US Constellation 1798 by Jack12477 - Artesania Latina - 1:85

[Jack12477]

For my next ship build I decided to finally drag the Artesania Latina US Constellation kit out of my stash and start building it. It was given to me by a good friend as a birthday present 9 years ago and has languished on the shelf since then; partly because it was intimidating, but mostly because I did not have the work space big enough to set it up and build it and lastly I did not know where I would display it once built - still don't but that will be dealt with later on.

 

Even the box it comes in is huge and intimidating. 

 

I first constructed a build board that will hold it. Unfortunately I routed a groove along the centerline of the board to hold the keel but when the keel sits down in the groove the bulkheads don't seat fully, so I set it flush on the board and screen small cleats alongside the keel to keep it upright and straight.   Some startup photos are below:  So far I have dry fit all the bulkheads, sanded them as needed and am now slowly gluing them in place use small pieces of aluminum angle to keep everything perpendicular to the false keel.

 

 

At this point everything is just dry fit

Edited January 26, 2023 by Jack12477

[CDW]

Nice project Jack. 

[Edwardkenway]

Found you!!😉 promising start Jack, that hull must be about 2ft long!

[CDW]

Just now, Edwardkenway said:

Found you!!😉 promising start Jack, that hull must be about 2ft long!

Looks like the box says it's 40 3/4 inches, but maybe I'm reading it wrong. It's a big one.

[Edwardkenway]

2 minutes ago, CDW said:

Looks like the box says it's 40 3/4 inches, but maybe I'm reading it wrong. It's a big one.

WOW!! That's huge, that must include the bowsprit and the boom. No wonder Jack has got to rearrange to display it.

Did you have a good trip Craig?

[Egilman]

I'm here Jack...  I'll have you know that I seldom come in from shore leave, so If I start bumping into things or asking dumb questions it's cause I'm seldom at work in the shipyard......

I"ll try not to make a fool of myself.. I promise.... {chuckle}

 

Sorry for derailing the other. (it wasn't intentional)

 

EG

 

Where's the popcorn....

[Jack12477]

2 hours ago, Edwardkenway said:

that hull must be about 2ft long!

 

You have a pretty good eye. It is 25 1/2 inches  as it sits on build board. Build board is 3 ft long

1 hour ago, CDW said:

Looks like the box says it's 40 3/4 inches,

 

Correct! Finished size. It is just over 6 inches wide before planking.

32 minutes ago, Egilman said:

Sorry for derailing the other. (it wasn't intentional)

 

 No problem! Just didn't want that discussion to get lost over there. It is worth knowing.  I did visit this ship in Baltimore a few years ago with the Admiral and our youngest granddaughter who had to explore every inch right down to keel.  It is a really beautiful ship regardless of the history of its rebuild/restoration.   

[CDW]

1 hour ago, Edwardkenway said:

WOW!! That's huge, that must include the bowsprit and the boom. No wonder Jack has got to rearrange to display it.

Did you have a good trip Craig?

It was super. Weather was beautiful, warm days and cool nights. We got our youngest daughter all settled into her new living arrangement with her oldest sister then we came back home this past weekend. Feels strange with just the two of us at home now.

[Jack12477]

1 hour ago, Edwardkenway said:

WOW!! That's huge, that must include the bowsprit and the boom. No wonder Jack has got to rearrange to display it.

Yep ! Now you know why it sat on shelf for 9 years 

[Canute]

I'll join in, too, Jack.

[Jack12477]

Finished dimensions are 

Length  40 3/4 inches  or 1035 mm

Width  6 1/32 inches  or 153 mm

Height   27 15/16  or 710 mm

 

The odd values are because the original measurements are given in metric

[Edwardkenway]

2 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

Finished dimensions are 

Length  40 3/4 inches  or 1035 mm

Width  6 1/32 inches  or 153 mm

Height   27 15/16  or 710 mm

 

The odd values are because the original measurements are given in metric

7 inches shy of 4ft, I think you need to find her a room of her own!😏 I thought Winchelsea was big at 38 inches and she's not going to be rigged. 

[Jack12477]

5 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

, I think you need to find her a room of her own

Or I could build a backyard pond, waterproof the hull, and float her out there. But then winter ice would be a problem.  

[Edwardkenway]

2 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

Or I could build a backyard pond, waterproof the hull, and float her out there. But then winter ice would be a problem.  

A room of her own with a pond! Won't  freeze over in winter🤪

[Jack12477]

16 minutes ago, Edwardkenway said:

A room of her own with a pond! Won't  freeze over in winter🤪

Putting bubblers around her would be cheaper.  That's how they protect the Clearwater sloop here. And the Coast Guard boats.

 

Of course maybe I could sail my scale model ice yacht Rocket on the pond with the Connie in background 

[Egilman]

1 hour ago, Jack12477 said:

Of course maybe I could sail my scale model ice yacht Rocket on the pond with the Connie in background 

The Connie can handle it...

 

[Jack12477]

I bet they had bubblers in the water around the for protection.  For those who don't know what an ice bubbler is or looks like see photo below. This is one type, basically it churns the water up to such a degree that ice cannot form. 

 

 

 

 

[Jack12477]

Okay, back to the build. I finished gluing all the bulkheads in place makin sure they are perpendicular to the false keel. Right now I am dry fitting the decks to see how they fit. I notice that 3 will need some type of blocks at the outer ends to keep them from sagging and rocking since the only support is the false keel in the middle of the deck. Photos will follow later once I finish testing. 

[mtaylor]

My bad for discussing this on your other log.  I promise to try and play nice.     I have popcorn!  Does that forgive my sins?  

 

As for putting it in water, Jerry Todd has a scratch built one in the "extremely dark side" area.

[cog]

Enjoy your build Jack. Mark pass the poppies pls

[Jack12477]

28 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

My bad for discussing this on your other log. 

That's okay. Can you as a MOD move those last few posts over here. Would add to the discussion. 

 

29 minutes ago, mtaylor said:

Jerry Todd has a scratch built one in the "extremely dark side" area

I think I recall seeing that one way back 

[Jack12477]

Well looks like the whole gang is here plus a few new viewers, just missing OC and "Spinach man" I guess. 

 

@toms10  good to see you again. I will be using your logs as reference. Yours also Mark. 

 

[Edwardkenway]

11 minutes ago, Jack12477 said:

just missing OC and "Spinach man" I guess. 

They are probably stuck in traffic or the sat nav is playing up.😏

[toms10]

3 hours ago, Jack12477 said:. 

 

@toms10  good to see you again. I will be using your logs as reference. 

 

I hope they are of some use to you 
Tom

[Jack12477]

10 minutes ago, toms10 said:

I hope they are of some use to you 
Tom

I have two bundles of very thin veneer - one is a yellow/white which I think is ramin  other is a reddish brown is this mukali ? It  seems to be the only one that matches the dimensions in the parts list 0.6 mm x 5 mm x yyy  mm

 

[mtaylor]

4 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

That's okay. Can you as a MOD move those last few posts over here. Would add to the discussion. 

Sadly, I can't.  Just no way to move a post by itself.

[mtaylor]

Jack,

I'm putting this here in your build, as well as Treesqueak's for benefit of anyone else building this model.  I know we've talked about but I really hate to a couple hundred dollars worth of kit get tossed....

 

 I do suggest that you read well ahead in the instructions.   The reason is that after they tell you to glue the main deck down, they then tell you assemble and install the guns which is impossible.  We've had way too many abandoned builds happen when they realize that they can't install the guns.

[cog]

3 hours ago, mtaylor said:

 I do suggest that you read well ahead in the instructions.   The reason is that after they tell you to glue the main deck down, they then tell you assemble and install the guns which is impossible.

You don't use them anyway, so why bother

[lmagna]

10 hours ago, Jack12477 said:

Well looks like the whole gang is here plus a few new viewers, just missing OC and "Spinach man" I guess. 

Well I know you were hoping that I would be MIA but I found you anyway. Looks like you are well on your way Jack. Just think of me as your Albatross. 

[Edwardkenway]

32 minutes ago, lmagna said:

Well I know you were hoping that I would be MIA but I found you anyway. Looks like you are well on your way Jack. Just think of me as your Albatross. 

 

I thought you were in the rigging on the mainyard😉