USS Constitution by CaptainSteve - Model Shipways - 1:76.8 scale

UpstateNY · August 18, 2015

Hi Captain,

Just checking in to make sure all is still well as seems to have been a while since you posted.

Looking forward to whenever you decide to spill the beans on whatever it is you are up to!

Cheers,

Nigel.

CaptainSteve · October 11, 2015

Arrg-eth !!

CaptainSteve doest wish to apologize most sincerely to the assembled Horde fer his tardiness in posting an update o’ late, but he has been somewhat distracted with life.

“Well, firstly an’ foremost”, Our Hero began. “May I just be saying, thank ye very muchly fer your concern there, Nigel (an’ everyone else what has asked.)”

“In truth an’ most verily,” he didst attempt to explain-eth. “I be not a-wanting to bore the bejeezus out of those o’ ye who be only here fer the saw-dust with e’ery minute minutiae.”

Howe’er, he doth be slowly getting himself ship-shape and back into action with Connie.

“At least this girl cannae be unfriendin’ me on the FaceBook.com !!”, he were to mumble-eth into ‘is beard.
Ahem (cough cough) …

“Anyways, as noted, you lot be here fer the sawdust. So let’s get back to the ship modellin’.”

And so, whence last we left him, CaptainSteve had made some grandiose promises. The first of these matters which he didst wish to deal with, was to be lookin’ to a-strengthenin’ and a-re-inforcin’ his ‘ull.

O’er the past few weeks, CaptainSteve hath spent many a moment a-starin’ at his shapely rear end. “Err, that be Connie’s shapely rear end,” he didst state, by way o’ clarification.

Even though the better part o’ the past two years hath been devoted to learn-ething as much as he couldst about the real Connie, he didst give-eth narry a thought unto how those details may affect-eth the actual construction of his model !!

Verily, ne’er afore hath Our Hero added blockage to the POB kits what he has done-eth. “That be-eth true,” he were to say, “but I doth wish to do this build justice to ‘er name.”

Indeedeth, CaptainSteve didst draw inspiration from a goodly number o’ the wonderful builds here on MSW. Two of these would be by MrHollom and JesseLee.

And so, first up he didst spend-eth some time installing filler blocks to go betwixt the bulkheads.

"Here be pictures !!", was all Our Hero would say, in closing.

Edited October 11, 2015 by CaptainSteve

CaptainSteve · October 11, 2015

Now, as ‘tis widely known throughout the land, CaptainSteve be aiming to do an 1812-ish build of his USS Constitution.

“This”, he didst start to explain, “be a-dictating that I shall need to totally reconstruct-eth the stern details o’ me Model Shipways kit.”

O’course, as any naval historian worth his salt will tell you, this couldst be-eth in reference to the before/during/after effects o’ any one o’ the numerous actions which this fine ship be involved in during the War of 1812/Barbary Pirates era.

“Ahem !!” coughed Our Hero. “This be jus’ mine own opinion, but-eth fer certain details, in particurly the physical matterings,” he didst try to explain-eth, “I be most in favour o’ the Hull modellin’.”

As always, he were to go-eth on, “I jus’ be not understandin’ how sailors on the ship at the very time o’ the Guerriere encounterings couldst not know-eth how many windows there be-eth astern !!”

(Ahh, CaptainSteve. But you do-eth ignore that it be highly possible Connie went from 5 windows to six, sometime after their first encounter (aka the Great Chase, and before their final, fated duel.)

But since days long gone afore, Our Hero hath fond memories from his youth of spreading waaaaay too much glue o’er all the pieces of his Revell plastic kit o’ Connie.
(“In my defence,” CaptainSteve were heard to mumble, “I were but twelve years o’ age !!”)

Firstly, Our Hero were to be considering the counter piece. To begin-eth with, he were to take-eth up his knife and began to hack-eth away at his counter piece.

After levelling out the top, yet maintaining an external curvature, the total area for the stern cabin is 4” x 1½”.

CaptainSteve has, so far, only planked the counter-piece. More plans are afoot.

“Hmmm,” Our Hero be a-ponderin’, “that band-aid hath found its’ way back into me picturin’s.”
We noticed, CaptainSteve. What on earth be that all about … ??

‘Twere around abouts this point that he were to be going off the rails a tad …

“I be seein’ a picture in me mind,” Our Hero announced blankly, “O’ how I be a-wanting this section to appear-eth.”

That be all well and good, CaptainSteve. However, whilst there most likely be plenty o’ room fer seating inside your head, that really be not much help to those poor people trying to follow along with you.

“More soon … I doth promise !!”

Edited January 1, 2017 by CaptainSteve

GLakie · October 11, 2015

Lookin' good there Captain! Nice job with the fairing of all those filler blocks. And modifying the stern for the six-window config. I'll be watching with interest. I was thinking of the five-window myself since that won't require adding stern timbers.

Cheers :cheers:

JesseLee · October 11, 2015

Good to have you back building Capt. !

UpstateNY · October 11, 2015

Nice to see you building again Captain!

Looking forward to watching your modifications take shape.

Cheers,

Nigel.

mattsayers148 · October 11, 2015

Grand fillerin betwest doth bulkheads CaptainSteve sir, grand fillerin indeed!

dgbot · October 11, 2015

I am overjoyed seeing your active again.

David B

CaptainSteve · October 11, 2015

Thank ye all fer the well-wishin's. I hope to finally be gettin' some work done on me Connie, for a change.

As fer work done thus far, the above be bringin’ ye all up-to-date with what CaptainSteve has actually accomplished. Plans have been afoot for sometime as to what he doth intend to do with the sternal region … but, thus far, nought hath been achieved – except fer many new additions to me bone-yard.

... (a)nd modifying the stern for the six-window config. I'll be watching with interest. I was thinking of the five-window myself since that won't require adding stern timbers.

Indeedeth, George, Our Hero doth intend to use the kit supplied stern frames. He be intendin’ to be a-modifyin’ them to create an open (and viewable) area beneath.
“To go-eth from six frames up to seven (thusly allowing fer six windows),” he explained, “wouldst be-eth a most simple matter. It just be meanin’ that I be needin’ to make one additional copy of the central (larger) frame.”

But problems a-plenty didst plague CaptainSteve whence he were to try cut-ething out the body of the kit-frames.

Wi’ much wailin’ and gnashing of teeth, were Our Hero to discover the pieces be a-breaking up on him.

Essentially, what he be trying to achieve wouldst be to removeth the bulk of the material, to leaveth him something like in this sketch below.

Having spat-eth out his pacifier many a time, more work remains for Our Hero with regards these.
“Mayhaps,” he were heard to mutter, “after I hath picked up a Scroll Saw.”

When he doth, eventually, get these cut and sized, then CaptainSteve has plans for how he wouldst like to see the Captain’s quarters (and stern galleries) to be a-takin’ shape.

“It be nought but mere conjecturin’ at this point in time,” he postulated. “But, I wouldst like-eth ye to check out the work of a couple more muses which I has been following of late.”

First up, wouldst be Siggi52 with his HMS Dragon build. If you haven’t already seen this log, then do-eth yerself a favour and spend-eth an hour or two in amazement. Secondly be NenadM’s Cutty Sark build. Here, Nenad has actually shown Our Hero precisely how he can go about achieving the look that he wouldst wish-eth.

“I be a-figurin’’, he were to close, “on riding the coat-tails of these two fine gentlemen in order to have me stern quarters come-eth to life.”
More work doth remain …

Edited October 11, 2015 by CaptainSteve

thomaslambo · October 11, 2015

It'll be a beautiful touch of detail and well worth a trip to the dark side

Canute · October 11, 2015

Aye, thank the Dear, yer foosbal season be over and we all can enjoy yer scribblins in the sweet Connie. :rolleyes: I canna wait to see what else may spring forth from yer fertile (?) imagination. I do like the great cabin's start.

src · October 11, 2015

Welcome back Capt. Just got caught up here and cant wait to see your stern modification.

Sam

mtaylor · October 11, 2015

Good to see ye back a ye old worktable, Capt'n. If I may be so bold... paint those pesky timbers that are giving you fits with either some very thin CA or a mix of white glue and water. It'll stiffen things up and help prevent the breakage.

NenadM · October 11, 2015

I have no doubt you will do it better, Cap

mobbsie · October 12, 2015

Avast there me Captn,

Verily I say unto you Captn it's with great pleasure I do see your return to the fold.

With all that styrene inside mate she aint gonna sink in a hurry.

Really looking forward to seeing the completion of the stern cabin, I do love a good bashing from the original design. Have fun and don't stress out. Marks suggestion is a good one and should give you some extra strength, certainly worth a try.

Be Good

mobbsie

Edited October 12, 2015 by mobbsie

CaptainSteve · October 12, 2015

Thanks one and all. 'Tis good to be back.

If I may be so bold...

You most certainly may, Mark !! Coz every time you do, it saves me heaps of work ... and wood !!

:cheers:

Thanks. I'll give that idea a shot this weekend. I've purchased a small sheet of plywood of the same thickness as the kit-supplied frames, so I will have another go at making them, this time with a touch of diluted glue.

Mobbsie. That ain't styrene. In effect, I've created a solid wood hull.

Edited October 12, 2015 by CaptainSteve

usedtosail · October 14, 2015

Wow, Captain Steve. I like where you are going with the stern. I can't wait to see your results.

CaptainSteve · October 14, 2015

Nor I, Tom ... nor I !!

:cheers:

dgbot · October 14, 2015

Keep up the great work Cap't, I am learning quite a bit from your build.

David B

Modeler12 · November 9, 2015

Keep up the great work Cap't, I am learning quite a bit from your build.

David B

I'll go along with learning a bit from the build, but indeed a lot more about the way the Aussies talk Down Under.

What I mean is that your King's English is a bit dated. Are you perhaps from the Perth area?

Yes, Stevy-boy, your are on the right path to stardom with a stern like that.

Edited November 9, 2015 by Modeler12

CaptainSteve · November 9, 2015

I'll go along with learning a bit from the build, but indeed a lot more about the way the Aussies talk Down Under.

What I mean is that your King's English is a bit dated. Are you perhaps from the Perth area?

What-eth so ever couldst thou mean-eth, my Goodly Man ??

:cheers:

And where is this "Perth" of which ye doest speak ??

I thought Perth was in Scotland.

Yes, Stevy-boy, your are on the right path to stardom with a stern like that.

"Arr ... thank ye, Jay !!" said CaptainSteve, blushing most deeply.

But a-fore Our Hero be getting ahead o' his ownself with all this newly-acquired stardom, mayhaps some progress .. some proof-of-life wouldst be in order.

"Well ... erm ... ahh," he were seen to blather, blushing even deeper than beforehand. "That is, umm, well," Our Hero tried to explain.

"Y'see, most of what has been done has, erm, needed to be re-done. And re-re-done. Numerous times, even."

For now, CaptainSteve has been playing with his newest Proxxon toy (the Scroll Saw), and working on the scantlings for the Captain quarters and galleries.

(Look, George !! I finally got to use that word !!)

"I be working on a proper update fer ye, I doth promise," he were to a-vow.

"I be leavin' ye with this, as a teaser", he didst state, in closing.

Edited November 9, 2015 by CaptainSteve

thomaslambo · November 9, 2015

Hi Captain Steve,

I know the re-do feeling. I've been using my Proxxon scroll saw lately as well. I've found scribbling a cut just outside the outline has the blade running nicely along the scribe...it basically guides the blade.

It's a great tool once you get the hang of it...and if you're not careful she can have a mind of her own

src · November 10, 2015

"Y'see, most of what has been done has, erm, needed to be re-done. And re-re-done. Numerous times, even."

Capt, isnt that the sub-definition of ship modeling?

Looking forward to the update.

Sam

mattsayers148 · November 10, 2015

I don't want to clutter up your build log, CaptainSteve, so I'll post in my log a nice video involving your very Connie. If you wish to post here, by all means do my good man.

CaptainSteve · November 10, 2015

Nice lookin' video, Matt !!

:cheers:

EDIT: Link added

Edited November 11, 2015 by CaptainSteve

CaptainSteve · December 29, 2015

Arr …

Avast and ahoy, Maties. Thanks fer droppin’ by fer a look-see, and a big Thanks to those o’ Ye who have hit the Like button (apologies to those who thought it was the Exit button).

A belated Merry Christmas to Ye one an’ all, by the by !!

Well, it be bein’ way too long since Our Hero was last postin’. Howe’er, that doest not meaneth that he has been slacking off … entirely.

“In truth,” he didst declare-eth a tad somewhat too defensively, “I has been spending many a while staring at Connie’s shapely rear end and doing much thinkin’ and ponderin’.”

But not much else, Ay, CaptainSteve ??

“Err … that be,” he didst bluster. “I mean … mayhaps.”

Now, whence last we didst leave Our Hero, he were workin’ on the second version o’ his stern timbers.

“Problems didst occur-eth,” he muttered ‘neath his breath, “and modifications were of necessity.”

Now, for others who wouldst wish-eth to do as CaptainSteve be doing, and wouldst modify thine own Model Shipways kit such that stern windows are featured, Our Hero explains further:

“Essentially,” He were to begin-eth, by way o’ explanatory narrative, “I didst discard-eth the four kit-supplied frames, using just the back and the top o’ each frame piece. “

Thus, Our Hero were to use-eth the empty frame templates from the kit to sketch and create a set of seven open frame timbers, thusly allowing for the opening-up of the Gallery area, and for the framing o’ six windows.

“If Ye be examinin’ the four stern frame templates from the kit,” CaptainSteve continued, “then Ye shall be seein’ subtle variations atwixt them … “

“Essentially, FRAME1, the biggest from the kit, becomes my middle Timber #1 …

“... the FRAME2 template is duplicated to become Timber#2, and Timber#3 …

“… the FRAME3 template is duplicated to become Timber#4, and Timber#5 …

“… and lastly, the FRAME4 template is also duplicated to become Timber#6, and TIMBER#7.

Using this system, Our Hero thus numbers his frames as such: 7, 5, 3, 1, 2, 4, 6.

Once cut out, further modificationing were to prove-eth necessary. In particurly, the upper beam of each Frame Timber was extended, to allow for seating into the back of Bulkhead R. Additionally, a “footing” were to be formed for each timber, giving somewhere to affix the pieces to the transom.

Furthermore, groovin’s for cross-beams were marked and cut, allowing for support and frame strength.

Next he were to interdict, “I didst happen to read-eth somewhere in me travels o’ how the stern window frames on the USS Constitution were angled e’re so slightly in such a manner that shouldst an imaginary line be drawn upwards from each, all wouldst meet at a singular point at the very tip o’ the upper spanker boom.”

(Jeez, stop to take a breath every now and then, CaptainSteve !!)

Thusly, the footing o’ each frame piece has been angled e’er so slightly:Frames 2 and 3, by 3 degrees …

Frames 4 and 5, by 6 degrees …

Frames 6 and 7, by 9 degrees …

“If Ye doth squint,” he explained, “ye shall notice that the upper roof beams in the next few pictures be just a tad short in length …”

Hmm. ‘Twouldst appear-eth that yet another re-do be-eth featuring in CaptainSteve’s future …

“But, afore that,” CaptainSteve didst announce. “And afore I continue to stumble blindly for’ard, I doth have some final pics with me latest re-do of the stern timbers dry-fitted into position …”

Verily, the final product will look most different to the above pictures.

“Fer one thing,” Our Hero tried most helpfully to explain. ”There will be cross-timbers.”

And then, almost as an afterthought he declared, “And panelling … and doorways … and … and …”

But fer now, Our Hero jus' be wondering if he be on the right path at this time …

Edited December 30, 2015 by CaptainSteve

GLakie · December 29, 2015

Nice work there Captain. It appears there's a fair amount of calculation going on here, and I'll be patiently awaiting more updates! :10_1_10:

UpstateNY · December 29, 2015

Hi Captain Steve,

Those stern timbers look great to me...looks like all that thinking and careful work is paying dividends!

Looking forward to the next update!

Cheers,

Nigel.

Canute · December 29, 2015

Nice work, Cap'n. Spiffy work with the protractor!

mattsayers148 · December 29, 2015

Excellent work CaptainSteve, her backside is quite curvaceous indeed!

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