Schooner Altair by KeithAug - Scale 1:32 - 1931 - Finished

[michael mott]

1 hour ago, dvm27 said:

Does anybody still remember geometry after high school?

Oh Yes... one of the great liberal arts and sciences.

 

Michael

[mtaylor]

Excellent work, Keith.  And you have a very smart wife.  So what day are you taking off?

[KeithAug]

Greg, Thank you.

 

Michael / Mark,

 

I have to be numerate - my wife is a maths graduate. If I don't take an interest she takes charge of the bank account. As for days off - I think a day in the workshop is a day off.

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, KeithAug said:

Greg, Thank you.

 

Michael / Mark,

 

I have to be numerate - my wife is a maths graduate. If I don't take an interest she takes charge of the bank account. As for days off - I think a day in the workshop is a day off.

If that is true......Then I haven't had a day off in months.....     

[KeithAug]

I decided the time was right to start attaching some of the bits to the main mast. The starting point was accurate drilling / milling of the mast to take the locating pins for the collars and other fittings. I took particular care with the precision of the slots for the ring rests.

The rests themselves are quite small but recourse to the scroll saw quickly had them made (including spares).

And here they are precisely fitted.

I use the word "precisely" because I had used the wrong datum on the mill and had machined the slots in precisely the wrong position. A mast repair was necessary together with re-machining. Very annoying!

 

I started assembly by nailing the rubbing plates to the back of the mast. I now know why you ships hull platers don't use individual nails!

The nails are cut down drapers pins and the holes were predrilled undersize. The nails were coated in CA glue before insertion.

 

I then moved on to the base of the mast and started attaching my accumulated bag of bits.

If you look just above the winch you will see the repair to my "precisely" milled slot. I inlaid a piece of mahogany.

Between the spiders is a rope binding with the rope bound over what appears to be canvas. In this case I used sail repair tape to simulate the canvas.

Finally an overall view to show the areas where I have been working. 

 

It somehow all seems to get lost when the camera is turned off "micro" scale.

 

[michael mott]

So are you going to engrave the x stitching lines in the copper mast hoops to make them look a little less like copper hoops and more like the leather covered ones that you shewed.  I know the voices from the cheap seats can be annoying. LOL

 

The mast work looks super Keith

[KeithAug]

Michael - surprisingly I had passingly thought about it and got as far as thinking about a machining set up. I sort of wanted a tilting dividing head to make it easy but I don't have one. Anyway it seemed like a lot of work. I might have had a go if the number of components had been less but machining up 30 rings seemed to be a bit of a chore. I find the fun is in working out how to make something - not making loads of the same thing.

 

By the way the Bristol Channel can be very choppy and I do think you need to damp that compass needle if you are intent on steering a true course.

[michael mott]

1 hour ago, KeithAug said:

By the way the Bristol Channel can be very choppy and I do think you need to damp that compass needle if you are intent on steering a true course.

Touche!

 

Michael

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hi Keith,That mast is very impressive. If you were to put the stitching on the rings ( I think Michael was joking but am not so sure given his compass), how would you have done this?.

Cheers Richard

[KeithAug]

Hello Richard 

 

Thank you.

 

I had thought I could simulate the stiching like this:-

The problem is the chore of doing the cutting - 72 cuts per hoop X 30 hoops + 2160 cuts. Quite a chore and I don't want to spend a few hundred quid acquiring a dividing head.

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hello Keith, thank you for the detailed reply, I did wonder if there was a tool similar to a knurling tool that could be used, alas it seems more involved than that.

A think it is important to be be able to say "enough", even if it does go against the purist or perfectionist in us( can't believe I said that haha) especially if it adds lots of cost or too much time.

Cheers Richard.

 

[KeithAug]

Richard,

 

I was also thinking along the lines of a knurling tool as an option. I don't think you would get knurl wheels off the shelf but it is possible to make your own. The problem I'm not sure how to resolve is how to get the register right between the forward and rearward sloping cuts. It sort of needs the knurl wheels connected through a gear.

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hello Keith, One other possibility would be brass mesh cut at the diagonal, through the corners of the squares into small strips. Some photo etch mesh more likely suitable. I hope that makes sense haha.

Cheers Richard

[michael mott]

Riccardo

I think your idea has a lot of merit. The reason I say that is that the stitching is raised not cut ans sweat soldering a bit of brass etch onto the edge of the hoop would be a breeze for Keith. 

The ends that could be pulled together and squeezed to ensure that the stitching is tight to the hoop would also be where the fixing point could be to the sail. A little bit of work with a paint brush and nobody would know it is not stitched leather.

 

There ya go Keith we have solved your Problem.......

 

Michael

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hi Michael, you got it, I was going to suggest your input on tool fabrication if all else failed. But, yes, that was what I was thinking Exactly, thank you Michael.

Cheers Richard.

[KeithAug]

Dear Richard and Michael.

 

I think you have hit on the right solution, however my wife is now pushing for the hand sewn leather. I calculate the mesh size at .030" with  a strand thickness of .0015". I fear that while the body is willing the mind is weak. 

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hello Keith, I think your wife is right (they always are) hand sewn leather it is then

Cheers Richard

.

 

[KeithAug]

A little more progress:-

 

The foremast caught up with the main as far as fitting out was concerned.

At the head of each mast is a pair of pulleys. The body measures .32" x .08" x .08", the pulley is .160" diameter by .04" thick. The body was milled to shape.

I made the yards from mahogany but at a little over 1/8 inch diameter they were quite delicate and flexible. After scratching my head for a while as to how to make them robust I went back to web photos and realised that on Altair the yards are actually made from metal - painted white. The problem of flexibility was therefore resolved with the yards made form copper tube with brass end fittings. I'll decide later whether or not to paint them. I still need to make the lights, GPS receiver etc which attach to the yards.

I then went back to more mast protection plates of various shapes. 

 I had a bit of fun working out the best way to make the oval ones for the shroud strops.

Thats all for now folks.

 

 

 

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Keith, the yards look great, the fittings in the last photo look simply stunning, really first class work.

Cheers Richard

[KeithAug]

Thanks Richard.

 

I started to feel that I could do better to mount the yards more securely and accurately. Rather than inserting the yards directly into the hole drilled in the wooden mast I decided to make a sleeve to insert in the hole. Making the sleeve a tight fit around the yard had the additional advantage of guaranteeing the correct angle.

 

I continued to make mast fittings and attached the plates where the strops sit and where the gaff hoist pulley rubs against the mast above the yard.

The radar sits on a tricky little "A" shaped frame just below the yard on the main mast. The tricky bit is the bracket which attaches to the mast. The bracket plate is a curved oval (about 0.6" x .5"). I stuck a paper template on a tube and cut this out with a jewellers saw and finished it with a file.

The plate attaches to the wooden "A" frame via a strap - I cut this strap on the lathe - its 0.1" wide.

The strap and the plate were soldered together. The set up for soldering uses two tube spacers (aluminium and copper) to pull the stap tightly against the plate. The aluminium was used because it wouldn't accidentally solder to the bracket. The first photo shows pre soldering with the solder wire balanced in place. The second photo is post soldering and the third photo shows after clean up using a brass brush wheel. I used a torch to do the soldering.

The "A" frame was made from 0.1" square mahogany.

The strap was then bent to shape and attached to the "A" using CA glue.

I now need paint the frame with poly and  make the radar and horns which attach to the frame.

 

I had the Yacht on the floor so I took a photo.

 

 

 

[Guest Riccardo1966]

Hello Keith,

The A frame looks excellent and the model is breathtaking in the last photo, just beautiful.

What polly will you use on the mahogany frame?

Regards Richard

[Bedford]

I love the craftsmanship in this build and have one question about the beautiful brass work, how are you going to keep it shiny over the years?

[KeithAug]

Richard - the poly is Wilko Satin Finish Yacht Varnish. I'm not very good at spending more than I can get away with and I find the Wilko poly quite acceptable.

 

Bedford - I think I am going to let the brass mature with age. The yacht and myself will both fade away together!!!!

 

Thank you both for your comments and thanks to all those who have "liked" my work

[rwiederrich]

Great work.....!  It almost appears like you made 2 curved plate brackets..because the space required for the bend around the *A* frame and the location of the mounting holes does not appear to match from the original bracket you made and showed.  The buff wheel brushed one doesn't appear to have long enough wings to wrap around the wood and then strap to the side based on the image of the finished un-mounted bracket.

 

I could be wrong but it appears this way from your images.

 

Regardless of my observations(Or what I think I observe)...your work is impeccable.

 

Rob

[KeithAug]

Hi Rob

 

I see what you mean but I only made one bracket. Thank you for your comments.

[Bedford]

Keith, you and I will surely fade away but I hope the model survives the millennia

[jdbondy]

Nice work! Were the indentations on the strap done with a jeweler's punch or did you just drill a superficial indentation? The point in the centerline of the bracket appears to have a protruding bit like a nail head. What did you do there?

 

[KeithAug]

Hello JD

 

The holes were drilled through the strap, a dimple being made with a centre drill and then drilled through with a .028" twist drill. The holes were drilled using my milling machine - to avoid breakage of the drill. The holes were made to take pin heads which simulate the attachment rivets. The previous photos were of the part complete component, in the following images its a bit further on but still with the radar dome and horns to be attached. The images are some what magnified as can be seen from the size of the pin heads.

 

The protruding bit is a pin head. A hole was drilled in the centre of the oval and in the strap and a pin put in place to ensure alignment while soldering. I cut it out once soldered. Well spotted.

 

[KeithAug]

A bit of an update on a not very productive week.

 

I started work on the main boom. I have a bit of nice detail from photographs:-

The rubbing strips are quite a nice feature which it would be good to reproduce (right on the above photo and left on the photo below).

The track runs for about 90% of the length of the boom and has 30 sliders on it. 

The plans approach to the attachment between the boom and sail is a bit of a joke! 

I think reference to "simulated runners" is a misuse of the word simulated!

 

The detailing of the boom is also somewhat lacking. On the plan below you can see I am starting to sketch on extra detail.

I started by turning down a .500" dowel to .400" and then tapering the last third down to .320". I left a section at the narrow end at the full .400" diameter to simplify location on the mill. I then spent a lot of time on the milling machine - drilling holes and machining slots at various places along its length.

The long thin slots are to take the rubbing strips. They are .040" wide by 4.5 inches long and .030" deep. They were machined carefully with a very fine end mill - I broke one which was better than I expected.

 

I gave making the track some thought and after a hunt in the shed came back with the "track" I had been looking for (Hornby OO).

I machined a slot along the length of the boom (bottom of the boom in the image below)- .084" wide x .030 deep to match the rail bottom flange.

I extracted one rail from the track and did a trial fit - I think its going to turn out well as long as I can find a sensible way of making the sliders. Across 3 sails I need about 60 sliders which feels like a bit of a challenge. Anyway thats for the future as the next few days are devoted to a new deck for my daughters garden.

 

 

[KeithAug]

After a bit of an enforced break I managed to get a couple of days in the shop for the first time in 2 weeks. I started from where I left off with the machined main boom.

I needed to make the straps which attach the boom to the goose neck and the hoops which hold them in place. Because the straps fit inside the hoops the outside surface needed to be filed into a curve. I machined slots into a turned bar to hold the straps and act as a filing guide so I could get the correct shape. The hoops were turned on the lathe and the flanges were simulated by soldering on a bit of U shaped channel. The straps are .100" wide to give some idea of scale.

The assembly was finished by simulating the rivets using pins and making the securing bolt from my pack of spectacle repair screws and nuts.

I then cut some .025" diameter brass wire and inlaid it to simulate the rubbing strips. 

The boom also has rubbing hoops where the boom strop bears against it. These were cut from tube, partly on the mill, before finishing with a piercing saw and needle file.