Keith Black

I felt like I had really turned the corner when I was able to start making the deck elements. My rules have been, that if I couldn't make it look close to what an element actually looked like, don't make it. Don't make an element if you can't verify it was actually part of the ship (don't make up history, accurately portray history to the best of your ability) Don't make an element if it's going to look cheesy, better to not make it at all. To accomplish making pieces I've had to rely on pretty simple tools. Turnings are done with a drill motor and jewelry files, cuttings done with jeweler's saw and x-acto knives. If I had another 30 to 40 years of modeling left to me, I'd invest in some real tools. I'm pretty sure this is going to be my one trick pony but I'd love to scratch build a 1880's steam driven yacht and and, yeah, them too. Steam driven vessels fascinate the dickens out of me. Building at one tenth of an inch equals a foot is easy math but it sure test my abilities. The telegraph engine controls is pretty much at my limit. February of 2017 found me doubting that I'd every be able to do work this small.

The Tennessee was 355 feet in length and 45 feet two inches at beam. The model hull is 30 inches in length and 5.5 inches at beam. The shortness of the hull is most noticeable at the stern. I've had to crowd a number of elements at the stern and that disturbs me but that's having to play the hand I was dealt. After getting the stern area hollowed out as needed I turned my attention the the ports. Once again the shortness of the hull made it necessary to cut only ten ports on the second deck level verses eleven as was on the Tennessee. I had to plug and fill in the top deck ports of the original model as they were in no way positioned correctly to allow for the chain rails. On the original model the ports had glued paper as covers. After cutting the ports square I let in wood port covers a fraction to create shadow lines. Once the ports were done I then added the chain rails, added the piece of wood just below the top of the bulkhead that runs from each side of the bow completely a round the model, anchor guards and anchors. Making the starboard and port galleries proved to be the most complicated part of the hull. The trick was not so much in the making of one, it was making two that looked alike! If I've not given the proper name or term to an element, PLEASE provide the correct name/term where I'll know, thank you. I then started work on the inside bulkhead filling and sanding the vertical pieces of wood from the original model (I think the vertical pieces were bamboo) running horizontal strips for ports and the pin rails. I'm not real pleased with the pins put once they're covered with looped line I don't think one will see very much of them. I still need to cut four ports at the stern, two each both starboard and port side of the eagle.

Before I get too far a field I need to take a moment to thank those in the Nautical/Naval History side of this site. If not for member Talos I wouldn't have the majority of the H&H photos I have to reference and has also provided other photographs and drawing. Mark Taylor, Roger, Druxey, Canute, Steven, Dave and others have provided ideas, support and encouragement. If they hadn't been there for me, I wouldn't be here. In some of my photographs you see a little stick figure sailor, that's "Bob". I got tired of constantly trying to place my machinist ruler on the deck to gauge how high I needed to make an element. So I made Bob to represent a man 5'11'' in height (he's just shy of six tenths of an inch tall. Bob isn't going to be part of the final build but there maybe a Bob 2.0

As this is a solid wood hull my first step in correcting the model was to hollow out the stern section where I could get the ship's wheel and binnacles under the upper stern deck. The original model had the ships wheel in the open forward of the mizzen. H&H photos of the ships wheel can be seen in the previous post.

The Hatton and Hart photographs were/are my primary source for trying to create as much model authenticity as possible. Sometimes I have to assume, which I hate. Example being, on the upper stern deck a partial funnel profile can be seen behind and to the port side of a binnacle. (I may as well jump on this grenade while I'm here. This binnacle appears to be about five and a half feet tall, a foot and a half above the standard four feet. Access to viewing the compass is aided by a two step ladder propped up against it seen in the first of the four H&H photos.. I'm guessing the reason for the extra height is where the compass is above the railing and other metal objects. Please jump in with comments should you have other thoughts) All other photographs from the starboard point of view are and blurred and of no use determining if a starboard funnel is actually there. I chose one to be there due to ship designers seemingly love of and necessity for symmetry.

Than you Mark and Dave

Druxey It's territory I have the upmost respect for. For whatever reason I seem to be having a hard time coming up with a one word description of how I feel about the scratch build section of this site. Scared may not be the correct word but it's somewhere in that vicinity. Steven, thank you.

Thank you Roger, Talos. I'm going to blue tape where and how I think the ports are located. I'll black out what I made for the officers latrines and come back with a photo and you can correct me if needed. I thought the top split cover was an element unto it's self and not that of the top part of a hatch cover. Do you guys think I need to move this discussion to the scratch build section? I'm somewhat loath to do so as I'm not sure this project is worthy of what I consider pretty sacred territory. Neither do I want to clutter up this area of discussion if this isn't the proper place??.........Keith

Thank you Talos, I've thought of you many times as I poured over the link to images of the Tennessee you provided. So you're thought is that the four rectangles (eagle in the middle of the four) are all gun ports? I could see that being the case for the top two but the bottom two? Wouldn't that mean they'ed be in the middle of and taking space away from the officers quarters? Also there's the color difference between covers of the top two and bottom two, plus the top two covers seem to stand proud from the hull where as the bottom two covers seem to be flush. I for sure don't know but I'll happily cut and make them all gun ports if that's your verdict. I just wanted to make sure before taking the knife to the hull. Thank you again..........Keith

I've lightened but I don't have photoshop capabilities.

Thank you for the welcome back and kind words, it means more than you'll ever know. This is supposed to be the stern of the Tennessee. Anyone know what the element is directly next to the eagle's port side wing tip? Bath? The two elements below the eagle in line with the officer's latrines above? Flags? Thank you........Keith

First and foremost, to any that I offended during my first visit, my most sincere apologies! I came here loaded with an abundance of ignorance and I didn't try to hide it. Approximately three weeks after my original posting on January 14th, 2017 I had a stroke. I lost 30% of the vision in my right eye and my left hand was completely paralyzed. In fact, my stroke occurred while I was working on the Tennessee lifeboats. Through the grace of God and dedicated physical therapist, I recovered the full use of my left hand. The vision in my right eye will remain at a negative 30% the rest of my life. During recovery I vowed that should I regain the use of left hand, I would set about to make the Tennessee as right as I possibly could given the short comings of the hull, 10 inches too short and an inch to wide at the beam. For a year I tried to learn as much about the Tennessee as I could pouring over the Hatton and Hart photographs of scenes onboard the Tennessee, seeking out photographs other wood hull screw frigates, models, books and picture postcards. January of this year I stripped the model down to the bare hull and started over. This has been my therapy and what's kept my juices flowing Coming back two years later is just as awe inspiring as was my first time here. What you folks can do, the magic you fingers work leaves me in utter amazement! I post a couple of pictures of my efforts to date, not so much as "look what I've done" but to complete a circle, to apologize, and to thank each and everyone here whom it was my pleasure to meet.

A huge "thank you" to each who provided information, pictures, and links. That's why I came, mission completed and successful. If someone would remove the "Steam frigate USS Tennessee" topic from the scratch build section I'd appreciate it. I'll not insult the fantastic, unbelievable work done by the members of this guild with a restoration log of my misshapen halfling. That's not hurt feelings speaking, that's the respect I have for your abilities as a community............Keith

Roger Thank you again.........KB

Hey Roger, thanks a ton for the heads up on the book! I've bookmarked it and plan on ordering shortly. I agree with your assessment of the hull, another foot would help tremendously. Unless you've seen something I haven't, the basic hull and funnel configuration of the model matches only that of the Tennessee. At least that's my thought having researched all the US steam frigates and matching them against the model. Believe me when I say I tried very hard to find another one that made more sense. I've owned this model for slightly over four years and I did a lot of looking before I started the restoration process in ernest. Another fly in the ointment, the Tennessee underwent several refits. Do photographs exist that were taken after each refit? I hope the answer (or least some of the answer) is provided in Vol 1. Thank you again for the info on the book..........KB

Toni The name, USS Tennessee, was written on paper (very small printing) and glued to both sides of the bow and maybe the stern. The bow for sure, the stern was illegible but a paper label was there. I'm 100% sure it's a representation of the Tennessee, just not a very accurate one thus the thoughts about it being a possible souvenir. I'm not changing it to be a particular ship as that's already determined, it's a model of the steam frigate USS Tennessee. What I am doing is making necessary replacements to scale that match the hull and mast. Instead of reproducing lost cannon to an inaccurate scale, I'm taking the cannon from the original lower deck ports, putting them in the correct scale carriage and placing them topside. Two of the three hatches covers have been lost. Instead of coping the hatch type that remains twice and duplicate another inaccuracy, why not make three correct hatch covers and remove the remaining inaccurate one? And if I'm going to remove the one remaining hatch cover, why not try to create at least one (if not two) companionway to the lower deck? If I were 100% positive this model was a US made piece of folk art, i wouldn't have done anything to it except replace the rigging. But I don't believe that to be the case. Folk art is simple (we live in a 150 year old house surrounded with antiques and folk art) please note the close up picture and note the inside of the rails. That isn't simple by any means, hence my shying away from it being a "folk art" piece. But as a stated earlier, this had become a toy in it's later life. Pieces were broken (I've fixed the majority of those) and pieces (not just one or two) went missing. I turn 70 in March, I have patience. I love history, I love to create, I love to restore things (a hobby from another life was restoring prewar English and American sports cars) I love to piddle away while my cat sleeps in the chair next to me. I've made the commitment to finish this project, if I'm unable to do so it will be because my ship has sailed, literally. Thank you for your concern, I appreciate that. Don't fear putting a damper on my enthusiasm, I've got about two hundred hours in this project thus far, I've got another six to nine months of work to do before I'm able to start rigging. I've never rigged a ship before so I'll need lots of help when I reach that stage. And I'm a realist. Again, thank you Toni..........KB

I know I have the space to create one top deck companionway to the lower deck. How would you guys go about representing the opening without cutting into the deck? Paint a flat black rectangle the size of the opening and be done with it?..........KB

Ken The screw frigate USS Wampanoag (renamed the USS Florida on May 15th, 1869, the same day the Tennessee was renamed) is another interesting example from that era. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wampanoag_(1864) I'm amazed at the brevity of service of these ships. It had to be a costly period for not just the US, but navies around the globe as all were going from sail to mechanical driven vessels. I bet it was good business to be a scrapper during this period. The scrapyards is another area that would be fun and interesting to explore in detail........KB

Thank you Talos, that's very kind of you. If you notice in the closeup photo I posted, the inside rails have vertical alternating types of wood, light and dark. This is purely a decorative feature and in no way represents the actual Tennessee. This would have been a real pain in the behind to do for decoration purposes only unless the builder was trying to enhance an area in which they limited amount of knowledge if any. "If I can't make it accurate, I'll make it fancy" and if this is in fact a souvenir, then "fancy" probably found a more willing market........KB

Talos If in fact the the Tennessee model in my care is of Oriental origin it would possibly explain the following... 1) Model's wheel is in the open, not under cover. 2) Model provides neither binnacle nor telegraph engine controls. 3) Hatch arrangement and style not in accordance with pictorial evidence supplied by yourself. 4) No top deck opening and ladder way to lower deck nor deck space to allow for said. 5) Model has a observation bridge greatly out of proportion to the actual. 6) Afore mentioned cannon size and location. The above would explain an Oriental origin as only the crew would have knowledge of the actual layout between the railings of the ship where as the ship's hull and rigging are in plain view and would have been rendered with more accuracy. A generalized deck arrangement could/would have been used because of the lack of firsthand observation. If in fact this model is a sailors souvenir from the Orient I feel I have much more latitude in the restoration process. I care for the model whatever it's origin. As I said before, steam frigates of that era fascinate me, funnel and sail are such a beautiful combination. The USS Tennessee was renamed on May 15th, 1869 just five days after the golden spike was driven home on May 10th, 1869. 1869 is special to my dear wife and I as our house was built in 1869. We live and breath that year in history everyday as we patter about. I can not thank you enough Talos for your efforts in providing information, if ever I can return the favor, please ask........KB PS....Deadeyes, not deadheads. Wasn't the Deadheads a band from the 70's

Thank you Talos. Because the scaling of the model is so mismatched, I'm just not sure a US modeler/former crew member would have done this taking into account the amount of time required for an individual to complete the build. Everything is hand carved including the single blocks and only single blocks were used, no deadheads or doubles. I'm thinking maybe this model was made in Hong Kong during a port visit? What think ye?...........KB

Mark One of my more valuable sources of information has been models built by folks like yourself. Where as those models may not be the Tennessee, they provide invaluable information on how things were done immediately before, during, and after the time period between 1869 and 1886. Also, those models provide a guide post for my efforts in the restoration process. Going to the pictures Talos provided, one of the 100 pounders is seen forward of amidships. At least that's what I think it is? Thank you Mark and all of you for your efforts telling the tale and preserving the history of sail and the first forays into mechanical propulsion.........KB

Mark During the refit they completed a whole new top deck.....KB

MT Not sure as I believe Wiki in this case as there were 18 cannon ports on the top deck and 20 on the second deck. This is what the model represents and is also what pictures of the Tennessee indicate. The gun information provided by Wiki maybe for the USS Madawaska which was refitted and renamed the Tennessee unless cannon were not designated permanent positions but shuttled to positions as action might require? The top deck cannon barrel length made by the modeler are a little over two inches which at 1:120 would be 20 plus feet. My research indicates that the barrel length for the 9 inch guns would have approximately 13 feet. I used what barrels were salvageable from the lower guns ( right at 1.25 inches in length) to added with carriages to make the top deck guns. I have to make 5 barrels to give the upper deck it's full complement of 18 cannon. But pouring over the photos provided by Talos (thank you again) I don't see neat rows of cannon lining both rails. I'm taking your advise and going over to the scratch build section and asking feedback as I've put further restoration on hold till I get input from those folks on their thoughts on going forward with the project, thanks.............KB