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

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

my goodness, its real nice. stove is incredible. 

[Siggi52]

Hello Chuck,

that looks all pretty good what you have build there.

But then this. There is the snow white ship, looking if never a human hand had ever touched it, and then a used second hand fireplace!

What is the mistake here?  

[Chuck]

No mistake....just a personal preference.   Once the deck is framed and planked overhead, it will hardly be seen.  Just a glimpse of it.  And it will be a nice surprise of a glimpse....

Yes...one can make it shiny new if they want to.   

 

I instead will pretend that my model portrays the ship only one month after launch, LOL.   If you use the hearth just a few times it will get full of soot and ash....while the other parts of the ship still look like new.  

 

Chuck

[Siggi52]

And I thought after you build all natural things in snow white, the fireplace should also be snow white 

[jfhealey]

Good point Siggi. There is an English expression - I expect there is a direct German equivalent - "Don't spoil the ship for a halfpence (pronounced "hay-p'nse") worth of tar". A halfpence is (or was before decimilisation) a very small unit of currency. So here is a good example - build a beautiful ship and then stick in a second hand stove bought off a dodgy trader. All that said, what a beautiful example of the craftsman's art this is - both the ship and the second hand stove which I love. 

1 hour ago, Chuck said:

I instead will pretend that my model portrays the ship only one month after launch

You don't think it will leak a bit do you Chuck?

Fred

[rlwhitt]

3 minutes ago, jfhealey said:

You don't think it will leak a bit do you Chuck?

Fred

 

Might require a little more than a halfpence - worth of tar 

[glbarlow]

1 hour ago, Chuck said:

my model portrays the ship only one month after launch

Excellent point of view. Maybe I’ll portray mine as after a very light battle to account for any faults in my build. That small dent in the AYC, glancing blow from a small swivel gun 🤣

[dvm27]

Maybe the carpenters were using the hearth to keep warm while fitting out the ship in those cold winter months?

[jfhealey]

4 minutes ago, dvm27 said:

Maybe the carpenters were using the hearth to keep warm while fitting out the ship in those cold winter months

Or to make a nice cup of tea and a bacon sandwich.

[Chuck]

Ship modelers and comedians!!!  LOL

[Nirvana]

5 hours ago, Chuck said:

No mistake....just a personal preference.   Once the deck is framed and planked overhead, it will hardly be seen.  Just a glimpse of it.  And it will be a nice surprise of a glimpse....

Yes...one can make it shiny new if they want to.   

 

I instead will pretend that my model portrays the ship only one month after launch, LOL.   If you use the hearth just a few times it will get full of soot and ash....while the other parts of the ship still look like new.  

 

Chuck

You can install extremely small cameras on the deck below and via WiFi show the interior. Check out something called nanny cam or mini spy camera.

[knightyo]

There are also mini LED's that flicker, simulating fire, that one could install in the fireplace if one wished to go overboard (I couldn't help myself) with the build.

 

Alan

[Chuck]

Step by Step...

 

1. Laser cut cedar brickwork.   Lightly sand the char.  But not so much that you remove the etched mortar lines.   Just a little.  Especially on the edges of the pieces.   Many have bricks etched on both sides.

apply wipe on poly when finished...this is important to seal the wood a bit.

 

2. Yes its bright!!   But this is just the initial steps.  I used a red promarker, you can see which color to add the base coat of red to all faces of the brickwork.  Also note the two pieces that make up the sides have been glued together.  Make sure you have the holes and pieces facing the correct direction.

 

3.  Glue the sides to the back wall.  Keep nice right angles.   Also add the front piece.   This is left a bit long and you will have to trim it to fit.  DO NOT glue to the base.  This will be done much later in the project.   Much, much later.

 

4.  Using weathering powder add some red/brown colors and dark browns to suit.   It depends on how weathered you want to go with the fire hearth.  You will see this at the end.   Spray all the pieces lightly with some matte spray fixative when you are done.

 

5.  This is where the magic happens.   You could use white weathering powder but that would also pigment the bricks.  You dont really want that.   So instead use regular white flour.   Brush it on and push it into the mortar lines which are made pretty deep for you.   Dont go for a perfect even coverage here.  Experiment a little.  Push it in the cracks with your finger....pack it in there.  Then brush it off the brick faces with a light touch.  Experiment for the look you really want...use some additional weathering powders if you want to add soot and ash.   Make it a used hearth or a relatively new one!!!  Also note the frame on the base was painted black.  Dont spray with fixative.  The normal humidity in the air will fix the flour in position on its own.  It may take a day or so depending on the weather.  

 

6.  1/32" brass wire/rod (not included) were blackened and added as shown above.

 

 

7.  The hood...laser cut from 1/64" thick boxwood.   Glue the shorter back piece on the base first.  It should be a at a perfect right angle vertically and centered.

8.  Add the two sides.  You will need to bevel the bottom to sit flush on the base.

 

9.  Add the front piece...which is taller than the back piece.  Note how the front hangs over the the front of the base just a bit.  That is done on purpose.  It is correct.

10.  Finally add the top and front pieces.   apply filler to all the cracks and sand smooth for painting.   Also build the stack the same way and prepare for painting.

 

11. Hinges are laser board.   Construct them in the sequence shown above...left to right.   First add the bottom half of all the hinges.  Then the hinge pins are glued along the top edge.  Use 24 gauge black wire for that.  To finish that up,  set the top half of the hinges above the wire.  An eyebolt is also added in the center.  You can see that in the photos below of the finished fire hearth.  There are two of them shown...

 

A beat up used and weathered fire hearth....and a shiny almost new hearth.   Have fun with it and weather to your preferred tastes.  LOL

 

NOTE....the hearth is NOT glued to the base yet.  And the stack is NOT glued to the hood yet.  It is best to keep them separate for now. 

 

 

 

[Nirvana]

I certainly hope you will have this as a separate kit.

[BANYAN]

Wow, .... simply WOW! I stand gob-smacked Chuck that looks so very realistic (and thanks for sharing your technique).

 

cheers

 

Pat

[scrubbyj427]

Very impressive! Awesome job Chuck.

[KennyH78]

I have no words to describe your craftmanship, Chuck.  Awesome work on the stove.  Plus 1 vote for a mini kit.

[JpR62]

Many thanks for these explanations and this really detailed step-by-step guide. What fantastic color work and realism.

It's true that offering this element as a mini kit would be a great success.

I'm still blown away by the solutions found. It's perfection every time !

[Chuck]

Thanks guys.   Yes I could make this a mini kit.  I just dont have enough brass rod at the moment.  I have to source more of it and then I could make a small base for it like I did for the Winnie stove.  
 

Chuck

[Hubac's Historian]

Just catching up, here - awesome work, as always.  The stove looks really great!  One question: after the flour/mortar application, is it even necessary to spray a final top-coat fixative, or will ambient humidity basically cement the flour in-place?

Edited January 26 by Hubac's Historian

[Chuck]

Indeed you are correct.  The humidity will take care of it.  Its best not to spray that.  After a day or so it gets fixed on its own.  I forgot to mention that.  
 

Chuck

[Trussben]

Looks awesome Chuck.

[Jim Rogers]

I plan on staining mine with Old Masters Fruitwood Gel, my preference, and that stove is going to look awesome.

[Chuck]

The figure is off scale for the model but looks really good just with the fire hearth.   So I made a mini diorama of sorts to display on my desk.  I used the old second hand aged stove, LOL.  Its one of Chris' figures as you would recognize.

 

[glbarlow]

I still think you used real brick you got from the mini-brick yard. 😁

[Chuck]

To finish up chapter 4 and the forward platforms,  the breasthooks were made.  There are two of them.   These are laser cut for you in two halves.  Its just easier to work with them this way.  I usually shape one half and lightly tack it in position.  Then I shape the other half and fit it in next to it.   At this point they can both be removed and joined together.  Do a quick sanding to refine everything and add the bolts.  The bolts are 30 lb. black line.  

 

The lower breast hook has etched bevel lines because the side that fits against the frames needs to be beveled.  Its just a start because everyone's model will be slightly different.

 

Lastly..to finish off this chapter I made the riding bitts.  Like the fire hearth, this wont be glued in position yet.  But its good to have at the ready.   We will need it before framing out the rest of the forecastle deck later.  So the cross beam is laser cut for you.  Just clean it up and shape to suit.  I just used some needle files, etc.   The uprights are basically made from 5/16" x 5/16" strips.   Measure against the plans and shape the tops to suit.  Use the plans as a guide.  Nothing earth shattering with these.  

 

 

 

I will paint the riding bitts red above the gun deck.  I used the plans to determine where that break would be.   Here is what it looks like after being painted and test fit.  Note the string...this is good to get in place now too.  Its glued lightly to the center of the stem and then taped to the top of the stern post.  It will help guide you when setting fittings along the center line.  It helps a lot!!!

 

The fire hearth and riding bitts have been set aside for safe keeping.

 

Next up chapter 5 which will take care of the aft lower platforms and a few other odds and ends.

 

[Chuck]

Continuing with the lower platforms...there are two aft platforms.  They are framed exactly like the two forward ones.   Mark out the heights for the frames etc.  I wont go through the step by step and instead just mention the a couple of noteworthy things.  

 

There is another jig that helps with finding the height and position of the first beam on the upper platform.   Dont throw it away after using it.  It will come in handy later.  Note that the mizzen mast partner is laser cut for you.   Its a little longer on the forward and aft sides so you can adjust its position over the mast step to match the plans.  

 

Just as with the forward platforms...use the plans as templates to help fins the proper positions of those ledges for the scuttle openings as well.   Using them as templates helps so much and really help you see the final product.

 

Now that the framing is done,  the next stage is to plank the lowest platform.   Once again the templates of these really helps.   Everything is laid out on them.  Note how the deck planking hangs over the forward beam.  The planks also run over the aft beam as well.   Use the string to keep everything lined up down the center.

 

It was hard to keep everything focused in this last picture because the camera wanted to only focus on the string....but here I have attempted to show the templates positioned down the center line.  They fit perfectly.   I will be back with more pics after the planking is done and I start to cut some beams on that after-most platform for the stairs...

 

Its just busy work for a while getting the planking done.  You should keep these templates because it will make life very easy when it comes to laying out all those cabins later in the project.

 

[KennyH78]

Perfection as always, Chuck!  She is going to be a stunning model when completed.

[Chuck]

Thank you very much!!!

 

I am just doing busy work...planking those aft platforms.  But I thought this small detail was worth mentioning.   Maybe some of you will think this is a good tip to use on any model.   

 

The lower aft platform is planked first following the plans and templates provided.   But as seen on many ship models there are scuttles which have rings for handles.   Similarly you see these type of rings used for the gun tackles on decks etc.  Most folks will make a split ring and then insert this into the eye of an eyebolt.  You have seen this a million times.

 

The photo below shows just that.   Look at the bottom row.  On the left is what you typically see.  The split ring on an eyebolt.   Nothing wrong with this as everyone does it this way.  But even when the eyebolts have smaller eyes you will end up with so many unsightly rings on deck or on your scuttle lids that look out of scale and sticking up.   Yes, you are supposed to sink the eyes part-way into the deck which is a real pain.  But even then, it looks very odd to me now after examining so many contemporary models.

 

So to the right is a solution for this which I keep meaning to post... but always forget to.   

 

The split rings in this case are made from 24 gauge black wire.   They are made as usual...wrapping many times around a #47 drill bit and sawed off to produce a 15 or 20 rings.   

 

Rather than make and use tiny eyebolts I just take a small length of thinner 28 gauge black wire and make a small bent "V".   This makes it easy to handle and slip the split ring onto.   Then I crimp the 28 gauge wire tight around the split ring with a small pliers.  Its very simple indeed.   Squeeze the two ends together and snip off the bottom on an angle so you have a point.   It looks almost like a cotter pin of sorts.   This is slipped into a hole drilled on deck or in this case the scuttle lids.  

 

I saw this done in my favorite book.   "Legacy of a Ship Model"  by Rob Napier.   During his restoration of the Princess Royal model he took the model apart...I mean all of it.   In the book there are so many photos of these items which show the way the contemporary model builders made their parts.   This is how the contemporary builder made these on that model (250 years ago) and after carefully examining so many other contemporary models I believe most of them were made just like this.   There is an excellent photo of the contemporary version of one of these in that book....along with countless other gems showing how those guys did stuff back then.  Rob had to make more of these for his restoration and used the exact same method of course.

 

This makes the handles and rings look so much more to scale.  No more pesky eyes sticking up that are too large all over the deck for the crew to trip over.   Its a small detail but I thought worth mentioning now that I remembered to do so.   At least I hope you think so.   Its the small details that make a difference when you add them all up...

 

 

Lastly I also made the mizzen mast coat as you can see.  Its made in the same way as on the Winnie.  Three layers.   The middle layer is rounded off and the char removed.   Then the top and bottom layers were added after removing the char from those.  The mast coat is not glue down permanently.   Its just lightly tacked with some rubber cement.   You may have to move it when trying to position the mizzen mast later.  So dont glue it down permanently yet.  The hole on deck is slightly larger than that of the mast coat...so you can move it any way to accommodate the mast later.   NOTE:   The mast coat was later changed here to be Octagonal. The lower masts are not round and I discovered this later.  But I was able to replace the round mast coat with one that was octagonal later on.  So my model will be accurate.  Your kits have had the laser cut mast coats updated as well.  The laser cut parts are now octagonal. Its an interesting detail I have not seen on a contemporary model so I want to make sure I accurately depict the same.  The lower masts are octagonal from the keel up to the sheer line or caprail before turning to round in section.   I have only since acquired some really fantastic photos showing this feature.

 

Chuck

[Thukydides]

Great tip on the rings, they really do look much more to scale. Amazing work as always.