USS Constitution by Tom Schongar - Model Shipways

[Tom Schongar]

more pics. outter bulwark planking done gun ports done and catheads in. next up is the gun deck ports with the fake guns. I made a jig to cut all 55 pieces for the ports, and a little jig with 4 planks on it to get the alignment right.

 

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[alde]

Nice start. I have this kit in the closet but can't get up the nerve to open the box yet. To me Constitution will be my ultimate kit build. She has a big place in my heart as I spent many hours aboard as a kid and have had a fascination with her ever since.

[CaptainSteve]

Looking good, Tom. You are powering ahead. Just a minor point, but looking at your second picture, I'm wondering if your transom extensions aren't set a little high. Check out Sheet 2, up at the top of the page (Detail 2-H). 

 

O'course, I could be wrong ...

(Which would go a long way towards explaining all my re-dos)

[jwvolz]

Nice work so far Tom, especially for your first build. 

[Tom Schongar]

Transom extensions should be even with the top of the rear gunports and the main rail goes on top of this. Other rail ( name escapes me at the moment) is higher.

 

[Tom Schongar]

First gun port roughed in, 27 more to go.

[Tom Schongar]

More progress on the gun ports, and some pics of rope making machine and other pics of our trip to san fransico last week. We visited the maritime museum  at Fishermans Wharf. Hope you can use some refernce material on what real fittings look like. Very cool place. Plus pic of old ship.

 

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[Tom Schongar]

I started on the starboard side lower gun ports today. I took a little break on the boat after we came back  from California. Time to get back at it.

 

[Tom Schongar]

Back at it. Had to take a break to build a changing table and a cradle for my daughter. First grandbaby due in august.. I have all the gun ports done, and am working on the three rear gun ports now.

[Tom Schongar]

Rear gun ports done. Sanded the whole ship with 1500 grit, and applied sanding sealer. Tommorrow will sand again, one more coat of sealer, then sand again.  Next week i start on the deck. Plus i bought all the rivets to do the bulwarks. Boy that should be fun. 3000 pieces that you can`t see or pick up , drill hole for each on in the right spot, lol.Good thing i have a lighted magnifier and tweezers. 

 

[alde]

She's looking great Tom. Man that's a big model.

[Tom Schongar]

I decided to do the rivets next, instead of the hatches and deck planking. There is more room to work on drilling all those tiny holes with a #77 bit. I did about 50 so far, not perfect , but hey, you cant see them damn things they`re so small. lol. getting better as i go, the hard part is not having the rivet fall out of the tweezers. If that happens it`s gone forever.  TIP:  put down a white cloth under the boat and roll the edges to make a ridge so the rivets won`t get lost because you will drop them.

[Kirby]

You could also try tinfoil underneath the model - that way you can hear the "ping" as it drops.

[Tom Schongar]

Finished  some of the bulwarks rivets. Boy, what a job. Some a i little off but who cares. After 2000 lus are put in ,who will notice ? Except me,lol

[JSGerson]

Very impressive. I too am planning to add bulwark "rivets" But as small as these plastic rivets are, to my eyes (and I use that term lightly as I am blind as a bat without my trifocals), they still seem too large for the scale, especially the height above the surface. I have yet to reach the point in my build where I need to install them so I haven't done any experimentation with various methods I've seen. It may very well be I'll end up doing exactly as you did. If so, I hope to attain the beautiful craftsmanship you achieved.

 

Jon

[Tom Schongar]

I can`t see either,lol. i took my glasses of to do these. Only did one section a night. The rivets are big on the real ship. Should look ok when painted. The ouside ones will be much easier to do. I wanted to get the rivets done before any deck work, masts etc, more room to work, less chance of breaking stuff.