Blue Ensign

Hi everyone,
 
After building the cisterns, I discovered how difficult it was to locate them square to the mast partners, and the right distance from the mortises for the jeer bitts. So I built a little spacing jig, slotted into the mortises in the partners and with a spacer the right distance to the cistern. Once the cisterns were clamped in place against the jig, I was then able to drill down with a Foredom through the stub pump tube tops, for location pins. I also used this jig to align the hoods so that the future pump handles running through the hoods will line up with the inner face of the bitts where the rhodings will be attached. I made a little sliding joint on the bottom of the hoods so that they could move a little on the cistern athwartships, to allow precise alignment.
 
And finally, in keeping with the color scheme of the dockyard models that so I admire, I stained the cisterns red, to match the riding bitts. In the closeup, you can see the stump tube tops, and a simplified drain plug. The bearings are still to come. The long shots show how nicely the red accents are showing up along the length of the hull. I know color is not to the taste of everyone, but I like the overall effect of colored accents against the natural wood.
 
I am being pulled back to work issues, so I may not be able to work and then post for a while. It was a nice run while it lasted....
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
I then started on the pump cisterns. I had originally planned to run the pump tubes down into the hold, but after trying some mock-ups, I reminded myself that my stylized dockland framing system really does start everything above the gun deck for a reason. Without an orlop, a well, or anything else along with the tubes, I decided they would look silly all by themselves down in the hold. So I followed the lead of the HMS Princess Royal in the Legacy of a Model book, and built stub tube tops between the partners and the bottom of the cisterns.
 
I pondered how to build the coopered covers on the pumps; at 3/16" scale, a ¾" thick shell was too thin to get good coopered joints. So I cheated a little. I turned a wood blank, and then layered the ¾" pieces (plus a little for trimming) on the blank. I then re-chucked this, and turned the assembly down to final size, leaving a clean and accurately sized hood. I cut off the lower half of the blank, leaving the half round hood. They aren't hollow, but I didn't build the pump inside anyway...
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark

I had a little progress this weekend.  Yesterday was time to clean the dust dirt and lizard s@#$ off my two classic cars.  That took all day, but the end result was sure worth it.  Also took them out for a short drive since they hadn't been out in 3 months.....was nice and about 75 degrees out.  So this morning I got the Fluke Chain Bit, and the Forehatch built and mounted on board.  Not much, but as Sjors and Augie say, any progress is .... progress.  I'm going to bypass building the Tryworks for now, hoping for some more pictures before tackling it.  I will now move aft and build the rudder, tiller, wheel, and hurricane house next.  Not sure the order of those yet, but they are all related back there.  So here we are now, and I'm working on the hurricane house first.  More pictures later.

It's just come to mind where I read about swivel numbers - it was in The Sailing Frigate by Robert Gardiner.
 
In writing about a  contemporary model of a Sixth rate 20 gun ship of around 1720 he comments:-
 
There were more stocks than guns (the established number was 6) but the modelmaker has chosen to mount a swivel in every stock.
 
He also comments that: the Swivels were unshipped when not in action.
 
However, Brian Lavery writing in Arming and Fitting of English ships of War states:
 
According to the 1716 Establishment, small ships of the Fifth and Sixth rates were to carry swivels on their Quarterdecks. The number carried was approximately equal to the number of Main deck guns carried.
It's use was extended considerably in the 1770s when it was allocated to Frigates and Ships of the Line, for fitting to the tops and boats.
Twelve were issued to all ships  of 18 -74 guns, tho' not to three deckers.
Fore and Main Tops were fitted to carry three swivels each side.
 
Not withstanding this somewhat conflicting information, it does give you plenty of leeway to show or not show swivels on the mounts.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

It's just come to mind where I read about swivel numbers - it was in The Sailing Frigate by Robert Gardiner.
 
In writing about a  contemporary model of a Sixth rate 20 gun ship of around 1720 he comments:-
 
There were more stocks than guns (the established number was 6) but the modelmaker has chosen to mount a swivel in every stock.
 
He also comments that: the Swivels were unshipped when not in action.
 
However, Brian Lavery writing in Arming and Fitting of English ships of War states:
 
According to the 1716 Establishment, small ships of the Fifth and Sixth rates were to carry swivels on their Quarterdecks. The number carried was approximately equal to the number of Main deck guns carried.
It's use was extended considerably in the 1770s when it was allocated to Frigates and Ships of the Line, for fitting to the tops and boats.
Twelve were issued to all ships  of 18 -74 guns, tho' not to three deckers.
Fore and Main Tops were fitted to carry three swivels each side.
 
Not withstanding this somewhat conflicting information, it does give you plenty of leeway to show or not show swivels on the mounts.
 
Cheers,
 
B.E.

And... done with the galleries. I feel relieved that I will not have to bend and shape every figure from now on and Im looking forward to do some wood work again. 
 
 
/Matti

If making lots of blocks is progress, then I guess I've made some progress!
 
I know it's getting repetitive, but you know who will be demanding pictures as usual, so here's today's efforts: 433 x 3mm single blocks and 112 x 3mm double blocks.  There's a few you can spot in the photo that won't make the final QC cut, but the reject rate is actually pretty low.
 
 

 
One of these days I'll get to start attaching these to the ship!

Gun Carriages (scratch-built) - continued
 
Fabrication of the carriage components is in progress:
 
Axles were mass produced from “sandwiched” strip on the table saw, in the same way the carriage brackets were done.
 
I don’t have a lathe, so the trucks were roughed out of cherry strip, and then spun up using the Dremel drill press -- the same method I used for the capstan drumhead components.  (However, with 72 trucks to make, and a Dremel mandrel that would only hold two at a time, this was very tedious business.)
 
A lot more to do on these yet!
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
To be continued.
 
Robert
 
 
 

Coamings, Carronades, and Companionways..
 
Now I reach the point where I start to enjoy myself, fiddling with the fittings.
 
First up.... Hatch coamings.
 
One of my pet kit hates.
 
Jotika in common with many other kit manufacturers show these items as boxy surrounds with flat gratings enclosed within.
 

They don’t make reference to the greater depth that should apply to the Head Ledges, or shaping the same to form that gentle arc, with the gratings shaped to follow this line to the coamings. A check of any contemporary ship models of the seventeenth and eighteenth century will show the correct form.
 
On little Pickle however, for the Main Hatch, boards are shown rather than gratings.

This is perfectly acceptable and certainly applicable to merchant vessels, but with naval vessels I prefer gratings. Besides it avoids having to make all those irritating little ring bolts for the boards.
 
The Main hatch cover has therefore been modified to reflect my own preferences; the supplied walnut strip suggested for the coamings etc; was discarded in favour of boxwood. (It was in any case of dubious quality) Once assembled and fitted the gratings were gently sanded to conform to the arc of the head ledges.

The grating strips provided by Jotika are excellent, accurately cut with no broken teeth, a close fit, and good for scale.
 

Schooners were very wet boats and I fixed my coamings at 4mm height rather than the 3mm suggested; this is equivalent to 10” at full scale.
 

None of the gratings have been fixed in position as yet - this will be done once all the bulwark ring bolts have all been secured.
 
At this point the Carronade pads have been fitted and the deck has been sealed with Caldercraft water based Flat-matt varnish, which does not darken the deck planking; the gratings will be treated the same, but the coamings will be varnished with satin cote varnish.
 
 

Photos
 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Alright Alistair - as per your second request - here is the best shot I could get of the 2mm blocks. Please keep in mind I'm taking pictures on my iPhone - not exactly the best quality image! It's as close as I could get without the autofocus adjusting to the background. Anyway....2mm blocks in action! And a shot of the main ratlines thrown in for good measure....Thanks again, Alistair!!
hamilton
 

 

Just caught up with your progress Augie, what a great job you are doing with her, and what a fine kit Confederacy is. I love the separate framing of the transom, and gun ports, I am very much drawn to Chuck's kit.
 
B.E.

OK, the dust has settled
 
A line of sweep port 'frames' has been installed the entire length of the hull.  These frames are 3/8 x 3/8" square stock aligned with laser etched lines on the bulkheads.  The alignment of those lines was checked with a plank prior to setting in the blocks.  Note the double block amidships which accommodates the larger ballast port:
 

 
Once the frames were in place the entire hull was faired for the last time.
 
Chuck provides a template to align the sweep ports.  Here it is attached to the hull:
 

 
The template allows the ports to be marked with a pencil.  It is the planking which will actually define the ports later on:
 

 
Two items remain before planking above the wales begins.  Firstly, I need to construct and install 6 simulated sheaves to pass through the hull.  Then, some fun is at hand establishing the color for the ports and bulwarks...but first things first.
 
 

OK, I couldn't stay out of the shop so here's a small update
 
The hances and midship rails have been completed.  These will act as a substrate for the hull planking to come.  Fairing the hances to the hull shape was challenging (I won't mention the pencil sander again) but test planks seem to lie nicely at this point:
 

 
Next up will be laying out the sweep ports.  There is a half cord of lumber, 3/8" square, that needs to be fitted between the bulkheads and faired prior to laying these out.  Keep a weather eye out for a cloud of sawdust over the Rockies  
 

Gun port framing has been completed :
 

 

 
I used a spacer this time around to insure that the ports are all the same width and set at the correct angle.  Everything was faired into the hull .  Sanded and filed the inside of each port so they are basically ready for painting in a few days. 
 
Next up is a rail amidships and some hances.
 

Adequately psyched by Wes' words of encouragement (  ), we embark on the gun ports.  First the Quarter Deck.
 
As mentioned earlier, Chuck provides templates for the gun ports.  These are considerately placed on a sheet separate from the rest of the plans so you are not cutting your plans to shreds.  The first photo shows the template for the 10 Quarter Deck gun ports in place:
 

 
As can be seen in the above photo, one bulkhead extension needs to be removed as it falls in the middle of a gun port.  This will also occur on the gun deck.  This next photo shows the fine-tooth Exacto saw blade I used for this as well as the pencil marks delineating the upright positions as transferred from the template:
 

 
This last photo shows the quarter deck gun ports completed and faired, as well as the template for the starboard side gun deck gun ports now in place.  Several things worth mentioning.......  The gun ports are not meant to be squares at this point.  They are slightly wider than high.  This is true of the ports for both the 6 and 12 pounders.  Also, the lintel or rail above the quarter deck gun ports is only temporary and will be removed once (as) the bulkwark planking moves up the hull.  A formal cap rail will be fitted at that point:
 

 
With 28 gun ports to complete on the gun deck as the next step, everyone gets a few days off without having to listen to me (try to keep the cheers at a minimum).   I am almost caught up with PAGE ONE of Ben's log   :D .   
 
Everyone stay well 
 
 
 

The lintels for the gun ports on the main gun deck have been completed.  I used 3/8" spacers to set the height.  And our paper cannon has returned
 

 
And here's just a longer range shot
 

 
Will be moving on now to the sills and lintels for the ports on the quarter deck. 

Work on framing the gun ports on the main gun deck has begun. 
 
A temporary batten was used to check the position of the laser drawn lines on the bulkheads.  Only minor adjustment was needed to yield a nice sheer line.  Lines were scribed on the bulkheads and the battens removed.
 
A paper cannon was made using a copy of the 12 lb. cannon from the plans mounted on a 1/16" thick strip to simulate the actual deck.  This was used to check the height of the cannon above the sills.  This photo, using tape to demark the port lines, shows where we are:
 

 
Satisfied with this positioning, I proceeded to install the laser cut sills, port and starboard:
 

 
The sills were roughly faired with the bulkheads.
 
Now that the sills are in, the lintels should go fairly quickly.  I will simply be using a 3/8" spacer to set them in position.  Then come the uprights.
 
SJORS - in anticipation of your comment, yes.......the paper cannon fires 12 lb. cotton balls.  The final versions will handle good old American iron.       
 
 

The beakhead and foredeck have been completed.
 
The planking is 1/8 x 1/16 basswood.  The finish applied was Minwax Pre-stain followed by Minwax 'Natural' stain.  Rather then go with the usual WOP, I chose this time to go with a coat of flat acrylic brush on (Testors).  Here is the inboard side of the beakhead.  It will most likely be ultimately painted red to match the bulwarks:
 

 
Here is the forward view of the beakhead and deck:
 

 
You may notice that the deck has been treenailed.  I use Chuck's method of simulated treenails.  Holes are drilled with a #72 drill, lightly sanded, cleaned with the sharp point of an awl (gently) and then filled with this wood colored filler:
 

 
After the filler dries it is lightly sanded and then undergoes the finishing process.  The simulated caulking on the deck is made with a #2B pencil applied to only one side of the plank.  I prefer the caulking to appear light.  The finished treenails are barely visible impacting more on 'texture' then standing out in color. 
 
Overall, I like the appearance of these elements and they shall contrast slightly with the hull and deck planking
 
Will now be moving on to setting the gun port sills and lintels.  First I want to make up a mock cannon so there are no surprises down the road.  Chuck suggested this on Syren ---- it worked.  So I'll use it here.
 
Have a few days of 'winterizing' to do so no updates for a bit.  Everyone in the Northern Hemisphere stay warm  
 
 
 
 

Chapter 3 has been completed.
 
I mentioned previously that the last bit on the stern was the addition of a few fillers.  This turned out to be an exercise in Olympic-level Freestyle Sanding...but I think the fairing came out OK.  So here's one last pic of the stern framing (I promise):
 

 
Yes, JP, the pencil sander came in handy again.  I'm sure both Proxxon and this Microlux are both worthwhile.
 
And that brings us to the false deck.  It is 1/32 ply, laser cut and supplied in 4 pieces:
 

 
Amazingly, the 4 parts slipped right in without any sanding whatsoever.  I laid them in one at a time being careful to line up the lazer drawn alignment lines around the hatches and masts.  Checking RustyJ and Trussben's logs, I decided to glue the decks down using 6 minute epoxy.  There are not enough clamps West of the Mississippi to use PVA.  The epoxy gave me time to maneuver and, with just weighting each section for about 20 minutes apiece, the job was done.:
 

 

 

 
She's back on her keel now and ready for starting gun port framing.  She's growing up  
 
 
 

Some additional progress on the stern.
 
Rather then fiddle with a paper template, I made a balsa spacer to set the height of the sills.  This will determine the height of the windows:
 

 
The sills were then installed.  Once again the pencil sander was used to fair them to the transom .... inside and out.  It has now been determined this tool IS the best thing since sliced bread:
 

 
As a final check, another paper template was used to see if we're in the ballpark:
 

 
Finally, here's an overall shot as it's been a while:

Fairing of the hull bulkheads has been completed.  I am happy to report that the safety timbers installed on the bulkhead 'horns' served me well and no pieces were broken during the sawdust festival.
 
The safety timbers have been removed and reserved for possible future use.
 
 

 
I will now begin to construct the 'shadow box' on the starboard side which will serve to show the exposed 'frames'.  This next photos shows the laser cut shadow box pieces and 20 identical 'frames', 10 of which have been doubled up.  The interior of the box will be painted black.
 

 
The laser burn on the side of the frames to be exposed shall be removed in a mini-fairing operation after they are installed (they are cut over sized).
 

Nice work Michael, the Transom framing looks excellent, I like what I see in your build.
 
B.E.

This is one of those questions where opinions vary. Belaying pins seem such a simple device that it is hard not to imagine they were in use for virtually the whole period of sail.
 
However, based on contemporary models of British ships experts such as Lees came to the conclusion that they didn't appear thro' the bitts or on racks  along the bulwarks until the end of the Eighteenth Century, although there are examples of pins on racks attached to the Mizen shrouds in earlier period ships.
 
As far as the Swan sloops kits Fly and Pegasus are concerned, I personally don't like the arrangement of pins on the rails adjacent to the Mizen mast, not least because I think they look overscale and ugly.
 
On my Pegasus build I intend to fit only Mizen shroud racks with pins, but the matter is one of personal choice, and there is no doubt that pins do make the issue of line belaying a little easier.
 
B.E.

Hi everyone,
 
Here is part 2 of my poop deck railing fixes. Due to errors in the Corel framing, the new cannon openings will "sit" too high. But I wanted to add the stern most cannon port decorative pieces. So you and I will know of this error but it will escape everyone else's attention.
 
Ironically enough even if I had understood this before installing the weather deck, and made height adjustments, it would have thrown off the entire stern and galleries. As it is, the upper galleries sit too high along the hull. But had I incorporated the adjustments then the stern windows as well as the window stranding soldiers would have not had the proper space in which to stand. Corel hello??? Moving on....
 
I also needed to add filler pieces to the upper weather deck stern decorative piece (piece where the flag pole will mount) in order to have it properly align with the deck edges after removing those hull trim pieces from my previous post. These fillers will visually mostly disappear as I add more details during the third and final update of this repair.
 
I also decided to remove all of the wood trim along the entire upper hull railings, and replace them with stained white trim. It will look much more detailed as well as adding a sense of "paint" that the Vasa wore so well for an hour or so.
 
The upper rails will also have this white trim added when the poop deck work is completed as well as the very last third railings. These wont be installed until the very end of this build.
 
Though in the interim I need to drill all of the holes for the vertical uprights. These holes need to be square (no idea how to do this without damaging the already fragile rails). Thanks, as usual, for stopping by.
 
Regards,
 
Michael