HMS Diana by Caldercraft

[AllanKP69]

Ever since I started making the ships I have been quite unhappy with the poor quality of the rigging blocks that came with them.

I may be part of a small minority but I agree with you Marc. For the money charged for kits these days, no one should accept the chunks of wood some kit makers call rigging blocks. I may very well be wrong, but with today's manufacturing technology, I thought these could have been replaced with high quality blocks with virtually no increase to their manufacturing costs.
Allan

 

[mtbediz1]

Hi Marc, I can't believe how you can do this job so fast But everything was done very cleanly and neatly as always.

 

[HMSFly]

Hi Marc, I can't believe how you can do this job so fast But everything was done very cleanly and neatly as always.

Did you receive my mail?

 

[mtbediz1]

Did you receive my mail?

I didn't notice your email, I'm so sorry. I answered now.

 

[HMSFly]

The visible Guns on the Gun Deck are fully rigged and this based upon following example (but with the Tackles).

 

[HMSFly]

Oh yeah, forgot. I'll make all Guns visible, so no windows....

In a few days I will start with the Main deck. And here is an important question from me: was a Waterway beam placed on the main deck in the Artois class? If so, what did it look like? Any idea?

 

[AllanKP69]

was a Waterway beam placed on the main deck in the Artois class? If so, what did it look like? Any idea?

The waterway was not a beam, so this is a bit confusing. 18th century ships, including the Artois class had a waterway port and starboard between the spirketting and the outboard most deck planks and sat on the deck beams, See the post at https://shipsofscale.com/sosforums/...y-modelship-dockyard.13691/page-8#post-408185

For added fun, from Goodwin's The Construction and Fitting of the English Man of War, page 59, later in the 18th century the outboard most four feet of the various gun deck planks on some vessels were 25 foot long X 24 inches wide top and butt planks and were usually oak (or elm) rather than Prussian Deal which is very noticeable in the shape and color of those deck planks.
Allan

 

[HMSFly]

Hey Allan,

Thx for the clarification.

 

[HMSFly]

Well, Allan is right.
My gratings were not pulling at all. So I took out the old ones (very carefully) and replaced them with the Allan gratings. But, the result is much better!
And then the placement of the cables. I made an additional Forward riding bitt as shown on the original Artois class.:

 

[AllanKP69]

My gratings were not pulling at all. So I took out the old ones (very carefully) and replaced them with the Allan gratings.

Congratulations on going the extra mile (or 1.609 km) to replace the gratings with realistic ones. You did a great job and they look 1000% better!!

FWIW, they are not my gratings, they are merely gratings that look like gratings on an actual ship versus the fantasy materials which were provided in the kit in the beginning.

Again, kudos on a job well done Marc.

Allan

 

[Chestcutter]

I agree. The gratings look much better now. It is always a hard decision to remove and redo major portions of a build. On this occasion it has been a worthwhile effort.
Nice Marc.

 

[HMSFly]

Gun deck is ready. Now the placement of the beams : onto the underside of the Topdeck (important !).
And Top deck glued into position....

 

[Tony H]

Very impressive looking ship, what a shame to cover up all that detail on the gun deck.
Tony

 

[iutar]

Now the placement of the beams

The beams for the boats on the waist were evenly spaced.

 

[iutar]

It will be easier for you to attach the rigging in the future if you redo these parts.

 

[Smithy]

Top deck glued into position.

That’s a big step forwards. Well done on the gun deck. I agree with Tony that a lot of the work done there is now lost to clear view. Maybe you should buy an endoscope for lower deck tours.

 

[HMSFly]

That’s a big step forwards. Well done on the gun deck. I agree with Tony that a lot of the work done there is now lost to clear view. Maybe you should buy an endoscope for lower deck tours.

Both Tony and Smithy,

Of course I agree with you. A lot of work has been put into the Gun deck. I considered leaving part of the main deck open...but that will be for another time. After all, I have mounted LEDs and you can indeed see the pumps. Also, I am not going to place a number of gratings (on the Main deck) so that there is a better view inside...

Marc

 

[HMSFly]

It will be easier for you to attach the rigging in the future if you redo these parts.
View attachment 487507 View attachment 487509 View attachment 487508

Dear iutar,

The beams for the boats on the waist were NOT evenly spaced: on all plans and instructions clearly mentioned the space between the beams. I measured it at least 5 times on all plans and placed the beams exactly as instructed... Of course, it can be that the instructions are (again) wrong.
But I read your comment with the greatest attention: I have already noticed several contradictions in the drawings.

 

[AllanKP69]

Of course, it can be that the instructions are (again) wrong.

You are correct Marc.

38 gun ships had five fir boatskids according to The Elements and Practice of Naval Architcture. They were sided 9 inches and moulded 8 inches. They were made of two pieces scarphed together with 6 bolts in the scarph but as you have them painted, this would probably go unnoticed. No mention is made about spacing being equal or not in any source I can find.
Allan

 

[iutar]

Of course, it can be that the instructions are (again) wrong

I have not seen such disgusting, deceitful and primitive instructions for a long time. A manufacturer that declares itself to be in the premium segment makes some kind of garbage. In every photo of your instructions, I find a dozen errors. This is some kind of facepalm.