Elia

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 54 – Treenailing, steps, water tank plinth
 
The first picture shows the treenailing of the ceiling planking on the port side in progress.
 

 
Treenails have been glued in and clipped off on the center to right side of the picture.  To the left, holes have been drilled and are waiting for nails.  The next picture was taken later around the midship area.
 

 
In this picture the nails have been filed off flush and the planking finish sanded and polished up with some steel wool.  The iron blunts at the butts are more pronounced.  The step of the main mast is in position but has not been permanently fixed.  It still needs assembly bolts.  The next picture shows more of the port side ceiling and both forward mast steps.
 

 
I had to catch up on some drafting in order to move forward with the permanent fixing of the steps.  I had not yet detailed some additional hold members.  The next picture shows some of the additional members required in the midship area.
 

 
Some of the pillars in this area are located outside of the openings for the main hatch, the mast partners and the two large square tanks that stored fresh water.  These off-center pillars will be installed on the long base members shown loose in the above photo.  The next picture shows the beginning of construction of the plinth that will support the water tanks.
 

 
These two iron tanks rested on the keelson and are about 6 feet wide, so additional supports were needed on either side.  These are being built up as a solid base of 8” x 8” members.  The first layer of these is shown in the above picture.  The next picture shows this first layer being leveled off on the port side.
 

 
The lower members were shaped to match the hull curvature, but the final structure needs to be flat at the top.  The next picture shows the completed plinth.
 

 
The top of this substantial base has been fitted with 6” x 6” dunnage beams.  The two flat-bottomed iron tanks will rest on these.  The aft tank is 6000 gallons and extends up to just below the main deck, a height of about 20 feet.  The smaller 2000 gallon tank is 12 feet high with its top just under the middle deck.  I don’t know why these were so tall.  I would have thought shorter tanks with a larger footprint in the hold would be better for stability, but the source is reliable.  These were usually round, but Webb installed square tanks in Challenge and that was the basis for this design.  I assumed no change would be made in the short interval between Challenge and YA.
 
The pillar support members seen in this picture have not yet been shaped or installed.  There will be three pairs of pillars on the forward set and two pairs on the set astride the tanks.
 
The last picture shows the final installation of the foremast step.
 

 
After gluing the assembly on to the keelson and the ceiling planking, holes for the bolts in the horizontal arms of the knees were drilled down through the frames.  Copper wire through-bolts were then epoxied into place.  Long bolts through the centerline of the cap were inserted into the keelson in what had been locating-pin holes.  All these bolts were iron and will be blackened before applying finish.
 
Ed

Thanks all for your kind words.
 
Sometimes you run into a part and had no clue that it would be that hard to make. The quarterdeck transom is such a part, looking rather unexciting. One redo and the better part of a couple of days work went into it. I had expected the counter timbers to be trickier but after watching Mark doing his Belona's counter with the help of a jig, I constructed a small jig that saved a lot of head aches. The mortises on the wing transom I had made light-years ago had to come off as the spacing was all wrong. Where would a shipwright be without his bottle of isopropyl
 

 

 

 

 
Remco

Popjack - like you I noticed the internal stropping of the blocks. I decided to try drilling holes for the hooks and eyes that needed to be added to blocks.  I used a #74 drill (or thereabouts) with a pinvise and CAed the hardware into the block.  I have been able to do this with all the sizes of blocks included in the kit.  I am using 24 gauge galvanized steel wire at the moment although some of my early attempts used the brass wire included with the kit.
 
After getting the hooks on the blocks and hanging them on their eye (or bail or whatever) they kept annoying me by falling off with almost no provocation from me so I decided it was time to mouse them.  My first attempts were  pretty clumpy looking but I kept at it until I liked the look.  I used Coats and Clark cotton-poly blend thread and took the strands apart to get a single filament line to use for mousing.  I think my later results look pretty good.  Here is a photo of the foremast top with several blocks moused in view.  (If you don't want me to clutter your log with photos, let me know and I'll pull this one.)
 

 
I think I had the mousing process documented in the MSW1 log, I'll have to add it to the new version if I find I haven't done it already.
 
Bob

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

WELLLLLL, I have uttered some unkind words.
 
So, I was looking at the plans today, trying to figure out how I was going to do the rigging blocks when I got studying this particular segment:
 

 
When this caught my eye.

 
And then, I started looking at this:
 
And behold, I noticed that something was a bit different.

 
Which led quickly to the famous "expletive deleted,"  Note that the band below the "coupling band" is missing.  I completely overlooked it.  (It isn't on the main mast, which I did first).  Not only is it a band, but it has a hoop and two "eyes" in it!
 
Since there are pins running all the way through the mast and glue and such, I decided to make a ring an bend around the mast.  I just didn't think I'd be able to take it apart without destroying the mast.  Although I know its only wood and some wire, I just didn't want to do that again.
 

 
I knew that I wouldn't be able to solder it on, but I put the overlap in so that I could drill through the overlap and have the "pin" hold it closed and tight.
 

 
I made all new parts and go this:
 

 
After making the missing parts, drilling, painting, making the parts and everything, it came out in the "there will be ropes all over it anyway" category.  Honestly, it isn't perfect and there is a seam that is unsightly.   But I can live with it!
 

So now it’s time to attach the chain plates and deadeyes.   To do that, I will need sixteen 1/8” (about 3mm) deadeyes.  Yes, I could buy them but where’s the fun in that?  Some time ago I remember seeing a jig a forum member had made to make deadeyes.  So working from memory this is my, I think, third jig.  You don’t want to see the first two. 
 
First on a .005” brass strip I used for a template, I drew a 1/8” diameter circle and located three .020” holes.  My second try looked OK.  I had a scrap of hard wood, (I don’t know woods but I think it is rosewood.) 1/16” thick, I drilled a tight fit 1/8” hole in it to hold the deadeye while drilling the lanyard holes.  All this was mounted to a piece of scrap wood.
 
The first wood I tried for the deadeyes was too soft and fell apart after drilling.  So I turned a piece of straight grained walnut (I do know some woods) before my lathe quit, to 1/8” and it worked fine.    Being held together by a single screw you drop in the blank, pivot the holder over the base and drill one hole.  Then, I found out the hard way, put a pin in that first hole to hold the deadeye in place as you drill the other two holes. 
 
That’s it, and now I have to do it again.  I need four .09” diameter deadeyes.  Oh well.
 
Bob
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ed on the contrary not confusing at all. I find that your explanations to be most educational. great pictures as well, and the finished work speaks for itself.
 
Michael

Thanks for the kind words.
 
Maury, I had to make the door a bit longer, but now you're mentioning it, I probably better put the extension above the door. It does look a bit strange now. I fear taking the door out will damage the pantry, let me think about that.
 
Fleas Druxey? I thought I was a step ahead of you by adding the palliasses and now your starting about fleas. Boy where does this end.....
 
Work moved to the outside of the hull. The knee of the head (made 1,5 years back) is now permanently fitted as I had to add the iron plates to the bottom of the hull.
 

 
I glued them temporarily in place to draw the outlines and then used a chisel to remove the wood so it fits flush to the hull. I'll remove them to prevent any damage to the plates.
 

 

 

 
This concludes TFFM Vol 1, a bit of a milestone, this took me 4,5 years to complete and still two volumes to go......... I hope everybody is patient enough to bear with me till the end (and throwing challenges at me will make the journey longer..)
 
Remco
 
 
 
 

Added a bed and a closet for one of the cabins. The palliasse, a straw filled matras, was made from sculpey. I found a picture on the internet and made one like it.
 

 

 

 

 
The pantry was made using the same technique as the sail room
 

 
Remco

I was never happy with Mr. Crispy Toes so I have made two new crew members.  Small items, like the head and feet, were added after the torso was baked and then epoxied in place.  The captain has prohibitted drinking in bed so I have my sailor sleeping with his hands behind his head.  His buddy up top is holding a mug of ale.
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 51 – Port side ceiling continued
 
It has been about a week since the last post.  Seems longer.  Work has been progressing, but most of it is similar to work covered in earlier posts, so there has not been much of interest to add.  The first picture shows the bilge ceiling being installed under the lower deck clamp aft on the port side.
 

 
At this stage all of the iron strapping is in place on both sides, so now it’s a matter of keeping it undamaged until it is covered by the various internal planking and clamps.  The next picture shows some of the lower strakes of the thick bilge ceiling being installed.
 

 
A fair amount of clamping is required to pull these 8” x 8” timbers into place and hold them there while the glue dries.  The deck clamps have been extended concurrently with work on the ceiling.  This can be seen in the next picture, which shows the current state of the model.
 

 
Below is another view showing the open areas in the bilge ceiling.  Later, nine frames in each of these sections and an aft section will be removed up to the height of the middle deck clamps.
 

 
The entire bilge ceiling is complete in this picture.  The thinner floor ceiling planking has not yet begun on the port side.  The next picture shows a closer view of the central view port area.
 

 
All of the bilge ceiling has been leveled out and given a preliminary sanding to allow the remaining iron (copper wire)  bolts to be installed.  All of the bolts have been installed in the completed deck clamps.
 
The last picture shows the starboard lower hull. 
 

 
In this picture the protruding bolts installed thus far have been filed and sanded off.  There are many more to install as the inside work continues.  The bolts are relatively invisible at this stage but will be much more prominent when etched black. 
 
The next step is to plank the floor area on the port side.
 
Ed
 

Because of the server issue I went back and checked all of the photos in the build log.  It was necessary to repost  about a dozen pictures.
 
I have made and installed the hammock battens.  These are pieces of tooth shaped wood that attach to the beams just under the carlings.  Their function is to provide a hook to secure the hammocks.  I first made several strips of wood the correct dimension (2" x 3") and glued them together.  I set the height of the blade on the table saw to the depth of the notch and sawed all of the strips simultaneously.  The distance between the teeth is 12".  The piece was then put into a bottle of isopropanol and the individual pieces separated from each other after several minutes.  The interior and exterior edges were rounded off with files.  The nails attaching the batten to the beam were simulated with an awl highlighted with pencil.  I decided to only place these on the starboard side since I have not yet decided how much decking I will install on the port side.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I have also finished the upper row of planks for the aft bulkheads.  They now extend to just below the beams.
 

 
 

So now it’s time for the hawse holes and hawse pipes. 
 
One of the old pictures is looking straight down the hawse holes and it is taken from the top of the sampson post.  I placed a yolk at the sampson post location and used it to guide the drill.  I enlarged the holes to accept a brass tube 9” scale diameter.  After flaring the outside, the tube was cut to length and an oval washer soldered to the inside.  The last two photos show the bow sprit temporarily in place.  I have to admit there was a problem the old picture was of the Lettie after the fore deck was raised.  But my model has the fore deck lowered.  So I drilled the hole in the wrong place and had to raise it to put it into the correct location.  All good now. 
 
Next the chain plates.
 
Bob
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hi everyone,
 
A little more progress. I used the jig to shape the quarterdeck transom, by gluing sandpaper on the upper surface of the jig to fair the transom to it. I also fitted three clamps to hold the transom in place while I marked the dovetails with the vertical counter timbers. The first photo shows the transom before dovetailing, set forward from the aft face of the counter timbers so the frames for the lights can fit flush between the vertical timbers. The original Bellona model shows this offset between counter timber and transom, and it  took me sometime to figure out; perhaps I'll do a drawing later to show this.
 
The second photo shows the counter timbers dovetailed into the quarterdeck transom. I only have to make the upper counter moulding, fair the faces of the counter timbers, and it is time to glue up! That will be another month at my current rate....
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
Quick update. I roughed in the helm port, which will be refined in size once I have a rudder to check against it. Getting this port shaped meant I could finally fit the center counter timber, which mortised into it. I don't know if this is the right joint here, but it made sense when I looked at it all. All pieces are now shaped and fitted. Time to cut the dovetails at the tops of the counter timbers, and fit the quarterdeck transom....
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
A quick update on the Bellona's stern. I don't get much time in the shop these days, so it is going very slowly.
 
Fitting the counter timbers is trickier than I ever would have imagined. The counters round back and up, and the vertical timbers taper to point some distance above the hull. But not all taper. The ones on either side of the stern post are vertical; and the ones on the outboard side of the gunports are vertical alongside the gunport and then crank to align with the taper of the others above the gunport. I have shown these cranked timbers in the first photo.
 
Everything is loosely fitted right now, and not yet sanded to final fairing. I haven't yet figured out the rudder port shape, so it is just a slab sitting in the place where chocks will have to go, with a penciled in shape of the port. I may build the rudder next to see what the shape of the port will be.
 
It is pretty thin construction here. I can see why a broadside raking the stern would devastate the decks.
 
Good thing I am not in a hurry, and don't have any raking broadsides coming my way yet...
 
Mark
 
 
 

John, thanks for checking out the progress.
 
I had a chance to make a second hawser fairing, this time I used copper, definitely a better choice of material, it is much more malleable I only needed 2 annealings.
 
I am tired so just a sequence of pictures using exactly the same process as the 1/8th diameter one, I will make the smaller ones out of 1/8th copper tube.
 

 
The most work forming was done with this tool
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
The last picture is showing the difference between the 1/8th brass one and the 1/4 copper one. Also the four different tools for forming and some metal snips and file, the final polish was done with wire wool
 
 
 

 
Michael

Thanks for all the likes
 
Yes I'm definitely hooked.
 
Not wanting to clutter up Bob's Lettie build log, and needing to deal with the same basic issues of holes through the bulwark and because Bob was waiting for me to try this, I did here are my results for the holes in the cutter at least one side of the hole.
1 cut the holes then sand the angle and tubes the tubes have had the first annealing
 

 
2 the first forming using a spoon shaped modeling tool for working with sculpy (not the best)
 

 
3 after the second annealing and using some shaped steel rods, the point was trimmed with some flush cut side cutters.
 

 
4 The wood soft poplar snapped out but the wood block was still usable for forming here the end of the seel rod is almost hemispherical
 

 
5 next a slightly narrower tip followed by a third annealing
 

 
6 an even sharper tip used on the back side to flare out the tube a little more the block under it is hard Maple
 

 
7 a little polish with some steel wool
 

 
8a check with the eye laying on the cap rail above the hole that it will serve
 

 

 
So I will use this method for the rest of the holes both inside and out
 
Michael
 
 

I had a wonderful surprise this evening, I was looking through some family material looking for some information for my Brother who lives in BC when I found a letter that I had written to my mother and father in 1969 in it I was describing a boat that I was going to build, it was an interesting enough coincidence that I thought it worth sharing in this particular build log.
 
I was 21 years old at the time.
 

 
I definitely see a resemblance it has taken a while so far and it is a lot smaller than my original idea that i had completely forgotten, but it was obviously lurking there in the back of my mind somewhere.
 
Michael

Sherry, thanks for those kind words.
 
While waiting for glue to dry on the cockpit.
 

 
I worked on the Boxwood blocks for the main sheet. the block parts were stuck to the block of poplar with some double sided carpet tape.
 

 
After drilling the 1/32 holes I dropped in some brass 1/32 rod to give the blocks a bit of assurance against the shear forces of the 5/32 end mill made from a snapped off (on purpose) drill bit.
 

 
The next task was one that I did have a little concern over because I did not use a centre drill to ensure that the start did not wander. The Boxwood has such a fine grain that I felt confident that the drilling would be Ok. I used 4 rods of 1/32 brass to assemble the stack of partsI was happy that they slid down nicely.
 

 
Because the wood is quite hard and fine I did not want to sand the excess off the assembly and opted to use the trusty jewelers saw , plus the off cuts can be used later on something else. the first task was to trace the shape from the elliptical pieces to the spacers with a sharp pencil.
 

 

 

 

 
Next I will drill the centre hole through the rest of the parts at the same time as the brass parts.
 

 
To be continued.
 
Michael
 
 
 
 

Thanks for all the likes.
"It really is amazing what we can find lurking in the wood isn't it?"
 
Steve yes it happens when one is open to options.
 
Bob Had I been more conservative I would have cut a shorter piece of the end of the small log and would have also missed it.
 
Daniel, thanks.
 
Today was a good day for clamping.
 
The inside cover was glued first and now the task of adding the layers one piece at a time.
 

 
After the rest are glued up then I will shape the profile
 

 
 
Michael

Thank you all for the "likes"
 
Sailor, thanks for the compliment.
 
Denis, Thanks, I really do enjoy working with Metal, although it does have its quirks.
 
today I unclamped the strips for the cockpit cap and began to think about the next steps which led me to cut a wider strip of a slightly thinner piece measuring .259 high x .040 inches thick which will be glued to the inside first to act as a lip for the top strips which are .190 x .050 inches. I did try using a curling iron but it was a bit too big in diameter, the Admiral was at work (shhh) I ended up plugging in the soldering station dialing back the temperature to about the half way point on the dial. slowly moved it back and forth whilst applying pressure to the strip to freehand the curves. It was then clamped into the cockpit to dry.
 

 
While it was drying I cut a short 2 1/2 inch section off the 3 inch diameter log of English Boxwood  Buxus sempervirens to make some larger blocks for the boom and the main sheet the top one will be a triple and the lower a double both 8 inches in scale. after squaring it up I cut some pieces which are 3/4 x 1/8 inches by 2 1/2 inches long laying out the ovals for the blocks, it occurred to me that I would end up with a larger more useful offcut if I drew the ovals at each end of the wood.
 

 
As I was fretting the ovals out it dawned on me that there were two cleats just hidden there waiting to be found, I think seeing Doris' wood cleats must have been lurking there in my subconscious.
 

 
I was happy to make this discovery and now I will have a few cleats to shape up as well.
 
Michael
 
 
 
 

Sailor I checked out the net , what a great bunch of images for shackles.
 
Used to sail, Thanks.
 
Nils thanks, I need quite a few it seems.
 
Today I did some work on the cockpit cap, I soaked some spruce for an hour or so while I made a former to bend the wood.
 
I will be using 5 strips to create the rough form once they are prepared I will glue them together.
 
I used a sheet of 6 mm aircraft ply to make the basic shape and bolted it to a sheet of 6mm plex
 

 
The sharp corners were not easy and I think that I will need to bend up a few more strips I did these first ones cold but I will use some hot pieces for the next strips I clamped them using some drop in pegs and wedges.
 

 

 
Michael
 
 
 

Bob, Thank you for your compliment I really appreciate it.
 
Doris, thank you very much for your kindness I continue to draw some of my inspiration from the very high standards that you are setting.
 
Yesterday and today I spent most of the days working on some new shackles, I mentioned the cone cup centre, the first picture shows getting the blanks ready for necking down by machining the 60 degree bevel on both ends.
 

 
With the cone centre set in the tailstock and the blank clamped in the three jaw chuck the first step down is started in the middle of the 3/16 free machining brass blank and the form tool cuts down to the finished diameter in 2 passes the tool is prevented from running into the chuck by an adjustable stop that engages with the carriage.
 

 
The stock is removed from the three jaw and end for ended and re clamped in the three jaw without moving the cone centre, this ensures that the ends are machined to the same length (mostly)
 

 

 
the next picture shows the centre with one of the blanks after the first stage of the machining the outer ends are then shaped with the same form tool to round them off
 

 
After the second stage with the ends rounded
 

 
Next they set up on a heat sink so that both ends could be annealed prior to squashing flat.
 

 
The flattening was done with the Milling machine vice.
 

 
A pin was machined from the 1/8 hex stock threaded 2x56 and then flattened for the finger pad finally drilled and cleaned up with the wire wheel.
 
The bending was done in the same manner as the previous shackles with the round nosed pliers.
 
The next picture shows 3 slightly different sizes hung up ready for service,
 

 
Michael
 
 
 
 

Mark, It was much easier making the giant rule ;~)
 
B.E. Thank you I am glad it is useful.
 
Sailor, That sounds a lot easier said than done. I will see what I can do.
 
Earlier when I was making the bowsprit stays and creating some eyes with the shrink tube I did give the tapering some thought, and I did serve the whole area to cover the shrink tube on one of the eyes.
 
In the following picture the shrink has been served but I did not taper the strands.
 

 
The eye on the right toward the end of the bowsprit still needs to be served to cover the shrink.
 

 
One of the reasons for learning how to make the real splice is because one of the shrink eyes did come loose early on, it could be seized and only a short piece of shrink used then served and it would look Ok but it would not be as strong.
 
Michael