Erik W

This week I decided to mix things up a bit, taking a break between making the backstay plates and the chain plates.  I made the 22 eye bolts for the hull exterior and cap rail top.  While I have every manner of small diameter wire -  lead, brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel - down to .002" diameter, I didn't have the type of wire best used by ship modelers for these types of things.  So after some research on this forum I ordered both 24 and 22 gauge Hillman Group dark annealed wire.  I must say, trying to make 22 identical eye bolts was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  I never did get to a point where they were consistent.  That said, I selected groups that were close to identical to one another to fasten in the same area.  I figure if the port side eye bolts are slightly different than the starboard, a viewer would never know since you only see one side of the ship at a time.  I followed what Mike (Stuntflyer) had done in his Cheerful build log, and filed a little channel around the holes so the eye bolts snug down a bit.
 
I also drilled the scupper holes in the outside of the hull.  This was pretty straight forward, other than when I went to photograph the model I could see the bright wood on the inside of the bulwark.  I wound up taking a fine brush and painting the interior black, followed by running a pencil around the plank edge of the hole.
 
My next step will be to drill the scupper holes on the interior bulwark/deck area.  Does anyone have any advice or wisdom on that?  Am I drilling all the way through the interior planking?  I know I need to make the holes so they notch into the lip of the waterway at deck level.
 
Erik

First Quarter deck cannon complete and posed next to its main deck companion. 

Seven more to go

Chuck,
I've got to say, your wood skills are nothing short of amazing!  I have read through all your build logs a couple of times and still can't get over the precision and clean lines.  I doff my hat to you sir!
 
I do have a question, if I may.  I am particualry curious as to your process of removing the char from the edge of the laser cut components? 
 
thanks
Bruce

This week I decided to mix things up a bit, taking a break between making the backstay plates and the chain plates.  I made the 22 eye bolts for the hull exterior and cap rail top.  While I have every manner of small diameter wire -  lead, brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel - down to .002" diameter, I didn't have the type of wire best used by ship modelers for these types of things.  So after some research on this forum I ordered both 24 and 22 gauge Hillman Group dark annealed wire.  I must say, trying to make 22 identical eye bolts was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  I never did get to a point where they were consistent.  That said, I selected groups that were close to identical to one another to fasten in the same area.  I figure if the port side eye bolts are slightly different than the starboard, a viewer would never know since you only see one side of the ship at a time.  I followed what Mike (Stuntflyer) had done in his Cheerful build log, and filed a little channel around the holes so the eye bolts snug down a bit.
 
I also drilled the scupper holes in the outside of the hull.  This was pretty straight forward, other than when I went to photograph the model I could see the bright wood on the inside of the bulwark.  I wound up taking a fine brush and painting the interior black, followed by running a pencil around the plank edge of the hole.
 
My next step will be to drill the scupper holes on the interior bulwark/deck area.  Does anyone have any advice or wisdom on that?  Am I drilling all the way through the interior planking?  I know I need to make the holes so they notch into the lip of the waterway at deck level.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

Thanks for the comments Glenn and Mike.  My build is 100% boxwood.  When I bought all the wood, and started the project back at the end of 2015, no one was really using Alaskan Yellow Cedar yet.  As far as making the eye bolts, at least since I have a large amount of wire now, it's no big deal to discard the less-than-perfect ones as I get up to speed on how to make them.  lol.
 
Mike, I used a small round diamond file with the same technique you mention above.  It seemed a pretty intuitive way to get the small notch filed from the hole.
 
Erik

This week I decided to mix things up a bit, taking a break between making the backstay plates and the chain plates.  I made the 22 eye bolts for the hull exterior and cap rail top.  While I have every manner of small diameter wire -  lead, brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel - down to .002" diameter, I didn't have the type of wire best used by ship modelers for these types of things.  So after some research on this forum I ordered both 24 and 22 gauge Hillman Group dark annealed wire.  I must say, trying to make 22 identical eye bolts was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  I never did get to a point where they were consistent.  That said, I selected groups that were close to identical to one another to fasten in the same area.  I figure if the port side eye bolts are slightly different than the starboard, a viewer would never know since you only see one side of the ship at a time.  I followed what Mike (Stuntflyer) had done in his Cheerful build log, and filed a little channel around the holes so the eye bolts snug down a bit.
 
I also drilled the scupper holes in the outside of the hull.  This was pretty straight forward, other than when I went to photograph the model I could see the bright wood on the inside of the bulwark.  I wound up taking a fine brush and painting the interior black, followed by running a pencil around the plank edge of the hole.
 
My next step will be to drill the scupper holes on the interior bulwark/deck area.  Does anyone have any advice or wisdom on that?  Am I drilling all the way through the interior planking?  I know I need to make the holes so they notch into the lip of the waterway at deck level.
 
Erik

Hey Allan,  Thanks for the links to the McMaster site.  I always appreciate good sources for materials.  I did some testing with blackening the brass with Birchwood Casey blackening fluid on a scrap piece of brass.  I'll most likely go with black paint and a weathering powder as Chuck did to give it that metal look.  The copper/liver of sulfur you mentioned sounds intriguing.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

Based on popular demand and multiple requests, a package of smaller door handles is now available.   This multi-pack gives you 30 each of the 3/16" tall handles and now 1/8" tall handles.
 
In addition ....a multi pack of smaller door hinges is also available.   You get 16 each of 1/8" and 3/16" tall Hinges.   In both styles....
 

 

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

It’s perfect!
Steve

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

This week I decided to mix things up a bit, taking a break between making the backstay plates and the chain plates.  I made the 22 eye bolts for the hull exterior and cap rail top.  While I have every manner of small diameter wire -  lead, brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel - down to .002" diameter, I didn't have the type of wire best used by ship modelers for these types of things.  So after some research on this forum I ordered both 24 and 22 gauge Hillman Group dark annealed wire.  I must say, trying to make 22 identical eye bolts was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  I never did get to a point where they were consistent.  That said, I selected groups that were close to identical to one another to fasten in the same area.  I figure if the port side eye bolts are slightly different than the starboard, a viewer would never know since you only see one side of the ship at a time.  I followed what Mike (Stuntflyer) had done in his Cheerful build log, and filed a little channel around the holes so the eye bolts snug down a bit.
 
I also drilled the scupper holes in the outside of the hull.  This was pretty straight forward, other than when I went to photograph the model I could see the bright wood on the inside of the bulwark.  I wound up taking a fine brush and painting the interior black, followed by running a pencil around the plank edge of the hole.
 
My next step will be to drill the scupper holes on the interior bulwark/deck area.  Does anyone have any advice or wisdom on that?  Am I drilling all the way through the interior planking?  I know I need to make the holes so they notch into the lip of the waterway at deck level.
 
Erik

A little bit of progress this week.  I'm new at metal working, so it took some trial and error to figure out how I am going to make the backstay plates and chain plates.  One of the main issues to getting the ball rolling was figuring out how I was going to make these without the availability of 1/64" x 3/32" brass strip.  It would appear that K & S has discontinued nearly its entire line of brass strip, and I couldn't locate any of the size I needed in my internet search.  Many years ago I had bought a package of various sizes of 6" x 12" brass shim stock (used to shim the plates when molding parts in plastic injection molding machines so that they align correctly) just in case I ever needed sheet brass.  These sheets came in thickness of .001", .0015", .002", .003", .004", .005", .006", .007", .008", .010", .012", and .015".  The .015" thickness is the decimal measurement of 1/64".  So I have my material.  I used a pair of ancient tin snips I have in my toolbox to cut 3/32" wide strips off the sheet.  I then had to flatten the strips since they curled both along the face and the edge.  Next I filed the sharp edges flat.  Then used flat pliers to eliminate the lengthwise cupping caused in cutting the strips off the sheet.  Now that I had my self-made strips ready, I then shaped the backstay plates following Chuck's instructions in his monograph.  Since the strips I created were rough and with blemishes, I polished the finished backstay plates with a fine file after shaping was complete, just because I'm a perfectionist, and that's how I roll!  Yes, I know they'll be painted black.  Haha.
 
Erik

Not a ton of progress this week.  I did finish fashioning and installing the boarding ladders and channels though.  I must say ripping the boards by hand out of sheet stock to make these parts is a bit of a pain in the rear.  lol.  Also, it was tough getting the pattern cut into the scraper to make the boarding ladder profile.  I think my limitation there was my lack of precise small files.  I deliberately made the filed notches in the channels that will house the chainplates narrower than they'll be.  I just wanted to get the notches placed correctly and the angles in, according to the plans.  I'll finish the notches up when I fit and attach the chainplates.
 
And lastly, I'm patting myself on the back.  My third photo below manages to capture the elusive and hard to photograph lower step of the Cheerful's boarding ladder (located on the wale and painted black).  Haha!
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

Thanks for the comments Glenn and Mike.  My build is 100% boxwood.  When I bought all the wood, and started the project back at the end of 2015, no one was really using Alaskan Yellow Cedar yet.  As far as making the eye bolts, at least since I have a large amount of wire now, it's no big deal to discard the less-than-perfect ones as I get up to speed on how to make them.  lol.
 
Mike, I used a small round diamond file with the same technique you mention above.  It seemed a pretty intuitive way to get the small notch filed from the hole.
 
Erik

Thanks for the comments Glenn and Mike.  My build is 100% boxwood.  When I bought all the wood, and started the project back at the end of 2015, no one was really using Alaskan Yellow Cedar yet.  As far as making the eye bolts, at least since I have a large amount of wire now, it's no big deal to discard the less-than-perfect ones as I get up to speed on how to make them.  lol.
 
Mike, I used a small round diamond file with the same technique you mention above.  It seemed a pretty intuitive way to get the small notch filed from the hole.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

One last photo for the week.  I drilled the interior scupper holes.  This was a bit nerve wracking.  I hadn't anticipated how easy it would be for the 1/32" x 1/32" waterway strip to split while being drilled.  I wound up starting with a much smaller drill bit and then using three more progressively larger sizes to only take a slight bit of material off at a time.  I made sure to turn the pin vice really slowly.  If the waterway split, the split part was still attached at one end.  I took a sharpened toothpick, applied a tiny amount of wood glue, and glued the fragmented sliver back down.  I had to do that with three of the holes.  The splits are invisible.  Glad I'm done with that part!
 
Also, I'm not sure of the properties of wood in general, but I'm curious if my boxwood, which I've had for 9 years in an inside climate that has a humidity of around 25% most of the year, splits easier because of that.
 
Erik

This week I decided to mix things up a bit, taking a break between making the backstay plates and the chain plates.  I made the 22 eye bolts for the hull exterior and cap rail top.  While I have every manner of small diameter wire -  lead, brass, copper, phosphor bronze, steel - down to .002" diameter, I didn't have the type of wire best used by ship modelers for these types of things.  So after some research on this forum I ordered both 24 and 22 gauge Hillman Group dark annealed wire.  I must say, trying to make 22 identical eye bolts was more of a challenge than I thought it would be!  I never did get to a point where they were consistent.  That said, I selected groups that were close to identical to one another to fasten in the same area.  I figure if the port side eye bolts are slightly different than the starboard, a viewer would never know since you only see one side of the ship at a time.  I followed what Mike (Stuntflyer) had done in his Cheerful build log, and filed a little channel around the holes so the eye bolts snug down a bit.
 
I also drilled the scupper holes in the outside of the hull.  This was pretty straight forward, other than when I went to photograph the model I could see the bright wood on the inside of the bulwark.  I wound up taking a fine brush and painting the interior black, followed by running a pencil around the plank edge of the hole.
 
My next step will be to drill the scupper holes on the interior bulwark/deck area.  Does anyone have any advice or wisdom on that?  Am I drilling all the way through the interior planking?  I know I need to make the holes so they notch into the lip of the waterway at deck level.
 
Erik