Tim Curtis

Finally, about a year after our move I managed to get the workshop back in place
 

 
one workbench for ships
 

 
and one, with buildin power outlets for working on parts
 

 
At the moment I'm working on the bow, the first few pieces:
 

 

 

 
Best,
Michiel

Rob.
How did you make the winches? They look very clean with high level of detail.
Interested to know how you did it.
Sorry...just saw your post above, but how about the wheels?
 
Thanks,
 
Tim

Well..here is a drawing of the original part and drawn on it are the portions cut away(In yellow) and the resulting shape of the part needed.
 
I had to cut using a hard cutting disc because the metal is hardened spring steel.
 
Clamp the part cut off the excess and then grind out the center....then clean up the edges with a fine grinding stone bur in my hand piece.
 
I didn't take any images of the actual process.
 
I then fashioned the drums from wood stock and some left over stanchions froma Revell 1/96 Cutty Sark....trimmed to fit and fashioned to mimic the control rod .
 
The gear reduction gear is fashioned from HO train accessory break kits for boxcars(the break wheels)
 
Then painted black to hide a multitude of sins.
 
Rob

I needed to make some thimbles for my mast slings. I remembered Chuck showed how to do it in one of build logs. His way made making them simple. I used 16th inch K&S brass tubing. It was scored with the #11 x-acto knife and simply rolled back and forth with the x-acto knife, until it cut through the tubing. It sounds too simple, but it worked without much of a learning curve. Once cut, I used a punch made from an old nail and flared both ends. The flares will allow the line to be wrapped around the thimble and keep the line in grove created by the flare. After making a bunch they were blacked using Birchwood Casey Brass Black (available at most gun stores). Here are a few pictures:
 

 

 

 

 

Rob.
How did you make the winches? They look very clean with high level of detail.
Interested to know how you did it.
Sorry...just saw your post above, but how about the wheels?
 
Thanks,
 
Tim

Finally got around to making the six crab winches.  These little 1/4" buggers were difficult...especially having to make 6 identical.
You can see the image in the background that was the model.
 
Rob

These winches are not an exact replicas of the image pictured....the winches of the period were numerous..so I had a choice...I chose one similar.
 
Now when they dry I will mount them and then get to some masts.
 
Rob

Tuesday, January 24, 2017  
Some further step forward: now only five/six floor timbers are missing at bow and stern, but since I can wait, I decided to start installing the futtocks, starting from midship.  
The bending templates used for the floor timbers are now useful for the futtocks.
 
The task proceeds pretty well, quietly though not very fast.
 
However, I am quite satisfied.  
01 - 20170123_195807.jpg

02 - 20170123_195814.jpg

03 - 20170123_195839.jpg

Cheers, Jack.
 

@Popeye: thx
 
@Sjors: You know that you and Anja are more than welcome. I will keep the "Limburgsche vla" ready.
 
And of course an update:
I finally finished the ratlines.........
 
Some pictures:
 

The holes in the bulwark through which the martingales pass turned out quite neatly, so I was pleased that i went to the trouble of using a brass sleeve.
 

 
I spent most of the day making the turnbuckles for the martingales.
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Starting on the hatch carlings.  There are three hatches.  The main hatch shown below, right above the dividing walls for the water tank,
 

 
A forward hatch near the great cat (below)
 

 
and an aft hatch between the last two beams (not shown).  They are cut-in and glued.  The next are probably at the capstans, then the outboard sets that run most of the length.  Once all are in, I'll sand them flush with the beams.  By the way, I'm selling my Proxxon Lathe.  It's posted in the Traders (for sale) section.
Maury

Hello Everyone and thanks for stopping by.
Well I have just a quick update. I Competed building the rudder. I made it from 1/4x1/4" poplar, sanded down to 1/4x1/8" and then glued up. Sorry forgot to take pictures of the in-between. I then shaped it using my belt sander. This weekend I plan on starting on my attempts to make the pintle, and gudgeon for the rudder. This will be my first attempt at making metal parts, wish me luck.

Completed Rudder and Skeg.


Rudder and Skeg Dry Fitted.


 
Until next time!
 
Catch Yall Later,

A bit of progress.
The capstan drum was turned on the proxxon lathe with the square holes cut with a square and file.

The axle was a simple square section filed and planed to shape with the flanges cut on the jigsaw.

 
The fancy finishing touch is a little bespoke harrier hawk, to personalise the vessel, carved for the top of the capstan drum.
This was sketched up using a bird photograph from google as a reference and draw onto a piece of Castello boxwood.
It's the first time I've used a piece of this and I was very impressed with its density and ability to hold fine detail.
The shape was cut with he jigsaw and and the rest carved with a no11 blade and files.
The piece was sanded thin from the bottom.
 


 
The final result

Happy new year all.
Some of the cool bits that'll make this thing go have been either completed or temporarily knocked up in the last month or so.
 
First among these is the steering rig, which was built up as per the earlier test. The servo drum was wound tight enough and is close enough to the fairlead up to the deck that it gets around the issue of tension.
This all works quite well and gives about 45 degrees of rudder each direction.
This was also the first opportunity to wire up the battery, receiver and use the transmitter. Lots of fun although my wiring needs some work. I've also filled my ballast tube with about 9kg of lead which works well in the bath but is awaiting testing in a friend's pool. The threaded rod mounts have been left long to allow it to be adjusted to allow it to sit either flush to the keel or hang below to increase stability if needed. This will be sorted once the amount of stiffness needed is worked out with all sails on.
 

 
The other interesting bit has been rigging up a temporary spanker. This is pretty much a test of materials for the sail (not the final version) and to see how it all behaves with the rigging. It sprang out of just wanting to see some flags rigged.
The servo is a simple arm arrangement with (temp arm) and works well. I wanted to use a double block arrangement on the boom as per the original but after some experimentation realised this also doubles the pull of the sheet needed for the same distance of travel. This is possible with a winch servo but results in issues of keeping tension on the line to stop tangles on the drum.
Simple seems best, hence the arm and a single sheet with a dummy block for looks.


 
I've got a plan to jury rig the foresails and servo and try a small, controlled maiden voyage so have installed some temp stays on the foremast in preparation for the this. These follow the same tent guy rope style of the martingale stay to allow for adjustment. It works so well I'll likely keep it but tidy it up to make the little slides less noticeable. This can easily be taken off as before the masts can be permanently with shrouds etc as I've still got to make underdeck blocks to guide the yard braces up from the servos. In the pic below you can see the lines for the foresail sheets emerging from the fairleads in the forward bits.
 

 
I've added a little jack staff on the bowsprit with a union flag. I'm not sure it is accurate so comments welcome.
 
A little history of the real Harrier's adventures and reason for the blue ensign to come in a future post.

Thanks Don...
Yes... Finally, there are some photographs from our website :





... It was a very hard work to complete this kit, but it was also enjoyable ... Starting from the research work, to the first prototypes, to the kit designing and finaly to the finished kit project ... This kit is producing as a regular MarisStella item now ...
Thanks to all of the associates...

Best regards,
Zoran

Thanks Michael.
 
I spent a bit of time fitting the sliding roof hatch. It worked out pretty well.
 




 
I then made a start on painting the various deck structures.
 


 
 
 
 
 
 

Here is the hull after initial sanding. Bulwarks are fitting in nicely.

I fixed the decoration in place. Now I just try to polish it a bit 'and pass a coat of clear varnish
 

 

 

 

A couple of pics showing the initial progress with the basic yards.
In need of a final touch up, of course...

the stern decoration is almost over

 

 

 

 

Good day . The work lasts 

Hi Tim, just found your build log. I built the Scottish Maid a while back. Always been one of my favorite ships. Love what you are doing with your build! I'll be following along!
 
Jesse

Well, she is finished. I really enjoyed this build in spite of the problems I encountered along the way. I used to admire this kit from afar & wish to get it one day. A good friend made that dream come true & I thank him very much for this. I thank you all for the help & guidance during this build. Here are a few of the completed ship photos......
 
 

Thanks Jesse. Appreciate your encouragement. I am slighlty stumbling along, and learning as I go.
Tim

I have adjusted the stern of the model. The kit and plans show simple square frames, which I have adjusted to something more authentic. Photos explain. I made an error in splaying them to follow the curvature of the stern, which is a shame. Will know for next time. This is a simple upgrade made using wood from the kit.