druxey

A delayed thank you to Maurey and Pavel.  Druxey, the tracks are now installed and, like so many details that we add, are now almost invisible!  But we all know they are there...
 
Beam sets 9 and 10 are in place.  The only unusual items are the opposed lodging knees at the dead flat.  I did not have thick enough wood with me this week to make them, so they will be installed next week.  They will be identical to the ones on the lower deck.  Look at page 10 of this build to see how they are shaped.
 

 

 

Thanks Grant, about 3 on the main deck and a few small ones I think. No nightmares here
Danny, thanks for the compliment and pointing out my error, I made the battle station 3 years ago meanwhile I also learned  I shouldn't portray them run out  
 
Meanwhile knight to C4, bishop to C4, bishop takes knight........ I like Greg's metaphor that scratch building is like playing chess. And I was caught by my opponent. I forgot to cut the mortises in the curved beam and had to do them in situ, little nerve wrecking.....
 

 
So a little mile stone today, I finished all the beams, knees, carlings, ledges, opposing knees ands so on for the lower deck that I want to portray. After sanding the deck it came out really nice. On to the planking of the deck, I'll keep that to a minimum though to show as much of the details as possible. A waterway on both sides and just enough planks to support the bulkheads.
 

 

 
Remco

Thanks for checking in again Michael, Jeff and Brian.
 
Making the Timberheads
 
There are 40 Timberheads to fit on Vulture - 16 on the forecastle and 24 on the quarterdeck. Almost every one has different angles cut into them, as they are vertical to the frames but are also following the sheer of the decks in the longitudinal direction.
 
I made a jig to hold the pieces while I cut and file them to shape. The jig's angles will be recut as I progress along each deck - it remains to be seen whether this idea will work, but I'm fairly confident it will.
 

 

 
I've cut a shoulder into the bottom of them to give them added strength where they go through the planksheers. They also fit into the top of each frame by 1.5mm :
 

 
The first one fitted - only 39 to go   :
 

 

 
  Danny

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 27 – Forward Hull Sanding/Bolting
 
 
First, thanks everyone for the recent comments.  I hope all those who celebrate Thanksgiving Day had a good holiday.
 
The view from directly forward in the last post seemed popular so here is another from a slight angle.
 

 
All those unsightly wood spacers between frames are temporary and will be coming out at some point.
 
After this picture was taken the model was inverted for fairing and sanding.  There is not much to say about this, since it turned out to be less work than anticipated.  Below is a picture of part of the bottom after sanding.
 

 
Not much fairing was needed – nothing like the work I had to do on Naiad, where very little pre-beveling of frames was done.  On this model almost all of the beveling was done before the frames were set, so the sanding was mostly for cleanup and finishing.
 
The next picture shows an area slightly forward.
 

 
This picture shows some of the bolts – inserted after sanding – to secure the half frames to the keelson/deadwood.  These are copper wire, epoxied deep into the holes to give strength to the model joints.  These frames are end-grain glued to the keelson/deadwood, so the joints are not strong.  These bolts were iron so they will be blackened before the lower hull is finished.
 
I am considering installing the garboard strakes – at least – later on both sides.  On these ships the garboards had an important structural role.  They were quite thick (7”) and were edge bolted through the keel and face bolted to the frames.   This reinforced the attachment of the frames to the keel and will serve that purpose on the model as well.  You will recall that the frame floors are merely glued and pinned to the top of the keel – not notched to fit over a rising wood as in 18C ships – and some clippers.  This is not a strong joint.
 
While the model was inverted the remaining forward bolts were installed.  The bolts through the stem can be seen in the next picture.  These were long copper bolts.
 

 
Eventually, the forward side of the stem – actually the false stem – will be tapered down to about 4 or 6 inches in `breadth.
 
The last picture shows the iron bolts securing the hawse timbers to the stem/apron.  Like the cant frame bolts, these are black monofilament.  All these bolts were riveted flush.
 

 
The model has now been re-aligned on the shipway so the afterbody framing can begin.
 
 
Ed
 
 
 

So, on Thanksgiving morning, I just have time to say thanks for these compliments and to everyone who has made comments and watched Young America as she emerges from that large slab of swiss pear in my workshop.  Your following is very much appreciated.  Now, time for real work.  Where is that vacuum cleaner?
 
Ed

Yes thanks for the larger pictures Ed, the last one clearly demonstrates your skill and the dedication that you put into the research to build a model that will have significance to future researchers.
 
Michael

Another small update.
 
Yesterday I was able to get the planking rabbet cut on both sides plus some shallow grooves forward to locate the cant frames.  Unfortunately our friendly electrician at the museum has done so well in providing extra lighting at the model makers desk that I found it impossible to get good shadow across the model to show up the rabbet line properly, but you can see it at the stern if you look for it.
 
I really must try and find some additional time for the Pritt or it will take the next decade to get anywhere.
 
John
 

Cabin structure part 13
 
Well it felt like the 13th today, I was basically not happy with the construction of the hatch. I should have given up on it at this stage.
 

 
However I persevered sanded and looked at it on the slide logs, and then began a new one. I spent a good part of the time working on getting some accurate cuts on the table saw and in retrospect I need to make some adjustments to the large fence which is slightly out of alignment because I was having some binding problems using the fine adjusting fence, so worked of tuning it but still was not really happy with the cutting.
 
the next picture shows the new frame for the hatch, I should have gone this route in the first place.
 

 
Next the new planks with fir splines ready to be beveled and then glued.
 

 
The new frame will be more sturdy and a bit longer
 

 
I will attach a keeper plate on the bottom side of the hatch side rails instead of the half round tubes.
I will use the KISS method
 
Michael

Cabin Structure part 12
 
The planking and scraping are finished on the top and now the bottom locating cleats are being glued to the bottom this cabin needs to be removable so that the weights and servo etc can be accessed.
 

 
The second picture shows the cleats being glued and also shows the small clamp draw from the card catalog file cabinet that shows up in some of the pictures.
 

 
Next is the hatch cover boards and the splines ready to be glued to the cross beams of the hatch.
 

 
The last picture shows a small work station that I can move quickly off the wood workbench, it has a cork surface and the pliers are held by some small 1/4 inch ceramic magnets glued into the pine backboard.
 

 
Michael
 
 
.
 

Arrgh!
 
Sometimes while you are posting,,, and you have attached all the pics and write everything… suddenly inet says “no” and all the work and effort go to the trash bin.Anyway, we are just dealing with ceros and ones not with wood.
 
Thanks very much Pete! Nice place you live. I have just checked it out on google maps and looks beautiful. Lots of forest to make model ship building or Bourbon barrels…
 
Christian!! Where are you?! How is the HMS Pegasus going?
 
Sometimes one feels so alone here in the “Complete Model” forum…
 
Here´s the work done so far during these two last days.
 
 
 
As you can see the top beams (4x4mm) at the ends of the frames were pretty helpful to glue the limber strake.
 

 
Here´s a shot of the two strakes glued. Took me two days. Meanwhile I was cutting more patterns, studying the plans and sanding the hawse pieces.

 
And here is where I am moving on… the fore and aft platforms. I have to buy a small level to ensure the platforms are leveled. It is a device quite expensive. Made in Japan.
 
 
Hope to post more tomorow. Fingers Cross.
 
 
Daniel.
 

Hello All!
 
As I said, I was going to make a "practicum" about the Hawse frames but I dropped the idea. I´m not an expertto do so.
 
Instead I´m going to put a bunch of pics that I hope will speak by themselves... There we gooOOO!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Just checking.
 

 
One pair sanded and the other one not.
 

 
The angle in my model against the -W- frame was 26º so I sand a piece of pine to put it against my tilt sand table.
 

 
All rough sanded. I will add the 5th one later on.
 

 

 
Starting the sanding. Pretty pretty slow and always checking. When i say slow is slow and slow...
 

 

 
Checking the outside fit. the interior is not still faired.
 

 

 
The inner side was much more easy than I expect with the minidrill.
 

 
Checking again. Did I say it? wood is patient like some body says...
 

 
and that´s it till now, still the portside to be done...
 
Best wishes and happy thanksgiving!!
 
 
daniel.

It's a misprint. Should read 'hance'!

Hi everyone,
 
This weekend, I pushed along to finish the aft end of the gundeck (all but ledges). The first photo shows using a caul shaped to the fore and aft camber of the gundeck, which I used to level the beams as I glued them in place. Clamping the beams up to the caul ensured that they are all precisely level on the upper surface, where it counts.
 
I then worked on the carlings. I found an easy way to measure the angle of the end of each carling in a beam, with an angle gauge. i could then use the gauge to set the angle of the miter gauge on the sanding machine, for precise results, and flip it over to reverse the miter gauge and sand the symmetrically opposite carling in the same bay. Systematically working aft and from outboard to the center, I got them all done in a day. I still need to cut mortises for ledges in the carlings before they can be glued. I got progressively better at this as I worked along. The carling fair well fore and aft, with only one joint needing a slight adjustment from my original mortise cuts.
 
I also built the mizen mast core in anticipation of building the partners, and found an easy way to set the diameters at the 4 quarters, using a proportional divider set to two divisions. I set the long legs on the ruler for the total diameter at any point, and then used the short legs to mark off either side of the center line. It saved a lot of time.
 
I made the fore and aft standard fitting up against the wing transom and stern post. It took some fiddling to match angles and cut the slot for the wing transom. But very satisfying after all of these years to see that finishing up the aft deck. You can see on the starboard side of the aft gun deck, my first efforts at working out how a knee would finish up the deck at the rounded aft end. I have no drawings that show what this knee would look like but there has to be one to provide a landing for decking in the corner, before the decking can land on the deck transom. I can't believe that the decking would just land on the inner side of the aftmost frames with no support under it. Does anyone recall seeing a drawing of what happens here?
 
Best wishes,
 
Mark
 
 

Perhaps install just a small section of deck and a few guns on one side, rather than all the armament? Then the deck structure will remain visible. However, it's your model - and a magnificent one, either way.

Eye bolts up to your usual standard I see, Michael!
 
John

Perhaps install just a small section of deck and a few guns on one side, rather than all the armament? Then the deck structure will remain visible. However, it's your model - and a magnificent one, either way.

Some progress, rigging is a very long job when you're intending to add running rigging as well... Starting to look a bit more shipshape now. topmasts added, mast tackles, shrouds....

Attached the last sail and the anchors and it's finished. Next I will take photos of the finished model.


 
 
For large and more detail photos see also: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets/72157626433922489 http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets/72157626433922489/page16


   

Attached the mizzen sail and belayed its rigging.
 
For large and more detail photos see also: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets/72157626433922489 http://www.flickr.com/photos/ilhan_gokcay/sets/72157626433922489/page16

Glued evrything except the 2 back ramps for further easy  access
Planking over side structures
Box framing each side dry fitting
At this stage dry fitting is essemtial because I could not arrive and fix parts at the first throw; I have to think calmly  and slowly progress with each part to his shape and position in relation with the rest. Slow process but interesting!

Thank you John,
 
Up to now, all the pictures presented were in automatic mode. Circumstances made that next week will be the last part of Photography for the beginner. As for each week, we must try few pictures, so I develop a subject already tried but this time in manual mode!
 
On the second picture, by changing the camera angle the distance between the figures changed.
 
On the third picture, different tries by adding a white transparent curtain to soften the neon lighting coming from the ceiling.

Image 1 parts are done with white cardboard which  
 
-Lines are copied on a transparent paper from plans then glued with Pritt paper glue on a white cardboard
-Copied directly from the model
 
Image 5 made from 2 planks with a groove for assembly
 
Image 7
actually working on the balcony ramp made from 3 parts: 2 sides and 1 back same kind of assembly for the lower rail for the balcony. Alignment of sides is done with a plank resting on side planking thus giving exact parallelism between each one template made from 2 parts to give parallelism between the 2 rails the assembly of the side balcony ramp on the vertical post is done exactly as when assembling  a cross  

Merci Messieurs,
 
I will continue in the same area; paper is replaced by wood and everything is dry fit with brass needles to hold everything until  adjustments  and alignments are completed. The last gunport will make part of the assmbly.

Deck Fittings part 1
 
While waiting for caulking glue to dry, I unraveled some copper ground wire pulled it through the draw plate for the correct diameter to thread 0x80?
I spent some time bending up some deck eye bolts. These are going to receive rings as well. There will be a few sizes from 1 inch to 2 inch OD in scale
 

 

 

 
When they are all made they will be silver soldered.
 
Michael
 
 

Thank you Antony. Your continued support is very appreciated.
 
As I work my way around installing the ledges and carlings there are also
assorted knees, hanging knees and double knees.
 
All of the deck framing  pieces are being cut from Cherry.
 
Here you see one set of double knees rough cut out.
 

 
Here is a hanging knee rough cut and then set in place to test the fit prior to the finish sanding.
 

 

 
Everything seems to be going well, so far, now hopefully I just didn't jinx myself!