Building from scratch my 1/280 Clipper Great Republic

I'm Sorry ;

   I got to looking closely at the Eagle . You know , that reminds me of two eagles ( mine were smaller ) that I put on my R.C.Tug stack . I got mine from a small Budweiser sign ! Beautiful job on that one though . I can't give you enough Kudos for this build . It's coming along swimmingly . T.B.

Rob,

I never received your email address. Please send it to bmorri6409@sbcglobal.net and I will send the article.

Your Great Republic continues to amaze me!

Bill

I have plans for several clipper ships. At my age, I have sincere doubts I will ever scratch build all of them.

Happy Modeling  Crackers  

Thanks Crackers....

I have been scratch building clippers for over 40 years and it remains the same....I supose I have refined my scrounging skills and ability to see what I need in the most common item..or even in complex engeneered things as well.  Like I have said before;  I will use anything and any material I can get my hands on to build my clippers.  I'm not after the building purists ideals....I'm after the end result.

Again...thank you for your fine comments.

Rob

Really impressive modeling work. Love the detail.

Happy modeling   Crackers 

Finished up the aft cabins...." target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">

Sorry about the cluttery mess about the project.  She is resting on her display base..resting on the Workmate.  I wanted a bit more height.

Putting doors and the pannels on the aft cabin and the helm. I'll finish them both at the same time..then the domed sky light.

I prefer scratch built scale models way more then plastic these days.  Short of my Seawitch and Swordfish 1/96 scale plastic kits...I won't be schedualing to build anymore plastic kits...I'm feelin.

Fair winds and following seas.

Rob

Did a bit of work today...added the name board...the pump to the main fife rail and the addition of the mizzen fife rail." target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">

And some generic images.

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Rob,

Please send me your email address to:   bmorri6409@sbcglobal.net.  I am having difficulties opening my Messages on the FSM website.

Bill

Please do if you can...I'd appreciate that for sure.

Rob

Rob,

I just received my copy of the Winter 2016 Nautical Research Journal.  It contains a nice article titled Restoration of Great Republic: A Brief Account of the History and Restoration of this Ship Model  by Carla Z. Hinkle.  If you are interested, I will send you a copy or the article.

Bill

Thanks Crakers.....I'll be at it till she is finished.  Sooner then later I pray.

Rob

 I APPRECIATE THE FINE COMMENTS.

I recall..it only took me 3 months to build my award winning 1/96 CS in drydock for rudder repairs diarama.  Now that is building at a fevered pase.  I miss those days.

I simply need to reorganize and rethink my building paradime.

Rob

Model of the GREAT REPUBLIC clipper scratch build really impressive and worthy of continued observation.

Happy modeling  Crackers   

Aha!;

  You now know what modeling in 1/96 is like . Especially on a warship . Every time you turn around another part of the ship needs doing , just like another kit too !

   I must say though , by taking your time she's looking sweet !  T.B.

Spent about an hour last night building the main fife rail.  I had just painted the pumps and had not installed them for the image.

Man I feel as if I'm building small pieces at a time.  slow going for sure.

It's looks obvious that the aft house is next.  I almost started it last night..but I was called away.  I'll finish the aft cabin and the helm together next.

Rob" target="">" target="">

Thanks Bill...I suspect hat might be some time..since I have 3 other incomplete vessels on the ways in front of her. " target="">........I do appreciate your overwhelming generosity.

I did spend an hour this evening working on the largest of the GR deck houses.

Rob" target="">" target="">" target="">

Rob,

I can't wait to see you tackle the Flying Cloud I sent you!  Your skills should do it justice.

Bill

Well I don't know about that Steve...however I appreciate the fine remarks.

Being the scrounger that I am...it just took some time and a lot of searching to find the right eagle pin to take its place on the Great Republics stern.

Lots of mods and alterations to the piece...but it worked out well and I feel it's a  agreat representation of the 30ft spread wing eagle that was on the GR's stern.  Plus it has the American crest in the eagles clutches as was the original.

I painted the crest and then weathered the entire ornament.

I could have carved one...but the time and energy that was required just didn't work for me...plus I was certain I could re-engineer what I could find.

Now...on the look-out for the scale eagle's head for the figurhead.  I'll carve that one if need be.

Rob

your amazing rob .

Time spent on the GR is limited, but I did fashion the 30ft eagle that rests on the stern.

Rob" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">

What Bill said +1.

love this build , that bell is just awesome .

Rob,

Beautiful work, as always!

Bill

Workied on a few hatches and the bell today.

I'm working aft.  the main cabin is next.  Here are a few images of my progress.

Rob" target="">" target="">" target="">" target="">

Ooops...I made an error after revisiting my dimentions.  GR was 335ft not 325 as I  previously erroniously entered.  Making my hull roughly 31" in length(I'm not home but I am building her to a scale plan and it is 3/32"=1ft.

I now see I will have to amend my post to reflect the actual scale.

Thanks for pointing out the error.

Rob

Rob,

When you get home from work please measure the overall length of your model as she sits.

From Wikipedia the overall length of the Great Republic was 334'. The length "on deck" was 325' - see here:

http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/90716149/.

Her overall length (presumably including bow sprit and whatever may have extended abaft the stern) was 400'. See here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Republic

Not that any of this matters in viewing your wonderful work on this project, I just thought that the scale you mentioned earlier must have been off based on what I was seeing in your posts.

My guess on the length of your model as it now stands is around 30" which would make it, based only on the measurement from stem to stern (which is, of course, longer than the deck measurement) a scale of around 1/135 (+/-). In any case it's going to be a very impressive model indeed. It'll also be big enough to allow you to rig her without using ultra powerful magnifying lenses

From work....

There are 10.75 scale feet per inch and the Great Republic was 325 ft long.  Divide that by 10.75= 30.95"model length.  Still not sure of the ratiod scale.

So let me quess....30 divided by 12=2.5.  Divide 325 by 2.5=130.  So the GR is in a scale of 1/130th?

Rob

Rob,

Here's my probably way off base guess as to the scale of your scratch built Great Republic:

A) You show a Black & Decker workmate hobbycrafter in one of your pictures holding up the model. The B & D devise has an 8" work space on top (based on what I could find online). Measuring on my monitor - which is not the most accurate way of doing things but for this purpose it'll do - it looks like your model is a little more than three times the 8" on which it's resting. That would make it about 28" (+/-) from stem to stern. If that is at all accurate, then your scale is not 1/280 but much closer to 1/140.

Would you indulge my curiousity and measure the length of your model? Again, my guess is a little over 2 feet and possibly as much as 30".

Well Bill and Steve..just keep following this log and from beginning to end you can see the process.  The biggest hurdel is getting over the notion of begining...and the notion you can.  Most scale modelers already have most of the tools required.  You may need to buy or build a table saw to cut your miniature lumber...or even buy from model expo or other outfits the scale lumber precut.  Get a set of plans and begin.  You could use a band saw or sacrole saw to aid in cutting out the bulkheads or ribs and other small woodworking items.

I use scale parts to use use as models to make my metal parts...or I use premade metal parts that are in scale if at all possible.

Many here on these pages rig their scale models as a scratch builder would..forgoing the plastic deadeyes and such.  So...see....much of what plastic scale modelers already do is performed on scratch built models.

Good luck and if I can be of any assistance..just let me know.

Rob