HM Sloop Echo 1781 by VTHokiEE - 1:48 - Cross-Section

[dvm27]

Looking really good! Cross-sections require minimum tools so hopefully you can proceed without a full workshop.

[VTHokiEE]

Thank you for all the likes and comments. I've finally gotten my garage into some semblance of shape - there still work to be done but I was able to get back into my ship yard.

 

Progress continues - I've started filling in the planking on the planked side (well that was probably obvious). As I started shaping the deck clamps I realized that I needed to pull off a plank. I had mistakenly stepped it down, but the deck planks are thicker (no step required) and I think in the end it will be easier to place the clamp and then fit the plank... hopefully I can make a template to accomplish this without too much hassle. At the moment I'm working through a lot of tree nailing. From reading many logs it seems that most people use bamboo and I have done the same (drawing it down from bamboo skewers) and the drawing process gets tedious as you get down to the final size - are bamboo skewers the appropriate material? or should I consider an alternative? I think I might also want to get closer in color in the future if that possible; should I consider drawing the same wood that I'm planking with, Alaskan Yellow Cedar in this case?

[druxey]

Split bamboo draws far better than other woods for treenails. You are doing it right. Just use the layer right under the shiny outer 'skin'. Further in the material gets too soft and pithy. I'm not sure whether cedar will hold together down to scale size. You might try it.

[glbarlow]

19 hours ago, VTHokiEE said:

drawing the same wood that I'm planking with, Alaskan Yellow Cedar in this case?

For many of the finer details on Winchelsea Chuck uses Boxwood. AYC is lovely wood bod will not hold detail on small things. My own experience trying to scrape moulding out of AYC on Cheerful confirmed that. 
 

Very lovely work!

Edited April 25, 2023 by glbarlow

[VTHokiEE]

Thanks @druxey, I ended up not trying other woods and sticking with the bamboo - I started getting slightly better at drawing it...slightly. I can't fully understand why some of the treenails seem larger than others. I assume it had something to do with my drilling/trimming/sanding technique as I got more consistent the further along I went. It may remain a mystery though.

 

Appreciate the comments @glbarlow, have some Castello in my shop but still looking for the right tool (or should I say right priced tool) to cut it down 😄.

 

Small update - I finished the treenails on the section so far which means that I can't put off the deck clamps much longer. I am trying to decide if I should start adding any finish coats yet or not though. I still need to glue a few things down so I suppose I'll put that off a little longer.

 

[Rustyj]

That is looking really nice Tim! So neat, crisp and clean.

[Chuck]

That looks fantastic.  Looking really good.

[DelF]

Superb work Tim.

[VTHokiEE]

Thank you @Chuck, @Rustyj, and @DelF!

[42rocker]

Looks very nice.

 

I'm working on a cross section also. Someday I'll start a build thread.

 

Later Tim

[VTHokiEE]

The limber boards.. these little guys took me for a ride (the whole weekend in fact). I'm not certain how many cedar trees were lost in the making of these seemingly small parts but a memorial has been erected in my back yard (and honestly they could be made better, just maybe not by me right now...). I tried to use a small plane (multiple times) and I simply could not get there so I changed paths and broke out the micro mill. I learned an awful lot more about machining setup these past two days - ha. When I finally had what seemed like an acceptable board I realized that I had shaped it to fit my not planked side and of course they didn't fit well when I switched them. Finally today I emerged from my work bench with a set of limber boards that I think will work. The limber boards are simply fitted here as the instructions warn you not to install them yet.

 

Next up the main mast step, which (if I am reading the instructions correctly) apparently is completely hidden - sounds like a good opportunity for more practice to prepare for more visible parts.

Edited May 29, 2023 by VTHokiEE

[tlevine]

It's crazy how some of the simplest appearing parts can cause the most trouble.  And, yes, the mast step is completely hidden inside the pump well.

[Chuck]

Beautiful work.  Well worth the time and effort.  Its such a fine model.

[glbarlow]

We’ll done , this will look great on display 

[druxey]

Just catching up with your log. Well done for sticking with the limber boards until they were 'just so'.

[VTHokiEE]

Thank you @tlevine, @Chuck, @glbarlow, and @druxey - much appreciated.

 

Have a quick question; I'm looking at the lower deck framing and I think I'm overlooking something. I'm currently making the lower deck beams, which are dimensioned, but I am having trouble finding the dimensions for the rest of the section (lodging knees, carlings, and ledges) and the only profile of the hanging knees is on page 12 (which doesn't have a scale but I think I can find a way to scale it given the other other components in the image have known dimensions).

 

I've browsed through TFFM and the remainder of the fitting out directions but where can I find/determine the dimensions of these parts and how deep the notches are for then to sit in on the deck beams?

 

Thanks for any insight!

[tlevine]

Have you looked at this?  Page 12.  http://www.admiraltymodels.com/Echo_Xsec_Fitting_Out.pdf 

[VTHokiEE]

14 minutes ago, tlevine said:

Page 12. 

Doh! I knew I was missing something - @tlevine thank you so much. Once I hit the planking between decks and the upper deck framing I thought that I had gone too far. Really appreciate it (and really need to re-read everything through).

[druxey]

Yup. When all else fails, read the instructions!

[VTHokiEE]

After a considerable time away from the shipyards I found some motivation recently and have been plugging away at the ship's well and have almost completed it. I didn't take photographs of the progress, but I built up each of the 4 sides and then glued the sides together as square as I could. What I'm currently struggling with is how to make the hinges. I don't think my metalwork is at a point when I can fabricate them so I'm currently leaning towards using black card and pondering how to give the pin some depth. I have a little bit of time to ponder it though because I realized I build the lower deck beams incorrectly (confused width and depth) and need to remake them (about halfway done with them so I better get on the hinge decision before I start scouring the web for PE sheets that could solve the issue for me).

 

 

 

 

[glbarlow]

Very crisp and neat work, fine joinery!  Not sure it’s what you’re looking for, take a look at the port lid hinges Chuck offers for Winchelsea. Perhaps they can be modified to work.  

[Thukydides]

Great job, it looks very clean. Good to see you back at it.

[VTHokiEE]

2 hours ago, Thukydides said:

Great job, it looks very clean. Good to see you back at it.

Thanks - very glad to be making some saw dust again!

 

2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

take a look at the port lid hinges Chuck offers for Winchelsea

That's a good idea, I'll take a look. The hinges that are drawn (and I've seen on other builds) are usually T Hinges. I actually did stumble across a sheet of 1/35 photo etch hinges for dioramas by a company called Mathos Models that I may buy and see if they'll work (but then my nemesis "blackening" rears it's head 😂). I'm finding some other things (from railroad modelers as well) that could work if I don't end up fabricating them myself. 

Edited January 22 by VTHokiEE

[tlevine]

What is important is whether they look "right", not the material they are made out of.  Paper for the hinge plates and a small piece of metal wire (or wood) for the hinge knuckle.  Paint it flat black.  

[Old Collingwood]

Great   to see   more   (very nice)  work on this,  its shaping up  nicely  my friend.

 

OC.

[davec]

Great to see you back at work.  Your cross section is coming out awesome! 

 

A friend from my club who does a lot of photo etching helped me with photoetch hinges for my cross section.  Micromark sells a photoetch kit that could be an option if you want to go down the photoetch route- I've used it to make some similar parts.  Toni's suggestion about painted card would also work great.  Completely agree with your frustration with metal blackening.  I can't understand why with the same brass, prep, and solution sometimes it works great and sometimes it doesn't.  I switched to flat black paint.

Edited January 23 by davec

[VTHokiEE]

I ended up buying the hinge PE set by Mathos Models (I picked up both A and B sets so I can "always be prepared") and I think they worked out well. Unfortunately the bolts became much harder to see after blackening (I assume this is a shadow thing) and I made a CA glue stain (which thankfully is less noticeable no than when I took these pictures). The well and shot locker goes back into storage while I frame out the lower deck. 

 

[Old Collingwood]

Thet look  smart  -  they  really set  off the  woodwork.

 

OC.

[tlevine]

Don't worry about the stain.  You know it's there but unless you point it out, nobody else will see it.  They will be amazed by the construction.

[VTHokiEE]

8 hours ago, tlevine said:

Don't worry about the stain.  You know it's there but unless you point it out, nobody else will see it. 

Thanks and I'm certain that you're right. It wasn't a deep stain so I was able to scrape some off gently with the back of an #11 blade, but I'm not doing anything further to ensure that I don't make things worse in an attempt to make them better.

 

On 2/13/2024 at 10:36 PM, Old Collingwood said:

Thet look  smart  -  they  really set  off the  woodwork.

Thanks OC, appreciate it!