Some Idea

Thanks so much Albert

Thanks mate much appreciated Thanks Keith and a very happy new year to you Thanks Brad but remember this is my first POF build so I'm a beginner too. I do get lots of help especially here at MSW.

Some more work done and this time it's the main mast and chocks. I'm not rigging this ship so the mast is just going to be a stubby. Sorry this post is going to be a bit picture heavy so firstly the main mast. I didn't have timber with a big enough dimension to make the 16mm diameter mast. So I glued 4 equal pieces together which I ran through a thickness sander to get a good flat gluing surface. This piece was then placed in an independent 4 jaw chuck and supported by a live centre. This was then turned to the required diameter - this was easy with wood but I don't think I'd try a length of metal like this without support. Next was to cut it to length; make the iron band to prevent the base of the mast from splitting and also shape the base to sit in the mast step. The mast partner also required finishing and I wanted to make a nice feature of this. I had the problem of cutting 10 pieces at exactly 36 degrees and I just don't have the equipment to cut such long pieces accurately. So I decided to make it out of 30 individually cut pieces all glued together and then use a glued in dowel to be able to mount it in a chuck. Next I turned the inner and outer dimensions and once this was done sanded the end faces to 7 degrees to match the final angle of the mast. The piece in place on the main deck Then I made the mast step chocks - the one on the left is also cut at an angle to match the mast. Finally all of the pieces are assembled and fixed into the hull. I think my next job is going to be the catheads but I'm not sure yet Cheers Mark

Ah ha now I understand 🙂. Thanks druxey I can see exactly what you mean now and why. This is an easy fix too - much appreciated

Welcome aboard!

Cheers druxey - I think I know what you mean about the faces of the cleats and I think I have got them just about spot on. The rope is tied to an iron ring further down the stem. Here's a couple of pictures - fortunately I can easily change them if they are in fact not correct. Let me know if you think they need moving.

Hi all I hope you're having a nice xmas break and looking forward to 2026. Some more work done on Le Rochefort - I started by finishing the bowsprit. I don't know the name of these parts but they are obviously stops to hold rope in place that helps secure the bowsprit. They are quite small and are tapered to a 9 degree angle. I achieved this by simply angling the head of the mill and taking a cut. Then I just cut them out using a fine razor saw. Next were the final 4 planks at the bow which were very straight forward to make and fit. The final parts to make were the gunwales for the bow - again these were quite straight forward they just take time to get a good fit. Where the gunwale rolls down towards the main deck its suppose to have a small tail which makes it look like a spiral. I've made a couple of attempts at making this but neither really looked any good. If I was painting it black (as it should be) it would be quite an easy thing to cover up and get a good result. I'm leaving this ship just as it is so maybe this is something I will have to revisit later. Another update coming shortly - thanks Mark

Hi Chris this really is lovely work by you and I think I would probably leave the notches out too. It's a tiny detail and I can foresee planks splitting etc trying to achieve it. Like you I was unsure about cutting openings into the hull especially when you have such nice frames. However I'm glad that I did because I would have lost so much detail to look at if I had not have done this. It's personal choice but it's much easier to do it now than later. Oh and when you drop something into the hull in about 3 years time and the ship is much more built up its so much easier to retrieve too 😂 I know this through many a shaking session trying to get that small bit out! Great build keep the updates coming.

Wow this is a master at work! Fantastic on such a tiny scale.

49,000 members - if everyone just chucked in a quid (English slang) this forum could run indefinitely. I've donated so come on guys only 53 people so far have chipped in. Let's get some cash in the bank for MSW as we all benefit from the posts and advice that posters contribute.

Merry Xmas Kevin its so great to see you back on the forum. Looking forward to all of your updates

Merry Christmas and a happy new year from my family to everyone at MSW - we hope its a good one for you all

Thanks for all of your posts again this year Kevin she's looking great - I hope you and your family have a lovely Xmas.

Fantastic workshop Ronald-V and I understand why you sorted it out so well. Part of the enjoyment of ship building for me in my workshop is the fact it's very organised and tidy. It's just a nice place to be when doing our favourite hobby and yours is the same.

I think that this is a great idea especially for first time builders. I cannot download the files as I run a Mac but as I understand it you simply put the length of the frame and how many planks are required and it gives you the dimensions at each station. Then you can print out the ticker tape and apply it to your model. Well done MintGum.

For the OP I have owned both the Proxxon and Sherline mills and both are good machines for different reasons. The Proxxon is a great compact machine with spindle speeds up to 20K. Excellent results can be had on this little machine; just look at marsalv's build and you will see just what can be done. The down sides are its quite noisy; has a very limited XYZ movement and the extruded aluminium table is not flat. The Sherline mill is definitely a step up and can achieve spindle speeds of 10K with a pulley upgrade. It's far more powerful and has a much better range on the XYZ movement. It's also much more accurate due to being able to reduce backlash on the lead screws using the adjustable gibs and anti back lash fittings. The down sides are its very expensive compared to the Proxxon; extra parts are required to achieve high spindle speeds and it's much heavier too. Both machines are good at drilling but the Sherline can hold drill bits up to 3/8th and the Proxxon cannot. For fine drilling on the Sherline they do make a sensitive drilling attachment which is honestly fantastic but again comes at a cost to the user. The choice is really about your budget and just what you want from your machine. Hope this helps - Mark

Yes they are but just like model kits they are pirated from the genuine manufacturers.

I'm with Chris on this but everyone has a budget and maybe you could make it work for you. I have a couple of Innocraftmans products and the vice I have is very nicely made. However it's not that strong and like the other item I have its a little rough around the edges. I knew this when I bought them and they do exactly what I require them to do. I would search wider on the net for reviews but if you want a serious mill my instincts are to stay away and save for something better.

I don't think that there is a downside for using your techniques at all. As you say there is a lot of computer work; but the thought processes you must go through to transcribe drawings into a precise 3D cut must be a very difficult challenge. The blend between manual and machine cut parts is in my opinion the future of this hobby. Fantastic job and hanging the ship to drill out the hawse holes - I'm going to give that a try on my next build.

Wonderful work Albert

Hi Ken - sorry I've not replied I'm away in the truck all week and it's tricky to reply on my iPhone. tmj has hit the nail on the head I use a reinforced double sided tape. The problem is getting the tape off of the back of the freshly cut brass without bending or twisting it. I found that if I put the complete cut (the thin strip of brass still attached to the wood) into a saucer of alcohol - not whiskey but IPA it just melts the adhesive and the 3 components separate very easily.

Congratulations Chris and good luck with the latest venture

Incredible work thanks for sharing

Just a little update from me today. Ive been working on the moulded rail around top of the bow and I did cheat a little. Instead of making it out of two separate planks I made it from one piece which simply wrapped around the bow. I couldn't think of a better way of doing it so this is what I did. I have also shaped the final 4 timber heads - I'm really glad that I left the timber heads on the frames instead of adding them on later. They are so solid being an integral part of the frame and because of this they are simple to file into shape. I've not yet finished the rail where is curves down towards the main deck cap rail as it needs some more detail. I'm unsure how to achieve this extra detail at the moment but hopefully a solution will come to me nearer the time. For some reason I really like this view of the bow - it still amazes me that parts I made nearly 5 years ago when I was just starting out are pretty much spot on. The bow should however be a sharp point and not rounded as it is now. The nice thing is I can correct this with the cap rail. My next jobs are the two final planks around the bow and the cap rail. Mark

Fantastic work Chris