Fair American by KenW - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:48 Scale

[KenW]

Thanks Russ.  I don't intend to paint it.  I think my workmanship can be improved and I can reduce the height down to the 3/4 inches on the plans.  I feel that part of the problem is the model itself.  It is a model of a model and the kit's scale is an issue.  The housing front and captain's cabin door are only 3 feet high according to the scale.  If an average man is 5 feet 6 inches. My capstan is 3 feet 9 inches which shouldn't be too high.

I am thinking that what I need to do is reduce the height and redo the wood work and see what it looks like when all the guns and deck furniture are mounted. 

Thanks again.

[scott larkins]

Coming along really well.  Nice job creating your own capstan.  That is some tiny work.

[KenW]

I have re-built my capstan to make it a bit smaller and improve the workmanship.  I’ve kept the hex shaped design, however.  The result is a definite improvement.  I decided that the scale doesn’t matter as much as the look and feel of the piece.  The rest of the deck furniture is also completed, but not glued.  (I’m afraid the furniture might get in my way during the rigging phase.)  Also, I still have to mount the final 4 guns.  Once that is done, I’ m thinking of having a ‘launch’ party.

[russ]

I think you have made the right choice in this instance. Nice work.

 

Russ

[aliluke]

All the deck fittings look great Ken. A launch party post installing the last four guns is well deserved!

[rafine]

Looking very good Ken. The capstan definitely looks better.

 

Bob

[KenW]

The last 4 guns have been rigged and installed.  That completes the work on the hull, except for some items used for rigging, such as the channels and sheet horse.  Also, I didn’t add the bow sprit bitts since that determines the final angle of the bow sprit.  So I’m going to have a little private launch party and begin on the bow sprit and the rest of the rigging.

Edited June 5, 2014 by KenW

[russ]

Ken:

Excellent work. The guns and their rigging look great.

 

Russ

[EdatWycliffe]

Ken, your cannons look great.

 

I'm still waiting for the delivery from Syren of proper size blocks to complete my rigging.

 

What's your general plan for attacking masts and spars?

 

Also, I see from the kit parts list that the bowsprit is labeled as a 1/4" dowel and a 1/4" square, 6" long. The square is too short according to sheet 2 of the plans, so I guess I'll use the dowel. What do you think?

 

Keep up the fine work. I enjoy following your build. Ed

[KenW]

Thanks for your comments Ed.

I'm almost finished with the bowsprit and jib boom - entry and photos soon.  My strategy is to follow Bob (rafine)'s FA blog.  He made the masts from fore to aft and then rigged from aft to forward.  On my previous model, I made all masts from dowels.  I use the scraping method described in Bob Hunt's practicum for the Armed Virginia Sloop.  I have been able to get the dowel 'cone-shaped' as per the plans and still retain a good roundness.

Looking forward to seeing more photos of your work.

[victorpapa]

Hi Ken,

Yes your cannons do look great, along with the rest of your build, I am humbled - and inspired.

I am wondering if there is a good way to blacken the brass cannons. I was unable to find spent photographic fixer and have tried copper sulfate/baking soda dip and house hold ammonia vapor on scrap brass with less than acceptable results. Before I spend $$ on commercial solutions, or try to experiment with an old quarter and various acids I thought I'd ask.

Thanks to you and the other members for your informative posts. 

[GaryKap]

Victorpapa -

 

I used "brass ager" to blacken my cannons.  Sometimes labelled as "brass darkening solution", it is commonly sold at antique malls and similar places where people are into refinishing etc.  My eight ounce bottle was $6.75.  The contents are listed as Phosphoric Acid, Copper Sulfate, Muriatic Acid, and Selenium Dioxide.   The acids likely micro-pit the brass and the selenium dioxide darkens it.  I have also used it on the brass belaying pins and the eye bolts to good effect.  Use only a small amount of solution at a time, as it is "spent" by the chemical reaction.  I use a saucer and swirl the metal parts and solution around in it, then rinse a few times in clear water. 

 

<<Gary>>

[KenW]

Victorpapa -

My cannons were painted black because I didn't know any better.  Now I have been using Birchwood Casey Brass Black for things like the belaying pins, cleats, eye bolts etc.  Haven't yet used it on a canon barrel, of course, but people on this site seem to like it.

[KenW]

Just a status report – I’ve made the bowsprit and jib boom.  They are not installed or rigged yet.  I made both out of dowels and followed the plans. 

[victorpapa]

Thanks to both Gary and KenW for the helpful suggestions.

[KenW]

I have to admit, the World Cup is proving to be a major distraction.  However, I did manage to install and rig the bowsprit and jib boom.  The boomkins (sometimes called the bumkins) were also added and rigged.  Everything seems to have turned out as planned with no problems.  Once the games are played less frequently, I will work on the fore mast.

[rafine]

Very nicely done Ken.

 

Bob

[russ]

The rigging looks neatly done and suitably taut. That is good work.

 

Russ

[KenW]

Thanks Bob and Russ.

I used the same philosophy in rigging the bob stays and bowsprit shrouds as I used when rigging the cannon:  I rigged as much as possible before the bowsprit was mounted on the hull.  That way I could get the dead eyes equally spaced.  After gluing the bow sprint to the hull, I attached the lines to their eye bolts.  The seizing was not tightened until the shroud or stay line was pulled tight.  The result was the dead eye spacing and the line tightness looking right.   

Edited June 19, 2014 by KenW

[GaryKap]

Hi Ken -

You are progressing very nicely.  I have a couple of thoughts re. masting and rigging.  Have you considered iron mast rings around the main and fore masts? Maybe others on this forum can tell us if they are "period appropriate" but I suspect they are.  Check out the Syren practicum.  Also, as you build the main and fore tops, remember that the underside of the tops had all kinds of blocks hanging from them, for buntlines, braces, and other stuff.  Again, take a look at the Syren practicum.  It would be great if one of your "watchers" could provide some guidance on how many, size and location of blocks under the tops.

 

Keep up the good work

 

<<Gary>>

[russ]

If anything there would be rope wooldings on the fore and main masts, but even that is debatable.

 

Russ

[GaryKap]

Hi Russ -

After some Internet research, I see your point.  It seems that around 1800, rope wooldings were being replaced with iron mast rings.  As Fair American dates to 1780, wooldings would be more appropriate. Could you please elaborate on why you think their presence is debatable?  Also, any information you can provide on blocks under the tops is appreciated.

 

Also, if anyone wonders why I have not been posting on my build log, I am going through one of those periods where nothing is turning out as good as I hoped (model ship building wise) so I thought I would give it a rest.  Also, house painting and landscaping are at the top of the Admiral's list right now.

 

<<Gary>>

[russ]

Gary:

Since there is really no such thing as an absolute, something like wooldings could be debatable. I would put them on. According to Lees, they were in use up to about 1800. The width of the wooldings was about 12 inches, and they had wood hoops top and bottom of each woolding. The hoops were about 1 1/2 inches wide. On small ships there was maybe 6 wooldings on the foremast and one less on the main.

 

I have seen wooldings left off a brig's mainmast in some cases, but I think that since the mainsail was brailed up instead of the gaff being lowered, they would have had wooldings there. In a ship where the gaff is lowered, the wooldings would make it impossible to lower the gaff. In this case, the mainsail would be brailed up and the gaff is left standing.

 

Russ

[KenW]

I was not going to include either wooldings or the 'extra' blocks on the tops for various rigging lines used for bunt lines, leech lines and chew lines.

However, I still have time to change my mind.  I like the look of the wooldings and if they are period correct, I should include them.

Also, I have been thinking from the start that I would like to have reefed sails, so I should have those blocks (and perhaps the lines) as well.  I will have to do some research on the number and location of the blocks.

[KenW]

I have the lower foremast and main top almost complete.  I added rope wooldings and I do like the way they look.  I am also going to add blocks for the bunt and leech lines.  I still have to install the dead eyes, but everything is coming along despite the World Cup interruptions.

[GaryKap]

Hi Ken -

I am looking forward to seeing the photos of your masts with rope wooldings.  Part of my reason for bringing up the blocks under the tops is a frustration with trying to figure out the rigging diagram, and also my experience building Rattlesnake where I did not have enough blocks under the tops.  From the diagram, I can see that the spritsail yard braces to to a block under the fore top, and the fore braces go to a block under the main top.  But I know there must be more... Take a look at the Syren Practicum Ch. 17, pp. 85-90.

And of course, if you want to rig the buntlines, leechlines, and clewlines you will need blocks for these too.  Rafine, if you see this, would you please take a closeup picture of the undersides of your tops and let us see what you did?  That would be a big help for sure.  Or maybe one of the other visitors to your buildlog could offer some help...

 

<<Gary>>

Edited June 23, 2014 by GaryKap

[Mirabell61]

Very good looking ship Ken,

 

would love to see the rigging come on...

 

Nils

[rafine]

Gary, I didn't do the blocks for anything but the two sets of braces. They were hung (incorrectly) from eyebolts mounted in the crosstrees. I'm sure that they should be done with loops of rope and toggles.

 

Bob

[KenW]

I agree with you that the sail plans that come with the FA kit are poor.  They are almost no help for installing the running rigging at all!.

I am using the Syren documentation and it is helpful, but there are some things that I don't believe apply to the earlier FA.

Another source I recommend is, "Rigging Period Ship Models", by Lennarth Petersson.  He shows (on pages 47 & 70) that the tops have two pair of double blocks on the port side and two pair on the starboard side under the tops.  One double block pair is for a spritsail brace and leech line, and another double block pair is for two bunt lines.  (There is another single block pair for a sprit top sail, but the FA doesn't have one.) 

I hope I am able to make myself clear with all this. 

[GaryKap]

Ken -

The belaying pin plan (Sheet 4) is of some help.  Note that the fore braces belay to the first pin in the aft pin rail, and the spritsail braces belay to mast cleats on the fore mast.  Many of the buntlines and clew lines belay to shroud cleats.  So it is not just a question of how many blocks under the tops...it is also the locations of each; placed such that running rigging lines are not chafing against standing or other running rigging, or against the yards.  The blocks for the buntlines, leech lines and clew lines need to be aft of the yards, and positioned such that the lines can drop through the shrouds and ratlines to belay on shroud cleats.  In some cases, two blocks may be needed for one line to get it properly positioned.  Lennarth Petersson is good, but by illustrating only component parts, he does not show how the parts relate to each other. 

 

The kind of thought process we are going through now is absolutely necessary in order to have a good model at the end.  And its a lot easier to figure it out now than it would be to rip out a partially rigged mast and start over...  So hopefully we can work back and forth and get 'er done right proper. ( with help from other Model Ship World members coaching us)

 

<<Gary>>