Elia

Part 13 – Stern Timbers


 
Well, I finally found the time (and the courage) to work on the stern timbers.  After several attempts at drafting the timbers, I decided to use a simpler approach.  I would use the profile of the middle timber as a guide, and would alter the length of the various timbers as I assembled the stern.


 
The first step was to correct an error I had made in cutting the end of the keelson, which I had left perpendicular.  The strongback is mounted against the keelson end, and sits at the same angle as the end of the keel.  A small wedge was made and installed to give the keelson the appropriate angle.


 
The drawings of the stern timbers and the strongback were glued to the appropriate stock and then cut out on the scroll saw.


 
                        


 
A mounting slot was cut into the forward edge of the strongback to provide a more secure mounting position when joined to the end of the keelson.


 
                        


 
A drawing of the timber arrangement was then glued to the strongback.  This drawing showed the positions of each of the stern timbers.


 
                        


 
Slots for each of the stern timbers were then milled in the strongback.


 
                        


 
These slots were tight enough to allow the temporary positioning of each of the stern timbers.  In the following photo these timbers are held in place by friction, with no gluing involved.


 
                        


 
The length of each timber was then determined by matching this configuration against the drawing of the stern timbers.


 
                        


 
The profile drawing of the stern timbers was then used to ensure that cutting down the length of the stern timber resulted in the correct angle for the end of the timber.


 
                        


 
The stern assembly was then glued together, using small braces to ensure the correct parallel alignment of the stern timbers.


 
This assembly was then marked for the diagonal braces that were to be installed.


 
                        


 
Since these braces are let into the stern timbers and sit flush against the edge of those timbers, stop cuts were made in each timber to guide subsequent cutting.


 
                        

 
The slots were cut down to the final depth using a small chisel and a hobby knife.  (Apologies for the out-of-focus photos)


 
                        

 
The outer timbers were made of thicker stock than the interior timbers since they need to be shaped to allow hull planking to properly lie against them.  The initial shape was determined by laying a transparent template over them.  This transparent template was made by printing the drawing on transparency paper, and allowed proper alignment by showing the individual timbers.


 
                        


 
The outside edge of the end timbers was roughly shaped using a fine stump cutter.  Final shaping, or fairing, will be done when the planking is laid. 
 
                     
 
The following photo shows the partially finished stern assembly with the transparent template.


 
                        


 
Clamping the stern assembly to the keelson for gluing proved difficult, so two temporary ribbands were used to provide support.  These ribbands were held in the proper position at the stern by aligning two heavy squares with the outer edge of the drawing on the construction board.  This forced the ribbands to the correct shape and provided a relatively solid way to hold the stern assembly in place during the gluing process.  (I was later informed that the skipjack builders would often use scaffolding to hold assemblies in place during the building - similar to my use of these ribbands)


 
                        


 
                        


 
The stern timbers are permanently in place, but are rather fragile.  They can be further secured by the installation of the deck clamps, which will be the topic of the next post.


 
                        


 

 


 

Part 12 – Knightheads
 
It has been almost 2 weeks since my last post.  The delay comes from two things: a lot of non-modeling activities and responsibilities; and a lot of time spent trying to work through the correct process for the next elements of the Kathryn build.
 
Part 11 dealt with the complexity of the stern timbering and my questions on how to proceed.  In addition to these questions, I was also a little perplexed about installing the knightheads – but these are simpler than the stern timbers, so I decided to tackle them first.
 
Before working on the knightheads or the stern timbers, I thought it would be a good idea to mark off the location of the deck clamps on each side of the model.  The clamps are 5-1/2” x 2-3/4”.  The drawings show the height of the bottom of the deck, so I measured down from this value for each frame and used the tools in the following photo to mark the lower edge of the deck clamp on each frame.
 
                        
 
The height gauge could be set to the nearest 1/1000, so I calculated the measurement to this value and used a straightedge to mark the bottom of the clamp on each frame, as in the following photo.
 
                        
 
I set the height gauge to the appropriate value, laid the small straightedge against the lower edge of the gauge, and marked the line using a .003 pencil.
 
In marking the clamp positions, it became apparent that the wires holding the temporary ribbands in place would interfere with the installation of the clamps.  Since ribbands needed to stay in place until after the clamps were installed, it was necessary to move the ribbands to a better position.  The solution was to install a full ribband lower down the hull from the original ribband and then, after removing the original ribband, to install a partial ribband on the forward frames – lower than the clamps, but high enough to achieve the correct fairing of the hull.
 
                        
 
The knightheads are 22” x 4”, and are tapered to fit against the inner stem (apron) at an angle that supports the side planks.  In reviewing the drawings of Kathryn, I didn’t see any other point of attachment for the knightheads, and I felt that this tapered edge wouldn’t provide much strength to the knightheads.  This question and the associated confusion on my part caused a delay of several days, so I finally asked a couple of friends who are very knowledgeable about skipjacks and Chesapeake workboats in general.  The answer was very instructive, and I thought I’d share the entire answer:
 
“by the time they were edge nailed to the apron, sandwiched between the sheer clamp and side planking, and notched into the front end of the covering board (sheer-plank) and king plank, and supported outboard by the log-rail and by the breast-hook(s) between them (often one under the sprit and/or one on top of the sprit.) they became a pretty formidable structure.
 
i learned that their function was to support the bowsprit against sideways forces in the same way as the partners support the mast.  also the extra thickness, and the nails therein, helped reinforce the bow planking against getting stove in and sprung out in the days of thick ice on the bay, and the hawse hole reinforcement was helpful too.
 
back in the old days (1995) when i helped rebuild thomas clyde they removed the knight heads. they then made a new apron and all new planking but no new knight heads - i was appalled and dismayed but them good-old-boys told me they din't really do nothin' and they rotted out fast.  as i was new on the job and my only expertise came from reading howard chapelle the night before, i backed off and the boat is still floating.  [doesn't look as nice though.  and we really did have any bad ice since then - and if we had they would have stayed in port anyway.]”
 
So with my questions answered I made the knightheads.  After the appropriate plank was milled it needed to be tapered to match the lay of the planks (based on the position of the ribbands).  The disk sander was set at the maximum angle and the taper was sanded into the knighthead plank.
 
                        
 
This initial shaping didn’t provide enough angle, so the final tapering was done using a fine stump cutter on a rotary tool.
 
                        
 
The following photo shows the starboard knighthead ready for installation.
 
                        
 
I tired several approaches to clamping the knightheads for gluing to the inner stem (apron), but the angle made this difficult.  I settled for using a couple of spots of medium viscosity CA glue in addition to the PVA glue.  After holding the knighthead in place for about a minute, the CA then acted as a ‘clamp’ until the PVA finished curing.
 
                        
 
The following photos show the knightheads installed.
 
                        
 
                        
 
In order to provide some additional strength on the model, 1/32” brass rod was used as structural bolts through the knightheads and into the inner stem, and was epoxied in place.
 
                        
 
Some progress has also been made on the stern timbers, and will be covered in the next post.
 
Thanks everyone!
 

Well here goes, Frank.  Not sure I understood the first question correctly, but maybe this will help.
 
How should the stern timbers be drawn?  Since they are diagonal, the length shown in the top view does not represent the actual length of the timbers.
 
I assume the question is how to loft the true shape of the stern timbers.
 
Since the stern timbers are in vertical planes parallel to the keel, their true shape will be shown in the side elevation view.  However, only the center timbers are shown on the sectional, elevation view.  The timbers on either side will be shorter.  At the forward end, the timbers all terminate at the strongback that is perpendicular to the keel so the forward ends of the timbers are defined (and are the same) on the existing elevation view.  To determine the length of each timber project its aft end from the plan view down (or up) to the elevation view.  If you wish to loft the bevels you will need to project both the inboard and outboard faces of the timber down to the elevation view.  If you plan to bevel the timbers after installing (recommended in this case), use the inboard, larger face of the timber when projecting the end from the plan to the elevation view.  Assuming the upward curve of the transom is constant, join the lower point of the timber at the strongback to the end of the timber with a curve of that shape.  Draw in the top line of the timber using the molded dimensions of the center timbers.  If you are not sure about the shape of the upward curve, leave material for later beveling by eye.
 
 
2.    Should the outer edge of the stern timbers be shaped to follow the slight curve of the transom?
 
I would say yes, but perhaps by eye after assembly as recommended above.
 
3.    How are the outermost stern timbers secured in place?
 
They seem to be floating in space in the photos, perhaps because rot was cut off?  I would be inclined to found them to the strongback, which is a sort of wing transom.  These may need to be thicker than the other timbers so the can be shaped to the outer hull.
 
4.    Should the diagonal bracing be installed by notching the stern timbers to accommodate them, or should they lay on the stern timbers?
 
In the photos they appear to be using short cuts of wood between the timbers that a fastened to "shelf" pieces screwed to the timbers.  I believe notching the timbers to take the diagonals would be stronger.
 
5.    Would it make sense to install the aft deck beams before the stern timbers?  This might give a ‘landing place’ for the outer stern timbers, but it would also require the deck clamp to be installed first.
 
I have no opinion on this, but would probably want the structure to be self-supporting first.
 
Cheers,
 
Ed

Part 11 – Stern Construction
 
In preparing to work on Kathryn’s stern, I used the HAER drawings and photos from the recent reconstruction.  These documents and photos raised a lot of questions about how this area was configured in the original construction, and also some questions on how to translate that to the model.
 
The HAER documentation for Kathryn describes her construction as “Her rudder post is forward of the transom, a feature called an “inboard rudder” on skipjacks.  She has a fully framed bottom with fore-and-aft planking.”
 
The following photos show Kathryn’s stern before the reconstruction effort began.
 
                        
 
                        
 
The HAER drawings show a profile view and a top view of Kathryn’s construction.  The following is the relevant part of Sheet 4, showing the profile view of Kathryn’s stern construction.
 
                        
 
As can be seen in the photo, the stern timbers are somewhat curved, and are attached to a strongback that is installed behind the last frame and is attached to the end of the keelson. 
(This points out an error I made in the keelson construction: I left the end perpendicular, rather than slanted as in the drawing.  This was a conscious decision, since I thought it wouldn’t be an issue, but I’m beginning to rethink that decision.  I may decide to install a small wedge to give the strongback the required slant.)
 
The top view from Sheet 5 shows more of the construction detail.
 
                        
 
There are a total of 8 stern timbers shown, 6 of which are attached to the strongback.  The two central stern timbers flank the rudder box, and the next two timbers on each side appear to be evenly spaced, while the outermost stern timbers are spaced somewhat closer to the adjoining timber. 
 
The lines plans from the HAER documentation (Sheet 2) don’t show any of the stern timbers, so I added them when I redrew the plans for the model.
 
                        
 
The outermost timbers are not attached to the strongback, and I haven’t been able to determine how these two stern timbers are supported.  The following photo from the reconstruction seem to show the old timbers, and it can be seen that these outermost timbers support the end of the side planking.
 
                        
 
                        
 
The diagonal bracing appears to be used to support the aft edge of the bottom planking where it meets the transom, but from the above photos it is also difficult to see how the diagonals were installed.  There are some pieces labeled ‘temp’ in the first of the above photos, located where the diagonal would be expected to be, and in the second photo it appears that the diagonal braces are let into the stern timbers by means of notches in those timbers.  The diagonals in this photo appear to be new wood when compared to the other wood in the photo.
 
The following photo appears to show some of the stern timbers being replaced.  The two innermost timbers appear to be original, and the outermost timber on the starboard side appears to be original as well (there doesn’t appear to be any outer timber on the port side).
 
                        
 
From the following photo, it appears that the reconstruction tied the stern timbers into existing deck beams, which probably would not have been possible in the original construction.
 
                        
 
The following photo shows ribbands installed across the stern timbers, and illustrates the slight curve of the transom. 
 
                        
 
This curve is also illustrated in the stern view of the profile plan shown in the lines plan.
 
                        
 
The following photos show the first new transom plank being installed.  The curve of the transom can be seen in this photo.
 
                        
 

                        
The next photo shows the transom planking completed, and a new chine plank being installed.  The outermost port stern timber has been installed, but it’s hard to see what supports it. – it appears to be floating and not attached to the strongback. 
 
                        
 
And another view of the transom, this time showing the outermost starboard stern timber, also illustrates how these outermost timbers don’t meet the strongback.
 
                        
 
The last photo of the transom shows a bottom plank being installed, and also appears to show how the bottom planks run flush with the lower part of the transom.
 
                        
 
So I’m still struggling with the following questions:
 
1.    How should the stern timbers be drawn?  Since they are diagonal, the length shown in the top view does not represent the actual length of the timbers.
2.    Should the outer edge of the stern timbers be shaped to follow the slight curve of the transom?
3.    How are the outermost stern timbers secured in place?
4.    Should the diagonal bracing be installed by notching the stern timbers to accommodate them, or should they lay on the stern timbers?
5.    Would it make sense to install the aft deck beams before the stern timbers?  This might give a ‘landing place’ for the outer stern timbers, but it would also require the deck clamp to be installed first.
 
I’m trying to build Kathryn as she was originally built, so following what is shown in the reconstruction photos will not always be appropriate.   I would greatly appreciate any help in solving some of these questions.
 
Thanks everyone!
 
 

Part 10 – Frames, cont’d
 
The installation of frames 2 through 26 followed the process outlined in the previous posts.  The following photos show Kathryn with those frames installed.
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
Close inspection shows that some of the frames are out of alignment by as much as 1/16”, likely as a result of some slight errors in their construction or in the installation.  In most models this can be adjusted by fairing the frames prior to planking.  However, Kathryn’s frames are delicate, and I’m not comfortable with the idea of fairing them through sanding.
 
In checking the frames by holding a ribband against them, I observed that the frames are fairly flexible and move in the required direction fairly easily.  Since the first planking and/or timbers to be installed will be in Kathryn’s interior, I decided to temporarily install ribbands on the outside of the hull.  I used 1/16” x 1/8” poplar ribbands, and attached them to the hull by wiring them to some of the frames using 34 gauge wire.
 
The following photos show Kathryn with the ribbands installed.
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
These ribbands were installed prior to the installion of frame 1, so that frame 1 could be properly aligned with the flow of the ribbands.
 
The installation of frame 1 did not depend on the drawing of the frame, as in the other frame installations.  Instead, the installation jig was lined up with the construction plan drawing and adjusted for the placement of the mortise.  The frame was then installed against this jig and using the ribband for positioning, as in the following photos.
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
The clothes pins used as clamps in the above photos are miniature clothes pins - this illustrates the small size of the frames.
 
The installation of frames 1 through 26 is now completed.  There is one last frame (frame 'A') that will be mortised into the stem knee, but this will be completed after the installation of the knightheads to ensure a smooth flow of planking at the bow.
 
The following photos show the model with frames 1-26 completed.
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
                        
 
The next task will be the installation of the stern timbers that support the transom.  This will be my first attempt at this type of installation, and I still have quite a few questions about how to proceed.  In the next post (and probably several after that) I will try to explain the open questions that I have, in the hopes that I can get some answers/direction from the more experienced modelers who are following Kathryn’s progress.  I hope to be able to start this dialogue by early next week.
 
Thanks everyone!

Part 9 – Frames, cont’d
 
There is no mention of cant frames in the HAER documentation, but in the drawings the forward most 11 frames on Kathryn appear to be canted.  I’ve decided to construct those 11 frames as cant frames.
 
The framing jig for the cant frames is essentially the same as for square frames, except that only one side of the drawing is used at a time, due to the angle the jig must be held at, as in the following photos.
 
 


It is also necessary to angle the base of the frame floor timber so that it sits flush against the keelson.  Each of the eleven frames will sit against the keelson at a different angle, so these angles were measured from the half-breadth plan and recorded.  Templates were created so these angles could be accurately created on the frames, as shown in the following photo.
 


The following photo shows a template being checked against the drawing on the shipway.
 

 
The templates were printed on card stock and are used to adjust the miter gauge on the disk sander to the appropriate angle.
 


A temporary batten – held by clamps – is used to double-check the fairness of the frames.
 


The cant frames were installed in the same way as the square half-frames.  A stiffening brace was added between frames while the new cant frame was still in the installation jig.
 
 


The aftmost square frames – 22 through 26 – need to be faired to conform to the rising shape of the keelson in that area.  The drawings for these frames indicate the fairing needed.
 

In this drawing the color and configuration of the lines indicates the shaping required:
·      The red lines indicate the aftmost face of the frame, while the green lines indicate the forward face.
·      The frame is cut out along the solid lines, whether red or green, and then the dashed lines indicate the edge of the frame that that needs to be reduced (the cutting line).
 
Since the drawing is pasted to the front face of the frame, the first task is to draw a line corresponding to the red dashed line on the aft face of the frame.  A compass is used to measure the distance of the dashed line from the edge of the frame, and this compass setting is used to draw a corresponding line on the aft edge of the frame.
 

 
The frame is then shaped using a stump cutter in a rotary tool.  First, the cutter is used to cut the aft edge of the frame down to the drawn line.  It is then used to flatten the entire outer edge of the frame at the appropriate angle.
 

 
The forward face of the frame is shaped by cutting to the green dashed line. 

The braces used for the cant frames and for the aftmost square frames need to be angled to fit securely against the frames they support, as shown in the following photo.
 


Cant frames 7 through 11 have been installed at this point.
 



The square frames have been installed to frame 23.
 


So this leaves 6 cant frames and the aftmost 3 square frames to be installed.  I hope to have these frames completed sometime next week.
 
 

There are a couple of frames in the midship area that concern me, and I may need to remove and re-install them.  But I won’t think about that until all of the frames have been installed.
 
Thanks everyone for following, for the ‘LIKES’, and for the encouraging comments.

Thanks, Bob.  That makes sense.  Given her size I don't think Kathryn would have been built upside down as in other skipjacks - that, and the herringbone bottom planks of the typical skipjack provide some structure to the boat. Since Kathryn's longitudinal bottom planks would probably require that the framing is completed prior to the planking, I think your second alternative is probably the way she was built.

I thought I'd share a couple of photos of the framing in the actual Kathryn.
 
The first is from the HAER drawings.  The frame pointed to by the number 15 is one of the original frames.  They don't look like the joint was held together by much more than a few bolts, and I would love to know how they built Kathryn.  They must have used a lot of temporary ribbands to hold her together before she was planked.  The mortising of the frames into the keelson also looks very flimsy.
 

 
The following photo is from the recent rebuild that was completed in early fall 2015.  As can be seen in the photo there is a fairly complex (and strong) knee arrangement holding the frames to the keelson, and there are knees installed in the joints of the frames.  I don't think ceiling planking was installed during this rebuild, so these knees didn't interfere with anything.  Since I'm building Kathryn as she was originally built, I can't use any similar structures that might interfere with the internal planking.
 

 
 
 

Part 8 – Frames, cont’d
 
Framing Kathryn has been continuing – albeit slowly.  There have been a lot of other activities interfering with the modeling work, so there hasn’t been as much progress as I would have liked.
 
It quickly became apparent that the model’s frames are very delicate, and some additional steps were needed to strengthen them.  This resulted in some additional structures that are not in the actual boat, but these structures will be hidden by planking and shouldn’t cause any issues.
 
The first such structure was the addition of a reinforcing plate at the joint between the frame floor and the frame side.  This plate was added after the chine had been shaped and the glued-on drawing removed.  After the glue attaching the plate to the frame had dried, the plate was then sanded to match the curve of the chine.  The following photo shows one of these plates in place.
 

 
The individual frames are only attached to the keelson with a minimal glue joint, so individually these frames are very easy to disturb.  By tying the frames together the frame assembly would be much stronger.  I decided to tie them together by using 1/8 x 1/8 stock, cut to match the distance between frames at the keelson.  Since this distance varies from frame to frame, the braces needed to be measure individually.  They are then installed at approximately the midpoint of the frame floor to join the frames together.
 
The first frame installed – frame 12 – was held perpendicular to the keelson by the c-clamps shown in the following photo, and then the subsequent frames were joined to that frame via the braces.  The c-clamps were left in place until the first 4 frames were joined and the glue set. 
 

 
The first 4 frames were very stable after the glue had cured, and didn’t need to be held in place for installation of bracing for subsequent frames.  It was easier to use the long-nosed spring clamps for this work, rather than the miniature machinist clamps used in the prior photo.
 

 
As described in the prior post, structural bolts would be used to fully secure the frames to the keelson, and pilot holes for these bolts were drilled as part of the construction of the frames.
 
After the installation of the first six square frames (12 through 17) was completed, it was time to insert the first set of structural bolts.  The model was removed from the shipway and placed in an adjustable keel clamp.  This clamp was positioned so that the pilot holes were visible. 
 

 
This allowed drilling through the pilot holes and into the keelson, as in the following photo.  Pieces of 3/64 brass rod were then epoxied into these holes to serve as structural bolts.
 

 
While the model was in the clamp, the forward edges of the mortises for the cant frames were angled to allow the cant frames to be properly positioned.  This work was performed with a diamond bit in a rotary tool.
 

 
The middle 8 square frames are now in place.  Since each half of a frame is a separate installation, this is the equivalent of 16 frames having been installed.
 

 
The frames installed so far have not needed any dubbing (shaping) to allow the planks to lay flat against them.  The remaining seven square frames in the rear of the model will need shaping.  In addition, the forward eleven frames are cant frames, which will require a modified installation procedure.  These topics will be covered in the next post.
 
Thanks everyone! 

Part 7 – Frames


 
 
The HAER documentation says that Kathryn’s frames are ‘highly irregular’, rather than giving dimensions.  After measuring the frames in several of the drawings I decided to use a sided dimension of 4” and a moulded dimension starting at 5” at the sheer and increasing to 8” for most frames.  This makes the frames of the model 1/8” thick, and varying from just over 1/8” to ¼” in the moulded dimension.  All frames are single frames, so on the model they will be quite fragile until supported by the interior and exterior planking and other components.
 
 
Since Kathryn’s sides and bottom are flat, there are no curves to contend with in the frames – other than the rounded chine.  The following is the drawing for frame 12 – the forward-most square frame:
 
 

 
Pin-indexing is used to ensure the pieces of the frame line up with the drawing.  EdT in his Young America build log gives a good description of pin-indexing, and I also included it in my Dunbrody build log, so I won’t go into a lot of detail here.
 
Individual frame pieces as well as the pinning template for the frame are marked using a prick punch
 
 

 
And are then drilled using the Sensitive Drilling Attachment on the milling machine.
 
 

 
The frame pieces are then trimmed to the printed lines using the disk sander.
 
 

 
The frames will be very delicate, and there won’t be much glue surface keeping the frame components together or keeping them attached to the keelson, so some additional reinforcing is required.  The frames will eventually be secured to the keelson with structural bolts, and the joint of the frame pieces will be reinforced by dowels, so pilot holes need to be drilled.  The holes for the structural bolts are at an approximate 45 degree angle, so these holes need to be started with a center drill as shown in the following photo.
 
 

 
The pilot holes are then drilled in the frame components.
 
 

 
The drill used for pin indexing is a #63 drill, and the best approach is to use the sensitive drilling attachment for this drilling.  However, the drill used for pilot holes for the reinforcing bolts and dowels is a #55, and the best approach for this drilling is to use the z-axis hand-wheel to get sufficient force in the drilling.  This would normally mean constant changing of drills and chucks, but I’m fortunate to have another solution in my shop.
 
 
I’ve tried miniature drill presses, but have not been happy with the ‘less expensive’ options (less expensive until an x-y table is added).  Recently, Sherline offered a discount on the milling column for the lathe.  This attachment serves very nicely as a second drilling station (or mill if necessary), so I now have the sensitive drilling attachment with the #63 drill in the milling machine, and a chuck with a #55 drill in the milling column on the lathe and have no need to change drills or chucks in the middle of the process.
 
 

 
Constructing the frame consists of aligning the pieces by laying the bottom piece on top of the side piece (using the pins for alignment)
 
 

 
Then using a hobby knife to mark the joint on the side piece of the frame.
 
 

 
After the side piece is trimmed to fit using the disk sander, the pieces are then glued in place and left to cure.
 
 

 
When the gluing is completed, the hole for the reinforcing dowel is drilled into the side piece of the frame.
 
 

 
The dowel is glued into the frame and clipped off.
 
 

 
Since the frames are mortised into the keelson on each side, aligning the frame on the keelson requires that each side is aligned separately to allow for possible mis-alignment of the mortises.  A jig is used for this purpose.  This is the same jig that was used to align the Dunbrody frames.
 
 

 
In addition to the jig, a template for the frame, consisting of the frame drawing cemented onto a flat piece of 1/16” thick basswood, is clamped to the framing jig and aligned with the centerline.
 
 

 

 
 
The frame piece is clamped to the framing template while the glue attaching the frame half to the keelson cures.
 
 

 
 
The same process is followed for the opposite side of the frame.  The following photo shows the first frame (#12) installed.  Only 25 frames to go.
 
 

 
One last item:  I wanted a modeling setup that would allow me to work on all sides of the build without turning the shipway.  It would also be ideal if I could raise or lower the model depending on what was being worked on at the time.  I was able to find an adjustable table in IKEA – known as a Skarsta sit/stand table.  Using a simple hand crank, the table extends from a minimum height of 27.5”
 
 

 
to a maximum height of 47.25”
 
 

 
 
My old back is very grateful for the working height!!
 
 

 
 
Thanks everyone (and thank you IKEA!)!

Part 6 – Shipway and Mounting


 
It’s been a little while since the last post – due to some challenges.


 
In the last couple of posts I’ve shown the model shipway for Kathryn in use, but haven’t described it in any detail.


 
The shipway is constructed using a 12” x 48” x ½” melamine shelf, routed to take the Veritas T-Slot Tracks from Lee valley.  These tracks allow the use of the ½ thick shelving – other tracks would require a thicker board.  This is the same arrangement as used on the Dunbrody build, but is based on a longer shelf since Kathryn will be longer than the Dunbrody sectional model.


 

 

The devices at each end of the shipway are the jigs used for holding the centerline, and are the same as used in the Dunbrody build.  The other fixture in the center of the shipway is a jig used for setting the frames – it’s the same jig as was used for Dunbrody, but will be used in a different manner.  Its use will be described in a future post when frame installation is covered.


 
Kathryn is mounted using bolts that run through two spacers that were cut to hold the model at the proper angle.  The initial intent was to thread the shoe/keel/keelson combination to hold the mounting bolts to the hull.  However, when I started mounting the frames it became apparent that the model would need to be frequently removed from the shipway during the framing process.  Obviously the threaded holes in the wood components would probably not stand up to frequent jostling, so a different approach was needed.


 
Since there was no longer any way to embed a nut in the keelson, as had been done on Dunbrody, I needed to find a way to embed a threaded sleeve through the very narrow keel (8”, or ¼” at scale).  I decided to use an 8-32 pronged t-nut as shown in the following photo.


 


 
 
The entire flange needed to be ground off, so a method of holding the nut during grinding was needed.  The nut was screwed onto 8-32 threaded rod, which was held in a large pin-vise.  Two hex nuts were used to keep the t-nut from turning during grinding.


 

 

The flange of the t-nut was then ground away using a bench grinder.


 

 

The following photos show a threaded sleeve after grinding was completed, and both sleeves screwed onto the mounting rods ready for installation.


 

 


 
A #7 drill was the largest drill that could be comfortably used to enlarge the holes in the keel, so the sleeve needed to be further ground to fit into the hole.  The sleeves were then epoxied into the keel.  The mounting bolts can now be removed without any risk to the screw thread within the keel/keelson.


 
With the mounting work now completed framing can begin and will be the subject of the next post.


 
Thanks everyone for following and for the continued encouragement.

Part 5 – The Stem Knee, Keel, and Worm Shoe


 
The stem knee supports the inner stem, has a 5” square socket to support the Sampson Post, and has a mortise on each side for the foreward-most frame.  The following photo shows the stem knee drawing, which was mirrored for aligning the two sides of the knee.


 
                                  
 


A small chisel was used to cut the socket and the frame mortises into the stem knee.  Because the knee was fairly small, I used the work setup shown in the following photos.


 

 

A 5” x 5” strip was used to check the accuracy of the socket for the Sampson Post.


 

 

The stem knee was then glued in place.

 


 
The rest of the keel (aft of the centerboard slot) was installed as two pieces.  The first piece was installed at the beginning of the curve in the keelson.


 



 
The aft keel piece was formed from 3 separate timbers.


 


 
This aft piece was then glued in place.


 


 
This completed the Keelson/Keel assembly.


 


 
There is a ‘worm shoe’ installed under the keel, as a protection for the keel.  This is made from pine and is only 2 “ thick.  The following photo shows the worm shoe being installed.


 


 
The cutwater and outer stem were fabricated, but only temporarily installed at this point.  The outer stem will cover the plank ends, and will be tapered from the planks down to the width of the cutwater, so this work will be left until the planking is installed.  The profile of the outer stem has been cut, and holes have been drilled to allow the outer stem to be temporarily mounted to the inner stem.  In addition, a slot was milled in the forward face of the outer stem for installation of the cutwater.


 

 


 
The following photo shows the completed Keelson / Keel / Stem assembly, with the temporary installation of the cutwater.


 


 
And, finally, mounts were created to keep the keel assembly at the proper height from the shipway, and the assembly was mounted to the shipway.


 


 
With the assembly now mounted in place, it’s time to start making and installing the frames for Kathryn.


 
Thanks everyone for following along, and especially for the Likes and comments.

Part 4 – The Keelson – cont’d


 
I should have mentioned wood selection in the prior post.  Kathryn has a mixture of oak and pine, with the oak being used primarily in structural components.  The HAER documentation does a good job of identifying the type of wood used for each component.  I’m using madrone (very similar to pear) for the components made of oak, and castello for the pine components.  Madrone normally is fairly pink, like pear, but my current stock of madrone is much paler than what I’ve used in the past.


 
The centerboard slot is cut through both the keelson and the keel, so the first task was to add the keel in the area of the centerboard slot.


 
The oak keel is very thin from the bow through the area of the centerboard slot – only 3” thick.  Since the thickness is consistent in this area a single piece could be milled.  The following photo shows this keel piece being glued in place.


 

 

The milling cutter would not mill the entire depth of the slot from the top of the keelson – the keelson would need to be flipped for completion of the slot.  Pilot holes were drilled through the keelson at each end of the slot location – this enabled proper location of the slot when the keelson was flipped.


 
The following photo shows the centerboard slot being milled.


 


The mast step in Kathryn is actually a longitudinal mortise, so this was also milled at this time.  The following photo of the completed keelson shows the centerboard slot and the mortise for the mast step.


 

 

In the interest of full disclosure, I need to admit that I cut the centerboard slot too far forward after misreading one of the various marks I had made on the keelson.  The end of the centerboard slot was in the proper place, so this was easily corrected by inserting a small plug in the forward end of the slot – as seen in the following photo.


 

 

Kathryn’s bow consists of an inner stem, and outer stem, and the cutwater.  All of these components will be made of oak.  The inner stem sits on the keelson, and is supported by a stem knee.


 
The inner stem needed to be shaped so that it inclines at the same angle as the forward edge of the keelson.  I was also concerned about the inner stem being sufficiently secure, so a tenon was formed on the stem and a corresponding mortise was cut in the keelson, as shown in the following photos.


 
 

 

I was also concerned about attaching the outer stem, which will lie against the inner stem, so 2 pilot holes were drilled in the inner stem for aligning the outer stem in a later step.  These holes needed to be fairly horizontal, so the inner stem was held in the milling vise at the approximate angle of installation.  A centering drill was used to assist in drilling at that angle.


 

 

Once the centering drill started the hole, a #60 drill was used to complete the drilling.


 
 

 

The setup for gluing the inner stem to the keelson was a little unusual, since it was necessary to ensure that the inner stem and the forward face of the keelson stayed in the proper alignment.  A parallel bar was set in a vice for this alignment, and the keelson/stem knee combination was aligned with the bar.  A square was also used to ensure that the stem knee stayed vertical on the keelson.  The clamping setup can be seen in the following photo.


 

 

The following photo shows the keelson with the inner stem knee installed.


 

 


 
The next work will include the installation of the stem knee and completion of the keel assembly.


 

Part 3 – The Keelson


 
After a lot of time spent researching Kathryn and drawing the plans needed to start the build – it’s finally time to make some wood dust!


 
Kathryn’s keelson is a massive timber, consisting of two parts secured by a scarf joint.  The individual frames are mortised into the keelson, and a slot for the centerboard runs down the middle of the keelson.  The keelson is 16” wide and the height varies, decreasing towards the aft of the boat.  The bottom of the keelson below the level of the bottom of the frames is only 8” wide.  Following are a few cross-sectional views from the HAER drawings to illustrate the keelson:


 



 
The first step was to make the two main parts of the keelson.  After gluing the drawings of the two parts to the appropriate stock, these parts were cut out and sanded to the lines using the disk sander and the elliptical sander (for any inside curves).


 

 

These pieces were joined at the scarf and glued, using the clamping arrangement shown.  A piece of plate glass was used to ensure that the keelson was straight.
 

 

The next step was to form the narrow bottom of the keelson.  This would be best done on the milling machine, but an approach for cutting along the curve of the keelson was needed.  I fabricated a ‘table’ for the milling machine with a peg located in the table.  (I saw this in use on another build log – a great idea)




 
By keeping the keelson stock pressed against the peg, it was possible to follow the curve of the keelson with the milling cutter.  Light cuts were progressively made on each side of the keelson until the proper depth was reached.



 

The following photo shows the milled bottom of the keelson.
 

 

The next task was to cut all of the mortises for the frames in the keelson.  Since the keelson sits on an angle, a jig was developed to ensure that the frame mortises were perpendicular from the waterline.  This jig simply consisted of a piece of wood with the top cut at the appropriate angle.
 



 

This jig was positioned against two machine screws in the tooling plate to ensure that it was horizontal, and the keelson was clamped against this jig.  A laser center-finder was used to check that the mortises would be vertical.
 



 

The mortises were then cut on both sides of the keelson (the drawing of the keelson was mirrored and pasted to the port side after initial shaping of the keelson).  All of the mortises are 2” deep.


 

The ends of the mortises were rounded because of the shape of the milling cutter.  These were then squared off using a knife and a small chisel.



 

When reviewing the photos from the recent rebuild, I was able to see that the forward end of the keelson was rounded to the depth of the narrow keelson bottom.


 

 

A rotary tool with a medium stump cutter was used to form this end of the keelson.

 

 

The bearding line is very pronounced at the front of the keelson (shown as the dark line bordering the mortises in the above photo).  The keelson was shaped to this line, again using the stump cutter.


 

 

Finally, the forward 12” of the keelson tapers from its 16” width down to 10” – this was done on the disk sander.


 

 
 

 

So the keelson is now fully formed.  Next up is to cut the centerboard slot, begin installation of the keel, inner stem, and stem knee.


 
Thanks everyone!

Skipjack Kathryn
 
 
 
Part 1 – Background
 
 
 
I’ve always liked the lines of the Skipjack oyster dredging craft from the Chesapeake Bay.  A couple of years ago I found drawings of the Skipjack Kathryn on the HAER website, and thought this would be an interesting build. 
 
 
Kathryn was built at Crisfield, Maryland in 1901.  Kathryn is fairly large for a Skipjack, measuring 50 feet long and 16 feet 8 inches wide.  The HAER documentation includes the information that was provided for the nomination of Kathryn as a National Historic Landmark, and indicates that Kathryn is the oldest of the true “skipjacks” - the two-sail bateau built expressly for the oyster trade.
 
 
Kathryn’s hull is a modification of the standard hard chine skipjack design.  The hull has the same general form as the standard skipjack with a sharp convex bow, beamy midsection, and counter stern.  The difference is that Kathryn is planked fore-and-aft with a rounded chine rather than having a hard chine and being planked athwartships in a herring-bone pattern.  Only a small number of skipjacks have been identified with the same construction – the Susan May (1901) and Maggie Lee (1903) among them.  Kathryn carries the traditional Chesapeake longhead or clipper bow with a straight raking stem.
 
 

 
Kathryn underwent a major rebuild in 1954, which included the deck and siding, but retained her original form and many of her original oak timbers.  The HAER documentation was recorded as Kathryn existed in 1995.  Some modifications had been made to Kathryn’s outward appearance, mainly the addition of a ‘doghouse’ or companionway above the main cabin, and the replacement of the forepeak hatch with one of a lower profile.
 
 
In 2011 Kathryn struck a buoy during the annual skipjack race off Deal Island, Maryland.  “Stoney” Whitelock, the current owner and captain, said “When I hit that buoy, that was no big deal, but I found out there was no nails holding the planks onto some of the frames, they were eaten away.  Almost all of the frames at some point were rotten.”
 
 
A major construction project was launched to rebuild Kathryn, starting in 2011 under the guidance of Mike Vlahovich – a master shipwright and founding director of the Coastal Heritage Alliance.  The project was funded through grants and private donations, and much of the reconstruction work was performed by volunteers.
 
 
Kathryn was relaunched during the end of September 2015, and worked the 2015 oyster season.  I was able to spend a short time on board Kathryn during October 2015 as she was docked at Deal Island before the oystering season.
 
 

Part 15 – Ceiling Planks
 
Hi Everyone.  Again, it has been a while since my last post.  At the end of April my wife went into hospital for some surgery, and we were expecting her to be home in a couple of days.  Unfortunately there were some serious complications that kept her hospitalized for about 10 days, followed by some convalescing at home.  Needless to say modeling activities were put aside during that time.  Fortunately she’s doing well and is getting back to feeling normal.  So, back to work on Kathryn.
 
The ceiling planks are next on the plate.  There’s a lot of interior detail to be worked on, and the ceiling planks need to be completed before any of the other details can be tackled.
 
According to the HAER documentation, ceiling planking runs from the third frame back to frame 20.  This is the area used for some below-deck storage and for forward berthing.  There’s a bulkhead that forms the forward wall of the cabin at frame 20, and the depth of the hull from frame 20 aft is very shallow, so it doesn’t make sense to install ceiling planks aft of frame 20.  However, the photos from the recent reconstruction appear to show ceiling being laid under the cabin.  This photo was taken looking forward – the vertical paneling is actually the forward wall of the cabin, and the bulkhead at the forward end of the cabin has not yet been installed.
 
            
 
Since this model is intended to depict Kathryn as she was originally built, the ceiling planks will end at frame 20.
 
Kathryn’s ceiling planks are approximately 9” wide x 1-3/4” thick.  Since the plan is for some of the ceiling to be visible, simulated bolts will be installed on the planks.  The process for installing these bolts is the same as used in my Dunbrody build.
 
First, the location of the bolts will be marked on a plank corresponding to the middle of the frame below the plank, except where planks meet in the middle of a frame.
 
            
 
A small square is then used to draw a perpendicular line across the plank.  (Where the plank was being installed on a cant frame, a line matching the angle of the frame was drawn instead.)
 
            
 
The Sensitive Drilling Attachment on the milling machine is used to drill the bolt holes.  This drilling setup allows for the holes to be drilled a consistent distance from both edges of the plank.  The plank is pressed against the wood strip, all the holes are drilled, the plank is reversed, and the holes for the other side are drilled.
 
            
 
After drilling, the pencil lines are all erased with an artist’s eraser.
 
            
 
The bolts are 24 gauge copper wire that has been work hardened and then cut into short ‘rods’.  The holes in the plank have been drilled using a #76 drill.  The rod is fed through the hole and then dipped into a puddle of medium viscosity CA glue.  By feeding the rod through the hole before applying glue, any CA smear is on the bottom of the plank and won’t detract from the finished look of the plank.
 
            
 
The plank is then gently pushed down to the surface of a plate glass sheet – this causes the bolt to be set right against the bottom of the plank, so little or no trimming or sanding is needed on the bottom of the plank.
 
            
 
After all of the rods have been glued to the plank, the rods are then clipped off on the top side of the plank and filed or sanded smooth – ready for blackening.  Since the bolts are copper rods, Liver of Sulfur is used for blackening.  The following photo shows a plank that is still wet from blackening. 
 
            
 
I have found that the blackening agent slightly discolors the wood, so a clear water wash is scrubbed onto the entire plank while it is still wet from the LOS solution.
 
            
 
Planking clamps as used by EdT were used to clamp the ceiling planks in place.
 
            
 
            
 
My existing supply of planking clamps consisted of clamps that were narrow enough to fit between the frames, so I made a few wider clamps for Kathryn. 
 
            
 
A combination of the old and new clamping planks was used for the ceiling planking.  In some cases I needed to use different types of clamps.  In the following photo a screw clamp is being used on the starboard side, and home-made miniature c-clamps are used for the forward ends of the planks.
 
            
 
In other cases the temporary ribbands interfered with the screw clamps, so some scrap wood was used to elevate the arm of the clamp.
 
            
 
            
 
When the outermost plank was installed an arrangement of the miniature c-clamps was used.
 
            
 
Since frames 3 through 11 are cant frames, the bolting pattern reflects these frames, and I thought it made for a pleasing effect.
 
            
 
The next step is the installation of the ceiling planks along Kathryn’s sides.
 
Thanks everyone!

Masts
 
I've made some progress on the masts.  After spending a week or two going through all the plans for the masts, the various parts, and all the rigging that touches the masts, I finally felt confident that I understood everything.  I decided to work on the fore mast and main mast at the same time since they are nearly identical.  
 
I started by cutting the masts to length, cutting the tennons to fit the holes in the deck, and doing all the tapering.  The tapering was pretty easy - the lower masts are straight on one side and tapered on the other three sides.  I only tapered them from the trestle trees and up since the taper on the rest was very, very slight.  I also cut and tapered the top masts.  The top masts were tapered on all sides, so I stuck them in the lathe and used sandpaper to shape them.
 

These got a good sanding, then I stained them.  The plans call for it being 'natural', but I used a light stain on the deck and I want these to match.  So they got a good coat of stain and were placed in a little stand I made to dry.
 

For the mast fittings, I decided to work from the bottom up.  For this first part, I'm going to build out everything up to where the first mast hoops go, then I'll stop and work on mast hoops for a while.
 
Pin Saddle and Boom Rest
 
So, the first things to make are the pin saddle and boom rest.  These are nearly identical.  They only differ in the chock placements and the use of belaying pins on the fore mast.  The kit provides some laser cut pieces for this.  However, I really wanted to add the 'recessed metal band' detail indicated on the plans, and I didn't think I'd be able to pull that off using the kit's parts.  I decided to go a completely different way.
 
I started with a dowel rod that had the same diameter as the pin saddle and boom rest.  The masts at this spot are 5/16", so I used a 5/16" drill bit and my drill press to put a hole straight through the dowel rod.
 

Next I drilled the holes for the belaying pins on the pin saddle.  This is easiest to do now before I start making the cut for the recessed band.
 

Once that was done, I stuck the dowel into the rotary vice on my Proxxon mill.  I used the mill to carve away a recessed area for the metal band. 
 

Then I cut the end free with a razor saw.  I repeated this process for the boom rest (but without the holes for the pins) and did a quick test fit on the mast.
 

Then I cut and shaped the 8 chocks (4 for the fore mast, 4 for the main mast) and glued everything in place.  I masked off everything higher up on the masts, and give these areas a good airbrushing with white.
 

I used some 1/64" thick brass strip to form the metal bands.  The strips were bent around the recessed area, then secured with a short brass rod that runs through holes in the band.  I also installed the belaying pins on the pin saddle.
 

Gooseneck
 
Next up was the gooseneck.  For this, I made two metal bands by folding over some brass strip and drilling a hole through them.  I ran some brass rod through the holes to form the joint on the back of the band, then shaped the rest to form the parts that go around to hold the rest of the gooseneck assembly.
 

The gooseneck has a uniquely shaped ringed piece held between the two bands.  It has one horizontal ring that attaches to the gooseneck, and two vertical rings (one for the fore boom, and one for a tack line).  I wanted this piece to be pretty strong since it will hold the fore boom.  I decided to make it out of some thicker brass I had laying around.  I started by drilling a couple holes in the brass.
 

Then I stuck it in the mill and 'eyeballed it' to mill it into the general shape.  I left a thin 'stem' coming off the back that I bent around to form the ring that connects to the gooseneck.
 

 

All the parts for the gooseneck were ready...
 

The bands were glued in place, then brass rods were added to hold the connector, which holds the oddly shaped ring piece.  That piece moves freely, which I think is the point of the assembly.
 

Metal Sheet
 
As a final step, I added the metal sheet to the main mast.  I'm leaving all the metal work on the ship as brass (since paint comes off brass too easily, and I'm horrible at blackening), so I really wanted that metal sheet to be brass.  However, I didn't have any suitable brass for that on hand, so I used some copper tape I had lying around.  I'll probably check my local hobby store for some brass that I can swap out for this metal sheet (I'm not happy with this one spot of copper on the ship).
 

And now I'm done with the lowest parts of the mast.  Next I'll work on making the mast hoops so I can drop the required number in place before adding the trestle trees.
 
 

Mast Hoops
 
Finally finished all the mast hoops.  These things are tiny and fragile.  I managed to only break one in the process.
 
The kit provides 2 sizes of mast hoops as laser cut parts.  I only did the larger size for now, since those are what I need to continue working on the lower masts.  I sanded the top/bottom faces before I removed them from the sheet. Then I cut them loose, but left the inner circles attached.  This made them a little more sturdy while I sanded the outside edge.  To make sanding the outside easier, I clamped a bunch together and went at the whole set with a foam sanding stick.
 

Then I cut the inner parts free and started sanding the inner edge.  This won't be very visible, but I'm concerned that if I don't get rid of the laser char it will leave marks on the mast.  I did these in groups of 3-5, holding them up on my bench while I sanded the inside edge with a foam sanding stick.
 

Once I had all 37 sanded (20 for the main mast, 17 for the fore mast), I dipped them in some stain.  I'm staining them a medium brown to match the roofs and trim on the deck structures.  That should also make them stand out a little from the masts, which are stained a very light brown.
 

I was also able to run by the hobby store this week and get some thin brass sheet material.  This stuff is 0.003" thick, so it can be easily cut and bent.  I used this to replace the metal sheet at the bottom of the main mast that I had previously made with copper tape.  I wasn't happy with that bit of copper since everything else on the ship is brass.  I think it looks much better.  I simulated the bolts/nails by just punching tiny holes, then rolling the holes flat again.  I think these would have been too small to try and glue in wire.
 

With luck I'll be able to dive in into the more exciting parts of the lower masts this weekend...bands, cranes, caps and trestle trees.  

Progress Report:  It's been a while since I posted, so here is an update.  I have finished planking the deck, added the main rail, monkey rail, and monkey log.  I did not attempt to do the scuppers or rail mouldings.  Because I have decided to model a generic Grand Banks fishing schooner, I did not add the seine roller nor did I include the propeller assembly or exhaust pipe.  I have assembled the hatches, forward companionway, trunk cabin, and wheel box but have not glued them down.  They are just sitting on the deck.  I have mostly assembled the windlass bit support mechanism and the samson post.  The bitts and fife rails are primed and sitting in mounting holes but are not finished yet. The chain plates have been installed.   As you can see from the photos, the ship is mounted on an oak board with 1/8” brass rods.  Thanks to Rafine for his helpful suggestion on this.
Here are some thoughts on the quality of the kit for anyone looking at this log and considering whether to select Benjamin W. Latham as their next ship model project.  At this stage of my construction, I would recommend it; especially for someone looking to gain experience before going on to something more difficult and complex. 
For the most part, the kit is well designed.  Providing the center keel as a four part “sandwich” helps insure a strong straight hull.  The two thickness of construction gives you a center line that helps when cuting the rabbet – a much easier job than with “Fair American”.  The transom was the one tricky part, but it worked out OK. The plans are straightforward, and the planking layout included in the plans is a great help.  There are no difficult bends, so the planking is relatively easy.  I used a sharp plane to taper the width of the planks, and could run a single plank from stem to stern in most instances.  The kit is very generous in the quantity of material supplied.  Same for the 1/16” x 1/16” strips for the deck.  The cast metal parts supplied with the model are excellent; better than most “kit bashers” could create.  The only down side so far is the forty foot seine boat that I was unable to complete  (see earlier entries in this log).  The kit makes an impressively large ship model and will appear even more so with masts and rigging. 
Here are some pictures:
 
 
 
 

But you did ask about the Bluenose in particular, not sails on models in general. Personally I'm in FAVOR of sails on all schooner models. Why? Because of the nature of the schooner rig. With no square yards schooners like Bluenose look particularly desolate with just a pair of naked sticks poking high up above the deck. From across the room, a Bluenose model with sails is going to look great and draw the eye. The huge volumes of space above the deck will be DEFINED by the sails. A bare-poled Bluenose will be hardly visible at all from across the room, and may actually appear to be incomplete. Also, rigging the Bluenose with sails is going to be relatively easy compared to rigging something square rigged, all you need to do is attach the halyards (which you would have to rig anyway) and put the sheets onto the headsails, you would already have sheets on he Fore and Main with bare poles.

Thanks for the encouragement.  I will not put this one in a case because of lack of space and , I believe,  not of sufficient quality. This was my first serious venture into plank on hull modeling.. This was a difficult model to build.  The gentleman I purchased it from said that he had had several purchases returned for an easier build.   I am waiting for my next  kit, Cazador(Xebec) by Occre.  I plan to use knowledge gained on Latham to do better.  I have seen an excellent build log on the Xebec, so I am not sure if I should do a build log. Any opinions of multiple build logs on same model?
Sideliner

Sideliner
 
Your Benjamin Latham looks great!   Congratulations on completing it.  Well done.  Are you going to display it in a case?
 
Elia

Sideliner
 
Your Benjamin Latham looks great!   Congratulations on completing it.  Well done.  Are you going to display it in a case?
 
Elia

Well here it is in Feb. 2017.  Just a note to say I'm back on build.  Finding rigging very tedious and constantly referring to research to find out "how to" article. I'm working on shrouds and chain plates.  I have been obsessing about trying to make every thing look like showroom fit.  Looked at old pics of schooners and saw that their dead eyes are not all even and Bristol neat. Doing the best I can until I get more experience. Main booms rigged and laying on deck.  Gaff booms built and waiting to rig.
 
 

Hello folks
Well I am posting a few pics of, what for me, is the completed Benjamin L.  I deviated in a lot of areas for several reasons.  Limited illustrations, confusing drawings, missing metal parts, and just stuff I thought looked better.  For me the hardest parts were the rigging, especially the chain plates and pin rail lashings. Some of difficulty was because I did not follow the build schedule closely.  For instance, lashing the pin rails is deadly if you have to work around the mast shrouds.  Many thanks to builders that preceded mine, especially Gary Kapp.. I found a photo on Heritage Auctions web site of the Benjamin L and used it as a guide for rigging.