Rattlesnake Instr. Manual - Nature Coast Hobby Shop
Rattlesnake Instr. Manual - Nature Coast Hobby Shop
Rattlesnake Instr. Manual - Nature Coast Hobby Shop
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BEFORE YOU BEGIN<br />
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO START CONSTRUCTION<br />
The <strong>Rattlesnake</strong> is a very beautiful ship<br />
and makes a splendid model. The<br />
plank-on-bulkhead hull construction<br />
with laser-cut parts offers a unique<br />
building experience. It assures an accurate<br />
hull form, and develops an understanding<br />
of how real ships are constructed.<br />
The kit is supplied with a set of Britannia,<br />
brass, and wooden fittings to eliminate<br />
problems in making or machining<br />
such parts from scratch, which<br />
may be beyond the ability or resources<br />
of the average modeler. Many of these<br />
fittings, however, will require final finishing<br />
before they are suitable for installation<br />
on the model. This will be especially<br />
true for the Britannia fittings<br />
and will be discussed later.<br />
This kit will provide less experienced<br />
modelers with the opportunity to acquire<br />
some scratch-building techniques.<br />
As an aid, various techniques<br />
will appear throughout the instructions.<br />
While the modeling progresses,<br />
you will see where you may want to<br />
substitute some of the kit fittings with<br />
your own creations. By all means try<br />
them, especially if you think you can<br />
improve the model. The worst that can<br />
happen is a little lost time. But, the experience<br />
gained will be most valuable<br />
for future projects.<br />
If you are a beginner, take your time.<br />
This model has a fair amount of detail<br />
and small parts. Make sure you complete<br />
one stage before moving to the<br />
next. When things go awry, consider<br />
doing it over.<br />
The following tools and supplies are recommended<br />
for the construction process.<br />
Modelers who have built before may<br />
have their own favorites.<br />
A. Knives<br />
1. <strong>Hobby</strong> knife<br />
2. No.11 blades<br />
B. Files<br />
Set of needle files<br />
C. Clamps<br />
1. A few small C-clamps<br />
2. Wooden clothespins<br />
3. Rubber bands, #16 and #33<br />
D. Tool Set<br />
A small carving tool set or<br />
individual gouges and chisels<br />
for carving center keel rabbets,<br />
the counter block, stern and<br />
bow filler blocks, tapering the<br />
stem, and carving the ship's<br />
longboat.<br />
E. Sharpening Stone<br />
Necessary to keep tools razor sharp<br />
F. Boring Tools<br />
1. Set of miniature drills: #60 to #80<br />
2. 1/16", 3/32", and 1/8" drills<br />
3. Pin vise<br />
G. Miscellaneous<br />
1. Tack hammer<br />
2. Tweezers (a few)<br />
3. Small fine pointed scissors<br />
4. Miniature pliers<br />
a. small round<br />
b. flat nose<br />
5. Bench vise (small)<br />
6. Soldering iron or torch<br />
a. solder<br />
b. flux<br />
7. Sewing thread (for seizing;<br />
other rigging in kit)<br />
a. black<br />
b. tan<br />
8. Beeswax block (for treating<br />
rigging lines)<br />
9. 1/2" or 3/4" masking tape<br />
10. Wire cutters (for cutting fine<br />
wire and strip metal)<br />
H. Sandpaper<br />
Fine and medium grit garnet or<br />
aluminum oxide sandpaper<br />
(#100 to #220)<br />
I. Sail cloth<br />
Light weave cotton or linen cloth if<br />
you intend to add sails. A suitable<br />
cotton cloth is available from Model<br />
Expo.<br />
J. Finishing<br />
1. Paint Brushes<br />
a. fine point for details<br />
b. 1/4" to 1/2" flat square<br />
for hull<br />
K. Supplies<br />
(will be covered in detail in the<br />
Painting & Staining section and<br />
throughout the instructions)<br />
1. Paints<br />
2. Primer<br />
3. Stains and varnish<br />
4. White or Carpenter's (yellow)<br />
wood glue<br />
5. Super glue<br />
6. Five-minute epoxy glue<br />
7. Wood filler<br />
Note about glues: White glue, or Carpenter's<br />
wood glue (yellow in color; also<br />
available in tan color), will suffice for<br />
most of the model. Five-minute epoxy<br />
provides extra strength for gluing fittings.<br />
Cyanoacrylate glue (super glue),<br />
such as Jet, can be used for quick adhesion<br />
and is ideal for adding a touch to a<br />
rigging seizing to hold it in place. The<br />
best super glue for most applications is<br />
a medium viscosity gap filling type. The<br />
watery thin type is recommended to fill<br />
a narrow crack by capillary action, and<br />
for quickly securing hull planking to the<br />
bulkheads.<br />
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