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8. BUILDING THE STERN GALLERY

A Distinctive Feature, Characteristic of Old time Ships—Picturesque Work at the Stern Gallery fully explained, each process described in detail.

The hull of a sailing ship has from the earliest times gaily decorated at the bow and stern, a practice particu­larly prevalent during the Middle Ages. Indeed the sterns of most old-time ships were noteworthy for splendour of appear­ance, magnificence of carving, and profusion of gilt and paintwork. A stern gallery is really a balcony or projecting part with railings around it, and may have been used in the earliest times for the convenience of the fighting men, but from the Middle Ages until the era of steam ships it was consecrated to the use of the Admiral or chief officers of the ship, it afforded them a pleasant means of walking exercise secluded from the eyes of the crew, and added considerably to the amenities of the cabin and officers' quarters generally.

The stern gallery on a real ship was built during the construction of the hull proper, but on the Royal Albert it is dealt with as a separate item, built independently and subsequently fixed on to the hull. This method has several advantages: in the first place it enables the detail work to be carried out under the best conditions, and allows of other work on the hull being done without risk of damage to the comparatively delicate work on the stern gallery.

As in the case of other parts of the model, there are various ways of accomplishing the desired results, and in a sense there is no "best way," but for the novice to ship modelling, especially of the type now under consideration, there are few methods with more to commend them than the following which, as can be judged by the photographic illustrations, is productive of an exceptionally effective result.

Fig. 75. The Finished Stern Gallery.

One aspect of the completed stern is given in fig. 75, the others show various stages of construction. The material employed throughout is best quality Bristol board, of which two different thicknesses are required. The decks, sides and transom or stern board are made of card a full 1/16 inch thick; the (balustrades, bow window and other parts are made of thinner card, the thickness known as 3 ply or "3 sheet" being just right.

The principle on which the stern gallery is made by this method is to cut one piece of card to the proper shape for each separate part, of which the transom and the four deck cards are themost important. All these pieces are seen in fig. 76 where the lower deck card is being fitted into the transom card, for which purpose a series of slots are cut in the latter to allow the deck cards to pass.

Fig. 76. Fitting the Lower Deck Card to the Transom.

The transom card forms the foundation or main part of the whole structure, but is pierced in three places to impart a recessed effect to the cabin windows, and is slotted at the sides and near the bottom for the passage and support of the deck cards. Some additional strength is given to it by two narrow strips of card gummed beside the openings and reaching from the upper to the lower of the four decks.

Owing to the unusual shape of the stern gallery, it is a matter of some difficulty to set out the exact outline of each card, but for a model of the size and type now being described the proper shapes are shown in the outline diagram fig. 77, where every part is shown to scale.

Parts for the Stern Gallery

Fig. 77. Outlines of the Stern Gallery Cards.
A. Roof card.
B. Upper deck.
C. Main deck.
D. Lower deck.
E. F. Sides.
G. Bow window.
H.    Lower bulustrade.
J    Stern windows, on lower deck.
K.    Transom strake.
L.M. Sides of transom.
N'.     Back board.
P     Upper balustrade.

When the card is used all that has to be done is to cut the parts to their correct outlines, otherwise they must be drawn in pencil on the card itself. To insure accuracy always work from a centre line and from another at right angles to it, setting off all lengths and heights from these lines.

Fig.  78. Putting the Side  Card into place.

Having drawn the outlines, proceed to cut the card to shape, as des­cribed on page 31, Chapter IV., and then make all the edges smooth, by wiping them lightly with fine new sandpaper. The next step is to assemble them in proper order by fitting the lowest deck card into place on the transom after the deck card has been bent to the correct curvature or camber. Then add the next lowest deck card, and slip one of the side cards into place as shown in fig. 78, noting that the slotted end of this card fits flush against the edge of the transom, and that the other edge of the side card is turned inwards, all as clearly shown in the photograph which was taken to show exactly how the actual work will look when held in the maker's own hands. Add the remaining deck cards, which must have a similar camber to the first.

This is clearly shown in fig. 79 where the bow window is seen in position, and the balustrade card is being tried in place.

Fig. 79. Bow Windows and Balustrade during assembly.

The bow window is made by bending the shaped card along the dotted lines shown in the diagram (fig. 77) in such a way that the inner edges fit snugly against those of the web pieces which were left for that purpose on the transom.

The balustrade cards are curved and a narrow strip of card is gummed along the face to increase the thickness and represent the handrail at the top. The ends have to be curved inwards, and when doing this they should be inclined so that they fit nicely against the centre of the thick vertical strip of card on the transom.

When the parts have been thus far prepared they should be tried in place or "offered up" in position on the hull as shown in fig. 80 when, if everything is correct, it should fit nicely on the back of the hull; any slight correction should be made—if necessary—at this stage as it is difficult to make alterations afterwards. The next stage in the work is to prepare the back-card which fits behind the transom and to paint  the windows and other  parts. This is easily done while the various pieces are in the flat, which is possible by taking them apart, painting them neatly, and re-assembling them, but this time in a somewhat different order, and of course with adhesive on all the joint faces.

Fig. 80. Applying the Stern Gallery to the Hull.

Commence the re-assembly by fixing the back card to the back of the transom, then add the lower deck card and the lower cabin end card; fit the two side cards, and then promptly place the whole in position on the hull, securing it at the back with a drawing pin and steadying the sides withordinary pins. Slip some odd pieces of card into the slots where the deck cards will ultimately fit as shown in fig. 81 and then proceed to fix the narrow strips of card shown white in this photograph.

Fig.  81. Fixing the Balustrade Strips.

Fig. 82. Placing the Bow  Windows on  to Stern Gallery.

These represent the mouldings which carry on the line of the balus­trade rails, and they are fixed by coating the back face with gum and immediately putting the strip in position. Trouble is saved if the strips are gummed to the transom before assem­bling the other pieces, and applying the gum to them when the work has reached the stage illustrated by fig. 81, which shows just how a strip is bent around at the corner.

Fig. 83. Building the Underpart of the Stern Gallery.

Press all the strips into place and pin their ends to the hull sides as shown in fig. 82, then add the next lower deck card, and fix the bow window as shown in that illustration, coaxing it carefully into place. Allow the adhesive to set hard, then add the next two deck cards, and after that turn the hull keel upwards and fit the three cards, which slope inwards from the underside of the lowerdeck card towards the underside of the hull.

Fig.  84. Fixing the Balustrade Card.

These pieces are slightly curved but they must be exactly correct, and their final shaping is best accomplished by means of fine sandpaper rubbed lightly along the edge of the card with a sweeping motion to impart the necessary curvature. The centre one of these cards traverses the stern gallery and has to fit between the lower deck card and the lower edge of the transom, hence both its edges are curved and must fit with equal precision. The side pieces have to be gummed to the underside of the lower deck card and to the web-like ends of the transverse card, but are ultimately supported by the hull itself.

The appearance of these cards and the general aspect of the hull at this stage is shown in fig. 83 as it will appear to the worker while engaged on its construction. After these cards have been fitted the hull is replaced in its normal position and the balustrade cards added as shown in fig. 84, where the upper of these cards is being held in place while the adhesive dries. The rest of the work on the stern gallery is carried out after it has been finally fixed to the hull, at a stage when the bulk of the model is complete. The work that has then to be done is to glue the stern gallery into place, allow it to dry, and then add pieces of thick card to the outer corners and other pieces of card along the inner edges of the sides and at the top. These should be cut to suitable outlines according to the figures and scroll-work which they represent, .as shown in the detail drawing (fig. 85) and on other illustration of the completed model. Then with the aid of plastic wood proceed to build up and model the figures and scroll-work, shaping it with a spatula or any small metal modelling tool, or in their absence with a few needles and the pointed end of the blade of a pocket knife. Nothing of great assistance can be written about this part of the work—everything depends on the skill and common sense of the worker—but if the plastic wood is roughly shaped by pressing it into form, by building up here and cutting away any surplus, it will be found comparatively simple to attain some semblance of the elaborately carved work which characterised the old-time ships.

This character can be enhanced by the judicious use of grey and black paint applied in such a way as to emphasise the modelling, as for instance by showing up the eyes and mouth of the lion, and the main contours and convolutions of the scroll-work. On a model of this kind much can be done in this way to impart a rich effect, especially if the carved work is intelligently painted with a brilliant chrome yellow and finished off with a good grade of liquid gold. The ship's name-plate should be separately painted and added as a unit, gumming it into place when completed. The decorative panel with coat-of-arms and the supporting figures are carried out in paintwork, but relief can be imparted by cutting the shield and the figures from thin card and gumming them in position on the transom. Sometimes it is possible to utilise an embossed coat-of-arms by cutting it from the lead foil Capping on some wine bottles, and fixing it with Seccotine to the transom.

Fig. 85. Details of Finished Stern Gallery.

Careful study of the working drawings and photographs of this  model  as  well   as  reference  to  any  really  well-made exhibition model will give the builder the best possible impression of the appearance of the stern gallery. The method described is a very simple one but this need not—indeed it should not—deter the craftsman from putting his very best work into this attractive feature of an old-time model.

For instance, those with the requisite skill and dexterity can actually carve the figures and ornamental work instead of making them in the manner described in this chapter.

There is no doubt that a stern gallery, as turned out by the professional ship modeller, is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship, far beyond the reach of a novice, and for that reason the alternative method here described for the first time should have a wide appeal to all novices who undertake the home construction of an old-time ship model.

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