Trireme c. 480 BC by *Hans* - ancient Greek warship

[Sharpie]

Also made the first row of holes for the oars

Very nice! What tool(s) did you use for boring the holes? I'm pretty nervous about making the oar ports on my current build (when I get that far, that is), since I'm afraid I'll damage the hull in the process.

[Piet]

VERY nice work Hans and I like the weathering of the oak you did.  I think you are right in not adding stain to it, perhaps a clear mat sealer to preserve the wood?

 

Cheers,

[*Hans*]

Very nice! What tool(s) did you use for boring the holes? I'm pretty nervous about making the oar ports on my current build (when I get that far, that is), since I'm afraid I'll damage the hull in the process.

 

Sharpie, will post some pictures on how i did it. It is quite simple

 

 

VERY nice work Hans and I like the weathering of the oak you did.  I think you are right in not adding stain to it, perhaps a clear mat sealer to preserve the wood?

 

Cheers,

 

Piet,  I am not sure yet, will do some trials.

[*Hans*]

As promised: pictures of making the holes for the oars:

 

First step is to mark the right spots and rough diameter. I used an old fashioned letter template for this:

 

 

 

Then simply drill the holes with a 3 mm drill (rather difficult to drill and make a photo - the drill is actually turning, but the flash makes it not visible):

 

 

 

With a round cutter widened the wholes until the approx diameter is reached:

 

 

Then with some sort of whetstone (don't know how else I should call this) in the right diameter done the last step:

 

 

 

 

[Sharpie]

As promised: pictures of making the holes for the oars:

 

First step is to mark the right spots and rough diameter. I used an old fashioned letter template for this:

 

Then simply drill the holes with a 3 mm drill (rather difficult to drill and make a photo - the drill is actually turning, but the flash makes it not visible):

 

With a round cutter widened the wholes until the approx diameter is reached:

 

 

Then with some sort of whetstone (don't know how else I should call this) in the right diameter done the last step

Thanks Hans. This is similar to what I had in mind, except I was thinking of using a rat tail file. Staining the inside edges of the holes will be a pain; I can see there are definitely advantages to using real oak!

[*Hans*]

It doesn't have to be difficult , and:

 

First - a dremel rotary tool (or any other brand of course) is very handy for these kind of jobs

Second - oak is tough and strong. I think if I would drop the hull there wouldn't be real damage to it. With the regular modelkit wood I'm not sure about this.

 

A rat tail file might be the better option if you're using walnut or basswood

[*Hans*]

This afternoon I scored The Age of the Galley:

 

 

Hardcover!

 

Looking forward to it.  Unfortunately it will be delivered to my sister who lives in the UK, so I won't get it until I see her on new year's eve.

[flying_dutchman2]

I am a bit late and I am sitting in the back row on this one, but did bring my binoculars.

Beautiful built, well detailed and love the wood you are using.

Marc

[*Hans*]

I am a bit late and I am sitting in the back row on this one, but did bring my binoculars.

Beautiful built, well detailed and love the wood you are using.

Marc

 

Be seated Marc, and enjoy.  I hope there is some popcorn left...

[Louie da fly]

This afternoon I scored The Age of the Galley:

 

Galley-book.jpg

 

Hardcover!

 

Looking forward to it.  Unfortunately it will be delivered to my sister who lives in the UK, so I won't get it until I see her on new year's eve.

 

Nice one. It's on  my wish list as well. Lots of good reading there, and very detailed and comprehensive. I've been through it twice (from the library) and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface.

 

Steven

[flying_dutchman2]

There is a movie by the name of 300:Rise of an empire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/300:_Rise_of_an_Empireand they use trireme's as well. One of the trailers they show how they built a model and the replica (in Greece) they used. Very interesting. In the movie they show lots of details of the ships.

Marc

[*Hans*]

Nice one. It's on  my wish list as well. Lots of good reading there, and very detailed and comprehensive. I've been through it twice (from the library) and I feel like I've barely scratched the surface.

 

Steven

 

Steven, there are a few things I am particularly interested in, maybe you know the answers (as I cannot look them up in my book yet):

- did they use some sort of colors on these ships?. I am thinking of using some pale red and oker for details, but am not sure about this.

- The hypozomata - at which height in the ship was this mounted? Was it visible from the outside?

[Sharpie]

- The hypozomata - at which height in the ship was this mounted? Was it visible from the outside?

Here's a photo of the Olympias' hypozomata-- it seems to be just above the lowest level of benches.

 

[*Hans*]

So i guess this is not visible from the outside because it is under the lower deck (which lies on level of the second row of seats).

 

I cannot mount it on the right spot anymore. I could think about mounting it just above the lower deck, so that it is visible, but that would be a bit  incorrect though?

Edited December 5, 2014 by *Hans*

[Louie da fly]

Hans; The Age of the Galley doesn't mention colours at all. And all the illustrations are in black and white.

 

You might try looking for Ancient Greek representations of galleys, which could have colours. I did a google image search for "ancient greek ship art" and among all the modern  pictures there were some genuine Ancient representations. Unfortunately most of them are on pottery in "red and black ware", in which everything (including the people) is either red or black. So not much help there, but for what it's worth, the link is here.

 

Steven

[flying_dutchman2]

Hans;

You may already checked these links but they have description of color themes.

http://www.ancient.eu/trireme/

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/war/Trireme.htm

http://www.talismancoins.com/catalog/Greek_Trireme_Sailing_Ship_2.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=colors+used+on+a+Trireme+480+bc&biw=1425&bih=738&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dbaBVPXLFIO8yQSMqYDQBg&ved=0CDsQsAQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth-century_Athens

 

Marc

[*Hans*]

Steven,

 

Guess you're right - just did a search on the web and also found next quote:

 

Homer (not Mr Simpson) speaks about the "black ships" in the Illiad; while Odysseus refers to the "crimson ships" in the Odyssey.  The black could be pitch or tar or as Don says,  which could be oiled wood.  As red was one of the easier colors to produce during ancient time, versus purple which took about 60,000 rotting snails to produce one pound of dye.  So it is possible to have black and red ships.  You have to remember, the history police won't come knocking on your door because you chose colors that may not be historical accurate as this is a hobby

[*Hans*]

Hans;

You may already checked these links but they have description of color themes.

http://www.ancient.eu/trireme/

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/war/Trireme.htm

http://www.talismancoins.com/catalog/Greek_Trireme_Sailing_Ship_2.jpg

https://www.google.com/search?q=colors+used+on+a+Trireme+480+bc&biw=1425&bih=738&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=dbaBVPXLFIO8yQSMqYDQBg&ved=0CDsQsAQ

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fifth-century_Athens

 

Marc

Will surely check them (again) Marc!

[*Hans*]

Don,

 

I think you have solved your "problem" yourself. On plan 1 it is shown how part 1G should be fitted to the keel - indeed forming a notch for the frame.

 

If you start with part 1A then 1B etc. the 1G should be on the right place in the end.

[Cristiano]

Hello Hans,

very good technical approach, I appreciate it.

Regarding the colour problem, as for as I know, the only contemporary colour paintings of ships are the ones in the Pompei frescos.

Unfortunately they were all related to "Naumachia" games, so probably the ships were highly coloured for games purposes.

in the attached files, the photos, coming from:

-Casa dei Vettii;

-Tempio di Iside;

-Terme suburbane.

 

[*Hans*]

Cristiano,

 

Very nice pictures you have! And thank you for this information.

 

I use oak for the ship - will try as much as possible visible from the wood, but I also like the pale red colors. I am working out a color sceme with dark brown-black, pale red and oak as wood. The images you gave me are a very nice and good help for this.

[*Hans*]

Update.

 

Busy on the structure on the ship, all done in oak sticks of 4 x 4 mm - cut in length - with dowels and coppernail mounting.

 

Not really boring, but not the most exciting job to do.  Just some pictures:

 

 

structure for the third row of seats

 

 

Impressive view

 

and

 

 

 

[flying_dutchman2]

That is so cool looking. The lines look good. This ship is going to be finished in no-time.

Beautiful.

Marc

[Louie da fly]

Looking very good, Hans. Very impressive.

 

Steven

[*Hans*]

Thanks guys.

 

December is a busy month - it has been a while since my last pictures.

 

The structure on the ship is getting in shape more and more:

 

 

And in the meantime cutted some wood for the oars:

 

 

I figured out (being a mechanical engineer) that the structure of the original kit isn't made in the proper way - looking where the oars will come. To my opinion the whole structure will distort when speeding up the rowing (when the captain wants to waterski f.i.)

The immense forces on the structure aren't brought to the hull when the diagonal beams are lacking. So I added them.

 

 

View on the front with its closed nose:

 

 

And the deck being placed:

 

 

Edited December 27, 2014 by *Hans*

[Omega1234]

Hi Hans

 

Wow! She sure looks great!

 

Happy modelling.

[*Hans*]

Don,

 

Thank you! Blessings to you as well, and hope you have enjoyed your days with your son!

 

I'm not leaving a part of the deck open - no. Will make it as a complete model. In fact I just finished the deck. Pictures will follow later.

[*Hans*]

Don,

 

In this case I cannot help you because I did not follow the plans from the box. As it is a scrap-build for me I decided to put the wales slightly diffirent. Sorry!

[*Hans*]

It's all going a bit slow at this moment - due to other projects and things I'm working on.

 

However - I know you are all eager waiting for further steps.

 

Busy on the bow, made some ornaments out of small coins.

 

That's all I can show for now - sorry.

 

[Sharpie]

It's all going a bit slow at this moment - due to other projects and things I'm working on.

Slow? You've practically finished your entire model in the same amount of time it took me to do about 1/3rd of the framing on my build! 

 

 

Busy on the bow, made some ornaments out of small coins.

I like the ornaments-- they look very period-appropriate. What kinds of coins did you make them out of?