jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 #1 Posted October 26, 2014 I'm trying to recover a build log of this vessel that was originally posted on Modelshipworld forum that crashed +/- one year ago loosing all the topics available at the moment of the crash. I periodically saved the pages and now I can rebuild with reasonnable efforts and precision the text and the images. I think it may be useful to some of you considering that here there are people working on the same model of the same kit manufacturer. Remember to watch always to the date on top of each message to have a better understanding of when the facts really happened. Regards, Jack.Aubrey Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 Hello to everybody I'm building the static model of a Spanish 1st rate vessel, the Santisima Trinidad. It's not a scratch built model but it is built with materials and instructions shipped monthly with a periodic magazine from De Agostini, an Italian press editor. Currently there are several models that are sold by De Agostini in this way. In addition to the Santisima Trinidad, there is another model of a spanish vessel, San Felipe, the Japanese Battleship Yamato and the Luis Vitton Cup Luna Rossa. This is only an initial message in order to introduce myself and what I want to do in this forum. My nick name is Jack.Aubrey. I selected this nickname because Jack is one of the two protagonists of the historic novel series from Patrick O'Brian. Maybe he's more known from the movie "Master and Commander". I have read all his books of this series translated in Italian. I'm italian. I'm 57 years old and I was a ship modeler when I was young. Six months ago I retired form active work and I have resumed my old hobby. When I was young I built some models. They are all about +/-35 years old. If you are interested to see some photos of them please have a look to the forum titled "The 74-gun ship San Juan Nepomuceno" on page 1. The San Juan is another model that I'm currently building. Regards. Jack Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #2 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 As I usually like to do, I will start with some historical informations about the ship. The source of these informations are from a Peter Goodwin book. Peter is keeper and curator of the HMS Victory museum. After that I will introduce the kit and his manufacturer. Finally I will show the model. Good reading ..... The 136-gun ship Santìsima Trinidad Nuestra senora de la Santìsima Trinidad, meaning ‘Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity’, was the seventh ship to bear this name in the Spanish Royal Navy. The first Santìsima Trinidad served with the great Armada sent by Philip II to invade England in 1588. The Trafalgar Santìsima Trinidad was initially built as a three decked 120 gun ship designed by Matthew Mullen, although it has been suggested that her design could be attributed to Pedro de Acosta. Irish by birth, Mullen had migrated to Spain from England with his son Igniatius in 1750 to take up a position in La Carraca dockyard at Cadiz. Mullen had been hired along with many others to improve Spanish ship design. When Mullen married a Spanish noblewoman in 1754 they modified their names to Mateo and Ignacio Mullàn. Ignacio soon equalled his father as a ship designer and constructor. On 11 November 1766 Mullàn received orders to supervise ship construction in the Royal Arsenal of Havana and, before his departure in April the following year, he submitted his plans for building a large 112 gun ship. Once San Luis (80) had been launched at Havana on 30 September 1767 work on Mullàn’s ship began but he was never to see his concept materialise. Dying of the ‘black vomit’ on 25 November 1767, the design and construction of this great and yet unnamed ship was transferred to Ignacio. Mullàn’s ship was named Nuestra Senora de la Santìsima Trinidad by royal proclamation on 12 March 1768. Built at a cost of 140,000 pesetas the Santìsima Trinidad was launched at 11.30 a.m. on 3 March 1769. Measuring almost 213.66 Burgos feet on the waterline and about 57.75 Burgos feet in breadth, some 360,000 cubic feet of timber was consumed in her construction. At 50 cubic feet per load, or tree, this volume of timber equates to 7,200 trees taken from about 120 acres of land. Like all spanish ships built in Havana, the Santìsima Trinidad was built with Cuban mahogany and cedar. Timber for her masts and spars was imported from the Baltic as the more local supply of pine from the forests of Mexico had already been depleted. (To be continued ….) Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #3 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Wed May 02, 2007 Second episode of the Santìsima Trinidad long history ..... Service Career 1769: Santisìma Trinidad was launched as a 120 gun ship at the Artillero Real (royal dockyard), Havana at 11.30 a.m. on 3 March and fitted for sea service. She received a royal order on 30 March to sail for El Ferrol, Spain. Command of the ship was appointed to Captain Joaquin de Marguna Echezarreta who took up his post on 1 December. Initially armed with just thirty-two 24 pounders and fourteen 12 pounders the ship was given a crew of 960 men. 1770: Ready for sea, Santisìma Trinidad sailed from Havana for El Ferrol on 19 February in company with the San Francisco de Paula, and anchored off Vigo on 12 April. After repairing some damage to her fore and mizzen yards she sailed again on 9 May and entered El Ferrol six days later. Between 21 July and 9 August Santisìma Trinidad underwent sea trials in company with the Guerrero and Santo Domingo. While on trials she was armed with thirty 24 pounders on her lower gun deck, thirty-two 12 pounders on her upper gun deck, two 8 pounders and sixteen 6 pounders on her quarter deck and four three pounder stone mortars on her forecastle. This gave her a single broadside weight of 998 pounds. It was during these trials that serious concern were raised about her stability, for although she was carrying some 39,500 quintals (1,816 tonnes) of ballast, the ship listed so badly the she could not use her lower deck gun battery in calm water. After this the ship was then liad up in ordinary. 1771: On 14 March Santisìma Trinidad was taken into dock at El Ferrol to attempt to eliminate her stability problems. Besides fitting a deep false keel, the works undetaken to lower her centre of gravity and her metacentric height to improve her righting moment comprised lowering her deck housing and lowering the height of her decks. Besides this her stern post, rudder and various other items were modified including altering the steeve (angle) of her bowsprit. 1778: Placed in commission under the command of Captain Fernandoz Daoìz, Santisìma Trinidad went to sea where on 7 August Daoìz reported that she still continued to have stability problems. 1779: On 22 June Spain declared war to Britain and entered the American War of Independence. Still under the command of Captain Daoìz, Santisìma Trinidad sailed fron Cadiz as the flagship of Lieutenant-General Don Luis de Còrdoba, deployed as part of the French invasion fleet commanded by Admiral Comte d’Orvilliers. As flagship of the observation squadron she had in company sixteen line of battle ships and two frigates. When the invasion plan was dissolved Santìsima Trinidad then served as part of the Spanish fleet blockading Gibraltar. 1780: Still flying the flag of Còrdoba, Santìsima Trinidad was involved in a number of sorties between 9 and 18 July. On 31 July she took up station off Cape St Vincent. While on this deployment she participated in the capture of a British convoy transporting troops and supplies to both Bombay and Jamaica on 9 August. (To be continued ….) Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #4 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 Another step in the history of this great ship .... 1781: Còrdoba took Santìsima Trinidad to sea again on 23 July and joined forces with the French fleet of 20 sail under Admiral the Comte de Guichen. Now comprising over 50 warships, the intention of this combined fleet was to recapture Minorca. Over the next few months Santìsima Trinidad was involved in the capture of a British convoy off Sisargas and supported the blockade of Gibraltar from Algeciras. Returning to Cadiz on 23 September, Santìsima Trinidad went into dock on 5 October to have her hull careened and her bottom coppered in compliance with recent legislation authorised by the Spanish navy. 1782: After Santìsima Trinidad was undocked on 23 April she rejoined the combined Franco-Spanish fleet and took part in the battle against Admiral Lord Howe’s fleet off Cape Spartel on 20 October. During this action the ship suffered one man killed and four wounded. 1783: After peace had been signed on 23 April, Santìsima Trinida returned to Cadiz where she was withdrawn from service although she remained under the command of Brigadier Pedro Autràn. 1796: Under Brigadier Rafael Orozco’s command and flying the flag of Admiral Juan Làngara, Santìsima Trinidad sailed from Cadiz with a squadron for the Mediterranean, cruising off Corsica and Italy. Going into Toulon in November, she sailed again in October, escorting Rear-Admiral Villeneuve’s ship bound for Brest. Having cleared the convoy, Santìsima Trinidad went into Cartagena on 20 December. Command of the Spanish squadron was now superseded by Leutenant-General Don Josè de Còrdoba y Ramos who hoisted his flag in the Santìsima Trinidad, although Orozco still held command of the ship. 1797: Receiving orders to sail for Cadiz, Còrdoba put to sea on 1 February with his fleet, comprising 27 ships of the line, twelve frigates, a brigantine and some smaller vessels. After re-provisioning at Cadiz Còrdoba’s fleet was to sail for Brest where it would join forces with the Dutch and French squadrons already assembled to invade England. Besides Santìsima Trinidad the other ship that had sailed from Cartagena with Còrdoba on 1 February which would later fight at Trafalgar were Principe de Asturias (112), Neptuno (80), Bahama (74), and San Ildefonso (74). The Spanish fleet fell in the Admiral Sir John Jervis squadron of 25 ships off Cape St Vincent on 14 February. In the ensuing battle, Santìsima Trinidad was simultaneously engaged under concentrated fire from the 74 gun ships Blenheim, Excellent, Irresistible and Orion. Despite her greater size and firepower Santìsima Trinidad would have struck her colours had it not been for the intervention of Real-Admiral Cisneros who arrived in time to give support and draw off British fire. Under fire for nearly five hours, Santisima Trinidad sustained heavy damage, she was totally dismasted and her larboard side had been virtually destroyed. Moreover she had been hulled by 60 round shot below the waterline causing her to take in three feet of water per hour. Her casualties amounted to 69 dead and 407 wounded. While Còrdoba transferred his flag into the frigate Diana, Santìsima Trinidad under jury masts was partially escorted by the frigate Mercedes towards Cadiz. After losing contact with Mercedes the ship was sighted by another British squadron en route. To avoid action, Captain Orozco hoisted British colours above the Spanish so the patrolling ships would think she had British prisoners on board. The subterfuge worked and the ship was able to get into Zafi, Morocco, where she remained until making sail again on 28 February. That night Santìsima Trinidad was attacked by the frigate Terpsichore which was driven off by her four 24 and 36 pounder stern chase guns. She received more damage and suffered one man killed and five wounded. Santìsima Trinidad finally reached Cadiz on 3 March. Once in port Admiral Josè de Mazarredo, captain-general of Cadiz, questioned Santisima Trinidad ability in battle against smaller ships. Having also found her unseaworthy, Mazarredo proposed that Santìsima Trinidad be beached at Cadiz as a defensive gun platform. Mazarredo’s recommendations were however overruled and the great ship was refitted and laid up until 1804. 1799: Because she had been extensively damaged during the battle of St. Vincent, Santìsima Trinidad had to go into dock in February for extensive repairs and was thoroughly careened. While in dock she was modified by extending her planking between the quarter deck and forecastle to mount more guns and consequently became the world’s only four-decked fighting ship, although this alteration further compromised her sailing quality and handiness. Already a colossal three-decked ship of 120 guns with a broadside weight of 1,204 pounds when built, she now had 16 additional gun ports. When rearmed on 12 February this allowed her to mount six 4 pounder carriage guns in her waist and ten 24 pounder carronades on her forecastle. This increased her a total broadside weight of fire by 132 pounds to 1,530 pounds. In all her firepower was 25 per cent greater than Nelson’s Victory. Santìsima Trinidad’s dimensions at this time ware recorded as follows: Length of the range of the gun deck: 63.36 m. Length of keel for tonnage: 54.02 m Extreme breadth: 16.67 m Depth in hold: 8.26 m Floor of the hold: 8.57 m Displacement: 2,475 tons Ballast: 20,000 quintals Complement: 1096 Ordnance – lower gun deck: 32 x 36 pounders Ordnance – third gun deck: 34 x 24 pounders Ordnance – second gun deck: 36 x 12 pounders Ordnance – quarter deck: 18 x 8 pounders Ordnance – waist: 4 x 4 pounder howitzers Ordnance – forecastle: 10 x 24 pounder carronades Single broadside weight: 1,300 pounds Note: Clowes lists Santìsima Trinidad as being armed with 130 guns which implies that the ship did not have the six 4 pounder carriage guns mounted in her waist until after 1797; therefore her broadside weight would have been marginally less than 1,530 pounds at this time. 1804: When Spain allied herself to France and entered the war against Britain, Napoleon virtually doubled the size of his operational navy to support his plan to invade England. Fitted for sea Santìsima Trinidad was placed in commission under the command of Don Francisco Javier de Uriarte y Borja. 1805: Lying in Cadiz harbour ready to sail with Villeneuve’s combined fleet, Santìsima Trinidad clearly stood out from her consorts. Besides having four gun decks, her sides were painted, according to Lieutenant William Lovell serving on British Neptune (98-gun) at Trafalgar, ‘ …. with four distinct lines of red, with a white ribbon between them …. ’. After hoisting the flag of Rear-Admiral Bàltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros, Santìsima Trinidad sailed from Cadiz with the combinet fleet on 19 October, Captain Uriarte in command. Only Santa Ana (112) with her completely black hull could equal her majestic appearance. (to be continued … next Trafalgar !!) Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #5 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 A photo of a model of the ship in the 120-gun configuration from a museum in Madrid. Please note the sides painted in red/white. Second there is a pictorial view of Santisima Trinidad before Trafalgar. It's an oil painting from Geoff Hunt. Geoff is the author of all the covers for the Patrick O'Brian's books about Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin novels. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #6 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 Today, let’s have a change in the way to manage this log. Instead of continuing in writing about the history of our Santìsima Trinidad, I would like to write something about the model I am building. As I said before this model is not scratch built and it is not a kit. It is a model that is built around a magazine of naval matters and history published periodically by an italian company: De Agostini. Every week there is a new issue in the newspaper stand. Alternatively there is the possibility to have a monthly postal shipment directly at home. In the latter case every shipment contains four issues. There will be an overall number of 165 issues, and, at the end of the collection I will have completed two models: 1) the complete model, in 1/90 scale, of the Santìsima Trinidad, 2) the main cross section of Santisima Trinidad. Every issue contains 3 things: 1) the magazine itself, 2) material for the construction of the model, 3) detailed building and assemblying instructions of the model. The collection started about 15 months ago and today the issue 62 is available. The following pictures in this forum will give you an idea of the collection. Honestly the amount of work contained in each issue is not too much as well as it is not too difficult. This fact leaves me enough time to build two other models in the same time. But this is another story. Now you know that I started this model more than one year ago and that I receive four issues every month. This means at least two things: a) I have to reconstruct a log of the last year and for the future I will update this forum monthly. Regarding a) I have made many photos during the time so I believe to describe and show the progress quite easily. So in the next days I will try to add regularly new things. Surfing on the internet I have found a kit from the Spanish OCCRE that is very, very similar to my Santìsima Trinidad. I believe that my model is a variation of the OCCRE kit. With some interesting enhancements. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #7 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Fri May 04, 2007 I believe you may be eager to see the model, so the following three photos are an anticipation of my Santìsima Trinidad as it is today, May 4th, 2007. yvesvidal, WackoWolf, cristikc and 2 others 5 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 26, 2014 Author #8 Posted October 26, 2014 Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 The first two pictures in this WIP are taken, as well as the ship history, from the book "The Ships of Trafalgar", author Peter Goodwin. It is written in English. Very interesting book with also some interesting pictures/plans like the following. Regards. Jack. WackoWolf 1 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 27, 2014 Author #9 Posted October 27, 2014 Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 The following three photos are from the issue number 1. This first issue contains in detail the explanation of how the collection will be published, the timings and so on. In this issue there is also a DVD that shows in generals how the model is built. The first 140 issues will deliver instructions and materials to construct the Santisima Trinidad full model, while the remaining 25 will be dedicated to build its cross section. Please note the great similarity with the OCCRE model pictures shown before. The DVD was sometime very helpful to understand better some future activities. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 27, 2014 Author #10 Posted October 27, 2014 Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 One problem with this project is that the full plans of the model are not available. This means that you cannot foresee how your work will evolve and this is sometimes a great limitation. Another problem is that if you destroy, for example, a bulkhead and you don’t have the plans you cannot redo it. To avoid this potential problem, I have acquired with a scanner device on my computer the “object” so that I can print and reproduce it if necessary. Probably if you are a “rookie” as ship modeler this method will simplify very much your life, but when you become more expert this probably will limit you and your fantasy. Anyway the method works well. The following four pictures are a sample of the building instructions that are contained, together with the material in each issue. They are very simple to understand and very, very much detailed. WackoWolf, yvesvidal and CaptainSteve 3 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 27, 2014 Author #11 Posted October 27, 2014 Posted: Sat May 05, 2007 This last photo shows the folder where it is possible to keep all the building instructions in perfect order, ready to use. yvesvidal and ronald305 2 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 27, 2014 Author #12 Posted October 27, 2014 Posted: Sun May 06, 2007 These are the first two photos I made to my model. Their date is April 17th, 2006. There are some bulkheads still missing and the decks are partially installed and partially planked. Although it is not probably so clear from the first image the keel is made up of three pieces of plywood glued together on bulkhead no. 5 and no. 8. The reason is that all the pieces delivered with the magazine cannot exceed the A4 paper sheet size. The decks are planked with stripes of a clear wood that is called "ramin". Honestly I don't know which may be the english name. The stripes are mm. 65 x 5 x 0.5 in size. The keel has two shelves in its lower side that are intended to allow the usage of a keel clamper that will be delivered in the next issues of the magazine. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 27, 2014 Author #13 Posted October 27, 2014 Posted: Mon May 07, 2007 The following photos are dated May 9th, 2006. Three week later the previous images. Here, the bulkheads are all in their right place and the quarter deck is very close to completion. The planking of the decks is also terminated. The last photo shows the poop deck in place. Please note the three holes for the masts. They are all ready and fit perfectly. yvesvidal 1 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 28, 2014 Author #14 Posted October 28, 2014 Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 The following images are dated July 12, 2006. In these two months the model has progressed slowly because of the monthly shipments that did'nt contain much things to do. In summary what I had to do was to put in place twelve stripes of plywood, six per side, on the hull sides at the gun decks level. The stripes have the gun ports pre cutted and are 1.5 mm. in thickness. Subsequently this area will be planked with basswood stripes of mm 2 x 5. The tasks undertaken were: 1) shape the hull only where the 12 stripes must lye. This was done with a typical sanding block made with sandpaper glued onto some pieces of wood. It is best to use a long piece of wood to sand the ends of the bulkheads instead of a short one. 2) install two stripes per side at the level of the lower gun deck. Then fix behind the gun port holes a small square piece of wood. In the images they are painted in ochre colour. It is important to install this first "plank" exactly in the right position. 3) repeat the same of 2) for the middle gun deck and the upper gun deck stripes. 4) at the end, smooth down as well as possible with sandpaper. A final comment. Here you begin to understand what it means more or less 140 guns .... build 140 square pieces, glue them, clean them, paint them, etc ...... I will understand completely what it means in the near future ..... Quote
jack.aubrey Posted October 28, 2014 Author #15 Posted October 28, 2014 Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 Two weeks later (July 25th, 2006) I made the following three photos. As you can see I have installed the last four stripes of plywood at the quarter deck level. This completes now the upper part of the hull. The inside area of these stripes was previously coloured with water and aniline. Just to anticipate some things, all this upper area of the hull will be planked, as well as the lower part, with strips of soft wood of mm. 2 x 5. Here for the first time you can see my "artisanal" keel clamper. It's very easy but it works well. Today I no more use it for this model so I have transferred this clamper to the SAN JUAN where it is still in use. I have also built and installed three gratings on the decks. They are not very well visible in these images. WackoWolf and cristikc 2 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 1, 2014 Author #16 Posted November 1, 2014 Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 Here were the activities planned for and achieved in the month of August 2006. It seems I worked on a different model .. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 1, 2014 Author #17 Posted November 1, 2014 Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 September 2006 - new activities on the Santisima Trinidad ... A lot of activities done: 1) Planking the upper side of the hull, 2) planking the inside of the bulkwarks, 3) new gratings, 4) stairs, 5) initial planking of the lower side of the hull. Upper side of the hull: The strips I used were of mm. 2 x 5 of a softwood called "ramin". With the exception of three planks is was quite easy to manage but ... ... here you understand REALLY what it means 140 guns. I had to cut out 70 gun ports per each side during the planking ... fortunately that it was a matter of soft wood !! My fingers still remenber these days ... The inside of the bulkwarks: This was an unplanned work, in the sense that was not part of the project from the magazine. The original plan was to colour this area with aniline before applying the bulkwarks. But I didn't like very much so I planked the inside with strips of a very old walnut of mm. 1 x 5. New gratings and stairs: One of the many deviations from the main street planned by the magazine. Instead of continuing with planking I had to build new gratings, many stairs and mounting and paint many quarter deck guns. I have no photos of the guns but I think everybody knows how is a gun. Initial planking of the lower side of the hull: Last I started to plank the lower part. Same strips of the upper part but here the matter was much more complicated. The last photo shows details of the stern with four planks istalled. I had also to install two very small stealers. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 1, 2014 Author #18 Posted November 1, 2014 Posted: Fri May 11, 2007 October 28th, 2006 Same more planks added to the Santìsima Trinidad hull. Made some new readings about contemporaty ships. Very interesting. Spent more time around another model I'm building (Panart Armed Launch). WackoWolf 1 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 1, 2014 Author #19 Posted November 1, 2014 Posted: Sun May 13, 2007 December 2006: The first plank layer is completed !!! Finally after some weeks I have terminated to plank the hull. It's only the first layer but it was exciting. This was a new method explained in the magazine, especially developped when the double planking is selected. I cannot explain it now because I have no photos to show, I will do that for the second layer in the future. It's quite easy and intuitive. After I spent some hours with sandpaper, sanding blocks and so on in order to made the hull as smoothest as possible. Samewhere some filler, of the same colour of the wood. Finally I have mixed some glue with much more water and I have painted the complete hull. When dry it not visible, completely adsorbed by the wood, but the wook becames more strong. Then another work with sandpaper ... Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 3, 2014 Author #20 Posted November 3, 2014 Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 New closer images of the decks, gratings and stairs ... same date as the previous message. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 3, 2014 Author #21 Posted November 3, 2014 Posted: Mon May 14, 2007 And now, let's change completely ... Just in the middle of the planking activites of the ship hull, the magazine "management" decided to have a break in the main building plan and start, in another shipyard, to build one of the ship's boats (....) The following is the longboat. It's length is about 13 centimeters. And the history begins ... First, the hull assembly: the keel, the bulkheads. The several pieces are glued each other and then are glued turned upside down on a plywood tablet to maintain rigid the structure. I have unfortunately no photos of the boat at this stage. Second, the planks. The stripes are very, very small but also flexible. I used a special kind (less liquid) of cyano-acrylate glue to mount the planks. I glued together with the boat also my fingers several times but, finally also this unbelivable step was terminated. Third, finishing the hull: filler where necessary (two or three very small places) and sanding. Then I have fixed the keel, the front and the rear. Fourth, the boat was removed from the tablet by cutting the bulhead hedges and then I started to work on the internal fittings and the rudder. Fifth, sixth, etc. and finally the boat is completed. At this point the boat should be terminated by painting her with matt transparent enamel. But I didn't like this kind of painting and so I decided to add some color here and there ... Today the boat is finished without oars. The building instructions do not explain if the oars will be built in the future. If not I will decide at the proper time if it is worth to build them, in spite of the intructions, or not. Next: the second boat ... but, for now, four images of the longboat. WackoWolf and GuntherMT 2 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 4, 2014 Author #22 Posted November 4, 2014 Posted: Tue May 15, 2007 Second part of the ship's boats history ............ Having realized I had to build another boat, smaller than the previous, this time I decided to pursuit another way. Instead of using the instructions and the material shipped with the magazine I used another method: I found in a shop a hull of a boat, same size of the one I had to build and I started to work on it. 1) The hull was made with wood so what I had to do was only to plank it. I used mahogany veneer strips and vinylinc glue. 2) After the planking, I mounted the complete keel, included the front and the rear. 3) Then the plaksheer, made with plywood of the proper height and shape. And the internal fittings. 4) As in the previous boat I decided to paint (in red) the planksheer. Here follows four views of the second ship's boat. I amused myself and I am happy with the result. WackoWolf and GuntherMT 2 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 4, 2014 Author #23 Posted November 4, 2014 Posted: Wed May 16, 2007 The next four photos are dated March 25th, 2007. The work on the Santisima Trinidad didn't progress too much in this period of time. I have highlighted with rectangles the area of activity. Most important is that I have started the second planking. The strips used are of two kinds: "ramin" for the upper part of the hull and "sapele" for the lower. While the sapele strips are very, very good in terms of quality and consistency, the ramin one have not the same quality and are quite difficult to work. Anyway the work progresses quite well. Added some more details to the stairs between the middle deck and the upper deck. Added the iron balls to the upper deck grating ... and so on. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 4, 2014 Author #24 Posted November 4, 2014 Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 Here we are at April 20th, 2007. This month, for the first time when I started the Santìsima Trinidad, I have missed a shipment. More in detail the postal service has not yet delivered the box with the instructions and the materials. So I cannot proceed on the model. But I decided to proceed anyway, also because it was easily intuitive what there was to do. The risk to do something wrong was low, so I decided to finish planking the upper part of the hull. Work very easy and with no surprises at all. The only boring task was to cut the gun holes every two lines of strips. But is was easy. The only problem came from the quality of the "ramin"strips ... but they were solved with some additional work. Last I've applied the danish oil to the decks and the planked sides. At the time I'm writing the missed (april) shipment is finally arrived (a month later) together with the may's shipment. So now I'm working strongly in order to recover the lost time. But this time I have made some photos of the planking that will be useful for my next message. As usually some picture of the ship on April 20th. WackoWolf 1 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 7, 2014 Author #25 Posted November 7, 2014 Posted: Sat May 19, 2007 May 2007. This month I have received the shipment of the previous month. Two days later I have also received the current month shipment. After the usual review of the material/instructions included I realize that this month there is a lot of work to do: at least the equivalent of april and may together. The first task is to plank the upper part of the hull with strips of ramin: this was already done (refer to my previous message). The second task is to plank with mahogany veneer strips tho lower part of the hull. Previously I had to lay two strips close to the upper part and four strips close to the keel (see some previous images). Here there was nothing of really difficult, only two small stealers in the stern area. Now I have to add three other strips from the bottom to the top: simple and easily done. And after I have to start planking from the top in the direction of the bottom. Here there are some initial problems. But the instructions are very detailed and the work progresses nicely. Some planks are not layed until the end of the stem or the stern. They follow the natural shape and curves of the hull and must stop before. The next four photos, two from the stem and two from the stern, explain better than many words what I mean. As you can see there are in these areas some small triangles where the planks are missing. During these tasks I use the vinylic glue. It is fast enough to avoid clamps or other mechanical tools. What is now necessary and useful is sometimes (in the stem and stern areas) the usage of adhesive tape for some minutes. The work is continuing ..... bye. WackoWolf 1 Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 7, 2014 Author #26 Posted November 7, 2014 Posted: Sun May 20, 2007 May 2007. The job is still in progress .... some new planks of veneer are added from the top towards the bottom. A final effort and the task will be complete. The next time I'll exercise myself by planking a eggplant or a water-melon. The white triangles at the stem and the stern are also growing. In the next message I will explain how to cover them. yvesvidal and WackoWolf 2 Quote
yvesvidal Posted November 7, 2014 #27 Posted November 7, 2014 Indeed, that hull looks like a water melon. Yves Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 8, 2014 Author #28 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 May 2007. I have terminated to lay the veneer planks in the lower part of the hull. Now there are a lot of short and long white triangles (or trapezium) where it wasn't possible to glue the plank. I think that the previous photos let you imagine very well what to do next: build for every unplanked area a triangle or a trapezium of veneer to glue inside. This photo (a picture from the instructions contained in the magazine) explain how to build this piece of wood: take the proper measurement, cut the plank at the right lenght and after, using a cutter and a ruler, cut diagonally the strip. It's not so simple but at 90% this will be enough. In some cases you need some adjustments with the cutter and or sandpaper. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 8, 2014 Author #29 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 May 2007. Once you have built the stealer or the drop plank (these should be the names of the triangles) and, more important, you have tested if the piece fits correctly, you simply need to fix it in place by using some glue and, optionally same adhesive tape. The attached picture shows the method. Quote
jack.aubrey Posted November 8, 2014 Author #30 Posted November 8, 2014 Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 May 2007. Once you have fixed the first stealer/drop plank, you need to repeat the same process for every empty area on the hull and, at the end (of the end), this should be the final and desired result. It's very easy, do you agree ? NB: This is not my model but a picture from the magazine, next some very (very) recent photos of mine model. WackoWolf 1 Quote
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