Continental Gunboat PHILADELPHIA by Chuck Seiler - Model Shipways - 1:24 Scale - Enhanced

[Chuck Seiler]

I left the innards exposed.

 

A half inch seems excessive.  I have not gotten to that point yet with Philly 2 so I am not sure of the distance (I guess I could measure).  I'm thinking a half inch total...but I understand what you are saying.

 

In real life that happened because they didn't plan very well and the bow was too high for the gun to clear....so they sawed off a chunk.  On Philly 1, that area is reinforce with sold wood, so I painted it black to appear open.  The 12 pound forward gun covers some of that, but not all.

[kurtvd19]

Here is what I did with the area in question.  The Smithsonian plans seem to show something similar.

Kurt

[jbshan]

I took a blowup of the Smithsonian 3D scan.  The rail seems to end at about the cathead, but there is more stuff down inside, apparently.  Blocking?

 

[chborgm]

 It's 1/2 in. I may plug the gap or extend the caps. I am going to think about it for awhile and move on. As soon as i learn how to post pictures I'll show you

Clarence

[Chuck Seiler]

The Smithsonian 3D scan is of the ship as it is now.  That includes all deterioration.  Notice the gaps in the planking.  . 

 

Above is a picture of Dave Yotter's PHILADELPHIA (taken from our recent ship model Guild meeting) built from the Smithsonian plans.  Note how the curve of the caprail trends upward until it abruptly ends.  That's where it was chopped off.  You can that, if left in place, the operation of the forward gun would be impaired.

 

Unlike the Model Expo plans, the Smithsonian plans are structurally correct.  If you blow up the pic, you can see that the gap is indeed open and you can see into the innards.  Kurt's replication is about the same.  As previously discussed, they were not too concerned about water getting in there and rotting the insides out.  They knew it would not be afloat long enough to worry about.

Edited May 5, 2015 by Chuck Seiler

[chborgm]

I the time between posts I decided to do what Dave did. I had to do some filll pieces in because I had put in some supports for the planking not know they would be exposed. 

[Chuck Seiler]

Looks good!

[chborgm]

I am at the point with my Philly were assemble the swivel guns. How do you do this with out breaking something. I don't want to bed the white metal.

 

Clarence

[sxparent]

Hello All,  I took a little different approach with the swivel guns.  Shipways supplied 2, the records call for 8.  I decided to do 6 as the ones mounted in the bow made that area way to cluttered besides the thought of having to do that forestay configuration.  Back to the swivels.  I decided to use the supplied barrels to make a mold, the cast the guns in resin.  I then threw the white metal brackets into my parts box and bent some real metal wire to do the job.  Once painted, you really don't see a difference.  Good luck................  Sam   

[sxparent]

I should have added this above, but here is a shot of the swivels in the final product and nobody would suspect that these are made out of resin instead of the cast metal.  I should also add that Shipways wanted an astronomical amount of money for an additional 4 swivel guns for my gondola and that was what prompted learning how to cast the pieces myself. (Truth be known, of course I spent more money equipping myself to do that process then I would have just biting the bullet and sending Shipways the check.  On the other hand, I can make a pile of those barrels and give them away! HA!)  

[Chuck Seiler]

Sam,

 

    Your swivel guns look great.  I particularly like the brackets.  Is that thingamajig in picture 3 the jig for making them?

 

    If you are a mind, I would be willing to send a few bucks in your general direction to purchase some of those guns.  I will PM you on this.

[rtropp]

those guns look good.

Can you detail the supplies you used for casting them? I would like to give it a try.

Thanks,

Richard

[chborgm]

I just ran into a problem. The bow rail from the kit do not line up with the post opening in the rail. The forward post opening in the rail is about 3/8 aft of the opening laser cut in the rail. Does anyone else have this?

[chborgm]

correct the previous the hull rail opening is 3/8 aft of top rail

[sxparent]

To Richard:  I used the casting material from Micro Mark as seen in the pictures.  The mold was made from their 1 to 1 Rapid Silicone Rubber and I used the CR-600 to make the swivel guns.  Both of these are a one to one mixture and Micro Mark has pretty straight forward instructions on mold making and casting.  I went to my parts boxes and used old belaying pins for the tampons and inserted those in the mold before pouring in the resin so that the barrels are cast with the tampons in place.  Painting dresses them up nicely.  I tried to cast the trunions as seen in the picture, but broke off several in building, so finally went to brass rod stock cut and placed in the mold also before pouring.  To Chuck:  Yes, you called my thing-a-ma-jig correctly.  I used it to bend the wire eye bolts and then used wooden bulls-eyes as the collars.  I will get back to you on your request.    Sam   

[SawdustDave]

Outstanding Chuck.

Molding and casting art is absolutely essential for scratch building.

Anyone who has not tried it will be amazed by what can be achieved with this stuff.

[Chuck Seiler]

I'd be happy to take the credit, but they are actually Sam's guns.

[Chuck Seiler]

Ahoy all.  I have begun my build log for Continental Sloop PROVIDENCE.  I just started it.  I will later include some info on why I shifted from PHILLY to PROV.

[BRiddoch]

Is it because Providence is much closer to the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts than Philadelphia?

 

Bob R.

Edited July 30, 2015 by BRiddoch

[Chuck Seiler]

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