19th Century 31-ton Revenue Cutter by CharlieZardoz - Scale 1/64 - building as USRC Active based off Doughty plans and BlueJacket Shipcrafters kit

[CharlieZardoz]

Hi all! Sorry its been so long been toiling away on planking and just finished the left side. Since the shape is so wedge shaped on this boat alot of planks needed to be spiled. That said it taught me alot and I think I did a reasonably good job for a first timer. Now starting the treenails using an awl, colored putty to fill the holes then a color pencil to add some detailing. Got more to go but thought I'd share

[mtaylor]

First timer?????  That's a most excellent planking job, Charlie.    

[CharlieZardoz]

Thanks Mark! Thats only because you dont see the pile of rejects I made could make a whole other boat with them

[Cathead]

Agreed, nicely done. Glad to see you're keeping at it.

[CharlieZardoz]

Hi all! I totally forgot I put this one together and thought I'd share. It's a Talos style size comparison chart of various small ships schooners etc. I was going to wait and add the HMS Swift as well but figured ah let me put it up now and see what you all think (Swift would be just a bit larger than Berbice). Look at how small the 31 Doughty cutter actually is!

Edited August 18, 2018 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

Good morning! Decided to do a mini-update today I added all the treenails to the finished side of the hull. Basically I the process was poking them out with an awl then filling the hole with colored putty (which I darkened with paint) then used the colored pencil to define the area a bit more and here is how it looks!  I know some of my steelers are a bit off location but that will be colored with copper anyways. I realize now that the nails are effectively showing where the ships frames are (an obvious concept but I now I see the logic behind it). Next step now will be doing the other side hopefully won't take me nearly as long

[CharlieZardoz]

Happy autumn to you All! 😄 Been quite busy with the model so figured I'd offer a new update. First, the hull planking is all finished and treenailed.  The first side took me months while the second side took me only a few weeks! While both sides look relatively identical I did make sure they had some suttle differences and secretly I do prefer one to the other.

 

My plan is to finish all of the underside stuff so that I no longer need to flip the boat and potentially damage any deck fittings. So with that as my approach, next up is the wale which is getting metal nails giving that metallic look. And last is building the transom and counter. I must have tried this 20+ times before I got one I liked. For now it's unfinished and will be attached later with extra detailing but overall I'm quite happy with it. I was at a loss trying to understand the plans and what the stern actually looked like. Any models out there of the Doughty cutters are all simply horribly wrong. They all show a flat stern piece tacked on with no counter at all which would in real life fall off once it hit a harsh wave...  Look at the images of the 3 Doughty cutter stern transoms all lined up you can see how they are distinct.

 

Since I'm trying to keep to the historical plans as best I can this was my best interpretation and looks pretty much like a Baltimore clipper stern. The moulding around the stern attach to the wale and I will add some connecting decoration later. It looks simple but really there were so many subtle challenges like cutting the counter to match the curve of the stern (all the parts are curved and bent in certain ways). The stern piece is raised almost above the deck!  I spent probably a good week just plotting it out in my mind lol. 

 

For my inspiration I used a few models I found online. One is of the Achilles and the other of a scratch model of the 51 ton cutter Alabama. You can see how they managed to build their stern with the proper incline and transom/counter so it helped me alot. Next up the decking finally! 😎

 

 

Edited October 5, 2018 by CharlieZardoz

[Landlubber Mike]

Coming along really nicely.  Great job!

[CharlieZardoz]

Thanks so much Mike! I am very excited for the next bunch of steps. As you can see I've already added some decking material and glued the hatches down once and for all. I added some extra parts on deck just to get a look at it all together. So now it's a question of what comes next... 

 

The plan is to finish planking but that means adding those waterways and edge planks and also means adding a toe rail. But  alsoI plan on painting the too and bottom of the wale black. So it'll have a nice strip across. Then I also need to copper. As you can see the little sailor guys are exhausted just thinking about it all.

[John Allen]

Charlie,

 

Very, very, nice super clean and pristine so far. Kudos

[CharlieZardoz]

Thank you John! So yeah I am never one to leave well enough alone when something doesn't feel right. So atm Ive started working on some minor corrections to parts I though hmm could I do better? First and foremost are the gratings, the holes were simply too big. I realized the grating set is likely for a 1/48 model so I scaled it down and scratch made my own using the laser .75% to 1/64 scale. The new grating goes much better with the plans Ive seen and aside from some minor corrections of the hatch coaming, it fit in perfect. Now just have to make the smaller hatch but what do you think?

[shipmodel]

Hi Charlie - 

 

Looking better and better.  I like the new gratings and coamings.  You might just round the corners a bit.  Sharp corners and edges on a ship tossing in rough seas would be an invitation to serious injuries.

 

Excellent progress overall.

 

Dan

[CharlieZardoz]

Thanks for the advice Dan. Was wondering if the coamings should be rounded a bit, I knew that if I did so there would be no going back so I've been holding back on it but now that the deck is being done Ill adjust.

[mtaylor]

The new grates look so much better, Charlie

[the learner]

Nice progression! It is going to be a very beautiful model when finished.

[CharlieZardoz]

Returning after over a year! I thought it was time to finally return to my build log. Alot has happened since the last time I posted here feels like a few lifetimes ago.  Firstly I grew to become a successful performing artist and became part of many highly successful productions. I found a place for my art skills in costume and head piece creation. This year was going to be the production of a Broadway play which I was to act as manager and would have begun production as of this month. Of course we all know what has happened since... 😣

 

The changes in my life came at a cost. My old partner and I separated after 7 years. She was not able to accept the changes and also there were problems brewing for many years. So for a good year I found myself in transition without a stable space mentally and physically to build the model. Eventually came a new partner, new perspectives and a new work space and alot of emotionally support and freedom I hadn't experienced in a long time. It was a wild ride and still going however making the most of the current situation, now is a time to stay in and create so here we go! 🎨 Also I'm currently in Virginia waiting out the storm. 😊🌈🙏🌳🌳🌳

 

So with all that out of the way, the end result led me back to building the boat which started back in December however I wanted to have enough actually completed before I posted. I wanted something to show so I waited until some progress had been made. After a year it was interesting to see how time affected the model. Some refurbishing was required. Partially due to a change in my perspective on how I wanted to proceed and partly due to how the wood set. I will explain all this in the next post.

 

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by CharlieZardoz

[mtaylor]

It's great to see you back, Charlie.  I hope for all our sakes that at some point, we can go back to normal.   I take it you breathe fire?  As for the ride...Mr. Toad is to blame*.

 

*Not a political comment.  See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Toad's_Wild_Ride

[CharlieZardoz]

Hi Mark! Glad to see you are well. 😊 Yes Mr Toad is indeed to blame. May he always keep life interesting. 😅🤪🔥

[CharlieZardoz]

Ok so back to the USRC Active, the first order of business was the making of this very special tool as per Dan Pariser's direction. It was basically a tool designed to create the rivet patten for copper plates. It comprises of sewing needles warn down slightly and added to a jig. I built about 3 of these before it got precise enough for me to like the results. The matter of keeping the pins arranged in as uniform a pattern as possible required me to use my dremel drill press which has been the most amazing tool I could use right now!  Once the jig was completed I felt a small sense of satisfaction that indeed building the ship would begin again! That said while I tested the pattern on copper tape, I have yet to add any plates but it led me to my next task. Refurbishing the hull!

 

Kitten assistance not required by welcomed of course! 😽

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

So once I made the jig I realized that the hull was not smooth enough for copper plates. After a years time heat and convention has separated and warped a few of the veneer planks. Wood expands and contracts that's simply a fact so I looked over the hull and decided to smooth out the rough patches and also fill in any spacings and gaps. The result meant I had to retail one whole side and also once putty and detailing was in place the model was not colored to the cherry wood so with a bit of paint and staining I did a little artistry to match. Since the lower hull will be coppered anyways it's no big deal but for my own sense of completion it looks like a nice weathering affect that actually came out nicely! 

 

Also of note is the masking tape. I ripped off my first toerail/upper bulwark which didn't set right and had taken some damage and repainted the black strip which is supposed to represent the top of the main hull.  The strip had lost some paint over the years time.  I also intend to add a little bit of black under the wale as well. Once that was done I made new upper bulwark strips using pear. Hence why they are of a reddish color than the sepia Cherry. These while shown in place will not be glued in just yet.

Edited May 15, 2020 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

Before I decided on adding the railings I wanted to make a bit of ship furniture. So decided to make the belaying pin racks which as per usual 3rd times a charm. This was also done using the dremel drill press, strips of wood that are 5/64" by 5/64" and an aluminum sliding jig. I was especially proud of how I carved the top block.   I also thought it time to add all the parts on deck so I could get a scale perspective. The height is about 7/16" and this rack was slanted to the degree of the mast! I also took the time to refurbish my little bilge pump and added a superior handle. Look at them all together now and also for scale you can see the boat on my palm. Only 9"!!  

 

Edited May 16, 2020 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

The only thing that's missing are a few wood peg bolt indentations that I will add to the points where the belaying pin rack meet bit block using an awl pointed bit. I'll get to those details on a bit 😊

 

 

Edited May 15, 2020 by CharlieZardoz

[CharlieZardoz]

Next update was to recreate the small bulwark. To avoid making the same mistake last time I created a sample dummy piece that I could get a feel of how it would look completed. Part of this process led me to design the scuppers which I picked from a series of small crimp beads. Then drilled a hole and added it snugly. Overall looks good and ready to make the real bulwark. Stay tuned.

[CharlieZardoz]

Greetings all! Here is my June check in. The weather is lovely and been out in the back yard alot helping my partner w her garden. As such I decided to switch gears from the 30 ton cutter to the 80 ton model whose frames I put together a few years back. This one will be the Vigilant which severed as replacement for Active and was described as "twice the size" Since none of these ships have much history I assume she was of the 80 ton design. Where the 30 ton model is 9" this one is 13".

 

Part of the change was simple the need to send wood and work on something I can take around with me without being so delicate. All three will be part of my diorama so I plan to build them all! It's been nice to shift gears and have something to whittle away on. Even bought a new dremel! The shaper frames required an extra plank. I realized when I made them I didnt take into account the curve of the hull. I thought of remaking them w the laser but the shop has been closed. Figured adding a little strip of wood would do just fine. And last I added the bow and stern blocks and have been sanding them into shape. 😌

[druxey]

Just found your log. I'm impressed by both your first planking job and the theatrical head-dresses that you've designed and made (I've a theatre background). Well done on both counts.

[CharlieZardoz]

Aha thank you very much and appreciate the compliments on both counts 😊 Sadly theatre (yes to the "re") is on pause for this year but art creation is not.

 

Ill post a new update shortly ive been mulling over the lifeboat question. Where would it go on such a ship? Not on deck it would interfere with the Canon. The back lacks enough structural support. If you look at this image of an 1829 cutter of similar design you can see the back had a higher rear bulwark.

(the pilot boat Achilles also had this feature) and no doubt the back could support davits for a life boat.

My opinion is that the Doughty cutters were likely highly modified after launch or at least their upper workings, so likely either the pivot gun or rope stanchion railings were tossed soon after. The increased bulwark on this 1829 cutter and less extreme bow also suggests this. Also they likely continued to vary as the years progressed 1815-1825? ones that launched later likely corrected the inadequacies of the earlier batches.

 

The original design with a low toe rail and rope stanchion...

 

And some variations with improved bulwarks below

 

This one above has a full solid bulwark some swivels as well as a raised pivot canon. 

This one above has canon ports which was probably common on the larger 80 ton versions however doubt that pivot would still be relevant?

 

And here's a version with a half bulwark added to the front. Which also would likely help with water washing on the deck. Another interesting variation.

 

Since I have 3 to work on for this diorama I am inclined to mixing it up a bit. But not sure which will have what yet. Open to opinions on the lifeboat question. Other than just tugging it along possibly a half bulwark in the back and then i can have the swivels as well. Considering Active was alone for the period immediately following the war of 1812 she must have been overworked and highly adaptable to any situation they found themselves in. 🤔

 

One thing I am certain about it that the toe rail bulwark probably had a cap rail. All the models show this however the Doughty plans do not. Most of the models show oar locks so logic dictates that there would need to be enough surface area to support them. 

Here is me testing out some bulwark heights now. 

[CharlieZardoz]

Hi all, just a quick update I realized that I kept coming into wood milling issues in an attempt to make the ship channels and subsequent cap strip. While I have a pretty extensive stock I can't account for all needed parts and with milled lumber suppliers now retired it was time for me to get a Byrnes table saw. I feel like I just brought myself a level forward.💪 While I will need time to learn its ways, I am so excited to have the freedom to mill at my leisure. The end goal is a 1mm by 1mm strip stay tuned! Thanks to Bob Hunt for connecting me to one that was made available 👌🙃🙏

[Louie da fly]

Making good progress, Charlie. And a lot of thought going into the configuration of the model. But I hadn't realised the cutter's masts had been made of Q-tips!

 

Admit it, though - you just wanted a Byrnes table saw, whether the build required one or not . . .

[CharlieZardoz]

Why yes cotton swabs really caught the winds back in those days 🤭

 

Regarding the saw I swear most earnestly I tried to keep this build simple but in truth even the simplest boat model may require fine detailing and I am not one to leave something just so/so when I know I can do better. 😉 and she gleams so nicely as well I didn't expect to get one at a super deal I can't help but feel it was destiny. 👌🌈

[CharlieZardoz]

Hi all, this week has been about reorganizing my work space with the new tools provided. Part of this has been building a shelf for my various hulls. While I haven't posted this I actually spend alot of time making frames for various ships, modifying plans etc. The process is easy and in time while i plan to build them all my current environment doesn't give me alot of time and space for detail work as of yet. 

 

Hulls from bottom to top are 

30 ton revenue cutter Active (in the box)

Sultana

Halifax

Armed virginia sloop (just made based of ms purchased plans)

50 ton cutter (Monroe)

And 70 ton (Vigilant)

On the top marine model privateer which will probably become an Eagle class revenue cutter (in Chappelle's book the unidentified 75 footer of 1798).

 

I also have 2 frames on table the constructo Enterprise (aka Vixen) and Dikar Lawrence which i will also add to the lot at some point. Overall this will be a much better space for crafts when time allows. New laptop also helps me create laser programs for ship parts on the go! 😉