HMS Victory by gjdale - FINISHED - Mamoli - Scale 1:90

[gjdale]

Hi all,

 

Well at last I can report some progress..........of sorts.

 

I've decided to pause on the rigging for a little while, while I wait and see if I can work out how to replicate Chuck's block making method.  If I can, I'll make my own blocks for the remainder of this build.  If not, I'll proceed with the kit-provided blocks.

 

In the meantime, I made a start on scratch building another versions of the 34' Launch (back on page 13).  At last post, I'd made the plug and the building board.  I'd been having some difficulty making the keel for this boat.  Basically, the material is so thin and fragile that I couldn't seem to keep a keel/stem post in tact while cutting it out.  I tried making it in separate pieces, but making the joints at this scale seemed nigh on impossible.  I scratched my head (pardon the pun) about this for a few weeks until I had a "light bulb" moment a few days ago and implemented it today.  I remembered that I had a "vibra" saw in addition to the big scroll saw.  The vibra saw is basically a miniature scroll saw.  I inherited this from my Dad a while back when he gave up model building, but I'd forgotten it was there (I know, too many toys!).  I worked out that I if left a lot of "meat" on the outside of the keel, while I cut the inside section out, it would give it some stability while I fine tuned it.  The vibra saw was also a lot more gentle in its cutting, so at last I had some success.  Once I had fine tuned the inside shape, I then used an Exacto knife to slice off the outside bottom edge.  Here is the basic keel, made from 1/32" thick boxwood:

 

 

The next step was to add a piece of 1/32" sq deadwood to the keel and mark and notch it for the frames, using the building board notches as a guide.

 

 

The frames for this little boat will be made from a laminate of two layers of 1/64"thick x 1/16" wide Boxwood.  In order to achieve the bends, I will be using some formers from patterns provided within my practicum.  To cut the formers, I laminated together two sheets of 1/32" thick cherry in a cross-grained pattern to add strength.  Here are a few patterns stuck on ready for cutting out:

 

 

Then it was a simple case of cutting them all out on the vibra saw and sanding to final shape.  There are a total of 25 frame formers, including the cant frames, which have been cut in pairs for forming. Here's a few pics of the state of the parts as of close of play today.  Note that the keel has had a stem apron added.  This is twice the thickness of the keel and the overhang either side will form a small rabbet for attaching planks later on.

 

 

 

 

Tomorrow I hope to start forming up the frames and installing the keel into the build board.

 

 

 

[augie]

The dimensions you are working with are pretty scary.  Really great thusfar.  I hope that little vibra saw works on the frames themselves.

[Blue Ensign]

Looking very good Grant, I shall be following your progress with great interest; I may soon be having to try to replicate your excellent work.

 

Regards,

 

B.E.

[Jim Lad]

Nice start on the boat, mate!

 

John

[realworkingsailor]

Good luck with that boat, hope everything works out for you.

 

Andy

[mobbsie]

This is very impressive work Grant, I have no idea what a Vibra saw is but it's obviously doing the job for you.

 

Are you going to rebuild all your boats or just the launch.

 

mobbsie

[gjdale]

Thanks very much Augie, B.E., John, Andy and Mobbsie.

 

@Augie - Yes, the scale is the hardest part of this job. The vibra saw won't be used on the frames themselves. I will be using pre-milled strips that I will laminate together and bend around the formers.

 

@Mobbsie - my current plan is to scratch build all of the boats, trialling a variety of different techniques as I go. Of course, I may get fed up with them at some point - this is not an easy scale to do boats. Still, it's all a good learning experience.

Edited June 1, 2013 by gjdale

[mobbsie]

You certainly have my admiration for your tenacity, as you rightly say working at that scale is no easy matter, but hey, who ever wanted this hobby to be easy.

 

Good luck my friend.

 

mobbsie

[rafine]

Nice start on the boat, Grant. I admire your courage in undertaking this project.

 

Bob

[augie]

Aha.  Great to learn something every day with you folks.  It's usually the simplest idea that evades me.

 

Thanks Grant.

[Sjors]

Grant,

 

Are you taking Anja by the hand into the dark side??????

Brave of you to start with scratch.

I will follow you also with this one closely…...

 

[mtaylor]

Ah... stubbornness under fire.  I love it.  Great job and idea on the boat keel.

[gjdale]

Thanks Sjors and Mark.

 

@Mark - sometimes I just need to mull something over for a while before the solution hits me.  Mind you, it's usually a BGO (Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious)    

 

Some more progress to day.  The laminating of the frames is going well.........so far! 

 

I've used two pieces of 1/64" thick by 1/16"wide boxwood for each frame.  I simply soak them for a few minutes in hot water, then dry them off lightly with a paper towel, apply some PVA glue to one piece then join the two together and clamp around the relevant former.  It's proving to be a lot easier than I expected so far.  Mind you, I suspect it will get a little more difficult once I get further away from the centre of the boat and start trying to bend some pretty sharp curves.    

Here's how it looks glued up and clamped around the former:

 

 

It only takes about an hour or so to dry sufficiently to be able to remove the laminated frame from the former.  Each frame is marked for the centreline and also for the sheer line will on the former.  Note in this picture how little "spring back" there is once removed from the former:

 

 

It's then a pretty straight forward process to glue the frame to the keel and the building board.  The plug simply acts as a bit of backing when installing the frame.  Here's a shot showing several frames completed:

 

 

It looks to me that there may be a re-do necessary on some frames once all are in place.  Sanding these little suckers is not really going to be an option, so getting the right shape is pretty important.  Removing and replacing though is pretty easy.

 

The slow part of this process is actually waiting for the frames to dry on the formers.  I can only really do two at a time, but then again, there's no hurry. 

[augie]

Looks like the process is going to work.  Not really much in the way of springback there.  Best of luck on the tighter bends!

[texxn5]

Grant, this is really cool to watch it start coming together.  These are a whole project in themselves.  Nice work.

John

[j21896]

Looking fantastic Grant!

 

Robert

[newbuilder101]

Great start on the launch! I will be watching, as I have a couple of those to build later on...

[Jim Lad]

Looking good so far, Grant.  As Augie says, watch the tighter bends - you may have to do a two stage bending process as you get towards the ends of the boat.

 

John

[gjdale]

Thanks Augie, John, Robert, Sherry, and John for your kind words and encouragement. It's very reassuring to know you're with me on this interesting little diversion!

 

I bent a few more frames around the formers tonight - have sorted the technique so that I can do four at once now. The only limitation now is the number of suitable clamps. The brass ones shown in the previous post are ideal for the job - but I only have four of these.

[Sjors]

Hi Grant,

 

I don't know a thing about it but it looks good 

Still one question…….correctly if I'm wrong but do you have now to builds in one build log?

 

[gjdale]

Thanks Sjors,

 

If you count the Launch as a separate build, then I have three builds in one log since I've already done one ships boat before.

[Sjors]

Thanks Grant,

 

It's much more easier this way 

You look for one and get three for the same price…..

 

[Micklen32]

I really cannot imagine what it must be like doing a scratch build of anything as it is not something I have ever tried apart from simple dolls furniture

Love that curved timber Grant

I have split a few over time by trying to bend them too quickly 

Slow and patient and leave clamped for a while

Nice job

I have quite a bit of bent on the tram build when I get to it

 

Keep it up 

Mick

Edited June 3, 2013 by Micklen32

[gjdale]

Thanks Mick, yes slow and patient is the go with these. Then again, "slow" has been what this build has been from the start! I don't get much time during the working week, so just gluing up a few frames in the evening and leaving them for a day or two works well at this stage.

 

Your London Tram is looking very nice, by the way.

Edited June 3, 2013 by gjdale

[mtaylor]

Grant,

Looks great...  On the tighter bends, apply heat after soaking and while bending.  A low wattage soldering iron or an old curling iron (smallest one you talk the Admiral out of or go buy one... and trade for it.  ) will help a lot.

[gjdale]

Thanks Mark, and thanks for the tip too.

[mobbsie]

Hi Grant,

 

It's all coming together nicely my friend, precision work as usual, it's a joy to watch.

 

mobbsie

[robboxxx]

And a beauty she is. One of the best Mamoli builds I've ever seen.

[gjdale]

Thank you very much Mobbsie and Robboxx for the good words - you are too kind.

 

On the road again for a couple of days tomorrow, so no progress until the weekend. But it is a long weekend here, so hopefully some real progress in the shipyard. And tomorrow night I'll be glued to the TV in the hotel room - it's State of Origin football time! Queenslander!!!

[augie]

Hurry back.  I'll miss my daily 'Victory Fix".