HMS Victory by Paul0367 - Constructo - Scale 1:94 - First wooden ship build

[Paul0367]

My bible is HMS Victory her construction career and restoration by Alan Mcgowan, Amazon, this is a great book, so deatailed. Really its a must for us builders.

[fxitgood]

Paul (Sir), Have been looking at the drawings for rigging lines from the Knightheads (part number 147) under the gangway on the bowsprit area. Cannot see how the lines are ran from the two eye bolts (part number 183) on the bottom of the Knightheads? Do you have a diagram of the lines in this area and where they go to, please? Thank You Paul (Sir)! Very respectfully, Rich

[Paul0367]

I hope this is what your after and helps you

Edited September 12, 2015 by Paul0367

[Paul0367]

I'm still here, slowly working on the masts, although I have many nights off, I have too this is a bit repetative and rushing isn't an option. There are many more brass rings on my model as im keeping to the original as much as I possibly can but this adds time, lots and lots of time.

[Paul0367]

Hi John

This is why we join forums, due to keeping to the original design I made the section below the cap hexagonal, but this you quite rightly point out reduces the diameter. I have an image that made me think they were fine but I need to make them either thicker or reduce them above the caps to match. Mine are all still unglued at the moment.

[Paul0367]

Well I have worked on them, well the foremast, so far to address the error. I opted to reduce the mast top section a little.

This detail is omited from this and many other kits and images are hard to come by, thanks to your comment i'm able to rectify them. Appreciated John. Honestly as you are, what do you think of this one.

[fxitgood]

Paul (Sir), Your bending of the brass around the masts are awesome. Do you have a trick to bending the brass (heating it up or soaking in hot water)? Thanks again for you awesome pictures and information. Very respectfully, Rich

[Paul0367]

Well its confession time. The mast adourned by brass rings are not the brass supplied in the kit, especially as all mine was used up making preventer links and other brackets. It would be difficult, no, impossible to bend the brass supplied in the kit that way. Ok here goes, another modeller, Josh from Canada used brass tape, must be brass not gold, brass tape is nowhere to be found in the uk, for uk modellers reading this ( well I couldn't find it ) so I got mine from USA. It is very tricky to work with and lacks great adhesion, ( well my roll did) because of this it requires a tiny dot of super glue to ensure it doesn't roll off. Thats after its been cut to thickness and fitted, it has a tendency to coil as you peel it off the glass used for cutting and its a pain to uncoil, also needs smoothing out with a blunt smooth edge once its on the mast. After all the toil and time its worth it in the end, especially if you going for the scale look, as there are far more rings than the kit shows, well a lot, lot more.

 

Hope this helps and you haven't been trying to bend the thick brass in the kit

[shihawk]

Now you tell us !!!! I spent ages bending brass strip and eventually gave up ,even countersunk it into the mast to try and simulate yours . Just couldn,t figure out how you done it . Relieved now i know .LOL !!!

[AndyW]

Haven't forgotten Paul on the codes....

 

Nice on the brass "rings" I was just going to buy brass shim and cut into strips, readily available in a extremely thin thickness has the advantage no ripple but you have to use adhesive.

[Paul0367]

Sorry shihawk I feel terrible now,,,. I got the brass to bend on my jib with the joint at the bottom out of sight but really not possible on the mast and to bend at the scale we are working with, especially if going for all out scale I assumed it was noticeably tape. I'm pleased it looks like brass from the kit. ( that said it is still brass)

AndyW... If the tape was unsuccessful my brother suggested the same path using very thin brass strip and doing the same as tape. Anyone whom is building this kit needs to drop the kit brass for the masts, in my opinion and Shihawk confirms this it just isn't feasible.

 

Using brass tape is no easy alternative beleive me, it a start, do a couple and walk away job. Also a remove and start again thing, look at my post and you'll see they took ages and most of the time I just didn't want to fight with it so had many night off whilst I got prepaired.

[Paul0367]

It would be rude to live 300 miles from her and not pop in, she is going through a heavy restoration at the momemt. This has removed all mast upper sections also the bow jib and the rear captains quarters is totally covered up but wow guys she is beautiful, the lower mast sections are huge as are the fittings on them. As for my little one, nothing done since my last mast rings were fitted, reason, some would roll off in time and need tacking and I was leaving them at least a month to settle and tack, prior to moving on. All seam happy to remain where intended now.

[Paul0367]

Ha ha, its a shame she has a lot of beauty stripped off at the moment during the restoration, the figurehead does look great above my fireplace though until they notice its gone. There was another copy mounted on a frame in the military section of the docks, they can use that one, that said its an active base she resides in, its got two armed guards at the entrance. There are also guards in every area the public can wander. We didnt tour the whole site just the Victory but I will return when she is fully restored, mine should be completed by then though. Books or pictures do no justice to how beautifully she was build for the job in hand, too good really to go to war, just so much attention to detail and craftmanship. Many overseas builders on MSW may never see this ship in the flesh as they say, I would put it on your bucket list, when she is completely built she will be a sight to be seen.

[donrobinson]

When is she scheduled to be completed?

[Paul0367]

I was told by a guy working there two to three years but since you asked I did a bit of digging, the latest news is each mast top ads 25 tons to the structure and the ships structural integrity would be compromised adding them back on. She is collapsing under her own weight and there trying to sure up the main structure. there is a possibility they may never be reinstated. They have been removed since 2011 and no completion forecast date has been

 

 

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/defence/restorers-face-last-chance-to-preserve-hms-victory-1-6500146

[Paul0367]

Anyone looking at my images of late will know I called in on the old girl this weekend. I took a few pictures but this one puzzled me. The out rigger pictured is not in any of my literature, I'm guessing it is for the deploying of the rear anchors, stored and brought to the fore when required, with a suitable rope that is rather than the tooth floss currently attached.

This resides at the front of the ship level with the foremast.

 

 

[Paul0367]

Oh thank you, I have looked these up, there stored just over the other side of the rails, another addition I am to make. Just not sure how they fix in position, have you any info

[Paul0367]

Having had qiite a break, I have picked up and started to make a move on this ship. Due to the break half hour was spent tracing my steps and finding where I am actually upto, I know, I know them dreaded canons need finishing and rigging but still on the masts at the moment, I made the topmast fairleads and fitted. As you know ts the small things that eat the time

[Paul0367]

All the effort with the mast, for it to be roped up like this and covered up.

[shihawk]

You may find in quite a few cases that some of your best work will be covered up at a later stage ,remember this when rigging the cannons ?Only consolation is you know it,s there . Still lookin great !!!!!

[Paul0367]

Yes, I know what you mean, there is 700 little men below deck but the planking hide them too. Funny though, make an error and everyone sees it. Which to be honest for me is very helpful, somethings you don't notice when your working on it, until a third party points it out. Then its oh yes, of course 

 

Just a pic or two to help anyone out.

[Paul0367]

I have been adding a few details prior to the upper sections being added

[shihawk]

Maybe i,m wrong in my method but as i,m at a similiar stage ,masts and rigging , i found that if you can possibly leave off the fittings on the top section of the mast untill the shrouds are fitted ,it means they can be slid on and off easily meaning tying the  deadeyes can be done off ship on the bench ,if that makes sense ???? 

[Paul0367]

Yes, good idea, the uppers can be added much later

[Paul0367]

Going slow ( no rush) but started my spars, now the lathe can really be used, saving me a lot of time and effort. Still have the canons to rig, surprise, surprise. One day I may shock myself and probably anyone whom reads my posts and actually rig them.

[FatFingers]

Nice work Paul, and thanks for the pictures of Victory. They are new, post repaint images of her in her Trafalgar colours. I think she looks really good.

[Paul0367]

She looks stunning, shame there is a lot missing at the moment, trouble is there not sure it the vessel will ever get the upper mast due to the extra weight imposed on the already weak hull. 

[waspy]

Thanks for the detailed build log Paul - I'm getting this kit for christmas from the wife and like you, I've never made a wooden ship either so the info in here will help immensely! I don't for a minute believe I'll get mine to your standard but at least I know what is possible from the kit!

 

Christmas can't come quick enough!

 

/Waspy

[Paul0367]

Don't wish your life away, Christmas will be here too soon. I have tried to put as many pictures on as possible, even making the smallest parts to help anyone who builds the same kit, indicating my trials and tribulations along the way. The kit manufactures assume that because we buy there premium kits we have built kits before and that we know what to do between there sketchy instructions. Hopefully I help here.You will be fine though. Just the old saying measure twice cut once and stop when tired, my rear quarters being recut was a nightmare caused by carrying on when I should have stopped but keep an eye on the rear and side windows, ensuring they line up. Lastly, any question or further pictures you need you only have to ask. really I don't mind at all.

[fxitgood]

Paul (Sir), Hope your Holidays are full of family and fun! Be safe and healthy. Your skill in model building is so awesome. I am working on the Foremast, Mainmast; but not sure what blocks are to be rigged on the Foretop and Maintop areas. CONSTRUCTO diagrams are not very good. The diagram at the very top of this page shows lots of robes and things. Just looking for the number and locations of the blocks underneath and on top of the platforms. Hope you can help. Thank You. Happy, Safe and Healthy Holidays! Very respectfully, Rich