Elia

Charlie, you hit the nail on the head. So I just set the stem, stern post and keel today, and to make it work, I had to trim a quarter inch off the aft end of the keel. I did a lot of additional hull sanding with 200 grain paper (sand, fit, sand etc.). One thing that helped me is I glued the stem to the keel and then worked the fit. I held my keel to the hull with rubber bands, but this caused me to come slightly off centerline, so I will have to adjust that. As you can see, I also will need a bit of filler at the bow where the keel and stem meet.

Thanks Russ - we'll see if that ends up being the case!
 
Anyways, I've finished making initial test patterns for the 3/16" keel pieces, bulkheads, sternpost and rudder. I've laid them out on the maple ply I bought to make billets, trying to be as sparing as possible with the wood, despite the fact that these will not likely be the pieces I actually use. Maybe I'm being overly cautious......but I think a bit of practice will help.
 
Here are the patterns laid out on the billets. I'll use rubber cement to fix them on the plywood and then get to cutting! Not sure if I'll be able to do this anytime soon, but.....looking forward to a rough assembly.
hamilton
 

 

 

 

 

About time I put up another update.  I've been making slow progress but have been somewhat distracted by some health issues that seem to be just about sorted now.
 
The photo that Bedford took shows her in the display case at the museum.  The spars are only temporarily placed there when I'm not working on her as they are basically nothing more than shaped sticks at the moment (well, not quite, there has been a little done).
 
I've now got the anchor made (it's roughly in its final stowed position in the photos) and have been working on the various mast bands.  They all need to soldered up (can't do that at the museum) but I have to firstly, find some time at home and secondly, wait for the effects of anaesthetic to wear off properly so that I can use soldering gear safely.  I also have the lower sheet blocks attached and their cleats fixed on deck plus the steering ropes are rigged, but not yet fixed in place.
 
As well as the soldering, I now need to make some mast hoops as I can't fit cheeks or mast bands until the hoops are over the masthead and bedded down.
 
By the way, the black 'thing' on the midships cabin is the mizzen boom crutch.  It tucks into the toe rail on each side near the tiller, so I had to get it properly fitted for size while there was nothing in the way around that area.
 
John
 

 

 

 

 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 159 –Deadeye Chains continued
 
Work on the chains and deadeyes has been slow going, but I have a few progress pics to post.  After making the large 16” deadeyes for the lower shrouds and fitting some of them to the channels, I turned to the smallest size – the 6” deadeyes for the skysail mast backstays.  I then started working back upward in size.  The fist picture shows some of the smaller deadeyes, placed in position on a drawing of the starboard fore channel.
 

 
When this was taken, I had not yet made the 9” deadeyes for the fore and main topgallant backstays, but the other sizes are shown.  The drawing is incomplete – note the missing chain plate cleats at the foot of the chains.  The numbers on the drawing are line numbers from the rigging list.
 
I used a slightly modified process in making the small diameter deadeyes.  The next picture shows the rounding of a 9” deadeye in the lathe using a barrette file.  I used a shaped cutter for the 16" and 13" sizes.
 

 
After this step the deadeye was parted off as with the larger sizes.  The next picture shows the set up for drilling all the deadeyes.
 

 
After dropping a few of these down into the chuck while trying to align them in the jaws, I resorted to the blue masking tape in the picture to place the deadeye and hold it while tightening the jaws.  This worked perfectly and is a good solution for those of us with shaky hands.  The next picture shows drilling.
 

 
The holes are approximately 10% larger than the specified lanyard diameter.  The next picture shows the fore starboard channel with all the chains and deadeyes fitted and the capping rails pinned in place.
 

 
The last picture shows the slots for the chains on the port fore channels being filed out.
 

 
Before this step, the positions of the slots for each line on each channel was marked using a string from the appropriate height on the dummy foremast that can be seen in this picture.  A common slot size was used even though some of the chains are smaller.  This was done to allow the eyes on the lower ends to pass through the slot if a replacement is necessary later.  Since the soldered joints take rigging stresses, this is a distinct possibility given the large number of soldered joints.  Best to be prepared.
 
Ed

This schooner has a spreader on the mainmast to handle the topmast shroud. Here it a photograph of a spreader on a local schooner and the jig I am using to make the spreader for the model.
 
Russ

Okay, I know it looks a little scary, but in the end it is going to be painted. This is the main mast head band with the band for the topmast to pass through, as well as the iron for the topping lift. This fitting was soldered up from brass strip and wire.
 
Do not mind the cheeks. They are not completed yet. The cheeks will be sanded down and the spreaders for the topmast shroud will rest on them.
 
Russ

Made some progress this past weekend.
 
The rudder is made and mounted. The rudder does not turn. It is just there for appearance. There is a brass plate under the keel and two pieces brass wire soldered into the plate that connect to the keel and the bottom of the rudder. The rudder is also held in place by bamboo dowels that go up into the hull and into the sternpost. The paint work needs a little touch up, but it turned out fairly well.
 
The headsails have their hanks. The hanks are soldered blackened steel wire. The inside diameter is roughly 1/16". That is 3 scale inches. They are tied onto the boltrope.
 
Russ

Hello there:
 
This log will document my first attempt at a scratch built ship model. I've chosen to start with something more or less straightforward -- a 1:64 scale plank-on-bulkhead Bluenose based on Model Shipways' plans. 
 
I purchased the plans for the 1:64 MS Bluenose several years ago while I was working on the Amati 1:100 Bluenose. I wanted the plans as reference for the rigging, which on the smaller Amati kit had been quite radically simplified. Since then, the plans have been gathering dust in a drawer. But I always imagined that I might return to them once I felt ready to embark on a scratch build. 
 
The choice of Bluenose, then, was guided by the fact that I own the plans, which include reference drawings of all the laser cut parts, as well as by the fact that I've built the Bluenose before (though in a smaller scale). I also felt that, though clearly the principles are different, cutting my teeth on a p.o.b build would be a good way of getting into scratch building with an eye to a fully framed ship model. 
 
In any case, everyone knows the history of the Bluenose, so I won't repeat it here. This log will be more like a documentation of my clumsy entry into scratch building. Since I'm also working on the Mamoli America as a gift for a friend, the Bluenose build will no doubt be very slow. I also plan on continuing with kit builds alongside this project, which will also no doubt slow it down.
 
The need to acquire some tools (and save some money in order to get them) will also slow things down a bit - currently, I'm equipped with a bandsaw, which I'll use to cut the centre keel pieces and bulkheads, but I can already see the utility of a disc sander and mini drill press.....I think for this build I can wait on other things like a mini table saw, but I'm going to assume that the priority of tool acquisition will become clearer as I work through the build....
 
I know that there are a lot of Bluenose logs here on MSW, but I hope that this log will add something to the mix. For starters, here are a couple of photos - my tracings of the centre keel pieces and a practice-run at the bow piece using 1/4 basswood - it's pretty rough, as you can see. This was made to help me get a feel for the bandsaw and is out of scale thickness in addition to being kind of ratty. I'll be using 3/16 birch ply for centre keel, bulkheads, rudder, and sternpost. I bought some of this today at a local hobby shop, but it is not very good (lots of warping). I'll use this to do more bandsaw testing and try another source for the ply.
 
Well that is all for now....those who've looked in on my America (and perhaps other logs) will know that the frequency of my posting is quite idiosyncratic, so sorry about that....I'll try to be more diligent in the future!! 
hamilton
 

 

 

 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 158 –Deadeye Chain Plates
 
The deadeye chains (aka chain plates) on ships of this period were iron bar forged at each end with holes to take bolts.  I made these about 1” thick and 2 ½” in width, certainly stronger than the 11” shrouds.  These could have been made by the method used in the last post for the backing plates, namely by soldering tube at the end of a plate then slicing them off.  This would involve a lot of metal sawing and a lot of material wastage on these long pieces.  Also since the lower ends of these are bolted under the backing plates the rounding of the bolt eye need not be absolutely perfect.  The first picture shows the progression followed in forming these after the copper strips were cut to approximate width.
 

 
I used a paper cutter to cut the strips then straightened out the curls by stretching the strips in a vise as was done many months ago with the iron hull strapping.  Pulling these also hardens them, though that hardness is soon lost when they are annealed under the soldering torch.  The strip at the top has been drilled for the lower bolt.  In the center piece the lower eye has been roughly shaped.  At the bottom is the finished piece with its width reduced to the 2 ½” (.035” actual).
 
Before these parts could be sized and assembled with the deadeyes, the length of each chain had to be determined.  The next picture shows the positions of the chains on both starboard main channels being set out with the aid of a string taped at the height of the top on a dummy main mast.
 

 
Notches for the chain plates were then filed out and each plate fitted as shown in the next picture.
 

 
On this channel I set the backing links first, then pinned the chain plate at the bottom, bent the angle at the lower channel as shown. The top edge of the top channel was then marked on the plate, the plate removed and then trimmed to size.  The top of each of these was then crimped with pliers to make flat fore and aft surfaces to seat the iron deadeye straps.  In the next picture one of these straps has been formed around a 16” shroud deadeye.
 

 
The copper wire was wrapped around then crimped at the bottom.  The ends were then filed off square and then flattened with pliers.  On the ship these were bolted through the tops of the chain plates just above the channel.  I entertained the idea of bolting these until confronted with the small size – too small to drill – at least for me.  The next picture shows a strap and chain plate assembly after forming the chain at its position on the fore channel and before silver soldering the pieces together.
 

 
The next picture shows the pieces being soldered using a small propane torch.
 

 
Copper phosphorus solder was used because it blackens well with the liver of sulfur that I use to blacken the copper.  After soldering, these were dropped into a Sparex® solution.  After rinsing the deadeyes were fitted into the ring as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This entire assembly was then dipped in liver of sulfur solution to blacken the copper. 
 
The next picture shows the fore channel with the lower shroud deadeyes installed. 
 

 
These are bolted (nailed) into the 6” thick wale planking with the top bolts in the uppermost wale strake.  All the chains are shown being restrained from unruly behavior by bits of masking tape.  The smaller chain plate forward of the last shroud chain will anchor the eyebolt for the standing end of the upper topsail halyard.  This lighter duty chain has no backing plate and was made from 20-gauge copper wire flattened a bit.  I may replace this with a rectangular bar – like the others but smaller.
 
 The channel capping rails will be added after the remaining chains for other rigging are fitted.  When that is done all the chain plates will be straightened. At present the soft annealed copper on these is a bit deformed from handling. The deadeyes will be aligned neatly at the top later when the ship is rigged.  The last picture shows the main channel after fitting of the six lower shroud chains.
 

 
Ed

Thank you all - for comments and likes.  This method of making the plates - they seem to have a variety of names: chain preventer plates, chainplate cleats, backing plates, etc. - has advantages and disadvantages.  First, a very good silver-soldered joint between the tubes and the plate is most essential to keep the tube ends from breaking off when bent.  Sawing the plates puts a lot of stress on those joints as well.  There is still quite a bit of filing involved but at least that is all on a flat surface and does not require the rounding of the ends.  Also, tube sizes are limited so having the right size is a prerequisite.  I am now making the chainplates - or if you prefer, chains.  These are being made from strips of copper cut from a sheet - then drilled, the ends filed round and then filed to width.  Take your pick on the method - each has pluses and minuses.  will have some pics of the chainplates soon.
 
Ed

While responding to a PM, I visited the Nova Scotia archive web page to check on a couple of things... and found that it had moved.  It has been a great resource for me when working the little details, so I thought I'd put the new link in here:
 
https://novascotia.ca/archives/bluenose/
 
I know it has been a long time since I've done anything on this build, but life (and other hobbies) have been taking up much of my time over the last few years.  On the plus side, I am wrapping up three years as chair of the Board of Deacons at my church at the end of May, and am hoping that will give me some time to get this going again in earnest.  Of course there is always the granddaughter to spoil, astrophotography to work on, etc., etc., etc.
 
Thanks for your patience with me, and for sharing all your experiences in this hobby - MSW is s a great place to help keep the interest alive!
 
Bob

Sideliner -
 
Good progress there.  You figured out the main rail / transom relationship and interface - good stuff.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Sideliner,
 
I've just popped in to your new build - nice progress!  On your question of the main rail and the transom: yes the main rail sits on top of the transom.  In your picture it is sitting on the transom but tilted down to the deck level.  The main rail, which will run along the tips of those bulkhead 'stanchion' extensions, will join into that precut transom piece in one tangent, continuous feature.  So it won't be canted at the angle in the picture.  The upper edge of the transom may need some sanding so that that main rail aft piece sits flush to it.  The way the transoms on these schooners were shaped is pretty extreme - from the hull planks at the counter flowing over the lower edge of the transom, the sides , and the main rail running aft and over the transom - and all of these planks overlapping a transom edge surface.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Russ,
 
She looks great with the red lower hull.
 
Elia

Russ,
 
She looks great with the red lower hull.
 
Elia

Good to see you back Russ, and nice work. My Schooner is still tucked away, awaiting me finding time to rebuild my workbench.
 
/Alfons

Here is the nearly completed red bottom. I see from the stern photo, I need to a little touch up around the sternpost. The camera always finds these thing.  In any event, it does not look too bad.
 
Russ

I know it has been a long time, but I am still working on this schooner. I had to take time to do all sorts of other projects including a large scale model restoration last year. In the meantime, I have been getting a few things done on this model, here and there. Here is where I am at right now.
 
I am painting the bottom of the hull red. This has a several very thin coats and it will need a few more yet.
 
I have the sails almost ready. I still need to attach the hanks for the forestaysail and the jib. The main and foresails are both ready to go on the masts right now.
 
In preparation for rigging, I am making some blocks. Here is the double block for the main gaff halyard.
 
Russ

Dimitris,
 
Very nice start to impressive ship. Those first planking strakes look good, as does the keel rabbet. I haven't seen a build log of the ship so I'll enjoy watching this develop.
 
Cheers
 
Elia

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 156 – Channel Deadeyes 2
 
The first picture shows one of the 16” (.222” actual) deadeyes with its three holes drilled.  This was done in the milling machine using a four jaw centering chuck and a calibrated rotary table.
 

 
To retrace the steps, the rotary table with the chuck was first centered in the lathe, by eye in this case.  The x-axis feed was then locked to prevent me adjusting it by mistake.  The y-axis was then moved so the drill would be off center by one-half the deadeye radius – then also locked.  The next picture shows the setup ready to receive a deadeye.
 

 
A dowel was placed in the chuck to set the deadeye height, to help level the deadeye for drilling, and to prevent me dropping deadeyes into the abyss.  This is smaller in diameter to avoid fouling the jaws.  In the next picture a deadeye has been placed and the chuck jaws tightened.
 

 
In this picture the nib left after parting in the lathe is being filed off.  This side of the deadeye was then sanded.  The other side was sanded and polished in the lathe.  The next picture shows a hole being drilled.
 

 
The holes are 1.1 times the diameter of the 5” (circumference) lanyards, in this case 5”/3.14 or 1.6” (.022” actual).  They are spaced at 120 degrees using the graduations on the rotary table.  To keep the small drill from skating on the curved deadeye face, the bit is chucked short and the hole is started with very light pressure using the Sherline® sensitive drilling attachment – an indispensable tool, shown before in these posts.   The table is then rotated 120 degrees for the next hole.  The next picture shows how this side of the deadeye was then polished using a Scotchbrite® wheel..
 

 
The next picture shows the 16” channel deadeyes just after removal from the Tung oil jar.
 

 
These were first dyed using a saturated water solution of Van Dyke® crystals.  This non-fading vegetable dye is made from black walnut husks.  As long as there are undissolved crystals in the jar, the solution is saturated and will remain at a constant maximum concentration.  I hope to use diluted solutions of this later to dye hemp rigging. 
 
Some readers will know that I am not a fan of dyes – for two reasons: most solution dyes are aniline based and will fade on exposure to light, and secondly solution dyes remain soluble after drying and therefore can smudge and run if wetted.  I have not relented.  This natural walnut dye should never fade and finishing the deadeyes with Tung oil will prevent later smudging. 
 
I considered dyeing these black using India Ink, but after comparing decided to go with the walnut, which I believe is a more realistic color.
 
I used oil diluted with 50% mineral spirits and expect 2 or 3 more dips on these before getting the desired polish.  That will consume 2 or 3 days before these are ready to be bound on the channels.  This should allow time to make the chain, bindings and preventer plates – and to prepare the channels.
 
There are other sizes to make as well.
 
 
Ed

Hey John, guess where I was last weekend??
 

 
She really looks beautiful.
 
I did say I was going to have to come see it. The Shackleton exhibition was just a sideline reason for going.

Some more progress.  The 'dunny' has now been completed along with the windlass.  I've been playing about with the windlass on and off for some time, but decided it was time to finish it off.  In the photos both pieces are in roughly their final position.  Going by the available photos, the 'dunny' seemed to have been moved from time to time, but this is the position it was in when the 'Pritt' went to the Roper River to land the missionaries, which is the period I want.  It must have been pretty inconvenient when sailing with the wind aft, as it stuck up higher than the level of the main boom.
 
John
 

 

 

 

 

It seems forever since I last updated the log.  Things have been pretty hectic around here plus both Pam and I have had a few health issues which have slowed things down considerably.  Thankfully I'm now able to get back into the workshop.
 
All the spars have now been made but, as can be seen in the photos below, not yet detailed.  The jaws of the mizzen boom and gaff have now been finished off, so the next job on the spars will be to get some bands made, which means I'm really going to have to haul out the soldering gear soon or I'll run out of things to do on the model for lack of metal fittings.  I still have the dunny to make plus the windlass is only half done, so maybe I can put off the soldering just a little longer.
 
PS:  I actually enjoy soldering once I get started, but it seems to take me a heck of a long time just to get the equipment organised.
 
John
 

 

 

A Christmas update.  The 'Pritt' continues to move ahead slowly.  The pin rails are now fitted (although I now realise I forgot to photograph the model with them fitted - next time).  The belaying pins on these vessels were, generally, simple iron or steel bars fixed through the rails - nothing fancy on a pearl sheller!  The rudder has now also been fitted and the tiller made, but only temporarily in place for the photographs - it still needs painting and the steering blocks fitted before it's finally permanently fitted.  The end of the tiller kicks up like that at the end so that it's about hip height on a man standing to steer, although steering was generally done using the tiller ropes.
 
You will notice the unusual fittings for securing the rudder.  This type of rudder fitting is typical of T.I. pearl shellers - the upper gudgeon is simply a plate that is passed through a slot in the rudder abaft the rudder post and the lower gudgeon is a round fitting into which the lower end of the rudder post fits.
 
The masts have been commenced - the main mast has been shaped and the mizzen is tapered ready for shaping.  The spars are being made from Celery Top Pine, a traditional Tasmanian boat building timber and beautiful to work with.  I got a couple of scraps of it from a boatyard when we were visiting Tasmania a couple of years ago.
 
A happy Christmas to all.
 
John
 

 

 

 

 
 

Thanks, everyone.
 
Carl,I'm trying to get adjusted to "repetitive".  There is a lot of that kind of work ahead.
 
Druxey, the stop snaps over the cross feed bed rod.  It is made from a piece of brass tube slit longitudinally slightly off center.  A picture is attached below.  This can be used in any setup by making the first of a number of repetitive cuts, loosening the tool in the holder, bringing the cross feed up against the stop, then resetting the tool in the holder.