texxn5

Very nice Augie, your planking is moving right along......life can be a pain sometimes......

First of all, thanks to everyone who visited and your "like" votes.
 
First thing this morning was finishing the *&%$*@ styrene tubes.  I added a few more bands around them on the outside.  After e remake of one I think they'll work for me. They are not the greatest things I have made so far but like I said, they are completely hidden anyhow.At this stage in the game I'm not going to wrap myself around the axle for something that'll never be seen.  They are round and sturdy.
 
I made a few bulkheads for the center and aft parts of the con.  I also cut some 2 X 3 mm planks for the top bracing and 3 X 3 mm beams for the forward framing.  
 
I cemented the two wooden tubes in place for the snorkel exhaust and intake pipes and two of the aft frames.  The sides of the 3 aft frames need to be faired yet because the aft end of the con runs into a point and is also tapered to the top.  The rest of the con sides are perpendicular to the deck.  I'll fair the aft end when they are braced at the top to give them rigidity.
 
Before I can cement the styrene tubes into place I need to make the gun platforms, which means that I most likely have to make the gun pedestal already.  Reason is that I need to know how far down they need to go to determine how long the "cylinder" tube has to be so that the "piston" rod won't pop out.  This in turn will depend how long the gun barrels will be. Confusing - - - 
So, do I now have to make the entire gun assembly?  Hmmmm, more details - - - -      When can I put the con together?????  Mutter - - - mutter - - -grumble - - - grumble​.
 

This is a close-up of the center part of the con, called the command center (I have indicated it with red lines).  It's a heavy structure that can withstand the pressures to the design depth.  This is where the commander and a few other crew members are during the attack phase.  I am using this primarily for structural integrity of the entire con.  Nothing inside will be seen but both ends can be visible on the outside through two doors on the port side.  I'll use styrene for both ends.  No, no, no - - - no lights!
 

This is a photo of the command center during the actual construction of the O 19.  The bands you see running on the outside are to fasten the side plates to.  A pretty husky affair! 
 

This is an overall view of all the "stuff" that'll have to be installed yet.  On this pic everything is just suck into the places where they belong.  
 
 

A view from the stern end.
 
Cheers,

Those cannons are so superior to the kit's it's incredible.  I will be using Chuck's cannons for the Niagra when I get finished with my Morgan.  There's no comparison for quality.  Your ship is looking fantastic......thanks for the pictures

Well done! I very nearly pulled the trigger on this machine today. I would like to see more posts like this one, where you show how you use your machine. It might push me over the edge  

Cannons (replacement parts)
 
All of the wooden parts for the carriages have been completed; they’ve been assembled, and given a coat of tung oil which needs some time to dry.  I’m starting now to address the related ironwork – the most significant being the guns themselves.
 
As previously mentioned, I didn’t care for the look of the kit-provided guns, as they seem out of scale – much too bulky and heavy – so I turned to Chuck’s Syren Ship Model Company for replacements.
 
Side-by-side comparison with Kit-Provided on left and Syren Ship Model Co's on right.
 
 

 

 
 
Needless to say, I’m very pleased with these replacements!
 
On to the blackening process…
 
Robert

Sorry Robert.  This is time more than well spent.  Spectacular.

Gun Carriages (scratch-built) - continued
 
Assembly of the carriages is underway.  Placement of the brackets on the axles is aided by a typical jig on a copy of the plans.
 

 
 

 
 
Though not really visible, I used copper wire blackened with liver of sulphur instead of brass (taking a cue from Ed Tosti), for the rods that support the carriage beds.  I also plan to use copper and LOS for the carriage bolts, eyebolts, and rings.
 
 

 
 
Trucks are being added.  Axle pins are Swiss pear drawn through the smallest hole on the Byrnes draw plate.
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
These are proving to be very time consuming items to make – fortunately there are only eighteen!  The process continues …
 
Robert

Now, Mark, there is an idea.....Piet that sounds real good....I've worked with cardboard and paper and it gets real strong....

Hi Piet, good luck with the styrene, it's a bit tough to work with.  I'm usually not real happy with what I wind up with when I use it, which is seldom.  I've used hot water also when bending it, but I've never attemptted to make a tube with it.  Have fun, I know you'll figure it out....I'm looking forward to seeing the con....

Piet,
 
What about a paper tube? Roll paper, treat with PVA.  Layer it until you get the thickness you need.  Once dry, it should sand out.

I sure it will........your doing a fantastic job of it so far 

Hi John,
 
I came across this try works guide online while hunting for info on the Morgan.  Thought I'd pass it along:
 
http://modelshipworldforum.com/resources/furniture/Tryworks_Building_Guide.pdf

Augie and Piet.....I'm actually not sure what they used to fuel the fire....I hadn't thought about it....I don't know if whale oil could get hot enough without something else to feed it.. I don't recall the use of coal when at the museum ...good question....I'll have to check that out.  I would think that wood would be too cumbersome and take up a lot of room.....whale oil is sounding more realistic...and readily available to this ship....

Hi Popeye.  First, the holes in the top go into cast iron cauldrons for cooking the oil out of the blubber.  The piping on the sides are actually bolts that are currently protected by thread protectors for holding the wood insulation boards to the sides of the oven, as well as the large cast iron angle brackets to keep the entire oven from flying around the deck in rough seas....not good......The oil from the cauldrons is transferred to a cooling tank that will mount on the starboard side of the oven.  The blubber is cut up on the workbench that will be on the aft side of the oven, then tossed into the cauldron, cooked, then by the use of a long handled cup, transferred over to the cooling tank and then when cooled transferred to wood barrels.  The renders are then discarded into a copper bin on the portside of the oven to be eventually discarded overboard unless they were needed for some other purpose.  This area is a heavy work area for processing the whale, so you can see, not only do I build the brick oven, but also all the elements mentioned above to accompomplish this.....should look cool when finished.....I hope.....

while there are some kits that supply detail oriented parts,  most do not........they instruct what size of wood to use,  and the builder makes the part or structure,  using creativity and aptitude.   again,  another example as to why I say that kits are mainly generic.  it is the modeler who adds in the minute features,  that gives life and beauty to a model.  as we all have seen and experienced,  there are many way to accomplish the tasks involved....I find in quite pleasing,  when I see a person succeed.

the holes at the top......are they for these 'kettles'....or are they openings to vats?   I notice there is some sort of piping coming out of the side.......I wonder if they are for the draining of the oil after it is boiled down.    the blubber must simply be thrown into the vats,  boiled to release the fat {oils},   and the renders are later removed........wouldn't want to be doing that part of the task.......yuck!

Thanks Popeye I'm glad you mentioned the white paint pen, I'm going to be at the hobby store this afternoon and I'll pick one up.  You are right about this stirring up lots of ideas for doing this, and I appreciate everyone's input.....looks like it stirs up some interest in everyone...

So, now your a bricklayer too?  Fantastic work.  It really amazes me how many skills we learn and employ in miniature in order to build these models.

John, John, John.... leapt RIGHT over to the darkside, did not pass go....
 
NICELY done though.   Nicely done.   can see it really shaping up and should look outstanding once it is on!!

wow!  I missed your last progress photo........it looks really good!   there is some nice texture to it and shows the mortar definition quite well.
      once filled in,  and indented,  you could use a fine tipped white paint pen to define the mortar............you certainly stir so many ideas to accomplish this............YES!!!!    it can be done! 

That's a good question, Piet.  Maybe they used whale oil?????

Moi?  What ideas did I give your John - - - hmmmm oh yes, good Belgian beer - - - that's it isn't it John ?      
 
Your masonry looks splendid, now to paint it and weather it.  Some soot maybe?  You gonna have a wood pile too for the fires?  Or did they use cole?  
 
Cheers,

Hello all,
I got tired of making bolts for my cannon carriages so I decided to put the riggers to work starting to prepare the rigging.
 
Decided to start with the main stay:  Here is a summary of the process
The line I am using is Morope.  An eye is turned in on the end with a circumference just large enough for the stay to pass through.  Morope is tricky to unlay for splicing because it is nylon.  When cut it will just fall apart  I separated the strands with a toothpick and touched a drop of CA to each before cutting so that the strands would not unravel.  The eye was then serviced with sewing thread with the serving continued over the splice.  The stay was then wormed for one third of its length from the eye.  I did not bother with parcelling.  The mouse was then raised on the stay to it's proper shape and size with sewing thread then pointed over to finish.  The mouse is several hours worth of work with the needle and thread
 
I hope you enjoy
 

 
 

 

Here's an update to the brick laying.  Have had some honeydo's and Admiral time, so not progressing as quickly as it could.  I'm pleased so far.  Lot's of details to go yet, this is prominent focal point on the deck once installed.....yes, Augie.....fiddly little stuff.....fortunately, Piet has given me ideas how to do some things so, it should get interesting...more later hopefully......

Here's an update to the brick laying.  Have had some honeydo's and Admiral time, so not progressing as quickly as it could.  I'm pleased so far.  Lot's of details to go yet, this is prominent focal point on the deck once installed.....yes, Augie.....fiddly little stuff.....fortunately, Piet has given me ideas how to do some things so, it should get interesting...more later hopefully......