USS Constitution by MikeU48 - Revell - 1:96 - PLASTIC - with sails

[MikeU48]

Hello people,

I'm brand new to this site. I just recently ordered the USS Constitution 1:96 from Amazon and should be getting it today. I built this model 40 years ago and decided that I wanted to do it again as a Winter project (and maybe summer too...lol). I want to take my time and really enjoy all the detail work that can be done. I'm a widower of 10 years now and need the distraction.

I've read a few reviews on the Amazon site about the sails being pretty flimsy. Several people have commented about putting cloth or linen over the plastic sails and then coating them with a mixture of Elmer's craft glue and water to either make new sails or just an overlay.

I was excited to find this forum so I can get some good advice/tips from other builders.

If you can help me out here with your ideas and pictures I'd REALLY appreciate it.

Looking forward to your replies...

Thanks for any help or advice you can give me.

[lmagna]

Hello Mike and welcome.

Are you interested in making cloth sails, or buying cloth sails?

[Fright]

Hello Mike and welcome. Smooth sailing on your USS Constitution build and look forward to watching your progress. 

 

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou and Robert

Thanks for the replies.

Lou,

I would like to make the sails if possible without ruining the original plastic ones if I need more than one attempt to get it right.

 

Just received my "box" and everything looks good at this point. I'll take everything out of the different bags tonight for a closer examination. I plan on reading the manual several times before I do a thing......well... I'll probably go to the hobby store for supplies. I have #11 exacto blades and a magnifying headset for close in work. I also bought a gooseneck LED lamp. I read Tamiya masking tape is good as well as nail files. I know I will need clamps but not sure what kind will work the best for the ship. HELP!!! again....

[ccoyle]

Hi, Mike!

 

Is this going to be a build log, or is it just a general question about the kit? If the latter, then I will move it to the correct forum area.

 

Good luck on your project! The Revell Connie is a popular subject.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[MikeU48]

Hi Chris,

I guess a Build log is showing my progress? Boy... that puts me under the "spotlight"...lol

Sure...I like pressure...😏☺️😉

[ccoyle]

Don't think of it as pressure. Seeing your actual work helps people know what to recommend should you ever need help.

 

Cheers!

[MikeU48]

Hey Chris 

I was just kidding. I do my best work under pressure...Ask the IRS...lol

[lmagna]

37 minutes ago, MikeU48 said:

I would like to make the sails if possible

In that case, the method you described in your first post should work OK. If I was building this model again I would seriously consider these sails:

https://www.hismodel.com/constitution/united-states-1-96-sada-plachet

As they are probably better than anything I could make in 1/96th scale, Possibly in any scale! At $103 they are probably more expensive than the kit though!

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou,

Did you know that showing me this and browsing their website a pics of the Conny that you just eliminated Christmas presents this year...lol

I think I'm hooked. To me, the SAILS are an important part of my build. Thanks, seriously, for the suggestion. I will probably do it. I really need to learn the lingo for the different parts of the Conny as well as those threads on the sails...WOW!!!

Thanks again

[lmagna]

Glad I was able to spend some of YOUR money. I usually only do it to myself!

 

He has all kinds of stuff on his site. Go to his ships/plans/Constitution and you will find PDF files on all of the older Revell Conny 1/96 kits from the 1970s to present. If I remember correctly the older plans named all of the parts and lines rather than just assigning them a number. That way by the time you were done you knew a lot more about period ships than when you started. 

 

Let me know any time you are looking to spend money, I know all kinds of places that make it all too easy!

[lmagna]

Oh 

By the way he sells on eBay also. Even though he is not listing the Connie sails right now he is listing replacement brass cannon.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Revell-USS-Constitution-United-States-set-of-57-pcs-CNC-Brass-gun-barrels-1-96/222957260994?epid=871142323&hash=item33e949d0c2:g:-Q0AAOSwblZZFcBt

 

OK I'll go hide in my corner now!

"Bad Lou Bad Lou!"

Edited September 19, 2018 by lmagna

[Jim Rogers]

Lou you are a bad bad man 😂🤣😂😁

[MikeU48]

Brass canons???

Brass canons???

Well...the grandkids get too much stuff from their parents for their birthdays so they probably won't mind me skipping their presenrs next year.

Gotta order those canons before he runs out!!!!

Thanks Lou.

Sending the grandkids your email address...ROTFLMAO!!!!!

 

[lmagna]

I have just turned out all the lights, locked the doors. turned off the phone and in the process of moving and not leaving a forwarding address!!!!!

I already got the grand kid knock on the door! Fifteen years ago, and again ten years ago! There is not enough left of me to to start again! At last count the Admiral and I have had over 48 years of non stop kids and still have another seven or eight years to go.

 

I had hoped that by this age I would be putting a healthy dent in the kids inheritance! Instead they found out how to do it to me instead.

 

The best I can do now Mike, is help you spend your kids inheritance so that they don't get spoiled and learn to become self sufficient. 

[pontiachedmark]

Gidday from downunder Mike,

I will be following your build with interest. I've recently purchased an original unopened 1970's USS Constitution 1/96 by Revell. I'm juggling health issues, family and too many projects. So I'll pull up a chair and come along for the ride. 

Best of luck,

Mark

[foxy]

Have also this ship, with all sorts of add ons, just need the inspiration lol.

 

Looking forward to your progress.

 

[MikeU48]

Well Lou,

There's NO HOPE for you. I was in the Federal Witness Protection Program until the G-kids were able to track me down. Never, and I mean NEVER, doubt the abilities of a teenager and a computer.

After last night shopping spree (Thanks again Lou) future Christmas's, birthdays and graduation presents have been canceled. My one G-kid said it made more sense to him for me to sell my free and clear 2009 Silverado (only 56,000 miles on it) and just start using UBER seeing I drive so little nowadazes. I said the numerous trips to the hobby store might get expensive URBER wise but the verdict is still out on that one.

Forget the funny nose, wig, and weird glasses.....they WILL find you!!! They are worse than the Miafia...trust me...

 

You'll be GLAD to hear my shopping spree, thanks no doubt to YOU of course, netted me:

The sails you suggested

57 brass canons...will that be enough?

34 canon carriages...same question as above

An oak deck 

and a partridge in a pear tree...lol

All from the  guy in the Czech Republic

 

All kidding aside I really appreciate the suggestions as I hopefully won't have to look back someday and say..." I should have gotten this to really make it look really nice."

I know there will be a point that I will have to curtail future spending so as to NOT get ridiculous....  IF that is even possible. LOL

Next stop, this week, will be to the local hobby store for paints and various implements of destruction.

Any suggestions here guys? I have #11 Exacto blades and a headset mag light.

[Hubac's Historian]

The cordless Dremel Micro is a fabulous tool that balances well in the hand without fatigue, and has decent battery life, great RPMs, and minimal chatter or vibration.  Now, it isn't anything near the quality of the dental rotary tools, but for the price it absolutely can't be beat.  I have roughed through so much plastic on just one coarse sanding sleeve, and it still cuts just as well as when it was new.  I use it constantly to waste material, and with some practice I've even managed to get closer to finish work with this tool.  Hands-down, it is the best investment I've made for my project and I use it almost every day.

[lmagna]

33 minutes ago, MikeU48 said:

and a partridge in a pear tree

I am NOT responsible for the Partridge! What are you going to do with it, the Connie doesn't have a Crows nest?

 

I think If you compare your shopping list with the guys here on the forum who are building 1/350 and 1/200 battleships with added parts and photo etch you may be kind of hand-in-hand. For that matter some of the wooden kits may be right in there as well even before you throw away half the kit and replace it with quality wood, line and fittings. And that is to say nothing of the cost of full workshops dedicated to the hobby owned by some of our more dedicated and accomplished builders. One way or another it seems like it is going to come out of your pocket sooner or later.

48 minutes ago, MikeU48 said:

57 brass canons...will that be enough?

34 canon carriages...same question as above

I was wondering the same thing. It sounds like a few too many cannon and a few too few carriages! But then math was never a strong point of mine. My wife would say that I don't even have any good points, let alone strong ones.

 

I will have to leave you to others on tools and paints. My tools consist of a coupe of Exacto blades and carpet cutting blades, a few odds and ends in files, some scrapers, and sandpaper glued to ice cream sticks. Oh, I just added an old travel steam iron to the box. My paints are whatever I bought when I was looking for a certain color for what ever model or figure I was painting at the time. So in reality what I have for a modeling box would more accurately be described as a What-you-got-box. Works OK for me, but you have to remember that until someone corrected me I thought CAD stood for Chalk Assisted Design! My world is pretty simple.

[MikeU48]

Hubac,

Thanks for the Dremel tip. Will add that to my shopping list and decrease my G-kids inheritance accordingly...... he he he

 

Lou,

You have inspired me and for that I thank you. I will contact the seller on the canons and see what was in his mind when he offered 57 canons. I roughly figured they will be on the main deck once I figure out how many canons are on the main deck...lol Read through the instructions last night and I vaguely remember "turning pages". My plan is to read them over several times before I actually do anything.

This build log will be slow as I'm not in a rush to screw things up. 

 

Ther partridge? Probably the crew's first meal.......

 

Well... good nite folks and a sincere thanks to all...even you Lou... he he he 

[lmagna]

The Revell kit is pierced four 32 long guns on the main deck and another 22  Carronade on  the spar deck. HMMM.......... still not adding up using my public school leaned math. Maybe they use a different math system in the Czech Republic. Cyrillic Metric or something? Or maybe a bow chaser or stern chaser or two.

Edited September 20, 2018 by lmagna

[MikeU48]

Any thoughts about glue?

May start painting the hull in a day or so. Will leave it attached to the tree for easier handling.

[lmagna]

Morning Mike

I am partial to liquid cement like this

https://www.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=TESR3502&P=FR&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-KD7iujJ3QIVDoJpCh2R5QPhEAQYAiABEgJ73fD_BwE

 

Not necessarily this brand but the watery liquid type. It flows into seams well and seems to make a weld that lasts over the years.

[ah100m]

Has anyone actually used the sails from HiSModel?  I'm approaching the point with my Constitution where I need to decide sails or bare poles.

[MikeU48]

Hey people,

I will have lots of questions on accessories to start with. That way they can be ordered ahead of time. 

Seeing that I will be starting with the hull (painting) where can I find a nice wood base and appropriate (maybe brass) mounting posts (hull to the wooden base) ???

 

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou,

I just wanted you to know that the guy (Radimir in the Czech Republic at HiSModel) and I are now on a first name basis. My dentist said that with the price of gold being what it is that extracting all my GOLD FILLINGS might be worth my time. I sold my 2009 Silverado, disinherited the kids AND grandkids so I might be able to pay for all the ORIGINAL Conny parts that were stripped from the ship in the Boston Harbor.....lol

Slow moving at this point as I have started painting the hull. I need to learn how to paint with a single hair brush I can see. Thank God Testors makes EOL (Easy Lift Off) to remove paint on plastic models. I may need to order a case.

[lmagna]

You are doing better than I am Mike.

 

Radimir and I have only exchanged a couple of emails about some pending purchases. I can only hope that when the time comes to actually order the items that the Stock Market has recovered and made me some money so that I don't have to drain my portfolio.

 

I actually will have have some "original" Connie parts for my builds. When I was in Boston a number of years ago I was able to go onto the Constitution and afterward went to the store and of course picked up a couple of Connie souvenirs. One is a chunk of lumber that had been removed in one of her refits and cut into fist sized blocks and sold at ridiculous prices. I intend to cut thin slabs from this and make the binnacle cabinets from it for my models.

 

I think you will find that if you load your brush fairly dry, (Or wipe off the excess) you can use the side of a "normal" brush and will be able to paint the raised highlights of lettering and relief details without hitting the lower surrounding areas. Give it a try before resorting to your single hair brush.

[MikeU48]

Well, Lou, I will be proceeding slower at this point as all the larger areas of the hull have been painted. Now it's the small detailed scrollings and the back panel. I appreciate the painting tip. I have a lot to learn when it comes to painting the small details. Taking my time will be important.

Just received my cannons and oak veneer deck today. Now to research gluing the veneer to the Connie's plastic decks. Will be interesting, to say the least...lol

Envious of your trip to see the Constitution. That must have been awesome and to come home with a part of history is wonderful.

[lmagna]

1 hour ago, MikeU48 said:

to come home with a part of history is wonderful

I have no idea if it was original timber or some that was replaced at some other point in time. She has had so many refits there is probably no way to tell. But they claim it is from her hull so I will have to take their word for it. In reality it is just a chunk of wood that without the packaging no one would give a second glance, in fact they would probably just through it away as a semi rotten piece of wood. That was why I thought it would be neat to use it as modeling stock for any builds I may make. It's not all that big but should still go a long way being used in that manner.