Rattlesnake by KenW - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1:64 - American Privateer

[KenW]

My stern is complete with the decorative carvings, forward transom and fashion pieces.  I’m happy with the results.  I also added the aft windows, as per the Hahn plans.  The MS kit supplied die cast metal windows, but they were the same as the ones supplied with the Fair American kit.  I can't have the same windows on two models.  And, whenever there is a discrepancy between the kit and the Hahn plans, I go with the Hahn plans.  So now it’s on to the planking of the forecastle and quarter decks.

The first photo was actually taken with the boat upside down.

Two more with the boat right side up.

 

 

[EJ_L]

Very nice work Ken.

[KenW]

Thanks EJ

[usedtosail]

Your transom looks great Ken

[rafine]

Beautifully done Ken.

 

Bob

[KenW]

Good to hear from you Bob.  Thanks.

[DocBlake]

Your stern is awesome, Ken!

[john_wilmer]

Ken,

 

I really like the way the transom ties into the walnut on the sides.  The ship looks great, and your choices have really brought it together well.  I don't think the supplied metal casting, no matter how thin you filed it, would have worked so well.  Look forward to you bringing it to a meeting again soon.

 

-John

[Burroak]

Ken your doing a great job! Well done.

 

Greg H.

[KenW]

Thanks for the comments Dave, John and Greg; and to all the 'likes'.

And John:  I hope to bring the model to the April or May meeting when it is ready for launch.

Cheers.

[Martin W]

Very handsome, Ken.  The windows look nice and neat.  That's a stern to be proud of!

 

cheers,

 

Martin

[KenW]

The quarter deck is planked.  I still can’t understand why I have so much trouble getting the shape of the planks to be as precise as some of my small furniture.  Next is to make kevels and add cleats and stuff.  Also, I’m going to have to have a go at making buckets.  There doesn’t seem to be anyway to avoid it.

 

[alde]

She sure looks nice Ken.

[scott larkins]

looking good. The choice of woods is woking well for you.

[KenW]

Well, I made the buckets.  There were a few mistakes along the way and I’m thankful for Min-Wax Wood Hardener.  I managed to get 6 buckets in the end.  However, my first effort at making the ‘rail’ to hold the buckets shattered.  I‘ll have to keep trying.  The tree nailing on the quarter deck still needs to be done.  But, all in good time.

[DocBlake]

Great work, Ken.  I'm enjoying this build log!

[JSGerson]

I didn't make buckets because when I was at this stage I was still following Bob Hunt's practicum exclusively, not paying too much attention to the kit plans, and he didn't address these. Therefore, I didn't know to provide an area to store them on deck. When I did realize there were buckets, I almost didn't recognize the Mamoli supplied cast metal buckets were in fact buckets. So the model still stands bucketless.

 

What was the process you used for making the buckets?

[Martin W]

Hi Ken -- Nice looking buckets that will add a terrific detail.  Did you make them from basswood?  I tried my hand at buckets for the Rattlesnake, using birch dowels that I tapered at one end, cut slots in vertically to simulate the slats, and then wrapped blackened strips of paper around for the iron bands.  The hardest part for me was the rope handle -- yours are better by far with those nice little knots on the outside.

 

In the end, I didn't make the frame, but just set the buckets between guns.  I don't know if the effect is historically or nautically accurate, but my deck was already pretty crowded.

 

There's an informative article in the Shipwright annual for 2013 on making buckets for Royal Navy ships.  They include the cyphers such as those that would go on guns.  I don't think the US or continental navy had those cyphers though.

 

Cheers,
 

Martin

[GDM67]

Hi Ken,

 

Your Rattler is looking great!  I build one and enjoyed it greatly.  I love the buckets, a very nice touch.  Gary

[KenW]

Thanks Dave, Martin, Jon and 'CDM67', and all the 'likes'.

Jon - I used a 5/32 basswood dowel.  I cut a 1 inch long piece and put it in my electric drill (it wouldn't fit in my Dremel) and turned slowly.  The tricky part was getting the pin hole in the exact center.  I started with a 1/16 drill bit, then a 3/32 bit, and finally a 1/8 bit.  The drill bits were held in my hand.  Then I used a sanding stick to file down the bucket and create a narrower base.  At that point I applied the Wood Hardener, and once dry used a #74 drill for the rope handle holes.  The last thing was to cut off the extra dowel; it's much easier to do everything with that extra length.

Hope this helps.

Edited April 1, 2016 by KenW

[DocBlake]

Martin:  Placing the buckets between the guns makes sense.  Each cannon would have had a water bucket (to wet the sponge that cleans the gun's bore) and a matchtub, usually filled with sand, to provide a safe place to rest a burning slow match between firings of the cannon.

[JSGerson]

That helps a lot Ken. I'm still putzing around with the yard rigging now and should I feel like I'm going out of my mind, I may just do what you did just to get my hands back on wood parts again. I initially had visions of duplicating Salty Sea Dog's efforts on his C.W. Morgan Whaleboat Post #375 but that was 1:25 scale. Placing the buckets between the guns sounds simple enough...yeah, right! 8-)

[KenW]

I agree about placing the buckets with the guns.  In looking through all my books, I don't see any rails filled with buckets.  Petersen's has a similar rail configuration but instead of buckets, there were blocks at the base of the posts for the lines that belayed to the rail.  During action, I'm sure the buckets would be next to the guns.  I don't know where the buckets would be when the boat was in port.

[KenW]

I made a bucket rack and the buckets are in place on it.  However, I found that in order to have room for anyone to get around the rack, I had to reduce the rack to only hold 5 buckets.  So I have one bucket left over.  Maybe I’ll put on the deck somewhere.  (I'm certainly not going to kick it.)  Also, I glued the bit and capstan onto the quarter deck.  The bucket rack and other furniture (the binnacle, rudder/tiller and mizzen mast) are not glued.  I don’t want too much furniture getting in the way when I get to the rigging stage. The tiller will be at its proper angle when it’s glued.   Next I will move toward the forecastle, adding the permanent gangway and assorted eye and ring bolts onto the gun deck.  I’m unsure about whether to include the temporary gangway.

 

 

 

[EJ_L]

Very nice Ken. I had the same issue with my Rattlesnake of only being able to fit 5 buckets instead of 6. I'm wondering if somewhere along the line the plans for this ship got changed to add a 6th when there should have only been 5 in the rack? In either case, yours looks great!

 

I also debated about adding the temporary gangways and ultimately decided to leave them off so the detail work that I put into the canons could be seen. After all the work it took to put in the rigging for them I wanted people to be able to see them clearly.

Edited April 9, 2016 by EJ_L

[KenW]

Thanks EJ.  I coming to the same conclusions.

[rafine]

It's looking great, Ken.

 

Bob

[JSGerson]

The debate as to whether or not to add the temporary gangways has been going on for a long time. In the Nautical Research Journal. Vol. 39, No. 1 March 1994 article, Rattlesnake, a 20-gun Privateer by Harold M. Hahn, he states in part:

 

George F. Campbell produced a set of Rattlesnake plans for model builders which bear a 1963 copyright date. Those plans, coupled with a kit produced by Model Shipways, firmly established her popularity with model builders. Campbell also showed gangways and guardrails in the waist. His reconstruction differs from Chapelle's in the number and placement of posts and supports for the gangway, but both showed a construction that I disliked. The gangway surface is shown above the level of the bulwark cap rail in the waist, a design that didn't appeal to me. I believe it resulted from an incorrect interpretation of the conditions shown on the Admiralty drawing which itself is at fault. The original draftsman, when drawing the sheet of deck plans, showed the platforms extending forward from the quarterdeck with a jagged ending generally used by draftsmen to indicate incomplete sections. In order to faithfully record information from the Admiralty drawing, I copied this detail on my plans along with the note "Fixed part of the Gangway." Actually on the sheer and profile plan, the platform is shown to end just beyond the turned post that supports the handrail; the deck plan should have shown a straight line at that point.

 

The raised level of the gangways as reconstructed by Chapelle and Campbell undoubtedly results from the fact that the fixed platform is shown at that level where the turned post is mounted on it. The platform is a short step down from the quarterdeck which has pronounced camber. The model builder will find that when the platform is constructed to parallel that camber, the surface where it meets the bulwark is at the top of the waist cap rail. This can be observed in the photographs of my model. In his earlier book, The History of American Sailing Ships, Chapelle expresses uncertainty about what kind of extra platform or gangway might have been indicated by the note on the Admiralty drawing. Gangways are not usually found on small ships like Rattlesnake. As a result, he attempted no reconstruction made at that time.

 

He continues…

 

I have done my best to avoid adulterating the information found in original Admiralty drafts. This means that the model builder using my plans will have to do a little research and decision making of his own. My decision was to omit the gangways.

 

Since I was and am following Robert Hunt’s practicum which is based on Harold Hahn’s plans, I did not add the gangplanks. 

[KenW]

Jon - Thanks for sharing your research.  I'm encountering problems with the fixed platform that are probably due to errors in my construction of the hull.  The fixed gangway must extend from the quarter deck beam and not block the cabin door.  This puts the platform level with the short rail and above the cap rail.  Also, it ends just before the 'steps' on the outer hull for coming aboard the ship.  I'm considering doing away with the temporary gangway and extending the fixed gangway to cover those outer steps.  A ladder will be added for access to the quarter deck and gun deck.  Also, the Hahn plans don't have a turn post under the fixed platform, just metal brackets to provide support. (I may also have a problem since my quarter deck doesn't have a very big curve.)  I hope my description is clear as I don't have any photos yet of my proposal.  Ladders will also be added for access to the forecastle.

I welcome the thoughts of all.

[JSGerson]

You stated : "... the Hahn plans don't have a turn post under the fixed platform, just metal brackets to provide support." If by "turn post" you mean a vertical support holding the fixed gangplank, it may not be clear in Hahn's plans (which I assume you have) but if you look at the Hahn photo above, there is a post under the hand rail stanchion by the ladder. There are no metal brackets used.

 

As for the fixed gangway, it appears that my quarter deck is higher than yours which allowed me to step down to the gang plank. In your case, maybe you could fudge a bit by using thinner planks and support beams just enough to fool the eye.

 

Here is a image of what I did. As I look at these 3 yr old images, there is a whole lot I wish I could do over. Hopefully my skill level has improved a bit.

 

Jonathan