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

[Kevin]

Hi Gil

 

I have just started on the Caldercraft Victory and have been following your build with great interest, marvellous work. Could you please tell me at what point in the build you drilled out the dummy gun strips for the middle and lower dummy gun barrels, and what method you used to ensure they all lined up correctly. I have the gun patterns in place and have started the first planking. I thought at this point I might drill out the gun strips but having looked at them I am thinking this may not be the right time. Look forward to your advice.

 

Gary

sorry Gil for hi jacking your log again

 

I believe Gil has not shown it in this log, but was lost in the original crash of Feb 13

I remember that a piece of wooden stock the same size as the gun port opening was used and a hole drill through that was used as a template to aligne all the holes for the dummy barrels

[Ensign]

Thanks Kevin, That is the method I am thinking of using. Do you know if the holes are drilled after lining the gun ports, (what did you do?) and whether they are located centrally in the wooden stock or lower down. The tests I have run with the holes drilled central indicates they will be too high in the gun port.

 

Gary

[Kevin]

if i remember correctly everything was lined - just awaiting the lids to be fitted, i never fitted my barrels as i have the ports shut

[Moonbug]

Gil,

 

Always enjoy your builds. But I just wanted to tell you I appreciate your comments on 16 Dec (post #328) regarding why we build the ships and whom our limited audience is. Cheers.

 

- Bug

[gil middleton]

Thanks Gary.  I also drilled the holes too high and after testing, redid them.  Kevin, your memory is probably better than mine, however, I'd suggest Gary do the drilling at this stage.  The gun port lining is rather fragile and once the planking and decking is in place, the drilling debris becomes part of the model.

Grant, I'm not sure I have the patience to follow the one step forward, two steps back routine,  but your results speak for themselves.

Thanks Bug.  Your post introduced me to your Santa Maria.  I enjoyed perusing your log with the wonderful details, a host of good ideas and a history lesson as well.

Are we having fun yet?  Cheers, Gil

[Ensign]

Thanks Gil. Reassuring to know that your holes were too high as well, I will remake the jigs and try again. Yes, I am also concerned the drilling debris will become part of the model, and this was the main reason I considered drilling the holes at this stage.

 

Gary

[Ensign]

Hi Gil & Kevin,

 

I modified my gun barrel drilling rig, took a deep breath and went at it. After drilling I dry fitted the dummy gun barrels and they look good, all centrally located and the height looks OK. The Caldercraft instructions say to use a 2mm drill bit, the fit was a bit loose in my opinion so after drilling the first hole I changed to a 1.7mm drill bit which produced an interference fit, much better, more control. Others may be interested to know this.

 

I need to get a build log up and running, watch this space. Well, maybe not this one but you know what I mean.

 

Regards

Gary

 

PS: expect to pay a visit to the real Victory in May this year, can't wait.

[Rich.F]

coming along very nice pal, very nice work indeed, 

 

Gary Look forward to seeing your build also. ( May Should be a good time to come She The Victory, Should be lots of things going on but at the moment there is a refitting the ship, end of last year there was no masts)    I have lived In Portsmouth and until last year never visited the Ships.. But regardless Would till suggest seeing her.

 

Rich

[gil middleton]

Gary,  Those early in the "Victory" build will appreciate your suggestion on drilling for the dummy gun barrels. For some of us, it's too late. Good luck getting your log started.

Rich, I envy your location in Portsmouth.  I visited HMS Victory perhaps twenty years ago and have hundreds of photographs of the ship, but still find many details where I'd love to have another look. However, you said that the masts were down, which wouldn't be of much help at this stage.

Cheers,  Gil

[gil middleton]

Grant and I have been discussing shroud cleats through private messaging on MSW.  In order to continue the dialog, I need to post photos which on my version of Internet Explorer, doesn't work on MSW. Hence, to Firefox and my log.

I wasn't satisfied with the supplied shroud cleats.  They appeared too large of scale and required lashing over the center of the cleat. Longridge and McGowen (McKay's drawings) showed cleats lashed on both ends of the cleat. Accordingly, I went with Model Shipway's 5 mm. cleat (not currently in stock).  The following photo shows on the left Model Shipway's 5 mm. cleats and on the right the JoTica supplied cleats

 

 

Shroud cleats on the real ship

 

 

Shroud cleats on the model

 

 

The mizzen shroud cleats required filing down the width in order to fit the smaller shroud lines.

 

 

With macro photography, they look like they were made by a modeller with only thumbs, however, in normal viewing they look rather good.   Cheers, Gil

 

 

[mtaylor]

IE 10 reinstalls after uninstalling IE11 and rebooting, which is a nice thing.

 

Gil,

Your shroud cleats look great to these eyes.

[gjdale]

Thanks very much for posting those Shroud Cleat photos Gil - they certainly help me to nut this out in terms of dimensions and ratios. So far all the evidence seems to support my hypothesis on dimensions/ratios. I'll have another crack at making some timber ones over the next week or so (back to work tomorrow ) If I have no joy with that, I've noted a couple of manufacturers online offering 5mm cleats - but that will be a last resort!

 

Thanks again for all your time and trouble to help out a fellow modeller - the very essence of MSW!

[gil middleton]

Thanks Lawrence and Mark for the heads up.  Who ever thought we'd need computers in building model ships?  But then I remember modeling before MSW.  Each of us working in our venue, our resources limited to a few friends and a collection of books and our horizons bound by our travels to ships and museums.  And suddenly with MSW, passionate modelers from around the globe offer ideas on a daily basis and friendships kindle.   OK!  Lawrence and Mark, I'll work on my computer skills.

Grant,  Glad it helped, but with your skills, I'd bet you'll come up with something better.

Cheers, Gil

[Glenn-UK]

Hi Gil

I've just start on my build of the HMS Victory, just getting ready to fit the gun port lining strips (270, 271 & 272).

 

Its the wealth on information from the experienced builders like yourself on the MSW build logs which provides me with the confidence to tackle the challenges ahead that this boat build will undoubtedly throw up along the way.

 

Many Thanks.

[gil middleton]

Glen.  Thanks.  It did seem an imposing task at the beginning. You'll be bonded to the Victory for about as long as it took to build the original ship.  I'm starting my sixth year with the old girl.  Sit back and enjoy. There's hardly a challenge you can name where you won't find abundant help from other builders on MSW.

 

Lawrence,   Great progress on your Victory. You are very kind, but just to set the record straight, this was my first go at serving lines. Pretty soon you will have done it, be an expert and showing newcomers how to do it.

 

Cheers,
Gil

[Kevin]

Hi Gil - she looks great, i checked on mine yesterday to ensure she was ok, my plans are to move her back into the workshop around Easter providing my currant build is completed, i cannot have two 4 foot monsters in my workshop at any one time,

hope you are well

[popeye the sailor]

beautiful work Gil.........no doubt about it!

[gil middleton]

Lawrence,  Nice to hear from you.  Your progress on the Bismarck is amazing, but the Victory does sort of grow on you.  I can understand your hesitation to have two "large ships" in progress. Apart from the space, I can only wrap my mind around one at a time (and keep track of hundreds of wee parts). Popeye on the other hand has a whole fleet of ships in his yard.  He must have a huge yard with a large staff.

Popeye, If I tried to follow your prodigious example, I'd end up with shrouds on the Captain's gig and oars on the square rigger.

Cheers, Gil

[Kevin]

Lawrence,  Nice to hear from you.  Your progress on the Bismarck is amazing, but the Victory does sort of grow on you.  I can understand your hesitation to have two "large ships" in progress. Apart from the space, I can only wrap my mind around one at a time (and keep track of hundreds of wee parts). Popeye on the other hand has a whole fleet of ships in his yard.  He must have a huge yard with a large staff.

Popeye, If I tried to follow your prodigious example, I'd end up with shrouds on the Captain's gig and oars on the square rigger.

Cheers, Gil

lol Gil i dont mind being called Lawrence, it would save a lot of confusion in life if we were all called the same name - hope you are well

 

Kevin or Lawrence

[gil middleton]

Kevin,  Just another senior moment.  Gil

[gil middleton]

One more yard, the Mizzen topmast yard.  This is the tenth yard rigged (including the bow sprit yards) and is rather similar to the rest except that the brace blocks are rigged aft to the Driver Gaff.  The following photo (forward inferior view) shows the brass rod to pin the yard to the mast (it also is a convenient way to hold the yard for rigging), Tye block and yard cleats, Brace pendant blocks (directed aft to Driver gaff), Topping lift blocks, Clue blocks,Topgallant sheet blocks (below yard cleats) and cheek blocks (aft of yard at ends), Bunt lines blocks and foot rope stirrups.

 

 

Front view

 

 

Aft view   OOPS!  Same photo.  Thanks Jon

 

 

Port view. Note: Yard lift, Yard tye and Bunt lines all tensioned with no downhauls.  Brass pin and parral hold yard securely.  Note shroud truck for tye, to starboard.

 

 

Port aft

 

 

Starboard aft.  Yard tye passes  through topmast at hounds, through a shroud truck (aft of yard) to tackle below. Tackle anchored  by pendant from the aft channel, while the tail is secured in board on the poop deck.

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2014 by gil middleton

[Jim Lad]

Just catching up, Gil.  She's coming along very nicely indeed!

 

John

[gil middleton]

Only the mizzen topgallant yard to go before moving on to the Driver boom and gaff.  In the meantime, small details need to be added such as the boarding pikes at the foremast and main mast.  These would be much easier to add before all the rigging.  I thought I would snag lines, but even that would be easier than trying to work  through the rigging.  After dropping a couple pikes into the upper gun deck, it occured to me to add tapes over the deck openings.  Further, a tiny drop of slow C/A on the back of the heads, allowed to cure, stopped the pikes from falling through the rack, but isn't seen outboard.  On the real ship, the steel heads are hidden in the rack, while JoTika plans show them projecting  above. I chose the latter to highlight the detail.  The shafts are painted to simulate wood, while the heads are black for definition.  Lots of little details to add.   Next, Rope coils.         Cheers, Gil

 

Edited October 12, 2014 by gil middleton

[gil middleton]

Thanks John,  On reviewing all the methods of coiling ropes, I loved your photos of organized chaos of deck lines on old commercial  sailing vessels. Gil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thanks John

[JSGerson]

Pardon me for pointing this out as I am not an expert in any stretch of the imagination, but I believe in reply #375,  the first two photos are identical yet one is marked "front view" and the other "aft view."

 

Just wanted to say that it is an education just watching you put this model together.

[Jerry]

Hello Gil...I haven't posted to your log for a while because I really had nothing of value to add and I still might not.  But your information on the boarding pikes was right on time.  I'm a couple of days away from adding them to my build as I am about to complete the lower masts and pondered whether or not to add the pikes when these masts were completed.  You answered my question and I am very grateful.  I also like your idea as to how you colored them so I'll probably be a copy-cat.  I find myself refering to your log constantly so again, many, many thanks.  Jerry

[gjdale]

Fantastic work, as always Gil. It's really handy having you just that little bit further ahead of me so that I can start to think about what's next while having your pictures to assist that contemplation. I'm afraid that boarding pikes are one detail that my build will not be getting.

 

Thanks again for your conversation and assistance on shroud trucks, shroud cleats and mast cleats. I am now quite satisfied with the way mine have turned out and they wouldn't even be there were it not for your assistance in the first place.

[gil middleton]

Jon,   Did you notice it was an I.Q. test to see if you would pick it up.  That sounds much better than "a senior moment" on my part.  Thanks for noticing.  I enjoyed looking at your Rattlesnake,  What a lovely build and use of the Byrne's saw.

Jerry,  I thinks the Boarding pikes add a nice touch.  The mast looked rather bare without them.  Many thanks for your comments.

Grant,  I think you've gone over the top again.  I don't even know how to use all your new machines.  Just an old guy having fun, and enjoying your company.  Cheers, Gil

[Patrick Haw]

Wonderful work Gil.  The level of detail is just spectacular.  Just fitted my quarterdeck so your finished quarterdeck is an inspiration for me to charge ahead and try, just try, to emulate you.  I won't come close, you've set the bar pretty darned high!

 

Thanks for sharing.  (Oh, and go Niners  )

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

the added detail is really sweet!    simply beautiful ship!