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

[src]

Small update. I spent Saturday whittling on the rudder and its coming along nicely. It still needs some adjustment, actually I need to adjust the hole the rudder head goes through, I am hitting the front edge. That will allow the gap at the stern to close up. I also need to trim a bit more off the lower corner and close that gap up. I am thinking that little edge will need to be chamfered like the leading edge of the rudder itself or else it wont turn.

I blackened the hinges but didnt get them cleaned properly I think, there are some places where the brass is still showing.

 

Old rudder.

I -The Gremlin- didnt care for the gap at the bottom edge or how the gap at the rudder head was corking working out.

 

 

New Rudder

I changed the lines slightly to match what I was seeing in a couple of books and filled in the gaps better. Still needs some adjustment. Minor changes, but the Gremlin is quiet.... for now....

 

Sam

 

 

Edited August 25, 2013 by src

[russ]

That looks good. I think reaming out the hole where the rudder post passes will cure that gap issue.

 

Russ

[src]

Thanks Russ, it already has made a difference. There is still a bit of gap, I drilled the hole based on the kit instructions and the old rudder/hinges. I dont know if I can correct it completely but I like it better than what I had. Stupid Gremlin! What does he know? He is sitting in the corner all chuffed up over himself.

 

I'm finding I am enjoying these little side trips into bashing/scratch building, stupid gremlin is starting to whisper in my ear about a complete scratch build one day. Maybe after a framed kit, have to see what the future brings. Where we live right now ther is only room for two ships that I would be interested in building

Sam

[rdsaplala]

Hi Sam,

 

Just catching up with your beautiful Enterprise build, wow! those modifications that you've added are excellent, I especially like your new photo-etched replacement parts, they look great!

[ZyXuz]

well done, Sam..

I just love the hinges u made, they're much better than the kit ones

[Shazmira]

Sam, I really like the new rudder...the bashing is fun isn't it!!! Keeps it all from getting boring!

[src]

You're all way too nice, thank you.

 

Aldo, the photo etching was an interesting side trip. Of all the parts I made it looks like only the hinges will go on. The mullions for the door were just way to fat, the material supplied for the decking (Mukaly?) worked fairly well. 

 

ZyXuz, It appears they are a standard part supplied in all their kits. I probably would have just ran with them if the holes were evenly spaced to the length. I am very pleased with the new ones though.

 

Brian, you have set a pretty hi bar for us with your Le Petit Nella, I have no doubt you will do the same with your Enterprise.

 

Robbyn, it is. As you are discovering also, tools and space...

 

The GF left me alone for the weekend while she visits family. Considering the number of hours I spent at the work bench She looks the same today as She did yesterday. Most of the time was spent fabricating a spectacle plate and the associated pins to hold it on. Soldering the second eyelet on was fun, it wouldnt stick. I wasnt getting it clean enough. I used med. solder for the first one and extra easy for the second. Just wasnt getting all the grunge from the first solder off. Broke all three of my #80 bits drilling out 8 holes. I was fumble fingers with a drill yesterday. Its done and blackened, looks pretty good.

 

I made my third tiller, this last one is based on a drawing in "Fully Framed II" This book is becoming my Bible.

 

I will get some pictures up later today. Time to walk the dog and there is 5 lbs of tomatoes  threatening to rot in my kitchen. Looks like home made meat sauce for dinner! Yum!. My GF's ex calls it gravy for some reason. Is that a southern thing?

 

Be back with pictures later.

 

Sam

[src]

Ok, promised pictures.

 

 

Forgot I made some hoops for the rudder head. One is looking pretty tweaky, I hope it straightens out. I had to make them really soft to get a decent bend. There is a slight taper on the rudder head so when I slide the hoops down they dont scrape the finish off......I hope. If I can remember which one goes on first that would be nice too. 

 

In the upper left is the progression of tillers. The bottom one is per the kit instructions. The next up is my second attempt, at the top is the "production" part.

 

 

Finally a spectacle plate. that little bugger was a challenge!

 

It doesnt show in the pictures but the hoops and the spectacle plate both have a green patina on the inner flats. It was on all the surfaces but polished off. Not sure what caused it. I followed my same patina schedule as before; wearing cloves gloves, file with a #4 file, wash with dish soap and rinse with distilled water, spray with a chemical degreaser, soak in muratic acid and rinse with distilled water, dunk in Blacken-It. It polishes off so I am not too worried about it.

 

Thats is for now, gonna try to get the rudder mounted tomorrow night. Maybe in the next pictures She will look different.

 

Sam

Edited August 30, 2013 by src

[russ]

Sam:

The metal work looks good. I would not worry too much about that one band. It will not attract that much notice amidst the rest of them.

 

Russ

[src]

Thanks Russ, you're probably right. Its pretty soft, it should bend into shape ok.

Sam 

[Shazmira]

Wow Sam, you are really going all out!! Very impressive....so I will send you a list and the specs for what I need for my Syren....I can expect those in the mail when?

[src]

Robbyn, not sure what happened, I was cruising along building a kit out of the box and some how I fell down the rabbit hole. Actually I think somebody pushed me...(looks at Russ)

Send your list but I warn you, I am not as qualified for the Overachiever Award as you. Also, Mom is still waiting for her fireplace mantel I started in high school wood shop. Nope! No procrastination in MY world!

Sam

[src]

Brian, try it you never know what you may not accomplish.....

 

Well, shipped my rudder last night after mounting the last of the "bolts" Overall it looked ok.

Then I oiled the rudder..... some of the blackening rubbed off. I was Captain Grump-o-licious for a minute till I stopped and really looked at it. The way the blackening rubbed of gave a very aged appearance that I started to really like. Then I excitedly oiled the hinges on the hull....and... different results. 

 

Not sure what I am going to do now. No matter how much I have rubbed at them, the blackening wont rub off. I think I will either try to strip the linseed oil and duplicate the effect with an airbrush or just go for an oil rubbed bronze/back with the airbrush. Maybe just use a gun blue touch up pen. Got some 'sperimenting to do it looks like.

 

I think I may need to add a yellow/amber glaze to the rudder to bring it closer in color to the keel and stern. Probably should have done that before I mounted the pintles. 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2013 by src

[russ]

I could see doing some careful touch up as you mentioned, but I would not do anything really drastic. It will look good with just a bit of touch up. I think overall it looks good. Nice work.

 

Russ

[Rich.F]

Hey Sam, very beautiful, she looking so good. Wish I had the experience to make mine so good. Next build will get better as I have already learned from miss takes.""Thomas Edison tried and failed nearly 2000 times to develop the carbonized cotton filament for the incandescent lightbulb"" just hope I don't need to make 2000 ships, don't have the space.

[Shazmira]

Sam, whatever are you complaining about! I keep looking and looking, and to me everything looks spectacular!!! I like the different color rudder anyway...may be wrong, but it seems in most pics I see, the rudder is made of different wood than the hull, so normal in my mind.

[src]

Hey all, thank you for the kind words!

Russ, yea I dont want to go too far with it. I really like the aged look on the rudder pintles. Like I mentioned I was Captain grumpy when I first saw it happening, but stepped back and took a breath and looked again, it works well with the "patina" from the rubbed oil on the hull. I would like to know what caused it though; one, to avoid it in the future and two to duplicate it when I want too.  I may have left the gudgeons in a couple of minutes longer than the pintles. I didnt write down the time or the temperature when I did either. Just soaked till it looked "right."

 

Rich I will probably give ole Edison a run for his money when it comes time to do the rigging.

 

Robbyn, its my furniture and cabinet making background, I cant help it it just gnaws at me. If I can get the rudder closer in tone and the steel closer in appearance I will be satisfied. Had the gudgeons worn more than the pintles I would have been fine with it, I could have said the rudder had been replaced at some point. 

 

Brian, no shame. Wood finishing is the one thing in this hobby that I have a fair amount of experience with.

 

I have a couple of thoughts for the gudgeons that I will try tonight, then a bit of airbrushing if that doesnt work. But that requires a trip to the hobby store which may have to wait till the weekend or longer, we are entering our busy season at work and will be swamped till the end of November. Robbyn, if your life isnt crazy enough anymore you and your new husband are welcome to come out and show us what real overacheivers can do!!!!   

 

Sam

[src]

Just a quick update.

Havent worked on the rudder anymore, working this weekend so it most likely wont happen till next week.

Mounted the "Head Rails" and the cabin door, ended up making the hinges with black tape. looks ok from normal viewing distance. I still have to sand and oil the Head Rails. 

Assuming all goes reasonably well at work I will most likely do something mindless like the steps on the hull.

 

 

 

 

Sam

[texxn5]

Very nice build. I'm enjoying watching your construction techniques.

[Shazmira]

WOW WOW WOW, she is really looking very beautiful!

[src]

John Thank you, all my grumbling aside I am enjoying the process.

 Robbyn, a triple WOW, thank you!!!

[Shazmira]

Sam she deserves much more than 3. Seriously, she is looking to be one of the most lovely builds I have had the pleasure to see, you really should be proud!

[Sjors]

Hi Sam,

 

I thought I bring you a visit.

Man, are you making a beauty !

Shame on me that I see this not sooner !

No I know for sure that you can do a great job on the rigging !

 

[src]

Sjors, Thank you!! Always a pleasure to see a new face. No apology needed, there are so many great builds here you can never see them all. I am always pleasantly surprised when somebody new finds my humble little offering.

 

Work has kept me busy for the last couple of weeks so no real progress has been made. I have not wanted to work on the rudder and feel rushed so its sits the way it was last week.

 

I have had a minute here and there to work on some simple things like the entry steps. Got a question if somebody can help. The instructions call for 5 entry steps between the upper and lower wales. the space between is 18.5mm or 3.1 feet, Thats 7.25" rise, seems a bit close to me. The picture below shows about where I think the water line would be, the plans dont show a water line. The red lines on the left are an approximation of the kit spacing. The lines on the right are my best guess and scale out at about 12" rise. I am strongly leaning towards the right but not sure how far down to go.

 

Feel free to edit my photo if there is a better way to approach this

 

 

Edit: the above pic really doesnt show up well, this is a little better:

 

 

In honor of todays visiter and since I never posted a picture of the finished door, an extra picture.

 

Edited September 13, 2013 by src

[src]

Robbyn, I am, I just try not to let it go to my head and know I can always do better. Most, not all, of my grumbling is my way of reminding myself where I would like to improve on my next build.

Sam

[Shazmira]

Visually I like your spacing better; however, I wonder if the distance down the hull might not be too far down. Wouldn't the concern be a step below the waterline creating drag? Maybe it doesn't matter on a ship that size?

[Sjors]

Hi Sam,

 

Nice and clean door !

What about the steps……I think you have to do what is for you the best option.

If you don't like what they are saying on the plans, go your on way.

You have to look at it and when I not feels right, it's gonna irritating you.

 

[src]

Robbyn, yes I think they want to be clear of the water, I dont know how much something small like that would affect performance, an engineer could tell us I am sure. My best guess is they would have been mortised and then through bolted into the hull, even then the constant beating of the water would tear them apart. I think I now I need to go one higher.

 

Sjors, Thank you! Yes I am not sure if I can look at the steps that close together, I could thin them down of course. My only source of reference with scale drawings is "Fully framed II" That shows a 12" rise and much more detailed steps. I will stick with the simple steps from the kit since I havent done any elaborate molding anywhere else. Next Build....

 

Brian, The difference in average heights crossed my mind but but my couple of reference books showed a larger spacing. I think if I were to make a more "accurate" step they would not look so cramped. I am sure Constructo has simplified the steps as they have everything els on this kit.

As far as aging Admirals go, I wonder. People were more active then, my guess is an "old" man of 50 back then was probably more fit then a lot of mid 20's men today. I certainly wasnt there then so i dont really know.

 

In the end, as Sjors and many others have pointed out here and elsewhere, I have to look at her when she is done.

 

Sam

Edited September 14, 2013 by src

[edmay]

Hello Sam, very neat precise workmanship,a classic build. Edwin

[texxn5]

Sam, it's looking very nice.