Lightning by von stetina - 1/96 - extreme clipper

[rwiederrich]

OH..and I love the guns by the door.....My kinda modeler.  Trains, ships and guns........sweet.

 

Rob

[druxey]

Let's hope that it was your last motorcycle crash, Bruce! Nice set-up you have there, complete with Wallace and Gromit, I see.

[Jim Lad]

Yes, nice to see 'the lads' on the wall!

 

John

[von stetina]

I  love Wallace and Gromit!  And if anyone tries to boost them I'm ready for 'em with a clip load of hollow points!

 

And I sure do hope to keep the rubber side down from now on. Lord only knows when I'll afford another scooter!

 

And the pillow on the drafting table is for the big boss seen at left with me in the picture

 

Bruce

[Neil H]

Hi Bruce! I really enjoy your build and admire your skill both as a modeller and as an artist. I am new to modelling and have just got into it as a way to help learn about ships of our past and their construction. I am a full time Marine Artist as well, living in Vancouver Canada, and have mostly painted commercial ships while my confidence in tackling historic ships grows! It was a pleasure to see your artwork and your build, and I wish you continued success with both! I'll be following along with your build now that I have found it!

 

Neil Hamelin

 

Here is a link to my website showing my artwork if interested.

 

www.neilhamelin.com

[von stetina]

Hi Neil,

 

Very nice work ! Hard to believe you haven't been at it that long. I heartily recommend a look at your site listed above.

 

Nice job with the metal work on that pickup too, it's harder than it looks.

 

Bruce

[Mahuna]

Hi Neil and Bruce:

 

Thanks for sharing your websites with us - you both have awesome talent.  I'm enjoying seeing Bruce's work on Lightning, and I hope that Neil will share a build log with us soon.

 

And I love Laura's wildlife work.  I'm a bird carver, and think her birds are perfect!

 

Frank

[von stetina]

Thanks Frank,

 

I'll let her, she'll appreciate the kind words.

 

Bruce

[mathewp]

 Beautifully detailed model. Impressive stuff Bruce. Look forward to the rest.

     Matt

[mtaylor]

Neil,

You have a great website.  May I suggest an introductory post here:  http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/forum/3-new-to-the-hobby-or-msw/   I'm sure the other members who don't venture into the scratchbuild area would love to meet you and see your website.

[Neil H]

Thank you for the comments on my paintings! I don't mean to hijack or intrude upon Bruce's thread, so l'll do an introduction in the new member page. I did do that once before on the old site about a year ago, but I understand now that those old threads are gone. I am slowly building the Bluejacket Lackawanna Steam tug, as I have a real passion for the old tugboats and thought the model could make for a good painting reference, but lately it's the ships with sails that are captivating me!

 

Again, beautiful build Bruce, and I appreciate the comments towards my artwork! It's always a pleasure to meet another Marine Artist!

 

Neil Hamelin

www.neilhamelin.com

[von stetina]

I'm putting on the mizzen shrouds. Donald McKay used a sort of extra mast top, or preventer top a bit below the mast tpps on some of his ships. It must of help negate the twisting forces. It must have added a lot of strength. There are so many things like this about some of his clippers. One other is that some of Lightnings biggest sails had an "X"shaped canvas bracing on them going from corner to corner.

 

She had an unusual  mast/yard set up, she was very wide rather than lofty. I believe that he was trying to gain power this way hoping it would keep her from heeling overly much, making her a drier ship for the passengers.  It was regarded as A very dry ship, so maybe it worked, even though the James Baines company of Liverpool added to her height. Their messing with McKay's design really irks me,. No wonder they were called wood butchers.

 

I left each shroud piece with plenty of extra length. The back halves of the preventer tops should have been put on later as they interfered with making the shrouds top eyes as tight as I wanted. I had to test each one to see that it cleared.

 

I used #80 Egyptian cotton for the seizings. They were started by passing a needle through to top of the eye. The needle had to be made sharper and with a longer taper. I then seized the shroud pair to their deadeyes. I put enough tension in the line to just see my mast starting to pull out of line. After all the shrouds were on I put on the mizzen forestay. Same type of tension.

 

Shown are some of my rigging tools. A paint brush handle with  1/2 of a safety razor blade glued in cut the thread like it's not there.

The flush cutters cut the finest thread cleanly, better than scissors. They are Lundstrum brand. After wearing out several Xuron flush cutters I sprung for the good ones. Expensive but worth it seeing how fast the others wear out.

 

As you see the main shrouds going in you can realize why I'm working stern to bow. You can't get the foresays in otherwise.

 

Bruce

 

 

[EdT]

Excelent, Bruce - and a great explanation. Thanks for the tip on the Lundstrum cutters - worth the price of admission. McKay was sure a belt and suspenders guy - evidently not just in his framing.

 

Working stern to stem will be interesting to follow. The two toughest connections I had to make on Victory were the mizzen stay and the main topmast stay - seized to eyes in the deck behind all the running rigging behind the bases of the forward masts - not fun.

 

What material are you using for your ropemaking?

 

Ed

[Jim Lad]

That's looking first class, Bruce.

 

Do you fix the upper deadeyes to the piece of white card or plastic to get the spacing right?

 

John

[rwiederrich]

Fantastic.....just fantastic. I love rigging.

[von stetina]

Hi Ed, I'm using DMC Cordennet. It's  made of Egyptian cotton. My Seizings and such that need really small stuff is plain Egyptian cotton. The DMC is pretty clean, not much fuzz, the regular a bit fuzzier. I run my thread through an alcohol flame. I have a little glass bottle lamp that jewelers use. Wax sets down the rest of the fuzz well.    However, my good buddy's very fine cat hair tends to float over onto my rigging!  I have a tool called a stencil burner used in sign work. A quick swipe burns it off. I use this mainly for burning down those pesky nubs left over after trimming loose ends off my knots and etc. It has a fine sharp tip. I t looks like a miniature wood burning iron.

Trying to get in behind the shrouds to do the stays would have been awful. My modeling books all say start front to back. I found on this ship it wasn't going to work.  Doing the seizing would have been super frustrating. As it is I'm finding out that the greatest frustration about rigging is that the surplus thread hangs up on every little thing.

 

Hi John, my upper deadeyes are fixed to the plastic card with wire that fits snugly in the holes. One in the upper hole, and a second in a side hole. I used a thread tied to the mast head to get the angle on the eyes. Way back when I did the lower eyes and their chains I made dummy masts out of dowels and ran a thread. to lay them out.

 

Bruce

[rwiederrich]

Beautiful rigging..one question, why do you use a jig to set and seize your shrouds?  They are never perfectly aligned..not intended to be so...especially when you needed to tighten a loose shroud...after extremely high winds.  Also..I never understood builders who use tan running rigging for deadeye seizing.....natural rope tuned dark grey and almost black due to extreme weather exposure. I naturally weather all my models.....no sucha thing as a non weathered (REAL) ship. IMV

 

Thanks.....

 

Rob

Edited November 12, 2013 by rwiederrich

[Jim Lad]

Thanks for that, Bruce - that's a good idea for lining up the deadeyes!

 

John

[von stetina]

On A model of this type of exhibition the deadeyes need to be parrallel. With sails, or as a waterline model weathering could be appropriate. The ship is pretty much as launched. I'll explain later.

 

The plastic card is about 1/16 thick, enough to keep the pins from bending.

For the  lower deadeye method I'll back up a bit as it's a part of the rigging job.

After the channels are put on I made a full set of crappy dummy masts using dowels. I just glued and taped the doublings together. I glued wooden strips at the bolster location to hold the shroud and backstay at their location on the masts

 

The plans gave me the location for the deadeyes on the upper channel. I cut a slot to take the chain plate.

I then used the thread tied to the  doubling to locate the angle on the lower channel and hull. I marked it with a soft pencil.

The spacing and angles of the chainplates were on the plans, but I didn't want to chance trusting it.

 

Now I've used the actual mast the same way to mark the plastic cards. On the card I drew on the level of the top edge of the deadeyes. Wire is tied around the chainplate under each deadeye to hold the card in place on the channels. I held each deadeye in place as I drilled the holes through the card. The wire should be a push fit into the plastic. The wire needs to be stiff.

 

Then the shrou seizings each. I used # 80 Egyptian cotton for the seizings.

 

I don't know exactly what is correct for the lanyard color, but went with the same color as my running rigging. I looked at photos of the Cutty Sark.  Photos of other ships were used too. As far as remaining  parallel I figure usually as each shroud or whatever stretched it would be about the same for each group. On these ships they must have been tightened frequently.

 

The shrouds and backstays wrap in opposite direction on the deadeyes on each side, To the stern on starboard. To the bow on port.

 

If anyone needs clarification let me know.

 

 

Now about appearance as launched...Many clippers sold to British companies were sailed over un-coppered. It was done over there. The Lightning went over with a copper color painted bottom.

Now wouldn't that be confusing. It would need to be displayed in a location that would be concerned with a certain fixed time in history. I felt that most buyers would expect a sheathed bottom, and view the paint as a giving up on  a difficult part of the build. How out of place it would have looked in paint! I know I wouldn't want it!

So, is she built to be how she looked as a new ship after being coppered in Britian? Yes, but... They also heightened her masts and added yards. How did the rigging lead? Who knows, there sure isn't any room left on the channels. Add more channel? Who knows! A person could lose ones mind!!! 

 

I build everything for sale so need to take things like this into consideration I make my living doing paintings,sculpture/moldmaking, and scale exhibition models. The last few years mainly the models.

 

Bruce

[rwiederrich]

I see.  Yes many clippers were altered by their new owners...sometimes quite quickly upon receipt. I 'm in awe of your acute detail and goal of perfection.

 

I do not retain such a burden.  My humble builds are modeled upon my perceptions (through photographic evidence) of a more weathered *Used* modeled representation.  My build of the Glory of the Seas lent itself to ample license.....since she had undergone an extensive remodel around 1872.

 

Enough babble. 

 

I understand your position....and am duly impressed.

 

I'll not inflict myself upon you any further.

 

Rob

Edited November 12, 2013 by rwiederrich

[EdT]

Thanks for the information on the cotton, Bruce.  I used cotton for the seizings and serving on Victory, but was concerned about stretching on rope over time and also strength - in hindsight probably overconcerned.   I noticed that you prestretch the rope. I used Barbour Irish linen for my made rope.  It is virtually fuzz free and very strong.  I found that stretching it almost to the breaking point while still in the rope machine was enough to set it.  If I decide to rig YA I will give the DMC cotton another look.  I used mercerized cotton polyester for lines too small to be spun.  I have this theory that the polymer memory in polyester will keep it from sagging.  I also use an alcohol lamp to de-fuzz this.  What do you do for these small lines?

 

I too used cards for setting up the deadeyes - made from 1/16 hardwood.  I used thin wire through two holes in the upper deadeyes twisted at the back to secure them.  As I'm sure you have found, this method not only allows the shrouds to be tensioned with the deadeyes aligned, but also makes a convenient holder when making the seizings.

 

Thanks again for the tips.  I put a pair of those Lindstrom cutters on my wish list.

 

Ed

[Mahuna]

Hi Bruce:

 

Have you been able to find the DMC Cordennet in the appropriate colors, or are you dying it?  If so, what are you using for the dye?  I have a wide range of sizes of the DMC, all in ecru, and will need to color the rope.

 

Thanks,

 

Frank

[von stetina]

Hi Ed,

I stretch my made up rope in the machine too. After dying it I hang and stretch it by hand while wet and put on a weight and let it hang for a few days. Where did you find that linen? All that I could find was Londonderry and it has lumps and fuzz. I don't defuzz the tiny thread for the seizings. I was, but kept burning it. What I do is put my seizings on with undyed white thread. Then I mix India ink and white glue with a bit of water and paint that on the seizings, it lays down the fuzz. Any fuzz I see left I hit with my stencil burner. Next post with pics I'll put on a pic of the burner.

 

In case anyone wonders, Egyptian cotton is usable due to it's long fibers, which give it strength and less fuzziness. Regular cotton I would consider a no-no.

I used Londonderry linen on my first rigging attempt. It was stripped due to sagging. I had used shellac instead of conservators wax. This wax is used instead of beeswax as beeswax has some acidity and may deteriorate the thread. I thank Druxey for this info.

 

Frank,  I get my thread from a place called Fine Threads. I get it in ecru and dye it. I used India Ink split with about 1/4 water for black, and Raw Sienna FW acrylic ink mixed with some black India Ink.

 

Rob, no problem, feel free.

 

Bruce

[Elia]

Bruce,

 

I've been quietly watching your Lightning build progress and am now piping up to say what a beautifully executed model you've built. The detail at that scale is impressive (humbling). I first started taking note of clippers with Jim Hatch's Flying Cloud. Then Ed, and Rob, and now your too sweet Lightning. I had taken note of Lightning in Chapelle's Search for Speed Under Sail but hadn't seen any models of her and had wondered about the deck arrangement and those gangways. I may be getting hooked.....

 

Very very nice.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[rwiederrich]

I know right..Elia.  McKay built gang ways.....and his ship Donald McKay has only one gangway.....that is my next build.

 

Great work........

 

Rob

[EdT]

Bruce,  Here is a link to the type of Linen I use:

 

http://www.johnnealbooks.com/prod_detail_list/72/2

 

I cannot recall if I have bought from this supplier, but this is the stuff - Barbour.  Also, I cannot help you with size - the numbers have changed over the years.  I mostly used the smallest size I could find -No. 100 - it may now be 100/3.  The length of it on a 50 gram spool is about 950 yards.  I do not see this offered and have had no luck finding it elsewhere.  It is getting harder to find this.

 

In doing a quick search I came up with a couple of other possibilites:

 

http://www.wmboothdraper.com/Thread/thread_main.htm

 

http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=18576

 

I cannot vouch for these produsts but they might be worth a try.

 

 

Ed

[EdT]

Bruce,

 

I should have added:  the size I mentioned is .19mm in diam (.0076").  It is quite fine.  I have a set of sample made rope sizes somewhere with 1:96 dimensions for rope made from different linen sizes.   Let me know if this wiould be helpful.

 

Ed

[von stetina]

Thanks Ed, I'll check it out. I questioned two suppliers I use and neither could help. One supplies ship modelers with Londonderry and has a chart of scale size conversions. On this build I'm committed to what I've bought as I've bought twice now. This DMC Cordennet seems real nice. It has a nice "rope" look as is, and is very clean, only minor fuzz that burns right off. I sure do hope my rigging doesn't sag much this time, it's soaked in Conservator's Wax. I think I'll brush on a thinned coat on the long open stretches.

 

By the way, I thank you all for your kind comments.

 

Bruce

Edited November 13, 2013 by von stetina

[guillemot]

Hi Ed,

I stretch my made up rope in the machine too. After dying it I hang and stretch it by hand while wet and put on a weight and let it hang for a few days. Where did you find that linen? All that I could find was Londonderry and it has lumps and fuzz. I don't defuzz the tiny thread for the seizings. I was, but kept burning it. What I do is put my seizings on with undyed white thread. Then I mix India ink and white glue with a bit of water and paint that on the seizings, it lays down the fuzz. Any fuzz I see left I hit with my stencil burner. Next post with pics I'll put on a pic of the burner.

 

In case anyone wonders, Egyptian cotton is usable due to it's long fibers, which give it strength and less fuzziness. Regular cotton I would consider a no-no.

I used Londonderry linen on my first rigging attempt. It was stripped due to sagging. I had used shellac instead of conservators wax. This wax is used instead of beeswax as beeswax has some acidity and may deteriorate the thread. I thank Druxey for this info.

 

Frank,  I get my thread from a place called Fine Threads. I get it in ecru and dye it. I used India Ink split with about 1/4 water for black, and Raw Sienna FW acrylic ink mixed with some black India Ink.

 

Rob, no problem, feel free.

 

Bruce

I used to get Linen lace-making thread from a craft shop in Bath when I lived there. Try a needle work shop? As to preserving thread; on my current build I've been running thread through acrylic matt medium, which makes the thread rather stiffer, flattens fuzz and ought to protect it quite well. If anyone is looking for *really* fine thread there's always fly-tying material. The finest stuff I've run into is 'Uni-Thread' which is available in a stack of utterly unsuitable colours plus black and tan down to 0000. I've got a reel of the black and use it a lot for seizings etc. Only trouble is that stuff that fine I can't feel!

[EdT]

Thank you for this tip, Guillemot.

 

Ed