Rattlesnake by JSGerson - FINISHED - Mamoli - 1:64 - Using Robert Hunt’s practicum

[JSGerson]

Main Preventer stay and Foremast shrouds completed

Edited March 10, 2015 by JSGerson

[JSGerson]

Now from the Learn Something New Department, in fact two things; first, Silver Soldering. The Mamoli kit provides a deck ring to anchor the Main Stay. It’s not so bad a casting but the ring is frozen to place. Here was a good opportunity to try some Silver Soldering, something I’ve never done.

[JSGerson]

I measured the casting to determine that the ring and the half ring on the deck plate was 3/64” in thickness and I just happen to have some 3/64” brass rod. I had some copper plate and cut it to size to match the cast deck plate. If you look closely you will see two rivets on the deck plate as well.

 

I curled the brass rod around a mandrel to form a ring the same size as on the casting for both the full ring and the plate half ring.

[JSGerson]

I had previous purchased the following material for the soldering process:

• Cleaning acid
• Silver solder
• Flux
• Self-igniting Hand torch

Following the instructions on the packages plus reviewing various build logs and other resources; I filled my head with enough facts, processes, techniques, do’s, and don’ts to make my head spin. Still, the only way to learn was to do it.

1. I cleaned the pieces with the acid and rinsed them in water.
2. I coated the area where I was going to solder the half ring with the flux
3. I placed the half ring in position with a small piece of solder under the arch of the half ring
4. Using the torch I heated the loos assembly carefully so as not to knock over the half ring from the pressure of the hot flowing gas

Voila! As soon as the solder reached melting point it flowed immediately and locked the half ring into place. Unfortunately I used a bit too much solder because it completely filled in the opening.

[JSGerson]

After drilling and filing out the opening, the full ring was added and two holes were drilled for some planking nails. These nails would become the rivets once installed to the model. The full ring was not soldered closed to enable it to be installed to the deck plate. The open ring seam would be hidden by the half ring.

[JSGerson]

Now for the second learning experience; blackening the metal. The is the other thing I’ve never done. I bought the product Blacken-It. From what I read, you are supposed to dilute it. I diluted it 1:1 with water. Before I dropped in the completed assembly including the deck nails, it got a bath in the cleaning acid and a water rinse. I didn’t know what to expect; I was dealing with four different materials: copper, silver solder, brass, and whatever the nails were made of.  The result was interesting. Everything got darker although I would say it was not black, more of a dark brown, a deep rust. This, on a ship, would not be surprising. The deck ring was installed in position according to plans.

[CaptainSteve]

Nice work on your main-stay anchor !! 

[scott larkins]

WOW. words escape me.

[Martin W]

Nice work, Jon!  It's always worth learning something new, and when the results are as nice as this, it's especially gratifying.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[gerty]

Very nice work !

[JSGerson]

Thanks all. I am presently away from the builder's bench for a couple days so it will be a couple of more days before the next installment (not that anyone would notice at my work pace).

[Martin W]

We notice, and we'll all be here when you return.

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

[scott larkins]

Yeah, we do notice.

[JSGerson]

Main Stay

 

Basically the Main Stay is made the same way as previous stays except the line is thicker (1.2mm). This required a larger mouse. My previous method would not work well at this dimension so this time used the cone method. A piece of dowel was first drilled with a hole that I could thread the line through. Then using hand files, the dowel was tapered at one end right down to the opening and painted flat black. The line itself was sized where it was to wrap around the mast as well as where it would rub against the foremast. The mouse was threaded on into position and sized into the line. During the sizing process, diluted PVC glue was applied over the mouse sizing to prevent it from slipping off.

[JSGerson]

At the other end a large heart had to be installed on the line as well as the deck anchor ring. The kit provided metal hearts that had to be painted or blackened. Since I had come this far making my own, I made these as well. Starting with stock boxwood of the proper size, I drew the outline of the hearts and drilled and filed out the centers. Once completed, I stained them a darkish wood color. 

[JSGerson]

The finished assembly is shown in the following images.

[KenW]

Great work on the main stay.  I always use the cone method, but I like the way the seizing looks.  Good idea.

Making your own hearts looks to be a good idea as well.

Cheers.

[Martin W]

Nice work, Jon.  Those hearts are nicely detailed (I like the grooves at the tops).  And your lashing looks very tidy.

 

Well done,

 

Martin

[JSGerson]

Fighting Top Deadeyes

 

I decided at this point I had better install the deadeyes and straps on the fighting tops before I introduce any more rigging to the masts and make my life more difficult. I had the foresight to install the blocks on the tops before they were installed but in my enthusiasm to start the rigging, I neglected to install the deadeyes and straps as well.

 

When creating the tops, I tried to follow as closely to the plans as I could, maybe too close. I made the openings for the deadeye straps quite small about 1 x 2 mm. I quickly realized that I could not increase the openings now that they were on the model.

 

After numerous attempts to create a strap that would embrace the deadeye and fit through the opening, I had to discard any idea of making a loop at the bottom of the strap for the hook connection, discard the idea of using a larger gauge of wire bigger than 0.5 mm even though I thought that would look better, and finally any idea that this would be easy. The wire I ended up using was 0.5mm “beading wire” (the pkg. did not state its metallic composition). I could not find brass wire at the Hobby Lobby in my town, the only hobby store around.

[JSGerson]

I finally worked out this method: First I had to sand the strip of wire I was to use to remove its protective coating. That coating would prevent blackening. Then I bent the wire around the deadeye to give the general shape.

[JSGerson]

The deadeye was removed and the wire was then given its acid cleaning bath and water rinse. The wire was then placed on a very simplistic jig consisting of three pins and a 3-pound hunka-chunk of nuclear grade stainless steel…scrap (approx. 1” square x 6 inches). This was my souvenir that I liberated from a scrap heap at the now brand new, never used, decommissioned Shoreham nuclear power plant on Long Island NY were I was a Nuclear Quality Control Inspector back in the late 70’s. But that is another story (see link). The metal chunk kept the wire tail flat and butt-up together while silver soldering.

[JSGerson]

After a couple of attempts, I was able to solder the legs together yet leave enough unsolder so that I could pry the opening wide enough insert the deadeye. 

[JSGerson]

Once the deadeye was positioned, the wire was squeezed closed. When installed into the top, the unsoldered area will be covered by the top and secured closed by the small opening. The tail was then trimmed to length and a 1 mm hole was drilled at the end of the tail for the hook connection.

[JSGerson]

The whole assemble was given a blacken bath and water rinse which didn’t affect the wooden deadeye. Now all I have to do is make 17 more without going crazy.

[scott larkins]

Looking good

[JSGerson]

Well, I’ve completed all 18 deadeye straps except for the blackening process. Once I got into the routine, I reduced the time to create one from a half hour to ten minutes or less and they got better. Practice makes perfect. But there is a problem.

[JSGerson]

Before I decided to blacken the straps, I test fitted them to the tops. They didn’t fit into the fine holes I created for them. I was too conservative and made the openings a bit too small. The stems of the straps are about 0.5 mm x 2.0 mm. The strap openings are about 0.5 mm (max) X  1.75 mm (or less). Obviously it would be very simple to fix the openings if the tops were off the model but I can’t remove the tops without disassembling all the rigging I’ve done so far.

 

I don’t have a knife or other tool that can be used widen the width of these very tiny strap slots. So I’ve attempted to make one. Using the excess tail of a completed strap, I’ve filed it down to the proper dimensions and then tapered one end so it could at least fit part way into the hole. In addition I filed some notches on one side to act as saw teeth which you can barely see in the image below. This is a fragile copper and silver solder tool (to be held with a pair of pliers) bends quite easy if not held just right. Using a hand drill to act as a rudimentary file, I moved the drill up and down against one end of the strap slot. This slowly made the hole longer. Using my homemade “saw” ensured the cut was straight. 

[JSGerson]

Once the “saw” was able to pass through the opening I tested the deadeye again. Success, it fitted! Now I have to do it again 17 more times only this time, I don’t think it will go as quickly as their fabrication. The pictures below show the small deadeye slots as well as the one deadeye that I was able to insert into the top so far.

[scott larkins]

Looks like those worked out pretty well for you.

[Martin W]

Ah, Jon, this brings back memories.  I had that exact same problem with making the holes for the straps too small, and then having to go back and open them up.  I believe I just used a very fine drill bit.  But here's something you might want to start thinking about:  a later problem I ran into was that the straps wanted to slip upward from the tension of the shrouds -- and that's even with the futtock hooks attached and well connected.  I still don't know how I caused that problem, but I ended up gluing the straps into the holes to give them some stability.  My guess is that I made the holes too big, even though the fit was pretty tight.

 

Watch out for that stainless steel souvenir -- have you run a geiger counter over it? 

 

Cheers,

 

Martin

Edited April 2, 2015 by Martin W