Young America 1853 by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper

[michael mott]

One of the things that I do enjoy about following your work Ed, are the jigs and sequences that you use to accomplish this superb work.

 

Michael

[albert]

Wonderful work Ed.

[BANYAN]

That is amazingly neat and very detailed work ED; I learn so much from watching (and reading) your techniques.  It is not so easy to turn it into practice though

 

cheers

 

Pat

[wyz]

Ed, you set the bar so darn high I'd need a rocket ship to get to it.  Beautiful work!

 

Tom

[GMO2]

Some years past I built a clipper model from A.J.Fisher plans.It was at 1:96 scale and I had the same problem with footrope stirrups until I made them from fine wire.Before that I could not get them to hang at all right.If I were to do it at a larger scale I might try hanging a small weight from them and saturate them with dilute PVA or perhaps thin CA.None of this is ever easy is it?

[wefalck]

I made such things from silk-covered copper wire, which can be bent into the desired shape and direction. The eyes have to faked and wound with very fine thread.

[michael mott]

One of the issues with long lengths of naturally hanging rope, wire, or cable is that it tends to want to form naturally into a Catenary Arch which is the natural curve followed by anything hanging between two points. this curve is a result of gravity and the flexibility of the material hanging. To better understand this take a couple of blocks of wood with a pin in each place them about 6 inches apart and hang some model or jewellery chain between them, as the blocks are pushed closer together or pulled further apart the natural curve that occurs is a catenary arch. This is true for all curves hanging between two points. 

 

Therefore to get a clearer view of what the hanging foot rope would look like test the shape by using some small chain between the ends and hook the chain up at the various points, adjust the tension between the ends to get the required natural curves of the foot-ropes.

 

Michael

[EdT]

Thank you all for the comments and likes - and for the suggestions about shaping lines.  I am stiffening the foot rope stirrups with diluted dark wood glue, which seems to be stiffer than acrylic emulsion (eg. matte medium).  This seems to work well if the stirrups are left relatively undisturbed, suggesting that this should be done late in the work when most handling is finished.  I think less stiffening is appropriate on sagging lines, however the light weight of model rope does not produce catenary type curves naturally, so something may be needed if this effect is desired.  As will be seen in the next few posts, I am starting with these running rigging lines taut - to relieve initial kinks - then will see what can be done to droop them realistically without over-stiffening - after the yards are firmly pulled down - more on that issue as well.

 

Ed

[Sailor1234567890]

Just thinking out loud here but what if one were to install the footropes and then soak them in their favourite goo, be it diluted dark wood glue as Ed mentioned above or some other solution. After all the fiddly bits are done, insert a small balloon between each stirrup and inflate them just enough to provide the catenary desired. Once the glue dries, deflate the balloon and remove it. It should hold in a relatively catenary shape. Close enough for our purposes. Or maybe that's already been tried?

[BANYAN]

Hi Ed, with my limited experience and talent I am a little reluctant to suggest something but here goes

 

For my Endeavour, I had some success in using diluted PVA (coloured would be better) and weights on a brass rod I had threaded through the lower eyes.  the micro clips held the stirrup lashings around the yard in place (undisturbed as you suggest) until completely dry.  I then threaded the footrope through having completed the outer eye and seizing beforehand.  I then used the same micro clips hanging in the middle of each section to create the catenary by simple gravity.   
 

It worked for me but, I found I had to readjust the footropes again at the end as other work does upset them.

Food for thought at least?

 

cheers

 

Pat

 

 

[EdT]

Thank you, Pat.  I actually did something similar as shown in this picture:

 

 

The stirrups were straightened by hanging weights (alligator clamps) from each stirrup using copper wire that is bent around the stirrup and over the foot ropa.  You may be able to see this in the picture.  This does a good job of straightening the stirrups, which were then wetted with diluted, darkened PVA glue.  They stay straight if undisturbed, so I think this should be done very late in the modeling - at least of the yard, if not the whole model.  I have not yet done anything with the foot ropes themselves.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Sailor1234, I am not ignoring your balloon idea, just trying to internalize what that might look like.  The theory is right - applying equal stress to each point along the line, but I can see a number of practical issues.  Just touching these lines can upset things.  Antscherl's idea in Swan IV of placing small wires along the line approximates the even distribution and seems very doable.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 255 – Fore Yard Topping Lifts

 

Topping lifts supported the lower yards at the ends and allowed it to be "topped", that is lifted on one side, usually to clear dockside obstructions.  Each lift consisted of a pendant secured to the upper eye on the fore yard arm band.  This was connected to a luff tackle to the mast cap with the fall belayed on the foremast fife rail.  A luff tackle uses a single and double block combination to produce a mechanical advantage of 4.  The double block is secured to the foremast cap band.  The first picture shows the port side lift strung up.

 

 

Temporary thread lines to keep the yard roughly level for the rigging of the lifts lines may be seen in the picture.  The next picture shows the single tackle block that is spliced on the end of the pendant with an eye.

 

 

The standing end of the tackle has been seized to the eye on the block with smaller hemp line.  The pendant is 6" line, the lift is 3".  Excess seizing will, of course be removed.  The outer end of the pendant shown in the next picture is spliced to a shackle on the upper eye of the yard arm band.

 

 

Because the shackle is soldered, this eyebolt was installed in the band after soldering the shackle and splicing the pendant - before the yard was hung.  The upper end of the starboard tackle is shown in the next picture.  

 

 

The double blocks were shackled to the cap band earlier, before it was installed.  Both lifts have been strung up and given initial tension in the next picture.

 

 

The falls are belayed on the fife rail shown in the next picture.

 

 

Belaying points are being left unglued until all the running rigging on the yard is in place.  The model yard is not heavy enough to put strain on the sling chain and force it fully down.  This issue will be addressed in one of the next parts.  The last picture shows the lifts installed and the yard levelled.

 

 

Levelling was done by measuring up from the base board to the outer ends.  Next, the reef tackles.

 

Ed

[Sailor1234567890]

The balloon idea came to me when people spoke of putting weights on the fortunes. In my mind, that would create straight lines between the weights. A single weight between stirrups would cause a V shaped fortune between, two weights would give a V with a flat ish bottom to it. I picture the balloon making it as close to catenary shaped as possible. there may be issues with it though. If anyone tries it, let the rest of us know.

[michael mott]

Hi Ed at risk of overworking the foot-rope issue of shape it occurred to me reading the comments about weights that a different approach might just prove to be useful. it involves shaping the rope by pushing gently on it with some clear vacuum packaging plastic. see the accompanying sketch

 

 

I think it would be worth a trial on your jig.

 

Michael

 

Edited December 9, 2017 by michael mott
spelling

[archjofo]

Hi Ed,
I am always enthralled by your meticulous work, how to do the details.
Also, I admire your documentation of the work.

[Mirabell61]

Awesome work Ed,

 

those rigged yard-ends are looking fantastic !!

 

Nils

[EdT]

Thank you all, and thank you, Micheal for the idea.  I can see I am going to have to have a good solution for this problem.  All these suggestions have given ideas.

 

Ed

[Mahuna]

Hi Ed:  The exchange of ideas and methods is one of the things I appreciate about MSW.  I'm looking forward to seeing your solution.

[douglaspbrown]

Hi Ed, not only is your work beautiful and meticulous, it is also inspiring.  In part 245, with regard to the yard arm holder it looks like the verticals areplain clothesline.  What are the metal pins in the verticals for? 

[douglaspbrown]

Errors, make that part 254.

[EdT]

Douglas, the vertical supports are actually 1/2" dowels with slot cut out of the centers and the pins are actually screws for tightening to grip the yard. The design of these pins needs some improvement, but it worked well for this large yard.

 

Ed

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 256 – Fore Yard Reef Tackle

 

The effective area of most sails could be reduced by "reefing," that is, taking in sail to diminish its size while set.  Larger square sails, except for lower topsails, were equipped for this purpose with horizontal canvas reinforcing bands across the sail.  These "reef bands" were fitted with "reef points", short lengths of rope to tie up the reefed part of the sail.  To assist in bringing the reef band up to the yard, reef tackle was attached to the yard arm and to "cringles" on the leech of the sail just below the reef bands.  This was normally a simple "gun tackle" (two single blocks) with a runner through a sheave on the double quarter block running down to a pin on the fore mast fife rail.  When sails were removed (unbent), the cringle block would be tied off (stopped) to the jackstay.  When the sail was again bent to the yard, this tackle would be attached to its "ear-ring" and used to stretch it out to the ends.  It would then be re-connected to the reef cringle.  The first picture shows the reef tackle fall running below the yard and through the quarter block.

 

 

The next picture shows the yard arm tackle block shackled to the lower eyebolt on the band.

 

 

In this picture the seizing to the block has not yet been tied, nor has the fall been taken inboard to the quarter block.  The cringle block is just visible below the boom.  The next picture shows both tackles rigged.

 

 

In the next picture the port fall is being belayed to the third pin on the fife rail.  As with other lines at this stage, no glue is used (yet), allowing further adjustment once the yard is secured at final height (next part).

 

 

The next picture shows the completed tackle under the port yard arm.

 

 

The last picture shows the cringle block stopped to a jackstay stanchion.

 

 

I plan to replace the permanent-style black lashing shown here with a more temporary hemp stopper knot.  This picture also shows the type of lashing used on the foot rope stirrups, the shackled attachment of the lift pendant, and some other blocks.  The block at the lower left is the halyard block for the lower studding sail yard and will not be rigged.  This block is strapped around the yard arm, simulating a lashed eye attachment.  The eye on the aft side of the band will connect the brace pendant, and the iron cheek block will pass the soon-to-be-installed lower topsail sheet chain.

 

 

Ed           

[AON]

re: 1/2" dowels, slots and screws.

I hadn't noticed the details.

Had to zoom in and there it is, nice holding/clamping jig!

[SJSoane]

Hi Ed,

Truly remarkable level of detail and craftsmanship. You continue to set the standard. And I really enjoy your summaries of the functions performed by the various parts. In conjunction with the clear photos, it helps reveal the logic of these exceptionally complex machines.

 

Mark

[rwiederrich]

Great job Ed...love it all.

It appears the fife rail is pulling from the deck on that last image?

 

Rob

[michael mott]

As Mark stated, the clarity and explanation of the complexities is superb.

 

Michael

[albert]

Hi Ed your model ship is very masterpiece,bravissimo.

[EdT]

Thanks, everyone.  I appreciate the comments and likes.

 

Alan, the yard-holding fixture is a work in progress that I am sure will go through some further iterations before it is ready to describe or recommend to others.  So far, I like its strength, portability and the multiple holes in the base for different-sized spars and perhaps different types of clamps, but the clamps shown need improvement.  I only have about an hour invested in this so far.

 

Mark and Micheal, thanks for the comment on the explanations.  Considering the amount of detail to digest in putting the model rigging configuration together, these are pretty summary descriptions, but I am starting to believe that understanding function is essential to designing model rigging and at the very least interesting to those who model it.  I am not a sailor and certainly no expert, so the journey through the sources has been an arduous one.  It seems that the least that I can do is share some of this - so I really appreciate your comments.

 

The complexity of this is far from addressed in my short explanations.  As an example, if you look at the photo of the fore fife rails in the last post, you will see the crossing of lines from above.  So far, all my sources agree that the topping lift falls should be belayed on the foremost pins on each side, but those lines are aft of the yard while the line on the third pin and its soon-to-be-added neighbors are forward of it - directly under the center of the yard.  This doesn't seem right, and the issue may be trivial, but I continue to search for a reason to change it, dragging in more sources that not only help with this, but often introduce new questions.  It can be exhausting.

 

Ed

[michael mott]

Ed your comments about the falls crossing is interesting, my first thoughts about this are regarding the topping lift, it is an important line on my sailboat because I can use it in a hurry to spill wind off the mainsail in a hurry (immediately) I am not sure about square riggers but there would not be any doubt that the first pins would be logical from a speed point of view there being no confusion in a panic. One obviously doesn't want panic on such complex sailing vessels, but nature can require very prompt action at times.

 

Part of that old "form follows function" idea.

 

Michael