HMB Endeavour by mikec - Eaglemoss

[Micklen32]

Happy birthday Mike

Have a great day

[shipaholic]

Happy Birthday Mike

[Kevin]

i love looking out for the birthday's, i get to see al sorts of new builds i have not seen before, and here is another, i will wish you happy birthday and also ask if you can post a profile photo in one of my threads please the short cut is in my signature at the bottom

Edited October 10, 2013 by Kevin

[mikec]

thanks for the birthday wishes, i must be getting old because I have put the wrong day on my profile. Its not my birthday until the 14th of October, but what the heck I thought I will make it my birthday today too, I have taken the day off, and will do some more work on my Endeavour. And will do the same on Monday - so I am going to have two birthdays 8-)

Edited October 10, 2013 by mikec

[Micklen32]

thanks for the birthday wishes, i must be getting old because I have put the wrong day on my profile. Its not my birthday until the 14th of October, but what the heck I thought I will make it my birthday today too, I have taken the day off, and will do some more work on my Endeavour. And will do the same on Monday - so I am going to have two birthdays 8-)

I hesitate to say it Mike, but the Queen has two birthdays 

Not sure you would like to be called a Queen though 

Whoops sorry 

The Queen     

Edited October 11, 2013 by Micklen32

[mikec]

Thankyou everybody for the birthday wishes.

 

I have made the hood which is ready for painting and positioning in the correct place on the fore deck.

I scratch built the hinges from brass sheet.

 

I also made the bilge pumps. the only kit part I used was the metal piece that the pump handles pivot on. They were drilled so a pin could be used to attach the handles. I made the hexagonal pump housing by supergluing 2 x1 mm wood strip to the outside of brass rod. this was then carefully cut to desired length and a slightly larger diameter dowel cut to a thin slice to create base. Copper strip was added to make the binding rings. The pump handles were carefully shaped. The hardest part was to notch the ends to receive the eyebolt that simulates the plunger rod. I wanted the pump to look weathered and grimy / slimy as i am sure it would have (having seen our yachts bildge pumps) 

 

i achieved this by emersing the whole assembled pump in gun blacking agent, this weathered the copper and blackened the brass, the green oxidation from the copper ran into the wood grain and _i am very pleased with the result. 

Sorry but macro camera doesn't do justice, but you can get the idea i thing. I also used thin copper rod for pump outlet.

[S.Coleman]

Nice touch with the working lantern. Apparently this ship was originally designed as a coal ship, imagine a big old fancy ship like that just to ship coal? I like the attention to detail with this kit. Looks great.

[Micklen32]

Great job Mike

They certainly look a lot better than mine

I must admit I am not bashing the kit very much

Looking at other peoples work though maybe I should have

[Captain Slog]

Hi Mike,

 

Your pumps look fantastic.  I am currently working on my pumps also and the kit supplied ones are very basic, clunky and look pretty poor really.  I was just going to do them as supplied anyway so as to finish the rear deck but seeing yours may make me rethink this.  

 

Thanks a bunch   

 

Joking of course 

 

Cheers

Slog

[RGL]

Nice pumps, I scratch built mine as well but I'm discovering that the handles grab onto every bit of rigging line now I'm up to it!

[mikec]

Thanks guy's. They were a mission to make. But the result was worth it. I will post a pic of them on deck and my new hood. Next job wkill be to make bumpkins and fish davits. And I will then start adding all the blocks and cleats to the deck.

Mike

[mikec]

Guys i need your help, please. I have tried to blacken my brass canons that I bought from chuck with"birchwood casey brass black"

I soak them in the solution and when I put the barrells in it turns blue and the barrells turn black. i think- so far so good. However, the black rubs off when dry and the barrells look blotchy and coppery,with only small patches of black. What am I doing wrong?

[shipaholic]

Hi Mike

Just give them a good buff with a cloth and redo the blackening, sometimes it takes two goes to get them right. My barrels are Chuck's and I used the same blackening solution and mine look great.

Cheers

Steve

[Micklen32]

Yes I would repeat that

Rub the first coat down and resoak

The black should be perfect after that and should buff to a dull shine if you want to

[mikec]

thanks guys. I will do that and then post the results

[aliluke]

Hi Mike

Before you blacken how are you cleaning the barrel? I use Spirits of Salt. I haven't tried it with Chuck's barrels but it worked on previous brass blackening that I've done. Also have seen people use lacquer thinner and have heard of vinegar being used too.

 

I'm going to have a go at Chuck's barrels this week - we'll see if I share your problem...

 

Cheers

Alistair

[mikec]

I have assembled the gun carriages (Excellent laser cut kits from Chuck) Thanks guys for the tips on the barrel blackening after two goes with the blackening solution they turned out perfect. Will post pics later. I am working on the wheels now which i am going to leave unpainted with black steel rim (created by using black letraline tape. i am experimenting with the axels - I want to show the pin that holds the wheel and the bolts on the wheels. I am thinning down toothpicks by inserting them in the chuck of my dremmal drill, then drilling a tiny hole through the toothpick and inserting a thin wire (pin) through the hole. the assemblies will be carefully cut off and added to the wheel hub after the wheel is attached to the axel. i will post photos once completed (this is my plan only and will let you know if it works)

 

cheers Mike

[Captain Slog]

Hi Mike,

 

Nice work on your carriages.  Mine have ground to halt again.

 

With regard to the wheels, I think I read somewhere on the site that the wheels (trucks) wouldn't have steel bands round them as they would chew up the deck, but maybe someone more knowledgeable than me can give a definitive answer.

 

Although saying that it is your ship and the bands do add some detail.

 

Cheers

Slog

 

Just on the blackening, I soak my brass in Hydrochloric acid and been quite successful up until now with blackening the Caldercraft brass barrels.

Edited December 9, 2013 by Captain Slog

[shipaholic]

Nice work Mike

Just to clarify the steel bands, the axles had them but not the wheels themselves

Cheers

Steve

[mikec]

Thanks for advice with the wheels. I will try and replicate as per the photo above. I am currently working on finishing off (finally) my Victory, so she can go to the Devonport Naval Museum, so Endeavour work has ground to a halt. i will be working on her in about 3 weeks though, and the break and change in project has done me the world of good, as I am itching to restart my Endeavour build.

 

cheers Mike

[mikec]

Hi Guys, i am in the Endeavour dock yard after having completed my Victory which I started in 1995.

 

I have completed assembling the canons, I have put the companionway in the correct place now, and i made and fitted the bumpkins and fish davits.

 

It took me a while to figure out how the bumpkins were attached but after careful study of AOTS book I managed to figure out how to make the fitting.

 

I need to give her a good dusting as she has sat in the dock. You can see the camera has picked it up. Note also I havnt varnished  the fittings yet.

[aliluke]

It looks superb Mike. I'm glad you are dusting it off for continuance.

[RGL]

Great work! How well does the bowsprit clear the base of the bumpkins? I had a fair bit of trouble with that.

[mikec]

Greg, it just clears, i didnt even think to check.

 

I have never been happy with the brown hull below the whales, it seems to make the model look dirty and although historically correct according to ATOS, It was really starting to bug me. So I decided to paint the hull white as per the freemantle replica and many other museum models.

The beauty is that you can still see all of the treenails and definition of the planking rakes (I dont think you can see it in the photos)

I am very happy with the model now it seems to work better with the colour scheme and now has caprptured the essence of the Endeavour ship.

i am interested in your thoughts because it is a huge change...

 

[RGL]

I like the white, and the stern fittings are so much nicer than the AL version. You'll have to unship the boats rudder as the spare spars will hit it. Are you going to put the covers on the stern windows?

[mikec]

Thanks Greg. Yes I will put the deadlights on.

[HIPEXEC]

Wow! That's some beautiful work.

[rowand]

Hi Mike, Your model looks stunning, great work!!

 

Cheers,

 

Rowan D.

[Pogy647]

Just starting the Endeavor from theMantua kit. Wish I'd looked further. Will lean heavily on your beautiful work!

[mikec]

Thanks for the kind words everybody. i have started work on the bowsprite, this has been quite a challenge to get the distinctive bend that the endeavour bowsprite has. Greg, I had to remake the bumpkins, i wasnt happy with the curve, and also I had a devil of a job fitting the bowsrite at the correct angle over the bumpkins. You alluded me to that earlier. I thought I had enough clearance. Anyway I got there in the end, and I am way more happier with the look of the bumpkins.