USS Constitution by Modeler12 - FINISHED - Model Shipways

[Modeler12]

My poor Conny, she is getting to be so tall!   And she does not have much up front yet. But she is still growing.
Pretty soon I will have to find her a new dry-dock.

 

The masts and top masts are glued in place. A point of no return. Now I can add more lines and some day a bowsprit.

[JeffT]

she sure is! looks like a ship now.

[Modeler12]

she sure is! looks like a ship now.

You know Jeff, I think I won't regret adding the topsails and two jibs. It would fill up Conny's middle a little and take the flatness out of her

[JeffT]

I think you're right

[Geoff Matson]

We are all going to have to build one very large case for Conny.

[patrickmil]

She is getting quite tall now. Your Connie is looking very good. 

[Modeler12]

Thanks Patrick, and, Geoff I hope you don't mean a case that goes under ground. She is too young for that

 

But you are right, by the time you add the bowsprit  we may need to rethink not only how big a case, but where to put the little girl. My admiral already knows where it is not going.

[cog]

She does look well. You have gifted hands Jay. The bowsprit and jib, that's only the length of the lass, what about her masts ...

 

Those Admirals do have some things on their conscience ...

[Modeler12]

Carl, my Admiral is right 80% of the time and I am right the other 50%.

 

I remember in Holland one would say 'Dat mag' or 'You may (do that)'. Usually in the States we would say 'You can', but not with my Admiral.

[cog]

My mathematics are a bit rusty

[Modeler12]

My mathematics are a bit rusty

So is my Admiral's.

[Modeler12]

The lower shrouds were attached loosely and still needed the deadeyes installed at the bottom. To get the alignment so that the distance between the two was all about the same, I made a fixture with three brats. The bottom brat fits in the existing deadeye previously glued in place on the channel. The new deadeye uses two brats to prevent the piece from rotating while I fit the shroud and tie the two lined together with some thread. This will be temporary until I am ready to do the final lanyards. Notice that I chose to have the top deadeyes just above the main rail. That is the way it looks like on the real ship.

I will have to make a similar fixture for the smaller deadeyes in the other locations. These brats are too large in diameter.

 

 

I ran into some problems with the old deadeyes. While working the shrouds a couple of the chainplates worked themselves loose. You can see one in the picture. More repair work.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Modeler12

[Modeler12]

Remember that I mentioned ‘gotchas’?  Here is one that got me.

When I put the deadeyes on the channel I did not pay close attention. For the foremast there are three different lines coming to the channel. Sure enough I did fine with those on the starboard side (as shown on the drawing), but I reversed the order on the other side (mirror image, you know). The thing that gave it away was that a couple of the shrouds seemed very short. It was because they had to go too far back!!!

So I had to pull out a few large deadeyes plus smaller ones and reversed them. This time I epoxied them in place.

Sorry, I don’t take pictures of most of my gotchas. You might have to go back to the bottom of section 7 to see what I mean.

Edited March 23, 2013 by Modeler12

[Modeler12]

Who said that rigging is fun?

 

[JeffT]

Although it looks like a rats nest, I'm sure its completely organized.

[Modeler12]

Well not completely, but pretty much. 

 

The head on view did seem like an interesting puzzle that I sent on to my grand kids. They think I am crazy to tackle this project in the first place. But actually the view below shows a different story.

I am in the process of attaching the deadeyes to the lower parts of the shrouds and that created the 'confusion'. But, yes, there are many!! As I go along, I throw them over the stays to make room for the next one (gently).

 

 

[aliluke]

Hi Jay

Fun or not the rigging turns her into a sailing ship. I enjoyed watching that transformation on my little build. I'm sure on Conny it will be greater and all the more satisfying. Great work and I look forward to your progress pictures.

 

Cheers

Alistair

[Modeler12]

Hi Jay

Fun or not the rigging turns her into a sailing ship. I enjoyed watching that transformation on my little build. I'm sure on Conny it will be greater and all the more satisfying. Great work and I look forward to your progress pictures.

 

Cheers

Alistair

You are absolutely right, Alistair. When I mentioned not having fun, I was only kidding because of what looked like a confusing mess of shrouds. But actually it is exciting to see things come together and make it look like a sailing vessel.

 

I have had my share of 'oops' with the deadeyes  that are mounted on the channels. There are a total of 56 of them in two different sizes. Some of them were a bit loose and needed a bit of 'encouragement' with some epoxy, and then there were some that I had mixed up the sizes. Between having to wait for the epoxy to cure and then come back to an oddball, it is taking me a while. But I am getting there. 

Once the lower shrouds have their deadeyes I will start moving upwards again with the upper masts and their shrouds and stays.

[Geoff Matson]

Jay

 

That rigging surely makes you think and plan ahead.

[Modeler12]

Jay

 

That rigging surely makes you think and plan ahead.

Amen to that Geoff.

 

As you know, I am taking a totally different approach by skipping over details that I will come back to later. I have not done the bow carving, boats and netting among others. But I am aware of how far I can go with other things and the rigging is one. For example, I am putting the deadeyes on the shrouds but will not do the lanyards to tie them to the channel deadeyes until much later when most of the rigging is done and in place on the various belaying pins in the center of the ship.

 

I keep thinking about making the bowsprit, but then I find that having to turn the ship around a lot to get to the shrouds and stays, it is easier if the bowsprit is not there. By the same token I cannot attach the forestays on the foremast until the bow is in. etc. etc.

 

However, I really think that starting the rigging at the stern and working forward and up is better than starting at the bow. Or maybe both can work equally well. I don't know. I am too far along to even think about trying it.

[Geoff Matson]

It looks like your plan is working for you so just keep going the way you are going. It looks great!

[cog]

Following in amazement ... 'kan er geen touw aan vastknopen'

[Modeler12]

Following in amazement ... 'kan er geen touw aan vastknopen'

OK Carl, this must be an old Dutch proverb. I never heard that one before, but it should be easy for you to tie a rope to this (but make a tiny rope, please).

 

As you can see below the rat-nest has been cleaned up. The lower shrouds are tied in little bundles and sort of out of the way. That gave me room to add the main and mizzen topmast stays (including the 'preventer' stays). The royal and topgallant stays are taped to the top for the time being.

 

[cog]

Jay,

 

(proverb for: Can't understand/follow it)

 

You make it seem so easy

[Modeler12]

I had to take a look at the last picture of the rigging above. It looks nice and tight, right? It was, but no longer. 

 

I added the shrouds for the mizzen topgallant. Then I put the topmast in place and had fun rigging all those lines that were attached previously. It all came together alright; they fit in the right places, but they did not quite tension the same!!
Compare the two pictures below and notice how the earlier stays are now a bit slack! It is not major but the tilt of the main and mizzen masts are different. I think the actual angle is not as important as 'how it looks'.

 

  

Luckily I did not glue all of them in place (except one). I used a lot of pieces of scotch tape to modify the tilting of the mizzen masts until they looked about right. I am still waiting for more of those 'gotchas' so I am not glueing yet.
 

Note: I don't worry too much about the alignment of the masts sideways. They look fine in that direction and the shrouds are probably just an 'add-on'. Will that be another 'gotachat' in the making???? But when you look at the ship sideways, whooow!!!!

 

A few adjustments of all the lines should help. Oh, pieces of masking tape are invaluable.

Edited March 26, 2013 by Modeler12

[cog]

Jay,

 

Maybe a weird question, but why don't you rig from fore to aft? I presume you would than tension the rigging... Or is rigging always done bottom up? (I'm so glad I know zilch about this hobby )

[Modeler12]

Well Carl, join the crowd. This is my first major project and I am learning as I go along.

 

The reason I started at the stern is that the mizzen mast on this model ship also has a second mast right behind the main one. It is the spanker mast and is attached to the principal mast at the top. Since I had decided to add some sails, I had to put all those wooden loops on the spanker mast before gluing the two masts in place. They have to go together. One thing led to another and I wanted to see how the first sail would look on the model. Hence I started with the spanker sail and things fell in place from that point on.

 

There are a couple other things that are important. The shrouds for all three masts have to go around the top before the second part of the mast goes in place. The same applies when you add the third part of the masts. Hence the shrouds for the top masts is where I am now.

 

I know that some modelers start at the bow and work backwards. I just happen to do it the other way. I really don't know what the advantage is one over the other.

[cog]

Ah, well, I at least have a splendid example with your complicated build! Thank you for that

[Modeler12]

En hartelijk bedankt voor die mooie woordjes, Carl.

 

Your Seawitch is coming along nicely. That is one small, complicated boat you are building, my friend. Do you happen to own the real one? Nice picture of it sailing along in one of your canals???

 

I had another look at the picture and realized she is flying the US flag and the banks of the canal are not green enough to be in Holland. 

Edited March 26, 2013 by Modeler12

[cog]

Can't win'em all Jay