USS Constitution by xken - Model Shipways - Scale 1:76.8

xken · December 28, 2016

John, just this past year I found a source 18 miles from where I live for Novacan Black Patina. When I moved from Ohio the movers would not allow chemicals on the truck so most of the chemicals were left behind with friends. I only brought my gallon of JAX Instant brass cleaner. On the Constitution I have blackened so of the parts where it makes sense. As for rivet heads I have a supply of rivets that I now use sparingly since my source went out of business this past summer. In some cases depending upon the scale I have made my own rivets.

Professor · January 15, 2017

I am off and running to continue my education of model ship building and hopefully on this one I will add sails. Like my Niagara build I will start with the small boats which are mini model kits in themselves and that my two young granddaughters like looking at the "baby boats". They are 2 and 4 years old.

I will skip the presentation of the box and contents since others have done it so well. I am starting with the pinnace the larger of the four. I started by marking the top surfaces of the laser cut parts before removing them from their parent sheet. The reason is that the laser cutting process burns a slight angle in the wood and when layering and gluing together you can use this angle to your advantage and avoid super thin areas.

Pinnace 01.jpg

I glued all the layers of all the boats together minus the bottom layer. I used the scrap center as a clamp surface to provide even compression.

Pinnace 02.jpg

Here is the reason to leave the bottom layer off and allow clearance to work on the inner walls.

Pinnace 03.jpg

Here is the finished up inner walls rough cut and then sanded.

Pinnace 04.jpg

Next I added sparingly automotive glazing putty to the inner walls for additional smoothness. This glaze dries quickly and is very easy to sand. Think of it as a thick layer of primer filler.

Pinnace 05.jpg

Here is the finished exterior

Pinnace 06.jpg

Here the bottom layer was added and shaping started by rough cutting with an Xacto blade, sanding block and sanding sticks.

Pinnace 07.jpg

Here is the finished exterior ready for the keel.

Pinnace 08.jpg

Here is the finished sanded interior ready for keel and other details.

Pinnace 09.jpg

First I had to address the bow to stern sidewall curve which I developed using 1/4" masking tape, then marked the upper edge with a pencil and removed the tape and trimmed to the pencil line.

Pinnace 10.jpg

Here is the interior with all the details added that will be painted while the rest will be bright stained finish. The exterior keel has also been added. The ribs are .0208" square Basswood Midwest Scale Lumber item number 8000. I have used their micro cut lumber for years on airplane builds.

Next the pinnace will be primed and sanded and readied for paint per the plan scheme.

Ken, I'm in awe of the surgical precision involved here. Superbly done, sir. I can hardly wait for the build to continue.

MORE! MORE! I want MORE!

xken · January 24, 2017

Great news! For those who wish to add rivets to the walls of a ship here is a link to purchase in various quantities. This is a much more realistic size than I have seen used. Enjoy!

https://model-motorcars.myshopify.com/collections/small-parts-hardware/products/rivet-1-0-mm-head-diameter-brass-z050b-2?variant=33045009804

Professor · January 24, 2017

They seem as though they would be more to scale than similar offerings but I'm guessing they're still too large. I have passed in the past on attempting to add the bulwarks rivets; every other effort I have seen, including those by some fabulously talented model shipwrights, has resulted in rivet heads that would be the size of small grapefruits if the model was expanded to life size. Inevitably the ship winds up looking as though it has contracted a bad case of nautical smallpox or perhaps maritime measles. (I appreciate your sharing the link all the same, Ken. It says much good about you that, with all you have on your plate, you took the time to research the product and post it.)

Professor

Edited January 24, 2017 by Professor

xken · January 24, 2017

Professor, they have rivet sizes even smaller than this, i will check to see if they plan to offer those as well. I know some were .4mm that magnification would be needed to work with. Stay tuned.

xken · January 24, 2017

Professor, yes they will eventually offer the entire line that Scale Hardware had. The smallest rivet size is .5mm which would work great assuming one would stay sane while doing it.

Professor · January 26, 2017

Ahhh, sanity is overrated. Thanks, Ken.

xken · February 25, 2017

Now that the Dirty Dozen is until control and ready for the museum, the new Chapter for the book is done with CD's burned and will be mailed Monday to the publisher I am back to the Constitution. Since I have limited building space I will follow the process I did on the Niagara and rig up the masts a level at a time. I started by making ropes for the lower shrouds with my Model Expo rope walk somewhat modified. When I get tired of making ropes I add deadeyes to the fighting tops using 26 gauge black anodized copper beading wire. First I wrap the deadeye and twist a 3/8" tail that is inserted into the oval hole to the front and glued in place. Once all deadeyes are in place I use a 1/32" drill bit to clean the hole next to the 3/8" tail as a guide. Once the hole is drilled clean I cut the excess tail flush to the bottom surface. Next I twist a loop using a .040" drill bit stem held in a pin vise and cut a 1/16" tail and then glue the loop into the hole. I then add more CA to each location to assure a tight glue joint for both the deadeye and loop. After all the deadeyes were in place I added the guard rail.

Here is the guard in place.

Here are the staged ropes for the shrouds.

Now back to deadeyes.

xken · March 3, 2017

I realized that before I could add the shroud lines that the pendants had to be installed first. So first I had to make thimbles for the ends. I started with 3/16" rod, drilled the end with a 1/8" bit then cut the groove in the thimble for the rope. Once the rope groove was cut I then cut a guideline for the saw blade to cut the thimble off. With this small a part I inserted the shaft of a Q-tip to retain the thimble on when the final cut was made and saving it from flying through the air. After all were cut they were stained with patina and then rope added.

The pendants were then added to the masts at their appropriate lengths. Will post a picture later on.

Next I made a setup to use my Sherline lathe as a serving machine for the shroud lines. I glued a clip to a brass rod for the chuck and glued another clip to the point of the live center. I used an Allen wrench in a tool post with a small clip to hold the thread spool in place. The thread was then held at a length of 5 inches between the clips and served by holding slight tension on the thread once tied securely to the chuck end of the line turned on the lathe at a very slow speed feeding the thread to the underside of the line being served. It takes a little practice to get the feel but once it is the serving goes quickly. I found that by using the second hand fingers sliding the thread back and forth as you progress it evens out the thread. The lathe speed is almost as slow as you can go. Here are pictures of the set up I am using.

Now back to rope work. Slowly but surely.

JSGerson · March 3, 2017

I like it! It sure beats my hand cranked version seizing machine.

xken · March 6, 2017

Jon, Yes, much better than by hand, however it does require a learning curve and eye hand coordination. My glue joint broke loose off the live center end so for the second glue joint I added a small piece of paper towel overlapping the center tip and clip end. Will see how long that lasts. Another thought I had was using a fishing lure swivel in a chuck.

Here is a picture of the pendants, once attached I found that the rope did not exactly hang straight so I soaked the rope in 50/50 water/white glue mix and added weighted clips on the thimbles and let set overnight and they hang much straighter now.

Next I started on the foremast and added the shroud rope lines that I made. I started on the forward starboard side and worked side to side adding a pair at a time. Once all were in place I painted the seizing at the top mast and at the deadeyes with Ultra Flat Black Camouflage paint from a spray can with a brush that when dry appears as being pitched. This is one I learned on building the Niagara.

Next to add the single lines with block and tackle and then onto the main mast and I will add the sheer poles as I move along to straighten out the blocks.

usedtosail · March 7, 2017

Nice job on the shrouds and pendants. I am just slightly behind you and will be adding the shrouds shortly.

xken · March 13, 2017

Tom, thanks I will continue to follow your build, it looks like you are ahead of me with the yards. I finished up the shroud lines and have mastered using my Sherline lathe setup for seizing lines. The real trick is speed being slow and slight tension on line being seized and feeding the thread at a slight angle towards the chuck end for the tight wrap.

I started adding the deadeyes to the shroud lines tying off at four locations on the back lash. I found with my line that using tweezers at about 1/8" above the final position and bending the line back and tying a loop off with thread then add the deadeye adjust to final location 1/8" and lash off that this would take up the stretch in the line when tying off to final location. I used a ruler to maintain alignment of the deadeyes which I found could easily be slightly adjusted using the stretch in the line. Once one side was complete I added the sheer pole to hold the deadeyes facing forward before I will add the ratlines. I hope this makes sense, but pictures may help as well.

Now back to adding sheer poles to the next two masts.

usedtosail · March 14, 2017

Those shrouds and deadeyes look great. No yards yet for me, just the masts and mast pieces so far. I am amazed that you can use a lathe for serving. I have enough trouble using a serving machine. Well done.

xken · March 18, 2017

Tom, yes I am loving my lathe setup for serving the ropes. Once you get the feel for doing it it works very well and fast. I was serving 3 inches for the single lines with blocks and 5 inches for the doubles.

I have moved onto the ratlines and am using black thread and tying clove hitches at each junction. The foremast lower sections have 295 knots per side. I used my CAD program to draw a guide with 3/16" parallel lines which I printed on card stock cut to size to use on both sides. I aligned the lower guidelines with the sheer poles and clipped to the deadeyes to hold in position and trimmed the top to be tight with the bottom side of the fighting top. I also highlighted in orange every fifth line that was extended per instructions and I tied those first to hold the shrouds in place and then filled in between. I am using a very water downed white glue at each knot once a line is in place and allow to dry before trimming off the ends.

Here is a PDF file for others to borrow for their own use on builds.

Ratlines.pdf

Now onto the main mast.

JSGerson · March 18, 2017

Those ratlines look gorgeous!

A few questions if I may: Are you using the line that came with the kit or an outside supplier (e.g., Syren). Also, are the sizes of stay and ratline lines as dictated by the kit's instructions or are you going by some other source? Details, alway love the details 8-)

Jon

xken · March 18, 2017

Jon, I am using a quilting thread 100% cotton #50 for the ratlines. https://www.amazon.com/Mettler-Silk-Finish-Solid-Cotton-Thread/dp/B00Q9TPTFC purchased at a local quilting supply store. I have found the kit supplied thread too stiff. Yes I am following the kit guidelines as best as possible.

Geoff Matson · March 18, 2017

Thanks for the rigging tips. I will be using them when when I get to that part.

md1400cs · March 22, 2017

Ken,

I'm sure to be repeating here, that said - your log is SO step-by-step informative. I'm sure that members are very appreciative of the extra time it also takes you to add, locate text within your excellent photos, of an also beautiful build.

Cheers,

xken · March 22, 2017

Michael, thanks! I just finished up the lower ratlines for all three masts after tying nearly 2,000 clove hitches with #50 black thread. I now have tying clove hitches down pat in any direction.

Just a few observations I have made: working black thread on black shrouds requires keen eyesight and great depth perception working at times with a pair of tweezers in each hand. If you have trouble with chopsticks don't even start. I found that wetting the thread before tying really helped to reduce the spring effect and sizing in the thread as well as friction when tying knots. File the ends of the tweezers down to a point and file the ends square; then file the inside gripping surfaces flat so they match each other when squeezed. Test by picking a thread off a flat surface. Do this before even starting. Tie the extended lines first and once all the knots on one row are tied glue each knot and ends of thread to be cut off with watered down white glue. Watering down allows the mix to penetrate the tiny thread and bond to the shrouds. When seizing the clove hitch to the shroud tighten slowly and the final pull to the right to set the knot in the right location and then hold the shroud with the tweezers at the knot and tighten to the left. (opposite if you are left handed) As you are tightening the knot pay attention to the lines above and below to avoid over tightening and causing them to sag. Work from the bottom (dead eyes) to the top (fighting top) when adding lines; this allows the excess ends to hang down out of the way of the next one to be tied. Cut off excess lines after the knots once the glue has set with the tip of sharp scissors cutting only the line. Once at the shroud seizing near the top the use of magnification will really help.

Once completed and all glue set if you have any sections that are not pleasing or have sag cut them away and add a new section making sure the clove hitches straddle the existing knots, this will align the new section with the existing lines. OK sorry more than just a few observations.

Here are the results of it all.

Now to add so more mast details before moving on.

capnharv2 · March 23, 2017

Now you tell me about the chopsitcks!!

Question-did you tie your ratlines fore to aft on both sides or fore to aft on the port side and aft to fore on the starboard side? For whatever reason, I've always tried to do fore to aft on both sides, and had a devil of a time on the starboard side (I'm right handed).

Thanks! It's been fun and educational following your build.

Harvey

xken · March 23, 2017

Being right handed I did fore to aft on starboard and aft to fore on the port and I should mention that the clove hitches were up and outboard on the shrouds so that the lines lay on top of the shrouds. I hope this makes sense. :cheers:

mojofilter · March 23, 2017

Absolutely magnificent!! I see so much good info on this site, I have a hard time keeping track of it. I've started writing the post numbers down. I shall keep this for my rat lines.

-T

donrobinson · March 23, 2017

Ratlines look super, nice work

capnharv2 · March 23, 2017

Yep. Makes sense to me. I'll be getting there someday. . .

Harvey

JSGerson · March 23, 2017

As always, nice and clean.

Jon

usedtosail · March 23, 2017

Great work on the ratlines. Your shrouds look nice and straight still, which to me is the hardest part.

xken · March 28, 2017

I have moved on to the Bob stays for the masts and used T-pins in cardboard to fixture for the different sizes based on mast locations.

Next I started the by adding the futtock staves using 1/16" square wood strips painted black. Then started by making small thimbles using 5/32" brass tubing for the shroud extensions. There will be many to make. I then realized that to size the extensions I needed to make the bentinck shrouds with the large thimble. Here is a sequence of pictures.

I discovered that the Bullseyes in the kit needed to have larger holes for three lines to fit through them so they had to be enlarged. The best way was to trap them with a twisted wire, ream them out and add a drop of CA before untwisting the wire.