Rattlesnake by JSGerson - FINISHED - Mamoli - 1:64 - Using Robert Hunt’s practicum

[JSGerson]

Thanks for the quick reply. I wish I could use those items but I think they are too big for small lines I'm working on now. The hearts I've made so far are about 3 mm, and the thimbles about 2.5 mm brass. My main tools are a fine tooth saw, a hand drill, and a bunch of needle files. Combine that with tenacity and patience and you can make those simple parts.

[JSGerson]

Boomkins

Continued to follow David Antscherl’s FFS, so the Boomkins were next in line for construction. Although the Mamoli plans showed the boomkins as square in cross section, every other resource showed them to be round including Mr. Hunt’s practicum. The boomkins were cut from 1/16” square stock boxwood and rounded. At one end of each boomkin, it was reverse tapered. That is, just before the end of the boom, the diameter was immediately reduced in size then tapered back to the fully diameter at the end of the boom. This would allow the lines to catch hold.

[JSGerson]

The first items to be attached to the boomkin were the Fore Tack Blocks. According to Antscherl (who quotes Steel) these were 14” long shoulder blocks which carried a 3½” circumference rope. This works out to a 5 mm block and a .4 mm f line. The problem is that Syren Ship Model Company, whose blocks I’m using, does not make shoulder blocks. Luckily David Antscherl explained how to make them.

 

First the blocks were flattened a bit on the bottom. A piece of stock boxwood, the same thickness as the block and whose length was a bit longer than the block was wide, was glued to the flatten bottom of the block such that it extended a little bit beyond the block on one side only. Once the glue had dried and set, it was carved to the proper shape with a hand file.

[JSGerson]

The shoulder blocks were stropped with a loop on both ends. The bottom loop was fitted onto boomkin with the shoulder pointed inward towards the bow. 

[JSGerson]

In addition to the Fore Tack Blocks, there were two boomkin shrouds per boomkin. Again although not shown in either kit plans, Mr. Antscherl states that the aft shroud is attached to ringbolts by means of a lanyard by thimbles and hooks. The fore ones attached directly to the ringbolts.

 

The thimbles were made as before, cut from stock tubing; the hooks were bent to shape from leftover brass eyebolt shafts cut off from previous constructions. For the aft lanyard, the thimble and loop were on one end and a simple loop on the other. The fore lanyards would have simple loops on both ends.

[JSGerson]

With most all the parts made, the boomkins were installed. My model was initially built using Pasi Ahopelto’s model as a guide, specifically for the seats of ease. At the time, I had not seen or at least not recognized what they were on other models, so mine as with Pasi are fairly unique. As a result my boomkins fit snugly against the seats as opposed to looking free standing on other models.

[JSGerson]

The aft lanyard was installed first. The eyebolt was first glued into place, and then the hook was attached. The loop on the other end now had to be made. I didn’t trust myself to make this loop beforehand and have it fit perfectly. Wrapping the seizing was a bit tricky while holding everything in place but I got it done. The fore lanyards were added in the same manner: one end premade and the other made on the model.

[Martin W]

Great work as always, Jon.  It's a pleasure to see how well your build is coming together.  Bob Hunt would be proud indeed.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[scott larkins]

It's all looking great.

[JSGerson]

Back to the Masts

Putting aside the bowsprit for a while (according to David Antscherl) I started to work on the Mizzen Mast. But before I could even start that, I wanted to make sure there was nothing left to put on the mast before it was locked into place. And lo and behold there was. Looking at views other than the construction views of the masts, I discovered there were cleats that had to be installed, six per mast. Even though this is a kit bash and not a scratch build, I felt a bit guilty using the kit’s cleats instead of making them myself because I've scratch built so much already; but use them I did.

[JSGerson]

In addition to the cleats, the Mizzen mast had an additional feature which showed up on all the plans except Mamoli’s. This was a “rest support” (my term, don’t know what the nautical term is) for the boom. The only view I had was from the side so I just winged it.

 

First I traced the mast onto a piece of 1/16” stock boxwood to get the inside diameter and then drew a larger concentric circle around that about 1/16” wider. With progressively large drills, the center was cut out and then the outside edge was filed to shape. With a fine saw the “ring” was cut in half and glued to the aft side of the mizzen mast at the height depicted in the drawings. Based on what I could see in the drawings I determined that there were five brackets under the half ring. I cut 5 1/16” cube pieces and with just a touch of CA glue, glued them into place. Once dried and set, with a fine diamond needle file, they were delicately filed to a triangular shape. A touch of Poly-Wipe and it was completed. Sounds simple but I screwed up a number of times with a number of re-dos, but all in all, it seems to work.

[KenW]

Great work on the boom rest.  Luckily you hadn't already installed the mast.

Keep up the good work.

Cheers.

[scott larkins]

Yeah, don't get in a hurry to glue in the masts.  I have found it very useful so far to be able to remove them as needed.

[Martin W]

Terrific work, Jon.  Don't feel bad about those cleats -- I tried carving a few myself (following Bob's direction), and ended up with little pieces that looked more like wooden Dutch shoes than anything else.  I did, however, cut the shroud cleats, following Antscherl's method.  But those are flat-sided, and easier to cut -- and to cut in quantity.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[usedtosail]

I just spent two days reading through your log Jon. You are doing fantastically for your first time build. I have learned a few things from the way you have approached some of the more challenging aspects of the build. I look forward to following along with the rest of it.

[JSGerson]

Tom, Thanks for the praise, all flattery is greatly appreciated! 8-) No work is being done this week as all my time is being devoted to family for Thanksgiving. In my family, it has never been a one day affair. There is too much food to eat in just one day. Hope you (and everyone else) have a good and safe holiday.

 

Jonathan

[JSGerson]

For those who have been following this build log I apologize for going slow, but these last few weeks have been even slower. Due to Thanksgiving, which for my family lasts about a week not just one meal. I visit my sister in Colonial New England, specifically the Hartford Connecticut area. She had a small gathering of only eight people. Last year it was 19 people, which was not her largest party. How she does it by herself mid you, I still haven’t figured out. In addition there have been some personal events with my 96 year old Mom in Florida who still resides at home. BTY, while I was in Conn. I got a chance to visit Old Ironsides, the US Frigate Constitution. She is due for drydock in March I think, so this was my last chance to see her before they strip her down for refurbishing for the next 3-4 years. As it turned out, they had already removed her top deck guns and all of the yard arms. More on that further on.

 

Burton Pendants

Continuing to follow David Antscherl, his next section was the making of the Burton Pendants. As he explained it:

 

“Burton Pendants are served lines that were slipped over the mastheads prior to stepping the lower masts in full-sized practice. Blocks and tackles were then attached to them for hauling up to the tops and other items of rigging.”

 

Neither kit plans addressed these pendants nor did Harold Hahn’s plans. However, I recently came into possession (from a fellow Rattlesnake builder) of the plans used to build the Rattlesnake now at the Smithsonian. These plans do show the pendants and they agree with Antscherl as well as Lennarth Peterson’s Rigging Period Ship Models. I learned that these pendants are more common on the bigger ships but do appear of some of the smaller ones. Since I’m the captain of this ship, I elected to add them. The plan image below is from the Smithsonian plans. While I was at the Constitution, I naturally took pictures. Because the yards had been removed, there was less congestion of the lines and low and behold, I caught a view of the Burton Pendants!

[JSGerson]

The first pendant I made was the Mizzen Mast’s which required served .45 mm line with thimbles at each end. The other masts will require a thicker line. Two pieces of line were served and a thimble added at one end. Then the lines were overlapped and pseudo sliced in two places to create a split in the line. Overall the finished length was 7”.

[Martin W]

Hi Jon -- Congratulations on surviving Thanksgiving, which sounds more elaborate for you than it is even for us out here on the prairie (we don't have much to do, so we make certain holidays big).

 

The trip to Old Ironsides sounds fantastic.  I have yet to step foot on an actual historical ship, but have long wanted to walk the quarterdeck (especially of the Victory).  And your photo of the burton pendants is valuable.  You're going at this with your usual precision.  Terrific.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[scott larkins]

Let me ask a stupid question.  Perhaps I missed the explanation from earlier.  What are the pendents for?

[JSGerson]

I'm no sailor. and this is my first 3 masted rigging build so I am only going by what I read and see. According to David Antscherl's, The Fully Framed Model, Rigging a Sixth Rate Sloop of 1767-1780, Vol IV Page 46 Section 15.22 these were pendants were used with various block and tackle as a means of hoisting things before the upper masts were stepped and installed. It appears they remained in place until until such time the upper masts were removed and used to take things apart. Whether they were used in the interim I have no idea.

[KenW]

I'm no sailor either, but my understanding is that the blocks and tackles, etc. were stowed when not in use.  Only the pendants were 'permanent'.

Cheers.

[JSGerson]

It’s been a while since my last post so I suppose you were expecting a lot of progress? Meet Mr. Slower than Drying Paint. Slow, yes, but some progress.

 

I completed the remaining Burton Pendants installed them onto their respective masts

[JSGerson]

Mizzen Shrouds

Following a long with Mr. Antscherl, the Mizzen shrouds were next. He likes to work from the stern forward as opposed to others who work from the Bow to the stern. Because there are an odd number of Mizzen shrouds three to be exact, the foremost of them is constructed like the Burton Pendants, with a cut splice. Mr. Antscherl stated that the foremost shroud is normally served over its full length to protect it from chafing by the lower sail courses However since the Mizzen mast does not have sails spread on the cross-jack yard, it was not served over its full length. All of the shrouds are served over the center quarter of every shrouds pair’s length according to Mr. Antscherl. This was done, but unless you are looking for it and are very close to the rigging, it is almost impossible to see due to both the shroud and serving line being black in color.

Edited January 7, 2015 by JSGerson

[JSGerson]

The kit plans show blocks suspended along the edges of the fight tops except for the Mizzen mast. Because I am including crows feet rigging, it was necessary to move the fasten points of the blocks located at the edges of the fighting tops to underneath the tops. As shown earlier when the tops were constructed, holes were drilled in the platform for that purpose. The blocks were stropped so that two lines came off the block, went through the platform hole and were fastened around a pin above the platform. The pin was made from the discarded trimmed stem pieces of eyebolts. No scrap is tossed out because it may have a future use. 

[JSGerson]

Now all of the mast tops are prepared for the shrouds. A set of shrouds for the Mizzen mast were constructed, one each pair each for the starboard and port. Where the shroud wraps around the mast is served to just below the bolsters and then a throat seizing is made to complete to top end of the shroud. At this point everything is still dry fit, neither the fighting tops nor the Mizzen mast is glued in place.

[Martin W]

Nice work, Jon.  The pictures show the tops' details well, and to good effect.  You've done an outstanding job, maestro!

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

QUESTION: What color line is used for the deadeye lashings? I have seen both light color as well as dark. I was under the impression that standing rigging was coated with a tar like substance to make it more weatherproof yet I see more models with light color line than dark. Is this strictly for aesthetics or is there a real world reason? I saw on my my visit to the USS Constitution last Thanksgiving the lashings were dark.

[CaptainSteve]

I do not claim to be anyone's idea of a modelling expert, JS, but I had always considered that any part of the rigging which needed to be movable would be left untarred ... and, therefore, have always used light brown coloured thread (or rope).

 

Here's just one example (from Dan Vadas' HMS Vulture build) ...

Edited January 9, 2015 by CaptainSteve

[KenW]

Hey JS - your model looks great!

I agree with 'CaptainSteve'; all movable lines are considered running rigging and therefore not coated with tar.  Chuck Passaro's documentation of the Syren ship shows he used tan lashings for the deadeyes.  So, not coated (tan) is my vote.

Cheers.