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Rik Thistle

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  1. Rik Thistle
    Hi, After assembling and fitting the masts and bowsprint/jibboom I've made a tentative start on the rigging. Yup....another whole new set of skills required for the rigging. RichardG was kind enough to advise I read up on 'seizing' and I have had a go on some of the ropes, but there are so many.... Anyway, here's 3x pics of the little progress made since last time. Masts ect glued into place ...main mast at 76 deg 30 secs and foremast at 79 deg ....with a bit of luck. The foremast has the only rigging done so far. Close up of some rigging. Some seizing on some of the ropes but not on others (but maybe later). Deadeyes have rotated so ropes look a bit twisted - will try to rectify. Close up of the upper section of the foremast. That's all folks, Catch you soon, Richard
  2. Rik Thistle
    Hi Al, My rough and ready (but flexible) solution is to use 3x pieces of hardboard duct taped together. 3x pieces, so that they can be easily folded up for storage. Side view of my Plan Holder sitting on a rotating chair. The plan is held in position at the top by two clips. The natural fold at the bottom of the plan can be made to coincide with the lower hardboard join by adjusting the clamping position of the plan at the top. There is a piece of sheet metal behind the top two sections of the holder to stop the top section flopping backwards. A piece of 6mm thick plywood (or similar) would be just as good. There is duct tape on both sides of the 3x joins. The tape was added whilst the 3x pieces of hardboard were folded against each other rather than the 3x piceces lying flat on the floor...that stops the tape tearing when the 3x pieces are folded for storage. The rough side of the hardboard may need additional stapling to stop the tape coming off. The plan holder also acts as a temporary 'workbench' and is a bit lower than my desk (so easier to work on mast ropes etc) and the chair can rotate appx +/- 90 deg for slightly easier access to the rear of the model (but not as good as a proper Lazy Susan). I wouldn't leave the ship sitting on the holder 'workbench' unattended if there are other people using the room since it is quite easy to nudge the holder's corner as you move past it. Regards, Richard
  3. Rik Thistle
    Richard, Ah..... that's what I've been looking for. Many thanks. 'Seizing'...another new word for my rapidly growing shipbuilding dictionary! Google has thrown up pages of results...time to start reading ;-) All the best, Richard
  4. Rik Thistle
    I may have figured out the knot question. If I look at the Dallas knot drawing with a magnifying glass it looks like the main rope (say 145) has it's end looped back on itself, then a seperate piece of rope is wound round the original rope's two diameters to hold the loop firm? Richard
  5. Rik Thistle
    Jorge, I got the same lathe a few weeks ago. Very compact and good for what it is. Agreed, the live centre is very good. A little slop in the tailstock, and my tool rest also had a very rough finish....but a bit of filing and fine emery cloth soon polished it up. All the best, Richard
  6. Rik Thistle
    Hi guys, I wonder if I can seek some advice regarding 'knots'. I'm about to start attaching lines to the masts etc and tie off those lines. The Dallas drawing sheet below shows the various knots used.... I've had a look at https://www.animatedknots.com/complete-knot-list .... but can't see anything relating to how the 3x knots (145, 144 and 138) in the top left corner are made. The first two look a bit like a noose slip knot but I don't imagine ships used slip knots? Any thoughts or advice on how to make 145, 144 and 138? Thanks, Richard
  7. Rik Thistle
    Hyw, Even as a newcomer to this particular hobby, I can recognise an extremely high level of engineering excellence when I see it. In particular, this picture sent tingles down my spine ... It seems you have designed and manufactured a one-off measuring/machining table which can be computer (and manually) controlled in the X,Y and Z axes. I note the Proxxon rotary tool swung out of the way, but ready to be moved in to position to accurately machine what lies beneath. Also, you have carefully affixed to the table (referenced to the CNC control datum point) a 1:1 scale plan drawing of the hull as an approximate guide for manually placing the parts. Mind boggling stuff. I'd love to see a build log of how you designed/made the measuring/machining table - that would be an extremely interesting story in it's own right. I look forward to your next steps. All the very best from Scotland, Richard
  8. Rik Thistle
    Talos, Good to hear the National Gallery has faithful colours in their prints.....I guess I shouldn't expect anything else from them. I'm still pondering what size to order 😉 Roger, I'm glad you got the chance to view some of Turner's works. They can be quite mystical and some, at first glance, seem to be a mushy wash of pastel colours, but on closer inspection the story and the skill emerge. Steven, I don't recall ever having seen 'First rate taking in stores'... what a painting! Hmm...should I be ordering a print of that also? And 'yes', the The Fighting Temeraire would make a wonderful diorama, especially if it mimicked Turner's lighting. Have a good weekend, Richard
  9. Rik Thistle
    Thanks Steven, Yes, the new Proxxon lathe is very capable for small stuff. I'm looking for excuses to use it now. The last time I was on a woodworking lathe was at school, many moons ago. Those lathes were free standing and much larger, but the principles of operation are much the same. I'm enjoying doing the Dallas. But the further I go the more I'm beginning to understand why historical accuracy plays such a big role in many of the threads on this forum. For me at this time, it's more of an educational exercise learning about the best ways to 'manufacture' the model ship, all the names of the items used etc and then and just getting to the finishing post. Best regards, Richard
  10. Rik Thistle
    OK, thanks Richard. Yes, probably a stray piece of wood that might have been meant for another kit. Since it's been with me for 25yrs + I feel duty bound to find somewhere on the ship to use it 😉 ...maybe make it into a hatch, or something. Regards, Richard
  11. Rik Thistle
    Richard, I'm also building the Dallas. Still working on the masts etc. But I've noticed (for quite a while) a piece of wood lurking in the box that I have no idea what it is for. It looks like it is walnut, 460mm long. At one end it is 5mm x 5mm square and then neatly tapers down to the far end where it is 5mm x 1.3mm. It kinda matches the length of the hull but I see no mention of it in the Parts list or on the drawings. Any ideas? Thanks and regards, Richard
  12. Rik Thistle
    Louie, Talos, You've got me thinking now. I've had 3x Turner prints (IIRC, bought from Edinburgh galleries) hanging in my living room for donkey's years. But now I realise I need another one in my new 'shipyard' (former study). The National Gallery has a good description of the painting's story .... https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/joseph-mallord-william-turner-the-fighting-temeraire ...and also sells prints. I believe the original painting was 48" x 36". OK, now to decide on the size of Temeraire print, a suitable frame and where in the shipyard I can hang it. I find it a very relaxing painting, if a bit sad. regards, Richard
  13. Rik Thistle
    In June I watched Channel 5's (UK TV channel) programme on JMW Turner's masterpiece painting, The Fighting Temeraire. It's available on My5 catch-up till 2024.... https://www.my5.tv/great-paintings-of-the-world-with-andrew-marr/season-1/episode-3-fb5b7964-3461-4c0d-92f6-37738312b665 Turner has always been one of my favourite artists but I didn't appreciate the poignancy of the scene depicted in this particular painting. For a noobie model shipbuilder like me it brought home the significance of each and every ship build and their finite lives. Wiki summarises the gist of the programme ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fighting_Temeraire The Fighting Temeraire, tugged to her last berth to be broken up, 1838 is an oil painting by the English artist Joseph Mallord William Turner, painted in 1838 and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1839.[1] The painting depicts the 98-gun HMS Temeraire, one of the last second-rate ships of the line to have played a role in the Battle of Trafalgar, being towed up the Thames by a paddle-wheel steam tug in 1838, towards its final berth in Rotherhithe to be broken up for scrap. The painting hangs in the National Gallery, London, having been bequeathed to the nation by the artist in 1851. In a poll organised by BBC Radio 4's Today programme in 2005, it was voted the nation's favourite painting.[2] In 2020 it was included on the new 20-pound note. It really is a great TV episode. Regards, Richard. PS: Has anyone ever build a model of the scene depicted in the painting?
  14. Rik Thistle
    Hi all, Work continues slowly on the Dallas. I've been concentrating on the two masts and associated booms. To assist with tapering masts etc I bought a Proxxon DB250 lathe (plus 3 jaw chuck, tailstock chuck and set of wood turning tools). No major grumbles with the lathe...it's good for what it costs (£160) and does the job. Minor grumbles are.... the tailstock has side-aways slop, unscrewing the live centre and fitting the tail chuck in it's place is time consuming and the plastic collets leave small marks on the workpiece. Lathe overall...8.5/10 🙂 Making a new 2mm Dia length for inserting into the end of one of the booms. I accidentally broke off the existing 2mm Dia end of that boom. Sanding...using a smooth wooden off-cut underneath to support the downforce of the sanding block. The two masts, plus booms. Nothing stained or glued together yet. Still reading the instructions' small print for anything I've missed. See above, my new Razor Saw, bought initially for cutting the 2mm slots, one in the end of each boom. I did a bit of practice with the saw on scrap dowel first to get a feel for it and see what kind of cut it makes. It's blade is only 0.008" thick, and it certainly does make a 0.008" cut - impressive. So I made two saw cuts in the boom end by eye, the two cuts being about 1mm apart and then tucked a piece of folded over Medium sandpaper into the slot to sand it to the correct width. I had drilled a 1mm Dia hole at the top of each slot before sawing to stop crack propagation; I also tied the largest boom with string as belt and braces. Otherwise, I've been spending far too much time reading all sorts of stuff on this website ;-)....and also researching manufacturing techniques (...including buying 'Ship Modelling Simplified by Frank Mastini). OK, that's all for now. See you all soon'ish, Richard PS: I've tried to edit/delete the 3x images below but they keep coming back after Save. Help! (Edit...sorted...made the surplus images 1 pixel x 1 pixel)
  15. Rik Thistle
    Jim, I really enjoy the atmosphere you create in your paintings. Very enjoyable. And I agree, that side profiles of boats and ships can sometimes get a bit boring. I'd much rather see the ship(s) 'working' than posing. And these paintings are mostly done in 2 or 3 hours. Bob Ross would be jealous 😉 All the best, Richard
  16. Rik Thistle
    Hi B.E. I had found this website a few days ago .... https://www.stbfportsoy.org/boats/ I can understand the need for the restorers to seek sponsorship, but I imagine the fishermen at the start of the last century wouldn't have had whisky ads on their sails, but you never know! The pics on the website tend to show a browner colour (as you note) to the sails, so I ordered Rit dye for when I get round to working on the Fifie. Your sails look great, as does the boat. I can't really think of a proper way to 'brown' the white stitching ...but maybe a running a black or brown indelible marker pen down the stitching would somewhat push it into the background? Regards, Richard PS: Does anyone know if it is possible to reduce the size of images in my posts using the supplied webpage editor? Or do I need to use PS/Paint.net etc to do that before posting?
  17. Rik Thistle
    Hi B.E. Anstruther is a lovely little town and I've walked around the harbour many times. Little did I know that one day it would have a new interest for me. Anstruther also has a famous Fish and Chips shop, with lengthy queues during the summer, but worth the wait. I have friends near St Andrews that I visit a few times a years and Anstruther is only a minor detour .So no excuses for me now to not have another visit to the harbour and have a look at the museum. Thanks for the heads-up. If/when I do find anything of interest I'll post pics ect on this website. All the best, Richard
  18. Rik Thistle
    B.E. Thanks for a rapid response, and that information is very useful. I'm quite impressed by the Proxxon lathe, bearing in mind it is what it is. Only slight niggle is the tailstock base can rotate slightly on the bed (as others have mentioned) meaning the live centre (or drill) doesn't line up automatically with the centre of the collet. But I can manage that. And it's not metal we are 'machining' so the tolerances of the workpiece can be a bit slacker. Anyway, now that I've found your Fifie build I'll be watching it with great and admiring interest 🙂 All the best, Richard PS: I live quite close to Scotland's East coast and am hatching a devious plan to see if I can visit relevant local museums, preservation societies, harbours etc to hunt down some Fifies. From Googling I see there are a still few about. But that will have to wait till CV Shielding is over. In a perfect world, I'd like to get some pics of one taking to sea in fairly rough (but not dangerous) weather.
  19. Rik Thistle
    Hi BE, New member here. Once I finish my Dallas Cutter I have a Vanguard Model's Fifie waiting in a box downstairs 🙂 I also received my Proxxon DB250 lathe on Saturday from Hobbies Ltd. 3 Jaw Chuck, Tailstock Chuck and Woodturning tools sourced from Amazon UK. Dare I ask a couple of questions about your lathe set-up? Not Pros/Cons Qs but.... 1) are you using woodturning tools to taper the mast, or just sandpaper? 2) do you steady the long mast 'by hand' to prevent it whipping between the collet and live centre, or do you use a Steady of some sort? Your Fifie looks great, by the way. And the paint colours bring it all to life. Best regards, Richard
  20. Rik Thistle
    Thank you for all the kind welcoming wishes. Very glad to be here. I have now posted a partial build log for my Dallas 1815. Voted for 'By Era' on the database poll. And appreciate the importance of TAGS for helping in searching for topics. I have to say the quality of craftsmanship shown in the build logs is breathtaking. Some of the 'deck' pictures feel like I could actually walk on there and operate the ship's equipment. Anyway, give it time ;-) Best regards, Richard
  21. Rik Thistle
    Thanks Edward, And Richard...I have now posted a build log for my Dallas Cutter...you convinced me ;-) Regards, Richard
  22. Rik Thistle
    Hi everyone, Here is my slow-time build log of the Dallas Cutter. The pictures are a bit rough and ready and were taken originally as a memory jogger for myself...little did I know.... 😉 The Dallas was started 25 years ago and I got as far as finishing the hull before the project was put into cold storage. Here is the front cover of the box which contained all the parts, 3x very good layout drawing sheets and a (sometimes confusing) 15 page Instruction Booklet 25 yrs ago the hull starts to get the planking fitted. Hull planking finished. Decking started. Hull and decking finished, mostly. June/July 2020. Deck fittings etc installed. Some parts highlighted with 'Canadian Cedar' Danish Oil. Railings being installed. Note: new £15 battery powered Banggood 'Dremel' bottom right. It works OK and battery lasts a reasonable time. However the supplied brass collets don't have their holes drilled in the centre of the collet so drills cut slightly large (and vibrate). I also have an actual battery powered Dremel + extension cable, but it is a bit heavy handed for the finer work. Almost ready for masts and rigging. Dummy deck idea, to facilitate the assembly of mast and rigging away from the 'real' ship to prevent damage to deck fittings. I'm unsure whether I'll actually use this dummy deck...might just fit straight onto real ship....pondering. OK, that's it for now. Any advice/comments gladly received. All the best, Richard
  23. Rik Thistle
    JeffT, RichardG, Thanks for the kind words. Yes Richard, I've read through your build a few times...very useful. I'll have a think about the Dallas build log, or maybe a retrospective one since personal health issues (nothing that serious) are currently taking priority. Best regards, Richard
  24. Rik Thistle
    Wefalck, Good reply, thanks. The Dallas only has two masts and no sails but I see 'complexity' from a beginner's perspective. I've already made a dummy deck with a 1:1 photocopy of the deck plan glued to it. And the two mast holes (centres measured using Vernier calipers) are drilled in the dummy deck (at the correct angle) and the masts pushed in there. I may start doing the mast and rigging work on the dummy deck and get a 'feel' for the complexity and, if confident, then transfer it to the real deck part of the way through the exercise. Thanks again for your input, Best regards, Richard
  25. Rik Thistle
    Hi Martin, I had thought about it but need to build up courage! My Dallas hull was built 25 yrs ago and there may be a couple of pics of it somewhere, so that just leaves the masts and rigging. So not much to report on. However, I will definitely consider doing a full build log of the Fifie,, with pics etc in a couple of months time. Best regards, Richard

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