AON

Mark I attended our local club meeting yesterday afternoon and once again I left having learnt a number of things I otherwise would never have read in a book. Two of the fellows there are "professional ship modellers" and they seal everything with a water based sanding sealer to fill the pours and protect the wood. They then sand the work after dried with incrementally fine sandpaper to get the smooth quality desired for a bare or painted surface. I suspect your tape will stick to this. This is from the makers website: EM1000 Universal Sanding Sealer is designed to penetrate deeply into the cell structure of the substrate being sealed, promoting enhanced adhesion qualities. The exceptional clarity of this small particle size resin enhances wood grain color image and magnification. EM1000 dried quickly and is easy to sand. EM1000 can be used underneath all of our interior-grade clear finished. .... and you can get it at Lee Valley Tools! (Road trip)

Thank you Mike and Derek (and everyone else), but if you saw it up close in real life... I just completed my 3rd and last version of the rudder, and will take it to our club meeting this afternoon. I chose two slightly contrasting colours of costello to try to bring out the tabling a bit more clearly. Also, I visited a club member last week and had a tutorial on making treenails. His hands on method made minced meat of my block. But then again he has been at it for ages. I will be posting more later.

It seems my supplier may not have put my order in for my #6-32 stainless steel helicoil thread inserts as they are not in and they have no record of the order being placed just before the holiday shut down. So possibly they might be in by early next week? I took another shot at making the rudder and although it looks much better, I believe the third time will be the charm (practise makes perfect). I decided to drill a hole to create the relief radius in the upper rear ornate shaping. I should have possibly chosen a smaller diameter drill. I was quite impressed with my first attempt at tabling (stepped cut and fitting of the two main pieces) and my second attempt was that much better. The backing and sole plates were glued on prior to sanding down the tapered width this time. This seemed to work better. I cut the chatter groove in the backing plate without any real direction or description. Where does it start and stop? What is the width and depth? With what I know about fluid dynamics, and realising the plates are 6 inches thick, I assumed 3 inch depth and 1/3rd the width would seem realistic. I did not get it cut as straight and clean as I had hoped to, but the practise and process is tried. I will practise on a piece of scrap to get a clean crisp cut for next time. The two square holes at the head for the main and spare tillers were drilled out and the corners were filed to shape. I decided to use one size though the piece where as in reality it was 12 inches square forward and tapered smaller to a square hole 1/3rd the width and height of the width of the rudder at that location. My next and final attempt will be properly sized even though no one will likely see it. While shaping the taper at the pintle cutout side corners I slipped and took a little extra off in one spot that no one will likely see ... but I know it is there and it bugs me. So I will do it once again. I've got the process figured out and the practise in.

I have also started installing my spacer chocks between the frames to stiffen it up before fairing. This work is quite boring. So to spice things up a bit I attempted to make the rudder yesterday. I am also waiting on delivery of some stainless steel #6-32 thread inserts for my mounting threaded rods. I hope they will be in and ready to pick up on Monday. The photos below show the work stages for my first attempt at this style rudder assembly. Rough cutting. Finish sizing, shaping and fitting the tabling, sanding the taper, adding the sole piece and then the backing piece. I did not bother to finish it off (cut the chatter groove into the backing piece, cut the two 12" sq. tiller holes, or shape the leading edge corners - pintle side) - so it can rotate against the stern post) because I made one huge misteak... the head of the rudder is dimensionally too narrow. It was a good first try! Always time to do it again.

So stuff has happened that has kept me distracted from the ship build. Family, Christmas, New Years, meals, drinks, sleeping in. I modified my bamboo skewer slicer (version 2.0). I refitted/reworked the pockets for holding the razor in the rear block halves, then I took the face block, cut off the the top with the existing guide holes, flipped the bottom half to become the new top half, then marked off and drilled new holes. It splits better now and I have made up some treenails at 0.033" (0.84mm) and 0.029" (0.74mm) which is 2-1/8" and 1-7/8" diameter at 1:64. I will be using the larger diameter treenails to pin the feet of the frames of the lower futtocks to the keel and deadwood. It works better than a razor clamped in a vise... safer too, particularly as I am prone to accidents. Try as I might, I cannot tack the bamboo skewer to slice through the razor very well. It always wanders off to one side or the other.

I recently re-organized my play room. Now I cannot find a darned thing. Never ever re-organize!

I was reading post #19 above and immediately thought of all the different things I use my 2D CAD program for besides drawings for ship models. You never stop learning, so I believe a steep learning curve is no excuse if creating computer 2D drawings tickles your fancy. The only two good reasons for me not to learn something knew is 1) it doesn't interest me in the least, or 2) I suddenly stopped breathing (YIKES).... this one never happened as yet.

I must apologize for not responding since the 6th of November!!! For some reason I did not get any notifications of any postings here. The headings were SHIP - YARD - GUNS I suspect if it was a typo (which is as likely as anything I suppose) then the proper ships name was omitted in error. Another posting lists the 24 gun Squirrel as having been launched the following year, having been published in The Scots Magazine on the 1st of May 1786. I have also seen ships built under one name and launched under another only to be renamed again some years later.

I honestly didn't understand. I couldn't possibly have been offended. Now that you explained it to the slow guy, I find it very funny. 😃 If you ever did offend me ....I know where you live 😈 (meant to be funny) For everyone else... Derek and I are practically neighbours. Just a small community college campus "of applied dreams" comes between us.

Sorry Derek, I do not understand your comment. Would you please explain and help me to understand.

Yes she was a replica with auxiliary power. So copper plating formed into the groove.

I spent a few hours this afternoon making a bamboo skewer slicer. There are eight parts: 1 - The front block with three holes at 0.14", 0.09" and 0.06" diameter, there is a bevelled lead in to help guide the skewer. (Skewers seem to be 0.125" max diameter) 2 and 3 - the screws to fasten it to the back blocks 4 and 5 - the back block halves of which one has a pocket for the razor cutter 6 - the razor cutter blade 7 and 8 - the screws to fasten the back halves together. Photos below will explain the assembly. It splits the skewers like a charm.... just needs a tiny adjustment on the upper hole to centre the cutting blade better. But that is for another day... MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone.

or more so when I am entered into the equation.

Of course you are right Druxey, but I cannot split them straight! They wander to one side. Must be my wonky eye! I read that the round outsides of the skewer needs to be cut off to leave a square to draw through the plate. Taper the lead end to feed. So I thought two razors each mounted at 5° cutting relief angle opposite to each other would allow one pass followed by one quarter rotation to pass again giving me a square and eliminating the rounded outside bits. This seems like a lot of waste. I played with modelling and it is do-able... on paper. If I made a block with a small guide lead in hole sized for the bamboo skewer diameter, with a single razor blade on centre about 1" in the tunnel, and a larger discharge hole for the split pieces to come out I might have better success. I can then put the two halves back together and turn it 90° to pass it through again and quarter it. Theoretically this will leave me with four pieces that I can get 0.04" (1mm) diameter pieces from. At 1:64 this is 2-1/2" (63.5mm). If this works I could possibly have a smaller lead hole below the first to pass the quarter piece through to split it in two allowing a 0.028" (0.7mm) diameter piece. At 1:64 this is 1-3/4" (44mm). If this works, making straight quick cuts, it would reduce my scrap and the number of draws to get it down to size. I'll see if I can put something together this week.

Yes they were in the boxes but were not really any help as I didn't really appreciate the importance of some nor of information contained in other articles until I looked at them and so may not have seen three quarters of what I should have. You have to remember I am a babe in the woods... or seaweed. I flipped and looked at each page and read quite a few great articles and tips. Funny how I kept seeing the same author names repeated over and over again. Presently looking at how to make a block to hold two razor blades to slice my bamboo skewer rounded edges off to get a nice straight small square length to pass through the draw plate to make some treenails. The skewer is about 0.121 inch (3mm) diameter and the largest hole in the drawplate is #59 (0.059 inch = 1.5mm diameter).

A chatter groove was added to the trailing vertical end of the rudder to eliminate chatter felt back through to the steering mechanism due to flow turbulence in the water at the sharp change or loss of shape of the rudder. I have seen some models with the chatter groove in the rudder. I have seen models with plating wrapping around the rudder (over any chatter groove). Did the copper plating conform to the profiled recess of the chatter groove, or was it no longer necessary because of the copper plating?

My eyes are exhausted. My brain is sore. My fingers are numb. I was fortunate to acquire 108 back issues (2000-2017) of Ships in Scale and 145 back issues (1951-1997) of Nautical Research Guild magazines at our last club meeting. I already had the 2014 to present issues of NRG but went through those again as I couldn't recall what articles were in them that I might need down the road. I've just moments ago completed reviewing them all, scanned the articles that captured my interest, or that I thought were going to be handy with my build later on. I created Excel indexes for these ( plus the 1935-1939 issues of Marine Modeller and 1972-2008 issues of Model Shipwright) so they can be searched and recalled quickly. I am certain I will wake up tomorrow and not remember a thing I just learned. This magazines will now be gifted to another in our club.

sorry that didn't work I tried again check your PM

Just sent you a private message. Hope it helps.

Recovering from my last (reoccurring) eye injection on Tuesday Morning so I cannot go into my shop as I must avoid dusty environments... So it will wait a couple more days. I went to our local club meeting on Sunday and took my model and 6-32 threaded rod and hex nuts with the specific intention of discussing the mounting pedestal locations as I was concerned the holes and captive pockets for the hex nuts would go right into a scarph joint through the keel. Luckily both of the guys I hoped to talk too were there. It was suggested that since I had a drawing/3D model, I might add the lower masts, bowsprit and jib boom, then add the mounting pedestal/bolts and move them about until it looks proper. I was also told not to worry so much about going through a scarph joint as everything else on her will make her structurally sound in the end. I still want to avoid the scarph joints.... so I modelled it up and here it is. Another fellow suggested I visit a model shop and get some 6-32 blind nuts to insert into the keel rather than cut out pockets for a modified hex nut. So I may be doing this next week... or possibly looking at steel rivet nuts.

Derek, the answer is yes. I've used the WPL main branch 3D printer for my 1:12 scale 9 pdr gun barrel which is another build log on the forum here. The charge $0.00 (free) to print but inticate parts might be a disappointment. One of the fellows in our local club has a 3D printer that will do it. He printed all my gun barrels for this build (3 different sizes) at 1:64 scale.

Thank you Mark but you give me far more credit for my actual skill level than I deserve. Practically every other designer I've had the pleasure to be associated with had thousands more practical hours at it then I, and were far more proficient... this is what comes from moving into lower level management! Well, after more time than I care to admit, I completed a 3D nameplate in Fusion 360 that I will attempt to print in PLA-wood filament. Hope it looks half decent for a first attempt when done. Although there is a learning curve I believe the free Fusion 360 program will work fine for me and fill my needs. With some more practise over time I should become as quick as I am attempting to type this out with all my fingers as learnt early in High School many MANY years ago, as opposed to the mere two fingers that got me through the final years of employment after computers entered the work force.

Spent a few more hours today doodling with the free Fusion 360 hobbyist version and the test drive of Inventor LT. Discovered fusion refers to mates as joints and I can easily create a fusion 360 assembly from stp files of my inventor parts. I may become a convert yet.

Why thank you Derek. When I started I estimated this would take about 10 years. 🤔 You may start the clock now. 😉

I have installed P-forward and P-aft. Now I start putting spacer chocks in.