Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[Pete Jaquith]

Ed,

 

Very impressive work.  Nice crisp deck details.  William Webb would appreciate your work.

 

Pete

[Fam]

I would say this is jewelry craftmaship, as these wheels are real jewels!

Fam

[rwiederrich]

fine work Ed.  Very Fine. Being in the dental Field..the lost wax cast method of reproducing quantity is a great direction if you have the oven and the casting machine.  Many Dental supply houses have older/used equipment that can be had relatively inexpensively. But like you said...it's kinda tough asking folk to do that.  I usually make/fashion a master and then duplicate it in silicone and then pour/cast plastic/acrylic replicates myself.  I gave up on fashioning metal parts for my vessels a while ago(Unless it's a special part)......High impact acrylic is easier to work and finish and once painted is just as convincing.  IMV

 

I applaud your skill and application of it.

 

Rob

[SawdustDave]

I continue to visit this amazing build whenever I need to be completely humbled. This is perfection beyond crazy.

[Capt.Bob]

Hi Ed,

Well worth the wait.  Well done.  Just bought a 12 piece set of Grobet 4.5" #2 files.  Now I know where to use them.  There're pretty pricey, but that first stroke will tell you where your money went.

 

Still make square frames.  I'm up to 25 and almost ready for mounting.  I haven't figured out any real improvements on the pin process except being more precise.  Always concerned with pattern alignment on opposing faces.

 

I certainly understand your desire to move on.

 

Bob

[UpstateNY]

Hi Ed,

 

Well, I thought the windlass and capstans were awesome, but those pumps are something else...just wonderful to see!

 

I am also greatly enjoying reading your YA Volume 1 right now and so a small plea...more color pictures in Volume 2 please. It would be a shame not too see these decking items in their full glory!

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel.

[ggrieco]

Beautiful like a fine pocket watch! I love it!

[druxey]

Yes, I agree - what you've done is akin to watchmaking! Well played, Ed.

[dvm27]

Brilliant, Ed. Even with your explanation I had to spend some time figuring how you went from photo one to two!

[mtaylor]

Beautiful and intricate at the same time.  Just breathtaking.

[EdT]

Thank you all so much for the likes and comments.  Again, I am overwhelmed and grateful.  I’d like to respond to some of the comments:

 

Pete, I would like to have Webb back for a few hours.  I have a lot of questions.

 

Bob, I think you will find the Grobet files a good investment, though they may seem like a luxury.  I am glad the pin-indexing process is working for you.  I am very proud of it, but I can assure you, all processes can be improved.  I hope that when (not if) you find some improvements, you will share them with us.

 

Nigel, I am glad you are enjoying the book.  On the color pictures, I agree that some would be nice and we did add a color section in Volume II of Naiad.  “Some” is the operative word here.  Good color pages are very expensive, so more than a few would price the book out of reach.  Fortunately, hundreds of colored pictures have been posted on this build log and can be a useful supplement to the book.

 

Greg, I am glad you noticed the issue, though it was not a serious impediment – more like a good opportunity for a careless mistake.  The geometry was the key to making this visually symmetric.  Here is a piece of the drawing that shows the role of the 8" i.d. circles in shaping the spokes:

 

 

Ed

[Mirabell61]

Ed,

 

those pump flywheels are brilliant, super work !!!  

 

Nils  ​

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 141 – Skid Beams

 

Young America’s four boats were stored on skid beams that extended across the breadth of the ship over the main deck cabin.  These were supported by stanchions off the bulwarks and by the cabin structure.  The first picture shows the completed installation of these beams.

 

 

The beams have the same round up as the decks.  The supports at the bulwarks are iron.  I made these as flanged cylindrical posts.  The next picture shows the stanchions after blackening.

 

 

These were made from brass tube and flanges cut from the next larger size of tube.  The next picture shows the method used to cut the flanges.

 

 

To size the thickness of the flanges a steel cutting gauge was used.  This has a number of milled holes to fit two sizes of tube.  The holes were bored to depths of 1”, 1.5”, 2” and 3” for different uses.  In the picture the flange tube is being cut by hand with the tube held down in the 1.5” recess.  After cutting, the disks are filed clean while in the recess.

 

The flanges were then silver-soldered to a length of smaller tube.  After pickling they were cleaned up and polished in the lathe as shown below.

 

 

Flanges were then made and fitted to the opposite end as shown below.

 

 

The flanges were set at the required length taken from measurement on the model using the depth gauge shown in the picture.  After soldering and pickling, the second flanges, the pieces were returned to the lathe for final polishing as shown below.

 

 

The stanchions were then parted off in the lathe, degreased and blackened.  The last picture shows the beam installation in progress.

 

 

Indexing pins were placed to hold the beam in position.  Copper wire “bolts” were then epoxied through the beam and stanchions and into the bulwarks to permanently secure the ends.  Similar bolts were then installed into the cabin structure.

 

One more of the several deck installations now complete.  The next order of business was more challenging - the brass monkey rail around the poop deck at the stern.

 

Ed

Edited February 4, 2016 by EdT

[Remcohe]

The pump wheel is brilliant. 

 

Remco

[Capt.Bob]

Hi Ed,

 

Getting ready to add the iron bars to the fetlocks, but can't find any black mono that thick.  I've been to all the fishing shops but no one has anything close.

Point me in the right direction Obi Wan.  The Force is with you.

 

Bob

Edited February 4, 2016 by Capt.Bob

[SawdustDave]

As beautiful as your work is Ed, I continue to be almost as impressed with your photography. Every pic is perfectly lighted to clearly show the colors, and fine detail. Very few, including self, are capable of doing the quality of work where we would even dare let the camera capture all of our little freckles and pimples.....

Adding to that, you even have fingernails!

Cheers

Dave

Edited February 4, 2016 by SawdustDave

[EdT]

Bob,

 

Save your gasoline and search online.  I use a product called amnesia.  Here's an eBay link to the 20 lb test.  There are several sizes.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMNESIA-MEMORY-FREE-FISHING-LINE-20-LB-BLACK-SS08420-/120483332146

 

 

 

I notice that there are now other maybe imilar products.  Search for black monofilament.

[EdT]

Thank you, Dave.  I shoot in available light, using auto aperture priority, with aperture closed down to maximize depth of field.  Tripod is a must because small aperture requires slow shutter speed.  Some pictures are then auto color balanced to make them more natural and to compensate for the florescent shop lights.

 

Ed

[SawdustDave]

Information overload Ed.... My head just exploded!

However....my son is a serious amateur camera jockey, and might be able to help me decipher your friendly guidance.

[Capt.Bob]

Ed,

Thanks,  Ordered a life time supply, which really isn't that much.

 

After reading your section on paring the fetlocks down, I tried using the small Dremel router table.  Since the amount of material to be removed is so small, it is very difficult to control the depth of cut.  With the router table accurate cut depth is easy to establish and maintain.

A little paring to square off the ends and you're done.

 

Bob

Edited February 5, 2016 by Capt.Bob

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 142 – Mooring Chocks

 

The next planned item of work was to install the brass “monkey rail” that surrounds the poop deck.  I do not know the origin of the term.  However, since the four large chocks that control the route of the mooring lines through the rail from the dock to the mooring bitts are below that rail, they needed to be slipped into the queue and installed first so that holes for their bolts could be drilled.  There are four of these at the stern and four at the bow.  The first picture shows these being installed on the starboard side of the stern quarter.

 

 

A small dab of epoxy is being applied in the picture.  The chocks – sometimes called “comb cleats” – and their bolts were made as integral assemblies as described below.

 

The chocks and the bolts were made from copper.  I prefer this material to brass because I find it easier to blacken using liver of sulfur solution.  The first picture shows a length of copper bar with shapes for several chocks partially cut.

 

 

The first step in making these cuts was to drill two spaced holes for each chock.  The tops were then cut through with a jeweler’s saw.  In the next picture a round, spiral-toothed blade is being used to shape the inner lines.

 

 

The outer contours of the chock cleats were then filed out.  In the next picture the rounded shapes of the chock cleats have been filed and polished, holes have been drilled for the bolts, wire bolts inserted, and the strip of chocks readied for soldering.

 

 

Copper-phosphorus solder was used for this because it blackens well with LOS.  The finished stern chocks are shown in the next picture.

 

 

The bolt heads have been cut back and one of the chocks has been blackened.  In the next picture the locations of the chocks are being laid out with dividers.

 

 

Bolt hole spacing was also set with dividers and the holes drilled through the main rail.  In the last picture the four chocks have been installed.

 

 

The last picture also shows the aft, central section of the monkey rail temporarily positioned and in need of a bit of straightening.  I also not in this picture that the helm enclosure – temporarily fitted at this stage was a bit askew on its pins when the shutter snapped.

 

Work on the brass monkey rail was now able to proceed and will be described in the next part.

 

Ed

[Mirabell61]

very inspiring detail work Ed,

 

those chock-cleats, look great, thanks for sharing ! 

 

Nils

[Wintergreen]

Ed, 

I'm not online here very often, but every time I do login, I turn to your log for inspiration and to keep the interest  re ship modelling fed properly.

 

Sincere thanks for your splendid work and presentation. The flywheels are just stunning.

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 143 – Monkey Rail 1

 

The two surviving pictures of Young America again provided the basis for the brass rail design used on the model.  The rail is just discernable in the picture taken from the starboard quarter.  From this it is clear that it was not of heavy or ornamental wood construction and equally clear – at least to me and I am happy to say, Bill Crothers – that it was a single, slim rail.  By the way, it is also very clear from this picture that the poop deck is at the height of the main rail and not a few feet below as shown on some models – including the builder’s half model in the Smithsonian.  Either that, or the people standing on the deck were on well-hidden stilts.  I suspect that the need to have good height in the aft cabin area led to this feature being incorporated before actual construction, perhaps by the owners.  Anyway, based on the picture and Bill Crothers’ interpretation, I elected to incorporate a single brass rail about 3 feet above the deck supported by cylindrical brass stanchions.  These have a ball-shaped top to pass the rail, and flanges at the base that rest on the main rail.

 

The first picture shows the method used to cut both the top fittings and the lower flanges.

 

 

The cutting guide used on the skid beam stanchion flanges was used for this.  The picture actually shows one of the 2” thick flanges being cut off.  The tops were cut in 3” sections using the hole covered by the saw.  The next picture shows top pieces and stanchions almost ready to be soldered together.

 

 

The next picture shows the first step of the assembly with the tops silver soldered to the posts.

 

 

The soldering unfortunately softens the wire somewhat so straightening is required – initially and whenever I lean on the finished rail – a habit I am diligently trying to correct. The tops were then rounded off and polished in the lathe with files as shown below.

 

 

The next picture shows the addition of the lower flanges.

 

 

The wood guide was used to ensure uniform height to the posts – and of course the rail.  After setting the flanges at the correct height, these were soldered on.  The next picture shows the final finishing and polishing of one of the stanchions.

 

 

Chucking the complete stanchion assembly in this step was the reason for the excess length in the initial pieces.  After filing a fillet on the top of the flange and removing all traces of solder and scale, fine abrasive polishing sticks were used to bring up the luster of the brass.

 

Some special stanchion pieces were required and two types are shown in the next picture.

 

 

The stanchion at the top has two top fittings set at right angles.  These will be set at the head of the steps to the main deck to support both the athwartship rail sections on the breast beam and also the stair rails.  The lower piece was shown earlier in position at the stern.  I do not know the purpose of this higher section, but it serves as a convenient start point for installing the rails, as will be seen in the next post.

 

Ed

[druxey]

Beautifully done, Ed!

[md1400cs]

Ed,

 

Impossible to add words to this astonishing project that you are working on. So I will just click "Like This" and all the words of praise will be in my clicks (:-)

 

PS: I'm sure others who are following feel the same ha ha..

 

Michael

[Remcohe]

That is a clever trick to cut the flanges!

The overall result of your metalwork is great (again...)

 

Remco

[ndeconte]

Just stumbled across your builds and I'm very impressed with your workmanship!

 

Thanks for sharing!

Following!

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 144 – Monkey Rail 2

 

Happy Valentines Day, everyone.

 

After making and polishing the rail stanchions holes were measured out and drilled in the center of the main rail and in most cases down into the toptimbers below.  The stanchions were then inserted into the holes for a depth check.  A single rail section for each side was then curved to match the poop profile.  The stanchions were then removed from their holes and threaded on to the rail in order.  The next picture shows the next step – epoxy gluing the stanchions into their holes.

 

 

The end of the rail was first inserted into the inverted U bracket at the stern.  All of the stanchions were then inserted into their holes, then lifted for gluing starting at the stern.  The clamps in the above picture are lightly pressing the stanchions down where needed until the epoxy sets.  The next picture shows the last stanchion on the starboard side being glued. 

 

 

The rail was crimped in the aft stanchion then touched with a drop of CA glue.  The others are free to move along the rail at this stage.  The forward end of the rail was bent to the athwartship direction at the foremost stanchion as shown in the next picture.

 

 

The stanchions along the breast beam were then glued into place with the rails inserted.  In the picture above, the glue has dried and a section of stair rail is being fitted into the lower ball on one of the stanchions at the top of the stair.  The next picture shows the stanchions loosely in place on the port side.

 

 

In this picture the port rail has been curved to shape and is ready for installation.  The last two pictures show the completed monkey rail.

 

 

 

This last picture was taken before final straightening of the stanchions on the near side.  Once everything was adjusted the top balls were crimped with pliers to hold them in place.  The rail is, of course, quite exposed and susceptible to damage by careless leaning or bumping.  I am trying to sensitize myself to this new problem.  The days of turning the model over and shaking it to remove debris are over.

 

 

Ed

Edited February 14, 2016 by EdT

[Mirabell61]

beautiful work Ed,

 

love the way you did the rails and stair-rails, also the skylights and deckhouses look excellent !    ​

 

​Nils