davyboy

Dip the end of the thread in some cyano glue then cut the thread at an angle. Acts like a needle,will pull through easily.
 
Dave

Well. the saga of the deck gun continues but first my thanks to all who visited and clicked on "like."
 
Oh - I guess I could have finished the deck gun today but I wanted to read some more from the book I bought about the "Battle of the Java Sea" by Jeffrey R Cox.  I learned quite a lot on the details that lead up to this battle and the actual action.  It took Mr. Cox several years of research that took him to Japan, Australia and Indonesia as well as here in the Naval Archives to put the puzzle pieces together.  It's a shame that he left out statements from the surviving crew of Hr. Ms. Java, the cruiser my father lost his life on.  My father was mentioned where they were looking for him.  However, I do have a draft copy of that chapter where he is mentioned and will put a copy of it in the book.
It's a very good read and am glad I have the book.
 
So then, after lunch I again ventured into the garage to continue work on the deck gun.  I installed the hand holds but they are not cemented in yet.  I also need to make and install the foot pedals and the simulated elevation mechanism under the barrel assembly.  After that's done then I think the gun is pretty well complete and can be placed on it's mounting plate on deck.
 
Over all I'm quite happy with it and am confidant that all the file scratches will be hidden with a coat of paint 
 
Here are a few pics I'm putting into my personal archive.
 

 

 

 

 
Cheers,

Thank you all for dropping in and your likes, it's much appreciated.
 
Well, I had a change in plans.  Instead of cementing the small pieces of tubes to the base unit and using a smaller diameter tube as pivot pin I decided to use pivot bearing pillow blocks instead,  much like the real gun.  I had to remove the already installed copper tube from the central barrel housing and replace it with a longer one that would now rest on the pivot pin bearing billow blacks.
 
So far this worked quite well but now I had to make the closing saddles for the pivot pins and used a thicker brass sheet for that.  I cut a few strips of 2 mm wide and shaped it around a steel pin of the same diameter as the pivot pins.  This did pose a few problems and had to scrap two till I had what I wanted. 
 
I also glued the barrel to the center barrel housing using a 2.5 mm diameter wooden pin.  I was quite happy that everything lined up nice and straight 
 
Then I started with the gun adjusting wheels and got as far as making the rims.  The five spokes will be another story and need to make a jig for them.  I also made the 90* drive unit for the gun rotation mechanism. 
 
This was all I could do today, not much progress because I had to do some necessary correspondence after lunch.
 
Okay, here are a few pics.
 

This picture shows the two baring pillow blocks for the barrel unit.  I cheated by installing one piece of tubing through the barrel unit instead of "bolting" them individually to each side.  Hmmmm, I may fake the attaching hardware with paper parts. There is not much space inside the base unit.  These bearing saddles are from thin brass stock and epoxied in.
 

Here we see the gun barrel glued to the center barrel housing.  Both barrel pivot pin bearing saddles are now epoxied in.  We also see the hole for the future rotation pin to the deck plate.  The pin is made but I want to wait till most of the detail stuff is finished and installed to the gun.
 

This is a shot looking at the business end of the gun.
 

I put the barrel assembly temporarily to the base unit but had to keep it from tilling forward with a small pair of pliers.
 

This shows the 90* drive for the gun rotation adjustment wheel.  The rims are made and waiting the spokes and drive pins.
 

Here you see one of the wheel rims temporarily placed on the drawing of the base unit to look for fit.  Looks okay to me.
 

This pic shows the barrel unit pivot pin locking saddles.
 

Another view of these locking saddles
 
Cheers,
 

G'day to all and thank you very much for looking in and your likes, it's much appreciated.
 
I continued with the deck gun in between some domestic chores.  The main parts are made but need to be refined yet.  Still a lot of work to be done with the small details.
I'll post two pics of an actual deck gun that Freek send a few month ago for yuns to see what I'm trying to achieve.  They disappeared from my build log and have not yet had the chance to put them back.  BTW, quite a few pics have disappeared, arch 
 

The actual deck gun on display at the Navy Museum in den Helder, the Netherlands.
 

 

This shows all the major parts for the gun.  I finished the barrel and inserted a 3.1 mm copper tube in the muzzle end.  It will be attached to the center part with a wooden dowel, which is shown above left of the gun.  The aft part is attached with 2 small 1.5 mm brass tubes and a 3.1 mm copper tube in the lower center as part of the barrel.  The two small tubes are most likely for the shell casing discharge gas to the breech assembly.  I am inserting a 3.1 mm copper tube through the center part for the hinge.  The hinge pivot pin is a 1.5 mm copper tube.  I cut two 2.5 mm long 3.1 mm copper tubes to be cemented to the base as hinge bearings, I put them on the base unit just below for yuns to see and where they are supposed to go.  Hinge bearing retainer straps are from 0.2 mm brass shim stock that'll be cemented to the base kinda modeling it after the real gun.  I hope to be able to also use very fine sewing pins as the attaching bolts.
As you can see there is still a lot of work yet to be dome but so far I'm pretty happy with it.
 
Cheers,

In England at least, some ships were sheathed with an expendable / renewable thin layer of planks. Sometimes "noxious compounds" were put under the planks. It was fairly effective at keeping worms out of the real planking but did nothing to inhibit the growth of weed during long jouneys. Some ships returned from years long trips to the tropics trailing long streamers of seaweed which slowed their speed to a crawl.
 
There were limited experiments with closely spaced big headed nails

pop by anytime Jay the tea kettle is always on.
 
One of my own little fantasies Bob.
 
Sherry I love working with both materials, the beauty of boat models is the variety of materials that one gets to work with.
 
Keith thank you for you very nice commentary about my build log. One of the most important things for me is to understand the how and why of what I am making and if my account of what I am making is helpful then the sharing is worth the time it takes. I feel so much more informed from all the amazing builds on this forum that my own knowledge expands every day I log in.
 
John Thanks for your kind words
 
Ah mark its all smoke and mirrors. Thanks for the compliment.
 
Today was a fun day I finally finished the main sheet attachment to the boom.
 
First I did a forging test with some 1/4 inch brass stock I necked down about 3/4 of an inch to about 1/8th leaving a 1/4 inch long full diameter at the end. this was annealed and forged on the railroad anvil four times to flatten out the end.
 

 

 
After seeing that the forging would work for what I needed, a length of 1/4 inch rod was cut to 2 1/2 inch length with the centre necked down to the 1/8th diameter.  both end were then forged to the same shape as the test piece on the railroad track anvil.
 
after bending the curve into the smaller diameter (if I were to make another I would make it about 1/4 inch shorter) the unit was set up in the vice for drilling. A block of maple the same width as the boom was sandwiched between the ends to support the brass flange while the holes were drilled and then counter-bored to create flats in the slightly tapering flattened flange. The centre hole is 1/8th to allow a brass Chicago screw to replace the pin holding the clew out-haul sheave.
 

 
next the hole was reamed to ensure they were aligned.
 

 
after clean up.
 

 
removing the temporary pin.
 

 
fixing the new tackle
 

 
Done
 

 

 
Michael

Dear friends,

your words mean a lot for me and I appreciate your praise and comments very much. I warmly thank you!
 
 
 
 
 
Well, on the model there will be about 15 crew members from the mid -18th century. The figure of Nelson could be possible only as a very young child, but I do not plan to create him for Royal Caroline. I only answered Sjors.
 
 
No problem, it is possible to purchase here:
LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN BECAUSE THIS SITE HAS SOME SERIOUS COPYRIGHT ISSUES>>><>THEY PIRATE EVERYTHING. 
 
 
 
Hello Robert,

I have an idea - some of my crew members could  visit your beautiful ship, maybe we will meet on the sea one day...
 
 
 
Maybe in the future, but for diorama I need larger space. Now I have only one room, where I keep all models protected against dust and air humidity.
 
 
 
300 figures of men - but not for my model. It would be mission impossible for me.   I am going to create only 15 figures for Royal Caroline.
 
 
 
Oh yes, dear Michael, the figures bring better imagination about real size of the ship and I also try to create more authentic clothes of the crew from 18th century.
 
************************
Here are some larger and actual pics of Royal Caroline:

 
Kind regards
Doris

Hi, She's finished. Last bits to do were the anchors which were silver and soft soldered together from bits of copper.

 

 

 

 
here she is.

 
Thanks for looking!

Forecastle Railing and Spar Rack
 
There is a Railing on the aft end of the Forecastle. Two Stanchions support the port and starboard sections. Each stanchion is fitted with a 2mm diameter x 0.7mm thick sheave which I turned on the lathe :
 

 
I made the rails in two sections, as it was nearly impossible to accurately cut the square holes for the stanchions without splitting the timber :
 

 

 
Some time ago I mentioned that there didn't seem to be a forward support for the ship's boats - yes there is . The Spar Rack does this job - the boats are lashed to spare spars carried on the rack. The rack is the same width as the railings. They still need a finish applied :
 

 

 
  Danny

cont

On this day 1664 Samuel Pepys (Navy board) knowing very little of ships or ship construction applies himself to learning one of the things that would one day enable him to professionalise the Royal Navy.
 
12th. March 1664
...Mr. Stacy with some company of pretty women, I took him aside to a room by ourselves, and there talked with him about the several sorts of tarrs, and so by and by parted, and I walked home and there late at the office, and so home to supper and to bed.
 
One year later he's concerned with the corruption and mismanagement in the Navy...
 
12th. March 1665
...By and by comes in my Lord, and he and I to talke of many things in the Navy, one from another, in general, to see how the greatest things are committed to very ordinary men, as to parts and experience, to do; among others, my Lord Barkeley.
 
And two years later we see the affects of the mishandling of the Navy which Pepys so much wished to change graphically demonstrated.
 
12th. March 1667
 ...This day a poor seaman, almost starved for want of food, lay in our yard a-dying. I sent him half-a-crown, and we ordered his ticket to be paid.

Sphinx from Alex

Amerigo Vespucci from Schiffebastler

Real de France

Friesland by Dieter

Lady Nelson by Lady Hamilton

Royal Sovereign from AVbiker

Wappen von Hamburg

SMS Trinkstein

As time goes by ...

Prince

America from Werner - I like it, its a plastic kit :-)
Cardboard models

 
What a day!!!

For those, who have access, find plenty-plenty-plenty more pictures at:
http://www.segelschiffsmodellbau.com/t2644f93-RE-Forumstreffen-Sued-Das-Happening.html
 
Cheers, Daniel

Just came back - and can you believe it ?!?
 
My small plastic-flower-pot standing in the middle of all those exquisite first class modells ?!?
 
Going bananas!
 
Just some teaser:
 

Dockyard british 74 Tarjack

Wappen von Edam/Pollux

Chebeque from Woodpecker

Thetis from Robbi

Caroline from Tarjack

La Creole archjofo

Bonne Homme Richard from Norbert und Bellona from Peter

Queen Charlotte from Achilles 

Robert,
 
I don't see anything wrong in the drawing. As far as I can see, the breech rope is naturally kinked, due to the gun's being in the 'run out' position. If you mean the way the rope is passed through the side ring, I can't see that as a problem either, as the ring is free to move with the rope on the recoil.

Current part of build
 








 
Enjoy the pics and have a great time.
Best regards
Doris

All hands on deck.............................he i said aaaalllllll haaaaands
 
After I make the many hooks, eyes and blocks (for the guns) have already spots before the eyes, was a small relaxation törn due for the eyes
 
Therefore, I once make another figure from the bulwark ornament.

The images come in the series of steps.
 
After the figure was transferred to paper and glued to the bone support, it was sawn on the contours.
 
And now have fun with the pictures:
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Have fun

Thanks you all for your comments.  If our purpose is to encourage discussion, it seems to have worked.
Mark, It was rather a crude first attempt and I have no doubt someone will come up with a better method.  Making coils at the work table and then placing them makes sense but it didn't seem practical for the jeers and braces. 
Daniel (Sailor 1-0) I accept your admonitions and I probably took too much artistic licence.  I hope your "spidey senses" have recovered. Our own boat certainly reflects your First Lieutenant's view. On the other hand, David Steel noted in 1794 that the main yard jeers (jears) were 2 1/2" (6 cm) in diameter and 70 fathoms each in length.  At the least, when two blocked, somewhere around 300' of heavy line remained on deck. Coiling this mass of line as one would smaller lines is not possible.  The main brace at 1 1/2' and 50 fathoms, probably left around 200' on the lee deck.  At the other extreme are flag halyards which being circular, had no tail.  Perhaps we can agree that a series of coils, the same shape and size does not fairly simulate a working ship.
 
And that was the thesis of the post. To raise our awareness to the wide variety of size and length of lines on a sailing ship and reflect those differences in our models.  I sincerely appreciate every comment, and look forward to when Daniel (Dafi) reaches this stage on his Victory.  We will see fifteen tars hauling on a line with a petty officer calling the count. Animated? With sound?  I can't wait.
Cheers, Gil

Thanks to everyone who have visited my shipyard and looking at my progress, it's much appreciated.
 
Today I braved the cold again in the garage but managed to finish the gun deck railing 
I started out by making the hardware for the for the forward railing where the gun bun lid has to fold open.  I made two eye pins that are to slide inside the most forward stanchions.  These are made from 1 mm brass tubes.  Then a hook so we can unhook the chain when needed.  This hardware is made from 0.5 mm brass rod.  I had to make the hook four times, goes to show yuns that things sometimes just don't work out right away   One time I lost the hook when trying to attach it to the chain.  I had it in tweezers and it just popped out and went flying somewhere.  Good luck finding it so it was quicker to make a new one.  So what is another 10 minutes of work - - -  pfffffffffffff  
 
I then soldered these into place and started on the railing caps that I made from 0.8 mm brass rod.  They had to be bend in places to follow the contour of the decks as shown on the photos I have.  I had to remake the forward starboard cap because I didn't like the first one.
When I was happy with them they were then soldered to the tops of the stanchions.  After filing most of the excess solder off and cleaning the railings with MEK I could paint them.
 
When I looked at the pics I made previously I noticed that the top antenna brace was not level, it was a little higher on the port side.  So, I had to desolder this end and file quite a bit off the vertical post and re-solder it back in place.
 
I started to make the template for the snorkel exhaust guard but it was now 1730 hours and time to quit, my legs were getting tired and eyes started to water and burn.
 
I also performed the test with putting polly urethane on a piece of dyed deck slat and then glueing it to a freshly painted piece of wood with TiteBond.  At quitting time I tried to dislodge it and it was holding quite nicely without any dye weeping through.  Thanks Remco for the suggestion, it seems to work.
 
Okay, time for a few pics of today's progress.
 

This shows the individual parts for the removable chain in the forward part of the front gun deck.  A fixed rail cap would prevent the gun bun lid from opening all the way.  The lid should rest on the deck. I found some small chain in my Thermopylae plastic kit I still have on the shelf.
 

This shows all the parts assembled, the eye pins soldered in the stanchions and the hook attached to the chain and hooked to the port side eye pin.  And yes, it is removable   
 

This shows the forward gun deck railing stanchions with the chain installed.  Here you can clearly see that the cross beam of the antenna brace is a little too high on the port side.  That beam is where the ship's bell hangs on.  That'll be fixed a little later.
 

Here is a view with both the front and rear gun deck railings completed and painted.  At this point I have also lowered the port side crossbar of the antenna support  bracket.  Much more better   
 

Another view of the completed gun deck railings.
 

Completed gun deck railings looking forward.
 

Top view of the conning tower with completed gun deck railings.
 
Cheers, 

from may i may do a daily snippet about a famous ship or person connected with Naval history

Well, of course it went the way I dreaded, the way the skipper wanted. I had to remake the rear bench and that little deck in the bow of the longboat.
 
The details of the launch were completed and fortunately it fit into the reworked longboat without any additional supports.
Provisional stowing on the spare spars seems to show a piece of luck - that it should be possible to fix those two boats there just as they are.
 

Reworked longboat and detailed launch
 

Boats provisionally stowed

Hello dear friends and thank you warmly for your kind words and recognition, I am extremely honored!!

Well, I must say that I was so much nervous during filming the reportage. My students helped me a lot, I like them very much. We are friends.
 I'm glad that was paid attention on TV to this beautiful hobby that connects us all together.
 
On Royal Caroline I have improved and added another details. Please, enjoy the pics and have a great time.

Best regards,
Doris
 








 
 

  

Today I have got a surprise for you, there was another report on TV about my hobby and work ( i am a teacher at secondary school), so you can watch it here at this link:
http://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/10122978233-udalosti-v-regionech-ostrava/414231100030117-udalosti-v-regionech/obsah/303453-modelarka-stavi-plachetnici-z-18-stoleti-i-s-posadkou/
 
Please, enjoy it and have a great time.
 

Thanks guys.
Ed, I will make a brick base underneath. My NMM plans don't show additional carlings or pillars so I'll leave the layout as it is.
 
Yes Sir Druxey, soot coming up, I had to make a little fire in the hearth to create this
 

 

 
All it needs now is a chimney to the upper deck and then I'll ask permission to call this challenge completed
 
Remco

Christian, based on what I know probably a brick hearth or a Brody style stove, but not a real Brody stove.
Sure Gary, I'll start taking orders
 
The pots are tubes turned on the lathe to give it a small rim, bottom and handles silver soldered. I made a smaller fish pot for the stove. Work began on the doors fitted to the sides of the stove, hinges and locking mechanism works, I think they look a bit heavy for a simple door, looks more like a safe door. Have to think about this .....
 

 
 
 

 
Grant, remember the wicker basket...
 

 
Remco

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting and liking my work, really appreciated. 
 
Hi Mark, well, after I found out that CA glue and solder don't like each other I first tinned a small spot on the dome and the end of the brace.  Then held the brace in my left hand with tweezers and tacked it in on the lid.  Then I could use a steel office file clamp as a heat sink and soldered the rest.  The one next to it I did in a similar fashion.  Duck soup, as they say.  Thank you for your compliment!
 
Hello Popeye, thank you,  Yes, it's a little tedious but with some patience it works.
 
Today I semi finished the hinges for the AA gun bun lids.  Some more tedious work, even more so then the lids because of the hinge pin holes that had to line up  and allow the pin to go trough the little copper tube, straight, so the lid would close evenly.  It too worked out okay and I'm actually ready to cement the ring with the center hinge tube to the styrene bun.  
I think that I'll secure the hinge pins with a dab of 5 minute epoxy and then paint them.  The epoxy should simulate the securing hardware.
 
I also started to modify the two AA guns so I can put the two hand wheels on them to allow the crew to rotate and train the guns on their target.  No, They are not really going to rotate but at least it'll look like the guns are close to being finished.  (No pics for that little project yet)
 

This is how the bottom portion of the hinge assembly starts, a strip of brass sheet the same width as the outer ring that fits over the gun bun. The hinge pin bracket will be made from a piece of this strip.
 

This is the completed hinge pin bracket.  The copper tube will be soldered to the top of this bracket.
 

Here are all the parts I need to finish the complete hinge assembly.  The bun lid that was made yesterday, the ring that was made last week, the little bracket, the copper tube and brass pin for the hinge.  Sorry, but I did not make a photographic sequence of events in assembling all this to the finished product, you'll laugh when you see it 
 

This is the completed AA gun lid assembly on the forward gun bin.  I just put the gun in the bin for fun.
 

This is another shot of the forward gun lid assembly.
 

This is the aft AA gun bun lid in the closed position.
 
Cheers,