Wood Hull Screw Frigate USS Tennessee 1869 to 1886 by Keith Black - scale 1:120

[Keith Black]

On 6/5/2020 at 9:01 PM, Keith Black said:

For these two guns the races are a simple circle

That's incorrect. Actually it's a small circle within a larger circle, neither is a full circle. 

[vaddoc]

Keith, I just finished going through your log, very nice work on a very interesting ship! I think I ll have very little to contribute unfortunately but I am looking forward for the rest of the journey.

 

Regards

Vaddoc

[Keith Black]

Vaddoc, thank you. Knowing you're looking over my shoulder is contribution enough. I hope this build log helps you in some small way and more importantly I hope it develops in you an interest in this period of ship design.  

[Mad_Dan_Eccles]

On 6/7/2020 at 5:59 PM, Keith Black said:

I have to agree with Pat, getting from stage 3 to stage 4, it would appear that the shifting carriage's rear trucks are maneuvering across unprotected deck. 

I am sorry to be a bit slow in replying to this.

 

Bowcock goes into a bit of detail of the sweeps in his book about 'Alabama' - the sweeps as fitted differed from those on the builder's models which do show sweeps where you might expect them . While I am inclined to think that perhaps there really ought be be sweeps to allow the guns to be brought into use and pointed without chewing up the deck, they are apprently absent on the drawings and don't show in the famois set of photos take at Cape Town.  The specification calls for the decks to be 'Danzig Fir' except for the strakes in the way of the anchor chains and those which the trucks of the pivot guns would roll over; these were to be made from oak. 

 

It might be worth noting that she sailed without any armament,  and that included the sweeps which were installed by her carpenter/

[Keith Black]

 What started out as just a small break from the tedium of 1:120 work turned into a sabbatical, life got in the way. 

 Our dear old shipmate of 17 years, Amelia, started failing in July. I tried distracting myself with the purchase (and continued restoration) of an old decorative ship from the 20's (since named for Amelia) allowing for some mind numbing puttering. Up until Amelia's passing we'd shared our home with a cat/cats continuously for over 41 years.

The house and our lives were empty so we brought onboard a new apprentice, Emma. She was 12 weeks old (now 14 weeks old) when she came up the gangway. She loves to fly from the galley to the forecastle then through the rigging to the stern castle. She hasn't a clue but seems eager to learn. Each day we grow to love her a little more, each day the pain grows dimmer. 

Photo of Emma in one of her more placid moments. 

[Keith Black]

 I thank each of you for the comments, the likes, and the support.

 

 Back in the saddle again.......

  I'm going to wait and make the sweeps for the Parrott 100 pound guns till I've completed the two Dahlgren XI guns then I can tackle making the sweeps for all four guns at the same. 

 

 I've turned the barrels for the two Dahlgren XI guns, I added the barrel elements before parting. I still need to trim the trunnions to length one the carriages are made and fitted. The brass rings on the trunnions go on the outside of the carriages and represent what I think to be bearing housings? I've left them on the trunnions for now so as not to lose them. 

 

 About the Dahlgren XI guns. Before being changed from a 11 inch smooth bore gun to a 8 inch riffled bore in 1875 the gun data from Wikipedia.....Barrel weight, 15,700 lbs; barrel length, 161 inches; shot weight, 166 lbs; shell weight, 133.5 lbs; charge weight 20 lbs; range, 3,650 yards at 15 degrees elevation. The Dahlgren XI guns were the only Dahlgren guns to be made with and without muzzle swell. The two onboard the Tennessee were made without muzzle swell.  As a smooth bore gun the XI could pierce 4.5 inches of iron plate backed by 20 inches of solid oak. 

 

 

The following from https://americansocietyofarmscollectors.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1987-B57-The-Last-Smoothbores-The-Development-of-.pdf

 In 1875 the ordnance bureau issued a contract to a private firm to convert ten 11-inch Dahlgren guns into 8-inch rifles by inserting wrought-iron tubes, then machining in the lands and grooves. The cost was 2,700 dollars per gun. Neither these nor any of the other measures taken in the immediate postwar years resulted in ordnance comparable to the current generation of European rifles. Largely due to inadequate funding, the navy was unable to develop advanced ordnance technology. When Congress authorized new, modern, vessels in the 1880s, the navy purchased several of its first breech-loading steel rifles in Great Britain. Throughout that decade the United States Navy retained wooden vessels armed with Dahlgren guns, the remnants of a bygone era. 

 

I've been unable to locate data for the XI converted to a 8 inch riffled barrel. Here is the gun data for a 8 inch riffled Parrott gun for a ballpark reference, this from Wikipedia......Shell weight, 150 lbs; charge weight, 16 lbs; range, 8,000 yards at 35 degrees elevation. 

 

 

 

 

 

[mtaylor]

Keith,

Interesting info on converting the smooth bore to rifled bore on the Dahlgren guns.   Another tidbit to note.    

 

The ship's cat looks like she has that "I'm curious.  What are you doing?" look.   I believe she'll soon be on the bench with you.... helping.

[BANYAN]

Nice to see you back Keith.  Surprising how a break turns into a sabbatical - life has its ways of distracting you!

 

Nice work on the guns.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Talos]

I don't often poke around in this part of the forum, but I was getting caught up and enjoying the build. You're doing a great job on it.

 

As far as the converted Dahlgrens, fortunately we have a front view of a bunch of the ones from Trenton after she was sunk in the Apia, Samoa Typhoon of 1889. This provides a good view of the muzzle and also the iron carriages. Between Trenton, Vandalia, and Nipsic, there were a dozen of these converted rifles, both in pivot and broadside carriages. 

 

 

 

 

This is a Rodman, but it has the same kind of conversion as the navy guns, with the rifled sleeve inserted and you can match the muzzle changes compared to a normal smoothbore. If you look at the Dahlgrens above, they match.

 

[FriedClams]

Good to see an update on the Tennessee Keith.  Interesting historical/technical information on the Dahlgrens and a great start on their construction.
 

And congratulations on the arrival of your new crew member.  Emma is a cutie, but looking a bit mischievous.  I’m sure she’ll be happy to help with the rigging.

 

Gary

[rwiederrich]

Glad things are moving forward Keith and the new recruit is learning the ropes.  Good to see you at work again on this wonderful ship.

 

Rob

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

On 6/6/2020 at 12:20 AM, Keith Black said:

Thank you Roger, Tony, and Gary for the comments and kind words and thank you to all for the likes. 

The two 100 LB Parrott breech loading rifles are done with the exception of the circular deck tracks. I'll be making those next. 

 100 LB Parrott breech loading rifle statistics: Bore, 6.4 inches.  Barrel length,  138 inches (11.5 FT.)  Barrel weight, 10,266 LB.  Shell, 80 or 100 LB.  Charge weight, 10 LB.  Maximum range, 7,810 yards at 30 degrees (80 LB).  Flight time, 32 seconds.  Crew size, 17. This from Wikipedia. 

Very nice clean workKeith, I like the floor particularly among other things. like real. what an interesting ship.

[Hank]

Keith,

Just saw this build, etc. Good work!!! And I esp. like your mate, Emma!!! Could pass for one of our past cats "CJ" - domestic short hairs are quite the "Cat's Meow!!!".

 

Also appreciate the historical content of your build - good to know how these ships came about!

 

Hank

[Keith Black]

On 8/27/2020 at 6:46 PM, mtaylor said:

 I believe she'll soon be on the bench with you.... helping.

Uh huh. Mark, I'm thinking about changing her name from Emma to Stump Grinder.

 

On 8/27/2020 at 8:22 PM, BANYAN said:

Nice work on the guns

Pat, thank you so much. 

 

On 8/27/2020 at 11:35 PM, FriedClams said:

Good to see an update on the Tennessee Keith.  Interesting historical/technical information on the Dahlgrens and a great start on their construction.
 

And congratulations on the arrival of your new crew member.  Emma is a cutie, but looking a bit mischievous.  I’m sure she’ll be happy to help with the rigging.

Gary, thank you. I forgot to add in the Dahlgren info that the gun crew totaled 25 men including the powder monkey. Emma says, thank you. 

 

On 8/28/2020 at 8:11 AM, rwiederrich said:

Glad things are moving forward Keith and the new recruit is learning the ropes.  Good to see you at work again on this wonderful ship.

Rob, Thank you for the kind words.

 

On 8/27/2020 at 8:38 PM, Talos said:

I don't often poke around in this part of the forum, but I was getting caught up and enjoying the build. You're doing a great job on it.

Talos, thank you so much from dropping by and the nice comment. If it wasn't for you in those very early days this build may not have happened.

 

On 8/29/2020 at 2:41 PM, Vladimir_Wairoa said:

Very nice clean workKeith, I like the floor particularly among other things. like real. what an interesting ship.

Vladimir, thank you and yes, this era is fascinating with all the developing technologies of the time. 

 

On 8/29/2020 at 3:58 PM, Hank said:

Just saw this build, etc. Good work!!! And I esp. like your mate, Emma!!! Could pass for one of our past cats "CJ" - domestic short hairs are quite the "Cat's Meow!!!".

 

Also appreciate the historical content of your build - good to know how these ships came about!

Hank, thank you for stopping by and the compliment. Both Emma and I would enjoy seeing CJ, please post a photo. 

[Keith Black]

Thank you to all for the likes and wonderful comments. The support of the MSW community helps to keep me going in those wee hours when nothing goes right.

 

I had a devil of a time making an acceptable carriage pattern, one that not only captured the essence of an actual carriage but also makable. I've dry fitted the barrels to the raw carriages for fit and form, I think I'm on the right track. Now to dismantle paint and add all the carriage components. 

[rwiederrich]

Wonderful workmanship.

 

They look quite accurate from here.

 

Rob

[FriedClams]

2 hours ago, Keith Black said:

I had a devil of a time making an acceptable carriage pattern, one that not only captured the essence of an actual carriage but also makable.

Capturing the essence and still makeable - that is difficult in larger scales - in 1:120, it's crazy hard, but you're managing quite nicely.   You have nailed the shape and proportions of both cannon and carriage Keith.  I look forward to seeing the carriages painted out and component bits added.  Very small and very nice - the bottom photo says it all.

 

Gary

[Hank]

Keith,

Here is a shot of CJ I took in 2010 - she was sitting in my vintage Gibson Banjo case like she owned it!!!

Sadly, CJ developed a tumor resulting from a vaccination and after the 1st tumor was removed, developed a 2nd - this one simply couldn't be operated on and she was put to sleep in Aug 2014 - she was 13 years old at the time. This, BTW is not uncommon in felines according to our vet. We currently have a Japanese Bobtail that is 10 years old now - he grew up with CJ as his "adapted" mom. I should rephrase that - HE allows us to take care of him!!!!!

Hank

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

3 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Thank you to all for the likes and wonderful comments. The support of the MSW community helps to keep me going in those wee hours when nothing goes right.

 

I had a devil of a time making an acceptable carriage pattern, one that not only captured the essence of an actual carriage but also makable. I've dry fitted the barrels to the raw carriages for fit and form, I think I'm on the right track. Now to dismantle paint and add all the carriage components. 

this is lovely .superb.

[Keith Black]

1 hour ago, Hank said:

Here is a shot of CJ I took in 2010 - she was sitting in my vintage Gibson Banjo case like she owned it!!!

Hank, I had a hard time giving a thumbs up to your post because of CJ's passing. Even though she is no longer with you in body, I KNOW she will always be with you in spirit, we can never completely let them go. She was a lovey animal. 

 Maybe you've already heard this old joke about the difference between cats and dogs..........The dog says, "they feed and water me, play with me, give me a warm dry place to sleep, they must be gods" The cat says "they feed and water me, play with me, give me a warm dry place to sleep, I must be God"

[Hank]

Keith,

Well, sadly those are the facts, but not the emotional ties that develop, etc.  - she had a twin (pure white/blue eyes (Casper) - we adapted both as kittens. Casper passed early also, but for other reasons. I adapted "Smokey" our current cat when he was 6 weeks old as a companion to CJ but they never completely clicked - perhaps age difference. Anyhow, Smokey is the King of the Roost around here, almost as demanding as The Admiral can be!!!!!

 

Cats are certainly their own bosses, we're just here to make sure THEY are happy!!!!

Hank

[Keith Black]

Thank you to all for the kind comments and likes.

 

 I got one gun and gun carriage completed, the second one's fate didn't turn out as well. These are rather delicate little things and do not fair well when brute force is applied. I hate replowing the same ground especially when due to my own stupidity. I need to make a third and what I hope to be a final carriage and then on to the truck carriages. I'm semi pleased with this one, the barrel elevates even though these Dahlgren guns will be stationed in their stowed positions.   

[Matt D]

Nice work on your Dahlgren guns!

[Keith Black]

 Both 11 inch Dahlgren guns and gun carriages are completed, on to their truck carriages. 

[vaddoc]

Nice work Keith. Quick question, these smoothbore guns, were they still firing round balls?

[Keith Black]

 

On 9/13/2020 at 6:03 PM, vaddoc said:

Nice work Keith. Quick question, these smoothbore guns, were they still firing round balls? Va

 

Va, thank you.

The 11 inch Dahlgren smooth bore could fire both round ball, 166 lb. and solid shot or shell, 133.5 lb.  The Tennessee's two 11 inch Dahlgren smooth bore were swapped out for two 11 inch Dahlgren converted to a 8 inch rifle in 1881.                

[KeithAug]

On 9/6/2020 at 1:58 PM, Keith Black said:

the second one's fate didn't turn out as well.

Keith

 

Thats the problem and fun of scratch building, everything is an experiment - and not all experiments turn out as expected. Your final results however look rather nice. Keep well.

[Keith Black]

Thank you to all for the kind comments and likes.

  The first photo shows the two finished Dahlgren guns and their carriages.

  Photos two and three show the Dahlgren on deck in their stowed positions. 

  Photo four, in the background is a Dahlgren from the original model. The gun closest to the viewer is one of the finished guns. I made the middle Dahlgren in the summer of 2017. At the time I was still trying to get the fingers in my left hand to work properly after my stroke in January of 2017. I wasn't pleased with it but I knew I needed to wait for recovery and gain the necessary experience and skills to make an acceptable model of the 11 inch guns. Both the background and middle guns have been pushed overboard without buoys.

 Making the sweeps for the two Dahlgren and the two Parrott guns is next.   

[Talos]

Those new guns look amazing. Great work!

[FriedClams]

Very nice job on the guns Keith - the truck carriages turned out great.

 

I wasn’t aware of your stroke of a few years back, but it looks like you have made great progress in your recovery.  The difference between the middle gun and your new guns is quite striking.  Glad to know you have fought your way back and are clearly much improved.

 

Looking forward to see how the sweeps go on.

 

Gary