USS Constitution by mtbediz - 1:76

[mtbediz]

On 9/17/2023 at 7:53 AM, GrandpaPhil said:

Looking good!

Thank you Phil.

[mtbediz]

I built the framework for the stern windows and ports for the gun.

[mtbediz]

The gun deck hatches and ladders have been installed, I think it is time to install the gun deck planking now.

[mtbediz]

I’ve started planking the gun deck. I am using 1x3 mm hornbeam strips and PVA glue.

[mtbediz]

Gun deck planking has been completed. I will do the outer planking of the upper hull. Meanwhile, the frames of the spar deck gun ports will also be made.

[mtbediz]

I've started planking the upper hull. First, I am making between the gun ports. To guide me in aligning the planks, I temporarily clamped a plank running from bow to stern.

[Der Alte Rentner]

Beautiful workmanship!

[mtbediz]

56 minutes ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

Beautiful workmanship!

Thank you.

[mtbediz]

Transom planking done.
 

[Kelp]

Very nice!

[mtbediz]

21 hours ago, Kelp said:

Very nice!

Thank you.

[woodartist]

you are making great progress, love the grates and the stairs, your bow looks really good and accurate, looking at you bow was the final push I needed to start over. I m glad I did, the parts i cut myself for the bulkheads and keel are so much more accurate that the laser cut pieces, The bulkheads are much sturdier. I have not broken any and I had several broken ones on Conny 1, the waterways are so much easier to install now too. Thanks for your log!!

[GGibson]

Hi Mustafa... Great build, so far!  Hope you don't mind another "follower", as I have been considering adding the Constitution to my shipyard. Thanks!

[mtbediz]

After completing the planking of the spar deck gunports, I plan to start planking the hull.

[mtbediz]

On 10/7/2023 at 5:31 AM, woodartist said:

you are making great progress, love the grates and the stairs, your bow looks really good and accurate, looking at you bow was the final push I needed to start over. I m glad I did, the parts i cut myself for the bulkheads and keel are so much more accurate that the laser cut pieces, The bulkheads are much sturdier. I have not broken any and I had several broken ones on Conny 1, the waterways are so much easier to install now too. Thanks for your log!!

Thank you for your interest. I follow your build log too. I'm sorry you had to re-cut your bulkheads and keel, but I'm glad you were happy with the result. Since I do everything from scratch, I can move forward by correcting the mistakes in the plans.

[mtbediz]

On 10/7/2023 at 6:28 AM, GGibson said:

Hi Mustafa... Great build, so far!  Hope you don't mind another "follower", as I have been considering adding the Constitution to my shipyard. Thanks!

Thank you for your concern, Greg. Increasing my followers makes me happy and increases my motivation.

[mtbediz]

I completed the upper hull outer planking. I will cut out the spar deck gunports later. Now it's time to turn the ship upside down and hull planking.

Edited October 13, 2023 by mtbediz

[mtbediz]

I glued the filler blocks to the bow and stern then I started the hull planking..First, I put the garboards on both sides and then added another plank next to them. From now on, I will continue the planking from the top towards the keel.

Edited October 14, 2023 by mtbediz

[mtbediz]

I have started preparing the wales and gluing them in place. I make the wales using 2x5 mm basswood planks. The planks are tapered a little at the bow and stern, and then, after being kept in boiling water for about 10 minutes, they are fastened in place with clamps and pins. After drying and taking shape, the planks are glued into place.

[mtbediz]

Hull planking continues. Since each plank is prepared separately and glued into place with PVA, the progress is a little slow.

Edited October 21, 2023 by mtbediz

[GGibson]

Planking looks really nice.  I see your tick marks on the bulkheads and you mentioned having to taper some of the planks at bow and at stern. Are the tapers going according to how you planned them?

[Geoff Matson]

What a great job! I am enjoying following your build. 

[scrubbyj427]

Very nice work. Planking is looking good. Do you plan to paint the hull?

[mtbediz]

14 hours ago, GGibson said:

Planking looks really nice.  I see your tick marks on the bulkheads and you mentioned having to taper some of the planks at bow and at stern. Are the tapers going according to how you planned them?

Thank you Greg. For now, it is in line with the tick marks, but there will definitely be deviations in the future.  Because it is very difficult, almost impossible, to do the tapering exactly right at this scale. I will definitely need to correct the deviations.

Edited October 22, 2023 by mtbediz

[mtbediz]

13 hours ago, Geoff Matson said:

What a great job! I am enjoying following your build. 

Thank you so much Geoff.

[mtbediz]

14 hours ago, scrubbyj427 said:

Very nice work. Planking is looking good. Do you plan to paint the hull?

Thank you. Yes I will paint the hull.

Edited October 22, 2023 by mtbediz

[Der Alte Rentner]

I noticed that the width of the planking seems to be substantially wider then the 1/8" slats provided with my kit.  Where I use four strips around the lower gun ports, you're only using three.  I'm not a stickler for exacting detail, but wonder about your thinking here.  

 

And I'll repeat the question asked by scrubbyj427.  Do you plan to paint?  I'd like to avoid this, but the replacement stock of 1/8" x 3/64" and 3/32" x 3/64" material is decidedly darker than the basswood stock I've used so far.  I don't want the ship to look like a random kaleidoscope, and am still considering options.  Maybe stain to a uniform-ish shade of light brown?  (Sorry, just thinking aloud).

 

Also, you've done something I've been wondering about with regards to planking the hull first - as prescribed in the Practicum, or adding the counter extension first.  I look forward to borrowing from you going forward.

 

Great work!  

[mtbediz]

On 10/22/2023 at 5:38 PM, Der Alte Rentner said:

I noticed that the width of the planking seems to be substantially wider then the 1/8" slats provided with my kit.  Where I use four strips around the lower gun ports, you're only using three.  I'm not a stickler for exacting detail, but wonder about your thinking here.  

 

And I'll repeat the question asked by scrubbyj427.  Do you plan to paint?  I'd like to avoid this, but the replacement stock of 1/8" x 3/64" and 3/32" x 3/64" material is decidedly darker than the basswood stock I've used so far.  I don't want the ship to look like a random kaleidoscope, and am still considering options.  Maybe stain to a uniform-ish shade of light brown?  (Sorry, just thinking aloud).

 

Also, you've done something I've been wondering about with regards to planking the hull first - as prescribed in the Practicum, or adding the counter extension first.  I look forward to borrowing from you going forward.

 

Great work!  

I apologize for delaying the reply.

 

I use wider planks (5 mm) in planking because I can do more precise tapering with wide planks. That's why I use fewer planks.

 

I will paint the ship as it looks today. I will also copper plate below the waterline.

 

I added the counter extensions beforehand because I wanted to do the planking of the transom first. Otherwise, there was a high probability that the stern frames would break as I would turn the ship upside down while doing the hull planking.

Edited October 27, 2023 by mtbediz

[mtbediz]

Hull planking continues.

[Der Alte Rentner]

On 10/27/2023 at 12:28 AM, mtbediz said:

I use wider planks (5 mm) in planking because I can do more precise tapering with wide planks. That's why I use fewer planks.

 

I will paint the ship as it looks today. I will also copper plate below the waterline.

 

I added the counter extensions beforehand because I wanted to do the planking of the transom first. Otherwise, there was a high probability that the stern frames would break as I would turn the ship upside down while doing the hull planking.

That makes perfect sense (5mm planks).  I wish I'd thought of it, but I think I'm committed to the 3/64" (1.19 mm) planks now that I've started.

 

And I agree that it's a good idea to add the counter extensions earlier than later for exactly that reason.  

 

Thank you.