Paul in Texas

I'm coming a bit late to this topic, but so happy to find it. Several comments ... - First, this is beautifully documented post, and I so appreciate it. - About a year ago I built the companion "Carronade" model. Actually that was my very first "non-plastic" model, as I was beginning to learn what's involved with wood. It now sits proudly next to my cut-away model of the USS Constitution. Later I discovered this Naval Smoothbore and so bought it to join the display. - I especially found helpful your treatment of the tool hooks. That was probably the trickiest step of my carronade model - there is just no tolerance in attaching these. Your example has gotten me past that hurdle, thanks! - And some comments about the brass vs cast metal cannon. My Naval Smoothbore is the cast metal - apparently a cheapening of the model in later kits. - What's really too bad is that Model Shipways did not bother to update the instruction sheet which still shows the process of assembling the trunion through the (brass) barrel, which can't be done since they're cast together; and in fact it makes the instruction for the carriage sides wrong ... one has to anticipate that the trunion cannot be inserted in the later step. - And - not sure about this - but I think the instruction sheet is cut off from the later steps of the build ... no guidance now for the rigging, etc., which I'm pretty sure existed in the almost-identical instructions for my earlier carrondade. Again, I admire and appreciate your build, your photos, and your sharing. Paul