Deben 5-tonner by vaddoc - FINISHED - Scale 1:10 - a Whisstock yard design

[michael mott]

Vaddoc if you silver soldered the shackles you could fill the holes with soft solder then re-drill the holes which would also ensure that they are in line.

 

Michael  

Edited October 28, 2019 by michael mott
spelling

[vaddoc]

Dear all

 

Many thanks for your likes and comments

 

On 10/27/2019 at 11:52 PM, Mark Pearse said:

is it possible to use solder for fixing the shackle pins? 

It is Mark but I am looking for something simpler and maybe less permanent. I d like to avoid wielding a very hot iron close to the rigging and the shackles will have rope attached. Still, I think I should try it.

 

On 10/28/2019 at 1:03 AM, druxey said:

Vaddoc: could miniature bolts such as from Scale Hardware do the trick for you?

Oh yes Druxey, very nicely! But the ones I can get this side of the pond are very expensive. This boat has already gone way overbudget and the admiral unfortunately has noticed...

 

On 10/28/2019 at 5:18 PM, michael mott said:

Vaddoc if you silver soldered the shackles you could fill the holes with soft solder then re-drill the holes which would also ensure that they are in line.

Michael, the holes are 1.1 mm wide and in line. My problem is, after I install them on the boat and pass the rope and the pin through, how to secure the pin in a quick and cheap way that is reversible and looks ok.

 

I ll experiment a bit and post the results. Since there is very little metal in each shackle, maybe a quick touch with the soldering iron would be the better option.

 

For now however, I cannot go in the garage. I had however lots of free time to sit in the computer and got side tracked by another project. I will probably start another log for that.

 

Regards

Vaddoc

 

Edited November 1, 2019 by vaddoc

[Bedford]

Just a thought, what about using shellac to glue the pins in, it's cheap, easy to clean up with mentholated spirits AND you could dissolve the joint with metho if you need to remove the shackle. 

[michael mott]

12 hours ago, Bedford said:

what about using shellac to glue the pins in, it's cheap, easy to clean up with mentholated spirits AND you could dissolve the joint with metho

Now that I understand a little better, I agree with Steve, as an alternative to shellac you could use a tiny drop of ochre coloured humbrol or equivalent paint. a dab of lacquer thinner would dissolve the bond.

 

Michael 

[vaddoc]

Now, this is a good idea, much appreciated Bedford and Michael!

I wonder if ordinary cement glue could be used, I think it dries rubbery.

 

Many thanks to all!

[vaddoc]

Well, it has been a very long time since I posted anything but I really did not have any time to work in the garage. Today though, I spent an hour or so, trying mostly to find where I last left things 2 months ago...

 

First, I sharpened my chisels which were in a bit of a state. I watched Paul Seller's video again and decided to fully adopt his free hand method. Indeed, my chisels are razor sharp now but the bevel is quite convex. I also added 2 Ashley Iles chisels to my wish list (near the top), a 3 mm single bevel and a 3 mm V chisel. 

 

Next, I changed the sand paper and the work top on my home made disc sander.

I also took a picture of the new garage set up. I rearranged the shelving units and the storage space increased massively. Most importantly though, I more than doubled the lighting. I now have almost 1000W of fluorescent tubes concentrated in an area 3 x 3 m. It is bright but I feel it could take another 50% increase! You might be able to pick out the Deben sitting unloved in a shelf...

Then I sat down to do some actual work and made 5 shackles. It took a bit of effort to actually settle into a rhythm and had 3 failures. Another kind of shocking discovery is that I have developed significant presbyopia. I had realised this when I visited my optician this summer but I thought I could delay things a bit. Well, this is not the case any longer, I simply cannot do any kind of detailed work! I ordered some cheap reading glasses from Amazon until I see my optician this summer for a better solution, undoubtedly far more expensive.

[KeithAug]

39 minutes ago, vaddoc said:

I now have almost 1000W of fluorescent tubes concentrated in an area 3 x 3 m. It is bright but I feel it could take another 50% increase

Yes - and with each couple of years that pass you will need another 50% increase and yet another expensive upgrade from the optician. The good news however is that you stop seeing the imperfections (at least until you see the photographs). The shackles look pretty good to me - well done.

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Vaddoc

 

Nice to see the project back. My eyes are not good for close up work, but an optivisor has been great. 

[vaddoc]

So, back to work on the Deben!

 

I think I should be alright having made close to 80 shackles, but I will need also blocks. I had decided from the beginning that all blocks would be fully operational with brass pulleys. I need to make many and they take a very long time to make!

I am making them pretty much as the full scale ones are made and really they are complex pieces. I ve made 40 that still need sanding to dimensions and to shape, grooves cutting, Tung oil and then the ropes attached. I think I ll need maybe another 30, huge work for something that no one will ever suspect is there! A few photos:

[vaddoc]

So, I did a massive amount of work and made quite a few blocks in 2 sizes. They are all fully functional with brass sheaves, they just need a coat of Tung oil and their ropes.

However, a lot of this work has actually gone to waste, at least for this boat! The reason is that I thought I would need mostly double blocks. Today, I started drawing the rigging arrangements, each part individually and noting the blocks that would be needed. They are mostly single blocks and a lot of them! That means another 2-3 weeks of work on the dining room table...

 

Another issue that I am not sure how I will overcome is that there will be an amazing number of rope ends to be tied somewhere, a cleat, belaying pin or other. Either I will need to add belaying pin rails to the shrouds (if feasible as the middle one due to the spreaders is offset) or a rail on the cabin top. I will of course also need to pepper the boat with cleats.

 

I think the end of this journey may not be that far!

Edited February 9, 2020 by vaddoc

[KeithAug]

That is either a labour of love or an obsession, - nicely done.

[Jim Lad]

Just catching up with your work.  It's all looking very nice indeed.

 

John

[FriedClams]

Some very nice (and I'm sure tedious) work on those blocks Vaddoc.  

On 2/9/2020 at 5:08 PM, vaddoc said:

However, a lot of this work has actually gone to waste

Sounds like another 1:10 model in your future.  Good to see forward progress on your Deben.

 

Gary

[vaddoc]

Dear all

 

A small update, mainly to keep my log from going into complete hybernation.

 

I finished the second bunch of blocks and then I put a coat of Tung oil on. They came out fine.

 

Without Tung oil

And oiled. The block that has the rope on is actually wrong as it is upside down so later on I had to redo it

Making these blocks is really gigantic work but one that can be done at the sofa or the dining room table. I now have to attach the ropes. A few months ago I realised that copper wire served with white thread does a much better job imitating rope. I soaked the "rope" with CA glue to keep it from unravelling and to stiffen it up a bit.q

 

A couple of close up photos, the first two show the block that was upside down.

I now work 6 days a week + often doing a few bits and bobs on Sundays and with the kids and all there isn't really any time left.

C'est la vie!

 

Edited March 7, 2020 by vaddoc

[druxey]

Enjoy the family while you can - they grow up and out more quickly than you imagine! Nice work stropping those blocks.

[KeithAug]

9 hours ago, vaddoc said:

I now work 6 days a week +

Very nice work on the blocks, particularly as they are freehand. Work can be a bind but retirement comes around eventually.

[Mark Pearse]

Hi Vaddoc

 

nice to see that you're back on the tools. The blocks look very good.

[vaddoc]

Many thanks to all for your likes and comments. Like many we are not allowed to leave the house so plenty of time to work on the boat!

 

I ve made lots of blocks, many more than these in the picture. I hope they will be enough, making blocks is very complex and time consuming and I would not want to go back to it.

I also made two hearts for tensioning the stay sail. I had to make them 4 times before I was finally happy.

I then made some belaying pins. I do not want to buy wood at this time so I used whatever I had. I found a 3 mm dowel in my stash, I think it is Birch and used also toothpicks. It was a bit tricky to drill and then shape it but I used a wooden peg which worked very well.

I then made the reefing comb, again fully functional with brass sheaves.

I then finished and install the spreaders

and then attached the 3 pairs of shrouds with shackles

I then polished all my shackles. I think they will not be enough but making more is easy and relatively fast. In the end I used CA glue to secure the pin

Now, to attach the shrouds and define their length, the mast needs to be up and somehow secure in place. I used scrap wood to secure it in place.

I then made some templates from scrap plywood to hold the eyes in a fixed position

The (dreadful) figure is 1.75 cm in height. It looks a bit out of scale, I think I ll need to recheck things. On the other hand the Deben is about 7 m long so it is not a big boat. There will be pin rails on the shrouds and I roughly checked the height the need to be placed at for a comfortable reach

I will use black shrink tube as Michael suggested earlier in the log, I think it is a very elegant solution. I also got some fishing crimps which I cut to size and should give a very tidy result. However I need a heat gun which I ordered. So waiting for the gun to arrive, I started work on the rails.

These proved very fiddly. I need 8 and after I had spent hours making them, I managed to ruin them all by carelessly drilling at random places for the second rope to go through and not parallel to the first rope

I realised my mistake after I had marked or drilled all 8 pieces and run out of brass rod. Next day however, I thought of just soldering a piece over and re-drilling. There will be more pieces soldered to the base so I think in the end it will look fine

This was good progress and I think I should be able to do a bit more work this week

[druxey]

Lots of progress! I was going to remark that the (first photo) belaying pin looked as if a strict diet would help, but your last photo has a much better proportioned one on the right.

[KeithAug]

The shackles turned out really well - must try your technique. She is going along really well and as you say plenty of time to work on her.

[Mark Pearse]

Bravo Vaddoc, going nicely. Your comment on not being sure if you have enough blocks - a suggestion is to draw up the running rigging; it will also show how many blocks need a becket, etc.

 

Mark

[vaddoc]

Thanks to all!

 

Deuxey, the shafts on the pins were temporary to allow spinning of the heads for shaping. The pins now have very long shafts that will be cut to length later on

Keith,making shackles is easy and actually fun! You will find very useful the thin grinding discs that Proxon sells to cut and shape the brass.

Mark, I have drawn up the rigging (most of it anyway) except for the sheets for the jib and staysails-no idea how these will be. There is always the chance I ll need more than I have. I was not aware it is called "becket", learned a new word!

 

Regards

Vaddoc

[vaddoc]

I think maybe another update might be in order as I was allowed to spend quite some time in the garage.

 

First of all, a photo of the finished belaying pins. They have a coat of Tung oil on but the colour of the wood barely changed.

I also took a photo of my drill inventory-part of it at least. You can never have enough drills.

I did an experiment with seizing the lines. This is wire rope, seized with black thread and encased in shrink tube. The crimps are fishing crimps cut in three. It looks ok I think.

One side done. Note that the ropes are not touching but I think after the crimps have been seized with thread they will come closer together.

I attached a piece of wire rope to temporarily hold the spreaders in place. The other spreader was badly attached so I had to remove it, fill the pivot hole and re-drill.

 

A few more photos, the boat is large and is difficult to get good shots

I also installed the forestay. The bowsprit had taken some nasty bumps over the last few months and I noticed it was loose. I glued it again but I must remember to be careful. With the bob stay on, it should be more secure.

Suddenly it feels that the end is very close! A couple more photos

[G.L.]

She's looking great Vaddoc!

You probably explained it already, but I forgot it. What do you use for the stays, is it rope or is it metal wire?

[vaddoc]

Thanks GL

 

I used Beadalon wire, I think this is 0.65 mm. This is a great wire as it is encased in a plastic transparent wrap. It is served with ordinary black thread in my home made serving machine. Brass electric wire crimps are used for thimbles. The seizing in these is beadalon crimps blackened with black gesso, as they were made a long time ago but now I would use the smallest size fishing crimps wrapped in thread-this gives a more elegant result.

[KeithAug]

13 hours ago, vaddoc said:

Suddenly it feels that the end is very close!

Bad time to contemplate finishing Vaddoc, but I suppose you can just get on with other projects. She continues to look really smart.

[vaddoc]

Well Keith, the Yawl is I think next on line but at 1:10 scale it will be equally huge so the Deben needs to leave the shipyard first (and go where? I do not have the answer)

[Mark Pearse]

6 hours ago, vaddoc said:

and go where?

wall mounted ....?

[cog]

32 minutes ago, Mark Pearse said:

wall mounted ....?

No half hull and wall mounted ...

[Bedford]

Some really nice work there mate

 

If you're waiting for a heat gun to use on the heatshrink there are other ways to shrink it. A hair dryer works well as does a cigarette lighter, just keep a bit of distance between the lighter and the job. It doesn't take a lot of heat but you want to spread it around the tube so it shrinks evenly