Bristol Pilot Cutter by michael mott - 1/8 scale - POF

[newbuilder101]

Yes, that DOES look great! Nice work indeed.

[Jim Lad]

Looking much better, Michael!    Check out your stock of smack and cutter photos - I think you'll find that the deadeyes should be much closer together (i.e. shorter tackles) in the final version.

 

John

[jo conrad]

That´s it, Michael, perfect.

I am going to use some black thread to make the shrouds I think I will be able to make the length just long enough without lengthening the rope walk.

Michael

These hempen lanyards, shrouds and stays have been protected and greased with a time-honoured, dark-brownish dip of stockholm-tar and boiled linseed oil, a nasty mixture for the hands and clothes of the ship´s boys, who had to do this job from their monkey-swing, lowered all the way down from truck to channels. The dead-eyes themselves got their share of that blackish grease as well. So a black rope for the lanyards and black thread for the shrouds will look alright.
Germanus

Edited March 25, 2013 by jo conrad

[Foremast]

Michael,

I've read your entire log and I'm staring in front of my PC, looking at your work. Wonderful! I'd like to shrink also myself and go aboard with that shipwright I've seen in some picture ... !!!!

 

Regards

Alex

[michael mott]

Russ, Sherry, John, Germanus and Alex. Thank you all for your kind comments.

 

I picked up some Gutterman Black No 50 cotton thread today and followed Longridge's method of using 4 x 3 strand ropes, I only used 3 threads instead of 4 in the three strands of the smaller ropes I should have used 4 threads in each strand. It was a lot of work regardless.

 

 

The four ropes each rope was formed from 9 threads instead of 12, so I ended up making the shrouds a little on the light side.

 

 

 

I did some seizing with the same No 50 threads and test fitted the shroud rope around one of the deadeyes, I was a little disappointed because of the mistake with the numbers of thread in the smaller ropes, because this made the shroud 16 threads thinner than it should have been.

 

 

I need to make a serving jig and a better clamping method than the crocodile clip stand for doing the seizing. I am also thinking that a geared powered ropewalk with be the ticket, So I will have to get cracking on one of those as well. I must admit I got tired of winding by hand.

 

Michael

[Jim Lad]

Michael,

 

Tha shrouds do look a bit light on - unless, of course, you have more modern rigging and you're using wire for the shrouds.

 

The set-up with the deadeyes closer together looks the 'ants pants'!

 

John

[russ]

Michael:

The rope looks good, On the model the shrouds do look a bit thin. Do you have a source for the size of the rigging on this boat?

 

Russ

[DORIS]

Hello Michael,
your project is just awesome, let me express my admiration to your inspirational work. Thank you for sharing.
Kind regards,
Doris

[cog]

Michael,

 

That's what I meant with the contrast. It looks better (to me).

 

If you feel it's  to thin, You should change the shrouds. Any saddlers in the neighbourhood? They have some excellent thread from thin to quite thick - in the end I made and repaired most of my tack (but for the saddles) myself. Don't buy the waxed type though.

[popeye the sailor]

that's some really nice work Michael......had a nasty work week  {I work the week ends}.......I had to really backtrack on you log to see it all!

 

    what a great tuitorial on how to make dead eyes....you made it look so easy!   and your dry fit is fabulous....the shrouds look so cool.   you do some wonderful work!   I've never made rope before,  so this should be quite interesting.

Edited March 26, 2013 by popeye the sailor

[captainbob]

Michael,

 

Went back to see find something and noticed I missed your art show link.  I wish I were there to see it in person.  Love your piano(?).

 

Have you come up with an easy way to lower the mast for transit, or will you loosen the shrouds every time?

 

Bob

[michael mott]

John, Russ, Doris, Carl, Popeye ,and Bob, thanks for dropping by.

 

Today I whipped up (pun intended a little serving tool that will also be able to be used as a clamping jig. I will post full details on the tools and jigs section. Here is a shot of the tool in action I used black on white for the photo.

 

 

The sewing bobbin which can be easily loaded on the sewing machine is a slide fit on the shaft and close enough to the base that a layer or two of card acts as a brake. I used Dafi's method of securing the rope in the tubes with wedges, The tubes are  running in ball races to reduce the friction.

 

The slides cad be easily slide off the aluminum bar. and locked with the little thumb screws

 

 

 

Michael.

Edited March 27, 2013 by michael mott

[Jim Lad]

Nice looking serving machine, Michael!

 

John

[cog]

Dished that up pretty fast, and it does look easy enough to DIY! Thanks for showing!

[druxey]

Nice little serving machine, Michael. I don't quite understand the purpose of the the third slide, far right in the photo, though.

[michael mott]

Carl, It is funny I got so focused that I realized by 3:30 in the afternoon that I had not eaten anything all day. Plus I had all the supplies.

 

Good morning Druxey, I made 3 slides anticipating other clamping ideas At the moment it really need not be stored there. and it just taking up room. Had I been thinking it through I would have made 4 or the two that are in use a little wider at the top.  It is a work in progress. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

 

Michael

[druxey]

Thanks for the prompt answer, Michael. I've asked another question on your other thread on this topic.

[russ]

Michael:

That is very ingenious. I look forward to seeing your results.

 

Russ

[michael mott]

I found a little time this evening to have a go at another shroud. I did not take any pictures this evening I will take some tomorrow. I reset the whirl end of the ropewalk after making the 4 ropes of 3 strand I increased the number of threads in the 3 strand rope to 6 per strand from 3 in the first shroud.

 

I drew a square layout on the circular disc and drill a new set of holes. The rope strands were even now. and the shroud formed up really nicely on the ropewalk. the new shroud is .093 Diameter the first one was .062.

 

In scale the .093 works out to .7 inches which is just under 3/4 inch in scale. it is actually closer to 23/32 in scale numbers. It looks much better on the deadeye.  Now I can use the .062 as the lanyard.

 

Also tomorrow I can see how it looks on the serving machine.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

Set the new shroud up in the serving machine and did the serving.

 

 

Next time I will switch the rotators end for end so that the turning is done from the right hand short end of the shroud this will make the long loose end continually in wind up direction instead of an unwind direction. I also noticed that when the bobbin came off the brass sleeve and was loose on the 3/16 shaft the bobbin sat on the base and created just enough friction that it wound up nicely and traveled along by being pulled by the wind.

 

I will see if this will work for the full length on the next one. The other advantage of switching the feed end is that I can feed some of the served end through the right hand rotator to serve a longer length if needed .

 

 

laying the loose end inside the clear plastic tube that some of the metal tube comes packaged in worked a treat.

 

 

The clamping method finally became clear as began working on the setting of the deadeye, simple pegs in the top. I looked at a couple of different weights of seizing thread and also different colours I like the contrast with the lighter colour and I like the heavier Koban  next to the deadeye ,so next trip into town I will pick up some tan coloured Koban

 

 

A quick look at the new shroud in situ, I used some of the first shroud as a lanyard, It is not as flexible as a 3 strand rope so I will make some black rope for the lanyards.

 

 

 

Michael

[newbuilder101]

Oh...I really like the new ropework! You're right about the contrast too - looks great!

[russ]

The new shroud and lanyard look very good. Excellent work.

 

Russ

[cog]

Michael,

 

Your new lanyard looks more sturdy, it suits your boat. I have to say that I like the contrast in the colours on the right side better. What do you feel yourself ...

[Jim Lad]

Michael,

 

The seizings would have been done with marline, which is heavily impregnated with stockholm tar and is thus a very dark tan.

 

Looking good, mate!

 

John

[SJSoane]

 

Michael,

 

Nice serving device. Along with that micro adjusting table saw fence you showed in another forum, you are the maestro jig maker! I have an idea for an adjustable stop for cutting small strips on the Byrnes table saw I might try out on you and see if you have ideas....

 

Great work. Looks fantastic.

 

Mark

[michael mott]

Well it has been a Good Friday.

Sherry, thanks for your comment on the new shroud test.

Russ, Thanks, I will need to make enough lanyard now for all four sets of deadeyes, it will be simple 3 stand rope which will be much mor flexible than the 4 rope that I used for the new test.

Carl, The jury is still out on the light verses dark rope for the lanyards, I have seen it both ways on the photos of the cutters and smacks.

John, thanks for the info regarding the seizings.

Mark thanks for your thoughts. I really do like making the small tools and devices. I am interested in your ideas about the adjustable stop.

The snow is finally melting here still a fair bit to go yet before the lake thaws out there were still ice fishermen out there this afternoon.

 

Michael

[SJSoane]

 

Hi Michael,

 

Did you post the details of the serving machine elsewhere? I am very curious to see the details.

 

I'll try to do a drawing of the jig I have in mind for the Byrnes saw, in the next day or so. Your inventions have got me thinking.....;-)

 

Mark

[michael mott]

Hello Mark, I did add a little more about it in tools

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1410-another-serving-machine-and-universal-clamp-for-seizing/

 

Not a lot more than her but a little more. I could do an as built drawing and post it if you think it would be of benefit.

 

Your inventions have got me thinking.....;-)

It is one of the things that i enjoy so much about this forum , all the wonderful sharing of Ideas that happens almost daily.

 

I was in town today and picked up a few more different threads to try.  The Black Gutermann upholstery thread look very promising, it is polyester so a little less fuzzy.

 

Michael

[SJSoane]

 

Hi Michael,

 

Here is the saw stop I was thinking about making, inspired by your inventions. It indexes cuts on the side opposite the fence, with a micro-adjuster. I'll bet there is a more elegant way of doing this. Any thoughts?

 

Mark

[michael mott]

Mark I have done a drawing that I will post over in tolls and equipment. I think you have a neat idea.

 

Michael