USS Constitution by kmart - Model Shipways - scale 1/76

[k-mart]

Next I started the rudder.    I'm going with the older,  more square rudder than the current spade like rudder.   Note sure when the switch was made, pre or post 1812....  I didn't see date in the plan / CD.

 

I had roughed out the new rudder earlier... but I needed to make the pintles and gudgeons.

Made a simple jig.  piece of wood 3/16th wide... same as rudder    rounded off one edge. 

Then just bent the brass strips over it.  after a few tries.... was able to get them the right shape.    Made 10 total.   5 for rudder,  5 for hull.

 

  

Pintles were a bit harder to make.   I've never really soldered before....

After a few attempts, I determined I either needed 4 hands to do this.    Using pliers,  one hand to hole gudgeon,  one to hold the pintle, one to hold soldering iron and one to hold the solder wire itself.

 

As that wont work... made another simple jig.

Drilled a hole in a piece of scrape wood  same diameter as pintle

Put the brass wire in hole.

clamp the gudgeon  in proper position

 

Now with two free hands.. can solder away.    I put the soldering iron on the outside. and the solder on the inside of the wire.   heat drew the solder right where it needed to go.

 

 

Drilled a whole lotta tiny holes  for the nails

And a bunch of clean up.

 

Next up... I'll finish coppering the rudder and then attach the hardware.

 

Now a question , opinion from this esteemed group of modelers?

Looking at other Connie build logs....  I've seen several variations on the rudder hardware color.

  1)  leave the brass natural color

  2)  copper sheet over the gudgeons   or paint it copper to match

  3)  paint the brass black   so its black gudgeons contrast against the copper platting.

 

In the pics I've seen,  they all look good.    but I got a pick one before I continue.

so I'll poll you guys.... option.... 1, 2 or 3?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by k-mart

[LyleK1]

Looking real good!

Option 3 is my vote!

[k-mart]

Quick update...  Rudder just about done.   

Just need too add the chain.   If you look close.. the eyebolts are already on the stern.

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

  Great job, all around ... I'll have to try your soldering technique when the time comes.  You've gone with the straight (pre 1812) rudder, so is the slight gap between the top part of the rudder (blackened) and the stern where the 'spade-like' later rudder would have conformed to?  Small matter, but one could still affix a tapered sliver to the hull at that point and paint it black to blend.

[k-mart]

Snug Harbor Johnny,  Thanks for the compliment. Yeah... I didn't notice that gap at top of the rudder until it was already attached.  Its exactly as you described. The modern spade rudder would have the same contour of the sternpost.  In the picture the gap is obvious... but from viewing distance...  only a NRG member or model shipwright would ever pick up on that mistake.  :-).    I swore enough when hanging the rudder, that I'm calling it done.  Not going to try and fix it.  

[kmart]

Starting to work on Guns for gundeck.  So need to make 30 of them .   

I am going to use the ME cannon set.  Not the dummy barrels that cam with the kit.

Fairly common issue is the cannon carriage is to short.  Without modification the barrel it will sit too low in the gun port.

My solution was to replace the dowel axels with a taller pieces of basswood to raise the overall height.

 

The wheels will just glue right on to these pieces flush with the deck.

The wheels themselves will hide most of the piece.  So they wont be as obvious.

 

In  some of my past builds, I've had canons break loose.

The tiny wheels/trucks  just don't have enough surface area connecting the deck to stay stuck.   

I tiny bump and they break loose.   Typically this after deck is closed up and I can no longer access to fix.   

With these pieces, there will be a lot more surface area on the bottom piece's to glue to the deck.   

 

Mass producing the  carriages

Testing them on the ship

 

 

 

 

For the wheels themselves,   still want to show the nub of the axis.

Trying to clean, enlarge the hole to fit the axes will split the wheel.

 

Soo ill try using toothpicks.  Glue the wheel on

Saw off the pointy end flush with wheel.  That's  the side that will be glue to the new piece of wood/axil.

On the center side of the toothpick,  I'll cut short length after the wheel to simulate the end of a axil

 

 

 

 

Once the carriages are done.  30x4  = 120 wheels to make.  Geesh.   

Then I'll start looking at rigging.  At a minimal I'll rig  the breech's on all of them.

I'll do more excessive rigging on the 8 cannons that can be seen though the open grating on the spar deck. 

As I'm aiming for an 1812 version of the ship,  I'm leaving waist hatches off.  

 

 

 

 

[JSGerson]

A lot simpler method than I did and probably just as effective to the typical observer. Looks good so far.

 

Jon

[usedtosail]

That's a great solution for the gun carriages.

[Professor]

No further progress on this marvelous build? I'm certain we would all love to see more of your excellent craftsmanship. I hope all is well with you, Kmart.

[Der Alte Rentner]

Just now, Professor said:

No further progress on this marvelous build? I'm certain we would all love to see more of your excellent craftsmanship. I hope all is well with you, Kmart.

Likewise here.

[kmart]

Hello all.    Thanks for the interest in my build.

OK,  I have been delinquent in posting updates. My bad.    I have been lurking and watching your logs for inspiration!

And  I have been making progress on my build.   

I'll post some pics and commentary shortly.

But as a tease:   Areas I've done some work on: (all in various stages of progress,  none complete yet)

• Gun deck cannons
• Ship stove and chimney
• Channels
• Dead eyes and chain plates
• Fixed a major screwup on the bottom copper
• Upper gun port lids
• Gun deck riding bits
• boomkins
• Support for the Spar deck