Hms Victory by Caldercraft - Build Log

which is being constructed using 'home milled' anchor stock
Your jig is great. I have used something very similar but found I still had a lot of hand work necessary because no two pieces were the same except midships. Making them oversized as you have done sounds like a good solution. While a different ship the below planking expansion probably explains the various shapes of each piece of the wales better than words.
Allan
1741948150016.jpeg
 
I don't know. They look fine, it's hard to keep the ratlines straight. I'm doing them right now with a template pinned behind and some seem to tail off. Is what it is.

As for the deadeyes. The lower ones were easy and I was able to use a full spacer for them and the lowers came out more even. For the upper deadeyes, I did one and then tried to keep the others equal to the first. That didn't work too well, but close enough. Mine appear about the same as yours. Some good, some a bit too high or low. Eh....

I was surprised there wasn't the inclusion of sails or at least an after market kit for sails. I'm not sure if full sails would look good on the model, I think they would just look fake. However....folded sails would look great! I've seen a couple of logs were builders created mini versions of the sails that are rolled up and secured to the various yards, booms and stays. Perhaps the next model!!!

Keep plugging away. I thing this part of the build is the last of the tedious tasks. Once you finish the ratlines and shrouds, the rest of the rigging and yard installations should be fun. Hard for sure, but fun!
Many modelers do not add full sails as they can and do hide the work one does with the rigging. I did not rig sails on my HMS VICTORY for that reason. Rolled up sails can be attached using a period-typical method. I did this on my Portsmouth. If you have, or can get, copies of Ship Modeling Simplified, by Frank Mastini and Historic Ship Models by Wolfram zu Mondfeld, you will find a good bit of info about rigging sails furled and unfurled. In SMS, see pages 94-96 and in HSM, pages 248 - 269 for more than you probably need to know.
Portsmouth 1.jpgPortsmouth 2.jpg
 
Many modelers do not add full sails as they can and do hide the work one does with the rigging. I did not rig sails on my HMS VICTORY for that reason. Rolled up sails can be attached using a period-typical method. I did this on my Portsmouth. If you have, or can get, copies of Ship Modeling Simplified, by Frank Mastini and Historic Ship Models by Wolfram zu Mondfeld, you will find a good bit of info about rigging sails furled and unfurled. In SMS, see pages 94-96 and in HSM, pages 248 - 269 for more than you probably need to know.
I think those pics with furled sails look great. As you say, they wouldn't detract from the model and to Alan's point, trying to create sails at this small scale isn't going to work. I think if someone is bent on making full sails at a 1:70ish scale, all of the stitching would really have to be printed. But then adding all the reefing lines and more...a lot of work!
 
I think those pics with furled sails look great. As you say, they wouldn't detract from the model and to Alan's point, trying to create sails at this small scale isn't going to work. I think if someone is bent on making full sails at a 1:70ish scale, all of the stitching would really have to be printed. But then adding all the reefing lines and more...a lot of work!
While I agree that the out of scale stitching on model sails is a problem, sometimes it is overstated. Yes, sails can block view of rigging and deck details to a good degree. Of course, sail cloth looks the best on a scale model with sails furled or fartheled, and hanging the sail cloth limply from the yards makes the cloth look out of scale, but is starched and billowed, sails can look very nice. They can breathe life into your model similar to filling the deck and rigging with modeled sailor figures, such as in Doris Obručová's HMS Sovereign of the Seas (bottom). To me, a ship without sails is like a car without wheels, which is a personal preference for making models. What matters most is achieving the appearance you desire.

La Couronne, 1:100 scale
DF shot 2.png

HMS Sovereign of the Seas
20120102150400-144513-full.jpg
20120103230840-144756-full.jpg20120103232239-144786-full.jpg20120103231021-144760-full.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top