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

[usedtosail]

Thanks guys. This is useful information.

 

I remember reading or hearing that when the Connie went to all nylon ropes as it is now the colors changed to a darker color for the running rigging. I don't remember where I read/heard that, but that is why I am a little skeptical to use the existing rigging colors as gospel. But if it only a matter to stain them a bit darker, I will give that a try.

[rwiederrich]

I stained an entire model once do to the improper lightening of nylon line...staining works and it gives you control of the color you are seeking.

 

Good luck and great model.

 

Rob

[usedtosail]

OK guys, you convinced me. I tried a couple of different stains last night and did not like the look of the lighter ones, so I went all in and used Dark Walnut. They are a nice rich dark brown now, and as a bonus the deadeyes are darker too which look more like the real ones. Here is how it looked right after I stained the lines.

And here is how they looked after they dried overnight. I was a little worried that the lines would get stiff, but if they did it was not very much.

I am very happy with the result. Thank you for getting me to change this. Keep those suggestions coming....

 

[shipmodel]

Good work.  Now your deadeyes match the level of realism of the rest of your excellent work.

 

Glad to be of some help.

 

Dan

 

 

[CaptainSteve]

Thanks, Tom. Yet another of your pictures gets moved to my Ideas Folder for future reference ...

[usedtosail]

Your welcome Captain. I think we all benefit by those who have come before us.

[rwiederrich]

Tom..they look amazing and are slightly lighter in hue then the shrouds themselves......giving the impression they are tarred with a thinner product.

 

Wonderfully done...

 

Rob

[usedtosail]

Thanks Rob. I really appreciate your help and suggestions.

[rwiederrich]

Well Tom I think they look amazing and from what I gather from my 40+ years of study they are more accurate then tan lanyards.

I always use blackened thread/rope as my lanyards.  But to each his own.

 

Glad you like the outcome.......I hope you don't feel like I swindled you into the change.......

 

Rob

[usedtosail]

Not at all Rob. i went into this project feeling like I have not done enough research, so any information from more knowledgeable folks like yourself really is appreciated.

[usedtosail]

Well I am back from a week's vacation in St. Lucia. What a beautiful island. The trip was a Christmas present to our two kids, as one last vacation together before they start their own families. It was great!

 

But, now it's time to get back to work. I finished up the main shrouds and have added the mizzen shrouds. Here is how the main shrouds and deadeyes came out:

And the mizzen so far. I still have to add the sheer poles and tie everything off.

And here is some overall shots so far. The masts are in good alignment so far.

As always, thanks for the interest, comments and the likes.

[rwiederrich]

Beautiful work.....everything looks very nice.

 

Rob

[popeye the sailor]

seriously nice work Tom.    I see the vacation charged you back up in fine shape  

[usedtosail]

Thanks Rob and Popeye, and the likes.

 

I finished the mizzen stay and preventer stay. These were a little tricky because with the bullseyes they had to go through on the main mast, the serving of the bullseye at the bottom end had to be done in place. I did these, then did the loop at the top for the mouse on the main stay, but the top loop first on the preventer stay.

At the bottom, I already had the eyebolts in the deck for the bottom bullseye for these, so I stropped them with hooks that I just hooked into the eyebolts after threading the lanyards through the bullseyes, tightened them up, and tied off the lanyards to themselves.

Now to add the sheer poles to the mizzen shrouds.

[popeye the sailor]

your moving right along!   

[usedtosail]

Thanks Popeye and all the likes. I am really enjoying the rigging of this ship. There is a lot to do but I think I have a good plan to get it all done in a reasonable time, like maybe this calendar year? I am taking my time though because I don't want to look at something and wish i had done it better. You all know what that is like.

 

I finished adding the mizzen sheer poles and tied off the deadeye lanyards.

You can also see in those pictures the breast backstays, which I added to all the masts, but are just hanging loose for now. These were supposed to be added to the mast tops before the fore and main stays, but on the main and fore masts I was able to slide these under those stays. On the mizzen I added them before the mizzen stays. These are just hanging for now because if I rig them now they will interfere with the ratline rigging. I did make the wire brackets that fit over the lower deadeyes that the bottom tackle blocks for these will be hooked to.

It took be some trial and a few errors to get something that both looked good and stayed hooked. The plans are not much help with these. These and the triple blocks with hooks that go into them will be put aside until after the ratlines are rigged. Before the ratlines, I am going to add the snakes between the fore stays and main stays. I have done some experimentation and I think I can tie these like ratlines with clove hitches. We will see how that works. Xken has a different method he used on his Connie, which will be my fall back.

[usedtosail]

Well. my approach for the snakes between the fore and main stays worked out nicely. I basically just tied the snake lines to the stays with clove hitches, weaving the snakes back and forth. It may be hard to see in these photos, but I like the end result.

So now I am adding the ratlines. Here are few to start, but I have about half of the fore port ratlines tied on this morning. I have not fixed any of the knots yet, so I can adjust as I go.

I am using two 5/32" wide wood strips that I clamp at each end as guides, as well as graph paper behind the shrouds as guidelines. I get some pictures of those tomorrow.

[usedtosail]

As promised, here is the jig I started doing the ratlines with. It worked pretty well, but the spacing was a bit uneven with it.

I then switched to graph paper as a guide, which is how I have always done ratlines in the past.

I tied all of the fore port ratlines before fixing any of the knots. I then started fixing every fifth line, which corresponds to the ratlines that start at the swifter. Once these dry I will fix the intermediate ratlines. I left one ratline off about 1 1/2" below the top for the futtock stave. I split some3/64 x 3/32 " strips to make 3/64" square strips for the futtock staves. I painted these black.

 

[ca.shipwright]

Your build log will be a great reference for my future build. You are doing a great job. Thanks for sharing.

 

Regards

[usedtosail]

Thank you, and you are very welcome Michael. I enjoy documenting my work and hope it will be a help for others in the future. I look forward to following along with your future build when you get to that point.

[MEDDO]

 This is looking really great. Whenever I see a great log of the Constitution like this I always think that I should revive mine.  Then I remember that I have so many builds in the queue and I can't decide what to do next. 😳

[usedtosail]

Thanks Michael. Your Halifax is looking so good. You will have plenty of time later to pick up on the Constitution.

[MEDDO]

 Thank you. I'm thinking it might make the Constitution a side build. Work on it very slowly and if I lay a plank once a week or so then in about five years I'll have finished the hull😁

[vossiewulf]

On 5/7/2017 at 5:06 PM, ca.shipwright said:

Your build log will be a great reference for my future build. You are doing a great job. Thanks for sharing.

 

Regards

What he said. I know I already said it once but even if I'm not saying things here, I'm very happily watching Tom do a well-documented step by step guide to which I'm going to be closely adhering when I get there. It's good enough Tom that with some cleanup and organization it would make a really great addition to the MSW article database, titled "So You Want A Nice Connie" , god knows enough people have MS and other Constitutions hiding in their closets. Some build logs cross the line from here's some pics of where I am to really useful guides for others, this is one.

[alde]

She's sure looking great Tom.

[usedtosail]

Thanks Michael, Vossie, and Al. I don't know about doing a guide. Maybe things not to do more than how to do it right the first time, ha ha.

 

I met up with Sawdust Dave and his son Mike yesterday in Charlestown. We had a great visit over a couple of beers and they headed off to the North End for some good Italian food. Dave is the handsome guy on the right.

 

[alde]

Fine looking gentleman. I love Charleston. Lots to see and do.

[usedtosail]

Sorry Al, its Charlestown, like the movie The Town that was filmed there. Great chase scene in that movie on those narrow streets. Charleston is one (or more) of those cities down south somewhere. 

 

I finished the ratlines on the port side, all three masts, and have tied on all the ratlines on the starboard main shrouds. I'll fix those knots tonight. No pictures as its hard to see the ratlines without anything behind them. I am using thin sewing thread for the ratlines, which helps keep the end shrouds from being pulled out of straight and the knots not too big.

[rwiederrich]

Great job!

 

Rob

[usedtosail]

Thanks Rob, and for the likes.

 

I have finished the ratlines on both sides of the lower shrouds and tied on the futtock staves. It is nice getting to this point in the build.

I next did some more bowsprit rigging. I had made this jibboom traveller a few months ago, modeling it off what Chuck made for his Syren build. Before installing it, I seized two small blocks to it for the jib downhaul and tackle, and the two inner fixed guy lines.

I then slid the jibboom through the bowsprit cap from the back, and slipped the traveller onto the jibboom. The jibboom was not sitting flat into the saddle, so I filed out the hole in the cap a bit until it did, then glued it to the saddle.

I had made this bracket to fit over the saddle before, so I just glued it in place.

I seized eyes into the ends of two lines for the fixed inner guys and added them to the end of the jibboom, and seized two bullseyes with loops for the martingale stays and slipped them over the end of the jibboom.

This is as much as I can do on the bowsprit until I make and install the bowsprit yard. Before that I am going to work on the mast caps and install the topmasts.