US Brig Niagara by Laxet - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[GLakie]

Jackstays and footropes are looking good Dale.  When you start to use your serving machine, I'd be interested in how well it works for you. I'll be picking up Jim's Ropewalk in March but have been considering Alexy's Server to add to the arsenal.

 

Cheers

[Laxet]

I've already used it quite a bit & it works pretty well, but tended to stall a lot for the reasons I outlined above. I think it will work really well now. I will be remaking some shrouds within the next couple of days so I will know soon. I'm all a-jitter with anticipation.

[Laxet]

I made the slings for the course yards today. The plan calls for .035 line. Kit is supplied with .028 & .040. I decided to go .005 up rather than .007 down. The first method I attempted was to make a ring. I splayed the ends to simulate a butt splice & then served it . Looked like hell & I made it too big. It is really hard to control the size doing this.

[Laxet]

So I went to plan B. First I went to the smaller line (.028). It's easier to work with & looks a lot better. Then I just made a loop & seized it. Once in place, it was easy to draw it down to the proper size. And it looks pretty good.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Laxet

[Laxet]

Another hard learnt lesson. I started rebuilding the topmast shrouds by serving them. It would appear that when I took everything apart on the serving machine & tweaked it, I neglected to tighten the nut on the gear that is driven by the motor. It started slipping as soon as I started. I removed the motor (& bracket) to tighten the nut. When I reassembled it all, it just wouldn't turn very well. It always turned better the opposite way. After playing with it I realized that if you install the motor bracket with too much downward tension, the motor binds. I loosened the bracket so that the motor spun free & re-tightened it. Now all is right with the world. The machine works as advertised. I could probably make it a little better but I'm at the point of diminishing returns. It's probably not worth the extra work for a tiny bit of improvement.

Edited January 13, 2015 by Laxet

[Laxet]

Been working on my topmast shrouds. Wow, the tweaked machine now works like a dream. I have noted that it is VERY sensitive to not being kept perfectly flat. Aside from that, I was able to seize two fore shrouds & three aft shrouds in one sitting, and still had some time left over.

 

While I was seizing these lines (under a 5 diopter magnifier), I got to wondering,.. if I scaled up a dog hair 64x, I wonder how big it would be & how much it would weigh. I've got so much of this hair wrapped in my seizings, I wonder what it would look like full scale.

 

My mind tends to wander when doing tedious tasks.

[Laxet]

Round two of the great mast match (foremast division). They are not perfect, but they are a whole lot better than they were. Tomorrow I start the main topmast shrouds. Maybe they'll be even better. In fact, I know they will because I reused the two fore shroud pairs on this mast & they were off a little bit.

[Laxet]

Finished the topmast shrouds & added the stretcher bars & futtock staves. It looks like my deadeyes are a little far apart, but they are the same as the print.

 

 

[Laxet]

Time for another lesson if you can stand it. The ME prints call the wooden slat atop the deadeyes a sheer pole. Lever calls it a stretcher, or squaring staff. This is the answer to the problem I said I was having earlier with the shrouds twisting. Attached is a picture & description. Those guys thought of everything.

[Laxet]

Just finished rattling the topmast & topgallant shrouds. I thought it was actually kind of fun. They're not perfect, but they look okay. Now to attach the yards & mount the masts. Then the real fun stuff begins... the main shrouds.

 

Here is some more useless trivia. Catharpins: I always thought it was pronounced with the th as in the. It's not. It is pronounced cat-harpin. In fact, according to Lever, they actually changed the spelling to cat-harpin to get people to pronounce the word properly. Now aren't you glad you read this?

[GLakie]

Nice job on the upper's Dale. I might "steal" that process of "off the ship" myself if it's all right. 

 

Cheers

[Jerry C]

Laxet, Nice job. I've been following your build from the beginning. I am not quite as far along as you with my Niagara but moving right along. I am ready to start mounting the carronades on the deck. I made a serving machine and it works pretty well. Did you use the rigging thread from the kit or another brand? I tried a test piece and used the smallest black thread but it seemed too stiff. I had some cotton thread but which worked better but it was too small in diameter to look right. Any suggestions!

[Laxet]

Help yourself George. I stole the idea from here also. I will caution you though...I built the lower shrouds already. I left the mast caps loose so that I could slip the shrouds over the masts. When done I may (or may not) attach the caps.

 

Jerry, thanks for the comments. I have line from all over the place. I don't even know where I got it all from. The smallest line I'm using is about .010". I bought it at Hobby Lobby in the sewing section. It is on a very large spool & not too fuzzy & not too stiff. It is what I use to serve all of my lines. Most of the kit line is very stiff. It straightens very well with a heat gun, but I haven't found the stiffness a disadvantage yet. I'm sure there is a place it will be, though.

 

My second smallest line is .016". It is "carpet thread" & made of nylon. It is very difficult to work with but it fills a need. I only use it when I have to. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[HIPEXEC]

Looking real fine!

[Laxet]

Thanks for looking in, Hipexec. I appreciate it.

 

As promised yesterday, here is a sample of threads that I use for rigging.The large spool is what I use for serving. I also used it for rattling the shrouds & lanyards for the deadeyes, etc. I have another one just like it that is tan.

 

 The one in the middle, the "carpet thread", I've had for years & years, when I was doing plastic ships. I'm not even sure where to get it now, because I sure haven't seen it in any in stores recently.

[Laxet]

Well, I got got again. I was installing the course trusses. When I went to do the main truss, the block I was running the fall through was a single block. The plan requires a double. Checked the plan & yep, there is a double block there. Checked the plan for the course buntline blocks & it says use a single block. It didn't occur to me at the time, but there are actually three blocks under the forward part of the top. So I had to install these blocks & re-rig the fore trusses. Just another something to watch out for.

[GLakie]

Good catch on finding the oops Dale.

[JesseLee]

I just came across your log. Looking great! I'll be following along.

[Laxet]

Thanks for looking. I appreciate it. I hope you'll find it informative & entertaining.

[Laxet]

I'm working on the topgallant halliard. The fall has a double block at its end which rigs to a single becket block at the main top. The plan says for the fall of this block & tackle to belay to itself & coil there. Does anybody know what this actually looks like? I don't understand what they are saying to do here.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Laxet

[GLakie]

I think it means to tie it off just below the single and leave a small coil right there. Don't know for sure though.

[Carlmb]

In my book on rigging by Petersson they show a similar setup but it ties off at the deck, not to itself which makes more sense rather than having to climb up and untie it.

[dgbot]

Laxet, I just came across your log and devoured it. The Niagara has been a build I would like to do some day. I think you are doing a fantastic job and having fun at the same time.

David B

[Laxet]

Carl,

 

Thanks for that. I think I will be able to find at least one empty pin to tie (tye?) to. That is probably what I will do.

 

David,

 

Thanks for all the nice comments. I *am* having fun, & learning SO much. I've always wanted a ship model, & I figured I would never have one, but this little honey is going to change all of that. I can't wait until it's done.

 

You know, the funny thing is, before you know any better, looking at a ship everything just looks so random. After you build one, you can see how there is a place for everything & you start thinking "Those were some pretty smart fellers."

[Laxet]

Suffered a catastrophic computer failure last week, so I haven't been able to work on the ship. Hopefully, I can have it repaired by next week. I will still monitor goings on with my ipad.

[Laxet]

I just can't win. I'm having a real bad day. I was trying to restore my computer & failed twice. While waiting for the image to load, I started doing a little cleanup work on the foremast. I put it under the magnifier & noticed that the topgallant yard was installed backwards (frontside back). It was fully rigged. I had to cut it off & re-rig the whole thing. Man I hate doing things twice. Stupid, stupid, stupid. At least I caught it before the mast was installed.

[GLakie]

Computers!---------They called that progress when they were invented, but sometimes I wonder.  Sorry about the re-do, but at least you DID catch it. That's something. 

 

Cheers

[Laxet]

It's been a rough two weeks, but I finally got my computer back to normal. Replaced the hard drive. It weighs a lot less now with less than half of the 1's & more than twice the 0's as before. After I installed the new drive & installed some software, it started crashing again. This time it was fairly easy to narrow down the problem, which was the Seagate Dashboard backup program.

 

But I digress.

 

Let's talk ship shop. Today I cleaned up all of the rigging installed on the masts so far (lifts, halliards, etc). Tomorrow I will install the spanker gaff & boom. Then the masts will be permanently mounted & the main shrouds will be installed. Then some stays & some running rigging & ...voila! I'm done. Sounds easy but I'm sure it won't be. Don't care. I'm just glad to be working on her again.

[Guest Tim I.]

Dale,

 

I am sorry about your computer issues. I have had some issues in the past that have caused me similar problems. I went out and purchased a USB Drive that I now update (back up) my files to in addition to what I have on my computer. So far it seems to work.

 

I am looking forward to seeing your updates on the rigging. Any thoughts as to what your next project will be?

 

- Tim

[Laxet]

It was the USB drive that caused my problems (actually the program used for backing up). So now I must find a new one.

 

I have already purchased my next (intended) project, unless something else simpler comes along first. I do have my eye on the Syren, but that almost seems redundant after Niagara. Anyway, I have the Caldercraft HMS Victory sitting in the corner calling me. The problem is I have so many other models waiting, it may a couple of years before I get to it. Wow. I just counted (for the first time ever) & I have 46 other kits in front of the Victory, including a Hasegawa 1/16 Wright Flyer & an almost scratch built T2 tanker that I sailed on for a summer in my youth. I have already "jumboized" it, & if it is appropriate, I will do a build log on this forum.