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Ben, I have made the propeller, but have really been buried non stop designing model kits for Model Expo and they have several more in the line up. They are various subjects and time consuming. I started this for my son in law as a spare time project and guess what no spare time yet. It is one of those good news, bad news situations.
But it will get done some day. Thanks for checking in.

Ben, I have made the propeller, but have really been buried non stop designing model kits for Model Expo and they have several more in the line up. They are various subjects and time consuming. I started this for my son in law as a spare time project and guess what no spare time yet. It is one of those good news, bad news situations.
But it will get done some day. Thanks for checking in.

Ben, I have made the propeller, but have really been buried non stop designing model kits for Model Expo and they have several more in the line up. They are various subjects and time consuming. I started this for my son in law as a spare time project and guess what no spare time yet. It is one of those good news, bad news situations.
But it will get done some day. Thanks for checking in.

Ben, I have made the propeller, but have really been buried non stop designing model kits for Model Expo and they have several more in the line up. They are various subjects and time consuming. I started this for my son in law as a spare time project and guess what no spare time yet. It is one of those good news, bad news situations.
But it will get done some day. Thanks for checking in.

As many wise men and ladies have said, the only dumb question is the one unasked. A build log is the best place to ask questions as you build.  Read the FAQs about setting up your log and work away.

Decided that I needed to build out one yard to learn was was needed after doing some detective work between the instructions, plans and other sources and did my best guess. But first the kit supplied blocks, all sizes needed help. All needed to be sanded from square to an oval shape. The singles were easy but the triples really needed a great deal of fixing.
 

 

 
Next thanks to Johnathan I sorted out the stud sail booms with the lash line inserted in the inner hole since it had to stay in place for both stored and rigged positions and the end hole getting an eyebolt for the hook to set or retract the boom as needed. The lashing was tied off with a square knot and ends tucked under the boom and cut off.

 
I then added the sling after turning thimble rings from brass and darkened. I also added the triple blocks as well. It took a couple of fittings to get the length of the rope correct fitting over the cap as well as the lashing rope tied to the end loop. 
 

 
Here is a test fit of the foremast yard in place. Now I can finish up rigging the jeers temporarily. I am using 1/32" removable pins to locate the yard in position on the mast. 
 

Hopefully by now I know what is needed on the rest of the yards.

We have visited that museum twice, all are in for a really great experience and time. Just a fantastic place to see and explore.

We have visited that museum twice, all are in for a really great experience and time. Just a fantastic place to see and explore.

Kurt, I to use Staybrite almost exclusively and with a 120 or 45 watt soldering iron. If a brass part is really thick then I will use a propane torch bottle type from hardware store. Also what dvm27 said is true for best results in most soldering operations. 

Kurt, I to use Staybrite almost exclusively and with a 120 or 45 watt soldering iron. If a brass part is really thick then I will use a propane torch bottle type from hardware store. Also what dvm27 said is true for best results in most soldering operations. 

Kurt, I to use Staybrite almost exclusively and with a 120 or 45 watt soldering iron. If a brass part is really thick then I will use a propane torch bottle type from hardware store. Also what dvm27 said is true for best results in most soldering operations. 

Kurt, I to use Staybrite almost exclusively and with a 120 or 45 watt soldering iron. If a brass part is really thick then I will use a propane torch bottle type from hardware store. Also what dvm27 said is true for best results in most soldering operations. 

In checking around I saw the need for replacing the center sections of the beams in the area of main hatch where the pinnace will rest. I am thinking that if possible this area will be able to be lifted to see the gundeck. I did not wish to cutaway the plywood beams and loose strength and geometry so I fell back on a technique from my airplane building days of delaminating plywood. The kit plywood is a three layer lamination. 
First I marked off on the two sides the length from the centerline that will be seen when hatch area is removed. Then I cut a vertical cut at each end to the depth of the first layer on one side.

Next I cut a notch back to the vertical cuts and by carefully twisting the blade removed the first layer material on the side at each end.

Then carefully inserting the blade and cut away the first layer of plywood. Once cut away the area was sanded smooth and level.

I then glued a 1/16" thick basswood strip into the gap and let set.

Once both sides were laminated with basswood strips and the glue completely set I used a small plane to remove excess material down to the plywood surface. Then finish sanded the surfaces.

Next the top of the beam was notched down 1/32" using a #11 xacto blade carefully maintaining the arc of the beam. Once cut a basswood strip was glued in place. When the glue was completely set the excess material on the edges was planed away and sanded smooth.

Here is a basswood claded center section of the beam ready for staining.

This process went fairly quickly since there was a continuous operation of working six bulwarks. Next to look to see what else can be done before gluing the bulwarks in place.
 
 
 
 

Greg, had a great time with them and if I had known how much fun grand kids were I would have had them first. I have purchased a ticket for a two hour cruise on Sunday>

I have been busy on three kit design projects; two of which are in production and the third still in design. But now waiting for parts to come so I got back on the Detroit and carved the Rescue and two life boats. I used poplar rather than Basswood to get the detail needed. Here are pictures of the boats. Next will be the davits which Evan has detailed photos of to share when back.
Here is the first life boat.

 

 
Then the trick was to carve the second as close as possible to the first. They are both the same size despite the camera lens distortion.
 

 
Here they are painted red as close as I could match. Various sources show color variations that are weathered paint.
 

 
Here they are in there locations on the ship needing their davits.
 

 
I will wait for the photos of the davits that hopefully will have next week. Thursday I leave to deliver the Constitution to my son in Southold, N.Y. a cross country drive across this wonderful land. 

I have been working back and forth between the bow and stern mooring decks working on the various items. Here is a picture of the stern mooring deck.
 

 
Here is a close up of the ladderway on the starboard side formed from one of Tom's PE sheets. Also note some yellow caution paint on some components which I added per photos.
 

 
One of the more challenging items was a raised platform between the anchor winches that has a meshed floor. My wife had some ribbon that came on a flower bouquet that I liberated from her. I sprayed a section with gray paint let it tack off and then pressed it between two steel blocks to set flat.
 

 
Next I cut a pattern of the platform floor and bent a .020" brass rod around the perimeter of the pattern and soldered the joint.
 

 
I then hammered the formed shape flat and then filed it smooth on both sides.
 

 
Next I bent three U shapes for the legs and hammered the center flat for a mating surface with the frame when soldered together. Once all were soldered in place the legs were all cut to the correct length needed. I then glued a formed ladderway to the edge of the frame and allowed the glue to really set hard.
 

 
I then sprayed the platform frame with gray paint and using a medium thick CA glued the frame to the painted ribbon. Once the glue set I carefully cut it out around the perimeter.
 

 
Next came the rails cut and fitted to the frame and then the painted with the ladderway rails and steps painted yellow.
 

 
Here is the platform in place along with the rest of the fixtures on the bow mooring deck with the various yellow caution highlights.
 
 
 
Now back to adding more details.

I finished up the ladderways and then added the mooring deck rails.
 
 
 

 
Next I made the mooring deck winches of which there are two styles, as well as left and rights based upon the electric motor location. Here they are set on the plans.

 
Here they are set on the deck with bits and mooring posts. White rope will be added before the winches are glued in place.
 

 
Next I moved on to the bow that has three winches the same as the mooring deck; in addition there are anchor winches and the pictures show "in progress" anchor winches in place on the bow fore deck.

 

 
The anchor chain will index into the hole with the brake arm over the roller and into the deck. Just a great deal of more details and fixtures to add yet. 

The ladders have arrived from Tom's Modelworks. While waiting for them to arrive I made the bollards for the decks and started the winches for the decks. There appears to be three different kinds of winch set-ups; two for anchors, 6 for mooring and two that I will call general purpose. All start out with the same basic construction with add-ons for specific purposes. 
 
After grinding a parting tool down to 1/32" to cut the gaps between the rope reels, I started by turning the basic reel set up starting with 3/16" brass bar and then started one of the frames for sizing. I used a turned piece of aluminum and moved the cutting tool horizontally to cut grooves for fins on the electric motor. 1 started 9 to go as well as finishing up the ladder ways.

 

 
My build time and updates will now be sporadic at best until New Years; my son, his wife and the twin grandsons travel tomorrow from NYC and will be here until the 28th. This will be their first time seeing the Constitution completed that will eventually be at their home on Long Island. 
 

I have repainted the balls to red and green per feedback from Evan. He said that is the way they should be when repainted. I also bent up both a ladder way and railing for test fitting and sizing. Based upon my initial count I will need a second sheet of ladder ways. Here are a couple of pictures; one thing I found helpful was spraying a light coat of white primer on the railing to hold pencil marks for bending. This Nav. deck I think is the hardest one piece rail to bend and will be final fitted when being glued down once painted white.
 

 

 
Now back to final fitting and fussing with the various decks.

I finally ordered one sheet of rails(3501) and inclined ladders(3535) after not receiving any response from Tom's Modelworks and thanks to a reply from Dan. I also decided after finishing both the bow thruster and side stabilizing fins to paint the hull in order to add railing and main deck structures. First I painted the red stripe area masking from the top of the stripe up over the main deck. Once the red dried over night I taped off the red stripe with 1/4" masking tape matching the top edge. Then masked off the bottom to paint the blue and let it dry overnight. Next came the bottom burgundy.
 
Using spray cans I warmed the cans under hot water and then shaking each time until I could not feel any temperature change. This does two things; it increases the spray pressure and warms the paint for better atomizing for spraying. Repeated the warming process between coats. I sprayed light coats so as to not bleed under the tape and this provides a clean crisp line when finished.
 
I still need to paint the forward bow shield white and then the entire hull will be sprayed with a matte finish to even out all the finishes. 
Here are a couple of pictures.

 

 

 
Next I will start on the various deck fixtures based upon pictures supplied by Evan until the rails and ladders get here.

Happy 242nd Birthday to all Marines! Semper Fi to those who fly!

I got all the hull bracing in place, not exciting work but very necessary with this narrow and long structure. I worked back and forth between the bow section and building the mooring deck at the stern which I made removable so as to be able to add the deck equipment later, bits and winches. On the bow section I added  solid blocks to form the bow and next will be the bow rider and adding more planking to support the bulwark parts secured with braces so that the braces can be cut away.
 
I thought this would be an inside out build but now am bouncing back and forth dictated by the hull structure. The good thing about scratch building is that you can kind of go wherever the build leads you.
 
Here is in progress of the bow section and why I built as a separate unit. Much easier to handle this short section for building. I am leaving the planking long to be able to attach to the center hull when joined.
 

 

 
Here is the development of the mooring deck which is below the main deck at the stern. The side and transom openings are for mooring lines. On this deck are located winches and bits for mooring lines. The deck will be 1/32" plywood and be glued to the support structure which press fits horizontally into the center hull section kind of like a drawer sliding in and out. Once finished and painted will be glued in place.
 
The real challenge was getting the 10 transom openings visually correct so I just started at one end and started down using a steel shim block as a spacer to get them correct. They are kind of like teeth in a smile. 
 

 

 

 

 
Back to projects and lets keep the Model Expo folks in our prayers since they are located in Miami and a site sponsor. 
 

Finally completed enough CAD drawings to get started on building. The CAD drawings are based on technical drawings from the ship builder. Attached are a couple of PDF files showing all the section bulkheads for the container bays.
Detroit Bay Sections 01.pdf
Detroit Bay Sections 02.pdf
 
This build is being done for my son-in-law who is now the Captain of this ship which is his first command since being promoted to Captain. I thought that he should at least have a model of the first ship he commanded. Since he took over Command and after two 72 day tours the ship has gone from the worse in it's class to number 5 in the entire Maersk fleet. 
 
The build will be a new challenge being completely scratch built and a major difference from a tall ship. It will be built in sections for ease of handling during the build process until the units are glued together. As I pondered the build while doing the drawings I finally realized that this would be an inside out build due to the container bays down in the hull. The good news is the main deck is flat down the center line with a slight crown side to side which will really help on this build. Being a scratch build things will be made up as I go and bounce back and forth between build and CAD drawing.
 
Here is a sequence of the start on the bow section. The main deck and inner container walls are 1/32" plywood, bulkheads will be 1/8" plywood and planking will be 1/16" basswood strips. Because of the small scale dictated by eventual display location the length will be 32 inches. When drawn the hull walls and inner walls almost touch which required the use of location braces for some sections of the bulkheads that will be cut away as the inner walls are added. This will be an inside out build since it is easier to cut and trim the inner walls without the planking being in place.
 

 

 

 

 

 
Now back to adding the center section bulkheads.
 
 
 
 

George,
Thanks! I am a great deal more knowledgeable now about ship building than when I started the Niagara. This will be a slower build with more attention to "ship" details. I also ordered the 30 cannon set to build out the gun deck and will be sticking my nose into other builds to learn more regarding the gun deck. This build will go to my son who lives in NYC and has a house at the end of Long Island. The Niagara was transferred yesterday to its new berth in my daughter's house. Her husband is a container ship Captain for Maersk and really appreciates the model detail.  
 
Happy Thanksgiving to all! 

I finished up the fitting of the gunports and sweep ports and added gap filler as needed. I use automotive surface glaze putty which I have used for years and sands smooth with the wood. Once taken as far as I can see without the primer I then sprayed with gray primer and sanded again for easy identification of low spots glazed as needed and primed again. 
This shows finished before priming. And you can see areas where the red has been sanded away in fixes.

 
Here are some pictures of the faired hull primed and ready for the next step.



 
On the plans I see that there are 1/32" x 1/32" square strips on either side of the gun ports and sweep ports that the planking butts into to finish the end of the planking and are painted red. 
I have seen in other builds planking done over the gun ports without regard for these strips.
QUESTION??? Should these strips be added first as I intended or ignore and plank over and retro fit?
Any and all advice or experiences would be appreciated since my next step was to add them before painting the red again.
 
Ken