Speedwell 1752 by dvm27 (Greg Herbert) - FINISHED - Ketch Rigged Sloop

[giampieroricci]

I was missing this splendid work !!

[allanyed]

Glad to see her back at her home port!!  Beautiful work as we have come to expect from both David and you.  Kudos.

Allan

[dvm27]

Still adrift in foreign waters, Alan. I am hoping the US-Canadian border will open this summer so I can return her to her home port and rig her.

[allanyed]

Hope so Greg!

Email me and let me know when you are down here and can meet for lunch.

Allan

[dvm27]

With Speedwell back in her home port I can commence the rigging. I have not sat idly by during her absence though and have fully prepared her masts and spars to expedite rigging upon her return. I will be using ropes and tackle made by Chuck as they are the finest commercially available in my opinion. As well I will be using Johann's excellent Creole log for inspiration. All the masting, sparring and rigging is fully described in volume two of the Speedwell series so I won't be going into quite as much detail as previously. As my last rigged model was constructed over twenty years ago I expect to proceed at a glacial pace. For me the process is more enjoyable than looking at the finished product.

 

In the photo below one can see the unusual tops which are present on the contemporary model. I found them aesthetically unpleasing and have constructed the more traditional top I am used to seeing. If anyone can cite a contemporary model with the original tops constructed as per Speedwells I would appreciate a photo.

 

[Dowmer]

Greg, excited to see more progress. I'm glad Speedwell is back in home waters for fitting out. 

[Jorge Diaz O]

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful. This model is on my favorites list, I hope to buy both volumes soon.

[TBlack]

Gregg, David,

I've got both volumes which are a wonderful, thoughtful presentation. I'm in the middle of another project just now, but you're next! Most of the construction for me (POB) is stuff I've done before, but the carving! Throwing me into the deep end of the pool. David does give a wonderful blow-by-blow description in vol. 2, but when I get to it, several years down the line, I might have to get in my wheelchair and head to Niagra-on-the-Lake.

Tom

[druxey]

Uh, it's Niagara with another 'a' in it, Tom. Were you thinking, perhaps, of Viagra?

[TBlack]

1 hour ago, druxey said:

Uh, it's Niagara with another 'a' in it, Tom. Were you thinking, perhaps, of Viagra?

David,

Thanks for the correction, and I would tell you I don’t need it, but you might get the wrong idea.

Tom

[popash42]

Dear Friend Your work is simply inspiring and allows us to learn what quality is 👌

[the learner]

Yes Greg the tops definitely look better this way and I cannot wait until you apply David's carvings.

 

When you say Chuck did the tops for you are they cut in one piece or many pieces to be built up? like his blocks etc??

[dvm27]

They are laser cut in one layer and all the planking is laser inscribed. I had built them originally of three ply layers but always had warping. After a year or so Chucks are still perfectly flat. I have also noted many Navy Board models where the tops have significant warpage.

 

David's amazing carvings are all secured in place (see prior page).

[shipmodel]

Hi Greg - 

 

The new tops look good, as do all your masts and spars.  They should compliment your hull and fittings very nicely.

 

As for the tops as drawn, I do not know of a contemporary model with such tops, but Captain Bligh's notes on the conversion of the Bethia to the HMS Bounty indicates that he had her fitted with 'gratten' tops, which I took to mean 'gratings'.  I suppose that this was to readily shed water in the rainy South Pacific where he was headed.  I have seen some modern models with such tops, and some look quite nice.

 

As the man said, "You pays yer money and you makes yer choice. . ."

 

Stay safe and well.

 

Dan

[druxey]

Dan: The issue with the 'gratten' tops on the NMM model is that the openings are at least 6" square: a real hazard. Were they finer mesh, it would be more plausible.

[shipmodel]

Good point.  I had not measured the drawing.

I think your decision is a good one.

 

Stay safe and well

 

Dan

[glbarlow]

I can’t begin to comprehend the builder skill and talent this model represents. As I struggle to plank the stern of Winchelsea then see such a masterpiece I just shake my head in wonder. I’m likely to buy the books just so I know there are masters like you two out there serving as inspiration. 

Edited May 9, 2022 by glbarlow

[druxey]

Thank you, kind sir!

[dvm27]

Glenn, your Winchelsea is coming along beautifully!

 

Ship modelling excellence is not something I was born with. It has been a long and trying journey with many scrap pieces along the way. You just need to decide whether you wish to build many good models or a few amazing models in your lifetime. If you're satisfied with the former that it's much easier. If you're a perfectionist it's all about the journey and making sure every piece is a perfect fit. The first time you decide to install a piece that is not quite perfect you've crossed a threshold that could easily become the norm.  So lot's of remakes and ungluing along this path but ultimately the one I find most satisfying.

 

 

[tlevine]

That sums it up perfectly, Greg.  If it were not for you and David, my model building would never have become what it is today.  What you gentlemen create is the stuff we can only dream of achieving.  

[glbarlow]

1 hour ago, dvm27 said:

Winchelsea is coming along beautifully!

Thank you for saying so and for following. 
 

I understand the perfectionist and patience quotient. I’ve tossed about as many planks as I’ve made. 

[Trussben]

On 5/9/2022 at 1:46 PM, dvm27 said:

Glenn, your Winchelsea is coming along beautifully!

 

Ship modelling excellence is not something I was born with. It has been a long and trying journey with many scrap pieces along the way. You just need to decide whether you wish to build many good models or a few amazing models in your lifetime. If you're satisfied with the former that it's much easier. If you're a perfectionist it's all about the journey and making sure every piece is a perfect fit. The first time you decide to install a piece that is not quite perfect you've crossed a threshold that could easily become the norm.  So lot's of remakes and ungluing along this path but ultimately the one I find most satisfying.

 

 

That’s about it for me.

[dvm27]

Not too much progress to note on Speedwell but the standing rigging has commenced. A photo of her in her current state is shown below. She needs twenty belaying pins. For the most part I find commercial belaying pins clunky and like to make them myself. I have seen several different techniques but they did not work particularly well in my hands so, if you have a lathe, maybe try this technique.

 

I discovered early in my machining, self-taught trials that in order to turn a very small diameter like the 0.020" leg of the belaying pin you have to turn against a much thicker stock or deflection occurs. In the first photo the 0.020" diameter is turned from 0.25" boxwood. The speed is high and the feed is very slow and consistent to avoid warping and deflection.

The cutting tool backed off 0.020" to form the diameter of the head of the pin.

The next step was impossible to photograph but a very fine Swiss file was used to reduce the area just above the transition.

 

The rest of the head was shaped with a fine Swiss file. The finished belaying pin was parted with the knife edge of the file while shaping it's curved profile. Many extras were made to insure consistency. You can see the delicate elongated shape of the pins against the illustration by David Antscherl in our Speedwell book.

 

The key takeaway for new home machinists is that you can turn very small diameters even in wood if you turn against a thicker stock. I can't say for sure exactly how thick but I should think at least four times the desired finished diameter.

 

[Gregory]

Those are really nice.  Any trick to keeping them uniform, or do you do it by eye?

[dvm27]

6 minutes ago, Gregory said:

Those are really nice.  Any trick to keeping them uniform, or do you do it by eye?

Pretty simple on the Sherline lathe. I just used the zero adjustable hand wheel. It was set to zero once the leg diameter of 0.020" was verified by caliper then backed off by 0.020" for the shaped top portion of the pin.

[gjdale]

Nice work Greg. Thanks for the machining tip - something that has always left me scratching my head for a solution. 

[Kevin Kenny]

Well you know me by now, ive done a video on making these little monsters. If anyone is interested i can send you the post. I used Juniper, waramara to make mine. Next time i take the Sherline out ill try the Lignum vitae.

[garyshipwright]

Nice job Greg. Should help me turn them when I finally get to that point. Gary

[Bitao]

Very nice clean work! To many people, the experience of a production process may seem simple, but it takes more practice to really understand it. Subsection turning small parts, accurate“Last cut” is essential.

[druxey]

Nice result, Greg.