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USS Constitution - Model Shipways

Hello Peter, the tapering on the yards looks very smooth. Are you doing the tapering on your new lathe using sandpaper, or are you using a turning tool? If you're doing it with a turning tool, how are you managing to achieve that?
 
I'm using the compound slide on the new lathe. Ken used this feature of the Sherline lathe for some brass work, and I remembered that, borrowing the technique for the tapering. Page 128 of 132 in year three of my build log describes this, I think.

You position the cutting tool at one end of the area you wish to taper, having first set the angle on the compound slide. (1/2 of a degree seems to be the right setting here). Then instead of moving the cutting tool with the main carriage, you move the compound slide.
 
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I'd still like to know where you found that Byrne's saw, Frank. I've been looking for years and only ever saw the one going for something like $2500 at e-Bay. Now, if you bought that one, I'd fully understand the Admiral's reluctance to fund more gear.. I DID manage to get that lathe for a nice discount, and, and I will be getting something for the Proxxon Lathe when I sell it, so, not a terrible expense. Hey! if Ken (aka XKen) has one, I want one..
 
Indeed, he has some fine "toys". I found my saw on MSW. Another builder called CaptMorgan advertised it. Fortunately, he was here in Florida and things worked out. Not sure if you saw it, but there was a post here saying that Donna at Byrnes is now taking orders for table saws ($532) and thickness sanders $410. I don't think they are offering the disc sander yet. Maybe by Christmas she will have forgotten the saw and I can talk the boss into a lathe or a mill. :)
 
I'd still like to know where you found that Byrne's saw, Frank.
I bought my Byrnes saw in August 2024 from Byrnes Model Machines shortly after Donna started the production back up again. No idea if they are still taking orders, but have read stories of delays, so I can't speak to current activity. But I'd give her a direct call to check their status. She had one of Jim's protégé's doing the productions, and mine is working as fine as Jim would expect. Thumbsup
 
Hi guys, I've been a little busy, but not on the my model. I spent my time building my log here, and am half way through rebuilding it on MSW since the site was reborn. Hopefully, that will be completed soon. And to answer your question, yah, I'm crazy, that's 8 1/2 years of stuff. I must give credit to the MSW website crew for getting the site back up from nothing so quickly. So, I forgive them if there are some kinks still to work out.

And like Mustafa, this my second loss of logs. The first was Model Ship Builder. I was having problems loaded stuff onto that site because the owner of that site said it was antiquated. So I wasn't surprised that he decided to rebuild it. He got everything done but the forums. The reconstruction just stopped. Why, I don't know. The site is still active for downloads, but that's it. I believe that site is based in Canada.

Jon
 
TG yards now turned.

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I just took a look at the plans and see I still have a bunch of lathe word ahead of me. Sprit sail yard, studding sail yards, spanker gaff and boom. Jibboom, flying jibboom, studying sail boom, main topmost boom, and I may even turn a new bowsprit.

And here I thought I was close to the end of the fabrication
 
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You did a great job on the yards, Peter. I don’t know if you’ll do it later, but there should be an opening in the middle of the parrel saddles so that the tye blocks can be attached to the yards.

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It could be a timing issue, Mustafa, but I saw your notes on someone else's build log mentioned that, thanks to you, I am aware of the oversight. Today I addressed that while I was making the rest of the parrel saddles. I don't have time anymore today to upload photos, I still have to wait for the glue to dry on the saddles for the Royals and Topgallants before I mill the slots. When that's done I'll post some pix.

For what it's worth, to those using the Bob Hunt practicum, he doesn't account for these in Chapter 2 of his rigging the Constitution practicum, when he addresses making the parrel saddles. He gets around to mentioning this in chapter 4, page 27, topic 4.2.8 - Topsail Halliard, that there should be "a small hole through the center line where the parrel touches the yard. If you did not put one there when you made the parrel, then simply drill a small hole through the parrel now".
 
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Some small progress made today. Saddles have been attached to the royal and topgallant yards. Sheaves added to the topgallant yards.

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I was patting myself on the back for doing a great job of drilling holes into the ends of the main and fore topgallant yards, only to realize I misread the instructions. Turns out that wasn't necessary for those two yards. The four remaining yards are going to be a little bit more difficult to drill into, especially the mizzen royal. There's not much meat on that bone to accommodate a bent eyebolt.

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Geez, looking at the photo above, I'm not liking how wide the parrel saddles are on the royals. I may trim them back a little when I return to the shipyard after the holiday.
 
Drilled the holes in the remaining yards. Smallest drill was 0.40mm. I actually had to hand rotate the chuck to get the drill centered and started. The Sherline Lathe has an amazing speed control, and once I was confident I had enough depth, I got the chuck turning at a a snails pace and buried 2/3 of the drill in the yard ends.

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Next up, drill the holes for the eyebolts into the saddles. Also used the 0.40mm drill, as I'm planning to make the eyebolts out of 0.40 diameter brass wire. (The saddles are only 0.80mm thick.)

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