HM Cutter Cheerful 1806 by Blue Ensign - FINISHED - Syren Ship Model Company - 1:48 scale

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Michael,  and thanks for the reminder about those teenytiny lines and knots.😉

Post 76

Completing the rudder

I had completed the rudder and its ironwork earlier in the build but now I turn to adding the tiller.

4904

3017(1)

7156

I may be wrong but I don't think a rudder coat is necessary given that the rudder head doesn't pass betwixt decks.

Onto the Tiller

Chuck had suggested cutting the tiller from some 1/8th Boxwood sheet and I followed his example.

There followed a period of  shaping using a scalpel blade, files and sandpaper. I did the whole tiller from one piece including the ball on the end.

7185

The rudder was secured on the mill to cut the mortise for the tiller heel.

The iron bands were added around the rudder head using Chuck's  Laserboard fittings, the bolt heads represented by mini pva blobs allowed to dry before painting.

7151

The tiller is not glued into place, it is held by a snug fit of the tenon in the rudder mortise.

 

In fitting the tiller I took care to ensure that the underside height at the forward end was 22mm (41" above deck.) Don't want the helmsman to be on tiptoes to steer the ship.

Once again I found myself indecisive when it came to the decoration of the tiller; all natural, paint, part paint/natural, bloody decisions.

7189

In the end I decided, at least for the present, to paint the tiller arm red but varnish the handle section.

7198

7196

Back to gun rigging.

B.E.

18/03/2019

 

[tkay11]

Interesting comment about the rudder coat. The few contemporary models of cutters I have seen had a different design, with a box-like construction over the rudder, so I wondered whether or not there was extra coating within the boxing for those cutters. Do you have any sources on this, or is it an informed guess based on your usual historical thoroughness? Some of the builders of the Sherbourne (myself included) put rudder coats on. Do you think this is a mistake?

 

It's also a lovely tiller you've made. Do you have any comment about the strapping or roping that is sometimes seen on the handles of tillers, purportedly to give more grip?

 

Tony

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Tony,

I don't have any definitive information on rudder coats for open sterned cutters such as Cheerful. My reasoning is purely that she is single planked at the transom where the rudder head enters the deck and without the small deck that sometimes covers the rudder head.

 

The cutter Alert has such a platform deck over the housing for the rudder head, but Peter Goodwin neither refers to or indicates the use a rudder coat either in words or drawings.

Where such a deck is enclosed at the front with perhaps compartments for storage it would make sense to reduce if not eliminate entry of water.

 

However, the  contemporary models of Surly and Cheerful  included by Chuck as part of his reference work also don't show this feature but that in itself is neither here nor there, rudder coats  rarely feature on contemporary models.

 

I think if I was building a model cutter with an enclosed rudder head I would probably fit a rudder coat, but simply because that makes sense to me.

 

I did in fact fit a rudder coat to my model of Pickle including a cover inboard, and she is an open decked vessel, but it seemed appropriate at the time.

 

Thank you for the appreciation of my rudder, I hadn't given  any thought to serving the handle with fine line, but I think I will leave it with just a plain finish.

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

[davyboy]

Good evening B.E. Looking good as always. I had to wrap rope around my Tiller handle. Cracked the damn thing when trial fitting it into the rudder head,it glued up ok but I could see the join.so it got wrapped. Looks ok anyway.

 

Would there have been a spectacle plate fitted or maybe not ? I haven't a clue,however I will fix a "chock"under the top hinge to prevent unshipping. I've served my anchor buoys and now will try to hopefully make a decent job of the ropework.

 

Have a nice week.

 

Dave 

[Old Collingwood]

Beautiful work BE.

 

OC.

[Gahm]

This is a fantastic model! Such a pleasure to watch!

 

Thomas

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Dave, OC, and Thomas.

@ Dave, I'm not thinking of fitting a spectacle plate, but that doesn't mean to say rudder tackles didn't feature on cutters of Cheerful's size.

Loss of a rudder was a serious matter on any vessel, and Cheerful's rudder was not a lightweight item being in the order of 18' long x 3' maximum width.

I've not seen such tackle represented on models of this type but I don't think anyone could gainsay you if you decided to add  a ring to secure the rudder.

 

Post 77

Rigging the guns

Starting with the Breeching lines.

7201

I am using Chuck's syren line (.035"/.88mm ø Tan line)

This equates to 5" circ line, about right for the ordnance.

To start the process my gun jig modified to assist with the breech rope fitting is brought back into use.

The first decision is how to seize the breeching line to the bulwark ring.

 

7227

7222

To apply the seizing I am using 0.1mm Morope polyester line, a needle proves very useful in this task.

7224

One of my concerns is not to have the bulwark breech seizing look too bulky.

I trialled a couple of seizing arrangements but finally settled on a simple seizing which was the best to my eye at this scale.

7229

Forming the eye to fit around the the cascobal.

7246

7245

Pushing the loop over the cascobal has to be done with great care to avoid marking the blackening.

7308

I use rounded wooden toothpicks for this purpose.

7327

Trial fitting on deck.

7317

Nothing fixed at this stage, but one thing is clear, the gun needs to be secured in position in order to arrange the breeching line in the best fashion.

I'll ponder on this whilst I complete the breeching lines, but I am leaning towards a spot of pva on the wheels to hold the guns in place.

 

B.E.

22/03/2019

 

 

[Rustyj]

8 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

but I am leaning towards a spot of pva on the wheels to hold the guns in place.

 

That's what I did and it worked well for me. Everything is looking great!

[Blue Ensign]

Post 78

Arming Cheerful

With the breeching ropes fitted to the guns it is at last time to fix the guns in position on the deck.

7410(2)

 A spot of pva on the wheels is sufficient to hold the guns in place at the ports and allow forming the shape of the ropes, and later fitting of the side tackles.

7415(2)

Still in a state of indecision about the positioning of the Portside long gun, and why were the two forward second ports left free of guns?

 

Whereas the Breeching rope attachment is a fairly straightforward procedure particularly if you follow Chuck's fine example, making up the side tackles by comparison is a bit of a pain.

There are two single blocks each with a hook and the standing end of the lanyard spliced into the bulwark block.

I am using Chuck's now discontinued 3mm black plastic hooks and 3mm Boxwood blocks. For the lanyards I am using Syren .012" (0.3mm ø line.)

7401(2)

A further modification to the gun jig is required to assist rigging the tackles before they are transferred to the gun.

The main issue with side tackles is getting them to look in scale both in relation to the carriages, and the breeching ropes.

7413

The 0.3mm ø line equates to a 2" circumference line which is the upper end of the rope size for guns of this calibre, and there is a sufficient visual difference on the model with the breeching lines.

0.25mm ø line equivalent to 1½" circ  would also be fine and provide an even greater contrast with the breechings.

Personally I wouldn't go with any greater line size, not least because fitting it thro' the 3mm block sheaves would prove testy.

The first side tackles are fitted but I'm not sure I like the effect.

7422(2)

7421

7416

Probably to do with getting the lanyards to hang naturally.

1855

 Not that this example on a twelve pounder on Victory is anything to write home about.

7424

I have to wait for a supply of blocks from Chuck so I'll have a play  with the side tackles in the meantime.

7407(2)

Completing the guns is probably one of the longest exercises of the build. I actually started the process in early January.

 

B.E.

27/03/2019

 

[davyboy]

Good evening B.E.

My side tackles look just like your example. I too think mine don't look very nice either. As regarding the #1 port gunport,I don't think a gun could be served there properly,not enough space for the recoil nor reload. None of the NMM and the Science museum models have guns in the forward gunports. You might get away with a Carronade though in the Port gunport if you so fancy. I think my 4 swivel guns look fine in the forward area 

 

Finally got round to making the ropework for the served Anchor buoys. A most onerous task,believe me when I say I'd rather rig a 1000 ratlines  Made the rings for the ropes by winding thread 7 or 8 times around a drill shank glueing as I did so,looks ok. Then it was just a case of adding the 4 ropes to each one then threading them under the other then siezing. All done in dark brown thread so no tarry paint needed.

 

Regards,

 

Dave 

 

[vulcanbomber]

Superb work, as always. 

 

Looking at the photo of Victory's cannon , the tackles 'sag' quite a bit and hang down over the wheel, maybe recreating that would help with the look of them? (and I'm sure your crew would make sure they are tidied a bit better that Victory's!)

Edited March 28, 2019 by vulcanbomber
spelling mistake

[Martin W]

Hi BE -- That look of the side-tackles is something that bothered me on the guns for Fly, and the problem, in my view, is that the blocks are either too big, or they have to come up too closely together.  In the end, I used smaller blocks, no hooks, and I frapped the rope around some wire that enabled me (at least in the better instances) to get a decent curve.  Tedious work, needless to say, but it seemed effective.  One advantage to having a quarterdeck & fo'c'sle, however, is that at least some of the guns get covered -- and invariably, those are the ones that get knocked loose. 

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Dave, Caroline, and Martin, I will eventually get something that suits my eye, trouble is that what is fudgeable at 1:64 scale is not so easy at 1:48 scale on a fully open deck.

Now a break from guns.

Post 79

Thinking about the Bowsprit

At this point I am looking at the Bowsprit because it ultimately determines the position of the Bowsprit step and the Windlass.

I am using 5/16" Boxwood square stock and the process starts by drilling three mortices in the inboard end and the sheave hole at the Bowsprit outboard end.

The stick will be put in the lathe for tapering and I have followed the proportions given in Steel.

The length is quartered from the broadest point (8mm) and tapers in the proportions:'

1st Qtr         2nd Qtr       3rd Qtr     End

60/61           11/12          4/5          5/9

The results are pretty close to the dimensions drawn in the Syren plans.

7434

To check progress during the tapering process the quarters and diameters are marked on a card.

7427(2)

The lathe extension bed is required to take the length of the Bowsprit.

7441

The taper was produced using just sandpaper and constant checking of the quarter diameters.

7444

The next stage is getting the fit thro' the Bowsprit port and trialling the Bowsprit step set up.

7462

I have departed from the Syren instructions by having the retaining fid pass thro' the Bowsprit and standards.

Came into my mind whether these were originally wood or iron. To my mind iron would make more sense for this important job of retaining the Bowsprit.

7463

By the same token it crossed my mind whether there would have been an iron Bowsprit retaining ring attached to the stem.

7466

 The spare fid holes were punched with a square section needle file and finished off with a micro chisel.

 

7468

Seeing the Bowsprit in place  indicates what the overall size of the model will be, representing a 51'6" length overall.

I haven't decided yet whether I am going to rig Cheerful  or have her as a hull model with stub mast and sprit, so it is important to me to have a removeable Bowsprit, hence not following Chuck's example for fitting between the Bowsprit Step standards.

7503

With the sprit in place the standards are glued and pinned to the deck.

7505

7505

Once dry the fids can be withdrawn and the sprit can be removed.

The Starboard side long gun is secured in its port.

I can now reurn to fiddling with the side tackles whilst Chuck makes a supply of 3mm blocks to complete the job.

 

B.E.

30/03/2019

Edited March 30, 2019 by Blue Ensign
posted before completion

[Chuck]

No bowsprit ring would have been used at the stem.  This was only used when the bowsprit was NOT well contained under the cap rail.  Because the bowsprit is very secure between the frames and cap rail no ring would have been needed.  I had it originally but removed it after this info came to light.

 

Looks good!!!

[Blue Ensign]

Thanks Chuck, for clearing that up. 🙂

 

B.E.

[md1400cs]

B.E.,

 

Been following along - your usual excellent work is again on full display - Nice indeed.

 

Cheers,

[davyboy]

Good evening B.E.

 

Nice job on the Bowsprit. I also fitted the fid all the way through,one of those tiny files I sent you did the job. Currently re-rigging the Bobstay tackle,caught the damned Bobstay earlier and have to replace the tackle rope  I'll also have to re-do some ratlines,dropped a pair of tweezers which hit their target and of course a few ratlines look like a dogs hind leg now. Oh well,nuff said.

 

I do hope you will be masting and rigging her. After the super job you made of your HMS Pegasus it should be a doddle for you. Only one Mast 

 

regards,  

 

Dave 

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Michael and Dave.

It's not the rigging of her that's the problem Dave.

Apart from Cheerful there are eleven other ship models displayed around the house, three of them large and fully rigged, it's really a question of space. Even if I don't mast and rig her I will make the masts and spars and display them in the case.

Hope your rigging snags remain few and simple. 🤞 I can see that that a lot of care is required with that long Bowsprit on Cheerful when turning the model about, an island workbench  would be ideal for the masting and rigging of models.

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 80

Back to the gun tackles.

Putting my mind to the side tackles a further modification to the gun jig is again required adding a mocked up gun port.

7530

The as yet unplaced Portside long gun was used as a test bed to rig tackles.

7533

My own preference eventually settled on using a slightly longer sagged tackle frapped with the excess loosely coiled alongside the gun.

All the tackles were made on the test gun and then transferred.

7585

7584

I decided to leave for the present the aftermost carronade tackles unfrapped.

7579

The  coils representing the excess line were made separately and pva'd to the deck.

7577

The Starboard side tackles will have to wait until block supplies arrive from over the pond.

 

In the meantime I will have a think about the display base for Cheerful.

 

 

B.E.

01/04/2019

[Dowmer]

Great looking tackles BE!  Very shipshape 👍

[Martin W]

Wow! You knocked those out in short order.  You must have a sense of how to do gun rigging, eh?

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[paulsutcliffe]

Hi BE

If your space problem for displaying and rigging is because of the length of the model with bowsprit, you could show the model with the bowsprit unshipped and slid on deck as would have been done in a rough sea apparently, to stop it catching a wave and dragging the bow down

That will give you some more room😁

Regards Paul 

[Blue Ensign]

Cheers Guys for your responses.

@ Wallace - I'm a big fan of jigs, they may be a bit rough and ready but they reduce frustration in working small parts and do improve the production process. 🙂

@ Martin - I suppose you may say that I have dabbled in gun rigging previously. 😉

@ Paul - Hadn't thought about that, could be a possibility but I've  some time before the crunch decision has to be made.🤔

 

B.E.

[Ferit]

As always, clean, accurate and detailed work BE...

[vulcanbomber]

I think you nailed it with the tackles, they look really good.

 

She's a very tidy looking ship.

[MEDDO]

Such clean and precise work.  The gun rigging looks great.  Any thought on whether or not a train tackle was used on these or are the guns small enough to not need those?

[Blue Ensign]

Thank you Ferit, Caroline, and Michael.

@ Michael - the deck ring bolts are in place that would suggest use of training tackles, but there is no loop indicated in the rear axletree of the gun carriage that would usually be the attachment point for the tackle. I did wonder if this was an oversight.

I don't usually fit training tackles so I haven't pressed the issue.

 

B.E.

[vossiewulf]

23 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

I don't usually fit training tackles so I haven't pressed the issue.

It was a significant pain in the butt to do it on my cutter, not least of which is that on LN the rings are too close to the carriages so I had to simplify the rigging. But in the end I think it looks pretty good, maybe you shouldn't give up on the idea just yet

 

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Vossie, my own preference is for a clearer deck look, and I don't think training tackles would be in place unless action was imminent, but I can see why modellers fit them to show the working operation of the gun.

ps. thanks for the link to your build, you're producing a fine cutter  there.🙂

 

B.E.

[Blue Ensign]

Post 81

A base for Cheerful

Whilst I wait for more blocks to arrive I turn my attention to making a more stylish base for Cheerful.

7618

For the base I have an old drawer front made of American oak, already shaped and profiled.

7651(2)

The hull supports are made from some 1/8" Boxwood sheet and slots are cut into some 7mm Walnut square stock to take the support tabs.

7654(2)

 

7657(2)

7658(2)

This will suffice for now but I may add keel blocks along the hull as I did with Pegasus.

Taking a break for a week now, and hopefully when I return my rigging blocks will have arrived.🙂

 

Cheers,

 

B.E.

05/04/2019