Amanda by Tblack - FINISHED - RESTORATION

[TBlack]

A friend of mine asked me to take this on, and, at the time, I thought it would be a nice diversion from my Vinalhaven build.

 

I wasn't sure where to post this project, so I'm following Michael Mott's example and sticking it in here.(I've been moved, so disregard this statement).

 

I need to post it, because I'm going to have some questions for you, if you'll permit me.

 

Tom

[TBlack]

Amanda (that's the name at the bow and on the stern) is a full rigged ship. I've gotten her cleaned up a bit, and the damage isn't too bad; I think it's easily repaired. 

[TBlack]

At this point, if I've still got your attention, I need your help. In the first photo, just forward of the steering station, is a round place on the deck that has no decking. Something was there; got any ideas what it might have been?

 

In the second photo, on the fixture on top of the house. Could they have stored a boat up there?

[captainbob]

Tom,

 

I can't answer your questions, but the Amanda looks like a good restoration project.

 

Bob

[TBlack]

Mike Taylor moved this thread over from the thread that lists the latest pictures of your build. Over there, a number of you are throwing bouquets at me for doing this project for a friend. Let's slow down....I'm getting paid, not much, but it does ruin my amateur standing. So, I'm no great saint.

 

Right now, the owner is questioning the white paint on top of the cabins and at the foredeck and poop; he may want me to change it. My thought is to leave it the way the builder made it, but it's not up to me. This model is not museum quality; for example, there are no channels and deadeyes for the shrouds. The shrouds come down to an eye on the cap rail

 

My problem is that I've had to make a new top for the main and mast cap above. These need to be painted, but I don't know how to weather the paint so that it blends in with the rest of the mast. Right about now Chuck Passaro, with his artistic background, would be a big help.

 

Tom

[mtaylor]

Hmm... she looks to be a clipper to my eyes.  Might have a look at Cutty and Harvey builds for ideas on the missing bits and pieces.  As for weathering... check the painting section and also, have a look at Sailcat's Cutty Restoration, Dafi's Victory, and Frank's Supply in the Kit Builds.  Might give you some ideas.  I know there's other builds doing serious weathering but I'm not finding them at this moment.

[TBlack]

Thanks, Mark. Big help! Yes, a clipper.

 

Tom

Edited July 28, 2013 by TBlack

[mtaylor]

Tom,

 

Another heavily weathered build just showed up.... http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/3052-cr-lamb-by-rail-and-tie-interaction-hobbies-187/   He's basically a railroad type and those guys do some serious weathering.

[TBlack]

I've decided to repaint the whole thing. My inspiration, or at least my muse, is Sailcat and his tackling Cutty Sark. In some ways it makes it easier, and I don't think it really upsets the integrity of the original build. Furthermore, there has been at least one repair to this ship in the past and no consistency to the paint job.

 

I'm going to use Harold Underhill's "Masting and Rigging the Clipper Ship and Ocean Carrier" as my guide to putting the rigging back together.

 

But there will be a little bit of a hiatus, as I'm off to Colorado to give away my daughter in marriage to a wonderful young man. In this, I think we are slightly ahead of Robyn who gets married in a week or so, I'm remembering?

 

Tom

Edited July 30, 2013 by TBlack

[TBlack]

Just dropping in to let you know that, despite several serious health problems, a daughter's wedding and other responsibilities, I have made some progress on this project. More importantly, I've also decided on the scope of my work which will allow me to move forward more purposefully. 

 

On the spars, I needed to make one royal yardarm, two mast caps and one mast top, and paint the whole thing.

 

On the hull, so far, it's just painting to make it more crisp looking. Although, you'll see holes in the cap rail where I've pulled out a series of eyes that will be replaced with deadeyes, coming from Cornwall. Blocks will be from C. Passaro, 

[TBlack]

"Just painting" takes a while. The main problem was the gold stripe along the side. It's in a groove that is not sharply defined (the edges wander a bit). That makes it very difficult to place masking tape. Some of you folks have an artistic background and could probably paint the stripe freehand; not me...I need all the help I can get. Anyway, here it is with those deadeyes from Cornwall (fast delivery, by the way). I just guessed on the appropriate size. These are 2mm and 3mm. I don't think they look too out-of-scale?

 

Tom

[Jim Lad]

Tom,

 

This all happened while I was away on holidays.

 

That model has loads of character - what a great project.

 

John

[TBlack]

John, It's a pretty small scale ( less than 1:96) the holes in a 2 mm deadeye look almost invisible! Hope I'm up to it.

 

Tom

[druxey]

Tom: you mention 'no channels'. These ships did not have them in the traditional way. The deadeyes were usually attached to straps fixed to the bulwarks and appeared either through or just inside the rails. What you've done looks right.

[JerseyCity Frankie]

Its eerie how closely this ship restoration resembles one I did last year, the hull in particular looks almost as if it could be interchangeable between the two models, the spars too. Mine had a much simpler rig, her shrouds had no ratlines. Her tops were commercially available white metal affairs and there were fewer deck details. I would wager they are of a similar age.

[captainbob]

Tom,

 

What a remarkable difference from where you started.  Fine job.

 

Bob

[TBlack]

JC Frankie,

I know that the owner of this model is about my age and that his grandfather bought the model. So, say it was bought around 1890-1900.

 

The restoration is not complicated; it's the scale that's getting to me. I bought an optivisor for this project; that's made a world of difference! I'm going to try some of Chuck Passaro's smallest cordage for the larger stays and shrouds, although I haven't a clue whether it will be to scale.

 

Tom

[Jim Lad]

Tom,

 

On a model like that, you probably need to be more concerned about the character of the model rather than exact scale.

 

John

[TBlack]

I've been involved with putting hardware on the masts prior to stepping them back on the model. I mentioned that I'm using Harold Underhill's book on masting and rigging the clipper ship as my guide through the rigging process. In that book Underhill says that while the yards for the courses are fixed to the mast, each yard above them are fitted with halyards. Fine so far. Then he states that the lifts for the course yards can be adjusted while the lifts for the upper yards are all fixed. Does that sound right? And does that mean that if you raise the main topsail yard, for example, that the lifts go slack?

 

Tom

[Jim Lad]

Tom,

 

in a word, yes.

 

In a ship with double topsails and/or double topgallants, the lower of the doubled yards would also be fixed.

 

The course lifts are the only running lifts - so that the yard can be trimmed or canted out of the way when necessary when the ship is in dock.  The fixed lifts on the hoisting yards are only there to steady the yard when it's in its lowered position.

 

John

[TBlack]

John,

Thanks for the corroboration. I've received my supply of blocks from Chuck Passaro; truly remarkable little creations, with the emphasis on little. Here's a picture of the 2mm single block. The first picture is for our folks who are members of the Commonwealth, the second is for our stateside viewers  . Stropping it is going to be a challenge. Notice 2 holes, not one!

 

Tom

[rwiederrich]

Fun project for sure.  I love restoring old models...sometimes they are extremely details and causes much to marvel at...and some times they are quite simple and represent a more modest affair.

 

You've done good and the final refurbishment will due you and the original builder great credit..

 

Thanks for posting.

 

Rob

[TBlack]

A little more progress. Got the bowsprit/jib boom area rigged and all stays forward. Moving aft. I opted to rig the futtock shrouds and top mast srouds while the mast was off the boat, thinking it would be easier. I've never tried that before, and I don't think it will interfere with the shrouds below.

 

Tom

[TBlack]

Brian, the ambitious part is the scale; it's smaller than 1:96. At my age, I can't work on her too long before my hands start to shake. Fortunately, I didn't commit myself to a time schedule on this project, but I don't get paid until I deliver the goods!

 

Crackers, I've decided to employ the Cutty Sark kind of shroud set-up (no channels). My source, Harold Underhill, in his Masting and Rigging the Clipper Ship, plate 21, page 118 shows that wooden ships did indeed have deadeyes set up on the main rail; they're supported by chainplates which I've omitted. Furthermore, I'm trying not to alter the original model too much beyond what it was. I'm making a few small corrections here and there (I'll be adding ship's boats to the top of the house), but it's still folk art.

 

Tom

Edited September 29, 2013 by TBlack

[Jim Lad]

Wow!  She's really coming alive, Tom!

 

John

[michael mott]

Very nice Tom, it is so much fun being able to follow a link like yours on the plate 21 and to see what you are talking about. The book you reference is one of the few that I do have.

 

Michael

[TBlack]

Michael,

I don't actually own the book. I found it in our local library. It has to go back tomorrow, but I think I've gotten adequate notes to get me through the standing rigging. I'll get it out again when I need to do the running stuff.

 

Tom

[TBlack]

A little more progress. I've installed the stays and am on to the shrouds. Mighty small scale! I added a couple of boats that were not on the model originally, but I thought they were needed.

 

Tom

[ronkh]

Definately a good idea with the boats.

Makes it so much easier to get a "scale" of the ship.

[TBlack]

Ronkh,

 

"Scale", great that you bring it up. Scale is a little indeterminate in this model. Something I tried to address before I got started on this project; unfortunately, the normal tip-offs to scale: the doors, the deck furniture, the overall length aren't consistent with any scale. So at the end of the day I just went with boats that seemed to fit. I hope this doesn't destroy your sense of my abilities, or lack thereof.

 

Tom