Matrim

The twisted wire method has always worked well for me.
 

Not really, if used without a drill press stand. Dremels are great for grinding and cutting, but much less so for drilling. It's not egonomically designed for drilling. The problem becomes more apparent the smaller the drill bit diameter becomes. The weight of the Dremel motor and the way it has to be held makes holding the drill bit at any constant angle (e.g. 90 degrees) difficult. With small bits, a little bit of wobble and the bit is probably going to snap in two. Additionally, given the weight distribution, putting a bit exactly where you want it can be quite difficult for the same reason. The rigidity of the drill press is its greatest value.
 
Even though I have a couple of drill presses, when I'm not drilling repetitive holes in a row or where using a drill press isn't convenient, more often than not I use a pin vise or spiral drill to make small holes. https://www.amazon.com/SE-849PDS-Spiral-Drill-Spring/dp/B001HBY8KE  https://www.micromark.com/Pin-Vise-Drill-Bit-Set?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbuNtdiv6QIVsiCtBh16Ug0nEAQYAyABEgIuKPD_BwE https://www.grainger.com/product/39EP70?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbuNtdiv6QIVsiCtBh16Ug0nEAQYASABEgIoAfD_BwE&cm_mmc=PPC:+Google+PLA&ef_id=EAIaIQobChMIwbuNtdiv6QIVsiCtBh16Ug0nEAQYASABEgIoAfD_BwE:G:s&s_kwcid=AL!2966!3!281698275552!!!g!470847567000! At fifteen or twenty-five bucks, it don't get much cheaper than that.
 
Instead of buying a low-quality Asian mini-drill press, one might also consider buying a decent Dremel motor and a Vanda-Lay Industries drill press or milling machine that holds a Dremel motor. In that fashion, you have a drill press, or a mill, and a separate Dremel motor for other applications. https://www.vanda-layindustries.com/ (Don't buy the Dremel brand drill press holder. It lacks the necessary stability.)
 
               
 
 
          
 
Vanda-Lay has recently expanded their product line with their Acra Mill Plus. I just have their drill press, which I often use with the Dremel turned sideways as just a "Dremel holder" so I can have both hands free for polishing and grinding tasks. It's plenty good for small work and quite accurate. (I have a full-size drill press, as well.) The Acra Mill Plus will do milling and now has attachments for use as a lathe and circular saw, although the cost does add up as you add optional attachments. The real limitation of this tool system is the Dremel motor, which depends upon speed rather than torque and therefore has power limitations. These aren't replacements for serious dedicated highly accurate machine tools, but they come close enough for modeling work at a much lower price point. 
 
For a few bucks more, forget the Dremel motor and spring for a Foredom flex shaft tool.  https://www.foredom.net/product-category/flex-shaft-tools/  (Beware of the Asian knock-offs for a third the price.) These are the "gold standard" for rotary tool systems and, with proper care, will be enjoyed by your grandson long after you're gone. Vanda-Lay tells me they can provide the holder parts which will hold a one-inch diameter Foredom handpiece in their machining systems instead of any of the Dremel and other moto-tool motors. 
 
Now, a Foredom flex shaft machine and the Vanda-Lay Acra Mill and all its attachments will set you back somewhere in the neighborhood of a grand, which ain't chump change, but I don't know a less expensive option for a high quality fully-capable modeling machine shop, nor a more compact one. (Their drill press is $134.95) and they have a free shipping deal now, I believe.) There are more powerful and more highly accurate dedicated machines with greater complexity, but in comparison, I think the Vanda-Lay system really does give you the most bang for your buck and you can buy the various attachments over time as you grow into it. 
 
Usual disclaimer: I don't have any financial interest in Vanda-Lay. I just have found them to be a high quality product for what they are and their personal service is as close as my keyboard or phone. Nice people. Small family business. A lot like Jim Byrnes' products and service.
 
 
 
 

Just an observation on the drill press stand for a Dremel.  Stay completely away from the ones with a single pole and plastic mounting parts (usually Chinese made and some sold by good companies as low end product).  Everything may line up good before you're ready to drill the hole, but the thing will flex just from rotating the handle and once the bit hits the wood... all bets are off.   I have one still sitting in the corner of the my workshop to remind me about buying "cheap".
 
The Vanda-Lay, would be considered the best one.

Although I have totally succumbed to the dreaded syndrome, I do not regret it.  I would find it near impossible to do a POF scratch build without a drill press.  I also doubt that I could get enough use from one on a kit build to justify what I spent on it. 

Thanks, Dr. Per!! Slowly, but surely it's getting put together. Hope to be out there later today to continue....!
 
Hank

We bought our retirement home in 2018 and in so doing were forced to downsize. After renovations and a new sunroom in the back, we still had "stuff" and the only place to stuff it was a 16'x22' shed in the very back of the yard. Of course, as originally planned, this was going to be my modeling workshop but we all know how these "desires" soon go south - at least for a while anyhow!
 
We've been living here now 12 months and to be honest, a lot has taken place and I'm finally at the point (and place) to work on the old shed. Here is the starting point:

I did add power back in June by having my electrician bury #6 wires out to the bldg. (and a newer yard equip. shed to the left) where we installed a small sub-panel which powers everything out back:

I actually started work on the interior late last month after rearranging "stuff" so I could begin in the front right corner of the bldg. I better mention here that some of the "stuff" is all my ship model tools, parts, stash, books, plans, etc. and the rest is "our stuff" - usual accumulation of things that will never be used again!!!
 
I got power (lights) on about a month ago by re-wiring an existing GFCI/switch/Florescent fixture and then started locating receptacles on the left side of the bldg. Oh - I've already created a CAD layout that's been re-worked over the last year or so into its present layout. So, I actually have a plan to go by, albeit changes as reality dictates how things are done!
 
It dawned on me a couple weeks back that all this "stuff" needed a place to go and a fellow modeler and friend mentioned wanting to build a similar storage shed with loft. BINGO!!! Lights flashed and the word was - L-O-F-T!!! So, with his trailer to carry our loot from Lowe's, we spent an afternoon and built a 8' deep loft from side to side in the back of the shed:

Yesterday I once again relocated "stuff" back to the left side to continue the receptacle wiring around the back to the right side. That's where I'm at now. We've loaded up the loft (last picture) with "stuff" that is NOT modeling related to get things somewhat manageable on the floor. I hope to reframe and replace the back (broken) window and add two windows to the right side of the bldg. and that will probably happen in December. For those interested, all the wiring is 12/2 and lights are LED fixtures with the exception of the 8' long original (and now relocated) florescent fixture. I've allowed in the ceiling area for expansion of lighting by putting a junction box adjacent to the 8' fixture.
 
Comments welcomed!
 
Hank
 

Thanks to all who responded.  To mtaylor, cutting a new keel seems like a good idea if I can find plywood that thin - see pictures.  I like the idea as well of using spacers attached to the keel between bulkheads.  I get what michael101 is saying = the spacers should not push on the bulkheads but just straighten the keel.  To michael101, the warp is in the middle - see pictures.
 
I will start a build log.

My apologies.  I thought I had a good amount on hand and nada in those sizes and colors.   Make a new post asking if anyone has those sizes.  Heaven knows there's enough AL kits still floating around.
 
Edit.  I did a quick Google.  Use "artesania latina" and "parts" or "rigging".  There's still places selling it.

You must make a clamps up and down for all over the keel , glue the bulkheads then put the clamps on make it straight ..
then use the method of mtaylor !
dont push any bulkhead just make the supports to be exact size between the bulkheads then glue the supports from out side ...
make sure not to press the bulkheads with the supports ! 

So  another spit on the go  - this time I am rescuing the ICM Spit IX  kit  and turning it into a Seafire Mk.111  as I believe they were basically the same  apart from a few mods that I should be able to create  - seam on the wing that would have been for the  wing fold, and scribing under the bottom rear to simulate the cut out for the arester hook,  I will also fashion a hook and fit it  semi recessed,    the rest is basically  built  as  the kit  IX.
Reason I have chose to do this  is  during the war my father cut his teeth on Seafires  before moving on to RAF types.
 
So here it begins with the already fitted out cockpit wall - I  added the paintwork (cockpit green)  and picked out the details then my normal  pencil for shading and white highlight,   I then closed both sides together  as the cockpit floor/seat/insrument consol  are made as a unit  and popped in from underneath.
 
Here are the first pics.
 
OC.

Just a short posting from captain Slow 🙂. The shipyard activity has been low the last couple of weeks due to summer vacation with my family. First planking on on port side is almost finished and starboard (not show on this picture) is done 2/3.

Regards
 
Henrik

Time runs and it is now two weeks since I last did a post. First planking is still going on and will so for another couple of weeks. Some parts of the build result I am very happy about and others not. In general planking towards the aft looks a lot better than at the bow. The bow can be saved by filler and sanding but before that I will not show any pictures of the bow. That would be too embarrassing 😐. Instead I would like share some thoughts which came up yesterday about this problem.
 
Planking of the a hull of the size of Agamemnon has its challenges but also advantages. One row of planks stretches for about 850 mm. My apologies for not translating into imperial units 🙂. I have not got a clue. I have divided this length into typically three strips of alternating lengths. A 200-300 mm long strip is easy to handle and can be shaped and bent in practical way. Yesterday I started thinking why do the bow look so crappy when aft looks so good? My explanation is that I have started planking from bow to aft. When I come to the aft I tend to better see how each individual strip should be tapered  taking into account the natural curves of the hull. The first strip in a new planking "row" starting in the bow is difficult to get in a correct shape with correct tapering and stealers put in where they should be. I have therefore started planking from midships and going from there aft and towards the bow. The result after that change in planking approach  is much better!
 
In the meantime I will consider stripping off the worst part of the bow and as you can see on the second picture planking is closing in on the rudder post Ouhhhh!
 
Kind regards
 
Henrik


 
 
 

Hi all,
Just a short update as first planking progresses. I have now done about 20 planks from deck and down on both sides. I expect it to be another 15-20 from the keel and up. The sides look good, planking of the bow will need some filler before it will look OK and the last planks to the aft bending around the underside of the transom went very well. I have abounded the Amati  "Form-a-strip" for my "flame torch" method, see above. I first make the correct bend to the plank and when I am happy with that I once again re-heat the plank to give it the correct twist. Within minutes I have a plank which can be glued without applying any force 🙂. It is now 10 weeks into the build and I have put in about 80 hours. It has been a pleasure so far! It is a very good model.
 
Regards
 
Henrik 


 

 

Made a first try with the first plank coming from "underside" of the transom. I am not entirely happy with the result but I will wait until glue has set. Maybe I will take it away but a bit of sanding and filler may do for the moment. For the bending I used a combination of my own plank bending method and and the Amati "Form-a-strip". The Amati tool sort of chews on the wooden strip thus creating a bend which can be quite sharp or steep. I do not know if I liked it. I need to to practice more I think. Instead I will explain to you my own method. And yes, I know there are many many methods.... Mine is probably a bit brutal and comes with a warning. You can burn your fingers unless you are careful but with a bit of practice it works fine.
 
On the first picture there is a LPG (liquid propane gas) bottle with an attachment which I saved when my brother and I cleared our parents house. My parents were keen cross country skiers and the attachment to the propane bottle is for melting ski wax but I use it to bend wooden strips. I first soak the strip in water for a couple of minutes. I then light the gas at lowest possible power. I move the strip over the front edge of the attachment forth and back until warm and soft. I then start bending while still heating the strip. With a bit of practice the plank is bent and dry in minutes. The trick is to heat the wood as much as possible without over heating the surface in contact with the heated metal. Pyrolysis of wood starts around 250 degrees C. The wood turns dark or black and fumes. What I look for is 100 degree C or a little bit more. The dry substance of wood consists of cellulose, hemi-cellulose and lignin. The lignin acts as glue holding the cellulose fiber bundles together. The theory is to heat the wood so that ligin softens but without over heating.
 
Enough of wood chemistry! My method can probably be derived from some kind of mental occupational injury from working in pulp and paper industry during most of my career 🙂. Anyhow I am sure my parents would smile in their heaven if they could see how I use their ski waxing tool.
 
By the way, yesterday at the dinner table my wife complained saying that I nowadays spend more time with Aggy than I do paying attention to her. I did not know what to answer....
 
Regards
 
Henrik



 
 
 

Hi everybody,
 
Top and poop  decks is temporarily fixed as well as the bulwark patterns in order to mark out the first planks. I test fitted dowels for the fore mast, main mast and mizzen mast. The dowels show perfect alinement! Next step will be some balsa around the bow and after that start of first planking. 😎
 
Kind regards
 
Henrik

 


Test fit of a 9 pdr cannon. The grand admiral looked at the cannon and said it was cute. I wonder what Nelson would have said?

Hi everyone!
Last week I celebrated my birthday (53rd). From my wife I received HMS Agamemnon by Caldercraft. What a wife I have! To push me a little bit further I have decided to start a build log on my project in order to push myself and encourage others. I know there are so many skilled builders out there. I am perhaps not one of them but maybe I can help others avoiding the mistakes I eventually will do. I am a slow builder. I can be expected to put in 4-5 h a week into the project. The building instructions warns you to expect 1000-1200 h of building joy. With my tempo I will struggle for at least the next five years so be patient and enjoy my quest for the holy ship.
So far I have dry fitted all the bulkheads on the false keel as well as lower gun deck and bevelled edges. The garage where I do the building is white with dust which slowly spreads in the house. I have to vacuum clean the garage before the wife retakes the birthday present…
Whilst dry fitting I discovered that the upper side of the false keel is slightly banana shaped (not parallel to the bottom of the keel). It has its lowest height in the middle (around main mast) and the height by bulkhead 3 is different from that by bulkhead 14.
I first thought this very strange. The height difference from the highest to the lowest point is slightly less than 10 mm. That is 64 cm in reality. Imagine dropping a cannon ball on a sloping floor like that. Sailors will lose their legs! Checking drawing 1 I realized the lower gun deck is bent into the banana shape of the upper side of the false keel. I cannot remember anyone commenting this on Caldercraft’s Aggy. I will now follow the drawings in hope that lower gun ports will be correctly located. Anyone who wants to comment on this? I suppose Caldercraft’s lower gun deck is not an exact depiction of the reality.
Kind regards
Henrik

Thanks for all the replies
 
I am going with Matrim's advice. Have progress quite a bit whilst on nightshift, with the redrawing of the lines. I now also understand Matrim's statement on warped paper, as I see it on the plans.
 
Will start a topic shortly, so that I can get advice on where I am making mistakes and how certain things should be done. I am also making use of the write up EdT did in his book on drawing of plans,  Thank you EdT, as well as the good people on this forum.
 
Regards
 
Andre 

I used the default of the thinest line possible. When drawing the line you can drill in to such a large amount that you place that line what wouod appear to be the middle of the drawn line and that goes a slight way to coping with the vagaries of warped paper and sometimes moving lines.
 
Tying to match plan widths with specified widths may cause difficulties with sizing and printing with some CAD systems as well.

I used the default of the thinest line possible. When drawing the line you can drill in to such a large amount that you place that line what wouod appear to be the middle of the drawn line and that goes a slight way to coping with the vagaries of warped paper and sometimes moving lines.
 
Tying to match plan widths with specified widths may cause difficulties with sizing and printing with some CAD systems as well.

I would say "it depends".
 
If you are trying to duplicate the original then duplicate the original line weights.
 
If you are trying to create a pretty picture then use the line weight that you think looks best.
 
If you are trying to produce a plan to use as templates then choose a narrower line that is still dark enough when printed.
 
But don't get hung up on line weights at the moment, it's better to get them in the right place first, you can change them later. See my Lapwing thread, I'm using all colours and weights so I can more easily see and differentiate the lines. Drawing a thin black line over a thicker black line makes it hard to see what you've done. As I finalise them I'll reduce the number of colours and line weights to suit a nice print.

Kit or scratch? Its looking nice regardless though you are brave having it close to the laptop (dust and laptops..)

Try making your eyebolt by twisting a piece of wire around the appropriate diameter drill bit to give the correct ID.  This leaves you with a "pig tail" rather than a single piece of wire to insert into the deck.  Drill the hole in the deck slightly smaller than required and then screw the "pig tail" in to the hole after applying a little two-part epoxy.  This gives a lot more surface area for the epoxy to take hold. 

Question:  What is a good way to secure eyebolts so they don't pull out later?  (other than CY glue)
 
Setup:  I have  an enclosed POB hull that requires MANY eyebolts to be installed. 
 
History:  On other builds this had been an easy practice of drilling in a hole equal to the diameter of the eyebolt stem (hopefully at an angle separate from the rigging pull) and apply CY glue to the stem before pushing through the hole.  Since i do not have access to the lower part, this was all I could do.
 
Drawbacks:  You usually end up with a little puddle of CY glue around the bolt that even with the best wiping will not take a finish like the rest of the surrounding deck.  BIGGEST ISSUE:  I have had a couple pull out when rigging.  I try not to put too much tension on the lines, but there is some.
 
Idea:  I am pondering creating a much larger hole than the eyebolt diameter (but still pretty small).  Offship I will create a matching plug.  The plug would be drilled out for the eyebolt and the eyebolt pushed through WITH NO GLUE.  Now the plug would be flipped over, the eyebolt bent to prohibit it going back through the hull and CY glue applied at this end.  Once complete the plug would be glued into the hull.  This would provide a much larger gluing area and shouldn't pull out (the plug or eyebolt).
 
Is there a simpler idea out there that I am overlooking?  I will try a prototype for pics if my words have confused.
 
Thanks for any help,
Mark

I'd say jump in also.  The MK kits are well thought out. Also, open a build log as it's a great way to get help.