Young America by EdT - FINISHED - extreme clipper 1853

[BANYAN]

Terrific detail and very neat rigging Ed.  

 

cheers

 

Pat

[rwiederrich]

It don't get gooder than this Ed........MMMMMMM.

 

Great work.

 

Rob

[michael mott]

Always a good feeling checking into your build Ed, I like the micro chain trick, I shall have to remember that.

 

Michael

[rwiederrich]

I appreciate your application of twisted wire to simulate chain..I've seen this trick before, but you executed it smoothly.

 

I've not posted too much lately..been to distracted with the total eclipse coming so I'm focusing on my astronomy.

You're keeping my ship building fix alive though.....

 

Rob

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 224 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging 3

 

Jib Boom Guys

 

The jibboom and flying jibboom guys provided lateral support for the outer bowsprit.  They are 5 ½" rope at the forward ends and 54 links per fathom (lpf) chain where they pass through the whisker booms and back to where they belay to hearts on the outer rail.  I used the smallest (40 lpi) model chain available for this size chain.  The first picture shows the port jibboom guy secured and the starboard guy draped through its whisker boom cleat. 

 

 

Loose ends of both the line and the seizing yarn may be seen in the picture.  The rope sections are seized at both ends – to eyes on the boom and to the chains.  The next picture shows a seizing being tied at a boom eyebolt.

 

 

 

The rope is held taut with the alligator clip shown in the picture.  After tying each seizing a drop of darkened glue is placed on the knot.  When this has fully dried the excess seizing thread and the excess line are clipped off.  Another drop of diluted glue is applied to further seal the knot and the cut rope end.  At this stage the line is given an initial tension using the heart lanyards.  The next picture shows both jibboom guys essentially installed.

 

 

The next picture shows the 40 lpi chain at the whisker boom. 

 

 

This picture tells me that the whisker boom needs straightening.  These have occasionally run afoul of my hands and arms.  They are very vulnerable to this.  Perhaps the chains will help.

 

Flying Jibboom Guys

 

The flying jibboom guys are lighter, 3¾" rope and 74 lpf chain.  Chain of this size is made by twisting copper wire.  Some of this, with shackles soldered to the ends, is shown below.

 

 

 

 

This picture illustrates some variation in the simulated links per inch – very difficult to discern by the naked eye.  The next picture shows the outer guy on the starboard side and the hearts and lanyards on both guys on that side.

 

 

The eyebolts are anchored in toptimbers, spaced to keep the two sets of hearts from fouling each other.  Again, the lanyards are left unseized until final tensioning later.  The paper toweling in the picture was used to catch drips of the liver of sulfur solution used to touch up the blacking on the chains.  The next picture shows the chain sections of the guys on the port side.

 

 

The next picture is an ultra-close up of the two rope/chain seizings.

 

 

All the line used so far on the model is linen dyed with India Ink, except for some of the lashings that are cotton.  The seizing thread is black quilting cotton.

 

The foot ropes and lifelines that will complete this phase of the bowsprit rigging will be covered in the next part.

 

Ed

[Maury S]

Ed, Amazing work!  BTW, how is the anchor handled without fouling in the chains?

Maury

[EdT]

Very carefully, I would guess, Maury.

[BANYAN]

Hi Ed, very nice work as usual and a great level of detail for such a scale.  Enjoying this.

 

cheers

 

Pat

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 225 – Bowsprit Standing Rigging

 

Foot Ropes/Lifelines

 

Footropes from the bowsprit cap out to the end of the flying jibboom allowed crew to work along the jibbooms on tasks like furling and bending outer jibs.  Because of the inclination of the bowsprit these ropes were knotted along their length to prevent slipping.  There was a single stirrup supporting the center of the foot rope.  The first picture shows a prefabricated, 3½" footrope ready to be installed. 

 

 

The forward end of the rope is eye spliced, as are both ends of the short stirrup.  Both these eyes have lashing thread tied to the eye.  The lower end remains unspliced.  The eye at this end will be formed with the rope in place so the length can be set.

 

In the next picture the port footrope and its stirrup have been lashed to eyebolts along the spar and the attachment to the cap is being formed.

 

 

The weight of the surgical clamp suspended from the center holds the stirrup straight so the foot rope length can be set.  The lashing thread at the cap is passed through the eyebolt and tied to the rope where the eye splice will be made.  The loose rope end is threaded through itself at that point to form the eye which is then glued.  The alligator clip is clamping the eye splice while the glue dries.  The lashing at the cap will then be completed.  The next picture shows an eye splice lashed to an eyebolt.

 

 

The next picture shows an all-too-typical tangle of clamps and thread ends during the process.

 

 

In this picture, lifelines from the knightheads out to an eye in the top of the cap band may be seen.  These are secured like the footropes with spliced eyes and lashings.

 

The last two pictures show the completed standing rigging of the bowsprit.

 

 

More standing rigging lines will be added later, but these will be components of the foremast structural rigging.  There will also be various running rigging lines added later – mostly those associated with jibs and staysails.

 

 

All of this bowsprit rigging could have been done before the lower masts, since with the fore stay attached to the knightheads, it is independent of those structures.  However, the bowsprit should be rigged before the fore topmast, so its stay can be secured and tensioned with the bowsprit rigging in place.

 

Next: the fore topmast.

 

Ed

[Mahuna]

Beautiful work, Ed.  It must take patience and dexterity to get this level of detail. 

[Sailor1234567890]

It could pass for full scale if there weren't tools and hands in some of the images.

[druxey]

Brilliant progress in the two weeks I've been away, Ed!

[alde]

Modelers art at its best Ed. Thank you for sharing your build.

[EdT]

Thanks you all for the comments and likes.  Welcome back, Druxey.

 

Ed

[amateur]

Like sailor said it above: it is the background that tells you it is a model!

[EdT]

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 226 – Fore Topmast 1

 

The fore topmast is only slightly less complex than the jibboom.  It has two sheaves, one below its cross-trees for the upper topsail halyard tie, and one near the base to aid in erecting the mast.  The base is square, the area below the hounds is octagonal and the minimum diameter of the spar is below the hounds so that the top of the hounds flare out to provide a seat for the cross-trees.

 

As with the jibboom, mortises for both sheaves and one at the base for the mast fid were milled into the still-squared, untapered "first trim."  In the jibboom post (Part 217), I mentioned using an edge-finer to center the mortises on the spar, rather than relying on pencil-marked center lines.  This method eliminates error inherent in visually using a marked line.  The edge finder that I used, set in the 3/8" Sherline mill holder, is shown in the first picture.

The finder is precisely 0.375" inches in diameter.  The lower section of the finder is offset from the center but moves freely in the radial direction.  The pointed section at the bottom is not used in this instance. 

 

The first step was to align the fixed jaw of the milling vise parallel to the mill's X-axis.  This was done using a dial test indicator mounted in the spindle as described in an earlier post.  The edge finder was then installed in the spindle and used to precisely locate the face of the fixed jaw of the vise relative to the spindle centerline.  The next picture shows this being done.

In the picture, the finder has been lowered so the bottom part is able to rub against the vise jaw.  With the mill running, the jaw is brought slowly into contact with the lower section of the finder.  As the vise is moved inward, the lower section of the finder becomes more centered.  When the jaw has reached the precise diameter of the finder shaft, the bottom section "kicks out" to the left as shown above.  The finder is then removed and the vise moved further inward by one-half the finder's diameter, 0.1875".  The spindle is thus centered precisely over the fixed vise-jaw face.

 

In the next picture, a 1/32" bit has been fitted into a chuck on the spindle and the vise advanced by one half of the actual diameter of the spar blank, bringing it precisely over the centerline of the spar.

For this very light work, the bit is held in a drill chuck.  Due to the size of the spar and the short length of the milling bit, the mortises must be cut from both sides, further heightening the need for accurate centering.  The less critical lengths of the mortises are set visually by lines marked on the spar.  I cut all the mortises with the bit shown, then enlarge to the final width later using small files.

 

The next picture shows the spar with two of the mortises cut.

 Because the lower sheave is set 45 degrees from the fore and aft slots and is located on the full-diameter, untampered lower end, this milling was later done by the same method after the octagonal shape was formed on the spar.  The next picture shows the rough tapering of the square blank using a cabinet scraper.

The area below the hounds is being tapered from both directions to the minimum mast diameter as shown below using a flat file.

In the next picture the mast has been fully shaped. 

The bottom is left square with chamfered corners, the hounds are left octagonal and the masthead is left square.  The final diameter of the lower section was refined to its final size using the mast cap as a gauge.  The last picture shows the topmast temporarily mounted on the lower mast.

As with the bowsprit cap, the mast cap shown here was easy to make because the lower masthead tenon and the diameter of the lower end of the topmast are 18", converting to a convenient ¼" drill size at 1:72.  Precision in mast cap dimensions is important so that the masts will be properly aligned.  For all the remaining caps, where the hole sizes are less convenient, a different process will be described later. 

 

Ed

[Mirabell61]

Beautiful work Ed,

 

love that bow decoration and the involved metal works...., just as the rest of your recent wonderful fitting out...

 

Nils

[AON]

seeing it again in this post I have got to say I absolutely have to make one of those cam lock table top holder devices 

[Jack12477]

34 minutes ago, AON said:

seeing it again in this post I have got to say I absolutely have to make one of those cam lock table top holder devices 

Me too !

[Srodbro]

Can we trouble you to post a full pic of that cam- lock device?

[Sailor1234567890]

A full pic of YA so far would be nice as well if it's not too much trouble. TIA

[archjofo]

Hi Ed,
I am impressed by your performance.
This precision at this scale.
This is model construction at the highest level.

[EdT]

Thank you all for the comments and likes and for the continued interest in this project - now approaching its 4th year.  I seem to take mostly close-up pictures but here is one I took today of the full model in its dust case.  You will note construction not yet described in the posts.  Running a bit behind on the posts.

 

 

Below is a photo of the two fixtures I am using to hold larger spars.  The one with the cam levers is used to hold square straight of tapered pieces. The one above is used to pare off the corners to form octagons and to do final rounding.  It has various sizes of v-grooves along the top and dowel stops at one end of each groove.  They are very simple to make using scrap material.  The bases are 2x4 and 2x3 wood that can be held in my bench vise.  The working surfaces are 3/4" thick pine, supported at the ends, with screws in the center to curve the working surface so that curved spars like yards will lie flat.  Spacers are used to return the working surface to straight.  The cam shapes are thin plywood held by flat head screws.  The cam shapes and spacing require some trial and error to fit a range of sizes.

 

Ed

[AON]

thank you very much. This photo and explanation is very much appreciated and have been printed for one of my very soon side projects.

(we have the wood!)

I feel I might be asking too much but can I see an end view of the top jig with the v-notches?

[rwiederrich]

Fantastic work Ed as usual.  I was wondering...I suspected the mast cap to be parallel with the tops..you opted to make it perpendicular to the rake of the lower mast.

 

And you have that beautiful yard....do you have steps outlining its construction along with the truck build?

 

Rob 

Edited August 19, 2017 by rwiederrich

[BANYAN]

Hi Ed, many thanks for your photos of the jigs and YA; she is looking stunning in that shot and I know you still have a lot of rigging detail to add.

 

I am a 'little thick' when it comes to visualising some things and having difficulty in understanding your comment about the centre line screw at the top, in the top jig, so that a curved spar will lie flat?  I thought that laying them in the V groove would hold them, what is the purpose of creating the curve then straightening it with a wedge?  I am sure there is a reason otherwise you would not have done it.  I have assumed the curve was in the lateral dimension, but you may mean the longitudinal dimension?  If the latter, does that mean the bottom end of the bed sits on the base and forms an expanding gap into which you drive the wedge at an appropriate point to cause a bend such the tip of the rounded spar sits at the bottom of the groove (for support while working it)?

 

Could you also, if it is not giving too much away (from your forthcoming book) provide the dimensions of your cams?  I understand that different shapes/sizes may be needed for different stock but this would be a good starting point (and I admit my self-interest here as I am also working 1:72)

 

cheers

 

Pat

[AON]

no need for the additional photo of the v-notch as I found a good one on Page 80 post dated July 22

 

thank you

Alan

[EdT]

Thanks for these comments and questions.

 

Alan,  below is a picture that I think shows what you want.

 

The grooves are simply v-grooves of a few different depths to accomodate different size of spar.  Dowel stubs are inserted at the end as stops.

 

Pat, this picture should help answer your question.  I apologize for the brief cryptic explanation of the curving of the bed, so I will expand a bit.  In the picture the center of the bed is being depressed by tightening one of the two screws placed on the center line of the bed for this purpose.  The picture shows one of the masts.  These masts have their maximum diameter at the partners and taper down in both directions in a curve.  Yards are similarly curved from the center to the ends.  Curving the bed of the fixture to roughly fit this curvature allows the spar to lay flat on it entire length so it does not rock when shaping.  This was the purpose of elevating the bed off the base that is held in the vise.  This curvature is not always needed, so to straighten the bed the screws are loosened.  However, after curving, the bed takes a set, so to return it to flat, a spacer is inserted under the center.  This spacer is the thickness of the end supports.  Note the screws at the end of the bed.  These hold down the ends when the spacer is forced in after loosening the screws.  

 

On the other fixture the cams are about 3" long with a 1 1/4" diameter at one end.  The screw is offset by about 1/4".  However, these are not perfect and I suggest some trial and error.  Also, the cams at their tightest point should just about touch.  Hope this helps.

 

Rob, I have seen caps on some models that were parallel to the tops, i.e. horizontal, but have my doubts that many tops were made this way.  This would require an angled mortise and tenon that would be difficult to make, would be much less strong, and would be more complicated to install.  Crothers shows caps in his book perpendicular to the mastheads, but but shows them two different ways (??) on his YA drawing made much earlier.  I have found other instances of Crothers updating his designs in the later book.  Builders schematic spar plans  sometimes show them horizontal.  A more authoritative reference is Fincham, 1843 Mastmaking.  This was a widely used source at the time and goes into extreme detail on how to make masts, etc.  Fincham was one of Crothers main sources for his book.  I have attached the relevant pages below.  You will see that the square hole is tapered just 3/4" bottom to top on the fore and side faces only (called strengthening down) with the aft face "is square or made perpendicular through to the underside."  You will find this on page 261 para 1.  P 263 describes fitting the masthead tenon.  I went with Fincham.

 

Rob, I will provide an overview of making the yards and the truss in a future post and will fully describe the process, including the "made" lower fore and main yards in the book, Volume III.

 

By the way, I have been encouraged by my publisher to mention that Volume II is available and selling well.  Comments from those who have received it have been very encouraging and gratifying.  Special thanks to all those happy customers.

 

Thanks for the questions, guys.

 

Ed

Fincham mastmaking 1843 mast caps.pdf

Edited August 19, 2017 by EdT

[michael mott]

Ed, once again thank you for your dedication to teaching us about your methods and technical information. I look forward to being set up again to implement some of the ideas that you have illustrated. The curving of the spar jig is a great idea, I see other applications for this one as well, sometimes when flattening a warped sheet a device like this has potential. instead of just pulling down the centre one could warp the base to match the warp in the sheet, then plane the top side flat. In my view this is better than shimming up the offending corner or corners.

 

I take possession of the new shop next Wednesday.

 

Michael

[druxey]

Excellent mod to the spar holder to accommodate tapered sticks! Brilliant solution, Ed.