USS Constitution by Der Alte Rentner - Model Shipways - 1/76

[Der Alte Rentner]

Yikes, I goofed.  I don't know how I set this build log up in the wrong era.  I couldn't see a way to move from one era to another, so I deleted everything I could.  I'll try setting up the build log again tomorrow - hopefully in the right place.

 

sorry...

 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Der Alte Rentner
posted build log to the wrong era. I plan to try to correct that tomorrow.

[Der Alte Rentner]

[ccoyle]

On 7/5/2023 at 4:24 PM, Der Alte Rentner said:

Yikes, I goofed.  I don't know how I set this build log up in the wrong era.  I couldn't see a way to move from one era to another

 

I've taken care of it for you (and deleted the duplicate log).

[Der Alte Rentner]

Thanks for getting rid of the duplicate build log.  

 

I noticed that the image quality in my posted photos, which were generated by Adobe from the pdf file I'm using personally to document my build, is not the greatest.  This seems to be a limitation of Adobe's process of converting pdfs to jpgs.  Are jpg files the only acceptable format for the build log posts?  I prefer to put together several days of notes on my PC and maybe post to the build log once a week or so, but if I am going to post, it would be nice to submit higher resolution photos.

 

Thanks again

[Der Alte Rentner]

Before I continue with my build, I have a question for any of you who have build Conny from this kit.  The next step in the process is to glue the bulkheads onto the keel.  I noticed that the some (?) bulkhead components have yet another flaw.  See below:

 

I don't plan to install a gun deck, so the fact that the flaw is repeated in what would be the gundeck (lower) cutout may not be an issue.  However, when it'll get to be time to plank the spar deck, absent a fix now, the portside of the deck will be slightly lower than the starboard side.  I see two options.  One is also illustrated below, and the approach I am taking with bulkhead C.  It occurs to me that I could also slightly taper slots in the offending pieces to allow for a little wiggle room to align the bulkhead so the deck edges line up with the closest neighbors.  C would align with B and E, and so forth. 

 

Sorry, the photos are out of sequence.  But I think third one (Bulkhead A) clearly illustrates the problem.

 

(I now see the advantage to making the bulkheads from scratch, but it's probably less work to fix the poorly laser-cut parts than dust off my scroll saw.)

 

Thoughts?  Advice?

 

 

 

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Der Alte Rentner
cropped three photos

[Der Alte Rentner]

Seems like I'm on my own..  Oh well,  

 

The build continues.

[ccoyle]

1 hour ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

Seems like I'm on my own..  Oh well,

 

You won't normally see me liking every new build log update on the forum, but I do try to check in on each of them periodically. When you see me post a like, it means I've read the previous posts as well.

[Der Alte Rentner]

15 hours ago, ccoyle said:

 

You won't normally see me liking every new build log update on the forum, but I do try to check in on each of them periodically. When you see me post a like, it means I've read the previous posts as well. 

 

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk.
- Tuco

 

Love the reference from the Good, the Bad and the Ugly!  

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

Holey Moley, are there a lot of typos in my build log document!  I'll endeavor to avoid them in future.  Sorry about that...

I plan to post roughly every week, as long as there's progress to report.  Catch ya next week.

 

and Chris, thanks for the clarification.

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Sjors]

Go on, i will see what you are doing 😁

Then i can make a copy of it.

Great job!

 

Sjors

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

I'm still putting together the build log for my next post, but given that I just replied to woodartist about the problem I dealt with retroactively above with a method to prevent the same mistake going forward, I'm adding this bit of detail now.  I clamp a piece of wood to the top of the newly added bulkhead and also to the previously added bulkhead.  The slat forces the deck into alignment with neighboring bulkhead segments. Though not pictured here, I do check the distance between bulkheads to make sure they are parallel to one another.  In this case they were spot on and needed no tweaking.  If they are not parallel, I clamp a block to the bulkhead and to the false keel to make sure the bulkhead and spine are perpendicular.  

 

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Der Alte Rentner
removed duplicate page

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

[Der Alte Rentner]

Anyone out there following this, 

I've been looking at several build logs and other posts here and am now of the opinion that the instructions in Bob Hunt's Practicum differ from the plan.  

On pages 89 and 91 in my build above, I showed Bob Hunt's solution for the forward sections of the Waterway, and I showed an exerpt from the plans.  I observed that the plans show the stock has a square cross-section, whereas the Practicum specifies material that has a flatter and more rectangular cross-section.  I'm guessing the plans are correct.  

 

I'm debating whether to pull the waterways off and remake them.  Does anyone have any thoughts?

 

Also, the bulkhead extensions are a bit of a nightmare.  As I anticipate the planking phase, I'm wondering how much imperfection can be hidden between the inboard and outboard planking.  I'm referring mostly to the spar deck area - worst areas are stem and stern.    Some of those laser-cut extensions are really off - either too far outboard or having atrocious angles.  If they need to be a uniform thickness prior to planking, I guess I'll be shimming, shaving, sanding for many days. 

 

For all the discussion on planking here at MSW, I've seen almost nothing on fairing techniques that deal with misshapen bulkhead extensions.  

 

again, thoughts?  suggestions?  

 

 

Edited August 9, 2023 by Der Alte Rentner
typos corrected

[CiscoH]

i am building model shipways Armed Virginia Sloop and also using Bob Hunt’s practicum and ran into a similar? issue.  i think the supplied waterway in the kit was thicker stock than it said in the plans which threw off all the subsequent bulkhead inner planks installed above the waterway.  not sure if that applies to your question.  

i didnt sweat the angle between the waterway and the bulkhead because the above bulkhead plank covered any small gaps.

looking great so far

cisco

[Der Alte Rentner]

13 hours ago, CiscoH said:

i am building model shipways Armed Virginia Sloop and also using Bob Hunt’s practicum and ran into a similar? issue.  i think the supplied waterway in the kit was thicker stock than it said in the plans which threw off all the subsequent bulkhead inner planks installed above the waterway.  not sure if that applies to your question.  

i didnt sweat the angle between the waterway and the bulkhead because the above bulkhead plank covered any small gaps.

looking great so far

cisco

I'm more concerned about the gap between the inner and outer bulwarks/planking.  The gap between the inner and outer bulwark can vary as much as eighth of an inch, which will make the thickness between the bulwarks fatter in places, if I do nothing... 

 

Also, my waterways (and Bob's) are thinner top to bottom than the plan.  I guess impact of that small difference will be negligible, and perhaps I can compensate for it by making the plank sheer that much thicker so that the end height of the main rail and location of the gun ports.  Though I come from a machining background and, in general, am a stickler for detail, I may be able to not go overboard with this.

 

Thanks for the feedback

 

Best

Peter (aka Der Alte Rentner)

 

 

 

 

 

[woodartist]

On 8/7/2023 at 6:30 AM, Der Alte Rentner said:

I like your solution better than Bob Hunts, the fewer seams the better, less chance of error. The thickness of the stems varies a lot, I have not figured out a way to make them uniform yet without using shims. The other part of that problem is the only way to know the correct distances between the stems is to transfer a measurement from the plans.

[woodartist]

On 7/7/2023 at 1:32 PM, Der Alte Rentner said:

Before I continue with my build, I have a question for any of you who have build Conny from this kit.  The next step in the process is to glue the bulkheads onto the keel.  I noticed that the some (?) bulkhead components have yet another flaw.  See below:

 

I don't plan to install a gun deck, so the fact that the flaw is repeated in what would be the gundeck (lower) cutout may not be an issue.  However, when it'll get to be time to plank the spar deck, absent a fix now, the portside of the deck will be slightly lower than the starboard side.  I see two options.  One is also illustrated below, and the approach I am taking with bulkhead C.  It occurs to me that I could also slightly taper slots in the offending pieces to allow for a little wiggle room to align the bulkhead so the deck edges line up with the closest neighbors.  C would align with B and E, and so forth. 

 

Sorry, the photos are out of sequence.  But I think third one (Bulkhead A) clearly illustrates the problem.

 

(I now see the advantage to making the bulkheads from scratch, but it's probably less work to fix the poorly laser-cut parts than dust off my scroll saw.)

 

Thoughts?  Advice?

 

 

 

 

Did you correct bulkhead A and C before you glued in the bulkhead?

[Der Alte Rentner]

23 hours ago, woodartist said:

Did you correct bulkhead A and C before you glued in the bulkhead?

I did.

 

[woodartist]

Thanks, I checked mine and I have the same issue. I will correct it now.

[Der Alte Rentner]

[mtbediz]

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

Yes, I agree about bowsprit tenon. MS kit plan also shows as you did.

Edited August 14, 2023 by mtbediz

[Der Alte Rentner]

8 hours ago, mtbediz said:

Yes, I agree about bowsprit tenon. MS kit plan also shows as you did.

May I ask?  How did you shape the bowsprit?

[mtbediz]

6 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

May I ask?  How did you shape the bowsprit?

I haven't done the bowsprit yet. Due to the summer season, I paused the construction of my model until the end of August.