HMS Bellerophon 1786 by AON – scale 1:64 – 74-gun 3rd Rate Man of War - Arrogant-Class

[mort stoll]

Very nice. Very very nice.

[AON]

Third set almost completed. Bamboo spokes dry fitted (not glued in yet).

Below them is the dowel for the axle it will spin on.

Below that is the left over spoke material.

I will complete these tomorrow and possibly the pedestals... then see what it all looks like from a distance.

 

[druxey]

Looking very respectable, Alan!

[AON]

Third try was the charm

 - first photo peeling it apart

 - second photo dry fitted to axle

 - third photo glued up

Presently working on my second attempt at the pedestals

Edited December 22, 2023 by AON

[Wintergreen]

That's excellent Alan, well done!
I give you an A for effort but not only that, you also receive an A for execution. 😉 

Step back, dim the ligths and admire your wheel, because it is worth it.

 

Keep it up!

[AON]

...and the pedestals are done.

I left a wee bit extra material at the foot and more again at the head so it can be adjusted to fit the space when the time comes.

All is stored away at the moment.

As I might not post again until the new year I would like to thank all those that have been following, visiting occasionally, and offering encouragement.

Wishing all a very Merry Christmas and a most enjoyable New Years!

 

Edited December 23, 2023 by AON

[bruce d]

Alan, best wishes to you and yours over the holidays.

 

[druxey]

Nice, Alan! And a merry Christmas to you also.

[Dr PR]

Alan,

 

I have been reading through your build and your work is very nice. The research is even better! Thanks for sharing.

 

Happy New Year!

[AON]

My official last post for 2023!

The last pieces to make were the sliding foot assemblies that allow the tiller rope to pass through the deck on both sides of the rope barrel while keeping water from passing through to the deck below. I envisioned making these two assemblies in pieces but after completing a scaled drawing I realised it would be much too small for my limited talent. I made a base plate to represent the quarter round trim work, and carved a single block to make the lower housing and the sliding shoe pieces. As these pieces on my model are fixed my rudder will not turn. I used a #66 drill to make the 2" diameter rope hole through it and dabbed some metallic copper paint around the holes to represent the copper trim work. Both assemblies are identical. When mounted, one is rotated 180°. As the ship's real wheel was rotated the drop of the seven wraps of rope around the hub or barrel would shift forward and aft. The real Tee shaped shoe would slide in the fixed housing Tee slots to accommodate the shift as the rope passes through a slotted hole the deck.

 

Next I decided it was also time to consider adding the five sets of fixed blocks to the frames and I needed to research and draw these at my build scale. First I needed to understand what ropes passed through them so I would know their sizes and be able to determine the sheave diameters and other dimensions associated with them. They were identified as:
1. The main yard braces (4-1/2" circumference). This is a double sheave at the stern quarter on the poop deck level, just above the planksheer. The forward end of these sheaves tilts upwards between 6° and 10°. I split the difference and drew mine at 8°. This seems to be a filler block of wood between timbers and behind a face plate or plank. I will not be installing this one so soon as there is no cutting into the framing timbers required and they are located quite high in the build.
2. The main sheets (7-1/2" circumference).This is a single sheave at station 22 across from the mizzen mast at the upper deck level. The forward end of this sheave tilts upwards 8°. This is a filler block fit into a rectangular opening from the inboard side of the ship. The inside face of the block has ears or tabs at both sides that rest against and are bolted to the timbers. David Antscherl had an excellent sketch in both his book series: The Fully Framed Model and also in the NRJ Spring 2012 issue 57-1, Shop Notes (pg 45).
3. The foresail sheets (7" circumference). This is a single sheave at station (1) forward of the main mast mast at the upper deck level. The forward end of this sheave tilts upwards 8°. This block is similar to item 2 above.
4. The mainsail tacks (9-1/2" circumference). This is a single sheave at station G-forward, across from the belfry but on the upper deck level. The aft end of this sheave tilts upwards 8°. This block is similar to both items 2 and 3 above.
5. The cat fall snatch blocks (5-1/2" circumference). This is a single sheave located between the planksheer and fife rail, above the cat tail at the forecastle deck level at station Y. This sheave is level to the planksheer and deck. I will likely not be installing this one so soon for the same reasons listed for not doing the main yard brace fixed blocks (item 1 above).

I used Steels' rigging tables found in Volume 1 of The Elements and Practice of Rigging and Seamanship to determine the line sizes and both Rees' and Steels' block sizing calculations to determine the sheave diameters and thickness. I listed these earlier in my build.

So, my list of items to do next grows.
 

Edited December 31, 2023 by AON

[AON]

Four of five breasthooks installed The fifth is above the deck so I'll wait until the deck beams are installed before I do it.

I took a stab at making a fixed block. This one is scrap but I learned something from it.

The block ears are located inboard when installed but I need to make them thicker to allow finish shaping them to the profile of the timbers while keeping them the thickness of the inner planks.

I also need to make the block thicker to protrude far enough outboard to allow shaping them to the outside profile thickness of the plank on the frame.

David shows this quite clearly in TFFM Vol 1 pg 166

The sheave is tilted 6 to 10° in the block. I marked it at 10° and stayed a bit inside the mark.

Using micro chisels I tried shaping the sheave inside on one side.

Might be time to go revisit Kevin Kenny's build videos and see how he did his.

[dvm27]

I've always had trouble free handing those sheaves Alan. I just create a slot with the appropriately sized end mill then turn the sheave on the lathe, part and insert. 

[AON]

Yes, I've seen photos in TFFM.

I do not have a mill or a first class X-Y adjustment means... but I seem to manage.

I was thinking of giving your sandwich build a go but I need to allow for the tilt in the slot... maybe a wooden sheave shaped on the mini lathe?

I'll be making fresh sawdust later this afternoon.

 

PS: I just reviewed Kevin's video and it did not show the various steps he took to make the parts but he did show I'm in good company with the number of scrap pieces accumulating.

Practise make perfect barely acceptable!

[Jaager]

51 minutes ago, AON said:

The block ears are located inboard when installed but I need to make them thicker to allow finish shaping them to the profile of the timbers while keeping them the thickness of the inner planks.

I also need to make the block thicker to protrude far enough outboard to allow shaping them to the outside profile thickness of the plank on the frame.

If the only fault with the block is that the inner and outer faces come up short, a layer can be added to the block at both faces and they can be shaped.  Using the same wood ad the planking.

The species that you are using for the block body is: ?

I wonder if you might have success if the main block body is a dense species of wood?  Or even Tagua nuts?

[druxey]

Apart from the slight splintering, that fixed block looks pretty good, Alan. What wood are you using for these?

[AON]

Thank you Druxey.

The material is Castelo boxwood

I thought I'd leave a sacrificial layer front and back to sand any surface splintering away but then realised I will be doing that when I sand back to shape the plank thickness profile inboard and outboard.

 

[Wintergreen]

3 hours ago, dvm27 said:

I just create a slot with the appropriately sized end mill then turn the sheave on the lathe, part and insert.

That sounds so easy when you say it like that Greg. But we know better, it is not. 😉 

 

Alan, for a first try, would be satisfied. Maybe you can dress it up if you have a small dia burr or similar?

 

Keep it up!

[AON]

I managed to spend about 90 minutes in the shop today and likely won't get back until Monday afternoon.

 

I prepared some larger stock material and laid out four fixed blocks for drilling and cutting leaving extra material on the inboard and outboard hull frame sides as mentioned was necessary in an earlier post.

This was mounted in my vise and magnetic clamped to my drill press table.

Using a #60 drill bit (about 2-1/2" diameter at scale) I drilled the holes through for the sheave pockets.

I then cut the notches for the ears and cut the four blocks free of the stock.

You can clearly see the size difference with the one photo where I placed the trainer block on top of these.

Then came the very scary part.

I had laid out the fixed block locations on the hull a few days ago, double checked them yesterday, triple checked them today.

Using a drill bit about 2/3rds the diameter of the pocket width I carefully drilled a dimple and slowly drilled the hole, then repeated two times for three holes in each of the four pockets.

I had discovered that when using my cordless drill and resting the edge of the battery at its foot against the table top the bit was perfectly level with the table top.

I needed to only watch that the bit was parallel to the frame.

Next I will hollow out the pockets and size them to fit snugly with the fixed blocks.

While the blocks are inserted I will mark them proud of 4" inboard and outboard of the timber (1/16" at scale).

The blocks will be sanded back to that shape and then the sheaves will be carved into them.

I have a plan.... wish me luck!

 

[AON]

Managed a couple hours in the shop this afternoon.

 

First was cutting out the sheave block holes through the hull.  I managed only two of three that pass through the starboard side of the hull.

I cut out between the holes using an small X-acto saw blade as it would fit in the hole.

Then I opened the rectangular hole with small files, checking for fit regularly. There was some chipping.

Once the block fit I ran a pencil mark around the block next to the hull then I sanded the inboard and outboard end of the block to be 1/16" proud of the mark.

The pencil mark was slightly clear of the frame so the "extensions" out and inside of the frame was slightly more than 1/16" which is 4" at scale.

I then clamped the block in my table vise. Drew a straight set of pencil lines above and below the sheave holes at the hole extreme diameter as a guide.

Using a scalpel I scored along the lines in an effort to avoid chipping the surface of the wood when chiselling.

Then I micro chiselled out the sheave opening between the holes, shaped the sheave and chiselled the rope groove into the sheave.

Then turned it around and did the other side.

All pencil marks on the block and hull were erased, followed by light sanding.

The blocks were then glued into the frame holes permanently.

I have the two fixed blocks on the port side to do next and then there is one last set that passes through the frames forward of these.

They are ever so slightly larger at 13" (0.20") versus 10" (0.16").

Not necessarily very noticeable at this scale but I'll do my best.

 

Edited January 23 by AON

[Wintergreen]

Oh, the close ups are always a menace. But you are doing well! That minor chipping will not be visible from a regular inspecting distance later on.

 

Keep it up!

[AON]

Thank you Håkan

If that minor chipping was a problem for me I actually would have thrown out the whole model a long time ago.

There are many mistakes made and corrected along the way that only I or a close up with a camera can see.

These are all my honourary awards for not having given up.

 

I actually put a dab of white glue in those chip spots and rubbed some sawdust into it, let it dry a bit and passed sand paper over it lightly to hid it a bit.

If a plank is placed over it it would never be seen again.

 

[Wintergreen]

On 1/23/2024 at 4:32 PM, AON said:

These are all my honourary awards for not having given up.

I am with you on that one. Cheers!

[AON]

Completed the three sets of fixed blocks... but after having reminding myself not to get cocky and triple check what I'm doing I ended up drilling the last two backwards.

The sheave was tilted the wrong way. I had one glued in and was starting to carve the last when I realised the error.  I quickly removed it and cleaned up the hull.

Had to cut two new pieces and carefully mark them before drilling.

 

 

Edited January 27 by AON

[TBlack]

Thank God for slow setting glue.

[AON]

Foremast step is made and installed

Main mast step is being made

[AON]

Made and installed the main and mizzen mast steps. I simplified them as they won't be seen.

One thing was desperately needed to be added... a coin for good luck.

I have an 1896 Queen Victoria 5 cent Canadian silver coin. About 15.35 mm diameter.  It is quite battered up and worth about $12 max. on a good day.

I drilled out the bottom of the main mast step with a 5/8 spade bit, inserted the coin face up, and installed it in place permanently.

Am I ready to start the deck beams?

I think so.

Have to remove the masts first and put them back in storage.

 

 

[druxey]

Arr, mate; she be carrying silver bullion! That is a fun item to include, Alan.

[AON]

I actually did one other thing to personalize it. The hint of which is mentioned in my very first post. Possibly in 100 years someone will have a reason to get inside with a small camera and discover it.

[AnobiumPunctatum]

That is a brilliant idea.

I love the progress during your build.

[Wintergreen]

Alan, I'm not entirely sure about those lower shrouds. They look a bit over-sized and the angle doesn't look really right.

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself. 😄 

You're doing good!

 

Nice touch with the coin 🙂 

 

Keep it up!