Altair 1931 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:32 - schooner

[KeithAug]

I am doing one coat of poly a day. Now on coat 4.

 

 

Meanwhile I have made a bit of progress on the winch.

 

The plan detail on the winch is basic and I also think its not very representative of the real thing.

 

 

Unfortunately the internet didn't come up with much additional information so I had to resort to a bit of intuition.

 

Because the winch is painted black I didn't have to bother much about the choice of materials so I used bits from my scrap box. One enhancement to the plan was the winch motor which now has a finned body - cut from a sprocket recovered from a dead printer. The fins do appear to be present on the original.

 

 

The winch has both rope and chain drives. I made these from hex section brass bar. The chain sprocket was simulated by drilling 6 radial holes using a centre drill and then filing a groove across the holes on the lathe (while rotating). The hex bar provided the reference surfaces for equi-spacing the radial holes.

 

 

The winch isn't anywhere near finished but its shaping up reasonably well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Julie Mo]

Finishing the hull is proving to be quite slow going as the poly is taking ages to dry.

Keith, do you ever use lacquer?  No waiting for it to dry.  And no need to sand between coats.

 

Since I discovered its positive qualities in lutherie, I have become quite a fan.  As for boats, I only know of one (full-size) boat that had a lacquered hull.  The owner had 10 coats applied to the hull before she was splashed and pulls her every year to keep the finish up.  No bottom paint for that beauty, just frequent cleaning.

 

BTW... Nice metal work!  Wish you lived closer.

Edited August 23, 2016 by Julie Mo

[KeithAug]

Hello Julie

 

I have never tried lacquer but I must give it a go some time. Although its slow I am quite enjoying the process of applying the wipe on poly. The finish is very pleasing and I can always make progress on other stuff while I am waiting. I'm watching your build with interest and wait to see how your 2nd planking options develop?

[Julie Mo]

You may find yourself falling in love with lacquer, Keith.  You can lay on 4-5 coats in a day, sometimes more.  You don't need to sand until it needs flattening or smoothing.  The solvent in the lacquer melts the new coat into the existing coat.  And the finish can be stunning.  I wet sand to smooth then buff with wet Micro Mesh from 1500 to 12000 and can get a glass finish.  And repairing is a breeze because of the melting properties.  Much easier than poly.

 

On the negative side, you do need good ventilation.  You have to allow the solvent to gas out before sanding and buffing, usually about 7-10 days.  And you can't put it on thick or it runs.  One other thing, if you waxed the finish, all the wax must be removed before repairs or refits.    

[KeithAug]

I finished the winch and a couple of minor deck fittings.

 

The winch base was made from brass sheet and eyelets. The holes were accurately drilled on the mill.

 

 

The winch was test assembled before painting.

 

 

Then painted with enamel paint - grey undercoat and then gloss black

 

 

A couple of other simple items were made on the lathe and mill. The hand-wheel was recovered from a pocket watch - one of a diminishing supply of such items in my odds and ends box.

 

 

The winch components were superglued together.

 

 

The fore deck components are photographed arranged in their relative positions.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KeithAug]

I so enjoyed the process of wiping on the poly that I had to force myself to stop after 7 coats. I might have to do more later!!!

 

With the hull sealed I turned it over and started to think about adding the capping rail to the bulwarks. The rail is .080 inch thick and at the stern it varies considerably in width.  I started with the stern. I produced a template by pressing a sheet of paper on to the bulwark and then used this to size the 3 planks from which the stern rail would be cut.

 

 

I needed to shape the 3 sections as one so I mounted them onto a scrap piece of MDF with double sided tape.This was then sanded using the disc and spindle sanders.

 

 

Once sanded the 3 parts were removed from the backing and offered up to bulwark - no further adjustment was necessary but the edges were rounded with sandpaper by hand. The 3 pieces were then glued together before the assembly was glued to the bulwark using PVA.

 

 

The stem capping piece will be made in the same way but from 2 pieces.

Edited September 2, 2016 by KeithAug

[dgbot]

Well done Keith.  A nice and simple way of doing what could sometimes be a stinker of a job.  Your method is a real keeper.

David B

[Julie Mo]

Keith, what deck caulking did you use? Teakdecking Systems?  And just how small was that caulking gun you used?

 

Can I rent you?

[KeithAug]

Hello Julie

 

Teakdecking Systems don't offer caulking guns small enough. Gulliver's shipping supplies is the best source. They can be found at Lilliput Lane, Littlehampton.

 

Hi David - thanks for the comments, i have to make it simple or I make a mess of it.

[Mirabell61]

Hi Keith,

 

a beautiful build, from keellaying to present status, very nice handcraft work on hull and deck.  

Your metal work and brass milling is wonderful to see and also that winch is fantastic. A good idea using an old (toothwheel  ? ) for the e-motor coolribs ..

 

Nils

[KeithAug]

Thank you Nils - not quite on the scale of your Kaiser but quite satisfying never the less. Loved your screws - which prompted me to have a go on Altair.

 

I made a little more progress on the capping rail along the length of the hull. At about .300 inch wide the rail was much too stiff to bend to follow the curvature of the deck edge. I was pretty certain I would be able to bend a rail of half the thickness and so decided to make the width from two planks. I had the option of trying to lay up the rail on top of the plan but decided to form the rail by mounting it directly on the bulwark. 

 

Having cut mahogany strip (.080 x .300 inch) I needed to round the edges. I was considering making a scraper in the form of a "U" and using this on the plank edge to generate the half round...............however i hit upon a simpler solution....................the back of the knife blade.

 

 

Mounting the half rail on top of the ribs necessitated drilling and pining the rail to secure it in place while the PVA dried.

 

 

I did have slip and a break which required repair.

 

 

So far so good!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Julie Mo]

Looking great, Keith!   

That repair job was excellent.

[KeithAug]

And finally the capping rail is complete and ready for final sanding.

 

I put the outer edge of the rail in as a series of short lengths - approx 30cm long - 3 per side. This felt easier to manage than glueing and clamping the whole thing in one go.

 

 

I finished with a very slight dip where the stern rail joined the side rail. I tried to ignore it but failed. I then tried to fill the indent by overlaying it with infill planks and then sanding back. I still wasn't happy - so eventually I cut it out.

 

 

And replaced it.........

 

 

I then tried to ignore that it didn't match the other side. I failed so had to replace the good side as well.

 

 

Eventually all was done.

 

 

I think next I'll have a go at the rudder.

Edited September 10, 2016 by KeithAug

[Mirabell61]

     !

 

Nils

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Keith.  The railings came out very well...  perfect from where I sit.

[KeithAug]

The rudder............

 

Sometimes I have to question my sanity. I managed to make the rudder (excluding the strengthening plates) from 71 separate pieces. Excessive by any stretch of the imagination! This did include a bit of experimentation but that only added a few bits to the total. 

 

I started with a card template made to the profile on the plans.This was positioned on the hull and adjusted to fit. I also made a template of the rear of the keel (immediately in front of the rudder) so that I could get the varying thicknesses correct. 

 

 

My starting point was to find a brass tube from which to make the pivot. Around the tube I constructed a beam which would ultimately form the front edge of the rudder - thus far 5 parts.

 

 

I attached the template to the beam and shaped it to the profile of the keel.

 

 

It always looks better to me to have the grain on the rudder running in the same direction as the hull planks. Also I like including a bit of detail (interest) into the rudder. I thought I'd have a go at some pin stripes.

 

 

I started to question my approach at this point - thus far 17 parts.

 

More to follow.....

[Julie Mo]

I love it, Keith!  Do you mind if I steal your idea?  This is so much better than a single piece of timber.

[KeithAug]

Julie - you might want to see the rest before stealing anything!

 

So here is how it developed.

 

I started to sand the rudder down to its final form but part way through the process I started to feel the larger pieces of mahogany were looking a bit monolithic and hence out of scale. I did like the pin stripes and I think I will bank this for a future date.

 

 

So decided to use what I had as the core of the rudder and clad it as I had done with Endeavour.

 

I started by laying two strips either side of the leading edge. I seemed to have created some sort of bug!!!!!!!

 

 

I then laid more strips across the rudder, parallel to the waterline. Another weird creature was born!!!!!!!

 

 

27 pieces per side = 54. Plus the 17 core parts = 71 parts in total.

After a lot of sanding..........

 

 

The next step is to make and attach the 2 strengthening plates - one either side of the rudder and then buff the rudder with fine sandpaper before painting with poly.

 

 

 

[Julie Mo]

Keith, your mention of your rudder looking monolithic started the wheels in my head rolling.  Obviously no large rudder would have ever been made of solid timbers.  There would be a skeleton frame that would be skinned with wood planks.  As I envisioned that I was reminded of trim tabs I used to see on racing boat rudders.  And another idea is born!    

 

As much as I liked the pinstripes, I do see your point.  I'm glad you were able to use what you had and change directions.  But I believe you might be the record holder for the most parts used to make a rudder! 

[KeithAug]

Julie

 

Most of the rudders on sailing ships were built solid from very heavy timbers - and even then they failed.

 

Cutty Sark is a good example:-

 

 

Cutty Sark lost her rudder in heavy seas in the Indian Ocean when racing Thermopylae with a cargo of China tea. The accident meant Thermopylae beat her back to London by 7 days.

 

Endeavour being of metal construction probably did have a fabricated rudder.

 

 

 

 

[KeithAug]

I though I'd better finish and mount the rudder.

 

I needed to drill the holes to take the rudder pivot - a more complicated job than might be expected as I will explain.

 

I started by marking the position of the hole at the back of the keel. I used tape to mark out the angle and get the right distance from the hull (.200 inch).

 

 

I carefully drilled an undersized hole by hand, stopping frequently to check the drilling angles (alignment along the axis of the hull as well as parallel to the back of the keel)

 

 

I then started to widen out the hole with some miniature square section broaches - a birthday present from the wife.

 

 

Finally finishing to size with a round needle file. A bit complicated but the result was a hole that was exactly right in both size and alignment.

 

 

Drilling the top pivot hole was done through the lower hole. The drill bit was much too short for this but I stuck the drill bit in a tube to give it the required length.

 

 

The pivot was cut from brass tube and the rudder mounted as a test fit - it worked fine.

 

 

I then did a bit of brass bashing to create the rudder strengthening strips  - they are about 1 inch x 1/8 inch - fastened in place by 4 rivets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[KeithAug]

I had a go at the hawsepipe today. The complication is the plate as it exits the hull which is oval in form. This could have been tricky and I wanted it to be neat. The solution in the end proved to be simple and quick to make.

 

I started with a length of .200 inch diameter brass rod. I drilled out the rod on the lathe to the diameter of the hawsepipe. I then measured the angle the hawsepipe made with the hull at its exit point and set up the bar at this angle in the mill.

 

 

I then lopped off the end using a slitting saw.

The next operation was to solder the hawsepipe into the brass rod while still set up in the milling vice.

 

 

I then indexed the slitting saw down and repeated the cut.

 

 

With a bit of buffing the job was done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Julie Mo]

That brass strengthening strip really makes a big difference on your rudder, Keith.  Very nice touch!

 

Your metal work is amazing!

Edited September 20, 2016 by Julie Mo

[wyz]

Love'n your progress, Keith.

 

Tom

[KeithAug]

Julie / Tom

 

Thank you for your feedback. I feel I should be getting on quicker but unfortunately other time commitments seem to be getting in the way.

[KeithAug]

Altair has 7 portholes just above the waterline, 3 port and four starboard. I had a play with 2 designs. In option 1 the window is glued into a recess cut in the front of the porthole. The porthole is cut from solid brass rod of .325 inch diameter. The window is cut from stiff clear plastic using a standard paper hole punch. Option 1 has the advantage that the resulting porthole seems less "heavy" at the rim. The disadvantage is that its hard to disguise the glue and any unevenness in cutting the edge of the window (made from plastic) is also apparent. The result can look a little messy. 

 

In option 2 the window is inserted into the rear of the porthole and held in place by a tube which is also pressed in from the rear. The advantage is no glue and no rough edges - but at the expense of a heavier rim.

 

 

I made both types before choosing option 2 (on the left in the picture below). For me the neatness outweighed the heaviness.

 

 

The components below are pre-assembly. The tube was pressed in and then sawn off.

 

 

The portholes took about 10 minutes each to make - but as the picture shows they need a little cleaning up.

 

 

I'm off on my travels now so no more progress for a while.

 

 

 

 

[captainbob]

Just found your beautiful build of this lovely boat.

 

Bob

[KeithAug]

Thanks Bob, I'm pleased you found it and hope you enjoy.

[KeithAug]

Progress is very slow. Much time away from home visiting family and holidays. At least the dog is getting a lot of walks and looking fit.

 

 

I did get an hour or two to make the prop shaft rear bearing and hull outing plates,

 

The test assembly looks ok but I'll postpone final installation until later in the build.

 

Edited October 8, 2016 by KeithAug

[captainbob]

Nice prop and mounting.

 

Bob