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

[michael mott]

Bob thanks for your confidence in this idea.

 

Today I did a long bit of reading and thinking about where the masting and rigging were going. A step back and a rethink of the whole game plan.

 

I could continue down the path of complexity or I could simplify the whole sail plan. Complex is easy, creating intricate mechanisms to do something is what we seem to be good at. This is a very easy trap to fall into, I fell into it headlong.... simplicity is not so easy but it is very elegant. This model is for me something of a philosophical statement as much as anything else. I am not building a replica of a particular boat or ship, I am working through a design process using a Bristol Pilot Cutter as a starting point, without really fully understanding what I was doing. It began as an inspiration sparked by Doris, then quickly spiraled into the model that now sits on the bench.  I now realize that I really do want to sail this boat and I need to simplify and get back to basics.

 

This evening I have decided that the boom needs to be a bit more traditional gaff jaws and parrel beads, not roller reefing. this will enable me to do a lot of things that roller reefing does not allow, but it is also much more simple in the long run.

 

So on with the show (and tell)

 

 

First I selected a piece of clear fir that would become the new boom

 

 

and then cut off a section that I could fashion into the jaws. tomorrow I will sort out the thickness of the new jaws in preparation before rounding the boom.

 

Michael

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Michael,

 

It takes a lot of guts to step back from where you are now with the model and do a complete rethink of your motives.  Good on you!

 

John

[mtaylor]

I must say this is an interesting turn of events.  But it should be interesting to watch.  Good for you being brave enough and thoughtful enough to scrap parts of your build and go for the simplest solution.

[captainbob]

Michael,

 

Yes the big question, what do I really want this model for?  And this cutter in the water will be beautiful.  Getting to and from the water is the problem.  For transportation you will have to remove the mast.  Have you decided how, with all the rigging you will do this?

 

What you've done and what you are doing is great.  Now I'll be quiet and watch.

 

Bob

[michael mott]

John, perhaps but the journey is always the most important part for me.

 

Mark, yes this is why after 50 years of building models I have such an interesting scrap box it is overflowing with all manner of trinkets.

 

Bob. I might be crazy to be thinking this but there are no low hanging overhead wires between me and the lake, I have a ten foot long five foot wide trailer  and I am thinking that the mile down to the yacht club where I will launch won't be too difficult to navigate with the mast and rigging intact.

 

The trickiest part is out the garage door, I'll cross that bridge soon enough. Something I will be making very soon is a new low bicycle wheeled trolly to be able to work on the rigging in the shop, I could also use it perhaps to wheel the model down to the lake. We'll see how this works out.

 

Michael

[Sven]

This is getting really interesting!!

 

Matt

[michael mott]

Matt;

Interesting is right, today I picked up some heat shrink at a Home Depot in the closest city of Spruce Grove which means I don't have to travel the full 50 miles to Edmonton. I made up one shroud with the wrap and laced it up, what a difference in rigidity.

 

Now I need to jig up and do some good seizing at the deadeyes, this is more difficult that doing it with rope though, because it is no where near as flexible.

 

Michael

[druxey]

"Curiouser and curiouser" said Alice. More interesting and more interesting, Michael!

[michael mott]

Druxey, thanks for the reference, it does feel a bit like going down the "Wrabbit Whole"

 

I am doing a couple of experiments with the aircraft cable to get the best looking results. the clear plastic is in fact a clear plastic drinking straw By slipping this over the the "served ends" I can work with some line to make the first seizing then slip the straw to do the next one and so on

 

 

I think that it might work in order to do the serving well to avoid this, as you can see the seizing closest to the dead eye is a mess

 

 

The heat shrink has some definite possibilities, the trick will be finding a way to make the whole set up look right.

 

So another journey along the shrouds begins. I'll report the findings.... after the hockey game!

 

Micheal

 

 

[druxey]

Thought: what about leaving shrink wrap/straw under the seizings?

[Jim Lad]

Good idea, Druxey, but would it promote sweating or the build up of moisture under there?

 

Michael - moisture under the shrink wrap may also be an issue for you to think about.

 

John

[mtaylor]

I'd think that with stainless, water wouldn't be and issue... hmm... seal the ends of the shrink tubing with some epoxy paint???

[AntonyUK]

Hi Michel.

Have just finished reading through this build log.. WOW.

I must say I felt like putting a "like" on every page you posted..

A fantastic build and the workmanship is astounding to say the least.

And it's a very nice ship with some interesting lines.

I have has the pleasure of sailing on one of thease some 16 years ago.

 

Regards Antony.

[michael mott]

Good morning all.

Druxey that is an interesting Idea. The first experiment where i did use the heat shrink over the two parts

 

 I noticed that the shrink wrap would not shrink down any further it seemed to have stretched out in some way that even if the cables were brought back together next to the dead eye the wrap would not shrink down again, this is why I thought about the straw. The straw seemed to be a good form of a clamp. One of the other ideas I had while doing this was to use a short piece of copper tube and use it as a crimp similar to the aluminum ones that you can purchase to crimp cables.

 

I like the idea if being able to wrap the seizings over something that is holding the cables so that the tension is already being held, this will enable the seizings to be wrapped carefully to get the best visual appearance.

 

Today I will try a few tests to see which of these methods will work the best.

 

John, being that I am using stainless aircraft cable I would have thought that moisture would not be a major issue, any metallurgists out there who could shed some light on this?

 

Mark, I am going to see how much the heat shrink closes up on an open end my bigger worry is a snag on a sheet or cloth on an exposed wire strand.

 

Antony, thank you for stopping by and for your kind thoughts. I see you are from Devon My sister lives in Crediton. Last time I was in England visiting my brothers and sister, we traveled over to St Ives, and Lynton and Lynmouth. We also spent a lovely day at Torquay. all great places to see traditional craft.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

Things are moving along. I did a few more tests today.

 

The first test was to use a short piece of copper tube that had been squashed to an oval as a way to hold the stiffer wire.

 

 

The heat shrink I purchased was at Home depot in  packets that included 8 pieces of 3/32 it was likely more expensive that a full length at a electronic store in the city of Edmonton but the extras cost of gas to drive the next 25 miles plus the hassle didn't warrant it.

The copper tube was not quite large enough to capture two sections of wire with the heat shrink covering.

I added a short piece to create an even length.

The seizing was done with the coats button and carpet thread but the shrink was so tight that I snapped the thread trying to add the vertical wraps as you can see in the lower shroud test.

I did a third test with a very narrow ring of copper with the intention of putting some heat shrink over the top of it and the two narrow parts

it would not go over the copper though.

Back to the clear straw which I cut into short lengths of about 1/4 inch, this was to be covered with the thread leaving the straw under.

I did the seizing at the end closest to the dead eye and left the tail open in order to do the vertical wrapping.

The progression up the length of the tail worked out well enough. I think this might be a good solution.

 

Michael

 

[newbuilder101]

Looks like the experimentation process paid off.....the  final photo shows a keeper!

[popeye the sailor]

dead eye and shrouds look really cool in stainless steel.......your resorcefulness shows your determination.   it payed off well!

[druxey]

Minor suggestion: would the wire above the deadeye take a tighter curve if squeezed together and shaped using needle-nosed pliers?

[michael mott]

Sherry thanks for your kind comment. however it is still nagging me that the space next to the dead eye is a little too large

 

Popeye, thanks sometimes i feel a bit like a dog with a bone, and just keep digging.

 

Druxey, funny you should mention that,  the same thought crossed my mind after I had finished up...... the journey continues.

 

Michael

[Jim Lad]

Michael,

 

Interesting experiments.  If you can get that first seizing closer to the deadeye, not only will it look neater, but you'll avoid the risk of a deadeye popping out under strain.

 

John

[captainbob]

Michael,

 

I was going to comment but then Druxey and John said it for me.  You're defiantly on the right track. 

 

Bob

[michael mott]

John, Bob, thanks for your observations.

 

Today I felt like I was finally getting somewhere.

 

the shrink was first cut to just the length around the deadeye, then a copper clamp was added then a couple more lengths of shrink and the next copper clamp and on to the top. I added a short piece to cover the end and let it protrude about 3/32nds. The copper was crimped in the centre between the cables, with a pair of pincers that have had the edges honed to not cut, this also added just a slight relief between them, which helped with the shrink.

 

 

 

The shrink was then shrunk down and the first seizing was added to the end closest to the deadeye.

 

 

In order to make threading the nylon thread a little easier I made a small Marlin spike, and so that I would not loose it among the pins and needles I added a scrap of ebony as a handle, it also helps to hold it.

 

 

The spike worked well I am happy to report.

 

 

I think this is the way forward I am pleased with the results only three more to do.

 

Michael

 

 

[Jim Lad]

Looking much better, Michael!

 

Marline spikes for model making?  This is getting ridiculous!!

 

John

[newbuilder101]

I thought it looked great before, but I can see a definite improvement on this one. No chance of the deadeye slipping out now!

[mtaylor]

Michael,

 

Now that is a super looking deadeye/shroud/seizing.  Wow!!  The marlin spike is one thing... but an ebony handle?  

 

[jo conrad]

Hi Michael.

Another humble suggestion :

How about making a scale shroud lashing directly on top of the dead-eye? Running and standing part of the shroud cross each other atop of the deadeye, are seized there at the crossing point, and then another two or three seizings farther up the shroud. Thus the strain of the shroud to your first lashing will be reduced to zero. Wolfram zu Mondfeld shows it this way, and I find it to be logical. Anyway this was the way shrouds have been rigged to dead-eyes for centuries, before the age of turnbuckles. But then again aboard Cutty Sark

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/elsie/510507553/in/set-72157600249988274/

 

you´d find your way of tackling this job.

 

Germanus

Edited May 31, 2013 by jo conrad

[Jim Lad]

Germanus,

 

I think you'll find that wire shrouds don't cross over the deadeye like fibre rope shrouds.

 

John

[michael mott]

John, we need tools to do the job, right? sorry I spelled it wrong.

 

Sherry thanks this afternoon my thumbs are sore from cutting and squeezing all sorts of bits.

 

Mark, thanks for the compliment, regarding the ebony I already had a short bit of ebony dowel from another project so it was quick.

Germanus thanks for your observations, on this one I have to agree with John the difference between steel rope and fibre rope determines the method.

 

so to round out the day after a fair bit of finger work I am ready to do more seizing.

 

 

I will tackle that tomorrow it is time for a

 

Michael

[DSiemens]

Incredible work! I look forward to seeing the rigging come together.

[druxey]

Well, Michael, I think you've nailed it. Well done.