USS Constitution by usedtosail - FINISHED - Model Shipways - scale 1/76

[usedtosail]

Tim, I am glad to hear I am not the only one that this doesn't work for.

 

I started planking the transom by adding the planks above and below the windows, leaving a 1/32" rebate around the windows.

 

 

 

I then added the planks above and below these, and along the outsides of the outer windows, again leaving a 1/32" rebate. This shot looks like Connie is having a bad hair day:

 

 

For the counter planks, I first filed the ends of the wale planks so the counter planks would fit inside of them. I didn't cut in the airing ports, as I am just going to make thin covers for these later and place them over the planks.

 

Here the last two transom planks are being glued on, after some preliminary sanding. These need to be trimmed for length after they dry. I used vertical pieces of planking between the windows, which worked out to be just the right size. When I build the window frames later they will fit into the rebates and be sanded flush with the planking. I am glad those gallery pieces are now secured with planks instead of just being edge glued on. I figured I was going to knock at least one of them off.

 

 

I will give these planks some more sanding, then it is on to planking the hull below the wales. I will probably start with the garboard planks and work up for the first band, but we will see. I have to figure out how to secure this beast when it is out of the build board and upside down. I have a keel clamp that might work or I may just put some padding on the workbench and hold it that way. We shall see...

[usedtosail]

I finished the transom planking but failed to take a picture of it before removing the hull from the building board and turning it upside down for the rest of the planking. Here it is upside down, though:

 

 

I could not fit the upside down hull into the keel clamper because the clamps are in line with the keel and the gun deck is in the way. Oh well, the last time I planked a hull I used this method, which is to place the hull on a couple of socks filled with rice. I also placed some foam under the stem and stern to protect those areas. It is easy to turn the hull around this way so I can plank both sides simultaneously.

 

I used two battens per side to define the planking belts. I first started to use the measurements of the planking belts on the plans, but I did not like the way those battens were running. I am going to use just three bands between the keel and the wales instead of the four shown on the plans.

 

I cut the garboard planks in two pieces for each side. Since most of the remaining planking will be covered by copper plates, I am not going to use short pieces, but will use longer pieces that are easier to work with. I will still keep track of the butt ends of the planks just so I don't get them too close to each other. For instance, the garboard strake joints on each side of the keel are staggered. I found these planks very easy to make for this model, where in the past I have had problems with these. From the plans, it looks like these end at bulkhead B, so I used a piece of Scotch tape on the rabbet from bulkhead C to B and traced the outside edge of the rabbet. I then transferred the tape to a 1/4" by 1/8" plank and cut the curve out through the tape. The rest of the plank was straight, which is what made this easy. For the stern pieces, I just traced the curve of the rabbet to another piece of 1/4" by 1/8" plank and cut and sanded it to shape. After soaking these four pieces, I clamped them in place to dry, making sure the edge of the planks fit into the rabbet along the keel. Here is what that looks like:

 

 

The curve at bulkhead B:

 

 

The curve at the stern:

 

 

Tonight I will trim and glue these in place. In the mean time, I measured the gap from the bottom of the wales to the first batten to determine the number of planks to run in Band A and the widths of these at each bulkhead. I am definitely going to need to drop a bunch of planks at the stem and a few at the stern in this band. That should be fun.

[scott larkins]

that transome came out really nice.  Good job framing in those windows.

[Ol' Pine Tar]

Tom,

Excellent work on your Constitution!

 

Visited the ship last week and remembered your query about the berthing deck air ports.

Photos from the interior and the plugs used to seal the port...

 

 

 

 

 

[mtdoramike]

Beautiful work, you will enjoy building the Model Shipways version of the Connie. I built this model about 5 years ago for an Insurance Corp in CT. It was a real pleasure to build. I like Model Shipways kits, the only thing I would suggest to them would be to try using more exotic woods in their kits so that some things can remain natural and not feel that everything must be painted. 

[NHDave]

Stumbled across your build thread through another. Really enjoying it. I'm about to start the Model Shipways C.W. Morgan. I am curious how your planking clamps are set up. I see they are binder clips but can't figure out what you have inside the clamp that actually holds the plank. You may have explained this somewhere but I haven't been able to locate it. Thanks.

 

Dave 

[GLakie]

I found a program called "Ariel America" on the Smithsonian Channel that's advertising an upcoming episode of a tour of Massachusetts including a look at the Connie I believe. It will air Friday night at 8:00PM Eastern Standard for anyone who's interested. 

 

Cheers

George

[GuntherMT]

Stumbled across your build thread through another. Really enjoying it. I'm about to start the Model Shipways C.W. Morgan. I am curious how your planking clamps are set up. I see they are binder clips but can't figure out what you have inside the clamp that actually holds the plank. You may have explained this somewhere but I haven't been able to locate it. Thanks.

 

Dave 

 

Dave - I saw his clips somewhere in another thread I think where he explained putting them together - they use the handle from another clip inside of the intact clip to hold the planking down.  You can really use anything that sticks out, I made some by using short pieces of wood super-glued into the binder clips, but I think the handle of another binder clip works better as it doesn't need to be glued as the ends hold it in.

[NHDave]

Thanks Brian. I thought it looked like the end of a clip...just didn't trust my eyes.

 

Dave

[usedtosail]

Sorry I didn't respond sooner - I was away for Columbus day weekend, taking in the foliage in New Hampshire.

 

Thank you Scott, Len, Mike?, Dave, George, Brain, and all the likes.

 

Len, thanks for the photos of the air ports. They are pretty high in the berth deck. I didn't realize they had plugs, even though I have probably seen them a number of times.. That makes sense.

 

Mike, I agree with you on the ME kits. This is the fifth one I've built and they have all been painted. I would like to make one with natural wood someday, but I don't think I am ready yet. I am also curious to use better wood, like scratch guys use.

 

Dave, Brian answered your question on the clamps. Just twist a handle from another clip into it, or you can use wood strips instead. I like the clip handles, and I sometimes use the end with the two prongs to hold on both sides of a bulkhead. I made some up with the smaller size binder clips too for tighter spaces.

 

George, thanks for the heads up for the show. I didn't get a chance to see it but I'l bet it was pretty good. Summer before last I got to take a tour of the Constitution with Popey2sea and it was fantastic. The ship is about to go into repairs for 3 years, I think this month, so I won't be able to just pop down and take a look any more.

[GLakie]

You didn't miss it yet Tom. It comes on at 8:00 PM this coming Friday on the Smithsonian Channel.

 

Cheers

[usedtosail]

Oh, perfect, as I am going to be home this Friday. Thanks George.

[NHDave]

Thanks Tom, I actually found the thread explaining how to do it too.

 

Dave 

[usedtosail]

So, I have started planking from the wales down and the garboard strakes up. I have defined three planking belts, so I am planking both Belt A (below wales) and Belt C (above garboard strake) at the same time, as well as doing both sides at the same time. So far, I have only one plank in each belt, so no pictures of that yet, but you can probably visualize that it looks like a bunch of clamps at this point. I was having some trouble visualizing the run of the drop planks at the bow and stern in Belt A, so I drew up a couple of simple diagrams (not to scale) of the planking in these areas and where I could put the drops planks. Here is what I came up with:

 

Port Bow Belt A:

 

 

Port Stern Belt A:

 

 

I needed the drops to be on bulkheads and I wanted to space them out a bit. It took me quite a while to figure this out, but I think I have it now. I will be using wider pieces of wood for the planks that continue after the drop, as they will be twice the width of the other planks at the bulkhead. There is a filler block between Bulkhead A and the stem, so I can put those last two drops at the bow there.

 

I thought Belt C was going to be easier to visualize as there are no drop planks at the bow, and I could use wider planks at the stem, but then I couldn't figure out the widths of the planks at their ends. So, another diagram to visualize the planks at the bow, which will help me get the widths right:

 

Port Bow Belt C:

 

 

You can see that the widths change as I get further toward the stem, but they are still pretty close so I can adjust as I go. I don't know how you all figure this stuff out, but I extended the edge of the garboard plank out to the farthest point on the stem, then measured the distance from the edge of the belt on the stem to this line, and used that distance to get the widths of the planks at that distance. Of course, they taper back to where they actually hit the stem, but now I can see how much that taper should be.

 

For the stern in Belt C, I just need a couple of stealers  to fill the width at the stern:

 

 

I will be using these diagrams as I out the next nine planks in each of the belts and will provide some pictures as I go.

[HIPEXEC]

Your planking plan makes me remember how my planking plan went. I figured out what would go were like your plan.....it all went according to plan until the 2/3 mark....then it seemed to work its way into Kentucky windage and make do at the end. The good news is....my planking job looks great...so will yours with your careful approach 

[usedtosail]

You are right, Rich, No plan survives first contact, as they say.

[usedtosail]

The real Constitution is going on her last cruise today before going into dry dock for 3 years. She and mine may come out at the same time. 

[GLakie]

Yup! Projects like these are definitely not something you want to dive into expecting instant gratification. My first time-frame estimates come to around 4 to 5 years, God willing and the creek don't rise.

 

Fair winds

[usedtosail]

Oops, a slight correction:

 

After Friday's trip, the ship will undergo dry-dock preparations, including removal of its upper masts and offloading of the ship's long guns. The three-mast frigate still will be open for public tours Thursday through Sunday, starting Oct. 20. It officially enters dry dock in March 2015.

[usedtosail]

Got some more planking done over the last couple of days. It takes me about 2 hours to cut and install 4 planks, which is about the time I have each evening during the week. I have just enough binder clip clamps to install 4 planks.

 

 

 

These screw in clamps really help at the ends where the filler blocks are, especially since this is where the planks are the most curved.

 

 

You can see the start of one of the drop planks at the bow in this photo:

 

 

[NenadM]

I`ve just dropped in

 

Very nice and inspirative building, and I ll follow with great interest

 

Nenad

[usedtosail]

Thank you Nenad. I have been really enjoying your Cutty Sark build.

 

Rich, you called it, man. For the most part, the planking has been going according to plan, but the two stealers at the stern just did not work out. I could not get the angles right without having to edge bend the plank at about bulkhead Q. I decided to just use slightly wider planks at the stern post and not drop two planks per side. Since these planks will all be under cooper plates, I am not too concerned. I think I should have gone with three planks going to two instead of two to one, but I am not even sure if that would have worked. More pictures to come.

[usedtosail]

As promised, some shots of where I am with the planking. It is a bit rough but overall I think it is coming out OK.

 

 

 

Slowly but surely the openings are being closed.

[GLakie]

It's coming along beautifully Tom.

 

Cheers

[M. Pajulahti]

Indeed, looking good.

Markku

[NenadM]

Conny has some hard angles and curvatures to be planked. God bless coopering

[usedtosail]

Thanks all.

 

Markku, your Connie is coming along nicely.

 

Nenad, yes the coppering is going to be fun too. I don't know if it will come out as nicely as your Cutty Sark.

[usedtosail]

Planking continues within the two planking belts on each side. I did remeasure each belt after putting in about half the planks and adjusted the plan. I could have used wider planks in Belt A (below the wales) if I had added more drop planks towards the middle of the hull, but it is not enough of a difference now to start over. I ended up with one less plank in Belt C (next to the keel), but I am happy with the way this belt came out.

 

 

 

While waiting for planks to dry, I have been doing some painting of the gun parts for the gun deck. I used weathered black paint for the gun barrels and here is how they came out.

 

 

I also painted the trucks for the gun carriages black. I was going to hold them with toothpicks while painting them, but I found all these pointed pieces of wood in the trash pile from the tapering of the planks, and these worked great:

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest Tim I.]

Barrels look good.

 

- Tim

[GLakie]

Looking good Tom. Are those planking clamps the small or medium size?

 

Cheers