USS Constitution by ERS Rich - Model Shipways

[BobG]

Beautiful work, Rich!

[Avi]

Wow @ERS Rich  that spardeck is beautiful!

[ERS Rich]

On 8/20/2021 at 10:04 PM, BobG said:

Beautiful work, Rich!

 

16 hours ago, Avi said:

Wow @ERS Rich  that spardeck is beautiful!

Thanks guys!  A little unhappy with the stain variation between boards.  A couple of things, pine takes stain unevenly, and some of the stock should have been wiped down before the stain dried. 
 

The next post shows how to address this issue….

[ERS Rich]

Evening Deck Finish Color

 

There is a little to much variation in the stain across boards.  The darker boards have dried stain.

 

To address the issue steel wool can be used to remove stain.

 

I like to use a product called “Woollube”.  It’s a lubricant for steel wool.  Just a dab on the steel wool pad is needed.

 

Photo 1 shows 3 boards in the lower left with the over-stained board at the bottom.

 

Photo 2 is a closeup, with the over-stained board at the bottom.

 

Photo 3 shows the over-stained board after rubbing down with the steel wool pad and Woollube.

 

Plan is to use this process on the entire deck.

Edited August 23, 2021 by ERS Rich
Grammar!

[BobG]

2 hours ago, ERS Rich said:

I like to use a product called “Woollube”.  It’s a lubricant for steel wool.

Wow, that worked really well! 

[ERS Rich]

Deck Finish Update

 

Worked the finish with the steel wool and wool lube.  After, applied several additional coats of stain, I like Varithane Ipswich Pine.

 

Here is how it’s looking at this point.  Probably a few more applications to go.

 

Edited August 28, 2021 by ERS Rich

[Boatsinc2000]

Looking good!

[BobG]

The deck looks wonderful, Rich. Nice workshop too!

[ERS Rich]

The Road Ahead and Marking the Waterline

 

At this point we are working towards the milestone of prepping and painting the outer hull. 
 

The sequence will be: making the hull penetrations for and installing the hawse lips, deck lights, and the scuppers; building and hanging the rudder; and last building the stern galleries and head works.  

 

The big idea is, to minimize damage from handling, the galleries and head works will be built last.

 

To mark the waterline, first templates were made and used to locate and mark the waterline on the stem and stern posts.

 

The hull was placed upside down on the bench and a laser level and a block used to level the marks made on the stem and stern post.

 

Last a waterline was drawn connecting the dots, with the Amati tool.

 

[ERS Rich]

Drilling Keel Mounting Holes

 

Now that the waterline is marked, it can be used to setup the drill press for drilling 2 pilot holes, for the mounting screws, in the keel.  Will probably use a cradle but maybe pedestals.  TBD.

 

Again used the laser level, and shimmed the cradle level.  Drilled a small hole first, then the final hole corresponding to the screw root diameter.

 

[ERS Rich]

Making and Installing the Pinrails

 

Stained stock and drilled the holes along the stock with the Foredom drill press.

 

Then cut the stock to length and drilled two holes and installed 2 pin nails in each piece, with points out.  Pieces were placed on the plan to keep track.

 

Pinrails are located 7/32” above the top of the waterway, so made a spacer block to help with positioning.  Then it was just a matter of pressing the pinrail into the bulwark, with a bit of glue along the edge.

 

Last picture shows rails installed on the port side, with pieces on the starboard side ready to go.

 

Edited September 12, 2021 by ERS Rich

[ERS Rich]

Installing the Berth Deck Portlights and Gundeck Scuppers

 

We  need to drill holes in the wales for the port light and scupper fittings.
 

First thought was to draw a line with a compass across the hull and mark off the necessary locations.

 

The most important consideration is we need to get clean holes by minimizing tear-out, sharp bits are essential.  So decided the portlight holes would be made in the middle of the second wale strake from the top.  The scuppers were installed along the seam between the first and second strake.  The portlights have a nice flange to hide a rough edge, but work towards getting a nice clean hole.

 

Picture 1 shows a triangle on the plan aligned on the baseline and dividers measuring the distance from the forward edge of the last gunport to the aft portlight.  The dividers were then used to mark the location of the aft portlight on the second wale strake.  
 

Picture 2  shows how subsequent hole locations can be marked based on the distance between portlights and always in the middle of the second wale strake from the top of the wale.

 

Use progressively larger bits to drill the hole.  Picture 3 shows the tools with smaller bits on the right to the final size bit on the left.

 

Picture 4 shows drilling the final hole by hand.  Take care, start by turning the tool to the left to compress the fibers around the hole.  Then turn to the tool to the right to enlarge the hole, and occasionally to the left, to again compress the fibers.

A round file can be used to cleanup the hole, Picture 5.

 

A toothpick can be used to help with installation Picture 6.  The adhesive is a tiny bit of epoxy.

 

Last picture shows the lights and scuppers installed on the starboard side.

 

[BobG]

Impressive work, Rich!

[ERS Rich]

1 hour ago, BobG said:

Impressive work, Rich!

Thanks Bob.

[Avi]

Very impressive 

[ERS Rich]

Cheek Knees and Rails - Part 1

 

Onward to building out the stem detail.

 

First is to make a template of the cheek knee/rail top view from Plan Sheet 4.
 

First picture shows a photocopy of the stem area from the plan, on top of a 1/4” thick piece of poplar, with carbon paper in between.  A stylus was used to trace the upper and lower rails.

 

Picture 2 shows the result, a little rough but workable.

 

The pieces were cutout with a scroll saw and shaped with the oscillating spindle sander - Picture 3.  
 

Picture 4 shows the pieces on the plan, note the aft ends are long - the ends will be trimmed to fit the cheek knee pieces.

 

Fit to plan is one thing, but the trailboard edge governs, so the pieces were shaped to fit the trailboard - Picture 5.  The tailboard itself is a nice template.  
 

The rails were tapered towards the forward end, also using the spindle sander.

 

Picture 6 shows the dry fit positioning of the pieces on the stem.  The aft ends of the rails need to be shaped and beveled to fit the curve of the hull.  Took a while to get it all straightened out - cut one rail to short.  Ended up making 6 rails.

 

The knee pieces were made using the template from sheet 4.  They also need to be shaped and beveled to fit the hull.

Last picture shows everything glued in place.  The trailboard is not glued so it can be removed and painted separately.

 

The popular is stiff but brittle and I broke a couple of rails while shaping.  The lower rail has a smaller fiddle head on the forward end, after breaking a rail while shaping it, decided to shape the forward end after glueing the rail to the stem.  

Edited September 5, 2021 by ERS Rich
Grammar

[Boatsinc2000]

Great job on those rails.  I'm at the same place and have made several attempts.  Used the same thought process.   Trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the trailboards.  Thanks for documenting everything. 

Edited September 4, 2021 by Boatsinc2000

[ERS Rich]

17 hours ago, Boatsinc2000 said:

Trying to figure out what I'm going to do with the trailboards.

Thanks Boats, one motivation for doing the log is a record to refer to when I don’t remember how I did it the next time around….

 

About the trailboards, the College of Model Shipbuilding Guide shows how to make relief carvings from plastic stock, I’m not ready for that.  Plan to seal the boards, then airbrush paint white, then paint the black areas and the shield with a fine brush.  I think to the casual observer it will look the same as the real thing….

For the white trim, plan to also airbrush paint white, then mask the white paint and paint the remainder black.  The CMS guide shows how to use plastic for the trim.  However, I think plastic on wood is kind of out of character, plus there isn’t, in my opinion, such a difference between applied trim time and paint, that justifies the extra time.

 

Happy Labor Day!

[ERS Rich]

Cheek Knees and Rails - Part 2

 

A picture of using the template to mark the fore to aft taper on top of the rail.

 

 

 

And flattened the taper, outboard face, flat with a sanding block.

 

 

 

and this block to help with the curve

 

 

Edited September 5, 2021 by ERS Rich
Added a picture

[ERS Rich]

Third Head Rail - Rough Cut

 

Making the 3rd Head Rail from a single piece, from a block of hard maple cut on the scroll saw.  The technique is the same used in furniture building to make a cabriole leg, (YouTube example). 

 

First is to determine the dimensions of the wood block.  Using the plan the block dimensions were determined to be: 4 7/8” long, 1” thick, and 1 5/8” high.

 

Next templates of the profile and plan view were used to line out the blocks - Picture 1 shows port and starboard blocks.

 

The scroll saw was used to cut the block, and after each cut the block was taped back together - Picture 2.

 

Picture 3 shows the block on the saw.

 

Picture 4 shows the result after making all the cuts and breaking away the pieces.  
 

Picture 5 shows the port and starboard rough rails, and a starboard rail, previously made. partially shaped.  Use the templates to mark lines as necessary.

 

Last picture shows that rail in place, with final shaping yet to be completed.

 

Edited September 8, 2021 by ERS Rich
Grammar

[Boatsinc2000]

Rich,

Thanks, I'm just getting ready to work on the rail and this really helps!  Really like your approach. 

[Sea Hoss]

Very nice stuff!

[ERS Rich]

Making and Installing the Head Timbers

 

Have the 3rd Head Rails partially shaped, but need the head timbers in place to guide the final shaping.

Started by using the plan to determine the dimensions of the required blank for Timber 3.  Picture 1 shows the dimensions of 9/16” by 15/16” and two blanks taped together with double sided tape.

 

The blanks are popular.  Hardwood is best for sharp and crisp corners.

 

Next use a template to mark up the blank.  We are taking advantage of the lower left corner and the horizontal top of the blank.  Picture 2

 

Picture 3 shows chunks of waste wood, cutoff with the table saw.

The Foredom drill press with the drum sander makes quick work of shaping the piece.  Picture 4

 

The timber is glued to the stem, with a section of the plan used as a spacer.

 

Edited September 12, 2021 by ERS Rich
Grammar

[ERS Rich]

Finishing the Timbers

 

Installed Timbers 4, then clamped the 3rd Head Rail on the timbers to mark the notch locations.  Picture 1.

 

Picture 2 shows the notches.  Notice that the lower edges of the notch follows the line of the paper templates.

Next worked on final shaping of the rail, clamped the rail to the timbers to check the fit, removed and shaped, clamp again, repeat.  During this process noticed Timber needed to be moved away from the hull, so broke the glue bond and added a shim.  Picture 3.

 

Finally with the rail again clamped in place, determined the location of Timber 5, which needed a bevel on the inboard end.

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by ERS Rich

[ERS Rich]

Cathead

 

Attached the hardware on the cathead.  Used the Foredom drill press to drill the 1/64” holes for the eyebolts.  The cathead face decoration is by Caldercraft purchased from Cornwallmodelboats.co.uk. Note, they are too small, so ordered the larger size.  Also drilled 6 holes to simulate the sheaves.  Picture 1.

 

Then I painted the inboard ends black and installed.  Picture 2.

 

Last I made and installed the support knee with the template on plan sheet 5.    Built it a little over wide so it can be blended into the 3rd Rail aft piece.  Picture 3.
 

Edited September 24, 2021 by ERS Rich

[KirbysLunchBox]

Beautiful build!  This is going to be a masterpiece foe sure!

[ERS Rich]

19 hours ago, KirbysLunchBox said:

Beautiful build!  This is going to be a masterpiece foe sure!

Thanks KLB, this is the first time I’ve built such an elaborate head, the rails are intimidating.  I spent a lot of time looking at the plan and the Anatomy of the Ship reference book.  Finally came to realize that there are variations in the references so there isn’t a perfect answer to positioning the timbers.  It’s been a very iterative process, shaping the rail, committing and installing the timbers, using the rail to mark the timber notches, checking the fit of the rail, and shaping it. 
 

Thanks for checking in and stay tuned!

[ERS Rich]

Third Head Rail

After much time checking the fit and shaping, forged ahead and began glueing the rail in position, starting with the forward end and working aft.

 

So glued the forward end of the rail to a position just aft of the laser cut scroll work and the first timber, then clamped, and let dry.  Repeated 2 timbers at a time.  
 

After starting, realized that’s the horn on the aft end was not shaped as much as I wanted but had to go with it.  Picture 1.

 

Picture 2 shows glue squeeze out along the rail horn, to get some gap filling.  Use a toothpick to remove the excess after a few minutes.  I also used a dab of CA to get a quick hold without clamping.

Pictures 3 and 4 are views after shaping the cathead support knee and the aft end of the rail, using a cylindrical burr in the Foredom - Picture 5.

 

I think the rail horn needs a bit more material removed along the lower edge, seems a little fat in picture 3.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by ERS Rich
Redo pictures

[bthoe]

Rich,

You're doing great!  I appreciate your documenting so thoroughly.  I am about to start my own Constitution project, and yours and others build logs will be my go-to sources for how to proceed when I get stuck.  Again, great job!  - Bob

[ERS Rich]

On 9/20/2021 at 11:34 PM, bthoe said:

Again, great job!  - Bob

Hi Bob, and thank you.

 

Trying to show this in a way that is easy to do and understand.  Good luck on your Constitution.

 

-Rich