Doing the sums on the breeching, blocks ordered

Jan posted a photo of a gun on the Victory to gauge the thickness of the breeching rope, and asked whether I had noticed that it is left-hand laid rope. Unfortunately I noticed too late, so I have the wrong rope in any case. The gun in his photo stands on the middle deck and is therefore a 24-pounder. What I read is that the circumference of the breeching on 18-pounders from 1780 onwards was 5.5 inches. That works out at a diameter of 1.75 inches (5.5 divided by 3.14), or 4.45 cm, and at 1:64 that is 0.7 mm. That seems a lot less than in the photo. On a 24-pounder or larger the circumference would have been 6 or 7 inches again. It all seems so thick to me. Jan also suggested laying up one thicker rope myself from three thin ones, left-handed.

For the pins, Marc w suggested the lace-making pins sold in hobby shops: too long, but easily shortened with ordinary cutting pliers. My wife tried bobbin lace for a brief spell, so who knows, there may still be some in her studio.

On Henk’s advice I have ordered new blocks from Syren Ship Model Company. Because I am replacing everything in one go it took a fair bite out of my wallet, but hopefully it will be a good upgrade for the model. At the same time I added the George III ciphers. Now 20 days of waiting. Hans could have supplied me with blocks as well (3 mm single, 4 and 5 mm single and double, 3 euros per 10), but because he did not have all the sizes, I wanted them all the same, and I had to order for the ciphers anyway, I chose Syren. He took it sportingly: we cannot have everything.

After two days of steady painting all the carriages are red.

Jan also pointed me to the model builders’ day in Hillegom, which I had missed entirely because I only follow this build log. After a moment’s thought I signed up, with the model of course. Tomorrow I will put a few more things together with Piet’s pins.