reklein

Sooner or later everyone gets a ride.
 

Sooner or later everyone gets a ride.
 

In the UK there is a real steam-engine scene, whole in continental Europe and much of the rest of the World these thingies may be only known as a historical phenomenon. Also, due to the industrial development lagging behind, they have not been as wide-spread, as in the UK. Having had the Matchbox model of a traction engine, I was aware of their existing from an early age on, even though I grew up in Germany, I certainly was not aware of the extensive 'steam scene' in the UK until I came to live there in 1987. I then attended various 'steam-fairs' and it turned out that the uncle of a colleague of mine actually had one ...
 
This model was built around 1989/90. I just got my watchmakers lathe, but building a working model was certainly out of scope at that time. I happened to chance upon the Keil-Kraft kit, which was still current then - the company faltered since then. Just at that time the monthly Model Engineer published a series on building a working model of a Fowler Z7 (HAINING, J.: Countryman‘s Steam - Fowler Class Z7S.- Model Engineer, 5 August 1988 - 1 June 1990.), which came very handy for detail drawings, particularly for the actual steam-engine. A local museum owned a Fowler Class BB1 ploughing engine which I could photograph and sketch for more 'typical' Fowler details - the makers followed their design practices independent of the size of the engine. The visits to various steam-fairs furnished further photographs of Fowler engines.
 

The assembled, but not yet painted model
 
The Keil-Kraft kit was ok with respect to the proportions and the principal structure, but lacked most of the technical details that are very visible on such engines. Most notably, there was big hole, were the two-cylinder compound engine is supposed to be. So most of these details were built from scratch in brass, steel, aluminium, Plexiglas, and styrene. The engine, of course, is not working, but the appearance of the engine, the gearing, the ploughing gear, etc. has been faithfully reproduced as far as it is possible at 1:76 scale.
 

 
Fowler was a very interesing and innovative company in the field and the market leader in steam-ploughing sets. A set consisted of two identical ploughing engines and a so-called balance-plough that was hauled between them across the field. The sets were expensive so that only very rich land-owners with large fields could afford them. Typically they were operated by contractors, who would move from farm to farm. Off-season they were employed in drainage work, pulling tree-stumps and everything, where a strong winding drum with a steel-cable was needed.
 

 
The winding drum has an interesting history and was the key innovation by Fowler. The invention was not made by John Fowler himself, but by a young German engineer, who came to the UK to learn and in search of work. Max Eyth also became an important sales engineer, first helping the Viceroy of Egypt to build up a cotton industry and later in his home country from where he worked also in Eastern Europe. In Germany he also became known as a writer through his memoirs and various novels.
 

Compound cyclinders with their drainage cocks, safety valve, and steam-operated whistle
 
The history of Fowler as a company is written up here:
 
LANE, M.R. (1980): The Story of the Steam Plough Works. Fowlers of Leeds.- 410 p., London (Northgate Publishing Co. Ltd.).
 
Fowler not only produced plouging engines and ploughs, but also a wide range of traction engines, locomotives, and other items.
 
 
 

The clutch-system to connect the winding drum to the steam-engine
 

Two-speed driving gear and clutch and boiler-feed injectors including water-hose
 

Driver's view
 

Driving stand with all the levers, valves and gauges
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The white flecks in the wood may indicate teak. As it is known to have flecks of calcium imbedded in the wood. This also makes it hard on woodworking tool edges. Luan is used on certain types of ply for floor underlayment as it is knot free so will avoid dents in the floor.

The white flecks in the wood may indicate teak. As it is known to have flecks of calcium imbedded in the wood. This also makes it hard on woodworking tool edges. Luan is used on certain types of ply for floor underlayment as it is knot free so will avoid dents in the floor.

I have built many 1/700 kits 25 years ago. Now I rebuilt them one by one. The last built was Yamashiro.
 

Vallejo has been around catering for artists for a long time, so I think they know what they are doing. I use their Model Air range also for brush-painting, when washes are required or the build of thin layers of paint - obviates the need for dilution. However, I am working on small models only, so the higher price for less pigment is irrelevant.
 
I don't think colour-matching to some historical prototype is really relevant in our realm, as we mostly don't actually know what colours exactly were used and how the respective paints were mixed up from what components. So this is all rather speculative the further you go back in history, particularly in the time before the 1920s, when the first attempts at standardisation were made.

Use a marine epoxy type resin, not the polyester (automotive) type resin! The polyester has a tendency to pull away from wood. The marine epoxy type is designed to stick to wood and will stick much better, in the long run. If you find either has trouble setting, heat the hull in a semi sealed container (plastic tub, etc.) in the sun. The resins use chemical heat as part of the setting process, and thin sections may not generate enough heat to do the job. You may have to paint on a second coat of just resin, after sanding.

A rule of thumb is three teeth on the thickness of cut. To few and there will be tear out,too fine and the blade won't be able to remove the sawdust quickly enough and binding may result. For your thicknesses Olson makes a crown tooth blade that cuts cleanly on both surfaces of the wood.

A rule of thumb is three teeth on the thickness of cut. To few and there will be tear out,too fine and the blade won't be able to remove the sawdust quickly enough and binding may result. For your thicknesses Olson makes a crown tooth blade that cuts cleanly on both surfaces of the wood.

A rule of thumb is three teeth on the thickness of cut. To few and there will be tear out,too fine and the blade won't be able to remove the sawdust quickly enough and binding may result. For your thicknesses Olson makes a crown tooth blade that cuts cleanly on both surfaces of the wood.

Well after a two year hiatus I restarted my Golden Hind project. Its an old Billings kit and quite a large one at what I figure must be 1/2"=1" scale. Its about 34" long. I just about to finish the standing rigging including ratlines. Thank God. Heres some pics I hope.Looks like everything posted just fine.

A rule of thumb is three teeth on the thickness of cut. To few and there will be tear out,too fine and the blade won't be able to remove the sawdust quickly enough and binding may result. For your thicknesses Olson makes a crown tooth blade that cuts cleanly on both surfaces of the wood.

A rule of thumb is three teeth on the thickness of cut. To few and there will be tear out,too fine and the blade won't be able to remove the sawdust quickly enough and binding may result. For your thicknesses Olson makes a crown tooth blade that cuts cleanly on both surfaces of the wood.

Here is the corrected scrolling for the hood and stem.....

The doors are welded from two parts. The inner part is photo-etched.

Installation of frames.

20/05/21  A generous coat of sand-n-seal was applied to hull before much sanding from 180 to 240 to 320 and up to 400
21/05/21  Applied first coat of satin varnish. Steamed and bent transom and set overnight before gluing
22/05/21  Re bending transom as not happy with initial efforts. Also made a fifth aft bulwark, pre laminated it as I thought that might make it easier to glue on.
23/05/21  Glued on 5th bulwark
24/05/21  Filled and sanded 5th bulwark and did my best to try and make it look like it wasn't just added on
25/05/21  Glued on transom
26/05/21  Removed and refitted transom as on close inspection was not symmetrical
27/05/21  Second layer planking to transom
28/05/21  Varnishing and sanding
29/05/21  Varnishing and sanding, repeat and rinse
 
HTD:  221
 
 

Transom on, had to use a few toothpicks to get the transom to hold shape with the deck.
 

 
 

Final coat of satin varnish, looks like gloss but only because it's still wet.
 

Close up of the satin finish. One model ship builder I follow on YouTube insists on using full gloss for his hulls and everything else which I feel is the equivalent of SCREAMING. Each to their own I know but I prefer the gentle lustre of the satin finish.
 
This was a pretty bad week in terms of the progress. I had difficulty with the transom which required removal, rebending and refitting. The bulwark saga revisited as I discovered I needed yet another row on the aft section. This was a lot more difficult for my lack of experience to accomplish but I kept reminding myself this was a learning curve and a mere stepping stone to bigger and better things. Nowhere in the manual or video did it specify how many planks above the deck were required. I worked it out myself in the end by skipping forward in the instructions and used the stanchions as a guide.
 
Because the second layer planking is only .5mm thick the sanding of the curvy bits on the aft of the hull started to reveal the first layer in one spot. I patched up using a Mahogony coloured wash and end result was satisfactory for me.
 
 
 
 
 

I think Revell instructions got cheap as the years went by. It may help you to find supplementary instructions from a more sophisticated set of plans. Some of the rigging parts may have to be replaced or modified. I'm thinking of the deadeye arrangements and the pre formed ratlines.  Bluejacket Constitution rigging plans are very comprehensive and may help you out if you can find a set or buy them from Bluejacket if they are not too dear.

Unlike wooden ship models in their large boxes, card models do sorta lend themselves to hoarding, um, I mean "collecting."

Now that I think about it I saw a guy here who turned a big Grizzly brand drill press into a lathe by laying it on its side. He was turning real wooden wagon hubs. Theres more to this story but I'll leave it at that.

Now that I think about it I saw a guy here who turned a big Grizzly brand drill press into a lathe by laying it on its side. He was turning real wooden wagon hubs. Theres more to this story but I'll leave it at that.

The other reason why you cant mill steel with a drill press , in fact you can, but everything will be jumping on the table, because  lack of rigidity.
For small wood parts, there should be no problems to mill as long as you have the proper vise.

Good thread I always wondered why you cant mill with a drill press. Now I know. I've had enough working with a drill press to know what you guys are talking about. I also know you need some fast RPMs to mill wood cleanly. So anyway. Thanks for the info.