shiloh

Looks like a good model and you are doing it justice. I went aboard DD 527 in Jan 1960, she had the flat bridge not the round as your model, also other differences, aft deck house structure was changed, 5" loading machine was gone, "K" guns were still there but the 40's under the bridge were replaced by Hedge Hogs. The 527 was hit by a, "Frances", twin engine bomber between the stacks at Layte Gulf, when I was aboard those torpedo tubes that were there had been replaced by two, twin 3"50 guns. The modernization of the Ammen did leave enough of the old original Fletcher's for me to see the model is faithful to the class. That hatch aft of Mt.55 lead directly to the berth deck where my rack was, the second door aft of the athwart ship passageway below the flag bags, was where you could go before revile, if you looked sad enough, might beg a roll from the baker to tide you over until breakfast. Please post more of your progress, I won't be the only one watching.
Just looked at some more of your photos, was impressed with the accuracy of the Twin 40MM gun and its Gun Tub, didn't expect to see the detail on the gun or the double row of Ammo Clips around the splinter shield, spent enough time in such a setup in RVN to know how it looked.
jud.

Looks like a good model and you are doing it justice. I went aboard DD 527 in Jan 1960, she had the flat bridge not the round as your model, also other differences, aft deck house structure was changed, 5" loading machine was gone, "K" guns were still there but the 40's under the bridge were replaced by Hedge Hogs. The 527 was hit by a, "Frances", twin engine bomber between the stacks at Layte Gulf, when I was aboard those torpedo tubes that were there had been replaced by two, twin 3"50 guns. The modernization of the Ammen did leave enough of the old original Fletcher's for me to see the model is faithful to the class. That hatch aft of Mt.55 lead directly to the berth deck where my rack was, the second door aft of the athwart ship passageway below the flag bags, was where you could go before revile, if you looked sad enough, might beg a roll from the baker to tide you over until breakfast. Please post more of your progress, I won't be the only one watching.
Just looked at some more of your photos, was impressed with the accuracy of the Twin 40MM gun and its Gun Tub, didn't expect to see the detail on the gun or the double row of Ammo Clips around the splinter shield, spent enough time in such a setup in RVN to know how it looked.
jud.

Looks like a good model and you are doing it justice. I went aboard DD 527 in Jan 1960, she had the flat bridge not the round as your model, also other differences, aft deck house structure was changed, 5" loading machine was gone, "K" guns were still there but the 40's under the bridge were replaced by Hedge Hogs. The 527 was hit by a, "Frances", twin engine bomber between the stacks at Layte Gulf, when I was aboard those torpedo tubes that were there had been replaced by two, twin 3"50 guns. The modernization of the Ammen did leave enough of the old original Fletcher's for me to see the model is faithful to the class. That hatch aft of Mt.55 lead directly to the berth deck where my rack was, the second door aft of the athwart ship passageway below the flag bags, was where you could go before revile, if you looked sad enough, might beg a roll from the baker to tide you over until breakfast. Please post more of your progress, I won't be the only one watching.
Just looked at some more of your photos, was impressed with the accuracy of the Twin 40MM gun and its Gun Tub, didn't expect to see the detail on the gun or the double row of Ammo Clips around the splinter shield, spent enough time in such a setup in RVN to know how it looked.
jud.

Looks like a good model and you are doing it justice. I went aboard DD 527 in Jan 1960, she had the flat bridge not the round as your model, also other differences, aft deck house structure was changed, 5" loading machine was gone, "K" guns were still there but the 40's under the bridge were replaced by Hedge Hogs. The 527 was hit by a, "Frances", twin engine bomber between the stacks at Layte Gulf, when I was aboard those torpedo tubes that were there had been replaced by two, twin 3"50 guns. The modernization of the Ammen did leave enough of the old original Fletcher's for me to see the model is faithful to the class. That hatch aft of Mt.55 lead directly to the berth deck where my rack was, the second door aft of the athwart ship passageway below the flag bags, was where you could go before revile, if you looked sad enough, might beg a roll from the baker to tide you over until breakfast. Please post more of your progress, I won't be the only one watching.
Just looked at some more of your photos, was impressed with the accuracy of the Twin 40MM gun and its Gun Tub, didn't expect to see the detail on the gun or the double row of Ammo Clips around the splinter shield, spent enough time in such a setup in RVN to know how it looked.
jud.

Ken. I really have no idea as to which version was used on any given date. In fact, two years+ of reading books on Connie and following every thread on her history here on MSW, has changed my mind from being absolutely certain that there were six windows (because THAT was how she looked on the old Revell plastic kit box art !!). Instead, I have come to the conclusion that no-one can yet give a definitive answer to the question of what she looked like at any particular point in time.
 
As a couple of others have mentioned, I am also most likely to give credence to the Hull model. My reasoning being simply that if the very sailors under Capt Hull didn't know how many windows she carried at the time of the Great Chase, then the rest of us don't have any chance of knowing for sure. 

When wanting to hang a line to straighten it, a small plane makes a good weight, the minis don't place a lot of strain on those small lines. Others seem to like them to taper planks or thin various parts of their models.

Castings when rammed up and poured do not hold sharp corners, inside or outside, as do machining s. Need some transition around the trunnions, and other objects cast in place with the gun, bearing surfaces such as trunnions were machined or trued in a separate operation. Those gun patterns look well done, just not ready for sand casting as most were done.
jud

When wanting to hang a line to straighten it, a small plane makes a good weight, the minis don't place a lot of strain on those small lines. Others seem to like them to taper planks or thin various parts of their models.

A bit more testing with "old quality wood"





Kiddin'

Laminated plywood with veneer 1mm + mahogany veneer 0,5mm, added acrylic playing to weather it and imitate old laquer. Just playing

Much much stronger than I expected

We here at the Flying Dutchmen home fully understand what you are going through - experience talks.  We too had a very nice visit with our daughter Marianne and Troy our grandson.  I could now show my grandson his great grandfather's submarine, the O19.
Family is very important and am glad that your children have grown up into mature and responsible adults.
 
Have a very good and healthy 2016 from one proud papa to another proud papa. 
 
Cheers,

Thanks for supporting  words, Mark. I think I am near ...
 
 
 
Hello Denis. That "anchor" was a first I grab from shelf, just for testing purpose. If I decide to this solution, "anchors" will be as small as I can find. Also thinking to fulfill space under with something to harden whole thing
 
No worry about protrude on surface ... this was just fast testing, and I have enough experience making a bunch of furniture and another things in home, with or without "anchors" of all kind and size
 
"First night" spent with kids talking, looking at some movie ... nobody was in mood to be cheerful, only 6 months passed, and this is first New Year without Her, so .... Anyway, nice time with kids, with full hearth of happiness seeing how good and mature people with the correct world view they become ... very proud Papa I am
 
Let the force be with all of us    

I used an ordinary pear. Main works made on lathe. Trunnions (axes) were inserted separately. Small parts were glued in milled grooves

Not to hurt feelings here, but...  Those of us "of a certain age" can remember the time when every boy's education in how to hone and dress a fine edge on a cutting tool began around age seven or eight when he was given his first pocket knife, an item of personal kit every male carried in his pocket for the rest of his life.  Sadly, with all the metal detectors around, few men carry pocket knives anymore and few mother's would tolerate their seven year old son having a pocket knife of his own.  (I suppose they are strictly forbidden on the grounds of any grammar school these days. Parents today seem ignorant of the fact that what "can put your eye out!" is really the most fun when you're a kid.)  Consequently, outfits like the good folks at Lee Valley have made quite a business of selling all sorts of slick gizmos that promise to ensure success in an endeavor which, up to maybe fifty years ago, most kids had mastered by age ten or twelve.  Strange how one generation can master operating a personal computer without a second thought, but can't sharpen an edged tool without all sorts of guides and machines and so on.
 
Honing guides are like training wheels on a bicycle.  They ensure greater success on a first effort by the inexperienced, but encourage dependence.  I'd encourage folks to take off the "training wheels" and learn to sharpen "freehand."  It is an easily acquired skill, regardless of whether you rely on an Arkansas stone, a Japanese waterstone, a "diamond" stone, or even a piece of emery or aluminum oxide paper taped to the (flat) top of a table saw or whatever and giving it a few licks on a strop or steel.  There's lots of instructional videos on YouTube for those who don't have grandfathers to show them how to sharpen an edge and fettle and adjust a plane, spokeshave, or whatever. (The trick is "feeling" for when the bevel is flat on the abrasive surface and keeping it there.)  This was the second thing any apprentice learned, after how to sweep the floor.  You can spend lots of money on electric shop vacuum systems, honing guides and machines and the like, or serve an "apprenticeship" learning the basics instead of buying tools sold to make people believe they will make them better craftsmen.  Unfortunately, the woodworking hobby seems to be going the way of golf, where slick marketers are always trying to sell you a club that's going to improve your game.  Don't let them play you for a sucker!
 
(Okay, rant over!)

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

That is an excellent test.  And it proved what you thought it would do.  Cool.  If it had failed it would still be cool because it would told you to try something else.  I'm smiling here, Nenad.  Her Majesty is about to get her throne.

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

When confused or in doubt.
Run in circles, scream and shout !
 
Need to fit the model in there someplace

Testing time

Just for test purpose, to see how it acts when some force attacks, I made small simulation of kell and ribs and replied all layers of hull construction I have made: balsa strips glued with white glue, putty, layer of glue, veneer, putty, layer of acrylic, foil glued witg white glue, couple layers of mat varnish over



Then I drill a hole for screw, and put it inside




As a final, I hanged my alvil on screw ... And it holds !!! Nothing moves, nothing cracked




One of next days I'll repeat this experiment in scale, simulating real distance between ribs, to be more real

If it can hold without breaking, stand with four conecting screw points I imagined to make could do it's job, and I can go on forward

Hmmmm

I discovered that the only method open to the non-commercial metal worker was to work-harden the brass.
 
http://uvsmgshipmodelguild.wikispaces.com/Copper+Tempering

I just give it a light going over with the steel brush wheel I'm my Dremel
 
Best,
John

Mike,
Anneal the brass first.  Heat to red hot and let cool.  It'll soften it and make it easier to bend.   As for forms.. check around places like Amazon for small anvils. For a cheaper method, check around Home Depot and Lowe's in the hardware department.  They sell steel stock that might be usable.