My ship has finally come in...................

[mtdoramike]

I usually kit bash, which means, I will use some parts from the kit as well as make my own. The keel and bulkheads are from 1/4" plywood. The kit usually comes with scaled plans of the ship model, which can be used as templates to make your own parts. I had to make several of the bulkheads due to warpage of some of the parts, which is natural with these older kits. If I had the time, I would have loved to scratch build every inch of her and then donate it to a museum, but unfortunately that would take ten years of longer and I don't have that kind of time left.

 

[riaria]

I've been on the Victory several times (we live fairly close to Portsmouth) - beautiful ship! Looking forward to photos when she's done!

 

[mtdoramike]

I have finally finished the VIctory Ship model donation to my local Library. It has taken over a year and a half and about 3000 hours to complete, but here she is, in all her splendor. I plan on an unvailing ceremony at the Library in the second week of December.

 

[JerseyWendy]

GASP!!! Mike, she is MAGNIFICENT!!! Many congrats on her completion. What an incredibly gorgeous ship!!

How have you been??

 

[mtdoramike]

I have been quite busy and spending most of my off time working on the model. My wife and I took a much needed break and went down to St. Thomas USVI for several weeks to visit family and just got back about a month ago. I'm now going through some medical treatments that will take 7 weeks and I'm about half way through that.

Thank you for the kind words. This has been a bucket list of mine for quite a while and I just kept putting it off. But after having a health scare a while back I figured it better be sooner than later.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I'm so sorry you had a health scare, Mike!!! Please take good care of yourself! Wishing you only the very best - always!!! HUGS!!!!

 

[Anansi]

That Victory Ship looks most impressive, Mike! Looks like you put a lot of hard work into it. Nice of you to donate it after all of that.

And it's really good to see you hereabouts, again. I hope you're feeling a lot better after your health scare.

 

[Allee]

Congratulations, Mike! Your Victory Ship is exquisite! Beautiful craftsmanship and a wonderful gift for the library. I'm glad you and your wife took a much needed break in St. Thomas. Sorry to hear about the recent health scare.

It's nice to see you here.

 

[Betrisher]

Oh Mike! Your 'Victory' is just gorgeous!

My daughter and I share a profound interest in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic era, so of course Capt. Horatio Nelson is a hero of ours. Quite a few years ago now, it was noticed that the captain's hanging cot, which had been made and heavily (STUNNINGLY) embroidered by Lady Emma Hamilton was deteriorating. So-oo-o... a group of ladies from Portsmouth and surrounds got together and set about making a replica cot and hangings. The work took ages but was finally completed and installed in the captain's cabin on board 'Victory'. The original hangings have been conserved and are stored elsewhere in a less salty environment.

I've always dreamed of making a model such as yours, but I simply don't have that kind of skill. Your work is AMAZING and it would be lovely if you could post some more pics, please, showing the detail in the rigging and on deck.

 

[RavensGryf]

Mike, that is an incredible piece of work that you can certainly be proud of! The library is a great place for it's display. Nice display case also (you said you were making that also in the original post). Now you'll have to think of your next model project... anything in mind?

I'm glad you got to travel and take a nice break. I'm sorry to hear you had a scare with your health. I hope things are just upward from here!

 

[Terry57]

Your Victory ship is stunning, Mike! A true victory, indeed.
I am so glad to see you back, you have been missed!
I'm also sorry about your health scare Hope you are feeling much better now.

 

[Minimaker]

Wonderful work, truly gorgeous How wonderful of you to take the time to do that for a public institution where lots of people can enjoy it. I love all things nautical, I would love to build one some day so your project is very inspiring. It's always been a plan of mine but I doubt I could do anything so magnificent or detailed as that. I make miniatures, not anything grand like that but it does make me think if I put my mind to it I could build a simple model if I was brave enough to try. I recently made a Jaws themed Christmas tree for a client that requested it that was so fun to make, I made a tiny Orca boat for that but I used clay instead of wood because it was very small.

I might try a small wooden model boat and see how it goes someday. I have to hand make a lot of stuff when I do projects, so I'm well versed in the dremel and small band-saws. What tools did you use Mike?

 

[mtdoramike]

Mike, that is an incredible piece of work that you can certainly be proud of! The library is a great place for it's display. Nice display case also (you said you were making that also in the original post). Now you'll have to think of your next model project... anything in mind?

I'm glad you got to travel and take a nice break. I'm sorry to hear you had a scare with your health. I hope things are just upward from here!

Thank you for the kind words, yes, I had intended to make the case as well. But upon checking around, I was able to find a case of better quality wood than I was able to get Mahogany from Dominican Republic and the price was comparable to what it would have cost me. The acrylic alone would have been nearly $500.00.

mike

 

[mtdoramike]

Wonderful work, truly gorgeous How wonderful of you to take the time to do that for a public institution where lots of people can enjoy it. I love all things nautical, I would love to build one some day so your project is very inspiring. It's always been a plan of mine but I doubt I could do anything so magnificent or detailed as that. I make miniatures, not anything grand like that but it does make me think if I put my mind to it I could build a simple model if I was brave enough to try. I recently made a Jaws themed Christmas tree for a client that requested it that was so fun to make, I made a tiny Orca boat for that but I used clay instead of wood because it was very small.

I might try a small wooden model boat and see how it goes someday. I have to hand make a lot of stuff when I do projects, so I'm well versed in the dremel and small band-saws. What tools did you use Mike?

I would have to say the most important tools to me are the rotary tool, coping saw and bench type belt disk sander. I also use a very small modeling table bench type saw for cutting small strips of wood and a scroll saw for intricate work. But most of these can be easily overcome by using a coping saw for the most part, just time consuming. Also, you can buy just about anything now a days from the strip wood already cut to metal cast decorations as long as you know the scale you are building and can read and understand plans. The easiest way for you to get started is buy a cheaper style kit as a learning project. It will have most everything you need but the glue and patience.

mike

 

[mtdoramike]

Here are a few more pictures of the ship model.

 

[Dopey]

Mike - did they really have ships with that much detail?
I think that is awesome and it makes me realize how talented our ancestors were.
Awesome work.

 

[mtdoramike]

Yes, they really did. The rigging lines on the real ship would have equaled miles of lines. They also recruited kids and small men to work in the powder rooms and below deck where the average height was about 5 feet if you were lucky.

I get a kick out of all these folks on TV who thinks that aliens had to come to Earth for people to be able to build pyramids and things. I'm amazed all the time just knowing what people accomplished back in the time when we didn't even have lights and electricity.


mike

 

[Dopey]

Sometimes my mouth just falls open in disbelief at the things that were accomplished way back whenever. We just don't take the time to really think about it.

Again, awesome work. Congratulations on marking off one on your bucket list.

 

[mtdoramike]

I have a date for delivery of the Victory ship model to the Mount Dora Public Library, which will be this Friday, December 11. I'll let you know how everything goes.

mike

 

[mtdoramike]

Also, I will be starting another build as a donation piece to hopefully a local hospital or local charity. But I will take a much needed break for a month or two. I just finished up a battery of medical treatments that lasted for 7 weeks and it also has taken it's toll on me as well.

This will be my next project and will take about two years to finish:" The figurehead of this ship is not the royal lion but a “Montañes” (highlander), in gratitude for the financial contribution towards her construction made by the people of the mountains. She was launched in Ferrol on 14th May 1794. It is said that she was an extraordinary vessel, whether sailing close to the wind, running free or with a following wind, and that, more than any other ship, she kept her batteries out of the water. She was engaged in a number of battles, including Trafalgar, where she mounted 76 guns and 4 carronades with mortars, located on her quarter deck. On 6th March 1810, in a violent storm, she sank off the Bay of Cadiz."

My wife is questioning my sanity right about now I think. But if I can bring a smile, or look of amazement from someone who see's it, it was all worth it to me. If I can do this with the time I have left, then I can go out a happy man. I had someone make up the brass and black plaque for me.