Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 203 – Dust Case

 

The dust case mentioned earlier was completed this morning.  The first picture shows the framing of the case after the initial paper covering was removed.

 

 

As I mentioned earlier, the framing was made from scrap, so it is not fine furniture.  It is meant to be an inconspicuous part of the project – to keep dust out and allow me to take pictures of the rigging without having to drag out backdrops.  Both sides are easily removable.  The top is Plexiglas® sheet to pass light from the fixtures above.  Six screws at the base permit the entire case to disappear.

 

For those who offered suggestions on covering material, thanks again.  I went with Elmer's white foam board, which is what I used on the previous Victory case.  It is glued to the frames with water-based contact cement.   The next picture shows the port panel covered with the board.

 

 

The panel is covered with two 30x40 sheets.  You may just make out the center seam.  Finally, in the next picture, the completed case, with the starboard panel removed.

 

 

The case is certainly a major presence in the shop.  Now back to the model work.

 

Ed

[Mirabell61]

nice work Ed,

 

the white walled little "photo studio", good idea    

 

Nils

[druxey]

Quite the light box, Ed!

[rwiederrich]

Fantastic!

 

I always tried to build faster then dust can accumulate........       Hepa filters and an army of miniature dusters...helps....

 

Great job..

 

Rob

[Capt.Bob]

Ed,

Confused (again)  Page 108 Left hand col, last sentence "...limber channel is 10"

Mast Steps drawing:  Side chocks 48" x 16" height to top of the keelson.  The side chocks sit on the frames inside the limber channel.  Can't get a 16" chock inside a 10" channel.

Which is correct??  Or do I leave a 6" x 48" space in the common planking at the mast step?

Bob

[EdT]

Hi Bob,

 

The cross-section drawings show the 48" x 16" side chocks extending to the floor timbers.  With the 10" wide limber channel, this requires notching of the limber strakes to allow the chocks to penetrate.  This was the basis of the design I adopted and the way I did it, so my suggestion is to construct it as shown on the cross-sections - see Cross-section at 12 for the main mast step, at Q for the fore, and 32 for the mizzen, and of course, the step drawing..  All show the chocks extending to the frames and the knees on top of the planking.  I did not detail required cutouts in the limber planks.

 

Now, having said that, I acknowledge that the design of the steps, as with many other undocumented designs, is my interpretation of a commonly used step.  The side chocks could easily be cut off at the height of the planks, but I felt that basing them on the frames would be more robust.  Keep in mind that on these ships the drainage channel was below the frames, as described elsewhere in the book, so the channel above the frames did not need to allow open flow.  It was mainly used (very infrequently I would guess) to flush or unclog the channel below.

 

Ed

[Capt.Bob]

Ed,

That was what I assumed, but just wanted to make sure.  Don't like mistakes at this stage.  I couldn't imagine anchoring a mast step on the 4" planking.  Drainage was my other question.

Like the dust case.  My biggest case is 42' X 32" X 15" and seems huge. It must be like having an elephant in the shop.

Thanks, Bob

 

[EdT]

It feels exactly like that, Bob - a big white elephant.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 204 – Tops and Futtock Shroud Wrap-up

 

I am happy to be finished with the dust case and to resume the model work.  The completion of the three mast assemblies with their pre-erection detailing, including their futtock shrouds, required just a bit more work and is now complete.  The first two pictures show the mizzen top with its futtock shrouds installed.

 

 

As mentioned earlier, these shrouds are served, fitted with brass thimbles at both ends, hooked to the deadeye straps at the top and secured to eyes on the mast band with lashings.  The futtocks are 4 1/2" rope (5 ¼" on the main and fore), spun from three strands of linen thread, right-handed.  The rope was dyed black with diluted India ink.  Making these was described earlier in Part 196.

 

 

The last task on the lower mizzen mast was fitting of the mast coat at the base.  This is shown in the next picture.

 

 

The next picture shows the model with the three completed lower masts fitted – still temporarily.

 

 

The next step will be to make the lower shrouds.  The next picture shows numbers 1 and 2 on the fore mast, port side, looped temporarily over the mast head.

 

 

These two will actually go over the corresponding starboard pair.  In each case the #1 shroud is served over its full length.  The serving on #2 extends down to the futtocks as it will do on all the other shrouds.  Parcelling has been wrapped over the serving around the mast head down to the top of the seizing, but has not yet been "tarred."  More on all this in the next post.

 

 

Ed

[Mahuna]

Beautiful, Ed.

[druxey]

I don't believe that I've ever seen parcelling carried out on a model before. Groundbreaking stuff, Ed!

[albert]

Wonderful work Ed.

[Sailor1234567890]

Ed, do you know how long it would have taken to build her in the yard compared to how long you take to build a model of her? 

[Elmer Cornish]

stunning

[giampieroricci]

wonderful work and super detailed!
I admire every detail!

[BANYAN]

As with all your builds Ed I have been fascinated with this wonderful build.  What you achieve at this scale is phenomenal; very much enjoying the processes.

 

WRT the dust box; have you considered photographers backdrop material?  It is a lot tougher than the paper and pretty cheap by the meter from a photography store.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Thank you, everyone, for the comments and likes - much appreciated.  Its taken some time to get through the work on the lower masts and tops.  Many rigging questions needed to be studied and decided - one at every turn, it seems.  Hopefully things should move faster.

 

Druxey, the outer parcelling at the masthead was easy to do and a small nod to authenticity.  I have for a long time had a mental picture of the photo in Longridge showing this, and often regret not doing it on my Victory.  As with many builders, I suspect, the image of the somewhat unsightly wrapping compared to the lovely, neat stack of served bights was a deciding factor.  The mid-19th century docs I am using are quite clear about it.  So there it is.

 

Sailor, I do not know the actual construction time for YA, but 6 to 9 months from laying the keel would be typical, with the unbelievable 60-day performance on John Bertram being the record (?).

 

Pat, I did not consider the material you describe for the case.  Are there still photography stores?

 

cheers, everyone.

 

Ed

 

 

[Jack12477]

2 hours ago, EdT said:

Pat, I did not consider the material you describe for the case.  Are there still photography stores?

 

Hi Ed,  beautiful workmanship on YA and on the dust protection box.  I've been silently following from the back row. To answer your question, yes there is a very good photography store in Manhattan (online also) B & H Photo that carries the type of material Pat's referring. I've purchased from them many times. It's probably a short (relatively speaking) train ride from where you are in PA to their Manhattan store on 9th Ave.

[EdT]

Thank you, Jack.  The photo store comment was a bit of gallows humor lamenting the loss of actual stores like that.  We are as guilty as any, with UPS and Fedex drivers wearing a path to our front door almost daily.

 

Ed

[michael mott]

Hello Ed

Seeing your picture of the parceling reminded me of the work by Longridge and Have just spent an hour looking for my book and I am not happy that I cannot find it.

 

Beautiful work on the masts and shrouds, I think Longridge would be tipping his hat to your skill and Craftsmanship and asking to come and visit your shop.

 

Michael

[Maury S]

Ed, You're pushing the limits!

Maury

[EdT]

Maury and Micheal, thank you.  Micheal, Longridge is already resident in my shop - always looking over my shoulder and shaking his head.

 

Ed

[BANYAN]

Hi Ed, well plenty down our part of the  world anyway   - not sure if you were playing on words?  

 

I went to a place that specialised in lighting (but also sold some high end cameras etc).  As an example this is the shop I used Dragon Image or where I get other equipment Specular Photographic Equipment.  I bought some Backdrop roll material (non-woven).  You might try B&H in your neck of the woods?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 205 – Making Lower Shrouds

 

Before getting into making shrouds, I completed one more chore that has been on my mind for a while.  The brass poop rail was becoming more tarnished by the day, so considering that it was losing its shiny appeal and that the original was probably iron, I decided to paint the rail white.  See the first picture.

 

 

I decided on white based on the photo taken at San Francisco.  After degreasing with acetone, the rail was painted with gloss white enamel – two coats, slightly thinned.

 

The lower fore shrouds shown in the following pictures are 10½" rope, laid up from three strands of Barbour Irish linen thread.  An adequate discussion of rope making, cotton vs. linen, and size matching is beyond the scope of this log, but I have been working on a description for Volume III.  My rope making "machinery" and process has undergone major development since my first efforts 20+ years ago – but is, of course, still not perfect.  For dimensional reasons and the difficulty in making good four-strand rope without a central core, the shrouds are three-strand, even though four-strand was typically used for these.  They are also right-handed, in keeping with American practice at the time.

 

Shrouds were made in pairs that were looped over the mast head, starting with the forward starboard pair, followed by that pair on the port side and continuing in that way.  In the first picture, the third starboard pair has been cut to length, looped over the mast and is being marked at the ends of its served length – at the futtocks - with a white pencil.

 

 

The shroud was then removed and transferred to the serving machine as shown in the next picture.

 

 

Before putting tension on the rope, needles were inserted through the rope at the white marks so serving thread could be pulled through to help secure each end.  Starting at the right, after pulling the thread through, the rope was then served, initially over the thread end, then up to the second needle which was threaded and pulled through to complete the joint at the second end.  In the next picture, an earlier served shroud has been looped over the mast and is being marked at what will be the top of the seizing to show the extent of the outer parceling that was used as an added protection against damp in the closely packed bights.

 

 

With the shroud stretched between two vises, white PVA glue was applied and the shroud wrapped with strips of tissue, working from each end toward the center as shown below.

 

 

The white PVA dries softer than Titebond making it easier to loop the shrouds later.  After wrapping, the shroud was looped over the mast until the glue dried.  The parceling was then painted with artist's acrylic paint.  After the first coat dried, the seizing was put on as shown below.

 

 

The last picture shows both gangs of shrouds looped over the fore mast head. 

 

 

 

An alligator clip is holding the final pair while the parceling glue dries.  After seizing and painting this pair, the shrouds will be ready for the deadeyes at the lower ends to be turned in.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

Ed...was the parceling a form of weather proofing the seized shroud head loops? I like your representation.

Fantastic attention to detail.

 

Rob

[NenadM]

Just WOW !!!!!

[Mahuna]

I've never seen parceled shrouds on a model before - your work is amazing.  The level of detail at this scale is really impressive.

 

I do like the railings painted white.  I was wondering how unfinished brass would age on a model.

[Maury S]

Ed, Good tip re. the white glue vs Titebond.

[EdT]

Again, thanks.  All your comments are well appreciated.

 

Rob, this outer parcelling was certainly to keep water out of the tightly packed shroud bights - critical structural elements that would be subject to rot.  All served lines were typically wormed and parcelled before serving - the first level of protection against damp and rot.  The serving overlay did nothing for this and was an anti-chafing covering.  Model rope does not incorporate the first worming and parcelling, just the serving.  Parcelling consisted of tarred canvas overlapped like roofing.

 

Thanks for your vote on the white railing, Frank.  Brass tarnishes fast and permanently unless polished regularly.  I thought a lot about painting the railings and pump wheels before taking the plunge.  I doubt that either were originally brass but they did look great initially.

 

Maury, the white glue I used is pH neutral, PVA used for bookbinding.  It dries very rubbery and fairly clear.  I believe that wood glues, like Titebond, are formulated to dry hard so they may be sanded.

 

Ed 

[rwiederrich]

When I took this class...I had no idea of the extent of the education I was going to receive.

 

Beyond impressed......

 

Rob