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Need help with a detail for ventilators

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  • Member since
    September 2012
Need help with a detail for ventilators
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, September 18, 2020 4:15 PM

Ventilators. Those things that are so unique to ships. A critical part of any steel ship model. Love em, hate em especially when they are in two halves.

The tops usually swivel, right. Either into the wind in a fair sea, or away from the water in a heavy storm.

I'vwe seen them in a number of configurations, never had the dubious opportunity to try to move one around.

The big ones have a rack wrapped around the vertical pipe at the base of the moving section- the top.

There a pinion in a bracket mounted to the lower stationary section that is turned to engage the rack and swivel the head around. That pinion is often driven by a vertical rod that extends down to where a standing sailor can reach it and turn it.

But, I cant't find any photos or diagrams in my collection or online. 

Any other resources?

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Friday, September 18, 2020 5:04 PM

Bill, this shot from a 'stock photo' site is the only thing in my files:

https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-periscope-style-ventilation-ducts-old-maritime-image51759308

Hope it helps.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Friday, September 18, 2020 5:35 PM

Thanks! Yes there's also the old handle grab on the near one.

So the rod I would guess goes down to a gearbox with a crank on it.

Those rollers are important.

Thanks again.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Friday, September 18, 2020 5:44 PM

GMorrison
Thanks! Yes there's also the old handle grab on the near one. So the rod I would guess goes down to a gearbox with a crank on it.

The first time I saw the photo it took me a minute to make the connection...grab-handles for the low ones...pinions for those too high to reach.

Not the sharpest crayon in the box, before I've had my coffee.Big Smile

Cheers

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Saturday, September 19, 2020 8:00 AM

Hi Bill;

     The few we had on the Ocala Victory had handles on the top part on most. The bigger ones had the crank and gear system. Those were the larger ones for the engineering spaces below. Point,They NEVER moved easily if they just had the handles. Usually after some hand pounding, cussing, and hollering, the darned things would move

     The crank and gear type came in another style that I thought was ingenious. The top swiveled on an internal track. You had a handle clipped to the outside. Remove, insert in hole and crank away! They even had some of those on the Lurline even after she'd been fully air conditioned!

     My biggest memory of them, They were always very hard to maintain in Smooth working order. You would have to remove the retainer band and the top. Clean vigorously and grease copiously and re-assemble. Took about four hours to do two.

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Saturday, September 19, 2020 9:02 AM

Ventilators are the bane of my scratch building.  I have done a couple of scratch ones (tubing for vertical section, wood for the elbow and flare), but if there are very many, I search for commercial fittings.  Bluejacket and Model Expo have them, and fortunately I have found suitable ones for my 1:96 and 1:192 builds.  Harder to find for 1:350.  More modern ships have rectangular ones- much easier to build.

I wonder if most modern ships have powered ventilation, and no need to face them into wind.

 

 

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Towson MD
Posted by gregbale on Saturday, September 19, 2020 2:41 PM

Don Stauffer
Ventilators are the bane of my scratch building.

They're even more of a frustration in paper modeling. I've done all sorts of multi-section versions -- tough enough to do in anything under about 1/48 scale -- and I've never managed one I was truly happy with.

Greg

George Lewis:

"Every time you correct me on my grammar I love you a little fewer."
 
  • Member since
    October 2019
  • From: New Braunfels, Texas
Posted by Tanker-Builder on Saturday, September 19, 2020 3:22 PM

Hi Greg! and Don Too!

 Listen guys, there is a good way to make these things in both Paper and Plastic. The paper ones first. Greg; Take the scrap strips from the edges of the parts pages. Find a piece of 1/16 craft foam. Now gently apply water to the strips that you have cut into small squares. Take the rounded end of a paint brush that matches the size of what they are supposed to be when done. gently press this end into the wet paper. Carefully press till you have created, maybe somewhat thinner, but paper domes for sure!

 Put a B.B. in each dome, Or very small Model railroad ball bearings. Let dry. Cut the edging off and mount on your tubular base.

 The Plastic one is just as simple actually, Don. Take the right size Rod or Tube and cut it for heighth then make sure the top is angled to recieve the Domed upper part. You can create them with Bomb noses. Car spotlight bodies. Or take some plastic.080 squares. Laminate three together for very large ones. Use a drill bit to start and drill a hole dead center. Then carefully taper the edge of the hole till you get the shape you want. Remember some are not round but somewhat of a Narrow Bottomed oval

 Kinda like the figure's mouth in the well known painting-"The Scream". Or they may be a complete balanced oval. Or round and yes, some even are like a rounded Square with large rounded corners. Carve the outside to match, mount on the tube then paint. Mount on the ship. Viola' two types of material, two types of Vents. Go for it guys!

    One little noet for all. Now you know why I promote found Material. I have some recently made from the very domed small end of Syringe safety covers!

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Formerly Bryan, now Arlington, Texas
Posted by CapnMac82 on Saturday, September 19, 2020 7:12 PM

The worst one are the ones that elliptical on the cowl and round in the shaft--that is never an easy blend to model.

The flared bell cowls are less than fun to model, too.

In consideration, it would have to be a pretty dedicated dio for me to swivel the cowls.  Maybe.
Perhaps.

Powered ventilation largely supplanted dirigible cowls.

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, September 19, 2020 7:48 PM

The project is the Revell 1/144 Flower class corvette. It's a good scale for lots of detail.

I have a WIP thread and it will be in the Ships...great Britain GB.

Still would like a detail ot the crank end of the rotating dingus.

 

Bill

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    October 2005
Posted by CG Bob on Saturday, September 19, 2020 9:21 PM

Don Stauffer
I wonder if most modern ships have powered ventilation, and no need to face them into wind.

The USCG cutters I served on all had electric powered supply and exhaust blowers installed.  The oldest ship I served on was the Columbia RIver Lightship (WLV 604) and was commissioned in1951.  The last two cutters I served on were sister ships built at different yards.  There were several fan rooms which housed the bloweres.  Supply (incoming) air fans were on the starboard side.  Exhaust fans were on the port side.  There were a couple of cylinderical bucket ventilators on the fo'c'sle, they were about 2' diameter and 3' tall with a flat top.  

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