HMS Snake by jim_smits - Caldercraft - First Build

[ModelBoatMaker]

I have now upgraded the base for the ship to it's final display base. Ordered a base and a couple of mounting pillars. Had to inset the rear pillar to ensure that the water line was level. Pleased with the result.

 

I have taken a minor break from ratlines to fit the main mast stays. Fitted the main stay to the bowspirit and main mast. Just need to follow up with the preventer stay.

Hi Jim, she's looking great! Where did you order the base and mounting pillars from?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

[jim_smits]

Hi Jim, she's looking great! Where did you order the base and mounting pillars from?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

 

Cornwall Model Boats - do a search for 'mounting' and all the bases and pillars will be returned.

[ModelBoatMaker]

Cornwall Model Boats - do a search for 'mounting' and all the bases and pillars will be returned.

Oh yes, there are quite a lot, what one of the bases did you go for specifically and did you apply your own varnish to it?

 

Cheers,

 

Pete

[jim_smits]

It's one of the Hardwood Mounting Bases by Amati. Comes ready varnished.

[drtrap]

It's one of the Hardwood Mounting Bases by Amati. Comes ready varnished.

Hi Jim

does the distance between the pillars are suitable to that of the keel holes you've opened in advance?

Thanks

 

Stergios 

Edited September 28, 2013 by Stergios

[jim_smits]

Hi Stergios,

The pillars came as seperate items to the board and therefore can be placed wherever you like. I pinned one to the board and sunk the other to get correct waterline. Same effect could be had with different height pillars but couldn't find suitable ones in stock.

I had to file the jaws pretty extensively with my dremel to get a correct snug fit to the keel though.

Jim

[drtrap]

Hi Stergios,

The pillars came as seperate items to the board and therefore can be placed wherever you like. I pinned one to the board and sunk the other to get correct waterline. Same effect could be had with different height pillars but couldn't find suitable ones in stock.

I had to file the jaws pretty extensively with my dremel to get a correct snug fit to the keel though.

Jim

Thank you again Jim.

[Beef Wellington]

That's a very nice stand there Jim, really sets her off.

[texxn5]

Hi Jim, the base looks really sharp. Thanks for the link to your source.

[mort stoll]

Hi Jim,

 

I see in post #122 your mizzen mast base part #87. Was one included with your kit or did you make your own as my kit did not have one. Also it seems we need 30 chainplate brackets part #111. I only had 24 in my kit how many did yours come with?

 

Thanks,

Mort

[jim_smits]

Hi Mort,

 

The mizzen mast base was included in my kit. It's listed as a part but not on the parts diagrams, but I definitely had it.

 

As for the chain plate brackets, you will only need 18. It is only the larger shrouds connected by 5mm deadeyes that require the brackets. 5 on each side for the mainmast and 4 each side for the foremast. The smaller shrouds connected by 3.5mm deadeyes are pinned directly to the hull.

 

Hope this makes sense.

 

I can show a picture this evening when I'm back from work.

 

Jim

[jim_smits]

Mort - see the second picture in post #82

[mort stoll]

Thanks very much.

 

Mort

[jim_smits]

Ratlines still continuing. I think I'm gradually getting better at them but doesn't make them anymore fun to do....! I keep having to tweak as the lines go slack as I put new ones in. Will get there though.

 

 

To ensure I don't go totally mad, I have taken breaks from ratlines and have done some work on the masts and yards. I have invested in a David Plane, and it has made the job of shaping the octagonal sections far easier. The shaping of the top sections of the masts was quite tricky and took a lot of patience. I will come back to these later with some more detailed images.

 

The Spiritsail has now been fixed in place and mostly rigged in.

 

 

I have fitted some pins to the masts so that I can fix the yards in place. This now really gives a great impression of how the ship will start to look.

 

[Beef Wellington]

That last shot Jim looks fantastic!

[texxn5]

Looking good Jim....haven't done the ratlines yet.....I have some fun to look forward to....

[jim_smits]

Thanks guys.

 

Managed to complete the ratlines starboard side of the foremast, only 5 more sets to go. And then it's onto the top masts and another set of ratlines. Joy!

[jim_smits]

Finally feel like I am making some progress with my ratlines. It's been a pretty steep learning curve but I think I am getting on top of it. Slow and steady is the of name of the game. So many ways in which to tie a bad set of lines. Found that I could do the following:

 

1) Tie the line to taut and sag other nearby lines

2) Tie too loose and look awful

3) Natural tendency of the clove hitch is to rotate the shroud line clockwise looking down, so end up with twisted lines

 

Ended up tying the majority of lines and then having to re-adjust lines that were (usually) initially too loose.

 

Finally completed the Foremast section, and well on the way with the Mainmast. Only the Mizzen to go after that and then onto the top masts....!

Edited October 26, 2013 by jim_smits

[Beef Wellington]

Looking great though Jim, I'm still pondering the main masts...don't think you can go wrong with slow and steady.

[jim_smits]

I've also learned to accept that not all the ratlines will be perfect and that there will be some variation in sag......

[jim_smits]

Mainmast ratlines completed. I have however discovered a bit of a boo-boo I've made. The catharpins I've installed on the Foremast and Mainmast are a bit too low and should be two 'rungs' higher in each case. Not disastrous but slightly annoyed I made the error. Never mind.

 

Onto the mizzen mast, which has no ratlines added as of yet. So I suspect it will be a week or so before completion.

[Beef Wellington]

Nice Jim.  Out of curiosity, will the catharpin situation causeany further problems, or is it just one of those things that probably only you would notice?  Would not have noticed from the photos.  Hope the rat lines are not getting you down!

[jim_smits]

Fortunately I think it is purely cosmetic. I only noticed myself when I was looking at the plans to check the mizzen ratlines.

On the home straight now, definitely makes coppering look like a minor chore!

Then onto top masts and stays and the model will really start to look big!

[texxn5]

Very nice Jim.....oh...such fun to look forward to....

[jim_smits]

Couple of questions concerning stuns'l booms.

The plans aren't brilliantly clear, but should the rings be installed at an angle of around 45 degrees ie between horizontal and vertical forward of the spar?

Also, plans call for the booms themselves to be left as natural but to me this seems a little light in colour (sanded dowel). Would a light stain work? Any recommendations?

[Beef Wellington]

I think you're right, they should angle forward at 45%.  I've read that the beech dowel is tricky to stain consistently - but that there are some products that apparently help with this - think there are some topics in the mast or paint forums.  I had considered ordering some mahogany dowel and leave natural - there seems to be a lot of colour variation though so my need to buy more than needed if you're not able to find any at a local shop (which I haven't been able to). 

[jim_smits]

Cheers Jason.

 

I've bought a couple of lengths of walnut dowel from CMB, so I will see how they turn out.

[Beef Wellington]

Didn't have a chance to post this earlier.  Think I had ordered a some walnut dowel a while ago in shipment form CMB - because postage is so expensive to the states, its sadly cheaper to buy stuff with the risk that it doesn't get used.  Anyway, I'd bought a variety of sizes, you can see that there is a significant colour variation, quite the smorgasbord!

 

The beech dowel is at the bottom for reference.

 

 

[jim_smits]

Looks like the colour is consistent within each size bracket. Hopefully will be fine as all I need is stuns'l booms all from 4mm stock. I will wait and see what turns up though! Fortunately nice and cheap for me in UK.

Thanks for the heads up Jason.

[drtrap]

Hi Jim

what have you done with those fenders? Have you used the parts provided by the kit?

Thanks