Glory of the Seas medium clipper 1869 - FINISHED - by rwiederrich - 1/96

[rwiederrich]

Spent a bit of time today modifying spring clamps to be my planking clamps.

This is just a few of them......notice the cut out.  This holds down the plank as the clamp grips the bulkhead...all in one.

[rwiederrich]

Here are few other angles and a demonstration image of how it works.  these are easy to make and anyone can make them.  They hold tight and secure.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

I'll be making lots more.  In conjunction with my angle control wood ones I aught to be ready for planking.

I received all the scale deck planking today from BlueJacket as well.....

 

Rob

[ClipperFan]

47 minutes ago, rwiederrich said:

Here are few other angles and a demonstration image of how it works.  these are easy to make and anyone can make them.  They hold tight and secure.

 

Rob

Rob, very clever. I'm rapidly becoming a fan of your creativity. My guess is you need tin snips in order to cut these. 

[Bob Cleek]

You win the internet today for those planking clamps, Rob!  An amazingly elegant solution.  

[ClipperFan]

On 4/25/2021 at 8:18 AM, ClipperFan said:

Bob Cleek, Thank you so much! It's always so thrilling to see actual items from McKay's long lost last Clipper! Seeing the genuine signboard from her, I am struck by the rough hewn simplicity and "woodeness" of her capital letters, although the "R" and "S" seem to be smoother than the "G" which looks the crudest of all. In fact, the "of the" lower case words are far more refined in appearance. Even still, it must have been quite an impression to see this in it's original gold leaf glory. 

Reviewing her 1869 photo, I noticed her "oak leaf" end clusters appear to have been completely gold leafed too. At launch, her Bow signboards were positioned further back, aligning with the graceful termination of the quarterdeck caprail just above. 

Bob Cleek,

At the end of this video, there's this email: SAFR_Maritime_Library@nps.gov

My attempt to contact them resulted in a rejection stating my email address wasn't a recognized one. I was trying to see if it was possible to get prints of the name board and Samuel Walter's oil painting following. If possible I was also asking associated costs involved. 

Since you have access to this previously unseen video, by any chance do you have approved access to send my request? 

[rwiederrich]

6 hours ago, ClipperFan said:

Rob, very clever. I'm rapidly becoming a fan of your creativity. My guess is you need tin snips in order to cut these. 

No my friend.......a dental hand piece or a Dremel and some cut-off wheels

[rwiederrich]

6 hours ago, Bob Cleek said:

You win the internet today for those planking clamps, Rob!  An amazingly elegant solution.  

Thanks Bob

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

Fantastic invention Rob. 

[rwiederrich]

5 hours ago, Vladimir_Wairoa said:

Fantastic invention Rob. 

Thanks Vlad.....

I'm taking this time to compile construction material and while doing so, i tend to work out production planning issues as well.

 

By the way....I'll be meeting with Mike tonight and I'll be getting your book signed, so I hope to have that off to you shortly.

 

Can you PM me and give me your address?

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

In my scale the figurehead is 7/8" in length...so she will be hand carved from plastic and I will use hard dental wax to carve her toga.  I have several ideas to work with so I hope it works out fine.

 

I also spent some time printing out her gold on black name boards in 1/96 scale as well.

 

Lots of small details to attend to in advance.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

On 4/25/2021 at 2:36 PM, ClipperFan said:

Bob Cleek, Rob & Vladimir

It took the better part of the afternoon, running and pausing the video more times than I can remember. Anyhow, here's my sketch of the name board for McKay's last Clipper "Glory of the Seas."

Hey Rich...did you ever get the actual length of the nameboards for Glory?  I projected that it was 13ft long.

 

Rob

Edited April 27, 2021 by rwiederrich

[ClipperFan]

6 hours ago, rwiederrich said:

Hey Rich...did you ever get the actual length of the nameboards for Glory?  I projected that it was 13ft long.

 

Rob

Rob,

First, I hope you get more pics of you and Michael Mjelde together. To say I'm 'green with envy' is the understatement of the decade! If he has any more Glory images to share, that would be so thrilling. He said he has some photos of her Goddess 'Athene' from India House. 

As for Glory's sign board, since the height of the monkeyrail is 18" when you account for both upper and lower moldings, it looks like the height at most is a foot. That would mean capital letters are 10" high, most likely 4" wide, with exception of "Y" & "A" which are probably 5".  If you assign "3" to spaces between letters and 7" to beginning and end spaces, then it's just accounting for 2 lower case words. Comparing the area they take up about 18". 7 capital letters 4" wide equal 28" + 2 capital letters 5" wide add another 10" for 38", then 9 spaces of 3" each add 27" + 2 end spaces each 7" equal 41", all totaled that equals 97" or 8'1", if you figure each oak leaf end caps are 18", that gives 36". So I come up with 11'1". Of course, it makes more sense that these big signs were even dimensions, so 11' makes more sense. However, if you have another way of comparing the dimension that clarifies 13' (my rough sketch could have spaces too close in certain areas) then I suppose it could easily be 13' long.

Edited April 27, 2021 by ClipperFan
math correction, sigh

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, ClipperFan said:

Rob,

First, I hope you get more pics of you and Michael Mjelde together. To say I'm 'green with envy' is the understatement of the decade! If he has any more Glory images to share, that would be so thrilling. He said he has some photos of her Goddess 'Athene' from India House. 

As for Glory's sign board, since the height of the monkeyrail is 18" when you account for both upper and lower moldings, it looks like the height at most is a foot. That would mean capital letters are 10" high, most likely 4" wide, with exception of "Y" & "A" which are probably 5".  If you assign "3" to spaces between letters and 7" to beginning and end spaces, then it's just accounting for 2 lower case words. Comparing the area they take up about 18". 7 capital letters 4" wide equal 28" + 2 capital letters 5" wide add another 10" for 38", then 9 spaces of 3" each add 27" + 2 end spaces each 7" equal 41", all totaled that equals 97" or 8'1", if you figure each oak leaf end caps are 18", that gives 36". So I come up with 11'1". Of course, it makes more sense that these big signs were even dimensions, so 11' makes more sense. However, if you have another way of comparing the dimension that clarifies 13' (my rough sketch could have spaces too close in certain areas) then I suppose it could easily be 13' long.

I calculated the length of the figurehead and used that to determine the nameboard length

[ClipperFan]

1 hour ago, rwiederrich said:

I calculated the length of the figurehead and used that to determine the nameboard length

Rob, 13' it is then. How about height? Do you agree that 1' high makes sense? My estimate is based on it fitting neatly in the space between upper and lower moldings, which would most likely set up the capital letters being 10" high. I will recreate the name board based on your 13' spec from oak leaf tip to tip and share it here when done. 

At 1:96th scale my estimate is it would be 1& 5/8ths" long × 1/8th" tall & at 1:72nds it will be 2&1/6th" long x 1/6th" tall. Feel free to revise my dimensions, if they're inaccurate.

[rwiederrich]

34 minutes ago, ClipperFan said:

Rob, 13' it is then. How about height? Do you agree that 1' high makes sense? My estimate is based on it fitting neatly in the space between upper and lower moldings, which would most likely set up the capital letters being 10" high. I will recreate the name board based on your 13' spec from oak leaf tip to tip and share it here when done. 

At 1:96th scale my estimate is it would be 1& 5/8ths" long × 1/8th" tall & at 1:72nds it will be 2&1/6th" long x 1/6th" tall. Feel free to revise my dimensions, if they're inaccurate.

I talked to Mike today and he told me the nameboard is 14ft long...slightly over what I calculated(I couldn't quite see the flowery ends all that well).  Mike told me he was the one who helped that museum acquire the nameboard....magine that....?

 

Anyway...what a time with Mike.  He has many more images he is going to send me and one in particular is of the stern... from the stern.  He also has a drawing of the exact stern mouldings he will get me too.

We hit the gold mine.

 

Mike tells me that his new book is in publishing as we speak and wouldn't you know it...he even has the manuscript ready for his fourth book....yep...the final voyage of the Glory when she sailed to Alaska and back to Seattle.  Wonderful!

 

The image for his next books dust cover is the one his daughter posted here not long ago.

 

It was a great time conversing and trading information about clippers and Donald McKay.  I didn't know this but Mystic Seaport has a rewrite of his book that was published in 2000.  It corrects all the mistakes...well some of them...in his original book.   I think I need to get that.

 

Great times with Mike.

 

Rob

Edited April 28, 2021 by rwiederrich

[rwiederrich]

Just now, rwiederrich said:

. I also began construction of the figurehead for my model....It will be 7/8" long.  It is carved from plastic and salvaged body parts from N and HO railroad figure body parts.  Frankenstein is at work.....

I'll post images later.

 

Rob

[ClipperFan]

8 hours ago, rwiederrich said:

I'll post images later.

 

Rob

Rob, it's always exciting to hear about your time rubbing elbows with Michael Mjelde, a man who has spent literally a lifetime researching McKay's last Clipper ship and who has a treasure trove of documents. I have to admit, I miss my email conversations with Mike. I suppose it's because he's been very busy with anticipated publication of book #3. By the way, did he give any hint as to when his latest book will become available? I would love to get a personalized autographed version of his latest book.

Did he mention if the Stern moldings he has drawings of include the fancy scrollwork that was originally on Glory? For that matter, do you know if he has similar sketches of her original carvings on her Naval Hoods and curved arches on her Cutwater? As for her 14' nameboard (you were very close at 13' probably the curve made it look shorter) did Mike confirm a height of 1'? It probably can't be much more, maybe 14" if the moldings are 2" apiece, since the monkeyrail height's been established as 18". As for the 2 oak leaf end carvings, if those were 2' each, that would leave 10' to fit in her name. Does that sound accurate to you? 

I will focus on getting the most accurate sketch of her Figurehead and nameboard and post images in the next few days. Another observation I've made is that the long flowing gown that Athene grasps in her upswept right hand is actually very tightly carved so that it takes up a relatively small area behind her. Different photographic angles make it look much wider than it really is. If Mike shares any more pics of her Figurehead, especially from straight ahead, that would be very helpful. 

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, ClipperFan said:

By the way, did he give any hint as to when his latest book will become available? I would love to get a personalized autographed version of his latest book.

Rich...Mike said he hopes it will be out by Summers end...and I told him I would need 3 signed copies.  I'll keep reminding him...but the publisher is who we are waiting on at this time I gather.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

1 hour ago, ClipperFan said:

I will focus on getting the most accurate sketch of her Figurehead and nameboard and post images in the next few days. Another observation I've made is that the long flowing gown that Athene grasps in her upswept right hand is actually very tightly carved so that it takes up a relatively small area behind her. Different photographic angles make it look much wider than it really is. If Mike shares any more pics of her Figurehead, especially from straight ahead, that would be very helpful. 

We talked about so many things....but we spent little time on her figurehead.  I did mention I was carving her at 7/8"...and he was amazed I could made her so small.  He did say he had more images of her...I'll continue to ask him.  He is still cataloging his images.

 

We also talked about his friend in Australia who is redrawing the Glory...and that he has acquired all his drawing of 40 or more DownEasters and drawing of two clippers that were actually built in Seabeck.  1000~1500 ton vessels.  Deep water vessels.  I thought the Western Shore was the only clipper to be built on the West coast...at Cooz Bay Oregon.  That is all together an other story for sure.......

 

As far as the figurehead goes.......I'm carving her toga currently...and I'll spend more time tonight...hopefully finishing her up.

 

Rob

[rwiederrich]

OK....I promised some new images of Glory.  Now Mike is still looking for his drawings of her stern carvings...but he assures me he has them and will soon send them to me.

 

Here is an image of the stern of Glory...partially skewed by tree branches.  But the stern name and origin are after she was sent to Ketchikan Alaska.

 

You can make out all her new deck buildings and the like 

[rwiederrich]

Here is another of her at the Tacoma cold storage docks...after her starboard name board and figurehead had been removed.  A lot can be gained from this image....

 

I can't seem to right the image....

[rwiederrich]

And lastly a new one of her at Endolyne prior to her burning.

[rwiederrich]

Lastly..this is a bad image of the painting that will grace the dusk jacket of his new book.......

 

Rob

[ClipperFan]

1 hour ago, rwiederrich said:

Here is another of her at the Tacoma cold storage docks...after her starboard name board and figurehead had been removed.  A lot can be gained from this image....

 

I can't seem to right the image....

Rob, it's wild how any images we get directly from Mike are so hard to get posted upright. This image, when righted reveals how slim and fine the Bow and Entrance of "Glory of the Seas" truly was. Again it reminds me that while she was referred to as a 'Medium Clipper' that was probably due to her near flat half floor for enhanced carrying capacity, still she had a lovely Hull.

[ClipperFan]

1 hour ago, rwiederrich said:

OK....I promised some new images of Glory.  Now Mike is still looking for his drawings of her stern carvings...but he assures me he has them and will soon send them to me.

 

Here is an image of the stern of Glory...partially skewed by tree branches.  But the stern name and origin are after she was sent to Ketchikan Alaska.

 

You can make out all her new deck buildings and the like 

Rob, please express my gratitude to Mike for his generosity in continuing to share these rare and incredibly sharp images of McKay's last Clipper. Seeing this angle, it's clear her Stern is truly curvilinear. She's almost flat towards the center and rounds towards both ends. I'm also struck by how fine her rear entrance is too. It reminds me of another famous McKay designed but not built by him Clipper Packet. The Newburyport 'Wild Boat of the Atlantic' extreme Packet "Dreadnought" under capable direction of 'Bully' Captain Samuel's once covered 183 nautical miles over 52 hours sailing backwards! He accomplished this amazing feat of seamanship when it became impossible to ship a jury rigged rudder to replace the original taken away in a storm. He refused to leave the damaged vessel when a French Steamship Captain offered to take him for medical care due to a severe compound fracture of his leg.

Now seeing the fine Stern run of Clipper "Glory of the Seas" it becomes more understandable how this could have been accomplished.

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

oh my god, oh my god, thats an important photographs first of its kind to show her stern from the angle we can feel the curvature or rail. 

Thank you folks. V. 

[Vladimir_Wairoa]

2 hours ago, rwiederrich said:

OK....I promised some new images of Glory.  Now Mike is still looking for his drawings of her stern carvings...but he assures me he has them and will soon send them to me.

 

Here is an image of the stern of Glory...partially skewed by tree branches.  But the stern name and origin are after she was sent to Ketchikan Alaska.

 

You can make out all her new deck buildings and the like 

this pic is beyond amazing. wow. 

[ClipperFan]

1 hour ago, rwiederrich said:

And lastly a new one of her at Endolyne prior to her burning.

Rob, somehow these images of poor old Glory still mainly intact but now shorn of her lovely Figurehead and smart identifying nameboards make her look so forlorn, it's painful to see. How I so wished she could have been saved for all posterity. Can you just imagine the stunning spectacle she would have presented, being docked nearby "Old Ironsides?" Alas! Old Glory, they've done you so wrong. To see your faithful service of over half a Century end as a blazing funeral pyre just to salvage your metal.....

[rwiederrich]

29 minutes ago, ClipperFan said:

Rob, somehow these images of poor old Glory still mainly intact but now shorn of her lovely Figurehead and smart identifying nameboards make her look so forlorn, it's painful to see. How I so wished she could have been saved for all posterity. Can you just imagine the stunning spectacle she would have presented, being docked nearby "Old Ironsides?" Alas! Old Glory, they've done you so wrong. To see your faithful service of over half a Century end as a blazing funeral pyre just to salvage your metal.....

Yes...most likely because she was on the West coast and the state of her hull(hogged) and her extremely reduced masts and rigging....prevented her from making a trip around the horn.  Just too expensive a prospect...and nobody on the West coast wanted her...not even San Fran.

 

Rob