garyshipwright

Continuation: Making the yards - Fore topsail yard - Vergue de petit hunier
After making the lower yards, I started working on the topsail yards. In contrast to the yardarms of other navies in the comparable period, the ones of the French navy seem adventurous. Probably due to a higher flexibility of the sailing maneuvers, these topsails are a certain challenge for the modeler, as can be seen on the following pictures for the mizzen topsail -, fore topsail - and main topsail yard of the La Créole.

Source: Monograph La Creole by J. Boudriot 
 
Unfortunately, I do not have sufficiently sharp images of the original model from which one could derive further details. So I rely on the plan drawing of the monograph except for the formation of the studding sail booms at the yards of the mizzen mast. For this I again follow the original model, which clearly shows no studding sail booms at the mizzen mast. Further research shows that many contemporary French models also do not have studding sail booms at the yards of the mizzen mast. John Harland in his book "Seamanship in the Age of Sail" writes about studding sails on the mizzen mast that in his opinion they were neither popular nor particularly practical. 
After several attempts, the fore topsail yard seems to have succeeded according to the drawing specifications, at least I am satisfied. 

The next picture shows the fore topsail yard compared to the main yard, where the yard arm has a simpler design. 
The drawing with dimensions for the main topsail yard is already available.
 
Soon it will go further ...

 

Thanks Jack.  These small tool's might take me a bit to get used to due to most of mine being on the large size. I do have a very small plane made by stanley which I use all the time and is kept quite sharp. Help's make quick work of trimming plank's.  Gary

Hi Jack. Since you have  all of their tools do you also have there Miniature  Bench Vise? If so have you built a small wood working bench and mounted it? Just wanted to see how and on what you using your tool's on. Working on making a miniature work surface so it can be clamped to my work bench. Thank you Gary

Well mine is on order and probably have to wait for Christmas before I get to use them O well at least their on the way.

Thanks Jack.  These small tool's might take me a bit to get used to due to most of mine being on the large size. I do have a very small plane made by stanley which I use all the time and is kept quite sharp. Help's make quick work of trimming plank's.  Gary

Thanks Jack.  These small tool's might take me a bit to get used to due to most of mine being on the large size. I do have a very small plane made by stanley which I use all the time and is kept quite sharp. Help's make quick work of trimming plank's.  Gary

Hi Jack. Since you have  all of their tools do you also have there Miniature  Bench Vise? If so have you built a small wood working bench and mounted it? Just wanted to see how and on what you using your tool's on. Working on making a miniature work surface so it can be clamped to my work bench. Thank you Gary

Hi Jack. Since you have  all of their tools do you also have there Miniature  Bench Vise? If so have you built a small wood working bench and mounted it? Just wanted to see how and on what you using your tool's on. Working on making a miniature work surface so it can be clamped to my work bench. Thank you Gary

It feels like I'm getting close now. Just knees, rudder, sail?, oars, cleat, mast clamp then clear coat.
 


 

Well mine is on order and probably have to wait for Christmas before I get to use them O well at least their on the way.

Well mine is on order and probably have to wait for Christmas before I get to use them O well at least their on the way.

@Gahm
@matiz
@FriedClams
@Vladimir_Wairoa
@dvm27
Hello,
I am very grateful for your interest and the nice comments, as well as for the many LIKES. That motivates immensely.
 
Continuation: Production of the yards - Vergues
We continued with the production of the yards. With the help of G. Delacroix I was able to clarify a few questions about the dimensions of the yards. Accordingly, I used the following table for the dimensions of the masts, yards and spars of the "La Blonde", which is identical in construction to the "La Créole".
 


Source: Monograph on La Créole by J. Boudriot, page 56
 
There, among other things, the diameters are given in addition to the lengths. As a rule, the small diameter of a yard is 2/5 of the large diameter, as I could learn from G. Delacroix.
As you can see on the following pictures, the lower yards with the studding sail booms have been made so far in the meantime. Various details on the yard arms, such as for the installation of sheaves for the sheets still require final clarification.


Also with the studding sail booms there are still questions about details, as shown in the following example of the model of the "Le Cotre 1830".
I would be very grateful for any suggestions and hints.
 

Source: Modèles Historiques au Musée de la Marine - Volume 2 - Jean Boudriot
 
To be continued ...
 

The Head Timbers 
 
This is probably the most difficult and complex part of the build so far.
 
No wonder kits either omit or provide the whole as a preformed piece.
3D was helpful in how it should look-but not how to get there.
Dan Vardas , usually incredibly helpful, omits much of the process and mentions a problem with a camera. I suspect he threw it out of a sense of frustration.
Reliable TFFM was detailed - I just couldn’t understand most of it. (post-covid brain)
 
First decide the model has 3 or 4 Head Timbers- my plans do not show #1 - the aftermost. (thankfully).
#2 is below the Head Beam.
#4 is above the fore edge of the Trail Board.
#3 is between #2 and 4.
Their width varied- #2 -2.65mm, #3 2.4mm. #4-1.9mm
.
Anyway, the drafting advice was beyond me at my best.
It suggested as an alternative a CARD method. which I adapted.
Firstly remove the Carlings,Beam, and Crosspiece- I decided to leave the Main Rail in position, however.
 Starting with #4
A piece of card is cut to the height between the upper cheek and main rail, and depth from the outer edge of the main rail to the Knee of the Head, at position of the aft (larger in this case) surface.
The Lower Rail is still in place, and its position marked on the card. A slot is cut at this level.
It was seen that my Lower Rail was too high on the Hair Bracket and was adjusted to sit lower,
The new position and slot adjusted to the card.
This is repeated for Timbers #3 and #2.
The Lower Rail is removed and each card is held in place so that the depth of the slot can be adjusted so the Lower rail can fit into its position.
This is repeated for the other side of the head.
A bridging piece is needed so as to include the width of the Extension piece of the Head for #4 and #3 (#2 sits either side and therefore aren’t joined).
The aforementioned difficulties are now apparent. The various and varying angles particularly with the Main Rail need addressing.
TFFM gives a way of marking the various angles with additional slips of card, but this didn;t work for me.
I went straight to a blank, roughly shaped to the card, and then by trial and error fitted into position. Then fashion the slot for the Lower Rail.
 Note that, because of the acute curve of the Extension and Main Rail, slight change of position has a huge effect on the fit. Temporary gluing in place and releasing with alcohol is required (Unlike TFFM, I found photo glue not suitable)
Note also to shape upper surfaces to allow fitting of the Beam and Cross Beam.
The Outer surface (with its angle following the Main Rail ) can now be roughed out, It was found that the slot allowing the Lower Tail, requires “closing” and some additional wood was added.
A final shaping of this surface requires some care, with protecting the Rails. VERY careful use of the sanding drum and the same drum, handheld, did the job.
This surface is covered by a Covering Board, 0.53 mm in thickness.
It is supposed to be paneled, but I made the whole from my black hornbeam wood.
To enable this to be fitted, the outer surface of the Timbers are cut back by 0.53mm, so that this Board is flush with the outer edge of the Main Rail above and the Upper Cheek below.
PHEW !!!!

 

Alan just a queston good sir. Why not remove the transom you have fitted and fit the counter timber's first then install the transom to fit them. I made all of my stern timber's first and then  fitted the transom. Take the stern timbers in shape and using rubber cement or Pva which ever you choose to glue them all to each other with thin pieces of balsa wood in between the pieces and then sand all of them down at one time. Mark them out with numbers from right to left and  reinstall them in order. I found this so much easier fitting the stern timbers first then the transom.  there is a whole lot more stern timbers then transom that's for sure. Hope this help's you. 
 
 
 




 

Thanks Jaager. Do you know which monographs they were. I have a number of them which I just may go take a look in.  Looks like you done your research and thank you very much for the info. Am trying to get colors that are right or least very very close to what was used.  Seems there is a lot of them to choose from which lead's to getting the wrong color. Thank you again. Gary

Hi Mark. Hope your starting to feel better and getting back to work on Sphinx which by the way is looking great. Keep up the good work. Gary

Hi Mark. Hope your starting to feel better and getting back to work on Sphinx which by the way is looking great. Keep up the good work. Gary

Hi druxey. One can not have to many toy's sorry I meant tool's. Beside I need them to fix my capstan. 😊Gary

Hi Jack. I just handed my wife my Christmas list and asked her if santa could bring me the set if possible. Now all I have to do is wait for Christmas to get here. Gary

Hi Mark. Hope your starting to feel better and getting back to work on Sphinx which by the way is looking great. Keep up the good work. Gary

Hi Guy. They are Model Shipwright issues 41, 42 and 48, by John Franklin.

Hi Guy. They are Model Shipwright issues 41, 42 and 48, by John Franklin.

Hi Guy. They are Model Shipwright issues 41, 42 and 48, by John Franklin.

Gary
You ask why?  I ask why not?
Living up to my motto I suppose:  "only dead fish go with the flow!"
The wing transom and deck transoms are two different radii per the plan.
The horizontal distance from the foot of each counter timber (vertical beam) to the seat transom (the one below the quarter deck transom) are different from each other on the one (half) side of the ship so the lower arcs of each are different to accommodate the change.  At least that is what I deduced from it all.  If I sand them all together that difference wouldn't be met...  or I am overthinking it all.
I'll make templates to fit to my transoms, make my counter timbers, then taper them.  Then remark my transoms to locate the tapered counters.
Then I will remove my transoms to notch them to fit the tapered counters.
In my mind it seems perfectly logical and simple but as this is my very first attempt it could be a nightmare or car crash!
Stay tuned.
 

We await with bated breath....