Little wood Flattie build

Modeling Subjects Ships
21

Not much accomplished this week. Installed the brass traveler bar at the rudder. Started to prep parts for the rigging. 8 blocks were supplied (3mm), so I started wrapping them with brass wire for loops, but lost 2 and never found them, broke 4 more wrapping the wire. Tried to make a couple but gave up on that. Ordered a couple packs of them from the LHS and got some smaller brass wire. I’ll try annealing it before installation, if not, I have some small soft copper strands from wire clipping in the workshop scrap bucket, from 28 ga to 12 ga. Something’s got to work. Also, the eyebolts supplied are actually small brass cotter pins. The eye portion is kinda tear-drop shaped which I didn’t like the look of, so, I tried to close the eye and round it off by inserting a round plier tip in the eye and squeezing the shank to round out and “smallerize” the hole. Broke one leg off 4 of those, so picked up a pack of them as well. I think I’ll wind up making my own eye bolts from an appropriately gauged brass wire.

The new blocks will be in on Tuesday.

EJ

22

I don’t know if you are trying to rig hooks to your blocks, but if you are you should check these out.

http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/miniature-rope.php#!/3mm-Black-hooks-for-rigging-your-ship-model/p/39516229/category=11571018

I wish Chuck had had these when I was rigging all those carronades on the spar deck of my Connie. I split, cracked and lost a ton of blocks trying to use wire myself.

Click on the ‘view detailed images’ link to the right under the checkout bag link for a better idea.

23

I’ve got some of those Syren hooks. They’re beautiful. I hope Mr. Passaro does more of those laser-cut acrylic fittings. I’m thinking of such things as jib hanks - and alphabets.

24

Supposed to look like this

or this

The blocks are 3mm wood, and the wrapping is .8mm brass wire that was supplied. The cotter pin is supposed to represent an eye bolt I guess. I’ll be making my own eyes cause I don’t like the look of these. The other problem is, in earlier instructions the holes were pre-drilled in the masts and spars for the cotter pin/eyes so they are too large for my hand made eyes. I’ll need to fill the hole maybe, or just start over and make new mast and spars.

EJ

25

Hmmm…have you tried twist ties? You can get them at the super market. I burn off the paper or plastic coating, then use the wire. It’s usually black underneath. Very pliable…maybe too pliable? Wrap around an appropriate sized needle for first loop, then the block, then the needle again for final loop. As for the mast holes, maybe putty and redrill?

26

I’ve been on plenty of cat boats over the years. Here out west our travelers are a loose piece of line that forms a V, with a sort of double swivel block. Big money sailboats have a rail on the deck with a carriage.

Looking at the Mystic Seaport boat collection book, brass rail travelers or “horses” seem to be the norm out east.

Those have a big ring on the bottom of the block, maybe as big as the block is wide, and I would bet its a swivel. Having a traveler bind during a come about is a pain.

As far as making holes smaller, well in wood shop that’s usually a failure. In this case, try epoxy.

27

More I look at it, they should have made that cotter pin a big ring. You want the sheet coming forward out of the block into the cockpit. So that double ring set up makes sense. Put a 3" diameter ring through the bottom eye and you are good to go.

28

It’s been too long since I had a copy of H.I.Chappell’s “American Boat” to remember the details of horse versus traveler (shoot, now I find I cannot remember HIC’s preference–and he had a preference for just about everything under sail).

For modeling purposes, a ring about twice the diameter of the traveler bar, to which you would then strop the sheet block upon. Which actually looks better than trying to strop two model blocks together and using a traveler line.

29

Well we sunset sailors know what looks good and what doesn’t thank you very much.

But you are right, that’s the way to rig this dude, and I am not sure you’d need that eye on top of the block either, but that’s a one way or the other deal.

Gosh it’s refreshing to talk about boat models at the level of some reality about modeling… working parts.

Breaking out America really soon to finish her.

30

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I can’t wait for the new blocks to arrive. Found some 22 ga (.64mm) soft brass wire for $2.99. A bit thinner and hopefully softer. Gonna make the eyes bolts of .80mm brass wire and the rings from the same. I like the ring suggestion for the traveler. I picked up a spool of “antique brass” color wire too, just to see what it would look like.

Come onnnn, blocks. I’m a waitin.

EJ

31

Can’t have enough brass wire.

I find best way to make a ring is to wind a “spring” around a small dowel. Chop out pieces about 1 1/2 twists each. Then cut both ends at once, and bend flat. You’ll get 4 or 5 good ones out of say 8 twists

32

While waiting for my 3mm blocks to arrive, I went shopping at Michal’s and Hobby Lobby looking for wire. There is an amazing amount of wire in the beading department.

Sizing wire - well it makes my 73 year old head spin. I still think in inches. Wire and rod are designated in fractional inches, decimal inches (my machinist’s thinking), wire gauge and millimeters depending on the product and the manufacturer. I made a spreadsheet for wire from 12 g (gauge) to 32 g so I can get a mental feel for the sizes.

I found some 28 g, (.37mm), 24g (.49mm), 20g (.80mm) and 18g (1.01mm) copper wire in the workshop, most of it I stripped from stranded type building wire scraps or electronic wiring. Also, some 26 g (.40mm) in black, copper and antique brass, and 24g ((.50mm) in antique brass that was in the model room junk that I picked up somewhere. Not sure what they are made of but seem soft enough. I also have some brass rods, 1.57mm, 1.2mm, .81mm, .51mm. The rod is more of a hard brass than soft.

You’d think that would do me right? Guess I must be fussy, cause I really decided on 22 g wire size for what I wanted and had none.

Well, I found some stuff called Parawire. A soft copper wire with a “permanently colored non-tarnish” coating. Comes in several gauges from 16g to 28g and different colors, so I got a roll of “Natural Brass”, a kinda antiqued brass color. Wanted truly brass color too but they were out of that. Really nice stuff and works great for wrapping. I’ll still use stiffer brass rod to make the rings and eyes from, as that holds it’s shape better.

They had ready made rings, but only down to 4mm. 3mm rings were only in silver color so I passed on that.

Meantime, I’m practicing ring making from some .81mm brass rod.

Gosh, I’m thinking in mm now!

EJ

33

Got sidetracked from the build for a bit. Started mentoring middle school kids at my grandson’s school for the science Olympiad competition. I would be coaching the bridge building competition. I has 5 teams of two students. In the beginning, our bridges were scoring in the 650 to 750 range, but we found out we needed to be in the 1800 or better range to be competitive.
Here are some of the bridges -







We built and tested about 50 bridges. The first local competition, we took 7 place out of 54 bridges with a ribbon. The second competition, a regional, we placed 12 out of 42 bridges, with no ribbon, but overall, the school took a 3rd place medal.
We changed our design parameters, and have tested them to a score of over 2000, with some weight to go. The scores are based on the weight of the load to a max of 15 KG, divided by the weight of the bridge. Our entry will weigh in at 6.9 Grams and if it takes the full 15 KG without breaking will give us a score of 2174. It is the last picture. Quite an improvement.
The kids are at Michigan State University today at the state competition - I can’t wait to see how they did. I’m very proud of their accomplishments and dedication.
I have finally cleaned up my bench and am getting back in the “Flattie build” mode, so more of that to follow.
EJ

34

Bow string truss wins more races. Nice project and great that you are giving them coaching.

35

in error

36

Did the blackening on the rudder hinges and it came out fine.

Had problems doing the blocks for the rigging. Those things are hard to hang on to. My neighbor, a fisherman suggested a fly tying vise. His had jaws that worked kinda like a pin vice and wouldn’t open up far enough. Went to the sport shop and found this one. They let me take it home to test and I love it. It opens up wider and with parallel jaws.

These were the first blocks I did. I didn’t like the look and broke several blocks and cotter pin eyebolts.

These I did with the new vise. I used 26 guage black coated copper wire, .032 brass rod for the eyebolts. Stained the blocks first with maple stain.

This block and ring was fitted to the traveler.

Moving along now with installing the masts and spars and the rigging hardware.

EJ

37

AWW ;

Darn it now E.J. Just for that I will have to dig out the Whitehall . I think that is without a doubt the most beautiful rowing boat I’ve ever seen . T.B. P.S. I like the way you treated the pintle and gudgeon application on the boat .

38

Traveler done just right.

39

Thanks guys.

Got sidetracked for a bit. Will get back to it this weekend.

Gonna try the epoxy trick to mount the block eyes to the oversized holes in the mast and spars, then will set the mast, also in epoxy cause it will give me time to get the thing where I want it. Then set the spars and rigging.

Not sure about the rigging. The kit stuff is kinda off, plus I don’t know what size cordage would have been used on this boat. I’d like to get some of the Syren stuff cause I like the look of it. Just have to decide on the diameters to use.

I’m working it up in my head how to make it into a “working” boat. Maybe a bit of grunge, some rope coils around, a pile of netting, a wood crate. Any ideas out there?

EJ

40

Boats get dirty, working boats get really dirty, especially in the sections where work is being performed. Don’t be afraid t apply a heavy wash to flow into the corners and seams.