ancre Le Rochefort by No Idea - 1/24th Scale - First POF Build

[No Idea]

I've now made a good start on the pump well - Here's the main parts that it's made up of which include some very simply reinforced doors.

Then they were assembled - They are well over sized at this point to give me loads to play with.  You will also see the very thin reinforcing battens at the opening

Next I used the template to cut it to the correct size but I left it overly high as this part has to fit snuggly under the main beams.  I also milled out the slot for the keelson and shaped the bottom of it to match the hull.

Then I removed the planks that I had previously fitted as the pump well sits directly on the frames.  I also at this stage cut the holes through the frames for the actual pumps.  I got a nice tight fit

I then used the main beams to determine the correct height and recessed the support posts to fit between the beams.  The well pump is wider that the opening between the beams. I also completed the side planking and added the planking nails.

And here's the pump well in situ inside the hull

I very pleased with the way it fits and I didn't have to make any alterations to the plans.  So my next job is to make the hinges and lock for the doors.

 

Cheers Mark

[garyshipwright]

Hi Mark. She's looking really good. I know you probably have mention this before but what wood are you using?  Look forward to your next update. Gary

[No Idea]

12 minutes ago, garyshipwright said:

Hi Mark. She's looking really good. I know you probably have mention this before but what wood are you using?  Look forward to your next update. Gary

Thanks Gary - the wood is castello boxwood 👍

[garyshipwright]

Your welcome Mark. I thought it was castello boxwood. Just love working with that.  One thing about it is it doesn't show much of a grain which help's  enhances one's work.  Thank you again. Gary

Edited January 16, 2023 by garyshipwright

[No Idea]

Hi All

 

I've now made the hinges and the lock for the pump well doors.  I made them out of 0.25mm brass sheet, 0.5mm brass rod and 1mm brass tubing.

They are attached using 0.6mm nails as I already had these in stock and didn't want to buy any more.  Here's a few pictures - I really like the one looking inside the well!

Cheers Mark  

 

[CiscoH]

I would absolutely break those doors due to being unable to resist playing with them repeatedly.  a fine job!

[claybaker]

They look fantastic!

 

Clay

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

Lovely

[Tobias]

Hi Mark it is once again a fantastic work. Almost a little too perfect, please excuse me I do not want to complain and hope you do not get it wrong. Your precision is so fine that you can't see the individual boards of the pump well and it looks like it is one big area. I know this too well, if I may suggest the following what I have already done in such a case is that I have slightly touched the individual boards to visually highlight the individual boards. Something like this:

 

 

[druxey]

Tobias brings up an interesting point. I had a similar conversation just yesterday with a famous ship model miniaturist. He talked about realistic appearance in a model versus size-reduced actual construction. He himself runs a fine blade between the planks and then stains his work. The stain is picked up slightly more in the grooves, so that the seams show up subtly at viewing distance.

 

Ultimately it is the individual model-maker's choice and how different builders develop individual styles.

[No Idea]

Tobias and druxey I think you both make very fair points and it's not something that I had really thought about.  I quite like they way it looks and I know that once the shellac is on it will change the way that they look again.  In fact it will probably make the planks look a little separate but it will be subtle.  It gives me something to think about before the finish is applied so thanks for your comments 

 

Here's some more of what I've been up to - I've made up the two internal bulkheads which is another of those jobs which is easy to make and difficult to fit properly.

 

I like the small samson post on one of the posts which leads up to a hatch on the main deck

Like the pump well I had to make and fit the beams over the bulkheads to get a correct fit.  More dovetails to be cut!

Front and rear bulkheads fitted in place after quite a bit of fettling

And this is how she stands as of now

So my next job is to plank the two small decks before installing the bulkheads permanently.  I've got some shellac with a shine reducer in it that I will try under these decks before I fit the planks.

 

Thanks for all of the comments, feedback and ideas as it really does help me - Cheers Mark

[Tobias]

Mark your work is of the highest accuracy and subtlety, it pleases not only you but also me. It was just a thought process on my part. I am curious about the result with the shellac.

[druxey]

I agree!

[No Idea]

1 hour ago, Tobias said:

Mark your work is of the highest accuracy and subtlety, it pleases not only you but also me. It was just a thought process on my part. I am curious about the result with the shellac.

Thanks Tobias that's nice of you to say - I'll find out about the shellac tomorrow as I'm trying it under the decks first.  I got it from a UK company called Finney's and I explained to them exactly what I wanted it for.  They suggested a shellac with a shine reducer in it which was delivered yesterday.  I was very surprised at the cost of it though as its nearly £30 for 500ml.  I'll let you know what its like to use and how the finish is.

18 minutes ago, druxey said:

I agree!

Thanks druxey - I just try my best and at least I'm not making every part twice now.  It's amazing how quickly you learn to use sharp edged tools when model ship building.  Oh and how to sharpen them properly too - what a difference that makes when aiming for accuracy!

[Toolmaker]

Hi Mark,

 

I’m just starting out in the forum but during my lurking phase this build was, and continues to be, a main draw.

Your workmanship is superb and I love your approach. I can’t help thinking you have some background in machine shop practice. Whether or not that is the case, I find your work inspiring me as I prepare for my next project.

 

Thank you.

Paul

[No Idea]

1 hour ago, Toolmaker said:

Hi Mark,

 

I’m just starting out in the forum but during my lurking phase this build was, and continues to be, a main draw.

Your workmanship is superb and I love your approach. I can’t help thinking you have some background in machine shop practice. Whether or not that is the case, I find your work inspiring me as I prepare for my next project.

 

Thank you.

Paul

Hi Paul 

 

You are spot on mate and thank you for your kind comment.  I did an apprenticeship as a maintenance fitter/welder.  Back in the day (the very early 80's) if a part was broken or worn we had to make it.  So much of my apprenticeship involved toolmaking and the accuracy that came along with it.

 

Having said that most of my work then involved very straight lines and everything was square in one way or another and was made of metal.  Model ship building is anything but that so I have tried as best I can to adapt my very old skills to curves and wood.  

 

My approach is simple - try your best; ask questions to people that know and be honest in what your doing.  I often fail and sometimes get really lucky.  But it's the journey for me not the final outcome.  

 

If you've got a project get it out there as I could not be where I am without the help and advice I have received. 

 

I have to ask - how on earth do you pronounce where you are from 😂  I mean Wales is just down the road from me but thats a new one for me!

 

Welcome to the forum mate - Mark  

[Toolmaker]

It takes one to know one bud. I did the fitter/turner approach whilst you were still enjoying primary school. To be fair to yourself, if I had read this and your previous topics a little more carefully I would have seen you mentioned it a couple of times before. 

As for that name it’s pronounced Doog-a-vul-he with a guttural sound between the vul and he. Perhaps “near Conwy” is easier 😂

 

Keep up the great work and thanks for being so approachable. I expect I will pick your brains some over the coming months.

 

Cheers

Paul

 

[DelF]

Hi Mark

 

Your kind comments on my log prompted me to visit yours. Wow! Your craftsmanship is producing a work of true beauty. I'm currently working through a set of excellent kits by Vanguard Models, which I enjoy enhancing, but your example might inspire me to go the whole hog and try scratch building.

 

On shellac, I use a Liberon product. It's labelled Special Pale French Polish but it's basically shellac. I've used it extensively on castello boxwood and it gives a beautiful warm finish. Not totally matt but not shiny either. And a lot cheaper than the product you mentioned!

Best wishes

 

Derek

[VTHokiEE]

Your work is absolutely meticulous. Maybe better in a PM but how do your measurements so exactingly? I saw your height gauge (and I apologize if I accidentally overlooked if you discussed this before) and am curious what measuring and setup equipment might come in handy. 

[No Idea]

Hi Derek and cheers for you nice comments  - I think scratch building is as good as the plans that you have.  Ancre plans literally give you everything that you need to build a ship which is great as I do not have the skills to do my own drawings.  They are so precise that as long as you are too as the builder it should all come together for you.  It's also a lot more expensive than I thought it would be.  I bought my first batch of wood and I would say I've then bought the same again due to my many many mistakes.  It lovely though when it all comes together!  I do think you should finish your Vanguard models first or I'll have Chris Watton on my case for loosing him sales 😂  They really are fantastic kits!

I'm pretty pleased with the results of the shellac that I bought and I now have enough for about 2 complete ships.  It wasn't totally matt but a quick rub with a fine (grey) scotchbright pad brought it down to what I wanted.  I've dropped a couple of pictures below which show what it's like.  Thanks for your recommendation too!

 

VTHokiEE - Thank you too!  My go to tool for measuring is a 150mm Mitutoyo digital vernier caliper with carbide tips.  It's the best £300 I've ever spent and is just so accurate.  Other than that I also have my height gauge and that's really it.  All of the compound angles that I cut are taken pretty much from the plans as they are all clearly drawn.  Often I will have to look a 2 sheets to find both angles but its all there if I look.  It's also really important to have a datum that does not change.  All of my measurements where possible are from the bottom of the keel upwards.  That way if I put one part on slightly out of place it won't affect anything else and then later stands out like a sore thumb.  Also allowing for the kerf of blade cuts and cutting the correct side of the line drawn pretty much sums up what I do.  If you need anything else drop me a PM and I'll do my best to answer it.

 

A couple of pictures of the shellac which I think looks ok.  It's not the easiest place for a test under the decks but I've got to start somewhere.  Oh and ignore the nice gap in my planks - that particular carpenter has now been sacked 

[No Idea]

Just a small update - The bow and stern small decks have both been planked.  I'm not fully planking them thats as far as I'm going.

 

Next is to make the hatches - The bow hatch is framed but the stern one is just a simple design.  Then I can get the bulkheads fixed in place.

 

A few pictures of the decks

Cheers Mark

[dvm27]

After all that tedious planking now you're getting to the fun stuff!

[Keith Black]

Mark, absolutely beautiful work. Great visual treat. 👌

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

Amazing ! 

[No Idea]

1 hour ago, dvm27 said:

After all that tedious planking now you're getting to the fun stuff!

Oh yes!!  The next ship I build is only going to get the essential planks inside.  I had to blow the dust off of my mill its been that long since I used it.

57 minutes ago, Keith Black said:

Mark, absolutely beautiful work. Great visual treat. 👌

Thanks Keith 👍

14 minutes ago, Vladimir_Wairoa said:

Amazing ! 

Thanks Vladimir 👍

[No Idea]

Hatches - or should I say hatch frames first!  I've never made one of these before and it wasn't until I had a quick look at Adrian Sorolla's book that I realised that the joints are not plain mitred.  Looking at the plans too I could see how they needed to overlap so here's my first attempt and how I went about it.

 

Firstly I cut 6 - yes 6 equal parts (I always make mistakes) which were 4.8mm x 2.5mm x 36mm.  Its always good to have spares on hand

These then needed to be rebated.  The rebate is 1.1mm x 1.9mm and I don't know how everyone does this by I prefer the mill for short pieces of wood.  The reason being is if I use a parallel under the piece being cut I only need to set the cutter to depth once and then I get equal pieces.  I also get the piece as low as possible into the vice to stop any deflection as the end mill passes along.

Next I swivelled the vice around to 45 degrees to make the first corner cuts.  I know that the cut needs to be 1.1mm but I did this to 1mm so that I could finish it with a chisel if necessary.

Right this is where it gets a bit complicated - So decided to cut the two ends with the ears first (I'm sure they are not called that) 🤣  Using the already mitred end I cut a rebate 4.8mm in from that end at a depth of 1.25mm.  Once this was done I used the indexing on the cross slide to measure my finished frame length of 33mm and made another cut.  You have to allow for the diameter of the cutter doing this so from the 4.8mm rebate I moved the slide forward 31.8mm.

I then repeated the 4.8mm rebate on the other end and then simply cut the other 45 degree angle on the face sander.  Lots of words I know but they look like this when complete.

Next were the other two parts which I again used the indexing on the slide to get the correct length.  To cut the other 45 degree angles on these pieces I swivelled the vice the other way.

The finished 4 pieces look like this

Here they are dry assembled and I'm pleased with the way they turned out.

So it's not finished yet but I thought that this might help someone else.

 

Cheers Mark

 

Edited January 25, 2023 by No Idea
Picture in the wrong place

[Mic_Nao]

Good work Mark ! ( you are not alone for errors... )

[No Idea]

Another update from me  - The hatches are now finished 👍

 

I completed the front hatch by cutting the small rebates into the frame that the battens sit in.  The battens were cut to match which was a little bit fiddly to do.  I also cut the 45 degree angle that sits around the edge of the frame and glued it in place on the hull.

Then it was onto making the front hatch cover

Then the rear hatch cover which was a really nice simple job to do.

Next I put all of the pieces in place and also fixed the bulkheads permanently into the hull.

So my next job is to make two more Samson posts that lead up from the hold to the main deck.  I need to make another two beams to make this happen so I hope my order of 0.7mm end mills arrive soon as I've broken all of the ones that I had.

 

Cheers Mark

 

[No Idea]

Some more done on Le Rochefort

 

Simple bases for the samson posts which are then fixed to the keelson.  The wood used is 1.4mm square 

The samson posts themselves - Although I had already carved one of these I pondered for quite a while how to machine them instead.  In the end I just carved them again and actually I really like the finished posts

Next I made the two beams that the posts attach too just to make sure that everything aligned ok.  A few pictures of the posts and beams dry assembled 

Now I need to think about the limber boards as once the hold deck beams are in place I think they would be quite tricky to do.  So those are my next jobs

 

Cheers Mark

[Tonphil1960]

Beautiful clean work as always Mark ! I'm taking a break for a bit working on some planes but Ill get back on Rochefort asap