USS Constitution by Snatch Block - BlueJacket Shipcrafters - Bicentennial Edition - 1812-1815 configuration

[Snatch Block]

Hi all. I have a lot of woodwork experience but this is my first model build. I know I am in the deep end of the pool but I am hoping I can learn to swim with some help please. 

 

My first impressions out of the box are two complaints that neither hull planks or copper plates are included in the kit. When you do add them in it brings the cost up quite a bit but ok we are here now and that is my whinge over. 

 

I have lined out the solid hull blank and cut out a couple of the station sections from the manual and my first concern is that it seems like I will have to remove a lot of wood to get the hull down to the proper shape. Not a large thickness but a lot of adjustment throughout. Has anyone completed this build before and what do you think. I don't want to start carving off wood without some pointers. 

 

Thanks in advance. 

 

Ger 

[schooner]

Hi Ger,

 

I've built a couple of BJ's solid hull kits (but not the Connie, maybe someday when I have the room). Carving a solid hull to shape is not easy but with your previous woodworking experience and some patience it should not be a problem. You may want to Google for some videos showing how to do it.

 

 I generally use a Dremel tool with a flap sander to get close to the right dimensions then shift to rasps and files to get even closer and finally use flexible sanding sticks to get the curves right and bring it to the final dimensions. That's just my way of doing it, others use carving tools for the entire job - whatever you are comfortable with.

 

If it seems like you can't reconcile the hull templates with the main deck dimensions you should always keep the main deck dimensions (outline) true - If your main deck is too long, short, wide or narrow you will have multiple problems for the rest of the build.

 

One important thing to keep in mind (and to keep you from tossing it in the fireplace) is to remember that with a solid hull if you take off too much you can easily fix it by gluing  a piece of wood over the mistake a sanding it to shape. With the addition of paint, let alone planking or copper plates, no one will ever know.

I'm looking forward to watching your build, good luck

Tim

[Snatch Block]

Hi Tim

 

I have the Dremel and will use it for the tighter corners for sure. I think I will work slowly with the chisels and rasp for most of it. From what you say it might be a good idea to invest in a good set of calipers to keep an eye on the big picture. Thanks for the reply. 

 

Ger

Edited October 12, 2013 by Snatch Block

[Snatch Block]

So its time to begin. I have removed the two blank ends from the hull leaving me with the rough shape to begin with. (I should have done a before photo, sorry) but here are the two ends now.

 

  

 

Then moved on to making the hull templates

 

 

and as you can see there will be a bit of work to be done on the hull shape when I begin

 

  

 

Deep breath and off we go. 

Edited October 12, 2013 by Snatch Block

[Elia]

Ger,

 

I'll follow along with great interest in your build. While there have been a number of builds of the MS Connie, yours is the first Blue Jacket build log on the web that I know of. I do recall seeing in their catalog that the copper plates were extra, and as their copper plates are etched brass they are rather expensive. You will be able to find other suitable copper tape from Model Expo or stain glass supply companies.

 

Cheers,

 

Elia

[Snatch Block]

I began with my Dremel and carved a rough shape in the solid hull for every second one of the 35 stations along the hull. When I had completed that I then removed the excess hull in between and have the hull now down to something close to the final shape. 

 

     

 

There will be quite a bit of work filling and sanding out any blemishes to get it to the final shape. 

 

I then moved on to the quarter galleries. Instructions are pretty sketchy in the manual and to say that the galleries were left oversize as it does in the manual is an understatement. There are four precast sections that make up the galleries and shaping the hull to receive these is a slow process. It will be difficult to marry the four pieces together into the final shape. Should I solder them into one piece or glue them individually onto the shaped hull. Suggestions please. The photos below even though they are slightly out of focus show just how much has to be removed to get them down to the final shape. 

 

 

Stern view.

 

 

Completed gallery.

 

 

Untouched gallery.

 

I am planning to open the windows in the gallery and have a view into the gun deck but am wondering what is the best way to remove the unwanted material from the Britannia metal window frame. I am thinking a sharp knife would work best but possibly drilling would be better. Suggestions welcome, thanks. 

[ScottRC]

Very interesting build, look forward to watching it progress.

[rsaielli]

Hi Gentlemen,

I too have started to build the Blue Jacket USS Constitution'

The instruction book leaves a tremendous latitude to the builder!

Drawings in the book are unreadable(some of them)

A question for those who know--does the gun deck have beams under it when using the supplied vernier ,or do we affix to the solid hull!

Thanks for any help

[HIPEXEC]

This looks like a real challenge!

[Littlebob]

This looks like a good kit, I have their Alfred kit I really like their fittings and instructions. Good luck with your build.

[mort stoll]

Welcome to our world.  I too have the kit under my work table and will follow your build with great interest. I agree with you concerning the copper plates, hull planks and even the deck planks. I bought all of that from Bluejacket a month after I bought my kit at quite an expense. My Caldercraft  kits came complete with copper plates hull and deck planks, and the Diana cost less than the basic Bluejacket Connie kit. If I had my Byrnes saw I could have cut my own, but I bought the saw a few months later. I have used copper tape that I bought at a doll house store - for Mamoli Connie - and while I was satisfied with the results I prefer the copper plates. They look more realistic as far as I am concerned. 

 

  You are off to a great start. Concerning the quarter galleries and this is out of the box but you might want to consider removing the wood at the stern and building them from scratch,

 

I look forward to more posts,

Mort

[Snatch Block]

Hi Mort

 

I have STRUGGLED with these damn quarter galleries and am slowly coming around to your way of thinking. I just need to get my head around the bold move of removing them and building separately. I now have the stem post and keel fitted and the top sides reduced to scale. Will post some photos tomorrow when over some jet lag!!!

 

Ger

[mort stoll]

Ger,

 

I plan to experiment when I build my own Connie - in probably 3-4 years from now by getting a  piece of wood and shaping it to resemble - very much easier said than done - the stern and try to build my own quarter galleries. In about 6 months I should complete my Snake and plan to build the Diana. Her quarter galleries are built entirely from wooden pieces included in the kit. I hope this will give me some insite into the Connies galleries.

 

You might try to PM Ray and Barbosa about their quarter galleries. They are both posting Diana build logs on this forum and doing a great job..

 

Mort

[Snatch Block]

Brass stern plate attached to assist on the location of the quarter galleries. The galleries are proving more complex than imagined. They are in five pieces all of which have a different curve requirement. Also the pieces seem slightly large in scale making them hard to fit longitudinally from the stern location to their forward most point on the scale drawing. Bending them to fit in makes them much wider than the drawings. I am not quite sure how to proceed. I am thinking I may have to do as Mort has suggested, assemble them off the model and remove the timber galleries and just attach but I have some concerns about how fragile they may be like this……anyone else have these issues. 

 

 

Stern post and keel attached

 

 

inside view of stern plate

 

 

Stem post attached

 

 

Topsides reduced in thickness. This was slow but fairly straight forward. 

[patrickmil]

Ger, nice work so far. I've always personally felt that solid hull models are harder than plank-on-bulkhead models to get right. I think you are doing a fantastic job with it. 

[CPS_skybolt]

I agree, Plank on bulkhead has been much nicer to work with. I am building a solid hull now and this will be my last. Back to plank on bulkhead. I really like the way you carved out the bulwarks.  

[CPS_skybolt]

I was perplexed with the wood quarter galleries and finally cut them off. I assembled the five parts of the galleries  ( with CA glue )and shaped them with much care. The glue broke loose a couple times but was helpful in allowing shaping as an assembly. This metal bends really nice without breaking.

Edited April 24, 2015 by CPS_skybolt