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HMS Surprise by Mamoli

Bravo - congratulations for reaching this important phase of work - good work
 
Great Job. I've slacked off for awhile but this gives me inspiration. Also it helps to see if I'm going in the right direction.
Have'nt posted any logs pic for awhile. I'l be getting to that too.
Thanks.
 
Mr.Deep said:
Here on the model you can see that the groove runs parallel to the keel.Covering boards are negated in the area of the sternpost.In the keel at this point, you need to cut out the quarters, the thickness of the first skin.In the nose of the ship, you also need to select a groove.The front ends of the planking boards are laid there.I after gluing the first skin, the engraver makes another groove on its edge.But already for the insertion of the second skin there.
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Which ship is the above? I was expecting the Mamoli HMS Surprise.

Bill
 
vintagemodeler said:
Just looked at the photos of your Bounty, a very good looking Model. Hope mine comes out as well as yours. Thanks for the link
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TKAM said:
OK, so the deal is....after a judicious sanding I'm finding almost nothing to complain about. No hollows after all, no spots standing proud. Only minor cracks that I don't even have to fill, the second planking will cover those spots over with no problems. Frankly I'm astonished that the first planking came out so well. I guess I faired well after all!

The only big flaw I can see is towards the stern post the flare from hull to keel is not quite symmetrical. I don't think there is any chance that will be spotted but I know (and now you know) that it is there. It'll stick in my craw in any case. But, I'm pleased. Time to move on to installing all the gun port frames then first planking up to the sills.

Before sanding:

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After sanding (no filling).


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Hi TKAM,
I love your build log of the Surprise. Lots of great information and the pics really help me see what I need to do.
I posted a blog request recently asking for advise of correcting the bow planking. I guessi did not get the angling correct on the bulkheads and did not have a rabbet inthe stem board for the planks (I'm not that experienced with wood ships yet).
My planks follow the original bulkheads and are looking more like a clipper ship than a nice bluff/rounded bow. Any suggestions on how I my correct some of this? Any ideas and thoughts are greatly appreciated.
Blessings,
Ed
 
TKAM said:
I finished up the three gratings that go on the gun deck underneath the longboat as well at the longboat cradle. All these pieces are made from Walnut so even with a neutral clear stain they are of a very dark hue. When placed on top of the gun deck the starkness in colors between the deck planking and the gratings was extreme and I didn't like it one bit. So I "watered down" some Minwax Golden Oak and applied another coat on the deck planking. I sure Forrest Gumped my way through this part of the project, the end result I really like. I also added some shot racks along the side of each large grating, this feature is not on the plans. I'll install the cannon balls after planking the hull and Surprise is right side up again.

The second picture is the kit provided cast longboat which I won't use. I just ordered another Falconet longboat that I just finished for my Rattlesnake build, this is picture three. It's 5mm longer than the kit provided boat but it'll fit just perfect in the longboat cradle.

The last picture is an example of the supports for the deck immediately above the gundeck, forecastle up front and quarterdeck in the rear, notice the camber that the false deck and then deck planks will follow. The plans call for the center pillar being 21.5mm long. I found the camber to be very pronounced and so I shaved a bit off that central pillar, it's more like 20mm long now.

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I liked your idea of replacing the cheesy pot metal life boat, so I found a kit from Master Korabel of a long boat. It took two tries, but I think it will look pretty nice. I painted it to match the Surprise. The rudder is removable, like a real long boat's.

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TKAM said:
The beginnings of the upper rail for the rest of the ship. This truly is custom work, as the lower rail slopes down as it goes forward the supports for the upper rail are all different heights. Each one has to be done individually. Starting at the stern with a set height and ending at the most forward point where the external ladder will be (1/4" high) the upper rail will slope down but at a different rate as the lower rail. The plans make it look easy....it ain't.

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How did you get those god-awful white metal pieces for the quarter galleys to fit? Mine only reach about 3/4 - 7/8 of the way,especially the top one. I keep thinking of covering them over with wood filler and shaping them into a better fit.
 
PapaRonn said:
How did you get those god-awful white metal pieces for the quarter galleys to fit? Mine only reach about 3/4 - 7/8 of the way,especially the top one. I keep thinking of covering them over with wood filler and shaping them into a better fit.
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Check how he aligned the parts against your model and see if you can duplicate the appearance. He said it was difficult to know how the parts were fitted because of the bad instructions.
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PapaRonn said:
How did you get those god-awful white metal pieces for the quarter galleys to fit? Mine only reach about 3/4 - 7/8 of the way,especially the top one. I keep thinking of covering them over with wood filler and shaping them into a better fit.
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I built up the rim a bit and shaved a bit off the white metal fitting. After everything is painted you can’t tell it’s been done.
 
TKAM said:
All bulkheads installed and square. I stock piece of square basswood on either side of each bulkhead glued with CA after sliding the bulkheads into place with carpenter's glue will ensure the squareness. Good quality plywood nice and thick.

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just bought this ship looks great! been reading up on its build so im forewarned about squareness of the bow etc and all formers
 
TKAM said:
And so it begins. After doing some chores around the house to get on my better sides's good side I started Surprise. It's a Mamoli kit so it's packed with lots of hardwood including all the gun carriages, capstain, ship's wheel and more. The first layer of planking looks like limewood, other than that everything is hardwood.

From the Modeler's Central description:

Originally a French corvette named L'Unite and armed with 24 nine pound long guns, she was designed by M. Forfait and was built at Le Havre. Captured in 1796 by HMS Inconstant, L'Unite was rechristened HMS Surprise and converted by the British into a 28-gun sixth-rate, carrying 24 32-pound carronades on her main deck, eight more of the same on her quarter deck and forecastle, as well as 4 six-pound long guns as chasers.

She gained fame for the cutting-out expedition in 1799 of HMS Hermione Hermione's crew had mutinied, and had sailed her into Spanish possession in Puerto Cabello. Captain Edward Hamilton of the Surprise led a boarding party to retake the Hermione from the mutineers and, after a sharp action, sailed her out of danger under Spanish gunfire back into British control. She was sold out of the Service in 1802.

She does bear a superficial resemblance to the ship in Master and Commander and I have loads of pictures of that ship which is tied up at the maritime museum in San Diego. She is a seaworthy ship and so all her rigging is genuine, I plan on staying true to the rigging of the actual ship.
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Good Luck mate Thumbsup I just bought one as well.. looking to start it in the new year!Ship-1
 
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