US Brig Niagara by mikiek - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - First wooden ship build

[mikiek]

Hey Don - thanks for those kind words. And man, you are so right about not the funnest part of the build. It will be a relief to move on! Of course then the challenge will be not to knock any of them loose.

[Julie Mo]

So, Mike, when are you going to start the next one.  Your fans are waiting...   

[mikiek]

I'm flattered.

 

Actually there are 3 others in progress. A gun deck section, Colonial Schooner Enterprise and an English Pinnnace. They are good to have around - all quite different. My temper gets such that I have to put Niagara away from time to time.   No rigging on the Pinnace and the gun deck scale is quite large so easy to work with. I can work on either with little chance of aggravation.

 

The next major project will be either Xebec Cazador or Row Galley Arrow. Two REALLY different styles of boat. Leaning towards Arrow. I've learned a whole lot of the history of the Great Lakes portion of the War of 1812 with this build. Very interesting what went on and how/why they built Niagara like they did. The row galley played a part in all that.  HOWEVER Cazador looks like a very nice kit.   Got a coin? Maybe both?

[mikiek]

Free at last!  Free at last!

 

With the exception of a couple of minor alterations I believe I have completed arming Niagara. What a journey! It's hard to believe that I began drilling eyebolt holes in the bulwarks back in early JUNE. Then close to a month with that mock up gun station. Debating with myself over the part sizes - what I liked vs conventional wisdom. Then getting down to it. I seriously doubt if general rigging will be anywhere near as tough.

 

Overall I like the frapped tackles. I'm glad I went down that path. In hindsight, I should have spent a little more time with the windings. I think they could have been a little looser. Each tackle was tightly wound with almost 5" of rope which would work out to something like 75' which is ridiculous. I imagine the loose end of the rope coming out of the double block would not have been more 10'-12'. Not enough to wind from one block to the other.

 

I've been thru how I did the tackles so no more on that. I did realize late in the game, while slathering lacquer on the breech ropes for shaping, that I never applied any finish to the deck or insides.  So I did my best to paint around the guns and got a coat of matte varnish on things. May do one more before everything gets even less accessible.

 

Also installed are some of the deck items. Many of those pieces have been laying  around for months in small containers - nice to get that cleaned up. Was able to put away all the ropes and blocks and rigging tools and rigging jigs - the workbench is almost visible.

 

I was hoping to include the rudder & steering with this but that is turning into it's own adventure. Parts are made but not totally fitted out yet.

 

 

 

And on to the deck.

 

 

 

 

Minor catastrophe when drilling the hole for the capstan shaft. I guess I was using too large of a bit - when it contacted the deck it ripped off the secondary capstan decking and the grate on either side. I can see here that I did not get the grate reinstalled flush with the deck.

 

 

Still working on the fasteners (brass) for the binnacle.

[jbshan]

Binnacle:  Just a couple of eyebolts on deck and cabinet, lashings holding it to the deck.

I like that you have chosen to have some gratings and some boards on your hatchways.  I wound up with all but one as gratings (long story).

For future reference only.  I didn't mention it earlier because I didn't want you to angst over it, and now there's no way you'll try to change things.  Between the hatches, if the distance is less than or even a bit over your average length of deck plank, they would just use a full length; there wouldn't be butts.  Doing the deck plank off the model, or not accounting for this in your planning has had this result.  You could also have used thicker plank under the capstan as called for, instead of two layers, making it perhaps a bit neater when it came time to drill the hole for the axle.

Your rudder looks as if it will work quite well for you.  Pay attention to how the gudgeons are fitted and you will be able to ship and unship the rudder.  If you can, it will not only work right, it will look right.  Many short cuts do not look right as they cannot work right.

She's lookin' good, doncha' think?

[donrobinson]

That looks real impressive Mike, nice work

[Elijah]

Nice job on the ruder Mike! Did you solder the brass wire to the pintles, or did you do something else?

[mikiek]

Joel - re: binnacle fasteners, I have been trying to use brass wire between the eyebolts. It's been a struggle to get it taught without breaking the wire or pulling an eyebolt out. By 'lashing' I assume you mean with rope? Sure would be easier.

 

Good idea on the thicker planking under the capstan. Do they do that to add strength or is there some other reason?

 

re: the rudder, I was going to try to temporarily fasten the gudgeons to the pintles and then insert the rudder in place. The hope being that the gudgeons would land on the stern post right where they need to be.

 

re: the butt spacing, so full plank in between grates or structures. This would seem to apply at the centerline and outwards a bit. Would they pick up the regular butt pattern after the last structure at the bow and stern?

 

Don - Thank you. It was a long time coming!

[mikiek]

Thanks Elijah. I used a brass rod (don't recall the diameter) wrapped a brass strap around it and hard soldered. I'll try to post more details when I finish the rudder

[Julie Mo]

Hi Mike,

 

Until looking at the amazing detail of your work, I never realized how much those cannons must have kicked back when fired.  The closest I have come to seeing the real thing was when visiting Boston.  We went to see the Constitution but failed the metal detector.  It took an hour to get there and they wouldn't hold on to the "contraband" until we were done so we left.  I don't need to see the full sized version of old battleships now.  I have your beautiful work to enjoy.

[mikiek]

Thanks Julie - I was really struck when I began realizing that Niagara was nothing but a bunch of guns - carronades. Giant shotguns that they would load with almost anything. I've read some accounts of the devastation that could be done - both to boat and personnel. And everyone was expected to stand there and take it.  I've mentioned before that while the percentage of injured was usually not that high compared to other warfare, the damage that was done was brutal by any standards.

[jbshan]

Yes, lashing with rope, and the eyebolts are brass as well perhaps as any deck fastenings in the area might be trunnels.  The object is to have no iron nearby.

 

Yes, thicker plank for strength, and there are partners underneath, such as are found at the masts, inserted in the deck beam structure.  There can be a lot of force on a capstan.

 

Yes, kind of cut and try for the gudgeon placement.  Hold the rudder in place and fit the gudgeons so the rudder can lift up off them and be removed.  There would be a wooden lock in the top space, a keeper if you will.

 

The plank between hatches would resume the deck shift afore and abaft, just don't make any too short.  You could skip a butt if the resulting plank was very short and use one a bit longer to reach the next beam in the pattern.  None of that is carved in stone, plank length is a guide only.

[mikiek]

Thanks Joel. All filed away for future reference

[mikiek]

Problem of the day. Have been installing the rail belay pin strips - another one of those items that has been sitting around forever. They went in OK but I've realized that there are not enough of the kit supplied pins. Actually I discovered this a while back and ordered what I thought were the same pins from Model Expo.What I got are pins slightly bigger than the originals.

 

So what I have to decide now is whether to use the larger pins, if so how to mix them with the smaller ones. What I mean by that is maybe something like bigger pins on the rail strips and smaller ones on the fife rails.

 

Of course another question is do I even care? They will most likely be covered with rope coils.

 

Here's what I'm talking about

 

A few side by side just to compare the size

 

One possible mix

 

 

Thought I was wrapping up the rudder assembly, however further adjustments will be required as the gap between rudder and sternpost is a little more that I would like. The ring on the gudgeons is causing this. They extend out from the sternpost more than they need to.

 

 

I could deepen the notch in the sternpost allowing the gudgeons to recess a little more. Or reinstall the pintles, deepening the notches in the rudder and recessing the pintles more. The latter is probably the better idea but I'm not sure how much more abuse the basswood rudder will take. It's already broken once. Of course making a new rudder from boxwood is an option as well.

 

[mikiek]

I've redone the pintles on the rudder after making the notches a little deeper. I feel like that's cheating a little but it is done. Pardon the paint job, that's just some brushed on primer. Probably won't repaint until the final hull repaint - however the stern looked a little rough with the filler and scratched up surfaces. I was able to salvage the basswood kit rudder but I had to make 2 new pintles with shorter straps. Both pintles and gudgeons are attached with nails from the kit. I think that is a better idea than trying to simulate bolt heads.

 

I can already tell I'm going to end up breaking the rudder off as I handle the hull. It is right where I grab it. Speaking of broken somehow the pump handle was cracked right at the pivot. Heaven help me when I start adding parts that protrude above the hand rail.

 

 

 

 

Also working on the first of 2 long boats.  The 7 laser cut parts are supposed to be glued together then sanded down. I found it was easier to glue the top 2 as one piece the middle 3 as another and the bottom 2 as another. These individual pieces can then be sanded out easily. The 3 pieces are then glued together and final sanding will smooth where they join. This one is ready for planking.

 

 

[jbshan]

You can just lift the nice tightly-fitted rudder off and put it in a safe place while you handle the hull.

I'll see what I can find about my boats to post.  I didn't like the carving thingy and did a yawl for the stern davits.

[mikiek]

A good point Joel. That will also save me from doing the rigging on the rudder. Good thing I didn't glue the tiller.

 

re: the boats, a Dremel made short work of the sanding. The exterior will be planked so all the nastiness seen in the pix will be covered. The interior has quite a bit of stuff in it - frames, floorboards, seats - so very little of the hull shell shows there. The boat in the pix is actually a cutter (1 of 2)  and would be hung from the side davits. The yawl (made that months back) will hang from the stern. A poor choice on my part to pose the cutter on the stern davits.

 

Got to wondering whether the real Niagara (and Lawrence) would have had boats. I guess there was at least one or Perry would have been stuck on Lawrence. Seems like boats, hanging or otherwise would have been  a safety problem in battle.

[Julie Mo]

That beast has a tiller!?!?!

[jbshan]

Yes, Julie, there is a tiller.  Relieving tackle on it, but hand-steered.  It's only a hundred feet.  A properly balanced rig will stay on course almost on its own, and tacking is done mostly with the sails.

Yes, Mike, boats were universal, ship to ship, ship to shore, ship to tavern, all important transportation.  I chose to leave off the quarter davits, hang the smaller boat from the stern davits and have one on chocks on deck.  Plenty of crew to hoist that one overboard if needed, and the stern boat would be available quickly if needed.

[mikiek]

Julie - as I was becoming more familiar with sailing ships and how they worked I was surprised to find that even the big ships with steering wheels were doing nothing more than manipulating a tiller located a deck or two below.

 

 

[mikiek]

Binnacle:  Just a couple of eyebolts on deck and cabinet, lashings holding it to the deck.

So I'm stumped. Lashing - seize eyebolts to both ends of a piece of rope? Surely something more elegant.

[jbshan]

Eyebolts in deck, eyebolts on cabinet, lashing holding them together.  A few turns between pairs of eyebolts, frapping to expend the remainder, your favorite technique.  Please excuse the dust.

 

[mikiek]

Got it. Thank you.

 

Cool idea with the bolt heads in the rear davits.That adds a lot. I may steal that idea from you.

 

I believe I am going to follow your lead with the boats - one hanging at the stern and one on blocks or something, probably over the main hatch. I wonder about those quarter davits. It seems like there are very few period illustrations that show a ship with boats hanging off the sides. Maybe they are something a little more contemporary? I would imagine on larger ships it would be pretty tough to even launch a boat if the water was 10'-12' below.

[mikiek]

Binnacle is now a permanent fixture and davit bolts a la jbshan

 

 

 

Next up, the bitts and fife rails.

[jbshan]

Quarter davits and stern davits were established by 1813 so either or both would be appropriate.

Quarter davits, instead of the permanently mounted curved version of the replica, would have been straight, square-sectioned spars mounted on pivots about in line with the mast, outboard of the shrouds.  In use, the davits would be swung outboard on tackles rigged to the lower mast head or top to clear the side.  The boat would be cast off from its lashings and lowered using the tackles in their end, much as a cat hook is suspended and worked.  A couple of boat's crew would ride it down to keep the tackles running clear and to breast the boat clear of the side.  The rest of the crew would board once the boat was int he water.  All this would take place with the ship hove-to.  Victory has this sort of davit today.

If you have it, Lavery, 'Arming and Fitting...' has the stuff about davits.  Harland, 'Seamanship in the Age of Sail' has the operational info.

[mikiek]

Just started reading about ships boats in Lavery's A & F last nite but fell asleep. I'll check Harland too. Those 2 books are such a wealth of information.

 

I'll take a look and maybe go the route you describe on the quarter davits. I don't like those curved things.

Edited September 23, 2016 by mikiek

[jbshan]

I promised something about my boats for Lawrence.  I got all the sections out of the sheets and glued the rough forms together.  Eventually I decided it might be easier to do a boat using a plug form and to frame and plank on top of that.  I didn't like the carving thing at all.

The frames would be in the 1 1/4" square range and the plank in the 3/4 to 1 inch thick range.  I was having trouble getting that small and keeping the carved hulls intact and correct to shape.  (There are lines plans on one of the sheets.  If you want to trace and cut those out you can make templates from those to guide your carving.)  I was told the product should be thin enough to see a light through evenly all over the hull, and then frames could be added.  I was able to achieve this with my (eventual) plank over frame boat but never with any of the carved versions.

Looking at your pics of boats, I think you have a way to go yet on the carving and shaping, so can yet achieve the eggshell thinness required.

I'm a little curious why you want to plank over the carved hull.  In practice, specialist boat builders usually made the boats, even in Navy Yards.  For practical purposes of repair in distant waters, by ship's carpenters, they were done carvel rather than clinker construction, though later on, in Victorian, Pax Britannica times, clinker or lapstrake seems to have prevailed.  Perhaps the ships never spent enough time on long distant deployments so they could bring a boat back to port for repair.  Navy boats were almost always painted, so seeing the plank with a clear finish would not be normal.  A nice neat carving job, painted, would be sufficient for these brigs.

[mikiek]

I didn't go for the eggshell on the yawl (finished months ago) probably just because I didn't know any better. The instructions said thin but that is relative. I'm sure not going to kill myself sanding until I can see light coming thru. Not sure what I have achieved with that. If the boat is seen from only one angle - for instance it's upside down on the main hatch grating - what's the point? For that matter why even finish out the inside at all? Hanging off the davits might be a different story.

 

I think even if thinness was the goal it would probably be easier to get the exterior the shape you want, plank it and then Dremel out the inside as much as you want. I remember trying (with the little knowledge I had) to find some way to get frame looking pieces for the interior. Nothing would bend as much as needed - the angle at the keel was too sharp. Carving frame pieces seemed like the only solution and I elected not to go there. That ended up being my introduction to styrene.

[mikiek]

I thought this evening I could post that the deck is finished but I jumped over to Darrell's log and remembered I still had a galley stack to make. Also, in mounting the fife rails I had to take the pump off, and have not replaced it. Always something!

 

Fife rails were built to plans but the cross pieces seem rather wimpy to me. I have my doubts as to whether they will take much of a load. I did run some thin CA on the underside but it didn't seem to help. Plans also called for them to be 'natural' in color, which I did, but I am not overly thrilled with that. Of course with my historical version there would have been few frills - even painting would probably be only out of necessity.

 

Well the deck is more complete and I was about to move on to the channels and chainplates. Plans there call for 0.016" rod for the largest chainplate pieces. Again, this seems very wimpy. The smaller ones are supposed to be 0.010" - yeah right. And neither were supplied in the kit. The smallest rods I have are 0.020". I'm going to make a couple of test pieces and see how they look. I am definitely not going any smaller.

 

I would appreciate your comments on the belay pins. I while back I posted about running out of the small kit supplied pins. I order some more but they are a little bigger and shaped differently. I ended up using the small pins on the fife rails and the larger ones on the bulwark rails.

 

Here's the almost completed deck. It's getting rather busy. Hard to imagine a crew running around.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking of crew

[donrobinson]

Yup she would have been some crowded on that deck, your pins look fine to me. As you showed in your previous post keeping them separate no one will know.

 All is good.