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

[JSGerson]

Take a look at plan #3. In the center of the plan there are the end views (combined forward and aft) with the title "Hull Planning Layout." It shows clearly the gap in the top gallant bow rail. Clearly, Mr. Hunt made a boo boo here. But I forgive him; he is human after all. I think he was rushing to finish his practicum.

 

Jon

[The Bitter End]

1 hour ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

The plans that came with my model shipways kit are really beat up - especially page four around the top view near the bowsprit. The plans do not show any front views of the rails in that area. Only side views and that top view at the center of page four.   What remains somewhat visible on my version of that plan suggests that the top rails do meet at the center of the bowsprit. In other words no gap. I think that's what I'm going to be going for. And I'm still debating on the notion of the flairs.

 

Did I say 5 years? Maybe six..

 

 

Would photos of the plans help at all? I am happy to try and take a few and send your way 

[Der Alte Rentner]

I appreciate the thought. Now that I've been staring at this model for a couple of hours, my path forward is set.

 

Especially after Jon sent me straight..

Edited Thursday at 04:18 PM by Der Alte Rentner

[Der Alte Rentner]

57 minutes ago, JSGerson said:

Take a look at plan #3. In the center of the plan there are the end views (combined forward and aft) with the title "Hull Planning Layout." It shows clearly the gap in the top gallant bow rail.

Blast! Right you are!!

 

I stared at that plan multiple times and completely missed that detail. Once again, Jon, you da man!

 

 

[JSGerson]

Seems Mr. Hunt missed it too.  Always glad to help

Jon

Edited Thursday at 05:19 PM by JSGerson

[GGibson]

I purchased Bob Hunt's Constitution course in preparation of my build, have reviewed much of it and am sure I will refer to it periodically during the build process, but will honestly look more at each of your processes (both the successes and struggles).  For that, I continue to be grateful! 

[Der Alte Rentner]

3 hours ago, GGibson said:

I purchased Bob Hunt's Constitution course in preparation of my build, have reviewed much of it and am sure I will refer to it periodically during the build process, but will honestly look more at each of your processes (both the successes and struggles).  For that, I continue to be grateful! 

Smart move.  I can confirm Jon's assertion, that Hunt never finished the build, as evidenced by the fact that the photo he submitted at the beginning of Chapter 12, is not a photo of the Constitution, rather one the ship's boats.  It has been Hunt's practice in the first 11 volumes to show a photo of what the build would look like at the end of the chapter.  Mr. Hunt goes on the state on the final page of his last volume - Rigging the Constitution Chapter 6, which by the way doesn't contain a single photo of the Constitution, "Because of other projects I have been working on at the time of this writing, I was unable to complete the rigging of my model and opted to complete this practicum by using the kits plans and organizing the final rigging in a more effective manner". 

 

But God love Capitalism, he's still selling the Practicum..

 

By the time you get around to the Constitution, you'll have at the very least Mustafa's build to draw inspiration and examples from.  I plan to stick it through, with or without Geoff's finished build to reference.  (Come on Geoff, we NEED you!  😄)   And there's no reason to believe that Jon, The Bitter End, and Unegawahya won't cross the finish line.  

 

Having said all that.  The Hunt Practicum does have value, I wouldn't have gotten this build off the ground without it.  As long as you reference the creme de la crem references here along the way, you should be able to avoid the pitfalls. 

 

By the way, I wonder, will you be doing the kit bash?  

 

Edited Thursday at 10:34 PM by Der Alte Rentner

[GGibson]

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

As long as you reference the creme de la crem references here along the way, you should be able to avoid the pitfalls. 

 

 

That's the plan!  Which is why I've been following each of your Constitution builds with fervor and admiration.

 

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

By the way, I wonder, will you be doing the kit bash?  

 

 

Great question, Peter.  But I'm still not sure where I will land on which Constitution version/year.  It will be "bashed", though, in the respect that it will have a completed gun deck.  As I said above, and as most of you know, I have been following each of your current build logs, as well as researched some awesome completed builds from guys like xken and usedtosail, and... to Jon's point earlier, almost every one of your builds has some type of nuanced differences.  So, we'll see where I land on it.  Anxious to get to it... but need to finish the rigging on this Santa Maria first!

[GGibson]

On 3/28/2025 at 10:17 AM, JSGerson said:

Some years ago I found on eBay, Model Shipway supplied 1/32" brass eyebolts sold in a 1,000 items per bag. A 1/32" eyebolt is about 2.4" scale (1:76.8). I have used just about every one of them. Unfortunately, I could not find that deal again. But I have found from various vendors the 1/32" eyebolts both in brass and copper but sold in smaller units. For me, they are a must have item. I suggest that you have a supply of these as they will be very handy to have.

 

On 4/5/2025 at 10:54 AM, Der Alte Rentner said:

Shopping online today, I found that ModelExpo sells .75 x 6mm Brass Jackstay Eyebolts in 500 piece lots for about $15.   They also market their 60 piece set at Amazon.  Given what ModelExpo charges for shipping, I would have preferred Amazon, but the 500 piece option was not available there.  

 

Bottom line, all in price via ModelExpo for 500 1/32" eyebolts (aka jackstays) - $21.98.  Oh well..

 

Apologize for taking up space on Peter's build log, and this may be one of the worst questions I have asked on any of your build logs, but... when you guys are referring to the 1/32" eyebolts, are the "eyes" of the eyebolts 1/32" or the thickness of the brass wire used to make the eyebolts 1/32" or both?  Jon mentioned the concern about being in scale with our 1:76.8 Constitution scale, which made me think about what I have.

 

Shown below is a picture of my two current supplies of eyebolts. The eyebolt on the left has a 0.52mm brass wire thickness (I use a #75 drill bit for it) and its "eye size" is 0.055" or 7/128" (3/128" larger than 1/32"). 

 

The eyebolt on the right has a 0.85mm brass wire thickness (I use a #65 drill bit for it) and its "eye size" is 0.042" or 5/128" (1/128" larger than 1/32"). 

 

While I have used the left eyebolts on occasion, I have liked the thicker eyebolts on the right for my recent builds, including my current Santa Maria.  I have been purchasing these from Micro-Mark - Brass Eye Pins – Micro-Mark.  

 

So... would the eye pins on the right be in scale for the Constitution both in wire thickness and eye size?  Again, Peter, apologizes for taking up space on your build log for this question, but thought since you guys discussed it, I'd toss in my ignorance.  Thanks!

 

[mtbediz]

11 hours ago, GGibson said:

 

 

Apologize for taking up space on Peter's build log, and this may be one of the worst questions I have asked on any of your build logs, but... when you guys are referring to the 1/32" eyebolts, are the "eyes" of the eyebolts 1/32" or the thickness of the brass wire used to make the eyebolts 1/32" or both?  Jon mentioned the concern about being in scale with our 1:76.8 Constitution scale, which made me think about what I have.

 

Shown below is a picture of my two current supplies of eyebolts. The eyebolt on the left has a 0.52mm brass wire thickness (I use a #75 drill bit for it) and its "eye size" is 0.055" or 7/128" (3/128" larger than 1/32"). 

 

The eyebolt on the right has a 0.85mm brass wire thickness (I use a #65 drill bit for it) and its "eye size" is 0.042" or 5/128" (1/128" larger than 1/32"). 

 

While I have used the left eyebolts on occasion, I have liked the thicker eyebolts on the right for my recent builds, including my current Santa Maria.  I have been purchasing these from Micro-Mark - Brass Eye Pins – Micro-Mark.  

 

So... would the eye pins on the right be in scale for the Constitution both in wire thickness and eye size?  Again, Peter, apologizes for taking up space on your build log for this question, but thought since you guys discussed it, I'd toss in my ignorance.  Thanks!

 

The smaller you can make the eyebolts the better it will look. If you take a look at the photos of the real ship you will see what I mean.

Edited 4 hours ago by mtbediz