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SawdustDave
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Piet in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Good question about the steps Jon.
The steps are hand cut from basswood. The mistake I made with the first long solid piece, was that I failed to do the layout with the strip positioned at the exact angle of the bowsprit. Everything looked great until it was positioned onto the bowsprit.
Part of the issue was that the angle of my bowsprit is not correct, as noted by the amount of exposure where it passes through the bulwarks of the bow and then through the deck planks. This error is way beyond any possible corrections at this point.
So my only reasonable fix was to re-cut the steps to fit the angle of the bowsprit surface.
I do recommend a jig that will hold your strip of wood at the exact angle when laying it out. I also suggest making the cuts on a wide strip and then ripping to the scale width after cutting, filing, and sanding. Very careful measurement of the flats and risers being the key, I simply used a piece of paper as a spacer to make the measurements from one to the next.
Hope this helps.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Piet in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
The case gets stronger and more stronger Jon.
With that information, I now feel compelled to provide for the safety of my crew.
I am a real “ People Person” to the core.
Dave
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SawdustDave got a reaction from JerseyCity Frankie in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Bow Structure Progress....
I finally corrected an issue that has bothered me for months.... the bowsprit steps. It was brought to my attention by a local modeler who asked me about the angle of the steps.
OK, so the flats of the steps were noticeably pitched at an angle that would not have served well for walking on.
So, I ripped them off and re-cut them.... much better.
I also painted the flats of each step. Also note the gammon irons have been added (a royal pain in the butt). I definitely think they should have been added before installing the heads.
Next, I created the little life ring - and added the three steps to the bulwarks.
Finally, I was able to fill in the opening above the bowsprit....
Think I'll move to the stern and begin detailing the stern bulwarks next.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Farbror Fartyg in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
The case gets stronger and more stronger Jon.
With that information, I now feel compelled to provide for the safety of my crew.
I am a real “ People Person” to the core.
Dave
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SawdustDave reacted to JSGerson in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
More digging: Per Fisherman Outfitter
How accurate / authentic the information is, I don't know. The choice is yours.
Jon
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SawdustDave reacted to paulsutcliffe in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
The life preservers of the time I believe we're not actually used on ships but on the land and thrown out to people in the sea during shipwrecks of the coast, there was recently a series on the BBC about shipwrecks and one of the episodes was on lifesavers that we're being invented at the time, they then moved onto the ships themselves when companies like Lloyds got involved and started setting up rules and regulations for all ships to protect life ( and insurance claims)
Regards
Paul
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Piet in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
That pretty much solves it for me Mate.
Thank you for all that effort.
Dave
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SawdustDave reacted to JSGerson in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Thanks for the feed back.
I got curious about the life preserver and found this at Nauticapedia:
So yes, the Constitution could of had a life ring (kisbie), but not until 1855 or later.
Jon
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SawdustDave reacted to mtaylor in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
I'll go with Yancovich. I was just surprised.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from CaptainSteve in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Good question about the steps Jon.
The steps are hand cut from basswood. The mistake I made with the first long solid piece, was that I failed to do the layout with the strip positioned at the exact angle of the bowsprit. Everything looked great until it was positioned onto the bowsprit.
Part of the issue was that the angle of my bowsprit is not correct, as noted by the amount of exposure where it passes through the bulwarks of the bow and then through the deck planks. This error is way beyond any possible corrections at this point.
So my only reasonable fix was to re-cut the steps to fit the angle of the bowsprit surface.
I do recommend a jig that will hold your strip of wood at the exact angle when laying it out. I also suggest making the cuts on a wide strip and then ripping to the scale width after cutting, filing, and sanding. Very careful measurement of the flats and risers being the key, I simply used a piece of paper as a spacer to make the measurements from one to the next.
Hope this helps.
-
SawdustDave got a reaction from Piet in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Pat, Mark, Paul.... Yes, I saw that one coming. It did occur to me whilst turning those little rings. Actually knocked off production at that point, but was having so much fun making them I guess I was compelled to finish the one I was working on.
So, naturally, I then had to see it on board. It’s just hanging on a cleat with no glue.
At this point, I must admit, I’m a little torn between the obvious historic fact and the optics.
We all have to agree, they’re just “cute as a little button”.
Thoughts?
Dave
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SawdustDave reacted to yancovitch in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
i would leave it and put a little sign on it saying ''artistic license''
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SawdustDave got a reaction from tasmanian in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Boat oars....
The oars are a bit of a challenge, with well over thirty of them needed for the four boats.
After several attempts at turning the long oars on my lathe, following Ken's method, I must confess complete failure.... decided to take a different approach.
I ripped several strips of bamboo to the exact width of the oar blade and marked off the handle length..... two oars per strip.
Then I set my small table saw blade to rip each side of the handles up to the blade marks.... then removed the outside material, leaving the handles.....
(as seen in the third strip below).
It then became a simple matter of rounding the handles down and then start pulling them through a draw plate to get the scale size.
The blades were then very easily shaped with sanding boards.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from shipcarpenter in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Launches progress......
Just one quick shot of the completed launches before I set them aside and move back to the mother ship.
Still need to create oars and a few minor details.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from tasmanian in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
PINNACE....
Just a single progress shot as I'm about to add the remaining 6 thwarts, rails and rowlocks.
My plan is to move on to the two whale boats and bring them to this stage before working on all the finer details.... knees, cleats, rudder, etc
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SawdustDave got a reaction from tasmanian in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
GIG completed....
Decided to complete the Gig first because it appeared to be the more difficult details.
I'll be moving to the Pinnace next....
Looks as if we're gonna be building launches for quite a while.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from tasmanian in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Cutting out the layered b&b launch parts....
Wishing I had not sold my little scroll saw.... now needed to cut out the interior sides of these layers with no opening to access them with my band saw blade.
Solution.....
See part marked B4 below....Scored each one deeply with an Xacto blade and broke them apart. Important to make the clean break occur down the center of the two tabs. By breaking them apart with the grain of the wood, they can easily be glued back together without any loss of width.
aaa
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SawdustDave got a reaction from tasmanian in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Spar Deck Guns Installed....
Although still much to do before moving on and celebrating, the guns are all installed with partial rigging.
Now working on the short tackle rigging seen here....
Note, I had to find a way to attach the bulwark hooks since I had made a strategic mistake by adding the belaying rings as I was building the bulwarks.
The biggest problem being that the pin rails are blocking any possible access to several rings.
My solution - instead of using tiny hooks to attach the blocks, I went with a length of black beading lines which can be pulled through the rings, securing each with a touch of CA gel, and then snipped off.
Seen here, the top photo shows the assembly, and the bottom photo shows the tackle sets after wrapping. Note the measurement jig used to control the exact length of each tackle set.
And here is the installed tackle....
Obviously, I have not began fitting the rope coils, which will be the last task to polish off the guns.
Also note that I have not begun working on the out haul tackle for the eight guns not affected by the cut away sections.
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SawdustDave reacted to JSGerson in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Very nice recovery on the bowsprit steps. I have to admit, I'm very leary about making ladders and stairs. Consistency in the steps geometry is paramount. How did you make them? I checked back in your log to when you first made them and you didn't address your method. Were they hand cut? If so, that is some precise cutting; or did you use a milling machine? I have a long way to go before I get to that stage, but I'm already apprehensive.
Jon
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Piet in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Bow Structure Progress....
I finally corrected an issue that has bothered me for months.... the bowsprit steps. It was brought to my attention by a local modeler who asked me about the angle of the steps.
OK, so the flats of the steps were noticeably pitched at an angle that would not have served well for walking on.
So, I ripped them off and re-cut them.... much better.
I also painted the flats of each step. Also note the gammon irons have been added (a royal pain in the butt). I definitely think they should have been added before installing the heads.
Next, I created the little life ring - and added the three steps to the bulwarks.
Finally, I was able to fill in the opening above the bowsprit....
Think I'll move to the stern and begin detailing the stern bulwarks next.
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SawdustDave got a reaction from CaptainSteve in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Pat, Mark, Paul.... Yes, I saw that one coming. It did occur to me whilst turning those little rings. Actually knocked off production at that point, but was having so much fun making them I guess I was compelled to finish the one I was working on.
So, naturally, I then had to see it on board. It’s just hanging on a cleat with no glue.
At this point, I must admit, I’m a little torn between the obvious historic fact and the optics.
We all have to agree, they’re just “cute as a little button”.
Thoughts?
Dave
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SawdustDave got a reaction from Omega1234 in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Bow Structure Progress....
I finally corrected an issue that has bothered me for months.... the bowsprit steps. It was brought to my attention by a local modeler who asked me about the angle of the steps.
OK, so the flats of the steps were noticeably pitched at an angle that would not have served well for walking on.
So, I ripped them off and re-cut them.... much better.
I also painted the flats of each step. Also note the gammon irons have been added (a royal pain in the butt). I definitely think they should have been added before installing the heads.
Next, I created the little life ring - and added the three steps to the bulwarks.
Finally, I was able to fill in the opening above the bowsprit....
Think I'll move to the stern and begin detailing the stern bulwarks next.
-
SawdustDave got a reaction from mtaylor in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Pat, Mark, Paul.... Yes, I saw that one coming. It did occur to me whilst turning those little rings. Actually knocked off production at that point, but was having so much fun making them I guess I was compelled to finish the one I was working on.
So, naturally, I then had to see it on board. It’s just hanging on a cleat with no glue.
At this point, I must admit, I’m a little torn between the obvious historic fact and the optics.
We all have to agree, they’re just “cute as a little button”.
Thoughts?
Dave
-
SawdustDave got a reaction from Farbror Fartyg in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Bow Structure Progress....
I finally corrected an issue that has bothered me for months.... the bowsprit steps. It was brought to my attention by a local modeler who asked me about the angle of the steps.
OK, so the flats of the steps were noticeably pitched at an angle that would not have served well for walking on.
So, I ripped them off and re-cut them.... much better.
I also painted the flats of each step. Also note the gammon irons have been added (a royal pain in the butt). I definitely think they should have been added before installing the heads.
Next, I created the little life ring - and added the three steps to the bulwarks.
Finally, I was able to fill in the opening above the bowsprit....
Think I'll move to the stern and begin detailing the stern bulwarks next.
-
SawdustDave got a reaction from JesseLee in USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale
Pat, Mark, Paul.... Yes, I saw that one coming. It did occur to me whilst turning those little rings. Actually knocked off production at that point, but was having so much fun making them I guess I was compelled to finish the one I was working on.
So, naturally, I then had to see it on board. It’s just hanging on a cleat with no glue.
At this point, I must admit, I’m a little torn between the obvious historic fact and the optics.
We all have to agree, they’re just “cute as a little button”.
Thoughts?
Dave
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