Bob Legge

This summer I had a perfect plan - send off the family to their parent/grandparents in July, and enjoy the hobby in the evenings. "Ha ha oh come on" said my work life, and I ended up with a series of business trips instead  Some of them were good though, can't complain.
 
I am still making the "Tosti-style" clamps. 
Drilling the holes on a mill:

To prevent the drill bit from slipping to the side of the rod - I flatten it with a file first:

That method is simple and works well enough.
Thread is tapped manually, no problems with that approach:

 
Then slicing this rod with a Knupfer slitting blade. It is really great, cuts brass like butter, I am impressed!

 
Cutting the thread in a thin (3mm) rod is trickier though. Frequently the thread is being cut off-center, resulting in a wobble closer to the center of the rod. Googled a bit, most common reasons are incorrect angle, uneven feed, etc.
 
I found a method that works well in the end. Die is placed on top of the benchdog hole, vaccuum is placed below it, and everything is held in place purely with a vaccuum.

In action:

Being on a flat surface, it is easy to control the angle and is easy to apply a steady pressure. As a bonus, air flow immediately cools both die and rod, and all chips are sucked into the vac.
The end result is a clean and straight rod (on top), versus wobbly alternative (the same die was used for both rods):

 
I am nearly done with metalwork, but now my left-handed die died (no pun intended), it cuts a larger radius and gets a lot of resistance - I broke two rods when trying to cut that thread  Ordered a new die, will cut the clamp jaws in a meanwhile. 

 
P.S.: machining is, actually, quite hard! You can't sand away the excess or cover gaps with sawdust and glue mixture. There is only one chance to do things right.

Experimenting with clamp shapes (on scap pieces, real clamps would be made out of pear).
The shorter version looks better (needs a bit more meat on the back side though):

 
But it should more practical if I taper the jaws:


 That would allow to grip in narrow places (between frames, carlings/ledges, etc). I was worried about them flexing too much, but it is not an issue even on a soft pine that I use for this prototype. The clamping force on the very end is more than enough for all modelling applications. I could not clamp it hard enough to get any flex. 
The only downside - it looks kind of ugly. On the upside, I can make a lot of dad jokes about a clamp that looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck  
 
Any opinions? What clamp shape is more practical based on your experience?
 

Hi Mike, 
 
I guess yo could say that the standard shape looks like the second one.
I have metal ones exactly the same, I think it was from Lee Valley.
Also I have boxwood ones similar and I broke 1 in 20 years.
 

I looked others and actually it is the opposite for the metal ones...  It is easier to mill a straight angle than a curved one.
 
With the parallel clamps that I broke, it was never at the tip but on the side walls where the screw is passing.
 
In wood, probably that the first one is stronger. I would begin by trying a stronger angle and if a thinner angle is needed, I would sand the tip as needed.
 
The difference for both in strength is not so big, so at the end it can also be simply a preference visually.

Thanks Chuck, I did a little research and found a reference to the use of toggles. At this scale for the boat I’m making at 1:48 it was a pain but it sort of worked.  I love your method of using tissue paper. It does the trick.
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Thanks gentlemen.  Druxey, a base is in the works.  I hope to have the materials in a few weeks.  As for a case...  
 

Gentlemen, I appreciate all of your observations.  Although she still looks a little clunky compared with the masters on this site like Doris, it is the best I can do.  I promise you that I am a much better surgeon than a sculptress.  I have lowered the figurehead, making sure the bowsprit clears the top of her head.  I have also re-positioned her so that she looks to the horizon.  I started painting with a coat of acrylic gray primer.  The clay soaks up the paint and this helped seal it.  The rest of the painting was done with various acrylic paints.  The apple and the buttons on her skirt are gold leaf.  





At this point all that remains is cleaning the ship, touching up the black paint on the wale and installing a base.  I do not plan on masting and rigging her.

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 299 – Crojack Yard 4
 
This part will wrap up the rigging work on the lower mizzen yard – aka the Crojack.  The last lines to be installed were the bowlines.  These were used to control the windward leech of the sail when the yards were braced at an angle.  They consisted of three parts each:  the 3" bowline, itself, a 3" lizard" about 25' long, with bullseyes spliced into each end, and one or more "bridles".  The single starboard bridle is shown in the first picture.
 

 
This is about 20' long and also 3".  The splices at the ends of this would be fastened to the bowline cringles on the sail, but since there are no sails on this model, the bridle is tied off to the jackstay where it could be cut loose and tied to the cringles when "bending" the sail to the yard.  The picture shows the upper bullseye of the starboard lizard. The the full length of the  lizard is shown in the next picture.
 

 
The next picture shows both bowlines installed, with arrows to help see the parts of the lines.
 

 
The standing end of each bowline is secured to the lower part of the mizzen topmast stay, passes up through the lower lizard bullseye, and finally belays on the outer arm of the main mast fife rail. 
 
The last two pictures show the fully-rigged crojack at this stage.
 

 
The loose chains hanging from the ends of the yard are the lower topsail sheets that will be connected to the clew lines when that yard is rigged.
 
 

 
So, as I mentioned in one of the responses, this is the seventh spar to be rigged, with another dozen to go – most being simpler, however.
 
Ed

At the risk of getting too worked up over the linen-cotton comparison, I took the two photos shown below.
 
The first photo shows three white threads labelled by type
In this picture the Lacis lace-making linen is decidedly more fuzzy.  Not so clear in this picture but probably in the next is that the linen on the right is less tightly wound and has more variation in diameter.  In the next picture, taken closer-up, the same threads have been dyed with the aqueous natural walnut stain that I use for hemp rope.  This highlights the twist and seems to suppress fuzz.  Fuzz is not a too major an issue since all ropes are passed through a flame to remove it  before use.

The twist direction is very visible in this photo.  The right-handed cotton is very uniformly wound and simulates rope very well.  I use this size for 2  to 2 1/4" inc rope.  The Barbour linen is more tightly wound than the Lacis and the left-handed twist is evident on both - though less pronounced than the uniform twist on the cotton.  For these reasons linen thread alone is not a good choice for right-handed rope.  However, its left-handed twist makes it easier to spin up into right-handed rope.
 
When I get the Londonderry thread I will get some comparisons with that , including some made rope.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 298 – Crojack Yard 3
 
In the first picture, the yard has been permanently hung on its truss, the sling chain fastened to the mast, and the two triple tackles for the lower topsail yard sheets rigged.  These are shown in the first picture. 

 
The tackles are fixed to the sheet chains with wire shackles, formed in place.  At the lower ends the blocks are hooked to deck eyebolts.  The tackle falls pass through sheaves in the sheet bitts and will be belayed on pins through those bitts.  The next picture shows the two yard braces with their pendants.
 

 
I am installing the mizzen braces as each yard is rigged because they run forward toward the center and should not interfere with later rigging access like those on the forward masts that run outboard.  Those are being deferred until later.  In the picture the two pendants are threaded on to a wire that will form the common shackle by which they are secured to an eyebolt on the main mast.  The next picture shows that shackle being formed.
 

 
To make the shackle, the wire is passed through the eyebolt from both sides.  A single overhand loop in the wire is then pulled tight through the eyebolt to simulate a shackle.  The wire will later be painted black.  The braces are spliced to eyes in the block straps as shown in the previous photo.  The lines then run through blocks shackled to eyes at the yard arm, back through the pendant blocks and are belayed on the main mast fife rail below.  The next picture shows the run of the two braces.
 

 
The next picture shows the brace connection at the yardarm.  The blocks are shackled to the forward band eyebolts on each side as shown below.
 

 
The next lines on this yard to be rigged were the clue garnets with their sheet blocks, tacks and lazy tacks attached, followed by the bunt and leech lines. These are virtually identical in configuration to their counterparts on other masts that were described in earlier posts.  They may be seen in the next photo.
 

 
The clue garnet blocks are positioned by temporary belaying of the tacks and lazy tacks.  This will be adjusted later when the sheets are rigged.   These, along with most other outer rigging is being deferred until later to maximize access.  The next picture shows the bunt and leech line blocks on the yards and hooked under the top. 
 

 
These six lines pass through fairleads on the lower shrouds, then belay on the main pin rails port and starboard.  The reef tackles were then rigged, one of which is shown in the next picture.
 

 
The standing end of the reef tackle is spliced to an eye on the yardarm block that is shackled to the bottom eye on the yard arm band.  It then passes through a block tied off to the jackstay as shown, then back through the outer block, inward to the double quarter block on this side, then down to the fife rail.  This picture also shows a close view of the shackled brace block and the shackled topping lift pendant on the top eye of the band.  The loosely hanging chain is the lower topsail sheet that will be rigged later.
 
Whew!  These descriptions are like a rewrite of the rigging list.
 
Next, the bowlines.
 
Ed

The main deck is planked!


Apologies for no updates in a while. Planking is slow and tedious and there really isn't much to show as it progresses. Plus, August was my busiest-ever work month so I was particularly disinclined to get on the computer for any other purposes.
 
Sharp eyes may have noticed that my deck planks are a bit wider than they appear to be in the original wreck photos. That's intentional; I knew I wanted to paint and stain each plank individually, and thought I would go absolutely crazy if I used really narrow scale planks. As it is, this deck took me over two months to complete. I think it captures a realistic feel and honestly that's more important to me than exact replication.
 
I remain really happy with the steel wool & vinegar stain I've been using on all these planks. It darkens the paint just the right amount and gives any exposed raw wood a nice weathered tone. The underside of the deck, though it will be difficult to see on the completed model, has a nice appearance to my eye:
 

 
Look closely and you'll see that a couple of red paint blobs seeped through here and here (particularly just forward of the port wheel). I tried to check each plank before installation, but obviously got sloppy in a couple places. I can't fix it, and again this is an angle that won't be seen on the finished model, so I'll live with it. Trying to keep a pure white hull clean during the building process is also proving to be a challenge; just too easy to grab her with pastel-grubby hands or accidentally smear stain. I'm considering whether to stain/pastel the lower hull brownish to simulate a river-mud waterline.
 
Next up, I return to machinery work. I need the wheels and boilers built and installed, along with the engines, before I do any superstructure work so I can be sure they all work together properly. Gotta say I'm not looking forward to building the wheels!
 
Thanks for reading and for putting up with the long delay.

Working on the paddle wheel has been a refreshing change of pace. As a reminder, here's one shot of a restored wheel at the museum (with me for scale); there are many more in this post from my design thread.

I couldn't measure the wheel directly, but sources say it's 28' (~8.5 m) in diameter. I know the width exactly because one of the axles is on display within the museum and I could photograph and measure it up close (see photo later in this post). I estimated the overall layout of the wheel by visual inspection of my photos, then drew up a plan on my computer that I could print out and use as a template. Luckily, the Arabia has 18 spokes, making a nice easy 20° angle between each. For contrast, Bertrand had something like 13 spokes, meaning none of them lined up properly and were harder to lay out cleanly.
 
To actually build the first ring, I drew on techniques I used to use when building Guillows balsa-frame aircraft. I laid the plan on a piece of cardboard and used sewing pins to mark the end of each spoke along the outside circumference:
 

I "sharpened" the end of each spoke at roughly the correct angle for all to fit together. On the real thing, each spoke's end would fit into a precisely cast iron hub, like this:
 

But I felt that my skill set wasn't up to trying to manufacture such a detailed piece, especially having to make three identical ones (so all the rings lined up). So I decided to fudge it by assembling the wheel spokes as a solid mass and placing a flat hub along the outside. Notice how all the spoke flanges face inward on the axle; this means they'll be barely visible on the finished model anyway, so my approach should simulate the right effect. I may even draw in some faint black lines or shading to suggest the presence of the flanges separating the spokes.
 
Given that choice, I laid out all 18 spokes on the plan and used more pins to hold them in place. I filed a slight notch at the outer end of each spoke so they'd sit against the end pins more securely.
 

Once I was happy with the layout, I smeared wood glue within the central "sharpened" zone so it would sink into the slight gaps between spokes and bind them together. When that dried, I flipped the assemblage and repeated the process. I was careful not to use too much so that it wouldn't drip down and bind the spokes to the paper plan. I kept the glue within the rough area that would be covered by the wheel hub, to minimize any change in appearance of the finished wheel. This worked great; the wood absorbed the glue and held fast as a tight structure with no reinforcement necessary:
 

Next, I started filling in the rings. I started with the outermost one, figuring that it would hold the spokes in the proper alignment while the rest were filled in. Starting from the inside out had too much potential to deform the spokes and end up with an uneven and unsightly pattern. This was the correct decision.
 
I cut each piece using a combination of sharp hobby knife, sharp blade on a "chopper" type platform cutter, and a small razor saw. I used files, sandpaper, and the hobby knife to adjust the end angles until I was satisfied, then glued the piece in place. Some weren't perfect and there are subtle differences in spacing between spokes, but they're all but invisible in the collective view. Here's the wheel with the first two rings completed:
 

And here's the finished wheel, sanded to a smoother finish:
 

I'm quite happy with how this turned out. Of course, now I have to make at least two more. It was a fun project the first time, we'll see how I feel after repeating it. I say "at least two more" because each wheel consists of three such assemblages, so in theory I need six of these. However, I'm only planning to leave one side of the Arabia open to view, as I did on Bertrand, so I need one fully developed wheel. As the other side will be enclosed, it seems unnecessary to build a full wheel that will be 90% hidden within the paddlebox. So right now I'm considering only building the lowest part of a "dummy" wheel for that side and hiding it in fully planked paddlebox. I think by the time I build three of these, that will feel like the right decision.
 
It took a week to build this first one, but perhaps the next two will go a bit faster now that I've worked out my methods. In any case, it was nice to celebrate my birthday today with a finished mini-project. It's raining here, so we're having a quiet indoor day with good food, which is just fine with me at 39. We're making fried rice with garden produce and homemade sweet-and-sour-sauce for lunch, then German potato pancakes, homemade breadstick-pretzels, and pear sauce (fruit from our orchard) for dinner with a coconut-lemon rum cake. Will probably open a bottle of homemade mead to celebrate.
 
Thanks for reading

To finish one wheel assembly, I needed to make two more identical sets of rings. My first plan was to build these on the paper plans just like I'd done the first one, but I was afraid that would enable too much variability. So I hit on the idea of building the next rings right on top the first one. After cutting the next 18 spokes, I clamped each one to its counterpart on the original:

The end clamps made the spokes warp up a bit in the middle, so I used large clamps to hold the whole assembly in place and flat:
 

Next, I used the same approach as before and smeared wood glue into the central area, being sure not to overdo it so none leaked down to the original ring below. This worked great; once it dried, I had a solid set of spokes following the same pattern as the original. I flipped this over, treated the other side the same way, then set about completing it just as described above. I did this a third time and ended up with three nice wheel rings, shown below after sanding. This was MUCH faster than laying the first wheel out on the paper plan using pins.
 

In case you were wondering, I marked the end of one spoke of each piece so that I'd know where to line them up again. These look nice in the photo but they're certainly not perfectly symmetrical (I'm not that good a craftsman), so it's important to know how best to align them.  Next I painted them, which took longer than I expected. There are so...many...nooks and crannies in these darn things that all have to get color!
 
Below are two shots of the three rings temporarily threaded on an axle and placed loosely on the model just for visual interest (no attempt to line them up perfectly or join them); I wanted to see what they'd look like in place.
 

 

They're obviously pretty bright and need to be toned down. I tried the vinegar/rust soak I used for the decking, but as these are painted on all sides it didn't really do anything (no raw wood to soak into), so I used a thin wash of black paint to dull the color. I don't have a photo of that but they look a lot better now. Next up, cutting and painting all the bucket boards (the horizontal pieces connecting the rings) and working out the best way to build this complex structure so that everything lines up (including both the buckets and the axle holes). I think it's going to be tricky.
 
Also, Roger mentioned the difficulty of building half a wheel. I think that, using the methods above, it'll be fairly straightforward to lay out half a wheel on the paper plan, glue the spokes in place at the center, then duplicate that twice using the clamping method. If I then attach wheel hubs and string them on an axle, the half-wheel will naturally hang down into the visible part of the wheel housing, and no one will ever be able to see up into the upper half. That's the current thinking, anyway.
 
This was a nice stage to reach this weekend. Thanks for reading.

I hope it is an easy transition.

I have been so busy this summer on home remodeling(In addition to many other things), I have had little time to continue the upper shrouds and ratlines on the main/mizzen masts of the Great Republic.
Here is a quick image showing what I have been up to on the front of the house.
I first added the two front windows(the large 6'X6' and the smaller 2.5'X5' to the left.  next I built the 30"X8" porch roof and added a 4"X16" veranda on top of it to be accessed by the new French doors I installed where an existing window was.  I also added the small roof over the door.
The railing is nearly painted in this picture and a gate(Off to the left) was being made at the time of this picture.
 
All the painting is finished(gate too) and all that is left is to make the maple cap for the rail to finish off the addition.
 
I've been busy...but I will return to the Great Republic very soon.
 
Rob

I  did track down an image of a painting of the rigging and sail plan I intend to replicate for the GR.  From everything I can gather and from written first hand accounts...her sail plan was originally designed as depicted in this painting....NOT as so many have depicted her with 6 sails per mast........as she was REBUILT by Palmer.
 
She had the largest square sails set on any ship of her day.
 
Rob

It all started with my wife wanting the front window replaced...and one thing led to another and a second story French door/veranda was born...not to forget to mention the gutters and roof...and the deck that will come......
 
I did most of it myself....an.....I'm exhausted.
 
I NEED...to get back to my GR build.
 
Thanks for the encouragement. I look forward to slow fall evenings in my model room.......mmmmmmm.
 
Rob

MINERVA CONFRONTING SATURN
 1785, in a French Arsenal, a navy board ship of 74 guns is just completed at the scale of 1/24. It will be use as a model for the naval instruction for the officers. The model was installed in a room the room with few paintings hanging on the walls. One of the painting is the allegory of Saturn, Conquered by Amor, Venus and Hope, painted by Simon Vouet 140 years earlier.
Of course nothing of that is true, but if I could build a model for Naval Instruction, I probably could do some paintings too, and give a new title to that painting : Minerva confronting Saturn.

Ciao grazie a tutti e ben ritrovati, dopo le vacanze si riprende a fare modellismo.
 
Hello Thanks to all and well found, after the holidays he resumes to do modeling.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Un Saluto

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 297 – Crojack Yard 2
 
The first picture shows the crojack yard set up in the fixture used for rigging.
 

 
The footropes, topsail yard sheet chains, topping lift pendants, and reef tackle yardarm blocks have been installed.  The blocks for this yard that remain to be installed have been strapped and are shown on the fixture base ready to be lashed on.  Altogether, there are 30 blocks associated with this yard – not the most or least for a yard but perhaps an average for the 18 yards.  The next picture shows a closer view of these blocks.
 

 
From left to right, these are: 2 assemblies of shackled sheet and clew garnet blocks, 4 triple blocks for the topsail sheet tackles, 2 iron-strapped, hooked, double quarter blocks, 4 + 2 spare bunt line blocks that will be lashed to the jackstays, 4 + 2 spare of these to be hooked under the crosstrees, and 2 reef tackle blocks that will be tied off to the jackstays.  Except for the two 11" sheet blocks, all are 8".
 
The next picture shows the method I use for the simplest strapping configuration – a strap with a single eye.
 
 
 
Strapping line, about 1/3 in size to the size of the block, is first tied in a double overhand knot around a pin to form the eye.  With the block held in a surgical clamp, the splice at the base of the block is formed with a single overhand knot.  The pin left in the eye is helpful in centering the eye on the top of the block when tying the splice.  The splice and the top knot are then brushed with diluted dark glue.  This simple method works well for small blocks – and is easy – especially helpful if you have 100's to do.
 
The next picture shows the sheet/clew garnet block assemblies before cutting off the excess strapping.  For these, the eyes were first tied around the shackles then spliced below as described above.
 

 
The shackles are large enough to handle the eyes of the sheet, tack and lazy tack – to be shown later.  In the next picture all the lashed blocks have been installed.
 

 
The last picture shows the attached blocks on one side. 
 

 
Below the yardarm is the reef tackle block lashed to the lower collar eye.  The topping lift pendant is shackled to the top eye and dangles behind the yard. The brace pendant, will later be shackled to the forward eye on the collar.  From the left, just inside the clamp, the first block fixed to the jackstay is the other reef tackle block – tied with hemp since this is cut free and fixed the sail when it is set.  The next two on the jackstay are the permanently lashed bunt line blocks.  Next, hanging below the yard, is the hooked iron strapped quarter block.  The loop of chain below the iron sheet block will have the triple tackle blocks shackled and the chain separated into two falls later.
 
 
Ed

Very nicely done! Thank you for sharing your photos.

Thanks for all these comments and likes - very much appreciated.  Let me address some comments.
 
Frank, there seems to be as much planning and preparation as there is actual work.  All should be revealed if I can manage to complete the model and get Volume III written.  The short version is that a very detailed "rigging list"is the heart of the process.  There are far too many lines to show on a large drawing or even more than one.  The 21 page list contains all details of each line including routing.  Line numbers on the list are also placed on detailed drawings of all spars, structures and on a belaying plan.  There are around 350 line numbers, many representing multiple lines - like shrouds (6 pr/line no.) or bunt lines (2 pr/line no.).  Some lines like halyards are part chain, part rope and part wire.  Many lines have multiple parts - eg. pendant+tackle+fall.  The list will of course be part of the book.  I prepared the list and related information based on contemporary data from several 19th century sources, Underhill's book, Crothers YA plan.  The list should be applicable to most ships of this class.
 
Pat, I suppose that small scale rigging - like most modeling - involves compromise in level of detail.  Shortcuts acceptable at 1:72 would not look good at 1:48 or 1:32.  Those scales require much more meticulous modeling of each component - not my forte.
 
Scott, in these posts I  did not say much beyond a brief comment about making or staining rope.  I stain running rigging (hemp color) with a walnut extract stain, diluted to the desired color.  This non-fading, water soluble stain was made using "Van Dyke" crystals made from natural walnut extract.  After making and stretching the cotton or linen rope - or just using cotton thread on small lines - I drag the line through a container of stain and hang it up straight to dry.  When dry, I de-fuzz it through the flame of an alcohol burner - two passes, then wind it onto a spool.  Same for standing except substitute diluted India Ink.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 295 – Topgallant Backstays
 
Progress continues to be sporadic as the summer wanes and other unfinished items on the season's household do-list demand attention.  I am down to an average of an hour or so a day on the model this month, so there have been fewer posts.  This one is short, showing only the fore topgallant backstays mentioned in the last post.  The first picture shows the two lines installed with white arrows pointing them out in an increasingly dense array of rigging.
 

 
The two 7" stays go over the masthead after the shrouds - as is normal.  They are guided through cleats on the iron spreaders that extend aft from the topmast crosstrees.  The next picture shows the spreaders with the backstays threaded through.
 

 
The stays were leathered in the way of the spreader cleats to reduce wear.  The next picture shows this simulated with brown acrylic paint.
 

 
I expect to finally straighten the metal spreaders as the three sets of backstays are rigged.  The stays should help prevent bending, which up to now has been a problem.  Note that the topgallant shroud lanyards remain loose pending final tensioning of all the topgallant standing rigging.  This is also apparent in the last photo showing the deadeye/lanyard arrangement on the starboard channel.
 

 
The two remaining smaller deadeyes on this channel will support the royal and skysail backstays. 
 
Other current work includes some upper yard fabrication as well as fitting out and rigging of the mizzen lower yard – the crojack.  That will be described in the next post.
 
Ed

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 296 – Crojack Yard 1
 
The lower mizzen sail was a late development, but common on the fast clippers.  Its unique name, crossjack, more commonly "crojack", pronounced "crojick", was devised to distinguish it from the lateen yard of earlier days, previously called the mizzen yard.  The term crossjack may have derived from the run of its braces.  These ran forward toward the center in a V to pendants on the mainmast – rather than aft to belay at the sides.  Other than that, the yard is much like the other two lower yards.  The first picture shows the yard with its bare copper banding and part of the truss assembly installed.
 

 
Since the mizzen carried no studding sails, this yard had no boom irons – a welcome omission to the modeler weary of making these complex metal fittings.  The next picture shows the yard temporarily mounted by its truss.
 

 
Once returned to the bench, the jackstay stanchions, 28 gauge copper wire eyebolts, were pushed into the holes atop the yard.  Before blackening all this copper, holes for the various eye bolts were center-marked and drilled.
 

 
Drilling the small yardarm bands requires care, since each has three holes.  In the next picture the ironwork has been blacked, the jackstays slipped in and the yard again mounted temporarily.
 

 
Blackening of the ironwork, using liver of sulfur solution while rinsing the yard under running water was discussed earlier.  The next picture gives a better view of the truss.
 

 
With the mounting shown above, the length of the length of the chain sling assembly may be measured and the hole for the mast eyebolt drilled.  The sling assembly consists of a yard eyebolt, a shackle, chain and a mast eyebolt.  In the next picture, this assembly plus other rigging has been added to the yard.
 

 
The standing rigging on these lower yards consists of the chain sling and the 4½" footropes with their 4" stirrups.  The topping lift pendants and one of the reef tackle blocks suspended from the yardarms may be seen in this picture.  Less visible, but also present, are the chain sheets for the lower topsail yard and the central iron sheet block.  Before setting this yard, blocks for all the running rigging will be added – next post.
 
Ed