tlevine

Found my rhythm and finally produced first parts!
Admittedly got carried away with the shape of these mast posts, they are supposed to be much more boxy-looking and utilitarian. I was inspired by a few other models with very elegant posts For the same aesthetic reasons iron bolts are omitted and edges are aligned with the run of the planking.
I really love the look of curvy pear parts, big fat black dots would spoil it a bit. And after all these parts would be hidden deep in the hold.
It is more labor intense without a disk sander, so shaping and beveling involved a lot of chiseling. Though it is a pleasure with a nice and honed chisel.

The most pleasuring moment was chamfering these edges with some relaxing background music Super happy, the joy is back!
 
Finished with my new go-to finish Osmo Polyx 3062. Contemplating leaving smaller parts unfinished later during the build, but these are right next to the dark shiny pear frames, would be too much of a contrast. 
Before and after the finishing, side by side:

 
In the hull (dry fitted). Quite ashamed with the quality of planking at the bow, who left all these giant gaps? 🫣 Did not look that bad on photos from 2021...
No big deal, it only means I should be more careful next time. Also spotted an obvious misplacement of the top breast hook notch, it was the same guys fault. I was too young back then  


 

Thanks Mike!
 
Continuing on with the hammocks, I made a line of clay, which fit between the hammock cranes--

 
I wrapped this in the black painted Silkspan and tested the fit.  It looks just okay.  I may work a bit on the "wrinkles"--

 
I removed the clay/paper, realizing it would be much easier to run the line through all the hammock cranes without having it in the way.  And it was FAR more difficult than I anticipated.   I spent hours trying to come up with a way of stiffening the end of the line with superglue, and cutting a point on it, but the holes in the cranes were just too small, and some had become partially blocked with blackening deposits (I think).  I spent a lot of time with a pin trying to open the holes--very awkward with them glued in place.  Some cranes came loose from the rail, or bent (though easily re-straightened).   I even tried supergluing a strand of fly tying thread to the end of the line to lead it through the holes, but that failed like all the other attempts.  I finally searched for a thinner line in my stock, and found one.  It was just enough thinner to work--
 
 
Hopefully I can get through the rest of the holes, and finally see what this looks like with the hammock paper inside.
 
Also, trying to finish everything on the deck before rigging begins, I glued some eyebolts and rings to the deck binding strakes, and some to the channels, which can be seen in the photos.
 
All for now,
Ron
 
 
 

I used a Cricut once to attempt to cut planks from 1/16" boxwood.  There was not need for a second attempt.  It worked fine on basswood.

I used a Cricut once to attempt to cut planks from 1/16" boxwood.  There was not need for a second attempt.  It worked fine on basswood.

I used a Cricut once to attempt to cut planks from 1/16" boxwood.  There was not need for a second attempt.  It worked fine on basswood.

I used a Cricut once to attempt to cut planks from 1/16" boxwood.  There was not need for a second attempt.  It worked fine on basswood.

I dont use a scientific method at the stem or the stern.  For that I use either thin tape or string along all of the other tick marks and just extend them to the bow by “eye”.  Its a bit of both art and math when lining off a hull.  Adjust the tape or string by eye examining the hull a lot from various angles.  When satisfied…mark the locations along the stem post and stern post with a pencil.

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

The cheeks are located on either side of the mast.  Their inner surface is flat so the sides of the mast will need to be flattened.  On this ship they are 25 feet long and extend from the bottom of the mast head to approximately 12 feet above the deck.  At this scale, that is 6.25” long, ending 3” above the deck.  A template is included in the practicum.  The upper part of the cheek is called the hounds and is thicker than the rest of the cheek.  The photo shows the cheek before and after shaping.

The outline of the cheek was drawn onto both sides of the mast.  This outline marks where the mast needs to be flattened.  The hounds remain flat but the rest of the cheeks were rounded over.  The apparent concavity in these cheeks below the hounds is an optical illusion. 

0
The cheeks were then glued to the mast.  Look at the straight line extending up the mast on the side view and the step-off above the hounds fore and aft.


The next step was to make and install the bibs.  These are forward extensions of the hounds and their purpose is to support the trestle trees.  They are the same thickness as the hounds and are attached with a morticed scarf joint for strength. This is how I made the mortice.  Start by drawing the zig-zag mortice onto the hound.  It extends approximately three-quarters of the length of the hounds.  Because the lower end of the bib is curved, the bottom mortice cut is also curved.

Since I was using basswood, I used a #11 blade to inscribe the mortice.  I did this a few times, deepening the cut with each pass.  Once I was halfway through the hound, I used a chisel to remove the wood from the mortice.  I have used pencil to make the joint more visible for you.  This joint would not have been caulked and so the joint would not be very visible.  It is important to keep the sides symmetric.

Next, I drew the bibs on paper.  The top of the bibs is 3/8” wide and it is half the thickness of the cheek.  I laid the paper over the hounds and made a pencil rubbing of the mortice to get the shape of the tenon.  Each side will be slightly different so two templates were needed.  The one below is marked “S” for the starboard side.

The front edge of the bibs was rounded over and installed; the top edge was left flat.  There is a forward angulation to the bibs to allow the trestle trees to rest on them parallel to the water line.  The top edge of the hounds and bibs should form a straight line.


 
 

Masts are not the same diameter or shape from the mast step to the masthead.  The Royal Navy had exact specifications for every section of the masts and yards and their rigging.  Real masts were made up from multiple pieces of wood.  This increased their strength and allowed the use of smaller diameter trees.  My mast was made from a square poplar dowel purchased at a big box home improvement store.
The mast head is square and the rest of the mast is initially round.  To transform a square dowel into a round mast, the dowel will first be shaped into a regular octagon (all sides the same size).  The instructions will go into detail on how to do this and will also include a scale template of the mast shape. 
 
It is easier to shape the mast if you have extra wood on both ends.  I cut the dowel approximately 2” longer than the length of the mast.  For the kit, glue 1-2 inches of scrap wood, the same or smaller diameter than the dowel, on both ends.  The dowel was sanded down to just fit into the slot in the backbone.  I used a level to make sure it was vertical. 

The dowel was removed and I drew the centerline on all four faces.  Then, using the centerline as a guide, the templates were tack-glued to two adjacent sides of the dowel and the outline of the template was drawn onto the dowel. 
The templates were removed and I marked the transition from the round lower part of the mast to the square masthead with a few turns of masking tape to prevent damaging the masthead.  I shaped the dowel below the masking tape to match the outside edge of the template with a chisel.  The quarters were marked on all four faces of the dowel.  The 7:10:7 ratio was drawn in at the quarters and a few other locations.  I took the measurements directly from the template.  Lines were drawn connecting those marks from the bottom of the mast up to the masking tape.  You can see the marks in the photo. 

The wood outside those lines was removed with a chisel.  Two very important things to keep in mind: your tool must be sharp and, as much as possible, the wood should be removed going with the grain.  I rotate the dowel frequently, rather than finish one edge at a time.  When using wood without discernable grain, it can be difficult to see the edge of the octagon.  So when I am getting close to the lines, I run a pencil along the edge.   You can see how well the jig holds the mast securely.

And here is the final result.  You can see how the tape protected the masthead. 

Now that the lower part of the mast has been shaped, it was time to start shaping the mast head.  On the actual mast, the sides of the mast head are cut down, leaving the full thickness fore and aft.  Then, after the cheeks are installed on the sides of the mast, the mast head is built back up to a square shape.  The next photos show the mast head before and after the wood had been removed from the port and starboard faces. 
 

 
On the fore and aft sides of the mast head, I removed the wood outside the pencil lines, continuing the taper of the lower part of the mast.  The next two pictures show the mast head marked out and tapered.  Compare the appearance of the fore/aft faces versus the port/starboard ones.  You will also notice that I have started to flatten the sides of the mast in preparation for the cheeks.  Tapering the mast head was done with the Byrnes sander.  Otherwise, this was all done with hand tools.


 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Thanks.  I forgot to mention that.

The cheeks are located on either side of the mast.  Their inner surface is flat so the sides of the mast will need to be flattened.  On this ship they are 25 feet long and extend from the bottom of the mast head to approximately 12 feet above the deck.  At this scale, that is 6.25” long, ending 3” above the deck.  A template is included in the practicum.  The upper part of the cheek is called the hounds and is thicker than the rest of the cheek.  The photo shows the cheek before and after shaping.

The outline of the cheek was drawn onto both sides of the mast.  This outline marks where the mast needs to be flattened.  The hounds remain flat but the rest of the cheeks were rounded over.  The apparent concavity in these cheeks below the hounds is an optical illusion. 

0
The cheeks were then glued to the mast.  Look at the straight line extending up the mast on the side view and the step-off above the hounds fore and aft.


The next step was to make and install the bibs.  These are forward extensions of the hounds and their purpose is to support the trestle trees.  They are the same thickness as the hounds and are attached with a morticed scarf joint for strength. This is how I made the mortice.  Start by drawing the zig-zag mortice onto the hound.  It extends approximately three-quarters of the length of the hounds.  Because the lower end of the bib is curved, the bottom mortice cut is also curved.

Since I was using basswood, I used a #11 blade to inscribe the mortice.  I did this a few times, deepening the cut with each pass.  Once I was halfway through the hound, I used a chisel to remove the wood from the mortice.  I have used pencil to make the joint more visible for you.  This joint would not have been caulked and so the joint would not be very visible.  It is important to keep the sides symmetric.

Next, I drew the bibs on paper.  The top of the bibs is 3/8” wide and it is half the thickness of the cheek.  I laid the paper over the hounds and made a pencil rubbing of the mortice to get the shape of the tenon.  Each side will be slightly different so two templates were needed.  The one below is marked “S” for the starboard side.

The front edge of the bibs was rounded over and installed; the top edge was left flat.  There is a forward angulation to the bibs to allow the trestle trees to rest on them parallel to the water line.  The top edge of the hounds and bibs should form a straight line.


 
 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

As I mentioned before, the bit pins will be glued to the “B” spacers.  I measured and marked two feet (½” scale) aft from the aft surface of Frame 4 and nine inches (3/16” scale) inboard from the spacers.  These are the centers of the bit pins.  Small pilot holes were drilled up through the deck.
 
I planked the inner bulwarks, starting at the waterway, using ten-inch-wide planks.  I applied a clear finish at this point.  The top of the bulwarks was sanded flat in preparation for installing the cap rail.  Simply turn the model upside down and sand the bulwark the way you did the base.  This also gives a fresh surface to glue the top rail onto.
 
Templates were made to determine the shape of the rail.  This is how I made these.  Masking tape was run along the upper edge of the hull planking to prevent marking the wood.  The model was turned upside down and, hugging the side of the ship, a line was drawn along the top of the hull.  Don’t forget to mark fore and aft, port and starboard.

The rail is 12” wide with a 1” overhang inboard and outboard.  I drew lines 1” (0.02”) outboard and 11” (0.23”)  inboard of the original line.  The picture shows the templated line and the overhangs.

 
I cut out the templates with a lot of extra paper on either side of them because long, narrow pieces of paper are prone to warping.  They were glued to the 1/32” wood sheet.  I use either Elmer’s glue stick or glue spray that is not water based (3M-45) to help prevent warping.  Both of these adhesives can be removed with isopropanol and scraping.  This is another opportunity to check out your scrap pile for a piece of contrasting color wood.

Cut out the rails and mark the undersurface with the side and orientation before removing the template.  Remove the template and round over the edges.  If you want a contrasting color for the rails, paint or stain them before installing.

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

Time to build up the port and starboard sides of the mast head.  I used the mast template to determine the dimensions.  A real mast would have its top cut at an angle to lock it into the mast cap.  This detail is not visible so I shaped it as a simple square.  The full- sized dimensions are 9” square by 11”tall, which is the thickness of the mast cap. 


Iron bands were placed around the mast head at regular intervals.  I used paper dyed with archival ink.  On this photo you can see that I have added bolts to the cheek.  The bolts are made from 24 g copper wire patinated with liver of sulfur. 

 
The wooldings provide extra strength to the mast.  The number and composition varied based on the era.  At this time, they were made of 2.5” tarred rope (all rope dimensions are circumference).  Because I will be using several diameters of line in the build, I made a table consisting of the full-sized circumference, the circumference at  1:48 scale and the diameter at 1:48 scale.  The easiest way to determine the diameter of your rope is to wrap 10-20 windings around a dowel, measure the distance and divide it by the number of windings.  Remember, circumference is πd so the rope diameter is circumference/π.  I used eight wraps for each woolding.  To hide the ends of the wooldings, I tucked them in the gap between the mast and the cheeks. 

Above and below the wooldings are wooden hoops.  I simulated them by cutting strips of paper and wrapping two layers around the mast.  This gave the hoops the appropriate thickness.

 

The cheeks are located on either side of the mast.  Their inner surface is flat so the sides of the mast will need to be flattened.  On this ship they are 25 feet long and extend from the bottom of the mast head to approximately 12 feet above the deck.  At this scale, that is 6.25” long, ending 3” above the deck.  A template is included in the practicum.  The upper part of the cheek is called the hounds and is thicker than the rest of the cheek.  The photo shows the cheek before and after shaping.

The outline of the cheek was drawn onto both sides of the mast.  This outline marks where the mast needs to be flattened.  The hounds remain flat but the rest of the cheeks were rounded over.  The apparent concavity in these cheeks below the hounds is an optical illusion. 

0
The cheeks were then glued to the mast.  Look at the straight line extending up the mast on the side view and the step-off above the hounds fore and aft.


The next step was to make and install the bibs.  These are forward extensions of the hounds and their purpose is to support the trestle trees.  They are the same thickness as the hounds and are attached with a morticed scarf joint for strength. This is how I made the mortice.  Start by drawing the zig-zag mortice onto the hound.  It extends approximately three-quarters of the length of the hounds.  Because the lower end of the bib is curved, the bottom mortice cut is also curved.

Since I was using basswood, I used a #11 blade to inscribe the mortice.  I did this a few times, deepening the cut with each pass.  Once I was halfway through the hound, I used a chisel to remove the wood from the mortice.  I have used pencil to make the joint more visible for you.  This joint would not have been caulked and so the joint would not be very visible.  It is important to keep the sides symmetric.

Next, I drew the bibs on paper.  The top of the bibs is 3/8” wide and it is half the thickness of the cheek.  I laid the paper over the hounds and made a pencil rubbing of the mortice to get the shape of the tenon.  Each side will be slightly different so two templates were needed.  The one below is marked “S” for the starboard side.

The front edge of the bibs was rounded over and installed; the top edge was left flat.  There is a forward angulation to the bibs to allow the trestle trees to rest on them parallel to the water line.  The top edge of the hounds and bibs should form a straight line.


 
 

The lower mast and trestle trees must be made before installing the lower deadeyes.  There are many ways to make masts and yards, including using a round dowel approximately the right diameter, turning a wood blank on a lathe or chucking a dowel into a drill and sanding it down to the correct dimensions.  A fourth technique will be shown here.  The only tools required are a caliper, a sharp chisel or plane and sandpaper. 
 
A jig is needed to hold the wood during the shaping process.  The picture below shows two types of jigs.  The top two homemade jigs only differ in the diameter and length of wood they can hold.  The lower jig was made by Hobbymill, which is no longer in business.  It is a single jig with multiple sized slots.  I prefer the security of the single size jig.  With either type of jig, the final diameter of the mast or yard must be greater than the height of the V-slot on the jig.  The practicum will give instructions for making the jig.

Before going any further, a few terms need to be defined.  The part of the mast above the trestle trees is called the mast head.  Below the trestle trees, the mast is divided into “quarters”, starting at the mast step in the hold.  “Cheeks” (not illustrated) run on either side of the mast below the mast head and provide additional strength to the mast.  The “hounds” are the upper parts of the cheeks.  Later era ships have a “fish”, similar to the cheek but located on the fore side of the mast.  The relative length and shape of these pieces vary by size and type of ship, country and era.