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

[Javlin]

Boy that is Sweeeet!!!

[MikeU48]

Hey OC and Javlin,

Thanks... I truly appreciate the comments. Trying hard not to rush...lol

Have to order some more goodies from HiSModel in the Czech Republic so I have some time for the little details I want to do...

[pontiachedmark]

Gidday Mike,

Looking good. Keep the work to this standard and she will be a beauty.

Regards,
Mark.

[MikeU48]

 Thank you, Mark,

I appreciate your kind words..

[Ozark]

Nice looking ship Mike.

I'm not too far behind you on my build.

 

Ozark

 

[MikeU48]

Thanks, Ozark,

Read through your log and you're doing outstanding work!!! Keep it up.

[MikeU48]

Spar deck glued and some miscellaneous parts. Hated to cover all the long guns but so it is.

 

 

[Jim Rogers]

Looks great. Think about Syren Ship Company Helm Wheel Kit along with his rigging line and blocks. They are awesome.

 

[lmagna]

32 minutes ago, Jim Rogers said:

Think about Syren Ship Company

High quality,good prices and fantastic service. A no lose situation.

[CDW]

Mike

You are doing a 1st class job on this model. One of the best looking models of this type I have seen. Keep up the great work, am enjoying your progress photos and am encouraged to jump on some of the old Revell kits I've had sitting in wait for a long time.

[MikeU48]

Hey CDW, Jim and Lou,

Thanks for the comments. Funny that you should mention Syren Ship Company as I just ordered one roll of light brown rigging thread for the cannons on the Spar deck. If I like it compared to what came in the box I may order more but not sure on the lengths per spool. Don't want to "short" order but also don't want to buy more than I need.

Taking a little break while I wait for the wooden gun carriages to come from HiSModel in the Czech Republic.

 

Had a real pain on the Helm Wheel in wrapping the thread around it as it is supposed to be a functional wheel. Figuring I would NEVER play with the wheel to watch the rudder move, I just glued the thread, tied a know and glued everything to the wheel hub. Replacing the Helm wheel at this point would be impossible as the thread was glued to the hub.

 

I have used HiSmodel for the accessories as he had them categorized for the USS Constitution 1/96 scale. I would have absolutelly no way of knowing the different size blocks or rigging threads needed nor would I know the number of different blocks. well...I guess I could count them...lol

[MikeU48]

I think I will try to assemble a few long gun wooden carriages from HiSModel. I originally ordered them for the gun deck. Seeing that they would not be seen, I decided to just hold on to them for the spar deck. Then I realized only one long gun is illustrated for the spar deck and the carriages needed for the main deck guns where different. Ordered those from HiSModel as well. Radek and I are on a first name basis now Lou...lol

He sent me assembly instructions but his English is a challenge at times. He mentions using a dispersive glue on the wood which I take to mean like Elmers Glue. I'm awaiting an answer on 2 wood pieces that I don't find in his assembly picture.

This will be challenging as these pieces are tiny and my fingers aren't...lol

 

 

[Javlin]

I work with wood a bit boxes and  furniture a little and can attest to Tite bond.When I built the grates for the America I put a touch with a toothpick and by the time the first was glued it was already setting sanded 15 minutes later for scale effect. Kevin

[MikeU48]

Thanks, Javlin,

I will pick some up today.

Edited October 30, 2018 by MikeU48

[CDW]

A little trick I learned while building RC aircraft models...use the old formula Titebond as it is not water resistant as is the new formula. Why? If you make a mistake (as I often do), I can easily "disassemble" a glued part by moistening it with water. Of course, this is okay for static models or models that will not otherwise be exposed to water. 

[MikeU48]

Thanks for the tip CDW,

I luckily bought the original Titebond that's water clean up. NOW I just have to find some tiny fingers... Thank God I'm in no rush....

[lmagna]

36 minutes ago, MikeU48 said:

NOW I just have to find some tiny fingers

Some people call those TWEEZERS! 

 

I'm jealous on your first name basis status. I have not "talked" to him since we discussed a set of custom sails several months ago.

 

What were the pieces you could not identify on the carriage? 

[MikeU48]

I did that, Lou, JUST FOR YOU...lol 

I figured it out 3 seconds after I posted the comment. I LOVE THIS SITE....No dry humor here.... he he he You get smacked right between your eyes for stupidity....just kidding... of course.

 

Here's the pic of the pieces. The red arrows are the mystery parts. Note: there are six wheels. Humm

This is the assembly pic. The mystery pieces may be glued together under the main frame but never want to guess as none of the other parts are assembled. Better safe than sorry.

 

[MikeU48]

Here is the instruction as provided, to assemble the carriages. Maybe I'm missing something in the translation.

 

 

 

 

[Javlin]

Talking about the wedge itself ? Sounds like they are not there on the real ones they are used to glue the guns to the deck instead of gluing the wheels less mess and what mess is hidden.I really like that green upstairs what color for the cannon carriages?

Edited October 30, 2018 by Javlin

[lmagna]

I agree with Javlin.

 

The two wedge shaped pieces are not really part of a real gun carriage but a hidden base used to attach the carriage to the deck. Not a bad idea when you think about it. 

 

I'm not so certain about the extra wheels.

Edited October 30, 2018 by lmagna

[MikeU48]

Well, the assembly of the spar deck long gun carriage was a little bit of a challenge even with tweezers. You can see on the pics above that the "axel" for the wheels is square and the wheels have a round hole. Something in the back of my mind says you can't fit a square peg in a round hole. The instruction stated one side of a wheel has a larger hole than the other and to rotate that on the square axle. After many failed attempts I used an emery board to round out the square axle as best as I could because this is a tiny part. Contrary to the instructions I found it easier to hold onto the front piece and axle than when the sides were glued on. At least the carronades will be easier as there are fewer pairs and different wheel mountings. All in all, I am satisfied with the results. I just have to figure out how to attach the two long wedges to the bottom of the long gun carriage. No rush.

Now I await the carronades from the Czech Republic.

 

 

Edited October 30, 2018 by MikeU48

[lmagna]

Nice looking guns.

 

I think I just had a brainstorm. 

 

(I know, pretty hard to believe that my brain is able to function at all) but I think I now have an idea of what the extra wheels are for. These carriages are designed to be used on models other than the Revell Constitution. On those models the deck will normally have a camber and it was normal to make the wheels larger on one end of the carriage larger than the other to compensate for this. The deck on the Revell kit is pretty much flat and in order to make the carriage look level while sitting on this flat deck it is necessary to use the same size wheels on both front and rear. Does this seem possible to others?

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou,

The other oddity is that there are 3 wheels larger than the other 3. I used the 2 small wheels and 2 from another sheet. These long gun carriages would really not be seen once the spar deck is in place. Seeing there are 6 wheels per carriage I imagine the intent was to use 2 large and 2 small with a spare of each. I have an email off to Radek at HiSModel for his explanation.

[lmagna]

Well so much for my idea.

 

From the pictures I thought there were four small wheels and two large.Even though most of the guns will be hidden under the spar deck the size of the front wheels will still kind of determine where the tip of the barrel will be located in the gunport opening. Ideally they should be centered.

 

I kind of knew that the idea of my feeble mind having a solution to the question was highly suspect. Hopefully we will both know fairly soon.

[Jim Rogers]

The way I rounded the square axles: Locate a drill bit the same size as the hole in the wheel, take one of your Dremel grinders and drill a hole in it, now just put the square axle in and hit for a second. Now round.🤗

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou,

 Just heard back from Radek at HiSModel. He said the larger wheels go up front. The six wheels included where for possible breakage. I used his brass cannons on the gun deck and they came in two pieces: cannon and center pin. Some were movable so I glued them in place....I think...lol

[MikeU48]

Well Jim, YOUR brain is engaged....Mine...not so much... When I was looking at these tiny parts I just happened to have an emery board laying right by my mat. Luckily I just had one to do for the long gun on the spar deck. Good to know for the future. Thanks for the tip.

[MikeU48]

Hey Lou,

I was just browsing through the Connie instruction manual as I do pretty often and guess what? I was a picture on the cannon carriages. Yepper....Big wheels up front for the gun deck carriages. NOW I can sleep tonight...lol

[lmagna]

2 hours ago, MikeU48 said:

NOW I can sleep tonight...lol

Night Night!