MikeR

My very first scratch build wooden model was the Iron Horse Locomotive and Wagon. I built this in the 1990's. The plans for this were advertized in the back of several magazines. For the locomotive and cars I used walnut, dogwood, padauk, and purple heart. For the trestle bridge I used redwood, maple and walnut. This was G scale or about 1 : 24. Mike R

I had a lot of fun building this model. This model will be displayed with one of my half complete models when it is done, the HMS Pallas, which is in the back ground of the next few pictures. Mike R

Allan I am from western PA. so our summer temperatures were not to bad and our last few winters have been mild. Thanks, now I know how to measure barrel length. I have been thinking of another little project, a carronade, but I have not decided on a sliding carriage or one with wheels. Mike

Allan You asked if all the Armstrong pattern castings have a chase astragal and fillets between the muzzle astragal and the second reinforce ring and a button ring or were some cast without these? I don't Know. I found this pattern for the barrel on line and I scaled it down from 8 1/2 ft. to 7 1/2 ft. which is the length of the guns on the Pallas. I will be getting back to my Flying Fish soon. Summer time is a slow time for modeling, I will be working outside in the yard and garden. Mike R

Jared I used the same wire (.010") to pass through the eye bolts. I think it looks pretty close to scale. But my scale is 3/16 to1 not 1/8 to 1 Mike R

Jared This is how I made the backstays for my Flying Fish. I used .010 wire which cut in about 1" lengths and bent the wire in half. For the holes in the yard I used a .6mm drill bit. Mike R

Some close ups of the cannon carriage, powder container and water bucket. Mike R

Hamilton It looks like you are doing a great job on the Bluenose, it is one of my favorite models. The three blocks you have fixed on the foremast I think are upside down. The hole for the rope should be on the top of the block closer to the mast so that the rope passes over the sheave. Mike

Chris It is not quite finished. I still have to make a couple of buckets, some block and tackles, and cut a couple of notches in the floor beams. Mike R

I took some time off from working on my model of the Flying Fish and built this model of a 12 pound cannon. This was something that I have been wanting to build for a long time. I used cherry for the frames and beams, dogwood for the planking and deck, ebony for the wales, and pink ivory wood for the molding. I made the blocks and gun tools out of ipe. The gun was turned on my wood lathe starting with 1" brass bar stock. The Venus class of 36-gun frigates were designed by Thomas Slade, in 1756, the Surveyor of the Navy and former Master Shipwright at Deptford Dockyard. Alongside their smaller cousin, the 32-gun Southampton class, the Venus-class represented an experiment in ship design; fast, medium-sized vessels capable of overhauling smaller craft and singlehandedly engaging enemy cruisers or privateers.[1] As a further innovation, Slade borrowed from contemporary French ship design by removing the lower deck gun ports and locating the ship's cannons solely on the upper deck. This permitted the carrying of heavier ordinance without the substantial increase in hull size which would otherwise have been required in order to keep the lower gun ports consistently above the waterline.[2] The lower deck was instead used for additional stores, enabling Venus-class frigates to remain at sea for longer periods without resupply.[3] Armament Pallas' principal armament was 26 iron-cast twelve-pound cannons, located along her upper deck. The guns were constructed with shorter barrels as traditional twelve-pound cannons were too long to fit within the frigate's narrow beam.[4] Each cannon weighed 28.5 long cwt (3,200 lb or 1,400 kg)[5] with a gun barrel length of 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m) compared with their 8 feet 6 inches (2.59 m) equivalent in larger Royal Navy vessels.[4] The twelve-pound cannons were supported by ten six-pounder guns, eight on the quarterdeck and two on the forecastle, each weighing 16.5 long cwt (1,800 lb or 800 kg) with a barrel length of 6 feet (1.8 m).[2] Taken together, the twelve-pound and six-pound cannons provided a broadside weight of 189 pounds (86 kg).[6] She was also equipped with twelve 1⁄2-pound swivel guns for anti-personnel use.[5] These swivel guns were mounted in fixed positions on the quarterdeck and forecastle.[4]

Allan Several years ago 90% of the dogwood trees in my area died off. I cut down several trees in my yard and I have been using the wood for my models. It is a hardwood that cuts and sands and keeps sharp angles very nicely. It turns great in a lathe also. The color of the barrel is off do to the lighting. The bluenose deck above is the color of the dogwood. MikeR

Allan The barrels and hoops pictured above were made out of dogwood. I also have made them out of walnut and maple. MikeR

TK1 Depending on the age or era of the model you can use wooden hoops. I used thin strips soaked in water to make these hoops. MikeR

Hello TK1 For my model of the Bluenose, these are the barrels I made. I used a Byrnes table saw and tilt table to cut 6 strips. The material was 24" X 4" X 1/4" I set the tilt table to 9 degrees and cut the strips. I ran the wood through the saw and cut 1 side of the barrel stave then I turned the wood over and advanced the saw fence 3/32" then cut the other side of the barrel stave. After I cut the 6 strips I used a black magic marker to color one side of each strip. Then I cut the strips into manageable 6" lengths and glued groups of 5 strips together. After the glue was set I glued 4 of the groups together to make 1 cylinder. I then used my lathe to shape the barrels, and cut the ends of the barrel to install a top and bottom. For the barrel hoops I used copper tape which I cut to 1/16"widths, and then liver of sulfur to blacken the copper bands. MikeR

Rob and Rick Thanks, Rick working with a wood lathe takes practice. A couple of suggestions, Use a very lite touch when turning very thin material for your top yards and I use the highest speed for the lathe to turn them. I started making and installing rope coils, also tying ratlines. Mike

Thank you Vladimir, You did a great job on your repairs and I like your carvings. One of these days I am going to have to try to carve a fish. I have finished most of the rigging for the mizzen and main masts. I still have to run the lines for the yard braces, but I will get to that latter on. I had some belaying pins that I was using, they are very soft and I think they are made out of lead. I am replacing them with pins I made out of 1/16" brass rod. I am turning them on my wood lathe and using files to shape them. I have made about 40 so far and only have 50 to 60 more to go. I have been replacing them and tensioning the lines at the same time and I am also redoing lines that I found that were crossed or twisted.

Hello All For the last few days I have been working on the main mast, lower yard and topsail yard. While working on rigging I broke the knuckle joint on the topsail bracket that holds it on the mast. I do not know what I caught it on, I made another one out of brass and broke it today. I use my wood lathe and a file to turn 1/8" rod down to .039" or 1 mm. I then use a die to run the threads on. I turned another piece of brass and made 2 more. Then I thought about turning one out of steel. It should be stronger. I had 1/8" stainless steel rods so that is what I used. It took a little longer to reduce it to 1mm but it came out ok. I then ran the threads on and it turned out easier than I thought it would be. I hope the steel one will last. MikeR

Today I turned the Main Top Mast, finished the top mast cross tree, made 2 of 3 iron blocks, and temporary installed the top mast. It surprised me how tall it is.

Rick thanks, it is a good way for me to pass the time of day. Except it goes to fast. I turned the yards for the main mast and made the iron work for the lower arm. I also made that little jig to hold the yards while I work on them. If only the foot ropes would stay the way they are now. Mike R

The last week or so I have been working on the rest of the rigging for the Mizzen Mast. My eyes are not what they use to be, and my fingers got too big. Tomorrow or Monday I will be starting on the Main Mast.

Rob & ClipperFan Thanks for checking up on me and letting me know something is not right. On going over the drawing again I found this note "Iron ring in band lined with leather and greased". So I installed the iron ring in the band and the leather and grease you can not see. I guess that is how this yard clamp works, it allows it to slide up and down the mast. Thank again MikeR

Rob the plans that I have for the Flying Fish show the truss and truss bands on the lower, topsail, and top gallant yards. The royal and skysail have hinged parrels. I see in the Harold Underhill book Masting & Rigging that it is only the lower and topsail yards that have the trusses. I have been following the plans so far, other than the color, I do not paint my models I like to use different color wood.

Metal work for the Top Gallant Yard Mike R

Clipper Fan thanks for the comments, I enjoy the metal work it is easier than the rigging, my hands are to big. Top Sail metal work Mike R

Today I made the iron sheet blocks, I used .013 brass and cut them out on my scroll saw. I glued 2 pieces together and glued the pattern on. That way both sides will be the same. A little sanding and they were ready for assembly. I cut 1/16" tubing for rollers and spacer and soldered them in. Mike R