• SUBSCRIBE TO SHIPS IN SCALE TODAY!

    The beloved Ships in Scale Magazine is back and charting a new course for 2026!
    Discover new skills, new techniques, and new inspirations in every issue.

    NOTE THAT OUR NEXT ISSUE WILL BE July/August 2026
  • Win a Free Custom Engraved Brass Coin!!!
    As a way to introduce our brass coins to the community, we will raffle off a free coin during the month of August. Follow link ABOVE for instructions for entering.

La Venus

Good morning, on the French forum, user Péji, in his La Renommee build log, shows what you're asking about. I hope it helps.
https://5500.forumactif.org/t2309-la-renommee-de-peji-au-1-48

Miguel.
Yes, I believe this post was where I saw the original jig design. There are “angle plates” which you can purchase but they are ludicrously expensive! I made mine for about £12 from an online stockists of aluminium section and strip plus a few M5 nuts bolts, washers and screws. Here are some pics.

IMG_4858.jpeg

IMG_4856.jpeg

IMG_4859.jpeg
 
Taken a break from milling the bow timbers. I returned to the last few frames at the bow and stern. I have filed and used some micro chisels to cut the notches to accept the keelson and sit square on the keel. Not the easiest job but I think I’m getting there slowly.

IMG_4880.jpeg

IMG_4879.jpeg

IMG_4878.jpeg

IMG_4883.jpeg

IMG_4881.jpeg
 
I’ve removed the elastic bands from the building jig and clamped a temporary ribband to see how the frames are aligned for sanding.

Looking at the stern I see that frames 30 - 33 do not sit snuggly on the keelson. These 4 frames are only dry fitted at the moment. To ensure it all fits nicely, rather than remake each one, I intend to mill a piece for each which will slide in place over the top notch and mate with the keelson. Hope this all makes sense!

Frame 28 at the bow also looks a bit suspect in terms of size. But I’ll tackle this later.

Cheers

IMG_4940.jpeg

IMG_4943.jpeg

IMG_4942.jpeg
 
Frame 28 at the bow also looks a bit suspect in terms of size. But I’ll tackle this later.
Hello Jon, before you remake 28 forward you might want to also look at 29 (too high?) - or even take another swing at the hawse/bow timbers as everything relates (that is, I'm not sure you can condemn 28 without seeing how the rest of the bow shapes up).
 
Yep, you’re absolutely right. Once I finish the port and starboard hawse timbers I will do a trial fit-up on Fr 29 to see how it all looks.

I have already had to re-make half a dozen frames (which take me about a day each to do) so I’m not in a hurry to re-make anymore. I’ll concentrate for now on making the stern frames (30-33) fit nice and snuggly with the keel and keelson.
Cheers
Jon
 
Yep, you’re absolutely right. Once I finish the port and starboard hawse timbers I will do a trial fit-up on Fr 29 to see how it all looks.

I have already had to re-make half a dozen frames (which take me about a day each to do) so I’m not in a hurry to re-make anymore. I’ll concentrate for now on making the stern frames (30-33) fit nice and snuggly with the keel and keelson.
Cheers
Jon
To make the stern frames fit more snuggly with the keelson I have milled out the notches at the top of several frames and placed a blank piece in their place. I then carefully re-cut the notches and dry fitting shows that the keelson is now a much better fit.

I have order some more pear wood from the excellent Vahur at hobbymill, who has supplied all of the wood for this build. The next stage will be to cut this to make filling pieces to fit between each frame as far down the hull as the main deck.

Over the last couple of days I have made quite a lot of simple clamps and used these to attach a temporary ribband to see how accurately the hull looks. Actually, for a first attempt at arsenal modelling, I’m quite pleased!

IMG_4939.jpeg

IMG_4949.jpeg

IMG_4951.jpeg

IMG_4950.jpeg
 
Back
Top