6ohiocav

EYEBOLTS
 
Following Mikiek's suggestion, I am also going to get all of the hull fixtures done before I go any further. Seeing similiar looking jigs for the carronade eyebolts, I created my own that would service my diamond tipped dremel bit. This allowed me to quickly and accurately drill all of the holes. It took all of about 10 minutes. The widened collar and the jig prevent me from plunging the bit too far into the hull making the process safe. They all turned out square and consistently placed. Now all I have to do is to twist up about 160 eyebolts ---urgh!!

Catheads
 
I finished the catheads and cut the chock rail and top rail, very carefully, to fit them in. I made these from scratch out of cherry. Turned out good. I will not actually attach them until I get the deck glued down.

Thanks for the insight.  I have seen those jigs, and I need to break down and make some. Good suggestion.

Yards
 
I worked on the lower yards.  Turned them on the lathe and filed the octagons with the flat file using my index key on the Jet lathe. I learned a few things.  Since these all will be painted black, I experimented with some of the wood in the shop before finally settling on my trusted cherry. I had some scrap holly and tried to turn one, but found the holly was not strong enough and as I got down to the small diameter, the length of the lower yard created too much wobble. I didn't like maple either, and as expected, my white oak had too much grain.  Cherry was the best.
 
Next up will be the upper yards.  I don't think I can turn them on the lathe since they are so thin, but I will try.  The alternative, the dreaded filing them by hand. All I can say is that I have gained a lot of experience doing that.
 
Some photos of the finished yards.
 
 

Mike,
 
I am going to look into the suggestion of the crown tip for the Iwata.  I had no idea that was available. thanks for the tip.
 
Darrell

The bowsprit and boom.
 
the ultimate challenge!
 
I have to be honest when I say I spent months thinking about how to create the Niagara bowsprit. It has a very complex shape. The top is totally flat with no taper. The bottom has two tapers, one at the base and then one at the end. At the very base is a notch and then about the first one third of the overall length is a series of octagons. From there going outward, the sides and bottom are rounded with a slight taper. That all ends with a full tapering octagon.
 
My first idea was to follow along with the process I used for the masts - mark off the square portions and file the octagons and  turn the round portion on the lathe. That would be easy enough.  The problem however was that I had to then figure out how to sheer off the top to create the flat non tapered surface. That had to be done after the turning, and figuring out how to create a jig, or special fence to use with the saw to create that true flat surface we beyond me.
 
Once again, the only way was to do it by hand. I started with a square stock of cherry. The first task was to create the tapers.  I cut out pictures of the bowsprit from the plans and traced the lines on the stock and carefully did the tapering on my bench disc sander. Not too bad, but very delicate.
 
From there, I mounted the piece in the lathe and filed the octagons using my indexing screw. Again, I lined up the surface to be filed on top and kept a horizontal level with the file. After the octagons had been cut, I had no choice but to file the rounded surface with a file. I marked the very top (where the surface has to remain flat) with horizontal lines to make sure that I did not touch it with the file.
 
The jibs were turned on the lathe. They also have their share of octagons.
 
The bowsprit was probably the only thing I actually did from start to finish and got it right the first time.  I finished the bowsprit with bass wood steps and chocks.  I used cherry to create the bees (traced them from the plans and cut on the band saw).  I also molded the iron band from the kit supplied brass and blackened it.
 
the darn thing turned out so good, I am adverse to painting it the required black.  Any suggestions out there on the bowsprit?  paint or no paint.

Mast and yard material
 
Since I decided to forego using the kit supplied round stock for the masts and yards, I had to decide what to replace that with. For the lower masts, I wanted a light colored wood that I could stain.  All the tops and yards would be made out of my cherry stock.
 
I experimented with a hard maple for the lowers.  After it was turned, I found it to have to much grain.  Following a tip from this forum, I decided to try some holly.  I was able to pick up a single short board at my local Amish wood supplier.  I have never used holly - indeed - did not even know you could find any.  It is very white, just what I was looking for, and no appreciable grain.  While it was pricey, it was a dream to work with.  While not as tough as hard cherry, it turned beautifully and filed true.
 
Again, I started with square stock, turned the round portions, and then filed the large octagon at the base.  At the top, the mast is square, and gently tapers to a square notch. I created the taper by carefully marking the mast, and removing the material on my bench disc sander with 400 grit paper.
 
The finished holly is stunning. The pictures do not do it justice.  I will be anxious to see how it looks after a few coats of finish.

Reaching back in time in a continuing effort to bring this log up to date, I have some photos and narrative of the experience of building the masts, yards and bowsprit.
 
For the masts, I opted to go with square stock that I could turn on my mini lathe. And for the Niagara, that meant dealing with all of the various octagon portions of the masts and yards. At first, I thought that would be easy enough. We always plane down the corners of our stock creating a rough octagon shape before we mount it in the lathe just to take the stress off of our gouges. So I thought I would simply do the same with the square mast, and then turn the remainder round to get it into shape. The problem though was the small size and the precision necessary for my keen eye. Getting an acceptable true octagon shape was an incredible challenge.  Nothing from my wood working experience worked. My table saw with the blade at 45 degrees wasn't going to do it.  I took a short glance at that and realized that would be a waste of time. I tilted the table of my band saw to 45 degrees, and actually ran a few pieces of scrap through that and a temporary fence I made and realized that the cut could not be kept true enough. My octagons had waves. I even mounted a 45 degree router bit on the router table, and ran some stock through that.  It actually worked the best, but to be honest, it was just not safe enough for me to feel comfortable.  And I was using material for the main masts, the largest stock and this was just too small.
 
So, I had to resort to the tried and true method of simply doing it by hand. Something that I am finding to be the case in most of what I have done on this ship. In the end, it actually was not too bad.  I had to purchase a Nova 4 jaw mini chuck for my lather to accept the small stock. After mounting,  I marked the stock for where the round parts and octagon parts were, and turned the round parts to the proper diameter. I then took a flat file and began filing the square areas designated to be octagon shaped. My Jet mini lathe helped me with this.  It is equipped with an indexing  screw, which when pushed in, locks the chuck firmly in place. That would allow me to line up the area to be filed to the very top of the stock, and keeping the file level at the horizontal, I would carefully file down the edges.  Once I filed off a small amount of the first corner, I simply reset the index screw for the next corner, and slowly worked my way around the entire piece.  Once the corners were knocked down, I worked on the flat surfaces, and together brought all down to be flush with the rounded portions.
 
The process has worked pretty well. I have used this for all of the masts and yards. I spent a 3 weeks in April just working on them, and still don't have them done.  Working on my lathe however is actually fun, and working with such small stock has been educational. I have never turned any table legs this small! ... or at least ones that I would want to sit on.
 
Here are some photos I took while turning one of the top gallant masts, THE smallest one, with 3 very fine octagon shapes. In the last photo of the final product, the octagons are hard to see, but trust me, they are there.  

This is probably a good time to share something with my fellow ship builders. After I finished planking the hull, and sanded and painted it, I could not get over the new feel of the ship.  For months I had been handling this wooden frame with multiple sharp edges and such.  And now, a smooth shaped surface designed to cut through the water to beat any windward challenge.  I could not get over the feel and the weight of the ship. Holding onto it created a completely new sensation.
 
Forgive me if this sounds a bit corny but I also had to overcome the strong urge to float that baby in the bath tub, but my son disavowed me of that crazy idea.

Going back in time again, I thought I would post some photos of the hull and discuss the painting process. I learned long ago in my styrene plastic model days, that any great build can be ruined very quickly by an average paint job. My wood working experience has taught me much about stains, dyes and finishes, but paint can be a bit nerve racking.
 
I decided to paint my hull flat black. No green. My decision was based mostly on asthetics, and because the large model of the Niagara at the Presque Isle Museum has a black hull, and it looks great. I have seen some research on this topic posted on the forum, and I have to agree that the original Niagara Hull was not painted green. I of course realize that this kit is not of the original Niagara, but the replica ship recreated by the State of Pennsylvania in the 1980's. Yet, I cannot even find a photo of the current Niagara with a green painted hull.  It looks copper colored to me, and when I actually toured the ship years ago, I never even thought to look at the hull paint, even if I could have seen it below the water.
 
So, Master Modeler (MM) flat black was the choice. That brand was chosen for two reasons. First, it is a good quality modeler paint and readily available. More importantly, it fit my plan. I have an Iwata Eclipse air brush.  It is a great product.  I recommend it. However, spraying large surfaces with a fine airbrush can be a bit tedious. What I have done is to use commercial spray cans for rough coats and then the airbrush for the final finish coat. I was able to purchase a small can of MM flat black and a small MM bottle that allowed me to accomplish this. 
 
I did not take any photos of the hull during the prep work. I carefully masked off the painted bulwarks, inside and out. I then sanded the planking and borrowing a great idea from XKEN from his Niagara build, used an automotive glazing putty to fill in the seams. It goes on smooth, dries quick, and is easy to sand away (in fact, almost too easy, so be careful). I followed that with a finish sanding and a coat of MM Gray primer from a can. The primer will reveal any defects, so a little more glazing here and there, and then another coat of primer. After the surface was acceptable, which for me, required quite a bit of sanding to reveal the plank edges, I was ready for the paint.
 
I used two coats of flat black from the MM can for the initial coats, being very careful not to over spray the surface (commercial spray cans emit large amounts of paint). I used 600 grit sand paper for light sandings in between, and then went to the airbrush for the final coat.  I used the MM paint from the bottle, with about a 50/50 paint to thinner mixture for that last finish coat.  Despite my fears, the hull turned out really good.
 
Here are some photos of the final product. 
 
 

Mike,
 
If you were to place an order to Syren for rope and blocks, what would you order. I note that the material you are using is from there, so perhaps you have already placed that order. Would you mind giving me a suggestion on what I should order.  Time to break down and get it done.
 
Thanks.

Mike,
 
Thanks for the insights.  180 of these!!!  I can't wait.

Mike
 
All of the parts and masts are from the same board. Everything is the same color.  I am taking pictures with two different cameras and it is the light.
 
I don't have a steady rest, but sure could use one.  Sounds like a good father's day present to myself.

Spanker Boom Jaws
 
This is a challenge.  Screw this up and you will back at the lathe to turn a new spanker boom.
 
Since this is going to be painted black, I chose to use the laser cut jaws (one less piece to cut from my cherry). I used the piece to trace the taper on the boom. I made a tick mark at the top of the boom to use as a reference point while I sand the sides flat to accept the jaws.  Then I carefully take the end down on my bench sander.  I put a 400 grit pad on the disc so that it doesnt take too much.  But you still have to be careful.  It will remove material pretty quick.  After some hand sanding, I got it to fit and glued it up.
 
 
 
 

Spanker Boom
 
Back to the lathe where I feel comfortable to get a break from the tedious gun mounting project.
 
This is a tough piece to turn.  It is 11 inches long with a 3/16 inch max diameter.  That makes the piece unstable and subject to wobble.  The key, sharp tools and take your time.
 
1. Get the middle down to 3/16.
2. Turn the outside end to 1/8 and cut the taper. It is always better to work on the side on the spindle first, since it will be the most unstable.  Keeping the beef at the chuck end will help keep the stock stable
3 Turn the side on the chuck to 1/8, cut the taper and create the shoulder.
 
Some photos of the process. Again, all made out of cherry
 
 
 
 
 
 

Spanker Boom Jaws
 
This is a challenge.  Screw this up and you will back at the lathe to turn a new spanker boom.
 
Since this is going to be painted black, I chose to use the laser cut jaws (one less piece to cut from my cherry). I used the piece to trace the taper on the boom. I made a tick mark at the top of the boom to use as a reference point while I sand the sides flat to accept the jaws.  Then I carefully take the end down on my bench sander.  I put a 400 grit pad on the disc so that it doesnt take too much.  But you still have to be careful.  It will remove material pretty quick.  After some hand sanding, I got it to fit and glued it up.
 
 
 
 

Ken,
 
That would be the Zoar Harvest Festival in August.  I have been a Board Member of the Zoar Community Association for many years and live just outside of the historic district. If you ever get back this way, give us a shout.
 
Darrell

Ken,
 
I have been admiring your Constitution build from afar, and go back to your wonderful NIagara often before I do anything on my Niagara. Now that I have become active on the forum again, I just wanted to say thanks for all of the "advice and inspiration" that you never knew you gave me.
 
Having just done my deck by using cherry veneer strips on birchwood plywood, and being alerted by many on this forum to the impact on height for deck carronades, and following your lead, I actually did something right - the first time!
 
Thanks again.
 
Darrell

Mike,
 
Thanks for the love. However, this work is a cumulation of all of the tips and techniques I picked up by our fellow Niagara builders, and other model shipwrights on this forum. The talent here is unbelievable.
 
As a follow up, the picture I posted of the circular flattened wire used for the carronade carriages is misleading. I took the picture after I cut all of the metal bands, and the flattened wire I used for the photo was a scrapped piece that did not pass my quality control department (there is a lot of stuff in that pile). To get the right radius, the circle has to be tighter, about 50% so. Just a heads up.
 
I feel like I owe you a lot being that I have referred to your log repeatedly over the past several months. So I will try and give back.
 
Darrell

I have the same two sized pins. I had no idea what they were for. Were you thinking of gluing the carriages to the deck?

Mike,
 
You were already reading my mind on how you stropped those hooks on the blocks. I am looking forward to your post on that.
 
I think your gun rigging is spot on.  It looks great!

Mike,
 
The proportion on your gun is perfect to me. In post number 318, I assume you are listing exactly what you used, and that the rope you refer to you got from Chuck. I am going to do the same thing. It looks really good, and I love the hooks.  My kit supplied blocks that I experimented with with a stropped home made hook looks pretty lousy. I used a black 24 gauge wire.  I believe it will be strong enough to handle the rope pulls, but they don't look that great.  the only good thing is that they are so small, they are hard to see, but of course that makes them really hard to make. I hope you solve your hook issue.
 
I share your pain, or soon will be, over what is going to be an incredibly tedious job X 20.

Mike
 
I just posted some photos of the jig I made for the carronade eyebolts. I use my diamond head dremel bit for the holes. It knocked them out quick. Don't know if it will help.
 
You actually rigged your first carronade! Outstanding work. I am all eyes (or should I say eyebolts - I have about 30 done, only 120 left) since I too have never done this. Forgive me if I learn from your toils. let me know what you come up with for the hooks. They look great.
 
Happy building.
 
Darrell

Mike,
 
They say that two heads are better than one, and I can say that every thing you listed in your last post had been on my mind for weeks.
 
About half of my pin holes on the planksheer are out of whack for the carronades.  That is a pretty common occurence noted by fellow Niagara builders. At one time I was going to fix that before I put the top rail on the bulwarks, but opted to wait until i actually built the guns.  That will have to be fixed.
 
I had an idea for a jig for the bulkhead holes, and will work on it over the weekend to see if it works.  I was going to make my own eyebolts by twisting up some 24 gauge black wire.  I think they seat better with some CA.
 
I also figured that I would rig the carronades before I added any of the deck furniture so that I could spare as much room for my thumbs as possible.  On that topic, I am not to thrilled with the blocks that the kit supplied for this process.  They seem out of scale (too large). I was thinking about acquiring some after market blocks for this purpose, and settled on 3MM.  Do you have any thoughts on that?  Also, have you decided what pins to use for the guns, and how are you planning on securing them to the deck.  I have some small steel pins supplied with the kit, but don't exactly know what they are for.
 
That Hawse pipe is scarry for the very reason you listed.  I have had the same concerns. I thought I would start on the outside hull and hope that the hole hits the right spot inside. Of course we have to add a piece of strip wood on the outside of the hull.  I am at my office and don't have my plans and i cant remember what it is called, but in shipwright lingo, it is used to keep the anchor chain from destroying the planks when it is raised.  That might give us some leeway if we drill from the inside out.  We could cover up any mistakes on the outside when we install that piece.
 
Darrell

Looking great Mike.
 
Did you free hand the eyebolt holes for the carronades or did you use a jig. I also like your idea on the order of installation of the deck furniture.  I hope you don't mind if I follow along to see how that works out.  I am a bit behind you and have been hesitant to install all of the parts I have made to the hull and deck until I figure out the best order of things.  From the bottom up sounds like a winner.  Good luck.