dvm27

Thank you for nice comments.
I installed some quarter deck beams,  fore deck beams and the doors. As a next comes the making of galley stove.

Hi all -
 
When the last segment ended I was doing the initial shaping of the hull.
 
Using the station lines plans I made some templates for the hull profile and worked the wood down to the proper shape.  That lengthy and tedious task was made faster with power sanders, both belt and orbital.  A light touch is needed, but after getting used to the weight of the tools they let me remove wood in a very controlled and delicate way.
 
One thing I learned from the templates relates back to a discussion we had during the Doria build.  There, I did not have the station lines plan until quite late, and even then they were from a commercial model kit, so I did not trust them.  They seemed to show that the hull was narrower amidships just under the promenade deck than it was at the bilges.  But after carefully examining a photograph of the Doria on the launching ways I did not see this at all.  Others, who were more familiar with Italian liners, said that there was a tumblehome, just not much.  It turns out that, for the Michelangelo at least, we are both correct, sort of.
 
Here are the station lines, with a vertical guide line drawn from the top of the hull down on both the bow and stern views.  Clearly, the lower hull is wider at its greatest breadth than at the sheer line.  The difference is about 30 inches actual or 3/32” on the model.  Not very large, but certainly some tumblehome.
 
But when I lined up the station numbers I found that it only affected the center 20% of the length of the ship.  Both ahead and astern of that area the hull either came straight down or started to curve the other way.  In essence, what the hull has is not really tumblehome, but a pair of bulges amidships and just at the waterline.  Saddlebags, really.  Were these to get some more ballast lower down in the hold?  Were they to artificially lengthen the waterline and increase speed?  I have no idea. 
 
Nonetheless, this was noted and I tried to get the wood to take that shape in the carving process.  Here is the hull taken down very close to final dimensions.
 
At the bow you can see how the lifts had to be cut and pieced to achieve the line of the sheer.  The third one down is that wedge that was mentioned in the last segment.
 
At the stern the upper lifts have been cut short and pieced in.  This block is secured with a screw and is removable.  It holds the place of the deck houses and open decks that will be fitted later.  I had an idea that I could drape form some plastic around this plug for the window units of these stern decks.  Ultimately this did not work.  I will discuss it and my solution in the next segment.
 
The tapered propeller shafts and their webbing are being pinned in place. Having the black glue lines between the lifts was a particular help here near the rudder, where it showed me problems with symmetry as wood was removed.
 
During breaks from sanding and shaping the hull I roughed out the superstructure.  The plans were attached to basswood sheets with the photo spray adhesive as before and rough cut on the band saw.   Deckhouses are cut from ¼” thick basswood, while the decks are 1/8”.  The total from deck to deck is 3/8”, or just under 11 feet.   
 
Stacked on each other where they fit, there is a palpable feeling that a ship is starting to rise from the building board.
 
Next I start the final finishing of the hull, and contrive a solution to the problem of the open decks and windows at the stern.
 
Be well
 
Dan

thx Mark. well, never say never. Blender is free, and there are a lot of good tutorials on-line. when you have nothing better to do give it a go, you might be surprised... :-)
 
hawse piece and forward kant frames done. I still have to drill holes (err... whatever they're called :-D), but I'll leave it for later because I'm not sure how well aligned they are on plans... I can do that later when I start detailing...
 

 
 
trying to take a shot from eye-height, more or less. I can only imagine how it would be to stand beside real frame this big...
 

Hello, many persons are interested in learning machining skills but don't have an instructor available.  Here's an exceptionally attractive instructional video about turning brass to make a tool.  The machinist is a clockmaker and has a Youtube channel called Clickspring.   I think you will find his videos interesting, useful, and visually stunning.  
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 204 – Tops and Futtock Shroud Wrap-up
 
I am happy to be finished with the dust case and to resume the model work.  The completion of the three mast assemblies with their pre-erection detailing, including their futtock shrouds, required just a bit more work and is now complete.  The first two pictures show the mizzen top with its futtock shrouds installed.
 

 
As mentioned earlier, these shrouds are served, fitted with brass thimbles at both ends, hooked to the deadeye straps at the top and secured to eyes on the mast band with lashings.  The futtocks are 4 1/2" rope (5 ¼" on the main and fore), spun from three strands of linen thread, right-handed.  The rope was dyed black with diluted India ink.  Making these was described earlier in Part 196.
 

 
The last task on the lower mizzen mast was fitting of the mast coat at the base.  This is shown in the next picture.
 

 
The next picture shows the model with the three completed lower masts fitted – still temporarily.
 

 
The next step will be to make the lower shrouds.  The next picture shows numbers 1 and 2 on the fore mast, port side, looped temporarily over the mast head.
 

 
These two will actually go over the corresponding starboard pair.  In each case the #1 shroud is served over its full length.  The serving on #2 extends down to the futtocks as it will do on all the other shrouds.  Parcelling has been wrapped over the serving around the mast head down to the top of the seizing, but has not yet been "tarred."  More on all this in the next post.
 
 
Ed

Thanks Patrick...I really appreciate that.  I feel I spend more time in research then on the build itself.  I was prefabricating parts for the spider rings that hold belaying pins around the mast feet.
It's funny how it all comes together in a convincing manner, when it feels sometimes that I'm rushing...comparatively speaking.  Actually I like working fast......My 1/96 hybrid build of the Cutty Sark on her repair ways(getting a new rudder)...took me 3 months to build.   So in retrospect...this is one of the longest builds I've engaged in.
 
3 months to build this....

The jig is needed no more. It did what it had to do: 200 notches.
The idea was not to have to turn the handle of the milling machine because after a couple thousand turns of this small handle, it hurts the wrist.

small update :
 
made the lower bridge-deck railings, these guide the first class passengers alongside the structures of funnels 1 + 2  to the staircase that goes down to the promenade deck, so no one gets lost on the boats-level. There are no railing to the sea-side of the boats.
The etched copper railing is too "flimsy" on its own, so I spent a reinforcement rail at the bottom side and the obligatory brass handrail to strengthen the upper side.
 
Nils
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 
 

Red trucks won out and here are the finished cannon.
 

 

 
I've set them aside and have to finish some outboard and inboard work before I can place them.

All of the templates are glued to the blanks.  I used rubber cement, I figure if it worked for Hahn, then it should work for me.  I don't think that any of the paper templates stretched, but I plan to check the frames against the plans once they are cut.  I also built me a jig to ensure that all of the frames are cut to the same height.  I plan to start cutting the frames in the next day or two (work and life depending).  I have also started to remove all of the laser char on the pieces for the keel.  Pics of the keel will be posted once that is all cleaned up and glued together.  So without further ado, here are a couple of pics of the jig and the current state of the frames.

Looking great Ben. Your ports are lining up very fair. Are you still cutting the sill mortises prior to installing the frames?

Wonderful work on that stern framing (and everything else)!

I have not used a Sherline but this chap is doing some amazing work in metal on one, and has some interesting comments about the handles.
http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,6515.60.html the page is talking about machining stainless plates for a steam hauler, if you scroll down there are some pictures of his model ship building, which is very nice too.
 
Overall it looks like a very nice machine. if I were looking for a lathe and mill combination I would seriously consider this machine, Bob's comment about the cutters is useful, remember that you can purchase metric cutters as well.
 
Michael

Good evening everyone.
Work continues with the completion of the installation wiring Hand mast and complete hydraulic system.
I will mast mounted navigation lights , radar antena and serchlights .
A beautiful spring evening you want.

Cheers
 
Adrian
 

Looking great Ben. Your ports are lining up very fair. Are you still cutting the sill mortises prior to installing the frames?

Good to see the hull growing, Ben, even if it is slowly. Don't forget to add the 'ears' on the fixed block later.

Perfect, Ben. Now they'll both fly off with a good swipe of the elbow  .

I agree with Druxey that nailing that cross-chock the first time around is indeed impressive. Just for fun, you should make another to see if you could go two for two!

Looking great Ben. Your ports are lining up very fair. Are you still cutting the sill mortises prior to installing the frames?

This is an ordinary 3D engraving. I make parts by the method of lost wax.
All the details I do myself. Of course, I do not cast myself. For this, there is a caster in a handicraft workshop. I produce part models and this is the most difficult part of the process.
Of course, I will process brass parts with several chemical solutions to obtain an elegant and realistic appearance.

A bit more....the toe rails are done & installed & I'm making the 6 horn cleats that sit around the cockpit area. The toe rails seemed especially fragile & gave me some grief. The Queensland Maple generally seems good to work with, but 1.5 x 2.5mm seems to be beyond it, just seemed to break at the slightest touch.
 

Sampson post started also, it will need a rod plus some quad timbers to trim it off.

 

 

 
thanks,
 
MP
 
 

Gun rigging is done, all guns are now mounted on the deck.

Hi Rusty,
 
I glad to see your making some nice progress again. You might find that the pin rail between the catheads will have to be raised, virtually level with the top of the caprail, in order to clear the bowsprit. Check out Chuck's third photo in post #910. I had to do the same on mine.
 
Mike

Wonderful work on that stern framing (and everything else)!

I ended up turning the cannon from a piece of ebony and finished it with a coat of metallic dye (Transtint). I think it adds a nice depth of color and perhaps tricks the eye into thinking it's brass.