Great Republic 1853 by rwiederrich - FINISHED - four masted extreme clipper

[rwiederrich]

That's beyond impressive for one day's work...   When I first saw the pics before reading I was wondering if you'd changed your mind and were building an aircraft carrier.          Sounds like you have a good plan for this.

Yeah.....it looks that way..heehee    All of that over hang will be removed.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Today I'm spending time planking the hull.  I',m using be milled clear white pine..that is nearly a veneer...at 1/16" .  I can contour it very easily around the bulkheads to form nicely the hull.

 

Here are a few images.

[Chasseur]

That's a smart move using veneer. Talk about saving time .... Jeff

[rwiederrich]

Back in the 80's I worked in a doll house factory in Oregon..so I have lots of great cut scale wood ..and boxes of oak and mahogany veneer.  Plus I mill my own maple.

 

I'm almost done with one side..pics tomorrow.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

really coming out looking great Rob!  is there to be a second planking,  or are you going to 'plate' the hull,  to give it that steel look?  the hull frame  has a nice form.....very nice!  

[rwiederrich]

Well the Great Republic was a wood hulled vessel popeye.....I've yet to determine if I want to add a second layer of planking.  This planking is 1/16"..amply strong for the build.  Plus it will make the seams at the cutwater and exits appear bulky.

On the other hand some builders apply a second layer of planks over a sublayer to create the final finished look...if they are using colored woods for detail and or paint simulation.

 

My GR will be painted black.  However..the main deck will be replanked to provide the individual planking for the spar deck.

 

I did some pore planking.  Note: the darker discolored areas are staining on the wood...I've had them for some time and they traveled from here to Europe and back.  The hull is contouring very well.

 

Rob 

 

[rwiederrich]

This image shows the contours of the aft exit.  Pinning down the wood.

[rwiederrich]

One on her side showing the smooth hull transitions.  I should be done with this side by tomorrow and then onto the other.

I'm *Clipping* along with 12 hours invested in this build currently.  I hope I can keep up the pace.  I tend to work in spurts..due to my work schedule.  2~3 hours on the hull planking this side...so I hope it pans out for the other side as well.

 

Rob

Edited July 5, 2016 by rwiederrich

[popeye the sailor]

looks great Rob.........painting the discolored wood will never be seen.   copper........plate or paint?

[rwiederrich]

I'll be painting and coppering.

 

Here is some images of the starboard side being planked.

[rwiederrich]

The staining of the wood gives it a weird look...but the hull is pretty finely sanded...some fill will be applied as well.

[rwiederrich]

Some last images before I have to wait till tomorrow.

 

The hull is really shaping up..though I do admit my approach is all but typical and can be viewed as sloppy...crude even lunacy....

 

However, I'm only after the finished look...not how I got there.  Once the hull is finished at this stage I will take it to the other shop and begin the fine detail on the hull.

 

Rob

[Roger Pellett]

Nice job planking the hull! Did you have to steam planks to fit the bilge radius?

 

Roger

[rwiederrich]

Thanks for your responce Roger.

 

No I didn't have to steam the planks.....the wood is very pliable and it bends very nicely...that is why I use 1/16" to 1/32" material.  I do have to cut radiouses to make the curves easier..but that is it.   Now I had to wet the aft sections to make the curve around the stern..that is all.

 

I kept this wood for this very purpose from my doll house manufacturing days...the wood was actually too thin and was throw away.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Today..I spent an hour (before work) laying more starboard planking...I finished the bow and cutwater and working my way amidships, I had to make a repair where the plank fractured.  Apparently the wood at that point had a defect and could not stand the strain of bending along the extreme curves.  No problem...I simply cut out the defect and patched in a new piece.

 

I have to do some more work on the section were the spar deck and hull meet aft of the midsection...not to mention the finality of the elliptical stern.

 

So I'm getting there...I plan on doing a bit more planking after work...Oh at about 1:00 in the morning when I get off work.

 

No pics for this last session....no time to edit them and post them.

 

Pics will return tomorrow.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Research HELP:

 

I've been back and forth many times and until my copy of Crothers fine book *The Masting of American Merchant Sail in the 1850's an Illustrated Study* arrives...does anybody have any technical drawings of the differences between the Forbes Double topsail design and the Howes design?

 

I've read Forbes depictions and those of Howes..but no actual drawings of the Forbes design.  One depiction states that the bottom topsail yard is fixed to the main mast top cap(Similar to the Howes design), but that the doubling space is greatly extended to compensate for the depth of the sail.

 

So are both topsails fixed in the Forbes design?  I'm not getting anywhere fast.

 

Also Forbes claims he reversed the topmast to be inbound of the main on several of his first design builds(1846ish)....but there after he arranged the doublings in a typical fashion with the topmast forward.  Which would correspond with the etchings of the GR in her original rig.

 

Help!

 

Rob 

[Chasseur]

Hit snr.org.uk

Look at the Mariner's Mirror

Abstract is Robert Forbes and Frederick Howes and the evolution of the topsail.

You have to join to read the full article and I am not sure if that requires some $.

Jeff

[rwiederrich]

Jeff...yep I checked that out already....and it cost money to read...or to be a member... so you can read.  I've read Forbes book on the subject but he wasn't clear from what I could gather from the copy I read.

 

I want to see a drawing of his design...if anyone happens to have one....just lying around....

 

Rob

[Mirabell61]

Hi Rob,

 

I´m realy amazed how  those thin wooden (rather broad) stripes followed the 3-dimensional curvature of the hull lines. Was that thin ply with outside pine layer, or pine veneer ?

You`v tried out an alternative and inovative way of fast planking,    and if you`re planing to do a second planking, this first planking is a good foundation to work on. Even if you`re intending to leave as is, putting on a little filler resin here and there (for later painting). you`ll have an extreme lightweight hull

 

Nils

[rwiederrich]

Nils....The pine is cut as a veneer..NOT plywood.  

That is why it bends and forms so well.  I finished up planking the starboard side..letting it dry.

I plan on using a bit of ill on several places...just to verify the smooth curves.  I'll be adding the plank sheer and rail in my other shop and final woodworking before any paint is applied.  The 3 howes holes will be added and trimmed as well.

 

Most likely, I'll add the deck so I can build up the subrail/waterway which will directly tie into the outerhull.  NOTE: the picture of the drawing of the rail timbers posted earlier.

Edited July 9, 2016 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Today I also finalized my design and subsequent manufacture of all my copper plates.  I ain't buying $350 forth of prefabed plates that require weeks if not months to install.   

 

So I invented a means to press copper tape into individual plates.

 

First you need an old fashioned clothes roller.  Like this.  With some meshed wire for the pressing tool.

[rwiederrich]

Here is a close up of the wire tool in the press.  I cut out a section of wire mesh just the size to work the copper tape.  This fencing wire can be bought at any well supplied hardware store.

Edited July 9, 2016 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Next..take your tape of copper and lay it under the wire mesh with the lead edge over the wire..This helps align the tape with the mesh and the rollers of the roller. You want to have your copper tape under the horizontal wires..so they  can press against the copper tape forming the necessary seam.  By the images you can see how this works.

Edited July 9, 2016 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Place it in the roller and then begin to roll the tape in.  It is quite easy and very effective.  Here it is coming out pressed with the seam..replicating the individual plates

[rwiederrich]

Lastly..you have a perfectly processed copper tape with the individual seam lines represented....just lay the tape down on the hull and there you go.

If you really want the nail impressions...you can add them later.  However I am not going that far, since the tape will incure some defects and at this scale will become too over exaggerated and become a distraction.

 

This process, that would normally take weeks to months(Cuz I work in spurts) will now take days if not hours.  And cost me about $1.95 a roll of copper tape....Yippy. Fast and inexpensive..who doesn't like that?

 

Rob

Edited July 9, 2016 by rwiederrich

[Chasseur]

Very realistic and talk about a time saver! Ingenious to say the least ... Jeff

[Mirabell61]

Good idea Rob,

 

I love ingenious thinking methods  

thanks for sharing !!

 

Nils

[rwiederrich]

Very realistic and talk about a time saver! Ingenious to say the least ... Jeff

Thanks Jeff....I'm all about doing it easier and faster...but retaining the fine look..My mind is always thinking of a better way to do something.

Especially things that are monotonous.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Good idea Rob,

 

I love ingenious thinking methods  

thanks for sharing !!

 

Nils

Thanks Nils.  Yeah...I'm always thinking outside the box...I just hope this idea catches on with others.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Further study(I probably already knew this), is directing me to *Keep it simple stupid*.  After years of evaluation and comparative study..I've determined that all the copper nail marks are not really necessary at this scale..and even may be a distraction..since scale and the evolution of time and wear, leaves its mark on installed copper plates...thus diminishing and even hiding these construction artifacts... as demonstrated by these examples. In MY View.

 

Far too much detail...thus, far too much texture.

 

Rob

Edited July 9, 2016 by rwiederrich