rtropp

Hi All, Thanks for the likes and comments.
 
Allan, I am sure there are many ways to skin this cat.  For me, I think ideally, you should leave a little meat on the bone for final fairing, but again, I think with this kind of build, final fairing is mostly fine tuning and polishing.  This build requires reliance on the templates.  Another important thing to do is secure your build to the build board.  Being off by an 1/8th of an inch can lead to trouble.  I FINALLY secured my ship to the build board last night. About two months later than I should have - this is an important thing to do.  Learn from my mistake...

Here are those many templates that I have been speaking of.  I pasted them to file folder stock and made a special jig to hold them up when positioning frames.
 

I used stainless steel safety wire to stabalize the structure.  I had some from a previous muscle car project. 
 

Since I am planning to cradle the ship, I elected not to put holes in the keel for screws.  I used 1/2 inch pipe clamps with a piece of wood below to pin the ship down.  I will move these as I do along and will add more guide wires as well.  The ship will likely be secured to the build board for the next six to eight months.
 

Note the use of the templates to ensure that I am on the right track with fairing. In this photo, you can see that I need to remove a little more wood from the belt line so the flair of the top timber will match the template.  My skill level has defintley improved as I went along.  In the early stages, I left far too much wood on the frames, which necessitates significant fairing.  Best to get it right at the beginning, rather than going back.
 

Here, you will note that I faired the frames better. All the templates are spot on.  Now all that is needed is fine tuning and polishing. 
 
Now that the ship is secured to the build board, I plan to define the sheer line of the top timbers and will then move on to the aft square frames.  I will mill the wood this weekend.
 
Thanks for following along.  Gary
 

Mike - your comment is a good one!  And yes, the frames are thin - any thinner and I will be running into trouble...  At 1:60 scale, they are much thinner than the traditional 1:48 that many of us are used to seeing. 
 
That being said, the practicum is so well designed and strongly based on templates, drawings and measurements that you really need to fair the frames close to the lines before you install them.  I am starting to do more of that now.  If you dont, you loose the value of the reference points that you pull up from the base drawing as well as the templates.  I have been leaving about a 32nd of an inch for fairing, but find a little more might be of value.  I also left a little more meat at the turn of the bildge. 
 
One thing that I would not do again is make the chocks out of different wood.  As you know, different woods sand differently.  Also,since the chocks have to be angled to account for the beveling of the frames, so as to leave enough frame meat for the joint, there is the chance of fairing the frame into a chock.  This happened to me in two places - both of which were in the early stages when I didnt angle the chock and fully appreciate the subtle importance of this practice.  This is explained in great detail in Ed's book and worth noting for those of you planning to do this build.   
 
So in the end, I am moving slow for maximum speed.  Doing more fine tuning of the frame before installing.  In past builds, you could really just install a frame and leave much of the detail work to the fairing process.  With this build, it is best to spend the time to properly fit and finish each frame as you install them, leaving the fairing process for fine tuning and polishing.
 
Thanks for the dialogue.  G

Good Morning - 165 hours into the build and feeling good!  I have just four cant frames left in the stern (25f, 25a).  At this point, I will have reached what I consider the fifth milestone. With such a long build, I have taken the advice of fellow modeler, Bill Edgin, who suggested that I break the build up into "mental milestones" so as to keep my enthusiasm up.  Here are my mental milestons, which by no accident closely follow the layout of the books, Naiad, Vol 1 and 2 by Ed Tosti:
 
1. Careful studying the practicum, committing to the build, assessing the order of construcution, skills possessed and needed to be acquired - done
2. Erecting the building board, associated jigs and tools - done
3. Laying of the keel, stem, and stern posts - done
4. Bow, to include hawse pieces and forward cant frames - done
5. Stern, to include transoms and aft cant frames
6. Aft square frames (to midship)
7. Forward cant frames (to midship)
8. Stabalization of the frames and fairing the sweep of the hull
9. Thats enough for now...  I expect the above to take me about 4-6 months.
 
And now for the progress report:
 

Here are a couple of shots of some frames.  As you can see, there is a lot of template cutting that goes on with a build like this.  I find this work to be enjoyable.  You need to approach it in a logical fashion, or you will run into trouble quickly.  There are upwards of 15+ pieces of wood in the frames once you start the square frame construction.
 

The rough fairing process begins.  Note that I use blue painters tape on the keel.  I find this helps to mitigate any rounging that may incidentally occur while moving the piece to and from the jig.  Keen eyes will note the accidental undercutting of the filler pieces as they meet the rabet in the stern post.  This will get smoothed out, but could have been perfect if I had been more careful as to where my file was...
 
 

The jig in action.  These are "rework frames".  I find that its just plain easier to remake an entire frame as opposed to trying to salvage sections when there are issues.  I have also promised myself not to continue trying to put a square peg into a round hole. When something doesnt fit, I snap it in half and start over.  Its actually faster that way. As fellow modeler Bill Sproul said to me at our Guild last week, "go slow for maximum speed".
 

Naiad, sitting atop a newly arrived batch of swiss pear, awaiting milling. 
 

Awaiting final fairing.  Good enough for now.  Note how the transom pieces end at the rabbet.
 

I am really happy with the symmetry and fit here. But still need a little fairing on the port side by the foot.  The transom was an enjoyable challenge.
 
I am debating about adding the filler frames that lay just aft of the aft fashion piece.  I am a huge fan of showing work, so may leave these out so you can get a glimpse of the inner structure.  I am still undecided, but will move on for now and revisit this once I begin the final hull fairing and finishing.
 
Thanks for checking in, Gary.
 

I feel like I am jumping in the deep end with this one but since I got the new Byrnes saw I wanted a special project to learn how to use it and my Sherline mill. I used the mill to cut the rabbit and it came out pretty good if I must say so myself. 
 
It will be slow going for a while because I am still working the schooner and don't want to set it aside completely.
 
I will have plenty of questions and welcome any help offered.
 
 

Welcome aboard, very nice start to your build, looking forward to more...

You're off to a good start, Al.  Looking good.

Thanks for looking in and the kind words. This will be a fun build and it sure makes a nice looking model from what I see from you guys and other builders. I have been studying yours and other builds and learning a lot.

RedDawg, I kinda cheated on the rabbit. I used my Sherline mill. Once it was set up it took about 2 minutes.

Hello friends.
 
Artillery of the vessel 74. gunship.
Second batterie gun 18,pdr
Scale 1:15
 
Karl
 
 
 
 

Well, you all have me pretty well convinced that DRO is a good thing.
 
I have been trying to compare power (watts). I am not sure how to calculate that.  The Sherline lists specs are:
 
Duty rating: Continuous–10 oz. in. at 6100 rpm, .85 amperes; Intermittent–30 oz. in. at 5500 rpm, 1.75 amperes (5 minutes on / 15 minutes off) Output horsepower: .06 KW (60 W) at 10 oz. in. / 6100 rpm AC voltage (input): Normally 115 VAC, 60 Hz, Single Phase to rectifier (Sherline electronic speed control converts any input from 100 VAC to 240 VAC, 50-60 Hz.) DC voltage: 90 VDC to motor (60 Hz) Normal full load current: .85 amperes Starting current: 17 amperes instantaneous starting current ( Can anyone tell me how many Watts power this lathe? (and is that part of a valid comparison between various mini lathes?)
 
Thanks all,
Richard 

Well, you all have me pretty well convinced that DRO is a good thing.
 
I have been trying to compare power (watts). I am not sure how to calculate that.  The Sherline lists specs are:
 
Duty rating: Continuous–10 oz. in. at 6100 rpm, .85 amperes; Intermittent–30 oz. in. at 5500 rpm, 1.75 amperes (5 minutes on / 15 minutes off) Output horsepower: .06 KW (60 W) at 10 oz. in. / 6100 rpm AC voltage (input): Normally 115 VAC, 60 Hz, Single Phase to rectifier (Sherline electronic speed control converts any input from 100 VAC to 240 VAC, 50-60 Hz.) DC voltage: 90 VDC to motor (60 Hz) Normal full load current: .85 amperes Starting current: 17 amperes instantaneous starting current ( Can anyone tell me how many Watts power this lathe? (and is that part of a valid comparison between various mini lathes?)
 
Thanks all,
Richard 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 165 – Forecastle/Poop Pin Rails
 
Another small task was slipped in to break the monotony of deadeye chains and belaying pin turning.  In the first picture the forecastle pin rail has been made and is being used as a template to spot the centers of the posts on the deck.
 

 
The location is over a beam.  The posts will be set into square mortises cut into the deck to provide more strength to this type of rail.  In the next picture one of the mortises is being started with perimeter cuts using a small chisel.
 

 
The turned posts are 5” (.07”) square, turned as was done for the fife rail posts earlier.  In the next picture the two posts have been set and fitted with pins in the top to secure the rail.
 

 
In the next picture the rail has been installed and the six pins added.
 

 
This is a light duty rail, used to belay the four jib and fore staysail downhauls as well as the two foresail bowlines.
 
Providing belaying points for the running rigging of the mizzen mast proved to be a puzzle.  There are some two dozen light lines associated with the mizzen sails that need to be belayed aft of the mast, below the shroud fairleads through which they run, but with the lack of a raised bulwark on the poop there is no clear place for belaying pins.  The poop deck perimeter will be packed with cleats and lead blocks for heavier lines and the spider band around the mast is fully allocated.  The photo of the ship from the starboard quarter is not very helpful. Time for some historical interpretation – not the first or the last.  I believe there are four possibilities.  First, that the poop monkey rail itself was fitted with pins – unlikely given the small section of this brass rail.  Second, using shroud cleats, but these would be visible in the photo.  Third, using deck cleats as with the heavier lines, but the sheer number of these and the resulting mass of line piled on the deck argue against this.  I finally decided on the fourth option, pin rails similar to the forecastle rail along each side of the forward poop rails.  This was a common method.  The next picture shows one of these rails positioned on the deck to spot mortises for the three posts.
 

 
In the next picture the rail has been set as with the forecastle rail and a drop of CA is being applied to each of the vertical wire bolts.
 

 
The posts of all these rails were glued into the deck with wood glue and the tops with CA.  After applying the drops to the top of the rails it was washed off with acetone.  The bolts were later clipped off and the tops sanded.  The last picture shows the two rails installed with the rail on the near side already being fitted with pins.
 

 
The complement of belaying pins is almost complete – a few dozen to go.
 
 
Ed

Jessie,
I understand that sometimes life gets in the way.  I am retired and I still have difficulty spending as much time on my build as I would like.
 
I am going to continue trying to see what I can accomplish in wood. I have been seriously considering a sherline lathe and if I go to brass I will definitely pull the trigger.
 
Richard

Hi Jessie,
I am at the point of making carronades.  As you found out, the metal template doesn't really shave the form to specs.  I found that I can use it to shave in a rough shape and then finish by hand.  This gets me uniformity of shape along its length but still have some problem getting the various diameters to be uniform.  Its probably and issue of practice.
As I put together the prototype, mounted on the sled, I am starting to think about how to finish off the fittings on the rear of the carronade, i.e., lug, breech line ring, threaded piece for the elevator screw. etc.  I need to decide if I want to use wood or brass. 
Have you thought about it or come to any decision?
Richard

yes, digital readout.
Richard

Jessie,
I understand that sometimes life gets in the way.  I am retired and I still have difficulty spending as much time on my build as I would like.
 
I am going to continue trying to see what I can accomplish in wood. I have been seriously considering a sherline lathe and if I go to brass I will definitely pull the trigger.
 
Richard

Finishing up with adding the remainder of the head rails. After placing the rails, I noticed that the top rail was curved so that it was way out from the lower rails. This would make the head timbers uneven and at a impractical angle. I had to remove the top rails and completely rebend them so they followed the curve of the lower rails more closely. Since they were already painted, using a torch was not a good idea. I had to bend them by hand, very carefully and slowly so as not to break them. The last photo shows the top rail hugging the hull more closely. Another mistake I learned from. Installing the rails from the bottom up would make more sense.
 
Vince P.

Still working on the bow area. There are 2 small utility ports that must be added before they are covered up by the head railings. I made one partially open.
 
Vince P.

yes, digital readout.
Richard

I am getting closer to purchasing a Sherline lathe.  I am still not comfortable with the zero wheels on my mill.  The calculations seem to go very slowly especially when having to reset or when there is play in the gibs.
 
Thus my inquiry.  Does anyone use a dro on the sherline lathe and is it worthwhile in ship modeling?
 
Thanks,
Richard

Jessie,
I understand that sometimes life gets in the way.  I am retired and I still have difficulty spending as much time on my build as I would like.
 
I am going to continue trying to see what I can accomplish in wood. I have been seriously considering a sherline lathe and if I go to brass I will definitely pull the trigger.
 
Richard

Jessie,
I understand that sometimes life gets in the way.  I am retired and I still have difficulty spending as much time on my build as I would like.
 
I am going to continue trying to see what I can accomplish in wood. I have been seriously considering a sherline lathe and if I go to brass I will definitely pull the trigger.
 
Richard

Jessie,
I understand that sometimes life gets in the way.  I am retired and I still have difficulty spending as much time on my build as I would like.
 
I am going to continue trying to see what I can accomplish in wood. I have been seriously considering a sherline lathe and if I go to brass I will definitely pull the trigger.
 
Richard

Hi Jessie,
I am at the point of making carronades.  As you found out, the metal template doesn't really shave the form to specs.  I found that I can use it to shave in a rough shape and then finish by hand.  This gets me uniformity of shape along its length but still have some problem getting the various diameters to be uniform.  Its probably and issue of practice.
As I put together the prototype, mounted on the sled, I am starting to think about how to finish off the fittings on the rear of the carronade, i.e., lug, breech line ring, threaded piece for the elevator screw. etc.  I need to decide if I want to use wood or brass. 
Have you thought about it or come to any decision?
Richard

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 164 – Anchor Release Gear/Mounting
 
Like many specific details, the gear used to release Young America’s anchors is not known.  However, I wanted to include it in the model since it does seem to be a pretty important part of the gear.  The type used is typical of the period and is shown in the first picture.
 

 
George Campbell’s work, China Tea Clippers, is a great source of deck detail for ships of the period and was the source for the design of anchor release gear used.  The gear consists of a levered arm that has a spoon-like half cylinder at its outboard end.  In the normal position this device supports a pin from which one end of a short chain is suspended.  The other end of this chain is bolted to the opposite side of the cathead.  When the anchor is suspended before release, this chain holds the anchor’s main shackle which at this stage would be secured to the anchor chain cable.  To release the anchor, the lever inside the bulkhead is raised, allowing the pin at the end to fall free, releasing the short chain and the anchor.
 
The next picture shows the lever with the tubular support at the end soldered on.  Another rod for the release pin has been positioned on the end of the lever.  On the model it will be soldered in place, cut off, and a bolt eye soldered to it.  The three eyebolts that hold the lever to the cathead were threaded on to the shaft before any soldering.
 

 
The next picture shows the short length of chain with a shackle about to be soldered to the release pin. 
 

 
Obviously this will not be a working model.  The next picture shows the assembly in position so holes for the eyebolts and the pin bolt can be spotted.  An opening was cut under the topgallant rail to just pass the inboard end of the lever and the inside eyebolt.
 

 
The next picture shows the assembly blackened, installed and temporarily suspending the wooden stock bower anchor. 
 

 
The next picture shows the iron bar stock anchor blackened and placed on its eventual resting place on the other side – again temporarily.
 

 
Three wood chocks were installed to support each anchor in their stored positions.  These can be seen in the last picture.
 

 
 
Eyebolts with restraining lashings will eventually be fitted to each of the chocks, but that will await final installation along with the chain that will be run over the winch and out the hawse hole on the starboard side.  For now the anchors will go into storage.
 
Ed