EdT

Your comments and the 40 likes leave me pretty speechless - so I'll just say thanks.

Micheal, I'm with you on the risks in repetitive work. I don't like it much because my mind really likes to wander. Unfortunately, there is plenty of it to be done in this work. My hat continues to be off to you on this engine. I can't wait to see a video of it running - I'm sure you feel the same. Cheers, Ed

Good to see you back, Sherry. Very nice work on the guns. Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853 Part 103 – Planking and Wales continued The work proceeds apace. Post-holiday lull and the winter weather helps. Work on the lower hull requires either some gymnastics or some other support for the model. The first picture shows the simple setup that allows the model to be tilted as needed – a very un-shipyard-like look. The wale on this side is about one-half planked in this picture. The next picture shows the wale planks converging at the lowest perimeter strake at the stern. The brass rod is the diameter of the gudgeon eyes and is being used to mark the center of the helm port by laying it on the sternpost. In the next picture a hole for the port has been roughed out. The rudder head was round and was encased at the port in a sleeve – wood or iron – to prevent ingress of water. The diameter of the rudder shaft was 16” – matching the sternpost. With the sleeve the opening will take up much of the area as yet unplanked. I decided to fill the area with a single chock as shown in the next picture. A circular opening for the sleeve and rudder head will be cut through this later. In the next picture the hole has been centered. Additional wale strakes are being added in this picture. In the next picture the final piece on the port side has been boiled and is being fitted to dry. The planks on this side are being stepped back at each frame to allow the stern area to be completed without adding more strakes on this unplanked side. Hence these last two pieces are very short – the lowest will be half the length shown. The next picture shows the final wale strake in place at the stern on the starboard side. This side will be planked down below the waterline so there are more strakes to be fitted at the stern. These will diminish down to the thickness of the common lower planking. I don’t want to use this forum to pitch the forthcoming book, but I feel that a few words are in order, since several people have asked about it. Bob Friedman of Seawatchbooks and I were both quite enthused about a book on American clipper ship modeling. We both felt this was a neglected area. However, I had some concerns about another “full framing” methodology book that would be a rehash of previous material. I was also concerned about writing a book about a large, fairly advanced structural model that would probably appeal mainly to a small slice of experienced modelers. It took some time for me to resolve these issues and decide to write the book – two books hopefully – the first on modeling the hull and the second on masting and rigging. Like the Naiad books – and unlike this build log – the books will be very heavy on methods – I like the word processes. As work on YA progressed, the processes used were both different enough and in some ways unique and this allayed some of my concerns about redundancy. However, I still wanted to reach a broader range of modelers – specifically potential or less-experienced scratchbuilders looking for a foothold and some help on methods. To this end the book will also include methods, drawings, text and pictures for construction of a smaller, simpler POB version of the model. The processes developed for this model are designed to provide a basis for advancement to fully-framed modeling using the upright, shipyard-like, methods that many of us favor. The planned volume on rigging – if we get that far – will apply to both versions. Simpler tools, fewer fancy devices and readily available materials will also be used for the POB model. To support this important content, a second, 1:96 POB model is being constructed. Until making the book decision, I have been careful to exclude this from posted pictures but that precaution is now no longer necessary so I will show one picture of the current work area with both models in progress. Although having two models in the shop has exponentially increased the clutter, the biggest problems are keeping the two scales straight and using the right drawings – and getting all the work done on schedule. Ed

Thanks, as always. Yes Allan, spring clamps must sometimes be resorted to. They don't look as nice in pictures but sometimes they are needed. Christmas is a long way off, so don't despair. I do know the feeling. Ed

Very intricate and precise work, Micheal. Very impressive. Do you intend to harden the cams and followers for wear resistance? It would be quite easy to do. Ed

Bruce, I've missed seeing your postings. Welcome back. Lightning looks great and her boats are fantastic. Very good idea to use metal for the small breakable parts - especially as we get older and lose control of our hands. Even though our cats have passed on, I wouldn't dream of rigging one of these without a case. Unfortunately, my dismantled Victory case is going to have to be enlarged for YA. I cannot discern the bullseyes. Where have you used them in place of deadeyes - and do you have a source for when the change took place. I'm also still looking for a supplier of teeny tiny chain for halyards et al. Any ideas? Ed

Great point, Mark. Knowing that the builders would have found a way to make it all fit together properly allows you to proceed with some faith - assuming of course that the underlying work is done as intended. This was certainly the case in the YA stern planking. The solution became fairly obvious - not necessarily easy - but pretty obvious. Ed

Great precision, Mark. What do you intend to cast these in? Have you thought about shrinkage? With all this accurate work, you may want to research a low shrinkage alloy. Also, if you cast these vertically in RTV you may get some swell at the bottom.- but this may not be an issue with the size of these - I assume about 2" long. If you use pewter you may want to get an alloy that has some bismuth added to reduce shrinkage. Knowing your thirst for precision..... Ed

Congratulations on the dry test. Fantastic work. Ed

Thanks, again everyone. Walter, the work you asked about was going on as I got your post, so there will be something in the next part. Thanks for the question. Ed

I agree with Druxey on option 1. Ed

Thank you, everyone for all of the comments, "likes" and New Year wishes. I am most appreciative. The work on the stern planking has been very interesting. I have worried for some time about how it would all fit together, but as the structure developed the clarity of the original design emerged. It was simple and elegant and not too hard to model - just time consuming with the one step a day process of boiling, bending, clamping, drying, gluing, pinning and then leveling. It should be finished by the next post. I should probably say a few words about the new book. Many of you have mentioned it in the past. Perhaps in the next YA post. Doris, I am happy to hear of your new job. You must not let it interfere too much with your remarkable modeling work. We would all be devastated without your posts. Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853 Part 102 – Planking and Wales continued With the announcement of the forthcoming book(s) on this model, I’ve got to keep my nose to the grindstone – giving up some of the leisure I enjoyed before making the book decision. So much to do, so little time. In the first picture the wale upper strake around the stern has been installed. All of the wale planks are 6” x 6”. This first strake transitions in thickness from the 4” common plank thickness. In the next picture the first full thickness wale plank has been fitted around the stern and is being levelled off with a file. Some of this levelling was required on all planking but especially around these curves. The planks were slightly oversized to allow for this. This wale plank borders right on the “knuckle” – a transition point in the aft hull shape. Planking below this will butt into this strake as shown in the next picture. The two strakes shown above will be pared down to half width after gluing. There are chocks between the stern timbers to allow the ends of the lower strakes to be bolted. Lacking documented practice, I have assumed that these planks would be cut into the last circumferential wale plank as shown below. This was the common practice for the ends of planks that butted into another plank where the angle would require excessive tapering of the planks. Maintaining a minimum of one-half the width and cutting into the margin plank as shown above would permit these joints to be caulked. This could not be done with a full taper on the planks. Additional planks have been added in the next picture. In this picture the surface is being sanded with 220-grit paper in preparation for treenailing. In the next picture additional strakes on either side have been boiled and clamped in place to dry. These planks do not have the extreme curvature of the circumferential planks but do curve up at the ends and twist to follow the hull shape. The last picture shows the starboard planking while the ship was uprighted for some dimensional checks – and for inspection by Christmas visitors. A lot of exterior planking remains to be done – down below the waterline on this side and a few strakes below the channels on the port side. There are about 20 strakes in the wale itself plus some diminishing strakes and common plank below that on this side. Ed

Thank you for the support for the upcoming book(s). We have a lot of work to do to get it ready by fall. Ed

Micheal, Thanks for the tutorial on drilling. I particularly appreciate the comments on indexing to locate holes. I am doing a lot of small hole drilling in wood right now on Young America's planking. Tight holes to hold the planks with pins when glued are #74 and holes for the treenails #73. There are literally thousands of these on the model. I always - always - center mark the wood with a sharp scriber and use a hand-held, pencil sized (Wecheer) rotary tool with either steel or carbide bits in a zero opening (Dremel) collet. As I write this I am fiercely knocking on wood but I have not broken either of the two bits I am using in several months. The usual cause of breakage for me is dropping the tool or whacking something with it. I believe the keys are those you mentioned - center-marking, high speed, keeping bits clear - also, a very light touch with the tool helps. I too, will be keeping a copy of your note. Thanks. Ed

Thanks, again, everyone. Elia, there are actually two photos. I don't know the dates - 1860's/70's I would guess. Snow courtesy of Paintshop Pro. Ed

A Holiday Greeting

Thank you all for your comments and continued support. Ed

Wonderful work, Alberto. Merry Christmas to you! Ed

Thank you, Nils. The clamps in this picture were either made especially for this task or modified from others. Although I have a lot of small clamps, none seemed to work well for this. The clamps are hardwood with soft jaws, to keep from damaging the softened boiled wood. As far as single planking is concerned, I am trying to duplicate the construction of the original as far as it is known, so all the frames are correctly sized as are the planks - 4" x 6" wide for the common planking, 6" x 6" for the wale. I am using maple for this planking because all will be painted and - if straight grained - it bends easily. Also, I have a tons of hard maple cutoffs from past furniture projects. Ed

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate these comments and "likes". The work around the stern is very absorbing and thus very interesting. Since that last photo the next curved piece - the transition up to the wale thickness - has been added and the last piece to go around the stern got clamped on for drying this morning - so maybe it will be in place by Christmas - busy times though. Happy holidays, everyone and thanks again. Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853 Part 101 – Planking and Wales To conveniently work on the planking below the channels, the hull was inverted as shown in the first picture The toptimbers are no longer as vulnerable with the planking installed up to the top so there is minimal risk of damage. I still use carpet padding as a precaution and have tied the hull down to keep from pushing it off the bench. The next picture shows some of the planking installed at the bow. The hull is marked with pencil lines to show the extent of the wale and the load waterline. I have highlighted the lower edge of the wale in red and the lwl in blue. The wale is 6” thick and there are roughly 20 strakes of 6” wide planks from top to bottom. The top strake transitions from the 4” common to the 6” wale planking two strakes below the lower channels. That break in thickness can be seen in these pictures. The next picture is a close-up of the “hooding ends.” The wale planks are pared down to match the depth of the rabbet. The treenails are hard bamboo (old garden stakes) – very hard and very dark. The grain flecks and the color variation in the maple planks is a bit distracting, but all of this planking will be painted. The planking around the stern was done concurrently with that shown above. In the next picture the second strake below the planksheer rail has been curved and is clamped to dry. Each of these is boiled for over an hour, clamped as shown below and left overnight to dry. It can then be glued with a similar clamping arrangement. This is really a one-step-per-day process. The last picture shows the three strakes below the rail – levelled off but not yet finish sanded. The next strake will be the transition strake to the wale thickness. There may be one more circumferential strake - at the "knuckle" - but the planks below will butt into the last of these. The ends of the the planks below will bolt into the supporting chocks between the stern timbers. The chock around the helm port has not yet been fitted. Space is left for the main rail. The area between this and the lower rail will be decorated with a bas-relief eagle and some s-curved vines. The words “Young America” then “New York” will be lettered below the lower rail on these lower three planks.. Ed

Thank you all for the comments and likes. They are brightening up the so far dreary winter. I appreciate the comments on the lines of the hull. They are so gracefully and slightly curved - without any breaks or interrupting appendages that the slightest deviations show up - usually when its too late to fix them. the planking is proceeding. Will have some pics soon. Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853 Part 100 – Rails and bulwark continued Work continued this week on the topside rails, planking and channels. The first picture shows the forward starboard upper channel being installed. These are 6” thick. Note that the main rail sections are missing in this photo – being only temporarily fitted at this stage. In the next picture the mizzen and main lower channels have been installed. Note that – unlike the uppers - these are “streamlined” at the ends. I believe these lower channels spent a good deal of time in the water. The main rail sections are positioned only in this picture. The stack of planks on the deck are destined for the starboard side down to the wale. In the next picture the entranceway has been cut into the upper strakes. The last section of topside planking is being glued in the next picture – held by pins and a couple of screw clamps. The next picture shows the topside planking completed – except for treenails. The toptimbers have been cut off flush. The next picture shows the run of planking from almost directly forward. Planking of the starboard side down to below the waterline is next on the agenda. This will take some time with the narrow planks used on these ships. The model will be inverted to make this work possible around the stern. Planking on the port side will go just a few strakes below the lower channels – leaving the framing on that side open below that height. Ed