wefalck

I believe draw-benches existed since the Middle Age. There is also a variety, where the drawn wire is wound up on a reel that also transmits the pulling force.

Although hardened steel draw-plates were used for brass and iron/steel, these would wear rapidly, resulting in a gradual increase of the diameter. So, today carbide or ruby dies are used for anything harder than copper and, of course, in any commercial context. I would doubt that drawing your own wire without a draw-bench as illustrated above would be successful. The forces and steady action required would be difficult to apply by simple drawing with elbow grease. The process results in the metal sort of flowing and this has to be maintained also without changing the direction of pull. Otherwise the wire will break. However, this is digression from the original subject ...

Well, we prefer the original Bellini, though we were not impressed by the one served in Harry's bar (in the Cipriani hotel in Venice), where it was invented - they seem to be rather nose up in the air there and the setting is not really nice and comfy, more something for serious drinkers, such as Hemingway, who don't want to be distracted by the scenery ... our prefered spot for a Bellini (and some excellent food) is the terrace of the Gritti.

These tongs really only make sense, when you have a draw-bench. A draw-bench is used for drawing wires, not wood/bamboo. The draw-plate is fixed at one end and at the other there is a chain with a geared winding mechanism, or a belt. The hooked arm of the tongs points upward, while the straight one slides on the bench - in this way the pressure on the wire increases the stronger you pull. Here a historical example from the Internet: Source: http://phiden.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/draw-bench.jpg I don't think these tongs would be useful to draw material for tree-nails ...

The motor also needs a housing, so that the electrical connections can be adequately installed. I wanted to make the supply cable detachable in order not to have it hangig around, when the mill stored away. Unfortunately, the motor has the somewhat odd outer diameter of 51 mm and it was not so easy to come by a suitable pipe. Finally, I chanced upon a can from a weird drink that pretended to be an alcohol-free Bellini-cocktail. In this way the overly expensive can somewhat amortised. I shortened it to suit with a diamond saw in the hand-held electrical drill. A lid was cut and turned from a piece of 5 mm Plexiglas™. Three fastening holes were pierced with a needle and opened up using cutting broaches in the very thin and flimsy drinks can. The lid was drilled and tapped for M2 screws. A 6 mm hole for a 3.5 mm mono-socket was pre-drilled with a small drill and then reamed to size into the bottom of the can. The motor housing before painting To be continued ...

OK, first another little item, I have been working on in between travels ... ********************* Several years ago I constructed a micro-vise that was intended to be hold in a collet e.g. in the upright collet-holder on the larger Wolf, Jahn & Co. milling machine. The stem has a 5 mm diameter, which was chosen so that it also fits into the largest regular collet of a 6 mm-lathe. Shop-made micro-vice While the collet thus can be mounted in the dividing head, this may not always be convenient. Therefore, a small holding block was fashioned from a piece of steel. Steps in machining the holder for the micro-vice This holder allows to rotate the vice around the clamping bolt, but also in the mounting hole. With this arrangement and the tilting capability of the vice itself, it can be offered to the milling spindle in any conceivable angle. http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/tools/micromill/MF-125.jpg Parts of the holder for the micro-vice http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/tools/micromill/MF-126.jpg Holder and micro-vice Various ways of positioning the micro-vice To be continued ...

It really depends on the period and the type of guns. There are three main materials for guns, namely bronze, cast iron and steel. I gather, we are talking here about either bronze or cast-iron guns. The surface treatment was intended to stop or reduce weathering and degradation of the guns exposed to the weather. To my knowledge, bronze guns were not given a specific surface treatment. With time bronze develops a brownish patina that reduces further degradation. However, as bronze sculptures, one can also create articial patinas by rubbing the material with sulfur compounds or vinegar-based concoctions. This can change the colour from a deep green to a sort of metallic black. Cast-iron rusts easily and needs to be protected. This was done by either (black) paint or by creating a passivating patina. In the latter case the guns were repeatedly rubbed down with vinegar. The resulting rust, mixed with iron-acetates, was solidified after drying the guns carefully by rubbing them with lineseed-oil. Effectively, this process created in situ an iron-oxyhydroxide-based paint of a deep brown colour. Some navies also used black or (rarer) dark green oil-paint. One would need to establish this for a particular prototype and period. We have become used to certain types of surface treatments on models and their guns. Very often, these may be aesthetically pleasing, but are certainly not 'realistic'. While a painted gun certainly would not have a metallic appearance (except for the muzzle), a surface treatment on the model that suggests 'metal' might enhance their appearance. In the case of black guns, I would spray-paint these in a semi-gloss and then rub ridges, rims etc. lightly with a very soft pencil; this then can spread and blended in using one's finger or cotton-sticks. Such a treatment gives a certain 'plasticity' to the gun. Not sure about a procedure for bronze guns, as I never had this issue.

Beautiful execution and excellent workmanship ! However ... the Muntz-metal sheathing would not have had raised nail-heads I think. Not sure how the plates were fixed to the isolating wood layer, but assume they would have been nailed like in the older days. It was important to achieve a galvanic separation between the Muntz-metal and the iron/steel plating underneath. When the plates are nailed down on the wood (with a layer of felt in between), the pattern looks a bit like on a deep-buttoned Chesterfield sofa. One can see this on the copper sheathing of HMS GANNET (1878) in Chatham:

Coming soon

The amount of pressure needed obviously depends on the hardness of the material to be knurled. I found that the brass I am using is very easy to knurl. I also knurl brass dry ! Just at the end, to wash out swarf, I gave it a blast of WD40. Knurling is actually a kind of milling operation, meaning the material is not displaced but more or less cut. Some of the material though squeezes to the sides of the knurled rim and needs to be cleaned up with a light cut on the lathe or free-hand with a file. I seem to have been lucky that the hardening of the knurl seems to have worked fine. There is a risk that with my primitve arrangements for this it may crack. I pre-heated it with the hot-air soldering gun and then continued with a blow-torch until it was heated to a cherry-red. The PROXXON-torch I used was a bit on the weak side, a bigger one would have been better. On the other hand, one should avoid to overheat, because this burns the carbon in the steel. Heating on a bit of charcoal can counteract this.

Have to start noting down all those little ideas ...

Thanks, gentlemen. I like to have beautiful things around me - this includes my machines and tools ***************************** Managed to squeeze a couple of hours in the workshop in between business travels and entertaining friends, who stayed with us for a week ... The rotating spindles, such as the main spindle and grinding spindles on watchmakers lathes have a knurled sleeve in brass that is meant to prevent dirt from entering the bearings. The one for the grinding spindle used as dividing head was missing. Using an original one as example, a replacement was fashioned from a piece of round brass. After facing a short length of brass it was drilled 5 mm and taken onto a respective arbor for turning the outside to size. A rim was left standing that was given a round knurl. Back on the 3-jaw-chuck, the inside was bored to a tight fit to the body of the milling spindle. The front part was given a concave bevel with a form-tool. The various steps in machining a new dust-sleeve Original dust-sleeve (right) and fabricated copy (left) Sleeves in place - an original one on top, the newly made one below To be continued ...

It is also a question of the scale at which you are working. The larger the scale and the closer you are with the rigging material to the 'real' thing the less likely you will need to secure belayings etc. Where on the prototype they would have slapped tar over it, I would use black/brown paint. On small-scale models, where synthetic material would be the only practical material, you will need to secure knots and belayings because the material does not provide enough friction to hold (as pointed out by Chuck). In such cases I use a drop of light solvent-based varnish - if the need arises, the thread can be softened again by applying a drop of solvent and lines can be tightened or loosend.

Probably the best modern source on seamanship, including furling sails, that reviews practices spanning roughly the 17th to the end of the 19th century is: HARLAND, J. (1985): Seamanship in the Age of Sail.- 320 p., London (Conway Maritime Press). I think every sailship-modeller should have this book handy ! There are also various contemporary works that are available as reprints or as e-books for (free) download. For the 19th century this would be e.g. BRADY, W.W. (1852): The Kedge Anchor; or Young Sailor’s Assistant. Appertaining to the Practical Evolutions of Modern Seamanship, Rigging, Knotting, Splicing, Blocks, Purchases, Running-Rigging, and Other Miscellaneus Matters Applicable to Ships of War and Others.- 400 p., New York (Published by the Author). LEVER, D. (1819): The Young Sea Officer’s Sheet Anchor.- 124 p., London (Nachdruck 1963 bei E.W. Sweetman & Co., New York). NARES, G.S. (1862): Seamanship.- 232 p., (reprint 1979 by Gresham Books).

To add: the notches have to high enough to allow the pins to be lifted out of the sockets on the stern-post ...

OK, the thread is already a few weeks old, but I just wanted to chip in. Below is a picture from a dhow-building place in Nungwi on Zanzibar in 2012, where these boats are built using the traditional methods: Source: http://www.maritima-et-mechanika.org/maritime/tanzania/tanzania.html The scorching shows that an open flame was used to soften the garboard plank, which then was held in shape and place until set using various clamps and levers. Steam-bending was and is a common process in furniture-making. The most famous of all probably is the German firm Thonet, that had before the war their main production facilties in what is now the Czech Republic. They made incredible complex pieces using massive cast-iron pattern to hold the steamed wood in shape until set. On the hot-air soldering station: I got mine several years ago and use it on all sorts of heating tasks between 100°C and 400°C(not F !). No problems with the equipment so far. I rarely read product reviews for such things as I feel quite capable to deal with issues. One problem is that people pay KIA and expect to get Mercedes. There is a reason why things are cheap and not only economy of scale, so I am prepared to rectify (some) issues as a trade off for a lower purchase price (that not necessarily guarantees quality these days). A lot of the Chines-made equipment has to be considered to be in an 'advanced stage of production' and you can finish it to your requirements. With this attitude you safe yourself a lot of aggravation. If the air-gun comes on, when the main switch is off, this is, of course, a concern. However, by looking at the wiring, it is easy to tell, wether the main switch is really the last element before the wires leave the box. If not this would need to be rectified. Otherwise, I have all my equipment plugged into extensions that can be switched off and that are so, when I am not in the workshop. Or, I unplug pieces of equipment out of principle.

In many/most cases the easiest way is to follow (within limits) the prototype way. These guys knew what they were doing. There is a small problem on the above example: the hinges on the rudder are too far out, the axis of the rudder should be just somewhat inside the front (leading) edge. The notches in the rudder are there to allow the shipping/unshipping of the rudder.

Thanks, gentlemen ! The last three weeks I was barely home for two or three days in a row, just too much business travels - good for the business, but not so good for the private life, including hobbies. I still managed to squeeze-in a couple of hours in the workshop. This is needed from time to time to relax ************************** As indicated at the beginning, the machine will be provided with a fifth axis for rotary milling and dividing operations. Some years ago, I fashioned a geared dividing head from an old Lorch, Schmidt & Co. grinding spindle. This mounts onto the cross-slide of a 6 mm lathe, such as the one used in the milling machine. Geared dividing head constructed some years ago These grinding spindles were meant to be bolted down onto the cross-slide using the latern for the turning bits. While this reduced the number of bits and pieces to be provided for the lathe and to be taken care of, it seems to be a rather strange economy. In the present circumstances this method of bolting is also not very satisfactory, as the angle of the spindle, as well its position in the T-slot have to be adjusted at the same time. Too many degrees of freedom. Elements of the holding-down bolt Therefore, a mounting bolt was fashioned from a normal M6 screw with a hexagonal head. These fit perfectly into the T-slots, but their heads have to turned thinner. Over the bolt a sleeve with an internal M6 thread screws down, thus keeping the bolt in place. Geared dividing head in place Now, the dividing head can be rotated around the bolt without movement up and down in the T-slot. The dividing head is clamped with an standard M6 cap-nut (a nice polished stainless steel one though) and a large washer. The latter also is a commercial stamped product that was cleaned up on the lathe and given a nice polish for aesthetics sake. Geared dividing head in place To be continued ...

Well, that seems to be common problem with restorations: once you take things apart and a closer look, you find all sorts of hidden problems and incompetent repairs ... glad that I am not doing such work and certainly not for money

I know some guys who constantly turn pieces upside down and over, while the paint is drying to avoid the runny 'noses'. This is because too light coates of paint can appear grainy. The paint layer has to be deep enough so that it stretches smoothly due to the surface tension, but not so deep that is runs. Can be quite tricky and the turning over method seems to keep the layer of paint evenly thin. Didn't try it out myself, but know several people who use it successfully.

I thought the funnels were made of wood (hence my earlier suggestion for sanding). Brass makes life a lot easier ...

Yes and no. There could be some wood-filler underneath that would go with the acetone/paint-stripper, then requiring a big puttying and sanding job. I would try to remove all metal-work and then sand to a smooth finish. You then can spray-paint directly on the remaining paint. If you intend to use a solvent-based paint, you should also test for compatibility before spray-painting on the old paint.

No, had no need (yet), but I think it would be good for such things as well. As the lowest temperature is 100°C it could be also used (judisciously) for heating plastics for bending. I also use it for loosening they stuck lids of paint tins, for heat-shrinking etc.

Michael, I originally bought it with the idea of 'contactless' soft-soldering, i.e. that one does not need to touch delicate items set-up for soldering, but now use it for all sorts of heating purposes. I even use it a full power to heat up bigger items for hard-soldering and hardening before going at them with my gas soldering-torch. Saves on gas and allows more even heating.

Michael, I fished it out of Chinese waters from the well-known bay. Not sure, who the manufacturer are. Here is an identical example: These hot-air soldering stations are used for what is called SMD (Surface Mount Device) soldering of circuit boards. You can get them for around 60 USD/EUR and they have temperature range of 100°C to 450°C. Apart from soldering, of course, I use mine e.g. for blueing and tempering small steel parts and for producing oxidation colours on other metals, such as brass and copper.