work in progress - may, 2013 - model ship world
TRANSCRIPT
Work in Progress May 15, 2013
Reporter: Dave Yotter
Bill Palmer came across an online site that carries nice small castings of turnbuckles, primarily as used on WWI aircraft. Check them out at www.gaspatchmodels.com. Bill also showed a small pistol grip style Moto tool from Dremel called the Stylus. This is a Lithium-ion battery powered version of the Moto tool that he has found to be more comfortable to use than the regular round version. They are available at numerous locations, MicroMark, Home Depot and others for $60.00 to $80.0. There is an amazing array of Dremel tools. Go to their webpage to see the full line of products. Your reporter has come across an online source for scale hardware that has some very nice miniature threaded and simulated nuts, bolts and rivets. Typically they range in size from 0.5mm (0.020”) to 2.5mm ().138”) and 00-90, 0-80 sizes. Materials include brass, stainless, nickel-plated brass and aluminum (not all materials for all fastener types). Check them out at www.scalehardware.com. Doug Tolbert, our webmaster, did a great job of showing all the SMA members at the meeting just how to access the SMA website as well as the members
Newsletter
Volume 40, Number 6, June 2013
Contacts
President: John Simmons (626) 339-5151
E-Mail [email protected] Vice President: Larry Van Es
(714) 936-0389 E-Mail [email protected]
Secretary: Paul Payne (310) 544-1461
Treasurer: Mike DiCerbo (714) 523-2518
15320 Ocaso Ave, #DD204, La Mirada, CA. 90630
Editor, Don Dressel (909) 949-6931
908 W. 22nd Street Upland, CA 91784-1229
E-mail: [email protected] Web Manager: Doug Tolbert:
(949) 644-5416 Web Site
www.shipmodelersassociation.org
Meeting – Wed., June 19, 7 PM, Red Cross Building, 1207 N.
Lemon, Fullerton, CA. 92832
Officers meeting – Wed., July 3, 2012, 7 PM, Bob Beech’s house, 130 Clove Pl., Brea, CA. 92821 –
(714) 529-1481.
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section. It is actually fully explained also on the web site itself, but some of the SMA members were confused, so a full explanation of just how it works was very informative. There should now be no problem with SMA members accessing the SMA Webpage. Doug also explained forthcoming additions to the site and expressed a desire to have more members’ models shown by submitting them for inclusion on the web page. Thanks, Doug, for a complete and thorough demonstration.
Multi-Purpose ship MS Mullum – Burt Goldstein Burt Goldstein is continuing work on his 1:250 cardstock model of MS Mullum. The “Mellum”. The “Mellum” from the publishers HMV is an impressive example of the varied tasks of the Water Police in the German Bight. It is equipped as an oil spill ship, but also serves as a buoy tender, docking ship for light ships, tugboat and icebreaker. The waterline model with very detailed superstructures shows the state of construction in 1998. The crane is movable and the bridge is equipped with interior fittings. Burt reports slower than normal progress on this model and since it was last in he has progressed from the 40% completion mark to about 70% completion. There was some speculation as to the purpose of the orange painted apparatus that takes up the whole deck area in the stern of the model. As the model is shown in its configuration as an oil spill ship, perhaps this equipment is used for oil skimming. Wolf Tools Adjustable Trimmer – Dave Yotter The Wolf Tools Adjustable trimmer is another jewelry maker’s tool that might be useful for mode makers. Like the Wolf Tools belt sander this tool was developed to use a Foredom flex shaft tool for power. It is made to use the Foredom #30 hand piece to hold trimmers, burrs or mini router bits. It can also use the #44 hand piece, which has the same one-inch diameter as the #30. The #44 is a collet style hand piece whereas the #30 uses a Jacobs chuck. The hand piece slides into the bottom clamp and you adjust the height of the bit before locking
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it down. The tools table tilts and slides on the undercarriage to keep the gap between the burr and the table to a minimum. The tool comes with an adjustable fence that slides nicely and locks down securely. It also comes with a collar so it can be held with the GRS BenchMate. I have a nylon collar from Foredom that holds the hand piece and therefore trimmer in my workbench vice. I think of this as having a router table or shaper about the right size for model makers. The #30 hand piece can handle any type of cutting,
polishing, routing or sanding tool that will fit. The device is very well made and of quality construction. I got the trimmer from Otto-Frei, a jewelry supply company in Oakland. I found their prices to be somewhat cheaper across the board for most products compared with other Jewelry supply companies. (www.ottofrie.com). Poke around; you will be amazed at what you find. The Wolf Trimmer (I already had the Foredom flex shaft tool) was $109.00. Also, if you do not have a Foredom Flex shaft tool Otto-Frei sells these too at pretty good prices, typically in a kit with a hand piece or two a foot pedal or bench top unit for speed control and maybe some tool bits. Visiting the Foredom web site I found some interesting attachments that they have now for the #30 hand piece. The first is a mini belt sander and the second is an angle grinder attachment. The angle grinder is for 2” discs and supports the use of PSA sanding discs, abrasive grinding wheels, screw-lok abrasives, flap and cutoff wheels, tungsten carbide discs, and the list goes on. The belt sander has a largish wheel at the drive end, about one inch, and a smaller one that looks to be less than ¼” at the tip and is for 7mm wide by about 10 ½” belts. They have a 10mm wide version also. Belts are available from 100 grit to 1000 grit in both widths. The angle grinder kit goes for $119.00 at Otto-Frei and the belt sander for $71.00; both prices are without the #30 hand piece. Revenue Cutter HMS Dandy –John Simmons Dandy rig: A sloop or cutter with a jigger on which a lugsail is set. A Dandy (noun) is a small sail, carried at or near the stern of small boats; -- called also jigger, and mizzen --. The Dandy rig is also described as a transitional rig: English trawlers were initially cutter rigged, working a large beam trawl. As everything got bigger through time the big mainsail became unmanageable. The smacks
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were converted by shortening the boom and stepping a small mizzenmast along side of just forward of the tiller. On smaller boats the mizzen was a standing lug, but as they grew a conventional gaff mizzen was used. As with all smacks the bowsprit was horizontal and reefed in through a gammon iron to the side of the stem. As they boats continued to grow they developed into ketch rigged smacks. John Simmons is continuing with his fascination for Cutters, Baggers and odd sailing rigs with a scratch built 1:64 model of a dandy rigged cutter, Dandy. This represents a cutter variant of about 1814. It was used as a revenue cutter to intercept smuggling around England. It carried a large sail area and was well armed with 6 X 12-pounder carronades, 12 X 6-pounder guns, 2 X 9-pounder long chase guns and 6 X 2-pounder swivels. Cutters were also used to transport passengers, as a private yacht or for fishing as noted above. The model is copper plated and finished with a Nelson checker in black and ocher. Hammock netting has been added, as have the sweep ports, four per side and shot garlands. Revenue Cutter HMS Diligence of 1870 – John Simmons
John Simmons also brought in a model of HMS Diligence that he had built from a Marine Model kit some time age, his fourth model. Marine Models kits are still available via EBay, but the company went out of business many years ago. This model was finished as directed by the original plans supplied by the kit manufacturer and the bottom of the hull painted white. The cutters were built for speed, strength and firepower and considered the thoroughbred of the seas. From 1785 to 1845 these cutters were the
fastest vessels afloat, with the job of competing with the smuggling vessels on equal terms. One of the most famous features of the cutter was the very long bowsprit, often measuring up to four-fifths of the length of the hull and could be moved in and out to increase sail area. Interestingly the armament is the same as Dandy, above, as is the rig, which is described as a cutter with an added yawl like mizzen. HMS Fly – John Simmons John brought in his model of HMS Fly in 1:64 scale he is building from a kit by Amati/Victory Models. The kit is of plank-on-bulkhead design and is double planked with nice metal castings and photo etched brass for many of the details. John has added details to the kit including different quarter galleries and figures. He has added the ships boats and now is only awaiting results from the sail loft (John is having his sails made for the model, thus some
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of the sail lines are not yet installed but hanging lose) to complete the ship. The sails are on order from Jerry Blair. Hopefully, we will see a complete ship model with sails next month. The British Admiralty commissioned a sixth rate Swan class sloop in August of 1775. The keel was laid in January, 1776 and H.M.S. Fly slid off the launching ways on September 14, 1776. She displaced 300 tons, measured 97’ and 7” on deck and carried a crew of 125. Sixteen cannon and 16 swivel guns
served as armament. Sleek hull lines and lavish ornamentation contributed to her beauty. Not much remains about her career history, except that she captured two French privateers. She was lost off the coast of New Foundland in 1802. Lady Nelson – Don Dressel Don Dressel brought in the completed Amati/Victory Model of the Lady Nelson in a protective Plexiglas case. The Lady Nelson has been brought in before, but Don wanted to show the type of clear case that should be provided for every ship model that is built in order to protect the model. Without the protection provided by the case, the model will slowly become very dirty over time no matter how it is “cleaned”, not to mention the very real possibility of the model being damaged by accident from many causes – one model was heavily damaged when the owners pet decided to play with it. There are also many examples of models that are brought to the attention of various members of the SMA for repair due primarily to the model not being protected by a case. It also shows that even “small” models become fairly large when a case is made for the ship. USS Constitution –Bob Riddoch Captain Edward Preble recommissioned USS Constitution on 13 May 1803 as his flagship, and made preparations to command a new squadron for a third blockade attempt. The copper sheathing on Constitution’s hull needed to be replaced; Paul Revere supplied the copper sheets necessary for the job. USS Constitution departed Boston on 14 August. On 6 September, near the Rock of Gibraltar, she encountered an unknown ship in the darkness.
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Constitution went to general quarters, then ran alongside of her. Preble hailed the unknown ship, only to receive a hail in return. After identifying his ship as the United States frigate Constitution, he received the same question again. Preble, losing his patience, said: “I am now going to hail you for the last time. If a proper answer is not returned, I will fire a shot into you.” The stranger returned, “If you give me a shot, I’ll give you a broadside.” Asking once more, Preble demanded an answer, to which
he received, “This is His Britannic Majesty’s ship Donegal, 84 guns, Sir Richard Strachan, an English commodore,” as well as a command to “Send your boat on board.” Preble, now devoid of all patience, exclaimed, “This is United States ship Constitution, 44 guns, Edward Preble, an American commodore, who will be damned before he sends his boat on board of any vessel.” And then to his gun crews: “Bow you matches, boys!” Before the incident escalated further, a boat arrived from the other ship and a British lieutenant relayed his Captain’s apologies. The ship was in fact not Donegal but instead HMS Maidstone, a 32-gun frigate. USS Constitution had come alongside her so quietly that HMS Maidstone had delayed answering with the proper hail while she readied her guns. This act began the strong allegiance between Preble and the officers under his command, known as “Preble’s boys,” as he had shown he was willing to defy a presumed ship-of-the-line. Bob Riddoch is continuing work on his 1:78 Model Shipways based Constitution. He has started coppering the hull. The kit coppering material is supplied as a continuous roll of ¼” wide adhesive backed copper. Bob is cutting the strip into 5/8” long plates and then embossing the nail detail into tow sides of the plates with a pounce wheel. When the plates are put on the hull with an overlap this brings them to the proper scale dimension of 14 X 48 inches. Whaler Gertrude of Boston – Paul Carter
Paul Carter returned with his restoration project for Clair McGirr. Clair’s great grandfather sailed on the whaler Gertrude of Boston between approximately 1877 and 1880. His duties aboard ship are unknown. He built the model after his retirement. The scale of the model is unknown also but thought to be approximately 1:64. Paul searched around for models of similar proportions and configuration. He found that the Charles W. Morgan was similar
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and also found another model for sail, the Swallow at Gordon S. Converse & Co. Antique Restorations and Auctions. He decided to use the Swallow as a guide for the rigging. Paul found a buildup of years of grime and moving damage. With cleaning, spar repair and some paint repair he has moved onto the rigging. The old rigging was beyond saving and so the standing rigging has all been replaced. Cotton will be used for the running rigging. A new mizzen yard has been fabricated. He made a cradle for the model and found a 38 star flag (pennant) to top if off. After discussions with the owner, it was decided that the model would have a much better chance of survival if cased so one will be built. Sea Bird Yawl – Paul Alkon – Sails by Ellen Alkon
Paul Alkon writes: The 25’ 7 ½” Sea Bird Yawl first appeared in October 1901 issue of Rudder magazine. Thomas Fleming Day, its editor, had Sea Bird designed as a centerboard boat by C. D. Mower. In 1904 a fixed keel design appeared, and later a 34’ enlarged Sea Bird called Seagower. Plans for both versions and one called Naiad were published in a two-dollar pamphlet titled How to Build A Cruising Yawl. Working alone in Long Beach for 18 months, Harry Pidgeon completed in 1919 a slightly modified
Seagower. In it he became the second person to circumnavigate solo. He narrates his voyage in Around The World Single-Handed: The Cruise Of The Islander (1932) – a kind of sequel to Joshua Slocum’s Sailing Alone Around The World (1900). The model is of a fixed keel Sea Bird, from a 1993 Pleasant Cove Kit in 1:24 scale with scratch modifications. The kit provides one big plank from deck to chine, and another (bigger) plank from chine to keel. Instead I planked the hull using 1/8” garboard planks and 3/16” planks for the rest of the hull. Instead of canvassed decks, as would have been the standard in Pidgeon’s day, I provided planked bright decks. Kit plans have the keel extended too far aft and simply call for gluing on the rudder. I’ve trimmed 3/16” off the keel to allow for proper positioning of a rudder post and a workable tiller. Other scratch items include the tiller, planked cabin top, turnbuckles, cabin hatch & hatch boards, including mast hoops for the main mast. Americas Cup Defender Columbia – Henry Bikhazi Columbia was an American racing yacht built in 1899 for the America’s Cup races. She was the defender of the tenth America’s Cup race that same year against British challenger Shamrock as well as the defender of the eleventh America’s Cup race in 1901 against British
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challenger, Shamrock II. She was the first vessel to win the trophy twice in a row (a record not equaled until Intrepid’s back-to-back wins in 1967 and 1970). Charles Barr was the skipper for both successful defenses. Columbia, an 85-foot fin keel sloop, was designed and bult in 1898-9 by Nathanael Herreshoff and the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company for owners J. Pierpont Morgan and Edwin Dennison Morgan of the New York Yacht Club. She was the third successful defender built by Herreshoff. Columbia had a
nickel steel frame, a tobin bronze hull, and a steel mast (later replaces with on of Oregon pine). Henry brought in a half hull model of Columbia that he found in a St. Thomas shop while on a cruise. HMS Victory – Henry Bikhazi Henry Bikhazi is continuing work on his scratch built 1:350 model of HMS Victory. The hull is made from orange wood, scaled down from plans. Hand carved and then sanded using an oscillating sander. Most recent work includes finishing of the bowsprit, jib boom, flying jib boom and the dolphin striker and head rails. Currently masts and tops are in process of being finished. When the model is complete it will be mounted on a stand containing a clock fabricated of North Carolina cherry burl.
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MS Mellum – Burt Goldstein Wolf Tools adjustable trimmer – Dave Yotter HMS Dandy – John Simmons HMS Diligence – John Simmons
Lady Nelson in case – Don Dressel
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USS Constitution – Bob Riddoch Whaler Gertrude of Boston – Paul Carter Sea Bird – Paul Alkon Columbia – Henry Bikhazi
HMS Victory – Henry Bikhazi
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By Don Dressel
Old Salts in Port: John Bakker, Don Dressel, Steve Jones, Yas Komorita, Guy Bell, Greg Wilcox.
Ship in Port: Sultana, Corella (fishing boat), HMS Bounty, HMS Triton, King of the Mississippi, Scottish Maid.
John Bakker started off the meeting discussing his work on the HMS Bounty, a Mantua kit in 1:100 scale. He is making progress on it, but had one adventure he would have liked to miss if possible. It appears that a strong gust of wind went through his garage, picked up the Bounty model from his bench, and deposited it somewhere in his back yard! A few things were broken, but John repaired them and the model looks no worse for its “adventure”, as
the hull is nicely done. Fortunately, John had not started on the masting and rigging yet.
John also talked about another kit model, his Occre kit of the Catella “light boat” in the scale of 1:15. This is a type of fishing boat with a firmly rooted tradition throughout the Mediterranean, although particularly numerous off the coast of Catalonia, at night and using lights, from whence the name “bots de ilum” (light boats). These boats, around 16 feet in length, are usually crewed by two men and are mainly used for fishing mackerel and sardine, although they can be used for any other fish or crustaceans that might be attracted by the light shining down from the large gas‐lit fanals. One of their particular characteristics are the two large stabilizers “escuas” to limit the rocking of the wave swell, and the replacement of the helm with two ropes that operate the rudder through the fanal support.
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The kit is now unavailable, according to the internet sources consulted. It will be great to see the final product that John produces of a very interesting and different model. He is already making great progress, as usual.
Don Dressel then talked about his efforts on the next kit model that he is building for his daughter Christina. It is an Amati kit of the Egyptian Ship in the scale of 1:50. The assembly instructions start with the following comments: “Shipbuilding in ancient Egypt is interesting for a variety of reasons. First of all….it is the oldest art of shipbuilding …known in any detail and we can follow its development for some 2000 years. In the Nile valley all traffic of importance took place on the river. It was on the efficiency and reliability of the Nile fleet that the structure and stability of the nation depended. The Egyptian fleet played a decisive role not only in the Nile valley but also in the Mediterranean and Red Seas, where the Egyptians maintained regular sea traffic and communications, especially with Lebanon, from which all the timber was imported.
We know that cedar from Lebanon was imported even during the Thinite period (First Dinasty) and there is no evidence that it was not transported on Egyptian ships. In King Sahure’s burial temple were found parts of reliefs showing the departure and return of a fleet; a text on the relief mentions briefly that ships, sent to Punt in the thirteenth year of Sahure’s reign, returned with 80,000 measures of myrrh, 6,000 of electrum (a golden alloy) and 2,600 logs of rare wood (probably Ebony wood). The pictures of ships contained in Sahure’s temple are very carefully made and from them a perfect reconstruction of the ship was possible.”
Having indicated and said all the above, the kit is NOT a kit for a beginner. Don indicated that the Egyptian ship kit has many errors in the instructions and a careful study of these instructions is required if you want to complete the ship. There are also details with the rigging (the lines supplied in the kit do not match the diameter lines required according to the instructions) that are poor. As an added note – If you do not like to do rigging, this is NOT the kit for you. The accompanying photo is of the completed model as shown on the internet. Don has barely finished the outside of the hull at this point and is hoping to have the basic hull completed in time for the upcoming SMA meeting.
Guy Bell next talked about his latest project, the HMS Triton, a 28 gun warship of 1773 to the scale of 1:48. Guy joined the Model Ship World and obtained the plans. This is an on‐line build
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with a lot of other people involved. Guy has built the keel – stem – stern wood and is currently having a lot of fun using his new mill to cut the deadwood. Currently the pieces (stem, keel and stern) are pinned together but will eventually be glued and pinned. He has stated that he is using hard maple wood for the frame.
The particulars of the ship, which was built at Portsmouth and commissioned in 1775, are detailed in several books including British Warships in the Age of Sail 1714 – 1792 by Rif Winfield. She captured the US privateer Pompey in 1778, the US privateer Gates in 1779, was involved in the Battle of the Saintes in 1782, finally being broken up at Deptford in 1796 for a very brief highlight of her career.
Yas Komorita is in the process of building a solid hull model of the Sultana by Model Shipways in the scale of 3/16” = 1’. The Sultana is a beautiful example of a New England merchant schooner of the colonial period. Built by Benjamin Hollowell in Boston in 1767, she was seaworthy far beyond her size of 51 feet. She became one of Britain’s most effective weapons in the fight against smugglers after the Royal Navy bought her in 1768. She carried a crew of 25 and was armed
with 8 4‐pounders and 12 swivel guns.
Yas first became interested in the Sultana when he saw the model that was built by Randy Biddle in a museum. He decided to build the model when he also found another source, the book Schooner Sultana: Building A Chesapeake Legacy by Drew McMullen. He is making a beautiful job of the model so far, as shown by the photo. He is going to use a felt pen to simulate the caulking on the model.
Greg Wilcox brought in and discussed two models that he is working on. The first is the King of the Mississippi by Artesania Latina. Greg indicated that the kit was given to him by a neighbor after he had started to build it and realized it was beyond his ability. The model is NOT a beginner’s model. There is a tremendous amount of planking that has to be done. Greg re‐did the bottom planking with apple wood, which really looks good. According to Greg, there is deck
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after deck of planking, planking and more planking. There is hair bone planking on the second deck with is very well done.
Greg also brought in his Scottish Maid, which he has been working on for awhile. So far the model is done beautifully, with excellent planking and finish. Now comes the rigging of the model, which is what Greg wanted to ask questions about. His current concern was the installation of the deadeyes and his questions
were answered by the group.
The actual first model of the Scottish Maid was made by Captain John Smith and is now in the Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museum collection. The Scottish Maid was actually the first clipper ship to be designed and built in the UK by innovative ship designers William and James Hall. The Hall brothers tested various hull shapes in a water test tank before setting of the design that would revolutionize fast sailing ships for decades to come. Building an extremely raked bow and streamlined hull form that allowed the water to flow smoothly around the ship meant that the vessel’s speed increased significantly. Thus, the design of the hull and what was to become known in its day as the Aberdeen Bow was applied to larger ships and saw its zenith with such tea clippers as
Thermopylae and Cutty Sark. The model of the Scottish Maid mentioned above, built by Captain John Smith in 1880, is a waterline model complete with wooden sails.
As usual, it was again a great meeting of the Mayflower Group at John’s house and everyone went away having learned something.
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SMA Meeting for June Please note that the SMA Meeting at the Red Cross Building this month will start again at the usual time of 7:00 PM. Please bring your latest models and other items you want to share with your fellow SMA members. 2013 Dues are Due This is a reminder that the SMA dues are past due for next year. Any questions regarding dues can be addressed to any officer of the SMA. Treasurer Mike DiCerbo will be at the meeting to accept your cash or checks if you have not already paid. The deadline is past. If you have a friend in the SMA who is not getting his newsletter, you can inform him that he/she did not pay their dues! Trip to England and dinner aboard HMS Victory There are a couple of SMA members who are going to spend some time early this month in England and will also be honored to participate in a special dinner aboard the HMS Victory at Portsmouth, England. Hopefully, a full report will be forthcoming at the next meeting from one of those who went. Treasurer’s Report Our esteemed SMA Treasurer, Mike DiCerbo, indicates that the current balance in the SMA treasury is $2,149.31 as of the end of April 2013. Web Manager’s Report
Above is the chart of the hits experienced by our SMA web page through the end of April 2013. You should check out the web page as there will is great set of articles on the speakers who were at the recent WSMC&E, according to Doug. There are other potential additions to be added to the web site.
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John Simmons Revenue Cutter HMS Dandy
Donald C. Dressel 908 W. 22nd Street, Upland, CA. 91784-1229
Next meeting Wednesday, June 19, 7:30 PM, Hillcrest Park Red Cross Building
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