Caferacer
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Everything posted by Caferacer
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Finished the top rail, I do these now, by gluing a large plank to the timbers, then carving/sanding to get the overhang on the hull right, then using a compass, I create the parallel overhang over the deck. I need to make a few "adjustments to the timbers, they sure looked fine before, but I obviously want them to meet the top rail nicely. I'm also carving some cleats, I glued the tail end of 4 pieces of stock together, then I can carve the profile on all four, before cutting them loose and finishing. I'll used the supplied ones for the booms and bowsprit, I just don't believe every cleat would be the same size.
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Hull is about done, some of the planks have come loose from sanding and cutting the scuppers. I also made the trunnions from brass, I did the pin for the trunnions differently, I have usually made pins, and struggled to hook the rudder on, or build it up, nailing the hull trunnions on after assembling the rudder, and that's a struggle too. This time I used a piece of brass wire to catch all the trunnions from the base of the rudder. It did bend a little , so I need to adjust the rudder so it's evenly spaced, but I think this will e the first model where the rudder isn't going to fall off when I move it. .
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I wasn't happy with the rivets provided a hawse pipes, there should also be pipes to drop under the deck. So I flared some aluminum tubing, I think it will represent the hawse better.
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Made the bobstay and heart.
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I realize I didn't get a photo after clean up. Obviously I cleaned up the extra solder with a file, however before painting these parts, I dip them in muriatic acid. This cleans off any solder resin, and provides a light etch. I didn't have the correct stock for the bowsprit, so this was laminated up, sized to fit the windlass, then tapered to shape. If my calculations are correct, once I size and taper the spar, even with what looks like a downward slope, the tip should be angled up in relation to the deck.
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The Bowsprit is interesting on this boat, this is because even mid-race they can change the jib configuration, which is fascinating. Can you imagine climbing out there at speed, and changing the spar out? The configuration shown in these plans have an additional spar extended out along the bowsprit, which I like. However there are some issues. First the cast part supplied wasn't right, it didn't set the spar in the right position, the spar should be at about a 45 degree angle. If I set the cast part that way then the rings are not in the right orientation. Another issue is the strut below the spar, the tensioning rigging, I couldn't think of how I could keep that stable under line tension. So back to scratch, using some heat sinks I was able to build up the new part one piece at a time, including soldering a "bar" to replicate the strut. You can see the configuration in the last picture with the rigging plans.
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Some catch up: First I added the false timbers.
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Slight change in set up.. Like a goof I forgot that the brass would het up and the previously soldered ring would fall off. So I cut some grooves to hold the rings and sunk the collar. They came out fine, I'll need to clean them up, before paint, but far less work than cleaning up the cast parts!
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Yikes, these are problematic. On past builds I have made these from scratch, but from wire, maybe one or two from brass. This kit has several different sizes of bore, all about the same thickness, these 7 are 3mm ID. No way I'm getting these little ones to work, all the larger ones, 4mm and 5mm diameter I was able to clean up, and drill out the holes. So, back to scratch; I made a fixture to hold a brass sleeve and a piece of stainless wire to hold the rigging loop. So that's the next couple of week's work scheduled, soldering these up. The plastic is a high temp plastic, PEEK or something, the post is aluminum, so solder should stick to anything...
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The hoops were good, they just needed some clean up, I did a base coat of "chestnut" then a few washes of thinned black. The navigation lights were fair, but in my opinion too small. Navigation lights were mandated in Britain in the early 1800s, so I'm going to include them. However I completely remade them..
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Started working on some of the cast parts, they are on both ends of the scale, some good, some lame. These two the boom hook, and the anchors are on the lame scale, so I did a little cutting and wire work to make them look better.
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Must.. Stop...
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I might have over done it with the jolly boat.. But hey it happens.
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Thanks @Keith Black It's about done, I'm bending the handle for the rudder and then I need to add the hardware, I'm likely stowing it upright on the deck so I guess oars are in order.. While I hated making them, the oars for the Latham came out OK. Next decision is the windlass. Though it's not really a windlass, just dead pulleys, "power" would be from the capstan, so maybe the cast piece is fine?
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Planking on the Jolly boat is done, I need to add some internal structure before removing the forming frames.
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Again we're at "what America are we building" and I think I have settled on the reported state, after spending time in France. Reports say the copper was removed, and above the waterline was a "dove grey". To that point the yacht would have a jolly boat or some dinghy. It's unlikely (thought period paintings show it this way) it was on deck while racing. I'm using a similar technique as I did for the Benjamin Latham dory, this keel seems large, and it is, but a lot of it will be cut away once it's planked. I used some period paintings for the profile, then guessed at the top view.
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Scored the deck planks and nails, sanded down to 1500 grit.
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Thanks for the compliment, remaking it was definitely the right choice.
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This is looking good.. So far I'm pleased. I'll let everything set up and shape the window rails.
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Decking is finished, it still needs fine sanding. Meanwhile I'm redoing the fore skylight, I think it was probably stained or oiled teak. Fitment is going to be tricky, but the sides are more uniform than the original painted one.
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Bouncing around a little, while forming some of the top planks around the stern, I planked the fore deck. Old t-shirt material works well for clamping, much better than rubber bands in my opinion, especially since you can easily control the tension and get a lot of coverage. Seen in the back the material is not just holding the plank flush with its lower neighbor, but holding it to the curve.
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Yet again, it's great how much data is available on this boat. Here are the seats, I turned the legs in a small Dremel. Not the correct number, but I did lose quite a few. Where do the tiny parts go when they fly off? Are they with the odd socks you lose in the laundry?
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After doing some research, I have remade the companionway, this is a photo I believe is from the America.
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