Willie L Bennett by Jack12477 - FINISHED - Model Shipways - 1:32 Scale - skipjack

[Jack12477]

Mark, it's 18W but has the power of a 60W due to some patented design.  The tip detaches using a phono jack connector from the main handle. According to the user instructions that accompanied it there is a digital heating element in the detachable tip. Here's what I found when I researched it.

 

"The Weller WPS18MP heats from room temperature to 900ºF in just 35 seconds... three times faster than a standard home/hobbyist soldering iron. So there’s less time spent waiting for the iron to get up to temperature. People who do a lot of soldering really like that.

In an industry-standard test, the Weller WPS18MP melted six solder joints in 324 seconds, compared to 977 seconds for a typical home/hobbyist iron. Three times faster again.

 

The basic design of the Weller WPS18 MP High Performance Soldering Iron is what makes it better. By utilizing patented power supply electronics combined with specially constructed tips, the 18-watt Weller WPS 18 MP delivers performance equivalent to that of atypical 60-watt iron. But the most dramatic difference is in the time required to go from a cold iron to working temperature."

 

It's working better now. I took some 600 grit emery paper and cleaned the tip till it had a shiny finish; then finally got it tinned. Now it's working much better. Solder melts almost instantly and flows well.  I guess it was just beginner's folly that was getting in the way

 

And yes, they will get painted black - I'm using Floquil's original formula Engine Black.

Edited December 12, 2016 by Jack12477

[Canute]

Jack, that's the key to good soldering, a clean tip. Try a brass scrubby pad; looks like an old Brillo pad, minus the soap. The brass cleans off the old solder without nicking up the iron's tip. Lasts longer that way. I've seen them on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermaltronics-Solder-Cleaning-interchangeable-Metcal/dp/B00NS49LPU/ref=pd_ys_ir_all_40

Or see if you can find a "sal ammoniac" block. Some of my model railroad friends use one.

https://www.amazon.com/Large-Sal-Ammoniac-Tinning-Block/dp/B0051KK252/ref=pd_sim_469_7?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B0051KK252&pd_rd_r=K9C83ZSZTAF4TP66T7Y5&pd_rd_w=EaTYa&pd_rd_wg=lOiwM&psc=1&refRID=K9C83ZSZTAF4TP66T7Y5

Edited December 12, 2016 by Canute

[popeye the sailor]

awesome job on the dredges.........you'll get better,  the more you do it.    I just use steel wool....let it get hot,  dip it in flux,  and polish with the steel wool.

     mine's getting old....starting to develop pits,  but still works great.      well done Jack!

[Jack12477]

Thanks, Mark, Ken, Carl, and Denis for the compliments and encouragement on my soldering. It is getting a little easier - now I just have to master keeping everything in alignment while I solder

[Jack12477]

Happy New Year everyone. I hope everyone has a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017.

 

Been distracted from the build with other interests, like ice boats, but I did manage to finally get the brass pieces soldered and painted. I definitely need more practice at soldering.   Photos of the progress so far are shown below:

 

 

Next challenge is getting the wire for the dredges wound around the winch drums in a realistic looking manner - so far that has been more a challenge than expected. But we will persevere.

[popeye the sailor]

nice job with the metal frames and painting.....dredges look good.    don't count yourself short......you did well with the soldering,  not having done it before.       it'll get better........just gotta do it more {i'm not good at it either}.  we try....that's what counts  

[cog]

You'll get there, Jack. It'll cost you maybe a bit more time, but you'll do fine

[mtaylor]

Nice metal work, Jack.  Just tell anyone who asks, that the welder was an apprentice.     Seriously... looks very good from here.

[Jack12477]

Denis, Carl, Mark, the welder's apprentice thanks you for your compliments.   And also all who visited and clicked the Like button.

[Jack12477]

Small Update: 

 

I finished the winch and A-frame; wound the cable around the winch's two drums, then attached the pieces to the deck with medium CA (gap filling).  Used a drop of CA to hold the ends of the cable so I could wind them onto the drum, then another drop to hold the end of the wrap in place so it would not keep unwinding on me.  To attach the cable to the dredges I used 2 mm jewelry crimps to crimp the cable into a loop around the eyelet on each dredge,  For now the dredges are just placed on the stern deck until I decide how I want them to be permanently - on deck or lashed to side.

 

Photos follow:

 

 

Comments, critiques, suggestions always welcome.

[russ]

Looks good. That is a nice piece of work on a complicated bit of machinery.

 

Russ

[popeye the sailor]

nice looking winch.........lots of detail and very life-like.   really nice work Jack  

[mtaylor]

Well done on the winches, cables and dredges, Jack.   

[Jack12477]

Thanks, Russ, Denis, Mark for the compliments and all who clicked the Like button.

 

Decided to hang the dredges off the side of the boat at the stern. Hung the push boat from the stern davit but left the ropes long and loose in case I need to remove the pusher from its davit during later construction. For now the ropes are wound around the cleat with friction holding them fast.

 

Some progress pictures.

 

[popeye the sailor]

looks real good Jack,  and the dredges lashed to the sides is a nice touch  

[mtaylor]

I like them hanging there also.   May not be a bad idea to leave the ropes on the boat long as it'll give you some options when it's finished and displaying it.

[Canute]

Looks good, Jack. I like the boat davit and cleats working like they're meant to be used.

[Jack12477]

Short Update:

 

After struggling with the white metal casting turnbuckles provided in the kit and busting thru one of them I was left with one usable turnbuckle of two, so I had to improvise.  Making shackles at this size is not fun. First tried 26 GA black wire, then 24 GA silver wire, while both were probably within correct scale neither of them could hold up under tension, so I switched to 20 GA (or maybe it's 22 GA - the paper label fell off and got lost). The next struggle was with the "scale chains". Yikes !  They gave me three different sizes of scale chain to use to attach the bowsprit to the hull. 

 

"3/8" = 1' 0" scale model:  Chain links per inch: 5/8" = 16, 1/2" = 20, 3/8" = 25"

 

The 5/8" scale chain is usable; the 1/2 " barely usable, only 26 GA wire can pass thru the links; none of my jump rings are made from small enough diameter wire to pass thru. The 3/8" is totally unusable IMO. Not even 26 GA wire nor Chuck's smallest rope will pass thru a link.   I'm all for scale appearance but when the actual item becomes so small it is unusable why bother including it. The plan directions are strange also.  In the detail view of the bowsprit tip it says "port view" and shows the mid-size chaining running along the port side and rope running along the starboard side back to a point just under the wales, but in another top view it shows just the opposite - port and starboard are reversed. Oh well ! I went with the detail view.

 

Of course the way the parts are, there is no way to tension the chains properly (reason why I tore thru one of the turnbuckles - pulled the O-ring thru the hole). So the main chain droops a wee bit. 

 

Here's photos of the progress.

 

My attempts at making shackles: No jig was used. Done free hand. Eye-balling it.

 

 

The improvised solution:  The black wire attached to the upper bow chain is temporary - it's holding the chain up until the mast is installed and the forestay is rigged thru the bowsprit and connected to the chain.

 

 

 

[russ]

Jack:

The drooping chain is actually not far from how it really works. Under sail, there is pressure on the mast and sails that will cause the bowsprit to work a bit so a little slack in the bobstay is to be expected. The slack will be taken up under pressure as the bowsprit works under sail.

 

Russ

[Jack12477]

Thanks for the explanation, Russ

[Canute]

Shackles look good, Jack.

 

GrandtLine makes model RR turnbuckles for 1/48 scale cars, cored for .025 wire. http://grandtline.com/products/mrr/mrr%20car%20and%20loco%20detail%20parts/o%20details/o_box_stock_reefer_tank.html

You'll have to scroll down to part # 54

[popeye the sailor]

looks good Jack...agree on the chain     

[Jack12477]

Thanks everyone for the comments and likes.   A small bit of progress on the main mast and boom.  I decided to leave a small personal touch on the boom, some fancy rope, which all sailors seem to enjoy creating.  I'll leave it to all of you to find and identify it.

 

I left the "tails" on the blocks until I determine what other things need to attach to the block. Then I'll clip them off flush to the block(s). Soldering is still a major challenge for me. I used Minwax Ipswich Pine to stain the mast and boom then gave it two coats of Minwax Gloss Poly spray to seal it.

 

Edited January 23, 2017 by Jack12477

[cog]

Lovely looking turkshead Jack! At that scale your soldering looks good to me. I like your brass work. Well done

Cheers

[popeye the sailor]

is that in the plans?   looks really neat!   nice bit'o progress  

[Jack12477]

Denis, now you know fancy rope is never in the plans It's just something sailors do when they are bored

[Jack12477]

Since the east coast is experiencing a Nor'easter all day today, I decided to spend some time in the shipyard. <our area is getting mostly rain today; overnight we had about 3 inches of snow/sleet, temps are hovering around 35 F all day >.

 

Worked on getting the chain plates made, and the dead-eyes hooked up. Not to keen on MS' dead-eye metal strops tho, the  bottom of the strop band is too flimsy and doesn't want to hold well in the chain plate . Ended up using a drop of medium CA to ensure they would stay installed in the chain plate loop. 

 

Plans called for a "jack iron" - weird looking loop - wasn't too hard to shape and solder. I've been accumulating a bunch of jewelry making small pliers with various "pointed round tip" that have come in quite handy for this kind of bending.

 

Photos below:

 

Jack Iron <as shown on plans> and my interpretation of it.

 

 

Chain plates and dead-eyes:  Before creating the loop in the flat piece of bar stock, I took a small file and thin the width down a bit on each edge; then bent it around into a loop. The holes were drilled by hand without my Wecheer micro drill tool; it actually went faster and easier than with the power tool.

 

[cog]

Jack,

 

More brass ... Very nice work on the chainplates. Your soldering on the jack iron is a bit off. Can't win'em all the time. To me it looks as if the center eye from the jack iron should be flat, i.e. in the same plane as the other rounded ends

 

Are you sure those chain plates should be on top of the wale, often they are behind it ... I, however, don't know the ships drawings and specs so it is just an observation

[Jack12477]

Thanks, Carl, always good to have an extra pair of eyes looking at something. The 2nd drawing (photo 2 above) had me confused; couldn't tell if it was 90 degrees to the plane or not. Easily fixed - see photos below.  Re-checked the plans and the chain plates do go over the wales (or bend as they call it) on this model.

 

Jack iron - redone

 

Chain plate drawings:

 

[cog]

A vast improvement on your soldering, Jack. Looks more like it. Thanks for showing the chainplates' mounting. Learned something new.