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[carlmt]

Perfect ! Magnifique !
 I have nothing to add. I 'm refitting my ferry "m/v bretagne" and I think it will end in June. Do you think you should be able to sale the " Free Enterprise v" plans and a CD photos in summer ? I'm looking for the plans issue.

Hi Midori - Thanks for the expressions!!! The Bretagne of yours looks wonderful - how does she sail?
 
As for the plans, they will only be available as a part of the whole kit as they are specifically drawn to assist in the build of the kit.  They are not plans designed to build the model from 'scratch'.
 
With luck, and a fair wind, the kit should be available by the autumn of this year. The plug for the hull is almost finished, and I am currently working with a specialist to produce the kit of parts for the rest of the ship.
 
Carl

[Ferry cross the Mersey]

With luck, and a fair wind, the kit should be available by the autumn of this year. The plug for the hull is almost finished, and I am currently working with a specialist to produce the kit of parts for the rest of the ship.
 
Carl

Hi Carl,
I don't know how many kits you are planning for your first production but please make sure I'm on your initial order list. Great timing for next winters build.
Thanks Antony

[carlmt]

Hi Anthony - I will make as many as people want them 
First things first - get the prototype built........if there is anything wrong with the design, that is the time to find out, not while selling the kits and allowing the purchasers to find out for themselves 
 
No worries mate - your name is down.....and thanks so much for your patience and support 
 
Carl

[carlmt]

A little learning goes a long way............
 
A some of you might be aware, I have spend a not inconsiderable amount of time preparing drawings for the build of Free Enterprise V. Now, these I have tried to make these drawings as clear and concise as possible and, with the backing of an instruction book and CD of photos, I am hoping that the build would be straight forward.
 
HOWEVER
 
Whilst preparing the sheet of parts for the plug, to highlight the openings, I have been in discussions with a very helpful chap who runs a small laser-cutting business. He is not in the model trade, and he has found the idea of working on this kit fascinating.
 
It was during one of our discussions about what can be achieved, and what he needed from me to make his job easier, that the issue of the width of the laser cuts came up. It appears that the cut in the plastic has a width dependent upon the thickness of the styrene to be cut. This cut line is called the 'kerf' and is tremendously important in the design of the kit for, if it is not allowed for, then all the accuracy that has been drawn goes out the window.
 
Chris (for that is his name) is currently cutting me some samples on various thicknesses of styrene so that I will know what to allow, however we already know that a kerf in 1mm styrene is 0.8mm wide.  Now, that doesnt seem much, but when you take 0.4mm off two sides of a superstructure wall (0.4mm either side of the centreline of the laser beam), and then multiply that by 10 parts that make up the length of superstructure, that is 18 x 0.4 = 7.2mm. In effect, the superstructure would be 7.2mm SHORTER than designed!!!! On any model that is noticeable, let alone one at 1:96.
 
SO
 
Now that we know that laser beams cut a width based on the thickness of styrene used, I have to now go back through all my production drawings and increase the size of all the parts by 0.4mm all round. Once the laser has done its job, the final part will end up being exactly the right size and, in theory anyway, all the parts should fit!!!!!
 
There is a lot more to this kit production business than meets the eye...
 
All the best
Carl

[vnkiwi]

Hi Carl,
welcome to the joy's of laser cutting   
keep up the great work on your kit
cheers
vnkiwi

[Norseman]

 
(Chris) has found the idea of working on this kit fascinating

You're like a Ferry evangelist converting the heathens as you pass Carl 
I can see Chris getting the bug in no time.

Kerfs .... Interesting.

Dave

[carlmt]

 
 
Bless you my son.....

[Kim]

 Hi Carl,
If it helps -
Your Kerf should be 2x beam width.
To be producing 0.8mm kerf in 1mm styrene you are either out of focus or using a low powered laser which will melt the plastic rather than vaporising it.
You might also want to look at corner power.
 
Plugs getting there, well done!
Regards,
Kim

[deadwood]

Hi Carl,

A great job, and as it looks a heck of a lot of work, your construction of this ferry model kit.

As you are fond of ferries (and probably many of your followers here as well) I thought you might like this German built ferry too.

I have created a lines plan of MV PRINSESSE RAGNHILD after a ship description in a German naval architecture periodical issue of the year of her build/commissioning in 1981.
But I sticked to her original appearance as she was delivered because I believe that they ruined her looks completely when they later added sponsons and duck tail (ok, they probably were forced to by SOLAS),
and even worse, a lot of extra superstructure.

Unfortunately, on Shipspotting there are only two photos that depict her in her maiden, unspoiled appearance of which the first shows her in her original JAHRE Line livery


ShipSpotting.com

© Jeroen V


and the second one a little later with a newer, Olympics advertising, livery

 
ShipSpotting.com

© Ulf Kornfeld


Later from Jahre I think evolved COLOR Line for which she served the Kiel-Oslo-Haul for many years.

I think she too would make a great RC model.

For those interested here are the hydrostatics for the DWL that DELFTship calculated.

[hama]

Thats one nice looking ferry! And your right, they totally ruined her looks.
Hama

[Norseman]

Hi Deadwood

What year was she modified please?
I will look for some photos 1981 - ??

Dave

[deadwood]

Hi Dave,

as it seems there was a major conversion which also included a lengthening of the ship.
According to this it must have happened in 1992.
I can imagine that Color Line at the time were mulling over what would come cheaper, ordering a replacement newbuilding or having the 1981 PRINSESSE RAGNHILD completely reshaped and refurbished.

Actually, there's a nice article about PRINSESSE RAGNHILD in the German Wikipedia which unveils all particulars before and after conversion(s).
According to this article in 1992 PR was lengthened by a 33.5 m midship section at Astilleros Espagnoles in Cadiz.
That was when Color Line evolved from the merger between Jahre Line and Norway Line and continued operating her as their completely rebuilt new flagship between Kiel and Oslo.


On deckplans (aka  www.hhvferry.com) there is this deckplan that depicts her after conversion and as BAHAMAS CELEBRATION.


Regards,
Ralph


P.S. PRINSESSE RAGNHILD's successor (when she was sold to Celebration Cruise, after an intermezzo on the Hirtshals-Oslo-Route, and once again converted from ferry to cruise ship) COLOR FANTASY
I have also tried to capture, as can be seen here.
But this was published a bit prematurely and still requires a bit of fairing.

[carlmt]

Hi Ralph - this really is magnificent work!!!
 
Unfortunately, I really cant get to grips with DS......I have the same problems at work - I am struggling to understand 'Sketchup' and my boss is beginning to insist that I learn it soon.  All the youngsters in our drawing office have no problems, but me and another colleague, both of us knocking on the door of 50, are really struggling!!!
 
I take it that you have managed to overcome your computer problems from late last year? These DS lines drawings are real works of art.....
 
OK if I be in touch soon? I have a few questions if I may?
Tschuss!!
Carl

[deadwood]

but me and another colleague, both of us knocking on the door of 50, are really struggling!!!

Me too is a fierce knocker.  My semi-century knock knockity knock awaits me this September. Who's knocking? Is this the Reaper's knock?

[carlmt]

Quick update:
 
Just sent the drawings for the superstructure parts to the laser-cutting specialist for a trial run...Paying him a visit next Tuesday. Drawings for the 3D printer are being done next week to produce the masters for the fittings.
 
When I get the parts back I will drop a few images on here.
 
Living in a 2 bed apartment, as I do at the moment because of my wife's attendance at uni, I am lacking a suitable place to work on the plug at the moment.  To address this, I spent Saturday working on my fathers workshop roof, replacing the old felt with profiled tin cladding. Nice and waterproof now, so now I have somewhere to 'make a mess'!!!!
Many thanks for all your support and patience folks........really appreciate it 
Carl

[Norseman]

I spent Saturday working on my fathers workshop roof ....... so now I have somewhere

  Ooh you don't want to be messing about with plugs on a tin roof Carl

Dave

[carlmt]

Goodies!!!!!!!! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
All the pre-prototype kit styrene parts, laser cut on 0.25, 0.5, 1, 1.5 & 2mm sheets.
 
A few issues cropped up with some parts being too close together so that when the laser passed by there was a bit of distortion and some of the very small parts (especially in the thicker sheets) were just too small to cut out.
 
But that was the whole idea of today - to find out what was possible and what was not!!!
 
Onwards and upwards 
 
Carl

[cos918]

Hi Carl
looking very nice. I is amassing what can be done nowerdays.
On the windows would it not be better to let the laser cut all the window out so the blank falls out?

John

[wartsilaone]

Looking good Carl,


If I was you I'd really be finding it hard to resist the temptation to putting some of those parts together.


Ali

[carlmt]

Hi Ali, Hi John....
 
For the windows, we have decided that they will have a deep etch as opposed to being cut right through.  That way, the heat when the lines are close together will not distort the part.  If the parts dropped out fully, they would clutter up the machine and it would be a bind having to retrieve the bits from under the bed - especially the very small ones!
 
And as for assembling - that is the plan! I want to see if I have the angles right and I need a structure around the bridge built so that I can determine the shape of the bridge front and windows.
 
Really helpful chap at the laser cutting place.........allowed me to hang around the workshop while he did the cutting so that we could discuss the pitfalls and changes needed for future cutting.
 
Even discussed the idea of producing the superstructure parts in acrylic.....but the basic cost of the material is prohibitive.....6 times the cost of styrene!!! But if I could, the cuts would be super-accurate and clean with no 'melting'.
 
One to think over...............

[cos918]

Hi Carl
I spoke to a company that did laser cutting. What they said is the same as what you have been told. acrylic is the best ,but the stuff cost the earth. There is styrene but can distorte ,but your parts look very good. Then there is laser grade ply wood ,which is very good but you get that burnt edge.
It is good too see the process getting better and cheaper

John

[carlmt]

A bit of progress on the graphics for the kit instructions:
 

 
D deck components
 

 
C deck components as fitted over D deck.
 
Each deck will have an exploded 3D diagram to illustrate the relationship between the components, and detail items will also be treated in the same way.
 
A picture says a thousand words!!!
 
Carl

[cos918]

Hi Carl
they look real good . The one thing I noticed it would be usefull is to show were X2 walls meet which edge marries to what face. Ie were D1 and D2 come together the edge of D1 go on to the face of D2 etc. Other than that they look top.

John

[carlmt]

Hi John
 
I understand what you are saying mate 
 
That will be clear on the 2D black and white plans:
 

 
And thanks for pointing my eyes to the 3D drawing again.....I noticed that I had transposed parts D0 and D2!!!
 
All corrected now though 
 
Carl

[cos918]

Hi Carl
thoes look like they are going to be very through plans and instructions.

John