Build log · Phase 10, Rails and capstan

Bitts finished, and a plan for the ship's wheel

17 October 2021 · Milestone

The bitts are finished. Quite a job again. In the end I used only the leftover materials and none of the posts that came in the kit.

Bitts around one of the mast coats
Bitts around one of the mast coats
Bitts in front of a mast coat, seen across the capstan and the ladderway
Bitts in front of a mast coat, seen across the capstan and the ladderway
Bitts next to a ladderway, with a mast coat behind
Bitts next to a ladderway, with a mast coat behind

Herby63 asked whether there should not be holes in them for the belaying pins. I thought not: it is not in the instructions, and I did not see them in Piet’s photos either. (Postscript, September 2026: on reading the belaying plan on sheets 5 and 6, Herby63 turned out to be right. The bitts abaft the main mast get belaying pins for the fore yard braces, and all the bitts take halliards, jeers and sheets around the bitt heads. So I will drill those holes after all, before the rigging starts.)

The ship’s wheel

The next job is the ship’s wheel. I would actually like to make that myself, because the wheel from the kit is brass and I find that a bit odd. I have already been practising a little. The idea is to make ten spokes, rather neater than this trial piece. First glue a ring onto those bits of wood, then press it out of the jig, lay the spokes between those pieces and put another ring on top. In the middle they meet in a kind of small star element, with a ring on each side. And voilà. I have ordered some mahogany, which is what I believe they used to be made of. If it turns out really ugly, we will look for an alternative.

Set-up for the ship's wheel: the bits of wood in a circle on the jig, with a trial spoke
Set-up for the ship's wheel: the bits of wood in a circle on the jig, with a trial spoke

Herby63 and Pingu57 called it brave, and I think so myself. Sensible? That is another matter. I have meanwhile downloaded a manual from Syren, who also make a kit of it, so if it really does not work out I can always order that. Stephan pointed to a pdf at the NRG (thenrg.org/resource/articles), a very informative site according to Jan. Whether that instruction is usable I do not know yet, as they seem to use an XY table and I do not have one (yet). But I will certainly browse through it. The pdf refers to The Fully Framed Model, The HMN Swan Class Sloops 1767-1780, Volume 2 by David Antscherl. I have asked whether anyone knows that book.

Erik B recommended the model of HMS Pandora on shipmodell.com. Oh dear, that sets the bar high. It is 1:36 scale, hence all the detail, but it is truly magnificent and there is a lot to learn from it. My son always says: the higher you set the bar, the easier it is to walk underneath it. Flip thinking, I believe they call that.