Mary Rose - Caldercraft Build log [COMPLETED BUILD]

[Derek Payne]

Hello Ike,
I am about to start on the Mary rose kit in Marck having just completed the Caldercraft Endeavour, great therapy duing lockdown, an I am still wrestling with building the kit as supplied or building with the Anthony Roll version with four decks fore and three decks aft as in the book:- "Tudor Warship Mary Rose" by Douglas McElvogue. This book contains excellent drawings of both versions of the ship and great details of the armaments, hull construction, masts and sails.
Good to see the progress you have made, it will soon be time for me to decide on which version to build, If you have any views on this I would like ot hear them please? Derek Payne, Stafford

 

[Short John Bronze]

I have just built the kit as supplied. It took nine months so it should see you out of lockdown.

 

[Derek Payne]

I like your sound advice, " Measure twice; Cut once!" it is a maxim I have used throughout my working life as an engineer and during my hobby as a model maker.
Hope to get Mary Rose made by end of this year, and then I plan on building Agamemnon. Have you ever looked at the ships built during the Navy of King Charles the Second. They were simply fabulous with lots of ornamentation on the bow, around the rear and sides of the sterm and every gun port on the main and quarter decks, all carved and gilded in gold leaf! Look up the Lenox or the Warship Anne

 

[Short John Bronze]

I like your sound advice, " Measure twice; Cut once!" it is a maxim I have used throughout my working life as an engineer and during my hobby as a model maker.
Hope to get Mary Rose made by end of this year, and then I plan on building Agamemnon. Have you ever looked at the ships built during the Navy of King Charles the Second. They were simply fabulous with lots of ornamentation on the bow, around the rear and sides of the sterm and every gun port on the main and quarter decks, all carved and gilded in gold leaf! Look up the Lenox or the Warship Anne

Having built 16th and 18th century ship models I decided my next build should represent the 17th. I wavered between the Royal Sovereign and Vasa - both very ornate examples of the period. I opted for the Vasa. I looked up the two ships you mentioned. I couldn't locate a possible kit
but I see there is a project to build a full size rereplica of Lenox. Interesting, but a bit big for the lounge bookshelf.
I have collected a series of images of ships to use as desktop background and screen savers. (Nerdy or what!)
Mary Rose and Vasa pop up now and then. I might add Lenox and Anne. (that sounds like a sitcom or another detective series!)

 

[Derek Payne]

I have three superb books on the Lenox, Warship Anne and ship construcion in the 17th Century, the all make great reading of the history, personnel in the yards and the illustrations are superb with full explanations of the mechanics of hull building. Book aurthor is Richard Endsor. I could not find any kits of English ships from that period, pity. Would be a real challenge to scratch build! As for Ship types, I favour two deck warships over 3 deck warships, hence the Agamamnon when I have completed Mary Rose.

 

[ikecurran]

I came to the same conclusion as you saw from the pics I posted before on your log.
My forecastle is now formed to suit and I am continuing the same style with the summer castle. One thing i added was access points. Neither the kit drawings nor the McElvogue drawings show much in the way of access except on the main deck.
Although I see that you are adopting the Anthony Roll double pointed prow
Good luck with your buildView attachment 215771

I like the look of your build, should be good when finished. How did you cut out the archer windows, very crisp edge?

 

[ikecurran]

Hello Ike,
I am about to start on the Mary rose kit in Marck having just completed the Caldercraft Endeavour, great therapy duing lockdown, an I am still wrestling with building the kit as supplied or building with the Anthony Roll version with four decks fore and three decks aft as in the book:- "Tudor Warship Mary Rose" by Douglas McElvogue. This book contains excellent drawings of both versions of the ship and great details of the armaments, hull construction, masts and sails.
Good to see the progress you have made, it will soon be time for me to decide on which version to build, If you have any views on this I would like ot hear them please? Derek Payne, Stafford

Hi Derek, I began MR after building hms beagl, the Darwin version. The lady who is my live in carer said she would like it built, little did I know how involved it was going to be. To be honest, I’m now building what I think represents the MR 4 forward and 3 aft decks and what pleases me lol.
ike

 

[ikecurran]

I decided to progress the forward decks first and because I was now into the realms of “off plan” thing’s slowed down, I made lots of mistakes but I’m getting there. (I think?)

 

[ikecurran]

The build is moving forward now as can be seen by pictures, I have created some extra cannon for the extra decks.



The smaller bore above

Because I’ve changed the deck, I needed to put an access ladder so that’s the cutout in the deck.


I decided to use coloured wood rather than paint, the green and red are in fact ink, I think it’s a cleaner edge.






So much work yet to do but I’m really enjoying the challenge.

 

[ikecurran]

I have now pushed on and the forward decks are now in place, a fair bit of scratch building has taken place and more to follow.

 

[ikecurran]

I moved onto the stern decks adding an extra deck to the original kit.

 

[ikecurran]

The build is progressing now but it’s slow going because o having to make items from scratch. I have an increased respect for those who scratch build! Everything just takes a lot of effort and time, that said, I’m enjoying the build very much.
There will be so much “finishing” to be done as I sometimes think it’s a bit shabby looking, however, I certainly hope that I can add finish to look the part.


Every cannon on this deck is scratch build



The stern will be finished in the louvred fashion between decks.

 

[Steef66]

I have an increased respect for those who scratch build! Everything just takes a lot of effort and time

Thank you for the respect
But you make a good progress. And when things take more time, the longer you enjoy the build

 

[ikecurran]

Working on top deck stern and mid ship.
The stern bulkhead will also hold the frame for anti boarding net. Mid deck fitting out, I didn’t like the solid main hold cover so made the grate one and I’m going to change the small hatch covers, plank them I think.

 

[ikecurran]

The next job for me is to rig the cannons on the main deck, I found a lot of information on this site and it was really helpful, lol can’t find it now to say thank you but I will. ( information was from DocBlake post, thank you) It is certainly going to be a long task but looking forward to the challenge.

 

[ikecurran]

I have been busy with the gun deck, i progressed from the picture above and rigged the port side.

The basis for the setup was this rigged picture


However, I was not very happy with the scal, so I ripped it out and started again with smaller blocks.





To make the rigs for each side of the cannon I made the coiled cord first by putting a small square of double sided tape on a surface, the coil the cord onto it, pressing it down with my tweezers as I fed it on.



Once you have the coil that suits, leave enough cord to feed into the blocks.

Then I used pva glue painted on the coil, this drys clear as shown below



Then rig the cannon!




I am much happier with the results, I know it’s not perfect but I think it’s better than first attempt, I’m not saying how many hours but enough lol

 

[Uwek]

Your changed and smaller blocks are looking much much better - very good decision to change them
But I would also rethink about your final way of the rope-coils, which seems to me too big in diameter.
There is too much meters of rope coiled (I guess 30% would be adequate) - especially because they are very dominant in the visual appearance, due to the fact, that you used black ropes. Usually they would have been natural hemp ropes and not tarred .....

 

[ikecurran]

Your changed and smaller blocks are looking much much better - very good decision to change them
But I would also rethink about your final way of the rope-coils, which seems to me too big in diameter.
There is too much meters of rope coiled (I guess 30% would be adequate) - especially because they are very dominant in the visual appearance, due to the fact, that you used black ropes. Usually they would have been natural hemp ropes and not tarred .....
View attachment 227308

Thank you for the input, you are correct in all you say. I hate the thought of yet again Re doing the work but I need to. Further to your advice can you please tell me what thickness of twine to use for the scale given, 1/80, I find it difficult to relate.
thanks
ike

 

[Uwek]

Thank you for the input, you are correct in all you say. I hate the thought of yet again Re doing the work but I need to. Further to your advice can you please tell me what thickness of twine to use for the scale given, 1/80, I find it difficult to relate.
thanks
ike

There was one table I know, in which these dimensions were listed



Note: "size" is the circumference, not the diameter of the rope

The Sea-gunner's Vade-mecum

books.google.co.uk

Another rule of thumb for breeching rope diameter is about 1/3 the gun bore / shot diameter, and this gives dimensions pretty close to those in the table.
and you can see that the tackles have appr. 1/3 ti 1/2 of the breeching line

 

[ikecurran]

There was one table I know, in which these dimensions were listed

View attachment 227804

Note: "size" is the circumference, not the diameter of the rope

The Sea-gunner's Vade-mecum

books.google.co.uk

Another rule of thumb for breeching rope diameter is about 1/3 the gun bore / shot diameter, and this gives dimensions pretty close to those in the table.
and you can see that the tackles have appr. 1/3 ti 1/2 of the breeching line

View attachment 227812

Amazing information and I love the graphic, however, I’m having real problems figuring what size cord to use. It sounds simple to say 1/80 scale is for every 80 inches we get 1, simple but if rope Is 2 1/2 “ circumference what size twine represents that in 1/80 scale? Let’s take 1 1/2 ” diameter, divided by 80 will give me twine of MIND GONE BLANK Do it metric 37 mm / 80 =.46 so, say .5 mm, does that sound right?