and think, Man, I've got to build this. 

[leginseel]

5 hours ago, Estoy_Listo said:

I see these pictures and think, Man, I've got to build this. 

Thank you for the comment.  This is my first build so I've nothing to compare it to, but I'm really enjoying it so far.  As with a lot of guys on here I'm finding that the kit falls short in some areas so it gives me scope for some elementary scratch building.

 

[leginseel]

Making more slow progress.  Glazed and fitted both Aft Galleries, they need a little tidying up where I've cut into the wales and I've made both Anchors.  The kit anchors were very plain and basic so I've added studs, bands and seized the rings.

[leginseel]

this week I've made a little progress rigging the anchor blocks and making the chainplate racks plus some general tidying and fitting of blocks at various points on the hull and deck.  I'm off to the UK in a few days so I really want her to be ready so I can start on the masts, bowsprit and rigging when I get back in January.

Thanks to my followers and their 'likes' and comments.  Have a Happy Festive Season and I'll be around again in January.

 

[leginseel]

That's a fair point about the Steering tackle Bob, I suspect that they were a little smaller and much nimbler than us!!  Also they didn't have to worry about Health and Safety Legislation.

 

[mtbediz]

Everything looks beautiful Nigel

[Steve 12345]

First time I've logged in for ages was really interested to see how your getting on ,what a fantastic job your doing I'm blown away hope your proud great job the rigging on them cannons is fantastic looking forward to seeing more as your progress 

kind regards

steve 

[leginseel]

thank you Steve, coming from you that's praise indeed. I'm in the UK for xmas at the moment and will hit the masts and rigging when I get back. Happy festive season to you and yours. 

[leginseel]

Hi Everyone and a Happy New Year to you all.  I'm back in the Boatyard after the Xmas break in the UK and glad to be back with the smell of glue and sawdust.

Apart from a few minor things the hull and deck are almost complete so I thought it was time to look at the masts.  The Tops seem to have an important part to play in the assembly of the masts so these were my first task.

This is my progress to date but the edgings around the tops drove me crazy!!  No matter how carefully I tried to bend the edging strips they broke every time so I scratched my head for a minute and decide to try Lollypop Sticks and they worked a treat!!  The Mizzen Top is now ready for the paint shop with just the Main and Fore to complete which hopefully I will do in the next few days. 

 

[leginseel]

Hi Guys still making slow progress

With the Mizzen Tops I decided that I'd rig them so that the tails connect down to the rat lines (eventually) which the kit doesn't call for but from what I've picked up that seems to be the correct method.  I'm starting to realize that I have to double think everything to make sure that I don't create a problem in the future.  I've also realized that my sausage fingers are not build for this sort of work!!

 

[leginseel]

Hi Everyone and thank you for the likes.  Been busy starting on the Masts and Yards so here are the photos of my recent efforts.

I'm sorry to say that some of my rigging is not up to the standard of most of you guys but I've gone 'off piste' as the kit calls for all the blocks to be rigged with wire and I really wasn't happy with that so I've done my best with the cotton cord.

 

[John Allen]

Nigel,

 

Got in a little late, very nice build don't worry about the rigging it looks might fine. Sometimes we have to ad lib but in no way does it take away from your build. Kudos

[leginseel]

Thanks for the likes and your kind comments John.  I'm in a bit of a dilemma and my kit instructions don't help me.  As you can see I'm in the process of making the spars and yards and the kit provides the sails but it gives no instructions on how to fit the sails, which is fine as there is a plan, but what it doesn't say is WHEN!!  Do I fit the sails before I fit and rig or after?  Please could I have some advice from the more experienced builders before I progress too far?

 

[leginseel]

Made a bit more progress today and fitted the bowsprit

Just got the deadeyes to tie off.

[leginseel]

Now I'm onto the Foremast, here are some photos of where I've got to

Now I need to fit all the deadeyes to the Top but I'm leaving that for another day.