KingDavid

Build Log. Restoration of Full Rigged Sailing Ship Model
Posting #7  7 February 2018
My Posting #6 (21 August 2017) touched on restoration of suchitems as ships’s boats, rudder, deckhouse.  Now came the pattern-making for the 29 sails, 11 fore and aft, and 18 square sails.
With no original sails to work from this was a considerable task involving much reading and analysis of sail plans of actual square riggers, as well as study of photos of real ships, and even spending a day at sea on the restored 1874 barque “James Craig” based in Sydney NSW, to appreciate and understand the principles of sail-making. For you windjammer enthusiasts a day trip on her outside the Sydney Harbour is a “must do” if you are visiting this lovely city.  Of concern was getting the sails to be in realistic proportions to each other on each mast, and then each mast’s sail set from mast to mast.
After much sketching and measurements – length, height and roaches – I was able to cut the prototypes out of paper.   Laying them out on the floor in their proper order suddenly brought home to me what a “wind machine” the ship in real life would be!

Setting the curves (roaches) for the lower edge of the sails was achieved by using a piece of plastic electrical cable conduit to make a bow (as in archery) and setting the bend by adjusting the length of the string between the ends.  This gave a perfect template for each sail – they all had unique curves! (See Photo)

To check them for fitting to each yard, I ‘blue-tacked’ them in place – this resulted in slight adjustment of some of the roaches to ensure the eventual workability of the running rigging, particularly the braces. 
For the sails I used the linen backing of a sheet of draughtsman’s blueprint ‘paper’ which is the fabric encased in wax.  A friend about 40 years ago recommended using this linen as being suitable, and so it has proved.  Boiling this in water with a little dishwashing liquid, I was left with the fine linen, something like ‘lawn’ fabric – very fine and soft textured.
Once satisfied with the patterns, cutting out the sails ensued and my method is as indicated in the photo of the mizzen course (Crojack).
 My very understanding wife now came to my aid, and the dining table became the sail loft! She hemmed each of the 29 sails on her sewing machine – with very pleasing results.  Purists might say the hems are a little over scale but a practical result was priority. 

Bolt-roping was my next challenge – using a thread of 0.5mm diameter and sewing it onto the sails with 0.1mm diameter thread, the result is as you see in the photo.  Keeping a tension on the sailcloth during the stitching was made easy by the use of a jig with numerous holes for pins to locate the corners of the sail, and using tiny paper clips (mini bulldog clips)and rubber bands to a pin.

Rings (hanks) for bending the fore and aft sails was the next step.  These I made from brass rod of 0.81mm diameter, wound round a 3.0 mm shank of a crochet hook like a spring, then cut off with fine side cutters.  190 such rings were required.  Spacing them along the luff of each sail was determined by scaling down from the 27inch - 36inch range given in Underhill’s “Masting & Rigging”.
 
Then the bending on of the fore and aft sails as shown.  A bradawl hole in the sails enabled the rings to be fitted and closed.  A crude but effective method. 

At long last - having been much diverted over the past 6 months, I will attempt to write a coherent story of this project.  In introducing myself I outlined the history of this model which you can read in my earlier postings.  Briefly, the model was built by my Uncle Jules (Julius, born 14 Feb 1888) just before 1900, he is photographed with it sailing past him in 1899,so I know it does sail!  It has no name.  At age 14 Jules went off to sea for six or seven years, serving in several square riggers including the large "Down Easter" Edward Sewall.  A few surviving letters home showed that it was at times a very tough life.  Among his relics is his sailmaker's palm, and sketch books with some stunningly beautiful miniature drawings of a variety of  sailing ships, plus his army issue copper pannikin (bowl) and mug from his first World War service.  Sadly he died in Cologne Germany (occupational force) of the influenza epidemic.  So this project is my memorial for Jules.
 
My Dad inherited the model in the 1940s and it lived in its cradle on the wall of my parents bedroom until 1968 it was passed on to me.  Having had a very quiet life the model was in a pretty sad state.  The fore and mizzen masts were infested with woodworm as were several other masts and yards including the jibboom.  There were no sails, these having presumably fallen apart over the years, butut the rigging was still recognisable.  I was intrigued to discover that the ship had been altered after the sailing photos - in place of a large cargo hatch there is now a smaller hatch, and a deckhouse has been added. You can still see the outline of the big hatch in the decking.  The hull is made from a solid piece of timber (lumber)
 
On taking possession I began the restoration by cleaning out the accumulated dust of 60 years or so and fitting new mast sections, and jibboom, plus renewing bulwarks. Then did nothing from 1969 to 2010, except to get a glass case made for it.  So for this posting I close now with a few photos of as it was.  The fresh paint indicates where timbers have been replaced.

Hull is now fully prepped as far as I can tell, all I need to do is cut the rabbet for the first layer of planking and then add the upper bulkhead strips and start bending wood. This is someplace I have to go back and read Mr. Underhill I think, but as far as I can tell I'll need separate rabbets for the first and second layer of planking, the first stopping well short of the rudder post. It would pretty much have to since two layers of that planking are .090" when the whole rudder post that started as .125" and is now about .115" after level sanding (I was fine with that, only lose .002 final sanding). And 2 x .090" > .115" if I remember my arthimetic.
 
Or not cut a rabbet at all for the first layer and just bevel the ends but I don't see how that doesn't result in planks popping out in the long run.
 
Anyway, I had left hull in the just short of done state. In particular upper bulkhead stanchion things have hardly been hit.
 

 
And here we are after rough sanding.
 

 
Checking tops of stanchion things to verify symmetry.
 

 
Bow and stern bulkhead symmetry.
 
.
 
I then hit it with Famo Wood filler for the last gaps, this was really needed on the stern just short of the counter... no it's not the counter it has some other name I can't remember, last frame before the overhanging stern part starts. Anyway the vertical turn there is severe and that bulkhead should be much taller to allow contouring the full edge surface, I only got to about halfway before I decided I wasn't taking that bulkhead down any farther as it was looking plenty small already. Even here the turn from the builkheads to the hull planking seems very severe. 
 
Here are bow and stern both sides after final sanding.
 

 

 

 

 
Overall I'm ok with it as long as I can figure out the rabbet correctly.
 
One other concern is this, these pieces are aligned correctly and are aligned with each other in the front (slight curve from this angle), but the stern ends seem to need much more curvature for full-width bevel than the kit pics show, and only way to reduce it will be to remove material from the center ones.
 

 
And since I need to think on two things (rabbet and stern)  I called it an evening there.

Almost there....
 
This photo shows the contents of the kit.   I am just finalizing a few more things.  The kit is made from all cherry with some additional boxwood accents.  You get the resin casting set minus the seven items you will be carving.  But the seven items will be available later as an option for those that dont want to carve them.  I hope everyone at least tries.  You get two sheets of plans and printed friezes for the panels and sweeps.   The pedestals and sweep racks are also included.   There will be no printed instructions in the box to keep costs down but the full set will be available as a download on my site as usual.   There are 25 laser cut sheets of cherry and boxwood that range in size and thickness.  The planks are pre-spiled and laser cut for you. The real fragile stuff is carefully packaged in bags rather than being left in the laser cut sheets like the etched panels that are inboard.  They are boxwood and very fragile.
 
This kit contains everything you need to build it just like I have straight out of the box including pre-printed flags on tissue paper.  It is a fully framed model with floors and toptimbers just like the contemporary models and will retail for $235.  It will be available real soon and just in time for Christmas.
Let me know if you have any questions.
 


Chuck

Progressing with carved details....
 

 

 

 

Slowly moving aft and getting more carvings completed.   Actually I am concentrating on the sculpted parts now and I will finish the carvings once they are all completed.  Rather than use my master boxwood carvings for the model, I am using resin castings instead.  So all of the carving details you see below are resin. I will keep the original carvings as masters for when the molds wear out.
Chuck

 

 

 

...Back to the barge.
 
I completed the sculpting for the two bow pieces.   Then I made a mold and some resin castings.  Resin castings will come with the kit.  In the photo below you can see two rows of resin castings.  The bottom row is the raw resin casting.  Rather than paint them as I typically do, trying to make them look like wood,  I thought I would try something new.
 
Rather than paint,  I used weathering powders.  I applied them directly to the resin castings with a brush.  The three colors are shown.  I continuously used differnt layers of the three colors and eventually it came out really well.  The color matches wonderfully  Its better than paint in my opinion as the powders dont build up and the detail remains crisp.   You cant really chip or scratch the paint ruining your piece.   Once done I sprayed with matte fixative.

 
Below are the pictures showing the castings test fit on the model.  I notched out the molding to accept them.  You can also see the laser cut iron strap that runs on the forward face of the stem.  It goes all the way under to the keel stopping just ahead of the scarf joint.  There are holes pre-drilled along the top of the strip which were later filled with 22 gauge black wire.  I pre-drilled the holes using the laser cut holes as a guide with a #71 bit.  Then I stuck the wire into each hole with no glue.  After snipping off the excess,  they were filed down but allowed to stand proud.  This creates the nice decorative detail you see on these barges.  The strip was put on the stem in three sections.  The top and aft side of the stem first as they were short pieces, then the long strip down the front.  The seams are almost noticeable.  You can get a tight fit between pieces and the laser board sands well.  I think it simulates a piece of metal quite nicely.
 

 

 

And just to let everyone know I am still working on models.....not just a hippie activist.
 
Today the step was built.  It has a laser etched slot to aid in its assembly.  Then at the bow there is what I would call a "standard" of sorts.   It has a hole in it to help secure the pole for the flag.   Another will be drilled through the platform below it but I figured it would be damn near impossible to laser cut the hole on the platform and then line them up so the pole is straight.  So I will be drilling with the bit running through the hole in the standard making sure that afterwards the pole will sit upward and straight.  
 
Except for a very few details inboard,  the inboard part of the project is complete.  NNow I will move outboard and begin to finish up the carvings.   Then after that its the home stretch.    Happy modeling everyone!!!!  
 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my very first build and excited to get started. Did a full check of the pieces today and was missing a couple of items (update: great service from Nic at Blue Jacket with the one missing piece and one damaged piece having replacements on their way already). Heading off on vacation tomorrow but looking forward to getting stuck in once I get back.
 
Is it normal for thicker pieces of laser cut pieces to require more significant cutting with the Xacto knife to get it out of the template? I was starting to get the stand out and it was taking a lot of time. Decided to hold off to make sure I was attacking it the right way before ruining step one of the build.

Hi

Hi, another pictures

Good morning

Goog morning

Hi,continues the work of the openings

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 255 – Fore Yard Topping Lifts
 
Topping lifts supported the lower yards at the ends and allowed it to be "topped", that is lifted on one side, usually to clear dockside obstructions.  Each lift consisted of a pendant secured to the upper eye on the fore yard arm band.  This was connected to a luff tackle to the mast cap with the fall belayed on the foremast fife rail.  A luff tackle uses a single and double block combination to produce a mechanical advantage of 4.  The double block is secured to the foremast cap band.  The first picture shows the port side lift strung up.
 

 
Temporary thread lines to keep the yard roughly level for the rigging of the lifts lines may be seen in the picture.  The next picture shows the single tackle block that is spliced on the end of the pendant with an eye.
 

 
The standing end of the tackle has been seized to the eye on the block with smaller hemp line.  The pendant is 6" line, the lift is 3".  Excess seizing will, of course be removed.  The outer end of the pendant shown in the next picture is spliced to a shackle on the upper eye of the yard arm band.
 

 
Because the shackle is soldered, this eyebolt was installed in the band after soldering the shackle and splicing the pendant - before the yard was hung.  The upper end of the starboard tackle is shown in the next picture.  
 

 
The double blocks were shackled to the cap band earlier, before it was installed.  Both lifts have been strung up and given initial tension in the next picture.
 

 
The falls are belayed on the fife rail shown in the next picture.
 

 
Belaying points are being left unglued until all the running rigging on the yard is in place.  The model yard is not heavy enough to put strain on the sling chain and force it fully down.  This issue will be addressed in one of the next parts.  The last picture shows the lifts installed and the yard levelled.
 

 
Levelling was done by measuring up from the base board to the outer ends.  Next, the reef tackles.
 
Ed

"... then have figure out what to do with the damn thing."
 
Hi Bob
 
In real live usually the admiralty decides where the ships have to go...
 
Ensign halyard: Usually a single block (suggest 3mm) is mounted at the end on the main gaff. A flag line (0.1mm natural thread) passes through the block with both ends running. Both ends are belayed at the same cleat on the inner bulwark (or a similar belaying point) just about abeam of the block.
That means that you belay the line on the cleat, the opposite end leads up through the block and back down to be belayed at the same cleat. The ensign is fixed to one of the ends.
Similar cleats should be provided on both sides, port and starboard, to enable the ensign to be set on either side of the gaff sail.
This description follows the manual of Caldercrafts 'Pickle'. I find CC's manuals usually very well researched and accurate.
 
Below you find a picture of my Pickles Ensign and its halyard.
 
Cheers
Peter
 

I'm finally finishing the the gun ports. Here are a couple of little jigs that may help others in the same .. (er)... boat. They both work well.
 
This jig helps centre the gun barrels and provides a guide for their consistent height.
 

This provides a guide for the gun port lids to be at a consistent angle.


 

 
 

Thanks Bill.
 
The starboard gun ports are now complete - now working on the port.  I'm hoping the rope supports to the gun port lids on this side will be a little better as I've learned a few things in the process.  Here's how things look.
 
I see the following photo doesn't show up well. I'll photograph the other side when I finish and hope it comes out a little more clearly than this.
 

 

 

 
 

 
 
 

All of the guns/gunport lids are now finished. This is how it all looks, including it seems, a crewperson.  Hope all the photos don't overdo it.
 
I have now ordered a Granado.  It will be interesting to see how the quality compares with Vanguard.
 

 

 

 
 

 
 

 
 

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Hello Everyone,
 
I've managed to finish the rigging to my complete satisfaction.
 
As you were aware I was very apprehensive about this part of the build as I just couldn't figure it out at first from the plans. I said that I wasn't concerned about accuracy and was going to do a sort of generic rig based on the Victory, but like the rest of this build once I stopped worrying and got stuck in it revealed it's secrets. I started following the plan from the upper yards downwards, at first it wasn't overly difficult to get about right, being encouraged I continued with the RW plans and not my own ideas. It was like a crossword, the more words that you get done the more clues as to the next words you get, so as I worked downwards the sequence and reasoning of the lines became clearer and I understood the plans more. I think that I ended up with a reasonably accurate rig that looks good.
 
The boat lifts that I'd made earlier now looked too simple and not in keeping so I made them up again to look something like they would have been. I'll be making up two boats, a pinnace and a launch next rather than the one launch supplied in the kit, it's just a personal preference.
 
The anchors which I'd made earlier are now also in place.
 
The weather at the moment as quite bad and the light in my room is so poor that it's difficult to photograph detail, I'm having to use a tripod so I can't get the angles needed or get in close. I've managed these but I'll post a better selection when the conditions permit.
 
 
Ken
 

 
 

Hello Everyone,
 
The rigging is progressing nicely. Except for the braces I've completed all the upper yards and all the mizzen rigging. The mizzen took quite a bit of working out, the Victory wasn't any help here. It's my version, it looks ok as if it would work so I'm happy with it and can now move on. I'll sort the tie offs and rope coils later and hope that they'll give me a more realistic look.
 
I now feel like I'm on the home straight with my RW and can now start making hints as to what needs to be put in my very large Xmas stocking.
 
Ken

Hello Everyone,
 
Thanks again for your likes and for those very kind comments.
 
As you may know this is my first build log. I decided to do one as over a few years I have followed other logs, enjoyed them, learned a great deal and were motivated by them so I thought that I should give something back to MSW members. I was concerned at first thinking that my attempt would fall short and that I may have taken on a project that was beyond my skill level. At first it felt like I was doing homework that was going to be critically viewed but as the build progressed I found that I actually enjoyed doing it and it soon became as much a part of the project as the build itself. To make it a little more interesting I've tried to add a little bit of who I am in my posts. It's those very nice comments that members post that makes all the extra work seem worthwhile, so thanks again.
 
No Zappto I don't intend to make a case for it, it would be much too large for me to display. I have quite a large bay window at the front of my house and it will easily sit there for all the world to see. It is north facing so doesn't get direct sunlight and I have a compressor which I use for blowing dust off so I can get away without a display case.
 
Michael, Yes I have put sails on a model, my last but one build was ALs Bounty but that rig was simplified, I think that it was intended for intermediate builders like I was. They came out ok, I thought that I might put them on the RW but when I saw the rigging set up and realized the enormity of the undertaking I chickened out.
 
Autumn is now here in the UK, for a few weeks nature displays itself in full colour, to capture some of this I've been to one of our many local parks with my camera, here's a few of the scenes from around its lake.
 
This is Birkenhead Park, it was built in 1847 and was the first known publicly funded community park in the world. Olmstead and Calvert Vaux the designers of New York Central Park visited the park in 1850 to see how it had been done and their design was heavily influenced by seeing Birkenhead.
 
Ken
 
 

Hello Everyone,
 
I've made quite a bit of progress on the rigging. Once I'd stopped beating myself up about trying to get it something like historical accuracy I felt a whole lot more relaxed with it and started to enjoy the build again. I'll follow the supplied rigging plan as best I can but for the sections that I can't decipher I'll  note how the Victory was done in that area and adapt the RWs to something similar. There's plenty of info on the Victory so I should be able to come up with a reasonable looking, workable rig.
 
One thing I've found is that there is a awful lot of rigging!!!
 
Some pictures of my efforts so far.
 
Ken

Hello Everyone.
 
Again thanks for your likes and comments.
 
I'm moving along quite nicely now that I've got the confusing bowsprit out of the way. The rigging of the masts looks not too difficult to follow, just the finer points that need studying, mainly where and how the lines finish on the decks.
 
As you'll see from the pictures I've put in and rigged the upper yards, this was achieved by following Pete's diagrams.
 
Next up are the middle yards. Because of my hand issue I've previously had great difficulty in making up and attaching the parrels to the point where I decided not to include them. Here's the easier way that I came up with.
 
I use a small piece of wire glued into the spar to insert it into a hole in the mast to hold it in place whilst I rig the spar, I thought that why not do something similar with the parrels. Instead of cord I used blackened wire this was much easier to thread the beads and spacers. After threading I twisted the ends together to form small shafts which I trimmed, I then bent the whole thing to fit around the mast, we now have a solid unit with two wire rods facing forward, I drilled two holes in the spar for these to fit into. I fixed the spar to the mast then from the rear I slotted the compete parrels unit into the prepared holes in the spar, to finish off I wrapped some cord around the spar to make it appear to be lashed on. I can't tell even close up that it's anything but traditionally made. I think the pictures will clarify things.
 
Ken