ianmajor

I glued my remaining sprocket wheel in to the starboard cistern. To secure the chain I (permanently) hooked lengths of wire in to the end links.
 
I also drilled two 4mm holes in the cluster base for the inboard pipes to fit. The outboard pipes will simply sit on the deck surface.  
 

 
The wires were then fed down in to the tubes drawing the ends of the chain with them. To secure the wires I turned up two 2mm diameter bungs from bamboo, then drilled 0.5mm holes through their centres. These were threaded on to the wire from the bottom then pushed in to the bottom of the tubes. The bungs were glued to the tubes leaving the wire free for now. 
 
The chain could then be adjusted and pulled taught by the wires then the wires secured by a drop of superglue. The wires could then be trimmed off.
 
This ensures the chain is secure at both ends. The bungs also line the chains up centrally within the tubes.
 
The photo shows this almost completed. The left hand wire is yet to be trimmed.
 

 
Next was a dry run in the waist area of the ship. The cisterns cleared all the surrounding items such as cannon rigging. Unfortunately I have drilled the two holes in the cluster base too close together. This results in the two cisterns being jammed together. Also the crank handles would be too far away from the uprights to which they should be attached. I will have to ease the two holes outwards by 1mm.
 
When I have rigged out the second pump I will make some rodings in the same way as the cannon caps.
 
I keep looking at the chain and thinking I could have made the links finer.
 

 
I have been giving more thought to the second mechanism and doing some reading on the subject.
 
One document that I consulted was a thesis by Thomas James Oertling called "The History and Development of Ships' Bilge Pumps, 1500-1840" which can be found here . Thomas Oertling has developed this further and published it in a book "Ships' Bilge Pumps - A History of Their Development, 1500 - 1900" ISBN 978-0-89096-722-5.
 
In his thesis he describes the Burr Pump in Chapter IV page 24, the Common (Elm Tree) Pump Chapter V page 32 and the Chain Pump Chapter VI page 73.
 
On page 77 he quotes Blankley (1750) who describes a cylinder of wood with "Y" shaped sprockets set in its periphery. The chain being made of circular, oval or "S" shaped links. 
 
At this time the saucers were made of metal. Earlier they were made of wood and referred to as burrs.
 
On page 78 he quotes the London Magazine (1768) which refers to the new improved Cole/Bentinck design that has a spoked sprocket wheel with "cycle" type chain. 
 
This suggests that the spoked sprocket type was introduced during the lifetime of Unicorn and that the original pumps would have been of the old type. Did Unicorn ever have the new type of pump? Who knows. Since Unicorn and Lyme could be regarded as experimental ships then perhaps it is feasible that towards its end Unicorn carried one of each type. So.....I think I will attempt to make one of the old type mechanisms.
 
One fly in the ointment - most of the info I have seen suggests the old type mechanism simply emptied directly on to the deck, then the water drained across the deck and out of the scuppers.However if I model one pump with and one without a cistern it is going to look odd. Needs more thought.
 
Still that will have to wait - a few pleasant distractions are coming up in the next few weeks - so no modeling and I will have little Web access which will stop my ramblings for now.

Onwards with the chain pumps.
 
I made some tubes for the chains to disappear in to. This was a simple turning and end drilling job. The tubes are made from walnut dowling turned down to 4mm outside diameter with a 2mm hole bored through the centre. The top edges were rounded and the bore opened out slightly at the mouth to give a tappered entrance. The tubes were parted off 9mm long.
 
I also produced the bungs to go in to the front of the cisterns. These were again turned up from walnut dowling. I first turned the dowling down to 3mm diameter, then turned the end to 2mm for a length of 1mm. I then parted it off at 1.5mm long. Although only 2 are needed due to my unfailing ability to lose things I made four of them. This also allowed me to choose the better ones to fit.
 
They need 2 off 0.4mm holes drilled in the ends to take a wire staple to represent the handle. To hold the bungs whilst doing this I gripped them in a pin vice.
 
The photo shows the tubes and the first bung in the pin vice.
 

 
The pin vice was then clamped vertically in the vice on the milling machine to drill the two holes. 
 

 
Short lengths of 0.3mm brass wire were bent up, blackened then glued in to the bungs. The next photo shows the best two. The rim of the bungs crumbled slightly - the walnut I have is not ideal for this work. 
 
The sisterns have a pair of 4mm holes drilled in their bottoms to take the tubes plus one 2mm hole in the leading side to take a bung. This was nerve wracking work - it was like drilling egg shells. 
 

Hi folks,
 
Thank you for your words of encouragement and likes. All of you who have commented are modelers that I look up to on this forum.
 
Nenad, I hope I don't make you too breathless - I don't want you to stop breathing! 
 
Grant, I am glad you enjoyed my ramblings - I hope you were not sent off to sleep by them.
 
JP, the lids are removable so that the detail can be seen. However I am wondering how practical it will be to remove/replace the lids when the rigging is in place. Well in my old model railway club I had the reputation of making details like working locomotive inside valve gear that was impossible to see once the boiler is fitted - so I am just continuing with my old lunacy!
 
John, thanks for looking in. I am looking forward to more developments on your Unicorn.
 
Piet, my metal work is put in the shade by that on your 0 19.
 
BE, as you say searching for "pinged" items always results in finding previously lost items. In this case it was bits for the quarter deck rail that I made some time ago. I love your replacement figures on your Pegasus. Before you did them the originals looked good but the new ones are a huge improvement.
 
Mike, I am expecting that you will improve on my chain pump efforts. Something to look forward to.
 
ZyXuz, good to hear from you again. Your Unicorn has come on in leaps and bounds. Not sure why the hull has started cracking. Perhaps someone with more experience then me could offer a view. I am sure you will sort it.
 

I glued my remaining sprocket wheel in to the starboard cistern. To secure the chain I (permanently) hooked lengths of wire in to the end links.
 
I also drilled two 4mm holes in the cluster base for the inboard pipes to fit. The outboard pipes will simply sit on the deck surface.  
 

 
The wires were then fed down in to the tubes drawing the ends of the chain with them. To secure the wires I turned up two 2mm diameter bungs from bamboo, then drilled 0.5mm holes through their centres. These were threaded on to the wire from the bottom then pushed in to the bottom of the tubes. The bungs were glued to the tubes leaving the wire free for now. 
 
The chain could then be adjusted and pulled taught by the wires then the wires secured by a drop of superglue. The wires could then be trimmed off.
 
This ensures the chain is secure at both ends. The bungs also line the chains up centrally within the tubes.
 
The photo shows this almost completed. The left hand wire is yet to be trimmed.
 

 
Next was a dry run in the waist area of the ship. The cisterns cleared all the surrounding items such as cannon rigging. Unfortunately I have drilled the two holes in the cluster base too close together. This results in the two cisterns being jammed together. Also the crank handles would be too far away from the uprights to which they should be attached. I will have to ease the two holes outwards by 1mm.
 
When I have rigged out the second pump I will make some rodings in the same way as the cannon caps.
 
I keep looking at the chain and thinking I could have made the links finer.
 

 
I have been giving more thought to the second mechanism and doing some reading on the subject.
 
One document that I consulted was a thesis by Thomas James Oertling called "The History and Development of Ships' Bilge Pumps, 1500-1840" which can be found here . Thomas Oertling has developed this further and published it in a book "Ships' Bilge Pumps - A History of Their Development, 1500 - 1900" ISBN 978-0-89096-722-5.
 
In his thesis he describes the Burr Pump in Chapter IV page 24, the Common (Elm Tree) Pump Chapter V page 32 and the Chain Pump Chapter VI page 73.
 
On page 77 he quotes Blankley (1750) who describes a cylinder of wood with "Y" shaped sprockets set in its periphery. The chain being made of circular, oval or "S" shaped links. 
 
At this time the saucers were made of metal. Earlier they were made of wood and referred to as burrs.
 
On page 78 he quotes the London Magazine (1768) which refers to the new improved Cole/Bentinck design that has a spoked sprocket wheel with "cycle" type chain. 
 
This suggests that the spoked sprocket type was introduced during the lifetime of Unicorn and that the original pumps would have been of the old type. Did Unicorn ever have the new type of pump? Who knows. Since Unicorn and Lyme could be regarded as experimental ships then perhaps it is feasible that towards its end Unicorn carried one of each type. So.....I think I will attempt to make one of the old type mechanisms.
 
One fly in the ointment - most of the info I have seen suggests the old type mechanism simply emptied directly on to the deck, then the water drained across the deck and out of the scuppers.However if I model one pump with and one without a cistern it is going to look odd. Needs more thought.
 
Still that will have to wait - a few pleasant distractions are coming up in the next few weeks - so no modeling and I will have little Web access which will stop my ramblings for now.

Onwards with the chain pumps.
 
I made some tubes for the chains to disappear in to. This was a simple turning and end drilling job. The tubes are made from walnut dowling turned down to 4mm outside diameter with a 2mm hole bored through the centre. The top edges were rounded and the bore opened out slightly at the mouth to give a tappered entrance. The tubes were parted off 9mm long.
 
I also produced the bungs to go in to the front of the cisterns. These were again turned up from walnut dowling. I first turned the dowling down to 3mm diameter, then turned the end to 2mm for a length of 1mm. I then parted it off at 1.5mm long. Although only 2 are needed due to my unfailing ability to lose things I made four of them. This also allowed me to choose the better ones to fit.
 
They need 2 off 0.4mm holes drilled in the ends to take a wire staple to represent the handle. To hold the bungs whilst doing this I gripped them in a pin vice.
 
The photo shows the tubes and the first bung in the pin vice.
 

 
The pin vice was then clamped vertically in the vice on the milling machine to drill the two holes. 
 

 
Short lengths of 0.3mm brass wire were bent up, blackened then glued in to the bungs. The next photo shows the best two. The rim of the bungs crumbled slightly - the walnut I have is not ideal for this work. 
 
The sisterns have a pair of 4mm holes drilled in their bottoms to take the tubes plus one 2mm hole in the leading side to take a bung. This was nerve wracking work - it was like drilling egg shells. 
 

Igor,
 
I am speechless.....it get better and better.

Hi Carl, Carl and Matt,
A lot of thanks for your words of approval and an appreciation!
Carl, I used a steering wheel from the set of the photoetched details. It is deameter 2 mm.
Matt, OK, I will try to do a photo of details near a coin. You are familiar with the European coins?
Now I can report that diameter of a steering wheel of 2 mm, diameter of the basis of a binnacle of 1,5 mm. Diameter of the binnacle is 1 mm. The total height of a binnacle is 2 mm.
 
Best Regards!
Igor.

Hi Matija,
Many thanks!
I still am not sure that I understand correctly((
But if you and Lawrence mean it, I simply pasted PE ring.
 
Best Regards!
Igor.

One more small detail:

Today's progress (I hope that it though is a little similar to a binnacle)

Igor,
 
Beautiful work. Inspirational and out of this world.

Breathtaking Ian!!  I must say the details of the chain is simply awesome! 
 
and surprise... I'm BACK!!! lol
I was busying with my new job.. and recently, Chinese New Year.. 
 
I got my new job last September, but the bad side is that it's in Singapore.. so, I can't continue with my Unicorn anymore. She's now resting in shelf.
My plan is to work here for like 4-5 years for a better savings, and then only return to Malaysia. Hope everything goes smooth. 
Seeing your works really 'turn me on' back on this hobby, haha.. now i'm considering making a smaller model here like a boat or sloop which use only minimum tools and take up lesser space. It's time to visit cornwallmodelboat again!!!
 
Anyway, just a pic of my unicorn before I put her in shelf. I did a quick + full time work on her before i got to Singapore. Hope you don't mind
 

You can see that hull started cracking... 
 
Mike,
I also just learned that you started your Pegasus, nice work so far! The hull looks well after sanding 
 
 

The pump chain is like a cycle chain with alternate single and double links. The difference is that some of the single links have a disk fitted which lifts the water. I have been trying to decide how far apart they were.
 
The diagram shown <here>  has the disks every 6th link.
 
Dan Vadas indicates a "saucer" every 4th link - see <here> but as he says only one need to be fitted since the adjacent ones will be in their tubes if the saucer is top dead centre.
 
I decided to go with every fourth link.
 
To make the saucers I turned some brass rod down to 2mm diameter. Then transfering the chuck and rod to the milling machine I used my thinnest slitting disc to cut the horizontal slot along the rod.
 

 
Then mounting the rod vertically in the vice I used the same slitting disc to cut off thin slices.
 

 
The result was less than pleasing. The slitting disc is thin steel and tended to wander producing curved cuts. This effect can just be made out in the previous photo where the slot in the rod runs out to the right as it moved downwards. A soldered one of these saucers on to a link and it was all lopsided.
 
I will be using this slitting disc later but will make some backing plates for it to stop it flexing.
 

 
Back to the drawing board. I turned a fresh length of rod to 2mm and simply sliced off some 0.2 mm blanks. These were then cut almost right across their diameter using a piercing saw. To hold the blanks whilst sawing I drilled a 1.8mm hole near the edge of a thin piece of scrap brass. The hole was then carefully reamed out until the blanks made a good interference fit in it. Then I filed the edge until the hole just broke through.
 

 
The piece of scrap (with the blank fitted) could then be clamped on to a thin piece of plywood on to the edge of the bench then used like a pin to enable the saw cut to be made. 
 
The bit of plywood stops the blank being pushed down (on the cutting stroke) and out of the jig.
 

 
The whole assemble could then be mounted vertically in the vice to use as a soldering jig, simply add a link in to the slot.
 
Soldering with the wooden backing in place...... 
 
        
 
....soldering without. 
 

 
The result was a much better saucer/link.
 

 
 

Next is to make the components for the chain. The challenge is both in holding small parts when filing and to get them (as far as possible) identical in size and shape. I feel another jig coming on.
 
The chain links go around an arc that has a radius about 0.7mm greater than the wheel. I calculated the linear distance between adjacent holes on the chain to be 3.44mm.
 
The jig has two identical parts. Parallel to one edge are two holes 3.5mm apart. Between the holes the area is milled down to a line tangential with the top edges of the holes. The area around the holes is shaped as a curve with the two ends running straight down.
 
Blanks were cut from 0.2mm brass with holes at 3.5mm apart. These were then clamped in batches between the two parts of the jig with a spacer at the lower part of the jig to keep things square. The blanks are then filed down to the shape of the jig - they are then rotated through 180 degrees with the filed edge downwards so that the opposite edges could be filed.
 
The next picture shows a batch of blanks loaded in the jig ready for filing.
 

 
The next picture shows the two halves of the jig, some blanks awaiting filing, and a set of completed chain links around a wheel. The wheel looks like it needs a little more work. Nothing like photographs to show up weaknesses.
 

 

Then it was time to assemble the chain. The double links were soldered to the cross pins, the single links were left free. To stop the links getting soldered up solid I used cigarette paper between the parts of the link with the paper lightly oiled. Cigarette paper is very useful stuff in the workshop. It comes in various surprising accurate thickness. I use it as above plus I use it to set the right backlash in the gears of my locos - however I don't "roll my own" since I don't smoke.
 

 
Having completed a length of chain I assembled a sprocket wheel......
 

 
Then tried them for fit in one of the cisterns. I hadn't got the chain sat down properly when I took the photo. The chain is a little bit fat.
 

 
Then I made sure the lid still fitted with the sprocket and chain in place. It did! 
 

 
The cistern now requires a couple of tubes and a bung fitted. I am wandering off again for a while (I will have no tools or Web access) so they may have to wait for my return.
 
Now for the proof, if proof be needed, that Ian's brain is definitely going soft with the onset of old age.
 
The sprocket wheel in the photos above was the second one that I made. The first was nearly complete so I decided to give it a good burnish with the glass scratch brush. To hold the wheel I used a large, sprung, wooden clothes peg. Now I managed to select one that didn't close squarely. So as I was burnishing away the peg sheered. It was instantly converted from a clamp to a catapult and promptly fired the wheel across the workshop. It searched high and low but the wheel was gone. I think there is another lesson there.
 
This means that although I had prepared components for two pump mechanisms I had lost the sprocket wheel for one of them. So I decided there were three options:-
 
1) Simply fix the lid on the second pump and only have one with a mechanism (simplest).
 
2) Make fresh components for the second wheel.
 
3) At the time the real ship was built the pump mechanisms were changing. Earlier mechanisms had a sprocket wheel in the form of a wooden cylinder with 8 off "Y" shaped pieces of metal set in to the circumference of the wood. The chain consisted of small oval or twisted figure of 8 links. Along the chain were either cups or latterly saucers as with the mechanism I have produced. If I make one of these I could have one of each type of mechanism.    
 
I will have to give it some thought. Anybody got any views on this? 

The pump chain is like a cycle chain with alternate single and double links. The difference is that some of the single links have a disk fitted which lifts the water. I have been trying to decide how far apart they were.
 
The diagram shown <here>  has the disks every 6th link.
 
Dan Vadas indicates a "saucer" every 4th link - see <here> but as he says only one need to be fitted since the adjacent ones will be in their tubes if the saucer is top dead centre.
 
I decided to go with every fourth link.
 
To make the saucers I turned some brass rod down to 2mm diameter. Then transfering the chuck and rod to the milling machine I used my thinnest slitting disc to cut the horizontal slot along the rod.
 

 
Then mounting the rod vertically in the vice I used the same slitting disc to cut off thin slices.
 

 
The result was less than pleasing. The slitting disc is thin steel and tended to wander producing curved cuts. This effect can just be made out in the previous photo where the slot in the rod runs out to the right as it moved downwards. A soldered one of these saucers on to a link and it was all lopsided.
 
I will be using this slitting disc later but will make some backing plates for it to stop it flexing.
 

 
Back to the drawing board. I turned a fresh length of rod to 2mm and simply sliced off some 0.2 mm blanks. These were then cut almost right across their diameter using a piercing saw. To hold the blanks whilst sawing I drilled a 1.8mm hole near the edge of a thin piece of scrap brass. The hole was then carefully reamed out until the blanks made a good interference fit in it. Then I filed the edge until the hole just broke through.
 

 
The piece of scrap (with the blank fitted) could then be clamped on to a thin piece of plywood on to the edge of the bench then used like a pin to enable the saw cut to be made. 
 
The bit of plywood stops the blank being pushed down (on the cutting stroke) and out of the jig.
 

 
The whole assemble could then be mounted vertically in the vice to use as a soldering jig, simply add a link in to the slot.
 
Soldering with the wooden backing in place...... 
 
        
 
....soldering without. 
 

 
The result was a much better saucer/link.
 

 
 

Next is to make the components for the chain. The challenge is both in holding small parts when filing and to get them (as far as possible) identical in size and shape. I feel another jig coming on.
 
The chain links go around an arc that has a radius about 0.7mm greater than the wheel. I calculated the linear distance between adjacent holes on the chain to be 3.44mm.
 
The jig has two identical parts. Parallel to one edge are two holes 3.5mm apart. Between the holes the area is milled down to a line tangential with the top edges of the holes. The area around the holes is shaped as a curve with the two ends running straight down.
 
Blanks were cut from 0.2mm brass with holes at 3.5mm apart. These were then clamped in batches between the two parts of the jig with a spacer at the lower part of the jig to keep things square. The blanks are then filed down to the shape of the jig - they are then rotated through 180 degrees with the filed edge downwards so that the opposite edges could be filed.
 
The next picture shows a batch of blanks loaded in the jig ready for filing.
 

 
The next picture shows the two halves of the jig, some blanks awaiting filing, and a set of completed chain links around a wheel. The wheel looks like it needs a little more work. Nothing like photographs to show up weaknesses.
 

 

Mike, Spyglass and John, thanks for your input. It has helped me immensely. 
 
I decided to go with the side tackle being horizontal so changed the drilling jig accordingly. The breaching tackle will be mounted lower and wider appart which I think fits in with what you guys are saying.
 
Re the blocks. They are rather meaty for these cannon but I decided to go with "off the shelf" blocks. The wood that I possess is too crumbly for making small blocks and (since I am only ever going to make one ship) I don't want to stock up with good quality wood that would get little use - a bit negative I am afraid. The smallest ones that I could lay my hands on were 2mm as in the photo.
 
John, glad you liked the loco models. When I get back to them I am/will be making models of actual locos that I saw and traveled behind in my youth. Nostalgia is not what it used to be.
 
 
Meanwhile, back in the workshop I stole and modified another of Dafi's ideas. Because the bulwarks are pretty inaccessible I made an extended drilling tool which can be fed through the gun port opposite to the one being drilled. With the usual no expense spared approach it is made from a kebab stick. The end is drilled to hold the bit. The other end I gripped with my normal collet holder to give a hand grip.   It is in the following photo along with the modified drilling jig.     It worked well - too well. The third hole that I drilled went straight through and out the other side of the bulwark. Pathetic really.   So I used some brass tube with an internal diameter that was an easy sliding fit over the bit and cut a length of it such that only 3mm of bit protruded beyond the end. This set the maximum depth of the hole.   The next photo is the tube alongside the bit.....     ....and with the tube fitted.     Drilling the holes was then simple. With the jig plugged in to the gun port the tool was used without the tube in place just to spot the 4 holes. Then the jig was removed, the tube fitted on the bit and the holes drilled to their final depth.   You can see on the jig that two of the original holes are blocked up and the new holes marked blue to avoid confusing myself.   The adjacent port has the holes already drilled.     Then it was time to fit the first rigged cannon. I went for one of the easier positions first. Using hooks in to rings actually made it much easier that I expected.   I fitted the side tackle in to the bulwark first (without the cannon in place) then roped them out of the way. The breaching ropes were fixed with the cannon in the run in position to give room to get at the ends of the ropes. Then the cannon was glued in place in the run out position. Finally it was just a case of dropping the side and train tackle hooks in to their respective loops/rings.   Of course I made a couple of boo-boos.   The first was that I had the cannon with its rear slightly too far forward so it was not directly in line with the train tackle. The second was that I used liquid super-glue to pin the breaching tackle to the deck in its final position. I had used the applicator on some blackened parts and I think it must have picked up some of the "black" (despite my burnishing the blackened parts). This was carried by the glue in to the rope and darkened that part of it. Doh. I will revert to dilute PVA for the ropes in future.   This all became apparent after everything was glued up solid.     Yet to be done on that cannon is to put some rope coils in place.   It is now going to be a lot more of the same. I have gone in to production line mode for the remaining cannon. I made a component list for all the bits I need to make for the rigging. It is amazing how their numbers build up. I will be rigging 16 of the 24 cannon and will require:   96 off large split pins 64 off small split pins 16 off deck rings 64 off hooks 96 off blocks 32 off caps   ...and of course another 15 cut splices for the breaching tackle. I may be some time.   In the meantime I am off to Anglesey for a week with my wife. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us.         
 
 

Gosh! Was it really September when I last updated this log? I must be slacking.
 
I have been making progress on the Unicorn - despite the odd distraction - mostly repetitive stuff rigging cannon. I have now finished the 12 cannon on the main gun deck that I intend to do (positions 2 to 7 counting from the bow).
 
I made up some Flemish coils (as I believe they are called) which were added to the cut ends of the cannon rigging. I have seen the debate about how the excess rope should be handled but decided that my cannon were laid out as for an inspection.
 
I also rigged one cannon in the "run in" postion. I have debated this with myself. This looks OK from above but when the ship is viewed from the side it looks like a smile with a missing tooth. I think I will get used to that.
 

 
The quarter deck rail is now fixed permanently in place. I did a dry assembly of the pump cluster which revealed two coils foul of the pump bodies - it is a bit cramped around there. So the coils were moved.
 

 
With the pumps and ladders in place the rigging on the cannon in position 7 is fairly well obscured. The lack of rigging in position 8 is not very obvious through this cluster either. 
 

I turned my attention to the stove. Due to the restricted headroom it was difficult to fit it under the fore deck. So as part of final assembly I reduced the lengths of the legs such there was only 2mm clearance between the stove bottom and the brick base. I also reduced the height of the fittings on the still. 
 

 
A down side was that the stove now sits low against the drip try by about 0.5mm. It is not immediately obvious so I will leave it as is.
 

 
The stove now slid under the fore deck easily.
 
To fix it in place I put super glue on the underside of the base. To avoid getting glue on the adjacent grating as the stove slide in I laid in a strip of polythene which I was able to pull clear once the stove was in the correct position. The flue was glued in place through the fore deck.
 
I also added the deck beam under the rear edge of the fore deck. Of course the deck supports the beam rather than the other way round. This has got rid of the ripple effect in the deck. As can be seen in the next photo the beam protrudes beyond the deck in places so needs some final dressing. Sadly with the beam in place the still is now completely invisible.  
 

 

Initially I was concerned about how the lack of rigging on the remaining cannon would compare. In the event it is hard to see that there is any rigging in place when viewed through the ports. The non rigged cannon are also in deep shade under the decks.
 
To illustrate this, in the next picture the left hand cannon is fully rigged, the right hand cannon has no rigging. It also shows that if you get air trapped in the cannon bore when blackening it the bore remains bright. Doh! Plus what lovely off centre bores the Corel cannon have.  
 

 
A couple of errors/problems encountered.
 
The first was that when I pre drilled all the holes in the bulwarks for the side tackle I had the holes about 1mm too low. The result was the side tackle blocks closest to the bulwarks try to occupy the same space as the front trucks hence the side tackles don't sit neatly as shown in the next picture. Note how the far blocks are pushed out sideways through approx 90 degrees.
 
These blocks are fairly well obscured so I can live with this but I must make sure I get this correct on the cannon on the quarter deck where the tackle is in full view.
 

 
Another issue was that the deck planking was varnished long ago (it was in theory finished 30 years ago). This meant that it was a struggle to get the ropes to stick down and stay down using super glue. So after several attempts more glue was used than desirable. In places I will try to remove some of it with Isopropal Alcohol.
 
Next is to finish the pumps. Then I can climb back out of the waist area.....at last.

Next up was shapeing the sprocket wheels. For this I made some filing jigs. The photo shews the jigs along with sprocket wheels at various stages.
 

 
The first up was a straightforward button. This consisted of 2 cylinders each 10mm in diameter which I turned up on the lathe. One part has a 1mm hole drilled through the centre the other has a 1mm stub. To use it the part to be filed is trapped between the buttons then filed down to match the buttons.       
 

 
The first stage produced discs large enough to cover the bosses around the periphery of the wheels. The second pair of buttons were 8.5 mm in diameter. These I used to produce the curves between the bosses. With the buttons in place the ring of holes was just obscured making it difficult to keep track of where the bosses should be. To overcome this I cut a 
slot across the two buttons to allow a piece of rod to pass through one of the holes. It was then a simple matter to file around. The next photo shows this in place.
 

 
Next up was a jig to enable the spokes to be filed. This consisted of two identical parts. Each had two holes 8mm apart ie the distance between two opposite holes on the wheel. Between the holes the edge was milled down to form the filing edge for the spoke.
 

 
The next photo shows the jig in use. The left side of the wheel has been filed down to the spoke - the right side has yet to be started (other than a pilot hole). Care has to be taken to avoid filing in to the centre hole.
 
The part is then rotated through 90 degrees and filed again. All 4 spokes have one edge filed at this point. The part is rotated 90 degrees again and the part filed. This shapes the opposite edges of the first two spokes. Finally this is repeated leaving all 4 spokes dealt with. This technique works for any even number of spokes - as long as you can get the files in between them!
 

 

I have finally finished and installed the pintles and spectacle plate.  Everything was blackened with Birchwood Casey.  The bolts are 24g brass wire.  There are two straps above and below the mortise for the tiller as well as two straps going over the top of the rudder.  I played around with brass for the vertical straps and decided to use black paper instead.  I could never get the horizontal straps to lie snugly against the vertical brass straps.  In full scale practice, I assume these would be applied hot and would then shrink to shape with cooling.
 

 

Here is a look at that "ear" piece.   Actually I am not entirely sure it can be called an "ear"  as it is only an extension of the molding.   But this is indeed what I came up with.   Taking a piece 1/16' thick I formed the piece.   Its shape was found playing around with a card template.   Then I transferred it to the wood.  Finally the same scraper I used on the molding was used on this piece.   Then a small length of molding was butt against it and continued aft.   This is as far as I am going until after I plank and treenail the other side.  I did however adjust some of the molding after seeing the pictures I posted yesterday.  Some of it had some minor dips and waviness.   I feel better now.  
 
Then I will add the stern post and move to the inboard details by planking the bulwarks etc.
 

 

 

 

 
Chuck

Hello Isalbert,
 
I don't know exactly what you want to see so I posted three pictures, hope that helps.
Alexandru