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pilot cutter -1/500 scale


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Michael Mott

Wed Feb 27 2013, 05:10pm

Registered Member #4083

Joined: Wed Nov 21 2012, 12:46am
Posts: 121

I thought that a challenge to build a small model at 1:500 scale similar to the ships in bottles might make a satisfying change from working in 1:8 scale

the hull is carved from a small piece of the English Boxwood

I decided to use the larger part of the block as a holding jig so I carefully fretted out the profile and plan with a jewelers saw, by not completing the cuts I was able to hold it easily until the end.

The hull blank was reatached to the cut along the deck line saw cut with a little acc glue.

The beginning carving most of the actual carving was done with the #11 blade then some files.

Some .024" holes were drilled for mounting to a board and a similar hole was drilled for the rudder.

The first trial assembly to get an Idea of how it will look. I think that the mast is a bit big in diameter yet and the hull still needs a bit of fairing in a couple of spots.
The brass tiller is just a placeholder it is a bit on the big side. Next the bowsprit and topmast gaff and boom.

Here is mini sitting on the stem of the 1:8

The rudder was a little tricky to hold and it took five minutes to find it after dropping it, I think it did a sycamore seed thing as it fell. When it was almost finished I snapped the shaft which was carved as an integral part of the rudder. I glued it with some ACC and since it is hidden inside the hole through the hull, and there will not be any sideways torquing pressure I will leave it. At the moment it is just a very light push fit and it does swivel from side to side. I was reading that Donald McNally actually planked the decks of all his ships with actual strips of planking. ...... I'm thinking about it.