HMS Triton Build Log

[Sgt_Bill]

To this point I show the hull separated from the build frame. So lets talk about the decks.
Lower Deck: There was a pattern in the drawings for the deck beams. Since there was not going to be anything truely visible I decided to put the deck beams down and fully plank over them. I used the ports to locate the sills for the deck beams. I did that with the main deck as well. I had alread constructed a prototype of a cannon. So, center of the cannon barrel to deck etc. On the lower deck itself I put in all of the stairways and hatches pillars. It also includes the spirits room, bread room and all of the lesser officer quarters. I spent much time with features no one can really view. Viewing only thru the main deck. The forecastle and quarter decks are on top of those. These two photos illustrates that.


Just a segway to pillars. I should had made them 3d printed. Simple enough. Import the pillar drawing to my cadcam program. Draw and create an .stl file and print. I didn't. I decided to use my Proxxon lathe and Penn Duplicator. Square ends do not easily and accurately center on a 3 jaw chuck. at this scale. So I made two 3d printed fixtures I drew up . Basically a cylinder with a centered square hole of the proper dimension. Also a cented hole on the other end of the cylinder for the live center. See next picture:


The main deck: This deck all of the real features are applied. Water cistern pumps, cannon, captain's quarters, stairs, capstan. Even the oven. The patterns for the deck beams is on one the 16 drawings I received from Romero for this build. I set the camber to the beams using the Harol Hahn method displayed in HMS Warrior books. I copied all of the beams and located all of the necessary deck beam cuts for horizontal knees, carlings, ledges.
The Harold Hahn Jig:







I will close this session out now. Next, Cannons

 

[Uwek]

Good looking work - very good work

 

[Sgt_Bill]

Cannons, every good Frigate needs cannons. There are twenty four (24) 18# cannons on the main deck of the Triton. All essentially made from scratch. I used wood for the carriage frames. I 3D printed the cannon barrels, wheels, axles, quiouns, trunion clamps. They will be shown in the pictures. Ropes, eye bolts, rings are hand fashioned. Blocks I bought. The parts came from one of the Romeo pdf plates.

First the cannon barrels. I ran two sessions to allow me to take the best reproductions. The profile was imported as a pdf to me cad program. The barrel's profile was traced. The trunion was added as a circle on the 2d tracing. Making it 3d from ther is a simple process. The circles were extended as rods from the center line. The profile was revolve 360 degrees. And there is a cannon barrel. Save it as an .stl file. The .stl it loaded to the slicer program, resized proportional and printed on my Elegoo MARS II printer.
I chose to 3d print for accuracy and superior detail rather than run them on a lathe with a Pen duplicator. Probably a time saver. The master is completed and exported to an .stl file. The master can be reproduced and all 24 printed at the same time.
My lathe is a Proxxon with an attached Pen Duplicator. I have never been thrilled with the results fron the duplicator. It only has two style of cutters tips available and they are unique to the duplicator. Fuzzies and inaccuracy.


The Gun carriage is made from costello boxwood. That was profiled from the drawing. I put the pattern on 2" blocks. Using my PREAC saw with a .063 blade the profile was cut into the block using the PREAC fence. They were cut into 3/32" wafers. Holes drilled for eye bolts.

For assembly I used a little fixture I 3D printed to align the sides. They are not parellel. I used CL glue for assembly of all of the parts.

For 24 assemblies I used 24 assembled carriages, 24 gun barrels, 24 quiouns (triangual piece with a handle), 48 trunion clamps, 192 1/32" eye bolts, 192 3/32" rings, 120 double blocks, 120 single blocks.

I used 2 sizes of ropes. I have a classic rope walk. 3 strands of MARA 30 for the smaller rope. 3 strands of smaller rope twisted for the breach ropes. (BTW) the cannons are no longer this dirty. )

 

[Sgt_Bill]

My next installment on my Triton Model are the Headrails. It took several tries and several months to complete. Yes, both sides.
I started with the catheads. The process required breaching the side of the hull. Calculating the angles and assembly. I attempted to photograph the lion's head on the cap. It's carved from 1/4 x 1/4 stock.

 

[Sgt_Bill]

Headrails 2. The second part were the rails themselves. I certainly took 3 tries plus on each of these assemblies.
Starting with the stem knees, hawser, hawser lining, cheeks, splash board. Cathead support knee, ekeing rail, upper and lower head rails. Three sets of stem timbers, head beams and carlings. One of the reaccuring issues in following the practicum is that each ship is unique and using the patterns is almost worthless. In many cases I use Cadcam to import a pdf, size and redraw. This part was frustrating. When I look at these photos I am disappointed in the fit and finish of some of my work in the model. In between sessions on the headrails I worked on the 32' Pinnace. That will be my next installment. Got nearly 3 years in so I'm moving forward.
Wait until I have to carve figures. Figurehead, Stern etc. I'll add additional clownishness to this model. .



On the head decking I sized the assembly as I mentioned using cadcam. Fit it and assembled it on the template. The small sticks are 1/32 x 1/32 just to give you context in size. The two drawings following are the final product.

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