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

[Der Alte Rentner]

Well, well, well!  Thanks for chiming in with that interesting nugget of information, Mustafa.  That settles it for me then - and makes my life easier.  Now I don't have to form that dado at the end of most of the battens for the other two tops. 

 

Nevertheless, given that I just washed my truck yesterday - of course this prompted the snow storm overnight, and being reluctant to get salt back on it with the drive to the shipyard today, I'll take another day or two to ponder why there's only one guard rail on each of the tops.  

 

And, to answer Gregg 's question, you might be better off asking Geoff Matson about the quality of the rigging portion of the Hunt practicum.  From what I gather, the rigging portion of the practicum is text heavy and picture light. The very last chapter is all text - no pictures, and there's not a single photo of the Constitution with the rigging anywhere in the practicum. I've been counting on Geoff to deliver the goods on this front.

 

Finally, how on earth did I fail to consult Xken's build log for this?

 

 

(P.S. this is something that may probably only resonate with Geoff. I'm mourning the loss of my beloved Riverside Bake Shop in McHenry, IL.  I had what may have been my very last chocolate iced cake donut Sunday morning. The bakery burnt down Sunday afternoon. I'm absolutely devastated.)

 

Edited 6 hours ago by Der Alte Rentner

[Der Alte Rentner]

Because a new page was generated here at MSW, I'm supplying these photos on the new page to have them handy for discussion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the photo from XKen's build that Mustafa so kindly provided on the last page. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is one of Mustafa's tops.  Remember that he said he would be installing the top rails later in the build, explaining why the foundations for them are missing here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This one is from the Hunt Practicum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And this is where I left off yesterday.  (Note the bottom cross piece is not installed, only resting on the battens)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And to complete(?) the picture, and at the same time - muddy the waters..  Here's a photo cribbed from one of Jon's posts.  Note that the battens do not  extend all the way to the rim on present day(?) Conny.

 

If they did, I suspect there would be filler in the gaps.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One  more reference:  Marquardt - lending credence to Mustafa's and XKen's choice for the battens. 

 

Note:  This is one confusing drawing.  If this is the top view of the fighting top, then the direction of the planking is opposite what appears on the present-day Constitution.

 

Also, this would suggest that the battens do not extend to the rim at the aft end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things I'm wondering about..

 

I got the placement for my battens from the plans that came with the Model Shipway's kit. Bob Hunt obviously referenced the same plans.  However, Mustafa and Xken have a different numbers and orientations for theirs.  The assumption is that they, as often happens at MSW, are referencing different plans from different eras.  I can live with that. 

 

I noticed that my cross trees, the dimensions for which I thought I got from the Hunt practicum, are not as thick (or tall?) as the others.  My only concern here, is for the cleats on the cross trees above.   To any of you who have already rigged the Constitution, are these cleats necessary for standing rigging?  I don't plan to deploy running rigging, so if these are not necessary, I may just omit them.  Otherwise, I'll likely be adding material to these two cross trees.   

 

Lastly, I'm wondering which is the case:

a) There is filler between the battens underneath the stern-most cross tree (foundation for the top rail).

On the photos from the present day Constitution, this seems to be the case.  (By the way, I did put filler between the six battens on the port and starboard sides, because they outboard ends are clearly visible.  I didn't think about leaving gaps there until today).

b) There are gaps between the planking and the cross tree.

c) The battens butt against the edge of the cross tree.  

 

My guess is option b.  If it were option a, then no one would have bothered to have the battens extend to the very edge of the top itself, because the same end could be accomplished by option c.    As such, when I do return to the shipyard, I'll trim the thickness of my cross tree and glue it on top of the battens.  Though, it would be easier  to lop the ends off the battens - not so much for the main top, but so that making the mizzen and fore tops would be easier.  The effort to make the dados could be eliminated.

 

So much for the donut deprived slacker this Thursday.  

 

Edited 41 minutes ago by Der Alte Rentner

[GGibson]

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

And, to answer Gregg 's question, you might be better off asking Geoff Matson about the quality of the rigging portion of the Hunt practicum.  From what I gather, the rigging portion of the practicum is text heavy and picture light. The very last chapter is all text - no pictures, and there's not a single photo of the Constitution with the rigging anywhere in the practicum. I've been counting on Geoff to deliver the goods on this front.

 

Thanks for that recommendation, Peter!  I have Geoff's build log already saved as a favorite as I do for all of your other build logs, so I'll take a peek when I get closer to that point.  I know I am asking WAY ahead of when I'll be to that point but... in this hobby, with this ship, I am the inquisitive type.  Thanks!

 

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

Finally, how on earth did I fail to consult Xken's build log for this?

 

I know, right?!?  Ken did a super job on his ship all around, and for anything involving brass, he is the king of all brass kings! He did some remarkable brass work on his own Constitution.  Amazing work!