I don't fully understands Harold Hahn's principle of building up side down?
It just doesn't look right to me.


{wfultz2003}
Let see if I can help with understanding of Harold Hahn's way. He makes a jig that hold the extension of the frame's upper timbers, and with the keel in place, holds the frames rigidly in three places. Also one should add spacer blocks between the frames, at the widest point, on both sides, to strengthen the frames here for the fairing.

His jig is also a base line that one can measure from, in order to places marks on the frames, taken off the plans, for laying planking, gunports and any other items that goes on a ship.

Another good thing about Harold's jig, it allows one to be able to sand all the frames down on the outside and inside without everything moving out of shape. When building right side up, one has to somewhat wait on fairing most of the outside until all the frames are in and locked in place with clamps and other items, at least for me and am sure others have come up with ways to help them also do the outside when building upright.

When building right side up you could also make a jig along the same lines, as Hahn's jig, but would not have the notches that fits extension of the upper works, but the shape of the ship at her widest point all the way around.

Another good book and very outstanding, which show's this type of set up, that will be a big help, is: The Art of Ship Modeling by Bernard Frolich and can be purchase from Pier books. Mr. Frolich build's ships up right and also use a jig to hold all the frames in place so it doesn't end up looking like a pretzel. Once you have installed all the frames, held in place by the jig, deck clamp's and other items are installed on the inside of the frames, after being faired, the whole assembly become very rigid so one can then take it out of the jig for further work. Mr. Frolich is French and a master shipbuilder. The ships he builds are French, from the plan's done by Jean Boudriot, an outstanding Naval Architect, probably the best in the world of sailing ships. Now whether it is French, English or American ships, his ideas can be used to help one build them right side up. Maybe the reason that right side up looks good, or feels right, that is the way they were really built. I have used both ways to build ships and like the right side up, but would use Hahn's way too. Guess it just depends on the ship one is building. Just to set the record, I have nothing to do with Hahn, Frolich or Pier books other then being a happy customer.
{Gary Bishop}

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