kruginmi

Hi Mark,
I saw your comments over on Steve's build and had to take a peek at yours...I'll follow with interest.  Excellent workmanship
THX
J

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

Quick update with an hour in the shipyard tonight.  The rudder just kept nagging at me, that I was settling.  The bottom line is that I did not have walnut of the width necessary to build the rudder from scratch.  Then it hit me, why replace the whole rudder?  How bad would it look to laminate boards onto a core?  Only one way to find out - try it out.
 
I sanded the existing rudder to a little under a 1/2 of its original width.  This accounted for two 1/16" laminates plus a little more to make it more pleasing to my eye.  I did this with the spindle sander taking a 1/4 off each side to keep the tiller arm centered.  Then using the pattern showed earlier I added the faux planks to each side.  After some sanding and....
 

 
I am pleasantly surprised that even the edge on look doesn't appear too bad.  I am satisfied now.  Now for silver soldering some rudder hanging hardware.
 
mark

Quick update with an hour in the shipyard tonight.  The rudder just kept nagging at me, that I was settling.  The bottom line is that I did not have walnut of the width necessary to build the rudder from scratch.  Then it hit me, why replace the whole rudder?  How bad would it look to laminate boards onto a core?  Only one way to find out - try it out.
 
I sanded the existing rudder to a little under a 1/2 of its original width.  This accounted for two 1/16" laminates plus a little more to make it more pleasing to my eye.  I did this with the spindle sander taking a 1/4 off each side to keep the tiller arm centered.  Then using the pattern showed earlier I added the faux planks to each side.  After some sanding and....
 

 
I am pleasantly surprised that even the edge on look doesn't appear too bad.  I am satisfied now.  Now for silver soldering some rudder hanging hardware.
 
mark

Steve, keep the pics coming!  I like your decision on tarring the end knots.  Really makes the ratlines pop.  Something I need to file away for my own use sometime.
 
Just to be above board, I have been recently thinking about a deck house for my Lady Anne and I think I have found it in your build.  Permission for a little artistic pull into my build?
 
Mark

I've got the port side ratlines done. I put in some photos to detail the process. They show ideas I've "relocated" from other builders on this fine site. "Relocated," by the way, is a term we use in education to mean purloined.
 
The first shot shows the thin line I used for the ratlines. The kinked strand in the bottom of the photo is how the line came off the spool. The straight line above it is after heating it by running it around my bending iron for a few seconds. It straightened it right out. Be careful of using too much heat, though, if your line is nylon--it can partially melt and stiffen up. This makes it hard to tie knots.
 
The second shot is of the jig I made to make sure I spaced the ratlines out evenly. I succeeded for about a third of the way up the shrouds and then got curious to see how it looked without the jig, pulled it off, and neglected to put it back on to finish the job. So I've got rather free-form ratlines on the port side.
 
I read up on a thread about whether or not the ratlines were tarred. It was a very interesting read, but I learned that the answer isn't a clear-cut yes or no. Some said tarred, some said not, some said partially, etc. So, I "tarred" the outer knots with black paint where the ratlines tie into the outer shrouds. I pity all of you who build big, many-masted ships. Those rats are hard to get even!
 
Finally, I've been thinking about a stand for the Shenandoah. I wanted something very simple. The last photos are of what I came up with. They are still bare wood. I'm going to peg them to a larger flat display base later. They might be a little bulky and might look better a bit thinner. I'll live with them a few days and make that call later.
 
Thanks for reading!
 
Steve

Proof of life... it ain't dead yet...
 
The main wale needs sanding as does the next stake down (up in the photo) but I'll hold off until I get more strakes done towards the keel.
 
Planking on the "gun port stripe" (such that it is) is done.   I'm still sanding and need to finish opening all the ports and get them shaped.
 
The bottom photo shows in blue what will be ebony..
 

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

Another update in the evolution of the Druid-X, this time focusing on the garboard and limber strakes.  
 
For the limber strakes I am still using the thickstuff stock (1/8").  These require a slot to allow the limber boards to fit in between this and the keelson.  Using the Byrnes saw I quickly had my raw stock.
 

 
Using a spacer piece of wood to insure consistent separation from the keelson I glued in both limber strakes.
 

 
Everything ended up looking fit and proper.  A good result.
 
As a companion it was time to put on the first regular planks on the hull (1/16").  The natural choice was the garboard strake - and in fact I did one better, the garboard strake plus one each side.  These were again cut rectangular with no specific shaping.  The rest of the planking will be custom fit and cut.
 

 
The ends of the planks aren't perfectly flush with the aft and fore frames.  I am resisting the urge to sand them into all the outside and inside planks are attached to avoid screwing up the face of the frames - as much.
 
Next up is the middle stuff (my term - hah hah).  Some 3/32" stuff that abuts a lot of the thickstuff prior to the regular planking.  I also want to get the berth deck clamp in.  It wont be too long before the lower hold is sealed in.
 
Mark

Thanks for all the likes and looks.
 
While the wind howls outside and the temp reads below zero I set my sights on getting the middle stuff (my term) set in the lower hold.  This is 3/32" basswood strips primarily on either side of the thickstuff (1/8" basswood).  Finally I can call it good.
 

 
Next up is the regular planking (1/16" basswood).  It shouldn't take too long.
 
When I started this process of the internal planking I thought the big question was going to be whether to plank up from the keelson or down from the berth deck clamp.  The reality was a bunch of jumping around to set the thickstuff and now I am left with the filler.  A lot more respect for trying to accurately plank the internal hull of a complete hull, regardless of scale!
 
Mark

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

Thanks for all the likes and looks.
 
While the wind howls outside and the temp reads below zero I set my sights on getting the middle stuff (my term) set in the lower hold.  This is 3/32" basswood strips primarily on either side of the thickstuff (1/8" basswood).  Finally I can call it good.
 

 
Next up is the regular planking (1/16" basswood).  It shouldn't take too long.
 
When I started this process of the internal planking I thought the big question was going to be whether to plank up from the keelson or down from the berth deck clamp.  The reality was a bunch of jumping around to set the thickstuff and now I am left with the filler.  A lot more respect for trying to accurately plank the internal hull of a complete hull, regardless of scale!
 
Mark

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

I am not the expert on these things, but my research has shown what I have done is consistent with 'most' larger ships.  I do believe a small notch is sometimes present through the frames at the very bottom (close to the external planks) but given the accessibility and lack of regular maintenance that would probably plug pretty quickly with debris.  With all this work on structure and strength they probably need to keep the frames intact at this point.
 
The limber boards will go into the limber strake slot and lean up against the keel providing a passage to allow any water that can travel to to the center hull where the elm pumps are located (these will be located in this cross section).  On top of this will be all the ballast and cargo (thus the limited accessibility).
 
You also have the space between the keelson and keel which would allow water to flow from port to starboard.  Higher up, between the berth and gun decks will be a ventilation space where a gap in the internal planks will be present, exposing the frames.  This is for the evaporation and drying out of the lower frame areas.
 
This build is a learning exercise just for questions like that for me so I appreciate the query.  Anybody else able to add to the discussion?
 
Mark

Onto the thickstuff.  I have learned over and over that reading and studying only take you so far - it is the creation of an accurate 3D model that really brings things to life.  And this was reinforced again here.
 
I had never really associated the thickstuff planks with anything other than longitudinal support.  As I once again read over the available material it finally clicked:  The thickstuff planks correspond with the futtock joins of the frames.  This had escaped me primarily because half of these joins were never visible being on the other side of the frame.  It makes perfect sense and brings additional order.
 

 
Now I understand the ramifications of how I defined the frame joins at the beginning.  At first glance I would say my frames have their opposing joins too close.  However, I will invoke my American made cargo ship edict which lets me bypass all normal building standards.  I have learned something I did not know before.
 
The hull is at its widest near the forward part of this cross section and slightly reduced near the aft.  I decided not to reflect this change in the thickstuff planks themselves, keeping them straight and rectangular.  
 
The lines penciled on the internal hull represent the berth and gun deck locations.  Next up is the limber and garboard strakes.
 
Stay Building my Friends,
mark

Final push to get the lower hold planks in place - the 1/16" basswood ones.  I couldn't leave it so close to getting buttoned up so I spent most of the day going back and forth.  The old:  cut, glue and clamp two planks (one each side), wait to dry, remove and do the next two.  Pretty straight forward stuff.  I opted to only use planks that traversed the whole cross section.  There will be so much stuff down here (eventually) I didn't think anyone would be able to notice any different later.
 
So yet another couple of shots showing the hold:
 

 
No smooth surface going up the walls here.  I realize it would be pretty easy to climb up the walls without any further assist.  Still some tidying up to do here and there.
 

 
Making that mast footing is going to take some time, but that is for another day.  Probably need to make some berth deck beams, if not orlop ones to start figuring out bulkheads and the well.  The cross section definitely feels pretty solid now!
 
Mark
 
 

I am not the expert on these things, but my research has shown what I have done is consistent with 'most' larger ships.  I do believe a small notch is sometimes present through the frames at the very bottom (close to the external planks) but given the accessibility and lack of regular maintenance that would probably plug pretty quickly with debris.  With all this work on structure and strength they probably need to keep the frames intact at this point.
 
The limber boards will go into the limber strake slot and lean up against the keel providing a passage to allow any water that can travel to to the center hull where the elm pumps are located (these will be located in this cross section).  On top of this will be all the ballast and cargo (thus the limited accessibility).
 
You also have the space between the keelson and keel which would allow water to flow from port to starboard.  Higher up, between the berth and gun decks will be a ventilation space where a gap in the internal planks will be present, exposing the frames.  This is for the evaporation and drying out of the lower frame areas.
 
This build is a learning exercise just for questions like that for me so I appreciate the query.  Anybody else able to add to the discussion?
 
Mark

Another update in the evolution of the Druid-X, this time focusing on the garboard and limber strakes.  
 
For the limber strakes I am still using the thickstuff stock (1/8").  These require a slot to allow the limber boards to fit in between this and the keelson.  Using the Byrnes saw I quickly had my raw stock.
 

 
Using a spacer piece of wood to insure consistent separation from the keelson I glued in both limber strakes.
 

 
Everything ended up looking fit and proper.  A good result.
 
As a companion it was time to put on the first regular planks on the hull (1/16").  The natural choice was the garboard strake - and in fact I did one better, the garboard strake plus one each side.  These were again cut rectangular with no specific shaping.  The rest of the planking will be custom fit and cut.
 

 
The ends of the planks aren't perfectly flush with the aft and fore frames.  I am resisting the urge to sand them into all the outside and inside planks are attached to avoid screwing up the face of the frames - as much.
 
Next up is the middle stuff (my term - hah hah).  Some 3/32" stuff that abuts a lot of the thickstuff prior to the regular planking.  I also want to get the berth deck clamp in.  It wont be too long before the lower hold is sealed in.
 
Mark

Onto the thickstuff.  I have learned over and over that reading and studying only take you so far - it is the creation of an accurate 3D model that really brings things to life.  And this was reinforced again here.
 
I had never really associated the thickstuff planks with anything other than longitudinal support.  As I once again read over the available material it finally clicked:  The thickstuff planks correspond with the futtock joins of the frames.  This had escaped me primarily because half of these joins were never visible being on the other side of the frame.  It makes perfect sense and brings additional order.
 

 
Now I understand the ramifications of how I defined the frame joins at the beginning.  At first glance I would say my frames have their opposing joins too close.  However, I will invoke my American made cargo ship edict which lets me bypass all normal building standards.  I have learned something I did not know before.
 
The hull is at its widest near the forward part of this cross section and slightly reduced near the aft.  I decided not to reflect this change in the thickstuff planks themselves, keeping them straight and rectangular.  
 
The lines penciled on the internal hull represent the berth and gun deck locations.  Next up is the limber and garboard strakes.
 
Stay Building my Friends,
mark

The task for the day was a Keel Rabbet.  The difference for me is that this rabbet is more than for looks.  I actually need a garboard strake to fit into the rabbet and given the cross section you get to view the results on two ends.
 
So....off I went.  I did drill through the keel, the frames and partway through the keelson at each frame.  Four of these holes where then drilled through the false keel.  Adding trunnels through the whole assembly made it very stiff.
 

 

 

 
I am pretty happy with the results.  Now I get to start working on stuff that will for the most part be seen!
 
mark

I really like that presentation.  Great job!
 
mark

Thanks for all the likes and looks.
 
While the wind howls outside and the temp reads below zero I set my sights on getting the middle stuff (my term) set in the lower hold.  This is 3/32" basswood strips primarily on either side of the thickstuff (1/8" basswood).  Finally I can call it good.
 

 
Next up is the regular planking (1/16" basswood).  It shouldn't take too long.
 
When I started this process of the internal planking I thought the big question was going to be whether to plank up from the keelson or down from the berth deck clamp.  The reality was a bunch of jumping around to set the thickstuff and now I am left with the filler.  A lot more respect for trying to accurately plank the internal hull of a complete hull, regardless of scale!
 
Mark

Mark I like your build it look great.  But I have a question.  I have to admit I only build small boats and am not familiar with the construction of the large square riggers.  In the small boats the limber hole is cut in the outside of the frame next to the keel so that water is not trapped between frames when bailing.  I noticed on the Druid build the limber strake is above the frames and water could be trapped between the frames.  Was this common on all of the large ships?
 
Bob

Thanks for all the likes and looks.
 
While the wind howls outside and the temp reads below zero I set my sights on getting the middle stuff (my term) set in the lower hold.  This is 3/32" basswood strips primarily on either side of the thickstuff (1/8" basswood).  Finally I can call it good.
 

 
Next up is the regular planking (1/16" basswood).  It shouldn't take too long.
 
When I started this process of the internal planking I thought the big question was going to be whether to plank up from the keelson or down from the berth deck clamp.  The reality was a bunch of jumping around to set the thickstuff and now I am left with the filler.  A lot more respect for trying to accurately plank the internal hull of a complete hull, regardless of scale!
 
Mark