17th Century Battle Station from HMS Mordaunt by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:32

[DocBlake]

This will be my build log for a 17th century Royal Navy Battle Station.  The station is loosely modeled after a 4th rate ship of the line, HMS Mordaunt, launched in 1681.  It is based on the excellent plans drawn by Jeff Staudt, and the model kit itself is one of three produced in collaboration with two modeling friends.

I'll be adding  background information and details on research and development of the kits is as the build proceeds.   Here is a reprint of the message I posted when I received my kit: 

 

 

On 6/27/2018 at 11:01 AM, DocBlake said:

17th Century Naval Battle Station

 

Several months ago a couple of my modeling cyber friends and I decided to do a joint venture project.  One of us owns a CNC router and laser cutter, so we started to look for a project that was interesting, but doable for guys like us with no experience.  After some searching and discussion, we settled on Jeff Staudt's 17th Century Battle station as our subject.  Jeff's plans are freely available for scratch building, so we decided to go ahead.  We are NOT going into the model kit business!  This is for our enjoyment only! Here's a link to Jeff's plans:

 

  http://www.modelshipbuilder.com/e107_images/custom/Battle Station Practicum - 1-32 Practicum.pdf

 

This project takes a bit of a different approach and uses some techniques not generally seen in the hobby.  We plan to build not just 1 but 3 examples of a 17th century battle station based upon Jeff Staudt's plans. The models will be in 1:32 scale and exhibit the following features:

- Use of both CNC and laser for the fabrication of parts. In some cases parts may be fabricated using a combination of both tools.
- Over 200 parts - all architecturally dimensioned for perfect fit including the planking. Very little manual cutting, sanding, or shaping.
- Experimental laser etched details to include properly scaled treenails and the use of laser char to simulate plank caulking.
- Paint-with-wood. Entire model built from various custom milled hardwoods. No paint or stains will be used.  
- Hand turned brass cannon and custom fabricated metal work.  
- The use of Google Sheets for real-time collaboration of technical details such as part numbers, dimensions, machine specs, etc.
- Much more ...

Prior to starting to produce the kits, we did a bunch of work up-front to include:

- Imported all of Jeff's drawings into CAD software, cleaned them up, made corrections where needed
- Rendered each of the parts for either CNC cutting or laser cutting... or in some cases both
- Test cut prototypes of all 200 parts in poplar and basswood
- Assembled the prototype taking extensive notes and making updates to the design where needed
- Created a spreadsheet of all 200 parts to enable selection of hardwood types, machine method, and grouping
- Selected, sourced and milled the various hardwoods necessary for 3 separate models.

 I'm pleased to report that I received my version of the kit today! It weighs nearly 6 pounds and includes various hardwoods, including cherry, hard maple, swiss pear, boxwood holly and ebony.  There are hand-turned brass cannons and custom fabricated metal parts.  Although similar, the three kits do have several options to differentiate a builder's model from the others if he chooses.  There is even a CNC produced 3D carved gun port wreath of osage orange!

 

We're excited to share the build experience with you.  Our logs will outline our building process, and also some background information and photos that help explain how we got here.  Enjoy!

 

Note:  Although this Battle Station was designed to represent no particular vessel, it's layout is very similar to the HMS Mordaunt, a 4th rate British Ship of the line of 46 guns, launched in 1681.  We choose to name her Mordaunt, with a little artistic license!

 

Time to start the build!
 

 

 

 

 

[DocBlake]

After a lot of prep work getting the plans into a form CNC and laser could utilize, a prototype was built of basswood and poplar.  The point here wasn't to have a perfect model, but rather to proof the plans and our dimensions and make sure the pieces all fit!  We will obviously clean up the laser char on the finished models.  The hull frames were CNC cut from 3/4" stock.  The treenails are surface etched, but deep enough to allow finish sanding and still be visible.  We plan to leave the laser char in between planks to simulate tar.

[DocBlake]

Most of the framing including the hull and deck framing is made of cherry. It's too bad that so much of it will be covered up, but it isn't expensive and it was just easier to cut the parts all at the same time from a limited number of billets, seen or not! The hull framing is 3/4" thick, actually 3/4" WIDE on the model. After CNC cutting, you can see that each piece is held in the 3/4" billet by 2 tiny triangular tabs (arrows). Very easy to remove and clean up the frames. I worked on those while the build board was drying (I glued a rosewood border around a beautiful piece of curly bird's eye maple I had). I also scribed scarfs in the two end frames as well as simulated bolts. I then gave these two a wipe of boiled linseed oil to even out the color.

[MEDDO]

Looks like a very nice project.  Not sure how you find enough time to keep so manny projects going but they sure look good.

[James H]

That looks just amazing. I'd have loved to have seen it commercially available. 

[JpR62]

I reserve a seat and look forward to it. It will surely be a wonderful project. The prototype is already superb !

[DocBlake]

Thanks, guys!

 

Michael:  I think it's because I have a short attention span and get easily bored!

[DocBlake]

I finished up the build board.  I had some beautiful curly bird'seye maple so I cut off a piece and framed it with some rounded over 1/2" X 1/2" east Indian rosewood.  It turned out pretty nice!

[MEDDO]

Wonderful base!

[KenW]

Magnificent!   You did a lot apparently in one day.

This will be interesting to follow along with. 

You know, if this turns out really well you're going to get a lot of requests for your "kit".

Cheers.

[allanyed]

Dave,

Looks like a very nice piece of work!!

What is the object on top of the cannon barrel near the area of the touch hole?   As this is circa late 17th century, I assume it is not a gun lock as they did not come into use until 1718 in France and soon after in England.   

Again, very nice work.

Allan

[Tigersteve]

Nice project!

Steve

[DocBlake]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Dave,

Looks like a very nice piece of work!!

What is the object on top of the cannon barrel near the area of the touch hole?   As this is circa late 17th century, I assume it is not a gun lock as they did not come into use until 1718 in France and soon after in England.   

Again, very nice work.

Allan

Thanks guys!

 

Allan:  The cannon barrel in the prototype is not the barrel in the kit.  It was a spare we had lying around that fit the prototype’s carriages.  The part was likely a gun lock.

[DocBlake]

The most important part of the build is squaring up the frame from the bottom. The lower deck clamp must be parallel to the two inboard supports, and the ends of the supports must lie on the perpendicular of each end of the clamp. I drew a baseline, parallel to one edge. I then cut out a rectangle of those dimensions and used double-sided tape to stick the plywood template to the build board. The clamp was exactly as long as the template and the two supports lined up with the perpendiculars. I then glued all 3 parts in place, removing the template after the CA grabbed a bit. Before gluing the deck clamp in place the plans call for a slight bevel of the top surface to the outboard edge. One of us said it was "minuscule" and eyeballed it with his sanding block. Suffering from OCD myself, what I did was blow up the profile of the clamp on the plans, measure the actual angle (4 degrees!) and re-mill the clamp with a 4 degree bevel in the top!!! Will I ever learn??

[DocBlake]

I applied multiple coats of wipe on poly to the board.  While waiting for it to dry, I went ahead and installed the sills that frame out the 3 gun ports at the bulwark.  The sills are a little oversize in thickness, so they need to be sanded down for a nice tight fit in the frame mortises.  Squaring up these assemblies is critical.  I used two try squares to get things aligned and some weights to hold the parts until dry.  Glue was Weldbond, with some CA applied to the joints later (drawn in by capillary action) for added strength.  The sills are proud of the frame surface and need to be trimmed with a sharp blade and then sanded flush with the frames themselves.

[DocBlake]

I trimmed the sills and finished sanded all the frame parts.  I also glued the support piece between the two deck beams that frame in the hatch.  I also test fit the deck beams on the build board.  There is a final beam that will be fitted once the deck beams are glued in to this point.

[Tigerdvr]

How I wish your battle station kit was available. Jeff's Practicum is terrific and a very good read. Thanks very

much for sharing it although that makes one want a kit even more!

I'm from Milwaukee. We used to go fishing at Pewaukee Lake many years ago.

 

Cheers, Harley

[JpR62]

I can only confirm the words of Tigerdvr, it would make a beautiful kit! I continue to follow this construction with ever more interest.

Thanks for sharing!

[DocBlake]

Thanks for looking in, guys!

Model Ship Builder does have this kit available.  The wood is milled by Dave at the Lumberyard but the kit is sold by Winston at MSB who owns the rights.  Here is a link:   http://modelshipbuilder.com/page.php?131

 

Our kits have some features and options not available in the commercial kit.  The surface etched treenails, gun port covers and individual planks for decking and bulwark planking for example.  We also use some woods not included in the commercial version, including rosewood, holly and boxwood.  The deck supports holding up the weather deck are actually turned on a lathe in our kit.  Unfortunately, given what goes into this kit, we'd likely have to price ourselves out of the market even if we did own the rights and started making kits!

 

[Tigerdvr]

The good Doc is teasing us again

[DocBlake]

I started gluing up the frames by attaching the two outermost ones to the buildboard and the deck clamp.  I built a quick little jig to ensure these were exactly perpendicular, and measured the same distance apart at the top as at the bottom.  the jig straddles the deck clamp and keeps the frames square to the buildboard.  

Because the planking is pre-cut and pre-treenailed, it's very important that the inside frames align with the three gun ports properly.

Edited July 9, 2018 by DocBlake

[DocBlake]

I glued the outermost frames with WeldBond, in case I needed a "do over".  The rest of the frames are glued with 5 minute epoxy.

[DocBlake]

The frames are all glued in place except for the upper futtocks, above the gun ports.  I'll wait until the main deck clamp is installed.  Although most of the gun deck beams will be hidden by planking, the ends are plainly visible and the beams must be laid out exactly so the butt joints and treenails fall in the center of each beam.  Each kit was provided with different wood options for the channel wales, great wale, gun port control strake, sheer trim etc.  The fourth photo is a preview of my choices for finishing the outer hull.

Edited July 10, 2018 by DocBlake

[DocBlake]

The lower deck was installed next.  All the decking for the three kits was randomized so there was no discernible grain pattern in the finished deck on any of the three models.  The effect is much more realistic the a plain vanilla deck of holly would be...although we did consider holly for the decking!  Next is a fine finish sanding and some poly on the decking.

[Rpolson]

I must thank you for inspiring me to continue with my build which I had just started when I stumbled across your log.

 

Richard

 

Edited July 13, 2018 by Rpolson
forgot to sign name

[DocBlake]

Please post a build log!  We all agree!

[svein erik]

A grait work , I wil follow this build 

 

Svein.erik 

[DocBlake]

Glad you stopped by, Svein!

 

I started planking the bulwarks by forming the waterway  The thick spirketing plank is actually the first plank glued in place but I wanted to get the waterway out of the way.  It needs to be tapered 15 degrees across is back wide dimension.  I set up my Byrnes sander and it made fast work of the job.  The last photo shows the rough blank for the upper deck waterway and the finished lower deck waterway.

[svein erik]

Thanks dave,  

I do like the laser dott to simulate the nails patten 😊

I May have to order a kitt from you, haha😊

 

Svein.erik 

[Rpolson]

Dave,

I agree with Svein on the simulated treenails.

For those of us treenailing, what is the size of the treenail?

 

Richard