- Joined
- Jul 14, 2024
- Messages
- 25
- Points
- 48
I've been wanting to build the Mary Rose for a long time now, the history, stories and the mystery of why it sank, but let's not go there now, as that is a big debate. This is only my fourth ship; I haven't long finished the Occre Revenge, which took three years on and off, and think the Mary Rose will be the same. I'm realising it's a bit above my skill level, but I think it's a good way to learn.
On first impressions, the kit has quality wood materials, CNC-cut sheets and the fittings look good. The instructions are a booklet with all the history of the Mary Rose and about six pages of written instructions, which are understandable with experience building model ships, but you also get eight large, detailed, drawn plans, and they do assume you have previous knowledge of building.
That's all the bulkheads, keel, frame and lower deck for the dunny cannons cut out and cleaned up, ready for assembly
BuIkeads glued in and blocks glued in, ready to hold the dummy cannons later, ready to start palnking the second deck
Came across a problem with the main deck as it won't go on in one piece due to the bulkhead positions. Without thinking or asking my peers, I cut the deck into sections, but stupidly not realsing as I was later advised, i coud have cut it in half longways.
main deck planked, you can see where I cut the deck as I have join lines, but I also made a schoolboy error, I should have laid the last plank centrally to hide the centre join line, so don't do what I did. You won't see much of the deck when its finised, so it's not too bad, but I know it's there lol.
Forecastle and poop deck also planked and stained along with the main deck. I used sapele wood stain, and i thinkit came out quite good. A bit of advice, test the upper bulwarks along with the Forecastle and poop deck before planking the decks. I found that the stern deck was slightly too long towards the bow, and the bulwarks were too short, so it might ned trimming
Main Deck fitted, and bulkheads sanded, I will have to do a bit more sanding on the bulkheads as I go on with the planking of the first hull layer.
Lining up the first plank to start the hull. I haven't got an image, but I used the main cannons when doing this, to make sure the cannon barrels had some clearance above. This is a good guide for the waist gunport later.
Went down seven planks on each side and marked out the gun ports for the dummy cannons.
I've only planked up to the deck line for now, as I need to test-fit the upper bulwarks. Both sides planked up to deck level, and dummy cannon gunports cut out.
test fit for the upper bulwarks so I can determine how high to go with the planking, the first layer.
A good sanding of the hull, but will have to do more later. Im am adding two more gunports at the back as the Mary Rose had many more cannons, and I have two spare from a previous build.
Main deck cannon gunports done.
Took a bit of a break from the ship and made up the cannons, anchor, and made my own ladders, and I thought the ladder assembly that came with the kit protruded out too much. My ladders aren't perfect, but my carpentry skills are improving.
Started work on the bulwarks, on the panels, I just used Danish wood oil on the walnut, it came out nice and dark. Beige for the outer bulwarks and yellow for the inner bulwarks.
Waste gunport glued onto hull, and cutting out the gunports.
I cut out the rear extra gunports. I can see a future problem with getting the hull planks to sit flush with the sternpost. I've sanded back as much as I can, but I will have to keep that in mind as I build.
On first impressions, the kit has quality wood materials, CNC-cut sheets and the fittings look good. The instructions are a booklet with all the history of the Mary Rose and about six pages of written instructions, which are understandable with experience building model ships, but you also get eight large, detailed, drawn plans, and they do assume you have previous knowledge of building.
That's all the bulkheads, keel, frame and lower deck for the dunny cannons cut out and cleaned up, ready for assembly
BuIkeads glued in and blocks glued in, ready to hold the dummy cannons later, ready to start palnking the second deck
Came across a problem with the main deck as it won't go on in one piece due to the bulkhead positions. Without thinking or asking my peers, I cut the deck into sections, but stupidly not realsing as I was later advised, i coud have cut it in half longways.
main deck planked, you can see where I cut the deck as I have join lines, but I also made a schoolboy error, I should have laid the last plank centrally to hide the centre join line, so don't do what I did. You won't see much of the deck when its finised, so it's not too bad, but I know it's there lol.
Forecastle and poop deck also planked and stained along with the main deck. I used sapele wood stain, and i thinkit came out quite good. A bit of advice, test the upper bulwarks along with the Forecastle and poop deck before planking the decks. I found that the stern deck was slightly too long towards the bow, and the bulwarks were too short, so it might ned trimming
Main Deck fitted, and bulkheads sanded, I will have to do a bit more sanding on the bulkheads as I go on with the planking of the first hull layer.
Lining up the first plank to start the hull. I haven't got an image, but I used the main cannons when doing this, to make sure the cannon barrels had some clearance above. This is a good guide for the waist gunport later.
Went down seven planks on each side and marked out the gun ports for the dummy cannons.
I've only planked up to the deck line for now, as I need to test-fit the upper bulwarks. Both sides planked up to deck level, and dummy cannon gunports cut out.
test fit for the upper bulwarks so I can determine how high to go with the planking, the first layer.
A good sanding of the hull, but will have to do more later. Im am adding two more gunports at the back as the Mary Rose had many more cannons, and I have two spare from a previous build.
Main deck cannon gunports done.
Took a bit of a break from the ship and made up the cannons, anchor, and made my own ladders, and I thought the ladder assembly that came with the kit protruded out too much. My ladders aren't perfect, but my carpentry skills are improving.
Started work on the bulwarks, on the panels, I just used Danish wood oil on the walnut, it came out nice and dark. Beige for the outer bulwarks and yellow for the inner bulwarks.
Waste gunport glued onto hull, and cutting out the gunports.
I cut out the rear extra gunports. I can see a future problem with getting the hull planks to sit flush with the sternpost. I've sanded back as much as I can, but I will have to keep that in mind as I build.