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

[TBlack]

I'm hoping that when this is done, you'll invite all of us out for a sail. I'll bring the sextant.

Tom

[michael mott]

Thanks for all the comments and likes.

There is something intrinsically satisfying about being able to prepare ones own materials from the raw tree. The maple that I am using in this model is from a log of maple that was 24 inches in diameter and 6 feet long that was cut in Nova Scotia in 1973 and was given to me by a students grandfather. It was about 7 years later that I cut a 3 inch slab from the center of the log with a hand held chainsaw and then hand planed that into a top for a coffee table.

Because the log had sat upright on a concrete floor for a couple of years before laying out the back of my model shop the log had started to get some spalting, which can produce some pretty figure.

The rest was cut into various slabs of 1/4 sawn pieces and set up in the rafters of the model shop when I was running my model building business.

Over the years since I have resawn various bits into 1/4 inch thick book matched panels and stacked then for later use.

 

Today I used a couple of 1/4 by 3 1/2 sheets that were 14 inches long that were still in the raw bandsawn state and decided that they would represent some figured plywood for the bottoms of the seat cushions. Hand planing the air dried maple was a joy soft paper thin shavings curing out of my benck plane.

 

 

 

 

The planks are resting on some rebated cleats.  I will add some cross pieces that when finished will hook into the rebates.

 

Michael 

 

 

[TBlack]

"There is something intrinsically satisfying about being able to prepare ones own materials from the raw tree"

 

This is a fabulous story. Thanks for sharing!

Tom

[rwiederrich]

Dang Michael....you've spoiled us with your perfect example of woodworking.....and metal working.

 

Rob

[EdT]

Beautiful work, Micheal - and I love the photography.

 

Ed

[michael mott]

Tom, Rob and Ed, Thank you for your kind words. I do find them encouraging, especially when one discovers that the reason one is having troubles with fitting this or that, that these are generally the result of an oversight or an error that was unavoidable. It turns out that the aft bulkhead was tight because i was trying to fit it a foot aft of where it was supposed to be. This I discovered this morning while setting up to install the side paneling.... Hmmmm the distance seems wider than the panel.  After cutting a new slot in the floor and moving the bulkhead forward chopping an 1 1/2" off the length of the seat bottoms it all came together. I shall insert a strip across where the earlier slot was cut no doubt the interior cabinet workers and shipwrights had a reason to the inset wood.  Access perhaps.. Angus was reasonably happy , mentioned that leather would be a better choice for the cushions.

 

 

 

I told him I would see what we had in stock.

 

Michael

[wefalck]

Yes, British racing-green or bordeaux deep-buttoned leather cushions would be the choice

[WalrusGuy]

42 minutes ago, michael mott said:

This photo (and all other closeups) looks like a computer rendered image. Everything is just perfect and very crisp. One can assume Angus is a full sized man (please don't tell him I mentioned this) 

 

How are you fitting the camera inside the model btw? From the model pics the slots seem a bit small for a camera to enter 

Edited February 7, 2021 by WalrusGuy

[michael mott]

Hi WalrusGuy?

I am using a fairly small Canon SX730HS and it has a flip mirror screen I  just sat i on a block of wood or in this case a jam jar.

 

I like the flip screen and have used the timer and then just held it in my hand as well

 

 

Michael

 

[BANYAN]

Man that is some quality joinery Michael, great to see you back.  I had to look twice at one of your photos to see if it was not the real thing - now that is mastery of the trade!

 

cheers

 

Pat

[WalrusGuy]

9 minutes ago, michael mott said:

Hi WalrusGuy?

I am using a fairly small Canon SX730HS and it has a flip mirror screen I  just sat i on a block of wood or in this case a jam jar.

 

I like the flip screen and have used the timer and then just held it in my hand as well

 

 

Michael

 

That makes a lot of sense!! Thanks for the additional pics. It's a really beautiful model 

[druxey]

Who is the inspector, Michael? Is that your alter ego?

[michael mott]

Hi Druxey no he is actually Montague,s Gardener come Jack of all trades, a bit more portly than me unfortunately,   here he is taking Mars for a drive

Michael

 

[druxey]

Hmm. Are you sure that he isn't the Fat Controller on vacation?

[michael mott]

A bit nippy out there this morning -31c with a windchill of -47c it seems so weird having to put on a parka and gloves going from the back door to the workshop which is only about 20 feet, but fumbling with the key and very cold door handles is not pleasant.

 

Michael

[wefalck]

Life would grind to halt over here at those temperatures ...

[TBlack]

Michael,

How do you heat the shop?

Tom

[KeithAug]

Michael, The crew member looks familiar. who did you model him on?

[michael mott]

Hi Tom its a through the wall air conditioning and heating unit

like this one but an Armana It keeps the shop nice and warm in the winter and cool in the summer, I keep the temp at 66f

 

I have a couple of choices for the seat cushions the green is a forest greenish vinyl and the other is a,  nice reddish brown pig skin.

 

 

The pig skin is a little thinner than the vinyl the computer screen is making the green look a little bluish and is toning down the red of the pigskin a bit. I like both but am having a difficult time choosing.

 

Michael

[michael mott]

2 hours ago, KeithAug said:

Michael, The crew member looks familiar. who did you model him on?

He was just a figment of my imagination Keith....no resemblance to me at all

[michael mott]

A quick and dirty yest to see how the vinyl looks as a buttoned cushion.

a couple of layers of the thin craft foam sheets from Michaels carpet taped to a bit of 1/4 inch thick plywood then the vinyl stapled to the wood on the bottom, and some brass coated estuchions pins hammered in to a rough pattern to represent the buttons.

 

 

A dab of green craft paint on the pins 

 

 

and see it in situ

 

The green vinyl might just work, tomorrow I will look at a test with the pigskin.

 

Michael

 

[Wintergreen]

"A bit nippy" he says... wow, hardy people some 😉 
I had an old Vauxhall once. Starting it when below zero Celsius always included start gas. Once it was -28 or so, then not even the gas was helping. Was towed for a mile before the engine fired up 😄 
We have green in our boat and likes it. 

 

Prior to that the upholstery was red. We didn't like that.

 

But taste varies, or as a Youtuber says, "your mileage may vary".

Looks good either way with your samples, Michael.

[rwiederrich]

11 hours ago, Wintergreen said:

"A bit nippy" he says... wow, hardy people some 😉 
I had an old Vauxhall once. Starting it when below zero Celsius always included start gas. Once it was -28 or so, then not even the gas was helping. Was towed for a mile before the engine fired up 😄 
We have green in our boat and likes it. 

 

Prior to that the upholstery was red. We didn't like that.

 

But taste varies, or as a Youtuber says, "your mileage may vary".

Looks good either way with your samples, Michael.

 

A little bit of white paint and a nice green cushion cover and you lightened her up considerably.  Nice job.

 

Rob

[michael mott]

Today i covered a base with the pigskin. I am now doing some of the work outside the hull because I now know that it will fit back in without any problems.

 

The panel under the seats is just a solid one.

 

 

 

The pigskin is mor difficult to work with and so I had to use a slightly different approach.

 

 

once the leather was glued I flipped it over and inserted the pins then dabbed a drop of brown paint on the buttons

 

 

 

set up inside with the green cushion

 

 

 

and the fabric one so as to lower the contrast.

 

 

Michael.

 

[wefalck]

Difficult to choose between the leathers - normally I am fond of green, but I think the bordeaux goes better with the kind of wood ...

[BANYAN]

Agree (for what it is worth ) 

 

cheers

Pat

[michael mott]

Eberhard are you suggesting that you prefer the fabric with the pattern over the leather?

 

Michael

[Roger Pellett]

I like the pigskin best

[TBlack]

Michael,

taking the interior cabinetry out of the boat and reassembling it must take a good part of the day!

I'd go with all pigskin, better at sea.

Tom

Edited February 10, 2021 by TBlack

[wefalck]

8 hours ago, michael mott said:

Eberhard are you suggesting that you prefer the fabric with the pattern over the leather?

 

Michael

Michael, I have been thinking leather only ... actually thinking about the operation of a pilot cutter, I was wondering, whether leather would have been a good choice for them. The guys would move down in their wet-weather gear (oil-skins, sea-boots) and would stay ready without really removing them. That's normally not so nice on leather. May be they choose oil-skin for covers ? Or they oiled the leather, like you would do for sea-boots ?