qwerty2008

I have finished basic training and am now in tech school. Though I can't work on my models here I can finally use the internet so I will pop in here from time to time.
 
 
 
AB Hayes.

I have finished basic training and am now in tech school. Though I can't work on my models here I can finally use the internet so I will pop in here from time to time.
 
 
 
AB Hayes.

I just finished a project to get an art show open
 
my poster.pdf
 
On the way home dropped into the fabric store looking for the right fabric and ended up in the wedding fabrics section and found a cloth that looked good but I'm not 100% on it yet mostly I want to do some experiments on the seams and eyelets or grommets.
 
First I used some rubber cement to glue the tabling
 

 
Then trimmed the edge the rubber cement stopped the material from fraying.
 

 
Then folded the tabling, I will also do one with the added tabling this will keep the cloth weave aligned.
 

 
The grommets are a little large these being 3/16 diameter which scale out to 1 1/2 inch, I will locate some smaller ones I know that smaller ones are made. I might end up making the ones I need.
 

 

 

 
These grommets were for a canvas cover on a 7/8ths scale model and worked well so I will have a go at making some with the backing ring, one of the issues with the tiny commercial grommets is that they do not have a backing ring.
neither do the ones I made, however for the sail to function well I want to ensure that the grommets are well seated through the layers of the tabling.
 

 

 

 

 
By making my own I can also set up any diameter that I need. the eyelets for traditional and cruising sailboats under 45 feet being size 3 or 1/2 inch diameter and for boats over 45 feet being size 4 or 5 5/8 to 3/4 diameter. these diameters are listed in the "Sailmaker's Apprentice" by Emiliano Marino ISBN 0-07-137642-9.
 
summer's coming and I do want to get the cutter sailing before summer is over.
 
Michael 
 
 
 
 

Hi Mark
 
Regarding the watercolours I did them It is a compilation of a series of sketches dome during a trip to Marble Canyon in the Canadian Rockies here is a link to an art show where I exhibited them and here is a couple of detail pics sorry about the colour it is still dark and the lighting was not great.
 

 

 

 
I paint and do the odd odd art in my spare time.  I have a watercolour show coming up in April in Edmonton
 
Now back to the cutter.
 
Patrick and Druxey thanks, Sometimes I let things sit for what often feels far too long,I suppose because in the back of my mind there is something that is just not quite right about it,( this is especially true when I am following my own design and not making a copy of something already built.) and then all of a sudden it seems I have the answer and it really doesn't matter about the previous effort it was just a step on the journey anyway.
 
Well that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Best of luck, Lextin!!

Will do.

Will do.

I realize it's been over 9 months since my last post. I seem to have lost track of time as it feels like it was just yesterday that I put the Byzantium in my closet. Since my last update, I have had some setbacks in joining the Air Force but everything has been sorted out. I'm currently getting ready to leave as I ship out to basic this Monday. I managed to get aircraft hydraulic systems (2A6X5) which was my number 2 pick so I'm pretty happy.
In other news, my cat Chica died a few months ago due to fluid build up in her abdominal cavity. I loved that cat and hated to see her go but, the timing was good as now I don't have anything holding me back from leaving.
 
 
 
 
Lextin.

Lextin,
 
It's great that you got everything sorted out but I am sorry to hear about Chica.  Hydraulics is a good choice... I'm glad you got what you wanted and able to start a new adventure.  Stay in touch with us occasionally, ok?

I realize it's been over 9 months since my last post. I seem to have lost track of time as it feels like it was just yesterday that I put the Byzantium in my closet. Since my last update, I have had some setbacks in joining the Air Force but everything has been sorted out. I'm currently getting ready to leave as I ship out to basic this Monday. I managed to get aircraft hydraulic systems (2A6X5) which was my number 2 pick so I'm pretty happy.
In other news, my cat Chica died a few months ago due to fluid build up in her abdominal cavity. I loved that cat and hated to see her go but, the timing was good as now I don't have anything holding me back from leaving.
 
 
 
 
Lextin.

His face reminded me of this one:

Hello everyone and thank you all for your comments and likes, it's all very much appreciated.
 
Well, this'll be the last post about the prototype lion.  I fixed the cut-water and just slipped the lion on.  The future final lion will be different and I'll have to rework the cut-water at that time.
Oh yeah, I am working on the tail and will add that too.
 
Okay, without further ado here are the last pics.
 

Let me point out the things I don't like.  The rear legs should have a bend in it so the soles of the feet can push against the cut-water.  The head is proportionally too large for the body.  The manes are too long and flat.  The face is not shaped correctly, he looks more like drooling China man (no offense to the Chinese).  Well, that'll do for starters. 
 

 

 
Cheers,

Concerning the application of CA in very small quantities, I use the ink pen from an old drafting set.  For those of you who aren't old enough to remember, imagine making ink drawing by hand.  I have some drawings that my grandfather made in 1898 while in tech school.  The ink pen is infinitely adjustable and allows you to control the gap and provide extremely small applications of either thin or medium CA.  It doesn't work very well for thick CA.
 
Roger, they do make a vapor free CA that eliminates the nose/throat problem.  It acts more slowly and avoids the flash cure and associated vapors.
 
Bob

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 165 – Forecastle/Poop Pin Rails
 
Another small task was slipped in to break the monotony of deadeye chains and belaying pin turning.  In the first picture the forecastle pin rail has been made and is being used as a template to spot the centers of the posts on the deck.
 

 
The location is over a beam.  The posts will be set into square mortises cut into the deck to provide more strength to this type of rail.  In the next picture one of the mortises is being started with perimeter cuts using a small chisel.
 

 
The turned posts are 5” (.07”) square, turned as was done for the fife rail posts earlier.  In the next picture the two posts have been set and fitted with pins in the top to secure the rail.
 

 
In the next picture the rail has been installed and the six pins added.
 

 
This is a light duty rail, used to belay the four jib and fore staysail downhauls as well as the two foresail bowlines.
 
Providing belaying points for the running rigging of the mizzen mast proved to be a puzzle.  There are some two dozen light lines associated with the mizzen sails that need to be belayed aft of the mast, below the shroud fairleads through which they run, but with the lack of a raised bulwark on the poop there is no clear place for belaying pins.  The poop deck perimeter will be packed with cleats and lead blocks for heavier lines and the spider band around the mast is fully allocated.  The photo of the ship from the starboard quarter is not very helpful. Time for some historical interpretation – not the first or the last.  I believe there are four possibilities.  First, that the poop monkey rail itself was fitted with pins – unlikely given the small section of this brass rail.  Second, using shroud cleats, but these would be visible in the photo.  Third, using deck cleats as with the heavier lines, but the sheer number of these and the resulting mass of line piled on the deck argue against this.  I finally decided on the fourth option, pin rails similar to the forecastle rail along each side of the forward poop rails.  This was a common method.  The next picture shows one of these rails positioned on the deck to spot mortises for the three posts.
 

 
In the next picture the rail has been set as with the forecastle rail and a drop of CA is being applied to each of the vertical wire bolts.
 

 
The posts of all these rails were glued into the deck with wood glue and the tops with CA.  After applying the drops to the top of the rails it was washed off with acetone.  The bolts were later clipped off and the tops sanded.  The last picture shows the two rails installed with the rail on the near side already being fitted with pins.
 

 
The complement of belaying pins is almost complete – a few dozen to go.
 
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 166 – Bulwark Sheaves
 
Well. I finally got some time in the workshop for a couple hours today for the first work on the model in over a month.  Only a small task today – making and fitting the four bulwark sheaves that lead the fore and lower course sheets through the sides.  I toyed with fitting sheaves in the frames for these but the assemblies are quite small and after rigging, the sheaves will be completely hidden by the lines.  So I used the simple method of drilling holes, spaced at the sheave diameter into a strip of 8" x 8" stock as shown in the first picture.
 

 
The sheaves were then carved into the strip.  The first step was to outline the sides of the sheave with a sharp knife as shown below.
 

 
A small chisel was then used to give the sheaves a round shape.
 

 
The strips were then cut into the 20" long sheave assemblies that would be mounted in the bulwarks.
 
In the next picture the position of one of the sheaves is being marked up from the base drawing station lines using a triangle..
 

 
One end of each of the assemblies butts against one of the top timbers with its lower face laid on the planksheer.  In the picture one of two holes has been started within the outline of the sheave assembly.  These were then drilled through the planking.  The next picture shows a rectangular opening being filed out to fit the sheave assembly. 
 

 
In the next picture the assembly has been glued in flush with the outside of the planking.
 

 
After installing, these were painted black on the outside and white on the inside to match surrounding woodwork.
 

 
A small task, but one of a few that remain to get the model ready for masts and rigging.
 
Ed

Mike - no groove. Just carefully placed.
 
Some work done on the stern.
 
 

Well I've had a bit of a redo. On a periodic test fit I found the ship is to tall for the bottle. I found another bottle but the clarity isn't what I want it to be for a commission build. I'll still bottle the old one but I started over. Here's the new one that is almost to the same point. It is nice doing it over I fixed a lot of mistakes.
 

Did a bit more work on deck got some cap rails on and a capstan and hatch.  Also worked on the stairs.  That was a core and a half.  I'm still debating whether I like the outcome.  I might take it all out and try again.  
 

 

 
 

I then put in the upper deck.  Since I actually have a deck below on this build I decided to do an actual hatch instead of the printing a hatch which I normally do.  I cut a hole in the deck for the hatch and then put one together and placed it.  It was tedious getting all the tiny pieces in place and I think I could have done it better but I guess it's not bad for a first try.  
 

 

 

 
 
Work on the cannon rigging continues.  I have a lot of coils to do even if I'm only doing the exposed cannons.  

I've done a lot of work on this ship since my last post.  I'll start with the cannons. 
 

 
Here's my method for ships at this scale.  What I did was pulled a bamboo skewer through a draw plate until I had the wheel size.  I then cut it in half and clamped the two pieces together at the right distance apart.  I glued on a block for the gun carriage and then glued on the cannons.  With the wheels being one piece the whole thing was easy to handle despite the parts being small. Once I was ready to put the cannons on the ship I cut out the wheels and glued them into place.  
 
 
 
 
 

Oh a note on the cannons too.  I figured out a new technique to make them stand out a bit more.  The cannons themselves are wire out of a cell phone charger cable.  I used  draw plate to get a small diameter dowel from a bamboo skewer to use fr the cannon wheels.  I then cut out thin pieces of wood for the carriage.  I ct the dowel in half an laid the pieces parallel  I then glued on the carriages to the dowels.  One that dried I glued on the cannons.  I had a whole line of cannons all connected by the wheels.  I need to do the other side so I may post pictures of this technique later.  Once it was all together I took my exacto knife and cute the cannons off leaving a bit of the wheel sticking out past the carriage.  I then glues the cannon in place on the ship.  I'm also attempting the cannon rigging.  This won't be elaborate just a line running to the bulwarks but I think I'll had some coils on either side too.
 
 

I then added the bulwarks.  Chuck's Cheerful build gave me the idea.  I measured the plans and cut out each section individually.  This gave me a much more accurate bulwarks then I've gotten in the past with my dremel.  I filed some of the rough edges straight afterwords.  
 

 
I then planked the ship with 1 mm planks.  Probably still to bigger then they should be to scale but as close as I could get this time around.  The inside of the bulwarks and outside are planked similarly to how the Cheerful was done.  

I went to my trusty book the Story of Sail and was able to find a few frigates matching similar years.  They didn't have sail plans though so I photoshopped a similar sail plan on in order to make plans to measure in the bottle.  
 

 
I then went to carving.
 

 
A note on the deck.  I recently talked to a miniature model builder who showed me some of his techniques.  It's completely changed my approach to ships in bottles.  One of the things he showed me was some extremely thin veneer from a company called Cards of Wood.  They sell veneer at .015 of an inch.  I am now able to use the same planking techniques used in larger builds but at a very small scale.  I'll show more of that later.  The deck planking was done using the veneer coated in nail polish and then I scribed the planks with an exacto knife.  I then coated it with a oak stain which stained the wood in the scribed lines but not the rest of the wood.  
 
The lines on the top deck were tests on the raw wood.  They turned out horrible so I put the lines on the veneer.  It's a lot easier when I can scribe the lines with a ruler guiding then cut out the piece to fit. 

It's about time I start a log on this one since it's moving right a long.  This build is another commission for a pirate rein-actor.  The story of his crew is that they found the ship beached and got it back to sea worthy and made it their own pirate vessel.
 
Basically he told me he wanted a sixth rate 20 gun frigate from around 1710.   He also sent me a few photos of what he would like the ship to look like.  
 
    

Got quite a lot of work done since the last post.