HMS Revenge 1577 by GrandpaPhil - 1/64 - CARD - from Victory Models Plans

[GrandpaPhil]

I bought the Amati Victory Models plans set of the Revenge, a couple years back, from Cornwall Model Boats.

They have been sitting in my closet for a while now and I would really like to use them.

Chris Watton did a wonderful job of designing the kit for Amati.

 

The plans are simply amazing.

They beg to be used.

 

I have a couple of Amazon boxes that are begging to be cut apart and turned into bulkheads and a keel.

 

I have a bunch of giant Valentine’s cards that I bought in a wholesale lot last year.

 

They are almost exactly 1mm thick.

 

I have recently acquired a bunch of cereal boxes that are about .5mm thick.

I also have a couple packs of poster board that are about .8mm thick.

 

Lastly, I have bunch of wood grained contact paper that needs used while it is still self adhesive.

 

I do have a couple other builds on hold at the moment.

 

I’ll get to them eventually.

[GrandpaPhil]

This is my third scratch build.

 

I have a lot more fun with these than I do kits.

 

I should note that this is my first time using model kit plans for a scratch project.

 

The Victory Models series are extremely well designed and I will be mostly following the construction process in the guide book, and using the templates provided, with some modifications.

 

I am building in card because I have been having a lot of fun with card models.

 

I built the Prince de Neufchatel POB in card from a couple different Chapelle books and the Hannah POB in card from plans in one of Harold Hahn’s books.

 

Building the Prince de Neufchatel really opened my eyes about model ship building and what my capabilities actually are.

 

I had the most fun building that model that I have ever had.

 

It is still my favorite model.

 

Hopefully, the Revenge will take the Prince de Neufchatel’s place as favorite model.

 

The scale on the Revenge is large enough that I will not need to buy anything premade.

 

I did not buy anything premade for the Prince de Neufchatel either.

 

And so it begins:

I am in the process of tracing bulkheads.

 

I am using the extremely high tech method of tracing paper, pencil and glue sticks, lol:

This is going to be fun!

 

Edited February 3, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

One pile of tracings to be photocopied 4 times each.

 

Each bulkhead and the keel plate piece will be cut out and then laminated together to 4 thicknesses of the 1mm card.

This is essentially the same technique I used before, but I am learning how Chris’s locking decks work instead of using the main deck to square the bulkheads.

Edited February 4, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

The trick is going to be in the glueing order for the bulkheads to prevent warping and twisting.

 

I think it will be best to glue as I make and install decks.

 

I have mont marte glue so I won’t have the same warping issues I did with the water based glue I used last time.

[GrandpaPhil]

I have all bulkheads, the center keel, the lower deck and the transom glued down:

I have three of those cards full of parts.

 

The cards are 1mm thick and measure 24 inches by 32 inches.
 

[allanyed]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:35 PM, GrandpaPhil said:

I have a lot more fun with these than I do kits.

Ain't that the truth!!!   I imagine more would get into it, but no doubt investment in space and tools can be a major issue.  Then again, for tools, add up the cost of 3 or 4 high quality kits and this would get a nice little shop going.  

[allanyed]

On 2/2/2023 at 7:35 PM, GrandpaPhil said:

I am using the extremely high tech method of tracing paper, pencil and glue sticks, lol:

If you or a friend have a scanner on your printer, you can scan the images and print on label paper and use these instead of tracing.  Quick and easy.

Allan

[GrandpaPhil]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Ain't that the truth!!!   I imagine more would get into it, but no doubt investment in space and tools can be a major issue.  Then again, for tools, add up the cost of 3 or 4 high quality kits and this would get a nice little shop going.  

I have fun with building like this.
 

The nice thing about card models is that the tooling is pretty simple, although I could build a wood model with them.  
 

I have a scalpel, a razor saw, a coping saw and a pin-vise for making most parts.

 

For metal working, I have a couple pairs of needle nose pliers and diagonal cutters.

 

I found a good soldering station last year in a wholesale lot that I bought.

 

For drawing and parts setup, I have a couple rulers, scales, a tee, a couple triangles and the usual sets of drafting shapes.

 

And, of course, tweezers, long handled and short.

 

I have some power tools, like a scroll saw, drill and a Dremel that I have picked up over the years, but I don’t really use them for model making.

The crafting of the parts is supremely relaxing to me.

I trace the parts out by hand for the same reason.

Most of this model is being built with stuff I already have.

 

I am $95 into this project so far.  That’s $50 for the plans, $15 for a pack of 60 glue sticks for all the parts and $30 for the base that I bought for the Victory that I am using on this project.

 

Space-wise, I have my own room in the house for model building anyway, with a desk for building models, and a multipurpose table that I usually use as a plans table.

Edited February 5, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

I am accumulating a pile of parts:

The keel pieces are about 22 inches long.

 

The last couple models took between 8 and 10 hours to make the bulkheads, including tracing, scaling and copying.

 

Once I get the frame up and start looking at putting in decks, I need to get the inboard profile out and start plotting out gunport frames, sills and interior planking.

 

I have a book in my Amazon cart about the Elizabethan Navy.  

I need to get a snapshot of the load-out of the Revenge so I can plan out the cannons.

 

From the pictures I have seen, these look like they will be culverins, which will be interesting to make.

 

I made a 15th century siege gun once, in 28mm scale from a picture I found in a book.

 

I think the method I used there will be just fine (carve barrel and apply banding).

 

I will need to find drawings of them in the appropriate caliber to rescale.  

Edited February 5, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[Baker]

An interesting and challenging project.

Good luck 

[Knocklouder]

 Yes all the luck in the world for this journey!!,  between you and a unnamed moderator your going to turn me to the (Card side). Lol.

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you both very much!

 

Just remember, a 6 pack of poster board is only around $5 at Walmart!

 

I built my first card ship out of one of those.  It worked supremely well.

 

If it doesn’t work out, and the model goes in the bin, you’re not out much.

 

I’ve actually used a failed card model to light a bonfire before.

Ab Hoving made an excellent card scratch build tutorial on this forum:

It is an excellent read!

I strongly recommend it!

 

It made me realize that scratch building a ship out of card was actually doable.

 

My only card ship kits have been the Solferino and the started Mercury.

 

I am personally of the opinion that building a card model ship from scratch is actually easier than building one from a kit.

Edited February 6, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Making progress:

I am cutting the basic shape out and notching everything I can get to with scissors and then finalizing with a scalpel.

 

It is working much better than just by scalpel alone.

 

This heavy card eats scalpel blades.  I was changing blades every other part.  Since starting with scissors, I have gotten five or six parts so far, this blade.

Edited February 6, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Making progress:

[Canute]

This shaping up as an interesting build, Phil.

[Mic_Nao]

This is a project that will be pleasant to follow. Good luck and a lot of fun.

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you both!

 

This will be a fun build!

 

I am enjoying it immensely!

[GrandpaPhil]

Getting there:

So far, so good.

[GrandpaPhil]

All bulkheads are rough cut and I’m test fitting as I finish cutting out all bulkhead layers:

When I build that other ironclad (I am constantly learning and adapting in this hobby), I am going to cut my bulkheads down to the second gundeck and plan to put the first false deck there, slotted in like this one.

 

However, I am going to put a false orlop deck in as well, for structural integrity.

[GrandpaPhil]

All bulkheads are now cut out and here is the test fit:

Once I laminate everything together, I am going to make and install gratings, and “plank”/paint the orlop deck.

 

It will not be visible, but the gratings will add structural integrity.

Edited February 13, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

The first round of parts are drying under glass for the night:

I learned that trick on this forum.

 

I used Mont Marte Glue.

[GrandpaPhil]

I bought the e-book of Alexander Stilwell’s HMS Revenge tonight.
 

An excerpt from it regarding the typical armament:

So, I have been hunting down photos of the above weapons for later conversion to scale drawings.

 

They will be carved out of dowel rods.

 

These two pictures will be my models for carriages:

[Baker]

3 hours ago, GrandpaPhil said:

These two pictures will be my models for carriages

Good idea.

How you can make all that with paper and cardboard.
wow, very impressive 

[GrandpaPhil]

5 hours ago, Baker said:

Good idea.

How you can make all that with paper and cardboard.
wow, very impressive 

 

Baker,

  Thank you very much!

I will use the same method that I used for the Prince de Neufchatel.

 

I essentially just cut the pieces out like normal, just out of card, and then double layer the heavier pieces, like the sides.

It worked pretty well.

 

This time I am going to carve the cannons from wood and then use thin pieces of card for the banding.

Edited February 14, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[amateur]

Found it

 

Jan

[GrandpaPhil]

Welcome all!

[GrandpaPhil]

The bulkheads are center keel are ready for use and assembled.

 

The middle section is glued together and painted dark brown.

I am gluing bulkheads as I get decks installed to support said bulkheads and keep them square.

 

Currently working on the hatches and bulkheads on the orlop and gun deck.

I started cutting apart the part of the plans showing the photoetch pieces and then remembered that I didn’t need to do that.

 

 

I used thin card to great effect on my other models and will on this one too.

 

There are some parts of the gundeck:

I got fresh wood grain contact paper for “planking”.

 

I stuck some of if on the other half of this Valentine’s card for planking material.

Edited February 14, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[amateur]

Hi Phil,

 

I guess you know the build-logs by Doris. She does not stick the wood-grain onto cardboard before planking, but she first 'planks' her ship, and uses the woodgrain stuff as a final layer on top of the 'planked', puttied and sanded hull.  

She closes the hull not with long card 'planks', but using the "shipyard"-method, using cardbord in a vertical orientation between the frames.

 

Jan

[Boxbuilds]

Phil,

Glad to see you logging this card build. Card can be challenging due to strength and rigidity. But, especially for folks without space and/or woodworking tools, card is a good option for someone thinking about this craft.  You and Doris have demonstrated that it is plausible to build, not just rowboats, but complex ships which could encourage them.  
 Like most, I’ve used card and with a sharp blade some intricate parts can be produced.  But I haven’t had the guts to try a full ship. I have plans for a card bireme and the Hindenburg that I might tackle now, once I absorb all your practices.  
 

Thanks for sharing. I look forward to this build. 

[amateur]

Hi Phil,

 

I got a message that you answered my post, butvthere is no answer…. Did you delete it?

 

Jan