Ports-opening and fitting mortisses.
Leaving the finer fairing for later, moved on to the ports.
(Gives a rest to the shoulders and breaks the monotony.)
Using the sheer plan, take measurements for the openings using the build board level as a base line. To minimise confusion and mistakes, mark out the stations on the top of the frames.
Tried various methods including a proper waterline tool(surface guage)- but found ruler , perspex block spirit level + horizontal eyeballing, the best for me.
The base measure is the lower line of each opening, which is the upper level of lower sill.
The gun port sills are 2.65mm thick, sweep port’s -2.27mm.
The line is parallel to the gundeck level.It also forms the upper level of sweep ports.They are not horizontal.
For example, starting with the central frame “o”-the lower sill top is 11.05mm on my plan.
The line for the bottom of this sill is 2.65 LESS.
With a vertical gap of 14.3mm, the lower level of upper sill is 11..05+14.3, and its upper level is another 2.65mm MORE.
I cut a 1mm deep notch between the makings for seating the sill. (micro saw and file)
I tried the angled sill fitting as per TFFMon some scrap but it was beyond me.
Making these markings and the care required for accuracy emphasised that measuring and making at an earlier stage would have been a mistake. The couple I did, needed filling.
**Amidships, the sill hight extends to the tops of the frames.**
I marked all the gun ports and made them alternating port and starboard.
I made the width of the sill to fit as there is a slight difference in the space between frame, even though it was supposed to be 15.11mm.
The sweep ports have a thinner sill (2.27mm)and as the lower line of the gap is the same, the lower line of the notch, is 11.05-2.27mm- in this “O” example.
(seems complicated on reading, but is simple on doing)
These sweep ports are 4.24mm square- the upper sill is marked as 11.05+4.24 and another line another 2.27mm.
These were similarly notched at 1mm depth.
As discussed some weeks ago, the frame spacing does not allow for a width of 4.24mm. Therefore, the space is formed after the sills are fitted. I.e. Sills made at width of 6.24 and the depth of the notches made to accommodate this.
Then the gap between the frame is widened to the required 4.24mm (Not symetrically- one side or other looks “better”)
More fairing of the new “inserts” and remove the temporary extra spacers.
Looking better I think.