boy Doc I sure wish I had one tenth of your craftmanship. Don
17th Century Battle Station - HMS Mordaunt, 1:32 - DocBlake
Also, Doc the ropes don't necessarily need to be coiled either. A quick google search will show different methods for dealing with the rigging.
Thanks for the input, guys! Thanks for the kind words, Don!
I spent the afternoon yesterday finishing up the detailing of the ancillary equipment for each battle station. I added rope handles to the lid of the tall storage casks and fitted metal handles to the match tubs. These were glued into #77 holes using black annealed 28 gauge wire as the handles. I then put some WeldBond glue into the recesses on the top of each match tub, packed them with sand and let them dry over night. The results are in the photo. The match tub was a safe place to rest a burning slow match when not in use. A water bucket was the typical place to extinguish it. Each battle station will have it's own worm, sponge and powder ladle also.
I spent the afternoon yesterday finishing up the detailing of the ancillary equipment for each battle station. I added rope handles to the lid of the tall storage casks and fitted metal handles to the match tubs. These were glued into #77 holes using black annealed 28 gauge wire as the handles. I then put some WeldBond glue into the recesses on the top of each match tub, packed them with sand and let them dry over night. The results are in the photo. The match tub was a safe place to rest a burning slow match when not in use. A water bucket was the typical place to extinguish it. Each battle station will have it's own worm, sponge and powder ladle also.
I decided to rig the guns, run out and ready to fire. Here is how the gun deck appears.
The three of us tried a number of different ideas for the hatch gratings, Knut. Don's design won out. The gratings are produced out of boxwood using a laser. The coaming is East Indian rosewood.
You made the right call on the rigging of the guns, looks fantastic.
Fully agree. Looks good.
Hallo Dave,
the rigging is looking very good - now only the tools for servicing the guns are missing - will you add them also?
the rigging is looking very good - now only the tools for servicing the guns are missing - will you add them also?
Thanks, Uwe. The tools are coming. They are stored on metal hooks/brackets which attach to the main deck beams. Photos soon.
I'm getting close to done. I installed the upper deck, pinned and glued the cannon and rigged it. Then I added the various gun accessories. The only task left is to place stanchions with a guard rope around the ladder passageway. 
Hi Dave, I have already mentioned many times about your superior skills set and workmanship! Great job! If you don't mind, I did find what you missing... This is runout ring bolts (both at the cannon carriage itself, and the deck). I think it is an integral part of the gun, in this scale. However, not sure how essential this will be to show\not show, just my observation. 
Hi Jim!
I made a conscious decision not to add the run in tackle to the guns. They weren't in the plans, and I hate rigging guns. I regret that decision now! I could add the tackle to the 6 pounder on the main deck but I can't get at the two nine pounders on the gun deck with the main deck glued in place, so I'll have to live with it, Thanks for the kind compliments!
I made a conscious decision not to add the run in tackle to the guns. They weren't in the plans, and I hate rigging guns. I regret that decision now! I could add the tackle to the 6 pounder on the main deck but I can't get at the two nine pounders on the gun deck with the main deck glued in place, so I'll have to live with it, Thanks for the kind compliments!
Beautiful Dave! Amazing work.
Well,rigged or not ,looking good!
Thanks, guys!
In thinking about things, I realized that the hatch with the ladder to the gun deck would need a railing of some sort to keep the sailors from falling below deck and breaking their necks. I also realized that in bad weather or heavy seas, this hatch, like the others on deck, would need to be "battened down". The easiest solution was a rope line strung through removable stanchions, probably made of cast iron. I added the rope line to the coaming. I'm not sure if it's historically accurate, but it makes sense to me!
In thinking about things, I realized that the hatch with the ladder to the gun deck would need a railing of some sort to keep the sailors from falling below deck and breaking their necks. I also realized that in bad weather or heavy seas, this hatch, like the others on deck, would need to be "battened down". The easiest solution was a rope line strung through removable stanchions, probably made of cast iron. I added the rope line to the coaming. I'm not sure if it's historically accurate, but it makes sense to me!
Thanks, Mike, and thanks for the “likes”! I’d love to see you back at it!
Last edited: