Supplies of the Ship Modeler's Handbook are running out. Get your copy NOW before they are gone! Click on photo to order.
×
Nirvana
-
Posts
5,364 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Reputation Activity
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
I'm back on line after a 4 day broadband failure. 20 years ago it would have been a non event but in the modern era it feels like the end of the world. Anyway I did a bit of work on the skylights - in particular the 5 forward of the deck house.
I had a few good photographs of the skylights and one bit of detail that was catching my eye was the dovetail joints on the corners of the upstands.
The plans for the hatches were reasonable and together with the photos they made interpretation relatively straightforward.
One advantage of this part of the build was that the 3 centreline hatches are identical in cross section (but of varying length). I therefore cut a solid block of mahogany to the correct shape (together with joints) and then parted off the 6 ends .050 thick. I went for finger joints rather than dovetails. The fingers are only .050 inch wide and my skill isn't up to cutting dovetails at this size.
The sidewalls were all of different lengths but I made them in a similar way to the ends to get matched pairs.
The finger joints were checked for accuracy prior to cutting them to the required thickness.
The slices were then cut.
Before being checked again. To give an idea of scale the side walls are .4 inches high.
-
Nirvana reacted to michael mott in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Thanks for the info Keith, that is useful.
michael
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Michael
If you have a go at the hinges here are a few pointers.
I found it better to have the thickness of brass sheet a bit less half the OD of the tube. Any thicker and the hinges didn't fully close.
The chamfer on the sheet gave a better joint - slightly more contact area. In the end I found tinning the sheet and tube to be counterproductive as it was harder to get the sheet and tube in good contact along their length.
Once soldered I cut the tube on the jig with a fine razor saw (52 tpi)
After soldering I parted of the sheet by hand with a razor saw. The mill slitting saw generated too much heat / vibration and tended to detach the tube.
John - thank you for the comments which are much appreciated.
-
Nirvana reacted to Jim Lad in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
All still looking absolutely first class, Keith.
John
-
Nirvana reacted to michael mott in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Beautiful work on the hinges Keith., I just found some 1/32 brass tube so I am going to try your method for some small hinges.
Michael
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
I spent much of my spare time this weekend finishing the deck house doors.
I made the 3rd set of hinges and was finally happy with them. In particular my soldering was much improved.
Getting the hinges in the right position proved vital for smooth operation. In the end I took the pins out and mounted the hinge halves separately. Accurate cutting out of the hinge recesses proved to be a key aid to correct positioning.
Having mounted both doors I spent a few hours making the door handles (matching the originals in so far as scale and skill) would allow.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
John
Thank you for your comments and thanks to the rest of you who have hit the like button.
-
Nirvana reacted to Landlocked123 in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
WOW!!!!! The finish makes all the difference. First rate build. Beautiful boat. Congratulations!
Best,
John
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
The exterior of the crew hatch now has 4 coats of poly. I guess one more coat will do it. I will also need to paint the inside
I have gone back to the deckhouse and had a go at the deckhouse doors (2 off).
I started with the door jambs. These were made over wide with the positions for the hinges accurately cut on the table saw. The hinge cuts were made in a plank before strips were sliced off. Thus ensuring the the position of the hinge cut outs were identical for both doors.
The strips were glued to the frame and once dry they were reduced to the correct width. Effectively leaving 5 separate pieces of door jamb on each side.
The hinge cut outs were then removed with a chisel.
In parallel I made the doors. Both doors were made joined - they will be separated later.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Thank you Bedford. I'll try it.
-
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Michael /Bob
Thank you for continuing with your support and comments. I have now coated the hatch with a few coats of poly and its looking quite smart.
-
Nirvana reacted to captainbob in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
You made a fine hatch from very little information. Well done.
Bob
-
Nirvana reacted to michael mott in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Nicely done, I think that we often forget that a fine line makes a great clamp sometimes.
Michael
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
I decided to have a bit of a diversion from the deck house and made the crew hatch.
The detail on the plans was really quite scant.
I tend to rely on internet photos where the plan is less detailed than desirable, however in the case of the crew hatch virtually nothing was available. I was left to rely on the "how would I have done it?" approach. In particular the doors are a figment of my imagination. After all if they don't exist it's going to be pretty wet below.
I started with the sides - cut to shape from 1/32 inch ply and then clad in mahogany.
I decided not to make the hatch cover mobile but represented it partially open - to give a bit of a view inside (although not much to see)
I did however make the hatch tracks correctly as a "c" section. The "c"was constructed from 3 planks each .030 inch thick. To get the curve the wood was soaked in boiling water and then the body of the hatch was used as the former. Note the wife's cotton used to hold the planks in place while drying and thereafter gluing.
Some time later all was complete and ready for the poly.
This gives an idea of scale. The callipers are set to 1 inch.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Michael - you have caught me out cutting corners.
-
Nirvana reacted to michael mott in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Keith, I am surprised that you didn't print the gauges on label paper and mount it on the plasticard before punching them out.
Michael
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
John
Only the mechanical ones. I never really got electronics being from ABC (the "age before calculators"). My only concession to technological advancement was speeding up my slide rule by dusting it with talcum powder. Maybe I should enrol in a crash course in miniaturised electronic instrumentation!
-
Nirvana reacted to Jim Lad in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
And, of course, the gauges actually work!
John
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Hi Michael - I don't have holly, its difficult to get over here, I could cut down the tree in the front garden though!
I finished painting the internals of the deckhouse prior to assembly and also finished the instrument panel. The mahogany came up a treat.
Looking at the photo I have just realised that I have left the chart drawer out.
The gauges are turned from .25 inch brass bar and the face is plasticard punched out with a leather hole punch. The square gauge is cut off from .25 inch square section aluminium tube.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Druxey
Thank you taking time to look at my log. Your generous comments are much appreciated.
-
Nirvana reacted to druxey in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Just stumbled across your log, Keith. Late to the party, but what a party! Lovely work indeed.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Hello Mark. Photo's of the cabin incorporated in the display is a good idea that I hadn't though of, thank you for the prompt.
-
Nirvana reacted to mtaylor in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
Amazing details, Keith. It's a pity that it's just us that will see them. You might have to incorporate some photos of this cabin into your display when finished.
-
Nirvana reacted to KeithAug in Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner
A bit more progress on the cabin.
The front and back were constructed along the same lines as the sides - made a bit more complicated by the curve at the top. I remeasured the curvature of the top which although made at a radius of 4 inch had sprung out to a radius of 5 inch. Not a problem but I was glad I checked before making the front and rear.
A few photo's------
I templated the top mahogany strip before shaping it on the disc and spindle sander.
The front has 2 window and 2 inset panels.
The rear has 2 windows - i still has yet have to attach the door jambs with the hinge cutouts.
The chart table top was also made and attached above the chart table drawer. Also the instrument panel facia was made and attached to the inside of the front. The panel itself is made from 2 pieces of mahogany with the grain matched as a mirror image. Not easy to see this but it felt good doing it.
A few more images with the walls held in place by an elastic band at this stage.
Our Emblem ®
