Revell USS Constitution 1/96

[FKarl]

Having read several build logs and gotten way more ideas than this rookie can ever hope to achieve on my first build of this size I have decided to try and do the very best I can with the actual kit as it is and with the instructions provided.

Has anyone attempted this? Do the eyebolts and dead eyes really present such a structural problem as to be completely unuseable?

I started this two years ago and did a not so hot job painting and glueing the two hull halves together So I am working to clean that up as much as I can. I have started a build log on paper and will be transferring it to the forum as time permits. I am keeping track of time spent and pretty good notes as to what I am experimenting with to solve problems such as mold lines and weak parts..... Currently working on the long guns first. (seems everyone starts there).  

ANy input as to weakness of parts where it comes to rigging would be appreciated. If I absolutely must substitute eyebolts and dead eyes etc. then I will but I rather think it might be interesting to hear if others have tried to use them and failed or just looked at the parts and, Based on more experience than this rookie builder, decided they were inadequate.

Thanks for all the advice and interest in the following months, (years?), as I embark on this task.

Karl

[ScottRC]

Karl,

 

I have built the kit strait from the box and am glad I did.  The kit supplied eyebolts can be used but use CA/superglue on them, not plastic cement.  They need to stay secured.

 

I never encountered any problems with the dead eyes.  They are much stronger on the Connie than on the Cuttysark or Alabama.

 

About the only thing I would never use again are the ratlines.  They are way too thin, come apart easily, and a lot harder to cut and install than rigging them from scratch.  There are a lot of great experts on this forum with blogs on rigging the ratlines that you will find interesting.

 

Scott

Edited November 8, 2013 by ScottRC

[AndyMech]

I built the kit "as is" with the exception of the eyebolts.  I do think they could be used, you would just have to be a little more careful when tying lines off so as not to break them.  Making wire replacements is pretty easy though, should you choose to do so.

 

I also used the kit ratlines, and I think they are just OK.  Real shrouds and ratlines would look much better, and be pretty easy, if tedious, to install.  I had very few issues with the deadeyes, just be super careful gluing them together.

 

I think the only other thing I replaced was the hammock netting - you can check my log for that detail.

 

Andy.

[Ulises Victoria]

I built this kit 3 times. I used the deadeyes in the kit, but I used plastic cement to glue them. In my opinion, this joint is stronger this way than with CA, since plastic cement dissolves and welds both parts together, as opposed to CA that is just a mechanical bond, and more likely to fail with time.

 

One thing I always replaced were the shrouds and ratlines. I got aftermarket deadeyes and put rope shrouds and fabric sails.

 

Great kit to build.

[FKarl]

 

I think the only other thing I replaced was the hammock netting - you can check my log for that detail.

 

 

I love what you did there..... I may do something similar.

 

I also found a few videos on shrouds and ratlines, I will probably do my own. I tie flys to fish with so those knots don't look bad at all.

 

Now, question about the seams on the cannons..... I have decided they shouldn't be visible. By trimming a very thin piece of sandpaper I have found that I can mostly eliminate them from in between the bands on the guns themselves. Its very tedious work though and I am wondering if anyone has another idea. 10 minutes per gun just to sand the seam is fine as I am in no rush, but damned if I can't think of any easier way to get the same result.

[ScottRC]

If you tie flys, then you will not have any problem seizing the shroud to the deadeye and you would find it easier and less frustrating to make your own ratlines vs trying to use the kits.

 

You also have the some great tools for the task such as your loom, bobbin, and head cement.  I like using head cement for sealing knots and seizing more than while glue.

[bushman32]

Just be careful on the stress you put on the eyebolts and the "rings" or strops they have on the blocks as they can break easily. By the way, those strops should be a different color than the blocks. Black would represent either iron bound or tarred rope strops.

  Ron W.

[Lord Robster]

I am in the process of building the kit directly from the box.  The only exception is that I used styrene strips painted wood color to replace the decking on decks to cover up the seams.  It was time consuming but the look was really nice once I was done.  I had to figure out where all the holes were for the deck fittings and eyes, etc. It came out looking pretty nice if I say so myself.  I have built this model three times over the past 40 yeasr or so.  My biggest complaint is that the masts and bowsprit are so flimsy that they bend very easily when installing the standing rigging.  My build is complete up to the running rigging phase and it may not go much farther than that except that my sister in law said she would really like the ship to display in her house when it's done so i might get back to it once I'm done with my Dumas LNVT build.  For the record, i didn't have a single problem with eyes coming loose suing the ones that came in the kit.

Edited January 3, 2014 by Lord Robster

[Chasiz]

I am preparing to start my third build but this time I will be using the laser cur wood deck from ScaleDecks, not cheap but I never liked the painted result and the lack of a one piece deck. As to the eyebolts, I replace them with wire eyebolts from the hardware store. As to masts I add metal rods in side to prevent

bending. Wooden spars re probably the best bet. I also use the ratlines, carefully. Check  Syrenshipmodel company.com for rigging and blocks

Charlie Z

[richardv88]

I would agree with the "flimsy" comment, particularly with regard to the bowsprit.  And just wait till you try to rig the 1/100 Heller Victory@!  My solution was my local hobby shop and very fine brass rod for the mast tops and bowsprit.  A little 5 min epoxy and you can just about apply as much tension as you'd like, without needing anything!.

Edited January 8, 2014 by richardv88

[FKarl]

As some of you may have noticed.... this is a very slow build. I put it away for months on end as I do other small projects to gain skills for this. so, this week I went back to work. and have found a gloss black spray paint that I like a lot. Painted the long guns today before work. I will know what I have when i get home. I also have found a flat burgundy (ish) spray paint that I like for the carraiges. spent several hours sanding those last night in preparation for paintint them hopefully this weekend. Test painted one and am fairly happy with the result. The lower deck guns won't be seen but I still wanted to do a good job as I will know they are there.....

[FKarl]

picture of the raw piece and the test piece. I like the color as its not really brown and not really red.... I have seen both colors used and thought a combination would be good.

[FKarl]

so I've not done a lot of work this week as I worked extra shifts. but it has occured to me that I am NOT happy with the hull as it was painted by hand three years ago. Any thoughts as to how I may strip and repaint it without harming the plastic? I've read mixed reviews on simple green and acetone although both seem to work well. I've considered purchasing a second kit and bashing one of them into something else.... still holding out hope that I may salvage the one I have. I suppose I could go with it as is, but I've gained many new skills and KNOW I could do a much better job now than I did three years ago.

[FKarl]

eye bolt replacement.....

as a fly fisher I will be hitting the fly shop tomorrow to look for some "big eye" hooks in very small sizes. I suspect they will have what I need and the finished product will be stiffer and stronger than the plastic ones from the kit. I'll post back with what I find. Ideas that come to me like this are the exact reason I let this project sit for as long as I did. I'm still not "full steam ahead", but ideas are starting to come.

[jud]

The hooks sound like a good idea, but will an adhesion problem revel itself at a bad moment? The twisted wire method that many use on this site has some real advantages.  When it comes to staying where placed, the built in twist in those twisted eyes provide good surfaces for a secure grip.

jud

[FKarl]

I don't know. Hoping that ca solves that issue completely. I understand what you're saying though. Anyone else?

[foxy]

Have this ship in the stash, some very good points raised , I hope to use metal eyelets/eyebolts fixed with CA.

 

Have found this very strong on other builds, the wire one is cheaper though and worth looking into.

 

Thanks for the input here.

 

Keep it coming.

 

Cheers foxy

[FKarl]

Working several problems out ahead of time....

Anyone struggle with the fit of the transom/stern? With all the decorative trim I can't seem to find a way to make it fit even close. I plan on filling in any gaps at the bottom but doing so at the top would wreck the decoration. Help?

[foxy]

There is a chap here called force 9 who is building this ship, maybe he could help you.

 

Some very fine work he is doing, that's the one I will be following on my build.

 

foxy

[TheIronPrice]

Good luck. I've been working on this kit since Feb and haven't made much progress. It's probably the single most challenging model I've ever tried. There are some great build logs on here for guidance.

[jdbradford]

I had bought this kit in the late 70's early 80's and finally broke it out to start my build.  The hull painting came out fairly well and the 2 halves glued together.  The issue I am having is with trying to paint the stern adonrment.  I can't keep from getting paint everywhere.  I use brush cleaner to scrub the paint off and have re-primed and painted it black twice now.  It does not seem to have damaged the plastic.

 

I have very fine brushes and magnifying glasses.  I hope someone has suggestions for this part.  I have not made it to using the eye-bolts or guns yet.

 

Jeff

[ScottRC]

We who have built this kit a number of times discussed over at the FSM site about the age of the tooling and how it may be affecting the form and fit of the build.  I built one kit from one of the first runs and the fit was excellent, the second kit from 1976 and it had a few issues, the current kit I am building is from a release around 1991 and the fit around the stern was tough and the masts were a struggle with many of the parts being replaced with wood.  the amount of increase in flashing was a major notice of the kits over the years which is a telling that the tooling is showing its age.

 

For stern painting, and the bow for that matter, I found painting the area with gold or white, first, then filling in the white, and or black backgrounds with a fine, flat tip brush was easier then trying to drybrush and paint the raised gingerbread details.  keep the part flat and let gravity fill the corners between the flat surface of the base and the raised detail.

[jdbradford]

I have Model Master enamel, Model Color acrylic and Testor's enamel paints.  I have seen suggestions from some using water based paint and even adding more water to them.  Any suggestions on this?

 

Jeff

[ScottRC]

Both the emamels and acrylics can be thinned.  Enamels with thinner and I use distilled water for the acrylics.  The thing is you don't want the paint to be too thin or it spreads and runs out of control. And that is the secret, to control the flow of the paint off the brush and onto the surface with the paint being thin enough to move up agains the raised surface but not soo fast to where it splashes agaisnt the rasied detail causing unevenness or blobs.

[Harvey Brandt]

Where can I buy brass eye bolts

[bushman32]

On 11/30/2020 at 3:32 PM, Harvey Brandt said:

Where can I buy brass eye bolts

You could try Model Expo, maybe Micro Mark. Honestly, if you have a soldering iron, it is easy to make your own.

 

[mtaylor]

There's a ton of places to buy them.  Look at the front page sponsors. 

 

There's also here: http://www.dafinismus.de/plates_en.html#anker7  While not a sponsor, his eyebolts are scale appropriate for the 1:96.

[Ian_Grant]

On 11/30/2020 at 5:32 PM, Harvey Brandt said:

Where can I buy brass eye bolts

You can buy Caldercraft copper eyebolts almost exactly the same size as Revell's plastic versions at many hobby suppliers, for example:

 

https://www.cornwallmodelboats.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=eyebolts copper&PN=caldercraft83500.html#SID=154

[cptnbob]

I convert 1/96 Cutty's and ironsides into RC sailing models, you can pack 6 small sail winch servo's and a 1,000 mac battery for the extra ballast, Using 1/8th 9"x24" aluminum and or 1/16" titanium as the keels with 3.2lbs of Lino type led strips on the new keel as ballast with a 1/4"x 6" custom feathered aluminum rudder, customers Koa veneer (4 layers) glassed with 0.50oz per yard fiberglass surface vale with custom removable deck portions for servo access. I'm working on 3 Cutty's and 1 connie at the moment 1 105" lionhearted and starting a 105" yacht independence soon . these Revell are easy to convert, most of my running blocks are made from guitar string ball ends cut down on my watch lathe, with dentine / cuban cloth sails, all of which function. Using my drone FPV goggles and my Horus 12x, 

[popeye the sailor]

I've built a number of these 1:96 scale kits and love them .........I've used the eye bolts on them all.  the one thing that bugged me was the seam lines in the decks........so much,  that after finding another United States kit,  I made wooden decks for it.  somewhere in the archives,  there is a log,  but currently it's in my closet and I haven't touched it.  I really should get back to her........had to make a second set,  since I procrastinated and the first set warped.

   I also acquired another Connie kit...up in the air as to what I want to do with it.  I agree with the ratlines........they are like impervious to most glues....they always seemed to come loose for me.