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HMS Unicorn by ianmajor - Corel - Scale 1:75, 1748 to 1771


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Hamilton, a pleasure.

 

I have started the cleaning process on the stove. I eventually got my Shiny Sinks from the local hardware shop - I think there is a lesson in that.

 

The Shiny Sinks highlights any surface solder, it also highlights any poor joints. Thus far only had the joint at one end of the spit fail (that had a minute bit of solder) which I have resoldered. I have cycled around giving the stove a clean with the Shiny Sinks, then a mechanical scrub with the scratch brushes twice then a final clean. It will dry overnight then if an inspection is OK I will start on the blackening process. I hope that goes well. :o

 

I have also produced a diagram for the still/condenser and am preparing some copper rod for it. After more than 4 months the end (may) be in sight! :)  :)  :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Ian,

 

What a great tutorial on soldering.  One of these days, would you consider doing an article for the Article/Downloads section?  I think it would be a big help to all of us amateurs. 

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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Ian,

Soldering is one of those "dark arts" around here.  I think the more info we have as reference, the less dark it will be.

Mark
"The shipwright is slow, but the wood is patient." - me

Current Build:                                                                                             
Past Builds:
 La Belle Poule 1765 - French Frigate from ANCRE plans - ON HOLD           Triton Cross-Section   

 NRG Hallf Hull Planking Kit                                                                            HMS Sphinx 1775 - Vanguard Models - 1:64               

 

Non-Ship Model:                                                                                         On hold, maybe forever:           

CH-53 Sikorsky - 1:48 - Revell - Completed                                                   Licorne - 1755 from Hahn Plans (Scratch) Version 2.0 (Abandoned)         

         

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

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  • 2 weeks later...
A bit more work on the lathe. I turned the condenser from a piece of 6mm diameter copper rod that I had. (I used to make replacement bits for my old soldering irons from it!) Sadly my photos of the turning process were badly out of focus so instead I have included a scan of the diagram from which I worked.

 

post-78-0-26842100-1381928710_thumb.jpg

 

I chucked a length of the rod and faced it. I end drilled it 0.5mm than turned down the end to 0.8mm for a length of 3mm. I turned a further 14mm down to 2mm diameter.

 

The work plus chuck was transferred to the milling machine where I cross drilled 1mm diameter to a depth of 1mm where the funnel and jacket outlet pipe go.

 

Back to the lathe where I set the top slide over to give a 1 degree taper on to the "jacket". Then using a parting tool I turned a further 20mm down to 1.5mm diameter. The whole was then parted off.

 

The 0.8mm spout was annealed and curved in to a slight joggle downwards and the 1.5mm diameter "pipe" at the other end was bent to 90 degrees. 

 

The funnel was a simple turning job, and I turned a length of copper to 1mm diameter to make the outlet pipe.The funnel is actually too short but I was concerned about clearance under the deck. If I deem a taller one is needed it will only take about 20 minutes to turn a replacement.

 

The three parts were then soldered together, cleaned and polished. It was then test fitted to the stove.

 

 

 

post-78-0-20826300-1381928708_thumb.jpg

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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The time had come to blacken the stove. I used Birchwood Casey Brass Black. I had a tiny jam jar (the sort you get at breakfast in decent hotels) which was big enough to slip the stove in. I topped up the jar with sufficient neat Brass Black to cover the stove and let it have a bath for 60 seconds with the occasional gentle agitate. Then I washed it in running water.

 

The following day I gave it a gentle burnish.

 

Now those of you (like me) who follow EdT's work will know that he is not a fan of brass blackened with selenious solution because raised detail and edges if rubbed create bright spots where the blackening rubs off. 

 

See, for example, page 22 entry no 318 of tlavine's HMS Atalanta log <link>. Ed describes his preferred use of copper which "....can then be blackened with no effect on surrounding wood using liver of sulfur solution. LOS does not work on brass."

 

Anyone who has worked on a model of locomotives know that there tend to be large areas of the undercarriage which are painted black. On models large areas of black tend to camouflage detail. The usual antidote is to dry brush the edges of the detail with a small amount of grey paint which if done carefully will represent the light glinting on the edges and points of the detail of the full sized item.

 

Now in this case, rather than drybrush the detail, I decided to change the vice identified by EdT in to a virtue - I deliberately polished the edges of the detail. So hopefully when the stove is in the gloom of the Unicorn gun deck its detail will gently glimmer.

 

Anywhere that I overdid the polishing I used a small brush to apply a drop of neat Brass Black to the exposed metal for 30 to 60 seconds then washed it off to reblacken that part (avoiding covering already blackened parts).

 

Inside the hearth there were visible joints where I was not able to clean the solder off completely so this rather showed up after blackening. The solder I covered with Humbrol No33 matt black paint which blends in with the blackening well.

 

At this point I added the spit drive made from 0.1mm wire. I got this wire by stripping the insulation off some instrument wire which produces several strands. 5 amp fuse wire is another source. I am afraid I cheated here - I used superglue to fix it. 

 

I made the riding bits that enclose the stove from 5mm square walnut and fixed these to the stove base. I debated whether these should be more elaborately carved but the ones on contemporary models seemed to be plain.

 

post-78-0-66575100-1381928931_thumb.jpg

 

post-78-0-67888500-1381928932_thumb.jpg

 

The base will need a bit of fettling to make it sit properly on the camber of the deck - so the stove will be fixed after that is done. Until then I will have to put the stove somewhere safe because next I will attack the waist.

 

The last photo is the stove sat on the Unicorn deck immediately above its final location.

 

post-78-0-32627500-1381928934_thumb.jpg         

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Best stove I have ever seen - congratulations, it looks fantastic.  

 

Good luck on the waist.  You're a brave man to perform that kind of surgery at this stage, but I think in the end it will all be well worth it.

Mike

 

Current Wooden builds:  Amati/Victory Pegasus  MS Charles W. Morgan  Euromodel La Renommèe  

 

Plastic builds:    SB2U-1 Vindicator 1/48  Five Star Yaeyama 1/700  Pit Road Asashio and Akashi 1/700 diorama  Walrus 1/48 and Albatross 1/700  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/32  Eduard Sikorsky JRS-1 1/72  IJN Notoro 1/700  Akitsu Maru 1/700

 

Completed builds :  Caldercraft Brig Badger   Amati Hannah - Ship in Bottle  Pit Road Hatsuzakura 1/700   Hasegawa Shimakaze 1:350

F4B-4 and P-6E 1/72  Accurate Miniatures F3F-1/F3F-2 1/48  Tamiya F4F-4 Wildcat built as FM-1 1/48  Special Hobby Buffalo 1/48

Citroen 2CV 1/24 - Airfix and Tamiya  Entex Morgan 3-wheeler 1/16

 

Terminated build:  HMS Lyme (based on Corel Unicorn)  

 

On the shelf:  Euromodel Friedrich Wilhelm zu Pferde; Caldercraft Victory; too many plastic ship, plane and car kits

 

Future potential scratch builds:  HMS Lyme (from NMM plans); Le Gros Ventre (from Ancre monographs), Dutch ship from Ab Hoving book, HMS Sussex from McCardle book, Philadelphia gunboat (Smithsonian plans)

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Hi Ian,

 

Your show is going on... What it could be said additional to the previous praises you deserve completely?!

I had forgotten the beauty of the ship because I have glued to  this fantastic build of the stove.

All is very nice...

Best Regards…

Ferit KUTLU

 

Under construction: Frigate Berlin (Brandenburg Navy)

Hope: Frigate Wappen Von Hamburg (Brandenburg Navy)

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Mike and Ferit,

 

Thank you for your kind words. And Ferit you are too kind about my Good Ship Orange Box! :)

 

I am looking forward to tackling the chain pumps. Mind you - I keep looking at the photos of the torpedo tubes on Piet's O 19 log (link) with the lovely mechanism on the end for opening to tube doors, which has a pair of cylinders, coupling rods ......oooo....I could really get carried away. Better not though - I have put off attacking the waist for far too long.

 

I am doing a quick survey of the affected area. I need to watch out for the non scale beams. Plus when I pull out the two sets of companion ways they may damage the gun deck surface. I may have to resort to judicially placed coils of ropes or what ever to hide the damage.

 

Of course, if it all goes horribly wrong, I could always make the stove in to a battle station model and pretend that that was what I intended to do all along! :)  :)  :) 

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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What a sweet little jewel you created!

 

Daniel

To victory and beyond! http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/76-hms-victory-by-dafi-to-victory-and-beyond/

See also our german forum for Sailing Ship Modeling and History: http://www.segelschiffsmodellbau.com/

Finest etch parts for HMS Victory 1:100 (Heller Kit) and other useful bits.

http://dafinismus.de/index_en.html

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What's that I see? Wood? A ship? You mean it's not just the stove....!

 

It looks right at home Ian - excellent work, as always

hamilton

current builds: Corel HMS Bellona (1780)
 
previous builds: MS Phantom (scuttled, 2017); MS Sultana (1767); Corel Brittany Sloop (scuttled, 2022); MS Kate Cory; MS Armed Virginia Sloop (in need of a refit); Corel Flattie; Mamoli Gretel; Amati Bluenose (1921) (scuttled, 2023); AL San Francisco (destroyed by land krakens [i.e., cats]); Corel Toulonnaise (1823); 
MS Glad Tidings (1937) (in need of a refit)HMS Blandford (1719) from Corel HMS GreyhoundFair Rosamund (1832) from OcCre Dos Amigos (missing in action); Amati Hannah (ship in a bottle); Mamoli America (1851)Bluenose fishing schooner (1921) (scratch)
 
under the bench: Admiralty Echo cross-section; MS Emma C Barry; MS USS Constitution; MS Flying Fish; Corel Berlin; a wood supplier Colonial Schooner Hannah; Victory Models H.M.S. Fly; CAF Models HMS Granado; MS USS Confederacy

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Daniel,

 

Thanks for the compliment.

 

When I open up the waist of the ship I will have to put more detail around the cannon. So it is kebab sticks to the fore (as per your Victory log ).  :)

 

Actually I meant to add some notes on the stove and its distiller/condenser gleaned from the display board on the Victory. Under "Galley and Fire Hearth" it says......

 

".......Manned by 1 ship's cook and 2 or 3 assistants, the ship's cook was ranked as a junior officer; not because of his cooking abilities, but mainly for the responsibility of tending the largest fire source within the Victory - fire being dangerous in wooden ships.......

 
.....(the stove's) components comprise:
 
 
1 Firebox and 1 open hearth fueled by coal or wood.
 
2 Large copper 'kettles' (total capacity 250 gallons/1137.5 litres) for boiling meat, stew and oatmeal gruel; etc
 
2 Baking ovens (total area 10 square feet/1.09 square metres) in which 80lbs (36kg) of bread could be baked in one batch.
 
2 spits for roasting and barbecuing; the spits connected by a chain drive to a smoke jack fitted in the flue, were automatically rotated.
 
7 hanging stoves on which the senior officers' meals could be cooked over coals removed from the firebox.
 
1 Copper distiller which converted seawater into fresh water; output approx. 2 gallons (9.1 litres) daily, which was often used for medical purposes.
 
When delivered these stoves were supplied with a number of spare parts........."
 
Obviously the Victory stove is a bigger version of the one that I made. I fancied trying to make some hanging stoves but decided that perhaps I should move on to some woodwork! :)  :)  :)
 
 
 

   

 

 

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Well yes Hamilton - I decided I had been enjoying myself too much and should get on with some real work on the ship...... ;)  :)  :)  :)

 

Another temptation is a ship's boat. I keep looking at your's and thinking "that is nice - must have a crack at that". :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Thanks ZyXuz. It will look even better when it lurks in the gloom under the foredeck! ;)  :)

 

Seeing how the next work on my ship turns out should be of interest to you for your Unicorn. :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Hi Ian,

 

Had they seen your stove, I think the Admiralty would have issued an order to have it permanently relocated to its position right there where you've photographed it!  In full view for all to see.  And get the draughtsman working on a new set of "as built" plans for Unicorn! ;)

 

That really is a masterpiece!

 

Cheers,

Robert

Current Build: HMS Mars

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Robert,

 

That is very kind of you. I suspect the cook would not be too happy to be out in the open whilst doing his work! :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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The Destruction Begins...!

 

Well I started on the modification of the waist area.

 

The first phase was to check the location of the non scale beams under the fore and quarter decks. It looks OK. There is one close to where the stove flue will emerge but it is out of the way. Under the quarter deck the extra cut out will not go back as far as the first of its beams. It may become visible so will perhaps require some trimming.

 

So it was time to start pulling previously fitted parts. Out came the two sets of steps, the deck pillars and the coving(?). Fortunately they didn't tear up the planking on the gun deck but have left some glue marks to clean up. 

 

This left me with a pile of redundant bits.....

 

post-78-0-33914900-1382028681_thumb.jpg

 

With the front steps gone I tried the stove for a fit under the fore deck. It won't quite go under. I will be sanding the underside of the fore deck so that the edge of the plywood exposed is thinned right down. If all else fails I have some leeway on the stove legs which I could reduce in length by up to 1.5mm without impacting its appearance. 

 

post-78-0-02684300-1382028683_thumb.jpg

 

I also tried the riding bitts in place. They sit quite nicely so won't need much dressing.

 

The photos shew the glue spots that need to be removed. It is also very dusty down there - it is 30 years since I last visited this location! You can also see the dust that has collected on the fore deck whilst I made the stove - I suppose it did take me a long time to make. :(

 

post-78-0-21833100-1382028684_thumb.jpg

 

With the rear riding bitts in place I am trying to decide whether it is worth making and fitting the foremost riding bitts. It would be quite a fiddle to get them in to place a bit like putting a ship in an opaque bottle. With the waist area widened I will review this and seek your opinion.

 

Next up is a fair ammount of cutting and sanding which will probably take me several days. If you don't hear from me for more than a fortnight then it has probably all gone wrong and I will have decided to take up flower arranging instead.  :)  :)  :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Spencer,

 

The stove was about 4 months in the making. However, during that time we had our living room "re-engineered" including plastering and a a fair bit of woodwork. The dust produced defeated our best efforts and got all over the house. I am sure there is a lesson here....... :)  :)  :)

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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The Destruction Part 2.

 

I have now started to open up the waist area. Thus far I have cut the sides away. I followed the planking line so that there is at least 2 plank widths down the side of the waist area. I am tidying this part up before I attack the rear of the waist area. The deck consists of 3 ply with planking on top. Where the edge of the deck is exposed I am beveling the edge so that there is only the edge of the planking plus one ply on show.

 

I then tried the stove under the fore deck again. I took a small amount off the the top of the stub on which the flue will ultimately be fixed. The stove and riding bitt structure then went under the fore deck OK - well the condenser had to come off first.  :huh:

 

The first photo shews this test fitting (along with the woodworking detritus - needs a good clean). The edge of the fore deck to the left of the stove has been beveled - to the right the full 3 ply is still awaiting treatment. The fore deck is a bit warped (has been for some time). I will be fitting a cosmetic beam along the rear edge of the fore deck which will hopefully remove the warping.

 

post-78-0-93505900-1395147128_thumb.jpg

 

Thus far I am still happy to open out the waist. I like the way the guns on the main gun deck are now on show and they will look much better when they are finished. I will have to put some planking in front of the cannon, and the exposed edges of the bulkhead extension, which expose the edge of the plywood from which they are made, will get a vertical plank as cover. I will probably have to put lining around the gun ports.

 

The next photo is a more general shot of the area.

 

post-78-0-50296600-1395147130_thumb.jpg

 

Now for the twiddly bit of destruction around the rear of the waist area.  :)

Edited by ianmajor

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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well done, Ian! :)

Modification is always the fun and nervous part..

 

I agree with Ferit.. enjoying modelling is always the first! every second spent on the stove was well worth! ;) I bet you will make another scratch build vent, and I'm looking forward on it :) :) :)

I was planning to add a riding bit too.. mind to share the dimension? :)

Visit My Blog! 

http://malaysiamodelship.blogspot.com/

 

Previous Build:

HMS Race Horse (Sergal)

 

Current Build:

HMS Unicorn (Corel)

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Hello ZyXuz and Ferit,

 

It is a bit scary carving in to the deck like this. When my nerve starts to waver  it is nice to know that I have your support (and the support of the others) to help me on. I am not sure that it is hard work - more a case of insanity! :)

 

I have marked out the rear of the waist area and I am feeling more and more that I made the right decision to do this modification. 

 

ZyXuz,

 

I will tidy up my notes on the riding bitts (with dimensions) scan them and put them in this log.

Ian M.

 

Current build: HMS Unicorn  (1748) - Corel Kit

 

Advice from my Grandfather to me. The only people who don't make mistakes are those who stand back and watch. The trick is not to repeat the error. 

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Hi İan,

One worrying thing about this installation is the other side of the stove will be out of sight, the kettle, many details, many labors etc... Did you find any way to show the dark side of the stove?

Best Regards…

Ferit KUTLU

 

Under construction: Frigate Berlin (Brandenburg Navy)

Hope: Frigate Wappen Von Hamburg (Brandenburg Navy)

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