TEV Wahine by Richard Dunn - Radio - scale 1:35 - 1965

[Richard Dunn]

Step 31_Mooring deck frames, (bulwark stays and vertical stiffeners not shown) Mooring deck internals need to be finished and fitted out at this stage.

[Richard Dunn]

Step 32 Hull plating aft section not yet cut, .4mm

[Richard Dunn]

This is the excellent Expansion I have to work with to, it needed very little work other than to straighten up the baseline, this is a low res version, the full size is 200mb in size.

As fitted to which is rare, one of 380 plans I have of this ship the folders contain several plans in each

Edited October 27, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[Richard Dunn]

Last night I cut the last sheet of structural parts, all that remains now is the tedious task of removing the parts from the sheets with a Dremel and sawblade and sanding and labelling the nearly 240 parts.
I think I will be starting to assemble soon.
I am considering a new approach to gluing, I found a product I used as a kid from Epiglass called Everdure which is an epoxy 2 part product that you thin with thinners  and apply coats with less thinner as coats progress, this has the effect of  turning the wood into plastic impregnating the wood right through, I am thinking that if I assemble the frame work (dry) and then do that it will also bond through capillary action just playing with the idea at the moment, Everdure may not have any bonding ability though..

[KeithAug]

On 11/8/2021 at 7:04 AM, Richard Dunn said:

I found a product I used as a kid from Epiglass called Everdure which is an epoxy 2 part product that you thin with thinners  and apply coats with less thinner as coats progress, this has the effect of  turning the wood into plastic impregnating the wood right through,

That sounds interesting. I look forward to seeing how it goes.

[Richard Dunn]

Love your model Keith, beautiful work, beautiful.
So today while cutting a few more sheets I decided to try some joints, I was nervous about this but as you can see they are working well

This will require some means of pushing down onto frame because even though tight we have this.

 

The Puzzle joints to join panels are fine.

Dry fitted and staying together on it's own. It will just need to be sandwiched between a couple of cauls and greaseproof paper to keep it flat.

Edited November 12, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[hof00]

 

Hi Chap,

That is some awesome miniature joinery!! 🙂

 

Cheers....HOF.

[Richard Dunn]

Thanks Hof

Well today was a milestone, I completed step 1 and started step 2 erection of main frames.

The ones with the tenons driven home are in, 2 are just sitting there at the moment. but once all the frames are in things will get interesting, I was planning on doing this at Xmas so ahead of schedule.

The importance of accurately shaping the top of the bread and butter portion can't be overstated, if it's out it will throw out everything, so I had to check the heights from the base board at every frame and get it within .5mm and lower, never higher if it's not spot on, that way I can unscrew the foundation plate a tad if it needs to come up a bit later, the foundation pieces on the top edge of the bread and Butter are not glued down of course so the whole top sides can be removed from lower once built to a point where it is strong and rigid and it can be removed and the hull carved and equipment can be fitted unencumbered, then it will be glued down.

 

The above picture also has the first layer of the bow block laminations in place.

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[lmagna]

Looking very outstanding Richard. It is going to be an impressive ship where ever you run it. Looks like you like them big, what is the hull laying  against the wall partly finished?

[yvesvidal]

Lots of engineering going into that giant model. It is almost like building a scale 1:1 ship.

 

Yves

[Haze Gray]

Some truly amazing work here Richard!  My hat's off to you for tackling a project this big - I can't wait to see it finished and in the water!!!

 

What have you been using to laser cut the wood parts?

[Richard Dunn]

Thanks
@Haze Gray

It's a Stepcraft 840 CNC with 2mm cutter, not'a laser, this will carve as well, not a fan of lasers.

I also build Acoustic, Classical and Jazz guitars so wanted this for both jobs

I can carve my 230mm lifeboats hulls and internal plugs for example and use them to vacuum form them from 1mm styrene which is what I am going to do.
Picture of it on first page of blog.
@Yvesvidal

I have kept the structure as simple as it can be , because the covering is only 2mm I have to make the framework denser to avoid buckling, at the same time as keep the topsides lightweight.

@Imagna

The other hull is the first attempt at this that I talk about at start of the blog, I have not disposed of it yet as I have to salvage brass work from it.

Edited November 14, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[bricklayer]

Haze,

there`s no magic light employed in cutting parts out of ply sheets. It`s a cnc-router that does the cutting. That`s why the corners of rectangular holes or pockets have that odd shape. The tool path that exceeds the contour line compensates for the radius of the end mill. In #23 there`s a picture of the cnc-router.

Michael

[Richard Dunn]

Most full frames up now and starting to fit the sections of longitudinals before they get glued together, we don't want any tight troublesome joints when trying to drop in a 3m long part

[hof00]

One word that comes to mind, Awesome!!

Edited November 15, 2021 by hof00

[Richard Dunn]

I have a confession to make, my joints are all a bit tight, I did offset the cuts a tiny bit to allow for this but not enough, live and learn but yeah every joint has had to be filed a bit to get it together and that has taken a lot longer to put together than it should , in saying that I reckon by 3 weeks from now the main structure will be done and ready to start cladding in 2mm ply.

I allowed -.050 reduction but realistically I should have allowed more like .2mm
The piles of parts on my bench are getting smaller and smaller and the sheets of parts less and less. but at least it all goes together, I have missed a few mortises and joints that I have had to jump onto the scroll saw to do.

Edited November 16, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[Kevin-the-lubber]

I know that feeling Richard. Despite years and years of fine limits trade experience I still fooled myself into thinking 0.1 was LOADS of room (it isn't), forgetting that the entire reason for tolerance is that even metal does it's own thing sometimes and decides to cut or bend a smidgeon bigger or smaller here and there. I'm amazed that you're getting 0.2 on plywood, at that scale and especially with wood I'd be happy to get to within 0.5. It looks fabulous by the way.

[Richard Dunn]

I am one happy son of a  you know what.
I test fitted a hull panel today ,actually 3 consecutive panels and an adjacent deck panel and it fitted better than I could have hoped for.
I also glued the first pair of longitudinal bulkheads together against a straight edge, this weekend will be a big one with main structure probably done.

Look at that fit!!

Notice the fit of the bottom edge against the B&B part.
Rhino's True shape development tools really do work thank god.

Part of Forecastle deck also test fitted

First Longitudinal BHD's glued

Now I am getting excited!!

Edited November 17, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Most tradesmen, let alone modellers, would give their right arm for a fit that good. You have good reason to be pleased!

[Richard Dunn]

Oh Kevin I have sorted out the Cutty Sark image library to, 1300 images. I just need an email from whoever wants them so I can give permission and access in Dropbox to those people.
Mojofilter if you are watching I am still waiting for your email to.

Edited November 18, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[KeithAug]

The fit you are getting is truly amazing Richard, and your build speed is very impressive. 

[Richard Dunn]

Thanks Keith

Well this weekend I glued all the frames in and got the main longitudinal installed into the hull as well. they were a mission to get in so I opted to install dry and use glue blocks to fix in position, they are plenty strong enough and remember them from my furniture days when making staircases, a good glue block will not leg you down.
So well on the way, I have also assembled and glued all the other longitudinal bulkheads that make up the lid section as well, so will have that main frame done in another day work.

the hull is getting very rigid now and just have to make sure I install any remining stringers and such with an aluminium section clamped on so I keep everything straight.

I think another 3-4 full days work I will be cladding hull sides and decks.

I am interested in hearing from anyone who has done full on detail of model surfaces before or if someone knows of a post. I have said this before but I plan on having the weld seam, tin canning and steel texture on the mode, most is done with paint.
basically you apply a  suitable primer to the plates which are .4mm ply  sand with fingers between the frame lines to create subtle depressions, doing this on each plate before it goes on means it should vary per plate and look natural, then apply another coat and stipple it roughly. after its dry, sand it flat but leave the lowest points to give the pitted effect, I got this from military modeller who uses the effect on tanks, then glue on the plate and one a few are on glue the .5mm round styrene weld bead in place.

the bead is softened with glue and run over with a fine serrated roller to give the bead effect, then all that requires to be done is primer touch-up along weld beads. and painted.

Here is the effect

this guys work in suberb!.

I am interested in people thoughts with this, I have never done it but really keen to see what people think.

Its  a bit of work to prep each plate, probably 10mins per plate to paint and sand twice, but I think at 1/35 it will look good, I am not a fan of nice smooth hulls on larger scales, Wahine had a very distinct tin canning effect and I think it needs to be there if only subtle.

I have attached a hi res shot that shows the effect on her hull.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[Richard Dunn]

Progress

Smokeroom area

 

Glueblocks on joints

 

Lid longitudinals ready

[Kevin-the-lubber]

That guys work is indeed extremely good, both in terms of the hot rolled plate look and welds. And I speak with some authority, having worked as a fabricator-welder on many heavy steel plate constructions including ships. However, you'd have to be pretty close up to the ship to see the roughness of the surface. Although I have absolutely no experience of modelling this, I agree with your thinking. If everything was perfectly smooth and contoured it would look more like a yacht with a super-structure than a huge steel ship.

[Richard Dunn]

@Kevin
 Yeah I get that all the time,  "will you see it on the water" probably not but I am doing this as a museum quality model that happens to run.
there is a good chance it will get bought and displayed somewhere given its fame, not that I am counting on it.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Richard Dunn

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Something that may amuse you. About 40 years ago I went to work in a shipyard in Northern Germany, my first experience of shipbuilding. I was that green I literally had to ask which bit was the pointy end, having spent my apprenticeship in a factory that made heavy machines. In the shipyard, I was put on deck sections, with a seasoned german guy as a buddy.  The deck sections were were basically 8’ x 4’ sheets of 20mm or 30mm plate (iirc) which I was welding together using submerged arc before MIG welding 12” stringers across the lot. At the end of the first long, cold day, my German buddy had me weld a lug in the middle of the section we’d spent the day building, which I did without giving it any thought. Now, I was a decent welder but nothing special, definitely not what was called ‘coded’, which meant the weld integrity would be of a very high standard. Imagine my utter horror when he immediately called the crane in to lift what must have been about 32’ x 32’ deck section by now, weighing lord knows how many tons, on the strength of that one lug. And trust me, these guys didn’t hang about. It was way up in the air and going across the yard long before I could sufficiently get over the shock to protest that I wasn’t sure my welding was up to much. It always looked nice, but I laid down my share of porridge. In fact I think they knew perfectly well how petrified I was and relished the moment, knowing full well that the welds would be fine, or they wouldn’t have done the lift. Not that their confidence had the slightest effect on my own - I did then what I still do now, horribly over-engineer everything, and would whack on an extra 2 or 3 lugs whenever I got the chance thereafter.

 

Odd as it may seem, within another year I was working at the opposite end of the spectrum, still in Germany but on the new Airbus, making small, beautiful compound curved parts that were light as a feather. A bit like model making in a way. Happy memories in both cases.

[Richard Dunn]

Awesome Kevin... And just for you here is a present to remind you.

[Richard Dunn]

Progress, main framework complete, time for secondary frames and stringers now.

hull stringers shown here on Stbd side are not pushed home, only sitting on to make sure I have them all.

Plenty of hand room at stern door for working on rudder assembly

 

[Veszett Roka]

I'm continously amazed by this precision and complexity.

 

[Ian_Grant]

Looking magnificent!  I'm interested in your plans to transport her to water. What do you expect her to weigh, ballasted? Is a custom trailer next?