Chuck Seiler

I'd say, get a better set of plans.

I was speaking in general terms. If truth be told, the BB Oseberg is 33.875" or 2.822916 feet. I will endeavour to be more precise in the future.

Bob, I still recommend going with the Lumberyard guns. Those are the ones I got for my WASHINGTON build. I also used them for my PHILADELPHIA build. They have a good variety. Taking from a couple of your previous posts, you may not have thought it was necessary to go beyond the plans, but if the plans say one thing and another source says something else, its research time. (As Kurt says "Research is our middle name".) Your first assumption is that the plans are correct. That is not always the case. Even in the case of the WASHINGTON plans, as I recall, there was a change in one of the keel butt joints. We don't know where Jeff (plan designer) got his info on the guns. I know that he lists WASHINGTON's guns as 18# x 2, 12# x 2, 9# x 2, 4# x 4 based on "Captain's receipt". Other sources I have seen lists them as 18# x 1, 12# x 1, 9# x 2 and 6# x 6 (Lundberg/ and Naval Documents of the American Revolution). Joel was correct when he said. "A particular caliber (size of bore) gun could come in several lengths. How sure are you about the exact length and bores of the original guns?" Gun sizes for a given weight of ball varied depending on when and where it was made. French guns were slightly different than British guns. A gun made in 1700 was different from a gun made in 1800. As I recall, some of the guns in the American fleet came from Fort Ticonderoga. Some of those had been there since the French/Indian wars...and they were old then. You will never know how large a gun was on a particular ship unless (a) it was cited in some original source or (b it is around today (like the PHILADELPHIA) and can be measured. Absent those sources, the Hahn dimensions posted above are as good a place to start as any. I created a table of gun vs length vs scale at 1/4 , scale at 3/16 and size of guns offered by Lumberyard (1/4) and Syren (Chuck P)(3/16). I included the 3/16 Syren info so we can see how Chuck's guns compare to the Hahn dimensions. By looking at the chart you can determine if the sizes are close enough or not. In my case, I determined they were close enough...who is going to tell you different? Having said that, if you decide to get them, I would start the process now. Lumberyard operates at a slower pace and has never been confused with Amazon.

I have the exact same kit, except it is called "Viking Ship DRAKKAR". That better describes the type of ship. I would rather build the Billing Boat "OSEBERG" but it is 3 feet long ( a meter for you metric folks). I wouldn't know where to put it.

27. Don't forget Floki standing around, doing nothing, looking grim.

The eyes are the second thing to go...and I don't remember the first.

We kind of did. If you take a look at the cannon dimensions John sent, you the 4 pounder pencils out at 1.72" and the 18 pounder at 2.22". The Lumberyard guns are 1.35" and 2.24". Pretty close. If you are looking for exact, forget about it unless you mill your own.

Doris, I am glad you reconsidered building the CONSTITUTION as your first build. Very often when people start out with something like that as their first build, it ends up being their last build. It is quite a challenge. I agree with Gary in that models like SULTANA, NEWSBOY or BEN'j LATHAM make good starter models. IF you have experience, SYREN might be good, but it is still something more than a starter kit. I like SULTANA. It is very basic and lets you work with all the skill sets you would need to do a CONSTITUTION, but in an easier format. SULTANA is a solid hull. I found it difficult to work with, but it is easy to make a better hull by using the body/sheer plan that comes with the kit and making the hull using bread and butter method, or making your own bulkheads (or a combination as I did). If you don't have the skills to do that, in my opinion you don't have the skill set to tackle the CONSTITUTION. Just sayin'. I believe that if two people with the same skill level started building (1) SULTANA and (2) Model Expo CONSTITUTION, the SULTANA builder would be pretty much done by the time the CONSTITUTION was planked. If they were beginner modelers, the SULTANA builder would be planning his/her next build while the CONSTITUTION builder would be thinking about getting into model railroading. Anywho, my 2 cents worth.....

Mike, I recommend using rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) for the un-gluing process. It works as good as water (maybe better) but does not seem to affect the wood. Use in a well ventilated area.

Doris, Which "Constellation" are you looking at?

I'm staying with quinacridone red (see post 18)

I am curious as to why they didn't have lids on the gunports in the waist. I understand that area is open to the weather, but it still provides some protection against the seas slopping in.

DOH!!!

Lumber Yard has swivels, 6lb, 9lb, 12lb and 18lb in 1/4 scale (1:48) 6lb in 3/16 scale MAY be close to the right size. Oh, wait, they do have 4# in that scale.

J11, Take a look at the Lumber Yard. They have a larger variety of guns than Chuck (Syren). The downside is that Dave (co-owner) is out of circulation for awhile and getting the guns quickly may be an issue if they are not already made. I need to check my plans to refresh what scale and which size guns. As I recall, there was a mishmash.

How come when you add white to blue it becomes light blue, but if you add white to red it becomes pink. Doesn't seem fair.

Leave them off. But if you must (I must, I must), I would go with boxwood.

Hipexec, Do you want to paint your wales red or your bulkheads?

At any rate, your interpretation of the wind is as good as any. Most people who look will not even notice. They will be impressed with the overall diorama itself.

John, I have a copy of the thesis "The Continental Gondola Philadelphia-A Dissertation by John Raymond Bratton" from Texas A+M University. It can be downloaded from the following site: http://nautarch.tamu.edu/Theses/abstracts/bratten.html It goes into detail about the recovery, but I'm not sure it gives heading. He does indicate both anchors were found in the mud directly under their respective catheads, indicating they were onboard when it sunk, eventually dropping off when the cables rotted.

Ebony is nice, but it is such a pain to bend...particularly at the bow. The coachman method is, basically, a lot of coats (8, 10 or so) of very thin paint, buffed out between coats. It is a lot more work, but it is really nice.

John, I got the impression that they secured the anchor cable to bits in the stern so that 'downwind' had them facing the enemy. I'm not sure where I got that from, but I know in my days with the navy were moored to a pier like that once or twice. Since the cable was coiled up on deck, it would not have been hard to re-run it. There are 2 bits aft, one either side just aft of the rear cockpit. You are correct, however, since both anchors were with the wreck it is probable that it was not anchored when it sunk.

Joel, Wouldn't their heading be ship dependent? The galleys would have been as you said so as to present a broadside to the enemy, but since the gunboats mounted their heavy gun in the bow I would think they would have been facing the enemy...south-eastish.

Superb work!!! When I looked at photo 4 and 5 of post 12 I thought the rescue scene was taking place next to the beach. I now see that what I am looking at is not the beach from the diorama but the actual ground.

You also asked about sizes... Given that you have a table saw, I would go with sheets. I like to go with 3 inches wide where I can. Eeking out that last plank on the sheet is a pain and you have to do it less often with 3 inches rather than 2. Thickness? I recall a discussion somewhere that talked about 1/16" vs 3/64" thickness for planking at the scale you are working. I have found 1/16" to be good.