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HMS AGAMEMNON 1781 from scratch - scale 1/75

The model is a beauty! Can you or another member explain the purpose of what appears to be a beveled groove between each strake of hull planking? I have seen this a couple times on modern day builds in the past and have wondered why this was done, but no one could explain the purpose. I thought maybe it was so they could be caulked before being painted, but after scaling the photo the bevel is 2 inches wide which seems excessive. I could find no mention of this in any contracts, including the one written in 1782 for the 64 gun ship Nassau. Thanks for any input.
Allan

Comparison of the picture above, a contemporary model, and contemporary drawing.
Beveled grooves.JPG
 
I placed a slight bevel (not nearly as deep as the photo you show above) on my Bonhomme Richard cross section. This was done in lieu of any caulking on both the planking and decking. In 1st photo below, the left are slightly rounded and the right square, for comparison.

planking technique2.jpg20250115_124150.jpg

I like the visual effect.

PS. if you watch the video of the USS Constitution at this link and look carefully at the planking and decking, you will see the same visual effect.
Constitution video
 
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Thank you Allan for the comments,
I don't have a technical explanation to your question.
The planking do touch each other, but I just rounded the edges off a little so that the planking work can be appreciated after painting. The beveled groove is about the thickness of a sheet of paper. Sometimes more, sometimes less. Planking width is between 3,3 and 4 mm (the model is on scale 1/75)

groove planking.jpg
 
If you consider the actual size of the bevels used for caulking, .250"-.375"... maybe even .500" (a stretch) on full scale vessels... the above displayed bevels would represent something quite large and way out of scale! I prefer to fit 'my' planks tightly together and glue them using 'dark' Titebond II. That stuff dries really dark and simulates caulked seams very well. If you divide the actual width of a real-world caulking seam by the scale of your model... you'll quickly see why lots of folks simply use a pencil to darken the edges of their tight-fitting planks prior to gluing them onto the hull. No bevels! Even a small bevel makes the caulking seem way too big! I don't like pencil, myself. It's just too 'black' and unnatural looking. Dark Titebond II looks much, much better to 'my' eye.
 
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MThomas said:
'dark' Titebond II. That stuff dries really dark and simulates caulked seams very well.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the tip! Something to try. I've added a dot of brown acrylic to PVA to get this effect, but having glue that is always the same color would keep things consistent.
Allan
 
The seams between the planks were carefully caulked. In other words, everything was done exactly the same as on the deck. But, unlike the deck, the sides were meticulously painted, along with oakum stuffed into the seams. In other words, they painted not only the planks but also the stuffing between them. Right over the oakum.
Therefore, on real ships, the seams on the sides would have been completely invisible.
Only if you get very close can you notice that what we are seeing is not the seams between the boards, but rather the protruding tow used to seal the seam.

DSC_8846.jpg y_96f93aa6.jpg y_a3d92cd4 (1).jpg y_bb3a9735.jpg Mass-01831_-_USS_Constitution_(52955031561).jpg
 
Hey Iutar,

As always, you're right on the ball. Thanks for the information, and it makes sense to me that this is how it was done. Many thanks...
 
Hi William,
How are you sizing the lengths, shapes and diameters of the various masts and yards?
Thanks
Allan
 
AllanKP69 said:
Hi William,
How are you sizing the lengths, shapes and diameters of the various masts and yards?
Thanks
Allan
Click to expand...
Hi Allan,
My main source of documentation is James Lee's book.. "masting and rigging...." and I compare the informations with the drawing below.
I also have de masting plan from Cadlercraft.
I compile all the information collected and choose what seems most rational to me. For some missing details I find in "The
Anatomy of Nelson's Ship"
For the ropes size, I found an Excel file from Radimir Beseda that seems well done.

Hopefully I'm on the right way ... Don't hesitate to help me if that's not the case ;)
1765551787614.png
 
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