Bluenose by PopJack - Model Shipways - 1:64

[russ]

Jack:

I strongly suggest you practice soldering whenever you can. Even if it is just to make a few odds and ends, practice makes perfect (or in my case something nearly acceptable). In any case, practice will help hone your skills. That is how I managed to get this far. There is always something new to learn.

 

The low temp solder used in soft soldering is fine for some things, but I learned the hard way that if anything is going to be under pressure, hard soldering is better. Soft soldering is like gluing two pieces together while hard soldering is like welding. Soft solder will fill gaps and hard solder will not. Hard soldering demands that the pieces be touching. However, hard soldering will make two pieces into one which soft soldering will not do. Once I began hard soldering, I have never used any other kind of solder.

 

Russ

[dgbot]

I will use both depending on the need.  For much of my Latham like structural parts I use hard solder  for items that were for looks or will not be taking any strain I would use oft solder. 

David B

[PopJack]

Well, I nearly finished the main mast.   The plans indicate the hardware was either painted white or galvanized.  I opted for galvanized on the masts various other topside items.  I'm following a theory here that on the ships I have seen the hardware was not specially painted to show.  Rather, if painted it was painted the same color (and probably same paint) as surrounding areas.

 

For the top of the main top mast, I decided against trying to make a brass strip look right, so I just twisted some wire and soldered it up. 

 

For the area of abrasion around the boom rest I used the dull side of aluminum foil.

 

The last thing to do is the spring wire loop and the small ring.  Then on to the foremast where I suppose most things will be done the same.

 

Edited March 1, 2014 by PopJack

[dgbot]

Very nice.  Are you going to paint the hoops?

David B

[PopJack]

Paint the hoops: The sail hoops?  I 'm not sure, wasn't really planning on it.  Advice welcome.

 

Okay, am I looking at this wrong?

 

 

I know I probably am not getting enough sleep recently, but this just doesn't make sense to me.

[russ]

Regarding the painting of metal work, if it does not move, paint it.

 

Now, on the cap, what about it puzzles you? Its construction? How it works?

 

Russ

[dgbot]

Basically that is the the cap I made.  If you check out Chapelle, he describes that cap very well.

David B

[PopJack]

Never mind, I just got it.

I though the arrow was saying that the link was installed on the "port side" of the bracket. 

 

Could you tell me more about "Chapelle"? 

Edited March 1, 2014 by PopJack

[russ]

Howard I. Chapelle wrote a book called The American Fishing Schooners 1825-1935 and he included his field notes from his research on Gloucester built fishing schooners like this one.

 

Russ

[dgbot]

That book is the bible for this model.

David B

Edited March 1, 2014 by dgbot

[timo4352]

I just got that book from my local library. Yours may have it as well. Or if you need me to look something up for you, let me know.

Tim

[popeye the sailor]

coming along quite well Popjack.......looking sweet!

[captainbob]

Nice metalwork on the mast.  Hope mine will look as good.

 

Bob

[dgbot]

One of the things I found out was there is a lot of metalwork on these vessels.  At the original scale they are easy to replicate with a little preactice. And if done right really accents the beauty of the model.

David B

[PopJack]

The bands for the foremast are now complete and are in the process of drying.  The top band was the only tough one.   Now on to the spars.

 

 

I've been working on and off to find the size of the hoops that capture the deadeyes.  Center to center of the holes is 1.2 cm in case anyone needs to know - for the larger dead eyes.  Don't know about the smaller ones yet.

 

 

I hate to paint the deadeyes, as I think they are pretty in contrast to the black bands.  Oh well.  On all the ships I have visited in my MANY MANY minutes of travel, they are all painted.

 

EDIT: Changed 12 cm to 1.2 cm.  Americans aren't that good with the meteric system!

Edited March 5, 2014 by PopJack

[PopJack]

I installed the chain plates for the front starboard shrouds today.  I used a rope from the temporarily placed mast to get the angles like I think they ought to me.  The angle of the shot plus the curvature of the ship hull makes it look funny, but its actually pretty close.

 

Note three things:

1) The small deadeye isn't in place yet, although the slot is bored for it.

2) I'm not sure how I would go about trying to set the chainplates flush with the hull.  I'm not going to try, I think this will make a nice model.

3) I SWEAR it doesn't look as bad in person as it does in this photo- although I have a lot of cleaning an touch up to do.  The brass and the deadeyes will be painted black.

 

 

I also calculated and then built a jig for the wire that goes around the small deadeyes.  The distance between centers of holes is 8.2mm.  This provides a nice wrap, but the brass strips used for the chainplates have to be filed down to give a nice looking fit.

 

[russ]

Your deadeye and chainplate assemblies look pretty good. I am dealing with this right now on my build and it gets a bit fussy to be sure. Your chainplates are about as flat as can be. They will lay on top of the surface of the hull. So long as they are anchored into the hull with a couple of fastenings, you will be good to go.

 

One thing to watch is the orientation of the deadeye. The lower deadeye has to have the bottom eye down and the upper deadeye has to have the top eye up.

 

Russ

[Elia]

Nice job on the dead eyes, strops, and chain plates PopJack. They look sharp on the hull. I think they'll look quite fine installed on the hull, and setting them into the hull planking by, what 0.015"?, would be quite a challenge.

 

Well done.

 

Elia

[PopJack]

Surface mount or flush mount- that WAS ... but no longer is .... the question.  I considered pinning them temporarily and then running a blade down and around the chainplates to score the hull, removing the chainplate  and then using a sharpened micro screw driver or something to try and cut between the scores the 1/64 inch, but in the end, honestly I didn't think it would turn out as well as just top mounting them.

 

Maybe in another life.

 

The deadeyes rotate freely in their brackets, by the way, which is the reason they are not all facing the same way.  I'll take care of that when the time comes.

[PopJack]

 

Although many people no longer recognize the history, James Bond's destructive wheel spinners were actually based on a tactic developed by the Bluenose who used "nails of death" to rip the shrouds and chainplates off competitor's ships!

 

 

Okay, it has been a really long day.

[hexnut]

From what I've read, I could see captain Walters really enjoying that concept... Beautiful detail work!

[popeye the sailor]

looking good Popjack!   the chain plates are coming along great!

[dgbot]

Nicely done.

David B

[captainbob]

Nice work on those chain plates.

 

Bob

[DBorgens]

Jack,

Chainplates look great! You're doing exactly what most of us have done by leaving the chainplates proud. Too much work to make them flush. I like the appearance better anyway. A little touch up paint after you trim the bolts and she will be well dressed! Keep up the good work and post many pictures.

 

Dave B

[PopJack]

WELLLLLL, I have uttered some unkind words.

 

So, I was looking at the plans today, trying to figure out how I was going to do the rigging blocks when I got studying this particular segment:

 

 

When this caught my eye.

 

And then, I started looking at this:

 

And behold, I noticed that something was a bit different.

 

Which led quickly to the famous "expletive deleted,"  Note that the band below the "coupling band" is missing.  I completely overlooked it.  (It isn't on the main mast, which I did first).  Not only is it a band, but it has a hoop and two "eyes" in it!

 

Since there are pins running all the way through the mast and glue and such, I decided to make a ring an bend around the mast.  I just didn't think I'd be able to take it apart without destroying the mast.  Although I know its only wood and some wire, I just didn't want to do that again.

 

 

I knew that I wouldn't be able to solder it on, but I put the overlap in so that I could drill through the overlap and have the "pin" hold it closed and tight.

 

 

I made all new parts and go this:

 

 

After making the missing parts, drilling, painting, making the parts and everything, it came out in the "there will be ropes all over it anyway" category.  Honestly, it isn't perfect and there is a seam that is unsightly.   But I can live with it!

 

Edited March 17, 2014 by PopJack

[bhermann]

You scared me with this one - then I took a closer look.  Is that the band for the spring stay bail on the fore mast?  There certainly is a lot of hardware up there.  That hole and pin running through the mast will hold everything together.  Better that you found it now that later when you are trying to rig the stay!

 

Bob

[captainbob]

Good catch.  Good fix.

 

Bob

[PopJack]

Question: Am I a hooker or not?

 

I realize that the bluenose had internal iron work on its blocks, but I've been playing with using ropes to tie the hooks on anyway.  I've debated drilling, but the small single blocks are a bit of a challenge for me.  Read that "I'm scared."

 

I made several small hooks and tied one on to a triple. 

Here it is near its location and then "hooked on."  To stay in place, this hooks is supposed to be moused.  That makes me wonder if there is going to be anything visible except a big blob of string.

These block mount to the rail inside the monkey rail and I didn't want to fool with hooks on them, so I tied them directly onto the pins I made.  I'm wondering if they don't actually look less bulky and better.  (The brass wire is just scrap holding the becket open while he glue that forms it dries.

So the question is, do I tie on hooks, skip the hooks, drill the ones that are big enough?  Mouse or just glue?

 

I'm thinking about these things and your recommendations would be helpful.  Thanks.

[dgbot]

Depending on the size what I have done in the past is use very thin galvenized wire with my blocks after deepening the grooves.  After stropping aai would apply a drop of thinned filler to the grooves.  Once cleaned up you would think they were internally stropped.  I have also soaked them in CA and drilled a very small hole through the length avoiding the slot and inserting a piece of wire though it.  If too small the way you are doing. 

David B

Edited March 28, 2014 by dgbot