HMS Victory by Ddgandalf - Constructo - 1:94

[Ddgandalf]

I have only recently joined this forum and I’m already quite a long way through this build (approximately halfway I think).
 

It’s my first ever build and people have suggested that I should begin a build log. I have been taking photographs of the build in the early stages so I will post a couple of early stage pictures and will then try to be a bit more regular in my postings with updates for this kit.

[Ddgandalf]

[Ddgandalf]

I didn’t know at this stage how important it was for the frame to be completely straight as any slight deviation would have an impact later on.  Having looked at other builds on this site it seems as though it’s quite common for the plywood to be warped. I think I was pretty lucky as mine was fine. I also made a jig frame to hold the model whilst I’m working on it.  I liked this part of the build as even an hour made quite a big difference to a model.

[Ddgandalf]

I didn’t spend as much time on the decking as maybe I ought to have done. Having watched several YouTube videos after the event I can see the most people stack of the joints and use pencils or special pens to mark out nail holes et cetera. I didn’t do this so my decks look pretty plain but I’m not overly concerned as I’m not weathering the remainder of the build.

 

 

[Ddgandalf]

First plank!

[Ddgandalf]

Wow, I had no idea quite how long the planking was going to take. For me this was definitely the hardest bit of the build. You could spend hours fixing just one plank and it became disheartening at times to see very little progress despite a lot of effort going in. I definitely became better as I went along and I’m really happy with the overall finish. My biggest mistake was not filing/shaping the plywood frame prior to starting planking, I think that would’ve saved me a huge amount of hassle had I done that.

[Ddgandalf]

[Ddgandalf]

I took a break of about 18 months at this stage in the build as the planking just seemed to be going on forever. The project set part finished on top of the wardrobe and looked like it was doomed to failure.  

[Ddgandalf]

Drilling out the gun ports took an absolute age as well! I made a clever little wooden jig which had the exact dimensions of each gun port which meant I could be consistent.  At this stage it was really starting to look like a ship which is quite motivating.

[Ddgandalf]

By this stage I am starting to add some of the small details on the various decks which is very fiddly but actually very enjoyable. Up until this point most of the work has been doing the big things like decking and planking or cutting out the gun port holes. The little details on deck suddenly transform the ship creating lots of interest.  Note the empty port glass which is a absolute must when working in the evenings.

Edited 8 hours ago by Ddgandalf