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Rattlesnake by Kenneth Powell - FINISHED - Model Shipways - American Privateer


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  • 10 months later...
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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been working on backstays. The plans call to use thimbles. The way I made them was to bore a hole into the end of a dowel then slice them off. When I used what I considered the appropriate size, they split. The instruction book said it's possible to hollow out a deadeye, but they split. What worked for me was to go up very little in size on the dowel and bore the smallest hole possible that would accept the rigging line. It took a while to sand them under magnification. They look a little oversized and a touch out of scale compared to the plans, but here they are:

391.jpg.a956b206c55aee0b72c308dd7d9a9fcd.jpg 393.jpg.8b5c5cc8fd23fd412d71dfe70565be34.jpg 395.jpg.6104c2154c24fc8c5fc3adde77e85821.jpg

This is how the plan looks:20220920_200937.jpg.0309a8796f5b0566f55e2c6786097b49.jpg

This is how my model looks:398.jpg.4d94eaf3cc7a4b2b4696d9af32c4fcc4.jpg 

I have a bunch more thimbles to make and a few backstays to finish.

 

Comments welcome - Kenneth

390.jpg

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You might consider using brass tubing to make tiny thimbles. Obviously, the hole is already there. All you have to do is slice them off the tubing and paint. If you need to carve a groove on the outside perimeter of the thimble, place the ring on a tapered mandrel which will hold the ring tight while you file the groove.  Wood becomes very weak at that scale as you have found out, whereas the metal thimbles remain strong and won't break. At this scale it will be impossible for the viewer to know what material they are are made of. It's a model, not a reproduction,

 

Jon

Edited by JSGerson

Current Build: Model Shipways USS Frigate Constitution
 
Past Builds:    Bob Hunt's kitbash of the Mamoli Rattlesnake

                         Model Shipways Typical Ship’s Boat for the Rattlesnake

                         Mini-Mamoli solid hull British Schooner Evergreen
                         Model Airways Albatros D.Va - 1917, The Red Baron's Forgotten Fighter

 
​Member: Nautical Research Guild

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Jon -

Thanks for the suggestion. I tried it and it worked. I used the rotary tool to cut small slices then painted and rigged them up.

I actually lowered the tool and tube into a cardboard box while wearing safety glasses to keep the micro-sized disks from flying away - or putting an eye out.

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This is why I like this group. Excellent tips from very talented people with no criticism, just encouragement.

Ratlines are next.

Comments welcome - Kenneth

 

 

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Glad to be of help.

Current Build: Model Shipways USS Frigate Constitution
 
Past Builds:    Bob Hunt's kitbash of the Mamoli Rattlesnake

                         Model Shipways Typical Ship’s Boat for the Rattlesnake

                         Mini-Mamoli solid hull British Schooner Evergreen
                         Model Airways Albatros D.Va - 1917, The Red Baron's Forgotten Fighter

 
​Member: Nautical Research Guild

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  • 1 month later...

Working on upper ratlines.

1532706781_Upperrats1.jpg.147ed3104fbc2f98c8d10c8b6bd47e17.jpg

In the photo above it seems I'm off a little from my lines, but when I pull the paper up close things are right-on.

1857098013_Upperrats2.jpg.a15626b8ae6dd1a1d19a4323a7c7c091.jpg

Slow going but once I can sit for a while and get in a rhythm, it really moves along.

One thing that has helped is that I moved the model from my basement with no natural light to my sunroom with northern exposure. Here in the Gulf South I get plenty of indirect sunlight year-round.

I can see better and natural light improves my mood to tackle these tedious or what I preserve as difficult items.

 

I'll march on and complete the ratlines.

 

Comments welcome - Kenneth

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looking good Ken. The lines look like they could use just a bit more tightening.

 

Jim

Current Build: Fair American - Model Shipways

Awaiting Parts - Rattlesnake

On the Shelf - English Pinnace

                        18Th Century Longboat

 

I stand firmly against piracy!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Milestone!!

All ratlines completed!

I've never worked on shrouds and ratlines like this before, so I really feel accomplished. It seems the more I did, the easier it got and better they appeared:

1323622008_Lowerrat1.thumb.jpg.7717336a554ada45c128d6a84774abc4.jpg

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Now on to a few details and then gaff, boom, and spars. The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter.

Comments welcome - Kenneth

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Everyone for the Likes and comments.

I built and installed the 3 netting guard rails. I cut the heads off long straight pins and cut them to length. The netting is what my Admiral suggested from the craft store.20221222_101442.thumb.jpg.8a117482b68d71c8ee8b3116cf5197cc.jpg

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These photos show how my ratlines improved from upper to lower.

I also have the gaff, boom, and spars cut to length from appropriately sized dowels.

20221210_112239.thumb.jpg.221c12c532fc4aaf037cf4cb351a8a9a.jpg

I'll be working on those next. 

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to All!

Comments welcome

- Kenneth

 

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Thanks, all for the likes.

Dave -

The Model Shipways kit I have came with 4 pages on 2 sheets of plans (front and back). This is the only page for rigging. They put the standing rigging in black and the running rigging in red.

This combination makes the one page really jumbled. Thank goodness others have built and logged this model before me and I can see how it's supposed to be.

 

Comments welcome - Kenneth

 

And again, everyone have a great holiday season.

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Work accomplished since last post:

Gaff and boom finished and rigged

20221230_161016.thumb.jpg.c37f27394d427a5f443f981bf2f211b0.jpg

I bought these very small beads for parrels. I emptied the container into a small bowl to take the photo with the label visible.

Mistake. I spent half the afternoon chasing the things across the table and floor trying to return them. They have no weight.

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Gaff and boom installed:

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The beads worked great, worth the trouble.

20230103_133838.thumb.jpg.f9ca65efd4a8f5cf80a5a4de773a83a3.jpg

Spars are next, one mast at a time

Comments welcome

- Kenneth

 

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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks, Rollingreen -

I've been trying to get these latest two spars installed, but every time I look at the plans it all seems to get more and more jumbled.

I find that if I read, then re-read, then study a little more, look up other builder's photos I almost know what to do.

Like I mentioned earlier, all rigging is on one page, so a little clarity is sacrificed. I feel like once I get the mizzen mast spars completed, the other two will fall right in.

 

Comments welcome - Kenneth

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I finally got the 2 mizzen spars on the model, and I hope I did it right:

20230207_160457.thumb.jpg.bc837f94e1f6141c3597f8ad8765e66a.jpg

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I have all the other spars shaped and painted and ready to rig, but the plans have no place for the main lower yard lifts to attach. The only reference is this drawing at the top of the plans:

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It says 'Lifts lead thro sheave in covel (cavel?) abreast mast and belays on its cleat'. What? I cannot find a meaning for covel or cavel.

The plans show the mizzen and fore, but not the main unless I'm missing something. If he means kevel, then it's not on the plans. But adding one would be easy enough.

 

Help and comments welcome - Kenneth

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