Grants Xebec 1:60 (using Jabeque Cazador Occre1:60 kit) [COMPLETED BUILD]
- Thread starter GrantTyler
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Wow, the forward rake of the foremast is pretty significant.
Good morning Lorenzo. Thanks for these. That is such a cool painting. The little I know about Antonio Barcelo was that he had a successful career and worked his way up the ranks- self made so to speak.Between 1762 and 1769 he Captained his Xebec to many Victories against the Algiers and the Pirates. He did however lead a failed expedition against Algiers before being promoted to Rear Admiral and was part of the blockade against the British.
Thanks for sharing. Cheers Grant
Good afternoon Vic. It seems unusually so. It obviously worked as this trait is shared with all the lateen rigged Xebecs of that period. Cheers Grant
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Hi Grant,
With Cazador 4 pieces of pin-cannons are provided within the kit. These pin-cannons are the wrong size and also they need to shorten a fair amount because they're much too long. The position of these cannons are below the quarter deck and it doesn't look right in my eyes. In my kit 4 extra normal cannons were provided as well, so you have an opportunity to open this part up underneath the quarterdeck and place normal cannons.
Check the ammount of cannons, if there are 24, then you're safe to do this.
I didn't do it, and do regret it.....
With Cazador 4 pieces of pin-cannons are provided within the kit. These pin-cannons are the wrong size and also they need to shorten a fair amount because they're much too long. The position of these cannons are below the quarter deck and it doesn't look right in my eyes. In my kit 4 extra normal cannons were provided as well, so you have an opportunity to open this part up underneath the quarterdeck and place normal cannons.
Check the ammount of cannons, if there are 24, then you're safe to do this.
I didn't do it, and do regret it.....
Good morning Peter. Thank you. I will check this for sure. Every picture of your Cazador is so beautiful. Your scratch decorations which you have change from the kit design are exquisite. I also see you went for a single gun port cover (I am also thinking about this.) Thanks again. Cheers Grant
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Thanks Grant, you can do better, I'm sure. I didn't liked the double port covers, however that's a matter of personal preference. It's easy to convert them to single ones. Just don't detach the two single pieces and cover the front and back with veneer strips.
Good morning.
I have had 4 days to myself so plenty of ship building time - started on the Xebec. I will finish the Victory but I am at the boring part and need to wait for my Entrance from shapeways. (Great excuse
).
I have mentioned due to the lack of any information or references of the real Spanish Jabeque Cazador I am going to make my own Xebec. A little more outlandish and sexy.
The deck went on easily and pull out 99% of the twist and warping. A minuscule warp on the bow false keel remains which will be easily rectified.
My first design change :
I like the main decks on the French Le Requin, so decided to build my own version:
The main challenge is the inner part of the deck is lower than the outer strakes. I also want the outer strakes to be marginally thinker than the inner deck planks to highlight the distinction.
I have some left over lime from the Victory first planking layer which are thicker than the OcCre deck lime which will solve the higher outer strakes. I cut each plank to 3.2mm so they are 0.2mm thicker than the inner planks.
Off we go : Inner deck:
The inner deck butt pattern is of my own design. I am not going for accuracy at all with my Xebec. To achieve a curved effect I tapered certain planks and made a “dropper” plank pattern.
Butt pattern : Blue arrows
Tapering : Red Arrows
Dropper : Yellow
Treenails and caulking : At this scale and only 3mm, deck plank tree nails can look overly large and become way too prominent on the deck for me. I still want treenails tho so went for bamboo toothpicks which are a similar colour to the lime. They are there but won’t jump out at you- hopefully
The caulking I lighty coloured each plank with a 2b pencil. I want the tree nails and caulking to be subtle.
For the first strake of the outer part I cut a 0.1mm strake (this is my problem child). Red arrow.
The outer deck butt pattern is a Grants modified 3 but shift system. I had to wet each plank in hot water to achieve the bend at the fore part. I did &%#%%# one plank at the bow. You can see it on the bottom center left of pic below. I will play with saw dust and wood glue to see if I can repair it.
Work so far:
Cheers Grant
I have had 4 days to myself so plenty of ship building time - started on the Xebec. I will finish the Victory but I am at the boring part and need to wait for my Entrance from shapeways. (Great excuse
).I have mentioned due to the lack of any information or references of the real Spanish Jabeque Cazador I am going to make my own Xebec. A little more outlandish and sexy.
The deck went on easily and pull out 99% of the twist and warping. A minuscule warp on the bow false keel remains which will be easily rectified.
My first design change :
I like the main decks on the French Le Requin, so decided to build my own version:
The main challenge is the inner part of the deck is lower than the outer strakes. I also want the outer strakes to be marginally thinker than the inner deck planks to highlight the distinction.
I have some left over lime from the Victory first planking layer which are thicker than the OcCre deck lime which will solve the higher outer strakes. I cut each plank to 3.2mm so they are 0.2mm thicker than the inner planks.
Off we go : Inner deck:
The inner deck butt pattern is of my own design. I am not going for accuracy at all with my Xebec. To achieve a curved effect I tapered certain planks and made a “dropper” plank pattern.
Butt pattern : Blue arrows
Tapering : Red Arrows
Dropper : Yellow
Treenails and caulking : At this scale and only 3mm, deck plank tree nails can look overly large and become way too prominent on the deck for me. I still want treenails tho so went for bamboo toothpicks which are a similar colour to the lime. They are there but won’t jump out at you- hopefully
The caulking I lighty coloured each plank with a 2b pencil. I want the tree nails and caulking to be subtle.
For the first strake of the outer part I cut a 0.1mm strake (this is my problem child). Red arrow.
The outer deck butt pattern is a Grants modified 3 but shift system. I had to wet each plank in hot water to achieve the bend at the fore part. I did &%#%%# one plank at the bow. You can see it on the bottom center left of pic below. I will play with saw dust and wood glue to see if I can repair it.
Work so far:
Cheers Grant
Oops I did it again….deleted pics sneak into my post
This is great stuff Grant! Let the mods begin! 
Good morning, Grant. You made a great start with this deck planking with your personal input. It looks nice with the added ‘planking details’.Good morning.
I have had 4 days to myself so plenty of ship building time - started on the Xebec. I will finish the Victory but I am at the boring part and need to wait for my Entrance from shapeways. (Great excuse
I have mentioned due to the lack of any information or references of the real Spanish Jabeque Cazador I am going to make my own Xebec. A little more outlandish and sexy.
The deck went on easily and pull out 99% of the twist and warping. A minuscule warp on the bow false keel remains which will be easily rectified.
View attachment 354562
My first design change :
I like the main decks on the French Le Requin, so decided to build my own version:
View attachment 354563
The main challenge is the inner part of the deck is lower than the outer strakes. I also want the outer strakes to be marginally thinker than the inner deck planks to highlight the distinction.
I have some left over lime from the Victory first planking layer which are thicker than the OcCre deck lime which will solve the higher outer strakes. I cut each plank to 3.2mm so they are 0.2mm thicker than the inner planks.
Off we go : Inner deck:
View attachment 354568
The inner deck butt pattern is of my own design. I am not going for accuracy at all with my Xebec. To achieve a curved effect I tapered certain planks and made a “dropper” plank pattern.
Butt pattern : Blue arrows
Tapering : Red Arrows
Dropper : Yellow
View attachment 354570
Treenails and caulking : At this scale and only 3mm, deck plank tree nails can look overly large and become way too prominent on the deck for me. I still want treenails tho so went for bamboo toothpicks which are a similar colour to the lime. They are there but won’t jump out at you- hopefully
The caulking I lighty coloured each plank with a 2b pencil. I want the tree nails and caulking to be subtle.
For the first strake of the outer part I cut a 0.1mm strake (this is my problem child). Red arrow.
View attachment 354574
The outer deck butt pattern is a Grants modified 3 but shift system. I had to wet each plank in hot water to achieve the bend at the fore part. I did &%#%%# one plank at the bow. You can see it on the bottom center left of pic below. I will play with saw dust and wood glue to see if I can repair it.
Work so far:
View attachment 354572
Cheers Grant
View attachment 354559
View attachment 354560
Regards, Peter
Looking good so far Grant.
Keep it up.
Keep it up.
Hello Grant,
You’re making great progress. It’s looking great.
Bill
You’re making great progress. It’s looking great.
Bill
Wow, just catching up, you are making excellent progress. Another year and half at this pace and you will have a great model to display in your “Pub”.
Off to a good start here my friend! Looking forward to seeing 'sexy.'
Good afternoon Heinrich. Thanks. The outer part of the deck is slightly higher than the center. It has a small step down into the middle deck. This is a very simplified version of some of the French Xebecs. Cheers Grant
Good afternoon Dean. And so they have. I’m keeping the mods simple and using some other Xebec designs. I do enjoy the French based Xebec and some of the Corsiars from Algeria or the later Barbary Pirate look. I just found the Cazador from Occre a little clinical for the Xebec ship. Hopefully I don’t just stew this ship up totallyThis is great stuff Grant! Let the mods begin!
. Cheers GrantGood evening Peter. Thanks for this. I did not know that. I’m not going to attempt to
convert my Cazador to the Le Requin, that would not work. I am taking the deck and perhaps one or two details from the Le Requin but that is it. Strangely enough I rather enjoy the stern squaring out as in the Monograph and will probably extend mine like that. Cheers Grant
Thank you Martin
Thanks Bill
Good evening Jan. Boy, the way I played over the past four days it would be done in 6 monthsWow, just catching up, you are making excellent progress. Another year and half at this pace and you will have a great model to display in your “Pub”.
. Was fun but could not do that too often.Good afternoon Paul. The deck is already way sexier than the kit….did you not spot those sexy lines and curves
.Cheers Grant
I guess sexy is in the eyes of the beholder
...
When I built mine, it was my first time to complete a ship model, and I just wanted to make a good model. I soon started making changes per my personal taste as confidence grew throughout the build. If I built one now, I would definitely convert it into Dean's Xebec! 
So enjoy this opportunity, because I think the kit is a great foundation to start with.
So enjoy this opportunity, because I think the kit is a great foundation to start with.