Omega1234

Plank Thickness Sanding Jig....
 
Creating scratch planks from raw lumber can be a bit of a challenge in terms of precision width and, even more so, thickness.

While it is easy enough to rip the exact width with clean edges on a table saw, the task of taking lumber through the band saw to rip the thickness is another story since band saws simply do not leave a clean surface as seen here....

Obviously this plank cannot be used until the outer surface has been dressed down perfectly smooth.  The trick in doing that is to wind up with exactly the same thickness from plank to plank.
Since passing such a thin piece of lumber through the table saw is not real safe, and I do not own a thickness planer, I created a little jig that utilizes an old osculating drum sander.

 
The fence allows me to pass each plank through the sanding drum with the thickness gap set to remove exactly the same rough surface from every plank.
 

Feeding the plank through the jig takes about 30 seconds per plank.

Perfect planks every time....

 
 
 
 
 
 

Put me down for a dozen packs, Dave.

And final progress on forward running rigging.  Does anyone have any input on proper positioning of the 5 sheets (3 stay sails and 2 balloon)?  I have run them outside the foremast shrouds as discussed in "American Fishing Schooner" but it looks pretty busy.
 
 

Final standing rigging (backstay will be last so it doesn't get in my way)...
 
 

Masts and doublings with properly served shrouds...
 
 

It's been a while since my last update.  Currently working on running rigging.  Here are a few more WIP pictures...

look'in forward to see you resume as well  

Hi Bob
 
Thank you, that`s what happens when admirals take over
Breaks for the modelbuilders wishes, but as I hope, now it will be all set and done for her "majesty" and the next steps for the Danzig can be done. But; I`ll never know what comes next............
Regards
Gerhard

Thanks to all of you.  The curved portion is frequently referred to as an eyebrow.  But under the eyebrow there is some sort of carving.  That's what I'm looking for.
 
Bob

most likely.......you have more railings to go     nicely done  

Mark,
thanks for your nice words, I saw you had a good catch up with the build recently many thanks for looking in, and am pleased you like it
 
Nils
 
Thanks also to all the "like this" for operating the button....

Just stunning work, Nils.   I'm left speechless every time I see your work.

Thanks Bill
 
It's really one of those details that has been so ingrained into the psyche of builders that if strict adherence to scale were followed  there'd be a case for no heads at all. Don't know how that would be received by the general public.
 
Sam

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

Joel
 
Couldn't say it any better myself.
 
Sam

Hi all -
 
When the last segment ended I was doing the initial shaping of the hull.
 
Using the station lines plans I made some templates for the hull profile and worked the wood down to the proper shape.  That lengthy and tedious task was made faster with power sanders, both belt and orbital.  A light touch is needed, but after getting used to the weight of the tools they let me remove wood in a very controlled and delicate way.
 
One thing I learned from the templates relates back to a discussion we had during the Doria build.  There, I did not have the station lines plan until quite late, and even then they were from a commercial model kit, so I did not trust them.  They seemed to show that the hull was narrower amidships just under the promenade deck than it was at the bilges.  But after carefully examining a photograph of the Doria on the launching ways I did not see this at all.  Others, who were more familiar with Italian liners, said that there was a tumblehome, just not much.  It turns out that, for the Michelangelo at least, we are both correct, sort of.
 
Here are the station lines, with a vertical guide line drawn from the top of the hull down on both the bow and stern views.  Clearly, the lower hull is wider at its greatest breadth than at the sheer line.  The difference is about 30 inches actual or 3/32” on the model.  Not very large, but certainly some tumblehome.
 
But when I lined up the station numbers I found that it only affected the center 20% of the length of the ship.  Both ahead and astern of that area the hull either came straight down or started to curve the other way.  In essence, what the hull has is not really tumblehome, but a pair of bulges amidships and just at the waterline.  Saddlebags, really.  Were these to get some more ballast lower down in the hold?  Were they to artificially lengthen the waterline and increase speed?  I have no idea. 
 
Nonetheless, this was noted and I tried to get the wood to take that shape in the carving process.  Here is the hull taken down very close to final dimensions.
 
At the bow you can see how the lifts had to be cut and pieced to achieve the line of the sheer.  The third one down is that wedge that was mentioned in the last segment.
 
At the stern the upper lifts have been cut short and pieced in.  This block is secured with a screw and is removable.  It holds the place of the deck houses and open decks that will be fitted later.  I had an idea that I could drape form some plastic around this plug for the window units of these stern decks.  Ultimately this did not work.  I will discuss it and my solution in the next segment.
 
The tapered propeller shafts and their webbing are being pinned in place. Having the black glue lines between the lifts was a particular help here near the rudder, where it showed me problems with symmetry as wood was removed.
 
During breaks from sanding and shaping the hull I roughed out the superstructure.  The plans were attached to basswood sheets with the photo spray adhesive as before and rough cut on the band saw.   Deckhouses are cut from ¼” thick basswood, while the decks are 1/8”.  The total from deck to deck is 3/8”, or just under 11 feet.   
 
Stacked on each other where they fit, there is a palpable feeling that a ship is starting to rise from the building board.
 
Next I start the final finishing of the hull, and contrive a solution to the problem of the open decks and windows at the stern.
 
Be well
 
Dan

Hey! thank you so much for your kind words, i opened a thread in other part of the forum and they also told me about walnut, maybe i will go that way. but im not sure i understand what you mean with the glue and the clay :/ 

Incredible work Patrick , You sure have become a Mega Yacht Builder, Well done 
 
Best Regards, 
Pete 

Good night nurse!  Patrick...
 
Well done and all that detail in shucha small exploded version.  Great concept...fine execution.
Adding the furnishings will be something entirely.
 
Rob

I'm in awe, Patrick.   Gob-smacked as it were.  

Most of us would stop with the outsides done as you have it now.  Well done.
 
Bob

Hi folks!
 
Thanks for all of your Likes and comments!
 
Well, she's getting there, albeit slowly.  It may not actually look like there's been a lot done since my last update, but a lot of the work has been devoted to building more cabins and a myriad of other fine measurements and trimming of bits and pieces here and there.
 
Anyhow, I thought you may like to see where she's at via the following photos.
 
Have a good week!
 
Cheers
 
Patrick

Starting gun port lids