kruginmi

Looks really cool. I'm also trying to get my son (I only have one kid) interested in something crafty and handy like model building. So far he's interested in "The King" from the movie Cars and "Skipper" from the movie Planes. I'll have to steer him toward boats or I might lose him to the other elements. LOL

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

I painted the hinges on the gun ports and installed them along with the lower cannons today. I will have to do something on the cannons finish. I painted them several days ago and they still peeled. So touch up tomorrow. After installation, I temporarily placed the deck cannons on the deck and for the first time, the Constitution had the full set of armament on it! Yeah!
 
So tomorrow, I will do some final touch up in preparation for the clear coat. In the meantime, I have to set up for turning the masts and spars.
 
Bill

I leveled the hull today. I ground down the pedestals until it was level. I completed the installation of the chain boards, then touched up the painting all around. I painted the internal stairs brown. They look better than with just the stain. Since these are a soft light wood, they just did not look finished with just stain. I added the side ladders. I assembled and retouched the cannon getting them ready for the rigging. I am still missing 8 cannon balls, but they are on back order. They will be easy to install once I get them. I still want to spray the hull with a matt clear coat before I put the cannon on. This should even out any differences in gloss and make everything flat.
 
I plan on working on the lower gun ports next. I will have them open. Then I will spray the hull with the clear coat and move on to the rigging. 
 
My plan is to rig the cannon, then put the hammock racks on the rails. Then I will start with the masting.  Overall I am pleased with the progress. I see differences everyday. 
 
Bill
 

Success. I was able to rig my first cannon today! It took many starts and restarts before I came up with a method for stringing the blocks. First I wire the blocks with 32 gauge black wire. This is touched very lightly with CA as it rounds the block. Then I put the blocks in thinned clothes hangers. Then wax the thread. I found that supergluing the thread makes it too large to go through the holes. I then take a small drill and go through the holes to make sure the CA did not migrate into them. I thread the blocks then wire them to the cannon. I use the jig to position the blocks and to do a last check for the threading. Since there is a right and left version of each block I need to check them. Once all is well, I take a final tension on all the blocks and run a thin coat of CA to lock the rigging in place. Tomorrow I will add the rings to the rigging, touch up the paint (and paint the capsquares black, then install it on the ship. Since I have three sets of rigging on each side I will also need to drill a third hole on each side of the cannon ports. This will be half way up the port and will be for the innermost blocks. I will also need to address making the breeching block look like it is laying naturally.
 
The photos below show the cannon in the jig. The two brass ends seen at the end of the cannon and just inside the frame are part of the jig I made to hold the cannon in place while I worked on the blocks. The bulkhead ends of the blocks will be at different heights when attached to the rings on the ship. Also the breeching line has not been waxed in this photo so is still very fuzzy. That will be fixed tomorrow before installation. The final location of the blocks in relation to the bulkhead will be done after I touch up the cannon tomorrow. 
 
I will also need to flake the lines so they lay neatly coiled on the deck beside the cannon. It is not pretty yet, but it is a start that I can work with. I also want to look at a combination of wire rope. Currently I am using wire for both ends seizing. I think I like the way rope would look directly attached to the cannon. So I will try that out tomorrow, that way I can do a nice seizing on the line. If that works I will use rope for the cannon end of the block and wire for the bulkhead. 
 
Bill

Hola amigos!!
 
From my experience in modeling ships without exception makes and models, all kits bring some mistakes in the explanations or in some cases, lack of clarity, even in cases where the instructions and drawings are plentiful. For novice modelers this is the most frustrating because they do not know what to do, for the more experienced is a challenge and part of the hobby. Regarding this specific model, I want to share some of the problems I encountered till now and how to solve them, with the hope that can be useful for other modelers who go for this kit.  I must clarify that I take this kit already started by another and perhaps some of the errors are due to this and not the kit itself.
 
Figures between decks: or the figures are too big or the space too small. Instead of them I used pieces of toothpicks.

 
Pulleys on deck “jacks”??: In the Manual appears 3 figures with two 6mm pulleys in each one but they are only 4, so I used 5 mm pulleys for the larger figure.

 
The figures in the bow rail are bigger than the space where they supposed to be, I put an extra strip to make enough space.

 
The plywood piece designed to accommodate the lateral figures had to be modified.

 
The Lion of the port side had no tail, so it was necessary to make one.

 
The “caged Polish” figures on the stern that come with the kit are really ugly; I prefer to do new ones, not as in the original ship that seem more difficult, but as in the Sergal kit.


 
Stern lantern: the plastic piece that simulates glass did not fit, I need to make a new one and I also added and upper and lower piece to accommodate vertical brass wire.


 
Karl

Looking good, mate!
 
John

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

Version 2.0.  What a little sleep and doodling during some (boring) meetings can do to you.
 

 
This is a cargo ship so simpler is probably better.  Still some embellishments, sanding and finishing to go but this is the version I will go with.
 
Now to start getting those walls planked.
 
Mark

On to the lockers.  These aren't on the plans but the rudder head required a cover and I decided to spruce things up a bit.
 
I prototyped a first vision (nothing is glued down):
 

 
I am thinking the rudder head locker should be less wide and stick a little farther into the cabin. 
 
The side lockers should have less depth and maybe a little less height.  I don't think I will extend them to the bulwarks on either side.
 
Once decided on how it will look, there will be hinges, knobs and trim added to clean up the final version.  Pretty much lost to view under the quarterdeck but there will be glimpses if you look hard enough.
 
Suggestions invited.
 
- mark

Thanks for the "likes"...
 
Sam,
I'm happy with the way this is going.  Really happy. 
 
Mobbsie,
I was hoping for some wise words... but I'm glad you like what you see. 
 
 
Update time,  yippee!!!
 
The backbone is complete.  (Almost.. forgot to finish trim the keel at the stern according to the picture).  The stem has been appropriately (I think) tapered and now attached to the keel.   The deadwood was made from the cherry since I didn't have any boxwood thin enough and attached along with the sternpost.   And, an rudder blank has been made. 
 
I discovered that misinterpreted the plans on V 1.0 for the stern deadwood and the sternpost.  The deadwood on V 2.0 isn't tapered but the sternpost and keel need to be.  It appears that the best way will be after planking when the planks, keel and sternpost can all be done at once.  Or least that's the way it appears in the Hahn photos.... 
 
I can now go wander off and fiddle with cleaning up the salvage parts, maybe make some bits and pieces, etc. while waiting for my framing wood to show up. 
 

Wild cats and all... Willy in the background playing "On the Road Again".   Anyway, here's an update.
 
Keel is ready....  keelson is being re-used.  It's cherry and will be hidden so why re-invent the wheel.
 

 
The stem is just about there.  I'm sorting out a way to make the caulking/felt lines better.  There seems to be something (not sure how it happens) that when there's a very tight fit, the glue line disappears.  A good thing?  Or an aggrevation?  The stem still needs some mill work for the gammoning holes and two (I think) through holes for the bobstays.  The plans aren't clear on this and pictures from the article and the CD aren't clear in this area.  Also trying to sort out the taper on this, if any.
 

 
I'm currently redoing the sternpost in boxwood.  The picture shows the Version 1.0 sternpost and rudder that were never put on the old ship.  I'm thinking about the rudder given the wood contrasts based on the test, I'm trying visualize if I should re-do it boxwood or not.
 

On to the lockers.  These aren't on the plans but the rudder head required a cover and I decided to spruce things up a bit.
 
I prototyped a first vision (nothing is glued down):
 

 
I am thinking the rudder head locker should be less wide and stick a little farther into the cabin. 
 
The side lockers should have less depth and maybe a little less height.  I don't think I will extend them to the bulwarks on either side.
 
Once decided on how it will look, there will be hinges, knobs and trim added to clean up the final version.  Pretty much lost to view under the quarterdeck but there will be glimpses if you look hard enough.
 
Suggestions invited.
 
- mark

Your joinert is fantastic.  nice and crisp.
David B

On to the lockers.  These aren't on the plans but the rudder head required a cover and I decided to spruce things up a bit.
 
I prototyped a first vision (nothing is glued down):
 

 
I am thinking the rudder head locker should be less wide and stick a little farther into the cabin. 
 
The side lockers should have less depth and maybe a little less height.  I don't think I will extend them to the bulwarks on either side.
 
Once decided on how it will look, there will be hinges, knobs and trim added to clean up the final version.  Pretty much lost to view under the quarterdeck but there will be glimpses if you look hard enough.
 
Suggestions invited.
 
- mark

On to the lockers.  These aren't on the plans but the rudder head required a cover and I decided to spruce things up a bit.
 
I prototyped a first vision (nothing is glued down):
 

 
I am thinking the rudder head locker should be less wide and stick a little farther into the cabin. 
 
The side lockers should have less depth and maybe a little less height.  I don't think I will extend them to the bulwarks on either side.
 
Once decided on how it will look, there will be hinges, knobs and trim added to clean up the final version.  Pretty much lost to view under the quarterdeck but there will be glimpses if you look hard enough.
 
Suggestions invited.
 
- mark

On to the lockers.  These aren't on the plans but the rudder head required a cover and I decided to spruce things up a bit.
 
I prototyped a first vision (nothing is glued down):
 

 
I am thinking the rudder head locker should be less wide and stick a little farther into the cabin. 
 
The side lockers should have less depth and maybe a little less height.  I don't think I will extend them to the bulwarks on either side.
 
Once decided on how it will look, there will be hinges, knobs and trim added to clean up the final version.  Pretty much lost to view under the quarterdeck but there will be glimpses if you look hard enough.
 
Suggestions invited.
 
- mark

Luckily, this will not be masted or rigged......(even the masts shown will be eventually cut down a little more). Still sizeable, but manageable. 
 
My better half has said she likes the look of a rigged ship, but I will get only one in the house of this size.  Still undecided as to which ship that will be, but I do like 1/48th scale.  Being practical that scale eliminates anything over a 36 gun ship.
 
Mark

A pretty big milestone in my build - the gun deck planking baseline is complete!  I had hoped to finish it this weekend but had had my doubts.  Finally I was able to stand back and view the deck as envisioned. 
 

 
Still lots of details to work on for this deck before I can move up but I take the victory today.  I did put everything that had been laid aside back on to insure I still had everything as well as see that nothing had changed fit wise.
 

 
Finally to add some proportionality I provide a view of myself and the ship.
 

 
Tonight I move on to my 9 year old's F-14 plastic model (last hope in the family).
 
mark
 
 

Congratulations Mark!
 
Beatiful work! Any pics of that F-14? Is it on another forum? I have upstairs 4 of them, 2 F-18 and a Viking waiting to be build...
 
Happy modelling!
 
 
Daniel.

A pretty big milestone in my build - the gun deck planking baseline is complete!  I had hoped to finish it this weekend but had had my doubts.  Finally I was able to stand back and view the deck as envisioned. 
 

 
Still lots of details to work on for this deck before I can move up but I take the victory today.  I did put everything that had been laid aside back on to insure I still had everything as well as see that nothing had changed fit wise.
 

 
Finally to add some proportionality I provide a view of myself and the ship.
 

 
Tonight I move on to my 9 year old's F-14 plastic model (last hope in the family).
 
mark
 
 

Finally got the starboard side all planked up (with a coat of gel coat).  It became evident pretty quickly that in order to plank the outer sides (with locking planks) you need to have the plan in place for the bow and stern planking.  This was my first go at this.  These areas are totally covered up by the quarter deck and forecastle but I still wanted something seemed plausible with my knowledge.  The result was:
 

 
The gel coat enabled the seams to really pop so all this hard planking work was not lost (hah, hah).  I ended up using a trim outline (around half a plank width) to frame in the open area of the deck.  So there is no end grain visible.  It really seemed to tidy things up and give a finished look to it.
 

 
So, when I take a step back and look at the final view of the cut out deck (at least the starboard side) I am left pretty happy with my efforts.  It took a little longer than anticipated - but what doesn't in this hobby?  I am relying on the stern planking on the wall to clean up the join with the floor.  I need to construct a rudder head box along with a seating / storage area in this section.
 

 
So on to the port side and trying to produce close to a mirror result.   - mark