marktiedens

Small update. Bulwarks have been planked, filled with plaster, and sanded. (they are formed by 4 layers of wood: 1st planking, 2nd planking, some vertical supports on the inside and finally the last horizontal planks). Here the decks have been masked in preparation for painting.
 

 

 

Its not every day on the internet that you see the CEO of a company step in personally and address the complaint of one of the companies customers! And even on the rare occasion we see this happen, seldom do you hear more than some platitudes and vague generalities.
Its refreshing to see this kind of response, an actual precise explanation from a person that could have very easily pretended not to know about a problem.
Model Expo has been an important part of this hobby and I wonder how many of us would be making models today if the company had not been there over the years offering tools and kits? I wish all hobby companies were as attentive to their customers.

Since the buck stops on my desk I want to answer the question. 
 
Constitution is a daunting kit to manufacture. It has a myriad of parts. Yes, we make most of it .... meaning we laser cut the wood and cast many of the casting in house. We do all of the final assembly. But the problem lies in making sure that every part is accounted for and is available for assembly when needed. Right now we are waiting on 5 mm (3/16") Walnut deadeyes sourced in Italy. Our last shipment did not contain them. Our supplier ran out. They will be available next week and we'll be making another 25 Constitutions, which are not enough as demand for Constitution continually surprises us. We frequently run into problems such as these even though we try hard to keep enough material on hand for at least a 90 days supply for all 30 kits we produce. It ain't easy.
Thanks for your patience .. but this is unlike making pizza or other simple products. 
 

Vents update
 
built a prototyp of every type. There`s a whole bundle of different vents with different lengths and diameters, but it looks like I can get all (scoop sizes) out of the bag-foot-size collection. The brass tubes are from regular stock....
 
To get an impression what they would look like later on, here`s a pic of a beautiful built 1:250 card model ( I borrowed from the web), showing the vents, looking in aft direction.....
 
Nils
 

 
this pic of a card model was built by a very skilled modeler
 
 

 
 

Hi all
 
Just a small update.
 
Decks are fitted and steps to gun deck.
 
Denis.

Sorry for the long absence.  I've actually made good progress on the rigging, just taking forever to get photos uploaded.  It took a long time to do all the ratlines - in the 10 years or so since the previous model I built I'd forgotten how many knots there are!  It took a long time to get clove hitches into muscle memory, so the first side of the foremast shrouds isn't quite as nice as I'd like.
 
I experimented with the best way to proceed with the ratlines - top to bottom or bottom to top.  Turns out top to bottom worked best for me; bottom to top caused too many issues with tension of the shrouds as I worked my way upward.  In any case maintaining the right tension was for me very difficult in the beginning.  I ended up having to undo several rows because they were causing curves in the outermost shrouds, or causing lines above them or below them to hang oddly.  I found myself having constantly to run a straight-edge along each shroud to make sure odd curves weren't working their way in.  Then there was also constant measuring that each row was level with the row below and above, that each of the lines hung the same way.  All in all a very fiddly task that I don't want to do again!
 
The kit provides no indication of a futtock stave at the top, but other rigging sources indicate it's there.  I took a toothpick, drew it down so it was thin, and then attached it with thread at each junction with a shroud.
 
The finished result.  I brushed the entire rows with white glue heavily diluted with water, just to make the lines hang as nicely as possible.
 

 

Build log part 29
 
I`m continuing with the build......
Today a trial is made for doing the scoop-typ vents. I found some staggered sizes of nickle-galnanized tin sheet. These usualy are mounted as foot / stand buttons to shopping bags. Together with short lengths on different diam. brass tubing (soft soldering) the can be transformed into  nice looking nostalgic vents. The fastening strips have to be removed from the buttons first. The radial hole for the tube is drilled into the side of the button and the grinded to suit the fit for soldering
 
The first and smallest prototype for the two forecastle vents is made in rough version. Will probably mount a "rivited skin" to the tube and two handles for setting to the airflow. There must be round about 100 vents in all sizes on this ship
 
Nils
 
 

 
 

 
 

 
 

Looks good to me too - I would imagine that back in the day they were not exactly the same width either.
 
Mark

Looks good to me too - I would imagine that back in the day they were not exactly the same width either.
 
Mark

I'm glad I took a break and let you get ahead of me in the build. Watching you do all these things is instructive for me. Thanks Vince, keep it up! 

The fenders look good, nice planning building them.

Looks good to me too - I would imagine that back in the day they were not exactly the same width either.
 
Mark

The fenders on the port side are done. Altough the plans are marked that the fenders are supposed to be 3mm wide by 5mm deep, on the drawings it is more like 2mm x 4mm. I decided to go with the later. Like I said before, because of the complex bending required, I made them out of 2 x 2mm stock and just glued 2 on top of each other after bending and placing on the hull. The bending can be done 2 ways; making a template and then bending around this, or using the hull to bend them. I chose to use the hull, and it was not too difficult. You also need to leave a little extra on the top to accomodate the bulwark railings later on.
 
Vince P.

Before continuing the first planking above the level of the main deck I wanted to determine exactly where the planks would end at the bow. After studying the plan sheets i marked on the bow deck where the planking should end - approx.19mm in front of bulkhead F. I used one of the cut outs from the bulkheads to make a new false bulkhead which already had the correct deck camber across the top. Then I spaced it 3mm in front of bulkhead F. From what I measured it should give me the correct starting point for the planks. There will be another thin false bulkhead which will have the roundhouses & decorations mounted on it & glued on at a later stage. 
 

 

 
Mark
 
 

Hi Michael - thanks for your nice comments. Regarding the windows - they are vertical. It`s just the camera angle. I sometimes have to take a few pictures with my low tech camera to get a decent shot that isn`t blurry & out of focus. Another picture from the side - the bulkheads are vertical. They look slanted because of the sheer of the deck.
 

 
Meanwhile,I thought I would build a little ship`s stove. I made the base out of balsa & the chimney out of some 1mm thick walnut scrap. The "pans" were pieces of dowel & all the handles were made from brass wire with the pan handles hammered flat. It`s a little rough,but the only thing that is easily visible is the chimney. The rest of the stove is hidden under the forecastle deck.
 

 

 

 

 
Mark
 
P.S. - Regarding the deck planks I must give credit to Vince P for the bleaching idea.

Thanks everyone for looking in & hitting the "like" button. Finished the main deck planking & one coat of poly applied. I just darkened the edges with an HB2 pencil. I simulated the nailing by using  a half twist of a #78 drill bit to make a tiny indentation. I like how the final color came out. 
 

 

 
Meanwhile I thought I would make a staircase for the main deck. I glued the steps onto a balsa former angled at 45 degrees. While thinking of what to use for hand rail posts I found some toothpicks with grooves cut into the end & only 2mm in diameter - seemed perfect for the job. After staining them I cut them off to the correct length & glued them on & added the hand rails from some 1mm by 2mm walnut strip. Not perfect but I thought it came out ok. I will finish the railing around the opening in the deck later.
 

 

 

 

 
Mark
 
 
 
 

Started working on the cast metal bulkhead which is located under the quarter deck. The detail on the casting is pretty good,but I din`t want to just paint the windows.I got out my little mini drill & micro files & proceeded to open up the window openings. It was a little time consuming but not too difficult. Then I painted it with a medium brown with white window frames & gold trim.I thought it came out pretty good.
 

 

 

 

 
Also I want to thank every one for there looks & likes. Thanks also to the other RW builders - I refer to your build logs frequently. And a big thanks to Pirate Pete for his very helpful interpretive info. Also forgot to mention I used a product called Micro Kristal Klear to make the window panes.
 
Mark

Well,I managed to cut the top part of the bulkhead frame down the middle without breaking it . After gluing on some thin walnut strips I now have a breast beam. I am now gluing the main deck down - I made some wedges out of scrap to hold the deck down while the glue dries.
 

 

 

 
Mark
 
 

A small update - getting ready to install the main deck. I glued some small strips to the bottom of one of the deck halves to better keep the joint even when gluing.
 

 
Apparently the top of bulk head B is supposed to be cut off before installing the main deck,then later on after installing the forecastle deck a beam needs to be made to support the rear edge of the deck. After test fitting the forecastle deck I see that it would not quite cover the top of the bulkhead,thus the need to remove it. I had another thought - I could cut the bulkhead down the center so the end would be a couple of MM behind the deck edge.Then I could put on a thin veneer to hide the plywood. That way I would not have to build a beam. I am installing the main deck before building up the bulwarks & leaving that bulkhead in would give the planking a bit more support. Any thoughts to this idea?
 

 
Mark
 
 

Planking is still going. I'm pleasantly surprised that the planking has worked out and is even at the sides of the openings since the planking isn't quite uniformed in width.
 
 
mike

Hi Mates,
 
just a quick FYI - post.
 
I needed some more blocks and rope so went to Syren's site. Chuck has added several size cleats. Look really nice.
 
Cheers,
 

Yeah, Jan, you remember and that goes way back to MSW version 1.0.  A punter eh?  Hmmm, kinda difficult to make one, you think I have the talent?   I like that video about building one, very interesting.  We saw them in action when we visited Giethoorn many years ago, transporting cows no less.  
 
Hey Sjors, don't give me any ideas now to build a model of such a thing.  You think I can put it on the VOC ship Surabaya?  Nah, won't look good.
 
But actually, yes, Gwen and I did plan in building a "Freedom" sloop.  That's based on the Friendship sloop but easier to build.  It's all slap-sided with marine grade 3/4 inch plywood, glued and screwed together.  It was supposed to be 25 feet long and sleeps two for an weekend, just great for the two of us.  However, things got in the way and we had to abandon that project.  Instead I designed a sloop of 30 feet long that could sleep 4.  I finished that model way back and it sits proudly on a cupboard in the dining room.
 
Hey Lawrence, thanks for visiting and your kind words.  Sorry for some Dutch humor thrown in, I love it though, brings back some fond memories.
 
Here are a few pics of that sloop model I designed and build for Gwen (who doesn't want to be called "the Admiral").  Gwen's official first name is Gwenfra, her mother was English and was named for one of her relatives near London.  So obviously named the model after her.
 

 

 
Cheers,

Bagged it!!!   Still needs a bit of work to strengthen, probably some knees as this is pretty flimsy.  I suspect the planking will help but I'd rather keep Murphy away....
 
First.. the deconstruction... cleaned out the debris and shaped it a bit better.
 

 
Then attached the framing.   This is where the problems hit... not that flexible and didn't get the shape of the existing frames just right.  Also, the mortises on the existing frames crumbled.. could be the wood, could be me.  And broke several frames filing and cutting them in.  Gave it up, cleared off the damaged areas and glued it in place.
 

 
Clamps removed and tarffrail set into position.  It'll need a bit of fitting shaping and all the char removed but I'll hold off until this is completely planked.
 

 
Looking a lot farther ahead in this area, will be the carvings.  Still sorting out what the NMM plans really show and also what was common in the French frigates of the time.  I suspect there will be some trade-offs because what Hahn shows would be really tiny.   Not sure if they eyeball are up to it even with magnification.   We'll see.
 
I'm going to let this sit overnight and cure out completely while looking at other things needed and maybe making the knees.  I think where the stern is now looks 100% better than where I started.   Every step is a learning step or so it seems and this way is a darn sight easier than the way Hahn did it.

It continued at Galion. See for yourselves. And yet a side view of the vessel.
 
Regards Kay

Excellent work - you did much more of the rigging than I did.
 
Mark