shipmodel

Hi Michael - 

Yes, the stern windows will be an interesting artistic element for Marc.  I'm looking forward to seeing how he decides.

My mother, who was an American antiquities expert, once did a study of pre-colonial (around 1750) glass.

If I recall her results, it was that most glass, except really low end stuff, was pretty clear and flat when made,

But the composition of the glass meant that it would sag fairly quickly, which is what we see and value now.

But I imagine that the windows of the Admiral's quarters would have been glazed with top quality glass

So I would go with high gloss panes, initially.  If they are too glaring, then satin/eggshell touch-up.

Just one possible way to go.

Dan

Hi Toni - 

Looks like another interesting project, and the finished model is certainly quite beautiful.

I have done a number of lapstrake hulls, and I would not want to fiddle with fairing the overlaps while also worrying about the dead space between bulkheads.

I would fill at least one more space at the bow and two at the stern.  That should make the fairing process a bit easier.

Hope that helps.

Dan

Keith - 

Beautiful metalwork.  I am green with envy.

How do you keep the deck plates from flying into Neverland when you part them off?

I would be hunting them for days.

Dan

Thanks, guys, for the compliments and likes.

Sorry I'm not giving a more complete explanation, but the techniques are pretty much the same as explained previously.

I'll go into a bit more detail when I get to making the ocean display base.

Keith - the blocks and winches are from Bluejacket.  Everything else is scratch-built.

More soon

Dan

Hi all –

I hope my countrymen all had a good Thanksgiving and everyone's favorite football team, whether round or oval, won.

Unfortunately, I root for the NY Giants.  Oh well . . .

Here is the next segment of the build.  As before, mostly photos with captions.

The final major components of the ship were the masts, which also acted as the cranes for the cargo booms.  Here they are in photographs.

And how they turned out.

The mast tops anchored the shrouds and stays, and the single and triple blocks of the boom tackle were secured here as well.

I could not fit any available triple blocks for the topping lift tackle so I used doubles.

The lift tackles reeve through double blocks at the deck just inboard of the shroud turnbuckles.

There are four shrouds, with ratlines only between the inner two, though there are swifters every fourth ratline that go across all four.

The bases of the booms have clevis joints that fit in a ring around the base of the mast.

There is a multi-headed steam winch for each boom, set in a circle on deck around the mast.

A large searchlight sits on a railed platform on the foremast.

On the troop ship a large lookout station was hung below the searchlight.

Its peculiar shape had to be pieced together from segments of plastic tube turned inside out.

The final few details to finish the ship will be covered in the next installment.

Till then, be well.

Dan

Hi Marc - 

If you can make it to the club meeting this coming Tuesday I can show you how I make molding scrapers from used hobby blades.

Just another suggestion among several others that work.

Dan

Hi Marc . . . and Marc - 

I believe that the rudder hole was rectangular because the tiller (in blue) went through it, not the rudder.

The tiller, in turn, was connected to the whipstaff (in red) that pivoted through a rowell or rowl (in green)

Here the rudder head is housed in a closed off box, but many that I have seen end just above the tiller and below the counter.

This from an illustration by Phillips from around 1690.  I'm sorry but I have misplaced the full information on the illustration.

Dan

You're more than welcome.  If I can manipulate any other images for you, let me know.

And that's spelled GEE-zer.  LOL

Dan

I cobbled this together and I think I see what you mean.

So, as they say - 'Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer choise"

Marc - 

Yes, I think the upper balcony is only two bays wide, judging from this drawing.

It also looks to me that the middle balcony is two bays wide, with decorative extensions to shade the 4-bay lower balcony.

Is that how you see it?

Dan

Hi Marc - 

Fascinating in depth discussion, as always.

To help me see what you were saying, I took the drawing and enhanced the contrast with Photoshop

It really made the shadows pop out.

Hi Marc - 

Have you considered laying on a plastic mesh over a flat clear plastic? 

Turn it 45 degrees for a diamond pattern like Tanneron's.

Here is one possible mesh from Amazon - it is 4" x 4" and has 28 x 28 cells, or 7 cells per inch. 

https://www.amazon.com/Darice-10-Piece-Square-Plastic-Canvas/dp/B0018N29Z2/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=plastic+mesh&qid=1574305574&sr=8-5 

10 pieces for $2.25 if you are being frugal.

I don't know if this mesh is fine enough, but there were lots of others.

And if you continue as you have begun, this will be a silk purse fit for Marie Antoinette.

Dan

Roger - 

Thanks so much.  I will use the model to check against mine and the photographs that I have collected.

I will do a brief boat tour log once I have finished.

Dan

First, thanks to everyone for the compliments and likes.

Roger - a special thanks to you.  Photos of another model will be very welcome.

  I am still trying to piece together from photographs the exact details of the stern deckhouse and its roof.

Dan 

Hi Marc - 

Excellent work as always.

Sorry, a book title is generally not subject to copyright.

Put me down for one of the first copies.

Dan 

PS - I posted this yesterday when you were having photo problems.

       Hope it goes through this time.

Thanks for the compliments and likes.  They will help get me up and writing again.

Roger - most of the stacked boats are under davits.  The few on the troop ship could be moved by the soldiers.  They certainly had enough on board.

Or they could have been lightly strapped down, so in case of a rapid sinking they would have floated off like the rafts.  I don't know.

It was a pleasure having dinner at the conference with you and your wife.

Dan

Hi all –

Sorry to have been away so long.  I somehow developed a bit of writer’s block. 

Yes, I know that I am one of the last people you would think this would happen to, but there it is.  I could name half a dozen possible causes, and maybe they all ganged up on me at once.  But I got a bit of energy at the NRG conference, so I am trying to push through the molasses of my mind and post again.   Mostly just captions for photos.

Fortunately, it did not slow down the actual building process, and the model has been completed, delivered and mounted in the museum.

So here are the boats –

Over the head of Madam Secretary, with double rolls along the sides.

These were canvas sheets used to raise the freeboard.

I worked with a designer to have them 3-D printed in 26 foot and 30 foot sizes

Their davits,  with PE tackle.

Mounted aboard ship

The larger powered launch

Midships boats tucked into the hull, with their external davits

The gang of boats on the forward deckhouse

I’ll try to post again soon.

Dan

Hi Vaddoc - 

A very interesting project.  You look like you are well on your way.

Although it may be a bit late, here are two books in my library that you might want to look at.

"Boats of Men of War" by W.E.May.  It will have all the details, scantlings and other information on the boat you are building.  $10 to $25 from Amazon

"The Construction of Model Open Boats" by Ewart Freeston.  Construction techniques for several types of boats, including lapstrake ones.  $25 - $50 from several sellers.

Best of success.  I will be following along with interest.

Dan

Hi Toni - 

An excellent idea and project.  From the look of the finished hull, you are incorporating most of the techniques and details that a ship modeler needs to learn.

This epitomizes what I think should be central to the Guild's mission - setting standards for achievement and then teaching and demonstrating how to reach them.

I will be following along with great interest.

Dan

Hi Gary - 

Outstanding realism, as always.  Love the broken window.

Maybe you could add some clear tape 'repairs' to protect the crew.

Dan

Hi Druxey - 

Is this the one that sold at the Miller Auction Gallery in 2009 for 384,000 pounds?

Dan

Good day, Mr. Hoving - 

Like Druxey, I have been a fan of yours for decades.  Your techniques have informed my work, and although I have not been called on to build a Dutch sailing ship, all your books are in my library if needed.    If I ever get away from the people who pay me to build models, a Dutch 17th century warship is on the short list for a personal project.   

I am also eagerly following along.  Seeing how you improve, replace, or minimize your "mistakes" will be the icing on the cake.

Dan

Hi Mark and Marc  and all - 

I understand that the oaks of England were specially raised for their curved pieces, especially where the trunk would split or where limbs came off at right angles to the trunk.  That is one reason they were marked with the King's broad arrow and cutting them down was treason, punishable by death.    

Here is a drawing from Dodds & Moore, Building the Wooden Fighting Ship,, a book that I highly recommend.    I hope it helps.

Dan

Beautiful, Rob - 

I may have missed it in reading your log - how are you laying on your ratlines?  They look great.

Dan

Hi John, Jan - 

Well spotted.  I saw the same things, but did not have any concrete answers.  I believe that the chains go to the side anchors, but the fittings that they go into (which I do not fully understand) have no exit through the side of the bulwark.  The hinged door that covers the fairleads does not extend that far back, so the chains can only go down into the hull.

As for the height, I agree that the photos that I posted show the chains lifted off the deck by tension.  But others show them on the deck and wrapped around the base of the winch, as I have modeled them.  That was the solution that I chose.

Thanks for looking in and keeping me on my toes.

Dan