Reborn

I never would have known where to start something like you are doing. That is truly amazing. I'll be keeping tabs on your progress, and I am certain they will be spectacular. Ron

Thanks John! I hope to start the rigging in the next couple of weeks. I 'hope' to get the ship finished this year. But we'll see. I see you have completed several ship builds. I am starting to 'think' about my next ship, or boat, but have not come up with a decision yet. I'll take any suggestions. Ron

Thanks Brian!

Thanks Kurt. Sorry for calling you Ken. Let me say that some of the work you have done with your Constitution is so much better than mine and in more detail. You definitely have the knack for working with small items that are on these ships. Even my wife said 'Why doesn't your ship look as good as Kurt's?' (HA!!!). I will admit that your masts are really, really good. I am hoping mine will come out looking that good. Ron

Here are a couple of other photos. This first one is another view (please ignore my mistakes ) at the currect build stage: Not sure yet how the text and photos line up, but the 2nd photo is taken thru the windows of the transom looking towards the bow. The light you see shining off the gun deck are from small LED lights I installed in the ceiling of the gun deck. Course using my phone to take the photo does not due it justice. When you look at it with the naked eye you can see all the way to the bow.

Thanks Mark. Definitely appreciate your comments from an expert ship builder. Ron

Thanks Ken (hope I got the name correct). That says a lot coming from you. I have seen your Constitution and your work is 'amazing'.

Thanks Chris!

Since I just joined, and this is my first build, please note that the photo attached is where I am currently. Been 15 years to get this far. Here is the overall view of what has been done up to this point:

Hello everyone. Name is Ron, but I also go by reborn (semi-long story so won't bore you here). Hope the below is not too long-winded... I am new to MSW, just signed up yesterday. I read ccoyle's 2016 notes that started this thread in 2016. I can relate to the fact that the 'really' simple boats/ships, which a beginner like me should start with, don't have the 'draw' like building something like the Constitution, or many of the others that should require an expert hand at building. I am 68 now, but when I was about 10 I was given a birthday gift of the Constitution, Revell model I believe. Following each step and gluing 'stuff' together was 'easy'. Note I did not paint anything back then. Then came time for rigging and quickly discovered I had no clue, and no one around to help me growing up in a small town in the middle of the Mohave desert of California. Model never got completed. Fast forward many years to about 2004 The bug bit me to attempt to build a model ship, and thinking back to my childhood it had to be the Constitution. I was so taken with that endeavor that I ordered the Constitution from Bluejacket. Let me first say I believe it is a 'great' kit, and as you all know, not one you just glue pieces together. Anyway, enter the 'less than rookie/ensign' and work began in earnest and then everything ran 'a ground', as you might say. But luckily there was a mentor available named Charlie Cook. I remember him telling me, after I told him I was new to this, 'Ron, this is not something you can build in a weekend, or in many cases even a month'. Fast forward again... The year is now 2020. Here I am still attempting to build the Constitution, but progress has been made. Over the 15 years, or so, things/life has gotten in the way...work, several major renovations in the house (complete kitchen redo, 3 bathroom redos - all done on my own, and a flooded basement that was and still is fully livable - again another super major project that was done by me, except for laying down the new carpet, but I digress...). Anyway, here is where I am with the ship: hull shaped, planked, copper plates attached (yep, about 3000 of them), outside painted; gun deck completed (even installed LED lights with outside battery and switch where you can look in the windows of the transom and see all the way to the bow end), spar deck completed - carronades installed and rigged, transom on, cap rail installed, bowsprit (lower part only) installed, shot lockers in place and all pin rails in place. NOTE: All of this I owe to Charlie who has helped me out immensely. I am now at the point of placing all of the needed cleats, eye bolts, etc on the ship. And, I have hit a snag. I keep reading the instruction manual over and over, and looking at the drawings and even found some instructions for the Revell model, in an attempt to figure out where everything goes. Terminology is doing me in, among other things. BUT, I am determined to finish this ship this year. My immediate goal is to get the eye pins/eye bolts and cleats installed on the hull in bulworks and spardeck now, then I'll start to build the masts and finish out the bowsprit. Any suggestions, or places that I can find better drawings or photos would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, and I wish I would have found MSW earlier in my ship building. Looking forward to hearing from anyone/everyone. Ron