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

[robnbill]

Success. I was able to rig my first cannon today! It took many starts and restarts before I came up with a method for stringing the blocks. First I wire the blocks with 32 gauge black wire. This is touched very lightly with CA as it rounds the block. Then I put the blocks in thinned clothes hangers. Then wax the thread. I found that supergluing the thread makes it too large to go through the holes. I then take a small drill and go through the holes to make sure the CA did not migrate into them. I thread the blocks then wire them to the cannon. I use the jig to position the blocks and to do a last check for the threading. Since there is a right and left version of each block I need to check them. Once all is well, I take a final tension on all the blocks and run a thin coat of CA to lock the rigging in place. Tomorrow I will add the rings to the rigging, touch up the paint (and paint the capsquares black, then install it on the ship. Since I have three sets of rigging on each side I will also need to drill a third hole on each side of the cannon ports. This will be half way up the port and will be for the innermost blocks. I will also need to address making the breeching block look like it is laying naturally.

 

The photos below show the cannon in the jig. The two brass ends seen at the end of the cannon and just inside the frame are part of the jig I made to hold the cannon in place while I worked on the blocks. The bulkhead ends of the blocks will be at different heights when attached to the rings on the ship. Also the breeching line has not been waxed in this photo so is still very fuzzy. That will be fixed tomorrow before installation. The final location of the blocks in relation to the bulkhead will be done after I touch up the cannon tomorrow. 

 

I will also need to flake the lines so they lay neatly coiled on the deck beside the cannon. It is not pretty yet, but it is a start that I can work with. I also want to look at a combination of wire rope. Currently I am using wire for both ends seizing. I think I like the way rope would look directly attached to the cannon. So I will try that out tomorrow, that way I can do a nice seizing on the line. If that works I will use rope for the cannon end of the block and wire for the bulkhead. 

 

Bill

[mort stoll]

Great jig. ..and when one tries to explain how we go about doing these things that we do to a layman, they just cannot understand unless they are a part of this hobby.

 

Mort.  

[CaptainSteve]

That's a stunning Connie you've got there, Bill.

My tri-corner hat is off to you !!

[greatgalleons]

Bill, I really love what you have done with this kit, marvelous , I've had this kit twice and sold both, just could not bring myself to start one. It's a challenge to make it look nice and yours does. Enjoying watching it progress, A.J.

 

Almost sorry I did not keep one.

Edited March 8, 2014 by greatgalleons

[robnbill]

Thanks guys. I am enjoying the ship. The encouraging words are very nice to hear from all of you. I am humbled every time I look at the work done here. It is an inspiration. I am still a long way from finishing this, but it is rewarding everyday.

[HIPEXEC]

I'm going to copy your jig method when it comes time to rig my guns.

Thanks,

Rich

[CaptainSteve]

Ditto what Hipexec said !!

Edited March 8, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[robnbill]

This morning I continued to rig the first cannon. As I mentioned in yesterday’s log, I decided to change the seizing material on the cannon end of the blocks to rope rather than wire. This looks better and is a bit more flexible until CA is added to fix it. Once this was completed, I drilled the additional holes in the ship on either side of the port hole I was going to do the initial fitting in. I chose the Starboard porthole just aft of the gangway. I removed the cannon from the jig and changed out the seizing’s. Then I returned it to the jig and used the jig to align the required rings to the bulkhead ends. Once these were attached I performed a test fitting on the ship. After I was satisfied, I proceeded to start gluing the rings into the bulkhead starting with the innermost blocks, then working my way out through the breeching line then the outermost blocks - alternating gluing first one side then the other. I then cut the extended rope ends from the blocks so they would reach the appropriate part of the deck. I glued these ends to the deck.

 

For the coils, I took a large framing nail, and cut two pieces out of it. I drilled two equally sized holes in a small block with a slight distance between them. I used  files and the rotary tool to round than end on each piece and polish the pins smoothly. These I CA’ed into the block. Then taking the same line I used in the blocks, I waxed a length, and wrapped it lightly around the pins. The sliding it off I added  half twist to the coil and wrapped the end around it.

 

The photos below show the current cannon installation. I have not yet glued the cannon or the coils to the deck. I wanted to give it a rest and look at it again tomorrow before I did that. However, I am pretty happy with the result. Since the Mamoli is a different scale than the MS most of you are used to, I thought I would add a penny to some of the photos for scale.

[robnbill]

I joined the NRG this month and received the Ship Modeler's Shop Notes II as a free bonus. It has already paid off! Since I have been working on the cannon rigging, I have been using CA to lock the seizings in place. The problem was controlling the amount of CA that went on the seizing. The notes had a tool which was easy to build and allowed me to pinpoint exactly how much and where the CA was applied. Thank you Chuck for pointing out the March Membership Special.

 

Today I tried a number of different banding techniques for seizing the blocks. One thing I really wanted to try was adding metal hooks to the blocks. I was able to drill a hole in the double blocks and add a small hook I created using the wire from twist ties, but I could not do it with the single blocks since the centerline was where the holes already were.

 

Here is what I ended up doing. I waxed and cut the banding ropes for all the blocks in the batch I was working on. I wrapped them around two nails to bundle them before I cut them. This allowed me to standardize on the length of the ropes. Then I would take a block and place it on it's side on my finger and lay the middle of the rope in the groove on it's side. Then I would take the gluing tool and paint a tiny amount of CA to hold the rep in place. Then I set it aside to set for a few minutes while I worked on others. Once the entire batch was glued to the one side of the block, I returned to the first one and pulled the rope over the end and around the other side of the block then applied another small amount of CA. I worked my way through the batch.

 

Then I took the first one and inserted it into my needle seizing tool, and seized the two ends to the block. I trimmed back the seizing loose ends but not all the way to the knot. I seized a batch, then took the gluing tool and added CA to the seizing. Then I trimmed the seizing cords flush with the knot.

 

I tried a number of different banding techniques banding around the blocks with wire and ending with a hook, but really could not find anything I liked better than the rope seizing. Since the glue issue was fixed with the tool that is what I decided on. I spent the remainder of the day banding all the double blocks required for the cannon and started seizing them. Tomorrow, I will finish seizing them and start working on the single blocks.

[robnbill]

I completed seizing the cannon double blocks today. I also visited the local RC Model shop and procured 4 gears and brass tubing. I plan on assembling a serving machine based upon the Ship Modelers Handbook design. I was able to assemble the basic frame and glue it up. I should be able to complete it tomorrow and try it out. I will post my results and some photos.

 

If my plan works, this will be a pretty simple and fairly inexpensive machine to be built.

 

Bill

[robnbill]

Well I built the serving machine. If anyone is interested in it, I have the link to the thread in the tools section below. It was a fun diversion from the rigging and one that will pay off as I start working on the shrouds. Now back to working on the single blocks.

 

Bill

 

 

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/5980-serving-machine-from-scratch/#entry173206

[mort stoll]

Hi Bill,

 

Get Peterssons book on rigging a British Frigate.  That is my only regret with my Connie rigging. The Mamoli plans are great but I did not sieze any of the schrouds or stays. I am using the book for my Snake and will for all of my builds to come.

 

Mort

[robnbill]

Thanks Mort. I will look the book up now.

[robnbill]

Today I concentrated on completing the stropping and seizing of the canon blocks. This done, I started working on threading the blocks alternating the right hand block sets with the left hand ones. My current plans are to complete the threading of all the cannon blocks then start working on mounting the cannons. Chuck was kind enough to review my configuration and told me my plan for coiling the blocks and tied around the middle would not be accurate since I also had the cannons rolled out into the firing position. I will instead coil the lines neatly on the deck, but not as neat as a Flemish coil.

[kruginmi]

Bill, great build - keep the pictures coming!  Just one thing - throw a tool or two out of place on your bench, maybe an errant piece of wood or some paper.  Way too clean.  Love the Connie.  -mark

[robnbill]

Bill, great build - keep the pictures coming!  Just one thing - throw a tool or two out of place on your bench, maybe an errant piece of wood or some paper.  Way too clean.  Love the Connie.  -mark

 

 

Kruginmi - That is sooooo funny! Talk about a photo only shows what you want to show. I spent most of yesterday cleaning up the shop. As I move into the rigging I found my bench was so messy I would put something down and be unable to find it without searching. So I realized the peg board was made up of holes so I could easily rearrange it. So that is what I did yesterday. I moved some tools into cabinets and other tools out in front where I could reach them quicker.

 

I was thinking yesterday (as I did this), when I built the shop out, it was designed with furniture and other large items in mind. So all the tools are full size. However over the course of the build to date, I have used everything in the shop to one extent or another. Including the 8in jointer when I was taking down a chunk of Mahogany to make the mounting base. 

 

My woodworking hobby has consistently moved toward smaller and more detailed so ship building seems a natural occurring outgrowth of what I enjoy. Thanks for visiting the log. I will keep putting photos out there. Since I was just stropping and seizing blocks, there really wasn't much to take photos of.

Edited March 27, 2014 by robnbill

[robnbill]

I worked on my configuration of the cannon rigging today. I measured the lengths of the sets needed to get to the bulkhead. I do not see anyway I can use hooks on the innermost sets since the cannons are all the way out so the sets are pretty short. However, I do think I will be able to use hooks on the outermost sets. Since these are also the most visible, I think this would look good. I set up a cannon set today and plan on trying the install tomorrow. I will take photos.

 

If this works it will set the pace for the other sets and I will go back to do the first one I installed.

 

Bill

[robnbill]

The last couple of days have been spent primarily on trying to come up with a satisfactory method for rigging the cannon. I believe I now have my method down. First I take the rigged block sets. For the outermost sets (these go to the stern of the carriage, I use a ring on one and and a hook on the other. Seizing the hardware to the lines adds too much bulk to the fittings. The blocks are already seized to the stropping threads. Seizing the rings and or hooks, make them large. I decided to try the same technique I used in making the hangers for the spar foot ropes. I tie the strops around a nail and apply CA. Then I cut off the extraneous thread leaving a small ring. This is what I put the brass hardware in (either the ring or the hook). For the innermost block sets, I use this technique on the bulkhead rings. For the cannon carriage, I thread the strops directly through the holes in the carriage and CA the knots there.

 

I use epoxy to glue the cannon to the deck, then apply a thinned down version of the white glue to stiffen the ropes to allow me to loop them on the deck. I use a small nail set to wrap these around since it is tapered so once the rope is wrapped, I can push it off with tweezers and position it on the deck. Then I add a small amount of CA to hold the loops in place on the deck.

 

I also tried my hand at carving with the rotary tool based upon Bill Short's carving techniques. I took some fairly fine grained wood that I had and cut it down to about 5 x 5 x 5mm. I glued these to a small piece of wood to stabilize them. I used the .5mm ball to carve a semblance of the cat face. Since the wood was not really suitable it was creating a lot of fuzz so I added a drop of CA to the face of it and let it dry. This hardened up the wood sufficiently to complete the carving.

 

Once carved, I used a #11 Xacto blade to slice the face off, trim it to the 4x4mm size and glued this to the end of the cathead on the ship. I painted it gold. I tried adding the details of the back in black and white (per the Constitution photos) but it was too small to really show well. All gold still shows the face well. 

 

 

[robnbill]

One of the issues I have had with the kit was it did not contain enough cannonballs to fill the racks per the plan. Mamoli's balls were metal but were also not consistent in size - ranging from 1.6 to 1.9ish mm. When I started looking for additional balls I ordered the 1/16" balls from Model Expo. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, they had equipment issues and could not produce the balls. These were acrylic but they were all I could find. In the meantime, I found Chrome steel ball bearings in both 1/16th and 2mm sizes on Amazon. I ordered these.

 

I found the 1/16th balls to be too small. The 2mm look within the range of the Mamoli balls. To blacken them I tried a couple of things. I first just put a test set into the blackening solution straight from the bag. Even with full strength solution it did nothing to the finish. Either the finish or possibly a protective coating on the balls kept them from reacting with the solution. Anyone want to sand very tiny cannonballs? Not me!

 

Instead I took my handy dandy micro torch out and flashed a couple of test balls to red hot. Then after cooling, put them into a 50% solution of the blackening agent. This worked well. So now I have the full compliment of cannonballs in the racks. This is what I ordered from Amazon - 2mm Diameter Chrome Steel Bearing Balls G25 Ball Bearings VXB Brand.

 

Yesterday I completed installing two more cannon. This makes 5 in total or 25% of the spar deck's compliment. Today I am working on threading the remaining blocks to complete the remaining cannon.

Edited March 21, 2014 by robnbill

[robnbill]

This morning I reassembled the cannon and touched up the paint. I have everything staged not to start the final push on the cannon installations. I wonder if anyone has input on the bow chasers. It appears from the AOS, that these were rigged with a single set of blocks on each side, the breeching line and a stern block and tackle set running somewhere. I like that, but am wondering where to attach the deck end of the blocks. I assume these could be under the forward mast fife rails or would it be into the base of the mast?

 

Anyway, I have time to do more research before I get to them so anyone's input is welcome.

 

Here is the set up for my canon rigging preparations. Each of the Altoids tins has the blocks threaded into left or right sets. 

[mort stoll]

Hi Bill,

 

I put mine by the fife rails. That was I thought the most logical placement.

 

Keep up the great work,

Mort

[robnbill]

Thanks Mort. 

[robnbill]

So I made great progress on the cannons today. I finished working on the block sets. I made all the rings and hooks and attached them to the sets. I also attached all of the training tackles (innermost sets). The gun tackles have been created and the hooks attached. The breeching lines were threaded through the breeching rings and the bulkhead rings attached to the ends. 

 

Now I need to start attaching them to the bulkheads.

 

Another area I made progress on today was planning for the ship's boats. After reading through the literature, I am planning on making 4 boats. The two quarter gallery boats will be 30 foot whaleboats, the stern boat will be the 28 foot Captain's Gig. The Boat in the main hatch cradle will be the 34 foot launch.

 

I have plans for building and planking boats from the Cutty Sark (thanks Mort) as well as an old plan given to me years ago. I was able to scan the ship's boat plans from the AOS, and will use the cross body lines to shape and cut the forms to create the planking forms for the boats. I used my spreadsheet to calculate how big the actual boats should be based on the scale and printed the scanned drawings with an 18.5% enlargement. This equated to printouts exactly the scale I require for the ship. So I should be able to take these and the plans I received from Mort on the Cutty Sark boats and create plans for scale boats.

 

Any thoughts on the boats I have selected? There are so many different boats that have been used on the Constitution and the 1812 configuration had more than just the 4. Are the the best choices? I do not want to stack the extra boats on the main hatch like they did when they had more than 4.

[mort stoll]

One persons opinion and not being an expert on this topic,  the 4 boats you plan on making seem fine.

Mort 

[robnbill]

Thanks Mort. FYI, I received the Lennarth Petersson  "Rigging Period Ship Models" today. You were right in how great the book is. It is out of print. I was able to find a new copy on EBay. 

 

Today I was able to install all of the starboard cannons (with the exception of the bow chaser). I still need to coil the lines on a number of them, but I am making progress. Now that I have the rigging book, once I complete the ship boats, I will start working on the rigging.

 

I have a question regarding the deck cannons. I have not found anything on recommendations for putting the various tools the crew used in loading and tamping the cannons. I see the various tools listed in the AOS. Should I plan on making some of these and putting them around the deck, or is there a place they would be stored on the spar deck or should I just ignore them all together? Anyone?

 

Bill

Edited March 26, 2014 by robnbill

[CaptainSteve]

Bill,

With regards your boats - and certainly NOT trying to blow my own trumpet in any way - but I recently finished building the four for my own Connie build. If you are interested, then please feel free to check them out here.

At the least, they may give you some tips on what NOT to do.

Edited March 26, 2014 by CaptainSteve

[robnbill]

Wow, by my count you did around 50 boats all said and done. You did an amazing job on them. I am in awe.  I have a lot of ground to cover to get anywhere close to your boats. Luckily for me, since your Connie will be in Perth and mine will be in Chantilly VA, (Just outside Washington DC), no one will ever get to see the beauty of your work next to my ham handed attempts.

 

You have geven me loads to work with.

Bill

[robnbill]

I reached a milestone today. I completed the installation and rigging of all of the starboard cannons. Afterward, I touched up the deck a bit with the matte clear coat since both the CA and Epoxy are shiny. Hopefully the Port side will go a bit faster now that I do not have new ground to cover. I started rigging the canon on March 6th. So 20 days for 10 cannon. Hmmm... 2 days per cannon. It doesn't seem like it took that long but much of the time was spent working out exactly how I was going to rig them and batching the rigging. 

 

We shall see how the next 10 go.

 

Anyway, much work still ahead.

 

Bill

Edited March 26, 2014 by robnbill

[patrickmil]

Bill, your Constitution looks great! The 24-pounder and carronades look awesome. Great job with the rigging on them.

[robnbill]

I completed all of the cannons today. There was a huge learning curve in these. Learning the best technique to attach them to the ship. What tools worked best, what order to attach the lines in etc. I also spent a great deal of the time getting everything staged ahead once I knew exactly how I was going to rig them. So the first 10 took 20 days, the last 10, two days.  At least to install, they also had a lot of pre work done on them, rigging painting etc prior to the install.

 

Now on to the ships boats. For comparison purposes, I placed the blank for the ship's launch in the cradle where it would be. As I mentioned previously, I do not intend to use these blanks, but rather to build the boats from scratch.  We shall see what challenges these have in store for me.

 

Thanks to Mort, Chuck, and all of you who looked in and gave me feedback on getting to this stage. I am proud of the way it has turned out to date and am looking forward to starting on the boats.

 

Bill