Elia

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

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 225 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging
 
Foot Ropes/Lifelines
 
Footropes from the bowsprit cap out to the end of the flying jibboom allowed crew to work along the jibbooms on tasks like furling and bending outer jibs.  Because of the inclination of the bowsprit these ropes were knotted along their length to prevent slipping.  There was a single stirrup supporting the center of the foot rope.  The first picture shows a prefabricated, 3½" footrope ready to be installed. 
 

 
The forward end of the rope is eye spliced, as are both ends of the short stirrup.  Both these eyes have lashing thread tied to the eye.  The lower end remains unspliced.  The eye at this end will be formed with the rope in place so the length can be set.
 
In the next picture the port footrope and its stirrup have been lashed to eyebolts along the spar and the attachment to the cap is being formed.
 

 
The weight of the surgical clamp suspended from the center holds the stirrup straight so the foot rope length can be set.  The lashing thread at the cap is passed through the eyebolt and tied to the rope where the eye splice will be made.  The loose rope end is threaded through itself at that point to form the eye which is then glued.  The alligator clip is clamping the eye splice while the glue dries.  The lashing at the cap will then be completed.  The next picture shows an eye splice lashed to an eyebolt.
 

 
The next picture shows an all-too-typical tangle of clamps and thread ends during the process.
 

 
In this picture, lifelines from the knightheads out to an eye in the top of the cap band may be seen.  These are secured like the footropes with spliced eyes and lashings.
 
The last two pictures show the completed standing rigging of the bowsprit.
 

 
More standing rigging lines will be added later, but these will be components of the foremast structural rigging.  There will also be various running rigging lines added later – mostly those associated with jibs and staysails.
 

 
All of this bowsprit rigging could have been done before the lower masts, since with the fore stay attached to the knightheads, it is independent of those structures.  However, the bowsprit should be rigged before the fore topmast, so its stay can be secured and tensioned with the bowsprit rigging in place.
 
Next: the fore topmast.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 224 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging 3
 
Jib Boom Guys
 
The jibboom and flying jibboom guys provided lateral support for the outer bowsprit.  They are 5 ½" rope at the forward ends and 54 links per fathom (lpf) chain where they pass through the whisker booms and back to where they belay to hearts on the outer rail.  I used the smallest (40 lpi) model chain available for this size chain.  The first picture shows the port jibboom guy secured and the starboard guy draped through its whisker boom cleat. 
 

 
Loose ends of both the line and the seizing yarn may be seen in the picture.  The rope sections are seized at both ends – to eyes on the boom and to the chains.  The next picture shows a seizing being tied at a boom eyebolt.
 
 
 
The rope is held taut with the alligator clip shown in the picture.  After tying each seizing a drop of darkened glue is placed on the knot.  When this has fully dried the excess seizing thread and the excess line are clipped off.  Another drop of diluted glue is applied to further seal the knot and the cut rope end.  At this stage the line is given an initial tension using the heart lanyards.  The next picture shows both jibboom guys essentially installed.
 

 
The next picture shows the 40 lpi chain at the whisker boom. 
 

 
This picture tells me that the whisker boom needs straightening.  These have occasionally run afoul of my hands and arms.  They are very vulnerable to this.  Perhaps the chains will help.
 
Flying Jibboom Guys
 
The flying jibboom guys are lighter, 3¾" rope and 74 lpf chain.  Chain of this size is made by twisting copper wire.  Some of this, with shackles soldered to the ends, is shown below.
 
 
 
 
This picture illustrates some variation in the simulated links per inch – very difficult to discern by the naked eye.  The next picture shows the outer guy on the starboard side and the hearts and lanyards on both guys on that side.
 

 
The eyebolts are anchored in toptimbers, spaced to keep the two sets of hearts from fouling each other.  Again, the lanyards are left unseized until final tensioning later.  The paper toweling in the picture was used to catch drips of the liver of sulfur solution used to touch up the blacking on the chains.  The next picture shows the chain sections of the guys on the port side.
 

 
The next picture is an ultra-close up of the two rope/chain seizings.
 

 
All the line used so far on the model is linen dyed with India Ink, except for some of the lashings that are cotton.  The seizing thread is black quilting cotton.
 
The foot ropes and lifelines that will complete this phase of the bowsprit rigging will be covered in the next part.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 223 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging 2
 
Martingale Backstays
 
The first picture shows the two prefabricated martingale backstays with hearts attached, secured to eyebolts on the lower end of the martingale.
 

 
These are of 40 lpi copper chain, simulating smaller 74 lpf chain as mentioned earlier and as used on the inner martingale stay in the last part.  They were pre-measured before attaching the eyebolts and heart shackles at the ends.  The temporary "backstay" tensioning thread is still in place.  The backstays will be secured to hearts anchored to eyebolts on the catheads.  The heart on the starboard cathead is shown below.
 

 
The next picture shows the lanyard on the port backstay threaded up and the stay being tensioned. 
 

 
The starboard stay has been installed and the two are being adjusted to provide tension on the inner and outer forward stays and to pull the martingale into a side-to-side vertical position.  The next picture shows the installed backstays with the temporary tensioning thread removed.
 
 
 
The next picture shows the hearts on the starboard side. 
 
 
 
The lanyards on both sides remain unsecured so that final tension adjustments may be made later when foremast stays are installed.  After those final adjustments, both the loose lanyard ends will be seized to their mates and clipped off.  The last picture shows a pair of these seizings on one of the bowsprit backstays before clipping off the excess seizing thread.
 

 
 
 
Ed
 

Hi Greg,
 
I seldom use solvents any more to clean brass or copper before blackening,  With copper and LOS, buffing seems to be sufficient, especially important over  areas heated by soldering.  Completely buffing chain is not so easy, but multiple brushings with LOS seems to work.  Oxide from soldering heat, even with pickling after soldering, seems to be the main problem on copper with LOS - needs to be buffed off if possible.  Rubbing or brushing with the solution helps - but you are right LOS is pretty easy to use.  I still treat brass with the blue selenium solution by dipping small, pickled and/or buffed parts.  For larger parts I brush or use a cotton swab full strength followed by rinse.  I do not always rinse LOS.  Unlike the selenium salts, it neutralizes.
 
Nothing is foolproof with blackening.  I keep looking for better means.  WinOx on brass works a lot like LOS.   I got some Jax pewter recently and that has possibilities.  Still the black art.
 
Ed 

Thanks for all the likes and comments.
 
Pat, the twisted wire is as good a solution as I could come up with.  There will quite a lot of small chain on the model - all the sheets and halyards for example - so something had to be done.  By eye it looks quite good - maybe its my eyes.  Photos depend on the distance.  Ultra-close, it looks like what it is.  The trick in making it is to get the turns to approximate the links/inch uniformly.  Too much tension and the small (28-32 gauge) wire will break - too little and the distribution gets non-uniform.  Seems to work for copper and brass.  Brass is stronger but then there is the blackening.
 
Ed

The port side bulwark went on with not much trouble. There is still some sanding and clean up to be done, but it looks decent, especially considering the scale and the size of the components.
 
I had to have a different jig for the scupper slot spacing since this side does not have the openings for trash. That is only on the starboard side. This side needed a much longer jig to be able to have spacing for a much longer continuous plank length. This jig worked fine and only took a few minutes to make.
 
Russ

There is a little progress to report. The starboard bulwark is complete. This was tedious. The result are not all that I hoped, but this model will be painted so it will probably not be that noticeable. I learned a few good lessons that can be applied to the next model. That is never a bad thing.
 
Russ

Part 34 – Headrails, King Plank, Accent Stripe
 
The components for the headrails were painted at the same time as the hull was painted, so installation was simply a matter of gluing and clamping.
 
                        
 
                        
 
Kathryn’s headrails are bolted to the hull, and the bolt heads are painted to match the hull.  Work-hardened copper wire was used as functional bolts to provide additional security for the headrails.  These bolts will be painted to match the hull.
 
                        
 
                        
 
The king plank consists of two planks that are 16.5” wide and 2.5” thick (the rest of the deck planks are 1.75” thick).  The Sampson post and the mast both pass through the king plank.
 
                        
 
On the model, the king plank is made of four separate pieces. 
 
First, the two pieces that are forward of the Sampson post were fitted, butting the Sampson post.
 
                        
 
Then the aft two pieces were notched to fit around the Sampson post and were butted against the forward hatch.
 
                        
 
The aft pieces were marked and cut for the hexagonal opening for the mast.
 
                        
 
                        
 
In the post on painting the model I mentioned that I was awaiting some 1/32” red pinstripe tape that would be used for the narrow stripe at the bottom edge of the wale.  This tape arrived, but I didn’t like the effect it provided.  
 
This narrow stripe is actually a bead cut into the bottom edge of the wale.  I was able to find .030” quarter-round styrene strips, which would be much more realistic.
 
The styrene strips were held onto a board using 2-sided tape and were brush-painted a crimson color.
 
                        
 
The quarter-round strip was glued to the hull using Ambroid glue applied sparingly with the tip of a needle. 
 
                        
 
The hatch coamings and the king plank were then painted white, and the base of the mast and the bolt heads on the headrail were also painted white.
 
                        
 
The following photos show Kathryn with the mast and bowsprit temporarily installed.
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
One or two more small items can be completed before working on the cabin and deck planking. 
 
Thanks for the ‘Likes’, and for following the build log.

She's looking really great Frank.  Crisp lines on that paint job, and the quarter round for the red stripe worked great.

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

Frank,
 
Wow - That is such a crisp, beautiful model.  I find it very enjoyable (and educational) watching your build progress.
 
I appreciate the spar staining issue you had; I'm still stewing over how to proceed with mine (though I'm certain I'll stick with the spars I've got).  
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
Wow - That is such a crisp, beautiful model.  I find it very enjoyable (and educational) watching your build progress.
 
I appreciate the spar staining issue you had; I'm still stewing over how to proceed with mine (though I'm certain I'll stick with the spars I've got).  
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
Wow - That is such a crisp, beautiful model.  I find it very enjoyable (and educational) watching your build progress.
 
I appreciate the spar staining issue you had; I'm still stewing over how to proceed with mine (though I'm certain I'll stick with the spars I've got).  
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
Wow - That is such a crisp, beautiful model.  I find it very enjoyable (and educational) watching your build progress.
 
I appreciate the spar staining issue you had; I'm still stewing over how to proceed with mine (though I'm certain I'll stick with the spars I've got).  
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Frank,
 
Wow - That is such a crisp, beautiful model.  I find it very enjoyable (and educational) watching your build progress.
 
I appreciate the spar staining issue you had; I'm still stewing over how to proceed with mine (though I'm certain I'll stick with the spars I've got).  
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

A little more progress the past few days. I began work on the bulwarks for this lugger. These vessels have a lightly planked bulwark and there is a slot left open at deck level to clear water from the deck. These vessels often come back to the dock with the decks awash because of their heavy load of shrimp or oysters.
 
My challenge is to make sure that this long open slot is of a uniform width for its complete length. I needed a jig to ensure that uniform spacing. I used scrap material of the same thickness as the opening and then glued several pieces of it inboard to a piece of decking material. The jig can be slid in place when and where necessary. It is temporarily nailed to the subdeck to ensure that it follows the sheer of the deck. It does not look pretty, but it got the job done. Once the glue holding the bulwarks planking to the stanchions has dried, the jig can be removed.
 
Maybe this will help someone with a similar issue.
 
Russ

That's exactly what a jig's supposed to do, Russ!   I love simple solutions!
 
John
 
 

Elia:
Good to hear from you. Thanks for the kind words. I also like the stem and how it affects the planking. That is one of my favorite aspects of this hull form.
 
Russ
 
 
 
 

Russ,
 
That hull is superb.  I like that plumb stem and how that planks run aft from it.  Beautiful planking.
 
Elia

Russ,
 
That hull is superb.  I like that plumb stem and how that planks run aft from it.  Beautiful planking.
 
Elia

Russ,
 
That hull is superb.  I like that plumb stem and how that planks run aft from it.  Beautiful planking.
 
Elia