Elia

Good morning everyone!
 
Thanks for all of your comments and Likes.  Greatly appreciated.
 
A quick update - I’ve finally decided upon how I want to display Shadow.  In this case, (as in keeping with my preference for a minimalist approach, so as not to detract from the model itself), I’ve decided to use a plank of pine wood, polished with Tan shoe polish and three brass rods to secure the hull.
 
What do you think?
 
Cheers.
 
Patrick 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 279 – Main Yard Stuns'l Booms
 
The main yard was fitted with the two topmast studdingsail booms.  These supporedt the clews of the topmast studdingsails as well as the lower studdingsail yards that weresuspended from the ends of each when these sails were set.  The booms were 42 feet long and 8 3/8" in diameter over their center sections.  They taper to about 5 ¾" at the ends.  All the drawing dimensions are expressed in full size decimals to permit easy conversion based on scale.  The 1/72 converted sizes may be seen penciled on the drawing in the first picture.
 

 
The picture shows a finished boom and the "first trim" of the second – a squared length of Castello marked with centerlines and the two points at the ends pf the straight section.  The boom is grooved for jewel blocks at the outboard end and drilled for a lashing at the inboard end.  The inner hole was also used to fix a temporary tackle for hauling out the boom.  The next picture shows a finished boom set in the boom irons in the retracted position.
 

 
The booms were shaped by the process described in earlier posts, then polished and finished with wipe-on polyurethane as described earlier.   The next picture shows both booms lashed to jackstay stanchions at the inboard ends.
 

 
The next picture shows a close-up of a lashing.
 

 
I used untarred hemp for these and all lashings or fixings that would have been temporary.  Because of the offset of the booms from the yard centerlines and the gradual taper of the yard, the booms are actually deflected somewhat to pull them fast to the stanchion.  The last picture shows the end of the starboard boom after lashing on the two 9" jewel blocks.
 

 
The upper block handled the sheet for the topmast studding sail, the lower block the halyard for the lower stuns'l yard.  The outer iron is sized for the diameter of the boom's center section.
 
Ed

Patrick,
 
Amazing work!  The layering and nesting of tiny, fine details requires lots of time to enjoy and comprehend.  I spent quite some time catching up on this thread and little jewel of a model over the weekend.  Beautiful work.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Hi everyone
 
Thanks for your Likes and comments. Much appreciated. 
 
The foreman has taken Shadow back into the Paint Shop to have her underside repainted; especially now that her propellers, shafts, rudders and stabilisers have been fitted. Next on the schedule will be to have her waterline repainted, as well as a few other touch ups around the hull. 
 
I hope that you like these photos. 
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick
 

Hi everyone 
 
Many thanks for all of your best wishes and condolences over the loss of my Mum.  Thanks, also, to all of you who hit the Like button.  Much appreciated on all counts.
 
I thought you may be interested in these photos that I took last night of all of Shadow’s decks, tenders, jet-skis, etc laid out in the open. I’ve also added the derricks in the focsle for the jet skis and tender.  Also, if you look closely on the focsle, I’ve added six sun lounges, complete with blue cushions, for the super models in their bikinis to lay upon.
 
Thanks and and I hope you like the photos.
 
All the best, folks.
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi all
 
Thanks for all of your Likes and comments.
 
After a really sad week last week, I decided to get back to Shadow to take my mind off things.  
 
I added a bit more detail and thought I’d take some more artistic photos of Shadow.  Here goes.
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi folks!
 
Thanks for all of your Likes and comments.
 
A quick update:  Tonight, I’ve added more scatter cushions, particularly around the spa.  In addition, I’ve also added four umbrellas to protect the bathing beauties from the Sun😉.
 
Lastly, I had a bit of fun by trying to take some photos of Shadow in the shadows, (ie turning off all the lights in the room and only using the flash to highlights all the bits and bobs), so to speak.  I hope you like the following photos.
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick
 
 

Hi all
 
Thanks for all of your Likes and comments!
 
Guees what?  Shadow’s well-heeled passengers and owners can now relax on deck, especially now that I’ve added an assortment of cushions and deck chairs.  Alleluia they must be saying😂!!!
 
I hope you enjoy these latest photos.
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi everyone 
 
Thanks for all of your comments and Likes!
 
Well, it seems that Shadow’s almost nearing the end of her construction journey.  The foreman tells me that he still has a myriad of small touch ups to do, but by and large, she’s well on her way to making her entrance out of the shipyard.  So much so, that, she’s started to get all of her furniture put back onboard, including her tables, chairs, sun lounges and other assorted deck furniture.  It won’t be long, now folks...
 
I hope you like her.
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Thanks Mark, Nils and Denis for your comments and everyone else for their Likes.
 
Last night I glued Shadow’s port and starboard garage doors in place, ie in the open position, so that Shadow’s two tenders can be viewed from outside the ship.  
 
I also made two new staircases (currently these are only dry-fiited as they need adjustments) that are situated at the rear of the ship, which give passengers and crew access to the diving platform at the stern.
 
Lots more work to go, but I’m having fun all the way.
 
Have a great week, everybody!
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Hi folks
 
Just a quick update for you.  I’ve been doing more work on Shadow’s paint scheme.  She now has a black waterline and black radar domes and other little highlights.
 
Whilst there’s still more work to go, I reckon Shadow’s starting to look all ‘grown-up’.
 
Have a great week, folks!
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi folks!!!
 
I hope everyone had a great Xmas and NewYear break.

Well...she's getting there, folks.  Please see the following photos.  I'm finally getting the paint finish on Shadow's superstructure just the way I envisioned; i.e. glassy smooth, unblemished, glossy and crisp.  I know that it's hard to tell from these photos, but i reckon she's looking pretty good.
 
Also, I've worked hard to get the hull nice, smooth and glossy as well.  I gotta say, that the gold hull is starting to really pop now.
 
Have a great week!
 
Cheers  
 
Patrick

Happy New Year everyone!!!!!  
 
Firstly, my apologies for not being able to comment on many build logs lately, as I’ve not really had much time....hopefully this will change in the future. 
 
Secondly, I’m still chasing that elusive perfectly smooth and unblemished paint job on Shadow’s superstructure.  Sadly, the more I look at the close-up photos of Shadow, the more I realise that I’ve still got a lot of work to go.  Oh well......give it time and I’ll get it ‘just right’.
 
Anyhow, have a great 2018!!!!
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi Folks!
 
Thanks for all of your Likes and comments; all of which are greatly appreciated.  
 
Well, something of a milestone occurred last night...I decided to take a break from working on the internal accommodation details and devoted some time to painting the external hull and superstructure.  Nice, I thought, as I looked at Shadow with her new paint job; only to realise that she’ll need several more coats of paint (and sanding), before she looks really spiffy.  Ah well, it’s a start, at least.
 
Enjoy the rest of your weekends!
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi folks
 
Thanks for all of your comments and Likes!
 
You know, I have always wanted to try to emulate one of those “3D exploded version diagrams’ of Shadow’s decks: you know, the type of diagrams you see so often in technical drawings, etc.  
 
Well...here’s my attempt to progressively show how all of Shadow’s decks fit together, (in 3D fashion).  I’m not sure how successful I’ve been, but, here goes:
 
Have a great weekend!
 
Cheers.
 
Patrick 

Hi everyone. 
 
Many thanks for for all of your comments and Likes!
 
Well, today, I received the wonderful ‘gift’ of time.  Yep-Time to work on Shadow.  
 
As you can see from the following photos, I’ve been able to do more work on the Lower Deck’s accommodation, namely, more cabins, cabinets, cupboards, a crew’s staircase leading down into the Bilge Deck and many other details which are too small to photograph effectively. 
 
Still heaps to go, folks!
 
Cheers. 
 
Patrick

Hi Ed, not only is the 3 dimensional work of the highest calibre but looking at each photograph is also like a treatise on Descriptive Construction Drawings. It is so inspiring following along your build.
 
Michael

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 277 – Main Yard Boom Irons
 
The ironwork on the main yard continued with the fabrication and fitting of the boom irons, the supports for the topmast studdingsail booms.  The first picture shows two steps in the fabrication of the inner boom irons.
 

 
The large circular bands were first made to fit tightly in their positions on the yard.  The smaller bands were sized to be about 1" larger in diameter that the 8 ½" diameter of the boom center sections.  I used brass for the short arms between the rings – mainly because I had hard brass in that thickness.  Making these of copper would have simplified the blackening process later.  Because of the brass, these were blackened before installing on the yard, as will be seen below.
 
The next picture shows a yardarm with its banding and pieces for the end cap and strap that support the outer iron.
 

 
The straps were drilled first, then shaped as shown - in a vise with files, and then bent and clipped to the shape shown below.
 

 
The straps are secured with tight-fitting, stretched rings pressed over the ends of the yard as shown in the next picture.
 

 
The next picture shows the yard with the inner irons installed.
 

 
Only the brass-containing inner irons are black.  These were also fixed in place with a wire "bolt" – really a small wire nail in a drilled hole – riveted to hold the band on the underside of the yard.  The last items to be made were the outer irons – sometimes called "Pacific irons".  These consist of rings at the ends of bent iron bars.  The picture below shows the rings – same size as the inner rings – soldered to lengths of brass bar stock. 
 

 
The rings were fitted with a roller on the underside to ease the movement of the boom.  These were simulated by soldering a small bit of wire under each ring.  The lower assembly shows the soldering configuration before clipping off the excess.  A small round section was first filed out of the wire to help it fit to the band.  Again, making these of copper would allow the yard to be completely assembled before blackening, which would then be done using liver of sulfur solution.
 
The last picture shows the finished yard arm after blackening and installation of the outer iron.
 

 
Final assembly of the yard and finishing will be described in the next part.
 
Ed

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Outstanding Frank.  That winder mechanism, the support frame, and the blocks are terrific.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia