Arethusa by Elia - 1907 Knockabout Banks Fishing Schooner

[stelios]

Elia,

 

Greetings from Athens and Happy Birthday!

I silently follow your project!

cheers

Stelios 

Edited April 29, 2013 by stelios

[texxn5]

Looks very nice.....good work.

[Elia]

Oh I've been away from here too long.

Anja and Stelios - thank for the birthday wishes. It was a fun day!

John - Thank you. I've got the yellow stripe repainted and am working on a bunch of little details from the hull - deadeyes, chainplates, ring bolts, cleats, cat heads, and other small things before the hull gets finished.

Cheers,

Elia

Edited October 11, 2013 by Elia

[rwiederrich]

Cool

 

Rob

[Elia]

Shipwrights - it has been a long time since I last posted progress on Arethusa.  I have been working away on her, in little snippets of time here and there.  Springtime turned to summer, when my modeling usually all but ceases, replaced by outdoor activities.  Autumn typically welcomes the shipwright (me!) back to his work shop.  This year my wife and I decided to embark on a large home improvement project and it has taken far more time and energy than initially estimated.  That resulted in less model time than I had hoped for.  I am now getting a little modeling time in and following are some progress photos.

 

The saga of the yellow cove stripe is almost over.  I had removed the offending strip of wood, per my previous postings, glued in the repair strip, and spackled, sanded and faired it.  I then painted the yellow stripe region.  After the painted dried for a couple of days I applied the 1/64” wide masking tape.  It was surprisingly difficult for me to get it to run straight and true along the new piece of wood.  ?!  Once in place I painted a light coat of the yellow over the masking tape to seal its edges for bleed under by the black topcoat, which followed.  The resulting stripe looks thin and yellow, as desired, though it wanders a wee bit. I think I’ll live with it.  As you can see if the accompanying photo I’ve added some white to the scuppers.  All of my remediation work had filled in the scuppers with spackle, sanding dust, primer, and paint.  I cleaned out the scuppers and applied some of my white paint as touch-up.  Once the chainplates are attached I’ll apply black topcoat and it should look tidy (at least that is the plan).

 

Speaking of chainplates - I have been working away on those details.  First off was making the deadeyes.  Ron (Oneida build) was very helpful in providing me a direction in which to proceed regarding making my deadeyes.  I followed his lead, similar to Harold Underhill, in making a jig to locate the lanyard holes and setting the height of the deadeye.  

 

I don’t know if you shipwrights ever see a detail on the full size ship that just sticks with you and you find you need to model it, but that happened to me on the deadeyes.  The large Gloucester schooners had deadeyes which were iron stropped to the chainplates.  That in itself isn’t unusual.  What is unique (in my mind at least) was that the strops were double wire loops.  Not one, but two iron strops restrain the deadeye to the chainplate.  I had purchased britannia deadeyes from Blue Jacket Shipcrafters for Arethusa but upon inspection I found I could not easily make the purchased deadeyes accept the double iron strop arrangement.  Thus I set off on making the lower deadeyes.  I used boxwood as it is hard, has little grain direction, and cuts and sands cleanly.

 

The larger deadeyes on the larger schooners were 7” to 7 1/2” in diameter and the width was about 5”.  On my model the ones I’ve made are 0.160” diameter (4mm) and 0.10” thick.  The smaller lower deadeyes were 5 1/5” in diameter, and my model ones are 0.115” diameter (3mm).  Interestingly these double stropped deadeyes are essentially flat faced, making fabrication a little easier.

 

My deadeye fabrication process was as follows:

 

Shape wooden rod from square stock using chisels to form first an octagon, chuck it in a hand drill, and use progressively fine grits of sandpaper to sand to the final deadeye diameter.

 

Using the little jig and a pin vise drill the three lanyard holes.

 

Chuck the dowel in my benchtop drill press.  Use the jig to mark the final width/cut of the deadeye with a fine kerf saw (on the drill press).

 

Use a triangular section file to create the strop grooves (on the drill press).  This was the most inconsistent part of my process as I didn’t have (or use/implement) some ‘tool rest’ with which to steady the file.  Remove the deadeye from the drill press and saw off the deadeye at the previously marked line.

 

Finish drilling through the lanyard holes.

 

I eased the holes with a micro “V” shaped gouge, followed by using the lanyard hole drill bit in the pin vise, rotated slowly, and angled to create a shallow groove.  All edges were then lightly sanded.

 

I have made the chainplates, both (16) longer ones for the lower shrouds and (4) shorter ones for the upper shrouds.  I used a jig to locate the chainplates for drilling the bolt holes.  The upper loops are soldered.  A few extras were made as I typically lose or mess up some when working through the fabrication steps.

 

I have fabricated the jumbo, jib, and flying jib stay ironwork from brass sheet stock.

 

I have made some cleats:

 

And some chocks:

 

And for the deadeyes I have begun making the double iron strops.  Here is a photo of my jig for forming the strop from 26 gauge brass wire.  I solder the one loop end, trim off the excess wire, and file it to resemble a hoop end.  I then use a larger drill bit shank to wrap the double strop around and straighten the hoop ends.

 

Once the strops are complete I'll proceed with assembling the deadeyes to the chainplates.  I intend to stain the deadeyes black and paint the strops (before attaching them to the deadeyes) dull silver (for they were galvanized).  I'm scheming now on how to solder the bolt and nut hardware, joining the iron strops to the chainplate.

 

Hopefully it won't been almost a year before I post further progress!

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[michael mott]

Elia, great work on the dead eyes and strops, are you silver soldering the chainplates and if so what solder and flux are you using.

 

Michael

[j21896]

Hi Elia,

 

Great to see progress photos on Arethusa!  Love that overall shot of the hull -- she's so sleek, and that is fine paint work!  And nice job with the deadeye fabrication as well.  It's always a pleasure to view your work.

 

Cheers,

Robert

[rlb]

Beautiful and precise work, Elia.

 

Lots of little pieces to make, and they all look great. 

 

Ron

[Elia]

Michael, Robert, Ron,

 

Thank you very much for checking in on Arethusa and the very kind comments.  

 

Michael, I have been using Stay Brite solder and flux, purchased from Micro Mark.  I have used true silver solder paste and flux in the past but have had difficulties and inconsistent results with it.  I am sure its my technique and process that are at issue, not the product.  I just seem to have far better luck/results with Stay Brite.  I have also used TIX lower temp solder from Micro Mark in the past.  I will likely use the TIX when I solder the pin into the strop and chainplate since those two elements already have Stay Brite solder on them (which fixes at a higher temperature).  I also hope (to be tested shortly) that the lower temp doesn't do much, if any, harm to the stained deadeyes and partially painted strops.

 

Robert, Yes she has a pretty hull.  McManus was a fine designer.  Once those white streaks are eliminated I think it will the paint job will be where I want it to be.  I plan on using Dullcote as a protective layer over the relatively soft artist acrylics and a sheen duller (is that even a word?!).

 

Ron, lots and lots of little parts.  I'm nervously awaiting the time for soldering the tiny washers onto the bolt at chainplate assembly…those little washers are a challenge to use.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[Alfons]

Nice work Elia! Having spent quite few hours soldering such small parts I am fully aware of the challenges. You should be very happy with the result.

I have started working with my schooner again, keep your eyes open for my next post if you like, it will show the completed bow spirit.

 

Regards, Alfons

[Padeen]

Great to see some progress on Arethusa, Elia! 

You did a superb job on the deadeyes and chain plates, thank you for sharing the fabrication steps with us.

[Elia]

Hi Alfons and Padeen,

 

Thank you for stopping in on Arethusa.  I hope to make more progress in the coming weeks.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[ASAT]

Elia, beautiful as usual, that yellow stripe has got to be tiny! I don't see it wavering in the pics..... Your metal work is just awesome - those details are what set you and Ron and a few others on here apart from us mere mortals... great to see you back at it!

 

Lou

[Blackie]

Elia, I am in awe of your workmanship and attention to detail - fabulous.

Thank you

Blackie

[Elia]

Lou, Blackie,

 

Thank you very much for stopping on Arethusa and for the very kind and generous comments. That yellow stripe by and large runs pretty true. It is quite thin - rather amazingly thin masking tape is the trick. There are a few spots where it wavers just a whisker, but in one location, to my eye, it's somewhat of a doosie. [the more I think and write about it the more I think of redoing it!]. Lou, it was quite some time that I was away from working on Arethusa and it is good to be back working with wood and brass. I look forward to getting the hull completed and starting on the masting and rigging.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[captainbob]

Glad to see you back and working on this fine boat.

 

Bob

[Elia]

Thank you, Bob. It is good to be active again.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[Elia]

Shipwrights - a little progress on my dearest Arethusa.  Third time is a charm, at least for me and the yellow cove.  I redid one last section of it on the starboard bow, eliminating the last offensive (to me) waver.  Done.  Yipee!  I have added the ship's name and hail port in the appropriate locations, using Woodland Scenic Dry Transfer letters, and have repainted much of the upper hull black.  I have completed the checker board guide installations, the boom buffer, the cleats, the chocks, and the stanchion located ringbolts.  I have also installed guide pins for the deck furniture to ensure proper placement and to ensure better retention of the components.  It is surprising how much time all of those little elements time.

 

 

Though not show here in photos I have completed 16 of the 20 double wire strops for the deadeyes, have stained the deadeyes (Minwax Ebony stain), and have fabricated/soldered much of the catheads.  I hope to show all of these elements assembled in the not too distant future.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

Edited August 27, 2014 by Elia

[bhermann]

Elia - that cove line section looks VERY crisp now - nice re-work  The rest of the details shown also are very sharp.  I will have to look into the Woodland Scenic transfers - they seem to be a nice addition as well.

 

Bob

[rlb]

Elia,

 

Always great to see your work--so clean and to scale, and the first thing I thought looking at the full profile is that those colors really look good together.  I also thank you for the transfer lettering info.

 

Ron

[j21896]

That is a handsome ship model Elia!  The crispness of the building is nicely complimented by the crispness of the paint job.  Beautiful!

 

Cheers,

Robert

[michael mott]

Elia what a grande job you are doing! your rework of the yellow cove looks superb The shot looking down on the deck is really neat. Nice work on the lettering.

 

michael

[Elia]

Bob, Ron, Robert, Michael,

 

Thank you very much for your interest and comments on Arethusa. Thanks also go to those who have looked in and 'liked' Arethusa.

 

With the cove in ship shape and the remediation covered under a nice coat of hull black Arethusa is looking better. I've learned a lesson on that cove - similar future details will just be pin stripe masked!

 

On my Smuggler build I first encountered dry transfer decals and while I had a few minor issues with them I did like their application and look. I gave carving the name and hail in wood the old college try, on test pieces of course, but couldn't get the widths of the components of each letter thin enough for my liking and settled on these. My attempts at hand carving were pretty bad, and using a Dremel with a 1/32 inch diameter bit yielded only slightly better results. Woodland Scenics have many fonts, colors, and sizes, allowing for (at least close) matching to what is known of a ships name lettering. I am happy with the results and they were rather easy to apply.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

 

PS I soldered and fabricated 13 more ringbolts, the last four lower deadeye strops, and four bullseye strops and eyebolts today - yeah.

[Alfons]

Very nice work Elia! I especially like the lettering, you have inspired me to do this on my schooner as well. Do you have any experience with the letters that comes with the blue jacket kit? I will check out those you used, am not sure if the company will ship overseas though.

 

The yellow line looks superb as well.

 

Keep up the good work.

/Alfons

Edited December 20, 2013 by Alfons

[Elia]

Alfons,

 

Thanks! Yes, I did use the dry transfer letters and transom artwork that came with the Blue Jacket Kit. Those were my first experience with them and I initially had difficulty in learning how to apply them since there weren't any extras with which to practice. Those decals worked well. I think the biggest challenge was that transom decal, which is fairly large, and the need to position it across the curved transom during application. If I recall it moved on me once or twice but worked out in the end.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

Edited December 22, 2013 by Elia

[Alfons]

Thanks Elia. I was not sure weather the Blue Jacket decals were of dry or wet type. I think I will try to order the woodland decals from my local dealer, to use for practice. Placing an order directly with woodland would cost me $24 in shipping..

 

/Alfons

[Elia]

Small progress update Arethusa. I've been working more of the fiddly bits of ironwork for the deck. Following are chainplate assemblies.

I mentioned previously that I was 'stuck' on making the double stropped lower deadeyes. I had fashioned the strops from 0.015" diameter brass wire, looping it around two pins a given distance apart on a wood board. I pinched the wire adjacent to each pin, and soldered the overlap of the two free ends with Stay Brite solder. After trimming the excess, and sanding the soldered end into somewhat reasonable shape I used a drill bit which as about the same diameter as the deadeyes to create the strop shape. Pliers were used to straighten the 'lug' ends of the strop. Once those were all formed I painted the entire strop dull silver except for the non-soldered lug end.

Here is a photo of the some of the parts in manufacturing sequence. On the left is a straight strop after the one end was soldered and sanding/filed. Next to it is a formed hoop strop, the deadeye, the brass rivet, and the chainplate. Next is the soldered assembly. And last is the assembly with the rivet stem trimmed off.



Here is a photo of all of the parts prior to mass soldering production:


Here is a photo of my soldering pad and the assembly secured with wire and a pin:

I placed the manufactured 0.8mm head diameter rivet head at the end of the strop which had been soldered so that the other end, which would be soldered to the unpainted strop was as far away from the strop soldered joint as possible - to mitigate as much as possible the heat from the full assembly soldering from damaging the first soldered joint. This may have been overkill, as the second soldered joint was made using TIX, which has a melt temp of 270F, whereas Stay Brite has a melt temp of 450F or so. In any case the plan worked acceptably. There were variations in forming of the strop loops, and the soldered joints, resulting in more than I want, but all in all acceptable to proceed with.

The final parts assembled, trimmed, and touch up silver paint applied.


Soon I'll install them on the ship.

Cheers,

Elia

Edited August 27, 2014 by Elia

[Alfons]

Very impressive work Elia!

 

For my schooner I will use the chainplates that comes with the kit, what you have done is above my level of craftsmanship.

 

Keep up the good work.

/Alfons

[Elia]

Alfons,

 

Thank you. I have no doubt you would make absolutely outstanding chainplates if you chose to.

 

Funny thing - when I ordered the deadeyes from Blue Jacket I hadn't realized that the lower deadeyes were doubled stropped. So I had ordered single grooved deadeyes. In fact, Blue Jacket sells double stropped deadeyes! And they also sell entire stropped deadeye/stropped/chainplate Britannia castings! Ordering those would have surely made my life easier. But then I wouldn't have had this modeling experience, one I'm thankful to have worked through.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[Dimitris71]

Good morning Elia, beautiful ship and amazing job you got there. The result is rewarding.Dimitris