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Louie da fly

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Everything posted by Louie da fly

  1. Louie da fly
    Brilliant as always, Greg. I'd like to sit at your feet as you weather your models - amazing! Steven
  2. Louie da fly
    Oh, yes. I'm a big Pratchett fan, too. Have you seen the short movie of his short story "Troll Bridge", starring Cohen the Barbarian, made here in Oz?
  3. Louie da fly
    Making very good progress, Norseman. Most people seem to have trouble with the planks - not sure if it's a fault in the kit or just the way it goes with such a complex shape. I think you're right to try making your own rudder fittings. Plywood really isn't suitable for something like that. Steven
  4. Louie da fly
    I'm glad you're getting it sorted out, Rudybob (having had enough problems myself with the same thing). I think Gregory's most recent post explains the issue very clearly. Steven
  5. Louie da fly
    Not on this day, but I couldn't find any other section to put it in, and I think it's worth seeing.
  6. Louie da fly
    I totally agree. Not only henry, but over the years I have had so much generous unselfish help from many MSW members which has been invaluable to me. This is a pretty special forum. Steven
  7. Louie da fly
    Thanks everybody for the suggestions. Fortunately it looks like @henrythestaffy is coming to the rescue by 3D printing a whole bunch of them for me. My heartfelt thanks, mate. And this is the reason I'm having so much trouble making the deadeyes out of natural materials: That deadeye is 2mm on each side. I haven't been able to make any myself that are smaller than 3mm. And keeping in mind that those three holes have to be big enough for cotton thread to fit through . . . Steven
  8. Louie da fly
    Just to answer a question several of you have asked, the grain orientation is up and down or side to side (depending on which way up the deadeye is), not front-to-back. I think that would be an even worse invitation for the wood to split. Steven
  9. Louie da fly
    Hi Keith, I tried that. Really not as satisfactory. Steven
  10. Louie da fly
    Thanks everybody for the reactions, and suggestions on how to fix it. Baker and Druxey, I really think that wood isn't capable of this kind of job - I don't have any boxwood so I don't know its grain would be fine enough, but I think it would be the only wood suitable - and maybe even that wouldn't work. I've tried pear wood and it splits as well. I've tried card impregnated with white glue and it works better, but still not really all that wonderful. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything drastic until I have a better solution, but I really think the current deadeyes have to go. Liteflight, I've never heard of Paxolin. Where do you get it in Oz? I don't think the birch would work any better than what I'm using, but I have considered the hot needle method - just a matter of practicality; over 100 deadeyes each with 3 holes, without burning my fingers . . . Henrythestaffy, I'm sending you a PM. Thanks again, everyone. Steven
  11. Louie da fly
    That's coming together very nicely. Steven
  12. Louie da fly
    Yes, it's a fair bit of work and needs quite a bit of thought. I certainly don't regard myself as an expert (and I still make a lot of mistakes). But it does make a nicer looking model in the long run. And of course, experience is a great teacher. Steven
  13. Louie da fly
    Some good news and bad news. First the good news; I've finished adding the ratlines on the larboard main shrouds. In progress: All ratlines in place but before trimming After trimming Now the bad news - the main starboard deadeyes really aren't working. They're all over the place, some of the deadeyes themselves have broken (red circles below - they're made of wood), they're different sizes, different distances apart, some twisted (yellow circle), the holes have pulled through so the lanyards terminate in the wrong places (blue circle) - and I have no idea what happened in the green circle. Add to that the fact that some of the lanyards got glued into the holes so I couldn't pull them tight. Gak! I think I really need to re-examine all of these, probably rip them all off and start again doing it differently. I've started experimenting, but not having a lot of success so far. Steven
  14. Louie da fly
    Hi Masa, your first planking has turned out very nicely, and the sanding has produced a nice smooth shape. But it might be worth knowing that the planking method (which I think is per Artesania Latina's instructions) isn't how it was done in the real world. There are some planking tutorials here: which show how it was done on real ships. At this stage, as you've got a very nice hull shape from your first planking, you have an opportunity to do your second planking more realistically if you choose to do so. It does take more work, but in my opinion the end result is worth it. However, this is your model, and it's your decision. Either way, you'll have a very nice looking model. Steven
  15. Louie da fly
    Good to see, mate. I'd thought of doing a Sophie myself at one point but never got around to it. There's a wealth of information about her in Master and Commander as I'm sure you already know. Good to see you've got it happening.
  16. Louie da fly
    My own nef was built plank first over a wooden mould or plug, but I have to admit I did find it difficult to get it exactly symmetrical, and frame first would be better in that respect. Steven
  17. Louie da fly
    Just be aware that I changed my mind about the frame construction partway through, and started making them a completely different way - see post #158 and #166 in my build log. The hefty through-beams and the deck-beams help keep the hull shape, compensating for the weaker construction method, as you can see in post #171. You could probably assemble each of your frames as a unit consisting of the floor-timber, the futtocks and the deck-beam, which would add to the rigidity of its construction (strictly, the deck-beams should rest on the beam shelf, but all of that would be covered by the deck anyway, so it would be invisible). Keep in mind that these ships almost certainly were built planking-first, not frame-first - the planking was put together then the frames were added. Frame-first construction was a later development. But unless you've got your wits about you, plank-first construction has a tendency to "squeeze" inwards resulting in a narrower vessel. There's nothing to stop you building yours frame-first - in fact there's a lot to be said for it, for consistency and symmetry and getting the hull-shape right. Steven
  18. Louie da fly
    Oh boy. I hope we're not making your life too hard for you . . . Steven
  19. Louie da fly
    That's just beautiful work, Richard!
  20. Louie da fly
    Yes, sort of plywood if you like. But of course each ply should be half the final thickness of the frames.
  21. Louie da fly
    Thanks for the comment, Roger, and to everyone for the likes. I just looked at the date on the first page of this log. It's taken me over 6 years to get to this stage (though on further inspection it appears I had a gap of two and a half years where I did nothing on it. Don't feel quite so bad about it . . .) Steven
  22. Louie da fly
    I'd second Druxey's advice. It'll save you a lot of grief down the line. If you have a look at the archaeology, you'll find that the frames at this time were usually not continuous, but instead made of several separate futtocks, often set side by side and overlapping rather than being joined in one continuous line, as in this diagram of a dromon's framing (circled in blue) and a different layout but with similar characteristics from the knarr Skuldelev 1 Steven
  23. Louie da fly
    And some more . . . Steven
  24. Louie da fly
    Very clean work, Mr Pleasant. Looking very good. This is going to be a very attractive model. Steven
  25. Louie da fly
    Looks like a really good subject for a build. I've always liked the look of HMAS Australia (II) and she has a distinguished service record. Are you going to paint her in dazzle patterns? I hope you don't mind me adding this link which I believe is a good summary of her life and achievements - https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-australia-ii Steven

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