AON

I had six square frames installed... had to remove five of them and then alter my bow and stern supports as they were wandering again.
The Plexiglas inserts that slide into the notches was out of square.  I had secured it once before but apparently it didn't hold.
This time I added a brace across the top, and then drilled and screwed the sides.
It will never move again.
 
   
 
The frames are back up and aligned properly.

 
The next four frames are underway.

 

Good morning Druxey (et al)
I finally got back to it.
Is this image more along the lines of what you would have expected?
Alan

Druxey,
It should be easy to do.  I opened the file and tried to adjust things and it was a nightmare, so I started it over as a new file ... and it will need some trial and error adjustments as yet.
 
Everyone,
I got going on my first stepped frame.  N-Forward steps forward about 2-1/2 inches ( 0.04" at the build scale) to reach the upper gun port and receive the notches for the upper and lower cills as can be seen in the snip from the framing plans.
 
I found some flat washers I could use as supports while the glue set.  One side has been roughly filed down and needs to be finish sanded the last little bit.
 
Full disclosure, I originally forgot to step it even though I have it marked in BOLD RED on my plan.  Had to take it apart and redo the chock thicker to accommodate the step. 

and the open heart.
 

done.

take two, or twenty two.
 
I've reworked the closed heart.
I've included a sliced or cross section view showing the shape is made of two ellipses (top and sides) and one circle (bottom) off one common centre (the black dot).
I added fillets (radii) to the bottom outside and inside corners to soften/blend the edges/contour.
 
I honestly think I have it this time.

I suppose you are correct. 
If I ignore sketches in various books and look at Steels figure (curiously missing from Rees) or even the photos on the Syren website I see what you are describing.
I'm certain I can do better.
 
 

My updated count of blocks is numbered at 1,323.
 
I've completed 16 models and template drawings to allow me to make them.  These are on regular "A" size or letter size paper (8-1/2" x 11").  Most are modeled in strips of 6 blocks with ample space between each to cut them from a sized strip of wood.
 
Sizing standard single, double, treble and four fold blocks was easy enough as Steels (and Rees) give the proportions.  Sizing the others meant finding the info.  With the help of this site I was directed to Steels' block making section of The Elements and Practise of Rigging and Seamanship, Vol. 1. In the section entitled the Practice of Block Making (  https://www.hnsa.org/manuals-documents/age-of-sail/the-elements-and-practice-of-rigging-and-seamanship/block-making-vol-i/  ).
 
 
The open heart size given in tables is the length or height of the wider side, the cheek.  The width of the cheek is approximately 3/4 x the height.  The breadth has a single or double groove into which the standing rigging rope or strop wraps about.  It is twice the size of the rope or three times the size of the doubled strop.  This means the outside lips or wall of the heart holding the rope or strops into the groove is half the size of the rope/strop.  I assume the thickness of the heart (outside to inside opening) is at least 1-1/2 x the rope size.  This means the cross sectional depth of wood excluding the groove would be at least equal to the rope size.  When I modelled it I sketched in five wrappings of the lanyard, checked where the outside wrapping fell and adjusted the thickness to suit.  The inside flat of the heart is said to have four or more grooves for the lanyard.  I put five in mine.
 
The closed heart size given in the table is once again the length or height of the heart.  The inside will have the same number of lanyard wrappings  as the matching  closed heart mentioned above.  The width of the heart (distance to the outside of the two legs) must locate the strop outside of whatever the open heart is spreading the strop to get around.  The two hearts for the forestay and fore preventer stay to the bowsprit are sized to allow the jib boom to pass through underneath it.  My jib boom measures 17" across the flats of the hex shape at its foot end. So the legs of my hearts are sized to drop the strops outside of 17" and the thickness is such that the top of the heart can accommodate 5 wraps of the lanyard.
 
The long tackle block is comprised of  two sheaves, one above the other. It's size is the length of the cheek.  Steels reads that it is 2/3rds longer than the proportion for a single block at one sheave to be 2/3rds less than the other, and made agreeable to the size of the rope.  So we look at the rope size and calculate the various dimensions at the larger top sheave.  The lower sheave is 2/3rds the diameter  of the upper but similar thickness as it is the same size rope reeving through it.
 
The snatch block is proportioned by the rope, leaving 2X the length for the score and lashing, tapered from the sheave to the lash end to 1/2 the breadth and thickness at the sheave. BUT... the viol or voyol block, which is a snatch block is 10X the thickness of the sheave hole which is 3/8ths more than the thickness of the sheave.  The thickness of the sheave is 1/10th more than the diameter of the viol (the rope), and the diameter of the sheave is 7X the thickness.  The breadth of the block is 8X the thickness, and the thickness to be 2/7ths of the length.  This was difficult to understand at first until I started with the two givens.  The rope size is 13.5" (= 4.3" diameter) and the block size (cheek length) is 57". Then I worked backwards:  the sheave thickness is 1/10th larger than the rope diameter (= 4-3/4"), the sheave hole thickness is 3/8" larger (= 5-1/8"); and the sheave diameter is 7X the sheave thickness (= 33"); the block thickness is 2/7X the length (= 16") and the block breadth is 8X the thickness of the sheave (= 34.4").
 
The dead eye size is the outside diameter, and they have a thickness 1" more than half their diameter.  Three holes are bored through the dead eye, sized for the lanyard,  in a triangular pattern, on a circle of 1/4 less than the diameter of the block (or 3/4X the diameter of the block).  I made my dead eyes a little thicker and adjusted my hole circle slightly so they might be easier to make.  The circumference is grooved to accept the stay rope.
Once done I realized this did not account for the gun rope blocks.  I found one article in the NRG magazine 1962 issue 12-1 (The Sizes of Gun Tackles and Breechings by Edwin Newell Rich) which gave the rope and block sizes for the various guns on the various sizes of RN warships.  I have both single and double  block sizes of 6-1/2", 8" and 10" for  2-1/2" and 2" gun, train, and gun port tackles.  My breech ropes are 6", 5" and 4" for the 32, 18 and 9 pound guns.
 
I received my "good to go" from the eye doctor, so I can get back to making my square frames now.

i SHOULD BE AS PICKY ALSO!
I will never forget helm port.
It is up there with capsize (at 12 years old while just having joined sea cadets,  one fellow answered 6-7/8" to the question : what does capsize mean)  
 
I've one last drawing for now.  The cat head and cat tail.  The contract gives some dimensions for the pieces.  Rees's plates offer some views of the items and shiver (sheave) size guide based on rope size. So does Falconer.  Steele's tables offers info on the rope size. One table suggests 5-1/2" (circumference) and another 6".  I've learned that at 1:64 scale the differences do not matter much.
 

Updated the image of the Upper Deck Beams in post #1096 dated September 5.
Below is the Gun Deck Beam image.
I will not be doing the Orlop deck as it will not be seen very well.
The five beams at the Waist will be made insitu following the Quarter Deck rounding at 8-1/2" (0.133" at 1:64 build scale).
 
Mark: FYI - my upper deck NMM plan shaped tiller hole allows 30° of travel in each direction
 
 

Getting near the end of the Upper Deck Beam Layout.
Looking at various references that don't agree with each other plus my NMM deck plan drawing of HMS Elephant is too long for that ship.
I've yet to add the Knees... and then check it again.
Here is what I have so far...  (image updated 13 SEP 2020)
 

The Forecastle deck beam layout gave me a small headache.
 
First the rounding or camber was said to be 7-1/2" on page 2 of the contract, and then it is 6-1/2" on page 17.  I focused far too much on this... once I came to my senses and realized my scale of 1:64 scale build difference was 0.015" I just picked the larger number.
 
Next I didn't understand what the cat beam was.  It is said to be 2'-4" broad (wide or sided) and 10" deep.  I discovered it is directly below the cat tail (the part of the cathead that crosses the deck athwart ships at the head.  I found it in Rees's Plate IV, and also in The Anatomy of Nelson's Ship's page 79, figure 44.  As it is a mere 2" (0.03" to build scale) thicker than the forecastle deck beams (8" moulded) I decided to ignore the 10" as no one will see or notice it.
 
I started aft and worked forward with my layout.  When I got to the mast I realized the roughly measured beam spacing did not fit the space on the model.  I closed up the first three beams aft from 36" to 24" and things lined up at the mast.  That is two feet missing from the plan.
 
Just beyond or forward of the mast is a stairwell.  The space (a large gap) between the beam forward of the stairwell and the cat beam was not there.  I measured the deck plan and then the model and there was a five foot difference.  My model deck length is 43'-4" and the contract specifies 42'-9", a mere 7" difference or 0.11" at my build scale.   The museum plan deck measures roughly 48'-4" long.... the missing 5 feet!
 
The plan clearly shows carlings (fore/aft joining beams) in only two locations: 1) at mast, and 2) under the belfry.  I added them at the gratings, stove pipe and stairwell openings. 
So this is what I have. (02 Sept 2020 replaced image and dwg with updated version)
 
 
 
 

 

Round House Deck template

 

Played with it some this morning and this is the best I can get. 
Still has some lines that should not be there. 
Also I know the knee legs are tapered  with rounded ends.  I can do this when they are built.
 
screen capture and downloadable PDF below.
 
Moving on to the Round House deck.
 
 

 

Generated the dwg ...but the program jumbled a couple of lines to the right at the main mast location. I've no idea why.
If I cannot get it to work properly I can sketch them in with a pencil.

I got the model done. Just need to import it to a sheet at 1:64 scale for the template.
three pics below
1- a layout with a mess of dimensions
2- same but cleaner looking layout with the dimensions hidden.  You can see the shaded areas that will be cut away.
3 - the end result.  I roughed in the hanging and lodging knee as blocks in the bottom right corner and just the hanging knees in the top right corner.
 I'll get the drawing template made than do the roundhouse deck beams.
 

My progress with Quarter Deck layout.
 
From the page 15 of the contract I found the quarter deck was rounded (cambered) 8-1/2 inches (21.6 cm) for deck water runoff.  The beams were sided (thickness forward to aft) 9-1/2" (24.1 cm) and moulded (thickness or depth top to bottom) 8" (22.8 cm).
 
At 1:64 scale these numbers are as follows:
rounded 8-1/2" (21.6 cm) = 0.133" (3.4mm)
sided 9-1/2" (24.1 cm) = 0.148" (3.8 mm)
moulded 8" (22.8 cm = 0.125" (3.2 mm)
 
First I made a copy of my "master model" and renamed it Quarter Deck.  I worked on this copy.
 
I drew my outlining lines along the perimeter and around the mast, extruded my deck slab, then sketched the rounding or camber at the forward facing end of the slab and cut that out.  When I started to outline the forward most beam I noticed the main mast as compared to the reference plan was missing.  I had it too far forward.  This was corrected on the master model and the location of the other masts were verified.  Then the quarter deck copy was replaced and the slab had to be re-created.  There is always time to do it over.
These are the results.  Now I sketch in the beams with one lodging and hanging knee at each end as per the museum plan and the contract.
 
I will post again when I have this one done.

Good morning everyone.  I had my eye surgery (cataract removal and new lens implant) last Friday and it has been amazing.  The actual surgery was over before I realized it had started.   The most painful part was when they removed the tape holding the IV plug in the back of my hand just prior to my discharge from the hospital.  I cannot recall my vision being so vivid and crisp.  Yesterday I went to the optometrist to have the lens removed from the frame as wearing my glasses with both lenses gave me a headache and simply ruined the view.  I get the other eye done on the 25th of September.
 
Meanwhile I am not allowed to do quite a few things and one is to work in the shop... a sawdust issue.
 
So I've decided to work on my deck templates.  There are five in total: roundhouse, forecastle, quarter deck, upper deck, and gun deck.  I spent a part of yesterday refreshing myself with Fusion 360 and my 3D ship model.  I pulled out my Museum plans and measured the height of each deck at their extreme upper surface forward and aft location.  Then I copied my model and sliced it at the quarter deck so I had the outside perimeter of the deck (inside of the hull) identified.  The result is below.  Now I need to layout the deck framing to create the templates.
 

Prior to my surgery I added cyclone dust separators to my two shop vacuums.  I found a supplier that stated the minimum kW rating required to work and then checked my shop vacuums HP rating (conversion to metric was necessary).  The filters were constantly clogged and emptying them was messy job.  The cyclone separator spins the dust around the outside cone of the housing to separate the dust with centrifugal force.  It removes 98% of the dust per the specifications.  The last 2%, a fine dust that is too light to drop out flows through to the vacuum filter... there was nothing seen on the floor of the vacuum canister.
 
  
 
 

I looked at a few YouTube videos before I began the process.  The sparators were supplied with two couplings and hose clamps but as they are metric and my hoses are not I needed to purchase some additional fittings (flexible rubber couplings and hose barb fittings from Canadian Tire), plus I used some adhesive backed 1/4" rubber gasket material (McMaster-Carr) where the fit was still sloppy.  I built a mobile deck for the smaller vacuum that moves around the shop, added casters that were horded from old tables or chairs, and a wall shelf for the stationary vacuum that is connected to the Lee Valley Tools dust collection system that was gifted to me by a good friend.  I also bought four 5 gallon pails and two lids from RONA.  One pail acts as a "cup holder" for the other pail, and the lid was cut out and drilled to mount the cyclone separator.  The "cup holders" are screwed down and a hole is drilled through the deck to break the suction that normal makes it difficult to pull stacked pails apart.
 
They work like a charm!
Photos below and also a short video of centrifugal force at work.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

cyclone separator operating.wmv  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

There is a wonderful paper on the properties of wood at:
 
https://thenrg.org/resources/Documents/articles/AnOverviewOfWoodProperties.pdf
 
on page 8 is an image regarding shrinkage and warpage
you might want to study it and then decide.

Bonjour Gaetan
I have a combination disk and belt sander on my worktable.  I've use both regularly, the disk for end sanding small pieces and the belt set horizontally for larger flat pieces.  It has an option to flip the belt vertically.  I've never done this.  After reading what you posted I think I will give it a try and find out for myself what you are talking about.
 
It will also give me an opportunity to clean under the belt!
 
Thank you for making me wonder about it.  I am open to learning.

I assume you haven't used any CAD program yourself.
 
Prior to someone offering to do work for any compensation they would need to see the drawing(s) to appreciate the enormity of the task to be done.
Having done engineering drawings for clients for well over 30 years I can attest to having experienced the "what the client said. what the engineer heard.  what the client wanted" phenomenon.  It should be avoided or there will be a great disappointment for both parties.
 
Mark is correct in the steps to do the work.
 
Can you post photos of the drawing(s) you would like converted?

I assume you haven't used any CAD program yourself.
 
Prior to someone offering to do work for any compensation they would need to see the drawing(s) to appreciate the enormity of the task to be done.
Having done engineering drawings for clients for well over 30 years I can attest to having experienced the "what the client said. what the engineer heard.  what the client wanted" phenomenon.  It should be avoided or there will be a great disappointment for both parties.
 
Mark is correct in the steps to do the work.
 
Can you post photos of the drawing(s) you would like converted?

Hello good people! I am very slow at building. I built many kits as a teen. I struggle though as my hands are numbing and hand-eye coordination clumsy and poor. I wish to begin a log under "An Unorthodox Construction Method". I will be using wood, wire, and clay for the hull. Instead of frames bulkheads. Either way it's a challenge for me but I'd rather build models than anything else. Please be patient for photos on Continental Galley Washington 1776 NRG # 0138. You members have been great in your assistance. Thank you .

I had a couple good weeks of framing, followed by yet another needle in the left eye and a few days recovery.
 
Then I decided to work on something different for a change of scenery.  Always nice to do that occasionally, finish something completely for a change as you can only fool yourself for so long that having completed yet one more frame is a major achievement  8*)
 
My Mississippi Plank River Raft (1830-1840) based on the description by Mark Twain in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
The raft hovers above with the riverbed below (on top of the book).  Crayfish and shrimp traps on the riverbed with wooden buoys floating above on either side of the raft at the imaginary water level.
 
Photo below.   
Just needs a display case and name plate.
 
I was back onto frames yesterday.
 

Alan, it looks like you went back to rule number 1: enjoy modelling.
Glad to hear about the eye.