jaerschen

For sometime I will work in the fore part,

Thanks for all the likes and encouraging comments.
 
I had to make another cutter to make the recesses in the main flanges
 

 
I have already drilled the holes to accept the camshaft bearings they are larger because I need to be able to clear the raised cams.
 

 
An overall shot of the progress to date.
 

 
A close up of the new cutter, I needed a long reach with a small diameter cutting edge to fit next to the body of the case. it is hardened drill rod the diameter at the cutting face is .086" The bolt holes are .060 and the case it tapped ready for the 0x80 bolts.
 

 
Michael

A quick update :
 
The carpenters, painters and foundry workers have been sent home to enjoy the Holiday.  All the carraiges are built and the guns and hardware at the ready for the gun deck:
 

 
Gun placement will begin right after the Holiday.  Let me take the opportunity to wish everyone on this side of the pond a Happy Thanksgiving !
 
And peace and tranquility for all, no matter your home port.

After receiving the ordered blocks out of Chucks store today I put on the first sail (spanker). Except for the in- and outhauler tackle and the ensign that should be complete now.
There are some extra lines and belaying points for these at the base mizzen mast . Will rig the the ready stay sails next and their operating lines .
 
 
 

 
leave away the ratlines and the last backstays and ensign until later
 
 

 
the horizontal driver boom is about 3mm (scale 1:64) over the catains head / hat
 
 

 
 
 
Build log part 68 to follow
 
Nils

Well I've had a bit of a setback. I began laying out the pieces to assemble a frame and the pieces weren't lining up right. I checked the scale on the frame component sheet and found it was not 1:48 scale, more like 1:50. I gathered all the frame assembly sheets and frame component sheets and found some of each. I remember printing some of the files at home and some at work. The ones I did at home were the correct scale. Good thing I was sitting down when I figured it out. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't angry but I'm going to chalk it up to experience and move on. I reprinted all the sheets using my home printer and checked that they are correct. I'm in the process of cutting out all the frame patterns. Once that is done I'll try to reuse any of the undersize pieces with the correct sized pattern and redo the rest. I've only got $20.00 in the wood so the only real loss is my time. And even that wasn't wasted because I know this next set will be better.
This scratch building sure is an adventure !
 
v/r,
Rob

Before I begin assembling the frame, I need to cut the slot in the floor futtock for the keel and keelson.
First step is to make two cuts on the lines defining the width of the slot using my scroll saw. Then I made several more cuts in between being careful to stop at the line marking the depth of the slot.
 

 
Next I used a 1/4" chisel to remove all the waste wood in the slot.
 

 
Finally I used a small file to clean it up and fit it on the keel.
 

 
Hmmmm. It looks a lot better without the close-up lens. Looks like I need to work on the fit a bit more.
I'm welcome to any and all critique and suggestions any of you might be willing to share. 
 
v/r, 
Rob

Thanks for the likes and comments. 
 
Finally... happy dance time again.  At least a small one..
 
It took me several tries but the top transom is done and in place along with the stern timbers.   I used some pen blanks as I didn't have any stock of cherry, boxwood, or pear thick enough.  The final ended up in yellowheart.  Thankfully, it will hidden by the planking. 
 
I cut the curve (which doesn't quite match the deck camber per the plans) on the top and bottom.  Spot glued the waste back on and then the cut the curve of the stern.   A soak in alcohol and the piece emierged.   Notches were cut into the timber for the deadwood and frame timbers.  Everything was then finessed into postion per the plans.  The photos I contrast corrected helped a lot.  Then the stern timbers were cut and matched to size and finessed into position.   The further outboard the timbers go, the longer they get.     I've checked and rechecked as these two bits are critical to the stern being right. 
 
I still have a lot more work in this area, but at least I know I won't be scrapping this one out because the stern was a hopeless cause.  Just a small amount of fairing needs to be done before planking but I feel the rest of the framework should be added first to give it some strength.  Those timbers are bit fragile as they are now.
 
Here's the pics.   Sorry, I forgot to take pictures of the process.  As always, you click on them for enlargement.  
 

 

 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 97 – Planksheer / Main Rail
 
In the first picture the a portion of the port outer planksheer rail is being fitted.
 

  The height gauge is being used here to check the height along the rail before inserting pins to hold the correct line.  This part of the rail needs to be beveled to fit against the flare of the bow.  In the next picture the rail is being glued with the pins holding the line.
 

 
I spent a lot of time checking heights this week.  In the next picture the height of the lower edge of the main rail is being marked out to set the top of the band of planking between the rails.
 

 
The distance between the height of the planksheer and the main rail varies over the length of the hull.  This became apparent when setting these points.  It seemed wrong, but the drawings verified this.  This made me suspect my drawings but the original table of offsets confirmed the variation.  The planking of this band between the two rails is further complicated by the flare out at the bow.   This makes the true projection of the band wider than shown on the vertical section.  These differences are small, but critical if the planking is going to converge at the top of the frames.  I was doing a lot of height checking this week.
 
A part of the inside of the main rail and fillers between frames have been installed in the next picture.
 

 
The “look” of the inside of the bulwarks is starting to emerge.  An outside view of this work at the bow is shown in the next picture.
 

 
The bottom of the inside of the main rail must match the height of the top of the outer band of planking.  The next picture shows why.
 

 
In this picture the outer main rail is being fitted. Its top is flush with the tops of the filling pieces between frames.  All these rails are horizontal.  The last picture shows the inside of the bow at this stage before fitting the main rail in this area.  I say "fitting" because the outer main rail will not be installed until later - for painting reasons.
 

 
The next step is to install the thin planking above the main rail up to the tops of the frames leaving a tight space for the outer main rail.  This will be installed after the surrounding planking and the rail itself are painted - black and white respectively.  It is also time to fit the rails and planking around the elliptical stern.  Can’t wait.
 
Time for a holiday break.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone – well at least everyone in America.  My British friends used to tell me they celebrated thanksgiving on July 4th.
 
Cheers,
 
Ed

No pictures tonight but I do have an update. I've been spending what time I can spare sanding and shaping all those frame pieces. Ken provided some good advice which is to take it slow and have fun. Mission accomplished (so far!) With the Thanksgiving holiday coming up I see an opportunity to get some quality time in the shipyard. Next update I'll include some pictures of frame assembly.
 
v/r,
Rob

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

LOVELY -wonderful work

Really nice progress, Jürgen.
 
As you know, I am a great freind of oil colors for painting the wale black.

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

All the lower mast stays have been completed, time to turn my attention to the top masts.
 

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

Hello Guys
 
Most of the outside sanding is done and the Main-Wale is started.
The Wale at the bow is strongly curved and it's very hard to bend it as you know. I decided to saw out this part and it worked very well.

 
To fit the following parts were a lot easier

 
Another difficult part is last ledge at the stern. The ledge must be formed exactly before bonding. This approach should be used at all the parts of the planks because it's much easier.

 
The current progress

 
The next update is coming when the Main-Wale is finished

November 18th, 2014
 
Hi all, some slow progress in my shipyard.
Next steps: the counter and hull preparation for planking.
 
As anticipated above, for the lower counter I prepared another cardboard template. I had some problem in getting the correct shape, as the only views I own (my monography is not arrived yet, so I have to rely on scanned copies kindly sent by Jack Aubrey!) are seen directly from the stern, so they are correct in athwartship dimension but compressed in the vertical direction.
I had to play a bit with geometry, trigonometry and graphic tools to get the correct shape, but in the end I managed to obtain it.
The next pictures show the Counter template dry-tested in position: the hole for the rudder is apparently smaller than required, but the plans provide the correct shape and size for this detail and a section view of the transom-counter-rudder head, for its correct position. So I glued another paper template of the hole to the Counter template and cut the hole to check its position with respect to the false keel and transom timbers.
I’m not fully confident about its size, yet: I'll recheck it when the sternpost piece will be available. Nevertheless, this layout permits me to adjust the position of the counter more accurately.
 

 
I also managed to bevel the template to improve the joint with the transom, so I feel its position is pretty close to be definitive. Another internal view of the rudder hole...
 

 
... just showing how the internal transom timbers are exactly separated by the size of the rudder hole.
 
The third picture also shows the last side reinforcements to the transom timbers: this 3rd layer of plywood adds enough material to permit shaping the transom to its final size.
This technique is my ugly attempt to copy the same used by Chuck, and I give to him full credit for having shown us what has become, to me, one of his most efficient trademarks in hull structure design (his most recent example, the HM cutter Cheerful, is a fantastic example!).
 
In the meantime, I continued adding plywood blocks in between the bulkheads, until obtaining the needed stiffness for the structure.
 


 
The lateral stiffness has increased a lot after I’ve completed this addition, but torsionally is still not enough so I will continue using the base building board as long as possible.
The latter picture also shows the bow filler pieces, another addition of these days. Another cardboard template was used to draw the shape of the hull at deck level, thus defining the amount of material to be removed.
 

 
After all these dry tests, I felt sufficiently confident about the lower counter, so decided to create and glue the real piece. It is made from 0.8mm plywood, and obviously it is only the base for the following counter planking.
My last three days were spent in sanding, and shaping, and filing, and ... cough cough ... making lot of sawdust.
Regardless of the vacuum cleaner continuously working, virtually every surface of my workshop has now a pretty layer of dust!!! I’m looking forward to completing this phase and doing some cleaning to the room!
Another two pictures just taken this early morning, showing the stern and bow filler blocks shaped, the lower counter and the filler pieces in the transition area in between bulkheads XII and XIII (to help planking).
 

 
Some more sanding and I’m almost ready to start planking the hull
 
Regards
FAM

Very nice progress Juergen,
I've just picked up a very cheap and good copy of Rif Winfield's book and can see you are making a fine job of the Leopard.
what timber are you using on this build?

Hi Rob,
 
the frames are looking very good, I'm sure you are on a right track.

The Port Side is at the same progress as the Starboard Side.
I don't make many words because the procedure is the same.
Here some photos of the current progress.

 

Hi juergen
Beautiful work...outstanding craftsmanship....looking forward to more!
Cheers....mick