HMS Snake

Third post today - there's something screwy with my photo sizing today, I think. Final deck fittings (ladders and pumps) in place. The aft hatch cover is still loose as I am keeping my options open on adding some figures.
At 8 blocks per cannon, so 144 in total, it reminded me of an article I read ages ago on the Industrial Revolution and how the Navy drove a significant demand. One of the processes with a ‘production line’ approach was block manufacture and there is a pretty good article on Wiki –
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portsmouth_Block_Mills#The_block-making_processes_using_the_machines
In 1808 130,000 blocks were produced – waaaay before Henry Ford who is credited with inventing the production line!
Anyway, a garden project starts this weekend so I don’t think I’ll get anything done on the Snake for a week. Hopefully it will rain; cheers.
 

Attachments

  • P5170414.JPG
    P5170414.JPG
    79.2 KB · Views: 131
  • P5170415.JPG
    P5170415.JPG
    82.9 KB · Views: 132
  • FD1.JPG
    FD1.JPG
    35.2 KB · Views: 132
  • FD2.JPG
    FD2.JPG
    48.1 KB · Views: 133
Thanks for the link! The block mill was a a very impressive operation built by some of the wild men of early engineering. I'm glad to hear it is at least on the list for preservation.
 
Cheers Bill. The garden project took longer than expected as our ideas bloomed (sorry about that pun), but I’m back on the ship for a few days – time to start on the masts. The bowsprit looks the easiest so I thought I’d cut my teeth on that to get into the swing of it. The woodworking side of it was straightforward, the rigging was something else! First steps....
 

Attachments

  • Bowsprit 1.JPG
    Bowsprit 1.JPG
    58.6 KB · Views: 122
Problem 1. The drawings may not be accurate in all respects – when making the spar I rigged it to the drawing (i.e. rested it on the drawing to get the various fixing points) and later found that the right hand side of the spar on the drawing, when measured from the centre line, is 4mm short. I had to re-rig it all again because the rope walks beneath the spar were clearly out of line when the spar was offered up for fixing. Learning point – measure, don’t always trust the drawing.
Problem 2. There is a pulley system sitting between the dolphin striker and the spar consisting of a 2 hole block and a Sister Block (I have also seen this called a violin block). The drawing also shows a x2 single block pulley system in the same location. I’m no expert, but you can’t have ropes running through ropes and so I rigged it behind the spar at a location in front of the first closed heart block to clear the rope walks. The alternative was to rig it to the side of the bowsprit but the whole thing then looked really clunky. It might be wrong, but I am OK with it.
 

Attachments

  • Bowsprit 2.JPG
    Bowsprit 2.JPG
    26.5 KB · Views: 127
  • Bowsprit 3.JPG
    Bowsprit 3.JPG
    31.6 KB · Views: 129
Coming along slowly but surely. I am now using the keel clamp and it is proving invaluable is swinging the ship around and side to side – I should have used it at the start of this phase.
Learning point – pegs are really useful when you only have ten fingers and need to keep tension on lines; especially the small pegs which are actually for hanging Christmas cards. Better buy some more before the wife notices they are missing!
 

Attachments

  • Bowsprit 4.JPG
    Bowsprit 4.JPG
    67 KB · Views: 129
Front end finished. I held off rigging the anchors (next job) until I could see where and what all the various lines ended up being secured to as I wanted to avoid any fouls. As you know, this is my first build, so any comments/advice is most welcome.
Learning point – read ALL the plans for the specific mast you are working on. Additional blocks and eyelets to be attached have a nasty habit of turning up on later plan sheets just when you think you have done them all.
 

Attachments

  • Bowsprit 5.JPG
    Bowsprit 5.JPG
    68.8 KB · Views: 126
Looking real good for the first model. Rigging is usually the worse item on kit models. There is usually very little research in this area. That is why I have build a rigging library over my modeling years. Every time a rigging book comes out, I add it to my collection. This company seems to do a better job than normal but I have nbot built one of their vessel to see how much rigging research they have done.
Your lines look nice and tight and have good clear runs. Keep up the good work.
 
Hanging the anchors – I’ll only do the main anchors and leave the spare ones until I have had a closer look at the foremast plans and rigging of the ratlines, plus the plans show them obscuring a gunport which I'm not too keen on. The photos are, I hope, self-explanatory.
Next thing to rig is the Fish Tackle – a hook on tackle which runs from the end of the cathead and was used to help in lifting and securing the anchor. It’s not part of the kit, but I have something in mind and will post a photo when done.
 

Attachments

  • Anchors 5.JPG
    Anchors 5.JPG
    43.5 KB · Views: 129
  • Anchors 6.JPG
    Anchors 6.JPG
    67.4 KB · Views: 127
  • Anchors 7.JPG
    Anchors 7.JPG
    38.9 KB · Views: 127
Hi Graham, excellent points you have raised there, I am very close to permanently mounting the bowsprit on the Endaevour so I will bear in mind your "issues"
Regards
Eric
 
Fish Tackle is now fitted. I used a spare 2 hole pulley block, rigged it through 4 holes drilled in the cathead and an eyepin bent into a hook. When I was happy with the tension I filled the holes on the top of the cathead and touched it up. The bowsprit is now complete, I have double checked all plans and there are no further blocks or eyelets to fit. I think.
 

Attachments

  • Anchors 10.JPG
    Anchors 10.JPG
    32 KB · Views: 145
Very NICE ! I really like the ropes on the Anchors. Very good work - Excellent !!

Donnie
 
Hi guys and thanks for your kind comments. I am on an extended touring holiday in the south of England at the moment so probably won't get back on the build for a couple of weeks. However, you will be pleased to hear that I have visited the Victory, the Victory museum and later this week will be going to the historic dockyard at Chatham. Lots of photos to share with you when I get back which I hope you will enjoy.
 
Hi Graham, enjoy England. When you go to the Victory can you please get some photos of the lower gun decks and how the cannons are attached to the hull (running tackle) and the top deck for that matter. A reasonably close up of the shrouds and ratlines and the ropes at the bottom of the masts (deck side).
I hope the weather will be good for you in England.
Enjoy.

Regards
Eric
 
Graham

Your HMS Snake looks excellent and the picture quality are excellent as well

Enjoy your holiday

Cheers
Geoff
 
Hi Graham, hope you're enjoying the holiday weather lol. looking forward to those Vic pics. have a good time, see you soon.

regards Graham j.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top