ScottRC

Hi all. 
progress has been a bit slow due to mid semester exams. The fore and mainmast deadeyes are complete as well as some deck furniature. 
 
regards

The rudder with the preventer chain were finally finished.  This required fitting the rudder head with a band and the emergency tiller.  The band is brass strip, soldered together and drilled for the tiller which was made from brass rod and wire for the ring.  These were blackened and the top of the rudder post painted black.  The height was trimmed to fit under the wheel box and then glued to the top of the rudder down through the hole for the rudder.  
The preventer chains were tricky due to the small size.  I used chain 36 links to an inch. The one picture shows this compared to the anchor chain which is 16 links to the inch.  I wanted to place the shackles through the links but could only do that in the middle of the chain with 30 ga copper wire which was too fragile and kept breaking.  I could get 28 ga wire through the ends and ended up using 28 ga wire around the links in the middle.  I realized the the ring on the end of the rod coming off the rudder should have been horizontal so I end up redoing the connection to the rod in the rudder.
I then made the capstans.  These were made from mahogany and are similar to the capstans made by EdT on his Young America.  Not having the tools to follow Ed’s technique, I turned the head, spindle and base in one piece.  The rings were cut from 13/32 brass tube at .02 inches on the  Byrnes table saw.  I used a .02 inch blade for the spacing.
The brass caps were made from brass rod a good friend gave me.  This was the most extensive metal turning I’ve done to date.
The whelps were made using Harold Hahn’s technique of shaping a block and the cutting slices off the block, approximately.04 inches thick.
I wanted to attempt to make the bases from brass or copper, but couldn’t find a source large enough, including using telescoping tube.  I ended up making the bases from cherry including my first attempt at boring with the lathe.
The holes for the capstan bars were drilled on the milling machine.  I made a jig to hold the capstan while drilling which also allowed me to rotate the head.  I debated whether or not to make these slots as I was afraid that they would look bad if not done correctly.  I also didn’t like the look without the slots.  The results are far from perfect but are so small they don’t really show very much.  I used a #70 drill bit and squared the slots with a file. 
The brass rings were glued on with cyano under the bottom edge and the capstans were stained with Ipswich pine and a semigloss coat. The bases were painted flat black.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mounted 

Second attempt, using a Unimation disc sander. Much better.

 

Here's my first attempt. Our gratings are rectangular, so I cut off the edging, squared it, and added new edges. Not happy with my joinery work, so I will re-do tonight. Like the noted modeler Steve Wheeler said, "The wastebasket is your best tool."

There was mention early in this thread of there being a 'second ship' - the second Liberty Ship that I printed at the same time as I did mine - that being for my buddy the model railroader.
 
Well, last month, he brought the hull over and I helped him learn about gelcoat and fiberglass.

He stayed for the first layer - I did the next few on my own, and last night I called him over to help shoot the first layer of primer. 
 
There's a couple of minor spots that I've sanded again and added a bit of red body putty to those.  A bit more sanding and another layer of primer, and she'll be good to go.  He's going to bring her home to finish up the rest of the build.
 
NS

 

I was also somewhat envious of the 'dry launch' bracket things that a couple of gents at the local modeling club had and use.  So, I decided to stop at Home Depot, buy some copper tubing, elbows, and build one myself.

I'm pleased with the function - it's big enough to easily accommodate my Liberty Ship and my Tug boat.  
 
After the trial run, I gave it a layer of red Tremclad, and am going to grab some pipe wrap on the way home from work tomorrow.
 
 

The performance curve on the boat is such that it is now able to practically go on plane...so I went into the settings on my controller (Radiomaster TX16S) and changed the throttle set points to +50% and -40%.  This still has lots of power, but keeping her under 50% means that she's not going to look too crazy when sailing about the lake!  
 
Something that isn't clear from these pictures is how easy it is to get access to the inside of the hull - all of the cargo hatches come off, and so does the entire superstructure.  I'll have to snap a photo with them open to show the access - really a great design by Mr. Buttery (the guy who uploaded the project to Thingiverse) and that put me into thinking about what else I can do with the ship....
 
Living on a lake, my wife has friends over during the summer, and they go 'floating' on their inflatables...this usually results in them calling ashore to me, or one of our 'minions' (kids) to get some additional 'recreational beverages' delivered to them as they float around the lake.  So...I decided that there might be a practical use for this ship in the real world, and so I spent a few minutes with the 3D model software I use, and fabbed up a design for a replacement hatch cover.
 
I printed one, and trialed it yesterday.  Success!
 
Based on the interior layout of the ship, I can transport 3 'recreational beverages' at a time safely.  Two forward, and one just behind the superstructure.  (There are 4 large cargo hatches, alas, the stern one is right over top of the rudder servo, and so it prevents putting the can in 'deep' so I'm only going to make 3 of these replacement hatch covers.)
 
I'm going to save this as a surprise for my lovely wife and her friends...I'm sure there will be a giggle or two.  The other husbands will enjoy this as well - we're all current of or former RCN sailors as well.
 
Hope you've enjoyed this build thread....now it's a matter of enjoying the ship!

Note - from start to finish, I began printing this boat in about February, and I consider the ship essentially complete now.
 
The only thing remaining is to choose a name, and add some decals with waterline and balance markings.
 
My problem is choosing a name among about 2500 Liberty Ship names....if anyone has a suggestion for one that has relevance to Canada, or the the Canadian Navy, I'd welcome your input!
 
Thanks for reading!

NavyShooter
 

Ian,
 
Something I discovered recently was that there have been considerable advances in both motors, and ESC's.
 
I was show a Hobbywing 1080 Crawler ESC by a friend of mine who does trucks, and when I got one, I discovered that you can program the ESC...there are about 15 different options you can do, from battery set points to limiting outputs.  But.  The most important thing I discovered was that you can set the FREQUENCY of the ESC.... this is the 13th item on the setup checklist:
 
Factory default frequency is 8kHz...setting it to 16 kHz puts it outside the normal audio range for most people, and makes it effectively silent.  THIS IS WONDERFUL.  ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL!!
 
 
 
 

Attached is an Argentine archaeological paper on HMS Swift, a 14-gun sloop-of-war. She was launched in 1763 and went down off Patagonia in 1770. 
 
The paper is dated 2006, so the archaeology findings may not be the latest, but the paper contains some interesting information.
Archaeological Research on HMS Swift.pdf
 
 
 
 

Definitely go with the laser cut grates.  
I have this kit and was wondering what to do with it.  Using the hull and scratching the rest sounds like fun.  
I following your build with renewed interest.  

Finished off the plankshear and am test fitting some trim.   
 
Rob

Small update - last set of pics above were premature. Fo'c'sle and poop deck are mostly done. Anchors and bowsprit stays and martingales installed.
 

 

Shaped the wooden deck and traced the attachment points. Not sure if I will cut the grating off the plastic deck or use the laser cut gratings we sell. Opinions?

Painted the inside bulwarks dark tan

Next step is to insert wooden blocks because I will be using pedestals, not the plastic cradle tht came with the kit.
First step is to rough up where the blocks will be with some 60 grit sandpaper.

Then some 5-minute epoxy to hold the blocks, which were tapered to fit the curve of the bottom.

Here's the kit decks

First, the vacuformed sails will be discarded. also, the plastic decking will be replace with wood. I took some glued-up decking, and painted it wood, then wiped it off with thinner. SInce the main deck was a little wider than the wood, I had to butt splice 2 sheets together. A scrap strip of 1/32 basswood added strength to the joint.

When flipped over, you can't see the joinery.

 

The Dupont glue has the fumes like Ambroid and produced strands to when the applicator was pulled away, by the time I was done building, the model looked like it was attacked by a spider.  
 
The stuff was also hot, put too much on and it would melt the plastic.  I remember building a 1/72 Japanese float plane one night, and the next morning, the pontoon and wings were melted from using too much glue.  Those old glues taught me how using less it better than using more.  
 
Things are a lot different today with CA glue pens and liquid cements that are applied with brush and syringe applicators.  

Next……I stained the decking and will wait to dry before I add any trim work…..such as the monkey rail cap and the weather deck(forecastle) rail head.   
 
Rob

Did a bit of work today……. beginning with the remodel of the bow and concave section up to the forecastle.   This had to be meticulously had created.   Blending the sharp below water angles to the more blunt concaved angle beneath the forecastle deck.
 
Here are some images of each side after I made the mod………a bow shot and a few others.
 
Rob 

Deck is glued on, ready for the next move
 
Rob

Spent some time working the forward deck house and plotting out the forecastle deck and the house roof 
 
The trick was getting it around the fore mast. No problem.  Just did a bit of measuring , cut out along the masts width and simply slid it in from the front and used the piece I removed and put it back.  Cut right along the deck strakes……no seams across any strakes.  
 
Rob

I added the framing for the forecastle decking and I began more work on the main forward cabin, and off bench I’m working on the 6 capstans and deck vents. 
 
Rob

overall view so far. 
upper yards footropes need work to look more neat. 
ili cam imagine with all brace it will looks like enormpus spider net. despitd thre is order in it. 
 
 
 

Oh man Vlad...she is looking good.  tying in those sheet to the clews can be diplomatic.  You're eliminating the bunt lines all together correct?
I see the stunnsail iron work, are you going to add the booms and their rigging.....or eliminate them too?
This girl can get busy real quick...can't she?
One thing your larger scale does provide and that is, larger rope and block details/connections.
 
I've noticed this a while back...but I like the little trick you use to secure the running lines to their belay pins on the rail.
You thread the line through the pin hole, then insert the pin.  Securing snugly without making it permanent.  Then when all is well glue it and make a rope coil for it.  Smart idea....when you have the room to thread.
 
Well...she's looking very fine Vlad...very fine.
 
Rob