Duchess of Kingston by Delf - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - Boxwood version

[HardeeHarHar]

Derek, Thanks so much!  Big time helpful, I really appreciate it!

[DelF]

You’re welcome! I’ve learned so much from this forum I’m  happy if I can help a bit too. 

[DelF]

Lower Catharpins & Futtock Shrouds, Topmasts

 

Over the last few days I've completed the standing rigging to the lower masts and fitted the topmasts:

I use the same methods for these elements of the rigging as I did for Speedy so in the interests of brevity here's a link to the relevant post in that log for the details. 

 

One minor point on the catharpins. I use wire for these as I find it too difficult to get even tension using rope. However by the time I've formed eyes in the end of a length of 0.5mm brass wire it usually ends up bent and difficult to straighten by hand. I usually straighten short lengths of brass wire by rolling them between two metal plates. With eyes on each end I couldn't use my usual plates but luckily I had a couple of pieces of square section that did the job nicely. I suspect hardwood might also work, but I find smooth metal works well for me:

 

Here's a closeup of the main top, showing the futtock shrouds in place.

 

 

Topmast shrouds next I think, then perhaps the crowsfeet.

 

Derek

 

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by DelF

[Glenn-UK]

Looks great

[glbarlow]

Crisp and tidy work as always!

[DaveBaxt]

I have not been on here for a while(taking a break from modelling) but great to be back and take a look at your progress and continued exceptional workmanship. I really like your approach to the standing rigging and looking forward to your method of tackling the running rigging and what you include? I am assuming you won't be adding any sails. Best regards Dave and thank you once again for sharing your work with us.

Edited October 27, 2022 by DaveBaxt

[DelF]

3 hours ago, DaveBaxt said:

great to be back

Hi Dave - good to hear from you again, and thanks for your kind words (and no, I won't be adding sails!). In fact I suspect my next two models - Sphinx & Indefatigable from Vanguard - will be hull only. Although I enjoy rigging, Navy Board-style models take up much less space and that will be a consideration when we eventually downsize. 

 

Best wishes

 

Derek

[DelF]

Topmast shrouds

 

Many thanks as always for the kind comments and 'likes'.

 

I'm really glad I rigged the shrouds before fitting the topmast caps and topgallants. Unlike Speedy where I had to seize the shrouds on the model, it was much easier to measure everything on the Duchess then complete the seizings and rig the deadeyes in comfort on the workbench. 

 

I used 0.6mm line for the fore and main topmast shrouds and 0.5mm for the mizzen,  0.3mm for the lanyards and my thinnest Mara line (#150) for the ratlines and seizings. All the techniques were as per the lower shrouds.

 

I also used #150 to serve the shrouds in the normal way, i.e. the full length of the first shroud each side on each mast and the middle quarter of each shroud pair. I always like the look of a gang of served shrouds stacked up on a masthead, even if it's only a few like this:

 

The futtock staves are short lengths of 0.5mm brass rod from the kit, seized with 18/0 fly tying silk. I used the Quadhands to hold the rod in place during seizing as described for the lower masts.

 

Unlike the lower masts, I didn't fit catharpins. They are shown in the kit, but according to Lees (The Masting & Rigging of English Ships of War) catharpins on topmasts did not appear on contemporary models until 1805, and that was an outlier. I was happy to leave these fiddly little items off.

 

As for the ratlines, I'm still trying to improve my technique. I mentioned in an earlier post experimenting with tying alternate clove hitches upside down to avoid the 'S' shape that tends to result if each knot is tied the same way:

For the first rung the result is a pleasing downward curve...,

...but the next pair of knots results in an upward curve:

 

 

However, I actually found that on the model it was easier to persuade the latter curve into a better shape than it was to get an 'S' curve to conform. 

 

I was quite pleased with the results, especially on the mizzen where there are only two shrouds!

 

Here's the whole model:

On next to one of my favourite rigging components, the crowsfeet.

 

Derek

 

 

 

 

Edited October 31, 2022 by DelF

[DelF]

Crowsfeet

 

In my Speedy log I described fitting the crowsfeet in some detail so I'll just cover some changes I made rather than repeat everything here. Here's the link to the earlier description:

 

 

On Speedy I used DMC Cordonnet thread, run through a beeswax block to make it easier to thread through the holes in the tops and euphroe block. I used my thinnest thread, which I measured at about 0.15mm. In the real ship the crowsfeet line would have been very light - 0.75" circumference/<0.25" diameter, which equates to a fraction under 0.10mm at scale. As an aside I've yet to find commercially available 0.1mm rigging line that actually measures 0.1mm - it's often nearer 0.20mm - so I looked for alternatives.

 

I checked in The Fully Framed Model by David Antscherl and he used 6/0 fly tying silk. I use thinner 18/0 fly thread for seizings, and it measures 0.04mm (human hair territory!) so I thought I'd give the thicker material a go. Not sure of colours, I ordered brown and beige:

 

 

On arrival I was pleased to find that my micrometer agreed with David's, measuring the line at 0.10mm.

 

The thread was a little tricky to rig to the euphroe block. I used 18/0 line for the seizing, and as both the line and the seizing were smooth silk they tended to slip apart. I found I had to leave the fly tying cement to set firmly before moving the line otherwise the seizing wouldn't hold. Once set, everything was fine. As with conventional thread I dipped the end in CA to harden it and facilitate threading through the tops.

 

As with Speedy, I rigged the crowsfeet according to the descriptions in Lees and Antscherl rather than the kit instructions, with a slight modification to allow for the even number of holes in the tops (the method I use requires an odd number of holes, namely twice the number of holes in the euphroe block plus 1). All this is covered in the Speedy log. I used the brown line as the beige just look too light.

 

Here's the foremast crowsfeet. I've not tied the line off yet as I haven't finally decided I like the result yet:

...and a comparison with the same crowsfeet on Speedy:

 

I must say the 6/0 line on the left was a lot easier to rig. It was much easier to get the tension right, and the whole set up seemed to need less tension to get the line to sit straight, which in turn meant there was less tension on the stay which therefore wasn't pulled out of line too much. The lack of beeswax made the whole process less messy as well. 

 

So, the question comes down to one of appearance. I think I'm happy with the way the 6/0 silk looks, but I'm going to give it a few days while I get on with other jobs before deciding whether or not to use it on all three masks.

 

I'd be interested in other folks' views.

 

Derek

 

Edited November 8, 2022 by DelF
Fixed dodgy link

[glbarlow]

2 hours ago, DelF said:

tying alternate clove hitches

Very clever, I’d never have thought of that. Something else to add to my Derek acquired knowledge database.

[Blue Ensign]

Very nice work on the rattlin' down Derek, and those crowsfeet look spot on.

I would go with what pleases your eye best.

 

B.E.

[DelF]

Crowsfeet & Topmast Backstays

 

Thanks guys. I decided to stick with the 6/0 fly tying line for the crowsfeet. Here's the current state of play, with the crowsfeet on all three masts (now that I've started the rigging in earnest I've put the model in my dust cabinet, which makes photography a bit trickier):

I've also rigged the topmast backstays, seen above with the small clips holding the laniards in place prior to final adjustment. Each backstay is made from a single line (I used 0.50mm for the mizzen and 0.65mm for the main and fore masts) fitted with a horseshoe splice in the middle to fit over the masthead:

I served the central 40mm of each line, and created the horseshoe by splicing in a short 6mm length of line to form the straight piece. 

 

Here's a description of the method I used.

 

I seized a 3mm deadeye into the end of each backstay and used 0.30mm for the laniards connecting them to the deadeyes already fitted to the channels:

 

Topmast stays next.

 

Derek

 

[BobG]

So beautiful, Derek!

[DelF]

Topmast stays

 

Thanks as always for the likes and kind comments.

 

I rigged the stays from aft to fore, starting with 0.40mm line for the mizzen (3 X Mara100) . One end of the stay is seized round the head of the mizzen topmast, this end being served for about six (scale) feet beyond the eye. The other end was reeved through a block seized round the main mast, just below the hounds. This end has a thimble seized into it, which in turn is lashed to another thimble hooked to an eyebolt just abaft the main bitts. I used Mara150 for the lashing (about 0.20mm):

 

(Just notice some ratline knots I'll need to fix!)

 

I've previously always made my own thimbles from copper tubing (eg Speedy log here). However I was impressed by the quality of the wooden thimbles in this kit and so was happy to use them.

 

The main topmast has both a stay and a preventer stay, each fitted with a mouse in imitation of their big brothers at the main top. I used 0.65mm and 0.50mm line for these two stays (9 X Mara150 and 3 X Mara70 respectively), serving each to about six scale feet below the mouse. I made the eye in the end of each stay and the mouse in the same way as I described for the main stay (here), with one minor variation. Previously when making a mouse I'd used my metal working lathe with a drill bit in the tailstock to make the hole through wooden dowel prior to shaping it. This time I decided that it would be easier, given the small workpiece and low powered machine involved, to perform this operation on the Proxxon lathe, simply by holding a drill bit by hand and pushing it against the dowel. I'd marked the centre of the dowel with a pointy tool and this was sufficient to keep the drill in place as it made the initial cut:

   

I used a 0.90mm bit to give clearance for the served line. Then it was on with the turning tools to create the shape and size (aiming for the mouse to be about 3X the diameter of the stay):

Here's the stained result - I will darken these further to match the stays:

 

The stays then rove through blocks seized to the fore mast before having 4mm double blocks seized into their ends. With eyes and mice on the other ends, it is not possible to do this operation off the model. As usual, Quadhands proves invaluable (this is the fore topmast stay, but the idea is the same):

 

As usual, I used 18/0 fly tying line for the seizings (or more accurately, to fake the look of a splice).

 

The tackle for the main  topmast stays consists of the double block and a single 3mm block seized to a hook. Opposite the hook I created a loop (becket?) in the strop using a 0.90mm drill bit and CA, as previously described. For the tackle line I used 0.25mm Mara100 seized to the becket:

 

The tackle is then hooked to eyebolts, one either side and just abaft of the foremast:

Here, I've temporarily jammed the spare line into the pinrack.

 

The fore topmast stay and preventer stay are made of the same size line and are also seized and fitted with eyes and mice. They rove through the bees then end in similar tackles to the main topmast stays, hooked to eyebolts either side of the bowsprit. This time the spare line is temporarily hitched around a timberhead:

 

Here's the current state of play:

Photography inside the dust cabinet isn't great, but at least the rigging is starting to take shape.

 

On to the topgallants next.

 

Derek

 

 

[Kevin]

rigging looks great

[Rustyj]

Beautiful work Derek!

[DelF]

Topgallant shrouds & Backstays

 

Thanks guys - much appreciated!

 

These are straightforward shrouds, not needing any ratlines. Although there is an odd number of shrouds - three - on both sides of both masts, the shrouds are still set up in pairs - two each side. That's because the aftmost leg of each pair becomes the topgallant backstay. You just have to remember that this leg needs to be considerably longer than its companion. I'm not sure this practice is recognised in the kit instructions where the topgallant backstays seem to feature as separate items, but my understanding is that this was the way it was done at the time. In theory the central portion of each pair should be served as per the lower masts, but I don't like serving such light line (I used 0.40mm), partly because it's difficult but also the result looks too heavy.  On Speedy I experimented with using fly tying thread to serve the line which avoided the bulkiness, but it was so hard to tell the difference between served and unserved line I concluded it wasn't worth the effort.

 

The shrouds rove through the holes in the cross trees and are then led round the futtock staves and the ends seized to the topmast shrouds. An innovation that came in towards the end of the eighteenth century (and is suggested in the kit instructions) was to lead the topgallant shrouds down to the tops where they were tied off to the lower deadeyes, presumably for ease of access when they needed adjustment. I thought that might look a bit messy so I stuck to the older method.

On both masts, the backstays ended in a thimble lashed to another thimble hooked close to the main and fore channels:

 

As usual, I haven't tightened any of the stays yet, preferring to wait until they're all rigged and I can make sure everything is balanced.

 

Here's the current state of play:

 

Topgallant stays next.

 

Derek

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by DelF
typo

[Glenn-UK]

11 minutes ago, DelF said:

Topgallant shrouds & Backstays

 

Thanks guys - much appreciated!

 

These are straightforward shrouds, not needing any ratlines. Although there is an odd number of shrouds - three - on both sides of both masts, the shrouds are still set up in pairs - two each side. That's because the aftmost leg of each pair becomes the topgallant backstay. You just have to remember that this leg needs to be considerably longer than its companion. I'm not sure this practice is recognised in the kit instructions where the topgallant backstays seem to feature as separate items, but my understanding is that this was the way it was done at the time. In theory the central portion of each pair should be served as per the lower masts, but I don't like serving such light line (I used 0.40mm), partly because it's difficult but also the result looks too heavy.  On Speedy I experimented with using fly tying thread to serve the line which avoided the bulkiness, but it was so hard to tell the difference between served and unserved line I concluded it wasn't worth the effort.

 

The shrouds rove through the holes in the cross trees and are then led round the futtock staves and the ends seized to the topmast shrouds. An innovation that came in towards the end of the eighteenth century (and is suggested in the kit instructions) was to lead the topgallant shrouds down to the tops where they were tied off to the lower deadeyes, presumably for ease of access when they needed adjustment. I thought that might look a bit messy so I stuck to the older method.

On both masts, the backstays ended in a thimble lashed to another thimble hooked close to the main and fore channels:

 

As usual, I haven't tightened any of the stays yet, preferring to wait until they're all rigged and I can make sure everything is balanced.

 

Here's the current state of play:

 

Topgallant sytays next.

 

Derek

 

Looking very good, excellent workmanship.

[VTHokiEE]

Top notch as always - great work!

[DelF]

Topgallant stays

 

Thanks everyone - much appreciated.

 

The fore and main topgallant stays were straightforward. Both start with simple eyes slipped over the topgallant masts and brought down to rest on the backstays and shrouds. The main then roves through a 3mm block lashed to the head of the fore topmast, shown in the photo below:

The stay terminates in a thimble tackle hooked to the foretop (apologies for the focus):

  

Note the Quadhands in the background. Being able to take 'hands' off the baseplate and mount them on spare bits of iron is invaluable in the confined space of the dust cabinet.

 

The fore topgallant stay roves through a 3mm block rigged round the groove in the end of the jibboom, passing fore to aft through the block, then belaying to a hook in the fore face of the bowsprit cap:

That's the bulk of the standing rigging finished. Next I'll concentrate on crossing the yards.

 

Derek

[DelF]

Crossing the Yards

 

I crossed all the yards today. I'd already completed most of the work on them in advance so it didn't take too long. Here she is in the dust cabinet:

Most of the work was fairly routine, so I'll just mention a couple of items.

 

Getting the footropes to hang properly is always a challenge. I use dilute acrylic matte medium to wet the rope, with small pieces of bent wire hanging on it while it dries to try to get the right shape. However I did this before crossing the yards, and unfortunately the act of fitting them to the model undid a lot of the work so I'm having to re-shape the footropes in situ, starting with the topgallant yards:

 

The topgallant footropes are the easiest to get right. I seized the first footrope on the yard and then, as there are no stirrups, I was able to slip this rope off the yard and use it as a template for the other side. The first rope is on the bottom in this shot, stretched between two drill bits, with the rope above being seized round the bits to create an exact copy. The left hand side has been completed, and the rope pulled tight and ready to be seized round the right hand bit. As usual I used fly tying thread for the seizings:

As with previous builds I made my own parrel ribs for the topsail yards, preferring bare wood to painted brass. I originally found the method in The Fully Framed Model by David Antscherl and it is useful for other tasks where multiple copies of flat objects are required. For example I've used the same method for gun carriage sides.  

 

I think of it as the sandwich method, as you start by gluing strips of wood together to form a block that you then shape before separating the individual pieces. The individual ribs need to be 8.0 x 2.5mm. I cut 20 pieces from 0.6mm boxwood, slightly oversize to allow for trimming, and glued them into two blocks of 10 strips each. I needed 16, but wanted to allow for waste. I glued a kit rib to the front and back of each block as templates then drilled 0.75mm holes:

Shaping with Swiss files was easy using the templates, after which I separated the strips by soaking the blocks in IPA:

Rather than use the shiny black parrel beads from the kit I sourced some from the Spellbound Bead Co in the UK. They are closer to the size and barrel shape of parrel beads, and I found two colours that seemed close:

 

In the end I decided the lighter beads were too shiny and metallic so I went for the dark matt ones. I started rigging them off the model. In this shot I've passed a single length of line round the  yard between the sling cleats and started threading the ribs and beads:

With eight ribs and seven pairs of beads threaded I held the parrels away from the yard so I could brush on some shellac:

 

Here's the result on the model:

 

And a final close up of the current state of play:

I plan to do some work on the anchors next, as a bit of a break from rigging.

 

Derek

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by DelF

[glbarlow]

Creative solutions, as always.  Nice!

[CiscoH]

Derek i know others have already said it but that boxwood hull and masting looks stunning.  Beautiful job!

[DelF]

13 hours ago, glbarlow said:

Creative solutions, as always.  Nice!

 

9 hours ago, CiscoH said:

Derek i know others have already said it but that boxwood hull and masting looks stunning.  Beautiful job

Thanks guys!

 

Boxwood is certainly my favourite timber for ship models, although I'd love to get hold of some Alaskan yellow cedar to try it out having seen how beautiful it looks, for example on Glenn's Winchelsea. Unfortunately it's not readily available in the UK, and as Glenn knows, I wasn't able to smuggle any out on my recent trip to Alaska 

 

Derek

[glbarlow]

I did apologize to a yellow cedar tree on our trip to Alaska for the amount of its brother I used planking Winchelsea. 😁

[DelF]

Running Rigging - brief update

 

I've not kept the log up as conscientiously as I should, partly because it is difficult to photograph the model properly in the dust cabinet, but mainly because this stage of the build is an almost identical repeat of the same stage in HMS Speedy's construction. I confess I baulked at the idea of simply mirroring my entries in the earlier log. I hope anyone wanting more details will check the latter.

 

Here's the current state of play:

 

I've completed most of the rigging to the bowsprit, along with the ties and lifts on the main and fore masts, the ties on the mizzen and the vangs on the mizzen yard. 

 

As usual I haven't secured most of the lines yet, preferring to wait until a final squaring up. 

 

I found the bowsprit a little challenging, and had to have a couple of attempts to get the various lines to run cleanly without fouling:

The first of these shots reminds me of another lesson I keep forgetting, despite keeping logs, which is that it is much easier to rig lines to eyebolts off the model. In my enthusiasm to complete the hull in line with the drawings I glued all such fittings in place long before I started thinking about the rigging, and of course I then had the pleasure of trying to seize lines on the model, usually through a cats cradle of existing ropes and spars. The one exception on the Duchess was the pair of cleats on the transom. I forgot these until I came to rig the vangs, at which point I had great fun drilling holes without destroying deck fittings and shrouds. Hey ho.

 

Similarly, I usually regret not fitting more lines to spars before attaching them to the model. Quadhands is often my saviour, although I had to develop other solutions for higher parts of the ship. Here's me rigging the main topgallant yard tie:

On a more positive note, I found that the beige 6/0 fly tying thread I rejected as an option for the crowsfeet works well as a seizing. I normally use the thinner 18/0 thread but the 6/0 version looks good on heavier lines:

Anyway, my new year's resolution will be to work harder at keeping my log up. I'll also have to work harder in the dockyard - I've got Sphinx waiting on the stocks and I've ordered Indefatigable 😁.

 

In the meantime, I'd like to wish everyone a merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful New Year.

 

Derek 

 

 

[glbarlow]

Merry Christmas Derek.

 

You didn't forget to do those lines off the ship, you just wanted to show us how good you are at tying them aboard the ship:-D

 

 

[DelF]

2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to you and yours Glenn!

[Beef Wellington]

What a wonderful model Derek, only just caught up on your progress. Aside from the excellent execution, the tones of the boxwood sit very nicely with the eye.

[DelF]

On 12/25/2022 at 2:32 AM, Beef Wellington said:

the boxwood sit very nicely with the eye.

Thanks for your kind words. Boxwood is so beautiful I'm always reluctant to paint over it and I'm glad I eventually decided not to in this case, especially as I learned how to apply wipe-on poly properly. Having said that, the bare timber also contrasts well with painted areas such as the wales, and with coppering such as on Speedy. When stuck for a decision on these matters I must confess aesthetic considerations usually trump historic accuracy, for me at least.