mgdawson
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Everything posted by mgdawson
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Hi Charles, Just wondering about heating ball bearings, I've done a search on the site but only found mention of it, no details eg how hot, can you do it in an kitchen oven or do you need a torch ? Is it permanent or you need to add a protective coating ? If someone has a link to where this is described it would be appreciated. Also one of the posts I did find mentioned using a chemical blacking solution after heating , so I'm confused, does the heating create the black or the chemical solution and the heat just allows the chemical black to work. If using chemical blacking, which is appropriate, steel or copper based blacking, I'm assuming the chrome is still on the ball bearing so we're blacking chrome not steel or does the heat cook off the chrome? I vaguely remember that when chrome plating steel, it is first plated with copper which is then plated with chrome, so if we've cooked off the chrome are we down to copper or steel ? Mark
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Hi, I was looking at steel shot for a canon section kit in my stash but looking online the only steel shot I found had a prominent belt around the equator. Can someone tell me if this is normal or did I just find an oddball (no pun intended). Also anyone know where I can buy steel shot in Australia, I've only found preloaded shells with steel shot. I was going to ask around at the June shot show but of course that didn't happen. I wouldn't even consider getting some from overseas the cost of shipping a kilo or more would be horrendous. Mark
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WW2 ship drawings anyone know what this is?
mgdawson replied to Dean77's topic in Nautical/Naval History
Hi Dean, The 945/94S is the plan number, it looks to me to be a builders plan, if so somewhere on the sheet there would have been either the ships name or hull number, hopefully it's still there, along with the 'Society of Electromechanical Foundries Liguria' it might give you a lead. I came up empty with a search for that Society but perhaps there's a member from Genoa who can shed some light on it or contact the Genoa Maritime Museum. If you're near a maritime museum it might be worth taking that plan to them and ask their advice on preservation. Good luck. Mark -
Anchor Question
mgdawson replied to rlb's topic in Discussion for a Ship's Deck Furniture, Guns, boats and other Fittings
Sorry can't help with specifics but I've seen models with both a wooden and an iron stocked anchor indicating perhaps an in service replacement of a lost anchor whilst also illustrating the evolving technology. Mark -
Making extremely tiny fittings
mgdawson replied to BETAQDAVE's topic in Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings
Hi Dave I've seen methods comparable to that suggested by Kris except you don't trim all the excess off, drill holes in your cap rail and glue the extensions into the cap rail holes, much stronger than just gluing on top. Likewise a jig for soldering would be a simple piece of wood with a couple of holes drilled in it, perhaps another piece of wood pressed alongside in the unlikely event the horns try to turn. As fairlead horns are usually oval in cross section I'm wondering if round rather than square stock would be closer to the mark, a wipe on the outside with a file/fine sanding stick would give the impression of a more oval shape and with round stock you wouldn't need to square out the holes in the base plate. Mark -
I like the idea, adds a little 'life' to the model. Just thinking long term, I'm wondering how are you planning to manage the power, if batteries, are you building a battery compartment into the base of the case or if a plugpack any thoughts on disguising the cable running to the case. Mark
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Hi Messis, Some time back I found online a pdf of 'A Treatise on Naval Gunnery' by General Sir Howard Douglas, 4th Edition, 1855, 'Dedicated by Special Permission to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty', 689 pages, apparently scanned by google in Harvard College Library. A quick look in the tables in Appendix D, 'Tables of Gunnery Practice', I found found some tables with ranges, projectile velocity and penetration over various ranges mainly for larger guns but some tables go down to 12lb, I didn't look extensively to see whether there were tables for 6pounders. There are a lot of different tables which may be of interest, likewise the whole book. Unfortunately some of the tables are quite poorly reproduced and at a glance are unreadable while others are crystal clear, but they may reveal some relevant info with a bit of effort. It appears this was a problem with the source rather than the scanning. The book is obviously British but I imagine performance would be comparable with French cannon. Sorry, I can't give you a link, I downloaded it quite a while ago and don't remember where from. Mark
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1:48 boiler
mgdawson replied to Bitao's topic in Discussion for a Ship's Deck Furniture, Guns, boats and other Fittings
From google translate :- "Brass homemade. Use integral milling 1:48" -
Hi mugje, i don’t have any experience with this but i would imagine over time the copper patina will change and any matching now may not match in future. happy to be corrected. mark
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By convention, when measuring rope in imperial units use circumference, when measuring in metric, diameter.
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I have this kit in my stack and have considered an ‘abstract’ figure to man it, don’t want a fully detailed figure detracting from the model. One option i found is a mannequin that artists use to practice proportion, available in various sizes including 12” which at this scale would be a 6’ pilot, a tall person for the period but not unheard of (from memory my research indicated 5’6” - 5’7” would be more appropriate) but i doubt the difference would be too noticeable. Depending on the mannequin a little trimming might even be feasible. Mark PS Apologies for the imperial measurements, a persons height is the one thing I’ve never got my head around in metric !
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Was trying to find a photo to illustrate the above and this came up in the google search. Mark
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Hi Matrim I’ve seen photos of clippers & cargo ships alongside in Sydney with their lower/longer yards acockbill (canted vertically) due to the proximity of the warehouse. Hmm, that could make an interesting diorama. I believe all yards acockbill was also used as a sign of mourning, presumably when a ship was at anchor. Mark
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Hi Grandpa Kevin Kenny did a video on this, it's in the ' Model Tips and Tricks and Making Jigs' section.
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Thanks Kevin, I'd found lots of photos but I was after some of her out of the water to have a look at the run aft and as most model photos look down at the model, or at best a straight profile, they don't really give a clear view of the lines under the counter, so I was trying to find some of the actual ship out of the water. I thought with a project like that they'd do a doco or blog on her build hence my search was in that direction. I'll keep an eye out. Mark
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I got curious about her lines :- https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Linesplan-of-the-privateer-Lynx-from-Chapelle-1967_fig3_303566120 Does anyone know of any photos or videos of her build or even just out of the water ? Mark
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Fiskars Fingertip Detail Knives
mgdawson replied to Richmond's topic in Modeling tools and Workshop Equipment
Hi Richmond I was about to jump in and say Spotlight have those detail knives but when I just looked online I can't find them. I know I've seen them somewhere as I was looking at them as an alternative to a leatherworkers swivel knife used in leather carving. I did however find 2 versions on Amazon.com.au, the version you pictured for $17 & a 'new' version with a rubberised fingertip in place of the knurled one for $25. Perhaps I did see them in Spotlight and they've dropped the 'old' and are waiting for the 'new'. Personally I think I'd prefer the old version, the rubberised grips they like putting on things are great when new but always seem to go manky after a couple of years. Fiskars Fingertip Swivel Knife Fiskars New Fingertip Swivel Knife Superior Control Softgrip Detail Mark -
Wreck of Bonhomme Richard found off Yorkshire coast.
mgdawson replied to uss frolick's topic in Nautical/Naval History
My understanding is that it’s the oxygen level that’s important. If it’s buried in silt excluding the oxygen, it can survive quite a long time. i’ve recently seen an article about a ship something like 2000 years old of which some parts were well preseved in silt. Likewise, on land, some wooden artifacts have survived in peat bogs for thousands of years. -
Hi Alan Another option for a CAD program is Fusion360, I'm only just learning it now and have only touched one other "real" CAD program, so I can't give you an objective comparison but it seems quite powerful once you get over that steep initial learning curve. I started to learn Sketch-Up a few years back but it didn't work the way my mind works, I felt like I was always looking for a way to get around the program to do what I wanted, a "proper" CAD program makes more sense to me. Instructables.com has a 3D Design class using Fusion as well as several classes on 3D printing, CNC etc which use it and on the Fusion 360 website there are extensive video tutorials. (Instructables and Fusion360 are both owned by AutoCAD) It's a professional program but free to "startups and hobbyists". Like everything the best program is the one that works for you, I'd suggest, as their both free, doing a few tutorials on SketchUp and Fusion360 and see which fits you. Mark
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Cargo tie downs
mgdawson replied to Osmosis's topic in Discussion for a Ship's Deck Furniture, Guns, boats and other Fittings
Hi Art I’m guessing you’re referring to the SS San Francisco 1853, wrecked on her maiden voyage, Jan 1854. As Wefalck indicated, the preferred practice in that era was a tight stow rather than relying on lashings. In my experience tight stowage is far better in a seaway, i’ve been in situations in a gale where we’ve had seamen retightening lashings every hour and the cargo working against them still snapped chains and stretched 20mm dia wire rope. A tight stow can’t move. Towards the bottom of this page (http://mcjazz.f2s.com/ClipperShipPlans.htm) is a drawing of a tea clipper being loaded. As you can see they have multiple sized tea chests to use the maximum volume and fill the nooks and crannies with stone dunnage. There’s a labourer with a large mallet to ‘encourage’ the chests into the tight stow. Not quite the cargo your SF would have carried but the theory’s there. Note :- Most if not all the drawings on the linked page were drawn by George Campbell and appeared in his book ‘China Tea Clippers’ (1974). -
Another Cape Horn doco, made in 1980, 54min. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lO7Om05Kt1s&t=2s My 1 trip around The Horn was as 3rd Mate on a 40,000 tonne container ship, it was dead calm.
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Hi Sandor, I've seen several drawings similar to the one Nils posted although I don't think I've ever seen one of the tackles taking a turn around an axle. I've also seen the chocks between the axles rather than outside, more seaman like IMHO, less chance of being kicked/knocked out. Greg mentions guns turned side on to the bulwarks, I've seen several models and drawings with this arrangement mainly for signal guns or on expedition ships with reduced armament to make more room on deck, I would not expect to see this on any active warship. Unfortunately I don't remember how they were lashed. Little awkward getting to my reference library at the moment but if I get a chance I'll have a hunt for you. Mark D
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When i did my ticket the examiner got me to do it backwards, in half points ! Mark
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My First Attempt At Metal Blackening
mgdawson replied to Osmosis's topic in Metal Work, Soldering and Metal Fittings
Hi Art Perhaps try jewellery supply houses, I've also seen it at a casting/molding supply for theatrical props, masks etc. Mark -
Hi John Seamen are a practical bunch, today just as much as in the past, why not google up images of some active original or replica period ships and see what they're doing eg James Craig (Sydney), Enterprize (Melbourne), Duyfken (Fremantle), Endeavour, Bounty. Don't bother with static museum ships like Polly Woodside, Cutty Sark or Victory, on those sometimes low maintenance preservation has to take precedence over historic accuracy. By your location you're not far from Mystic, pop down and have a look at the Morgan, I believe they were making her seaworthy again a few years ago so her current rig should be practical. Mark
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