The Ship Model Forum

Beautiful, beautiful work! :thumbs_up_1:

Thank you Dan! :smallsmile: :smallsmile: :smallsmile:

Love that bowsprit and rigging.

Many thanks guys! :smallsmile: :smallsmile: :smallsmile:

Yes, I should include a finger or a lucifer more often in the photographs... ;)


[quote="wefalck"]... and how did you make the blocks?[/quote]
Good question! I made them years ago, so I barely remember myself now... :big_grin:

Basically, I scratchbuilt a small series of masters of each type and size, and had a friend cast these in resin.
I used more or less the system used for scratchbuilding wooden blocks in larger scales, but I did it in styrene and of course smaller (and I added the strops already in the masters).
The process is explained in more detail with photographs here:
http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167367&start=660#p966067

The smallest size (1 mm) can serve for 10 to 11 inch blocks.
For smaller blocks, I am using discs that I punch from styrene sheet with a punch and die set. These are round however, so I slice a sliver from two opposing sides so they look more oval. The strop and sheave openings are only painted on.
I didn't need anything smaller than 1mm on the bowsprit, but I did for the mizzen. The block hanging from the starboard end of the crossjack yard is one of them:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54144622397_08447bfe50_b.jpg[/img]


[quote="Janssen"]Any chance you can share some details on how you created those ropes in this scale?[/quote]
Of course! :smallsmile:
The ropemaking is easy: I just twisted strands of copper wire together. I used a small lathe, which is convenient, but a powerdrill clamped to a table would work fine too. I took this technique from the books of Philip Reed. His 'Period Ship Modelmaking' explains it best.
I used different diameters of wire to get different diameters of 'rope'.
Twisting 2 or 3 strands together doesn't result in a different appearance of the 'rope', but it does create a slightly larger diameter.
They can be straightened by pulling gently from both ends.

Most of the ropes were painted before gluing to the model. I used two layers of Humbroll enamels, pulling each wire between a paintbrush and a puddle of paint, and hanging it from a shelf with double-sided tape to dry.

They were all drybrushed with one or two lighter shades of paint to bring out the 'rope' texture. I did this mostly after gluing them in place. But I think, in the future I will often do it before installing them instead, because that would often be easier and faster.

All of that is easy. The hard parts are:
- Not to kink them too much while handling. This is mostly solved by leaving some extra length for handling for as long as possible.
- Not to damage any rigging already in place. This mostly takes planning: first glue in place what will not be in the way of other lines.
And for both: yes, you need to be a little carefull... :big_grin:


[quote="Janssen"]Any idea how are you going to tackle the shrouds?[/quote]
Yes! Because I already did the lower mizzen shrouds on Victory. :big_grin:
But that was also already some pages ago: http://www.shipmodels.info/mws_forum/viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167367&start=1240#p1059770

I also took the technique from the same Philip Reed book.
I had to crumble and drape those shrouds over the hull. But damaging them and making them hang over the ships sides in a convincing way was actually much harder than making them 'undamaged'. So I feel confident about those! ;)


I would like to do some more details step-by-steps of the rigging in the future. That will be for August though, because for my holiday abroad I want to take some figures (much easier to fly with than a ship model!).

... and how did you make the blocks?

Marijn,

This looks amazing! Any chance you can share some details on how you created those ropes in this scale?

Any idea how are you going to tackle the shrouds?

Fantastic! :thumbs_up_1: This would be a real gem even in a 10times larger scale!

Stunning, I have to keep reminding myself just how small this actually is.

Thank you very much for the nice words guys! :smallsmile: :cool_2: :smallsmile:
And sorry for the long silence.


I have been modelling though!
Next to twisting a lot of copper wire into scale ‘rope’ of different diameters, I painted the masts and yards of both ships (but only got round to take photos of Victory, and without yards):
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308939_13be060880_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590430120_8f0affbca4_o.jpg[/img]

But I didn’t glue them in place yet, to make rigging a bit easier.
Work started on the bowsprit of Victory:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308899_8238e4f36f_o.jpg[/img]

While the bowsprit was still detached from the model, I installed all the rigging possible. This includes collars and blocks for lines to be attached much later (like the collars and open hearts for the fore stay and preventer stay).
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590330613_e33cfa516d_o.jpg[/img]

Then, the bowsprit was glued in place:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308859_3a40e3ca71_o.jpg[/img]

Now, all the details and rigging was added that I could attach before adding the spritsail yard. This included the woolding, marines walk, main stay and preventer stay collars, the boomkins, and the netting lining the beakhead.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590430100_fb8fa3fb51_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54589238067_988ef9efc5_o.jpg[/img]

Meanwhile, the spritsail yard also received all lines and blocks possible while still detached from the model.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590429785_159aee78ea_o.jpg[/img]

After which it was attached to the bowsprit with its sling (and plenty of superglue). I failed to drill holes and install a pin in these before painting, but the sling and glue seems plenty firm.
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308564_1cbd134e23_o.jpg[/img]

And the remaining lines were added!
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308769_2540b662f0_o.jpg[/img]

More lines will be added later, when the other masts are in place. Note for example the block ‘flying’ from the starboard end of the yard. This is part of the yards braces and will attach to one of the stays. The port brace will be damaged and its block therefore hangs down. Some foresight is necessary for this kind of work! ;)
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54589237897_31108f6a9d_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590118141_4dc6598f29_o.jpg[/img]

With a white background, it is difficult to see that different ropes have different colours. But in these close-ups (very close ones!, because the previous shots were already magnified by x2 or x3 !), it is more visible:
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54590308604_84ff7a9d4f_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54589237797_02aa253861_o.jpg[/img]

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54589237752_c45298175b_o.jpg[/img]


Next would be the fore and main masts. But I think I will first do another batch of figures. ;)

It's so incredible what kind of atmosphere you create here on this tiny gem.
[b]It's amazing.[/b] :cool_1:

[quote]Well this is Mount Everest of model making being summited without oxygen. [/quote]

And, that is an over-the-top analogy :-)

Well this is Mount Everest of model making being summited without oxygen. What a fantastic feat.

This just keeps getting better and better. Stunning work

P

This is beyond phenomenal... :cool_2:

Thank you SG! :smallsmile: :cool_2: :smallsmile:

Stunned to the point of being speechless. So Cool Marijn! :cool_1:

Thank you Rui! That is probably the most wonderful compliment one could ever give! :-D :-D :-D :-D :-D

[quote="wefalck"]Perhaps you should get yourself one of those cameras that look like an electric toobrush and are used by dentists to take pictures from inside of the mouth. They are quite cheap, but don't have a phenomenal resolution. With this one could get some action shots from deck-level ...[/quote]
My brother works for a company that manufactures surgical visualization tools. Maybe he could hook me up? :big_grin:

[quote="Devin"]Yes, Marijn, we plan on making SMC again this year. Waiting 'patiently' for the hotel room announcement![/quote]
:thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1: :thumbs_up_1:
Great! I'm already looking forward to it!
And yes, those rooms sell out veeery quickly... ;)

Hi Marijn et al

Well... I'll second Jim Baumann's comment all the way!
A "brag book" would be a wonderful companion for those who have NOT being watching this wonderful project grow and evolve, like we have been here (and delighted to!!!)

For me, apart from being a marvel to watch and learn new tricks, this project is a drive for me to do better in my own (little in scale and dimension) projects!
Congrats Marijn and thank you for the update!
Cheers,
Rui

[quote="marijn van gils"]Thank Kristen for the compliment for me, Devin! :big_grin: I hope to see both of you again on October?

I'm also leaning towards photos. I think I will have to make a 'brag book' for people to flip through?[/quote]

Yes, Marijn, we plan on making SMC again this year. Waiting 'patiently' for the hotel room announcement!

A "brag book" would probably work great. I was told by those that judged my B-Wing last year at SMC that a book detailing what I did on the build would have been most helpful. In your case, it'd be a great way to show the minute detail without putting the model at risk.

He can't do that. When he has to judge a contest, they'd say " oh no, there is that guy with his internal camera"...