Ships Stove Project by usedtosail - FINISHED - 1:16

[usedtosail]

In continuation of the 1:16 scratch built ships components, my next project will be a ships stove display, to go along with my Capstan and Ships Wheel projects. I am using a variety of sources for this, including the 1:48 stove mini-kit from Syren, and the instructions in the TFFM and Naide frigate books. I will make the bulk of the stove from wood, with brass for some of the outer features. I am hoping to use real gears and chain for the rotisserie but we will see as we get into it. I am just starting the planning for this so it may be a while before I have something to show.

[gjdale]

Another interesting little project Tom. I’m pulling up a chair in the front row for this one.

[Cathead]

Cool! If you're using a 1:48 kit, how are you adapting that to 1:16? Or is this a scratchbuild and you're just consulting the design of that kit?

[mtaylor]

Eric raises a good question, Tom.  If this is scratch, let me or another moderator know and we'll move it to the scratch area.

[usedtosail]

Yes this is a scratch build. I am only using the Syren kit as a prototype for the 1:16 stove. None of the kit parts will be in the final build.

Edited February 7, 2022 by usedtosail

[usedtosail]

The stove construction has started but only the internal frame. I am using 1/4" birch plywood for the framing pieces. The frame is very similar to the Syren stove frame, just scaled up to 1:16 scale. Here are the frame pieces being glued up along with the kit frame pieces. The piece at the top is just a spacer so the sides will be parallel.

 

 

I also ordered some weathering powder which I have not used before. Since I will be painting this all black I want to be able to make it look more like metal. I will use the kit to practice with the powder to see what I can do with it.

[AON]

and the journey begins.

[usedtosail]

So it has Alan. As I glue up the base for the 1:16 scale stove I am starting to decide what details I will add to it. Because of the size, I can add quite a few more details than is shown on the 1:48 scale stove. I am going to try and include the bottom and side grates, the pulleys and chain for the spit, handles, ring bolts, square bolt heads, drain cocks, and hinges on the lower chimney. I can either use a brick base or an iron plate base, with the iron one probably more accurate for the time period of the Swan class ships. This base goes between the legs of the bitts, so the display may now include the bitts too. Here is the detail I am after, which is from the TFFM book.

 

 

Here is a look at the various diagrams and images I have of these stoves so I may try to add some other details like the condenser shown in the image. There is also the beautiful  drawing from the CD that came with the Niade book.

 

 

This is becoming more interesting as I get into the research.

[AON]

Some day I will want to make one at 1:64 scale so I am all eyes

[usedtosail]

Love it Alan - that is my favorite movie.

 

I have the sides glued to the base and the top will be next. In the mean time I made the top of the boiler from a piece of 1/4" basswood and the boiler covers from some boxwood. The round cover was turned on the lathe using a chunk of boxwood I had left over from the capstan project and the oval cover was roughly cut and sanded to shape on the disk sander.

 

[usedtosail]

I have just about finished the frame for the stove. Here are the aft and fore views.

 

 

 

I have also made all the blanks for the doors from boxwood. The next step will be adding the details around the side edges and making the grates for the fore side. I was able too find some miniature drive chain from MicroMark which will work nicely for the spit drive. I bought gears with it but I am not sure they would look accurate as all the plans I have show pulleys used. I may make some pulleys to use with the chain instead of the gears.

 

[usedtosail]

I bent four pieces of brass strip for the legs and glued them to the frame along the edges. I then glued four more strips next to them on the adjacent sides. In this photo you can also see the Syren stove in the background that I am building in parallel. I am further along on that one. The stack is just resting on the stove top for now. I need to add the chimney under it.

 

 

[usedtosail]

Thank you for the likes.

 

I added the rest of the brass trim along the edges and also added the two middle feet. I then made the horizontal grating that fits in the fore opening. I used three pieces of square brass rod and three brass strips which I soldered together.

 

 

I left all the ends long then trimmed them off after the solder cooled. I used the disk sander to finish the ends. Here is how it came out after some clean up with a file.

 

 

I will be making the vertical grating next as well as adding the square bolt heads to the trim. I have some thick brass strip that I will cut into squares for the bolt heads. I am also working out how I want to make the hinges and door latches.

[usedtosail]

I made the vertical grating today using brass strips for the supports. I drilled a series of holes in three strips using the sensitive drill attachment on the mill, then sandwiched the three strips using brass rod to hole them in the vise to shape them. I used a round and some flat files to shape them all at the same time. I added the brass rod in the holes and used thin CA to hold it all together instead of soldering them.

 

 

 

And here are both grates temporarily in place on the frame.

 

 

I also have started experimenting with painting using parts from the Syren kit stove. This is a black acrylic paint which so far looks good.

 

 

I think I'll tackle the doors, hinges, and door closures next.

[usedtosail]

I had cut all the doors out of boxwood a while ago but now I have been experimenting with how to make the hinges. I came up with this arrangement which is a strip of brass tapered toward the end and bent around the door, cut flush with the back of the door, which I have glued to the doors before I installed them. After the doors are glued to the sides I will add a piece of brass tube with another piece of brass rod sticking out the bottom next to the brass strip. You can see them in the little cup next to the doors. The smaller doors will only have the brass tube for a hinge.  I also glued a brass strip to the doors for the closures. These will have a catch glued to them and the sides which you can also see in the little cup.

 

 

The small kit stove was painted black and then had the hinges glued to the doors, but with these the hinges were glued on after the doors were installed, as per the instructions. I need to paint them black now.

[usedtosail]

I glued the doors on and then added the hinges and latches. Here is how they look before being painted black.

 

[allanyed]

As the metal work will be black, maybe consider copper instead of brass in the future as you can blacken it in situ with liver of sulfur which will not stain the wood.  If I remember correctly Ed Tosti goes into some detail on this in his Naiad build log and/or his Young America build log here at MSW.  

Allan

[usedtosail]

Thanks for the tip Allen. I have never used Liver of Sulfur but remember it from Ed's build logs. I made the decision at the beginning of the project to not blacken the brass trim pieces on the stove. I will be priming and painting them along with the rest of the stove. I may blacken the grates but I haven't made that decision yet.

[usedtosail]

Progress on both stoves continues. On the small kit stove I have added the spit assembly which was a bit fiddly. The pulley pieces with the fake chain are very fragile and I did manage to break the chains off the small pulley, but was able to glue them back onto the pulley. A few more steps and I'll have that one finished. One the large stove I drilled the holes for the ring bolts and cut all of the square bolt heads I'll be adding around the edges. I have made the boiler top and chimney too, but they are only set in place on the stove for now. I made the boiler top out of boxwood but for the chimney I used a chunk of basswood. These will also be primed then painted black along with the rest of the stove. I'll be adding the bolt heads next.

 

[FriedClams]

What a fun and interesting project you have going on here, Tom.  I’m going to have to check out your other ship component threads as well.  Very nice exacting work.

 

Gary

[usedtosail]

Thank you Gary. I am about to do something I have never attempted before - weathering - on the small stove. Based on your Stonington Dragger model, I consider you the resident expert in that field. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I have the Doc O'Briens weathering powder set and a very soft brush to work with.

[usedtosail]

I touched up the black paint on the completed kit stove after attaching the stack. I have also started assembling the display stand that came with the kit. All that's left is the weathering.

 

 

I have added the square bolt heads on one side of the large stove. I also redid the round bolt heads on the hinges and closures using Tacky glue, which seem to hold it's shape better than the medium CA I first used. I also have glued the boiler top and chimney to the top of the stove. I made handles for the pot lids from brass strip and glued them to the lids.

 

[usedtosail]

All the square bolt heads are now installed on all sides. I found a piece of brass tube that is just the right size for the stack. I also made the chimney access door from a thin piece of brass sheet which I cut out with scissors and glued to the chimney. I then made the hinges and glued them onto the door. I glued the pot lids with handles to the boiler top too. 

 

[usedtosail]

I finished up the small kit stove by applying some gritty black and rust red weathering powders to the stove and drip pan, then giving them a light spray of matte finish. I glued then to the display board after I gave it a coat of wipe on poly.

 

 

 

I can now focus on the 1:16 scale stove. I gave all the brass parts that I have attached to the stove a coat of Binn primer. I also primed the grates, stack, and a piece of brass tubing for the still connector. When this dries I will give the wood a coat of diluted gesso as a primer.

 

 

I starting working on the still while the primer was drying. I was thinking I would use brass tubing for all the components but then I found a piece of solid brass rod that was thick enough so that I could turn the outside piece in the lathe. I turned the head slightly so I could cut the taper into it, then drilled holes in each end for tubing to connect to it.

 

 

 

[FriedClams]

On 3/8/2022 at 2:50 PM, usedtosail said:

Based on your Stonington Dragger model, I consider you the resident expert in that field. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks for your vote of confidence Tom, but I'm far from an expert and my weathering is always a trial-and-error sort of thing.  When something doesn't work, I try something else.  I'm glad you've decided to take the plunge and you're first attempt looks good from what is visible in the photos.  I think it's a fun process and as you gain experience, you'll develop confidence and a feel for it.  I've learned most of my methods from other modelers and there are many great modelers out there who will share what they know.  Be sure to check out YouTube on the many inventive ways folks add realism, age and wear to their models.

 

Since you're new to weathering, I thought I'd I share a few things I've learned over time.

 

Reference material is so important to see where and how an object wears or how it decays.  I always considered myself an observant person until I started in with this weathering thing.  But I've found that the mind's eye sees things differently than the way an object looks in reality.  There is nothing that will improve your skills more than studying images of the real thing or similar objects.  They will point you in the direction you need to go.

 

It's important to know the properties of the media and tools you're using.  I've been using Bragdon powders for years, so I know what to expect from them, and more importantly, I know their limitations.  Same is true for oils, chalks, acrylics, washes, etc.  Picking the right medium for the results you're looking to achieve is critical.

 

I always test what I'm going to try on a piece of scrap first using the same materials and paints that I intend to use on the model.  Every material and finish accepts washes, pigments, etc. in a different way and what worked great in one instance may be a total bust on something else.  I can't tell you how many times I've saved myself from ruining a decent piece of modeling by testing it out first.

 

And finally, in my opinion, subtlety is the key to success and it's something I have to work harder at.  It's easy to get carried away and difficult to turn back.  You can always add on more later, perhaps the next day after you've had a fresh look at it.  More often than not, when I “weather” I'm really just looking to suggest wear, usage or age, and it typically takes very little to get there.

 

Good luck on your weathering journey.  You're an excellent modeler and you'll do well.

 

Gary

 

[usedtosail]

Thanks so much Gary. I really appreciate the tips and help and I think they will help me a lot.

[usedtosail]

While priming the stove I have continued working on the condenser. I cut a piece of brass tubing at a 45 degree angle in a mitre box and soldered the two halves together to make the 90 degree elbow for the stove end and soldered a series of smaller tubing together for the spigot end. Here is the set up for part of the soldering using push pins in a soldering board to hold everything together.

 

 

Because the turned part is a bit heavy I made a wooden plug that I can screw into stove top for the connector instead of just gluing a piece of tubing to the top. This will hold the condenser much more securely. I still need to make the parts shown at the top of the condenser as shown in the picture I am using as a guide, like the handle and vent.

[usedtosail]

I gave the stove a couple of coats of black acrylic paint. I am using a Badger spray gun set that I bought a few years ago but never used it. It is provided with hardware to hook up to an aerosol can of air, but I put an adapter on it so I can use it with a small air brush compressor. It really worked well, much better than trying to use an air brush with a needle for this job. No clogs and easy clean up too.

 

 

 

While that was drying I started making the drip pan. I also blackened large eye bolts and added rings to them for the lifting rings. I then turned the handle for the condenser on the lathe, from a solid piece of brass. I was going to turn the top and use some brass rod for the bottom but it was easier to turn it as one piece and I think it looks better too. I drilled a hole in the condenser and, since it was a tight fit, I glued the handle in with CA.

 

 

I need to spray the stove from underneath tomorrow. I was worried that the acrylic paint would raise the grain a lot but with the gesso primer there was little if any grain raised. I am still give the whole stove a light sanding between coats but the surfaces are looking smooth already.

 

[usedtosail]

I gave the stove a few more coats of black paint but with the stove on its side so I could get underneath the doors and inside the openings at the ends.

 

 

 

Here are the components I am working on at this time, including the drip pan (under the weight), the lifting bolts, condenser with all trim added, and the stove itself.

 

 

The next step will be to make the support arms for the spit, which I will make from sheet brass. I am also still working on the design for the spit rotating mechanism. I just received this thinner chain (on the left) that I may use instead of the thicker drive chain (on the right). The thinner chain will fit into pulley wheels better which I think is more authentic than the gears.

 

[usedtosail]

So I tried making the spit arms from brass sheet but I gave up on that because I could not make the hooks look the same. I then decided to try making them out of wood. I started with a square piece of boxwood that I milled a slot down one side.

 

 

I then filed and sanded the other side into a curve.

 

 

I cut off 1/16" slices with a slitting disk on the Byrnes saw to make the hooks. I cut the arms themselves in two pieces each from a 1/16" strip of boxwood on the scroll saw and filed them to shape. I glued the two halves together and cleaned up the joint. I also milled a slot into the other end of the square strip and cut off two piece for the brackets to hold the arms to the stove. I covered the back of the brackets with a small piece of wood to offset them from the sides of the stove to clear the brass on the sides of the stove.

 

 

I then glued four hooks to each arm, making sure they were the same on each arm. I used medium CA to glue them on.

 

 

The next step will be to paint these all black then glue them to the stove.