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USS Constitution by Antonio Vasquez - Revell - scale 1/96 - PLASTIC


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 I just unboxed everything and found at the sails were squashed  in some spots. When ahead and broke loose to hull halves, the stand , and the gallery stern. I  washed all the pieces and cut off all the burrs.  I am assuming that I should primer the hull  before I paint it but this is something I did not do on my last build which was the Cutty Sark . The painting on the gallery stern looks like it is really going to be a challenge . I am definitely going to have to look at some pictures to see how that part gets painted.  Any tips you can throw my way are welcome .

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Hello Antonio - sorry to see the vacuum-formed sails were damaged. A couple of my sails were pushed in as well. Luckily, I had no tears or punctures to my sails. As for painting, I always use a primer on all of my parts as an undercoat. It allows the paint to properly adhere to the surface. It also cuts done on 'bleed through' and having to use extra coats to cover surface. Depending on what I am trying to achieve, I will use white, grey or black primer before painting. Here's to a good build on your ship and enjoy!!! 

Robert O

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17 hours ago, DCooper said:

I am very much going to enjoy watching how your build progresses.  I hope you are having fun as this is a wonderful old kit.  Just don't get too bogged down on those three part decks.

 

Dan

The lower deck pieces are really miss matched as far as edge thickness goes. I saw one of the other builds where he made the deck planks more visible as well as the nail heads. I’ll have to look into that. Meanwhile I will have to get the deck assembly together nice and flat.

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Smart move on laying down good primer coat, it will make your overall finish much more easier.  About the decks, I chose to fill and sand the gaps, and then re-scribed the deck lines with a small strait edge and . If I was to do it again, I would probably re-plank the decks with a thin veneer.

Scott

 

Current Builds:  Revell 1:96 Thermopylae Restoration

                           Revell 1:96 Constitution COMPLETED

                           Aeropiccola HMS Endeavor IN ORDINARY

Planned Builds: Scientific Sea Witch

                            Marine Models USF Essex

                            

 

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On 12/29/2017 at 5:43 AM, ScottRC said:

Smart move on laying down good primer coat, it will make your overall finish much more easier.  About the decks, I chose to fill and sand the gaps, and then re-scribed the deck lines with a small strait edge and . If I was to do it again, I would probably re-plank the decks with a thin veneer.

Scott

 I am thinking very seriously about covering the decks with the Veneer.  I’m not real sure what type of adhesive to use .

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did you use an airbrush?  they'll give you a thin even coat......does take some getting used to.   depending where you bought the kit,  and how old the kit is,  those dents can be popped back out without too much trouble.   the Revell 1:96 series kits are really nice....they are the right size and they look good when built.....I built around four of them.   back in the day,  you could send a missing parts request to Revell USA,  but I think they stopped honoring them.......Revell Germany still does though.   I have extra sails for the Cutty......got two of thee three sheets by doing this.

    I noticed you used gray primer......good,  but with today's paint selection,  you could have bought flat black primer,  which would have been a better choice.  be careful with rattle can sprays too......some are automotive grade,  and the harsher chemicals can eat or distort the plastic.   try to stay with flats rather than gloss.

   the decks are the Achilles's heel of this series of kits......the section lines are the devil to get rid of.....even harder to line up.   I've even tried adding a tab under one side,  for the mating edge to sit on...to stitch them together.....any warpage,  and they look out of sync :(   I have a second kit of the U.S.S. United States...this one I made the decks out of wood and planked them {there is a log here...haven't touched it in a few years though}.   the best way is to assemble the sections first,  fill the mating line with plastic putty,  removing the excess with your finger before it totally dries.  when dry,  rub it with a folded up cotton cloth....it will buff off the excess....paint to taste.   I recently bought my second kit of the Constitution...not sure if I want to go through the trouble of making a wood deck for that one....they do make a wood veneer for this model {and for the cutty too}......I have a link somewhere in my bookmarks.   I could swear that the picture of your sail sheets showed the jib sheet a lighter color that the other sail sheets.   I had that problem too with the Cutty......the sheets I got to replace them were more of a beige color,  than the ones supplied in the kit.   I painted them in a flat light gray...and all sins were forgiven.......again....don't use an automotive primer or paint,  or they will melt before your eyes.  {actually they tend to shrivel up....been there  ;) }

   if you chose to go with the veneer decking ..whether you go with a decking kit:

http://www.scaledecks.com/our-story.html    {look in the shop}

....or one plank at a time {been there,  done that},   you could use CA to glue it down.   be careful how much you apply.   check out contact cements too.

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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2 hours ago, popeye the sailor said:

did you use an airbrush?  they'll give you a thin even coat......does take some getting used to.   depending where you bought the kit,  and how old the kit is,  those dents can be popped back out without too much trouble.   the Revell 1:96 series kits are really nice....they are the right size and they look good when built.....I built around four of them.   back in the day,  you could send a missing parts request to Revell USA,  but I think they stopped honoring them.......Revell Germany still does though.   I have extra sails for the Cutty......got two of thee three sheets by doing this.

    I noticed you used gray primer......good,  but with today's paint selection,  you could have bought flat black primer,  which would have been a better choice.  be careful with rattle can sprays too......some are automotive grade,  and the harsher chemicals can eat or distort the plastic.   try to stay with flats rather than gloss.

   the decks are the Achilles's heel of this series of kits......the section lines are the devil to get rid of.....even harder to line up.   I've even tried adding a tab under one side,  for the mating edge to sit on...to stitch them together.....any warpage,  and they look out of sync :(   I have a second kit of the U.S.S. United States...this one I made the decks out of wood and planked them {there is a log here...haven't touched it in a few years though}.   the best way is to assemble the sections first,  fill the mating line with plastic putty,  removing the excess with your finger before it totally dries.  when dry,  rub it with a folded up cotton cloth....it will buff off the excess....paint to taste.   I recently bought my second kit of the Constitution...not sure if I want to go through the trouble of making a wood deck for that one....they do make a wood veneer for this model {and for the cutty too}......I have a link somewhere in my bookmarks.   I could swear that the picture of your sail sheets showed the jib sheet a lighter color that the other sail sheets.   I had that problem too with the Cutty......the sheets I got to replace them were more of a beige color,  than the ones supplied in the kit.   I painted them in a flat light gray...and all sins were forgiven.......again....don't use an automotive primer or paint,  or they will melt before your eyes.  {actually they tend to shrivel up....been there  ;) }

   if you chose to go with the veneer decking ..whether you go with a decking kit:

http://www.scaledecks.com/our-story.html    {look in the shop}

....or one plank at a time {been there,  done that},   you could use CA to glue it down.   be careful how much you apply.   check out contact cements too.

 I’m going to try to scratch the deck planking in to the plastic that comes with the kit .  I’m going to have a hell of a time seeing the lines in the deck,  even with my magnifier on.

 I had thought about using Veneer strips And gluing them to the deck but I wasn’t sure what type of adhesive I’d be able to use effectively. I also was not sure how I would cut the veneer  to the thin strips that I would need, I have never worked with veneer before.

 I have been toying with the idea of getting an airbrush but I have to admit I’ve never used one . 

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I wonder if they make a contact paper in wood grain........the scale of the wood pattern might be in question though.  if you go with 0.5 mm thick wood strip,  you'll be dealing with strips that are 2 mm wide......it will be a time consuming task.   as mentioned.....go to your favorite hardware store and ask about contact cements.  

    tell 'em what your using it on,  and I'm sure they can help you  ;) 

 

looks nice cliff......be on the alert for it separating.  I've used white glue on plastic before and it didn't hold.   hope you have better luck.

 

here are a couple of pictures of the decks I made for the United States.   these are completely made of wood...wood decking planked with 0.5 X 2 mm annegre wood strip.

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I haven't been back to this project since 2014......the last decks I made warped on me and I had to redo them.  these I have in the closet clamped to the plastic ones,  so they don't lose their shape.

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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Working on lower deck. Lines were scribed and deck was washed with diluted black paint then light sanded. When I did the Cutty I did the same th ing on that deck except that I went. over the black wash  with a brown wash to darken it up.  I wasn’t happy with the way it turned out, so I will probability  sand this deck a little more and leave it the way it is.

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 I got a lot of ideas from seeing the way the other builders have done the sides of the gun deck .  I try to make those rings as small as I could get them they still look a little large.  I think this will work out better than those little pins that were molded into the side of the side of the hull.

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back when I built the Connie,  I never knew about all of the nuances that folks were experiencing.  I used the plastic eye bolts,  the pins for the breech ropes,  loading the first steps of the masts with metal rods...to name a few of them.   I had no trouble,  in spite of all the complaints.   don't get me wrong....I'm not disappointed in seeing these modifications.....the thing I had with the kits {I've built many},  are the decks.  other than that,  I still think that these are the best kits that Revell ever came out with :)   she's looking good BTW.......the more I look at the stern,  the more I hope I can scratch build the galley parts and get them into my United States build.  why they omitted these parts is beyond me......there is just as much room for them,  as in the Connie kit.  the deck came out super...hope the spar deck comes out equally as nice  :)    good to see your progress.

 

if your still having the problem with the deck pulling away from the hull,  you may have to use CA and rubber bands,  leaving it to dry for a day or two.  a habit I have is to remove the hull parts from the box right away and rubber band them together,  pulling the sides inward.   leave it for a week or so......there's plenty to do in the meantime.   of course,  you can't do that now,  but if you should pick up another,  give it a try.   this works for any hull.

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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  • 3 weeks later...

This looks very good so far. You did nice job with the deck planking. 

 

This is a nice old kit. I had fun building it back in the day. 

 

Russ

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nicely done...great progress :) 

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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usually they are in racks that line the holds.  one fellow overcame the cannonball problem like this:   in a case where no racks existed,  he bought some styrene strips about the same measurements as the hold frames,  cut to length and laid them on both sides of the holds.   he drilled impressions for the cannonballs with a larger drill bit,  then drilled another tiny hole in the center of the impressions.  he bought a package of pins with round balls on the ends,  painted them flat black and cemented them in the impressions.   if they look too large for you,  you can try BB's....but I think you can actually buy them.....small cannonball BB's.  I'm not sure where though.  you can try any of the sponsors on the right side of the forum page...or I'm sure some one has bought them...perhaps they will chime in  :) 

     powder kegs were not left on the gun deck the risk of a stray cannon fire would cause an explosion.   they were only brought up during battle from the lower deck,  Orlop,  I believe.  the fellas responsible for fetching the kegs were nicknamed 'powder monkeys'

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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Hello Antonio

 

Very nice build you have going. Using a hand drill to make your own rope in lieu of a rope walk is very impressive and innovative. Congratulations on the result.

 

Lou 

Edited by lmagna

Lou

 

Build logs: Colonial sloop Providence 1/48th scale kit bashed from AL Independence

Currant builds:

Constructo Brigantine Sentinel (Union) (On hold)

Minicraft 1/350 Titanic (For the Admiral)

1/350 Heavy Cruiser USS Houston (Resin)

Currant research/scratchbuild:

Schooner USS Lanikai/Hermes

Non ship build log:

1/35th UH-1H Huey

 

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the square grated structures along the middle of the gun deck.   you can also run a pair along the mast collars too if you wish...I think it would be correct.

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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nice way of stowing the studding sale booms too...........well done!  :) 

I yam wot I yam!

finished builds:
Billings Nordkap 476 / Billings Cux 87 / Billings Mary Ann / Billings AmericA - reissue
Billings Regina - bashed into the Susan A / Andrea Gail 1:20 - semi scratch w/ Billing instructions
M&M Fun Ship - semi scratch build / Gundalow - scratch build / Jeanne D'Arc - Heller
Phylly C & Denny-Zen - the Lobsie twins - bashed & semi scratch dual build

Billing T78 Norden

 

in dry dock:
Billing's Gothenborg 1:100 / Billing's Boulogne Etaples 1:20
Billing's Half Moon 1:40 - some scratch required
Revell U.S.S. United States 1:96 - plastic/ wood modified / Academy Titanic 1:400
Trawler Syborn - semi scratch / Holiday Harbor dual build - semi scratch

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