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Stuntflyer

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Everything posted by Stuntflyer

  1. Stuntflyer
    I've been doing a lot of experimentation over the past week trying to learn how to get clean looking rigging that doesn't look bulky and out of scale. With some mentoring along the way, I think that I have something that looks close to what I had envisioned. The bobstay was made with .025 brown rope served with 50wt thread. http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/serving-machine.php. 1.5mm thin wall brass tubing was used to make thimbles which were blackened and used at the end of each. http://store.spruebrothers.com/product_p/albmbt15.htm. I had to remove and replace the two eyebolts from the bowsprit as they were just too small to share a hook and block. The bowsprit guys were made with .025 brown rope served with 50wt thread. I needed more room for the multiple wraps of the lanyard (.018 light brown), so those eyebolts were removed and replaced as well. I will be leaving all of the rope ends long for now should I need to change the tension later.
  2. Stuntflyer
    Avi: I did twenty-three years of controline aerobatics competition before switching to model ship building. It was a great hobby but very demanding on ones time in order to stay ahead. Model ship building is a world apart yet I enjoy it even more. Mike
  3. Stuntflyer
    Thanks, John! The room is only 10' x13'. Next week the floor lighting will be replaced with overhead LED strips. Mike
  4. Stuntflyer
    Thanks, Michael. I'm using a Nikon D5100 with the Nikor 60mm f/2.8 macro lens. Mike
  5. Stuntflyer
    I started rigging tonight on the new table. What a difference! Anyway, I added four blocks on the bowsprit along with a little weathering of the black band. I used Chuck's .018 brown rope seized with 50wt dark brown thread. Mike
  6. Stuntflyer
    Welcome back, Erik! Stay focused and I'm sure that you will be rewarded. Mike
  7. Stuntflyer
    The main work table has been height adjusted to 41". Now I will be able to start the rigging process without having to bend over all the time. It's a real lower back saver for me.
  8. Stuntflyer
    Thanks, Tom Actually it depends on what I'm painting. For example, the caprail was done with a brush and the wales were sprayed using a small Badger airbrush. Most of the red, with the exception of some very small parts, were sprayed. I like using Testors Dull-Cote over the black paint to even out the finish. This isn't necessary for the red. On future builds, I'm still trying to decide if I should be doing a more aged or weathered look. Mike
  9. Stuntflyer
    Michael: Thanks so much for the kind words. druxey: I updated my "Shipwrights Terminology" document which I had downloaded from the internet. Probably not in anyway complete and I don't have a formal book on the subject. Mike
  10. Stuntflyer
    Ken, druxey, Thank you! Ken - You have made quite a bit of progress on your build. I hope to see you and the model on Tuesday. druxey - Interesting word choice "slewed". It wouldn't be the first time I used the dictionary after reading one of your posts. Mike
  11. Stuntflyer
    I'm using Grumbacher Academy Acrylic "Mars Black C134P" Mike
  12. Stuntflyer
    Thanks, Mike. I was unable to get the black looking the way I wanted it so I used Dull Cote to even out the finish. Mike
  13. Stuntflyer
    Completed the long guns today. Talk about working in tight spaces. . . Just noticed the lack of nails on the windlass brackets. I might add them, still not sure.
  14. Stuntflyer
    Wow! That would be greatly appreciated, Chuck. I have some leftover brass ones from MS, probably the wrong size anyway. I can't wait to see the model. Can we move the next meeting up by a few weeks? . Seriously, it looks fantastic. Mike
  15. Stuntflyer
    Thanks guys! Chuck, since the mast isn't permanently attached to the ship, I will bring Cheerful to the next meeting. Hopefully, you will bring yours too! Mike
  16. Stuntflyer
    Lovely work, Thomas! Mike
  17. Stuntflyer
    One of the things I really need to do is to raise the height of my work table to around 44". Sitting while bending over creates too many back issues for me. Once that's done, hopefully later this week, I will start on the bobstay rigging and tackle. Meanwhile I did manage to finish up most of the mast work. Cheeks where made as described in TFFM Vol. 4 pg. 16 Scrap boxwood was glued to a dowel for shaping
  18. Stuntflyer
    Ken, The mast stick was longer than needed. After cutting the mast to the proper length, I used the off cut from that stick to measure for the proper depth of the square section. Mike
  19. Stuntflyer
    So sorry for your loss, Erik. Looking forward to your future posts. Mike
  20. Stuntflyer
    Thank you Nils, Bob, Steve and for all the "Likes". . Steve, I definitely think that the Model Shipways Mayflower kit is worth considering as a first ship build. You might want to pick one up at the end of the year when a number of their kits are sold at highly reduced prices. The main reason I stopped the build was due to some wood issues I was having. I purchased boxwood from a supplier who, for some unknown reason, had great difficulty cutting a straight piece of strip wood. Each piece had to be painstakingly sanded before it could be used and my fingers were raw from doing so. There was so much waste, 30-40% perhaps, that I no longer have enough wood to finish the build properly. The wood I'm now getting from Jason over at Crown Timberyard is superior in every way but color wise would never match what I was using before. Never say never but as of now it's off the table. Mike
  21. Stuntflyer
    I've been working on the boom, gaff and yards lately. All of these were made from square sticks. I made a simple jig to make sure that the spacing of the cleats were the same from the ends of each yard. These will eventually be painted black. .
  22. Stuntflyer
    Very nice work Aviaamator! I wish my grandson were a bit older. I could use a helping hand. Mike
  23. Stuntflyer
    Thank you so much for the kind words and "Likes". I still need to add the mast hoops, cheeks, etc; before I can complete the mast assembly and its painting. Hopefully this will all get done within the next few weeks. I'm anxious to see it in a completed state.
  24. Stuntflyer
    I've been working on the mast assembly over the last few weeks including the trestletrees and crosstrees. Making the lower mast was straight forward with the exception of its square section at the top. I thought it best to try and delineate and complete the square section first before doing any rounding of the lower section. I made the saw cuts being careful not to cut too deep. I used an off cut to establish the proper depth for each cut. Once that was done, I filed between the two cuts to flatten the area just enough to allow the trees to fit nicely over the mast. The trees sit at a slight angle which was accounted for when filing this section. A tenon was later added for the mast cap. The lower section of the upper mast was then rounded off using the same method as described for the bowsprit. The upper mast was then completed. Again care was taken to get a nice fit when the octagon shape at the lower section of this mast is inserted into the trees. There is also a 1/16" strip preventing the mast from falling through the trees. A few more photos showing the boom rest, a few cleats and the upper mast.
  25. Stuntflyer
    Nicely done, Thomas! One thing I'm not clear on is how you fabricated the chimney foot. If not too much trouble, could you detail that a bit more? Mike

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