Jump to content
Supplies of the Ship Modeler's Handbook are running out. Get your copy NOW before they are gone! Click on photo to order. ×

woodrat

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    831

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Everything posted by woodrat

  1. woodrat
    Thanks Steven and Druxey and everyone for the likes Yes Steven I have read Lawrence Mott's definitive treatise on the Development of the Rudder. I use this plus some of my own interpretation of the iconography. In addition, new information from the Black Sea wrecks will be used to reconstruct a usable swing system for the quarter rudder. Cheers Dick
  2. woodrat
    The wales have been attached. I have inserted the main throughbeam in the stern. This a major structural element as the quarter rudder applies its turning moment through this beam. Pilgrims in round ships have described how, travelling in steerage, they could feel every movement of and twist of the ship when they leant against the throughbeam. Cheers Dick
  3. woodrat
    Thanks Carl and Steven. The hull framing is complete and awaiting fairing so I can fix the wales. Overall the framing of the bow and stern is fairly consistent with the Contarina find. I am presently researching the quarter rudders and have decided to make a swing mount. This allowed the rudder to be swung up and secured when not in use and allowed easy removal and replacement of the rudders ( in some mediaeval ports it was a requirement on anchoring or docking to remove the rudders so the master couldn't do a quick scarper and avoid paying the port fees). Cheers Dick
  4. woodrat
    Chaps, I have completed the framing of the stern and used a slightly different technique. It was quite difficult. Fairing of the frames and pinning was made easier by keeping the stern separate from the main hull. I will now attach the stern module. Making the tilt floors 15 deg. angle then angle to match that of the futtock Tilt floors fixed in place Stern uprights in place stern detached and fairing up commences Fairing done and breasthooks in place cheers Dick
  5. woodrat
    One of the difficulties will be matching the newly restored sections of the deck and hull to the original surviving portions of the wreck. You may wish to consult some of the MSW members who have expertise in "aging" wood. Or, alternatively, as archaeologists do, leave the restored portion obviously different to showcase the restoration. Good work so far Dick
  6. woodrat
    I was able to complete the framing of the bow section. The tilted floors from the wreck were reproduced. The timbers above this level in the Contarina 1 wreck did not survive and have been guessed at. You will note that canted frames became necessary and seem to work. Breasthooks and deck clamps applied. Dick
  7. woodrat
    So do I. The venetians managed it. Unfortunately not all of the bow survived so some extrapolation will be needed. Dick
  8. woodrat
    The first two bow frames are in. Not quite perfect but I think I have the hang of it. Although there are no actual cant frames as we usually understand them, it seems inevitable that some frame rotation or canting creeps in. Note how the floor timbers are now tilted to match the curve of stempost. the curve of floors and futtocks is the same as for the rest of the ship. Cheers Dick
  9. woodrat
    Steven, just ease of access for the Dremel. You could join the posts up now. The strength is largely in the wales rather than the attachment of the keel to the posts. I need the frames in place before I can extend the wales to the posts. There were no cant frames in this vessel and the bow and stern frames were curved floors placed along the curve of the posts and reinforced with vertical futtocks. I believe there must have been some vertical bow timbers to reinforce the hawse holes but these were not preserved in Contarina 1 Thanks, Patrick for the info on iron nails. What was the book? Steffy? Cheers Dick
  10. woodrat
    Only nails are being used as this was how the original was built. No trenails were used according to the relazione of the excavation. I have not connected the stem and stern posts. I will do this after the bow and stern framing is completed and faired. I used this method for my Essex and Gros Ventre builds. Dick
  11. woodrat
    Thanks, Steven. I have faired the hull and installed internal stringers and clamps.The larger wales are positioned where the floors overlap the futtocks at the bend of the bilge as well as where the futtock overlaps the top timber at max breadth. I haven't finished pinning the wales. No trenails were used on the Contarini 1, only nails. I have put the hull back into the building frame so I can apply the ribbands for bow and stern. Cheers Dick
  12. woodrat
    The hull is removed from the building board while it is faired. Applying the garboard strake and ribbands is straightforward. Then it wil go back on the board. Dick
  13. woodrat
    Carl, I have removed the support for the moment so I can properly fair up the floors under the vessel. I may put it back on later but the temporary wale around the top timbers seems to provide good stiffness. The stem and sternposts are not yet fixed to the keel. This allows access to the inside of the hull for fairing. I am learning as I go but, so far, so good. Dick
  14. woodrat
    Michael, I haven't mentioned it because I'm not sure. I believe it is karri or marri , west australian hardwood. My son had used this wood in one of his architectural models and there were a lot of left overs. It seemed to cut, machine and sand well and was close grained. Therefore, being a cheapskate and not wanting to waste good wood, I have used it. Thanks for all the likes, guys. Cheers Dick
  15. woodrat
    frames fixed to keel and some ribbands applied. Building stand frame support removed. Now to finish the ribbands fore and aft and make the bow and stern framing. Dick
  16. woodrat
    Thanks chaps. I have now completed and faired all frames between the master frame and the tail frames. They have now to be fixed to the keel . Note the card strips maintaining the space between frames. After this ribbands will be attached to the hull to properly align the frames. Only then can the bow and stern framing be made based on the ribbands. Dick
  17. woodrat
    Sorry for the lack of progress. I have been away from the shed several weeks. I have completed some mor framing including the step for the mainmast. Had to remake some frames which were inaccurate. Cheers Dick
  18. woodrat
    Is this a sentimental journey? Why not just start again, it might be easier Dick
  19. woodrat
    Looking good. I like the through beam to support the rudder. A similar through beam was found in situ in the Contarina 1 wreck. I assume a tackle going forward to pull the rudder against the beam and a tackle going aft to raise the rudder. What is seen on some illustrations is a kind of rail to hold the rudder post in against the hull as it is being raised. Dick
  20. woodrat
    Thanks Ondras and Steven. Just had time to dash off some frames. The jig certainly speeds up the process. just thinking about mediaeval building. The foothooks and top timbers could be premade elsewhere. Only the floors need be individually shaped onsite and even this would have been somewhat automated. This helps explain how the shipwrights of the Arsenale could lay down an entire galley in three or four weeks. This shows the gradual narrowing of adjacent floors. Dick
  21. woodrat
    I have had another look at the Catalonian pic. With magnification I think I can see a hook at the end of the "chain". In the Aeneid Vatican pic, I am convinced (pun) that a chain is shown. Dick
  22. woodrat
    Steven I believe this left hand galea from catalonia-aragon 14th c. has a chain on the spur. The one on the right seems to have rope gammoning http://www.museunacional.cat/en/colleccio/coffered-ceiling-panel-knights-galleys-and-boat-high-gunwale/anonim-arago/015839-000 Dick
  23. woodrat
    I have looked at my pics of dromon and dromon-like vessels from contemporary iconography and have the following comments: Not all show a spur. ? is spur removable? The spur is horizontal or slightly up-angled The spur extends slightly beyond the tip of the bow. Sorry, Steven, I think your spur is much too ithyphallic. A stout rope or chain extends from stem to spur. can be beached stern first or stem first. But probably mostly stern first. A forecastle (xylokastron) is not always shown. The siphon for greek fire (katakorax) may have been a removable feature There were variants e.g. the chelandion (possibly a horse transport). Much Bigger. The galea was smaller and faster with only one rowing deck. Anchors not shown (but several would be shipped). The Muslims had similar dromon like vessels with differing names: dermin for dromon and shalandi for chelandion This gives a lot of latitude for choice. Nonetheless this is a fascinating topic which has been poorly addressed by the shipmodeller in the past with many fanciful reconstructions but this model promises to be as close as you can get with present knowledge. Well done Steven. Dick
  24. woodrat
    Thanks for the comments, chaps. I have completed every fifth frame and temporarily pinned to the board. They will next be faired and ribbands applied. I will make the intervening frames once the ribbands are in place It may be several weeks before I can get back to this as I am overseas. 😎 A jig for drilling the keel A jig for drilling the floor See ya later Dick
  25. woodrat
    If you hit anything solid with the spur as it is, it would buckle the stem of the dromon like a paper cup. There must be some internal or external strengthening. Maybe, as you say, the upward slope of the spur suggests that it was meant to sweep away the bank of oars of your opponent. Looking great, by the way. Dick

About us

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

SSL Secured

Your security is important for us so this Website is SSL-Secured

NRG Mailing Address

Nautical Research Guild
237 South Lincoln Street
Westmont IL, 60559-1917

Model Ship World ® and the MSW logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,929,264 & No. 6,929,274, registered Dec. 20, 2022)

Helpful Links

About the NRG

If you enjoy building ship models that are historically accurate as well as beautiful, then The Nautical Research Guild (NRG) is just right for you.

The Guild is a non-profit educational organization whose mission is to “Advance Ship Modeling Through Research”. We provide support to our members in their efforts to raise the quality of their model ships.

The Nautical Research Guild has published our world-renowned quarterly magazine, The Nautical Research Journal, since 1955. The pages of the Journal are full of articles by accomplished ship modelers who show you how they create those exquisite details on their models, and by maritime historians who show you the correct details to build. The Journal is available in both print and digital editions. Go to the NRG web site (www.thenrg.org) to download a complimentary digital copy of the Journal. The NRG also publishes plan sets, books and compilations of back issues of the Journal and the former Ships in Scale and Model Ship Builder magazines.

Our Emblem ®

Modelshipworld - Advancing Ship Modeling through Research

Nautical Research Guild ® and the NRG logo are Registered Trademarks, and belong to the Nautical Research Guild (United States Patent and Trademark Office: No. 6,999,236 & No. 6,999,237, registered March 14, 2023)

×
×
  • Create New...