Fife Rail Forward End

Fife Rail

The File Rail is the same as a Pin Rail, only it’s on the very Forward most part of the Ship to secure the sails at the Bow, etc.

Getting ready to install
Fife Rail Installed
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MicroLux Mini Drill Press

I bought this Drill Press from Micro mark around the beginning of this year, but this is the first time I’ve had to use it.

Here’s the Website for it…

Drilling out Holes for the Fife Rail

I used it to Drill out the Holes for the Fife Rail. I found that I cannot seem to get the holes exactly right using my Dremel! ..

As expected, this Drill Press works great and is perfect as a portable Drill Press that I can move around to my Work Table, etc…

It has a Variable Speed Control on the side. Also an adjustable Pull-Down Handle and Height Adjustment.

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Ladders Up the Sides

I made these Steps out of a 3mm x 3mm Manzonia wood. I had to cut it into a triangular and then hollow it out with my Dremel and a cylindrical bit.

Hollowed out

The Steps are 11mm long with 11 per side.

Starboard side done

As usual, I used Contact Cement and CA Glue.

Also, chopping the wood, I used my Xacto and pressed it down really hard.

I’m not too worried about the Ladders being exact. I’m sure in a working ship, those Ladders were constantly being battered and always had to be maintained and replaced.

Port side done
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Hello Everybody…

I was just looking at my Stats for this Website and realized that I actually have Followers?! .. Never knew that before .. Anyway, I just wanted to explain my absence from updating this Blog. What happened was, I was in the process of “Mass Producing” all of these Bitts. I kept not being satisfied with the Results and I ended up making more and more of the Bitts!!! .. I swear, I ended up making perhaps twice the amount of Bitts than I really needed! .. As a consequence of that, I kind of became “burned-out” on building for a while! That’s all I can say about that. But I have the model sitting here in the living room, tempting me every time I pass her! .. I keep thinking to myself what a shame not to finish her since I’ve got all the Hull work done!

What she looks like so far…

The Hull, I’m done with it except for putting some Poly on it once completed. I’m not going to paint it white like I’ve seen a lot of other models of HM Bark Endeavor.

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Quarter Deck / Main Deck Rails

I was looking at the Bulwarks on each side and they both have this slight bend. I’m soaking the Rails so that I can clamp it into place to bend it.

Slight bend in Bulwarks
Wood Soaker
Form bending Rails
Installed Stbd Side
Miscalculated by 1mm

I’m a little annoyed with my miscalculation, but really, it’s no biggy. 🤔🙄

Using the old reliable

The Contact Cement is great for grabbing and holding. Just long enough to dribble CA Glue in the seams to harden it. I love this Combo!

Port side done
Port side cap on end
Starboard Side cap on end
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Midship and Forward Rails

Preparing the Rails for gluing. First I cut out these notches up forward so that the Beakheads will fit into them.

Rails before install
Rails installed
It’s a little off but it’s no biggy
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Bending Rail around Jig

I soaked this Bendable Beech for almost 24 Hours. Probably didn’t need to go that long.

Anyway, I used my Iron and carefully heated while bending the rail around the Jig with a lateral bend.

Wood going around Jig
Perfect fit!
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Making a Jig for Bending Railings

I ordered some special wood from Australia. I ordered it from Modeler’s Central. It’s called Bendable Beach. I’m going to make the bend laterally, which this wood is the only one capable of bending like that without breaking!

Gluing these 2 planks together
Bendable Beech
Let it dry overnight
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Bitts for Main Bulwarks Rails

This is some painstaking work making these Tiny Bitts…

Bitts

The Pieces the kit gives you are these 4×4 Mansonia pieces which I have to round out the bottom and use a Razor Blade and File to shape into the Bitts.

Hard to get a clear picture

The Bottom is what they gave me.

I first used a Square File and rounded the square to a small dowel.

I file it round
I razor in approx 1.5mm
Finished Bitt

Once you Razor in around 1.5mm from the bottom, you Razor in from the top down at a slight angle, holding it with some Parallel Grip Pliers at an angle and use the X-Acto like a Plane and slice down being careful to stop as you approach the Razored in line…

At least this Manzoni Wood is pretty strong for the Bitts.

Beginning of my Bitt Mass Production
Doing Mass Production

Can you believe that the Kit gave you only EXACTLY 34 3x4x15mm pre rough cut pieces?!?!!!! .. I’m surprised they didn’t just give you a piece of 3x4mm and tell you to cut your own pieces!!! .. 🤔🙄😲

Bitt Construction

I’ve had to keep making new ones. It has taken me nearly 2 weeks to make 34 of them I am ashamed to say!!! .. I keep striving to have them even!!! .. 🤔🙄😲

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