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| 6pkrunner |
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  Registered Member #1305 Joined: Thu Dec 02 2010, 12:49amPosts: 36 | This started as a reply to another thread and once again got away from me. Sorry. I've already done the Thermopylae and Cutty Sark in the 1980s and decided it was time for a good old Nova Scotian vessel. Well Donald McKay was born in Jordon Falls, Nova Scotia but moved to Boston (Newburyport) to build ships. The Flying Cloud has been done many times by many people so I wanted a road a little less traveled. The Flying Fish was the fourth extreme clipper build by McKay's yard in 1851. I've done a lot of research into her and have on hand two sets of plans from Model Shipways that are the main source of reference. The original plans are from a 1953 Model Shipways version and there is an updated set from the late 1980's when a painting by James Edward Buttersworth was unearthed that was commissioned by Sampson & Tappan. They redesigned the kit from the strength of Buttersworth painting. However in some respects Model Shipways didn't follow the painting. I don't quite understand the rationale behind this. Anyway I'm using both sets of plans and as much written reference as I could amass over a three plus year period. There's no actual photographs I've located of her, but about 8 different paintings - almost all them contradictory in details. Could be modifications to her over time, or just plain incorrect. But given Buttersworth reputation, he'll carry the swing vote for both his reputation for accuracy and also the commissioning of the painting was just after her launch in 1851. I held the hull length at 71.5 inches which produces the oddball scale of 1:36.9. As with my other builds she's being built completely on board ship. Given that I now only do 3 months at sea, its a several year project. Well except for stepping her masts and booms. Given the overall size she'll be when done, whatever room she's in when the masts are stepped is where she'll stay. The mainmast is 58.53 inches above deck. The main boom will be 26.01 inches and with studding booms extended 46.43 inches. So where she's finished, she stays. A few shots of this past year. Start up during the May trip. As there are no woodworking facilities on board other than what tools I can carry on. The keel and frames were cut out ashore.  I had no planks with me so I started a rough cut at the masts. Here's a preliminary mock up. I now wonder about the scale I had chose. Its going to be big.  The masts moving along. I had no method of cutting the fished wedges on board nor any material for making the iron hoops so this is as far as they got.    The final trip of the year I had the planks bandsawed. The trip had been cut back to 21 days, so it was going to be a marathon of planking.   And with less than 12 hours left before docking the deck to keel planking is done.   I had two shipwrights-in-training assisting the final planking marathon.   The last few hours were spend recrating her for her winter hibernation. I doubt I'll do any work over the winter as the most free time is at sea. At the start of the year I had hoped to get most of the hull done, but with no planks and no work getting done the second trip due to the workload - I'll settle for this I guess. [ Edited Tue Dec 07 2010, 11:03pm ] | ||
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| Timothy |
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 Registered Member #252 Joined: Thu Aug 27 2009, 02:23pmPosts: 56 | 6pkrunner, have I missed some posts? I've been looking for a "progress report"........ I am very impressed with what's been accomplished! Could you post some pics of the previous builds? | ||
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| 6pkrunner |
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| Registered Member #1305 Joined: Thu Dec 02 2010, 12:49amPosts: 36 | I just got home 10 days ago from 2 months at sea. That's when I work on the Flying Fish. So I did have 2 months to work at her. The first thing was to get a balsa wood sub deck in place. I find the sub deck adds strength and uniformity to the deck planks rather than trying to bridge bulkheads. The deck portion of the bulkheads were scaled down to allow for the thickness of the sub deck so the actual top of the planking will be correct. Once the sub deck was in I could add the waterways and then planksheer. This allowed for the bulwarks and timberheads to be added.  There are 5 freeing ports on port and starboard. I made these from styrene so the final paint will show a more reflective (iron) surface than the surrounding wood bulwarks.  After the bulwarks I got tired of hull work so I switched up for the bowsprit and jibboom. Notice the Captain's sense of humor in the naming of the rear work area.   The bowsprit is only test fitted in position. The crate she resides in is not long enough to accommodate a fixed bowsprit/jibboom. When I depart the ship the Fish must be stowed in a locker two decks down from the work area here. The crate for the hull alone is difficult enough to manage through the stairways. The extra length would make it impossible to maneuver around the ship.  Next up was the decking. I didn't think I had enough 3/16" planks to complete the deck, but I was wrong. However at this scale the usual thread between the planks didn't pan out so well. Thankfully a shipmate had some tanner's thread that was just the perfect size. There wasn't enough to do the whole deck - but it was a start.  The hatches are mainly done, but I didn't have any captured rings to add to the hatch covers. Next time...   The aft companionway/light and grating were next up.  Finally the trunk cabin was built.   This effort took the entire two months and 11 days ago the old girl was crated back up and put away for another year. [ Edited Sun Aug 21 2011, 12:56am ] | ||
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| Gene Bodnar |
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  Registered Member #126 Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20amPosts: 1776 | Superb job on the Flying Fish. You mentioned using balsa as a sub-structure for your deck planking. I've done that before, too, and it works nicely. Another good material for sub-structures is airplane plywood, which is less than 1/64" thick and much sturdier than balsa. Micro-Mark sells it. Gene | ||
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| 6pkrunner |
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| Registered Member #1305 Joined: Thu Dec 02 2010, 12:49amPosts: 36 | Thank you very much Gene. That means a lot coming from you and your many fantastic builds I have followed over the years. And thanks for the heads up on the airplane plywood. I had never heard of it before. I really have a dislike for balsa due to its overly-softness. I hadn't used it for many years (kid building planes) and forgot about its less than stellar properties. I'll have to lay in a supply for next time I go at her. I like clean cuts, not crushed rips in the material going against the grain. Do you know of a good supplier for various links-per-inch chain? I believe that the Fish has at least 5 different chain sizes for her rigging......I know a long way off but I like to know that there is a bridge before I have to cross it. [ Edited Sun Aug 21 2011, 11:55am ] | ||
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| Gene Bodnar |
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| Registered Member #126 Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20amPosts: 1776 | 6pkrunner, Thanks for the compliment. The only source for a variety of different-size chain that I know of is here: http://www.modelexpo-online.com/search.asp Just enter "chain" in their search line. The big disadvantage of this source is that none of their chain is black, which I believe is what you need for the Flying Fish. However, they also sell Blacken-It, a chemical bottled liquid that you can use to turn most metals to black. Keep the photos coming when you return to the model. Gene [ Edited Sun Aug 21 2011, 04:54pm ] | ||
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| 6pkrunner |
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| Registered Member #1305 Joined: Thu Dec 02 2010, 12:49amPosts: 36 | Yes call the chain has to be black. I did know of Blacken-It (although I have never used it myself). If need be I was going to soak it in a diluted paint mixture for a few coats or so. | ||
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| twintrow |
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| Registered Member #121 Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 04:41amPosts: 417 | 6pkrunner Paint no matter how thin will stiffen the chain. If you want to do that to shape it OK, otherwise it looks weird. The " blacken it" won't stiffen the chain, only turn it black, it will still hang naturally. "blacken it" is a mild acid, so theoretically you could soak it in some coke or pepsi too, not sure if it would work or how long it would take. The commercial stuff is only a couple of bucks and lasts quite a while. It also helps to blacken eye bolts, etc. Much quicker and cleaner too. Tom | ||
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| 6pkrunner |
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| Registered Member #1305 Joined: Thu Dec 02 2010, 12:49amPosts: 36 | Thanks for the heads up Tom. The chain has to go black and I have never used Blacken It, but am willing to try anything. I don't want to have the paint buildup on the links and make it look too fat or goofy as you said. If Blacken It will just turn the links, that sounds like the best solution. I know in every build there are compromises and errors that are inevitable or just plain crop up - the ability to lessen one of them is greatly appreciated. I know the rigging is still a pipe dream away but foretold is forewarned. Thanks guys. | ||
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| Gene Bodnar |
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| Registered Member #126 Joined: Tue Jul 21 2009, 11:20amPosts: 1776 | 6pkrunner, Blacken-It does everything Tom says, and it's worth the small investment. It's easy to use, only takes a couple of minutes, and makes superbly realistic black chain. Gene | ||
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