JSGerson

I'm not really complaining, just venting a bit. This is all new to me so each step is a step into the unknown. If I knew what I was doing, rigging wouldn't be so bad...tedious but not bad...I think. 8-)

Other than going nearly blind trying to follow a single line as I install it through the mass of lines accumulating on the model, pulling out lines because they got twisted in some other line, or I terminated it at the wrong spot, progress is being made. I even took time off to visit Mom in Florida for a week. I won’t mention my fumble fingers bumbling into unseen lines and in some cases breaking them, trying to get some light into an area only to have my hands cast a shadow where I need to work. You know, the usual stuff… Oh, I guess I did. The sheet and clue lines above and for the main yards for the Main and Fore mast were completed once the topsail yards were installed. The sheet lines couldn’t be installed because blocks needed for them were suspended from topsail yards. Note: The Practicum called those clue lines but as I read it, according to Petersson’s Rigging Period Ship Models they are identified as sheet lines.

What I liked about the Mamoli rigging plans is that it breaks up the rigging so that you can see the different types of lines. One sheet shows the stays, another shows just the lines that hold and manipulate the yards, etc. as opposed to the MS plans which shows everything at once albeit the running lines are in red. I found the MS very hard to read with all the overlapping lines. Be that as it may, as hard as it is to understand what the lines are for, what they do, and where they go, plus how they terminate so I can install them properly (I’m a novice remember), the Mamoli plans threw me a few curve balls. On sheet 8 I found a least three errors. Now I am a very visual person, I tend to look at a diagram and build from that as opposed to reading the instructions (yes, I’ve gotten in trouble for that). Looking at the Mamoli rigging diagram seemed pretty much straight forward but the some of the items were mislabeled. After intense cross checking I think I’ve got it straight. The first one I’ve already mentioned, a kevel marked as 89A should have been No. 121 (This was also caught by Mr. Hunt in his practicum). The Main topsail sheet line was marked to terminate on shroud 326A. I could not figure out what the “A” stood for because Mamoli uses the nomenclature “Shroud Group # / line #” (e.g. 326/2°, shroud group 326 2nd line counting front to back)). As it turned, the line is supposed to terminate at bit No. 98A. Then I spotted the line for the Main Topgallant Sheet which was marked to terminate at shroud 326 / 1°. It should be shroud 326 / 4°. As it turns out, the printed rigging instructions detailing each line’s path on the plans was correct and was corroborated by the detail diagrams found on the detail diagrams. I wasn’t totally ignoring the printed instructions, but using them as a check list mostly to insure I installed all the lines. I guess I will have pay a bit more attention to those. If however, you look real close to the MS plans, one finds details not shown in Mamoli plans. One of these is some of the lines now being installed are required to terminate on the stays. On some of those stays, the Mamoli plans just indicate the shroud number and line as I just mentioned no explanation as to how they are tied off there. The MS plans indicted that shroud cleats were required. I used Syren’s 5 mm shroud cleats. They had to be finalized by carving the final shape and putting a concave groove along the back of the cleat. They were first glued into place with a very little dab of PVC glue and the tied at the side wings and at the center pre-cut groove.

Very well done!!! Jon

Glad to be of help. Your mini tutorials are going to be a great help to me when I start my attempt at the model. Jon

Are you building the 1812 version of the Conny? You might want to read the discussion on her windows and look at the images posted there of stern for reference. Jon

I don't have photos, but would the plans from the US Navy do? Jon 24422 - Spar Deck General Arrangement Taken from Work.pdf

I did a search for another image of your cannonade picture and I did find one slightly larger as well as a drawing of a USS Constellation 32 pd Carronade by Jim Griffiths, a nautical artist. I hope these are of some help. Jon

In order to rig the topsail yards lifts and halyards I had to first install double 3 mm blocks from the crosstrees (which should have been installed earlier, etc. but I’m repeating myself…again). BTY: When constructing the cross trees, both the Hunt practicum and the MS plans showed two “wings.” Those are the supports perpendicular to the beam of the ship. However, Mamoli ‘s plan showed two and three wings depending on which sheet of the plans you were looking at. I only noticed it now!!??

Topsail yards Before any more rigging could be installed to the Main yards, the Topsail yards had to be hung next. They were installed also in the same manner as the main yards but with a few differences. The Mains had two heavy lines through blocks each to suspend the yards. They also had lines wrapped around the yards to hold them against the masts which were tied down at the deck. The topsail yards were held with a single line that went through the mast and split into separate lines that went to the side rails through a series of blocks. To hold the yard against the masts, the Mamoli kit just looped rope around the yard and mast and lashed to ends together. The MS kit plans showed parrels. According to David Antscherl, the parrel ribs are 14” long or 5.5 mm at 1/64 scale. I chose to go with the parrels and used the 6 mm parrels (close enough) sold by Amati.

Mainsail Yard Lifts My first thought was to install the cross jack yard next and work my way forward to the main and fore masts installing their topsail yards. But checking the plans I decided to install the mainsail yard lifts first. Starting at the main mast, the 3 mm blocks that should have been installed when the masts were being assembled (am I being repetitive?), needed to be installed on the mast cap. They were a bit awkward to do, but they got done. The lift line went from the cap block just installed to the top block of the double blocks at the tip of the yard, back through the cap block and down to, through, and tied off at a kevel. The only problem - no kevels were installed in the location indicated on the plans. Back when I was following Bob Hunt’s practicum exclusively, he stated there were 8 kevels that needed to be made and installed. I did as he instructed, but he was wrong, there were 10. The missing kevels (Mamoli No. 121A port and starboard) located at the start of the aft upper deck had to be put in now. Not only that, but the Mamoli plan No 8 has an error – the diagram showing the front view of the main mast has the lift line going to kevel No. 89A instead of No. 121A. Kevel 89A is for the foremast. Making the kevels was no problem, installing them was quite another. Due to their location; I needed a pair of right angled tweezers due to the interference of the stays, ratlines and the inward lean of the bulwarks. Not like forceps, but more like a “Monkey” (Spanner) wrench concept. The closest I found is sold by Micro Mark. But even if I did have this instrument, I don’t think it would have done what I wanted in this situation. MicroMark Ear Polypus My first attempt resulted in disaster as I dropped the kevel and it fell into the bowels of the model never to be seen again due to the model’s open planking. Another kevel was made. My first attempt was made with CA glue which required a good flush contact immediately. That didn’t happen. My second attempt, I used PVA glue which allowed me to adjust the position once I made initial contact with the bulwark. The second kevel was installed was just as tricky but without incident. What really kills me is that I knew the kevels were missing for quite some time and could have installed them earlier and possible made my life a bit easier. I knew because while reading someone else’s Rattlesnake build log (forgive me, I’ve forgotten whose it was) this very problem was discussed. I failed to act on it quickly and it slipped my mind. The fore mast main yard and Cross jack were installed very similar. In hindsight, I could have hung the Crossjack first without any problems.

Since you are working on the hammock netting, here are two US Navy plans for the frame forgings. Jon 013-09-2009 - Forged Hammock Net Frame.pdf 19043001 - Hammock Stowagw Forgings.pdf

That is some fancy display box! So now the question is: where are you going to display the model? I'm not thinking so much as in what room, but what does the box sit on to display the model? I've been wrestling with this problem in contemplation of the completion of my Rattlesnake. Jon

Got it, thank you!

Always a pleasure to read your build log. You mentioned you "used a technique described by Steve Wheeler in the January/February 2009 issue of Ships in Scale." I bought the CD archive of Ships n Scale and thought I was in luck because it goes as recent as 2009. Unfortunately I could not find the article you referenced. I searched the keyword oars and got zip. Searching for Steve Wheeler generated a lot of articles, but nothing stood out as the article on oars. Could it be hidden in some article on a different subject with a side reference to oars? Jon

Let me start out by saying I have images for over fifty different models and build logs of the USS Constitution. I am collecting them to help me when I start my model (when ever that may be). I checked every one of them and for those which showed a clear image of the skylight, you sir, have made the best. I found only two other builders with whom I would even consider a near second or third place. You out shined them all. Jon

If I knew then what I know now, a better choice would be to thread the blocks as soon as the blocks were installed and have them coiled up with a clip until it's time to actually rig the lines. I was/am trying to work by the rule of rigging from the inside and working my way outward and from bottom to top somewhat in the manner of how the actual ship would be rigged. Others opt to build the masts and their associated rigging as much as possible off the model. Each method has its pros and cons. In this case, pre-rigging the blocks would have been better. Jon

Well the fore main yard has now been hung. It actually took me less time than the main yard but I was set back first, by breaking off the starboard fore castle stair railing from the waist. Not only was it knocked off, but I somehow lost the upper stanchion which obviously had to be refabricated. Second, by somehow catching the bowsprit yard haul-in block that is attached to the top of the fore stay. It got pull off which meant I had to tie back on. I thought it would be a cinch (pun intended). But like we all know, Murphy rules: it’s never as easy as it looks. The problems were the usual: confined space to work in, not enough fingers, fingers are too big, etc. Here is what she looks like now. Please note there are still a LOT of final tie offs to be done, gun ports to repair, etc.

WOW! you have been busy! Again beautiful work. Jon

Antscherl's method is: "...once released from the serving machine, cut the ends on a long diagonal...Glue the ends..." The problem I had was cutting the ends. If done exactly as described, the serving is cut and begins to unravel. Here is his method from a handout he passed out during a demonstration he gave at a past NRG Conference. It adds a few more details. BTY, Blue Ensign's method (the one that I could find) is for eye splices, not line splices. Jon

I didn't double-up my bobstay. I didn't know at the time I rigged it that it should have been because both the Mamoli and the MS plans did not show it that way. You did good. According to Jame Lees' The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War the splice (which needs to be made on the model) lay in the grove of the heart (or deadeye). You placed it in the stem, but it won't matter except for the purest because in either case it will be hidden. I don't know how you made your splice, but when I have to make them, I unravel the two ends, butt them together so that the loose strands overlap and lie on the other's end. I then apply some diluted PVC glue and hold with my fingers until nothing comes apart when I let go. I've have problems of them coming apart if the dilution is too thin. In this case because the line is served, I would leave a length of serving thread to continue the wrap around the splice which also gives it physical strength. Nice work Jon

It always helps to have the right tools for the job. Well done. If I were to do that same task today, I would have had to use wood stock, a saw, straight edge, a micrometer, hand files, sand paper, glue, and paint. I know it wouldn't have looked as good as yours. Jon

Thanks again for providing those beautiful pictures and great explanations. I will probably buy one of those new toys in the future before I start my Conny after all, it's only money 8-) Jon

Ah yes, Cast Your Anchor. I've dealt with them before, but it's been a while. I'll have to check in with them more often. Thanks for your quick reply. Jon

I have no experience with a lathe, let alone a metal lathe, but I assume one was use for making the capstan top as well as the inset underside for the indexing pin. How did you initially cut the disc and then hold it in place to spin it on the lathe to create its final diameter and inset? Jon