Jack12477

Big question....does it actually work?
 
Is the slip ratchet mechanism really workable?
 
Rob

What a gorgeous bit of work that is. I am inspired to greater achievement every time I visit your log.

I continue to be amazed at the attention to detail in your work.  Beautiful!

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 130 – Windlass 3
 
The first picture shows about as much of the ratchet mechanism that will ever be visible on the model – below the open forecastle deck on the port side.
 

 
This was taken just before the opening of the holes in the deck for the connecting rods on either side of the Samson post.  The rods were then sized, flattened and rounded at the ends, and drilled for connecting pins.  The next picture shows the handbrake being made.
 

 
A brass rod was inserted through a brass tube and silver-soldered in.  The outer tube was then squared off and center-marked for the three pin holes.  These are shown being drilled in the next picture.
 

 
The brake was then bent to conform to the final shape. A reinforcing strut was soldered across the top as shown in the next picture, taken after initial pinning together of the parts.
 

 
The brake handles have also been soldered on.  The brake assembly is temporarily bolted through the Samson post, which still has to be cut down to its final height.  In the next picture the windlass has been disassembled and the parts pickled and chemically blackened.
 

 
Both the connecting rods and the ratchet stops were fitted and bolted to the ratchet gears before treatment.  The parts were pickled in Sparex® and blackened in a 3% solution of WinOx®.  This is always a chancey process with me, mainly because of my impatience with pre-cleaning and pickling.  However, the results in this case were acceptable and the preassembled, finished parts are shown below before mounting.
 

 
The next picture shows work on the spindle cogs.  There are six on each spindle that fit into the milled slots.
 

 
Six brass strips were ganged in the vise as shown and roughed out with files.  They were first mounted on masking tape to help them behave when placing in the vise.  The final shaping and rounding was then done on the individual pieces as shown below.
 

 
The cogs were then blackened and epoxied into the slots.  The complete windlass is shown in place in the last picture.
 

 
In this picture the Samson post has been cut down to size and the woodwork given a wax finish.  Note that a backlash stop is installed over the central gear.  This is pinned in a small bracket that is bolted into the Samson post below the deck beam.  The installation is still temporary.  I expect the end axle sections will be wooden in the final installation.
 
 
Ed

Hey Joe,  thanks for the response.  I can't argue with logic - so that was my task this weekend.  I unfurled the sail, and took another look. Now, if I was going to go with unfurled, I'd also want to detach and re-sew the sail along with bonnets. I also considered whether or not I'd want to add one of the symbolic crosses on the sail as well.
 
    Turns out - I didn't really have to go to far to realize that I really liked the sails both ways.  So, I did what any normal, red blooded man would do - I asked the Admiral.  She liked the sail furled, and since I already have a couple around the house with sails down, she convinced me to go with the "just pulled into the bay" look.  :-)  
 
    The good news is - the entire exercise gave me the opportunity to re-furl the sail and little differently.  This time, I wrapped the sail a bit differently, and the sheets and clews are a little further out on the yard. I am much happier with this look, and I think it's ultimately more accurate.
 

Ratlines look good Robb. Nice job.

Update:
 
Painting of the hull is complete, except for a few touchups here and there.  The entire external hull was coated with 1 coat of artists Gesso - after it dried for 24 hours I lightly (emphasis on lightly) sanded it with 400 grit sandpaper (Gesso comes off easy if you sand to hard). I then proceed to mask the ship, starting with the deck area and then working to the outside. The blue coat was applied first, followed by the white band and lastly the black hull bottom. The paints are all water based acrylics, Michael's store brands. I described the color blending in post #42 above.  Four coats of blue and four coats of white were applied; but only two coats of black (Lamp Black); the white is Titanium white (snow white).. The deck got 1 coat of WOP.
 
Close-up photos certainly reveal the spots needing touch-up
 

 
I notice there's some circular spots on some of the photos - it's either on the lens or something to do with the lighting - but it is not on the model itself.

Thanks everyone for the comments and likes.
 
 
After spending many frustrating hours dry fitting the stern pieces and trying to decipher poor instructions and equally poor photos supplied with the kit, I finally got the stern assembled - not quite the way it was supposed to be but enough that a little improvisation could remedy the screw-up.  Side sheers and cap rails installed.  My solution to the screw-up was to horizontally plank the stern (big gap) with the same planks as the hull and then feather sand them into the hull.
 
There's another thin plywood piece that goes over the sheer as a rub rail/strip which hasn't been called out it the instructions yet but it will cover some of the small gaps.
 
First the vague and misleading picture - note the stern area
 

 
Model

 
Which way does it install ? Up or Down ?
 

 
Final solution
 

 
Next comes the deck structures.
 

The only photos that came with the kit, Mark, are the ones in the photos above.  I did Google the kit for additional photos (besides getting a gazillion "girlie" photos ) I came across these by a Russian modeler but no photos of the actual planking (he went from these to the finished/painted model).

 
When I installed the stern piece as shown in his photos the deck would not clamp down to the backbone/former at the stern, so I had to remove it, install the deck and then reinstall the stern piece but it does not install as shown in his photos. Not sure at this point if it makes a ton of difference. But it's aggravating ! See below
 

 
If you look back at post #9 photo 2 and post #12 photos2, 6, and 7 you will see the attachment point (photo 6 just above the red clamp). It's supposed to fit flush against the notch and against the upward slope of the former. But the deck prevents it from getting the right angle to the rest of the stuff.  GRRRRRRRRRRRRR !
 
What I really would like to see in the plans is how the planks terminate at the stern. I think the terminate at the last bulkhead and not on that sloping back piece.  The finished stern looks like this (from AL's website)
 

 
 
Oh well, more fiddling and sanding. Going to install the 4th plank on the other side, then try installing the gar plank and work up and down till I get it right

Nice planking Mark.  Also like the new stern coat of arms .  Is that going to be further carved into a bas-relief or left as is?  In either case it came out very well.

Nice job Mike. She looks great. The rigging isn't as hard as it looks. She's going to shape up great.
 
Paul

I like the presentation you're doing... the thin rods supporting it.  Beautiful work, Mike.

Thanks guys!
with all this great weather we've been having in Boston I was able to get on my bicycle and ride down to the Constitution. Check out current state of the work being done... Some models look more put together than the real deal!
 

Beautifully done Mark, congrats.  Anxiously awaiting your stern deco carving.
 
Cheers,

Coming along nicely,  Mike

Ratlines look good Robb. Nice job.

Nice planking Mark.  Also like the new stern coat of arms .  Is that going to be further carved into a bas-relief or left as is?  In either case it came out very well.

Hi Nigel, thanks for the compliments on the boat and bird. 
 
I've used Testor's ModelMaster series paints for years on my plastic models. It's an excellent paint; their other series (ones you see in the teeny tiny jars) is fair; but the ModelMaster series is excellent.  Of course, the best paints were the Floquil and PolyS paints but they've gone out of existence altho some hobby stores still have some in stock.  For my woodcarvings, I've pretty much stuck to water based acrylics which I've now applied to boats. I have not tried ModelMaster paints on wood yet but have no reason to think they would not work well on wood. Probably need a different primer for wood than the Gesso I've been using.
 
ModelMaster goes on well with a brush and is easily used (with their airbrush thinner) in an airbrush. Coverage is excellent with either method. I've used it in an airbrush to paint camouflage pattens with great results.
 
The bird's feathers were burned/carved into the wood first using a Colwood Cub woodburner with the "B" tip, then they were painted using acrylics. Takes as much patience as tying ratlines. I haven't tried the woodburner on wooden ships but it would probably work fine.

Nicely done. I like the results, especially the added tools.

Today, I decided to work on the Cockpit section, I started by cutting out the Birch ply for the rear Deck bulkhead, I then cut the rear Deck camber on the last 2 frames. I then turned my attention to carefully cutting away the 3 frames in the cockpit down to the height of the bent frames that were installed yesterday. I then started on cutting out parts for the floor framing. Nothing has been glued at this point,  the Birch ply, Deck framing, and Floor timbers are just dry fit. Next will be to cut out the Door in the forward Bulkhead and finish up the Deck and Floor framing. Here are the results

Wow... thanks of the "likes" and the comments.  I'm a bit overwhelmed by it all. 
 
I'm feeling pretty good now that I've started sanding and scraping.   I'm about 95% happy with it as is after the initial pass and hope to 100% happy by the time I'm done.  I'm using a combination of thumbplanes, scrapers, and assorted sanding devices such sandpaper glued to flexible plastic sheeting,  disposable fingernail files, and fingernail foam sanding blocks. I use a beauty supply house as they're cheaper and pick up points from the Admiral by offering to pick stuff up for her while them there.  
 
Gap filling is simply wiping on some poly after sanding, let it set and sand again.  The wood dust gets trapped and held by the poly in the gaps.  Works surprising well and doesn't leave the spots like glue and dust.
 
Rough sanding is almost done using 220 grit paper (or equivalent) and then I'll finish sand.  I'm finish sanding from the caprails (or at least where they will be) down to the keel.   I'll use wipe on poly and realize that I'll have to scrape some off when I glue on the various bits and pieces on the outside of the hull.
 
 
 
That's what I'm thinking, Remco.   I'll have to make one.  I have some ideas but I'll hold off until I'm about ready to make the guns.  I only want to have to take the lathe apart once during the project and it's overdue for cleanup and calibration.
 
 
Nigel, it will be a lot longer than one thinks.   I want to have the exterior mostly finished and the interior done without the deck furniture on the quarter or fore decks.  I've studied Hahn's method and he makes sense to me to leave it on the jig as long as possible.  It prevents damage and makes handing and working on it easier. 
 
 
 
Jack, it's going to be bas-relief carved.  I'm happy that it came out as well as it did and it's better than my other attempts as I got less char this time around.  I think I'm finally getting the hang of the laser cutter.  It's also more in line with scale thickness. 
 
 
Not closed Sjors... far from it.  But it's getting there. 
 
Back to sanding..... 

Many thanks Jack...appreciate the insights!
 
Cheers,
 
Nigel.

Nicely done. I like the results, especially the added tools.

Hi Nigel, thanks for the compliments on the boat and bird. 
 
I've used Testor's ModelMaster series paints for years on my plastic models. It's an excellent paint; their other series (ones you see in the teeny tiny jars) is fair; but the ModelMaster series is excellent.  Of course, the best paints were the Floquil and PolyS paints but they've gone out of existence altho some hobby stores still have some in stock.  For my woodcarvings, I've pretty much stuck to water based acrylics which I've now applied to boats. I have not tried ModelMaster paints on wood yet but have no reason to think they would not work well on wood. Probably need a different primer for wood than the Gesso I've been using.
 
ModelMaster goes on well with a brush and is easily used (with their airbrush thinner) in an airbrush. Coverage is excellent with either method. I've used it in an airbrush to paint camouflage pattens with great results.
 
The bird's feathers were burned/carved into the wood first using a Colwood Cub woodburner with the "B" tip, then they were painted using acrylics. Takes as much patience as tying ratlines. I haven't tried the woodburner on wooden ships but it would probably work fine.

Nice planking Mark.  Also like the new stern coat of arms .  Is that going to be further carved into a bas-relief or left as is?  In either case it came out very well.