HM Armed Cutter Alert (1777) - Vanguard Models - 1/64 - Completed Build

[Namabiiru]

What’s the date of your smack. Terminology and function changes with time with type of ship with country of origin. Sometimes I think it’s just an excuse to constantly debate trivia. I’m reminded of those mediaeval theologians who allegedly would debate the number of angels that could dance on the head of a pin.

42. What’s to debate?

 

[AllanKP69]

Is it the photos or are some of the running rigging lines and strops around the blocks tarred for some reason? Below is a cutter model from RMG that shows untarred running rigging. The second model is circa 1790 and there are more on the RMG Collections site that might be helpful.
Allan

 

[Smithy]

Is it the photos or are some of the running rigging lines and strops around the blocks tarred for some reason?

Thank you as always, for your concern Allan. I’m very sorry to have wasted your time. You see, the thing is, I don’t even care enough to look at the photos to see what you mean.

To me, it is only a toy boat, not a museum piece for reference, it doesn’t matter to me anymore that blocks are upside down or some lines are simply tied onto the nearest easy place. I lose no sleep about the lack of clove hitches in the ludicrously widely spaced rat lines (which nobody has noticed).

I realise that other people have other priorities and I have held different opinions myself in the fairly recent past concerning the value of ‘authenticity’, but in the words of the philosopher Mr C Gable “Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn.”

I just want to get it finished to a standard that will impress the casual observer and not offend me too much. Why? So that I’m not defeated by the last kit I ever make, but end a long career of model making by achieving at least those limited goals.

 

[Smithy]

I’ve lined up my rats, or should that be I’ve ratted out my lines?

That’s possibly the most tedious part of the entire construction completed. Think of tying your shoelaces over and over again for three or four hours and you get the idea. Good for the shoulder and arm muscles though, which is very useful to me right now.

 

[AllanKP69]

I’m very sorry to have wasted your time.

No waste at all Smithy. I get the hint

 

[Smithy]

No waste at all Smithy. I get the hint

I did find the brown ropes by the way.

On my model black equals standing and everything else is an artistic blend of browns more or less. There must be five non-blacks on there already.

 

[Peter Gutterman]

If you do give up the actual model building, I do hope you will continue to share your priceless "Brain Droppings" (thanks George Carlin) with us!

Pete

 

[Jimsky]

I did find the brown ropes by the way.

Have you tried Rope Of Scale and Drydock Parts? Both of them have dark-brown ropes

Polyester Dark Brown Rope

This dark brown rope is best used on tall ships that use Pine Tar/Stockholm Tar on their standing rigging. Information for diameter, circumference, and length can be found on this PDF. Click Here This rope is made with Gutermann E thread which has zero fuzz, lumps, or inconsistencies. This rope...

ropesofscale.com

Miniature rigging ropes - Dark brown - Cotton

Premium quality rigging ropes for your ship modeling needs, Dark Brown color for standing rigging. All ropes are historically accurate Hawser-laid right handed ropes. No Fuzz!!

drydockmodelsandparts.com

Hope this helps

 

[Smithy]

the hint

Is a tribute. Tongue in cheek sure, but a tribute nevertheless.

 

[Smithy]

Have you tried Rope Of Scale and Drydock Parts? Both of them have dark-brown ropes

Polyester Dark Brown Rope

This dark brown rope is best used on tall ships that use Pine Tar/Stockholm Tar on their standing rigging. Information for diameter, circumference, and length can be found on this PDF. Click Here This rope is made with Gutermann E thread which has zero fuzz, lumps, or inconsistencies. This rope...

ropesofscale.com

Miniature rigging ropes - Dark brown - Cotton

Premium quality rigging ropes for your ship modeling needs, Dark Brown color for standing rigging. All ropes are historically accurate Hawser-laid right handed ropes. No Fuzz!!

drydockmodelsandparts.com

Hope this helps

I found the brown ropes on my model. Pay attention Jim.

 

[Smithy]

Brain Droppings

My thoughts are ordure?

Well, yes, I suppose so.

 

[Jimsky]

I found the brown ropes on my model. Pay attention Jim.

it was sent to you for future reference, who knows... you might need those in your next endeavor BTW, those far better quality of scaled ropes you will find in any commercially available kits. The only drawback is - once you try them - you are hooked (don't blame me).

 

[Smithy]

it was sent to you for future reference,

And for the illumination of present and future readers of course.

 

[Smithy]

If you do give up the actual model building, I do hope you will continue to share your priceless "Brain Droppings" (thanks George Carlin) with us!

Pete

How would that work? This is a forum for discussing ship modelling. When I’m finished with ship modelling I’d have nothing to say, nor any interest in what everyone else was saying.

“Good news kids, the dog’s dead but we can still keep her!”

 

[Smithy]

It took surprisingly little time to shape the four square sail yards this morning. I used only sandpaper since I felt too lazy to fetch the disc sander or drill from the storeroom where I’d packed them away. It wasn’t so much the effort of getting them out but the clearing away and cleaning up after mechanical sanding. As it was, I was able to drop most of the dust straight into the bin and tread the rest into the carpet.



First layer of shellac applied. I’m toying with the idea of painting the yardarms black but since I didn’t bother painting the ends of the booms, it might look odd.

You might wonder how those pliers are holding the yards like that?



I followed this instruction. It seemed like a good idea to pin [and glue] the yards to the mast to make rigging them easier.

I tested a piece of spare 3mm dowel with a 0.7mm hole and it seemed pretty easy to do the drilling. In fact on two out of four yards I went all the way through but that won’t matter as the parrel beads will hide the end of the pin, I thought. Then it occurred to me that a through hole weakened the dowel much more than a blind one. Oops!

The spare dowel I used for a test piece broke at the hole with a very light loading. That pin will be at the point of maximum stress when I tighten up the braces etc. if I break a yard, I can easily make another but if I break the topgallant mast by drilling into that slender spar to take the pins I’ve just glued into the yards, the amount of do-over required will far exceed my desire to do-it and the model will be a write off. That would be unfortunate at this late stage.

Maybe I’ll only drill the mainmast where it’s good and thick.

What do you think?

 

[Namabiiru]

It took surprisingly little time to shape the four square sail yards this morning. I used only sandpaper since I felt too lazy to fetch the disc sander or drill from the storeroom where I’d packed them away. It wasn’t so much the effort of getting them out but the clearing away and cleaning up after mechanical sanding. As it was, I was able to drop most of the dust straight into the bin and tread the rest into the carpet.

View attachment 494327

First layer of shellac applied. I’m toying with the idea of painting the yardarms black but since I didn’t bother painting the ends of the booms, it might look odd.

You might wonder how those pliers are holding the yards like that?

View attachment 494328

I followed this instruction. It seemed like a good idea to pin [and glue] the yards to the mast to make rigging them easier.

I tested a piece of spare 3mm dowel with a 0.7mm hole and it seemed pretty easy to do the drilling. In fact on two out of four yards I went all the way through but that won’t matter as the parrel beads will hide the end of the pin, I thought. Then it occurred to me that a through hole weakened the dowel much more than a blind one. Oops!

The spare dowel I used for a test piece broke at the hole with a very light loading. That pin will be at the point of maximum stress when I tighten up the braces etc. if I break a yard, I can easily make another but if I break the topgallant mast by drilling into that slender spar to take the pins I’ve just glued into the yards, the amount of do-over required will far exceed my desire to do-it and the model will be a write off. That would be unfortunate at this late stage.

Maybe I’ll only drill the mainmast where it’s good and thick.

What do you think?

Perhaps forego the wire since you’re left with a choice: use small guage wire which is likely to bend, or drill a large hole that weakens the spar. Could you temporarily lash the spar to the mast until rigging is done, then remove the temp lashing?

 

[The Ships Cat]

Could you temporarily lash the spar to the mast until rigging is done, then remove the temp lashing?

Speaking from no experience whatsoever but that's got my vote

 

[Smithy]

Well fellows, since the holes were drilled already and the pins installed in the yards before I even took the photos, NOT doing that requires a Time Machine. You know I prefer to use hand tools and avoid expensive electronics so I’m not in the market for a TARDIS.

The pin system, if you think about, it is (perhaps) a strengthening device but the way it makes rigging the yards easier is by holding them to the mast while one lashes them there with the trusses.

I’m afraid I don’t understand your temporary lashing suggestion. Would they not be at the very point where I’d be trying to apply the permanent one? Do you have a method in mind for me to to lash the ends of the yards to the ceiling of my flat giving me the necessary access to their middles?

A three-foot high yard positioning jig with two rigid towers carrying height adjustable yardarm clamps allowing me to jack the yards up and push the boat underneath, maybe?

 

[Smithy]

An observation. More than half of the people watching this thread have not posted an update to a build log of their own in the last month. Many of them have posted a great number of likes and encouraging comments on other people's build logs, suggesting many hours spent online, and not building.

A question. Is modelmaking becoming a spectator sport?

I had a friend in a real world modelling club who never built, or at least never showed anything. One day he was looking at a model of mine and said something like "That's so good. I won't be able to build mine now." I think he meant that he couldn't match even my modest (Modest? I was damn good! ) skill so he wasn't even going to try. I see a lot of adulatory posts all over SoS and always wonder whether they indicate that the writer is inspired to, or actually discouraged from doing it for himself.

But then, what do I know?

 

[rtibbs]

An observation. More than half of the people watching this thread have not posted an update to a build log of their own in the last month. Many of them have posted a great number of likes and encouraging comments on other people's build logs, suggesting many hours spent online, and not building.

A question. Is modelmaking becoming a spectator sport?

I had a friend in a real world modelling club who never built, or at least never showed anything. One day he was looking at a model of mine and said something like "That's so good. I won't be able to build mine now." I think he meant that he couldn't match even my modest (Modest? I was damn good! ) skill so he wasn't even going to try. I see a lot of adulatory posts all over SoS and always wonder whether they indicate that the writer is inspired to, or actually discouraged from doing it for himself.

Discuss:

Maybe some of us are not quite as verbose as you. To each his own. I prefer building.