HMS Victory by gil middleton - FINISHED - Caldercraft - 1:72

[themadchemist]

Yes indeed,

3 years of adventure would be a log/forum unto its self. If it were something you were willing to share. I know I would pop the popcorn and be ready for adventure time, front row. The kid in me still loves a good adventure story.

 

WOW 3 years, what a trip it must have been.

 

Anything you wish to share would be greatly appreciated and I'll bet others would find it immensely interesting also, or maybe I'm the only curious one.

 

Thanks so much for you time and instruction. I daily am thankful for the experience that MSW has given me and the enrichment of my life that has occurred by meeting the wonderful group of members here.

[petervisser]

Hi Gil,

 

I have just finished looking through your fantastic build log of the Victory. Stunning workmanship with lots of great build techniques. Thanks for posting all the great photos of your progress. They are inspiring to be sure!

 

Cheers,

 

Peter

[md1400cs]

Gil,

 

I'm a newbie, though I did build a Santa Maria many many years ago. Fast forward to now. Looking at your work leaves me speechless. There are not enough adjectives, nor superlatives to express how astonishing your skills are. What an absolute beauty. What a pleasure for the eyes and senses. Also thanks for sharing your thoughts as you build. 

 

PS: I lived in London for a year or so, and took my son to Portsmouth such a wonderful experience. The Maritime Museum in Greenwich is, as you know, also spectacular (the French would, of course prefer there own in Paris (:-)  Again your Victory is amazing-what a beauty.

 

Michael D

[gil middleton]

Peter,  Many thanks for your kind comments.  I enjoyed looking at your beautiful zeeschouw, which should be about the size of my next model.  Victoria, BC is probably our most favorite city. My great grandfather was collector of customs in Victoria and my grandfather  moved to Victoria from London at age 14, as an indentured servant to the Hudson Bay Co.

 

Michael, You are very kind, but "newbie" doesn't fit. Your "Wasa" will be a work of art with all your improvements on the kit.

 

Lawrence, When I looked back in the reconstructed log, I discovered that details of the gun port lid lanyards were missing, and the photos were not in my computer.  My heartfelt thanks goes to Ron (Robipod) from Calgary, Alberta who had saved my entire log (before the crash) in the cloud (where ever that is). Ron helped me download the log to my computer. So, in answer to your question on gun port lid lanyards, I'm reposting the photos from the original build log.

In considering the attachment of the lanyards to the gun port lids, I thought a simulated splice looked better than an eye with seizing.  Not original but more natural and better scale.

The line is passed through the ring, then with a needle, the line is passed through itself, then passed a second time just beyond the first pass creating the appearance of a "splice."  Pulling on the line with the needle snubs the splice up to the eye bolt.

Placing the gun port lids. Holes drilled for passing the lanyards into the hull.

Using a fixed angle to set gun port lids at a uniformed angle.

Splicing the lanyards to the ring bolts.

A gentle pull on the line with the needle snubs the splice to the ring bolt.

Touching the working end with fast C/A (1 to 3 sec.) creates a "thread needle" to push the lanyard into the hull. That end was cut approximately 10 mm. longer than the visible lanyard. A light touch of C/A (5 to 15 sec.) to the "thread needle" before pushing  it into the hull secures the lanyard.

An old geezer trying to keep track of which line is which.

The real thing.

The real ship

Cheers, Gil

 

[bhermann]

Gil - I remember this post from MSW-1.  It was my introduction to your log, and a nice way to do splicing, which I have been trying to emulate ever since.  From that point on I was quietly following your log in detail.  I recall thinking at the time that it was very difficult to tell the pictures of the model from those of the real ship - and I'm still having trouble.  Thanks for re-doing the log and for continuing on.  I will continue to watch and learn.

 

Bob

[petervisser]

Hi Gil,

 

Well, I  for one had to do a double take to determine which was the model gunport and which was the real one. Beautiful work indeed.

 

Thanks for re-doing your build log. Lots of great techniques to emulate!

 

Peter

Edited April 7, 2013 by petervisser

[mtaylor]

Hi Gil,

 

Well  for one had to do a double take to determine which was the model gunport and which was the real one. Beautiful work indeed.

 

Thanks for re-doing your build log. Lots of great techniques to emulate!

 

Peter

 

I think we've all been doing that lately.  Hard to tell which is Gil's and which is the real one.   

[themadchemist]

Excellent post, love the angle gig for setting the open radius angle of the ports.

 

My thoughts exactly, is it real or is it Gil's work,

Just so I'm sure, that last picture is the model, I'm I correct, as its so hard to tell?

 

Its hard to believe the absolute reproduction of the smallest detail which is SO historically correct. The beauty of your work Gil, come not just from the quality but more importantly from the precision and accuracy of your art and your historic reproduction. More importantly though is the beauty of you as a person and your willingness to share your methods and ideas with those of us that desperately what to learn the art correctly.

Its not just what you know, but how it is used and shared that make all the difference. You inspire me personally and I consider your mastery and egoless approach to the model ship wright world one of the things that make this such a GREAT hobby and MSW a joy to belong to. I one day strive to achieve your level of mentorship

 

Thank You Sir.

[gil middleton]

Lawrence, You've certainly not caused any trouble. In fact you helped me discover a part of my build log that I had lost. My thanks to you.

Bob, Thanks. If I should start on the Bluenose, you can be my guide.

Peter and Mark, it's an illusion, but isn't that what it is all about? I do appreciate your comments.

Keith, You're very kind in your assessment.  I think we are all picking up ideas from one another and I certainly have my share of mistakes, which I'll point out in the next post. It is fun to see the model morph into something resembling a real ship, or were we simply born 200 years too late.

I will open a general discussion, spinning a few tales of our three years at sea, however, my wife will undergo knee reconstruction this week so I might be sidetracked a bit as a nurse, cook, housekeeper and general "gofer."  Cheers, Gil

[themadchemist]

My wife Tammy is an orthopedic OR technician, and knees are pretty common place anymore. Not that surgery isnt serious, I'm just saying I'm sure she'll be up quickly and in much better shape due to the repair.

Dad had a total knee replacement in january and now he's not needing the other done as the stress that replacing the bad one relieved has stop the other from being a problem.

Tammy and I send best of luck and well wishes to your wife and you and hopes of a quick and painless recovery.

 

Oh boy, sea tales, I can wait.

[gjdale]

Hi Gil,

 

Best wishes to your wife for the upcoming surgery, and a speedy recovery.

 

I hope she keeps the gofer busy!

[gil middleton]

Keith and Grant, Thanks for your good wishes. I'll pass them along to Judy.
As I get along further into the rigging, I have to slow down, recognizing that disaster is just one move away. A watch band, an instrument in hand or heaven forbid an errant elbow and I may have the first model of HMS Victory AFTER TRAFALGAR.

[gil middleton]

As one approaches the smaller lines such as bunt lines and leach lines, things get congested and a bit confusing, requiring muliple sources to put things in perspective.  Even smaller lines such as reef lines and stuns'l rigging will likely be omitted to avoid clutter, however that decision can be made later.

Included in this post are: the Foremast lower yard bunt lines and leach lines, Mainmast lower yard bunt lines and leach lines, Main topmast yard bunt lines, Spritsail yard lifts and Spritsail yard braces.  Left to the next post are: the Spritsail bunt lines, Spritsail top sail yard braces, Spritsail yard lifts, Spritsail top sail yard lifts, Spritsail yard sheets and clew lines, Spritsail top sail Yard sheets and clew lines, Netting at the bees and Knotted rope walk. So many lines, so little time.

 

The port Foremast yard bunt lines and leach line can be seen.  While making the mast top, I had a senior moment and placed two single blocks where there should have been double blocks (for the bunt lines).  I can attest that it's more frustrating placing bocks under the mast top at this stage than when one could pick up the mast and turn it over. (Mistake number one).  The bunt lines pass behind the stuns'l boom, through two blocks under the top and terminate at the forecastle breast beam supports.

The mainmast yard buntlines are similar to the foremast yard buntlines but terminate at the main top bowline bitts (aft of the foremast).

The leach lines leave the blocks at the top, pass through the shrouds and catharpins to the forebrace bitts (aft of the mainmast).

The Main topmast yard bunt line passes through the yard block to a block attached to the lift block. The plans specified that the bunt line blocks were to be attached to the top of the lift blocks.  Having missed that, I attached them to the strop at the base of the lift block. However, I suspect they might have been rigged this way at some time during her career. (mistake #2). 

The Spritsail yard lift originates at the jib boom cap, passes through the lift block on the yard, returns to the block at the cap and terminates at the timberheads at the beakhead.

Finally, the braces for the spritsail yard are seen in the first two photos.The spritsail yard braces originate at the forestay collar. The brace was seized to the collar as a typical splice, and then the splice itself seized to the forestay collar. The brace then passed through the brace block from the yard, through two blocks under the top and terminates at the forecastle breast beam supports.

Ah, I see the eyes glazing over. Enough rigging for one post.  Cheers, Gil

[Kevin]

wow Gil

 

Thats going to give me something to look at properly, when i get the chance

[themadchemist]

All I can say is that after that post, You've just shown me how much I don't know about rigging.

(...tmc shakes his head, to shake off his glazed over look of amazment and confusion)

 

Now I know how my chem students felt when I got that deer in the headlights look from them, but if I can learn chemistry, rigging must be attainable.

 

As always amazing work and something to ponder, so much to learn and so little brain left....

Although mom always said the best things in life are NEVER easy.

Edited April 10, 2013 by themadchemist

[Kevin]

Gil would you like to put a photo into this topic for me please

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1589-latest-full-profile-photograph-of-your-build/

[themadchemist]

@ Kevin

 

I love that thread, its a great way to see everyone build in and easy scroll through.

[capnharv2]

Keith,

 

Everything was fine for me till I got to organic chemistry.

 

Harvey

[freewheelinguy]

Gil,

 

It is an absolute pleasure to look through your updates.  Your photos and explanations are spot on.  Thanks so much for taking the time and allow us to share in your wonderful work.  You are a true gentleman and a great asset to this forum.

 

Wishing you and your wife well.

[themadchemist]

So here's a dumb question based on some reading and a lot of assumption.

 

Ive noticed standing rigging is black and running tan. Was this due mainly to the preservative added to the standing rigging (ie tar...)

How did this effect the two forms of rigging with respect to flexibliy and lifetime. Sea water (and life, torpedo worms) had to be tough on ship components. I recently read something on the development of the copper plating and how the different electric potentials of Fe vs Cu caused problems with the iron nailing of copper sheeting. I find all these little factoids so interesting.

 

Also, just out of curiosity I wander what rigging weighted on the Vicky. Both dry and wet. I would think wet rigging could double in mass. Just some engineering questions I never considered before actually statrting this hobby

[Blue Ensign]

Wonderful series of photo's  Gil that will help explain the mysteries of Bunt and Leech line rigging.  Belaying at the bitts and Foc'sle rail present some of the trickiest to get at locations, and the neatness of your rigging is very evident in the large size photo's.

Very nicely done.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[gjdale]

Fabulous pics and explanations there Gil. I'm studying your progress closely as my yard work preps continue.

[realworkingsailor]

Absolutly fantastic rigging work. Although I'm a bit cross eyed trying to follow along...

 

I think I need to go buy a few books on the subject before I do anything foolish on my Pegasus.... don't want to end up mummified in rigging line... (as we are predicting our good friend Sjors may become... )

 

Andy

[capnharv2]

Keith,

 

Standing rigging is black because it's coated in tar as a preservative. It's normally adjusted very little (in day to day operations of the ship). Running rigging, on the other hand, was moving with every change of sail movement (up, down, reef, tacking, etc). So it needed to be flexible.

 

Have you heard the phrase "Worm and parcel with the lay, seize and serve the other way"? Worming (running small line in the lay of the line) and parcelling (covering the wormed standing rigging with tarred cloth-I believe canvas) were added to help preserve the standing rigging. Serving (wrapping small line tightly around the standing rigging) was also done for chafe protection.

 

With our use of synthetic line and sailcloth, we often forget that these same items wore out a lot on older vessels. Hemp rigging, even with all that treatment, did rot. Sails (either flax or cotton or whatever else was used) also rotted, and the rigging and sails were constantly being repaired and maintained. That's why most ship that travelled any distance had a rigger and a sailmaker (and a carpenter to fix broken and rotted wood).

 

I couldn't even fathom a guess what the top hamper weighed. But you're correct that wet rigging was a lot heavier than dry rigging (ans still is).

 

Gil, thanks again for showing us your fine work. I hope we (PSSM) will have a chance to see your Victory in person when finished.

 

Harvey

[gil middleton]

Keith, I responded to your posting, posted it and it dissapeared into the ether.  I'll try again.  Imagine if one was a farmer, Shanghaid by a press gang, and then sent up the rigging. Scary stuff.

I'm certainly not the expert, and Harvey's response is probably more informative.  Pine tar from an area in Sweden (Stockholm tar) was used between and over layers when major lines, eg. stays and leading shrouds, were wormed, parcelled and served, producing a dark colored line, while Manilla hemp was bleached by sun and salt. Soft lay hemp was very flexible and easy to splice or run through blocks while hard lay hemp was quite stiff.  I've never used Pine tar, but did use Tung oil and Linseed oil on our old sailboat in the 50's.  What can I tell you, a teacher of chemistry, about Cu and Fe.  I think about the time the Constitution was built (1797), something over 300,000 copper nails were used for the copper sheathing.

 

Kevin, I posted on your suggested site. Great idea. It took 3 photos - the model was too large.

 

Len, You're very kind.  I consider it a privilege just to be on this great web site. Your Avatar makes you look about 30.  You must have discovered Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth.

 

Blue Ensign and Grant, Many thanks.  Rigging is probably not that exciting unless you're in the midst of doing it yourself.

 

And visualizing a mummified Andy or Sjors in the rigging is sobering indeed.

 

Cheers, (I think)  Gil

[themadchemist]

Thanks gil and harv'

I just find all this stuff super interesting. Even as a chemist I sometimes wonder if we haven't lost something by using polymer chemistry and replacing all the natural products once used. Seems sometimes the more we learn the more we forget.

I don't know about that only people rigging can enjoy the topic unless in the midst of it.

 

I've spend hours looking at your build and see something new every look. My wife, Tammy works in the OR as a surgical tech doing orthopedics. She trained under a plastic surgeon though and loves stitching. I was showing her your build tonight and you should of seen her eyes glass over. Not in the deer in the headlights fashion but I could hear the gears grinding and engaging. She's made jewlery for years and loves working chain maille. I may have competion soon.

 

By the way, She adores your Vicky and its rigging. ... and 3 months ago she could not tell a Mast from a yard.

[md1400cs]

Gil,

 

There are two things that I am now sure of; my wish of going to the moon won't happen (though I did drive large flying machines for many years), and I will never be the astonishing master that you are with this art form. Your pics, and updates leave me speechless in an absolutely wonderful way. Such a delight to see your love of this wonderful hobby. Your craft level is PHD, if that is the appropriate simili. Your knowledge certainly is. 

 

with a huge amount of respect,

 

Michael D

[Sjors]

Morning Gil,

 

Can I borrow you ratlines?

There are some people that want to see it finished at my Mirage.

And they are looking great!

Also the serie of pictures.

I know for sure that I come to pick up some ideas when I'm on that stage….

 

[augie]

Fantastic build, Gil.  I'm not sure how to describe it....... craftsmanship or art?  Truly inspirational.

[popeye the sailor]

it easy.........it's a craftsman and his art!  top notch Gil!  {big thumbs up emoticon here}