reklein

A simple solution is to just add planking to the hull. Bluejackets Constitution is done this way. It would be similar to doing a double planked hull and will look better than trying to draw on planks using an awl or  some similar sort of instrument.

A simple solution is to just add planking to the hull. Bluejackets Constitution is done this way. It would be similar to doing a double planked hull and will look better than trying to draw on planks using an awl or  some similar sort of instrument.

I use my small lathes (a Unimat DB200 and a Boley watchmakers') for turning belaying pins, master patterns for cannon, parrel trucks, deadeyes and mast coats. Never for masts and spars. They are always done by the old-fashioned four-square, eight-square then rounding off where needed using sandpaper strips. As pointed out, you'd need a longer bed lathe anyway, and your dollars (or whatever currency you use) could go to buy a lot of other tools or wood instead!

The first decision is whether you want a wood lathe or a metalworking lathe, which will also serve for wood, but at a higher price, of course.
 
As said, if you are going to turn a spar, you will need a back rest, preferably one that travels with the carriage. This is a metalworking lathe item. On a metalworking lathe, you'll also want a tapering attachment of some sort unless you are going to taper it by eye, in which case you might as well use sandpaper.  On a woodworking lathe, you'll end up sanding to create the taper anyway, not cutting. In that case, a drill press will serve as well.
 
If you want a metalworking lathe, I concur with Biltut's recommendations. I have a Unimat DB/SL, but would advise a new buyer to go with the Sherline. The Unimats are great, but they now have a "cult following" and are expensive on the used market. They are no longer manufactured. Unfortunately their tooling is somewhat unique to the Unimats and sometimes hard to find. You can easily spend more on tooling for a Unimat than for a Sherline which not only has a lot of proprietary tooling available, but also accepts a far wider selection of after-market off-brand tooling than the Unimats do. If someone hadn't given me the basic Unimat DB/SL that I have (the DB and SL model designations are different, but the machines are identical,) I'd have gone for a Sherline. I spent almost as much as the Sherline would have cost on Unimat basic tooling and attachments on eBay. 
 
Bed length is an issue if you are turning spars. Most mini-lathes don't have bed lengths of more than eight or ten inches, so that will limit the length of spars you can turn. Allowing for "chucking waste" at either end, the spars you can turn will be a bit shorter than the maximum bed length, although bed extensions are available for some models, or can be shop-made. There's a limit to how long and/or thin a spar can be turned anyway. Too long or two thin and they'll start whipping as they spin if they don't have a rest of some sort. (i.e. support in the middle of the stick.)

If all you want to do is shape masts,a drill press is fully adequate and a little more versatile. Specially if the base has a hole in the center of it. I've even seen a drill prss laid on its back for use as a lathe.

If all you want to do is shape masts,a drill press is fully adequate and a little more versatile. Specially if the base has a hole in the center of it. I've even seen a drill prss laid on its back for use as a lathe.

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.

I have the Allwin I got from Micro-Mark and it works fine. I think the have a precision hand sander too by NorthWest Shortline that works good too.
 

I'm making slow progress. Just about finished with railings. Will then work on Carley floats(rafts) then flag masts, then rigging.

I have the Allwin I got from Micro-Mark and it works fine. I think the have a precision hand sander too by NorthWest Shortline that works good too.
 

I have the Allwin I got from Micro-Mark and it works fine. I think the have a precision hand sander too by NorthWest Shortline that works good too.
 

Hers a photo of my American Scout among other things in my cluttered shop. No wonder the wife won't le'me bring my models into the house.

I started this one last night nice fit on the hull and started drilling out port holes not many to do may step up to some weathering on this one.This kit comes with some PE that is supplied for railing ,paddles for LB and some antenna (?) . Kevin

Japanese destroyers 388'L X 35'B were big compared to our Gleaves 348'LX36'B

Home made thicknessing sander if you have a lathe.
I wanted to cut some new deck planks for my Mermaid which i can do well enough,
but they would have a sawn face. So I started thinking about making a thickness sander, what did I have that spins horizontally?
The little Proxxon lathe, a little bit of thinking and came up with this item.
Its is a bit crude, just made up with bits in the shed.
The height adjustment is probably lacking in enough horizontal stability
The butt hinge is a bit loose in the pin.
And the cloth backed sandpaper is just hanging on to the velcro.
But that said, it did a pretty good job for a first up, bang it together fitting.
The lathe handled the load fine, the planks were put through against the spin.
I was only sanding a small amount each pass so holding the wood was no problem.
Certainly need refining, a dust extractor hood.
I trued up the dowel by running a file under it sitting flat on the bed.
Cheers Chris

Excellent tool for up to about 3 mm. Best for repetitive cuts. Buy from NWSL as Micro Mark is an illegal copy. NWSL told me this in person.

Well I completed the coppering and went on to some other stuff like the gunport lids, stern decoration and then got a start on the figurehead and head rails. I'm having a lot of fun.
 

Ah screw it, I’m gonna go for it. I was thinking about getting these 2 sets 

along with rusk streaks

and dark slime grime

I want it to look like that.... just look at that!

Any  thoughts on these washes?

Today’s painting , Dak Tug
w/c 16” X 11”

With reference to my post# 48, this is showing how the false bow post fits to the hull....
 
Nils
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Today I`m taking the clinker planked hull off the "one way" plug.... for the first time
Eagerly awaiting this moment, all worked out as intended and the raw hull is an extreme lightweight...
A pitty that the quite well built plug is now sacreficed and destroyed, but it was worth it.
The hull is rigid and form-stabil, even without the framework. As the horizontal plankseams are layed in a thin white glue line. The horizontal nailingswith clenching counters wil merely be cosmetic afterwards
 
Now reinforcement knees have to be fitted between the keel and stern- and bow posts, as well as (from the outside) false keel and false bow- and stern posts....
 
Nils
 

removal from the build board
 

rough planking prior to fairing and fine tuning
 

marking the positions of the plugs contruction bulkheads inside the hull
 

it looks a bit like a double-ender lifeboat
 

 
 

 
 

the waterline at stern  provides a deeper submerged portion of the hull than at bow
 

 
 
 
 
 

Pre-assembled crane.

With wood work at this stage, I finished. Now I go back to the metal.
 
Roller open chock.

Thank you all for your kind feedback on my work.   

I am applying a sanding filler before anything else. This stabilises the paper and sort of turns it into a compound material. The filler also prevents 'dirt' from getting into the wood pores.

Funnels  flue.