Elia

John, Druxey, Lextin, Grant, Omega, Mark, Sherry. Thank you all for your encouragement with all you positive comments. thanks to all those who added likes.
 
Well I needed to get this next part out of my system, so Jude and I went down to the lake with a bucket of used wheel balance weights and the cutter. to get an idea of what I am dealing with, so this was a test not an official launch.
 

 
it took a while to add them all 60lbs a few at a time, the folk on the beach must have thought we were nuts.
 

 
We ran out of weights so I will need to get another bucket or two.
 
Took a few pics of it floating.
 

 

 
and this is my favorite shot of the day.
 

 
A number of lessons learned
 
1. It will be very heavy because I need a lot more weight to get it another 2 1/2 inches lower in the water
2. the weights will need to be set up so that they can be easily added and removed.
3. I will need a launching vehicle with small bicycle wheels to launch after the weights are added.
4 it was not pleasant lifting the boat out of the water with all the weight in it.
5. the weight was more forward than I expected it to be.
6. total weight was 66lbs with the stand
Tomorrow I will empty the weights out of the hold.
 
Michael

Thank you one and all for your thoughts and input regarding the colour.
 
I will add the white waterline when the red and Black are hard.
 

 

 
Michael
 
 

Afraid you will have to wait just a little longer John, and Pete too.
 
Bottom coat done
 

 

 
One thing I learned as a professional model-builder making architectural models is that it is best to remove all masking as soon as is possible while the paint is still soft but flashed off.
 

 
Tonight I will mask the bottom and work on the areas above the waterline. Also this evening I will visit the paint store one last time for the top paint, because I am still not fully convinced that I have the right colour.
 
Michael
 
 
 
 

Thank you all for your considered comments regarding the colour and for all the likes.
 
Preparations are underway for the final painting, I purchased some masking tape for delicate and fresh paint surfaces. I set the roll up on the lathe and created a 1/4 inch and 1/2 inch division in order to deal with the soft curve.
 
The water line was set with the laser light beam then cross checked with a pencil attached to a scribing block.
 

 

 
The tape went on well and tomorrow I will finish the light sanding and if there is no wind I will start the painting.
 
Michael

Thank you all for you kind remarks and likes.
 
"To see her on the shore looks so authentic. The primer and paint patches only adds to that! Almost a shame to paint her!"
Sven, Don't think I didn't think about it.
 
"what a wonderful way to get kids away from the computer and into model building. Also, I'm with Sven. It's almost as if all you need is to paint a weathered waterline and then the ship would be complete;"
 
Omega, getting the kids to work on the boats was easy they seemed to understand the need to use their hands in a creative way.
 
 
I had a bit of spare time this evening after a nap, so decided to give Walter a hand preparing for the final painting of the hull.
 

 
I was quite surprised by how long it took to remove everything, it was over an hour and a half, and i had to put my thinking cap back on to remember the sequences of a couple of items especially at the stem.
 
here are a couple of containers of parts.
 

 
Almost ready for some light sanding, then to paint.
 

 
I an definitly leaning toward a dark hull like these
 
here is a link to Classic Sailing
 
Michael

Thank you Greg, Jay, Mark, Bedford, Nils, Grant, John E, Bob, Druxey, Remco, and Mark Taylor for all your positive remarks.
 
"Two things I take from that are that you have a MUCH easier rig to unship than I do"
 
Bedford 5 minutes to de-rig, and 20 to re-rig I found out today at the pavillion.
 
"I asume rigged mast and topsail shall nearly be scratching the room cealing."
 
Nils the ceiling in the living room is 10 foot 3 inches so it will be about 3 feet shy
 
All in all the event was very successful, I had a table set up for children to make paper dorys, most of the visitors were young girls and they built 13 dorys during the afternoon, at the end of the day there was a young boy who came, The photographer came around late in the day, so missed the girls in action building their boats.
 

 
There was a lot of positive feedback regarding the pilot cutter.
 
After the event I went outside because there was a bit of commotion on the beach, seems that a boat had been stranded.
 

 
 
 
 
Close but still dry.
 
 
Now to remove the deck hardware and rigging completely so that I can finish painting the hull. and the rest of the seizings and other rigging details.
 
 
 
 
Michael

thank you to one and All for your kind remarks and encouragement, I will be painting the hull within a couple of weeks.
 
On Friday I will be taking the pilot cutter to the Seba Pavilion (a stones throw from the water) for a local library summer programming activity launch) no not the cutter but I decided not to rush things and try to get a finish paint on the hull for Friday but to see how easy it will be to de-rig and re-rig her, so to that end I dropped the mast with the minimum of fuss by just slackening the shrouds, that's the nice thing about mounting on the deck I did not have to pull the mast out of the hull. the whole operation took about 5 minutes.
 

 
My it does look big in the living room.
 
Michael

Thank you everyone for the positive comments and for the likes.
 
 
Well as it turned out Andy, Walter was short on a couple of screws so rummaging around the odd screw bin he found a couple of 0ld Robertsons  for all the Canadians in the crowd
 

 
These were really hard to make, I used some Sig copper rivets and swedged the square hole with a ground punch made from a broken 1/8th shank number 73 drill.
 
The scrap metal bin just gained a few oz.
 
Michael 

A bit of extra time at the museum of late has allowed me to get ahead with the Pritt.
 
The counter rim frame is now roughed in and will stay like this until after hull planking, at which time I'll finish fairing it in properly.
 
I've also made a start on the deck beams.  Once these are completed I can start to think about planking the hull.
 
John
 




 
 

Hi Dave
 
Thanks for your thoughts.  I guess sometimes we can appear to take this hobby a bit too seriously and get caught up with trying to be too perfect.  After all, at the end of the day, it's really for own pleasure, as is the case with any hobby.  So, yep, I'll take your thoughts on board.  You and Jud are right; I really don't appear to have much choice.  It'll still turn out really nice.  
 
The scale will be 1/200 which will equate to about 17 cms or 7 inches approximately in length.  The interior will be fully detailed and viewable through a cutaway hull and deck; i.e. the same as Ingomar's hull.
 
Thanks once again!

HI all
 
I haven't finished my current building of Ingomar (see other scratch build log), but I'm getting a bit itchy about starting my next build.  The next model in my miniature ship yard will be the 112 foot ketch Signe, which was designed by Bruce King.  However, I fear that it won't be an exact replica of the actual ship because I am unable to obtain any detailed lines drawings of her frames, etc.  All I've been able to find are a number of blurry low res profile drawings off the internet.  I've contacted the naval architect who drew the plans to see if he had the frames plan available, but he was unfortunately unable to assist for various reasons; all of which I totally understand.
 
Therefore, I'm left with a dilemma.  Do I design my own hull (which I am capable of doing), or do I use the hull plans of Ticonderoga, (which is eerily very similar in shape and profile), which are also available freely off the internet.  If I do use Ticonderoga's plans, I'll only need to slightly modify the sheer line and the rear underbody shape to make it resemble Signe's hull.
 
Can I please have your thoughts as to what you would think is the better way to go?  Alternatively, if you know where Signe's actual body plans can be obtained from, then I'd appreciate hearing from you!
 
Thoughts, anyone, please????
 
The first drawing is of Signe.  The second is Ticonderoga's.  

Hi Pete, David, Michael, Perls, Bob, Jeff, Joe, Hexnut, and everyone else.  Thank you so much for all your comments.  I know I've said it before, but they really are a terrific motivating factor and I enjoy reading them immensely.
 
As for living the "Ingomar" dream, well, yer, perhaps it'll be a while before I can ever afford that.  But, hey, we're all rich in many other ways...families, admirals (males and/or females), kids, jobs, etc, etc, etc,...
 
Jeff (Chasseur) - that must have been an incredible experience to meet and see Michael's cutter in real life.  I would have been very tempted to ask for Michael's autograph!  Now, I feel like a model boat groupie!!!!
 
Perls (Steve).  Here's my next build (still very early days yet and haven't made much progress beyond the initial planning stage):  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/8009-112-ft-ketch-symphony-by-omega1234-small-1200-scale-17cms-or-7-inches-long/?hl=symphony 
 
 
As for the real full sized hull, I've stared at the photos many times, simply admiring the lines as well as the welding pattern on the hull.  It's a thing of beauty in many different ways.
 
All the best everyone and thanks for stopping by!  

Very Nice work on the spars Elia, I agree that once you get the hang of shaping the masts from square stock it is so much easier , I think it is because you begin with knowing absolutely where you are with the material.
 
Michael

Fred I did not build the BL but my scratch built LGH is very similar.  At the stern the transom comes up to the top of the bulwarks the rail mounts on the transom.  Here’s the entry that shows what I did.
http://modelshipworld.com/index.php/topic/4692-lettie-g-howard-schooner-by-capnbob-148-pob/?p=158749
 
Bob

Hi everyone,
 
I finally got the forecastle and quarterdeck clamps, and the waist stringer, installed.  I learned a few things. First, the clamps increase in width, therefore increasing the deck heights, the further aft. The officers got certain privileges. Second, the sheer of the moulding at the waist outboard is not the same as the sheer of the clamps and waist stringer inboard. So the waist stringer on its upper surface--where it follows the sheer outboard--is not completely parallel to its lower surface--where it follows the line of the sheer inboard. Subtle, but it shows just how complex and inter-related are all of the lines of the ship. I continue to marvel at the design.
 
I started on the clamps for the roundhouse, but then realized that these will be in the captain's cabin, and I need to think how I am going to color the cabin. The Princess Royal discussed in Rob Napier's book shows white bulkheads in the admiral and captain's cabins. I find white a bit garish, so may consider natural wood panelling. At any rate, the roundhouse clamp will have to wait until I think this through.
 
Mark
 

Thank you, druxey, michael, remco, mils, doris and john. Your comments are well appreciated. Work in my "other life" continues to pull me away from the shop, and so progress is all too slow....
 
Here I am beginning work on the forecastle and quarterdeck clamps, and the stringer in the waist. I always wondered what the clamp did at the fore end of the forecastle, where the sides pull out to form a drop for the anchor. It is a wicked twist from an inward to outward angle as the clamp continues from the waist to the future beakhead bulkhead.
 
I also found that I needed to refine the inner surface where the clamp will lie, now I know its location. You can see some recent filing in this area, which removed the patina that accumulates when my wood is left alone for a long time. That surface probably last saw some sandpaper or a file five years ago or more...
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

Hi everyone,
 
I finally managed to finish the upper deck clamps, with a side tour to rearrange my wall of tools for the table saw, mill and lathe (it is like cleaning the closets or filing papers when you can't get going on something else).
 
I decided to color the clamps and quickwork red, and spirketting black, like many of the admiralty models I admire. So here is a nice ribbon of red around the hull until more inner works come in.
 
My long clamps came in very handy. I wish I had made more.
 
On the the quarterdeck and forecastle clamps...
 
Mark
 
 

Hi everyone,
 
I just completed fitting the upper deck clamps, from stem to stern. I was reminded of Remco's quote about treating every piece as if it is a model by itself. The last piece had to hook over the helm port transom, and fair into the forward face of the lower counter planking, while twisting from an acute angle forward, to almost vertical at the counter. Many pleasant hours were spent shaping and fitting these... I can also see that the spirketting right under the wing transom is going to be equally fun, as it curves along that knee while sloping back further up.
 
I had an ah hah moment, which notching the clamp over the helm port transom. To stop the saw cuts at exactly the right depth, I stuck two pieces of wood to either side of the blank with double sided carpet tape. I then clamped this in my vise, and used the wood stops to indicate when to end sawing with the razor saw. I don't know why I did not think of this earlier. It is now in my tool box of techniques.
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

Thanks everyone. 
 
Here are more details of the scarph jig. The first drawing, number 1, shows the basic geometry of the scarph. The two long cuts, labeled "L", are equal; and all of the depth cuts are the same and are marked "t".
 
Drawing 2 shows the scarph turned so  the angle side will be flat to the mill.
 
Drawing 3 shows the jig, with a spacer arm on a piece of plywood the thickness of "t"; and a notch piece with the same thickness "t" sticking up above the top of the maple block. The piece to be cut is pushed against the notch, and up against the spacer arm. This ensures that all pieces will be in the same location to ensure the same cuts. Also notice that the end of the blank needs to be trimmed to the angle of the scarph before inserting into the jig. I use a sanding disc for this.
 
Drawing 4 shows a mill cutter making the first cut. It is "t" distance above the top of the maple block. In reality, I trim the top of the blank close to this line before putting it in the jig, to save multiple cuts with the mill down to this final cut.
 
Drawing 5 shows the mill cutter making the second cut. Now it is down the distance "t" to the top of the maple block. And it is measured in with the dials of the mill the exact distance "L" from the edge of the notch piece. In my case, the diameter of the cutter was not the full size of "L", and so I needed to move it over a slight distance to complete the second length "L". Using the dials and double checking before cutting ensures that I don't cut into my jig!
 
The photos show the jig with, and without, the clamp. The clamp is simply a T-bolt run through the maple block (you can see the T in the photo from behind), using those cute cam clamps from Rocklers. From behind, you can also see that the plywood spacer on top is glued to a another piece of ply held to the maple block with a nylon screw. This allows me to adjust the spacer arm back and forth to accommodate different lengths of scarphs, or 2 times "L".
 
The whole thing is held in the Sherline milling vise.
 
I hope this helps clarify. If not, let me know and I will draw more diagrams!
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

Hi everyone,
 
I got more work done on the upper deck clamps. I am showing first of all my scarph jig, which I haven't used in several years. The first image shows how the stick of wood is pushed into a notch on the right, and up against the projecting arm. This ensures that both pieces are exactly the same angle, no matter what the width (both pieces have to be the same width, of course, to match). The second photo shows the clamp holding it in place. A first cut is taken the thickness of the thin plywood above the maple jig, and then the cutter is lowered to the maple jig to cut the notch. I use the dials to move the cutter exactly the right distance in the X direction.
 
The third photo shows some pieces of poplar run through the gun ports, held firmly up to the top sill by wedges underneath. This allows me to fit the clamps so their lower edges are exactly at the height of the sill (my sills were cut many years ago to include the upper stop in the sill, so strictly speaking, this allows me to align the lower edge of the clamp with the lower surface of the upper sill stop, which I believe is the correct location).
 
With these in place, I was able to plane the lower edge of the clamp until it fit exactly against the poplar pieces, including getting the acute angle right (it changes down the length, so this helped me see what was going on as I trimmed the edge). Then, I could measure up the side at each gunport location to the marked line of the top of the clamp. I transferred this to the clamps and trimmed the top edge accordingly. The fifth photo shows marking the top edge on the foremost piece.
 
This method allowed me to fit these clamps precisely between two very critical locations--the top of the gunports, and the marked line of the top edge. And it helped me accurately shape the acute angle of the top and bottom edges as they twist with the sides.
 
Interestingly, I found that the clamps are not the same width along their length. They are somewhat wider in the bow than in the stern. I double checked my original Admiralty drawings several times; there is no doubt that the line of the upper deck as shown at the sides in the sheer drawing rises gently in relation to the gun deck ports below as it goes forward, causing the clamps in-between to widen towards the bow. Another one of those subtleties of 18th century ship design. I can imagine no reason for this--keeping the decks parallel would have been easier, and it is independent of the sheer which gives the ship its beauty. It is only a couple of inches, but very intentional.
 
The third photo shows a caul I used to bend the foremost clamps in place after boiling for an hour. The caul helped even out the pressure, so the wood did not snap at the location of the first clamp applied. It worked well, although I still get significant spring-back after sitting all night. I have had problems bending this South American boxwood before. Any thoughts from anyone on how long to boil, and how long to let it sit, so I don't get this spring-back?
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 
 
 
 

Hi everyone,
 
As I started working on the upper deck clamps, I was quickly reminded that I had no way to clamp the clamps. My hull is solid and offers no places to clamp except through the gunports. And that does not help at the bow.
 
So, inspired by Ed T, I built some long reach clamps. Just for fun, I used up some old padouk left over from my workbench, with maple handles.
I was stumped for a bit by how to turn down the end of the threaded rod for a smooth engagement into a blind hole for the top screw. In the end, I just wrapped the rod in masking tape and clamped it in the three jaw chuck. It held firm enough for this light machining, and did not hurt the threads.
 
I will have to work out some specially shaped pads at the end of the clamps, to deal with the angle of the wales and the curve of the bow. But I'll deal with that later, using double sided tape to affix temporary pads.
 
Thanks, Ed, you inspired me to make what I am sure will be very useful tools as I start planking the upper works.
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hi everyone,
 
I finally get to move on to the remaining deck clamps. I made a little marking jig for the tops of the clamps. The head slides back and forth on a beam that sits on the sills of the gun ports. A black pointer slides up and down within the head (the pointer is glued to a short square post captured by the lower knurled screw). So I can set the pointer at the right distance from the sill at each gun port from the drawing, then slide the beam through the head and the two gun ports, and mark with a pencil. Keeps everything symmetrical, and aligned to the gun port sills, which is the important thing.
 
Mark

Hi everyone,
 
 A long time since the last update. I started planking the lower counter, and after a few strakes were glued in, I decided it wasn't good  enough and ripped them off. Then I took a trip to Taos to rethink....
 
After a new start, I got the lower counter planked. I found two useful tools shown here. The first is the curved shooting board I built a few years ago, which worked well for holding the planks for shaving the convex and concave edges. I used a Silversmith riffler (thanks, Ed, for the lead on this) for the concave edge, starting with a #0 and finishing with a #1. For final fitting, I slipped a piece of graphite paper between the two surfaces, and filed where the graphite showed a high point. I used my block plane for the convex surface, finishing up with a long #1 flat file to fair the curve.
 
The second tool I picked up a few years ago at a jewelry tool supply store. It is a jeweler's miter, which clamps a piece between two jaws at right angle or any other angle chosen. A file is then used to reduce the piece sticking out to flush with the front surface. It keeps a perfectly straight edge, square to the wide surface. I used this to clean up the ends of the planks, for a good tight fit with the next plank.
 
I did not highlight the joints of these planks, because I intend to paint the lower counter with the stage curtain and cherubs shown on the second model of the Bellona. I thought that emphasized joints here would interfere with the painting...
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 
 
 

The only sad thing is that 90% of what you are doing will never be seen or appreciated by those who cannot see the greatness of your work.
David B

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 84 – Middle Deck Waterways
 
The first picture shows the hull with the temporary ribbands removed and the toptimbers and upper futtocks cut down to final height.
 

 
The outsides of the upper hull have been given a light sanding.  The hull will be planked on this side down to slightly below the load water line.
 
With the middle deck framing complete, the next step was to install the waterways.  In the next picture the curved sections at the stern have been boiled and are clamped in place to dry overnight.  The same was done at the bow.
 
 

 
These are rough-cut waterways, unbeveled at this stage.  After drying they were cleaned up with sandpaper and beveled to lie flat against the angled aft frames.  Most of this was done on the disk sander as shown below, then trimmed by hand.
 

 
In the next picture the aft starboard section is being fit.
 

 
The unfinished port member is still in the clamps.  In the next picture the forward starboard section of waterway is being glued in.
 

 
The waterways are pretty massive – 15” x 15”.  They are bolted into each beam and through each frame with iron bolts.  On the model these are 22-gauge copper wire glued in with epoxy as discussed earlier.  The sections are joined by hook scarphs as shown in the next picture.
 

 
This area has not yet been bolted.  The next picture shows the last section of waterway being glued in.
 

 
This picture also shows wood blocks cut to the size of the two fresh water tanks and set on their bases in the hold.  The next picture is a closer view of these.
 

 
These blocks will probably be the fabrication bases for modeling these two iron tanks.  The larger of the two comes up to just under the main deck.
 
Next, the binding strakes inside of the waterways.
 
 
Ed