HMS AGAMEMNON by PMG - Caldercraft

[Guest]

Pierre,

 

 

Have à save trip and good time

Looking foreword at new pictures and updates of your build

 

Greets

 

Martin

Edited May 24, 2013 by boris279

[PMG]

Thank you Martin,

But I am still online, and I have a good collection of pictures with me.

So, if we have to discuss a point, no problem, I need just to resize the picture.

Of course, there is no progress more to my build...

Pierre

[Anja]

Hello Pierre,

 

Enjoy your stay in France.

 

Take care,

 

Anja

[PMG]

Thank you Anja.

It will be a working stay, because we have to put the house in "summer conditions".

It means clear water in the pool, garden freshly cutted and working spraying system etc etc.

For the moment, the sun shines, the sky is blue but it is cold and windy.

Pierre

[PMG]

Finally back in my "northern home" and to my Agamemnon.

I decided to continue the (fastidious) work of cutting precisely the gunports.

But I have been a little bit too conservative when drilling the holes, and so, there is still a lot of wood to remove with a file.

I found an old set of small tools I used for my Serapis, and rapidly putted the little saw you see on the picture in operation.

 

But it appeared not to be a good idea...

At certain places, after sanding, the first planking can be rather thin and often not supported by a frame. And, you can see on the next picture that I damaged the planking.

 

 

Repair is already done, but I think I will continue with a file...

Pierre

[Anja]

Hello Pierre,

 

Welcome back. I hope you had a wonderful vacation.

 

Good decision to use a file from now one. It will take a bit longer, but you have more control.

 

Take care,

 

Anja

[mobbsie]

Hi Pierre,

 

Good idea to put that saw away mate, it looked a bit heavy for what you needed to do.

 

I ended up putting a sharp drill bit in my Rotacraft and milling some of the wood out, I also packed out the upper gunports between the bulworks and 1st planking to give a bit extra support.

 

Nothing you can do about the main gundeck but just be careful and take your time.

 

Wait until you have lined the gunports before filling in with filler otherwise it's almost a waste of time.

 

I lined mine before the second planking, seemed easier to cut the 2nd planks around the gunports.

 

Remember what the saying is " Slowly slowly catchy monkey " take your time mate and all will come good.

 

The best of luck

 

mobbsie

Edited June 17, 2013 by mobbsie

[PMG]

Thank you, Mobbsie, for your encouragement and good advises.

I already tought I was the slowiest monkey of the slow monkeys, but apparently not enough...

Pierre

[PMG]

Still busy sizing the lowerdeck gunports. A very boring job with a needle file.

And my wife does'nt like at all the noise it makes. So I have to choose very carefully the time when I do it...

I am now looking for some piece of wood to make a 15x17 mm plug calliper.

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

First planking nearly completed,

016.jpg

When I was not at home, I started other "small" activities, like the boats,

017.jpg

Here is the launch,

018.jpg

and, here all four boats.

019.jpg

I started also to make the guns. Here is a rig I made for the construction of the carriages.

020.jpg

This is the present status of my ship. First planking almost completed.

It still need some local corrections and then.... sanding.

021.jpg

Hello Pierre,

 

I have meanwhile made some progress with the first planking. It does not look as perfect as yours, but o.k. for me.   I noticed something however: You have this gap between the upper and the lower planking. I intended just to plank it all the way down from deck level, but now I have doubts. It would be great, if you could tell me why you started  planking from the keel upward (I suppose) after having planked the upper half. Has it something to do with the run of the planks? 

 

Greetings,

Karin

[Karinmutter]

First planking nearly completed,

016.jpg

When I was not at home, I started other "small" activities, like the boats,

017.jpg

Here is the launch,

018.jpg

and, here all four boats.

019.jpg

I started also to make the guns. Here is a rig I made for the construction of the carriages.

020.jpg

This is the present status of my ship. First planking almost completed.

It still need some local corrections and then.... sanding.

021.jpg

 

Hi Mobbsie,

Thank you for the advise. I am now finishing some details (filling small holes and stealers), after that I am intended to put a layer of diluted PVA and I shall follow your idea. I shall use the template, position the gunports and eventually make four holes per port. And, after that, sanding... Anyway, with the weather we have here, there is no chance to go outside for sanding, and I am not sure my wife should appreciate a big sanding operation inside...

 

Hello Karin,

I had also some difficulty with the second bulkhead. But, no question about, you have to align the top with the gundeck. The easiest way ins to make a dryfit, with the foremast and the bowsprit. Don't care too much about the bottom of the bulkhead. It becomes very thin and will, anyway, be affected by the preparation of the edges. By the way, putting a filling block (in balsa) is always a good idea, and the question of the bottom of the bulkhead is automatically solved.

Here are some pictures:

First, the dry fit with the foremast and the bowsprit in place.

024.jpg

Then, the filler block, the deck well in line on all the length and the sanding of the bottom of bulkhead Nr2.

025.jpg

The next picture shows more or less the same.

026.jpg

Next, a small useful trick. Add small pieces of scrap wood on both sides of the masts. They will so remain straight in any circumstances.

027.jpg

 

I should like to come back on something that Mobbsie pointed in his Log.

There is a little problem with bulkhead Nr4. I thnk it is necessary to "refill" it a little bit (not too much, less than 1 mm) below the "round" part. Otherwise a hollow appears in the hull. You can try to find the right thickness by checking with a flexible plank. If you encounter a "double curvature", it's wrong. The curvature has to evoluate smoothly and should never change of sense. The hollow is visible on the next picture. Try to avoid it taking care in advance (what I did'nt...)

028.jpg

 

The sailors are home-made. I started making them about 20 years ago, and from time to time I work to. They are now 12. A 13th is always waiting for painting and a 14th is still far to be finished. I will progressively let you meet all the band...

 

Pierre

Hello Pierre,

 

I made some progress with my first planking meanwhile. It does not look as good as yours, but o.k. for me. Looking at your pictures, I noticed a gap between the top and lower part of the planking. I intended to plank all the way down from deck level. It would be great, if you could tell me, why you have planked the bottom (starting from the keel I guess) after having planked the upper part. Has it something to do with the run of the planks?

 

Greetings,

Karin

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

I started also the first planking from the deck. There is not very much question about because the 4 or 5 first planks run well parallel and they don't need to be reduced at one or another end. The only difficulty is to make the short radius at the bow.

I continued to work (from the top) with "packages" of 5 or 6 planks taking as reference a plank (the 6th) I fixed as naturally as possible to avoid if possible any strains. It was also easy to calculate (step by step) the reduced width at the bow and at the stern.

The following picture is giving an idea of what I did.

 

On another way, I calculated that the total hull development was a normal multiple of the plank width (where the hull is the biggest, of course).

So, I found it should be a pitty to be in trouble when arriving at the rabbet line from the desk. The 4 or 5 first planks from the rabbet founf easily their position, without forcing and without reducing their width at neither extremity.

I decide so to place these 4 or 5 planks founding so naturally their position, leaving for later the matching.

Actually, the matching of the planks coming from above and from beneath was much more easy than expected.

I hope this can help. If you want, I can post other pictures.

Greetings,

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

First planking nearly completed,

016.jpg

When I was not at home, I started other "small" activities, like the boats,

017.jpg

Here is the launch,

018.jpg

and, here all four boats.

019.jpg

I started also to make the guns. Here is a rig I made for the construction of the carriages.

020.jpg

This is the present status of my ship. First planking almost completed.

It still need some local corrections and then.... sanding.

021.jpg

Hello Pierre,

 

I made a lot of progress with the first planking. It does not look as good as yours though... One question: Why didn`t you plank from the deck all the way down. I see in your Picture (28) that you started from the keel after planking the upper half. I wonder why you did this, has it to do with the run of the planks? I intended to go from deck level down to the keel, but now I have doubts.

Good luck for the future ,

Karin (helps Martin)

[Karinmutter]

Hello Pierre,

 

I made a lot of progress with the first planking. It does not look as good as yours though... One question: Why didn`t you plank from the deck all the way down. I see in your Picture (28) that you started from the keel after planking the upper half. I wonder why you did this, has it to do with the run of the planks? I intended to go from deck level down to the keel, but now I have doubts.

Good luck for the future ,

Karin (helps Martin)

Thx for answering, it made everything a lot clearer. For some reason I could not see my first post, so I repeated it... 

Greetings,

Karin

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

I send you here two more pictures of the rabbett plank. This plank has to be positionned very carefully and sone bevelling is necessary.

But, once it has been done, the effect is really very nice.

On another and, if you decided to place your finished ship on small columns, it is more than time to think to.

Here is a picture of what I did.

 

I am now always busy to shape the lower gundeck ports. I made a small calliper.

Very usefull and absolutely necessary to make a clean job. Size: a little bit less than 15 x 17 mm and do not forget to round the corners.

Also interesting: the square longer part. You can place a bubble level to check that your gunports are parallel to the keel.

Greetings,

Pierre

[Anja]

Hello Pierre,

 

Your King Albert II just announced his abdication.

Congratulations on your new King, Philip.

 

Anja

[PMG]

Hello Anja,

Thank you for the kind comment. Albert II is a very special man, very "belgian" and a great king.

Philip, I had the opportunity to meet a couple of times, will surely be a good king too.

Our two kingdoms have now, in a short time, two new kings. Long life to them.

I am now back in my "southern" house for a certain time. We prepare the garden and the house for the summer.

At the end of the week our children begin to join us for some weeks holiday.

That's , of course, not a good news for my Agamemnon staying in the "North". However, I brought with me some things, like deck furniture and guns to do.

Presently, I have a problem to reduce the size of my pictures, so I cannot send any. At the end of the week , my son who is computer specialist is arriving and will surely arrange that.

Greetings,

Pierre

 

P.S.: But, here, in the South, I have a "secret weapon".... A kit, I bought in Spain 25 years ago, almost for nothing.

May be , I could start a new build log about because I made photographies.

[PMG]

Hello all mates,

I recovered my photography size reduction system and can so go on.

I started the 9 pdrs gun carriages.

And I wondered that the notches at the bottom of the carriage were not square. I didn't notice that when making the 18 pdrs gun carriage.

Is that just an imprecision in the laser cutting or is it intensionnaly done?

The drawings are giving no precise answer at the question.

When looking at several gun carriage pictures I noticed that very often the internal pieces are inclined backwards.

In conclusion, I suppose that I have to do it also.

Does somebody have an advise on the question?

Here is a picture illustrating the subject. I am not sure it is clear enough.

Pierre

 

 

[mobbsie]

Good Afternoon Pierre,

 

Looking at your gun carriages mate and there does seem to be an error with the cut, they should all be square to the carriage sides, looks like you have some filing to my friend, careful though you don't need to take out much.

 

Hope that's a help to you.

 

mobbsie

[PMG]

Thank you Mobbsie, for the advise.

Filing will not be a problem, of course. But, I wondered if I was missing something.

Pierre

[hollowneck]

Pierre,

 

The angle of the carriage axle piece for the front is probably angled backwards intentionally. The "transom" piece which one adds at the front DOES have a backwards leaning inclination, slight, but nonetheless angled. So, I'd recommend (if it isn't too late) to NOT file the notches! The transom piece sits up against the front axle, flush. The rear axles however is not angled.

 

Here is a reference for you, courtesy of Chuck Passaro's new web site:

 

http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/resources/Building%20the%20Laser%20Cut%20Cannon%20Carriage%20Kit.pdf

 

Ron

[PMG]

Thank you Ron,

On the Chuck Passaro's website you mentionned, it appears clearly that the front transom is going backwards. I saw it also on several other drawings available on the web or in the litterature. It's not so obvious concerning the rear transom. There, it appears not angled at all.

It was probably the Caldercraft intent when they designed the kit.

I looked on the 18 pdrs guns and it is the same. However, I didn't realise at that time and I filed them square. Not a big problem, it's almost invisible...

However, and sorry Mobbsie, I shall try to make them inclined for the 9 pdrs. Hopefully, I didn't file them already.

Thanks again to all,

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

I am definitely the slowiest builder in the world, but here are some progress.

I planked the first curve at the stern counter. I leave the second one for later because parts 80 are protruding and should make the sanding of the hull more difficult. (But, I pinned temporarly the first part 80 to set the limits).

029.jpg

Then I coated completely the hull with diluted PVA.

Here is the present status, awaiting for the template to position the gunports.

030.jpg

This is the first sailor I made, about 25 years ago.

031.jpg

And here is the second. The photographies are not too good, but they are very small and I am obliged to use macros.

032.jpg

Pierre

Hello Pierre, I finally finished the first layer of the hull planking.I had planked mostly , when the ship was in an upside down position. I had created a simple stand  for that task. When I wanted to turn the ship around again, I realized, that I could not use the previous stand, because the planking was in the way now...My question to you: Did you create a completely new building board, or did you alter the old one?

Best wishes, Karin

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

I did two things.

First,  I built the support supplied with the kit . It allows you to work on the ship relatively easily.

Second: I broke one end of the first stand. The ship is maintained by the keel but also by one end, either the stern either the bow.

Main advantage to use this, is that the ship doens't move too much when you are using it, but, mainly because you have a good and safe reference position.

And that will be very very useful later when you will position the gunports, or the waterline, or the wales. It allows to check anytime if your construction is correct against the drawings.

I have presently a little problem for sending pictures, but I do it as soon as I can.

Best regards,

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

Hello Karin,

I did two things.

First,  I built the support supplied with the kit . It allows you to work on the ship relatively easily.

Second: I broke one end of the first stand. The ship is maintained by the keel but also by one end, either the stern either the bow.

Main advantage to use this, is that the ship doens't move too much when you are using it, but, mainly because you have a good and safe reference position.

And that will be very very useful later when you will position the gunports, or the waterline, or the wales. It allows to check anytime if your construction is correct against the drawings.

I have presently a little problem for sending pictures, but I do it as soon as I can.

Best regards,

Pierre

Thank you very much, your answer gives me a clue, what to do now. I had forgotten about the stand the kit provides...

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

If you have a look to my pictures Nr 044, 046 and 050 you have a better idea of what I mean.

On picture Nr 057 you can see the stand provided in the kit. I covered it with narrow sheets of felt.

If I can give you a little advise, it is to be very careful in the positionning and cutting of the gunports. The provided template doesn't help very much.

I am still busy to cut them ( that work is now idle for a couple of months since I come back home) and I do an intensive use of a caliper, a water level and a special block caliper I made. It takes a lot of time, but I try to be correct at 0,1mm.

Best regards

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

Hello,

I am glad to be back on the new forum after a long silence.

I am a very very slow builder. I started my Aggie in 2010...

Here are somme pictures of some previous steps and the present situation.

001.jpg

I am making a first test to see if I can properly use the new features of the site. It seems it works.

002.jpg

You see here the way I installed (temporarly) the pedestals.003.jpg

Here, some planking on the main gun deck, in case they should be visible from above.

004.jpg

First half of the upper gundeck in position.

005.jpg

Planking of the upper gundeck completed.

006.jpg

The same varnished.

I stop now. This is a first test. More pictures are coming later.

I just finished the first plankig of the hull.

 

Hello,

I am glad to be back on the new forum after a long silence.

I am a very very slow builder. I started my Aggie in 2010...

Here are somme pictures of some previous steps and the present situation.

001.jpg

I am making a first test to see if I can properly use the new features of the site. It seems it works.

002.jpg

You see here the way I installed (temporarly) the pedestals.003.jpg

Here, some planking on the main gun deck, in case they should be visible from above.

004.jpg

First half of the upper gundeck in position.

005.jpg

Planking of the upper gundeck completed.

006.jpg

The same varnished.

I stop now. This is a first test. More pictures are coming later.

 

Hello Pierre,

it is me again - Karin  ,

I feel a little bit embarrassed, because I am always asking you questions. Actually this is not my first ship. About 10 years ago I built the "Santa Maria" an Amati kit. But I have forgotten a lot of things. Nevertheless I hope that someday I can give you a piece of advice that is useful for you...

To my actual problem: Too late I realized, that it was necessary to instal   "nuts" in the main board of the hull , to have a connection with the pedestals. To my excuse: I found nothing in the building manual that told me that! I guess it is not possible to use pedestals anymore, because I have already finished the first planking..

Greetings from Germany!

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

You are in a difficult situation indeed.

As you can see on my picture Nr 002 I bored holes of a diameter of 4mm through the keel. It's not easy to do because the keel is only 5mm wide.

You have to bore straight and at the right place.

It's, of course, not possible for you to install nuts.

If you read the instructions book supplied with the kit, you will see that they mention the boring of the keel at the stage where you are now, it means at the end of the first planking. Of course, without nuts.

May be that they mean the use of a sharp pointed screw (and not a screwed bar, as I did). But the fixation will not be so strong, and I think that the ship is rather heavy.

You could already start with the boring of 3mm holes. Check carefully the position first. You need three pedestrals and they are not perfectly centered.

If you can do it succesfully, without damaging the keel, go deeper. Select the right screw according to the pedestrals you have (if you don't have them, order them first and check then). If you are deep enough you can probably inject some araldite or equivalent to strenghten the assembly, and then, remake a bore with the final screw.

Anyway, the screws have to be removable for the continuation of the construction. You absolutely need the bottom of the keel as a reference line.

I hope this can help you.

Best regards

Pierre

[Karinmutter]

Hello Karin,

You are in a difficult situation indeed.

As you can see on my picture Nr 002 I bored holes of a diameter of 4mm through the keel. It's not easy to do because the keel is only 5mm wide.

You have to bore straight and at the right place.

It's, of course, not possible for you to install nuts.

If you read the instructions book supplied with the kit, you will see that they mention the boring of the keel at the stage where you are now, it means at the end of the first planking. Of course, without nuts.

May be that they mean the use of a sharp pointed screw (and not a screwed bar, as I did). But the fixation will not be so strong, and I think that the ship is rather heavy.

You could already start with the boring of 3mm holes. Check carefully the position first. You need three pedestrals and they are not perfectly centered.

If you can do it succesfully, without damaging the keel, go deeper. Select the right screw according to the pedestrals you have (if you don't have them, order them first and check then). If you are deep enough you can probably inject some araldite or equivalent to strenghten the assembly, and then, remake a bore with the final screw.

Anyway, the screws have to be removable for the continuation of the construction. You absolutely need the bottom of the keel as a reference line.

I hope this can help you.

Best regards

Pierre

Thank you again for your advice, Pierre. I am a bit afraid that I might cause some damage to the ship, because it is obviously a tedious and complicated task.I plan to order the pedestals first and then I will decide on what to do. If I don`t use them so what, at least I tried...By the way I assembled the stand meanwhile, padded it with felt. It works quite good. And I altered the first building board like you suggested, removing the front triangles. It works good, too.

Perhaps I will make some pictures later, although I have to admit that I like the look of your ship  better than mine...

Greetings, Karin

[PMG]

Hello Karin,

Thank you for your kind comments, but I think your ship must be very nice too. Photographies should be welcome, of course.

Personnaly, you see that I am a very very slow builder. I take my time, but sometimes it can be useful

Best regards,

Pierre