VASA 490 Build Log - Billing Boats, 1:75 [COMPLETED BUILD]

Daniel20 said:
Good morning all.
I have finally finished the upper rail section and I must say it was a challenge that at first, I was not sure I could pull off but now am ecstatic at the results! I scratch built all of the rail members because the kit supplied version was for me totally unacceptable. The first group of pics are during construction and showing a set of end mill engraving bits I purchased to carve the profile into the 12ea radius sections.

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At this point as you will see I am woefully lacking in ability to carve the radial profiles, but the show must continue to move forward. This looks much better from a distance.

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To maintain the rail width through the radius sections, I had to glue several short pieces together then cut out the radii from that.

I hope you all enjoy the pictures and thanks for stopping by. Happy modeling to you!
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Dear Daniel
wonderful work it's looks fantastic :)Okay
 
Good afternoon to everyone.
Here is a progress report on the mast and spars. You can see the three foremast sections have been turned, stained, and wax sealed. I started with square stock basswood to accommodate the square section shown on each section. I was able to start with round stock on the primary bowsprit section but the remainder of the mast sections, main and mizzen, will come from square stock. I'm waiting on delivery of a 4-jaw wood chuck for my lathe because it is really difficult to get a good centering from a 3-jaw chuck on a four-sided stock piece. The spars all came out satisfactory so after staining and waxing, I can begin attaching some of the block and tackle items.
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I'm struggling with the tops that go with the mast, Billing's instructions are rather cryptic to me, I will however figure it out. @PeterG and @dockattner 's pictures have been a tremendous resource in understanding their construction. Note the hounds on the foremast are just lightly glued at this point for finishing purposes, I had to order 6mm pulleys which were not in my kit, so the attachment is temporary.

Thanks for checking in on me and if I don't get back to Ya'll before Christmas, I wish a great and safe one to you all!!
 
Frank48 said:
Good afternoon Daniel this picture can help you
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Thank you for your helpful picture and kind comments. I am delighted that you are interested in my Vasa build log! The Bilings kit does indeed furnish a builder's manual and 1:1 drawings. There are however gaps in their instruction which I'm sure they assume someone building one of their advanced models, would know how to 'fill' if you will. While I'm not exactly a rookie at this I am much closer to being a rookie than I am being a seasoned veteran builder. I hope this translates to Italian ok for you.
 
Just found this log. Vasa has been one of my Christmas wish list kits for several years but the price has always been beyond our budget. You're doing a first class job, and I'll be following with real interest.
 
jgilchrist said:
Just found this log. Vasa has been one of my Christmas wish list kits for several years but the price has always been beyond our budget. You're doing a first class job, and I'll be following with real interest.
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Thank you John, and welcome aboard. There are four other Vasa builders that I'm aware of on this forum @dockattner, @mgovey, @PeterG, and @Short John Bronze . Check them out too!
 
Daniel, those spars and masts look excellent - Welcome to world above the hull - It only gets trickier from here!!! You finish on the masts is outstanding as it brings the tones of the timber out nicely.

When you come to adding rigging to your spars, there are a number of fittings for them, which I would urge you to review. For example, I added all the fittings as per the 1:1 drawings, but I have now found that, in particular, the small brass 'eyes' which are intended by Billings to be inserted along the length for predominantly clewlines, I have found that using the museum's rigging diagrams, precludes their use and smaller blocks are a much better representation of the real thing. I suggest you try and do a bit of forward review of the lines for the various spars and see what I mean.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was rigging the spars (I have just completed the furled mainsail), that I realised these kit parts I don't regard as appropriate.

Regards,

PeterG
 
Daniel thank you so much for your Christmas wishes. I wish you and your family a very blessed and merry Christmas as well.
 
PeterG said:
Daniel, those spars and masts look excellent - Welcome to world above the hull - It only gets trickier from here!!! You finish on the masts is outstanding as it brings the tones of the timber out nicely.

When you come to adding rigging to your spars, there are a number of fittings for them, which I would urge you to review. For example, I added all the fittings as per the 1:1 drawings, but I have now found that, in particular, the small brass 'eyes' which are intended by Billings to be inserted along the length for predominantly clewlines, I have found that using the museum's rigging diagrams, precludes their use and smaller blocks are a much better representation of the real thing. I suggest you try and do a bit of forward review of the lines for the various spars and see what I mean.

Unfortunately, it wasn't until I was rigging the spars (I have just completed the furled mainsail), that I realised these kit parts I don't regard as appropriate.

Regards,

PeterG
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Hi Peter, thank you for the complements. Also thank you for the heads up on the spar fittings, I shall do as you recommend. The strange cylindrical brass eyes just cannot be even close to correct. I'm not sure I will even use them on the deck either. Proper eyelets on the deck and properly stropped blocks on the spars seems more realistic.
 
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