AnobiumPunctatum

Aldo,
it's good to hear from you. I am happy that you are doing better and find time to continue your log.

Seventy degrees Fahrenheit. I don't knowhow much this in °C is, but I think it's very hot.
In Germany we have around 0°C. Best weather for working on my model drawings.
 
Have you thought of using different colord timbers for framing and planking the model? Or do you like to paint your model later?

Yesterday I experimented a little bit with 3D views of my line drawings. The result is not a real 3D model but very helpful for checking the reconstruction. The two pictures are only an impression, because on the PC I can rotate the model and have a closer look to the details.
 

 

Here is the modified drawing.
 

My new keel drawing is finished.

 
Next I will draw the frames and build the new bigger version of my keel

As written in my last post I bought last month the design drawing for Alert/Rattlesnake at the NMM.
With my new knowledge about reconstruction of a line drawing I started to redesign the ship on basis of the NMM drawing.
 
For this I did not use any information of Goodwin, because it's not a primary source. I don't have access to the archieves so I will only use the NMM drawing and later the vademecum for the scantlings. I am not sure if I like to show my model as designed and shown on the drawing or as shown on the Marshal painting.
Both presentations have the same origin: they should show the design for a ship to the people who allocate the funds.
 
The drawing isn't finished but I like to hear your meaning about the the reconstructed lines:

 

 
It#s my first reconstructed ship, so I am not sure if everything is right.

My holidays are over so the progress is much slower than before.
 
I did the keelson before building the frames. So it is in my opinion much easier to adjust it with the fore and after deadwood.

 
Before glueing the keelson on the backbone It take a long time. All frames have to be installed first.
 
Today I worked on my first frame. It took quite long to find my way to build the frame. The result is not perfect, but I think doing the next frames will be much easier and faster. If it's interesting for someone I will do a step by step description from building one of the next frames.

I was really suprised that I did not find a build log about the Naval Cutter Alert on MSW 2.0. I know that there exist some pictures of a model on the old MSW
 
The first source for building a model of this small vessel are Peter Goodwins book "The Naval Cutter Alert, 1777", published by PhoenixPublications Inc. 1991 and the two original drawing of her sister Rattlesnake (1776) which you will find on the homepage of the NMM.
There also exist two paintings of Joseph Marshall of the ship, which are exhibited in the Science Museum, London.
I found also an Sheer and Profile drawing of Alert which was published by the NRG.
 
The sheer and profile of the NRG and Goodwin differ from the original drawing. They show the maximum width of the ship not at frame 0. Perhaps my Engish is to bad, but I could not find any reason for this. So I decide to draw my own lines. which were based on Goodwin and the original drawing.

 
The drawing is not finished, because I decided only to draw what I need for my build.
 
Next step was the keel. Goodwin shows for the pass between keel and lower apron a solution which I could not find on any original cutter drawings.

 
For the after deadwood he does not offer any possible solution

 
I decide to follow the original drawing of Cheerful 1806 for the pass between keel and lower apron. The flat joint at the foremost keel part is shown on original drawings of this period (for example on HMS Triton). For the after deadwood I decided to use a bearing line. I am not sure if this is common for ships of this period.
The next picture shows my completed keel drawing:

 
Goodwin uses for his design the common frameing pattern of double and single frames. I am not sure that this design was used for the original ship. For the Swan class sloops only single frames were used. This you will also find on the drawing of Cheerful and other cutters. Also the wide of the frame parts are not clear. In his drawing he uses much smaller futtocks than he descibed in the text part of the book. In his "Construction and Fitting of Sailing Man of War" he gives a third solution.
What now? Alert is a practice model for me to get the experience to continue my HMS Fly build. Marshall shows on his paintings an simplified frameing design, so I decided to use this. Every frame is 8'' width followed by 8'' space. For the port side I like to show the clinker planking.
On my drawing the final design for the last frame and the hawse pieces is missing in the moment.

 
The drawings for every 31frames and 21cant frames are finished.

 
I am not sure in the moment if I will use the original practice with chocks or the simplified method of Harold Hahn for my build.
 
It will be very nice if you have further information about the cutters of this time. I found the Marmaduke Stalkartt on Google-books, but they didn't scan the plates. Perhaps one of the MSW user can help me to confirm my decisions.

Seventy degrees Fahrenheit. I don't knowhow much this in °C is, but I think it's very hot.
In Germany we have around 0°C. Best weather for working on my model drawings.
 
Have you thought of using different colord timbers for framing and planking the model? Or do you like to paint your model later?

I am happy to see the end of 2014, as it was a year of health drama in the family and not a lot of building work at all, but there has been a little bit of progress in making the forward magazine and platform.
 
I intended to build this in the same way as the aft magazine and platform, by building the both off the model to make it easier to work on them. I think it went ok, however I got seriously confused with my measuring and the platform was way too high at the bow, Some sanding of the platform and the clamps remedied that, and the magazine fits comfortably under it in place.
 
Next for these will be completing and fitting out the magazine and adding the filling room, light boxes and structure that surrounds the foremast step before fixing the platform in place over it. I think I will have to fit the bitt pins in place as well.
 
The first few pictures show the magazine being formed by first laying out the beams then the planking. It currently finishes where the light boxes will go and will later be extended forward.
 



 
As I mentioned above, the platform was built mainly off the model. There are still a few ledges to be fitted, but it is mostly complete apart from planking and a couple of timbers forward.
 



 
Finally, where would I be without my toys. Making the knees has been relatively easy since I fitted some CNC gear to the Proxxon mill 

 

Hi all
 
Being distracted by new toys, followed by work, I haven't done much that was photo worthy, so I thought I would post a couple of "proof of life" shots having just finished the orlop deck framing.
 

 
In the background of the photos you can see the aft magazine with roof and hoods on. Some scratches still need to be smoothed out on this, and the flash makes it look worse than it really looks.
 

 
There are bulkheads still to go in either side of the aft magazine, and the platforms will be planked, but until I start work on the forward magazine and platform I won't decide how much to plank.
 
At this juncture I would say I am not a fan of carlings and ledges .... only the fore platform, two full decks, quarter deck and forecastle to do, then no more of them - yay!
 
Cheers
Rob
 

Port side inner hull planking, limber board and bolting
 
Inner hull between thick stuffs of port side were planked. Planking boards were tapered and dropped at the ends of fore and aft.
 
To simulate bolting, blackened steel pins were nailed. Two kinds of bolt heads, square and round size of around 1mm, were tried but they seem to be oversized in this small scaled ship.

Hello Christian,
 
I had a look at your very nice planing for the "Alert" in 1:32, which I find is a beautiful representant of the british naval cutters of that Age. After I started gathering Information and studying Cole`s "Alert" Version on the web with the clinker planking, my Hand already started itching to begin a build of a cutter like this.
Your skill of utilizing CAD for lines and Frame planing is amazing, unfortunately I never had the opertunity to learn CAD design during my active career
 
I shall watch your Progress with high interest. and thak you very much for sharing this with us. I wish you a good success and a happy new year
 
Nils

Mery Christmas, Jürgen.
 
Your Triton looks really good

No problem, I think I will make another ripp-off

Back to the framing dimensions.
 
I got the values of the SR, but there are mostly the same as in Steel. But both dimensions are for a 273 tons, 16 gun cutter which is much bigger than Alert.
I also got the values for Weazle, a 201 tons brigantine, which is nearly the same size as Alert and has the same room and space. (Thanks very much for the help) Unfortunately the framing dimensions do not really fit with the proportions of SR and Steel.
 
So I decided to go with two different options:
 
1. On the basis of Steel I calculated the relationship between 2'2'' and 2'0'' room and space and make my frames 92.3% of the dimensions of Steel.
2. I use the given distance between the station lines for frame 0 (8'') and calculate all other timbers in relationship to Steel.

 
The first design I will do with option 2 and the frame layout of Cheerful and Racer. These drawings are around 30 years younger but the oldest which I found with framing information.
If the design don't work, I will give the first option a try with real double frames.
 
What do you think, could both options a possible solution for the framing of the small vessel? Which option would you prefer?

Hello, some pictures of the magazine Naiad and the figurehead, the whole is yet to be finished and secure.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank's jansmiss
 
Another photo's 
 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 
 
Alberto

Hello,
many thanks for the nice comments.
Lately, here are little progress has been made.
Here are just two pictures of the model.

 


I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thank you Alistair
 
Red is a very transparent color to paint with.   If you use thin coats it will be somewhat transparent.  I have many more coats and more sanding to get it where I want but it will most likely have some transparency.
 
I found some workshop time....so I finished planking the starboard side.  Its a big milestone but then I look at the port side and have to repeat the entire process, including the square tuck   But it all worked out very well.   Once the other side is finished I can start treenailing.  
 

 

 

 

 

 
 

Back to the framing dimensions.
 
I got the values of the SR, but there are mostly the same as in Steel. But both dimensions are for a 273 tons, 16 gun cutter which is much bigger than Alert.
I also got the values for Weazle, a 201 tons brigantine, which is nearly the same size as Alert and has the same room and space. (Thanks very much for the help) Unfortunately the framing dimensions do not really fit with the proportions of SR and Steel.
 
So I decided to go with two different options:
 
1. On the basis of Steel I calculated the relationship between 2'2'' and 2'0'' room and space and make my frames 92.3% of the dimensions of Steel.
2. I use the given distance between the station lines for frame 0 (8'') and calculate all other timbers in relationship to Steel.

 
The first design I will do with option 2 and the frame layout of Cheerful and Racer. These drawings are around 30 years younger but the oldest which I found with framing information.
If the design don't work, I will give the first option a try with real double frames.
 
What do you think, could both options a possible solution for the framing of the small vessel? Which option would you prefer?

Yesterday I experimented a little bit with 3D views of my line drawings. The result is not a real 3D model but very helpful for checking the reconstruction. The two pictures are only an impression, because on the PC I can rotate the model and have a closer look to the details.
 

 

Monday, December 22, 2014
 
As promised, I finally started to implement the deck planking . .
Yesterday I spent part of the morning for the last preparatory activities: retrieve the necessary materials, prepare and glue into place the four strips of paper, taken  by the deck plans, that will indicate the width of the strip at their position. I remind everyone that the strake hasn't the same width, but are tapered at both ends, this situation has never been experienced before by me.
Finally, in the morning, I glued the first strake, the middle one, to leave it enough time to dry out completely for the afternoon, when I started with the other strips. This first strake, unlike all the others, is not tapered.
Then yesterday afternoon I started to work with other strips and I quickly learned the best way to use the Proxxon abrasive disk to taper them, so it has become a breeze. Each strake is divided into four sections that at full scale should correspond to planks of a length of around seven meters. The five central strakes are of limewood 2 x 6 while the two darker master plank are walnut 3 x 5.
For the simulation of the caulking I used the graphite method, this method, accordingly with tests previously made had proved good for the lime wood. Finally, when the glue has dried I proceeded to sand the job done and to apply a couple of coats of wood oil, which has enhanced the color immediately. . I'm "super happy" with how things are developing.
An overview. .   
01 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/P1100157_zpsfae5ce7c.jpg

And three more detailed views . . 
02 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/P1100163_zps2dae1e76.jpg

03 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/P1100162_zps1ef0e477.jpg

04 Brick%20by%20JackAubrey/P1100161_zpsa932a341.jpg

See you next time, Jack.
 

The captain, the shipwright (me, I'm at the iconograph and not at the picture) and the crew wish you all a
 
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2015
 
Meanwhile I'm ready with all these small items for the gun deck and start now with the hanging knees for the upper gun deck and installing the deck beams.
 
Siggi

Yesterday I experimented a little bit with 3D views of my line drawings. The result is not a real 3D model but very helpful for checking the reconstruction. The two pictures are only an impression, because on the PC I can rotate the model and have a closer look to the details.