Independence 1775 by DocBlake - Artesania Latina - 5/16" scale.

[KenW]

I can't see a thing.  Great work.

 

[DocBlake]

I'm having an existential crisis regarding masting and rigging this ship!  The masts and sprit are all done, and rigging can begin as soon as I add a few more cleats and eyebolts to the model.  The problem I is like the look of the admiralty style model with stub masts and no rigging.  This model is large, and masting and rigging makes it bigger,  Plus I really don't enjoy rigging all that much.  Then again I look at Bob's (rafine's) Halifax and admire the job he did on rigging her and how beautiful she looks.  What to do?

[MEDDO]

 I also like the stub masts and the no rigging look. It certainly makes it a lot smaller and easier to fit on a bookshelf with hopefully many more. You might be able to pass by the wife a little bit easier. I know I could never have placed my Halifax upstairs in the “public“ part of the house if it was fully rigged.

 

If you do rig the model, you might have to redo it multiple times before you get an acceptable result. You could end up spending the next 2 to 3 years doing it over and over again. All though on the other hand you could find out that you love rigging and you could learn great new techniques that make it the best part of any build. 

[rafine]

Dave, either way you will have a winner. Of course, you know my opinion -- go for the rigging. 😄 Seriously, it's a relatively simple rig in a large scale, and you should enjoy doing it.

 

Bob

[David Lester]

Hi Dave,

I can't help you with your decision. If it was me building it, I would add rigging because 1. - I really like doing the rigging and 2. - I think the rigging helps divert the eye from my mediocre woodworking skills. But for you, I can easily see why you might prefer to leave it admiralty style. Your woodworking skills are superb and the admiralty style really showcases them. Also, such models are less fragile and take up less display space. But as Bob said, it will be beautiful in any case.

 

David

[KenW]

Dave:  I think you model looks great.  I also like the cabin windows.  The Rattlesnake didn't have quarter badges either.

One question - How did you install the fashion piece?  Is it painted?

Thanks.

[DocBlake]

Thanks, Ken!  The fashion pieces caused a lot of heartburn!  They form a compound angle so carving them from a single piece of wood would be difficult.  Sculpey wouldn't look right, so here's what I did.  I installed the taffrail and simply made the fashion piece in 3 pieces, each one onforming to one of the planks between the wales and running back to the taffrail and the counter.  Turned out OK.  Here's a photo and I link to how I did the windows.

 

[KenW]

Thanks for your reply, Dave.  I like that solution.

[MtZigg]

Beautiful work.

Thank you for finishing it and your amazing log. Almost gave up. It is my 1st ever build and your log gave me the kick to keep it from the trash.

Funny about that stamped metal part. It spoke a lot about how disappointed I felt about the kit.

Would love to see this link but it is  404 .Any way  to retrieve it?

http://www.shipsofscale.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=539

[SardonicMeow]

On 4/29/2019 at 9:53 AM, MtZigg said:

Would love to see this link but it is  404 .Any way  to retrieve it?

http://www.shipsofscale.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=539

Clare's build log of the Independence can be found on his website.

[MtZigg]

Thank you

[DocBlake]

I finally made the conversion to stub masts and bowsprit. I save the full masts and spars and didn't glue the stub parts in place in case I change my mind. The only jobs left are to finish and mount the swivel guns, rig the cannons and rig a single anchor.

[DocBlake]

Time to get to work on the swivel guns. I can't remember where I picked up the guns that I used. The scale of this model is weird so there are no commercial swivels. I had to make my own. The barrels for the 2 pounder swivels measured about 32 scale inches long. Slightly short, but passable.
My first step was to silver solder some brass rod to each gun as a handle. I the made the gun brackets from sheet brass and brass rod, and drilled holes for the trunions. Lastly, afrer blackening all the parts, I made the little balls on the ends of the handle. I build up several layers of thin CA glue until I got the size I wanted, then painted them red. Next is assembling the guns and mounting them.

[DocBlake]

4 hours ago, DocBlake said:

Time to get to work on the swivel guns. I can't remember where I picked up the guns that I used. The scale of this model is weird so there are no commercial swivels. I had to make my own. The barrels for the 2 pounder swivels measured about 32 scale inches long. Slightly short, but passable.
My first step was to silver solder some brass rod to each gun as a handle. I the made the gun brackets from sheet brass and brass rod, and drilled holes for the trunions. Lastly, afrer blackening all the parts, I made the little balls on the ends of the handle. I build up several layers of thin CA glue until I got the size I wanted, then painted them red. Next is assembling the guns and mounting them.

 

Hey Brian!  I stole the trick about the gun handle's from you!  Remember?

[GuntherMT]

29 minutes ago, DocBlake said:

 

Hey Brian!  I stole the trick about the gun handle's from you!  Remember?

Yeah, but I stole them from someone else!  Haha.. I don't remember who, but I probably mentioned it in my build log if I actually remembered where I saw that method.

[DocBlake]

I finished up the anchors. The stocks are swiss pear, shaped and tapered. The anchor's themselves were supplied with the kit, and I wasn't to sure about the U-shape. Royal Navy anchors were more "V" shaped in the latter 18th century. The shape was more typical of Continental anchors, so would have been in use on a schooner like this I went with the kit anchors. The simulated metal bands on the stocks are thin slices of shrink-wrap electrical insulation. Cut to size, slip in place and heat in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes. Done!

 

 

[DocBlake]

Even though I used the kit parts as templates for my remade anchor stocks (using swiss pear), I really didn't like how they turned out. The stocks are too clunky and I didn't like the reinforcing band placement. So I made them over.

 

Much better, I think!

 

 

 

[KenW]

I think the anchors look really great!  Can you get that shrink wrap electrical insulation at any hardware store?

Your model is outstanding.

Cheers.

[DocBlake]

Thanks, Ken!

 

You can get it at a hardware or big box store.  Here's a link that will give you the option of 8 different diameters and more than enough for several lifetimes!:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QM8249H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

To use, choose an appropriate diameter tube and slice off the bands with a sharp X-Acto knife. Slip them on the stock in proper position and put the stock in a preheated 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Done!

[GuntherMT]

6 hours ago, DocBlake said:

Thanks, Ken!

 

You can get it at a hardware or big box store.  Here's a link that will give you the option of 8 different diameters and more than enough for several lifetimes!:    https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QM8249H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

To use, choose an appropriate diameter tube and slice off the bands with a sharp X-Acto knife. Slip them on the stock in proper position and put the stock in a preheated 300 degree oven for 5-10 minutes. Done!

 

I have possibly the same exact box of shrink-wrap.  I never even though of the oven though, I just use a small micro-torch, being careful not to direct the flame right at the tube and it will shrink up in seconds!  You could also just use a soldering iron or even a heat gun or blow dryer to shrink them, but would have to be careful about hitting them with too much airflow and changing their position.

[DocBlake]

I finished up the cannons. The carriages are bloodwood with boxwood trucks. The cap squares are cardstock blacked with a Sharpie and CA'd in place.

These guns are 3 pounders. At this small size, and given the model is being presented Admiralty style, I won't rig them.  After fixing them in place, all that's left is to install the anchors and finish up the swivel guns.
 

[KentM]

Very nice.

[Larry Cowden]

On 3/30/2016 at 7:54 PM, DocBlake said:

Hi John!

 

The wood is balsa so it works easily.  I carved it to rough shape with a #22 X-Acto knife, and then sanded with my sanding blocks.  You do have a good eye!  There is a slight concave shape to the area where the wing transom would be, approaching the counter! The concavity is only right next to the sternpost on both sides.  If you follow the wing transom out laterally, the shape becomes slightly convex.

I would like to know how you determined the shape to be carved for both bow and stern filler blocks!

[Larry Cowden]

On 5/2/2016 at 7:07 PM, DocBlake said:

The quarterdeck treenailing is complete.

Was there a reason you did not tree nail the athwartship planking?

[Larry Cowden]

On 7/8/2016 at 1:17 PM, DocBlake said:

Thanks, Mike.  You're making me hungry!  Jaeger (Hunter's) Schnitzel - that's veal in that delicious sauce with vegetables, mushrooms bacon...yum!  We have a lot of German restaurants around here - Milwaukee is VERY German.  There is a place about 3 miles from our house that makes a fabulous  Jaeger Schnitzel.  It's called Weissgerber's Gast Haus and it's run by the 4th generation of the Weissgerber family.  Sadly, it's closing this month.  They're going to tear it down and replace it with...ready for this?...a PANDA EXPRESS!  There is no logic or sense in this world.

Well that sucks, but Panda will never equal a great German restaurant!

[ccoyle]

4 minutes ago, Larry Cowden said:

but Panda will never equal a great German restaurant!

 

I proposed to my wife at the original Panda Inn in Pasadena. That was right around the time the owners started up their first Express location. Have yet to see a "Gasthaus Express" or similar.

[DocBlake]

34 minutes ago, Larry Cowden said:

Was there a reason you did not tree nail the athwartship planking?

Not really!  I just liked the look.  Thanks for looking in!

[Larry Cowden]

On 7/17/2016 at 3:26 PM, DocBlake said:

Naw, Brian.  This is an AL kit.  The plans are more "suggestions" than actual plans!  I'll have to guess on the waterline.  What do you think of the color scheme (holly with stem, keel, sternpost and rudder and planking below the wale to the waterline of pear)? 

You may have solved this by now. But I would place the bulkheads perpendicular to the table and mark the waterline parallel to table surface at least 15' below the main deck.

[Larry Cowden]

On 7/25/2016 at 2:02 PM, DocBlake said:

Thanks for the input, guys!

 

Another problem is that this ship has a windlass, but the plans show the anchor lines coiled on the deck.  Hahn's Hallifax plans also show no scuttle or hatch through which the lines could be led below deck.  Given the very small size of this vessel, it would seem that reducing the clutter on deck would make sense and the anchor lines would be best below, out of the way.  I'm proposing adding a hatch/grate just aft of the windlass for that purpose.  I think it makes sense.

It would make sense as nearly every sailing ship and even modern ships have line lockers installed below decks for this purpose. Just because the plans didn't show one, doesn't mean it didn't have one. 

[Larry Cowden]

On 1/7/2017 at 9:17 AM, DocBlake said:

Thanks, guys.

 

Charlie:! I haven't thought about a name yet, only it won't be Independence". I'm open to ideas and suggestions. If I choose a real historic vessel name, I may have to deal with the nitpickers who'll point out inaccuracies in my build compared to the actual historic ship!

What would that matter? Seriously? Ships of that time were subject to frequent overhauls or revisions based on the needs at that time. Nitpickers would be seriously hard pressed to prove their claims with actual surfing documents and ship's plans!