druxey

I think you are on track with your keel/false keel joints, except you might wish to shift the joints of the false keel aft. The first section likely to touch would be aft, so that might be shorter. As the false keel joints do not contribute to the structural integrity of the ship, it's not critical to stagger them exactly half-way between the keel joints. I'd keep any keel taper to the cant frame areas as well. Good stuff, Joss

P.S. Some of us like history: those that don't will skip it anyway!

Just came across your impressive log, Stelios. It's always refreshing to see something more unusual as a subject.

Microcrystalline wax is much better than beeswax for rigging as well.

Enjoying your build log very much, Mati, since I discovered it!

Thanks, Gary. Ain't this all fun? Then there's Hornet's planking scheme, direct from the builder's yard: ZAZ5119. And on it goes….

Thanks, Gary. I'm sure that there were variations on the theme as you describe. I suspect that the upper deck, exposed to weather, wore more quickly than the lower gun deck. This might explain the layout on Tremendous.

ZAZ7908 shows long planks in an undated 74, obviously earlier than 1800.

On a related note, Montague, 1779 has wonderful drawings of part of her side planking that needed replacement. These drawings were obviously done as a record in the shipyard at the time. Go to the NMM site: 'Collections'>'Search'>'Montague 1779'.

My understanding is that on gun decks the planks were laid in shorter pieces, often top and butt, under the where the trucks ran. Worn pieces could then be replaced without lifting a 24' 0" or 28' 0" long plank.

While I've had proportional dividers in my kit for years, I confess that I've very rarely used them. I use a drawn proportional radiating scale on paper. Much cheaper! Just find the spot along the converging outer lines that equals the space you want to divide up - in regular or irregular fashion - and mark off the divisions on a strip of paper at right angles to the radiating lines. The marks are then transferred to wherever you want them. (The example shown is for dividing a square into an octagon.)

Generally speaking, I think you'll find that parallel laid planking came in once sawmills were established. This would be around 1800. It was easy to cut parallel sided lumber using a circular saw. Before that, everything was cut by handsaw. Also, naturally growing, slightly curved lumber was converted with less waste and would be stronger with the grain running along the curve.

Very, very impressive!

Very neatly done so far, Rob.

Looks very entertaining, Sam!

Looking terrific, Toni. And I feel so much better, knowing that the track for the door is there, even if no-one can see it

Well done, Remco. One can't always anticipate every item ahead of one. We all miss some and then have to work on something that, were we to slip….

Thanks for your comments and beveling measurements, Ed. Pre-beveling frames before erection is, as you say, theoretical. For people like yourself who work to a high degree of accuracy, it will work out beautifully, provided that the lofting and cutting is correct. For lesser mortals this is maybe not such a good idea!

Sweet, Ed! Of course there would be less fairing required, as the hull form means less extreme bevels. Yet another reason to choose the 19th over 18th century framed models!

'Camber' was used in the 18th century to describe a negative or downward curve of a deck longitudinally. Some ships' decks curved down at the bow to allow the cables to come inboard through the hawseholes on the upper deck.

Yes, Allan, that statement had me scratching my head for a while when I first came across it years ago!

It's a misprint. Should read 'hance'!

Perhaps install just a small section of deck and a few guns on one side, rather than all the armament? Then the deck structure will remain visible. However, it's your model - and a magnificent one, either way.

Good question, Sherry. I would finish your (very nicely!) carved figure so that it visually blends with the rest of your model. Basswood will darken a little with time, so it will not look quite as white as it does right now. It really depends on your personal taste. There are no wrongs or rights, really. If you are unsure, look at photos of other models and see what look appeals to you.

Definitely there is a knee at the aft end of the deck to land the planking on, as well as tie the structure together. You are the master shipwright, and can shape your knee to suit your taste and eye.

As usual, it's a delight to see your photos of progress!

Those sweet lines are becoming more apparent at each posting Ed. Exemplary. (I think that I used that word before about your work….)

Another possibility to create the flare would be to spin the tube and feed a conical piece of wood against it.

Always interesting to read correspondence that is germaine to the subject in hand! Thank you, gentlemen.

I imagine there would be tracks top and bottom. Your stalls are land-bound, so doesn't need two tracks, but imagine the door to the sail room banging around in a seaway. The lower track would be two battens nailed to the deck.