Rattlesnake by Jon219 - Model Shipways - 1:64 - First Build

[Jon219]

Kit arrived as promised and I've opened the box and set up a workspace.  I went through my house and scavanged any tool that I though might be useful, I also ordered the Model Shipways Deluxe Hobby & Craft Tool Set since it seemed to have the things that I didn't (Miter, Chisels, etc.).  The Rattlesnake kit looks about like I expected.  I will go through and check the contents against the parts list and organize the pieces as much as I can before starting work.

 

There are so many great Rattlesnake build logs on this site I think I try not to duplicate what they've done but focus on things that happen to me that I don't see mentioned in them.  I'll still keep a running update with pictures and highlight any problems or fixes I run across.

 

 

[NenadM]

I just dropped to follow.

 

Good luck and keep on posting

 

Nenad

[Jon219]

I've gotten the center keel assembly, keel, stem and stern glues together.  I considered using dowels but ended up bypassing them, I hope I don't end up regretting that when I do the rabbit.  I've noticed that the instructions recommend you "Cut the rabbit as you add planking", but everyone I've seen seems to cut the full rabbit at this point.  it seems that it would be very difficult to cut the rabbit after installing the bulkheads but has anyone tried this?  Cutting away 1/16" on each side of the 5/32" center keel only leaves 1/32" where the center keel assembly is attached to the keel.  Seems like it could get pretty easy to break untill planking is installed.

 

Picture of progress below, I managed to break the tiny piece between bulkhead C and the mast but I'm pretty confident I can fix that after the bulkhead is in place.

 

 

[Jon219]

I've carved the Stem so the figurehead fits on, cut the rabbit (which I fear is still too shallow) and practice fit the bulkheads on the Center Keel.  It took a lot of sanding to be able to get the bulkheads where they would fit on the center keel.

 

I am thinking I'll test the depth of the rabbit with some of the planking and see how much more depth I need to add.

 

Next up is beveling and fitting the the bulkheads. 

 

 

[Stevinne]

Good luck with the build. I'm eagerly following. Looks like you are off to a good start.

[Jason]

You are off to a good start!  Have you ever seen Howard Chapelle's book, The History of American Sailing Ships?  There are some great illustrations of the Rattlesnake on pages 137 - 143.  You can find the book here if you like: Link to Amazon.com Page

 

Good luck, and remember that mistakes are tools for learning.  Most of all have fun with it.

 

Regards,

[Jon219]

Jason, thanks, found the book for 7$ used, been wondering where I could find some pictures of Rattlesnake.

[scott larkins]

Welcome to the rattlesnake club.  Keep reviewing the other snake posts to get good ideas.

[Jon219]

Still working on the rabbit and bulkhead beveling.  I've noticed that with the laser cut pieces the cuts aren't exactly perpendicular and I've tried to place the bulkheads where I'm working with that instead of against it on the beveling.  I've also started disliking the burnt edge but I'm afraid to completely remove it while I'm working on aligning the bulkheads for fear that I'll need that wood later.  I'm hoping I can eventualy sand it all off.  It seems to me that glue won't be as effective on that burnt edge as it would be on a clean edge.

 

Picture of the rabbit and bevels in progress.  I've noticed that everyone seems to have done something slightly different on the stem carving for the figurehead so you can see how I've handled that.  No idea if this is correct, I just went for something that the figurehead would fit on and looked decent.

 

[scott larkins]

Watch how those bulkheads line up on the top of the Keel.  It's very important that they line up as well as the water lines that you have marked.

[Jon219]

Thanks Scott.  I've been focused on the rabbit and beveling and only placing the bulkheads on to check how those were looking.  Should I be looking at that top alignment as well?  My plan had been to get the rabbit and bevels fairly close and then start working on the bulkhead alignment, but maybe I need to be doing all that together. 

 

If the waterlines are lining up should I take wood off the top of the bulkhead to make it line up with the keel?

[scott larkins]

Yes, look at all of the alignments.  As was told to me, all of that stuff lining up is key to a good looking hull planking job.  I did end up doing a little sanding on the top / middle of the bulkheads once my water lines matched up.  You will find, as I and others have, that the laser cutting is not always that precise. I would not work on tapering the sides until you dry fit the pieces.  Also make sure that the slots into the bulkheads are centered.  I and others have found that a few of the slot cuts are not centered.  I have a technique on my post that worked pretty well for helping determine that.  I used a copier and my glass door wall.  See my site somewhere around page 2 or 3.  I strongly suggest you look at other's build sites as you go.  Everyone does the steps a little differently and some will work for you and others won't.  But all of them put together is a wealth of knowlege.  Don't just look at my site as I made errors, and others did too.  We want the people coming up behind us to learn from our mistakes, which are still happening to me even today, so that you don't have to.

 

Others will tell you not to rush, it's not a race.  I still find myself at times rushing and I have to stop myself because I just want to get this exciting experience moving.  Double measure and cut once still works here.  Hell, triple measure.  And by all means remember this, the plans do not always match up to reality.  That's why you double and triple check.

 

I don't know what kid of tools you have but I have found that a well marked metal 6 inch ruler is spectacular.  The knd with both inches and cm.  If you can find one that has 1/32 marks and cm, great.  Probably the most used tool I have, beside emery boards and a sharp exacto knife.

 

I ramble on, anyways, enjoy and we all look forward to your progress.

[pete48]

Looks like you are off to a great start , I will keep watching

 

Best Regards,

Pete

[Jon219]

I individually checked the fit of each each bulkhead for waterline, deck flush and bevel at the rabbit and adjusted each one for what I hope is the proper fit.  Sometimes the waterline and top of the bulkhead just didn't agree and I ended up going for the deck most of the time.  Bulkheads H and I went very deep into the rabbit extending quite a bit below the other bulkheads so I trimmed off the bottom to match the others and tried to smooth out the curve of the bulkhead to match. 

 

Once that was done I tried to check the fairness of the bulkheads but there just wasn't a way to hold everything together so I went ahead and glued the bulkheads in place checking for and adjusting to square side to side and top to bottom.  Next project on the bulkheads will be fairing everythng up.  I can sight down the sides and see that I have some work to do there but nothing that looks crazy.

 

Needed a change of pace from the bulkhead work so I decided to start on the counter block.  I've carved and sanded to a rough fit but have more work to do on it.  While I was sanding a line develped in the underside curve and I liked the way it looked so I decided to sand to emphasize it right now.  I think I can always sand it out later if it causes a problem or I don't like the way it's looking.  I also filed a tiny notch to see how much more sanding I need to do to get it to fit into place.  I used a piece of sandpaper wrapped around a knife handle to sand the underside curve but I still have a bit to go.

 

Looking ahead, the instructions for installing the transom are confusing me.  Some places in the plans it looks like it sits on top of the counter block and in some places it seems like it's attached to the edge of the counter block.  Right now I think it sits on top of the counter block but hopefully this will become clear once I start test fitting all the pieces of the transom.

 

[Jon219]

Continuing to work on fairing the bulkheads.  Most of the problems seem to come from Bulkheads F and H which appear to be too high.  Bulkhead G is between those two of course, and at first I thought I'd need to shim G but after lots of sighting down the lines of the bulkheads and testing with a planking strip, lowering F and H seemed like it would keep the curves of the ship better than raising G. After working those two bulkheads out I should be able to fine tune.

.

Also continuing to work on the counter block and despite trying to be sure it didn't end up too narrow, it did.  It looks like I'll need to add some filler to get the bulkhead curve to continue smoothly.

[JSGerson]

Just found your log and I look forward to following your progress. My Rattlesnake is my first POB build so if you look at my log, be aware I've made numerous miss-steps along the way, most of which I've documented. That may come in handy so you don't do the same. Have patience, do research, and most of all, have fun.

[dgbot]

If the plans show the dimensions and shape of the bulkheads I would always double check each one to make sure they were okay. Any that were not were marked and then repaired off or on the model as needed. However I do not remember if MS came with the bulkhead plans.

Otherwise I would do like you and go by sight and a

batten. Good work.

David B

[Jon219]

Continuing to work on fairing the bulkheads and thought I work in shaping the bow and stern filler blocks while I was doing that.  Installing and shaping these seems to fall right in line with fairing anyway. 

 

I've gotten the bow filler blocks close but they still need some more shaping to fit the lines that I think the hull will take there.  I think they still need less outward curve, it looks to me like they'll push the hull too far out in the center. Stern filler blocks are just getting started.

 

For the exact contours of the curves on these blocks, I'm just fitting them in place and trying to imagine the hull and where they'll be too high (nothing too low yet) and sanding the high spots into position.

 

The one thing I can't decide yet is whether I want to be satisfied with the shapes before I gule them in place or if I need to glue them in place to do the last bits of the shaping.  Waiting to see how close I can get them without gluing them down.

[Littlebob]

Looks like you are doing some good work, I like that you are being very careful and checking your bulkheads a lot.

[JSGerson]

Looks real good. Just remember, they are filler blocks. Any imperfections, gaps, etc. with the bulkheads will be covered up by planking, so don't sweat too much about the small stuff...just a little bit. 8-)

[Jon219]

I got the stern and bow filler blocks close enough that I felt I could gule them on and continue fairing, taking the filler blocks into account.  I still believe they'll need some more shaping, especially the bow blocks as once they're on the ship they look like they're too rounded and will need to lose some more of the curve.

 

          

 

 

 

Transom Windows - I didn't like the way the transom windows look when they're inserted into the window hole in the transom so I decided to see what I could do about that.  My first thought is to add a bit of frame so I tried that on one window to see how it looks.  I took the tiniest piece of wood in the kit and made a frame.  Had to hand cut the angles since they're not really 45 degrees with the window slanted.  I like the look of this much better, and I think once it was sanded and painted it would look great, but this makes another issue worse.  Since the metal transom decoration piece is already smaller than the windows making them bigger with this framing just makes that worse.  I saw where Zev stretched out his metal piece to make it wider and I'm considering something like that but I don't have a vise to do that like he did so I'm trying to work out how I might do that.  If anyone has an idea how I might MacGyver something to stretch this out I'd be very appreciative. 

 

 

 

     

[Jon219]

I went ahead and did the other windows this way to see how they'd all look together.  I need to do a little more sanding though to even things up.  Windows are just sitting on the openings right now till I decide if I'll keep the look.  Even then I should probably wait till I have the curve done and the transom in place,

[HIPEXEC]

Very nice work!

[schnu]

Looks good, will you install lights in the cabin?

[Littlebob]

I like what you did with the windows, well done.

[scott larkins]

Looking good.  Looks like you'll need to give that decrative piece on the transom a little bending.  Just like the rest of us.  Keep working on it.

[Jon219]

Lots going on but not much to see.  I'm continuing to work of fairing the hull while doing side projects.  The hull fairing looks different to me every time I look at it.  Sometimes I think I'm there and other times I see bulkheads that still need some work. 

 

I did end up taking a pair of pliars to the metal transom decoration piece and got it where it fits much better than before.  It's surpisingly pliable metal which is good and bad.  This is the only piece of the kit so far where I feel the quality is much less than optimal.  One end is very different than the other in width and feel, and there's only so much you can do with the curves withouth destroying it.

 

I've started thinking about color scheme and I recieved The History of American Sailing Ships and it's a great book but was a bit disappointed that there weren't any color illustrations.  I was very interested to see how the colors were depicted by contemporary artists but there must not be any examples that survive. With that in mind I went on a Google hunt to see if I could find illustrations of other similar ships from the same period just to get an idea what they looked like.  I found a Wikipedia article on the Lady Washington and although it has one less mast there seems to be a lot of structural similarities and there are several nice picures of a 20th century replica that looks like it's still sailing.  A couple of the pictures of the 20th century replica are fairly high resolution  and it has a color scheme similar to what the instructions gave so I'll probably use these pictures as inspiration.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_washington

 

Added the coverings for the mast slots and made the groove in them with a rough file and sandpaper.

 

I added the structal pieces for the transom and they came a bit above the lines so I've sanded them off.  It seems that pretty much every piece has to be custom fit, checking and adjusting it till it fits, and that's something I find I really enjoy about the process.

 

I've cut the knighthead and timberhead out of scrap wood and when I found the plan with the top view of the bow filler block it was obvious that I had left too much wood so I've been working the bow blocks to get them into shape and cut the slots for them.

 

 

 

 

[scott larkins]

If you reference some of the other rattlesnake pages you will see how the rest of us did it.  Not that you have to go that route.  All natural is fine too but you'll be spending a lot of money to purchase the other woods to use.

[JSGerson]

Some boats look good either way: painted or with natural woods; others demand to be painted e.g. USF Constitution (at least in my humble opinion).

[Jon219]

Question ?

 

I'm at the place in the instructions where it's time to install the waterboards. but I'm unclear where they start and stop.  The instructions say I can omit the waterboard in the officers quarters (there's not enough 1/8" to do the whole length of the ship) and I'm assuming that's the area behind bulkhead I, but I'm not really sure.  The bigger question is how for forward do the waterboards go?  Does it go all the way to bulkhead A?  If it does that is a big curve in the wood and since it's a square (although with one corner shaved off) instead of a plank, it doesn't want to seem to bend enough between Bulkhead B and A.  Would I steam the waterboard to get it around this curve without breaking?

 

I've gone over every place I can find in the plans and nothing seems to indicate the start and stop points for the waterboard.  Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.