bruce d

The seven A1 sheets of plans were printed by a local shop. Three of the sheets are now hung above the workbench, one was cut up to make the formers, bulkheads and a few other bits. The rest will not be needed until the build progresses. The cut out pieces of former and bulkhead drawings were scanned for future access since the originals would be glued to the plywood and lost. Before going any further I printed out the scans to check that they still matched the originals and KAPOW!! they had been reduced slightly somewhere in the digital processes of my scanner. Reprinting at 101% gave a perfect match. This is important as will be seen shortly. The plans called for 3/16th inch ply for the main former and bulkheads but I compromised to use available material. I settled on making the main former of thinner 3.8mm material and the bulkheads of 5.5mm ply. Irritatingly, the piece of 5.5mm play I had turned out to be just too small and one bulkhead had to come from a slightly thinner piece. The cut-out drawings were glued to the ply with spray adhesive (note to self: wear gloves next time). The bulkheads were cut out on the bandsaw (second note to self: just get a bigger piece of wood next time, they were too crowded to handle comfortably). I left the paper on and made notes if there was a possible low spot or other boo-boo. Each bulkhead is drawn with the ‘top timbers’ in place and I was convinced that it would be easier to make these separately instead of as integral (and vulnerable) extensions so I omitted them and left notches for each. The main former required planning. Being the backbone of the hull, it was cut to profile as accurately as possible. The throat on my bandsaw is not deep enough to allow all the slots for the bulkheads to be made consecutively from left to right: starting from the stern (the left hand side as viewed in my print-outs) most of the slots could be cut but then the stern starts to foul the body of the saw. I cut as many as I could, printed out a mirrored image of the scan of the bows end of the former, checked for accuracy of size (whew!) and trimmed closely to profile. Using the already cut slots and a bright light for registration, the mirrored image was glued to the opposite side of the former. A single test cut established that the two drawings were in pretty good registration and I was able to finish the slots from this side. Trial fitting of all pieces revealed a few tight spots. Out with the hand files, feeling pretty good. After over two years planning and drawing Pickle, it is very telling that a mere nine days after deciding to build Mediator I have a build log.

Mediator was a single masted merchant sloop built in 1741 or 42 on the Virginia shore of the Chesapeake Bay. Purchased for use by the Royal Navy in May 1745 and lost less than three months later, she was caught up in the great affairs of the Jacobite Rebellion. In those three months she was in and out of the Mediterranean; captured by the French privateer La Naiade off the Needles; retaken the following day by HMS Assistance. After repairs she was quickly recommissioned and joined the convoys supplying the English land forces in the War of Austrian Succession. She foundered in Ostend harbour on the 29th of July and was lost just days before the siege of that city began. Dimensions: 61’ 4” length on deck, 44’ length of keel for tonnage; 21’ 2” breadth for tonnage; 9’ 9” draught and 104 74/94 tons bm Crew: 60 - 80 at different times Armaments: 10x 4 pounders, 18x 1/2 pounder swivels Plans of Mediator are in the NMM, id number J0569, see image at beginning of post: https://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections/objects/86159.html … although it would be possible reading the description of the plan to believe that Mediator was built at Portsmouth: she was not, but the plan was and that is what is meant. Chapelle also re-drafted plans for Mediator, see The Search for Speed Under Sail, plates #10 and #11. IN 2013 Jeff Staudt produced plans for a model of Mediator in collaboration with Winston Scoville. They are downloadable legitimately: http://modelshipbuilder.com/page.php?192 The 1/48 scale plans are in PDF form and print out on seven A1 sheets. They are superbly detailed drawings and apart from a few comments there are no instructions per se. At 1/48th scale the length overall will be 779mm, approximately 30 ¾ inches. Looking at all the plans together, a couple of points become evident straight away. Mediator was pierced for 14 guns but the stated armament was ten: even that figure may be excessive as it is unlikely the full compliment of arms was carried while in convoy service. The crew figures I have found also seem high (60 to 80) but perhaps reflect those times when she was an independent merchant ship and needed all guns and of course gun crews. Unless I lose my favourite marbles, I will build Mediator as per the drawings. The only planned exceptions to this are details, such as to substitute metric standard plywood sizes for the main former and bulkheads, the addition of a capstan and some changes in the deck layout and planking, more on that later. Planned materials: woods = ply, cherry, castello boxwood, apple, holly; other materials = brass, card, paper and miscellaneous bits as inspiration requires. There is a back-story. I have never made a wooden model ship. After years of planning to build HMS Pickle from scratch, when the time came to start making sawdust my expectations (thanks to MSW) had grown to the point where the bar was much higher than I could achieve with my untested skills. So, as a part of the learning process, I decided to make at least some of my mistakes in a safe place. I am making Mediator as a sacrificial model that will allow me to rehearse processes that are new to me and (hopefully) still have something acceptable at the end of the exercise. In other words, I am going to build a model before I build the one that matters to me. Since this is a hobby, not a career or a marriage, it is worth admitting that I felt better about the Pickle project as soon as I took the pressure off by doing Mediator first. Who knows? With plans of such quality as a starting point I may end up with a decent model. If not, it will be down to me as there is nothing wrong with the plans. So, here goes. Sawdust begins in post #2.

Welcome to MSW from across the pond, hoping to see the fifie.

Correct, the Unimat DB/SL does and some Sherline models also used that thread. I don't know about Proxxon threads but have never heard of the chucks being compatible with any Unimat models. The current Unimat production (which in reality is nothing to do with the originals) also have a M12 x 1 thread. Beware, some of the chucks from this range are plastic.

That has been my experience as well, and I find it useful. If any mods are considering fiddling with defaults as a result of this thread, great, full marks for responsive management etc but this is a feature I rely on. Please, just make it optional or controllable if this is changed. Pretty please?

Hello Dwight, This has been discussed before, here is one thread: ... and there are others. Hope this helps, Bruce

UK source: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100001-Art-Craft-Mini-Cut-Off-Machine-Steel-Cutting-50mm-Mitre-Saw/292743524367?epid=6031289762&hash=item4428dfb00f:g:r-UAAOSwyulbqig~ I was interested to hear the good comments from owners. The ability to set angles with confidence makes it tempting. Maybe later. Bruce

Hi Michael, It seems you have an OcCre kit of the 1899 Dutch built schooner ALBATROS. I haven't done any further digging but here is a summary: https://www.castyouranchorhobby.com/Item/OC50500 It should make a nice looking model, it certainly has some history. HTH Bruce EDIT: see this as well ... https://www.edp24.co.uk/business/the-albatros-sold-and-staying-in-wells-1-6599080 ... but tread carefully. Even though it says this schooner was made in Holland in 1899 the aft deck and cabin just don't match, maybe some digging?

Hello Medy lin, welcome to MSW. Those are very nice looking models. It is good to see modern subjects, please show us some more of your work. Regards, Bruce

Shipman, I have Unimats and must confess I can't picture this pin you describe. However, there is a locking screw on the tailstock to fix the ram in position: is it at all possible what you are dealing with lines up with that screw? Also, I expect the penetrating oil is a good aproach although it may need a bunch of gentle urging with a hardwood dowel (assuming the pin mystery is resolved).

Looks good to me.

Welcome to MSW!

Good looking boat. Welcome to MSW!

Good question, and is it the same everywhere?

Very generous of you, clearly a diplomat and visionary. All credit to the admiral who saw the possibilities and delivered the cornbread. Sopping up the syrup sounds good.

I'm glad you asked that question. They were round, made in a square tray.

Good to see you back Alan.

Well, I had a 'first' today: the admiral made cornbread with kefir instead of buttermilk. I was sceptical until the first bite. Now I am a convert. Clearly, you all needed to know this important development in the story of square dowels.

A collection of nice ship kits has about 23 hours to run on ebay UK. Golden Hind by Scientific, Bounty by Constructo,Seeadler and Toulonaise by Billing Boats. Gotta be worth a look, use Ebay search for item number 363033792880 Mods, please move if needed but there is limited time. Also, the sale is nothing to do with me.

This looks like a pretty clear statement on the subject: ... from page 179 of Naval Architecture: A Treatise on Laying Off and Building Wood, Iron, and Composite Ships (1876) by Samuel James Pope Thearle Naval Architecture- A Treatise on Laying Off and Building Wood, Iron, and Composite Ships 1876.pdf Writing in 1876 his wording indicates he is describing an outdated practice but does not nail down when it was in use.

Well, I should have known that trick but DOHH! it makes a difference. Thanks. The subject clearly has demanded the best forensic approaches by some very experienced members. For example, from about post#197 in this thread... ... some clear light is cast on the subject and I have looked at the source documents cited. Yet, the source is describing practice in English shipyards and is biased on larger ships. The rule(s) related there are difficult for me to imagine were appropriate for a schooner, but I am not able to point to an alternative rule. However, the guidelines for keel taper explained by Mark in post#2 in this thread make sense and seem to be reflected in a drawing I have seen of a late 19th century Bermuda built yacht. Thanks for the input, I appreciate the help.

Welcome to MSW Gerry, wonderful work on the mandolin.

Welcome Matthias, I look forward to seeing your fishing boat.

Apropos to nothing at all, the keels of Bermuda built craft at that time were usually Honduran mahogany.

Me neither! I know it exists because I scribbled in a margin on a drawing 'taper: see discussion'. The explanation you gave tallies with my recollection, many thanks. Since this much too early for such sport I expect there was another practical reason for a tapered keel. The only guess I am willing to put forward is the belief that maximum strength was needed in the middle of the hull structure and the taper was seen as part of the process of fairing in all underwater lines. Stem and sternposts did not need to be as wide as the widest part of the keel but the keel needed to be one continuous piece (thanks to scarphs) so they were used as the reference points for the fairing. Maybe one day one of us will find 'the discussion'. but for the moment I believe I have seen enough to carry on. Don't want to shock anyone but I may be starting a build log soon .... Thank you both, Bruce