Jack12477

I think you will find that this group of modelers offers constructive critique not destructive !  Come join us !

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

Wow. Thanks guys. This forum really is a friendly place.  
 
If I recall correctly, my last experience with a ship model discussion group turned out to be a negative experience. My wife referred to them as 'the ship model gestapo', she has a good sense of humor.

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

I think you will find that this group of modelers offers constructive critique not destructive !  Come join us !

I think you will find that this group of modelers offers constructive critique not destructive !  Come join us !

Yours does pass the "standing horse test"
 
Jan

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

Looks great from here.   We are our own worst critics. 

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

Looks pretty darn good to me !  None of the "mistakes" you point to are obvious to me until you pointed them out. And I'm really not sure they are "mistakes". I'm not sure what you mean with the coiled ropes on the deck?  The stern detail looks good, even the molded wood (instead of brass) looks good.
 
We modelers sometimes tend to be too critical of ourselves. I would say your model is excellent.

Hi Michael
 
Happy Birthday ! Enjoy your day.  Your workmanship is amazing!

I've never seen it anywhere so I need to ask....
 
On a POF, why do a lot of builders do the interior first?   Is this just mis-perception on my part... or...?  I would think the exterior would be better first since a variety of clamps could be used without damaging the interior planks.  Then the interior could be planked using spales instead of clamps.
 
I hope someone can set me straight before I proceed much further doing the exterior first.

Hi Michael
 
Happy Birthday ! Enjoy your day.  Your workmanship is amazing!

When the President said, "You didn't build that!" I took offense since I had started several businesses. But when it comes to the USS Constitution I just finish......It's a correct statement....maybe my fingers and eyes put it together, but all of you who came to my rescue time and time again built it along with me. 
 
The advise started when laying the keel when many of you told me to keep it dead straight and the bulkheads square....and the planking....endless help from bending tips to shaping and placing the planks....Then the decks....tree nail advise.. just like gun rigging...terrific suggestions...Basic miniature woodworking...you all to taught me how to get the right tools so I could make straight and square cuts....You suggested the correct glue after I screwed up using the wrong stuff for months....your help with the standing rigging allowed me to get it mostly right.....the running rigging....I was totally lost in space and you all bailed me out during the whole process.....and finally....because I knew you all were looking....I  tried never to cut corners or do sloppy work for I didn't like getting criticism. I can't tell you how many times I went back and did something over because you spotted an error or sloppy work......The best advise I got was one of you told me, "treat each piece you have to place as if it were its own model." So.... "You did so build it with me!"
Thank you. 

Young America - extreme clipper 1853
Part 116 – Bow Decoration
 
Young America's bow decoration is interesting for a number of reasons.  Each side is different.  Just aft of a billet decorated with greenery, the carved figures rest mostly on the waist planking and partially on the base of the billet.  There were no headboards, so it is not clear how these were mounted on the original ship – much less how to mount them on the model -  due to the angle between the two surfaces.  Also, unlike the gilded stern decoration, the figures at the bow were painted in natural colors.  All this, like many other aspects of the ship, is based on Bill Crothers research.
 
After some unsuccessful attempts to fashion a wood base in the angle, I finally decided to sculpt these as six separate pieces, then fit them together on the bow.
The first picture shows the initial figures, sculpted with MagicSculpt® on wax paper taped flat on the pattern sheet.
 

 
The figures are quite small.  The starboard side features a female figure – presumably Liberty – with a shield flanked by draped flags.  On the port side an American Eagle is substituted for the female figure.  Below is the sculpted female figure before any post-hardening refinement.  The points on the flag staffs are thumb tack points.
 

 
The next picture shows some refining of the sculpture using a very small chisel.
 

 
In the next picture the fragile greenery has been lifted off the waxed paper, laid on the billet and touched with a drop or three of thin CA.
 

 
 
Refinement of the greenery was done after being glued on.  In the next picture the three port figures have been fitted and glued on with CA.
 

 
The figures were set into soft sculpting material placed in the angle between the billet and the side, than pushed into a fit.  Some modification of the parts was needed for this.  The sculptures must leave clearance for the square bowsprit to slide in and out.  Excess material was removed.
 
After attachment, the figures were primed with thinned flat black enamel.  The entire hull was given one last coat of acrylic paint and the figures were painted using acrylic gouache.  The next picture shows the starboard decoration.
 

 
The next picture shows the port side.
 

 
The greenery is actually brighter with light highlights than shown in the photos.  The next picture, from dead ahead, shows both sides.  Photos like these and closer ones were very helpful in judging the paint job and suggesting improvements.  The model went back and forth a few times for these.
 

 
The acrylic gouache used for painting the figures dries dead flat, causing an almost two dimensional appearance in the photos – especially in the close ups.  I may give these a coat of semi-gloss medium, perhaps the acrylic sanding sealer I used over the stern lettering.
 
Speaking of that, I received the second order of dry transfers, so I was able to correct the letters that were photo shopped in the last post.  The last picture shows the repaired letters – unadulterated.
 

 
This picture was taken before the final repair on the C.  After repair the dry transfer letters were given a coat of diluted sanding sealer.   I am also quite happy with the final black finish on the hull – shown in this picture.
 
With all this work done, the lower framing was given a last coat of wax, so the model should not have to be inverted again, I hope.  This will allow me to get on with work on the upper deck – cabins, etc.
 
Ed

John, Steve, Denis, Druxey, Mark, Lawrence, thanks for your kind remarks. A big thanks also to all who have visited.
 
The valves and lifters have been a tricky bit of work so far. Had to make a wrench for the reduced sized nuts.
 

 

 
drilling the holes for the taper pins to fix the cams
 

 

 
All the cams are now pinned in place.
 

 
here is a video of the valves in motion
 
Michael
 
 

there......now I can talk!   yes......I agree with you Carl...I wish I was at the point where I can retire    one day soon...I hope!     you must mean our beloved Capt'n Bob.........I really enjoy his talent....I wish I could understand CAD like he does.  I had something this morn I wanted to post......wait  moment you'll love it 
 
thanks Mobbsie.......I think I see what your pointing out....... consider it fixed!   thank you for letting me know.  I'm starting to get the Jeebies anyway.....I see spots and paint flecks......I touch them up.......and then I see more!   then I clean my glasses and some of them go away!   
 
thank you Tom........the admiral had a very good day.  every year it's the same.......I tell her she's catching up to me...and every year,  she gets confused 
      gotta keep 'em guessing 

For those that are building the model or even just following along....I just added another chapter of the monograph to my site.
 
Its covers the planking and lining off process and I describe it in more detail than in my log.  I have had a lot of questions about how to line off the hull and to plank by bending edgewise etc.   Unlike the tutorial i posted on this site that talks about cutting the curved planks from wider stock,  or using tape to find the curve.... this chapter shows how I pre-bent the planks edgewise to achieve the same thing.  Neither technique is better than the other.  They are just different.  I hope it helps along with those videos posted as nobody could actually see how I was marking each plank etc in the videos.
 
Let me know if you have any questions.  I have posted all of the chapters through chapter four.....I am almost caughtup with writing. Yippee 
 
http://www.syrenshipmodelcompany.com/revenue-cutter-cheerful-1806.php
 
Chuck

so....yea,  some clean up was in order.   mental note to self.......when I buy paint for any task,  it's good to jot down the product number and stuff......the primer I bought is not the same as I started with.  lucky for me,  that the Billing's flat white is very close to the primer color.   the color is very slight...hardly noticeable    I did do a bit of repair work on that deck seam down the middle.......looks a bit better now.  with the small bottles of paint......ever notice that by the time your well into the build,  you can hardly read what the name of the color is......I find that with the Model Master,  and Billing's paints.  a good remedy for it,  is to cover the name with scotch tape...something clear,  to protect it from getting rubbed off.
 
here are the mending plates I put at the base of the trawl rig.   they make the assembly to the deck a bit stronger,  and cleans up the looks of it.
 

 
the placement for the aft section cables were plotted out.  impressions from the pins marked where to drill.
 

 
some pictures of the model show them on the transom......some show them at mid ship.   I chose them in this position,  because it looks more on the logical side.   the same went for a pair at the bow........some even used chain.
 

 
I have looked for clear instruction of the rigging........even actual pictures show me very little.  the reel on the fore deck is a good example.   netting would be illogical in that position......and I have seen rigging that moves along and through the trawl rig.  there are separate winches that operate the stabilizer booms,  so this still leaves the reel open for thought.  I will delve into it further,  but I have an idea of how to rig it   after I had cemented the bow shackles in place,  I did the same to the main deck shackles.
 

 
the mending plates are painted now.
 

 
when the shackles were painted,  I set to work on another creation.........a birthday cake for the admiral.   she wanted to be different this year,  and go for a marble cake.  no real biggie!    by the time the two 9 inch rounds were in the oven,  the shackles were dry,  and I could begin the rigging for them.  I touched up the other cables with silver,  to make them more noticeable.
 

 

 
those little shackle thingies I bought seem to work quite well with the rigging.......adds a bit more to the attachment points.
 

 

 
control panels for the booms and reel,  the curved vents,  the gangway ladder,  the buoys,  are just a few of the things left to on this build.......aside from other bits of detail I want to add.  still more to go.......no land sightings yet 

I was messing around on the table this evening......I thought I'd give you a peak at the dry fit of what the build is so far.
 

 
one more work day to go......then I'm back at the table

One month has passed since my last input.
Searching and more searching for the waterline for the longboat took me to the adventure of figuring it out.
At the end using my eyes worked out fine........ I think
With just eye lining it I got the waterline right in the middle between keel bottom and top of cap rail. 
Thinking this would be the right level for an fully occupied longboat. She would sit rather deep due to her sail capacity.
This is not a racer (lighter), but holding crew and some cargo.
Also if only as a rowing long boat she would be lighter.

Hubbla!!... Yes it's a new word
Airbrusing is something more to explore............ and deeper.
This type of painting is not hard but very delicate.
Knowing the paint head pattern will help.
Never realized how many layers is required.
But this is a great way to paint.   Love it!

3d cheerful