Issue 145 - Contains two 12-pounder gun kits, thread, eyebolts, blocks and upper gun port inner reinforcement lings., and has instructions for planking the bulwarks, fitting the mast collars, fitting the mess tables, fitting the deck beams & knee irons, fitting the support pillars, bitts and gratings.Planking the bulwarks - The instructions describe only one side, so mirror them on the other side of the model. The laser-cut linings are supplied in this issue, and the planks were supplied with Issue 142, you will also need the port templates provided in 133.
Take one of the lining sections and glue it beside the port, about 1mm to the rear of frame 4 (ensure that the lining is correctly oriented so that its curvature follows the curvature of the hull side). As before, make sure it is the right way up, remove any excess glue from the back of the hull planks and make sure that the lining is flush with the other frames.
Fit another lining piece 13.5mm from the front of frame 2. Then fit a third lining section 26mm from the rear of the model, and fit the last lining piece 13mm from the rear of the model.
Mirror on the opposite side of the hull.
Use the gun port template to mark out the upper gun ports as shown in the instructions in Issue 133. Then trim and sand the gun port opening to size.
Plank the inside of the bulwark with 1.5x5mm planks. Start by fitting two full-width planks, chamfering the first one to fit above the deck support beams.
Fit another two rows of planks, leaving gaps at the gun ports, with a little excess wood for final trimming.
Fit two full-width planks to complete the bulwark. The top one will need trimming to fit under the quarterdeck supports. Cut five 4 x 4mm slots in a 1 x 6mm strip of wood so it will fit around frames 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8. Glue this strip in position and allow the glue to dry overnight before continuing.
Trim the inner port planking to size then sand the ends of the planks flush with the frames. Then line the gun ports with 1x10mm planks using the technique described in Issue 135.
Fitting the mast collars - Trim the opening in the middle gun deck by fitting collars around the mast as you did on the lower deck.
Use the six sections of mast collar supplied in Issue 143, marked ‘middle deck’. Stain them walnut. Fit them around the mast using a similar technique to that described in Issue 144, page 12, Steps 4-6.
Fitting the mess tables - If you are showing the mess tables rigged, you will need to fit supports to the middle deck bulwarks.
Drilling the holes is simpler than on the deck below (see Issue 139, page 10) as there are no guns to rig.
Take some spare 1x10mm strip, or a strip of card 10mm wide. Make two marks, 6mm apart, and use the strip on edge to mark holes for the eyebolts. One should be in the centre of the knee, and the other should be closer to the entry port.
Use a compass point or similar sharp implement to make a pilot hole, then drill the holes with a 0.7mm drill bit.
Take eight eyebolts from Issue 139. Paint them black and glue them into the holes with the eyes horizontal and in line.
Make two tables and four benches for each side of the model, as explained in Issue 140, but make them 45mm long. Use the 1x3mm and 1x5mm strips supplied in Issues 142 and 143, and the 2x3mm strips from Issues 140 and 141.
Fit the tables over the eyes fitted in Step 4 but don’t glue them yet. Glue benches on both sides of the tables, using superglue to secure them. You may then prefer to remove the mess tables to prevent them falling out or being damaged.
Fitting the beams and knee irons - Laser-cut beams for the upper deck were supplied with Issue 141.
Try the deck beams in place. Trim if necessary so that they drop in place without having to apply any pressure. (Issue 135 gives more details.)
Then paint the sides and bottoms of the beams white.
Glue the four full beams to the brackets on frames 2, 4, 7 and 8. Take one of the fore-and-aft beams and cut a 4.5mm wide vertical slot to clear the elm tree pump, using Step 5 to check the right position. As the slot is about 3.5mm deep, the beam will be held together by only one layer of the ply. Don’t worry if it breaks – just glue the two halves individually in Step 5. The break will be hidden by the upper deck planking.
Glue both fore-and-aft beams in place. Ensure that the slot for the elm tree pump is over the lower section of the pump.
Glue the last two half beams in place.
Take two of the obtuse-angled knee irons (supplied with Issues 133 and 137 and painted in 137) and fold the end tabs up at 90 degrees. (There are left- and right-handed irons for the front and back of the beams. Do not mix them up).
Glue the irons to frames 3 and 7.
Take another knee iron, fold the tab up, then trim the long upper arm back to just beyond the diagonal brace as shown. Glue this iron to the taller knee fitted beside the entry port.
Take three of the opposite-handed irons, fold the tabs up and glue them to frames 2, 4 and 7. Then repeat Steps 7-11 on the other side of the model. (Knee irons will be fitted to the exposed face of frame 2 later on in the build sequence.)
Fitting the support pillars - The middle deck has four centre pillars, the forward two of which have a cross rail to form a set of bitts.
Take the 4x5mm strip from Issue 141. Hold it against the middle deck and draw a line level with the bottom of the upper deck support beam.
Cut the strip and repeat this to make four support pillars (two for the front of the model and two for the aft end), noting that they may be slightly different lengths. Stain them walnut, (mark the ends with an F or an A so you don’t get them mixed up).
Glue two pillars flush with the end of the raised centre section of the deck. Make sure they are vertical.
Repeat this with the other two pillars at the rear of the model.
Creating the bitts - Cut a 2x3mm strip (provided with Issue 140 or 141) 50mm long. Place the strip against the forward support pillars and mark the positions of the pillars in pencil.
Cut notches 1.5mm deep, trying the strip in place to make sure that it fits easily around the columns.
Stain the strip walnut and let it dry. Then glue it in place with the notches fitting across the rear face of the forward columns, 8mm above the raised centre section of the deck.
Cut a 35mm strip of 4x5mm wood, then glue it behind the second forward beam, with the 5mm face on top. Its top must be flush with the beams, as it will support the deck later on.
Gratings - Construct two gratings as in Issue 141, page 13, Steps 1 to 3.
Place the larger grating on the front deck beam, and mark the beam 2mm in from the edges of the grating.
Cut away the centre of the beam using a razor saw. Repeat Steps 11-12 for the smaller grating on the rear beam.
Touch in the ends of the beams with white paint. Also paint the rear and underside of the 4x5mm strip added to the inside of the 2nd forward beam.
Glue both gratings to the beams, in positions matching the deck below.
That's it for this stage, carefully store the remaining parts.
Future Issues:Issue 146 - Contains laser-cut beams, knees, mast collar, elm tree pump extension & wooden strips, and has instructions for fitting the shot garlands & mess table supports, extending the elm tree pump, planking the upper gun deck, fitting the knees and making the 12-pounder guns.
Tomick attached the following image(s):