The Model Maker: Volume 16, Issue 5 – June – July, 1939

A er June-July, 1939 ees) is 7 Ssy 148 The Modelmaker easily made in pairs. Finish two brass blocks to the holes in the bottom of the frame pockets, dimension, drill through each, and then split and the holes in the rockers are drilled slightly them apart. larger and the edges rounded off so that they The lids for the boxes are cut from 142” soft will readily engage the pins which are driven steel, and the tongues bent to form a hinge. The into the side extensions of the cradle. The ends spring on the lid is of the same material as used of these pins should be rounded off and the pins for the leaf springs of the truck. It is riveted to should be of such a length that one pin will enter the lid, and, by its pressure on the lug of the box, the holes before the other entirely leaves its will hold the lid either open or closed. hole, similar to the action of gear teeth. The pedestal binders may all be made from one piece of soft steel or brass, %” x 1144” x 2”. Mill the slots full length, then cut the piece crosswise into four pieces, each to finish %6” wide. Their contact surfaces are to filed smooth, and the holes drilled for the pins which hold them in place. It may be interesting to know that there are 147 separate pieces to the truck here illustrated The rockers and their bearings are bronze castings. The method for making the springs was de- scribed in the June-July, 1938, MopELMAKER. The holes in the bearings are spaced to fit the pins which are driven into and described. This is counting as separate parts each spring leaf, spring bands and keys, all screws, pins, rivets; in fact, everything. The only piece in the structure that is not duplicated is the truck frame itself. Model Ship Builders in the Making UNDREDS of persons, especially youths established a model boat building shop which in waterfront cities, are now engaged in the has drawn the interest of both girls and boys building and sailing of model and regulation size and of adults from the ages of 8 to 72 years. This sailing craft on recreation projects operated with model shop makes possible for beginners the the aid of the Works Progress Administration. construction of scale models of boats from simple They are fast becoming masters of the intricacies forms to copies of larger popular boats, and for of boat handling and design. the more advanced students the construction of More than 5,000,000 persons participate each historically accurate facsimilies. These models week in the recreation activities in the WPA, include the Southern California 40-700 types according to the latest reports from the states. and the class A types which are 5 to 6 ft. long and – More than 15,000 recreation centers are in op- carry 1500 sq. in. of sail. eration, giving service to 10,000 communities. At Compton, Calif., a model boat building WPA recreation programs now operate in 47 program has been carried on in the elementary states and in two-thirds of the counties in the schools under WPA supervision. On this project, United States. begun in October, 1937, a total of 316 models has Projects which offer boys and girls a chance been constructed. More than 150 boys and girls to build and sail boats under supervision are participated in this craft course. On this project, limited to cities where natural facilities make the boys and girls buy all of the materials used them feasible and where already existing clubs and construct the models under trained supervision with very little waste of materials and and sailing activities have created interest. A number of these projects have been operat- ed along the coast of Southern California. with expense kept to a minimum. At The developments of activities of this type in Long Beach, where the Colorado Lagoon water- Northern California by WPA recreation leaders way offers an exceptionally fine model boat have been largely in conjunction with the estab- course and the Marine Stadium a public course lished recreation departments in Oakland and for larger boats, the Long Beach Recreation Berkeley. Facilities of the Berkeley Yacht Har- Commission has expanded its aquatic program bor, which was built with the aid of WPA, offers with the aid of WPA recreation supervisors. opportunities for sailboat construction and prac- Here, a four-point aquatic program is offered to tice in sailing. Instructions are given to anyone both youths and adults. Instructions are given in interested in building a boat and costs for mate- model sailboat building and sailing; in the prac- rials are kept at a minimum. This program has tical use of regulation size sailing boats of differ- attracted a large number of youths and adults. ent types; in the techniques of rowing crafts. One of the most popular types of sailboat on this The Long Beach Recreation Commission has project proved to be the small catboat, 8 or 10 149 June-July, 1939 ft. long. In addition to the construction of regu- Marblehead lation size boats, models have also been built freighters, patrol boats, sailboats and Chinese from plans furnished by the city recreation de- junks. These classes in model building, besides partments of Oakland and Berkeley. providing a knowledge of boats and sailing, also Interest in small boat building among the models, as well as models of lay a foundation in the use of tools and teach youth of Chicago has grown by leaps and bounds precision, patience and manual dexterity. under the sponsorship of the recreation division In Quincy, Mass., a seaboard city with 27 miles of waterfront, projects giving instruction in boat building and in seamanship and navigation have been extremely popular. Among the WPA instructors are four former sea captains who have brought their experience and knowledge into good use in classes in which more than 80 boys and 100 adults have participated. The purposes of the navigation and model building courses conducted by this project are to provide a type of the Chicago Park District. Here, where Lake Michigan offers excellent opportunities for such activities, the city’s recreation division, supplemented by personnel from the WPA, has as one of its major activities the organization and spon- sorship of junior yacht clubs. Twelve such clubs are now in operation, with a combined member- ship of nearly 300 boys. These clubs are organized along the same plans as adult yacht clubs, each having its commodore, vice=commodore, secretary and treasurer. The Lake Michigan ie Yachting, Association, which was interested in creating interest in sailing boats among the youth of the city, cooperated with the city’s recreation division in making pos- sible the building of boats for these junior yacht clubs. of training which will fit trainees for positions to promote greater skill and safety in the operation of small sailing craft by private owners; and to promote in the merchant marine service; They obtained a simplified design for a speedy little dinghy and furnished the materials among youth a type of training which will fit them for whatever future positions they may occupy. These courses include not only instructions in model building but also instructions in knot tying, sailmaking, sailing, navigation, chart necessary for the construction of 20 such crafts reading, use of the sextant, marine surveying, of 10 ft. length. and in the action of winds, tides and currents. This made possible the now famous rainbow fleet. During 1938 this associa- tion furnished materials for an additional 50 boats. Mass. The modified type dinghy built by these clubs is of the center board type, 10 ft. in length, with a 52” beam and carrying 75 sq. ft. of sail. In Worcester, Mass., more than 60 boys are enrolled in a boat building program supervised entirely by WPA recreation workers. As the boys enroll they are started on a non-sailing 12” model for table or radio, which is fully equipped and rigged. Other nautical recreation programs have been operated in Gloucester, Woburn and Harwich, If the boys show adaptability or qualify according to a definite standard of skill, they are permitted to work on a 25” regular sailing model for competition among younger New York City’s recreation program has operated model boat building courses for boys which have aimed at teaching an appreciation of the recreational advantages contained in such activities as well as something of the romance of ships and the part played by the early New England sailors in the development of ships and the shipping industry. These courses, which have been rather extensive, have been made up of lectures, discussions, and laboratory work. In the laboratory work the boys are taught how to build models of all types. ; groups. Twenty boats, built by as many youths, These models have ranged from inexpensive competed in one such model regatta which was types, requiring a minimum of materials, to more expensive models, requiring a higher degree of sponsored by a large department store. and then have the opportunity to participate in technical skill in their construction. Most of these have been replicas of full-scale racing models, or copies of historic ships and boats model races against other cities which have simi- peculiar to a particular’ locality. Models of the As the boys progress they advance to the con- struction of the 50-800 Marblehead Class yachts lar programs. A group of boys from this WPA Norwegian double ender type of boats used by center in 1936 presented President Roosevelt the ships’ pilots in Norway, the Chesapeake Bay with a 50-800 Marblehead model. log sailing canoe, the Sovereign of the Seas, the Under the sponsorship of the Salem Model Yacht Club, similar activities have been carried on in Salem, Mass. Here, under supervision, both boys and girls have built popular racing Constitution, the Bluenose, the New York Harbor Tug, and the American Cup defenders, are some of the types which have been constructed by the boys on this project.