shiloh

The stand looks good as is. Would be more stable if the bottom members of your stand were wider, you are going to have spars on the masts so width of the bottom of the stand could be just a bit shorter than the spars. You have all that space below the rig to work with, so use it to stabilize your Cutty Sark. Another option, leave the stand as designed and attach it to a wide dense and finished board with a plaque. Admire your ability to be innovative and persistent, you have a world wide bunch of people waiting for your progress posts.

The stand looks good as is. Would be more stable if the bottom members of your stand were wider, you are going to have spars on the masts so width of the bottom of the stand could be just a bit shorter than the spars. You have all that space below the rig to work with, so use it to stabilize your Cutty Sark. Another option, leave the stand as designed and attach it to a wide dense and finished board with a plaque. Admire your ability to be innovative and persistent, you have a world wide bunch of people waiting for your progress posts.

Here it is not trimmed so it grows into ever spreading, impenetrable, thorny brush.
jud

Here it is not trimmed so it grows into ever spreading, impenetrable, thorny brush.
jud

As you have probably learned by reading these posts choice of tools is extremely personal, which I guess is what makes this avocation so fascinating. I received a Dremel type rotary tool as a gift many years ago and almost never use it. On the other hand, a small Jarmac disc sander on my workbench is used constantly.
 
If your project requires accurate drilling of holes square to a surface you will need a drill press, and I see no point to buying a minirature one. Inexpensive pin vices are available to allow tiny wire sized drills to be used with a full sized Chuck.
 
I mill my own woods whenever possible. For this I find a jointer essential to get a flat surface that the table saw will accept. A full sized table saw with a heavy duty motor is essential. Dull blades and an underpowered saw are dangerous. Although I have a 12in portable planer it is noisy, and dirty, so I am not sure that I will go thru the hassle to drag it out doors to mill the fourth surface flat on a batch of pear wood. This same operation can be done on my table saw.
 
A number of years ago I built a thickness sander from NRG plans. Cost was almost nothing- a pair of bearing blocks a d a piece of cold rolled steel rod. I had a spare motor and everything else came from scrap.
 
I like old power tools. They are generally of more robust construction and easy to repair. My bandsaw is 40 years old, the company that built it is long out of business, yet I rebuilt it last summer with new urethane tires, a new tension spring, and new "cool" guide blocks. No plastic and all screws are std us threads available at the hardware store. Old used tools are often for sale cheap- overlooked by those that want tools with all the electronic gadgetry.
 
Roger Pellett

Let me add to the above description:
If you heat it or outright burn it, it stinks worse than a skunk. You want to aggravate a bothersome neighbor? Throw some ro in your fireplace!
It has two different colors in the younger pieces - a yellowish white outer layer and the chocolate brown inner layer.
The ro around my area has thorns.
The ro in my area has shaggy peeling bark.
I will agree that it has distinctive tree rings but the rings are wide. For the small pieces we use in models an entire part can be cut from a single ring so that you only have one shade that shows.
 
 
Richard

Hi Moxis
 
I'm pushing my way in so that I can get a front row seat! I don't want to miss out on following along, so I'm pulling up my chair and popcorn.
 
Cheers and all the best for Christmas and 2016.
 
Patrick

Like your planking aids. Your bulkheads have enough width to add support to the planking and be a firm base when fairing for planking. Your results are fantastic.
jud

Like your planking aids. Your bulkheads have enough width to add support to the planking and be a firm base when fairing for planking. Your results are fantastic.
jud

Nigel brings up an excellent point.  Let your wood equilibrate to the same conditions in your home as it will 'see' when it's used and ultimately displayed.  If you have climate control in your home, all the better.  I store my wood flat and away from constant direct light.
 
As an aside, as our projects tend to run over several years, flatten your plans and let them also equilibrate to ambient conditions.  You may be surprised at how much they can shrink (or expand) over time.  
 
If you're building a kit, open the box and let the wood 'breathe' and the plans sit for a week or so before you get going.

Hello,
 
Thanks again for all of you who have welcomed me into this forum and encouraged to start a build log about my present project.
 
As already mentioned at the introduction area, I am building a wooden ketch Clara May after David McGregor plans, which I obtained already about 14 years ago, but never really started to build it. Soon however I found out that the plans could have been better to show more details as they do, but I think that with help from the forum all questions can be solved.
 
The reason to choose this as my first wooden ship project was, that the hull & superstructure are simple enough for the first project, and that the outlooks of the ship was appealing to me.
I chose scratch building instead of a kit because I happen to have a rather well equipped workshop to be able to cut all my timbers by myself. And having scratch built already a couple of tanks and cars in 1/6 scale I was not afraid of the work which might be ahead.
And thirdly, when scratchbuilding you can freely select your materials and are not tied to the ones included into the kit, which are not always the best possible.
 
So here we are, in the beginning. The first pictures show the plans of the ship and some of the equipment which I have in my workshop.
 
To be continued...

I think it depends on what you are working on and doing.  I have done both on my model.  Where structural integrity or fine detail is needed I silver solder.  For everything else I use an iron.  There are several videos on Youtube on the subject and I think one of them was showcased somewhere on this forum.  
David B

Frequently I find that although the height (draft) of the sections match the height of the profile, the width (beam) of the sections do not match the plan view.  In this case you need to find the proper ratio of LOA to beam to draft.  Then you know which to change.  Sometimes the keel point on some sections do not meat the keel in profile.  I measure from the base line to the keel point on the sections and transfer that dimension to the station lines in the profile.  Draw a line through these lines. If the new line is not fair you know it is wrong and the sections need to be changed.  If both lines are good you need to do more research to determine which is correct. 
 
When a designer starts a new boat, the ratio of LOA to beam is set.  If it is a racing boat, as you are drawing, it will be narrow for the length.  If it is a pleasure boat it may be fat.  The grid lines are laid down.   He then draws the keel and shear in the profile, the deck line in the plan, and the widest section. He makes sure the points on all the lines as the cross the grid lines match.  This is done for every curved line that is drawn. This goes on and on until the plans are finished.  But mainly the designer wants every curved line to be smooth and fair.   The main tool of the drafting board designer is the eraser.
 
All this being said, if you find only one or two lines that do not fit with the rest, change it, by eye, to be a smooth fit with all the rest.  That's my lesson for today.  lol.
 
Bob

There is a model, I can't seem to relocate it, was not bright enough to tag it when I had it, on line that shows the rectangular structures as copper tanks, first impression was fresh water, but as she was equipped with an engine they may be fuel tanks, there are no facets or plugs to draw water from. Those circles alongside the mast, shown in the overhead view look like they have hinges, makes me wonder if they are there to vent the engine space that was fitted sometime during her career. I question them being pumps, although the model I mentioned had pumps, modeled as Elm pumps, placed there. If the suction inlets were below the pumps, they would not be the low point of the hull and would need elbows between the suction inlet and the pump to clear the bilges of water.. All speculation on my part, probably wrong in my opinion but it might trigger a responce from someone who knows for sure.
jud
 
http://shipmodeling.net/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=771&size=big

Nice to see this question and answer, shows some thinking about how it works, ( cause and effect ), going on.
jud

A very good question, and Frankie hit on most of the key points.  This got me a-thinkin' and studying the reference books.   So I looked up Longridge (Victory), Boudriot (74 Gun Ship), Lees, Lever, Anderson (The Rigging of Ships), Napier (Valkenisse) and Campbell's plans of the Victory.  
 
Of course there were variations of block shapes, attachment points of the shoe or fiddle block (the upper block), the use of spans or pendants, and country during different eras, but for the period in question, the references generally show the upper block attached to the forward lower edge of the cap either with an eye bolt or span which allows the lift to be rigged FORWARD OF THE LEAD TOPMAST SHROUD.  
 
Various photos of extant models show the lifts rigged forward of the shroud.  (BTW, Nelson's Victory used 16" single blocks with a becket and a double span; Valkenisse used long pendants; both rigged the lift forward of the topmast shroud.)
 
There is substantial variation in the references which leads to confusion now a days as to what is 'correct'.   After some reflection, I think Frankie is correct that the lift should be rigged forward of the topmast shroud, and its fall taken through the lubber hole to the deck.  Chaffing gear would have been used where ever possible.  
 
Anyone wanna be bosun?                           Duff

Nice to see this question and answer, shows some thinking about how it works, ( cause and effect ), going on.
jud

Nice to see this question and answer, shows some thinking about how it works, ( cause and effect ), going on.
jud

The  Course Yard Lifts do NOT go through the shrouds, they pass across the front of the Topmast Shrouds. It looks counterintuitive  though and MANY ship modelers lead them on the most direct path, which takes them THROUGH the Topmast Shrouds. Many two dimensional ship model diagrams appear to show them led this way. This is wrong. But you can find examples of this incorrect lead in even the best ship model collections in Museums. Its a very common misunderstanding.
As you point out, when the yards are braced the lifts would foul the shrouds were they led between them. Also when the yard tackle is employed the lifts take on more significance as they come under more strain hoisting in and out boats and cannon ect.
Also the crew needs to climb the Topmast Shrouds unimpeded. And the Course Yard itself needs to be adjusted fore and aft via the Truss and thus the lifts can not be constrained as they would be if run through the shrouds.
But even the correct lead is not without its problems as the leward Lift will always chafe against a shroud.
I have seen people work around this chaffing by rigging the lift blocks at the masthead on pennants which are long enough to get the running part of the tackle outboard of the shroud. But this causes problems with the lead of the fall of the tackle. Another solution I often see used it to put the Lift Span forward of the Topmast on the Lower Mast Cap, which makes a great deal of sense but which I don't see a lot of documentation on.

I am installing lifts on my Rattlesnake.  It appears that the lift lines go between the shrouds.  If this is correct, then on a real ship the lifts will have to be adjusted when the yards are braced around.  Also, this will cause much chafing.  Have I missed something? Should I try to lead them forward of the shrouds?

I'd use a brass brush.  Stainless steel might be too hard. Ferric chloride will eventually dull the teeth . 
 
But before using a file, try rubbing some chalk on the file.  It might prevent clogging the teeth with metal chips and make it easier to clean with the brass brush.

Feed rates with small cutters do not directly correlate with bigger cutters. They are not as strong. A 3MM cutter with 4 flutes may only run at .001-.002 per flute while a larger cutter may run at .005-,010 per flute. In wood you also have to worry about the flutes packing with chips or dust at higher feed rates. Use all of the RPM's you are comfortable with but be very careful when it comes to feed rates. Also, harder woods and woods with a lot of resin will not cut as nicely. Trying things and seeing with your own eyes what works is the best way to run. If you are cutting metal, the above is even more important. Download a speed and feed app for your phone or computer and pay very close attention to the surface speed each material type is able to run at and start slow and work your way up. Keep in mind this is not production. You want a successful part not broken cutters or parts.
 
Paul

Hi Patrick and Mark and all who have 'liked' my posts!
 
Thanks for the kind comments and encouragement. Fiddly is the exact right word. Again, I have even more appreciation for what Patrick accomplishes. I took a look at my engine, and realized that as small as it is, it's at least half the size of the entire boats he builds. Putting bulkheads and joinery in the hull of my sailboat is going to be cake compared to this. I suppose it's good skill building, so the rest of the build will breeze right along (yeah, yeah - famous last words )
 
Well - I got yet another evening to do some work on the model, and I actually got that fuel injection pump done. It helped that we don't have printer paper at home, so I had to print anything I wanted before I took off from work Friday, and the only thing I took was the info needed for the fuel pump.
 
ENGINE FUEL INJECTION PUMP
First, a shot of the plan sheet, with an imperial/metric ruler for scale. The whole assembly is an inch long. 
 

Fuel Injection Pump Plan
 
So, the first thing I did was, similar to the other complex assemblies thus far, look at components pieces. There's a long cylinder, then blocky part, then a dividing plate, then another blocky part with some vertical grooves that has a blocky part sticking out the side, and some cylinders at the top. Note these are all incredibly technical terms that demonstrate my thorough understanding of the intricate assembly that is the injection pump ( ).
 
(I was able to identify the first long cylinder as the emergency stop, and some of the fixtures on the top of the last blocky part as feeds to the injector lines, feeds from the fuel filter, and a connection for the return line from the injectors. Since there doesn't appear to be an engine computer on this model, I assume it's mechanically timed with the belt and a cam shaft or something. So there's probably a cam-driven gearing mechanism to precisely time the injections.)
 
I made the E-stop cylinder first. I had to keep the parts in a contained location since they were sure to get washed away if I didn't.
 

Emergency Stop Pushbutton Cylinder
 
Next I made the first blocky part. I took a stick of balsa for which the height and thickness was appropriate, and cut it to length. Then I used a square file to 'cut in' the different reliefs into the side, and then a flat file to round out the bottom.
 

First Blocky Part
 
I used the same approach for the rest of the pieces - find an appropriately sized chunk of balsa and cut to size, then file as needed. I used a thin flat file to cut the vertical grooves in the second blocky part. 
 

Most of the parts cut and shaped and safely put aside.
 
I used a toothpick for the injector connections, since my smallest dowel rod was 1/8" - too big for this size. Even the toothpick is a little large. But I again fell back on my conviction that essence is better than exactness, for this model. (There are certainly models where exactness is what defines them). 
 
So, here are all the parts assembled.
 

Injector Assembly, Unpainted.
 
PAINTING AND AFFIXING INJECTOR PUMP AND ENGINE MOUNTS
 
Remember those polystyrene engine mounts I made right off the bat but couldn't glue on? Yeah, neither did I until I found them rummaging through the top 'odds and ends' part of my tool box. It's a good thing I didn't put them on first - they would have been in the way at best and broken at worst.
 
Anyway, I painted them, and the injector pump...
 

Injector Pump and Engine Mounts Painted
 
...and stuck them onto the engine. Below is a series of shots showing the current state.
 

Engine Current State #1
 

Engine Current State #2
 

Engine Current State #3
 

Engine Current State #4
 
And, because flipping through large pictures, I sometimes lose scale, I added one of the engine next to the ruler.
 

Engine and Ruler, for Scale
 
Next up is, I think the exhaust outlet, and then it's just finishing up hoses. Oh, and the whole gear assembly for the saildrive unit.
 
 
 
 

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.  

There is a model, I can't seem to relocate it, was not bright enough to tag it when I had it, on line that shows the rectangular structures as copper tanks, first impression was fresh water, but as she was equipped with an engine they may be fuel tanks, there are no facets or plugs to draw water from. Those circles alongside the mast, shown in the overhead view look like they have hinges, makes me wonder if they are there to vent the engine space that was fitted sometime during her career. I question them being pumps, although the model I mentioned had pumps, modeled as Elm pumps, placed there. If the suction inlets were below the pumps, they would not be the low point of the hull and would need elbows between the suction inlet and the pump to clear the bilges of water.. All speculation on my part, probably wrong in my opinion but it might trigger a responce from someone who knows for sure.
jud
 
http://shipmodeling.net/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=771&size=big