Gregory

Yeah, but he'd be a lot faster making the next 50. 😉

Your gratings are always so nice, Chuck.  These, and the comings, look terrific!

Not an exact answer to your question but the US Navy’s Ordinance Instructions include a detailed inventory of equipment to be carried aboard ships’ boats.  You can find copies on the internet.  The list is quite extensive and differs for different boat types.  It also depends on how you intend to display the boats on your model.  For example, the mid Nineteenth Century US Navy did not stow a lot of equipment in boats when aboard ship.  Spars were stowed in hammock boxes atop bulwarks and sails kept below decks.  The ordinance instructions also specify the various petty officers responsible for loading particular pieces of gear prior to the boat’s launch.
 
It was also US Navy practice to designate one boat as a “lifeboat,” usually a seaworthy type; a cutter or a whaleboat.  The purpose of this boat was to recover a man overboard.  This would have been hung in davits for quick launch and equipped differently than boats stowed on board.
 
It is a common misconception that the primary use for boats stowed on board was to save the ship’s crew in the event of shipwreck.  The reality is that these boats were workboats carried to assist the ship in restricted waters and/or to extend the ship’s mission.  Unless hung in davits, launching was a major shipboard evolution not done quickly.  There was ample time to bring items needed from elsewhere in the ship.
 
Roger

There is clearly a (small) market for Transatlantic ships. Indeed, my wife and I are going to do the QM2 crossing from Southampton to NYC just before Christmas this year as a 60th birthday bucket list thing. But, as you say, it's pretty niche, and we had no trouble finding cabins. I get it's winter (well, we depart on Dec 14, so technically fall), but a 7 day voyage with a sheltered balcony was under $1500 (US) per person. Not exactly cheap, but not bad for transportation, room, and board for a week, and it doesn't suggest that high demand is pushing up the price. Nor would I imagine going on a second crossing, so it's niche without a lot of repeats.
 
The SS United States is pretty clearly past her sell by date. If an American (or other) firm wants to muscle into Cunard's market they might as well build a completely new ship. The population that is even aware of her existence is not increasing, and while her lines are pleasing, naval architecture has advanced in the last 73 years. And anyway, the hull of a ship is the cheapest part, there is no real savings to be had reusing it, and probably a major cost penalty to make modern equipment fit into spaces it wasn't designed for. 
 
Regards,
George

Further, SS actually stands for Steam Ship as opposed to MV for Motor Vessel, or SV for Sailing Vessel.
Some other designators:
TS  Training Ship
RV  Research Vessel
CS  Cable Ship
MT  Motor Tanker
MY  Motor Yacht
GTS  Gas Turbine Ship
NS  Nuclear Ship
 
Regards,
Henry

It woul be a lot of fun to make a build log of your kit there.
I love your ideas and how open you share your knowledge. Without this I was not able to finish the frame design for my Alert. I also learned a lot to continue with my Sloop Fly. Thanks for that.

Excuse the newbie ignorance but I assume that is another forum?
Again as a newbie to the hobby I can't imagine (other than insecurity and jealousy( what folk can say negatively about your work. Having looked at a lot of kits before moving on from my first (admittedly online) the only kits I really wanted to try were yours and Vanguards. On all of the build logs here it comes across so strongly how high the quality of both your kits are to give any stage of modeller the very best chance of making something stunning. Yes they are expensive but you get what you pay for in most areas and this is definitely one.
Good luck to you!
 

I am just about to post an update with those...LOL
 
The gratings for Speedwell are different but the same basic concept.  They are a different scale to reflect the larger size needed.  They will have 1/16" square openings which at 3/8" scale would be a 2" hole.  Just right and exactly the same number of holes as the contemporary model.
 
These will all be included in the chapter along with the jig needed.
 
I will have construction pics really soon.
 
I have been distracted lately with the topic on the SOS where the staff and admin are trashing this project relentlessly....but its a lot fun to watch.   Many of you guys have sent me messages alerting me about it.
 
I have to thank Ben however for being a brave soul to have something nice to say about it knowing he will get the wrath for it.   I must be the worst kit designer in the world if you read some of that stuff over there.  But seriously...dont put yourself out there because if you do say anything positive about Syren or any of my projects on SOS they will lambaste you.  So no worries.   Dont put yourself in that position.  Its not worth it.   Most folks know its all nonsense.  And I am well aware.  But thanks for the positive notes of private support.
 
Anyway...back to building gratings.

The only thing I wish it had was bearings for the headstock.  Has bronze bushings ??  Not sure if Bronze or not but no bearings.  Seems tight (no slop) so that's good.  Just have to take the time and really clean it up and maybe give it a new paint job (same color).  I have to make sure I still have it but I also have a faceplate, tooling (bits) takes 1/4" I believe maybe 3/8" cutters, dead center for tailstock (wish I had a live center) course they can be bought MT 1 tailstock.  Head is a MT 2 I believe. 
 
I know I messed up one of the pins in the head, didn't know what I was doing at the time, know better now.  It doesn't have a thread knob?? on it that broke long time ago.  I probably won't be cutting threads that way anyway.  Don't know if others vibrant or make allot of noise but my does.  It's probably the way I have to belt to the motor rigged up.  Dad and I built the cabinet many many moons ago and hung the motor on a hinge for belt tension (probably not the right way to do it).
 
I have many "irons in the fire" before I get to really dig into the lathe project, it does run now just needs a good cleaning and lube.  Works great, I've turned hubs (see picture) for a 1/8 scale stagecoach I was building and have turned other wood projects on it.  Never have tried to turn metal on it yet.  Just messed with it with wood.  Yeah, I know some say don't turn wood on a metal lathe some say it's fine.  It's the only lathe I had at the time so......... yup.
 
Thanks to everyone that commented and gave suggestions on the lathe.  Appreciate each and every one of you and look forward to getting back to modeling soon.  First day of work (new job) so that'll be interesting.  Again thank you !!
 

 

 

Taking a break from the model ship building and visited a beautiful happy place, Greenwich UK and the maritime museum.
 
Loved the displays and lots of beautiful ship models here. Absolutely gorgeous 😍 
 
Plus the Cutty Sark , what more could you ask for?
 

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What do they look like?

What do they look like?

Steve,  I use a small USB fan for that purpose.  The dust settles in a corner of my shop, and I vacuum it up.
 
l was a little put off by the price of the MicroMark device, but really couldn’t comment from experience.
 
Your information is very useful.

Hi Phil
 
Black tea has a slightly low pH so probably not harmful to the wood.    Reading up on its use on wood, I found the following:
 
 Tea can be a safe and natural way to clean wood floors. Black tea contains tannins, which can enhance the wood's color and depth, and add a light, warm "stain" that brings out the wood's natural warm tones. The tannins also naturally clean, enhance, and protect wood
 
Sounds like it might be a good idea but I have no experience with using tea.  Hopefully some other member has some experience with using tea they can share or you can be our pioneer and give it a try😀
Allan

Bow and stern details are done side stairs are on, gun tackle eye bolts are in place and lower masts are done for the United States.

Dave:
Thanks for your note. I am sure you have noticed there are no other ongoing Mamoli Constitution builds and only a few in the past. It would be fun and encouraging to have someone more experienced to bounce around kit ideas and questions. I am currently working on some alterations to my work bench so the ship is in dry dock for a few weeks. I will post again when I have made the changes.
 
Bruce

Starboard side wales in place a glue setting. I put a pin in all the holes that were not scuppers. I painted to bottom edge black before gluing it on so I won't have to try and get a clean edge at the bottom - not that it being unpainted would be all that noticeable - it does still have the laser char on it.
 
I am not sure what is going to happen at the stern as the wales seem to be a bit short of covering the transom. Maybe a "fashion piece" is included with the kit or I may have to make my own.

There is an old expression about a boat being a hole in the water into which you throw money.  Unfortunately, United States is just a bigger hole to fill.
 
IMHO there are engineering, business, and legal reasons preventing her from sailing again:
 
Business:  The passenger ship business seems to be aimed at two different demographics; at one end those that want to join 4999 others aboard a floating theme park/ 24-7 floating casino and at the other end those wanting a quiet experience aboard a small ship.  United States would seem to appeal to neither of these groups.  The United States, while a big ship carried 1000-2000 passengers. Fares would, therefore, be high, so she would have to tap into the small cruise ship market.  Would ongoing demand be high enough to allow her to book profitable passenger loads?
 
Engineering:  She is a steam ship!  Nobody, operates steamships any more.  She has a 900psi US Navy plant.  The only steam plants operated today in US Navy vessels are in nuclear powered vessels; different animals.  Her boilers, if they can even be brought back to life are equipped to burn bunker c oil, a nasty pollutant that the rest of the world is trying to eliminate from their merchant marine fleets. The state of the art today in marine engineering for passenger carrying vessels seems to be an integrated system where electricity from one source is distributed to both the propulsion system and the system supplying on board hotel services. This also allows use of electric driven trainable pods to improve maneuvering.  Even if it could be brought back to life, United States’ machinery is 70 years out of date.
 
Legal:  She is an American Flagged ship.  The Jones act would require her to be manned with an expensive American crew.  She could be reflagged under a flag of convenience; Liberia, Panama, Bahamas, etc. but would she then be the United States?
 
Better for whoever owns her to admit defeat and as Bob Cleek says turn her into razor blades.
 
Roger
 
 
 
 

Hello,
the wheels. They kept me busy this week, and other things like my garden. But now they are in the raw ready. I think I must not explain the pictures

 
 
 
 and then that  So, go back to start, and try again
 
This time I made the beads before I cut the rim loose. The shipwright is pleased.
In the foreground you see some of the spokes. They are from mammoth ivory. So, if you hear nothing from me the next weeks, I'm busy or I had thrown it all away. I hope not.

 

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I believe the most common species for keels were oak and elm as pine was relatively weak for large vessels.  Regardless you may find all of these are much too grainy for your model.   The below shows these species compared to a couple other choices commonly used on model ships, Alaskan cedar and Castello boxwood.   English/European box is great but costly.   Basswood and poplar is less grainy but you might find them too soft for a keel.
Allan

Nice to see this build log starting! I bought this same kit in 1985. I found the receipt in the box, which shows I paid $239.95 from Model Expo. You may prompt me to work on it again. I also purchased enough little copper plates at the time to replace all the wood ones. They have a nice natural non-shiny copper look to them after 40+ years.
Will look forward to following your build!
Dave

And still are available on eBay or from after-market manufacturers... for a price.  
 
Check out "Mr Pete 222" or "Tubal Cain" (same guy) on YouTube. He's a retired shop teacher with great instructional videos on the Atlas/Craftsman 12' lathes. Everything you even wanted to know. 
 
I believe you can look up the age of yours with the serial number on lathes.co.uk under the Craftsman entries. There were a number of refinements over the several decades that this lathe was manufactured. There are many of them floating around and so parts are readily available. They are somewhat of a cult thing now. They aren't state of the art anymore with CNC and DRO features, but they'll do anything you could possibly need to do (including milling with the milling attachment) on a medium to light duty 12" manual lathe. If you have one that hasn't been "destroyed" along the way by misuse, they are certainly worth restoring. They're worth money even if they are trashed because of the continuing market demand for parts. (Threading gear sets are still available if you are missing any. Be careful not to "crash" the gears and damage the gear teeth. The gears are made of Zamac, a relatively weak alloy and it's not difficult to break teeth if you don't know what you are doing operating the lathe. Not to scare you off, but lathes are not a machine you ever want to learn how to use by just "fiddling" with them and they can be very dangerous in the hands of an untrained operator. All the operating manuals for these lathes are available for free online. Google them up.
 
I love mine. I picked it up along with just about every possible attachment (except a taper jig, darn it... but those are still made by an aftermarket manufacturer) from a retired old school machinist's widow for a very reasonable price. 

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