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

[michael mott]

4 hours ago, SpyGlass said:

This may seem a STUPID question Mike - but at this scale can you not actually make up and tension the shroud deadeyes "as it was done" with a teeny fid etc ?. Or do your beautiful work and photographs just make everything seem all much bigger than it really is.

Spy I am not quite sure I understand what you are asking?

 

8 hours ago, DORIS said:

Incredible precision and quality of work. What a great inspiration for all of us.

Thank you for sharing,

Thank you Doris, I appreciate your opinion.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

 

18 hours ago, SpyGlass said:

It was that you said the port shroud was too long.  Was that a simple measuring mistake then as you "premade" them ?

I was simply wondering whether it would be easier at the scale you are working to follow actual practice

 http://www.woodenboatfittings.com.au/articles/setting-up-shrouds.pdf

Ah now I understand. The method that I used was in fact similar to the one described. The mistake that I made was to not set the height above the deck of both shrouds at the same time. I put some tension on the port shroud, worked to set the height on the Starboard one which pulled the topmast over too far so I added more tension to the port shroud which then came to close to the bottom dead eye. This was the one that I had already fixed. The whole problem was ultimately caused because I did not pre stretch the shrouds which I made from rope not cable. Thee are things we learn from experience. All the book learning in the world is helpful but the learning from experience is greater in my view.

 

This cutter will eventually be to the point where I will be ready to say it is complete and then move on to the next one. All the experience from the present work will be invaluable on the next cutter. 

 

Michael

[michael mott]

Spy, I did but only on the whippings on the port side which took a long time to undo with the repeated soakings. I sealed the knots after the repair with some tight bond III instead.

 

As Much as I would like to build one at 1:1  I am a bit long in the tooth now, and not living waterside where I could learn from the masters I'm afraid it will need to be an Essex or Gloucester type smack. Although I do like the Thames barges as well. let me see now The Thames Barge Will Everard  at 1:8 would be 32 feet long. I do have the Modelmaker plans for the Will Everard at 1:96 and it is 32 inches overall they came with a small booklet there are 5 sheets of plans and the model was for a bread and butter hull. It would be 64 overall at 1:48 It would also be an interesting model to build with a proper metal hull. A brass hull.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

another short update today I made a small 8 inch cleat to fix the topmast forestay.

A piece of 1/8 inch brass strip that was 1 inch wide was drilled for the mounting holes in the mill then the bottom was shaped while still attached to the strip. I made it the same way as this earlier one.

 

 

The new one slightly different obviously acquired from a different manufacturer. the screw were turned out of some of the home depot 3/16 brass rod it is free machining and I like to use the 3/16 because I can turn down to the final diameter in one pass because the work is supported as reduce the diameter. I ground the parting tool to the angle of the countersink. in order to cut the head. they are 0x80 threads

 

 

again the slot was cut with the jewelers saw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is a lot of fun making these small bits and pieces.

 

Michael

 

[G.L.]

Michael,

 

Amazing how you make all these small parts with such great accuracy!

 

G.L.

[michael mott]

Thanks for all the likes and visits.

 

I finished forming the 3 other dorade vents today.

The forming required 4 annealings 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

time for an afternoon nap with the kitties.

 

michael

 

[BANYAN]

Stunning work Michael!  I don't think I need to say more

 

cheers

 

Pat

[druxey]

Very impressive - and only four annealings were required? Enjoy your -ahem- cat nap!

[Mark Pearse]

HI Michael

 

you've done this beautiful detail with great finesse.

[wefalck]

Very nice sheet-metal work on a type of vents that was new for me. The real challenge for me would have been the making of the hollow hardwood formers ...

[michael mott]

10 hours ago, wefalck said:

The real challenge for me would have been the making of the hollow hardwood formers ..

Eberhard the formers would be challenging with small tools I was able to use the large mill drill to form the basic block which was then cut in half.  I have been using brass but I keep thinking about the metalwork done by Ed Tosti with copper. I have done a fair bit of forming thicker copper for Model steam boilers but had not thought about using thinner material for this sort of application. Copper being very pure and extremely malleable would likely be easier to form.

I suppose you could make a master in solid plexiglass (I prefer the cell-cast type because it machines beautifully, which the extruded does not) somewhat along the style of the half of a sand mould. then make a cast of that with some JB weld as the form in which to form the sheet metal. I have used this method and it does work for a limited number of parts. A little less toxic than the etching process perhaps.

 

Michael

[wefalck]

Ahh, haven't thought about sinking a round mill into the wood block and then cutting it into half. Yes, of course, you also need symmetrical parts persumably for both sides of the deck-house.

 

You are right about the machineability of cast Plexiglas (type GS as opposed to XT for the extruded one). My father used to work for a daughter company of Röhm GmbH, the original manufacturer of Plexiglas™. Thus I had access to the material and their extensive application handbook, which deals with all sorts of machining and (hot) shaping etc. Therefore, also a certain affinity to that material. Being chemically close to acrylic paints, I found it also paints well with these.

 

Actually, etching fluids are not particularly 'toxic', but, of course, they can eat holes into tools, workplaces and the skin. I am rather cautious working with them in a rented city appartment ... that's why I will give this work out this time.

Edited December 11, 2018 by wefalck

[druxey]

Copper is certainly more ductile than brass, which is why I was surprised at the limited number of annealings that you did to achieve the shape.

[rwiederrich]

Wonderful metallurgy.........Michael.

 

It just keeps getting better, every time I look in....love it.

 

Rob

[michael mott]

Hi Druxey, I thing that because the shape is not to difficult and the fact that the shim stock was only .008" might be the reason. Now I am wondering about thin copper stock and who supplies it. I have lots of it in the 16g and up size but not much saller other than the wire I ran through the rollers to form small strip.

3 hours ago, wefalck said:

My father used to work for a daughter company of Röhm GmbH, the original manufacturer of Plexiglas™. Thus I had access to the material and their extensive application handbook, which deals with all sorts of machining and (hot) shaping etc. Therefore, also a certain affinity to that material.

Eberhard The only drawback to the cell-cast that I encountered when i was building Architectural Models for a living was the variation in the thickness of the cast material. We got into the habit of sorting the cut 8'x4' sheets into thick and thin 1/8th or 1/4 and 1/16. The 1/16 came in smaller sheets, once this was done it helped with the assembles when cutting multiple parts because the parts would be more consistent.

 

Michael

[Piet]

Lovely work Michael and I'm back watching and learning again.

 

Cheers,

[Omega1234]

Hi Michael

 

Mmmmm....let me see.  I bet that you were one of those kids at school that were gifted and talented at just everything you turned your hands to.  You know, the sort that mere mortals like me just looked at with fits of envy and jealousy.

 

Why am I saying this?  Well, there’s no other way that I can adequately express my admiration for your mastery of this model.  Everything that you’ve done just looks sensational!

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

 

Patrick

 

[michael mott]

8 hours ago, Omega1234 said:

Mmmmm....let me see.  I bet that you were one of those kids at school that were gifted and talented at just everything you turned your hands to.  You know, the sort that mere mortals like me just looked at with fits of envy and jealousy.

Oh if only you knew about my Music 8% and English Lit 33% English Grammar 30%  I did make it as a back up for the back up for the soccer team once. and it is good that we have the game of scrabble which helped wiv spellin.

 

Thanks so much for the compliment though.

 

Michael

[cog]

3 hours ago, michael mott said:

Oh if only you knew about my Music 8% and English Lit 33% English Grammar 30%  I did make it as a back up for the back up for the soccer team once. and it is good that we have the game of scrabble which helped wiv spellin.

 

Thanks so much for the compliment though.

 

Michael

You turned out alright ...

[Bedford]

Michael, I think most of us with the best aptitude for this kind of work don't have the aptitude for standard education techniques, I certainly didn't do anything stunning at school with the exception of anything that involved mind and hand, in which case I did quite well.

[Bob Cleek]

Amazing work on the ventilation cowls, Michael! I'd never have thought it possible if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, and in brass, too.

 

Side-mount half-cowls were once rather common on power boats in the US. The "step" at the bottom of the doghouse here seems as if it would allow for a Dorade box-type drain arrangement with the outlet below the cowl about an inch above the deck on the side of the "step" on the prototype, assuming a drain could be run from inboard.  I've never seen them installed in pairs on the same side, which I expect in this prototype was in recognition of the fact that they don't work very well.   They are only half the capacity of a full cowl, so that's half the air flow. Because they are up against the cabin sides, the air flow is further limited. Finally, as the air circulation on a boat of this type is from forward aft, they aren't in a position to contribute much when placed well aft, especially next to a hatch that is frequently open anyway, although when closed up, they would allow some air to exit the saloon. This isn't any criticism of the model, mind you. Just observations about what is now a somewhat rarely encountered fitting.

 

I've seen similar brass fittings, e.g., bells and binnacles, gold plated to good effect. The result is a model that looks like it's brass is kept polished. If you know a dentist or somebody who works in a dental lab, they may be able to do it for you inexpensively. It's a simple process, as you probably know. It only takes a microns-thing coating.

 

Your photos are much appreciated. Before these, I would never have considered making cowl ventilators any way other than by casting or electro-plating a wax plug painted with metallic paint. Either method has significant difficulties and limitations. I expect if one were of a mind to do so, the flanges of two halves as here could be silver soldered together and the excess filed off to yield a full cowl. I vaguely anticipate that making a few of those may well be in my future. Outstanding work! 

Edited December 13, 2018 by Bob Cleek

[druxey]

Perhaps an odd question: is dorade pronounced "door-aid" or "door-arde"?

[wefalck]

I gather in the part of the World I am currently living in, the 'golden' would be pronounced something like 'do-raad', with a short, open 'o'.

 

BTW, why are these vents collade 'dorade-vents' ? Haven't heard this term before.

Edited December 13, 2018 by wefalck

[Omega1234]

14 hours ago, michael mott said:

Oh if only you knew about my Music 8% and English Lit 33% English Grammar 30%  I did make it as a back up for the back up for the soccer team once. and it is good that we have the game of scrabble which helped wiv spellin.

 

Thanks so much for the compliment though.

 

Michael

Hi Michael

 

Your response made me smile from ear to ear!  At least you made it as a 'back up for the soccer team".  I, on the other hand, was always the LAST to be picked for any sporting team☹️.  And, to make it worse, I was never allowed to sing out loud when we had to sing hymns at school because my voice was flat.  I was told that I had to mime the words, instead!!!!!  I still haven't gotten over the humiliation....

 

Oh well.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[popeye the sailor]

getting caught up with your progress Michael is always a treat!  you have amazing metal skills      rigging looks great!

[michael mott]

I have been sidetracked for a couple of days working on this new tool for the mill

 

 

Michael

 

[Omega1234]

Hi Michael 

 

I can just imagine the sort of magic that you’ll be able to conjure up that new addition to your workshop.

 

Enjoy!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited December 16, 2018 by Omega1234

[vaddoc]

Michael, just finished catching up with your wonderful work. Too much to take in in one pass!

Huge pleasure as always, looking forward for more updates. Such a shame the first half of the journey was lost!

 

Regards

Vaddoc

[michael mott]

First a happy new year to one and all. Thanks to all who have visited and pushed the like button.

A tiny bit (no pun intended) of an update. Drilling the mounting holes in the dorade vents with a .020" drill bit.

 

 

 

Next I needed to sort some pins, the reason they need to be sorted is because the heads are stamped and some are really out of whack.

 

 

You can really see the difference in the next picture.

 

 

Then once the heads were chosen for size a second sort was done by setting up a test for concentricity. this was a simple roll test and if it rolled a good distance then it was OK.

 

 

Next the were set up in the small pin vice in the lathe and filed down to about half the head size, I didn't measure this but it is around .031" they were rounded polished and then a slot put in to create faux round head screws, which are actually pins that will hold the Dorade vents to the cabin sides.

 

Test fitting the "screw" in the vent next to a "standard" pin

 

 

That's it for now. 

 

michael

Edited December 27, 2018 by michael mott
spelling

[G.L.]

Michael,

 

You really have an eye for details!

I am learning with every post of you.