NRG Capstan Project by JacquesCousteau - 1:32

[Some Idea]

What lovely carpentry and all by hand too - you certainly have skills with hand tools.

[JacquesCousteau]

5 hours ago, Some Idea said:

What lovely carpentry and all by hand too - you certainly have skills with hand tools.

Thanks! I can see all sorts of ways I could be more precise. This build has been a great learning experience for me, and also very humbling. I think about how much time this single capstan has taken me, and then look at the amazing full-ship scratch builds on this site, many in a much smaller scale, with so many precise fittings and cuts. It blows my mind that people ever finish a full-ship build!

 

It's also been very interesting to "mill" my own wood by hand. On one hand, it feels like a real accomplishment and I feel that much more invested in the model. On the other hand, it's an absolute ton of work, especially without the proper tools. Earlier I had been considering using the manzanillo for a fully-framed cross-section model, but by now I think that milling the lumber to size would be way too much work to be worthwhile, except maybe for some select parts. (Not to mention that the manzanillo's grain is a little more prominent than I would like, and I've found that the dust irritates my nose a bit if I do substantial sawing or sanding indoors.)

[JacquesCousteau]

Very minor update: I liked the way the bolts on the capstan barrel assembly turned out, so I decided to do the same with the capstan step bolts. Rather than have them go all the way through, these are fake bolts only visible from the top side. I'll add pins to the lower side of the holes when the time comes to attach the step to the framing. It would be more accurate to blacken the bolts somehow, but I'm going for a more stylized look on this build anyway, so I'm happy with them looking more metallic.

 

As can be seen, the step got a bit scratched up when I was filing down the bolts. So, I ended up lightly sanding the whole top with fine grit sandpaper and applying a new, light amount of linseed oil. Of course, it will take forever to cure, but it will be finished at about the same time as the capstan barrel. I also added a thin coat of shellac to protect the framework, the linseed oil on which has cured by now. Here's the whole assembly so far, minus the capstan bars:

 

To cut out the capstan drumhead parts, I think I'll need to wait until I can get into the carpentry workshop to use the fretsaw there, so it will probably be a little while.