Dom Fernando II e Gloria by muzzleloader - 1:50 - cross-section

[muzzleloader]

Dom Fernado II e Gloria was launched in Daman, India in 1843 and fitted out in Goa and took her maiden voyage to Lisbon in 1845. She remained in active service until 1878 then remained anchored in Lisbon until 1963 when she burned to the waterline during repairs. She remained sitting in the mud until 1993 when a five year reconstruction was begun. She was open to the public for Expo 98 and is on permenant display in Cacilhas south of Lisbon.

 

D.Fenando was constructed of teak and the frame layout is different from the norms for Europe. They are doubled and the fore and aft are mirror images. All the frames are the same width with the gaps between frames all the same.

 

The plans and a book about the reconstruction came from the Maritime Museum in Lisbon. I then scanned them joined the scans with Photoshop and imported them into Autocad. The book has some good pictures of the construction and plans not included with the regular plans. Unfortunatly the pictures and plans don't always agree. The photos show a frame in the middle of each gunport but the plans don't so I decided to go with the pictures because that is how the ship is actually built.

 

The frames and made of Brazilian Cherry the decks will be maple and everything else will be whatever is in the wood pile.

 

This is my first build log and I'm no writer (that's my fathers job) and our best camera is the phone of she how must be obeyed, so here goes.

What you see so far is about a year of computer work and making sawdust.  

 

These are the pieces of the No. 2 frame. All  the other frames are the same layout. The fore and aft faces are mirror images of each other. The pieces where ruff cut on the scroll saw and the joints where done with a sled on the Proxxon table saw.

I don't have any pictures on the keel but is built up differently than usual. There is a false keel, keel and top. The rabbet is just an angle cut in the top of the keel then the top is placed on the keel. There are no notches for the frames. They are just placed on the keel and bolted down.

 

 

 

 

Almost forgot, the section is from the boarding ladder aft to the capstan and includes the main mast.

 

Enough for today. As always comments good, bad or indifferent are always welcome. 

[muzzleloader]

The interior is sanded smooth and the keelson and first limber strakes and lower deck clamps installed. Now things are stiff. 

I tried to install bolts in one of the frames but after sanding I couldn't see them so did not do the rest.

 

also started the gun ports. The small light colored pieces are there to stiffen the upper works.

 

It's nice to see some progress.

 

Mark

 

 

[mtaylor]

Nice work on the framing, Mark.  I think cross-sections are a lot of fun.

[muzzleloader]

I agree and because of there small size you can do them in a larger scale and get a lot of detail.

 

 

 

The gun ports are framed. Now the model comes out of the frame so it can by faired. This is going to make a LOT of dust.

 

 

[muzzleloader]

Well I messed up. 6 of the 10 gunports are wrong!! I think when I measured I did not allow for the thickness of the frame pieces. The red lines show where they are supposed to be. CUT EM OUT.

 

I also cut the tops of the frames too short. I leveled them out and added a piece to the top. When the planking is added they will not be visable.

 

Next it comes out of the build frame and I pull out the large files and sandpaper and get everything faired up.  I hope.

[mtaylor]

Good catch on the gunports, Mark.  I do find them to be a pain to get right but well worth the effort.

[muzzleloader]

Installed the garboard strakes and the next plank up on both sides. The pencil lines are the layout for the different thickness of planking.

The holes in the keel are for bolts to mount the model. There are nuts inlet in the frames.

There is also a board a over the keelson. I don't know what it's called.

 

That's it for today. Thanks for looking.

[muzzleloader]

I got back from a trip to Lisbon yesterday and hit a gold mine while there.

The plans for the Fernando e Gloria do not show any of the interior structure. I have the companion book to the plans about the reconstruction. It has some of the interior layout but they to small to by of much use. The book states that the plans are available at the museum. 

So while in Lisbon we went to the museum to ask about the plans. They called Sr. Fernando and he came down to talk to us. When we explained what I wanted he smiled and took us to his office.

He had five folders full of the original plans for the reconstruction. There are even prints of the spikes used to attache the deck planking (the gun and weather deck use different sized spikes).  He didn't have a copier large enough for the plans but let me take pictures of any thing I wanted.

Four hours and over 100 pictures later I was one happy camper. Some of them are a little blurry (I was using our phone) but I can clean them up in the computer. 

I would think every museum has the plans for the models they have on display if they are built by the museum. The museum in Lisbon has plans of almost all the models on display for sale. They also have a workshop where they teach classes a couple of times a year. If you live near a museum Ask.

The Lisbon museum also has a nautical research library. I haven't used it yet but will in the future. 

 

Thanks to all the MSW artists whom I have stolen ideas. jigs and techniques from.

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

I've started planking one side. This side will be fully planked. The other will show the ribs below the waterline. All of these are the same size because they will be covered with copper plate.

 

 

[muzzleloader]

The planking below the wales is finished.

 

starboard side

 

port side

 

Now it goes outside to be sanded.

 

Thanks for all the likes. It's nice to know someone is watching!!

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[mtaylor]

Looking good, Mark.   Lots of us just follow and not always comment.  

[Elijah]

Very nice build! I saw it in the At A Glance section.

[Beef Wellington]

Really nice work and interesting subject matter Mark, definitely want to see how you move forward.  It must be nice to have the actual ship to get inspiration from.

[muzzleloader]

Jason 

 

Seeing the actual ship is a two edged sword. First: you can't cheat, and there are a lot of details on the modern ship that do not seem acurate to the original.

For example the rebuilt ship has a hydraulic capstan under the original lower deck capstan. I wont be including the bathrooms. On the other hand there are a lot of things I would never see on the plans.

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

Now to catch up with the build progress.

First checking and final adjustments to the top and bottom gunport sills.

 

Next I planked above the wales.

 

And the planking is done. Sanded to 320 but no finish applied yet. It's amazing how nasty it looks before it's done.

The final fitting of the gunports will be done after the interior is planked.

 

The visible ribs are finished. There is one coat of sanding sealer and so far and two coats of an oil finish. I'm using Woodstock Oil Finish. It's made for gun stocks but I'm not sure it's available anymore. I got this bottle over twenty years ago. This picture shows the difference with and without the oil finish added.

 

Finally for today the stringers. All of them are made of two pieces side by side.

 

That's it for today. Hopefully I'll get the planking below the first hangar done tomorrow. It depends on whether she who must be obeyed has anything planned.

 

Thanks for looking

 

Mark 

 

 

 

[muzzleloader]

It's been several weeks since an update but I have not been totally idle. Until I started this update I did not realize how long it has been. I have planked the lower inside of the hull. Finished the lower deck hangers and the mast step.

 

          Planking below the first hanger and between the stringers

          These are vents there is one between each rib. 

          Damn. The keelson was too small. The keelson and first stringer have to line up for the mast step to fit correctly. So out it comes and the new one goes in. You can also see the 8-32 nuts imbedded in the frames.  

          And here is the mast step. The second one. The first one I tried building and then fitting it. This one I fitted the  individual pieces and then glued them together and did the final fitting.

          The lower deck hangers. The nails are the ones that come with kits. I got lucky and they are the right size.

[Elijah]

She's looking good! Keep up the progress!

[muzzleloader]

Five small pieces made and dry fitted. They are the lower deck main beams made of maple. The maple had to by soaked for several hours before it would hold even a small bend, 4mm at the center.

Progress is slow but steady. The honey do list never seems to get any shorter.

 

[Elijah]

The beams look good! I look forward to their installation!

[muzzleloader]

It's been awhile but I have not been completely idle. I started cutting the slots for the smaller deck beams and found I it easier to use a tool the size of the cutouts. So I made one. I used small allen wrench and a piece of wood. I don't have a grinder so had to use a cutoff wheel in the dremel.

a 2 1/2 inch piece of allen wrench and some scrap

 

after about 1/2 hour work

The steel is usually fairly good so they hold a decent edge. There are a lot of places where a bent chisel can get into places that a straight one won't. And if you mess it up nothing lost.  

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[muzzleloader]

Here is what I cut with that fancy chisel and a couple of jewelers files. I cut the  slots for the short beams and pinned the cross beams to the hull. The small beams are then cut to fit and glued in.

 

 

close up of the joints I'll hopefully get better with practice

 

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

It's been a while. Just spent a week visiting family on N.C. and two weeks visiting in Portugal.

 

All I've done is shape the lower end of the mast and install the lower deck mast support.

 

The lower deck mast support

 

The mast fitted. I will have to enlarge the whole in order to fit wedges.

 

 

The mast is a 3/4 inch pine dowel. 27 1/2 inches tall. This thing is larger than I expected.

[muzzleloader]

Six pieces of wood installed this weekend!! First the the coming (is that spelled right). I made them by cutting a piece of scrap the size of the opening them built the coming around it before installing.

 

 

Next the orlop deck hangers. Just two pieces of triangular wood. But the angle is slightly different along their length.

 

 

 

Orlop deck beams next.

 

Thanks for watching

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

Orlop deck beams next. These are cut from maple and have no camber. The center post is the same size as the beams. Four of five installed.

 

Before all the beams are installed I need to build the cistern. At least that's what it's called in Portuguese. It is the well where the elm tree pumps go. I assume it's there to keep big things from getting to the pumps and clogging them.

 

Starting the walls of the well. The light colored pieces are for support and will be on the inside of the well our of sight.

A good weekends work.

 

Thanks for watching

 

Mark

 

 

 

[muzzleloader]

Installed the last orlop beam and finished the well.      

 

I built and installed the fore and aft walls and then the right and left. I would not do it that way again the corners are just not sharp enough. 

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

Now it's time to do the shot lockers. I have learned from doing the well. These are being  built and then will be installed. Did the right side first, it is closed so no interior details. 

 

 

The shop wells are basswood and the hinges are card stock. Then they get an oil finish.

 

 

The right side dry fitted.

 

Thanks for watching.

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

The shot lockers are finished. I decided to have both of them closed because I could not find the correct size shot (no. 5) to simulate 32# shot. The floor of the chain locker was next. Then the right shot locker and orlop deck planks. 

 

 

That's it for last week.

 

Mark

 

 

 

[muzzleloader]

Now for up to date information.

The next project is the right side store rooms. The commisioners stores forward and the groceries (literal translation) aft.

 

 

The outside of the storage compartments.

The inside of the compartments. The large square piece is needed to stiffen the side. That long a piece warped .

The door knobs are nails. The doors open inward so no hinges on the outside.

These compartments will be decked over so all that nasty work will not be seen.

The finish is sanding sealer and an oil finish.

 

 

That's it for now.

 

Mark

[muzzleloader]

The port side storage compartments were done this weekend. Officers forward and captains aft. There will be no decking above these so they took a lot longer to do.  

 

 

Some of the pieces for the walls and doors.

 

 

The forward wall installed. One floor plank installed so the walls have something to sit on and a way to align them.

 

 

 

Everything installed. All they need is oil finish and cleaning up. When the deck beams are fitted there will be more tweaking  them where the beams go over the compartment walls.

 

 

 

[muzzleloader]

The first section deck beams installed. I found it easier to install them a piece at a time so that the stuff under them can be fitted. I then started on the anchor chain locker (paiol da amarra). The little guy came from Cornwall Models they are from Amati. They are the only place I could find that had 1:50 scale sailors. They are the 35mm size. It makes them about 5'6" or 1.75m. This ship has a LOT of head room.

 

 

The first section of deck beams.

 

 

The aft wall of the chain locker being installed. 

 

The locker almost done. I will wait until I get the chain before finishing the forward wall.

 

 

 

All done until the chain gets here. 

Thanks for watching.

 

Mark