rwiederrich

Wonderful....just wonderful Ed What a relief to finally be complete. She is magnificent to say the least. so much to glean from. Rob

Welcome clipper fan..from another clipper fan. Try https://www.castyouranchorhobby.com/Category/deadeyes I'm currently building the clipper Great Republic. Rob

Fantastic job for sure..well done. Very clean Rob

Right. This is my first full set of sails implemented,...until now, Running the braces never extended me this problem. Your solution for the crojack yard braces works, even thought the fulcrum angle is not overly taxed. These clippers (GR, YA) were build in the same year and it can be safely assumed the solution was universal. Paintings do not replicate this epiphanous revelation. 2 dimensional images can easily mask 3 dimensional issues. I will surely make known my resolution for the brace issue...when I can return to the shipyard in full health. Thanks for the fine comments and observations. Rob

Wonderful work Ed...Interesting solution to the lower mizzen braces. I discovered a while ago that I too will be facing this dilemma with my Great Republic...even more so, because I have no space to fudge, since I have sails that will definitely be in the way of many braces. Ingenious disguising will have to prevail. I have fully enjoyed your log and have gleaned much. Not sure you caught this, but it appears the aft backstay may have slipped out of its place on the main mast. The image you posted of the main mast braces definitely shows the aft port backstay out of its station. Thanks for the wonderful way you presented this build.....Clippers being my love...you kept me enthralled. Rob

Wonderful work.... Rob

Wonderful work and attention to detail... Beautiful model. Rob(dust-er off)

Thanks Scott...yes the arm is doing better, still a bit tender....but the hand is still numb in part. Making fine work hard....since I can't feel my fingertips. I have put an enormous amount of research into this build, and even something as minor as stunsail booms can fall between the research cracks. Part of the fun is updating as you go if research points you in a different direction. I've seen this happen to many and surely I fall victim to it myself. Gladly the *repair/corrections* can be made early without any really horrific damage being cause by it. Thanks for your compliment and encouragement. Rob

Thanks Pat...the first booms were far too heavy and the irons were not what I wanted. PLus moving them beneath the yards makes them more typical with the era. I think they look better. Again...thanks. Everything is evolving as my study reveals the needed changes. Rob

Thanks.... I spent some time correcting the stunsail booms and the irons. I adopted the underneath design.....it makes the most sense. Rob

Yes...I have this image and yes this is after her rebuild. Interesting to see her stunsails in both configurations.. . because other ships do the same. It's hard for me to tack down a real good example..since it seams it might have been preferential instead of typical. Searching the model world...stunsails have found themselves mounted on top...slightly abaft....in front, slightly forward(similar to Ed's fine model), slung from beneath. It just seams to be how they get modeled. Personally I think I want to make my irons beefier and repair the missed center iron. No matter what I do...I'll make them far better. The lack of a good operating left hand definitely shows. Rob

More to follow...…. Just for information sake here are some images, one a drawing, of the stunsail boom suspended from the top of the yard...similar to mine.

Ove the weekend I spent time pondering and researching my actions. Many examples of models show the stunsail booms resting on top and abaft the yard...in such a similar fashion as I have represented. However....it appears that typically it was clippers not heavy cargo carriers that followed them that carried the stunsail...to aid in the latitudes where mild winds were expected. The Great Republic did indeed carry stunsails in her rebuilt design....but only a minor mention of them can be found in describing her original build. So what I've decided to do is attempt to remove, refurbish the ironworks and reduce general diameter of the booms and then sling them from underneath the yard to help defuse any confusion and produce a more practical solution A models representation is not always the proper representation of actual practices....and I want to at least use a logical approach, if nothing else. I hope removal of them does little damage......and that...can be easily repaired without much scaring. Thanks to all who pointed this out to me. Rob(More to follow)

Several ways were apparently tried..Some hung below the yard, some were above the yard..but what I have researched these were on top and slightly reversed out of the way of the sail. But...I'm up for reversals if anyone knows better. Rob

After some further research and discussion with some informed friends...I opted to add sunsail booms to the main yards and the upper topsail yards. Lots more work to do but its a beginning. Rob

Still suffering from an extremely sore arm..but I managed to wrestle through some minor items today. I rigged the mizen lower stays first... Here is some pics.

It took me twice as long to make sure the lines didn't foul one another as I reran them down the mast to the belay pins. Everything has to follow a set sequence or I will risk twisting and crossing future lines. Shrouds are next...but I can choose to finish the main mast backstays first, being cautious not to over stress the mast without counter acting with the top main stays. Its a puzzle from here on out. Here are a few other images. Rob

Thanks everyone for the fine advice and sympathies. I'm working to get better and fully recover...still not there. Residual pain and dumbness linger and the DR says it will work itself out but nerve impingement can be tediously slow to fully recover. I did spend some time working on the GR..belaying and rerunning the lines that I had previously run for the sails and yards. Finishing with the rope coils before I proceed to the shrouds and ratlines. I made and added further eye bolts and rings to receive blocks about the model. here is where I left off.

Wonderful Ed...just stunning. Balancing tension on stays and braces is a tricky business. Well done. Rob(Right behind you)

Amazing...just amazing. Rob

Magnificent work..... Rob

It boggles the mind to think much of this extremely fine work gets covered up or at least completely unnoticed by overlapping extremely detailed joinery that gets covered up by even more overlapping extremely well crafted joinery. If this model ever gets a mast head or any kind of rigging it will surely be a wonder to behold. Rob

Coming along nicely for sure. Love the attention to detail in the hull construction. Love clippers..nice to see yours progressing so well. I'll be following. Rob

Thanks everyone...I appreciate the concern. My DR does not want to administer a cortisone shot at this time because the pain is not localized and therefore we are going to proceed with my chiropractic care as prescribed. I have far less pain in my back and shoulder, but the remnant pain is persistent. Not having full strength and control in my left arm I still am not seriously working on the GR. I did, however, drill out more holes for the rail pins and set the belay pins..and located and drilled out eyebolt locations for the mainsail brace blocks. Took some pics of the general state of the build thus far. Rob

fascinating exchange of opinions. One can only draw from their experiences, and my 47 years of building models afforded me the pleasure of adding to my experiences, cars, trains, tanks modern war vessels, plains(fixed winged and rotary), motorcycles, houses and ships. I've built in nearly every era.. and have set every *Kind* in dioramas. (static and animated). As a modeler, when trying to exhibit a particular theme or technique, I give it special attention and venue of exposure. If I were attenuating an emphasis on minuet accurate details, such as treenails, and all manner of specific joinery, I would expose these details and provide the greatest exposure(which emphasizes and reveals my true skill and knowledge)(IT IS MY INTENTION TO EXPOSE THESE ASPECTS). Therefore, I use the most accurate grains and shades of wooden material to *emphasize* this. If my goal is to represent accuracy in rigging....I do the same. IMV so many things must be taken into account, by the builder, as to what they intend to emphasize...if anything. Un painted vessels intend to emphasize the construction of a vessel being modeled...is it accurate...so far as the construction is concerned, because that is the emphasis. Carvers of wood to create reliefs generally do not paint them.....again...for the same reasons. A well planked hull of respectable wood selection will be planked tightly and cleanly...oiled or varnished to show off the craftsman's skill...but is that *Accurate*? Most hulls on real vessels were planked with steamed planks of sizable means(4~6" thick), treenailed and most assuredly with gaps between the planks. Would that be acceptable for a modeler? Probably not...but then again the vessel would then be caulked with various hemp materials and then tar/pitch filled for a sealant. Topped off by a generous viscus coat of preservative paint. All applied to make the vessel sound and *Leak proof* Sea worthy. Copious amounts of paint were applied to protect the vessel from the harsh salt water and air. Accuracy of paint hue is less historical then the application of it. IMV. With all this being said...if I built my historically accurate model from scrap coffee can lids, and left it unpainted, I would surely get some criticism. However, if I painted it, covering all the plastic and glue residue, one might think nothing of the models construction material and focus on the models skillfully executed accuracy(a shameful self promoting pun). Coming to the close of my self bloviating point. I enjoy all ship models..for I see within them the builders intent. I personally paint all my models...my line of reasoning, is because ships sailed in water...water is caustic and thus ships were painted to protect them from this element. In the cases where vessels were not painted...they lasted long enough for the owner to build another....and if he valued his time and money...he painted the next one. I deeply respect all my fellow modelers, for they are a discriminating bunch of awesome folks. Rob