RATTLESNAKE 1780 by RiverRat - Mamoli - 1:64 - Massachusetts privateer

[src]

Thanks for the info Brian, it will help when the time comes. FYI the enterprise is double planked, I tried to single plank and failed miserably. I do appreciate the compliment though, thanks.

Gonna plop myself back down in my seat and take notes now. 

Sam

[JSGerson]

This is my first wood model ship. The Mamoli kit isn't for beginners, but I felt I had the skills to get through it. I've done OK so far, especially with the knowledge sharing here at MSW and am comfortable working with it in spite of the kit's shortcomings. (Got a good deal on it on eBay. Unopened, good price, don't know how old.)...

I "discovered" your build log some time ago but hadn't checked up on for some time. I am like you, a first time builder of a POB model, the Mamoli Rattlesnake. I chose the Mamoli kit because I am following Bob Hunt's practicum based on Mr. Hahn's model and plans and doing the complete kitbash. That practicum is based on the Mamoli kit. I thought I either had or could learn the skills as I went. Because I had the practicum, I barely looked at the kit plans. Even though it was the Mamoli model, the practicum did not double plank but used balsa wood filler. I think in my case I should have double planked just to get the practice. I've made a lot of errors and even learn to cover some of them up. When I started this project over three years ago I really knew nothing about wood models (although I didn't know that at the time) and would have loved having all these build logs to read and help me. I'm about 85% complete on the hull now so a lot of the wisdom and experience being discussed I really could have used had I know about it. So keep putting in all the details, errors, solutions, the what ifs, etc. into your log. It's going to help someone, somewhere, sometime.

 

Keep up the excellent work

[RiverRat]

My cable internet was out a couple hours, couldn't start this post, and was beginning to have MSW withdrawal symptoms! Completed planking down to and including the wales.

 

To plank around the quarter lights opening, I made a quarter-light-shaped block and tacked it in place with two dots of glue so it could hopefully be easily removed (it worked). This was to have minimal or no trimming of the plank ends. This left a ledge for the light to sit on so the frame could fit flush with the planking, rather than mounted on the surface like the transom lights.

 

I popped them off after two strakes, cleaned off the dots, and replaced them. A nice, snug, press fit.

 

 

The Admiralty drawings I've seen don't show it having a quarter badge. I'll likely try some kind of decorative trim, not too ostentatious; haven't decided yet.  ( Hmmmm, maybe some Victorian gingerbread and lacy curtains..........)

 

The kit supplies eight 2x2 mm walnut strips for wales and other things. The wales were to be (most of) three of these per side. The pieces varied in color and I couldn't get six similarly dark ones as I would wish. I was hoping for uniformly dark! I decided to use some of the 2x4 pieces I got from HobbyMill for another aspect of this build, and planed them to 2x3 mm. Two 3mm pieces per wale instead of three 2x2. Here's the color difference:

 

 

The wales are to taper downward to be flush with the 1 mm lower-hull planking. I pre-tapered the pieces with a plane to get most of the taper started, and holding two together on a flat surface, sanded to get more of it done. More will be done in place after gluing.

 

The wales as a whole are to taper a bit (unspecified amount in the instructions) at the bow. I tapered about three inches, taking off the top of the upper strake only, about 3/4 to 1 mm. Planed a bit of bevel on the top edge of these, especially the second, for a better fit.

 

I used full-length strips, maybe not "scale", but I like the clean look better for this part. Here are two views of the better side.

 

I had cut/trimmed the gunports previously, but have a little more sanding to do on those. Starting to look more ship-shape!, getting that bland first planking covered.

 

I'll probably back up and get the quarterdeck planking done and the inner bulwarks covered. Tired of looking at those incomplete sections. (Or is he making an excuse to delay hull planking???.......)

 

I may have found a historical reference to Rattlesnake in cpt Tom's Supply II build log. From a wikipedia article, an American ship Rattlesnake was a candidate for the First Fleet to Australia (transporting convicts), but was rejected for the trip. Rattlesnake was sold out of service that same year, so this is likely her. The article is at:

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Supply_(1759)

 

Enough for now, I guess...

 

Cheers,

Brian

 

 

Edited January 24, 2015 by RiverRat

[RiverRat]

So keep putting in all the details, errors, solutions, the what ifs, etc. into your log. It's going to help someone, somewhere, sometime.

 

Hi JS. I've been enjoying perusing your log since you put it up. Looks great! I had been wondering what the Hunt practicum fully included. Now I'll see!

 

I've made plenty of errors myself. One I meant to mention in the last post is that there is an undiscovered hump at the starboard quarter light area I didn't catch before putting on the "C" molding. You might notice it in one picture. It's not noticable at all angles, might be a major headache to fix, so I let it be. Will do better next time!, right?

 

Brian

[Ferit]

Hi Brian,

Your build is being improved very well... Impressive...

[JSGerson]

One I meant to mention in the last post is that there is an undiscovered hump at the starboard quarter light area I didn't catch before putting on the "C" molding. You might notice it in one picture. It's not noticeable at all angles, might be a major headache to fix, so I let it be. Will do better next time!, right?

 

Just one bump? My hat is off to you. Mine is loaded with them. At the time I either didn't know about them till too late, or didn't or couldn't do anything about them. Nothing a little creative photography can't fix. It's amazing what a well placed shadow or cropping can do. 8-). As we have all said, it's a constant learning process.

[RiverRat]

Actually, when I give it a closer look, it seems to be more that it's a depression between the last two gunports rather than a bulge!

[Martin W]

Hi Brian -- your strategy with the gunports paid off well; those are clean looking. 

 

As for bumps and depressions, well my Ratt has 'em in spades, one bump for each depression.  Some came about through the imcompetence of faring the bulkheads, one or two resulted from strakes giving way as I was working on another part. 

 

Y'know, that quarter light is a teaser -- Mamoli has a decoration, but some of the other sources don't show one.  By the time I came to deal with it, I looked at the moulding I'd struggled with that runs just where the decoration would go, and thought, "why cut up something I'd done pretty well on to put in something I'm unsure about?" and kept it plain.  The angle on that particular opening is pretty odd, so devising something that is both attractive and that keeps the line just seemed too daunting to me at the time.  I'll be intrigued to see how you work it out.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[hamilton]

Hi Brian:

 

The photos certainly don't pick up any imperfections in the planking - the tone and finish of the planking seems really nice to me - very well done and a pleasure to look at

hamilton

[src]

Brian, 

That looks really REALLy clean! Nice work.

Hmmmm lacy curtains huh?

sam

[RiverRat]

The wales are to taper downward to be flush with the 1 mm lower-hull planking.

 

Oops. The Mamoli intructions only say to taper (see the plan's cross-section earlier), not to blend with the planking below. I know I read somewhere that the wales were to blend, but I can't come up with the reference.

 

@hamilton --- Thanks! Perhaps it's just one of those (many) things that the builder is aware of, but not obvious to onlookers. ( Like the starboard edge of my quarterdeck being a half a millimeter lower than the port edge and I've had to compensate................)

 

Cheers,

Brian

[hamilton]

Brian - funny you mention that, since the starboard edge of the quarterdeck on my HMS Blandford is half a mm lower than the port side!!

hamilton

[RiverRat]

Brian - funny you mention that, since the starboard edge of the quarterdeck on my HMS Blandford is half a mm lower than the port side!!

hamilton

 

OMG! Brilliant minds build alike!  

 

BTW, earlier, your build led me to get a copy of the AOTS Blandford book. Not necessarily to build, but to get a better picture of how these floaters are put together. (It's probably the cheapest AOTS)  Thanks!

 

Brian

[Martin W]

Half a milimeter? I'd call that an exact equivalence!!

 

Martin

[hamilton]

Hey Brian:

 

I have a copy of the AOS Bellona as well - both are beautiful books, though I wish there were more model shots in the Bellona book...there is a great diversity of examples of contemporary models of 20-gunners in the Goodwin book - the variety makes for a lot of options for building, which is nice to have in the trickier phases of the build!

hamilton

[RiverRat]

A bit o' progress...............

 

The excess ply bulkheads at the quarterdeck were removed; the bulk of which was removed by my trusty piece of x-acto razor saw, the decking masked so as not to mar it. Shaved what was left at the deck with an x-acto chisel blade to make it flush (or lower) so that the remaing planks would lay flat.

 

No need to remove all of it from the bulwarks/first-planking (might be harmful to try) as long as they're left no thicker than the 2 mm of the walnut 2x3 mm pieces added for frames/"wall studs".  The q-deck decking was then completed.

 

The plan drawing shows the 2x3 piece at the front of the quarterdeck extending all the way down to the main deck. Whether misdrawn or not, use 1.5 mm stock on the bulwark below the quarterdeck to match everything else there.

 

 

The inner bulwarks are planked with 0.5 mm strips. Pretty flimsy stuff, thought meself, so I added some extra 2 mm stock for extra support.

 

 

If you're building this and not up to this point yet. I'd suggest using 1.5 mm stock for the "wall studs" instead of the 2x3mm. Then plank with 1 mm stock (you may have to buy extra) instead of the 0.5mm. Would be much easier to handle, I'm sure.

 

I'd first thought of planking this inner wall with cherry, as on the outside, but the shade was much like the light tanganyika decking. (Though I'd heard cherry darkens with age...) I opted to keep with the original walnut for a bit more contrast.

 

 

Haven't built the stairs yet, so I'll jump down and plank the waist.....................

 

Regards,

 

Brian

 

 

Edited January 24, 2015 by RiverRat

[Ferit]

Hı Brian

She looks impressive... But you too know this, she had made you change your avatar... :-)

[src]

Brian, the planking looks great! .5mm strips with nothing behind them? I am afraid I would sand through. Like your new avatar, kinda miss Alfalfa though, the look on his face is similar to how I feel when building; "Yikes! How did I manage THAT!" Looking forward to seeing where you go with the finish.

Sam

[JPett]

Ahoy Brian

 

I must say, I really like what you have done. Especially your wood choices on the Hull. It looks great.

[RiverRat]

Thanks all!

 

Sam, there were actually a couple uneven spots (the photo doesn't show it well) which I frightfully sanded a little to eliminate their being obvious. And as I worked from the top down to keep a full plank on top, it was kind of tricky working under the angle of the tumblehome toward the bottom --- not much room!

 

The waist gets 0.5 mm strips too! Fortunately, I can fill it with a lot of 1.5 mm stock so there will be very few unsupported spaces.

 

Brian

[Martin W]

It's looking good, Brian.  Sanding can get dangerous, primarily because it's SOOO tedious that you can lose track of how much stock you're taking off.

 

I also miss Alfalfa.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[RiverRat]

Well golly gee. Since there are some Alfalfa fans here, I'll return his visage!

 

Little steps....................

 

I installed a generous amount of 1.5mm stock to fill out the waist bulwarks. The one offending metal gunport frame mentioned earlier was reduced by shaving with an X-Acto chisel blade (the ports are pretty soft metal), rather than filing or sanding which creates a lot of fine dust. Used a rocking motion near the deck, rather than slicing, to avoid marring the decking. A little filing to finish it off. Used some wood filler here and there, especially on the pieces next to the metal ports which I earlier ill-advisedly tapered instead of bending.

 

 

Planked the bulwarks with the dreaded 0.5x3 mm walnut, and trimmed most of the excess at the ports, just needing a little fine-tuning of the openings. Still need the "waterways" installed.

 

 

So nice to get the ugly sub-structure covered! Speaking of which......... no photo, but....

In front of the ply bulkhead under the aft of the forecastle (the bulkhead which I had trimmed down), was some of that sub-structure than might remotely be visible. So I made little panels of planks to cover those sections between the bulkhead and the port fore of it, just in case, and gingerly slipped them into the crowded space.

 

I may add the waist cap rail, but the other rails I'd rather do in order, for ease of fitting. There are some decorative ends (hances) that I've yet to figure out how to do. I've ordered a decent (hopefully) rotary tool for carving these and the other decorations. Might arrive in about a week.

 

Happy Independance Day to Amerika tomorrow! Though when one considers that recent US governments have been exponentially worse than what the Colonists had to endure with the Brits............What's to celebrate?

 

Cheers,

Alfalfa

 

 

 

 

 

[ZyXuz]

Happy Independance Day!

I'm happy too, because my boss is also working from the US..

So, effort on work on the 4th of July will be just 50% :D

 

Anyway, well done on the bulwark planking!

[Martin W]

It's great to have that Amerikan Icon, Alfalfa, back!!! Ahoy!.  Where's Darla?

 

Your build is looking better and better, Brian.  The problem with the gun port seems completely resolved, and the planking all looks nice and even and smooth. 

 

As for those pesky hances, I'd make 2 points:  first, you'll be happier if you use a piece of wood long enough to extend from the quarterdeck into the hance itself, otherwise you'll have a seam that will always draw your eye, no matter how much you tell yourself, "oh, no one will notice."  Second, in carving my decoration (which is supposedly a spiral), I actually found it easiest to pencil in the design, then use a micro gouge and an exacto.  I love my rotary tool, and used it on the stern carving and the masthead, but that came in handiest on the hances as a finishing tool.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[hamilton]

Happy 4th of July! And congratulations on reaching another stage of the Rattlesnake build - such an elegant looking hull! Can't wait to see more

hamilton

[RiverRat]

More stuff....

 

I added caprails to the waist. The kits walnut seems to be about as light as walnut gets! Not what I was envisioning. I'll probably stain all the rails with ebony or similar.

 

With the bulwarks planked, I decided to make the bulkhead at the break of the quarterdeck. I've never seen one of the kit's metal bulkheads used; not sure how it would look painted. It IS about 3 mm short of reaching the bulwarks on both sides, and is a little tall, though there is material that could be filed away. The base actually is close to the decks camber.

 

I cut some manila folder paper to fit the opening and used that to make a base on some 1/32" model aircraft plywood from my R/C days. Easy to shape and cut out the openings. I drew up a plan and transfered it to the ply. Simply fill in the lines with wood!

 

 

The frames are 1mm cherry, 2mm and 3mm wide. (41 pieces!, though I could have done with fewer) I filled in between all these with 0.5 mm walnut strips. A ledge was left for the windows to rest on. The approx 8x9mm windows are painted boxwood I had left over from the stern lights. Such a pain in the @sh working with the littlest pieces.

 

A little secret for just you folks! After the frame parts were assembled, I noticed things seemed to be leaning from vertical. I had worked from the center outwards and either misdrew the lines or placed the center piece wrongly. Shhhhhhh! don't tell anyone! Not really noticable looking casually at it. No re-do here.

 

 

Oops. Forgot to add the doorknobs before the photos. They'll be pin heads darkened with "Sharpie" marker. I made some "L"-shaped hinges from black floppy-disk plastic. Too finicky to handle with my forceps. If I figure out a better way to handle them, I'll add them. Otherwise, I'm happy to leave it as is.

 

Here it is in place, unglued....

 

 

Progress!

 

Cheers,

Brian

[Ferit]

The wood, such a beautiful material!...

Thank you Brian for calling it to my mind... By your mastership...

The outcome is incomparable...

[Ferit]

BTW, it's good to see again your old avatar... :-)

[JPett]

Ahoy Brian

 

"Impressive"

 

Nice touch

 

Its so much better when the extra work can be seen

[JSGerson]

Very neat job. For hinges I just used black paper and for the door knobs, the head of some finishing brads I had from an old kit of some sort.