RiverRat

And how he gets it back OUT!

A MAJOR milestone! I told meself that I'd post an update when I got the first planking installed.
 
Soooooooo..................
 
I originally thought I'd do this first layer without filling the bows with balsa, but I wised up and did the filler and a little bit on the lower part of the next space between bulkheads.
 
The Mamoli drawings of the stern are cartoonish and vague and I had originally had the bottom of the counter (the undercut part under the transom proper) fairly rounded like their drawing, but after seeing better drawings, I reshaped the bottom so that it was mostly horizontal as is more correct.
 
The first-planking strips are 1.5 x 5 mm basswood/lime (I assume), though the instructions call for "LG", the abbreviation for tanganyika in their key, same as the deck planking. These should be indicated as "LT", their abbreviation for lime. The lime is whitish, coarse-grained, easily split, and some of the fibers tend to buckle or separate when bending, even when minimally soaked. Difficult to bring to a nice point, as with the fore of the garboard plank. Quite irritating to deal with, but...........  
 
A poetic interlude .............
 
"Hey! It's the first planking,
What the hell.
Fill it, fair it,
All is well!"
 
I measured each bulkhead length from keel to the already-applied plank below the gunports. The maximum length allowed slightly less than fifteen of the 5mm planks. I then divided each bulkhead into three equal bands, which would have five planks (theoretically!) each. "Good" planking set up would be a bit different, with likely 4 bands marked by battens, but I figured this would do in a pinch. I used these numbers to figure out how much to taper at the bows. I left them full at the stern, but should have put some taper in the area just before the stern on all or most of the planks and with about a third to go, I had to put in some severe tapers. I had intended to try a stealer, but decided to stay with the tapering: they didn't get below half the original plank width.
 

 
While trimming off a loose shaving, it fell into the void. Turning it over and trying to shake it out, I heard this annoying clunking. One of the cannon carriages in the cabin had come loose! Not enough diluted glue, I guess. I levered it in place with a plank and a tensioning device (tape to a dowel in the tiller hole), practiced my entry with a dry toothpick, and then applied some medium CA glue to the two wheels I could reach. OK.
 

 
Before this, I had decided to do another alteration.
 
WHEREAS, the provided metal stern decoration is an abomination to Us, and
WHEREAS, We intend to produce Our own ornamentation and associated support, and
THEREFORE, the ears of the transom becoming superfluous,
RESOLVED, that We smite off the offending ears and send them to the Deep (or that container of little scrap bits that might be useful someday....)
 
I made a leap of faith that I could learn to do some proper carving! I kinda like the looks of the earless stern (no I won't leave it like that) and it'll make the planking ends easier to do neatly.
 
Here 'tis, some rough sanding done to knock off the fuzzies and such.
 

 

 
 
The kit doesn't use a bearding line and rabbet. I didn't even know of such things on a ship when I began the build. The bare plywood stem, keel, and stern are to be "sheathed" with strips. I suppose if their edges abutting the hull planking are beveled and fit close, they form a pretend rabbet  . 
 
 
Besides fillin' and fairin' prior to the actual planking, I need to check plans/drawings to see that the quarterdeck bulwark is the right height. Looks OK, but per the instructions...
 
"...sheath the upper part, setting some millimetres over the end of the frames."
 

 
Regards,
Brian
 
(edit: last 2 photos higher resolution)
 
 
 
 
 

This gave me an idea, what if you get adhesive backed copper tape (as used for coppering the hull) cut into thin strips and blackened chemically or with a marker. You then just apply the strips around the barrel.
 
Ken

Hello Ferit,
 
I just have to keep coming back to check on your log! It's such an elegant ship to begin with, and your excellent craftsmanship has been a joy to watch as it progresses. What beautiful work you're doing, especially replacing the kit parts with your own.
 
Brian

Got the port side done and the rudder in place.  Still need to add the keel which is why I left the rudder so long.  My philosophy is cut big and sand to size. So far it works.
 
 I also decided to change the way I did the windows and the transom.  The ship lacked color so I cut off the old transom added color to the plans in Photoshop and printed a new one.  I like this much better.  Then like an idiot I nick it with the dremel.   So if you see some paint differences that's why.  
 
I also added gold paint around the windows.  This actually did two things added color and the build up of the paint gave it a more defined  windowsill look.  I'm much happier with my windows now.  
 

 

 

 

 

 
Now I'm finally getting to the itty bitty fun parts.  

You'll find that most ships have a "sheer", where the deck is lower in the middle compared with the fore and aft, a long sweeping curve, and a "camber", where the deck is higher in the middle than at the sides. Think banana.
 
You'll need to clamp/pin/weight the false deck down to the bulkheads, providing they're correctly shaped from the factory (look at the plan's drawings) rather than shimming them up to the deck.

John you aren't even kidding.  It had better be a nice Bonsai or I'm going to want my ship back.  
 
Thank Augie that means a lot coming from you.  Your work is incredible.  
 
So I went to post pictures and all hell broke loose.  My own fault really. Here's my initial pictures.  
 

 

 

 
Let me preface with had this bottle not been given to me for the project I wouldn't not have used it.  It doesn't have amazing clarity and the cap is so huge it makes it hard to see the ship.  What led to trouble though was not the bottle but the sea and the position of the ship.  There was so much sea that the ship was being pushed towards the enormous cap and making it hard to see.  I didn't want to go from "spectacular" to blah so I knew it had to be fixed.  The lines had been cut and glued there was no getting the ship out so I pulled it up from it's clay base and started digging clay out around the ship.  
 
I do no recommend working the sea with a ship in the bottle.  It's mind numbing stressful work.  I got a little clay on one yard that took ten minutes to clean off.  Worst of all the line between the mizzen lateen mast and the main mast came off.    Needless to say words were said.  I managed to get it back together good as new.  Had this bottle opening not been so gigantic that would have been even more stressful   After the clay was dug out I positioned the ship again with a slight angle so the crosses on the sails could be more readily seen.  Here's how she turned out.  
 

 

 

 
Despite the ending craziness she turned out well.  They only thing I wanted to work out better was the touch up of the symbol on the bottle.  The more I painted the worse it got.  I may recommend it be taken off all together though it was the inspiration for the Santa Maria in this particular bottle in the first place.  We'll see.  I'll post pictures of the Bonsai once I get it.  I'm already making plans for my next build I just haven't found a bottle I'm particularly fond of yet.  Thank you all for reading and commenting.  Your support is greatly appreciated.     

Wee modellers simply glue these into decks, bulwarks, cannon carriages, and such.
 
Just curious....How were these actually secured?  Were they threaded bolts with washers and nuts? Configured like a wood screw? Hammer-riveted on the back-side?
 
I've no intention of re-creating these in miniature. Just wondereing how the stresses were handled in reality.
 
Regards,
Brian

Hi Aaron,
 
The Rattlesnake uses a tiller, no wheel, and the rudder post rises through the cabin up through the quarterdeck. It would block the use of a window in the middle, apparently. Here's a National Maritime Museum Admiralty drawing of the stern, showing the windowless space.
 

 
Just a frame or moulding for appearance it seems.
 
Other things to note:
 
The solid lines inside the "ears" of the carving may indicate a space between the sides and the carving rather than solid like in the kit models. See Pasi Ahopelto's scratch-build Rattlesnake here at MSW for example.
 
I believe the dark circle on the lower right might be the exit for the captain's "seat of ease"
 
Brian

Yes, if you want to be realistic, more treenails (or representations of)  than just at the bulkheads of a POB build. Here's an example from Dan Vadas' HMS Vulture:
 
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/230-hms-vulture-by-dan-vadas-1776-148-scale-16-gun-swan-class-sloop-from-tffm-plans/?p=5318
 
Brian
 

Ha! The midshipman has lost the log and reel in the stormy digital sea!
 
After a long hiatus due to "personal issues", I was about to get back to working on the Rattlesnake and then I find much has been lost in the software change. I thought I'd go ahead and repost some info/pictures before I actually got into it in earnest.
 
I had been wanting to build a replica of an 1870s Ohio River steamboat my ancestors owned and operated, found this site looking for tips, fell in love with some of the builds here, found a great deal on a Rattlesnake kit on eBay, and picked up this infernal shipmodelling disease.
 
I had kept my MSW Rattlesnake log photos in a separate folder on my computer so they're all set to be reproduced.
 
Here's the box picture of the Rattlesnake...

Handsome ain't she?
 
The metal parts provided for the transom, quarter lights ( I used to call these windows until I got a little nawdikal ejukashun), and other areas made me cringe, so I thought I'd replace them with wood or other appropriate medium. Here is the supplied transom decoration and window frames and the supplied transom base with the window area excised...

Here are the original pieces dry-fitted/taped.

The #12 bulkhead is located at the position of the quarter lights, and the horizontal piece, #22, cuts into the cabin space, so I will modify that area to add the quarter lights and open up the cabin to approximate its fullness, as I will be making the lights (windows) clear instead of the blue paper simulated glass.
 
Part of #12 cut away.

Pseudo-framing of transom....

Quarter light frames (very fragile at this point!) made and stern "bench" from #22 piece.... 

I think this shows the template for adding the structure/frame above the light frames (hey, forgive me, it's been a while....)

Here's the rough-shaped transom, balsa filler and the supplied beechwood pieces at the outer ends. The beech was surprisingly easy to shape; could have used it for the whole thing , as designed, without much heartache.

Most of the main deck planking done, with a scale Captain Clarke (hey! looks like John Paul Jones....)

Gunports and framing, fore- and quarterdeck supports, and fake bowsprit root in case that area is visible....

I had grandiose visions of outfitting the captains quarters, adding quite a bit of fine detail, but I've decided it would not likely be too visible anyway, so I'll keep it simple and move on. With what I have, I'll add rings, rig/secure these cabin cannons for sea, add a couple benches, and move on to finish the stern pieces, decks, and then the dreaded planking........


 
I may not get to this right away, but the intention is there....stay tuned.
 

Ha! The midshipman has lost the log and reel in the stormy digital sea!
 
After a long hiatus due to "personal issues", I was about to get back to working on the Rattlesnake and then I find much has been lost in the software change. I thought I'd go ahead and repost some info/pictures before I actually got into it in earnest.
 
I had been wanting to build a replica of an 1870s Ohio River steamboat my ancestors owned and operated, found this site looking for tips, fell in love with some of the builds here, found a great deal on a Rattlesnake kit on eBay, and picked up this infernal shipmodelling disease.
 
I had kept my MSW Rattlesnake log photos in a separate folder on my computer so they're all set to be reproduced.
 
Here's the box picture of the Rattlesnake...

Handsome ain't she?
 
The metal parts provided for the transom, quarter lights ( I used to call these windows until I got a little nawdikal ejukashun), and other areas made me cringe, so I thought I'd replace them with wood or other appropriate medium. Here is the supplied transom decoration and window frames and the supplied transom base with the window area excised...

Here are the original pieces dry-fitted/taped.

The #12 bulkhead is located at the position of the quarter lights, and the horizontal piece, #22, cuts into the cabin space, so I will modify that area to add the quarter lights and open up the cabin to approximate its fullness, as I will be making the lights (windows) clear instead of the blue paper simulated glass.
 
Part of #12 cut away.

Pseudo-framing of transom....

Quarter light frames (very fragile at this point!) made and stern "bench" from #22 piece.... 

I think this shows the template for adding the structure/frame above the light frames (hey, forgive me, it's been a while....)

Here's the rough-shaped transom, balsa filler and the supplied beechwood pieces at the outer ends. The beech was surprisingly easy to shape; could have used it for the whole thing , as designed, without much heartache.

Most of the main deck planking done, with a scale Captain Clarke (hey! looks like John Paul Jones....)

Gunports and framing, fore- and quarterdeck supports, and fake bowsprit root in case that area is visible....

I had grandiose visions of outfitting the captains quarters, adding quite a bit of fine detail, but I've decided it would not likely be too visible anyway, so I'll keep it simple and move on. With what I have, I'll add rings, rig/secure these cabin cannons for sea, add a couple benches, and move on to finish the stern pieces, decks, and then the dreaded planking........


 
I may not get to this right away, but the intention is there....stay tuned.
 

Ha! The midshipman has lost the log and reel in the stormy digital sea!
 
After a long hiatus due to "personal issues", I was about to get back to working on the Rattlesnake and then I find much has been lost in the software change. I thought I'd go ahead and repost some info/pictures before I actually got into it in earnest.
 
I had been wanting to build a replica of an 1870s Ohio River steamboat my ancestors owned and operated, found this site looking for tips, fell in love with some of the builds here, found a great deal on a Rattlesnake kit on eBay, and picked up this infernal shipmodelling disease.
 
I had kept my MSW Rattlesnake log photos in a separate folder on my computer so they're all set to be reproduced.
 
Here's the box picture of the Rattlesnake...

Handsome ain't she?
 
The metal parts provided for the transom, quarter lights ( I used to call these windows until I got a little nawdikal ejukashun), and other areas made me cringe, so I thought I'd replace them with wood or other appropriate medium. Here is the supplied transom decoration and window frames and the supplied transom base with the window area excised...

Here are the original pieces dry-fitted/taped.

The #12 bulkhead is located at the position of the quarter lights, and the horizontal piece, #22, cuts into the cabin space, so I will modify that area to add the quarter lights and open up the cabin to approximate its fullness, as I will be making the lights (windows) clear instead of the blue paper simulated glass.
 
Part of #12 cut away.

Pseudo-framing of transom....

Quarter light frames (very fragile at this point!) made and stern "bench" from #22 piece.... 

I think this shows the template for adding the structure/frame above the light frames (hey, forgive me, it's been a while....)

Here's the rough-shaped transom, balsa filler and the supplied beechwood pieces at the outer ends. The beech was surprisingly easy to shape; could have used it for the whole thing , as designed, without much heartache.

Most of the main deck planking done, with a scale Captain Clarke (hey! looks like John Paul Jones....)

Gunports and framing, fore- and quarterdeck supports, and fake bowsprit root in case that area is visible....

I had grandiose visions of outfitting the captains quarters, adding quite a bit of fine detail, but I've decided it would not likely be too visible anyway, so I'll keep it simple and move on. With what I have, I'll add rings, rig/secure these cabin cannons for sea, add a couple benches, and move on to finish the stern pieces, decks, and then the dreaded planking........


 
I may not get to this right away, but the intention is there....stay tuned.