ancre Le Rochefort by Some Idea - 1/24th Scale - First POF Build

[Ronald-V]

Beautiful, beautiful work!👏

[Keith Black]

Absolutely beautiful work, Mark. A very nice post to start of the new year. 

[BradNSW]

The amount of detail and precision joinery you incorporate at this scale is incredible!

 

Thank you for sharing and no apologies for "being picture heavy", it was all fascinating and very helpful for us beginners!!

[albert]

Great beautiful work Mark.

[Some Idea]

2 hours ago, Ronald-V said:

Beautiful, beautiful work!👏

Thanks mate much appreciated

Just now, Keith Black said:

Absolutely beautiful work, Mark. A very nice post to start of the new year. 

Thanks Keith and a very happy new year to you

Just now, BradNSW said:

The amount of detail and precision joinery you incorporate at this scale is incredible!

 

Thank you for sharing and no apologies for "being picture heavy", it was all fascinating and very helpful for us beginners!!

Thanks Brad but remember this is my first POF build so I'm a beginner too.  I do get lots of help especially here at MSW.

[Some Idea]

6 minutes ago, albert said:

Great beautiful work Mark.

Thanks so much Albert

[dvm27]

Beautiful work, Albert! For the other masts you may consider planning the quarters to octagons using a chisel or plane. I have found the Veritas mini plane excellent for this (https://www.leevalley.com/en-us/shop/tools/hand-tools/miniature-tools/planes/70138-veritas-miniature-block-plane.) This is easily done in minutes and will greatly reduce your turning time. Also, I love the quick change adapter for the Sherline. You'll especially love it when carrying out repetitive operations that require different tools.

[Some Idea]

Thanks very much Greg - I did consider reducing the square down to an octagon with a plane you mention but it just gives off different chips.  I used a carbide cutter and just went straight for a clean cut rather than taking on the edges.  This is pretty much how we did in the tool room when I was an apprentice but it's just such a nice thing to do with hard wood.  Mind you the mess pretty much filled the rest of the bag in my extraction vacuum and the chatter is something to behold!  The quick change tool post is made by Tryally tools based in Brazil and is made for the Sherline lathe.  I cannot recommend this tool post enough as you can adjust the cutter height whist the machine is turning.  Once set thats it and it comes with 4 holders for 3mm bits  - 4 holders for 1/4 shank bits - 1 holder for a 3/8th boring tool and 1 holder for a 1/4 parting tool.

[dvm27]

After sharpening the Veritas block plane (there's a YouTube site for this) I get tissue thin boxwood shavings. At any rate I also have the Tryally tool for Sherline and can second your recommendation. It is fantastic!

[Some Idea]

Starting on the catheads I could see that they both have a cleat on the top of them and there are 6 others across the gunwale.  So I thought let's start with them as I've never made cleats before and I can make them all in one go.  For some reason I thought it would be good to make them out of brass and blacken them as in my mind they will make a nice contrast to the wood.

 

So without knowing what I'm doing I started with a piece of flat brass bar which was 3 times thicker than required at 6mm.  I used this piece simply because I'm still waiting on a chuck for the tail stock so I couldn't centre drill a hole for the live centre.  I needed some strength in the material due to the amount of metal sticking out of the chuck.

 

So once again I used an independent 4 jaw chuck to hold the brass and using the drawings I roughed out 8 cleats leaving plenty of material between each one.

I then placed this on the mill and cut the piece down to its correct width of 2mm.  The rough finish is because I held it down on the tooling plate with double sided tape.  I also thinned the bottom of each cleat to make the separation from their tops.

Next was to cut the familiar curved top edge and then cut the cleat off using a hacksaw.  Then I could finish the basic shape by hand using a file.

After that was done I drilled 2 - 0.5mm holes in each cleat and put some 0.5mm brass rod through.  This acts as both the fixing heads and location dowels onto the ship.  The rods were fixed in place using a small drop of Loctite 271 rather than soldering.

Finally I rounded everything off as best I could and chemically blackened them.  I fitted the 4 cleats onto the bow gunwale and 2 onto the stern as per the drawings.  This leaves me 2 left for the catheads.  All in all I'm pretty pleased the way these have turned out as I made up the cutting sequences on the go.

 

I would like to thank everyone for the advice, corrections, encouragement and the downright lovely comments.

 

Catheads next  

 

Cheers Mark

 

 

[Ronald-V]

Very inspiring to literally make everything yourself👏

[Some Idea]

On 1/4/2026 at 7:47 AM, Ronald-V said:

Very inspiring to literally make everything yourself👏

Funnily enough I wasn't sure about whether I would make all of the parts or not as some parts are so readily available on line.  I didn't make the bricks in the stove but the more I build the more important it is that I do make as many parts as possible.  I'm sure that many other builders feel the same as the satisfaction is just so nice when the part you make just fits the ship.

[ChrisLBren]

That's the way of the Arsenal ! 

[druxey]

Great result, but very labor intensive!

[Some Idea]

17 hours ago, druxey said:

Great result, but very labor intensive!

You're not wrong I think you're looking at about 6 hours work for 8 cleats!   But a challenge is a challenge  

[Some Idea]

Another update on Le Rochefort and this time it's the catheads and snatch sheave blocks.

 

Making the catheads I found to be relatively straightforward; the only issue I had was that my end mill was too short to complete the sheave slots from one side.  It was just one of those times when you have to trust your datums and turn the piece over to complete the cuts.

Now fitting the catheads is not easy at all.  You need a bit of bottle to cut through your newly made gunwale, moulding and waterway.  I just took my time and removed little pieces at a time.

Next I made the snatch sheave blocks - these are really nice to make as they really make you plan the cutting order to still be able to hang onto them.

Next were the sheaves and I have had this piece of ebony wood knocking around in my drawer for ages.  So I thought it would be very nice to make them out of that.

To finish all of the pieces off I made the ring bolts, iron ring and fitted the sheaves in place.

And finally I fitted all of the parts to the ship

Next up I'm going to finish off the windlass by making the locking pawl.

 

Cheers Mark

 

[shauer]

Very inspiring work.  I'm really enjoying following your journey on this project.  This is a level of craftsmanship that I'm aiming to achieve in the future.

 

I can finally appreciate the comment about cutting into your model to install the catheads.  I need to emotionally prepare myself every time I cut into finished work.

 

Steve

[BradNSW]

Exceptional Execution!!  This scale allows such beautiful detail.   Your milling skills allow precise duplication and give these pieces life of their own.

 

Thanks for sharing this wonderful build with such good descriptions and wonderful photography!  We all look forward to your next post!!

[dvm27]

Well somebody obviously spent many years in a wood or metal shop before coming here! Your three point clamping/track system is well worth the hours it took to construct prior to the build. It's a pleasure to follow your log.

[Ronald-V]

Pure joy to watch your work  

[Some Idea]

Just now, shauer said:

Very inspiring work.  I'm really enjoying following your journey on this project.  This is a level of craftsmanship that I'm aiming to achieve in the future.

 

I can finally appreciate the comment about cutting into your model to install the catheads.  I need to emotionally prepare myself every time I cut into finished work.

 

Steve

Thanks Steve - you are right about emotional preparing yourself.  Honestly I went to make the first cuts twice and didn't before I finally just got on with the job.  I just kept on thinking that if I didn't make the cuts square and tight it would ruin the look of the bow.  Next time will be easier though as I now know that I can do it.

Just now, BradNSW said:

Exceptional Execution!!  This scale allows such beautiful detail.   Your milling skills allow precise duplication and give these pieces life of their own.

 

Thanks for sharing this wonderful build with such good descriptions and wonderful photography!  We all look forward to your next post!!

Thanks Brad I actually really enjoy documenting this build and I'll probably do the same with my next build too.

Just now, dvm27 said:

Well somebody obviously spent many years in a wood or metal shop before coming here! Your three point clamping/track system is well worth the hours it took to construct prior to the build. It's a pleasure to follow your log.

Hi Greg thanks very much and yes you are correct; part of my apprenticeship was tool making at a time when most parts had to be made rather than bought.  My "operating table" as my family call it is fantastic.  I'm really looking forward to my next build when I can raise frames on it which is when I can start making additional helpful attachments.  I've got quite a few ideas in my mind which hopefully will work.

Just now, Ronald-V said:

Pure joy to watch your work  

Thanks so much thats a very nice thing to say  

[Keith Black]

 Pretty work, very nice, Mark. 

[Some Idea]

9 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

 Pretty work, very nice, Mark. 

Thanks very much Keith