HMS Bellona 1760 by SJSoane - Scale 1:64 - English 74-gun - as designed

[Sailor1234567890]

That riot of sweeping curves sure is beautiful but I don't envy the shipwright who had to build it. Not you replicating it at a smaller scale. But I do look forward to seeing how you tackle this challenge and your results. 

[dvm27]

I can offer no help in this area Mark but isn't it humbling to know that some craftsman, over 250 years ago and under candle light, was able to form this precision detail with likely nothing more than a fretsaw and files?

[tlevine]

Have you considered photoetching thin sheet brass?

[SJSoane]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments.

 

Kevin, intriguing idea about 3-D printing, but I don't think I have the skill to work up a 3-D drawing of the double curved quarter gallery surface. It is no known regular geometrical shape, and would have to be built up in sections and faired like a hull. I may come back to this if I can't figure anything else out. And thanks for reminding me of Marc's fabrication techniques.

 

Marc, thanks for thinking about this. Your techniques could well provide a way to build these forms up, rather than attempting to pierce saw them out as a whole. My first experiments showed me some problems with attempting to cut these out of boxwood--grain runs across some of the thin pieces, doesn't have any flexibility--and so I may have to explore other materials if I go down this route. Or, maybe I just make up individual strands with the grain running the length of the piece, and then glue them together at the intersections. This would be more like a mesh that could settle onto the curved form behind, because it could slightly bend at each joint.

 

druxey, I greatly admire your fretwork on the Polyphemus. That is exactly the same kind of fine delicacy of inter-weaving lines that I need to produce. And your's is flawless! Did you fret saw those out of boxwood as individual strands, or pierce-sawed some of them as panels?

 

Sailor, thank you for your kind thoughts. I admit that this challenge slammed on the brakes for a bit, but I remind myself that I have always found a way forward when this happened in the past, particularly with help from this forum.

 

And Greg, like you, I sometimes reflect on the astonishing skill of the 17th and 18th century model builders, especially given their technological limitations relative to our age. Like the old saying about Ginger Rogers--that she did everything Fred Astair did, but backwards and in high heels--the original model builders often did more with less than we have.

 

One can hardly believe humans are capable of such fine work. I also find myself sometimes channeling the original shipwrights, when I am fashioning a piece and realize that a number of people did exactly this same thing two to three centuries ago. What a great hobby.

 

Mark

 

 

[Kenchington]

55 minutes ago, SJSoane said:

I don't think I have the skill to work up a 3-D drawing of the double curved quarter gallery surface.

 

 

Coming late to this discussion amongst model builders far more skilled than I will ever be but ...

 

Have you looked at Stalkart's 1787 "Naval Architecture" or, more likely, the 1991 facsimile reprint that John Roberts put out? By the 1780s, the (British) Navy Board's shipwrights were laying out most details on paper before cutting timber (rather than just trimming each piece until it fitted). Stalkart's text can be hard to follow and his plates do not show all of the lines that you would need. However, his text seems to explain how the various curves were draughted. You might make sense of his explanation while using it for your own drawing.

 

Trevor

[Der Boss]

Hello SJSoane I have just read the first few pages of your construction report and admired the pictures. I am deeply impressed by your work. Now I know why I don't dare to tackle a ship using frame construction. I simply couldn't do it. I wouldn't have the patience or the craftsmanship. I take my hat off to all the members here. My utmost respect. And I am glad that you have included here anyway. Thank you.

[garyshipwright]

Hi Trevor. Are you talking about the Facsimile reprint published by Jean Boudriot Publications.  Am not sure how much translation  David Roberts did, But he did help on the Facsimile but do believe that most of the set was  done by Jean Boudriot. It is a great set and also come with a great set of plates in Vol 2. Hope this helps. Gary

 

[druxey]

Mark: My fretwork was produced by using micro chisels, small drills and files. Each motif was a separate piece. I recall that I was grateful, as a couple of parts got messed up in process - it meant that the whole run wasn't ruined! The material was white butyrate plastic, I believe. (This model was made over 40 years ago, so I can't remember every detail!)

[Kenchington]

1 hour ago, garyshipwright said:

Hi Trevor. Are you talking about the Facsimile reprint published by Jean Boudriot Publications.  Am not sure how much translation  David Roberts did, But he did help on the Facsimile but do believe that most of the set was  done by Jean Boudriot. It is a great set and also come with a great set of plates in Vol 2. Hope this helps. Gary

 

That's the one! But there was no translation: Stalkart published in English.

 

David (and my apologies for calling him John!) translated and published Jean Boudriot's marvellous French historical works. He also translated and published at least one original French text: Blaise Ollivier's 1737 espionage report. But David also did a very nice line of facsimiles of English works: Sutherland's 1711 text, Blankley's "Naval Expositor", the anonymous 1788 "Shipbuilder's Repository", Steel's 1805 "Shipwright's Vade Mecum", Stalwart's text (with its plates) and maybe others.

 

Trevor