Brig Eagle 1814 by bdgiantman2 - 1/48

[bdgiantman2]

Finally I have a little update about Eagle.  Feels good to be making sawdust again. I have had to remake part of the stem of Eagle. Should have left the original alone, sigh. Also am starting to tackle making some of the bow and hawse timers for Eagle, been doing a lot of research on here about how you guys make these pieces.  I didn't take any new pictures of this part but am also making some more stern timbers. 

[bdgiantman2]

Hello my friends, I have a question for you as I attempt to slowly continue. I know that this is my model, but I just want to see what you all suggest.

 

In the enclosed picture, you see a close-up of Eagle's keel and the start of her keelson. My question involves the first piece of the keelson. Currently this piece is cut from Boxwood, I will have to re-cut it either way to get the correct shape as well as sand down the outer pieces. I am debating making the keelson out of Yellow Alaskan Cedar like the ribs will be.

[Chuck Seiler]

Brian,

 

    I am very jealous of your weather.  100 degrees for over a week here in Santee.  It is a little cooler where you used to live.

 

    Part of the answer to your question depends on whether you will paint the keel/keelson or not.  If the area in question will be painted, I don't see where it makes a difference if it is the same wood as the exposed part.  If unpainted, it should be the same wood (IMO).

 

    However, I do think you ar making a mistake by using AYC for the keel and frames.  In my opinion, too soft.  I would recommend cherry for the frames and (if painted) the keel.  Modeler's Sawmill has good cherry.

[bdgiantman2]

Thanks for the reply, Chuck! I hope that you are doing well buddy.

 

The temps in Denver today is supposed to be 98 degrees, so not that much cooler. We could actually set a new record today weather-wise. As you know, my parent's house is not far at all from Santee, I used to overlook Santee attending Grossmont College for years. 

 

The keel pieces I have made and used thus far are all made out of Boxwood. I am debating about staining the wood making up the actual keel. Bill Edgar, the guy I am trying to follow in construction style, stained his keel for sure. But I also really like the colors that Chuck Passaro's Winnie model has turned using Wipe-on-Poly. I am highly unlikely to apply any paint itself on this model other than painting the wales black and red around the perimeter of gun ports, although I have humorously considered painting head of capstan when I get to that step. 

[Chuck Seiler]

I erroneously mentioned painting the keelson.  I was thinking false keel.  Keelson would not be painted.

 

If you are going to stain or natural finish, I would keep the keel wood the same as stem.  I still recommend cherry for frames.  Alaskan Yellow Cedar for hull planking would work out very well.  I have used it for planking and it looks really nice with either a Wipe on Poly or Tung Oil finish.  (be careful of the splinters) 😜

[bdgiantman2]

Yellow Alaska Cedar definitely looks great as planking.  I just was trying to follow the advice of Mr. Passaro for whatever it's worth of having as few as possible varieties of wood on my model.  I will admit that right now I am looking at three different types of wood being used on this model when the finished version finally comes out.

 

I'm not trying to pick on anyone at all in any form, but I am feeling better about my progress after reading a re-shared blog of a very experienced model builder on here talking about how took 30 years to build one of his models. Hopefully my build wouldn't be quite that long, but it will be a while with the pace I am going around working. 

[bdgiantman2]

Hello friends. I'm sorry that I haven't posted in a very long time any progress on the ship. To give an update, I have decided to totally remake the keel of this ship as I have broken it a few times unfortunately and am wanting to mimic some of the construction styles that Mr. Passaro is using on his model of Speedwell. Also I did not plan well for doing the groves in the deadwood as my plans show and I have some new thoughts on how to do these. But all is not completely at a standstill for me with my Brig Eagle. Been doing lots of research and figuring out future steps as best as able. For example I was recently able to finally get useful information about interior of Niagara and it appears very similar to what Bill Edgin drew up with a few modifications and I of course want to make a few more.  A friend of mine tried helping me fix my bandsaw last fall and I was trying the saw again only to immediately see the blade fall off again after turning on the saw. 🤬🤬🤬So until I can get the saw fixed again it's going to be difficult for me to make any new progress. Once I get more money coming my way again I want to see about getting a Byrnes tablesaw as many of you keep raving about it in blogs.

[bdgiantman2]

Alrighty, friends! Needing a break from all the political hubbub and thankfully I have been finding answers. With enormous thanks to Mr. Passaro as well as Greg, I have been doing research involving the cant frames and hawse timbers. Plans of the Eagle originally done by A&M University when Dr. Crisman found the wreck off Lake Champlain clearly show two cant frames (the area circled in red in picture 1, Frames Q and R using the plans from Bill Edgin. And there is spacing where Frame S should be that perfectly makes the third cant frame). I have decided to copy the idea by Mr. Passaro used on his Speedwell blog for the cant frame areas. Then, using a compass,  I was able to get the angle of the frames off the keel (the angled lines done in cyan). Then the dark blue box shapes in picture 3 will be the hawse timbers but will need to redo this incorporating the spacer pieces where the anchor cable openings will be.  And for those of you wondering, the green boxes are following the construction Mr. Passaro used in the Winnie project strengthening the cathead pieces with the forward mast bitt frames. Hopefully very soon will be making sawdust again! Peace ✌️

[bdgiantman2]

Another update. Even though I have yet to remake the keel as don't have money right now to buy more wood plus still needing to fix my saw, I have began the shaping of the hawse timbers for my model of Eagle. This will be a long process in making and shaping these pieces more, especially on the insides.  I am planning to be installing 1/32 inch spacers between the frames of the hawse timbers that have yet to be ordered. But this is where I am as another snow day in Denver.

[bdgiantman2]

Hello friends. I know it's been a long time since I last posted on this project. Yes, I am still alive and following different projects on this site. Been primarily working, and I am hoping to purchase some wood soon and get back on this project.  For my birthday just over a month ago, I was given a new mini table saw by a Chinese company that I am really hoping will help making some of the cuts wanting to make. Likely will still need to get the larger Byrnes saw at some point but right now that is beyond what I am able to afford.

 

I would like to take dedicate the rest of this build to an influential mentor, Ed Quam, who passed away on August 19th. He was a very skilled builder and was an encouragement to me. I just hope that my progress will do him proud. 

 

Peace ✌️, and hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving 🦃and wishing everyone an early Merry Christmas 🎄

 

Brian D. 

Edited November 26, 2023 by bdgiantman2

[bdgiantman2]

Hello friends. Merry Christmas to all and hope everyone is in good health and making progress on models.

 

While I haven't made any physical progress on my ship model, there is plenty of other stuff going on to be telling about. Like I mentioned in previous post, I was give a mini table saw for my birthday. Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I anticipate stuff soon. When I am able to get my USB drive issues fixed (the disk had the audacity to just stop working on me with no warning at all and many important pictures and CAD files on there) as well as lingering tool problems I plan to make sawdust again.  Lots of research going on in the mean time. This past year, I acquired two books, The Anatomy of the Ship HMS Blandford (British 20 gun 6th rate) by Peter Goodwin and Le Cygne by Jean Boudriot. Both of these books have been very helpful and interesting. Blandford was the same length and number of guns as Eagle, but was ship-rigged (3 masts) and had a whole additional deck than Eagle making her taller out of the water as well as being a century prior.  Cygne is smaller than Eagle but the same time period and also a brig configuration, there are features about her decking and rigging that are very helpful. Also been dusting off my very rusty CAD skills attempting to make drawings similar to some of you modelers - stalled for now again because of the USB issues. I know more CAD people are using SOLIDWORKS which I never learned about during early college years, but still plugging along.  

 

So anyways, that is what is going on for now and probably will be waiting for better outdoor conditions.

 

Brian D.