Elia

the saga continues...

continued...

continued....

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

It has been some time since my last update and with a little time off of my feet I've been able to do little things here and there on Arethusa.
 
I have begun making masts....first time in oh, about 5 years!  I'm following my method I wrote about in the downloads section some years ago.
 
Here are some photos showing the major steps.  My only process change has been to use a plane to remove material instead of the rasp/file originally shown.




 
On the hull - I touched up the anti-fouling paint and hull sides, made some little scroll art at the bow names, and applied Dullcoat over the outer hull.  It is the first time I've used Dullcoat and I am happy with the results.  The shininess of the acrylic paint is gone and hull details are more clearly visible.  One odd and funny (to me!) aspect of the photos - you may see what looks like scupper run-off 'weathering'.  It isn't.  What you are seeing are reflections from clear, highly glossily packing tape I used to seal the 'work stand' box. 



 
On the deck I finished painting the checker boards.  I've deviated from my 'pristine' modeling approach by applying a semi-transparent paint layer to those details and the deck battens.  I think it gives appearance of worn painted boards and battens.  Also worked on were attached the windlass brakes and connecting links.  Luckily I hadn't glued those down yet - I found one of my soldered joints to have broken.




 
And a final photo showing the two lower masts.  The masts have been tapered and cut to length, only requiring flats and rebates where a host of spar related hardware goes.

 
Cheers,
 
Elia
 

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Shipwrights,
 
A little more progress on Arethusa - masts and spars.  I've completed the basic shaping of the lower masts, upper masts, and the booms.  In this photo, top to bottom, are the main mast, the fore mast, the main topmast, the fore topmast, the main boom, the fore boom, and the jumbo boom.  Note the scale on the bottom of the green cutting mat in inches.  The grid squares are 0.5 inches per side.  The main and fore masts are just slightly greater in diameter than 3/8 inch.  All were formed from square stock bass wood stock.

This closer in photo shows the peculiar shaping of Gloucester schooner spars.  While circular in cross section, they are decidedly not axisymmetric.  The edge of the spar adjacent the sail is straight.  The opposing side is tapered.  The maximum diameter occurs 2/3 distance from the jaws (at the mast) to the tip.  My spars shown still contain a little excess material at each end of the spar.  They are shown with their jaw ends to the right in the picture.

 
[these were taken with my camera phone - quickie photos on the dining table]
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Greetings,
 
I've completed building the Main Engine Room Hatch and put a coat of primer on it.  When the paint has dried I will sand the camber into it the same way I did with the Chart House, once that is complete the placement for the cowl vents will be marked and drilled. 
 

 

 

 

 
Cheers,
Tim

Greetings,
 
While I was waiting fro the paint to dry on the main engine room hatch, I decided to clean up the cowl vents and add a coat of primer....
 

 
Cheers,
Tim

Greetings,
 
Four cowl vent bases ready to be glued into position.
 

 
Cheers,
Tim

I didn't update my log after my last regular visit to the museum as when I got there I found that I'd forgotten to pack the wood I needed to continue building!
 
I therefore spent most of the day talking to visitors and having cups of coffee in the members lounge!
 
On Friday I had some extra time at the museum desk so was able to do a bit of work on the 'counter rim frame' - pearling lugger jargon.  This is the frame that runs around the counter at deck level and onto which both the hull and deck planking butts.
 
Because it is fitted into the aftermost frames at deck level, fitting it is largely a case of 'suck it and see' (or trial and error).  So the roughed out frame is now glued and dowelled to the two aftermost frames ready for shaping.  By the time I'm at the museum next Wednesday the glue will be nicely cured and ready to work on.
 
The photos are, I think, pretty self explanatory.  The final one shows the typical kicked up stern of the Thursday Island luggers.
 
John
 




 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 83 – Toptimbers/Middle Deck Framing
 
It has been almost two weeks since the last post.  In that time, work was done to prepare the toptimbers for final alignment and the framing of the middle deck was completed.
 
After aligning the toptimbers around the curved stern, all of the rest and upper futtocks – except those at the forecastle – were cut off and adjusted to their final heights.  Toptimbers on the odd numbered frame lines were cut back to the planksheer line.  The first picture shows the way the height gauge was used to set the tops of the timbers.
 

 
A strip of wood was taped to the top of the gauge arm.  The heights of the fancy rail and the planksheer were then set from the drawing for each frame and the heights on the model adjusted to match with a flat file.  Each timber was filed horizontally until the gauge arm just slid over the top.  The picture shows some of the toptimbers cut off.  The tops of the frames are now ready for final fairing and installation of rails and outer planking.
 
The clamps for the cabin deck were dubbed off and the stern hook for that deck made and installed as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This short “mezzanine” deck is the next to be framed after completion of the decking and inboard planking above the middle deck.  The next picture was taken during framing of the middle deck – specifically the installation of lodging knees and ledges.
 

 
Some of the port side lodging knees have yet to be installed.  The picture shows all of the toptimber work completed.  The next pictures show some steps in setting ledges.
 

 
In this picture a score for the ledge is being cut into the lodging knees at the side with a small chisel.  The scores in the carlings were cut earlier with a triangular file.  In the next picture a ledge has been fit into the lodging knee score and is being measured for its final fit.
 

 
The last picture shows the completed framing of the middle deck.  It will now be sanded fair.
 

 
Work on the middle deck waterways will be next.
 
 Ed

Alfons,
 
The staved barrel looks quite nice and an improvement over the initial try. A set of six of those will look sharp on your schooner. I too am going to put some barrels on deck...I might take a pointer or two from you.

OK, here's my spinnaker pole. It may be a little thicker than scale, I had to start from a 1/4" dowel and sand down.
 

 

After many hours of research, mostly in reading and re-reading the last half of Chapelle’s book on fishing schooners and many hours on the web.  I finally think I know the rigging of a fishing schooner, at least the way the Lettie G. Howard will be rigged.  I also decided that the saying, ‘Each part is a model’ is true.  So I made a holder for the main mast.  I mounted the fittings and pulled thread through the blocks to check everything.  When the mast is on the boat, the thread will be replaced with rope.  I will also add the shrouds at that time.  So here are pictures of the main mast, boom and gaff.  Relooking at the pictures I just realized I need to add fairleads, one or two on the boom and a couple at the crosstree.  I have new respect for you who build the square rigged ships with all their rigging.
 
Bob
 

 

 

 

Ron, Michael, Bob,
 
Thank you much for checking in on Arethusa.  When I get home from work today I'll continue the log rebuild process.  I have some true progress to add once the build log has been reconstructed.
 
In rebuilding the log I've decided to not show many of my questions and re-do's...and there were many...as the lost text and MSW post exchanges are lost and the images would require additional effort.  I am always happy and willing to recount some aspect of Arethusa's build if any questions arise.
 
Cheers,

Worked on the transom: eagle added along with name and moulding strips.  
It took me a while to realize that adding the name was not a matter of painting it on by hand, but is easily done with a little magic done with a printer, the correct font choice and some scissors.  ;-)   
 

 
~John
 

Thank you for the kind words all. I have completed the hull coppering, which, surprisingly looks very mirror-imaged from port to starboard. I am happy with it.  
 
I spent the free time today getting all the other parts organized for the remaining build. I also ordered some Testors grey primer for the Britannia Metal parts that I'll use. I still haven't decided upon scratch building some, most or all of them yet. I think I'll wait and see as the build progresses.   To get things organized, I am using a small plastic glass bead holder (found in the art store jewelry making section) for the blocks and other many small parts. I then gather and labeled all the wood with masking tape tags. Here we go!
 

 
and sorry this is a little blurry. You can see the VERY useful calculator and calipers for measuring the wood.
 

 
~john

A busy weekend has proved fruitful. I went forward with adding the whales, outboard planksheer and rudder. The copper has been coated with Testors Dullcoat Varnish (spray). I like the dull matt finish it created. The whole thing is starting to come together rather nicely. I am really pleased with the fortunate mirror-image from starboard to port... not at all like my first build!  A little careful measuring makes the difference.  
 

 

 
Now to work on the stern with some details. 
 
~john

Bob,
 
Lettie looks great with the masts stepped and the shrouds and stays going up. The bails and figure 8 links, the topmast band and shackle, the deadeyes and lanyards - really nice.
 
Elia

Hi all. Anchor's Aweigh!!! After doing the twin drum windlass, the time had come to do the two anchors that Ingomar had resting on her foredeck. I tried many ways, but finally succeeded in replicating the anchors as best I could; although they do need a bit of cleaning up to get rid of the rough edges. I then painted them light gray to simulate a 'worn' sort of look. I also threaded the anchor chain (actually black rigging thread had to be used because I didn't have a chain tiny enough!) through the hawse holes and up through the deck and onto the respective drums of the windlass.
 
Also, having glued the bowsprit on, I decided to see what Ingomar's masts would look like. I put some dummy dowels into the mast holes to see just how much of a transformation the masts would eventually make. Wow! Not bad, I thought.
 
QUESTION! I have to build the binnacle next. However, I'm stuck for ideas of how to build the octagonal glass part of the binnacle. At this scale, it's a pretty difficult task because it's only about 1.5 mm high. I can try using an octagonal shaped glass bead, (from a jewellerry bead shop) but I'd welcome any ideas from anyone out there. Any ideas????
 
Hope you enjoy the photos!
 
All the best!