Hi Daniel good progress on your Vasa the doors came up nicely.
VASA 490 Build Log - Billing Boats, 1:75 [Completed Build]
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Looking good Daniel,
Which Rope Server did you get?
There are some great forum entries and discussions concerning making your own ropes (and on other forums). An important question you will need to decide on early, is what thread source and material are you going to use? It may be linen thread, cotton thread, or man made polymer threads. The importance of making this decision relates in particular to the 'fuzziness' of you final rope. You can apply wax, you can burn/sear fuzz off, but in my experience.
I am leaning towards polymer rope, especially if it is heated after making so it doesn't unwind. So, lot's of scope for experimenting, research and trying different things - All part of the rich and rewarding time spent model ship-building!!
PeterG
Which Rope Server did you get?
There are some great forum entries and discussions concerning making your own ropes (and on other forums). An important question you will need to decide on early, is what thread source and material are you going to use? It may be linen thread, cotton thread, or man made polymer threads. The importance of making this decision relates in particular to the 'fuzziness' of you final rope. You can apply wax, you can burn/sear fuzz off, but in my experience.
I am leaning towards polymer rope, especially if it is heated after making so it doesn't unwind. So, lot's of scope for experimenting, research and trying different things - All part of the rich and rewarding time spent model ship-building!!
PeterG
Hi Peter,
My server is a Chinese version I found on EBAY. Don't know the brand but you have to put it together. Like you I am leaning towards polymer ropes as I do not like any fuzziness on them. I know I have a lot of research and practice in front of me and will soon be purchasing after market rope.
Daniel
Daniel,
Just catching up - looking very good indeed.
Changing the gratings was an excellent idea. Had you not, it would have always irritated you... I know that feeling
memories of when I was doing my Vasa - my original gratings were so wrong. The fix also worked just fine.
Just catching up - looking very good indeed.
Changing the gratings was an excellent idea. Had you not, it would have always irritated you... I know that feeling
memories of when I was doing my Vasa - my original gratings were so wrong. The fix also worked just fine.
Thank you John.
I was just reviewing your beautiful Sovereign of the Seas. I'm so grateful to have awesome builders like yourself here to help and encourage.
Daniel, big thanks so nice of you - Well we all started knowing very little and even less in the skills department. I have learned so much (and still am) from other builders, one of the great things about this hobby. It also creates personal challenges to improve one's skills - a fun part indeed.
PS: In fact you were way ahead of me; you chose the Billings and not the Corel
Regards,
PS: In fact you were way ahead of me; you chose the Billings and not the Corel
Regards,
Good afternoon everyone.
I have a short but significant update. I finished the first planking from what will be the bulwarks down to the keel. I used a liberal application of wood filler on the bow section ,I 'm still not nearly as proficient as I'd like to be on the first planking however it all sanded out nicely. I prepped all 52 faux gun ports in black so to be ready for the walnut veneer.
Ok so here is a OOPS that amazingly I didn't discover until I was painting the gun ports black. I had placed one gun port too low and had to move it up in line with the rest. Apparently I get tunnel vision when concentrating too hard
I was able to finish plank the lower portion of the stern and man I just love the rich golden brown hue of walnut when Minwax is applied and buffed out.
I still have quite a bit more to do in this area but wanted to see how the walnut was going to look.
Thanks for stopping by and as always Happy Modeling!!
I have a short but significant update. I finished the first planking from what will be the bulwarks down to the keel. I used a liberal application of wood filler on the bow section ,I 'm still not nearly as proficient as I'd like to be on the first planking however it all sanded out nicely. I prepped all 52 faux gun ports in black so to be ready for the walnut veneer.
Ok so here is a OOPS that amazingly I didn't discover until I was painting the gun ports black. I had placed one gun port too low and had to move it up in line with the rest. Apparently I get tunnel vision when concentrating too hard
I was able to finish plank the lower portion of the stern and man I just love the rich golden brown hue of walnut when Minwax is applied and buffed out.
I still have quite a bit more to do in this area but wanted to see how the walnut was going to look.
Thanks for stopping by and as always Happy Modeling!!
Nice progress. Daniel!
Looking good Daniel! As long as the first planking is a good foundation for the final planking, you will be fine. So you are in great shape.
Hi Daniel it's taking shape nicely I like the way the ship is supported on the bench while you're working on the stern.
Hi Tony,
I could find no good way to jack the back end up high enough without me having to stoop down which really bothers my neck. So fortunately the extensions on the bulkhead were there to help and it worked great! I'll end up having to put the bulwarks on before I can finish the stern which will take the bulkhead extensions out of play so I'll have to invent a cradle that sits on the floor for the "beak" to rest in and go from there.
Well done, Daniel. You will be glad you framed out and painted the port liners now. It makes for a very tidy result (though the veneer planking will need to be carefully cut to reveal just the right amount of the black frame). I struggled keeping everything straight and square.
Oh, and please invent another way to work on the stern. That just screams disaster to me 
!!!
Oh, and please invent another way to work on the stern
. That just screams disaster to me !!!
Daniel,
As you know (from my early posts), I used a sheet of timber large enough to accommodate the hull and then mounted a 'lazy susan' roller bearing swivel unit underneath so it sits flat on the workbench. With this I can mount the ship (even using the provided stand), and then rotate it 360 degrees in an instant. It allows port and starboard access so easily and therefore speeds up the build considerably.
For longitudinal hull rotation, what I have done is cut a length of that round 'pool noodle' foam which is reasonably rigid and then provides two lengths of semi-circular halves. I mount a series of plastic rods in holes I have drilled across the swivelling baseboard, and this then allows me to rotate the hull to any angle along its length.
By offsetting the pool noodle halves, I can then angle the keel up or down a fair bit - not anything near vertical, but for working on, say the stern, it allows me to have it poking up into the air, secure and easy to work on. Below is a picture of what I mean (from an early post).
Note in the above that the baseboard can rotate and I move the plastic rods out or in depending on the position I want the pool noodle halves. (Note in the above it looks as though the plastic rods are touching the ship's hull, they aren't, they are cut short to just position the noodle foam). This gives great flexibility while working on most orientations of the ship, even rolled over on its side.
Hope this helps,
PeterG
As you know (from my early posts), I used a sheet of timber large enough to accommodate the hull and then mounted a 'lazy susan' roller bearing swivel unit underneath so it sits flat on the workbench. With this I can mount the ship (even using the provided stand), and then rotate it 360 degrees in an instant. It allows port and starboard access so easily and therefore speeds up the build considerably.
For longitudinal hull rotation, what I have done is cut a length of that round 'pool noodle' foam which is reasonably rigid and then provides two lengths of semi-circular halves. I mount a series of plastic rods in holes I have drilled across the swivelling baseboard, and this then allows me to rotate the hull to any angle along its length.
By offsetting the pool noodle halves, I can then angle the keel up or down a fair bit - not anything near vertical, but for working on, say the stern, it allows me to have it poking up into the air, secure and easy to work on. Below is a picture of what I mean (from an early post).
Note in the above that the baseboard can rotate and I move the plastic rods out or in depending on the position I want the pool noodle halves. (Note in the above it looks as though the plastic rods are touching the ship's hull, they aren't, they are cut short to just position the noodle foam). This gives great flexibility while working on most orientations of the ship, even rolled over on its side.
Hope this helps,
PeterG
Good morning all.
Thank you @dockattner ,@PeterG , and @Heinrich for your kind words and advice. I am definitely coming up with a better way to work on the ship while its standing on its beak. In terms of working on the stern, the vertical approach is far better for me. Not to worry about a nose dive crash, you would not know from the pictures but when I was applying the planking and pressing down with a little force I had my knees on it (same fashion as in the last photo) as added security. I will be installing the bulwarks shortly and will loose my ability to support it in the same fashion.
Thank you @dockattner ,@PeterG , and @Heinrich for your kind words and advice. I am definitely coming up with a better way to work on the ship while its standing on its beak. In terms of working on the stern, the vertical approach is far better for me. Not to worry about a nose dive crash, you would not know from the pictures but when I was applying the planking and pressing down with a little force I had my knees on it (same fashion as in the last photo) as added security. I will be installing the bulwarks shortly and will loose my ability to support it in the same fashion.
Your point about framing in the gun port windows is well taken Paul. I expressed in an earlier post that I hope I'm not in tears during this process. I actually got a little taste of it on the stern gun ports. That has given me more confidence, hope fully after the first few I will get good at it.Well done, Daniel. You will be glad you framed out and painted the port liners now. It makes for a very tidy result (though the veneer planking will need to be carefully cut to reveal just the right amount of the black frame). I struggled keeping everything straight and square.
Oh, and please invent another way to work on the stern
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Wow. I am a fan both of Billing Boats and the Vasa. I read the complete thread and impressed. Billing Boats are not for everyone. Of course now they laser the parts. I am ole school and look for those kits that the parts are just printed. Remember Cleveland Airplanes, same approach. Anyhoo, I just pull up a seat, and as a old friend said, where’s the popcorn.
Rick
Rick
Hello Rick.
Welcome aboard SOS and thank you for taking time to look at my build log. The VASA is my third attempt at wood ship modeling and yes Billing Boats is a real challenge for me. If not for this wonderful forum with all its great moderators and fellow ship builders, I would still be stuck at beginning.
Daniel
Good Monday morning to all.
I hope all you dads out there had a great fathers day. I've another interim update with a few pictures. The following shows the glue up of the bulwarks followed by inside planking with walnut veneer. I also removed the rest of the bulkhead extensions except the forward most set. The Billings kit has little "tips" sitting on top of the bulwarks plywood siding that represents where each rail post is supposed to go. I do not agree with the size or spacing on this so you may notice I have cut them off as well and will use a spacing more closely resembling the real ship.
I had a shock to my system when I realized I had set the forward section of the bulwarks 6-8mm too high! I realized it when I was cutting in the round gun ports in the walnut. I was way too far along to change it so if you look close you can see where I have lowered the fore most port. You will only see this on the port side.
The next shots show the box that runs along deck next to the bulwarks.
On my last update some had concerns about the method I was using to work on the ships stern.
Well while I was sitting in the reading room a great idea hit me to secure my ship from imminent disaster
while working on the stern, the beak fits perfectly
I thank you all for joining me on this tour.
As always Happy Modeling!
I hope all you dads out there had a great fathers day. I've another interim update with a few pictures. The following shows the glue up of the bulwarks followed by inside planking with walnut veneer. I also removed the rest of the bulkhead extensions except the forward most set. The Billings kit has little "tips" sitting on top of the bulwarks plywood siding that represents where each rail post is supposed to go. I do not agree with the size or spacing on this so you may notice I have cut them off as well and will use a spacing more closely resembling the real ship.
I had a shock to my system when I realized I had set the forward section of the bulwarks 6-8mm too high! I realized it when I was cutting in the round gun ports in the walnut. I was way too far along to change it so if you look close you can see where I have lowered the fore most port. You will only see this on the port side.
The next shots show the box that runs along deck next to the bulwarks.
On my last update some had concerns about the method I was using to work on the ships stern.
Well while I was sitting in the reading room a great idea hit me to secure my ship from imminent disaster
while working on the stern, the beak fits perfectly
I thank you all for joining me on this tour.
As always Happy Modeling!
...yet another use of toilet papers, obviously it is a bit different from the primary use, but who cares, as long as it works!
Great job and very descriptive build log.