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rafine

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Everything posted by rafine

  1. rafine
    Many thanks, guys. I'm really happy that you all have followed this build and provided your encouragement and support.. Much appreciated. Bob
  2. rafine
    The picket boat is now complete. I have set the steam plant components in place and have rigged the funnel guy lines to eyebolts in the funnel and rail. With that, work on the model is done. My camera battery required recharging, so I'll post a few more photos of the finished model tomorrow. Building this model was a pleasure. I will again commend the kit designer, Bob Crane, and Model Expo for a fine product. I would recommend it to anyone with or without experience. Bob
  3. rafine
    Congrats on finishing the ratlines -- never a fun job. It all looks great, Grant. Bob
  4. rafine
    No, Russ. There's no indication at all. Bob
  5. rafine
    Congrats on finishing the standing rigging, Augie. It all looks great. Bob
  6. rafine
    Thanks, Grant, John and Augie. John, I'm sure that you're right about the cable length. I redid it to provide about 35 feet of cable, which I hope would be enough for a boat working in relatively shallow river waters. Augie, I've seen different theories as to the use of the blocks, but nothing definitive. Bob .
  7. rafine
    Getting to the finish line. The anchor is now made and installed. I followed the suggestions made by John (Jim Lad) and did an Admiralty pattern anchor of just over three feet in length with a folding stock. The anchor is made of boxwood and the stock is brass rod with small beads at each end and a slice of styrene tube as the center stop. The shackle was made from brass strip bent to shape.The stock worked until I glued it in place. I also made the mast, which is a simple piece of dowel, tapered to shape, with two blocks ( of unknown use) attached at the head. Bob
  8. rafine
    To say that it's coming out ok is quite an understatement. Really nice, Rusty. Bob
  9. rafine
    Very elegant looking little ship, John. Bob
  10. rafine
    Thanks all, for the interest and kind words. "Suicide" seems a fair description of the mission of this boat. Of the fifteen crew, two died and eleven were captured, but rhe mission was successful and the target sunk. There seems to be little certainty about how the torpedo was deployed and detonated, but it is clear that it involved getting right up to the target to place the torpedo. Final work is now underway, with completion in the next few days. Bob
  11. rafine
    Thanks, Grant and Russ. Russ, the very nice and extensive photoetching is one of the real strengths of this kit. Bob
  12. rafine
    I've now made and installed the spar torpedo. The first order of business was to make and install the two supports for the torpedo. These were made from photoetched brass parts that were bolted together and then bolted to the hull.Next, I made the torpedo. This was done using two sizes of dowel, etched brass, paper bands and some eyebolts. The torpedo was then mounted on the supports with a lashing aft and a brass cap on the fore support. Finally, I rigged the torpedo in accordance with the plans and photos of the prototype model. The rigging is somewhat problematic, since there seems to be very little information on it or precisely how the torpedo was released and detonated. I will be completing the model by making an anchor, doing the mast and installing the steam plant components. Bob
  13. rafine
    Wow. Beautifully done. Bob
  14. rafine
    Welcome to the club, Augie. Frustrating, but kind of satisfying to know that you can make it right again. Great job. Bob
  15. rafine
    Thanks, John. That's very helpful.. Bob
  16. rafine
    Many thanks, guys for both the kind words and the help. John: I think that Mark is basically right about the rear plate. What would an appropriate size be for the anchor? Mark: Thanks for the answer to John. As to the gun rigging, I did some further research about Dahlgren howitzers (the gun on this vessel) and can't find any indication that there would be a tackle on the slide. In fact, I'm even questioning my decision on the tackles that I added. Bob
  17. rafine
    Thanks, Ryland. I think that you will enjoy the kit. The gun is now assembled and mounted. It consists of a cast metal barrel, laser cut wood parts and more of the nice photoetched brass parts. To these, I added bolts and bolt heads as required, as well as ring bolts. All of the metal parts were painted, rather than blackened. After mounting, I decided to add rigging to the gun. Although the plans do not show it and I couldn't find anything definitive to support it, it just seemed logical that there would be some rigging to help maneuver the gun. The ringbolts shown on the plans also seemed to suggest that something would be hooked to them. I chose blocks and line that seemed appropriate in size. The gun rigging issue also got me thinking about whether this vessel would be carrying an anchor, and if so, what kind and size. Again, none is shown on the plans. I'd appreciate any info or thoughts that anyone might have. I'm now beginning the last major assembly on the model, the spar torpedo and its mounting and rigging. Bob
  18. rafine
    Thanks so much, Tim. As I've said before, a lot of the credit should go to the kit design and the kit parts. Bob
  19. rafine
    Thanks very much, Grant and Robert.
  20. rafine
    It's all looking great Augie. Not all bad for someone who feared rigging. Bob
  21. rafine
    Thanks, as always, guys. Russ and John.: It actually did have movement of the parts until I glued it to prevent my playing with it until it broke. Bob
  22. rafine
    The steam plant consists of the boiler, engine, condenser and hot well. The boiler was covered in my prior post. I've now done the remainder. I first did the condenser and hot well. These were simple and straight forward. The condenser was made from dowel, laser cut wood and piping components ( cast els, tubing and etched brass). The well is laser cut wood with piping components. The wood parts were painted with Pollyscale depot green. These items are shown in the first attached photo. I then moved on to the engine. This is a very intricate piece of work, which was made a whole lot easier by the really nice laser cut and etched brass parts and the detailed and very clear step by step drawings in the plans. Congrats to Bob Crane, the kit designer, and Model Expo for a job well done. Although I generally like to scratch build detail items like this, I would have been hard pressed to duplicate the kit parts or to produce a finished product as good as that made from the kit parts. I am attaching a series of photos that follow the construction sequence. As shown in the photos, all of the component parts were painted prior to assembly. I won't install the steam plant until a little later in the construction process. The gun will be next. Bob
  23. rafine
    Many thanks, John, Augie and Russ. Your continuing support is always appreciated. Bob
  24. rafine
    While your modesty is becoming, Augie, I think that its time for you to admit to yourself that you're good at this.. The rigging is coming along great. Bob
  25. rafine
    Thanks, John and Mark. At this scale, the good news is that you can do just about anything-- the bad news is that you have to do just about everything. A quick update on some small things I've done. First, I added the hinges on the coal bunkers. These are photoetched brass from the kit set, with small pieces of wire added at the hinge bend ( they just didn't look right without it).I also put on some cleats on the sheer rail. Last, I made up and installed three items for which I don't know a correct title. They are brackets or plates to which the gun is attached on the fore deck. These are made from etched brass parts, folded to shape and bolted to pieces of strip boxwood. Small pieces of dowel with wire handles completed the assembly. Next, I will go back and do the rest of the steam power plant. Bob

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