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

[Keith S]

17 hours ago, broden said:

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.

The most important reason to replace the windlass drum, other than the casting quality, is that the casting only has a single pawl, but the Terror's bell is mounted on a pair of pawl bitts. So the double pawl bitts are shown in the kit, but don't match with anything on the drum. 

 

Keith your work is fantastic. I will be ordering a copy of Mr. Betts' book as well. Very soon your ship will be ahead of mine! My work has kept me so busy I can barely keep my house in order. I haven't been on my real boat at all this month. My "Terror" is on a shelf in the lounge so I don't forget about her.

 

I really like how you've carved some angled bits of wood to represent the iron forgings at the foot of the windlass cheeks. They look good and solid. I made mine from brass sheet and they don't represent the solidity of these parts as well as your wood ones do. 

[clearway]

Ty keith s and broden and for likes and views everyone , what Keith s said regarding windlass barrell, but still better in wood even if casting was right😁. the angled wood replacing the wooden knees infront of windlass are from from the angled offcuts you are left with when removing accomodation hatch roofs from middle of tops Keith😉 i cut them to size and gave them a coat of CA to strengthen the ply. I might be restarting work soon myself so will be shipyard deprived😱, it normally takes me nearly a year to get as far as i did with Victory and Terror.

 

Keith

[clearway]

hello all, finally got round to building the two caldercraft 10 spoke ships wheels i bought to replace the 8 spoke occre supplied ones and fitted the brass trim to the columns , also worked on the table for the azimuth compass (i suspect the compass by this stage was in a box around 12" square and not in a cabinet like on earlier ships) i used some turned brass columns left over from earlier builds for the legs, a bit chunky but i reckon a table on the exposed deck of a ship wouldn't have spindly thin legs. still not sure how i am going to improve the skylights but i do have some 1mm square section walnut about my bodice🤔🤨. decided to use the dark oak stain/ varnish on the capstan.

 

 

 

so far the wheels have been primed and had a base coat of humbrol dark earth, will use washes and varnish to make them hopefully look a bit more "woody"

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

The azimuth compass was a different instrument from the magnetic compass, similar to an astrocompass for finding true north from the sun's position in high latitudes. The ship had magnetic compasses too. The TV show is not perfect but for what it's worth there is a scene in the programme that briefly shows the magnetic compass housed in a binnacle box lashed to the top of the aft skylight. It's one of the things I've been pondering for my model. I find it difficult to accept that the main magnetic compass was situated on that table with the mizzen mast and running rigging blocking it from the helmsman's view. An azimuth compass on the other hand needs a level surface and you can't steer by it; it's (I think) used for taking stationary "shots" to provide corrections for the main direction-finding instruments.

 

[clearway]

ahhhhh, the azimuth compass was not something i was familiar with. seen the binnacle cabinet in the pics we were exchanging Keith and find the idea of it on top of the skylight a bit weird as they are normally on the deck unless they had a smaller style binnacle by then (we will have to see what mr Betts book comes up with methinks). 🤔

 

Keith

[clearway]

just done some looking around online and found this

 

19th C Copper Ships Binnacle Compass mounted with a illumination lantern manufactured by Dents London
The Compass is stamped Patent Liquid,Dents 61 Strand London 1836
Dent constructs the First Gravity Escapements.
Dent invented and registers the Fluid Compass, which was used by the Royal Navy and the Royal National Life Boat Institution

 

Maybe this would be what terror carried for the helmsman?

 

Keith

[Keith S]

I found the binnacle cabinet being lashed to the skylight a bit problematic too, because the skylight was meant to open on the top for fresh air. I can't work out where else it might have been. However, it's an operational necessity to have the compass in full view of the helmsman. It must have been somewhere immediately forward of the wheel, in full view. I've ordered Matthew Betts' book too, so I'm expecting we'll have lots of conversations about that when it comes out later this month! 

 

That copper binnacle looks very sensible. I still can't think of anywhere it could have been other than the roof of that skylight! 
 

[clearway]

me as well Keith, but with being portable it wouldn't be a problem. to be honest though the captain gave the course orders and often if in open water would give the command "full and by" which means keep her steered with the sails full of wind so no compass needed to steer by, also the reason why the helm was always right at the rear of sailing vessels so the helmsman could mind the trim of the sails.

 

Keith

[Keith S]

20 hours ago, clearway said:

me as well Keith, but with being portable it wouldn't be a problem. to be honest though the captain gave the course orders and often if in open water would give the command "full and by" which means keep her steered with the sails full of wind so no compass needed to steer by, also the reason why the helm was always right at the rear of sailing vessels so the helmsman could mind the trim of the sails.

 

Keith

 

I suppose; that's how one steers a sailboat even now. However, somewhere-or-other there's an account of Erebus and Terror pausing somewhere on their departure to have the compasses calibrated. Calibrated in this case meaning compensated for the various iron stuff in the ship creating a magnetic field, like the railway locomotive sitting in the hold behind the mainmast! They would have been calibrated to a specific location on the ship.  I persist in my belief that there had to be something more elaborate than a box sitting on a table, and as we know, other ships like Trincomalee and Victory have nice big binnacles in plain view of the helm. I think the copper portable compass in your picture being lashed to a bracket (to keep its orientation constant) on the roof of the skylight is the simplest explanation.

 

[clearway]

that would make sense Keith i agree, the binnacle on ships a few years later had a small binacle mounted on the deckhouse infront of the helm e.g. cutty sark. Back in the shipyard and got the accommodation hatches finished and the extra planking under the capstan, nothing is actually glued in place on the decks yet. Also found a brass stovepipe in my odds n sods box so will use it for captain croziers stove😁

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Oh I like that stovepipe! Now that really does look the part. I will be interested to see how you manage the glazed windows on the skylights. I found that to be the part on mine that caused the most amount of frustration. I ended up taking a strip of that darker veneer that comes with the kit and backing it with painter's tape, then carefully cutting windows into it. For "glass" I just used a thin strip of sellotape and fogged it with CA adhesive. To be honest I thought it looked like a dog's breakfast but I tried all kinds of other methods like building tiny window-frames the proper way, and I just wasn't able to make it look any better. Once I trimmed it all with slivers of veneer on the outside I thought it looked OK. Mine is at least an improvement over the "jailhouse" look with the brass bars. In order to fit the requisite number of windows I had to sever the top from the bottom of the little plywood box from the kit and get rid of the corners. They are too thick. The "roof" is now supported on the little window-frames. It was all extremely fiddly. 

[clearway]

Thanks for the likes and views everyone. I am probably going to use humbrol clear fix Keith as it can be used for small glazed windows also the stovepipe will need an angled piece added to the end, but i agree it does look nice😉, stick some of the clear windows on the end of a cocktail stick and run it around the frame and across. I decided to redo the windlass barrel , i cut out the carved teeth and used some nylon gears i scrounged off some cooker clock rotary dials from work, and also added the gear between frames and warping drum.

 

 

also added some of the glazing bars to the skylights, i cut out the ends of the opening on the sides and added walnut strip. then drilled down using the holes on the roof as a guide, when these have dried i will remove other ply support that notches into roof and repeat with ends and corners if that makes sense.

 

 

used 1mm square walnut for the glazing bars. Also got the hatch on place forward of the after accommodation hatch.

 

 

Take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

to quote keith s "the little terror" continues. Got the glazing bars in on the bigger skylight and used some brass shim from my spares box and shaped the metal bollards on the windlass using round nosed pliers.

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

I can’t believe that windlass. I am trying to understand how you could make that darn thing. Did you say you were going back to work? Are people in England going back to work a lot?

[Keith S]

4 hours ago, Emmet said:

I can’t believe that windlass. I am trying to understand how you could make that darn thing. Did you say you were going back to work? Are people in England going back to work a lot?

I don't know how Keith did his, but I ("other Keith") made my windlass, which is more or less the same, in sections. I drew a plan of the completed windlass, then fitted suitable lengths of dowel into my dremel tool and turned them into the requisite drum shapes using files and bits of sandpaper. I used a file to make teeth in a few dowel discs, and then sandwiched it all together on a rod. I used the cheeks from the original kit windlass, although I modified them with a bigger timber piece at the front, and used a drill and square file to make square holes for the capstan bars. 

 

I used a similar technique for my capstan. 
 

I'm assuming Keith did his in a similar way, because they look more-or less identical (which I find comforting).

[clearway]

Ty for likes and looking in/ comments folks. Except for the dremel i did use a similar method to keith s (i just used rat tail and sandpaper wrapped around dowel while twiddling the drums around in my fingers) and drilled and fitted a length of brass rod to reinforce the joins. Unfortunately Emmet i have just come off furlough gto be made redundant (boss is 70 and can't be bothered anymore) however one of the lads is thinking of taking over and if he can get repairs coming back in i might be going back in a couple of months, all a bit hit and miss. I salvaged the gears about 20 years ago (been there 30 years January just gone) 😱 oh how time flies. Back with Terror and nearly got the bigger skylight ready for varnishing/ glazing along with more glazing bars added to smaller skylight.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

Thank you for the details. Is it 15 but when a person makes up his mind to do something will be done.

 

Upon returning to the Hampshire here is what greeted me in my driveway. Chainsaw is a must where I live.

 

 

[clearway]

ouch Emmet at least it missed the buildings! you will have a nice supply of firewood though😉

 

Keith

[clearway]

thanks for looking in everyone, back in the shipyard and now have the strengthening straps and gudgeons on the sternpost, also got the glazing in the larger skylight and painted the brass bollards on the windlass. the rudder is just resting in place, i have put a pulley wheel for lifting it but still need to add the pintles.

 

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Emmet]

Love the details-great work.

 Right now I am hungup with cutting the tree in my driveway and splitting it for firewood. I am no longer the speedy one so it takes a lot of time and I sleep in between.🤪

[clearway]

Thanks for likes and views folks -sorry for delay in answering Emmet- comp on blink again!! it's hard in hot weather to find the get up and go to chop firewood! Hopefully will be able to wrestle this laptop off the son later and post some update pics.

 

keith

[Emmet]

I am still giving some limited time to the ship but I am fairly busy with the admiral working around the house.
I almost have the tree out of the way. Since a shoulder replacement I no longer Chop wood. I have an electric splitter and the logs usually can’t be any more then 10” in diameter and a foot long. In this case the maple is about 13” dia and only 6” long. The tree was in the path of constant rainwater runoff and that is how it died.

I also had to take time and put new antifreeze in my boiler. I shut the house down when I go south.

We have to go back to Jersey for more skin surgery for the admiral.

We are then going to Montana, just west of the Rockies, for about a month. We will be bringing friends back with us to New Hampshire. Usually we fly but we do not think it is safe enough.

I am currently putting walnut on the Victory. I am hoping to do continuous planks. We shall see. I have to post a picture myself. 

[clearway]

Thanks for the likes everyone. sounds like you have a bit to keep you occupied emmet! on the good news front  boss has decided to try and reboot the company so i will be back in work from next week under the partial furlough scheme🙂.

 

on the shipyard front a lot has happened on terror in the comps absence! bow plating added and painted (used self adhesive copper strip in the end), pin rails added to bulwarks, rudder and prop in place and skylights finished + added some brass eyes to the anchor hawsepipes in the bow.

 

take care all

 

Keith

 

[clearway]

thanks for looking in everyone, been working on model railway stuff last few days as a rest from shipping, but started on the mainmast fiferail and massey pump assembly/ brail winchfor main jeers. everything just test fitted at the mo with no glue. the posts will be morticed into the decks.

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[clearway]

ty to anyone who has looked in, back to remedying the works of fiction that are occres pumps/ fife rail assemblies🤨.

 

the fore fife rail and pawl posts are glued together, but only dry fitted to the square holes drilled/filed in the deck also got the holes in place for the main fife rail/ winch/ pump posts, the timber was curved by soaking and then bending while using a clothes iron to steam it to shape (don't let the admiral know😱)!

 

 

 

take care all

 

Keith

[Keith S]

Lovely work. It's like watching mine being built all over again, except it looks the way mine would if I had any experience building these things. For instance, I did not think of making hokes for the bitts- I just mounted them on pins like the kit portrays. It's more realistic to do it the way you have, as well as being stronger. I'm just glad that your interpretation of the full-size plans is so close to my own. It makes me feel less nervous about pressing on!

 

[clearway]

Ty keith, it's the way i have always done them for the reason you suggest about being a stronger fit (can be a bit nerve racking drilling down to your nicely planked deck and going for it with a square file though). for a first time build yours is pretty outstanding to be honest and you have done good to spot the mistakes you have.

 

Keith

[Geowolf]

wow, the two last photos are wonderful! the wood job is perfect, well done clearway! 🤩🤩

 

[clearway]

Ty for the comments, likes and views as always everyone (glad you like it geowolf😁). Today the belaying pins were fitted along with the ships bell, i suspect the bracket should be more square but i like the curved top. The bell is actually a billing boats one out of my bits box (never throw anything away). also replaced the galley chimney with one made from brass tubing with a more accurate screen on top (on the plans i have seen there are not any ridges on this and it looks a lot taller than occres). Also finally got the windlass fastened in place and the accomodation hatches and galley grating glued in place, starting to look nice and busy around the foremast area🙂. The elm tree pumps are amati fittings but not really right style so might have to scratch build a couple, but they do look nice🤔.

 

 

OMG actually back into work tomorrow albeit part time for now after 5 months! take care all.

 

Keith

[Emmet]

That Ford deck looks absolutely stunning.

 

Emmett