Wintergreen

Ed: no special paper was used, just regular bond. As it's sealed on both sides, (paint on one, white glue on the other) deterioration is unlikely.
 
Thanks to everyone for looking in and for all the 'likes'. It's very encouraging!
 
Today I installed the aft thwart and mooring timber heads, as well as the tiller. There was no indication of a tiller on the draught, so this is my own invention. I may paint the hand-hold in crimson. The tiller was carved and sanded to shape by hand, not turned.
 
At this point in the build, it is time to make a list of what remains to be done. There are ornamental carved brackets at each corner of the coach, two ensign staffs and their flags. Also, there are twelve oars to make. Stay tuned!

So, time to conclude this thread...boat and table in place finally!
 
It took some takes to get a close match on the color. First I had matched it as good as possible with these small samples you can get from the painters. That was far off when it came to reality. So four or five tries later I was very pleased with the result. AS you can see from the candle it has been in use a couple of weeks (they were so so eager to get it that they didnt care about the table not being ready   )
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Thank you for following this small build, and thanks for all the "likes" as well.
 
Til next time - Ta!

Thank You very much.  The pumps have been completed.   You can see that I decided to paint them red.  Most people leave them natural but I figured I would go all in with the painted look.   The same is true for the pump handles and bracket.  These were made of either wood or metal.   Because most folks leave these natural I figured I would paint them black and make them look like metal.  This is how they were treated on the contemporary model of Surly. 
 

 

 

 
 
All of the pieces were painted before assembly.  Then I used some heavy paper to make the reinforcing band.  Those who have these plans will also notice that I have only used one band.   Yet on the plans there are two.  I have once again seen so many variations of elm tree pumps I figured I would show it both ways.  Those building Cheerful can decide which they prefer.
 
1. transfer the 7/10/7 template lines to each side of the 3/16" square pump tube.  Carefully file the tube to an Octagon using the lines as a guide.  Drill and bore out the top of the tube to a depth of about 3/8".  Carefully use a bit that will leave the pump tube walls not too heavy.
 
2. File and shape the bracket for the handle.   The part that sits against the pump tube is tapered thinner so it fits on one facet of the octagon.  Use a slotting needle file 1/32" thin or less to file the slot in the top to a forked shape.  This will accept the handle.
 
3. Place a 1/16" x 1/16" strip in a dremel to round it off. Using an emery board this takes only a minute.  This will become your pump spout.  Drill a hole into the end before parting off a 5/64" long spout.  Glue it to the pump tube.  All pieces can be painted first.
 
4.  Using some card stock strips wrap it around the tube as shown on the plan to simulate the metal reinforcement band.  One ore two is fine.  The top band should be carefully placed so the notch in the bracket accepts it at the the right height on the tube. So measure its location from the plan.
 
5. Glue the bracket into position.
 
6.  Insert a length of 24 gauge black wire into the hole on the end of the handle.  Like an eyebolt.  Insert the end of this long wire into a pre-drilled hole in the bore of the pump tube.  Adjust the length of the wire until the other pivot-hole in the handle site in the bracket nicely.  The handle should be in the downward position to be correct.  
 
7.  Finally insert a small length of 28 gauge black wire into the bracket hole and through the handle to lock it in position.   Snip it off on both sides so it stand proud of the bracket's surface just a little bit. 
 

 

 
Now its time to start on the winch!!!

Cog: No, I use acrylic paint, so there are no issues. I still stretch the paper as if doing watercolour, though!
 
Alan: Whatever gives you the impression that I make no misteaks?
 
I repainted the decorative work to the correct length, cut the pieces out and glued them to the model. The cut edges are not an issue here, as they are hidden by mouldings top and bottom, and also overlapped at the ends.
 
The friezes installed, I then cut, shaped and painted the planksheer rails above the decorative work and glued these to the model. The coach is still removable at this point, so giving a clear field of operation.
 
Aft of the coach is another thwart with what appear to be mooring posts attached. These are next on the list.

One step forward... and two back! I decided to make the decorative barge-boards as friezes; that is to say, on paper. These will be glued on the model. I stretched the paper on a board and painted the dark background. Once dry, the design was traced down using white transfer paper. The design was then applied using a 000 sable brush and gold acrylic paint. I tried to build the paint up three-dimensionally, as the deign was too fine to carve. 
 
When complete, I cut the pieces out carefully, only to find that I'd taken the pattern off to the wrong mark and the pieces were 3/16" too long. So... time for Take Two. I have to do these over again. Onward and upward!

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 158 –Deadeye Chain Plates
 
The deadeye chains (aka chain plates) on ships of this period were iron bar forged at each end with holes to take bolts.  I made these about 1” thick and 2 ½” in width, certainly stronger than the 11” shrouds.  These could have been made by the method used in the last post for the backing plates, namely by soldering tube at the end of a plate then slicing them off.  This would involve a lot of metal sawing and a lot of material wastage on these long pieces.  Also since the lower ends of these are bolted under the backing plates the rounding of the bolt eye need not be absolutely perfect.  The first picture shows the progression followed in forming these after the copper strips were cut to approximate width.
 

 
I used a paper cutter to cut the strips then straightened out the curls by stretching the strips in a vise as was done many months ago with the iron hull strapping.  Pulling these also hardens them, though that hardness is soon lost when they are annealed under the soldering torch.  The strip at the top has been drilled for the lower bolt.  In the center piece the lower eye has been roughly shaped.  At the bottom is the finished piece with its width reduced to the 2 ½” (.035” actual).
 
Before these parts could be sized and assembled with the deadeyes, the length of each chain had to be determined.  The next picture shows the positions of the chains on both starboard main channels being set out with the aid of a string taped at the height of the top on a dummy main mast.
 

 
Notches for the chain plates were then filed out and each plate fitted as shown in the next picture.
 

 
On this channel I set the backing links first, then pinned the chain plate at the bottom, bent the angle at the lower channel as shown. The top edge of the top channel was then marked on the plate, the plate removed and then trimmed to size.  The top of each of these was then crimped with pliers to make flat fore and aft surfaces to seat the iron deadeye straps.  In the next picture one of these straps has been formed around a 16” shroud deadeye.
 

 
The copper wire was wrapped around then crimped at the bottom.  The ends were then filed off square and then flattened with pliers.  On the ship these were bolted through the tops of the chain plates just above the channel.  I entertained the idea of bolting these until confronted with the small size – too small to drill – at least for me.  The next picture shows a strap and chain plate assembly after forming the chain at its position on the fore channel and before silver soldering the pieces together.
 

 
The next picture shows the pieces being soldered using a small propane torch.
 

 
Copper phosphorus solder was used because it blackens well with the liver of sulfur that I use to blacken the copper.  After soldering, these were dropped into a Sparex® solution.  After rinsing the deadeyes were fitted into the ring as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This entire assembly was then dipped in liver of sulfur solution to blacken the copper. 
 
The next picture shows the fore channel with the lower shroud deadeyes installed. 
 

 
These are bolted (nailed) into the 6” thick wale planking with the top bolts in the uppermost wale strake.  All the chains are shown being restrained from unruly behavior by bits of masking tape.  The smaller chain plate forward of the last shroud chain will anchor the eyebolt for the standing end of the upper topsail halyard.  This lighter duty chain has no backing plate and was made from 20-gauge copper wire flattened a bit.  I may replace this with a rectangular bar – like the others but smaller.
 
 The channel capping rails will be added after the remaining chains for other rigging are fitted.  When that is done all the chain plates will be straightened. At present the soft annealed copper on these is a bit deformed from handling. The deadeyes will be aligned neatly at the top later when the ship is rigged.  The last picture shows the main channel after fitting of the six lower shroud chains.
 

 
Ed

About time I put up another update.  I've been making slow progress but have been somewhat distracted by some health issues that seem to be just about sorted now.
 
The photo that Bedford took shows her in the display case at the museum.  The spars are only temporarily placed there when I'm not working on her as they are basically nothing more than shaped sticks at the moment (well, not quite, there has been a little done).
 
I've now got the anchor made (it's roughly in its final stowed position in the photos) and have been working on the various mast bands.  They all need to soldered up (can't do that at the museum) but I have to firstly, find some time at home and secondly, wait for the effects of anaesthetic to wear off properly so that I can use soldering gear safely.  I also have the lower sheet blocks attached and their cleats fixed on deck plus the steering ropes are rigged, but not yet fixed in place.
 
As well as the soldering, I now need to make some mast hoops as I can't fit cheeks or mast bands until the hoops are over the masthead and bedded down.
 
By the way, the black 'thing' on the midships cabin is the mizzen boom crutch.  It tucks into the toe rail on each side near the tiller, so I had to get it properly fitted for size while there was nothing in the way around that area.
 
John
 

 

 

 

 

Hey John, guess where I was last weekend??
 

 
She really looks beautiful.
 
I did say I was going to have to come see it. The Shackleton exhibition was just a sideline reason for going.

Hi Niklas!
 
Looks as you're off to a good start, as previously noted.
 
From the photos, I take it that this is not your first build, right?
 
"Niklas", that sounds very Swedish to me..

The roof of the coach has been completed and installed. As this is curved, a suitable strategy for building it is needed. I considered carving it from solid, but this would be difficult to keep a consistent thickness. I decided to cooper it, that is to say, build it up as one would a barrel. 
 
The first step was to carve a form to build it on. I hollowed a piece of basswood to the appropriate radius, which in this case was 3½" full size (first photo). It was then shaped to the shape of the roof and marked out for the six planks that are nominally 1' 0" (scale) wide. These were cut and shaped with a slight bevel on each edge. They were then glued up on the form. 
 
Once complete, two 'rafters' were glued on the underside to maintain shape and integrity. A piece of fine sandpaper was rubber cemented to the form and the upper side of the roof sanded (second and third photos). The outer side edges of the roof were sanded flat, to fit the coach top edges. 
 
Following the color used on Prince Frederick's barge, I painted the roof a blueish green to imitate a verdigris copper roof. On the actual barge, the roof appears to be covered with painted canvas. I used a mix of viridian green, some white and then toned down with the addition of a touch of black. The top of the capitals on the coach were also painted this color and the roof glued in place. 
 
Next is the decorative work at the stern.

Hi Niklas!
 
Looks as you're off to a good start, as previously noted.
 
From the photos, I take it that this is not your first build, right?
 
"Niklas", that sounds very Swedish to me..

And... the coach sides and ends have been completed, the 'glass' installed and the four sides permanently assembled. After some fien adjustment, the corners came together quite nicely. For the statisticians among us, there were 53 separate parts required just for the outer surfaces of one coach side alone! Next, the coach roof.

Hi Niklas!
 
Looks as you're off to a good start, as previously noted.
 
From the photos, I take it that this is not your first build, right?
 
"Niklas", that sounds very Swedish to me..

Hi Niklas!
 
Looks as you're off to a good start, as previously noted.
 
From the photos, I take it that this is not your first build, right?
 
"Niklas", that sounds very Swedish to me..

The framing continues, though I took a little break from working on the hull to play with the little Unimat lathe a bit. I gave turning some cannon barrels a go.

Mark, Christian and Albert thank you for you comments.  Kurt, I agree.  I wish it was a little more portable.  Mine is wall-mounted.  When I was in training, these are the exact type of drill that we used to learn how to perform ear surgery.
 
A little more work got accomplished today.  The fore channel has been cut out and thinned towards the outer edge.  A rebate is cut into it for a strip of molding.  On the razor blade the profile is the second one from the right.  I wet the molding to navigate the bend in the channel and clamped it until dry.  
 

 
The chain plates are drawn in on the masking tape.  This allowed correct placement and angle of the notches in the channel.  Three knees prevent upward pull of the channel.  In the picture it looks like the channel is angled upwards.  It actually is parallel to the waterline.
 

It is time to make some of the decorative rails.  Suggested patterns for the rail profiles are given in TFFM.  I use thin dental cutting discs which are 0.009" in thickness.  They are inexpensive and readily available on EBay.  Of course, they are brittle so eye protection is a must.  I am lucky to have an old Emesco dental engine which gives me slow variable speed without any play in the handpiece.  I cut the profiles into the sharp end of a regular single edge razor blade.  On this razor blade I have four different profiles and one oops.  I have also used Exacto blades for this.  Stock which is slightly oversized is used for the moldings.  This prevents the cutter from moving too much side-to-side during the scraping process.  
 

 

 
The tuck molding is located at the junction of the hull planking and the lower counter.  This molding has an undercut on its back surface to compensate for the curve of the hull.  The profile was carried over to the outer edge of the molding.  The discoloration in the wood of the counter is bleed through from applying finish internally and (hopefully) will not be seen when the exterior finish is applied.
 

 

 
The waist rail is located just below the frieze.  I will add the extreme fore and aft pieces after the rails and quarter badge have been installed.
 

 

 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 157 –Deadeye Chain Backing Plates
 
Each of the larger channel chains is bolted to the hull through a backing plate (or preventer plate) for additional support.  These larger chains anchor the chain deadeyes for the lower shrouds and topmast backstays.  Chains supporting lighter rigging have a single bolt and no backing.  These plates are about 3’ long and about 1” thick with bolt holes at each end.  They are bent in an offset to fit over the chains.  The chain fabrication will be covered later.
 
The first step in making the numerous required plates was to solder brass tubes to the edges of a brass plate.  This fabricated piece is shown in the first picture after pickling and buffing to remove oxide.
 

 
I used wire silver solder and black paste flux for this.  The tubes were held for soldering with pins.  I used a small oxy-propane torch on the first side, then running out of O2 used a larger propane torch on the other side.  I normally use a small propane torch but in this case the large joints benefited from the extra heat.
 
The individual backing plates were then sliced off this strip in the circular saw using a screw slotting blade.  They were sliced off slightly over thickness.  In the next step the plates were filed smooth on one side, then flipped and filed to final thickness on the other.  The next picture shows this being done with the aid of a holding fixture.
 

 
The fixture has two milled slots, one slightly deeper for the first filing, the second milled to the final thickness for final sizing.  Both sides were polished with abrasive sticks.  The next picture shows plates before and after filing.
 

 
Each plate was then bent as shown in the next picture to form the offset.
 

 
Finally, the plates were pickled in acetic acid (white vinegar), given a degreasing bath (TIVA®) and submerged in a very dilute solution of Birchwood Casey® blacking.  They are shown after drying below.
 

 
Around 50 of these are required, but quite a few extras were made to account for expected attrition at each step and shape issues.. 
 
Chain fabrication and the 16” deadeye itting will be covered in the next part.
 
Ed
 

Thanks for dropping by, everyone.
 
The outer sides of the coach have been completed and gilded. The coach is only test-fitted together at present. I'm now in the process of panelling the inner sides and refining the fit of the corners of the coach. The latter needs particular care: take too much material off a corner and....
 
The door hardware has been added. The door knobs are of brass wire whose ends have been melted. If done correctly, the ends of the wire will form a small spherical ball. The 'bronze' hinges are pieces of bamboo treenail and paper, acrylic painted.

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 156 – Channel Deadeyes 2
 
The first picture shows one of the 16” (.222” actual) deadeyes with its three holes drilled.  This was done in the milling machine using a four jaw centering chuck and a calibrated rotary table.
 

 
To retrace the steps, the rotary table with the chuck was first centered in the lathe, by eye in this case.  The x-axis feed was then locked to prevent me adjusting it by mistake.  The y-axis was then moved so the drill would be off center by one-half the deadeye radius – then also locked.  The next picture shows the setup ready to receive a deadeye.
 

 
A dowel was placed in the chuck to set the deadeye height, to help level the deadeye for drilling, and to prevent me dropping deadeyes into the abyss.  This is smaller in diameter to avoid fouling the jaws.  In the next picture a deadeye has been placed and the chuck jaws tightened.
 

 
In this picture the nib left after parting in the lathe is being filed off.  This side of the deadeye was then sanded.  The other side was sanded and polished in the lathe.  The next picture shows a hole being drilled.
 

 
The holes are 1.1 times the diameter of the 5” (circumference) lanyards, in this case 5”/3.14 or 1.6” (.022” actual).  They are spaced at 120 degrees using the graduations on the rotary table.  To keep the small drill from skating on the curved deadeye face, the bit is chucked short and the hole is started with very light pressure using the Sherline® sensitive drilling attachment – an indispensable tool, shown before in these posts.   The table is then rotated 120 degrees for the next hole.  The next picture shows how this side of the deadeye was then polished using a Scotchbrite® wheel..
 

 
The next picture shows the 16” channel deadeyes just after removal from the Tung oil jar.
 

 
These were first dyed using a saturated water solution of Van Dyke® crystals.  This non-fading vegetable dye is made from black walnut husks.  As long as there are undissolved crystals in the jar, the solution is saturated and will remain at a constant maximum concentration.  I hope to use diluted solutions of this later to dye hemp rigging. 
 
Some readers will know that I am not a fan of dyes – for two reasons: most solution dyes are aniline based and will fade on exposure to light, and secondly solution dyes remain soluble after drying and therefore can smudge and run if wetted.  I have not relented.  This natural walnut dye should never fade and finishing the deadeyes with Tung oil will prevent later smudging. 
 
I considered dyeing these black using India Ink, but after comparing decided to go with the walnut, which I believe is a more realistic color.
 
I used oil diluted with 50% mineral spirits and expect 2 or 3 more dips on these before getting the desired polish.  That will consume 2 or 3 days before these are ready to be bound on the channels.  This should allow time to make the chain, bindings and preventer plates – and to prepare the channels.
 
There are other sizes to make as well.
 
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 155 – Channel Deadeyes 1
 
The next major task on the model is to fit out the channels with deadeyes, chains, bindings and backing (preventer) plates.  You may notice in these posts that some of the terminology diverges from what most of us are used to – namely British RN usage.  I am trying very hard to use 19th Century American terms, gleaned mostly from texts from the period.
 
So, the first step is to make the 16” chain deadeyes for the fore and main mast lower shrouds.  There are 24 of these required at this stage.  For dimensions of this type of rigging component, I am relying largely on James Lees book, unless other specific references can be found.  The deadeye dimensions thus used are thickness slightly larger than half the diameter and holes located at one-half the radius.
 
In the first picture, a square of boxwood has been chucked in the lathe, partially turned to the 16” (.222”) diameter, and rounded at the end.
 

 
I tried Castelo and pear for these but ultimately went with the harder European Boxwood – from a stock of slightly off-color material that I have and designate as Boxwood ‘B’.  This left a minimum of fuzz and chips on the turnings.  The cutter in the picture was rounded on both sides of the center for the 16” deadeye rounding.  The brass stop on the cross-feed lathe rails was used to set the depth of cut.  In the next picture, the rounding on three deadeyes has been cut and the cut point for the fourth located.
 

 
The deadeye thickness was set with the z-axis calibration wheel on the lathe.  After the first three deadeyes are finished and parted off, the cutter will be indexed for the next three from the fourth cut shown.  Three is about the maximum for this unsupported turning.  In the next picture the grooves for the iron bindings (strops) are being cut using another special cutter sized to fit the iron ring.
 

 
These grooves were centered and cut to depth by eye.  The next step was to sand and polish each deadeye before parting as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This was done with sanding and polishing sticks.  The polished deadeye was then parted off as shown in the next picture.
 

 
The last picture shows three parted off deadeyes.
 

 
The nibs left from the parting will be removed in the drilling step – to be described in the next post.
 
 
Ed

Thank you for your likes and comments, fiends! I'm happy that you like my work!....
 
I prepared the stern coffers:

 

 

 
 
to fix the hinges I have used these wonderful rivets 0,5x2 mm

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first of the two coach sides is now in the process of being constructed. These are built up in the same way as the fore and aft ends of the coach. As there is a slight curve to the sides, allowance is made for some flex between each of the three lights.
 
Toni: to answer your question, I'm delaying a final judgement on the degree of reflectivity of the gold until the model nears completion. Also, the photographs don't really give the effect of the actual appearance to the eye.

Thanks again for all of you who are dropping in on this log.
 
Further progress sees the completion of the gunwale and its extension aft as a moulding. The aft section of gunwale is 1½" thick, rather than ¾". You can see the step up forward of the cabin area. The moulding section was wet-formed on the plug (lowest photo), then painted and applied to the model. It has a C-curve in one plane and an S-curve in the other.
 
It was necessary to complete the gunwale before proceeding with the coach sides. I'm now cutting and fitting card pattern pieces for the coach sides.

Small update in the overall scheme of things.
 
The new rudder is ready for the metal work and some additional holes.  For example the two tiller holes are drilled but need squaring up with some file work and a couple of small holes for the eyebolts/ringbolts need drilling   All things considered and compared to the elder brother rudder, I'm happy with this.  There is one minor defect that will be hidden by the rudder coat.  And no, i"m not going to forget this bit.....
 
The opening for the pintles is shaped now like the French ones and not like the English properly. I also used boxwood from three different sheets/scraps in order to have some variation between the three slabs of wood.
 
Edit:  Actually... I'm wrong.  Both the English and the French did that same way.  The square openings are the way many kits do them.   I have much to unlearn... as well as learn.
 
For the metal work, I'm going with smaller diameter pintles and cudgoens than on the first version. the irons (straps), I'll make from the same material as before.   Also, I'm considering right now eliminating the bolts holding the irons to the rudder and hull because even though the I'm using are the tiniest I can find, as this scale they are still too large.  i believe if my measurements and eyes are to be believed they work out to having the heads 3" in diameter and standing proud at out 1.5".
 
I'll be using epoxy for securing the metal to the wood, although I need to test first and make sure that it will hold.