Enterprise by src - Constructo - 1:51 - or Lessons in Adapt Improvise and Overcome

[Sjors]

Very, very nice Rich !!!!!

I love that blue background.....  

 

[augie]

You call that 'muddling through' ?????  Great Scott ---- keep on muddling!

[src]

Thank you everybody, seeing things through others eyes can be very helpful as well as encouraging.

 

I have elected to leave the little "ball" off the bottom and use the wale as a terminating point, the material I had in place for that broke off as I was reducing the taper. It just happens that it is almost just the right length to end there, I can add a /16" and make a tight fit. The roofline will extend into the upper wale, I havent figured that part out yet. That's todays adventure.

 

Russ, "Minimalist Build" I like that, much more elegant than "Shaker Shop Shipwrights." I am thinking of expanding on your suggestion of card stock on the columns and gently scraping a recess to give the same appearance.

 

You call that 'muddling through' ?????  Great Scott ---- keep on muddling!

Thank you, but Scott? Scott! I Am Sam!   And before anybody asks, the idea of botulism glazed ham with moldy eggs just doesnt work, not in a box with a fox nor even on a train in the rain!

 

As far as muddling along, this part of the build has really challenged me; I just had no idea what it wanted to look like. There was a constant dialog between me and the Gremlin:

ME "Dude! WTF is this supposed to look like?"

GREMLIN "Dont worry, I'll tell you when its wrong"

ME "I know, but you never tell me you love me anymore"

GREMLIN "I dont want you to get a swollen head. BTW, you've crazy glued your hand to the work bench again"

And on and on.

 

I feel I can build most anything if I have a drawing or photo of how things play together but here I was in the dark, so, muddling. I have learned over the years its sometimes better to just jump in and get on with it. So far its working out pretty good on this one. I jut hope my measurements are accurate when it comes time to open up the hull to access the LEDs I installed FOUR YEARS AGO.  

 

Sam

[src]

Brief update.

I fashioned the roof/upper finishing. I thought about shingles then decided to leave them as is, just a bit of stain and oil.

 

Overall I am pretty pleased with how they have turned out. I still need to "detail" the columns and make some windows. I have mocked up a column and will mock up a window frame tomorrow to check my dimensions and how the columns will look with a thin layer of veneer similar to what Russ suggested. I think its going to work out. 

 

 

The lower details on the starboard badge are out of alignment, fortunately they are not glued up yet.

 

Thats it for now,

Sam

[russ]

The badges look great. I like the overall "weight" of the structures. Not too heavy. Very good work.

 

Russ

[SGraham]

Very nice, very clean. I love the proportions. Can't wait to see them on the hull.

 

Steve

[mtaylor]

Great looking badges, Sam.  I love the colors, too.  At this rate, you'll be ready for the darkside.... oh, you already are.   

[src]

Thanks for the comments and the likes - always appreciated.

 

Russ, I was trying to get a "classical" look, overall I think I did it. I suspect the rake of the windows is supposed to follow the transom but when I drew up my templates for the window openings that looked funny to me.

 

Steve, I cant wait to et them on the hull also, she has looked the same for so long its like I dont work on her. Although I have a pile of furniture and carriages to show for the last several weeks. (months!)

 

Mark, While I am please with where I am at, I think I have at least one more kit before I try a complete scratch build.

 

Sometime back I photoetched some window lites base on the kit parts to use for the badges. When it came time to build the columns and stools, the kit rake looked wrong but so did matching the rake on the transom, so I compromised between the two, now my photoetched frames dont work. Looks like I'm making wooden frames. This is tough, I thought the outer works on the badges were a challenge.....MOMMY! 

 

Hopefully I will have something to show in a few days.

 

sam

Edited August 16, 2014 by src

[HIPEXEC]

That's mighty fine work. You matched them perfectly.

[src]

Thanks Rich, I really want to get these complete and on the ship but work has been interfering.

 

Sunday I ordered some single blocks from Chucks Siren company. Tuesday I go on line to see if I have an estimated ship date, in my inbox is an email that they shipped already! They were in my mail box yesterday. Thanks Chuck!!!!

 

They look good too. THe smaller 3.5mm are Chucks and the larger 6mm are Constructo supplied I am almost wondering if I should have gone with 4mm, these look like a challenge. Guess I am going to find out.

 

 

This is all I have managed to do this week, Mullions for the lites and Stiles and Rails for the frames. The outer frames are a bit thick still and will get paired down with a chisel or mini plane. The veneer I plan on using on the columns will hide more of the thickness. I just wanted something a bit stronger to work with. I used styrene to make a jig to hold everything together and keep my horizontal mullions in line. Seems to be working so far....... Back off Murphy!!!! 

 

 

Sam

[russ]

Sam:

The blocks seem a bit mismatched for size. I think if you went with two of the smaller blocks, it would be okay. The 4mm blocks would be okay as well.

 

I like the jig you have for the window framing.

 

Russ

[src]

Russ, are you sitting on my shoulder? I barely posted that!!!  Thanks for the kind words. I was just comparing the two blocks. I will be using chucks blocks front and back on the carriages, your right that would look awkward.

[HIPEXEC]

You'll just have to study actual gun rigs to see what you want to achieve. Constructo gives no help.

[russ]

The rig is fairly straight forward. The block on the bulwarks has the becket in its **** end and the run is from there, through the block on the carriages, back through the bulwarks block and out. Both are hooked in the head of the block.

 

Russ

[wdretired]

It looks great.   I'm impressed on the planking for sure.  I started planking my Mayflower and it's not coming out quite like yours. 

Keep up the good work. .

[src]

Thanks for dropping by everybody. I'm using the "Fully Famed" series as well as "Arming and Fitting" for most of this. Russ, you reminded me, I have 60+ hooks to make still. Rich, I will follow your lead and build a mockup bulwarks and rig to that.

 

Yesterday I finished the outer frames for the Stbd badge as well as the beds for the carriages. When I dry fit the barrels the muzzle will center up nicely in the gun port. My plan is to rig all the guns in a stowed position - muzzle lashed against the top edge of the gun port. Right now with out a quoin it sits just right, I may leave the quoins off. I dont think too many people will notice.

 

Wayne, thanks for visiting and the kind words. What you are seeing is the result of planking the hull three times, the initial 2mm thick planks Constructo supplies, then the 0.5mm planks. I got to a certain point and removed a considerable portion of the 2nd planking, ordered more and continued. Wood filler and stain hide a multitude of sins. I had a chef tell me once he was an ok cook but his sauces were great. I look at my planking in a similar way. My planking is ok but the finish is very good.

As your discovering on your Mayflower, planking is "interesting." You have some very accomplished builders commenting on your log, your going to do great.

 

Sam 

Edited August 24, 2014 by src

[Rich.F]

Hey Sam, Sounds like your making  progress, I do like your badges, I looked at mine the other day yours will/do look so much better than what comes with it.

[src]

Rich, thanks for the stopping in and the kind words.

 

I was just reading in "Arming and Fitting" the quoins were not in place when the guns were lashed to the bulwarks. Nice! I dont need to make those.

Sam

[cog]

No coins ... Yeah right Sam, You'll leave out the extra work for sure. That'll be the day!!! Reccon' you'll be makin' the worm, spunge, rammer, and bucket for all them guns too

[src]

Carl, Great to hear from you again! I hope all is well or at least improving. Thanks for the kind words.

I will however be leaving off the cannon accouterments. I plan on displaying her in a non-combat state, possibly with sails furled, or minimal sail and guns lashed with the muzzles to the bulwarks.

Nothing to show at the moment, the better half and I went away to watch the Dodger woop all over the Padres this weekend, unfortunately the Dodger failed to show up for the first two game much to my better halfs delight.

Sam

[cog]

Sam,

You should enlighten me (PM for not messing up your log to much) on that 'Dodger woop' part, since it doesn't ring a bell. You should know by now I'm just another .... foreigner 

 

Looking forward to the realisation of your future view of your 'enterprise'

[src]

Carl, My apologies, PM on the way

Sam 

[cog]

At least I know now the Padres thrashed the Dodgers with a mace and canon ball! Bad weekend, lucky for you, you've got us around!

[src]

Carl,

Yes but I have the last laugh, them Dodgers just took their division!

 

Back to building. 

My Arch Enemy Mr Sciatica has paid me a visit and is interfering with my build time again. Not to mention work, I just spent the last two nights "wading with pirates" in a theme park attraction whose name I am not allowed to mention. 

Since Ole Mr Sciatica wont let me sit for long periods I have put my windows on hold. Instead I have been doing things that can be accomplished while standing.

 

On a positive note I am making progress on my carriages and cannons. I think I am finally getting the hang of this blackening process!

 

I started out soldering the trunnions in and filing them to a constant length. I just used soft solder - they were a press fit and wont be under any stress.

 

After a good going over with a purple scrubby pad and brass brush I cleaned everything up in soap and distilled water with a distilled rinse. Then into the ultra sonic cleaner. My little Harbor Freight cleaner works pretty well but I wish there was a way to run for more than a 3 minute cycle. I ran it for 10 cycles then rinsed in distilled water.

 

After that it was into a 50/50 solution of distilled water and muratic acid. I intended to leave them in for 30 minutes but the Better Half came home and we went to lunch. They ended up being in the acid till the next morning when I woke up and went "Oh NO!!" I ran outside and pulled them out afraid of what I would find. Other than being discolored they were fine.

 

 

A quick dip in a baking soda solution and a final rinse on distilled water, into the blackening solution they went for ten minutes. They looked good while wet but when they dried not so good. The top set are after cleaning but before the second soak.

 

 

I recalled Russ saying he blackens his parts several times so I took 1/2 of them and rubbed them down with a scrubby pad and back in they went for a bout 15 minutes. This second soak was much better so I did the other half.They look pretty good to me, a nice black with a satin sheen.

 

 

 

While all this has been going on I have finished staining the carriages and applied a coat of linseed oil with beeswax. Once that dried for a couple of days I buffed them up and finished drilling for my hardware. I felt they needed some more oil and wax but wasnt sure how to go about that with the hardware glued in. I noodeled on it for a bit and hit on my dremmel with a buffing wheel. I rubbed a bit of oiled with a q-tip and then buffed them on a low speed. It worked so well I am going to go back and re-do my other small parts, I was never really happy with the sheen, they just do not match the hull.

I still have to make cap squares as well as finish cleaning up the trucks and get some stain on them.  then I can start rigging these things. 

I think next build I will opt for lighter colored wood, all my hard work kind of disappears into the darker mahogany.

 

 

I am getting there, slowly!

 

[Rich.F]

Hi Sam, sorry to hear back playing up again, hope its not too long till you back to normal. Cannons looks brilliant, I have two spare cannons that I ordered that im going to try with.

[Captain Slog]

Hi Sam,

 

The blackening turned out well.  I like the finish of the buffed barrels.

 

Cheers

Slog

[Sjors]

Sam,

 

Very nice cannons.....

And do you paint the carriages also ?

 

Sjors

[trippwj]

Those cannon look wonderful - love the subtle tones in them!

[src]

All,

Thanks for the likes and comments, always appreciated.

 

Rich, me too, this sucks! Your extra cannons are to try blackening? Nice! Pictures!

 

Slog, me too, I feel they have just the right amount of sheen.

 

Sjors, No paint on this build. I used the same Varathane Dark Walnut stain that is on the wales and other Manzonia parts. Then boiled linseed oil and beeswax.

 

Wayne, Thank you! I kind of liked the first go, they had a bronze-ish look to them.  I like these much better though. 

 

I have stained the trucks this weekend. I will get those glued on and then start rigging, unless my back eases up then I will go back to the windows, I REALLY want to see those finished! Then I will have to build a PWM flicker circuit for the "candles". I was thinking of a MagicGadgets flicker unit till I looked at the prices, $400.00+ U.S. for something that most likely will only get used once in a while. But you can get a very nice candle flicker out of them. 

They are here for those interested:

http://kayelites.com/osc/index.php/manufacturers_id/62

 

Sam

[cog]

Sam,

 

Your guns look amazing mate! When will my cannon order be despatched?

 

Hope you'll feel better soon