Trouble with gunports...Help

[Flying22low]

Hello,
I am having trouble with not only cutting out the gunports but also making them look uniform and square. I see some on here that look perfect. Any suggestions on the best tools and technique to use?

 

[whiskers]

Hello,
I am having trouble with not only cutting out the gunports but also making them look uniform and square. I see some on here that look perfect. Any suggestions on the best tools and technique to use?

I’ve never been happy with my gun port results either but recently came up with what I hope will be the answer. I’m currently having a metal shop make me a template which will be the exact size and shape of my current build gun ports. After making the rough cut I am going to pin the template over the opening and use my Proxxon belt sander. My hope is that the final result will be nothing short of perfect. This might be overkill but I’ve convinced myself that it will be one of my better ideas. I’m waiting for the shop to call and tell me the template is ready.
John

 

[whiskers]

Hello,
I am having trouble with not only cutting out the gunports but also making them look uniform and square. I see some on here that look perfect. Any suggestions on the best tools and technique to use?

I also might add instead of using a regular drill bit to start the openings in the port I’ve had greater success using a small Forstner bit. It cuts a nice clean hole in each corner.

 

[Flying22low]

Thank you for the input, I’d be interested to see how that worked for you

 

[DocBlake]

Hello,
I am having trouble with not only cutting out the gunports but also making them look uniform and square. I see some on here that look perfect. Any suggestions on the best tools and technique to use?

It's important to realize that the gun ports are only square or rectangular amidships. Fore and aft they are actually parallelograms with the sides perpendicular to the load waterline, and the sills and lintels parallel to the sheer line of the deck.

 

[DonRobinson]

After you have drawn them onto your hull, as DocBlake has described, drill a few pilot holes into the gun ports then using a number 11 xacto blade carve them out. Be sure your blade is sharp and do not apply too much pressure.

 

[Clair G]

only square or rectagular amidships

And yet another example of things I never gave much thought to....Thanks Doc

 

[mrshanks]

things I never gave much thought to

Ships can be complicated eh?

 

[danielsje]

The best approach to gun ports is to build them into the hull and plank around them. Make port frames and attach them in position using lateral structure as necessary. Then when planking plank around the port openings. Makes for more difficult planking but in my opinion way easier to get good looking ports without cutting and sanding through a planked hull...

 

[Thomas]

I agree with Jim--you spend more time on planking but you will make it up on not having to cut and sand (and probably lose a few planks in the process).

However, if you've already started and if you are doing a double planked hull and are cutting into the first layer of planking, you don't have to get the ports exactly even because you can fix small problems (and do Doc's parallelogram shaping) on the second layer. You'll also probably then line the finished ports so that will hide any imperfections.

 

[danielsje]

If you find that you must cut through planking to form the gun ports there are a few Tricks. XActo sells blades that are mini saws. Such as a number 11 size blade with saw teeth. Slip it into the Drilled hole And gently saw out the port. Once you have opened up the port there are several options for cleaning up the edges, etc. One is to use small wood strips to line the inside edges as well as frame the port on the outside. Depending on the size of the port there are also preformed metal frames that you can buy that will slip into a port giving a decorative and well finished look. I have used each of these tricks...