Charter33

Thanks for sorting this out for me Dan. I've been a regular viewer of your IJN Amatsukaze build - incredible! I never realized that card models of this sophistication even existed... I've managed to make a little more progress with the Triton build in between the demands of a couple of other projects. The scratch stock did the job and both the keel and false keel have now also have had their ends tapered. I turned three brass screws to hold the keel in place on the building board (and later onto a display base although that's many years away!). Brass bushes where also turned and pressed home into the keel. Keel and false keel are now joined ..... ....and the building board, now complete with a print of the jig plan, has been drilled in readiness for the keel once it has been completed. Cheers, Graham.

Thanks Chuck - your swift response is appreciated! Graham

Hi, Bill – thanks for dropping in. I’m building to a scale of 1:48 as per the plans. I forgot to put this in the original thread title and was unable to find a way to edit it. I’ve now resorted to adding it as a tag label. A quick up-date:- The great news of the re-opening of the Triton build topic and the changes in how to now access the plans arrived while I was way on a family holiday. Dealing with this was the first job I did upon my return! The plans are superb – some sheets are genuine works of art. Thank you if you were involved in their production. So much time, care and effort has clearly gone into them. Very much appreciated. Today I invested in having all the AO and A1 sheets printed as I cannot do this for myself unlike the A4 sheets. I have found much information to assist with the task of shaping deadwoods, stern and inner posts etc. Looking at the grooving in the keel sides I decided to spend a bit of preparation time making a basic scratch stock to add this detail. The stock is beech and the blade was fashioned from a heavy duty craft knife blade. Three different ‘spurs’, to deal with the variations in angles shown on the plan, were initially ground to shape with a Dremel and then honed on a water-cooled grindstone. A quick trial on an offcut of cherry proved successful. I’ve been checking the list of plan files in the ‘Complete Model’ download section against the list provided further up in the download area and have found a bit of discrepancy. On the plus side there are many additional files covering areas such as Great Cabin sash lights, Hawse, Hawse and Bollard timbers. Although most of the files I initially thought were missing were actually available by looking in the 'Cross-section' build version download area, I have not yet been able to locate the following: Belfry layout Binnacle Capstan details Capstan Layout Triton stove Wheel Stem Tapered keel Starboard Stern Timbers (1-3) Tafferel Rev 1 (????) Rudder Rudder iron work Are they ‘hiding’ on other sheets perhaps? My inexperience could well have led to me overlooking them of course. Is there any way to obtain them? Any advice gratefully received. Cheers for now. Graham.

Hi, A couple of diverse reasons for this up-date ... Firstly - Robert, thank you for the compliment about my jigs and this post also includes a very simple one. I'm a regular visitor to your build and love the quality of your model and agree with your decision to leave your hull planked and copper plate free - that skillful work needs to be seen to be fully appreciated! The second purpose is the result of the dreaded PB changes to my account, third party hosting etc. and an attempt to see if I can still access and use my photos. I only use PB as a simple means to 'size' my pictures - I have found that by just up-loading pictures and then re-saving them on a memory stick, and using the latter as the source to add the photos to my posts, the pictures can be added without the need for any more adjustment to meet the required parameters. To be honest I struggle with image manipulation software at times. It appears that I can still use PB successfully, frustrating as the adverts and 'pop ups' are. Yes, I could pay to avoid them, but I'd rather be investing the money in materials and tools. This approach, however, and my reluctance to embrace change is in some ways a reflection of a phobia of the new .... time to have a go at uploading directly through the MSW route I think, after all how hard can it be? - next time... As a break from copper plating I decided to look at the mounting of the cannons and to complete the construction of a gun carriage to check out the assembly process. This jig was made to help with marking the position of the eyelets either side of the gun ports. I've added additional rings to the sides of the carriages to make the run of the ropes more like the real thing, as many other builders have done. An improvised 'draw plate' helped reduce the size of the end of the loop that then holds the guide ring. The assembly of the carriage was very straight forward and presented no major issues, but those eyelets (480) are so small! I swear that there is nothing wrong with my eyesight - but my arms must have shrunk as they are no longer long enough to be able to hold small components in focus. Time to visit the optician again .... Cheers, Graham.

Hi, The Furniture scratch repair pens arrived .... three different browns euphemistically labeled mahogany, oak and cherry. The first was as dark as the marker pen I used previously on the aft deadwood, the other two, shown above, were very similar to each other but do not match the woods they are named after, to be honest. The cherry, on the left, was the best of the bunch and it was this that I used on the second attempt at the deadwood and various scarf joints. It would be wrong of me to criticize these pens without actually trying them for their advertised purpose, but with a working knowledge of furniture restoration and various finishing technique including French polishing there are other processes I'd use to repair scratches first. The effect of this pen was generally okay although it does have a tendency to bleed, especially on end grain. Then I came across Dan Vad's advice to Jeff (Zarcon) on his HMS Victory build log about using Pigma Brush pens and archival ink. More than twice the price of the set of three, but so much better - and worth every penny! I'll be using this for the rest of the build. I have now completed cutting out all the components for the keel etc. My next task is to add the rebates and additional tapering to the fore and aft deadwoods, referring to the first plan sheet and the other build logs in this forum - I love a challenge! Once this has been done, and the parts have been assembled, I hope to be in a position to access the full set of sheets. Cheers, Graham.

Thank you , Steve, for pointing me in the right direction! Cheers, Graham

Hi, While work continues with copper plating the starboard side of the hull I've also turned my attention to the cannons and their carriages. Having found a way to assemble the carriages I started work on researching how to set about applying a painted finish to the cannons. An initial request for advice on spraying led to a whole new approach (see the thread in the 'Painting, finishes and weathering techniques and products' ) and subsequently the finish is now achieved using 'Brass Black'. To reliably form the trunnion clamps I resorted to making a new pair of jaw inserts for my Mantua plank bending pliers. With this tool I've also been able to replicate the slight left and right hand bias that these clamps need to compensate for the tapering sides of the gun carriages. Cheers, Graham.

When I started this topic the other day I had no idea that it would end up going in this direction. Proof once more of the value of this forum when it comes to sharing ideas and techniques. Thank you to all those who have contributed to and followed the discussion. With the resources now in place I managed to find time do a trial run :- - before and after .... After brushing and de-greasing, two 30 second immersions in the Birchwood Casey 'Brass Black', with a rinse and dry in between, I ended up with the finish shown above. This was followed by a coat of matt lacquer. I am delighted with the result to put it mildly! Cheers, Graham.

Thank you for your input on this topic, Toni. The brushes I ordered are brass ones, so as not to contaminate the brass cannons, and were waiting for me at work this morning, together with the blacking solution. A quick trial with the brush shows that it actually refines and polishes the surface. I'll see if I can source the chemicals and do a trial shortly. Cheers, Graham

Thanks' for the additional tips, Steve. The white vinegar is already in the workshop, the Birchwood Casey 'Brass Black' due for delivery early next week, as are the brass wire brushes for the Dremel which I hope will remove any traces of C.A. adhesive from the pivot rods (?) and the breach rings. Cheers, Graham

Thanks' Hornet - found it on ebay as you suggested and an order has been placed. I'll have a go and see how it comes out. Cheers, Graham

The hottest and longest day of the year. With the ‘shipyard’ inside the house uncomfortably hot a little ‘Al Fresco’ modelling was called for……. With the scent of jasmine wafting over the improvised work bench, and a cold beer, life’s good …. and this picture was taken just after 8.30pm with the temperature still in the high 20s. I came up with this jig to help me to construct the gun carriages – this is the test of the first of many to be assembled. The four elements surrounding the carriage slide up across into place and keep the parts aligned and 'square' while the glue dries. The jig will allow five to be assembled at once. Reliance on jigs has been made more necessary as recent medical treatment has left my fingers numb to the extent that I know I’m gripping something if I can see that I am. I’ve been assured that this side effect will eventually go but it’s very frustrating at times. Finally a little trick to clean up the carriage wheels – mounted two at a time on the grinding disc mandrel of a Dremel and lightly rubbed on a sheet of glass paper. Cheers for now, Graham.

Thanks' for the info Nick. You're right - using the airbrush can be a lot of messing about. I'll act on your advice and try hand painting first. I'm enjoying your Confederacy log - keep up the great work! Cheers, Graham

Hi, I'm a novice with the airbrush but am hoping to use one to apply the matt black paint to the cannons of my Caldercraft Victory. Has anyone had experience of spraying with Admiralty paints? I'm guessing that it will need to be thinned down - any suggestions as to the right mix? 20% water? 50/50? Any advice gratefully received. Cheers, Graham

Hi, Work with the copper plates progresses steadily, although slowly at times. I must be close to having completed about a third of the hull and have got far enough to be able to include the first three of the ‘Victory plates’ on the port side, just under the entry port. They appear slightly different in colour compared with the standard plates and this effect varies depending on the way the light falls on them. I assume this must be due to differences in extraction and refining processes – 18th Century metallurgists did not have access to modern electrolysis techniques. As a break from plating I have been ‘playing’ with the cannons. I wanted add breach rings and after a couple of false starts came up with this method. The cannon was clamped in a machine vice on a milling machine that had been set up for drilling. Softwood jaws prevented any damage to the cannons, they rested on the pivot and were set at an angle of 45 degrees measured on the bottom edge. Two 1 mm holes were then drilled. For the rings themselves I decided to ‘roll my own’ from 1 mm dia. Brass rod. This was done with a pair of fine round nosed pliers. The loop was cut with side cutters and after a little tweeking the loop was pushed into place and fixed in place with CA glue. Assembling the gun carriages next! Cheers for now. Graham.

Firstly let me say that I am no expert and no doubt there are far more knowledgeable members out there .... but here's my 'two peneth' I've used this composite material to join R/C aircraft cowls and wing halves and to scratch build wheel spats for a 1930's style R/C model. Be warned - it's messy, smelly, you need to work quite quickly - but it's a lot of fun and very rewarding once you get the hang of it. Health and safety - you need to work in a well ventilated area and wear rubber gloves. I prefer the surgical type. Not sure how much detail you want here, so ..... Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) combines the tensile strength of glass strands with the properties of a plastic, usually polyester resin although epoxy is also sometimes used. The glass matting comes in three basic forms of various weights and sizes: Chopped strand - good for moulding compound curves like hulls, fuselages, cowls etc. Woven - including a woven ribbon good for joining wing halves, GRP canoe halves, cowling halves etc., and Finishing tissue - a light weight cloth and probably the most suitable for your intended purpose. The resin needs a few drops of a catalyst to make it harden. As far as colouring goes once it has cured you can spray it with primer and then a colour of your choice. You can alternatively add coloured pigments to the resin so that it is 'self coloured'. These are not too expensive, and you only need a couple of drops, but to be honest spray cans, or an airbrush, are probably a more economic option when you're getting started. You would also need plenty of acetone for cleaning up equipment. Your hull would need a coat of resin, a layer of finishing tissue and a further coat or two of resin, probably brushed on. If you really get into this stuff you will learn how to 'stipple ' resin on or, on bigger jobs, to use a roller (not to be confused with decorating rollers!) Once the resin has fully hardened you will need to rub it back with progressively finer grades of 'wet and dry' and / or rubbing compound, being very careful not to rub down to the glass layer, to get a good surface finish. The biggest issue with suppliers is buying small quantities suitable for modelling. Some of the materials have a limited shelf life. It's not particularly expensive, although it's all relative I suppose. Some model shops stock it, although changes to what can be sent through the post has impacted on the mail order route to some extent. If you want to 'have a play' you can buy a car body repair Glass Fibre kit from National retail chains such as Halfords (I checked - there are half a dozen in Belfast!) for about £15. It has the resin, hardener and chopped strand matting in it. There are some really good 'how to' video clips out there on You-tube that will help you too. Now the hard bit...... it's your build, and you are the Captain so the decisions are all yours, but if it was down to me I wouldn't use this as a finish on this beautiful boat. I'm sure that there are better methods to achieve a quality finish on your hull. At the very least have a practice go or two on something else first before deciding. Good luck! Graham.

Hi Steve, How are you thinking of using the fibre glass - as a layer on the outside of the hull? or as a lining inside the hull?

Thanks for the ‘likes’, comments and input. Always welcome and appreciated. Michael (MEDDO) – the equipment is not exactly mine, but having access to it is the next best thing. The planner / thicknesser and I go back 40 years – and I believe it was almost 20 years old when I first used it! I must have fed the equivalent of a small forest through it over that time ….. Christian – I agree that the black and the brown pens that I used on the aft deadwood are too dark. I have found a set of ‘Furniture Touch up scratch repair’ marker pens that contain lighter browns and plan to experiment with these when they arrive next week. In the mean-time the components for the bow structure are ready to be cut out. I’ve been working on the false keel and keel parts this week. All the scarf joints have been marked out and cut. I have also made a temporary filler piece for the space between the fore and aft deadwoods, where the frames will go later, to help with shaping the bottom edges of the keelson components and to aid with the alinement of the various sub-assemblies when they are glued together. I’ll be adding the tapers to the ends later. They are ready for gluing now and once dry I plan to add the treenails to the joints. Showing my inexperience here, but should these be wooden pegs or copper wire? – I’ve seen both methods used ….. Cheers for now, Graham.

The jaws were made by injecting heat softened rubberized plastic into a metal female mould sometimes called a 'die'. Once the material has cooled it hardens and the die is opened so the product, in this case the jaw, can be removed. To help get this item out the inner polished surface of the die is first sprayed with a fine mist of 'releasing agent' that helps prevent the liquid plastic from sticking to the metal. It's the remnants of this spray that might have caused the discoloring of the wood.

Another thought - your clamp looks pretty new, and the jaws appear to have been injection-moulded. Another possibility could be that there is still some residue of the 'releasing agent' from this manufacturing process on the jaws. I have a feeling that the agent is silicon based, but I could be wrong. Light sanding ought to get rid of it. Good luck!

Just another thought - was the hull in direct sunlight while in the clamps? It's surprising how quickly some timbers change colour, lighter or darker, when exposed to daylight.

Hi Steve, Really enjoying following this 'retro' build - the finish on the deck is impressive, as is the rate of progress you're making! Keep up the great work. Cheers, Graham

Hi, The first step is often the hardest …. I hope to undertake this challenge of building my first POF ship in order to develop my practical skills and learn new techniques - as well as ending up with a (hopefully) impressive final model. I’ve been preparing for a month or so – downloading the plans for the keel, getting them printed and sourcing the wood. My choice of timber is cherry for the keel and frames, maple for the false keel and other components further down the line and I also have some black walnut in store. The timber as purchased: A strip of each cut off, split and planed down to 8 mm. Ready to start …. The first component I decided to make was the aft deadwood. Patterns cut out and glued onto the cherry with ‘Spray Mount’. I’ve found that this holds the paper in place well enough without leaving any residue on the surface once removed. A couple of times the paper lifted while a piece was being worked but this was spotted and dealt with before errors occurred. After initial cutting out with a band saw edges were refined with a combination of a band facer and drum sander. I have read about, and liked, the technique of enhancing wood joints with permanent marker pens and decided to experiment with black and brown pens on some off-cuts. To say the difference is subtle would be a wild exaggeration! Blowed if I could tell the difference…. The pieces were glued together, cleaned up and the ‘steps’ marked prior to the waste wood being removed with chisels. My first attempt. I’m leaving the final shaping to the sides until much more of the keel has been completed in order to try and get my head around how much wood needs to be removed. I have also been working on making a building board. Before I work on progressing further could someone confirm whether or not this project has been opened to new members again, please? I’m a bit confused by the message saying that it is on the ‘Forum’ front page and the one at the top of the ‘Cross section’ thread saying it’s temporarily closed. In no way is the fact that this project has no big glossy box to smuggle through the back door while the Admiral isn’t looking, thus avoiding the inevitable questions of ‘how much?’ or ‘and where is it going to go when it’s finished’ has absolutely no bearing on my decision to get actively involved ….. honest… Cheers, Graham.

I'd certainly be interested is seeing the drawing of your plate pressing tool if you can find it, Michael. My own jig is definitely a 'short run' solution. Once I'd proved to myself that the jig worked it went into storage. I'm completing these half dozen now to have them ready to integrate into the upper run of plates just under the entry ports, at least that's the plan. Thanks for ,the 'heads up' on the photo-etch benders, Paul. Never knew such things existed! Must have led a very sheltered life - the photo-etched parts in this kit are my first experience of this type of component ..... Cheers, Graham.

Thanks for your kind comments guys. Robert - your Victory build log is one I often refer to when I need guidance. I wish I’d found your tip on using filler blocks between the bow and stern bulkheads before I’d moved well into the first planking ….. Michael – after a day at the front of a classroom copper plating is a great way to ‘chill’! But you’re right, I do need to break away at times and am working on various jigs to help with adapting and constructing the cannons at the moment. For a really mind numbing task try making the copper plates themselves. I’m currently making half a dozen from copper reclaimed from the scale 1:1 example residing in Portsmouth. Each plate has 40 simulated rivets, each punched individually – I have managed to do two consecutively before having to resist the need to scream or hit the Scotch. …oh, and the Admiral is also adept at interrupting the work flow with numerous little diversionary tasks ….. bless her! Cheers for now, Graham.