Elia

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Thanks for the responses, guys.
 
Druxey, the old guys did us a lot of favors.  However, with the advent of double topsails and higher masts on clippers, some topmasts could not be slanted enough under the top and did require scuttles - at least that is what I have read.  Also, of interest, is that the lower yard would have to be removed, although some trusses seem to have been designed to allow the topmast to slide through the yoke - but then the height and angle would be even more of a problem.  I am glad that the YA mast lengths (at least the originals that I am using) did not cause this problem.
 
Maury, the staves are permanent and, as I mentioned, are visible pretty clearly in the two photos of the ship.  I have not found much useful data on material or size however.  My guess would be wood.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 228 – Ratlines 2
 
While focusing mainly on the foretopmast after the bowsprit work, I have been taking "recreational" time outs to work on that favorite task of "rattling down".  I showed pictures in an earlier post of making up ratlines with their end eye splices and some of these lashed on to the shrouds.  The actual production work of installing ratlines has now begun.  It begins with the making and fitting of staves at intervals up the shrouds.  These are shown on the main mast in the first picture.
 

 
These staves are very prominent in one of the photos of the ship, spaced after every fourth shroud and extending over the full gang of six.  The ratlines span only the shrouds aft of the first.  The staves maintain spacing between shrouds.  On the model they help maintain this spacing and the straightness of the shrouds when tying off the ratlines.  The heights of the staves permit four ratlines spaced at 13" to be placed between them.  The next picture shows foremast staves partially lashed to the shrouds.
 

 
The sheer poles just above the deadeyes were served iron rods, 1" in diameter.  The staves were more likely wood, but since they would have been tarred, the model material does not really matter.  I made these of bamboo, drawn down to under 1½" diameter stained black with India ink.  As may be seen in the photos, the .020" bamboo rods are quite stiff and straight, much more rigid than wire.  The next picture shows a closer view of the stave/shroud lashings.
 

 
After tying, the lashing are wetted with diluted, darkened PVA glue.  The purpose of the glue is only to secure the knots and keep them from loosening.  PVA glue has the advantage of being easily softened with isopropanol if lashings need to be removed.  After the glue has completely dried, the loose ends were carefully cut off using a surgical scalpel.  The next picture shows ratlines lashed between the staves.
 

 
The 1½" ratlines are No. 80 crocheting cotton stained black with diluted India Ink.  The end splices on the left were pre-made, then lashed to the aft shroud.  Clove hitches were then tied on the next three shrouds.  Height spacing of the four ratlines between staves was then adjusted before applying any glue.  In the top tier in the picture the lashings on the right have been tied and glued with the ratlines pulled through and suspended temporarily as shown.  In the tier below each splice was made by passing the line through itself with a needle, pulled to the left, and glued.  The excess line was then cut off as shown in the lowest tier in the photo.  All this looks a lot better when the excess lashing ends are gone.
 
The last picture digresses a bit, but answered one of my nagging questions.  It shows the fore topmast positioned to be rigged through the top.
 
 
 
 
The topmast is longer than the height of the top, raising the question of whether it required a deck scuttle to be used to position it for raising.  I assumed not when framing the deck, so the positioning of the mast in this picture was a comforting relief to someone like me who worries about this stuff.  As will be seen shortly, the model mast will be installed from above after fitting to the top.
 
 
Ed

Well, this summer has been a bit of a bummer, modelling-wise...my hand injury slowed things down and then the surgery I had to fix the nerve damage slowed things down even further at the time of year when I usually get a lot of modelling done....The surgery was a "success", though I've learned that what this means to doctors may not be what it means to patients....I had a gigantic bandage and partial plaster on m left hand and upper forearm (I suppose to prevent me from any further stupidities), which finally came off yesterday....my left index finger (or frankenfinger, as I like to call it because of the crazy surgical scar) is still extremely stiff, and will require extensive and persistent exercise on my part to get as much movement back into it as I can....they were typically reticent to make any indications of what I could expect but right now I can bend the first joint at a right angle but I cannot make a fist that includes the index finger.....
 
In any case tonight I finally got back to the Bluenose. Whatever work I've done on it recently has been dull and and not really worthy of documentation - though I have some progress pictures below. I've installed the bulkheads now, as well as the stern filler blocks and the false beam that acts as a landing place for the fore deck planking on a mid-ships bulkhead. The rest of my time has been taken up with adjusting the outboard edges of the bulheads and fairing the frames, reducing the width of the bulkhead extensions to the required 1/8" and (starting soon) fairing the bulkhead tops for the deck planking. I thought the tops were ok until I test fit the waterway strips this evening and discovered a lot of little adjustments needing to be made....
 
One thing I've learned so far in this venture into scratch-building is that I cannot cut as accurately as a laser cutter, and this adds a lot of time in getting things as fair as possible. For example, my work tomorrow will likely centre on tightening up the angles between the bulkhead tops and extensions - very fine knife and file work so the waterway planks will fit as snugly as possible....I'm really hoping that extra time and effort spent here at the foundations will pay off down the line....
 
Anyway, here are a few photos - not a huge amount of change since the last round, but things are moving and I can't be in too much of a hurry....
hamilton

Some of today's effort: assembling some of the Syren Ship Model Company's internally iron stropped blocks.  
 
In the first picture you'll find, on the left, how the mini-kits arrive.  
 
In the center/top are blocks glued together using medium CA and toothpicks (per the online instructions).  
 
At the right are the sheave pin 'wire' and the incredibly fine strip stock used for the strops in the remaining bags.
 
In the center you'll see blocks snipped off the frames and also blocks which have had the sprue and laser burn sanded off.  I found using a no. 11 blade wasn't the best way to separate the blocks from the frame - it is easy for the sprue to snap off at part and remove a small chunk of the block. The shears shown worked quite well at separating the block without the damage to the block.
 
The second picture is a close up of the blocks.
 
I tried inserting the fine strip stock into the laser cut slots - they worked perfectly on the couple I tried.
 
I will have to wait a short while before I can tumble them to smooth the edges.
 
Elia

Hi fols
 
I hope you're all well.  Well, tonight, I had a go at Shadow's two jet skis which are located at the bow.  First and foremost, I set about getting the basic shape right, ensuring that they looked reasonably convincing at thus scale.  Later on, I'll paint them and add some further details, such as the cranes that'll be used to lift them into the water.  
 
All the best!
 
Cheers
 
patrick

Hi Folks
 
Many thanks for all of your Likes and comments.  Greatly appreciated.  
 
Tonight, I did a bit more work on Shadow's tender which is berthed in the foc'sle.  Principally, I've added the crane that is used to lift the tender out of her berth in the bows into the water.  
 
Also, I kinda got a bit nostalgic and was wondering what Shadow would look like with two of her siblings in the fleet, namely Majellan and Mystic, (both of which have Build Logs in this Forum).  So, I took them out for a brief photo-shoot. Mmmmmm, not bad, I reckon.
 
I hope you enjoy these photos.
 
Cheers
 
Patrick
 

Hi everyone
 
Many thanks for all of your comments and Likes.  Greatly appreciated as always!
 
Shadow has a third Tender, which is located right up in the forecastle.  As I didn't have any detailed plans as to what the tender looked like, I decided to base it on an actual jet powered tender (a Castoldi JT21) which I found on the Internet (http://www.castoldijet.it/en/jettenders_en/jt21_en.html).
 
The following photos show my attempt at building my version.  She's still pretty rough at this stage.  A lot more sanding and painting are required, but at least it's a start.

Also featured in the photos below are the rear garage doors (where Shadow's two larger tenders are located).  I chose to temporarily glue the doors in the opened position at this stage, in order to show the overall effect.
 
Still lots of fun to go, folks!
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Russ,
 
The rail caps and rub rails look very sharp.  Really great looking boat.  Very nicely done.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Thanks Elia.  It was great meeting you, and I hope you let me know when you're in the area again.  Your recommendations on the sail making booklet and on the HAER drawings of the Lettie were great - I've been studying both.  David's booklet on sail making has answered lots of my questions on how to rig Kathryn's sails.
 
Looking forward to seeing progress on Arethusa.

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
So very nice work on the jig for the ladder and its execution.  Kathryn is looking sharper than ever.
 
Thanks again for the meet-up with GuntherMT and shop talk a couple of weeks back - it was real treat to be able to meet the two of you and talk wooden ship modeling.  I'm just about settled back at home now and getting some modeling stuff re-started.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Thank you very much guys...
Moving right along I added the syren figures at the stern.   You can see how I dont have the acanthus leaves carved for the port side yet.   Not enough time in teh day !!!  I am gonna try and get the bust of queen Anne done next which goes on the outside of the tombstone transom.  These two Syren figures were the smallest I have made to date.  I could only merely suggest the details and hopefully your imagination will fill in the blanks.  At least that is what I hear is supposed to happen.  
 
Almost forgot...these are once again resin castings.  I will keep my sculpted originals as masters.
 
Chuck

 

 

Slowly moving aft and getting more carvings completed.   Actually I am concentrating on the sculpted parts now and I will finish the carvings once they are all completed.  Rather than use my master boxwood carvings for the model, I am using resin castings instead.  So all of the carving details you see below are resin. I will keep the original carvings as masters for when the molds wear out.
Chuck

 

 

 

Russ,
 
The rail caps and rub rails look very sharp.  Really great looking boat.  Very nicely done.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Part 35 – Forward Companionway
 
Kathryn has a small hatch leading to the area that used to contain the forward berths, shown in the following photo.
 
                        
 
The HAER drawings show a metal ladder leading to the forward berths.  This ladder (as well as the forward berths) no longer exists, but in keeping with the details shown in the HAER drawings, the ladder will be added to the model (since the berths already have been built).
 
The ladder is 13.5” wide, and the distance between rungs is also 13.5”.
 
The sides of the ladder were constructed using 1/8” x .024” brass strip stock.  The rungs are made of 3/64” round stock.
 
Preparing the ladder required a jig to ensure that the holes for the rungs were inline and properly spaced.  A length of Corian was used for the jig.
 
First a groove .015 deep and 1/8” wide was milled in the Corian. 
 
                        
 
The brass strip was inserted into this groove, and was held in place by miniature machinist clamps.
 
                        
 
Holes were drilled .042” apart.  A pilot hole was first drilled using a centering drill – this prevented the drill from wandering on the hard brass surface.  The hole was then fully bored using a #55 drill.
 
                        
 
Once the sides were drilled, the jig was developed further.  Two parallel tracks were cut into the jig using a .025 end mill.  The tracks are .050” deep and .042” apart.  The depth allowed the ladder sides to sit vertically in the tracks, while still exposing most of the holes for the rungs.
 
Tracks for the rungs were milled perpendicular to the side tracks using a .046 end mill.  These tracks were milled .020” deep and .042” apart.
 
The following photos show the jig ready for the ladder components and in use.
 
                        
 
                        
 
After soldering the ladder sides were shaped using files and diamond bits on the rotary tool, and the ends of the rungs were trimmed using the same tools.
 
                        
 
After cleanup with 400 grit wet/dry paper and steel wool the ladder was blackened using JAX Brown-Black.
 
                        
 
This is a new product I had decided to try out.  The finish is more of a warm black (leaning towards brown) rather than the cool black (leaning towards blue) provided by JAX Pewter Black.
 
                        
 
The difference doesn’t show well in the photos, but in real life it’s noticeable.
 
As can be seen in the last photo, the hatch coamings were made off the model, and the hatch lid is deeper than the other hatch covers and is natural rather than painted.
 
The hatch coaming was glued in place, and the ladder was then epoxied in place.
 
                        
 
                        
 
The lid on the actual Kathryn is hinged, but I decided to make it a press fit on the model.
 
I still haven’t started the planning for the cabin yet.  I may decide to do some other work first.  I hope to make that decision in the next few days, and will cover that in the next post.
 
 

Greetings,
 
I happy to say the BlueJacket 80' ELCO PT Boat is finally finished after a little over two years!    
 

 

 

 
Cheers,
Tim

Ed, one idea (if not too late) for the leather; on my Endeavour I used Brown paper to simulate the leather lining - right thickness and very pliable.  I used a sharp pencil tip to simulate tacks where needed, and applied with dullcoat (lacquer) which stuck to the paper and provided a leather like look
 
cheers
 
Pat

Here's a pic of my 'leathering' - just acrylic paint.

I have been working on the cap rails. The starboard cap rail is on and it just needs a little finish sanding. Not too bad considering the size etc. I thought, for a brief moment, about getting these out in one piece for each side. That idea lasted about 10 minutes. The cap rail is in three pieces with a few scarph joints. I will complete the port side this evening, if all goes well.
 
Russ

Thank you all for the comments and likes and for the continued interest in this project - now approaching its 4th year.  I seem to take mostly close-up pictures but here is one I took today of the full model in its dust case.  You will note construction not yet described in the posts.  Running a bit behind on the posts.
 

 
Below is a photo of the two fixtures I am using to hold larger spars.  The one with the cam levers is used to hold square straight of tapered pieces. The one above is used to pare off the corners to form octagons and to do final rounding.  It has various sizes of v-grooves along the top and dowel stops at one end of each groove.  They are very simple to make using scrap material.  The bases are 2x4 and 2x3 wood that can be held in my bench vise.  The working surfaces are 3/4" thick pine, supported at the ends, with screws in the center to curve the working surface so that curved spars like yards will lie flat.  Spacers are used to return the working surface to straight.  The cam shapes are thin plywood held by flat head screws.  The cam shapes and spacing require some trial and error to fit a range of sizes.
 

Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 226 – Fore Topmast 1
 
The fore topmast is only slightly less complex than the jibboom.  It has two sheaves, one below its cross-trees for the upper topsail halyard tie, and one near the base to aid in erecting the mast.  The base is square, the area below the hounds is octagonal and the minimum diameter of the spar is below the hounds so that the top of the hounds flare out to provide a seat for the cross-trees.
 
As with the jibboom, mortises for both sheaves and one at the base for the mast fid were milled into the still-squared, untapered "first trim."  In the jibboom post (Part 217), I mentioned using an edge-finer to center the mortises on the spar, rather than relying on pencil-marked center lines.  This method eliminates error inherent in visually using a marked line.  The edge finder that I used, set in the 3/8" Sherline mill holder, is shown in the first picture.

The finder is precisely 0.375" inches in diameter.  The lower section of the finder is offset from the center but moves freely in the radial direction.  The pointed section at the bottom is not used in this instance. 
 
The first step was to align the fixed jaw of the milling vise parallel to the mill's X-axis.  This was done using a dial test indicator mounted in the spindle as described in an earlier post.  The edge finder was then installed in the spindle and used to precisely locate the face of the fixed jaw of the vise relative to the spindle centerline.  The next picture shows this being done.

In the picture, the finder has been lowered so the bottom part is able to rub against the vise jaw.  With the mill running, the jaw is brought slowly into contact with the lower section of the finder.  As the vise is moved inward, the lower section of the finder becomes more centered.  When the jaw has reached the precise diameter of the finder shaft, the bottom section "kicks out" to the left as shown above.  The finder is then removed and the vise moved further inward by one-half the finder's diameter, 0.1875".  The spindle is thus centered precisely over the fixed vise-jaw face.
 
In the next picture, a 1/32" bit has been fitted into a chuck on the spindle and the vise advanced by one half of the actual diameter of the spar blank, bringing it precisely over the centerline of the spar.

For this very light work, the bit is held in a drill chuck.  Due to the size of the spar and the short length of the milling bit, the mortises must be cut from both sides, further heightening the need for accurate centering.  The less critical lengths of the mortises are set visually by lines marked on the spar.  I cut all the mortises with the bit shown, then enlarge to the final width later using small files.
 
The next picture shows the spar with two of the mortises cut.

 Because the lower sheave is set 45 degrees from the fore and aft slots and is located on the full-diameter, untampered lower end, this milling was later done by the same method after the octagonal shape was formed on the spar.  The next picture shows the rough tapering of the square blank using a cabinet scraper.

The area below the hounds is being tapered from both directions to the minimum mast diameter as shown below using a flat file.

In the next picture the mast has been fully shaped. 

The bottom is left square with chamfered corners, the hounds are left octagonal and the masthead is left square.  The final diameter of the lower section was refined to its final size using the mast cap as a gauge.  The last picture shows the topmast temporarily mounted on the lower mast.

As with the bowsprit cap, the mast cap shown here was easy to make because the lower masthead tenon and the diameter of the lower end of the topmast are 18", converting to a convenient ¼" drill size at 1:72.  Precision in mast cap dimensions is important so that the masts will be properly aligned.  For all the remaining caps, where the hole sizes are less convenient, a different process will be described later. 
 
Ed