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Staghound...Extreme clipper 1850 by rwiederrich 1/96

Hey Rob,

beautiful. :D
I'm really looking forward to seeing what happens next. The masts are incredibly high? You can see from your model just how big they were. You have to climb up there first. Even as a sailor I'd have a queasy stomach.Sick

Best regards
Günther Ship-1
 
The more I eyeball your Staghound build, the more I keep eyeballing my Ed Tosti books for the Young America. I was planning on a Hoy for my next build, but because of 'YOU' I might have to build a clipper, instead! Great job. I love watching your build!
 
The more I eyeball your Staghound build, the more I keep eyeballing my Ed Tosti books for the Young America. I was planning on a Hoy for my next build, but because of 'YOU' I might have to build a clipper, instead! Great job. I love watching your build!
@MThomas
we can always use another clipper ship modeler. I just encourage you to use caution if you're planning on building a McKay vessel. There are lots of errors in commercially produced kits and plans. It's an unfortunate development of what I refer to as mantlepiece modeling as compared to what Rob does which involves research to develop historically accurate replicas. I've now collaborated with him and Vlad on two excellent builds.Glory of the Seas was our first group exercise and now Stag Hound is our second. I'm there to assist with research and plan development if you wish.
 
What are your thoughts about the historical accuracy of Ed Tosti's Young America Build and practicum? This is obviously 'not' a McKay vessel, but it's indeed one of those 'darned' clippers! LOL
Ed Tosti's magnificent clipper Young America is currently on display at Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT. Ed is an exacting craftsman and every iota of his work is carefully researched.
 
I decided it was time to make the permanent base for the model. I made an antique optical stand into the base by adding brackets bolted to the base frame. I cut and made them from maple and painted them black to mimic iron. The bolts add detail. I then mounted my McKay curio to give it authentic connection.

Rob

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What are your thoughts about the historical accuracy of Ed Tosti's Young America Build and practicum?

Tosti's humongous building log for his Young America can be found at: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/3453-young-america-1853-by-edt-finished-extreme-clipper/

He explains the challenges he faced in terms of the available primary historical record. As I recall, he had the table of offsets and a rigging plan, as well as a builder's half-model, and a couple of photographs, but the rest of it was based primarily upon William Crothers' The American-Built Clipper Ship 1850 - 1856: Characteristics, Construction, and Details, recognized as the most authoritative treatise on the subject available. While Tosti's commendably frank accounts in his build log and in Volume II of his practicum book series on the build are the most accurate statements of facts regarding the historical authenticity of his model, I think it is fair to say, particularly as Tosti undertook to portray a highly detailed "as built" model showing all the interior structural components, that his Young America is an historically accurate model of the named ship to the extent of its hull lines and rig, but in terms of the depicted construction details, it is a very well done exposition of generic clipper construction, being primarily an amalgam of Crother's research on the subject. Thus, the question becomes, "What are your thoughts about the historical accuracy of Crother's book?" From all reports, it's the best academic work available to date, although not a primary source.

Tosti's build log is remarkably well done and definitely worth the read for anybody contemplating modeling any clipper ship. So are his books, of course, but they are justifiably expensive. The build log is free.
See: https://www.abebooks.com/first-edit...6-Characteristics-Construction/31254018024/bd
 
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Thanks Bob! I actually already have all three volumes of his Young America books (Volume 1 of the Naiad Frigate too... waiting for volume II of the Naiad to go back into print... but not holding my breath. It's been too long!). I've also looked at the build log of a Chinese guy known as 'Bitao' on the 'other' site. Very intriguing, but also a bit curious as to how one man could do 'so much work in such little time' using equipment that 'nobody' could ever afford. I think he was full of it and worked in/for a factory and also had an army of people working behind the scenes, 24/7, on CNC machines. Whatever. Both his Young America 'and' his Naiad looked remarkably beautiful!
 
Thanks Bob! I actually already have all three volumes of his Young America books (Volume 1 of the Naiad Frigate too... waiting for volume II of the Naiad to go back into print... but not holding my breath. It's been too long!). I've also looked at the build log of a Chinese guy known as 'Bitao' on the 'other' site. Very intriguing, but also a bit curious as to how one man could do 'so much work in such little time' using equipment that 'nobody' could ever afford. I think he was full of it and worked in/for a factory and also had an army of people working behind the scenes, 24/7, on CNC machines. Whatever. Both his Young America 'and' his Naiad looked remarkably beautiful!
Bitao is the real deal. He's a "miniaturist." He does all sorts of models. Not just ships. He's not a ship modeler per se. I don't think he researches and designs his ship models. He relies on top end practicums for his ship models. Where he really amazes is in his engineering ability. He's a master of jigs and such. I believe he is a master machinist by profession. From all indications, he doesn't have a "life," other than building miniatures, but he's surely mastered the ability to do micro-machining.
 
I decided it was time to make the permanent base for the model. I made an antique optical stand into the base by adding brackets bolted to the base frame. I cut and made them from maple and painted them black to mimic iron. The bolts add detail. I then mounted my McKay curio to give it authentic connection.

Rob

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Rob,
Additionan of your Sebastian miniature Donald McKay statuette holding a half-hull model of his clipper Stag Hound is perfect. What I found fascinating is that the miniature hull closely resembles that of Cornelius McKay's model.

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Hey Rob,

The figure has turned out really nice. It's great and fits in nicely with the ship. :D Thumbsup

The ship's stand looks very compact to me, very solid, perhaps a little too dominant for my taste. But that's not a criticism. You are the builder and you decide. Good work.

Best regards
GüntherShip-1
 
I decided it was time to make the permanent base for the model. I made an antique optical stand into the base by adding brackets bolted to the base frame. I cut and made them from maple and painted them black to mimic iron. The bolts add detail. I then mounted my McKay curio to give it authentic connection.

Rob

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A very nice and really unique base for your model, Rob. McKay with his half-model is definitely a big plus!
Regards, Peter
 
Tosti's humongous building log for his Young America can be found at: https://modelshipworld.com/topic/3453-young-america-1853-by-edt-finished-extreme-clipper/

He explains the challenges he faced in terms of the available primary historical record. As I recall, he had the table of offsets and a rigging plan, as well as a builder's half-model, and a couple of photographs, but the rest of it was based primarily upon William Crothers' The American-Built Clipper Ship 1850 - 1856: Characteristics, Construction, and Details, recognized as the most authoritative treatise on the subject available. While Tosti's commendably frank accounts in his build log and in Volume II of his practicum book series on the build are the most accurate statements of facts regarding the historical authenticity of his model, I think it is fair to say, particularly as Tosti undertook to portray a highly detailed "as built" model showing all the interior structural components, that his Young America is an historically accurate model of the named ship to the extent of its hull lines and rig, but in terms of the depicted construction details, it is a very well done exposition of generic clipper construction, being primarily an amalgam of Crother's research on the subject. Thus, the question becomes, "What are your thoughts about the historical accuracy of Crother's book?" From all reports, it's the best Maine academic work available to date, although not a primary source.

Tosti's build log is remarkably well done and definitely worth the read for anybody contemplating modeling any clipper ship. So are his books, of course, but they are justifiably expensive. The build log is free.
See: https://www.abebooks.com/first-edit...6-Characteristics-Construction/31254018024/bd
Bob Cleek,
Last June, I had an opportunity to visit the Mystic Seaport Museum, CT. Ed Tosti's magnificent completed clipper Young America is part of an exhibit "From Clippers to Containers." Besides modern ocean going container ships which comprise the beginning of the display there's a few beautiful clipper and packet models. In addition to Ed's replica, there were equally nice displays of the Maine Downeaster Benjamin F Packard, Mystic, CT built clipper David Crockett, and the Webb built New York packet Isaac Webb. Since this is Rob's Stag Hound build, I don't want to impede on his post more than sharing Ed's work as it's a relevant topic of conversation..

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Ed Tosti's magnificent clipper Young America is currently on display at Mystic Seaport Museum, Mystic, CT. Ed is an exacting craftsman and every iota of his work is carefully researched.

Hey Rob,

The figure has turned out really nice. It's great and fits in nicely with the ship. :D Thumbsup

The ship's stand looks very compact to me, very solid, perhaps a little too dominant for my taste. But that's not a criticism. You are the builder and you decide. Good work.

Best regards
GüntherShip-1
When you consider the inclusion of all her masts and yards...to include her large billowing topsails under furl......the entire thing will balance out nicely.
Thanks for the fine comment.

Rob
 
Hey Rob,

Really great pictures and a beautiful ship ... great build. Thanks for the pictures. Your Staghound will definitely be beautiful, you can already tell. Great build. I'm sticking with it!

Have a great holiday and I hope to see the next pictures of your construction progress.

Best regards
Günther Ship-1
 
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