Don9of11

Its like paying a ton of money right now for a hobby 3d printer.  It would pretty much be a waste a money. This is usually used for the scrap booking hobby and is best for cutting paper and cardboard.  Try cutting anything like basswood over 1/16" thick and you will run into problems. You would likely to cut through 1/16" boxwood at all.  This is the same model often seen on EBAY and its made in china.  Its not a good machine at all.  In fact I think its dangerous.  I have read horror stories about these cheap Chinese machines.  Best to double the price and go for a 60 watt machine by a reputable maker.   Its not a good machine at all.  You could actually buy that same machine on ebay or through other sources for half that price.  That is a rip-off if I ever saw one.
 
 
See this
 
http://www.ebay.com/itm/40W-CO2-Laser-Cutter-Engraver-Cutting-Machine-Support-Corel-Draw-W-Air-Assist-/201117615871?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2ed38b46ff
 
Its just a waste of money.
 
I paid about $5500 give or take for my 60 watt laser and it can cut through quarter inch ply in one pass on 60% power.  This $$ includes the laser cutter ....putting in a good exhaust system,  and a dedicated electric line.  Better focus lens and longer life laser tube.  Larger cutting area.   The machine is well built and I have never had any issues with it.  The exhause is super important.  I would never cut Styrene with it as listed on the MM site either.  That stuff melts and the fumes are bad.  My advice...stay far far away!!!
 
Have a look
 
\https://www.bosslaser.com/laser-machinery/entry-level-co2-lasers/boss-ls-1415-122-detail
 
Chuck

I've had the pleasure of training die designers in the forging industry on 2D and 3D CAD programs and the best advice I can give to learning any CAD program is to start with simple objects, the reasoning is so you become familiar with the menu, the tools and how to use them. The tendency for first time users is to start off with something big or complicated and you become frustrated or loose interest because you don't know how to use the menu or CAD features and ultimately the CAD program ends up in the wood pile.

Reconstruction of an 18-pounder pivot gun employed aboard a small warship, 1820-40. Pivot and slide based on drawings by Howard Chapelle.
 

 

 

 

All, as some of you are aware through prior posts I am struggling with learning TurboCAD software for 2D use in lofting/drawing ship plans from blueprints. I wanted to share a recent bonanza with you. I stumbled across a CNC machine site that happened to provide basic training on TurboCAD. It is the best stuff I have found so far as a general introduction to TC.
 
http://www.legacycncwoodworking.com/lifetime-training-tutorials/
 
Focus on the ones with “TurboCAD Class…”. I hope you find them as effective as I do.
 
Wiley

Wiley,
 
I'm not sure I understand your question about objects.
 
One can do some pretty impressive modelling in 3D with TC.  Creating a hull form such as we deal with in the eighteenth century is something of the Holy Grail of TC modelling.  One can get pretty close, but one almost always runs into a quirk or two for various reasons.  At any rate, the 3D hull is built off 2D lines anyway.  After drawing up plans for Euryalus in 2D I did put together some 3D modelling.  For the purposes of making patterns for cutting out timbers 2D was sufficient.  That said, I did use 3D to test fit parts.  Also, I found that using 3D was an easier way to project the stern timbers, and maybe the head timbers, but that's about it.  
 
Some of the fun of drawing (actually, redrawing) plans is connecting with the methods used by the old guys in the loft.  
 
Just for laughs, attached are some 3D renderings.  Other programs are better than TC for making and texturing 3D ships.
 
Wayne
 

 

 

Hi there,
sorry for my delay response,
Thanks you Rao and Joshua!!.
Nils, I spend about 3 days for frame detail.. And about 2 weeks for the whole model.. But I spend a lot of time looking for information....terrible really...
Jud...hehe..perhaps ¡... I can draw all the planking...but my first goal was obtain parts for cnc router..
Don9.. That is a render in SW, You can choose some types of wood, in my first pics the render has oak, and pine.

Thanks for your comments... I'm finishing 2 models more... Spanish gunboats..
Jose

And here we have him ... body coordinated with fittings. Will have to be married now with the cloth simulation ...
 

Started gluing parts together today
 
The remnants of the rubber cement were removed by simply erasing the surface….

 
… and there were paper thin feathered edges from my sander that need to removed by lightly sanded by hand.

 
First piece glued was the Stern Post to the Inner Post.
Here are the before and after cleaning pics.
I did drill and pin them to assist in alignment.  You can see the ball head of the straight pins.
The pencil lines are to help me with shaping later on.


 
The stern deadwood was assembled piece by piece, clamping up and letting them set before attaching the next piece.  This is where my marble pastry rolling slab came in handy.  I set the assembly down onto the slab to assure the surfaces were flush when assembled.

 
I did insert two pieces of copper wire into the stern post assembly to assist in keeping it together. Not sure it was necessary nor that the Gorilla Glue got in deep enough.  I tried working the wire in and out but I did not see any glue at the far end.  I had to strip the insulation of the telephone wire and then roll the copper wire straight.  22 gauge wire is quite flimsy stuff and easily bent.

 
I cut the mortise and tennon joint in the Stern Post and Keel then assembled them.  Clamping up the tapered stern post to the proper angle was a bit of a challenge.  I ended up using a few different tools and good old fashion clothes pins.



 
 
The Stem to Keel boxing joint was eventually glued up and set properly.  I did attempt to use the black tissue paper as you can see by the staining on the wood but had no success.  I determined it was more trouble than it was worth.  I first soaked the paper in a 50/50 water glue mix and after numerous tries place it on the joint surfaces.  Quite a few pieces tore apart in my fingers/tweezers. When I finally got around to attempting to put the keel and stem together the paper scrunched up on me.  I took it apart and tried again with new pieces… then had more of the same trouble.  After two more attempts I said to myself “screw it”.

 
I also glued up the remaining sections of the keel; clamping them to the marble pastry slab and setting them against a straight edge…. sans tissue paper.

Today I cut and dry fitted the last two pieces of the stern deadwood and keelson (template items marked 9 and 10)
 

 
I also cut two strips 8" thick (1/8" to scale) x 22" wide (0.3438" to scale) for the rising wood that sits on top of the keel.
Actually my pieces are ever so slightly larger (approximately 0.01" in both thickness and width).
They would need to be cut to short lengths with scarph joints.  I will not do that until I am ready to glue and pin it together on the keel assembly.
 
Today, I also remade my boxing joint piece.  This would be the third time.  I had trimmed too much on the upper scarph joint.
 


 
I have also been busy doing something very constructive over the last two weeks. 
Never having been able to sit down and read nor understand the complete build contract I decided to transcribe it (type it out)... only the first 21 pages as the last few pages are payment schedule details that will not affect my build.
 
I've added some spelling corrections for today in brackets next to the questionable words; below each paragraph I've added explanations and descriptions for unknown words or phrases and I've added reference books, pages, image information so when I am at the point in the near/far future I can find it again quickly.
 
Presently I am transcribing page 20 of 21... this would be typed page 57 for me.
I've attached a PDF of the first 3 typed pages to give a better sense of what I mean.
 
Making Sense of the Contract.pdf

Below is the photo of last weekends Stern Post (1) and False Stern Post (2) along with the earlier Keel and False Keel
 
Today I made the Deadwood pieces and the Deadwood Knee (8) with one piece left to fit above it. Hope to have it done tomorrow.
 
You will note the one piece marked with the roman numeral (IV)... that's because I made this piece three times before it fit proper.  That little wedge piece was a tough one to fit.
 
I've to remake the Keelson pieces... yet to make the Rising Wood.... and taking a good long look at the Stem assembly pieces which were the very first parts made.
 
I think I may take another shot at them as I've been doing a slightly better job lately.  Milled down more hemlock lath but cannot seem to find another ceiling piece in the pile.  Those are thicker (1/2") and will mill down to the necessary 26 inches (0.4063" to scale).   Presently I am getting 24.8 inches (0.3875" thick).  The ceiling pieces must be at the bottom of the pile, under the tarp, covered with snow in my son's yard.
Somehow I don't think 1-1/8" inches (0.0188" = 0.46 mm) will make much difference in the end, but it would be nice to be a wee bit closer.  Possibly I can keep the inboard pieces.  I'll have to sleep on it.
 
Oh yeah... the monofilament line came it and it looks good!
Have to keep reminding myself to slow down as I am itching to glue something together.

Two weeks have passed and not a lot to show.
 
I managed 3D modelling and 2D drawing up quite a few frames only to realize I had a compounding error in them as the lower scarph joints rise in elevation on the real Elephant's plans but not in my version.  Made corrections over last weekend and then caught some bug Monday that had me down for the rest of the week. Head ache, muscle aches, chills, unbelievable fatigue but none of the more nasty possibilities.  I cannot recall the last time I was sick on work days.  I normally get sick on Friday at about 6 PM and am miraculously cured by Monday in the wee hours of the morning.
 
Feeling considerably better today so I went downstairs and cut the keel and false keel pieces and then the scarph joints in the keel pieces.
 
Immediately buggered the first attempt ... and after all those practice runs a few weeks ago!
 
Then I began cutting the boxing joint in the forward most keel piece and was quite happy with the result.

 
Began to cut the mating joint in the lowest stem post section... checked, double checked, triple checked, marked the waste half with with an "X"... and yes I then cut it wrong.
 
So now I have two pieces that without question need a "do over".
Templates cut and glued to some drops from earlier cuts.
 

I used green auto pin striping instead of paint for my Bounty Launch.
 

Thank you Keith, I used Minwax Golden Oak #210B. The model shown is from Model Expo and the wood is basswood. I picked up a little can at my local hardware store. You can see the full line of Minwax products at http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/stains-color-guide/
 
I have build log at http://shipmodeling.net/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=1378
 
Hope that helps.

Don that Bounty Launch of yours is beautiful. The colour you stained your wood looks like pear. May I ask what stain you are using? A link would be pretty helpful as well. 

I used green auto pin striping instead of paint for my Bounty Launch.
 

I used green auto pin striping instead of paint for my Bounty Launch.
 

I used green auto pin striping instead of paint for my Bounty Launch.
 

I used green auto pin striping instead of paint for my Bounty Launch.
 

One more small item to share... the HMS Bellerophon Ship's Crest (from the last ship of that name and as assigned to the Sea Cadet Corps before they decided to add the three maple leafs to the bottom to differentiate the cadet corp from the real thing in the early 80's).  I do not believe the earlier ship's had crests as they had figure heads (?)
 
I'm cleaning out my hard drive and back up and found a really nice clear image.

Good evening Don,
 
The information is in the contract on the 4th and 5th sheets.
 
Floor timbers 26 ft in length at midships; molded at the heads 13-1/2"
Lower Futtock molded at the heads 12-3/4"
Second Futtock molded at the heads 12-1/4"
Third Futtock molded at the heads 11-5/6" and in and out at the Gun Deck 11-1/2"
Fourth Futtock molded, or in and out at the range of the Upper Deck Water Ways 10-1/2"
Top Timbers molded at the top in midships 5-1/2", abaft 5-5/8", at the Beakhead 6-1/4", at the Fiferail from the Second Drift to the Stern Timber 4-1/2", from the Drift Forward in the Wake of the Timber Heads 5-1/2"
 
I just use a polyline to blend between the points.
 
Alan

Unfortunately I will not get to working on cutting more wood until the weekend as my evenings are quite short making it difficult to get into it.
So I spend the short time through the week working on my frame templates.
 
Here is a description of what I am up to in my creation of frame templates following the train of thought of an earlier posting some time ago (POSTING #102 on PAGE 7) when I was working things out.   After outlining the complete frame (see earlier posting) at the particular station I now trace in the cross chock and all the various scarph joints for the adjacent four frames up to the next station.  They are used as a reference on the other frames.  As frame shapes begin to change drastically I will need to geometrically create the proper offset to relocate them.   I then loft the hull (or more correctly a one piece solid frame) between stations.  In this sample it is at dead flat out both directions to ( B ) and ( 2 )   I then draw in the “spaces” between the frames and cut them away to reveal the individual frames.  In this location the spaces are a mere ¼”.   In the pic below the adjacent frames are turned off to reveal only one that I will be working on.   I then open (or create) the plane cutting through the centre of the frame and open a sketch and trace the cross chock and particular scarph joints for that frame   Finally, looking straight onto the frame I see the frame shape and cutlines   I will insert this “section” view of this frame on my template sheet to be printed to 1:64 scale.  Once again as the frame shape begins to change drastically I may see the hidden lines depicting the cut angle... we will have to wait and see.   It is a long drawn out (excuse the pun) exercise but I will have what I want in the end.  A few done but many more to go. I may not post anymore on the making of frame templates except to possibly show progress on the cant frames and aft and also to post PDFs of the drawings when I am done.  (Don't want to bore anyone)  

You're right. I found that getting the edges of the flag lined up and making sure the stripes and stars were in the same position was critical before the glue set up. The glue also provided a bit of moister in the paper that made working the flag a little easier. I researched carefully the era of my ship build, the Lucky Little Enterprise circa 1799, and made sure I had the right number of stars and stripes. I used different size dowel rods and following Chuck Passaro's advice, tried to get really aggressive with it. I tried a couple of different "wave patterns until I settled in on one that I really liked. It all boils down to being patient, deliberate and no fear.
 
Here is another photo from my work-in-progress collection.
 

I finished up my modelling table last couple of weekends
  - glued and dowel pinned trim on the edges, planed and sanded the edges
  - primed and finished painted both tops and also the underside of the tilting half only
You will notice it blends in nicely with the workroom walls (I had paint left over)


 
 
Then I worked on marking the tilt top with reference lines for the model build
  - center line
  - station lines
  - fore and aft cant line angles
Debating whether I should mark the frame locations
I chose to draw it rather than lay a print down as this would have been closer to how the actual build would likely have been done (in my mind anyway).
I will spray seal it next weekend so the pencil marks stay clean and unsmudged
Presently it is stored under a sheet of plastic to keep the dust off




 
I also pulled all the nails from my second pile of eastern hemlock lathe I salvaged from my son's home.
I now have at least twice this amount (likely more) to do my model.

 
Although I continue to draw up the frames to make my templates (which a sampling of will be posted down the road) ... it looks like I'll be finally cutting some wood and starting the build tomorrow.... I cut out a few pieces from my printed template of the bow (from the gripe upwards).
I will start by milling down some of the lathe and rubber cementing the templates to it to cut out... just like they did in the 1700's???
 
 
 
 

Today I finally started... sort of
  - milled down a strip of hemlock to the larger (inboard) thickness of 2'-2" (= 0.406" at 1/64th).  I managed to get 0.4045"
  - rubber cemented my templates to the strip of wood

 
  - rough cut out my very first piece staying close to or just outside the line

 
  - cut all other pieces

 
  - sanded into shape and fitted together

 
Everything looks reasonably good when clamped finger tight  ... except for the Gammoning Knee pieces.  The outer (forward) half does not sit correctly.
Flipped it over to inspect the reverse and again it is those two piece

 
When I remove them they fit together nicely all on their own.  Time to walk away and come at it fresh another day.  Not sure if this piece is salvageable or not.

 
I am obviously no cabinet maker and think I might need a small oscillating drum sander to assure I get a level sanded edge on those inside radii.
 
I took a lesson out of TFFM.  I milled a piece of oak to use as my chiseling base when cutting the scarphs and it made a big difference.
(Thank you David and Greg for a wonderful reference)
 

You're right. I found that getting the edges of the flag lined up and making sure the stripes and stars were in the same position was critical before the glue set up. The glue also provided a bit of moister in the paper that made working the flag a little easier. I researched carefully the era of my ship build, the Lucky Little Enterprise circa 1799, and made sure I had the right number of stars and stripes. I used different size dowel rods and following Chuck Passaro's advice, tried to get really aggressive with it. I tried a couple of different "wave patterns until I settled in on one that I really liked. It all boils down to being patient, deliberate and no fear.
 
Here is another photo from my work-in-progress collection.