Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[Stuntflyer]

Wonderful, Ed!

 

Mike

[druxey]

Ditto to Stuntflyer, Ed.

[rwiederrich]

As usual...beautifully executed Ed.

 

Rob

[BANYAN]

Stunning!

[albert]

Bravissimo Ed, your work is fantastic.

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 217 – Jibboom/Flying Jibboom

 

Thanks, everyone, for the comments and likes on the last post.

 

Although the Jibboom and its integral Flying Jibboom may be added after the lower bowsprit is permanently in place, I believe it is preferable to complete the entire assembly before securing it in the hull, so the next step is to make that spar.

 

As spars go, this one is fairly complex.  It has two steps down in diameter and is mortised for four large sheaves.  One at the foot is horizontal and used to haul the spar out.  The other three take the inner, outer, and flying jib (fore topgallant) stays.  There is a dummy sheave for the fore royal stay and the end of the spar is shaped to secure the fore skysail stay.  The lower end of the spar is octagonal.

 

The process closely follows practice used to shape actual spars.  The first picture shows step one – sometimes called the "first trim."

 

 

The length of Castello shown has been squared to about 10-thousandths of an inch over the maximum cross-section of 17.5" (.236" at 1:72).  Measurement points along the spar have been marked on all four faces, actual dimensions calculated for the specified full size diameters, and centerlines drawn down each face.  This would be the normal starting point for shaping the spar.  However, before starting that process, I machined all the mortises and bored all the radial holes – sheave slots, axle holes, eyebolt holes, etc.  There are two reasons for this: First, securing and centering the piece for boring/milling is much easier and accurate before it has been tapered or rounded.  Also, drilling into a flat horizontal surface is easier and more accurate than drilling into a curved surface – especially if the cut is all the way through and you want the opposite location to be correct.  The next picture shows the first trim marked for the locations of the stay sheaves.

 

 

I used the mill for all this work.  First, the vise was indicated to align it.  Then, an edge finder was used to locate the stationary jaw of the vise accurately.  The vise was then moved so the edge of the jaw was on the spindle center, then adjusted back by half the measured, actual width of the piece to place the spindle precisely over the center of the spar.  The pencil lines on the spar thus become superfluous and the holes will be accurately centered.  In the next picture two sheave slots are being milled using a 1/32" milling bit.

 

 

This size bit is smaller than the smallest sheave slot.  Later, the through slots will be filed out to the required size.  This step centers them only, avoiding the need for y-direction adjustments, losing the accurate center, and the attendant necessary calculations.  Because of the shortness of the bit, milling from both sides was needed.  The next picture shows the forward end of the spar with the mortises and the other holes bored.

 

 

The first shaping step is shown in the next picture.

 

 

The jig is designed to hold rectangular work of varying width.  A cabinet scraper was used to rough-taper the upper and lower faces of the spar.  This process involves taking numerous measurements at the points along the spar, as shown in the next picture.

 

 

The top and bottom faces are worked concurrently, allowing visual checking of the symmetry of the tapering vs. the marked center lines.  As the final diameters are approached, finer work was done with flat files as shown in the next picture.

 

 

In this picture the outermost step has been filed before working the end of the spar.  Only the top and bottom faces are tapered at this stage, eventually reaching the "second trim" – two opposite faces tapered to (almost) final size.  Again, at this stage I left a total of about 10/1000ths of an inch excess at each point.  In the next picture the spar is being marked on the tapered faces to allow the two remaining parallel faces to be reduced symmetrically.

 

 

The remaining two faces are then reduced by the same process, yielding the "third trim" of the spar shown in the next picture.

 

 

This piece will next be converted to octagonal shapes consistent in size with the square profiles in the picture.  Next post.

 

Ed

[Tigersteve]

So what you're saying, Ed, is I need to acquire a mill! :-)

Steve

[michael mott]

Hello Ed just catching up, stunning work as one has come to know is always the case. I couldn't help noticing in this photograph

 

the different apparent scale of the thimble and lashings and the small eye bolt in the deck, somehow i would have thought that for this application the designers of the original ship would have used a bigger eye bolt at the deck. I have no knowledge of these things other than my intuition.

 

Regards Michael

[EdT]

Thanks for the comments and likes.  just a quick couple of comments.

 

Steve, the mill is not essential and the work shown could be done with a drill press, taking care to center mark the work accurately before boring.

 

Micheal, welcome back.  We had some dialog on this earlier after similar comments.  I know these look small but they are quite substantial ~2" diameter iron eyes and shackles.  Having the same initial concern, my recollection is that these calculated out at a number of times stronger than the stays. With reinforcing plates under the beams, I believe these wood be very strong.

 

Ed 

[Mahuna]

Ed, you make complex work appear routine, and the explanations of the process are perfect.  I learn something new with almost every post.  Thank you!

[BANYAN]

Thank you for sharing this (and the many other) techniques; helps to inform us all.

 

What type of file are you using there with the tapered back shoulders?

 

cheers

 

Pat

[Tigersteve]

Ed,

That is good to hear and do not doubt, your YA series of books is my next book purchase. As you know, I had my eye on the Flying Fish model from Model Shipways, until I came across this project of yours.

Steve

[EdT]

Thank you for these comments and the many likes - and I always like questions - even if I may lack the answers.

 

Pat, the file is a 0 cut Grobet full-size barrette file.  I also used a fine cut similar version on the spar.  Here is a link to the first:

 

https://contenti.com/jewelers-metal-files/full-size-metal-files/grobet-barrette-files

 

Thank you very much, Frank.  I wish some of this were as routine as it may appear in the posts.  The spar shown above was the third attempt.  The first was slightly small - causing me to start anew with the slight excess measured above then remove it in the last sanding steps.  The second was "perfect" until I started cutting the sheave holes - hence the decision to do that work first on the square.  So, as I am sure you know, processes evolve slowly sometimes,  and I am learning like everyone else.  Few of us can can comfortably repeat processes well learned over many previous builds.  I am glad if others get some benefit from what I learn along the way.

 

Just for fun, here is proof of this particular learning experience:

 

 

Ed 

[druxey]

Third attempt is a charm, Ed! Very, very nice work on this complex spar.

[BANYAN]

Great work on that spar Ed; if it took you three goes, I know I will need 6.  I need to do a couple of these for the Victoria .

 

Thanks for the link also, those barrette files look very useful so I will need to invest.  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[cog]

Fortunately we are merely human, Ed. Which means we not just get a second, but sometimes also a third chance. Very fine work.

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 218 – Jibboom/Flying Jibboom 2

 

In the last part the spar was reduced to the "third trim" – square in section but tapered to almost the final sizes along the length.  The next step is to convert the square into a regular hexagon with the reduced diameters along the length.

 

To mark the apices of the octagon on the four sides of the square I used the small device shown in the first picture.

 

This has two guide rods with a scriber set between them at precisely 7/24 of the guide spacing from one of the guides.  This corresponds to the location of the octagonal apex on the initial square.  The center of the scriber is set at that distance from the inside of the guide bar.   The hole spacing for these rods required some calculations and precise setup.  The next picture shows the tool in use scribing an apex line on the squared spar.

 

 

This method was used on the larger parts of the spar.  The spar is drawn over the scriber while keeping the sides in contact with the guides.  The scribed line will then be made along the octagonal apex regardless of the spar taper.  I have found the accuracy of this method to be quite adequate on sections a small as 1/8" diameter.  Since the scribed lines are on the apices, they will eventually be filed off during rounding.

 

In the next picture the initial shaping was done with the cabinet scraper and is being finished with the file as shown.

 

 

The scribed lines are an initial guide.  The final sizing along the spar is done by progressive checking with the calipers at the key points and visually making sure the width of the octagonal sides are equal.  In the next picture, a file is being used to shape the octagonal faces on the smaller part of the spar without scribed lines – using the calipers and visual inspection.

 

 

 

When the correctly sized octagonal shape is produced along the spar, it is ready for the final rounding.  If there are radial holes perpendicular to the new sides of the octagon, these should be bored  before proceeding with the final rounding.  This rounding is being done at the lower end of the spar with a fine file in the next picture.

 

  

 

This begins with filing off of the octagonal apices, then further rounding.  During the initial rounding the scribed pencil lines from earlier steps will remain visible as guides.  These will be removed as the spar is reduced to its final diameters in these last steps.

 

In the next picture the final-sized round shape is being sanded with a 200-grit sanding block using emove remaining corners and to obtain final dimensions.

 

 

I started this final shaping at the small end and completed each section before moving on – again with frequent diameter checks.  In the next picture a sanding stick is being used for final smoothing and shaping at the round-octagonal transition near the lower end.

 

 

The completely shaped spar is shown in the last picture.  Fine abrasive sticks were used to produce the final finish.  Also, the end of the spar has been shaped to hold the skysail stay at its very tip.

 

 

The spar is now ready for its iron bands and sheaves.

 

Ed

 

 

 

[wefalck]

Very clever tool that little thing to find the centre or quarter a tapering spar. Have to remember this

[cog]

Ed,

Forgive me my ignorance, but you are working on the (flying) jibboom - lovely work on it, and very educational - which is also refered to as bowsprit, and you call it  the spar. It's getting a bit confusing ... In Dutch a "spar" is a yard, which makes it even more difficult to apprehend

[EdT]

Sorry, Carl.  The term "spar" is generic and can refer to any mast, mast section, yard, boom, etc - at least according to the Maritime dictionaries that I am using.  It is a useful term in the case of "spar-making" because the processes are similar regardless of the type of spar and "sparmakers" made all of them..  I am using the term for this reason.  The spar shown in the last 2 posts is the Jibboom/Flying Jibboom.  It is a single stick combination of the two, hence the combined term.  The bowsprit is the larger base spar on which the Jibboom rests, but also can refer to the entire assembly.  This is analogous to the fore mast, fore topmast, etc. where the term fore mast refers to both the lower part as well as the total mast assembly - or to one of my favorites where "coamings" may refer to either the total hatch framing or just the fore and aft members..

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ed

[cog]

Quite clear, Ed. Thank you very much. Fortunately the meaning of spare is merely based on contex ...

[JerryTodd]

We just call them "sticks."

"Sea was so rough it nearly rolled her sticks out of her!"

[Mahuna]

Ed - a question on the tool you've made for marking the octagonals: is the 'scriber' a small point that scratches the line into the spar?

[EdT]

Hi Frank,  

Yes, the scriber is a pointed hard steel .032" rod that sctratches the line into the spar.  Because the scratch is on the apex, it will later be remove from the rounded areas.  I will probably include a drawing of this in the next book, but if you are going to make it, the scriber point needs to be 7/24th from the insides of the guide rods - not their centers.

 

Ed

[JerryTodd]

What wood are you using for the spars?

[cog]

Ed,

 

I would expect the distance between the guides to depend on the size/width of the wood you use, or do you use the jig shown for all sizes you have on your models

[EdT]

Jerry, the wood is Castello.

 

Carl, I made the device to be used on all the spars on the model down to the smaller practical sizes.  It was used to mark the lower main mast.  Much below an actual 3/16" I do this without lines.  When the spar approaches 90 deg to the opening the scriber is most accurate.  As the angle approaches zero, as it does with smaller spars, the diameters of the guide rods affect the accuracy.  I suppose having closer guides for smaller work could help this, but I have not found the guides as useful below a certain size.  Even with the scribed lines, it is important to visually check that the width of the flats on the wood are the same size.

 

Ed

[cog]

"As the angle approaches zero, as it does with smaller spars, the diameters of the guide rods affect the accuracy." thought that could be the case. It is probably a matter of "how far are you willing to go" creating devices, and is it worth your while to build them. Thank you Ed.

[EdT]

What you say is quite true, Carl.  Understanding the accuracy limitations of any tool is always important, as is the point of diminishing returns on special tool making.   I estimate that this marking tool will be useful on at least half of the sparwork on YA, but it is not a universal panacea.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 219 – Bowsprit Assembly

 

Before assembling the two main spars that make up the bowsprit, I wanted to get as much of the detailing done as possible while the individual spars were still easy to handle and grip.  In the first picture, three of the four sheaves have been made and temporarily fitted into the Jibboom/Flying Jibboom.

 

 

These were turned to the specified sizes in brass and are shown here held in place by lengths of copper wire.  The picture also shows the bands on this spar drilled for eyebolts.  In the next picture, the ironwork and sheaves have been blackened and permanent copper wire bolts have been driven through the spar to hold the sheaves.

 

 

The picture also shows the martingale that will be covered in the next part.  The next picture shows one of the wooden, fore topmast stay cleats being glued to the side of the bowsprit.  The stool for the jibboom may also be seen.

 

 

The jibboom is secured to the bowsprit with a hinged "bale" that surrounds the upper spar.  This is connected to a larger iron band around the bowsprit.  The fabricated ironwork is shown in the next picture.

 

 

The next picture shows both the stool and the bale.

 

 

The lower part of the bowsprit band was drilled and nailed into the bottom of the bowsprit.  As will be seen in the last picture, the underside of this band is hidden over the stem billet.  The next picture shows the assembly fitted out with all required eyebolts.

 

 

Since none of these eyebolts are connected using soldered shackles, all could be permanently secured at this stage.  The method for making these from twisted copper wire was discussed in an earlier post.  The last picture shows the bowsprit temporarily fitted into the hull.

 

 

 

This picture was taken just after finishing the assembly, including the ironwork, with a diluted solution of Tung oil.  The assembly is almost ready for permanent installation.  It will be held down with an iron gammoning strap just forward of the knightheads that will bolt to the stem below the figureheads.

 

The martingale that will be suspended below the bowsprit cap will be covered in the next part.

 

Ed