La Belle - CAF Models 1/36 by Signet

[Signet]

...On the starboard side, I cut the true timberheads off, scratched a brand new caprail and I'll be installing faux timberheads via new simplified tenon/mortise joints ("wifeproof" round rods of carbon into round holes drilled trought both the caprail and the frame beneath).

Rods of "carbon"? Do you mean carbon steel?

 

[Albert Mary]

Rods of "carbon"? Do you mean carbon steel?

Sorry mate, my english is even far from decency. Maybe the right term is "pin". I meant pieces of carbon fiber dowel pin of 1mm in diameter.

 

[Signet]

Sorry mate, my english is even far from decency. Maybe the right term is "pin". I meant pieces of carbon fiber dowel pin of 1mm in diameter.

I have so many questions: Do you get your carbon fiber dowels from Amazon? Have you tried using them in smaller sizes? I assume they don't break when installing, but are they difficult to cut? Do they sand well after installation? Do you have a build posted using them?

 

[Albert Mary]

I have so many questions: Do you get your carbon fiber dowels from Amazon? Have you tried using them in smaller sizes? I assume they don't break when installing, but are they difficult to cut? Do they sand well after installation? Do you have a build posted using them?

I got them from a toy/modeĺ shop in my town. The smallest size I could find yet is 0.8mm, but it's amazingly brittle compared to of 1mm. They are very easy to cut with a jigsaw (just use fine-toothed blade, as you was about to cut the same dowel made of brass, copper, etc.)
I know a bunch of adevanced and even some famous modellers, here in Italy, who use carbon dowel to simulate the nailing, instead of brass or copper, to avoid metal blackening in situ, which can stain the wood around the nails when not pre-treated with sealing wax.

 

[TheGatzby]

Do you get your carbon fiber dowels from Amazon?

You may have already explored this, but I have seen the use of black mono filament fishing line to simulate bolts and nails.
It is available in a wide range of sizes.

 

[Albert Mary]

I have so many questions: Do you get your carbon fiber dowels from Amazon? Have you tried using them in smaller sizes? I assume they don't break when installing, but are they difficult to cut? Do they sand well after installation? Do you have a build posted using them?

That's my last model before the hoy. The bowsprit is in two sections, joined together: square (painted in white) and round. I attemped first with a wood dowel, by my wife "showed" me it was a weak solution. Then I used a 2mm carbon dowel and the bowsprit started to work as it was in one piece. In anyone crashed into her again (hopefully not), this time a damage would rather occur to the gunnel or to hull. Furthermore, that allowed me to put far more tension in the bobstay and wisker stays, for a more realistic effect.

 

[Signet]

I got them from a toy/modeĺ shop in my town. The smallest size I could find yet is 0.8mm, but it's amazingly brittle compared to of 1mm. They are very easy to cut with a jigsaw (just use fine-toothed blade, as you was about to cut the same dowel made of brass, copper, etc.)
I know a bunch of adevanced and even some famous modellers, here in Italy, who use carbon dowel to simulate the nailing, instead of brass or copper, to avoid metal blackening in situ, which can stain the wood around the nails when not pre-treated with sealing wax.

The nailing simulation is what I was interested in. Have you used them this way? If not, can you point me to a build where they do? I have a lot of nails to simulate on this model, and am very interested in this.

 

[Signet]

You may have already explored this, but I have seen the use of black mono filament fishing line to simulate bolts and nails.
It is available in a wide range of sizes.

I bought 3 sizes of black monofilament line for this purpose. I've only done a few as a test, and while they aren't too hard to insert, I was concerned with sanding, and of course in the smaller sizes they're pretty flexible.

 

[Signet]

I got them from a toy/modeĺ shop in my town. The smallest size I could find yet is 0.8mm, but it's amazingly brittle compared to of 1mm. They are very easy to cut with a jigsaw (just use fine-toothed blade, as you was about to cut the same dowel made of brass, copper, etc.)
I know a bunch of adevanced and even some famous modellers, here in Italy, who use carbon dowel to simulate the nailing, instead of brass or copper, to avoid metal blackening in situ, which can stain the wood around the nails when not pre-treated with sealing wax.

I did see the 0.8mm size, and actually also a 0.5mm size, which is a great size, but if the 0.8mm were that brittle, I hate to think about the 0.5.

Good to know these relatively small and strong dowels exist; I had no idea, and now I'm trying to find uses for them, so thanks!

 

[Albert Mary]

I bought 3 sizes of black monofilament line for this purpose. I've only done a few as a test, and while they aren't too hard to insert, I was concerned with sanding, and of course in the smaller sizes they're pretty flexible.

Carbon nails are perfectly sandable. I have never used fishing lines, but I don't think they can work the same as carbon splinter under sandpaper. Also consider you can reduce the diameter of any carbon dowel even to 0,018" (suitable for plankinking trenails at 1:48) by a normal drawplate as it was brass or bamboo. I'm not a huge fan of trenailing, then I have been just using copper wire in structural parts so far.