Der Alte Rentner

Hi Geoff, I'm responding to your post to JBGibson, where you showed that stunning closeup of the transom. I've looked at your build log in the past and was chagrinned to see that you began posting with the rigging. I would love to see how you progressed from the beginning to the point you started posting. Am I just not aware of where to look? Or is there no documentation of your earlier work on the Constitution? Best, Peter

Thank you Mustafa. In light of my response to JSGerson, I hope you're right. Happy New Year to you as well.

Thanks Jon, For what it's worth, I didn't use the spreadsheet at the shipyard. I prepared it rather than run back there while updating my personal build log to retrieve and photograph my pieces of scrap paper. I am noticing as I work, that the hull itself has a wavy surface now. Evidently, fairing the bulkheads wasn't as precisely done as I would have liked. It's more noticeable with the hull upside down, but even right side up, I'm aware of it. I don't know how well I'll be able to flatten the surfaces later, if at all. I suppose this could lead to me painting the ship anyway - after applying corrective wood filler. Time will tell.. Happy New Year

Work continues on the port side wale. This may be way too much detail to post at the website, but I’m adding it to my personal build log, so I may as well show the steps I’m using to shape the wale segments. I started with the plans (page 3), which show the width of each zone of planking. Focusing on the wale for this step, I used a flexible measuring tape to measure the full width of the wale at each bulkhead. I then divided by 7 to get the widths for individual wale segments. Putting together a planking order, so as not to have butt joints one above the other, I then transferred the dimensions to a grid. The dimensions were marked at the points on a wale segment where the segment contacted the bulkheads. A line was drawn connecting these marks and the piece was clamped into the vice of my Proxxon micro milling machine with the line parallel to the vice jaw. I milled to the line, which got me close. Then fine tuned the material removal with a sanding stick. Finally, I beveled the bottom edge of each segment to facilitate tighter bonding surfaces. The segments are usually much wider than the vice jaw. In this case, after milling say from one end to the middle, I move the piece so that the previously cut part is outside of the jaw. This sounds dicey, but actually works pretty well. The key is to keep that pencil line at the same distance above the vise jaw. With good magnifying glasses and light, no problem.. The milling gets you very close, but to really nail it, you need to use a sanding stick. Proof positive that you can get very precise tapering. A dry test fit should confirm if the piece was properly tapered. But there’s more shaping to do. To get a better fit when gluing the piece in, I bevel from the outer face to the bulkhead face on (in this upside down configuration) the top edge of the plank. I spread Titebond glue on the upper face of the previously installed strake, and use gel super glue at the bulkheads. This technique minimizes the use of clamps, as the super glue sets quickly. The Titebond glue sets up more slowly, but does a nicer job of filling the gaps. Then it’s time to get busy with the chisel and get the faces nice and smooth. ( I started in the photo below). That’s followed up by passes with successively finer grits of sandpaper to really smooth things over. Five strakes down. Two more to go on the port board side, then seven on the starboard. At four hours per strake, I have about a week’s work ahead of me to finish the wales. I won’t chime in again until I’m ready to move on to the lower gallery pieces.

Also, the Navy plan you supplied shows the wale is tapered. Perhaps that's why it doesn't show in the 1914 photograph. I looked long and hard to see a bump in the MS plans, and didn't see any. I'll proceed with stock that's slightly thicker than the 3 rows of planking directly above the wale to allow me some flexibility when fairing the hull. Jon, your interest an knowledge of these little details is unparalleled. Kudos to you!

And Mustafa, I apologize for submitting my original question about the wale in your log. Sometimes I lose track of where I am at this website. (The old grey cells, they ain't what they used to be...) BTW, beautiful job on the painting there!

Your photo does suggest that there is some added thickness in the recent edition of the Constitution. I did not see that in the Aug 18, 1914 reference photo I supplied above. And compared to Bob Hunt's example, the wale in your latest photo is subtle indeed. Since we're confabbing on Mtbediz' dime, I'll add that Mustafa seems not to have added thickness there either. Because I've already shaved some of the existing planking between the gunports and where the wales are supposed to begin, the difference in thickness I'm looking at is even more severe than in the Hunt Practicum photo. I'm pretty good with a chisel, but if I add the wale, I think I'll be better off using stock that's a little thicker than the existing planking - not the 3/32 x 1/8" material Bob used in Chapter 6. That should make shaping the planks at the stern somewhat easier too. Thanks again Jon

Unrelated to the previous conversation: Just a word of thanks Rich. I was starting the planking of the wale yesterday and stopped to do some research. I posted a question in my own build log on the subject, but then did a search on "Constitution wale" and among the results was your build. I spent the morning poring over it, making notes, "borrowing" photos, and comparing to the Practicum. Your photos provided much more detail than those provided in the Hunt Practicum and have solidified in my mind the process going forward. I copied some portions of your planking discussion and printed it to have on hand at my shop. Thanks for posting such exhaustive detail. (and for chiming in with opinions and answers when I've inquired) Saint Nicholas Day has come and gone, So Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! Best Peter

What fortuitous timing on your providing photo documentation, Jon. I'm just about to start the wales (Chapter 6 of the Practicum) and was wondering why Bob Hunt was using thicker stock for those 7 strakes. The plans don't really show any difference in the width at the bow for the wales. Many models I've seen at this site also seem not to deal with this detail. The photo from 1914 above seems to confirm that there's no difference in the planking thickness between gunports and waterline. Here's a photo from the practicum: That begs the question, why bother with thicker stock? Thoughts gentlemen?

I have the same question. Also, how many hours a week do you spend in your shipyard? I just spent 4 hours adding 7 rows of planking from the transom to where the rudder post will be. Very impressive productivity Mustafa!

Did my homework.. Spun my wheels, and made these parts no less than three times. (too much whittling, ugh). Installed them and then made a little progress on the planking front. For the foreseeable future, I'll be working upside down...

Ha! Well said!

Thank you kindly, sir! Many hours at the shop today with little to nothing to show for it. I'll resume after the pulled-out hair grows back. I suspect there will be wood putty application in the immediate future..

2023 Dec 14. Planked the part of the stern transom. After much deliberation, I have decided to move to Chapter 6 in the Practicum and continue planking to the keel. Chapter 4 diverts to the spar deck details, after planking a portion of the stern transom (Chapter 4.1). I’d rather work with the hull upside down when I start planking and from what I’ve seen in the Practicum, this is slightly problematic if I carry on with instruction in Chapters 4 and 5. Now that I’ve had the benefit of a couple of days intense study of the process laid out in Chapter 4.1 and continuing with Chapter 6, I’m more than a little miffed at Bob Hunt. In Chapter 4.1 Bob observes that “..with the transom extensions ending where they do, this alignment is off and I had to compensate for it by adding a small piece of 3/32” wood to the bottom of the transom extensions to make them slightly longer”. Then in Chapter 6.1.1 “Planking the Counter”, Bob addresses the counter extension, which attaches to the transom extension. For Pete’s sake, why wasn’t this counter extension added to the transom extension when that was installed? Furthermore, one could ask, why wasn’t the laser-cut piece for the transom extension made to include this extra material. To futz with this crap now is a royal pain and could have easily been avoided. Sigh… This photo could come after the diagram, but it illustrates the filler material I just added per Hunt Practicum instructions in chapter 4.1 Adding that counter extension will be an adventure now... Okay, enough carping, I’ll deal with it later… So, in keeping with my switch to filler blocks vs. gunport framing, I added three blocks where the stern gunports should go. In retrospect, I should have made these long enough to touch the counter, but it is what it is. I then made blanks of the gunports so that I could position the plank below the ports – see photos below. Since I will keep these doors closed, and since there won’t even be a gun sticking out of the port, I opted to dress up the blanks to look like the closed port cover. I made good use of my Proxxon micro mill to carve the horizontal center line simulating where the upper and lower cover meet. Then I positioned the mill to put center marks where the two holes in the upper cover are supposed to be. Finally, I drilled 3/32” holes. Always looking for a way to use the Proxxon micro mill.. Looking good. (The port covers are not glued in, but man they aren't coming out easily either. May not be a problem? I think I'd like them out when adding hinges later. A problem for another time.)

Oh my! How did I miss that one! Adding it to my list of references. Thanks for the tip

Among finished build logs to consult for inspiration and insight, don't forget XKEN https://modelshipworld.com/topic/11935-uss-constitution-by-xken-model-shipways-scale-1768/

I would love to know how my stern gunports ended up so far apart (vertically).

I'm only missing the tip of an index finger, and it's been challenging at times to deal with the fine-motor-skill work. I can't imagine doing it with one hand. Simply amazing.

Glad they're working out for you.

My thoughts exactly. Glad to have them confirmed by such an accomplished builder. Bottom's Up!

Hmmm, I hadn't thought of that. Since I'm still hoping to keep a natural wood finish, I have been considering skipping the cladding too. Apart from Hipexec, I may be in the extreme minority on this. Decision on painting will be postponed until I finish planking the hull. I'm still perusing chapters 4 and 6 in the Practicum, but think it'll be easier to turn the hull over to do the planking and to that end, having exposed bulkheads for my clamps would be beneficial. Gee, have I made my decision? Thanks Jon Peter

Not much changed since yesterday, but I did add two more rows of 3/32 x 3/64" planking to take me to the end of Chapter 3.4 in the Hunt Practicum. I was planning to continue planking to the keel, but noticed that Bob shifts attention to building a stand in Chapter 3.5 then moves on to the Spar Deck. He doesn't return to planking the hull until Chapter 6. To those of you who've done the Practicum, is there any good reason to postpone planking until Spar Deck is more or less finished? Seems to me that I can more easily plank with the hull clamped upside down. If the spar deck is done first, I think I'll have to plank with the hull in the stand. Thoughts?

I didn't need the drill press, but I did invest in two other Proxxon tools. The lathe and the micro milling machine with compound table. I haven't used the lathe yet, probably won't need it until it's time to tackle the yard arms, but the milling machine has proved useful already. Most recently, I used it to find the exact center of the 1/2 x 5/8" plugs I made to position the planking around the gunports. I'm feeling nostalgic for my days as an apprentice tool and die maker under my uncle's tutelage. My favorite machine was the Bridgeport milling machine. Ah, those were the good old days. If Byrnes does start selling their saws again, I might take another look, but the Proxxon saw is pretty darned nice. Once you figure out how to do the micro adjustments, you can get fantastic accuracy on a cut.

Quick update. Two strakes of the 1/8" x 3/64" planking to go after enclosing the port side gun ports. I made little plugs (using the Proxxon saw to absolutely nail the 1/2 x 5/8" dimensions), to help facilitate the planking around the gunports. My method for locating the center holes in the filler blocks proved also to be spot on. As evidenced by dry fitting the gunport covers and cannon. Called it a day with two strakes to go before I switch to the narrower stock for the task of planking to the keel. The fun will begin in earnest then... Now that I've constructed the gunport frames two different ways, I had to ask myself, Self, which was the better method? Since I plan to have the covers closed around the cannons, I did find the filler block method to be easier to implement than the Bob Hunt's (or the MSW kit's) method. Had I not had the disk sander and band saw, which made shaping the blocks to fit easier, the framing method might have had the edge. But the added gluing surface provided by the filler blocks swings the vote back to the latter. (Rita, in case you decided to check back in, thanks again for breakfast this morning - and thanks for your continued interest in the build).

Wow, you're setting quite the pace. Once again, excellent workmanship. I'm taking notes...