patrickmil

Tom, the windows look great. The floppy disk idea is awesome. I've seen people use it before in model airplane applications for radar 'disco balls'. I'm following very closely on what you're accomplishing.

Incredible progress on your ship since I last commented on it. I have been watching and your work is astounding. I appreciate that you decided to put sails on your Connie. Great work Rich!

Everything still looks great! I have been watching, just not commenting lately. I'm anxious to see your rigging on your fine model.

Great work John. I've been keeping up with your build, I just have been quiet lately. I'm anxious to see your upper rigging and masts.

It's been a while for a post. I had to go back to page 12 to find my log. Work is new and I'm getting adjusted to it. Also, most of the progress isn't Earth shattering. It's mostly just framing gun ports and some planking. The gun ports were all framed in a 15 mm x 13 mm size. It's uniform and easy to follow. It might now be what Model Shipways had on their plans but hey, this model is dating back to 1803 at the latest so who's to say that the size of these openings hadn't changed a little bit. They are all framed up on the starboard side. The port side is next. I also couldn't resist the planking above the wales. I just had to do it. I'm not following any particular planking scheme either. I feel that the scale won't lend itself to showing individual planks and the hull will be painted over anyway. Like my Niagara, I want a perfectly smooth hull, hence the reason why I'm not sweating the planking too much. I also got the transom filled in. The port side gallery is starting to take shape as well, and the waterways are complete for the gun deck. I will finish framing up the port side gun ports and plank that area. Once that's done I will start work on the deck. I am going to go with maple planking and have just purchased a 13" bench planer that ought to help get some planking billets into the proper thickness. I hope you enjoy the pictures. As always, feel free to point and yell about any critical areas that could use more attention.

Thanks to all for the birthday wishes! I have the next week off before I start my new position. I should have a couple of updates by then.

Incredible framing Ben. She looks very impressive!

Great looking stain Sal! I look forward to seeing all of the treenails in place. I've always felt that it was a great detail in planking.

The white stripe is awesome! I am a Bengals fan and it's a very hard division.

Larry, Niagara is looking awesome! I blackened my belaying pins and was very happy with the results. Like Augie said though, it's Captain's discretion.

Larry, I use a full size table saw to rip billets with lengths of 12-18" and the width of 2-3" and with a height that will be the final width of the planks. I take this billet and then rip it on the little Proxxon table saw in 1/16" thicknesses. The results are nice but it is time consuming for sure. Wes, thanks for looking in and thanks for the encouragement.

I'm completely happy with using maple for the deck planking. The admiral also weighed in on the question and she thinks the maple looks nicer as well. Since I was unable to decide on my own I appreciate everyone giving me their opinion. I will start ripping off maple planking then.

Nice looking paint Tom! I only support the Pats because they are AFC. LOL. Great progress with the black paint. I'm anxious to see the masking taken off,

Let the voting begin again!

Here are the samples with linseed oil applied. I like how it brings out the caulking lines.

Augie, you're absolutely right. I did slightly wet down the samples but I will take some pics with a finish applied. That should be later on. Good call!

Guys, thanks for looking in. I've got three votes on holly and one for maple. I figure that my choice counts the most in the end but I like both. I'm not completely ready to plank yet, but figured I'd get a tally while I work on other things so after a couple days I can start procuring the materials and cutting planks.

Fletch and Jim, thanks for dropping by. I need some opinions now. I am going to be putting in some deck planking very soon and I don't think I'll be using the kit's supplied basswood. I've narrowed my choices to Maple and Holly. The lighter colors of these woods will help with lighting on the gun deck. Whomever is reading this, please let me know what looks better, the maple or the holly.

Jon, after looking in on your Rattlesnake I'm not sure what you're waiting for as your skills are definitely up to the task.

Jon, Your Rattlesnake is awesome! On my Niagara I solved the twisting issue when I installed the horizontal bars/planks that go right over top of the deadeyes and lanyards. Great work on your rigging so far.

Amazing detail Tim! If you did want to number yours with 109 I'd say it was the best representation that I've see yet so far. Outstanding work!

Jon, I appreciate your links. I have seen pictures of that particular model some time ago. It is a lovely model and if I can get half as fine of a model as it then I'll feel that I've accomplished something. I noticed a couple of things this time around, Mark included the bridle ports and put in eight windows but used the alleged stern decor from the 1812 period. He also decided against the copper plating but I'd imagine that decision was so we could see the fine planking and treenail detail. So much of how she looks depends on how you decide to interpret all of the literature. I'd really like to see pictures of that build in progress. Thanks for looking in. Are you planning on bashing your Connie when you start?

Augie, I'll save your royalties and donate them to the site on next year's fund raiser. George and Tim, thanks for looking in. The stern area is a mish-mash of William Bass's drawings, drawings from AOTS and Model Shipway's plans. I lucked out with the kit's plans in that the gun ports on the gun deck line up pretty well with the original 1795 draught (picture A2/2 in AOTS). The quarter galleries and transom detail and structure are just riding between all of these drawings. Something I wanted to add to my above post is that knowing what I know now, I would have never bought this kit for what I am doing with her but would have instead scratched the Constitution from the start. The more I'm putting into her the more I find that the only useful part of the kit is the wood supply. Live and learn, right?

Hey all! Hectic last couple of weeks! I will be switching to a new job and schedule soon so I haven't gotten as much done as I'd like. Plus, it seems as though when I take a couple steps forward I end up taking one backward. The good news is that the new schedule should afford me more build time. The new toy is the Proxxon pencil sander and power supply. Amazon had them together for the basement bargain price of $60 with free shipping. I jumped on that quickly. I made a couple of additions and had to remove the planking on the upper counter. When I was originally planking the upper counter I forgot that it is supposed to extend across the backsides of the quarter galleries. I managed to get the six window sills and top plates installed. I steam bent and shaped a spar deck beam that runs along the inside of the window top plates. I also got some framing put in for some gun ports and the starboard door for the starboard quarter gallery. Speaking of quarter galleries, I got some basic framing for the starboard quarter gallery installed. The starboard waterway has been completed and the port bow timberheads are also finished up. More work to be done today. I hope you enjoy my pictures and if you have questions, comments, and criticism, don't hold back! P.S. The shows Black Sails and Sons of Liberty are incredible shows for inspiration.

Looking great Sal!