I Need Help — Tapering Model Ship Masts & Spars without a Lathe .

[Wood Pigeon]

I have a Dutch Hoogars shrimp boat kit from the days of sail. The kit is very nice but the mast and spar material was bad.



Since I have to taper them myself anyway, I bought some good fir doweling, and a special little plane for this purpose.





The main mast is about 45 cm high, and must taper gradually from about 8 to 5 mm in its length.

I heard you need to construct a jig called a 'sled', to clamp the dowel at a slight angle, as the plane slides by laying on its side.

Can anybody show me photos how this jig should look like.

Thanks!
Charles

 

[Blackswanwood]

There is a jig in this thread that I use for tapering stool legs which may help you design one

https://www.thewoodhaven2.co.uk/threads/making-another-stool-wip-finished.11880/

Hope it helps

Robert

 

[AndyP]

Being as you are starting with quite small dowels an electric drill and a nail in a block of wood might help. I was trying to explain in words how my father did it but found a video instead

 

[Wood Pigeon]

Being as you are starting with quite small dowels an electric drill and a nail in a block of wood might help. I was trying to explain in words how my father did it but found a video instead

Thanks for the tip! I had been thinking about using a second, smaller, Jacob's-Chuck for a tailstock, but was not sure if the the direction of rotation would loosen it constantly, or not. Your idea about the small nail is indeed a splendid solution!

I was thinking about buying a small metal type lathe, but I really do not know how many ship models I will still build. I am indeed 67 years old, and my wife says: 'Where will you put them all?'

In the many churches in Urk, Netherlands it is customary to hang a sailing type fish-cutter model, hung from the ceiling somewhere, so that may also be a solution! Haha!

Maybe above the Loo, with its net handing down for the paper roll!