napoleonicfrigates

 

 Your first job when starting the cross section is to decide on what wood to use. This is actually more difficult than you may think. Options include using wood you have lying around, using planks ordered from a limber merchant and cutting them down or getting a specific wood list cut for use in the model.

I intend to move to using planks but as I lacked the equipment and confidence for large scale ripping decided to order a pre-defined list from a specialist.

I used the lumberyard - a good company who do not stint on supplying extra which arrives well packaged and they have a good range. Their only weaknesses are that they are notably bad at keeping you updated on the progress of your order and sometimes the thicknesses can differ accross a cut piece plus the order gets done when it gets done as opposed to as quickly as possible. When using them from now onwards I tend to order slightly thicker than I want and then shape myself afterwards.

I took my timber list from a brilliant build by an American called Chas. His build has really been the impetus for me to even start this project as his instructions have always been helpful clear and easy to follow. Lacking any knowledge I took his choices wholesale (at least initially). These are listed below.

BOXWOOD 

(2) 3/16 x 3" x 24" frames, lodging knees, sills, beam arms 
(13) 1/8 x 1/8 ledges 
(6) 3/16 x 3/16 carlings 
(3) 1/4 x 1/4 gun deck beams 
(3) 5/16 x 1/4 lower deck beams 
(1) 5/32 x 2" x 24 hanging knees, lintels 

APPLE 

(1) 13/32 x 5/16 keel 
(1) 5/16 x 5/16 keelson 
(1) 13/32 x 1/16 garboard strake 
(20) 3/16 x 1/16 planking 
(3) 1/4 x 1/16 broad strake 
(6) 7/32 x 3/32 lower deck spirk./gundeck clamps 
(2) 1/16 x 5/32 skid beams 

INDIAN LAUREL 

(1) 1/4 x 1/16 gangway ladder 
(1) 3/16 x 1/16 FWD ladder 
(1) 1/16 x 3/8 sheer rail 
(1) 3/8 x 3/32 gangway trim 
(1) 5/32 x 5/32 gundeck stanchions 
(2) 1/8 x 5/16 false keel 

CHERRY 

(6) 1/8 x 5/16 thick stuff 
(4) 3/32 x 1/4 planking 1 
(2) 1/16 x 1/4 planking 2 
(2) 1/16 x 3/16 planking 3 
(2) 5/32 x 5/32 hold pillars 

WALNUT 

(2) 1/4 x 5/32 hatches 

EBONY 

(4) 1/8 x 3/16 wales 
(2) 1/16 x 1/8 trim 
(1) 3/8 x 1/16 fenders 
(2) 3/16 x 3/32 steps 

BLOODWOOD 

(2) 1/4 x 3/32 gundeck spirketting 
(1) 3/32 x 3/16 gangway clamp 
(3) 1/16 x 3/16 bulwarks 
(1) 3/16 x 3/8 gallows 
(1) 1/8 x 5/32 cross piece 
(2) 1/4 x 1/4 bitts 

MAPLE 

(23) 1/16 x 3/16 deck planking 
(3) 1/16 x 1/4 waterways 
(10) 1/16 x 5/32 gangway 

Now once I was in the build I started changing some of these. My first issue (which I will cover in more detail in the frame building chapter) is that the boxwood for the frames did not really work out and I ended up getting some walnut from Jotika (fast delivery and unbelievably accurately cut) to build the frames. This was also a response to another favourite build of mine John0868 whose build quality and choices of wood were outstanding. I liked his colour choices and it matched my rather unusual mental image of the load bearing sections  being a dark wood.

Once the above choice was made I had to get more walnut in (US Black Walnut for the beams and standard Jotika walnut for the other carlings, beam arms etc).Another early change was to switch the deck planking from Maple to Holly and to get some yellow South American wood for what would have been the painted section.

Once the wood arrived (and you will find yourself always squirrelling away more and more of the stuff) it was time to take the plunge and do something.

Next Up - the Keel false keel and keelson.