michael mott

Andy, Bob, Timothy, Thanks for the great feedback, Yes regarding the thimbles now that I know how to bend them and my practice seems to have worked out well enough the next step will be figuring out the filing of the ends to make them close the way they do in full size practice. Michael

A little break from the brass work, I have made the four shrouds,and served and seized the tops, the bottoms need to be done next. I made some mods to the serving machine which I posted over in tools. the shrouds are made from 4 three strand ropes of 6 yarns per strand and they are .093" diameter and the forestay is from 4 three strand ropes of 10 yarns per strand and is .120" diameter. Michael

Good morning everyone, A couple of modifications to the serving machine. I have been working on the shrouds and a couple of modifications came out of working with them. First the third clamp proved useful as a sort of traveling steady I kept it just ahead of the line being wrapped around the shroud, and Also I needed to add a tensioning device for the bobbin. So first the tensioning device, it followed along the same concept of the card wedged under the bobbin, I used a piece of .005" brass shimstock it comes in a roll and can be purchased at automotive repair shops. I used the curl to advantage for the spring tension. I made the spring lay the whole length of the bobbin rod and clamped it to the rear of the machine with a small strip of maple and 3 small wood screws. The third clamp used as a traveling steady. This was then modified and narrowed down so that I have more room betweed the rotating clamps. I also added a former that is removable for siezing the tops of the strouds and beefed up the pegs to brass after snapping one of the maple pegs. The shrouds are about the biggest ropes that slide through the clamps easily and are held with the wedges. The forstay was a bit too large to slide through though. The shrouds were .093" diameter made up of 4 ropes of 3 strands each with 6 yarns of Gutterman CE50 Black 100% cotton. The forestay was formed from 4 ropes 3 strands x 10 yarns and is .120" diameter so I slid out the brass winders from the ball races and used a split collet of maple in each end, I will use this method in the future because it clamps the rope evenlyand the collets ar easy to whip up in the lathe out odf some 1/4 inch maple dowel. The forestay being served. I probably should have wormed the stay first but I will do that on the next one. slipping a pin through allows for a stopage to give my fingers a rest The clear plastic tube for the long length of the rope not being worked on works very well and just revolves. Michael

Neat work on the sails Dave. Michael

hello Mark, great to hear your wife is healing well. The hull planking is one of those areas that if you are not happy with the way it looks it is much better to rework than to compromise, because you know at some later point it would get redone anyway, so why wait. Michael

the hull is coming together well now Walter. it wont be long now befor you get the planking finished. Michael

C'mon John nobody needs a lathe, But they sure do help when it comes to roundy things Nice going so far Andy. Perhaps you could post a picture of the lathe that is in the shed, we might be able to help. Michael

Kevin thanks for thisthe timing is perfect for I am making ropes and shrouds right now. Michael

Outstanding Matt! I too look forward to your next build. Let me try to run that one past my Admiral...LOL Michael

Ed it is really interesting and a great help reading about how you tackled the rope making and serving at this small scale, your photgrasph of the details of the blocks and ropework are evidence of your superior craftsmanship and attention to accuracy. Thank you for reposting this valuable contribution to our knowledge of this aspect of modelwork . Michael

Hi John just in case you missed my question I will ask it again Would those backstays have been let out on the leeward side when running? otherwise it would seem that they would resrtict the travel of the boom. Michael

Hi John the link want me to download adobe Flash player and I already have flash player so I am not getting the info but I did find this page which seems pretty good. the download is a line drawing with all the sizes for different thimbles. I just swiched over to firefox because IE kept getting hung up. Michael

Bob, thanks for your kind words. John, what Dinghy? Andy yes when I looked up the term bottlescrew up came Turnbuckles. Ron thanks for your kind thoughts. So today I think I might have screwed up the first batch of thimbles Started out well enough these after the initial bendings following the earlier sequence. I closed up the thimbles by wrapping the rope and then squeezing the open end between my thumb and index finger. thimble closed a mottly crew of thimbles lined up but then I shortened them because I thought they were too long. Now I am not so sure, and think they are too short. I will need to do some reading now and find some real thimbles to get the proportions correct. Oh well! Michael

Russ, If I could find a way to make these relatively easily I would be happy to oblige. John, not really a blacksmith more like a brassbasher. Druxey thanks. Andy, bottle screws and turnbuckles are out because I do not have the left handed taps and dies otherwise they are not too dificult. Senhouse slips, now that one I had to look up, clever device that. Those would be easy enough but I don't think I will need one. Thanks all for your kind remarks. Of course the proof will be making a few more without taking all day. All these different items are all about sorting out how to make things that will be needed for completing this model and then will be useful knowledge for the next build, when this one is finished. Every time I turn around it seems there is something new to figure out. Michael

Nico very clean installation I am looking forward now to seeing her in the water. Michael

John, your work on the rigging is very inspiring, I hope that my own attempts will be as authentic as yours are in their execution. Would those backstays have been let out on the leeward side when running? otherwise it would seem that they would resrtict the travel of the boom. Michael

After folding the brass over the steel it was ready for the curve at the end I used a loop of the same hard rod, this had to be heated red hot to bend. the loop was hammered down to create thecompound curve in the rounded portion. the ends were filed even before folding the thimble closed a rope wrapped around the finished thimble with a shackle. now to make a few more. Michael

John, Bob, thanks. I finshed the other three deadeye clamps. I used a couple of pins to set the level, this also ensured that both sides were even to the holes. This afternoon I worked on making some thimbles for the ropes. The fiest task wqas to cut some strips ofr brass 1/8 x 3/4 x 1/64 thick. These were annealed. Next I made a special benting jig out of some 1/4 x 1/4 square steel, this had a groove cut with a1/8th ball end mill. and then the end was shaped with some files. The brass was placed evenly so that a short area was laying over the grooves either side of the flat. the brass was shaped with apiece of .073 steel rod. the flat area allowed the ends to bend easily over the steel form ready for the final shaping. end part one. Michael

Wonderful! Michael

Stelios .6mm that is fine silver soldering, well done. Michael

Nice, cutters are caching aren't they. Michael

john thanks I noticed that the edge of the rail there needs a little refining too. Michael

Not a lot to report, other than I am redoing the method of attaching the lower dead eyes. instead of a bent wire loop I am cutting out a sheet metal loop, I think it will be cleaner overall. Michael

Alex, Carlos and Carl, thanks for your kind remarks. I have been away for a few days in the rocky mountains accompanying my good lady at the Library Conference. I had a great time no phone no computer, tons of good food spectacular environment, great accomodations. So I will be back in the shop tomorrow, back at the workbench doing a little more fiddling. Michael

Stelios the sails look great, I am taking notes because it will be useful for me later. michael