JSGerson
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A template was made of each window showing the framework. The window frames were then constructed sandwich style like before. Place framework, add clear plastic insert, and add framework.
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CHAPTER 6 –The Carvings Transom and Side Stern Windows At this point the Practicum directs the builder to start the carvings. I looked at the boat and wondered why aren’t the transom and side stern windows being installed at this point? It would seem to be easier now than later when the carvings and interior stuff get installed. So once more I deviated from the Practicum. Looking at the transom, Mr. Hunt elected not to put in the center panel. All the models I saw including Mr. Hahn’s had the panel, so I decided that I would install the panel. It would have been easier when the window opening were first constructed, but now was not too late. Following the existing window lines the panel opening was drawn, drilled, cut out, and trimmed. Not knowing how the panel was constructed or how that construction would affect the completion of the interior as directed by the Practicum, I decided to use the 1/64” plywood for the panel face because it was so thin. I figured it wouldn’t affect the Practicum’s building process. Later on I saw one model maker use planks. Looking at the Hahn model pictures, I saw that the windows and the panel had frames around their openings. The windows then had their own frames. The opening frames were constructed directly on the model. The panel plywood was cut to size to just cover the opening and glued to the interior.
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Many thanks for the photos. Out of curiosity, you originally stated that "we used the rigging plan for the Rattlesnake as the model for the Eleanore's rig." What was the source used for the Rattlesnake rigging plan? Other than the rigging plan that Harold Hahn created for his model (based on the original British Admiralty drawings) the only other one I have found is in the book History of American Sailing Ships by Howard Chapelle.
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I grew up in the Boston area through the mid 1970's and worked next door to South Station. I walked by the Boston Tea Party ship (which I believe was the brig) all the time. For some reason, I never did get to visit it although I did visit the USS Constitution (my next build if I ever get to it). I wasn't aware they had a second "Tea" ship as I haven't been back since I left so long ago. I still have to finish Chapter 8 and start and finish Chapter 9 before I can start on the 2 chapters of rigging for Rattlesnake. Is there a website where there are pictures of the rigging project? It always helps to see the real thing to know what the model is suppose to look like.
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Once they sanded, poly-wiped, they didn’t look too bad. They were installed in their respective positions on the model. End Chapter 5
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So in the end, I felt like I cheated when I used the grating provided with the kit.
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Scuttles The scuttles are constructed like small hatches except they have a small lip around the outside edge using the table saw. Gratings I tried, believe me I tried, to make the gratings using the Byrnes table saw following the Practicum instructions. Each cut has to be exact and precisely on the money. Mine weren’t. Every attempt had flaws that were not acceptable
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Remaining Hatches All of the remaining hatches frames on this deck were constructed the same way. The frame made use of lap joints.
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Once assembled, the ladder was installed.
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The ladder gave me a few fits. I initially tried using the Byrnes table saw to cut nice clean slots for the ladder steps, but because the pieces of wood were so small, I had a devil of a time keeping wood pieces properly line up next to a very sharp spinning blade. In the end, the slots were cut and chiseled out by hand. If I were to do it over again, I would have given the steps a much steeper slope.
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Although not called for in the Practicum, the bottom of the hatch opening was made wider than the top so it looked like there was a real deck below and not a simple shaft. The interior of the opening was painted black to simulate the dark deck below. The capstan and hatch frame were then installed.
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Hatches Capstan Hatch and Ladder The capstan hatch frame was made earlier. All that remains is locate the hatch opening and construct its ladder. Based on Hahn’s plan, the hatch location is marked and the opening is made starting with drilling holes through the deck and balsa wood filler inside the corners to a depth shown in Hahn’s side view plan. A small chisel was used to clear out the opening.
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Wedges Finally there are 12 wedges that must be cut shaped and custom fit around both sets of whelps.
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Initial Assembly These components were assembled
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In my case this was not so simple. You will remember, I messed up and had to jury rig the deck clamps. So once again I did the best I could and pushed forward. Whelps The whelps were next. The pieces were cut to size and shaped trying to make sure each piece was identical to the next. There are two sizes one for the top and bottom of the capstan. I think I did this fairly well. Capstan top The capstan top is a 3-piece sandwich made up of two disks and a notched disk. The Practicum CD provides the builder with the disk patterns. It was simply a matter rubber cementing the pattern to the wood stock and cutting them out. The top piece had to shaped a bit using files and sand paper. The three pieces were then glued together. Once more I jumped ahead and created the frame pieces with lap joints for the capstan hatch that is connected to the base to make sure everything fit before I installed it.
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CAUTION The top cutaway notch must be checked to ensure that it matches where the deck beams will go using a 3/16” wide piece of wood as shown below from the Practicum.
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Cutaways were then added to the capstan post as instructed
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Capstan Base & Post The capstan is scratch built. The six sided center post was hand carved from a ¼” x ¼” piece of boxwood by following the Practicum instructions. To make the capstan base, an image of the base was copied from the Mr. Hahn’s deck plan. The Practicum directs the builder to construct the base from a piece of 1/16” x ¾” boxwood (See Warning at beginning of Chapter 5). Because I did not have this particular piece of wood at the time I started the capstan, I thought: isn't it strange that the base was made of such a wide piece of wood? Did they even have that size when constructing the actual ship? Whether they did or not I, in my infinite wisdom, thought not. So instead of waiting for the arrival of the new wood order, I used some planking wood from the original kit to construct a four plank-wide base. The kit wood was chosen because I really didn't know if I had enough wood from the HobbyMill wood package for this construction and still has enough for whatever it was originally intended for. The four planks were cut to length and glued at the edges and to a paper backing for stability. The base shape was transferred and cut out of the wood.
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2nd Bulkhead Just like the first bulkhead the lines were constructed but this time they were based on the Practicum interpretation of Mr. Hahn’s model. In this case swiss pear was used as the door edges with boxwood panels. The appropriate wood pieces were cut and glued on.
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The door hinges were made from black paper and the doorknobs are the heads of some bass nails I had lying around.
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I had some very thin clear plastic film packaging material I received from thing I ordered mail order – perfect for windows. The problem was I didn't know what kind of plastic it was which meant I didn't know what kind of glue to use. The “wood” I was using for the window frames was bamboo, the same stuff I had been using for the tree nails. I use it because I knew from the tree nails, I could make the pieces very thin and straight with little problem and it would hold up. I tried super glue and Weldbond which stuck to the bamboo but not the plastic. Because I couldn't create the frame, I couldn't lift it up to insert into door window opening. It was time for Plan B. The windows are constructed like a sandwich: six pane frame – one large window pane – six pane frame. I created the window frames directly in the opening. That meant constructing the first perimeter frame and the interior frames gluing the wood frame to the wood door. Then I fitted a single piece of clear plastic that covered the whole opening. Finally I constructed the second frame assembly on the other side of clear plastic effectively securing the plastic in place. I wanted to have the interior frames all flush but had too much trouble with the horizontal frame member. The pieces were simply too small to handle, so I just laid the horizontal piece on top of the verticals. Unless one looks at those windows with a boroscope, you can’t tell.
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At this point I deviated from the practicum. Mr. Hunt used styrene plastic to construct the door window frames which had to be painted. I didn’t like that. I was going to use wood. Easier said than done. I initially followed the Practicum planning to substitute the wood for styrene. I laid out the windows as described in the instructions but ran into a problem with the window panes.
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Not only were the windows in the doors cut out, but also the contrasting panels in the bulkhead.
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1st Bulkhead Now it was a matter of transferring the lines from plan to the first bulkhead and cutting the appropriate wood pieces and gluing them on.
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