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

[Jerry]

Gil...All I can say is your anchor mounting is Out of sight.!!   Beautiful and so well done.  Thanks for the photos.

Jerry

[Kevin]

Lovely work my friend

 

i hope to be back onto mine before long, as i continue work towards starting the rigging, i just have to finish the 1/12 dolls house project first

[gjdale]

Lovely addition of detail Gil. It's these subtle additions that make your build really stand out.

[Glenn-UK]

Fantastic work, description and detail. Many thanks for sharing.

[gil middleton]

Thanks Jerry and Kevin.  Glen, It's great fun sharing ideas. And Grant, I'll be starting on the boats shortly and will reread your posts very carefully.

Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

Moving on to the ship's lanterns. The JoTika kit has very nice etched brass for the lantern windows that can be bent to fit the base.  Soldering the lantern supports.

 

 

Solder points filed down

 

 

Holes drilled into the lantern bases for the lantern supports. Supports fixed with C/A glue.

 

 

Lanterns

 

[gil middleton]

Lanterns and supports painted.

 

 

Lanterns mounted.  The top of the lanterns have not been fixed in place in order to add glazing inside the lanterns. I'm experimenting with glazing.  Has anyone tried the Micro Glaze from Micro Mark?  And if so, does it stand up to handling?

 

 

The smaller Admiral's lantern is attached aft of the main top.

 

[dgbot]

Nicely rendered I have never used the stuff usually I cut up some acetate that I have lying around.

David B

[AON]

WOW!!!

 

    

[mort stoll]

Hi Gil,

 

I used Micro-Glaze on my Mamoli Connie and had no problems with it. I just followed the directions on the container and all went well.

 

Mort

[edmay]

Hello Sailer,I will have to invest in a better dictionary as all the words I would like to use have been said, "nicely done" will have to do foe now. Picked up the idea of (easy handling) the thick piece of ply /drilled holes for masts etc Thanks.Edwin

[gjdale]

Gil,

 

I used the MicroGlaze from Micromark on my stern/quarter galleries when I re-did my stern. I was very happy with the results (and it's really easy to use too!).

[gil middleton]

Thanks David, Alan, Mort, Edwin and Grant for replying.  My apologies for the delay as I had a computer meltdown. It will probably be a week before I can post photos again.

Also, thanks Mort and Grant for the reassurance with Micro-Glaze.  I had experimented with clear acrylic semi-gloss and flat but Micro-Glaze seemed to work better.  More later.  Gil

[Jack12477]

Gil, just got to see your latest post.  Magnificent workmanship ! Absolutely beautiful model.

[gil middleton]

Many thanks Jack.  Since I'm about to start on the ship's boats, I'll refer to your site for a heads up.

I had experimented with clear acrylic flat and clear acrylic semi-gloss for the glazing of the lanterns.  It worked well, but was too opaque, rather like plastic milk carton appearance. The Micro-Glaze gave a much more realistic appearance.  A couple photos show the outcome.

 

 

Gil

[gil middleton]

More details to add are the nun buoys used with the anchors.  Seen on the real ship, these served to locate the anchors and by a line attached to the foot or fluke end of the anchor, the anchor could be pulled backwards to disengage the flukes with a fouled anchor. 

 

 

On the present ship, the nun buoys are rigged as they were described by Steel in 1794.

On a  close up of the nun buoy, although rather dark, one can see the upper rope line forming a ring with lines eyespliced to the ring, running down to form a lower eye.  The reverse lines run from the lower ring to form the upper eye.

 

 

I hesitate to recommend this technique since it requires many "splices" but being rather compulsive, I decided to rig them as described by Steel.  I suspect one could paint a vitamin pill black, glue it to the rigging and few would notice. But what's the fun in that.  The buoys were shaped from a 7mm. dowel and the line to form a ring was glued to one side (C/A 10-15 sec.) to give a stable starting point.

 

 

Lines with eye splices were attached to the ring line.  Forming the eye splice. The upper ring line completed.

 

 

Four stages of rigging the nun buoys.  From left to right,

  Upper ring with eye splices and lines seized at lower end.

  Lower eye seized.

  Lower eye seized and trimmed.

  Reverse rigging lower ring line and forming upper eye.

 

 

Seizing the other end.

 

 

To be continued.......

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gil middleton]

And the rest of the story.

Both eyes formed

 

 

All nun buoys rigged.  On the right, upper line for retrieving the buoy, heavier lower line to the anchor.

 

 

On the real ship, nun buoys lashed to the shrouds.

 

 

And on the model.  Excess line to anchor stored in hammock net.

 

 

The close up appears rather rough, but gives the sense of tarred canvas and ropes over cork

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.  Gil.

 

 

[md1400cs]

I think that I will look through my vitamin pills or maybe a left over turkey bone?  ha ha...

 

 As usual your work and artistry are superlative. I will consider your idea, though my build is from 1628 and may not reflect what you have replicated from the 1800s. Need to research this bit.

 

Enjoy Thanksgiving, big deal here for USA members (:-)

 

Michael

[Jerry]

Hello Gil... I love your little buoys; they do indeed look very real.  Although I declared my build finished, I have now decided to do a little more.  I'm very happy with the way the Barge and Launch turned out so I am going to build the Pinnace and the Cutter but I am not going to mount them on the ship.  I plan on making a couple of small cradles and have these two buggers sit in the display case, in front of Victory.  I just don't want to hide any detail by locating them on the skid beams.  The reason for this monumental decision is that I found myself with nothing to do.  My display case is due here in about 10 days so I figure to use that time to construct the remaining ship's boats.  I'm also pondering whether or not to start another build.  My eyes are not very good these days  (old age) and my patience may be running a bit lower.  Take care and enjoy a Happy Thanksgiving.

Best regards,

Jerry

Edited November 27, 2014 by Jerry

[gil middleton]

Thanks Michael and Jerry.

Michael, I haven't delved into the 1600's. Good luck in your search.

Jerry, I agree with your outlook.  I don't want to start another 6 or 7 year  project. Might not be around to see the finished product. But small boats and small ships, go for it.  Turkey time.  Cheers, Gil

[capnharv2]

Hi Gil,

 

I just noticed that you tape your alligator clips to prevent marring and cutting whatever you are holding. What kind of tape do you use, and how often do you replace it?

 

I've done it once or twice with masking tape, but it doesn't really help much.

 

Enjoy your turkey!

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[gil middleton]

Hi Harvey,  I agree, the the tape doesn't do much to protect soft wood. The main reason I use it is to hold small threads when tying seizing, knots or whatever needs holding.  Without the tape, threads seem to pull through the clips.  Just regular 3M masking tape (the rough type) most of which have lasted through the six years with Victory.  Nice to hear from you.  Cheers, Gil

[DBorgens]

Gil,

Wow! I am still amazed at the details you bring out, especially at this scale. You show four buoys completed. I would have another dozen in the scrap box. Excellent work, and thanks for the tutorial.

Dave B

[gil middleton]

Dave, You're too kind.  If I'd realized that it was a tutorial, I'd have recommended it.  But we do have fun with the details.  Cheers, Gil

[gil middleton]

Having almost completed the "Victory" I've turned my attention to the ship's boats.  I'll probably do the launch to have one boat on the skids, but would rather not have a full compliment of boats hiding the details on the gun deck.  Another boat will be the cutter (or jolly boat) on the starboard davits. The problem is that the cutter is much shorter than the distance between the davits.  One solution would be to build a 25 ft. cutter (as shown in McKay's drawings) using parts from other boats.

 

It's interesting to look at the different methods of building the ship's boats.  Model Shipways USS Constitution uses cut outs of the hull stacked vertically or layered up followed by sanding to contour the hull (shown so beautifully in Bob Hunt's  practicum). That is the method I used on the "Constitution" with what I thought were pleasing results.

 

 

JoTika offers a keel and bulkheads to be planked similar to the main ship.  One can see the immediate problem.  Four of the bulkheads are fractured in the middle, even though I thought I was being gentle.

 

 

And of course there is scratch building, as seen in Grant Dale's extremely informative presentation showing problems and solutions, and lovely results.

 

Having read Antscherl's practicum, as well as other sources, each presents it's own challenges.

 

With no power tools other than a variable speed hand drill, and working in our den/office, I chose the simplest option.  Use the materials supplied with the kit. I believe similar results can be achieved by any of the above methods.

Cheers, Gil

[Jerry]

Good morning, Gil..

 

If you get a chance, please check my log, page 67.  I have two ship boats on davits, the launch and the barge and one boat sitting in front of the mother ship with oars displayed.  I agree that it would be a shame to completely cover the skid beams and hide so much of the detail.  I hope you have a nice day.

Jerry

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/1951-hms-victory-by-jerry-jotika-scale-172-1805-version-wood/?hl=%2Bhms+%2Bvictory+%2Bjerry

[JSGerson]

I have been following your log for some time now picking up all kinds of useful information, techniques, and tips. One day I hope to obtain some of your skills. Although I would probable never attempt the Victory (not at my skill level), I do plan on building the MS Constitution which still might be a bit of a reach. You have however piqued my interest to the models used in the images in your last post.

• Whose's Constitution model are these images from and where can I see more?
• Who is this "McKay" that you speak of and where can I see his work?

Thanks for sharing your knowledge

[gil middleton]

Jerry, Many thanks for your posting.  I reviewed your log and hadn't thought of rigging lifting slings for the boats on the davits. My mind was stuck on bow and stern rings.  Great idea.  I'm following in your wake on the launch.

 

Jon,  I've looked at your log on the "Rattlesnake" and you underestimate your skill level.  You're ready for any model.  The photos are from my previous model, USS Constitution (Model Shipways) before the Victory. I had it on the web  site before the crash 2013 when all was lost.  I'm gathering photographs to replace the log but the "Victory" takes preference on time. 

John McKay has illustrated at least two books, The 100-Gun Ship Victory, John McKay and HMS Victory, Her Construction, Career and Restoration, Alan McGowan, illustrated by John McKay. Cheers, Gil

[JSGerson]

Thanks for for your vote of confidence, it is greatly appreciated. Thanks also for your quick response. I wasn't familiar with John McKay because I hadn't researched the HMS Victory. I look forward to your resurrected Constitution log, I'm sure it will help me when I finally start construction. That build is still a ways off as I am just starting the rigging for the Rattlesnake after over 4 yeas since I started it. I'm just slow because every step is new to me. But hey, its a hobby!

[Sjors]

Gil,

 

I follow you in silence and still impressed with what you are doing.

When I take a look at the whole log I have a suggestion for you...

When you are finished can you bring this log to a publisher ?????

For me it should be a book that I want to have as a guide for my builds .

 

Sjors