Landrotten Highlander

COMPONENTS OF A FULLY OPERATIONAL ROPE MACHINE WHICH CONTROLS EVERY ASPECT
 
I have seen many versions of rope machine on this forum. There are many ways to fabricate a machine but I think that there are some basics principles which need to be respected to obtain a rope with all the necessary qualities like tension, number of turns, stiffness of the rope. To turn a rope is just a matter to have some components and understand  why they are used. 1 of the most common missing item is the swivel bearing. It controls the number of turns entering in the fabrication of the rope, it regularizes the number of turns entering by eliminating the surplus of turns by a balancing action.
 
3 photos: swivel bearing, explanation of the parts of the machine, extract from .xls file to predict rope diameter.

Chborgm, sorry for the slow reply, but I finally had a chance to pull out my copy of Steamboats on the Western Rivers  by Louis C. Hunter, which has this to say about the safety act of 1838:
 
Hunter goes on to argue that of the few inspectors created by the law, there was no oversight and essentially no structure, so the system quickly became corrupt and all but meaningless, especially on the Western rivers. Congress passed a new law in 1852 that seems to have been stronger and better enforced, but I couldn't find any further mention of signal light regulations specifically. On the other hand, Hunter notes elsewhere that steamboat pilots vigorously protested any requirement for carrying signal lights on the grounds that such lights would reduce or ruin their night vision and their ability to read the river's surface, due to the glare and reflection off the water.
 
You also might enjoy reading this archived article from the February 23, 1865 New York Times, which discusses the history of regulation of navigation lights on inland waterways in the US, with reference to the 1852 act of Congress. Essentially it seems to argue that as of 1865, there was still no clear regulatory structure or enforcement of the subject on inland waterways.
 
Finally, this passage from The Steamboat Bertrand and Missouri River Commerce tells a similar tale: the 1838 law was toothless, the 1852 law stricter, but nowhere is it clear if and when clear guidance was written and enforced on just what kind of lights steamboats were required to carry.
 
In other words, backdate your boat toward the Civil War (which you've already done by converting her to a wood-burner), and you can get away with all sorts of options, including no signal lights, especially in a freelance build.
 
Cool question, wish I had more positive knowledge about it.
 

The next step is the mainyard. In mediterranean vessels the mainyard was made of 2 spars bound together. The combined length is approximately the length of the keel and the two spard overlap by 50%. It is an error to apply 17th or 18th century preconceptions to these yards. They are very different and a lot longer than many Santa Maria models depict. Once again the paintings of Carpaccio come up as the best source. But even Carpaccio leaves things out, in this case the forestay.

The mainyard is held to the mast by parrels. The bigger the vessel, the more rows of parrels. In my case there will be four rows of parrels.

 




note that one spar has a concave cross section and the other convex
 

 

Another one I should have remembered, anyone who prefers PVA should try this. First, it's high quality PVA designed to hold together guitars that live under pretty significant stresses for decades. But that's not the super spiffy part, this also has an invisible dye that becomes visible under black/UV lighting. Guitar makers can't afford a single spot of glue anywhere, and someone at some point had this great idea and it's in common use by luthiers now. All you need is a UV light handy, and you'll never have a stained finish ruined by a spot of glue you couldn't see.
 
I've never tested, but it's supposed to be fully repairable with joints separating at 190 degrees.
 
LMI PVA Instrument Glue

ok....rudder is done...masts and  yards are basically done....have to make three different size cannons and the deadeyes next.....all for now....

Hello,

Here we continue with the construction of the masts.
The following picture shows the foremast in progress.

The other picture shows the parts for the lower mast
Crosstrees and the frontfish for the main mast.

Hello,
 
Another update on the construction progress. The hull is done now: keel installed, exterior planked and nailed. I started working inside it.
 
Alexandru

The box for the frames kit is ready to be shipped.
 
I needed 5 copies of the frames. Frames are drawn ½, Frames 28 to 31 and 37 are not drawn, they are identical to other frames. I need both sides, each frame is doubled front and rear, plus 1 copy for later assembly. I drawn 3 copies and I had 2 photocopies.
 
Next step to sand flush the parts and after prepare the keel and begin the assembly.
 
The picture with 2 planks is the additional wood quantity I had to add, I failed in my guessing for the preparation of the wood quantity. In fact I guessed it by eye, because it is too much difficult to calculate, and to try to guess it is much  faster.
 

Hi Druxey, could you PM me his address as well?  I am keen to get a similar set.
Slainte,
L.H.

On the size almost "Standart". "Standard" is slightly inferior to the width of ...

Keith thanks for the link.
And a big thank you to all those who have been following adding a like to the posts.
Denis I had to do some careful number counting do do the first batch, now that i have modified my leadscrew hand wheel this second lot was much easier to make, it takes a few to get the sequences down but then it is just a matter of following the settings for each tool.
 

 
I have been plugging away at filling the holes on the side of the hull, I am almost there just a little more on the bottom side then to do the final painting and polishing. befor reinserting the portholes.
 

 
Michael

This is made for watchmakers, so it's quite sticky but leaves nothing of itself behind. People figured out that would make it also useful for cleaning rotary burs and files, and now also sells for that purpose. It doesn't replace a file card for big files or a fine brass brush for needle files, but used together they will make your files and burs look brand new. I use it whenever I stop to do a deep cleaning on a file, you can squash a needle file into it and pull it out without a speck of the sticky stuff remaining on the file. It's kind of creepy that it's as sticky as it is and yet leaves a total clean surface. Probably lots of other uses for it too.
 
(Link to its listing on Otto Frei)
 

 
 
(Link to StewMac listing. They're not cheap, this one is about $30, but they have a mini one at $24 that might be a better ship use option)
 
This is another scraper, one favored by luthiers. It comes from the "heavy" school of scrapers and hence requires a very different and light touch, with these you mostly let its own weight put on the required pressure. And it's got a good selection of straight sections and curves which would make it a one-stop-shop for scraping hull planks level. I couldn't find mine when I was scraping down first layer of planking on my LN, but I will be using it on the final boxwood planking- very good quick way to level planking without the risks associated with planes.
 

 

Hi Nils,
thank you for your nice reply.
 
And this is how the result looks.

Fig- 64 - The Comb Clamps used to hold the Frame set in position, while the tops of the Frames are cut to the required hight.  Each alternate Frame is fitted with two Deck beams that assist in keeping it’s shape after removing from the Frame Making jig. The other Frames, I have made extra long - high - and soft soldered a bar across the top, to help them stay in shape.  Once they have been attached to the Keel and the lower Plating, and the Stringers soldered in place - that is about to take place here, the surplus above the main deck level is removed.
 
As mentioned at the start of this project, when completed it will consist of three models of the Falls of Clyde.  The Half Model, that we have already seen - The centre section being covered here - and a fully rigged waterline model showing her in all her glory, as originally built, a light grey hull, topped in white  at the Forecastle and Poop, with the deck houses and detail painted white framed in mast colour - a dark sandy yellow. 
 
For those interested, this third model that I will cover here in due time, was stated a month ago, the first stages of which can for the next 4 weeks be seen on my web site, at ‘News & Comments’:
< http://www.wworkshop.net/Home_Page_/News%26_Comments.html >
 
For those who winced at all of the tool making required to build this model, the good news is that, other than using my standard model making workshop tools and machines, no new special purpose tooling have so far been required.  In fact I see none, excepting possibly one for tensioning the wire standing rigging, but having got this far with the rigging screws, although they lack threads, I do see a simple way of setting a tension on them. 
 
This is one of the main reasons for making a sample of the possible problem corners before starting on the model it’s self.  Once an item has been made and is sitting in front of you, it will show you a store of possibilities - or not, that cannot - for me at least - be seen with out making an example first.

Hello,
many thanks for all replies and likes!

There was some time quiet in the model shipyard.
Now I have started building the lower masts.
According to the original I build the lower masts from individual parts.
At least I try. Whether it works, will show.
For this purpose, I have drawn up a simplified scheme.


In the following I show a first attempt.

 

 

 

 
Here I show the assembly of the main mast.


And here I begin with the turning and grinding of the main mast.

 
Continued coming soon ....
 
 

I bought my kits directly from http://zootoyz.jp/ .  Communication can be done in English, payment is easy.  The only thing to take into consideration is customs in your country (had to pay extra when it arrived in the UK).
 
Hope this helps.
Slainte
L.H.

I bought my kits directly from http://zootoyz.jp/ .  Communication can be done in English, payment is easy.  The only thing to take into consideration is customs in your country (had to pay extra when it arrived in the UK).
 
Hope this helps.
Slainte
L.H.

I bought my kits directly from http://zootoyz.jp/ .  Communication can be done in English, payment is easy.  The only thing to take into consideration is customs in your country (had to pay extra when it arrived in the UK).
 
Hope this helps.
Slainte
L.H.

I bought my kits directly from http://zootoyz.jp/ .  Communication can be done in English, payment is easy.  The only thing to take into consideration is customs in your country (had to pay extra when it arrived in the UK).
 
Hope this helps.
Slainte
L.H.

Happy to have you following along Pat
Nils, at least I didn't have to make them just fix a few up.
 
I have begun working on the missing davit replacement the first thing was to sort of measure it up I did this with a pair of vernier calipers and a pencil tracing.
 

 
I could have used the mill drill out in the shop but it was snowing and getting late so just opted for a drill in a pin chuck with a #68 drill bit to spot the holes through the .020" brass for the side plates.
 

 
After the holes were drilled I used the jewelers saw to fret out the sides these will be annealed before I bend the bottom section prior to soldering the three main body parts together.
 

 
I used some brown Testors paint brushed onto some different textures of card and the Stash tea box was the best to give the right amount of absorption of the gloss paint to leave it as a semi gloss.
 
the three following images were taken with different lighting the first Tungsten the second Fluorescent last one being Daylight I am happy enough with the results and as long as I am careful with the placement I think they will be passable.
 

 

 

 
 
 
Michael
 

this shows a closeup of the attachment of the shrouds to the mast by looping over pegs inserted in the mast. This may seem odd in that the usual arrangement we are used to is looping the shroud through crosstrees and AROUND the mast. I chose this method because the Trombetta drawing of the mast being set up shows the fighting top already in place BEFORE the shrouds were rigged. This method is also seen in some models close to this period.
Dick
 

little progress

Other photos:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am delighted to announce that the model has been sold and is in transit to her new home in Texas!

Just noticed this thread, so inclined to give my thoughts.
 
I am working on one of their mini kits at the moment.  Also have one of their larger kits waiting on the shelf.  I preferred the typical Japanese ships they offered over the more European / Modern kits - but that may be just my taste.
Lovely wood (Japanese Cedar - adore the smell), and has very well executed details.  Parts are very finely laser cut and laser edged where needed.  Initially the wood may feel flimsy, but it appears stronger than what I assumed at first look (e.g., not have any parts split on me so far, even though they are very thin).
 
The kit is easy enough to put together when you take time to study the instructions - all pictures are in my mother tongue, as well as English, French, German (you get my drift); the text is Japanese, but pictogrames used for 'glue this, do not glue that, file this, etc' make the instructions sufficiently clear not to need even a basic understand of the wording.  Compared to some other kits, these instructions are very good - similar to some plastic kits such as Hasegawa or Tamyia.
 
The kit may seem pricy, but I think it is worth the money - especially when you consider that the wood is of such good quality (unlike some of the cheaper kits I have where the wood is not so pleasant to work with - replace the wood is a thought that often occur to me with such kits) and they offer ships that are not so common in our market.
 
Just my thought, and hope it helps.
 
Slainte
L.H.