DocBlake
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DocBlake got a reaction from CiscoH in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake reacted to dvm27 in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
Lovely work, Doc! As nice as those notches look I wonder if you'll still find fitting those filler pieces into them a pain. I certainly did.
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DocBlake reacted to tlevine in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
Greg, aren't they supposed to be a pain? Looking good, Dave.
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
After the capstan location was defined by the hole, construction of the barrel began. The barrel is the most important part of the model because it established the shape of the capstan, sets the angles and spacing of the whelps and determines the location of the chock. In the advanced version of the model, the capstan barrel is, for the most part, a 10 sided polyhedron with each face being 36 degrees. This is easy to produce with a mill. For those without a mill, we make 10 “orange slices" of two different sizes for the ten faced polyhedron. These are then glued together radially. This is easier to understand from looking at the photos than it is from my explanation! The result is a ten-faced barrel with every other faced recessed to fit the whelps.
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
In the exact center of the step is a hole for the capstan barrel. This is invisible on the final model but it allows the capstan to rotate. The best way to bore the hole is with a Forstner bit. The plans call for a 11/16” hole. I don’t have an 11/16" Forstner bit so I used a 5/8" bit instead. Worked fine!
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
The capstan step is made of 4 parts: 3 visible, and one not visible -which holds the step between the deck beams. I chose boxwood for the step. The advanced practicum calls for the step to be constructed with 2 ship-lapped joints. I took the easy way out and used butt joints. The joints between the step parts were “caulked” with black acrylic paint. Bolt heads and a hole for the capstan barrel will come a little later.
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DocBlake got a reaction from SJSoane in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
Thanks, Grant! Toni PM'd me about the changes. I'm saving the hatch and grating for last.
Last step in deck prep: Using right angle tools to square up the assembly and the final result!
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
Thanks, Grant!
The three deck beams and four carlings are joined to form the deck, and support the hatch and grating, as well as the capstan step. The practicum suggests two ways of doing this. The first is like the actual historical joinery used. The carlings fit into stopped dadoes or “blind mortises" in each beam, the upper surface of the carling being visible and flush with the deck beams. The second method is easier, if historically inaccurate. It involves making “diagonal” mortise and tenon joints as noted in the first two photos below from the practicum. Once glued together, both decks look the same.
I chose a different method. After marking the mortise locations on the beams, I cut them through the full thickness of the beam, rather than leaving them stopped or “half blind". I then "filled in " the bottom of each mortise up to the bottom border of the carlings with wood to simulate a half blind joint. It the filler pieces come from the same billet of wood as the beams and carling, the “cheat" is barely visible! I've used this technique on several decks in the past.
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
Welcome, Bruce!
Let’s get started. The project is composed of several substructures. These include the deck framing (beams and carlings), the capstan step, the hatch and grating and the capstan itself. These can be built in any order, but it makes sense to start with the deck framing.
I chose beech for the deck beams and carlings. It looks very much like the oak that would have been used, but the grain/pore structure is much finer than oak. At 1:16 scale it looks about perfect. I milled up the blanks for the beams (1/2" thick X 5/8" wide) and the carlings (3/8" square).
Since the model involves only a narrow portion on the centerline of the deck, no camber was designed into the beams. This makes construction much easier. The photos show the grain and the cut out blanks.
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DocBlake got a reaction from GrandpaPhil in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
This will be my build log for a scratch built English Naval Capstan circa 1777, The scale is 1:16 (3/4” = 1’). Toni Levine, a name familiar to many of you, produced the plans and accompanying practicum. Toni was assisted by Mike Lonnecker, Bob Andreotti and Alan O'Neill. The result was 29 individual sheets in the planset. The model is only 6” X 6” in size without the capstan bars, so you get the idea as to the level of detail in those plans. In addition, although drawn in 1:16 scale for the most part, all measurements are given in real-life size, so scaling up or down is relatively easy to do. There are actually two versions of the practicum in the package. The first is for intermediate modelers who may own a Dremel tool and a miniature table saw. The second requires owning and knowing how to use a lathe and a mill. I don’t have a mill so I opted for the intermediate version . As is my preference, I’ll try to avoid paint or stain in the build. The bulk of the timbers will be beech, boxwood, pear , bloodwood and holly. Below is the frontspiece from Toni’s practicum showing the finished capstan.
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DocBlake got a reaction from Canute in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake got a reaction from Cathead in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake got a reaction from JpR62 in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake got a reaction from usedtosail in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
All five whelps are identical and they sit on the “recessed” faces of the barrel polyhedron. The first step is to cut out five blanks for the whelps (and a couple extra) and shape their profile. I used rubber cement to glue the template pattern for each whelp to the boxwood blank. I cut them out with the scroll saw and used files, sanding sticks and a disk sander to define the final shape. There are two pair of notches on each whelp, one at the top and another pair near the bottom. These are for fitting the upper and lower chocks. It’s a custom fit, and comes a little later. The notches can be cut with a chisel, but I found a sharp X-Acto works better! The first photo is a detail of the whelps from the plans. The second shows the steps Toni used to shape the whelps. It comes from the practicum. The last photos are my whelps, with the chock bolts in place.
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DocBlake got a reaction from Cathead in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
After the capstan location was defined by the hole, construction of the barrel began. The barrel is the most important part of the model because it established the shape of the capstan, sets the angles and spacing of the whelps and determines the location of the chock. In the advanced version of the model, the capstan barrel is, for the most part, a 10 sided polyhedron with each face being 36 degrees. This is easy to produce with a mill. For those without a mill, we make 10 “orange slices" of two different sizes for the ten faced polyhedron. These are then glued together radially. This is easier to understand from looking at the photos than it is from my explanation! The result is a ten-faced barrel with every other faced recessed to fit the whelps.
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DocBlake got a reaction from JpR62 in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
After the capstan location was defined by the hole, construction of the barrel began. The barrel is the most important part of the model because it established the shape of the capstan, sets the angles and spacing of the whelps and determines the location of the chock. In the advanced version of the model, the capstan barrel is, for the most part, a 10 sided polyhedron with each face being 36 degrees. This is easy to produce with a mill. For those without a mill, we make 10 “orange slices" of two different sizes for the ten faced polyhedron. These are then glued together radially. This is easier to understand from looking at the photos than it is from my explanation! The result is a ten-faced barrel with every other faced recessed to fit the whelps.
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DocBlake got a reaction from KentM in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
After the capstan location was defined by the hole, construction of the barrel began. The barrel is the most important part of the model because it established the shape of the capstan, sets the angles and spacing of the whelps and determines the location of the chock. In the advanced version of the model, the capstan barrel is, for the most part, a 10 sided polyhedron with each face being 36 degrees. This is easy to produce with a mill. For those without a mill, we make 10 “orange slices" of two different sizes for the ten faced polyhedron. These are then glued together radially. This is easier to understand from looking at the photos than it is from my explanation! The result is a ten-faced barrel with every other faced recessed to fit the whelps.
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DocBlake got a reaction from Canute in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
In the exact center of the step is a hole for the capstan barrel. This is invisible on the final model but it allows the capstan to rotate. The best way to bore the hole is with a Forstner bit. The plans call for a 11/16” hole. I don’t have an 11/16" Forstner bit so I used a 5/8" bit instead. Worked fine!
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DocBlake got a reaction from Cathead in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
In the exact center of the step is a hole for the capstan barrel. This is invisible on the final model but it allows the capstan to rotate. The best way to bore the hole is with a Forstner bit. The plans call for a 11/16” hole. I don’t have an 11/16" Forstner bit so I used a 5/8" bit instead. Worked fine!
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DocBlake got a reaction from KentM in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
In the exact center of the step is a hole for the capstan barrel. This is invisible on the final model but it allows the capstan to rotate. The best way to bore the hole is with a Forstner bit. The plans call for a 11/16” hole. I don’t have an 11/16" Forstner bit so I used a 5/8" bit instead. Worked fine!
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DocBlake got a reaction from Canute in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
The capstan step is made of 4 parts: 3 visible, and one not visible -which holds the step between the deck beams. I chose boxwood for the step. The advanced practicum calls for the step to be constructed with 2 ship-lapped joints. I took the easy way out and used butt joints. The joints between the step parts were “caulked” with black acrylic paint. Bolt heads and a hole for the capstan barrel will come a little later.
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DocBlake got a reaction from Archi in Granado 1742 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:32 Scale - Bomb Vessel Cross-Section
Thanks, Pat and everyone for the "likes!
I finished up the mortar bed. It was a complex little build that took several days, but was a fun project on it's own. The varying thicknesses of wood that needed to be milled and when stacked on each other so the top of the bed was flat called for a lot of precision and caused lots of heartburn! But..it's done!
Mortar beds were originally stationary on deck, so to aim, the ship needed to move such that the mortar lined up with it's target. Not very practical. The solution was to put the bed on a revolving "lazy susan" that sits in the recess in the mortar pit. The rotation was around an iron spindle, shown in the photos as a 5/32" brass rod. This allowed greater ease of aiming, but made it necessary to pay attention so one didn't shoot the masts, yards and rigging of one's own ship!
When not in use, the mortar was lowered into the horizontal position resting on the transom of the bed, and the entire bed was rotated so the mortar was aligned with the long axis of the ship. Because of the wear and tear the mortar barrel would cause resting on the top of the transom, I added a sacrificial transom board to the top that could be replaced if needed. Sort of like billboards for the anchors. The red arrow points this out.
The mortar is 3D printed. I'll be using a cast mortar for the model.
Next up is the mortar housing.
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DocBlake got a reaction from KentM in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
The capstan step is made of 4 parts: 3 visible, and one not visible -which holds the step between the deck beams. I chose boxwood for the step. The advanced practicum calls for the step to be constructed with 2 ship-lapped joints. I took the easy way out and used butt joints. The joints between the step parts were “caulked” with black acrylic paint. Bolt heads and a hole for the capstan barrel will come a little later.
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DocBlake got a reaction from CiscoH in British Capstan circa 1777 by DocBlake - FINISHED - 1:16 Scale
The capstan step is made of 4 parts: 3 visible, and one not visible -which holds the step between the deck beams. I chose boxwood for the step. The advanced practicum calls for the step to be constructed with 2 ship-lapped joints. I took the easy way out and used butt joints. The joints between the step parts were “caulked” with black acrylic paint. Bolt heads and a hole for the capstan barrel will come a little later.
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