garyshipwright

Channel has been re-pinned and glued back in place.
 
I am now replacing the copper tiles along the keel bottom and at the stem. Port side is almost complete.
 
Time to sign off for the new year. See you all in 2014!

The keel is now back on, glued and pinned in several places. A very small amount of filler to smooth the edges and then onto re-applying the copper tiles.

You mean the colour that Jack used on his model of the Zweidecker?
 

Status now…
 
Next, I am going to grind the decks to a plane surface.
The waterway is still not installed, but a false one – in order not to damage the right waterway during grinding process.
 
Dražen
 

Status February 2012, - one year after the start. The hull has been corrected and is now ready for the next steps.
 
Dražen


 

It could turn you in to a scratch builder. Well another one you could go out in your back yard, make that your neighbor's back yard cut down their pear tree or apple tree and make some fine planking out of it using the Byrnes table saw, of course you would also need a band saw or a larger table saw, but see you can buy a few new toy's. Or just get some wood from the lumber yard and cut it down. All kinds of good reason to buy a Byrnes saw.      Gary

Well folks, seems I have found a bit more information on the drop pawl's and weather or not fitting them to Alfred capstan's would fit her time frame.
 
  In John Harland's book, Capstans and Windlasses, gives this on drop pawl's. Drop Pawls were fitted to the base of the capstan and appear at the end of the 18th century. These were a big imporovement over the sliding pawl since they could be left in the engaged position while heaving in. By fitting the pawl rack with twelve teeth, the range over which there was danger of back slip was halved and indeed if the pawls were out of phase with each , or there were more teeth , the danger of back slip could be further reduced.
 
  Another book which am sure many of you have, Peter Goodwin, The Sailing Man of War, also shows drop pawl's on a capstan in 1735, on page 146 and on another one in 1780, page 149, which so happens to be a 74 gun ship.   Kind of funny, not sure how many times I have looked at the pictures and never noticed the drop pawls  . 
Gary

Hello friends.
Fitted deck beams provisionally loose
from the Upper Deck  /  Quarter Deck.
 
Karl
 
 
 
 
T e i l   4 0

The kit is provided with two running backstays, one on each side but, in addition I decided to add two standing backstays, such as fitted to the Alert. This arrangement would appear to be the more likely – which is not really surprising, considering the large sail area of these cutters, and the mast support required. The backstays go next over the masthead after the shrouds, the standing ones nearest the mast first, followed by the running backstays further aft.
 
The standing backstays are fitted with deadeyes and lanyards, of a similar size to those for the shrouds, and I purchased four extra 5mm deadeyes for them. I had previously set eyebolts into the side of the hull for these backstays but now realised that they would be neither sufficient nor in the right position, and so removed them. The lower deadeye of the standing backstay sits on the edge of the cap rail, being bolted to a metal strengthening strap, which effectively transmits the pull of the shroud to the hull. On considering what might I might use for these I remembered the short brass strips left over in the kit, originally intended as handles (!) for the swivel guns and which I hadn’t used, but retained amongst my spare parts. However, they looked as though they just might make passable backstay straps. (Moral: never throw anything away you think you might find a use for!)
 
One end of each strip has a hole drilled in it, which I thought to use for pinning the strap to the side of the hull (conveniently through the holes which had previously held the eyebolts) whilst the other end comes to a point. After having rounded off the square corners at the ’hole’ end and slightly widened the hole itself (for some reason a new similar–sized pin wouldn’t fit!), I then turned the strip round and bent over the point, so that it formed a hooked shape. (My thinking was that this would hold firmly on the caprail, whilst leaving a small gap between it and the rail to pass a wire strap around the deadeye. The bent angle should also fit into the groove in the deadeye.) The finished strap was then laid aside, whilst I made a similar one for the backstay on other side. (Making up the pair together not only ensured that the same procedure was followed for both but the two will, hopefully, end up looking reasonably similar.)
 

 
I had originally thought to glue the strap and its deadeye to the hull as a single unit but, in doing this, I couldn’t be sure that the angle of the deadeye to the lie of the shroud would be correct. I therefore decided it was better to fix the strap first, then mount the deadeye to it. (I also only have one pair of hands and it would have been difficult, to say the least, to manage all of these procedures at the same time!) The way I eventually decided on to attach the strap, was to first cut the retaining bolt to the right length then, holding the end with small pliers, pass it through the hole in the strip, brush the other end with CA and push it into the hole in the hull – at the same time angling the strap to the seized shrouds on the mast, using a simple ruler. (A bit heath robinson, and it had of course had to be done quickly before the glue went off, but it did work after a fashion.)
 
A length of suitably-sized, flexible, wire was then passed under the turned over part of the strip on the rail and glued, leaving one end long, the other very short. The wire was to form the retaining strap around the deadeye. The wire was painted black, and the long end was then passed around the groove in the deadeye and under the bent over part of the strap. It was gently worked tight, with a pair of long-nosed pliers in one hand, the other aligning the deadeye in the direction of the lie of the shroud. The deadeye itself was left free within the wire strap, so that it could be correctly orientated. The long end of the wire was wound firmly three or four times around strap below the deadeye, anchoring the short end, being fixed with CA. A touch-up with black paint, and the job was done. (I may as well point out an error here, before the eagle-eyed amongst you do so, in that the deadeye is upside down! My fault entirely, being caught up in the intricacies of the work – but I am afraid the error will now have to remain.)
 

 
The whole process had been a little intricate so, rather than go straight to fitting the backstay strap on the other side, I first decided to rig the backstay and lanyard on the strap that I had just finished. The backstays, both standing and running, should be of a slightly smaller size than the shrouds, and I opted to use 0.7mm thread for them.  The backstays on each side are of course single, the upper end being passed around the mast and seized to itself. Apart from that the same procedure was followed as previously for the shrouds. The distance between the two standing backstay deadeyes when rigged I decided to make about about half that of the main shrouds, in order that all of the deadeyes would be more of a uniform height. Having rove the backstay lanyard in the normal way, and as earlier described for the shrouds, I left the end long whilst I made and rigged the opposite side deadeye fittings and shroud, which were done in the same way. Both backstays were then finally tensioned, each lanyard being threaded between the shroud and the top of the deadeye with a needle, before being fastened off around the shroud.
 

 
Moving on to the straps for the running backstays, here again I decided that the eyebolts I had earlier placed for them would both be insufficient, and in the wrong position. I could now also see that it would be easier, with the mast and in situ, to judge where they should be positioned. Searching around for suitable material, I again remembered that left over from the swivel guns. This included the strips of metal originally intended for the gun supports, but which I didn’t think had looked quite right, and so had swopped for something else. The strips were rather long, having two creases in their length where they were supposed to be bent at right angles, giving two long sides and a middle shorter side, to form the support. I therefore cut one of the longer sides off, a process which left two holes, one in the remaining long side, and one in the short. The crease between them was slightly bent to accomodate the uneven side of the hull, and to which the long side could be glued. The hole in that side was used to pin the strap to the hull. The hole in the short end was used to attach the hooks of the running tackle, when the backstay was set up. With a pair of pliers I cut off the square corners at the short end, leaving the part with the hole proud, and which would protrude above the rail when positioned. I rounded off all the corners and then painted the finished straps black.
 
Using a length of thread from the masthead to align the shroud straps, I then fixed all four in position with CA. New holes then had to be drilled in the hull, through those in the lower part of the straps, for the pins. This operation had to be done very carefully, first using a drill size smaller than the hole and then enlarging it, so that the movement of the drill bit didn’t knock off the strap. (This actually did happen with one of them – which, naturally, promptly ’pinged’ off onto the floor, although I did eventually find it.) This operation took a little while, but the straps were all finally glued and pinned in position. It was then just a question of tidying up the upper wale and rail, and touching up the black paint on both.
 
The final job will be to attach the running backstays themselves and their associated tackle. However, this will have to wait until next time, as there was one small task to be done before that, and whilst I still had the access to do it. This was to position the first crew member on deck, the young lieutenant and commanding officer…
 

 
Next time: Setting up the running backstays.

At this point I thought it a good time to fit some items of the running rigging – those which belay at the foot of the mast and the small pinrails inside the shrouds, access to these areas being much easier without the shrouds in place. These were the toprope, the throat and peak halliards, and the boom topping lift – all four lines being 0.50mm. in circumference, their purchases 0.25mm. Incidentally, the short pin rails inside the shrouds only contain six pins per side, which I estimate as not being enough for any additional rigging, and the foremost pin on each side already belays the rigged burton pendants. However I fitted them – and will probably resort to shroud cleats later in the build.
 
The first line to be rigged was the toprope, which was used to raise or lower the topgallant mast. There has been some debate as to whether this was actually left in place, but I decided to include it out of interest. Having treated the line with beeswax, I fastened one end to an eyebolt in the larboard (port) side of the mastcap, threaded it (to starboard) down and through the sheave hole in the foot of the topgallant mast, and then up and through a single 5mm block fastened to another similar eyebolt, on the starboard side mastcap. From there it runs down the mast and is seized to the upper 3mm double block of a purchase, a similar lower double block being fastened to the deck at the foot of the mast, just outboard of the anchor cable. The line was rove between both blocks, coming off of the top one and belaying to one of the mast cleats on the starboard side. (My favoured method for fixing the lower blocks to the deck is to twist some thin wire around the score in the block, forming a ’tail’ which can then be carefully be painted black, and glued into a hole drilled in the deck. When positioning, the block should ideally be orientated in the direction of pull towards the pin.
 

 
The throat halliard was seized to the upper of two double 5mm blocks, secured to an eyebolt in the aft side of the mast just above the shrouds. It then runs down and through a sheave of the lower block and is then rove until all the sheaves are taken up, finally coming off of the top block. It then runs down inside the starboard shrouds and again is seized to the upper 3mm double block of a purchase, the lower block being fastened to the deck close to the 4th pin in the rail, to which the fall was belayed.
 
The peak halliard runs through four 5mm single blocks, two being fitted to eyebolts on the after side of the mast, with two being attached to the gaff. The end of the halliard was first seized to the upper block of the two on the mast, situated just below the doubling. From there it runs to the block at the peak of the gaff, threads up through it from below and then runs back again to the upper block on the mast, reeves down through that and then runs to the second block on the span at mid-point on the gaff. It threads down through that and then reeves through the lower mast block, from where it runs to the deck on the larboard side, and is seized to the upper 3mm double block of the purchase. Again the lower 3mm block is fastened to the deck near the rail as previously described, and the fall rove between them, coming off the top block. It is belayed to the fourth pin in the rail.
 
The final piece of running rigging fitted at this stage was the boom topping lift. This simply runs from an eyebolt fitted at the end of the boom and reeves through a 5mm single block, which is bent to a strop fitted around the after end of the lower mastcap. From the block it runs down to the deck on the starboard side, and again is bent to the upper 3mm block of the purchase. The lower block is positioned at the after end of the rail, and the fall is belayed to the last pin.
 
There are, of course, other lines to be rigged inside the shrouds and to the foot of the mast, but these will have to be done when the shrouds are in place. With that in mind the fitting of the ratlines will, thankfully, be left until as late as possible!
 
The shrouds went next over the masthead in pairs – or rather in this case, around the mast below the doubling – following the burton pendants. There are four per side. I used 1mm black, waxed, thread and they followed in the normal way: the first and second to starboard, first and second to larboard, third and fourth to starboard, third and fourth to larboard.
 

 
The shrouds, and the other items of rigging, were set up with the model raised to a more comfortable working position – on top of a small work box, with a cloth on top to secure it from slipping! The approximate amount of thread required for each pair of shrouds, including an additional length for turning in the deadeyes, was then centred round the mast. To pass the seizing, I temporarily fixed the shroud ends by employing a drill stand – which was of a similar height – positioned a short distance from the model. Once fastened to this, the now near-horizontal shrouds were given some slight tension (but obviously not enough to pull the model off the box!) by carefully moving the stand.
 
This then left my hands free to attend to the seizing, using black 0.25mm thread. The seizing was merely a series of overhand knots close against each other, and passed alternately above and below each pair of shrouds, until a suitable length was produced. The ends were then cut short and fastened with a small drop of glue. The finished eye was then bedded down on the mast stop, the shrouds being lined up with the lower deadeyes on the channels.
 
When turning in the upper deadeyes the same procedure was followed with all four shrouds, beginning with the first pair to starboard. First, the distance between the upper and lower deadeyes for each shroud had to be gauged, and to do this I used a short piece of stiff wire of the appropriate length, the ends of which were bent at right angles. These ends were then passed through the centre (ie the upper and lower) hole of each deadeye, the wire being thick enough to be ’push fitted’.
 
With the upper and lower deadeyes thus connected by the wire ’spacer’, the groove in the upper deadeye was then smeared with glue and the end of the shroud passed around it from the fore side. It was then crossed over its standing part at the top of the deadeye, and held with self-closing tweezers. Following some slight adjustment, in which the shroud was worked taught (but not too tight), the glue was then left to dry. The end was then backed up the shroud, cut off at an appropriate length, and glued to the standing part – on the fore side of  each shroud to starboard, and the after side to larboard. The wire spacer was then removed from the deadeyes, in order to to reeve the lanyards.
 

 
The lanyards for each pair of shrouds were rove as each was finished, using O.25mm tan, waxed thread. I gauged the length of each lanyard as being six times the distance between the holes in both deadeyes, with an additional length for fastening off on the shroud. Beginning with the first pair of shrouds to starboard, the lanyards were all rigged in the traditional way – starting from the right hand hole in the upper deadeye, the lanyard being passed from inboard. (Naturally I couldn’t use the traditional wall knot, so a simple overhand knot had to suffice!)  With all the holes in both deadeyes taken up, the lanyard comes inboard off of the left hand hole of the lower deadeye, and then runs to the shroud above the upper deadeye, where it is fastened. Before I did this however I rigged all the shroud lanyards, leaving them with long ends, in order to be able to make final adjustments. As each was done, the lanyard could be finished off, the end being passed through the gap between the shroud and the upper deadeye (I used a needle for this) and then hitched to the former. The end was then cut off close and given a touch of glue.
 
The final job was to pass three small seizings around the lower shrouds, one just above the deadeye, another at the end of the tail length, and one in between, for which I used 0.25mm tan thread. With that done the shrouds were finished.  
 
Next time: the standing backstays. The next will also be the first instalment in ’real’ time, rather than in retrospect, since work on the model is now up to date. I also have a suspicion that the captain may also be coming aboard...

There are a pair of belaying pins in the small rail situated on the port and starboard quarters. Originally I provided these for the (lower) spread yard braces and the gaff vangs – before I discovered that vangs, at least on cutters, had not then been introduced. Thus the forward one is now a spare. There is also an eyebolt on each rail for a lead block, through which the braces will pass before being belayed.
 
Moving forward, on each side of the companion I provided shot garlands for the 3pdr guns, and these are also situated on each side of the other hatches. Garlands are also fixed to the bulwarks, between the guns. The aftermost, between the last pair of guns on each side, actually contain only three balls – and one belaying pin. This is to belay the falls of the running backstays, when they are rigged. The balls themselves are made from the round parts of a cheap necklace, which just happened to be the right size – and are definitely surplus to my wife’s requirements! Each ball was cut from the chain, tidied up, painted and then glued in place. (Btw, I usually use a thin stick with a small blob of blue tack on one end, to lightly pick up and glue small objects like this. I find it works quite well, and one can place items rather more accurately than with the fingers.)
 
We now come to the guns, which I have mentioned before as having caused a certain amount of trouble with relation to the ports! For each gun I provided a pair eyebolts in the bulwarks to take the breech ropes, another pair for the side tackles, and one in the deck behind each gun for the running-in tackle. The latter, of course, should really have a ring through it. I decided not to rig the side or running-in tackles, which perhaps was an ommission and, again with hindsite, I think the breech ropes are not really thick enough. However…
 

 
Each of the hatches was given a coaming, this being caulked into the surrounding planks and raised a little above deck level. I decided to fill in the hatches themselves with offcuts from the kit and paint them black, before fitting the red gratings, to give a sense of depth. This seemed to work reasonably well, the main hatch in any case being largely hidden by the boat.
 
We now come to that aforementioned very necessary item of equipment – without which, no vessel is really complete! I copied a suitable drawing, from ’The Boats of Men of War’ by WE May, which was about the right size that I needed. The boat was constructed on a small building board, with scale frames and planking, the latter being mostly card since it was much easier to work and shape. The gunwale, which is made from wood, has rowlocks cut in it. The interior was then fitted out with thwarts, resting on internal stringers, sternsheets, and a small foredeck. The inside was painted grey, and fitted with bottom-boards which were painted red. This I thought both made for a nice contrast with the main interior, and also matched the red of the cutter herself. I painted the outside the same ivory shade I had used below the cutter’s waterline, and the gunwale is black. To finish off, the oars were made from orange sticks, with thin card for the blades, and painted white. Thin black paper made suitable leathers. The rudder was made from thin ply, with a wood rudder stock, and there is a separate tiller. A coiled painter was provided on the foredeck. The boat was lashed down to four ring bolts in the deck.
 
On either side of the boat are the pumps. I modified the base of these, although I used the metal top and handle. Their bases were cut at an angle, so that the imaginary ’business end’ of the pump shaft would be adjacent to the keel, where the water would normally collect. The handle is connected by a brass rod mechanism , actually the stem of a cut-off ringbolt, and there is a short outfall pipe on the outboard side of each pump. The base of the pump and the handle are painted red, the former also having two ’iron’ bands, made from black paper, around them.
 

 
Forward of the boat and main hatch, and just aft of the mast, are the jeer bitts. This structure was not included in the kit, being an addition of my own, but it is certainly a feature of cutters of the period, as is evidenced by models and pictures. It consists of two uprights, with a geared roller at the top and a crossbar beneath and, as its name suggests, it is used for hoisting purposes. The gearing on either end of the top roller, is actually just pencilled lines drawn on the black-painted ends, but it looks effective enough. There is a winding handle on each end, made from pieces of bent wire.
 
I originally fitted six eyebolts to the deck, to take the various tackles connected to the running rigging that will be belayed to cleats fitted around the base of the mast. I am now not certain I will use all of them, and actually since then I have fitted another two outboard of the anchor cable, one on each side, as giving a better lead. However, one never knows.
 
Abreast the mast on either bulwark, are two pinrails, with six pins in each. These were supplied with the kit and at the time of fitting them, the number of pins seemed barely adequate. In fact, with rather more rigging seemingly to be belayed, I think they may be woefully inadequate. I should perhaps made have my own rail, with extra pins – but I tell myself, I can always resort to shroud cleats if necessary!
 
Forward of the mast is a rail. This again was supplied with the kit, but I added six belaying pins to the crossbar, as I intend to belay the the square sail sheets here. Ahead of that is the foredeck grating, down to the crews quarters, with the shot garlands on either side. Offset to the starboard side I fitted a chimney, painted black, and which I imagine connects to the stove below!
 
Next we come to the bowsprit support, from the kit. This was straightforward, but I felt that it needed pinning as well as gluing to the deck. The heel of the dowel-rod bowsprit was squared, to pass through the support, and I drilled two extra holes through it, to give the impression that the bowsprit can be moved in and out.
 
I wasn’t too happy with the anchor windlass as supplied, as I felt it didn’t look at all realistic, the completely straight windlass bar being rather strangely made up from short sections! I redesigned it to my own liking, giving it a proper shape, with hexagonal faces. The central section, was made to look as if it had toothed gearing, that engaged with the small bar-mounted rachet, but this again was merely pencilled on the black finish. The equidistant holes for the bars were also just painted black, on the red structure. I had thought about providing the bars themselves, but then the lack of a place to stow them arose – so I stored them below!
 
The anchors also needed some attention. The anchors themselves I thought were well cast and with the minimum of flash, but the wooden stocks – made as in actual practice from two halves - needed some considerable modification. To begin with they were too long, so I reduced the length at each end so that they were approximately the same length as the metal shank – which fitted with the proportions for an anchor of this type. They then needed sanding somewhat. The modified arms were then glued together around the shank, below the ring, at a ninety degree angle to the arms. Four ’iron’ bands, made from black paper, were then glued around the stocks at appropriate points. Finally, the anchor rings were ’puddened’, or wound round with black cord, which on the real vessel helps to prevent chafe. The anchors are held in their stowed position, by to two supports on the outside of the bulwarks – my own invention – although I think I may have made them a little overlarge. They are also made fast with a length of line, belayed to the two aftermost timber heads. The anchor cables are lengths of plaited cord, that I thought looked somewhat realistic. They are perhaps a little overscale, but I think they do the job. Running aft past the mast, their inboard ends disappear down the fore end of the main hatch, in which I made two squared holes. Their other ends are ’clinched’ to the anchor ring, their circumference making them too large, of course, to tie a knot!
 
The catheads needed little modification, and are basically as supplied. I didn’t give them any decoration, merely a couple of paper ’iron’ bands, before painting them black. Due to the lack of suitable belaying places I decided to fit a crossbar between the catheads, over the bowsprit, with some pins. Two of these are already taken up, by the inhaul and outhaul lines for the traveller ring, for the staysail. Finally, there is a band around the top of the stem piece, with a ringbolt on the fore side to take the preventer stay when rigged.
 
 
Next time: the outboard details, the bowsprit and the mast.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Before I move on to the fittings I should first say a word about the stern, as I found this was one of the most difficult areas to work on. The horizontal planking of the stern piece, both inside and out, was straightforward enough, but I seem to remember that the sloping counter below it presented a few problems.
 
This was again planked horizontally, and I glued a raised plank around the edge to make something of a feature. This looked quite good, but I remember I had to make two small triangular-shaped pieces of plank to fill in two odd-shaped gaps, on either side at the top of the counter. I can’t now recall exactly why this was necessary, but anyway they were made and duly fitted in place. Although rather dark in the photograph, the one on the starboard side can be made out. As with the upper part of the hull, the counter was left natural.
 

 
 
I wanted to fit a rather more substantial transom rail than that shown on the box lid. This had to bend in two directions, the first following the shape of upper edge, the other the curve fore-and-aft. Because of this ’double bend’, I opted to use a piece of the thin maple planking, and it fitted quite well. The only problem when glued in place was the juncture of the transom rail with the bulwarks, which produced something of an odd angle with the bulwark. I eventually decided that the simplest solution to hide what would have been an unsightly join, was to fit a pair of davits over the stern, made from some spare pieces of wood and which I had seen in some pictures of cutters. Four sheave holes were drilled in the outer end for the falls, but I didn’t rig them although cavels were provided inside bulwarks, just below the swivel guns, to belay them. I should mention at this point that the main rail was put on in three pieces of about the same length, on each side. I found that when dry fitting it, the length made it rather unwieldy, and thought that when gluing, to much would be left to chance! My only regret is that I didn't scarf the joint. However, you can't see the join, as one part of a comedy double-act used to say when referring to his oppo – although you can if you look closely!
 

 
The lower (double) sheet block, for the main sheet, was fixed to a timber fitted between the inner standards supporting the transom, two cleats being fixed to them for belaying purposes. Moving forward, I decided there would have to be some sort of storage for the balls for the swivel guns, and settled on a couple of lockers, one each side of the tiller, the starboard one having its lid open. Since the lockers were oblong and of a reasonable size I divided them in half, the outer compartment housing the ammunition. The other side of the open locker contains the coiled lead line, with the lead on the top. You can just see this in the third photograph. (In my minds eye, the larboard locker also contains the swivel ammunition in the outer compartment, and the log line in the inner.)
 
Whilst on the subject of the swivels, I decided to reduce their number to two each side at the stern, similar to those at the bow – rather than fitting the three as envisaged in the kit. This was both because I thought three looked rather too many, and I could also imagine the crews getting in each other’s way – especially when trying to get the ammo from my lockers! I discarded the kit swivel supports, in favour of my own make – which are actually made from two eyebolts bent at the top, and glued back to back. The handles are small nails cut off and glued to the underside of the gun.
 
Like many building this kit I also thought a new tiller was needed, since I too wasn’t happy with the one provided. Made to a scale length of ten feet, as given for the Alert, I laminated it from several layers to get the correct shape, using nails fixed to a board. When dry, it was rounded with sandpaper, and a tenon was formed in the ’outboard’ end, which then fitted into a squared hole in the rudder head. This was a much better, and more accurate, arrangement than the fitting on the kit tiller – which rather strangely, I thought, completely encircled the rudder head. I then glued thin paper strips around the tiller at the rudder end, and on the rudder head itself, to represent strenthening bands. Some tan rigging thread was glued around the business end, to enable the helmsman to ’get a grip’, as it were. (I had originally thought of fashioning a turk’s head knot on the end, for decoration, however I’m afraid both the scale and the tediousness of forming it, defeated me.) To stop the tiller from swinging, I clove-hitched the middle of a line to the tiller, the ends then being belayed to one of the posts on each bulwark, and finished off with rope coils. I glued some ’treads’, for the helmsman’s feet, to the deck in a fan shape that followed the arc of the tiller.
 
Moving forward, we come to the small structure of the cabin companion. This is not provided in the kit, the space being merely occupied by the aftermost of the small hatches. I found this rather wanting, and thought the young CO deserved a more impressive entrance to his cabin! The companion was made from four pieces of ply from the kit frame surrounds, and given a sloping roof, which has a raised ’hinge’ across it. The after side has two doors each of which, although they don’t open, is provided with a knob!
 

 
Next time: more fitting details.

Before I move on, I omitted to mention a couple of items in the previous post. First, I wasn’t particularly happy with the stand provided and thought of various other types, including my own wooden one, a version made from perspex (which can often be very effective), or perhaps employ couple of pedestals (either brass or wood). I deliberated on this for some time before I was more-or-less forced, by progress on the model, to make a decision. In the end, I’m afraid, took the easy way out and decided to go with the stand supplied – although it was somewhat modified!
 
As can be seen, I cut down the height of the supports to around the bilge area, since this was where maximum support was needed, with rather more being taken from the front supports than the rear. This gave it a much better appearance, removed the somewhat intrusive extensions up the sides of the model, and didn’t affect the stability.  A wooden crossbar was then fixed between the supports, angled on the top face to match the that of the keel, and with two small holes drilled through it in appropriate positions. Corresponding holes were drilled in the keel and I found two suitable screws. Then with four thin strips of adhesive padding material added to the arms to protect the model, and following a light varnishing, the stand was screwed to the hull. I decided to leave the colour as it was, being less intrusive – to my mind, the stand should be as ’invisible’ as possible so as not to detract from the model itself. I added the lettering, ’HM cutter ’Sherbourne’ – 1763’ at a later date.
 
The rudder was planked with three planks on each side, with paper strips around it at suitable points to simulate iron bands. The planks I chose were a little marked, which gave the rudder a old ’worn’ look. I fitted an eyebolt on its after side. Thin strips of black paper simulated the pintle and gudgeon straps. With that well-known concept known as hindsight, I now think the rudder would perhaps have looked better tapered, but there it is.
 
The last photo also shows the metal lettering of the name, the individual letters being glued on separately. Since I had painted the stern yellow ochre, I thought black lettering would look rather effective. However, to actually position the lettering itself took a little thinking about to get the spacing right. Rather than begin on the left side which would perhaps be usual, but which might very likely end up with too much space to the right, I decided to start with the central letters over the rudder, and work out to each side. Working by eye this method kept things equal, and resulted in the same amount of space on each side of the name. Whilst on the subject, I have not managed to find out how the actual name came about. There is a town named Sherbourne, in the English county of Dorset I used to live in, but I rather suspect the cutter is perhaps named after an Admiralty or Dockyard official. It would be interesting to know.
 
So, now to the deck. With the gunport strips fitted, the instructions then said something like, ’with a pair of pliers, twist off the heads of the frames above deck level’. What?! I must have read that a few times, to fully understand that’s what they really meant – and I felt that there was no way I was going to do actually that, without causing some serious damage! It appeared to me that it would also leave an unsightly break, which I would then have to spend time tidying up with sandpaper, even a file. Instead, I came up with another solution. Before fitting the gunport strips, I decided to saw about half-way through the frame tops at deck level from the side, with a fine toothed model saw, and to use only the minimum amount of glue in fixing the strips. I reckoned I would then only need to use minimum force to remove the frame tops. It worked well, they came away with very little effort – and I expended very little effort in tidying up the remains. I seem to remember that I planked the bulwarks both inside and out, using scale length planks, as I progressed, in order to strengthen the gunport strips. These were quite weak at this point with little support, merely being glued to the upper edge of the wale. I actually used the thin strips of, I think maple, to plank the inner bulwarks (although I think they were supposed to be used for the deck) since they fitted round the bow more easily, and were painted red.
 
I decided to more or less follow the colour scheme of the Alert on the cover of the AOTS book, for the outer bulwark planking. I opted to use yellow ochre for the planking, with red in the gun and sweep ports, black for both wales, with a line of blue between the upper wale and the capping rail.
 
The deck was laid in three-step-butt fashion, working from aft forward and from the centre out, the outer planks being joggled into the margin plank. One side, and one end, of each scale plank were ’caulked’ with black rigging cord. The same cord was also used to caulk around the hatches.
 

 
Next time: the various fittings.

I omitted to fit bow and stern blocks when framing, but this was mainly because I didn’t know of them back then (well, that’s my excuse). They may perhaps have helped, but I don’t recall any particular difficulties in planking the bow or stern as a consequence.
 
I really didn’t encounter that many problems with the first lime planking either and it seemed to go relatively smoothly, provided the individual planks were properly tapered. I had also never thought to cut a rabbet line for the garboard plank, however, thinking about it in retrospect, it would probably have been a good idea. (In passing, I have sometimes wondered why the kit manufacturers never think to pre-cut this, since its placing is somewhat critical, and I would imagine is something of a daunting prospect for the beginner.) A fore rabbet, up the stem, would also certainly have been advantageous since I encountered a problem with what I have termed ’plank creep’. This is where the first planking, and thus by association the second, comes rather nearer the bow than necessary – and is your own fault! It is not that noticeable now, but you can see it should you care to look closely (please don’t!) Anyway, I tried to ensure a close fit of the garboard plank, by sanding down the inner edge, and this seemed to make a good joint.
 
Next came the second walnut planking, and here I made a perhaps ’radical’ departure from the instructions (easy enough to do now, but in those distant days…) and clinker-plank the second layer.  All that I had read about cutters told me that their hulls were so planked, and inherited from vessels of an earlier period, so I wondered why the Sherbourne was of carvel construction. However, having been designed by Thomas Slade (responsible for the design of the Victory two years later) and built in Woolwich Dockyard, the answer appeared obvious – they were more used to that kind with warship construction. I believe Chris Watton, the kit’s designer, has also said she was carvel. I imagine that the real Sherbourne would probably have been clinker planked, as was more usual, had she been constructed in a private yard. Moreover Peter Goodwin, in what had now become my ’bible’ (the Naval Cutter Alert), maintains that clinker construction remained in cutters until around 1810 – apart that is, from those constructed in the Dockyards. So, I persuaded myself I was on sort-of-safe ground for the project, and in any case I wanted to try the technique – so, clinker it was to be!
 
Planking of course had to commence at the garboard strake, since the planks above overlap onto those below. I overlaid my planks by about a third, which seemed about right, sanding down the top edge of each plank so that it formed a good joint with the one above. A thin bead of glue along the top of the strake below, plus a small amount along the reverse of each plank, ensured a good bond. I learnt early on not to use too much glue, as it tended to seep out onto the planking, which of course was not desirable! Provided the planks were sufficiently tapered at bow and stern, I don’t think I encountered many problems – or perhaps I have conveniently forgotten about them!  A few small stealers were needed at the stern, but apart from that the planking went surprisingly well. 
 
For both planking layers I opted to use scale length planks, staggering them as in full size practice. This was not only more historically correct, but I found that the shorter lengths made for easier positioning. I believe I planked about three strakes, on alternate sides, until the planking was done, and it was actually quite exciting to see it progress. At the time I was a member on the old Dry Dock Models site, and remember that posting a few pictures of my build encouraged at least one other member there to try clinker planking for himself. His results were pretty impressive too, so far as I remember.
 
Perhaps I should say a little about painting the waterline. Marking this was quite literally achieved by cutting a hull-shaped hole in a piece of hardboard, gradually enlarging it until I was satisfied the model was at the height I required, and then drawing a line with a pencil around the hull. Rather heath-robinson, but it seemed to work! The painting was a little tricky, especially at bow and stern, where the lie of the planks tended to interfere with a good line, but I think I managed it reasonably well. I opted to use an ivory shade rather than white, since it is a largish area and I felt that the white would be too harsh. It also has a somewhat old look to it. The planks from the waterline to the wale were left natural, although they were treated with beeswax.
 
The hull pictures are reproduced below:
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
Next, the bulwarks, stern and deck.

I thought you might like to see a few more pictures of the (slow) progress on my Sherbourne. The pictures were actually taken about a month ago, and my wife and I are now at our cottage, so work won't resume on her until the autumn.
 
I've now finished the shrouds apart from the ratlines, which I'm leaving off for access until later, and have in place some of the running rigging, including the burtons, top rope, boom topping lift, and throat and peak halliards for the mainsail. The latter is bent to the gaff and brailed into the mast:
 

 

Hello every one.
I was going through the AOTS of Bellona and on page 27 is a midsection of a 74 gun ship. Am looking for some information on the lower capstan in the model and was wondering what the time frame of it would be and maybe if it has a name other then midship. Am trying to figure about the drop pawl's on the lower capstan and maybe if they came in to use early then what Lavery is saying which is 1787 time frame. I do know that a new type of capstan was insalled on the Defiance in 1772, with drop pawl's, but after testing it it seems to have lost favor and nothing more on drop pawl's untill 1790 or so. The capstan was invented by Anton Eckhardt  who was a prolific inventor of the late eighteenth century. Any way if you know any more about the model in the Bellona book please let me know. I have gone to the NMM but  didn't turn up anything. Thanks folks.
 
Gary

Done... on the port side at least. I'll finish up the starboard side and then attack the quarterdeck outer bulwarks.  Thank heavens they're not as radically shaped.  I do, however, really hate macro as I see some things that need fixing before final sanding, like a few gaps in the planking.
 

gun deck cannons

Hi guys and thanks for your kind word's. I finally have a little bit of a up date of Montagu. Work is keeping me very busy these days but did finally get the metal work done on her tiller. Do believe I will have to take the tiller out to get a good picture of it. Also have installed the sweep, gooseneck along with the tackle for the rope for the ships wheel. The plan is to try to install it like Ed did in one piece but being her wheel is two decks up might just not be the easies thing in the world but we will try. Enjoy the photo's folks hopefully I have more time in the future to work on her. Gary
 

 



 

Hi Alistair. Your very welcome sir. At the moment am still probably go with the frapping and some gun's in different placement like being tied up  but that is hopfully in the near future.
 
Have a small update guys. The planking of the gun deck is finish  and should not be adding any more at the moment. The Captain did come around and talked about overhauling the pumps and bearings and a few other things. The old bushing set was wooden,  and figure I would try to make some metal ones. Figure that if I don't work more with metal, won't ever get any better at it. Do believe I finally figure out and got myself some good drill bits, for drilling very tiny holes in metal. With the sensitive drilling attachment  it helps me big time, from breaking a ton of the small bits. Any way I milled out the shape of the roding's, believe thats what they are called and drilled the holes for the bolts to keep them in place.
 
  The pump housing tubes and main mast partner was taken out and given a new look and then reinstalled , the partner and pump tubes that is. Also added the aft scuttle hatches with the cover some what just sitting on the bottom half. Now I did come across a item and thought it would be nice to add. On Montagu and other 74 gun ships they had this half circle cover, which I believe was made of wood, had one small door in front, just big enough to hand out cartridges,  and covered the scuttle hatch that was used to hand up the cartridges from the orlop deck. This hatch was between the aft riding bitt's.  It probably was stored when they were working the anchors and cables. Another up date in the works folk's.
 
Just something to think about  folks,the next time you have to glue something in place. If you can just peg the item to the hull or deck with maybe a bit of glue on the peg, it just might save you from having a headack on your hands. Just to give you a ideal of this, all of Montagu gun deck planks are only held in place with a tiny bit of glue on the pegs. If I had to tear out or remove some planking all one has to do is pry up the plank sand down the peg's and your ready to go. When I first installed the main partner and pump's very little glue was used and things were more or less just pegged in place. Made removing them a whole lot easier and clean up was a snap. Just something to keep in mind folks. 
Gary 



 

Thanks every one and those folks for there likes. I have got the stove further along and do think  I have come close to the cast iron look, at least as close as my skill will let me. Well back to work on her gun deck guys. Here is some updated photo's guys, and Mr Jones finally got a paint job along with the stove. Some were he seem to have picked up a slop bucket. Now I wonder where he got that from. Thanks again guy's.
 
Gary

Hi everyone,  I went and made a few items to go with the stove but after looking in on Remco stove and pot's, find his to be a lot cuter so going to have to do a little face lift on mine to make them just a tad cuter, if that's possible    Beside got to thinking, whats a stove with out  pot's and pan's.   Remco see what you went and made me do.  Gary

Gallery is done. I´m i preparing for a work on the bow. I am a little bit scared out of curved planks. I dont know, if is better to cut stright shape, or use stright plank and curve it.

Progress on the windows, name of ship and last ornament on the stern. In next step i´m gonna do gallery