JSGerson

Unegawahya - (I posted this on my log, but I'll repeat here) The finial is phenomenal, especially the spoke hub. It looks like the assembly was made from 3 or 4 pieces. What is the basic diameter? When I get to it, I would like to reproduce it, so any details you can provide would be helpful. In total admiration, Jon

Unegawahya - The finial is phenomenal, especially the spoke hub. It looks like the assembly was made from 3 or 4 pieces. What is the basic diameter? When I get to it, I would like to reproduce it, so any details you can provide would be helpful. In total admiration, Jon

Do you know sign language? I might be going deaf!!!😝

Oh well, it was wishful thinking. Shipyard shut down today due to noise pollution. I am having my 20yr old roof replaced, and there are eight guys with hammers banging away on my roof. They should be finished by the end of the day. Jon

Thanks for your efforts, but the link you provided is for round tube. You got lucky in finding square tubing with a round inside. I've been to the K&S site, Ace Hardware site, Hobby Lobby site, and Google in general; no luck. I did get my first order of new drill bits, so I'll see how that goes soon. Jon

I have never seen that brass item (1/16" square cross section, round hollow section) at Hobby Lobby or Hobby Town, my only local shopping choices. Hobby Lobby is mostly a crafts store and my local Hobby Town (30 miles away) is mostly an RC and toy store. Even online, I haven't seen that item. What is the K&S No.? Jon

I can believe your hand ached, been there done that. That is one reason I tried using the Dremel. Also, I wanted to ensure that I got a straight and true drill hole, which is the reason I used the drill stand. If I understood you correctly, where did you get square cross-section brass bar with that were hollow? I'm still waiting for the drill bits I originally ordered plus the ones Mustafa suggested. If those bits bite into the brass, the fabrication process should be much easier if not tedious. Jon

I would be proud to have these quarter galleries on my model. Well worth the effort. Jon

Peter, I have a 1900 photo of the ship when she was covered with a wooden housing structure, and even then she had the canopy brass. In this configuration she was a training ship and then a receiving ship. I don't think tourists were visiting the ship then which would mean the canopies were original to the function of a working naval ship. That means to me, they are not optional. If others model makers could do it, so can I. I may not have all the proper tools. but I do have tenacity😬. BTW, I did try using an awl, but at these scales, it was like using a blunt instrument and made no workable impression. I found that using push pins did make a light impression, but my drill bits just didn't want to play nice. Still waiting on the new bits to arrive. Jon

I took your advice and ordered the set you linked to in your post. Hopefully,, between my original order and this one, I'll have some bits that can bite!

I had mentioned to Unegawahya that maybe the problem was that I had cheap drill bits, and they weren’t properly hardened, so I ordered new (and hopefully better) bits for both sizes I was using. I am waiting for them to arrive. In the event, the new bits are not helpful, I have a Plan B, substituting plastic stock in lieu of brass. Specifically Evergreen Polystyrene No. 153 (1.5mm / 0.060” square). It’s easy to cut, drill, and its surface is very smooth like metal, but it needs to be painted. Since these fabricated parts will be very small, I am hoping the change in material won’t be too noticeable. And I have a Plan C, tight grain hardwood like Boxwood, but wood must be cut to size and pieces that small are very easy to split. So, while waiting on the order drill bits, I’ll work on something else.

The connector blocks ae to be made from 1/16” square brass bar stock. Now my old nemesis reared its ugly head once again: drilling holes into the brass. Brass tends to grab the drill bit unless it’s a bit designed to work with brass. I had a discussion with fellow builder Unegawahya (post 104,106,107, 108) who was successful drilling into the brass stock. Basically, he stated that the rotation speed needs to be slow, and the drill bit needs to be sharp, which he sharpens with a honing stone. Once more it comes down to having the proper tools which it appears I do not possess. I have a variable speed Dremel tool, a corded one-speed Dremel tool, a Dremel drill press stand, an X-Y table, an X-Y table vice, and a bunch of #67 (0.0320”) and #75 (0.0210”) twist drill bits. I also have problems. My cordless variable speed Dremel does not fit on my old Dremel drill press, so I am forced to use the corded one speed. I attached the vice to the X-Y table which was attached to the drill press and mounted the one speed on the drill press stand. I proceeded to make a 1/32” hole through some 1/16” square stock with the #67 drill bit. Because I could not slow down the rotation speed, I was lightly touching the metal by moving the rotary drill up and down with the stand’s lever so not to overheat the surface or the bit. It worked, but after I made 2 trial blocks, I couldn’t cut any more with either bit after the initial dimple was cut into the metal. Bits snapped in two, one literally untwisted itself and others bent sideways or into a zigzag shape. I tried sharpening the bit as suggested, but I didn’t have a honing stone and even if I did, the bit’s tip was so small, I could not see which face I was grinding even with my magnifying headset. All I had was a fine file and sandpaper so that didn’t work.

Below is what MS plans call for and their nearest equivalent K&S Engineering brand brass standard stock size: · 0.026” dia. rods for the vertical stanchions = K & S No. 9860 (0.020” / 0.50mm) · 0.013” dia. rods for the arching frame = K & S No. 5087 (1/64” / 0.410mm) · 0.013” dia. rods for the horizontal rails = K & S No. 5087 (1/64” / 0.410mm) There are additional ball ornaments, block connectors and finials which the MS plan does not assign dimensions. Based on the US Navy plans, these elements were simplified and reduced to scale as: 2.375” connecting blocks scaled to 0.03” = K & S No. 5082 (1/32” / 0.80mm) rod 3” ornament ball scaled to 0.039” = K & S No.815035 (1/32” / 0.800mm) tube However, in practical terms, if one constructs the canopy frames with brass components at actual scale dimensions, the frame would be extremely fragile. Just one errant bump, and the whole construct could bend out of shape. The brass is too malleable, not stiff enough. Another option is music wire. Unfortunately, it’s the wrong color and very hard to cut and bend to shape to the exact dimensions required. Therefore, I must choose a slightly oversized scale just for strength as follows: 0.032” dia. rods for the vertical stanchions = K & S No. 8160 (1/32” / 0.51mm) 0.020” dia. rods for the arching cover = K & S No. 9860 (3/128” / 0.800mm) 0.020” dia. rods for the horizontal rails = K & S No. 9860 (3/128” / 0.800mm) The additional ball ornaments and block connectors oversized to: 2.375” connecting blocks scaled to 0.03” = K & S No. 5083 (3/64” / 1.190mm) rod 3” ornament ball scaled to 0.039” = I purchased 1.0mm (0.04”) brass beads from etsy.com. For the finial, I think I can fabricate a simple facsimile I made a couple of forms to bend the arched brass cover pieces and planned the drill pattern for the connector blocks.

The only thing left before most of the hatchways are installed on the spar deck, are their canopy stanchions. These I want to fabricate off-ship as I expect it to be “easier” than on-ship. Obviously, the material of choice is brass rods and tubes, I try to fabricate things to exact scale within my skill set. Conveniently, the frame’s full-size dimensions (US Navy plan No. 6005106002) were simplified a bit as was necessary and reduced to scale on the MS plans.

beautifully done. I'm still in a quagmire with mine which I will explain in my next posting. Jon

It seems like the actual USS Constitution in Boston Harbor is still active in firing her cannons. Oh My!!!😮 https://www.universalhub.com/2024/uss-constitution-fires-charlestown-not?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark

Beautifully done! Jon

See, I knew you would come up with an elegant method!😁 Jon

To my surprise, that's what I did. I just thought with your superior woodworking skills, you might of had some elegant way of maybe using a router or bending technique to create the curves and chamfers . I used a small hand plane to make my chamfers on the straight pieces. As always, well done. Jon

Those are great looking windows! Jon

It will be interesting to see how you fabricate the curved bow waterways. Jon

Well you went from "damn near perfect" to perfect. Well done!! Jon

As expected: neat, clean, and well executed! Jon

I'm getting my materials and tools together preparing to start drilling brass blocks. Based on your comments about drilling speed, I'll switch to my variable speed Dremel in order to get the slower drilling speed. I also may have some cheap drill bits, which didn't make too much of a difference when used on wood. In the past, when applying a little drill pressure, some of my bits have bent. I can understand if a small diameter bit snaps, but to me, bending means that the metal wasn't tempered properly to make it stiff for a straight cut. It would also mean the drill tip can't hold an edge. Thanks for your insight. Jon

That's damn near perfect. Just add your transparent material to the black backing prior to the frame work to get that pane glass look. I admire your tenacity. Jon