ianmajor

Thanks Nigel, Tim and Matti for comments!
 
Work goes on. I finished all 6 cannons a the rudder. Starting with deck furniture and fittings. I´m workin on hatches, binnacle and windlass.

That is probably why they call it a "cock".  
 
Yves

Hiya Mike,
 
Yes, the lack of boats for the kit are a bit out of the norm and I considered adding some to my own model. I reconsidered because of the fact that they would hide the details of the gun deck. I spent a goodly amount of time rigging those guns down there and it would have been tragic to then cover them up with boats on the booms!
 
As for the "documentation" that accompanies the kit regarding the build dates and designer, it is best to ignore it. Corel did not have access to the interwebby when they first produced the kit and put something together on the fly by the looks of it.
 
As for my own build, I used John McKay's and Ron Coleman's Anatomy of the Ship Book "Pandora" to help me with the layout and design features concerning the deck fittings. Like you I was less interested in a totally accurate build of the Unicorn and more interested in creating a reasonably accurate frigate of the time. Pandora was similar in size and age.
 
Hope this is a help.
 
Peter

Thank you very much for those references.  I downloaded them and will refer to them when I get going on my build.  Of course, I spent the last hour reading through Chuck's build log for the Winchelsea - all I can say is wow!  Don't know whether to be inspired or disheartened at not being able to build at that high level.
 
Good luck with your plan - you have a lot of guts to go forward with that.  I'll be watching and here for support

The crow's nest for the spritsail of the bowsprit...
For the base, kit had provided plywood, the base was rebuilt with walnut strips...

Hello all,
 
Well, I drew up a bunch of frames for the deck structure and cut them out and glued them to a 1/4 inch poplar board.  Then I proceeded to cut them all out and started to final fit them to the hull.
 
I also thank Freek for Fred Huygen's website and I was able to get in touch with him.  I asked him if he has any drawings for the little dingy and lo and behold he just happen to have the lines drawings and the measurements.  Now it's just a matter of translating all that in a wooden model.  That in itself will be a challenge because of the size, tiny.
 
Okay, here are two pics of the hull with most of the deck frames temporarily placed on top of the hull at their proper locations.  I need to make about a dozen more though.  So far it's looking okay.
 

The deck frame bulkheads are temporarily placed on top of the hull looking from the stern.
 

The deck frame bulkheads are temporarily placed on top of the hull looking from the bow.
That piece of wood between the steel angle and the hull is place the hull at right angles to the build board.
 
Cheers, 
 

Hello shipmates!
 
Great cabin is ready to use. Ladder to poopdeck also. I must rebuilt some doors and walls of the small cabins, because i made a mistake. Doors under ladder- that doesnt work!
 

 
I rebuilt the ladder with some stripes of veneer, glued first and last step together and fix on deck to become the rigth form. You will see the difference!

 
The great cabin becomes more comfort (canapees are made from maple veneer (some stripes fixed together and use the DREMEL eraser) and some Officers and the Captain. The "Samt" is made from waste of plastic amd floor) And after glueing poopdeck, all is gone in the dark...
 

 
Best regards!
 
 

First of all, thanks you all for the appreciations to my new model, I've just started a game that will probably last not before 2016. .      Tuesday, May 21, 2013 - Dry assembly, continuation . .   Continues in this message the dry assembling of the skeleton. .   I applied all the bulkheads and the remaining segments of the lower deck, evaluating the precision and the easy assembly. Compared to the partial work done yesterday anything happened that made me reconsider the plan that I set yesterday, in fact I am convinced even more on the method I suggested.
 
The images below show the skeleton, dry mounted, from various viewpoint. Once again I must stress the extreme precision of the project and laser cutting. To complete the test fitting I hardly had to use the file to correct some imperfections. Truly admirable.
 
01   02   03   04   05  
After the dry assemply . . I voluntarily limited it at this point because I do not want to progress further this first phase, I then removed everything, put all under press, that is "under glass", the various pieces and I have dedicated myself to the reinforcements of the keel.
 
We will address this issue in the next message. Cheers, Jack.Aubrey
  High Resolution Images: 01 http://i81.servimg.com/u/f81/12/86/14/83/p1090446.jpg 02 http://i81.servimg.com/u/f81/12/86/14/83/p1090447.jpg 03 http://i81.servimg.com/u/f81/12/86/14/83/p1090448.jpg 04 http://i81.servimg.com/u/f81/12/86/14/83/p1090449.jpg 05 http://i81.servimg.com/u/f81/12/86/14/83/p1090450.jpg  

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 153– Skid Beams
Posted 10/4/12
 
 
There are two large cleats to be made and bolted to the side in the waist before installing the overhead beams.  These secured the lines that reeve through the fixed blocks discussed in the last post. 
 
These, like the iron structural knees, were made from copper electrical wire – in this case 12 gauge.  The first picture shows one of these during the final shaping process.
 
 

 
The next picture shows a pair installed on the port side.
 

 
The next picture shows the five skid beams positioned on their clamps over the waist.
 
 

 
Each of these will be secured at the ends with a single iron knee – much like the other beams at this level – but these are spaced further apart.  The contract language had not quite caught up with the practice of permanently installed skid beams flush with the fore and aft decks at this level, so some assumptions were made in deciding how these are secured as well as there spacing.   These were placed over upper deck beams to allow a pillar to be installed under the center of each one.  They are the longest beams at this level and would be pretty “springy” without pillars.
 
In the next picture a pillar is being turned from a strip of pear.  The piece is turned at high speed – secured in a four jaw centering chuck with a dead center being used to steady the other end.  There is no four-jaw centering chuck for the Unimat, so a brass adapter was made to use the Sherline chuck.  This is visible in the picture.
 

 
The next picture shows some turned pillars before sizing.
 
 

 
The two tools used to turn these are shown in the picture.
 
The next picture shows the first beam installed with its iron knees and pillar.
 

 
The next picture shows the first two beams installed from above.
 

 
The last picture shows the same two installed beams.
 

 
This picture shows chocks fit between the beams – similar to those used with the iron knees in other locations.  There are a lot of obstructions on the side planking in the waist and fitting the knees was something of a challenge.  The curved side mounted knee shown in this picture is typical of most of the skid beam knees – of necessity.
 
Installing the remaining three skid beams should be straightforward.  This will complete the last of the deck beams – a total of 115 for all the decks.  Not exactly a three decker, but a lot of work to check off as finished.
 
Ed
 
 

Good morning all,
 
Hello Christian and Ben, thanks for looking in. It's always a pleasure to see your posts.
 
as advised, I have now turned the tables towards the construction of the ship's searchlight installations. There were five of them. For the time being, I shall be working only on the one related to the tower and bridge.
 
Here goes:
 
The master - I produced this a couple of years ago.

 
A 32mm diameter brass rod in place. Have to turn it to a diameter to 25mm.

 
The turning is well underway.

 
A view from the end. The inside of the search light was drilled off with a 22mm diameter HSS twist drill.

 
Ready for cutting off.

 
The searchlight housing, placed adjacent to a 1:72nd scale figure.

 
Shall be posting more further on this week.
 
 
 
 
 

Cruizers, part 6:  HMS Reindeer
 
The Cruizer-class brig-sloop HMS Reindeer launched on 15 August 1804, commissioned in September and set sail for the Jamaica station on 21 November with Commander John Fyffe in command. She was one of six Cruizers built from fir to speed construction and cut cost, a compromise that would significantly reduce their service lives. All six were started and launched within a period of three months from 22 May through 22 August.  Raven, the first Cruizer discussed here, was one of that group, wrecked in 1805. Another foundered in 1809. In 1812, two were broken up and a third placed in ordinary and later sold. By 1814, Reindeer was the only one of this group still in service and four years past her projected service life.
 
Under Commander Fyffe’s command on the Jamaica station from May 1804 through February 1807, Reindeer captured at least six enemy privateers and one sunk and participated with Magicienne in the cutting out expedition of a French merchant schooner from under a battery in Aguadilla Bay, Puerto Rico. Reindeer also engaged two French Navy brigs of 16 x 9 pounder guns, sailing together, in a running battle and chase of over four hours until they managed to escape after taking damage from Reindeer’s fire. They were captured two days later by HMS Pique and taken into Royal Navy service. Reindeer, in January, shared with three other Royal Navy men-of-war the proceeds from the capture of an unspecified number of merchant vessels.
 
Commander Peter John Douglas took command in February 1807. Reindeer captured six privateers, three merchant vessels and re-captured an English vessel held by a French prize crew. After a chance meeting of Reindeer and four other Royal Navy vessels on 10 November 1808, the captains decided to capture the town and port of Samana, a base for many French privateers, in support of Spanish patriots attempting to overthrow French rule over the western part of the island of Santo Domingo. After the capture of the town and port (and French vessels sheltered there), Captain Charles Dashwood of Franchise handed Samana over to a Spanish officer, Don Diego de Lira, who guaranteed the safety of the French inhabitants on their plantations. The combined operations of these five ships netted two French privateer schooners and five merchant vessels in the week following the capture of Samana.
 
Reindeer, with Commander Douglas still in command, was in the North Sea for most of 1809 where she captured the French fast dispatch vessel Mouche No.13 on 8 March. On 4 November 1809, Reindeer set sail for Jamaica with Commander Christopher Crackenthorp Askew in command.
 
Reindeer, Commander Nicholas Lechmere Pateshall in command since sometime in 1811 or early 1812, with Polyphemus (64), and Thalia (36) set sail from Jamaica on 20 May 1812 to escort a convoy of about 100 ships bound for The Downs. They also carried news of the declaration of war by the United States, ratified and signed on 18 June, learned on the journey from a passing merchant vessel. A hurricane likely scattered the British convoy but the escorts collected some of the ships and continued to the destination. [The records, as far as I am able to find, are not clear on this except for the departure of the convoy and the sighting near Portsmouth of two of the escorts with a smaller convoy. Polyphemus separated from the convoy soon after it rounded the western tip of Cuba.]
 
The American Commodore, John Rodgers, within an hour of learning on 21 June of the 18 June ratification of the declaration of war, had ordered his squadron to set sail from New York to find and intercept this same convoy. This squadron consisted of Rodger’s flagship President (44), United States (44), Congress (36), Hornet (18) and Argus (16). They did not find the convoy but the President did engage the HMS Belvidera (36) on 23 June for the first naval action of the war. Belvidera did enough damage with her stern chasers - combined with the catastrophic chase gun explosion on the President that caused damage to the foremast, yards, sails and rigging, killed 16 men and wounded Rogers and many crewmen - to slow the President and allow Belvidera’s escape.
 
Reindeer arrived at Plymouth on 1 August 1812 for a refit that lasted until 11 September. It is likely that her 16 x 32 pounder carronades where exchanged for 24 pounders due to her age and having been built from fir although the records I have consulted cannot confirm the exchange during this refit, only that she was armed with them on a later date. It is also possible that the 32s were needed elsewhere and the change had nothing to do with Reindeer‘s condition. [see also post #13, which I had forgotten about, regarding these guns being replaced after Manners threw several 32s overboard during a storm. I gladly defer to uss frolick's expertise on this point.] This would reduce the dead weight on deck by 7,500 pounds and improve her speed and other sailing characteristics.  Commander Daniel Ross took command and set sail on the June 12 to begin his duties based from Plymouth.
 
Ross’s successor on Reindeer, Commander William Manners, captured six privateers and merchant vessels in 1813 with the first one on 2 February. They included two American privateer schooners, a French privateer lugger of 14 guns, a French merchant brig and two recaptured British merchant vessels held by unspecified enemy prize crews. Four of these were captured while Reindeer was in company with another British warship. One recapture was made by the Cruiser-class Derwent with assistance from Reindeer on 13 December.
 
Reindeer continued operating out of Plymouth through June of 1814.
 
The new American sloop-of-war Wasp, sister to the previously mentioned Peacock, was commissioned in early 1814 with Master Commandant Johnstone Blakeley in command. She remained at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, until receiving orders to attack British shipping in the western approaches of the English Channel and set sail on 1 May 1814 with a hand picked crew of 173 officers, sailors and marines, passing unobserved through the blockading frigates.
 
USS Wasp’s Specifications
Length:  117 ft
Beam:  31 ft 6 inches
Tonnage:  509 (burthen)
Rig:  ship-rigged sloop
Armament:  20 x 32 pounder carronades + 2 x 12 pounder chase guns
Complement:  173
 
In June, the Wasp, repeating the spectacular successes by Argus of the previous year, captured five British merchant vessels, scuttled four and turned one over to the accumulated prisoners. At 4:15 am of 28 June, about 225 miles west of Plymouth, Wasp began the pursuit of two merchant vessels to the northwest but soon noticed a third bearing down on her from a little north of east. This was the Reindeer with orders to find and destroy the Wasp.
 

Action Between USS Wasp and HMS Reindeer, 28 June 1814
By Edwin Hayes, 1819-1904, NMM Collection
 
Under an overcast sky with a wind from the northeast so light that it scarcely disturbed the unusually smooth surface of the sea, Manners on Reindeer and Blakeley on Wasp began a contest in seamanship over the weather-gage that continued for more than ten hours. By ten am, both ships were identified as enemy sloops with Reindeer maintaining the weather-gage. At about 1:15, with no weather advantage gained or lost, Wasp beat to quarters without shortening sail then at 2:00 fired a gun to windward. Peacock immediately responded in kind to accept the challenge.
 
The maneuvering continued until 3:17 with both vessels close-hauled on the larboard tack running parallel courses at less than 60 yards distance and Reindeer still holding a slight weather advantage off Wasp’s larboard quarter. Reindeer fired the only gun on either sloop that would bear – her 12 pounder carronade boat gun mounted on the topgallant forecastle loaded with round shot and grape. Two minutes later Manners fired again, and again, five times.
 
Seeing that Reindeer was very slowly pulling even with Wasp, Blakely turned to the wind at 3:26 and hauled up his mainsail while firing a rolling broadside from aft forward as each gun bore during the turn. Peacock then turned to as well to bring her starboard battery to bear and fired at a distance of less than twenty yards from Wasp. Both crews, working the guns with desperate energy, exchanged broadside for broadside for ten minutes until Manners realized his only chance for victory lay in boarding and let Reindeer’s head fall off towards her opponent.
 
The sloops ground together at 3:40, men hacked and thrust at each other through the open gun ports while dense smoke from the fire of the guns that still bore billowed up from between the hulls. Cheered on by the mortally wounded Manners, grimly determined British sailors appeared through the smoke onto the deck of Wasp met by the deadly musket fire from her marines in the tops and the cutlasses and pikes of her sailors on deck. Bleeding profusely from a grape shot wound through both thighs and with several other less serious wounds, Reindeer’s captain sprang sword in hand to the foremast shrouds to lead personally his willing crew back onto Wasp saying, “Follow me, my boys, we must board them.” At that moment, a musket ball smashed through his skull and he fell back dead onto Reindeer’s deck, his sword still clenched in his right hand. As Manners fell and his men recoiled at the sight, Blakeley seized the moment to order his men forward onto Reindeer. After a moment’s furious struggle, Wasp’s boarders slew or drove below the remaining defenders. The captain’s clerk, the senior officer alive on deck, surrendered the brig at 3:44, 27 minutes after Reindeer had fired the first gun and 18 after Wasp had responded.
 

Marines Aboard USS Wasp Engage HMS Reindeer
By Sergeant John Clymer, USMC, 1945, Collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corp
Depicting the moment of Commander Manners’ fall, at far left
 
Reindeer was cut to pieces in line with her ports, and her upper works, boats and spare spars were reduced to splinters. Both masts were badly wounded just above the deck with the foremast tottering. Including her courageous commander and both midshipmen, she had 33 dead or dying and 34 wounded out of her crew of 98 men and 20 boys. The sails and rigging of Wasp were well cut up. Six round shot and many grape were embedded in her hull and many more had penetrated her sides or entered through her gun ports. One 24 pound shot had passed through the center of her foremast. Out of her complement of 173 men, she had 11 dead or dying and 15 wounded.
 
In a comparison between Reindeer and Wasp of the weight of broadsides and the size of the crews, the disparity for each is very close to 2 to 3, the greatest of any of the actions between Cruizer-class brig-sloops and the nominally “equal” American sloops. The outcome was proportional to the difference in force. Roosevelt quoted Cooper, “It is difficult to say which vessel behaved the best in this short but gallant combat.” Roosevelt went on to say, “I doubt if the war produced two better single-ship commanders than Captain Blakeley and Captain Manners; and an equal meed [measure] of praise attaches to both crews.” Even James refrained from his usual defamatory, anti-American remarks, “The action of the Reindeer and Wasp may be pronounced one of the best-fought sloop actions of the war,” although he did resort to his characteristic distortion of the numbers.
 
After Reindeer’s surrender, Master Commandant Johnstone Blakeley and both crews set to work caring for the wounded, burying the dead and making repairs through the night and into the next day, 29 June. When the wind increased during the day, Reindeer’s foremast fell and the decision made to burn her rather than risk her re-capture. After the wounded were transferred to Wasp and a passing neutral vessel, and Reindeer’s 12 pound boat gun brought on board, Reindeer was fired. Wasp stood off to watch her burn and then set a course for L’Orient after her magazine exploded.
 
Three Royal Navy vessels and three US Navy vessels have borne the name “Reindeer” in her honor.
 
As an alternative subject for Caldercraft’s Cruizer, Reindeer would need a change in the armament to 24 pounder carronades (which are available), the addition of the 12 pounder carronade mounted on a gun carriage and the addition of the fore and aft platforms like those on Snake. Because of my research into these Cruizer class brigs, I am becoming convinced that the platforms may have been typical, but more research is needed to confirm this. In the six that I have researched for these articles the platforms were mentioned specifically or their existence implied in the sources.
 
 
Next:  HMS Avon
 
Sources: 
The Naval History of Great Britain by William James, 1824
History of the Navy of the United States by J. Fenimore Cooper, 1836
The Naval War of 1812 by Theodore Roosevelt, 1900
The Age of Fighting Sail by C. S. Forester, 1957
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Dept US Navy, (online)
 “NMM, vessel ID 374389”, Warship Histories, vol.iii, National Maritime Museum (online)
“HMS Reindeer (1804)”, “USS Wasp (1814)”, “Sinking of HMS Reindeer”, articles on Wikipedia (online)
The London Gazette, 16 citations listed in “HMS Reindeer (1804)”, Wikipedia
 
[Edited to include information from post #13 I had forgotten to include, also typo corrections]

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 152– Fixed Blocks
Posted 9/30/12
 
Before installing the skid beams in the waist, some details need to be added.  These include on each side a fixed single block for the main tack and a double version for the fore and spritsail sheets and iron cleats for these lines.  I will also install turned pillars under the skid beams.  All this work has been proceeding concurrently for the past few days.  I will cover the blocks in this part.
 
These were assemblies that were bolted from the inside through a lap joint inset into the internal planking with the outside of the block flush with the outer planking – as will be seen below.  Steel gives quite specific dimensions for these including the bolts through the laps.
 
The first picture shows the way I made these as a sandwich of built up strips.  The very small sheave thickness of 1 ¼” for the spritsail sheet block dictates this approach.  I just don’t have a milling bit that small – or long enough.  The sandwich approach also leaves very clean and precisely sized openings.  The first picture shows an assembly from which both blocks will be cut. 
 
 

 
The files are to remove glue residue and round the ends a bit.  The next picture shows the first of these sized to the correct depth of 12”.
 
 

 
The sheaves slant downward somewhat in the aft direction.  After facing off the slant on the top, the bottom face was cut to size by ripping on the circular saw.
 
The next picture shows a double block casing.  The lap ears still need to be trimmed to size.
 
 

 
Sheaves of the correct diameter and thickness were turned from pear and dyed almost black.  I believe these would have been made from lignum vitae – a dense, oily, dark, tropical hardwood.  Pins were inserted in drilled through-holes – but not until the block casing was fit into the side and trimmed on flush on the outside – just before final installation.  Two small holes for ¾” bolts were also drilled in each ear – also after fitting.  All this was the easy part.
 
I won’t go into all the gory details of cutting the openings and fitting these neatly into the sides.  The casing fits snuggly between two frames with a frame between these two cut out.  Steel shows this detail in one of his plates.  These must have been installed after the planking otherwise the cut frame would be loose. 
 
The next picture shows the finished block for the main tack on the starboard side on the inside of the hull, which is not planked.
 

 
The next picture shows this block on the outside.
 
 

 
The next picture shows the finished counterpart on the port side, which is planked.
 

 
It just fits between the port and the top rider.  I see in this picture that the iron hanging knee under the breast beam just forward of the rider did not get blackened – notice?  The next picture shows this block on the unplanked outside of the hull.
 
 

 
The last picture shows the main tack block and the double blocks for the sheets on the outside.
 
 

 
I had some interference problems with the top riders just forward of these double blocks.  This required some surgery on the riders – still thinking about the solution to this.  I think the original draftsman wasn’t thinking about blocks when locating the riders – and neither was I when copying his locations.
 
In the next part I will cover the cleats in the waist on the planked side, the pillars and hopefully some skid beam installation.
 
Ed
 
 

Hi Ian,
 
I struggled with the decoration around the quarter galleries as well. I could not figure out how to attach the lower mouldings to the model. I had them all painted and when it came time to attach them, I was left scratching my head.
 
I took the easy way out and simply left them off the model. Not too creative, I must admit, but effective! It didn't seem to detract from the model overall.
 
I'll be interested to see what your solution ends up being. Good luck!
 
Peter

Hi Ian
 
I also had problems with the galleries on my Unicorn. I seem to remember that the skins did not fit very well  so I made some new ones.
Unfortunately I couldn't match the colour to the rest of the timber so if you look at the port gallery in my photograph you will see it has been painted a darker brown (there were fewer shades of paint available when I built it).
I also seem to remember the decorations on the top and bottom of the galleries did not fit very well either.
Anyway I will take some more close up photographs for you.
 
I have just today received my 2nd Bounty kit and intend to start a build log. I do have a fair number of photographs of my previous build  some of which are in the gallery but they are not detailed enough to form  a proper build log.
I have taken a first look at the Bounty web site you mentioned and it looks both interesting and useful. Thanks for the tip.
 
Danny

Very nice work on a really beautiful ship! I feel like your pics sell this kit much more than the promo shots I've seen from Corel! 
hamilton

Hi Ian
 
As requested I am attaching a couple of photographs of the stern area of my Unicorn. Unfortunately I built it so long ago I can't remember exactly what I did (or had in the kit) but I hope these photos will be of some assistance.
 
Danny
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

I have been preparing plans for the major surgery. Attached are some photographs with paper cut outs from the plans placed on the model to indicate the proposed new waist shape. I took the detail from Chuck's Winchelsea plans scaled down to 1:75 then slightly foreshortened (Unicorn was a smaller ship). These were altered with real cut and paste involving paper, scissors and glue. Hope Chuck doesn't mind my doing this - don't want to get into his bad books!
 
I post these now to invite any comment or views you may have - other than my insanity which is a given.
 
The cut lines will follow existing planking edges.
 
Two areas of concern.
 
1) From the second photo you will note the main mast will be moved forward by about half its diameter. In its original position and with chain pumps added it would crowd into the new companion way. Currently the leading shrouds would line up with the vertical centre of the mast. The new position would line them up with a tangent across the rear of the mast. I have seen plans with both of these alignments. This would be offset somewhat by a backwards rake of the mast by a few degrees as per the prototype.
 
2) The wider waist could put the plywood deck supports on view. They will need some work.
 
Photo 1 the current waist area.
 

 
Photo 2 shows a cut out from the plan showing the proposed new waist.
 

 
Photo 3 shows how the whole deck area would look with new shape waist. (This photo features my right foot since I stood on one of our chairs to take it.  )
 

 
Any comment or suggestions would be appreciated.
 
In the meantime I need to make some more deck fittings.
 
Ian M.   

Good afternoon, Ian.  I believe we bought it sometime in the 2005 time frame, so could be anywhere from 8 to 30 years old at this point.
 
Skerryamp - that is cool!  I had completely forgotten we had this until the Admiral found it in one of boxes that has been stored away for quite some time!

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 146– Capstan/Cathead Detailing
Posted 8/4/12
To finish up on the capstan: The first picture shows the hole in the quarterdeck step being bored on the lathe.
 
 

 
The hole was sized to fit the bearing area on the capstan barrel. Two of these were made, then split down their centers to make two equal halves.
 
The next picture shows the two part step being glued in placed around the capstan.
 

 
Once the capstan was completely fabricated and finished, the next beam aft of it was installed with it in place. It will not fit between these beams in one piece. I did not want to make the single barrel in two pieces. The step carlings were then installed followed by the step itself as shown above. There will be hatchways and gratings fore and aft of the capstan.
 
The next picture shows the finished installation without the aft beams in place.
 
 

 
The starboard side of the upper step was cut back to just enough to hold the capstan securely in place to allow visibility from the starboard side to the lower parts. Unfortunately all those iron strips on the barrel bearing face are not visible.
 
I had not fully detailed the catheads earlier and decided to do that now. The paneled surfaces on the side were cut as shown below.
 
 

 
The next pictures show some of the work on the end caps carving.
 

 
The first step on these small star carvings was to face turn the buttons in the center on the lathe with the small square piece set up in a four jaw chuck. The area around the button was then pared back. It is glued to a piece of paper on a wood block. This piece of paper saw a lot of use in carving the taffrail figures.
 

 
The final size of the endplate was drawn on the piece. The points of the star were then laid out by scribing lines to each of the centers of the sides and the corners – all tangential to the round button. The eight point star shape was then carved out with small chisels – using an optivisor.
 
The next picture shows the starboard cathead installed.
 
 

 
The planking on this side will be completed right up to the topside.
 
And the last picture shows the installed cathead on the port side.
 
 

 
As I have mentioned before, the port side will be unplanked, except in areas where structure is built over the planking. The port head structure will be built over the planning in this picture.
 
Now back to those dreary deck beams.
 
Cheers,
 
Ed

1:60 HMS Naiad 1797
Part 147– Installing the Wheel 1
Posted 8/29/12
 
Its been a few weeks since the last update – a lot of summer chores had to get done.
 
The next major milestone is to get the quarterdeck framing finished back to the bulkhead that separates the captain’s quarters on the upper deck and to get the wheel and its ropes installed so the decking aft of that bulkhead along with the other work in the cabins can be completed. That part of the upper deck framing needs to be left open for the rigging of the steering gear..
 
The first picture shows the next five beams aft of the capstan installed
 
 

 
The carlings for the hatch coamings between the capstan and the wheel are also installed, as is one half of the simple upper deck partner for the mizzen mast. This has been bored for the steering rope but not yet for the mast. The rope is for the steering gear, which is one half rigged below the upper deck aft.
 
The next picture shows a closer view of this.
 
 

 
The starboard half of the mizzen step will be left off to allow visibility of the sheaves for the steering rope that are fitted right below it. The inauthentic plank endings in this picture will be covered by the captain’s cabin bulkhead. They had to be installed this way (and treenailed) so the beams above could be installed.
 
The wheel was made some time ago. The next picture shows a step in the modeling of the wheel support stanchions.
 

 
Stanchion patterns were pasted to a strip of boxwood in line with a centerline that had been marked (with the compass). The next picture shows the boring of the bearings in the top of the stanchions.
 
 

 
This sequence assured that the bearings would be centered on the strip. The stanchions were then cut out on the scroll saw. The next picture shows them glued together with a paper joint to permit their final shaping.
 
 

 
A short bit of dowel was placed between these parts in the bearing recesses to maintain the alignment for the final shaping.
 
The next picture shows the wheel mounted on the finished stanchions.
 
 

 
The wheel/stanchion assembly was glued to what will be the central deck plank. After this glue had set, two copper bolts were CA glued from the underside of the planking up into each stanchion for strength. The excess plank will be cut off later before this assembly is installed.
 
The next picture shows the assembly set on the deck beams.
 
 

 
Once this is installed the next adjacent planks will be slotted to take the steering rope. This cannot be done until the grating hatchways structure just forward of this are installed.
 
The next picture shows the coamings and head ledges for that structure being glued together.
 
 

 
Both these assemblies are still loose. The coaming structure will need to be finished, rounded up and have its gratings installed before final attachment. The plank under the wheel has been cut to size on its forward end, but still needs to be marked and cut on the aft end.
 
Stay tuned.
 
Ed

I had the pleasure and honor of visiting Gil Middleton in Seattle while I was attending a meeting. He is the artist/craftsman/genius! who is building the HMS Victory here on another blog. I was astounded at his work and when I found out I was going to Seattle for a few days I arranged to meet with him. He was incredibly kind and picked me up at my hotel (right after I got done with a speech...he phoned me as I was talking and the audience got a chuckle when my phone stared quacking during my talk...note to self...turn to buzz ;0)]
 
He and his wife Judy had me for dinner and we had a great time talking about our mutual profession of surgery. Judy is a superb cook and it was a lot of fun!
.
 
I was describing how I made "Spotted Dog" for my children using the original recipe...and that it was NOT a hit. She did much better!
 
With his permission I was able to tour his work area and he gave me some tips on the next great adventure...rigging!
 
This is an area that I was looking forwards to with a little trepidation as I am doing this on my own with no experience and only the Internet to help. Here were some tips he gave me:
 
A Lazy Susan is extremely helpful so as to allow you to spin the ship and balance the rigging from side to side. One side gets done, then the opposite. 
 
The masts are not perfectly straight. The main and mizzen are slightly raked depending on the ship.
 
Splicing, seizing (not the neurologic one ;0)), worming, netting, and other rope work require a little skill and some equipment which he was kind enough to illustrate for me (the splice at least). 
 
Some is just...wow...
 
Styrene is great for details.
 
And the right CA glue is important...
 
I think I got splicing down (long and short), and I at least have some understanding of what is going on. 
 
All in all a great time. And his ship is soooo gorgeous. As my Surprise is my first ship, I am amazed at how smooth he was able to get his fairing. It is like fine crafted furniture!....Some day ;0)
 
Anyway, a memorable evening with Gil and Judy. I shall refer to him as the "Admiral" from now on!

Hi Ian
 
Thanks for your greeting.
 
Thought you might like to see a picture of my version of HMS Unicorn. It was built in the 90's I canot remember exactly when and was my 2nd POB model. At the time there was no internet (for me that is) so I was not aware of the general interest in model ships and was also unaware of the amount of research data available. So unlike you and others I did no research and just built the kit as it came.
 
Danny Page
 
 

wow! she is neat!
The unicorn had been in my list for a while!! (to welcome the year of horse in Chinese Zodiac )
your build log is certainly my good reference!