Royal William by ken3335 - FINISHED - Euromodel - Scale 1:72

[ken3335]

Hi, Yes Sjors, just finished watching the TT, a good eventful and interesting tour, can't wait for next years. 

 

Mark, I can see how good a heat gun would be, on/off heat on demand and a good even spread. I knew that's what I needed but it will have to go on my ever lengthening list of useful toys that I want.

 

Ken

[piratepete007]

Ken, 

A great outcome which surely must have tested your patience.

Pete

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone,

 

Not much going on today but still moving forward.  I tidied and touched up the bow section, made up and fitted the knighstheads and a collar for the bowsprit. That's it I'm afraid.

 

Ken

 

[Sjors]

Very nice Ken..

Congrats on Froome!

And a Dutch wins the final stage.....marvelous tour this year.

 

Sjors

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone,

 

It's been a while since I posted a picture from my area. As I've mentioned I live on a peninsular that is opposite Liverpool, it is a different world, it is very old, quite rural with plenty of coastline, you wouldn't think that there was a city nearby. Anyway here's a taster of what I have to put up with, well somebody has to.

 

Ken

 

[ken3335]

Hi, Something of interest. An old set of line drawings has unexpectedly just come into my possession, how is for another time. I'm sorry for the poor quality photo but the lines are lightly drawn and although they are good clean lines my camera isn't showing them well.  They have come from an old attic and their origin isn't known. So the detectives out there get your Sherlock Holmes hat on and maybe come up with an answer.  The copy is about 6 feet in length and I can see that it was authorised by a curator from The Admiralty, Whitehall, so it is official probably a copy of one from The National Maritime Museum at Greenwich.

 

I have already found it useful in positioning the catheads as they seem to differ from these plans.

 

Ken

 

 

 

[marktiedens]

Very interesting, although none of the ornamentation seems to be shown. Maybe Pete would know something about this.

 

Mark

[piratepete007]

Ken,

Thanks for posting those drawings relating to the final re-fit of the Royal William. Can you take a photo just showing the quarter galleries ?

 

Confirmation of the actual launch date as 3 September in 1719 and name of the Master Shipwright are two facts I did not know. What I do know is that the success of building ships in the 17C and 18C was largely due to the incredible interest generated by the construction of admiralty models and these drawings from Ken may be a set based on such a model (s). The absence of decorations is of no surprise since they did not directly influence the model concept. Like the stern drawing - no evidence of the two sets of doors opening out from the upper gallery. Such things were an 'add-on or refinement' and the admiralty model was more concerned with the actual ship structure.  Individual builds, of course, varied due to skills and knowledge of the shipwrights. So, the actual ship built will have varied from the original model and drawings (if there were any) so, for example, the final positioning of the cathead may well have altered.

 

In the first drawing, there seems to be a comment (barely discernible) that the RW was converted into a 'gun ship' in 1757 ? Can anybody fill in that bit of history ?

 

All exciting material !!!

 

Pete

 

 

[Dilbert55]

Fascinating and somewhat clandestine Ken, can't wait for the full story on the find. 

[piratepete007]

Ken,

 

The writing describing dimensions, date of launch and shipwright's name on the second photo is NOT the same as the writing style on the last photo. So maybe that reflects different dates ? Just maybe the drawings were completed during or soon after the re-fit which would suggest a higher degree of authenticity ? Just thinking out aloud.

 

Pete

[ken3335]

Hi Pete.  Here's a shot of the quarter and stern galleries, I hope that the quality is good enough for you. I've had time to think about these plans and have come to the conclusion that they would be of more use to you than they would be to me. I'd probably just end up sticking them in my attic and they'd be lost to future modellers of the RW so I've have decided that when I've finished my build I'll send them to you, I'm sure that you'll make good use of them.

Ken

 

[piratepete007]

Ken - I would be tickled pink to receive them !!!!!!!!!

 

Pete

[piratepete007]

Ken,

 

As a result of seeing your posting of those four photos and then doing some research, I learnt quite a bit.

 

After a major re-fit, the Royal William was launched in 1719 but not commissioned and remained laid up until 1756. In 1746, the idea of cutting her down to 2.5 decks was considered but that was finally rejected in 1748. An Admiralty Order of 1755 ordered her to be reduced to 84 guns spread over three decks and she was finally re-registered as a second rate in 1757. She then notably saw service in the Seven Years' War (1757 - 1763).

 

Pete

 

 

[ken3335]

Hello Everybody.

 

Pete, Yes that's interesting research, it's good to know what one's making and as you said, in life there are always unexpected surprises.

 

A small update, I've re-made the capstan, for the third time!  Each time I look at the build I feel some things could be improved on from my original attempt but I'm getting better. Also the entrance ports and steps.

 

I've done the front, rails, catheads, bitts etc but need to sort some pictures for that before I post them.

 

Ken

 

 

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone,

 

Here's the pictures of my efforts on the foredeck. The front rails were assembled and painted, the bitts were made as per plan and the catheads were made, TWICE.

 

Due to an earlier mistake by me I hadn't made the sides high enough by about 4mm along the foredeck and waist area, you may remember from the fitting of the side decorations that they ended up too low, I was now facing the knock on effect of that.

 

On the plan the catheads go through the sides under the cast strip and about 5mm below the sides capping strip. As my sides were too low the catheads when in place came in just above the capping strip height. To get some sort of ok fitting  I cut a groove in the cathead so that the capping strip would pass over it. It didn't look great but I thought that as there would be rails above it and with a strategically placed coil of rope it wouldn't be readily noticed.

 

I then got hold of that plan and to my relief I saw that on it the capping strip would finish butted up and flush with the side of the cathead. This design would fit well into my lower sides so I stripped out my first effort and did just that and the result made that area much better. Again I'm happy with the way things are going, I only hope that there are no more surprises.

 

From time to time I been making up the canons so that I didn't end up with a load to do at once, they are now ready for rigging. Don't expect too much here as I'm only gong to rig them simply and quite basic.

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

[piratepete007]

A better solution for the cathead installation, Ken.

Pete

 

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Ken

Bloody marvelous job. You should be very proud and happy at your incredible job.

Those drawings are very interesting, to say the least. It appears that the columns are on the outer edge all the way up. It would make more sense having that way than the other plans.

Pete and I have been  discussing that matter in detail and I think you have the missing link.

Bloody interesting Ken! 

Havagooday my pommy mate 😆

Greg 

 

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone,  

 

Again thanks for your likes and kind comments.

 

I'm having a bit of a problem with my camera at the moment, the lens won't talk to the camera. I keep getting message Error 001 no info from lens, clean contacts, but that doesn't help. Anyway I'm having to use my compact for now, the pictures seem to be coming out ok but it's quite limited.

 

I've completed the 12 canons on the main deck. I've painted, mounted and rigged them.

 

Those of you who've been following my log from early on will know of the problem I have with my hands, handling the small blocks needed for full rigging was going to cause me a great deal of frustration, 72 of them needed!  I decided to rig the canons as best as I could without using blocks, a few different methods were tried and the one that you see was the most effective, I think that unless you are actually looking for the blocks you wouldn't know that they weren't there. There will be the overhead walkway and the boat in the waist to distract the eye so I'm happy with my compromise.

 

The method that I adopted for making the rope coils was with double sided sticky tape. I run out a length of tape sticky side up, leaving the backing on and held it down in place with masking tape. It was quite easy to start and make up the coil using tweezers, this tape is very sticky and when the backing is removed is invisible. I cut the coil out, removed the backing and then pressed into place. In the end I was making a coil in about a minute and it's so sticky you can't get the cord off it when coiled.  

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BLACK VIKING]

All I can say is what a brilliant solution to the rigging problem Ken and I will definitely be pinching the idea for the ropes, well done mate 

 

Martyn

[glennreader]

I think your method of rigging the guns looks very effective. You are correct, if I was not looking specifically I would not have realised that there were no blocks. Much better than using the huge out of scale blocks supplied in some kits.

 

I have also noted you method of making rope coils.

 

Good work,

Glenn

 

[Niklas]

Ken, have followed your build all summer. Very impressed!

[bartley]

Ken,

On the camera issue - I had this problem with a Canon SLR a few years ago and unfortunately it turned out to be the computer in the camera. Expensive! Sorry to be depressing.

 

Yes, I have used that method for coils myself. I got the idea from Shipbuilding for Dummies and ir works well.

 

Your build is looking good.

 

John

[ken3335]

Hi John,  Thanks for showing interest. I googled the fault  and found that on this particular lens a Canon 24-105L there is a known and very common fault with a weak circuit ribbon. Canon deny it although it is well documented and most repairers know of it. It's going to cost me £100 for the repair, disappointing  for an L series lens.

 

I'm glad to have had the opportunity to get that off my chest.

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone.

 

Once again thanks to everyone for your likes and kind encouraging comments on my log so far, it's good to know that members are enjoying my efforts.

 

I am now moving into my 5th month of the build and it now feels like part of my everyday life, I look forward to each days building and can't imagine being without it.

 

Today's progress report tells of the completion of the waist gangway, ladders, waist bitts, belfry and I think they're called breast rails.

 

Still encountering the effects of the low sides, the gangway is about 4mm too low, it isn't really noticeable unless you can imagine the height of the gun crew, they would have constant headaches banging their heads, the only solution that I can think of is that the next pressgang should round up all the dwarfs that it can, I think about 40 should do the trick.

 

The bitts and ladders were pretty standard fare. The belfry was built from the kits cast parts. I put a plinth under the belfry, it wasn't called for but it just looked more complete with one.

 

The rails are a feature of the foredeck so I was very disappointed that Euromodel did not show it on any of the planes or refer to it other than to show a plan view from above which only really showed the top rail. If it hadn't been for members previous builds I wouldn't have known what it even looked like or how to go about building it. It was made up of 31  pieces ( uprights, crosspieces and braces ) cut from supplied strip material, I had to guess the sizes to cut those pieces by looking at members photos of it, it wasn't really very difficult and looks okay now that it's done, I'm now getting use to making things for this model as I go along, it just seems to be a normal feature of the kit and is not causing me any insurmountable problems, YET.

 

I'm still using the compact for the pictures and I think it's ok. It does have some advantages over my SLR, first it works, the depth of field is much greater, it has a macro feature and given its size I can get it right down onto the deck, anyway you can see the results for yourselves.

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ken3335]

Hi,  Just got my camera back, hooray! I felt lost without it. Going through my recent pics I thought that you might like this one, its the sea front of my home town, West Kirby.  Yes the storm broke before I got back to my car.

 

Ken

 

Edited August 4, 2017 by ken3335

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone.

 

Another progress report, this time the completion of the side rails. This was a part of the build that I thought would be a problem but as it turned out it was not as difficult as I had expected, just a lot of work. Again I'm very happy with the result.

 

Some comments.

You will be aware that I had built my sides about 4mm too low, this has caused slight issues, hopefully the last being the height of these rails. to get them to finish at the correct height at the fore deck the uprights needed to be 3mm taller but at the quarter deck the side height was correct so an extra 3mm would have looked wrong. I sized them so that the foredeck was correct then reduced them very gradually through the waist until they were near the correct height at the quarter deck. By doing this I didn't get a sudden change of height in any section and the transition isn't noticeable, when the shrouds and anchors are added at the fore deck the extra height hopefully wont be apparent. I felt that because of the different heights, angling them in at the top according to the plan would be very difficult so I opted to make them from straight 3x3mm strip to make things easier for me. On checking my recently acquired  plan I noticed that the rail uprights were not all angled in but only those aft of the waist, so at least I'm half right.

 

I felt that the rails might be vulnerable to a knock so I decided to pin them as well as gluing them into place. I used 2x4 strip for the top rail. As I mentioned I am very pleased with the result.

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 5, 2017 by ken3335

[Greg the peg leg sailor]

G'day Ken 

Your work and log is bloody marvelous mate. 

You must spend every waking hours on the RW. The speed that your are going is 'warp 9.97'. Slow down a bit, you're are making me to ' look like I'm in reverse'. 

Havagooday my English mate. 

Greg 

[ken3335]

Hello Everyone,

 

As requested I'm going to have a day off from my build and drink beer instead, the two don't really go together as I make enough mistakes as it is.

 

I told you that I would explain my acquiring those plans, no mysteries or intrigues I'm afraid just honest very unexpected good fortune  that came my way.

 

I got them from a house clearance of an elderly gentleman who died some time ago. Nobody seems to have claimed his possessions and there was some legal arrangement for there to be an auction. My daughter who lives in that area told me of it as she had heard that he had been a model maker, I thought that it was worth my while to make the trip and see if there might be something of interest for me. There wasn't a great deal but Wow! a Royal William kit and these plans, I tried not to show too much interest but I nearly wet myself. The kit I think must be one of Euromodels very first from the early 80s  and was completely untouched, like new. Of course I bought it.

As I have often said in my log, after I had built up parts of RW I always felt that having learned how to do them I could then do them better if I did them again, so here's my chance. I couldn't think of a better project than when my current RW is finished just start again. At least I'll know where there is a good log to follow.

 

Some say that if I fell in a cesspit I'd come up smelling of roses!

 

The kit differs slightly from the newer versions so I thought it might be of some interest to mention them. The packaging is still the same, only slightly faded, the plans have the same drawings but arranged differently. All the hinges are copper, I was very short in my kit of grating pieces, in this one there seems to be at least twice the amount, they are made from walnut not light coloured wood, might be difficult to buy extra. Some of the castings are slightly different, for example the lanterns are solid and will be difficult to glaze. The castings though are extremely crisp and defined, probably as the moulds were newer then. The bulwarks had been drawn or printed and then hand cut with a scroll saw, the deck supports have been cut through to get into the next level for cutting out leaving them very weak  and will be easily broken. I've put some glue into these cuts to add a little strength for when they are first handled but they will need reinforcing. These are all quite rough and will need some work and final shaping from the plan  before they can be used. What surprised me most is that all the masts and spars are pre shaped, they need a good sanding to final shape but a very nice touch and will save a lot of work.

 

 

Ken

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9, 2018 by ken3335
Extra photo

[marktiedens]

Wow - what a great find. Are any of the parts laser cut as in the newer kits? Is the wood in good shape yet?

 

Mark

[ken3335]

Hi mark, No there isn't any laser cut parts in the kit everything has been hand cut some pretty rough but none cut smaller than the correct shape so can easily be sanded to a good finish and to fit the plan, in fact the wood parts look like what you'd expect from a small cottage industry. The wood seems ok but only time will tell. I'll be replacing the decking strips anyway, the first planking won't be an issue so that only leaves the second planking that might perhaps need buying but on first appearance I think that it looks fine.

 

Ken

Edited August 6, 2017 by ken3335