Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 99 – Rails and bulwark continued

 

Most of the work since the Thanksgiving holiday has consisted of fitting the rails and planking around the upper stern.  This has been challenging and there has been some rework along the way.  I will forgo a full tutorial and summarize.

 

The planksheer rail was fitting around the stern in an earlier post.  To fit the members above this and to refine its exact curve better, I decided to start at the top where the heights are easiest to measure as shown in the first picture - and to adjust if necessary.

 

 

The top of the planking around the poop corresponds with the top of the poop decking at the side.  This is also the top of the frames and the underside of the fancy rail that caps the bulwarks around the hull.  These heights are critical.

 

In the next picture the first strake of planking below the main rail has been boiled and clamped to dry.

 

 

The main rail was shaped to fit and is only pinned in place.  It will be painted white and the surrounding hull - and the lower rail -black, so it will not be permanently installed until much later.  The dark, saturated plank being fit is held tightly against it.  These planks not only curve around the stern but twist to fit the slant of the underlying timbers.  Lots of new clamps here made for this awkward work.

 

The next picture shows the third and lowest planking strake being fit.

 

 

The height gauge is being used here to check heights at points around the stern.  The lower rail has been removed for this.  The next picture showing the finished work is the acid test.  I’m not sure which was a bigger problem in judging this, my glasses or the camera lens, but this is the final version.

 

 

Both rails have now been replaced with newly formed, clean versions.  The originals suffered from all the fitting, clamping and refitting.  The next picture shows a different angle.  All this work was done in hard maple because it will be painted and it was easier to bend.

 

 

The main rail is still only fitted temporarily.  The planking is now ready for Treenailing.  There will be a carved, gilded America eagle placed between the rails.  I can’t wait to plank below the lower rail around the stern – more twisted planks and more clamping issues.  A job for the new year.

 

With the stern work completed the top members around the rest of the hull will be easy to fit.  In the next picture the mizzen channels are being installed.

 

 

The top channels are set at the height of the main rail and the lower channels just below the planksheer.  Notches for the chains will be cut later in situ.  The channels will be capped with moldings much later.  In the next picture the starboard main channel is being installed.

 

 

There is still much work to be done on the port side.  In the next picture a section of main rail is pinned in place and one of the topside planks held against it.

 

 

There are two of these 6” x 3” planking strakes above the rail.  They must fit tightly down on the rail and the channels.  The channels were most likely bolted to the outside of the planking to keep them outside the main watertight skin, but I am installed them against the frames to improve their strength on the model.  The appearance will be the same.  In the last picture the uppermost planking strake is being held in place to check its height against the tops of the frames.

 

 

A white capping rail – the fancy rail – will fit over this, but much later.  There is no inside planking above the main rail, so the fit on the frames will be visible.

  

Ed

[dgbot]

I remember watching old video which shows ship wright's working on a clipper.  After bending the piece they would then cut it to fit.  They would use a template before that to get the part to the rough dimensions first.

David B 

[GMO2]

Another aspect of building these ships that is interesting to me is the skill required to drill a hole several feet through two or more pieces of timbe and have come out at the intended spot.Those guys must have had arms and shoulders like olympic weightlifters after doing that from can to cant for several years.

[michael mott]

Ed you make all this complex joinery and planking look easy, but we all know it is not. great work.

 

Michael

[Elia]

Ed,

 

It is so enjoyable to see your progress in the evening after a day at work. While the entire ship is a masterpiece, the complexity of the stern fascinates me most. The compound geometry of the framing, and the rails and planking, are rather intimidating to me. So very impressive.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

 

PS I'll keep watching quietly in awe.

[EdT]

Thank you, everyone.

 

Elia, I share your fascination with Young America's stern - its both beautiful and complex.  Doing it justice is a challenge.  I wish I could say it took just one try, but the final solution worked well and it is presentable.  Its by no means finished.  Planking below the lower rail and around the "knuckle" still awaits. 

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 100 – Rails and bulwark continued

 

Work continued this week on the topside rails, planking and channels.  The first picture shows the forward starboard upper channel being installed.

 

 

These are 6” thick.  Note that the main rail sections are missing in this photo – being only temporarily fitted at this stage.

 

In the next picture the mizzen and main lower channels have been installed.

 

 

Note that – unlike the uppers - these are “streamlined” at the ends.  I believe these lower channels spent a good deal of time in the water.  The main rail sections are positioned only in this picture.  The stack of planks on the deck are destined for the starboard side down to the wale. 

 

In the next picture the entranceway has been cut into the upper strakes.

 

 

The last section of topside planking is being glued in the next picture – held by pins and a couple of screw clamps.

 

 

The next picture shows the topside planking completed – except for treenails.

 

 

The toptimbers have been cut off flush.  The next picture shows the run of planking from almost directly forward.

 

 

Planking of the starboard side down to below the waterline is next on the agenda.  This will take some time with the narrow planks used on these ships.  The model will be inverted to make this work possible around the stern.  Planking on the port side will go just a few strakes below the lower channels – leaving the framing on that side open below that height.

 

Ed

 

 

  

[druxey]

Very sweet, Ed: particularly the bow view.

[SJSoane]

 

Ed, the planking is really beginning to show off the lines well. What a beautiful design.

 

Mark

[michael mott]

Ed from the bow picture it is very evident that the time you took to get the frames accurate shows in the smooth lines of the top curves.

 

Michael

[PeterK]

Congratulation, Ed,

on your 100th part of your beautiful model project. Each and every instalment is read by me the moment it appears and then copied into my own little booklet which comprises about 460 pages in a word document.

I do hope I will live to see the completion of this very arduous project.

Keep going with the spirit your are showing of a brilliant example of the art of ship model building.

With an awesome admiration

Peter

Edited December 17, 2014 by PeterK

[allanyed]

All the  good compliments have been taken,  drat!!!!   I do enjoy checking in on your progress Ed as I need a good humbling experience every so often and your workmanship does satisfy that need.  Great stuff!

 

Allan

[EdT]

Thank you all for the comments and likes.  They are brightening up the so far dreary winter.

 

I appreciate the comments on the lines of the hull.  They are so gracefully and slightly curved - without any breaks or interrupting appendages that the slightest deviations show up - usually when its too late to fix them.  the planking is proceeding.  Will have some pics soon.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 101 – Planking and Wales

 

To conveniently work on the planking below the channels, the hull was inverted as shown in the first picture

 

 

The toptimbers are no longer as vulnerable with the planking installed up to the top so there is minimal risk of damage.  I still use carpet padding as a precaution and have tied the hull down to keep from pushing it off the bench.

 

The next picture shows some of the planking installed at the bow.

 

 

The hull is marked with pencil lines to show the extent of the wale and the load waterline.  I have highlighted the lower edge of the wale in red and the lwl in blue.

 

The wale is 6” thick and there are roughly 20 strakes of 6” wide planks from top to bottom.  The top strake transitions from the 4” common  to the 6” wale planking two strakes below the lower channels.  That break in thickness can be seen in these pictures.  The next picture is a close-up of the “hooding ends.”

 

 

The wale planks are pared down to match the depth of the rabbet.  The treenails are hard bamboo (old garden stakes) – very hard and very dark.  The grain flecks and the color variation in the maple planks is a bit distracting, but all of this planking will be painted.

 

The planking around the stern was done concurrently with that shown above. In the next picture the second strake below the planksheer rail has been curved and is clamped to dry.

 

 

Each of these is boiled for over an hour, clamped as shown below and left overnight to dry.  It can then be glued with a similar clamping arrangement.  This is really a one-step-per-day process.

 

The last picture shows the three strakes below the rail – levelled off but not yet finish sanded.

 

 

 

The next strake will be the transition strake to the wale thickness.  There may be one more circumferential strake  - at the "knuckle" - but the planks below will butt into the last of these.  The ends of the the planks below will bolt into the supporting chocks between the stern timbers.  The chock around the helm port has not yet been fitted.

 

Space is left for the main rail.   The area between this and the lower rail will be decorated with a bas-relief eagle and some s-curved vines.  The words “Young America” then “New York” will be lettered below the lower rail on these lower three planks..

 

  

Ed

[druxey]

Every time you post your progress, you make me smile. Thanks, Ed!

[dgbot]

Each time I look I am amazed.

David B

[Jaekon Lee]

Really amazing masterpiece!

[GLakie]

I hope you don't mind my pulling up a stool here now so late in the game. Went through your Naiad build with amazement and the YA's no different. Beautiful craftsmanship and a pleasure to watch.

 

Cheers and Merry Christmas to you and yours

 

 

[jaerschen]

It's always a pleasure to see this accurate work Ed

[capnharv2]

Amazing-just amazing

 

Harvey

[CaptainSteve]

Your work and explanations make this like watching the real thing being built .... I wanna book my ticket for her maiden voyage !!

[cog]

That is some very fine,and well executed work Ed. You will need some patience to finish that part of the stern.

[EdT]

Thanks, everyone.  I really appreciate these comments and "likes".  The work around the stern is very absorbing and thus very interesting.  Since that last photo the next curved piece - the transition up to the wale thickness - has been added and the last piece to go around the stern got clamped on for drying this morning - so maybe it will be in place by Christmas - busy times though.

 

Happy holidays, everyone and thanks again.

 

Ed

[Mirabell61]

Amazing work Ed,

 

the way you rounded the stern with the precise planking. Very nice tools also. It must be a pleasure doing the planking on such a wonderfull preperated framework, and you`re going for single planking mode, well done !

 

Nils

[EdT]

Thank you, Nils.  The clamps in this picture were either made especially for this task or modified from others.  Although I have a lot of small clamps, none seemed to work well for this.  The clamps are hardwood with soft jaws, to keep from damaging the softened boiled wood.

 

As far as single planking is concerned, I am trying to duplicate the  construction of the original as far as it is known, so all the frames are correctly sized as are the planks - 4" x 6" wide for the common planking, 6" x 6" for the wale.

 

I am using maple for this planking because all will be painted and - if straight grained -  it bends easily.  Also, I have a tons of hard maple cutoffs from past furniture projects.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

Magnificent Ed.......splendid workmanship.  I built a lot with steamed wood myself and it works very well.....you make it look easy. I personally use CA and a catalyst when securing my planks...since all my models are painted.

 

Great work!

 

Rob

[the learner]

Seeing your progress every week is like Christmas all year round! nice job on the stern planking and the rub rail

 

Guy

[SawdustDave]

What a treat.... Haven't had much time to enjoy these visits lately. Beautiful progress master ET. YOU've got something really special going on here. Thank you again for the great lessons.

[EdT]

Thank you all for your comments and continued support.

 

Ed

[EdT]

A Holiday Greeting