AnobiumPunctatum

Work on the sternpost has begun, complicated lining up with aft deadwood but moving along slowly is fine by me.
 
Ben

Hello, I have finished assembling of cant frames.
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Erecting cant frames
 

 

 

Interesting discussion, unfortunately my NMM plans don't show the position of the lanterns.
 
Meanwhile I've made some storage space for the galley, I wasn't pleased with MKI
 

 
so I build MKII with thinner hinges and a working drawer. Behind it I'll make an open cupboard.
 

 

 
Remco
 

My holidays are over so the progress is much slower than before.
 
I did the keelson before building the frames. So it is in my opinion much easier to adjust it with the fore and after deadwood.

 
Before glueing the keelson on the backbone It take a long time. All frames have to be installed first.
 
Today I worked on my first frame. It took quite long to find my way to build the frame. The result is not perfect, but I think doing the next frames will be much easier and faster. If it's interesting for someone I will do a step by step description from building one of the next frames.

My holidays are over so the progress is much slower than before.
 
I did the keelson before building the frames. So it is in my opinion much easier to adjust it with the fore and after deadwood.

 
Before glueing the keelson on the backbone It take a long time. All frames have to be installed first.
 
Today I worked on my first frame. It took quite long to find my way to build the frame. The result is not perfect, but I think doing the next frames will be much easier and faster. If it's interesting for someone I will do a step by step description from building one of the next frames.

After the drawing works it was time to make sawdust.
 
First part is the keel, which is a little bit tricky. The keel has a light curvature and the joints are perpendicular to the base line.
I cut some small stripes with my cirular saw, make the joints and glue the parts together. Next I added the parts for the stem.
The picture shows the step on the building board. I use Tamiya Tape to avoid that the keel glues on the paper during the build.

 
The next pictures show the complete assembled backbone for the small vessel,

 
the stem with with the changed layout of the parts,

 
the keel and the rising wood,

 
and the stern post with the after deadwood.

 
The next steps are cutting the rabbet, the keelson and the building board. Then I can start with the frames.
 

I was really suprised that I did not find a build log about the Naval Cutter Alert on MSW 2.0. I know that there exist some pictures of a model on the old MSW
 
The first source for building a model of this small vessel are Peter Goodwins book "The Naval Cutter Alert, 1777", published by PhoenixPublications Inc. 1991 and the two original drawing of her sister Rattlesnake (1776) which you will find on the homepage of the NMM.
There also exist two paintings of Joseph Marshall of the ship, which are exhibited in the Science Museum, London.
I found also an Sheer and Profile drawing of Alert which was published by the NRG.
 
The sheer and profile of the NRG and Goodwin differ from the original drawing. They show the maximum width of the ship not at frame 0. Perhaps my Engish is to bad, but I could not find any reason for this. So I decide to draw my own lines. which were based on Goodwin and the original drawing.

 
The drawing is not finished, because I decided only to draw what I need for my build.
 
Next step was the keel. Goodwin shows for the pass between keel and lower apron a solution which I could not find on any original cutter drawings.

 
For the after deadwood he does not offer any possible solution

 
I decide to follow the original drawing of Cheerful 1806 for the pass between keel and lower apron. The flat joint at the foremost keel part is shown on original drawings of this period (for example on HMS Triton). For the after deadwood I decided to use a bearing line. I am not sure if this is common for ships of this period.
The next picture shows my completed keel drawing:

 
Goodwin uses for his design the common frameing pattern of double and single frames. I am not sure that this design was used for the original ship. For the Swan class sloops only single frames were used. This you will also find on the drawing of Cheerful and other cutters. Also the wide of the frame parts are not clear. In his drawing he uses much smaller futtocks than he descibed in the text part of the book. In his "Construction and Fitting of Sailing Man of War" he gives a third solution.
What now? Alert is a practice model for me to get the experience to continue my HMS Fly build. Marshall shows on his paintings an simplified frameing design, so I decided to use this. Every frame is 8'' width followed by 8'' space. For the port side I like to show the clinker planking.
On my drawing the final design for the last frame and the hawse pieces is missing in the moment.

 
The drawings for every 31frames and 21cant frames are finished.

 
I am not sure in the moment if I will use the original practice with chocks or the simplified method of Harold Hahn for my build.
 
It will be very nice if you have further information about the cutters of this time. I found the Marmaduke Stalkartt on Google-books, but they didn't scan the plates. Perhaps one of the MSW user can help me to confirm my decisions.

My holidays are over so the progress is much slower than before.
 
I did the keelson before building the frames. So it is in my opinion much easier to adjust it with the fore and after deadwood.

 
Before glueing the keelson on the backbone It take a long time. All frames have to be installed first.
 
Today I worked on my first frame. It took quite long to find my way to build the frame. The result is not perfect, but I think doing the next frames will be much easier and faster. If it's interesting for someone I will do a step by step description from building one of the next frames.

After the drawing works it was time to make sawdust.
 
First part is the keel, which is a little bit tricky. The keel has a light curvature and the joints are perpendicular to the base line.
I cut some small stripes with my cirular saw, make the joints and glue the parts together. Next I added the parts for the stem.
The picture shows the step on the building board. I use Tamiya Tape to avoid that the keel glues on the paper during the build.

 
The next pictures show the complete assembled backbone for the small vessel,

 
the stem with with the changed layout of the parts,

 
the keel and the rising wood,

 
and the stern post with the after deadwood.

 
The next steps are cutting the rabbet, the keelson and the building board. Then I can start with the frames.
 

It would be very difficult to cut in the upper edge of the rabbet once all the frames are in, as they will be on the way of your cutting tools. Try using a very well honed V-gouge. Take very tiny shavings off and correct any waviness with succeeding cuts as you deepen the rabbet.

Hello, I have cut and pasted more than 80 square frames, now I have put almost 400 choks, finish the whole thing and start to assemble the keel.
 
http://imgbox.com/lz5Fjg84
 
http://imgbox.com/7AFA3TZx
 
http://imgbox.com/EspHI2DH
 
http://imgbox.com/1WkgniPp

Hi friends,
cannons for assembly on the Gun-Deck prepared.
Karl
 
 
 
T e i l  4 1

Thank you very much John, Colin, Doris and Popeye .
 
Fitting the Channels perfectly horizontally was accomplished by the use of a couple of specially made "jigs" that sit on the planksheers from one side to the other. Masking tape and clamps hold the jigs firmly in position. The leg glued to the underneath of the horizontal member was measured at the inboard edge and cut square.
 

 

 

 

 
  Danny

Yeah John, I'm full of them (it??? ).
 
Here are a couple of pics of the Channels fitted to the Port side :
 

 

 
 
Sheer Rails
 
The Channels intersect the Sheer Rails, which is why the channels had to be fitted first :
 

 
An unusual way to hold the end of the sheer rail whilst the glue dried - clamps were ineffective in this situation, so I've temporarily glued a piece of scrap to the end of the channel :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 39 – Aft Cant Frames
 
Clipper Ship Note:  The longitudinal hull lines on the American clippers introduced some new terms and redefined some old ones.  Furthermore, the names of some these lines differed between builders.  Young America’s table of offsets was generally similar to most of the breed.  It included the following longitudinal lines.
 
The wale delineated the top of the band of thick planking also called the wale.  As in earlier ships, the curve of this line defined the sweeping fore and aft sheer of the ship.  In clippers, unlike RN 18C ships, the line was higher forward and lower at the stern.  In Young America’s case the band of heavy wale planking extended downward about ten feet almost to the turn of the bilge.  The wale line was high - usually two feet or so below the line above – the planksheer.
 
The planksheer defined the underside of the rail that capped and sealed off the main inboard and outboard planking.  It was essentially parallel and at the level of the top of the main weatherdeck waterway.  The planksheer rail was penetrated by toptimbers of the frames that ran up to a higher level at the tops of the sides.
 
The main rail line defined the underside of the main rail.  It was about three feet above the planksheer and about 18 inches below the rail that capped the tops of the toptimbers.
 
This last line was called, in the case of Young America, the fancy rail.  In other ships it was known as the monkey rail.  It defined the top of the side from stem to stern.  Young America’s fancy rail is at the level of the poop deck aft and slightly higher than the topgallant forecastle deck at the bow. 
 
Another open rail was constructed above the fancy rail along the poop deck to help keep the crew out of the drink.  On Young America this was a wood rail on turned brass stanchions.
 
All of these rail lines were, for the most part, parallel curves.  Below is a body plan with the lines marked.
 

 
So, back to the model.
 
The first picture shows cant frames 48 forward to 45 installed.   The square is positioned for checking the cant of frame 45 on the port side – from the base drawing.
 

 
The next picture shows a different view of the assembly at the same stage. 
 

 
The “feet” of the cant frames were left a bit on the heavy side and will be sanded back fair to the bearding line later – probably before bolting.  Otherwise the frames are pretty well beveled to their final shapes.  Two more pairs to go.
 
In the next picture the template has been placed over the tops of the frames at this stage to check position.
 

 
The next picture is a view from under the stern at the same stage.
 

 
The space between the two central stern timbers will later be fitted with a chock shaped to the helm port.  In the next picture, frame 44 on the port side is being held in place during fitting.
 

 
In the next picture this frame has been installed and frame 43 on the starboard side is being glued in place.
 

 
The last picture shows all of the aft cant frames installed before the clamps on the last were removed.
 

 
The 12 aft half-frames - 42 to 31 - will now be made and installed to complete the frame installation.
 
 Ed

Mark,
 
I wish yo a lot of fun with your beast. I'll follow your log with great interest.

I really know what you mean. i had these problem the last few years.

Thank you for your support everyone.  While it was a tough decision, it's been coming for quite awhile so that made it easier.  The further I went into this, the more I realized the errors were going to give me fits.  But, it was and is a learning experience and one that I badly needed.  So now to apply what I've learned and learn some new things.
 
As for something like a TFFM, or ANCRE... I'm not there yet.  I want to do this particular ship and do it well.  There's a personal matter in this as well as the "I can do this!" goal.  Finishing it properly will give me the confidence to step up to another level.  When I started this project, my tools and I were acquaintances and now we are friends.  Same for the wood. 
 
I'm already sorting out things for Version 2.0.  New build board, new frame board, re-thinking and reworking the plans so I can use them.  I'm sourcing wood for the frames (cherry) and am sorting out the other things... like boxwood or cherry for the stem, keel, an sternpost.   In the near future, I'll open the new log once I actually start making things.
 
As for Version 1.0, I'm planning on salvaging certain bits and pieces if I can such as grates, bitts, mast steps, etc.   No point in re-inventing the wheel on them if they meet my approval.   The rest of the hulk will be given a Viking funeral which is probably appropriate.

Very sorry to hear this.
Your log was a great inspiration and helpd me a lot in the last year to find my way. To much perfectionism is also bad, You will never be satisfied with the result of your build. This was/is my biggest problem. Your log helped me to come out of this spiral and I found the fun on building a ship model. Thanks for this.
   

Here is some of my latest work. Haven't quite sanded the inside edge much. Once I pick up my full size plans from the print shop I'll get the joints tight.

Sorry Peter...but we have been taken to the cleaners before.  This is not what the project was created for.  No reason to redraft the plans.  Then the arguments begin about who owns the redrafted plans....it just gets ugly.   Folks seeing the parts take shape and asking you privately to sell them the pieces.   Putting you and the site in an awkward position.  It happens all the time.   We already have other sites distributing the plans to its members after they signed up here for them and the funny thing is they arent continuing the logs here.  Instead they continue them on other european sites along with others who now have the plans.
 
Its just not right and this is an unusual request beyond the scope of what the project was intended for.  The project was started to allow folks to learn how to make the parts by hand using various means.   Not have them laser cut or milled  and the plans redrawn.
 
Sorry,   we mean no ill-will but as others have said.  Simply get a set of plans from the NMM and make something  electronically.  I am actually doing the same as well.  You will learn a lot more about lofting frames and such rather than just copy what is already drafted by someone else.  In addition the plans are only given to folks who have shown they have built the keel and other parts initially.  Just redrawing them doesnt count.  Chris only has two posts on the site and none since attempting to get the plans.  That is also a red flag.  No interest shown in the other logs or other areas of the site or our members.  Look at it from our perspective.   We dont know you at all.
 
 
 
Chuck

Very sorry to hear this.
Your log was a great inspiration and helpd me a lot in the last year to find my way. To much perfectionism is also bad, You will never be satisfied with the result of your build. This was/is my biggest problem. Your log helped me to come out of this spiral and I found the fun on building a ship model. Thanks for this.
   

After the drawing works it was time to make sawdust.
 
First part is the keel, which is a little bit tricky. The keel has a light curvature and the joints are perpendicular to the base line.
I cut some small stripes with my cirular saw, make the joints and glue the parts together. Next I added the parts for the stem.
The picture shows the step on the building board. I use Tamiya Tape to avoid that the keel glues on the paper during the build.

 
The next pictures show the complete assembled backbone for the small vessel,

 
the stem with with the changed layout of the parts,

 
the keel and the rising wood,

 
and the stern post with the after deadwood.

 
The next steps are cutting the rabbet, the keelson and the building board. Then I can start with the frames.
 

Really brilliant, Remco. I love your stove