Pegasus 1776 by Chuck - 1:48 - Swan-class sloop cross-section

[Chuck]

I have started the cross section model...mostly drafting.  But I figured I would start a log.  I am waiting on arrival of a variety of machine screws and nuts to finish drafting the keel parts.  They will be set up in the usual fashion you folks have seen but I will post that once its ready.  Here is the overall plan I am working from. Hopefully it will look like this once done...planked on one side and open framed on the other.

 

I have started drafting the frames.   There will be some bent frames with curved top timbers but this is just a plain straight one.

 

Here are the laser cut pieces.....but you will not build the frame with the parts laid out like this.

 

Because the laser cuts on an angle,  it is best to strategically flip certain parts to get the tightest fit possible.  You wont get one side with a large gap which is typical.  Therefore no sanding of the char is needed ...nor should you attempt to sand the char from the edges of all joints that fit together.  They will fit perfectly as is.  The only drawback is that you will see the seam which in some instances was not the case as they werent tarred.  But thats OK....

 

So I flipped them as I show in the photo below....flip parts "C" and "D" for the best fit possible.  Note the dirty side on the flipped parts.

 

There is no need to build each frame on top of a plan trying to get the frame to come out the correct shape.  I have created some tabbed guides which make it very easy.  I built five of these frames and they all came out the same...Each one took just a few minutes.  I used titebond on the seams.  Just take care not to glue the guides to the frame.  See below.  All glued up.

 

 

Then the guide tabs are cut free leaving the frame strong and ready for sanding.  I sanded every edge to remove the char except for the notch in the bottom chock which stays unsanded.  It needs to be a perfect press fit into notches I created in the rising wood...which I will show later.  But the finished frame all sanded up up looks like the one below.  The top cross bar is added for strength and also to help register all of the frames once they are glued onto the keel.  That is what those two notches on the cross bar are for.  After I draft more frames it will make more sense.

 

 

Chuck

 

[Jim Rogers]

Very nice Chuck. As soon as you market this I am getting one. 

[Kurt Johnson]

You’re such a tease!!!

[Rustyj]

That is one sweet way to build a frame!

[MEDDO]

very nice way to build up a frame.

[shipmodel]

Ingenious, Chuck, and a large step forward in making construction easier using modern technology.

 

Dan

 

[aviaamator]

A new word in shipbuilding? And it looks like the bulkheads on this ship "Pegasus"?

[SawdustDave]

Wishing I were closer to finishing my corrent build.  This would be very tempting.

will still enjoy seeing this build develop. 

Dave

Edited February 7, 2018 by SawdustDave

[Canute]

Like Dan said, an ingenious way of building the frames. This is going to be a great build.

[dvm27]

When Chuck's creative mind is unleashed all sort of innovative ideas spew forth. Think of this cross-section as a diversion from your current multi-year build. In just a month or so you'll have a beautiful desk top model and you will return to your current project with renewed enthusiasm.

[BLACK VIKING]

What a brilliant idea with the frames Chuck. Let me know when this is on sale as I will be first in the queue 

Martyn

[yvesvidal]

Another great design by Chuck. I love cross-sections. Can't wait to get the kit.

 

Yves

[Cathead]

So cool. There's going to be a massive group build on MSW when this sucker hits the market. So...many...build logs!

[Chuck]

Prototyping the keel parts.  These are all in cherry.  I have laser cut the false keel, keel, and rising wood.  They have holes in them for the screws that will hold it to the baseboard which are also laser cut.  Note the hex holes for the captive nuts laser cut into the rising wood.  The rising wood is also pre-notched to position the frames.  One of my test frames is being tested for its fit and it all seems good.  All of the layers for the keel assembly were laser cut somewhat wider than needed so there would be plenty of meat left on the parts.  This extra meat will allow someone to vigorously sand the laser char from the edges AFTER assembly without worrying that you will sand too much off which would then cause a problem.  You can get these pieces nice and clean as you can see by the keel that I finished.

 

 

I havent cut the rabbet yet but that is coming next.  I am laser cutting a tool that will hopefully help make creating the rabbet a lot easier.  I am going to build this one in Cherry.  Now that all of the notches and holes have been squared away as far as drafting is concerned...I can move forward with drafting the remaining 18 frames.  That will be a slow process.

 

Chuck

[Kurt Johnson]

This may be a long process, but it’s coming along much faster that I would’ve thought. Considering you’re also working on the Winnie too, no sleep for you!

 

Kurt

[Jim Rogers]

And working on my 1/8 and 3/32 Blocks......right😎🤗😇

[MEDDO]

Coming along beautifully. Much faster than I was expecting with all the other projects in the works.

[alde]

Oh, that's nice Chuck. Are the frames made from your new mystery wood? If so they look great.

[Tigersteve]

Watching this innovation come together. 

Steve

[Chuck]

Yes, but that particular frame is but its just for a test fitting.  I will be using Cherry for the frames too eventually.  I just needed to check the fit and size of the notches on the workbench so I can replicate it across all of the remaining frames as I draft them.  So building will slow considerably on this one now.

 

Chuck

[JpR62]

Innovation, precision, perfection. These are a few words who describe Your works. Can't wait to see the next steps.

[Chuck]

Thank you guys.  I wanted to show the test set up with one of the actual cherry frames in position.  This will be an actual frame I use on the model as opposed to the other tests I posted.  This final version is slightly different in that it is done with chocks.  You can see the chock between the futtock and toptimber .   Its is not an actual chock but it is impossible to tell the difference.  I just used a laser etched line to complete the appearance of a chock and it only shows on one side of the frame.  This is important for the outside frames because it completes the look of actual framing practices.  But the other side just shows the simple scarf joint.

 

The frames will be so close together that you wont be able to see that.  To complete the simulation, I just drew a line with a very sharp pencil along the inboard edge of the frame.  This will have to be redone once the inboard frames are faired but you can see how nice it looks.  It will make the open framed port side look really authentic.  Especially after treenailing is done.  If you really wanted to, you could complete the illusion on the other side of each frame with a pencil...but seriously it would be impossible to see.

 

[druxey]

Oh, you tricky faker! Looks good, though....

[Kurt Johnson]

Very innovative! This is going to be a fun model to build, one worth pulling out all the stops on. Maybe the lower hull exterior planking could be in maple, instead of holly like Greg’s. That’s not as pricy as far as I know.

 

You’re allowed one Winnie update for every Pegasus. 

 

Kurt

 

[Jaxboat]

 But Druxey, me thinks not enough suffering and existential angst in getting them right with this method.

Jaxboat

"That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger"

-Fred Nietzsche

[Kurt Johnson]

I don’t mind the cheats as long as everything looks proper. I think the entire goal of the model is different. The purists can always do things as they see fit. Allowing for some simplifications allows more average modelers to have a good experience ship modeling. Would the “rivet counters” (borrowed from another hobby, and not meant in a derogatory way at all) even consider laser cut frames?

 

Kurt

[Chuck]

Consider the flood of Chinese and Russian POF kits on the market right now.  They all use stylized framing ala "Hahn" method.  Its very stylized and tedious to put together.  Most are pirated.  Others are just plain bad attempts at POF.  This will be my answer to a flooded market of those, by kicking it up a notch and showing some real (almost) framing concepts in a kit form.  And hopefully not tedious and annoying to build. Not that the Asian kit obsessed will ever acknowledge anything other than the .....well you know.  But the next logical progression would be to take this design concept further and do a full hull.  But not likely by me anytime soon.  

[Kurt Johnson]

What’s involved with taking Greg’s drafting and converting it to your needs? Or should that be in a totally separate thread?

 

Kur

[Chuck]

Its actually David's drafting and much of the original drafts are also used.  But yes that would in my opinion be a very boring topic.  But thats just me.  Its just a lot of trial and error and computer drafting in Corel Draw.  I usually try many iterations of any given feature before going with it.  These frames concepts went through dozens of tweaks and redesigns before I arrived at what you see in the photos.  The keel parts were about half a dozen different designs.  Most of those tries end up in the trash....lots of waste wood.  And it feels a lot like this after each and every failure....

[Kurt Johnson]

Must feel good when you finally nail it. I meant can you input any starting info from a scan or something or do you have to start totally from scratch? I never did anything with a computer like that.

 

Kurt