Elia

Starting the final assembly.
 
 
 

This subject is the next in a series for a client who buys and restores old speedboats and cruisers.
It's a 1929 33 foot Baby Gar speedboat which will measure 33 inches (hopefully) when complete. I'm afraid it's all rather rough at the moment but I have reached the staining phase and with some time and a  lot of coats of varnish it might finish up ok!
 

 
Basic frames and first planking.
 

 
Plywood skin for the decks.
 

 
Mahogany outer planking.
 
How it should look when finished. A similar boat.
 

Thank you Joe, Nigel, mij and druxey. I get so little time in the shop, and the build moves so slowly. Your encouragement definitely helps to keep things moving along.
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
This weekend, I pushed along to finish the aft end of the gundeck (all but ledges). The first photo shows using a caul shaped to the fore and aft camber of the gundeck, which I used to level the beams as I glued them in place. Clamping the beams up to the caul ensured that they are all precisely level on the upper surface, where it counts.
 
I then worked on the carlings. I found an easy way to measure the angle of the end of each carling in a beam, with an angle gauge. i could then use the gauge to set the angle of the miter gauge on the sanding machine, for precise results, and flip it over to reverse the miter gauge and sand the symmetrically opposite carling in the same bay. Systematically working aft and from outboard to the center, I got them all done in a day. I still need to cut mortises for ledges in the carlings before they can be glued. I got progressively better at this as I worked along. The carling fair well fore and aft, with only one joint needing a slight adjustment from my original mortise cuts.
 
I also built the mizen mast core in anticipation of building the partners, and found an easy way to set the diameters at the 4 quarters, using a proportional divider set to two divisions. I set the long legs on the ruler for the total diameter at any point, and then used the short legs to mark off either side of the center line. It saved a lot of time.
 
I made the fore and aft standard fitting up against the wing transom and stern post. It took some fiddling to match angles and cut the slot for the wing transom. But very satisfying after all of these years to see that finishing up the aft deck. You can see on the starboard side of the aft gun deck, my first efforts at working out how a knee would finish up the deck at the rounded aft end. I have no drawings that show what this knee would look like but there has to be one to provide a landing for decking in the corner, before the decking can land on the deck transom. I can't believe that the decking would just land on the inner side of the aftmost frames with no support under it. Does anyone recall seeing a drawing of what happens here?
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

HI everyone,
 
Druxey, remco, EdT, Michael, blue ensign, spencerC, thank you for your kind comments. And many apologies for not replying sooner; work is really getting in the way of the shipyard these days! 
 
After finishing up around the main mast, I sat down one day to finish up the mortises in the beams for carlings. I was inspired by Gaetan, who advised me that doing the same thing over and over, and in a logical order, is efficient, meditative, and it improves one's skills. So I told myself I was not leaving the shop until the remaining mortises were cut. It was hours later, but very satisfying to see all of these after a number of years of looking at the deck without mortises. Gaetan was absolutely right in his advice. i processed each step on all beams, then went back to the first for the next step. It build a great rhythm.
 
I then turned my attention to the step for the main capstan. You will see in the photo of the original Admiralty drawing that this was very cryptic. How does a circle sit on the beams, and how does one plank up to the circle? I then came across a photo of the Ajax cut away model, showing the entire gun deck. It showed this step as a raised surface in a rectangular plank. After reviewing Steel, I decided that it was really a central, thicker plank, with thinner planks on either side to make up the width across the two central carlings. You can see the dotted line of the three planks in the Admiralty drawing. The projection at the front of the circle is to provide a surface for the pawls, which pivot from the fore edge of the projection and can be kicked under the capstan when wishing to stop rotation either way (another fun part to make some day).
 
I also remembered from David Antscherl's book that the top surface of the capstan step would have to be parallel to the keel, not parallel to the deck. This is because the capstan turns on an axis perpendicular to the keel, and the aft side would be higher off the deck than the fore side because the deck slopes at this point. Then it made sense that the circle would provide the surface parallel to the keel, and the remainder of the step would be flush with the decking and therefore parallel with the deck, to avoid places to trip when working the capstan. Very ingenious design, when you finally figure out what they were doing.
 
I had fun with the mill making this. First, you see the step sitting in a vise on the tilting table, having one surface milled down at 1 ½ degrees to match the difference between the deck angle and a line parallel to the keel. Then you see the rotating table, with the step mounted on top. I first used a Starrett wiggler on the central hole of the rotating table to align it with the mill spindle. Then I clamped the step on top, using a Starrett wiggler to locate the center of the step circle also under the mill spindle. I then used a mill cutter to cut a perfect circle around the edge, leaving a flat base with a raised circle at the 1 ½ degree angle. I used chisels to clean up the serpentine curve on either side at the fore end.
 
I stole the capstan from midships for the photos. I now need to build the second capstan....
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

This is an updated picture showing the sail secured to its final position.

 
Next step:
to setup the small mizzen sail:

 
The picture below shows the very first steps.

 
cheers
Stelios

Dear all,
 
The time has come to start rigging and fitting the sails. The process of trying to understand the plans it is a real fun (read:pain in the neck).
 
Anyway, this is how I ended with the main sail (it is called sakoleva). The threads are not secured yet, I need to adjust it a bit higher, in order for the mast to hang on the air, currently touching the deck.
 

 
The picture below shows how the plan depicts the position of the sail.Hopefully, I will manage to fit it it and adjust to its correct position.
Stelios
 

Finishing up the pin rails:
 
 
Here's how I revised them, so they continue around the aft post at the same height.  
 

 
 
Moving on to the mast partners, I drew an octagon with at the correct size of my masts--
 

 
 
And milled the center out, a little smaller than the drawn octagon.  Notice the wood is at an angle to account for the mast rake--
 

 
 
I filed the corners of the octagon a little better, then fit the partners on the deck.   The octagons will need to be enlarged to fit the actual masts when they are made--
 

 
 
 
The aft hatch arrangement:
 
 
I finally settled on what to do with these last hatches.  It's changed from my initial idea, and I needed to do some surgery to the framing to accommodate a companionway in the second opening--
 

 
 
I glued in a ladder I had made a long time ago--
 

 
 
Some pieces cut for the companionway sides--
 

 
 
The pieces that make up the sides were glued together, and when set they were sanded flush, trimmed to the right size, and glued into a "box"--
 

 
 
Just aft of the companionway, on what's left of the coaming, I'll build a binnacle.
 
The opening forward of the companionway will be a skylight.  Here is the frame test fit--
 

 
 
And then both test fit together--
 

 
 
Ron

Continuing on with the topmast sheet bitts--
 
The main pieces are similar to the fore mast sheet bitts, but for the main mast there are some extra pin rails and posts.
 
First, the partners, and the decking are notched for the bitt posts--
 

 
 
These are dry fit--
 

 
 
The main posts, aft posts, and pin rails are shaped and partially glued.  Pins are epoxied into the ends of the side rail sub-assemblies for strength, and to make gluing easier--
 

 
 
Holes are marked and drilled in the deck for the aft posts--
 

 
 
More dry fitting--
 

 
 
Measuring for fitting the aft pin rail--
 

 
 
The aft rail is cut and glued to the side rail sub-assemblies--
 

 
 
More dry fitting--
 

 

 
 
I'm not happy with the aft pin rail.   It looks a little flimsy.  I remove it adjust the notches, and re-glue it--
 

 

 
 
This is better, but I'm not sure it's good yet.  I was going for something similar in basic concept to the mast rails on the Brig Niagara replica, where the side and aft rails are at different heights, but I'm not sure I like this.   I think I will remove the aft rail, trim it, and the side rails, and attach it so that all three are at the same height.  
 
The sheet bitt posts also need the side cleats made and attached (as on the fore mast sheet bitts), but those and the rail adjustments will have to wait for tomorrow.
 
 
Ron

Ron,
 
That is such nice clean detailing. Well done.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Sweet.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Today's project was the topmast sheet bitts.
 
Here are the basic pieces for both the fore mast (above) and the main mast (below).  Some square posts, pin rails, and the as yet unfinished mast partners
 

 
 
I began working on the fore mast bitts.  These are the simpler of the two, with only one pin rail, athwart the posts.  First I cut the notch for the pin rail--
 

 
 
And chiseled it out--
 

 
 
Here are the two posts laid on the deck.   The knees for the riding bitts need to be notched to receive the posts, and the mast partner piece will also be notched out in the corners--
 

 
 
One post is dry fit--
 

 
 
Here are the two posts and the pin rail dry fit--still a lot of work to do--
 

 
 
A sheave needs to be put into each post.   Here are the posts notched for the sheaves, which are stained pieces cut from a dowel--
 

 
 
After the sheaves are glued in, a filler piece is glued, these will be sanded down flush--
 

 
 
After sanding down the filler pieces, adding a cleat to each side, and some further chamfering and shaping, here are the fore topmast sheet bitts--
 

 
 
And dry fit on the model--
 

 

 
 
 
Ron

Thanks for all your comments!
 
Remco - There's no need to fix Fiebing's dye. It covers and penetrates beautifully and buffs to a nice finish. As a matter of fact, they recommend applying it to  wet leather.
 
Learner - I adapted my stove from Lavery's Arming and Fitting... It depicts an iron firehearth contemporary to Speedwell. Brodie stoves appeared decades later, c.1780. Here are a couple photos of the strove during construction. All brass parts were constructed over shaped plugs of holly and glued with J&B Weldbond. This creates a very strong bond and fills the joints which can then be sanded. The finish is automotive gray primer followed by automotive black.
 


 
Mark - trunnels are drilled and applied after the wales are in place. They are easily touched up using the dye on a q-tip. Kind of a wasted exercise though as they become invisible.
 
Speedwell is a nice little project at 1:48. She'll fit easily on my one remaining shelf.

It's been a few months since I've posted an update to my build log of Speedwell. All four platforms are now in place, as are the shot locker and galley stove. Besides the wales, there will be very little external planking in order not to cover those wacky, fun to make shifted and cast toptimbers.
 

The single wale was made of holly and stained with Fiebings black leather dye (off the model).
 

The two completed fore platforms
 
The very small shot lockers accommodate the three pound cannon balls
 

The very small shot lockers accommodate the three pound cannon balls
   
The galley stove was made of brass over a holly plug

Ed,
 
Stunning work. What strikes me in looking at this build is the juxtaposition of the mechanical order and details of the frame subassemblies, fastened to the keel, and the flowing, "natural" or organic loft of the hull. Those forward most cant frames really highlight this. Beautiful.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 25 – Forward Cant Frames 2
 
 
American Clipper Note:  William Webb foresaw the end of the extreme clipper craze.  He came down to the dock to see Young America off on her first voyage in 1853 and remarked to the mate, “Take good care of her Mister, because after she’s gone there will be no more like her.” (Dunbaugh)  Webb turned his yard to the future.  Young America was his last extreme.  Within the next few years  there was a glut in clipper capacity and the premium freight rates they had enjoyed dropped off, ending demand for the type.  Some were slow to see the change, but Webb’s yard continued to prosper building medium clippers, steamships and even a huge ironclad, finished too late to enter the Civil War. 
 
This part will bring the forward cant framing to completion.
 
All of these frames were almost completely beveled before installation, as I became more comfortable with accuracy of the pin-indexed assembly.  With patterns left on both faces of the assembled frames, each could be cut back to the green lines on the forward face and the red lines on the aft face using disk and spindle sanders.  The sides were then shaved flat to those lines as shown below, using a carver's rasp. 
 

 
This tool leaves a very smooth surface requiring little or no sanding.  The work can be held by hand and/or with the aid of a vise.
 
The next picture shows the clamping of the second frame on the port side.
 
 
 
The clamping of these can be awkward, requiring long-reach clamps and gripping of angled surfaces.  A starboard side frame is being installed below.
 

 
In the next picture the last frame is being installed – with simpler clamping.  The position of each frame was checked with the square from the base drawing when glued in place.
 

 
Although the bevel angles of the joint faces were put on each pattern during lofting, there was still need for some refinement to get the proper installed angle.  Each mortise also required some trimming for a good final fit.
 
With all the frames installed, fair lines for the bolt holes were drawn and the simulated iron bolts installed.  In the next picture a black monofilament bolt is being cut off at the surface after gluing.
 

 
The excess CA glue was washed off with acetone and the bolts leveled off with a file.  The next picture shows the finished bolting on the port side.
 

 
The last two pictures show the finished bolting - six 1 1/8" iron blunts per pair driven flush..
 

 
The thread line seen in these pictures was used to center the half frame pairs.  It is hung by a weight off the center of the sternpost so it can be pushed out of the way or removed when required.
 

 
In the next part the remaining half-frames will be installed, completing the frame setting of the forward hull.
 
Work is progressing much more rapidly than I expected.  I think this is mainly due to the pin-indexed frame assembly and the improved beveling method.
 
 
Ed
 
 
 

Continuing with the pumps--
 
Here are the pieces blackened--
 

 
 
I didn't have particularly good luck on this batch, though I followed my usual procedure:  wash the pieces in soap, and then rinse well, use about an 1:8 solution of Blacken-it and water,  wait a while!
 
I did the rocker arm and one of the pump tubes twice, but still some "light" areas.
 
 
Two holes were bored in the deck (and lower deck on the starboard side)--
 

 
 
To the right you can see a mark, and two pin starter holes where I nearly drilled!!   That would have been a pain to fix.  I think I can take care of the small holes by filling them with sawdust paste so they don't show.
 
 
Here are the pieces dry fit--
 

 

 
 
And here they are glued--
 

 
 
The only difference in appearance between the dry fit photos and these, is the small wire pins to hold the plunger rods to the rocker arm.   I still need to trim those, and then I will glue the rocker arm in this horizontal position.   The valve stirrups are too fragile (they've been filed dangerously thin to make sure the valves slide in the tube) to take a chance on them breaking if the pump is "worked".
 

 

 
 
I will probably make small washers for the main pin in the rocker arm pivot and support stanchion--it looks like it needs them.   I won't do that on the small pins though, they'll just need a spot of glue so they don't fall out.
 
 
One more overall photo--
 

 
 
Ron

Today, I did a lot of brass work, and soldering, in working on the pumps.
 
My basis-of-design is from Charles G. Davis in "The Built-up-Ship Model"--
 

 
 
Here are most of the pieces needed, various diameters of brass tubing, rod, and bar stock-- 
 

 
 
First I soldered some bent rod to scores cut in the barrel of the upper valve pieces--
 

 
 
These were then filed back to the diameter of the tubing--
 

 
 
So that the valve would slide into the pump chamber--
 

 
 
Loops were made at the end of lengths of brass rod, for the plunger pieces--
 

 
 
Out of bar stock, the rocker arm was rough cut, and filed--
 

 
 
Here are the pieces, just about all assembled--
 

 
 
The "sockets" on the ends of the rocker arm are some square tube that I hammered down a little to make it rectangular, and then soldered to the rocker arm.
 
 
After determining the correct length of the plunger rods, I soldered u-shaped attachments.  I had to do this three times before I got a solder joint that held--
 

 
 
I also had to redo the flange pieces for the tubes.  I ended up hammering down a ring cut from a larger size tube, and then, since it wasn't perfectly round after the hammering, I filed it inside and out so it would fit the tube and be round--it looks much better than what I had before--
 
 
 
 
Next will be blackening and assembling the pumps.
 
 
 
Ron

Not perfect - but the cheeks are carved and installed...

Thanks Mark and Ben - enjoying this Zin and looking at the 118 Commerce de Marseilles Monograph.  Maybe its the Zin talking, Im so tempted to jump to this build in 1/48 after finishing Confederacy vs Le Gros Ventre.  Im 44 -  this 118 will take a decade at least if not two - maybe I should get started now - or at least next summer when I move to a house with a bigger workshop.  Structurally its not much more complicated than LGV - just bigger and more repetitive.  Sculptures are about the same in terms difficulty. And as far as I know - no model of her exists as L'Orient here in the US.
 
Hopefully more pics of some nice completed cheeks tomorrow….
 

Thanks again to all yuns who visited my shipyard and clicked on "like."
 
Today was very productive and fun.  First thing I did was searching for my mast / spar sanding jig but gave up.  I decided to make a new one and post a "how to" to Adriaan's (Andrieke) King of the Mississippi log because he had trouble with breaking his and so did Robbyn.  No problem, it was all done in an hour, with the help of the Admiral Gwen.
After lunch I posted everything on Andrieke's log and was asked by Mark T. to also post it in the how to section of the Forum.  I know that there are other ways to do this but this is a quick, easy and above all, a cheap way.  What else can you expect from a Dutchman, eh?      
 
That gave me some time to finish making the ladder for the forward crew escape hatch tube and the hinges.
This was accomplished before lunch and I could now temporarily put this in place inside the deck structure. Once this assembly is permanently cemented in place there is no way to remove the hinge pin, so I must be sure that everything fits and works.  That'll be for Sunday to determine and for making the final adjustments. then it's on to the other escape tubes.
 

I made a jig to hold all the parts and pieces together to make the ladder.  The clamp doesn't only hold everything down but acts as a heat-sink.  I had to spend some time cleaning off the excess solder.
 

This shows the ladder installed and tack-soldered to the bottom of the tube.  Out of sight out of mind   I also soldered the center hinge on for the domed door.  Prior to attaching it to the tube I filed the round rungs flat for a better and natural appearance 
 

Here is the tube assembly out in place temporarily with the domed door standing by.  I modified my oak die to give it a more prominent dome.  Obviously the edges will shrink and i have to cut a slit into it before putting de die and brass piece in the vise.  This will be covered with a small strip of brass that will also have the outside hinge tubes soldered to it.  I don't know yet how i'm going to tackle the large domed doors for the AA gun tubes.
 

In the meantime i cut two small sections of brass tube for the door hinges and soldered them on. Had to use a heat-sink there as well but it all worked out okay.  here is the entire assembly put together and temporarily put in place in the deck structure.  I forgot to take a pic with the door closed but it looks real good.  I think I'll paint the inside of the tube a light grey.  The bottom of the hole will be flat black.
 
 

This is a shot from another angle, looking aft.  You are probably wondering what that circular mark is for?  Glad you asked.  That's where the future ventilation outlet will be.  It's for exhausting inside stale and hot air to the outside while on the surface through a high capacity electric fan.  I'm not sure yet whether it's in the center of a little towards port.
 
Cheers, 
 
 

Hi Ron -
 
Just found and finished reading your log.  You are making great progress and I really like the way you constructed the capstan.   
 
I got interested in Oneida some years ago, and ultimately did a lot of historic research on the First Battle of Sackett's Harbor, which was the first naval battle, and may have been the first of any battles in the War of 1812.  Quite a significant little scrap, which kept the British/Canadians from taking control of the Great Lakes.  Oneida's gallant captain, Commander Melancthon Woolsey, is a true unsung hero. 
 
I also built a 1/96 scale model of her per Chapelle's plans.  It has the raised deck and pivot gun, later removed by Woolsey.  After I found that piece of information construction was halted, and other projects have prevented completion of the masting and rigging.  Here are a few photos for comparison, if they are of any help to you.
 
Be well
 
Dan
 

Some closeup of the gunnel and deadeyes...

Beam set 7 includes the opening for the fore hatch.  These carlings are a little larger than the standard ones.  As I am building the lower deck structures as I move aft, it was time to build the aft sail room.  The fore sail room is one of the small rooms on the port side near beam set 4.  This was a fun little structure to make.  The lateral walls have louvers to allow ventilation into the room.  I do not own a mill so the mortises for the louvers were made with an 11 blade.  On Atalanta, the door into this room is a slider, not a hinged door.  Consequently, the door must be made wider than the opening and it will be on the outside wall of the sail room.  There is a pillar on the inside wall precluding placing the door there.  Not having built a sliding door before, I went over to the local stable and looked at my horse's stall door.  The latch is a L-shaped bolt on the door with a U-shaped piece of metal on the door frame to receive the bolt.  The bolt measured 3" x 4" x 3/8".  This would require making a u-shaped channel 0.01" square.  Needless to say, this is well beyond my skill set so I have a flat piece of metal on the door frame representing it instead.  Decking was placed under the assembly on the starboard side.  The last two pictures show the sail room assembly before and after a coat of finish.
 

 

 

 

 

continued...