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Author Topic: Swallow  (Read 8776 times)

dreadnought72

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Swallow
« on: November 04, 2018, 06:22:55 pm »


This is a static build of a typical 1930s clinker-built lugsail dinghy in 1/8th scale. About 20" long and 7" beam.


Strongback, the temporary molds made up, and a trial fit of the finished transom, transom knee and keel/stem. Parts are glued and pegged, as per full size.











I need to fettle the keel to receive the garboard plank, and then it's another nine or ten planks later to reach the whisky plank. Can't wait!


Andy
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SailorGreg

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #1 on: November 05, 2018, 03:39:17 pm »

Oooh, lovely. I'm looking forward to this. Proper boatbuilding!   :-)) :-))


Greg

grendel

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2018, 09:19:40 pm »

hmm, sure I have seen this on some facebook page too :-)
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #3 on: November 05, 2018, 09:40:43 pm »

 :-))  Hi Grendel ... I'll be documenting the build here. FB will just get the highlights.  ok2


Next up? Tablesawing pine blocks to make 2mm planks. I shall try to avoid amputating my fingers. :police:


Andy
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #4 on: November 05, 2018, 09:42:28 pm »

Greg, you'll love the copper rivets stage. I'm going for it - by cheating!


Andy
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SailorGreg

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2018, 10:02:04 pm »

Can't wait!   :-)

dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2018, 11:12:42 pm »

Clinker boats - each strake overlaps the one below it. But what happens at each end?


Well, properly, you cut 'lands' into adjoining strakes so that any clinker overlap gradually merges out. And because it's proper, I'm doing it on Swallow.


It's not tricky, but it is time-consuming. Once the strake is shaped to fit the hull, it's time to cut the lands. Here is a 3mm wide land, about 40mm long, cut into a 2mm thick strake using a Stanley blade, and then sanded smooth with the specialist tool in the background. (A bit of sandpaper glued to some wood). In the land, the strake runs down to half thickness.





...and on the boat, you do the same:





You can cut all four lands on each strake off the boat - but I've found it easier and less likely to result in disaster (lands on wrong sides) doing it this way.


In full-size proper boat-building, the strakes would be nailed to the stem and the transom, and clenched together with copper rivets along their edges. Way too much hassle! I'm glueing up the shell as I go - a technique used by those building modern 'clinker' boats from ply and epoxy. It's a clamptastic exercise!


So how do the ends look? Here's the transom. The strakes are left overlong at the moment, and won't be sanded flush until all are in place. The lands (all tongue and groovy) are working fine - I have disappearing clinkers!  :-))





...Though I doubt I could do this at a smaller scale.


Andy
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Jerry C

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #7 on: November 20, 2018, 07:26:20 am »

I had to look it up from my Wear build. It’s called geralding.
Jerry.

dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #8 on: December 02, 2018, 10:13:19 pm »

Geralding progresses ...





Rudder is all-but made:





Boom jaws and mainmast sheave complete:





...but my world is still dominated by clamps:








Seven strakes to go. I've hit "two per day" this week, and the last two will have to be added 'off the molds'. There should be enough resilience in the shell by then - all becomes much firmer when the gunwales and external keel goes on.


I'm very pleased with the build so far. Slow, but technically satisfying.


Andy
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tigertiger

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #9 on: December 03, 2018, 12:33:29 pm »

I like this build. :-))
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SailorGreg

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2018, 01:36:59 pm »

dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #11 on: December 04, 2018, 01:13:34 am »

Me too!  %%  It's satisfying. But blinkin' cold in the shed, even with an oil heater.


The hull should be off the molds later this week. Then it's fitting the insides out. I'll be superglueing most of those, so progress should be quite quick.


BTW, this is destined to be a Christmas Present. That needs posted. 'No pressure', huh?!  ;)


Andy
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tigertiger

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #12 on: December 04, 2018, 02:16:45 am »

If you are going to post, you will get lots of good advice on safe packing here. Buying a big bag of those polystyrene packing peanuts is a good investment. If you miss the xmas post, https://www.parcel2go.com/ , I used to use the 48 hour services that worked out very cheap.
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #13 on: February 21, 2019, 08:55:25 pm »

Frames going in...





External gunwale being added:





And, yes, I missed my Christmas deadline, but shed temperatures and way too much RW work got in the way. :(


Getting there now, tho'.
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grendel

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #14 on: February 21, 2019, 09:44:31 pm »

lovely
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #15 on: February 22, 2019, 10:59:15 pm »

This and that glued on...








...getting there!
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2019, 07:59:47 pm »

Running out of stuff to stick on. Maybe a week to go.





(That's Racundra's 1/8th scale main in the background - and Arthur, sat on my radio!)





Mast step. Feels really far forward to me, but I'm used to boats-with-jibs.





Clamps! I need MORE clamps!





Boltropes. Ugh - I don't need more stitching, that's for sure.


More to come!
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Jerry C

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2019, 11:34:11 pm »

I just buy clothes pegs. Just as good cheap as chips.
Just one thing, Swallow had no centreboard arrangement, instead she had a full length, deeper than normal keel, to enable her to make good progress to windward. I believe she still exists and possibly in the possession of the Arthur Ransom Society. If not, at least a faithful copy. Your pictures don’t show if you’ve picked up on this. Forgive me if you have. Either way you can be very proud of what you’ve done. I’m looking forward to seeing her varnished.
Jerry.

dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2019, 11:53:51 pm »

Hi Jerry! The Swallow in existence is the '74 film Swallow. Very cute, but a bit too short, and adapted for the filming. This Swallow is as faithful a replica as I can make to Ransome's own, that he sailed in the late 20s, early 30s on Windermere.


My client, however, wants the model varnished, not painted (as the original working boat was). Deep keel to come, once the outer stem gets stuck on.


Thanks for the interest! Maybe another post as the guts go in, then a few finishing pictures once she's done.


Andy
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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #19 on: March 03, 2019, 11:18:54 pm »

Using card and superglue to check the shape of the floors:





And the bottom boards going in ...





Varnish is my future!  %)  Then sternsheets completed, ballast to arrive. Outside shouldn't take too long.


Andy
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derekwarner

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #20 on: March 04, 2019, 12:45:20 am »

Andy....I had not seen the amazingly simple method of producing a template for a very accurate hull floor plate cleat to be mirror cut  :-))   


10/10 is an understatement


With such a delicate hull structure as is, these floor plate cleats when installed will be integral elements in the strength of the hull


So, what type of glue will you use? and will you press the cleat plates into the hull planking during the curing?


Just love ..... :kiss:  that woodwork................ [I can understand why the owner has requested a varnished finish]


Derek

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dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #21 on: March 04, 2019, 10:20:20 am »

Hi Derek! The 'big boys' use this method on 1:1 scale boats, using ply offcuts and a hot glue gun. I used a tiny dab of superglue on one cardboard plate to hold it in place (any damage being hidden under the later floor) and glued subsequent plates together as I went.


The powered fretsaw and belt sander made for seriously fast wooden floors after the pattern was transferred to the wood.


Glue is the ubiquitous PVA, with some lead diving weights to hold everything in place.


Cheers, Andy
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SailorGreg

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #22 on: March 04, 2019, 10:55:16 am »

Greg, you'll love the copper rivets stage. I'm going for it - by cheating!


Andy


Andy, I expected the copper nails before this stage. Are you still going to install them (even by cheating!) or have other factors changed your mind? I certanly wouldn't blame you for missing them out. At this scale they are tiny and there are hundreds of them. If you are not fitting them, could you let us know what your planned cheat was - I am intrigued!


Greg

dreadnought72

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #23 on: March 04, 2019, 11:31:20 am »

Copper rivets should have been in by now, of course. They'll be on the next one!  %%  (I seriously need to mathematically model each strake off the boat, to work out the best spacing criteria - bit of CAD work in my future.)


The cheat? Pin drill each hole as each strake is added - several hundred overall - and insert stripped copper mains core into the ones that don't have frames. Cut off the excess with a side-cutter. Finish the strakes, add the frames over the lines of remaining holes, drill the frames and insert more copper. Anvil and light hammer the ends flat.


I did a test 'chunk' to see what it looked like, and it's lovely ... but at maybe three 'rivets' a minute I ruled out doing it here.


Andy
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grendel

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Re: Swallow
« Reply #24 on: March 04, 2019, 12:27:23 pm »

I simulated stainless steel screws on my model by using 0.8mm stainless pins (they came without points) and just a quick diamond triangular file to leave a line across the head, although a fraction big at 1/12 scale they look the bees knees.
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