tlevine
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Everything posted by tlevine
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Lester, I removed your email address for your safety. If anyone can help him, please send him a PM. -
Vacuum (or Suction Pick-up Tool
tlevine replied to Will Ferris's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
The cheapest price I could find was here: https://www.micro-tools.com/products/mp $5.95. Much less than Micro Mark. -
A few minutes in the oven (250F) melts the wax into the rope. Loosely loop it on a paper towel that has been placed on a pre-heated sheet pan.
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Frolick, we ARE the ruler. 😊
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Swan-Class Sloop by Stuglo - FINISHED - 1:48
tlevine replied to stuglo's topic in - Build logs for subjects built 1751 - 1800
I also used a flex shaft and right angle attachment for my Dremel with a sanding disc for the initial sanding. Looking good, even if you are frustrated. -
Looks great! I cannot tell from the pictures but if you have not faired the inside of the frames, now would be the time to do it while access is still easy.
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The key is to treat the copper before it is on the hull, not after. Things to consider... Are you using copper tape or individual plates? What was the original intention of the product, i.e. is there a protective finish that needs to be removed before the "weathering" can occur? What is the look you are after? At launch, just pulled out of the water before cleaning and in a drydock after cleaning and repair will all look different.
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Dockyard Carving Tools
tlevine replied to Roger Pellett's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
I bought some 2 mm chisels from the Carving Glove Guy a few years ago. I already had 3 mm "original" Dockyard chisels that are probably 25 years old. The physical appearance is identical and their cutting and sharpening characteristics are also the same. The sharpening set is also a great help for the V and U chisels. -
Talk on Missouri River steamboat design & history, March 9, 2021
tlevine replied to Cathead's topic in Nautical/Naval History
Great talk! And thank you for mentioning the NRG and MSW. -
I am very sorry about the problems you have had. The warpage should not cause any problem with the bulkhead assembly or plank installation. Drop me a PM if something is not coming together right.
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Sometimes things look better in photographs; the fastenings look better in real life. I was afraid it would be garish looking but the bolts are scale size (#77 drill bit) and so blend in nicely with the planking.
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The coppering on the starboard side is now finished. You can see the difference between the port side with a finish applied and the starboard with none. I have decided to delay applying the finish until the wale has been redone. While doing research for another project, I discovered that the coamings were built several inches too short (8 inches instead of 13). You can see the difference in the picture below. Time to rebuild them all.
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Miniature Drill Bit Chuck for Dremel Tool?
tlevine replied to turangi's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
If I am drilling holes smaller than #75, I want that hole to be the correct diameter and with a crisp outline. Most of the smaller drill bits placed in a Dremel with a micro chuck or Proxxon have some "shimmy", resulting in oversized holes. For this reason, I almost exclusively use resharpened carbide drill bits for the smaller sizes. I have been using Drill Bit City https://drillcity.stores.yahoo.net/ for years. They are located in the Chicago area. -
Putting aluminum or ferrous materials in pickle "poisons" it. That is why pickle pots are ceramic. Since you put that strainer in the pot, you should throw out the pickle before using it again. They make inexpensive copper strainers for bartenders.
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If Toni starts forgetting stuff she's got some serious issues!
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Sorry for the late reply. I posted yesterday but for some reason it did not "take". You are correct. The bevel continuously changes from the keel to the top of the planking, ending up at 90 degrees, just like a mortice. Think of it this way... On a typical kit build, you undercut the end of the plank so that it lays flat against the stem; at the keel you do the same thing to the side of the plank. On a real ship, the ends and sides of the plank remain at right angles to the face of the plank. To accomplish this, we need a groove, or rabbet, to seat the end or side of the plank into. The rabbet is always 90 degrees. Since this hull is bluff-bowed, the planks intersect the bow at almost a right angle in the upper planking belts. On a clipper ship, the angle at which the plank meets the stem will not change so dramatically. In similar fashion, if this were a flat-bottomed boat, the rabbet on the keel would be at a right angle to the keel, not at a +/-45 degree angle the way it is in the forward part of this ship. In the picture below, there is a smooth line extending from the keel up the stem. As the angle that the planking intersects the stem increases, the angle of the rabbet also increases and the overall width of the rabbet diminishes. I hope I am making at least a little sense.
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Swan-Class Sloop by Stuglo - FINISHED - 1:48
tlevine replied to stuglo's topic in - Build logs for subjects built 1751 - 1800
I can't answer your question but looking at the pictures it appears that the fourth frame in is tilted starboard. -
Why not make your own? In my opinion, the markings on the vertical support and base are too broad and too far apart to give more than "eyeball" accuracy anyway.
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Swan-Class Sloop by Stuglo - FINISHED - 1:48
tlevine replied to stuglo's topic in - Build logs for subjects built 1751 - 1800
Keep going. Your skills will continue to improve with practice and patience. Whenever I look at one of my models, all I see are the flaws, not the overall beauty in the end result and the joy (frustration/angst) of its construction. -
I started building this model in the mid-80's. Like yourself, after the hull was built, I decided that the plans were problematic so the rest was scratch built. It was never finished because I realized how much I hate rigging, especially at this scale. I hope you finish yours. Why Esmeralda?
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Thanks for looking in everyone. Yes, Greg, those fashion pieces gave me fits. As I recall, I made them four times. Hopefully the starboard side won't take as long!
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I have finally finished installing the rivets on the port side. As these would have been hand forged, I used square copper wire fit into a size 77 hole. After all the wires were inserted, the hull looked like a porcupine on a bad hair day. In the photos, I have started to flatten the heads using a flat file and rotary sanding disc on the Dremel. Once all the heads were flattened, I finished up with 400 grit sandpaper. Once the sanding and filing was completed, I put a coat of Watco's on the finished side. After both sides are completed I will add a second coat and then paint the wale. Over time, as the pear darkens, there will be more of a contrast between the castello above the wale and the hull below.
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