HMS VICTORY by jeff watts - FINISHED - Billing Boats

[jeff watts]

hi guys , welcome to my build diary for my first build ,  started the begining of october 2018 so i've made a bit of progress already , a few mistakes  but nothing i couldnt overcome , and a lot of learning of new  techniques  too , any advise is greatly appreciated as im a newbie to the hobby 

[jeff watts]

a couple more pics of progress

[jeff watts]

and so the planking begins 

[jeff watts]

few more photos

[jeff watts]

few more pics

[clearway]

takes me back seeing all this!

 

Keith

[jeff watts]

ha ha yes  , your build is very impressive , if i can manage to get somewhere close i'll be happy 

 

  jeff 

[pontiachedmark]

Gidday and welcome from the Land Downunder Jeff.

If you don't mind I'll pull up an armchair and come along for the ride.

Everything seems to be going well. 

Plenty of support and encouragement on this site.

All the best with your build.

Mark.

[jeff watts]

thanks mark , your welcome , ill try to keep the log up to date and welcome any advice 

 

jeff

[pontiachedmark]

Thanks Jeff.

All the best Mark.

[EJ_L]

Looks like you are off and running nicely on this one. I think I’ll stick around and see how she turns out. Keep up the good work! 

[jeff watts]

thanks  ej  no pressure then  lol

 

 jeff

 

[jeff watts]

so ,i've decided to start adding some  copper plates to the hull at the stern ,as i cant fit the rudder hinges until the plates are on  , and i also thought that if i get them on quite early on then i wont need to turn her upside down once the little fragile gun doors are on 

[jeff watts]

a few more little jobs done , finished off the cannon carriages , and started rigging them, ( run out of 2mm blocks )  and made the anchors  and spliced and dyed  the anchor rope  ,  cannon brackets made and ready to fit when the pins arrive 

[Heinrich der Seefahrer]

Hello and a nice progress - do you know Dafi's Victory ...and beyond project?

Look in there for any historical questions due to the ship (at the begin of the Trafalgar battle).

 

Thanks for sharing.

[jeff watts]

thanks heirich , i havent heard of it , but i will look it up to get some tips 

[Heinrich der Seefahrer]

14 hours ago, jeff watts said:

thanks heirich , i havent heard of it , but i will look it up to get some tips 

 

[jeff watts]

hi again , ive come to a bit of a standstill adding parts , , waiting for more copper hull plates , i need a lot more than i originally guessed  , ah well  , obviously i need to get those on as turning the hull upside down after adding the fragile upper parts is  asking for trouble ,  ive started making the cannons and the rigging for them and also the gun doors are done too , but not attached as im afraid of breaking them off as i do other jobs , question is am i going about this correctly , i seem to be making lots of sub assemblies ready to fit ,such as side netting and deadeye strops and chains  etc but not sure what order to fit them as theyre so fragile , any advise is gratefully accepted   

 

  jeff 

[ccoyle]

Jeff, it sounds like you have a good plan of action in place already. Just keep thinking ahead about whether any sub-assemblies will be first of all accessible as you add additional bits, and secondly will they be easily knocked off as you continue working. And with a model the size of Victory, you will have a lot of such thinking and planning to do!

[jeff watts]

thanks chris ,  i started putting parts on in the order that the instructions implied ( i say implied because the billings instructions are more of a guide than anything else TBH ) and then realised that im spending  more time and effort in protecting these parts from damage than if i'd left them off til later ,  i suppose thats the harsh lesson of starting a large model as a first attempt lol  , but thanks for the advise , at least i know im going in the right direction 

 

  jeff 

[ccoyle]

It's a good point for any new modeler to remember that kit instructions are only one person's suggested sequence for assembling the model, and there's no written law against deviating from the sequence if one thinks he has a better way. In fact, many experienced builders make little use of instructions and are chiefly concerned that the kit come with good and detailed plans.

 

Cheers!

[EJ_L]

I will echo Chris in saying that yes, you have chosen the right path. Most "instructions" for model ships are as you said, more guide than traditional instruction. There are many parts that the instructions may say to install early but, can easily wait till much further. THe guns and port lids are a prime example. Yes, the fully rigged guns need to go in place before the ships masting and rig is assembled but, many builders will leave "dummy" cannon and the lids off till right before the rigging or even till after that stage and close to the end.

 

Along those lines of thought, separate sub assemblies are a great help especially when you get to the masts and rig. The more complete any item is, mast, yards, etc. with blocks and leads already installed before it is on the ship, the easier that stage will become. Similar to what you are already doing with the guns and anchors. It also helps to keep things moving while you wait on the mail.

 

 

[jeff watts]

great advice fellas,  common sense when you think about it  , shame i havent got that much lol

[jeff watts]

i like your comment about the masts and yards etc  ej,  im nowhere near that stage yet , but will keep it in mind 

  cheers      jeff 

[jeff watts]

well , i thought it about time i put  an update on the log ,i know its been a few weeks , been busy researching how to do some of the little complicated bits , i bought a couple of books which have been recommended by many builders  about rigging and masting , and have been practicing serving and  decided to have a go at building the bowsprit , im quite pleased so far , put some  fiddly bits on and made some yards  on my home made lathe , also swapped the kit deadeye chains for  more realistic looking ones and fitted them , also ive been trying to work out the best way of making the  side netting hammock stays  and how to sew the netting on , ive had to make quite afew little jigs to hold the work 

[EJ_L]

It looks like it has been time well spent. Your serving appears well done as are those hammock nets. Great progress!

[jeff watts]

thanks ej,

[jeff watts]

well its been a while since last posting any update ,,been rather busy but i have been making some headway with the build  so i have put up some photos , you'll have to excuse the messy work bench ! 

[jeff watts]

hello again , i know its been a while since posting anything on the build log , lots of excuses , main one being  my beloved wife changed our computer , so i lost the login to get onto the site , but as you can see ive managed to get back on .        and, no i havent given up on it ,it appears to be a winter project , when the nights  are dark and miserable outside  , and im allowed a bit of time to myself , luckily my attic room is left as it was  10 months ago , so its a matter of trying to remember where i left off  , the rigging is where i am at the moment , and on this model  there is a fair bit when your a newbie ,and ive got a couple of reference books now so i can turn to them ,problem being they do tend to contradict each other sometimes but far better than the kit instructions ,  and,  i have found that walking away when your enthusiasm drops is a good idea as you dont fall into the trap of rushing it just to get it finished , anyway , i'll post a few more pictures soon to show what progress has been made  since the last time  and await any advice or critique  

 

 cheer guys  jeff 

[jeff watts]

ok i remembered how to upload photos so here are a few  , please excuse the messy work bench , this is how i work  lol  i have made the gun carriages and fitted the lower ones, the lower staircases, werent part of the kit , there was just a square area , i didnt like that , i saw some pictures of the real ship and thought  ive got to add them , the capstan is also my own addition , and the lower row of gun ports will be closed when the ship is completed  , i dont think it needs all the cannons on show   thanks for looking