HMS Aldebaran 1790 1:48 scale from plans

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Sep 4, 2021
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42
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48

Location
Nashville, TN
I have built models most of my life. The first ship model I remember was USS Nautilus with a Regulus missile launcher mounted on the deck (1957?). In the following years I assembled lots of plastic airplanes, tanks, artillery pieces and a few additional ship models. Despite growing up in the Midwest I had an interest is ships, sailing and the ocean that lead to an enlistment in the Navy. I'd read some C. S. Forester in high school and discovered Patrick O'Brian in the 1990s. These and other "Age of Sail" fiction fed my interests. I've built two r/c vessels, the first was a 1:32 scale model of a menhaden trawler from an article and plans in a model ship magazine. I operated her for several years and this little boat now resides on a desk in our guest bedroom. My second build was a 1:32 model of a British coastal trader. It was based on plans found in Steam Coasters and Short Sea Traders, by Waine and Fenton. I took several years of off and on work before my version of the SS Annagamore was launched. I ran this ship on a small lake located a few miles from my home until an electrical malfunction resulted in a fire and total loss of the model. No more r/c for me. It was time to build something that appealed to my interest in late 18th and early 19th century sailing vessels. I wanted a model that was large enough to have good detail but nothing too complex. Searching on line I found ShipModell.com studying the various plans that were available I settled on the HMS Aldebaran, a single masted cutter. It was the right size, not too complex but with enough detail to be interesting first build. Thus begins my adventure.
The download consisted of ten sheets providing profile view, deck view, a lengthwise cross section, midship's cross section and patterns for the bulkheads and keel. I taped the plans together and glued the patterns to a 1/4 inch thick piece of birch plywood I got at a big box home improvement store.
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I cut and assembled the parts using Titebond II. I added filler pieces between several of the bulkheads as can be seen in the third image. I wanted the bulkheads to be as stable as possible so I decided the the deck would be next. In order to lay the deck I cutoff the ears on the bulkheads, not sure if that was a good idea but time will tell. I used 1/32 basswood for the sub-deck, then used 1/16 x 1/4 alder strips for the finished deck. To simulate the tarred seams I used a chisel tipped magic marker to color one edge of each plank. The ink soaked slightly into the wood and when the planks were laid a thin black line was revealed along the seam. I ran the first two strips on the centerline then removed material over the various openings. Subsequent planks were cut to length to accommodate the various openings. I scored the planks in a random manner to simulate end joints. Trenails were represented by small holes drilled in pairs on either side of each end joint. I liked the effect and decided to attempt recreating a realistic pattern of fasteners over the entire deck. I laid out lines across the deck at the frame locations, then drilled two holes in a staggered pattern in each plank at each frame location. I experimented with pencil lead to darken the holes but didn't like the effect. I then smeared quick drying wood putty over the entire surface and worked it into the holes. Once it was dry, I scraped excess putty from the deck using a single edge razor blade. A good sanding with 320 grit paper followed by buffing with a fine Scotch-Brite pad left the deck with a nice sheen and subtle trenail pattern on the deck.
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I'll cover my hull planking experience in the next installment.
 
Very interesting and mayn thanks for starting this building log of your actual project.
I can not find any information about the Alebaran 1790.... can you show us a photo of the plan, to see how this vessel was looking like?
 
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Nothing to spectacular in my approach to planking the hull. I'm using 5mm beech. After laying the first untrimmed plack at the deck line, I measured the distance from the edge of the plank to the keel at the midship bulkhead then divided by 5 to get the number of planks needed to fill the space. I repeated the process at each of the other frames to determine the plank width needed at these stations. As I calculated the widths I jotted the number on the face of the first plank. Later, when I laid a new plank I placed it edge to edge to the previously laid one, marked the centers of the bulkheads on the new plank. I then took the measurements written on the first plank and transferred them to the new one, measuring from the bottom edge. Using a straight edge I connected the first mark to the second, second to the third and so on until I had a line running from one end to the other. Technically I suppose that this line is a curve, but cutting short straight lines was satisfactory for the job. This left the lower edge as a straight line which I thought would make the job easier to accomplish. Before starting the planking I located the position of the middle plank on both sides of the hull and attached this plank that divides the upper hull from the lower. The upper half is laid from the deck to the middle plank and the lower half is run from the keel to middle plank. I learned this from a build thread and was glad I did. I also learned about making clamps from small binder clips from another thread. I also learned too late that planks should not be cut to less than half their width, so several of my planks taper to about a millimeter. In discovering this mistake I learned how to make "2 to 1" and "3 to 2" joints which I used on the last two or three courses of planking. I've now completed the upper half planking on both sides and have started the lower half. The process is similar but not exactly the same. Measure and divide on the forward bulkheads, but the distance greater toward the stern especially over the deadwood area. I am keeping each plank on the mark at the next to last bulkhead then letting the end go where it wants at the rudder post. I'll fill the gaps. with fitted wedges.
 
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Uwek, here's an image I pulled from Pintrest. She was armed with eight cannon, I'm guessing 6 lb. I can't find the information I found online. HMS Aldebaran may have worked on the Great Lakes, I thinking that the article I read said that her wreck had been found a few years ago. I won't swear to any of this information just what I think I remember. Anyway, I liked the lines and she fits well with what I wanted to attempt to reacreate.
 
Iam interested in the methods involved in planking a hull. Are there any good talks or builds to describe the steps to take. Having some troubles with finding what I need in search. D would you have time to explain why it is not good to cut planks below half width. Brian B
 
This being my first POB build, I'm not sure that I'm best qualified to answer. From my recent experience I found it difficult secure and glue the narrower ends. I tried several different approaches to secure the ends while the glue dried and found that drilling a pilot hole then inserting a round head map pin worked best for me. I read threads and comments from more experienced modelers who advised not to cut planks less than half their width so I followed their advise. Try searching "hull planking". Other readers please add your thoughts.
 
Iam interested in the methods involved in planking a hull. Are there any good talks or builds to describe the steps to take. Having some troubles with finding what I need in search. D would you have time to explain why it is not good to cut planks below half width. Brian B
Hallo and welcome to the active membership.
Take a look at this post with the attached document, which will help in a first step very much
 
thanks for the thread Uwek And SAHaskel. In the article it talks about books by Harold A Underhill, Plank on Frame Vol 1 and 2. When I look on line I find Various Publishing dates. where the books update or just rereleased, does anyone now
 
thanks for the thread Uwek And SAHaskel. In the article it talks about books by Harold A Underhill, Plank on Frame Vol 1 and 2. When I look on line I find Various Publishing dates. where the books update or just rereleased, does anyone now
As I know they were not updated during the time, but several times republished by different publishers
 
It's been awhile since I have had time to work on Aldebaran. I was invited to build a series of Civil War vehicles and cannon for a museum with which I had previously built several models. They also asked me to build a model of the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. I started in 1:700 scale but moved to modifying a 1:300 USS Nimitz by Trumpeter. This build in now in the finishing stages and I plan to return to my scratch build project. No new pictures right now, but I'll try to post some of the Lincoln as well. looking forward to getting back "shipyard."
 
I have built models most of my life. The first ship model I remember was USS Nautilus with a Regulus missile launcher mounted on the deck (1957?). In the following years I assembled lots of plastic airplanes, tanks, artillery pieces and a few additional ship models. Despite growing up in the Midwest I had an interest is ships, sailing and the ocean that lead to an enlistment in the Navy. I'd read some C. S. Forester in high school and discovered Patrick O'Brian in the 1990s. These and other "Age of Sail" fiction fed my interests. I've built two r/c vessels, the first was a 1:32 scale model of a menhaden trawler from an article and plans in a model ship magazine. I operated her for several years and this little boat now resides on a desk in our guest bedroom. My second build was a 1:32 model of a British coastal trader. It was based on plans found in Steam Coasters and Short Sea Traders, by Waine and Fenton. I took several years of off and on work before my version of the SS Annagamore was launched. I ran this ship on a small lake located a few miles from my home until an electrical malfunction resulted in a fire and total loss of the model. No more r/c for me. It was time to build something that appealed to my interest in late 18th and early 19th century sailing vessels. I wanted a model that was large enough to have good detail but nothing too complex. Searching on line I found ShipModell.com studying the various plans that were available I settled on the HMS Aldebaran, a single masted cutter. It was the right size, not too complex but with enough detail to be interesting first build. Thus begins my adventure.
The download consisted of ten sheets providing profile view, deck view, a lengthwise cross section, midship's cross section and patterns for the bulkheads and keel. I taped the plans together and glued the patterns to a 1/4 inch thick piece of birch plywood I got at a big box home improvement store.

I cut and assembled the parts using Titebond II. I added filler pieces between several of the bulkheads as can be seen in the third image. I wanted the bulkheads to be as stable as possible so I decided the the deck would be next. In order to lay the deck I cutoff the ears on the bulkheads, not sure if that was a good idea but time will tell. I used 1/32 basswood for the sub-deck, then used 1/16 x 1/4 alder strips for the finished deck. To simulate the tarred seams I used a chisel tipped magic marker to color one edge of each plank. The ink soaked slightly into the wood and when the planks were laid a thin black line was revealed along the seam. I ran the first two strips on the centerline then removed material over the various openings. Subsequent planks were cut to length to accommodate the various openings. I scored the planks in a random manner to simulate end joints. Trenails were represented by small holes drilled in pairs on either side of each end joint. I liked the effect and decided to attempt recreating a realistic pattern of fasteners over the entire deck. I laid out lines across the deck at the frame locations, then drilled two holes in a staggered pattern in each plank at each frame location. I experimented with pencil lead to darken the holes but didn't like the effect. I then smeared quick drying wood putty over the entire surface and worked it into the holes. Once it was dry, I scraped excess putty from the deck using a single edge razor blade. A good sanding with 320 grit paper followed by buffing with a fine Scotch-Brite pad left the deck with a nice sheen and subtle trenail pattern on the deck.

I'll cover my hull planking experience in the next installment.
Hallo @DD 708
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake


It's been awhile since I have had time to work on Aldebaran. I was invited to build a series of Civil War vehicles and cannon for a museum with which I had previously built several models. They also asked me to build a model of the USS Abraham Lincoln CVN-72. I started in 1:700 scale but moved to modifying a 1:300 USS Nimitz by Trumpeter. This build in now in the finishing stages and I plan to return to my scratch build project. No new pictures right now, but I'll try to post some of the Lincoln as well. looking forward to getting back "shipyard."
Interesting projects, so do not hesitate to show us these projects in between also....
 
Here's some images of my recent USS Abraham Lincoln CVN 72 project and a report on my HMS Aldebaran build. This is a PoB and I removed the tabs from the bulkheads when I laid the deck. Now I'm enjoying the error of my ways as I work at installing the bulwarks. Port side is in place and the starboard is coming along. It would have been easier if those bulkhead tabs were in place. Lesson learned for future reference. I've started deck furniture with railing around the after hatch. Progress is slow but there's no deadline on this one so I'm enjoying the experience.

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This project has been both rewarding and frustrating. It sometimes feels like "one step forward, two steps back." In my first attempt at the bulwarks I used 1/32 birch ply. This was quite pliable and conformed to the curve of the hull quite well. I added a second layer and the result was very strong. You can see these bulwarks in my previous post. These proved to be too strong and very difficult to work with, so I replaced them with a 1/16 thickness of clear pine. The entire installation would have been less trouble if I had not cut off the "ears" of the bulkheads when I laid the decking, Lesson One learned. I completed the second layer of hull planking using cherry strips over beech. Joining at the bow and stern was challenging and I learned that deep rebates are essential. Lesson Two learned. The transom also tested my patience. It took at least five attempts before I finally got one that was square (I hope) and fitted. The transom probably should have been installed before the planking. Another lesson learned. Building without a set of instructions has helped me plan my next steps and my previous errors have reinforced that lesson. I'm sure that I will continue to make mistakes and have to take a couple of steps back before I take a step ahead.

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I've made better progress since my last posting. One of my successes has been scratch building gratings for the various hatches on this model. I have a Proxxon saw and decided to use it to make up pieces from which I could assemble proper looking gratings. I used beech for my grating stock. I reduced the thickness to the same dimension as the sawblade's thickness then cut the pieces to the desired width, I cut mine to 4mm. I then lightly glued four pieces of stock together at the ends to make sure that the slots would stay in register. With the stock ready, I cut a small length of stock and reduced its height to 2mm. This piece was then glued to the sled parallel to the slot. The distance from the slot to the edge of the pin will determine the size of the openings in the finished gratings. I set the sawblade to 2mm, put the end of the glued stock against the fence and made the first cut. The cut was slipped onto the pin and the second cut is made. I kept repeating this procedure along the length of the glued strips. IMG_1553.JPGIMG_1555.JPG
The finished strips should look this. I cut several pieces at least one tooth longer than needed to fill the hatch opening. If you've made your proper offering to Neptunus Rex, the pieces will lock together in a tight grid.
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After the initial fitting I disassembled the grating and sanded sided of each piece with 320 grit sandpaper. I then put a small dab of white glue in the slots and reassembled the parts. After the glue was dry, I sanded both faces of the grating and trimmed ends to fit the hatch opening. I'm pleased with the results and hope that others will try this method for making gratings. IMG_1559.JPG

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I'm making progress on deck fixtures installation. The first image shows the gratings in place and the fife rails around the mast opening. The fo's'cle in shown in the second image. The winch is per the plans but I think that the barrel style might be more historically accurate. The posts, timbers and catheads are hard maple. The dark wood parts are of black walnut. I am now working on assembling tackle for the eight cannon that will adorn the deck. Blue Jacket 7/32" cast double blocks are being used. I can only put it about an hour of this fiddly work before I have to find something else to do.

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I have built models most of my life. The first ship model I remember was USS Nautilus with a Regulus missile launcher mounted on the deck (1957?). In the following years I assembled lots of plastic airplanes, tanks, artillery pieces and a few additional ship models. Despite growing up in the Midwest I had an interest is ships, sailing and the ocean that lead to an enlistment in the Navy. I'd read some C. S. Forester in high school and discovered Patrick O'Brian in the 1990s. These and other "Age of Sail" fiction fed my interests. I've built two r/c vessels, the first was a 1:32 scale model of a menhaden trawler from an article and plans in a model ship magazine. I operated her for several years and this little boat now resides on a desk in our guest bedroom. My second build was a 1:32 model of a British coastal trader. It was based on plans found in Steam Coasters and Short Sea Traders, by Waine and Fenton. I took several years of off and on work before my version of the SS Annagamore was launched. I ran this ship on a small lake located a few miles from my home until an electrical malfunction resulted in a fire and total loss of the model. No more r/c for me. It was time to build something that appealed to my interest in late 18th and early 19th century sailing vessels. I wanted a model that was large enough to have good detail but nothing too complex. Searching on line I found ShipModell.com studying the various plans that were available I settled on the HMS Aldebaran, a single masted cutter. It was the right size, not too complex but with enough detail to be interesting first build. Thus begins my adventure.
The download consisted of ten sheets providing profile view, deck view, a lengthwise cross section, midship's cross section and patterns for the bulkheads and keel. I taped the plans together and glued the patterns to a 1/4 inch thick piece of birch plywood I got at a big box home improvement store.

I cut and assembled the parts using Titebond II. I added filler pieces between several of the bulkheads as can be seen in the third image. I wanted the bulkheads to be as stable as possible so I decided the the deck would be next. In order to lay the deck I cutoff the ears on the bulkheads, not sure if that was a good idea but time will tell. I used 1/32 basswood for the sub-deck, then used 1/16 x 1/4 alder strips for the finished deck. To simulate the tarred seams I used a chisel tipped magic marker to color one edge of each plank. The ink soaked slightly into the wood and when the planks were laid a thin black line was revealed along the seam. I ran the first two strips on the centerline then removed material over the various openings. Subsequent planks were cut to length to accommodate the various openings. I scored the planks in a random manner to simulate end joints. Trenails were represented by small holes drilled in pairs on either side of each end joint. I liked the effect and decided to attempt recreating a realistic pattern of fasteners over the entire deck. I laid out lines across the deck at the frame locations, then drilled two holes in a staggered pattern in each plank at each frame location. I experimented with pencil lead to darken the holes but didn't like the effect. I then smeared quick drying wood putty over the entire surface and worked it into the holes. Once it was dry, I scraped excess putty from the deck using a single edge razor blade. A good sanding with 320 grit paper followed by buffing with a fine Scotch-Brite pad left the deck with a nice sheen and subtle trenail pattern on the deck.
I'll cover my hull planking experience in the next installment.
Hallo @DD 708
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
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