USS Constitution by Modeler12 - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[keelhauled]

Very beautiful work!  The sails look wonderful!  I really like the look of some sails set, with others furled.  Looks more like an actual ship than a model.

[Modeler12]

Thank you Keelhauled,

 

This has been a work in the making for some time and I intend to finish it soon. But right now I am busy with a few other things.

As you can see there are two more sails (and all those lines and blocks) to be added. After that I need to 'blow them to smitherines' to get them filled so they will look like a real ship sailing on a starboard tack, etc.

 

All it means is to get rid of wrinkles, and that is tough . . . . .

[rafterrat_2005]

Seeing your pictures of the hatch's (grating) is very nice, this is one thing I wish I could do and look that good.

[Modeler12]

Seeing your pictures of the hatch's (grating) is very nice, this is one thing I wish I could do and look that good.

The grating came as a laser cut parts in the kit. What I did was to cut away the perimeter and substituted walnut strips that I bought from Hobby Mill. I used three pieces that mated together to give me the lip on the outside and a recessed ridge on the inside.

I am sure you can do that as well.

[Modeler12]

Making the boats.

I don't know how this is going to work out, but I thought it might be of interest to show how I started with making the boats for the Conny via the video below.

This may not last long because there is some extra work involved. But it is another way to cover a lot with one post.

 

 

You do have to turn on the sound . . . .

Edited April 18, 2014 by Modeler12

[CaptainSteve]

Nice video tutorial, Jay.

I suspect your boats aren't going to take anywhere near as long as mine took to build.

[Modeler12]

Nice video tutorial, Jay.

I suspect your boats aren't going to take anywhere near as long as mine took to build.

Steve, I wouldn't bet on that. These boats have a lot of detailed work to be done.

 

Here is part 2 of the videos. I thought by now I would be doing the insides, but then it turned out that there were 'details' that took longer. The picture below is when I blackened the gudgeons for the two rudders.

I am holding off with the pinnace for a while.

 

The next step is to paint the hulls, finish the tarp on one of the whaleboats, etc.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Modeler12

[Modeler12]

I continued with the interior of the whale boat. Here is part 3 that describes what I used for the frames, keelson and risings. I also show the walnut footlings after the inside was painted.

 

Next come the seats and other details.

[dafi]

Finally had time to catch up: Wonderful work!

 

XXXDAn

[Modeler12]

Vielen dank, Dafi.

 

Hopefully the next video about these boats will be the last one. I tried to cover some of the 'special' techniques in the first three. But now it becomes more routine. I also need to finish the whale boat that has a cover.

We'll see how long this might still take me. 

[Bindy]

Your videos really are so informative and helpful!

 

Thank you so much!

[Modeler12]

Here is the 4th (and last) of the videos I took to show how I made the boats.

Included are the two whale boats, the gig and the pinnace. 

 

 

I took some liberties with these boats and some shortcuts because I wanted to get back to the rigging of the fore-topsail and other details. They come next.

[CaptainSteve]

Fantastic work on your boats, Jay ... and I really liked how you cut right back on the furniture for them. I think I went a little overboard with mine, but I wasn't in a position where I was ready to work on the main ship (nearly there).

Edited May 20, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[Modeler12]

Thanks Steve. Here is another picture of the gig hanging from its tackles and the slings (or gripes) to hold it close to the stern and prevent it from swinging in the breeze.

[Littlebob]

Awsome build, and I agree with Bindy great videos.

[Modeler12]

Awsome build, and I agree with Bindy great videos.

Doing these videos took away time from building. But it was fun to put them together. 

 

Below are a couple pictures of the tackles I rigged for the pinnace, The plans don't show this, but I wanted to add some details anyway. The idea here came from Longridge's book 'The Anatomy of Nelson's Ships'. What is shown here is the way the boat is raised, but to actually launch it would require additional tackles that come from the tip of the main jack (and possibly the foremast's spar as well).

You can see that I still don't have the starboard shrouds and other details rigged.

I am still going on the basis that the rigging goes from top on down and from the inside out. Hence the boat will not be in the way and without the shrouds it is much easier to get to the center. It also helps not to have parts like the wooden boards at the entrance in the way. I have broken several of them but will wait until later to make repairs.

 

[Blue Ensign]

Love that stern shot with the gig on the davits Jay, very nice build you are doing.

 

B.E.

[robnbill]

Henry, there is another possibility. The ship did not always have the bentnick shrouds, I am sure. The book by Marquardt 'Anatomy of the Ship . . .USS Constitution' shows a drawing of the futtock area that is much more like most ships of that era. This is part of page 102. Notice item 6.

 

Of course, I have no idea when the change took place.

futtock 60.jpg

I have a question regarding this since I am about to rig this area. In the AOS I could not tell if there was just one catharpin going between the futtocks or one per shroud. My thought is just one running just aft of the mast, but perhaps someone could clarify this for me. 

[Guest Tim I.]

According to that diagram it appears to be one.

 

- Tim

[robnbill]

Thanks Tim. The reason I asked is when I looked at the Petersson's book on period ship model rigging, he showed multiple catharpins. Granted, the Connie wasn't rigged exactly like all other ships, but I thought I would ask since the AOS diagram could have obscured the multiple pins the way it was shown.

[Modeler12]

I just got back from a week vacation, but here is my understanding about what you are referring to:

 

The catharpins were used to tie the upper shrouds (coming from the topmast and down through the 'top') to the main shrouds. However, it was better to distribute the load on those shrouds to the other side. Hence, these lines did just that. I know this is confusing to read and that is why Petersson's pictures are so much better.

 

But the upshot is that if there are only five upper shrouds, you only need five catharpins. I don't know this for a fact, but I would assume they are tied to the forward shrouds (all others are too far aft). You take it from there???!!!

 

The Bentnick shrouds were a bit more complicated in-that they took the load on the  upper shrouds down to the deck (instead of going across to the other shrouds). I don't believe Petersson's book shows that.

 

Then there is a third way and that was to tie the upper shrouds (below the 'top') to the main shrouds. This eliminates the catharpins and bentnick shrouds, but that puts all of the load on the main shrouds. And that is not fair???!!!

Edited June 10, 2014 by Modeler12

[robnbill]

Hi Jay,

 

I hope you had a relaxing vacation. While you were away, I looked at this in much detail. The way the Connie is currently rigged seems like a combination of "Best Practices" The futtock shrouds are carried down to a futtock stave. Together they are lashed to the lower shrouds. There are a few catharpins running between the shrouds. However, in addition, lines are also running from each of the stave from each shroud down to the ring of the Bentnick Shroud.. This is just on the Fore and Main. The photos I find of the mizzen do not show this.

 

The question then becomes was this a configuration which would have been possible, or probable during the 1812 action. The history of the Bentnick shroud goes back to the 1700's when it was invented by William Bentnick. These were introduced into the British Navy in the late 1700s. Since Joshua Humphery's and Captain Hull, would know of these practices, it would be entirely possible for them to be in the Connie's configuration during the battle.

 

I was able to find these in the rigging plans from a 1906 Navy Plan. Initially the shrouds were used to relieve pressure on the shrouds during heavy weather. However, during battle these would also assist in retaining the upper masts as the lower shrouds were damaged during a battle.

 

So given that the technology was widespread prior to the Connie being built and that her class was an amalgam of best practices in the design, I think it was entirely possible that the configuration then being much as we see today on the Connie. So that is how I plan on building her.

[robnbill]

FYI, I took these photos in the Maritime Museum in Lisbon a few weeks ago. I thought you might like to see it since they had the ship's boats rigged similarly - One in the process of being lifted.  

 

Why did you decide to position the ship's boat facing aft rather than forward?

 

[popeye2sea]

I posted these somewhere else, but I do not know where.  I thought these would illustrate the construction of the bentnik shrouds pretty well.

[robnbill]

Thanks Henry. I had found those. It helped me make my decision on how I was going to rig.

[GLakie]

Hi Jay:

 

   I've been going over your build of the "Connie" for some time now and been doing it from, the wings, so to speak, and am impressed with your attention to detail, and the instructional videos. I'll be starting mine here in a few months and will be referencing this build from time to time, if you don't mind. Haven't seen any recent posts lately and sincerely hope you and yours are all well. Looking forward to seeing you back here soon.

 

Fair Winds

George

[Modeler12]

Hi Jay:

 

   I've been going over your build of the "Connie" for some time now and been doing it from, the wings, so to speak, and am impressed with your attention to detail, and the instructional videos. I'll be starting mine here in a few months and will be referencing this build from time to time, if you don't mind. Haven't seen any recent posts lately and sincerely hope you and yours are all well. Looking forward to seeing you back here soon.

 

Fair Winds

George

Thanks George for those comments. Yes, it has been a while since I worked on my Conny and it is high time to get going again. 

I am continuing to work on the rigging. The topsail for the main is now in place and I will soon begin on the fore-topsail and fore-jack.

There are still a lot of other details to keep me busy (such as the Bentnick shrouds etc.).

 

What I like to do soon is to put together a summary of this built (although not finished, I can see the end on the horizon). I learned a lot and would like to pass my suggestions on to others such as you. The USS Constitution is not the most complicated of the period ships, but it does offer a lot of details that are applicable to models.

Here I must make mention of the tutorial that I bought from Mr. Hunt which was a great help. He had some nice suggestions about how to start the frames, etc. But I made many changes (improvements?) to his ideas as I went along. His forum is lo longer active, but it was a good way to exchange ideas with others who were building the same model. Too bad Mr Hunt and the forum turned sour. But there are several other members on this forum who have done a marvelous job with their Conny and contributed a lot of good ideas as well.

 

Below is a picture of where I am now. Nothing new but lots of lines, knots and mistakes.

 

[GLakie]

Wow Jay I sure am glad to see things are well with you and you're back at your build. Yeah---I heard a little bit about things with that forum going south, and think it's too bad because, for absolute beginners, it might have been a good thing. Well, I'll be watching for more progress on her and again, good to see you.

 

Cheers   

[Modeler12]

One more thing about Mr. Hunt and his instructions about this model. He has built this model and used some nice techniques which he presents in his 'practicum'. The instructions are very useful for those who have never built this kind of model (or any other of this type). 

However, to pay $300 for that is not very wise!  At least in my opinion.
 

The instructions that come with the kid leave a lot to be desired, to be sure. Help is needed. 

But if you go over the built logs of some of us, and take notes, you will see lots of ways to do the same thing Mr. Hunt suggests.

The drawings that come with the kit are marvelous. I never bought the rigging plans from Mr. Hunt and used the drawings of the kit to learn, plan and put into effect my 'rigging plan'. I made many mistakes, learned a lot and will continue along that path!!!!

[GLakie]

The one major thing I found in the plans that he didn't find or address was, at least on my plans' bulkhead patterns, is a number of the bulkheads are asymmetrical and a simple set of dividers would find it. So if you use the plans as a guide for fairing, you need to adjust for that. He mentions nothing about it. But yes, over the last year, I've come to the conclusion that THIS forum is the right place for knowledge and help. A lot of great guys here, and friendly.

 

Cheers