Jump to content

Thimble help needed


Recommended Posts

One particular detail that is giving  me trouble on my New Bedford whale boat has me stumped.

That's the thimble needed to furnish a tying point for the boat's erected mast shrouds.

It needs to be about 1/8" inside dia.

 

post-9806-0-66261100-1393280471_thumb.jpg

 

post-9806-0-16898800-1393280637_thumb.jpg

 

 

I tried the method outlined in Mr. Ronnberg excellent book but it doesn't work for me. Are there any other methods to achieve making this round thimble ?

 

Thanks

 

S.os

New Bedford Whaleboat build. Kit by Model Shipways

 

 

I've been making progress on my model and according to the instruction booklet I should be painting it, at least parts of it.

Are acrylic's ok ? I did apply a sanding sealer. but I want to stain the untreated floor boards which are walnut.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

S.O.S.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi S.o.s. - could you please advise exactly what part of the process is not working? 

 

If you find that the split tube sides are collapsing when bending, then you could try putting a bit of wire (same OD as the ID of the tube) into the channel as you bend it and that might help. 

 

If it is that you cannot obtain/bend a circle around the pliers perhaps a temporary jig using an old/broken drill bit of the appropriate OD, set into a wood offcut (secured to the bench or a vice), around which to form the ring might assist - similar to making wire rings.

 

These two ideas can work together as a combination as I have used them successfully but I was using copper not aluminium.

 

I hope this helps?

 

Pat

Edited by BANYAN

If at first you do not suceed, try, and then try again!
Current build: HMCSS Victoria (Scratch)

Next build: HMAS Vampire (3D printed resin, scratch 1:350)

Built:          Battle Station (Scratch) and HM Bark Endeavour 1768 (kit 1:64)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only way I can see to do it is to use sheet brass well annealed and just long enough to match the ID wanted and wide enough plus a little of the OD of the channel, form it and leave it on the inside forming tool. Then tightly wrap a wire the diameter matching the ID of the channel and peen the flat ring over that tight wire from both sides. probably need to fabricate a jig and  turn the ring in the jig at least once. Only way I know that you can stretch metal into the shape shown in your sketch. Or make it from a rod on a lathe.

jud

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't know if this would be the right size or not for your needs, but steel guitar strings have something very similar to a thimble in one end. You probably can modify one of those to fit your needs. It'll cost you a few pennies to research that. ;)

There aren't but two options: do it FAST, or do it RIGHT.

 

Current Project Build Log: Soleil Royal in 1/72. Kit by Artesania Latina.

Last finished projectsRoyal Ship Vasa 1628; French Vessel Royal Louis 1780. 1/90 Scale by Mamoli. 120 Cannons

 

Future projects already in my stash: Panart: San Felipe 1/75; OcCre: Santísima Trinidad 1/90;

Wish List: 1/64 Amati Victory, HMS Enterprise in 1/48 by CAF models.

 

So much to build, so little time!

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another method for making thimbles is to cut short pieces off a suitable brass or copper tube. File these flat to the same length in a jig. (This is simply a piece of wood of suitable thickness with holes drilled through.) Place the piece of tube on a hard metal surface and use a centre punch to flare one side of the thimble. Turn it over and flare the other side in the same way. It will take a little experimentation to get the correct strength of 'punch' to do the job.

Be sure to sign up for an epic Nelson/Trafalgar project if you would like to see it made into a TV series  http://trafalgar.tv

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi.

Use annealed copper tube of the correct size.

Fill with casting sand(very fine sand). And block the ends.

Bend around a bar of the required diameter. Can use heat if required.

Bend as many turns as required.

Remove the sand.

Cut to make rings.

Then grind outer part away.

 

Regards Antony.

Edit -: Turn it on a lathe.

Edited by AntonyUK

Best advice ever given to me."If you don't know ..Just ask.

Completed Mayflower

Completed Fun build Tail boat Tailboat

Completed Build Chinese Junk Chinese Pirate Junk

Completed scratch built Korean Turtle ship 1/32 Turtle ship

Completed Santa Lucia Sicilian Cargo Boat 1/30 scale Santa Lucia

On hold. Bounty Occre 1/45

Completed HMS Victory by DeAgostini modelspace. DeAgostini Victory Cross Section

Completed H.M.S. Victory X section by Coral. HMS Victory cross section

Completed The Black Pearl fun build Black Queen

Completed A large scale Victory cross section 1/36 Victory Cross Section

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all the good tips in solving my problem.  I decided to go with the simplest, a kind of a combination of the suggestions above that is:  Take a strip of copper (soft) cut about 3/32 wide and suitable length to make the desired eye. I filed one end to a sort of blade or better yet a "scarf". I then bent it around a twist drill with a 1/8" overlap. I then sodered the assembly together.

 

 

To mount it in place on the model I first formed the rope grommet,and seized it in the "thimble with thread.  Right now it resides P & S on the model . If you look real close you can see the thimble has no flange, but tell anybody. ^_^

 

Thanks  Pat,Jud,Ulises,Bart,Druxley,Antony

 

S.os

New Bedford Whaleboat build. Kit by Model Shipways

 

 

I've been making progress on my model and according to the instruction booklet I should be painting it, at least parts of it.

Are acrylic's ok ? I did apply a sanding sealer. but I want to stain the untreated floor boards which are walnut.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

S.O.S.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

take a look at this thread  and here scroll down to the bottom of the page where I show a step by step method for making thimbles

 

 

 

post-202-0-11669300-1371531056_thumb.jpg

 

I made a thimble for the 1/16th cable first I filed a couple of grooves at each end I annealed the centre part only and shaped the thimble using the same tools and methods as before

 

post-202-0-49109800-1371531057_thumb.jpg

 

post-202-0-21270100-1371531059_thumb.jpg

 

At the moment it is attached to the bowsprit end cap but it will be attached to a traveler on the bowsprit, so that it can be hauled it to change sheets.

 

post-202-0-43288600-1371531060_thumb.jpg

 

Michael

Current builds  Bristol Pilot Cutter 1:8;      Skipjack 19 foot Launch 1:8;       Herreshoff Buzzards Bay 14 1:8

Other projects  Pilot Cutter 1:500 ;   Maria, 1:2  Now just a memory    

Future model Gill Smith Catboat Pauline 1:8

Finished projects  A Bassett Lowke steamship Albertic 1:100  

 

Anything you can imagine is possible, when you put your mind to it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi.

Use annealed copper tube of the correct size.

Fill with casting sand(very fine sand). And block the ends.

Bend around a bar of the required diameter. Can use heat if required.

Bend as many turns as required.

Remove the sand.

Cut to make rings.

Then grind outer part away.

 

Regards Antony.

Edit -: Turn it on a lathe.

 

 

You can also use low temperature melting metals to fill the copper tube and when finished forming heat the copper to remove the core metal.

Edited by grsjax

My advice and comments are always worth what you paid for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Read this somewhere many years ago.  Take rosin core solder of the correct size, split down one side and remove the rosin, bend into the thimble shape and you'r done.  Never tried this myself so have no first hand knowledge but it sounds like a workable idea.

My advice and comments are always worth what you paid for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

grsjax,  Sounds good. Wish I thought of it sooner. Thanks

 

S.os

New Bedford Whaleboat build. Kit by Model Shipways

 

 

I've been making progress on my model and according to the instruction booklet I should be painting it, at least parts of it.

Are acrylic's ok ? I did apply a sanding sealer. but I want to stain the untreated floor boards which are walnut.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

S.O.S.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

post-3864-0-14920000-1467907895_thumb.jpgI recently had great success turning some small thimbles, with an outer diameter of 0.050" and inner diameter of 0.031". I will try to do a fresh post later today describing the process. Above is a picture of the (unblackened) finished product.

 

 

JD

 

Current build: Schooner Mary Day (scratch)

 

Previous builds:  Model Shipways Pride of Baltimore 2, Amati HMS Endeavour, Midwest Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack, Bluejacket America, Midwest Sharpie Schooner

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, didn't mean for that picture to be quite so big...

 

JD

JD

 

Current build: Schooner Mary Day (scratch)

 

Previous builds:  Model Shipways Pride of Baltimore 2, Amati HMS Endeavour, Midwest Muscongus Bay Lobster Smack, Bluejacket America, Midwest Sharpie Schooner

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...