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tmj

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Everything posted by tmj

  1. tmj
    Not sure about the wire just yet. I have some 1mm aluminum wire and also some 1.5mm steel wire to work with. I'm thinking that I'll go with the thicker steel wire for much more rigidity without doubling it up, twisting etc. I'll either solder, or TIG weld the shoulders and the hips to the spine for a solid connection. This is something totally new to me. I'll do what I need to do to put a good armature together, however. The true test will come when it's time to start adding putty, clay and details. Fingers are crossed. I've also been studying videos of sculpting miniatures on YouTube, concerning how to build an accurate armature with proper proportions. The image below is an example of how I will begin with a 1:24 scale figure. I downloaded an armature chart and resized it, in Cad, to reflect the actual size(s) of 3 different 1:24 scale armatures that I will need to construct... one figure will be 5'-3" in height, one figure at 5'-6", and one figure at 6'-0" tall. I'll be able to use my scaled CAD drawings as full-sized templates for cutting the wire(s) to proper lengths and also for properly measuring/locating the hips and shoulders along the spine. Pass or fail, this should prove to be a fun attempt at sculping miniatures. If you have any hints, tips, etc. for someone who has never tried this before... "Please chime in!" I'll need all the help I can get! 🙂
  2. tmj
    How hard could this 'sculping-thing' actually be with a good picture, some wire, and a bit of clay? "Hmm." "Hold on to my beer, Bubba, and 'WATCH THIS'!" With the help of this video, I might be able to make some decent wire armatures. It's the clay 'sculpting' part that has me worried. What the heck. "Nothing ventured, nothing gained!" I have a long way to go on this build, so I have time to tinker with this sculping thing along the way...
  3. tmj
    Thanks Keith. I already have that one. If only the Lt. would get his left arm and hat out of the way so I could see more of the seaman! 🤨 This is the kind of stuff that I keep running in to. The officers are always shown well... but the ordinary seamen 'not so much'.
  4. tmj
    I posted this elsewhere, and I'm posting it here too. More exposure and hopefully more responses as well. After all is finally said and done, I don't want my gunboat to appear as an abandoned 'Ghost-Ship'. I'd like to have two or three scale figures aboard my gunboat to give my build a more lifelike appearance. Problem is, I cannot find any 1:24 scale figures for sale that would be period correct for a Continental Gunboat built in 1776. Plenty of British pieces found, but not American. I'll need to try and make my own. Fingers are crossed as to the outcome. I've purchased some polymer clay and wire. The only thing missing is a few period correct drawings, images, etc. of some 'Ordinary Seaman' types of crew members. 1776 Continental Officers and their uniforms are easy to find. I don't need officers. I need to know what the lower ranking Continental sailors dressed like in 1776. If anyone has any images or links to share, I'd be grateful!
  5. tmj
    "The truth is out there, somewhere!" ... The X-Files
  6. tmj
    This thread has piqued my curiosity in possibly trying my hand at sculpting some 1:24 scale miniatures. I'm building a 1:24 scale Gunboat Philadelphia and would rather it 'not' look like an abandoned ghost ship when completed. I'd like to have two or three scale figures aboard to give my build a more lifelike appearance. Problem is, I cannot find any 1:24 scale figures for sale that would be period correct for a Continental Gunboat built in 1776. Plenty of British pieces found, but not American. I'll need to try and make my own. Fingers are crossed as to the outcome. I've purchased some polymer clay and wire. The only thing missing is a few period correct drawings, images, etc. of some 'Ordinary Seaman' types of crew members. 1776 Continental Officers and their uniforms are easy to find. I don't need officers. I need to know what the lower ranking Continental sailors dressed like in 1776. If anyone has any images or links to share, I'd be grateful!
  7. tmj
    " Ah ha, there you are!" "Let's get this done!"
  8. tmj
    Thanks guys. It's a slow go, but I'm getting there as fast as I can. I now have about 50% of the bottom holes drilled and ready for receiving additional trunnels, however. I only have enough trunnel material made up to fill about another 1/8 of the holes I've just drilled. I now need more trunnels. Seeing how Mr. Ribbit watched me make the first load of trunnels, while he was a bit hung over, hopefully he won't mind helping out this time around knowing that I'm not asking him to do anything that I, myself, aren't willing to do. We'll see. "Ribbitttttttt... where are you?" "There's something that we need to do!"
  9. tmj
    I thought I was abusing myself by staying up until 1:30am wanting to get a bit of trunnelling out of the way on my Philadelphia. You've got me beat by 1.5 hours. That makes me a 'lightweight'! *sigh*
  10. tmj
    Nice job so far! If it's not too late... you might be interested in finding this book. It's the "Bee's Knee's" when it comes to B17's...
  11. tmj
    I like to stain 'before' gluing because cured glue does not take stain very well. The glue joints will become very noticeable, after staining, if you stain 'after the fact' and there was any glue squeezed outside of the actual glue joint. When staining prior to gluing, just make sure that your choice of stain is glue friendly. Stain some scrap and try gluing it together. If the glue doesn't hold very well... buy a less oily stain. If the glue holds, you're golden!
  12. tmj
    ... and here's the bottom view.
  13. tmj
    Toothpicks are good. 'Not' Bamboo! 🙂 I'm off to the races now! The Birchwood isn't as light in color as I was hoping it would be. That's okay. I can live with this so "here goes!"
  14. tmj
    Keith, if you ever go with a 'bottle-project' please let me know. I have a good supply of .042" diameter 'deadeyes' that I'd be willing to share with you... free of charge! 🙂
  15. tmj
    A new load of Amazon 'Birchwood' toothpicks just arrived. I haven't made any trunnels yet, but red flags are already being thrown! These things are 'also' made in China (why don't the Amazon adds selling this stuff disclose that, the actual packaging, etc.?). Upon close examination of the toothpicks, it 'does' appear as though the texture of the wood is a bit different, however. That could be due to toolmarks and manufacturing procedures. The only way to find out if they are truly 'Birch' is to make a trunnel and examine the finished end grain results after all is said and done. I'm willing to accept bets on the end results of this next test... just keep it quiet and don't let the moderators see us gambling. There's probably some silly forum rule against members gambling here! 😕
  16. tmj
    I'm 'miffed' now! I ordered a good supply of Birchwood toothpicks, from Amazon, because I'm almost out of the ones I've been picking my teeth with. I went to the trouble of drawing out some trunnels, gluing them in place, clipping them off and sanding them down only to discover that those new toothpicks are 'NOT' Birchwood at all. They are Bamboo!!! 100% false advertising on Amazon!!! Who would ever know that the toothpicks they were buying were not really Birch unless they were making 1:24 scale trunnels out of them? I actually like the look of the end grain of Bamboo, but not for 'this' model. The Philadelphia did not have 'wedges' in its trunnels. Maybe a 1:24 build with wedged trunnels would look good with bamboo, as the bamboo 'does' add character... but not this build. Totally out of place! I put in for a refund and ordered a different brand of 'Birchwood' toothpicks. I wonder if those will prove to be bamboo too! "!@#$" "Buyer Beware!" Here's another picture, showing the scale with a U.S. dime. The trunnels are .042" in diameter. The end grain is noticeable. Bamboo just doesn't look proper for 'this' build...
  17. tmj
    It's hard to say if any of your dimensions are actually 'oversized' or not. I'll say that they are probably Spot-On for the "Keith Black Manufacturing Company, Inc.!" I'm sure that there were many companies who made these things, and I doubt that any two of those companies made them exactly the same way. Even the drawing that you posted is not sure, only guessing. It definitely looks like a period correct "Keith Black" model to 'me'!
  18. tmj
    Birchwood looks pretty good... "Hmm?" I'll draw out some trunnels and test 'this' material...
  19. tmj
    Holes look crisp and the color of the trunnels is good, however. Bamboo won't work for my trunnels at 1:24 scale. The internal porosity is much too pronounced in a treenail this size. I'll try Birchwood toothpicks and see how 'that' works.
  20. tmj
    I caught the shop supervisor dumping some personal debris into the company dumpster today. Seasoned branches and twigs from his back yard. He claims it is willow, but I'm not so sure, nor do I care. It has a nice off-white, cream color to it and a very tight grain. I warned him about using the company dumpster for personal use, then asked him to put the rest of the branches in the back of 'my' truck! 😐 What can I say? "One man's garbage, another man's treasure!" He surely thought I was nuts until I told him what I was up to. Anyway. I cut a couple of branches that look about right for the size and shape of my Philadelphia's stem and stern posts. I haven't officially verified their correctness, yet, but I will. If these two cuttings don't work, I'm sure that there are other specimens that will. I simply grabbed two branches off of the top of the pile that looked somewhat promising.
  21. tmj
    I made good progress on both Basswood 'and' Bamboo trunnels today. I've made maybe enough trunnels to do 1/3d of the boats bottom and flooring timbers. I'm trunneled out for the day. Time for a break! Before getting too carried away, I want to do another test to ensure that the colors of the trunnels 'and' my drilling crispness is truly where I want them both to be. There's still a lot that could go wrong, as you can see by the sloppy holes from my first test. It took me 8 tries to get the speed and feed of my drill-bit correct via that first attempt. I'm now just letting glue dry to get ready for the next test. Fingers are crossed!
  22. tmj
    I'm really liking this project of yours! It's different and quite nice. If I start building an old wooden oil derrick, or windmill... "It's YOUR fault!"
  23. tmj
    I thought I'd try using a rotary tool with my drawplate. It actually works on both round toothpicks as well as 1/16" square stock. The round toothpicks are Bamboo, and the square stock is Basswood. I can't go more than 4" long on the square stock otherwise it starts to wobble wildly at my Dremel's lowest setting. So far this is working great!
  24. tmj
    Ribbit doesn't like making trunnels. Last night he begged me to let him clean windows, scrub toilets, do "ANYTHING" but spend the day making trunnels! I couldn't oblige him. It must be done! This is how I found Ribbit early this morning when it was time to get started. I guess I'd better get a large pot of strong, black coffee going!
  25. tmj
    All four drilling bosses are ready. Time to start making the trunnels...

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