Alvin Clark

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

The next section of waterway is temporality clamped in place. Its better not to glue it to the other section of the waterway because frames 8 to 1 have a bevel which must be sanded into the frames so it is best to fit this section of the waterway as a separate piece.


Set frames 1 to 7 in place and glue the bracing. The waterway is not at this time in its proper place. Use the waterway only to locate the top timbers. . This completes all the full frames forward of frame 18.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

I rRemoved the center section of the waterway and glued the next section towards the stern on to the end. To prevent any chance of twisting or out of alignment of the waterway, I clamp the two pieces across the corner of a piece of plate glass. With the waterway pieces held firm to the glass another clamp is used to hold the scarf joint tight.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

The two center sections of the waterway are glued to the stern sections and the next 4 frames aft of frame 32 are set in place. Forward of frame 18 all the frames up to frame 1 have been set into the hull and spacer blocks are glued between the frames. In this hull the notch in the waterway locates all the odd numbered frames. The even numbered frames are shorter and fit under the waterway. These shorter frames float between the frames keyed in with the waterway notch. The short frame were easy to install between the notched frames. Frames 19 to 31 in the center of the hull are skipped over because they are half frames and setting them will require the waterway being in its correct position, the waterway at this point in the build runs straight and does not follow the sheer of the hull. The filler blocks are sanded to produce a nice snug fit between frames and their thickness did vary from .200 to .207. The system of using filler blocks produces a very strong and rigid hull and will hold up to the sanding that is later needed to give the hull its final shape.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

The crew is bringing in a load of 4 x 4s to brace up the framing aft of the center section. Each frame has been leveled and glued into its notch in the keel.



The next step of the operation will be setting in the frames between the ones that were just set up and braced.



The last stern section of the waterway is sitting on the ground and will be glued to the mid section the same way the bow seaction was done.




A view looking down the hull we can see the frames are all sitting fair with no frame being out of position.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Frames in the midsection are half frames. Care must be taken to insure the frames are assembled correctly. The top timber that goes through the notch in the waterway is at the forward part of the frame. In the photo above the frame on the left was assembled incorrectly. When placed in the keel notch the top timber will not line up with the notch. The frame on the right is assembled correct and when placed in the keel notch the top timber will fall in line with the waterway notch.


To set the half frames the waterways have to be set to their proper height. Measure the waterway on the plans at frame 32 this happens to be 2.117 inches. By placing a 4 x 4 cut the exact height of the waterway and set against the frame the spacer block is to high and will have to be cut down.



At frame 18 the same thing was done as with frame 32. A measurement was taken off the plans and the spacer block was cut down to match the correct height.



The waterway is set on frame 18 and frame 32 then clamped in place




Two timbers cut to the correct height at the center between frames 18 and 32 and glued to the bottom of the waterway and to the glass base. The waterway starts at frame 18 at 2.728 dips to 2.700 at the middle and rises at frame 32 to 2.711. This set up acts like a jig

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Setting the waterway to the correct height sets the frames when they are placed in their notch. The mid ship frames have a deadrise and you would either have to pick a point along the floor and measure up from the glass base to set the height of the frame.



By setting the waterway to the correct heigh lifting the frame until fits against the bottom of the waterway.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

A frame is lifted into place and guided into the notch while a crew uses pry bars to wedge a timber under the floor.



Another view of setting a half frame into place. The floor has a notch, which sets into a notch cut into the keel.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

The first step for installing the half frames is to place all the frames with top timbers into the notches.



Next is to add the short frames. Between the top timbered frames. Do this the same way the rest of the hull was built by using filler blocks between the frames. Start at frames 18 and 32 and work your way to the center where the two supporting posts are located.



When the frames and spacer blocks are glued into place the waterway will be stable. At this point break out the two center supporting braces and add the last two frames at the center and glue spacer blocks in place.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Before frames are set up on the secondary keel a piece of wood is set in the well space between the two keels. The secondary keel is flexible and can be bent in if there is no support. This will also misalign the frames. You can see thelight colored piece of wood spacer in the photo.



A second timber is placed under the keel to hold the frames in place. There is a slight space between the timber and the bottom of the secondary keel. This is done to allow the frames to drop below the keel slightly so when the hull is sanded the frames are evened out without cutting to much into the keel. When the frames were set up for laser cutting an extra .030 was added to the inside and outside



When both sides of the hull are complete and all the full frames are in it is time to sand the hull.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Now that all the whole frames and half frames are done it is time to build the bow.



The bow consists of 4 cant frames, the hawse timbers and knightheads. These last frame timbers are the most tedious buggers to fit into the hull. Each piece requires the builder to cut and fit the piece over and over until the timber fits into the hull. The bow pieces are shaped from larger blanks so there is no reference size to work from. At this point the forward section of the hull is sanded close to the final size and shape. The first frame, number one becomes the reference to shape the first cant frame. Once the first cant frame is set into the hull it will be used as a reference to shape cant frame two, then two is a reference for cant three and cant three is used for shaping cant frame four. The waterway is the key reference point to avoid the cant frames from leaning to far inward or outward. Hull lines from the plans or measurements are not used to shape the bow, everything is done free form and by sighting down the hull by eye.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Before fitting the forward section of the waterway the inside of the notches will need to be cut on an angle to match the angle of the frames. When the notch is cut to the proper angle the top of the frame will fit tight.



The shape of the bow begins with the waterway being fit from the first whole frame to the stem. The top timbers of the frames are laser cut oversize preventing the waterway from fitting correctly. Looking at the pictures you can see where the waterways lap at the stem.



The top timbershave been cut much larger than the final size to accommodate the bevel of the frame so they to be sanded down. When the top timbers are brought down to size the waterways will move outward.



Once the top timbers are sanded to the final size the waterways will move outward and fit into the back of the stem. Don’t try to force the waterways to fit, fitting is done by cutting down the top of the frames little by little until the waterways fit together.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Each cant frame is made in a right and left pair. Making sure the frames are assembled correctly so the top timber is at the front of each frame.

The cant frames are cut and shaped to fit the bow so they begin as an oversize blank that are glued and clamped together.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Settins a blank into the hull you can see it will be much larger than the hull frames, and will need to be cut down to fit into the hull. This process may take several test fittings before a proper fit is reached. There are three points to be fit before the cant frame is shaped with its bevels.



The first point to check is where the frame fits under the waterway. The top of the frame should fit tight to the bottom of the waterway. In the photo the frame timber on the left will need to be cut at the correct angle. The frame on the right has been cut and fit under the waterway



In the photo the blue line shows where the frame is cut. Use a hand razor saw and cut along the blue line. Check the cuts by placing the frame back into the hull and make any necessary adjustments. Every time you cut the frame at this point you are moving the frame upward this is why the blank is large enough to allow for fitting.




The second point to fit is at the foot of the frame where it rests against the deadwood. By cutting the frame at this point you are causing the frame to move inward.



The third location to fit is at the top timber. Here the frame is cut at a bevel to fit snug into the notch. To the left the top timber has to be cut to fit the notch, on the right the top timber is cut to fit the notch.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Bow frames are canted forward so the foot of the frame has to be beveled to rest flat to the deadwood. Once again this is a trial and error fitting. Cut a little away and try the fit, if the frame foot does not sit flush cut a little more.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

By adjusting the frame at the foot and at the waterway it is brought into position.
the original position before being adjusted.



by adjusting the foot and the top timber the frame will fall into place

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

The blue line shows where the frame needs to be cut., do not cut the cant frame all the way down to the blue line, Leave a little extra material to form the bevel.


The best way to shape and fit the cant frames is to sight down the hull.


By looking down the hull you can see very easy where the frame has to be cut.


After cutting and shaping, once again look down the hull. The cant frame should begin to conform to the shape of the hull. At this stage leave some extra material for final sanding of the hull.


Each cant timber is shaped and fit into the hull as described above. When all four cant frames have been placed in the hull a rough sanding is done. On the right side of the photo below the cant frames have been roughed in, on the left side they have been sanded inside and out.



The hull is still delicate at this stage and can be twisted or broken. So carefully shape the bow by sighting down it from all directions and sanding in the final shape. some builders will shape eash cant frame then install them into the hull. What i did was set in the blank and once all the bow frames are in i sanded the bow to shape as one unit.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

What to look for as you shape the bow are frames sticking out to far or set to far in. The red line is pointing to a frame, which is too large and lacks the proper bevel. This frame needs to be blended into the hull. Another thing to look for is the spacing between frames shown by the blue and yellow lines. The frame at the yellow line is sanded down and a sharper bevel is created. This will bring the spacing between the blue and yellow lines closer to the same size. You can’t adjust the frame pointed to by the yellow line without affecting all the frames around it. Sand down the frame you want to adjust then blend it into the rest of the hull by sanding the frames before and after it.


Looking at the bow from straight on notice the slight “hump” where the red line is pointing. This area will have to be sanded and blended into the hull.



In this photo you can see the convex area of the hull. This is called the “entrance” The Alvin Clark had what is referred to as a short full entrance. On war ships and clippers the entrance would be much more convex and sharper when speed is an issue.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

looking at the inside of the bow you can see the 4 cant frames yellow, blue, red and light purple the green is the knighthead and dark purple the hawse timber.




Once all the cant frames have been placed the next piece are the knightheads. The purpose of these timbers is to provide a landing for the ends of the hull planking as well as keeping the bowsprit in place and moving from side to side. When placing the knighthead set it back the thickness of the hull planking from the seam between the back of the stem and the apron.




The knightheads start out as a blank, they will need some minor shaping before fitting into the hull. The front edge should match the curve of the seam between the stem and apron. Once this is done, then a bevel can be cut along the front edge. Next fit the foot of the knighthead against the face of the cant frame. Note in the photo below the seam directly in front of the knighthead. This seam becomes the edge of the plank rabbit.




The waterway at the stem has to be cut out and the knighthead fit into the notch.



The hawse timbers are the last to fit into the bow. They begin as oversize blanks that have to be carved to fit. Fitting has to be done at the waterway and at the foot first. This is a tedious job of cutting and fitting the two angles at the foot and the angle at the waterway. Keeping cutting and fitting the hawse piece until you have enough inside and outside the hull so there is enough to cut the bevels.





The two pictures show the bevels cut at the foot,



the pictures show the fit of the hawse timber from the outside and from the inside of the hull.



The picture shows the hawse timber is set far enough into the hull to leave enough material for cutting the bevel.
Before the hawse timbers are permanently placed in the hull, drilling the hole for the hawse hole has to be done.



Start by marking the space between the top of the waterway and the top of the bulkward. Start by drilling a small hole, so when you drill the larger hole the drill wont walk and the hole ends up off center. The hole being drilled is to the inside diamenter of the hawse pipe. Drill a second inset to the outside diamenter on the inside of the hawse hole. An inset is not needed on the outside of the hawse timber because the rig fits on a planking piece and not directly on the hawse timber.



Start by drilling a small hole, so when you drill the larger hole the drill wont walk and the hole ends up off center.





The hole being drilled is to the inside diamenter of the hawse pipe. Drill a second inset to the outside diamenter on the inside of the hawse hole. An inset is not needed on the outside of the hawse timber because the rig fits on a planking piece and not directly on the hawse timber.



The hawse pipe is made up of two parts the pipe from the outside and a ring in the inside





On the model

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Now that the bow is built it is time to build the stern and add the half frames. The hull started with 4 half cant frames then a section of full frames that crossed the keel then a section of half frames another section of full frames and at the stern we are back to half frames that butt against the stern deadwood.

 

[Dave Stevens (Lumberyard)]

Building sterns can be quite intimidating to those building one for the first time. In this section. There are many styles and construction methods of sterns, some being very complex structures. The stern of the Alvin Clark is relatively straight forward and of simple construction. Some builders will prefer to build the stern off the model and mount the completed structure, and some builders would rather build the stern piece by piece on the model. There are three basic elements to keep in mind when building a stern, build it level, build it square and the correct setting of the stern timbers.

viewing the stern from the inside of the hull. the main structural support of a stern is the transom, this is the horizontal timber seen in the photo. The clamps in the photo show the fastening locations for the transom piece. A transom will sit tight to the front of the stern post and rest at its center on the deadwood, at the ends it supported by the last frame also called a fashion timber.



A view from above shows how the waterways line up the stern square with the last frame. The scaffolding is built exactly to the correct height of the transom. The scaffolds were used only as a prop in the dioramas and are totally unnecessary for the building of the model.



The last frame, which connects to the transom, is a triple frame. The top timber goes through the notch in the waterway, which sits on the second futtock, the lower futtock fits under the transom and supports it.



the transom, fashion timbers and waterways are all test fit to insure everything will line up. C clamps are used to hold the transom to the stern post and fashion timber. A spring clamp holds the foot of the fashion timbers at the deadwood to hold them in the correct location.



the notch in the transom where the stern post sits. Because the stern post is tapered the notch is cut deeper at the bottom of the transom than at the top.



At the top of the deadwood a notch is cut so the transom will fit between the stern post and the deadwood. This arrangement with the transom notching into the stern post and the deadwood notching into the transom creates a snug fit.



Before removing the waterways and fashion timbers two sticks were cut exactly the same length to fit tight between the transom and last full frame. It is important the transom is set square with the last frame. By using the measuring sticks the only other concern is being sure the transom is level.