Rattlesnake by DmitriyMarkov - Model Shipways - 1:64

[DmitriyMarkov]

Greetings, dear colleagues!

This is my first log on this forum and I'm happy to start publishing in such a great community.

Now a few words on history of the build:

I've bought this kit about 15 years ago and until 2017 it was laying on a shelf waiting for it's turn to be built. I've searched through all the logs based on this kit both here and in Russia to see what other people do with it. Sad to see that most builds are unfinished - I cannot say why, since  in my opinion it's a very attractive prototype - a small ship-rigged vessel that looks like a frigate (from afar), scale provides an ability to detail the model a bit and it does not take too much space to keep and display.

Well I opened the box (I like the box of my kit - the white one - with great polygraphy - better than those that they pack their models into these days) and first two moments caused a bit of puzzlement - instruction says to glue the halves of kiel frame and false kiel details and to cut the rabbet afterwards. Strange, but that works - I've done that exactly the way it's described in instruction and all went well!

Next puzzle were the frames - I use the rule of measure seven times and glue/cut one time  - and it saves me always - I've dry-fitted the frames according to plans and nothing fitted at all. I've said a lot of good Russian words towards "manufacturers who  cannot cut a few well-shaped details with a laser" but then I've figured out to attach the frames to the drawings - and everything was clear: the letters engraved on the frames are wrong! So I've restored the right consequence of frames and there were only some cases of asymmetry of frames to deal with and the basic structure was complete.

Now I'm in a process of planking and it goes very slow - about a strake per weekend 🙂   The thing that terrifies me the most - is planking of decks. I have an intention to make it right - with cuts into waterways in the nose part and with correct flow of planks  but I still do not fully understand the theory of this process.

So here are the pics of process form the beginning until present moment:

[DmitriyMarkov]

Here's a bit more

[DmitriyMarkov]

Planking started.

[DmitriyMarkov]

Nearly present moment.

[Ebomba]

Very nice job, I am currently building the same ship, and also have just started the planking, I will follow along for tips and info on the planking as I do have many questions, 

 

 

Ed

[tarbrush]

beautiful work Dmitriy, I will be following your build with interest.  Rattlesnake is a great looking ship.

[DmitriyMarkov]

Thanks for your kind words, gentlemen! I try to do my best simply following the instructions which are very useful for me. I also follow the rule of considering every single plank as a single project - it helps (but not always :-)  ). Lines of the ship which allow planking layout without any stealers do help as well. I still haven't decided yet would it be single-layer basswood or double-layered planking. Colleagues in Russia are trying to convince me to choose second way and to use pear over basswood, while my intent was to paint the model  and so I try to do hull planking as flush as I can using kit basswood and if it goes ok I'll prime the hull and paint it and then I'll do deck planking with a light pear and I'll get some boxwood for carvings and detail. But first, I have to finish hull planking - the result of this process would show which way to go then. I'll try to show some progress some hours later.

 

[Gregory]

Very nice work!  I look forward to seeing your progress..

[DmitriyMarkov]

Gregory, thanks a lot )) 

Here's as I've promised earlier a bit of progress  - seven strakes ready, twelve more to go. Not everything goes that smooth - there are some bumps and seams here and there. And not everything corresponds with plans and instructions - for example, plans call that first belt consists of six strakes and the downmost ends in the aft by the intersection of transom and stern. Well, it took me seven strakes to get there 🙂   What I don't care at all is the colour of the wood since I'm going either to paint the hull or to lay second layer with pear ( I hope I wouldn't have to do that).

To be continued ))

[DmitriyMarkov]

Have spent a fruitful weekend - found the time for everything: walks in a park, visiting newly reconstructed COSMOS pavillion at VDNH with kids and wife, cooking and of course modelling 🙂  Haven't made any pics though. Colleagues in Russia pointed me at the planks fracture under the transom  - thing that I've noticed only on the photo. They advise me to dismantle some planks at the aft, make corrections in bulkheads and then attach planks back. I've chosen the other way - sanded carefully that area and added one and a half more strakes. I'll try to make a few pics today to check if sanding was enough and that more severe "surgery" won't be necessary. 

[DmitriyMarkov]

And now pics - some sanding to remove fracture.

[DmitriyMarkov]

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Thanks for your likes and kind words - they are very inspirational and motivating to do my best.  A moment of history for me - I've recently finished outer planking. That was quite a step. I'm happy that it's done according to instructions - without stealers. Next steps are thoughtful sanding and then inner planking. Then tree-nailing, primer and painting. And then the most fearsome moment for me on this project - deck planking. I was so keen to share results that couldn't wait until morning to take pics with good light, so pics have a "vampiric" look - sorry for them ;-) Later I'll try to do pics with better light. 

[DmitriyMarkov]

As I've promised,  here are some pics with normal light conditions (I'd prefer it were a bit more sunny , but nevertheless). Hope they look a bit more attractive 😉  

 

[Kenneth Powell]

Excellent Progress

She looks Great

[firedog5213]

Wish I would have started mine when you started yours, would be following along step by step, Now everytime I do something I keep saying "should have done it this way" Keep up the great work

[DmitriyMarkov]

Thank you, colleagues ! 

 

firedog5213,  I've found that model shipbuilding is a "thorny path" of reflections and hesitations 🙂  And during building process appear more questions than answers. Anyway if you've got any questions I'll be happy to discuss and share my (less than modest) knowledge.   

Edited July 16, 2019 by DmitriyMarkov

[DmitriyMarkov]

I've got a question to community:  in MS's drawings I haven't found any hints about spirketting  - it is shown like common planks - the same size and thickness as the other ceiling planks. I believe that's not quite right  - on most ships I've studied spirketting was made of thicker planks. However, I can assume that 6-pounders weren't considered as too much of a load and it could be desided to use the same size of planks. So the question is what way to choose - to do the thicker spirketting or to plank it with common size ceiling plans? Maybe there are some other plans than MS's which do specify this point?

[DmitriyMarkov]

Firedog5213, thank you very much! It does really pour some light on several places and answers some questions here and there. I've also consulted with colleagues here in Russia and decided to make both spirketting and clamps thicker than common ceiling planks on  gundeck. I've already planked one side - will make some pics later.

[Henke]

How could I miss your build log? Such beautiful planking! My eyes get wet when I see your planking 🙂. Is it a single or double planking hull? Now you have another follower.

 

Kind regards

 

Henrik

[DmitriyMarkov]

Henke, thanks for your kind words. It's a single planking  - I was just following instructions and plans from the kit.  

[DmitriyMarkov]

A very quick update just to show how process of ceiling planking goes - sorry for pics quality - took some by mobile on-the-run :-) You may notice that some gunports haven't been faired  and of course  there's much sanding ahead. But inner sides are beginning to take shape and it warms my heart a bit ) Priming and painting is on the horizon.

Edited August 7, 2019 by DmitriyMarkov

[claude.mcelvain]

Your posting is a good reminder to spend as much time front to get a good hull shape.  Thanks

[DmitriyMarkov]

Small update: I've prepared all details for sheaves which would be built  in bulwarks. It took some time to find proper 2.5mm turned-brass sheaves and some boxwood strips to make sandwich-style cases. I'm not very happy with cases - but after making about 20 - 25   - that's the best result I can achieve working "on a knee" with only Micromot 50  without a coordinate table. What I've learned is that I definitely need to upgrade my electric tool park: Proxxon Micromot 50 is a fine tool and DB 250 is a fine lathe too, but some operations do require micro-miller   like MF-70  and a table saw like KS-230 - so I am looking towards these tools or towards combine kit like Unimat 1. 

[DmitriyMarkov]

Sheaves' row nearly ready: 

[DmitriyMarkov]

Greetings, dear friends!  As some of You may know "Work, work and no joy make Jack a dull guy" 😉  A joke of course!  From time to time I happen to find an hour or two to add some bits here and there. So a small progress to present moment: sheaves placed, protection from ancor ( don't know how it's called correct), reinforcement in nose area etc. Still a lot of things to do before painting/ varnishing the hull.    

[DmitriyMarkov]

Happy New Year, everyone! During these holidays I happen to have an hour or two to whittle some details on Rattlesnake. I've become keenly aware of  necessity to widen my electric tools park:  having a micro-router a chesstrees like the ones I've made are made within minutes  - while working with "bare hands" I've spent an hour and a half )))

 

 

[DmitriyMarkov]

A bit more of a progress:  transom planking and fashion pieces  some imperfections are "surfacing" on closeups which are not so visible with "unarmed" eye:

[DmitriyMarkov]

Meanwhile I've marked port-side for tree-nailing and made a first attempt with pear amidships:

[Edwardkenway]

Wonderful work!!, I'm now pulling up a chair to watch, albeit a little late for the start!

[DmitriyMarkov]

Edwardkenway,  thanks for your kind words, welcome and make yourself comfortable!  Although  my building pace is not that fast at all I must admit - the keel has been  laid three years ago as of now  😉 So it tends to be quite a long - long  building log )))