To HMS Victory and beyond

[dafi]

Thank you all for the comments and clicks!

And the next adventuere started on MSW with some pictures of the official start of exchanging the copper on the Constitution.



Great picture I thought, and interesting the damages on the left top of the picture. But then I saw the same thing on other photos and realised them being too even.



And on top of it symmetrical to the other side ...



... time to have a closer look.



So then developed a treasure hunt over several forums, many helping and each revealing some new hints.

The more qualified opinions went soon direction of a rudder lift, in case the rudder has to be put back into it�s hinges. Chapman gave the hint, that those holes was also mentioned in the 1930�s plans, with 2" diameter and inside lead. So must must have served a purpose.

By that time I found holes like these on plenty of rudders. Then appeared drawings from Nares and MSW that showed emergency rudders with the use of those hole. In my german forum I got a link to a picture of the rudder of St. George in Thorsminde showing the same holes and I was done: Time to drill two small holes



And here the tackles that were used according to Nares and MSW: The aft ones served to lift the rudder and the fore ones to juggle the pins into the hinges. Once done, the rope was easily to be retrieved.



So the mystery about the holes is getting clearer, I will take the tackles down soon as they were only used to reship the rudder

Cheers, Daniel

[dafi]

Today is Trafalgar day, just a moment to remember. I wrote a small essay for the german magazine Modellmarine, her is the google translation of it.

https://translate.googleusercontent.com ... pjutt1uK5Q

Cheers, Daniel

[dafi]

A lifesign!

And a big X-Mess-Greeting from dafi with a small quizz:

Where was I at yesterdays X-Mess-Walkies? Think in german, even if it is hard



XXXTHEdafi

[dafi]

dafi + drink +stone =SMS Trinkstein, the infamous stone frigate
(drink + stone = trinkstein)

My heart will go on!
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/top ... ntry374670

Just see and feel the spume:-)



It looks like the old girl got battered a bit by the harsh elements up there
Just look at the foremast!



Cheers and all the best, Daniel

[JIM BAUMANN]

madness and creativety go hand in hand in the same body and mind...

remarkable !

[dafi]

Thank you Jim!

Here more about madness. :censored_2: happens - when I wanted to order more etch in summer, I realised having lost the original film pockets.

...

Big :censored_2:!

But as one says, make an opportunity out of it I used the chance to rearrange some parts from one plate to another as it made more sense an to add one or two goodies. Nothing big, almost the same, but next it made me aware to update the instructions too. So I took a spare hull and went sticking all golden parts onto it

Here are the first pictures of the basic version, the more elaborate work out will come on the other side after the holidays.

Best place to start? Big Boyz - Big Gunz!!!



If the etch still are too thick, one can use a soldering iron ...



... and sink one specimen into some sheet to get a nice template for the rest ...



... to file down the back from 0,2 mm thickness to something like 0,12 mm.



Then still adding the flaps ...



... and Big Gunz are in place ...



... and the smaller ones along the hull.



As we are already underneath the poop ...



... we have wheel and binnacle ...



... and a closed lid.



The handles for the buckets are already provided.



The highlight is of course the skylight. Just add the missing deck beams ...





... and place the light.



Of course the skylight should be some 3 feet more aback, but this as skilled modeler always will be able to do

XXXDAn

[dafi]

And on we go

Important for the Big Gunz are the gun port lids. Sandet even and fixed with double sided tape the fittings are easy to place.



Here the adaption for the doubling of the whales ...



... and in place with the rigols.



New ist that the hinges for the stern ports come in the right lengths ...



... and the fittings for the beakhead bulkhead are now included



Here the right scheme for the openings for the mariners walk ...



... the old holes are closed with the cut outs.

The bar for the netting of the heads ...



... and timberheads in place ...



... even though I forgot to put the butluvs.

For drilling the hammock crane holders I used some left overs as template ...



... and the cranes can be positioned easily ...



... even if different sizes come together like in the start of the poopdeck.

[dafi]

Highly discussed is the side entry port. If one do not want to miss it there is an option

Saw an opening, line it with sheet ...



... prepare the distance of the steps onto a tape and place it, transfer ...



... and glue the steps on.



And done - ok looks easier than actually doing it




Most changes were done in the channels. The middle one of the irons changed, instead of a small gap the part is bent out and has a overlap, so that the parts can be more neatly closed. As I now always deliver the needles I omitted the old alternative fixing helps and got space for more spare parts.

Here is the standard build with the Heller deadeyes, the use of wooden ones will be shown too later on.

First starting with the main channel boards. The missing fifth iron support is there as it is meant to be.



The main and mizzen channels should have the width of their holes reduced by half by placing some 0,5 x 1 mm Evergreen on the hull�s side ...





... while the fore ones need more attention. Close the old holes completely and enlarge the width of the channel using 2 layers of 1 x 1 mm Evergreen - it is easier than doing it with one bar of 1 x 2 mm .

File in new slots deep 0,5 mm , the first ones vertical ...



... and the last ones more angeled fitting direction towards the maintop. Close it with a bar of 0,5 x 1 mm Evergreen ...



... and the boards are finally large enough to avoid the deadeyes to interfere with the hammock cranes.




As the deadeyes vary a tad in diameter open up the irons as necessary ...



... and place the deadeyes the right way round. The complete plate looks like this.



To avoid bending the parts always cut the complete set of an iron ...



... place it in the slots, fix with the needle and put some superglue ...



... onto the backside of the iron underneath the board ...



... and use a string to pull the deadeye in place in the right direction and hold still until the glue sets.

And finished it looks like this:

[dafi]

And now todays last part.

Still working on the deck. Here are the correct lengths of the gratings as seen today ...



... the pikes of the fore ...



... and the main ...



... and the belfry.



So that�s it, more from one of my many working areas soon after returning home from my holiday

XXXDAn

[JIM BAUMANN]

very very remarkably good work !!

Jim B

[Bill Code]

Superb brass work.... Happy New Year to you !

[LE BOSCO]

always a superb work Daniel and always a great pleasure to read your thread
cheers
Nicolas

[K494]

Terrific work!

Scott

[dafi]

Thank you Sirs and happy new year to you all!

Finally managed to do something on my main build, slowly one step a day literally

The biggest empty spaces on the lower deck are due to the missing companionways, so lets fill those gaps ...



The ladders on the right should have the same upward orientation in the middle as the one on the left, but i buzzed it ...
Was this to adapt to a possible list of the ship?

Then comes the dry fit ...



... and one does see immediately ...



... why they were removable and could be off set without further trouble.

The aft companionways show that even better ...



... big obstruction ...



... but set aside as fast as the the deck pillars



Cheers, Daniel

[LE BOSCO]

HI Dan

Always a great pleasure to see your progress your Victory is the most accomplished that i see ...Apart from the true model at Portsmouth ( and even not sure)
cheers
Nicolas

[dafi]

Thank you Nicolas!

And now, its Hammer Time!



That is the result of well planned building activities.

In the old days I fixed the standing knees without being able to level the upper edge, now that I can, the deck is quite clattered with other activities ...

... time to get out the heavy tools for some desperate measures.



The blade laid over the now existing beams and with some persuasiveness of the hammer (or tweezers as they are smaller) split the knees to pieces.



After the first trials I replaced the hammer with better dosed hand enforcement and it worked wonders.



The bounty was rewarding.



Almost no collateral damages, just some sailors looked a bit down, but they are already up to their feet again

Cheers, Daniel

[dafi]

Statement 1:

dafi is torturing wood. For the first time I was bending watered wood with the soldering iron - fascinating for a stubborn plastinator how willingly even 3 x 3 mm battens take the right turn



And why this? Originally planned were 5 deck beams to hold the upper deck, but for some unknown reasons the number of deck beams became larger ...
The other deck beams are forced into the curve by the stanchions, but if those are missing ?

Statement 2:

Holes that mean the world - at least to me

As already seen midships, where the anchor cable is disappearing towards the hold ...



... one can nicely see ...



... how much ladders and stanchions are in the way if it is to work there.

So using swift the jack ...



... and lift the deck beam - and with it all the upper decks - some inches or so, take out the ladders and stanchions ...



... and all that is left on the deck are some small holes and plenty of space to work. Now I too understood the short arms of the jack - it allows to go near the stanchions or even the hull. And as my new deck beams are already fitted with a nice curve, they stay nicely up as they should.

Thinking about the color of the space underneath the stanchions, I believe that the wood in itself possibly stayed with a lighter color, but with all the muck from cleaning that went underneath I opted for a dark brown.



So I prepared the taken out stanchions ...



... pimped them up ...



... and cluttered them together with the ladders behind the companionway.



Looked pittoresk, but not really Bristol fashion, so I preferred the following solution



Question: How were the ladders - if in place - secured on the deck? Was there there chocks or wedges or something nailed to the planks?

Cheers, Daniel



PS: Do not worry on the first pictures, there is no fire in the hold. Just a small ball of wad is doing wonders against the unsought will of certain parts that strongly do believe that their future should be in the hold

[marijn van gils]

Beautiful work! I never though I would live to see you work on the exterior�
Are you going to keep the decks removable?

Cheers,

Marijn

[Thomas E. Johnson]

Absolutely insane and incredible work!!!!

[dafi]

Naughty-naughty-messenger, naughty!

When I first installed the messenger I was opting for the display in Portsmouth, showing a left handed rope as described by Nares for later periods. Now much time later, I have not yet found a source for this setup in the period around 1800. Here are the two cables to compare.



That�s why Ms. Cyrus inspired me ...



... using the wrecking ball and ...



... even though fully dressed taking carefully out the components in question. Luckily the nippers were fixed the right way and ...



... could get off easily. Just call me a smart Nipper

The original build was shown in details, so we have only a fast tour of the changes

The lashing of the messenger ...





... the rolls to guide the messenger around the bows and the guy with the hose to water the incoming anchor cable and the boys to clewan it with a brush.





The bosums mate surveys those 4 gents nipping the two cables ...

�berwacht diese vier Herren beim Befestigen der Nippers, der Taust�cke, welche Kabelaar und Ankerkabel zusammenhalten ...





... while these man escort the cables backwards ...



... and those to open the nippers for the anchor cable to disappear in the hold. I gave a bit more space to those gents by taking out the pillars in that area.





The messenger still moves backwards and changes direction on those solid stanchions ...



... towards the capstan ...





... and the strain of the pulling already worked the messenger up the drum.

Behind the capstan 3 gents are pulling the rope clear ...





... in that area I placed two more stanchions as they are out of the way and on the rest of the track ...



... some other gents make sure that the messenger is moving swiftly forwards again.

Cheers, Daniel