Ships of the American Flag GB 2019 -2021

If you can drill the brass out to accept a fiber optic, then let it extend out from the end of the barrel enough to anchor you cotton wool (or whatever) without sagging....you should get 360* effect if the smoke and flame is thin enough.

Yeah, you might be able to drill a 1/700 16" barrel.

Sorry for not being so active in any GB's as of late. I have been waiting for this GB though. I really like the diversity of kits that everyone is building. I may have more than one, time will tell.

I have been pulled into outside work around the house. I have also went a different tangent recently working more on some larger scale resin figures. My current project (90mm Achilles) should be done soon and then I can start building within this GB.

I am going to commit to build my 1/350 Banner Arizona. I believe I got everything and anything that was made to improve her (deck, barrels, some resin details, countless sheets of P.E., etc.).

Please add me to the list, THANKS!

Ben

I was thinking more of the fiber optic for the barrels on Bak's 1/700.  HF's 1/350 would be a possiblity to drill his 1/350 barrels.  On the 1/350's might get enough from an LED in the turret through the barrel to do the trick.

At 1/700, a sixteen inch rifle barrel is about 0.035 inches outside diameter.

Another thing to try would be to use two of the barrels as your conductors. The big ball of fire would mount on the ends, and you might drill a hole in the end of each just enough to get a piece of brass wire in there.

I just took a look at my 1/350 barrels, they have enough meat to cut a hole through them, 1/700 may be a lot more of a challenge. 

But, do you all think having sound with the fire lighting effect would be cool?

goldhammer

I was thinking more of the fiber optic for the barrels on Bak's 1/700.  HF's 1/350 would be a possiblity to drill his 1/350 barrels.  On the 1/350's might get enough from an LED in the turret through the barrel to do the trick.

 

Here is the thing... in my case and at this scale, it'll probably be easier to fit micro wires into the gun barrels, and then hang an LED outside of them within the plume. I'd probably try cutting a trench, lay the wires in, then seal them up with CA or something. Then reshape the barrels so they are round again. Past experience showed me it is really difficult to keep micro drills going straight. Having just viewed GMs post, that is a pretty good idea too about the wires. Using two barrels, I could make the trenches smaller to accommodate only one wire per. That is a very good idea. 

GMorrison

At 1/700, a sixteen inch rifle barrel is about 0.035 inches outside diameter.

Another thing to try would be to use two of the barrels as your conductors. The big ball of fire would mount on the ends, and you might drill a hole in the end of each just enough to get a piece of brass wire in there.

 

Or use the brass barrel itself as the wire.

GMorrison

Or use the brass barrel itself as the wire.

 

I never thought of the barrel as a conductor, I'm not sure the resistance would be high enough on a 1/700 barrel to make much diffrence but I could be wrong. The trench idea with single wires is a great idea as well, and you're right Bakster, the LED's need to radiate 360 deg for the proper effect.

Drums, buddy, I saw your post amongst the discussion and I'll get you down. Welcome aboard 

A model railroad trick, like a signal light tower. You can also use the tube as one leg and an insulated wire inside it as the other.

You guys are great. This is gonna be another fantastic GB.

After adding Drums, I just realized the number of entrants 

If there is this many for a American GB, imagine how many for the Greman next year.

GMorrison

A model railroad trick, like a signal light tower. You can also use the tube as one leg and an insulated wire inside it as the other.

 

modelcrazy

 

If there is this many for a American GB, imagine how many for the Greman next year.

 

Only have 2 in the pile....Dragon's Scharnhorst and the Graf Z carrier.  Hmmmmm.

In 1/700, for the 360* effect, was why I was thinking the fiber optic.  Can put the LED in the hull, wiring out the base mount or in the foam board in a water scene. Might have to dip the optic in CA to get stiff enough to stay straight, paint the outside until you get to the blast effect area. If the end is held right close to the LED should get a subtle effect, rather than and overpowering one from the LED in the smoke/flame.  More appropiate for the scale I think.

Good ideas coming on it for someone to try in both 1/700 and 1/350. 

goldhammer

In 1/700, for the 360* effect, was why I was thinking the fiber optic.  Can put the LED in the hull, wiring out the base mount or in the foam board in a water scene. Might have to dip the optic in CA to get stiff enough to stay straight, paint the outside until you get to the blast effect area. If the end is held right close to the LED should get a subtle effect, rather than and overpowering one from the LED in the smoke/flame.  More appropiate for the scale I think.

Good ideas coming on it for someone to try in both 1/700 and 1/350. 

 

And this is where I was thinking of trying the side glow fiber, check it out here. 

Have the fiber extend past the barrel a couple mm. But, I'm not sure a 2mm diameter piece will be small enough to run through the barrel (1/350). But, it's worth testing. 

Those little foot tall FO christmas trees have fine tubes in them, under 2mm, if they would give off enough side light,  possibly if the tip end is painted.

hogfanfs

 

 

goldhammer

In 1/700, for the 360* effect, was why I was thinking the fiber optic.  Can put the LED in the hull, wiring out the base mount or in the foam board in a water scene. Might have to dip the optic in CA to get stiff enough to stay straight, paint the outside until you get to the blast effect area. If the end is held right close to the LED should get a subtle effect, rather than and overpowering one from the LED in the smoke/flame.  More appropiate for the scale I think.

Good ideas coming on it for someone to try in both 1/700 and 1/350. 

 

 

 

 

And this is where I was thinking of trying the side glow fiber, check it out here. 

Have the fiber extend past the barrel a couple mm. But, I'm not sure a 2mm diameter piece will be small enough to run through the barrel (1/350). But, it's worth testing. 

 

Hey Bruce, I hate to be a negative nelly but I had just tried the side glow fiber optic on my X1 build, and I was very disappointed with the stuff. It barely produces a glow. In fact,  in my opinion, it is marginally better than the regular stuff. 

I tell ya what though. If you have not ordered any yet, I can send you a sample via snail mail to keep, no charge. You can play around with it and see how it works for you. If interested, shoot me a PM with your mailing address. I’ll be happy to send you some. I might even have the size you want.

Bakster

 Hey Bruce, I hate to be a negative nelly but I had just tried the side glow fiber optic on my X1 build, and I was very disappointed with the stuff. It barely produces a glow. In fact,  in my opinion, it is marginally better than the regular stuff. 

I tell ya what though. If you have not ordered any yet, I can send you a sample via snail mail to keep, no charge. You can play around with it and see how it works for you. If interested, shoot me a PM with your mailing address. I’ll be happy to send you some. I might even have the size you want.

 

hogfanfs

Thank you for the offer, Bakster, but, I already ordered the combo pack. Granted it wasn't due to this tread, I was looking to test for a couple other projects, and ordered it this morning. Well, now I will be a a lot more skeptical when I test it. Thank you for your advice on this side glow. 

 

The 2mm stuff is going to be just under 0.079 inch in diameter. Might just as well call it 0.08 to fit it through a drilled barrel.

If you figure a 20" diameter muzzle 16" bore and 2" wall..... that is 0.057 diameter.

Don't know what actual wall thickness is at muzzle is though.

GMorrison

At 1/700, a sixteen inch rifle barrel is about 0.035 inches outside diameter.

Bill, I measured the guns and your .035 OD looks right. At the narrowest point I measure them at 1/32, or .031, and they expand as you move back. I didn’t mic it, eyeballed it with a ruler, so your .035 is right in there.

I did a few practice cuts on scrap and I am pretty confident that trenching is out of the picture. I think they’d fall apart in the process. Drilling is out too. We are talking about a part near 1mm in diameter.

However, I may have hit on a better solution with less unknowns. I found that K&S Engineering sells brass tubing as small as 1 mm OD. 1mm = .0394 inches. We are talking thousands of an inch difference, doubtful it would be noticed. I can fabricate the barrels from that. And I checked to see if wire will make it through them, and it certainly should. I will need to use magnet wire, about 30 to 32 awg. It is unclear if I can run two wires through a barrel, doubtful, but we already established other methods to get around that.

Long story short, this looks doable.

Sorry Admiral if I am jumping the gun on all this. You guys lit a fire in me, or should I say, you lit a fire on my USS Wi. KABOOM!

No problem Capt, I encourage discussion amoungst my staff.

modelcrazy

No problem Capt, I encourage discussion amoungst my staff.

 

I'm currently building a 1/700 model of USS Juneau, CL(AA) 52. As an anti-aircraft ship, her primary armament is 16 5" guns in eight dual mounts. The plastic barrels scale about 18" in diameter, and because of the unsually high barrel count, a brass set would add up.

I was looking for 0.010" wire that comes in straight pieces, but it's so thin it's hard to see so I settled on 0.020".

The deck hardware just arrived....the 4"/50 is a work of art in it's own right. The 20's are beauties as well. but have to cut off the shields and see about straightening a couple of the barrels.

The 5"/51 isn't bad either, but the 4" knocks it out of the park.

Will get some pics today and get them up.

I’m ready for this GB !

GMorrison

I'm currently building a 1/700 model of USS Juneau, CL(AA) 52. As an anti-aircraft ship, her primary armament is 16 5" guns in eight dual mounts. The plastic barrels scale about 18" in diameter, and because of the unsually high barrel count, a brass set would add up.

I was looking for 0.010" wire that comes in straight pieces, but it's so thin it's hard to see so I settled on 0.020".