USS Constitution by SawdustDave - FINISHED - 1:60th Scale

[JSGerson]

Per the USS Constitution Museum’s Restoration Log, “Constitution’s Modern Armament,”:

 

Her first 20th century restoration in 1906-1907 saw fifty-five replica guns made for the ship. All of the present guns were cast for the 1927-1931 restoration with the exception of two 1812-era replica carronades on the after quarter deck. Cast in 1981, these carronades are closer to Constitution‘s 1812 spar deck armament. The gun deck guns were cast in the Charlestown Navy Yard in 1929. The pattern of these guns was based on a British siege gun that was abandoned in Boston during the American Revolution and is currently displayed near Harvard University. The decision to cast “British” guns was made by Lieutenant John A. Lord, Supervisor of the 1927-1931 restoration. He based his decision upon inaccurate research that led the Navy to mistakenly believe that Constitution was outfitted with British guns in 1812.

 

So, the odd ball cannonade with the elevation screw is the more accurate version. The choice is yours as the model maker…and mine too when the time comes for me to make the choice.

[SawdustDave]

I knew someone had an explanation for this question.  Thank you Jon.
With so much time invested in the carriages, at this point, looks like I am pretty much committed to the 1927 version.  The 1812 version with the elevation screw mechanism changes everything.  
Cheers 

[usedtosail]

You want carronades with screw posts, see my build here: https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/5003-uss-constitution-by-usedtosail-model-shipways-scale-176/&do=findComment&comment=384050.

 

Have fun with those.

[SawdustDave]

1 hour ago, usedtosail said:

You want carronades with screw posts, see my build here: https://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/5003-uss-constitution-by-usedtosail-model-shipways-scale-176/&do=findComment&comment=384050.

 

I must apologize Tom.  As many times as I have visited your beautiful build, I never took note of the fact that you bashed the carronades into the 1812 version.  I do admit, I do tend to focus more on graphics than text.  

Beautiful job, and I salute the fact that you took on the challenge.  

Way to go Mate.

[usedtosail]

Thanks Dave. No problem at all. I have trouble keeping track of what I have done on my own model, let alone what others I have seen. Now its your turn to take up the challenge, no?

[SawdustDave]

Think I'll have to steer away from the screw elevation Tom.  Much too far along with the carriages at this point.

Please don't dare me Mate. 

In my younger days, I’ve been known to jump off high buildings with an umbrella on a "dare"...... yahahahaha

Dave

Edited December 5, 2017 by SawdustDave

[popeye2sea]

The one with the screw elevation is a true carronade. It is also mounted differently to it's slide with a pin that runs underneath the barrel.  The other type of cannon is called a gunnade and is more like a cross between a carronade and a traditional cannon in that it has trunnions and a quoin but is mounted on a slide.

 

Also the carronade carriage is fixed in place via a pintle inside the gun port.

 

The gunnades were made for the ship in error during her 1920's refit.  Currently the ship has only two carronades.

 

Oops, didn't read on in the posts.  Already explained!!

 

Regards,

Edited December 6, 2017 by popeye2sea

[SawdustDave]

Thanks for joining the discussion Henry.  Yes, by now I have managed to thoroughly research the entire topic after being pointed in the right direction.  Very timely in my case as I was able to build two of my gun carriages for those two “true carronades”.

My good friend, Tom, will pleased to know I will be building two guns with screw jacks.

 

As for progress report.... All 20 spar deck carriages built, but not painted.

I also decided NOT to cast the gun forms because I am not at all happy with the prototypes I created several months ago.... besides all that, my 2-part silicone mix has gone bad so I can’t make a new rubber mold.

So we’re now in the process of turning all of the carronade barrels individually.

As of this morning, eight down - ten to go.

Cheers All

[usedtosail]

[SawdustDave]

CHEERS ALL!

[SawdustDave]

Spar deck armament note....

Slowly working on the guns and carriages and rigging for the 20 placements on the spar deck.
Just curious, this morning I did a quick count of all the various parts required to scratch build a single cannonade..... came up with 56 parts each.  
To the casual observer, the 1,100 parts, and the precise assembly of each, that go into creating those deck guns are so far beyond comprehension. .
Ever question why we do this stuff?!

Merry Christmas Mates!

 

Edited December 13, 2017 by SawdustDave

[Geoff Matson]

The guns will go quickly. You picked the right time of the year to do them. A little wine, good food, family, and a few weeks and they will all be done. :). I am looking at the same problem as you, only with the standing rigging. Knots! Knots! Knots! I am actually looking forward to doing the barn chores this morning before working on rigging. Oh, by the way the morning temps are 23 degrees and windy. When you push up the manure pile you make the wind is blowing in the right direction!

[SawdustDave]

Geoff.... Just revisited your build.... and I am SOOO inspired!
Maybe by this time next year I should be somewhere near where you are..... although not nearly as well done.
Beautiful work sir!  And thanks again for providing such a great source of reference.

Dave

[SawdustDave]

Guns Progress....

A couple of quick shots.
Note the two carronades and slides at the top, along with the two long gun carriages.  The other 15 carriages are for the cannonades.... (one missing from the photo is now in position on deck where I'm working on the first rigging).
Also note I still have two long guns to turn to complete the full 20 gun spar deck armament 

A closer look at the unpainted cannonades....

Ready to begin detailing the carriages......

Edited December 13, 2017 by SawdustDave

[riverboat]

Just catching up Dave........ you are doing  some outstanding!! work on this model ... she's going to be a real Beauty! ! ...

 

Frank

[SawdustDave]

Thanks for dropping in Frank.  Long time no see Mate.

Merry Christmas!

[Piet]

Caught up with you Dave - after my computer hard drive crash.

Nice work on the cannons.

 

Cheers,

[SawdustDave]

GUNS - UPDATE....

Thanks again for the visit Piet.  I took a short break to post a few quick shots of the progress on the spar deck guns.  
For many years, having rigged dozens of deck guns, I found a small detail I have long overlooked with regard to the quoins.  How many of us have simply stuck a shaped handle on a wedge and glued it directly onto the carriage beneath the gun?

A closer look at the Connie's guns, I find that the quoin's have a rib on the bottom which rides in a groove which is cut into a separate base fixed to the carriage.... (seen below)

So, I have attempted to emulate that little detail by placing the quoins onto strips of poster board.  Unfortunately, the groove is visibly lost with two coats of paint.

 

Another little note to pass on is a technique I am using to attach the breaching-tackle to the bulwarks....
Rather than fit the belaying peg to the ship and wrestling with getting the seized rope onto the fixed peg, I have glued the pegs into the rope ends.... note the very sharp tips that can be inserted into holes drilled into the bulwarks.  

Finally.... a shot of assembled guns in progress.  Now working on the tedious rigging of the 3/32" blocks purchased from Syrenshipmodelcompany.com.... thanks Chuck.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2017 by SawdustDave

[Geoff Matson]

Looking good. I don't think people realize how many "mini" kits are the Constitution. The cannons, the boats, etc. It really makes the kit a great build and learning experience. It also makes the the kit a very "long" build. Keep us posted.

[SawdustDave]

33 minutes ago, Geoff Matson said:

Looking good. I don't think people realize how many "mini" kits are the Constitution. The cannons, the boats, etc. It really makes the kit a great build and learning experience. It also makes the the kit a very "long" build. Keep us posted.

You are so right Geoff.  As a scratch builder, I don’t think I could have tackled this without the experience gained with a dozen previous models over the last ten years. I’m just glad I saved this very special ship for my last major project as she deserves my best effort.

[JSGerson]

Dave, what you say about that cannon pictured is true...except the cannonades (which are not accurate to the style of 1812) are a bit different. They have the groove in the quoin.

 

Just to make things a bit more confusing

 

Jon

 

[SawdustDave]

Driving me NUTS with stuff like this Jon.

So I did fail to note the difference in the quoins between the long guns and the cannonades.  Dag nab-bit!!!

Too late now.... all done with quoins. 

They is what they is!

Edited December 21, 2017 by SawdustDave

[JSGerson]

Oh, I'm really sorry. The good news is that 99.999% of the people who will see your model won't even take notice and won't know what a quoin is let alone whether it is correctly depicted. Ours is a lonely art, only you and God know what is right or wrong in our models.

 

Jon

[SawdustDave]

My bad on the quoin mistake.... not the only DOWNER for me today.

Just did a re-count on all of my inventory of assembled guns and came up two short on the required cannonades.

Back to the lathe one more time.

 

Am I alone with these kind of screw-ups?

Edited December 22, 2017 by SawdustDave

[JSGerson]

You have no idea how big the Screw-Up Club is!! I'm a lifetime member too.

[JesseLee]

Me too Dave!

[xken]

Like Jon I to am a life long member of the long and distinguished list of screw-ups. Screw-ups are just mis-judgements turned into learning lessons.   

[SawdustDave]

OK, so we all have our screw ups.  

I do like Ken’s view about “learning lessons”.  And Jon’s reminder that most of our mistakes are between “you and God”.... but I must add “your MSW friends” to that short list.  

Oh!  One other.... THE DREADED CLOSE-UP CAMERA!  (Sees all - Tells all)

Merry Christmas All

Edited December 22, 2017 by SawdustDave

[usedtosail]

Screw up club? See my build log. The good news is that by the second or third time I do something I am usually pretty happy with it.

[mtaylor]

Charter member of the Screwup Club here.... Well done Dave.  You're getting there.