newbuilder101

Now for some more planning, measuring and cutting.
 

On this beautiful, sunny day a little update !
 
Poop deck is planked and some furniture like the skylight is on it.
A few things to do left and we can go further with the outside.......
 
Sjors

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 113 – Forecastle
 
The first picture shows the margin plank on the forecastle installed and planking started along the centerline.
 
  
 
The next picture shows the completed planking – as yet untreenailed.
 

 
In the next picture the forward end of the fancy rail has been made and is being fitted around the knightheads.
 

 
The adjoining pieces of the fancy rail are being fitted in the next picture.
 

 
In the next picture the sections of fancy rail have been painted white and are being glued down.
 

 
All treenailing of the forecastle deck has been completed in this picture.
 
The last wo pictures are of the full hull – as requested.
 

 
I have to do quite a bit of clutter removal to take pictures like this.  This picture also shows some progress on the port side cabins of the cabin deck at the stern.
 
The last picture is from a different angle.  The part below the black will be plated.
 

 
The bowsprit is just a dummy.  The channel edges are unpainted because cap moldings will eventually be glued to these edges.
 
Ed

Thanks JM, once you get what goes where she builds in to a nice model. Feel free to ask and perhaps me or the other Billing Vasa builders can help.
 
Karl, your model turned out beautyful!
 
Vasa was a regal class ship, a kings powerful ship named after his heraldic name. Regal ships where usually named after things that were symbols of the king, The Spectre, The Crown, The Sword, The Apple (like Vasa sister ship Äpplet) and so on. Vasa is the family name (heraldic name?) of the king Gustav II Adolf. We call the time period between 1521-1654 vasatiden (The Vasa time) in swedish history because of these kings (and one queen). The V or W is because they had no clear spelling rules back then and wrote anyway they wanted.
 
Here's their heraldic symbol, same as on the Vasa ship. The thing in the middle is a vasakärve, a bundle of seed.  These symbols are still common is swedish authorities.
 
 

 
I just finished the display case and got the model inside. The case is customized with a set of legs from an old table I had and some planks to fasten them. The display case is shortened to fit the model amd get nicer proportions of it.
 

 
Cheers!
 
 
/Matti

Billboard
 
With the standing rigging completed I can now finish off the Billboard. As you can see from the pics below it covers the first three chains on the foremast. The billboard protects these from damage when the anchor is stowed.
 
The first thing to fit is the previously made Bolster :
 

 
Next come two stanchions to which are bolted the planks :
 

 

 
Finally the planks are fitted and "bolted" with 0.7mm headed round head rivets :
 

 
 Danny

First picture, tools used for sculptures
 
Would you beleive that there is a learning curve about buying a hobby knife?
First, everybody buy an Exacto  because at the begining we do not know that scalpel blades are available for the hobby market or if we know  the existence we beleive that this is for the surgeon and someday realize that  exacto blades do not cut that much.
Then he discovers scalpel blades with a metal handle. He soon  realizes that  often tools are made for specific jobs. The good side, the blade cuts way more than an exacto blade and also with  much less pressure and  as a bonus more precision can also be achieve with it. The bad side, if we can say, is that care must be taken in the way that this tool cannot be use with excessive pressure, if so broken blade can easily happen.
 
Finally, one last step. While he learns to use scalpel blade and appreciate it, he discovers a problem with the metal handle. When working long hours  holding the handle, the  handle ‘’corners’’ become  to be  cutting the skin. For this, one solution, acrylic sleeve handle. After that some cutting knives will never be  use.
 
Last picture, the weekly  quizz question : How many small parts did I lost since I installed   this kind of black rubber floor more than 1 year ago?  Seeing that objects drop are rarely black, objects are often contrasting with the floor. Aswer; none.

Thanks David,
 
An dramatic change of employment has taken all my attention at the moment 
I’m afraid future updates on the ST will be quite irregular for an unknown period of time.
 
An minor update.
I (finally) managed to make my own hearts from teak wood and mounted/rigged the first ones on the bowsprit..
Underneath an visual sequense ..
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

I've also fitted the fore topgallant shrouds and backstays. These were done in similar fashion to those on the main mast.
 
This concludes all the standing rigging apart from the Guy Pendants Falls. These have been partially rigged and will be finished off when the Spritsail Yard is fitted.
 
Here are a couple of pics of the completed standing rigging :
 

 

 
 Danny

Mast Trucks
 
I'd previously turned the mast trucks, now I've drilled four 0.3mm holes in each to simulate the sheaves for the flag halliards :
 

 
A couple of pics of the trucks fitted :
 

 

 
 Danny

Jib Stay
 
The jib stay starts on the Traveller. It's seized to the ring between the starboard side of the shackle and the hook :
 

 
Then it passes through the upper sheave on the starboard side cheek block on the topmast head :
 

 
It finishes by being tied to the starboard topmast backstay above the deadeye :
 

 
 Danny

Thank you again for the very kind comments Nils, Greg, David, Christian, Allan, Russell, Carl, John and Robin. They are all appreciated .
 
Russell, I get my rigging line from Syren Ship Models.
 
John, when I bought the rigging line Chuck hadn't started making right-handed line (I believe he does now). Besides, small ships such as Vulture were sometimes rigged left-handed so I took a bit of licence here .
 
Fore Topgallant Stay
 
Before the fore topgallant stay can be fitted the treble block for the stay and the topgallant Bowlines needs to be slipped over the end of the jibboom. I've used a treble block rather than a triple thimble collar, first because this setup was used on some ships of the period and second because it's easier .
 
I did however make a two thimble collar for the spritsail yard lifts :
 

 

 
The topgallant stay is fitted to the topgallant mast in similar fashion to those on the main and mizzen masts. It passes through the middle hole in the treble block at the end of the jibboom and finishes with a thimble which is lashed to the starboard side of the fore preventer stay heart block using a collar :
 

 

 
 Danny

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 110 – Cabin Deck
 
Anything to avoid metal sheathing.  Actually, not much can proceed on the main deck until the framing of the poop and forecastle has at least begun, so this week I have been working on the cabin deck facilities.  The poop beams cannot be installed until all of that work is finished.  In the first picture the poop deck beams have been made, cut to length and pinned in place.
 

 
The cabin deck partitions have to be cut out around these beams so having them pinned in place is a prerequisite for the partition work. 
 
The next picture shows the first steps on the partitions.
 

 
The breast beam has been glued in with pillars on either side of what will be the "grand entrance" to the cabin deck level. The central section of this beam will later be cut out so people don't have to crawl into the cabin deck.  The beginning of the paneled partition shown is the forward bulkhead of the captain's day cabin with his bookcase cabinet pre-installed – but paneled doors not yet carved.
 
We do not know what all these facilities looked like on Young America, so this is all creative design on my part – but typical of the period and the class.  Some of these ships were very elegant in décor, because the few passengers carried were probably quite wealthy.  I am using black walnut to simulate old mahogany for all the paneling and furnishings.  Otherwise it is all going to be fairly Spartan.
 
The first semi-indulgence in elegance is the double, curved entrance staircase from the main deck.  The starting block is shown in the next picture.
 

 
The panels to the right are representative of the final paneling finish.  The next picture shows the perimeter walls of the cabin areas at the sides. 
 

 
The central "salon area" was open with tables and places to sit.  Modeling of this will be limited to preserve the view into the lower regions.
 
In the next picture the bannister of the staircase is being sanded to size after the treads, the balusters and the lower part of the rail were fitted. 
 

 
There will be a cap rail to cover the mortise holes for the balusters. 
 
The next picture shows the paneling of the fore and aft partitions in progress.
 

 
The panels are built up using thin strips on an underlying thin sheet of walnut. The port panels are incomplete in this picture. 
 
 In the next picture the capping rail on the staircase has been fitted but not yet trimmed, the paneling of the starboard wall completed and door hardware installed.
 

 
The captain's cabin was traditionally on the starboard side, close to the exit to the main deck.  In this arrangement his day cabin doorway is right outside the stairs.  The last picture shows the inside of the captain's cabins from above.
 

 
The day cabin in the center of the photo has a table, built-in bench and the book cabinet.  It is quite small.  A doorway to the left leads to his sleeping quarters.  Only his dresser is in place as yet.  In addition to the captain's palatial space, there are six other cabins for passengers and the mate.  All are quite small.  There will also be two small cubicles aft – a toilet and a storage space.
 
The crew space on these ships was a large cabin on the main deck – to be constructed much later.
 
Metal sheathing has begun, but has been held up waiting for some .002" brass.
 
Ed

Thanks for the comments Christian, Carl, Ed, Maury, Alex, Mike and Greg. Much appreciated as always.
 
 
Christian - 1050 long (from tip of Bowsprit to tip of Driver Boom) x 740 high x 355 wide.
 
Jib Net
 
This is one of the fiddliest parts to make on the whole ship. It took me 2 1/2 days.
 
It starts by making the two spreaders from English Box. Then the two Horses were threaded through the holes in each end of the spreaders and an eye seized into the inboard end of each horse :
 

 

 
To tie the netting together I constructed a simple Jig :
 

 
Five double lengths of the netting were hitched around one spreader :
 

 
Then the tedious work of tying together every 2nd pair of the longitudinal netting began. The first couple of rows didn't turn out too well under magnification, but look OK to the eye :
 

 
Two days later (I had to wait for the glue to dry on the seizings before continuing on the next row) the second spreader was hitched to the free end :
 

 

 
The net fitted to the bowsprit. The forward ends of the horses attach to the eyebolts in the sides of the cap :
 

 

 
The aft ends of the horses are attached via lanyards to an eyebolt in each knighthead :
 

 
 Danny

Okay...before you-know-who does ask....here's is a modest update.
I cut these parts by hand (tedium ad infinitum) and still have some minor tweaking to do, but this is it so far.
 

 

Great job! Looks great!

Great job! Looks great!

Upper gun deck is planked !
 
A strange thing but I have white parts in the wood.
I have try to remove it by sanding and then 2 layers of tung oil on it but it don't work.
So I let it this way.
When all the fiddly stuff ( gratings , ladders , steering wheel and betings and more of that funny stuff ) are in place I think you don't see it anymore.
Otherwise remember that in de early century's also the wood was not the same     
( I don't know who told me that but I like it )
 
Between the planking I have make the false keel and frames of the 32 Ft Pinnace.....
Mobbsie told me that those Pinnace 's are kits of them own.
So for the price of one kit , you have 5 kits     ( 4 Pinnace's )
 
Enough talking, time for pictures !
 
Sjors

Your updates never disappoint.....beautiful work!

Thank-you everyone for the well wishes! My eye is healing quite nicely.
I've put together a very basic mini tutorial and hope it may be of help to someone.
 
I bought a brass turned cannon, of the correct scale for my ship, to use as a reference model.
I had a piece of round plastic dowel on hand, which I carved and sanded until it was the same size as the reference model.
Next, I cut paper trapezoids and rolled them around the plastic dowel, and sealed with some white glue. The dowel ensured that all my cannons would be the same.
 

 

 

 
Next up, I marked the location for each ring, by comparing to the reference model and cut very thin strips of paper and glued them in place. This can be tricky since the paper tube is narrow at one end and the strip naturally wants to spiral up the tube.
 

 

 

 
The cascabels/miniature mushrooms    , were fashioned from polymer clay, then baked and glued in place. I had tried carving them from a wood dowel, but decided that clay would be a faster option.
 

 

 
At this point the "bore" was added. I dipped a toothpick in white glue and applied a thin film around the inside of the end of the cannon. Once dry I repeated once or twice more as needed.
 

 
This picture is a repeat from my last update, but it gives a good idea of the different stages.
 

 
Finally, a couple of thin layers of flat black acrylic were added and allowed to dry, followed by dry-brushing with yellow-ochre that was tamed down with a little brown.
 

 
This last picture shows the finished paper cannon beside the original brass cannon, which I also painted. 
 

 
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 108 – Sheathing plates/Deck members
 
Well, those brass plates I showed in the last post certainly sparked a lot of interest – and helpful comments.  Even as I posted those photos I was thinking about improvements.  The comments convinced me and provided some good ideas.   One of the final plates is shown in the first picture – an ultra- closeup. 
 

 
This has a very close duplicate of the original nailing pattern.  The sheets would have been pre-punched – perhaps like this one – then simply placed in position and nailed over a tarred felt covering.  In the lower row, the indentations are about 3” apart, so you can see that the dimples themselves are less than an inch I diameter – just about right.  This plate is 48” x 14” (about 0.67” x 0.195”).  The model plates are .002” thick brass.
 
The next picture shows the stamping fixture – sitting on the block of hardwood used to stamp the brass.
 

 
The top piece is drilled to accept .018” straight pins – a sliding fit.  A fence is added to align the plates.  The top row of holes is extended so the “dress course” (top row) can be stamped a second time so those plates will have nail rows top and bottom.  A brass plate is sandwiched beneath the top piece and a lower piece as a hard support at the bottom of the pins.
 
After drilling the nailing pattern the two blocks and the brass plate were bolted together.  Pins were inserted and clipped off.  These were then machine ground down to a few thousandths above the wood surface to make them a uniform length – as shown below.
 
 

 
With the pins still in the holes, the parts were disassembled and reassembled with the plate under the ground off ends of the pins.  After testing on some plates, the pins were wetted with thin CA to keep them from falling out.  The fence was then added.  The lower block is held in a vise for stamping.  Small dimples are best achieved with a hardwood block tapped lightly over the plate.  I expect to describe this process step by step in the book.
 
All of this was a bit of a side show because I am not yet ready to sheath the hull.  The main event this week has been the installation of the waterways and binding strakes on the main deck.  The first picture shows the starboard waterway being glued against the frames in between the beams and the planksheer rail.
 

 
After forming these pieces and fitting the scarph joints, they were painted light blue before being installed to avoid have to “cut in” the painted line by hand – too shaky for that. 
 
The next picture shows the two 10” wide binding strakes and the “nib strake” being installed on the starboard side.
 

 
The top of the outer binding strake is about 6” above the beams, the inner binding strake is tapered so the inside edge is the height of the common planking – 3 ½”.  The nib strake is that thickness and 8” wide.  The planking at the side will be limited to these three strakes.  There will be central planking between the hatchways.  The next picture shows the starboard side complete and work in progress on the port side.
 

 
Some of the starboard scuppers can just be seen in the above picture.  The next picture shows these being fitted through the outer planking. 
 

 
These will be filed off flush and blackened before final installation.  The remaining hull planking can then be painted and the sheathing installed on the starboard side.  The pencil  lines in the picture define the height of the dress course.
 
The last picture shows a pin rail drilled and shaped but not yet installed.
 

 
These rails will fit right under the main rail.  Paint has been filed off of the top timbers under the rail so the pin rail can be glued.
  
Ed

I see that your high level of craftsmanship extends to metalwork as well - not a surprise at all, but wonderful to see!

Thanks for the idea Piet, and thank-you Mark, Karl, Sjors and Nenad! 
Bob: I couldn't resist.

Thanks for the idea Piet, and thank-you Mark, Karl, Sjors and Nenad! 
Bob: I couldn't resist.

Hello,
 
the work continues with the gratings and coamings of the quarter deck, and ladder way to gun deck. In this case the gratings should look like "real" and have proper thickness and shape. Follow images show the process. First the upper edge of the block was shaped on this jig:
 

 

 
then cuts are done on tablesaw:
 

 

 

 

 
then strips are glued and the whole was sanded again in the jig:
 

 

 

 
Coamings are build around gratings, ladder way and coaming added:
 

 

 

 

 
All is dry fitted now.
 
Alex

Thank-you everyone for the well wishes! My eye is healing quite nicely.
I've put together a very basic mini tutorial and hope it may be of help to someone.
 
I bought a brass turned cannon, of the correct scale for my ship, to use as a reference model.
I had a piece of round plastic dowel on hand, which I carved and sanded until it was the same size as the reference model.
Next, I cut paper trapezoids and rolled them around the plastic dowel, and sealed with some white glue. The dowel ensured that all my cannons would be the same.
 

 

 

 
Next up, I marked the location for each ring, by comparing to the reference model and cut very thin strips of paper and glued them in place. This can be tricky since the paper tube is narrow at one end and the strip naturally wants to spiral up the tube.
 

 

 

 
The cascabels/miniature mushrooms    , were fashioned from polymer clay, then baked and glued in place. I had tried carving them from a wood dowel, but decided that clay would be a faster option.
 

 

 
At this point the "bore" was added. I dipped a toothpick in white glue and applied a thin film around the inside of the end of the cannon. Once dry I repeated once or twice more as needed.
 

 
This picture is a repeat from my last update, but it gives a good idea of the different stages.
 

 
Finally, a couple of thin layers of flat black acrylic were added and allowed to dry, followed by dry-brushing with yellow-ochre that was tamed down with a little brown.
 

 
This last picture shows the finished paper cannon beside the original brass cannon, which I also painted. 
 

 
If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.