USS Constitution by robnbill (Bill) - FINISHED - Mamoli - 1:93 kit - First Build - Bashed

[Jimz66]

SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!                    

[GuntherMT]

Gorgeous, anyone would be proud to display that.

[Jimz66]

Oh and Congrats on wrapping her up... Nicely done. 

[CaptainSteve]

A stunning job, Bill. 

You should be very proud.

Edited January 25, 2015 by CaptainSteve

[GLakie]

She looks absolutely marvelous Bill. Congrats on a job well done. 

 

Cheers

[robnbill]

Thanks Geoff. I am looking forward to watching your build as it progresses. There are not many of us Mamoli Connie builders.

[robnbill]

Geoff, I sent an email to you with the attachments.

[kruginmi]

Great Job!  It was a lot of fun watching this come together.  Appreciate the pics and build notes.

 

Mark

[usedtosail]

Looks great Bill. You are a real inspiration for us Connie builders.

[robnbill]

Woo Hoo! The wood is here for the display case. It is all stacked up in the club room outside the shop getting warm, although the wood supplier shop was indoors and not very cold. So progress is being made.

 

First for the ship itself, I had followed the Mamoli instructions for attaching the flag to the main mast. This was simply gluing it to the mast. I relaly did not like that. I felt it did not rise to the level of the rest of the ship. So this morning I carefully cut the flag off and reglued it to the smallest line I had. I threaded this through a tiny single block I had left over from rigging the cannon. I attached the block to the top of the mast then threaded the flag halyard down through the fighting top and terminated it on the fife rail. I added another small coil of line to the rail where it terminated. I like this better.

 

The case is being made from solid walnut.  I decided to stain the walnut to bring out the grain and also to equalize the wood tone across the various pieces since they are coming from different sources. The table legs and apron were already sanded to 220. So for these wiped them with water to raise any grain, the sanded them smooth with a fine sanding sponge. Then I stained them. After the stain dried I started to apply the finish.  I decided to use the Sam Maloof finish on the case. The aprons were wiped with the poly/oil liberally, then sanded it in with 320 grits wet/dry paper. For the legs I just wiped it on. This is a rubbed finish that is wiped on, let soak in a few minutes, then buffed till dry. Then is rested over night and another coat is put on until four or so coats are one and you like the finish.  I will continue to apply the finish with sand paper progressing through 0000 steel wool for burnishing. These are very thin coats that build on the wood to provide a real depth in the finish while still being a "Close to the Wood" finish. 

 

Once four coats are applied, then a few coats of poly/wax are applied in the same manner. Since this is a very thin finish, I can apply it to the various pieces before they are all assembled. Here is a photo of the new walnut waiting for milling and shaping. I will let it acclimatize a few days before I start working on them.

 

[Guest Tim I.]

Gorgeous wood! I am looking forward to seeing your final case.

 

- Tim

[Force9]

Bill -

 

VERY nice work on your Connie!  A really special effort.

 

It looks like you've got enough wood there to build a case, a table for the case, and chair to sit in to admire the result!

 

Your mention of Sam Maloof triggers memories... I used to live practically next door to Mr. Maloof decades ago and would see his clients pull up in their convertible Jaguars and push and pull in consternation as they tried to tie down one of his incredible rockers in the rear seat.  Sam's house was a treasure in itself and had to be relocated when the state finally decided to build out the freeway that bisected the city.  I think he salvaged as much as he could and rebuilt his house and shop nearer to the foothills.

 

A pleasure to have followed your build.

 

Evan

[robnbill]

Thanks Tim and Evan,

 

It is quite a pile of wood. However, I just finished my cut list. It is amazing how fast it goes. Sam Maloof was (and still is) an icon in furniture making. I really like the way the finish goes on. There is a number of issues this technique covers. One the differences in tones with the sapwood common in Walnut, but also the shift in color towards yellow as it ages. I am looking forward to start making sawdust on a larger scale than what I have been working on over the last year.

 

I will post photos as I make progress.

 

Thanks for following my Connie on her journey.

[robnbill]

So I started the display case today. I milled all the rough walnut and started on the table top. They are cut to length and width and ready for cutting the biscuit slots and glue up tomorrow. The biscuits add very little strength to the joints, but they help massively in aligning and keeping the boards aligned during glue-up.

 

My current plans are to glue the table top up then cut the profiles into it on the router table. Then it will be ready for sanding and finishing along with the rest of the table. I have attached photos of the milled boards along with the table top ready for the biscuit cutter (it is sitting on the top). The router table right now is being used for storage of the various bits and assorted ship making fittings. I need to move those into the cabinets. I just haven't gotten to that yet. TH4e chunk of wood in the background (on the table) is a part of a Connie Spar. I used pieces of this in the ship's boats and I will carve the stand for the name plate from it as well. The real Connie is permanently a part of my Connie.

 

I still have to work out how to slot the corners for the LED lighting. I have a number of ideas such as deepening the slots for the glass, or possibly even drilling a hole though it. I will work that out. I have tested the LED lighting and can;t wait for it to shine on the model. I think it will really set it off.

 

Anyway, I took a much needed night off for the National Symphony and the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. 

 

Here are before and after shots of the walnut.

 

A photo of the top ready for biscuits and glue up.

 

The new router bits waiting on their chance to bite into the walnut!.

[robnbill]

I have completed 4 coats of the Poly/Oil and will be starting the Oil/Wax tomorrow. I believe the finish recommend two coats (or more) of the Oil/Wax. We shall see. The Apron and Legs are also ready for the coats of Oil/Wax. Once the table has the requisite coats of finish, I will glue it up. Then I will start on the case itself. Doing it this way allowed me to test the finish I wanted before I started with the more complex joinery required by the case.

 

I think I wil be ready to glue the table up by the weekend.

 

Here are a couple photos of the table top. The finish is close to what it will be once the oil/wax is applied. It will be a bit deeper but doubtful the photos would show that.

 

 

[GLakie]

I like the walnut table-top Bill. Nice job! Those boards bonded together with the biscuits should provide a good strong joint that will have to be sawed to get apart. The wet glue swells the biscuits and makes a really tight joint. Used them all the time for table-tops. 

 

Cheers

[usedtosail]

That is a beautiful table top Bill. That finish is gorgeous.

[robnbill]

Thanks George and Tom. I have to say I have fallen in love with the Sam Maloof finish. I know you can make your own if you have the time to experiment, but I opted just to buy the prepared finish and it goes on very well. One of the coolest things about the rub/wipe on finish is since you wipe it dry each time you apply it, there are no problems with dust sticking to the finish creating all the nubs. I like to finish in my shop and it is certainly not the clean room needed to apply delicate finishes. If it feels sticky after applying it, then you haven't rubbed it enough.

 

For me, that is a lifesaver. Now I can't wait to get to the case proper!

[robnbill]

The table is done. I still have to actually screw the top to the base, but that will be easy. I placed the table where it is going to go today and tried the Connie out on it. As I expected the base that she is mounted to will definitely need to be changed. It does not go well with the walnut. While the table looks a bit bit, the base of the case will step in about 2" all around. We also need to move the column with the salt block somewhere else. So other than being better lit, much better protected and about 4 " higher, this will be the view of her in her new berth.

 

Now to start on the case!

 

 

[robnbill]

So I have completed the base of the case. It has all of the slots for the glass and the back routed into it. I also have the inlay completed on it. It looks a bit heavy but should not once the sides and top are on it. I have the corner stiles cut but not yet shaped. You can see on the base where the square holes are for the corners to be inserted into the base. These holes are ⅞" square. The corners will be 1 ⅜" square with the holes in the base being centered on the stiles.

 

I designed it so there is no apparent frame around the bottom or top of the case. The glass sits in a slot on the base. I wanted it to feel more open when looking at the ship.

 

While the base is stained it has no finish on it. I will finish it and the rest of the case at the same time. I needed to stain the base before I routed for the inlay. 

 

Here again are the plans for the completed case.

 

 

 

You can see the routed slots for the glass and inlay in this photo. The thicker slot towards the bottom of the frame will be for the door frames to rest in. Once the door is in place the glass will look like the other sides in that the surrounding door frame will be no larger than the surrounds on the other sides. Since the glass is ¼ tempered, I will cut the small frame and glue it to the glass. My hope is the door will almost be invisible once it is in place. It should look just like the other sides.

 

 The name plate will actually be affixed to a hunk of the Real Connie. I just have it laying on the base right now.

 

 

The inlay is a ¼" wide consisting of three stripes of equal size, black, white, black.

 

 

Edited February 9, 2015 by robnbill

[jwvolz]

Beautiful work Bill. That's going to be fantastic!

[GLakie]

Nice job Bill! 

 

Cheers

[Modeler12]

That is a great spot and will be a beautiful addition to your home, Bill. 

 

Besides being a modeler you are also a great woodworker. I hope your admiral thinks highly of you.

[robnbill]

Thanks. I have the luxury of a pretty well built out woodshop in my basement. I am really enjoying it now that I am retired and don't have to trek to DC everyday.

[Landlubber Mike]

Thanks. I have the luxury of a pretty well built out woodshop in my basement. I am really enjoying it now that I am retired and don't have to trek to DC everyday.

 

Looking great Bill.  That's going to look amazing in that case!

 

I don't know what I'm more jealous of - your woodshop or the fact that you don't have to do the DC commute any longer 

Edited February 12, 2015 by Landlubber Mike

[robnbill]

It has been awhile since I updated the display case. I thought today would be a good point. Since the last update I have been cutting, shaping and joining the various pieces that make up the case itself. Since the glass, LED lighting, and access door are all inset into the frame and base the joinery has been fairly complicated (at least for me) so I have taken my time in measuring and remeasuring before I cut anything. I really do not want to have to run out to Manassas and get anymore Walnut because I screwed up a measurement. So everything is now cut out, shaped, and joined. Trust me, I have made a LOT of sawdust!

 

I also spent time cutting the channels to run all the lights and electrical cords through. They will run up from inside the base through one of the corners into the top.  There will be aluminum channels with the LED lights mounted in them inset flush to the top. 

 

The next step is to continue sanding on all the pieces then once I get beyond 220, to stain everything. I also still need to add some support blocks within the base so I can glue the corners into it.

 

I assembled everything minus the glass and lights today for the final check before I started sanding and staining. Once everything is sanded and stained, I can apply the Poly/Oil finish.

 

 

 

This shows the underside of the top. You can see the top of the access door frame as well as the channel for the LED lights. The access door will be lifted into the upper slot, then lowered into a slot on the base. Once it is installed it will be flush with the rest of the case frame. Incidentally, you can also see the color variations within the walnut. This is one of the reasons a stain is good to treat the walnut and even out the color. The other being walnut tends to yellow as it ages so the stain keeps the color consistent as it grows old.

 

Edited February 18, 2015 by robnbill

[robnbill]

Here it is broken down. Below is the top and access door frame. The door frame pieces are the 4 to the left. The aluminum channels will be for the lights. You can see the routings in the top necessary for the glass and all the other fittings. When all this comes together, everything will be flush with the bottom.

 

 

The small diagonal channel will be to carry the wire from the corner post to the LED channel.

 

 

It is a bit hard to se here, but there is a small channel to the left. You can see the walnut insert covering it. This runs on the top side on the opposite side of the previous photo. This connects the two LED strips on either side of the top.

 

 

 

This provides a nice photo of the LED channels. There is a diffusion cover that snaps in the channels over the LEDs.

 

 

This shows the top of the corner post showing where the wire exits the post and will enter the diagonal channel shown above.

 

 

This shows the bottom of the same corner post. The bottom post extends down through the base and is supported by blocks on either side where it will be glued. The wire will be led through the base and out the back to the dimmer control and power supply.

 

 

Here is the base along with the four corner posts. The light color in the channel to the right will be darkened by the stain. This will be the drop in channel for the back access door.

 

 

 

[usedtosail]

Bill, that is a great case design. I am going to use some of it when I build a case for my Connie, if you don't mind.

[robnbill]

I don't mind at all. You will need to adjust the lengths to fit your scale. My Connie is 39 long x 28 tall  x 14 wide. The interior dimension for the case is 43 x 30 x 18. If you would like the plans I drew up I will be happy to send them to you.

[usedtosail]

Yes, I forgot yours is a different scale. It should scale up OK I think. I would love a copy of your plans, but there is no rush, as I probably have another year at least before I am to the point of developing the case. Thanks so much.