Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[druxey]

One down, and many to go.... That first frame looks very nice indeed, Ed.

[EdT]

Thank you, all, for these comments.

 

Daniel, the holes will later receive iron bolts.   There were three to four 1" bolts per futtock, driven and probably riveted, flush, as you will later see.  The drill diameter is the size of the pins, so there is a sliding fit.  The pins are larger than 1" because I needed the stiffness in the drill to assure verical holes.  The holes are marked precisely on each piece to assure alignment.  This is done by placing both the pattern frames in position on the CAD template, adding the bolt holes, then copying each frame, one at a time -  with the set of holes - to the pattern sheet for each.  This alignment device will be more critical as the frame bevels increase fore and aft.  The finished frame assembly also has patterns on both sides for bevelling.  When the frame overlap is no longer wide enough for bolts, the cant frames begin.

 

I am now working on the method for machining the futtocks to the right sidings.  This gets progressively smaller above the floor. 

 

Stay tuned.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 13 –Frame Assembly 2

 

 

American Clipper Note: In 1848 there were 9 sailings recorded from New York to San Francisco and they averaged over 150 days.  The following year, 1849, after the gold discovery, there were 37 passages averaging 177 days – for those that made it.  From 1850 to 1853 - as the extreme clippers came off the slips - there were around 375 voyages averaging 128 days.  In her maiden voyage Young America did it in the excellent time of 110 days.  This was longer than the record of 89 days, 21 hours set by McKay’s Flying Cloud in 1851, but up to the end of 1853, times of under 110 days were achieved only 41 times in the 375 passages.

 

The first picture shows frame pair A with the pins removed after assembly. 

 

 

The was the first pair forward of the deaflat, so there is virtually no bevel.  The next picture shows the assembly being sanded back to the aft profile on the disk sander.  The inside was cleaned up using a spindle sander, but left rough.

 

 

 

At this stage the outer profiles are accurate enough to set the frame, so the patterns can be removed.  This will allow the sidings of the upper timbers to be reduced.

 

Reducing the sidings after assembly will allow the frames to be accurately beveled based on the patterns, which would be inaccurate for the timbers with reduced siding.  Also, it is much easier to assemble the timbers using pins if they are all the same thickness.  The drawback is that timbers have to be reduced on the finished assembly.

 

The safest way to do this – for you and the work - is filing by hand as shown in the next picture.

 

 

The sidings step down by an inch of so at each joint moving upward, so this can be done by filing then measuring.

 

With so many frames to do, I adopted two other methods to speed the process.  The first is shown in the next picture.

 

 

In this method a ¼-inch end mill is lowered down to touch the piece.  The piece is then removed and the cutter lowered to make the cut above the joint.  Do not even think of doing this without the guard and without being able to hold the piece on two sides as shown.    Although the amount to be removed at each level is small, I did this in stages of about .005”.

 

The next picture shows how the remaining ends were done after the above step using the disk sander.

 

 

Both these last methods require a lot of care.

 

After a few frames, I decided to install the top timbers – cut from thinner 10” stock - on the forward frames after all this work.  These will be visible inside the hull planking above the main deck, so this way they will all be the same size.  The next picture shows a top timber.

 

 

In this picture the iron bolts have been installed.  The next picture shows that work in progress.

 

 

As on Naiad, I used black monofilament for these iron bolts, held in with CA glue.

 

The last picture shows the final midship frame, ready to be erected.

 

 

 

 

Ed

Edited October 25, 2013 by EdT

[usedtosail]

Ed, that is beautiful work as always. I really enjoy following your builds, and have learned a great deal.

 

I have a mundane question however, which I hope you don't mind. What kind of board do you use under the frames when you are gluing them up? I am looking for something that will hold pins like that but be easy to insert them into, if there is such a thing. Bulletin board material (cork?) would be too soft, I think.

 

Thanks very much.

[EdT]

Thank you, Tom. 

 

I do not at all mind questions.  The material I use for this is called Homasote,  It is a compressed paper product sold for soundproofing.  It is quite dense, so pins hold well.  They may have to be tapped in lightly with a hammer.  This product has been around for many years.  It was very popular for model railroad road bed in the 1960's and later.  You should be able to get it at Home Depot or Lowe's.  I reecently ran out of my stock of odd pieces and just purchased some at Home Depot,  You may have to buy a 4 X 8 sheet ($26) and since it is not wood they will not cut it.  It saws very easily but makes a fluffy dust.  It can be cut with a knife, but sawing is easier.

 

Ed

[usedtosail]

Thank you Ed. I will look for it.

[Jim Lad]

Crikey, Ed!  I can cope with milling the frames to the correct siding, but doing it on the sander looks pretty scary.  Do you have a stiff drink before or after the sanding?   

 

John

[EdT]

John, no more than the usual daily grog ration is required.  I have a very friendly relationship with my disk sander.  Note in the picture that it has been fitted with a new table that edges right up to the disk.  Actually I only use this method to bring the ends of the top timbers down to the milled thickness below.  This is actually much less risky than milling the unheld ends of the frame - even when sanding on the "up" side of the disk, as shown in the picture.  Very light pressure.  The occasional manicure is a bonus.

 

Ed

[michael mott]

Wonderful step by step of your building process, your comment about Cad and being able to print the flip side is one that I have known but not applied so thanks for the reminder.

 

michael

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 14 – Setting Frames – preparation

 

American Clipper Note: Young America cost $140,000 to build.  Gross revenue from her first voyage from New York to San Francisco was $86,400 – more than half her initial cost in her first four months!

 

 

With four frames finished and a few more in progress, it was time to start thinking about erecting them.  The first picture shows the midship frame set up temporarily on the keel, supported by the two clamped squares set at the maximum breadth line on both sides.

 

 

The so-called "midship" frame is set at the deadflat location along the keel.  This is not at the midpoint of the hull, but is actually about 20’ forward of that point.  Also, this frame is the widest part of the hull only in the neighborhood of the load waterline.  At topside the frames immediately aft are wider and at the bottom the frames immediately forward are wider.  This is a departure from normal 18C RN practice where the midship frame was the widest at every height.

 

Before setting any frames, some other work had to be done.  First, the keel had to be bolted securely to the shipway.  The next picture shows the three bolts made for this purpose.

 

 

These are identical to the type used on Naiad.  The reduced diameter section fits up through the keel.  It is stopped at the bottom of the keel shoe by the shoulder at the change in diameter.  This limits the distance the bolt can be screwed into the model, preventing the keelson from being popped off by over tightening.  The small threads are 4-40 and the larger 10-32.

 

The next picture shows one of the bolts pulled up at the keel bottom by the small nut on top,

 

 

With the top nuts on the three bolts tightened up, and larger holes drilled through the shipway, the keel is slipped into position as shown below.

 

 

Thumbscrews with lock washers are then tightened up under the shipway.  Eventually the top nuts will be filed to fit within the woodwork and the top of the studs will be filed flush  to the nuts.  These will be covered by the keelson or deadwood.

 

With the keel secured, the end posts were set up in the vertical position as shown below.

 

 

The next picture shows three frames set loosely in position and a fourth lying flat where it would have been assembled in the real shipyard.

 

 

At the yard, once the midship frame was set, moveable assembly platforms were constructed fore and aft.  Working two at a time, frame pairs were assembled on these then raised up into position.  The platforms were then moved and the work on the next frames begun.  Methods like these enabled these ships to be constructed in 3 to 6 months – some in less time.  If there were two of me I could duplicate this practice.

 

The next picture shows the midship frame being prepared for installation.  A pine cross-spale is being glued to the toptimbers to hold the correct upper separation.  Also, while in this position, an alignment centerline is marked on the spale with a razor blade.

 

 

This will be done to perhaps every 4^th or 5^th frame – plus any that need it – until some other means of holding frame alignment is installed.

 

Finally, the fore and aft faces of the first several frame pairs were squared up from the base drawing and marked in pencil on the top of the keel as shown below.

 

 

The frames will be glued to the keel based on these marks – and of course plumbed and aligned.  Bolt holes will be drilled through the floors, and bolts – probably brass pins - driven into the keel – as was done in practice.  Although authentic, these will be invisible when the keelson is installed over them.

 

 

Ed

[Jim Lad]

It's nice to see the first frames erected, Ed - even if only temporarily!

 

John

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 15 – Setting Midship Frame Pair

 

 

American Clipper Note: In March 1849, the telegraph watcher at Sandy Hook, NJ, observed a large ship approaching from the southeast.  It could only be a tea clipper, but the first of these for that year was not due to arrive for at least two weeks.  It turned out to be Sea Witch, an early extreme clipper designed by John W. Griffiths, under Captain Robert Waterman, just 75 days out from Hong Kong, a west bound journey to New York of 14,500 miles - establishing the first permanent sailing record – never to be beaten by a sailing ship.  Her average speed: 193 miles/day.  Later in the year, Sea Witch set the standing record from Canton to New York, a slightly longer passage, in 77 days.  Hong Kong – New York – Canton – New York in one year – unheard of.

 

Back to work.  The first picture shows the setup for erecting the square frames.

 

 

In this picture the midship frame is held in position for attachment to the keel.  The two clamped squares hold the frame at the sides and will maintain pressure on the glue joint at the keel.

 

The squares are clamped at the breadth to the frame with the corners set at the joint line as shown below.

 

 

The joint line of the pair is aligned with the edge of the square – held by clamps.  At this stage the mark at the center of the cross-spale is centered using the Plexiglas rectangle.  This gauge was cut square and notched to clear the keel.

 

 

With the clamps tightened, the bolt hole through the floor into the keel is drilled. A brass “bolt” is then tapped in slightly.  The frame is raised slightly to apply glue, then lowered and the position rechecked.  The “bolt” is then driven in as shown below.

 

 

The next picture shows the installed frame later with the clamps cleared away.

 

 

This is a good time to recheck the center mark on the cross-spale – without the clamps.

 

The next picture shows the bolt hole center being marked on frame A.

 

 

The last picture shows the first three frame pairs erected. 

 

 

A cross-spale was added to pair A because it was slightly off-pattern at the top.  The frames need to be correct at the breadth to use this method.  B was OK.  Frame C is ready to be set in this picture.

 

Progress at this point:  Pairs 0 to C set, 0 to G fabricated, 0 to K lofted.

 

 

Ed

[michael mott]

I am really enjoying your build Ed, I am learning a great deal and storing it up for my next build.

 

Michael

[rwiederrich]

Awesome work.....ribs are flying in place now.....

[Jim Lad]

Excellent, ed.  Frames permanently fitted already.

 

John

[Walter Biles]

Ed,

 

I noticed you are saying the frames have an iron bolt represented by the black monofiliment.  I seem to remember from somewhere, wasn't the keelson also bolted into the frame members?  Didn't those interfere with each other, and how were they fitted so as not to weaken each member?

 

Walter Biles

Edited October 28, 2013 by Walter Biles

[EdT]

Thanks, guys.

 

Good question, Walt.  There were a number of different ways this was done.  I believe it was most common to bolt through every floor timber - the forward member -  through the keel with copper bolts riveted or clinched at each end.  The lower keelson could be bolted through the floors and the keel in the same way,  Since the floors were 14" wide, there was plenty of room for this.  The upper keelson was often secured with long iron blunts into the keel and through the lower keelson and the frame - perhaps through the lower futtocks - the aft members of the pair.  In some cases these futtocks crossed the keel (but not in my case)  I have not tried to duplicate any one system, since all this -  except for the bolts into the upper keelson - will not be visible.  In any case, Young America's details are not known, but it is a safe bet that the upper keelson - visible bolts - would have at least one for every other frame.  That will come later on the model.  I expect I will have an iron bolt in the upper keelson at every frame. 

 

These bolt arrangements had to be carefully laid out to avoid hitting previously installed bolts.  There were a lot of bolts.

 

Ed

Edited October 28, 2013 by EdT

[rwiederrich]

Indeed...I recall seeing an image of the remains of the Glory of the Seas in Micheal Mjelde's book of the same name....where Guy and Hugh McKay (son and grandson) are standing on her remains and the hull and framing(Inner/outer) bolts are quite visible...and there are so many it doesn't look possible.  I see now, why the scrapper wanted to burn her for the steel(and other metals) in her hull. 

I only assume the YA was build in like manner.

[EdT]

Wood treenails, and copper and iron bolts were used in these ships.  Iron and copper go back to the 17th century.  Generally, in these ships, metal was used for structural connections - copper where exposure to seawater was expected - usually below water - or where there was contact with copper or brass - for example plating..  Treenails were used for planking - internal and external - and for deck clamps, waterways, etc.  Some of the bolts were very long, precluding the use of treenails.  Treenails in American clippers were locust - in England oak.  Bolts of all types were driven into holes about 1/8" smaller than the bolt or treenail diameter.  Metal bolts were driven in some cases as "blunts" - like long nails.  Often they were clenched or rivetted at the ends - raised or flush - with or without washers,  In rivetting, an expanded head was formed on the end, in place, with a hammer.  Often, usually on deck planking, iron blunts would be counter bored and covered with wood plugs.

 

On Young America I expect to model all of the visible - and some of the invisible - fasteners authentically.

 

The copper content in these ships was considerable - and valuable salvage.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 16 – Framing Continued

 

                                                                                                                  

American Clipper Note: In June 1856, the clipper Rapid, Captain Winsor, left New York for San Francisco, followed four days later by Intrepid and Neptune’s Car.  Some weeks later Rapid was battling hurricane force winter storms off Cape Horn.  Making no progress for weeks, with most of the sails gone, ten of the crew dead, ten more disabled below deck and only four frozen souls to work the ship, Winsor turned back for Rio.  He soon came in sight of one of the other ships, hailed her and got no response.  It was probably Neptune’s Car.  Facing the same conditions, her Captain Patten was confined below, having been struck deaf and blind.  With the mate in irons for insubordination, Patten’s 19-year old wife, a capable navigator, took charge of the ship and brought Rapid into San Francisco, 134 days out, 11 days before Intrepid.  Where’s Hollywood?

 

Back to Young America.  Progress continues on the frame fabrication and installation.  The first picture shows the first 7 frames, 0 to F, installed.

 

 

 

The next picture shows parts for the next few frame pairs cut out, trimmed and waiting for assembly.

 

 

After cutting out on the scroll saw, each part is trimmed using the disk sander.  First the ends are sanded back square to the pattern cut line.  The outer profile is then sanded square up to the outer line as shown below.  In the case of the forward frames this is the aft – red – line. 

 

 

From printing a frame pattern to all pieces cut out and trimmed takes about 30 minutes.  Average time to loft the two patterns is also about 30 minutes.  So up to the point in the second photo, about one hour is invested in each frame pair.  I have not timed the remaining steps yet.

 

The next picture shows the amount of bevel starting to appear in the frames forward of midship.

 

 

After assembly each pair is beveled to the forward outer profile using the disk sander – but staying away from the previously trimmed  profile on the aft face.  The resulting unsanded hump is then removed by hand as shown below.

 

 

A flat rasp is being used for this followed by a 120 grit sanding block if needed.  The bevel is trimmed back to – but not into - the line on the pattern.  Final sanding of the hull will remove the last bit, any glue line residue and will smooth the frames.   At this stage - before assembly - most of the external beveling on each pair is complete.  The inside has been left somewhat fuller, so more internal sanding will be needed.  After this step the patterns are removed from both sides, the sidings of timbers machined back and the bolts added.  The pair is the erected.

 

The next picture shows temporary pine chocks being installed between erected frames.  These chocks will align the frames and strengthen the assembly, which is rather weak with only the small glued area and pin on the keel.

 

 

The next picture shows the assembly during the addition of these chocks.

 

 

As each chock is added, the joint line is plumbed to the line on the base drawing and the breadth is matched to the maximum breadth line.

 

Progress at this point:  Pairs 0 to F set, 0 to J fabricated, 2 to U lofted.  Keeping these progress measures helps keep me focused on what is a lot of repetitive work.

 

 

Ed

Edited November 1, 2013 by EdT

[Elia]

Ed,

 

Love it.  Beautiful work.  I particularly like photo YA016 04 showing the emergence of the outer mold line bevel.

 

And in your intro/history paragraph - that is a great story.  Yes, where is Hollywood?  That sounds like a great period piece with action, drama, and adventure.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[EdT]

Thanks, Elia.

 

I don't know when or if I will run out of these anecdotes.  I keep jotting them down when I read them,  You can't make this stuff up. A very interesting period.

 

Ed

[Jim Lad]

That framing's coming along very nicely, Ed.

 

John

[harvey1847]

Hello Ed!

 

Wiht that "cadency" of frames I am sure that you will end the hull in two moths or so...not two years!

 

 

Look what I have found about the treenail question. I have tried to translate it the best I could. The sketches talk by themselves but the way it was done in the XVIII century amazed me. It is the Rooth system, around 1752.

 

 

(1) A drill is made that pass through the external planking the frame and the interior planks; A treenail of the same diameter is then selected (for a “B” treenail type in this case*) except the head of it which is a few inches bigger; the length of the treenail should be one foot more than the hole drilled. The treenail is spread with lard and is introduce (2) with a hammer. When we reach to the head where the diameter is slightly more, we need to hammer strongly, that’s why the head is reinforced with spunyarn rope, this avoids the treenail to split. When it has been introduced to the maximum and it extends on the inner side, both heads are trimmed to the face of the planks (3) then a treenail wedge or spile is force in both sides of the treenail (4-5-6) so no free movement is allowed.

 

The sketches of the “blind treenails” talk by themselves so I am not going to translate the text of the same period.

 

 

 

Beautyful work and posts like always.

 

 

Daniel.

Edited November 2, 2013 by harvey1847

[rwiederrich]

• Good diagrams..for sure..but from what I understand Webb and McKay build with iron/copper bolts flattened on the ends.

From what I understand.

 

Rob

[von stetina]

Please forgive me for not reading through this conversation as I have a crasher of a headache. Are you using the Crothers plan set for your build? It's terrific.

 

I love seeing more merchant ships being built, especially clippers. Clippers in particular are so rarely represented well with accurate models. So often accomplished modelers don't seem to build them. I hope you go ahead with the build.

 

I'm trying to put my build log of the Lightning back up, but as I'm a bit of a computer clutz. I,m starting the standing rigging right now.  For the 2nd time

 

Von Stetina  [bruce]

[EdT]

Thanks for these comments.

 

Bruce, I am using the Crothers plans for Young America only as a reference for the detailing that will be done later.  The plans do not show much structural detail.  My primary source is the original table of offsets, plus structural information from Crothers book, The American Clipper Ship, and a number of other sources.  I will create a full set of plans with patterns based on that.  Crothers' Sea Gull Plans are excellent, but they are of limited use for the structural model I am building.

 

Daniel, the diagrams are quite interesting.  Thank you for posting.  Are they from a specific country?  I like the detail showing the wedge set into the bottom of the blunt.  I believe practices varied and evolved - with a general trend toward iron, copper and mixt metal - especially for structural uses.  For the American clipper period, my understanding is that after thorough drying, treenails were formed as straight cylinders from the upper branches of locust trees - noted for hardness and straightness of grain.  These were sold commercially by specialist suppliers.  Used mainly for internal and external planking, they were driven into slightly undersized holes.  The exposed end (or ends) were then opened with a chisel tool and wedges driven in.   I do believe - as shown in your diagram - that for planking they were usually driven through after both inside and outside planks were installed.  Since this planking was not installed together, a certain numbers of blunts - driven 2/3 into the frames - were used to hold the planking until the final treenails could be driven through.

 

Attached is an photo showing planking treenails waiting to be driven in - probably late 19th C - from book Wooden Shipbuilding by Charles Desmond.

 

Rob, a variety of fastener types were used - iron copper and wood - some as blunts driven in partially, some rivetted on the ends, with or without washers.  Some were flush, some with rounded heads, some counterbored and plugged.  You name it.  Wood treenails were used right up into the 20th century on wood ships.  I believe you will find specifics on types on various ships in the tables in Crothers book.

 

Thanks, again, guys.  I appreciate the input.

 

Ed

Edited November 3, 2013 by EdT

[rwiederrich]

One thing is for sure...it took a great quantity of treenails, and copper/iron bolts to fasten a large wooden framed ship together.  My specific point was addressing the frame and keel fastening..not the inner or outer planking fastening(which I believe were more treenail then iron or copper bolts.  Pictoral evidence of ample iron/copper pins securing framing/knees/overheads leads me to believe this.

Since actual documented evidence is slim to nil, (concerning clipper construction).....the modeler has great license...and latitude..knowing his choice is within reasonable factual reality.  My 2 cents.

 

With that blather said......I commend you on this fantastic build.

 

Rob

[von stetina]

Hi Ed,

 

Yes, that set of plans doesn't go into the depth that the one I used for the Lightning. This one shows everything on a 3rd sheet. His book sure ought to take care of it though. It sounds like you are building plank on frame. I plan on doing this next build, actually I was toying with the idea of building Young America as her 50 trips around the horn impress me. I've now settled in on The Donald McKay, which I'm researching at present. I've got enough info to build her now.

 

There are more frames on a big clipper than on a 100 gun ship I think. I also think I read that the real ships took about the same amount of timber as two 74 gun ships.

 

Bruce

[EdT]

Right you are, Bruce.  I have the plans for Lightning and also Challenge and both show a lot more structursl detail.  I have assumed that YA would  be quite similar to Challenge, since Challenge was quite successful and they were but two years apart - and of course by the same builder.  Crothers actually endorses this view, so I felt on safe ground.  Webb killed a lot less trees than McKay, but the ships held up as well.  I will discuss some of those differences in later posts.  The 30 year life and the 50 trips around the horn for YA caught my attention as well.  I also liked that Webb considered her his masterpiece and that she was his last extreme.

 

I am sure you are right about the number of frames vs, a three decker.  The latter type generally ran around 180 feet in length, whereas clippers like Challenge and YA were in the 240' ballpark.  Webb used variable frame spacing between 32 and 36 inches.  Room and space on a RN three decker was around 34 inches, so the frame spacing was quite similar - but of course there were more on the longer ships.

 

Can't comment on the amount of timber vs. a two decker, but your statement doesn't surpise me, especially if you consider some of McKay's and others' gigantic multi-tiered and multi-sistered keelson assemblies - to say nothing of the typical bilge keelson and oversized waterways and clamps.  These ships were built.

 

I look forward to following your rigging of Lightning.

 

Ed