rwiederrich
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Everything posted by rwiederrich
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Gluing the two keel pieces together. I won't fiddle with this till it is full dry. I’ll separate the bulkheads and put them in order. She a lot smaller then Glory of the Seas for sure. Rob
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Test fit the keel. Nice clean aligned fit. Rob
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Looky. What I got today. Rob
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Ships are balanced....thus we must look at them balanced. If something looks wrong, stop and evaluate...educate yourself on the trueness of the design. Don't just go for it....not unless you don't care. Taking into consideration how long it takes to build one of these guys....it's best, to take the extra step and make sure, or you will suffer the agony of having to look at your incorrect model for the rest of your life and continually telling/reminding yourself, *I should have just fixed it when it was easier*. You've already taken the first step of admission. No need to beat yourself up over it. She is still something to be proud of... indeed. Rob
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Rich...it was just as much my mistake as it was yours. I knew visually the Forecastle looked too low...coupled with the original main rail issue.....I just looked at it incorrectly. And that, in of itself, is part of the problem. Knowing better but allowing your own bias or laziness to get in the way. I know, now, what pitfalls to avoid...since we cut our teeth on Glory of the Seas. In these adventures, I expect you to be clear and honest...throw a rock at me, if need be, to get my attention, If you think something is out of place historically. We can always discuss it....as we have done in the past. Rob
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Sometimes, stumbling across knew data, that was in plain sight counts as *measuring* twice....... Rob
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Rich..check this out....
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Jared...I feel ya. Once we have built a significant part of our vessel...to tear it all out is a gut wrenching notion. I crossed that same threshold myself....but because I was part of a group trying to realize the true structures of a McKay clipper....I was compelled to make the untimely correction....if I had any hope of staying the course of producing the most accurate McKay vessel thus far. It just had to be done...and it surely wasn't beyond my ability. It became a matter of the will.
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Indeed, and that is the plight of so many. They are told....but that is usually by someone who doesn't know themselves. No Criticism is intended.....we are telling people now...when we come across them. The ultimate desire is to get manufacturers to make the changes....so as not to lead builders astray. That is the hardest task at hand. Rob
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We do not wish for any builder of these kits to feel belittled or criticized in any way. These discoveries came to Rich and myself many years ago and we were just as surprised as many of these kit builders are, when we discovered them. But as you say,.....we wish to help and correct these issues for others who are making this journey. Rich is creating a plan to make these revelations known to the general modeling public and to manufacturers of said kits. But currently....all we can do is intercept builders as they build their models and if possible, reveal our findings, so they can self correct their own models. Rob
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I all fairness. Modelers who undergo one of these kits....are putting great trust in the research the model designers have done. The designers are putting a great amount of trust in the hopes that the modelers are not historians and will not be aware their kits are full of inaccuracies. Buyer beware....or in this case modeler. It's really an easy fix for modelers....but it requires foreknowledge. Its easy for manufacturers....it only takes a little retooling and redrawing. Accuracy requires effort. Rob
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Rich....I completely agree with your assessment. We have talked these issues through plenty of times before. It is difficult when builders have simply followed their models plans, and we come along. No disrespect to any builder...for sure, but it is nice to lead builders in the right direction when these issues are found out early....before the damage is done. I praise Jared and others on their builds...not on the poor drawings they have followed. It boils down to research. I pray we can encourage others to notice the errors and correct them before they get too far along. On the other hand...they are doing good with what they got. Just trying to help...as you are. Rob
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Have you been following the changes that have been recently discovered about the McKay naval hoods and cutwater? Kits today are misrepresenting the bow of McKay clippers...and they are sorely inaccurate. I hope you have seen the info, Clipperfan has amassed on the subject. Good build. Rob
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Wonderful job....I hope you have been following the threads on the newly realized McKay cutwater and naval hoods..... and forecastle changes to the plans of these models. Most manufacturers get it all wrong, making their models sorely inaccurate. Good build. Rob
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And so it begins.... Rigging stays, backstays and headgear. Standing rigging is the strength of the framework that holds the masting, to which the sails are energized. A world, all in of itself.... Good job! Rob
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Still waiting on the bulkheads to arrive. Any day now friends.... Rob
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One simple rule I try to always follow: Always pre-rig all your blocks on the mast (that means some homework), rig your mast off model(If you can), work from stern to stem(this allows you room to work all around the mast without bumping the next mast, work from bottom up( this permits you the freedom from not having to work within a hole of rigging...you have room above), work from inside-out (nothing is worse then when you have to go inside the rigging envelope to add something deep within, that you missed), You must always be thinking 4th dimensional. Height, depth, breadth, time. Of course, you can never forget the component that binds it all together, and that is, how much detail are you going for? Now, one item I modify, and that is, the bottom -up issue. I never add the main yards until I have completed the shrouds. They're just in the way. I actually add them last on my mast builds. One last thought....building your masts off hull works the best because you can simply rotate the mast to work on it from all sides, adding blocks...rigging, and such, then when all your individual yard and sail lifting/control lines are in place...you can glue the mast directly in...and then begin to belay all your lines. I treat each mast as a single unit...it makes for better organization, and it created each mast job into its own little project...breaking up the whole thing into smaller pieces. Which is good for the psyche' . Treating each mast as its own project, helps the entire project move along nicer. IMHV. Rob
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The anniversary is a great reason to make her hull completion a goal.
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Vlad is sending your copy to me (from what I understand), and I'll pop it off to you. As you are probably aware...McKay launched his ships with simple stub masts....so if I can pull off just finishing her hull by years end...I'll have launched her as was the prototype. On her 175 Anniversary. We'll just have to see. No one knows the future.. Rob
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Fantastic work Rick. She is moving along nicely now. I find it kinda funny, that, apart from most builders, I always build my masts entirely, individually. One at a time. Everyone has their own method. Reflecting on my Great Republic build....I began with the foremast and worked back. Realizing that, this technique caused more problems for me...when adding the sails. I reversed this method on Glory of the Seas...and starting from the mizzen, worked out so much better. I didn't have to work around previous work. I could work straight on and over the hull. Yeah....you have a point....the solid hull kits, require that you cut out all the parts.....so in essence, you are practically Sudō scratch building. Great job. Rob
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After Michael Mjelde told me specifically that Chapelle never had peer reviews of his data and drawings. I began questioning the validity of them when things look wrong.
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I'm sure that it was.....however, when you're cold, nostalgia and pride gather close to the warmth....of the fire. Rob(Doing my bit to clear the lofting floor of shavings to reveal the truth)
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That sound like it might be a monumental task. Profits are all these big model kit manufacturers are thinking about. Still, it wouldn't hurt to at least inform them of the blatant errors, they allow in their so called scale model kits. Revell didn't make any corrections to their Thermopylae kit. Not sure they even make that kit any longer. Still...the expensive wooden kits might make the change if they are concerned about accuracy. Maybe *close* is good enough?🤥 Rob
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Donald McKay was a naval architect visionary. However, that seems to be limited to the clipper design. When other yards were quickly converting to steam ship building and design, McKay held his ground. The loss of several of his ships that he alone paid for, contributed to his financial failure...along with the demise of sailing vessels, outpaced by new steam ships. Webb, went on to be a very successful steam ship builder...others too. Unfortunately, McKay was a victim of his own dedication. His brilliant career did bring him great wealth and high honor. It was his stubborn lack of vision for the future of iron steam ships that brought him low. It was his own choices....not the advent of a superior vessel. Rob
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I agree...I find the errors passed down to be unfortunate. It's easy to sell something to a person ignorant of that something. Rob
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