I am working on the deck furniture of the Harvey and I am a little disappointed in some of the kit’s smaller details; some of the parts are out of scale and others are just wrong.
My biggest issue is with the Windlass. This is what the plans show:
I can’t imagine seamen being able to weigh the anchor with this little hand winch. I really don’t want to go down a rabbit hole and end up not finishing the model because I redesign everything I feel is incorrect. But the Windlass is just so bad. I have decided I will limit myself to redesigning just the windlass and build the rest of the deck furniture as is. I am looking at a Windlass of this period something along these lines.
I start by creating a 3D model in CAD
I was thinking I would start with the simple wood parts:
But I changed my mind and will make the Capstan Drum first.
If I can’t make this look good, then it won’t matter how the rest of it turns out.
I break the part down into smaller sections I can turn on the lathe
Then use a bit of sandpaper to smooth out the cut lines.
Then slice the part of the work piece with the mini mitre saw.
The first two walnut pieces done.
The capstan drum is no more difficult, just more points:
I print the plan out and turn the stock down.
Here is a close up before any sanding is done.
then I take it over to the mill and use a .032″ saw to cut the slits for the iron whelps.
and my progress so far.
Next I will make the ratchet gears and the whelps.
I take a sheet of .040″ brass and mark out the outlines for the ratchet wheels.
Drill a 5mm hole in the middle and screw it to a sacrificial aluminum rod. Then I turn it down, first roughing,
Then to the required diameter.
This is taken over to the mill and the teeth are cut with a 30 degree engraving bit. There are 60 teeth cut to a depth of .025″
After a little finish work on a sheet of wet sand paper, they are done.
The center ratchet wheel is made in the same manner, it has 30 teeth and they are cut offset to give them the ratchet profile.
The finished ratchet and washers:
And the rough out windlass assembled.
I will use brass black on the brass and install brass wire for the whelps. I think this is the difficult part, the other components will be more straight forward.
I worked on my cannon and continued with the Windlass. Below I am drilling the hole for the drum axel.
This is the samson post and knight head:
Then a test fit on deck. I ordered some 1mm brass wire from Amazon that will be used for the whelps.
