Professional Documents
Culture Documents
and more... The stuns’l boom irons are usually constructed from wire
and simply bent with little loops on both ends and slipped
Have you ever examined a kit model built by a friend and onto the yard arm. They look very much like a first project
wondered how they managed to expertly depict the deck rather than a second or third attempt. I believe the reason
fittings? This was only their second or third attempt at for such a disparity between the hull and yard details is
modeling yet the planking is very well done. The wood due to the fact that less “how-to” information is readily
working skills demonstrated are inspiring. You look closely available. In addition to the poor direction provided in kit
at the joinery and sharp craftsmanship of the hull and instructions, there are also many popular modeling books
deck planking. The hull planking has perfectly cut and directed towards the beginner with poor techniques
positioned stealers and drop planks. The deck planking is described. For example, in “Ship Modelling Simplified” by
nibbed cleanly into the margin plank. Time and care was Frank Mastini you would read this…
taken to simulate the caulking between the planks. It’s
quite an accomplishment considering you friend hasn’t yet “Stuns’l booms were supported by
purchased a belt sander, mini table saw, miter chop saw, two iron rings. The inside ring wrapped
mini lathe etc. It was all accomplished with unwavering around the boom and was fixed to a
care and attention to the details. short iron rod that ran to another ring
secured to the yard. The one on the end
Then your eyes slowly wander up to the masts, yards and of the yard was supported by a bent iron
rigging. Your initial joy is soon replaced with confusion and rod inserted into the yard end. These
disappointment. The same level of detail used to model rings are sometimes supplied in the kits,
the hull was not carried over to the masts and yards. You but if not, you can make your own. Here
wonder why. It almost looks as though there are two dif- are some simple ways to make them. For
ferent models that were mistakenly joined together. The the one at the end, use brass wire. Bend
yards in particular, although cleanly made don’t have the it over the tip of a pair of roundnose
same level of detail and historical correctness. pliers or over a dowel of the right size
to form the ring, and then bend the wire.”
You are probably already aware of the fact that most kits
and there instructions show few details. They are usually These less-than-ideal alternatives for yard and mast con-
written as a broad overview and summary. The few details struction often linger on well into a third or fourth modeling
mentioned get even sparser and more simplified when it project. Most of the builder’s attention is usually devoted
comes to mast and spar creation. Most likely, the model to improving their skills to construct the hull and its many
builder is directed to use the kit supplied eye bolts for the deck fittings.
stirrups. These are simply glued into pre-drilled holes
What follows are a few intermediate techniques for produc- be rounded off as shown in the photo provided to create
ing better results when modeling your yard arms. They some extra detail. Once glued around the center of the
can be achieved without the need to purchase additional yard any small gaps can be filled with wood filler and sand-
milling or soldering equipment. Simple materials can be ed.
found at any local hardware or crafts store (or maybe even
your spare parts box). The exercise below documents the Two cleats called “sling cleats” were positioned in the cen-
building of a lower yard for the main course (circa 1800). ter of the yard. These kept all of the rigging gear contained
to the center of the yard. Additionally, two “yard arm” cleats
If you are building a kit I can assume that birch or bass- were positioned at the end of each yard arm as shown in
wood dowels were probably supplied for all of the masts the diagram provided. These cleats should be shown thin
and spars. Taper the appropriate diameter dowel on both and slender. I often see them modeled too thick and
ends to match the plans provided. But before doing so, chunky for the scale being worked. In most cases 1/32”
drill a small hole into the ends of each yard arm. It will be thick will work just fine for the yard arm cleats while the
easier to locate and drill these holes now while the dowel sling cleats should never exceed 1/16” thick (probably clos-
has much more meat on it. It is less likely to split at this er to 3/64”). These measurements would work fine for the
time rather than after tapering the ends down to a much typical frigate built to 1-64 scale.
smaller diameter. The outer stuns’l boom irons will be
inserted into these holes later. Working with such small finicky pieces can get frustrating.
Shaping them in hand usually ends up with me on all fours
Whether this is noted on your plans or not, most lower trying to locate them on hard wood floors of the same color.
yards for Napoleonic ships were constructed with the cen- To avoid this predicament I might suggest simply cutting
ter of the yard “octagon-shaped”. The eight-sided section the yard arm cleats to length and gluing them on as is.
of the yard usually covered about one quarter of its length. Then shape them after they are on the yards. Both cleats
While shaping your spar, try to avoid tapering this center will now be in close proximity to one another which aids in
section. You can place batten strips around the yard to producing a similar shape for the pair.
achieve this eight-sided geometry. Not being tapered it will
be much easier to prepare and assemble the batten strips The course and topsail yards for a larger ship such as a
around this section of the yard. This section of the yard frigate would have carried stuns’ls. Four stuns’l boom irons
can be tapered after the battens are added. were fitted to the yards for their use. There was a pair of
inner and outer boom irons. The inner boom iron was posi-
Select some wood strips no thicker than 1/32” for the bat- tioned about 1/3 the distance from the end of the yard arm.
tens. To help find the correct width for these strips you will This boom iron was a simple fitting with one iron band
need to measure the diameter of the center of the yard. around the yard. This band had a second one attached to
Then divide that by eight. Wrapping a strip of paper it with a short rod connecting them. The stuns’l boom was
around the center of the yard is an easy way to find its slid through this iron ring which was made slightly larger for
diameter and divide up the resulting space. When cutting this purpose. In some cases the ring was hinged so it
your strips to the width needed, make them slightly wider. could be opened but I am getting ahead of myself. At this
Not by much. Since you are covering a rounded surface, point in the yard construction you need only to locate
the outside edges of each strip need to be beveled so you where the inner boom iron would be positioned. Using
get a tight fit around the yard (Hence the need to make some black automotive pinstripe tape or black paper strips,
them slightly wider). The ends of these battens can also wrap a 1/16” wide (or less) strip around the yard to simu-
Battens
Yard arm completed with stuns’l boom lashed to the yard. Version below it shows painted
yard with blocks attached. Suns’l boom was left bright.
edge of the hobby. It’s not fun work, but rounding off your
blocks will instantly improve the look of your model. I often
re-drill and re-file the sheave holes and strop grooves also.
Seeing as how I do all of this anyway it isn’t that difficult to
give the topsail sheet block its distinct shape while improv-
ing them. I take the larger block and cut the lip into the
inboard side of it with a sharp Xacto blade. Then I round
off all of the edges as I normally do for the other blocks.
You can see the block in the photo provided to the right.