Bob Legge

The Barbette for the 30.5 cm Gun
The barbette mainly consists of a semi-circular breastwork armour, backed by hardwood and by an open space covered with thin plate. The latter presumably to retain splintering wood in case of an impact. Since no tube of suitable dimensions for the breastwork was to hand, I made a short, laminated one from Bristol board layers glued together with white glue. The edges were soaked in thinned white glue before being trimmed down on the lathe. The tube then was varnished with wood-filler before the edges were sanded. Finally the tube was cut into half on the fret-saw. More wood-filler was applied before final sanding. The other inside wall of the barbette were lined with Pertinax to provide a smooth surface.
 

Trimming the laminated tube on the lathe
 
The fore-deck has been covered in a sheet of thin Bristol board and the camber of the wooden decking built up with an additional piece of board and putty (I am using fast drying bodywork putty from car repair suppliers). The anchor pockets have also been lined with thin Bristol board, but Pertinax would have been better for this.
 

Tube for the barbette armour made from laminated Bristol board
 
All surfaces that would have been iron plating, will be covered in thin sheets of Pertinax. The necessary holes for portholes and other opening will be drilled or cut before the sheets are fixed.
In between, I had also improvised a disc-sander from a PROXXON router. In think in the meantime this manufacturer offers a small disc-sander.
 

Smoothing the hull on the newly constructed disc sander
 
To be continued ...

@Tadheus, thank you very much for your efforts ! However, could you please check on my Web-site first, before posting a link, whether the picture you found has not been already published there. These pictures are all well-known to me and I may want to use them later to illustrate specific points.
 
*******
 
And off we go with the actual model construction ...
 
Materials
 
I had been contemplating a variety of materials for the hull; for instance Plexiglas® layers with bulwarks made from brass foil. In the end, I choose MDF (medium-density fibre) board, which is available in thicknesses down to 1 mm from architectural model supply houses. Other parts will be constructed from or covered with Bristol board, which is also available in various thicknesses (or rather weights per square metre). The bulwarks etc.. will be made from Pertinax® (phenolic resin impregnated paper, FR-2), which is available in thicknesses down to 0.1 mm. Bristol board and Pertinax® are easily cut with a scalpel, a razor blade or scissors and will not crease or dent as metal foil might. I currently have no facilities for photo-etching large parts, but if I had, perhaps I would have made the bulwarks from brass still. The other advantage is that Bristol board can be readily and permanently glued using white glue. Bonds between large areas of metal foil and Plexiglas® might become detached. Pertinax® can be glued using cyano-acrylate or epoxy-resins.
While I have been shying away from thermoplastics, such as polystyrene, on account of it being suspicious to be not ‘permanent’, practical experience shows that my plastic models built over 40 years ago are still intact. So I may reconsider my position in this respect. Polystyrene, of course, has several advantageous properties. One has to be sure, however, that it is properly painted to exclude the deteriorating UV-radiation.
 
The hull and superstructures
 
The basic bread-and-butter construction of the hull is shown in the pictures below.
 

Cutting out layers for the hull
 

Using the drill press as a makeshift disc sander (I have since constructed one)
 

Using the drill press as an improvised miniature drum sander
 

The layers of the hull with the barbette and the anchor-pockets cut out
 

Milling a recess into which later the rubbing strake will be inserted
 
To be continued ...

Looking at my records, I realised that I started the project already in 2006, after doing some 10 or more years of research on it. I also began to report on the project in MSW 1.0, but this building report sank together with it and the project then stalled due to my move to Paris. Now, with my Noord-Holland nostalgia Botter-project all but completed, I am turning my attention to the WESPE again. Looking over its storage box, I realised that I had made quite a few bits and pieces already, on which I will report here by and by.
 
@tadheus: thanks for the picture. This wellknown picture shows some of the boats towards the end of their active service life in one of the entrance locks to Wilhelmshaven harbour. While I will be depicting the boats in a state some 20 years earlier, this photograph is very useful, because it is one of the few close-up images showing a lot of detail.
 
As to the scale: I chose the 1:160 scale really for three reasons: i) I don't have the space to keep large models and I don't like to give my models away, once completed; ii) I like the challenge of working at a small scale, trying to pack-in us much detail as others may do at twice the size; iii) this is the model-railway N-scale, so you can crew water-line models easily.
 
There is also a German Wikipedia-page on these boats: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMS_Wespe_(1876) and a generic page on 'flat-iron' gunboats, as they were also called: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flat-iron_gunboat. Both pages, however, have to be taken with a pinch of salt, as they contain some imprecisions.

There has been a long break in this project, caused by a virus-induced vertigo that began in the middle of March. It made it impossible for me to focus my eyes on small things and to do any work in the workshop. Recovery was slow and could not go back to the workshop safely until a couple of weeks or so ago ...

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Two of the ventilators of the crew-quarters in the forecastle have the hollow chain-bollards as their base. These chain-bollards are used to relieve the chain-stoppers when anchoring or being moored using the anchor-chain.





They have a couple of protruding 'noses' that keep the turns of the chain apart, so that the links do not wedge-in each other, making it impossible to cast-off the chain.






Initially, two rims were turned on a piece of round brass and these rims then were reduced to the 'noses' by round-milling on the dividing head of the micro-mill. The base was also milled rectangular, as required. The ventilator was fabricated seperately, as the bollard will be painted black, while the ventilator will be white.

 






The set of ventilators is now complete, but they still need to be drilled for the handles by which they are turned. For this I need to fabricate an adjustable support for the dividing-attachment of the micro-mill so that they do not give, while being drilled.





To be continued soon ...

And the show goes on ...
 
The nascent ventilator was then transfered to the micro-mill for further machining. The mill had been set-up with the dividing head carefully aligned with the milling spindle using a round piece of cemented carbide.


 


Aligning the milling spindles


 
It was also fitted with the geared dividing attachment. The first machining step was to mill out the cowl, starting from the pre-drilled hole.


 


Milling out the cowl


 
In the next step the sides were milled flat. Finally, the vertical back of the cowl was milled round using the geared dividing attachment.


 





Round milling the cowl back


 
The top curve was ground on free-hand using a diamond wheel on the micro-sanding machine. The top cover was fashioned from a piece of thin copper foil soldered on. The excess was milled off in the same set-up as previously.


 


Shaping the back of the cowl on the grinder


 


Soldering on the top of the cowl


 
The boiler-room ventilators are sitting on a base that is square and then tapers into the round of the shaft. This part was milled and turned from Plexiglas, so that it can be cemented to the boiler-room skylight.


 




Finished ventilator and base


 
This base will be painted white together with the boiler-room skylight, while the ventilator itself will be painted buff. This separation into two parts will give a clean separation between the colours. By then I will also have to try to find out, whether the inside of the ventilators was red or buff.


 



Boiler-room ventlators on the boiler-room skylight


 
The handles for turning the ventilators are still missing, but I will drill the respective holes on all ventilators in one go, so that I only need to set up the milling machine once for this.

There is a dozen more ventilators to come, all of them significantly smaller than these two.

 

To be continued soon ...

Progress on the deck beams. Earlier in the thread, the effect of the spur's weight on the ship's trim was discussed, and I decided that storing the water barrels aft should offset the weight of the spur. So I've put a hatch about 1.5x1.2 metres (5'x4') aft of the middle mast to allow for the water barrels to be lowered into the hull. It's in the second photo but doesn't show up well because I took the photo with too little light.


I discovered the beam shelves for the prymne (poop deck) were a bit out of alignment with those for the main deck, which caused the prymne's deck beams to be angled upwards towards the port side. Not very much, really, and my inner demon told me "go on, leave it - nobody will notice". But I'll notice, and if I didn't fix it, it would sneer at me for the rest of time. So one by one I'm taking off the beams and shaving the bottoms at the port end, so effectively the beam will be returned to the horizontal. I've done three so far. You can see the difference in the photo below. A lot of fiddly work, but worth it in the long run.

Oh, and I had a very fortunate find. I wanted some chain to support the spur, and had decided to visit all the local op shops (charity stores) to see if there were any cheap jewellery chains I could get hold of. But before I did, my wife and I visited our local branch of Ishka, a shop that sells stuff with a hippie emphasis, Indonesian furniture, that kind of stuff.
 
Found a multiple-chained necklace for $12.50, reduced to 50% on sale, exactly right for the dromon. But that wasn't the best thing. A necklace with really fine chains, in black metal (what, like iron?), already reduced from $24.50 to $5.00, further reduced by 50% to $2.50! I checked to see if this really was the price and being told it was, went and got the only other one in the shop as well. Ideal for the grapnel chain for my sadly neglected Great Harry model which is on the list for eventual restoration and repair. Score!
 

 
Here's the chain with the spur. I now have enough chain to outfit a fleet!

 
Anyone in Oz wanting some really cool chain might be well advised to check Ishka out.
 
Steven   

Ship name received! So be it!

I made the mast, finished the decoration of the stern. And a few working points...

Hello,

thank you all for your positive feedback.
After a long time back and forth I have for the following execution of the
gooseneck decided.

And I oriented myself primarily to contemporary drawings.
I hope that it is reasonably acceptable.



 

Ciao e grazie a tutti, siete troppo buoni.
Altre foto.
Hello and thanks to everyone, you are too good.
More photos.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Un Saluto.

Ciao e grazie a tutti.
Continuo con queste interminabili coste.
 
Hello and thanks to everyone.
I continue with these endless coasts.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Un Saluto.

Hello, I bought the beautiful drawings of HMS ANSON 1/48 scale made by Alex, I put photos of the construction site that I made for the construction of the model, I will use the same method that I learned from Ed and I used to build the NAIAD.

Thank you for your welcome comments, I start to build the keel.

Thank you very much.

Hello, I put some photos of the progress of work.

Thank you aviaamator, some photos of work start on the cant frame. A greeting

I've been working off and on on this thing all day long, but it's one of those days where it seems like nothing much got done. Under this next level of superstructure and decks, there are details that were painted and added, but you can't see those with my pictures.
Just wanted to get some dry fit photos to see where we're headed with this model. Before this next level of decks are permanently added, a number of significant details must be added. Guns in particular. If I am to add any sailors to the gun deck, I need to wait for my figures to be delivered before adding the next deck level. Once added, it would be much more difficult to put any in sailors place there. 

Thanks for that photo, Lou. Your coal shuttle looks very similar to the photo etch pieces on my gun deck. Not much point in detailing the ones on the gun deck, because you'll never see them. The following photos illustrate that once the upper deck is placed over the gun deck, it obliterates all the detail underneath except for what can be seen looking from the outside (gun ports) in. Can't really see anything looking from the inside out.

I haven’t made an entry in quite awhile due to a family issue.  But I’m back in the shipyard and can report on some progress. First, I noticed that even though I used satin polyurethane, there is quite a shine on the lower planking.  So I sanded it with 400 grade sandpaper and wiped it down with a tack cloth. I did not add another coat of urethane. It looks much better.
 

Next I added vertical supports along the bulwarks which I assume were added during the conversion from a merchant/fishing boat to an armed privateer.  I used wider supports where the gun ports are. I will probably replace the supports on the quarterdeck where those guns will be mounted. I stopped in the bow area so I can coordinate the supports with the location of the catheads and anchor hawse holes.

I also made the windlass.  I ‘bastardized’ the windlass from Syren’s Cheerful model kit.  I had to make changes since this model is narrower that the Cheerful model.  I reduced the section with three holes down to two and got Chuck to let me have another section so both sides of the windlass are the same.  I think it came out rather well. Of course, I changed the ‘supports’ from boxwood to walnut. Note: It isn’t glued yet.
 

 

Ken, you mentioned that you edge bent the lower wale. Did you also edge bend the planking between the wales? I edge bent the planks between the wales on my Halifax and found it could have been better. I had to remove all the planking because it was not positioned properly. Now I have a chance to do a better job. The spacing is even from bow to stern like yours. Your hull looks very similar to Halifax.
 
By the way your Independence is looking great.

The starboard side of the lower planking is complete.  It still needs to be more sanding with finer grades and then the apply clear stain and polyurethane.  When I started I used pencil to mimic the caulking, but I couldn’t see it once some initial sanding was done, so I just stopped using the pencil.  The planking will just look the way it looks. Most of the planks at the bow area are spiled. Some of the rest are edge bent, some not. But I’m happy with the way it turned out.  There are no dropped planks or stealers at the bow. On to the port side!
         

 
In my spare time I began looking at the transom.  The dye-cast metal transom provided by the kit is obviously too big for the reduced scale of my model, so I know I will have to create my own.  But the kit’s transom is ‘longer’ than necessary. I hangs down over the counter like a ‘skirt’. Did boats of this era really have that? None of the models I’ve seen, including those in the Rodger’s collection at Annapolis have that.  I’m thinking I’ll end the transom where the counter starts. Any thoughts?
 
 

Earlier in the forum, I noted comments on the steamboat graveyard across from Dawson City.  I have attached several photos that I took in 1995.  The steamboats had long since collapsed, were unsafe to walk upon and completely enclosed by the underbrush.  Hope you like 'em. LJP
 
 

Rigged the main topmast stay and preventer >
 
Although the above pic shows the fore topmast shrouds rigged, the main topmast stay and preventer were rigged first.
The other end of the stay and preventer >
Since the fore topmast shrouds were now in place it seemed right to rig the stay and preventer >
Somewhere in the middle of doing these stays I decided to create and fit the fairlead for the bowsprit.  The first one was done freehand and didn't turn out too well so I turned to my milling machine to do it 'properly'.
Not considering that a solid piece of wood could be strong enough at that small size, I made a piece of 3 ply from thin slices of Makore.  In the piece left over from my first attempt I drilled a 1mm hole near the centre and used that hole on which to pivot the wood while on a wooden jig attached to the travelling table on my milling machine.  The workpiece was spun around its axis while the fairlead holes were drilled. The table was then moved enough to be able to partially cut the inner curve by spinning the piece, then moved again to another position to cut the outer curve.
The following pics should explain what I did >    
and on the bowsprit >  
AND ~  ALL lower mast ratlines are finished! >
Once the topmast ratlines are done I won't be looking to be doing ratlines for a while!

This is the second post I have had to edit to say that at least one photo is out of sequence -- and I don't know why . . . AND I can't fix it !!!!!
The last photo immediately above here SHOULD be the 3rd photo in the post.

Another small update at last - and the last one for a while.  I'm currently undergoing some intense medical treatment and won't be back at the museum (where the model resides) probably for a few months.
 
At least all the square frames are now fitted.  The next job will be to do quite a bit of fairing and sanding before I start with the forward cants and hawse timbers when I can get back to work on her.
 
John
 

Hello all
just got back from a fantastic vacation in Ireland. Problem about having a great time on vacation is eventually it must come to an end. I have now since settled back into reality. I did manage to finish turning my 12 pound wooden cannons on my homemade or should I say poor man’s “lathe”. I am pleased with the results. Just need to bore out the ends and put the pin holes in the full ones, paint them black and the assemble. 

 
Tom