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HMS Atalanta by tlevine - FINISHED - 1775 - 1:48 scale - from TFFM plans


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The plans do not show a binnacle but the contemporary model does.  I decided to build one.  The binnacle was made out of pear and is glazed with mica.  I toyed with the idea of putting a compass and lantern inside but for the time being I have left it empty.  The "sliding" door on the back is tack-glued so I can remove it later if I decide to make them.  The binnacle will eventually be attached to the deck with ropes via two eyebolts in the deck.  I have shown it in the correct position just abaft the mizzen mast.  The chimney is turned brass and will be kept bright.  The tiller has also been reinstalled...correctly.

 

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Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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Wonderful result, Tony

Regards Christian

 

Current build: HM Cutter Alert, 1777; HM Sloop Fly, 1776 - 1/36

On the drawing board: English Ship Sloops Fly, 1776, Comet, 1783 and Aetna, 1776; Naval Cutter Alert, 1777

Paused: HMS Triton, 1771 - 1/48

"Have no fear of perfection - you'll never reach it." Salvador Dali

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Thanks everyone for the comments and the likes.  One thing I forgot to mention is that the "glass" on the binnacle is mica.

Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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G'day Toni 

First this first, I've spent many enjoyable hours reading and digesting you marvelous log.

I havta echo everyone's comments, there is only 1 thing I can add: bloody brilliant!

Secondly I'm sorry for being away so long.I had some personal problems and I'm slowly getting back to read all the incredible logs. 

This model is a credit not only to you, but a great source of information for all of us here. Thank you so much.

Havagooday 

Greg 

"Nothing is impossible, it's only what limitations that you put on yourself make it seems impossible! "

 

Current log : The Royal Yacht Royal Caroline 1749 1:32 by Greg Ashwood:...

 

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Hi Toni,

 

Excellent work on both the stanchions and the Binnacle.  Turning very thin brass is a chore.  I've been told, that the grade of the brass, and its hardness can be very big factors.  The women from Sheerline that was at the last NRG Conference can be a help.  She gave me a few very good pointers on turning very thin wooden stanchions.  In ant case, the alternate method looks great.  I bet that the prototype wasn't turned from one piece but made up of several pieces as you have done.  The good thing about this is that you keep trying until you find something that works for you.

 

Regarding the Binnacle; I made one for my 1:96 Liverpool, also from Swiss pear.  I will post one or two photos another time.  I modeled it from the Binnacle on the Victory and in the Anatomy of HMS Pandora with two compasses flanking a central lantern.  For the lantern, I used a plastic bead of the appropriate size with a brass ring as a base.  The lanterns are printed compass roses that I downloaded from open source pictures on the internet.  I simply copied them and reduced to the appropriate size.  All of that is barely visible, but it is visible.  Just put "compass" into your search engine.

 

to you all, I've seen this model in person, and it is a gem!

 

All the best,

 

Tom Ruggiero

 

Director Nautical Research Guild

Member Ship Model Society of New Jersey (Past President)

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The next item on the agenda was the quarter deck rail.  All told, this took me about 20 hours to fabricate and install.  There are no construction photos but I will do my best to describe the process.

 

There are five stanchions and a double rail at the break of the quarter deck. The stanchions are morticed into the breast rail inferiorly and the upper rail superiorly.  They pass through the lower rail.  The rails have a beading scraped into them but the thickess is so small, 0.065", that the beading is barely notable.  The stanchions were made as follows:   The profile of the central portion of the stanchion was cut into brass sheet stock as both a template and final shaper.  (I use very thin dental cut-off discs for this operation.)  Square stock slightly larger than the finished dimension was chocked into the lathe. The central portion of the stanchion was then turned just enough to remove all the edges.   Then the profile was roughly shaped by eye.  Finally, the template was used as a scraper to provide the final shape.  Slots were drilled and cleaned up for the sheaves.  These are simple discs, turned with a Dremel and sandpaper to the correct diameter and then center-bored before cutting off to prevent splintering.

 

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The rails were shaped by placing them in a moist paper towel in the microwave...low power  and 10 second bursts.  They were then clamped to a curved chair back to dry.  It is very fiddly to get everything plumb and square, especially when the deck and the rails curve.  My sequence was to first insert the stancions into the breast rail mortices.   When the glue was set but not dry I inserted the lower rail and glued it into position.  After that was set I added the top rail and clamped everything to dry.  In the picture above, I still have to remove escess glue.  It really looks better than the photo would suggest; on my computer screen this is 5X magnification.  It looks better in the next photo.  It also looks like I have a ring bolt to replace!

 

58c5e39fd1d5f_Quarterdeckrail1a.thumb.jpg.212b679ff443da039d3f642cdbb9b5ee.jpg

 

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Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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Sweet Doc!!!!!!!!👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

 

Best,

John

Member:

Connecticut Marine Model Society

Nautical Research Guild

Model Ship World

"So we beat on, boats against the current, bourne back ceaselessly into the past" F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby

"If at first you don’t succeed.......skydiving is probably not for you”

 

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Jaw-dropping work on the stanchions and rails, Toni.  I'm I reading that right that the stanchions are all one piece?

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Clamping to the back of a chair.  Great idea.

Maury

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On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 7:56 AM, tlevine said:

The plans do not show a binnacle but the contemporary model does.  I decided to build one.  

The ship would most certainly have a binnacle when underway.  It's possible that the plans did not include it because; (a) ATALANTA had GPS or (b) it was not included because the binnacle was not built as part of the ship.  It was a removable piece of 'furniture'.  I suspect (b).

Chuck Seiler
San Diego Ship Modelers Guild
Nautical Research Guild

 
Current Build:: Colonial Schooner SULTANA (scratch from Model Expo Plans), Hanseatic Cog Wutender Hund, John Smith Shallop
Completed:  Missouri Riverboat FAR WEST (1876) Scratch, 1776 Gunboat PHILADELPHIA (Scratch 1/4 scale-Model Shipways plans)

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Thank you everyone for the compliments and likes.  Yes, the stanchion is all one piece.

 

Chuck, I like the GPS idea better!

Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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  • 1 month later...

Well it has been quite a while since the last update.  I had the pleasure of spending a two weeks abroad and then had to catch up on everything which was neglected during that time.

 

The next item to tackle was the fixed gangway.  It is comprised of a lightweight frame with planking.  This platform is situated a few inches lower than the quarter deck breast beam.  It is attached to the undersurface of that beam and the fore end is supported by a hanging knee.  There is a newel post at the aft end of the curve but this will be made later.  I found the description in TFFM a bit confusing, and hope I interpreted it correctly.  The text states that the outboard edge of the gangway is above the level of the planksheer (by about 2" in the sketch) and that it is canted at the same angle as the deck beams to facilitate drainage.  In looking at Atalanta's plan and comparing it to Fly's it looks like the outboard edge on Atalanta is at the planksheer, not above it.  So this is what I have constructed.  Please chime in if I am wrong in my interpretation as it is easy enough to correct at this stage.

 

Gangway1a.thumb.jpg.e199712ba6026fb8b731ad2c5387c6ff.jpg

 

The planksheer was installed next.  There is a decorative molding on the outboard edge.  The gangboards extend from the fore end of the fixed gangway to the forecastle breast beam.  The rest of hanging knees which were installed earlier.

 

Gangway2a.thumb.jpg.b0f0ae4e9715ca16826fd0db2c015906.jpg

 

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There is a breast hook overlying the bowsprit opening.  A shim was placed under the starboard arm of the breast hook to simulate bulwark planking.

 

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Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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G'day Toni 

I'm wish there was another adjective that could express how bloody fantastic your workmanship, (or should I say workpersonship to be politely correct) is. 

But alas, an Ozzie term I  havta use. It's a bloody ripper! And I wish I had a fraction of your talent. 

Havagooday 

Greg 

"Nothing is impossible, it's only what limitations that you put on yourself make it seems impossible! "

 

Current log : The Royal Yacht Royal Caroline 1749 1:32 by Greg Ashwood:...

 

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Thank you everyone for the likes and comments.  Time to move on to the head.

 

This is an absolute birds nest of inter-related structures which appears daunting but (so far) is not horribly difficult if one fabricates and installs one piece at a time.  Sorry that there are no construction pictures but taking photos of 3-D objects while keeping everything in focus is beyond my simple camera.  The key to each structure is one word...template.  The lower cheek is constructed first.  Make a template in the horizontal plane.  On the plan, determine the total thickness of the cheek, remembering that there is a gentle curve upwards as the cheek follows the knee of the head.  Also remember that the hull drops away inferiorly so make the aft arm wider than per the plan.  Draw out the templated cheek on the wood, keeping the arms along the grain as much as possible.  Cut out the rough blank and offer it up to the hull until a good fit is achieved; It is still oversized in thickness at this point.  Next, draw the curve onto the side of the blank and shape it  with sanding discs.  The edge of the cheek has a molding cut into it.  Make another scraper (since none of the other shapes made so far are correct) and carefully scrape the shape onto the cheek.  Simple, right?  Actually, very tedious although not technically difficult.  The first one took four hours to complete.  On my model the starboard side is unplanked so there  is a gap between the frames and the knee corresponding to the thickness of the planking.

 

The upper cheek is made in similar fashion except that it must fay into the hair bracket with a scarf.  On Atalanta it is slightly thinner than the lower cheek at the aft end and tapers in width going forward.  That simply makes adding the molding even more fun because the fore arm molding must be cut free hand.  The hair bracket is simple to make after the cheeks are installed.  Again, make a template.  The molding is cut in free hand because the width continues to diminish on the ascending arm.  I used a dull #11 scalpel to gently impress the design.  Then a 2 mm V-chisel was used to cut the groove, changing direction as necessary to always cut with the grain.  Finally, it was finished with jeweler's files.  The scarf was cut into the hair bracket first.  This was then drawn onto and then cut into the already installed upper cheek.  The hair brackets were installed and the joint cleaned up so that the molding flows between the cheek and the hair bracket.  This can be seen when one compares the second and third photos below.  The total time invested so far on the headwork is two weekends.

 

Cheeks1a.thumb.jpg.cd3be04edcf8d8de19267038df22dfd1.jpg

Cheeks2a.thumb.jpg.8181379c9c8fd4773fdab8221feca19d.jpg

Cheeks3a.thumb.jpg.49fba9099bd0d0d29e020a194be1dc9e.jpg

 

Cheeks4a.thumb.jpg.7adb6ac3a2eca2822643eeab517676dc.jpg

 

Cheeks5a.thumb.jpg.a26f72ea64defde4ee8a3ab54108a4ba.jpg

Toni


Chairman Nautical Research Guild

Member Nautical Research and Model Society

Member Midwest Model Shipwrights

 

Current Builds:     NRG Rigging Project

Completed Builds: Longboat - 1:48 scale       HMS Atalanta-1775 - 1:48 scale       Half Hull Planking Project      Capstan Project     Swallow 1779 - 1:48 scale               Echo Cross Section   

Gallery:  Hannah - 1:36 scale.

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 Looks wonderful so far. I must say for me this was by far the hardest part of the entire build. It just seems all the different angles and the different sizes especially with the pieces I was using for my kit.   I'm looking forward to seeing your next few steps.

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Looking good so far, Toni! It's amazing how many scraper profiles are needed. However, once you've cut them, you can use them over and over on subsequent models!

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

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Nicely done.  Good to see you back in the shipyard.

Maury

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