Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[cog]

When I realise what you did to get to this stage ... it looks so simple and clean. Magnificent Ed.

[Tigersteve]

The series of sub-assemblies and the final construction in your last post really illustrates how complex the rigging is on these ships. Beautifully done. 

Steve

[wefalck]

Crisp ...

[BANYAN]

Very nice clean work Ed; great progress on that spar.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 220 – Martingale

 

The Martingale, or dolphin striker, was a 17' long, 10" diameter spar that served as a compression member in the truss that included the bowsprit and its stays that attached to points on the hull.  The stiffness provided by this assembly was critical to the support of the foremast from which various stays descended to anchor points or sheaves on the bowsprit.  The "second trim" of the martingale is shown in the first picture on its drawing.

 

 

 

The spar at this stage is a tapered square and not yet cut to length.  Above the center is a slot that will receive a single plate that will be formed into the double iron cleats on either side.  This slot was milled after overall sizing but before any tapering, for reasons described earlier.  The next picture shows trimming the spar to an octagonal shape.

 

 

On this relatively small diameter spar, this trim was done by eye, without scribing guide lines.  The next picture shows the rounded spar with reinforcing bands fitted over the ends.

 

 

These bands were made from copper tube, saving the fitting and soldering used on larger bands.  To fit the diameters on the spar, rings cut from the tube were enlarged as needed using a center-punch as a mandrel as shown in the next picture.

 

 

The rings are sized for a tight, immovable fit on the spar.  The next picture shows a brass plate inserted through the slot in the spar for fitting and so that the outline of the spar could be scribed on the plate.

 

 

The shapes of the cleats were then cut outside of the scribed lines with a jeweler's saw.  The next picture shows an early fit check.

 

 

The next picture shows the finished, blackened plate ready for final fitting into the spar.

 

 

The plate was glued into the spar with CA.  The next picture shows the finished spar except for its top hook.

 

 

 

The larger ring at the bottom was drilled at this stage to accept four eyebolts that will secure two forward stays that anchor on the outer bowsprit and two backstays that anchor on the hull.  These stays, like most standing rigging on the bowsprit, are chain of different sizes.  The last picture shows the martingale hooked to is eyebolt behind the cap.

 

 

The picture also shows iron (copper) banding for the gammoning being fitted over the lower bowsprit and under the figure boards.  A length of chain is shown secured to the forward end of the jibboom during tests of different connection methods.  This is not the final chain.  More on the chain rigging later.

 

 

Ed

[druxey]

Lovely work as ever, Ed!

[Mahuna]

Beautiful, Ed.  How did you transfer the shape of the cleats to the brass plate?  Did you paste the drawing to the plate, or simply scribe the shape of the cleats onto the plate, or some other way?

[rwiederrich]

Beautiful work Ed, as usual,  I like how you decided to make a plunge cut in the martingale to place a continuous cleat plate instead of separate side plates bolted to the martingale.

I've wondered a thing or two......How have you derived at your final drawn depictions of these structures with such detail? And how did you conclude the jib boom terminated at the bowsprit in the location you ended it?  Images..unless I'm seeing things differently, don't concur with this. 

 

Rob(Help me see the light, or tell me to shut up)

[BANYAN]

Seriously nice work Ed, as Rob states the idea of the plate through the martingale is a great tip.  

 

Rob, my Victoria (1855) also has the heel finishing in approximately this position, but I think in my case there is a heel chock at the base.  The following is a much cropped extract from a photo of the ship I have and although grainy seems to confirm this - but open to interpretation.

 

According to Underhill, this chock could extend back to the stem, or finish short (ramping/slanting backwards to the bow.

 

 

cheers

 

Pat

[AnobiumPunctatum]

It's a little bit of time over that I last read your log. The progress is absolut fantastic. I love the detailed description of your steps. 

[EdT]

Thanks, everyone for the comments and likes - very much appreciated.  As to the questions....

 

Frank, I used a minimum of marks to shape the cleats.  First, with the plate inserted, the outline of the spar was scribed, then the ends of cleats. The shape was then rough-cut by eye with the jeweler's saw and filed to final shape.  

 

Rob, the jibboom/flying jibboom geometry is based on proportions from Crothers and the spar list for the ship.  Crothers describes his primary source references.  The positioning of this spar follows from the proportions, with the forward end of the untapered section coinciding roughly with the cap.  The drawing seen in some of the photos differs from the final construction at the heel of the spar because I altered the design to move the stool (or chock) forward, out from under the sheave, and changed the hold-down strap shown on the preliminary drawing to a hinged bale and moved that closer to the stool.  This kind of alteration typically occurs when I go back and double check sources at the time of construction.  Whenever this occurs, I update the drawings to reflect the as-built,  but in the interest of saving printer paper I do not print every revision.  I am sure you have noticed corrective comments in red on some of the drawings in the photos.

 

Concerning the level of detail on the drawings, I try to specify this adequately to permit the model to be constructed.  This does not imply that every detail is authentic to Young America.  There are many unknowns.  Some details are known, but many reflect typical practice as defined by primary sources where possible and secondary sources where necessary.  Sometimes judgement has to be applied.

 

Thank you for the photo, Pat.  I believe there were many variations for this heel fastening.  The two existing photos of YA seem to show two different arrangements - at least to my eye.

 

Ed

[EdT]

As a side note on my non-linear, iterative research, drafting, constructing sequence and the resultant use of drawings that are not necessarily final, you may note that in the pictures of the last post that the martingale has been drilled for an eyebolt above the cleat slot and that the drawing shows such an eyebolt.  There is no such eyebolt.  The one shown is a renegade CAD object that somehow got dropped at this location and was never deleted.  A rare occurrence for sure, but part of the baggage of the process.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

Thanks for your fine rebuttal Ed.  It has become true that when photographic evidence is limited, you need to refer to the common practice as it was recorded.

In my own research it is apparent that unlike Webb, McKay used a different *Common practice*...and the configurations of jib boom locations and that too of the martingale attachment were clearly different .

 

Again...magnificent work.

 

Rob

[EdT]

Sorry, Rob.  I didn't consider it a rebuttal - merely an explanation.

[wrkempson]

Ed, I'm pretty sure that renegade eye bolt came from my work table.  It was lost some time ago.  I thought it had vanished into thin air, but now I know it fell through a space warp into your CAD program.  

 

Wayne

[rwiederrich]

Welcomed response Ed.  I have found, that on several images I have of the Glory..there are significant changes.  However these can be attributed to her recorded refits.

Part of my original questioning found its origin in what I perceived from photographic evidence of YA...apart from any descriptions noted by Crothers.

In short, your constructed version didn't match up to what I was seeing in the photographs(You, yourself noted a photographic inconsistency)

I further understand the necessity to make things reliably repeatable for modelers wishing to follow your footsteps and build this wonderful model themselves using your fantastically written plans.

I have to confess...being a machinist who builds precision refractor/reflector telescopes and their mounts...(Along with ship models), I have a tendency to be a bit overly observant.  Please..no disrespect was intended.

 

Rob

[EdT]

Yes, Wayne, as I'm sure you know, those little drawing objects do go astray and often pop up in unintended places.  What would we do without them though?

[Sailor1234567890]

Do you indicate what is speculation based on current practice vs what is known fact for the ship in your drawings Ed? 

Thanks,

Daniel

[EdT]

Not on the drawings, Daniel, but I refer to it generally in the text and specifically on significant points.  There is a pretty full discussion of this issue in the Introduction to Vol II.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 221 – Bow Ironwork

 

The final step in permanently securing the bowsprit was to install the iron-strap gammoning.  This passes over the top of the bowsprit just forward of the knightheads on either side, and bolts to the upper part of the stem assembly.  The first picture shows a bolt hole being drilled through the strap and into the wood.

 

 

With one side secured, the strap was tightened over the spar, hammered down to fit at the top, and bolted to the other side.  Because the figurehead moldings were fitted into the area between the hull and the stem, slots for the banding had to be sawed out.  The next picture shows the installed gammoning.

 

 

After blackening, the slot through the figure molding will need to be touched up with paint where it was sawed out.  The next picture shows the two anchor points for the inner and outer bobstays – also iron straps bolted to the stem and hull.

 

 

Because these are angled at the forward end, the copper strips for these were cut out before bending as shown in the next picture.

 

 

This shape was then bent to fit over the stem, shaped to the hull with the apex up, drilled and bolted.  Holes for eyebolts were then spotted and drilled through the forward face and into the stem.

 

Bobstays

 

The next picture shows one of the bobstays before blackening.

 

 

The eyebolt was twisted up with the chain attached as shown below.

 

 

The strap for the 12" wooden heart was fabricated as shown below just prior to soldering.

 

 

The strap was first formed around a heart with a shackle to connect to the chain – much like the deadeye straps made earlier.  The chain was threaded on to the straight bolt piece before soldering.

 

The chain lengths for these was measured with the eyebolt end temporarily placed in the stem and the chain cut off to allow space for rigging the two hearts just behind the cap.  More on this in the next part.

 

The chain is about 30 links per inch, which corresponds to 30 links per fathom at 1:72.  This is the largest size chain used on the bowsprit standing rigging.  More will be said on chain sizing and modeling in the next part.

 

Ed

[rwiederrich]

Just wonderful Ed.  I like how you wind the eye bolt with the chain pre-threaded.

 

Rob

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 222 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging 1

 

Much of the bowsprit standing rigging is/was chain.  In the mid-19^th century chain was used not so much for sheer strength but primarily for its durability in situations where physical abuse could be expected.  Later, iron or steel wire would displace chain and rope.  The bow of the ship was exposed to buffeting by the sea and objects that might be floating in it, as well potential damage in collisions with docks, etc., however slight, hence the amount of chain in its structural rigging.  Chain sheets and halyards that also suffered considerable wear will be discussed later.

 

Chain specifications have been hard to uncover in primary sources, so where Bill Crothers specified sizes on his drawings I have used those.  His sources for these (and other questions) were on my list to discuss with him but that last meeting never occurred.  However, knowing the intensity of his research, I am confident in his sizing.  For lines he omitted from his drawings, I plan to calculate  rope/chain equivalents from contemporary data in Luce, Seamanship, 1868.  Chain has been a puzzle

 

Bobstays continued

 

In the last part, fabrication of one of the chain bobstays was described.  In the first picture the two bobstays have been rigged.

 

 

The forward ends are secured to eyebolts in the bowsprit using wood hearts with lanyards.  These allowed tensioning of the stays.  The fine thread seen in the picture are ends of the seizings that secure the lanyards to their adjacent parts and will be clipped off.  A simpler, but less authentic, method of securing the ends was adopted later to eliminate the visible ends that are difficult to completely remove at this scale.

 

Bowsprit Shrouds

 

The next picture shows one of the bowsprit shroud fabrications before installation. 

 

 

The shrouds and bobstays are all chain of ~30 links per fathom (lpf), i.e. 30 links per inch at 1:72.  The connection to the heart is similar to that shown above and in the last part.  At the other end, an iron plate with an eyebolt is used.  This will bolt to the outer hull above the hawse holes as shown in the next picture.

 

 

This picture also shows one of the martingale backstays rigged to the cathead that will be discussed later.  The next picture shows the forward fastenings of the bobstays and shrouds.

 

 

 

Martingale Stays

 

The next picture shows the inner and outer martingale stays. 

 

 

The inner, unblackened, stay was chain of 54 llpf and is modeled using the smallest chain I could find.  At 40 links per inch it is somewhat heavier than specified, but representative.  The outer stay was lighter at 74 lpf.  This fine chain was simulated by twisting up two strands of 28 gauge copper wire under fairly low tension.  This method produces a very reasonable small-sized chain substitute.  Unfortunately, small chain is not very photogenic.  These two stays were sized with the martingale held vertical by the temporary thread "backstay" in the picture.  The next picture shows these two forward chain stays after blackening.

 

 

The martingale will be held vertical by two backstays that run back to hearts and lanyards on the cathead.  When added, these attachments will allow fine adjustments to the position of the martingale.  Next time.

 

Ed

[albert]

Hi Ed, very very wonderful work.

[BANYAN]

Looks very effective Ed, I like the idea of the loosely  twisted wire.  The smallest copper chain I have found so far is 42 lpi so this tip is very handy.

 

cheers

 

Pat

Edited August 7, 2017 by BANYAN
spello

[dvm27]

So copper seems pretty amazing to work with, Ed. You just blacken everything in place with no prior prep like degreasing with alcohol or acetone? Does the liver of sulphur always work or do you have some failures as I do with brass from different manufacturers?

Edited August 7, 2017 by dvm27

[mhegazi]

thank you for sharing this epic build

[EdT]

Hi Greg,

 

I seldom use solvents any more to clean brass or copper before blackening,  With copper and LOS, buffing seems to be sufficient, especially important over  areas heated by soldering.  Completely buffing chain is not so easy, but multiple brushings with LOS seems to work.  Oxide from soldering heat, even with pickling after soldering, seems to be the main problem on copper with LOS - needs to be buffed off if possible.  Rubbing or brushing with the solution helps - but you are right LOS is pretty easy to use.  I still treat brass with the blue selenium solution by dipping small, pickled and/or buffed parts.  For larger parts I brush or use a cotton swab full strength followed by rinse.  I do not always rinse LOS.  Unlike the selenium salts, it neutralizes.

 

Nothing is foolproof with blackening.  I keep looking for better means.  WinOx on brass works a lot like LOS.   I got some Jax pewter recently and that has possibilities.  Still the black art.

 

Ed 

[EdT]

Thanks for all the likes and comments.

 

Pat, the twisted wire is as good a solution as I could come up with.  There will quite a lot of small chain on the model - all the sheets and halyards for example - so something had to be done.  By eye it looks quite good - maybe its my eyes.  Photos depend on the distance.  Ultra-close, it looks like what it is.  The trick in making it is to get the turns to approximate the links/inch uniformly.  Too much tension and the small (28-32 gauge) wire will break - too little and the distribution gets non-uniform.  Seems to work for copper and brass.  Brass is stronger but then there is the blackening.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 223 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging 2

 

Martingale Backstays

 

The first picture shows the two prefabricated martingale backstays with hearts attached, secured to eyebolts on the lower end of the martingale.

 

 

These are of 40 lpi copper chain, simulating smaller 74 lpf chain as mentioned earlier and as used on the inner martingale stay in the last part.  They were pre-measured before attaching the eyebolts and heart shackles at the ends.  The temporary "backstay" tensioning thread is still in place.  The backstays will be secured to hearts anchored to eyebolts on the catheads.  The heart on the starboard cathead is shown below.

 

 

The next picture shows the lanyard on the port backstay threaded up and the stay being tensioned. 

 

 

The starboard stay has been installed and the two are being adjusted to provide tension on the inner and outer forward stays and to pull the martingale into a side-to-side vertical position.  The next picture shows the installed backstays with the temporary tensioning thread removed.

 

 

 

The next picture shows the hearts on the starboard side. 

 

 

 

The lanyards on both sides remain unsecured so that final tension adjustments may be made later when foremast stays are installed.  After those final adjustments, both the loose lanyard ends will be seized to their mates and clipped off.  The last picture shows a pair of these seizings on one of the bowsprit backstays before clipping off the excess seizing thread.

 

 

 

 

Ed

 

[archjofo]

Wonderful pictures of a fantastic model!