historyguysteve

Hi Steve Well that sort of lacuna in the plans is actually quite shocking. However you seem to progressing quickly and with a strong aptitude towards problem solving- I'm really looking forward to seeing the completed ship thanks Steve

Hi Just tuned into your post and I can identify with the first build of a plank-on-bulkhead model. The best thing about filler putty is you can continually if carefully sand it off until you get the correct shape then plank over with the second planking and all will be well. Your doing a great job so far and very encouragingly asking for advice on the site. Keep going, be confident that she will look great when the job is done. One piece of advice, somewhere on the plans should be a diagram of the hull, a sort of line drawing of the hull shape- different cross sections taken from specific locations along the length of the hull (there is a specific name for that drawing but I cant remember it for the life of me!). Take that diagram and copy it as many times as there are cross section line drawings. Cut them out (station 1, 2, 3- 10 or whatever, check the plans) and glue them to stiff card stock. This will give you a key to the correct hull shape at each station - thus a correct hull along the full length of the ship and a much more accurate model. Your instruction sheet probably does not tell you to do this fundamental step but it is important. If you get the shapes and dimensions wrong now, it will trip you up later. thanks for the post, looking forward to seeing her done Steve

Guten Tag Heinz! Vielen Dank fur euer post! That's about the extent of my german, though I must say I tried to translate all of your posts in german, it was great practice.- So thanks for posting in english and I think I speak for everyone when I say I appreciate your effort. Great post and terrific job on the ship - like many others I am really interested in the use of differing wood rather than painting over the wood. How will you handle the copper bottom on the hull?? Super progress and I'm learning a lot. thanks again Steve

Hi Chris and like everyone else welcome to the forum. The revell connie does in fact make up into a really great model of the actual vessel. As you have discovered there are problems that need to be overcome, like the issues of fit and finish. Do PLAN AHEAD! some of the other posts that deal with the connie as well as many other ships obviously, show that you need to plan several steps ahead of even what the instructions show. One good specific example is the transom/stern assembly. About ten different things need to happen at once when you go to apply that, so be ready for serious fit problems(and therefore the solutions). One strong recommendation, replace all of the spars and masts with real wood. Go to the local lumber yard (Home Depot, Lowes whatever) and get round wood stock. Use the masts and spars that come with the ship for dimensions and replace the plastic parts. The reason is not just realism, the plastic is brittle and weak. When you go to apply the rigging the plastic stuff will deform and break, its just the nature of it all. The wood stuff is MUCH more robust. Also by the time you clean up and paint the plastic stuff you could have replaced the part with wood and had a much improved model. happy modelling steve

Hi Steven, Stephen here ummmmmmm I don't know how to put this exactly but, I urge you in the strongest language to reconsider a course of action here. I strongly recommend that you go to a local hobby shop or maybe Lowes and get a selection of wood round stock. (Lowes happens to have oak round stock!) Replace every mast and spar with the real wood stuff. The reason why is manifold. First when you calculate the amount of time you spend sanding mould lines and gluing and trimming you could done that same job with much better results by using round stock- just take the measurements off of the plastic masts and spars and make them out of wood. Also, the old plastic is really weak and very brittle. When you start applying the rigging and perforce need to handle the masted and sparred ship - the wood replacement parts will prove much more robust This a really critical consideration when you get to the jib boom and flying jib especially when you have a vast investment in rigging time. Last, the replacements will simply look better, more true and authentic. Stain them and other observers will invariably ask how you got it to look like wood,--> best answer that always impresses--> it is wood! I only make these observations as a result of extensive experience, in other word 'ask me how I know' Thanks and great job so far Steve -

Kriss I agree with everyone else- your painting skills are amazing and will surely go a long way toward transforming a so-so kit into a masterpeice! keep up the good work and the posting Steve

Bless your heart for ever and ever. The whole point of this hobby/art is to have fun and you seem to be doing that with gusto!!! I also see a few of our colleauges are teasing you to do the wood - stick to the fun and if the plastic stuff is cheap but challenging and fulfilling - just do it. I'm following your build with a huge smile on my face- keep posting and have fun:):) thanks Steve

Moderator Good catch!!! I really like the idea of a little known, seldom used trait called integrity!! The build lookes great keep up the inspirational work Steve

In reply 886 above frolick mentioned the 'newbie' - I'm not the newbie but I agree with the sentiment - your work is awesome. I think you mentioned in an earlier entry about replacing unuseable stock material with boxwood, where did you procure it??? Refresh my memory - I'm working on Young America right now and need some scale lumber in the worst way. thanks for the posts/tutorial/guidance/inspiration!!! Steve

Hi Algie AKA Tony I have this model as well and I sort of specialize in kitbashing, improving on plastic kits. I usually replace as much as I can with wood. Will you replace items like masts, yards and platforms with wood or sort of stick to using major parts provided in the kit? With sparring especially I find that by the time I glue up and clean up plastic masts and spars I could have produced really good replacements from wood. I'll be following your build with great interest Steve

Maristella WoW what a great ship so far. I love the design and the engineering - good engineering means a great model. Clipper ships are underrated and I'm glad to see a new build/design. thanks Steve

Hi JS I just got the Rattlesnake by Model Shipways and I was looking for some good tutorials and lo and behold here you were to the rescue. I note that you are starting on the rigging. Allow me to give a small piece of advice. You have to get at least two books - Lennarth Petersons 'Rigging Period Ship Models' and either Roth 'Ship Modelling Stem to Stern' OR capitain Biddelcome 'The Art of Rigging'. ALL of your rigging questions will be answered - I promise your money (these books are actually really affordable) will be well repaid in time saved - every conceivable question will be answered in one of these works. BTW GREAT JOB so far - I'm really looking forward to the finished results. Maybe some day I'll be brave enough to start my own build log. Steve (historyguysteve)

Hey Popeye I'm really looking forward to this build!!! I'm right in the middle of this exact model of the USS United States as well. I also took some of the steps you are taking to solve the deck seam problem, I sanded the plastic decks smooth and simply planked over them with thin stock- you went the whole hog with spectacular results - awesome. The gratings solution was impressive and the results are amazing! I have 'run up a stump' to use the vernacular. I'm a bit ahead of you in the build; the masts are up and the spars are under construction and I'm also replacing plastic for wood at every step. The problem is the martingale/dolphin striker. One resource criptically mentioned that the USS Constitution was the only one of the 44's to have the split striker..... I'm trying to go for a build that is sufficiently different to the Connie to be noticed by casual observers but still reasonably accurate. Do you have any thoughts or research - are you going with a split martingale or a single martingale boom??? keep up the great work steve

Like some of the other shipmates who have posted, I'm thrilled to see this post emerge again. I saw this on the earlier site and was crushed when it dissapered. I'm genuinely inspired to see what a bit of craftsmanship and care can do for a solid hull ship kit. I must confess I have taken many of the tips you have demonstrated with this build an applied them to my own (very modest) skills. thanks again Steve

The best model ship is the completed model ship HA HA HA; check my personal stash . I noted a question on 'Scientific' The company went out of business in the late 1970's. Scientific originated right after the war and emulated Megow and early model shipways. The target market was father/son projects that sort of epitomized the more innocent age of the 1950's. At any rate they produced dozens of different kits in various scale. Each kit contained a billett turned hull and a sheet of pre-printed deck wood and some rather generic lead castings of mast platforms, mast caps, anchors and the like. They are a great diplay size and are easily procured through e-bay. Since many thousands were produced one can pay just a few dollars for a great basic kit. They can drive one a bit crazy since they are odd scaled more to fit available boxes than a modelling community scale size. What I mean is one has to use creativity and problem solving skills to reproduce necessary features like pin rails and belaying pins. Great job on the model. Try Sovereign of the Seas or get a good reference and convert a basic Scientific kit to an equally famous clipper ship for which no kit exists (Comet, Rainbow, Western Shores, Storm King to name but a few)!

OK so I'm building the USS United States (44) frigate. The problem I have encountered is the martingale AKA dolphin striker. The convention is that the USS Constitution had a split fixture but the USS United States had a more conventional single shaft martingale. My research is inconclusive. I've consulted Chappell, The American Sailing Navy, Anatomy of a Ship, the USS Consitution among several other resources. I've tried to examine period illustrations for a hint but, again, inconclusive results. Other warships of the period had the double martingale, it is clear that the USS Essex had this feature, so it was not unique to the USS Constitution. So the question is did the USS United States have a split or single martingale boom, especially during the War of 1812? I feel I can safely do either on the premiss that different ship commanders or bosuns would have rigged the device as they saw fit and the martingale may have been exhibited differently at different times. What I'm trying to achieve is a significant differentiation between the USS Constitution and the USS United States- I've already embaked upon the 'roundhouse' structure known to have been exhibited on this vessel. Sidebar: there is no existing description of this feature but no guns were ever mounted there so it must have been a lightly built structure. As a consequence I'm going with a very simple open deck with a rectangular skylight and a map chest along the taffrail. I'd really appreciate any input on this topic. Thanks in advance.

Hope you don't mind me commenting. I've been on deployment and got back, looked at your build and I'm inspired. I have Essex in my stash - I'll get it out and maybe get started. I saw your coppering and thought well, maybe I was not so crazy after all. I tried the technique you described on Sea Witch some time back. A consideration on cutting the sheen. All copper is covered with a chemical to keep it from oxidizing, to dull it there is a really cool method you might try. After the ship is coppered gently go over it with fine steel wool. "Sand" fore and aft just a few passes. In a week the copper will start to turn brown like an old copper penny and in a few months (depending on local conditions) it will start getting the least bit of verdigris. The effect is subtle but really amazing. just a thought great job and spectacular craftsmanship Steve

Hi Richard Thermopylae wore several colors in her career. While most (virtually all American clippers) were black above the waterline, Therm was green. The precise shade is open to significant debate - some of my research and examples of other models is a more grass green than the box top suggests. Later in her career she was white above the waterline, there is significant photographic evidence to suppport this. Later still, sort of turn of the 20th century she was transferred to the Portuguese navy as a cadet ship- she was certainly white then until the end of her life. so.... be bold!! Gary pointed out that the thread supplied by Sergal is overscale - I can definitely support that, consider sourcing some finer thread- all of the sources agree that thinner is better, also , a reminder as I'm sure you already know this; the higher in the mast the thinner the rigging line. I throw out this possible resource for authentic looking line - Cottage Industries hand makes model ship line at various diameters and a very very reasonable price. This stuff is great. I was able to luck into some when I bought a model second hand and supplied with that stuff. You have to give them some lead time in the ordering since it is made to order. Trust me, it does make a difference. again great job and keep up the great work Steve

Hi Kriss Great job so far. I have this kit too and have sort of run into the same challenges as you. This is an exersize in miniaturization. As for the rigging I humbly recommend that you discard the cast ratlines (I think your doing that) - do them the old fashioned way, you will be amazed at how good it looks. Consider sticking to a restricted rigging plan- standing rigging(back stays and fore stays) then do lifts and braces for the running rigging. I promise it will look like a spider web just with that. Another tip - go to the sewing section of your favorite store (I'm sure you already familiar with it ) and ask for bees wax. It should come in a small plastic disk-shaped container. YOU WILL NEED IT. Use the beeswax to coat every line or the rigging will suffer from uncontrolled hair growth :) Another important tip use the masts and spars in the kit for measurement and replace all of it with wood. The plastic will easily snap or deflect and bend under the presuure of even the most carefull rigging. What you do not need is for the bowspit to snap off at the most inopportune time.(guess how I know) Considering that you are already cutting, glueing, sanding and painting the plastic parts the expenditure in time to use wood instead is an excellent investment. looking forward to seeing more of your build log- hope this helps Steve

Hi Richard I was able to get this kit on e-bay a few years ago, luckily for cheap as these kits are usually the victim of a huge import tax in the US. At any rate I'm watching your build with great interest. Allow me to recommend a few books to aid you in the future should you get hooked on this hobby( by which I mean art form - there I said it) Crothers- the American Built Clipper Ship Petersson -Rigging Period Ship Models Davis - The Ship Model Builders Assistant, and, Ship Models and How to Build Them last but not least, Harold Underhill- Masting & Rigging the Clipper ship, and, Plank-on-Frame models volume 1 and 2 Most of these titles are still in print and really inexpensive. The last author/title is really great. The author was British and (belive it or not) was in both World Wars evidently as a combatant!!! - he includes some cool stories with the instructional dialogue-great fun!!! I'm a university history instructor so.... I like the books. Anyway great job on the ship so far - I believe your doing everything right - a minor miracle for a first build!!! thanks Steve

Hi Henry You mentioned a problem with the evolution of the gold paint on the brite work. I make this observation. If you have started with solvent based paints - presumably as a primer, then try to use and acrylic/waterbase paint in the next layer, in this case presumably the gold. Solvent color over solvent color means that the layer below is effecting the layer above no matter how long you let the earlier layer dry/cure. By alternating the sovent base with water base the paints cannot affect one anothers chemistry. So, down to cases. You indicated that the last thing you did was spray dulcote as a protective layer - cool I do that to an any project that might require handling. To really make the color pop, take some water based gold - a shade or two brighter than the gold you have now. Paint only the highest relief areas using a tiny brush and infinite care and patience. I would avoid drybrushing it is too imprecise, you'll just get it all over the blue and you'll have a bloody mess. Then cover that in turn with a solvent based semigloss/satin coat (as one of the other posts mentioned gloss would probably be inappropriate) With this layering the brite work will develop a depth that will really make a difference and yet remain authentic. BTW I have this kit as well and find that adding detail and technique to accurize the model is really satisfying. I liked your solution to the headrails and will use that on mine. I also invariably accurize the mast wolding the way you indicated - small details like that make a huge difference. I do have a question. Why stick with the kit sparring? I usually simply take measurements off of the kit parts and replace with wood. It does make a difference especially in the rigging phase. Rigging often deflects and distorts the plastic in ways that wood will resist. Keep up the great work Steve

I'm usually just a mere 'lurker' watching, looking and learning from the creative individuals here. But like everyone else I'm pulling up a bayonette and having a seat, watching what promises to be an awesome build!! Thanks Steve

J-P "Moderate interest from other members" *#!!!@**%$^%%%$ what the devil are you talking about - I may be a 'lurker' but I enjoyed this build more than almost any other. Enough VIctory's or Dapper Toms. There is only one other of these Dutch vessels on the site - You practically have a monopoly and your doing an excellent job to boot. Keep up the great work, after all if one can bend planks to this outrageous curve then, well, the plank can be bent into a pretzel. keep up the great work steve

Mark I'm also exited to see someone else doing these scientific kits. They are indeed plentiful on e-bay, evidently lots of people bought them back in the day as father/son projects and eventually slid the forlorn kit under the bed or put them in the back of the closet. Thank heaven for e-bay that brings these kits back into the light of day. They are a great display size and excellent training ground before one moves to more complex(and hideously expensive) built-up models. As for your question about blocks here is my solution (after all this art form is about problem solving). Go to the local hobby center - hobby lobby, michaels or whatever. Go to the beading part of the store. There you will find beads of all sizes and colors. I use the very smallest for parrals to attach the yards to the mast - usually still a bit overscale but much more accurate than just pinning them on the mast. Look for a slightly larger bead for the rigging and here is the trick for accuracy. Spear the bead onto a toothpick or other appropriate tool. Get out your sanding disk on a motor tool and sand a very fine flat area on the outside diameter. A tedious task but the results are well worth it, once you have a system you can do a great many in a short time. Then in the actual rigging stage plan it all out. Wrap your 'rope' around the outside diameter, then seize it and then(most importantly) fix it permanently with a tiny drop of cyanoacrylate glue (super glue), get the medium viscosity stuff or it will simply glue the bead hole shut. Give yourself plenty of rope to attach to the standing end. Then get on with it, that is use the 'block' like an actual block. Experiment a bit to settle upon the size beads you use and feel free to use multiple sizes appropriate to the task the block/tackle is to perform. As for double or triple blocks, you'll have to resort to wood blocks-try model shipways site, there are others. Someone else mentioned getting research material- I'm a history professor so I heartily agree with that sentiment- e-bay to the rescue again. Underhill, Biddelcome, Crothers, Davis and Petersen are all great names in the published works- Some of those authors were ship captains in the age of sail so they are authoritative. Hope this helps Steve.

Dan Awesome job so far. I think the galley stove really turned out- makes me want to rip my attempt out and try it again(too bad the weather deck is already installed). On the gun tackle for the cannon consider going down to the local hobby center and stopping in the costume jewelry department. There are some really small glass/plastic beads molded in brown or black that are great simulation for the relativly small blocks associated with gun tackle. If you manage to get the right ones they can be rigged convincingly, even tying the lashings around the outside diameter rather than through the 'sheave'. . I wish I had seen your build before I began my USS United States variant of the revell kit. thanks for posting steve