Modifying small screws

[mklotz]

What an incredible piece of work.

Which specific model of deck gun was the inspiration? What scale did you use?

Ken

It's not a model of any particular gun. The gun resembles a British quick-firing six pounder. Although historical details from the magazine article were sketchy, I would imagine that this is the sort of gun that would have been used on the British Q-ships against submarines or unarmored merchant ships.

The scale, such as it is, is largely guided by the use of the .22 rifle barrel.

[mklotz]

Wow, your precise workmanship on this model is fantastic and having a working model takes it to yet another level. I found on your website the section for "Information Nuggets" very interesting. Looking forward to seeing more of your custom tools (and your model examples).

Paul

Just to whet your appetite - here's a breath-powered, double-acting, piston-valve steam engine...

The connecting pins are made of 1/16" drill rod turned down to 0.030" and then split with a 0.010" slitting saw on the end. Once in place the split ends are spread apart slightly to keep the pin in place.

[PJs]

Exquisite Model engineering Marv! Incredible craftsmanship and finishes all the way down to the shell! That breach door and firing mechanism is too much for words, let a lone the brass sites...Wow, Holly Cow...and then some! I'll have to check out your website as Paul mentioned!

Your screw holder is very cool too and could use the benefit of it...make a fair amount of dog points and taper points my self.

Thank You for sharing your talents and ideas with us!!! Wow-- ~PJ

[mklotz]

Exquisite Model engineering Marv! Incredible craftsmanship and finishes all the way down to the shell! That breach door and firing mechanism is too much for words, let a lone the brass sites...Wow, Holly Cow...and then some! I'll have to check out your website as Paul mentioned!

Your screw holder is very cool too and could use the benefit of it...make a fair amount of dog points and taper points my self.

Thank You for sharing your talents and ideas with us!!! Wow-- ~PJ

It doesn't stand out in the photographs but the dummy shell has a brass tip on the projectile to imitate the typical brass fuses with which these shells were equipped. I Loctited some 1/16" brass rod into the steel before turning the ogive shell profile.

[kbalch]

Now, if the brass tip unscrewed to show the functional fusing mechanism, that would be impressive!

I'm kidding, of course. I think that deck gun is one of the greatest examples of the model maker's art I've ever seen.



Ken

[mars-red]

Yes, the handwheels train and elevate the barrel, and the recoil absorber mechanisms all work as in the real thing. The barrel is made from a turned down .22 rifle barrel so it's fully rifled. The quick-lock, quarter-turn breech block is operated via the handle. The only thing that's unrealistic is the blocky structure on the breech block which contains the trigger mechanism and the firing lanyard.

It can fire .22LR. However, we have five grandchildren so the firing pin is removable and hides in the dummy shell you can see in some of the pictures. [Real ammo is kept in a gun safe.]

Here are a couple more pictures...

I love it! Fantastic work!

[Christophe Mineau]

Hi,
Like all my friends above, this is really impressive and I am totally fan of your work !
Christophe

[mklotz]

Now, if the brass tip unscrewed to show the functional fusing mechanism, that would be impressive!

I'll get right to work on that.

I'm kidding, of course. I think that deck gun is one of the greatest examples of the model maker's art I've ever seen.

High praise, indeed. Many thanks.

[PJs]

Had a ton to do yesterday but this model was on my mind all day! The more I look at it the more I get all the intricacies you performed to build it and would guess something on the order of 100 components. Like the elevation and turret drives all the way down to the round head rivets. The most intriguing is the firing mechanism with (I'm guessing) a spring loaded pull. I tried to zoom in on the breach also to see if there was some kind of ejector but could see well enough. Your working Ships Gun is a true work of art, craftsmanship and engineering!!

I'm a big fan of the Internet Craftsman Museum down in Carlsbad and hope to go there some day. Your model rivals some of the best I have seen on their site and do hope that you share with them some day as well!!

Checked out your site and busted me up the first thing on your software was a Catanary calculator. Couldn't open it in Win7 but will load it on my XP laptop to give it a spin. It made me look up a spread sheet I made back around 2000 to calc all the Cat affects for various tubing materials and lengths (up to 20') for the drill machines I designed and built. The calcs were just so I could strategically place some pneumatics, delrin V blocks, springs and quadrature counts that would allow the 20' linear drive to squirt a 20' stick through the headstock...A fun rush back through time. Great website chocked full of useful info and tools!!

Thank you kindly for sharing your wizardry, ideas and talents with us! ~PJ

[mklotz]

Yes, it's spring loaded with a detent attached to the spring-restrained trigger ring from which hangs the firing lanyard. There is no ejector mechanism. The gun is not really meant to fire despite the fact that it can. It's eye candy and a real attention getter as a desk ornament.

By all means do not miss the Craftsmanship Museum if you're down this way. Joe Martin, the late owner of Sherline, was passionate about model engineering and originally set the display up in their factory. Since his death it's moved into a much larger building and expanded its collection considerably. Joe's efforts to create the museum are much appreciated.

Very close by is the Antique Gas and Steam Engine Museum...

AGSEM

which has large scale operating steam machinery as well as a working blacksmith shop and a whole bunch of other stuff folks like us enjoy.

Have lunch at the Tip Top deli...

http://www.tiptopmeats.com/

You won't regret it. Trust me on this.