Queen Anne's Revenge 1710 by shipmodel - FINISHED - 1/36 scale

[seargent spectere]

I agree,

Weathering is a diffrent skill set,

I had the same dilemma with a presentation model I made for a local library,

A "clean" model makes it far easier to appreaciate the technical details without visual distractions or confusion too.

 

Edward Teach didn't seem the type to keep a very clean ship

[shipmodel]

Build log 34 – main, mizzen topsail, bell

 

Hi to all from snowy Brooklyn.  I know that we have not had anything to compare with our daughter in Boston or son in Detroit, much less those of you who live in Canada or the northern tier of the USA, but between Brooklyn and Albany I have had more than enough of this winter !!   So here is a quick update before SWMBO and I leave for a week on a warm island.

 

The last segment ended with hanging and rigging the fore topsail. 

 

#

 

Since then I have made, hung and rigged the main topsail.  Nothing original here, just used the same techniques as on the fore topsail. 

 

1

 

The pair look good, especially when backlit.

 

2

 

And here is the full model with the two large topsails.

 

3

 

One of the few details on deck that I had not done was the ship’s brass bell.  One has been located in the excavation, so I had to include it.  I hunted through all the usual sources, including several that said they had ones the right size.  But when it came time to order them, there were none to be had.  Finally a friend in the NY club and on this list, JerseyCityFrankie, found ones in a jewelry and beading supply house.  Toho Shoji, Inc. has a lot of wire, threads, beads, and other items that can be useful.  Check out their website at tohoshoji-ny.com.  Anyway, here is the 10mm size installed in the belfry at the break of the foredeck.

 

4

 

I made the mizzen topsail, but have only hitched it to the mast with the parrell and the tye/halyard.  I ran out of properly sized blocks from Warner Woods West, but Lloyd is sending me some more.  The break therefore comes at a good time.  So here is the model with the three topsails.

 

5

6

 

Thanks to all for likes and comments.  Stay warm and be well.

 

Back soon

 

Dan

[dgbot]

Great looking model.  Too bad I cannot eyeball it.  I am sure that some of what you did was part of an educated guess or were you able to get all the info from the museum?  Have fun on a tropical paradise.  Where you can at least have some warm toes.

David B

[shipmodel]

Hi David - 

 

All of the basic information was provided by the museum, both through their sets of digital plans and on their public website.  The fine details, especially the rigging, has been much improvised.  I am using the best secondary sources, but there are times when I have to shrug my shoulders and guess.

 

Dan

[tarbrush]

those sails are really great Dan!!  enjoy your warm vacation   

[Mirabell61]

a very nice build Dan,

 

I love the well sewn  rigged sails, a beautiful ship to date. Also the Launch Looks has a very nice planking...

 

Nils

[dgbot]

You are doing a real bang up job.  Keep up the good work..  Ironic spring is coming up and you can go to a tropical island for awhile.  I would have Disappeared in January and stayed through Mar.  But that is life.  Fantastic model I wish I could see it up close.  If possible I will be going to Mystic this year.  It all depends on many things.  I am sure you will have that beauty on display to show off your tremendous achievement.

David B

[shipmodel]

Hi Nils - 

 

Thanks for the compliments.  I just got a look at your Pegasus build.  You are working in about half the size that I am, yet your attention to detail is just as complete.  You are even rigging more staysails than I will.  Nice work.

 

David - 

 

Whether it will be at Mystic is open, but unlikely.  The museum probably wants what they paid for.   You would have to go to North Carolina for an in-person examination.  Maybe the NRG will have a conference there in the near future.

 

Dan

[dgbot]

When I get better I might be able to get to that museum with my camera.  I hope to see you this year as well. the lord willing.

David B

[mtaylor]

Dan,

 

You've pushed me into sails also....  Great job.

[dvm27]

You've clearly mastered the sail technique, both furled and set. The back lit photo could pass for the real ship.

 

Have a great tropical rest, Dan! I think we've all had our fill of this winter

[shipmodel]

Build Log 35 - t'gallant sails, boat, swivel guns

 

Hi again, and welcome to spring - 

 

Back from vacation and back in harness.  This installment finishes the square sails, the two topgallant sails; fits out the ship's boat and installs the swivel guns. 

 

The t'gallant sails were made using the same techniques as those for the larger sails.  The sail was measured to fit the spar and reach the sheet blocks on the topsail spars.  This was laid out on stiffened fabric.

 

1

 

The edges were glued, including the overlaps for the tabling.  The openings for the cringles were cut out and the sail was cut along the outer edges of the tabling.

 

2

 

The bolt rope was installed and the tabling ironed down over it to secure it.

 

3

 

And here is the finished sail with reinforcements added to each corner.

 

4

 

The sails were laced to their spars and mounted to the model with ties and halyards, parrells, lifts, braces, and sheets, all according to Anderson.  Clew blocks and lines were rigged and run, although these sails did not have buntlines or leach lines.  Finally the bowlines and their bridles were rigged and run. 

 

4a

 

These last lines were pretty hard to run.  Not only is it getting pretty crowded at the bases of the masts, but it usually took several attempts before I could make the lines run without fouling any previous lines.  Here is what the foot of the foremast looks like at this stage.

 

4b

 

And here is the model with all square sails set.

 

5

 

6

 

Next the ship's boat was fitted out.  First came the oars.  I made 12 of them to match the number of oarlocks on the sheer. In the photo you can see the four steps in their construction.  The first three on the left are cut out roughly on the table saw.  The next three have been roughly shaped using a sanding drum in the Dremel.  The next three have been smoothed and refined, with a groove which sets off the handle.  The final three have been final sanded, finished, and have had a rope sleeve added which would protect the oar from chafing on the rowlock.  

 

7

 

Once the photo was taken the full set of oars was finished, then tied into bundles of six and lashed to a thwart.

 

8

 

A simple mast was made up to fit in the mast step.  A spar was estimated and a sail made up to fit, then laced to the spar.  The mast and spar were lashed together and to a thwart.  Several belaying points were set into the sheer for stays and sail handling lines.  Here is the finished boat on its cradles, although not permanently secured yet.

 

9

 

The final fittings in this segment are the swivel guns.  It is known that Blackbeard added a number of these useful weapons to the armament of the QAR, and one has been recovered in the excavation of the site.  Taking its measurements, a set of bronze colored barrels were located in the aftermarket that closely matched the size and shape of the artifact.

 

To mount them, a set of simple forked stanchions were made up from brass.  Here are the various pieces and how they go together.  

 

10

 

Once the prototype was acceptable, the pieces were soldered together, the brass blackened, and the barrels mounted.  

 

11

 

There are four on each side on the caprails, and one each in the main and fore tops.

 

12

 

So here is the current status.  

 

13

 

Next, the staysails and maybe the anchors.

 

Be well

 

Dan 

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Dan.  And your log continues to be a wonderful tutorial.  Seeing your lines at the foot of the foremast with the blocks and hooks answered some questions I had about how the free end was tied off. 

[dgbot]

Great work Daniel.  Your research went well with it.  I think Blackbeard would love to hijack that model if he could.  Beautiful work.

David B

[seargent spectere]

A great leap ahad in your progress, Dan!

It looks like the vacation did you good

 

I'd like to see how the swivels were mounted in the tops; i've not heard of that arrangement before, but it makes total sense to devistating effect in battle.

 

Keep up the beautiful & inspiring work!

-Matt

[shipmodel]

Hi all, and thanks for the likes and compliments.

 

Matt - I don't have any definitive research or authority for my setup, but I mounted the swivel guns in the tops on blocks set toward the forward edge on both sides, giving them the best field of fire once the topsails are raised.  However, only one of the blocks is used at any one time, on the theory that it would have been relatively simple to move the gun from one side to the other, and having two of them at once would be additional weight in the top that was not needed.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

Here is the foretop with the gun mounted on the starboard side.

 

 

Hope that explains it.

 

Dan

[Krelis]

Dan, stupid question, would that cannon ball not roll out of that front loading barrel if pointed down, giving Blackbeard an enormous headache? Bear in mind, I am not much of an artillerist..

Edited April 2, 2015 by Jan B.

[shipmodel]

Jan - 

 

That's actually a good question, and not stupid at all.  I recall reading contemporary accounts where such things did happen.  

 

However, I don't think that it would be a large problem here.  The process of ramming the ball down onto the wad that covered the powder charge would tend to stick it together.  Then, the ball and the inside of the barrel were pretty rough so there was a lot of friction, reducing the likelihood of it rolling out.  If it was a problem, then a second wad rammed on top of the ball would solve the problem completely.  If everything failed, it was only a one pound shot, about the size of a golf ball, so not much of a headache.

 

This is my take on it based on only a few times when I watched or participated in firing reproduction black powder guns and small cannon.  Anyone with more experience or knowledge is invited to correct me.

 

Dan

 

 

[michael mott]

An interesting concept Dan having a gun up there in the first place. Also there does not seem to be a lot of "leg room" for actually aiming or firing the thing if what you say about golf ball size shot.

 

Beautiful work on the sails and rigging, the furled ones look great too.

 

michael

[seargent spectere]

I think it's a great idea too, Dan.

Thanks for the photo!

 

Michael, it looks like a guy squatting down in the top would have plenty of space to operate the swivels up there, the muzzel isn't that long, and the ramrod wouldn't be either, which would take up most of the required room.

 

Concerning Jan's question, I grew up around black powder guns/muzzel loaders, and so long as the round shot is the correct diameter it would be snug enough in the barel that it will not roll out. Dan is right in that if the shot was loose in the gun, additional wadding would be rammed down on top of the ball in the muzel to keep it in place (I did see on the QAR reaserch site that they did find wadding made out of hemp fibers, so its a very viable option).

 

-Matt

[michael mott]

thanks for the additional Info Matt.

 

Michael

[Krelis]

 

Thanks for all the enlightenment!

 

I also found this picture showing wadding on top of the ball...

 

with comment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muzzleloader)

"On most naval cannons, one piece of wadding was used to hold the powder in place and served the purpose of creating a better seal around the shot. Another was used to act as a plug to stop the shot rolling out because of the swaying of the ship".

[shipmodel]

Thanks to all for an interesting discussion.

 

Dan

[shipmodel]

Hi all and thanks for the likes and comments.

 

At the end of the last segment I had finished and hung the square sails.  Now I turned to the staysails, most of which will be shown furled.

 

The sails were made up much like the square sails, but as triangles rather than trapezoids.  Here are the two from the first set that were made.  They were discarded because the panel lines are wrong.  The pattern with a central seam and angled panels is much more modern than would have been in use in 1710.  I made a hasty assumption before checking my sources.

 

1

 

So here is the redone main staysail.  It is reduced in size for purposes of furling, but is otherwise appropriately rigged.  As explained by R.C. Anderson, the lines and blocks for the foreyard braces would have interfered with the staysail sliding up the stay.  So a false stay was rigged under the mainstay and the sail is spiral laced to it.

 

2

 

The lower end of the false stay is secured to the foremast by a collar that rides just under the thumb cleat for the forestay (indicated by the arrow on the left).  A small deadeye is turned into the collar and a matching one seized into the lower end of the false stay.  The lanyard between them is tightened and the running end is frapped around it (see the arrow on the right).  Lacing this in, around and through the previously rigged lines was one of the most delicate operations I have ever performed in my years of modeling.  Suffice to say that I will pre-rig this next time.

 

3

 

The upper end of the false stay is comparatively easy.  There is an eye splice turned into the end of the line, which is then seized to the mainstay just above the euphroe lashing.  A single block is seized to the stay between the euphroe and the mouse to run the uphaul line for the staysail.

 

4

 

Once the sail was rigged, the lines were loosened, the sail misted with water and drawn down toward the foremast.  It was furled, twisted, and wrapped with one leg of the sheet line, the other was used to secure the furled sail at the deck to one of the deck cleats.  When I was happy with the look it was painted with matte finish to stiffen it.

 

5

 

Similarly, the main topmast staysail was rigged on its false stay.

 

6

 

The mizzen stays do not have any brace blocks rigged to them, so the staysails do not need a false stay.  Here is the mizzen staysail.

 

7

 

And here is the mizzen topmast staysail.

 

8

 

The fore staysail was done in the same way.

 

8a

 

The fore topmast staysail was set and shown billowed, its shape mirroring and complimenting the mizzen lateen sail.  I first ran it down the t’gallant stay, but this did not seem right.  First, it put it too far forward to look good to my eye.  Maybe more important, rigging it that way would have one of the largest sails being run between one of the smallest diameter masts and the end of the jib boom, also not that large a timber. This is a broken masthead waiting to happen.  Instead, I looked at some contemporary French models and usually saw a line running from the topmast head to the end of the jib boom.  This looked much more likely, and gave the sail a nice angle and shape.

 

8b

 

So here is the model with all sails set and rigged.

 

9

 

Next I turned to the flag.  Although no one truly knows what his flag looked like, the Internet has one that is called the Blackbeard flag.  It is a demon holding a glass in one hand and a spear in the other, aimed at a red heart with three red dots in the lower corner.  This was the one selected by the museum.

 

I took the image and imported it into my computer.  Using Photoshop I resized it, then used the skew function to bring down the lower outer corner of the flag.  This helps it to hang more naturally without a buildup of material.  A copy was saved and reversed, then both were combined into one image.

 

10

 

The double image was printed out on a piece of paper.  A piece of thin fabric large enough to cover the image with some excess all around was stiffened, then taped over the upper image and run through the printer.  This put an image on the first side.  The fabric was cut loose, turned over and positioned over the lower image.  Since the fabric was somewhat transparent it was easy to locate it exactly over the previously printed image.  Again it was taped down on all sides and printed again.

 

11

 

After allowing the ink to dry for 48 hours the flag was stiffened to lock in the ink, then cut out, leaving a bit of excess along the fly edge.  The hauling line was set in and the flap glued over it and ironed down.  The ensign staff was built up with a small block at the top and a cleat mounted at easy reaching height for a man.  With the staff mounted the flag was misted and curled.

 

12

 

So here is the model almost done.

 

14

 

The next segment should be the last.  Only the stern lantern to build and the anchors to mount.

 

Back soon.

 

Dan

 

 

[WackoWolf]

Beautiful work with the rigging. Nice computer work on the flag. Keep the pictures and Thank you for sharing this with us. 

[dgbot]

Nicely done Daniel. From the photos it looks like he genuine article.  Your rigging is first rate.  I like the way you did your flag as well.

David B

[mtaylor]

Beautiful, Dan.  The sails really set it off.

[gjdale]

I've only just come across this log Dan, and have spent the last couple of days enjoying following your journey. Aside from being a top notch build, your log is also terrific as an instructional piece. Like many others, I have shied away from adding sails to my models to date. Seeing your approach though, may just change my mind for the future. Thanks for sharing so much of your knowledge and experience.

[shipmodel]

Hello again to all.  

 

Thanks for the likes and comments.  I am glad that I can pass along some of the tips, tricks and techniques from my own teachers and from decades of trials and lots of errors along the way.

 

This will be the final installment of this build log.  The model is done and is waiting to be picked up for crating and delivery.  The final touches include: the stern lantern; mounting the anchors and anchor buoys; fitting the ship's boat and the spare spars.

 

The lantern was done in the round French fashion, rather than the hexagonal English style.  This meant that I had to scratch build it, rather than buying one of the well-designed and detailed ones from Syren Models.  In any event, here is how I went about it:

 

The lantern is not really round so it cannot be simply turned to shape, as you can see from the reproduced sections of the plan it is skewed towards the stern.  The central body was the most difficult to create.  Attempts to carve wood and acrylic were both completely unsatisfactory.  Starting from a cylindrical shape I could not get the proper angle to the lamp body.  Instead, I tried Sculpey, a clay that is hardened by baking in an oven.  After shaping it to the basic form by hand it was hardened according to the package directions.  When cool and hard it was still easily refined and smoothed by sanding.  The brass rod is for convenience in holding and shaping.

 

1

 

Here is a close-up of the body.  Examining the photograph I saw that I still needed to bring down the sharp ridge between the upper and lower portions.

 

2

 

When the body was brought to shape it was given several coats of primer, then a final light grey color coat, with light sanding in between.  The cap was carved from pear wood in a floral design.  I tried to get 16 petals around the circumference, but this proved too fiddly, so I have 12.  The finial on the top is turned from pear.  The mullions to hold the glass are cherry veneer cut to 0.030” x 0.015” strips.  Each was wet bent at the top end then glued in between the petals.  When that was dry and hard the rest of the strip was glued down the body of the lantern.  I put in the first four to quarter the body then marked out thirds in each section for the rest.

 

3

 

Here is a composite photo with two views of the lantern with all the vertical mullions installed.

 

4

 

The cross pieces were cut from the veneer strip and individually installed in three bands around the lantern.

 

5

 

A floral base was carved and a round drop at the bottom were made out of pear.  The finished lantern was sanded to remove any sharp corners then finished with a light stain/neutral carrier mix.  I let the stain pool a bit in the corners, which gave the panes some depth and shadow.  Each section was filled with white glue which dried to create a glossy ‘glass’ pane.

 

6

 

Mounting hardware was fashioned from a 0.062” brass rod with two pieces soldered at right angles.  The mount was bent and trimmed to fit a trio of holes in the stern.  After blackening the mount was installed and the lantern fitted to it at an appropriate height.

 

7

 

And here is how the lantern fits in with the look of the rest of the stern.

 

8

 

Next I turned to the anchors.  In an earlier segment I went through how I constructed them.  Here are the two finished sets of four anchors for each model.

 

9

 

To hang them I needed a triple block for each of the largest ones which would be mounted at the catheads, as well as an anchor buoy for each.  The blocks were made from 7mm triple blocks which were detailed by drilling a second set of line holes and rounding the resulting ‘sheave’ in the middle.  The hook was bent up from 0.035” annealed iron wire with the shank wrapped around the block in a deepened strop groove.

 

The buoy bodies were ¾” long, turned from maple.  Two ropes were seized together forming a small loop and spot glued at either end.  The lines were led down the body and under a cinch line about ¼ of the way from either end.  The vertical lines were doubled back on themselves, glued and trimmed. 

 

10

 

Here are the anchors mounted on the starboard side.  They are the two middle sized ones.  They are hung with strong lines from timberheads at the rail as well as the hooked block at the cathead.  A sense of weight is imparted by hanging a weight from the anchor then stiffening the supporting lines with dilute white glue.

 

11

 

Here is the buoy tied to the shrouds with a loop of line that is ultimately secured to the anchor shank.

 

12

 

And here are the two on the port side similarly secured.  These are the largest and smallest of the set.

 

13

 

The final tasks were to secure the ship’s boat in the waist and add two spare topmasts and large spars.  These sit between the gaps in the rails at the edges of the foredeck and quarterdeck.

 

14

 

Various rope coils were added to each belaying point, the model was cleaned and a few spots of paint were touched up. 

 

So here she is, ready for pickup and shipping. 

 

15

16

 

And one final photo of a future crewman, grandson Eli, who is almost four and already very interested in what his Poppy Dan does with his boats. . .

 

17

 

It was an interesting build, and radically increased my appreciation and respect for those modelers who rig sails.  As always, questions, comments, and critiques are very welcome.

 

Back soon with another project, the SS Andrea Doria in 1:200 scale.

 

Till then, be well,

 

Dan

 

 

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Dan.  You're mini-tutorials are most helpful and I appreciate it.   The customer should be most pleased.