HMS Vanguard by RMC - FINISHED - Amati/Victory Models - scale 1:72

[Jdieck]

Hi Bob.

You are doing an amazing job. I know, been there.

If there is any consolation, I just remembered that I missed those eyelets until it was time to rig and had to fix them in place.

 

Arthur

Nice, very nice model. How do you make those ropes to fall so natural? water? watered glue? weights? It really escapes my mind. They look so real.

I noticed you both actually installed working hinges on the gun ports. Lots of detail there.

Edited January 26, 2017 by Jdieck

[RMC]

Arthur/Jose: I am just about to start mounting the yards.  I have come across what appears to be an inconvenient (for me at least) afterthought which has surfaced on Plan 10. (see photo).

 

 

This is how it appears in Petersson.

 

 

In one of your earlier posts Jose (replied to by Arthur), you wrote words to the effect that:

 

'2 x mm  blocks for the topgallant yard lifts had to be rigged for the standing part of the lines - not shown on the block rigging drawing for the topgallant masts'.

 

Were you referring to my current problem? If so, how did you deal with it?  Do you have a photo?

Edited January 27, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

Bob.

The ones I was refering to are the 3mm blocks for the topgallant yard that are missing the "eyelets" for the standing part of the rigging. See pic.

 

 

For the blocks used for the top yard, I attached them as indicated on the plans between the first and second shrouds.

 

Sorry for the pic but all treads are black so it is difgicult to show but this is the one between shrouds.

 

.

Edited January 27, 2017 by Jdieck

[Jdieck]

That is right Arthur. I had to install them high otherwise the lift would have not worked on a raised yard.

[RMC]

Thank you both  for taking the time to help.  At this stage my fundamental question is how do I attach the 3mm blocks for the lifts? I found it difficult to see just how you had done it. I have mounted a dummy to illustrate what seems at this stage of construction the only way possible.  I would appreciate your reactions.

 

As you may see, I have simply tied the block to the middle cross-member of the cross tree, which enables the lift to go between the first and second shrouds.  It doesn't seem very elegant, but it should work I hope.  Is there a better solution?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 28, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

Hi Bob.

Installing the block between the shrouds takes some work but it is easier than it apears. I installed them after the yard was installed so I could assess the proper position of the blocks.

To do so here is how I did it.

Insure the blocks have the groves on the sides. Slide the block up between the shrouds and the shrouds will hold it as the space between the shrouds is slightly smaller than the width of the block.

With the eye of a needle apply a bit of CA to the block at the contact point with the shroud to hold the block in place permanently.

After that, it is just a matter of simulating the seizing by wrapping a thin line (black) three times above and below the block.

 

Enjoy!

Edited January 30, 2017 by Jdieck

[Jdieck]

Arthur

 

I think they are called sister blocks because they were actually a sister block, one sheave above the other.

One sheave was used for the yard lifts as in the model, the second one was most probably used for the rigging of the reef tackle used to reduce the size of the sail in case of heavy winds.

Edited January 30, 2017 by Jdieck

[RMC]

My computer crashed (terminally)on sunday. I hope to be back with some progress next week.

[Jdieck]

Oh Bob. That really is anoying.

Hope you did not lose anything important.

[AON]

Yikes.

I had that happen to me and the timing was disastereous.

Hope your timing does not fair badly.

[RMC]

I now have a new computer with windows 10.  I was quite attached to my old steam-driven machine. I will try to post some photos of progress, such as it is, and hope they come out - and now it seems they did.

 

I'm hoping that this is about the correct positioning of the blocks between the first and second shrouds. The following show the block simply (PVA) glued (not yet seized) between the shrouds on the main mast.  There is very little room indeed between the shrouds on the fore and mizzen masts, so that may prove to be interesting.

 

 

 

A number of the yards are attached to the masts using truss pendants. After looking at the illustration in Petersson rather blankly for some time  (the plan was not worth a sausage) I hope this is what is meant. The following is an experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

Comments/corrections are welcome

 

 

Edited February 7, 2017 by RMC

[RMC]

Arthur: I hope I have corrected the truss pendants. I have attached to them to the fore yard along with some other rigging which should be easier off the model than on.(?)

 

 

(If anyone has suggestions regarding anything else that may be rigged before the yards are mounted or if there are problems with the way I have done it so far, I would be very  pleased to hear them.)

 

 

 

The nave line is a problem.

 

As you can see the block is supposed to be attached to the top near the mast  and presumably dropped through the hole.

There is simply no way I can do this or anything close to it at this stage of construction. This is what the foretop looks like. (I see I need to tidy up a couple of the loops.)

 

 

 

If there is an alternative to the Petersson illustration I'll certainly try it, but at this stage it looks as if the nave line will have to be omitted.  If so please don't tell anyone.

 

 

Jose: sorry I haven't got back to you yet- I have mainly been doing battle with my new computer.  It's far, far ahead on points.

Edited February 8, 2017 by RMC

[RMC]

Arthur: is this what you have done?

 

 

If so, for the fore yard it must be close to fouling the rigging lines for the main topmast stay and preventer stay. You can see the two lines in the second-last of my photos in my previous log.

 

It looks as if the procedure would easier to apply to the main yard as there is no similar rigging in the way - though there is no mention of truss pendants for the main yard in Petersson.

 

Unfortunately my cap cannot be removed.  A pity, as I am sure it would make rigging the jeers and slings much easier.

 

 

The cross-jack: is there a prize for guessing not plan (6)? I doubt very much that I  would have thought to look at Petersson.

Edited February 9, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

Hi Bob.

Nice drawing.

I think Arthur installed the block as in your drawing see pic 7703 at the linked page

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/201-hms-vanguard-by-aew-victory-models-scale-172/page-28?hl=%20hms%20%20vanguard#

 

To help with rigging lines I deviated a bit and installed the block at the center but under the rear of the top rather than at the edge.

One pic is from the main and the other from the fore.

Edited February 9, 2017 by Jdieck

[RMC]

Thanks for the help Jose. On the 18th of Feb. have a drink on me (the cheque's in the mail ). You have done an outstanding job.

[Jdieck]

I will Bob.

And I will be "checking" ... on you my friend

[RMC]

I  have now put together a nave line.  It is attached to a new block in the centre of the rear of the top awaiting the mounting of the foreyard - suggested  by Arthur and Jose. I have some misgivings (it's not very accessible), but it's worth a try.  

 

 

Incidentally, some of the standing rigging has suddenly become slack (a couple of the back stays and a couple of the shrouds).  Fortunately I had not finally tied off the culprits and was able to tighten them up without too much trouble. I am wondering now whether the extraordinarily hot weather we have experienced this summer (and particularly this week) is to blame. My work room is not air conditioned . Yesterday the temperature at my house in the southern suburbs of Sydney was 45 deg C 110 +deg F).  Today it's even hotter.

 

Has anyone else experienced this in hot weather?

Edited February 11, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

Wow Bob.

45 inside the house is a lot.

Hope you at least get a fan and pleanty of your favorite beer.

[RMC]

Arthur: if you look at the official temperature taken in Sydney, it comes from Observatory Hill, close to the harbour  where it was about 39 deg C today.  It's close to the coolest place in the city. We live on the Georges River, about 10 km inland and the shade temperature was 45 deg C at 14.00.  Some of our western suburbs today had 47 deg C. It's the hottest summer since records began about 160 odd years ago. And It's NOT doing MY rigging ANY GOOD AT ALL.

Edited February 11, 2017 by RMC

[RMC]

The royal backstays are now fitted, and after the hot weather, most of the stays have been re-tensioned. Fortunately I had not finally made off the culprits, so that rather than being a small disaster, it was just a bit of a pain.

 

Here is he model with the standing rigging complete (I hope)

 

 

Fixing the blocks for the topsail yard lifts proved to be quite difficult.  With so many lines it was hard to see where he thread was going and, moreover, there is little space to move. I found the fore and the mizzen quite difficult indeed. As well, that the shrouds had been served made them comparatively inflexible.  The result has been just adequate despite a number of attempts. At least the lifts themselves should cover some of the shortcomings. Here is a sample.

 

 

Finally in order to keep some semblance of sanity between the gnashing of teeth, I followed Arthur's lead and stained the parral beads. They are simply threaded onto a piece of thread and dipped two or three times into a tin of poly urethane stain I happened to have.

 

 

All of this has given me an excuse to procrastinate in putting up the yards.  No excuses now.

Edited February 14, 2017 by RMC

[Beef Wellington]

Looking spectacular Bob, rigging included.

[RMC]

Thanks Jason.  In the last couple of weeks or so, it's been one step forward, two steps back.

[RMC]

The foreyard has finally been hoisted.  It was a rather fraught process.  The jeers, sling, truss pendants and nave line are all done, though nothing has been finally tied off yet.  At least I learned a lesson when some of the stays became slack in the hot weather.

 

 

 Here are the jeers in prgress.  I found it best to gradually raise the yard by about 10mm then tighten the lines to the blocks then repeat the process until the yard was at the correct height. It took quite some time.

 

Here is the start ....

 

...and about halfway up.

 

Rigging the sling was a bit fiddly.  I lifted the sling to give easier access, tied the thread to the upper thimble, then  down to the lower thimble,  then repeated the process (make sure the thread is long).

 

(I changed the 'tarred' thread for natural)

 

Finished, though not tied off.

 

 

Here is the nave line. I'm not sure the result was worth all  the trouble, though I am glad now that it's there. All the rigging surrounding it made the whole thing a rather fraught process.

 

 

 

This what the yard now looks like -since taking these photos I have made the footropes to hang properly.

 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

Good going there Bob. Looking really good.

[RMC]

I have corrected the four single blocks attached to the rear of the top: they were upside down .  I followed a suggestion from Arthur to drill holes above the existing (too low) holes.  I then filled the original holes.  All is now well.  (I hope.)

 

 

Edited February 21, 2017 by RMC

[Jdieck]

I used Chuck's blocks so just now I realize the blocks on the kit have only one hole. More complicated having to watch for block orientation.

Good you could correct it. Great work.

[RMC]

I wish now that I had used his blocks.  I don't think they were available when I started.  His thread is certainly better than the kit thread - not all that expensive, but the postage to Oz is a bit fierce.

[RMC]

I am now belaying some of the rigging to the bitts at the foot of the foremast. I have done and undone various lines a number of times. It occurred to me that there is a problem if the various lines are belayed piecemeal without an idea of just how many lines have to be done, and in what order it is best to do them.  In the case of the foremast bitts, they are very crowded indeed. The belaying points shown in the plans are spread over 4 sheets.

 

 The following drawing gives an idea of just how crowded they are, and, I hope, how best to plan the belaying. The belaying points are shown numbered, and the plan numbers are shown in parenthesis. This may help some other poor souls who share my frustration.

Edited February 23, 2017 by RMC

[Roadking]

Excellent!  You've done an amazing job. Thanks for posting the photos. 

[Jdieck]

Crowded indeed. With sails it adds four or six more lines on each bit. I installed four belaying pins on each bit but more than half of the lines I had to belay just around the cross member of the bits. Install one, rip two... LOL ; -)