Issue 76 - Contains wood strips, gallery support trims, finials and three 12-pounder gun kits; and has instructions for completing and finishing the gallery support, and fitting the inner bulwark mouldings.

Completing the gallery support - You will need the six #70 shaped parts supplied with issue 41, make sure that the ends of the gallery support filler strips are flush with the side planking, trim or sand them if necessary.

Place two of the #70 parts in position beneath the gallery and make sure that they slip under the wale as they sit against the hull. if necessary, you cam trim away the top of the wale, (make sure that the parts sit flat on the gallery false deck and sand the deck if necessary). When you are satisfied with the fit, glue the two #70 parts together, but DO NOT GLUE them to the model, as you will need to remove them later.

Take the third #70 parts and make sure this also slips underneath the thicker wale, then glue this part to the other #70 parts.

Take the gallery metal casting, and try it in place, the rear end should follow the line of the gallery support, while the front should stop short of the end of the third #70 part. When you are satisfied with the fit of the casting, carefully mark around it with a pencil.

Then remove the stack of #70 parts from the model, (ensure that the glue has fully dried before you attempt to shape the stack), and then shape the stack making sure you stay outside of the pencil line just made.
Sand the part until it is just oversized, trying it in position frequently to check the fit, then smooth with fine sandpaper.

You may find that there is a step between the gallery support and the block you have just sanded, adjust the position of the block and /or casting so that the step is less than 1mm. Then glue the block into place (but yet glue the casting to the block).
Repeat the block fitting process on the other side of the model, then sand the back and both sides of the gallery support flush with the gallery walls.

Fill any remaining gaps with wood filler, and then sand the rear of the gallery support to form a smooth curve that blends the rear gallery wall up to the point where the gallery support changes angle.

Use a little PVA glue to temporarily glue the gallery metal castings into place, (this will form only a weak bond which can be easily parted later on).

Glue a strip of 1.5 x 1.5mm wood under the gallery support so that it extends across the ends of the metal castings, (you will need to form a slight curve in its length to follow the line of the gallery).

Add another strip along the outside edge of the castings - you will need to bend the strip to conform to the slope. Add a final strip along the inner edge of the castings and again bend to follow the slope of the gallery support.

Insert a knife blade on the inside edge of the casting to gently release it from its PVA bond - (You should protect you eyes against the unlikely event of the blade snapping).

Finishing the gallery support - Complete the gallery support by finishing it your chosen finish (paint black, blue or stained), don't worry about the walls of the gallery at this stage, as they will be later completed with glazing and panel mouldings.

Glue the small finials to the gallery castings, then prime and paint black, and using a fine brush, pick out the detail with gold paint.

Roughen the contact faces of the castings with sandpaper, the glue them into place with super glue or preferably a fast setting two part epoxy glue, such as 'Araldite Rapid'.

Fitting the stern gun port covers - Fit the two stern gun pot cover while you can still turn the model upside down, the hinges are supplied with a later issue and will be easy to add at that time.

Cut four 10mm lengths from some left-over strip. Lightly chamfer the two meeting edges to emphasise a joint line, then glue the pieces together in pairs to form two complete gallery gun port covers.
Test fit the covers and make any adjustment needed, then paint both to match the finish of the gallery and glue into place.

Fitting the inner bulwark mouldings - There are two lengths of curved mouldings running along the inside of the bulwarks; to make them, you will need the 1.5 x1.5mm strip supplied with this issue.
Using the template as a guide, carefully bend strips of 1.5 x 1.5mm strip and leave over-length so you can cut to fit.

For the natural version of the ship, stain the three visible edges of the mouldings walnut, or paint them black for the painted version.

Fit the longer length into position, trimming the ends to fit neatly, then glue into place. Then ad the shorter length, trimming its ends to match the angles of the deck and where it meets with the longer strip.

Finally, use a sharp blade to carefully cut away the short sections of moulding that span the gun ports, and touch in the cut ends with your chosen finish.

Repeat the fitting of the moulding trims on the opposite bulwark.

Finally, assemble and finish the three gun kits in your chosen guise, and carefully the rigging kits along with any remaining parts.

That's it for this week!

Future issues:

Issue 77 - Contains the mizzen mast plan, assorted wood strips, mizzen mast top parts, blocks, thread brass wire & eyebolts; and has instructions for assembling the mizzen mast top, assembling the skylight and fitting the first knees.

Issue 78 - Contains mizzen bibbs, pinrail, driver boom saddle, blocks, threads, net, brass wire, brass stanchions and belaying pins; and has instructions for the assembly & finishing of the mizzen lower mast, and constructing & finishing of the the flag lockers.

Issue 79 - Contains assorted strips & dowel, threads, brass wire, eyebolts, cross tree parts, caps, guides and assorted blocks; and has instructions for preparing & finishing the mizzen topmast, making the deck rails, and constructing & finishing the belfry.

Issue 80 - Contains assorted wood strips & blocks, yard slings, brass wire, assorted threads, lantern parts & acetate sheet; and has instructions for making the cross jack yard, the mizzen topgallant, completing the cockpit rails, adding the mizzen mast eyebolts and adding the poop deck forward rail.

Issue 78 - Contains mizzen bibbs, pinrail, driver boom saddle, blocks, threads, net, brass wire, brass stanchions and belaying pins; and has instructions for the assembly & finishing of the mizzen lower mast, and constructing & finishing of the the flag lockers.


Assembling the mizzen lower mast - This is a similar build to the previous lower masts, where you might want to refer back to the relevant issues for more detail on the construction techniques.

Editorial would like to offer its apologies for the printed dimensions errors on the Mizzen mast Plans that came with issue 77.
If you could please ignore the printed dimensions and use the plans as a direct-measuring pattern (ie, as instructed in the steps).

Start by marking the 8mm dowel for the two top square sections, poop deck level and the bottom cheeks, cut the mast to length and carve the 6mm square section and the smaller 5mm square section at the top.

Sand the flats on either side of the mast to accept the cheeks and hounds, not forgetting that the cheeks are tapered strips.
Sand a chamfer at the bottom of the mast to make it easier to insert, you may have to slightly taper it to ensure it slides to the bottom, the deck level should coincide with the deck level mark already made, if not remark it now.
Add the circular pin rail and the semi circle of the driver boom saddle to the mast at the marked point shown on the plan.
Note that the driver boom saddle faces AFT, as the boom will rest on this later on, while the holes in the circular pinrail should face FORWARD and be central to the mast.

Cut and then taper the cheeks from 5.5mm at the top to 3mm at the bottom, I then added the bibbs, hounds and cheeks to the mast.
If going the natural route, stain the mast in your chosen colour and paint the bottom section below the poop deck level mark, black for at least 30mm as this will be visible in the space behind the ships wheel.

Then make the mast bands with the black thread, using the same technique as before, taking four turns of the thread to make each band.
For those going the painted route, add the thread bands and then paint the mast yellow ochre, and paint black BELOW the deck line mark for at least 30mm long.

Finally glue the mizzen top to the mast making sure it is square and straight, then paint the belaying pins black and insert them into the holes of the mast pinrail.

You can test-fit the completed mizzen lower mast in place, but DO NOT glue it at this stage.

Completing the flag lockers - The parts supplied for the flag lockers were supplied in issue 58, the flag lockers are assembled so that they fit around the outboard knees on the poop deck which you started last time.
Cut nine sections of grating strip to the lengths shown in the magazine, noting that the three on the left have ends of the notches projecting, while the six on the right are trimmed flush.
Glue the strips together to form a grid, note that the short piece goes in the centre, leaving a gap.

Glue the grid to the top of the flack locker part, which is the wider of the two strips with a large slot in the middle. Align the grid flush against the face without the slot. Make sure the gap in the grid is on top and that it lines up with the slot.
Glue the two sides of the flag locker against the ends of the grid, ensuring that the straight edge aligns with the face of the grid and that the angled edge slopes in the direction shown.
Carefully sand the grid flush with the sides, ensuring that you keep the face straight, then glue the bottom to the flag locker, making sure that its slot aligns with the slot in the top of the locker.

Remove the overhanging ends from the top and bottom of the locker, and sand the front, top, bottom and sides smooth with fine sandpaper.

Take one of the two knees and sand the inside curve to form a sharp corner, then round the front facing edges.
File the inside edge of the slot in the flag locker to match the slop of the knee, keep test the knee and locker in place being careful not to sand off too much.

You'll need to sand the back edge of the locker to fit the slope and curve of the gallery panel, keep sanding a little at a time until the locker fits neatly into place.

Repeat the locker assembly steps to make a second locker at the oposite side, then stain the lockers and knees or paint them black, then glue them into position, (though for those painting, it would be an idea to paint the inside of the gallery panel yellow ochre before the painted flag lockers are glued into place, rather than after).

Finally, carefully trim the tops of the outboard knees flush with the top of the gallery panel, then paint black or stain the cut ends.

That's it for this week, carefully store the mizzen lower mast and any remaining parts.

Future issues:

Issue 79 - Contains assorted strips & dowel, threads, brass wire, eyebolts, cross tree parts, caps, guides and assorted blocks; and has instructions for preparing & finishing the mizzen topmast, making the deck rails, and constructing & finishing the belfry.

Issue 80 - Contains assorted wood strips & blocks, yard slings, brass wire, assorted threads, lantern parts & acetate sheet; and has instructions for making the cross jack yard, the mizzen topgallant, completing the cockpit rails, adding the mizzen mast eyebolts and adding the poop deck forward rail.

Issue 81 - Contains assorted wood strips & blocks, boom jaws, yard slings, brass wire, eyebolts and assorted threads; and has instructions for the mizzen topmast and topgallant yards, assembling the booms, making the poop deck pin rail, fitting rigging mountings and making the mizzen mast collar.

Issue 82 - Contains assorted wood strips & threads, silver & brass wire, brass pins, brass chainwale supports, stanchions, chain links, gun port lid hinges, large & small mizzen chainwales, ladder sides, blocks and assorted deadeyes; and has instructions for completing the mizzen mast and fitting the gun port lids.

Issue 80 - Contains assorted wood strips & blocks, yard slings, brass wire, assorted threads, lantern parts & acetate sheet; and has instructions for making the cross jack yard, the mizzen topgallant, completing the cockpit rails, adding the mizzen mast eyebolts and adding the poop deck forward rail.

Mizzen cross jack yard - The mizzen cross jack yard is assembed from the parts supplied with this issue, it is made in a similar way to the other yards, therefore I'm not going to repeat the making process. (The suppled yard slings are slightly smaller than shown on the plan)

Mizzen topgallant - You will need parts from issue 79.

Editorial would like to offer its apologies for the printed dimensions errors on the Mizzen mast Plans that came with issue 77.
If you could please ignore the printed dimensions and use the plans as a direct-measuring pattern (ie, as instructed in the steps).

The topgallant is made in a similar way to the other yards, therefore I'm not going to repeat the making process, other than to remind that the top two holes of the topgallant are drilled so they face fore to aft, and the bottom two drilled so they face port to starboard.

Completing the cockpit rails - You will need parts supplied with issues 59 and 60.
Paint the 'U' shaped die-cast metal parts with a metal primer, then paint brown to match the stain you are using or paint them black.
Use superglue to secure them to the deck, next to the forward frame of the cockpit and against the belfry.

Take the two pin rail sections, and locate each into position either side of the 'U' shaped fittings, then trim both ends of the pin rails until they fit from the end of the 'U' shaped fitting to the end of the cockpit frame, then sand them smooth and radius the ends slightly.

Glue the 'L' shaped pin rail supports into the holes of the pin rails, use two off-cuts of 3mm sq wood as supports to ensure that the pin rails are set at the correct height, (be careful not to glue the spacers to the assembly). Then stain or paint black the pin rail assemblies and glue them into position either side of the 'U' shaped fittings.

Adding the mizzen mast eyebolts - The eyebolts were supplied in issue 66.
Trace the eyebolt plan from the magazine and trace the eyebolt positions onto the poop deck, ensure that the tracing is positioned correctly, then mark and drill the eyebolt positions with a 0.7mm bit.

Cut the eyebolt shanks to about 4mm, then glue each in place using superglue so that they align fore to aft.

Adding the poop deck forward rail - Use the remainder of the 1x3mm strip supplied with issue 52, and the 3x3mm strip supplied with issue 66.

Cut two pieces of 1x3mm strip, each 83mm long, then glue these together to form a strip 6mm wide.

Cut nine 5mm lengths of 3x3mm strip, ensuring all are the exact same length, then space the nine blocks evenly onto the 6mm wide rail made earlier, gluing the first block in the centre of the rail and leaving a rail overhang of rail at either end.

Stain the rail or paint it black, then glue it centrally onto the beam which spans the front of the poop deck.


That's it for this week, carefully store the assembly and any remaining parts!

Future issues:

Issue 81 - Contains assorted wood strips & blocks, boom jaws, yard slings, brass wire, eyebolts and assorted threads; and has instructions for the mizzen topmast and topgallant yards, assembling the booms, making the poop deck pin rail, fitting rigging mountings and making the mizzen mast collar.

Issue 82 - Contains assorted wood strips & threads, silver & brass wire, brass pins, brass chainwale supports, stanchions, chain links, gun port lid hinges, large & small mizzen chainwales, ladder sides, blocks and assorted deadeyes; and has instructions for completing the mizzen mast and fitting the gun port lids.

Issue 83 - Contains assorted wood strips, brass wire & stanchions, gallery balusters & decorations, brass lantern parts, acetate and ladder sides; and has instructions for adding the gallery windows and frames, finishing the transom, adding the stern mouldings and preparing the mizzen chainwales.

Issue 84 - Contains assorted wood strips, thread, belaying pins, eyebolts, brass rings, binnacle chimney, grating strips, ladder sides & pillars; and has instructions for adding the forecastle timber heads, rigging & placement of six deck guns, and adding the companionway ladder.