Elia

Elia,
 
Thanks for showing how you assembled the chainplates and deadeyes.  It helped me with mine.
 
Bob

Rusty, Robert, Druxey, Mark,
 
Many thanks for popping in here and for the kind words.
 
Dick (rhcronan),
 
While I've been puttering along with my rails I took a little side excursion and snapped some pictures of (a) Eric Ronnberg Jr.'s Arethusa model photo reproductions he had provided to me, and (b )some of the sketches I had made early one in my Arethusa build.  Here are forum sized images of them.  I think they should help illustrate the stem ironwork on a knockabout...at least Arethusa.  I did the sketches based on H.I. Chapelle's book appendix of American Fishing Schooners, and much of those sketches agree with Eric Ronnberg Jr.'s model quite well.  I've included the sketches for both the standing and rugging rigging at the stem (along with the jumbo stay on a post forward of the Samson post).  I hope these help you on your Helen B. Thomas model.  If you are so interested PM me and we can arrange for my sending you higher resolution images.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Dimitris, Nils, Russ,
 
Thank you all for the sentiments and compliments. A good day it has been.
 
I hope to have an update soon. I'm on my third (or fourth?) attempt at making the ships wheel....and I 'think' this time is it. . Time will tell.
 
Russ, your are so fortunate to live in Mystic. I'm outside of Philadelphia and rarely travel up there. I've wanted to see Erik's models and Thom Hoyne's artwork but haven't had the opportunity yet. Your paintings are superb. Wow. I would love to see your take on Arethusa.
 
Cheers,
 
Elia

Hi Elia,
 
I have been commissioned to paint a substantial oil of ARETHUSA by an enthusiast, and your model of her and all the photos you have posted to date will be extremeely helpful. Thank you! Your work is magnificent.
 
I have the good fortune of living here in Mystic, CT and, being close to the staff at the Seaport collections, willl have good access to Ronnenberg's model as well. I specialize in yachting history, and always try to emphasize the human side of being on the water, and this historic fishing scene will be a first for me. Of course this subject has inspired many others before me, most notably Tom Hoyne who did such fine work, but I will strive to do something unique. You can see my paintings at www.russkramer.com if you are interedted.
 
Anyway, I will be following your progress eagerly and congratulations on such impressive work.
 
Best,
 
Russ Kramer

Elia,
 
first my birthay greetings, enjoy your Special day and have fun..
 
Coming to your build, it is stunning to watch this ship growing on your slipway. A dream of a gloucester schooner with its wonderful lines, your single planking, your workmanship, this all makes ones heart beat faster...,
Shall stay tuned
 
very, very well done !!!
 
Nils

Happy birthday Elia. Enjoy the day.

...more....

the saga continues...

continued...first with a size comparison to Blue Jacket Shipcrafter's Smuggler....

continued...

continued....

Dimitris,
 
Thank you. Though my work has slowed it has been an enjoyable and rewarding journey.
 
Elia

And the last once.
Thank you
Dimitris71

And some more...

Hello to all . This is my first wooden ship build. I started at 4th of march and i would like to show you the evolution of the construction. Here  are some photos.

Not much progress to show over the last few weeks.  Spring has finally arrived so the model does not get as much attention as it desires.
 
I decided to install the string at the waist and the forecastle and quarter deck clamps.  The string at the waist is a single row of planking with its lower surface forming the top of the gun port and its upper surface forming the top of the bulwark. It continues fore as the forecastle clamp and aft as the lower quarter deck clamp.  Hook scarves are used throughout. The apparent decorative element at the fore end of the quarter deck clamp will actually be used to help lock in the spirketing.   
 

 

 
The upper quarter deck clamp has simple butt joints.  In the pictures is appears that the lower edge of the string overhangs the gun port.  It actually is flush with the top of the port.
 

 
I encountered two problems.  First, I measured the height of the clamp at the stem incorrectly and had to replace it.  On the picture you can see a faint pencil line indicating where the clamp was originally positioned.  The second problem has the potential to be more serious.  I have two rows of planking with the top edge just coming up to the bottom of the aft port opening.  David's layout shows the planking runs above the level of the port with a chock connecting the planks fore and aft of the port.  At this point it is too late to change the port.  I think I measured the port height off David's mylar and the clamp height off the NMM plans.  Hopefully it will all work out OK.  The key is that the top of the opening is below the top of the deck beams.
 

 

 
 

Ah, the problems we create for ourselves in this joyous game we call ship modeling. 
 
Now I needed to make the chain plates and deadeye straps to go with the deadeyes I made last week.  That was the problem.  I tried to soft solder the wires for the deadeye straps, but as I bent the wire around the deadeye the solder joint broke.  I needed to silver solder.  I had not silver soldered since I was a teenager.  So I dug out a torch, some silver solder and some flux and melted a few inches of wire.  Finally, like riding a bicycle, the memories returned and I soldered the rings.  I bent the wire with the solder spot in the wrong place.  Placed the wire around the deadeyes and fastened them to the chain plates.  The more I looked at them the more I didn’t like them.  The solder spots were harder than the wire and did not bend the same and as I forced them around the deadeyes the deadeyes started to fall apart.  What a mess!  So, as I had told so many others, it was time to start over.
 
I went back to the start and made a new jig to drill the deadeye holes.  Rather than evenly spaced I placed the holes, two on the diameter and one at right angle to them.  I also made them out of harder wood.  This time when I soldered the wire I used less solder.  And when I bent the wires I was more careful as to where the solder spot was.  These were much better.  These I can use.  So I did.  I mounted them with only one pin at this time so they can pivit to the correct angle when I do the rigging.  Then I will put in the second pin.
 
The first two pictures are of the bad parts.
 
Bob
 

Solder spots in the wrong place.
 

You can see the flats on the wires crushing into the deadeyes.
 

Good parts
 

Jig for shaping straps
 

Good assemblies
 

Mounted

The brigantine Newsboy was designed by Dennison J. Lawlor of Chelsea, MA (designer of the very successful pilot schooners Dancing Feather, Hesper, and Phantom) for owners Dabney & Cunningham of Boston.  Newsboy was built at the Joshua C. Adams and Elisha Brown shipyard in Owl’s Head, ME where she was launched in June, 1854.  She had a length of 111 feet, beam of 27 feet, depth of 12 feet, and tonnage of 290 tons.  While described as a brigantine, the rig is more accurately described as a hermaphrodite brig because there were no square sails on the main mast.
 
The Newsboy was engaged in the triangular trade: carrying lumber and manufactured goods from New England to the Mediterranean; transporting wine, oil, and fruits to the West Indies; and returning to New England with rum, molasses, and sugar.  The Monthly Nautical Magazine said “having a reputation for speed, by wringing reluctant laurels from her competitors who have chanced to fall in company with her at sea….she does her designers no discredit…her log will speak for itself”.
 
The model is built to a scale of 3/16” to the foot (1:64) based on an old Model Shipways solid hull kit and plans by George F. Campbell.  The model is plank on solid construction, with built up bulwarks, planked decks and topsides, coppered bottom, and scratch built deck furniture/fittings.  Limited commercial fittings will be utilized where appropriate, and the rigging will be proportional linen line with Warner Woods’ blocks.  The Brigantine Newsboy is my 4th wooden ship model and the 2nd in my series of mid 1800’s American merchant sailing ship models.
 
As time permits, I will attempt to post the high points of my previous MSW Build Log.
 
Peter Jaquith
Shipbuilder

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 55 – More hold work
 
The plan has been to finish all of the work in the lower part of the hold so finish can be applied to this area before moving upward to work on the lower deck.  The first picture shows the main mast step and the water tank base.
 

 
The members to support the off-center beam pillars are being positioned in this picture using a straightedge.  In the next picture they have been glued down.
 

 
This picture also shows the addition of one last 6” wide strake of planking to bring the width of the limber channel down to the required 10”.  In this picture a few limber boards have just been glued over that final channel – hence the wet spot.  The pins on the opposite side are holding the last plank on that side.
 
The next picture shows some more limber boards in place plus a pile to one side.  The ceiling planking and other structures have just received one coat of beeswax-turpentine finish.
 

 
When dry, the shade of this finish will be about halfway between the two shades in this picture.  Surfaces that will receive glue later have not been coated.
 
The next picture shows some work on the Mizzen step.
 

 
The chunk of pear being marked will be cut to the shape of the knee and then slit into two to fashion the forward knees.  The aft knees are roughly fit at this stage.  In the next picture the mizzen step is almost finished.
 

 
Bolts have been installed down through the frames with epoxy.  These will have to be filed off and the assembly finish sanded.  The bolts will then be blackened to represent iron.
 
The last picture shows the current status.
 

 
With the ceiling planking darkened the contrast with the bilge strakes above is clearer.  This shows the convergence of the heavy bilge strakes forward to butt into the bottom of the lower deck clamp.  In this configuration the heavy band acts like a girder to reduce hogging strains.
 
It will soon be time to start work on the lower deck framing.
 
Ed
 
 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 54 – Treenailing, steps, water tank plinth
 
The first picture shows the treenailing of the ceiling planking on the port side in progress.
 

 
Treenails have been glued in and clipped off on the center to right side of the picture.  To the left, holes have been drilled and are waiting for nails.  The next picture was taken later around the midship area.
 

 
In this picture the nails have been filed off flush and the planking finish sanded and polished up with some steel wool.  The iron blunts at the butts are more pronounced.  The step of the main mast is in position but has not been permanently fixed.  It still needs assembly bolts.  The next picture shows more of the port side ceiling and both forward mast steps.
 

 
I had to catch up on some drafting in order to move forward with the permanent fixing of the steps.  I had not yet detailed some additional hold members.  The next picture shows some of the additional members required in the midship area.
 

 
Some of the pillars in this area are located outside of the openings for the main hatch, the mast partners and the two large square tanks that stored fresh water.  These off-center pillars will be installed on the long base members shown loose in the above photo.  The next picture shows the beginning of construction of the plinth that will support the water tanks.
 

 
These two iron tanks rested on the keelson and are about 6 feet wide, so additional supports were needed on either side.  These are being built up as a solid base of 8” x 8” members.  The first layer of these is shown in the above picture.  The next picture shows this first layer being leveled off on the port side.
 

 
The lower members were shaped to match the hull curvature, but the final structure needs to be flat at the top.  The next picture shows the completed plinth.
 

 
The top of this substantial base has been fitted with 6” x 6” dunnage beams.  The two flat-bottomed iron tanks will rest on these.  The aft tank is 6000 gallons and extends up to just below the main deck, a height of about 20 feet.  The smaller 2000 gallon tank is 12 feet high with its top just under the middle deck.  I don’t know why these were so tall.  I would have thought shorter tanks with a larger footprint in the hold would be better for stability, but the source is reliable.  These were usually round, but Webb installed square tanks in Challenge and that was the basis for this design.  I assumed no change would be made in the short interval between Challenge and YA.
 
The pillar support members seen in this picture have not yet been shaped or installed.  There will be three pairs of pillars on the forward set and two pairs on the set astride the tanks.
 
The last picture shows the final installation of the foremast step.
 

 
After gluing the assembly on to the keelson and the ceiling planking, holes for the bolts in the horizontal arms of the knees were drilled down through the frames.  Copper wire through-bolts were then epoxied into place.  Long bolts through the centerline of the cap were inserted into the keelson in what had been locating-pin holes.  All these bolts were iron and will be blackened before applying finish.
 
Ed

Thanks all for your kind words.
 
Sometimes you run into a part and had no clue that it would be that hard to make. The quarterdeck transom is such a part, looking rather unexciting. One redo and the better part of a couple of days work went into it. I had expected the counter timbers to be trickier but after watching Mark doing his Belona's counter with the help of a jig, I constructed a small jig that saved a lot of head aches. The mortises on the wing transom I had made light-years ago had to come off as the spacing was all wrong. Where would a shipwright be without his bottle of isopropyl
 

 

 

 

 
Remco

Popjack - like you I noticed the internal stropping of the blocks. I decided to try drilling holes for the hooks and eyes that needed to be added to blocks.  I used a #74 drill (or thereabouts) with a pinvise and CAed the hardware into the block.  I have been able to do this with all the sizes of blocks included in the kit.  I am using 24 gauge galvanized steel wire at the moment although some of my early attempts used the brass wire included with the kit.
 
After getting the hooks on the blocks and hanging them on their eye (or bail or whatever) they kept annoying me by falling off with almost no provocation from me so I decided it was time to mouse them.  My first attempts were  pretty clumpy looking but I kept at it until I liked the look.  I used Coats and Clark cotton-poly blend thread and took the strands apart to get a single filament line to use for mousing.  I think my later results look pretty good.  Here is a photo of the foremast top with several blocks moused in view.  (If you don't want me to clutter your log with photos, let me know and I'll pull this one.)
 

 
I think I had the mousing process documented in the MSW1 log, I'll have to add it to the new version if I find I haven't done it already.
 
Bob

A bit of catching up.
 
First, I have completed the metal work on the two booms.  I'm particularly tickled with the "drilled toothpick fairleads."  Turns out this ship has a lot of fairleads, and this technique has worked well.
 




 
I was finished up the shrouds for the main mast- minus the ratlines.
 
I am not happy with the "puffy" look of the lanyards at the bottom of the shrouds.  Since the lines are tight I thought at first they might stretch out, but so far no luck.  I'm thinking of putting CA glue on the lines at the deadeyes and then using hemostats to hold the lines against the deadeyes until they stick.  Ideas welcome, of course.
 



 
Finally I followed advice found here and diluted the brass black stuff and tried it on my belaying pins.  It worked much better.  I'm actually going to dilute it more so that the blackening takes even longer and will hopefully be more consistent.
 

WELLLLLL, I have uttered some unkind words.
 
So, I was looking at the plans today, trying to figure out how I was going to do the rigging blocks when I got studying this particular segment:
 

 
When this caught my eye.

 
And then, I started looking at this:
 
And behold, I noticed that something was a bit different.

 
Which led quickly to the famous "expletive deleted,"  Note that the band below the "coupling band" is missing.  I completely overlooked it.  (It isn't on the main mast, which I did first).  Not only is it a band, but it has a hoop and two "eyes" in it!
 
Since there are pins running all the way through the mast and glue and such, I decided to make a ring an bend around the mast.  I just didn't think I'd be able to take it apart without destroying the mast.  Although I know its only wood and some wire, I just didn't want to do that again.
 

 
I knew that I wouldn't be able to solder it on, but I put the overlap in so that I could drill through the overlap and have the "pin" hold it closed and tight.
 

 
I made all new parts and go this:
 

 
After making the missing parts, drilling, painting, making the parts and everything, it came out in the "there will be ropes all over it anyway" category.  Honestly, it isn't perfect and there is a seam that is unsightly.   But I can live with it!
 

So now it’s time to attach the chain plates and deadeyes.   To do that, I will need sixteen 1/8” (about 3mm) deadeyes.  Yes, I could buy them but where’s the fun in that?  Some time ago I remember seeing a jig a forum member had made to make deadeyes.  So working from memory this is my, I think, third jig.  You don’t want to see the first two. 
 
First on a .005” brass strip I used for a template, I drew a 1/8” diameter circle and located three .020” holes.  My second try looked OK.  I had a scrap of hard wood, (I don’t know woods but I think it is rosewood.) 1/16” thick, I drilled a tight fit 1/8” hole in it to hold the deadeye while drilling the lanyard holes.  All this was mounted to a piece of scrap wood.
 
The first wood I tried for the deadeyes was too soft and fell apart after drilling.  So I turned a piece of straight grained walnut (I do know some woods) before my lathe quit, to 1/8” and it worked fine.    Being held together by a single screw you drop in the blank, pivot the holder over the base and drill one hole.  Then, I found out the hard way, put a pin in that first hole to hold the deadeye in place as you drill the other two holes. 
 
That’s it, and now I have to do it again.  I need four .09” diameter deadeyes.  Oh well.
 
Bob