Mirabell61

Build log part 32
 
 
 
Today I started a Little bit on the anchor System, fitted two rollers under the forecastle deck, to return the Messenger cable without much friction (will Show later on when the cables get rigged)
 
 
 

I am planing for the anchor cables to go right down through the gundeck main hatch, and to the cargo floor, to be coiled and tied on top of the cargo Barrels. There is not much hight left but I think it will do for several rounds of coiled (tied) cable
 

 

this is the smaller anchor behind the main one,
 
 

in the foreground the larger anchor (6 raps around the stick)
 

 
 

the gundeck capstan with 2 stopper clinks, (simple Version)
 

the foreward riding bitts
 
 
 
 
Build log part 33 to follow....
 
Nils

Build log part 32
 
 
 
Today I started a Little bit on the anchor System, fitted two rollers under the forecastle deck, to return the Messenger cable without much friction (will Show later on when the cables get rigged)
 
 
 

I am planing for the anchor cables to go right down through the gundeck main hatch, and to the cargo floor, to be coiled and tied on top of the cargo Barrels. There is not much hight left but I think it will do for several rounds of coiled (tied) cable
 

 

this is the smaller anchor behind the main one,
 
 

in the foreground the larger anchor (6 raps around the stick)
 

 
 

the gundeck capstan with 2 stopper clinks, (simple Version)
 

the foreward riding bitts
 
 
 
 
Build log part 33 to follow....
 
Nils

I’ve decided to start this build log even though it might take me a long long time to complete. This is the Pride of Baltimore from MS, but I am substituting some fine woods I’ve gotten from Hobby Mill and will be adding more guns to the deck. I’d like to make a ship that could have been an 1812 privateer. 

As this ship is just so beautiful under sail – I intend to make sails and also experiment with coppering the hull with a green patina.

I discovered early on that I made a big mistake with the hull. A few of the bulkheads were not symmetrical and I didn’t catch it until I started to plank. I almost ditched the project- anyone who knows ships or modeling would catch it, but I figured that most people wouldn’t so I’m continuing. 




I missed figuring out how to plank the counter properly also, but will keep it going.

This is such an addictive hobby and it is so much fun to be a part of MSW. I have so much to learn from you all!

Galley stove continued.... and ending
 
 

spit roast supports and crank handle
 

here for Crackers and B.E.
Making of drinking water for the Crew from distilled seawater
 

condensate collector Barrel with drain tap
 
 

 

also hinges to the stove doors and to the chimney flap
The place between stove side and Barrel is for the cheeks of the riding bitt supports
 

all at ist place on board for fit check
 
 
 
 
 
Nils

I have been busy for the last several weeks primarily assembling and installing most of the deck fittings. I ran into a problem with the bell tower. I had the wood components but I could not locate the brass columns and the bell. I have tried to be very careful with all of the kit components, but although I searched diligently, I could not find them. I had 4 surplus brass columns from a previous build, and although not exactly the same I used them and they worked pretty well. I have ordered a bell from Cornwall Model Boats, and will install it as soon as it arrives.
 
While searching for the bell tower parts I came across a carved lifeboat hull that also came from a previous build, and since it seemed to be about the right size, I decided to use it. I made the rest of the parts from scratch but couldn't make oars that looked right. Along with the bell, I ordered some from Cornwall. I also installed the rudder with a lot less problem than I thought I would have.
 
The ship is so heavy now that I finally put it permanently in its cradle. The kit's cradle is somewhat ugly, but I dressed it up with a brass nameplate holder I had. I used Photoshop to create an appropriate label and glued it on.
 
Next, it is on to assembling and installing the 50 chain plates required. Assembling the components requires soldering, and soldering is not my strong point. Not only is there soldering, but itsy-bitsy somewhat neat joints are required. I have gathered solder, flux and a decent soldering iron  and will give it a try tomorrow.
 
On the theory that a picture is worth a 1000 words, here are four:
 

 

 

 

Hi Andy
 
Your doing a fine job of your build.
Just one thing that I noticed, have you got room to put the catheads in.
 
Denis.

It seems like I have been grinding away at brass fittings forever, but it really has only been a couple of weeks. Although beautifully done, many of the castings simply don't fit in the space provided. I would ordinarily think I had made a mistake, but many of the problems are in areas where the base parts were laser cut by the manufacturer. Nevertheless, the ship ends up being beautiful, and it is hard to believe it was built as a war machine.
 
I have completed the port side and am about half done on the starboard side. Then its on to the the bow and stern. The ship has become heavy and difficult to move. As you can see from the pictures below, I have placed it on a turntable that I use to work on my bonsai plants. Now I can simply spin it around.
 

 

 

I have been working on the ship's railings and have started adding a small number of the brass fittings. I have decided to paint all of the inner railings red and have painted the outer railings a combination of wood stain and black. Because of the paint job the ship looks quite a bit different than other builds, but I think it stays within the realm of historical possibility.
 
The instruction manual says to continue adding brass fittings to the hull but I'm not sure that is the way to proceed. I'm thinking it might be better to add the gun port covers and channels to the hull before adding more brass. Any advice?
 

 

After a lot of sanding and 2 coats of Minwax wood conditioner, I was finally ready to apply paint and varnish. I used water based flat black and antique white for the top and bottom of the hull, respectively. I used a solvent based Minwax stain called Red Oak in the middle. I gave everything 3 coats and then applied 1 coat of varnish, water based for the paint and solvent based for the stain. I only applied one coat of varnish because there inevitably will be touch-ups required, and when all is done I will varnish again.
 
I am pleased with the darker stain, and think it will really look good when all the bling is applied.
 

 

 
 

Books say that the first planking should be done carefully enough to be displayed as the final planking, and as I look at the logs of other builders it seems to be possible. I simply am not there yet. I have finally completed the first planking of the Sovereign, and all I can say is,  "Three cheers for wood filler!"
 
With this ship my biggest problem was clamping the ends of the planks, particularly at the stern. I have many different types of clamps, but nothing seemed to work well. Regardless, I have built a firm and smooth base and hope the second planking will be easier. I managed not to do any damage to the work already completed.
 

I have completed the curved deck partitions and the upper level first planking. Have marked the gun port locations and started to cut out the gun ports for the main deck. I have decided to paint the bulwarks red, so figured I should also paint the inner portions of the deck partitions red. They will have cannons, and we wouldn't want the color of blood to spoil the ship's look.
 

 
I had difficulty figuring out the directions for the stern galleries. They didn't make any sense, and still don't. I finally abandoned the directions and drawings and relied on instinct. It worked out OK, which is a good thing since the galleries are so important to the the final look of the ship. While I was deciding what to do I came across a piece of computer art by an artist named Rado Javor. I tried to simulate the look of lanterns in his stern galleries. I have a brand new printer which didn't print the colors the way I wanted them, but it still is pretty good.
 

 

 
 

As I assemble and "hang" the frames, I fair the inside framing as I go.  I am saving the fairing of the outside of the hull until after I finish the framing of the hull.  I am also gluing in the filling pieces between the frames as I go.  
 
It is very important to securely bolt the keel down to the building board to minimize the warping of the keel as the drying of the glue may cause the stern and bow sections to bow up from the board.

I was about to complete the quarterdeck framing when I realized that I had forgotten to do the elm tree pumps, which had to go in before the deck framing. Whew.
 
The pumps were made up from boxwood strip and a tiny bit of wire. The body of the pumps are  square strip, sanded eight sided and drilled out at the top and for the drain. I also made up the main jeer bitts and drilled their mounting holes before in stalling the deck framing. They have not been installed yet.
 
The remaining deck framing was done like the previous sections with the beams, carlings, ledges, lodging knees and hanging knees.
 
The next items will be the main topsail sheet bitts and the completion of the chain pump cranks and supports.
 
Bob

Thanks once again for the "likes" and the nice comments to Robin, Brian, Piet, Ben, Popeye, Michael, Nils and Mohamad. Always appreciated .
 
Head Works - Cheeks
 
I've started work on one of the most interesting and complex parts of the build - the work around the Head of the ship.
 
First thing to do was remove the forward support which holds the hull in position on the baseboard. It doesn't really get in the way as such, but work on the lower cheek especially is a lot easier without it being in the way and there was the problem of it pulling the Knee of the Head out of position as work commenced in this area. I hadn't used the aft support for a long time - before the rudder was installed actually - so I had to move it backward a bit.
 
This starts off with making the Lower and Upper Cheeks, which laterally brace the Knee of the Head. It's quite tricky to get the inner faces to mate up with the Knee and the curvature of the hull. A card template was used to get the inner faces somewhere near right, but my first attempt still resulted in a failure. The second go was spot on .
 
The main problem is that there is a substantial bevel on the inner face where it curves around the hull to allow the forward part of the cheek to run at the correct angle on the knee. It took me a couple of hours to sort it out, but at least I now know where I'm going with the other three.
 
The forward part of the cheek also has a slight upward curvature, so I made the piece from thicker stock and sanded that into it. You may be able to see this in the next pic against an unshaped blank :
 

 
Two moldings were scraped into the outer face :
 

 
  Danny

Another nice photo I'd forgotten to post.
 

Here is a update of the Mississippi.   The paddle wheel is attached.

Handrails fitted.





And started installing pillars and railings, that's not a fun job     another 60 to go   

Not done very much of the week.
 
the plateaus made ​​to the wheelhouse and the stairs and railings attached.
The railing is only 2x2 mm and I have had a lot of work with it.
 

 

 

 

 

 

All rails are fitted. Still make a lot of little things and then the project slowly coming to an end.
 

 

 

Here once again a few pictures lately is not much to do but the weekend yet again what did the last deck.
 
now some small details on the last deck mounted and started the railings.
 
 

 

 

 

Hi Mike,
 
Try soaking the part in vinegar for 10 minutes before the acetone bath. Sometimes there could be contaminants that acetone won't dissolve.
 
Also, you're leaving the parts in the Blackener far too long. All this does is create a black crust which flakes off. Try leaving them in for as little time as you need to get an even coat - I only leave my parts in for between 30 seconds and 1 minute. I polish off any excess blackener with a paper towel or q-tip.
 
  Danny

Installed oar locks. Their crisp edges a bit in contrast with a smooth hull. I tried to smooth them, but on that scale I can't make it accurately. So let's call it a feature

 
While making a photos saw how innacurate is the twart moulding... I should have make it from boxwood, but. I had no boxwood back then... And it is deeply in a boat structure, can't find a way to replace twarts without traces.
Well, I will blame that drunk rowers, who was trying to hide contraband in that mouldings!

Galley stove continued.... and ending
 
 

spit roast supports and crank handle
 

here for Crackers and B.E.
Making of drinking water for the Crew from distilled seawater
 

condensate collector Barrel with drain tap
 
 

 

also hinges to the stove doors and to the chimney flap
The place between stove side and Barrel is for the cheeks of the riding bitt supports
 

all at ist place on board for fit check
 
 
 
 
 
Nils

Nils, thank you.  I'm really enjoying this and I need to thank my wife in part for finally starting.  We have recently become empty nesters as my youngest daughter is now a freshmen in college.  My wife told me to stop bothering her and get a hobby, so here I am.

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 61 – Lower deck framing
 
The first picture shows the first four beams of the lower deck installed.
 

 
The beams, lodging knees, pillars and pillar knees are Castelo – representing hard pine.  The hanging knees are pear – representing oak.  Beams 2 and 3 have their bolts installed – down into the hanging knees, pillar knees and deck clamps. The off-center staggering of the pillars can be seen in this picture.  Wax finish has been applied to surfaces under the first three beams.  Two forward ledges are installed.  Beams 3 and 4 have been scored for carlings. 
 
The next pictures show the cutting of the scores.
 

 
First, centerlines were marked on each beam and the carling locations marked out from those lines.  The depths of the scores were then marked with a compass.  In the above picture a cross-grain plunge-cut is being made in the beam.  In the next picture the score is being pared out after the three plunge-cuts.
 

 
The depth is set by eye.  In the next picture a piece of carling stock is being used to check the fit.
 

 
After the beams are set and glued into position, the hanging and lodging knees are fit.  Dummy bolts in these knees are then installed using black monofilament as shown below.
 

 
A razor blade is being used to slice off the monofilament after gluing with CA.  The knees are then sanded smooth before installing. 
 
The next picture shows a pillar and its top knees being prefabricated.
 

 
These knees also receive bolts as above.  The knees at the bottom are installed on the keelson after the pillar is set.  The next picture shows beams 2,3 and 4 installed and the next one (beam S) positioned.
 

 
Note that the lodging knees are set slightly below the top face of the beams.  This allowed air circulation under the decking and the massive waterways that will cover the beam ends.  The tops of the ledges are also slightly higher than the tops of the knees – to match the beams so the decking will lie fair.  Two carlings have been installed.  Ledges will be installed between all these beams.  The staggering of the pillars is more evident in this picture.  Note that no hanging knees are installed at the frames - marked X on the port side.  Those will be removed for the view port on that side - later.
 
In the next picture pieces of bilge ceiling have been glued to the frames that will not be removed for the view port.
 

 
After bolting, these will be trimmed off flush with the fore and aft faces of the frames.  These are needed to allow hanging knees to be installed under these beams.  The three frames between these beams will be removed later between the top of the lower futtock heads and the middle deck clamp..
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 60 – Knees
 
Historical note:  It is doubtful that knees were made for Young America at the Webb shipyard.  There was enough building activity at the New York yards to generate profitable local business opportunities in the making of various components and selling them prefabricated to the shipbuilders.  Knees were one such commodity, offered for sale in oak, hard pine, hackmatack, etc. - from $2 to $10 each, or $1.50 per inch of thickness for large sizes – according to one supplier’s price sheet.  This dealer also sold floor timbers, futtocks, rough timber and plank.  The pre-made knees, in a variety of angular shapes, were probably then trimmed to final size and shape at the yard. 
 
Most of the work in this post is analogous to the work of the ship timber supplier – making a large quantity of knees that will later be fit to specific locations in the lower deck framing.
 
Patterns for representative shapes for hanging, lodging and stanchion knees were lofted from the drawings. The shapes of the central hanging knees were also lofted, but shapes toward the ends merely estimated.  The shapes were then arranged on roughly 2” x 4” pattern sheets.  These were then pasted to a 1” thick slab of wood – pear for the oak hanging knees and Castello for the hard pine lodging and stanchion knees. The hanging knee pattern is shown below.
 

 
Extra stock was left on the back of the vertical hanging knee arms to allow for fitting and beveling to the hull shape. The shapes were then cut out on the scroll saw as shown below. 
 

 
The above picture shows lodging knees being cut out. 
 
The next picture shows a hanging knee shape being checked for general fit on the bilge ceiling near midship.
 

 
Next the straight edges of the knees were cleaned up on the disk sander and then ripped off to thickness on the circular saw – shown below.
 

 
This takes two passes on the Preac saw due to its limited cutting height.  Below is a picture of some 12” thick lodging knees and some of the smaller 6” thick knees for the hold stanchions (pillars).
 

 
 Hopefully, these generic shapes will be sufficient to make the final knees.  Some, especially the hanging beams near the ends, will need considerable adjustment to fit.  The following picture illustrates the amount of modification needed on the hanging knees for the beam frame Y.
 

 
The generic starting point shape is at the top with the final hanging knees below it.  Lodging knees are a better fit to start. 
 
The last picture shows the installation of beam Y near the bow.  These first two beams have no carlings, so I could proceed with them to test the installation process.  This shows all of the knee types. 
 

 
The lodging knees are butted together – one of a number of configurations used.  There will be a ledge set into these where they butt (frame line Z) to span the breadth.  Note that the stanchion is set off the centerline.  The stanchion above will be set to the other side.  This allowed the stanchions to be through bolted vertically to resist tension as well as compressive forces between the deck beams.  The hold stanchions were secured for tension with the knees top and bottom.
 
This first beam was somewhat difficult to fit.  Finger space is limited and the angles on the hanging knee surfaces are acute and required many test fittings.  I am still working on the sequence, but so far it is 1) install the beam and bolt into clamps, 2) install dummy bolts in the knees, 3) install hanging knees, 4) install lodgers, 5) fit and install the post with the upper knees glued to it, 6) install lower post knees, 7) bolt stanchion through beam, 8) install dummy bolts in outside of frames, 9) bolt knees to the beam - a lot of steps.  Install means glue.
 
I see a lot of work ahead before the lower deck framing.
 
Ed