zoly99sask

Transom re-framed....
 
Three days later.... a little over twenty hours of ripping out and fixing this very important part of the model.
Here we are back to the same point.....
 
First, the transom frames are now well aligned with the widened filler block.
Also, the frame-to-frame alignment has been fared left to right and top to bottom.
Finally, the six window openings measure precisely to the plan sheets.
 

 

 
 
 
 

Hello Dave;
 
I may be able to help you. Here is a picture from my build. The stern counter block is very important to get right. A lot of the future build depends on getting this right. I also am building the Conny with help from Bob Hunt's practicum. 
 

 
The top of the counter is wider than the bottom
 
The hole is for the rudder to go through
 
The shape of the counter gave me lots of trouble but I worked it out. Hope this helps

OK, now that I am home I looked at the plans and I think I see the problem. If I measure the width of the template for the stern filler piece from the plans it is 1 5/8" wide at the center.
 

 
If you measure the length of the filler piece on the side view part of the plans it is only 1 1/2" wide. I think this may be showing the length of the filler piece at the sides which is shorter than the middle, but it is misleading (really it is wrong)
 

 
I think that is where the 1/4" or so is coming from. If you make the filler piece using the template you should not have to remove the 1/4" from the transom frames.
 
BTW - I used the free volume of the Launk Street Shipyard tutorial for this part of the build, which helped me a lot getting started. I am not sure if it is still available on line.

Working on the stern framing.... I ran into this little surprise regarding the plan patterns.  I'm curious to know if it's just me, or did any of you Connie builders run into the same issue.
 
When you lay one of the frame patterns over the profile of the assembled frames (as seen below), you find that a full 1/4" has to be removed from the length of the frame in order to align the aft edges flush with the stern filler edge.

This caused me considerable heartburn yesterday as I went into a scramble of checking and re-checking the width of my stern filler against the plans, then checking my frame parts against the plans, and checking Tom's build log to assure me I was interpreting the plan sheets properly.
 


.
 

Filler blocks - bow and stern....

No attempt to show any step-by-step log regarding the creation of these filler blocks.  For that, I refer all builders to visit Tom's (usedtosail) impeccable documentation of the process (never mess with perfection).
 
Three quick shots taken this morning after finishing up the fairing of all the bulkheads and shaping the fore and aft filler blocks.
Note, I did choose to glue up the three stern filler blocks so I could work on them off ship.... dry fitting and marking them several times as I slowly achieved acceptable shape and fit.


 

 
Loved Tom's woodworker approach to notching the bow filler blocks..... sure did make a clean job of that task.
 

Beak painted ....
 
All bulkheads fitted to the former with careful measurements taken to insure precise spacing at the outer edges and top surface alignment from bow to stern.
Next task of fairing the edges and creating bow and stern filler blocks.
Also, I finished the starboard side carvings and painted the whole beak flat black.  Then used a straight razor blade to scrape the top surface of the carvings clean, leaving the black background.
Then added the delicate double trim rails above and below the carvings and painted them flat black.
After three coats of acrylic white, mostly applied with a tooth pic, completed the beak by painting out the red/white/blue shield....again, acrylic paint applied with very sharp tooth pic. 
 

Back to work on the Constitution......
 
Completed the planking of the gun deck since my last posting. Then began building the aft paneled bulkhead leading to the commodores aft cabin and stateroom.
 
Here's where the fun came to an abrupt halt!
 
I ran into a serious conflict with the location of the aft most gun port being snug against bulkhead "R".
The conflict being that there are two cannons on each side of the cabin and the two aft cannons cannot be fitted into that corner with the bulkhead being that close (see attached pic).

 
As seen below, the paneled bulkhead is completed.... dry fitting pic below.

 
The obvious solution is that the bulkhead has to go.... yuk!
 
Not only the removal of the bulkhead, but also the entire deck within the Commodores Cabin area must be ripped out because all of the deck planks butted against that bulkhead. The removal creates an obvious issue with those planks along the base of the new bullhead location.
 
So here's where I am now....

 
Consider this a minor setback.
 
I really have a hard time visioning one of those guns being fired within that enclosed area.

I don't expect this posting to be of much value to many experienced modelers, but for the few who might be faced with creating scratch planks, here's how I approach it.
 
In other words, turning a choice piece of 3-1/2" X 1/4" poplar into a pile of deck planks....
 

 
Before ripping the thickness of each plank on my band saw, I had to remove some width of the planks by passing the board through the table table saw.  Standing on edge, the height of the blade is set to remove only about 3/4".... safely.
One pass on opposite edges gives me 1-1/2" of perfect plank width to take to the band saw.
Note that the edge of the board represents the width of each plank.
The plank thickness will be determined by the band saw cuts.

 
After each pass on the band saw, creating the thickness of the plank, I use a long sanding block to re-dress the edge, removing the rough surface caused by saw blade.
Done properly, the last cut will be something like the lower right pic.

 
Finally, each plank must be completely dressed with a long sanding block to remove the roughness caused by the band saw blade.

 
Quick note about the sanding block I use for dressing planks....
Years ago, I purchased a roll of this 100 grit paper used for safety "non-slip" concrete floors and stair treads.  Can't tell you how many sanding blocks I've made with this roll.
The important point being.... compared to the typical sanding board we have all used (top right), this stuff will seriously remove material like no other sandpaper I've ever used.

After several days of working on prototypes for cannons and carronades.... including their carriages, and rigging.... I guess I'm about ready to move back to the ship for a while.

With so many of these guns to create, I'm hoping to get the technique for creating and installing them down to within reason.  The mock up of a gun port has been invaluable in that respect.  I came to the conclusion that a few trade-offs was necessary in terms of being able to install each gun.
 
The hooks that attach the block to the bulwark has to be much longer in order to get them to anchor into the eye rings.  
I also learned that all rigging must be attached to the carriage and cannon before attempting to install.
Also.... the cannon restraining rope must be hooked in place before attempting to hook the block and tackle hooks.

 
Finally, I was able to develop this little jig which will be used to make all of the rigging the exact same length.... very critical.

With 30 long guns and 24 carronades needed, my plan, for now, is to build three long gun and two carronade modules per week as I continue with progress on the ship..... in 10 weeks I should have all the guns completed.
This is, by far, more fully rigged guns than I have ever installed on a ship.
 

Scaling the cannon prototypes....

I'm glad I paused to do this, as it turned out to be a little more involved than I anticipated.
As we all know, while there are a good number of other things to work on, the gun deck of this ship is mostly about the guns.... lots of guns!  Same goes for the spar deck.  Also....Guns also mean gun carriages and rigging. 
 
Having said all that, my primary concern being scale, and having a reasonable method of creating all the parts.
 
First, a quick shot of the framing of the gun ports for the gun deck..... note that I have created a cardboard deck which can be marked up for all of the fixtures that will be added, in addition to the guns.   I located the masts on the deck in order to index the entire layout.
 

 
The next pics show the development of the carronades and carriages and rigging.
 
Created molds for the carriage parts....
24 carronade carriages and 30 long gun carriages will be needed.

 
Each of the carronade barrels will be turned from hard rock maple. 

 
I also developed a mock up of the bulwarks in order to work out the exact size of the rigging blocks, hooks, and rope.  This is the part that was little more difficult than I expected.... mostly block and rope sizes.  
 

 
I'm working on the same mock up for a long gun prototype.

Port side gun deck bulwarks....
Note, the planks seen laying on the beams are being used for measuring the height of the bulwarks.  
Eventually, after the gun deck is completed, I will remove these planks and install all of the beams that will support the spar decking.

Managed to complete the re-planking of the forward gun deck this morning.  

 
In this next photo I noticed some slight sanding swirl marks that came out after staining.
The camera is our most reliable critic.
 

 
I can now go back to working on the gun deck bulwarks.  

More ripping out....
Before installing the forward bulwarks, I must first remove the original beams from bulkhead A and B.  Also, there is a serious issue with the deck planking I have already installed in that bow area.

Seen here, I have removed the beams and now should be ready to prepare that bow area for planking the gun deck in that area.  First, the top surface of the filler blocks is not the same level as the bulkheads.  So I have to rough out that surface to take it down to the same level.

Now to carefully remove a number of the staggered planks in order to re-plank the area with the correct pattern of butt joints.
 

 
This is a good quitting point for the night.
 
 

So... not a whole lot of mystery here with the construction of the pinnace.
 

 
 I had the same issues with the cap rail using the Swiss Pear, but when through fewer iterations because I need I needed the patiences to just use a sharp blade.
 

 
I notched out the thwarts, and carved out the knees. The rails are pretty straightforward, glued together from the laser cut.
 

 
I ended up using small bits of boxwood for the oar locks. I couldn't manage to carve the basswood that small and still keep it in tact, so I went with the denser boxwood and just had them two "steps" carved.
 

 
Finally, I tethered the small boats to the waist beams.  I know that this isn't a tradition knot of any kind - however this is the first type of "slip" knot my father taught me how to use.  We moved a lot when I was young, and this is how he tied down all the stuff we'd load up on our open top, built ourselves trailer. It's a clever little knot that's easy to manipulate quickly when we'd stop at a rest stop and need something out of the back.
So this is a little homage to my late father.  :-)
 

 
Coming up - the finale...  
 
 
 

Hello all I am back in business on the bounty build after my short break building another ship I don't think I will attempt a side build again as I think it give me an easy option out of the bounty when things got challenging.
Even before I started the bounty I could not get my head round how billings intended the bulwarks to be fitted but after the short break have just stormed in and started building and im happy with how that step has went I think sometimes you just need to build if its wrong there is nothing that cant be ripped off and re done.
Gemmajf if you are reading I have ordered the caldercraft figurehead and  I ordered amati stern cabin windows portside and starboard I should hopefully get them in the morning I will post some pics of them in comparision to the kit provided ones ,I have no idea what size they are or scale I believe the caldercraft to be from  1/60 the amati pieces im not sure

Bug,
That is a very nice setup you have for photo sessions.
Good use of a table tennis unit.
Back in Sweden in my early days I had a Stiga too.
Useful for many things.

Well folks - it's all wrapped up except the photo shoot...
 

 
...more to come.

Thanks Dubz!
 
   Steve - Here are a couple shots of the longboat and the pinnace against the ruler.  Looks to be about 5" with the pinnace (obviously still in progress) about a half inch longer.
 

 

I started installing the ratlines the other day. I have a lot of them to tie.

Well it's been a while, but I have made some progress with the Monte, I've started with the standing rigging as well as the ratlines and shrouds.

Got some more rigging done on the bowsprit yesterday. I know, my work table looks a mess, but it's an organized mess believe it or not. I try and clean it up after I finish each step before moving on to a new step in the build.
 
 
mike

Thank you guys.
To Mike Y - chuck on Proxxon mill is PM 40 (No. 24260 in Proxxon catalog). The milling bitts are selfmade.
In this moment is about 560 blocks finished, it remains to complete a few atypical blocks.

Thank you Rob .
Some other small part are ready - yard tie blocks, jeer blocks, sheet quarter blocks, single shoulder blocks, long tackle blocks, hearts.

Before first planking.

Hi Zoltan,
Well...
I looked around on the plan and documentation and I was not able to confirm which size to use 3/16 or 1/4. Since I used 1/4 for the first layer, I decided to use this one as well.
I like the look of it.
Does it seem too big?