allanyed

Young America 1853 – POB 1:96
Part 5 – Mast Steps
 
As bulkheads and spacers are added, it is necessary to make provision for supporting the lower ends of the masts.  On the framed model these steps are fully detailed and visible through the view ports, but on this version they need only be simple, functional and strong.  The first picture shows the step of the main mast just aft of bulkhead 12 – looking forward.
 

 
The brass pin will fit a hole in the bottom of the mast.  The bulkhead has been cut out to provide clearance for the mast.  A reinforcing spacer can just be seen through the opening.  For strength, the plywood bulkheads on either side of each mast are  sandwiched between such reinforcements.  The next picture shows the reinforcing spacer glued to the plywood bulkhead aft of the foremast.
 

 
The step of the mizzen mast is shown below before being installed.
 

 
The holes for the brass pins need to be precisely located, hence the dividers.  The drawings show these locations at the height of the spacer blocks.  The pins are slightly raked – roughly matching the mast rake.
 
The next picture shows the bulkhead forward of the one above, with the reinforcing spacer in place.
 

 
The next picture shows the hull framing well advanced.  The squares clamped to the shipway are important.  They keep the hull plumbed to prevent twisting as new bulkheads are added.
 

 
The last picture shows the hull framed back to bulkhead 42.  At the ends, the central spine needs to be built up with additional tiers to form the deadwood as the hull narrows.
 

 
Also, in this picture, additional spacers have been inserted inside the outer ones to maintain a solid hull surface where the lines converge sharply at the stern.
 
The complex rounded stern will be constructed in the next part.
 
Ed

Easy solution, Chris - have a go at scratch building.
 
John

I suspect the model kit industry is like many others. No one single factory makes everything, but rather assemble parts made by others.  Autos down to model kits.   You can find Michelin tires on many brands of cars because the auto companies cannot afford to make tires themselves.   It MAY be the same with kits.  Someone has the dies and casting tools and know-how to make a lot of pieces so the kit assemblers go to them for parts.   This may be totally off base reasoning, and is just one deduction from one person.......   To avoid poorly made parts, it would be better to make them yourself or go to a quality supplier of parts, such as Syren.
 
Allan

I suspect the model kit industry is like many others. No one single factory makes everything, but rather assemble parts made by others.  Autos down to model kits.   You can find Michelin tires on many brands of cars because the auto companies cannot afford to make tires themselves.   It MAY be the same with kits.  Someone has the dies and casting tools and know-how to make a lot of pieces so the kit assemblers go to them for parts.   This may be totally off base reasoning, and is just one deduction from one person.......   To avoid poorly made parts, it would be better to make them yourself or go to a quality supplier of parts, such as Syren.
 
Allan

I suspect the model kit industry is like many others. No one single factory makes everything, but rather assemble parts made by others.  Autos down to model kits.   You can find Michelin tires on many brands of cars because the auto companies cannot afford to make tires themselves.   It MAY be the same with kits.  Someone has the dies and casting tools and know-how to make a lot of pieces so the kit assemblers go to them for parts.   This may be totally off base reasoning, and is just one deduction from one person.......   To avoid poorly made parts, it would be better to make them yourself or go to a quality supplier of parts, such as Syren.
 
Allan

May want to use them in a drill press to reduce/eliminate the sideways stresses. It'll slow your progress down a little, but saves funds in the long run.

Michael, I use diluted PVA  whilst I'm doing the actual belaying as it holds the line in place without unravelling. It dries invisibly.
 
If any future adjustments are needed the glue can be softened with Isopropyl Alcohol and the belaying undone.
 
 Danny

Just use old paint to coat the ends- ASAP -  several coats  - if nothing else  use TiteBond  or whatever PVA glue you use,  but left over paint is usually something that goes to waste otherwise.  
 
I don't know about you, but I find 16-18 inches is a good length for my stock, longer is difficult to handle  -  I will  use 6 inch if that is what is available.  That is 24 feet long at 1:48. 
 
If it is what it takes to get it band saw size,  I would bisect the logs using a chain saw - down the pith - a bow saw and hand rip saw if that is all you have.  The kerf is horrible, but still better than nothing.  
 
For the band saw, you will not have one flat surface, either for the table or the fence.
Use a board to ride on the table and against the fence - 1/2 inch thick or so  2-4 inches longer than the log.
I used right angle framing braces/brackets  and drywall screws  to fix the log to the carrier board - keeps the log from rolling and lets you define the cut line.   Once you get two planes at right angle on the log - you don't need the carrier.
 
Use the band saw to shave off the bark from the billets.
You can use a draw knife to shave off the bark, it is just a chore to fix the log to keep it from moving.
 
RE: your friend with the band saw.  Find out how long  his blades are and buy about 3 economy rip tooth blades for it from a local shop.  Green wood is tough on blades and if Peach is like other fruit wood, much harder than what most wood workers are used to.  It will dull the blade faster than usual wood stock.  I would expect at least one blade to break.

Vince
I agree, the timber used was probably local to the yard where she was built.  Oak is likely, but pine was not unknown for some smaller vessels.  Regardless, I think most model builders agree that neither of these will do for models as the grain is too noticeable.   Mahogany is worse although it does have a beautiful color.  Costello, fruitwoods such as pear, holly, bass and poplar are probably the most mentioned woods.    Check out the forum on woods and you will get a good education based on experience of many members.  We all have our own personal preferences and there is no single "right" answer.  Traditionally, British contemporary models were mostly built with English or European boxwood, but it is extremely difficult to find and very expensive. 
 
For the tree nails, there are choices here as well, but working a dowel down to a 1 inch to 2 inch diameter (scale)  in even 1/4" scale is a huge waste of wood and probably difficult if at all possible to do.  Bamboo split into slim strips  and a good quality draw plate such as from Jim Byrnes to round them to the right diameter will serve you well.  There are many discussions on this site about treenails (trennals) that will guide you as well.
 
Please do start a build log and as you show your work and questions arise you will surely get help from many members.
 
Allan 

With all due respect, the planking expansion shows the pattern of planks, but they are distorted in the projected view. For instance, in the topside of the illustration of Squirrel, the midships planks actually curve in the opposite direction ('smiley'). Otherwise, virtually all the hull planks are cut on a curve, as you say.

Vince
I agree, the timber used was probably local to the yard where she was built.  Oak is likely, but pine was not unknown for some smaller vessels.  Regardless, I think most model builders agree that neither of these will do for models as the grain is too noticeable.   Mahogany is worse although it does have a beautiful color.  Costello, fruitwoods such as pear, holly, bass and poplar are probably the most mentioned woods.    Check out the forum on woods and you will get a good education based on experience of many members.  We all have our own personal preferences and there is no single "right" answer.  Traditionally, British contemporary models were mostly built with English or European boxwood, but it is extremely difficult to find and very expensive. 
 
For the tree nails, there are choices here as well, but working a dowel down to a 1 inch to 2 inch diameter (scale)  in even 1/4" scale is a huge waste of wood and probably difficult if at all possible to do.  Bamboo split into slim strips  and a good quality draw plate such as from Jim Byrnes to round them to the right diameter will serve you well.  There are many discussions on this site about treenails (trennals) that will guide you as well.
 
Please do start a build log and as you show your work and questions arise you will surely get help from many members.
 
Allan 

Richard
The planks did bend to the extreme, but they were not just straight pieces of wood forced in place.  Spiling each plank was necessary to give the right shape that could then bend properly.  A planking expansion showing the shape of each plank before they are bent will give you a better idea of what I am writing.  If the attached is not clear, this picture and several other expansion drawings can be found on the National Maritime Museum collections site.  When the site comes up, in the search box type planking expansion.
 
Allan

Vince
I agree, the timber used was probably local to the yard where she was built.  Oak is likely, but pine was not unknown for some smaller vessels.  Regardless, I think most model builders agree that neither of these will do for models as the grain is too noticeable.   Mahogany is worse although it does have a beautiful color.  Costello, fruitwoods such as pear, holly, bass and poplar are probably the most mentioned woods.    Check out the forum on woods and you will get a good education based on experience of many members.  We all have our own personal preferences and there is no single "right" answer.  Traditionally, British contemporary models were mostly built with English or European boxwood, but it is extremely difficult to find and very expensive. 
 
For the tree nails, there are choices here as well, but working a dowel down to a 1 inch to 2 inch diameter (scale)  in even 1/4" scale is a huge waste of wood and probably difficult if at all possible to do.  Bamboo split into slim strips  and a good quality draw plate such as from Jim Byrnes to round them to the right diameter will serve you well.  There are many discussions on this site about treenails (trennals) that will guide you as well.
 
Please do start a build log and as you show your work and questions arise you will surely get help from many members.
 
Allan 

The other tip to prevent shrouds from bowing out or in is to tie every fifth ratline first, then add the intermediate ones.

Cathead
Thanks for the Don Troiani reference.  I Googled his work and thoroughly enjoyed browsing his American Civil War works. 
 
Allan

Cathead
Thanks for the Don Troiani reference.  I Googled his work and thoroughly enjoyed browsing his American Civil War works. 
 
Allan

Britannia, July 4, 1840-  She took the age of sail and 6 week crossings down to a fortnight with her steam/paddlewheel propulsion system.  Samuel Cunard and his daughter were on board along with 117 other passengers, 89 in the crew and 3 cats to keep the rats in check.
 
Allan

According to Chapelle, on page 555 of his book, “The American Fishing Schooner 1825 – 1935” he says, “Mast hoops [were] spaced 24” to 36” apart, depending on the size of the vessel, sailmakers choice”.  He then gives examples such as Effie M. Morrissey fore mast 16, main 17 and Blue Nose fore mast 16, main 19.  Hope this helps.
 
Bob

Britannia, July 4, 1840-  She took the age of sail and 6 week crossings down to a fortnight with her steam/paddlewheel propulsion system.  Samuel Cunard and his daughter were on board along with 117 other passengers, 89 in the crew and 3 cats to keep the rats in check.
 
Allan

Cathead
Thanks for the Don Troiani reference.  I Googled his work and thoroughly enjoyed browsing his American Civil War works. 
 
Allan

Britannia, July 4, 1840-  She took the age of sail and 6 week crossings down to a fortnight with her steam/paddlewheel propulsion system.  Samuel Cunard and his daughter were on board along with 117 other passengers, 89 in the crew and 3 cats to keep the rats in check.
 
Allan

We are nearly at the 100 year anniversary of the sinking of the Lusitania.  I would like to recommend Dead Wake by Erik Larson which goes into the background of many of the passengers and crew of the Lusitania under the command of Captain William Thomas Turner as well as the German submarine U-20 under the command of Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger.  She was torpedoed a little after 2 in the afternoon of May 7, 2015 and sank in 18 minutes.
 
This is a non-fiction work but nearly reads like a novel.  Mr. Larson has done his homework and written a book that is not to be missed.   I could go on for a long time on this book but suffice it to say that it is "must read" for anyone with any interest in maritime history, the history of WWI, or history in general for that matter. 
 
Allan

Upper deck planking
 
Many thanks all friends for warm words.

John
Make friends with your barber/hair stylist or have your lady make nice with hers and try to get an old  pair of their scissors.  They may or may not need to be  sharpened, but will then last you a lifetime of rigging.   I got a free 5" Joewell K2 shear this way.
 
Allan

Quite remarkable Gabriel.  The more I think about trying to work on such a small scale, the more I procrastinate, and will probably not have the eyes needed by the time, if ever,  I decide to go ahead.  Thanks for the photos and sharing your work.
Allan