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

[Dowmer]

This is a very useful technique that is commonly used in the scale RC plane building (my other passion).  
You can use plain white glue or RC canopy glue which is about the same thing. You can thin it until you get the consistency you like so it lays down and looks like dome head rivets etc. I also add some acrylic silver paint to the glue so when the dry they look like metal. Then paint and slightly rub them to give a metal look. 
 

I use a small glue bottle with a syringe tip for application. With a little patience you can get them very consistent. You can also use a toothpick etc, but I find the syringe needle with a flat opening works best. 

Edited July 14, 2021 by Dowmer

[AON]

Today I worked on my CAP  and the JEER CLEATS.

 

 

I followed TFFM for the JEER CLEATS, made in three pieces, glued and shaped, assuring there will be adequate clearance to install each sling.

 

 

If you look just forward of the BOLSTERS you will see a hint of the iron wear or bearing FID PLATE on the top of the TRESTLE TREE for the Top Mast Fid.

I almost forgot these.  I'll need to review the whole assembly to make sure I haven't forgotten anything else.

There are plates on both of the two trees.  The Fids were said to be Iron or Wood with holes at both ends so I envision them being secured to the mast with a single lanyard.

 

I followed a number of sources to complete the CAP.

The cap is made to look like two pieces bolted through the sides as described by Steels.

The most time consuming part was fitting the chamfered or bevelled head into a chamfered or bevelled hole, but I managed!

A nice snug fit.

The LEATHER COAT was added to both the top and underside of the CAP at the Top Mast hole.

The leather was simulated with natural brown shipping paper from Amazon, free with delivery... I keep a bit of everything!

Nails were simulated with a soft sharp pencil.

Once again everything looks better from a short distance.

 

I have not made my four eye bolts and they will need to be blackened before being installed under the CAP.

I have drilled the holes and added monofilament line in the top to simulate the ends of the Eye Bolts.

I'm not quite sure when I should do the eye bolts as it might be easier to do them with the blocks that are suspended from them.

Any suggestions from those who know!?!

 

The CAP is not glued down.  It will not be glued until the Top Mast is ready to be installed... quite some time from now.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by AON

[druxey]

It certainly would be a bit easier to hook blocks under the cap earlier,  but they are very likely to fall off and get lost! BTW, the cleats for the slings will be a pain as you have them. Leave the top of the slots open until after the sling is installed.

 

If the cap is a decent fit it won't need glue - just like the real thing!

Edited July 17, 2021 by druxey

[Beef Wellington]

Alan, that is some pretty amazing detail at 1:64, and its nice to see detail normally omitted or obscured by paint.  Very nicely done indeed.

Edited July 18, 2021 by Beef Wellington

[AON]

Thank you Druxey.

They are attached now.  If they are found to be a pain to rig I will remove them as you've suggested.

 

Mr. Beef W.

I find my scale allows me the option to include quite a bit.  And painting does hide more than just blemishes or errors.  I am growing quite fond of being able to see the little details... hope I feel the same way next summer 😉

Edited July 18, 2021 by AON

[AON]

Can anyone tell me if there were in fact

1) individual copper plates, or

2) one long plate per side, or

3) no plates

on the top at the slotted holes for the deadeye shrouds?

 

Edited July 22, 2021 by AON

[AON]

After considerable research, finding most reference books disagree with each other and some presenting juxtaposed information within themselves, finding only one recent reference to the metal band in the NMM/RMG collection, finding no mention of swivel guns in any Bellerophon newspaper reports of the day, finding several images of different styles of swivel guns for the period in the NMM/RMG collection, finding a reference to an order to stop the practice of arming HM Ships with swivel guns a decade after 1786, and realizing copper would corrode (galvanic reaction) with the iron of the deadeye strap....

 

I've decided to install the wooden swivel gun chocks and add the blackened iron metal bars along the outsides as one length per side as in my mind the original as launched build would have likely had them whether they were used or not.

 

Hope to have this done after I've finished the base for my Aleutian Hunting Kayak which I am in the middle of completing.  Late last week I completed the base for my Mississippi Plank River Raft as can be seen below.

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by AON

[mtaylor]

Alan, it would be tough to prove you wrong.  I've read "The Billy Ruffian" several times and noticed that in the historical artwork presented, she had different "looks", armaments, and carvings.  It would be tough to pin one version down as being the "definitive" look.

[AON]

I added the iron bars to the outside of the main top for the deadeye shrouds.  This are blackened card stock.

I added the swivel gun chocks inboard of the above and drilled the six holes for the swivel gun posts.

 

I needed to determine the height of the swivel gun chocks.  The hidden lines in the drawing tells me the radial top battens pass through it, that it is taller then them.  I decided to make them the same height as the gunwale plank below the handrail stanchions.

 

Below are a few photos.  The top is not secured to the trees as a number of blocks need to be added and they might be easier to do with it separated.

 

So I stow the mast in a rack in a box with dust protection, and the mast top clamped to a piece of wood (keeping it flat and safe) with a guard for the handrail... in a box, and then this in the box with the mast rack.   It will be awhile before they are mounted so I need to keep them off to one side.

 

Now I go back to my last few frames.

 

 

[AON]

... and I did complete the display case base for my kayak.  I envision a carved walrus in the back left corner on some ice and one or two carved glaucious gulls flying over on the nameplate side.   But that is for another day.

[garyshipwright]

Good job Alan. I just may have to build my mast and tops along the lines that you have set. Thanks for sharing. Gary

[AON]

Thanks.  I'm not sure if I will redo the card stock iron bars.... I put them away so I can look at them fresh next week or so.

[AON]

Took another look at my Iron Bars and decided they are keepers, so I won't be replacing them.

 

However, I did notice something missing on my mast.... the LUBBERS WOOD!

These are 1-1/2" thick planks installed on top of each Cross Tree and they fit inside the Lubbers Hole in the TOP.

As they will help self centre the TOP onto the TREES when it does get permanently installed I decided to add them today.

[AON]

We had a couple of absolutely gorgeous days here in the Niagara Peninsula so I decided to take some work outside... and make another attempt at my interpretation of the original  figurehead.

 

Below are a few rough carved photos.  It needs considerable cleaning up but looks good so far.

[druxey]

Nice start but, might I suggest, 'horse backwards'? Imagine finishing this carving, which will have delicate detail in places. Now, how are you going to clamp it to cut the slot for the knee of the head? The only reasonable solution is to have the knee of the head made first. Then cut the slot with its double taper into the blank block first, making sure that it fits in place nicely. Mount the carving on a temporary stick that you can hold in a vise to carve it.

[AON]

On this side of the peninsula we call that *** backwards.  For a micro second I thought my horse was backwards???

 

I understand what your saying and have seen photos of this.

Let's see how I manage.

[TBlack]

Druxey may be correct, but from where I sit it looks like Alan knows what he's doing. I can't imagine how you can see the complicated 3 dimensional figure in a block of wood.

Tom

[AON]

She has been cut free and is presently being fitted.

Almost there!

Once I have that done I will do a bit more sanding, add the cloak (because I'll have a better feel of the space left), re-attach the tip of the right wing that broke off, make the javelin (hole already in the hand for it) and paint it.

Then it goes into storage for safe keeping.

 

RE: Painting.  Golden helmet with white plumes, and a red cloak.  I understand everything else was simply painted white. Somewhat like the Atlas carving saved from the Captain's stern gallery as seen below.

[AON]

 

Made the javelin and the cloak.

 

 

The javelin head is glued to the shaft.  I notched the head (a 1/8" diameter dowel) and stepped the shaft into it with glue. When dried I shaped the head with a file and sand paper, having filled the notch with glue so the dust might fill the small notch.

 

The cloak was shaped and fitted a dozen times and is now glued and clamped.

I also glued the tip of the wing back on.

 

From a distance it all look darn good to me... though I'm not particularly thrilled with Bellerophon's or the Pegusus' head up close.

 

Regarding painting most of the figurehead features white... it wasn't until 1814 that the Navy Board approved the use of gilding and colours for figureheads. (source: http://figureheads.ukmcs.org.uk/?p=1715)

 

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by AON

[AON]

last images before it is painted

 

[mtaylor]

The carving looks great and painting should really bring out the details you've put into this.

[AON]

This is the result of my efforts in recreating my interpretation of the description of the first figurehead that was destroyed in 1793 when she collided with HMS Majestic in a gale force storm.

 

I am quite happy with it and do not believe there is another model of this ship in existence with this version of this famous ship's figurehead.

 

I hope I've done it justice.

 

WOOD:    Block of Linden bass wood
TOOLS:     Rotary cutters, Dremel rotary tool with flex cable, carving knives, miniature chisels, scalpel, and various sand paper (80 Grit to Super Fine).

 

FINISH

PRIMER:    Javelin -  Black permanent marker
                   Remainder - Waterbase Folkart GESSO Surface Prep
WHITE:     Bodies - Craft Smart White Acrylic Paint
RED:         Cloak - Craftsmart Cherry Cobbler Acrylic Paint
GOLD:      Helmet - Kingart Metallic Acrylic Gold
BLACK:      Javelin - Craft Smart Black Acrylic Paint
SEALER:    Everything - KRYLON Low Odour Clear Matte Spray Finish
 

Edited August 21, 2021 by AON

[druxey]

If you haven't carved one before, it's a very respectable result for such a complex figure. Well done, Alan.

[AON]

Thank you Druxey.

 

I was told to do the heads first and that was indeed the most difficult part.  I kept going away and coming back to it.  Taking off a little here and a little there.  Even when I thought I was done I kept going back to them.  They are not in anyway masterpieces but from 1 foot away they are okay.

 

This was not my first attempt.  I've been at this on and off for almost 3 years.

 

I suppose "on and off" should be my motto.

 

There is one local fellow I could have commissioned and it would be a masterpiece but then it wouldn't be mine.

[AON]

I find that as I approach the dead flat, with frames fore and aft installed, the gap closes in and my hands are a determent to the available open or clear space!

Broke one set frame removing my hand yesterday.

Fixing that was fun.  😶

 

[druxey]

Are you using temporary spacers to keep the toptimbers from waving in the breeze and gettigng knocked?

[AON]

temporary spacers!?!?

 

of course not.

 

Once I had all the aft and dead flat frames in I was going to check the fairness and make adjustments, then put in permanent chocks near the head of the top timbers, above and below the chocks where I can, and above and below each gun port location to lock everything before sanding inboard and outboard.

That should only take me forever and two days since I operate at the speed of dark. 😁

 

.... temporary spacers ....  🤔 hmmmmm.

 

there is a simple answer for everything.

[AON]

Just finished cutting the last of the square frame pieces moments ago.

Now to fit, and assemble, and install, and move on to .... sanding.

 

Also got a few new items for the shop.

 

 

The ceiling mounted air filtration unit has be up for a couple days and it has caught quite a bit of the mess that use to migrated throughout my basement (and probably the whole darned house).

 

 

 

The thickness sander, table saw and accessories came in early last week.  They haven't been used yet, but very soon!

The fees getting them across the boarder were outrageous... more than half the costs were Canadian taxes!

Edited November 3, 2021 by AON

[gjdale]

24 minutes ago, AON said:

The fees getting them across the boarder were outrageous... more than half the costs were Canadian taxes!

 

Much the same getting them here Downunda Alan, only more to do with postage costs in our case. But I will tell you this - you will be singing the praises of these machines long after you have forgotten the cost to import them!

[popash42]

On 2/14/2016 at 9:05 PM, AON said:

 

Dear Alan

I'm reading with great interest the whole amazing process you went through, and I must point out that you are simply inspiring. I learn a lot from the thorough documentation of the process as well as thanks to the files you created with continuous effort while paying attention to the small details and accuracy. Salutes you

Edited November 5, 2021 by popash42