HMS Terror by clearway - FINISHED - OcCre - 1:75 - upgraded

[clearway]

Ty geowolf and lol @ terrified of terror😄  . I will be using metal plating on the bows as well, though i do have some 10mm wide self adhesive copper strip so might use that instead of the aluminium provided, i planked the bows like i did to act as a guide for the plating.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

13 hours ago, clearway said:

I will be using metal plating on the bows as well, though i do have some 10mm wide self adhesive copper strip so might use that instead of the aluminium provided, i planked the bows like i did to act as a guide for the plating.

I was wondering the same thing, but I like to wait until someone else asks just in case it seems like a silly question.

 

I was going to use some sheet metal I have stashed away including some tempered sheet-bronze from an ancient door-sweep, which I thought would be fun to use, but in the end I found the aluminium plates from the kit pretty easy to use. The exception would be where the armour overlaps the channel chock- I found the aluminium difficult to work nicely over this compound curve, and left it off. Maybe self-adhesive copper would be easier to work in that spot.

 

Don't worry, my little Terror is still very much front-of-mind, it's just that the weather has been so uncharacteristically nice (in the subarctic hell in which I live) lately that I have been preferring to spend time boating and working in my garden.  

[clearway]

Hi keith- was wondering where you had got to, it's the same in Cumbria you cram all the outdoor work in when it actually stops raining so been working on my garden/ winter messy modelling / spraypainting mancave😁. Over the last week it has only stopped raining for two days😐.

 

Keith

[clearway]

been doing some research using lees masting and rigging and the closest match regarding mast dimensions on the admiralty order for 1839 are from a 10th class frigate (keith s kindly gave me the mast diameters from his plans)

 

according to lees the dimensions are=

foremast (from deck level) = 48' 6"  diameter 22"

mainmast= 53' 6" diameter 24"

Mizen mast= 43' 6" diameter 18"

 

so 7mm dowel for the bowsprit and foremast, 8mm dowel for the main and will use the 6mm for the mizzen.

 

compared to occre plans they got it about right for the mast lengths , but you need to add on the measurement for the mast below decks where they run into the  frames.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

So Keith do you mean the Occre dimensions do not take into account the below-deck portion? They are too short by that amount? That is to say, the proper length should be their dimensions PLUS another few centimeters? 

 

[clearway]

that is correct keith yes- i cut a piece of scrap dowel to size indicated and when put in situ it just didn't look right so out came mr lees book! the wierd thing is the dimensions for the topmasts and topgallant masts were about equal to the admiralty order (in the case of the topmasts bang on).

 

Keith

[clearway]

thanks for looking in and comments everyone- just a little session in shipyard, and got the entryways on the bulwarks lined with walnut and planked some of the stern.

 

 

 

have fun all.

 

Keith

 

[clearway]

Thanks for looking in everyone, sorted out the masts using the admiralty dimensions and they look about right- also got the capping rails on the bulwarks ( used the 5x2 mm as opposed to the 6x2 mm they instructed). because i upped the diameter of the fore and main masts i had to step them from deck level down to where they slot into the frames as these were meant for the 6 mm dowel not the 7mm and 8mm now used.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Looks like you found a better way than me. I tried to drill out the slots to the new size and now I think the slots aren't there any more because the main mast is pretty wobbly. I'll have to take care to make sure the masts are reasonably parallel when I rig the shrouds. Does look better with the linger masts now though. I had just enough dowel left to make new ones the correct length.

 

 

[clearway]

i have been there in the past myself Keith where i went a bit too far opening holes for masts out- i glued battens down the length of the mast below decks on the model in question to pick up the slack (why i went about it this way on terror 😁).

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Luckily it's not that bad, the holes in the deck are the correct size, but the tip of the bit mangled things belowdeck. They seem to step at the right height but have some fore/aft and lateral play which will be fine once I glue them in and rig up the shrouds.

 

I got my copy of Lee's book today. There are a lot of nautical words in there. 😐

 

 

[clearway]

you could cut the head off a panel pin and glue it with the point sticking out the bottom of the mast- when aligned right you can use a little pressure to drive it home- luckily with the book there are loads of diagrams explaining- also if you go to the hms trimcolee website there are some good pics including a nice one of under the top with the blocks for the yard truss. Unfortunately there is no quick way of learning the jargon though there are plenty of dictionaries for sea terminology so wouldn't be surprised if one for free on google somewhere.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Actually the slings for the yards and stuff like that looks pretty easily explained. I'm just going to need to pass some things by you before I put them in my ship. So far, just as an example, the forestay "preventer"? There's a diagram of one which is "wormed" to the stay (like on your "Victory") but mentions after 1840 it wasn't done this way.. Also the "jibboom" for examp,e. Do you think Terror had these? My sailboat was designed with a jibboom, but I removed it and rigged the jib properly. I don't see jibbooms on model warships, but Lee has it in his book. Another example: the futtock-shrouds; the book says that after 1840 or so they were tied to a "necklace" of chain around the mast rather than being tied to a batten in the main shrouds. ...Or, iron hoops around the masts, that go UNDER the "paunch" and cheeks; and iron rings that go OVER the cheeks but under the paunch, and TAPERING the masts down to 3/4 their diameter between the hounds and partners...

 

There is a lot to process, and that's just the stuff I DO understand. And I thought I WAS pretty good at nautical jargon. It's a wonderful book, but I can see it's going to make me more neurotic about my model, not less.

 

Luckily we have this website that allows us to share information.

 

[clearway]

first don't panic! look at the references and simplify them as necessary- yes chain necklace for the futtock shrouds (well spotted😁), terror would have had a jib boom and dolphin striker, but not a flying jib boom (havn't rigged victories yet)- basically use the occre references for building the masts but account for iron bands and the chain necklaces.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

OK I got mixed up with what a "jib boom" is. I was thinking it was something like the clubfoot on a cutter that makes the inner forestaysail self-tacking. I see now all the foresails are loose-footed and the jibboom is simply the extension of the bowsprit. I need to learn to read all the words and relax.

[Emmet]

Not sure you will get this Keith but thought I would leave a comment here to see.  I had planned on spending some time here.

I was observing how you decided on a spot on the bow where you would terminate the walnut pieces.  I was thinking of making pieces that would terminate in different locations along the hull.  Was that your decision or was it the way the Terror was built? 

I liked your approach with wood glue. But don't the pins make bit of a dent?  How did you fix those if you had to?  Did you apply the glue to the planks or to the hull?

[clearway]

LOL it can be a bit mind boggling on first glance through the book Keith, Hi Emmet- the pin holes are so small they nearly disappear after sanding- i planked the bows like that as terror had second planking- i terminated planks along the runs as the shape of the hull dictated to avoid excessive bending- also a lot of the pins are acting like clamps beside the planks- computer has gone belly up (pinched sons lap top for this so posts will be apart!)

 

started to shape the masts- built the tops supplied for fore and main but altered them as in the following pic.

 

 

also got the mainmast squared for the cheeks and bibs.

 

 

also a shot of the fore mast with the top tried out- to square them roughed them with a craft knife till roughly squared then sanded with a sanding block til the top was a comfy fit.

 

 

also got the sunlights in the deck and the hatch for the chain locker in place.

 

 

 

used humbrol clear windows for the glazing.

 

take care all

keith

 

P.S. since posting this have started to scratchbuild new tops for main and foremasts as occre have thecross trees butted right up against the mast- hopefully will have comp fixed and get some pics on the log.

[clearway]

thanks for likes and looking in everyone along with comments- managed to lever the laptop off the son🤪

 

the replacement tops and trees for mizzen in various states of construction- still need to taper underside of trees on fore and mizzen. Also rebated the transom so the windows had a bit of a gap behind them and replaced ply sprayrail on bows with 5x2mm planking.

 

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Hi Keith, before you get too far with the mastheads and mounting the topmasts, the ship's 1845 draughts show a set of hand-cranked winches mounted to the main and foremast just above the tops. I suppose you could build them at any time, but it might be easier to get them on there before you permanently affix the mast caps. If you like I will take a picture of this detail and try to read off the measurements. I've never seen these masthead winches depicted on a model or drawing before, so it's an interesting detail to include in my opinion. They look similar to the winches I've already built on my model at deck-level. 

[clearway]

Thanks keith- i noticed those on draughts shown by you and online and wondered where they went! i thought they were maybe mounted on the bulwarks as early examples of jarvis winches. never seen them shown on any illustrations for ships either naval or mercantile on the mast tops- the quandary wrapped in an enigma that is terror continues🤪- yes would love the details and measurements thanks- hopefully be getting the other laptop back monday so will add pics showing tops and topmasts ( the tops and mastcaps arn't actually glued in place yet and most likely wont be til much later so plenty of time to add extras😁😉.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

It's my pleasure to help with "HMS Terror" research. Your experience with rigging will be a great help to me when the time comes! 

 

The note above it reads "A winch fitted at the Fore & Main Masthead for setting up Rigging §c. in the Tops"

 

Here is a close-up picture of the winch detail. It is not in the same scale as the main drawing: it's 1/2": foot scale. So I included a ruler in the second photograph. Additionally the drawing notes the "hoop" is 3 inches wide. 

 

 

 

 

 

[clearway]

fantastic Keith- much appreciated - going to be interesting and small😁. Been working on the masts and some of the stern today- this is my take on the mizzen mast- decided to do the hounds in the same fashion as topgallant hounds on later style masts but with no royal. also cut topmasts for fore and main to length using measurements from lees 10th class frigate- starting to get something that's HMS Terror looking😊

 

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

It is interesting,Keith, to see the beginnings of the work on the masts. I will be watching.

[clearway]

thanks for looking in and comments/ likes everyone- sorry Emmet moved from masts back to hull😁. Got the stern windows in at last and added name (looking at pic too much of an gap between the two middle R's i think).

 

 

also made a new barrell for the windlass and replaced the ply caps on the masts with solid wooden ones.

 

 

 

comparison with tops and caps supplied

 

 

and an overall view showing work so far.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

 

 

 

[Emmet]

 Did you hand carve that barrel? It is a beauty.

[clearway]

Ty Emmet and yes it was carved and filed from a piece of 8mm dowel as the one in the kit was made of white metal and wayyyyyy wrong.

 

Keith

[Emmet]

Neat!

[clearway]

ty for views likes and comments as always everyone, bit of a quandry- just found and pre-ordered Matthew Betts book on HMS Terror which looks like it's full of technical pornography regards fittings etc- will get as far as i can on info to hand, but will have to wait till i get the book before finishing fitting her out (if you are looking in at all Matthew- good work sir and i salute your work so far) pity it's got an October release date in U.K.- Back on Terror i have clad the accommodation hatches and made a start on the philips capstan head- surprise surprise the occre one is no way near right

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

 Hello again all- spent the day working on the philips capstan- built the base with pawl bits out of different thickness plasticard and used Peco track fixing pins for the bolts also including a pic of the windlass barrel supplied with the kit beside the new one- i should really cut the warping drums off the end of mine and fit some cogs between the warping drum and windlass sides.

 

 

 

That's about as good as i can get the capstan in 1/75 scale- used humbrol gun metal to paint the base. not sure whether to use clear varnish on the woodwork, or use the dark oak stain/ varnish like i used on the windlass?

 

Have fun all and take care.

 

Keith

[broden]

Very impressive. What a comparison. Castings can be good but that one certainly was not. I am enjoying your build log and will start mine as soon as the kit gets here.