The Ship Model Forum

Thankfully, the photo record is complete enough to show reasonably detailed examples used by the Japanese merchant marine. Just as important, the mass of prewar photographs also shows the configuration to be generally uniform in appearance. There are small differences now and then. For instance, the preserved Hikawa Maru example below has some protective shielding over the larger drum gears. A photo of Kimikawa Maru (not shown) shows the entire structure enclosed in a box except for the drums to either side (which might be so many kits shows a box in this location).

Some other examples of Japanese merchant anchor windlasses below. (note: merchant ships generally use a horizontal arrangement of gears, drums, and take up spools, whereas warships tend to use a vertical capstan or capstans. The Wikipedia entry has an interesting explanation under �Horizontal vs. Vertical: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anchor_windlass Warships might also favor a vertical arrangement because it is more compact in terms of deck layout.)

While any form of greater detail would be welcome, I was taken with how large and visible some of the toothed gearing was on these things. I felt compelled (perhaps obsessively so) to try and find a way to replicate at least some of the gearing. My first thought, using watch gears, proved to be a dead end. I have access to many watch internals but, surprisingly, most watch gears are too large for 1/700 scale appearances. They are better suited for 1/350 scale. Plus, it was tough to find multiples of identical gears, which would be necessary for multiple windlasses.

After pondering this dilemma for a long while, I had an Aha! moment. It turns out that 1/700 IJN chrysanthemum shields make for a decent large gear. My prototype demonstrated the need for thinner gears, so great care was taken in sanding the shields to a thinner point. The outer drums were styrene rod turned by hand, in my hands, using a round microfile.

I built a couple of copies; one is good enough so that I am having copies cast in resin for future use. These are not perfect; there are plenty of variances in shape among the bits involved. But, I also know that once anchor chain is threaded over the windlass from the hawseholes, many flaws will not be noticeable. Further, once the raised platform for the bow 12cm mount is in place over the rear of the windlass, even fewer imperfections will be visible. I can live with the rest.

Guide: in the photo that utilizes a penny for size comparison, the kit piece is on the right, and the prototype is second from the right. One of the two on the left are to be used for the resin casting versions.

I'm sorry to hear about your father, my condolesces.

You do make good speed now for sure. Glad to see someone taking so much care for those winches, the "maritime" equipment on warship models is often neglected compared to the weaponry.

As for the Wikipedia article on them, a few things are missing in that article (as usual). The multi-direction problem for horizontal winches is often solved by a simple horizontal roller which is placed on a pedestal in front and/or behind the rope/wire drum. The rope/wire is then led to the roller and there it can change direction to whatever fairlead it has to go. The Hikawa Maru pics are a bit funny since you can see a combination of both capstans and horizontal windlass. Clearly they didn't use the seperate horizontal roller and opted for additional capstans. It sort of makes the warping ends on the windless useless.

The shielding of gears is often just a manufacturer choice.

Anyhow your results are brilliant when you consider that scale! All the small cilinders look straight at the end angle, not an easy thing to accomplish, often you get an angled cut and when you try to file it straight it just gets worse. So how did you do that? And how did you hold all those tiny parts while manipulating/producing them?

Thank you, Neptune.

I found the Wiki article useful in clarifying some of the differentiation between the two types, but am hardly surprised that it is incomplete.

So how did you do that? And how did you hold all those tiny parts while manipulating/producing them?

Trust me, it took a lot of repetition. And patience. And persistence. There were plenty of false starts. Remembering to hold the razor blade at an angle so that the plane of one edge is truly vertical is a must. I wondered often why I was bothering to do this.

Everything was hand held; it's good that I still have steady hands.

i'll like to express my sincere condolences to you on the loss of your father and i'm sure is a tough time but it's great to see you "all engines full ahead" with the models..


Jose

While I am having some of the anchor windlasses cast in resin, I chose to mount another of my scratchbuilt styrene versions on Kenyo Maru. I also mounted some anchor chain from Flyhawk. Like I thought, any obvious imperfections with the windlass gears are pretty much lost to the eye. (Note to self: Installing the chain at this point complicates the taping off of the forecastle deck so as to complete the painting of the other raised and vertical surfaces, including yet to be attached railings and davits. Best to wait.)

Another thing that I completed over the holiday weekend was the hull plating via the alternating paint bands method for Kyokuto Maru. Not the best pic but, this rendition is even better than that of Kenyo Maru.

Looking great Dan, I love all the details, but where are the GUNS???!!!

How are you liking the process of building em both at the same time? I did that with a trio of DDGs and my feelings on the process were mixed. It was a time saver doing it assembly-line style (I think) but I found that the boredom from repetition kind of turned it into a chore for me at times.

Very impressive work, Dan. Love the anchor windlass.

Thank you, all.

Guns are coming, Ryan! 120mm mounts. I've been building my smaller builds, mostly DDs, in pairs for a while now. I find that the learning curve is helpful, so one ship always benefits from the experience. If not too far along, the test ship gets the upgrade as well. Boring? Well, my builds certainly have been dragged out, but it has nothing to do with repetition, only life.

I do find that I have to switch my focus on whatever section I'm working on every now and then to keep my interest up, instead plodding along in whatever straight line I had planned out in my head. Sometimes, that means coming back and finishing up an area later on. The problem with doing so is that I might forget some planned details or process. It's amazing how many things I plan out, then forget about, then have to come back to.

I love all your upgrades especially the anchor windlass. Great idea using the crests. They do look the part. Keep plugging away!




Bob Pink.

I do find that I have to switch my focus on whatever section I'm working on every now and then to keep my interest up, instead plodding along in whatever straight line I had planned out in my head. Sometimes, that means coming back and finishing up an area later on. The problem with doing so is that I might forget some planned details or process. It's amazing how many things I plan out, then forget about, then have to come back to.

Funny to read an exact problem I'm having too. Be it on a much larger scale ship. I wouldn't really call it a problem though, you have to do what suits you.

Your ships look great!

Thx, guys. I dunno, larger scales means an exponential increase in details. It will probably break me

Grat job with gearing....
I like to follow your threads. They bring a lot of practical solutions

Thx. I try.

I've shifted gears again and am working on the deck piping. I'll post my methodology soon, hopefully with decent results.

superb job Dan Ilike it
a work to follow
cheers
nicolas

Thx!

As mentioned, I�ve started on some of the deck piping. The kit molded pipes are actually quite nice in appearance. They are, perhaps, among the nicer features of the kit. I was truly reluctant to scrape them off. However, I have two issues with them. One, they are molded in a generic pattern that doesn�t quite fit any of the Kawasaki class, or even 1TL class, tankers. There is some similarity with Akebono Maru�s (Harima built version of the Kawasaki type) layout, and possibly Nippon Maru (as the pattern resembles one of two plan layouts that I�ve seen for Nippon Maru), but the similarity ends there. Second, it is quite obvious from photos that the pipes are mounted on supports off the deck in order to let any wave action to run off.

I started with the narrower of the two longitudinal pipes running lengthwise along the deck, to the starboard side. I�m not entirely clear if this is an oil transfer pipe, or a steam pipe. However, it is definitely narrower than the other lengthwise pipe to port. By comparing it to some of the deck equipment and crewmen, I�m guesstimating it to be on the order of 10� thick, which scales out to approx 0.15�. I also guesstimated the height of the pipe off the deck at around 6-7� or so, which means that .01� styrene strip will work out well for the supports.

I was also undecided about whether to use styrene or brass rod for the piping. Styrene is more flexible, which is a great help in final positioning. Uniformity of material, particularly in bonding the pipe to styrene supports, and then to the deck, is also attractive. However, styrene does not lend itself well to the tight, narrow 90* curves required for the piping to rise to the aft bulkhead. It cracks and splits easily under the bending pressure when forming the curves.

Brass obviously forms tight bends much more easily. It also provides for a straighter overall pipe for the full length of the deck. While superglue ensures its adherence to the styrene bits used for supports, I am wary of the pipe popping or shearing free of the supports under certain conditions. Unlike PE railings, which I glue along their entire length, the piping is attached to a series of styrene bits cut from .01� x .02� styrene strip.

So, I made piping from both .015� styrene rod and .016� brass rod. You�ll notice that there�s a little bit of extra engineering in the middle of each pipe. It�s a styrene sheet cut to act as a small mounting plate, with styrene U shape strip over it, to secure the rods in place. This is particularly true for the brass rod versions, which have a little extra CA glue in there. In all cases, it makes for a nice handling point as well as a sizable fixed base that can be glued down to the deck first. The rest of the pipe can then be moved gently into position and secured with glue.

Ultimately, despite my reservations, I chose to go with the brass rod, after painting and test fitting the various rods. Note the two different layouts.

Hi Dan

very good rendering a like it
congrats
Nicolas

Although I'm not a specialist on this type of ship, that pipe may be fuel transfer piping. Normally ships have fuel tanks forward since that allows to keep cargo space maximal, yet allow for a streamlines bow by using that bow as fuel (and ballast) spaces. To get that forward fuel to the engine room tanks aft it's often transferred through piping on deck. Considering this pipe really goes all the way in the bow, this might be a fuel pipe.
Could be a steam pipe too though, these forward fuel tanks, as well as her cargo tanks, might have had steam heating. Also the winches on deck look like steam driven winches.
Nice results, I also always use brass for my pipes on tankers. It's relatively easy to bend back and straighten out when you have multiple bends in one line. With styrene it's nearly impossible to bend back without any deformation on the tube. The cracking of styrene tubing can be avoided only by increasing the radius of the turn and slowly bending it, allowing it to settle/stretch while you pull.

Here is a very old topic of one of my 1/700 gas carriers.
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38282&hilit=Donau&start=40

Not a very good build, at that time I was still painting with a brush and without any masking tape etc. I guess I would be more careful nowadays.

For the very fine piping I was using steel "spring" wire. You can get that in finer diameters than brass. Not much, but still visibly so.
I'm also working with copper wire from telephone wires etc. Nothing finer than that, but you have to roll it between two flat surfaces to get it really straight and even then you can still see it's not "straight" straight, like the steel wire. However for short lengths of extremely fine wire/piping it's usable.