HMS Pegasus by realworkingsailor - Amati/Victory Models - 1/64

[realworkingsailor]

Ok... time to clear out the crustacean infestation, and the other rodentiae (sp?) that have come to populate my build...

 

I've finished getting all the deadeyes and chains rigged. In the process of doing so I had to cut and temporarily mount the top and topgallant masts (to get the angles right for the chains). First time I've seen her stretched to her full height.

 

Andy

[Sjors]

Hi Andy,

 

Great job on the deadeyes and chains,

Overview picture looks great!

 

[popeye the sailor]

she looks great Andy........as long as you know where the starting point of the chain plate's location,  the cannon ports will dictate the rest of the dead eye placements.  it's nice to see how tall she'll stand though.......nice touch! 

[realworkingsailor]

Actually, for a change things worked out in real life as well as on paper. By mocking up the masts and running my temporary line down from the future shroud locations, everything lined up right. I missed every gun port (some were a very near miss).

 

Next step is to cap off the channels then I'm going to have to buckle down and get those masts shaped, tapered and fitted.

 

Andy

[Jim Lad]

It's always a surprise to me just how big a sailing ship model looks when you first try the masts, Andy.  Hope you've got a tall shelf space ready!

 

John

[john46]

Hi Andy,

 

Looked over your built log with pleasure. This is really an impressive built and great painting. Well done.

 

Regards,

John

[augie]

Nice job on the 'chain gang'.

 

She really changed with the first addition of the masts.  Thanks for the preview of what's to come

 

Good work, mate!

[mtaylor]

Andy,

Great going on the chainplates and temporary mast fitting.    I'm glad the exterminator didn't need to be called.

[patrickmil]

The chain plates look excellent. She will be truly a tall ship too. I'm looking forward to seeing some more progress.

[mobbsie]

Hi Andy,

 

Ditto to the previous post regarding your chains. Peg is looking really good.

 

Love the banter, some brilliant remarks in there.

 

Mobbsie

[amateur]

Great! (and large with the masts on...)

 

Jan

[realworkingsailor]

It goes without saying (I hope), but thank you all for your comments. I realized the other day it has been a while since I acutally posted some progress... mostly because what I've been doing has been tedious and time consuming... and very dusty...

 

I've started work on shaping the fore mast and attaching some of its fittings. A lot of work for not much visual progress. A lot of time was spent figuring out how to go about getting the shapes and profiles called for on the plans. And of course I ran up against that age old issue with these kits... trying to make a 6mm square out of a 6mm round dowel..... (I'm almost certain that when he designed these kits Watton must have been using square stock to begin with, and somewhere along the lines it got lost in translation), almost as impossible was taking 6mm round dowel and making a 5mm square.

 

What I ended up doing was taking a length of 8mm stock and drilling a short mortise in the top, and sanded down a matching tennon in the bottom of the topmast. I tried to get things as close to center as possible, it was a little off, but by adjusting the final position of the tennon, everything lined up ok. There is a little colour discrepancy, but I don't mind as this part of the mast will be painted black eventually.

 

It may look a little rough for a first attempt, but overall I'm ok with the end result. Everything at the foretop ended up nice and square and pretty much the dimensions required. Nothing a little carefull sanding, filling and painting won't hide.

 

Andy

[realworkingsailor]

I think if I had to do this all over again, I would start by ordering replacement masting material out of square stock. Heck of a lot easier sanding things smaller than having to sand things larger..

 

Andy

[patrickmil]

Hey Andy, your progress is looking good. While it may not be the most visually exciting for picture purposes, we all know what's coming next with rigging and all it's glory. I've had some issues with square to round as well and in some cases it was easier to take square stock and piece it on to the round section using a dowel through the center as a strengthener. I've also started with square stock as well. I wonder if anyone from the manufacturers tries to assemble these kits after piecing together the prototype kit.

[augie]

Stick with it Andy.  We've all faced the 'take the square stick, make it round, now turn 1/2 of it into an octagon' routine.  It's part of the fun

[mtaylor]

Andy,  The mast looks great and IMO, worth the effort.

[mobbsie]

Thanks for the info and pics Andy, this is most definately one tip to remember.

 

Your doing a super job on Peg, she looks great.

 

Mobbsie

[popeye the sailor]

nice bit of progress Andy......I tend to agree with you,  but for those of us who don't have a lathe......well,  we have to make do      I'll look forward in seeing the complete mast tree.  so far,  it looks real good.  

[realworkingsailor]

Thanks everyone. You know...the more I think about it, the more I am seriously considering buying square stock for the upper masts. I got somewhat lucky on my first attempt, but I'm not sure on my patience to replicate the results... I also think it would significantly speed up my progress. And it really would make the masts stronger... No matter how "reinforced" the joint is, it will always be a weak spot.

 

Andy

[Trussben]

True Andy!

[BANYAN]

When you learn that trick Andy you can make a fortune selling the idea to all of us   Nice work on the masts though!

 

cheers

 

Pat

[flyer]

Hi Andy

 

Nice work on the mast! If you use the solution with the tendon and fix the parts with epoxy glue you end up with something as strong as one made from a single thicker piece. No problem there.

 

To make my spare spars I ordered some square stuff – and it worked like a dream. That’s to say where the grain was ok. Some stuff had too coarse a grain and produced junk.

 

Yesterday I flew into Montreal again and I must tell you that you have to work on your temperatures – they are definitely below standard! (According the definition of the standard atmosphere you should have some +15°C but you were 30°C below that!) Nevertheless there were 2 ships steaming upriver from Quebec despite some ice still on it. I guess you will start your sailing season 2013 soon?

 

Take care

Peter

[realworkingsailor]

Hello Peter

 

Sailing season will be starting soon. The seaway opens on the 22nd so I imagine sometime this week I'll be getting "the phone call".

 

Andy

[Sjors]

Very nice mast Andy,

 

I see that your "holidays" are over?

Back to the real world again?

If I don't speak to you anymore, save trips and come back in one piece…..

 

[realworkingsailor]

Geez Sjors...don't feel bad...I haven't gone yet... Besides, you know I'll be stopping by after I'm back to work... Someone's got to keep you flinging those cotton canon balls

 

I'm just at that nerve wracking point where I don't know when the call may actually come.. And trying to make plans is a bit risky. To tell the truth it's a bit annoying.... Waiting....and waiting....

 

Andy

[trippwj]

Waiting and waiting...where have I seen that line before????

 

Making masts and spars would definitely occupy your downtime shipboard....

[realworkingsailor]

Yeah...no. I mentioned before.. Stuff tends not to survive the journey packed in luggage. Fragile parts break easy and with all my other stuff,clothes, work gear, supplies (think 3 months worth of all the daily stuff you use), there's really not the space. Besides, most of my "downtime" is spent either eating or catching up on desperately needed sleep.

 

Andy

[augie]

Well, we'll keep a light on in the transom for you.......but we WILL miss ya

[realworkingsailor]

Well....now it is official. Got "The Call" a few minutes ago. I leave Thursday...

 

Andy

[Sjors]

So there you go again then.

Come and go just like the seasons…...