AON

"Got up the nerve" I know the feeling well.... and also the satisfaction and surprise when it actually works .

Standard knees installed yesterday. Glue cured today and I decided there is one last thing I want to do. I will drill and insert faux bolts in the knees to complete the look. Here are a couple photos. Not much to look at. Today I cut my beam stock for the gun deck the beams at the bow and stern are slightly smaller but as no one will ever measure them and one cannot physically see the difference at this scale it is not worth the effort. I will square all beams to 16" (0.25"). They should be rounded to 5" (0.078") but that cannot be seen either so it is definitely not worth the effort. I shall try to do better with my joinery on this level. I've very little Castello Boxwood left so I am now using Pau Marfim as that was what Exotic Woods in Burlington, Ontario, had in stock in 2" x 8" x 91". My 10 year old full size Canadian Tire "affordable" table saw died a few months ago so I bought a new one at RONA, an upgrade, and I like it very very much. I put the old one out on the boulevard and it was picked up by scavengers before the sun set. Cut off a 20" length from the billet. Planed it flat on four sides then sliced it down into 0.3" squares on the Byrnes table saw. I'll sand them down to 1/4" square tomorrow on the Byrnes thickness sander. And so we begin again.

Happy Canada Day everyone! I haven't posted in a bit as there are many summer events and one special project keeping me occupied or distracted. I did get all my gratings installed on the orlop deck and have been installing the standard knees on top of the beams... except the fore most three and aft most four and those adjacent the second futtock riders. Thank goodness it is all deep in the hull as the assembly isn't as pretty as I'd like but it was good practice. Possibly today or tomorrow I'll have them done. then I'll post a photo and start on the next deck.

This has become my go to reference for rigging photos! (so keep them coming please)

hope the move goes smoothly and your back to building soon

Just lovely. No other words for it. Well done! BZ

The planking of the orlop deck was flush also. The short planks were set into a rabbit or notch and they were lifted out to gain access to the hold. The only areas where the long deck planks were above the beams and fastened normally like other decks were those areas with permenant cabins or walled storage areas. The grating was to allow air circulation and minimal light into the hold.

Good idea. Sometimes the double sided tape is difficult to clean up. Thanks!

I had completed making all the Orlop deck gratings (image below). From what I could find they ran along both sides of the hull , full length, and this was called the carpenter's walk. There was also a run along the bow from port to larboard (starboard) and three central gratings. The topside of all were flush with the top of the beams. The first task was to lightly sand the top of the grating battens to be flush with the grating ledges as mine stood a bit proud. I set my sandpaper down onto the small repurposed pastry marble slab with some double sided tape to keep it secure and had at it (image below). Installing the gratings was, at first, an overwhelming challenge. The grating ledges were to be set into notches cut into the deck beams and carlings. Aligning these notches properly was impossible, and occasionally splitting the beam corners off unavoidable. To alleviate this, I simply cut (chiselled and scraped) the corner edges off of the beams and carlings that the grating ledges were to rest on, and then I sanded the underside corners of the grating ledges that were to rest on those beams and carlings (image above). Applied a little dab of white PVA glue and plopped them into place. When looking down at it you cannot tell the complete beam corner is gone, plus it will be deep enough below other decks that seeing anything will draw attention away from such a small detail. In the image above I only have the three central gratings installed. I did not install the floor, lower futtock or second futtock riders. The second futtock riders pass through the Orlop deck and up to the underside of the Gundeck clamps. In doing so, these run alongside the deck beams and pass through the gratings in those areas. That is why some beams haven't knees in between bracing them. When installing those gratings I notched them out to allow the passage of the riders. I have no intention of adding the riders... they won't be seen or missed. Once all the gratings are in I will install the Orlop standard knees above the floor beams. Then I move up to the Gundeck. I am further along than these photos suggest but still will need a couple of nice days to finish them off. Yes, I am back outside working on the ship, so nice weather is a must. Yesterday was rainy, today is a bit cruddy, and the next few are forecasted to be wet!

I think it better for ventilation and drainage open. A model of the Bellona has it open.

Now you've got me wanting to make anchors.

I imagined more of them.

We would secure with a half hitch or two between tackle (two blocks or even thimbles) and may complete by wrapping the standing end around further and finish with another half hitch to hold it there, or alternatively simply coil the remainder of the standing end of the line and place it out of the way.

do the extreme ends need to be tapered like staves on a barrel?

Good to be reminded to sometimes think outside the box. (There is more than one way to cook an egg)

I am assuming there was some heat involved in forming the plastic tube (pressing out the sides). Is that correct.

It's been a month of many things. Spring has sprung, grass cutting, readying the patio, preparing the flower and vegetable gardens for later next month. All the orlop deck stairways are installed. Made some of the standard knees but they are not installed as yet. I've got 12 of 23 gratings sets made. I won't be posting anything until I've got them all assembled and installed.

To bad you are so far away as our local club (MSON) has been trying to give one away along with a magnifying head set.

Are they for show or "to go" (R/C controlled model)? If for show, do you have any knowledge of the details or dimensions of the props? They could be easily 3D resin printed and painted.

clever and simple!

What a beautiful example of rigging of a ship. If you keep up this standard she will be a master build. Well done!

Like the hot sauce... I use it everywhere too!

The camera doesn't lie. I see no blemishes at all. Well done! When will you be scheduling classes?

On the other hand... I imagine they used what they had. If you didn't have a fiddle block of the appropriate size you "McGyvered" one of your own!

Well then, I'm in good company!