HMS Victory by Rob S - Mamoli - 1/90th scale - first build

[Christopher Smith]

By coincidence I am at roughly the same stage as your model, I did not use the green plates I cut up tanganika  veneer into 1/2 inch strips looks fine.

Hint inside the gun ports will be red paint them before planking around.

[Christopher Smith]

A book I have found very handy attached photos.

Please note my computer  skills are limited so I apologise in advance for any mistakes.

[Rob S]

Thank you Christopher; I have the same book! I also picked up a softcover book ‘The 100 gun ship Victory’ by McKay. Lots of resources out there.

 

No worries about computer skills, you are doing fine!

[Emmet]

 This is Emmet

Well Christopher I think your ship looks pretty good. The beech certainly looks like an interesting approach. Where are you getting your woods? Trying to copy the real thing is worthwhile and I like your creative approach. I am in the process of trying to think of a way to do the ship under the waterline.

[Rob S]

Have attached the lower wales.  However, yet another lesson learned and the importance of marking components correctly.  Each lower wales section consists of 2 x 5mm wide and 1 x 4mm wide planks.  The plank order is bottom two 5mm planks, topped off by the 4mm plank.  After shaping and drying the planks I marked each side with a ‘P’ for port and ‘S’ for starboard.  I then designated the planks as  1, 2 & 3 starting from the bottom.  Unfortunately, I marked the port side incorrectly - P1, P2 and P1 again.  Given a coin flip probability, of course I ended up using the 4mm width piece for the lower plank on the port side.  Damn it Jim! I found the error after having attached the lower planks.  I’m living with it.   

 

The pictures show the addition of filler to help with the wale plank attachment to the hull.  I’ll sand further as necessary when attaching the set of planks above the wales.  Next up is to plank the area below the lower wales.

[Emmet]

I have done some labeling and put them in wrong place. Luckily I did not do it with different sizes yet. Only you will know.

[Rob S]

Lower wales now installed.  I have done some sanding to take the edges off of the interfaces. 

[Rob S]

Beginning installing the planks below the lower wales.  Starboard bow complete.   Will work the port bow next.  

[Rob S]

Port side bow under main wales planked.  Need to further sand the wales to knock off the edges.  Plan to plank the stern areas below the main wales beginning tomorrow.  That will take longer. 

[Christopher Smith]

Hi all.

The veneers are from Barrow in Cumbria UK.

Search wooden model ship hull planking on auction site it shows all the different options, this is a UK site.

[Christopher Smith]

I like that planking below the wales I struggled  a bit there. Ironically I live in Wales.

[Rob S]

6 hours ago, Christopher Smith said:

I like that planking below the wales I struggled  a bit there. Ironically I live in Wales.

My sister lives in Gwaenysgor in Flintshire. Small world!

[Emmet]

Thank you Christopher for the wood info. I bought my Corel kit on Victory from Cornwall. It was delivered to my home in Sandwich, New Hampshire within three days. The shipping was expensive but there were no kits in stock here. And it was a lot cheaper anyway.

I enjoy hearing where people live and while I have been in the UK and Ireland I never made it to Wales. The town your sister lives in has a fascinating name – only in England.🤪

[Christopher Smith]

I live in Caerphilly similar to how you build a ship carefully😀

Look it up beautiful  castle I live a  quarter of a mile away.

[Christopher Smith]

Rob

I noticed earlier in your build the clamps to hold the frame of your transom to the poop deck while drying, again I struggled  there I think it will catch me out later.

[Rob S]

I need to be a bit more patient here.  There is no easy way to hold the stern planks in place while the glue dries resulting in some movement during the drying process. I’ll have some touch up to do there.  I’ve tried using some excess planking material that is nailed in place... but not shown to be 100% effective. I’m working the port side.  Have shaped planks and have them drying in the plank jig I have.  It works well and holds the plank shape properly.  Once dry, I can then begin placing them in the proper locations.  These planks (0.5mm x 4mm) are easy to shape.  The next plank set above the main wales are 2mm x 3mm and will be a bit more challenging. 

[Rob S]

5 hours ago, Christopher Smith said:

Rob

I noticed earlier in your build the clamps to hold the frame of your transom to the poop deck while drying, again I struggled  there I think it will catch me out later.

Good news is that the Vic presents us the means to overcome errors.... I’m sure yours will be fine.  Nothing to fret too much over.  

[Christopher Smith]

I got away with this but my job is easier as I am using veneer, also on the upper part have planked all the way across.

[Rob S]

Finishing up the lower planking.  This seems to be a cleaner process than the starboard side.  Should finish up later today.  I’ve also started filing out the aft gun ports covered by the lower wales. Using a long, rectangular file for the process. 

[Rob S]

Largely finished the stern work below the main wales and have started the planking north of the main wales. The plans call for 5 x 1mm x 3mm walnut planks above the main wales and just below the next wales. That is 15mm high from the main wales. I created a small 12mm plank section that shows the planking riding higher than the plans show.  This is especially evident as we move toward the bow. Up front the planks are nearly 3mm higher than indicated in the plans.  

 

I’ll be looking at other models and looking at ways to ensure the planking doesn’t get out of wack.  The plans shown below are from the 1/90 scale drawing supplied with the kit. The last picture is of the starboard forward ports. 

[Christopher Smith]

I'm having same problem think it is from the first pieces we put together the slots for the gun ports were not accurate, as we do keen to get going did not check, blame sloppy manufacturer easy way out.

[Rob S]

21 minutes ago, Christopher Smith said:

I'm having same problem think it is from the first pieces we put together the slots for the gun ports were not accurate, as we do keen to get going did not check, blame sloppy manufacturer easy way out.

Thanks for this Christopher.  I think you are partly correct. How did your early part integration go?  I’m talking specifically about the middle decks and above.  After I had integrated the bulkheads with the keel, the decks did not fit.  I had to do a lot of deck modification to get them inserted in the bulkhead slots.  You can see these trials in the early portion of my build log.  Did the decks fit correctly for you? I carried this kit around for 20+ years and I’m sure the wood pieces were inversely affected by poor humidity and other conditions.  So yes, the kit parts have some blame, but I’m also sure my methods have not been spot on.  Perhaps I’ll get it right with the next one... given there is another!

[Emmet]

My kit is new and I have the same problems you fellows are talking about.  My drawing re: gunports was not to scale. I have had t guesstimate where to put them. I made a tracing and tried to keep them relatively aligned. It is in my log.  I also found that after planking my upper deck did not fit both on the sides as well as fore and aft.  It seems to be part of the game.

[Rob S]

Port side planking continues above the main wale.  Complete now with some sanding to do.  The spacing looks ok.  Will work on the starboard side tomorrow, gLw. 

 

[Emmet]

Thanks look good coming around the bow. Details here help me understand the waterline better.

[Rob S]

17 hours ago, Emmet said:

Thanks look good coming around the bow. Details here help me understand the waterline better.

Thanks Emmet; I’m enjoying watching your build; you’ll be past me shortly!  

[Rob S]

Starboard walnut planking continuing; hoping to finish it off tomorrow and begin adding the second set of wales.  

[Rob S]

Starboard side complete.  Planning to shape and fit the next set of starboard/port side wales for drying and then installation shortly thereafter. 

[Christopher Smith]

Really impressed especially the curves around the bow without twisting and gaps.

[Rob S]

7 hours ago, Christopher Smith said:

Really impressed especially the curves around the bow without twisting and gaps.

Thank you Christopher; you are too kind!  You are clearly not looking close enough!   While far from perfect, I do think my plank bending approach and skills are improved over my first planking effort.  I’m immersing the planks longer, bending and then allowing to fully dry before installing. I’m also adding filler if/where needed for those spots in front that leave gaps between the hull and plank.  That enables me to provide a solid plank/hull connection.