AnobiumPunctatum

One of the last things to do before bottling the boat - the oars. Pretty self-explanatory :
 

 

 

 

 
  Danny

Hello,
 
the captain proudly presents: the brand new wheels
 

 

 

 
Here an impression from turning the spokes. This time all went well, no trash. 
But this day was't my day. I had more repairs than things I actually build new. 

 
Regards,
Siggi

Hello,
 
yesterday I worked hard to finish the first 10 spokes. (Not mentioned those who did't make it) But the result is I think good. I'm not satisfied with all spokes, but it is the best result I could archive. Tomorrow I will see to finish the rest.
 

 

 

 
Regards,
Siggi

Thank you Dan and Don.
 
I've done quite a lot on the boat lately, but haven't updated the Log so there will be a fair bit coming up .
 
I've painted the hull in similar fashion to Chuck's. The Friezes were hand-painted with a toothpick :
 

 

 

 
The Parrels were a bit of fun to thread onto the boom yoke :
 

 
Now came the time to fix the mast to the swivelling thwart and try it out to see if my plan was going to work - a close shave, but all was good :
 

 

 

 

 

 
  Danny

Lower hull planking on the starboard side is now finished. This involved drilling and filling over 1300 holes for the simulated treenails, final sanding with multiple grades of sandpaper and a coat of Wipe-on Poly to seal and protect the work. Although my hand seems to be permanently cramped into the position of gripping the pin vise drill  , I am generally pleased with the result.
 
Now, it's on to the port side to do it all over again by adding and finishing the lower planking there.
 
Bob

Hi again
Cant believe how 2 years can fly by
I have been busy on various model projects  - but mostly the last year has been taken up by my little boy arriving on the scene. He is now 13 months and a lovely cheerful (most of the time) fellow.
 
I have no intentions of getting to the Triton for the next 2 years or so - but by no means do i want to abandon it. I do feel it was a pity that i couldnt keep the progress going but thats life, marriage and children ...
I have to get my Stern Trawler done first and that will take a bit of time.
 
My intentions with the Triton - display it in my model building room - or even in the lounge - in a strong and safe cabinet - which would be pretty huge. Yes i want to do all the rigging and not skimp an any aspects - except for 1 - which was why i was doing POB below deckline and POF above. I wanted to save on a large amount of time by simply being able to get the lower half of the Hull done without having to do frames - and i was not going to do cutaway - so you would never see. The attachment of Frames above deckline to the bulkheads below deckline was going to be an interesting part of the build - but not too difficult. It would just involve adding a few bits of strengthening crossmembers at various points as needed - one the hull was planked, by which time it would be incredibly strong already.
 
I need to look through the builds and see who has completed a Triton in the last 6 years or so

Hello there,
thanks for the nice comments. That makes me happy.
Original the tholes were made of wrought iron. For the model
I made this in brass.
The last picture shows the sloop in its future position.

 

I finished the final bonding of the beams

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hello,
 
just to show you, that I'm not lazy here, the first pictures from the wheels. I worked after the method EdT used with his HMS Naiad, but modified some parts. Thank you EdT for this tutorial.
 
At first I cut the triangles and glued then together.  
 

 

 
The next step was the axel. The pentagon is loose on the axle, hold only with a peg.
 

 
Here is all turned round and the parted.
 

 
I cut the channels for the spokes, so that the drill bit would have a direction.
 

 
Here all is glued together and I drill the holes for the spokes. I drilled the holes, because I did't have such a nice machine like EdT
 

 
Here I turn the interior free. That is now the second drum I turned. The first one did't make this step
 

 
Here the temporary spokes are installed
 

 
and I could turn out the rest. This time all went very well.
 

 
The spokes here have a diameter of 1,8 mm. The next days I will turn the spokes and they shod go done to 1mm diameter. I hope I will not get crazy about this work. 
 

 
Regards,
Siggi

Well, she doesn't look much different at first, but some detailed work has been done.
 

 
After a fair amount of consulting and cogitation, I settled on a design for the engines. As we have no idea what Bertrand's machinery actually looked like, I went for a representative approach; something that would capture the spirit of typical steamboat engines for the period. Something like this:
 

 
 
Experts will recognize some missing details; some will be added as I progress, some I didn't think I could replicate well enough to include. For example, I haven't yet added any of the overhead piping that brings steam to the cylinders from the boilers (forward), or the chimneys for cylinder exhaust, both of which will be easier to do later as I progress on the superstructure. But the overall effect is good enough for me.
 
Also completed are the tiller arms, and one side of the bulkheads that separate them from the engineer's main work area. The starboard side won't be built to keep the view lines open from that direction. Note the scratchbuilt workbench forward of the bulkhead. That was a fun little side project.
 

 
Photos from the museum model were useful in getting drivers reasonably right. I also built the aft bulkhead, painted red as on most steamboats of this era. The wheel really turns, though the drivers don't (I wasn't up for making working pistons). Later I'll be adding the various bracing that supports the weight of the wheel, but not yet.
 
Next up, framing up the rest of the main deck superstructure and walling it in. Then the various angled hog chain braces and their iron rods, then finishing the decking, then building the boiler and remaining machinery and running the necessary steam lines. 
 
No idea when the next update will be. Baseball playoffs will be a major time sink for the next month until the Royals' season is over.
 
EDIT: upon re-reading, I fixed an embarrassing error. I referred to the main and boiler decks as the same thing, which they're not. The boiler deck is one level above the main, despite the boilers themselves being on the main. I knew this, but it's easy to confuse if you're not paying attention. I've never seen a convincing explanation of why the boiler deck is called that, but it has always been so on steamboats to the extent of my knowledge.

I think Chuck has it absolutely right: you cannot rush and be sloppy if you want a great result.

Small status update - frame installation is slowly progressing. Also marked the cutoff points and gun ports.
Decided to skip the sweep ports on this model - they really do not look good with Hahn frame spacing - sweep port is narrower than the distance between frames. 
But I will definitely do them on a next model, that have a correct framing (as in TFFM), not a simplified one.
 

 

 
P.S.: careful viewer can mention a magnetic bar in the background, holding some hand tools. Really handy thing! Very happy with it.

an absurd ruling.
the map. 13, it was not in place, and put the buzardas, without placing the liner ...
I have taken away --- I have a doubt: the inner liner, ¿Continuous the way up by the lateral uninterruptedly?
one cabrapente greeting

Más

Young America 1853 – POB 1:96
Part 22 – Topside Works 2
 
In the last part, planking between the main rail and planksheer rail was shown installed.  This planking is straightforward once the strakes around the elliptical stern are in place.  It’s just a matter of continuing these forward to the stem.  Fitting the strakes around the stern is a bit more complex, so I wanted to backtrack to show that work in some detail.  The installation closely parallels the same work on the framed version, but is somewhat simpler because thumbtacks may be used into the solid filler block, whereas on the framed model the curved strakes had to be clamped to the stern timbers.  
 
In the first picture the main rail has been boiled and is clamped around the stern to dry just below the top planking strakes installed in the last post.
 

 
The shape of this molding was scraped before boiling.  When dry, the piece will be used to space the planking strake below.  It will not be permanently fixed until much later after it and the hull have been painted.
 
In the next picture the stern is being given some light final trimming with a rasp before beginning the planking.
 

 
In the next picture the first plank below the main rail has been boiled, bent to shape, pinned in place and allowed to dry.  The main rail shown in this picture is only temporarily fitted as a spacer.
 

 
Because these planks are curved in two planes, it is difficult to get a perfect fit to the plank above without some trimming before final gluing.  This was done as each strake was installed – to get a neat fit with the one above.
 
The next picture shows the third strake below the rail tacked and pinned in place for drying.  The gaps in the joints with the adjacent strake above can be seen.
 

 
In the next picture the second strake is being trimmed with a paring chisel to accept the next plank.
 

 
Both sides of the joint got some slight trimming.  In the next picture the curved third strake is being checked for fit with the one above.
 

 
This strake is being glued in place in the last picture.
 

 
To allow for the trimming and fitting of this planking – and also the final levelling –
 planking strips were slightly oversized to start. 
 
I find this method of fitting these curved and twisted planks less work than spiling.  The two dimensional curving of the planking strips requires significant boiling time (say an hour) and use of an easily bendable wood species – in this case straight-grained hard maple.  I doubt that this degree of shaping could be achieved with kiln-dried Castelo that would be a likely choice for an unpainted model.  This one will be painted.
 
Ed

After doing the stern, it was almost a relief to get back to planking the lower hull. I've now done the lower segment on the starboard side through the rough sanding. I started with the garboard strake and then worked from top and bottom until the area was filled in. The final strake required some shaping and fitting, but generally the work went fairly smoothly.
 
Before moving on to the port side, I will drill and fill for the treenails on this side ( there are well over a thousand holes to be done on each side and I want to break up that task).
 
Bob

Thanks Christian and Grant.
 
I made the Thole Pins for the oars from bamboo drawn down to 0.35mm :
 

 
The Wales have also been fitted :
 

 
  Danny

Many thanks for your appreciation Mick,
 
it wo`nt take long any more with the "skin" ......
 
 
 
Here is a little update, the front of the lower deck housing, and the top small bulwark at the bow
 
Nils
 
 
 

 
this complete rounded section fits in and closes the front of the lower deck housing
The handrails are from 0,5mm brass wire
 
 

 
the little red chocks (removed later on) are only for precise positioning and aligning the sides of the promenade deck
 
 

 
for smooth transitions I preferably use 2K polyester filler
 
 

 
this deck housing is held down and in place by 4 screws
Unfortunately the surface of the stands upper plate carried away a bad stain failure, I`ll have to grind the whole surface over, or glue / iron a sheet of veneer on it, but that will wait untill all other is done
 
 

 
the last aft part of the poop is covered by ply, with a coaming rail to surround the deck planking later on. The step at the edge is to take up the L-profile where the railing will be soldered against. I intend to do the entire promenade deck edge to the sides in this way

Young America 1853 – POB 1:96
Part 21 – Topside Works 1
 
Because of the fragility of the plywood toptimbers, a slightly difference sequence was followed in constructing the topside bulwarks on POB model vs. that used on the full framed version.  To reinforce these toptimbers and allow them to be faired and sanded smooth on the inside, the top strakes of planking just above the main rail were installed first – beginning at the elliptical stern.  These two upper strakes were installed using one planking strip.  In the first picture a strip has been boiled for bending and is clamped around the stern at the top for drying.
 

 
In the next picture, a final check of the height of the stern at the centerline is being checked against the drawing using the height gauge.  Last chance to make sure the height is correct.
 

 
The decking of the poop was flush with the top of the side planking, allowing the fancy rail to cap the side and deck planking.  In the next picture a gauge strip of deck plank thickness (3 ½”) is being used to check the side planking height as it is glued and pinned in place.
 

 
The top plank was then continued forward to the stem as shown in the next picture.
 

 
The height gauge was used throughout the installation of this upper strake to ensure an accurate line.  The next picture shows some more of the installation of the upper strakes.
 

 
Once the work has proceeded forward of the poop deck and the plywood bulkheads, clamps were used in lieu of the pins as the planks were glued.  In the next picture the upper side strakes are complete and the tops of the timbers are being levelled off at the correct height using a fine rasp.  This could not be done safely without the upper strake in place.
 

 
Before sanding the insides of the toptimbers, outboard planking between the main rail and planksheer rail was installed.  I will cover fitting of this planking around the stern in a later post.  A temporary spacer was used to set the gap that will eventually be filled with the painted main rail.  In the next picture the planking down to the planksheer has been installed and the insides of the toptimbers are being faired with a Softsander® pad fitted with 120-grit paper.
 

 
In the last picture the insides of the toptimbers are being sanded smooth with 220-grit paper.
 

 
At this stage the upper works were quite strong, the toptimbers sanded smooth and ready for the next step – installation of the inboard parts of the main rail.
 
Ed

I can't say enough about the planking. Simply beautiful!

And finally....the deck is planked.  This is a big milestone for me because it is the last really big  messy job to be done.  The remainder of the project will be small fittings and less sanding.  There will be less dust and less paint touch up.
 
The planking was pretty straight forward after having lined off the deck.  I just following the plan I drew on the false deck.  Each plank was tapered to match.  The scarphed planks were handles much the same way the drop plank was on the outside of the hull.  If I thought it was needed, I made a card stock template.  The scarphed planks were cut from wider stock (7/32" or even 1/4" wide planks). 
 
Next I will create the rudder port because it will be the last time I can turn the hull upside down without too much trouble.  Once that is done I will return outboard and finish off all of the details.  The boom crutches, boarding ladders, scuppers and channels etc.
 

 

 

Really, nice small boat, Dan. The idea with the second helling I've stored in my book

Really, nice small boat, Dan. The idea with the second helling I've stored in my book

Really, nice small boat, Dan. The idea with the second helling I've stored in my book

Really, nice small boat, Dan. The idea with the second helling I've stored in my book