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

[Desertanimal]

That’s some excellent work. You make it look so easy Chuck! 

[Ronald-V]

Your Speedwell is such a piece of art! 

[Chuck]

Thank you!!

[yvesvidal]

Very creative (and smart) way to represent the hinges on the rudder. It is definitely easier than using brass parts as I recently did it on my CAF Chebec.

 

Yves

[Chuck]

I finally attached the rudder to the stern post.   It was very similar to the way we did the hinges on the rudder itself.   But here is the step by step for the folks building her as well.

 

First thing I taped the rudder in position getting it tight against the stern post.  Then I marked the angle and position for the hinges to be placed on the stern post.  I used a very sharp awl for this.  I had laser cut some small notched down the stern post where these were meant to be.  This was also there just for reference and the notches were made narrower than the 1/16" needed to insert the hinge part.  This was just in case you needed to shift up or down a bit from those initial reference points. They really shouldnt be far off.  This also means that yes you will have to chisel those slots wider using your scribed marks.  Its not much and it is yellow cedar.  So it is soft and quick with a sharp chisel or #11 blade.

 

This time we will pre shape the laser cut hinge parts as shown below.  Just knock of the corners on an angle to match the ones on the rudder.  Insert a small length of 22 gauge black wire in each of the four needed.  Thhese were painted black ahead of time as well.

Once you open up those slots on the stern post these should be a nice tight press fit in each slot.  just center them make sure the sides are flush with the stern post.  The wire or simulated hinge pin faces downward.

A quick test fit with the rudder to see if I screwed up their placement.  Luckily everything lined up pretty good.  Note that if you have trouble sliding the rudder post into the rudder opening in the counter after adding these, you will need to open up that rudder port a bit.  Not much but use a file to carefully enlarge the aft side of the opening until the rudder clears through it.  It should sit on the hinge parts (pintles and gudgeons) very nicely.

Then add some 1/16 x 1/64 strips with the edges painted black ahead of time.  Just like on the rudder!  Use the scribed lines you made with the awl to establish the correct angle.  Only make these as long as the stern post at this point.  We will take care of the two longer lower hinges later.  Sand them as you did with those on the rudder and paint them black.

Here is what they look like painted up...

Finally the rudder can be added permanently, or NOT...its up to you.  This is not a working rudder as I mentioned earlier.  Its just simulated.  The rudder hinges were just glued together to mount it.  With the pins sticking out the underside it will look just like it is supposed to.  Then just touch up the paint and add some bolts if you wish to.  Or you can wait until after the lower two straps are added next.

For the two lower straps that extend onto the hull we have a few options.  I will tell you what I did though.  Feel free to go another way with it.  These straps should sit on top of hull planking that doesnt exit on our framed model.  So a modest layer of planking must be added so the strap can sit on top of it.  Sometimes you see a wider strip of planking that the straps sit on but I am going to make them the same width as the iron straps. Its easy to do.  I just took some painted 1/64 x 1/16" strips which were black and glued them to another strip of the same size.  Depending on your model you might need a 3/64" thick strip for the simulated planking or thinner.  This is so the hinge strap lines up with what is on the stern post.  I used 1/32" strips which worked out nicely for the underplanking.

Use the plans to measure how long these straps should be on the hull.  Shape them and glue them on.  Make sure you glue them on at the same angle as the hinges on the stern post.  You can mark that angle once again like you did before using a sharp awl or pencil.

 

Some photos of the completed rudder mounted with my simulated pintels and gudgeons.  Once again add bolts if you want to using the black fishing line.

 

 

The tiller is next...let me know if you have any questions.

 

Chuck

[Chuck]

Just a little side project.   My local club is having a figure painting workshop at my shop in a couple of weeks.  So I printed a bunch more figures and painted one.  Mind you I have never painted a figure before.  I think maybe 20 years ago I added one to the Syren model which looked awful.  But one of our members who is an accomplished miniature figure painter will be doing the teaching.  I am very much looking forward to it.  One photo shows the unpainted version.  Painting figures is hard, LOL.  The eventual owner of this model requested that the officer be holding a rope leash in his left hand walking an English Bulldog!!  I have yet to print the English Bulldog.   Yikes, it should be interesting.

 

[Jack12477]

I think you did an outstanding job painting that figure, Chuck. Looks very impressive to me. 

[Trussben]

I can wait to see the bulldog!

[Chuck]

Havent decided on which one yet!!!

[scrubbyj427]

Definitely the sitting one

[Chuck]

Not quite finished.  But almost.  
 

Capstan per spot.
 

 

[Pirate adam]

That is awesome. 
 

Adam 

[Chuck]

Here are some better pics....the last one was just on my phone.

 

I wasnt just painting figures today, I also finished up the tiller.  I was going to do a mash-up with metal and mixed media or even just make the tiller from all brass like Greg did.  But that seemed a lot when I am awful at metal work.   I also dont have those tools and havent soldered a thing in my life.  So I said why not just 3D print the tiller.  Its all painted black and many of you kit builders dont have the tools to do the metal work anyway.  So the Tiller is 3D printed and all you have to do is paint it black which was done on the contemporary model...and glue it in position.  I would say that it looks as it is supposed to and much better than if I fumbled through a soldering exercise. 

 

 

All of the deck-work and fittings are now done except for the binnacle.  But next up is the remaining outboard hull details.  Starting with the channels and deadeyes.

 

But here are a few pics of the deck fittings all done including the tiller.

 

 

 

[dvm27]

Really? 3D printed, when it took me several attempts over three days to shape, solder and blacken mine?  Your excellent model is just as scratch built as mine but has taken 1/5th as long to make it.

Your bulldog is very well designed. A close up of his face shows normally sized nostrils so the classic brachycephalic syndrome common to this breed appears to have been averted. Well done, Doc!

[Chuck]

The soon to be new owner of this model ….you guessed it….has an English Bulldog named meatball.  All customer requests must be considered, LOL.  He wanted Meatball on deck being walked by the captain.  Hopefully I Will have a happy customer.   
 

Meet Meatball.

 

[Rustyj]

I love the 3D bulldog and Meatball. Having had three bullies over all the years I can say you nailed it.  

[Nirvana]

What a great combo bulldog and meatballs, Swedish meatballs that should be.....😀
That bulldog in the model but also the live one looks great.

[Hubac's Historian]

Always a pleasure to look-in, here.  Everything is so crisply executed.  I love the capstan and breast-rail details.  Also, that is a very clever way to make the rudder hinges.

[Chuck]

I started working on the channels and deadeyes today.   Pretty straight forward stuff here.   The channels are laser cut in 3 layers just like the Winchelsea model.  The char was removed and the layers glued up.  The outside layers are very thin but not thin enough for the final product.  It is slightly smaller so after gluing it up, it creates a nice fancy edge.  But you dont want the top and bottom layers too thick so they were sanded down even thinner.  Almost card stock thickness.  See the photo below.  These do take a little time to complete but its worth it.  I used spray mount glue to glue the thin outside layers in position.  But I have also used a simple glue stick with success.

 

They were glued to the hull as is usually done.  The molding on the hull was carefully removed and the channels pinned into position with 24 gauge wire used as the pins.  

 

Then I did a quick test on the chainplates and deadeyes.  I had already done this on the battle station mini kit so it was just a matter of repeating the process.  

 

There are two sizes of deadeyes. These are all 3d printed for you. The first thing you need to do is insert the deadeyes into their strops. The strops are laser cut for you out of plastic. It is quite easy to slip the deadeyes into the strop. The strop will flex so you can slip it right in. No glue is needed or soldering etc.

Next you must prepare the deadeye straps. These are laser cut for you out of plastic as well. They have a pretty unique shape. But you will need to complete them before you can use them even though they are laser cut in profile.

See the photo...

 

The top of each strap has a “hook” of sorts on the end. This is hooked into the bottom of the deadeye strop after the deadeyes are inserted into the slots on the channel.
But these “hooks” are too wide as laser cut. You will need to file them thinner in width so the hook will actually fit into the little loops of the deadeye strops. They start off as 1/16” wide…you will need to file them to 1/32” wide. File them a little on each side. Give it a test and see if the fit into the strop loop as you see it in the photo above.

In addition, at the bottom of the chainplate strap a small brass nail secures it to the hull. You will need to drill a small hole thru the bottom of each strap for the little brass pins that come with the kit. Then I also rounded the bottom of the strap so it didn’t appear “square” at the very bottom edge.  I used a #70 drill bit for the hole.

This makes a big difference visually.

So how do you add the deadeyes and straps on the model? You have two sizes of deadeyes which should already be stropped. Place the loop of the strop into the slots on the channel. You will see the loop stick out along the bottom of the channel.

Use the plans to determine where the larger and smaller deadeyes go along the channel.

Once the deadeyes are in the channel slots, the straps can be hooked into the loop under the channel. The straps are somewhat flexible. If one breaks there are plenty of extras. Use the plans to determine the angle of each strap along the hull. NOTE: there are two different lengths of straps as they are angled along the hull. The longer straps are used on the deadeyes on the aft side of the channels to keep the bottom of the chainplate straps lined up.  It helps them line up better when pinned into the planking. 

Mark the locations for the brass pins on the hull using the plans as a guide. Pre-drill the holes for the brass pins. With the straps hanging from the deadeye strops, pin the bottom ends into the planking. I found it easier to cut the pins shorter because you don’t need them that long.  

 

Now to finish this off for all of the channels!!!  I will post more pics when I finish it all up.