Frigate Essex by Rafine - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Kitbashed

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

They look great. Will you be doing the extra details such as the small arms lockers in the fighting tops, and the chicken coops on the spar deck?

 

Also, have you found the AOTS to be deficient in any area (in respect to the rigging and masts) that you need a second source?

 

Thank you,

 

Tim

[gjdale]

Nice start to the mast tops Bob. I know you said you had a lot of ME Deadeyes on hand, but you've done such a nice job so far, don't you think it deserves to be indulged with the complete Chuck/Syren treatment and use his Deadeyes too? Go on - you know you want to.

[Martin W]

Hi Bob -- Your work is breathtaking as always.  I visit your log regularly, even though I don't always comment, just to get inspiration for how well this can be done. 

 

As for your figurehead, has anyone suggested you look at Bill Short's practicum?  He has a link here on MSW:

 

http://carvingbook.weebly.com/

 

I got this book when I wanted to carve the figurehead for my Rattlesnake.  I'm not an experienced or skill carver by any measure, but golly I found that it was as much fun as any other aspect of modelling.  So I'd say, give it a go.  Bill's instructions are nicely detailed with clear illustrations, showing you the step by step process to carving figureheads & other decorations.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[rafine]

Thanks so much Tim, Grant and Martin and the "likes".

 

Tim, the material in AOTS is good as far it goes. The tops, for example, are shown in pretty full detail. The same is true for the masts and yards. The rigging plans are good for the general runs and layout. I have found Lees very helpful in the past for additional details and for showing differences that occurred at specific periods of time. As for those details, I may add the lockers, but no chicken coops, since I didn't do any deck planking in that area.

 

Grant, the ME deadeyes are really not bad. Particularly at small scale, the difference would be barely noticeable. The blocks are another story entirely.

 

Bob

[Gahm]

A fully rigged Essex with the kind of detail which you always put in there - I can't wait to see that! 

 

Thomas

[rafine]

Thanks so much Thomas and Dirk and also the "likes".

 

Bob

[rafine]

A little further progress. I've completed the fore top (with one exception).I assembled the trestletrees and crosstrees and the mast block and glued them in place under the top. I then drilled all the holes for the deadeyes, the crowsfeet, the spritsail brace blocks, some eyebolts and to mount the railing. I also cut the hole for the lower yard slings and made and added the sling bolster. The assembly was painted black. The railing was made from a boxwood rail and brass stanchions, painted black and glued into the previously drilled holes. The eyebolts were glued in place. Lastly, I stropped the deadeyes and mounted them. The only item remaining was the spritsail brace blocks, which I had forgotten to order from Chuck, and am now awaiting.

 

I'm now working on the lower fore mast, and will complete that before moving back to the main top and lower main mast.

 

Bob

[Trussben]

Some beautiful progress Bob.

 

Ben

[rafine]

Thanks so much Ben and the "likes".

 

Bob

[MEDDO]

Very nice. Looks great.

[Blue Ensign]

A long overdue return to view your progress Bob, and what progress you have made. The standard of your work is something to aspire to, you are creating a thing of beauty.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Michael, B.E. and all of the "likes". Always appreciated.

 

Bob

[rafine]

I've been working on the fore lower mast. This involved shaping the mast and mast head, making and adding the bibbs and cheeks, adding the bands to the mast and head ( black painted paper), making and adding the front fish (notched to fit over the bands), adding the wooldings, making and adding cleats and making and adding the mast coat. I also made some cleats for the jeers to be added to the mast head after the top is attached. The top is still awaiting blocks to be attached, as is the mast head. The mast has not been permanently set yet.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Beautiful as always. Are you using a specific weight of card stock?

 

Thank you,

 

Tim

[augie]

Well done.  I love the cleats.

[rafine]

Thanks so much Tim, Augie and the "likes".

 

Tim, I actually used masking tape on this one. Cut into strips, painted black, wrapped twice around the mast and secured by a drop of glue at the final lap joint.

 

Bob

[Pheasant]

started!  frames in, had to force them a bit.  built up the aft 4/your early pics.  started g ports on star side up to frame 3.  how much did you build up 1 & 2?  can't tell on the pics.  is that what u did?

 

not touching stern framing until basic skeleton completed.  that looks tricky!

 

Cheers,

Terry

 

 

[rafine]

Thanks so much John. Thanks also to the "likes".

 

Time to start a log Terry. I did a lot of reshaping on bulkheads 1 and 2, both outside and inside. My memory is that I just kept adding and sanding until I thought that I had it right. The reason for the tight fits is that the plywood is thicker than it is supposed to be. This will bite you on the stern framing as well.

 

Bob

[rafine]

Lower mast construction continues. The fore mast and it's top are now complete and installed. The work included adding the blocks for the spritsail and spritsail topsail yard braces. These are hung below the top and held in place by pegs on the deck of the top. These will be the only blocks that I will attach to the tops, since I do not intend to rig buntlines, leech lines, reef tackles etc.and won't show the blocks for them.

 

After gluing the top to the mast, I added the bolsters, the jeer sling cleats and the lead blocks for the main topmast stay and preventer stay. Lastly, I permanently mounted the mast.

 

Work now continues on the main mast and top.

 

Bob

[Sjors]

Just love it       

 

Sjors

[Gahm]

Fantastic work, Bob! Always so clean and well done . . . just a pleasure to watch!

 

Thomas

[Guest Tim I.]

Bob,

 

Beautiful! Your Essex is going to look spectacular rigged (not that it does not already).

 

- Tim

[rafine]

Thanks so much Sjors, Thomas and Tim and the "likes". 

 

Bob

[hamilton]

Looking great Bob!

hamilton

[rafine]

Thanks so much Hamilton.

 

Bob

[rafine]

I've now completed and mounted the main lower mast. The procedure was identical to what I showed for the fore mast , with the exception that there are no blocks hung from the top or seized to the masthead and there is a deadeye seized to the lower part of the mast for the mizzen stay.

 

I'm now working on the lower mizzen mast.

 

Bob

[Guest Tim I.]

Looks great! 

What will the complete height and length of the model be once complete?

 

Thanks,

 

Tim

[Mirabell61]

Beautiful build Bob,

 

I`m looking Forward and am very interested in your ongoing masting and rigging work, ver nice clean work...

 

Nils

[Sjors]

Wow !!!!!!

 

One thing....I see that all the blocks are still in plastic bags......

No little boxes available where you are ????   

 

Sjors

[rafine]

Thanks so much Tim, Nils, Sjors and all of the "likes".

 

Tim, I really don't know yet what the finished dimensions will be. I haven't scaled out the sizes of the upper masts and the jib boom and flying jib boom.I have no drawings to this scale and still need to figure these out from the prototype dimensions.

 

The blocks  arrived about a week ago Sjors, and I've just been too lazy to put them in their boxes.    

 

Bob