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  1. First build after about thirty years, a christmas present that i try to do justice to. Sorry ,but quite advanced in the build and i did not log it. Made the mistake of trusting the kit at first , built the hull and some other stuff before looking at the rigging plans and realising the errors of my ways. Didn't even know the ship still existed , i am ashamed to say ! (But maybe they should have informed me in the instructions!) Some stuff will have to stay , but i am trying to scratch what i can to improve things and i am quite happy with that. The scale is rather small for such a ship , i think the kits at 1/84 or 1/72 would be preferable. So here is a kit illustration and a few recent photos. Feel free to comment on my catastrophies prow main deck with misplaced anchor hawsers plus oversize planking and deadeyes...many non kit additions. the poop , pictured with a cousin that i have just recovered for spares, allthough she is not on her best form. She makes me feel better when i look at mine ! try uploading here as i have been struggling!
  2. Hello everyone, here another build of the Enterprise Maryland 1799 by Constructo. Since my last topic was removed probably because it was not very active? I plan to do some work on this model now. I got this kit for my birthday several years ago and made most of the hull already. Yesterday i glued on a whale and today i made the waterholes, inspired by the other models on this forum using copper pipes instead of a hole.
  3. I have always been a fan of tall ships, since childhood in fact. Remember the Navy recruiting poster, sailor holding a kid’s hand in front of Old Ironsides herself? That poster has stuck with me all these years (although ultimately I joined the Marines instead of the Navy). Anyway, stop me if you’ve heard this one before. 2002 Festival of Sail in San Diego, California. Toured something like 14 tall ships from around the world. Walking out of the Berkley I spy the gift shop and some wooden ship model kits, and the Prince de Neufchatel really calls to me. I take her home to our apartment – no “shop”, no tools, no skills. I proceed to get the false keel and frames together (relatively) square, attach the false deck and some fundamental shaping of the bow and stern blocks, and then – nothing. Over two decades, I was able to plank the deck with a new exacto knife in hand. Fitted the plywood bulwarks and transom stern. A couple of false starts planking the hull occurred, neither of which was pretty to watch. And so she sat in “ordinary” (storage) for, as I said, 20 years. Then last month, after a marathon “Pirates of the Carribean” watchfest with the kids, I brought the Prince back out. A little “battle damage” to the bulwarks with busted out gunports, but all in all she aged well. And now I am committed.
  4. Hello everyone! Here is my HMS Prince (constructo 1/61), started in June 2021 and finished in June 2022, after 1 year and 10 days of work. This is my third model after the Polaris and La Candelaria de Occre, and by far the most difficult to make. It's a beautiful model but not without its flaws, like the guns that were not drilled, some mistakes in the plans and not enough rope. This adventure was exceptional, I didn't think it would last this long, but it wasn't boring. Brief history: she is a first rank ship of the line built in 1670 in England, based on the plans of Phineas Pett. Her artillery is composed of 100 guns spread over 3 decks. Her length is 50m. Flagship of the English fleet during the Third Anglo-Dutch War, she fought De Ruyter's flagship De Zeven Provinciën. In 1692, she was rebuilt and renamed HMS Royal William until her dismantling in 1813. As for the model, I chose it because it was one of the cheapest ships of the line and its decorations are magnificent. In this log, I will post the pictures of each month of the construction detailing the problems encountered, the solutions, the mistakes and the many improvements I added. I hope it will be useful for beginners like me who encounter the same problems! IMPORTANT NOTE: This model is a balance between feasibility, aesthetics and historical reality. This is my version of the ship, which I have slightly customized to my taste.
  5. Not too long ago, I was fortunate to be able to retire after serving 35 academic years in various roles from mathematics professor to vice-chancellor of academic affairs of the University. It now seems that what my colleagues are missing most is the model ship I kept in my office! I've also been alerted a few times as to where a ship could reside in one of the Dean's suites. So I took a look through my ship kit inventory and found a model of the French research ship Le Pourquoi-Pas? (French for Why Not?). The ship made multiple scientific based trips to the Artic and Antarctic portions of the world. It seems to be a good choice for the College of Science, Engineering, and Technology that I had been part of. The kit was made by Constructo. I am not sure, but it seems that it may no longer be in production. Like essentially all Constructo kits the finished product has the potential to be a very nice looking display model if you don't get too close! I believe for the purpose of general display, but not for intimate inspection the result will be more than satisfactory for display and a talking piece in the College. I began work a week ago and the first steps have been completed: The bulkheads and false keel structure are die-cut in 4mm plywood. The die cutting was great - all pieces had the correct shape and were easily pressed out of the sheet they where in. The bulkheads fit in the keel slots without adjustment. The bulkheads where squared up with the keel and attached with yellow carpenter glue. Small lengths of square wood where added to provide additional support at the joints. At this point six pieces of wood were added that will eventually have masts fitted into them. Wood is supplied for the stem and stern areas. The wedges of wood for the stem region did not fill out to the full width of the first bulkhead so additional material was added here. The top of the bulkheads, mast blocks, and filler wood where contoured together before adding the false deck pieces. The false deck is 2mm plywood. Here the die cutting was not as well done - the contour of the deck pieces were clearly cut; however, the cuts did not make it even half-way through the plywood. So simply pressing these pieces out was not possible. I used a scroll saw to cut the pieces out in a short period of time. The instructions suggest gluing and nailing the deck pieces to the bulkheads. I didn't want the nails to interfere with the final deck instillation, nor did I feel like removing them and/or grinding off their heads later. Instead I went with glue and a lot of clamps and rubber bands to keep all in order during the setting up and drying process. The last bit of work that I have now completed is the shaping of the stem and stern fillers. Presently, I am deciding whether or not to add in additional filler pieces to help keep the correct hull shape during the planking process.
  6. Hi everyone, Firstly, great to meet you all, I'm really pleased to be joining this wonderful community. I've recently decided now is the right time to have another go at building my first wooden ship model after a couple of false starts a few years ago. I'll be attempting to build the Albatros from Constructo and keeping this build log as a way of motivating myself and sharing my journey with you all. I've already made a start and absolutely loving the experience so far. I would add a disclaimer here that I am very much a beginner in this hobby, please forgive any mistakes in my terminology. I am very willing to be corrected or questioned if I get a name wrong. Some initial thoughts from me upon opening the kit. 1. I didn't realise it was a single plank construction! I've gone and purchased a handful of thin veneer type strips of Mahogany and Italian Walnut to use as a second layer of planking to give myself a bit of breathing space should the first layer go awry. However, my plan is to not need these and see how clean I can get the first layer to build it as originally intended. 2. Despite being ultra careful and using a scalpel type blade to remove the false keel and frames, some of the peices have split a little right at the tips 😞 I'm not worrying about it too much for now as I think I will be able to fill any gaps prior to planking if needed but already acknowledging this is something to keep my eye on. So far, I have glued the frames to the false keel (with the help of a set square and clamps), started faring and am currently in the process of creating filler blocks for the bow and stern using some basswood craft blocks. The wood is tougher than I'd expected, pondering whether balsa would have been an easier option for carving but once in, I'm convinced the basswood offers more rigidity and less risk of being damaged/deformed prior to planking. Final point of note, I know that I probably need at least one jig to hold the hull while I'm building it. My intention is to create the first one to hold the hull upside down for planking, then once the keel is on, I will build a new one to hold the ship the right way up for the remainder of the build. Until then, I'm making do with my vice and some plywood scraps to seat the keel frame. here's a few photo's of my work so far. (I'll once I figure out how to stop them uploading upside down 🙃)
  7. Hi guys, I was advised to create a build log and so here goes... I am kinda happy with the deck - although I kind of wish you could make out the individual planks more: I snapped the bit off the front which I will need to fix but that should be simple enough - i just hope the glue I use is strong enough to allow the planks to be attached to it without it snapping again. I have completed the first layer of planking and have sanded down - although I want to give it another good sanding before I move on. Then I will start building up the Bulwarks. I thought I would get away with only a very little filler but it seems more white than red. Non the less I am pleased and relieved to have done as well as I have....
  8. hello. so.. im new to modeling and im looking for as many tips and help i can. i just discovered this website today. but this ship is my very first build. i have probably already made some flaws. i have looked a little around of other builds of the halifax and i have read its a little challenging ship. but im in a little need for some help. i dont know if i have messed up. the other builds i have seen looks much more smooth and "perfect". just keep in mind i have not sanded much because im afraid i have messed up, so any advise or guide would be appreciated
  9. I recently finished my first build so next I've decided to start on the fishing yacht, Pilar. Why Pilar? For anyone that isn't familiar with this boat, Earnest Hemingway commissioned Pilar in 1934 and he had many adventures with it throughout his life. I studied literature in college (now completely unrelated to my current profession), which is why I think I became fascinated with his boat. I'm starting to see a pattern of the types of builds that interest me; Winslow Homer painted Grand Bank Dory's (my first build) and Earnest Hemingway's beloved fishing yacht draw a connection between art, literature, and the sea. On the technical side though, the reason I picked Pilar is because I'd like more experience with planking and metalwork both of which this build has a multitude of. In fact, it looks like every single mm of the Pilar is planked in some way so I expect to come out the other end having more than enough experience (and either loving it or hating it). Onto the build! Here is the Pilar on the cover of the Constructo box. It arrived packaged within another box for shipping so it was in great shape. No visible external damage: This model was quite a bit more expensive than my first one (nearly double) so I wasn't sure what to expect. I assumed the price was a reflection of all of the different wood for planking but I think that price also reflects a very organized kit with wonderful full color instructions: I quickly managed to assemble the false keel and was really happy with how straight everything was at this point. It was solid, true, and I could dry fit easily before gluing everything in place: I was also happy that this boat isn't massive. I have very limited working space right now and I was relieved to see that it's only about an inch longer than my first build. I have just enough working space! 😬 Moving onto the center deck, I'm finding that the provided board for various pieces (including the center deck that I need for the next step) are warped and I'm not really sure what to do about it: Should I stop, soak the panels, and try to flatten the entire thing out? Or would it be easier to do that for individual pieces as they're needed? I think the former but I would like to hear what others have done in this situation too. Thanks for following along! This should be a fun one.
  10. Hello First build pob build here. Iv done a couple solid hull mamoli kits fairly easily but ready to move on Now that iv opened the box I'm a bit overwhelmed but I'm committed lol Any help and advice would be much appreciated I will do my best to keep a detailed log the bulkheads are very loose tho. Are they supposed to be that way? my ceiling fan is moving them lol
  11. Hello folks. I'm starting today mu new model ship Le Pourquoi Pas? from Constructo. It is another unrealized child's dream. I had this model in good scale in plastic when I was a kid. And instead of doing it I just ruined it So now it is sort of revenge Will see what it will become.....
  12. Hello guys! I recently started with my first build and I already have some pictures to show. I am planning to paint the ship with the accurate color based on a image ive found (inside hullplanking is red, end black and white stripe for outside). Also I want to make custom gunports and make guns for the stern. Here are my first pics. I hope you guys will enjoy it. First the frames and blocks, I made sure the frames where parallel to the keel so I used clamps to bend them. In between the dry time I printed some 6 pounder cannons ive made in Fusion 360 (3d modeling cad software). Mind that this guns are 25mm. I then glued the deck layer on it. After that was done and the glue was dry, I sanded the model thorough. I decided to do separate planks on the deck and use strips of 100mm and strips of 50mm to simulate real planking, I used the plans for this. I think it got a really good look! What do you guys use to make the deck more dark and used? I heard tung oil?
  13. Greetings all! My dad got me this kit around 10 years ago I decided a month ago to bring it home finally and start working on it. So far I have enjoyed the build. Putting about a minimum of an hour a day and most days far more than that into construction. Made a few mistakes but I think I can hide most of them later. I may do some paint decoration but have not decided on that yet. Been mostly happy with the wood although some of the hull planking had issues even after soaking for hours before I tried to bend it. Not sure how the darker wood is going to go as I have seen some people comment that it is harder. I'll be starting that tonight. I made some changes to the deck planking scheme. The instructions called for single pieces and then using a pencil to draw the lengths. I ended up cutting the board to a length of 80mm as a maximum and doing it that way. I do wish the instructions and plans had a bit more detail. Planking the hull has been interesting due to that. Last photo is a 1/600 scale Prince that I painted as a Dutch prize.
  14. Hello everyone. In this thread, I am going to attempt to document the building of my latest model La Flore by Constructo. I bought this kit last year although I really hadn't had the time to build it until now, during the lockdown I have plenty of time and I work on it about 5 hours a day! I won't be writing many of the parts' names and forgive me if I make any mistake as English is not my first language and I don't even know some of the parts' names in Spanish! I am open to all the advice you can give me so come on!! I hope you like it!!! First some photos of the contents of the box. I had some issues with the "black" thread because as you can clearly see it is GREEN! I emailed Constructo but they didn't help me. They said sometimes this happens when the black colour is "lighter" than normal. I have been searching to buy a new thread and I think I have found some. As this is going to be used towards the end, at the moment it doesn't really bother me. Apart from this, everything is on the box well packed and in good condition. Constructo has good quality. Here I started with the false keel. Here I put some wood strips to hold the cannons on each side of the ship. I really liked this ship because of the gun line on each side. Then I glued the two lower decks. The prow deck and the waist deck. After this, I sanded the pins and started to plank both decks.
  15. I asked some questions, earlier, about this 40+ year old Constructo kit. I've got emotional ties to this as it was a present from my wife and, I think, has been on my list of things I want to finish for the longest time. After deciding this was the time to restart work, I realized that the model has some issues/ The plans and packaging described it as a scaled model but there was no actual scale provided, nor any reference name that would give me a clue as to scale, or size of the full sized ship. The following is a picture of the model, as I left it years ago. This doesn’t show all the parts, but I do have them. The instructions consist of one page, one side (English) and one side in Spanish. The plans are reasonable, but I have already gotten more out of reading some reference books, and specifically the build logs and helpful hint logs on this site. Some of the members of this site suggested I look at the Bluenose, and/or use Chapelle’s “American Fishing Schooners” (AFS) to get a better idea of what it might be. These were great suggestions, and my understanding has really gotten better. I will apologize in advance for any terminology mistakes I make. I find much of it confusing, but I’m working on learning it. Since my model doesn’t appear to be based on any actual ship, I decided I had freedom to see what actual schooner the model comes closest to, and what changes I might need to make to make it more realistic. I’ve learned a great deal going over AFS, and have some ideas about my boat model, and what I’m thinking of doing to make it more accurate. I would appreciate any feedback about the kit bashing I’m thinking of doing, and if it is appropriate or not. 1. The Constructo Schooner doesn’t match the hull proportions of the Bluenose or America (which also had a tiller). It has a wider beam to its overall length (25%). 2. The actual hull shape seems to match some of the 1890 – 1910 vintage fishing schooners. The factors I compared were. (a) hull profile; (b) ratio of molded beam to molded length; (c) mast locations; and; (d) location/angle of rudder. 3. The boats that seemed to match better (from AFS) are Emily Cooney (AFS plate 99); Vigilant (AFS plate 82); and the Benjamin Latham (AFS plate 92). I added the Latham partly because there is so much info in the ongoing builds. The dimensional comparisons look like this: Constructo Schooner U-604 AFS Schooners DESCRIPTION MODEL SIZE (inches) From 1:64 to real From 1:72 to real Vigilant; AFS, pp 195-6 Emily Cooney; AFS pp 231 Benjamin Latham; AFS 229 Molded Length 16.5 86.6 99.0 96.2 89.4 95.7 Molded Beam 4.1 21.7 24.8 22.0 21.5 21.0 Depth, molded 2.6 13.8 15.8 11.6 10.9 10.8 The hull comparisons look like this: Mast Locations Quarterdeck break locations All the boats that came closest to matching the Constructo model had several significant differences which I think I need to modify on the model. The Constructo model does not provide an actual scale. But comparing the model to actual boats and looking at proportions of items such as bulwark height, etc., it appears a scale ratio of either 1:64, or 1:72 would work well. I’m leaning to using 1:64, partly because it would scale the bulwarks to an actual height of 2’-6”, which seems to match actual boats better. Although the Constructo model has a monkey rail, it doesn’t have a quarter deck. All the actual boats had a quarter deck, so I think I need to add one. This will require extending the monkey rail and the quarterdeck about 3’ – 5’ past the main mast (1/2” to 1” in 1:64 scale). Using a quarterdeck height of 9” – 12” this would be 1/8” to 3/16” in 1:64 scale. The Constructo model has a tiller. I couldn’t find any similar real boats that didn’t have a wheel/wheelhouse, so I will convert this also. One area that I think needs work is the keel/false keel. My model doesn’t have one, and it seems like I should add one. I’m still going through AFS for more information, but I think I would need to add a 6” – 12” false keel on the bottom of the hull. I would have it about the same at the bow, similar to the Vigilant or Cooney. I am leaning to tapering it at the stern, and slightly reducing the rake on the rudder (like the Cooney). This would give me something to attach the rudder píntle and gudgeons to. Also, if I added the keel and then shrunk the model to match with the three real ships, I think the profiles and proportions would be more appropriate. I would like to carve the outside of the bulwarks to make it look more like the bulwark profiles in AFS. Currently the model curves up in a smooth curve on the outside of the hull to where the bulwark top rail will be. In the Sultana build article by Chuck Passaro (Nautical Research Guild) he cut of the solid wood bulkhead and replanked the bulkheads. I’ve got to do some more thinking on this approach since I know I don’t want to carve away the sides of the hull to plank up to the bulkheads (I know my patience and carving skills would not be up to that). Several less critical items I’m still researching include size and spacing of the stanchions. What I currently understand is they should be on about 2’ centers, and about 4” – 6” timbers. This would amount to about 39 stanchions per side (model size of about 3/8” spacing, for 1/16” to. 3/32” timbers. I’m leaning to cheating on this and going to the equivalent to 2-1/2’ or 3’ spacing. I could probably get the closer spacing in, but I think it would be beyond my painting abilities. Scuppers sound like they most often are on one or both sides of the stanchions, but only 1” to 2” high. I’m guessing 2” to 4” long based on some pictures. I’m not sure if adding these would be feasible, or within my capabilities. I have access, through my local library, to laser cutter, 3D printers, a Carvey (CNC wood carver), cameo cutters, etc. and I hope to be able to do some of the work using these devices. I’m sure these items are just the tip of the iceberg, and I will be finding more as I start the actual model. I would appreciate any feedback, corrections or suggestions you might have. Thanks JeffK Constructo Schooner Blog – Second Installment; 05-20-21 Hi everyone. It’s been over a year since I last made an entry into this log. I have worked on my model during the pandemic, as much as I could manage with everything else that was going on. I have been following along in the forum and searching for solutions to some of my learning curve issues. I want to thank all of the other people that have been working and posting in the forum. This has been a wonderful source of information! As part of the design process, I read Chappelle’s “The American Fishing Schooners”, and looked at many of the Schooner models on this forum as well as Internet searches for real schooners reviewing how the decks were arranged, details and spacing of the deck furniture. the results of some of this are shown on the deck laser cutouts. The “Schooner Ernestina” web site was especially helpful since they showed some good, detailed, construction pictures of their rebuild. I had decided that most of what was above the waterline on the original Constructo kit would need to go. It just didn’t fit with what I could figure out would have been historically more accurate for the time frame and scale that the actual model hull shape seemed to fit (1890 – 1910 time frame; and 1:64 scale). I also wanted to design much of the new deck furniture in 3D (working with Fusion360) and do the fabrication using some of the equipment in my local library (Laser cutter, Carvey CNC, etc.). I had mixed results with taking the 3D designs from Fusion360 and translating them into the file formats needed for the laser/Carvey machines. I found out (from this forum) that the free version of Fusion360 no longer supported the file types I needed. Also, I found that Fusion360 was frustrating for me to work with. This resulted from the capabilities of my PC, the download rates I was receiving from my Internet service provider, and the fact that Fusion360 is accessed via the Internet leading to a fair number of crashes and freezes. Fusion360 did get me to a good 3D layout, with a good idea of the final deck furniture sizing. This is a shot of what the Fusion 360 stern design looked like. Based on reviewing this layout, I changed the cabin size (made it smaller) and shifted some of the other furniture a bit. I ended up doing all the final layouts in 2D, using InkScape, the free software that my library uses to do the Laser Cutter files. One of the first things I needed to do, was to remove the original bulkheads from the original model hull. To carve them down to a better thickness, especially in 40+ year old dry wood, was not practical. So, I cut off the original bulkheads, and then carved out the side of the boat to accept new dimensioned wood bulkheads. One regret, I made them from basswood, and I wished I had used Baltic birch plywood. I also left the stern section. I wasn’t sure I was willing to tackle adding on a new stern, especially since this would have meant more research into what I should put back! I also wanted to add a false keel to the model. I did a template for the hull and cut the keel from basswood. This is what the model looked like after the new bulwarks with the Fusion360 deck layout, without the false keel. One of the interesting discoveries I made relative to the original hull, that it was not symmetric, and the predrilled mast holes were not centered. I decided not to try and make the hull shape symmetric. This this was not very visible on the model, and realistically my skill levels might make the final results worse! I did recenter the mast holes. These were visibly out of alignment with the hull. The following picture gives a view of the recentering approach, as well a view of the new bulwarks. The next step was to work with my local library to do the laser cutting. Doing this during the pandemic was inconvenient. I could not walk in and manage the laser cutting. I could use the stock of library wood, but if I needed to use mine (especially the thinner stock I wanted to use for the decking and deck furniture) it had to be quarantined before the library staff could work with it. Initially the quarantine period was 2 weeks. The Library staff were great to work with, but it just added a lot of time to the process. The next pictures show the fore and quarter deck as the came off the laser cutter. These were on the thicker stock library wood. I also decided to precut the locations for the bulwark stanchions. I felt that this would give me better control of their spacing. I printed the deck planking in several thicknesses, from 1/32” (fore deck and quarter deck) to 1/16” and 3/32” for the quarter deck. I was looking for the equivalent of a 9” to 12” real height difference between the fore and quarter deck which I achieved by layering several of the laser printed quarter decks, picking the better-looking laser cut, for the top layer. Using several layers also let me more easily bend the decking to conform to the deck camber. Part of this process that I enjoyed was the staining and painting of the decks. The following is an intermediate picture, before I had decided how to treat the waterways (not sure of the terminology). I also laser cut the rails. The following shows the first pass at the laser cut rails, in the thicker library plywood. The quarter deck rails intentionally did not meet the maindeck rails. I figured I would need to hand carve the curved part where they join. I’ve also laid in the laser cut decks and the raised “king planks” around the masts. This version of the rail designs did not include the pin rails. They were added to the final laser cut` design. At this point I’ve got the false keel installed and the hull about midway in the priming sanding stages. In someone’s build log in the forum, I remember reading that the most useful modeler tool was sandpaper. I know I’m using it more than I originally imagined. The next steps involved gluing in the bulwark stanchions. These were fitted in the laser cut spots on the decking, with the decking dry fitted on the boat. This shot shows the first pass at the railing balanced on the bulwarks. Also, the bowsprit is dry fitted. One problem that surfaced when I installed the final rails (somewhat narrower then the first pass) was that I had not tapered the stanchions. So, I needed to shave the upper parts of most of the stanchions. This was after I had painted everything of course! The following shows the quarter deck being glued down. Note the carefully crafted gluing jig. The following shows the decks installed, stained, and painted.,. The next step was going to be to paint the hull. As I have read in other building logs, I now realize that, at least for me, painting the hull, and then touching up the paint, is probably a continuing process that will finish, maybe, when I finish the boat. As I started the multiple coats of paint, I also started to work on some of the details. One of these was fabricating the hawse pipes. The first picture shows the inboard part of the hawse pipes being dry fitted. The second picture show the jig I used, as well as the final pieces. These were blackened later. I’m doing all the painting by hand. I can paint ok with a spray can, but I don’t have, and didn’t want to learn how to use a spray gun. So far, I’m happy with the results. I did do a lot of masking in the process. The accent stripe was achieved by using the narrowest pinstriping tape I could find, after painting the hull in that area in yellow. I then painted the overall topworks as shown. I was a bit concerned with how well the line would hold, and if I would get any significant paint bleed. The pinstripe tape came of easily and cleanly. The next several steps were to design & laser cut the final rails, cabin, and cabin parts, and fit them together. When I designed the cabin, I included finger joints for the corners to facilitate fit up and strength. These worked well. The following shows the cabin structure, and the remaining parts for the skylight and hatchway. The skylight also has finger joints. The following shows how these pieces look assembled. It also shows the status of the rails. These are mostly done but need to be painted. This also shows the stanchions I needed to bevel which also need to be painted, again. I included the pin rails as part of the laser design, including predrilling the holes for the belaying pins. If you look closely on the starboard side of the cabin. I have a porthole that I’m working on. It is a filed down (in my drill) from a 1/8” aluminum pop rivet. I blackened it using the brass black solution. It works well re scale, and it is turning out fine. I would prefer to work with a brass pop rivet, which I would probably leave brass, but I could not find a source for them. Plenty of steel, aluminum, and some copper which I thought about using. It would probably blacken better. But I don’t think enough to change from the aluminum which I already have. The darker circles on the monkey rail are where I pinned the rail through the monkey board, into the bulwarks. These will be cleaned up as part of the painting process. I also decided that I should work on the final stand. I do not have a drill press and have been thinking about how to drill through the false keel to mount the model. I eventually decided to design the base, have the base cut by the library’s CNC Carvey, including the centering holes through the base. I could then turn the boat over, and drill through the base into the false keel and hull. At least that is what I hope I can do. The following shows the contour gauge that I used for this (and other layout issues). I inherited it from my father. it must be 70 years old. Still works. I then went to cut cardboard templets to eventually convert into sketches that I could scan and import into InkScape and eventually into Easel, the software used to generate Carvey files. That mostly brings me up to date. I need to finish the base, drill the appropriate holes for mounting the boat, then touch up the hull and deck (I am a clumsy builder, and the boat shows this). Then I need to paint the cabin and laser cut, assemble, paint the rest of the deck furniture.
  16. My build log file for the Enterprise built in Maryland in 1799. I purchased the ship, Enterprise 1799 about 8 years ago. Came shrink wrapped, just like new so I thought. I unwrapped the box and did an inventory. Besides ** missing the instruction manual (WTH) there are various other pieces missing. The missing pieces I assume I can build ( wood pieces) and the ornaments I can order. In search of an instruction booklet I came upon this site. Thank goodness! I was surprised the member name "Rowboat" was available. A funny name and is fits my skill level. There is a complete build log from and individual on this site and that log will be invaluable in my building this ship. The person is ...... mikiek. Thank you mikiek for the "Enterprise 1799 by mikiek - Constructo - 1:51" build log. Hopefully they are still members and can chime in on by build log. I found a few other logs on my ship build on this site that will also be helpful. Maybe I will get lucky and someone has and old instruction booklet they are willing to let go, but if not I just follow the build log. **12/2019 : I was gifted a used manual from a fellow ship model builder about 2 months into my build 😀 This build would be a fun challenge for me if I had all the materials and instructions, without them it will be "funner" . More to come....
  17. Hello, my name is Samuel and this is my build log. This is my very first build, and I am super excited about it. Like I said in my introduction post, I was gifted a wooden kit of the HMS Bounty 1:110 (Constructo) a few years back and never got around to building it because I was scared of messing it all up. Now as I am a little older I started it as an "end of summer project" and I think I am about 3 weeks in and the ship looks good so far. There is still a lot of work to do, and I know I will not be able to complete it before I head back to school in the fall. I plan to post photos of the ship after every addition that I add, and will probably ask a few questions about how to do a particular step(s) and look forward to the day that I can show my friends the work that I put in on this ship. Attached you will see some photos of the ship once i decided to start documenting my work, and you should be able to see a very slight progression as time passed. I will also be posting a photo of the box and ideal finished product. Let me know if you would like any more photos and I will do my best to post them and answer and questions that you all may have for me. Here is the link to my "new member post"
  18. Hi all. I am a new member and this is my first build thread. First a bit of history. I bought this kit back in 1991 while serving in the USAF and stationed in Zaragosa, Spain. Started building it in the mid 90s after having completed the Liberty by Artesania Latina. Also purchased in Spain. The kit was horrible. The instructions were non existent. The wood questionable. However, the plans were fair and the quality of the carronades was outstanding. With the help of several books I made a start. Very quickly I realized that I would have to scratch build most of the parts and provide my own wood. About the only parts of the kit I used was the false keel and the frames. I replaced all the planks and decking with basswood. I used different colors of stain for the wales, decking, and lower planking. I had reached the point where I needed to cut out the gun ports when I lost interest and put it away. After 20 years of model railroading and RC airplanes I happened upon some videos of ship models on Youtube. Next thing I knew I had pulled it out of storage and realized it didn't look too bad. Starting cutting out the gun ports and next thing I knew I had found this forum. I don't know if I will have the fortitude at this point to stay at it until it is finished but I plan to ride out my interest until it moves to something else. If there is interest in this project, I will keep my progress up to date. I have taken some pictures of my current progress but need to learn how to post them. Jim
  19. Hello,so over the years I have built many a plastic model from planes to cars to rc nitro to rc planes 28mm war miniatures I decided it was time to attempt my first wooden ship the constructo prince 1670. Any help and tips as I progress I will greatly appreciated. I found this forum searching for previous builds of this model and found spider pigs build log which is helping quite a bit( more for reassurance that I'm following destructions correctly) regards Ash. Here's progress so far
  20. Hello, I decided to attempt the Flyer as my first build. Actually I did build a very basic AL kit - the Barcelona - many moons ago, but it had a plastic moulded hull so I’m not sure it counts! It was also well before I stumbled across this forum. Many of the models here are truly inspirational, and I’m continually blown away by the levels of craftsmanship I see. I was heavily influenced by the fact that the Flyer has a solid hull, and I think the finished model is a nice looking boat. I just hope that my model bears at least some resemblance to the box art! I have a couple of old AL kits waiting in the wings (Marie Jeanne & Supply), but wanted to cut my teeth on something a little simpler. So this is what I’m aiming for. I’m not sure how many people might drop in and take a look, but I would welcome any and all feedback (good and bad!) Thanks, Will.
  21. Christmas came early this yaear I just got my new model Halifax. After I ordered this I looked around and found an Italian forum and they said that this was not a ship for everyone, pretty hard to build and I found some pictures of the keel with frames that was was very comlicated. Each frame were to build of 9 pieces and a special jig came with the kit. But the was not good so he had to make a new, And so on. So I was a bit worried but when I opened it today it looks good. No strange frames, the step-by-step instructions seems to be good and they even have pictures for every step. I'm really looking forward to start to build it and I will do that parallel with the Thermopylae. I will probably ask thousands of of questions and I hop someone is kind enough to help me on the way Booklet with step-by-step instruction and photos The bags with parts have the part numbers in it so it's easy to find everything Wish me good luck
  22. I recently finished a ship in a bottle (build found on here) and was hooked instantly, as soon as I finished it I made a trip to a local hobby story and picked up another wooden build, this one being a bit more involved. I am just starting out so I figured I was better off getting a kit with the hull already shaped. It’s going slow so far, but I’m loving the process. So far the only problems I’ve had with the kit has been because of own lack of experience, but everything seems to fit together perfectly and the directions tell you everything they need to. Will post more as I get further along in the build.
  23. Well, my semester is over and my grades are submitted, so this build begins. I have been anticipating it for a couple weeks, but didn't have the time to really dig in, and I didn't want to chip away. So, since I'm a rank rookie, I spent that time reviewing the parts, reading the manual, stalking the site for tips and builds in progress, and doing some novice planning.... Also, spent a good deal of time on YouTube watching builds, though there was nothing available for the model I chose, and setting up a small modeling workspace in my garage/gym/reloading space/man cave. I chose Constructor's USCG Eagle for my first build. For a couple reasons: Firstly, I like her lines. Secondly, it is a beginning level model and doesn't require plank on bulkhead construction. There is plenty of deck planking to do and certainly plenty of rigging, sanding, fitting, painting, staining, etc., so I thought this would be a good starting point and a litmus test for my ability and patience with building these kinds of models. The only drawback is she has a hard plastic hull, but I figured for a first build this was not necessarily a bad thing. With regards to the Constructo kit, it was exactly what I expected after scouring around searching for my first build. The manual, which is in six languages, is short and to the point; the instructions are generalized; and it obviously assumes some knowledge of wood ship model building. I think if this were a blind build with no experience it would take some serious figuring out. It could be done, but luckily this site and the internet in general is very helpful with the process. All of the parts and pieces were intact inside the (nice) box, and well stored in plastic bags with cardboard item descriptors inside. The sail material is nice and already lined, and there appears to be plenty of line and wire. They are a little skimpy with the deck planking, and one of the thin topmast poles was broken, but it is easily replaced. The main deck laser cutout board (and, hence, the decks) was very bowed but I expected to be doing some soaking and shaping, so this was not a big deal. The main complaint I had was the quality of the plastic hull. The hull itself is thick and sturdy, and has great integrity and details for a piece of injection molded plastic; however, the graphics and colors were very much a disappointment. The CG stripes were dim and faded in color with blurred edges, instead of a nice bright and sharp orange and blue shown on the box and adverts. A small cheap CG sticker was in the middle of it and this really stood out to me. There were several shipping and/or manufacturing marks along the hull, and it's finish just looked shiny and cheap. So, to the point: I have already decided to modify this build.... I decided, after some research while waiting to start, to construct a generic American steam barque - maybe eventually a whaler. It will be patterned from the Mary and Helen of New Bedford (which became the USS Rodgers), though there are obvious differences - namely, in length and beam. However, if it evolves into a whaler it should be a good challenge with regards to scratch building try pots and a few whaleboats and davits..... So, anyway, on with the build.....
  24. Hello Everyone! This is my first wooden ship model, the French 8-pounder Frigate La Flore. The kit is manufactured by Constructo of Spain. I would say the directions are fairly straightforward, and there are plenty of pictures in the booklet provided to help one build a beautiful model ship. This particular model is a very fascinating model of a real ship that served many masters, and sailed many seas... She was a member of the 32-gun Blonde Class 8-pounder frigates, and was built in 1756. She served the navy of Louis XV well, until being captured in 1761 by the English. Once captured, she was taken into the Royal navy as "HMS FLORA" and her main armament was upgraded to 12-pounders. She served the Royal Navy well for over a decade and a half, before being caught up in the American Revolutionary War where she was scuttled and burnt at Rhode Island by the British to prevent her imminent capture by superior French forces. This would not be the end of the vessel, however, as the Americans refloated her, repaired her, and sent her back to France after the conclusion of the war, where she was sold to the French Royal Navy under Louis XVI, as "Flore Americaine" in 1784. Shortly after, she was re-rated as a "Corvette" and her armament of 12-pounders reverted back to the earlier 8-pounders she carried prior to British service. Finally, she was sold out of the service in 1791, and purchased as a Privateer in 1793, renamed "Citoyenne Française"... She was returned briefly to the French Royal Navy in 1795, and then returned to her owner as the renamed Privateer "Flore", where she was finally captured by HMS Anson and HMS Phaeton, but not added to the Royal navy, and was instead Broken up, ending a career spanning over 40 years, and sailing the Seven Seas.... Here are the first images, I hope you will all enjoy, and offer your suggestions and constructive... I hope you all enjoy! I appreciate all feedback, suggestions, and constructive criticisms btw , thanks!! Sargon
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