allanyed

I prefer dry bending by far, but sometimes soaking is a better way to go. If that is the case, for me, steam and hot water is way too much work and too much wasted electricity. It provides no advantage over using cold water. I use various lengths of PVC pipe with one end capped. I put in a few shaped pieces of wood n the tube and fill with distilled water. I don't trust the chemicals in the tap water. Tap water may not eat the lining of my stomach, but may have an adverse effect on the wood color or some such. I do have my priorities! Depending on the wood and thickness, it takes from a few minutes (holly) to an hour or so (pear and castello). I usually put in a few pieces at the end of the day and they are ready by morning regardless of the type of wood. I notice that most bob up as they float in the water in the pipe, so I will put an end cap on to hold them down. When they are ready, they don't pop back up once the end cap is removed (and they often sink to the bottom.) Once the pieces are all out and used, the water goes back in the jug for the next round. Allan

Hi Juzek, The sketch will be a better description. The angle of the rabbet continually changes so I was wondering how you will accomplish this change. Thanks Allan

To answer the question, yes I enjoy rigging. As I mostly work on British vessels, I live by Lees Masting and Rigging for the details on everything from dimensional information to some fine drawings on blocks and other pieces. For schooners, my second love, Chapelle's American Schooners book gives a lot of details on rigging these vessels. David Antscherl's Volume IV of TFFM offers a lot of great information on rigging. Peterson's Rigging Period Ship Model offers a lot of good information on rigging a late 18th century frigate. With these there is no reason to fear masting and rigging due to putting the wrong line in the wrong place, or using the wrong size or belaying points, some or all of which may be reasons why so many don't like rigging. Allan

Chris Never heard of a site with free patterns on figure heads but pages 243- 254 Volume II of David Antscherl's The Fully Framed Model is an excellent tutorial on drawing your own. You can find dozens of photos of figure heads on line, then use those as a sample from which to prepare your drawings. Once you finish your drawing you can make a clay sample before carving the wooden one. The clay is easy to work, fix, and do what is needed to make it right. This then gives you a three dimensional model from which to work Allan

Regarding how well hide glue works, I have hide glue residue on my work bench which has been there since about the 1920's. It ain't coming off unless I chisel it and I have no plans to do so. This bench belonged to my grandfather who was a life long cabinet maker and the bench has stayed in the family. He used hide glue for many many years. But, he switched to carpenters glue, unless he was doing restorations of antiques that originally were built with hide glue. He taught me a lot and swore that the carpenters glue was as good or better and soooooo much easier. Allan

Juzek As the angle at which the garboard strake meets the rabbet is dynamic, will you adjust the angle of the initial cut of rabbet with chisels as you show in the photos of the rabbet at the stem or will you use some other method to finish the rabbet? Allan

Juzek, Thank you for your posts. I am envious of that stack of planks of pear! Looks like you cut down a tree (or two or more) and have a nice supply to last a long time. I like the color of this unsteamed pear very much. Allan

Mike, Thanks for sharing the photos. VERY nice finish on all fronts as your attention to the little details is paying off. Allan

Great idea John. I hope you don't mind a question. Is your model a kit? The reason I ask is that the ratlines appear to be rather heavy compared to the shrouds. Mondfeld and others calls them out at about 1.5" circumference or just under 1/2" diameter. Surely these varied from era to era and nation to nation, but probably not much. This may seem small but the linear breaking strength of 3 and 4 strand 1/2" diameter hemp rope is over 2000 pounds. Regardless, thank you for sharing your idea! The clove hitches are a treat to see. Allan

I don't think there are any wooden off the shelf carriages. If the model is the Victory itself you will need a number of different sizes so I agree with Pat's post that you are far better off making them yourself. Allan

Great work as we have come to expect Ed. I love the unplanked method, including the ship's boat, and I am sure everyone here understands and appreciates it. I just hope not too many lay people that do not know this hobby ask you when you are going to finish the model, or worse, ask if the planks fell off Allan

Thanks Druxey The bevel (and later, rounding) on the forward face of the rudder is an important feature and appears to go unmentioned in kits. I have edited the sketch and added the line indicating the bevel. I also adjusted where the hinges actually are installed on the model. My fault for rushing the first sketch. Allan

To address your problem, I really would like to be able to address you by some name, even if you make one up. What do we call you? Aliphatic (carpenter's) glue is by far the most useful for wood to wood based on many many responses here at MSW and in my own experience. I assume you had a clean surface on each piece. Gaging clamping pressure? I try to use clamping or weights that would be the equivalent to modestly hard finger pressure. Too little, too much, not good. If you are having to really force things together with clamps or a lot of weight, the fit is bad, not the glue. Just one opinion. Allan

Thomas, I think by prototype, Wefalck means the way it was done in the shipyard back in the day. The attached sketch shows a hinge and rudder on the left that is close to what was commonly used on the actual ships (based on a drawing from Goodwin's Sailing Man of War) versus the design from your kit on the right I could not see all the details from your photo so I may be off a bit on the sketch and I apologize for that. Allan

Greg/Druxey I might have missed this in an earlier post, but is the material for the flag silk span? Also, what is the material used for the cover? Thanks Allan

Chuck While the model as a whole is wonderful, I especially enjoy seeing your attention to detail. For example the eyes in the channels are not standing too proud as seen on many other models, but rather are set more deeply as they should be. Very well done! Allan

Charley First, thank you for sharing. The planking style you posted is a first for me as I had never noticed this kind of layout before now. What I have always seen are the ends of the planks always end at the rabbet at going up the stem, not hook scarfed at the sheer strakes. Look at Chuck Passaro's Cutter Cheerful drawings and model and you will see what I mean. I may be wrong but I don't think that planking is close to being correct. I realize the drawing you posted shows this, but is the drawing correct? I am more than open to be corrected myself, but in reality I think it would be a very weak hull structure. I am always ready to live and learn and this one has me fascinated. Allan

Charlie, I know this subject comes up continually here, but if you study David Antscherls tutorial here at MSW on planking, and look at the fine finish on the planking that is achieved, you may wind up buying sheets and cutting the planks from the sheet stock. It is sure a lot easier than forcing straight planks of a single size into position by edge setting, (based on my own experience.) You can see from a planking expansion drawing that straight strips are not really used. A picture of the planking expansion for the HMS Squirrel follows and the schooner Ernestina planking expansion is attached as a TIFF file. The Ernestina drawing can be downloaded from the Library of Congress for free in several different formats and are extremely clear to show the plank shapes for that particular hull. I realize some planks can be tapered and then easily forced into position without too much trouble with edge setting, but depending on the hull shape and the hardness of the wood you are using, a lot of them want to buckle. Allan Planking expansion port side.tiff

Gas man What scale is the model? If 1/8" to the foot, 3mm false keel would be about 11" thick which is probably reasonably accurate. (3.175mm=1foot) , 2mm thick planking is the equivalent of 7.5 inches which is way too thick. It should be about half that if single planked. If it is 1/4" scale, the keel seems too narrow but the 2mm planking is probably pretty accurate. This of course would be for a single layer of planking. Double planking means the layers should each be half that thickness. Allan

Les, Lavery gives a detailed description on page 233 in his book The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War. From about 1625 onwards there was an increasing tendency to hoist all boats aboard and had probably become standard by the second haf of the seventeenth Century................... ....Because the largest boat were stowed between the mainmast and the foremast.............a complicated tackle was needed for hoisting them in and out................the first stage was to raise the boat from its position amidships. Two pendants hung from the masts, one from under the top of the mainmast, the other from under the top of the foremast. When in use these were joined together by another rope known as the triatic stay, which was the same length as the boat. A tackle was hung from the lower end of each of the pendants, one to lift each end of the boat. Once the boat had been lifter, it had to be swung outboard. the main and fore yards were angled inwards towards one another, and a tackle was extended from each yardarm to one end of the boat. If the boat was heavy, the yards had to be supported with extra ropes in addition to their normal lifts. Other ropes led from the bows and stern of the boat to the deck and were used to control its motion. The boat was swung outwards until the tackle from the yardarms took the weight,, and the it was lowered into the water. The procedure was reversed for hoisting the boat in. Hope this is of some help. Allan

Nigel, Yes, Titebond is one of my top two choices, the other being Elmer's Carpenter glue. Allan

Nigel I have no personal experience with kits but regarding the glue, aliphatic glue is PVA that has been modified to be stronger and is commonly called yellow glue or carpenter's glue. If there was a poll here, I am pretty sure it would be the most commonly used glue for binding wood to wood. Epoxy is excellent for times when you have a tiny surface area for the glue. Cyanoacrylate might work for some things, but I have never found where carpenters, PVA or epoxy are not better choices, are less dangerous and have no sheer problems like CA. Allan

Susan There is a thread on dry bending that is currently active in this particular forum that you may find interesting. Allan

JP Based on a quick Google search I believe there is a contemporary model of Fair American at Preble Hall on which modern kit plans are supposedly based. I do not recall seeing it myself on my few visits, but I am sure they can let you know. There is said to be no contemporary set of plans in existence. You might want to try to contact Preble Hall for some help. I think there is still a model club known as the volunteer model shipwrights that meets there in the museum shop (oh my, what a nice shop they have to use) and possibly they can help you. Go to the Preble Hall website and it will get you started. museummodels@usna.edu Allan

Michael, Maybe I missed it elsewhere, but what temperature are you setting it for when bending the planking. I know auto-ignition of wood varies with species, but was curious as to what temperature settings you have tried for the Castello. $99 does not seem terribly expensive and is worth the tranquility derived from not using her hair dryer! Allan