Bomb Vessel Granado 1742 by gjdale - FINISHED - 1/48 - Cross-Section

[DocBlake]

I vote black!

[rtropp]

Hi Grant,

I really enjoy following along. The black looks more realistic.

I was thinking of using black fishing line but the wire looks really nice.

Do you know, what would the actual bolts on the full size be made from?

 

Richard

[CaptainSteve]

 

... the bolts are to hold the double frames together, so they aren't sheared through.

 

 

Okay ... in that case, I vote black !!!

[gjdale]

Thank you Doc, Richard and Steve.

 

More votes for the black option confirms the decision!

 

Richard, I believe the bolts were one inch diameter in actual practice (from my study of the scantling table in AOTS). I have no idea what size the bolt heads would be. EdT (Naiad and Young America logs) often uses black monofilament fishing line for this purpose. I can't seem to find any of that over here, so the copper wire seems to be a good option.

[DocBlake]

Hi Grant!  I'm building a 1/24 scale battle station and used model railroad track spikes for the bolts on my cannon carriage.  The size# 220 has a "head" of 1/16"  and a bolt shaft diameter of 1/32".  This is perfect for 1/24, but too large for 1/48.  They come in a variety of sizes, so it might be worth checking out your local railroading hobby shop

 

Dave

Edited December 9, 2014 by DocBlake

[gjdale]

Thanks Dave, that's a good thought and worth consideration. I'll probably stick with the copper wire though as it gives me what appears to be a pretty satisfactory outcome.

[gjdale]

Revised Chock Making Method

 

I wasn’t entirely happy with the chocks in my test frame and decided to try a couple of different methods.  In the end, this is what I did.  I first marked up some “construction lines” on the frame template, and then cut a cardboard template strip (from a manila folder) to suit the width of each of the chock sizes:

 

 

Then I held the frame sections in place over the template and traced around the inside of the scarf joint to mark the chock shape onto the template. The shape was then transferred to the chock “stock” and finessed to shape on the Byrnes Disc Sander:

 

 

This worked reasonably successfully, so will continue with this method for the remaining frames.  Here’s a shot of the finally finished frame D1/D2, complete with blackened bolts, in position in the jig. Now to make a few more……..

 

[rafine]

Really nicely done Grant. I have to remind myself to look for your log in this category. At my age, that can be a problem.  

 

Bob

[mtaylor]

Well done on the frame, Grant.  It looks super sharp. 

[Sjors]

Looks good that first frame.....

Still 20 to go ?????  

 

Sjors

[DocBlake]

Very nicely done!

 

Dave

[jeff1395]

The frame looks great Grant. Can't wait to see her progress.

 

Jeff

[rdsaplala]

Hi Grant,

 

Just catching up, wow! you've really upped the ante on your scratchbuild, beautiful and flawless work my friend, your choice of wood looks great too

[gjdale]

Thanks very much Bob, Mark, Sjors, Dave, Jeff and Aldo, and also to all of the "likes".  It's been a while since my last post, but only because I was doing more testing, thinking, testing, thinking............

 

Completing the Double Frames

 

Okay, so I decided that I wasn’t entirely happy with my scarph joints, and also that I was over-thinking the Chocks.  Time to revisit methodologies (again).

 

I decided to try Mobbsie’s method of creating the scarph joints, by using a file and the top edge of a vice as a reference plane/stop.  Only problem was, I first had to go out and buy a new vice with a flat top surface on the jaws. The method is really simple.  Having cut roughly to shape on the scroll saw, simply line up the template pattern line with the top of the vice jaws and and file until you feel metal instead of wood.

 

 

Some of the frames require cutouts for gunports/sweeps etc, and these are cut into the frames prior to assembly.  To achieve this, I used a neat razor saw to make some initial cuts before removing the waste with a chisel, and then finishing using the file/vice method.

 

 

 

Time to re-think the Chocks, again……..

 

Here’s the latest method, and this really seems to work well.  First up, getting a good, neat butt join between adjacent futtocks is essential, along with scarph joints that meet evenly at the butt join.  This is achieved using the file/vice method and test fitting, filing, test fitting until satisfied. Once happy with the butt/scarph joints, I used double sided tape to hold the lower central futtock in place over the pattern, placed more double sided tape over the locations for the remaining futtocks, and then placed some glue on the mating face of the next futtock before placing it in position hard up against the first futtock, where it is held in place by the double sided tape until the glue dries.  This process is repeated with the remaining futtocks until the frame (minus chocks) is complete.

 

 

The chocks were then made by cutting a piece of stock to roughly the width of the chock space and then finessing with the Disc Sander until a neat fit in to the chock opening was achieved.  Note the “handles” on the inboard side of the chocks.

 

 

The chock ends were then shaped on the Disc Sander until a neat fit was obtained, at which point the chocks were glued in place.  Because of the neat fit, and the frames being held in place on the tape, no clamps were required. This had been problematic previously as clamps tended to throw everything out of alignment as they were tightened.  Once the glue had dried, the frames were removed from the templates, the chock “handles” trimmed close on the scroll saw, and then finished off on the spindle sander.  Here’s what a completed frame looks like, with almost invisible joints….

 

 

Once the method was worked out, completing the remaining double frames went very smoothly.  All five double frame pairs have now been completed.  Here are a few progress shots:

 

 

 

 

That's it for now.  Off to Sydney to visit family for a couple of days and then it's on with the single frames, which should be relatively easy (famous last words)......

[rdsaplala]

Wow! Your extra efforts are really paying off Grant, your joinery is perfect and those frames look great!

 

Have a nice visit to Sydney my friend, happy holidays!

[rafine]

Lovely looking work Grant.

 

Bob

[mobbsie]

A system well worked out mate, the doubles are looking real good.

 

Well Done

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[mtaylor]

Wow.. excellent joinery.  I'm smiling over those frames.

[scratch]

Absolutely skilled crafting Grant . She looks the bees knees.

 

 

David

[Sjors]

Great job Grant !!!!

A few others finished !

A few more now.....

 

Sjors

[Trussben]

Looks like you have found a method for Chock making and fitting that works well for you.

It took me a couple of different ways before I found one that I was comfortable with and gave good results.

 

Looking really good Grant.

 

Ben

[DORIS]

I admire such accurate and precise work. Great looking model!
Kind regards and Happy New Year
Doris

[gjdale]

I thought it was about time I posted an update, just to show "proof of life" in the shipyard............

 

I thought it timely to do some testing of finishes to make sure I was happy with the result, as I will need to finish the fore and aft faces of the frames before permanently installing them.  I plan on using Minwax Wipe-On Poly (WOP), in a satin finish, following the lead of some more experienced scratch builders here. I was very satisfied with the result (and ease of use).  For the Australians on the forum, I did find Minwax in Bunnings here but they carry only a very limited range of products.  I visited the new Masters home improvement centre recently and was delighted to see that they carry an extensive range of Minwax products.

 

Anyway, here's a shot of the test frame with two coats of WOP.  An untreated test frame is in the top of the picture. Unfortunately, the photograph doesn't really do it justice, but to the naked eye, it is a very pleasing colour.

 

 

i have also rough cut all of the remaining single frames.  I managed to cut all of these - 12 frames (60 component pieces) from a single 24" x 3" billet of Swiss Pear.  That provided me with lots of tricky scroll saw practice but I managed it without any boo-boos along the way.  In fact, I think it took me longer to lay out the pattern pieces to make them fit on the board, than it did to cut them out!  Here they all are:

 

 

And I have managed to custom fit the chocks to the first three of these frames.  Having finally settled on a reliable method for making these, they are really not difficult and don't take much time at all.  Again, I have to pay tribute to my mate Mobbsie for putting me onto a great method for making the scarph joints - this is half the battle for getting a good mating joint with the chocks.

 

Oh, you may notice something in the background of this shot that might help to explain the apparent lack of progress lately!

 

Edited January 12, 2015 by gjdale

[augie]

Thanks for posting these step-by-step photos and comment, Grant.  The process is beginning to make sense!

[Jack Panzeca]

Hi Grant,

 

Your frames look great.  So does that other object in the background.  Just beautiful.

[mobbsie]

Lovely work on the frames mate, coming along a real treat, only 9 more to go.

 

The colour although subtle is discernible and looks good, certainly lighter than my Polyurethane. 

 

Rocket looks splendid but the Tenders on backwards.  

 

Be Good

 

mobbsie

[scratch]

Excellent work on both projects in the last picture Grant .

 

 

David

[mikec]

Mind if I pull up a chair?

[gjdale]

Thanks Augie, Jack, Mobbsie, David (Scratch) and Mike, and all of the "likes".

 

Well, the frames are finally complete.  Here they are prior to having the WOP finish applied:

 

 

All of the gunport and sweep port sills have been pre-cut, again thanks to Mobbsie for showing me the method for this:

 

 

And here are all the frames test-fit in the jig:

 

 

 

All appears to be in order.  I marked all the reference lines from the frame drawings on the individual frames, and they seem to be fairly well aligned and in roughly the right place, so I think I'm good to glue up.  If anyone spots any glaring errors, please let me know before I break out the glue!!!

 

[scratch]

Very nicely done Grant  They look great.

 

 

David