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Chapter 9

A Galleon Model

With a little skill and patience, even the rankest amateur can produce in miniature a magnificent Spanish galleon.

The model depicted (Figs. 6 and 12) is not really intended to be any particular galleon, but it is a good sketch model of this type of ship as it actually existed. Every department store is flooded with so-called galleon models; they are not models at all, but merely decorations with a ship-model motif, and bear but little resemblance to any real ship.

Here, however, is a model designed from contemporary plans and other reliable data. It is somewhat simplified and every detail is not embodied, but in general line and in such detail as appears, it is a good replica, well proportioned and sufficiently ornate.

The Hull

The center piece A (Figs. 1 and 2), is cut from a piece of 1/4-in. three-ply (or solid) wood 8 by 25 in. Use a full-size view made by transferring the outline to the board by first drawing 1-in. squares to serve as guide lines. The shape of this piece represents the outside profile of the hull, as seen in Fig. 2, except along the top, where the line has been made heavier to enable you to follow the shape more easily.
The division between the rudder and the stern is merely a V-cut on either side. Round the edges of the centerboard a trifle and cut out the scrolls in the bow. Then mark the construction lines II to VII on both sides.

For the body of the hull B, Fig. 2, white pine is best. It can be obtained 13/8 in. thick (planed). Glue together, in pairs, four pieces 31/2 in. wide and 18 in long. Mark the construction lines all around each piece (Figs. 1 and 2). On the deck (upper side) mark the deck outline from part A and cut away to this. Then cut the profiles at the bow and stern as shown in detail in Fig. 2  (squares measure 1 in.).

Make cardboard templates to correspond to the six section lines in the body plan given in Fig. 1. These, of course, should be enlarged to full size through the use of the squares. Cut away the sides of the hull pieces B until they fit the templates at the six construction lines II to VII. Hold the two pieces together and see that they match. If you deviate from the actual section lines, it is of no particular importance; the main thing is to see that pieces B are approximately alike.

Glue and lightly nail pieces B to the center piece, so that the construction lines on all three correspond.

To lighten the model it is desirable, but not at all necessary, to scoop out a lot of the inside wood, leaving at least 3/8 in. at the edges.

Bore the nine 3/16-in. holes for the cannon about 1/2 in. below the edge, so that the guns will point slightly up, and forward and aft at the ends.

Obtain, if possible, a piece of 1/16-in. three-ply wood (airplane or waterproof stock), which can be had from some veneer dealers in 2-ft. square pieces. Otherwise use heavy cardboard, several thicknesses of thin cardboard glued together, or, better still, glue together five thicknesses of thin wood veneer with casein (waterproof) glue.
Take a piece 51/2 in. wide and 18 in. long and cut it approximately to the shape of the main deck D, Fig. 1. This, as well as two of the other decks, will need a slot at the ends to fit around the center piece, which makes the whole rigid. Glue and nail the main deck in place (after noting the suggestions given later on in regard to fastening the bitts), and trim the edges to agree with the side pieces.

Cut two bulwarks from the same material to the shape shown at C, Fig. 1, and in them cut the 1/4 in. square gun ports and the 1/4 in. round hawse hole. Bevel the forward edge so that it fits snugly against the center piece. Leave 1/4 in. extra length at the after end, to be trimmed when in position.

Steam the forward 6 in. of these pieces (unless cardboard is used) and glue and nail them to the hull,  overlapping it 1/4 in. (see Fig. 4). A rough block of scrap wood glued in the stern (Fig. 2) is helpful for nailing into. Note how this bulwark follows the "tumble home”or inward slope the hull started.

Bulwarks. Head boards, etc. Placed here
Fig.4

On the deck erect the bulkheads K and L (Fig. 2) of 1/4. in. plywood. K stands 11/4 in. high and slants forward a trifle; L is 13/8-in. high and leans aft. Cut both to fit between the bulwarks and bevel to meet the slope to the deck.

Cut the decks E and F (Fig. 1) from the 1/16-in. plywood and glue on so as to overlap the sides about 1/8 in. If the tops of the bulkheads are rounded to about 1/8 in. higher in the center than at the ends, that will give the decks a slope or camber which is realistic and looks well.

Erect bulkhead M, deck G, bulkhead N, and deck H, in exactly the same manner.
 
The overlays which cover the exposed faces of the bulkheads are of very thin wood (veneer), or cardboard painted to look like it. Doors and windows are cut in these. Door paneling is painted on, and the windows are filled with celluloid or silver paper.

Sides are needed to enclose these high poop decks. Cut them from thin three-ply stock, with gun ports and windows pierced, as shown in Fig. 3. These pieces also require an ornate overlay.

When in position the poop sides should leave a promenade deck about 3/8 in. wide on either side of deck F.

As a protection for this promenade we shall need a handrail. This is a strip of wood about 1/16 by 3/16 by 61/2 in. Bore fine holes along it at 1/2 in. intervals, drive small bank pins through these, and on each drop three or four beads, with a touch of glue to keep them in place. Then bore holes in the deck to correspond. Invert the handrail and tap into position. Cut the projecting pin ends off underneath, or cut them before inserting. Small glass-headed pins may be used at intervals. The rail is to be stained and the beads painted silver, but do not put these in position until almost the last thing.

Two similar but much shorter rails will be wanted for the forecastle. Cut or bend them to suit the curve of the bow.


The stern board (Fig. 5), 31/4 in. high, is fret-sawed from a piece of thin wood, such as the lid of a cigar box. The windows are pierced and the whole lightly carved. In the center space, put a little picture of something symbolic, which you may paint yourself or find ready. It may be a sacred picture, a device from a cigar box, or what you please. Perhaps you can touch it up with oil paints; in any case, varnish it well.

The board is glued and nailed on with 3/8-in. No. 21 wire brads, a box of which will be found invaluable all through the work.
 
The figurehead shown in Fig. 5 is cut from a piece of 1/2-in. soft wood. Before being outlined with the fret saw, it is cut down lengthwise to where the line of the stem (piece A) crosses it, so that a 1/4-in. slot can be taken out and it can be fitted over A. Lightly carve it, cut away the center with a chisel, and fit it on the cutwater.

Just behind this come the headboards (Fig. 3). These are cut from 1/16-in. waterproof, three-ply stock. The ends are beveled to fit above and below the body of the lion and to suit the cutwater, and the other ends to meet the bulwark. They will need steaming until they can be bent to the right position. Then they are glued and nailed. Other material may be used, as previously indicated.

Across these and lying on them, comes a 1/4 by ¼ by 31/2 in. spar (an early form of cathead), over which the anchor cable passes. The spar fits close under the bowsprit, so do not place it until you have properly fitted the latter.

Before placing the headboards, bore two 1/8-in. holes through the cutwater, one under the lion's tail, the other behind it (Fig. 5).

Cut a piece of stiff, flexible cardboard to the shape of the overlay 00 (Fig. 1), pierce the gun ports and windows, paint it to look like wood, then glue and nail it on the under part of the stern to follow the lines of the after part of the bulwarks and preferably inside them. Cut it a bit large and trim to fit; this is a good rule to follow in most cases. The lower edge of the stern board overlaps it.

The Admiral's gallery round the stern is cut from thin press board, heavy Bristol board, or other good cardboard. It is rather tricky to cut, but should be approximately as shown in Fig. 3.

Try out the center cut until it fits snugly around the stern when lying on the brackets, of which one is the extreme stern projection of centerboard A, and the others, Q and R (Fig. 1), are glued and nailed in position, two on either side and two on the stern. When the gallery fits, cut out the fretted parts with a sharp knife, bend up as indicated, bend in the forward ends, glue the flaps, place it on the glued brackets, glue the top ends, and spring them under the edge of deck F. Note the small sectional view in Fig. 3.

The stern lantern is cut from a square piece of soft wood, as shown in Fig. 6. The windows are recessed and filled with silver paper, colored a transparent blue and painted with diagonal bars. If desired, this can be electrified as in Fig. n.

The capstan is wood about 3/8 in. in diameter and 3/4 in. long, cut to the shape indicated. Drill 1/16-in holes through the head at right angles to each other and pass 11/2-in. long sticks through them for the capstan bars. A long pin or thin nail is driven right through the capstan into the deck.

The main hatch (P, Fig. 1) is a block of soft wood, 3/8 by 11/4 by 11/2 in. The top is punched with the squared point of a large nail so as to represent a grating. The holes later are painted black, as is the lower half of the hatch; the upper part is stained a dark oak color.

The six ladders are made from strips of very thin cigar-box wood glued together. The steps of each ladder must be exactly the same length. The lengths of the ladders vary with the height of the various decks. You can attach thin brass wire handrails to them, if you wish.

The bitts, one large (U) on the foreside of the foremast, one (T) on either side of the mainmast, and one before the mizzenmast, are made from square sticks either 3/16 OR 1/8 in. square as shown in Fig. 1. The cross pieces are recessed into the uprights and glued. The best way to attach the bitts is to glue them to the deck and fasten them with tiny screws from underneath, but that necessitates placing them before the decks are laid down. Another method is to cut holes in the deck and glue the bitts very firmly into them.

At the lower edge of the orlop (lower) deck, there should be fastened a 1/8-in. molding, glued and lightly nailed.

Another molding about 1/16 in. square should be glued in line with the top of the open part of the bulwark, from the stem to the gallery. Some decorations may be painted between this and the top of the bulwark, both forward and aft.

Below the lower molding, give the hull two coats of white paint; above it, two coats of light blue. The center piece and bulwarks are stained dark oak, and all the woodwork then is given one coat of varnish. The surface should not be a glossy finish (see Chapter VI).
 
Spars and Rigging

We come now to the pleasant work of embellishing the hull with its small fittings, and raising the billowing spread of gaily painted canvas.

Two anchors (A, Fig. 9) are needed. The shanks and arms of these may be cast in bronze, cut from lead pipe, whittled from wood, or bought ready-made (see Chapter III). The shanks should be about 2 in. long. The stocks are about the same length as the shanks; they are wood with a hole bored to take the shank. The rings are wire. Stain the stocks brown and paint on black rings to represent the clamping bands. The remainder should be a green-bronze color.

The guns are cut from small wooden dowel sticks. Those for the main deck are 3/16 in. in diameter and 1 in. long, shaped as shown at B, Fig. 9, with a small belt pin driven in the inboard end. The carriages C are 3/4 in. long, cut with a fret saw from a square stick of soft wood 3/8 in. square. They are painted black, and all the guns are antique bronze.

The orlop (lower) deck guns are similar, but the inboard ends are not finished off. Four of the upper deck guns are longer, so that their butts can be glued against the center piece.

The falcon guns are about 5/8 in. long and thinner; a piece of copper wire is passed through a hole in each of them and brought together underneath and twisted to form a swivel stand. There also may be two long thin guns on the forecastle; and two should project from the stern gallery.

The wreaths around the gun openings and the gun ports are all made in one piece of thin, tough cardboard. The outside diameter of the circle is 1/2 in.; in the center, three 1/4-in. cuts are made, and the square center flap is bent up to represent the port. The rim is gilded and the port painted scarlet on both sides. These are glued over each opening.

Paint all these parts and lay them aside for the present.

For the rigging of the ship, a few additional tools will be handy: a pair of good embroidery scissors, tweezers, and some needles (No. 7 crewel are best).

You will also want some good cord, such as fishing line some about 1/32 in. thick; some about half that, for the rigging; and some bead or purse twist of luster cotton or silk of a rich brown color (it can be dyed if necessary; see Fig. 10).

The masts and yards are made from dowel sticks, 3/8 and 1/4 in. in diameter. These are round birch rods, ordinarily 3 ft. long, which can be obtained at almost any hardware store. The lengths are given in the rigging detail, Fig. 7. The mainmast is 3/8 in. at the step (bottom), tapering to the top; the topmast is slightly thinner, and the topgallant mast still thinner. The foremast is a little smaller than the main, and the mizzenmast than the fore.

The bowsprit tapers from 3/8 to 3/16 in. Cut the end of the bowsprit 3/16 in. square, and for the sprit-top mast take a piece of the 3/8-in. dowel and cut a hole to fit the bowsprit end at a slant. When the bowsprit is in position, the sprit-topmast must be upright (Fig. 7). Above this hole, shave the sprit-topmast abruptly to 1/4. in. and then taper to 3/16 in. at the top. Put a thin wire binding under the hole and cut off close.

The trucks (X) at the top of the masts are half round 3/8-in. wooden button molds, glued on the mast heads and gilded.
 
The yards taper from the center toward the ends; each is a bit smaller than the one below. The flagstaff is about 3/16 in. all the way up. These spars are all stained dark oak, varnished, and then rubbed dull with pumice stone and water.

It is easiest to join the three parts of each mast together before stepping them.


 
First the tops will be needed (G, Fig. 9). They are cut from the three-ply wood and are 11/2 in. in diameter for the lower tops of the foremasts and mainmasts and 11/4 in. for the other four, one going on the sprit topmast. In the center is bored a hole just large enough to take the mast under them; on each side are two crescent slots, which are the lubber holes for passing the shrouds through; and on the outside edges, abreast of the mast hole, are two holes in the upper tops and three in the lower. Around each of them, except the one for the sprit, is glued cardboard latticework, painted scarlet.

To join up the masts, bore a hole in the mast under the point where the top or cap is to come, push an inch of toothpick through it, place the cap on, hold the topmast in position so that it rests on the cap, and lash it to the top of the lowermast, passing a few turns of the cord between the masts. Invert and nail through the cap into the heel of the topmast so that they will be slightly apart. A steadying nail may then be driven through the two masts. Fix the topgallant mast on in the same manner.

Insert the assembled masts in the hole in the deck, so that the topmast is before the lowermast, and the topgallant before the topmast.

From the top of the lowermast, run some cords to the ship's sides and bow, to steady it firmly in position upright but raking slightly aft (leaning backward). The foremast is almost vertical, the main rakes a little more, and the mizzen more still.

You will now need 96 deadeyes (J) with which to set up the rigging. They can be made from boxwood, but are more easily made from celluloid knitting needles (see Chapters III and IV). They should be about 7/32 in. in diameter for the lower, and 3/16 for the upper. With a fret saw or small file, cut grooves in the needle 1/8 in., or rather less, apart; then, with the saw or a sharp chisel, cut the needle in sections between, not at, the grooves. Then bore a triangle of three holes in each with a hot darning needle. Celluloid is inflammable and, although small holes can be bored in this way without setting fire to the material, it is essential to take every precaution against a blaze.
 
To keep the shrouds clear of the ship's sides, channels are used as at K and L, Fig. 9. These are 3/16 in. thick by 5/16 in. deep, of wood, with seven grooves for the main and four grooves for the fore. They are glued and nailed at the lower edge of the bulwark, with the forward groove level with the mast. In line with the grooves, bore holes with an upward slant just above the lower molding.

Take No. 20 brass wire, bend it so that it fits snugly in the groove of a deadeye, then carry it down in the groove of the channel and into the hole below, the deadeye being close above the channel. Take a piece of your thick cord, tie a similar deadeye to it, pass the other end up through the lubber hole, around the lower mast and down, fastening another deadeye to the end so that they both lie even, slightly above the rail.

Next, set up the lanyards. Thread a needle with strong cotton or silk, fasten the thread to one hole in the upper deadeye, and carry it through one in the
lower, and so on, setting the threads up tight together and fastening off round the shroud above the deadeye. You will find this a simple matter if you study J, Fig. 9 (also see Fig. 5, Chapter V).

Turn the model around and do this on the other side; and proceed alternately, first on one side and then the other.

At the mizzenmast there are no channels, or chain plates, so use thin wire around the lower deadeyes, pass it through the edge of the deck, and fasten underneath. Do the same with the deadeyes that come into the tops.

When all the shrouds are set up, they will need ratlines  (steps). These can be thick thread, such as button thread. Hitch a length to the left-hand shroud, pass it in and out of the others and hitch to the right hand shroud; pull the knots tight, but do not draw the shrouds together. When all are on, give the whole rigging a coat of black shellac or enamel and when dry, cut off the ends of the ratlines close to the outer shrouds.

A needle should be threaded through each shroud above the deadeyes to keep them from twisting; this is called the sheer pole.

Next will come the stays (Fig. 7). The mainstay starts with a loop through the larger top of the mainmast and runs down almost to the foremast, where it is finished with a large deadeye. Then, from the after hole in the cutwater (behind the lion's tail), comes another loop with a deadeye to meet the mainstay. Set it up tight, like the shrouds.

The mizzen stay comes similarly to a loop around the heel of the mainmast.

The main topmast stay, of the lighter cord, comes down through a block (small wooden pulley) under the foretop, and is set up with deadeyes to a screw eye in the deck by the foremast. The mizzen topmast stay is similar. The main topgallant stay comes through a block under the fore-upper top to a block halfway down the main topmast stay, and then finishes in the foretop.

It will be noted that we have not yet shipped the bowsprit, so cannot set up the forestays. This has been left until later, because it is so much in the way.

The sails may be of silk, fine linen, or good mercerized cotton. Straight lines of machine stitching about 3/8 in. apart, made before cutting, add to the effect. The shapes are given in Fig. 6, and the length of the yards will serve as a guide to the sizes.

They can be plainly hemmed to hang slack, or have fine copper wire stitched in the hems to belly them out. If this is done, leave a short end of wire projecting at the top of the hems, bore holes vertically through the ends of the yardarms, and through these pass the wire. Then button-hole stitch the sails to the yards. Bore other vertical holes in the center of the yards and about ¼ in- beyond the sails.

It is best to paint the devices on the sails before fastening them to the yards, and likewise to do the antiquing, if any. The antiquing may be done by dipping the sails in tea, coffee, or other stain (see Fig. 1, Chapter VI).

To get each yard in position, pass a cord through the center hole and hitch it, leaving plenty of end; then pass it through a hole in the mast under the top and down to the deck, setting up with blocks. The bead twist and both single and double blocks can be used. The lower block is fastened to screw eyes in the deck and the end of the thread to one of the bitts; then take the other end around the mast at the yard, hitching it to the halyard on the foreside to act as a parrel (the rope or chain by which the middle of a yard is fastened to the mast).

The lateen sail sets up with a similar halyard 7 in. from the after end, and is fastened with a crow's-foot to the masthead. For the crow's-foot use a celluloid block with four holes through it as shown in Fig. 7.

The other blocks are of various sizes, the smallest about 7/16 in. long and 3/32 wide. Each has a hole through it the thin way and a groove around it the flat way. They are made of any nonsplitting wood (see Chapter III).

The yards are maintained horizontally by lifts, which hitch to the masthead and to the holes in the yardarms, leaving a few inches of end to which blocks are to be fastened for the braces.

To the lower corners of the sails, fasten light cord for sheets; these are fastened to the same holes as the lifts. The sheets of the lower sails are carried to the channels or rigging. The fore end of the lateen yard also needs a double cord to keep it in position.

The braces, of the bead cord, are rove off variously, the direction always being aft and slightly downward.

The mizzenmast has two preventer backstays, which run to holes in the rail near the stern; and the mainmast has one set up with a crow's-foot to the mizzen stay.

Now put the bowsprit into its hole in the stem, so that it passes less than an inch above the figurehead; keep it thus by jamming the cathead (Q, Figs. 6 and 7) under it; then tie it down with the gammoning (lashing) to the forward hole in the cutwater.

Set up the forestay from under the top to about half way out on the bowsprit, and the foretopmast stay to near the end, and the fore topgallant stay to the top of the sprit topmast.

Hang the spritsail yard under the bowsprit just before the forestay. It has a forward brace and lift in one, from one third of the way up the forestay to a block at the yardarm, to another at the bowsprit end, and back to the fore bitts; and another brace from the bitts to the yardarm and back.

The sprit topsail has a halyard to the masthead and down to the top, as well as topping lifts to the mast-head and braces from the topmast stay to the yard-arm, back to the stay, and fast to the fore bitts.


These old sails used to set so badly that they all had bow lines to pull the leeches (edges of the sails) forward. For these the bead silk is used, with beads for leads, arranged in crow's-foot form, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6. These are fitted to all sails on main-, fore- and mizzenmasts.

The yards may be trimmed to lie straight across the ship, as if with the wind aft, but they will look better if braced in a bit for a wind on the quarter.

Now lash the anchors to the fore rigging, pass pieces of your heaviest cord through the rings, twist them up, glue the ends, and pass them around the catheads and through the hawse pipes.

Place all the fittings and the handrails in position. Paint the flags (Fig. 8) on thin, starched silk, run a line of clear shellac or glue around the edges to pre-vent fraying, and cut them out. Glue each to a long gilded belt pin, and set them in holes in the tops of the masts (see Chapter V).

FIG. 12

The base supports (Y, Fig. 9) for the model can be anything you desire, with 1/2-in. slots to take the keel. They can be fastened to a board so that the model sits in them loosely, or they can be separate pieces screwed fast to the keel. Another novel suggestion for a decorative stand is shown in Fig. 12.

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