HMS Terror by John AA - OcCre - 1/75th scale - new member and builder

[John AA]

Dear All,

I have started my little Terror after reading through build logs by the Keiths, DanielD, particularly Wahka and colleagues here who inspired me to have a go, and they have been full of great information to make my build and experience that little bit better. I was going to stay mainly kit, but have already looked at places to detail a bit more, although won't be anywhere near some of the excellence I've seen here. Have false keel and deck with planking made up sp far, maybe bend the bulwarks later today.

My background is in healthcare and UK higher education, wrote a paper on pandemic flu in 2007 and it's all come true, but a different virus. Why was/is it such a mess...anyway, I'm retiring early in a few weeks now, so Terror is one project I wanted to get under way, have a break in the Summer and get going again later in the year.

I built lots (lots) of plastic kits when I was a nipper, a lot of everything in the Airfix catalogue, some Revell and a few Frog, and have just restarted and got a few on the go - haven't touched them for 40+ years, but picked up a Trumpeter Bf 109 1/32 and Dornier 1/48 by ICM, planning to get the airbrush out and have a go. Also, working on a large HO/OO layout acquired from my other half's Dad, warming up some old Hornby trains, lot of cleaning and a bit of soldering. No 1 grandson 12 months highly amused by this. Also run a 5 inch Maksutov and getting involved in beekeeping.

 

I would ask for your advice if you are willing:

My eyesight for close up and wire work isn't so great, so thinking about buying chainplates - I assume these need to be 20 mm as per Ochre measurements and have seen some on Cornwall Model Boats (e.g. Billing), but thought would ask for advice about measurements and what to get. I'm not keen on making these, I know it's part of the learning process but I know it will be hard.

I've seen a few posts about the masts/bowsprit and accuracy of Ochre measurements - I'm a bit unsure now if their measurements include what's under the deck.

Finally, there was a small thin strip of what looks like lime wood in the box of bits (in the largest compartment with the boats and brass wire) that comes in the kit - not sure what this is for (edit - looks like I dropped it in there, whoops, not sure when - because I hadn't started planking at this point) and struggling a bit with parts list. Not a big one, but frustrating.

 

Apologies for the essay,

 

Regards and stay safe, John

 

Not sure why images are sideways, show right way up on Mac

 

[Ryland Craze]

Hi John and welcome to Model Ship World.  It looks like you have a good start on your Terror and I am glad you have started a build log.  It sounds like you will be busy in retirement.

[clearway]

welcome to the little Terror club. To be honest even though i have built loads of models i too had probs with the parts list and instructions! I used the kit supplied deadeyes with home made strops but i think amati do chainplates that will fit them and look o.k.- if replacing the deadeyes completely i would most likely have gone with 3mm ones.

 

Keith

[catopower]

Welcome John, and good luck with your Terror build. It's a very interesting ship and I'll look forward to seeing your build progress. 

[John AA]

Thank you all, I'm grateful for your welcome and replies. I', hoping to put some hours in later this week and next week, and to start planking. Looking forward to this part of the process.

[Geowolf]

Hi John, another Terror from Spain! Clearway has made a really good Terror model with a lot of enhancements, i'm following him for some improvements. About the kit i'm not very satisfied: the drawings are not very detailed, a lot of wood unneeded as spare, i need to purchase a lot of more brass 1mm bars, new safeboats,...

 

regards,

PD: clearway i'm retaking the Terror again! 😄

[Geowolf]

23 hours ago, John AA said:

Thank you all, I'm grateful for your welcome and replies. I', hoping to put some hours in later this week and next week, and to start planking. Looking forward to this part of the process.

about planking don't worry about wood quantity if you make a test or you break some of this, the kit has the quantity for two ships...

Try to curve the planks with boiling water but dry it before fix in the hull because when the wood is drying leave gaps; fix the planks with the pins and a lot of wood glue, try to avoid gaps between the planks and keep to maintaint the curvature of the hull. I buyed a tool to curve the planks, but it's very bad for me...

 

good luck! 😀

[John AA]

Thanks All,

 

I know it's a bit bit boring, but thanks all, furiously planking mainly my my thumb, enjoying this part of the build after a bit of sanding. Soaking planks in a drop of water, amazing how well they bend and shape.

[John AA]

Finished planking, have glued and pinned bow pieces and giving a day or so to set and cure the glue.Bit of epoxy filler in the pin holes (pins extracted). Have sanded fairly thoroughly yesterday, trying to do outside in good weather.

 

1; Do you wear a mask for sanding, and 2; can anyone recommend scale sailing crew from this period, not really finding anything when I look.

 

P.S. Also, really liking Mantua aliphatic glue (I'm nothing to do with them), it's been easy to use and does what it says, no sprung planks, 

 

Edited April 11, 2022 by John AA
Correction, thanks.

[clearway]

Coming along nicely-no need to bother too much filling gaps in first planking as 2nd layer covers it all. I normally sand wood outdoors without wearing a mask- but i really should start wearing a dust mask to be honest!

 

Keith

[John AA]

Thank you, finding Covid thing a bit of a nuisance right now, and wondering about protection from dust. I sand outside on a handy wall, but just wondered what everyone else does. I wanted a good surface for the second planking, used a rasp today to take back some of the bow packing but a way to go yet. Also, distracted by a H0/00 railway suspension bridge, laser cut, used pins to detail it this afternoon.

[John AA]

Sanding completed and enjoyed Easter eggs, started on ice chocks before second planking - first major error, stuck and pinned on 5 instead of 3 deep because I was enjoying myself so much, but when I realised, glue had started to cure! (Think this was because I thought 5 deep instead of 5 thick). Anyway, managed to cut two excess planks off but made a bit of a mess, so more filling and sanding. Finding planks easy to bend after soaking, just using hands and find this shaping bit very therapeutic. Lots more to do with 

[John AA]

Started second planking and have varnished planing on wales and lining them with planking - needs a second rub down and varnish yet. Enjoying this bit, ice chocks sanded and sanded and sanded, almost there. Have worked a lot more on the various cut outs to square up corners and straighten lines, slowly slowly to get it right. Have trialled dry fitted bow sprit and keel and all looks Ok.

[DanielD]

Welcome to the Terror club! Wonderful work on this great ship.

[John AA]

Couple of WIP pics, have more or less finished second planking and varnished last night, will post later - lots of gentle sanding, gluing in fine strips and sanding again:

[John AA]

Thanks DanielD, trying to get hull to a state where I can put it to sleep for the Summer - might work on masts and spars, but have to do outside work now.

 

[John AA]

Up to date pictures of second planking and first varnish. Plan is to paint hull, no varnish on bow where plating will be placed. Will give a light sand to remove any final bumps and blips (can see a couple) to give smooth surface for black. Stained keel just to see what it looked like and to show up any areas for sanding, again, will be painted.

[Geowolf]

On 5/17/2022 at 10:42 AM, John AA said:

Couple of WIP pics, have more or less finished second planking and varnished last night, will post later - lots of gentle sanding, gluing in fine strips and sanding again:

very very nice hull, a great treatment of wood!! well done!! 😃

[John AA]

Thanks all, hope you are all well. Have been back in the shipyard a bit recently after helping builder with knocking through a couple of rooms and installing a new kitchen. Also, bees have been busy and have been working in different tutors and friends apiaries for experience, and have just removed some honey from one of my hives tonight whilst the bees are asleep.

Decided to go with black and white colour scheme port, and a bit different starboard. Test fitting part completed bowsprit and 8mm main mast, and have decided to use some Amati chainplates for a better finish than I can achieve. Some paintwork to touch up and put right yet, but I quite like the two different sides to my Terror. Missing the planking, I enjoyed that bit seeing the shapes emerge from a box of bits.

Best wishes all, Regards John

 

[clearway]

Interesting double look concept- i have seen some railway modellers use a similar technique- one side of a freight vehicle in one livery and the other side with the same livery but altered insignia etc for a later time period (some british goods vehicles went through several changes of owner).

Keith

[John AA]

Thanks Keith, tidying up paintwork and rudder; have ordered a few bits from Cornwall Model Boats (no interests) including chain plates, mast rings and some other bits and pieces to make it nice. Finding metalwork a bind, sticking my fingers to Terror more than the pins or brass. Found the bow armour a bit of chore, bot the repetition but the fact that it took ages to get each plate right, more or less. Will weather up the paintwork to take off the shine. Will be starting deck work this week,

Regards, John

[John AA]

Some more work in progress pictures, have worked on stern davits, catheads, building various small bits (loose on deck) and getting metal items painted. Bit happier with overall finish, one of the rear davits looks like it needs a tweak to reposition it and also scratch building the windlass - in it's basic form now, will shape with files. I don't like the jailhouse look for the glazing, planning to add small glazing bars for the skylights. Working on shaping main mast, went for some thicker dowelling, and bowsprit is in its basic form - might replace striker.

Thanks all for your advice in your build logs.

 

Edited November 15, 2022 by John AA
Extra images.

[clearway]

Coming along nicely and nice work on the windlass- i should really see about sourcing a couple of 6 pounder cannons for mine!

 

Keith

[John AA]

Thanks Keith, managed to shape the drum last night, cannons are a bit off piste but I liked the idea of them - these were Occre I think, but Vanguard look really good, and I would love to have a go at one of Chris Watton's kits (prob HMS Speedy).

[clearway]

11 hours ago, John AA said:

Thanks Keith, managed to shape the drum last night, cannons are a bit off piste but I liked the idea of them - these were Occre I think, but Vanguard look really good, and I would love to have a go at one of Chris Watton's kits (prob HMS Speedy).

I think Chris Watton is really the devil sent here to tempt us -oh god they are exquisite but i already have to many kits to do!

 

Keith

[John AA]

Hi All, Matthew Betts book arrived and isn't it great? I'm rebuilding the bowsprit as per the plan in the book, and would ask for advice regarding stanchions and railings - I can see loads including PE but not doing so well with something suitable for the main top and on deck. Also (and I will look through MSW), have you any nifty techniques for making heart (dead - edit, typo) blocks and for securing the boomkins please?

Edited November 20, 2022 by John AA
Typo

[clearway]

It is a good read John with lots of nice details on the plans- regards the bowsprit, see mine but add a flying jib boom. I used brass thimbles from an old stash i had (think they were left over from a Mantua Victory i re-masted/ rigged for someone). Regards hearts for the forestays and topmast stays i used model shipways card ones, but i think vanguard models do them as well - think i used 4mm ones.

 

Keith

[John AA]

Thanks Keith, bit more work on the small bits and pieces and new bowsprit in place with some gammoning (I think). Found some 1mm waxed thread online which seems Ok and doesn't fray, rigging line seems to be a bit out of stock, and I would like to see a sample first.

Foremast and mainmast nearly complete and first coat of paint on, using the Occre ships boats, adding thwarts and rudder. I'm intending to put glazing bars in the skylights and use some acetate for glazing - fiddly, but better than brass wire IMO. Enjoyed making the masts, one of the worst jobs has been the rudder and stern brasswork, I don't like the overcall effect of pins very much.

Rebuilding windlass with some wider diameter dowling and I think I'll use a Vanguard 1/64 capstan I've just built, a bit over scale but it looks the part - and a fantastic quality little kit, thanks Mr Watton.

Busy this morning winter prepping bees, a pic if you're interested - have put on winter feed now and you can see my hive heart which connects with a weather station and other monitors to a 4g gateway - I monitor temp, sound frequency and humidity, and the general weather conditions.

 

 

[clearway]

looking nice and busy on the workbench there😉. regards the bowsprit- do the jib boom as per the other examples you have seen on here, the flying jib is held in place on a bracket at the end of the jib boom with the heel or inner end lashed near the cap at the end of the bowsprit if that makes sense.

 

Keith

[John AA]

Thanks Keith, will do, have been busy with our cold spell - hoping to get a few minutes in the shipyard soon. This area is not very clear in the book, it would have been good to have a larger version of the rigging, or maybe a link to larger scale to bring out the detail. Meyy Xmas all,

Regards, John