Jeronimo

Hi Guys. Another update for you and this time as far back as we can go on the orlop, but has more to do with strengthen the transom's more then the Orlop deck. Some call them sleeper beams and Goodwin call's them transom knee's, which you can see on page 108 in his book Sailing Man of War,1650-1850.In the photo's you will also see the last beam of the gun deck along with knee's for the deck transom and the knees for the last deck beams. Most 3rd rates had three of them per side. Hope you enjoy the photo's folks.
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks guys. There is a couple of places around here that's up for sell Clipper. At the moment the closes ship modeler lives about two hours away. Hopping maybe just maybe I can get to the NRG get together this year but will have to wait and see at the moment.
Thanks Robin, I also like Ed T's build log. He has given me some great ideals that has help me with some area's that I have come across.
Thanks Ed, but does seem that you are a little on the nice side but do enjoy your build very very much. Also look fwd to your next book when it comes out.
 
Hi Guy. Your very welcome sir and if there are any other pleaces that you wish to see, just let me know sir.
To show more on her Orlop deck going aft, this shows the last of the store rooms on this deck. One thing that I did detail on these store rooms was the windows and the door knobs. One can just feel how hot it got down here with only the gratings suppling air flow. Reminds me of being in the attic running circuts for some ones house.

 
 

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 171– Head Continued - Figurehead
Posted 1/10/13
 
Based on the comments I guess I glossed over the actual carving of the figurehead so I will offer this still abbreviated description of the process. I hope to document the whole process in much more depth in volume II. Again, I don’t represent this process as ideal, but merely the one I used. I believe I covered the maquette in the previous part.
 
The first picture shows the “composite” side pattern pasted to a block of European Boxwood (buxus sempervirens). This is an outstanding carving wood – hard, dense grain, polishes well.
 
 

 
The three patterns used can be seen to the right in the photo. They were created by tracing over the 3D rendered images seen at the left, then overlaid on the drawing of the bow for final sizing, orientation, addition of hair and drapery and any needed adjustments. This was done in the CAD program. These patterns were used for the maquette.
 
The “composite” pattern was made by superimposing the two side patterns to outline the maximum extent of the figure for cutting the overall shape. This was done on the scroll saw. The next picture shows the block having been cut out in both planes.
 
 

 
After cutting out the side shape, patterns were pasted on each side and a rough front view sketched in pencil on to the forward side of the block. The side shapes were then roughed out on the scroll saw. These side cutoffs were useful in positioning various features on the carving later. Measurements were also taken from the maquette to locate features.
 
In the next picture the head and upper torso have been given a general shape with the carving clamped in the vise.
 
 

 
The head was done first with enough facial detail to assure that the final face could be finished successfully – before moving on to the torso. This preliminary work was largely done with rotary tools and burr cutters or powdered diamond abrasive bits. Getting the face shaped is a critical step and can be difficult. Females – especially attractive young females – are challenging. Overly prominent features, sagging jowls and deep-set eyes all make the figure seems older – and sometimes even masculine. Most of this work was done with hand tools once the basic head was shaped and the eye sockets defined with a small spherical diamond grit rotary tool.
 
The next pictures show the rotary tools used.
 

 
I have two of these Wecheer tools because I use them so often for drilling and sometimes buffing. They can be held like a pencil. Various bits are shown to the left. The four bits to the left side are diamond abrasive shapes. The tiny burrs in the yellow case are Fox burs. These are very tiny. The rotary tool to the right is fitted with a screw mandrel. A small circle of Scotchbrite pad has been screwed onto the end and is used for buffing. Small sanding boards and flexible sanding strips up to 2000 grit were also used for polishing.
 
The next picture shows the rough carving with the maquette.
 
 

 
Some adjustments were made to the final head shape and pose. The upper torso is pretty well shaped in this picture.
 
The next picture shows some of the hand tools used for carving and final detailing.
 

 
A surprising amount of rough paring could be done with a simple modeling knife but straight chisels were used quite a bit for that as well. The tools to the left are small gouges made from drill rod. The very tiny gouge at the far left was made from a bit of syringe tubing. The small abrasive files were very useful for shaping and veining. They can be used in any direction and are good for smoothing out gouge cuts. The Two Cherries tool is a very mall curved gouge. I also used a similar v-gouge quite a bit.
 
In the next picture the roughed out figure has been fitted to the bow.
 

 
The mounting slot was cut with a saw and square files. A major portion of carving block behind the figure remains. This allows it to be clamped in the vise. Once the figure was fit into place this could be removed as shown in the next picture.
 

 
The figure is almost complete in this picture. There is still some final work to do on the hands, feet, face, etc. Closeup photos like this one – or closer - are very helpful in finding areas for further work. There will be a short extension of the lower cheek with a scroll installed on each side just behind the figure’s foot.
 
The last picture shows the figure at this stage from the other side.
 

 
Because the figure represents a swimming nymph, there is not a lot of drapery; so the area behind the torso had to be filled in. I did this by extending slightly the upper part of the lacing timber. This is visible in both these last pictures. Doing this in pear helped define the slender shape of the figure.
 
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 170– Head Continued
Posted 1/4/13
 
Things slowed down a bit over the holidays, but I was able to continue work on the head structure. In the first picture the assembled upper cheek on the port side is being attached.
 
 

 
The two parts of these assemblies were glued together first while clamped in place, but not glued to the beakhead. The assemblies were then aligned to the back of the lacing and glued on one at a time.
 
Since there was wait time being gluing these parts together I started work on the figurehead. The next picture shows the beginning of work on a maquette made with an epoxy molding compound – MagicSculpt.
 

 
I have used this material extensively for making patterns for casting of 1:60 military figures. It is applied over a copper wire armature pushed into a cork to enable handling. The material is then built up progressively and shaped using fancy tools like round toothpicks.
 
The design of the figure took some research and some drafting time. It is supposed to represent a water nymph (a naiad) swimming. As I have mentioned earlier, there is no decoration plan for Naiad, so the carvings are all speculative. To complicate the decoration decisions, Naiad was under construction when the Admiralty issued its 1796 order to reduce decoration and eliminate full figures. This second part was very unpopular and may have been ignored at least for a time. I feel reasonably safe with the level of decoration on the Naiad model – no one can know for sure.
 
The next picture shows the almost-completed model posing near the head.
 

 
In this picture a template scrap is being used to position the figure. The next picture shows the finished maquette mounted on the head.
 

 
In the picture the bolster is also being glued in place under the hawse holes. The gammoning knee assembly has also been made with a scarph joint joining its two parts. It is glued in between the gammoning piece of the head and the stem.
 
The next picture shows the structure as the trailboard was being fit between the two cheeks.
 

 
After it was installed, holes were drilled from the opposite side at the ends of the gammoning slot. This opening was then filed out as will be seen in some of the later photos. The opposite side can then be done in the same way.
 
In the next picture, the carving of the final figurehead is well along.
 

 
There were a lot of steps to get to this point that I will not take space here to describe. The three views on the pattern sheet and the maquette were of course used as a guide and to transfer measurements as the carving progressed.
 
The next picture shows the unfinished figure being fit to the structure.
 

 
The figure is not yet finished except for the shaping of the torso and the face. The face was done first to save work in case it didn’t turn out. Fortunately only one try was needed, so I have spared myself the agony of wasting a good sized block of Euro Boxwood – so far. A slot in the figure to fit on the structure was cut with files and a small chisel after being roughed out on the scroll saw.
 
The next picture shows the figure fit temporarily into place.
 
 

 
With the width of the slot determined, the lower legs can be finished. The arms, hands, hair and drapery still need to be carved as well. This can now be done with the position of the figure and its intersection with the underlying structure established.
 
Although carving is a nice diversion, there is still a lot of interesting work to do on the head structure and that is still the priority right now.
 
Ed

Hello,
here an update ...
 

Hi Karl,
Thanks for the nice comment.
And here's a little update.

 

 

 

 

Hello,
 
here the making of chain plates for deadeyes, step by step in images.
 









 
To be continued, now in real time

Alexander

Hello,

the next task is to make deadeyes. I have tried to photograph each step, and hope the images are self explainable.
 
One end rounded with "truck tool"

Turned and cutted

Holding tool for drilling






 
Truning of the holder


The first deadeye

One side done, shaped witn fine grind paper

Ready deadeye

And here are these

 
This was the last post from me before crash, so the re-building of the log is now done.
 
To be continued

Alexander

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 169– Cheeks
Posted 12/2312
 
Lofting the patterns for the cheeks was almost as interesting as making them – perhaps more so. In addition to getting a close approximation of the shape, I also wanted to minimize the waste of the precious European Boxwood. The patterns were lofted as a projection on the surfaces of a block of wood oriented for good grain direction and from which two of these could be cut. The patterns pasted on to a block of wood are shown below.
 
 

 
The patterns are placed back to back on a block wide enough to allow the sectional views to be cut first – on a scroll saw. The upper part with the “plan” view was then taped back on to the convex side of the shape cut out. The plan shape was then cut out. There is a similar plan pattern on the opposite side. To be sure of a fit, I tried this out on a pine block first.
 
The next picture shows the upper and lower starboard cheeks pinned in place during fit up.
 
 

 
These two cheeks are so similar I was able to use one set of patterns for all four. The lower cheek in this picture has had its molding scraped on.
 
The next picture is a view from the front while these were being fit up.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the pattern for the hair bracket pasted on to check for a fit and mark the ends of the scarph joint.
 
 

 
The patterns for the hair brackets were simple since they are parallel to the centerline. I cut the lower cheek just a bit short - maybe two inches. I may replace this to allow the trail board to extend further beyond the end of the gammoning slot. This was a cutting - not a drafting – error.
 
The next picture shows the port hair bracket glued to a block for carving.
 
 

 
The scarph was cut and fit first, using the pattern as shown in the previous picture. The next picture shows the finished scroll on the starboard side.
 
 

 
This has been glued to the cheek but not to the beakhead. The scarph is just visible at the left. The moldings were cut with a bead scraper one edge at a time. This allows the beads to close gradually towrd the front as the siding of the member gets smaller.
 
The last two pictures picture show the assembly pinned in place.
 
 

 

 
At some point between the early 1780’s the hawse holes moved from between the cheeks to above the upper cheek. I had not noticed this before, but came across this difference when checking some model photos – Minerva and Leda in the Rogers collection for example. I find this very interesting and will do some research to see when this switch occurred and the relationship between the holes and the upper deck in the two variations..
 
This may be the last update of the year, so I will wish everyone a very merry Christmas and a happy 2013.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 168– Channels
Posted 12/12/12

The next leap forward was the installation of the channels – but first a small carving chore – the scroll just forward of the gallery windows.



The next picture shows the mizzen channel with its supporting iron T-plates installed.




The T-plates were fabricated from two pieces of copper. A slot was milled on the bottom of the horizontal piece to fit the end of the lower arm. The slot was milled before ripping off the individual pieces on the circular saw. These were then silver soldered. As the next picture shows there are backing plates for these brackets on the tops of the channels. Also, the outer bolts are eyebolts. The slots for the deadeye bindings were cut before installing the T-plates.



The T-plates were attached with copper through bolts, peened to hold everything in place. The next picture shows the main channel. The tops of the eyebolts were clamped in a vise to allow the bottoms to be peened over.

The T-plates ate generally located so they can be bolted into the second frame from the gun port. I say generally because these also need to avoid the slots for the deadeye bindings that were located from the original sheer plan. They also need to avoid the long horizontal bolts through the channels.



Neither of these channels are permanently installed yet. Note the bracket for the main stunsail boom at the forward end of the main channel.

The next picture shows the aft channels and stools installed.



The ironwork was blackened first. The channels were then washed clean, dried then glued to the side, aligned and secured with bolts at the bottom ends of the T-plate arms. They are very secure.

The next picture shows the main channel.


The copper was blackened as usual with liver of sulfur after the parts were attached. To solder these parts I used a new product – a silver solder paste with copper in the composition. It fluxes around 1250 degrees like other silver solder, but unlike ordinary silver solder it can be blackened with LOS. There is not much solder showing on these parts but I did some tests before making these to be sure it would blacken.

The next picture is a closer view.



The bolts at the ends of the lower arms were installed like those on the iron knees on the deck beams. A under-sized hole drilled into the frame under the planking, a sharpened bit of copper wire forced in then clipped off just above the surface of the arm, then peened over by hammering – following by a touch of LOS on the bolt heads.

The last picture shows the fore channel from above.




Ed

Unfortunately, with all the reposts, the build log has fallen a few months behind actual progress.  I just thought I would let everyone know that Naiad  was completed yesterday.  I will however, continue with the step-by-step build log through the completion.  There are about 15 more reposts to do first.
 
Below is a picture of the finished model, returned to where she began, on my drafting table - off my workbench and out of the shop for the first time in over three years.  It looks empty in there without her.  Right now the workbench is being put to use on her case.
 

 
Ed
 
ps.  The "bunker" over the wheel will come off later, just before she enters the case - or maybe for some photos.

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 158– Quarterdeck continued
Posted 10/31/12
 
Still working on the detail on the quarterdeck. There was a question after the last post on the process for turning mast rings. The first picture shows the set up for this and the tools used.
 

 
A flat square of European Boxwood about the thickness of the ring was glued directly to a round block – actually a leftover from turning the wheel or maybe the capstan. The next picture shows the piece in the lathe.
 

 
The bore was turned first using the boring tool in the center of the top picture. Here the outer diameter. is being turned - back far enough so the ring can be parted off. The curve is then cut with the rounded tool on the right in the first picture. The ring was given its final shape with files then sanded and polished in the lathe with steel wool.
 
The scuttles for the top tackles were revised after some comments on the last post. The coamings were removed and a planked hatch installed on the port side as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This picture also shows some of the deck ironwork. All of this has now been installed. The next picture shows the fore brace bitts before installation of their sheaves.
 
 

 
The sheaves in these are less than 2” thick so I was stuck for a process to make square openings that small. I first made these by laminating the entire piece but the laminations were too pronounced, so I decided to saw out slots from the bottom and fill these up to the sheave openings. The joints can be seen above, but will be much less noticeable at the bottoms of these when installed. The next picture shows the cutting the slots.
 
 

 
The three slots are being cut with a .023” slotting saw blade – very slow speed and very shallow cuts to avoid burning the wood and really accentuating the laminations. Thin pieces were then glued in. The very thin sheaves were turned to their diameter of 9”, parted off with a x-acto knife, sanded to fit the slots, then dyed and installed. The next picture shows the two bitts in place.
 
 

 
These will be bolted to the beam and the main jeer bitt pins below – when the glue has set. The next picture shows these from the forward side.
 
 

 
The cross piece will be added later. Two length of shot rack have been installed. One is visible in this picture.
 
The last picture shows more of the quarterdeck.
 

 
The ringbolts outside the hatches are for the guns. The other shot rack is also visible. Small ringbolts were installed on the top tackle scuttle hatch. Except for some features aft of the wheel, the quarterdeck is pretty much finished.
 
 
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 166– Side Planking, Rails and Details continued
Posted 12/06/12
 
After the last post, there was some discussion of the channels and how they were fastened to the side planking.  The first picture shows the mizzen channel still only pinned in place, but the drainage openings at the side have been cut and the lines of the planks that make up the channel assembly have been scribed.  I decided to save some time and make the channels in one piece rather than faying curved planks together..
 
 

 
The next picture shows the way the ends of the drift rails were made.
 

 
The oddly shaped piece set on top of the drift is oversized relative to the srolled end of the rail that will be glued to its face.  When attached the shaped block will be pared and filed off to match the scroll.  This was also the method used on the two ends of the drifts on the forecastle.  With these pieces in place, the planksheer could be installed and this is shown in the next picture.
 

 
It is pinned for alignment then glued and clamped down using the port openings for clamping.
 
The next picture shows the upper drift rail of the quarterdeck after installation.
 

 
This was installed as one long piece to assist alignment.  The port openings were then sawed out.  The forward scroll of this rail has been installed.   The small piece of curved rail just aft of that piece has yet to be installed.  The next picture shows this being glued in place.
 
 

 
In the next picture the scrolled outer rail section is being matched up to the aft end of the upper forecastle drift.
 
 

 
This rail will be formed in pieces around the timberheads, which will be shaped into the tops of the forward frames.  The curvature of this rail, the scrolled end and the number of openings for the frames make this a difficult job to do in one piece.  The next picture shows the installation of this rail in progress.
 
 

 
The scrolled ends have been pretty well finished off along with the first piece beteen the aft timberheads.  The next piece has been glued in but not leveled yet.  The outer part of this rail with the scroll was made in one piece forward to the first port opening.  The inner part of the rail will be installed last.
 
The last picture shows the scrolled end of the drift rails to the quarterdeck.
 
 

 
The area above the upper drift rail would have been left as an open rail in earlier days.  The berthing up above this line that I have installed is planked from darker pear to highlight this.  The difference in color should be more pronounced after finish is applied.  Almost ready for the roughtree rail.
 
 
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 165– Side Planking, Rails and Details
Posted 11/28/12
 
Work continues at a pretty good pace.  The first picture shows a blank for the two fenders being checked for shape against the side. 
 

 
The inside face was shaped on a larger block.  A parallel line to that shape was then drawn on the piece and the blank shown above was cut off on a scroll saw.  The two fenders were then ripped off from this and tapered to the bottom.  The beaded moldings on the outside edges were then formed with a scraper.  The next picture shows the fenders installed.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the chesstree – shaped by the same process.
 
 

 
The sheave opening was made by drilling a line of small holes then cutting out the rest with a very small mortise chisel.  The next picture shows the installed Chesstree.
 
 

 
The planking above the shear strakes at the side of the quarterdeck is shown in progress in the next picture.
 

 
The next picture shows the planking and “berthing up” of the quarterdeck area completed.
 

 
I used European boxwood for the area below the top drift rail.  This would have been planked even if the full berthing-up was not installed – as on earlier ships.  The area above that line was planked with pear.
 
The next picture shows the forward scroll on the lower drift rail being fitted before gluing.
 
 

 
I am using the same profile for this rail as for the shear rail below.  This piece was tricky to fit because it sits over the break in planking thickness between the 3” shear rail and the 2 ½” strake above.  That doesn’t seem like much difference but some paring was needed to get it to lie flat.  Carving the scroll took a couple of hours using small gouges, a scribing tools, a very small burr and a 10x Optivisor.  My hands are getting too shaky for this.  There will be a small simpler scroll atop this piece.  The forward part of side plank and the frames above will be cut back to match it.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 164– Rails and Channels
Posted 11/24/12
 
With the shear strakes installed, the next step was to install the shear rail and the waist rail below it. 
 
 

 
The top of the shear rail follows the line of the top edge of the lower shear strake and the top of the waist rail is 2 feet below it.  The shape of the rails was scraped on the edge of a 6” thick plank using a scraper filed out on a piece of plate.  There are two different shapes for these.  After scraping the rails were ripped off to the 3” thickness.  All of the planking and the trim in this picture is European Boxwood.  The shear rail was cut out to seat the channels – the mizzen channel in this picture.  These are about an inch thinner than the shear rail.  The next picture shows this work progressing forward.
 
 

 
Again, the wet spots are from washing off the glue.  The next picture shows the first channel sections pinned in place.
 
 

 
I decided to make these of Castello – like the decks.  They are tapered to the outer edge.  Bolt heads are just visible.  They are held in place at this stage by short copper stub “bolts”.  I intend to install the iron T-plates and other detail before installing these permanently.  The next picture shows another view of this.
 

 
In the next picture the main channel is fit into place. 
 

 
I made all the channels 2’10” in breadth.  The contract calls for these to be broad enough to allow the shrouds to clear the roughtree rail with 10” clear.  This took a bit of layout work.  The slots for the deadeye bindings will be cut before installation of the ironwork.
 
In the next picture the rails have been extended forward into the waist area.
 

 
The waist rail in this area will have to be cut out where it crosses over the sweep ports.  The end of the shear rail at the left of this picture will butt right up against the forward fender.  The planksheer will fit directly on top of the upper shear stake in this picture.  That line also defines the tops of the frames.  The planksheer was flush with the gangway planking in this area.
 
The next picture shows the fore channel and the shear rail up to the cathead.
 

 
The fore channel has more curve than the other two – as does the rail.  The forward end of the rail will be trimmed back when the cathead knee is installed and the rail forward of that will be installed then as well.
 
In the next picture the side steps have been installed.
 
 

 
The break in the shear rail just forward of the steps is left for the fenders.  The bottom two steps are pear and will be stained to match the wale.  The molded shape of the steps was formed with a third cutter and the steps filed to that shape at the ends.
 
The next picture shows all the channels installed along the side.
 

 
The bunker has been put back over the wheel.  I had left it off after finishing the quarterdeck to prove to the Thanksgiving guests that it actually turns the rudder.  Now it is quite safe.
 
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 163– Sheer Strakes
Posted 6/16/13
 
 
Before moving to the outside of the hull there are two pictures relating to the work in the last post.  The first is a close-up of the belfry taken during its final polishing and before bolt head blackening.
 

 
The next is a picture of the finished forecastle.
 
 

 
In this picture the crosspieces to the bits have been installed as well as the ironwork on the side for the guns.  Also the stack and base plate have been re-blackened again for the fifth time.  I am hoping they will hold this finish.  This time I used another “blue” product – Brass Black – for gun metalwork and followed their instructions exactly.  We’ll see what happens.
 
So, on to the outside of the hull.  The first picture shows the beginning of the installation of the sheer strakes.
 
 

 
 
These are two strakes, each about 10” wide and 4” thick, about ½” thicker than the planking just below.  The top of the lower strake will be the top of the shear rail – and also the top of the channels – so the line needs to be correct.  New measurements were taken all along the hull to recheck this and some minor adjustments to the plank below were made.
 
The next picture shows the lower strake installed up to the waist.
 

 
The two strakes also need to come up flush with the tops of the frames in the waist area.  This picture also shows the hooked scarph for the next section which is resting on the side just above.  This picture also shows that as the lower strake begins to rise relative to the ports, it has been widened to fit down to the port lintels to avoid a too thin bit of lower plank on these two ports.  Aft of this it rises enough to allow the lower plank to be cut out leaving half or more of its width.  The area of the sheer strake plank on the after port has been pared back in thickness to match the planking below.  The other has yet to be cut in this way.
 
The next picture shows the work beginning in the bow.
 
 

 
This piece was boiled first then clamped around the curve to dry.  The joints were then cut and in this picture it is being glued in place.  The thickness of the plank being installed was thinned down at the front to fit the rabbet in the post – as was done for the wales planks.
 
In the next picture a closing piece of the lower strake is being fit up and its joint marked.
 

 
The next picture shows a section of the upper strake being installed.
 
 

 
The last picture shows the closing piece of the upper strake being installed.
 

 
The dark areas in all these pictures are moisture from washing off the glue.  Once these two strakes are leveled off and fine sanded, the shear rail can be installed, followed by the waist rail two feet below it.
 
The sizes and spacing of all the rails varies between the sources – Steel, contracts and the Naiad draft.  In general I followed the draft where a good measurement could be taken.  More on that in the next part.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 162– Forecastle continued
Posted 11/14/12
 
 
The parts for the forecastle breast rail are shown below.
 

 
The long strip in the center will be used for segments of plank under the knees where there is no decking. The next picture shows the stanchions and knees installed on the port side with the rail being used to hold the spacing at the top.
 

 
When this glue on this has dried the rail will be removed for final sizing and drilling of the belaying pin holes. The next picture shows work on the starboard side.
 

 
In this picture the stanchions are just pinned in place with small bits of wire inserted in holes in the breast beam. The first through mortise has been cut in the rail and the position of the next one is being checked.
 
The next picture shows the four posts for the belfry – the next task.
 

 
These were shaped with chisels and files – mostly files of the type shown. But the lines across the posts were first marked with a very fine edge file of the type used to sharpen Japanese woodworking saws.
 
The next picture shows the assembly of one side.
 

 
The three wood parts were end glued in a fixture to hold the squareness and to keep the sides parallel. As soon as the glue was fully dried bolt holes were drilled on both sides and a wire bolt – as shown – was CA glued into each. These sub-assemblies were extremely fragile until the entire completed belfry was installed.
 
The next picture shows the assembled belfry and the bell mounted on its beam with the ringer handle.
 

 
The copper parts in this picture, including the bolts through the posts are about to be turned black.
 
The next picture shows the belfry assembled and installed.
 

 
The four posts are secured into the deck beams with wire pins. This picture also shows the finished breast rails. The next picture shows this area from the forward side.
 

 
You will notice in this picture that there are no bolts holding the iron plate for the stack. Both the plate and the stack had to be removed to redo the blackening on the brass. Even this picture taken after the re-blackening, shows some brown spots re-appearing. The process used on this second treatment was to remove the wax and first blackening, soak the parts in hot TIVO solution (a pre-plating cleaner), rinse in clean water, blacken in a new batch of dilute selenium solution (Blacken-it), rinse thoroughly in water with dish detergent, dry and buff. Next time copper with liver of sulfur! I am about to reach for the paint can.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 161– Forecastle
Posted 11/10/12
 
The outer planking on the forecastle had been done earlier. The next step on the forecastle was to install the coamings and head ledges for the two hatches on this deck. The first picture shows these.
 
 

 
The forward hatch has been fitted with a grating. This hatch is directly over the front cooking area of the stove. The smaller hatch will be left uncovered to show the lids on the two kettles below. The area between these will have an iron plate around the stack to isolate the heat from the wood framing. The scuttle for the top tackles abuts the forward hatch. At this stage most of the decking has been installed and treenailed.
 
The next picture shows more of the decking.
 
 

 
In this picture the treenailing has just been completed and parts of the deck are damp from washing off the treenail glue. The hole has been cut for the foremast and the mast ring is waiting to be installed.
 
The next picture shows the full extent of the forecastle decking after all the treenailing, sanding of the deck and installation of the mast ring..
 
 

 
Holes have been drilled for the eyebolts astride the mast ring and for the scuttle ringbolts. The next picture shows a closer view at this stage.
 

 
In addition to the bolt holes mentioned above, this picture shows the two holes for the gun tackle ringbolts – fore and aft of, and just one strake outside the bitts.
 
In the next picture some of the eyebolts have been installed and the unfinished stack assembly is fit over the stub on top of the stove.
 

 
The stack was fabricated from brass tubing with a solid turned reducing section that will be just above the iron plate. The three bits of tubing and the solid reducer were silver soldered together.
 
The next picture shows the completed stack assembly and the iron plate.
 
 

 
The stack has a baffle plate over its opening and two arms to facilitate turning it. The baffle and its brackets were made from a single piece of .01” copper sheet. The small parts were silver soldered to the stack. The lower part of the stack is brass tubing that telescopes over the stub on the stove. The plate will be bolted to the beams.
 
The next picture shows the final installation with the stack and plate blackened and given a protective coat of microcrystalline wax.
 

 
The next picture is a view from the opposite side that also shows the ringbolts in the deck for the guns.
 

 
The breast rails, the belfry, the crosspieces to the bitts, gun ringbolts in the side, plus some final cleanup, sanding and finishing will bring the forecastle up to the essentially finished state of the quarterdeck.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 160– Quarterdeck Detailing continued
Posted 11/7/12
 
The first picture shows the top rail of the breast rail about to be glued to the stanchions.
 

 
Raising the rail on the pins to apply the glue avoids problems of finding the pinholes when they are covered with glue. The lower rail has been glued and its height set by the sized blocks set on the breast beam. After the glue had set on all this, bolts were installed in the top rail and the ends trimmed to size.
 
There was still some work to do aft of the wheel. The next picture shows a hole being cut for one of the bitts aft of the mizzen mast.
 

 
These features are all a tight fit in this area, but I have followed the profile draft closely. These bitts will be bolted horizonatlly through the beam. I have some little men engaged to come in and install the bolt under the deck below the hole being cut in the above picture.
 
The next picture shows the rough structure of the companion loosely set in place.
 

 
The bitts are installed in this picture. The companion was built up from eight pieces and in this picture still needs to have these pieces finished off. The next picture shows the mullions and 32 panes of “stone ground glass” installed.
 
 

 
The mullion joinery was cut on the milling machine with the spacing calculated from the opening size. The stone-ground glass was simulated by rubbing a clear plastic sheet with abrasives. I assume the ground glass specified in the contract was to diffuse the sunlight and/or provide some privacy.
 
In the next picture the crosspiece to the bitts has been added along with the decking aft of the companion.
 
 

 
This picture was taken after application of the wax finish to the port side of the quarterdeck. The next picture shows most of the deck at this stage.
 

 
Additional ringbolts have been installed in the deck aft of the companion and in the seat transom for the last carronade port and the port stern chase gun. The sides have not received finish. I will do that after the roughtree rail is installed. I still need to make a decision on pin rails. I believe they would have been installed after the Navy took possession and are not in the contract, but I may install them.
 
The last picture shows the completed breast rail with its fresh coat of finish and the completed brace bitt structure..
 
 

 
This essentially completes the quarterdeck. I now expect to work on bringing the forecastle up to the same state.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 159– Quarterdeck Breast Rail
Posted 11/3/12
 
The breast rail required small turnings for the eight stanchions. These are 5” (.08”) square. The issue with these is to get the round area centered on the square – and to make the turnings reasonably identical in shape. The first picture shows a turning in progress.
 
 

 
I began these using a four jaw centering chuck with the opposite end on a dead center, but found that the independent 4-jaw chuck set up as shown in the picture gave more accurate results. Once the first piece is centered, loosening the same two jaws to remove pieces then retightening these on the next piece was pretty efficient and held the centerline well. The length of the turned area was marked with dividers then turned by eye with the tool shown.
 
The next picture shows the final set of stanchions.
 
 

 
I turned a dozen or so then selected the most uniform, cut them to length and turned the round tenons on the bottoms in the same lathe setup – but with a square cutter. The next picture shows the stanchions with three blanks for the rails.
 
 

 
Two rails are needed. The third is a spare. These are extra wide at this stage. The holes were drilled on center through a thick piece from which the three rails shown were ripped off – leaving identical hole spacing. The drawing fragment above shows the positions of the two rails.
 
The next picture shows the through-mortises in the lower rail being cut.
 
 

 
First the square was marked out on the rail around the previously drilled hole. A larger hole was then drilled and the square opened out with chisels and a small square file.
 
One of the other rails was used as a template to drill pilot holes in the breast beam as shown below.
 
 

 
These holes were then enlarged to the size of the tenons on the stanchions - manually with a larger bit in a pin vise. The next picture shows the stanchions loosely in place with one of the rails pinned into holes drilled in the top center of each stanchion.
 
 

 
The lower rail was fit and removed before this picture was taken. The next picture shows the stanchions glued to the breast beam, the lower rail fit over it and the blank for the upper rail pinned on top – both temporarily.
 

 
You may notice that this picture also shows the crosspiece of the brace bitts installed and the bitts bolted. This was done following the previous post.
 
The last picture shows the current state of the installation.
 
 

 
Having the rails fitted temporarily allowed the alignment and symmetry of the stanchions to be checked after gluing. When the glue sets, the lower rail, which has been sanded smooth, will be raised up to apply glue then slid back into place with spacers on the beam to set the height. It is a tight fit. When dry the top rail will be attached with bolts or treenails. The ends of the rails will be cut off in place. It feels like there should be some knees supporting this structure but I haven’t seen any examples of this.
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 167– Topside Rails
Posted 12/09/12
 
The first picture shows the roughed out forward forecastle rail being fitted.
 

 
Once it was fit between the knighthead and the first timberhead, the outer curve was shaped, the width marked along the inside and the forward curved section cut parallel to final width.  Both edges were then molded with the half-round scraper.  The aft end was then boiled and curved to fit the frames.
 
In the next picture this rail is almost complete.
 

 
The center pieces and the inside rails have been fitted to the completed outside rail.  The next picture shows the final rail installation completed.
 

 
Before installing the roughtree rail on the quarterdeck, the two fixed blocks and the last parts of the drift rails needed to be installed.  The next picture shows that work completed.
 

 
Work also began on the other side.  The next picture shows the planksheer at the waist on the port side installed.
 

 
The piece of boxwood on the waist beams will be used for the port side forward forecastle rail.
 
In the next picture the first section of the starboard roughtree rail is being installed.
 

 
First it was formed with the half-rounds on each side.  The width of this rail is just under 16 inches.  The tops of the frames are just under six inches, the top planking inside and out is 2 ½ inches and the 2 ½ inches of half-round extends outside of the planking on each side.  If my math is right that is just less the 16 inches.  The forecastle rail width was set in the same way but is slightly wider because the spirketing on the forecastle is thicker.  The inside of the frames were given a light sanding to bring them to the correct thickness.  The rail was pinned to the correct curve and projection on the planked side.  In the picture it has been raised up on the pins to allow glue to be applied.
 
 I joined the fore and aft sections of this rail with a hook scarph.  In the next picture the aft section of rail is being glued down.  The two clamps are making the hook scarph joints tight.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the forward section of rail on the opposite side glued down.
 
 

 
Ed

Hi Alexandru.
Sorry sir and forgive me for stealing your log and after this I will not say another word on this small platform.
Hi Norriro.
To me the biggest question is when did Victory received this little deck and yes sir I do agree that this little platform did show up through out wooden ships. I went looking for some more primary research on this and did find a couple or is it one and some other's that are contempory. I have added 5 photo's showing the changes to Victory's bow and one that shows a first rate with a round bow. There is a picture like this one that is the Victory but I can't seem to find it now which is why I put this one here. The main one showing a model of the Victory's beakhead buckhead after she had her large repair in 1803 prior to the battle of Trafalgar, which is what the NMM web site says about it. If you look you can see the height of the chase ports from the deck. Now if you look at the painting, not sure of its date but looking at the back ground it probably was in the 1920's when she was being refit as she was post to look like in 1805. In this photo you can see that the chase ports are not at the same height as in the first picture which is probably due to the raised small platform. This is the time that I believe they strip away the round bow and tried to give her that 1805 look but the model shows what it really was post to look like in 1805. Her beakhead I don't belive is right if you compare the two. Also I added a painting not sure of the date but shows Victory breaking the French line with the same beakhead bulk head. I do believe as you said because her bow was all shot up, that when she was repaired do believe that is when she got her round bow, just like the older ship in the picture. The model also shows how the upper wale, stop short of the stem and ends under the aft part of the main rail. Could be total wrong sir but does give food for thought, and has been interesting. Thank you.
Gary

...

Here are some progress pictures for the last couple of weeks.

Almost completed the reparation of the planking. Only one plank is missing, some nailing and a thorough sanding.
If you look at the last two pictures (after and before) taken from almost the same angle, I think it looks lot better now. I am happy with the result. And it was a couple of weeks small diversion from the deck framing.
 
Alexandru