Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Your speed rigging looks good for the scale, how about some speed ratlines next.
Cheap Chinese Halcon speed build [COMPLETED BUILD]
- Thread starter DARIVS ARCHITECTVS
- Start date
- Watchers 46
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- completed build halcon
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- Nov 6, 2022
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Wisconsin! What are you doing in Wisconsin? While you are there, I would like to order a wheel of sharp cheddar. Do you take Visa? OK Mister, since I found SOS, I have always followed your builds and I am finally starting a wooden ship. I purchased HMS Victory first from a member of SOS because, well, it was there for the offer. When I opened the box, I was overwhelmed. When we first connected a year ago, you wrote that it would take hours and hours of RESEARCH! Well, you were not kidding. So I downsized to HMS Surprise because a member of SOS had one for sale. Now it is more RESEARCH! I look at drawings and plans over and over and they all change a little. Lifeboat on gun deck, or on beams on spar deck? Ships wheel behind mizzen or in front? The model is really kinda cool, but instructions are limited to what you need to do first. Such as (as TKAM has stated) do not glue spar deck before adding gun deck cannons! And also silly stuff like glue anchor chain into hawse holes. What! No anchor bits! And you cannot include a tiller for rudder, or maybe I can figure a way through those bulkheads....Hmmm. All the lines are tan and I read in instructions to paint certain lines black, REALLY! I am not dissatisfied with my purchases, but I know there is missing walnut sizes for the kit. Damn kids probably got in there, or not. I am not done venting yet. Tools. I remember looking at your break down of purchases you made to complete La Couronnes (spell check?). It is OK. Just loving life. Drill press, Band saw, (still need a lathe). Mill table attachment for drill press. Crown Royal. Yes, an option, but totally in the budget.
I read a couple weeks ago about people sending pictures of food to SOS and saw your comments on fish. I love seafood. Last month my neighbor and I brought back 36 Dungeness crab and 4 black sea bass. This weekend we got 24 dungy's and that was plenty. Pickin and a grinnin.
Take care and hope you have an awesome Christmas.
I read a couple weeks ago about people sending pictures of food to SOS and saw your comments on fish. I love seafood. Last month my neighbor and I brought back 36 Dungeness crab and 4 black sea bass. This weekend we got 24 dungy's and that was plenty. Pickin and a grinnin.
Take care and hope you have an awesome Christmas.
Ratlines will definitely slow me down!
I'm working in Wisconsin these days, and the cheese is good, particularly the fried cheese curds. Good idea that you stepped back a bit to build HMS Surprise first to build up your skills. HMS Victory is an extreme challenge. I'm a big fan of seafood. Just had friend clam strips today! A rare treat for me. May you have the best of times with family and friends this Christmas!
Hey Kurt,
Did your kit come with brass cannon barrels? Mine did not. I got flat barrels made from a sheet of wood! I know you're trying to not add a bunch of cost to your kit, but HiS models has a block set for this kit and it comes with pretty nice blocks. It also has a rigging plan with it. The blocks are REALLY small.
Did your kit come with brass cannon barrels? Mine did not. I got flat barrels made from a sheet of wood! I know you're trying to not add a bunch of cost to your kit, but HiS models has a block set for this kit and it comes with pretty nice blocks. It also has a rigging plan with it. The blocks are REALLY small.
My kit came with no added parts (see the beginning of my build log), just a few sheets of laser cut wood, some dowels, and a roll of cheap thread. I bought the brass barrels separate and used one I had in the parts box for the large gun on the deck. I also bought some small deadeyes, and planned to use as many leftover blocks from my blocks box as I needed and save some money.Hey Kurt,
Did your kit come with brass cannon barrels? Mine did not. I got flat barrels made from a sheet of wood! I know you're trying to not add a bunch of cost to your kit, but HiS models has a block set for this kit and it comes with pretty nice blocks. It also has a rigging plan with it. The blocks are REALLY small.
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Day 18
After making breaching ropes, gluing them around the quoin of each gun barrel, the barrels were glued to their carriages, then the carriages to the deck.
Each of the breaching ropes had overhand knots which were stained black with with a Sharpie pen to give the impression of the iron hardware, the eyebolts and hooks, at each end. The ends were then glued to the bulwark with PVA glue.
The glue is allowed to dry.
Now glue applied to the bottom of the breaching rope with an stick, and it is secured to the deck.
Rope is pressed to the deck with your fingertip and tweezers are used to lay the rope in realistic pattern.
When the glue dries, the breaching rope looks pretty realistic at this scale.
All the cannons are finished for the gun ports. Gun tackles are not going to be fitted to these guns because of the small scale.
After making breaching ropes, gluing them around the quoin of each gun barrel, the barrels were glued to their carriages, then the carriages to the deck.
Each of the breaching ropes had overhand knots which were stained black with with a Sharpie pen to give the impression of the iron hardware, the eyebolts and hooks, at each end. The ends were then glued to the bulwark with PVA glue.
The glue is allowed to dry.
Now glue applied to the bottom of the breaching rope with an stick, and it is secured to the deck.
Rope is pressed to the deck with your fingertip and tweezers are used to lay the rope in realistic pattern.
When the glue dries, the breaching rope looks pretty realistic at this scale.
All the cannons are finished for the gun ports. Gun tackles are not going to be fitted to these guns because of the small scale.
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Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
The work on the cannon breech lines look convincing for the scale, and most folks wont be as close as your photo shows. 
Day 19
The rigging of the flying jib and fore stay lines was started today. I put in about 1-2 hours work per day on this model.
Line is glued into holes in each cathead.
The small Dremel came in handy drilling tiny holes in the catheads and the jib boom to accept the lines.
Standing rigging so far.
The rigging of the flying jib and fore stay lines was started today. I put in about 1-2 hours work per day on this model.
Line is glued into holes in each cathead.
The small Dremel came in handy drilling tiny holes in the catheads and the jib boom to accept the lines.
Standing rigging so far.
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Did the upper mast sections have any shroud or guy lines to help keep them straight, or is that just next in the schedule?
The upper shrouds are coming later.
Day 20
I spent a lot of time researching the rigging of Baltimore schooners and came to lean what a dolphin spanker (
), jib boom, and martingale lines were with the help of a most excellent thread on the MSW forum (link).
The rigging at the jib and the forestry need to be re-done since they are not correct. I started by cutting and redoing the martingales port and starboard. I done have and 1.5mm blocks, so these were simulated using knots covered in glue, then painted brown with a Sharpie marker temporarily until I can paint the later at home.
Simulated luff tackle. Once the glue dries it makes for a decent impression of tiny blocks. The tan line will be stiffened with CA glue, then glued into a hole drilled into the wale to fasten it to the hull.
The martingale line is is now fastened to one side of the hull, and is passed through the block using a sewing needle, and in drawn taut before anchoring it with glue and trimming off the remaining line.
The martingale line is done. Just some extra line to trim off.
Now work begins on the jib stay port and starboard, which is fastened with a luff tackle to the cat heads. One side is attached to one cat head already. More research will eventually show me the basics in topsail schooner rigging.
About to tighten the jib stay on the starboard side.
I spent a lot of time researching the rigging of Baltimore schooners and came to lean what a dolphin spanker (
), jib boom, and martingale lines were with the help of a most excellent thread on the MSW forum (link).The rigging at the jib and the forestry need to be re-done since they are not correct. I started by cutting and redoing the martingales port and starboard. I done have and 1.5mm blocks, so these were simulated using knots covered in glue, then painted brown with a Sharpie marker temporarily until I can paint the later at home.
Simulated luff tackle. Once the glue dries it makes for a decent impression of tiny blocks. The tan line will be stiffened with CA glue, then glued into a hole drilled into the wale to fasten it to the hull.
The martingale line is is now fastened to one side of the hull, and is passed through the block using a sewing needle, and in drawn taut before anchoring it with glue and trimming off the remaining line.
The martingale line is done. Just some extra line to trim off.
Now work begins on the jib stay port and starboard, which is fastened with a luff tackle to the cat heads. One side is attached to one cat head already. More research will eventually show me the basics in topsail schooner rigging.
About to tighten the jib stay on the starboard side.
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Such tiny stuff, but it looks pretty darn good. OK master builders out there. The HMS Surprise has two capstans, one fore and one aft. Do they operate simultaneously, grabbing both anchors or do they retrieve separate anchors?
The capstan was used for MANY things. Not just the anchors.
Day 21
I believe one is primarily used for heaving either anchor, and the other is used as a backup for anchor heaving and for general hauling jobs, including kedging.
Day 21
I finished the martingale line starboard, fore stay tackle under the jib, added gammoning rope at the crupper to hold the jib boom, and added the main top mast stay.
I finished the martingale line starboard, fore stay tackle under the jib, added gammoning rope at the crupper to hold the jib boom, and added the main top mast stay.
She looks great !
Thanks a million for this info! Got this kit and went mad ordering upgrade kit and a complete rigging kit from a Czech company. Am currently researching techniques as this is also my first plank on frame woody thing build. Your posts have been an inspiration sir and I take off my tricorn hat to you!