Flying Fish by Rick310 - Model Shipways - 1/96

[MrBlueJacket]

I agree the copper may have been coated. Try a light sanding with 400 grit wet paper and blacken again?

[Rick310]

Thanks for the advice Nic and George.  Will consider sanding if zi can find a way not to damage the wood 

Rick

[gak1965]

On 10/17/2023 at 11:38 AM, Rick310 said:

Thanks for the advice Nic and George.  Will consider sanding if zi can find a way not to damage the wood 

Rick

Honestly the casks look great as is. Don't know that I would bother doing anything to them 

 

Regards,

George

[Rick310]

I went ahead and made the lifeboat davits due to concerns that George (GAK) had about the placement of the davits on the mizzen channels on his model.  I also had to face the fact that I have been avoiding dealing with the issue of the lifeboats.  I don’t like the ones that came with the kit and I didn’t want to use plastic and size of the boats was crucial for placement of the davits and arrangement on the top of the fore cabin.

The davits were made from 1/16 inch brass rod.  It should have been 3/64 inch but I picked up the wrong rod and didn’t realize it until they were fabricated.  Hopefully these will work, but if not,  they were relatively easy to make.  

I used 3/32 inch double blocks from Syren and strapped them with 28 gauge copper wire. The hooks were also made from 28ga copper wire.  They were rigged with line also from Syren.  The cleats and fair leads were made from 30 ga copper wire and soldered to the davit.  Cleats should be on the outside of the davit but it was easier to solder them to the back of the davit.  The eye at the top was made from brass tube soldered on to the end .  I found strapping the blocks this way to be difficult and frustrating.  It was my plan to strap almost all the blocks this way but now have to rethink this.

I attached the hooks on the lower blocks to the cleats to keep them from tangling and out of the way.  The davits have not been cut to length yet.  I also made the brackets for the forward davits.  These were made from rectangular brass tube per EdT.

Next up we’re the fire buckets and their racks.

The fire buckets were turned on the lathe using some cherry I had.  I needed 8 but ended up turning 20 to get 8 as there was a definite learn curve associated with making them. These were stained with Ipswich pine stain as both mahogany and walnut stained made the look black.  The handles were made from 28 gauge brass wire.  I was going to blacken them but like the brass look.

The racks were made from boxwood and painted white.  These were glued to the deck of the aft cabin per the plans.

I have seen these buckets painted red or white but I liked the look of them stained bright.  Call it artistic license.

[Rick310]

Now, on to the 5 boats.

After much deliberation, I decided to go with the boats from EDT’s Young America.  

Model Shipways only supplies 3 boats in 2 different sizes, so to get all 5 requires obtaining or making an addition 2.  The boats supplied appear to be equivalent in size to the boats shown on the plans, however, to me,  they appear to be bulky and large.

The boats for YA are slimmer and again, to me, look more appropriate.  This would mean having to carve the boats myself as the fabrication process described by EDT is way above my skill level with a major difficulty being unable to reliably mill very small strips of wood, especially the ribs.  I haven’t found a good way to mill  strips of wood1/32 x 1/32  or smaller with any consistency.

The 3 boats on the top of the fore cabin are mounted upside down so the interiors won’t be visible.  The 2 lifeboats on the davits will have to have the interiors done as they will be visible.  I’ll worry about that challenge down the road.

I started by copying the plans for the boats from the CD supplied with the 3 volumes on YA.  These were glued to blocks of cherry and shaped on the disc sander using the same technique that EDT used to fabricate the molds for his boats.  Patterns for the stations were glued to basswood strips and cut out on a scroll saw.  I used a small hand plane to initially shape the boats then used round files and 220 grit sand paper to finish to shape.  Previously I cut a groove in the cherry block  with a .030 blade on the table saw for the keel and stem post after shaping was done.  I made 1 long boat scalled 28 ft long, 3 25 ft cutters, of which 2 will be for the life boats ( transom sterns),  and 1 22ft cutter.  I originally intended to attempt to plank the boats but decided against that as I am happy with the results as they are and fear making a mess of them trying to plank them.

I finished the 3 boats on the fore cabin .  These were painted white with a blue rubbing strake, again, per EdT and YA.   Making the rubbing strakes was exasperating as I had to hand sand the strip down to size.  They are not consistent but hopefully they are too small to tell.  These were glued on after the boats were painted white.  I used striping tape to keep paint off the strip for the rubbing strake.  Cyano was used to glue the rubbing strake to the hull as wood glue was too messy and didn’t work well.

The gudgeons were made from 28 ga copper wire and also glued on with cyan.

Next up are the skids on the top of the fore cabin with the eyebolts and mounting the boats on the cabin.

[Rick310]

I made the boat skids from strips of basswood that I had.  The ring bolts were made from 28 gauge copper wire bent around a small drill bit and blackened.  

I decided to mount the boats per the Flying Cloud model at the Boston Museum of Art, with the long boat aft and the cutter and gig forward.  I used tan thread for the lashings which may be a bit light instead of heavier rope, still undecided.

Except for a few items, including the figurehead, this about does it for the hull and on to masting and rigging.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

[Rick310]

rigging.

 

 

 

I carved the fish figurehead over 5 years ago. I tried to make the length appropriate to the figurehead shown on the plans. Over time it just looked too long, so in a fit of insanity, I shortened the Fish.  Now it looks short. Additionally, I could never figure out how the stem, hull and bowsprit came together and I’m sure mine is not correct.  Now it’s time to face the music.  Fortunately, since then, ClipprtFan , Rob and others have revised how a Donald Mc Kay bow should look, which more closely reflects the Buttersworth’s painting.  

Not wanting to do major surgery to the bow and stem, but still wanting to be more accurate, I decided to extend the stem, placing the figurehead more forward.  This looks much better than the original plans and duplicates the graceful, curving arc of the stem/ cut water.  It also places the figurehead in a more realistic position.  The pictures show the figurehead in place, but not glued as I intend to place the bobstays first.

I considered many different paint schemes, from all green to all gold, to a combination of green and gold.  I ended up with a green body and gold wings and fins.  The green paint is a mixture of Model Shipways bright green and ocean green.  Don’t love it but I can live with it.  The Buttersworth’s painting shows the fish solid green and the China Trade painting shows it gold.

[rwiederrich]

Glory of the Seas is a perfect example of a McKay bow.  He used the Naval Hood extensively on all his clippers.   The cutwater is the structure below the figurehead and forward the Hood.

This design was unique to McKay clippers and was probably his well kept secret.  Notice how the figurehead rest nicely and securely on the head of the cutwater and under the Naval Hood.   Not simply stuck to the edge of the cutwater...like so many models depict.

Edited November 28, 2023 by rwiederrich

[Rick310]

Rob,

Thanks for your input.  In examining both contemporary paintings, I don’t see a definitive naval hood on the Flying Fish.  Given that there are several decades separating the launch of the FF and Glory, could the naval hood represent a further development of the bow/ stem/ cut water of Mc Kay’s ships?

Certainly Glory’s is substantial.

On my model, I tried to show an extended stem/ cut water to more closely match the Buttersworth’s painting, ie the graceful arc of the stem  as opposed to the stem the plans show which is more straight up.

Rick

[gak1965]

Nice looking figurehead. It's got the grace of a real fish.

[Rick310]

Thanks George!!

you did a magnificent job on your Flying Fish!!

I also really appreciate your blog as I have used it for a reference frequently as I slowly progress! 
Thanks again for your kind words.

Rick

[Rick310]

Here are some better pictures of the bow showing more of sweeping arc of the stem and figurehead .

Rick

[gak1965]

Good pics of the boat davits as well!

[Rick310]

Thanks George!
 

[Rick310]

Finally got the bowsprit rigged with hearts and chain.  I modified deadeyes for the hearts and used 27 and 30 links per inch chain for the bobstays and shrouds.  The 30 lpi chain was brass and used for the bobstays.  The 27 lpi chains were used for the bowsprit shrouds.  This chain was copper and the diameter of the wire is smaller than the brass chain.  The 30 lpi brass chain looks larger than the 27 lpi copper chain so I used it for the bobstays and the copper 27 lpi for the shrouds. I initially rigged the bobstays with .018 tan line from Syren, darken with Ipswich pine stain, which is the correct size but looked too big and bulky on the model so I replaced it with.012 line which looks better (to me).  I found it a real challenge to get the lanyards secured while keeping the chain tight and keeping visible knots to a minimum (a couple of solder joints fractured and had to be resoldered).  These were done multiple times before I was satisfied with the result.  And finally, after many years, the figurehead was permanently attached.

Started stropping blocks that will be shackled to eyebolts on the deck as I study the rigging plans in preparation for masting and rigging.  I’m going to try to make faux shackles for most of the blocks if possible.

Turned and shaped the mizzen out of Alaskan cedar and the mast coat out of cherry.

Currently waiting on dry transfer lettering for the bow and stern from Bluejacket.

[gak1965]

Looking great. Let the rigging begin!

[Rick310]

Thanks George, 

It’s been a long time coming!

Rick

[Rick310]

I’ve been working on the Mizzenmast topmast, cap and top for the last month or so.  The process has been slow due to the fact that the solid hull version of this kit does not come with any laser cut  pieces and the plans only show the mainmast with the measurements for the mizzen and for mast also given which then have to be converted to scale.  Plenty of opportunity for error so there is constant checking of my math which is often faulty!

Once again, the books and plans for Young America by EdT have been invaluable even though the dimension for YA are larger than the Flying Fish.  

I decided to place bands on the mizzen.  These were made of .005 brass sheet as I could not find copper sheet thin enough.

I made the tops as described by EdT. I decided to leave the planking natural as I liked the contrast to the white mast and top.  Both the futtock band and the truss band were made and slipped on the mast prior to attaching the mast cheeks. I used the max diameter of the mast for the diameter of the bands and this fortunately worked well.  

Futtock shrouds we’re glued into holes in the futtock band and the stem in the truss band actually works

Am currently adding blocks, battens and bolsters.

 

[rwiederrich]

Your progress is wonderful.  Glad you chose to band the mizzen.  Looks sharp.

 

Rob

[Rick310]

Thanks Rob, and thanks for your input also!

Rick

[Rick310]

Two months ago, I thought I was close to completing the mizzen mast when I realized I hadn’t considered the parrel band for the topsail yard or the chain halyard with its associated gin blocks.

Since I’m not planning on having a working hinge, the band must be mounted on the topmast prior to attaching the topmast cross trees and futtock shrouds.  It also occurred to me that mounting the topsail yard to its band would be a challenge once the band was mounted on the mast. Therefore I would need to make the topsail yard as well .

This has led me down the rabbit’s hole making the parrel band and chain blocks.

The  arm for the band was cut out of .030  brass sheet and filed to shape and the holes drilled. The band was made from telescoping copper tube and the soldered together and blackened as illustrated in the plans.  I opted not to make this sevel as there or no tackles on the toping lifts as there are on the course yard.I also added shackles to the bracket that holds the blocks for the toping lift for the mizzen course.The gin blocks were made per EdT as described in the YA 3rd book.

I found these to be extremely difficult to make with a high casualty rate at every step of the process.  I probably attempted 30 or more to get 9 that were acceptable.  I decided to make all of them at the same time, fore, main and mizzen.

Years ago I purchased shieves but found them to be too big.  I mounted them on a round diamond file, which was chucked in the lathe and filed down to shape . 

Surprisingly, several of them actually sort of work 

36 links per inch copper chain was threaded through the gin blocks and shackles were soldered on the ends.  After blackening, double blocks were attached to the shackles .

After frustrating results trying to blacken copper, I bit the bullet and bought some liver of sulfur which works great, easy to use and can be applied to the copper stropping on the boxwood blocks without staining the wood.

the brackets what attach the gin blocks to the cross trees were filed out of copper sheet.

I also made the cloverleaf blocks which I will describe next.

As an aside, the YA books have been invaluable!   Also, so is EdT’s blog on building the YA.  Lots of good information there that didn’t make it into the books.

 

 

 

[rwiederrich]

Great job for sure, on the metal work.  I always wondered why the Flying Fish is rigged in this manner.  Double gin blocks for the lifts.  Not another McKay clipper is depicted with such an arrangement.

I can only gather that as Donald McKay never, (Cept for his sister ships), ever designed the same model.  He ever was experimenting with designs for better performance.  This included his clippers rigging designs, as well.

His behemoth, Great Republic was his first and only application of the New Forbes double topsail design and its varied unique associated rigging .  All subsequent clippers had the Howes double topsail design, with is more standard and reliable rigging concept.

 

I'm enjoying your build.

 

Rob

[Rick310]

Thanks for your kind words Rob.

It is interesting why McKay did what he did.  I believe he left the rigging decisions to Nickels, the ship’s captain.

Rick

[gak1965]

Great job! Those gin blocks are a pain in the posterior. Your solution looks fabulous.

 

Regards,

George

[Rick310]

Thanks George,  Glad to get them done!

They are not consistent, hard as I tried.

probably won’t be noticeable to most people!

Tick

[Rick310]

I  While still down the rabbit hole, I decided to make the cloverleaf blocks for the topsail and topgallant chain sheets, 6 of them.  They should be 2 different sizes but I made them all the same size for convenience as the difference is small and I wasn’t sure I could make them any smaller.  

They were fabricated per EdT.  Two 0.010 inch strips of brass sheet, 1/4 inch wide, were clamped together and the 3 holes drilled in the milling machine ( EdT used 4 holes).  I modified the spacing for my convenience and ease and the holes were drilled with a #68 drill which corresponds to a 22ga copper wire bolt.  The sheaves were made from 2mm brass tube cut to a 1/16 inch length.  The sides of the blocks were cut from the brass sheet.  This was all fairly straightforward.  The real difficulty came in trying to preen the copper wire bolts.  I first preened a small head on one end of the wire bolt, assembled the parts the cut off the bolt.  Preening the other end turned out to be a nightmare as the head didn’t want to flatten and the block wanted to distort.  I finally got 7 made( 1 spare). These were filled to shape using a jeweler’s drill.

Since then I have been working on the mizzen topsail yard.  Yard bands were made from copper tube and sheet, jackstay eyebolts from 28 ga copper wire and the jackstay from.02 brass rod.  The stirrups are 28 ga copper wire and the foot ropes are.012 black thread.  Tried to make the stirrups out of thread also , but no luck.  

The blocks for the reefing tackles are from Syren, their 2 mm blocks.

Still need to add the chain sheets and halyard, as well as the bowlines.

[gak1965]

Rick, the blocks and the yards are looking superb! Those gin blocks are a pain in the tush to fabricate, but yours look fabulous.

 

Regards,

George

[rwiederrich]

Rick...all your metal work looks good and the yard is rigging well.  If I may make one suggestion.  Don't let your footropes and especially your stirrups get too long.  Imagine a scale man standing on one and trying to lean over the yard to work the sails.  Your stirrup, footrope needs to be drawn up closer to the yard.   I suggest this change now before you make any more.  Take some time to study some photos and some real footropes.   You will see they are much closer to the yard.   Scale is very important at this stage.

 

Rob

[Rick310]

Thanks for the input Rob,  

really appreciated!  I’ll go back and re-measure the stirrups, they’re supposed to be approximately 3 1/2 ft.

Rick

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

1 hour ago, rwiederrich said:

  Take some time to study some photos and some real footropes.   You will see they are much closer to the yard.   Scale is very important at this stage.

 

Rob

  Should the jackstays be a little 'forward' on the yard, instead of top-dead-center?  'Haven't done any yet on a 1:100 project but will, in time, get to them.