America by BlackSeraph - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - 1/4" scale

[gsdpic]

Looks like you are having a lot of the same challenges I did, and you are overcoming them as well.   That stern piece and the recessed timberheads toward the stern really needed a lot of work.  I know I went back and reshaped that stern piece several times, even after I had attached it.

[BlackSeraph]

Finally I finished version 2 of the scaffolding. Actually version 3, because v2 were made from 5mm steel but the stupid guys didn't took into account metal dilatation and were cut curved. 

The 10mm ones I use to hold the keel are not straight, they are curved too, but it doesn't affect their functions.

The others are graded. The frame is perfectly aligned horizontally and vertically and hold between inside lateral ones.

 

Everything can be adjusted both horizontally and vertically!

Edited March 3, 2020 by BlackSeraph

[gsdpic]

Been quite a while since you updated this log.  Are you still working on the America?

 

[BlackSeraph]

Hi

Well, long time no see. My workbench was requisitioned by my better half. We both work from home for most than one year. But I got it back! Meanwhile I worked on small projects which I could do on a regular desk, next to my keyboard. 
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3346772168708512&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3649595848426141&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3827967460588978&type=3
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.3856386867747037&type=3

 

 

So I've been busy today. Finished all frames on fast-forward mode, I realized that I can do same thing without assembly table because the errors already present, which will require a lot of work. Effectively some frames are completely out of line. I'm still thinking how I could've determined the right dimensions - see the side picture 

 

I think I'll try to fair the hull, then install the stem and stern pieces

 

Edited May 3, 2021 by BlackSeraph

[gsdpic]

Glad to see you continuing with your America build.  She's looking really good.  The frames don't look too far out of line from here.   I also had to do some trimming and a bit of shimming of a few of the frames after attaching them to the keel to get things to line up.

 

You might consider putting on the bilge clamps/sheer clamps before doing much fairing or trimming of the frames.  The clamps will reduce the chance of snapping off one side of the frame when fairing or trimming them.  I recall that I broke one or two of my frames and had to glue them back together.  Of course you might need to do some fairing on the insides of the frames in order to put the clamps on so you'll still have a chance to snap a frame then.   Also, one thing I don't see.....there is a small step up where the last third of the deck is a bit higher than the front two thirds.  On mine, that step up was also part of the frames at this point...i.e. the tops of the aft frames were higher while the timberheads were shorter.  But on yours they appear to be similar height.  You may need to add some material around the tops of the frames or just compensate with the deck beams.

 

Keep up the good work.  If you have not checked my build log lately, I just very recently completed my America, so it is possible.

 

 

[BlackSeraph]

Hi Gary

Thanks for the advice, I was considering the same thing because the wood is soft, right. 
 

The frames ARE way off, believe me, I tried to capture in the first picture. And the step is there, in theory, but frames are off. It took me too much to measure each one and, when I affixed it, it was still off (on height), so I said that is simpler if I fix them at the end. Just look how far they are, and you can trust me that I carefully measured the timberheads. In fact, I have high hopes that I will solve it easily with a hand tool from Proxxon with a fine cutter, due to soft nature of the wood.
By no means I'm saying I didn't made mistakes, I just said that measuring is not enough. To be honest, I would choose another approach now, but this is where I am. I think one should measure the frame height with the slot in the keel against the plan. The slots might be cut correctly, but the frame most likely is not perfect like the ones laser-cut, so it needs to be adjusted. This is my first built after plywood models, so I assumed that the sizes are [mostly] right.

 

[BlackSeraph]

Unfortunately, I have to postpone this for an undetermined time. I was measuring and thinking about it for 2 weeks now and the only way to make it work is to re-do lots of frames. One third of fore frames are shorter, A- frame is 4 mm shorter. Aft ones are not wide enough, some of them; I spotted one which I cut, but also there is one I didn't. The transom is too wide, but I measured it against the plan and is correct. If I take into account frames which are not wide enough and the inside carving, which is far from what is shown in the book (it can be seen that is closing on EE frame - last one - but in book it goes within transom piece) I would say that the machining was not OK relative to plans, which I didn't checked , though I couldn't do anything about it (wide). Also, it can be seen how lines flow to aft and how they don't match the stern piece curvature

 

So, I will summarize here what I learned:

• it would be useful to have frame's drawings to check against the machined pieces
• check each frame height. If height is not enough (the bottom must align correctly on bearding line) is better to add some material on top
• before cutting keel slots measure the corresponding frame thickness
• read and understand the instructions very well. There are lots of things you need to link together 
• start from middle and work aft and fore. Fix the frames with some light glue (I had some rubber cement, but it was a bit soft) and follow the recommendations: measure and test that everything fits naturally before gluing, including insides - take into account how they must flow
• Do not cut stern and stem pieces until you finish the frames.
• Do not rely on plan measurements only. The lines must flow naturally; in my case, even if the aft frames are not wide enough, they still can be fixed, but the stern piece has to be smaller