Sloop Speedwell 1752 by Chuck - Ketch Rigged Sloop - POF - prototype build

[bdgiantman2]

20 hours ago, Chuck said:

Im not sure where you got the idea that doubles were used.............

Thank you for the reply. I could have sworn it was in your blog, but I very well could be thinking of others I follow as well that are bigger ships

[dvm27]

Looks very natural and tidy Chuck. Love the little faux splice over the cascabel. I tried seizing it on each side and found this quite difficult to do and with a much bulkier look.

[druxey]

Only the 36-pounder English guns were single/double blocks for the outhauls. Any below those were single/single tackle.

[Chuck]

Still around....and trying to work on Speedwell while making blocks and rope inventory.   I am going to rig the last cannon on the starboard side...if it kills me.   Then on to the port side.  I replaced the barrels with the 3D printed versions and thus they needed re-rigging again.   But I am back on track...more to come soon.  .055 tan breech line and 5/32" single blocks.  I am going with the boxwood color 3D printed blocks on this model.   

 

Chuck

 

[Tossedman]

Looks great Chuck! What are you using as the pins that hold the wheels onto the axles of your carriages?

 

Cheers,

 

Todd

[Chuck]

Its just a tiny length of black fishing line.   20 lb

 

 

[TBlack]

Boy, I’m glad to see that you have to redo things too. I’m not alone!

[Chuck]

Making the breech ropes.

 

There are many ways to do this.  I have simplified it.  Here is a step by step.   I am using my poly rope so CA glue was used.   

 

Start with a breech rope slightly longer than you will need (.055 tan).  Have four eyebolts with rings at the ready.   Also have whatever line you intend to use for seizing ready.   In my case some Guttermann mara 120 thread that matched my rope color.  Note that I have made a loose granny knot on this.  Or one simple overhand knot but left open and ready to go!!!

 

 

Place one ringbolt on the rope and simply bend it over to form a loop.  Leave the tail a bit longish.  I just squeeze the loose loop as shown below with my fingers.  No helping hands needed.  Then I slip the seizing "open knot" onto the end.   Easy peasy.  Then cinch it tight....

 

 

This is what it looks like.  And yes the seizing needs to be pushed closer to the end of the breech and ringbolt.  No glue as of yet.

 

 

Use a tweezers that you are comfy using for this stuff.   Slide the seizing which is still just a loose overhand knot closer to the end.   It may open a bit.  Thats OK.  Just tighten it again when the seizing is where you want it.  At this stage I place the tiniest bit of CA glue (any glue will work here)  on the knot after tightening it.  Then I use my fingers to brush away any excess so it doesnt make the rope stained or discolored.   Yes you get CA on your fingers.   But the rope stays perfectly clean.   I see folks moaning that CA darkens and stains the rope.  This is nonsense if you wipe most of it away before it dries and you dont use too much to begin with.

 

 

No discoloration....super simple method and no helping hands or wacky jigs yet.

 

 

It may be hard to see in the photo below.   But

I take one loose end of the seizing and pinch it between my fingers and away from the seizing.   I am basically pinching the ringbolt and top of the looped breech line.   See the other loose end hanging off the far side?

 

 

Take that loose end and simply wrap it around the breech two or three times.  I have seen folks wrap like 25 times and make a long seizing.,  This never lays correctly and will look sloppy.  I keep my seizings always very short with at maximum only 3 wraps around.  Then I add a drop of CA to the top of the wrapped seizings.  Just a small drop.   No knotting needed.   I pinch and brush the excess CA away with my fingers to keep it clean without darkening at all.  It will only stain if you douse it with way too much CA.  What  a mess that makes and changes the texture of the rope.  Your fingers get sticky and pull the fibers of the rope etc.  I just dip a toothpick into some CA on a scrap piece of wood and barely touch the seizing.  

 

 

Then using a tiny scissors which I have maybe 5 of.....these are spring loaded micro scissors that are very sharp.   I cut the loose ends of the seizing very close to the breech rope.  You dont want to see any sticking out after cutting.  Sometimes a mall amount of CA on that end and using a tweezers to fold it into the breach rope will solve this issue.   I hate when the cut loose ends stick out.  Cut both loose ends.

 

 

Its nice and neat and no discoloration or staining.  Rope is clean and crisp as it should be.  Note the long "loose" end of the breech rope.

 

 

Time to trim that with a sharp blade.  Trim it close and at an angle.  To keep the end of the cut rope from fraying I sometimes put some CA on the op where I am going to cut it.  Then immediately wipe it away with my fingers again to keep it clean before it dries.   

 

 

The cut end....note the angle of the cut and the clean rope with no fraying or staining.

 

 

Then slide two ringbolts on the breech rope which will be inserted on the gun carriages later.  Take the last one and repeat the process to seize the other end just like we described.

 

 

Only now you should slide the cinched seizing and adjust the length so the overall breech rope is the correct length.   Then just finish it as you did the other side.

 

 

Then I make a simulated fake splice in the center to place on the  cannon or Carronade.  I make sure one of those ring bolts are on each side of the center first.  It is very important.  Then I use my plan for the breech line to find the center.   I use a sharp awl to then pierce the center of the breech rope.   I always use 4 strand breech rope so I can pierce it with two strands on each side.  Then I use some CA to stiffen the splice and keep its shape.   I pinch and brush away the excess before it dries....right away.   It will hold its shape.   No shiny spots or staining or discoloration.

 

 

Finished breech rope.

 

 

 

[TBlack]

Nicely explained

[Chuck]

As I get ready to laser cut chapter 3 parts I figured I would release the 3 plan sheets that will come with it.  These are the last three sheets to complete the hull.   There will be more plan sheets for the rigging but this completes the plans for the hull work for folks that dont plan on rigging her.

 

speedwellsheet3.pdf

speedwellsheet4.pdf

speedwellsheet5.pdf

 

Chuck

[Freebird]

Chuck, I know I'm far off for chapter 3 parts, but when will they be available and cost? TIA!

 

In November I'm going to be recovering from knee surgery so I'll have a lot of time to get back in the shipyard.

 

Best Regards .... Rick

[AnobiumPunctatum]

It's looking great and a really nice description of how to make the beech rope.

[Chuck]

A couple of weeks for chapter 3 parts maybe and they will be about $80 give or take.  But remember you will need to buy the wood package from Joe or mill your own planking strips.  Chapter 3 is basically planking.

 

chuck

[Freebird]

Thanks for the info, Chuck. I already have the wood kit from Joe. Looking forward to getting back in the shipyard.

 

Best Regards …. Rick

[Chuck]

Just an FYI.   Its been crazy trying to get any work done while the house is up for sale.  But I wanted to update everyone on the availability of chapter 3 parts.  In-between showings of my house I have been laser cutting chapter 3 parts and have 12 sets ready to go.  I am putting the final touches on the instructions as I write this.   I just received the three printed plan sheets that will come with this installment as well.  I am hoping to having these sets up on my site and in stock by Friday.  But with a little bit of luck and fewer house showings I may have them ready on Wednesday.

 

The house has been on the market for 2 weeks now.   We have had two offers so far and yes both have fallen through.  It seems that being pre-qualified for a mortgage isnt all its cracked up to be.  After accepting both offers we soon discovered the buyers were not pre-qualified for the amounts they offered...LOL.   So we continue to show the house.   Even this close to Thanksgiving we have a ton of traffic and showings.  Its driving me crazy as I have to leave the house and stop working while the buyers are inside.   So I walk around the block a few times until they are gone.   Hopefully the 3rd offer will be the final whenever it comes.  I really want to get back to working on the model soon.   

 

Chuck

[Jack12477]

Good luck on the house sale!

 

And have a happy Thanksgiving with your family 👪! 

[TBlack]

Not only do you have to leave the house, but it also has to be clean with everything put away!

[Chuck]

Yupp…you know how difficult it is to clean up the shop and put stuff away every hour or so.  Then when they leave I take it all back out and try to get started again.

[yvesvidal]

Chuck, where are you moving? Are you getting a house with more utility space for your business?

 

Yves

[Chuck]

Yes up in the woods...lots of space for a shop.  I cant wait to get there.   Its the worst time to be trying to sell your house but I just dont want to waste anymore time.

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

Chapter 3 is now available.  I made 12 sets for now and half are already gone.  So please only buy it if you are close to needing chapter 3.  There are several folks who are really in need of it.   I know that many who have ordered this chapter havent even started chapter one yet.   Please dont buy it yet.  I will make more very soon.  It is not fair to the folks who are up to this point of construction.

 

Thank You.   I may have to cancel an order so that those folks who are truly up to this stage get first crack at them.  

 

Chuck

[Freebird]

Those chapter 3 parts didn’t last very long!

 

Best Regards …. Rick

[Fritzlindsay]

Beautiful work Chuck

 

One question regarding the breechings, wouldn't it have been easier to use a knot or half hitch around a ring bolt like on the actual ships?  I know the knots were replaced with double seizings in the 19th century, but for 1752, on this size ship, was there a prescribed method?

Thank you

 

Fritz

[Chuck]

Not easier but its really up to you.  Whatever works for you.  Those tend to be way out of scale and look clunky when rigged.  So I prefer less fussing which looks smaller and more to scale.  I feel this method also helps the rope lay more naturally.  

[Chuck]

Although time has been limited for me for working on the model, I have been making progress.   I have finalized the way I will do the deadeye strops and chainplates.   These are all laser cut and makes life a lot easier.  Once designed the actual construction time was non-existent.   It took seconds to add the strops.  

 

This was just a test run but an improved version of those I developed for the Winnie.  They really do just slip right on.

 

There will be two sizes of deadeyes and strops.  The chainplates will all be the same more or less.  They are laser cut and 1/16" wide and about the thickness of was brass straps would have been.  You must do a little bit of work on the straps but not much.  The hole for the little brass pin must be drilled through the bottom of the strap.  I used a "67 drill bit.  Its acrylic so this was so much easier than drilling through brass.  At the top of the strap there is a little "hook" shaped on the end.  This will fit into the bottom of the strop after the deadeye is placed on the channel.  The width is 1/16" as I mentioned which is a tad wide for the hook to fit in the strop bottom.  So this was filed narrower on both sides.  This was done just at the "hooked" part of the strap which fits into the strop which you can see above.  They are cut from black acrylic so no need to blacken but you may want to weather them a bit to "metalize" them in appearance.

 

This is what they will ultimately look like on this sectional model which was really fun to make of the Speedwell.  The deadeyes are my new resin 3D printed ones.  These are the color of Swiss Pear.  I will be using these on my model.  You can see how nicely the straps and strops worked out. Also have a look at those molding strips on this sectional model.   The fancy molding.  This was a new test and also laser cut.  I will be using them on the sectional model projects.

The inboard side.   The entire sectional test is completed.  I just have to add and rig one cannon.  That was the whole purpose of this mini-model.  It is to be used to help teach building techniques for cannon carriages and the their rigging.   My local club members in NJ will be using it as a quick and hopefully fun group build as a tech session taught by me.  It should be fun.  There will also be some gun crew figures added.   

This is a close up of the molding test.  I know how some guys hate creating scrapers to make their own molding.  This will save the guys a lot of time.  I am thinking about offering these as stand along optional moldings for the big project as well.  Or for any model really.  There are three profiles.   1/16", 3/32" and 1/8" wide.   All three are 1/32" thick.   They are laser cut on Syrenite.  They can be used as is but I do recommend sanding the top and bottom edges to soften them and round them off.  Although the color as is looks great.  I like to enhance it by wiping some Gel Stain on them and then wiping it off.   It settles into the grooves and help highlight the profile.  It deepened the color a bit as well.  You know...just like I handle making the carved resin figurehead and stern figures look like boxwood.   It takes about 2 minutes to do.  Then wipe off the excess.   The more coats the deeper the color depending on your preference.  I think folks might like the option to buy these molding strips regardless of the project.  So expect soon.   But let me know if you are interested as I wont waste material and time if there is little interest.  Volutes and scrolls should be easy to add to this line of products as well although every model uses a different size scroll-work.  So maybe I have to thing about that.  It can also be painted and as I said sanded easily.  

 

[sfotinos]

Those moldings look great, consider me a purchaser.

 

Shawn

[dvm27]

Brilliant work, Chuck! I love how you "blacked out" the underside of the deck. Your New Jersey club is one of the luckiest around with you as a Captain. What scale is the sectional model? The faux metal work looks like the real deal.

 

I'm betting this sectional model will show up in your store at some point as who wouldn't want to make one as a fun side product?

[BANYAN]

That's a great sectional model Chuck.  Love your work!

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited 2 hours ago by BANYAN

[Freebird]

I'd be in for the moldings also!

 

The Sectional model is so very cool, you should consider making that a mini kit for those that don't want to take on the entire hull but still want a piece of the action. 

 

Best Regards .... Rick