HMS Victory by gjdale - FINISHED - Mamoli - Scale 1:90

[gjdale]

Well, here we go with what you might call the "Executive Summary" of my build log.  I started this log when I first joined MSW in Sep 2011.  At that time, the model had been under construction for 15 years, although the last six years had been a complete hiatus while work, family, and life in general got in the way.  This is state of the ship around the time of joining MSW:

 

 

Form here I'll just focus on some of the key events of the last 18 months or so.  First up was a decision over hammock netting.  We had quite a discussion over whether to use black or white (or other colour) netting.  After many, many trials, I settled on black netting made from Tulle (comes white, but painted black).  Here's a shot of the completed netting:

 

 

In Jan 2012, I decided to take a little side-road to scratch build one of the ship's boats.  I settled on the 34ft launch, using lines from AOTS and guided by a mini-practicum by Bob Hunt.  Here's a photo-essay of this little journey:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit further down the track, I became dissatisfied with the look of the Stern and Quarter Galleries.  Although I'd already made a mod to the kit some years ago, my experience here at MSW convinced me that I could do better.  Danny came to the party too, providing detailed drawings and long distance e-mail support, guidance and mentoring along the way.  I owe a great deal to Danny for the way this turned out and this whole exercise summed up for me what this wonderful site is all about.  Enough blathering, here's a little photo-essay of this adventure:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure about limits to pictures in one post, so I'll just break this one off here and continue shortly.

 

Cheers,
Grant

[Sjors]

Nice to see you back at it Grant.

I missed this…..

Keep on going.

 

Sjors

[gjdale]

Continuing the journey then. Once the Stern re-build was complete, it was on to the rigging, starting with the bowsprit.

 

Here's a couple of pics of items various and overall bowsprit rigging:

 

 

 

 

I picked up a few tips and tricks from others here.  This is a picture of some Mast wedges, made according to advice from Danny (they are turned from Castello boxwood, with lines scored to represent the wedges):

 

 

When it came to attaching shrouds and getting the distance between upper and lower deadeyes even, I borrowed an idea from EdT, which I found in his most excellent Victory build log:

 

 

For adding mice (or is that "mouses") to the stays, I followed advice from David Antscherl in his TFFM books, and turned them from wood.  Here is a picture of some mice and the snaking between the Main Stay and the Main Preventer Stay. ('tis to be hoped the snake does not eat the mice! ):

 

 

Somewhere around this time, Mobbsie drew my attention to the deteriorating state of the workshop. The Admiral agreed with Mobbsie and I was dispatched (with funds) to procure some better storage and thence to clean up the shipyard.  Here is the clean version, under the watchful supervision of the site foreman, Sam the chocolate labrador:

 

 

After much procrastinating, it was time to tackle the ratlines    We had quite a discussion again over colour.  There many differing opinions on this, but in the end I settled on black ratlines.  To help get them at the right interval and parallel, I used a card template - here's one in use on the Mizzen:

 

 

This is an early shot of ratlines in progress (actually the Foremast):

 

 

Since then, I've been slowly but surely continuing to tie ratlines.  I've now completed all three lower masts on the port side and am ready to start on the starboard side.  To finish this post and bring the log completely up to date, here are a few progress photos taken tonight.  I might add, that I had my own mini-disaster while taking these.   As I was trying to get a better camera angle, I knocked over a glass of red wine - all over the several modelling books I had been using for reference (not to mention the carpet!)   Fortunately, not too much damage was done, but it was a bloody waste of some very good red wine!

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's me up to date folks.  Thank you to all of you who have contributed to my previous log and for advice, assistance and encouragement along the way.  If I've left anything major out of the story to date, let me know and I'll see if I've got some photos.

 

Cheers,
Grant

 

 

 

 

 

[Remcohe]

When reading all the executive summaries and management summaries it just dawned on my how fast time flies by. She really is impressive Grant.

 

Remco

[WackoWolf]

Grant,

 

   Great to see that you back up. Will be waiting for when you start the Warrior.

[newbuilder101]

Your Victory is a beautiful ship - something to be proud of. Great attention to detail!

[keelhauled]

Grant,

Thanks for putting your build back up.  I really appreciate the insite on this model.  I'll start building it next year.

Great work!

marc

[Shipyard sid]

Grant

Wonderful stuff I don't know how I missed this. Yep cracking stuff regards DAVID

[gjdale]

Thank you all for the replies. It's nice to see some new faces here too.

Edited February 20, 2013 by gjdale

[Captain Slog]

Hi Grant,

 

I have to confess I also missed your build log in MSW 1.0 but glad I found it now.

 

That was a brave and bold move re-doing the whole stern but in my opinon well worth the effort. Looks fantastic.

 

Cheers

Slog

[mtaylor]

Grant,

 

Good to see the log going back up.  Great work!!!

[rdsaplala]

Hi Grant, 

 

Pleased to see your Victory log back on line, my friend, excellent bashing and detail-work

[Sjors]

Hi Grant,

 

I'm new too.

Is it allowed to watch your build?

 

Sjors

[dafi]

Nice to see your little one back online!

 

Regards, Daniel

[romiol]

Hi Grant

 

Great to see you back here too!

 

Cheers,

Rosmarie

[zeptraderUK]

Just love the Victory, especially when you put some string on 'em, look so powerful.

 

Really nice.

[rafine]

Grant, your interest in my little project stirred my interest in your rather large project. A simply wonderful build . I'm sorry that I missed out on your full log.

 

Bob

[gjdale]

Thanks for looking in Slog, Mark, Aldo, Sjors, Daniel, Rosemarie, Colin and Bob.  One of the upsides to the whole "crash" event is the opportunity to find new logs and make new friends here at MSW.  Thank you all for your kind comments.

 

And Sjors - I'm watching you my friend! I've seen the sabre-rattling going over there   and as my 100 guns are likely to be ready for sea before any of yours, I'd be careful about re-starting the Sjorsian Wars!!! 

[Sjors]

Oops Grant,

 

I don't want to make you angry other wise I'll be going like this…….

 

And I was not started the Sjorsian war but Augie!

 

Sjors

[gjdale]

OK Sjors,

 

I'll take that as a sign of a non-aggression pact!   In which case you are of course welcome here! 

[Sjors]

Thanks Grant

 

You make my day!!!! 

 

Sjors

[gjdale]

Hi all,

 

Well, I achieved a milestone of sorts this weekend by finishing the ratlines for all of the lower masts. 

 

Still have the topmasts and topgallants to go 

 

I know it's like watching grass grow, but here's a few progress pics to keep the log up to date.  Apologies for the quality of the photos - that's one aspect I still REALLY need to work on. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sjors]

Hi Grant,

 

I see grass growing :-)

The rigging looks great and the pictures are not that bad.

 

Sjors

Edited February 25, 2013 by Sjors

[mobbsie]

Hi Grant,

 

Not been around for while my friend and boy, have you made progress or what, Victory is looking absolutely superb.

 

I should'nt be surprised anymore but just expect more if not better in the future, very well done mate.

 

I would watch that Sjors if I were you, dont forget he blew Franks mast-top away, and then tried to blame me, I only had bows and arrows at the time.

 

Mobbsie

Edited February 25, 2013 by mobbsie

[mobbsie]

Hi Grant,

 

A quick question my friend if you dont mind, your hammock netting, Was it Jute you used ?. I know you gave a good explanation on the old forum but thats gone and my memory aint what it used to be.

 

I dont need any just yet but I will eventually.

 

Mobbsie

[gjdale]

Hi Mobbsie,

 

The material I used was Tulle. This is commonly used for bridal veils and the like. The stuff I bought came on a roll and was meant for tying fancy bows on chair covers. The roll is long enough to last several lifetimes of modelling and cost me about $12 from memory, from a local craft and sewing store. I could only find it in white, though I believe it is available in black. I just painted mine black. One word of caution when you're looking for this stuff. It comes in either a "diamond" pattern or a "honeycomb" pattern. You want the diamond pattern.

 

Cheers,

[Sjors]

I wash my hands in innocence     

 

Sjors

[mobbsie]

Thanks for that Grant, I'll do my best to get some.

 

Mobbsie

[rdsaplala]

Congratulations on finishing majority of the ratlines, Grant, this is a milestone indeed, seeing all those ropes reminds me just how complexly rigged a First Rate Ship is. All those standing rigging look mighty fine my friend, keep up the top-notch job 

[gjdale]

Thanks Aldo,

 

Still plugging away. Maybe next weekend will see the last of the ratlines done......