Granado by jthemanjack - Victory Models

[jthemanjack]

Hi Guys

Starting a Granado build and thought a Build Log would be fun ... and helpful ! I've only built Panart models up to now ( Royal Caroline , Armed launch and the Open Whaler )  So a Victory model is my first kit away from Panart . I know there's been an awful lot of Granado builds on this forum, and from Modellers with an awful lot more skill than me, but really it's to get ongoing advice from you Guys and it just 'might' be of help to somebody in the future.  Look forward to hearing from you Chaps and please if there is anything on my log that doesn't seem right I would welcome Advice .

 

Panart  "Armed Launch"

Panart "Open Whaler"

Panart "Royal Caroline"

[jthemanjack]

Making a start, Keel, rudder post and Prow being glued .

 

Edited October 8, 2019 by jthemanjack
didn't finish

[jwvolz]

Good luck with your build. I built the Caldercraft version and will be interested to see the differences in the Victory Models version. 

[jthemanjack]

Marked off bearding line and rabbet , going to be conservative in the amount I take off for now, can always take a bit more off when I strake .  Measured in between bulkheads for inserts and decided to use balsa inserts at prow and stern ... planking to that transom looks like it's going to be fun . dry fitted all the bulkheads and deck and apart from No4 which needs dropping a tad (about 1mm) all seems good 

[jthemanjack]

Managed quite a bit in the week , fixed the bulkheads and Balsa'd at the bow and stern , I cannot believe the price of balsa wood now ... I was around 10 or 11 the last time I bought any mind you. Everything shaped and ready for the decks and gunport strips .  The gunports need soaking for a while as per the instructions , I use a thermos and hot water, so it's more of a 'steam' than a soak  . Spot the 'not so' deliberate mistake at the stern , that comes from not studying the instructions and looking a few steps ahead ... Doh !

[jthemanjack]

Glued both Gun-port strips into place, what I did was soak and then clamp everything in place overnight to dry, I find these ply patterns easier to glue if they are formed into shape beforehand . The instructions say "The top edge of the strips should be level with the top edge of the Bulkheads" but I wouldn't go by just that, what I did was clamp the strip into position, and then use a gun carriage to check that the Gun-ports are at the right height in respect to the main deck. When I was happy that it was in the right position, I drilled a few guide holes to help with the positioning when gluing. I also drilled 3-4 small holes around the base of the bulkhead tabs that are left above deck level, these need snapping off once the first planking is done, in my experience they don't just 'snap off, it can turn into rather a brutal affair. It's also good idea at this point to drill for the dummy barrels in the two stern Gun-ports, you'll need the strips in place to make sure the barrels are centred .

Edited November 12, 2019 by jthemanjack
didn't finish

[jwvolz]

Good start. You may however want to re-think using those dummy barrels in the ports under the quarterdeck. In all my research building Granado I found she originally had eight six-pounders all on the main deck, and this was at one point increased to ten, with the additional two placed in the bridle/chase ports. Original documents cited in the Anatomy of Sail book back this up. 

[jthemanjack]

Thanks for the input Joe . I did wander about them as well, I know they weren't part of the normal set-up on-board, but during conflicts I wouldn't be surprised to see them used as Gun-ports, instead of the 'Anatomy of a Ships' description 'Ports (used as cabin lights)' or 'windows' in common speech . Looking at the drawings they were set low and could be used as Gun-ports . I'll wait and see how I feel about them, they're only 'screw ins' and can be removed at any point . The Boy in me thinks you can't have too many Cannons though ... nice to hear from you .

 

        Jack

[Chuck]

That is a really nice start.  I would like to follow along.  I have always admired the Granado and often thought of building her myself.  Maybe I still will some day.

 

Chuck