Royal William by pirozzi - FINISHED - Euromodels - 1/70

[pirozzi]

I am starting my next build after the SOS. It is the Royal William by Euromodels. First inspection of the kit contents is impressive. The quality looks good and the plans are great. The basic instructions that come with the kit are OK, but the Euro website has what they call Interpretive and reference notes. There are literally hundreds of pages with contruction notes, color photos, and illustrations. It is organized in chapters and is actually more like a build log of the entire construction. It starts with the basic kit and opens it up for as much kit bashing as you might want. It gives several levels at each stage and allows the builder to expand in detail to close to a scratch build. I have never seen anything like this before. It is outstanding and allows the builder to add as much challenge and complexity as one could want. The basic kit itself is no piece of cake by any means, but I am going to have much fun taking this build to the limits of my building skills and then some. What I learned from building the SOS will certainly help here. I am starting the build as we speak.        

 

Vince P.

[NMBROOK]

I  shall be following along with this one Vince.She is one of my favourites.I am probably about two months away from starting my Mordaunt log.Did you find the voids in the box to be filled with those little foam kernels?It was a job in itself disposing of them and keeping them away from the dog

Kind Regards Nigel

[pirozzi]

I  shall be following along with this one Vince.She is one of my favourites.I am probably about two months away from starting my Mordaunt log.Did you find the voids in the box to be filled with those little foam kernels?It was a job in itself disposing of them and keeping them away from the dog

Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Nigel,

Yes the box was filled with those little things. Stuck to everything and the admiral was picking them up everywhere.  I am really excited about getting started with this project.

 

Vince P.

[Bugra]

Great start Vince. Good luck with your build! 

[marktiedens]

I will watch your build with interest as I also have this kit.

 

Mark

[maggsl_01]

Hi Vince

 

the content of the box looks impressive. I want to build the Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde from Euro Model some (not so far away) day. So I am very excited to follow your log (with MANY pics ) to hear and learn about the quality of the kit and the materials. Wish you good luck and many happy hours with the Royal William.

 

Cheerio

 

Max

[Mecheleir]

Its very impressive...

 

And all the guns on the lower decks are full rigged?

[Ray]

Hi Vince

              The contents of the box look good should be as interesting ship and build.

[pirozzi]

Its very impressive...

 

And all the guns on the lower decks are full rigged?

The way this kit is designed, you can full rig all of the guns if you desired. I am going to full rig the two upper gun decks and leave the lower first deck with false half guns.

 

Vince P.

[Landlubber Mike]

Am very excited to see a build log for this ship here - a bit jealous too!  Gorgeous ship, and the Euromodel kits are really amazing in terms of the quality of plans and components, and the added instructions.  I recently picked up the Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde, which really has spoiled me when it comes to all other kit manufacturers.  Good luck and take lots of pictures!

[Ulises Victoria]

Looks like a nice ship to build. I'm not familiar with Euromodels kits and what you say about the "reference notes" in the web site is something I wish was more common in other kit brands.

Question: Don't you feel there are too many metallic parts? That's the impression I got from your pictures.

Best of lucks with your build!!!

 

Cheers!

[edmay]

Hello Vince,Wishing you happy modeling with your new venture,it is well packaged and the company seems to be supportive,good luck .will follow and learn. Edwin

[realworkingsailor]

Looking forward to this one. I've been contemplating this ship for some time. Can't wait to see you start putting her together.

 

Andy

[md1400cs]

Vince, 

 

Super nice next project. I will also follow along your new build. I went online and found those instructions which you were speaking of, whoa, super nice addition to the "usual" set of instructions. Other manufacturers could certainly learn from this example. You will certainly enjoy this build. Bashing here you come.....

 

Regards,

 

Michael

[fnkershner]

I have a euro model kit of the Ajax on the shelf. I am excited to see someone else build one of their kits. I agree about the plans, they are first rate. I did download the translation from Italian to English from the web site.

[gjdale]

Looks like a really nice build. Think I'll pull up a chair too - did anyone bring the popcorn?

[md1400cs]

Vince,

 

After getting super interested in your Euromodels version, I also found this info  FYI (:-)

 

http://www.hellovancity.com/events/holy-ship-lifelike-replica-hms-royal-william-ship-up-for-auction-on-june-19th-2013/

 

I will search for "sales" and prob. put one in my closet if I find one for under 1K USD

 

PS 2 This morning I went through those Extra 1-6 pdf instructions that are on the Euromodel site; Excellent 

 

Michael

[pirozzi]

Yes. Michael, this ship and the builder are featured on the Euro website.

Vince

[pirozzi]

Starting on constructing the bulkheads and keel. Euro has a different way of identifying the 15 various bulkheads. They start at midship with the number "0" and go towards the stern with increasing numbers to bulkhead "8". They they start from midship and go to the bow with letters "A" through "F". It would have been simpler to just start at the bow with all numbers or letters. I did find that on the plan sheet #4 where they illustrate placing the bulkheads, they mislabled bulkheads "E" and "F". Following the plans, Bulkhead "E" would be first at the bow and then "F" behind it. If you dry fitted them first, which I strongly recommend, you would see something is wrong following the plans and notice that they are reversed. Also another thing, some of the bulkheads, especially around midship are very similar. Even placing them on the plan sheet, it would be easy for someone in a hurry to switch them up. If you are careful and observant, which you should be anyway, there would be no problem getting them in the correct places. A simple addition for the plans would be to have diagrams of the plywood boards with the bulkheads still attached and labeled. As poor as the plans were for Mantua, they did have this feature. Some of the bulkheads fit sloppily into the keel slots and need a shim to make a snug fit. A piece of 5mm x 1mm wood works perfectly here.

 

VinceP.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Vince P.

[realworkingsailor]

Off to a to a good start. As for your bulkhead labelling, it is closer to prototype practice for framing nomenclature.

 

Andy

[NMBROOK]

Hi Vince

The bulkheads in my Mordaunt have no labelling on them.However I am fitting the lower gun deck out and have to cut the bulkheads to suit.They are not cutout at the factory like your William.The information is on the plans so will involve gluing a copy to each bulkhead and then some work on the scroll saw.How thick is your false keel?I only ask because the one on K Julier's build looked like it was about 10mm

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[pirozzi]

Hi Vince

The bulkheads in my Mordaunt have no labelling on them.However I am fitting the lower gun deck out and have to cut the bulkheads to suit.They are not cutout at the factory like your William.The information is on the plans so will involve gluing a copy to each bulkhead and then some work on the scroll saw.How thick is your false keel?I only ask because the one on K Julier's build looked like it was about 10mm

 

Kind Regards Nigel

Hi Nigel,

The false keel is exactly 10.0mm. Their kits do require some manual fine work. I like that because it is more challenging and fun to make some things from scratch.

 

Regards,

Vince P.

[NMBROOK]

I agree Vince,I have a compulsion never to build a kit out of the box,at least the Euromodel way,you don't feel you are paying for lot of things you don't use.Other than the decks and bulkheads there is hardly any precut plywood parts in my kit,just piles of solid hardwood.I do think they are more of a materials package for a scratchbuild than a modern precut plywood everything modern kit.It certainly gives us plenty of scope to take things as far as we wish

 

Kind Regards Nigel

[pirozzi]

Looks like a nice ship to build. I'm not familiar with Euromodels kits and what you say about the "reference notes" in the web site is something I wish was more common in other kit brands.

Question: Don't you feel there are too many metallic parts? That's the impression I got from your pictures.

Best of lucks with your build!!!

 

Cheers!

Hi there,

After building the SOS which had over 600 metal castings, this one is not so bad. Looks to be just a couple of hundred.  One thing here is that each of those pieces will have to be painted or guilded. The SOS came with the fittings already finished.

 

Vince P.

[pirozzi]

The bulkheads on this ship are so wide and tall and they initially are only held in place where they join the false keel. It is impossible to keep them perfectly square in the 3 dimenesional planes because they warp under there own weight. The Euro interpretive notes suggest placing pieces of wood in between each bulkhead on both sides. This is a great idea, and using a square and digital caliper you can micro cut the wood pieces to make the bulkheads square in all directions. It also make the whole structure very rigid and strong. This all is extremely important when it comes time to lay the decks and plank the hull.

Also, there are 2 slots cut in the false keel between the bulkheads which serve as a platform to step the fore and main masts. By adding a piece of wood on each side of the slot, it makes a perfectly square and upright space to set the masts. They will sit perfectly vertical from port to starboard and still allow canting them front to back if needed. This also came from the Euro notes. All of the extra wood pieces were made from scrap from the plywood bulkhead sheets.

 

Vince P.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Vince P.

[pirozzi]

All of the bulkheads are fixed in place and squared to each other and the false keel. Placing the lower deck comes next. The deck is precut into two halfs cut along the length. Each half has to be cut again into two pieces across the slots for bulkhead "1" There is no way to get the deck threaded into the bulkheads and down to the lower most supports without cutting it. Each quarter is then treaded through the upper bulkhead slot in the bow and slanted down until it gets to the bottom support at the stern. It is necessary to adjust the little slots to fit the bulkheads, but not much. Squaring the bulkheads made the difference here. Once both rear halfs are threaded into place, each half is secured to the forward bulkhead using wedges to hold them down to the curved deck supports while the glue dries. Both halfs are done together, one bulkhead at a time towards the stern, in order to keep the halfs butted together.

 

Vince P.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Vince P.

[DenPink]

Hi Vince

Going on your photos of the kit it looks like you have got a lot of white metal parts.

You said you are going to paint or gild ( gold leaf ) them.

To keep your cost down you can get a substitute gold leaf that you apply the same way as gold leaf.

 

Denis.

[fnkershner]

Hey are you working in my garage? It sure looks like it. the same work bench, the same tools, and the same clamps. Great work so far.

[pirozzi]

Hey are you working in my garage? It sure looks like it. the same work bench, the same tools, and the same clamps. Great work so far.

Yes, I have a drone that is watching you so I can copy your stuff..  

 

Vince P.

[pirozzi]

I am dry fitting the lower decks and placing the hull stringers. When I first placed the bulkheads, I marked a center line on the top of each in order to help keep them all in line when fixing them permantely. When dry fitting the decks that are cut in half lengthwise, it is necessary to adjust the depth of the slots that fit around each bulkhead. You need a reference point to know how much to adjust them. A center line on every deck platform on all bulkheads is just the thing. You then simply line up the center edge of the deck half with the center line mark and adjust the slots until the deck seats down. Both halves then line up correctly and are also in line with the deck below.

When placing the stringers, the slots in the bulkheads need some adjusting and the first 3 at the bow and the last 3 at the stern need beveling to alow the stringers to wrap around the curve of the hull.

 

Also, I was doing a little planning ahead and noticed that the deck planking strips supplied are walnut and a little too dark for authentic planking. Ships had decking that was pale and weathered looking. A friend suggested wood like tanganyka is more like that. I agree and ordered some from my supplier. It seems that there is a limited supply here in the states and they are not certain of getting any more from overseas. There is a supplier in Australia however that has a good supply of tanganyka and other woods as well. You may want to keep them in mind if you run into wood supply problems. www.modelshipyard.com.au/

I did some experimenting with the walnut and by soaking the strips in Clorox household bleach for exactly 20 minutes, the color changes to a pale and weathered look. It is perfect for the realistic deck planking and will save me about $150, since I won't have to buy extra wood.

 

Vince P.

Edited May 6, 2014 by Vince P.