bhermann

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 68 – Lower deck framing continued
 
In the first picture the beams around the opening for the main mast have been installed.
 

 
The forward beams and half-beams around this opening have double pillars – one on each side - set on the base timbers on the hold planking.
 
Making and setting these pillars, with their four knees each, is a large portion of the work involved with these beams.  The next picture shows a monofilament bolt being installed in an upper knee that has already been glued into an assembly.
 

 
The next picture shows the three parts of a pillar assembly ready for installation.
 

 
The lower knees will be installed after the top assembly is set in place and glued.  In the next picture the final beam – a half beam – is ready to be installed.
 

Unlike the other pillars, this one has been pre-installed since there will be insufficient space to do it later.  The hanging knee has also been pre-attached to the half beam for this reason.  The pillar is pinned to the base with a piece of wire.
 
The next picture shows the final beams installed.
 

 
Copper wire bolts have been installed through the tops of the beams to help secure the them, their hanging knees and each of the pillars   these are glued with epoxy that has not yet been sanded off the tops of the beams.
 
The next picture is another view of this area.
 

 
All of the work below the beams has been finished with beeswax solution before installing the ledges.  Missing lodging knees, carlings, ledges and a lot of monofilament bolts still need to be installed to complete the lower deck framing. 
 
The last picture shows most of the lower deck at this stage.
 

 
 Ed

The following techniques were utilized in preparing sails for my circa 1800 Virginia pilot schooner model.  Materials used in making sails included: sailcloth (thin cotton muslin, available at fabric stores), .020 linen line stained hemp color (BlueJacket Shipcrafters #R1682), all purpose sewing thread (Coats & Clark hemp colored #543), and Dritz Fray Check liquid (available at fabric stores).  Special tools utilized included: 2nd hand home sewing machine and high quality sewing sears (4” and 8”).  References utilized include: ship model plans; Making Sails, a mini-practicum by Robert Hunt; and Steel’s Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging of 1794 by David Steel.  Prior to starting, the sailcloth was washed using a warm water cycle with several pairs of blue jeans for color.
 
The sail outline, seams, and reef bands were then laid out on the sailcloth using fine drafting pencils.  The sail design was based on the ships drawings and reference to Steel’s Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging.  Final dimensions were checked and adjusted to suit the model’s masts and spars.  The bottom edges and reef bands of all sails were curved and they were laid out using ships curves.  Note that if the sail design is not shown on the model drawings, it can be laid out using the model’s rigging plan and data from Steel’s Elements of Mastmaking, Sailmaking, and Rigging.
 
The seams and reef bands were sewn using hemp colored thread and a straight stitch (28-32 stitches per inch).  The bolt rope (.020 linen line) was sewn along the sail outline using hemp colored thread and a narrow zigzag stitch (approximately 3/64” wide and 28-32 stitches per inch).  Cringes were modeled by leaving small loops in the bolt rope at sail corners and reef points.  Note that all sewing of seams, reef bands, and the bolt rope were accomplished prior to cutting out the sails.
 
A thin line of Fray Check liquid was run over the zigzag stitching and bolt rope prior to cutting out the sails.  After allowing the Fray Check liquid to dry, the sails were cut out using high quality sewing sears.  Reef points were sewn on by hand and secured by Fray Check liquid using the same thread used for sewing the seams, reef bands, etc.  After completion, the sails were ironed using a steam iron set on cotton.
 
Halyards, tacks, downhauls, sheets, and the jib traveler were seized to the sails, and the fore and main sails were laced to the gaffs prior to mounting on the model.  Mast hoops were lashed to the sails using hemp colored thread after mounting to the model.  All sewn attachments to the sails were secured with Fray Check liquid.
 
Details of the model sails are illustrated in the following photographs:
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

The Problem:
 
Anyone who has followed my HMS Terror scratch build may remember my issues with blackening brass fittings for the stern assembly. To briefly summarize, I immersed the parts in a standard 8:1 mixture of Blacken-It solution mixed with bottled water, waited until the parts turned the appropriate colour, then rinsed in bottled water to “neutralize” the reaction. I tried this several times on different parts and each time it resulted in a flaky, blotchy appearance that could not be made even despite buffing with a soft cloth.
 
 

Here is an image of my results. Note the blotchy and flaky texture.
 
Inspired by the fine results of other modellers on the boards, I resolved to master the “mysteries of the blue Liquid”.  I began with research; modelers, gunsmiths, jewellers, instrument makers, and mechanics all use various products and processes to chemically blacken metals and a great deal of information is available from forums, blogs, websites, magazines, and books.
 
With this knowledge at hand, I decided to conduct a series of trials to determine the best process for blackening metal using Blacken-it. I chose Blacken-it as it seems to be the most commonly used product on Model Ship World, and, perhaps more importantly, I had a supply available. However, the techniques I use here should be applicable to other metal blackening products.
 
Before I outline my tests I should begin with a note on safety:
 
The chemicals used in the blackening process are dangerous. Rubber gloves, safety goggles, and a well-ventilated room (or fume hood) must be used EVERY time you handle the chemicals.
 
The Process:
 
From my research, I learned that producing consistently good results requires seven steps, in this order:
1)      The surface of the metal should be mechanically prepared. This roughens the surface and removes synthetic coatings that are often used to give stock metal a shiny appearance.
2)      The surface of the metal should be treated with an acid pickle to remove any scale or corrosion.
3)      The metal should be cleaned with a solvent to remove organic contaminants such as oils, fingerprints, and other dirt.
4)      The metal is chemically coloured using a diluted blackening agent.
5)      The reaction should be “fixed” or halted, using a neutralizing solution.
6)      The surface of the metal should be buffed to remove excess blackening products and to polish the new surface.
7)      The metal should be coated in a protective agent to prevent corrosion, soiling, and damage (optional).
 
The Equipment:
 
My research indicates that the following chemicals most often produce consistent results:
1)      Muriatic acid (31.4%). This is commonly used to remove scale and corrosion on the surface of the metal.  Most hobbyists and professionals use 1:1 concentration of water and acid. Remember, you should always pour the acid into water, as it can be dangerous to pour water directly into acid. You can purchase muriatic acid in most hardware or pool supply stores.
 
2)      Deionized water. This tip was given to me by Druxy on these forums. I’m convinced that the blotchy, scaly results on my first use of Blacken-it were the result of my use of mineral-laiden bottled water. Dionized water is treated to remove mineral ions which could react with Blacken-it. Use the deionised water for all stages of the blackening process, including rinsing between baths, diluting chemicals, and for neutralization.
 
3)      Acetone (100%). This is a widely used degreasing agent employed to remove finger prints, oils, or other organic coatings which might contaminate the metal. It can be purchased at any hardware store.
 
4)      Baking soda. The final stage of the blackening process should include proper neutralization. A common solution is two table-spoons of baking soda in a cup (250 ml) of warm deionised water. Often, hobbyists will use running tap water to neutralize the reaction with good results; baking soda seems to be preferred by jewelers and instrument makers.
 

Here is a photo of the equipment I used in my tests.
 
The Tests:
 
My trials involved testing two variables: 1) the concentration of Blacken-It (undiluted, 1:1, 5:1, or 10:1), and 2) water neutralization versus baking soda neutralization.
 

The test parts prior to preparation.
 
Step 1: I thoroughly sanded the surface of my brass test parts with 400 grit sandpaper. This is similar to the preparation of any metal part even if it isn’t going to be painted or chemically coloured.
 
Step 2: I buffed the metal with ultrafine steel wool. Be certain to carefully remove any steel wool filings that remain as they can react with the chemicals used in the next stages.
 

The parts after mechanical preparation. 
 
Step 3: Immerse the part in muriatic acid (diluted 1:1 with deionised) water for 30 minutes. You can immerse the parts for longer, but the acid will eventually etch the surface and soften sharp edges and other details if you leave them in too long. You may notice that the pickle will change the colour of the brass or that some corrosion may appear – this is normal and is caused by impurities or inconsistencies in the metal.
 

 
Step 4: Rinse each part by agitating vigorously in a bath of deionized water for at least 10 seconds. Allow to dry thoroughly on a clean paper towel. Change the water in the bath for the next step.
 

 

Allow the parts to dry thoroughly.
 
Step 5: Immerse the parts in an acetone bath for 30 minutes.
 

 
Step 6: Rinse each part by agitating vigorously in a bath of deionized water for at least 10 seconds. Allow to dry thoroughly on a clean paper towel.
 

 

Allow the parts to dry thoroughly.
 
Step 7: Immerse the parts in the Blacken-it solution. Maximize the surface area of the part exposed to the chemical by placing it on end if you can. Gently, without scratching the surface, turn the part every few minutes to ensure all surfaces are exposed equally to the solution. Carefully monitor colour changes, and remove the part when the desired colour is achieved.
 

Different concentrations of Blacken-it. 
 

The parts after 30 seconds. 
 

After five minutes.
 

After 60 minutes (other parts removed when desired colour achieved). 
 
Step 8: Instantly dunk the part in the warm baking soda bath. Agitate vigorously for ten seconds. You will notice that the part will begin to corrode and a blotchy green or red film will cover the surface. Do not worry.
 

 

After a bath in the baking soda solution, the part will appear green (or sometimes red). 
 

Neutralizing with water leaves a cleaner surface (but caution is warranted, see below). 
 
Step 8: Carefully buff the part with a clean soft cloth (an old t-shirt works perfectly). Do not touch the part with your fingers. You will notice that the corrosion products resulting from the neutralizing bath will scrub away.  Buff until all portions of the part have an even colour; continue to buff if you want a shinier surface.
 

Buffing the parts fixed in the baking soda solution removes the green/red coating. 
 

After buffing, all the parts appear roughly similar in colour and finish from a distance (see below for differences). 
 
Step 9: Wait 24 hours to ensure the reaction was effectively neutralized. If “sweating” or pitting is noticed, the reaction was not properly neutralized, and a further rinse may be required. Usually the part can be salvaged by buffing with a soft cloth. Sometimes, it may need to be blackened again.
 
Step 10 (Optional): Spray the parts with a thin acrylic matte coating to protect the surface.
 

I use Krylon Matte Coat.
 
The Trial Results:
 
Undiluted Blacken-It solution:
 
The undiluted solution produced a very dark, but somewhat uneven black surface in about five minutes. Fixing the reaction with baking soda caused a significant amount of corrosion, but it was mostly removed by buffing. 
 

Undiluted immediately after buffing.
 
However, after 24 hours both parts began to sweat, indicating that the chemical reaction had not been neutralized even with a baking soda bath.  This is not unexpected, as the product guidelines indicate that the product is meant to be diluted.
 

Undiluted after 24 hours. 
 
Recommendation: Do not use undiluted solution.
 
1:1 Blacken-it Solution
 
This is the concentration recommended by the manufacturer. After ca. 10 minutes the part reached a deep black, but after neutralization with baking soda solution the surface appeared to be quite blotchy. After 24 hours the edges of the part began to sweat and corrode and the surface appeared pitted.
 

1:1 immediately after buffing. 
 

1:1 after 24 hours. 
 
The water neutralized part had a slightly more even surface, but unfortunately began to sweat after only 24 hours.
 

1:1 unfixed (water neutralization) after 24 hours.   
Recommendation: Do not use 1:1 solution.
 
5:1 Blacken-it Solution
 
The 5:1 solution required approximately 25 minutes to reach a deep black.  Immersion in the baking soda solution initially produced a green corrosion but buffing resulted in an even black surface. The part remained stable after 24 hours (and is still stable a week later).
 

5:1 immediately after buffing.
 
 
5:1 after 24 hours. 
 
The unfixed, water-neutralized part began to corrode at the edges after 24 hours.
 

5:1 unfixed immediately after buffing. 
 

5:1 unfixed after 24 hours. 
 
Recommendation: Works very well in conjunction with a baking soda rinse.
 
10:1 Blacken-it Solution
The 10:1 solution required approximately 60 minutes to reach a dark even black. Immersion in a baking soda rinse produced a slight corrosion, but buffing resulted in a very even and deep black surface (in my opinion better than the 5:1 concentration). The part has remained stable after a week.
 

10:1 immediately after buffing. 
 

10:1 after 24 hours. 
 
Similar results were achieved with the water-only neutralization, and the part remained stable after 24 hours. However, after ca. four days corrosion began to appear at the edges of the part.
 

10:1 unfixed after four days. 
 
Recommendation: The 10:1 solution performed very well in conjunction with a baking soda rinse, and in my opinion produced the best colour and surface.
 
Final thoughts:
 
1)      Fixing the parts by agitation in a warm baking soda bath appears to be a critical step in blackening brass, at least with Blacken-it. Even at lowest concentrations, and with a water-neutralizing rinse, the acidic reaction appeared to continue for some time, especially around edges and in nooks and crannies.  
 
2)      5:1 and 10:1 solutions appear to produce relatively similar results, even though they both require proper neutralization. The 10:1 solution appears to produce a slightly more even and deeper colour. Using Blacken-it at its recommended concentration is a waste of product and results in corrosion even after proper neutralization.
 
3)      Buffing is a critical step in achieving the proper surface appearance.
 
4)      I was able to rejuvenate “sweating” parts by dunking them in a baking soda solution and then buffing. Regardless, faint hints of the corrosion remained.

Minor milestone... Half of the 42 full frames have been installed.  Spacers have been glued into place and gunports are rought cut.  Final position with sills will be done after the first pass at fairing before the half frames are installed.   I'm finding minor tolerance build up issues but nothing that's a show stopper.  Anyway, here's piccy's....
 

Another minor update.
This time I decided to experiment a bit with my “woodcarving talents” ..
Note .. I have practically non-experience with woodcarving .. 
 
After having darkened the ornaments on the supplied metal plate it shows that they are not very detailed.
 

 
So again a bit creativity is needed to produce something more detailed.
The easiest part seem to be the lower part of it, so I started out with these.
 
The choice of wood I used:
It needed to be a light color and without much grain, the obvious choice would be boxwood ..
But finding boxwood for a reasonable price doesn’t seem to be that easy so, I decided to give it a try with abachi.
 
The tools I used:
- a very sharp scalpel (blade 11)
- a printout of the ornament on a sheet of transparent paper 
- electrical iron for transferring the printout on to the wood   
- a magnifier glass with light 
 
I started out with drilling holes for the openings and carved roughly the edges
 

 
Followed by carving the complete outline of the ornament 
 

 
After this I gently removed wood from the top and bottom to simulate the up/under “snake like pattern” I had pictured in my mind.
 

 
And "finally" starting to round all roughly cut edges into smoothly curved lines
 

 
It turns out for me that starting carving with abachi wood was not a bad idea after all.
It is a soft but firm wood and the grains are not that visible, but most important I find it very easy to shape with a scalpel  
 
..I must admit that I’m pleased with my first results.. 
 

For a better controlled process, build yourself a simple jig. Get 2 paint mixing sticks (for free from Home Depot), cut them to appropriate lengths (slightly longer than the length of your mast) and glue to each on one side a strip of medium grade sand paper.
At one end of such stick glue short piece of wood (spacer) of same thickness as the top of your mast, and at the opposite end glue two other spacers as thick as the bottom diameter of your mast, leaving center hole empty. Glue both sticks together. Especially helpful if you fabricate many identical parts.
 
 
 
Clamp your jig to the worktable.
 
Insert one end of your dowel into a chuck of a handheld drill and place the opposite end of the dowel into this center hole of your jig. Start your drill and gently press it into your jig, until it goes all the way. It will be stopped by the smaller spacer at the other end. Voila!
 
I saw this concept in the Polish shipmodeling forum - one modeler was fabricating a few dozen oars for his model. You can see it here (scroll down the page half way to see appropriate pics).
 
http://www.koga.net.pl/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=44911&p=57251&hilit=galera#p57251

Hi everyone. Well, progress continues; albeit slowly!
 
I've started on the internal floors of the cabins/accommodation. The floors are individually planked and once sanded, they should look a treat! I then started marking the locations of the bulkheads, furniture, etc on the hull and the floors.
 
I also started to build the deck using a jig with the correct deck camber. The deck's fully planked on one side, whilst partially unplanked on the other side. This is done deliberately to allow the internal accommodation to be viewed. Both the deck and the floors are individually planked using strips of birch and wattyl respectively.
 
Admittedly, there's still a lot of finishing to get a good fit between the hull and deck, etc, but, that's all part of the fun of building, isn't it?
 
The hull has also been puttied and sanded, but I won't paint it until all the rough stuff is done. There's no point doing it now, only to find that I've accidentally damaged the paint during the building phase.
 
Hope you enjoy the photos.

Chainplates done!
 
My first thoughts when I read Chuck’s practicum on how to make these plates was ‘you've got to be kidding! ’  But taking some advice of one of my old professors, I had a good cry over how this is impossible and there’s no way I can do this and then got down to solving the problem.  After two trial attempts on some scrap brass strips and three failed attempts at the real thing I finally came up with a method that worked fairly well for me.
 
Some of the problems I had while working on the trial pieces was getting the drill bit to bite into the brass while at the same time trying to keep the holes in line and spaced properly.  I tried using a punch (brad) but all that did was dent the strip and it was still hard to line up the punch marks.   What I finally came up with to keep the holes in line was to scribe a line down the middle of the brass strip with a steel point.  I discovered later while drilling the holes that this not only helped with keeping the holes in line but also made it easier for the drill to bite into the brass.  To mark the location of each hole I made another scribe mark perpendicular to the center one.  This in effect made a center mark for the drill bit.  Once I made one plate that I was satisfied with I used it as a template for all the others.
 
Below are some of the other steps I preformed while making the chainplates.
 
1. Filed down the top portion of the plate that will form the hook at the top.  Found it easier to work with the entire brass strip and not cut it to size until I was finished with the piece.
 

 
2. Form the hook using a needle nose pliers and bent it around the tip of a pin.  At this point I test fit the hook into the hole on the caprail and marked where the first bolt hole should be located.
 

 
3.  Marked the bolt hole location, one at a time, and drilled the hole.  Repeated for the other two holes.
 
4. Marked the end of the plate and sniped it off the strip.
 

 
Note that all the scribe marks were done on the back of the plate.  And sorry for rambling on so.

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 67 – Lower deck framing continued
 
I had my small camera in the shop so I took this first picture with it.  It shows one of my more important tools.  No one would design this contraption this way from scratch.  It was first just a simple fixture to allow me to take overhead sequential shots during Naiad’s magazine construction.  It has since evolved into the adjustable mount shown below.  You can get seasick looking at some of the pictures taken with this but they can easily be rotated in post processing.  I take very many pictures including lots of in-hull close-ups and could not do without this thing. 
 

 
I take all the photos in available light using aperture priority so the camera is stopped down to increase depth of field.  Thus, the shutter speeds are quite slow requiring a mount.  Most of the pictures are still taken using an almost-normal tripod.
 
Pardon the digression, but I thought it might be of interest, since we cannot build ships any more without photography.
 
Back to the work.  In the next picture the beams are progressing forward.
 

 
The large opening is for the larger of the two rectangular, vertical fresh water tanks.  The half-beams and headers are pinned in place at this point.  The next picture shows a hanging knee glued to one of the half-beams. 
 

 
This knee was fit before the knee on the beam forward was in the way, but it will be glued in after that beam is installed.  The difficulty in holding these knees under the beams for fitting dictates some preplanning.
 
In the next picture all is installed on the starboard side and a pillar assembly is being marked for sizing under the beam.
 

 
In the next picture both pillars with their knees have been installed on the starboard side.
 

 
Next is a picture of the same area from further back.
 

 
In the next picture the beam forward of the smaller water tank has been glued in and the headers on either side are being installed with the help of a clamp.. 
 

 
The pillars on the port side have also been installed in this picture.  These last three beams all require lodging knees and ledges.  The last picture shows the current status of the framing.
 

 
Two full beams and two pair of half-beams remain to be installed to fill the void.
 
 
 Ed

Rigging is going on.  So far so good.  Looks a bit better when the forward stays are tight.  
 

The crew finally came to a mutual agreement on the cap rail color and decided to go with a medium brown stain.  I wanted a color that was not too dark so all the attachments to the rail would stand out more.
 
One problem I ran into and didn't realize it until after I installed the cap rail was that I didn't leave enough of an overhang on the outboard side of the bulwarks.  While reading ahead in the practicum on how to make and install the chainplates for the deadeyes, I realized the amount of overhang I left (~1/32”) was not going to be enough to install the chainplates through.   I thought about just cutting the plates into the bulwarks but thought I would have to cut them in too deep.  My solution was, in lieu of making a new rail, to carefully cut the rail off, then split the rail at the stern so I could spread it out a little on each side and then reattached it to the bulwarks.  Filled the gap with wood paste and stained it after it dried.
 

 
Made and installed the fairleads.  I used a small brass strip left over from the pintles for its base and the thin wire from the kit.  These were a bit of a challenge to solder.  Blackened them and glued them in place.
 

 
Made and installed the splash rail.  I formed the splash rail on a homemade jig made on a piece of ¾” pine.  I had traced the shape of the cap rail onto a piece of cardboard before I installed it (the first time) to layout the splash rail, then used finishing nails to form the curve and push pins to hold the piece in place.  I had soaked the wood strips for a few hours before putting them in the jig and then let them dry overnight.  Sanded them down to shape, painted and glued them in place.  I then filed the notch into the top of the rail.
 


 
I measured the location for the two masts from the plans and drilled the holes in the deck.  On the advise of my brother-in-law, who is an avid sailor, I put a coin in the bottom of the mast hole, I figured I could use all the luck I can get.
 

Now working on top mast shrouds using 3.5mm dead eyes....
Thought I might share this handy seizing jig for anyone interested.
Took me about 15 minutes to create this simple jig, using two wire stubs to secure the tiny deadeye on one upright and the second upright with a map pin used as belaying point to secure the two ends of the shroud nice and taunt whilst being perfectly seized.

Haven't quite got the hang of the picture thing!
 
If anyone out there can tell me how I can narrate an individual picture with a caption either before or after I would appreciate it.
 
Thanks,
 
Darrel

This morning I ventured into the garage, my shipyard, to try and file these little nine eye brackets down to size.  I put my Proxxon hand tool into its drill press and but a fine grinding wheel in it.  The first eye bracket worked like a charm but I still had to do the final dressing by hand.  It's now close enough to scale or at least it'll look okay on the  mine.  So, number one is done, eleven more to go.  
 
I managed to do two more and started on number four but ran into a problem with that one and had to remake it.  That's the one Gwen took a picture of as I was grinding away.  Even though the grinding wheel is very fine I can only use a very gentle tough on it.  The brass is so thing that it tends to snag.  But at least it is gentler on the fingers this way 
 
The afternoon, after lunch, I went grocery shopping at the local all natural organic vegetables.  I cooked dinner to give Gwen a break, her back has been acting up again and it's hard for her to stand for the duration of making dinner.  She appreciated it a lot and it was  also very tasty   
 
Here are a few pics for my archive I share with you.
 

This is my grinding setup for the eye brackets.  It's also my soldering station.  What's behind curtain 1 is my VOC ship "Surabaya."  I covered it to keep dust from inundating the poor thing.  Yeah, you'll still see some of the cannon port lid parts on the workbench.
 

Here I put number 1 bracket next to number 2 yet to be filed down.  The hole is 0.5 mm.  
 

Here I am approaching the grinding wheel with number 3 bracket. It will only work when I gently place the bracket on the "dragging" "leaving side" of the grinding wheel.
 
Cheers,

Another small update. I have decided on how to handle the deadeyes and chainplates. I am not yet happy with the results, but I will try to improve on them as I go along. In my defense, I can only say that the deadeyes are 1/16" diameter and the chainplates are .005" thick. It is all very SMALL.
 
The cap for the assembly is only held in place with a strip of bamboo right now.
 
All of what you see will get painted white.
 
One deadeye still needs to be rotated a bit counter clockwise, but I will take care of that in due course.
 
Russ

Bluenose Log #5.
 
Sorry for the extended gap in my build log.  We’ve been on holiday, with a wedding in Germany and a visit to the Holland, Belgium and Normandy.  Now back to work!
 
Prior to decking the quarter deck I ran into a slight dilemma.  The bulkhead extensions on the quarter deck had seen better days.  Some were gone and others were mere shadow of their former self.  I pondered for two days about how I could remove the stanchions and replace them with new 1/8 inch bulkhead extensions.  I really had no choice.
 
I removed all of the stanchions at the top of the bulkheads.  Obviously you can’t just glue stanchions back on without some additional support.  I reasoned that if I installed the waterway planks spaced exactly 1/8 of an inch apart and just resting on the bulkhead I might have a chance of creating enough glue area and support when I lock the stanchions in with the nibbing strike.  To my surprise it worked!  I aligned them correctly to accept the last two outside hull planks (Bulwark).  I’ve bumped them several times during the aft deck planking effort and none has given way.  I know this is almost a cardinal sin, but I got away with one.
 
The aft deck planking was somewhat more complicated due to the requirement to taper each plank in order to accommodate the deck taper to the stern.  I started out trying to carve the taper into the plank.  The small scale of the planking strips made it almost impossible to maintain a consistent taper.  I resorted to lining out the taper in pencil from the midpoint at the plank end up about six inches.  I then used a single edge razor blade to chop off the excess to form a consistent and true taper.  I edged each tapered plank with a soft lead pencil, but some of the simulated plank calking didn’t show up very well after much scarping and sanding.
 
Below you can see the decking effort about half way to completion. 
 

Greetings one and all.  I got to spend a great deal of quality time during May with the Emma C. Berry.  All frames have now been installed, and temporary batten installed along the deck line for support.  This will eventually be removed as the inside structure is installed.
 
The crew at the shipyard has been working hard on the frames and also on improving the build yard.
 

 
Unfortunately, the tide was rising more rapidly than they anticipated necessitating a relocation in the shipyard. (Yes, I am embarrassed to say, I did discover that she does float).
 

 
After a quick repositioning for one last bow-on shot. Note I will need to do a bit of work on the aft 4 frames on the starboard side (you may be able to pick out the flat spot near the stern_
 

 
Exercising great amounts of hindsight, the photo shoot relocated to higher ground.
 

 
And one final shot - I thought the shadows were interesting in this one.
 

 
And so, for the month of June, I will return my attentions to the Essex.
 
Appreciate any suggestions or observations on how to improve the lines on this lady.
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 66 – Lower deck framing continued
 
For those not yet exhausted by pictures of the inching along of the lower deck framing, here are some photos showing the latest progress.  In the first picture bolts have been installed in the tops of most of the forward beams.
 

 
The bolts represent fastenings for the hanging knees and the knees at the tops of the pillars.  There is also a bolt down through the beam into each pillar itself.  The next picture is a closer view of the bolts.
 

 
The glue – epoxy or CA – has not yet been sanded off in this picture.  The next picture shows bolting on the beams just ahead of the mizzenmast.  In this picture most of the glue has been sanded off.
 

 
The black bolts are dummies of black monofilament glued in with CA.  The shiny copper wire bolts are functional.  That is, they are epoxied through the beam into the members below and are lending strength to the glue joints of the hanging knees, the pillars and the beams themselves to the clamps.  The top of the framing will get a final leveling and final sanding after the ledges are installed.
 
The next picture is another view of this area.
 

 
The next picture shows the framing forward of the mainmast. 
 

 
Carlings have been installed back to the last beam with a pillar installed.  All of the lodging knees have been installed.  Hanging knees have been fitted to the two beams lying on the deck.  They will be the last to be installed.  At that point there will be no room for fitting the knees under the installed beams.  In the next picture almost all of the ledges have been installed in the aft section.
 

 
Note the irregular pattern of central ledges over the mizzenmast step.  Apparently these ships had supporting partners only at the main deck, so the mast opening is just framed on this deck.
 
The last picture shows another view of the forward framing.
 

 
The remaining framework gets more interesting.  There are a lot of half-beams and double pillars astride the main mast, main hatch and the water tanks.
 
 Ed

All...
 
A bit of miscellaneous progress.
 
I've added the channels and I think I've got them on very firmly. I took the liberty of reinforcing them with a small strip of .040 x .040 Evergreen underneath to increase the surface area when glueing to the hull.

 
I've also reinforced the pin rails by drilling thru the bulwark and inserting small steel pins. They were snipped to size, covered with some blobs of filler, and sanded smooth.

 
I did some spot primer in key locations to help determine areas in need of improvement then gave the two half hulls a complete coat. Still a bit of touch ups and tuning needed, but I'm getting closer to the painting phase.
 

 
Additionally, I decided to change course on the berth deck ventilation scuttles and gun deck scuppers. Originally I did not like the large openings for the scuppers and elected to cover them up and treat them as the ventilation scuttles. It gnawed at me enough that it wasn't a correct representation that I finally went ahead and popped off the previous work to expose the scupper holes and built new ventilation doors lower down in a more proper location. I even depicted one of the doors swung open to add some dimension:
 

 

 
A note to add regarding the ship's boats... I got pinged on another forum by a terrific modeler who is also building the Revell Connie using some of the Bluejacket parts. He was wondering if I was using the BJ resin whaleboats. I did purchase a couple of the whaleboats along with the resin pinnace. I was a little disappointed that they came with pre-molded floor boards - I would've preferred to add my own interior details:
 

 
Mine came in good condition - I know sometimes resin parts can be full of air pockets and blemishes, but these can be easily improved. My original pinnace came very warped and I wasn't able to correct the shape under warm water. The folks at Bluejacket cheerfully sent me a replacement.
 
Unfortunately, it looks as though I can't use these on my build. Apparently the whaleboats did not appear on Constitution until AFTER the Guerriere fight. Receipts and invoices indicate that Commodore Bainbridge first purchased whaleboats from local New England sources to replace some of the boats lost or damaged in the Guerriere battle. They've been associated with the ship ever since. The USS Constitution museum Log Lines blog had a nice article about this: http://usscm.blogspot.com/2012/09/whaleboats-for-constitution.html
 
I think that catches me up on my current progress.
 
Thanks for looking in...
Evan

Denis
 
Storry of my life. If there is in front of me any type of, so called "elephant track/path" ( elephants in their life space walk almost always on same path which is solid beaten, and you can not miss it), I must discover/invent hot water again, after that hole in a flowerpot, or wheel, and find something new, even to walk on arms instead on legs ... 
 
Original kit was made by wide unknown Croatian company called TEHNODIDAKTA somewhere in 1960-1970 year, and that kits were known only by few ship builder lovers from former Yugoslavia. Former Yugoslavia had no great naval tradition, and ship modeling was not spread as hobby. As I know, somewhere before civilian war, TEHNODIDAKTA  who still exist, left kit manufacturing, and it is really accidentally if somebody (as me) saved kit or blueprints from kit until today ( there were no instructions except about colours in few words). Earlier in my log, during I was making ( or trying to make it) by the kit blueprints , you can see many simplifications and inaccuracy in those blueprints which leaded me to a few of deep surgeries I have made, so I complete gave up making Her by those blueprints when find C-plans, and Sergal, Mantua Artesania ... etc etc instructions on NET, and from time to time I mentioned TEHNODIDAKTA in log  only as a comparative 
 
Considering in mind that hull of Her majesty was made by this kit shits ( bulkheads) I do not dare to compare my hull lines I have got by TEHNODIDAKTA ribs and hull lines in C-plans ... afraid of disappointment ...  That was a reason that before second layer of planking, I work with maybe too much putty and sanding, because I believe in my eyes and lines of hull I saw on photos, and I was trying to catch exactly that lines. I am sure That I could not ping lines from C-plans, but I think that I have got visually "bingo", and Hull really on first sight looks like hull of Cutty Sark. Ok, maybe little correction here and there (as on stern post for instance), and in this circumstances inevitable artistic approach on whole model. Definitive decision about is some piece on place and is it look how has to be is always followed with close and distance look at whole model, two or three "Hmmm" and if it matches to my ideas, that is OK, and that piece is finished. ( until ...)
 
But I must admit, that whole this fun is really enjoyment for me, and challenge to resolve particular places on model, also testing of my possibilities
 
And that is point, isnt it ? 

I finished planking the port side outer bulwarks. I set a compass to the height of the bulwarks above the plank sheer and drew lines across the sections. In most cases, I had to remove about a half a plank width, so I carefully used a razor saw to cut off most of the excess, then sanded the tops fair so the main rail pieces will run smoothly. I thought at one point I would have to lower the sieves, but I had just enough clearance for them when sanded. I left the planks at the curve of the bow as is until after the starboard side outer bulwarks are planked. I was able to sand these bow planks smooth without any big gaps, so I am pretty happy with the planking so far. I was also happy that the sides of the spar deck gun ports all have pretty much the same shape and width. Here is how the port side came out. The starboard side is still just the inner support pieces in these pictures.
 

 

 
Now to repeat on the starboard side, and hope that the two sides come out similar.

Hello Everyone:
 
This build log is a bit unusual because the model is almost complete but I only discovered and joined MSW a couple of weeks ago.  However, I was encouraged by several kind souls in "welcome to new members" to start a log nevertheless.  Had I had the advantage of the expertise and experience available on MSW from the outset, the result would have been much better than it actually is.
 
In April of last year, I was given the incomplete and damaged model of a Grand Banks fishing schooner by the grandson of the man who built it almost 50 years ago, a retired boat builder from Campobello Island, New Brunswick.  The grandson told me he had an early childhood memory of his grandfather steaming the side planking -- 0.5" oak -- in his driveway.
 
It was forty inches long and had a very heavy fin keel (lead or iron I suspect) attached to the regular keel.  This, plus the single-piece masts, led me to concluded that it was probably intended as a pond yacht.   The top plank on each side had snapped right at the beam and, sometime during that 50 years, someone -- I'm sure it wasn't the original builder -- had inflicted a very sloppy paint job on the bulwarks and along the edges of the deck.   The attached picture shows the boat as I received it.  
 
The builder being a former professional boat builder as well as the story of the oak plank steaming and bending led me to believe that it was probably a scratch build, although there were certain signs that it might have been a kit.  Comments from those in "welcome to new members" come down on the scratch-build side and I'm even more inclined to agree.  However, if anyone can shed any light on this question, I'd be grateful to hear it. 
 
Since last April, I've cleaned, repaired and painted the hull, built topmasts, built and rigged the sails, and am now at the point where almost all of the running rigging is complete.  I now face the challenge of shrouds, ratlines (which I've never done before), and running backstays.  Throughout all of this will be a more-or-less constant process of adjusting the shape of the sails.
 
I wanted to create the look of a hard-working, old fishing boat, under way, with sails drawing wind.  While the main and foresail were made from cloth from another kit, the other six were made from an old and very used piece of cotton sailcloth given to me by our local sailmaker.  Hence, the beaten up look and varied colours of the sails.  The various stains, partial footprint, and other irregularities on these six sails look a bit peculiar close up, but the effect from beyond a range of six feet is close to what I was trying to accomplish.  Given its eventual display position -- on top of a half wall at our family cottage, safely out of range of my three young grandsons -- no one will be able to get that close anyway.  The boat is on a close reach on the port tack.
 
Given the special provenance of the hull, I decided to do little to it beyond necessary repairs and the running rigging necessary for the sails.  I may decide to add some more deck furniture, but first wanted to see the lines of the running and standing rigging.  Any comments or suggestions on what might be added would be very welcome.
 
I'll leave this initial post at that and attach a picture of the boat in its current state.   I didn't take a lot of pictures of the build, at least until I joined MSW, but will attach some to additional posts to show progress to date.  I'd also like to seek advice on the question of shrouds and ratlines as well as other things that will undoubtedly still arise.   I should explain the peculiar background in the pictures: this model came with little advance warning and I don't have any proper workshop; hence, my boatyard became the dining-room table. 
 
Comments, suggestions, and advice all welcome.
 
Rick
 
 

I then decided that maybe I needed to bring the bottom up. So here are two shots after doing that.  My planks will now run smoothly across the bottom.  I can see trouble developing at the top that I will have to spill some planks to smooth out that line also.  My thinking is to try and get the two areas running horizontally and fill in from front to back in a stair step pattern to better see how each plank needs to be formed at the same time matching up the but joints.  So here is where I left off.  Please let me know if my approach is flawed, ok or something else.  It’s ok to through hard balls too   
 
In the end this will all be painted so in the big scheme of things it does not matter all that much other then I am trying to do it right and it is a means to me becoming a better builder.

And another small step forward.
 
The hatch has been fitted. You can also see the alignment runners on its underside. These align the hatch cover on the rails.
 
Russ

Hi Everybody... did a little model work before I went to work... finished the sole between the bulkhead and the live well... added 1st coat of grey, then added a stringer on the bulkhead to start the cabin floor. now that I know where the bulkhead/sole meet i can add a companion way and finish the bulkhead.