Sherbourne by Stockholm tar - Caldercraft - 1/64

[tkay11]

Lovely work as usual, Kester! I'm glad you, Gregor and Dirk are so far ahead that I can keep on picking up tips.

 

I like the finish on your mast. Did you use the kit wood and stain, or is it different wood? And if it's stained, how did you do it? I tried staining mine with all sorts of finishes (walnut stain, oak dye, linseed oil, incredibly thick tea (with and without ferric acetate made from steel wool and white vinegar) -- but they all came out blotchy, no matter how many applications.

 

I've ended up ordering pear for the mast, boom, spars and bowsprit. I saw Gregor used maple for his bowsprit.

 

Tony

[Stockholm tar]

Popeye, Tony,

 

Thank you. Thanks also for the 'likes'.

 

Yes, I'm sure all will be resolved by the time of my next posting (or at least that's the intention!)

 

Tony,

 

The lower mast is the only spar from the kit. The topmast I made, along with the crosstrees, as were the gaff, boom and bowsprit. Thankfully, all the spars took the stain well, without any of the blotches you mention. I'm not quite sure how the latter happens, but perhaps is something to do with the grain, or some residue on the wood.

 

The stain that I used is a light red/brown colour, came in powder form in a packet, and was bought locally. It was then mixed with water, and I remember experimenting when I first used it. I found that it was better to make the stain quite dilute and lightly brush it on in several coats (I think three), giving the spar a light sand between coats. Each successive coat made it a progressively darker, which meant that I could end up with the colour I wanted. The ends of the spars were then painted black, which was quite usual for the period.

 

I'm sure the pear will look great for your spars and I look forward to seeing it.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[tkay11]

Thanks, Kester. I probably just need more experience with stains! Anyway, I also need experience with different woods, so I am not going to be too upset at forking out for the pear. It'll come in handy for my next build should I ever get to it.

 

Tony

[Stockholm tar]

The topgallant stay is most likely the longest single piece of standing rigging on the cutter, at approximately 75cm in length. It runs from the topgallant masthead, through a block on the top of the cranse iron at the end of the bowsprit, and is then seized to the upper double block of a tackle hooked to the stem. Consulting the drawings in the AOTS Alert book however, produced another discrepancy. The illustration on page 104 shows the stay as running through a single block fitted to an eyebolt on the top of the cranse iron, yet that on page 115 ­(an end on view of the bowsprit) shows it as passing through the central sheave of a triple block – the two outer sheaves being used for the topsail yard braces. So, which is correct? After a little thought I decided to use the triple block arrangement, as not only would it seem to be the more common, but it also reduces the number of blocks at the end of bowsprit – where it is already getting a little crowded. If I had used a single block for the stay the braces would still have to be accommodated, most likely by using two single blocks, and I still have to fit two single blocks for the topsail bowlines, on strops just inboard of the cranse iron. The triple block itself, of course, is not supplied with the kit and I bought a suitably stained and polished 5mm pear example – or rather, examples, as it came with nine others.

 

I decided to fit the eyebolt on the stem first, to take the lower double block of the stay tackle. On stropping the block, and at the same time fitting on to it one of the hooks supplied with the kit, I first tried using thin brass wire. This had, of course, first to be painted black but the process turned out to be less than satisfactory, as the paint didn’t take on the metal too well. Even after two coats the wire showed through in a few places and flaked off when bent and the wire itself, although thin, also didn’t form itself satisfactorily around the block. Instead I substituted black rigging cord, which not only doesn’t need painting (with the ever present risk of getting black paint on the nicely varnished block) but formed naturally around the block when tightened. I fastened it with a small flat (reef) knot and a spot of glue secured it in place. The triple block on the cranse iron was stropped in the same way, except that here an eyebolt was used in place of the hook, which fitted into a hole drilled through the iron into the bowsprit. Again the reef knot didn’t look overscale:

 

 

 

Incidentally, the stained and polished blocks I am using for the rigging (triples, doubles and singles) whilst looking good, unfortunately only have a token mark where the groove for the strop should be, the actual groove having to be carefully filed out. This is a somewhat tricky operation initially, to ensure that the groove is made in the centre of the block, but once this has been carefully started (I normally hold the block in one hand, using self closing tweezers, and a suitably-sized file in the other) a few more gentle passes with the file produces a nice clean slot. The smaller the block, of course, the more difficult it is to file – and I just can’t wait to get to those 3mm single blocks!

 

Having cut the right length for the topgallant stay, using 0.25 black thread, the next task was to turn in, and seize, the double block at its lower end. Having done this on the serving machine, I waxed the line and then passed the other end through the central sheave of the block on the cranse iron. I formed a slip knot at that end, which was passed over the topgallant masthead and seated down on the mast stops. It was a little tricky, when working the knot tight, to get the double block at the other end of the stay in the right position to satisfactorily correspond with the one attached to the stem. However I think I managed it about right:

 

 

A problem, which I had actually been concerning about for some while, now presented itself. This concerned the route taken by the various lines, from the end of bowsprit to their pins on the forward pinrail and whether they should pass over, or go through, the forward bulwark. I believe this was commented on by Gregor in his log. The jib traveller outhaul I had rigged some time before, and as it is shown in the Alert book. The drawing shows it passing down through the bowsprit sheave, running back along under the sprit and then up through a single block fixed to an eyebolt on the wale, next to the stem. From there it passes up and over the rail and thence to its pin. Even though this might be correct, I have to agree that this arrangement does create a somewhat sharp bend in the line, where it passes over the rail and which, on the real vessel, would most certainly be a point of chafe. I therefore decided, as did Gregor, to drill some small holes directly through the bulwark so that both the traveller outhaul, and the topgallant stay tackle, follow what I think is a more seamanlike route to their respective pins (see picture 1). It also looks a lot neater.

 

The problem when doing the above, was not only to get the holes drilled in the correct places, but also to avoid getting the drill snarled up in the bowsprit shrouds – which had already been rigged – so I had to be somewhat careful. However, I managed it without too much hassle and, more importantly, without causing any damage!

 

 

Next time: the staysail.

Edited February 28, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[egkb]

Brilliant explanation and photos Kester.. am looking forward to the next lesson on The Staysail ! 

 

Eamonn

 

Sherbourne looks BRILLIANT by the way !!

[Stockholm tar]

Thanks Eamonn.

 

After that somewhat extensive, and obviously 'brilliant' explanation (which I think you'd agree didn't quite go to plan  ) it's back to something simpler – sailmaking (hang on, did I just say simpler ? )

 

I was originally going to call it the 'January Sails' (do ya get it, january sales, january sails – eh? oh, never mind), but I got a bit behind, so March is now officially 'staysail month' .

 

Apologies, btw, for the rather dark last photo. The weather's not too brilliant in these climes at this time of year. (Sun? Never heard of it...)

Edited March 1, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[popeye the sailor]

looking very nice Kester.........cleanly well done!

[Stockholm tar]

Popeye,

 

Thanks. She's coming on.

 

Thanks also, guys, for the many 'likes'.

[jim_smits]

Excellent looking work there Kester!

[Stockholm tar]

Jim,

 

Thanks for the kind words.

[Mirabell61]

Your "Sherbourne" cutter Looks fantastic Kester.....

 

Nils

[Stockholm tar]

Nils,

 

Thank you, much appreciated.

[Stockholm tar]

Hi guys,

 

Not an update on the model unfortunately, but about it!

 

I'm afraid work has come to a halt recently, as you may have noticed, due to me being away on my 'hols' (twice)  and other things getting in the way . Anyway this is to say that work on Sherbourne will continue to be delayed again, by several months, as we have just moved out for the summer to our cottage (yesterday) – for even more 'hols' .  I'm a glutton for punishment!

 

However all is not lost, as I am sure many of you know that I am building a half model of the Statsraad Lehmkul out here, begun last year. I hope to work on her in between the other jobs that come with a 'holiday', such as lawn mowing, painting, cleaning out guttering, etc . I am up to drawing out the frames from the plans, and transferring them to paper templates to glue to the birch ply board, which miraculously has survived the winter, being layed flat and weighted down with books!

 

So, watch this space... or rather the space in my SL log.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Stockholm tar

[geoff]

It's a hard life but I'm sure you will cope!