bhermann

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 62 – Lower deck framing continued
 
Thank you all for the comments and the likes on the last posts.  Work continues.
 
Once the deck beams are fitted, the deck framing is all about knees.  Below is a set of lodging knees that have been fitted between two beams.
 

 
Monofilament dummy bolts have been CA glued in and sliced off flush.  The knees now will be sanded to remove all trace of the CA and to round off the bottom edge.  Note in this picture the two dashed lines on the drawing running parallel to the side.  The upper line is the inside edge of the waterway.  This will cover the butting of the knees as well as the ends of the ledges.
 
In the next picture one of the generic-shaped lodging cut earlier knees is being fit.
 

 
For the lodging knees this is mainly a matter of beveling the edge to fit the frames and to adjust the fore and aft width.  The next picture shows the fit from above.
 

 
In the next picture the forward pair of lodging knees and the hanging knees under the next beam have been installed.
 

 
Fitting of the hanging knees involves quite a bit of trimming of the original cut-out shapes due to the change in hull curvature.  I suspect a bit more lofting work would have been helpful. 
 
I am following up the beam installation progressively with the carlings and ledges.  In the next picture a ledge is being marked for cutting – held by a surgical clamp.
 

 
The ledges are not rounded, so they need to be faired off to match the beams.  A small sanding block is being used in the next picture to fair off the top of all the framing.
 

 
The last picture shows the framing completed thus far.
 

 
The waterways will put a neat cap at the side on the intersection of all these deck members with the frames at the side.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 61 – Lower deck framing
 
The first picture shows the first four beams of the lower deck installed.
 

 
The beams, lodging knees, pillars and pillar knees are Castelo – representing hard pine.  The hanging knees are pear – representing oak.  Beams 2 and 3 have their bolts installed – down into the hanging knees, pillar knees and deck clamps. The off-center staggering of the pillars can be seen in this picture.  Wax finish has been applied to surfaces under the first three beams.  Two forward ledges are installed.  Beams 3 and 4 have been scored for carlings. 
 
The next pictures show the cutting of the scores.
 

 
First, centerlines were marked on each beam and the carling locations marked out from those lines.  The depths of the scores were then marked with a compass.  In the above picture a cross-grain plunge-cut is being made in the beam.  In the next picture the score is being pared out after the three plunge-cuts.
 

 
The depth is set by eye.  In the next picture a piece of carling stock is being used to check the fit.
 

 
After the beams are set and glued into position, the hanging and lodging knees are fit.  Dummy bolts in these knees are then installed using black monofilament as shown below.
 

 
A razor blade is being used to slice off the monofilament after gluing with CA.  The knees are then sanded smooth before installing. 
 
The next picture shows a pillar and its top knees being prefabricated.
 

 
These knees also receive bolts as above.  The knees at the bottom are installed on the keelson after the pillar is set.  The next picture shows beams 2,3 and 4 installed and the next one (beam S) positioned.
 

 
Note that the lodging knees are set slightly below the top face of the beams.  This allowed air circulation under the decking and the massive waterways that will cover the beam ends.  The tops of the ledges are also slightly higher than the tops of the knees – to match the beams so the decking will lie fair.  Two carlings have been installed.  Ledges will be installed between all these beams.  The staggering of the pillars is more evident in this picture.  Note that no hanging knees are installed at the frames - marked X on the port side.  Those will be removed for the view port on that side - later.
 
In the next picture pieces of bilge ceiling have been glued to the frames that will not be removed for the view port.
 

 
After bolting, these will be trimmed off flush with the fore and aft faces of the frames.  These are needed to allow hanging knees to be installed under these beams.  The three frames between these beams will be removed later between the top of the lower futtock heads and the middle deck clamp..
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 60 – Knees
 
Historical note:  It is doubtful that knees were made for Young America at the Webb shipyard.  There was enough building activity at the New York yards to generate profitable local business opportunities in the making of various components and selling them prefabricated to the shipbuilders.  Knees were one such commodity, offered for sale in oak, hard pine, hackmatack, etc. - from $2 to $10 each, or $1.50 per inch of thickness for large sizes – according to one supplier’s price sheet.  This dealer also sold floor timbers, futtocks, rough timber and plank.  The pre-made knees, in a variety of angular shapes, were probably then trimmed to final size and shape at the yard. 
 
Most of the work in this post is analogous to the work of the ship timber supplier – making a large quantity of knees that will later be fit to specific locations in the lower deck framing.
 
Patterns for representative shapes for hanging, lodging and stanchion knees were lofted from the drawings. The shapes of the central hanging knees were also lofted, but shapes toward the ends merely estimated.  The shapes were then arranged on roughly 2” x 4” pattern sheets.  These were then pasted to a 1” thick slab of wood – pear for the oak hanging knees and Castello for the hard pine lodging and stanchion knees. The hanging knee pattern is shown below.
 

 
Extra stock was left on the back of the vertical hanging knee arms to allow for fitting and beveling to the hull shape. The shapes were then cut out on the scroll saw as shown below. 
 

 
The above picture shows lodging knees being cut out. 
 
The next picture shows a hanging knee shape being checked for general fit on the bilge ceiling near midship.
 

 
Next the straight edges of the knees were cleaned up on the disk sander and then ripped off to thickness on the circular saw – shown below.
 

 
This takes two passes on the Preac saw due to its limited cutting height.  Below is a picture of some 12” thick lodging knees and some of the smaller 6” thick knees for the hold stanchions (pillars).
 

 
 Hopefully, these generic shapes will be sufficient to make the final knees.  Some, especially the hanging beams near the ends, will need considerable adjustment to fit.  The following picture illustrates the amount of modification needed on the hanging knees for the beam frame Y.
 

 
The generic starting point shape is at the top with the final hanging knees below it.  Lodging knees are a better fit to start. 
 
The last picture shows the installation of beam Y near the bow.  These first two beams have no carlings, so I could proceed with them to test the installation process.  This shows all of the knee types. 
 

 
The lodging knees are butted together – one of a number of configurations used.  There will be a ledge set into these where they butt (frame line Z) to span the breadth.  Note that the stanchion is set off the centerline.  The stanchion above will be set to the other side.  This allowed the stanchions to be through bolted vertically to resist tension as well as compressive forces between the deck beams.  The hold stanchions were secured for tension with the knees top and bottom.
 
This first beam was somewhat difficult to fit.  Finger space is limited and the angles on the hanging knee surfaces are acute and required many test fittings.  I am still working on the sequence, but so far it is 1) install the beam and bolt into clamps, 2) install dummy bolts in the knees, 3) install hanging knees, 4) install lodgers, 5) fit and install the post with the upper knees glued to it, 6) install lower post knees, 7) bolt stanchion through beam, 8) install dummy bolts in outside of frames, 9) bolt knees to the beam - a lot of steps.  Install means glue.
 
I see a lot of work ahead before the lower deck framing.
 
Ed

Some photographs ... Thanks
Dimitris
 
 

Hello , the booms and gafs are in position, except little jib boom . Some progress photos. I used a big pillow to focus on the ship.   Good night.
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 59 – Lower deck beams
 
With a marathon effort all of the monofilament bolts for the iron strapping were installed into the outside of the hull frames – except for frames that will be cut out for the view ports and for areas that will be planked over.  The lower hull was then sanded to remove all traces of the CA glue used on the bolts.
 
To relieve some of the tedium of bolting, the lower deck beams were fabricated.  I used the method developed for the Naiad beams – including the recycled Naiad template-clamp shown in the next picture.
 

 
In the picture a piece of 17” (~0.236”) thick stock is being clamped.  All of the decks on YA were rounded up 6” at midship – a simplification vs.18thC RN.  A template was lofted with this curvature and pasted to the clamp.  The clamp faces were then shaped to the curve using a disk sander.  A more elaborate process was used on Naiad.  When clamped in place as shown, a flush trim router bit with a bearing was used against the template to form the curve on the top of the beam.  The router leaves a perfectly finished surface.  The piece to the right has had a beam sawed off (described below) after rounding.  It will soon be clamped and a new top surface routed.
 
The next step after routing is shown below.
 

 
The depth of the beam is drawn on the routed blank with a compass that has its point extended to ride on the side of the piece.  The beam is then parted off near that line on the scroll saw.  A new top surface is then routed on the remaining stock.  Finally the cut off beam is passed – upside down – through the thickness sander to yield the final depth of 14” (~0.194”).  The next picture shows the set of lower deck beams, ready to be cut to length and fit into place.
 

 
The process for making rounded-up beams was covered in detail in Naiad, Volume II, including alternate methods that can be used in the absence of a router table.  Naiad’s beams were more complicated in that they were made in two pieces with tabled scarph joints.  These were simpler.
 
Setting was also simpler.  YA’s beams were all centered on every other frame joint line.  The next picture shows some of the forward beams fitted and pinned in place. 
 

 
These beams were pretty massive – 17” wide and 14” deep.  There was nothing skimpy about the construction of these ships.  The first few beams fore and aft were smaller – 15” wide.  The next picture shows the difference in width on the aft three beams.
 

 
Hard pine was used for Young America’s deck beams and many other structural components.  Also known as longleaf pine, the trees grow mainly in the southeastern United States.  The wood weighs about the same as white (or English) oak and has about 90% of its strength.  As mentioned before, I am using Castelo to simulate this species.
 
The next picture shows the beams from the main hatch aft.  The larger spacings are to clear the hatch, the water tanks and the masts.  Stout headers (aka partners/carlings) and half beams will be installed in these spaces.
 

 
The last picture shows the current state with several central beams still to be fit.
 

 
When all the beams are sized and pinned in place, centerlines will be scribed on each.  Carling locations can then be marked.  After cutting scores for the carlings, pillars and knees will need to be made before any beams can be installed.
 
Ed

I've started on the ULQ-6 radar antenna frames and after two nights of work, I have a couple of photos to show my progress. Actually, I'm a bit further along with the lower framework, but these are the latest photos.
This phase of the build is assisted by R. Landgraff (as mentioned in an earlier post) who actually worked on the final construction of these ECM units in 1968 prior to the ship's departure for WesPac. So, I'm fairly confident that his knowledge will pay off in the long run.

While I'm using my CAD file for the overall construction of these frames, I'm thinking that they could be improved upon by perhaps being produced in PE brass and designed to be a folded-over frame instead of individual pieces as my framework is currently constructed. This would also eliminate the fact that the two frames are not 100% identical and that all the members were the same width, etc.

So, when it comes time to mount these units on the conning tower, I will probably use minimal glue so that they can be replaced with a more professionally designed and constructed set in the future.

Wednesday night I got the intial painting done and begin work on the lower "Derby Hat" framework construction that will be added below the existing framework. The actual ECM gear has yet to be constructed and then added.
 
Hank

Now some updates to show. I finished the dummy gun ports on both sides and have sanded them flush to the bulkheads.
 

 
Now I could turn my attention to the spar deck gun port framing, which will get me very close to start planking. Since I am showing the open waist, I needed to add new bulkhead extensions at the ends of the forward and rear bulwarks, which do not line up with existing bulkheads. I marked these out on the tops of the gun port framing, as these will be the bases for these extensions, which will also be glued to the back of the spar deck waterway.
 

 
I then needed to make the extensions, but they are not shown on the plans directly, but they are indirectly in the shapes of the bulkheads.
 

 
I found the sheet that contained the bulkheads closest to these new locations and used them to trace the shape of these extension pieces onto some basswood strips, then cut/sanded them to shape. I used the cut out to test the shape.
 

 
I glued these in place, using a batten to hold at the right position to the rest of the extensions.
 

 
I then did some fairing of these and the neighboring extensions.
 

 
I made all four of these but so far have only added them to the starboard side. These will be used for ends of the bulwark planking and will also support the trail boards.
 
I then added the plank sheer pieces between the bulkhead extensions which will be the bottoms of the spar deck gun ports. These have not been sanded flush with the bulkheads yet. I did not have to add these between bulkheads that will not have gun ports.
 

 

 

 
I am glad there were not any gun ports at the bow because there the plank sheer needs to curve. It would have been very difficult to match the curves in these between pieces and the inner plank sheer pieces. Once these bottom frames are ready, I will add the sides of the gun ports. The tops will be the main rail when that is put on. I will have to add horizontal support pieces next to the gun ports to support the vertical gun port sides, but these will be planked over when I plank the bulwarks.
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 58 – Limber channels
 
 
Historical note: Young America, like most of her contemporaries, employed piston-type suction pumps to remove bilge water.  The reciprocating pump pistons were driven by muscle power applied to large circular crank wheels on the main deck.  Unlike the earlier chain-type pump that could only reach into a shallow sump cut into the floor timbers in the well, the suction pump could suck out water through a relatively small diameter pipe.  This pipe could extend all the way down between the floor frames to the inner face of the outboard bottom planking – in this case the garboard strake - right next to the keel.  The ability of the suction pipe to reach to the very bottom of the floor frames eliminated the need to pack the spaces between these frames – as was traditionally done to prevent stagnant water between frames and to inhibit rot in the lower timbers.  Without this packing, air could circulate between the lower timbers.  Lowering the suction point could also help keep the hold less wet.
 
Provision still had to be made to permit water to flow to the pump suction.  This was done by creating limber channels through the outboard faces of the floors.  Each frame was notched to allow water to flow to midship.  These channels were about 4” x 6” in cross section – located a few inches outside of the keel on both sides.  These channels were often – perhaps normally – fitted with chains that could be used to break blockages.  Debris could be cleared from above between frames by removing the limber boards next to the keelson.  At the ends of the ship, triangular openings under the feet of the half-frames provided passages for water into the ends of the limber channels.
 
I debated whether to include these limber channels on the model.  They will be difficult to see.  Cutting them also runs a risk of damaging the lower frames.  To be consistent with the other levels of included detail, I decide to do it.
 
In the first picture, the sides of the channels are being marked out using a compass with an extended lead, guided by the side of the point against the keel.
 

 
I imagine that in practice these notches were sawed out before the frames were assembled.  I elected to do it at this stage to help assure that the notches would run in straight lines.  The next picture shows the sides of the channels being sawed out using a veneer saw.
 

 
The veneer saw has straight (unset) teeth in a curved blade.  This turned out to be an ideal tool for this.  It is relatively easy to cut a straight line.  A small (1/32”) chisel was then used to clear the material between saw cuts.  Some different files were then used to clean up the channel.  A straight,  knife-edged file is being used in the next picture to shape the inside corners.
 

 
The next picture shows the aft end of the channel on the port side.
 

 
The channels end at the last full frames.  In this picture the half-frames aft of the channel have squared off ends that form the triangular channel mentioned above.  The next picture shows most of the channel on the port side.
 

 
The channels were formed on both sides of the keel.  I had intended to next finish the lower hull up to the lower futtock heads, but because more bolts will be needed later for the lower deck hanging knees I decided to finish only the full frames up to the floor heads at this stage.
 
This area was given a final sanding and some polishing with Scotchbrite. The bolts in this area were then blackened with liver of sulfur as shown in the next pictures.
 

 
I included this picture to give some idea of the LOS batch size and concentration.  The next picture shows some bolt heads being blackened with a brush that is only damp with solution.
 

 
Less is better.  The bolt heads turn black almost instantly from the damp brush. 
 
In the last picture wax-turpentine solution has been applied up the floor heads on one side. 
 

 
Virtually all of this first coat was absorbed into the wood. There will be more coats later.  Now back to installing bolts above the floor heads - and making deck beams.
 
Ed

Hello everyone and thanks for visiting and your like votes, it's much appreciated. It looks like everybody got caught up    
 
Continued with the gantry today and making progress.  Looks like I'm concentrating on the aft gantry, I just like to see how it looks on the boat all finished.  The torpedo will have to wait till the forward one is finished.
All these little parts are rather time consuming and challenging.  So far, things seem to be working out okay and I'm happy with the results.  I hope that the forward one goes as easy.
 
Here are a few pics to show the progress I made today, even having to take a few hours away from the shipyard to pick up my wife after se dropping off her car at the dealer in Ormond for its six month check.  She is a stickler when it comes to "her" car's upkeep, which is a good thing    And - - - she's driving back up to Pittsburgh, PA next month to help the grandson move his stuff out of the dorm for summer recess. 
 

This shows how I rigged a "Rube Goldberg" clamping arrangement to solder one of the swivel brackets for the come-along to the gantry post.  A 0.8 mm brass rod is used to keep it in line with the boom attaching bracket.
 

This pic shows both brackets soldered to the post.  I placed the swivel unit next to it to show where it'll be pinned to. 
 

This shows the gantry post with the come-along swivel unit installed.  The top cable attaching bracket is next.  It was a little tricky having to solder it so close to the top bracket but it worked out okay, see next pic 
 

While I was soldering the top bracket I thought, why not also solder the crossbeam to the post.  Then I figured, why not complete the gantry.   So, I soldered everything together on the boat.  Checking, double checking for square to the deck and holding it steady with a wooden clothe pin.  Wonders above wonders it actually came out rather well.  I'm happy    
 

Here is one shot with the gantry stuck to the deck.  The boom is laying on the deck ready to be attached as soon as I have it's bracket made and installed.
 

This is another shot of the gentry and we can see all the hardware on the post.
 

This is a shot toward to front.  Looks square to me.  The foreshortening of the lens makes the gentry look large but when seeing it on de boat it looks okay scale wise.
 
Cheers, 

Ship Modelers,
 
Next steps include installation of the bowsprit, bowsprit rigging, catheads, forward cap rails, spray rails, and ship's name. Key points include:
 
>>> Bowsprit & jibboom dry fitted
>>> Bowsprit painted & pre outfitted with rigging hardware
>>> Forestay lower deadeyes installed (to avoid access issues later)
>>> Bowsprit installed
>>> Bobstays fitted and made up (4 1/2" 15 link chain w deadeyes)
>>> Upper catheads painted & installed
>>> Forward cap rail assemble painted and installed
>>> Spray rail fitted, sanded to final shape, & painted
>>> Ship's name plates installed (later replaced w improved name plates)
 
These steps complete all outfit in the inverted position. Future posts will address completing the balance of hull and deck outfit.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Additional pictures of copper sheathing.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Next step is design and installation of copper sheathing. Key points include:
 
>>> Layout designed similar to clipper ship "Flying Fish"
>>> Copper design includes upper and lower gore strakes and a single cap row
>>> Copper sheathing 1/4" self adhesive copper tape (from Bluejacket)
>>> Plate size 1/4" x 3/4" (16" x 48") larger overlap results in scale width plates
>>> Waterline established by use of surface guage
>>> Installation guided by strips of blue painters tape
>>> Installation starts from stern post and keel working up and forward
>>> Rudder gudgens modeled with thin Bristol board
>>> Final installation sealed with wiping varnish
 
I always enjoy this portion of the build as it adds a lot of color to the model.
 
Pete Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Thanks very much Brian, Frank, Janos, Patrick, Grant, Nils, Mark, Pat, Steve, John (welcome back), Spyglass, Dale and Albert .
 
Good to see you have your Acetone problem sorted Spyglass - thanks for giving him the info Grant, I've been away on one of my extended holidays again .
 
Roughtree Rail
 
The final Rail to be fitted is the Roughtree Rail, also called the Quarter Rail. This rail is bolted to the Swivel Gun Mounts on the Quarterdeck, and also has an iron brace near it's fore end.
 
I made the fore end from a piece of wide stock, cut on the scroll saw. A much easier way than trying to bend it into shape :
 

 

 

 
  Danny

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 57 – Lower deck hooks, outer hull work
 
 
Its been awhile since the last post.  Other demands have been interrupting the work.  But some of the recent work – like drafting – is not something I usually report on.  There is still quite a lot of that to do to keep ahead of construction.
 
After dubbing off the lower deck clamps, all is ready for beam installation.  I will report on beam fabrication later, but before beam setting could commence I wanted to get the fore and aft deck hooks installed.  The first picture – taken at the bow - shows the hook below the lower deck hook installed and the lower deck hook itself being fitted. 
 

 
I lofted patterns for the deck hooks but the lower hook was hand fitted to the lowest strake of bilge ceiling.  In the next picture the first two beams have been fit and pinned into place.
 
 

 
The hooks were probably live oak and so are being modeled in pear.  The deck beams were hard pine and are being made of Castelo – like the clamps and inboard planking.
 
The next picture shows the aft lower deck hook in place and a few beams being fit.
 

 
The blue tape in this picture is trying to protect the fragile ironwork lattice at the top where no deck clamps have been installed yet.  The strapping at the bow is safely tucked under the main deck clamps.
 
The outside of the lower hull was demanding attention, as can be seen in the next picture.
 

 
The forest of protruding copper wire ends are the iron bolts securing the 8” x 8” bilge strakes on the inside.  Each bolt is also accompanied by a drop of hardened epoxy.  The first step in dealing with this is to cut off the ends as shown below.
 

 
It is dificult to clip these off flush, but making them short helps in the next step – shown below.
 

 
The wire stubs and hard epoxy are easily removed with a file, or in some areas with sandpaper.  The file works best – i.e. fastest.  When followed by sanding, virtually all traces of the epoxy are gone.   Somewhere in this process all of the missing bolts had to be installed.  Wherever these could not be drilled through from the inside, dummy bolts were installed from both sides.  These were required near the ends where drilling holes square to the frames was not possible.
 
When all of those bolts were added and cleaned up, dummy bolts for the iron lattice were installed on the outside.  Monofilament was used for these.  In the next picture one of these is being cut off flush.
 

 
These were CA glued.  They were placed along the lines of the strapping.  There are, of course, quite a few of these bolts and the work is taking some time. 
 
The current plan is to get the hull finished and waxed below the lower futtock heads before returning to the work inside.  After final sanding and just before applying wax finish to the hull frames, all of the copper bolts will be blackened.  There is still some work to do before that.
 
Ed

Here's the wale in place. I'm thinking of adding a smaller, thinner one above it in a contrasting color. Maybe a dark mahogany, or maybe painted. Thanks for looking.
 
Steve

hello, interior finishing and preparation of the keelson
 

 

 

 

 

After a long time I managed to do something for this model. Here are some pictures.

Hello everyone! Just finish the foremast boom and do a little job at foremast gaff. Have a great night. Some photos.
Dimitris.
 

Reading this makes me think that Danny has come up with an excellent list.  The thought that popped into my mind is that all these basics need to be applied in a small space and that order will be important when actually rigging the model.  I am going to add this post to my list of "Favorites"!
 
Bob

LOL - if you do order the tap and die set make sure to get both RH and LH threads - so you can make those working turnbuckles!
 
I am not at a complete standstill - in fact my mind is going 200 mph, even though the build itself is crawling.  I did manage to finish making and cutting out the templates for the sail set.  Don't know if I'll use the fisherman sail, but I have it if needed.  I may add a third reef band to the mainsail - it seems too large not to have the option.
 
The sails laid out:
 

 
and where they are going to:
 

 
A closer look at the destination.  I see the mast hoops are too thick, but I have to remember I have a few extras on the mast in case of breakage.
 

 
Still working out the details of sail construction in my mind.  I am pretty clear on drawing the hem lines, not stitching them.  I am debating on whether to fold the hems over and glue them, or to get an iron-on edge and trim that to the actual sail size.  Anyway, here are a couple of shots of where I am at the moment.
 
Bob

Dimitris -
 
She is looking really fine - lots of nice details and finishes.  I particularly like the painted scroll work around the hawse hole.  Very sharp and clean.  Looking forward to more photos.  Are the booms and gaffs up next?
 
Bob

Hi finally back building, unfortunately managed to put a 2 ½ inch splinter through the top of my palm building some decking and needed surgery etc to get it out and the hand working again.
 
 
During time off managed to undertake some research and visit the Cutty Sark at Greenwich. Interesting to note that the copper plates on the hull up to the waterline are actually flat with the nails hammered flat into the sheeting, however a lot of models are built with indentations to simulate the nails, as is the material supplied by Del Prado. Would be interested in other builder’s comments.
 

 

 
This makes sense as the smoother the hull the less resistance and why design a high speed hull and then spoil it with thousands of nail head marks.
 
 
Revisited the cabins and added the portholes and for a bit more appearance added door knobs using the small planking brads provided, locks ok and adds a bit more detail.

 
 

 
After comparing the Del Prado model with the Campbell plans decided to add the topgallant bulwark to the top of the current bulwark. Guess that this was left out to simplify build. Re drilled my current hole for the bowsprit and removed the Stem and moved it up to meet the new bowsprit position. Will fill gap where it meets the keel with some spare wood and as this will be covered with the copper sheeting
 

 
Finally bit the bullet and rebuilt the front of the deckhouse and filled in the deck gap as well, once again added portholes and door knob, (might adjust this to two half-doors as opposed to the current single but used the bits cut-off)

 
 

Hade another look and the various wooden fittings used to hold the various masts etc. together. As supplied they are big and bulky, but saves damaging when fitting, so used my disc sander to reduce them. Found that the shield around the top of the sander is just about right height above the sander disc to reduce them down to a more acceptable size. Picture shows bowsprit partially complete and the other the topgallant mask before and after

 
 
  
 
Got a bit carried away with the change in appearance so ended up rebuilding the mast tops as well, and added slots near the mast to take the various shrouds etc. as on the original these are taken around the back of the mast. Surprised as the difference to appearance that this actually made.

 
 

 
 
Whilst on the ‘improving appearance kick’ added more detail to the hatch covers, once again using the planking brads provided. Once again adds a bit more interest to the finish. However this was a a bit of a disaster as forgot that the brads were longer than the depth of the hatch covers and spend the next hour or so trying to get the hatchway off the building board into which the 32 brads had gone by about 7mm! Good thing it wasn’t the dining room table. Picture shows before and after.

 
 

 
When building the original helm box it looked somewhat bit and cumbersome and when placed on the stern did not look right. A quick study of the Campbell plans and some scrap bits of wood and version two completed. Have once again used the planking brads so that this can be nailed and glued to the deck on final assembly
 
 

 
Previously thought at revising the chains and belaying points and thought I would use the Campbell and Billing plans to give some guidance. Quick measurements from the various plans to get the correct positioning of the shrouds etc. and had difficulty getting things to work out for the main mast. Double checked all measurements taken and my conversion to the correct scale still the same problem, finally checked the measurement between the main and mizzen masts. For some reason the Del Prado hull is 20mm shorter than it should be from the measurements from the Campbell plans! Not sure why this is as impossible to build the Del Prado hull incorrectly as everything is pre-cut, so must have been part of the kitting process. This appears also to account for the difference in freeing port positions on the Del Prado model.
 
One solution would be to adjust the hull length between the two masts when the hull is being built as adding 10mm before and after one of the hull frames would be possible with the deck and bulwarks being remade as required. Another solution I have is to cut the hull into three and rebuild to the correct length, actual solution I intend to adopt is to ignore and carry on!   
 

the box came out of the closet I can't stands n' more! the deck planking bug is really getting under my skin here......how much of the gun deck is....or is not visible? what is the plank length in the molded detail? an even bigger question occurred to me.....masting. that's down the road a ways.....but I did begin to scratch the surface on it.
 

 
to get a good sense of the mast aspect, I started by cementing the sections together.
 

 
the fore and aft stands were cemented to the hull
 

 
the spar deck was cemented together
 

 
I needed to make sure that the addition of the planking would fit in the tabs of the inner hull.
 

 
after a bit of fidgeting, I managed to dry fit this together
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
all this was to see what actually can be seen of the gun deck. I didn't think of this when I did it.......but this would make a very nice diorama. I'd need to correct the joints of the sections {they're a little off}.......well worth hanging onto these parts for perhaps something in the future. so, I marked of the areas that could be fudged over with wider planking. even through the gun ports, I don't think the difference will be seen. I won't use simulated calking on these areas, I will use a ruler to scribe in the lines later.
 

 
the spar deck will be totally planked with 3 mm planking.

Another small, but tedious, step forward. The next batch of guns have been made up, mounted and rigged. I also added some more deck ringbolts. As with the prior gun batches, these were done with the kit barrels, modified Lumberyard carriage kits and blocks and rigging line from Chuck. I have one last batch of 8 guns left to do, but these will wait for a while.
 
Next up will be work on the pumps and the bitts for the main mast, as well as the remaining framing for the quarterdeck. I'm also working on the sizing of the various rigging lines, so that I can add the lines that need to be belayed before their attachment points become inaccessible because of the deck framing.
 
Bob