BareHook

It is now 12:45, 21 October 1805, twelve miles off the coast of Cape Trafalgar...and you are there.

Hello friends,
news pictures of the Bonhomme Richard.
 
Regards Karl
 
 
T e i l  3 7
 
 
B.  Orlop-Deck
 
     6  Surgeon's storeroom     /   Arztraum
     7  Spore anchor   /   Reserve Anker
     8  Scuttle leading to the carpenter's walk  /  Zimmermann - Laderaum
     9  Scuttle providing acces to the shot-locker  /  Zugang zu dem Kugelraum
   10  Dried vegetables  /  Trockenraum für Pflanzen
   11  Officer's provisions  /  Versorgungsraum der Offiziere
   12  Bread- room  /  Brot - Lagerraum  

I had posed a question in the past regarding treenails and the minimum reasonable scale to do them. I believe most agreed 1:64 or larger is fine for treenailing deck and hull but the smaller scales would be difficult.  I did treenails on the deck of my AVS which is the same scale as your kit (1:48) and was happy with the results. It comes down to the end effect you are looking for. I wanted to show some fine detail that represents construction and adds to the overall display and was happy with the result. So far I've only used "false" treenails (drilling holes and filling with putty) but I like the look and I don't know if I could make real ones with a draw plate without losing my mind
 
Before doing it to your deck, build a small sample deck and try it out to see if you like the results.
 
Ken

I had posed a question in the past regarding treenails and the minimum reasonable scale to do them. I believe most agreed 1:64 or larger is fine for treenailing deck and hull but the smaller scales would be difficult.  I did treenails on the deck of my AVS which is the same scale as your kit (1:48) and was happy with the results. It comes down to the end effect you are looking for. I wanted to show some fine detail that represents construction and adds to the overall display and was happy with the result. So far I've only used "false" treenails (drilling holes and filling with putty) but I like the look and I don't know if I could make real ones with a draw plate without losing my mind
 
Before doing it to your deck, build a small sample deck and try it out to see if you like the results.
 
Ken

Nice cooper works!
If you make a single barrel, do you bond to a shorter dowel or just saw it and bore down for a recessed cover?

The starboard side upper hull planking is now done. This entailed the same buildup of the bulkhead arms as previously described and followed the same methods as for the port side.
 
It is my intention to next do three areas: the upper and lower counters; the remainder of the planking to the wales; the wales. I still haven't decided about treenailing.
 
Bob

Hi federicoaa,
some pictures of the construction the barrels.
Karl

The single blocks are made the same way but with a  line from the bottom of the block and the large wire (which I use to form the becket) moved 90 degrees (or parallel to the block). 
 
The block is placed on the jig.

 
The line is attached in a similar fashion but with the rigging line extending past the block.

 
With the attached hook.

Post the question here and you'll get many answers
 
Traditional copper plating, painted white for white lead?
 
Gold... what else is a pirate to do with all that treasure

Post the question here and you'll get many answers
 
Traditional copper plating, painted white for white lead?
 
Gold... what else is a pirate to do with all that treasure

Post the question here and you'll get many answers
 
Traditional copper plating, painted white for white lead?
 
Gold... what else is a pirate to do with all that treasure

Here is where I am on the Jolly Roger:
 

 

 

 

 
I got really lucky this morning.  I dropped a tiny piece last night, but I actually found it this morning.

Hi friends,
correction / amendment of ballasting stones.
Karl
 
 
 
Teil  36

Update time..............
 
Jax (who has been great) had to take a few days off to attend the Admiralty Workshop conducted by David and Greg in Baltimore and is now back on the case. Jax will be trying out the test bh's I sent him and we'll move forward from there. Bob (Raffine) who's out in front a bit has also been super in letting me know what's potentially coming down the pike.
 
In the mean time I'm going to start to take a look at the other laser cut parts of the kit.
 
Model Expo has also asked me to take another look at the latest version fo the manual.
 
So folks we're doing all we can to make this the kit you've expected.
 
Also I'll be attending Dave and Greg's workshop on spars and blocks in Niagara On The Lake, Ontario in a couple of weeks. I hoe I'll be able to apply some of what learn to the (future) spar and rigging componants of ESSEX.
 
As always - thanks and I'll be back soon...................
  Sam 

While following some of the sources discussed in the threads on the Frigate Essex, I came across the attached - it is in the public domain.
 
From the preface:
 
This Register of officers and ships of the Navy during the years 1801 through 1807 will supplement the operational material in Naval Documents related to the United States Wars with the Barbary Powers, six volumes of which have already been published. The additional data on personnel and ships should be of value not only to historians but also to genealogists, artists, model builders, and naval architects.
Part I, Personnel, endeavors to list all the commissioned, warrant, and acting officers both of the Navy and Marine Corps during the years 1801 through 1807, stating the various duty assignments of each. All the material is from official sources, but there may be omissions because of incomplete records and failure to report some changes of duty and appointments at distant stations. The Office of Naval Records and Library will be glad to have these drawn to its attention. The initials P. E. A. mean Peace Establishment Act; and ran means deserted.
 
Part II, Ships' Data, has been compiled from many sources, all contemporary and authentic, but much about our early naval vessels was not known even in the Navy Department when the vessels were still in existence. Additional material will be welcomed by the Office of Naval Records and Library,
 
The plans of vessels reproduced in this volume are all taken from originals in the National Archives or Library of Congress. 
 
Among the plans included are lines for the Frigates Boston & Essex and the Wasp.  There are several plates for the Wasp.
 
Due to the size of the original document, I have broken it into chunks.  If you would prefer, the original scanned document is available at www.ibiblio.org/anrs/docs/E/E3/nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf‎
 
Part I_a_1934 nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf
Part I_b_1934 nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf
Part I_c_1934 nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf
PartII_from 1934 nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf
PartIIa_from 1934 nd_barbarywars_register_shipdata.pdf
 
 
 

By the way, here are pictures of the first ship I just completed.  This is the Revell U.S.S. Constitution 1:196 scale.  It is the small one.  I did not paint it much.  I focused more on putting it together.  As you can see, I had problems with my ties (forgot what those are called) for the sails.  Plus, I did not put as many ties the instructions said to on some of the sails.  I have no idea how they thought I could fit that many holes and ties on some of those sails. 
 
My top cannons kind of all cockeyed, but I think I can do my next ones correctly now that I know about the tweezers.  I did figure out that if something does not fit in a hole then you have to get creative to make it fit, such as dig out the hole to be bigger or thin down the piece that is going into the hole to make it fit.  Basically, I really winged it on this ship, since I did not have any help yet.  I sure am thankful I will help with this next one. 
 

 

 

Or create a ficticious story as to what happened.
 
"The captain of the French frigate was a brutal tyrant and fell victim to mutiny when his first mate and the crew took the law in their own hands and went on to become the scourge of the Carribean..."
 
Ken

Go ahead and laugh.  I like pirate ships.    After doing the Revell U.S.S. Constitution as my first ship, I decided to tone it down with a level 2 ship.  I have to admit this one looks tough too.  The pieces are so tiny.  Oh well, I enjoy a challenge.  I am excited to have my first build log.  
 
 
 

If you look at rigging tools sold at Micromark.com or modelexpo.com, they may be similar. I've heard of some who have modified sewing needles as well to create various hooks and grabbers by glueing the point into a small wood dowel to act as a handle and trimming the thread slot at the other end in various ways.
 
Ken

All I can say is "Awe Inspireing", I keep expecting to see workers walking around the build, although I'm not sure a full scale build would be as precise.
 
Are you retired? You make amazing headway on your project, considering the speed and quality of work.

I've now done the upper hull planking on the port side. The planking is boxwood with caulking simulated by using pencil on one side and one end of each plank. The planking that I've done has only been rough sanded to this point and no finish will be applied until the planking is complete.
 
 All was going pretty well until I got to the planking of the quarterdeck area. The kit then hit me with yet another unpleasant surprise. The bulkhead extensions (or arms?) turned out to all be too short ( as well as of varying sizes, which I already knew). This required a lot of fiddly work to increase the height. My use of isopropyl to remove unsatisfactory work is now nearing record proportions. The good news is that the previous adjustments that I made to the defective framing parts has resulted -- at least so far-- in pretty good looking lines. The true test for that, of course, will come in the lower hull. I'm also pleased with the modification that I made to the bow framing and the knight heads.
 
Now it's on to the starboard side. Hopefully, it will be a little easier, having figured out the problems on the first side. I'm also debating with myself about tree nailing. At this scale, it's beyond my ability to do real treenails, but simulated ones, using filler, may be possible. The question is whether they would be worthwhile even if possible.
 
Bob
 
 

Some stuff done up at the sharp end . . . and a couple of questions to come.
 
Catheads and roundhouses made. Finished roundhouse stands beside the blank for the other one >>>
 

 
I used a 12mm dowel for the form of the roundhouses. The dowel was sliced lengthwise to leave just over half of its diameter. At 12mm it was a little underscale for the model, so before applying the vertical planks I wrapped the half-dowel with thin card then glued the planks and the bindings on to the card.
Here's the front end with the catheads loosely placed in position, and some dowels placed in 'holes' while they pretend to be masts >>>
 

 

 
. . . and now the questions ~~~
 
The catheads -- at what point is it 'normal' to fit these? Just looking at how they stick out they seem a little vulnerable to me. However, I want to be getting the forecastle deck planked soon and the inboard parts of the catheads are virtually concealed below that deck but I don't want to be messing around trying to make a neat job of fitting the catheads through the deck planking. (As this is my first build I don't want to be fitting one part only to find that later on it hampers my attempts to fit another part or parts.)
 
. . . and a general question about the roundhouses ~~~
 
I've never been sure what their function was -- I've googled looking for an answer but only found reference to the roundhouses at the stern of the ship. In my absence of accurate knowledge of this I've imagined they may have merely been "posh toilets" for some ship's officers ??? --- but someone may know differently ???
 
 

Leopard eventually came back down into the shipyard (again).
 
Before I resumed the planking I made another couple of diversions. A channel seemed like it might be a little project to help uphold my interest in the build because, as close as I was to finishing the planking, it seemed like it was taking forever. So I had a go at the starboard fore channel.
 

 
Since the planking was now complete above the main wale I decided to have a try at making the upper and lower cheeks at the hawse holes.
 
 
 
I also made a start at forming and fitting some of the gun port lids. The next pic shows some lids fitted, the fore cheeks fitted and the chesstrees fitted to both sides of the hull. The hawse holes still need a bit tidying. The fore channel is in "the box" awaiting its turn to be fitted ~ which will be some time yet.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Tedium delirium ~ ~ ~ By the time I had done the planking shown in the last photo of my previous post I had also done around the same amount on the port side of the hull and I was beginning to get somewhat weary of that task, so I diverted my efforts to another part of the build. I played around making a grating and a capstan and laid around half of the decking on the upper deck. The photo below shows that part of the decking that had been done, but the grating and the capstan were just dry fitted so that I could get an idea of what it may look like later.  
 
Then, back to the hull, and many hours later, some more planking had been done. Pretty much the same amount of planking had also been done on the port side of the hull at this stage.
Prior to commencing any of this planking I had taken considerable time to fair the frames and the infilled stiffener pieces, and while I thought I had done the job properly, an un-noticed high spot evidenced itself later when I got to this stage of the primary planking. It can be seen in the photo below, and it shows up like a whitish blotch between the 2nd and 3rd aftmost lower gun ports. As I progressed I would lightly sand the planking after every dozen or so strakes and at that point the high spot was noticed and the sanding completely wore away the planking to reveal part of one of the stiffeners. I'm just glad that I discovered it at this stage and not after the final planking as it wasn't really going to be a problem having found it early enough.
 
 
 
I'm sure that most who have already viewed this topic will have noticed the strange structure at the stern! . . . I know it is most unusual, and the reason for that was my total lack of knowledge as to how to construct that part, and what is seen there was about my third attempt at creating something that may work for the stern quarters and galleries. At this stage of the build I had no idea how I would go about completing that, so I put it out of my mind while I carried on with other parts of the build about which I had a slightly better construction ideas.
The stern area will be mentioned at a much later posting.
 
Jim.

Thanks Mark and Juergen.
 
With the lower deck partially planked, I decided to instal the upper deck beams before proceeding with any hull planking. (I think I may have been delaying the hour at which the hull planking would commence  )
I'm struggling to remember the exact sequence in which I carried out the various build stages in the early part of the build and am relying on the dates of the photos to help me here.
The deck beams I installed bear little or no resemblance to the way in which they would have been configured, nor to the way I see so many intricate and complicated beams in so many buildlogs here on the forum . . . . . and that's for more than a couple of reasons:-  My skill level (and possibly my patience) is not up to that task; I intend for the finished build to be "closed" and only that which appears on the outside of the ship, or above decks to be visible; and what's more, the plans include no details of the deck beam's configuration.
 
O.K. ~ got that out of the way ~~ a couple of pics now:
 

 
"The Hour" arrived . . . let the hull planking begin . . . . .
 

 
Early on I decided to double plank the hull, and the planking seen in the pic is 5mm X 0.7mm Mahogany. The final planking will be 3mm X 0.7mm, bringing the total thickness to around 1.5mm . . . but that would be a long way down the line.
 
At some point between the top photo and the bottom one I had a little accident and the top of the foremost frame was damaged, so it required a repair and while I was at it I reinforced the tops of all of the frames.