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

[Shazmira]

Sounds like a good fix to me Sam, easy enough to cover a hole with a coil of rope, or anything else that might be found a deck....I like it.

[src]

Robbyn, 

Most likely it will be ropes and buckets, but, I posted a question in the deck fittings forum and got some great ideas. One is a gun repair scenario that has me really intrigued. I dont know if where the third hole is will lend itself to that or not but it bears looking into I think.

 

I tore out the offending timber heads, they came out disturbingly easy. Minimal damage to the deck and cap rail. The cap rail re-stained well; you can barely tell its been touched up. Some plugs in the deck and I can move on. I am using the old timber heads over since there is nothing wrong with the caps, just needed some tenons cut into them with the router. Looks like I need a new bit though, not a very clean cut. It should clean up with a file ok.

 

• 
•  
• 

 

 

 

I finished installing the pin rails and started in on the hatch coamings. I used the table saw for the rabbet but chose the dremel router for the lap joints. I have not made a sled for the saw yet and have found the miter attachment is not very stable; there is a bit a play to it.

 

• 
•  
• 

 

This is where she site today, a little different that the last full hull shot in September, not much but a bit.

 

• 

Sam

 

Edited April 9, 2014 by src

[rlb]

Sam,

 

You're really doing excellent work on this kit, and your efforts to look beyond what the directions say are well worth it!

 

She's coming along beautifully.

 

Ron

Edited December 8, 2013 by rlb

[Shazmira]

Sam, I like...so how do you like the dremel router? I just came across one of those in the store and was wondering how well they work...was thinking of putting it on my Christmas list.

[russ]

Sam:

Good work so far. I think you made a good decision on the timberheads.

 

Russ

[src]

Ron, Thanks! I am trying to do her justice, I just gotta learn to look ahead as you say a bit sooner! 

 

Russ, thanks, It was a surprisingly easy decision to make once I realized there was way to fix it.

 

Robbyn, thanks. The Dremmel router is "OK" not good just ok in my opinion. Its better than hand cutting rabbets and tenons, especially on mahogany. Its a bit inconsistent though and the mount is kinda sloppy, which leads to the inconstancy. That being said, once you learn its limitations it is a  good inexpensive addition to your kit, especially if a mill or table saw or mini shaper is out of budget. ahh to be independently wealthy and afford a Jim Byrnes tool kit!

 

 

Sam

[Shazmira]

So what would you recommend other than the dremel router then? That was the first miniature router I had ever seen, so did not even know of their existence until a week ago.

[src]

HHmmmmm Robbyn, hard for me to answer. Other than the dremmel I have only used industrial shapers and "Big Boy" (or Girl) router tables. Our good friend See Yours has a Proxon router table I believe, although I think it translates to a mill in has language. Maybe he will have some input or even ask him directly?

If that dremmel is what is in your budget at the moment and you need a shaper/router table go for it. It gets the job done just not as well as I would like. I have found I need to check my cuts regularly and even leave the last tiny bit - 1/64" to trim off with a chisel or needle file. Also the opening whre the bit protrudes is rather large for the tiny parts we work with, I keep threatening to make a cover for it with a zero clearance opening or at least a much smaller opening. Also, and this may apply to any of the hobby type shapers there is no provision for a cross cut/miter attachment. Essential for keeping your teons and rabbets square on a cross cut type operation. I use a large piece of 1/8" x 2" wide scrap wood cut as square as you can get it. That will help keep your cuts square and the bit out of your fingers. These little bits wont take your finger but believe me router wounds are.......uncomfortable. Dont ask how I know

I am sorry I am not being more helpful. I guess as a filler tool till I can afford something better it works just fine.

Sam

[ZyXuz]

very clean work, Sam

the bits shd look perfect after sanding

[mtaylor]

Lowe's has this one:  http://www.lowes.com/pd_231428-11241-7337_4294707841__?productId=3726236&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNs%3Dp_product_qty_sales_dollar%7C1%26page%3D1&facetInfo= 

 

Seems to be fairly small.  I've seen it in person but not taken the plunge since I have a mill.

[src]

Z, Thanks, thats what I am hoping for.

Mark, that would (wood?) make some serious saw dust in my work room/office!! Then again so would the router tables at work.......   If you didnt have a mill would you find a use for a table in the size at lowes?

Sam

[mtaylor]

Sam,

 

Good question... one I can't answer as I don't honestly know.  I know my Dremel stand didn't work for this sort of stuff and neither did my full size drill press.  So my guess would be: Yes.. I could do a lot with that tool if I didn't have the mill.

 

As for the sawdust problem... it's either outside or have the shop vac running for all power tools around here.  My workshop is a spare bedroom.  The shop vac seems to catch >90% of the sawdust so there's minimal dust in the air at any given time. 

 

Just hit me.. the other thought is to make a small router table.  Dremel makes a small router, I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to bolt it to a, say, 1/2" chunk of plywood..  hmm.....  another power tool...      :)  

[src]

A shop vac makes a big difference, its a good "Warrior Kitten Defense Tool" also, she hates the sound but when I turn it off she regroups and counter attacks. (Edit: no i dont chase her with it - not cool. she run when i use it) She has taught the hose who is boss more times than I can count! The Dremmel doesnt make a whole lot of dust which is a good thing as there isnt an easy way to attach a hose to it.

Hmmmm more power tools..... Somebody once said on this site, you cant be too attractive, rich or have too many clamps. I think we need to add power tools to the list.

 

Last night I started cutting my mortices in for the new timber head locations. I also picked up some Artist Matt medium for the port tackle. I would really like to cross that portion off my to do list.

 

Pictures when there is something more to show.

 

sam

Edited December 10, 2013 by src

[src]

Wow, Another year gone by. Where does the time go?

Life has kept me busy these last few weeks, work has slowed down and yet up till Xmas eve it seemed i was still working more then resting/building. I have been slowly making progress though. 

I finished modifying the bits timberheads and relocated them to the proper locations. Clamping them in place turned into a bit of a challenge, I ended up using a piece of balsa with some divots cut out for the tip of the bits timberheads to rest in and them carefully clamped with clothes pins and clamps. I tried rubber bands but the pressure was wrong, they kept wanting to lean inboard when I dry fit.

 

 

 

 

After the bits timberheads were in place I stated in on the hatch coamings and grates. I used the kit supplied gratings and leftover boxwood for the planks. The instructions called for Ayous wood but either none was supplied with my kit or I used it for something else, either way I had none so boxwood it was. The color doesnt match the decking but I'm not going to worry about it. 

 

 

 

 

That is about it for now, today I am starting in on the gun carriages. At the rate I am going I wont be done with those till February. This kit is gettign cheaper by the year!! Other than the tools I have bought I am down to about $40.00/year!

 

Happy New Year everybody. Thanks for all the advise and encouragement throughout the last few years, I wouldnt have the build I have today if it wasnt for all of your input! Looking forward to an even better 2014 for everybody

 

Sam

Edited December 31, 2013 by src

[russ]

Very nice work. The timberheads look good.

 

Russ

[mtaylor]

Nice way of setting the timberheads.  As for the hatch colors.. no worries.  Contrast is good.

[Rich.F]

Hi Sam,

 

Happy New Year, (time is just upon us)

 

Great Looking work as always.  How do you get the square holes to the hand rails, and file the parts so the same ?

 

Rich

[src]

Russ, Mark, Thank you. Contrast does work, it adds interest. 

Rich, thanks. I did the tenons on the timberheads with my dremel router table. I set the depth so the resulting tenon was the same size as one of my little chisels. After transferring the measurements to the cap rail I drilled a hole just slightly smaller than the finished dimensions of the mortice. Afterwords it was fairly simple to square up the mortice and then glue the timberheads in. I did use a file on the tenons to fine tune them a bit. Its not terribly different from chopping out for a lockset on an entry door.

If you look on post 223 you can see the old timber heads have new tenons routed into them. I see I reposted pictures too.....

Sam

Edited January 1, 2014 by src

[Sjors]

Hi Sam,

 

That looks very nice !

And no worries about the hatches...when time flies it goes darker.

 

[src]

Sjors, Thank you. The likes and encouragement from everybody is always appreciated. Your correct about the darkening over time, I also had forgot about the coat of shellac I put on the deck years ago as a sealer, that will help too. As soon as it warms up outside a bit more I will go do that. Although I suspect its slightly warmer here in Los Angeles then where most everybody else is.

 

Chugging away on my carriages, if I get far enough today I will get some pictures up.

 

Sam

[Shazmira]

Sam, brilliant work as always!!! I really do enjoy seeing how you improve everything, slow seems to work well for you as well because the result is always first class! Happy new year as well!

[JScolum]

Please see my build log 

 

https://www.shipsofscale.com/sosforums/index.php?threads/enterprise-1-50-golden-kits.1784/

 

Nice building

 

Regards

 

Leszek

Edited July 7, 2018 by JScolum

[src]

Robyn, Leszek, Sorry for the late reply, thank you both for the encouragement and kind words. Leszek, nice work, thanks for the link.

 

Building has slowed to a crawled here. Work and other life "adventures" are taking all my time.

 

Sam

[src]

Small update. Sometime back I bought a Proxon table saw. Finally got a chance to see what it could do, and I am............

underwhelmed. Maybe I am being over critical but for $300.00 I expected more. The micro adjustment on the fence is really sloppy and inconsistent, fixable with a nylon or delrin shim. The cross cut/miter gauge is pretty sloppy too, hard to get repeatable cuts unless you push the guide all the way over to one side or the other and then I am afraid it will wear funny. Sigh, I should have sprung for the benchmark and bought the Byrnes saw. 

 

I made a crosscut sled for the Proxon and that went a long way towards making repeatable crosscuts and slots. I used .180 polycarbonate for the base and some polypropylene for the guides. Its kind of crude looking so I didnt post pictures of it. I have some ideas on improvements once I do that and make it presentable I will post a picture. Its likely to be several weeks though.

 

Once the sled was operable I started in on the gun carriages. I am using the dimensions for the Armstrong 6 pound gun found in the database here at MSW. My first set I used some 3m number 77 adhesive lightly sprayed on one side and stacked them up and gang milled the steps, the slots for the trucks and roughed in the curve at the base. I made two mistakes here. The worst was not considering the angle of the sides in relation to the trucks. I made my cuts perpendicular to the sides instead of at an angle and that would have showed up in the finished carriage I think. Also the spray adhesive I used wasnt cleaning up like I wanted and may have interfered with the stain. I didnt want to spend what looks like it will be weeks of work only to find I hate the gaps at the trucks and the stain was uneven so I started over. 

 

 

This time I cut each side separately. That required more care in holding the part safely and took quite a bit longer. 

 

 

They need some clean up but these should work out. Rather than roughing in the curve on the table saw and then filing to shape I think I am going to get a carving chisel with the correct sweep and try that. My next step is to make a jig and cut a slot into the trucks. I dont think this is how a real carriage is built, it appears weak but it will help keep a consistent space and angle to the barrel. 

 

More to follow

 

Comments and constructive criticisms always appreciated.

 

Sam

Edited April 9, 2014 by src

[Shazmira]

Sorry to hear the proxon is not up to par....but glad to hear it too, I was considering buying that one for myself and saving some bucks, but I think I will just spring for the Byrnes saw once the house closes...no one complains about Jim's machines. Carriages look good to my untrained eye!

[russ]

Sam:

So far the carriages look good.

 

About the trucks. The sides of the carriages were slotted for the axels. Thus the axels were recessed into the carriage sides.

 

Russ

[src]

Robbyn, I expect a lot out of a tool when it claims to be the "Most Accurate Hobby Saw on the market" Or something to that effect. If it had been Harbor Freight I would have said, "Ok I know what I am getting here" and been fine with it. I passed on the Byrnes saw cause I couldn't justify the expense at the time, now I feel like I wasted $300.00 and still will end up buying the Byrnes saw at some point in the distant future. Live and learn I guess. I will say that its still better than cutting by hand so its really not a complete waste of money. Once I accurise it maybe I will change my tune. Who knows?

 

Russ, that was my assumption. "Fully Framed" indicated the same thing although that was for English ships, I understand American builders followed British procedures at this time period. I am ok with altering the process here if it makes my carriages consistent and makes the process easier. 

I have made my "planks" for the axel trees long enough to get two out of each length, that will keep my fingers away from the saw blade. 30+ years working  on and around table saws and never felt the bite of the saw blade, wanna keep it that way.

 

Sam

[Sjors]

Hi Sam,

 

I was reading your comment about the Proxxon table saw.

I have one of my own and I'm very happy with it.

I use it when ever I can.

You know that there are different saw blades ?

And you are saying that you are paying 300 US Dollars for it?

Then I'm lucky, I pay about 74 US Dollars....

Big difference !

 

[src]

Brian, Sjors, Now you have me wondering if I just got a bad unit or if their quality has dropped. Brian, I seem to recall you bought yours about the same time I bought mine, 2-3 months ago? And yes, here in the states the go for $300.00 and up. I would have to look up the receipt but I recall it being in the $350 range with shipping. Maybe I need to make a phone call. Wonder if its too late to do anything about it.

Sam

BTW I have the FET model

Edited January 21, 2014 by src

[Sjors]

Hi sam,

 

I have take a look for you and I have the KS 230, not the FET.

Maybe that's the difference?

And the FET cost here also about 300 US dollars.