Heller Chebeck cannon: feedback appreciated here

Well it certainly appears that you are doing a very good job so far!  I note that you have put ring bolts behind each cannon for the recoil tackle (used to draw the cannon inboard for loading, maintenance, etc.).  These ringbolts are bit on the large size, but irrespective of that, two things come to mind.... First, ships like the Chebec (if not equipped with gunport lids) would often keep their guns in the 'ready' position, as this was generally more 'secure' in terms ensuring the gun did not break loose and roll about the deck (cannon on lower decks of larger ships would have the muzzle lashed to an overhead ringbolt and the whole thing bowsed up against the inside of the top beam of the gunport with the gun at full elevation).  In the case of the Chebec, having the guns ready and deployed would allow more room for you to put in the aft tackles, or you could simply forget about the aft tackles, as these would only be deployed if the guns were actually in use (having a lot of unneccesary tackles strewn about the deck would be a real hazard for sail handling), and 'at rest' or stowed would be disconnected from the gun truck and hung on the bulwark next to each gun (don't forget to paint a tompion on the gun muzzle)...... Anyone else have any ideas?

Hi Julian,

I agree with searat -  decks on models can look overcluttered with too much tackle which can then detract from the overall appearance.

Breeching ropes and side tackle are in my opinion sufficient, but you could rig one or two cannon with training ropes to demonstrate the purpose.

What size breeching rope have you used, 5.5" circumference would probably be right which equates to 0.9mm diameter at 1:50 scale.

I think that perhaps the side tackles should be hooked to a separate ring bolt in the bulwark.

I presume you have not finished the breeching ropes as yet which look to need clinching around the bolt.

The thing that catches my eye are the trunnions, would these not have been fitted with iron trunnion clamps secured to the top of the side cheeks?

If you think you have trouble with 24 cannon at 1:50 scale, consider fitting side tackles and breechings at 1:100 scale as with the Heller Victory - it can be done

Hi Searat, any bosun worth his salt would have kicked the guncrews butts for leaving the cannon like this Everytime the ship rolls would see the cannon slamming into the bulwarks and then rolling back into the breech rope and training tackles making a most awful noise. The ringbolts in the deck are the plastic standard rings supplied with the model (should have replaced them with metal home mades). Fitting the cannon ready for use would leave room for the aft tackle but would cause problems with the training tackles .

Hi George W, some nice points there to take care of. The lack of trunnion bands does stick out and is easy to remedy with tin foil. How did you find the patience to rig this all on the 1/100th Heller Victory? (or did you only fit this on the top gun deck?)

Thanks for the input,

cheers (and may your tompion never shrivel or turn to dust )

Julian

I did fit all the cannon with breeching ropes for security, but the 10 show cannon on the Upper deck, and 10 on the Quarterdeck/foc'sle were also fully fitted with their tackle rings and side tackles using 2mm blocks and fine wire hooks.

This pic shows the Upper deck twelve pounders which are visible thro' the waist.

Very, very nice GeorgeW, please expand on the fine wire hooks bit? You made them yourself?

Cheers,

Julian

Grem56 wrote:

Hi Searat, any bosun worth his salt would have kicked the guncrews butts for leaving the cannon like this Everytime the ship rolls would see the cannon slamming into the bulwarks and then rolling back into the breech rope and training tackles making a most awful noise. The ringbolts in the deck are the plastic standard rings supplied with the model (should have replaced them with metal home mades). Fitting the cannon ready for use would leave room for the aft tackle but would cause problems with the training tackles . Hi George W, some nice points there to take care of. The lack of trunnion bands does stick out and is easy to remedy with tin foil. How did you find the patience to rig this all on the 1/100th Heller Victory? (or did you only fit this on the top gun deck?) Thanks for the input, cheers (and may your tompion never shrivel or turn to dust ) Julian

Yup, the only time guns like this would be left in the condition you have them now is for reloading, and of course then you would need the aft tackles!  Either way, you get cluttered blocks if you have the guns at the ready (with the trucks bowsed up against the bulwarks), or retracted (with the aft tackles deployed).  Your choice!  Another good choice for ringbolts if you don't want to spend the money on aftermarkets, is simply get some suitably sized fish-hooks and cut off the eyed portion and use that for a ringbolt....

Grem56, for what its worth, here are some rather poor photos of the 1:96 constitution cross section I am in the middle of.  I know the blocks are over-scale but they are about as small as I can work with.  The eyebolts are brass eyepins from Hobby Lobby.  I like to make the flat rope coils rather than loops or figure-8's to lay on the deck.  Just a personal preference, not particularly accurate.

 

That last one is the quarter deck 

Sauron

I can never remember how to add pictures to the reply area, so click this link to see the USS constitution cannon rigging.

Full Picture album

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562346128fpcYZa

Thanks for the input ! A lot of information and good tips to mull over before I continue fitting the cannon to the Chebeck.Cheers,

Julian

Grem:

Very realistic eyebolts can be made from brass or blackened steel wire. If you use the blackened steel wire it looks just like iron without any further treatment.

You can use a nice little home made jig made as follows:

1. Take a piece of dowel about 1/8" diameter and drill a hole through its diameter near the end of the dowel.

2. Next use a razor saw and make a slot into the end of the dowel at right angles to your hole and cut it deeper than the hole is from the end of the dowel. 

3. Next, place a drill bit in the hole you drilled and out the other side of the dowel. The bit will bisect that slot.

4. Feed the wire into the slot and around that bit and bring both ends of the wire out beyond the end of the dowel.

5. Hold the dowel jig in one hand and the ends of the wire in the pliers with your other hand.

6. Rotate the dowel along its length, twisting the wires and keeping them taut with the pliers. Do this until the wire breaks off at the end of the dowel. Take the drill bit out of the hole and a perfectly formed eyebolt will fall out of the slot.

This method is easy and quick. It has taken me longer to write the explanation than it would to make several eyebolts. The size of the drill bit is the diameter of the eye. The depth of the slot in the end of the dowel is the length of the eyebolt's shank.

Russ