Young America - extreme clipper 1853 Part 14 – Setting Frames – preparation
American Clipper Note: Young America cost $140,000 to build. Gross revenue from her first voyage from New York to San Francisco was $86,400 – more than half her initial cost in her first four months!
With four frames finished and a few more in progress, it was time to start thinking about erecting them. The first picture shows the midship frame set up temporarily on the keel, supported by the two clamped squares set at the maximum breadth line on both sides.
The so-called "midship" frame is set at the deadflat location along the keel. This is not at the midpoint of the hull, but is actually about 20’ forward of that point. Also, this frame is the widest part of the hull only in the neighborhood of the load waterline. At topside the frames immediately aft are wider and at the bottom the frames immediately forward are wider. This is a departure from normal 18C RN practice where the midship frame was the widest at every height.
Before setting any frames, some other work had to be done. First, the keel had to be bolted securely to the shipway. The next picture shows the three bolts made for this purpose.
These are identical to the type used on Naiad. The reduced diameter section fits up through the keel. It is stopped at the bottom of the keel shoe by the shoulder at the change in diameter. This limits the distance the bolt can be screwed into the model, preventing the keelson from being popped off by over tightening. The small threads are 4-40 and the larger 10-32.
The next picture shows one of the bolts pulled up at the keel bottom by the small nut on top,
With the top nuts on the three bolts tightened up, and larger holes drilled through the shipway, the keel is slipped into position as shown below.
Thumbscrews with lock washers are then tightened up under the shipway. Eventually the top nuts will be filed to fit within the woodwork and the top of the studs will be filed flush to the nuts. These will be covered by the keelson or deadwood.
With the keel secured, the end posts were set up in the vertical position as shown below.
The next picture shows three frames set loosely in position and a fourth lying flat where it would have been assembled in the real shipyard.
At the yard, once the midship frame was set, moveable assembly platforms were constructed fore and aft. Working two at a time, frame pairs were assembled on these then raised up into position. The platforms were then moved and the work on the next frames begun. Methods like these enabled these ships to be constructed in 3 to 6 months – some in less time. If there were two of me I could duplicate this practice.
The next picture shows the midship frame being prepared for installation. A pine cross-spale is being glued to the toptimbers to hold the correct upper separation. Also, while in this position, an alignment centerline is marked on the spale with a razor blade.
This will be done to perhaps every 4th or 5th frame – plus any that need it – until some other means of holding frame alignment is installed.
Finally, the fore and aft faces of the first several frame pairs were squared up from the base drawing and marked in pencil on the top of the keel as shown below.
The frames will be glued to the keel based on these marks – and of course plumbed and aligned. Bolt holes will be drilled through the floors, and bolts – probably brass pins - driven into the keel – as was done in practice. Although authentic, these will be invisible when the keelson is installed over them.
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