Thank you Bryian. The kit supplied planking was nondescript white wood. I used aftermarket pear wood. The finish is just linseed oil.
Vasa - 1:65 DeAgostini [COMPLETED BUILD]
- Thread starter dockattner
- Start date
- Watchers 148
Thanks for the reply Paul. Could you kindly point me in the right direction for your timber supplier please ? It really looks great.
The pearwood hull strakes are from Cornwall. The rest of the pink pear on this build came from SOS member and supplier Sergey @bibigon. Love your Alfred!
Paul,
It’s a good idea to put the lower mast in place and use a piece of rope to determine the angle of the chain plates. That way they are in line with the shrouds. Just making sure you did this, as you didn’t mention it?
Nice gun port covers, Paul. I’d be afraid to put them on until much later in the build. I’m sure I’d knock them off while doing the rigging.
The path of a thousand li begins with the first step
In any business, the most difficult thing is to start it. The first step is difficult and scary, but necessary. You need to find the strength to do it, and the road will appear by itself. Don't put it off. Get started.
I agree with Alexander: every move starts with the first step. So, if you don’t …… keep looking …… keep looking ……
But what I see in the whole of your build: you have found several times “the next step”. I am sure I will see very soon your next step.
Regards, Peter
Thanks Richie. I feel your pain. Making matters worse is that DeAg has grossly simplified the rigging and I would like to come a bit closer to reality. I have some of the instructions for rigging from the Billings kit and will probably start there...
Thank you for pointing that out Dean! Fortunately I did that (mast was only stuck in the hole - not fixed in place). I left the string dangling in my photo but should have mentioned it and given credit to @DARIVS ARCHITECTVS who first introduced me to this need in his first build.
Thank you gentlemen.
Paul,
Just catching up to the logs that I follow - dammnnn been so busy away from home lol -- Your Vasa is way up there!!
regards,
Just catching up to the logs that I follow - dammnnn been so busy away from home lol -- Your Vasa is way up there!!
regards,
Paul, I am both anxious to get to my rigging and a bit apprehensive as you are. The approach I plan to take, to continue with the long journey theme, is that just as important as the first step are each step after that first one. The journey is completed one step at a time-that is my approach. Once I have a plan and figured out my order of operations I'll focus on one line at a time, not the entire rigging project. Then it's gonna be, as we would say in the USMC, "continue to march".
Just enjoy the journey, one step at a time.
The ship is looking GREAT!!!
Glenn
Just enjoy the journey, one step at a time.
The ship is looking GREAT!!!
Glenn
That's a good idea, but you also have to take into account the big picture. Lines can interfere with each other. Do the least accessible first; otherwise, you can't get to them because other lines or sails are in the way. Sometimes belay before rigging because it will be too hard to reach later or it will be too difficult to tighten while belaying. At least, that's been my experience.
Vic,
I am no expert, however it has been my experience that most belaying points are accessible due to the order of rigging. This is not always the case for all ships. But the first order is the standing rigging ( shrouds and stays), then the yards are raised on the masts, which are belayed at the rails around the mast typically (hardest to get to). Then finally the sails and running rigging, which are typically belayed at the rails (easiest to get to), and some sail lines at the mast (done first). So the worst is getting to the belaying rails around the mast, with the shrouds in the way of access, but typically doable!
Once again some ships pose problems if they depart from this norm. And as you mentioned, sails and running rigging start to get in the way as you progress. But planning ahead and seeing the big picture is key!
PS - I should mention the rope hanks are best installed on the rails around the mast, after the lines are belayed there, verses waiting until all of the rigging is completed! And finally, I should point out that displaying the ship without sails is a good option for those with less rigging experience.
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Gee - 95 followers and you thought this would not gain traction ?!!! For someone that says they have not much experience, then I shall learn from you. I am just now catching up to your build and I am amazed at the metal work you are doing - fantastic I must say.
Paul I have every confidence your rigging will be in the same league as your woodwork. I say this because I know its is not in your character to let whatever your definition of substandard work may be, go on this build. What's left will be your best attempts and that's what we are looking forward to.
Research your rigging, Paul, using books on rigging. Don't be afraid to add lines that are missing from the instructions. You may find some of the lines are incorrect for the time period (like I said... read books). Some lines on the instructions may not make sense because, although they may be in the correct position, they may not be rigged correctly.
Example: The parrel line is a line that tightens the parrel which holds the yard arm to the mast. We are talking about the main course sail yardarms for both the main and foremasts. It runs along from the parrel down to the deck along the front of the mast, and at the bottom, attached to the deck, there is a tackle that draws the line tight. On the Corel instructions, the drawing just showed a line running from the yardarm to the deck, with that tackle just above the deck. It got me thinking, why would they want a line that pulls the yardarm DOWN? The drawing did not show any detail that would give you a clue what that line was for.
So don't trust the kit drawings or instructions 100%. The model may be based on some historical sources, but your own research on where the lines go and how they are arranged should win every time. Before you rig, buy RC Anderson's book. It is the Bible on rigging for ships of our favorite time period. It talks mostly about English riggings styles, contrasts this with Dutch styles, which are probably very similar to Swedish rigging, since the Dutch dominated ship design on the continent at the time. If you have any direct source information on rigging from the real ship itself, use it. Otherwise, read up on Dutch rigging in the book and compare it to the instructions. If you have questions, ask the forum as usual. There are plenty of Wasa builders who may be able to answer questions on specific lines. When something is unknown, use Dutch rigging style. This also goes for French ships, because practically all of the warships France obtained, with exception of La Couronne and later ships, were purchased directly from the Dutch. I have read RC Anderson cover to cover at least a dozen times, so if you have questions, I can probably provide the answers, since I have already rigged one man of war from top to bottom and added at least 15% more rigging than the kit called for based on research. One thing that was a challenge was learning all the new terminology! I am still a amateur in this regard, but can help you learn the basic terms and functions of all the lines. If you are venturing so far off the instructions that you don't know what order to rig, I can help with that too. There is a general order to rigging a ship that will allow you to figure out when to run certain lines without forgetting some of them or cutting yourself off from easy access to belaying points.
BUY THIS. BUY IT NOW! <---Amazon Link $16.95
This is for 18th century models, but most of the lines are similar. This provides 3-D pictures of each type of line showing you its purpose. Useful for learning and helping you memorize terminology. Buy it used on eBay to save money, or new for $65.00 on Amazon.
Example: The parrel line is a line that tightens the parrel which holds the yard arm to the mast. We are talking about the main course sail yardarms for both the main and foremasts. It runs along from the parrel down to the deck along the front of the mast, and at the bottom, attached to the deck, there is a tackle that draws the line tight. On the Corel instructions, the drawing just showed a line running from the yardarm to the deck, with that tackle just above the deck. It got me thinking, why would they want a line that pulls the yardarm DOWN? The drawing did not show any detail that would give you a clue what that line was for.
So don't trust the kit drawings or instructions 100%. The model may be based on some historical sources, but your own research on where the lines go and how they are arranged should win every time. Before you rig, buy RC Anderson's book. It is the Bible on rigging for ships of our favorite time period. It talks mostly about English riggings styles, contrasts this with Dutch styles, which are probably very similar to Swedish rigging, since the Dutch dominated ship design on the continent at the time. If you have any direct source information on rigging from the real ship itself, use it. Otherwise, read up on Dutch rigging in the book and compare it to the instructions. If you have questions, ask the forum as usual. There are plenty of Wasa builders who may be able to answer questions on specific lines. When something is unknown, use Dutch rigging style. This also goes for French ships, because practically all of the warships France obtained, with exception of La Couronne and later ships, were purchased directly from the Dutch. I have read RC Anderson cover to cover at least a dozen times, so if you have questions, I can probably provide the answers, since I have already rigged one man of war from top to bottom and added at least 15% more rigging than the kit called for based on research. One thing that was a challenge was learning all the new terminology! I am still a amateur in this regard, but can help you learn the basic terms and functions of all the lines. If you are venturing so far off the instructions that you don't know what order to rig, I can help with that too. There is a general order to rigging a ship that will allow you to figure out when to run certain lines without forgetting some of them or cutting yourself off from easy access to belaying points.
BUY THIS. BUY IT NOW! <---Amazon Link $16.95
This is for 18th century models, but most of the lines are similar. This provides 3-D pictures of each type of line showing you its purpose. Useful for learning and helping you memorize terminology. Buy it used on eBay to save money, or new for $65.00 on Amazon.
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Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
I have seen lots of build logs where much of rigging was done with masts and yards off ship for easier work and access.
When ready the masts are installed and final rigging lines to hull are completed.
This is the way I intend to do the mast on my cross section as I almost to that point.
And you can take a break from hull work to work on masts and rigging as sub assemblies.
Hi Paul,
See it like this, you started to build a kit. You liked it so much that the quality of your work exploded to a level which near to perfect.
So what can go wrong? The outcome will always be much better then you would ever expect when starting this project. So no reason for fear, just for fun.
The vasa museum is selling drawings of the rigging. The Dutch modelbuilder association is also selling these. Maybe these can be of help.
www.modelbouwtekeningen.nl
Otherwise you could use the rigging of the Batavia as an example, same time and also a dutch build ship of similar size.
See it like this, you started to build a kit. You liked it so much that the quality of your work exploded to a level which near to perfect.
So what can go wrong? The outcome will always be much better then you would ever expect when starting this project. So no reason for fear, just for fun.
The vasa museum is selling drawings of the rigging. The Dutch modelbuilder association is also selling these. Maybe these can be of help.
NVM 10.01.009 "Wasa", Zweeds oorlogschip (1628)
www.modelbouwtekeningen.nl
Otherwise you could use the rigging of the Batavia as an example, same time and also a dutch build ship of similar size.
Thank you Vic, John, Glenn, Daniel, Donnie and others for your encouragement!
Sadly my kit does not have drawings of any kind so I'm not even certain where to begin figuring out what to add to the masts and yards ahead of time (though I do have a pirated copy of the Billings rigging instructions that I need to study). But when/if I figure it out I will certainly take your advice - seems much easier to work on something right in front of me rather than reaching into/across things on the ship...