Harriet Lane 1857 by slagoon - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:144 - steam paddle cutter

[slagoon]

Hi everyone, I'm back with some updates and at the end of my posting today I'll be looking for some help.  For now though, enjoy the updates.

 

We left off with me just scratching the surface on the deck furniture and fittings. I had gotten your help on how to put the bitts on.

 

I added the Fife Rails and belaying pins on the fife rails. Luckily the pot metal was really soft so I was able to drill into it using my manual drill.

 

 

 

 

I also permanently installed the vents and coaling rings.

 

 

 

I also added the thing for the anchor chains to go into that I had previously made out of sculpy.

 

 

 

[slagoon]

Next it was time to start creating the skylights and the companionways. I wanted these to be as realistic as possible so I didn't want to just paint a window on top of a triangle shaped piece of wood. I made the skylights out of a frame and then trimmed it down to a triangle. I also made "glass" out of dried white glue painted blue on the bottom. I finished it off with some 34g wire for the bars.  One note is that ALL the skylights are different sizes - and that is based on the drawing where they are all different sizes since the instructions just said to build them without any real direction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was time to make the companionways. Again, all three are different sizes. I framed those as well and added tiny bits of wood as the trim.

 

 

 

 

 

And then I installed them on the deck.

 

 

 

 

Also sometime during the build of those parts I also built the other part of the windlass based on drawings from the Beaver which was built around the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[slagoon]

Up next were the rail stanchions.  For these I used blacken-it which funnily turned it reddish from the pot grey color they were.  I think they were a bit larger in girth than they should have been for that scale, but the height was right. I drilled holes for where they were to go and used CA glue on the ends I inserted in the holes.

 

 

 

 

Then what do I find out? 

 

The ladders are too wide for where they are supposed to go..... great.

 

 

so I made some skinnier ones out of wood.

 

 

They aren't as good, but they are the right width so I'll live... This is just for the two that go from the deck to the top of the house.

 

The two that go from the house to the top of the paddle wheels were fine as is.

 

 

 

I added polyester thread to the railings so that I could burn the ends in order to "tie" them off.

 

 

 

 

 

Then I also added the little rail box things on top of the house.

 

 

 

I've been fussing over the ships boats for the last couple weeks too, and tried making a bread and butter version that I was sorely disappointed with and the castings had some overcast areas that looked horrible. My husband was kind enough to steal the casting away and get rid of the extra material so I painted it to see what it would look like.

 

 

I don't think it came out too bad.

 

[popeye the sailor]

nice work Sarah......the added structures and fittings are well placed.   cool deck layout!

 

 

oh,  you were still adding more progress........even better now!

Edited March 7, 2013 by popeye the sailor

[slagoon]

Augie, it was...but it was also fun.

Popeye, thanks I think it looks pretty nifty too.

 

Ok, on to my help request.... The wonderful instructions now tell me that if I don't know what I'm doing with rigging to go buy a book. Really? Beginner kit won't describe what I need to do?!!!

 

The instructions say that my masts should be tapered, but not where or how much and the pictures have all the rigging on them so I can't really see the dimensions. I also can't tell if both masts have a boom rest or anything.    Can someone tell me what to do FIRST?

[augie]

Gee, that's TERRIBLE.  Maybe Wayne can give you some guidance on the rigging.  And I'm sure there's a masting and rigging tutorial here on MSW.  I'm going to check.

[mtaylor]

Impressive looking deck furniture Sarah.  Hmm... there might be something to the concept of a wrong hammer and fingernail polish.   

[john46]

Hello Sarah,

 

Just to let you know that I enjoy your built. Nice work.

 

Regards

John

[popeye the sailor]

does you kit show the mast {s}.........in the fittings are there collars that ne to go on the mast tops?  tapering masts depends from ship to ship.  on your particular ship,  the tapering might start 2/3rds towards the top of he mast.   if you have a rigging sheet......this might give you clues as well......but mostly.....get familiar with the fittings that go on the masts and where they are located.......they will be your best barometer.   Wayne had his mostly rigged......perhaps he will post some pictures for you........won't you WAYNE!  

[trippwj]

Dang - no pressure here 

 

I used a couple of books to figure out the taper and arrangements - Underhill's Masting & Rigging The Clipper Ship & Ocean Carrier, Murphy & Jeffers Spars and Rigging from Nautical Routine, 1849 and Biddlecombe's The Art of Rigging.  Each is a good reference for different aspects of the masting and rigging.

 

Let me pull some info together and will post a bit later this morning concerning tapering etc.  As to the boom rest - the fore mast is completely square rigged so no boom rest nor gaff.  Only the main mast is rigged with a boom rest and gaff driver (spanker).

 

Here are a couple of pictures that may hel slightly.  I will go back and get the info on tapering and fittings a bit later today.

 

 

Rigging as shown on the plans sheet

 

 

Rigging the bowsprit from Underhill

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[augie]

Really nice of you to help, Wayne.  Hard to swallow that they leave you in the dark on this.

[trippwj]

The instructions are rather generic - a couple of drawings in the instruction book, the plans sheet, but since it is at such a small scale (1:144) and the topmast and top g'lant yard are very small diameter, the detail can get lost or overwhelm the spars.  tapering the topmast is a very delicate operation since it starts so small.

Edited March 7, 2013 by trippwj

[trippwj]

You are too kind, Sjors!

 

Sarah - to avoid cluttering your build, I am going to add some info to my build log on the masts and yards.  That work for you?

[slagoon]

Guys thank you soooo much. 

Wayne, those photos help quite a bit. I'm again befuddled how this is a "Beginners" model. Your photos are already helping...at the end of the post I'll show some of my progress on the masts. Thanks for your help!

 

Sjors, thanks. I'm happy with my work to date.

 

Popeye, Thanks, yeh the rigging sheet - to me is useless. I've been coloring it in trying to match up lines and stuff with parts called out elsewhere. Again, due to the scale and the hand drawn nature of the diagrams it is really hard to determine the necessary details.

 

Augie, yeh - bizarre right?

 

John, thanks so much.

 

Mark, haha yeh thank you!

 

Ok here's what I have worked on with you guys' help

 

 

 

 

 

And of course I'm being assisted by the Chief Petty Officer

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

I think you'll find that most instructions are pretty vague........Billing's seem to get the high honors with this....   the thing is to understand what it is that they want you to do.   it is good to read well ahead of the step you are on,  so you'll get a good idea how the step your doing affects the build later on.   not to worry though.......after you've done a few,  you'll start to draw your own conclusions,  as for what to do.....and when.   I get a kick out the the  'suggested level'  that a kit is intended for.   the kits I've built so far {except for the Nordkap} have been advanced beginners kits.   you not going to see a wood kit that is  'snap together'.......even a seasoned veteran,  would find challenge in most of these kits.

[slagoon]

haha, I wasn't expecting (nor do I want) snap together, but at least some usable diagrams and a parts list that uses the same words as the instructions/drawings. I'm looking over at the "advanced" kit we picked up at a swap meet and it has an entire 50 page book on just the rigging.... 

[popeye the sailor]

just like a kit...........hurry up and build the boat..........so we can hang you up with the rigging!   LOL!    that's the major difference between plastic and wood kits..........if they showed you everything,   you'd end up with a very thick volume!   we'd be building these ship with chapters,  rather than steps.

[augie]

Aw.... you take care of that family of yours.  I suspect they find themselves in a very, VERY good home.

 

And welcome to the real world of model ships.  I'm laughing over here because Chuck's Syren manual has about 50 pages on (you guessed it) rigging!!!!!  And every paragraph sometimes feels like a PAGE!

Edited March 8, 2013 by Augie

[trippwj]

Sarah -

 

Looking really good!  I have been bogged down in making spars and rigging the foremast for probably 3 months now...usually get to put in only a few hours each week so progress is glacial, but there is progress! 

 

Popeye had given me some good advice about the standing rigging and shrouds when I had the first foremast demasted, so to speak.  I am going from memory here (and mine is decidedly befuddled at times), but something along the lines of pre-tensioning the lines before installing.  Basically find their neutral tension point before putting them on the model so that they won't tighten (like mine did) or slacken.  He can definitely describe the process much better than I can!

 

Your deck furniture is looking very good - well done! 

[jcoby]

For what it's worth, The Art of Rigging is available for free in its entirety on Google Books.

[popeye the sailor]

I've never read the book........I hear it's pretty good.  I've rigged many plastic builds since the early 70's.....I've had more questions about proper placement,  than about the art in itself.  two things I have learned  is to understand what  'absolute zero' is in string tension and how to apply it,   and what lines will counter each other.......back stays counter fore stays,,,,etc.  I find that wood kits are different.....I am happy to find though,  that most of the same theories can still be applied.   don't get me wrong........I don't knock books........but what works for one,  may not work as well for another.    now,  if they came out with a book of common rigging diagrams,  complete with the names of each line.......I'd be all over that in a heart beat!   

[jcoby]

I've never read the book........I hear it's pretty good.  I've rigged many plastic builds since the early 70's.....I've had more questions about proper placement,  than about the art in itself.  two things I have learned  is to understand what  'absolute zero' is in string tension and how to apply it,   and what lines will counter each other.......back stays counter fore stays,,,,etc.  I find that wood kits are different.....I am happy to find though,  that most of the same theories can still be applied.   don't get me wrong........I don't knock books........but what works for one,  may not work as well for another.    now,  if they came out with a book of common rigging diagrams,  complete with the names of each line.......I'd be all over that in a heart beat!   

 

That's exactly what's in The Art of Rigging. Click on the link I posted. It shows every knot, splice, line, and stay for several rigging types. It goes into detail on each step.

[trippwj]

The problem with all of these is being sure that (1) the book is for the correct time period and (2) the right types of vessels (and nationality).  Biddlecombe is great for Royal Navy rigging during the late 18th and first half of the 19th century (he basically took a lot of the info from Steel), but not so good at American or merchant rigging.  Underhill's  Masting & Rigging The Clipper Ship & Ocean Carrier is wonderful for that style of ship during the mid and late 19th century.  Marquardt's Eighteenth-century Rigs & Rigging is a wonderful complement to Steel for that time frame - and in many ways much more comprehensive, though a European focus and not much American.

 

Of course, the other challenge is that two similar ships could be built (let's assume 2 merchant clippers built in New York in 1855), but the rigging can be drastically different - the skipper had a lot of latitude in how he chose to rig his ship.  Not only that, but the Bosun had a lot of say in which lines belayed where as the ship was rigged.

 

Sigh...life would be so much simpler if they stuck to a plan! 

[slagoon]

neat book! thanks for the link.  The advanced kit I was referring to isn't plastic...it's a constructo victory.  regardless, I am very appreciative of you guys' help. Last night I finished adding all the eyebolts and line to the yards. Not sure what they are for in real life, but you saw the first pic of that yesterday (the last photo I shared before my helper)

[themadchemist]

Hello Sarah

Amazing work I can't even image working in the 3/32'' = 1' scale. Everthing you've made makes that penny look HUGE. Love the Smoke stack, great detailing, with nail polish and fake leading no less.

 

looking forward to seeing more.

 

Keith

[slagoon]

Hi Keith, I saw you had been stalking my husband's swift log, nice to see you over here on the darker side  (too bad there isn't a smiley for evil laughter).

 

Anyway thanks so much for the compliments. I had to start using the penny because someone  *cough* was giving me grief about the quality of my sculpting...and while I am admittedly no fine artist....I thought given the actual size I'd done ok.  It's been quite a challenge trying to figure out how to build with what I used to consider splinters of wood!  Don't worry you didn't join the audience too late...loads of mistakes left to make in my masts and rigging.

[src]

Sarah,

Just getting caught up with your log. Looking good! I know what you mean about working with splinters of wood, sometimes I feel like the splinters I dig out of my hands from work are bigger than what goes into my build! AS for instructions, who needs instructions?? Dont tell me your one of those people who stop at the gas station and ask for directions are you?!?!?!   

Sam 

[themadchemist]

Sarah

Your right about the penny giving prespective, Camera's are so good these days its easy to get a 1/50 scale mixed up with a 1/100+ scale. I was looking at logs back before the builds log apocalypse and didnt realize the scale until a reference was given, splinters look like baseball bats, then you see that the whole piece is smaller then a penny. Setting an #11 blade up close would really show the brick in the Wall (PF ref) your up against. I find your work amazing. and the scale doubly amazing, I dont think I could do the scale, even though my MS research used microscale seperation with a 50um capillary.What I loved was that way you created that used look. That smoke stack looked like a real stack if it were in a context where you couldnt judge scale you'd think it was real. You have a great eye for detail.

 

...and yes I'm a stalker, but know longer a lurker. Its such a relief to have a few Swift builders ahead of my build. I had a panic attack when the MSW 1 disappeared and all those logs disappeared. I'm so amazed at the dedication of the members to this hobby and how fast thing have rebounded.

Picking each others brains also a fun part of the hobby. I love the willingness of experienced builders to take the time with Newbie such as myself.

 

Shine On -/\=

Keith, themadchemist

Edited March 10, 2013 by themadchemist

[slagoon]

I see Sjors is getitng grumpy with no eye-candy to view hehe..... I'll have an update WITH PHOTOS at the end.

 

Augie, I've been following DSimens' work since MS1.0 crazy awesome and tiny. Sorry, though, I don't have any anchovies.  too salty

 

Sam, nice to see you back and thanks! and no I don't ask for directions...that's what GPSs are for! As far as instructions...since I have no real ship experience, things like masts and rigging are magical creatures that are as understandable as unicorns and fat free hamburgers. ... If my kit were not labeled beginner I promise I'd be less whiny.

 

Keith, yep, with things like macro tubes for my SLR or macro settings for my point and shoot it is indeed hard to tell scale without something recognizable.  I don't know whose it was but on the old MSW I saw someone who was making a war ship and he had an anchor icon on all his photos...anyway he used a tic-tac for scale, and my goodness I look like a fat fingered 3 year old in comparison to his work....thanks for the compliment too I'm having fun and hopefully folks are learning from my mistakes as I have from theirs (and their successes) and that's what matters.

 

 

OK SJORS here are your photos!

 

I started working on putting bits of the bow together... here is the dolphin-striker and the jibboom....

 

Off to the left in that photo you can see the bees that I had to make

 (closer now)

 

 

 

Here is a closeup of the dolphin striker - you may be able to see the hole approximately where the "M" is in topmast...if not - maybe this will help

 

 

I also had to put two holes in the jibboom just before the shoulder for the stays

 

 

Here are my two masts assembled

 

 

and my boom and gaff...

 

I put some eyebolts on my bowsprit

 

 

And then made my homemade bitt for the bowsprit

 

 

and that's all I had time for in the last two days in the hours before I had to go to work.

 

Thanks for visiting

[gjdale]

Nice work Sarah,

Scale really does add to the degree of difficulty doesn't it?