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

[druxey]

So, Rob; in short, you've been a slacker this summer. At least you've admitted it. Seriously, the renovation looks great. Do you have a 'before' photo?

[BANYAN]

Hi Rob, you just need to motorise the 'buggy' and you'll have the Rolls Royce solution   What is the hobby you use it for?  Astronomy, bird watching --- other?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 4:53 AM, druxey said:

So, Rob; in short, you've been a slacker this summer. At least you've admitted it. Seriously, the renovation looks great. Do you have a 'before' photo?

Admitting I'm a shipyard slacky is the easy part....trying to show work, where none has been done is a trick for a magician.   I just wanted to let my model brethren know I wasn't just being lazy....

 

My wife inherited the house, and it needed lots of TLC and some serious upgrades.  Here is a pic just after I installed new vinyl windows and removed the old nasty single pain aluminum windows..  No porch roof/veranda or French doors/roof.

I the pic I just removed the old 5X6 single pain aluminum window, and replaced with a 6X6...and I removed the old laundry room 2X5 window and replaced with a 3X6.  getting ready for the roof.  It was just a big flat ugly wall with mismatched T1-11.

Had to move electric and completely rebuild the underneath of the big window...lots of dry rot.

 

Rob

Edited September 10, 2019 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

On ‎9‎/‎8‎/‎2019 at 4:54 PM, BANYAN said:

Hi Rob, you just need to motorise the 'buggy' and you'll have the Rolls Royce solution   What is the hobby you use it for?  Astronomy, bird watching --- other?

 

cheers

 

Pat

Astronomy.  My father, with my help, built the 5" binos in 1974.  I inherited them so I wanted to use them in a comfy reclining way...…..  So I build a modified dental chair, that rotates and reclines.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

one of these days I want to buy a house,  so I can join in your misery     I miss it like you wouldn't believe!   love the chair........sorry.......no alien jokes here.    what.....no cup holder?

[rwiederrich]

Slowly returning to work on the GR...I(without images)..ran the mizzen upper topsail halyard purchase rigging....with its blocks resolving at the crab winch.  I began to think about working on the main mast pennant rigging before I get to far with the braces and will find internal access a nightmare.

 

So I made the first cap block with the internal sheave for the pennant line and I ran the silk line down to....what?  I then decided to create...what seamed to me to be practical, a pennant rail, that rests along side the main cabin and the aft cabin(for the mizzen).  It occurred to me that these pennant purchases needed to be of a single circular line so the sailor could raise and lower the pennant with ease.

Installing the rails with their stanchions was a real trick...working deep within the miles of rigging and tackle..drilling deck holes and securing them.

 

I still need to paint them and belay the pennant line to them....but everything is run.  The line itself is extremely small silk....lending itself to scale and the purpose.  the union Jack will fly at this mast.  The house flag at the mizzen and the national flag at the gaff.

 

Just to let everyone know...I will be off the net for  a week or so....my father suffered a heart attack and is in need of a bypass...so I'm flying South to attend to him.  See everyone in a couple of weeks.

 

Rob

[michael mott]

Thanks for the update Rob, great job on the renovation. those look like serious binnies, probably easier to look through than a telescope.

 

Michael

[BANYAN]

Looking forward to the pics; glad the renno went well for you.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

I spent some time tonight working on several items...First i decided to add the main mast pennant and rigging.  I first built the rail to belay the pennant line too, and then I built the cap with its sheave.

I opted to fly the Union Jack from this location.

Edited November 18, 2019 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Next I began work on the top mizzen top mast and royal haul purchases and running them to the crab winches..

[druxey]

Nice to see you back in (miniature) action, Rob!

[BANYAN]

Looking good Rob, great to see you back at the models desk

[michael mott]

Nice to see that you are still getting things shipshape on the cutter Rob.

 

Michael

[rwiederrich]

Thanks everyone.  It's been a while.  I will add some rope coils to the pennant rail before I finish with work deep inside the weather deck.  It's a real bear working that far inside and around so much running rigging.

I'll probably finish up the topsail and lower topsail braces as well as the main course braces, before I flip the ship and work on the other side.

 

Without the spanker mast mounted it is waaay easier to work the rigging of the mizzen and main mast braces.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

The holidays have been keeping me busy with so many other things(wonder why?)

My hope and plan is while I am off from work for the holidays, I plan on spending some good quality time working on the GR.  I'll have several days to myself and to dedicate to the shipyard.

 

One of my gifts to my sweetheart is remodeling her large laundry room...by adding in new built in cabinets and uppers...…  Lots of painting and cabinet mods to do to customize the space for her particular use.  See....she bakes cakes, and the tubs and plastic rollways just won't cut it any longer.  I said ENOUGH!  So that has been taking any time I ever have left.

I did, however, recently add the leach lines and blocks for the jackstay yard, but failed to post images(what was I thinking?).

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and is ready for Christmas.

 

Rob

[Dowmer]

Rob, you have to keep the home fires burning. Sounds like you are taking good care of here. We will be waiting patiently for your GR updates. Have a great Xmas recharge. 

[rwiederrich]

Well today I got to spend several hours in the shipyard..and I was able to finish up the main braces for all the yards.

Still need to remove tape and add some rope coils..but I'm getting close to beginning the spanker mast instal........

Anjoy....

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

Nice to see this beauty gracing our screens again Rob. 

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

Pat..if feels so good to be back working on the GR

[Bob Cleek]

She's coming along wonderfully, Rob! The sails really bring her to another level. She's going to be a real masterpiece!

[rwiederrich]

18 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

She's coming along wonderfully, Rob! The sails really bring her to another level. She's going to be a real masterpiece!

 

Thanks Bob.  I feel the sails are the biggest contributor....to what makes a clipper so majestic.  I hope to get some work done on the spanker mast today...Images will follow.

Thanks everyone for your likes and fine comments.

 

Rob

[Keith Black]

Rob, approximately how many single blocks will have been used on the GR once completed?

[rwiederrich]

Spent some more time on the GR...I started by finishing off the mizzen pennant and old glory.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

I them moved on to the spanker mast build..beginning with making the boom and gaff and the hoop rings.

I made the lift truck for the purchase block and mounted it to the spanker.

[rwiederrich]

Still have loads to do on the boom and I still have to add the spider band and pins to the mast as well.

Thanks for all the likes and comments.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

5 hours ago, Keith Black said:

Rob, approximately how many single blocks will have been used on the GR once completed?

 

 

Good question...each yards requirements are different.  I really don't know, actually.  But, if each yard requires 8~10 per yard and plus purchases, lifts, braces, downhauls....probably around 300~350, thus.... far.

[Keith Black]

17 minutes ago, rwiederrich said:

probably around 300~350

Thank you. 

[rwiederrich]

Worked a bit more, by finishing up the boom and adding the cleat to secure the topping lift and the blocks for the boom sheets.

Also finished up the spider fife rail.

[rwiederrich]

Here are some general views of the gaff being added as well..along with its lift/blocks.

[rwiederrich]

Finally I gave the boom and gaff a wash of tongue oil to even up its color and to preserve it.

 Rigging the sails will be done off the model as is my habit.  A bit more details to finish up before then.

Thanks for all the likes and views.

 

Rob