SHIP'S WHEEL

Heinrich

Heinrich

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Hello Guys

This morning I received this very informative piece of news from @BobC Bob Costall, who has just purchased Bluenose. With Bob's permission, I quote him verbatim:

I've been reading the BN build logs and how everyone is dissatisfied with the ship's wheel that is supplied so I wanted to tell you about the ship's wheel I got with the BN kit I am currently building. I've attached a photo of the wheel. This wheel has a 5/8" outer rim diameter which is almost perfect scale for a 1:74 scale model. It is available from A.J. Fisher ship models - http://www.ajfisher.com/. It is part # AJF364. There are some other sizes there too. The owner is Bill Partridge and I told him that there were a few guys looking for better wheels and he OK'd my telling you about it.

Heinrich


Ship's wheel.jpg
 
The wheel looks very nice.
A consideration for consultation:
I visited the web-site and down-loaded the catalog. With the list of wheels on page 27.
For the metric-members: 5/8" = 0.625" = 15,87 mm ;)
The kit-wheel is +/- 17.7 mm, outside rim with the casting line outside. When I take is as 17.5 mm (outside rim) it is 0.688"
I think the 11/16" is perhaps better? 11/16" = 0,6875" = 17.4 mm

Or is the kit-wheel to big, related to the original, and will fit the 5/8" better?

Regards, Peter
 
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As written in a other reply, in the Saga is written:
"Bluenose II fitted with bronze No.12 Lunenburg Foundry Fisherman's Steerer, worm geared for 11 inch wood rudder stock with 48 inch diameter bronze steering wheel."
When I assume the 48" is for the outer rim, in metric it is 121.9 cm. In scale 1:72 it is 16.9 mm. That's nice near the 11/16" / 0.6875" / 17.4 mm.

Yesterday I heard on the radio "Hey Big Spender ......".
So, I asked in the e-mail to A.J.Fisher if the could send both wheels 5/8" and 11/16" to the Netherlands. :) A big investment in the BN.
And see lateron which one has the best fit in size.
Regards, Peter
 
Both ordered shipwheels are inside.
The premise, which Rich has posted before.
Bluenose Wheel.jpg

However, they look like 'something different' than the one posted. (see post #1 above)
Bluenose Wheel 2x2.jpg
-The smallest is 15.27 mm / 0.601 inches.
Nice and tight with a rising edge on the rim. But the ratio of edge/spokes is not entirely close.
-The largest is 16.54 mm / 0.0651 inches. It's close in size. With a lowered inner rim like the original.
But this one is 'a very' rough cast.

All three variants:
Bluenose Wheel 3x1.jpg

In terms of size the kit wheel and the largest on top of each other:
Bluenose Wheel 1op1.jpg

A little disappointing ;).
If I have time and desire, I'll take care of the biggest one and see if I can make 'something' of it.
Otherwise, we'll go for the @Dean62 variant :).
Regards, Peter
 
The starting point for the comparison was the BN-kit wheel.
But what if the measure of that wheel doesn't add up?

Therefore, a example from the Internet and the one Dean had posted:
Bluenose Wheel Fotos.jpg
The inside of the rim is a little bit wider then the housing. (It is out of the middle.)

The 2 received wheels laid on the drawing:
Bluenose Wheel Tekening.jpg

In my opinion, the biggest one's has the better size. Just like the equally size BN-kit wheel.
The drawn wheel is to little.
That measure of the biggest wheel is therefore eligible to elaborate further.
Regards, Peter
 
Peter Voogt said:
The starting point for the comparison was the BN-kit wheel.
But what if the measure of that wheel doesn't add up?

Therefore, a example from the Internet and the one Dean had posted:
View attachment 225882
The inside of the rim is a little bit wider then the housing. (It is out of the middle.)

The 2 received wheels laid on the drawing:
View attachment 225883

In my opinion, the biggest one's has the better size. Just like the equally size BN-kit wheel.
The drawn wheel is to little.
That measure of the biggest wheel is therefore eligible to elaborate further.
Regards, Peter
Click to expand...
Peter,

The largest wheel has the most potential, it has the proper casting. From there I would cut off the handles and add wooden ones. Grind that ugly blob in the center hub flat, and add a nut. A little paint and stain after that and you’re there! However I noticed it’s out of round, which is unfortunate. Perhaps you could have them send you another one that is not defective? ;)
 
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Dean62 said:
Peter,

The largest wheel has the most potential, it has the proper casting. From there I would cut off the handles off and add wooden ones. Grind that ugly blob in the center hub flat, and add a nut. A little paint and stain after that and you’re there! However I noticed it’s out of round, which is unfortunate. Perhaps you could have them send you another one that is not defective? ;)
Click to expand...
Hi Dean,
Thanks for thinking along. Some thoughts are the same as mine, like de wooden handles and the centre nut. I have several sizes, also used on The LEE.
Sending or replacement is a little to expensive. The postal cost was almost double the price of the wheels.
All in all a nice starting point to search and/or experiment further.
Regards, Peter
 
As you may already know. I created a CAD file of the ships wheel...


Being too fragile to print and survive cleanup at 1/72 scale, I had to modify to thicken up some. Henk was able to print the file I provided in resin.


But I decided to reduce it some to get closer to scale on thickness, here is the resulting CAD file...
1623424408272.png

Henk will be printing it in resin, and I will print in plastic. Results will be shown when we get done.
With tiny printed parts, it becomes an experimentation between actual scale and what is possible to print and still retain as much detail as possible.
It is a process of trial and error. I think we are getting close to having a satisfactory result!
Stay posted! ;)
 
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This has been a rewarding collaboration. Thank you Henk and Peter for your contributions. Soon I think we will have a proper wheel and anchor (in the stored position) for our Bluenose.
I would also like to thank Jimsky for pointing out the provided anchor was not the correct type, which led me down the path of making my own. And special thanks to Rich for providing the anchor drawing with dimensions.
It seems many people have contributed in one way or another.
 
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I prefer to post this picture in this BN Ship’s Wheelthread.
Most of the ‘life’ shipwheel pictures came from the BN-II. And some from the original.
I have to look if the following one is already posted in the thread:

Bluenose Old Photos, Books, and resources from the past

To start this thread off I am offering a series of old photos by Walter MacAskill from the Nova Scotia archives. If you Google that up you will find many more. Items to look at are what is visible and not present when Bluenose was racing. Then look at those which are obviously taken when it...
shipsofscale.com

1623614227066.jpeg
“Capt. Angus Walters at the whell of the Bluenose”
Found it here:
-> <-
If I have understand everything well, I don’t see ‘critters’ ?
In my words: it is (almost) flat between the upright flanges.
@Heinrich : Can you ask ‘the guys’ where they get the impression of the ‘half garden hose’ between the upright flanges? Unless the shadow effect gives me the wrong impression:
1623615204065.png
Regards, Peter
 
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@Peter Voogt @Henk Liebre @Dean62 Hello Gentlemen

Before going any further, I would like to express my sincere thanks on behalf of myself and I am sure all the other Bluenose builders for the sterling work that you have put into the Bluenose's steering wheel. It is very warmly appreciated! Thank You! :)Thumbsup

Also try to understand that I am in bit of a predicament with regards to the other wheel that I mentioned.

1. First of all who are the "critters that I am referring to? They are an international, non-profit oriented, group of builders - independent to any forum to which they may or may not belong - who functions as a "Think Tank" or a "Research and Development Group" (for want of better terminology) for model shipbuilding. Whilst there are some projects with which they are intrinsically involved, they are not affiliated to one project per se; rather it is a case of seeing how they can enhance model shipbuilding as a whole. They prefer to remain anonymous and I respect their wishes.

2. As to how they arrived at the wheel that they designed, I believe it would be a case of looking a gift horse in the mouth if I were to question that. Rest assured that they have not just lucratively arrived at this design of the wheel. I actually received this correspondence from them this morning.

There is also writing on the wheel that can barely be seen (lower left). We think it says Bluenose "something".. We did not include it since it was so small. There are also a couple of grooves that run alongside the "garden hose" that we omitted for simplicity. The wheel itself was made from a single casting, most likely iron (or perhaps bronze). The handles are wood and held on by pins at the base. The caps on the tops of the handles seem to be polished brass. Based on notes from maritime historian and architect Howard Chapelle the overall wheel would have been a silver color (attached photo).

These are our interpretations after looking at ALL relevant photos and reference material available. Not just a single photo.

thumbnail_Bluenose Wheel.jpg

3. Therefore, I suggest we look at the finished/printed example and then everyone is free to choose which they wheel they want to or prefer to choose.
 
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