CONSTITUTION c. 1812 by samueljr - scale 1:76.8 - cross-section

[samueljr]

The next step(s) on the port side is the run up of planking from the gun port stripe to the underside of the rail. This was accomplished in three steps;

 

First, four  3/64" x 1/16" strips were placed above the stripe arriving at the bottom of the spar deck gun ports.

 

Second, an assembly of 2 each  1/8" x 1/16" and 3/64 x 1/16" strips were glued together and then measured individually to fit between the gun port opennings. I find this easier than measuring and setting each individualy.

 

Third, two 3/64" stips were glued up to the unserside of the rail.

 

They will be cut/sanded to length, progressively sanded smooth and then finished with several coats of thinned paint and wipe on poly.

 

Next - repeat all planking above the wales on the starboard side................

[samueljr]

The port side finished being planked , sanded, painted and poly'd.

 

Starboard - just getting started.....................

[Tigersteve]

Looks good!

Steve

[samueljr]

Thank you to all the likes. 

 

I am attempting to modify my building style on this project.

 

I am obligated to using basswood for a number of reasons, but am attempting to achieve a smoother finish than I have on previous builds. 

 

Generally I embrace the grain of the wood (not the "fuzzies" so much) and allow the paint and/or stain to react natuarlly to the wood hoping to arrive at a more natural or realistic appearence. This time out I am sanding progressivly (although still not enough for some people) through 4 - 5 grit levels. I am also sanding (very lightly) between coats of paint which have increased from my normal 2 - 3 thin coats to 4 - 5 coats finished with a wipe on poly.  It's producing a tighter result.

 

So far, so good ( I think)..............

 

Sam

[Thistle17]

Sam thanks for answering. I have been tutored by a mutual friend and that is his method as well. If you are interested in selling the Floquil paints please let me know when you are coming to one of our next meetings. I' m stuck on a repair of a 1980's model that is begging for Roof Brown to paint a new rudder. If you have that I would be satisfied with just a bit.

Joe

[samueljr]

Joe

 

I've got about 2 dozen different colors (both marine and railroad) but no roof brown........ Sorry

 

Let me take a look at my drawer and I'll see what I can part with

 

Sam

[rafine]

Sam, it's good to see you back building and posting on MSW. Some interesting techniques and some very nice work. Do the words "under development" suggest that this is a project for a kit?

 

Bob

[samueljr]

Bob

 

Good to hear from you.

 

Great job on GRANADO (wouldn't expect anything less from you).

 

I'm trying a different approach to the build's appearance in regards to my approach to finishes.  

 

From an engineeriing perspective the build is incorporating and blending some different methods.

 

The two longitudinal pieces serve a couple of purposes. Besides aiding in the initial alignment of the bulkheads they provide rigidity to the structure during planking. Because they are higher than the bulkheads the hull can be inverted for planking below the wales and/or coppering without risk to the structure.

 

They will be released along with the inner bulkhead tongues, like Syren’s (Chuck’s) 18^th CENTURY LONGBOAT. In essence what began as a plank-on-bulkhead becomes a hybrid of sorts and morphs into a plank-on-frame with the entire inner belly of the hull wide open. Each deck level will be built sequentially (for the most part) Orlop upwards to Spar Deck.

 

The process/method arriving at the open hull is unlike any cross section available on the market (I think).

 

As far as being a kit – anything’s possible…………….

 

Thank’s for checking in – keep in touch

Sam

[Tigersteve]

Getting interesting!

Steve

[samueljr]

The starboard side is (rough) planked up to the bottom of the rail. 

 

It bears noting that even though pre-sanded, the commercially obtained basswood strips' thickness is inconsistant. They will be sanded progressively until a uniform and smooth surface is achieved. This will involve going thorugh about 4 - 5 grit levels to remove material and return an acceptable surface for finishing.

 

The gunport stripe and wales were finished in the same manner as the port side. The anchor stock planking joints once painted are passingly visable. Anything heavier would be structurally threatening to the ship!

 

Sam

[samueljr]

The starboard side is now completed. 

 

After finish sanding, painting and sealing the ends of the planks (which in the previous post) had been left long were cut and sanded flush with the bulkhead face. This was done to ensure that none of the paint would get on the surface of the bulkhead (frame) which will be left with a natural finish.

 

I'm now working on (deciding) the next steps in the process of my build.

 

I'm drawing some of the detail items inboard and experimenting with copper nail patterns. I've just purchased a set of ponce wheels and am considering using them to simulate nail heds as opposed to the previous (I've followed) "press" method of a small block with pins/nails filed off and pressed onto copper tape.

 

Stay tuned.............

[samueljr]

The next step in prepping the bottom of the hull for copper is leveling and smoothing it out.

 

Even though great care was taken in planking and sanding, the basswood still has minor imperfections that could show through the thin copper tape. 

The bottom was "washed" with an almost liquefied water based wood filler. This achieved two tasks; one filling in any imperfections and raising the grain of the basswood one final time.

 

Once the surface was dry it was lightly sanded and wiped down. The feel to it at this point is almost glass like. 

 

There are a number of different theories regarding surface prep for adhesive copper tape, ranging from no prep at all up to using a a coating of some type of paint or gesso. Keeping with my philosophy of new approaches on this build I've decided to use a brush on primer that has a leveling property to it. It was brushed on (very lightly) to the point where the wood is almost visable through it.

 

Once dry it will be sanded and wiped down. This should leave a smooth defect free surface that will provide good adhesion for the tape.

 

The pics show only through primer application. I'm going to allow 24 hours dry time before final sanding.

 

To be continued.................

[samueljr]

Started copper - just pics tonight. Don't know if I like it or not. Still has to be sealed which will knock brightness off of it.

 

Details tomorrow.

 

Opinions?

 

Suggestions? (giving up boats is not an option - LOL!)

 

Thanks - Sam

[Tigersteve]

Very unique. I like it!

Steve

[samueljr]

Well an update on the copper -

 

Before I started I drilled two holes in the bottom of the keel for mounting pegs, screws or some type of rod. I haven't decided  yet how I'm going to set the hull as it's somewhat awkward in size. It's about 9"-3/4" lonng, 6" wide (on hull) with mast and yard it will be about 35" high and 19" across. I'm not certain where the center of gravity will be. The holes give me the option of pedestals (my personal favorite) although the keel is a 1/4" thick so any commercially available offering would have to be modified. Or I can design some type of brackets/stand that will balance the weight. TBD.

 

In approaching the copper I considered a couple of different options, available stamped copper plates or the use of tape in some way. I've used both previously with good results but I thought  I'd keep this build a little more organic and make the finish mayself so tape it was.

 

Upon selecting tape, I was faced (as we all are) with how to best represent the nail heads (pattern). The scale 1:78.6 leaves little option on trying to represnt the actual pattern but does offer the chance to get a repetative look. 

 

In embracing my mantra of change I chose to use a ponce wheel set rather than the press method of creating a die with a small block and multiple filed off nail/pin shafts. So I ordered the three wheel set from Micro-Mart.

 

I took a cue from both XBEN and RAFINE going forward.

 

XBEN's CONSTITUTION build is magnificent and his approach to using two sizes of wheels is spot on. I followed a similar approach in laying the pattern out with a small close set row along one edge and then a perpendicular row to represent the vertical edge of the plate. I deviated here though in that I did not seperate the strip (1/4" copper tape and 7/8" plates) I took the back side of a #11 xacto blade and embossed the joint line vertically on the tape. For the field nails I ran three rows of the largest  wheel. I then enbossed the strip between my fingers to smooth it out.

 

I've seen RAFINE in his builds use strips as opposed to individual plates and dreading the thought of several hunded plates (even on the reduced surface areas) I decided to try strips.

 

The copper tape is finicky when peeled from it's backer paper after a certain length so I went with two 5" or so strips for each starke to make it manageable.

 

The first strips covered bottom of the keel. I then laid the next strips on working progressively from stern forward and up. When done I capped the bottom edge of the keel.

 

I do not like the bright finish on the tape so I applied a light coat of Testors' dull coat lacquer and used a blow dryer to speed the set. I've found that when heated as drying the lacquer will flatten the color out and leave a more "old penny" copper color.

 

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[Omega1234]

Hi Samuel

 

Nice and neat job on the copper plates.  Looks great!

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[druxey]

Neat work, but the nailing would be less obtrusive at scale.Try flattening the dimpled plates again, and see how that looks.

[robnbill]

Here is a photo from the Connie when they were removing the copper plates from the rudder. You can see the various dimples created by the nails in the copper plate. The older photo is of a previous restoration when they had removed the copper  plate. You can see the nail holes. You can also see the frames where the board in the upper frame was removed.

[samueljr]

Thanks for the input Druxey and Rob.

 

I would have to agree - I am not sold on the final look (that's why I've only done the short side to date and have not made any more strips)

 

The ponce wheel is aggressive. I'm going to mock-up some strips with the perimeter markings and then with the medium size wheel in the field with only two rows and see how that looks.  

 

I'll post them ASAP.

 

Thanks - Sam

[jbshan]

I haven't done any of this, so use grain of salt, please.

Harder surface under copper when pouncing so less pronounced dimple.

Work from front, so it's an actual dimple, not a bump when applied to hull.

Burnishing with a tool shaped like the back of a spoon might give you the smoother look you are after.

I suspect a pinkish color because of the constant abrasion of traveling through the water, but dull, not shiny.  Your pic of the copper after a dull coat is getting close.

When you get to that point, consider veneer stock for the ends.  I finished a couple of sectional display mounts for ship's guns that way.

[samueljr]

Thought I'd try a reduced nail pattern test for the copper. 

 

There is still a tighter small nail line along one continuous edge and perpendicular for the end of the plate. I only used two rows for the field. Instead of burnishing the strip between my fingers I used a small dental tool to smooth the pattern.

 

The darker spots are where the spray on dull coat was rubbed off a bit.

 

I've not used a ponce wheel for this effect previously so I'm still experimenting.

 

Rob, thanks for the pics of the copper plates. I believe they are from the '27 (?) rework so I'm not certain if the pattern is considered accurate to the 1812 era. If anyone knows for certain please hop in.

 

?????????

 

It continues............

 

Sam

 

 

[druxey]

In the photos, the pattern of nails appears to be as they would have done this c1800. It's pretty unobtrusive: the rougher the surface, the more drag and turbulence it would create. At scale size, the pattern would almost disappear.

[samueljr]

I'm going to work up a plate with a very light nail pattern

 

Stay tuned

 

Thank's to all 

 

Sam

[samueljr]

Not convinced yet but thought I'd put this out here.

 

I followed the same process as the first application but this time I limited the field to two lines of nails and was much lighter with the pressure I applied when working the wheels.

 

The pics are (obviously) before and after dull coat. There are a couple of spots that have to be touched again with the dull coat but I wanted to wait to allow the first coat to fully dry before I touch-up.

 

Sam

[Omega1234]

Hi Samuel

 

Looks good - Somewhat more refined and subtle.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

[robnbill]

It is looking better. I know it is tempting to show the nails boldly. However, if you look at the holes in the photos, the diameter is probably ¼". While the nail heads would be larger,  if you round up to ½" diameter that would still only be about 0.2mm or 0.006" at your scale so subtlety would be the desired effect. Seeing enough to know they are there without them shouting at you.

[samueljr]

Thanks Bill

 

It's really one of those details that has been so ingrained into the psyche of builders that if strict adherence to scale were followed  there'd be a case for no heads at all. Don't know how that would be received by the general public.

 

Sam

[jbshan]

It is also one of those details that, if done incorrectly, only shows up the builders unknowingness of his subject, like many treenailers or model sailmakers.  Subtle, unobtrusive and delicate are almost always the watchwords of the day.

[samueljr]

Joel

 

Couldn't say it any better myself.

 

Sam