Germania Nova 1911 by KeithAug - FINISHED - Scale 1:36 - replica of schooner Germania 1908

[KeithAug]

3 hours ago, michael mott said:

Any idea what the black plastic is?

Michael -When I rechecked I realise I bought it from Amazon - not eBay. I was really surprised how cleanly it cut and how nice the turned finish was. It is Polyoxymethylene, more commonly called acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde. it is an engineering thermoplastic and is used in precision parts requiring high stiffness, low friction and good dimensional stability. It comes in a range of colours and diameters.

Hubert / Mark - thank you for your kind comments, I do appreciate them. Also thank you to all of you who have visited and or liked my work.

 

 

Edited January 10, 2020 by KeithAug

[wefalck]

POM turns indeed very nicely. Got some to make draw-bar knobs for my machines.

[michael mott]

Keith, Thank you for the information I do have teflon, nylon, Thordon bearing material which is made from thermosetting resins which are three dimensional, cross- linked condensation polymers. And some rigid PVC and both extruded and cellcast clear Acrylic. I am not familiar with acetal, polyacetal and polyformaldehyde. It is interesting what materials I have collected over the years for various projects in the design and fabrication of displays and exhibits.

 

Michael 

[KeithAug]

A particularly mild January is making the workshop more inviting. The temperature today hit 13 deg C which felt almost Mediterranean. A few hours each day for 3 days saw the shock absorbers completed.

The mounting brackets for the shock absorbers are formed from a series of curved and flat surfaces and I thought it would be nice to reproduce the form. I had a good ponder on the best approach and in the end decided it would be better to make each bracket in 2 parts consisting of the boss and the base.

 

I started with a large scale sketch. I drew it accurately because I needed to be precise about the centres of the curves.

I then got on with the manufacture of the base. I took a 1/4" brass rod and mounted it in a square collet chuck. This was placed in the mill vice and centred on the cutter. A 0.160" diameter cutter was then used to plunge cut the end.

The x and y axis were then reset in accordance with the drawing and a 0.200" diameter cutter was used to plunge cut either side of the bar.

The bosses were then turned on the lathe.

The next step was to join the 2 parts using soft solder. This was done without removing the rod from the collet block.

It was then back to the mill where the final shaping was done with the side of a 0.160" diameter end mill.

The rod was then removed from the collet bock and mounted in the lathe. A locating spigot was then turned.

Followed by a bit of polishing.

The brackets are somewhat smaller than the sketch.

I then mated the brackets with the shock absorber to see what they looked like.

The next step was to make the shackles - this involved a bit of precision bending. The wire is 1/32" diameter.

I made all 6 and attached them to the pegs on the shock absorbers. The spring in the wire holds them quite securely and they function as required.

I then checked what they would look like on the plinths.

Satisfied with progress I have stopped for the day.

 

[Keith Black]

 Shocking, simply shocking how gorgeous they turned out. Are you coating the brass pieces to keep them from turning? Keith, would it be possible for you to treat us with a full view photo of the deck and hull?  

Edited January 12, 2020 by Keith Black

[Jim Lad]

Well, I suppose they look fairly reasonable, Keith!  

 

Just stunning, mate.

 

John

[michael mott]

Passable for sure!

 

A very nice solution for the fabrication I certainly can see the benefits of the square collet block in your work.

 

Michael

[Bedford]

35 minutes ago, michael mott said:

A very nice solution for the fabrication I certainly can see the benefits of the square collet block in your work.

 

Michael

What he said!

[BANYAN]

"Satisfied"  is just a tad of an understatement!  They are excellent examples of miniature engineering and look so real.  Have an extra rum ration for your efforts   

 

What did you use for the miniature bolt heads in the plinths?  Probably not much holding power but they look good and very much in scale.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited January 13, 2020 by BANYAN

[John Allen]

Keith

 

Wow, perfection at its best. When I grow up I want to be just like you!

[Guest]

Yes what can I say on that ?, oh yes some ohhhh’s and  aaaa’s   

 

absolutely beautiful done !!  

[KeithAug]

Thank you all for the positive comments, and thanks for all the thumbs ups and visits.

On 1/12/2020 at 7:27 PM, Keith Black said:

Are you coating the brass pieces to keep them from turning? 

Keith - As with previous builds I doth think I will bother. The very shiny brass looks a bit unrealistic and I quite like the way it naturally tarnishes as the model ages. It almost gives it a life. I'll be getting on with installing the brass work on the deck over the next week or two and then it will be a suitable time to get post some general views of Germania.

On 1/12/2020 at 10:52 PM, michael mott said:

I certainly can see the benefits of the square collet block in your work.

Michael - I think collet blocks are a godsend, they make life a lot easier. One of my best workshop buys of recent years.

On 1/13/2020 at 12:03 AM, BANYAN said:

What did you use for the miniature bolt heads in the plinths?

Pat - it is an optical illusion - I didn't include any.

4 of the brackets don't have any and I guess they must be bolted in place from below the deck:-

 

the two on the stern rail have 4 bolts each but I decided I didn't really have enough room at 1/36 scale to get them in. A bit sloppy I know, but I have to draw the line somewhere.

19 hours ago, John Allen said:

I grow up I want to be just like you!

Thank you John - you made me laugh out loud. 

[FriedClams]

Really sweet work on those shock absorbers Keith - attach a gold chain and sell them as jewelry.  Thanks for showing us your work process.  Always such an interesting log read.

 

Gary

[KeithAug]

Thank you Gary.

 

We have house guests. They eat my time and progress is slow.

 

I did the small job of finishing the bollards.  I made the stems last spring.

Only the square bases remained and these were milled using the square collet block.

I glued them on to the previously glued plinths.

 

 

 

[druxey]

Luvverly!

[michael mott]

This model will be a showpiece of brasswork never mind the rest of this beautiful build.

 

Michael

[BANYAN]

Looooove those bollards - very nice executed Keith; the house guests must have inspired your work  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[shipman]

The shock absorbers.....a nagging thought:- the two grainy photo's of these units aren't very clear, but my simplistic interpretation of how these operate suggest the 'rings' along its length (as modelled) are in fact a spring (as on a car suspension unit) which is compressed from either end by the two shackle fittings. I've searched in vain for a clear image of these dampers.

[Zbip57]

38 minutes ago, shipman said:

The shock absorbers.....a nagging thought:- the two grainy photo's of these units aren't very clear, but my simplistic interpretation of how these operate suggest the 'rings' along its length (as modelled) are in fact a spring (as on a car suspension unit) which is compressed from either end by the two shackle fittings. I've searched in vain for a clear image of these dampers.

Last summer we sailed on the Lewis R. French out of Camden, Maine.  Here is what the mainsheet shock absorber looked like on her.  It's definitely not a spring, just rubber donuts between metal disks.

[michael mott]

This image of integrity's shock absorber shows the same type as the one on Kieth's model

http://www.stirlingandson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Stirling-and-Son-Gaff-Cutter-Integrity-Details1-1024x768.jpg

Michael

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by michael mott

[shipman]

Ah ha! Now it's clear!  Rubber sections separated by metal discs, in compression. Never seen this applied as it is.

Aren't there some clever folk out there. 

Thanks guy's.

[Bob Cleek]

17 hours ago, michael mott said:

This image of integrity's shock absorber shows the same type as the one on Kieth's model

http://www.stirlingandson.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Stirling-and-Son-Gaff-Cutter-Integrity-Details1-1024x768.jpg

Michael

 

I've seen more "gold platers" in my day than most, having once worked for a classic yacht brokerage many years ago, and I thought I'd seen everything, but I have to say that I've never, ever, seen blocks with fitted leather covers sewn on them to keep them from getting nicked up! I guess they're the nautical equivalent of the old Porsche hood "bras." (That application generally is addressed by a "thump mat," a Turk's head spread flat and placed with the eye bolt passing through the middle.)

 

 

Edited January 18, 2020 by Bob Cleek

[shipman]

Looking at the last photo, someone cashed up big time on the leather clad blocks, yet look at all that tarnished brass! Pure neglect.

[druxey]

I did a double take when I saw those leather covered blocks.

[Keith Black]

Many high end prewar cars sported leather covered leaf springs called "gaiters". Looks impressive but the logic escapes me. One wonders if the leather does more damage by not allowing moisture to wick away. 

[shipman]

The car springs would have been plastered with grease. Being out there and exposed, the 'gaiters' stopped you staining your plus fours. Acres of leather and polished brass smacks of fetishism. These boats have spankers.

[KeithAug]

10 hours ago, shipman said:

suggest the 'rings' along its length (as modelled) are in fact a spring (as on a car suspension unit) which is compressed from either end by the two shackle fittings.

Thank you all for the interesting debate. Just to join in - last summer I was in Lerwick in the Shetland Isles and took the following photographs:-

The rubber donut type of shock absorber seems to be a more modern rendition of the shock absorber concept.  When I built Altair the plans featured a shock absorber with a coil spring  and that is what I modelled.

 

 

As you can see the Jolie Brise also has leather covered blocks - as did Altair.

 

Edited January 17, 2020 by KeithAug

[KeithAug]

10 minutes ago, KeithAug said:

When I built Altair the plans featured a shock absorber with a coil spring  and that is what I modelled.

Here is Altair's shock absorber - about 1" long.

1 hour ago, Bob Cleek said:

I have to say that I've never, ever, seen blocks with fitted leather covers sewn on them to keep them from getting nicked up!

 

1 hour ago, druxey said:

I did a double take when I saw those leather covered blocks.

Bob / Druxey

 

Altair's leather covered blocks are the nicest i have ever seen -

[druxey]

Aren't they kept nice and cosy in their little leather jackets! Impressive custom leatherwork, though. A horrible thought just occurred to me Keith: they are challenging you do the same with your blocks!

Edited January 18, 2020 by druxey

[Bob Cleek]

9 hours ago, shipman said:

Looking at the last photo, someone cashed up big time on the leather clad blocks, yet look at all that tarnished brass! Pure neglect.

Perhaps you're joking. If not, actually, the fittings are bronze (always bronze, never brass) and, properly, they are left unpolished and left to weather and form a patina, as with bronze statues.

 

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