Rattlesnake 1781 by Pasi Ahopelto - Scale 1:48 - U.S. privateer from Harold Hahn plans

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Hello,

 

Fresh start is sometimes a good thing, the new forum looks much nicer and already while attaching "new" pictures it's evident that usability is improved.

 

Anyway, I'll try to recapture my log so far with five pictures of reaching the main stages, which I consider to be checking what's inside of timbering set (the fun part), completing framing, planking, deck support structures, carvings and current situation.

 

I must warn that there's slow phase in my build at the moment -- plastic models (not ships!) are taking more time than wooden ones, and I intend to build road bike wheel set before summer as well -- but I know myself and I'll return to this build eventually.  I'm mainly posting this first post already now mainly to say I'm OK with the full reset.

 

(My La Belle (1684) build is on hold, and I'll resume its log once I actually continue working on it.)

 

Pasi

[russ]

Pasi:

Good to see you back. Your Rattlesnake really looks nice. That last photos shows a great looking sheer line. You are doing good work.

 

Russ

[rdsaplala]

Hi Pasi,

 

Just catching up with your Rattlesnake log, she's looking great, very nice and clean work

[mtaylor]

Pasi,

 

Welcome back.  Good to see that you'll be continuing.  There's no rush, do what you have to do.  We're patient.

[Ryland Craze]

Pasi,

 

Glad to see your Rattlesnake build log back on line.  I have enjoyed following all of your build logs over the years.  Look forward to more pictures.

 

Take care.

[augie]

Wonderful to see this log back.  You are doing a truly first rate job.

Edited February 17, 2013 by Augie

[JSGerson]

You're back! Yay!

[Rafa Marin]

Hello:

I'm waiting my rattlesnake to buy Lumberyard and  purchased in January 1.

I see your Rattlesnake build log back on line.

Thanks to your post and I loved to learn, but after the disaster, I hope you can post.

Sorry for my english

 

Rafa Marin

Spain

[Trussben]

Moro.

 

Nice to see you back Pasi, I've enjoyed your build so far so it's great to see the log continuing.

 

Ben

[michael mott]

Hello Pasi, welcome back your model look really fine.

 

Michael

[src]

Pasi,

nice to see you back. looking forward to seeing more. I have learned  a tremendous amount looking over your shoulder.

Sam

[Elia]

Hi Pasi,

 

Welcome back! I too am very glad to see you here at the new MSW and that you've got your Rattlesnake build re-established.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[the learner]

Yes! welcome back.

 

Look foward to your future work on the Rattlesnake

 

Cheers,

Guy

The Learner

Edited March 17, 2013 by the learner

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Thanks. It took bit longer to get back to actually building Rattlesnake. But anyway, in past three or so weeks I've completed rigging cannons, which also made hull complete except figurehead, and built anchors. I have photos of anchors only.

 

First treenails for two anchor stocks by cutting beech wedges from 0.8 mm strip:

 

Anchors stock halves were cut from walnut, glued, holes drilled for treenails and treenails tapped in:

 

"Iron" bands for stocks were cut from watercolour paper dyed with india ink. The strips were soaked in thinned white glue (watercolour paper doesn't get fuzzy when wet) and held in place with locking tweezers:

 

Anchor rings were cut from brass wire wound around x-acto blade handle:

 

And finally tung oil (which made treenails almost invisible), anchor assembly and puddening:

 

The pictures show only one anchor, but there are two identical ones as in plans. I think in reality there would be more, and more varied in size, but I'm building this one quite much "out-of-the-plans".

 

Next: will calculate how much I need to order wood for masts and spars. I think I'll also order rigging line ready-made instead of building a ropewalk; calculating how much line I'll need will be a challenge.

Edited May 7, 2014 by Pasi Ahopelto

[Trussben]

Moro

 

Very nice detailing on that anchor Pasi, your simulated iron bands look great, I've used pin striping tape before to good effect.

 

Ben

[russ]

Great looking anchor. The ring came out very well. Nice detail.

 

Russ

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work on the anchor Pasi.  It's good to see you and the Rattlesnake again.

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Thanks. 

 

No pictures today, but I have finished measuring from plans how much rope I would need for standing rigging. The diameters are still missing, and I think I can find those from books I have. But just to double-check: does total of 32 metres (or 100 feet) of scale standing rigging sound about right, or have I missed something? To me it sounds surprisingly low number. Note that running rigging isn't included, have to measure it next.

[JSGerson]

It's been 16 months since your last post, but who's counting! It's good to see you back at it. I'm just about at the same place in construction as you are on my Mamoli kit bashed build and at last I have your guidance to show me the way. Welcome back!

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Thanks, and still one more posting without pictures... Finally finished counting blocks and measuring rigging. I think the earlier standing rigging measurement is about right, and running rigging (no sails) is about 60 metres (180 feet). I have now ordered wood for masts and spars, rigging line and blocks so it's now basicly waiting and making deadeyes, etc, in advance.

 

The Rattlesnake's plan's have one sheet (side projection) of rigging, which is nice but leaves for example rigging line diameter's for builder to decide. Here Biddlecombes Art of Rigging proved to be valuable source, with some cross checking done against Steel. Also Petersson's Rigging Period Ship Models helped to understand rigging better.

[SawdustDave]

Hi pasi,

Just joining this build for the first time.....glad I found your log in my browsing MSW postings. Very neat clean workmanship. I look forward to all future postings of your Rattlesnake.

Dave

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Since last posting I've ordered and received rigging line and blocks from Syren Shipmodel Company, and timber for masts and spars from The Lumberyard; I'm pleased with both.

 

For masts and spars I'll use Sitka spruce. It has quite visible grain, but overall I like working with it and it should work fine. I'll take photos about spar and mast shaping in future, now I'll mostly concentrate on building the "small parts"; now the bowsprit just appears.

 

First I cut bowsprit cap out of cherry billet and marked positions of hole for jibboom and mortise for tenon at bowsprit:

 

Next, milled 3 mm holes and proper angles:

 

Here's the milled cap with jibboom hole opened up to 4 mm with round file (I had 3 mm milling bit at hand):

Later mortise was squared off with file, and the four small holes acted as guide holes.

 

 

Gammonning cleats and tenon for securing bowsprit at deck. The latter will be hidden by forecastle, so it's quite rough and not "as in plans":

 

Bee blocks:

Block on left shows how the fake sheaves looks from under of bowsprit.

 

Bees, bee blocks, bowsprit cap, and two more cleats are already glued. Here I'm gluing jibboom saddle with help of drill bit and elastic band:

 

I'll probably start working on jib boom next.

Edited September 14, 2014 by Pasi Ahopelto

[src]

Nice to see you back at it Pasi. I have long admired your work.

Sam

[JSGerson]

Glad to have you posting again. You and I are at about the same point in our Rattlesnake builds abet mine is 1:64 scale. Now I'll have you to lead the way once more. I await with high anticipation!

[mtaylor]

Nice work and it's great to see you back, Pasi.

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Thanks, it's good to continue building Rattlesnake and actually quite fun to do wood working.

 

This week I completed jibboom. First ripping rough square from billet:

It would be easier to make accurate cuts with tablesaw, but it doesn't take much effort to rip out two feet long strip of sitka spruce with quality hand saw.

 

Then, making it to 4 mm by 4 mm with a plane:

 

And tapered other end to about 3 mm by 3 mm:

The jibboom is still slightly oversize, it should end up being be just under 4 x 4 and 3 x 3 mm.

 

Made the boom first octagonal with plane and scalpel, and then finished to round section mainly with 120 grit sand paper glued on block of wood. Here I'm dry fitting the jibboom on bowsprit:

The end (with step) was done with flat file.

 

Then to details. I'm taking a shortcut here, mostly to avoid weakening the quite thin end of jibboom with (simulated) sheave; now it's just a hole which hopefully will be hidden by rigging:

 

Other end has a hole for retaining pin:

This area was quite unclear in the plans, what I did probably isn't exactly accurate...

 

Experimenting with another fake sheave, this time coloured with a pencil:

I think it's better than uncoloured, but not as good looking as working (brass) sheave would be. I believe 18th century ship's jibboom end should be octagonal. What's in the photo looks more round than it is in reality, but the shape isn't as well defined as liked it to be. Have to improve in future, because too round spar mid sections would stand out too much even to my liking.

[russ]

As always, very nice work. I am taking notes on spar making.

 

Russ

[src]

I am taking notes also as I will be starting my masting soon. ( I hope)

Sam

[Pasi Ahopelto]

Thanks. Rhis week made two of the twelve yards. I intented to make spritsail and spritsail topsail yards, but accidentally picked spritsail and crossjack yards from plan Luckily no harm (doubles) done.

 

I think last time I had one picture about shaping the yards, so I'll concentrate more on that. Before this picture was taken I had sawn off and planed two square strips, and planed them octagonal. 

These smaller yards will end up round, but the based on this exercise (and with bit more practise) the larger yards with octagonal centers should turn out ok.

 

Here I have marked center, and I'm tapering the yard with a plane. Basicly I'm taking off a light shave, rotating the yard, and repeating until the shape is about right.

 

Next, finishing the shape with sanding block (120 grit paper):

 

I gave the surface finishing touch with 0000 steel wool.

 

Here are the finished yards:

I'm not entirely happy with the cleats; they are too irregular. Have to improve on that next.

[JSGerson]

Beautiful as always. How do you maintain the proper angle so that you end up with a nice octagon cross section? I mark a cross on the ends so I know how much to rotate the wood, but mine always seem to come out lop sided and then I have adjust with sanding.