USS Constitution by Hipexec - FINISHED - Constructo - 1:82

[foxy]

Love your salty hammocks Rich .

 

Great work so far and watching with interest.

 

Those tops look good.

 

Frank

[HIPEXEC]

Just finished the foremast fighting top platform. Now for the supports and trim. Onward and upward!

[src]

Wow! I didn't know model ship building could make us younger.  I'm all for it.

 

Bob

Or an entrance exam to the loonie bin....

 

Rich, that all looks real good. Another few weeks and you'll have another build under your belt.

Sam

[GLakie]

Looks good Rich. Once those masts and spars are assembled, she'll start looking more like she should.

 

Cheers

Geo

[HIPEXEC]

I just finished gluing on the fighting top reinforcements. I glued them on oversized then trimmed them to size. Constructo calls them reinforcements, but I don't know what their exact name is. All depictions show these radiating strips. I thought they were for better footing when the ship rolls. What do you all know? 

[robnbill]

The strips are for structural support. The primary purpose of the top is to handle the shrouds above and below. The supports take the stress in towards the mast. The secondary use for the platform is for sharpshooters.

Edited October 7, 2014 by robnbill

[foxy]

There for strength Also to keep the planking together.

 

Other as Bill has said very nicely.

 

Frank

[HIPEXEC]

Thanks Bill & Frank

[HIPEXEC]

I'm back to soaking wood to bend around the fighting tops edge. Shades of planking return.

[HIPEXEC]

Deja Vu plank bending. Here I am trying to bend very small Sapele planks to trim the fighting tops.....Good ole Salele.....all it knows how to do is split! I'll salvage it since it's only trim and not structural like the hull.

[HIPEXEC]

While I'm waiting for my fighting tops trim to set & dry I figured I look my ship over. Here's the aft port side all rigged and ready for battle!

[robnbill]

It is looking great. I am about ready to start working on my rigging again. I had a few side projects that had to be done first. Now you have me itching to get back on Connie!

[src]

Looks great Rich, Now all you need are some shot and balls, some powder, picks, sponges etc...... dont shoot me!  

Ahhh Sapele! Make a pact with me, next build that comes with Sapele we order some nice pear wood or cherry and use the Sapele for fire kindling?

Sam

[HIPEXEC]

No more Sapele for me!

[HIPEXEC]

Here's the machinations I have to do to get Sapele to bend around the bends of the  fighting tops. God bless rubber bands!! In the morning it'll look pretty good.

[GuntherMT]

No more Sapele for me!

 

I'll bring you some more at the meeting in a couple weeks. 

[Sjors]

Hi Rich,

 

When I need elastic bands, I know where to find them   

Are you placing more beams on the platform ?

 

Sjors

[HIPEXEC]

more beams...yes

[HIPEXEC]

Fighting tops trimmed. I'll add some more reinforcements later, but I need them to build the elaborate support systems for them so I can start working on the masts. The fighting tops need to be cleaned up a bit.

[HIPEXEC]

CANNON BALLS

 

How and where do they store cannon balls at the ready on the USS Constitution?

[GLakie]

This is going to be my first attempt at uploading pics on this site, but they're located at most of the hatchways and companionways. I counted about nine in all, not to mention ammo passing scuttles that you should be able to zoom in and see at four locations on these plans. Note that they are found at the bow just behind the grating behind the bowsprit and ahead of the foremast unlabeled. they were channels made of rod that held the cannonballs in place. Hope this helps.

 

Cheers

George

Edited October 9, 2014 by GLakie

[GLakie]

After going through my own archives of pics of the real Connie, the only one I could find was this, but it might have been different for the 1812 version, for instance.

 

 

[HIPEXEC]

Glakie & George....thanks for the detailed info. 

[GLakie]

You're welcome Rich. GLakie and George is one and the same, but not to worry.

 

Cheers

George

[foxy]

'Wow#. That's not how I thought the cannon balls were stored on ship for ready use, but can see the idea, much safer than the way other ships held there's.

 

Thanks George or should I call you Glakie  .

 

Frank

Edited October 9, 2014 by foxy

[GLakie]

George is fine guys. GLakie is just my log-in name. Keep in mind that those plans and photo are the way she sits today. I've seen other models that have the cannonball stored on dished-out planks fitted all the way around the coamings, and staggered between the cannon themselves, and that may be the way they were back in her early days. I haven't been able to see much info about her earlier configurations but, before I start my build, I'll be picking up the AOTS for her and that should answer at least a few questions I have.

 

Cheers

George

[HIPEXEC]

Cheers George

[robnbill]

The Mamoli plans have the canon balls stored around the coamings. Nothing between the cannons. Probably due to all of the belaying racks. The rack is made by a strip with holes in it so the cannonballs can fit down into it slightly. You can see in the photo how some of mine are.

[lambsbk]

Where do you guys get the scale cannon shot?

[robnbill]

Most of mine came with the kit. However, there was not enough to fill all the racks. So after looking everywhere, I ended up buying chromium steel ball bearings off Amazon. I found if I heated them to glowing red, then they would take the blackening solution. 

 

I was looking for metal cannonballs since that is what I had already installed. I also needed some pretty small diameters since the Mamoli kit is 1:93. The cannonballs from Model Expo are plastic so they were out, even if the had the right sizes, which they did not.