Chasseur

UPDATE
 
made some structures and 24 windows, and the first two funnel (raw) sections. The appropriate vents still have to be placed, as well as the quater for the first officer.
 
Nils
 

 
a little paint and gratings on the middle upper structures. The sockets are ready to take up the funnel tubes with 10° backward rake
 
 

 
dry fit of the first two funnels
 
 

 
diagonal its possible to get the total overview on the pic
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Hi Kees,
 
Beautiful work, every aspect of it.  I am so impressed with your rusting technique  - so very realistic and convincing.  Thanks for sharing.
 
Gary

Good questions...  
I cut a 1" square in each thickness (and type) of the wood I'm using.  I then measure the kerf using the hole and the cutout piece.   Close counts and still end up sanding to fit.
 
As for that taper... in this case, I'm cutting the planks upside down.  When I flip them over to install, the taper works to my advantage on the curve of the deck.  
 
The one thing I did do was change out my lens from a 2" focal point to the 2.5" focal point.  Less taper. If 3" focal point lens ever becomes available, I'll try it.  The beam comes out of the tube, and bangs off the mirrors and actually widens a bit (not much but the brains who know this stuff tell me it happens).  Leaving the lens the beam goes V-shaped to the focal point.  Thus the shorter the focal point, the wider the taper.  The longer, the narrower the taper.
 
 Also, set the focus point halfway through the wood. It makes the kerf a tad wider but also reduces the taper by burning more of the material at the bottom of the cut.  No matter what we do, there's still some finish sanding to get things to fit and be square.

I've decided to make my sails in like fashion..except using paper..
 

 
Rob

@ Rob .... go to page 7 of this build and you'll see what I finally came up with. The medium is modelling paste on carved/fitted wood and a gel combined with a dry brush paint technique.
@ Piet... Young America is a beautiful ship. I look forward to your diorama at 1:3000 it will be very cool indeed. ... Jeff

Rob,
Is that a figure of McKay on top of McCann's book?

Jond,
Is your version of a sail loft a Man Cave? If it is you have one awesome Man Cave!
Beautiful work and I absolutely love the color of the masts. Very convincing ... Jeff

@ Rob .... go to page 7 of this build and you'll see what I finally came up with. The medium is modelling paste on carved/fitted wood and a gel combined with a dry brush paint technique.
@ Piet... Young America is a beautiful ship. I look forward to your diorama at 1:3000 it will be very cool indeed. ... Jeff

@ Rob .... go to page 7 of this build and you'll see what I finally came up with. The medium is modelling paste on carved/fitted wood and a gel combined with a dry brush paint technique.
@ Piet... Young America is a beautiful ship. I look forward to your diorama at 1:3000 it will be very cool indeed. ... Jeff

Rob,
Is that a figure of McKay on top of McCann's book?

Thank-you Gentleman for peeking in.
@ Rob - Nice model a great find! Thanks for posting it's an encouragement to me.
@ Michael -  yes making the tools are not an option I am afraid but rewarding just the same*
@ Patrick - All in due time and yes patience is the key here!
 
Jeff

Jond,
Is your version of a sail loft a Man Cave? If it is you have one awesome Man Cave!
Beautiful work and I absolutely love the color of the masts. Very convincing ... Jeff

Super clean work. Amazing!
Jeff

Looking really good Patrick. Kind of like show and tell with all of the sections.
Very Cool!
 
Jeff

Today I spent a little time on the marker lights but focused more on test fitting the seas and test fitting the hull. I made a few decisions on moving forward. I decided to build the model “Ralph Preston style” so I can get more detail into the model regarding the running rigging etc. Each of the 5 masts will be inserted separately moving from stern to stem one at a time.
 
This way I can reduce the amount of lines to mess with coming out of the bottle neck so each mast, yards, rigging etc. are in modules.
 
I had to build a special insertion tool today to test fit the upper deck section of the hull to the lower part of hull as there are two parts to this hull build. Tool fits into hole where bowsprit goes.
 
So there will be no folding masts utilizing the Hinkley hinge as most builders tend to do. The build will take longer however I am in no rush whatsoever.
 

 

 
So that's it... Steady as she goes!
 
Jeff

A brief update. I am onto detailing the forecastle area. The first photograph shows what I am trying to achieve end game. How much detail I stuff into this small area will be a treat. Fabrication of the two reflectors port and starboard are built and installed. I am now working on the clearance marker lights which are located right behind the reflectors. I also have the two chicken coups built as well. Picture shows one just behind the ladder from deck to castle.
 

 
Next shot is of me turning the dome part of the marker light. 1.5mm brass here.
 

 
Next two shots are port and starboard reflectors respectively.
 

 

 
Next shot is a special tool I made for sanding and profiling the dome after I glued it to 1.5mm brass pipe. I had this old handle used for a hacksaw that I can't get a blade for so now it's a new tool. I used pipe to glue the dome onto as it has a hollow for the toothpick to stick into as a holder.
 

 
Next shot is a dome glued onto the pipe. Also is a notch filed into the pipe to show where the glass cover is that protects the electric light inside the dome as on the real ship.
 

 
Next two shots show the fabrication process of the lower ring being formed from soft wire Copper-Extra Fine W-C-XF.
 

 

 
Last shot shows the wire glued into position. "GS Hypo Cement works wonders here." Dome glued to pipe and wire glued to lower part of dome. Notice the notch below the ring?
 

 
That's it for now.
Jeff
 
 

A little work on the Forecastle/deck area. Got some decking on and railings installed. Fiddly work just the same. First shot below is a dime to show scale. I still have to scrap some paint off of the port holes. Amazing what the camera picks up!
 

 
Next two shots are just for kicks ... Jeff
 

 

 
 
 

Yesterday and today I thought about building a scale figure for on deck to ensure everything « I model is in scale and within reason. First off I needed to build a micro chisel and a micro carving knife. The chisel I built from a sewing needle and the knife from a broken off piece of razor blade. See below! Number 11 exacto knife for scale comparison.
 

 

 
I then mulled around and stewed in the cave trying to figure out what to do. Following ideas came up:
Carve a figure from a matchstick Carve a figure from a pencil lead Sculpt a figure from Sculpy III clay Then it dawned on me. I`ll make one from paper and then paint it. I photocopied a figure from a file a Gent in the UK had sent to me free of charge. His scale was 1:250 so I halved it on the photocopier then halved it again to get to my scale. My figure scaled in at a 6` tall German sailor weighing in it at 195 lbs. all muscle when painted up LOL. First shot shows the paper figure glued to another piece of paper for bulk. I reinforced the figure with cyano to make it easier to carve.
 

 
Once I carved it to spec I painted the body a merchant marine uniform blue, flesh for face, white tee shirt underneath and black boots. See below. Figure is 1.5 mm tall.
 

 
For my first attempt I`d rate this figure at a 7 out of 10. When you view it with the naked eye it`s pretty convincing at this scale. I know I can do better with some practice.
 
Some quick comments. I tried to paint with acrylics but they dried out way to quickly. Switched to enamels which seemed better but bulked up a bit too much for my liking. I will probably go back to acrylics and add an inhibitor in to slow paint drying time down or I might try artists oils for kicks. I attached a photograph to show how I am going to model some sailors on a yard taking in the sheet before the storm hits as the Preussen will be modeled before the wind rounding the Horn. See below.
 

 
Also attached is an article if anyone is interested in making their own micro chisels from scratch.
 
Making_Small_Tools_Tutorials.pdf
 
More to come ... Jeff
 
 
 

I finally got back into the Man Cave and it felt a bit like Santa's Workshop. First 4 pictures show my bench pin complete with my fabricated helping hands. I have to wonder how I ever did work without a bench pin. I can't say enough about the value of having a pin. I made mine totally removable. Just loosen some wing nuts and everything comes apart in about 60 seconds. First shot shows the pin and helping hands under construction. Note the nice chunk of steel plate for soldering jobs.
 

 
Next two shots show the versatility of the hands and how I can locate a part to solder, glue or paint with precision. I built a few different sizes of L brackets to have on hand for various scenario`s. I give Mr. Mott credit here as he inspired me with his version.
 

 

 
Next shot is overall look of my bench modified. It turned out better than I expected. Notice the leather apron to protect my felt lined shelf, a must have when soldering or working with hot parts. I give God all the glory here!
 

 
Next two shots are gifts from my Uncle Bob. He built me a container for files and another for pliers, hemostats, saws, scissors etc.
 

 

 
Next shot is a gift from my youngest Son. This item will enhance my modelling at the miniature scales I model and the world I live in. Lens come in 10X, 15X, 20X and 25X.
 

 
Next 4 pictures shows my modification to my miniature lathe. I built a tail stock with sliding mechanism. I can also drill into anything chucked in the Jacob`s chuck. Just push the green button to drill. First picture is me dialing her in.
 

 
Next two photographs show the set-up. The pencil grinder on the left has a rotating head for turning. When I want to lock it up just insert a pin into the area that locks the chuck and I am in drill mode otherwise she free wheels for turning.
 

 

 
Next picture show`s a 1:300 scale Dahlgren cannon turned and painted from 3/16`` doweling purchased from the dollar store. 3/32`` drill bit shows the scale in comparison.
 

 
So where I am at with the Preussen build.... next two shots show the hull onto my custom holder I modified from an old document holder. I can swivel, turn, tilt, lower or raise the hull to the exact working position I want. So from here on forward all my posts will be about the build. Now I can focus on completing this SIB. First shot shows where I left off at last time.
 

 
Next shot shows how the stand fits nicely on my sliding tray.
 

 
So there you have it I am back in business!
Jeff
 
 
 

Back at it today. I got the skirting attached on three sides and my mini lathe mounted and wired. First two shots shows the skirting close up outside and inside.
 

 

 
I reworked my power supply and added a rheostat into the equation so I can slow down the speed of the motor. The motor I have is a 12 volt heater motor out of an old Nissan King Cab. Next picture shows the way to wire one if you are so inclined.
 

 
Next shot shows the internals and how it's wired.
 

 
Next shot shows other side of the plug. You don't want to snip the brass gang between the plugs so if you have something else you want to run at a variable speed you can do it. Basically both plug ins are energized.
 

 
Next shot shows the motor mounted. I still have to make a little leveling adjusting tool as I want the chuck perfectly level to the custom tail stock I am going to build.
 

 
Last picture shows the set-up. Plug rheostat into a household power source. Turn it on and it powers my little step down transformer that converts 120 VAC into 12 volts to power the heater motor. The beauty of this set up is I can get variable speeds to turn different sizes of wood or piano wire. Remember I work at very small scales so this is a miniature lathe LOL.
 

 
My Man Cave is an absolute disaster zone right now. I can't wait to get the bench done and put back where it belongs so I can clean up the cave!
 
More to come ... Jeff
 
 

A bit of progress to report.
First shot is the overall look of the bench. Drawers extended somewhat to show my intentions!
 

 
Next few show some close ups.
 

 
I can retract everything when not in use.
 

 

One of the side draws had a broken bottom so an hour was spent pulling it apart and replacing the bottom piece of wood.
 
All drawers relined with felt.
 
Next shot shows me starting to mock up my mini lathe. This time I will install an adjustable tail-stock made from an old Dremel flex shaft. I am going to make a receiver for the bench pin just under the middle semicircle part to make it removable and can the C-clamp idea. I will skirt the sides and rear part on the top so tools don't fall off. 
 

 
More to come ... Jeff
 
 

Sliding drawer completed, sliders on and top drawer lined with felt. Top on bench sanded down with two coats of Linseed oil. This felt I bought from Michael's is made from recycled plastic pop bottles so its a bit of a nuisance to cut, price was right though.There was a few war wounds on the top but hey that's character!
 
I will line my side drawers with felt and inside the cavity as well. More to come ... Jeff
 

 

 

 
 

There once was a wood cutter who applied for a new job. The first day on the job he cut down 20 trees. The second day he cut down 10 trees and the third day he only fell 3. He went to his boss and said; I can’t understand it …each day I try harder and I cut down less trees!
 
His boss replied… did you ever think to sharpen your axe?
 
So it is with me. During my Lone Warrior build at 1:300 scale paper ship models; I found myself losing a lot of extremely small parts that would either fall off my bench, fly away when I sneezed, and… I am tired of crawling on my hands and knees looking for parts that are supposedly on the floor someplace.
 
The answer … rebuild one of my work benches like the ones  jewelers use and install a removable bench pin for filing/cutting/fabricating, a pull out (contoured) felt lined drawer to catch miniature parts that accidentally fall, and build a few organizers for tools that I use daily. Kees de Mol has been an inspiration for this project  after seeing his restoration of his Man Cave.
 
Before I proceed further on the Preussen this project must be completed before Christmas.
 
I’ll post pictures here as I progress on this project.
 
First picture is my bench flipped over as I remove my mini homemade lathe and transformer. Drawers on the side removed for now. I will remount my transformer in a better location once I figure out where and clean up the wiring. This bench was originally a sewing machine table where the sewing machine flipped inside of the table when not in use. Legs are solid Mahogany and the rest is covered with an Arborite counter top material to represent mahogany, so it has a little bit of class IMHO. You older gents will remember Arborite as it was really popular in the sixties/seventies. Now a day its clone is called Formica.
 

 
Second picture is the top cut out in a semicircle. I am following the European example of a jeweler's bench where it allows you to get in closer to the bench pin and the drawer slides up to ones belly or in my case… my “One Pack.”
 

 
Next 2 pictures are forming the curved piece for the drawer.  I took the cut-out piece from the table top and used it for a template. The wood to be bent is ¼” hobby board from Home Depot. I soaked it in boiling hot water in the sink for ½ an hour and then used a bar bell while cooling to slowly bend it into position to clamp it. I let the piece dry slowly in the garage for 3 days and when I un-clamped it, it was almost perfectly shaped. The drawer goes in the cavity cut out and will be mounted on DIY sliders.
 

 

 
Next is the bench pin I made. Pin is custom and has cut outs for the jewelers saw to cut flats, rounds, notch etc. One coat of stain to touch it up and the pin was cut from one of the cut out pieces.
 

 
Last shot shows the drawer with one coat of stain applied. The Man Cave is a bit stinky right now as the stain is off gassing. I will apply a coat of Linseed oil to seal the drawer and pin and then the drawer gets lined with some green felt to catch parts if and when they fall. I thought about making a mount for the bench pin to slide into but I think I’ll go with some versatility and just use a C-clamp and clamp it where ever my heart desires at the time on the bench.
 
I am really excited about this Christmas as I have 2 weeks vacation to go at it on the Preussen SIB and work towards getting her bottled!
 

 
More to come … Jeff   
 
 
 
 
 

I got the first two sets of rat lines started. First shot is overall look. Glued threads on with white glue then an extra secure with hair spray. Used Gem Tack to dollop the dead-eyes. Painted the lines with a flat black wash to get ride of the fuzz's. Used Raw Sienna and Dark Chocolate for dead eyes and Soft Butter to model the cordage between the eyes. A wash of Brown Ink to tone down the yellow a bit but just enough to give some contrast. These will be used for my 1:300 ships for an article I am writing but allowed me some practice for the Preussen. I decided to can the paper dead-eyes and go with Igor Sky's techniques for blocks et al.
 

 
Second shot shows a close up and an number 11 scalpel blade for scale reference. Dead-eyes measure 1.5 mm in diameter.
I am leaning towards using wire for the Preussen and soldering on each individual piece after I tin the lines. That way I can get even smaller in scale. We're entering the watch making trade here! Once I remove them I can trim a little closer and then they're ready to install.
 

 
Just another tricky day in the man cave. Been so busy lately I rarely get into the cave ... Jeff

Life has a way of getting in between work and hobbies.  The last year and most of this year to date has been trying for our family as we watched my Father in Law go from an old folk’s home to a cane, to a walker, to a nursing home and wheel chair. He has been diagnosed with Parkinson's and is basically bed ridden.
 
 
The aforementioned has been a huge stressor on all of us… especially my wife. BTW the Mother in Law has Alzheimer's disease. A man can count his blessings each day as he wakes and enjoys life with good health. Zero work has been done with regard to the Preussen as we have had to deal with hospitals, doctors, nurses, healthcare workers et al.
 
Between works, writing an article for Lone Warrior and working with my son on his 1973 Chevy SS Nova I do manage to get some hobby done here and there. I thought I would share this tool below  I built for making ratlines.
 

 
Inspiration for this tool came from The Bottle Shipwright 1989 No. 1 Vol. 7, Page 12 ... Journal of the Ships in Bottles Association of America (SIBAA). Author: Hans de Haan Holland.
 
This tool was made to complete HMS Lady Prevost and USS Ariel (1:300 scale.) models for the L.W. article. I plan to eventually use the tool for making the ratlines for the Preussen as well and will use Ralph Preston's technique of installation with a minor tweak of my own to eliminate 150 strings coming out of the hull and bottle neck ... Story line in the future.
 
As with every tool I make the unwritten rule is the materials have to be had from within the man cave. I quickly hunted down some brass square tubing, a spring, screws etc. to fabricate this tool. Parameters were... it had to be adjustable for different mast heights, differing scales of model ships, and it had to fit into my fly tying vice for easy work access.
 
As with any soldering the trick with small parts is holding them down while you tin and solder the joints. My butane mini torch and pencil tip soldering iron came in handy while my adjustable second hand held everything square to the earth.
 

 

 
I chose a small spring to maintain spacing and tension to keep the lines taunt. This picture below shows my first feeble attempt while trying to glue things on a flat surface.  If you look closely you can see that the glue gets bunged up and things got stuck to the first balsa wood jig I made which a nightmare was trying to remove the ratlines once completed.
 

 

 
Above: Note the miniature Deadeyes made from paper to scale. Technique here is print them side by side, cut out and fold, then glue to thread.
 
Next pictures show the new tool I fabricated and the steps to completion and paint.
 

 

 

 

 
Above: You can see how the spring holds adequate tension and spacing and the bottom part is made to depict breadth and spacing of lines. I can even tweak the angle coming off the mast as well. From here all I have to do is cut small threads and glue them on as I climb up the lines. So there you have it a handy little tool to make a pair of ratlines for each individual mast. Hopefully this fall after the son’s car is running and the article is complete for L.W. I'll dive in full force to get some more work done on the Nitrate Clipper. I am chomping at the bit to get at her!