USS Constitution by SUBaron - Model Shipways (MS2040) - 1:76

[Der Alte Rentner]

On 4/2/2024 at 1:55 PM, SUBaron said:

Question to the Conny builders about the mast reinforcements. I’ve been wondering if I should’ve cut the foremast reinforcement tab - the laser cut parts form a tab that rises (the mizzen and main mast sections were flush). I was wondering if this was meant to encourage the correct angle, or extra strength? How did y’all deal with it? I can still cut it out but not sure if I should.

I too followed the Hunt recipe.  I looked at my own build log to refresh my memory.  This is all I have on the subject of foremast reinforcement tab.

[SUBaron]

3 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

I too followed the Hunt recipe.  I looked at my own build log to refresh my memory.  This is all I have on the subject of foremast reinforcement tab.

Thanks for looking that up - truth-be-told, I had already checked your log 🙂 I’m leaning on cutting out the tab - it seems like it was an another laser cut mistake. 
 

Are you still going with the au natural Conny? 

[SUBaron]

Thoughts on painting. I never contemplated leaving Connie au natural. We all love this hobby for different reasons. Mine is not to showcase my skills (perhaps b/c they are novice), rather - to present a beautiful representation of history into my house that spurs conversation on the subject matter that I chose to spend so many hours upon. I was proud of my 1st time planking my only other model, the Swift. But b/c my planking results were uniform (after hours of sanding!), after painting- it was hard to tell it was an individually planked model. People who understand quality and detail, notice the planking upon close inspection. Others dont - but they would never appreciate the effort anyway.
 

So I paint. Now - traditional or air (spray)? I’m constantly humbled in this forum by the skill and historical accuracy & interest  attempted by my fellow modelers. Some folks present copies of original period plans of lower deck details. After hours of analysis, planning and execution- they then spray paint their ship. This I don’t understand. I mean absolutely NO disrespect - but after many hours expended in making a model historically accurate - why spray paint? I’ve been on the USS Constitution - and the thick layers of uneven paint give it an historical feeling of age, time, history and wonder. Like an old home’s wooden window sills. 
 

I’ve added some pics of a recent trip - (painting was not my focus). Anyone who has visited the Connie, or any other historical ship - will understand the feeling that layers of paint convey a sense of history. In my personally humble opinion- the difference between painting and spray painting an historical ship model is like the diff between the old Star Wars Movies that utilized actual models, and the newer movies with CGI. If you care - you will notice.

Edited April 6 by SUBaron

[JSGerson]

I grew up in the Boston area and left to follow the paycheck in 1977, but I was fortunate to have visited the Constitution a couple of times before I left. I now reside in South Carolina where the paychecks ended, and I retired. My last visit to the ship was in November 2015, just before her last restoration which ended in 2017. I have mentioned in several other builders’ logs, that I had been collecting photos of the ship starting a couple of years even before started building the model. They range from the very earliest images (1857) to the present. Obviously, most of the 4,000 odd images I have, accumulated from a variety of sources, are not of the post 2017 restoration. The few photos you posted of your recent visit to the ship are wonderfully taken. They are sharp, clear, and well composed. (I was a serious amateur photographer in an earlier life). So, if I may impose on you to share any more photos, it would be greatly appreciated.

 

If you (or anyone else) need an image(s) of something and can’t find it on the internet, I may have the image you’re looking for. Most times when you put in a search request for “A.” you may also get “B,” or “C.” If they are remotely relevant to the ship, I collect them because should I need to find them later, searching for “B” or “C” may not give me those particular images. Hence, I’ve got some rare or difficult to find detail images.

 

If I may offer one critique with the photo of painting the waterways, if possible try to make sure you background is unobtrusive. Now I know you are a food and wine aficionado.🤫

 

Keep up the good work.

 

Jon

[GGibson]

22 hours ago, SUBaron said:

I’ve added some pics of a recent trip - (painting was not my focus). Anyone who has visited the Connie, or any other historical ship...

 

Thanks for sharing these pictures from your Constitution visit, sir!  They are awesome!

 

And I have always thoroughly enjoyed the pictures that Jon has posted of the Constitution, whether it's on his own build log, or on others' as a means of education/explanation.  You guys are great!  Will be looking at your build logs constantly whenever I get to my own build! 👍

[SUBaron]

Catching up on a few comments. Jon and Gregg - I’m happy that you liked my pictures from my Constitution visit last year. We visited Mystic Seaport, then Boston and did an abbreviated Freedom Trail walk. I have a lot of pictures but they almost all have my family posing. At the time I hadn’t started the model yet and unfortunately, didn’t take any pics with that in mind. I’ll try to find more to post.

 

Jon - yes - I’m a foodie! I took that picture in the kitchen since I was painting (near the sink). I’m have a few Bistro Fillets in the fridge I’m going to cook up for my girls tonight 🙂 

 

I found some pictures I took of a very large Constitution model on display at the visitors center. I’ll post others when I can sort through them. 
 

Edited April 7 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

On 3/7/2024 at 5:52 PM, Der Alte Rentner said:

glad you got that tenon into the bowsprit end.  My guess is, you didn't make the mis-step in the Practicum.

 

Peter - No tenon yet! I’m just getting to that section in 2.5.1 (after bulwarks planking). I’m sure the tenon will be a better/stronger solution than a separate block which I’ve considered.

Edited April 8 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

The Waterway and inner Planksheer are done. They were not very difficult from a technical standpoint (simple angles and shaping) - but they required a lot of patience. The shaping was good enough that I was able to use wood glue. Additional faring of the upper bulwarks was needed. 
 

I’ve now begun the inner bulwarks planking. The plank strips require some fine finishing with 400 grit sandpaper. Lots of measuring, cutting, gluing and clamping. The planks at the bow require some shaping and a touch of CA. 

Edited April 8 by SUBaron

[Der Alte Rentner]

On 4/8/2024 at 11:48 AM, SUBaron said:

On 3/7/2024 at 4:52 PM, Der Alte Rentner said:

glad you got that tenon into the bowsprit end.  My guess is, you didn't make the mis-step in the Practicum.

 

Peter - No tenon yet! I’m just getting to that section in 2.5.1 (after bulwarks planking). I’m sure the tenon will be a better/stronger solution than a separate block which I’ve considered.

I must be losing what little is left of my mind.  I can't for the life of me remember why I mentioned the tenon.  

 

On the subject of the large scale version of the Constitution you posted photos of,  do you know the scale?  

[SUBaron]

5 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

I must be losing what little is left of my mind.  I can't for the life of me remember why I mentioned the tenon.  

 

On the subject of the large scale version of the Constitution you posted photos of,  do you know the scale?  

I don’t know the scale - but it’s the largest ship model I’ve ever seen. It’s in the video room of the Constitution museum. It’s much larger than the model at Annapolis. I liked the copper above the rear stateroom (you can see it in my pic)- but that’s not on the current ship.
 

You can find some great Constitution modeler resources at USSConstitutionmuseum.org/discover-learn/modeler-resources/

Plans galore.

 

Edited April 11 by SUBaron

[Der Alte Rentner]

 

Where did you get that bar clamp?  I had a use for something like that very recently in the planking process and actually thought of constructing my own version of exactly that.   Cool!

[GGibson]

8 minutes ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

 

Where did you get that bar clamp?  I had a use for something like that very recently in the planking process and actually thought of constructing my own version of exactly that.   Cool!

They look similar to these?  Solid Brass Miniature Bar Clamps, 3-3/4 Inches Long (Set Of 2), For gluing or fitting, Anti-rust and corrosion resistant, Set of 2 mini solid brass clamps with knurled screws (micromark.com)

 

EDIT:  My follow-up question would be - Are these clamps, being made of solid brass and 3 inches long, be sometimes too heavy for some of the clamping we want to do with some of our small parts?  I was curious about these, as well, when I saw the picture before I saw Peter's query. 

Edited April 11 by GGibson

[Der Alte Rentner]

25 minutes ago, GGibson said:

They look similar to these?  Solid Brass Miniature Bar Clamps, 3-3/4 Inches Long (Set Of 2), For gluing or fitting, Anti-rust and corrosion resistant, Set of 2 mini solid brass clamps with knurled screws (micromark.com)

 

EDIT:  My follow-up question would be - Are these clamps, being made of solid brass and 3 inches long, be sometimes too heavy for some of the clamping we want to do with some of our small parts?  I was curious about these, as well, when I saw the picture before I saw Peter's quer

aha!  those are indeed they.  

 

and great minds think alike.  I had the same thought about the weight about a nano second after I hit "Submit Reply".   I took a closer look at the clamps in the catalog and decided they are still too bulky (and perhaps heavy) for the intended use in the next two zones of planking.  I may yet fabricate something small out of wood and screws.  If that works, I'll post on my build log.

 

All the best..

Edited April 11 by Der Alte Rentner
additional comments

[SUBaron]

57 minutes ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

aha!  those are indeed they.  

 

and great minds think alike.  I had the same thought about the weight about a nano second after I hit "Submit Reply".   I took a closer look at the clamps in the catalog and decided they are still too bulky (and perhaps heavy) for the intended use in the next two zones of planking.  I may yet fabricate something small out of wood and screws.  If that works, I'll post on my build log.

 

All the best..

The clamps each weigh 3/4 of an Oz. They are very well made and are for delicate holds. The bottom slider determines the fit - top screws down to provide the clamp pressure. I don’t think they are meant to clamp a stubborn object.

 

Question - for your bowsprit tenon - did you cut it out of the bowsprit? I was thinking of fitting a plug, shaping the angle and then gluing the plug to the Bowsprit. Seems easier but not sure how sturdy it would be. That tenon doesn’t look very sturdy either though. 

Edited April 12 by SUBaron

[SUBaron]

More pics from last year’s Easter Break trip - includes Mystic Seaport with the Charles Morgan and the USS Constitution. At Mystic - the shipwright allowed me into the large shed to view a mast he was working on - I believe it was for the Mayflower II. We had a great conversation about shipbuilding. Turns out he was from Paoli - a small suburb of Philly about 20 minutes from where I live. He was a Pharma executive who quit to become an apprentice shipwright at a New England school that specializes in that. He now does it full time. How cool! The Constitution visit was amazing. Such a feeling of history. Unfortunately the state rooms were closed for renovations - meaning a return trip will be planned soon! The Constitution is the only active duty US Warship to have sunk another ship (that the public is aware of). 

@JSGerson@GGibson@Der Alte Rentner

Edited April 13 by SUBaron

[Geoff Matson]

Thanks for all the pictures. Hope you had a good time

[JSGerson]

Thanks for the photos. I visited Mystic in 2015 for NRG convention. It was a wonderful time. I took a number of pictures and though you might want to add them to your collection

 

Jon

[GGibson]

Awesome pictures!  Thanks for sharing them all!  Definitely need to plan a visit there myself!

[Der Alte Rentner]

On 4/11/2024 at 7:15 PM, SUBaron said:

Question - for your bowsprit tenon - did you cut it out of the bowsprit? I was thinking of fitting a plug, shaping the angle and then gluing the plug to the Bowsprit. Seems easier but not sure how sturdy it would be. That tenon doesn’t look very sturdy either though. 

Yes, I did cut it in the bowsprit.  I don't recall this being a problem at all.  Checking my notes, I saw early on that bulkhead B needed the slot for this tenon, so I cut the mortise before installing the bulkhead.  I found the correct angle and fabricated a test piece to verify that then and there.  Later when I whittled the tenon, I had that angle handy as a reference.  I went back to those two portions of my build log but sadly neglected to note details of the 'whittling' process.  My guess is I did exactly that.   Thinking about your idea, I don't see the advantage to doing the plug thing.  I've thought about this from time to time since them, and I'm not entirely sure the tenon is even a necessity.  Seems to me, if you're careful about things, you can simply glue the end of the bowsprit to the bulkhead - when it gets to that point.  

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

On 4/13/2024 at 6:49 AM, SUBaron said:

pics from  ..Mystic Seaport

Your photos (and Jon's) prompted my own stroll down memory lane.  One of my celestial navigation practicums took me from Nassau to Mystic aboard the Regina Chatarina in October of '98.  Sadly, I only had a small handful of photographs and they were printed on matte paper, so digitization didn't net the best result.   

 

I really miss blue water voyaging.  

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 14 by Der Alte Rentner
as usual - corrected typos

[SUBaron]

@JSGerson@Der Alte Rentner

 

Jon and Peter - thank you for sharing your pictures! Mystic is such an enchanting place. I can’t wait to go back. I’ve never done any true blue water voyaging - but I did travel for 2 weeks around the Galápagos Islands. It was in a 100’ modern(ish) yacht, but it was easy to picture Darwin making entries in his travel diary! 

[SUBaron]

I’ve completed installing the starboard and port inner planking. I will finish sanding and painting later. My bow section needs some work and I’m thinking of cutting some planking away and creating a “plate”of sorts, fitted to the bowsprit. Not sure how I let it get so messy - The area needs some cleaning up. I followed Hunt’s suggestion to use shorter plank sections and I think that threw me a bit toward the bow. 

[SUBaron]

Bowsprit Tenon

After some thought, I decided to make a tenon separate from the bowsprit. It’s fitted tightly to the laser cut bulkhead mortise and feeds through it into a mortise I cut into the bowsprit. For some reason - my brain preferred this method - it was quick, easy and sturdy. 

[Der Alte Rentner]

34 minutes ago, SUBaron said:

After some thought, I decided to make a tenon separate from the bowsprit. It’s fitted tightly to the laser cut bulkhead mortise and feeds through it into a mortise I cut into the bowsprit. For some reason - my brain preferred this method - it was quick, easy and sturdy. 

whatever floats your boat.. Great fit!

 

by the way, I noticed you only have the one pair of filler blocks at the bow.  You may want to consider add at least one more pair between bulkhead A and B.  As I wrap up my hull planking, I really wish I'd done this - as well as putting blocks between B and C, and R and Q.    In perfect 20/20 hindsight, I believe doing so would have greatly simplified hull fairing and planking.  

 

 

[SUBaron]

3 hours ago, Der Alte Rentner said:

whatever floats your boat.. Great fit!

 

by the way, I noticed you only have the one pair of filler blocks at the bow.  You may want to consider add at least one more pair between bulkhead A and B.  As I wrap up my hull planking, I really wish I'd done this - as well as putting blocks between B and C, and R and Q.    In perfect 20/20 hindsight, I believe doing so would have greatly simplified hull fairing and planking.  

 

 

Peter - Thanks for your suggestion regarding the filler blocks. What's the reason behind your suggestion? And from your experience, would it make a difference if I made them out of hardwood or balsa? Do you feel that a full block is needed to fill the bulwark space? Would just an inch or two thick work? Making these things mostly with hand tools is a bit of a PIA, so I'm hesitant to do it, especially with no plans to work off of. But I know if you suggested it, it's likely worth the time! My guess is that without them, the planks began to buckle a bit at the bend and/or the markings for the planks was more difficult?

 

Regards,

Andre

[SUBaron]

Workspace

I’m curious about the work/hobby stations folks use. I’m fortunate to have a workspace in the sunroom - it allows me to work and still be sociable. I suspect folks probably like getting some Q/T in a remote shop/space - but I prefer it this way. I do have a vacuum “wand” that I use regularly after whittling and sanding.  My garage has the few power tools capable of being utilized for this hobby; Scrollsaw, lathe and an old Central Machinery combo 6” belt & disk sander. 
 

One of my favorite “tools” is my work desk. Can be raised or lowered with a hand crank. I circled the crank and the range of movement can be gauged by the white bucket shelves to the right. 
 

 

Edited April 16 by SUBaron

[GGibson]

47 minutes ago, SUBaron said:

Workspace

I’m curious about the work/hobby stations folks use. I’m fortunate to have a workspace in the sunroom - it allows me to work and still be sociable.

 

I have no idea what this "sociable" attribute is that you mention, Andre... 🤣  Your shipyard area looks really nice, though!  For a long time (for my first three builds), I was in a similar location in our house... tucked away in a corner of our pool table room using a tilting drafting table (but it stayed flat) as my workplace and had all my supplies stacked in a nearby "out-of-sight" storage area.  I had windows right there where I could look out to our side yard and occasionally see the neighbor kids out playing, etc., so it was nice.

 

Last summer we did some reorganizing and I move the shipyard to a basement room... which I have pretty much taken over!  Purchased a nice-sized L-shaped corner desk that I use for my main building location, the tilting drafting table now holds my plans for easy reference, and I have another rolling table as my soldering station when needed.  No windows to look out of and daydream, but definitely quiet... well, unless I get my Pandora music too loud!

 

Excellent work on your Constitution, sir!  Following your progress with great interest! 👍🏆

[Der Alte Rentner]

5 hours ago, SUBaron said:

Peter - Thanks for your suggestion regarding the filler blocks. What's the reason behind your suggestion? And from your experience, would it make a difference if I made them out of hardwood or balsa? Do you feel that a full block is needed to fill the bulwark space? Would just an inch or two thick work? Making these things mostly with hand tools is a bit of a PIA, so I'm hesitant to do it, especially with no plans to work off of. But I know if you suggested it, it's likely worth the time! My guess is that without them, the planks began to buckle a bit at the bend and/or the markings for the planks was more difficult?

 

Regards,

Andre

 

It's hard to put into words, but those gaps are hard to get planks to lay right.  Material hardly matters.  Use balsa or basswood - something easy to shape.  You only need enough to span the space between the bulkheads where ever the planks would lay. 

 

Funny, I could not find this build at Model Ship World, neither did a search of Niagara or filler blocks.  The idea is simply to have something to hold the shape of the planks at the bow and stern.  Extra surface area is a plus for gluing too!

 

It doesn't need to be pretty, just to be flush at the bulkheads.  If you use really soft wood, balsa e.g. shaping with hand tools and  coarse sandpaper should not be much of a chore.  Because balsa is even softer than the basswood that came with the kit, this should be easier to do than the filler blocks you already installed at the bow.  

 

Edited April 17 by Der Alte Rentner

[JSGerson]

Quote

Workspace

I’m curious about the work/hobby stations folks use. I’m fortunate to have a workspace in the sunroom - it allows me to work and still be sociable. I suspect folks probably like getting some Q/T in a remote shop/space - but I prefer it this way. I do have a vacuum “wand” that I use regularly after whittling and sanding.  My garage has the few power tools capable of being utilized for this hobby; Scrollsaw, lathe and an old Central Machinery combo 6” belt & disk sander. 

Here is my work area. It's the "bonus room" above my garage. What is seen in the photo is about 1/3 of the room. My major power tools are my Byrnes saw, Byrnes thickness sander, 50 yr year old Dremel scroll saw (very noisy and vibrates), and a small wood lather which are in the garage. You may also notices my astute "assistant" sleeping on my chair who periodically allows me to sit there and work.

[Der Alte Rentner]

I actually have my own shop in a light industrial mall that is my home away from home.  This is the work area in the back where I've been doing my woodworking projects these last 14 years.  Before I had the shop, my gear was in the basement of our home.  When we moved, and I saw the dust everywhere in the house, I decided to move the shop to another building.    While I have no views, I can open the man door in the front and the garage door in the back and enjoy the weather inside when it's pleasant.  

 

Not visible in these views are bulk of my power tools.  Table saw, band saw, sliding miter saw, router table, spindle drum sander, belt drum sander, drill press and two dust collectors - one on each side of the shop.  I will be getting rid of most of that stuff as I transform the shop into a garage-o-minium in the next couple of years.