Lindberg HMS Bounty - WIP

As to scale, John McKay in Anatomy of the Ship gives:
Length of Keel 69'-9"           (21.2598m)
Length of lower deck 84'-6" (25.7556m)
Beam extreme 24'-10"        (7.5692m)

The main hatch is 9'-1" long by 6'-1" wide.  (276.86cm x 185.42cm)

The Launch is meant to be 23'-0" (7.0104m) by 6'-9" (2.0574m) and 2'-9" (83.82cm) deep.

Anchor cable to be 12" (304.8mm) circumference, cable laid; the shoruds to be 4.5" (114.3mm) circumference.  Diameter--using C/π =d--are ±3 51/64" (97mm) and
±1 2/64" (36mm) respectively.

Bethia, per McKay, was fitted with a capstan, so that, with a messenger, would have been used to handle the anchor cables.

Great job friend, I need the instructions of armed of this beautiful ship, will it be possible that you give me a copy by this means scanned?

Thanks for the comment Rob, I appreciate it.

Sorry to have been away & not responding sooner - been a bit under the weather lately.

My plan with the Future on the footropes is, after I get the spars mounted, to go back with a wet q-tip and moisten the Future and hopefully get a nice sag. Then,when the Future re-dries, I'll have some nice, stiff, sagging footropes.  We'll see what happens once I get to that point.

I did a bit tonight on Bounty starting with tieing some threads on my blocks for the mizzen top and for a spar.

Wrapped up the mizzen top.

I hung a 'block' from the main stay for the lifeboat lift while the glue set on the mizzen top. I shortened the harness on the boat and ran the lift line.

I installed the mizzen top.  I'll run the futtock shroud after the glue sets a day or so.  I also need to make a small wire harness so that I can run the upper shrouds on this mast.

I'm hoping my Future idea works on the footropes.  I don't know if the q-tips will fit but I'll get the footropes wet to soften the Future one way or another.  I also tied off the pulleys.  I used the Revell instructions for the rigging and it shows these ropes fairly long.  Most I've seen snug the blocks up to the spar.

Thanks for looking.  More coming soon.

Adrian

Looking great, Adrian.

The footropes look effective. I've used Future in other modeling, never in ships; this, I must try.

Rob

Thanks for the comments, I appreciate it!

Yeh, There's not much room at all Spruce.  I'm doing about 95% of the rigging now with tweezers.  I try to pre-tie as much as possible.  On the mast tops I'll have everything tied off on one end at least.  I use two tweezers to finish the ties, a long angled pair and a shorter needle nose pair.  It gets frustrating some times when you have to tie the knots several times before getting them right..

Well Will, I'm not so sure on the skill part - I've made enough mistakes on rigging this little model, so it's not really skill but repetitive practice! A LOT of trial & error (mostly error BTW). This is my first real rigging job, I've built a number of sailing ships in the past (the last one I built was my 1/96 Constitution in 1979/1980 & I never rigged her) (yet!!)

I may have to pick one of the New Bedford Whalers just to make a separate ship, a Royal Navy Collier might do the trick I suppose. But I do want one of the old Pyro C.W. Morgan just for 'old times sake'

Thanks Bashmonkey, I appreciate it. Yeh, I noticed on a couple of small ship builds in the past that just wasn't quite right.  And, after working on my small Bounty, I understand how difficult it is to get it right on such small scales.  I'm not a perfectionist but I do want to get it as close as  can. Also, it's amazing ( & frustrating) at how many things the eye doesn't pick up until AFTER you photograph it!

As to the Mutiny subfixer - ah well, that may just have to wait till I launch her!  Been looking for some figures that might fit the scale as a matter of fact. Unfortunately I've only come up with a few N scale figures that MIGHT work. 

The first pic is of the main top rigged.  Sorry if the pics come out sideways again, don't know how to turn 'em in photobucket (it turns some of my pics for some reason).

I rigged the futtock shrouds, then rigged the upper shrouds next.  Tieing off the futtock shrouds between the deadeyes was pretty tight here - probably my tightest tie yet.  It's difficult not to get the tweezers tangled up in the rigging that's already done.

Profile view of the rigging so far.

Rigged the mizzen top.  A few things left & I'll mount it this weekend. I used a smaller set of deadeyes on this top, but I'll be using the same diameter thread.  The odd part with the mizzen is that there is no crosstree to mount the upper shroud to.  I guess I'll just have to rig a wire saddle to rig it & then tighten it up.

The Future stiffened up the foot-ropes pretty well, I'll start working on getting a nice sag to them after I get them mounted and rigged.  I'll be adding a rope & pulley on each end and two lift lines also.  I am also using the Revell instructions as a guide in regards to the spars - Lindberg gives you one too many for each mast.

Thanks for looking in, more coming soon.

Adrian

Where's the mutiny? There's supposed to be a mutiny on the Bounty.  Is this the right ship?

BashMonkey

Talk about making a Silk Purse out of the proverbial Sow's ear.

Nice, these smaller kits are often so badly made that they are not worth a second look, this is showing that if you try they can turn out really well..

Talk about making a Silk Purse out of the proverbial Sow's ear.

Nice, these smaller kits are often so badly made that they are not worth a second look, this is showing that if you try they can turn out really well..

Billyboy

The skill to manipulate threads in this sort of restricted space is very impressive. Unfortunately, it is also something that is impossible to photograph in order to show us how you do it! I enjoy the photos of the results though- very interesting and useful build log.

Will

p.s.-don't dismiss the Academy Bedford Whaler kit- it really is quite nice. With fairly minimal modifications it can represent a whole host of ships- almost everything from a West-Indiaman to an English north-coast collier.

Will

Thanks for the info. !

The skill to manipulate threads in this sort of restricted space is very impressive. Unfortunately, it is also something that is impossible to photograph in order to show us how you do it! I enjoy the photos of the results though- very interesting and useful build log.

Will

p.s.-don't dismiss the Academy Bedford Whaler kit- it really is quite nice. With fairly minimal modifications it can represent a whole host of ships- almost everything from a West-Indiaman to an English north-coast collier.

Will

Thanks for the new photos !

After looking at the spacing between the masts, it occurred to me that you don't have very much room for fingers

Are you now exclusively using tweezers to attach rigging to masts or are you still able to use your hands?

It's been a while since I posted any pics on this build.  Time sure gets away from you sometimes.

I've only worked on her off and on over the past couple of weeks, something always seems to come up.

I was a bit disappointed in the way the pictures came out sideways when i posted last time.  I don't know why photobucket turns them like that. And that's after I had them rotated and resized to boot.  Kinda odd.

I hope the pictures come out right on this post, if not I sure don't know how to turn them back.

Any way, I left off with mounting the fore mast top.  After the glue set, I ran the futtock shrouds first.

I then ran the upper shrouds. I used a smaller diameter thread on the uppers than I used on the lower shrouds.

Wrapped up work on the main mast top.

Glued the main mast top in position and let it set.

Thanks for looking in.  More soon.

Adrian

Thanks Rob, I appreciate it. 

The rigging is going better than I anticipated, just cruising along now. I guess the key is just not to get in a hurry.  And, of course, I've learned that thread is cheap - cut a piece more than long enough and cut of the rest when your done.  I had a few where I had left JUST enough to tie it off.  I don't like having to fight it like that.

I tightened up the main stay and tied it off.  Trying to use the seizing method with so little space was a chore.  I'm glad I had everything except the one to do.

I staked out the spars on my waxed balsa board, I was going to use white glue to stiffen them up a bit but I think I'll try hitting it with a bit of Future wax - I've had some success with it on my aircraft models.  And, if it doesn't work, it comes off easier than white glue.

Added the backstays to the fore mast.

Backstays on the main mast.

And a profile shot with the mizzen backstays in place also.

Frontal shot .

Last shot of the night is of the fore mast top in place.  After the glue sets the upper shrouds and the lower (futtock shroud ?) will be tied off.

Thanks for looking, more soon.

Adrian

Great work there, Adrian! The rigging is looking great!

Thanks for all the comments guy's, I appreciate it.

@ checkmateking02 - This is a small ship for sure.  It's the smallest sailing ship I've built since slapping together the 'Half Moon' in the early 70's.  I think Rob is dead on when he said it's 1/180 scale.  I had guessed about a 1/200 myself.  The hull measures a little under 6 1/2".

@ Spru-ce Goose - Thanks!  The C.W.Morgan is on my list also.  I almost picked up the Academy New Bedford Whaler, but I'm holding out for an actual Charles W. Morgan.  My wife says why not just buy the New Bedford Whaler if it's the same ship.  Ahhh...she just doesn't understand, so I told her it's because of the nameplate.  She got that.

@ Buckeye - Thanks! Much appreciated!  Don't think my meager skills have every garnered an awesome description. C'est Bon!

@ warshipguy - Thanks Bill! You know, when I first got this little Lindberg kit, I felt the same way - it's a toy.  I originally got it in a package deal with a Revell kit and tried to sell it on ebay afterwards because I just didn't want it.  Like another member said on another thread - 'you can only build so many..' Bounty's.  But.. I was looking for a 'fun build' and said why not.

Unfortunately (or fortunately for the Bounty) my AMS kicked in pretty quick and just couldn't let a few things slide.  I didn't feel like correcting the bow - it's a fun build right? But those molded sails had to go, as did the molded ratlines.  Then I stepped back and said, with a little more work I could have a pretty decent model (AND I would actually FINISH one!) 

I've got 40 hours into Bounty and I have to say I've thoroughly enjoyed all but about an hour of that.  The shrouds are/were the most challenging portion of this build for me. If I had something (a vise or ?) to hold the ship while I rigged it, it would be soooo much easier for me.  I'm doing this rigging freehand on it's Lindberg base.  It don't take much to move it, knock it over or whatever.

Anywho, back to rigging the HMS Bounty.

First pic tonight shows the added main topmast stays and main topgallant stay.  I started rigging this ship from the bow back.  I don't know if that's the correct or accepted method but it seems to be working OK for me.

Next, I put together the mainstay.  I tied it off completely except for one line to add tension after the glue has set.  I used the same brown eyes from the 1/96 Connie kit that I used on the forestay, and I used some copper eyes to mount it to the deck.

Mounted the eyes in the holes drilled in the deck.

I put a little tension on it, so the glue will set as close to the right position as possible.

I tied the anchors off with a couple of lines.  I'm not real satisfied with this look, I'll probably change it after mounting the swivel guns.

Last pic for tonight shows the rigging so far and the newly mounbted deadeyes for the backstays.

Thanks for looking.  More tomorrow or so.

Adrian

It's amazing just what a good modeler can accomplish with a toy of a kit. Rob is proving it with his Constitution and Shannon, and Tnonk is doing the same with his Bounty!

Bill

Awesome build there.

checkmateking02

Outstanding work!  I didn't realize how small the ship was until the pictures with your thumb.  You're doing really well with all the rigging.

Indeed, outstanding !

Give me hope for that old Life Like Charles W. Morgan whaler in my stash.

Outstanding work!  I didn't realize how small the ship was until the pictures with your thumb.  You're doing really well with all the rigging.

Thanks Rob, I figured as much.

Couple of pics for tonight -

I added two eyes to the bowsprit for the pole stay and for topgallent stay.

I'm lucky the old Revell instructions tell you what all the standing rigging lines are. (Except for the shrouds/ratlines - which is a bit odd)

I used heavy thread to run the forestay.  I made a rigging 'block' (?) out of a couple of brown eyes from the spares box (from the Revell 1/96 Connie kit) and some tan thread.  It's a little bit out of scale but  think it looks better than a single smaller thread.

I ran the rest of the stays for the fore mast and trimmed them up.

Thanks for looking, More tomorrow or so.

Adrian

Yup. Shrouds are the true standing rigging. Ratlines cross them, converting them into ladders. Looking forward to the finished product.

I rigged the bowsprit next.

As I mentioned on an earlier post, I am going to follow the Revell rigging for the most part.  Revell shows a single spar on the bowsprit so I went with that instead of the two on the Lindberg sheet.

Overhead shot -

Started rigging the shrouds again.  This time I am using a smaller diameter thread than my first try.  It's better diameter wise but a little stiffer to wok with.

Foremast shrouds (is that the correct term BTW?) rigged.

All three masts rigged - with the exception of the deadeye on the mizzen that was cut off.  Forgot to fix it and got the point where I had to fix it to continue. Don't you just hate it when that happens?

Thanks for looking.

More tomorrow or so.

Adrian

Thanks for the comment  Rob, I appreciate it.

I considered going with wire after the large thread wouldn't work but I wasn't able to get the contrast I wanted, the several sizes of wire I have are either much to small in relation to the other rigging I am doing - or it is too large and hard to manipulate into where it need to go.  I tried a couple different sizes then went back to thread.

The first pic of the night shows Bounty with her masts stepped and glued.

While the masts set, I started on one of the mast tops.  I wanted to tweak the tops just a bit to draw some attention to them.  Because of the sails being removed, I knew it was going to be a bit bare up top.

This pic shows the parts involved in each top.  The rail is a scrap piece from when I cut up the JR's ratlines.  The wire 'blocks' still have their tails, I leave them on because it makes them easier to handle.

The blocks are roped on beneath the top.  These will be used for the running rigging lift lines.

Railing, deadeyes and support lines added.

Nearly complete fore mast top.

Adrian,

Ratlines are a chore in scales smaller than 1/120; that's why my modified McCaffery rig is set up the way it is. Once you get past 1/200, I find that wire makes better rigging, if non-traditional. Still, I am blown away by the work you've done, especially on the deadeyes and chainwales. 

Also, my estimates are that this old kit is around 1/180, close if not the same as the Airfix Victory.

Thanks for the kind words Sprue-ce, I appreciate it.

Thanks Will, I was concerned with the hang of the foot-ropes myself.  I have those glued and trimmed now.  I plan on staking each one out on a sheet of waxed-papered over balsa board & try to stiffen them up with a bit of white glue to see how that works out.  I have another set to do for the main mast, I'll try a wire set-up on them to see how it looks.

Thanks Mark, i appreciate it.

Thanks Rob, I appreciate it. I really like this little kit, it turned (or is turning) out to be a jewel of a kit for me.  I certainly wouldn't mind doing another myself down the road - an HMS Ontario sounds interesting - might redo the bow on her tho.  No worries on the comments.

First pic up tonight shows after I drilled out the top of each deadeye and mounted them to the supports.  I also drilled out the hull beneath the supports to add in an extra touch with some wire.

I added some bits of wire from the undersides of the deadeye supports through the hull.  Notice that I left the last rung on the JR deadeyes.  Made it a bit easier to glue them up and trim it out with it still together.  I tried it seperately at first and it didn't want to work as well.

A shot of all of the wires in place and the deadeyes trimmed down.  I cut one of the eyes off and had to replace the deadeye on the mizzen mast.

My original intention on rigging the Bounty was to use 3 different sizes of both black thread for standing rigging and brown thread for running rigging.  With that in mind I drilled out the top ends of the deadeyes to accept the larger diameter thread.  I know it's to to spec but ANYTHING is better than the ones that come in the kit.

Well ALMOST anything.  After running the large threads for the shrouds and fighting it every single step of the way, it came out something  like this.

I wasn't happy with it but I decided to finish it out.  It simply didn't work.  After a couple of days of frustration, fixing & re-fixing it, I concluded that it was just to large for what I was trying to do.  I wanted to run a needle thru each shroud for the ratlines with a small thread but knew that wouldn't work either.

I cut it all off and started over with a smaller diameter thread.

This is my first 'real' rigging job & I figured I have a stumble or two trying to work it out.

Thanks for looking, I'll have more pics to follow.

Adrian

This is a great little build! I agree; a few tweaks, a world of improvement.

I've been looking at that kit as a basis for a model of the brig HMS Ontario. Seriously, look at the hulls; very similar.

But, friend, great work (and sorry it took so long to comment; busy and sick).

RL

I love what you have done so far. Very nice work.....Cheers mark

Comin along nicely.

I do wonder whether thread will work that well for the footropes?

It is very difficult to get it to 'sag' effectively (same is true of ratlines in this scale). I have used very thin annealed wire in the past with some degree of success. You can tease it to shape and it stays that way. I either blacken it beforehand chemically or simply pull it through a tip of a black permanent ink pen which was pressed down on a small block of wood.

Will

Really nice work !

The kit is going to be an eye-catcher when complete.