US Brig Niagara by xken - FINISHED - Model Shipways - Scale 1/64

[xken]

Rich, oh yea I know the situation to well. On the mission we went on we learned later that the C.O. of 5th Special Forces at Phu Bai recommended the pilots for Navy Crosses and the crew chief and I for DFC's; never heard anymore until I was back at NAS Glenview I was awarded single mission AM at a sunset parade with a few others getting awards. Obviously they were downgraded from DFC's. 

Here is the picture they gave me as a keepsake. I am the second from the right with the fashionable MC glasses.

 

Ken

 

[Canute]

Ken, pretty much standard issue back then. We USAF aircrews had several other less "PC" names for them, too.

 

I salute all veterans who served any time and any where.   And to all my Viet Nam brothers and sisters, Welcome Home!

[HIPEXEC]

That's The Marines for you. They downgraded most everything. The Navy Cross I put my crew chief in for was downgraded to a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V". I tried to upgrade it a few years ago and ran into a bureaucratic wall. The least he should have gotten was a Silver Star. I got a DFC that should have been higher..the worst part..we did stuff that nobody reported?

S/F

Rich

[stevebrock]

How did you make the square nut for the cathead brace?

[xken]

I used a piece of strip 1/32" thick and 1/16" wide drilled several .020" holes in a row down the strip added a drop of CA to each hole to harden and then cut the nuts square around the hole and filed the cut edges square. This technique can also be used with gray automotive gasket material which turns black with CA added. Sometimes the holes have to be carefully re-drill or reamed once the CA is added and before cutting square. Just check first to make sure the hole is open.

 

Ken

[stevebrock]

Thanks, Ken. I love your hints. So practical and so easy to copy. These may be good for the gun carriages as well. Historically, square nuts were used, not the hex we use today. CA has it's place in building, not just for gluing. I use it to stiffen the end of rigging thread before I pass through a block (set). 

 

One more question. Automotive surface glaze - what do you use? A Google search gave me things such as McGuires polish, which, I'm sure, is not what you meant. 

[xken]

I use Bondo Automobile Glazing Putty purchased at Autozone. But 3M is another good brand as well.

http://www.autozone.com/paint-and-body/body-filler/3m-bondo-glazing-and-spot-putty/167010_0_0/

 

Above is a link.

 

Ken

[GLakie]

Hi Ken: I know when I was doing body work, that on a car, that spot putty has to be spread over primer to stick. Does the same apply to wood, or can it be applied directly to bare wood?

[xken]

George, I usually use it over primer as well; however it can stick to some woods like oak that have a course grain where it can get a good bite. The glazes are basically a thickened primer with a bit of extender.

 

Ken 

[xken]

I was able to get a little accomplished over the holiday weekend despite being grunt labor for my wife selling her wares at a local art show.

 

I built both of the lower masts by turning the ends to the needed size as a target to cut the taper towards.

Carving the oak dowels was a bit of a challenge due to the course grain that required being smoothed with putty.

The tops were then cut using the caps as a guide to carve towards and fit.

Both tops were then built and fitted to the masts, then painted satin black which I think I will respray with flat black.

The main mast needed a two part clamp for the spanker boom rest which I made using 1/16" wide brass strip. Here is a series showing the fabrication of it.

Here is a closeup showing it painted satin black in place.

Here is a standoff picture showing the main mast in place on the deck.

 

Ken

 

[dgbot]

Marvelous work on your masts.

David B

[UpstateNY]

Hi Ken,

 

Been enjoying following all your beautiful work.  

 

Amazingly fast as well. It is only just over two months since you started and you are already stepping the masts!  

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[GLakie]

Nice job on the mast Ken.  I gotta ask how those square nuts were made? 

[xken]

George, for these I started with 1/16" square brass bar stock, sawed off the thickness of the nut; filed the cut side smooth then drilled a .024" hole centered in the center. The jeweler's saw is a must for doing this. On other projects I have turned down this size of bar stock to make square bolts for horse drawn vehicles. These were done in brass due to the soldering need to the clamp halves. I also explained earlier in this post how to do them in wood if soldering is not needed.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ken

[GLakie]

Thanks Ken.  I saw the wood one, but was mainly curious about the kind of brass stock you started with. Looks like I'll be hunting down various assortments of brass and copper. Got a mini-torch, but I still need a couple of electric irons.

[xken]

George, here is where I get my stock, however they have a $20.00 sale minimum.

http://www.specialshapes.com/

 

Ken

[GLakie]

Wow! Thanks a lot Ken. I know I'll be using that place for a one-stop-shop for brass in the future.  Bookmarked!!! 

 

Cheers

[xken]

Just a quick update on the top mast crosstrees on how I made and detailed the carriage bolt heads using yellow glue. I add just a drop of glue using the tip of a T-pin. The metal strips are drilled to form a cavity for the glue to set into. Glue drops shrink as they dry some more glue can be added to form the desired head shape. Once satisfied with all, they are primed with light coats.

Also holes are drilled in the ends before being primed and are hardened by adding CA to the holes, once dried the holes are then re-drilled to assure they are opened. This will minimize tear out when being rigged later.

 

This shows the process before being primed. Some are well formed and a couple will be touched up.

 

 

Ken

[xken]

Finished both masts with all the pieces parts for the main components. I will study the plans to add the eye bolts and such before the mast components are glued together.  

For now everything is just press fitted.

Here are a couple of close-ups showing details of the tops. Note the glue made carriage bolt heads.

 

Here is an overall view showing where I am at to date.

Next I will glue the deck down to the frame structure and then permanently add all the bits and pieces to both the hull and masts. Many cleats and sheaves etc. I will also start the bowsprit.

 

Ken 

Edited May 30, 2015 by xken

[kurtvd19]

Ken:

Really nice with great detail.  I will certainly use the glue drop method for bolt head detail sometime.

Kurt

[GLakie]

Very nice Ken!  She's looking more like a tall ship now! 

 

Cheers

[xken]

The deck is glued down; the bowsprit is started, main beam carved and primed but still needs all the bits and pieces added yet. 

I discovered that I overlooked a square bracket with eyelet on the main mast and thought I would share a soldering technique I use for small items like this.

First I formed the square band using 1/16" wide x.020" brass strip leaving one corner open to be bent later to fit on mast.

Then I sawed the brass tube almost completely through leaving enough for a hinge to bend slightly. This provided a handle to hold the small ring to the band when soldered. The square band was slipped on a scrap piece of square stock and weighted down to hold the band steady. Flux was then added to both parts.

I then added a drop of Staybrite solder on a hot tip to the center of the band and then touched the ring to the solder and band completing the joint. The ring was held in place until the solder chilled.

I then flexed the rod to break loose the ring; cleaned the joint with acetone on a Q-tip and then finish filed the ring with a needle file to the desired thickness on center and then filed the band to clean it up of any excess solder. Once satisfied with filing I then final finished with a 220 sanding stick.

The part was then fitted to the top of the mast by flexing the open corner joint and once in position it was CD'ed. Once the glue set the corner joint was filed to match the rest and painted.

Here are photos of the major steps.

 

Ken 

[kurtvd19]

Ken:

Thanks for showing this technique.  Makes locating the ring foolproof and it's orientation can be very precise.  I have filed this in my head for use in similar situations.  I can think of several times when this technique would have saved me a lot of work remaking parts.  When it comes to working with brass you are THE MAN! 

 

Guys, if you don't have Ken's book on modeling with brass your library isn't complete.  Model Building with Brass, published by Schiffer - worth every penny it costs.  I reviewed this book in the Spring 2014 Nautical Research Journal (59.1) with high praise.

 

Thanks,

Kurt

[gjdale]

I have to agree with Kurt about Ken's book. It's a real beauty - both informative/instruructive, and a fabulous "coffee table" book for the pictures alone.

[stevebrock]

I continue to be impressed by all your quality work and the tips. Wish I had more time to spend on the ship. At this rate, I will be done by the 2020 elections.

I have just finished exterior bulwark and transom planking , and am waiting for paint from Hobbylink. Local hobby shop is out of paint (again). I may add interior bulwark planking and red paint while I wait. I want to put the yellow on before I put the two thicker black planks in place. Then on to planking the hull....not my favorite task.

[stevebrock]

So, to be sure I understand the use of automotive surface glaze, I first spray wood with primer (acrylic in my case), then apply glaze and sand to finish, and finally paint. Do I apply another coat of primer after I sand the glaze? I think you commented that primer may not be needed with wood.

[Canute]

I would put the filler on the bare wood, sand it to your degree of smooth, recheck the filler, then prime the surface. A light sanding with fine grit paper or very fine steel wool and you should be good for your paint.

Your primer color should be white or light gray if you plan on painting yellows. These colors are more translucent and you'd need more coats of paint to get the color right. Not good with some acrylics, especially if you're brush painting.

[stevebrock]

Thanks Ken. I was planning to use my air brush. I prefer acrylics as they are easier to cleanup. I will pick up some glaze tomorrow.

[xken]

Steve, Canute is correct in the process and about the correct use of the primer color before painting. One thing to always may sure is that if you sand through to bare wood you need to prime again before applying paint color.

Guys thanks for the plug on the book! 

I have been busy with home projects but have had some time to build the bowsprit which had quite a few little parts including the ships bell and also glued the deck in place.

Here is a sequence of photos showing some of the steps during the building of it. Starting with the basic carving of the shape and adding parts.

Here is the dolphin striker fitted and ready to paint. 

Here is the bowsprit saddle I fabricated using brass. I started with a base of 1/16" bar and the cut a 5/32" I.D. tube vertically to get the half round shape. Then soldered the two together.

Kurt, here is the connector for the jib boom and the flying jib boom where I used the stick method to solder the 5/32" round ring to the hexagon ring.

Here is the bowsprit glued in place and ready to add the lashing of it to the bow.

Here is just a close up detail of the forward lashing of the jib boom to the flying jib boom and the dolphin striker completed.

Finally here is the ship's bell in place and movable using the handle. The bell casting was cleaned up and the hole drilled clear and painted with Gold Foil paint to replicate brass.

 

Next I will work around the finished hull and add all the little components as well as the cannons.

 

Ken

 

 

 

[GLakie]

That's outstanding work Ken!  Amazing you were able to accomplish a job like that and still have time for your household chores. Next month my budget's going to allow for some lower-priced items, including books, and I'd be grateful for a link to yours. I've heard a lot of great things about it, and it's also on my list. Is there a hard-copy available? I hate reading books on this computer. 

 

Cheers