bruce d

Wayne, ... Good grief, good find, many thanks. 👍 Bruce

Fairing continues and has exposed a couple of my blind-spots. The filler blocks for the stem seem to be working and there are some ‘different-next-time’ moments but generally the process is sound. The stern has demanded some focus and re-thinking. No matter how much I stared at the assembled hull former and bulkheads I could not believe the planks would be able to run in the neat straight lines indicated on the stern view of the Stuadt plans as drawn. See below, pretty, ain’t they?: There are no fashion pieces illustrated but several different views are included in the plans to locate the pieces that make up the transom. It seems I missed something because I put the lower of the two pieces too low. This wasted a lot of time because of course the run of the planks now did not follow the plans. Doh! (Most of Post# 31 above is given over to me making this piece and then fixing it in what turns out to be the wrong place.) The error is understandable (he says defensively) as the location is shown on the plans but without mention of the fairing needed to all four edges of the piece. I tried to second guess the designer and got it wrong. Hopefully this will be of interest to anyone making their own Mediator. Having found my error, I focused on how to achieve those lovely straight lines of the stern planking. Fortunately, aligning with the lower wale gives a precise point of reference for this. Another view in the plans gives a positive position for the wale in relation to the level of the deck at the waterways so this can be taken from the assembly I have so far. See red lines in picture below. So, the plan is to fit a dummy wale, align the naughty transom piece and work upwards from there. Why upwards? Because the second issue that I encountered, while minor, still is at the stern of the boat and I must view them all together. The back of the ship has an enclosed cabin. One of the defining visual features of Mediator is the seamless transition from hull planking to cabin sides and cleanly into the ‘roof’. This is often associated with Bermuda sloops but was common also along the Eastern American yards at the time. On the model the shape of this cabin is defined by three bulkheads. They slot into the tail end of the main former which also creates the top of the cabin profile. The top profile of all three flow logically but the sides of the middle bulkhead do not extend to full width so I will have to fettle something to give support to the planking. The three bulkheads in the picture are dry fitted. Here is the improvised way I faired these bulkheads with my Foredom. I have come to love my Foredom. Sigh... So none of this is a problem, just stuff to do and enough to convince me to leave permanently attaching the cabin bulkheads, which may have to be modified, until satisfied that the transom and wales are all spot on target. It may be that I am getting ahead of myself but I want to get the lines of that cabin right, and I can’t complete the fairing until the transom is in place, and those junctions affect the cabin, and on and on… In case it sounds like I am grumbling, let me say for the record I am enjoying the whole process. Bruce

Welcome to MSW from the UK, I look forward to seeing your work. Regards, Bruce

Looks good. If I ever have a workshop with a nice smooth floor I may try it. Sigh ...

Hello Kevin, I'm glad you asked and will start things off. I have the Foredom SR with flexishaft and 6mm key-type chuck. It is one of the standard entry-level packages with foot control. I thought I would wait to see which other end-pieces were right for me and so far I don't think I will be ordering any more. The 6mm chuck is good even with .8mm drill bits. I keep the chuck key in a spring clip beside the work space and (so far) have not suffered for lack of quick-release handpiece. Perhaps if I ever get into some serious detail carving with a need to constantly change burrs that will change but not yet. One thing I now know for certain is that, at least for me, the foot controller is a must. It gives me an extra hand to wrangle those fiddly little bits. BTW, the business end of the standard SR handpiece has parallel sides and works well in a clamp. I am not sure this is the case with the QR handpiece. I made a clamp-on worktable from wood scraps in about half an hour that works fine and gives me a small work surface for offering pieces up to the drum/burr/router bit. I had something similar for my Dremel but the foot speed control and high speed of the Foredom makes this the better tool for that job. EDIT: Forgot to say that one lesson learned was that the tool is not hanging where I originally imagined. It is also hanging quite successfully on an improvised bit of stiff electrical cable that lets me make adjustments when I am leaning over the workbench or the Foredom is clamped in place. Not sure how that will work with one of the purpose made hangers. The limiting factor can be the distance from the tool to the foot controller. HTH, will be watching for the input from others with their own tweaks. Bruce

Looking good, Mustafa. I will remember the pot when I do my gratings. 👍

Yes, I remember that. Good story.

The IJN had some a/c carrying subs at the outbreak such as I-15, I-16 etc and then developed the mamoth I-400 class later. I think it was I-15 that successfully attacked the US west coast. Both classes are available as kits, sorry I'm not up to date but there are 1/700 waterline kits, also I know Nichimo did them in 1/200 scale years ago. HTH Bruce

George, I will PM you with more info and give Chris his thread back 😇.

Caution! Thread drift strikes again! George, you have rattled my cage. Ouch. I have a piece of old Bermudian cedar which is not pink at all: now I wonder if it really is 'old Bermudian Cedar'. Can you just confirm that you are saying the deck of the model in your picture is old Bermudian Cedar, i.e. pre-1950 cutting, not a more recent harvest? BTW, that model looks nice.

Chris, I can’t offer a definitive answer to what orders were given, and when, but there are a few anecdotes in the ADM (Admiralty) records in The National Archives UK to keep the subject lively: 7 February, 1772 - Commissioner Frederick Rogers, Plymouth advises their Lordships at the Admiralty that they should ‘… inform what price is allowed the contractor for painting the names and ornamenting the compartments in ships' sterns.’ ADM 106/1216/96 - 11 February, 1772 – The Plymouth Officers advise their Lords at the Admiralty that ‘the contractor for painter's work here has not been paid for painting the ships names and compartments in their sterns and opine he deserves 6s. (6 shillings) for each ship’ ADM 106/1215/31 - 26 October, 1772 - The Plymouth Officers ordered Thomas Winsloe of Tiverton to write the names of several ships on the stern. They requested from the Admiralty for him to be paid at the rate of 6 shillings for each ship, the price they thought it is worth. ADM 106/1217/208 - 21 July 1773 - Portsmouth Officers report that they have asked ‘… Phillip Avery, the Painter ... the reason the name of the Albion was not written on her stern, when she was last painted at Spithead. They inform us that on their application to the Captain (rear-admiral Hon. Samuel Barrington) for doing it, he told them it was unnecessary as the name was carved and supported by the claws of the Lyon in her Head.’ ADM 106/1220/266 - And then 18 April 1778, Commissioner Proby of Chatham acknowledges ‘Receipt of warrants to rub the names out of the sterns of the Victory and Formidable, …’ ADM 106/1244/116 So here we have at least one captain saying ‘No, not on my ship’. HTH, Bruce

And a warm welcome to MSW from the UK. 👍

Looking good, Joe. BTW, ignore my advice in the other thread about Cornwall Model Boats, I see you have already found them. 👍

Joe, I hear you. The good news is that it is unlikely you will be the first to encounter an issue with a particular material or kit so ... ask and find out how someone here has already found an answer. Besides our MSW sponsors there are other places that support the UK model-habit such as Cornwall Model Boats ( Cornwall Model Boats - Static display and radio control model boat kits including period wooden model ships.Model Ship fittings, Caldercraft Boats ) to name but one. They stock Occre kits. HTH Bruce

Double sided tape works well for this. If you are using a slitting saw blade it's probably best to raise it higher than normal practice and use a slow feed rate. To release the brass from the sacrificial wood without distortion can be a problem, I soaked the whole assembly for a day or so in white spirits to loosen the bond. Plywood may fall apart after this which is the best result.

Looking good, Kevin. BTW, I watched your video on clamps earlier and learned a couple of things. Thanks!

Nice work, Bitao, and thanks for showing the secret tool that makes the magic.

Source: Vol 6, Number 1, 1918

Hello John, First, well done for doing a 'dress rehearsal' of a vital process. Just a point concerning the images: it appears the grain in all three pieces is going in the same direction. When you do it for real, I believe the centre piece should have the grain running cross-ways. The direction of grain will was a primary factor in construction for the original shipwrights and will apply in many components in a serious model. The fit looks good, will watch for next steps. 👍

I'll bet! Glad to help, looking forward to seeing your Thermopylae.

Thesis Submitted by Jose Daniel Quijano for Master of Arts in Maritime Archaeology Degree, 2013 British_Capture_of_Spanish_Ships_in_the.pdf

Hope this helps. After opening the link choose 'RELATED DOCUMENTS' Thermopylae | Ships | Archive & Library | Heritage & Education Centre (lrfoundation.org.uk) Also these:

Nothing to confirm or deny, but they are there. I have high hopes for having more information soon(ish) but whether or not it will change any existing ideas about her appearance or fittings remains to be seen. Now I'm curious. Why the interest in cannon ball racks?

I'll see what I can do. 👍

Simon, just catching up. Am I reading this right, you are still looking for a workable set of plans for Thermopylae? I may be able to help.