JSGerson

To make matters more confusing, although both the Kit’s plan and the US Navy show eleven steps, the US Navy plan shows seven of the steps are below the gun port while the kit shows only six. To clear this up I checked my photos, only to find the actual ship only has ten steps total. It did show, however, that there are only six steps below the gun port. I think the eleventh step was removed at the very top to allow for the visitor gangway to be installed.
 
The step locations were marked by a piece of tape positioned on the hull which aligned the steps horizontally. A spacer block was used to ensure vertical spacing was consistent.
 
BTW, it’s been a week and I’m still waiting for the replacement rudder.

I too had these issues with the copper plating. If I were to do it over again, I would have applies a couple more coats of polyurethane on the hull to make it as smooth and glass-like finish as possible. Embossing the surface of the copper tape to simulate nail dimples reduces the contact area of the tape somewhat so it needs that extra smooth surface for adhesion.. 
 
I made a CA applicator out of a medium sized sewing needle by cutting off the end of the eye creating a two prong fork. I then added a long thin wooden handle by drilling a hole into a piece of wood and inserting the point of the needle into it. I didn't glue it, but just pushed it in hard. This allowed me to switch out the needle with a new one when needed. Cleaning the open eye is done with a butane cigarette lighter. The excess CA burns off real quick.
 
I had to constantly apply CA glue to various areas of copper plating over the course of its installation as it took time for the weak adhering plates to reveal themselves. It was a pain to constantly do this. In the end, I got the effect I wanted.
 
Jon

I just discovered your build log today and admired your workmanship. I built the Mamoli Rattlesnake in 2017 as my first square rigged wooden ship using Robert Hunt's practicum as my bible. I could not have built my model without it. The build was a kit bash adding all kinds of details the kit did not have. and was a challenge for me as a first time builder, but I think it was worth it. The Rattlesnake is a beautiful ship. I look forward to your future posts.
 
Jonathan

I just discovered your build log today and admired your workmanship. I built the Mamoli Rattlesnake in 2017 as my first square rigged wooden ship using Robert Hunt's practicum as my bible. I could not have built my model without it. The build was a kit bash adding all kinds of details the kit did not have. and was a challenge for me as a first time builder, but I think it was worth it. The Rattlesnake is a beautiful ship. I look forward to your future posts.
 
Jonathan

It’s been a while since my last post and believe it or not, some things were accomplished. I think I have belayed the remaining lines (you never know where a loose one may be), and repaired the anchor tie down and the gunport doors.
 
Sailor Figures
 
In addition to the list of things to do posted above, I forgot to mention I wanted to add some “scale” to the model so a while back I purchase some sailor figures to add to the final display. Taking a guess that the average height of a typical seaman, was 5’6” or 66”, at 1/64 scale that comes out to just a tiny fraction over 1 inch (25.4 mm). So, I purchased some Amati 25mm sailor figures.  I had some 1¼” figures but that worked out to a sailor being 6’ 8”. I imagine there were seamen of that size, but not a whole crew. I found some images of typical sailor attire of the period and proceeded to do my best at painting them onto the metal figures. I prepared the figures by dipping them in the acid solution I used for silver soldering to clean them of any oils and impurities and to my surprise, they blackened (yes, I did check to see if I used the right bottle). The darkened metal did not affect the painting process.
Using flat paints, a fine brush, and my magnifiers (eye loupes and headset) I proceeded on. When I saw the photographs I am posting, I noticed my fingers left some smudges giving them the appearance of being a bit grubby, not spit and polished. That work fine for me. These guys are supposed to be privateers, not regular navy

Clew Garnets
 
Next came the four clew garnets and their associate tack block clusters (I think I got those terms right). They’re supposed to be attached to the bottom corners of the main sails if I were to install them. Sorry, no sails on this model.
 
The block clusters are made up of 2 10” (4.0 mm) and 1 12” (5.0 mm) blocks

Braces
 
Again working stern to stem, bottom to top, the braces were installed. The Crossjack braces were unique in that they originated on the Main backstay on one side, went through a block hung from the tip of the Crossjack yard on the opposite side, back through a block on the original backstay, and belayed to the deadeye below.

Before I tackled the braces, I needed to add the rope coils to the various belay pins and cleats. If I didn’t, getting access to the inner areas of the deck would become more difficult than it already was.

For all intents and purposes, the Quarterdeck is complete...at least for now.

It was time to create the binnacle legs and they were fragile. Using the Byrnes table saw cuts were made in the bottom box. However in the process of removing the excess wood, I broke two of the legs. 
 

The block with hooks, which the Practicum (at least at this stage did not address) first had a hole drilled on the opposite end where the tackle rope headed. A small eyebolt was opened up enough to create a hook and then cut off at the stem. It was then inserted into the drill hole in the block with a touch of super glue. This time thread was twisted around the protruding stem of the hook and wrapped around the block, and twisted once again with a touch of glue. The excess stub of short thread was cut off leaving the remaining long end of the thread as the rope.

I also noticed that many of the blocks had hooks. Because the kit’s blocks looked a bit crude and oversized not to mention the kit did not address gun rigging at all, I knew that I would need a whole bunch more blocks both single and double. Using blocks purchased from Lloyd Warner, Warner Woods Inc. as suggested by the Practicum, I set about the task of creating the necessary block configuration. Because the holes of these blocks as so small, ordinary beige thread was used as rope. The simple blocks were wrapped with thread and the ends twisted with a touch of super glue as shown in the Practicum.

The carving commenced using the various burs, needle files and X-acto blades. For a first time carving the results were satisfactory to the novice eye. It didn't match the perfection of a skilled carving but it will do.

The two wolves were separated and with minimal effort using needle files and a fine chisel, I got what I assume is a satisfactory result.

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.

The door hinges were made from black paper and the doorknobs are the heads of some bass nails I had lying around.

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. 

Not only were the windows in the doors cut out, but also the contrasting panels in the bulkhead.

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.

I created the second bulkhead at this stage ahead of the practicum. With no template to work from (neither the kit nor Mr. Hahn plans addresses it) I used the first bulkhead as a rough start and though trial and error created the second bulkhead.

Ignorance is bliss. I didn't know it was suppose to be difficult, so I did it!

As anyone can see, this planking job leaves a bit to be desired, but there it is. If I were to do it again hopefully it would be better.
 
Tree Nails
The tree nails are lined up along the bulkheads, two treenails per width of the plank. At the butt joints the tree nails are staggered. 
 
End of Chapter 4
 

After four courses I decided to also work my way down from the wales to ensure I met the wales properly. Here is where my inexperience began to show. I could already see that some of the planks where going need being split but when and how eluded me. As I stated before reading how to do it and actually doing it is not the same thing. I plodded on.  When a holly plank crossed the waterline it was cut at the waterline and continued as boxwood which is slightly darker wood.
 
 

CHAPTER 4 –Planking the Lower Hull
As I have indicated before, this is my first real planking project and I’m taking a BIG bite from the apple. The practicum kitbash is following Harold Hahn’s model albeit in a smaller scale. Because the model uses very little if any paint (except black stain in lieu of ebony wood), the hull water line is created with different woods to complicate the planking process. Reading how to plank a hull and actually doing it are two completely different experiences. So due to my lack of the latter - experience, my results are far from perfect.
 
The Stem, Keel and Sternpost
Here is where the stem which was the first item created is finally attached to the hull.
 
 

The practicum tells you not to glue the margin plank until the very end. This way, you can remove that plank, to make the plank notches. The planks themselves are glued in. Finally at the end the margin plank is glued down.
 
The trick is to, as the practicum puts it:  “You want to have exactly 3 rows of planking left to install between the last row and the margin plank you have just cut. The aft end of the next row of planking you install will nib into the margin plank at the aft end about 1/4" from the end.”
 
Mine was close but not exact…as usual.
 
Tree Nails
The deck planks have a single 026” treenail across its width and are installed as before on the beam lines into #69 drill bit holes. Bamboo nails are made using a draw plate and “glued” in using poly-wipe.