The Black Pearl

**Chief Tiff** · 8th April 2018, 02:23 PM

Hi all;

I've been meaning to post pictures of this build for... about the year and a half I've been building it for!

I'm a FIFO worker who works two weeks on and two weeks off down in Chinchilla and after a long day spent mainly swearing at a computer screen I use this to unwind. Well;it keeps me out of the pub and away from the ladies of negotiable affection...

It is a kit from a magazine subscription that one of our admins was buying for her grandkids. They started to construct the frame and then realised very quickly that although the magazine was designed for the under 12's the model most certainly was not. Seriously; every little bit pretty much has to be custom fitted. Every hull and deck plank was individually cut and fitted; each gun consist of 14 separate components and are tied into position with 3 ropes; not glued to the decks. And all the internal bits such as the barrels and stores all had to be hand painted. While despairing over the difficulty of this project a mutual friend announced the he knew someone who worked with wood and was "OCD as f

k" who'd probably be happy to take it on. And thus the build began! I started off building it in my donga in the evenings but when it became too delicate to travel back and forth it moved to her shed where I now work on it a couple of hours most nights I'm on shift.

Now that the masts are assembled it stands 730mm tall; the model is about 1:60ish scale. The most PITA part is now due; tying all that rigging. Even the ratlines have to be individually tied.

HERE is a you-tube video of a completed model for comparison. Sorry about the photo quality; they were taken with a cheap digital camera

DSCF0068.jpg Port side.jpg DSCF0071.jpg DSCF0077.jpg

**NCArcher** · 8th April 2018, 04:36 PM

Great job Chief. I've got a partially completed Endeavour in storage. I think its a bit bigger than the Pearl. Not quite up to where you are. I'm just starting on the two layer planking.
I've got some good documents on completing the rigging if you want a copy. Assuming I can find them that is.

**cava** · 8th April 2018, 06:03 PM

Very nicely done, and kudos for the required patience.

**crowie** · 8th April 2018, 06:49 PM

No Admiralty Three Drum Boilers and Steam Turbines on that ship Chief.

Top job sir and keeping out of the mess saving your hard earned, well done.

Cheers, crowie

**Chief Tiff** · 9th April 2018, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by NCArcher

I've got some good documents on completing the rigging if you want a copy. Assuming I can find them that is.

Thanks NC; they would be interesting to look at for sure. I have a few issues with the rigging plans on the Pearl; mainly to do with how the sheets etc are tied down. They've essentially identified a number of "bits" sticking out that can be used to tie ropes to but my CDO insists that I at least attempt to do it properly. As an example behind the fore and mizzen masts are fife rails but they only have holes in them and you are expected to use these as securing points, I'm now giving serious consideration to turning up some proper belaying pins (toothpick in a drill, "turned" with needle files) thus adding a bit more authenticity.

Originally Posted by crowie

No Admiralty Three Drum Boilers and Steam Turbines on that ship Chief.

I've actually been toying with the idea of knocking up a working miniature Admiralty 3-drum for many years now. My beloved's late father left me a working steam engine he built a few decades ago and I keep thinking about building a boiler for it. The engine design really calls for a fire tube unit like a Lancashire boiler; but in keeping with my family's proud Naval heritage (ok; it was just me daft enough to join the Puss) I thought I'd pair it up with a proper kettle.

Originally Posted by cava

Very nicely done, and kudos for the required patience.

Hah! Every time my work colleagues see the detail they are amazed that it is me doing it; calmness and patience are not words generally associated with me in my work environment.

**crowie** · 9th April 2018, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

I've actually been toying with the idea of knocking up a working miniature Admiralty 3-drum for many years now. My beloved's late father left me a working steam engine he built a few decades ago and I keep thinking about building a boiler for it. The engine design really calls for a fire tube unit like a Lancashire boiler; but in keeping with my family's proud Naval heritage (ok; it was just me daft enough to join the Puss) I thought I'd pair it up with a proper kettle.

Now that presents a few more issues...

A Vap with storage & water testing equipment, A FFO Transfer Pump, Sprayers with flaps and off course the smallest of small stoker to climb in through the dogged hatch to clean/rod the tubes...

Maybe the latter is a easier/simpler option

Thread: The Black Pearl

Thread Tools

Search Thread

The Black Pearl

Similar Threads

Black-white-black Stripe Pickguard Ligero

Black TN zen's, mica pearl & lucite

Sea Pearl 21 - Something like it

Closed End Baron in Black with Pearl

Black Lipped Pearl Baron

Posting Permissions