Cutter Alert 1/48 cross section [COMPLETED BUILD]

I think I got it... first two lengths without those "knots" or extra loops. Thanks for the tips.
I twisted the strands way too much, that was the cause.

Here are two ropes 0.6mm diameter, left dyed with linseed oil and on the right with wood dye "light oak". The yarn used is DMC Cordonnet special cotton.

The linseed seems too yellow, the wood dye too brownish. I need to find something more beige?!

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Thank You.

As I wasn't happy how the CalderCraft blocks and the hooks turned out I redid them.
Inspired by several building logs I tried the techniques myself. There is a learning curve and I'm satisfied for now. Had to restart quite a few times...

The blocks are 3mm long by 1,6mm thick and 2,2mm wide, made from pear. Now it seems the hooks are too big but I can't imagine going any smaller, so I'm going to rig the gun with those and decide then.

And the macro shots are just horrible. With the naked eye the hooks look smooth though.

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The gun is installed as are the shot racks.
I'm not sure if the breeching rope is too thin. It should be around 1mm (if I calculated that right) but it just doens't seem right.
The coloring of the rope turned out OK, done with CLOU Birch dye.
And I still have to paint the handle of the quoin...

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...the hooks are too big but I can't imagine going any smaller...

If one never tries, one will never find out. These are the ones I made today so I guess I can go smaller after all. I still have to practise a little more to get consistent results, especially concerning the overall length.

20220210_170043.jpgCompared to the previous ones:
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After several tries I finally got the blocks and hooks to fit. Now I have to somehow attach that rope to stay in place...
I do love your hooks and would like to know the method you made them. I feel it will be another jig...? Many thanks in advance.

...and one small observation: the train tackles should use a double-shave block at least on one of the ends, or both double. I think it is an easy change (should you accept).

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Thank you all for the likes and comments.

I deliberately chose to do single blocks as I read somewhere that for 4 - 6 pdr guns they used only a 1/2 pulley system. Could it be that this rule only applied to french vessels, can't rememer where I saw that info?!

I think I will leave it at that as I have started with the Trident Alert (couldn't wait any longer) and I have to finish the X-Section. Don't wan't to have it lying around unfinished. But thank You for pointing it out, maybe I will change it later.

I will post some pics about the hooks later today ;)
 
Thank you.
Here's how I made the hooks. I tried with some sort of jig, trying to bend the wire around sewing needles inserted in a piece of wood. But at that small size this didn't work.

So back to round pliers. I did grind the ends of the conical jaws down. One jaw to a really small diameter and the other left a little thicker.
So first I bend the wire around the pointy end, no need to be precise...
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Then with a flush trim cutter I snip off about halfway in the bent part. This will give you a nice round part to close the loop properly. This is actually how eyelets are done in electronics...
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And reinserting the pointy end continue to close the loop.


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Grab the "shaft" as close to the loop as possible and bend it up:

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So you have this:

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The next parts are difficult to photograph. With the thicker jaw I bend the wire back a little before forming the hook around the thinner jaw. I try to not bend it too far do avoid closing the hook part too far.

Now to create the sharp, pointy end of the hook and cut the wire at the same time I simply grab it at the desired spot, squeeze the wire to make an indent and wiggle the overlength a couple times while pulling until it snaps off by itself.
Another way of creating the pointy end is to snip it off at a flat angle but I kept breaking off the fine point...

This pic I took right after the wire did break After this some hooks need a little finetuning.

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A quick flattening in the pliers

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At this point you could twist the eyelet to be perpendicular to the hook.

So this is the smallest I can make the, they are 4mm long. The wire is 0,5mm diameter brass wire. Maybe you could go smaller by using 0,3mm but then the hooks would be too flimsy and maybe open up during rigging.

With this method I can do one hook (without the finetuning) in about 45sec. Just have to switch pliers 2 times so after a few tries you can be pretty fast.

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They are still nowhere near as good as I have seen in other peoples' logs but turned out OK. I think it is more important to be closer to scale than having the shape exactly correct.
So respect to those modellers who can do both
 
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Trying to keep going...

Here is one more picture showing my crocodile clamps, modified to hold the small blocks while shaping. Maybe I'm not the first to use this but I thought it would be interesting for someone. I filed the sides off and bent them 90° so they fit inside the groove. This way filing/sanding the block to final shape is easier.

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The base for the model is made from a piece of birch plywood, veneered with a nice piece of cherry veneer. Here are my selfmade veneer clamps I made to use keepsake boxes. You can see the two overhanging veneer pieces under the scrap pieces (to distribute pressure and keeping the veneer flat). The scrap pieces are waxed to avoid gluing them to the workpiece :)

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After a day of drying:

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Trimming the overhang and checking the fit in the wenge frame pieces. Those are cut to size and a dado cut in the sides to slide the base in. This allows the wood to "work", even though plywood is quite stable...

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Preparing the maple "inlays":

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And finishing off with wenge strips:

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I added a fancy "slipway" to attach the model, without it I found it to be a little lost on the base. This gives it a bit of "visual stability"... if that makes any sense.
And the gun has been rigged. I think I should add the gratings to complete it.
I thought about adding the anchor cable, wrapped around the bitts, just to add a little more interest to the decks. I'm not sure how they where secured on the bitts, does anyone have a pic or diagram showing how this was done?

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After a long Pause I recently found some time again to continue building something

This has been sitting in a protective box for too long (again).

This is the second try on a display base with dust cover made from acrylic glass.
The sides are glued and the top plate has to be cut to size.

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The third try was the winner
I found out that there are several types of acrylic glas... ABS, PVC, PS, PMMA...

PMMA is the best in my opinion, the saw cut edges are crisp and can be glued without further edge treatment with PMMA glue. The material is guaranteed to be UV resistant and it doesn't scratch as fast as PS (which I used previously). PS scratches as soon as one wipes the dust off

Here is the result after the glue has dried

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And on the display base.

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I just have to make a nameplate and it's finally done
 
A good looking showcase - a very good place for you great Alert section model :cool:
 
Thank You everyone
The nameplate has to wait as I just finished the build of my tool wall and have to reorganize all the tools. I want to have them all in one place.

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Currently I am turning christmas gifts with my son, letter openers, pens, bottle openers...
After the holidays I will find the time to continue building the Trident Alert too.

Happy holidays everybody!
 
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