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

[Sailor1234567890]

That is one heck of a deep main royal isn't it? Your progress is great to follow. 

[archjofo]

Hi Rob,

I have just seen your progress from your rigging.
Impressively beautiful pictures!

[rwiederrich]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 8:42 PM, Sailor1234567890 said:

That is one heck of a deep main royal isn't it? Your progress is great to follow. 

From my research... she didn't receive her skysails until she was rebuilt...she needed them to compensate for the diminished sail plan from her original design...which I attempted to replicate.  Thanks for your kind words and encouragement.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

On ‎7‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 9:18 PM, archjofo said:

Hi Rob,

I have just seen your progress from your rigging.
Impressively beautiful pictures!

Thank you very much.  Even in this scale I am trying to include every major rigging element.  I did omit the boom yard blocks for cleanness.

 

I was not fully aware of what she'd look like with a full set of sails (Minus the stunsails))…..can't wait to see her with her spanker mast and its remaining sails.  I think I have 6 or 7 more sails left to complete the plan.

 

Again... thanks for the fine comments and encouragement.

 

Rob

[GrandpaPhil]

Awesome!  I can’t wait to see her with the rest of her sails!

Edited July 15, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[rwiederrich]

2 hours ago, GrandpaPhil said:

Awesome!  I can’t wait to see her with the rest of her sails!

GrandpaPhil….. I join you in your anticipation.  As I get closer to her final days in the shipyard....I must be reminded that I still have plenty to do.  An entire fourth mast needs to be installed and rigged.  I didn't get in the yard time I had hoped this past weekend...due to a shed build(Now I need to add shelves) and some honey-do things namely repairing the hot tub for the admiral.

 

 

As soon as I can recall the shipyard workers and establish a work schedule......I pray I will be finishing up the mizzen backstays and stay sails....then on to that last mast and its sails...and the finish line(what a sad day that will be).

 

Thanks for your fine comments and encouragement.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

I spent a bit of time finishing up the lower topsail clews and sheets and downhauls.

[rwiederrich]

The more I think about it...I might consider leaving off the mizzen main course of the crossjack.  Thinking this through it became evident that many clippers in moderate weather refrained from setting this sail...and if it isn't set, then more main mizzen mast and deck detail can be seen from this particular area.  I would still set the top and topgallant stay sails...along with the sails for the spanker mast.

 

This move will provide sufficient viewing of the deck details unencumbered by sail and still be an accurate representation of a typical sail arrangement.

 

MMMMMM......  

 

Rob

[GrandpaPhil]

Rob,

  What did you use to attach the sails to the yards?

Phil

[rwiederrich]

It would be nice to say I used gaskets attached to the jackstays....but...to retain sanity and keeping this under a 10 year build....I simply used wood glue and used mini alligator clips to hold the drying sail to the yard.

 What one can't see, ...."Can't see it from my house", as my father-n-law used to say works.

The sails are pre-formed at the contact point....so they pull away from the yard as if they are full of a stiff breeze.

 

Rob(Sorry I can't provide you with a more impressive..realistic...method...other than glue)

 

[rwiederrich]

Tinkered on a couple of things tonight.  I just mocked up the spanker and its booms for reference...

Edited July 18, 2019 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

I then focused on the mizzen top stay sail...had to make that and here is a pic of the Hanks being added.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Next are a bunch of pics I took of the sail mounted with the lifts and downhauls run along with their blocks.

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

She's looking extroadingly good Rob, nice work mate.  At the scale you are building good luck with the gaskets had you tried  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

11 minutes ago, BANYAN said:

She's looking extroadingly good Rob, nice work mate.  At the scale you are building good luck with the gaskets had you tried  

 

cheers

 

Pat

Thanks Pat...I did indeed experiment with lashing and all kinds of extremely difficult methods...but when I finally conceded that this scale is just too small for such details....and breaking more work then I was actually creating....I threw in the towel.  Plus the strong desire to provide a good solid point for the billowing sails to start their billow...took precedence.  Lashed experiments hung from the yard, limply...even though I was going to secure the sail to the bottom yard...everything was just too loose....uncontrolled for my liking....and trying to *lash* paper sails is a near impossible task I'd wish on no one.

 

So I opted to insult the purists among us and  hoping they would not snitch on me, ran with my glued on paper sails. Things of a grammar school craft class.

 

I do appreciate the fine compliments.....

 

Rob

[GrandpaPhil]

Rob,

  The sails look awesome.  Glue is definitely a good option, especially with paper sails.  I’m going to have to remember that for my Victory when I make that set of sails.

[rwiederrich]

3 hours ago, GrandpaPhil said:

Rob,

  The sails look awesome.  Glue is definitely a good option, especially with paper sails.  I’m going to have to remember that for my Victory when I make that set of sails.

Grandpa......when you are ready to glue the sail...simply lay a bead along the edge of the sail that will be against the yard....then press it firm and then apply mini alligator clips to hold it...and don't forget to use a support stick pressing out from the mast to hold the sail out from the mast.  when it dries it will naturally want to billow away from the mast.  The glued point must be slightly on top of the yard..NOT on the face of the yard.  you want the sail to appear to billow away from the yard not simply fall down.

 

I've done paper sails on many of my builds and it is such a forgiving material and when done right can be quite convincing.  that paint preserves the paper and adds to their longevity.

 

One note:  when cutting out your sails, make them slightly larger, length wise, then normal...the curve you will induce will shorted the sail and it will then not fit against the lower yard and you will have over exposed sheet lines.  Natural sail canvas stretches slightly, and if you cut the sails to the exact length, then billow them,,,they will be short.   The process is as much illusion as it is anything else.  It's called *Forced Perspective*.

 

Thanks for the fine comments and compliments.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

Spent a little time finishing up some task.

One..before things got totally out of control and internal access was going to be completely denied.....I opted to stress myself out to the max and install the glass ventilators that were installed along the cabin exterior walls.  A new an ingenious way to ventilate the cabins with fresh outside air without introducing outside elements...such as wind and water.

 

Here are a couple images of those little rascals....the black bands along the cabin lower edge..under the windows.

[rwiederrich]

After that patience builder...I proceeded to finish up all the remaining mizzen backstays....and the  topgallant stay.

 

Some of the images will show some additions of the port main royal and topgallant braces and their inevitable run to their fairleads and to pins.

 

The mizzen will become a web of lines from the mainmast...however unlike most 3 masters...the mizzen braces do not run forward to the main mast for belaying...they run aft to the spanker mast.

 

Lots of little things added along the way.

 

Rob

[druxey]

An exercise in fortitude and patience.... She's coming along really nicely, Rob.

[popeye the sailor]

it confused me for a bit........I realized that this is a four master,  and with no yards associated with the fourth mast {if memory serves me right}, the braces can follow the normal routing.   it took me some time to catch up with your log Rob.......I haven't been able to visit the scratch forum for quite some time.   I'm going to have to continue a log here so I can visit more often     {take my pick  } .  with a conventional clipper,  there are around 35 sails,  including the studding sails........there is a second spanker for the fourth mast {I forget the name of it}.  you have put some serious millage on this log....very impressed with what you've done with her!  

  so you like that Revell thread too........I do as well.  I sent in to Revell,  to see if I could purchase some.........found out that I can't get any and they don't sell it.  they should...........the buggers.  there is two sizes of tan thread.........I have some from the Cutty build,  and I have the supply to do the United States and the Constitution........other than that,  it's all I got    so if I mess up,  I'll be in the same boat as you.  best bet would be to watch E-Bay,  and see if any surfaces there.  anyway.........some really great progress and a very well done ship indeed........so glad your feeling better!

   I also noticed the reference to the scale.   I thought that you primarily used the 1:96 Cutty as your base hulls......I see that this ship is a different scale.  

       did you use another kit to base this ship on?

[rwiederrich]

37 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

it confused me for a bit........I realized that this is a four master,  and with no yards associated with the fourth mast {if memory serves me right}, the braces can follow the normal routing

The mizzen braces fall back to the spanker mast..instead of running forward to the main mast...note the painting.  I will be changing some of the rigging as seen in this painting, however, this portion is correct from other sources.

 

Sorry for any confusion.

Edited July 19, 2019 by rwiederrich

[popeye the sailor]

the confusion wasn't from you Rob........    as for the picture,  I though there was a spanker on the Mizzen?!  perhaps that's not a feature commonly seen on a clipper?  superb picture  

[rwiederrich]

40 minutes ago, popeye the sailor said:

I also noticed the reference to the scale.   I thought that you primarily used the 1:96 Cutty as your base hulls......I see that this ship is a different scale.  

       did you use another kit to base this ship on?

My original intent was to use several 1/96 hulls to make the hull of the Great Republic....however, the jump from 1/96 to 1/128 was significant enough, doing so would be more problematic then building her from scratch....and the two hulls are significantly different amidships and at the stern.  If I built the Republic in 1/96 compared to my Cutty/ Swordfish/Seawitch...in that scale she would be nearly a foot and a half longer and much larger.  In any case, in 1/128..she is slightly larger then the others....NOT to scale.

 

I used a Cutty hull for my Glory of the Seas hull, as well as my Donald McKay....in the latter case the hull is submerged, so no errors are seen...and I completely rebuilt the gunwales and deck to replicate that of the McKay. 

 

As far as the Revell rigging line....their older line found in their older kits is very fine IMO and THAT is the rigging line that is so hard to get.  the modern version provides a nylon thread...unsuitable.  the older thread rigging is more hemp or cotton.

 

Thanks for all your fine comments and compliments.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

I had no idea about the changes in the newer kits.....Revell / Germany is beginning to reproduce some of these older kits.  I'm pleased about it.......I've sent in numerous requests for them to continue their production.    something about the 1:96 scale kit.........they felt so easy to build,  and the detail is really good.   yea,  they did have some discrepancies,  but in the old days,  I paid little attention to some of the fine points that were missing in the kit.

  

[rwiederrich]

On ‎7‎/‎19‎/‎2019 at 11:57 AM, popeye the sailor said:

I had no idea about the changes in the newer kits.....Revell / Germany is beginning to reproduce some of these older kits.  I'm pleased about it.......I've sent in numerous requests for them to continue their production.    something about the 1:96 scale kit.........they felt so easy to build,  and the detail is really good.   yea,  they did have some discrepancies,  but in the old days,  I paid little attention to some of the fine points that were missing in the kit.

  

I only hope the detail remains in those older injection molds.  My issue is with the shiny nylon thread currently being used...instead of the nicer older thread that was probably made from cotton or hemp.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

It's been a while since I posted last...sorry for the delay...but I have been tackling some summer jobs, like finishing building the chicken coop and running fence in my lower pasture.

The admiral has required my time ashore to be fully engaged in these tasks...not to mention finishing up the front porch decking.

 

Thanks for hanging in there friends.....summer tasks seam to rob me of any time needed to work on the Great Republic.

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

No rush Rob, she won't go far (unless you have a pond  ) 

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

Just a few updates....Like I said earlier...I've been so preoccupied with so many home type jobs I have had no real time to work on the GR....I can only assume I will be back in the shipyard this fall.  I do have a friend who I've asked to make the case for the GR.

 

But for your entertainment here are a few pic of what I have been doing.  I finished up the front porch and veranda/French door/roof for the front of the house...complete front overhaul and I just finished the cedar decking.

 

I began by installing all the new windows and ended up with the deck.

 

Next....I worked on my second hobby and converted one of my dental chairs into a binocular chair to hold my large 21X127 custom binoculars.  I also built the rotating table the chair sits on.

 

I, now have a couple of trees to fall and cut up......

 

I'm so exhausted.

 

Rob

[Kenneth Powell]

Too Cool!!