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What metal were pintles and gudgeons manufactured from in English 17th and 18th century warships. Bronze or Iron ? Lavery does not mention which in his Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War. I would assume Bronze as Iron and Saltwater don't mix too well :D

 

Thanks,

 

Dave :dancetl6:

 

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Evening Davyboy;

 

In the 17th century they were made of iron.  Anthony Deane experimented with lead cladding to protect ships' bottoms from worm and fouling,  but he had to give up due to the electrolytic reaction of the different metals in seawater (all metal fittings near the lead corroded rapidly)

 

In the last two decades of the 18th century,  the move to coppering of ships' bottoms made a change to something non-ferrous essential.  Gudgeons and pintles were then made of 'mixt metal',  bronze to us,  which is an alloy of around 90% copper and 10% tin (the tin makes the copper much harder and resistant to wear) The gudgeons and pintles for 'Hannibal',  a 50 gun ship of this period,  weighed in a 1 1/4 tons. 

 

Keel bolts,  I believe,  were made of copper,  not bronze. 

 

All the best,

 

Mark P

Previously built models (long ago, aged 18-25ish) POB construction. 32 gun frigate, scratch-built sailing model, Underhill plans.

2 masted topsail schooner, Underhill plans.

 

Started at around that time, but unfinished: 74 gun ship 'Bellona' NMM plans. POB 

 

On the drawing board: POF model of Royal Caroline 1749, part-planked with interior details. My own plans, based on Admiralty draughts and archival research.

 

Always on the go: Research into Royal Navy sailing warship design, construction and use, from Tudor times to 1790. 

 

Member of NRG, SNR, NRS, SMS

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