jud

This is the work so far - the frame is off the jig (obviously still oversized) and some of the mid  deck supports are missing still. I had to leave them out because their placement is dependent on the Revell bulwarks toward the edges and dependent on the ships gun deck furniture toward the center. They will be added off jig. The next step is to cut out the Revell spar deck supports on the model. They are now in the way. I will be sweating bullets bringing the Dremel cutting blade so close to the completed sections of the build but I have practicing first on the scrap spare hull I have for...well...practicing.
 

Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins by schooner posted yesterday has a link ' http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/55-17/ch3.htm', showing cargo rigging. Illustration 3-17, Strain Angle of Falls is well worth studying. The physics has never changed from the early days of sail until today, some of the forces probably will come as a shock to some.
jud 

In another accident, the NOTS RUR-4 Weapon Alpha rocket-boosted depth charge projector misfired, with one warhead falling back onto the 01 deck and killing a seaman below
  Called Hedge Hogs, the modernized Fletcher's had two mounts on the 01 lever just under and ahead of the bridge wing near where 40MM twins once resided, it was the gun crews from the 3" 50 Mounts between the stacks that maned the Hedge Hogs during ASW operations. The USS Ammen fired two racks  of live Hedge Hogs during one exercise, 2 at a time, one Port and One Starboard, I was a crew member of the Starboard mount. One of those Hedge Hog's propelling charge was bad,  it did not deliver a full charge and spewed unburned powder all over the deck. The Spigots Racks were rotated outboard, which allowed the the thing to fall outboard of the ship, didn't miss by much, but it missed. Being live, had it hit, it might have gone off in spite of the built in safeties in the fuze. I trusted those built in safeties then, learned later that they did fail.  Had one fail when a 40 MM projectile exploded  just clear the bore, WW2 ammo in RVN. The case was also split which resulted in  broken  the extractors. I shifted guns, a twin mt and only using one gun, and continued firing our support mission. You guessed it, USS Harnett County, the advar shows the gun mount, it was the right gun.
jud   

Thanks for the likes.
 
Thanks Chris. Yes I will be bashing the knightheads, out of the old windlass standards that I replaced, because the kit ones are too small. In the AOTS book page 33 the larboard bow sketch by Parkinson which depicts the bumpkins also has the knightheads with a cap over the bowsprit. This appears to be how they have it on the replica. The next pages to look at are 53, 58, 75 and 90.
 
Page 75 shows how the tack bumpkins pass over the bow but I don't know how accurate this depiction is. I have my tack bumpkins at 36 degs off the sides of the bowsprit so they will pass over the bow closer to the knightheads and look as close as I can get to Parkinsons sketch on page 33 of the AOTS book. Also in this position their stays should be clear of the cathead or anchor tackle and the anchor cable can hang under them if it's attached.

Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins by schooner posted yesterday has a link ' http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/55-17/ch3.htm', showing cargo rigging. Illustration 3-17, Strain Angle of Falls is well worth studying. The physics has never changed from the early days of sail until today, some of the forces probably will come as a shock to some.
jud 

Liberty Ship SS Stephen Hopkins by schooner posted yesterday has a link ' http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/55-17/ch3.htm', showing cargo rigging. Illustration 3-17, Strain Angle of Falls is well worth studying. The physics has never changed from the early days of sail until today, some of the forces probably will come as a shock to some.
jud 

Harnett County LST 821, on a reef in the South China Sea, used as a Philippine military outpost in a increasingly disputed area. Advar is aboard her, 67 or 68 in one of the RVN delta rivers. Other ships I rode, USS Ammen DD 527 and USS Helena CA 75 ended up as scrap, Don't know what happened to the other 2 LSTs or the ships I was aboard for training.
jud

Harnett County LST 821, on a reef in the South China Sea, used as a Philippine military outpost in a increasingly disputed area. Advar is aboard her, 67 or 68 in one of the RVN delta rivers. Other ships I rode, USS Ammen DD 527 and USS Helena CA 75 ended up as scrap, Don't know what happened to the other 2 LSTs or the ships I was aboard for training.
jud

Thanks for the likes and comments.
 
Deck: With most of the deck furniture complete I was now happy with the location of the beams so proceeded to paint in the trennels and butts using artists Indian Ink permanent markers using the replica hull as a guide. After completing that I discovered that the ink was smudging when I came to erase the pencil lines and the only way to remedy the situation was to wipe the decks down with methylated spirit to remove all the ink.
 
Oh well that didn't work. The best plans are only as solid as if written on water. So back to the tried and true 2B pencil. Fortunately the ink had very faintly penetrated the deck where I had marked the trennels and butts otherwise I would have lost my beam lines. All I had to do was mark over them where I had before using the pencil and then seal it all with it's second coat of matt poly.
 
Wiping off the ink seemed to create a slight yet unintentional weathered look which I'm happy with so it all worked out in the end.
 
Next is the bulwark capping or false rail as it can be called and the anchor linings which I might do first. All the deck furniture is only dry fitted so it will be removed to a tray for safe keeping.

Ahoy Mates
 
I drill out the hole then fill it with colored Titebond. I use a modified Chuck Passaro way. I color the Titebond with enamel paint-Modelmaster's and have no problems. I drill out the holes after the planking has been Dullcoted first. That seals the wood surface,which makes it easy to remove the excess glue-paint off the surface. I use the end of a xacto blade to force the mixture into the drilled hole leaving a small amount above the surface.
 
You let it harden up for about ten minutes-NO LONGER,then file off the surface flush with the planks. Then repeat if the glue mix has shrunk into the hole.
 
Try it out and see if you like it. I tried using water based paint to color the glue with,but it had a chemical reaction with the Titebond and gelled up the mix. I have used it on my Mary Rose build as the photo shows. I had to try out the color mix,after I sanded them down smooth I coated over with Dullcote,and it darkens them up a little. You just have to find out the right combination.
 
If you let the glue mix dry more than a couple of hours or overnight,it's very hard to sand off the planks,even with the planks having been Dullcoted. The Dullcoted planks also allow the hole edges to be sharp edged without any burrs like uncoated wood does. The planking is boxwood and swiss pear.
 
Try it out and see if you like it.
 
Just another way of doing things.
Keith

Go your local Farm Supply outlet and look over the needles in the Vet supplies. You won't need the syringe because you can make the handle. Maybe you will want several, one straight, one at 30° or 45° and another at 90°. You should be able to cut the end by using a cutoff wheel then polish it using fine emery paper.
jud

Never have seen a file card, 'Brush', for needle files or riflers, perhaps a small hand wire brush would work for small files. Have a couple for use on files 10" long or longer, work best if the file is chocked prior to using it, keeps small filings from being bottomed and held in the groves between the teeth. Filing away from the handle and then lifting the file for the return stroke will keep a file clean and sharp, if used on the material it was designed for. Have some old books, purchased from Lindsey Publishing, describing how blacksmiths made and hardened their own files.
jud

Hi Chuck,
 
Here is how to serve and set up your shrouds and deadeyes.
 
Strop and attach your lower deadeyes to the channel.  The channel is the platform that sticks out from the side of the ship.  Depending on which ship and when it was built will determine the shape and style of the chains (the extensions of the strops that secure the deadeyes to the hull).
 
Measure the distance from the masthead to where the upper deadeyes will be.  The distance, or drift between the deadeyes was usually about 2 times the diameter of the deadeye.  Now double your measurement.  The shrouds are going to be put on in pairs.  Do not cut to the final length yet.  You need to leave extra length for setting up the shrouds.
 
Now serve the middle 1/3 of each shroud, calculated from your doubled measurement above.  This will be the portion that forms the loop around the masthead.  If you have calculated the length of the service correctly it should end slightly below the point where the futtock shrouds meet at the futtock stave. The forwardmost shroud on each side of the mast was usually served its entire length to prevent chafe from the sails and their gear.  
 
Middle the shroud pair around the mast head and clap on a seizing to form the loop around the mast head.  The seizing should come just below the bolster on the trestle trees (the bolster is a quarter round molding placed next to the mast on top of the lattice of beams that supports the top platform.  It's purpose was to ease the angle for the shrouds passing over the trestle tree. For each succeeding pair the seizing should lie just below the previous one.  This would prevent the seizings from chafing against each other.
 
Next, turn the upper deadeyes into the ends of the shrouds.  Some find it helpful to make a jig that will position the deadeye at the proper spacing.  The shrouds go around the deadeyes in a specific way that is determined by the lay of the rope.  Looking from the outside of the ship, if you are using right hand laid rope the shroud will pass counter-clockwise around the deadeye, behind the standing part (that is to say more inboard) and then the end is seized to the standing part with three seizings.  For left-hand laid rope the shroud runs the opposite, clockwise around the deadeye.

 
 
The first seizing to be put on is called a throat seizing and it is put on where the two parts of the shroud cross above the deadeye.  The next, the middle seizing,  is a short distance up the shroud and the third, the end seizing, an equal distance above that.

 
 
The rope that runs between the upper and lower deadeye is called the laniard.  The laniard should be a bit less that half the diameter of the shrouds. It always starts on the upper deadeye in the hole furthest away from the end of the shroud.  The stopper knot will be on the inboard side of the deadeye.

 
Pass the laniard from outboard in through the corresponding hole in the lower deadeye then up and from inboard out through the middle hole in the upper.  Continue passing the laniard through the remainig holes.  You will end up with the laniard passing from outboard in through the last hole in the lower deadeye.  The end of the laniard is then hitched around the shrouds where they cross above the deadeye.

 
It is best to leave some extra length on the shrouds and laniards so that final adjustments can be made later in the rigging.
 
Set up the shroud pairs starting with the forward most and alternate sides until all of the shroud pairs are done.  If you have an odd number of shrouds on each side the final one will go on single.
 
I hope that helps,
.
Regards,

Never have seen a file card, 'Brush', for needle files or riflers, perhaps a small hand wire brush would work for small files. Have a couple for use on files 10" long or longer, work best if the file is chocked prior to using it, keeps small filings from being bottomed and held in the groves between the teeth. Filing away from the handle and then lifting the file for the return stroke will keep a file clean and sharp, if used on the material it was designed for. Have some old books, purchased from Lindsey Publishing, describing how blacksmiths made and hardened their own files.
jud

Won't hurt to keep those spendy files in a plastic tube either. They will get dull rattling around in a drawer with other tools.

There would need to be an iron socket in the top of any wood post to receive the swivel pin from the gun. The fit needs to have some give in it which would allow for a hammer blow to develop, without a socket liner the socket itself would be enlarged. The cap was probably forged with the socket as an integral part and the top of the post fitted to it.
jud

There would need to be an iron socket in the top of any wood post to receive the swivel pin from the gun. The fit needs to have some give in it which would allow for a hammer blow to develop, without a socket liner the socket itself would be enlarged. The cap was probably forged with the socket as an integral part and the top of the post fitted to it.
jud

There would need to be an iron socket in the top of any wood post to receive the swivel pin from the gun. The fit needs to have some give in it which would allow for a hammer blow to develop, without a socket liner the socket itself would be enlarged. The cap was probably forged with the socket as an integral part and the top of the post fitted to it.
jud

I ran into a little bit of a snag today. I am mentioning it now so if anyone is following the previously posted beam layout they can avoid the same error. The bowsprit bitt (?) did not align correctly on the 1920's plan compared to the model. I had to tear down a couple of beams and rearrange them to fit. The bitt uprights are supposed to fit forward of the 2nd beam for support. That has been corrected now. I will finish the mid sections of the beams and post a pic in the next few days so my solution can be seen.
 
There is a formula which compares length of the ship and it's mast placement by ratio. I am beginning to think there is something off somewhere either by Revell or the 1920's plan. I will check those measures tomorrow...
 
...tonight R & R  (well, what's left of tonight)
 
Dave

Huh, almost to forget chimney !!!
 

 
And finaly, all content of after deck ready for mounting
 

 
A lot, when you put them together.
 
Some color corrections, and mounting can start

You need something to tie your horse up with.
jud

Once heard on the 1-MC on the Helena, CA 75, think it was in 62: All hands Forward go Aft. All hands Aft go Forward. All hands Amidships, direct traffic, hehehe. The rules for the use of passageways and ladders was strictly enforced during emergencies and going to General Quarters which involved all hands being on the move at once. Those rules were simple, travel forward and up on the Starboard side, travel Aft and down on the Port side, the necessary travel from side to side was at your own risk, topside it was the gun crews crossing center-line on the run. As crowded as those old warships were, it makes good sense to have some movement rules in place to keep the flow moving up and down ladders and the direction of traffic on all decks, those rules probably were extended to the flow of seamen on all masts and shrouds.
jud

You need something to tie your horse up with.
jud

Jud - That may be beyond the level of effort and experience that I currently have, but I will certainly keep that in mind for future projects.  I found a link describing the molding process with silicone, but I think I will start with the Bondo Spot putty for this one!

https://www.smooth-on.com/tutorials/moldmaking-tutorial-resin-metal-cold-casting/

Good candidate for using your bondo corrected and cleaned up part to create a rubber mold, then a wax model. Might be able to take your wax model to your local Community College Art Dept and have a lost wax copy made. Your wax model and it's copy will be a true copy of every flaw and finish you allow. You can do it at home with low melting alloys, but using an art department with kilns that will handle brass you can upgrade from a Babbitt alloy.
jud