Many thanks guys!
Martocticvs wrote:
Regarding ropes - unless the sizes are explicitly quoted as being the diameter, rope sizes are normally given as the circumference. Obviously that tends to be a somewhat larger number! So be careful that you check which measure your source is using.
Yes, that table states only the circumference indeed. It is also in inches instead of cm. I'll have some calculating to do!
Martocticvs wrote:
I think most wooden ship modellers would tackle the turning of all the guns with the bitt between their teeth of course
But then the scale is rather smaller than they would typically work in. Although that said, have you looked at using patterns with your lathe? That's the normal approach to this kind of thing for mass-production terms. [edit: not sure you could use a pattern with that lathe...]
I'm also not sure. But I think the pieces are too small anyway. That barrel is only 10mm long, and it is the longest type! The rims are only 0,2mm wide, which I don't think a pattern would allow for, at least not in a sharp way. More importantly, the barrel is only 2,1mm thick at its' widest point. The piece flexes when being worked in the lathe, so it does take some 'feeling' too when working it.
But repeatability is not the problem. The slides of the lathe are scaled and work accurately, so by following the measurements I can easily make identical parts. But resin casting would simply be much faster. And since I will need 104 guns for Victory alone, and another 74 for Redoutable (minus the lower deck guns at Vic's side, since these gunports were closed to prevent boarding), speed is a factor I like to take into account.
Besides, I will have more stuff to cast: gun carriages, deadeyes, blocks, ... I will prepare them together, so they can be cast together to make that process faster and easier.
Bouncy70 wrote:
Martocticvs wrote:
Have you found any decent sources for the design of the French guns? There will be subtle differences vs the Blomfield (or Armstrong?) pattern guns to be found on Victory... probably the most noticeable differences were in the carriage designs though.
Boudriot will have that, "The 74-gun ship" vol III or IV, I can't remember offhand. To lazy to walk to the bookshelf and look.
No need! I have all volumes in my bookshelf too...
Indeed, I will turn a master for each type, and of course different ones for the French and the English. Anyway, they were of different calibres too...
Bouncy70 wrote:
Be careful when drilling the hole for the trunnions... they are off-center to the gun barrel (the trunnion axis should be tangent to the bore of the gun), and the drill has a nasty tendency to slip and ruin things. Don't ask me how I know... Perhaps it would be easier to make an intermediate mould of the barrel only, then add trunnions to a resin copy from that (resin drills easier than brass) and then make a final mould from the now-complete gun? Just a thought.
Many thanks for the idea!
But I won't drill any holes for trunnions. Since these pieces are so small (barrel is about 1,6mm wide at the trunnions, and this is the 32 pounder! A trunnion is only 0,6mm thick) I will have the trunnions simply as a part of the carriage instead of the barrel. Only for a couple of dismounted guns, I will add trunnions, but I will simply glue them on the barrel since they don't need to carry any weight.
Bouncy70 wrote:
The lathe is a very old type... it does not have a cross slide that I can see, but you can perhaps swivel the entire motor end of the lathe and get taper that way? Sherline-style so to speak.
Lathes are fun though. I have a Proxxon myself. Lovely piece of kit.
Yes, the entire motor end of the lathe swivels. There is a pin with a bolt-head directly below the nameplate that locks it in place. It swivels on the seam you see below that, and a bolt on the left of the lathe tightens the assembly (has a hex key in it on the photo). Takes a bit of trial and error to get the angle right, but it works!
Lathes are a lot of fun indeed! I wonder why I didn't do this earlier?
This machine is borrowed. I love the old look (nostalgia!
), but will be looking to get my own, and Proxxon is on the list... Which type do you have, and what advantages and disadvantages did you experience with it?
Cheers,
Marijn