Independence 1775 by KenW - FINISHED - Scale 1:48 - American Privateer

[KenW]

Thanks Dave.  Thanks to the 'likes' as well.

 

[KenW]

I added the various carvings on the stem.  I have two cheek knees and a head rail. I left off the middle rail because I felt it made the area look too crowded. The fancy carvings are similar to the kits, but I borrowed the design used by Clair Hess on his model. I like the result.

My next task is to explore the possibility of making the quarter badge windows.

 

 

 

[DocBlake]

Great job on the headworks, Ken!   I struggled with the temptation to over-do the decorations on this small ship that began life as a merchantman, but in the end, opted to include the headworks, quarter badge windows and a more elaborate stern.  Couldn't help myself!

[KenW]

Thanks Dave.  I'm not sure how much carvings merchant ships had in 1775 either.  And, I doubt they would've added some just because they were going into the privateer business.  But, like you say, I like the way it looks.

[KenW]

I carved and assembled the Quarter Badges.  If anybody is interested, I used the same technique as I used to carve the stern transom decorations.  First, study the plan’s carvings and divide it into several components. Then make a copy of, in this case, the quarter badges from the plans and print several copies.  Next make cut outs each component. Glue these small cut outs to the wood you want to carve, and then glue that to a large piece of wood.

 

 

Carve the component and when you are satisfied, place the piece of wood into Isopropyl Alcohol (91%).  After about an hour or so, carefully use your Xacto knife to remove the carving from the piece of wood.  Let the carving dry overnight. For my quarter badge I’m making my window on a 1/32 sheet of walnut and glueing the carvings once the window frame is finished.  The walnut is a good contrast to the box wood.

 

 

Once all the pieces are finished and glued, I trimmed the excess walnut and produced a quarter badge.  Now, I just have to stain, urethane, and mount the carvings on the boat.

 

 

 

[DocBlake]

Great job!  I think you've found your niche, Ken.   You can do carvings for me anytime.

[KenW]

Thanks Dave.  I’m not really that good.  As long as you stay about 3-6 feet away it’s OK.

Cheers.

 

[KenW]

The carvings are installed on the hull; as well as the aft cap rail.  I also made a tiller.

I like the way the boat is shaping up and I think the quarter badges look good.

 

 

 

I’m almost ready for the boat to be launched.  I need the swivel gun posts and I have to blacken the guns and mount them.  The gun carriages are already put together.

 

[DocBlake]

Ken:  Are you planning on rigging her?  I'm considering stub masts and sprit for mine.

[KenW]

Hey Dave - My intention is to rigg her including furled sails.

We’ll see.

 

[russ]

Ken:

Your model looks great. Nice work turning it into something special. For my part, I vote for fully rigged, but then....I always vote for fully rigged.

 

Russ

 

 

[Jim Rogers]

Ken she is gorgeous. Your carvings look great. I can’t carve and I envy those that can.

[KenW]

Thanks. Russ and Jim as well as the ’likes’.

I find that carving isn’t so bad if you slow down, divide the piece into smaller parts and keep at it (slowly).

Cheers.

[KenW]

The gun carriages were already assembled and stained.  Today I blackened the gun themselves. I used the process described by Dave (DocBlake) in his blog.  The first step is to soak the barrels in Acetone for 15 minutes. Then soak for another 15 minutes in Muriatic Acid.  Finally, soak each barrel for about 1 minute in JAX Black for Brass, Bronze and Copper Darkener. The result is a very metal looking gun barrel.

 

 

The photo doesn’t due the color of the guns justice.  It’s much blacker in tone and all the details can easily be seen.  

[EJ_L]

Ken,

 

I'm sorry I have missed out on this build till now but, as I have come to expect from you, it is fantastic! She has turned into a beautiful ship! I love the finish to the wood on the hull and deck and your carvings are quite nice as well. Good choice over the cast ones. Canons are looking great as well. Nice details on the carriages.

 

You can be sure I will keep my seat for the rest. Your rigging was truly remarkable to watch on Rattlesnake and I'm looking forward to seeing what you do on this one.

[KenW]

Thanks EJ.  I’m watching you latest build with interest as well.  Your work is excellent.

Cheers

 

[KenW]

The guns have been mounted on the boat.  They look good; the only problem was attaching those hooks on the breaching line onto the little eye bolts. I also glued some deck furniture to the boat. I don't think these pieces will interfere with the task of rigging.

 I cheated and used diluted glue to keep the lines where I wanted them.

[KenW]

I haven’t posted in awhile because I’ve been working on my club’s group build of the Medway Longboat.  But I’ve managed to finish rigging the guns. Not much to discuss. Everything went straight forward.

 

 

 

I added eye bolts for the in-haul tackles which are stowed away.

 

[DocBlake]

Very nice, Ken!

[KenW]

I’ve been working on my club’s group build of the Medway Longboat,  but I did take time out to complete the bow sprint and its standing rigging.  All the lines and their collars were served. Getting the lengths of the bobstay collar and bow sprint shroud collars correct proved to be a challenge.  It took a few tries before I was pleased. I used dead eyes since I thought that closed hearts looked too big.

 

 

 

 

[KenW]

I made the two channels for the foremast including their deadeyes.  I’m doing one mast at a time, so next will be the lower foremast. But first, I have to decide on what other blocks and eyebolts must be added to the mast and its crosstrees.  (I still believe in doing a much as I can “off the boat”.) So now, I have to figure out my rigging scheme. I’m not totally happy with the rigging plan that came with the AL kit.  I’m considering rigging the model based on Harold Hahn’s plans for for the ship, Hannah. And, the sails will be furled, which will involve some lines not on either the kit’s or Hahn’s plans.

I welcome any comments or opinions.

 

 

[russ]

Ken:

I would think that Hahn's rigging plan would be worth looking at. You can also look at other similar schooners for which plans have been drawn. Sultana's rigging plan might give you some insight for instance. Sir Edward Hawke's basic rigging plan in Search For Speed Under Sail might also be a useful source. These will not answer every question, but they might be used as guidance. 

 

Russ

 

 

 

[DocBlake]

“Independence” seems like a bastardized version of an old “Halifax” kit.  The rigging scheme for that ship will work.  Daniel Dusek owns the rights to the Mamoli Halifax plans.  He will likely allow you to use the rigging and belaying plans non-commercially.  He is a sponsor here.  PM or email and inquire!

Edited February 10, 2019 by DocBlake

[KenW]

Thanks Russ and Dave for the replies and encouragement.  I have Harold Hahn's Halifax and Hannah plans.  I'm also looking at the books, "The History of American Sailing Ships", and, "The American Sailing Navy", by Howard Chapelle.  In addition, Harold Hahn has a good drawing of the US privateer Chaleur in his book, "The Colonial Schooner".  While the Halifax and Chaleur have square sails on both masts, the Hannah has a gaff topsail on the main mast like the AL Independence kit.  So I'm leaning that way.  Anyway, I'm still researching, but I don't want to take too long.

[KenW]

I made the lower fore mast and the fore mast boom and gaff.  Nothing has been glued yet. The fore cross trees have also been made, and I still have to decide what blocks should be attached to it and where they should go.  The cross trees have had their dead eyes attached. The fore mast has some cleats that I’m sure I’ll need. I need to make the cross jack yard since that must also go onto the fore mast before the cross trees are glued.  In the first photo you can see the fore topmast which has also been made.

 

 

The loose threads (lines) are for a block that is part of the peak halliard rigging.  I want to be able to adjust these lines so insure they look good. The other blocks are for the brails.

 

 

[russ]

Ken:

The work looks good. I like what you have done with the hull. 

 

I find that waiting until the last moment to glue in masts is usually a good idea. Will there be a saddle for the boom jaws to rest on? 

 

Russ

 

 

[KenW]

Thanks Russ.  And there is a saddle there; I guess it can't be seen in the photo.

Cheers.

[russ]

Ken:

Okay. I see it. The photograph is small, so I did not catch it on the first pass. The boom is right down on it as well. Good work. 

 

Russ

 

 

[KenW]

For this model I’ve decided to make the sails out of Silkspan.  My club recently had a tech session on making sails from Silkspan, so I’ll be using the method put forth by our former president, Tom Ruggiero.  The sail is made from the thinnest pieces of Silkspan. Three pieces of Silkspan are cut to shape; the middle has the cloth joins drawn in pencil.  The lamination is done with white glue diluted at a ratio of 1 to 7, or even 1 to 10. One of the outside pieces is cut larger so it can be folded over lines that will surround the sail and include the loops or cringles.  My sails will be furled, so I don’t need to add reefs, etc. I bend the sail to the yard using line to simulate robands and earings. Then a wet brush is used to pull up the clue and form the sail into a proper looking furl.  Again, line simulates the gaskets. I also added foot ropes or horses.

I made the fore topsail first since I think it’d be better to start with a square sail.  Then I will move on to the fore gaff.

 

[DocBlake]

You set a high bar, Ken!