Frigate Essex by Rafine - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kitbashed

[aliluke]

Very fine stuff Bob. Perfect knees - all else is as well. Your work is inspiring to say the least.

[rafine]

Thanks Alistair. The feeling is mutual. The great thing about this site is that we inspire each other.

 

Bob

[hamilton]

Very impressive Bob - the beauty of the detail is matched only by the cleanliness of the work! Inspiring indeed

hamilton

[samueljr]

Bob,

 

Super as always. Love the way you handled incorprating the knees onto the deck.

 

I actually flirted with the idea of a totally un-planked deck and then using a clear sheet of plastic/styrene to allow all deck componants to be placed as normal.

 

The idea was dismissed but I think there's "something" there if the trend continues for open decks...............

 

Any way great work as always.

 

Any progress on the head rails? Let me know if you need something.

 

Sam

[rafine]

Thanks so much Hamilton.

 

Thanks Sam. That's an interesting idea for the deck, but I don't know if it would appeal as a kit. I'm still a way from the head rails (actually I've never liked doing them and probably will put them off as long as possible ), but it would be a help to have the figure head for fitting purposes if that's not too much of an imposition.

 

Bob

[MEDDO]

Very nice Bob. I did a similar thing with your knees on the deck. On my Halifax I had the windlass standing on one half of deck which was planked and the other half of the deck which was unplanked. Just like you I placed a small amount of deck planking underneath the piece involved. I think it came out really nicely. Your build is an inspiration as always.

[rafine]

Thanks very much Michael. I'm enjoying your Halifax as well.

 

Bob

[scott larkins]

Those side windows at the stern came out really well.

[rafine]

Thanks Scott.

 

Rainy weather has cut down golf time and increased modeling time. As a result, I have made and installed the quarterdeck pin rails and also have done the quarterdeck hances and related moldings.

 

The pin rails are boxwood and were pinned and glued to the bulwarks. For the hances, I used the laser cut kit parts for the sculpted curved portion, but cut off the additional laser cut "molding" portion and replaced it with half round molding. The kit parts were nicely done, but very fragile, and it just seemed easier to use a less fragile alternative.

 

Now, I will do the cap rails for the bulwarks and transom.

 

Bob

 

 

[Rustyj]

Hi Bob,

 

I just got caught up with your work and as always it is exceptional. I really like the way you planked the deck!

It gives you the best of both worlds. I've always hated covering up all the work we do below decks.  

[rafine]

Thanks so much Rusty. I guess that this time I hated the idea so much that I tried to do something about it. 

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Looking great as always.

I am still waiting for my Essex kit.   However, enjoying living vicariously through your build log!

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Thanks Tim. I'm looking forward to seeing you resume your builds.

 

Bob

[rafine]

Moving along. The cap rails on the quarterdeck bulwarks and transom have been made from boxwood and installed. They are painted black. After doing the cap rails, I also made and installed the small pieces of rail that go above the hances. Since these pieces are in a precarious spot during further work, I put a pin through the rail and stanchion and into the rail below. The last item I did was to make and install the stern davits. These are boxwood and have the same simulated sheaves that I have used previously on this build.

 

The next work will be the guns and other deck fittings and furniture on the quarterdeck.

 

Bob 

[Gahm]

Bob, your Essex just looks terrific! I love to follow your build log!

 

Thomas

[BareHook]

What type of adhesive have you been using? all your natural wood and painted joints are really clean.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Thomas. I've been missing seeing updates to your log.

 

Barehook, I use Elmer's carpenter glue for all of the wood to wood joints. For metal to wood joints, including anywhere where a part is pinned to a wood surface, I use medium viscosity CA. The key is to completely remove any excess glue before it cures.

 

Bob 

[scott larkins]

Bob,

 

It is all looking really great!  I use the same glues you do for the same purposes.  Although sometimes I will use CA if I have to glue a piece of wood to a painted piece of wood.  I look forward to your continued work.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Scott.

 

Bob

[rafine]

I've made, installed and rigged the four guns that I'm mounting on the quarterdeck. Once again, I used the cast kit gun barrels and modified Lumberyard pear gun carriages. The barrels were filed, the bores drilled out and brass rings added for the breach rope. The blocks and rigging line were again from Chuck.

 

I also added the belaying pins to the various pin rails after blackening the brass pins from the kit. Lastly, I added the eyebolts at the base of the main and mizzen masts. The remaining quarterdeck items are the upper main capstan, the ladder and railing at the ladder way, the mizzen topsail sheet bitts and the wheel assembly. These will all be done next.

 

Bob

[MEDDO]

The gun rigging looks very nice.  How did you know what size line and blocks to use/order?  (I assume I have that info somewhere in my library but haven't found it yet...)

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Your carriages. Are they boxwood, pear wood, or tinted in some way?

 

They look great, the contrast of the wood makes for a beautiful model.

 

- Tim

[Sjors]

Very nice again Bob,

 

I have also a question about the canons......

That eyebolt at the end of the barrel, do you make/drill that by your self or was it that this way ?

I'm asking it because I want to do the same with my canons on the Aggy.

I know that the breech rope goes to that.....

 

 

[rafine]

Thanks Michael, Tim, Sjors and Dirk.

 

Michael,I'm getting the sizes for all my rigging on this build from the formulae in Lees, "Masting and Rigging".

 

Tim, the carriages are pear, from laser cut kits from the Lumberyard.

 

Sjors, the rings are brass rings that I glued to the barrels with medium viscosity CA.

 

Bob

[rafine]

The quarterdeck is now complete. I made and installed the ladder way ladder and railing, the upper main capstan, the mizzen topsail sheet bitts and the wheel.

 

The ladder is boxwood. For the rail, I used some brass stanchions that I had on hand, rather than the PE brass parts from the kit. The PE parts, although nicely done, just seemed too small in cross section and the stanchions I had appeared more appropriate to me. The railing is black wire.

 

The upper main capstan is boxwood and is smaller than the previously made lower main and jeer capstans. Making and fitting the chocks between the whelps was as fiddly as it gets. I added the pawls from boxwood painted black.

 

The bitts are boxwood with simulated sheaves, done just like the previously done fore and main bitts.

 

The wheel uses the kit cast metal parts for the two wheels, with boxwood supports. The wheel rigging enters the deck through strips of boxwood. I had wanted to use wooden wheels, but felt unable to make them without the appropriate tools, and I was unable to locate any of a correct size and appearance after a search of various sites on the web. I've tried to paint the metal wheels to match the boxwood on the model.

 

Next, I'm moving forward to complete work on the forecastle.

 

Bob

[Mirabell61]

The fitting out Looks great Bob,

 

very pleasing sight with the partial open upper deck and look below...

 

Nils

[augie]

Nice work, all around.  Rails, pawls, wheel ---- stunning.

[Blue Ensign]

Simply beautiful, fine work indeed Bob

 

B.E.

[Guest Tim I.]

I really like how you did the ships wheel. The wheel in my Constitution kit, leaves a lot to be desired.

 

- Tim

[gjdale]

Stunning Bob! She just keeps getting better and better - just beautiful.