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HMS Bellona -- Scratch POF 1:48

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Gene Bodnar

Fri Apr 01 2011, 05:38pm

Registered Member #126

Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20am
Posts: 1782

This model will be built in the admiralty style, but without rigging. It will contain all details of the interior, including everything shown on the decks in the plans. I have not yet decided for sure if I'll fully finish one side and leave the other side exposed so the interior can be viewed, or whether I will leave most of the planking off both sides.

The model will be built on 1:48 scale, which makes her length nearly 50" -- a fairly large scale model.

I will be using Brian Lavery's "Anatomy of the Ship" book as the source of my plans.

Three of the photos below show the keel assembly. The first one shows the keel assembly installed in the framing jig; the other two show details of the bow and stern portions of the keel assembly.

jstaudt

Fri Apr 01 2011, 07:33pm

Registered Member #4

Joined: Fri Jun 26 2009, 12:40am
Posts: 100

Hi Gene,

It's looking great. I can't wait to follow her progress.

By the way, I'm finally in the process of finishing my Brig Eagle after she collected dust for about 3 years!

Jeff

Richardt

Fri Apr 01 2011, 08:07pm

Registered Member #1244

Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 04:59pm
Posts: 122

Hi Gene,

It's great to see that you've already made progress with your new project. I look forward to following your log. Good luck!

Richard

Gene Bodnar

Sat Apr 02 2011, 10:47am

Registered Member #126

Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20am
Posts: 1782

Jeff,

You'll love the Eagle build, especially now that you've got time for it. I'll be looking forward to pictures.

Richard,

This log won't be as detailed as my last one. I'll post pictures, but only with a minimum of description. However, if anyone has any questions or comments, they're more than welcome.

Gene

Mike 41

Sat Apr 02 2011, 12:34pm

Registered Member #702

Joined: Fri Feb 05 2010, 10:37pm
Posts: 1238

Hi Gene,
You have made another great start on a fine ship.
At the inner post, how did you make the recesses for transoms? Did you mill them out of one piece or separate pieces for the steps? I have started drawings for the Pandora and she has a similar arrangement at the sternpost assembly.
Thanks
Mike

Gene Bodnar

Sat Apr 02 2011, 04:47pm

Registered Member #126

Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20am
Posts: 1782

Mike,

A milling machine would be quite useful for that part of the sternpost, but I don't own one. I super-glued tiny 1/16" square strips of basswood to three sides of the pine post.

Incidentally, I first tried to band-saw notches out of the sternpost to 1/16" depth. However, even a brand new band-saw blade did not handle it well (too much fuzziness on the edges of those steps), mainly because the grain of the sternpost wood runs the opposite of the saw cuts. On the other hand, I believe this method would probably work well on some kind of harder wood, like pear or apple.

Gene

Mike 41

Sat Apr 02 2011, 08:38pm

Registered Member #702

Joined: Fri Feb 05 2010, 10:37pm
Posts: 1238

Hi Gene,
I have always had trouble with narrow strips of wood cut cross-grained in the wood they break to easily. Your method is the best solution thanks.
Mike

Richardt

Sat Apr 02 2011, 09:04pm

Registered Member #1244

Joined: Thu Nov 04 2010, 04:59pm
Posts: 122

Hi Gene/Mike,

You solved the problem very nicely. Gene. I think that if you have a similar problem in the future and do manage the cuts, put a drop of thin CA on them, not to glue anything but it will soak into basswood sufficiently and strengthen it significantly.

Cheers,
Richard

Gene Bodnar

Wed Apr 06 2011, 04:45pm

Registered Member #126

Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20am
Posts: 1782

Making the square frames is the first task. Each square frame contains floor timbers, futtocks, and top timbers, like most other ships of its size. However, the Bellona is different from most other ships in that it contains curved frames (one of the curved frames is illustrated below) that form the sides of the upper gunports and short frames under each of the curved frames. with the exception of the three gunports located amidships, which are standard square frames.

I did not attempt to bend wood for the curved frames. Instead, I glued extra wood at the upper end of the top timbers, then sawed out the frame, and finally shaped the curved portion with a Dremel drum sander.

Each square frame contains either 6 chocks or 4 chocks, with the number of chocks alternating through all square frames, depending on the number of futtocks involved. Each chock contains 4 trenails (simulated by using bamboo dowels), two at each end of each chock. I used a #65 drill bit to drill the holes, and I pulled lengths of bamboo down to that size on a drawplate.

Each square frame also contains butt joints, where no chocks appear, and each joint contains two trenails.

For the gunport sills, I used 1/8" basswood throughout, except for the 4 gunports located amidships. The upper portion of the latter gunports are cut from pine.

I estimate that all frames, including all of their floor and top timbers, futtocks, chocks, joints, and trenails, exceed 4,000 individual pieces. Thus, I will be busy framing the Bellona for quite some time.