HMS Dragon build by Siggi52 - Scale 1:48, English 74 Gunner 1760

[cog]

That's a pretty sight, Siggi. Looks very good ... you'll tackle the knees in good time ... I'm certain

[Siggi52]

Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. Now it would go much easier and faster.

 

Siggi

[Alex M]

Hello Siggi,

 

the cannons looks great! I like your panelling of cabins too, simply wonderful!

 

Alex

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

without much words, the knees are ready. It wasn't so bad as I first thought. Because I had not to dive so deep into the hull. From that point of view were the knees at the gun and upper gun deck the most worse things I had to do.  

 

 

 

 

The next thing to do is to install the cannons with all there tackle.  

 

Regards,

Siggi

[cog]

I told you so, Siggi!!!

Cheers mate

[dgbot]

Looking good mate.

David B

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

now the cannons are fixed to the wall. That was hard work with all these small blocks and hooks. But the captain was very pleased and spend a brandy after work.

Tomorrow we have only left to tuck the ropes under the cannons and then, next week, comes my biggest problem, the wheels. 

 

 

 

Regards,

Siggi

[dvm27]

I do love this build!

[SJSoane]

 

Siggi,

 

It is looking really great. Well done! 

 

Mark

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

just to show you, that I'm not lazy here, the first pictures from the wheels. I worked after the method EdT used with his HMS Naiad, but modified some parts. Thank you EdT for this tutorial.

 

At first I cut the triangles and glued then together.  

 

 

 

The next step was the axel. The pentagon is loose on the axle, hold only with a peg.

 

 

Here is all turned round and the parted.

 

 

I cut the channels for the spokes, so that the drill bit would have a direction.

 

 

Here all is glued together and I drill the holes for the spokes. I drilled the holes, because I did't have such a nice machine like EdT

 

 

Here I turn the interior free. That is now the second drum I turned. The first one did't make this step

 

 

Here the temporary spokes are installed

 

 

and I could turn out the rest. This time all went very well.

 

 

The spokes here have a diameter of 1,8 mm. The next days I will turn the spokes and they shod go done to 1mm diameter. I hope I will not get crazy about this work. 

 

 

Regards,

Siggi

[mtaylor]

Very impressive work on that small wheel, Siggi.  

[cog]

Stunning, Siggi. Marvelous job on the wheels and the spokes, can't wait for the handles!!!

[dgbot]

Nice job on how to use a lathe.

David B

[Flamborough]

Hallo Siggi sehr schöne Darstellung der einzelnen Arbeitsschritte bin schon sehr gespant auf das fertige Steuerrad.

Viele Grüße

Flamborough

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

yesterday I worked hard to finish the first 10 spokes. (Not mentioned those who did't make it) But the result is I think good. I'm not satisfied with all spokes, but it is the best result I could archive. Tomorrow I will see to finish the rest.

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Siggi

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

the captain proudly presents: the brand new wheels

 

 

 

 

Here an impression from turning the spokes. This time all went well, no trash. 

But this day was't my day. I had more repairs than things I actually build new. 

 

Regards,

Siggi

[druxey]

With such large cutting edges on your contour tool, I'm surprised that you didn't have  a lot of breakages. I never had much luck with that style of cutter. Any tip on how to use them (I assume a very slow feed rate and high rpm's)?

[Siggi52]

Hello Druxey,

 

no I use a normal speed, rather fast for these small diameters. But I hold a pice of wood, with a notch in it, from the opposite side against it and support it. An other important thing is, at which high you set on your very sharp cutting tool. There are micrometers a difference. The first day I had a lot of breakages. But when the system was set, there was non. At the end, they broke often at the tip of the handle, so it was ok.

 

Regards,

Siggi

[druxey]

I understand having a well-sharpened cutter at exactly the correct height on the turning diameter is vital. Your trick is the counter-pressure provided by your notched wood piece. I'll have to try that. Thank you for sharing this tip, Siggi!

[dvm27]

Kind of like a low-tech steady rest for turning long pieces such as masts and spars.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

Your wheel looks fantastic. The painture of the model gives a real good impression how such a ship has looked in the Age of Sail.

[SJSoane]

 

Beautiful, Siggi. Outstanding work.

 

Mark

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

thanks for your kind words, that supports my much. Today I finished the binnacle. Through my research in the NMM, I found this picture of a frigate from the Amazon class, ca. 1780. So I had something I could follow. Against this one, the binnacles from the Victory and Tricomarlee looking really modern.

 

 

And that is now my version

 

 

 

Regards,

Siggi

Edited October 13, 2015 by Siggi52

[druxey]

You are right: the binnacle on Victory is a Victorian creation. Your 'take' on the binnacle from Amazon looks perfect, Siggi.

[mtaylor]

Great looking binnacle.   Is decoration painted on or a decal?   Looks great and sets the mood.

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

now I have also the beams fastened and the last stanchion is set, and Mark, the binnacle is painted.

 

 

But now comes the problem of this deck. 

 

Question for the experts and all who know something about this

 

Where should I stow away the rammers, sponge and wad hook for the cannons?

 

We have 7 cannons at every side of the quarter deck and 3 of them have no deck above them. So I could't store the side arms there. At the wall is not enough space between the cannons, see the picture. Later with the carronades, who where really shorter, they where stored there.

 

 

I would do it this way. First I would make the rammer and the wad hook into one item and store them all between the deck beams in front of the bulwark. May be also with the side arms from the cannons of the cabins so that the captain has only the cannons in his cabins.

 

The handspikes and smaller items are lying under the cannons and the buckets between them. The buckets from the cabins are stored in front of the bulwark. The match tubs I store at the upper gun deck also in front of the bulwark. (not visible) Because one gun crew operated the two cannons opposite each other, I think they need only one mach tub.

 

I hope you could help me, many thanks in advance

Siggi

 

 

 

[AON]

I am also eager to learn the answer to your good question!

Alan

[Siggi52]

Hello,

 

Alan, I think we did't get any information about this is matter. And also when this anonymous captain in 1804 wrote about this and that, what he think should be standardize in the Navy, he did't wrote anything about this. I think, that should be in the responsibility of every captain himself. So I decided to do it as I wrote the post before.

 

But that captain wrote about a chest with weapons that stands in front of the bulwark. That chest was filled with sea service muskets, pistols cutlasses and tomahawks. The sentry in front of the bulwark should wach also over that chest. It was used when a boot is going ashore in unsure country. Just to mention, in front of the ward room was also a sentry.

 

So I think that the deck in front of the bulwark is ready, except the rail of the stairway   I know me and build it better at last 

The next thing is the interior of the cabins 

 

 

 

And here some pictures of the rammers.... 

 

 

 

Have a nice weekend,

Siggi

 

 

[Mirabell61]

Wunderbar Siggi !

 

Nils

[druxey]

Lovely attention to detail, Siggi!