HMS Leopard by toms10 - FINISHED - 1:85 scale POF/POB

[toms10]

So I started plotting and planning the lower gun deck and put in the beams.  I am laying out the deck on a piece of cardboard to see where the timbers will be seen and what will be planked.  I plan on planking the entire port side and center and leaving the starboard side open similar to the orlop deck.  I would like to put the cannons in place on both sides (plank just enough underneath them on the starboard side).  My thoughts are that this would allow enough light through the top to better illuminate the orlop and hold.  The plan is to also eliminate the frames from the side hole in the hull once this deck is in place.  The upper gun deck will be above the cutout.  It is also planned to have some planking removed similar to the other decks... at least that is the plan right now.

 

Thanks for all the support I am getting from MSW.

 

Tom

[mtaylor]

Looking good, Tom.  I think your plan is very doable at this point.  

[toms10]

Looking good, Tom.  I think your plan is very doable at this point.  

Man I hope so.    We have a saying in the design & manufacturing world, "With enough time and money we can do anything."  We should probably also add patience to that.

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

Tom,

 

​That's some great progress there with these deck beams going in.  Your build is coming on apace and it's spurring me on with mine! (Not that anyone would notice due to the absence of any recent reports!)

[toms10]

Little more work done over the holiday.  Finished the lower gun deck beams and timbers for the opened area of the deck. Next step is to cut and plank the deck itself.

 

Here are a couple of items for this deck I built as well; the two pumps, grates and one of a few ladders.  Still have a couple of capstans, the cannonsand a few rooms.

 

Tom

[fmartins]

Man that looks beautiful! I wish I could do something like that... Keep up the good work... I'll be following your log...

[fmartins]

It has been a bit slow going in the shipyard as of late.  Too many major soccer (futbol) tournaments that need to be watched!   I have been modelling my framework to give me a better understanding of how things will go together with this build.  Below are some snapshots.  Being my first scratch build there is a lot to learn and research... but everybody here at MSW already knows that.  I hope to put an order in for the deck and hull planking wood in the next week.  In the mean time I have some bulkheads to finish up.  I need to set up my build board and then the assembly process can begin.  Enough planning and layout work!  It is time to make sawdust!

CAD HULL FRAME ISO.JPG

CAD HULL FRAME PROFILE.JPG

 

How difficult is it to learn how to make frames on the CAD software and then print it to size desired? I mean, this could open so many possibilities to me... do you think it'd be possible to do the same with some free software? Congrats again on your build...

[toms10]

Hello fmartins,

Welcome to my log and MSW.  The wealth and sharing of knowledge here is incredible. You really don't need to have 3D CAD software to draw up frames.  Any program that has the capability to draw arcs and lines or even better splines will be able to make a template that you can print out.  Once they are drawn to any scale you can print them out to another scale if you so choose.  If you have a set of line drawings for the project you can also make copies of a different scale on a simple office copier by just playing around with the scaling options.

 

Tom

[toms10]

Just a quick update.  I took a break from working on the actual lower deck and decided to make the 24lb gun carriages that will be seen for the lower deck.  I will also use them to help layout everything on the lower deck and get a real time idea of where the gun ports on the hull will be located instead of just seeing them on the plan.  Still not sure if I am going to put guns in the area of the lower deck that has the cut out in the hull.  There will not be any inner side wall to attach the rigging to  so I will probably omit the rigging for these few cannons instead of just leaving it there in a pile along side the carriage.  I am leaning towards just putting the carriage/cannon in a ready to fire position where the gun port would be located.  I think it might look better and all the cannons  showing on this level would suggest to the viewer what the profile of the hull looks like on the cut out side versus just looking at a hole in the hull.  Decisions, decisions...   Next step is to get the cannons made.

 

Tom

 

[Bluto 1790]

​Hi Tom,

 

​Great work on these gun carriages and also the ladder, grates and pump cisterns in your earlier post (29 December).

 

​I have to say that when I saw your pump cisterns it sent me scurrying back to the book as I imagined that I had somehow missed creating these for my model. I found the page with the drawing and gulped a bit when I saw the pumps in situ behind the main mast.

Thinking "how am I going to fit these pumps now that my model is fairly close to being a completed hull model?" ~~~ then after a couple of minutes I realised that the pumps are on the lower gun deck which, on my model is virtually obscured from view and I remembered that in the early days of the build I made the decision not to include things that wouldn't be seen after completion.

​(It's now so long since I looked at these drawings that I've forgotten some of the stuff that's in there.)

 

Now, will you please stop making those scary postings here !!!

[Mirabell61]

Beautiful build Tom,

 

the "Leopard" is a very nice looking frigate....

 

Nils

[toms10]

​Hi Tom,

 

​Great work on these gun carriages and also the ladder, grates and pump cisterns in your earlier post (29 December).

 

​I have to say that when I saw your pump cisterns it sent me scurrying back to the book as I imagined that I had somehow missed creating these for my model. I found the page with the drawing and gulped a bit when I saw the pumps in situ behind the main mast.

Thinking "how am I going to fit these pumps now that my model is fairly close to being a completed hull model?" ~~~ then after a couple of minutes I realised that the pumps are on the lower gun deck which, on my model is virtually obscured from view and I remembered that in the early days of the build I made the decision not to include things that wouldn't be seen after completion.

​(It's now so long since I looked at these drawings that I've forgotten some of the stuff that's in there.)

 

Now, will you please stop making those scary postings here !!!

 

Jim, it is good to get scared every once in a while.  It lets you know you are alive!    Yeah I can't believe how much more I have to build just because I thought it would be a cool idea to put a hole in the side to see inside.  Hopefully it will be worth it in the end.  I think if I were to do it again I might choose a slightly larger build scale, maybe 1:64.  Well there is always next time.

 

Tom

[fmartins]

Hello fmartins,

Welcome to my log and MSW.  The wealth and sharing of knowledge here is incredible. You really don't need to have 3D CAD software to draw up frames.  Any program that has the capability to draw arcs and lines or even better splines will be able to make a template that you can print out.  Once they are drawn to any scale you can print them out to another scale if you so choose.  If you have a set of line drawings for the project you can also make copies of a different scale on a simple office copier by just playing around with the scaling options.

 

Tom

 

Hello fmartins,

Welcome to my log and MSW.  The wealth and sharing of knowledge here is incredible. You really don't need to have 3D CAD software to draw up frames.  Any program that has the capability to draw arcs and lines or even better splines will be able to make a template that you can print out.  Once they are drawn to any scale you can print them out to another scale if you so choose.  If you have a set of line drawings for the project you can also make copies of a different scale on a simple office copier by just playing around with the scaling options.

 

Tom

 

Thanks Tom! I won't be able to play with drawing software for now (I'm in the last stages of my doctoral dissertation...) but I found out my girlfriend's younger brother works with a lot of 3D/vectorizing software. I asked him whether he could do a few projects for me. If the first one turns out fine, he'll have a job for life! I'm building a Royal Louis, and for such a naïve start it's ok, but I'd really like to take modeling up a notch or two. So I found the original plans and I'm having him scan, redraw and prepare vectorized files for laser cutting... As soon as I'm done with the Royal Louis, I'm gonna do it again, but properly and in a slightly larger scale. Again thanks a lot!

 

Cool cannons by the way... I'm learning a lot from watching your build! Keep up the good work! 

[Bluto 1790]

 . . . . . I think if I were to do it again I might choose a slightly larger build scale, maybe 1:64.  Well there is always next time.

 

Tom

 

Tom, if you were to check back near the beginning of my log I stated there that I would have preferred to have built in a larger scale (1:64 or better still 1:48) but because of final space requirements for display chose to go with 1:80.

​There have been certain parts of the build that have proved a bit difficult for me due to the small scale, but, having said that, I've discovered that as I've progressed there have been some projects that I HAVE been able to undertake and with which I've had reasonable success.

Plunging in at the deep end with my first build has certainly thrown up some challenges . . . it has also shown up my weaknesses when I look at so many of the "super builds" here on the forum!

[toms10]

Jim,

I know what you mean about the "super builds".  I don' t mind building at the 1:85 scale.  I think it is pretty manageable especially if you are looking for a place to display it.  My previous build was 1:82 and with the display case it fills up a sizable area of our family room.  What I meant about a larger scale was it would also increase the size of the viewing hole in the side of the hull.  This would allow more light inside an might make it easier to view the inner details.  I thought about wiring up some small LED lights at the ends of each deck but I didn't want to go completely crazy.  Just want to focus on ship building for now.

Tom

[Jparsley]

Wow Tom she is looking great second build huh sure

[toms10]

Hello all,

Thanks for the likes and comments.  I have been working on the lower deck items for the past 2 weeks (on and off) as well as planking and fitting the deck.  The deck still needs to be stained and urethaned so everything is just dry fit for now.  I am pretty happy with the way the cut out area is coming along.  Once the framing in that area is cut away it should open up and allow the inside details to be easily viewed.  The open areas of the orlop and lower deck and future upper deck really let in the light to help make things visible.

 

I will (with some help from my toolmaker friends) be making the cannons soon to finish off the carriages.  For now I plan on using just a wooden dowel pin mounted in a carriage to help locate the centers of the gun ports.  I think the next step is to finish the lower deck and install it without the components and then cut the gun ports on the inside planking.  Next,  make the gun port liners and finally plank the outside. After that I am thinking the next step would be to work on the stern/galleries.  Once the outside is planked and the stern completed, then I can install the lower deck items without fear of breaking them off while doing all the hull work.  Sounds like I just planned out the next few of months of my life.

 

I was just thinking that isn't it odd that it takes as long if not longer to make the model versus the real thing.  Granted we don't have a work force of hundreds nor work on it for 10 hours a day!  There is that "life gets in the way" thing again... it keeps popping up.

 

Here is a pic of the lower deck today looking from the stern.

 

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

​Tom,

 

​Judging by the pace you're getting things done, are you sure you don't have a work force of hundreds building that ship with you!  I'm expecting to see you commence the rigging in a few months!

​I'm watching your build with interest and I'll sure be watching your work on the stern/galleries. I hope you'll be explaining how you do them pesky carvings!

​I've still got a few bits and pieces to do on the stern of mine.

It's well over 6 years since I started my build (with a few lay-off periods) and it's still not even a completed hull model yet . . . and I know the real Leopard from 1790 didn't take anything like that long!

 

​ . . . oh yeah, that 'life thing' keeps happening . . .

[toms10]

​....I hope you'll be explaining how you do them pesky carvings!

 

Hi Jim,

Yeah, I keep thinking about those carvings.  That is the one task I have not figured out yet.  I have never carved anything before except for maybe a holiday turkey.  

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

Hi Jim,

Yeah, I keep thinking about those carvings.  That is the one task I have not figured out yet.  I have never carved anything before except for maybe a holiday turkey.  

Tom

 

Hi Tom,

 

I'm sitting here visualising your ship with turkeys all over the stern!  

[toms10]

Had a pretty good snowstorm today... about 15 inches in 10 hours.  Just couldn't make it to work today so I had to make the ultimate sacrifice and stay home and work on the Leopard.  Hey somebody had to do it.  I put down some temporary strakes on both sides that locate the wales and started to plank the hull using Swiss pear.  It is my first time using this wood.  It seems pretty friendly but I haven't made any severe bends with it yet.  Unfortunately I had to go out and clear away Mother Nature's mess which only took about 3 1/2 hours.  Here is what I managed to accomplish.  I am going to plank above to wales first to locate the gun ports with respect to the decks.  I will also be able to keep the hull in the fixture for a longer period of time while working on the various things.

 

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

Tom ~ you're certainly getting on with that build at a great pace -- you'll soon be overtaking me.

Are you intending to do the wales as hook and butt as shown on the plan? When doing my wales I attempted to make them as hook and butt ~ but was having too many failures so I copped out a bit and made them as the slightly simpler top and butt.

​I'm looking at that plan of the running rigging you have pinned up behind your seat and it looks very big compared to my copy.  You've obviously had it enlarged substantially -- how many times larger than the original is it?

​I know that when I look at mine at the small size it is, it is completely bewildering, perhaps it would be a bit less bewildering if viewed at a much larger scale? (The word "scary" could be substituted for the word "bewildering" !!! )

[toms10]

Jim,

I enlarged my plans to the scale that I am working to.  I work in an engineering office so I have access to large format copiers.  I am going to give the hook and butt a try for the wales... at least that is the plan.

Tom

[toms10]

Just an update albeit a small one.  I am still working on (and will be for a while) the outer planking.  Since this will only be a single planked hull, I am taking my time with each piece.  I am following the "make a few - scrap one" procedure.  I thought I did a pretty good job fairing the frames and for the most part they came out fine except the upper halves of the bow.  I am doing some resanding and adding little spacers in some small gaps so the planks have something to glue against.  Ran into a clinker issue with a couple of planks but have resolved it.  Whoever invented sandpaper should get some type of award.    It seems to be my best friend lately.  Here are a couple of progress pics.  The hole thing still needs to be finish sanded but it is coming along a piece at a time.... literally.

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

Hi Tom,

 

 . . . and so the hull planking begins! From what I can see in your photos they look great.

What is the thickness of these planks?  They look thicker than the ones I used.  I used 0.07mm thick planks but I did double planking -- twice the fun!

The planks I used were also a little narrower than they probably should have been, so that made it more than twice the fun.

[toms10]

Hi Jim,

My planks are 1.5mm thick which leaves plenty for sanding for single planking.  Scaling the plan they seem to be about 3.2 mm wide.  My plank blanks are 4mm wide which is a bit on the wide side (about 14" at full scale) but the widths are always being sanded down a bit to get the fit (spiling) right so they end up a bit smaller.  I am playing around with the upper wales right now trying to decide if I should make 2 rows of strakes or leave just one.  With the slightly wider planks I am somewhere in between.  One is a bit narrow and 2 is a bit wide and will run into the lower half of the upper deck cannons near the stern.  I need to layout the exact position of the upper deck and then locate the gun ports to see where they end up.  The deck heights seem to be pretty close to the plan so far so I should be in pretty good shape either way.

Tom

[toms10]

I finished the planking above the wales... finally.  Still need to do some final sanding but the hard work is done at least for the top half.  I think I will start back on the decks and work to dry fit the upper gun deck to make sure all my cannon ports will line up correctly.  It will also break up the time spent planking and allow me to continue to use my current jig to hold the hull upright and square for as long as possible while working on other things.  I picked up a nice little tip from our own mtaylor if I remember correctly about using painters tape to cover up all the grates and other holes on deck to help keep the sanding dust from going to the below decks.  Thank MSW and mtaylor!!

Enjoy the pics,

Tom

Tom

[mtaylor]

Thank EdT, Tom.   I stole that from him.  

[toms10]

Thanks, EDT!! This one's for you. 

[toms10]

Started cutting out gun ports for the lower gun deck.  Only a couple more to go for the lower gun deck.  Then I will start building the upper gun deck beams and dry fit the upper gun deck to make sure the cannon ports and deck all line up.  Finally cut the upper gun deck ports.  I should then be able to finish the planking get it all sanded and start placing the lower cannons.  So there are my next couple of months all planned out.  Of course very few things go according to plan.  But then again if everything did it would probably get boring.  At least that is what I keep telling myself.

Tom