Rattlesnake by JPett - Model Shipways - Scale 1/64th - Kit #MS2028

[augie]

Good to see her underway again, JP.  I've been trying to keep my sessions a reasonable length so as not to try and do too much.  I believe it's helping with consistency and quality.  We all work differently.

 

Gee, treenails would sure look good on the gunwales.  Keep 'em small (unlike simulated keel bolts)  

[patrickmil]

Your Rattlesnake looks great JP. From your earlier pictures I would never have guessed that you gunports were different sizes. For what it's worth, I think you are doing a phenomenal job with your build and providing a mini-tutorial for others.

[Martin W]

Hi JPett -- Your careful work seems to be paying off on a great build.  As for the boxwood, I'd say that it's about my favorite wood to work with, since it's might forgiving, doesn't splinter too badly like other common hardwoods, and can always be sanded to cover up those unforeseen mistakes (the ones that were such a good idea at some time).  My gunports were also all individually sized, though I didn't use the plywood base for the bulwarks, I just planked from bulkhead (or frame) to bulkhead, stopping each plank just inside the boxwood port, and then I could file the plank flush.  It was a long, slow process, and I have a vague hunch that I also sought refuge in beer.  (I just looked back at the section of the practicum that I've followed for much of the build and saw that it insists "all gunports are the same diminesion, approximately 3/8" wide and 5/16" tall" -- but I know from the emotional scars I carry with me still that they didn't work out that way.)

 

Thoughts on treenailing the gunwales -- have you seen photos of actual 18th-century ships with treenails there?  My personal view is that they provide a striking visual line showing off the sweep of the hull, and that treenails would interrupt that line.  My own Ratt has so many treenails in her that she could even be called The Leopard.  And the deck is one place I think they really look good.  Just my thoughts.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

I'll throw in my 2 cents about tree nailing:

 

Point one, ships used treenails.

 

Point two, tree nails were not used as a fashion statement.

 

Therefore on my Rattlesnake, I did nothing to enhance the contrast to make them stand out. I like to think of the model like an onion. As you peel back on layer there is another. So the closer you look,  the more detail you see. The effect I believe, should subliminal. Why does one model look better than another. Many times you can't put your finger on it, but I think it boils downs to craftsmanship, presentation, and the little details. Treenails are the little details that you may not a first realize are there but enhance the overall effect.

 

That said, I'm really a novice at this. The Rattlesnake is my first POB sailing ship so take this with a grain of salt.

[Kenneth Powell]

She really looks great. Keep up the good work

[popeye the sailor]

looking very nice JP.......the dilemmas of doing and not doing......it always seems to come out in the end though    your doing a fine job!

[JPett]

Ahoy Mates

 

Augie: I am still throwing around ideas. I have not been able to come up with something that will play nice with what I have. Call it a lack of foresight on my part. The way I did the hull is something I would rather not repeat.

 

Patrick: What happened was I tried to create a step inside the ports. This meant I had to cut the planks to the correct length. I could not just file the openings, although I ended up doing just that in this post.

 

Martin: I just try my best and if I am not happy I redo it. Some may feel redo's are "unproductive"  :P but I think they are very helpful for the newbie shipwright.

 

JSG: Thanks for stopping by. I frequent your log and find much inspiration there. Thanks for posting. For this "my first real build" my goal is to just learn as much as possible and hopefully end up with something I am happy with.

 

Kenneth: I just keep going

 

Popeye: "To do or not to do" I think I saw that play

 

Back to the Build

 

Well It doesn't look like much but as we all know that does not mean many hours were not spent in the shipyard

 

I had to step up and be the Captain. Decisions had to be made.

 

I was just not happy with the gunports. After all the time I spent to frame them I was not going to settle. Originally I tried to do a step inside the gunports which can be seen in the 'before" insert in the pic.  This meant that the planks had to be cut precisely before installation. In all honesty my skills just were not up to this task and this resulted in the gunports following the sweep of the planks and not the line I wanted. It was a lot of work but also not correct for the ports not having a lid. Once I filed the "non Lid" ports and saw how nice they came out I made the call to do the remaining ports which I am now much happier with.

 

There was also another casualty. After all my work to save the step in the wales I ended up sanding it entirely out. As much as I tried the end result was in a word 'unattractive". Trying to work the harder boxwood next to the softer basswood resulted in a rather unflattering line. This was further exacerbated by the lack of any step in the stern.  Not sure how that happened. I also found that my wale is about 2mm low in the stern. I confirmed this on the plans. This has affected the window height which has created an issue with the trim which I am currently working to resolve.

 

In the plus column; I am very happy with the window and the sheave. Actually the entire project right now. I made the parts with my Vanda lay set up. The sheave I saw in Chuck' s Winchelsea log  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/99-hms-winchelsea-by-chuck-1764-english-32-gun-frigate-pob-164/?p=1340 I also did the scuppers, slightly adjusting their positions to add a little more symmetry to the gunports and finished the port side of the lower transom. You can see my jig on the starboard side. That is used to get the correct angle for the planks when they butt up to the stern.

 

Comments "as always" are welcome

Edited October 26, 2013 by JPett

[popeye the sailor]

sweet! 

[Beef Wellington]

Seems you are definitely working through your own 'learning experiences', shes really looking very nice though, love the effect you've created especially visible below the wale.  Will the 'correction' of the wale step issue mean replacing the topmost plank?

[patrickmil]

I really like what I see here JP. The gun port in your picture looks cleaner. The sheave also is a nice touch.

[augie]

I'm with Patrick on the gun ports and sheave.

[src]

JP, really like what I am seeing.

Sam

[Trussben]

Nicely done JP, you keep making progress!

 

Ben

[Bill Hime]

JPett, I just joined MSW a day or two ago. Your log is the first that I have read and I have not missed a word. What a great log! I look forward to continuing to follow your journey with this build. The mistakes are far more important than the successes, especially when sharing with others. Thank for your candidness and persistence. Much can be learned from both

 

May your decks always face the sun...Bill Hime

[Martin W]

Hi there, JPett -- I can feel your pain over having to look at a piece that just isn't right.  Glad to see that the 2nd effort is all it took to make everything better.  Your window is especially impressive -- it's nice and even, with the mullions in good proportion, and all the joints tight.  And the sheave does add a very nice touch as well.  Bravo!

 

Martin

[sport29652]

J, again great work.

[Bill Hime]

Keeping the lantern's burning in the shipyard until your return

 

Bill

[JPett]

Ahoy Mates

 

Popeye: Thx

 

Jason: I wise man told me if you want to win the war, pick your battles. I may have recently forgot this.

 

Pat. The sheave was not as hard as I thought either. I still need to make one more though.

 

Augie: Your  turn

 

Sam: Nice to see you again THX for the compliment

 

Ben: U2

 

Bill: Thank you very much. Your comments meant a lot. Good luck on your build.

 

Martin. I still need to do the other side. Due to my wales being wrong it is slightly off in height and I may need to delete the trim that should run directly above it. All my attempts to include it looked awful so far.

 

Sport: Thx, Yours looks great too and has inspired my work.

 

Back to the build

 

Well I must say that finishing my gunports has really tested my resolve. Well it still is. I am redoing the starboard side for the fifth time. Finding the motivation has been difficult but I am not a quitter. Just someone who knows when to take a break.

 

In typical JPett fashion I painted the gunwales and wales three times. If it helps it was not hard to do. Just let the paint you want to remove completely dry for a few days before sanding it off. Best to put the model somewhere that you can not see it too. I am very happy with my choices. I spent a considerable amount of time experimenting with paints to achieve this look. The gunwales are Windsor and Newton water based Oil, (Yellow ochre) Thinned 75% and around three coats. I painted the bare wood then sealed it with WOP after painting. I wanted to stain the wood with the paint. The wales are Windsor and Newton Acrylic (Mars Black). Originally sealed first with the WOP then painted with enamel, this took around four days. I did not like the contrast however. That and screwing up the step in my wales meant I needed to paint anyways.

 

As for the Step, painting this side without having completed the other, which BTW is "out of order and bad practice" needed to be done. It was a low point in the build when I felt I had to sand off this step which I spent so many hours on. Seeing that I could still produce a kit I would be satisfied with, with all the mistakes I have made so far was important. Call it a test before proceeding with the other side.

I need to keep things in perspective here. Had I not been satisfied the picture posted there would have been a completely different model shown. One with some of the first planks I ever laid ripped out. In all honesty I feel that, that redo is above my skill level and may have resulted in my permanently damaging this kit.

 

I will continue to pay for this as without this 'lip" the anchor guard may also have to be either just painted on or removed. Suggestions welcome

 

 And some of you were wondering

Edited November 21, 2013 by JPett

[Martin W]

Ahoy JPett, Fellow Rattler!  Golly it's good to see your post again.  And I'll say that your perseverance has paid off.  The broadside photo shows the gunports off well -- they're aligned nicely, and your choice of colors I think works to highlight the lines of this ship.

 

Keep at it (even if it's slowly),

 

Martin

[Trussben]

Hi JP.

 

It looks really good to me buddy! The black wales look really good, how did you find using the newton and Windsor acrylics, I used the lamp black color myself but I had to leave it 5 days until it fully dried.

 

Glad to see you back on a roll.

 

Ben

[russ]

The paint work and planking all look really good. Excellent work.

 

Russ

[md1400cs]

Hi JP,

 

Yes to all of the above comments. I also really like your hull treenails Whoa. beautiful. Nice to see your updates again.

 

Regards,

 

Michael

[Beef Wellington]

The colours and the finish look just wonderful.  The technique to use diluted paint had never occurred to me and the results you've obtained are fantastic.  Think I share your approach on trying new things in isolation, but try to force myself to alternate the sides so that I don't end up with a  'good' side a 'bad' side, just two different sides

[cookster]

JPett, love the yellow ochre color!  The black also looks very nice.

Sorry about your tough moments in the build, we all have those...

 

Congrats on conquering them and moving forward!

[sport29652]

The detail is fantastic ! I really need to slow down as I have found a couple of issues with my build by examining yours. J keep it up its gonna look great !

[Blue Ensign]

She looks good JP well done

 

B.E.

[Kenneth Powell]

Awesome, just awesome work!

[popeye the sailor]

she looks great JP........I'm not as familiar with this build as others are,  but I'm sure that in doing the other side,  you'll come up with a good remedy for your problem.   even if left this way,  you have a fine looking build there.

[mtaylor]

Nicely done on getting the ports and paint squared away.

[augie]

This last update shows how really first rate she is JP.  The paint certainly shows off that nice job on the lower hull.