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Rattlesnake by MS

Hello! I just found this build and will follow along. I do have one minor issue that I only mention kindly. The Rattlesnake was a privateer in the American Revolution, not a national ship. She was not "USS Rattlesnake", but, rather, Rattlesnake. In fact, there was no "United States" during the Revolution. Please accept my comment kindly. Thank you!
 
WilliamMorrison said:
Hello! I just found this build and will follow along. I do have one minor issue that I only mention kindly. The Rattlesnake was a privateer in the American Revolution, not a national ship. She was not "USS Rattlesnake", but, rather, Rattlesnake. In fact, there was no "United States" during the Revolution. Please accept my comment kindly. Thank you!
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Yep you're absolutely right. I've been meaning to change the thread topic and just haven't gotten around to it. Gracias.
 
Spent most of the day alternating between napping and scratching out the gangway railing. Square stock for the pillars and only slightly larger rectangular stock for the rails. Pillars pinned to the rails and each railing framework pinned to the deck. I won't do the ladders until I rig out the next cannon in line on the main deck, I want to make sure the ladders fit between the existing cannon. And it'll be easier to rig the cannon without the ladder already in place.

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Fore Brace bitts. This will go directly behind the quarter deck railing. Square stock with rectangular openings cut out for brass pulley wheels inserted. It's a bit more work but I like the effect of an actual pulley for the sheave rather than a simulated sheave (drilled out holes and a slash cut in the middle of the holes). I used my last two ultra small pulleys so I ordered some more from the Aussies.

This is the smallest of the bitts. All other will be with either larger square stock or a combination of larger square stock and rectangular stock. I barely got the openings cut and didn't have to trash any mistakes by cutting through. I'll take it.

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While waiting for some red paint to dry I decided to scratch up the binnacle. The cast binnacle is a disaster. Simple construction really but so tiny. On top I'll mount the ship's bell. Inside the little center alcove will go the compass.

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Little tiny compass inside the binnacle. Nobody will ever see it....but I know it's there.

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Also finished the platform for the capstan today. Again, construction was simple but time consuming. It sure seems the mini-kit capstan is oversized for the deck of Rattlesnake but before I mounted it I confirmed that it's actually a tad bit smaller than the cast one provided in the kit. This one on the quarter deck combined with the capstan below deck must have brought up the anchors in record time. I think I'll also scratch up some capstan handles and lash them together and place the bundle just behind the platform.

I really like the provided material for the hatch grating. It's about half the height of any other 1/64 scale kit and already a dark brown color.

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Had an idea for the opening where the rudder comes up through the deck. I have no idea what is historically accurate but it seems to me that with all the weather and waves and rain about that an opening that lets water down into the ship is, well, not a good idea. How about some canvas surrounding the opening? This is a first try at it. The opening needs to be expanded a bit but I think I'll just slide it down over the rudder after I finish with the rudder and expand the opening bit by bit.

This kit also does not have anything on rudder pendants. Wasn't that standard? Anyway, I'll add them as well. I'll need two more cleats on the inside of the transom to accept the pendant rigging.

The rudder is my goal tomorrow.fghdfgh.jpg
 
Finished the rudder. I went about this very slowly and methodically. Adapting an after market pintel and gudgeon to some random ship model can be tricky if you rush. The cast pintels and gudgeons just were not up to snuff. This brass setup worked out nicely. I did have to paint them copper prior and after installation. You can see I have not yet coppered the starboard side straps yet.

Tomorrow I'll do the rudder pendants and tiller. gkgjh.jpgghjgv.jpgvbnfv.jpg
 
Tiller and binnacle installed. I did decide to add some rigging to the tiller. A simple "auto pilot" tying the tiller to cleats. The blocks looks too big under magnification but with the simple eye they look fine. If it continues to bug me I'll rig it up again using smaller blocks. Oh, and the iron horse mounted but not glued yet, it may be easier to do later rigging if I don't glue it up yet.

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