block shaper / tumbler

I tend to line up on Jtilley's side on this.  Let me say first that when I build a complex sail project like a full ship, I almost never build it from start to finish without taking breaks for simpler projects. I find these projects typically take a year or more.  So I build other, simpler projects during the breaks.

So what I would do if I were in Steve's position is to go ahead and start the project, doing basic painting, or hull assembly, or such.  Work for a few weeks, then set it on the shelf for awhile and build a simpler project- maybe a civil war era vessel or a sloop or simple schooner, say a work boat or such.- one with simple rigging  When that is complete, work on the big project.  When you start to feel burnout again, take another break, repeat as long as necessary.  Definitely try to avoid working on the big project just because you feel you need to finish it but your heart isn't really in it at the moment.

your right jtilley I am a long way of off when I will need them, I'm just one of those who likes to do a bit of research before I get to the allotted task., also it is not my first ship I have done the conny., but straight out of the kit, no add-ons., but I appreciate your honest advice., believe me I will finish this kit., when I start something I finish it.

I'm about to sell my house and move. I plan to get rid of my stash of aircraft kits and concentrate the time I have on wooden schooner models.

I'm packing up the Victory and bringing her, but at her current state of completion that may be as far as I get after 5 years. A major achievement to me would be to get the weather deck, furniture and guns on her.

A separate life would be the lower masts and associated shrouds and stays, but that seems like a fantasy.

I certainly don't disagree with Arnie. I haven't used Syren blocks yet, but they look beautiful. And I agree about the alternative deadeye options. You don't need a block shaper.

I am, however, a little bothered by the thought of people investing several hundred dollars in a project that, statistically, is highly unlikely to be finished. I'm not trying to discourage people from getting into the hobby. But buying hundreds of dollars' worth of fittings while you've just started the hull doesn't make much sense.

My approach - the approach of a reasonably experienced amateur modeler with a strictly limited bank account - is to buy fittings as I need them. I buy three or four dozen, and when I start to run low, I buy a few dozen more. My little scratch-built frigate Hancock has close to a thousand Bluejacket blocks and deadeyes in it, but I didn't send BJ more than ten dollars at a time. (Admittedly the little buggers cost less then- thirty years ago.) 

I'm not sure I could afford to buy a complete set of blocks and deadeyes for a full-rigged ship (I.e., a vessel with at least three masts, all square-rigged). I've known beginners to announce that they're going to rig all the gun tackles and all the running rigging of the Heller Victory. The total number of blocks in a model like that would be well over a thousand. (Think about it. Three tackles, each containing two blocks, for each of 104 guns. Throw in two more blocks for each of the 90 or so port lid tackles. We're close to a thousand already - and the masts haven't even been set up yet. No sane person who knows what he's doing would rig all those invisible tackles. But I've known people to buy all those blocks - at several dollars per dozen.) None of those acquaintances has come even remotely close to finishing his/her model. Seems to me like an awfully expensive lesson.

Bottom line: to each his/her own. But in model building, as in virtually every other realm, it's not a bad idea to seek out a few voices of experience. As Arnie said, that's one reason why forums like this exist. And I certainly hope none of my posts is seen as negative feedback.

I hope I may be forgiven a personal note. I was sent a Heller Victory when it was brand new, to review for a magazine. I gave it away a few years later, rather than move it to a new apartment. I love the subject of the Napoleonic Wars, and that ship in particular. But the Heller Victory isn't on my to-do list. At the age of 63, with maddeningly deteriorating eyesight, I want to finish more than one more sailing ship model in this lifetime.

I am a huge fan of Syrene blocks and Cordage.

I just looked up Syrene's deadeyes (a new item now being offered) and did not realize that you need to "assemble" them, although I see that Chuck also offers them pre-assembled.

I would recommend that you go w/ the model shipways walnut deadeyes for now (as JTilley suggested.) I am using them on my Current build. They are of excellent quality and require no extra work, and are affordable.

I do not however totally agree w/ JTilley about your building the Victory. It is definitely a very Complex model, and not generally one for a beginner, but there is no reason not to go for it and push your limits. Posting your build log on this forum would afford you feedback and advice from the experts that monitor this forum, and maybe help to make your experience a less painful one. My experience here is that you will only get positive feedback.

It's all about what makes you happy w/ what you are doing. Enjoy! And I for one look forward to seeing you post here in the near future.

Syren deadeyes are really nice, but I question whether they're superior to either the turned walnut ones from Model Shipways or the cast metal ones from Bluejacket.

I also think it may be time for a small dose of cold water, before you sink hundreds of dollars into the project. If I remember correctly, you've just started the Heller 1/100 Victory - and this is your first ship model. Somebody needs to say it: this is NOT a good newcomer's project. My strong recommendation: build up some experience and knowledge of the subject by concentrating on the hull - and the basic techniques of model building. Better still: start with a simpler, less time-consuming subject.

In any case, it sounds like you're months, or more likely years, away from needing to worry about deadeyes.