Swan-Class Sloop by Stuglo - FINISHED - 1:48

[Kevin Kenny]

It make me feel i should have included these details in my model. Looks great. The good news is that you will not have to include some or the difficult floor planks on the outer edge of the upper deck.

[stuglo]

9 hours ago, Kevin Kenny said:

 The good news is that you will not have to include some or the difficult floor planks on the outer edge of the upper deck.

I do intend to plank one side, so will have most of difficulty.( other or second side usually easier)

Anyway, looking at beginning of vol 2 (revised) and the stern structure build frightens me !!

[mtaylor]

Looking great from here.   Love the detail work.  And that's a great idea to put some of the hidden stuff outside the ship and on the display.

[druxey]

Don't be frightened, stuglo! Take it one piece at a time. If you look at it all at once, it's certainly daunting. One small step at a time....

[stuglo]

No surprise, decided to continue onto vol 2 TFFM.

Semi scratch kits no substitute at present for the hardcore, mainline stuff.

 

Inner Counter Timbers

These are for equidistant timbers (suggested separation,16.43mm) between the outer counter timbers (the aftermost part of the ship)

Double check angles and distancing (ref. 2.21 TFFM) because these have been knocked about and repaired twice.

Using the markout pattern, mark the position of the feet on the wing transom. I left this pattern slightly forward on the transom knees, to aid later sighting.

Using stock 3.71mm. I decided to forgo the pleasure of making a scarf joint and sticking the patterns given on the blanks, cut the shape. Mark each piece as there is a difference.

The “soles” of the feet are bevelled- middle 10deg and inner 3.5deg- so the “legs”are “knock-kneed”.

The sides are now tapered from a top of 2.12mm to near bottom using a sanding board.

I checked alignment with a card cut out of the quarterdeck transom-they seem ok. 

 

[stuglo]

Quarter Deck Transom.

This is one of the most complicated pieces so far.

Basically, the part stabilizes the counter timbers and acts as the aft most quarter deck beam.

It sits on an upward sloping clamp, curves in both vertical and horizontal planes, the aft curve bevelled to match the angle of the counter timbers. 

The notches or slots for the counter timbers, must allow for the side taper and the angle as they pass through.

There is also a rabbet on the fore-upper surface, and extra thickness to be left on outer ends for later use as waterways.

Think 3D and double it.

With its function as a beam, it has a thickness of 2.9mm

Added to this is the thickness of the planks at 1.33mm

Total thickness 4.23mm. It is also rounded up (full width beam 3.25mm), so the suggested blank is 6.36mm thick.

First cut width to fit and ensure symmetry-keep midline marked.

Athwartship curves sanded and by placing piece in position, the aft bevel can be taken directly from the line of the outer counter timbers.

4 slots as marked milled and by trial and error, enlarged to allow the angles and tapers of the other counter timbers.

Result- TOTAL BALLS UP !!. 

This needs thinking out properly. Early night, wake up at 2.30, clear headed and inspired.

Measure angles of the timbers as they pass through the transom vertically (Z axis)6deg and 1.25deg

Make a new blank overly wide.

Again bevel the aft curve as before.

Match this curve to the fore surface- now the piece with sit on the milling table so that when the milling bit moves horizontally, it will cut the wood at the angle matching the counter timbers

Adjust the blank so the Y axis movement matches the 6deg(middle) and 1.5deg (inner)

Mill bit slightly less than width of counter timbers at level of transom-similarly depth of notch.

While fixed in vise, slightly enlarge slots to fit timbers.

Revise fore curve to match aft (but without the bevel)

Measure rounding up for this length of beam from the pattern in TFFM (I have assumed as with other beams, that this is for a full length and thus the camber is constant) With this width, round up 2.2mm 

Leave outer margin of 3or so mm for waterway

Rabbet (for deck planking)1.9 wide and 1.33 deep

I made the mistake of carving the rabbet before the correction for the round up. This was rectified with greater difficulty due to the double curve. The alternative, thinning the piece and adding an inner strip, would bring the lower aspect to be removed, too near the notches for the counters.

Fix the quarter transom ensuring it is centred.

Locate the feet of counter timbers on their place on the wing transom and place in respective notch and fix . (One edge will stand slightly proud because I postponed the suggested bevel when the timbers were first made).

Eyeball from sides , aft and above to ensure alignments ok.

Fix, cross fingers and leave the glue to do its job

Phew !!! This was a build I was

Quarter Deck Transom.

This is one of the most complicated pieces so far.

Basically, the part stabilizes the counter timbers and acts as the aft most quarter deck beam.

It sits on an upward sloping clamp, curves in both vertical and horizontal planes, the aft curve bevelled to match the angle of the counter timbers. 

The notches or slots for the counter timbers, must allow for the side taper and the angle as they pass through.

There is also a rabbet on the fore-upper surface, and extra thickness to be left on outer ends for later use as waterways.

Think 3D and double it.

With its function as a beam, it has a thickness of 2.9mm

Added to this is the thickness of the planks at 1.33mm

Total thickness 4.23mm. It is also rounded up (full width beam 3.25mm), so the suggested blank is 6.36mm thick.

First cut width to fit and ensure symmetry-keep midline marked.

Athwartships curves sanded and by placing piece in position, the aft bevel can be taken directly from the line of the outer counter timbers.

4 slots as marked milled and by trial and error, enlarged to allow the angles and tapers of the other counter timbers.

Result- TOTAL BALLS UP !!. 

This needs thinking out properly. Early night, wake up at 2.30, clear headed and inspired.

Measure angles of the timbers as they pass through the transom vertically (Z axis)6deg and 1.25deg

Make a new blank overly wide.

Again bevel the aft curve as before.

Match this curve to the fore surface- now the piece with sit on the milling table so that when the milling bit moves horizontally, it will cut the wood at the angle matching the counter timbers

Adjust the blank so the Y axis movement matches the 6deg(middle) and 1.5deg (inner)

Mill bit slightly less than width of counter timbers at level of transom-similarly depth of notch.

While fixed in vise, slightly enlarge slots to fit timbers.

Revise fore curve to match aft (but without the bevel)

Measure rounding up for this length of beam from the pattern in TFFM (I have assumed as with other beams, that this is for a full length and thus the camber is constant) With this width, round up 2.2mm 

Leave outer margin of 3or so mm for waterway

Rabbet (for deck planking)1.9 wide and 1.33 deep

I made the mistake of carving the rabbet before the correction for the round up.This was rectified with greater difficulty due to the double curve. The alternative, thinning the piece and adding an inner strip, would bring the lower aspect to be removed, too near the notches for the counters.

Fix the quarter transom ensuring it is centred.

Locate the feet of counter timbers on their place on the wing transom and place in respective notch and fix . (One edge will stand slightly proud because I postponed the suggested bevel when the timbers were first made).

Eyeball from sides , aft and above to ensure alignments ok.

Fix, cross fingers and leave the glue to do its job

Phew !!! This was a build I was dreading. Taking it in stages and learning to adapt the blank to the limitations of my tools and ability seems to have paid off.

 

[mtaylor]

Looks you nailed that beam and all it's curves, etc.   Well done, sir.  

[stuglo]

Doors

Reworked-I hope for the better.

Seriously, remarks, critical or other, welcomed

[stuglo]

Straps to Counter Timbers.

Found my Wing Transom Knees overlong to allow inner straps to be fixed to wing transom. Cur shorter and reshaped.

Can't understand “reinforced with iron bolt”- must be hidden by the strap.

This strap is 1.86wide and 0.33 thick. Used black paper.

The middle counter straps lie on the knee, the inner pair over the fore aspect of the wing transom.

 

The Helm Port.

Fills the gap between the inner counter timbers,wrapping the stempost to the fore, and a pear-shaped opening for the fudder head,aft.

I wasn’t confident with the 2D plan, so I just used the “hole” part.

I made it with a “body” and 2 legs.

The width was as measured between the timbers at the 1st knuckle, plu a coupe of mms- the sides are not perfectly parallel/

The hole is slanted to the piece and further allowance for the incline of the rudder.

Using the patterns of the inner counters on a blank, thick enough to allow for the curve of whole 1st knuckle to about halfway to the “foot”

This curve sits at 22deg to horizontal, and the rudder at about 4 deg.The piece set in the milling at 18deg and the aperture milled out using the pattern.

The curves of the inner counter and knuckle sanded and the aft curve aft of knuckle, similarly formed. 

This is dry fitted and the “legs” shaped similarly to match the forepart of the inner counter timbers incl. The feet.

These last I gave a small bevel of 2deg.

The parts matched to allow the legs to extend slightly aft of the sternpost.

 

[bruce d]

39 minutes ago, stuglo said:

Seriously, remarks, critical or other, welcomed

Seriously, it is wonderful. 👍

[stuglo]

The Lower Counter -Planking.

A pattern is given for the planks- which are 1.06mm thick

The lower edge is fixed to the margin of the Wing Transom. There is some beveling as per side view, but otherwise DO NOT EDGE THEM is emphasised. 

Also emphasised is to square off the outer ends, avoiding a curve, where it meets the outer counter.

The 1st 4 are paired -either side of stem or aperture.

The 5th piece stretches across -up against and extending past the knuckle.

Unless your model is EXACTLY as the pattern, it won’t fit. (can;t expect to be spoon fed everything). Adapting the formed “blank” was frustrating.

I therefore cut the paper pattern along the center, fit to model, sellotaped together and the sticking to a blank, the piece more simply formed.

Final shaping of aperture and ends by file, trying  to avoid that curve.

[druxey]

Making paper or thin card patterns for any complex piece saves a lot of wood (and bad language!). Your counter planking looks good.

[stuglo]

The Main Wale

First mark the SHEER line, along the upper side of the ship. Shown on the plan as 2 parallel lines. The heights are marked at each station, from the rabbet of the stem to the stern counter.

The 2D plan underestimates the curve and length at the fore part.

TFFM gives the ext. Planking expansion, but at 1/96 scale. Copied at /48 professionally.

The uppermost plank (#22) is a parallel- the butt joints are given as Hfore,1B aft and 11aft.

Blanks sized at4.77x2.4mm.tapered (NOT beveled) to 1.59mm to meet the stem rabbet..

The middle and lower strakes have a Top and Butt design.

The wood is blackhornbeam (ordered from Bibigon, Russia)-First time I’ve used it. Very happy but the dust is messy and sticks.

I’ve used many suggestions for bending over the years:- lighted matches, hair curling tongs, microwave oven etc, besides the usual hot water (short and long soaks),adapted soldering iron, purchased jigs,clamping to approx. shapes,clamping directly while damp, hair dryer or leaving overnight etc.etc.

Really, it depends on what I fancy or recently read, as much as the quality and thickness of the wood, as well as the curve demanded.

Here the wood is fairly flexible, moderate thickness;the curves, concave sharpish at stem, mild along length with moderate upward curve towards the stern.

Short soak in boiling water, 1st section- the jig and soldering iron The rest, clamping and hair dryer (I haven't needed one for years)

[stuglo]

The Main Wale (cont.)

The aft sections of the middle and lower strakes are particularly difficult. Acute beveling and sanding are necessary.

Checking Goodwin’s book( which says that copper bolts were extensively used),I used copper nails (heads removed) at butt ends. The colour contrast looked jarring, so I “blackened” them.Then after drilling and filling with the treenails, which are barely noticeable,I prefered the shiny ends left after sanding the treenails.

The upper and lower edges are slightly chamfered to meet the neighboring strakes.

 

** About treenails and their appearance- I think that in reality they were barely noticeable (size and colour) but some beautiful models have them very distinctive -black on pale wood and the reverse.

I suppose that there is an individual element (as in painting) but if the purpose of the model is to show its features and how it is built, to what extent should it be made “arty”. I am undecided, and I would like my fellow modelers opinions.

[mtaylor]

Nicely done on the wales and nails.  The nails are just enough to show detail without overpowering with a freckle effect.   Having said that, the nails would in wales would also have been black due to the paint put on the wales.  I tend to believe a model ship is more than being historically accurate.  Artistic choices should also come into play.

[dvm27]

Great job on the wales! Personally I believe no one feature should jump out and announce its presence. To me, the shiny fastenings disrupt the flow of the wales.  But it's your model so you should choose whatever is most aesthetically pleasing to your eye.

[VTHokiEE]

Great looking model so far! I agree with dvm27, they jump out too much for my personal taste but if you like them then by all means keep them.

[Kevin Kenny]

This is my challenge for January. Your job looks great. I `plan to use some very dark greenheart wood that i have and will still stain them black. 

[JamesT1]

Excellent job on the Wales,,, and I agree with Mark,,, Personal artistic flair should also be incorporated in models,,,,  after all it is yours and should be one of a kind

[Kevin Kenny]

As i am actually starting , were you happy with your approach to the wales and are there any key suggestions going forward?

[tlevine]

I also agree with Greg but we all do things to suit our personal aesthetic.   

[stuglo]

The “Black” strake, #23

The strake above the wales, is ,in fact,not black.

Width 5.3x1.86mm. The butts fall on forecant 4, F aft, 14 fore. The aft ends differently- expands like a fishtail,into the neighbouring strake.

 

Garboard Strake.

I have always found this most difficult in my previous builds. TFFM gives a good explanation and particularly emphasizes the avoidance of excessive forward extension- only to forecant #3

Thickness 1.6mm with varying width. It butts on Cfore, 6fore, and below heel of cant 9.

Some reworking of the rabbits required.

Reviewing the 3D rendition, there is some thinning of the board as it joins the rabbits.

I used wipe-on poly on these strakes to try and keep their lighter colour rather than the usual oil which allows a deepening in colour.

Note I changed my mind again and dull-downed the copper nails on the Wales

 

[tlevine]

The wales look much better with the fastenings blackened.

[stuglo]

Another choice or crossroad.

To fit the strakes below the Wales or not?

The port side will be left “free” or open, but as displayed, will not be seen.

Therefore:

 

 

The Sheer Strake, #29.

 

 

This is an interesting variety, as the standard width expands over those ports where the neighbouring strake would have to be narrower than 2.65mm when fitted above those ports.

 

This is called “working down”. A sort of flap. 

The ports where this happen are shown(1,2,7,8), but they did not exactly match mine(1,2,6,7). (But the effect over port 1,shown on p23, is absent on p15!)

The strake is 1.6 thick.and when not worked down.5.5mm wide.

Positions of the butt joints are given (Kaft, Baft,6fore and 14fore)

Note hook scarf joint between 2nd and 3rd part. 

The line runs almost parallel to Wales but not exactly. It is very important because it determines the upper line and “shape” of the ship.

I took an overly wide blank strip, marked the position of ports with spare 5mm either side. The interval narrowed to required, off the model, the part glued into position. When dry, the extra width is removed until it is in line with the upper edge of the port.Then an angle appropriate to the remaining extra width, is made.(chisel).

The gap between the Black strake and the Sheer strake, is filled with strakes #24-#28 (called the Stuff of the Topside)

This gap is measured at various stations and divided by 5- to give an average plank width. 

The lowest strake is 1.9 thick and the upper is 1.06mm, and between the others are tapered-

EXCEPT the bow section (foreward of the 1st port)all will be 1.6mm, matching the Black strake and Wales.

The strake #25, is also worked  as required by the previous rules. I failed to realize this until all finished (including treenails) , tried a repair by changing just the areas under the ports, saw it  was a mess, and removed and remade the whole strake. 

Note that when made, the worked-down is 1.6mm thick. This has to be sanded to blend with the neighboring strakes 1.06mm.

I helped the tapering by using 1.6mm stock for strakes #26 and #27.

I tapered with some newly acquired sanding sticks. They work very well and are ideal in size and shape (80-400)

 

 

 

[stuglo]

[druxey]

Looks like you've had a fight there in the last photo! Did you use rubbing alcohol to unglue or just carve away the plank?

Edited December 23, 2021 by druxey

[stuglo]

16 hours ago, druxey said:

Looks like you've had a fight there in the last photo! Did you use rubbing alcohol to unglue or just carve away the plank?

Both. Minimal alcohol as the wood flakes and clean cuts are difficult, resulting in damage to the wood I want to keep.

[stuglo]

Strakes #30-32

“Planks upon the drifts”-between sheer strake and top of side.

Thickness 1.06mm

Looking at the 3D rendition, NOT thicker at bow as per strakes below the Sheer strake.Also only strakes #30 and #31 forward,( there is an additional strake #32 aft)

 

TFFM has a concise but very useful guide to painting generally, and this area in particular. Also a guide to copper plating. I dislike painting and after 3 “copper bottoms” , I can live without another. In any case, the purpose of this build is to see the wood and architecture.

 

So, to simulate some illustration, I used a wood with a pronounced and changing grain pattern and colour - sort of impressionistic.

(my wife approves)

[stuglo]

[davyboy]

Hi.that's an unusual colour of wood. Is it Olive Tree wood ? 

 

Dave