USS Constitution by capnharv2 - Model Shipways

[capnharv2]

This is a resurrection of my build log on the Constitution. I started about 5 years ago and have been following Bob Hunt's practicum, more or less.

 

One thing I forgot to mention last time is that I'm not trying to recreate the Constitution to any particular period. I am trying to make her historically accurate and to scale (a challenge in itself), but making a few changes that I find more pleasing for me to look at (I would say "artistic license", but that implies something I am not).

 

I don't know if I will rig her, or put sails on her. Time (and the other kits calling) will tell.

 

Pics to follow when I figure it out (I attached one from 3 years ago). Please comment-especially if something looks wrong. I always have something to learn, and the more I learn-the more I learn that I don't know much.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[capnharv2]

Here's a picture that I started the log with last time:

 

Rather than model the oak fenders and wide red paint stripe at the waterline, I chose to put a smaller red waterline stripe.

 

By this past Christmas, I had the carronades installed and rigged:

 

Note that rope coils are missing. I'm working on them.

 

Last month I finished the wheel (I made my own rather than use the wheel that came with the kit)

 

 

I'm working on fife rails now. More pics soon.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[JeffT]

Glad to see you got the log back up. Shes looking good!

[CaptainSteve]

Great to see you back on deck, CapnHarv !!!

 

Looks like the FakeCaptainsClub is alive and well.

[fnkershner]

Harvey - Its good to see you back online. Are you going to create a log for the Flying Cloud as well? And what about the Sloop? Just kidding. You could spend a week just posting everything you have underway. See you on Sat!

 

Fair Winds my friend.

[capnharv2]

Hi Floyd,

 

The Friendship Sloop is complete, and photos are in the completed build gallery. I probably will do an FC log, but I'm not actively working on it, so I haven't posted anything yet. It also depends on whether I finish Flying Cloud next or start on the nebulous Agamemnon project next. They're both tempting. And I still have to decide if I'm going to rig the Connie now, later or not at all.

 

Still looking for Pride of Baltimore 1 plans. Hope to find them by Saturday.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

 

[gil middleton]

Hi Harvey,  Great to see the Constitution back on the bench.  A lot of great progress since I last saw her.  How do you manage so many different projects?  My limit is one. Sorry I've missed so many PSSM get togethers. The Victory won't fit in the Explorer any more, but I'll come by to say hello. Chgeers, Gil

[fnkershner]

Gil the Pot Belly stove isn't the same without you!  As you know we don't get much modeling done during meetings. And next month may be the last meeting in the current club house.

[Geoff Matson]

Hello Harv

 

Looks like the Conny is coming along fine. Thanks for posting the build log.

 

Geoff

[fnkershner]

Harvey, you need a seperate log on the assembly of that ships wheel. What you showed me was astounding. It is also a great practicum on how to do it if you have a Lathe. For everyone else's benefit. The Ships wheel on this model was made all from 1 solid piece of wood. Except for the spokes. I will let Harvey explaind and post the pics. It is a wonderful job.

[capnharv2]

Floyd,

 

I did a short assembly log on the wheel on the old MSW site-then the data got lost. I still have all the pictures, so I'll try to put something back up.

 

Meanwhile, the real boat needs some work. The throat halyard block split the sheave, and the axle keeps falling out. Time to make a new one.

 

Question-is there a place to post pictures of the block I'm making for my 1:1 scale model Friendship Sloop?

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[capnharv2]

It's been a few weeks since my last update (a few weeks more than I thought. . .). Emergent work on the real boat (new halyard block)

 

 

Anyway, I've been working on the belaying pin racks. I got the last of them in tonight (except for the ones above the bowsprit). Still waiting on belaying pins (on backorder )

 

 

Forward Pin rails and carronades. I put the coils on for these carronades tonight:

 

 

View looking forward. She's getting there.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[Geoff Matson]

Harvey

 

Glad to see you back to work on the Conny. Everything is looking great. Lots of details to put on the deck.

[JeffT]

Your deck detail looks very good. Are you replacing the kit belaying pins?

[Modeler12]

Looking good Harvey. I like your detailing of the canonade rigging. You replaced the blocks I noticed. Just like Jeff, I am also curious why you did not use the belaying pins that came with the kit. Was you kit an older version?

[fnkershner]

Harvey - I think you should post a short log of how you made your own blocks for your 1:1 Friendship sloop. They are very nice and I think the members here would be interested.

[capnharv2]

Thanks Geoff. There is a lot of detail. Every time I think I'm getting everything covered, I realize that I missed something.

 

Jay and Jeff, I don't know if I have an old kit or not (old being relative ). The heads seem large and out of scale. With the tight spacing of the pins on the fife rails, I worried that I would have trouble rigging lines to them)

We have belaying pins on our boat to cleat halyards, and the ones in the kit, relative to our real belaying pins, are definitely too large. I would have lived with the ones in the kit, but I found, in my stacks of spare parts, some brass belaying pins that are just about perfect. But I only had a dozen. I saw ME and Bluejacket both had them. I ordered from ME because they were less expensive (150 for 7.00 at ME vs. a dozen at Bluejacket for 3.50). If they aren't what I want, I'll try Bluejacket. I'm tempted to make my own belaying pins, based on an article in last fall's NRJ. But it's a little too challenging for me right now (maybe in the future). I'll post some pictures of my search for the Holy Grail of mass produced belaying pins when I finally get what I'm looking for.

 

Floyd, I would like to post a tutorial on block making. I needed to get this one done so we could sail again, but I plan to replace all the blocks in the next couple of years. Note that most of my blocks are made blocks, not mortised, with an internal bronze strop. There are a few locations on the boat where I could go with at rope stropped block, but they require more frequent maintenance. For those curious about the block I've been working on, here's a picture of it:

 

 

It goes on tomorrow.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

 

[themadchemist]

Interesting, very interesting. But isn't it a bit big for your models

That design looks like it would last forever, at least compared to a rope stropped block, its also very pleasing to the eye, like modern art.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[capnharv2]

It looks like every 2 weeks is about as often as I can update. There are lots of things going on, but the overall change is so small it doesn't look significant (even though it is).

 

I finally got my belaying pins from ME. They weren't what I really wanted, but they were better than the ones that came in the kit. I had to drill the holes in the racks larger to get them to fit, so there's no going back now.

 

At the stern. I left the pins bright. I'm still working on the coils for the carronades (1 at at time). I finally got the rope on the wheel too.

 

Amidship. The aft topgallant rail is on.

 

The Bow. Pins and rails are in. Port rail is on-needs sealing and painting. Starboard one went on a few minutes ago

 

Entry boards. Only cause it helped the topsides look more complete.

 

Next on the agenda-finishing the cap rails and bow trim, making more rope coils , shaping cleats (big and small), and working on the cannon carriages (I decided to make them out of boxwood).

 

Thanks for looking in.

 

Harvey

[capnharv2]

Keith,

 

A bronze stropped block won't last forever, but it does require less frequent maintenance than a rope stropped block.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

[Geoff Matson]

Nice progress Harvey. Losts of little details on the deck,but everything sure looks good.

[JeffT]

Looking good Harvey!

[CaptainSteve]

Keep working on her, Harv !!

[capnharv2]

Slowly but surely (or is it surly?)

 

Davits and Cleats are on. Rudder is on, but spectacle plate and chains need to be added.

 

 

 

 

And the bow cleats and Charlie Noble are in place

 

All the big pieces are on. About the only things left are the 2 cannon, anchors, steps, a few iron cleats and deck eyebolts for rigging. The hammock cranes and small boats need to be done, but I can work on them later.

 

I hope to start masts and rigging in a couple months.

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

 

[Geoff Matson]

Looking good Harvey. Your Conny is going to be a impressive model when finished.

[JeffT]

Looks great Harv!

[CaptainSteve]

Damn fine work there, Harvey !!

[DBorgens]

Harvey, looks superb, can't wait to see her live. The cannon add a lot and I love the rigging you've done. Thanks for keeping us up to date.

Dave B

[capnharv2]

Oh boy. I didn't realize it's been 4 months since I updated this build log. I guess everybody thought I had given up and was only posting snide comments and bad puns since then

Well, as far as Bob Hunt's practicum goes, I've done about as much on the first practicum as I plan for a while. The only things I haven't completed (per his practicum) are the ship's boats and the hammock cranes and netting. The boats make a fine side project (I do want to finish the big launch on the spar deck before I start rigging shrouds). The hammock cranes and netting-well, they are pretty fragile, so I'll leave them off till I get at least some of the rigging in place.

So, here's how she looks today:

 

 

 

 

 

I added steps to the transom:

 

 

I also decided to make my own cannon carriages out of boxwood

 

 

As you've noticed, I started the spars. I'm going to finish the lower masts and bowsprit and start the rigging on them. We'll see how it goes.

 

 

Thanks,

 

Harvey

Edited September 20, 2013 by capnharv2

[themadchemist]

So how many of the boats are you going to build Harv? Didn't the Conny have several?

 

She's looking Nice, you gotten quite a bit done it looks like. Now comes the bigger task, rigging. It's always fun to watch the masts go up and fill out. It really makes them look so different.