Golden Star by nataniel - Mantua - Scale 1:150 - first wooden ship build

[nataniel]

Hi ship bulders, this is my first wood model and I like to share my build log with you, so by your comments I can learn to build wood model ships better.

 

From other posts I know, that Golden Star is not very realistic ship | brig, but I started to do it more by myself, so some details will be different from original. I hope, that this will do it more realistic and more detailed as is a kit model. Also I want to learn build wood ships and work with wood.

 

As you can see on last picture, I haven't a big table for building, but it enough to me, because this is table made by me, so I feel better .

 

I started to built a ship year ago, so I will post the steps up to now in short time.

[Anja]

Hello Nataniel,

 

Welcome aboard.

 

Nice start. And thank you for sharing your build with us.

If needed, you'll find plenty of advise, help and encouragement from everyone.

 

Enjoy your stay here and happy modeling.

 

Anja

[nataniel]

Thank you Anja :-)
 
this forum gives me a few ideas and shove to start with building own ship.
Now I post other set of progress (as I started year ago, I have built more, but I can post it not in one part).
At this part you can see, how I made a sceleton of first layer of planking - I didn't use the same steps as are in build-plan, but I tried to learn to do more realistic planking. I bended lime planks in boiled water and then formed it on cylinder (pot from kitchen ) by clips.

[clearway]

Nice work so far, if you want to learn more about planking read Harold Underhill- plank on frame models volume1 from brown and furguson publishers.

Keith

Edited May 1, 2014 by clearway

[nataniel]

@clearway: thank you. I plan to buy some book, but in Slovakia is hard to find some good books about old ship buildings and delivery from Amazon and ebay is more expensive, then book. But I looked to building steps of some people, which has experiences with building and also I checked couple of pictures of boats ... yes, still is here couple of things, what I must learn :-)
 
Here are other pictures from building:

 

what is a different from original plan is, that I replace "deck hauses" (I don't know, how to name it) by grades (but this you will see next time).

[nataniel]

In this kitt is missing me some cutter or jolly boat, so I made one. The progress you can see here. Also I made small changes on the deck with the door (as you can see on previous post).

 

I have a question: I don't know, how it is with boats in 17th-18th century, but is built cutter for Golden Star correct?

I also think about building a jolly boat, but I don't know, where to place it, so I take it to the future.

 

Note: cutter is not complet, because I'm waiting for a brass plates (in my order I must wait for another types of a wood).

[nataniel]

Story is continuing ... next steps what I made was finishing a first layer of planking and preparation for next one - planking with walnut planks. Also I prepared backgrounds for a windows and deck doors.

 

Walnut wood is more stronger then lime wood (basswood - which word is better?), but has a better aroma during boiling .

 

Question: do you prefer boiling in water or in steam? And how long you have a wood in water / steam? Or do you use other way for planks bending?

 

[nataniel]

And story is continuing. I made a decision to prepare Golden Star not as brig with guns, but market brig. And to be more representative I made not all planks from walnut wood, but replace gunport part by lime wood + I like to engraving some adornments.

 

From pictures you can also see, that I replaced original windows by selfmade. And also other parts made from plywood I'm replacing step by step by selfmade from walnut or lime wood.

 

All second layer planks I tried to do by real examles, so also planks around first deck are made without cutting planks to triangel and they are put from front to back - original plans (as you probably know) are very simplified (for me). I know - this ship is for beginners as I'm, but I like to have it in right way.

[Anja]

Hello Nataniel,

 

You are making some great progress.

Nice job on the planking and the windows.

And I like the combination with the lime wood.

 

Anja

[nataniel]

Thank you Anja

Planking is not ideal, but at first time it can be

Here I like to present a progress with body of a ship.

Here are bit differences specially at back part of a ship, where I used different wood and also other small differences, which you can see from attached pictures. Windows are completelly different, I added also steps for the highest deck, where is added also back shield. On the decks are parts maded from walnut wood.

Also I prepared different holes for anchor's rope (across a fore), where I add also wood rings (here is a wire, which waits for a anchor's rope).

 

These photos are close to actual state. Until yet it takes me 1,5 years from beginning (only few evenings per week I have a time for this). Quite a lot, but lot of time I waiting for additional wood parts, because shops hasn't all wood diameters on storage and everytime it took 2 months until delivering.

[Anja]

Hello Nataniel,

 

You're doing great. She's really beginning to take shape.

Looking forward to your progress.

 

Anja

[TurkSailor]

Wow! 

 

This looks brilliant! 

 

Keep up the work! 

 

Cheers,

Eyup 

[nataniel]

Thank you

I hope, that next progress doesn't disappoint you

[captgino]

Great looking ship!! You are doing a great job!!!

[nataniel]

Hello... longer time I didn't paste here any progres, but yes ... I'm confessing ... I was layzy

 

At summer I have broken one anchor, so longer time I looked on the internet for replacing (without success), so I started to mady my own from wood.

 

In pictures you can see a stairs which I made (original wasn't so nice) and how I made an anchor.

 

And also picture, in final color and place (I forgot to make a picture, then I was painted and not placed on the ship).

[nataniel]

And I made also some progress with front mast, what I made for me more better then original and tried to do as well and realistic as possible - for first woodship ok ... I just learn how to work with wood and ropes.

 

Also I placed jolly boat to the right place and finished anchor's winch in my way.

 

Later I place here another progress with first and second mast and theirs (I don't know right english word for this) mast's decks (what is a right name)?

[nataniel]

If you have some points to my work, that something is not correct or how to do it better, please write it... I welcome any criticism

[GuntherMT]

You look to be doing a fantastic job, and truly amazing work for a first build, especially as such a small scale!

[popeye the sailor]

for your first build,  looks like you've done a great job.   you've made good use of the blonde woods  {unstained},  and I really like how your ship's boat came out 

 

to add new techniques to this build would be a detriment.........you've put way too much character in this build,  to muddle it.  

[nataniel]

Thank you to all I appreciate it!

[nataniel]

I wish to everybody all the best in New Year. I came back from Christmas vacantion, so I can post a new progres in my work.

 

As you can see from pictures, I started my work with masts and theirs anchoring by black ropes. I forgot to take pictures from prepared ropes with wraps on nodes, but from close up pictures you can see it. In next boat I'll do more precise work with ropes - I must find a way and tools, how to make it better.

 

Next steps will be ladders here and another ropes, which anchoring masts to the deck.

 

Also I post here some engraved part on the back of boat.

[popeye the sailor]

nice work on the shrouds so far.......is there really a solid rule?   the order I follow most of the time would be fore stays....then the shrouds.

    I also see that your doing the assembly per mast step........which is also a good approach {I'm the knucklehead that's still assembling the entire mast...and then rigging }.   would doing the fore stay after the shroud...add too much tension to the shroud?  I wouldn't think so,  if your careful with how much tension you use.  the foremast lower fore stay is a dead eye pulley assembly anyway,  so it would be easy to adjust the tension,  keeping as close to the + side of zero tension as possible.  the shrouds should be taught,  so the ratlines can be done.

 

your making some good progress........I hope others chime in and give their views on this as well.  from the diagrams I see in the background.......you have some unique rigging ahead of you 

[nataniel]

Thank you for the comment.

 

In the original build plan was masts builds in one piece, but I started to made in mast steps. In the shrouds are not so many tension and in next progress you will see also fore stays. From the build plan I wasn't sure, what to do as first, so I started with shrouds.

 

Yes, diagrams - between build plan and diagrams to ship are some differences, so I made rigging by another examples from this page.

 

And thank you again - now I learned more from terminology (I realy must to buy some book about ship building).

[nataniel]

And here is some progress ... I made to the back own engraved pattern (I'm learning engraving to the wood) and I plan to do another one above the windows.

 

As you can see from the last picture, on the first mast are differences on the shrouds to the first mast step - on the right it is shorter and other side I'll fix later, when I'll made here ratlines.

 

With hindsight and from the picture I see, that I made couple of mistakes, but I'm lazy to fix this now

[popeye the sailor]

you should have all three shrouds done before you do your ratlines    is the third one a back stay?  three shrouds for the fore mast,  and four shrouds for the main mast.   back stays are interesting depending on the vessel your working on.   some are tensioned with dead eyes,  but for most vessels,  they are usually done with a pulley assembly.  the stern decorations look very nice.......your 1 up on me with the carving   your putting some very nice character in this build.

 

I also notice how you did the futtock shrouds..........in conjunction with the second step dead eyes?   did you cement them into the tops?  if you didn't,  I would suggest that you do.   when you rig your second step shrouds,  they will in turn pull on the futtock ropes and contort the first step shrouds.   I'm not sure if your diagram show this......this of course,  depends on the detail that they show........where the futtocks lash to the first step shrouds,  there is a stave there {it can be of wood or thin brass rod...of course painted black}.  this holds the shrouds together at that point,  and provides a lash point for the futtocks.   joining these two stave points together, in there between the shrouds,  are ropes called carthpins {I hope I spelt and said this right}.   these control how much tension that the futtocks put on the shrouds and stop them from pulling the shrouds out of shape.......they will to a very minor degree,  due to rope stretch

 

I figured I'd give you this bit of information......if you cemented in the second step dead eyes,  you won't need to add it,  if you don't want to.  sounds like your doing a bit of bash work on you own......and that's a good thing     these smaller kits do omit some cool detail,  and information that you acquire,  will allow you to add them in.  this is also the best way to learn terms and names of different parts.  I'm not an expert either..........I remember the first ship I did.......{I don't want to talk about it}     keep going.....your doing some nice work here 

[Rach10199]

On 5/2/2014 at 10:34 AM, nataniel said:

In this kitt is missing me some cutter or jolly boat, so I made one. The progress you can see here. Also I made small changes on the deck with the door (as you can see on previous post).

 

I have a question: I don't know, how it is with boats in 17th-18th century, but is built cutter for Golden Star correct?

I also think about building a jolly boat, but I don't know, where to place it, so I take it to the future.

 

Note: cutter is not complet, because I'm waiting for a brass plates (in my order I must wait for another types of a wood).

Wow this looks great! Such tiny detail. This is right up my alley. 👍😊