allanyed

About time!!!!!   I am very happy to see this log, and,  using methods I had not seen in your past work.
 
Allan

After seeing what Michael in Santa Monica has done with his Vasa I am a bit ashamed to publish this new video, but here it is any way.
 
I wanted to make 16 guns that are only 6 pounders for my next project.
They are very small, but here I try to show how I went about this.
Oh, you might turn up the sound for this.
 

They are not yet finished, need new barrels, etc.

About time!!!!!   I am very happy to see this log, and,  using methods I had not seen in your past work.
 
Allan

John,
 
Very nice metal work indeed.  What vessel and scale?
 
Thanks
 
Allan

John,
 
Very nice metal work indeed.  What vessel and scale?
 
Thanks
 
Allan

Mike,
 
I strongly suggest you invest in a pair of quality parallel grip pliers with straight (not tapered) sides. For the brass work below, I annealed the brass as Mark suggested, scored the strip where I wanted the bend, inserted into the plier at 90* to the side, bent, and gave it a small tap with a hammer.
 
I seem to recall that you can find the pliers for about $20. I use them constantly when working with metal.
 
Best,
John
 

 

Joel, Mark, et al,
 
Scroll down in this forum and you will see a thread called re-hardening brass. The basic answer is: one can't.
 
I'm having a bit of a hard time imagining when you would need to do it. Under almost all circumstances where I'm worried about strength, I'm sure to silver solder my bands, eye-bolts, or whatever. There's a small learning curve but I now find it easier than soft soldering.
 
Best,
John
 
Joel,
 
Here's the pic.s and links
 

 
http://www.micromark.com/parallel-jaw-plier-flat-nose-with-straight-jaws,11523.html

This is where I wish I were building at a larger scale!
 
First the central spine elements were cut from 3" thick stock, with the exception of the stern post. This was cut from 4½" wood. The keel is very light at only 3" square and has a 1" rabbet cut into it. To prevent total insanity, I cut a scratch moulding contour into a piece of hacksaw blade. By rubber cementing the blank to some scrap board, this held it firmly. I cut the rabbet in for most of its length. To prevent an uneven rabbet, I cut the steel profile so that it bottomed out on the board at the correct depth.
 
The stern post was tapered from its full thickness at the top to 3" at the foot. All the various scarph joints were then fitted using - believe it or not - a ½" chisel. When I was satisfied with them, I glued up stem, keel, stern post and stern standard or deadwood. The rest of the rabbet was carefully cut using a scalpel blade and very well-honed chisels. The bow was especially challenging at this scale, as the planks come in almost parallel to the stem.
 
There may be a hiatus before the next instalment as I now have restoration work in the studio, and that has to take precedence.

About time!!!!!   I am very happy to see this log, and,  using methods I had not seen in your past work.
 
Allan

Now for something a little different: the Greenwich Hospital ceremonial barge of 1832. There is a draught in the RMG, formerly NMM, collection of this lovely sleek barge that makes an attractive subject. (Image allowable use by RMG.) Normally such small craft are modelled at a larger scale, but as I've been building at 1:48 scale for decades, why stop now?
 
This is a part-time 'fun' project between other professional work, so this log may be rather sporadic. 
 
The first task was to develop a workable set of lines from the rather sparse draught. There were relatively few body sections (somewhat fanciful, as it turned out!) and no waterlines. One item that tripped me up for a while was what appeared to be the line of a 'knuckle' on the half breadth. While it more or less fitted the fore body, I could not get this to reconcile aft. Eventually I saw two very faint lines on the body plan: it was, in fact, a proof diagonal. Duh! Once I'd figured that out, everything fell into place and a fair hull form resulted.
 
The clinker planked hull will be built on a plug, so basswood was prepared to exact thickness for the two half-hulls, less the thickness of the keel, stem and stern posts. One interesting complication is the pink-style extension of the stern (see sketch). 
 
Next up: cutting out the various lifts and assembling them.

The technique I used for plans is simple. I downloaded the jpg of 74 gun 3rd rate from NMM and copied it into MS Word.  
The length of the gun deck was set using the Word Picture Tools line at the required measurement. Based on the ship's gun deck length (168 ft) and the scale 1:144 the line was sized to the correct length. The line was superimposed over the image and the image sized so that the gun deck matched the line.
 
This image sizing must be preserved for all parts of the plan including the sections.
 
The section part of the plan was cropped to the half for both the forward and after sections and replicated, flipped horizontally and joined with the other half so there were two diagrams of full sections one forward and one aft.
 
With MS Word picture tools, the lines on the sections were drawn over with the spline tool so they would be clearly visible.
Since the sections are by station, each set of frames between stations will be identical (to start with) later on they will be faired to get the correct frame thickness.
 
Each section frame lines are copied separately and printed twice - once for pasting onto a template which will be used for shaping the frames and another mounted on a wood block as the jig for assembling the section frames.
 
Here is shown a jig with a template mounted on the pins which hold the frames.
  The pins are the same distance apart for the upper and lower futtocks so that they will fit in the shaping jig as will come in the next post.   A test set of frames was built on the jig with 4 frames each of 4 futtocks and the spacers of veneer. The scarphs were made to strengthen the futtock joints and chocks joined the first futtocks.  
The scarphs have been changed to straight diagonal to ease the shaping.

It's the first picture in the first post in the thread I linked to.
 
No need to click back to that thread again just for the picture, here it is again:
 

The first one I made of solid mahogany for the plate and thin birch plywood for the splitter.
For the next ones (see attached picture) I used 3mm (1/8") birch plywood for the plate which helps to keep the edge near the holes intact.
 
Start by cutting the plate to size, bore and countersink the screw holes before thinning down these borders and before rounding over the corners.
 
As the recess in the table is too thin to receive a stable enough wooden zero clearance plate I used thicker wood (the 3mm ply) and thinned it down where it sits on the aluminium ledge in the table, using the Byrnes saw itself to do so: raise the blade by as much as you need to reduce the plate thickness - there are quite a few cuts to do, start with the innermost ones. Clean up the surfaces with a chisel, knife or scraper.
 
Once the plate fits the recess (it should be perfectly level and drop in nicely without applying any force at all, if it's a bit a loose fit that's fine too) you have to thin down the small zone where the flange would otherwise touch the insert when the blade is all up. Then screw the insert plate in place, align the rip fence over the right edge of the plate so that you will not cut into the fence while now rising the blade with the saw turned on.
 
Now, with the saw unplugged move the fence to the right, remove the four screws and lift the plate slightly with the blade still in the slot you just have cut, and move the fence to the left until it touches the right edge of the insert plate. Secure the fence in this position and replace the wooden insert with the one that came with the saw, then cut open the slot the rear side of the wooden insert.
 
Next, cut out the splitter to the shape it needs to be. Maybe you'd like to first make a cardboard or paper model/template of it to define its shape, it really helps. Don't make the splitter too high because these rather thin splitters would become too flexible over its height.
 
Sand, plane or scrape it to the exact thickness of the kerf your blade makes, screw the insert in place and tack glue the splitter into its correct position it the extended slot. 1mm from the completely raised blade is just fine, don't go too close. When the glue is dry place the insert upside-down into the recess in the table and build up an anchorage around the part of the splitter that will be inside the saw. Be aware of the position of the blade support.
 
When the glue  has dried place the insert/splitter in its normal position using the 4 screws, and sand the splitter further down a little bit from each side using a small, square sanding block (240 grit is ok) and a square wooden block to hold against it from the opposite side. In the end the splitter should be about 0.1 - 0.15mm thinner than the saw kerf.
 
I hope I didn't forget anything essential. The whole thing sounds more complicated than it is, but it takes a bit time, patience and 3D imagination to do it.

Grsjax - why do you need to use actual wire for the rigging?  Why not use an appropriately coloured thread instead?  Much easier to use and to get convincing splices at model sizes.
 
BNoah - Steel wire rope was in reasonably common use for ships' standing rigging by the 1860's, and was pretty much universal for all but small craft by the end of the 19th century.
 
John

No need for a ropewalk since wire will not require the "reverse twist" that thread fibers need to keep the strands together.  Simply wrap the number of turns required around a small nail or pin with the other end around a hook in an electric drill and spin it up to the required diameter.  Stretch the spun wire after spinning.  If uncoated copper or brass is used, the spun wire rope may then be blackened with liver of sulfur (copper) or WinOx (brass) then buffed to a metallic sheen.
 
Ed

I like the water soluble walnut dye idea.  Vegetable dyes should not fade and I assume there is no binder involved that will effect the use of glue on splices, etc.  I have often wanted to try soaking black walnut husks in alcohol to produce a non-fading furniture stain, but have not done it.  Maybe now is a good time.
 
I wouldn't dream of using Floquil for this even if it were still sold.  I have used acrylic ink diluted, but wonder how this will affect gluing (non-CA gluing that is).
 
Thanks for the walnut tip.
 
Ed

It is so good to see these posts from those that have tried spiling and have become converts.  There are a lot of posts on clamps for planking but a properly spiled plank can be soaked and pre-bent and, once dried by whatever means is chosen, it can be held in place with finger pressure for a minute or less using an aliphatic (carpenter's) glue.   Druxey converted me years ago and I have been happy that he did so.  No pin holes and no clamp dings, especially when using softer species of wood.  I do use clamps for many things, but rarely for planking. 
 
Allan

It is so good to see these posts from those that have tried spiling and have become converts.  There are a lot of posts on clamps for planking but a properly spiled plank can be soaked and pre-bent and, once dried by whatever means is chosen, it can be held in place with finger pressure for a minute or less using an aliphatic (carpenter's) glue.   Druxey converted me years ago and I have been happy that he did so.  No pin holes and no clamp dings, especially when using softer species of wood.  I do use clamps for many things, but rarely for planking. 
 
Allan

It is so good to see these posts from those that have tried spiling and have become converts.  There are a lot of posts on clamps for planking but a properly spiled plank can be soaked and pre-bent and, once dried by whatever means is chosen, it can be held in place with finger pressure for a minute or less using an aliphatic (carpenter's) glue.   Druxey converted me years ago and I have been happy that he did so.  No pin holes and no clamp dings, especially when using softer species of wood.  I do use clamps for many things, but rarely for planking. 
 
Allan

It is so good to see these posts from those that have tried spiling and have become converts.  There are a lot of posts on clamps for planking but a properly spiled plank can be soaked and pre-bent and, once dried by whatever means is chosen, it can be held in place with finger pressure for a minute or less using an aliphatic (carpenter's) glue.   Druxey converted me years ago and I have been happy that he did so.  No pin holes and no clamp dings, especially when using softer species of wood.  I do use clamps for many things, but rarely for planking. 
 
Allan

It is so good to see these posts from those that have tried spiling and have become converts.  There are a lot of posts on clamps for planking but a properly spiled plank can be soaked and pre-bent and, once dried by whatever means is chosen, it can be held in place with finger pressure for a minute or less using an aliphatic (carpenter's) glue.   Druxey converted me years ago and I have been happy that he did so.  No pin holes and no clamp dings, especially when using softer species of wood.  I do use clamps for many things, but rarely for planking. 
 
Allan

Jaager - Perfect!  Thank you!
 
jbshan - I think I'm doing the same thing. I plane the square stick down to proper size (still a square), taper that and then mark and sand the octagon. I was having problems sanding level, smooth surfaces. After a little adjustment, the jig allows me to sand away. The top surfaces of the jig stop me from sanding too far or getting crooked.
 
I've tried sanding and filing completely by hand, but my "flat" surfaces always end up a little rounded or one edge is higher than the other. I probably just don't have the technique, so the jig keeps me under control.

I just finished spiling my current build.  It was a first for me and it does beat edge bending.  I actually did both due to some of the compound curves and tapers involved so spliing got it close then bending, twisting, etc.  Spiling wins hands down, IMO.

I've tried spiling the first time about two weeks ago, using mahogany veneer. Worked like a charm and in my opinion, works better than edge bending. 

On my next build I'm going to try cutting the planks from sheets to fit the curves as opposed to bending. I've never done it before but the idea of a plank laying on without it be under stress seems like a good idea.

In addition to Steel,  Lees Masting and Rigging  is also a consideration as he makes mention that all line sizes are appropriate for all rates for all time periods in the book which is a little before 1891 for Clara May.  With only a few exceptions such as ratlines and brails which are pointed out with given dimensions, the line sizes  are given as circumferences and are proportional based on the size of the appropriate mast stay and these were found in comparison to the lower stays which in turn are given in ratio size compared to the lower masts. While this may seem daunting it is easy to get the hang of it quickly.  I rarely rig, but when I have done so, I do all the calculations and write them down then write the scale size circumference then calculate the diameter.  That was  I have an idea on what line sizes Iwill need and how much of each.  Note that you will not be able to get exact scale circumferences/diameters as there are only so many line sizes that can be purchased, but will be close.
 
 
Allan