HMS Pelican by Modeler12 - per Harold Hahn’s plans

[mtaylor]

I like the carriages and how you made them... not liking the "ouch" part.  The problem is the trunnion is too far back.  Can you drill new trunnion holes and fill the old one?  

[Modeler12]

I like the carriages and how you made them... not liking the "ouch" part.  The problem is the trunnion is too far back.  Can you drill new trunnion holes and fill the old one?  

That is another solution, Mark. Thanks for the suggestion.

If I do that, I may also redo the bands on the barrel. There is definitely one too many and they are all too large and wide.

It is the same comment that Aliluke made earlier.

For now I am going to hold off and finish the carriages first, It is becoming a matter of fitting the barrel to the carriage instead of the other way around.

Edited April 3, 2014 by Modeler12

[Modeler12]

Here is the first carriage without the saddle (or transom as Harold calls it). I also have to add the bolster, stool bed and the rod that goes across. The shape of the saddle will depend on what I do with the gun barrels

Because of that the wheels are still loose (and perhaps they will remain so).

I also improved the bonding fixture by clamping the fixture to the axles and then gluing the sides to that.

 

 

[Modeler12]

Here is what I meant about the 'bonding fixture'. It was well coated with wax before use. 

Meanwhile I am cutting corners and making the axles all the same length. That means that the wheels should be in line, rather than offset; or the shafts will stick out a bit more . . . .

Likewise, when it comes to the saddles I am going to use them straight up and down rather than slanted as the drawing shows. They are underneath the trunnion and both would take the weight of the gun as it sit there. Besides, it is easier for me.

 

[michael mott]

So where did you get those giant pegs Jay.... oh right this is a very small cannon very nice work.

 

Michael

[Modeler12]

Back to the question about the trunnion location in the barrels.

I took Mark's suggestion and relocated the hole in my 'prototype' barrel.

I first turned the bands down and then drilled a new hole (which was not easy in this tiny piece). After I blacked the barrel again, I plugged the hole, inserted the trunnion in its new location and added a touch of black paint.

 

However, when I tried this on one of the carriages I found that I had moved the hole too far forward. It was actually less than 1/8 inch but too much. Now I know what to do on the 'standard' barrels. I will still keep this one and considered a 'steal'. After all, the Pelican had been a privateer and stealing was the norm, including gun barrels.

[kruginmi]

I really like the idea of the 'steal' for a slightly mismatched set of cannon.  I keep thinking how to add those little touches that make the model your own for my own builds.

 

Keep having fun.

 

-mark

[Modeler12]

The carriages are coming along ok. I still need to add the tie rod that holds the front of the tapered platform and a couple other small items.

Keep in mind that the width of these carriages is only about 1/2 inch.

I may bite the bullet and buy some better barrels.

 

[Modeler12]

One more thing about the carriage assembly.

When I have to make more than two or three of one kind, I like to make some fixtures to cut and assemble. 

For the tapered 'platforms' I cut a groove at a slight angle from horizontal in the wooden 'miter box' and then cut the pieces with a stop.

Sorry the picture above is not very clear, but I hope you get the 'picture'.

Then it is was a matter of assembling the 'platform' and the bolster pieces as one unit (see example to the far right below).

Those simple assemblies are then going on top of the rear axle.

I know Henry Ford would cringe at the sloppy lay-out but it worked for the 16 or so I had to make.

[Modeler12]

One more picture and then I will hold off until I get some better gun barrels.

Below I installed the support rods for the tapered platform. The 'up-side-down' view is to show that the rod is held in place with a dab of CA.

I now also decided to fix the wheels in place after some cleaning, etc.