AON

So much happening. It took a while, but after having looked at it from every angle, and realizing all my guide marks would eventually be chipped away... then getting some words of encouragement, I started removing material from the block of Costello that with some prayers will hopefully become my ship's figurehead. I was told to imagine a cloth draped over the finished part... now remove everything up to the cloth. Then with the help of the maquette to visualize the finished part, remove everything else. I have also had to deal with my 3D program loss. It was from my last employer for working at home (you are allowed to copies), but since I am retired now I cannot re-register the copy I had. So I am test driving Inventor LT 2020 - paid annual subscription required (which does not allow assemblies as the full version does but you can import other parts as blocks into a part to essentially create an assembly.. see screen capture below... I rebuilt my hull assembly in about 20 minutes), and Fusion 360 for hobbyists - free version (an Autodesk program which is very similar to Inventor ... same people make it). It is suppose to open Inventor parts but so far I have had no success with it. If anyone has experience with Fusion 360 I could use some directions. I will post this elsewhere on the forum. I've also purchased an upgrade to my music sheet creation/playing program but it doesn't work properly either. Why do these guys release these upgrades before they are ready? Oh yeh... they want your money. I am presently assembling my last forward cant frame (P1 at 0.9° offset) and will install P-aft and P-fwd prior to adding the spacer chocks between frames to stiffen it up as Druxey advised. Then I will pin the heels of the 1st futtocks to the deadwood with treenail type pins in lieu of the monofilament bolts as I want the extra strength... again as recommended by Druxey. I've read that if making treenails from round bamboo skewers, they should be cut square (remove the round edges) by way of two cutters clamped between a spacer block in a vise. So that will be one more thing to McGiver.

I've not a clew. Beats the shot out of me.

If you look at the plan below that frame (R4) has a large gap on both sides. I was going to deal with it's spacing with the chocks between frames but it is off and back on now. The bolts are in the scarph joint (outboard to inboard) not between station frames (forward/aft). A.

Looking back at the last week I cannot believe how many of the forward cant frames I've removed, adjusted, and reset. It is almost as if I made the whole thing three times. I am happy to say I have everything tiddly now. Last week I had lunch with one of our local club members and discussed a problem I was having and some solutions I had come up with and the new problems they introduced. Of course this was an issue he had dealt with a millennium ago and he described his simple solution for which I have attached the photo below. The problem is that I can use a square to align the outboard edge of a frame with the plan below on the build board and I can use tape to mark the height of the top of the frame, but I just couldn't seem to get the top of the frame to properly align with the plan on the build board. His solution was to simply draw a line on the frame support. Put the line on the inside or outside of the top of the frame on the plan below and position the top of said frame with the same line above. So simple. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees. I lightly drew multiple lines equally spaced to give me options. In the photo below the top of my frame aligns on the inboard edge with the line and the plan below. Four and a half frames to go before the spacer chocks go in between them, and then I bolt all the first futtock frames pieces to the keel (wooden bolts for strength in the joint). I had one decision I've been putting off. Some time ago I asked about bolting patterns as each scarph joint is supposed to be three bolts per the contract. Druxey had suggested a triangle pattern, but I had found a sketch in a modelling book with a diagonal pattern. Had it been an historical photo or Admiralty drawing I would have marched forward with it. I admit it seems most logical to me as no bolts are near another that might cause the wood to split. At that time I had decided to only use two bolts diagonally and ponder on it some more. I could easily add the third between those two before fairing.... or I leave it at two and call it a day. I have decided to leave it at two as it is more trouble than it is worth. At full scale there is a lot of room, but at 1:64 it is rather tight.

Good evening Derek Yes... I move at a snails pace. One reason is because I have far too many interests and each takes a bite of my time. The last has been yet one more issue with my home computer that has lost me the access to my copy of Inventor (3D modelling) from my last employer. I am test driving Inventor LT which I think will do what I want/need for the next few years. I also removed yet more frames that were not quite right. I (we) are so fortunate to be so close to a couple great talents. I had lunch with one of them the other day and his words of encouragement meant so much. I've said to all that care to listen that this will likely be the only ship I build. Need time to enjoy my retirement... like scratching noise from the strings of my violin. I like coffee, tea, jamiesons. Give me a call and we will work it out. Take care. A.

I would have said it was a naval carriage installed in a land base operated by the army so they put their barrel and metal wheels on it ... but what the heck do I know... then again the quoin is missing it's handle. I attributed this to Parks Canada. Possibly they Frankensteined the whole thing. Hmmmm????

Here is a photo I took in October at Ft George in Niagara on the Lake. It does not have the metal on the lower corner of the cheek Possibly it is an era thing

I imagine it to be a protective wear plate on the bottom or lower rear corner of the cheek. I admit I did not notice these on the naval guns at Fort George in Niagara on the Lake here in Ontario, Canada. If I get my computer back this afternoon I will dig up the pictures I took this summer and have another look.

Thanks for the reply re: treenail and plank sizing, Ben. I am trying to better appreciate why and when various size treenails are employed. Found a wooden ship building book dated 1919 with guidelines based on tonnage and joint location for treenails and bolts but not sure it hadn't changed from a century or two earlier.

I think #18 is 0.018 diameter x 48 (at 1:48 SCALE) = about 7/8" diameter full size. May I ask: What thickness is the plank?

Well the trip to the monthly club meeting, this time held at Lee Valley Tools in Niagara Falls, was a complete success. The ship made it there and back without any damage. She is back on the build table now. My presentation on DIGITALLY PHOTOGRAPHING SCALE MODELS was well received, or so I was told. If anyone is interested in downloading a PDF copy just visit our club website (Model Shipwrights of Niagara address below in my signature line) and go to our BLOG page. Scroll down a wee bit and it is there.

Mark Allen here are some images for reference when assembling your naval guns and tackle

That wedge with the handle for adjusting the elevation of the canon is called the "quoin". A "spile is technically a cone with the pointed end cut off leaving a stubby plug.

The free version of Draftsight will cease to run after 31 December 2019... they have decided to charge an annual fee. The hobby version will be $99 and does not do 3D. It is strictly 2D If you are able to spend more money there is a version that will do 3D.

welcome aboard fitz301

here is a picture of our club members ship model carrying/travel box. He had to add an extension to the front for the bowsprit! The ship is mounted to a pull out board similar to the one I built above.

Thought about taking pictures (yet again) but people don't come to the meetings to look at pictures. So today I made a carrying board which goes inside a cardboard box. As time goes on and things get taller I'll make a plywood box. I screwed two runners along the length on the underside for stiffness and added to pull ropes passing through holes in the plywood base with stopper knots (figure eight knot) so I can lift it out of the cardboard box. I did not invent this. One of the more skilled members of our local club made himself one... so I copied him.

Yes Druxey, you told me this last year for the aft cant frames and I did not forget. I am reluctant to do this until I have them all done and I am reasonably happy with the locations... as I might need to remove some to adjust before sanding (fairing). As you described, I find the aft frames are quite stiff now.

found this

There is nothing mentioned in the Manual of Instruction for 18th century Artillery (including naval pieces).

From the Sailor's Word Book.... a tapered plug like thing. Would this be a plug in the muzzle or vent hole to keep the water out?

I use a square to set the outside edge of my frame to the layout on the table top and also I mark the height on the frame onto the square with a piece of painters tape. Can't forget to check that the top or head of the frame aligns with the layout. All the R, T and W frames needed the heels sanded to match the inboard to outboard varying thickness change in the stem keel/apron/deadwood assembly as it is thicker inboard (top) than outboard (bottom). Now at stations P everything is practically flat which is making it a bit easier. I installed the last R frame to the starboard side late yesterday, and worked on frames P4, P3 and P2 yesterday and today. Frames P4 and P3 will be ready to install tomorrow but I will actually only get the two halves of P4 installed tomorrow. P2 will be ready Monday. We have our local club meeting Sunday so the ship won't get anything done on it that day. I am debating if I should take a chance and bring it to the meeting or not. Last time I did some of the frames were knocked off. Hmmmm... what to do?

I am transcribing some old newspaper postings and stumbled on the building of two different ships in the same yard for the British Royal Navy in 1785 that were assigned the same name. SQUIRREL - see below. Did this really happen?

Cog I suppose I can staple my knee pads to my butt.🤕 Mark First the cat?🤐 Druxey I best haul out volume 1 of TFFM again.🤔 Thanks all😆

It is annoying how we learn to look at things more critically as we get comfortable.... I mean experienced. Yesterday I popped off one set of forward cant frames to tilt the tops inboard a tiny smidgen (that is a technical term). These are back on today. Today I popped off three of the most forward cant frames on the starboard size to do the same. Tomorrow I will get the mates on the port side off. It is looking so much better with these minor adjustments. I have 2-1/2 sets are R frames to go before I start the installation of the P station cant frames. These have very small angles to them but I find the shaping of the timbers to take the chocks does not get easier. For a moment I was going to forego the bevel on these in the R and P station frames because the angle didn't seem like much, but I find it does still make a difference... so we carry on. Hope to be finished the cant frames next week as I can only manage to install one set a day and can make three sets ahead with the table space available as I prefer not to stack them. It's an CDO (or OCD) thing. Now I've just realized I have a problem with the method of clamping my keel to the work table Once I get all my square frames installed I won't have access to the screw heads to lift the model out. I need to loosen the screws to remove one side somehow. It was suggested I replace the screws with dowel pins so I can pry it up to remove it. I thought I might just replace the screws with bolts through from below and nuts on top. Seems simpler. Anyone have a better suggestion? And I need to make final adjustments to my presentation for this Sunday afternoon at the local club meeting (Model Shipwrights of Niagara) on Digitally Photographing Scale Models If interested, you will be able to download a PDF of the presentation from our website later next week. You can find a link to the website in the signature line below... go to the Blog page. And finally... yes, my derriere is all better now. There was some wicked deep bruising. They should invent a softer concrete for workshop flooring.