HMS Medea (28) (1778) 1/48 scratch build

[Masters Mate]

I've also made progress preparing the decking planks. I had to modify the Aldi Workzone saw table as the gap around the blade was too wide to cut tiny thicknesses. They kept tearing and breaking off down beside the blade. It now works really well for a cheap saw and I have enough 1/16" x 1/4" planks to complete the gun deck. The blade is 64 tooth.




Cutting two pieces of 1/16" X 1/4" together.



A light hand sand brings these up to standard and I'll move onto planking the gun deck after I complete the planking above the wales. Made a start today.



The paint on the wales has suffered and will have to be done again, but that will be much later.

 

[Maarten]

Looking back over my build log, it has taken a very long time to get to this point....Thank you to anyone still reading along.

I recently formed the stern piece, using 1/8" jacaranda. I cut it out as near as comfortable with the scroll saw and then sanded, chiseled and filed it into its final shape. With the grain running across the piece it bends very nicely to the contour of the stern.

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I'm just waiting for delivery of my Micro Wood Profile Scrapers so that I can form the colonnades before gluing onto the frames.

It is actually quite simple to make your own scraper. Take a razorblade and grind the profile you need into the razorblade, scraper finished. By this methode you can make every profile you need at no cost.

 

[Masters Mate]

It is actually quite simple to make your own scraper. Take a razorblade and grind the profile you need into the razorblade, scraper finished. By this methode you can make every profile you need at no cost.

Thanks Maarten. I've seen this here on SOS but my attempts so far have been poor. I decided to buy the ready-made ones and spend my time on the build instead.

 

[Masters Mate]

I received the profile scrapers in the mail today so immediately had a go at them. I think my technique will improve with time but I was satisfied enough to mount these examples on the stern frames. The frames they are glued to are deliberately oversize so I can sand and file the edges down to match the colonnades.








There's still some shaped fittings above and below the colonnades to finish it off (another day....) but I think it's going to work out okay.

 

[Uwek]

They are really looking good for the first try - well done

 

[Masters Mate]

They are really looking good for the first try - well done

Thanks for encouragement Uwe. I'm pleased enough with them.

 

[Masters Mate]

One more quick step back to repair an error. I mistakenly started planking one row above the wales with 1/6" timber I had prepared for the deck planks. Luckily I realised my error before going too far and took it off again.







All those splinters!! Enough to terrify a seasoned sailor.



Three strakes of the correct thickness now on each side and ready to move onto some deck planking which I have been really looking forward to.

 

[Masters Mate]

This is my adaptation for the Dremel. I used a hard plastic lid from a bottle and cut the sandpaper from a normal orbital sanding disk. It works better than I had expected and I was able to level all the bearers and stringers for the deck without changing paper.




For the deck planks I originally wanted to use some White Beech which we salvaged from our farm but the tree (wind damaged) was immature and had no heartwood. A pity because White Beech is the decking timber of choice in the boat building industry around here. My sample just tore under sanding and I couldn't get a fine finish.

So I reverted to my stock standard Jacaranda and once again it has performed brilliantly.



I edged the boards with a black BIC Intensity Metal Pro ultra resistant permanent marker.

Still have to tidy up around the hatches and will give the whole deck a good sanding when it is complete. I'm really enjoying this part of the build and have to find something else to do each time I wait for glue to set.

 

[Masters Mate]

A break from deck planking for a day or two and set about building the stern window frames. For this I am using bamboo cocktail sticks.

I mark one side of the stick with felt pen to orientate it then sand that side down flat, about 1/3 the thickness of the stick.



I measure and cut the piece to size and make a recess at each end on the round side.



Cut a corresponding groove in the back of the stern plate and glue the piece in, round side facing down.



The first part, these heavy sash separators, completed. Individual panes will be separated with thinner strips, but that's for another day.



Laid over the plans.

 

[Masters Mate]

More progress on the stern. Grooves were cut in the back to inlay brass wires. CA glued in place.



Still have the more difficult end panels to do but they will need soldering and I've left them for another day.



After a little bit of straightening of wires then painted black, with a sheet of thin acrylic glued to the back, I think they will pass for stern windows.

 

[Masters Mate]

A bit of progress since my last post.

I've partially laid the gun deck planking. I've left the stern section until after I attach the quarterdeck beams (to mount the steering wheel on and rig the rudder and steering).



Next I cut out all the gun ports. I only built up three planks above the wales to make it easier.




For the last three days I have been building up the gun port frames. All port side done. Time for a whisky.....

 

[Masters Mate]

Lower gunports all completed and most of them squared up. Continuing with the upper framing. Did a bit of cleaning up with sandpaper just before taking the images so they look a bit fuzzy. I'll take better images when I get that section of planking finished and smoothed off.

 

[Masters Mate]

5 hours filing and sanding today and pretty satisfied with the port side. Not so the starboard side and I'll continue with that tomorrow.



I made my first attempt at a dead-eye yesterday.




Got home from the workshop after an hour or so on the planer/thicknesser and found this 10 mm bruise and three neat holes in my thigh. Must have been a splinter of timber or something but I didn't hear any gunfire.......

 

[Masters Mate]

I sealed the lower hull with a 50/50 mix of PVA and water (Thanks Bryian ) just in time for the arrival of my double sided, self-adhesive copper tape. I had a quick practice on a scrap of wood today and it is going to work really well, but tedious I think. I also used some Casey Black on it and it gave it a very satisfying aged look. Images another time.



Despite these images, it's very smooth. I used two coats and will look at it again before coppering.

 

[Masters Mate]

Many hours spent getting the stern to my satisfaction but I think it's getting close now.









To add a bit of flair I used glass paint on acrylic to simulate stained glass for the top windows on the quarters.





Looking at these images now they need another coat yet. The plain windows are done with Humbrol Clear Gloss Varnish.

 

[Uwek]

a very nice idea to color the glasses

 

[Masters Mate]

a very nice idea to color the glasses

Thanks Uwe.

 

[Maarten]

Great solution for the tiny window frames. Very nice work.

 

[Masters Mate]

Great solution for the tiny window frames. Very nice work.

Thanks Maarten. Your encouragement is important to me.

 

[Kurt Konrath]

Creative methods to make the stern window frames and glass, well done.