toms10

Thanks Tom, I ordered 5mm vinyl lettering from Cornwall Ship Models from England.
 
 
mike

Jim,
Well done... looks good.  On to the next challenge!
Tom

Got the cannon lashed down and started framing the life boat.

Thanks Jim,
Once you get going it takes less than an hour to make one.  I need about a dozen or so... yeah it will take a while but I am in no hurry.  After a few and when it starts to grate on you, (sorry I couldn't help it)   just jump onto something else for a while.
 
Tom

Jason,
That is some of the cleanest work I have ever seen.  Really a top notch job.
Tom

Jason,
That is some of the cleanest work I have ever seen.  Really a top notch job.
Tom

Hi Bluto, don't want you sitting around waiting so here is the jig I came up with to make grates.  It is really simple and works pretty well.  It consists of a slightly modified file and a flat piece of steel with a small step cut into it.  Now I have to admit that being a tool designer and having access to a full tool room helps. 
Here is a sketch and pic of the two pieces.  The step width (.040") should be the same width as the thickness of the wood being used for the grate.  The overall width (.080") give me the even spacing (hole size of 040").  The height of the step (.050) is 1/2 the width of the wood.  In my case the grating wood was .040" thick by .100 wide. Actually the depth of the filed slot should be more than 1/2 the wood width so the slats fit all the way down without any fuss.  These can be adjusted to fit the size of grating you are making.

 
Next step is to clamp 3 or 4 pieces together in a small vise making sure the ends are all flush.  It will be easier to hold the guide square if several pieces of wood are clamped together to give the guide more surface to but up against.

 
Finally, place the file guide on top of the wood so the step is sitting on the edge of the wood.  Place the file against the guide and file down a slot 1/2 way. Naturally it is important to hold the guide relative firm and square to the wood.  Move the guide so the step sit in the slot you just filed and file another slot 1/2 the depth of the wood.  Continue on until you have to move the wood in the vise.  After moving the wood, carefully line up the last slot so the guide fits into it and continue.


 
This is what you should end up with.  When working with very small spacings, if a "tooth" breaks out the piece is still good.  It just needs to be used on the top of the grate so the tooth faces downward so nobody sees it.

 
After assembling the filed slats that were cut to size and sanded square, put a frame around them with a little wood glue and voila... scaled grates.
 
Happy grating!
Tom

Hello all,
Thanks for the comments and likes.
 
So I finished planking the inner side of the hull.  I know all of it will not be seen in the cut away view but it seemed much easier just to plank the whole thing than try to figure out what will actually be seen after some of the interior walls are put up.  I still need to stain the planking and keelson.  Next I will find the positions of the decks and start making beams and supports for the orlop deck.  I will also need to make a quick cannon carriage for the 12 & 24 pounders to verify the decks are at the right height with regards to the gun ports.  Need to measure twice... no probably 3 or 4 times before cutting holes and gluing anything.  Messing this part up means I have been making kindling for the fireplace all this time.    
 
Here is the side view of the cutaway.  I am planning on removing the frames in the cutout.  You will see them between the inner and outer hull.  I am going to design the cut out so one can see parts of the framing construction.  The outer plank hole will be slightly larger to allow this.  I will add 2 simulated frames between the existing ones to give the effect of actual full framing.  I have lots of ideas, I just need to figure out how to pull the whole thing off.    But that is part of the fun.

 
And the top view

 
Tom

After spending 4 days in our nation's capitol to see the sights, I came back and started planking the inner hull in the areas that will or might be seen through the hull cut away.  I made my own planks out of left over poplar from the display case I made for my Constellation.  Progress is slow and tedious but I will get there.  Faring the inside edges of the frames is much more difficult than faring the outside edges.  That is what is taking some time.

 
Tom

Got just a little bit further.  Finished gluing the rest of the frames and bulkheads.

 
 
Also finished the false keel and keelson.  Here is a close up of the bow area.  I decided make the bow stem from individual pieces instead of one solid piece of walnut.

 
Tom
 

Progress update.  I started to glue the frames in place in the past few days.  Instead of making a framing jig I opted to go the old fashion way with a couple of square blocks and a 6" square.  I figured it was going to take a lot of time and effort to make an accurate jig that I will just toss later.  If the frames are made symmetrically, I can put down a top view drawing layout of the ribs on the build board and position it with the keel fixture.  Once the first rib is in place and squared up, I use spacers to position the next rib along the keel.  If all is correct, they should line up with the drawing below.  I use the 6" square to true up the faces and the out ends with the drawing lines.  To me it seems much faster and easier than the jig.

Here is where I am today.
 
 

Pic showing how I centered the frame on the keel (port to starboard).  If the edge of the square sits even with the edge on the drawing and the frame itself, life is good.  The other side should fall into place provided you did a good job making the frames symmetrical.
 
 
 
I then squared up the frame aft to bow.  With spacers precut to the same length and if the frame is straight all should line up. I check it with the square.  The edge of the square should be lined up with the face of the frame on the drawing and touch the lower and upper face of the frame.  If it does, once again, life is good.  As a second quick check, I use a square block to check squareness with the keel.
 
Tom

I finally got around to putting together a build board to hold the keel while I start the frame assembly process.  After I received an order of wood from Jason at Crown Timberyard I am ready to start.  I purchased some maple for the decks, Swiss pear for the outer planking and some walnut for some of the wales, keel and stem.  It was my first purchase from Jason and I was quite impressed.  I dry fit the frames/bulkheads I had previously built just to get an idea of what I am getting into.  It seems like it is going to be a fun ride.

It has been a bit slow going in the shipyard as of late.  Too many major soccer (futbol) tournaments that need to be watched!   I have been modelling my framework to give me a better understanding of how things will go together with this build.  Below are some snapshots.  Being my first scratch build there is a lot to learn and research... but everybody here at MSW already knows that.  I hope to put an order in for the deck and hull planking wood in the next week.  In the mean time I have some bulkheads to finish up.  I need to set up my build board and then the assembly process can begin.  Enough planning and layout work!  It is time to make sawdust!

Had some downtime this weekend so I made some of the frames and bulkheads.  Still have to cut out the notches for the keel and make a few more frames and bulkheads for the bow area.  As I mentioned the bulkheads will be used starting where the canted frames begin.  I also need to start thinking of the type of wood for the hull planking, keel & stem.  I am probably going with maple for the decking with a light stain and walnut for the keel and trim.  Still up in the air about the hull planking.  Also need to figure out how much of each to order.

 
Tom

Thanks Jim,
Once you get going it takes less than an hour to make one.  I need about a dozen or so... yeah it will take a while but I am in no hurry.  After a few and when it starts to grate on you, (sorry I couldn't help it)   just jump onto something else for a while.
 
Tom

Well Tom . . . I think your method is just GRATE!
 
Seriously, that's quite ingenious . . . and time-consuming. The principle is similar to that on my box joint jig where the first cut slots over the guide piece while the second cut is done, and so on.
Only difference is my box joints are done on my table saw with an 8 inch dado blade of 5/8 inch width instead of a cut of only 0.040" wide! (My hat's still off!)
 
Jim. 

Hi Bluto, don't want you sitting around waiting so here is the jig I came up with to make grates.  It is really simple and works pretty well.  It consists of a slightly modified file and a flat piece of steel with a small step cut into it.  Now I have to admit that being a tool designer and having access to a full tool room helps. 
Here is a sketch and pic of the two pieces.  The step width (.040") should be the same width as the thickness of the wood being used for the grate.  The overall width (.080") give me the even spacing (hole size of 040").  The height of the step (.050) is 1/2 the width of the wood.  In my case the grating wood was .040" thick by .100 wide. Actually the depth of the filed slot should be more than 1/2 the wood width so the slats fit all the way down without any fuss.  These can be adjusted to fit the size of grating you are making.

 
Next step is to clamp 3 or 4 pieces together in a small vise making sure the ends are all flush.  It will be easier to hold the guide square if several pieces of wood are clamped together to give the guide more surface to but up against.

 
Finally, place the file guide on top of the wood so the step is sitting on the edge of the wood.  Place the file against the guide and file down a slot 1/2 way. Naturally it is important to hold the guide relative firm and square to the wood.  Move the guide so the step sit in the slot you just filed and file another slot 1/2 the depth of the wood.  Continue on until you have to move the wood in the vise.  After moving the wood, carefully line up the last slot so the guide fits into it and continue.


 
This is what you should end up with.  When working with very small spacings, if a "tooth" breaks out the piece is still good.  It just needs to be used on the top of the grate so the tooth faces downward so nobody sees it.

 
After assembling the filed slats that were cut to size and sanded square, put a frame around them with a little wood glue and voila... scaled grates.
 
Happy grating!
Tom

Hi Bluto, don't want you sitting around waiting so here is the jig I came up with to make grates.  It is really simple and works pretty well.  It consists of a slightly modified file and a flat piece of steel with a small step cut into it.  Now I have to admit that being a tool designer and having access to a full tool room helps. 
Here is a sketch and pic of the two pieces.  The step width (.040") should be the same width as the thickness of the wood being used for the grate.  The overall width (.080") give me the even spacing (hole size of 040").  The height of the step (.050) is 1/2 the width of the wood.  In my case the grating wood was .040" thick by .100 wide. Actually the depth of the filed slot should be more than 1/2 the wood width so the slats fit all the way down without any fuss.  These can be adjusted to fit the size of grating you are making.

 
Next step is to clamp 3 or 4 pieces together in a small vise making sure the ends are all flush.  It will be easier to hold the guide square if several pieces of wood are clamped together to give the guide more surface to but up against.

 
Finally, place the file guide on top of the wood so the step is sitting on the edge of the wood.  Place the file against the guide and file down a slot 1/2 way. Naturally it is important to hold the guide relative firm and square to the wood.  Move the guide so the step sit in the slot you just filed and file another slot 1/2 the depth of the wood.  Continue on until you have to move the wood in the vise.  After moving the wood, carefully line up the last slot so the guide fits into it and continue.


 
This is what you should end up with.  When working with very small spacings, if a "tooth" breaks out the piece is still good.  It just needs to be used on the top of the grate so the tooth faces downward so nobody sees it.

 
After assembling the filed slats that were cut to size and sanded square, put a frame around them with a little wood glue and voila... scaled grates.
 
Happy grating!
Tom

Beautiful progress, Tom.  All neat, clean, and Bristol fashion. 

Hi Tom,
 
Some very nice progress there! Congratulations on these gratings. When I was at the gratings stage in my build I attempted to make my own but was having too many failures and in the end I copped out and bought the commercially available ones and assembled these instead.
I know how tricky them pesky little things are, as the scale of my build is only just a smidge bigger than yours ~ so I take my hat off to you!
 
Now . . . you need to show us that jig that you used . . . . . I'll be waiting here to see it!

Hello all,
I have been a bit lax posting log build pics.  Fall weather here has been beautiful so the ship yard has been relatively quite.  I did make some progress however.  I managed to fare the frames and bulkheads so they are ready for planking.  I cut about half of my planking strips from my Swiss pear sheets I bought from Crown.  Very happy with the quality of the wood.
 
I made some filler blocks for the stern area so I have a solid base to build upon.

 
I also built and installed the orlop deck beams since you will be able to see some of the hold area through the cutout.  It also made for a nice stable base to put the deck on.  I am planning to use a 1/32" thick sheet of basswood and covering it with maple strips.


 
Finally, I tried my hand at making grating that is the correct scale.  After some fiddling and creative jig making I was able to make these.  The holes are about .040" square.


 
Thanks for following,
Tom

Hello all,
I have been a bit lax posting log build pics.  Fall weather here has been beautiful so the ship yard has been relatively quite.  I did make some progress however.  I managed to fare the frames and bulkheads so they are ready for planking.  I cut about half of my planking strips from my Swiss pear sheets I bought from Crown.  Very happy with the quality of the wood.
 
I made some filler blocks for the stern area so I have a solid base to build upon.

 
I also built and installed the orlop deck beams since you will be able to see some of the hold area through the cutout.  It also made for a nice stable base to put the deck on.  I am planning to use a 1/32" thick sheet of basswood and covering it with maple strips.


 
Finally, I tried my hand at making grating that is the correct scale.  After some fiddling and creative jig making I was able to make these.  The holes are about .040" square.


 
Thanks for following,
Tom

Hello all,
I have been a bit lax posting log build pics.  Fall weather here has been beautiful so the ship yard has been relatively quite.  I did make some progress however.  I managed to fare the frames and bulkheads so they are ready for planking.  I cut about half of my planking strips from my Swiss pear sheets I bought from Crown.  Very happy with the quality of the wood.
 
I made some filler blocks for the stern area so I have a solid base to build upon.

 
I also built and installed the orlop deck beams since you will be able to see some of the hold area through the cutout.  It also made for a nice stable base to put the deck on.  I am planning to use a 1/32" thick sheet of basswood and covering it with maple strips.


 
Finally, I tried my hand at making grating that is the correct scale.  After some fiddling and creative jig making I was able to make these.  The holes are about .040" square.


 
Thanks for following,
Tom

Got just a little bit further.  Finished gluing the rest of the frames and bulkheads.

 
 
Also finished the false keel and keelson.  Here is a close up of the bow area.  I decided make the bow stem from individual pieces instead of one solid piece of walnut.

 
Tom
 

Hello all,
I have been a bit lax posting log build pics.  Fall weather here has been beautiful so the ship yard has been relatively quite.  I did make some progress however.  I managed to fare the frames and bulkheads so they are ready for planking.  I cut about half of my planking strips from my Swiss pear sheets I bought from Crown.  Very happy with the quality of the wood.
 
I made some filler blocks for the stern area so I have a solid base to build upon.

 
I also built and installed the orlop deck beams since you will be able to see some of the hold area through the cutout.  It also made for a nice stable base to put the deck on.  I am planning to use a 1/32" thick sheet of basswood and covering it with maple strips.


 
Finally, I tried my hand at making grating that is the correct scale.  After some fiddling and creative jig making I was able to make these.  The holes are about .040" square.


 
Thanks for following,
Tom