Question - anyone got a advice for improving my ship?

[Admiral]

Ok my ship has started construction (did have an old one but twas not good enough) this ship will be used in gaming and I want the gunports to open and close (easy enough) but the cannon to stick out. its not that easy because I want a deck above the guns, so whenever the gunports opened or closed, I would have to take the deck off and physically move them, any ideas?

[Col. Whipstick]

Admiral,

I've read your question a few times to try get it right in my head. I don't think there is much you can do at all... If you want a deck over your cannon and you want to be able to access the cannon the deck is going to have to move one way or another - there's no getting around physics.

My only recommendation would be to build the deck in such a way where maybe it can fold up for accessing the cannons. There are those hinge pieces in lego that would allow you to move the deck 45 degrees. Placing those towards the centre of the hull would allow the decks to fold back towards the centre of the ship and your fingers would thus be able to reach the cannons.

Perhaps someone with a little more MOC experience can suggest something else.

[Axle]

Make a long stick of 1 x 1 cylinders and stick them down the cannons barrel. if that doesn't work, put a bit of blue tack at the end of the stick of 1 x 1s!

[Admiral]

I was going to make a completely removable deck, but as the masts will all be strung up with each other, it will be hard to remove it without taking the entire top deck off including the masts.

Make a long stick of 1 x 1 cylinders and stick them down the cannons barrel. if that doesn't work, put a bit of blue tack at the end of the stick of 1 x 1s!

so basically use the cannons to hold brick built cannons? hmmm its certainly easier but id feel i was cheating myself by having 2 sets of cannons

My only recommendation would be to build the deck in such a way where maybe it can fold up for accessing the cannons. There are those hinge pieces in lego that would allow you to move the deck 45 degrees. Placing those towards the centre of the hull would allow the decks to fold back towards the centre of the ship and your fingers would thus be able to reach the cannons.

I know what you mean, and it should work fine, not sure about the stability of the decks after said editing, but its worth a shot (no pun intended)

[Col. Whipstick]

The decks should still prove stable enough provided you have a smooth shelf finish at the end upon which the decks will 'open'. That will ensure the deck pieces will be secure when they are down. It's going to be a lot of work, that much I can say for certain.

[Admiral]

It's going to be a lot of work, that much I can say for certain.

yea but i rise to challenges >:-)

Il find a way, and will post it up on here if anyone else is interested

[Tordenskjold]

on my ship i have the same problem. i then open my gunports and just tip the ship over and the guns slide out. under each gun i have the tile system as under the guns in BSB. that work for me.

you can also use a forceps and haul them out . i dont know if i understand you correct, did you want the guns to be out fast or can you take your time (forceps is a slow metode.)

Thunder

[Fender Bender]

On my ship, I attached the guns on the lower gundeck to a series of 2x10 flat bricks (don't know the appropriate term) so that they all stuck together in a long row. I put this on top of a few tiles on the hull and placed the two rows (port and starboard) four studs apart (giving them two studs of "slide space", I'll explain).

I then added an incredibly crude mechanism consisting of one of those 2x2 tiles with a rotating disc on top, a regular 2x4 black brick and two 2x2 cylinder bricks and finally a barrel.

when you twist the barrel, the 2x4 brick push both rows of guns out of the gunports. If you want to, you can swap the 2x4 with a 2x3 so that you can run out one side at a time.

This is how it looks from the outside.

You'll have to push them back manually. I think the system's neat because you can operate the lower gundeck while it still is completely enclosed, save a 2x4 hole covered by the barrel.

Anyone understood that? I suck at explaining things..

Maybe I can provide some interior pictures later, but the ship's unavailable right now >:-)

[Col. Whipstick]

On my ship, I attached the guns on the lower gundeck to a series of 2x10 flat bricks (don't know the appropriate term) so that they all stuck together in a long row. I put this on top of a few tiles on the hull and placed the two rows (port and starboard) four studs apart (giving them two studs of "slide space", I'll explain).

I then added an incredibly crude mechanism consisting of one of those 2x2 tiles with a rotating disc on top, a regular 2x4 black brick and two 2x2 cylinder bricks and finally a barrel.

when you twist the barrel, the 2x4 brick push both rows of guns out of the gunports. If you want to, you can swap the 2x4 with a 2x3 so that you can run out one side at a time.

This is how it looks from the outside.

You'll have to push them back manually. I think the system's neat because you can operate the lower gundeck while it still is completely enclosed, save a 2x4 hole covered by the barrel.

Anyone understood that? I suck at explaining things..

Maybe I can provide some interior pictures later, but the ship's unavailable right now >:-)

No matter how obscure the question, someone always has the answer.

[Fender Bender]

No matter how obscure the question, someone always has the answer.

Isn't it handy? X-D

Edited January 9, 2008 by Fender Bender

[SlyOwl]

Admiral - do you want the cannons to actually fire? If so, you're in for a huge problem...

And Fender Bender - if you were to mess around a bit more with Technic or a more complicated hinge system, you could have an automatic retraction system by connecting the tow gun-shuttles to the twisting part, so removing the need for manual replacement. You could have 2 seperately operating shuttles, for each side of the ship. A ship's wheel may be more reallistic, although I love the idea of twisting a barrel to operate cannons! *wub* A little like an old trap I used to make involving a twisting cactus... You could also, if you don't use the 1x2 plate with bar to secure the cannon flaps, have automatically opening flaps by connecting them to a longer bar running the length of the gun-shuttle that twists upwards when the barrel is turned.

When I finally get round to building my first large ship, me thinks that a lower cannon deck is in order!

SlyOwl

Edited January 9, 2008 by SlyOwl

[Admiral]

i dont know if i understand you correct, did you want the guns to be out fast or can you take your time (forceps is a slow metode.)

Not that bothered to be honest, forceps wouldnt take long (unless you have a fat 104 gunner or something) so that is probably easiest, tipping a ship over would be rather annoying as everything will fall of (stuff in barrels etc)

when you twist the barrel, the 2x4 brick push both rows of guns out of the gunports. If you want to, you can swap the 2x4 with a 2x3 so that you can run out one side at a time.

Genious! (did i spell that right?)

No matter how obscure the question, someone always has the answer.

Isn't it handy?

certainly is!

Admiral - do you want the cannons to actually fire? If so, you're in for a huge problem...

fortunately no, just for show/inspiring fear into unfortunate soldiers/pirates

And Fender Bender - if you were to mess around a bit more with Technic or a more complicated hinge system, you could have an automatic retraction system by connecting the tow gun-shuttles to the twisting part, so removing the need for manual replacement. You could have 2 seperately operating shuttles, for each side of the ship. A ship's wheel may be more reallistic, although I love the idea of twisting a barrel to operate cannons! A little like an old trap I used to make involving a twisting cactus... You could also, if you don't use the 1x2 plate with bar to secure the cannon flaps, have automatically opening flaps by connecting them to a longer bar running the length of the gun-shuttle that twists upwards when the barrel is turned.

it seems there is a lot to be learned here, tommorow Im going to try at a cross section showing my interpretation of each and how useful they are. thanks guys!

[Admiral]

ok, so the first candidate is Fender Bender's twist operated cannons:

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/admiral8...on/img_9885.jpg

this is a shot from the side into the gun deck no cannons deployed, seems pretty snug but I wouldnt want to try and fit a crew down there!

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/admiral8...on/img_9886.jpg

same shot but this time, the cannons are out! it worked out very smooth and a lot better than i thought it would, so im very pleased

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/admiral8...on/img_9887.jpg

this is from the outside, the guns have been deployed, and stick out nicely, no wonkyness and no hassel

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/admiral8...on/img_9888.jpg

another shot from the side, the cannons are back, and can easily be covered, I did not use the hinge system that SlyOwl suggested as there wasnt enough room.

http://www.brickshelf.com/gallery/admiral8...on/img_9889.jpg

ok a shot from the top now, the cannons are out, and there is not much visual difference on the deck, nice and tidy

Hope this helps!

edit changed pics too links, waay to big

Edited January 10, 2008 by Admiral

[Admiral]

ok second candidate is: Col Whipstick's flap style deck:

ok, I only did half the deck because I couldnt find another hinge thing, but anyway: This was quite easy to make, and the end result is ok, however it will mean that there will be a line down both sides of the deck that may get annoying, also any components on the flap may have to be moved in order to fully open it.

ok, this is what happens when the deck is lifted, it gives quite a good veiw and lots of access to the cannon decks, this may also be good for maintenence, as if a cannon becomes loose in the hull you can open the deck and get in there safely without having to demolish half the ship.

ok, this is after having moved the guns out of the gunports, it was fast and easy, and pretty much nothing can go wrong about it, lik the other one, the cannons dont make a half hearted appearence, but they fully stick out, or stay inside, so all good there

and finnaly, simply put the deck back down and your sorted, cant think of an easier building method, other than Tordenskjold's idea of forceps

[Mister Phes]

I've renamed the title of this thread so it's a bit more meaningful. Still think it could use improving though.

[Fender Bender]

A ship's wheel may be more reallistic

I know. I used to have a capstan there, but when I added the second deck it took up to much space.

My brother also added a fantasticly complicated system (also operated by a barrel) that could pull the bow chasers in & out. But it took up something like 12x10 studs so... |-/

[Admiral]

good thing is, now I can start on it properly! need to order some bits and bobs of BL and a lot more cannons then finish her! I have opted for Fender Benders technique, as I have 2 gun decks, and both of which are completely enclosed, so I have 2 gundecks and a deck ontop, the technique still works nicely over multiple decks, and hopefully by the time all my BL orders arrive I will finish it pretty much on the day (im a fast builder - already done the stern today)