kurtvd19

I can't remember the brand as there were several saws made with this junk motor type.  Jarmac? for the brand possibly.  A lot of end play so the blade kind of goes where it wants and it goes way too fast.    It's wort $5 at the most sorry but it's junk.
 

The books are a great addition - really personalizes the model.

The books are a great addition - really personalizes the model.

The books are a great addition - really personalizes the model.

My daughter was very complimentary about my latest model.  But she said I had to put something on the table.  It looked too bare and boring.   So not wanting to disappoint my lovely daughter I added some laser cut books.   Yes that is a very very tiny Seawatch book about Speedwell Volume 1 I believe.   Great reading while at sail on those quiet evenings!!
 
The cupola really isnt that shiny....its just the very bright overhead light and the photo camera lights.  It is actually much darker and subdued.  I think.  LOL.
 
 
The books are just 1/4" tall so very very very tiny.  Cleaned up after laser cutting and ready for a printed cover scaled down....But here you see them in the raw state.   These are right off the laser cutter and just sanded to remove the char.  The close ups are brutal but they look really good at regular viewing.  About the size of your fingernail.
 

I can't remember the brand as there were several saws made with this junk motor type.  Jarmac? for the brand possibly.  A lot of end play so the blade kind of goes where it wants and it goes way too fast.    It's wort $5 at the most sorry but it's junk.
 

I can't remember the brand as there were several saws made with this junk motor type.  Jarmac? for the brand possibly.  A lot of end play so the blade kind of goes where it wants and it goes way too fast.    It's wort $5 at the most sorry but it's junk.
 

I can't remember the brand as there were several saws made with this junk motor type.  Jarmac? for the brand possibly.  A lot of end play so the blade kind of goes where it wants and it goes way too fast.    It's wort $5 at the most sorry but it's junk.
 

Tired of making all those repetitive parts by hand?  Bluejacket Shipcrafters offers custom laser work in laser board, styrene, and wood.  Here are a couple examples.  The top image is a portion of a .015" laser board sheet that has gratings, scroll work, companion doors, and mast hoops. 
The lower image shows a custom laminated door for a customer who was designing and building an HO scale fire station.  From left to right - clear styrene for the window glass, .015" laser board components, and the assembled doors.  
For more information or to discuss a potential project, contact al@bluejacketinc.com .

Greg convinced me!!!  I also spent a great deal of time looking at the contemporary model.   I also decided to coper the top of the doorway.  It just made sense to do that.   I painted a plain piece of paper with the copper paint and cut a narrow strip.  This allowed me to leave a nice neat edge on the front of the bulkhead.  I left just a 1/64" of the top showing so it looks like molding around the doorway.  I am sure I will get used it over time.
 


 
 

Nice job on the cupola Chuck. I like the dulled copper version and it suits your approach well (making a model of the NMM model).

The cupola...
 
I was undecided if it made sense to add the cupola now or wait until after the deck is planked.  But I decided it might be easier to plank around it so I went and completed it.
 
It will be shaped in a sort of lift method.   
 
Below you see all the parts needed laser cut along with the first prototype completed.
 

Step 1...glue the 3 layers of curved roof together with the thinnest curved horseshoe at the end as shown.
 

Step 2...
 
Glue the 1/16 piece on the bottom which will give you the ultimate rounded shape you are shooting for.
 

Step 3...
Sand the roof at first to that rounded shape along the sides.   Use the piece glued to the bottom as a guide.
 

Step  4...
 
Then sand the top to shape.  Specifically the back end of the dome to establish a nice curve.  Dont over sand the forward side.  Just remove the char and you will be good.
 

 
Step 5...
 
Finish off what remains by sanding the remaining parts to a nice dome shape.  It should look like the bottom of a test tube cut in half.  Now at this stage you could also take a Dremel with a small sanding tip and shape the inside.  But why bother.  It will never be seen.  You can make it as thin as an eggshell if you desire but seriously there is no point.   You should remove the cross piece from the opening on the forward side though.  There is no reason to keep that now that it is all shaped.  That was from the 1/16" layer that you glued to the bottom of the assembly early on.
 

Step 6...Take the last remaining laser cut horse shoe piece (1/8" thick) and sand the char from the outside edge.  Also round of the top outside edge.   When you place the cupola on top it should leave a consistent lip all around it.   This gives you the illusion of a molding piece all around the bottom of the cupola.  
 

Step 7...Paint it copper or brown or whatever color you prefer.  I didnt want to go with shiny metallic copper paint.  I opted for a medium brown color.
 
But before you can add it to the model the framing for the cupola needs to be added between the deck beams.  That is the last laser cut piece.  Just sand the char from it and position it as shown.  No need to clean the char from the center because you will never see it.  center it behind the door.
 

Step 8...
 
Glue the cupola in position after making sure it fits snug against the door frame.  It should also leave a little lip around the top of the door frame being slightly smaller in size.  For now I have left the rim around the top of the door frame bright.  But I may decide to paint it the same brown color to match the cupola later on.   I havent decided yet.  I want to wait until after a build the railing and have the deck planking all done.   I will see how it all looks at that time.
 


 
This finishes work on the qdeck for now....I am going to finally move to the fcastle area.

Messing around with cabin cupboards or closets.   Making the bulkhead assemblies and inserting them.  Nothing is glued in yet.
 
 
 

The sanding drum or the sandpaper on the sanding drum?
 

I cant believe I forgot to add the last piece.  I completely forgot about it and then just saw it sitting inside the hull.  I originally tried to make this from boxwood but it was way too fragile.  It broke every time.   So I cut one out of the tan plastic stuff I used for the windows and just forgot to add it.
 
You can see a spare sitting in the hull.  You can see how fragile it looks.  A beaded molding trim that goes all around the inside of the doorway.  I have now added this last piece and that completes chapter 5.  I think it finishes the bulkhead and I am glad I spotted it.  Its all about the small details.
 
I also finally cleaned up the hull and added some wipe on poly.  So all the wood should be less white and toned down now.  This is the final color with the
finish added.  I dont know If there is much difference but in real life
there certainly is.
 
 
Next I will start building the storage closets inside the great cabin.
 

Thanks...The hinges are now in stock..
 
I will have a lot of bulkhead doors to make.  Another feature I absolutely hate is making the door knobs.  No matter how hard I try they never look good to me.  So my preference is to make handles.  These are not easy to make from scratch.  But the laser cutter makes it pretty easy.
 
My Speedwell bulkhead door mock up is pictured.
 
So I will be using old fashioned 18th century door handles instead of knobs.  I think they look much more interesting.  I have made 3 sizes again for my own personal use.  They are made from the black plastic I have been using.   If there is any interest in these I can also make them available.  Just let me know.   Once they are glued onto the doors, I like to use a sharp #11 blade and thin down the bottom of the handle itself to make it curved.  This is more in keeping with the 18th century style I have seen used.  They take forever to laser cut and are so crazy tiny.  But its just a matter of popping them out of the sheet and gluing them on.  That is if I dont drop them on the floor and they are lost forever.
 
Let me know if you guys would like these made available.
 
 


And some real ones I used but I cant get them this delicate looking...but it will do.
 

 
 

Coming Soon!!!
 
I really dont know why I havent offered these already...Oh well
 
I will be making a ton of bulkheads with doors for Speedwell really soon.  They will require many hinges.  The usual "H" and "L" type hinges we use on models.   So I have designed three sizes which should fit most scales.  They are 9/32" and 7/32" and 3/16" tall hinges.   
 
You get 21 hinges "L type" 
You get 45 hinges "H" type"
 
These should be available in a few days.  They are all black laser board and will come in very handy.
 
I dont have a picture with these in use yet but soon.  The closest I have is the Bulkhead door but it uses a unique version for the top curved hinge.  But you get the idea.  The bottom hinge is one of the "L type hinges".  It is the larger size in height for this scale but its all relative.  
 

Some used on Mike's Winnie...although these are adjusted slightly but you get the idea.
 

 
 
 
 

No gaps to worry about Mike...you will see when you get to this point.   Here is the step by step to finish the bulkhead.  These are my notes so I dont forget how I did it.  
 
Once the bulkhead is glued into position we need to add another layer on the aft side.  This will make the aft side nice and smooth and even and neaten it all up.  I am referring to the two strakes below the windows and the uprights between the windows.  All are laser cut.
 

Now we can finally cut away the beam within the doorway and the other straps as well.  Do this carefully with a fine toothed saw.  I use a fine toothed scroll saw blade in an Xacto blade handle.  The bulkhead layers make it all sturdy but you still need a light touch.  No hurry with this.  Below you can see the open space for the doorway after I cut them away and then sanded the sides of the opening flush with a sanding stick.  You can also see the door laying there.  I finished the other side which gets another layer of .025 cedar with another panel...unpainted.  The small strip you see there becomes the saddle in the doorway that the door will rest on top of.  It is a 5/32" x 3/64" strip.  The same thickness as the planking wee will use on the gun deck.
 

Testing the door in position...which is wider than you will need.  Sand it to fit the opening...and tweak the opening as well.  A little sanding with a sanding stick on both will insure a nice fit.  Note how the door is sitting on top of that saddle strip.   The door is not glued in position yet.   It is just a test for the next step...the rounded top frame.  The first .025 layer can be seen in the same photo ready to go.  See it laying on the deck?
 

This first layer (of four) is .025 thick.  It is a little taller than you will need.  So while the door is resting in the opening,  set it in position.  You will see a gap along the top of the door.  Sand the bottom of this arch a little at a time until that gap closes up.     Then glue it to the front side of the two tabs sticking up. Sand the seams flat and paint the front face red.  Then one by one there are three more layers of this arch.   Next the 3/64" thick piece.  Then another .025 and lastly another 3/64" thick arch.  This will make the top arch above the door nice and sturdy.  Now you are ready to finish it up...
 
Note…dont bother cleaning the char from the edges of these pieces.  You will distort the curves and it wont match the top of the door.  This wont be seen at all.  You can lightly sand the top of the arch once all the layers are glued in position.  But just a little.  That will be covered up also.
 

 
You can now place the margin plank along the front of the whole bulkhead.  It will hang over the front slightly.   It will also leave a nice rabbet on the aft side for the qdeck planking.  It is a 1/4" x 3/64 strip.  Just round off the forward edge and cut it to length on both sides of the arched door frame. The last piece will now cover up all those layers of the arched top.  It is laser cut for you.   There is a handle on the part so you can sand the char from the outside of this piece without breaking it.  It is a bit fragile  ( I will provide a few extra).   Once the char is removed then cut it free from the handle.  Dont bother sanding the underside of this piece.   Once again it wont be seen.  The forward edge is rounded off.  The aft side remains flat.  You can see it glued on top of the arch in the photo below.   It is 7/32" wide and all the pieces are flush on the aft side of the platform.  It is basically an extension of the margin plank around the top of the arch to clean it all up.   
 

We havent glued the door in yet so we can remove it and add the laser cut hinges.  You can also add the door knobs.  That is your choice...a simple knob or maybe a pull handle.   I prefer bending some brass strip and making a pull handle.   Then you can glue the door in position and the bulkhead is complete.

Design prototype for the fancy bulkhead....version 4b and counting.   I really dont want to build version 5.   But its getting close.   This one is so close.....
 


 
Chuck

All right, you lot got your way! I went to the hardware store and got some brass tubing to play with. Here's the resulting second draft of the chimneys. I scored them using a razor saw to simulate the joints. I shaved/sanded a wooden plug to fit tightly in the bottom of each so they'd sit and attach properly. Don't judge their exact angle, they're just sitting there as a test-fit.
 



I also moved forward on the pilot house; here's its current status. I used some clear plastic and CA formulated not to craze plastic. Not entirely happy with the outcome but it's too late now. Guess it looks like old glass. It'll certainly blend into the background of the finished model.
 



Sharp eyes will notice that I simulated the gap into which the lower half of the wheel vanishes by just putting down a thin dark piece of wood. It'll be barely visible in the finished pilot house and I didn't think building in the full gap and wheel was worth it. I still need to weather the steps to match the pilot house floor.
 
Next up I need to decide whether to try blackening the brass, or painting it with primer and then black paint. Also whether to try roughing it up with fine sandpaper or leaving it smooth. Will do some test pieces since there's tubing left over.
 
Thanks for pushing me to improve my work!

I am attaching a link to Badger's website.  Click on it and then download their ULTIMATE AIRBRUSH 101.  It is a great guide to almost everything one needs to get started in airbrushing.  On Page 5 of 13 the part about how to pick an airbrush starts.  This tells you the brush or brushes they recommend for doing particular jobs.  There is no one best airbrush for every job, but there is one best brush for a specific job.  The trick is deciding what's most important for your particular job.  And there are great brushes from all of the name brands.
Badger Website CLICK HERE  

The data below is from a report by the Maritime Administration of the US Dept. of Transportation titled "Environmental Advantages of Inland Barge Transportation".
 
As staggering as the fuel costs are, barges are the least expensive method of transportation.  I can't locate the pictorial chart the IL DOT uses to show the amount of the average barge loads of a common tow vs how many RR cars and semi-truck loads.   One barge can carry 1,500 Tons, while a single Railroad Hopper car can carry 100 Tons and a single Semi trailer can carry 25 Tons.  Or the average 1,500-ton barge carries the equivalent of fifteen 100 ton Rail cars or sixty 25 ton semi trucks.
Or the average load of a 15 barge tow has a capacity of 22,500 tons and will stretch for 1/4 of a mile. 
 
To match this capacity takes 225 rail cars = to 2 3/4 miles or 900 Twenty-five ton semis stretching 36 miles - assuming 150 feet between trucks.  The fuel used to move a ton of product is 59 miles by truck, 202 miles by rail car and 514 miles by barge.
 
Comparison on a ton-mile per gallon basis shows that a semi-trailer on the hwy carries a bit less than 300 pounds per HP.  A 175 car trainload of iron ore carries about 4,500 pounds per HP.  A 3,600 HP towboat propels some 30,000 tons of cargo which is = to 10,700 pound per HP.
 
Of course water of suitable depth must be usable from point A to B to use these comparisons.
 

I have made and used the type of soldering jig described.  I was not bothered much by the torch's effect on the wood as I used my Smith Little Torch.  However, I kept a bowl of water and a good sized ratty paint brush right next to my soldering spot on the bench in case of fire.  I used it a few times to knock down smoldering areas before flames would appear.  I also have a fire extinguisher real close.  Be prepared rather than being sorry you were not prepared.
Kurt

I have completed the bench lockers and rudder trunk.  This finishes up the inboard side of the transom nicely I think.   I have taken many step by step photos but rather than go through the whole process here are some pictures.
 
Its pretty self explanatory actually.
 
The panels are made in two layers of .025 Yellow Cedar for the benches and rudder trunk.  Then its just a matter of shaping them to fit snug and neat in position.  You want a tight fir against the planked sides of the cabin.  
Small lengths of 24 gauge black wire was use for the benchtop lids.   Some laser etching showed where they go.  To finish it all up I added that aft-most beam permanently and also the framed for the rudder.  Everything s laser cut for you...even the planking for the inside portion of the counter.  The sides of the rudder trunk panels were beveled so they could be fit together with a tight mitered seam between them.  I have not added wipe on poly yet.  I want to do a bit of clean up and repainting where thing got scuffed up a bit.  But I expect it will clean up OK.  And I have already cleaned the inside of the windows as well.   It will get harder to do that now that this detail was completed.