HM Cutter Cheerful 1806 by Chuck - FINISHED - 1:48 scale - kit prototype

[Chuck]

Thanks....

 

I have done the research.....I agree Greg.  It is rather bright...more so in the photos than in real life.  The truth is I have seen it done three ways...left bright and also painted red to match the carriages. I have also see black trucks.  Th eSurly contemporary model has them left bright.  But now that you mention it,  lets see.  I thought that might be too much red however?  I imagine I could test one and if it doesnt look good I could replace the trucks.  Its easy enough.....

 

Also take a look at this one cutter model with ivory trucks.  go figure!!  I wont be doing it this way.

 

 

Black trucks

 

 

red trucks

 

 

 

 

Any thoughts.

 

 

[alde]

They look really good in a natural finish. Black looks good too but red would be too much IMO. Maybe nature trucks with red axles?

 

I ordered the Cheerful starter kit today. I am really excited but need to be patient and finish a couple more kits before I start it.

Edited March 8, 2016 by alde

[Chuck]

I actually think I am going with red.....what the heck....there is always the next model if I dont like it.   But yes I dont like black either.   But red might be OK.   I have to try it at least once....

 

And at least everyone building her will see a few different styles and can choose better because I took the plunge.  Most contemporary models have red trucks.  Black and natural also but much less from what I have seen.   But I agree with Greg,  they may be too bright as is now.

 

Chuck

[Erik W]

Chuck,

 

I think red would look better than natural.  And definitely not black.  They'd probably look good if you left them natural, but stained them golden oak, or something similar, but since you're not staining anything else, when viewing the deck area in it's entirety, they might look out of place.  Just my humble $.02.

 

Erik

[alde]

Maybe a stain to give them a little contrast with the deck?

[Engelmann]

Hi Chuck

 

As you said, replacing the truck is easy enough, so make one red, one black and leave one natural. Then take a photo of the three on the ship together to compare them. That way way can all see how they compare in one shot.

 

Cheers

Edited March 8, 2016 by Endlesshunt

[UpstateNY]

HI Chuck,

 

Build is fantastic and I love the finish on the guns.  Thanks for yet another great tip!  On the truck colors, I am glad ivory is out, but for me any of the other colors could look great so a test would be very interesting!

 

One question if you don't mind...what are the brand and shades of the paint you use on the Cheerful please?

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

Edited March 8, 2016 by UpstateNY

[Chuck]

Thanks guys.  I have actually switched to Grumbacher paints for this model.  Just to try them out.  They are from a tube and acrylic.  I am using Mars Black and Crimson.  Thats it.

[wyz]

Chuck,

     In my humble opinion the red trucks would look best.  The plain natural wood color looks too "visually obtrusive" contrasted with the red gun carriages.

 

Tom

[rafine]

Since everyone seems to be voting, I'll throw in my two cents. I left my carriages entirely natural, but if I had painted them, I would have gone with all red. Whatever you choose Chuck, they will look great, like everything else on your build.

 

Bob

[KenW]

Great work as usual. I think I'd go with natural trucks with red axles.

Just my vote.

[Rustyj]

Hi Chuck.

 

As you said there will be many variations.

When I get to that point I may make the trucks out of swiss pear just to see how that looks.

If that doesn't work then it's red or natural. Time will tell.

[Chuck]

Its an interesting discussion.   Well,  I think we have a winner.  Here is the model with the trucks painted red.  I do in fact like this much better than the bright trucks.   Thanks Greg!!! 

 

I know its just a matter of personal tastes but I think I will pursue this approach from now on.  I think its more pleasing and less distracting actually.  Although I will leave the black trucks to someone else to experiment with.

 

I see the bulwarks are very dusty...much touch up to do.   I will wait until after a rig these which is what I think I will do next.   It will be a nice break from building another five carriages.

 

 

 

 

 

[alde]

That looks great Chuck. I think there will be plenty of contrast once they are rigged.

[allanyed]

Chuck,

 

If you are going to fully rig those guns, I know a place to get really fine small blocks.    Beautiful workmanship throughout! 

 

Allan

[Chuck]

Funny Allan....I am itching to see pictures of the Litchfield!!!!  Lets see what you are working on bud.   Move out of Jersey and I cant get any updates....

[druxey]

A good call, Chuck. They look much better now - not that they ever looked bad!

[Chuck]

Thank you!!!

 

Here is a first crack at a breech rope.  I am using my .035 light brown rope.   I think it looks pretty good.   This was just a first attempt to go through the motions and now I will detail how I did it.    You can spend endless amounts of time tweaking how this rope falls so it looks natural.  After a while one has to say it look good enough.    Four more to go and then the tackles are next.

 

Note to self.....paint the underside of that cleat. LOL

 

Chuck

 

[UpstateNY]

Canons look great with the red trucks as does of course the breech rope!  Looking forward to learning how you rigged it.

 

Thank you for the info about the paints you use as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[John Maguire]

Chuck,

 

"Request permission to come aboard, Sir". I am joining very late as I reenter the forum. This log is an overall practicum on how to accomplish many tasks to museum quality.

 

Thank you for your sharing .  .  .

 

Respectfully,

John Maguire

[Chuck]

The breech rope was made using a technique I saw on an actual contemporary model.  The splice for the button of the Carronade was simulated.

 

As mentioned I am using Syren .035 light brown rope.  All of my .035 size rope is four strands.   I dont think it would look as nice otherwise.  Four stranded rope just make it work nicely.   But essentially,  the entire breech rope is made to length....3" long.   (addendum) After consideration I think the breech line should be no longer than 3".  It looks a bit long in the photo. The eyebolts and rings were slipped on before the end was finished off.  You can see that in the photos.   The eyebolts were 28 gauge wire while the split rings were 24 gauge.

 

 

Then I used a sharp but wide awl to simulate the splice. It has to be large enough that the splice will fit over the button of the carronade or cannon.  In the center of the breech rope I pushed the awl through so there were two strands on top and bottom.  Hence the need for four stranded rope. Then I applied some watered down white glue and let it dry.  Once dry the simulated splice stayed to shape.

 

I have seen many real splices attempted and they just look to big and out of scale.  I couldnt pull that off convincingly. Even though this is a cheat, I think it looks better because it stays smaller.

 

 

 

I could have just gone with the usual wrapping once around the button of the carronade...but that is tough to do in my opinion.  It wont stay in place and you must use glue so it wont come undone.  This ends up pulling the finish off the barrel etc.  In the end it just looks too sloppy for me.  So I gave this a try.  No glue is needed at all.  It slips right on the button and wont come off.  This allows you more control to set the other eyes into the brackets of the carriage and then place the whole thing on deck.

 

 

Hope that makes sense.   I also stiffened the line with the watered down white glue before starting.  Let it dry.  I just find it easier to work with when its a bit stiffer.  At least with the breech rope anyway.  I started with about a 5" long piece of rope.

 

Chuck

[paulsutcliffe]

Very nice chuck the guns all in red look awesome as well

[GLakie]

Thanks for sharing your technique Chuck. It looks fantastic with your professionally laid rope! 

[druxey]

Nice dodge for the cont splice, Chuck! Something one can't do as effectively with three-strand line.

[cog]

Thanks Chuck. You just solved a problem for me!!!

[albert]

Wonderful work.

[shipmodel]

Hi Chuck - 

 

Breeching rope looks good, and the rest of the carronade is up to your usual excellent standards.

 

I don't know if you have seen this, but E.W. Cooke did a drawing of a 12-pounder carronade on an English brig of war in the mid 1800s.  Although I usually trust an artist to reproduce what he sees, the breaching rope here sure looks like there wouldn't be much recoil allowed, unless the excess line is coiled at the bulwark.

 

Following along with interest.

 

Dan

 

[lionfish]

Hi Chuck - 

 

Breeching rope looks good, and the rest of the carronade is up to your usual excellent standards.

 

I don't know if you have seen this, but E.W. Cooke did a drawing of a 12-pounder carronade on an English brig of war in the mid 1800s.  Although I usually trust an artist to reproduce what he sees, the breaching rope here sure looks like there wouldn't be much recoil allowed, unless the excess line is coiled at the bulwark.

 

Following along with interest.

 

Dan

 

Cooke carronade.jpg

i would assume most artists would do exactly that, the recoil rope is almost taught save for the ring that attaches the recoil rope to the bulwark. unless they took all the excess robe and hide it on the other side, plus i would imagine that natural fiber rope has some give. interesting illustration though

[captainbob]

In that picture I like the way the ropes are hanging on the belaying pins.  I suspect that is the way it really was except during inspection.

 

Bob

[Chuck]

Had some time today to rig the carriage tackles.   I used 1/8" single blocks and .012 light brown rope.  I also used my 3mm hooks.   These were all made off the model and took some considerable time to make.   They fixed in position and the end of the tackle glue to the deck.  Then a small rope coil was glued on top of that.

 

I also took the time to experiment with a few rope coils for the pin rails.  I wanted to improve my abilities here and there is no time better than now.  With no rigging in the way I can experiment with different lengths and techniques and see how they will look.  I think these look pretty good.   I tried about a dozen different sizes and configurations.  The goal of course is to make them look somewhat natural without making my crew get in trouble for being so sloppy and undisciplined.  

 

Now to go through the whole process again on the other side.  Yikes.