Constitution by patrickmil - Model Shipways - 1/76th

[patrickmil]

Tim, I have been looking in on builds for the last several months but haven't really committed to commenting on them, LOL. I will begin building again soon with the typical Ohio cool down. I'm doing just fine but have been very busy with other projects and family time during the warm summer. I appreciate you dropping in though.

[Guest Tim I.]

Glad to hear! My Constitution build is probably shuttered until next year, as we are currently in the process of purchasing a new home and selling our existing one.

 

- TIm

[Trussben]

Hey Patrick,

 

Yeh the cool down in our area is nice and portends some extra modeling time.

 

Ben

[patrickmil]

Okay, so the shipyward has reopened because it has cooled down considerably and I am now stuck inside during my free time. I will be posting an update later on tonight after I finish up with a couple of last pieces. Trust me it's not that big of an update. I'm writing this to hopefully trick some of our Constitution historians into divulging some information or thoughts on a deck planking plan. The instructions don't show a margin plank and in fact mention that nibbing is not needed on the decks. I find it odd though and wanted to see if anybody knew if this was the case early on for Constitution. I have studied Evan's decks on his model and I like the way it looks and history seems to support what he did with his interlocking planks. So, was there a margin plank and was the rest of the decking nibbed? Should I go with a three or four butt pattern? I'm still looking into online sources as I have exhausted what my books have.

[NMBROOK]

Good to hear your back 'at it' Patrick Sorry I can't help with your deck planking,Connie is far too 'new' for my area of knowledge

 

Kind Regards

 

Nigel

[texxn5]

Hi Patrick, good to see you back. You might refer to Jay, (modeler12) I think his log is complete and he really built an outstanding model of Conny. He really documented his work thoroughly. Also, Henry (popeye2sea) is a former crew member as well as member of the 1812 Marine Association, and gives VIP tours of Conny. He knows that ship inside and out and is a great source of info. Hope this helps.

John

[patrickmil]

Nigel and John, thanks for looking in after such a long break. Here are a couple of photographs of work I completed today. The starboard timberheads and knightheads. This area isn't complete yet though. I also got most of the starboard gundeck waterway shaped and put in place. I had to tear apart the stern framing I had installed up to this point as the more I compared it to pictures the more it didn't look right. Back to the drawing board on that area.

[augie]

Good to see you back at it Patrick.

[popeye the sailor]

good to see you back at it Patrick.........looks very good 

[patrickmil]

Augie and Popeye, thanks for looking in guys. It's been a while so I'm chomping at the bit to get some real work accomplished.

 

By the way, everything I have looked at online is showing deck planking without a margin plank and nibbing. I think I'm going to go with what I'm seeing and figure in a little artistic license as there isn't any 100% record of these details I'm sweating over.

Edited December 14, 2014 by patrickmil

[texxn5]

Looks good Patrick.

[GLakie]

Hi Patrick:   I've been watching from the wings so-to-speak and am also glad you started back at it. I'll be starting my MS Connie in a few months, and like your approach so far. Hope you don't mind my "peaking in" once-in-a-while.

 

Cheers 

[Guest Tim I.]

Looking good!

 

Glad to see you back in your shipyard.

 

- Tim

[patrickmil]

George, the more the merrier! I'll probably be borrowing off of your log after you pass me up, LOL! Tim, glad you still have the patience to look in on this log. By the way, again I'll probably go with examples of other well known ships of the period (or use artistic license  ), but you wouldn't happen to have any information on what color the interior of Connie was on her gundeck would you?

Edited December 14, 2014 by patrickmil

[Sjors]

Nice to see you back Patrick !!!!!!

 

Sjors

[patrickmil]

Thanks for stopping by Sjors!

[patrickmil]

I had torn off the stern framing I had installed up to this point because it didn't look right. I figured out what I didn't like. The drawings I had (compliments of Russ) that were drawn by William Bass of Constitution's earliest decorations and configuration weren't drawn with the anticipation to adapting to Model Shipway's model. I took the drawings and crossed them with the drawings out of the AOTS book and decided that I was going make a hybrid of the two concepts and hand draw these into copies of my plans. Here's what I have so far. Please point out if what you think if you feel like commenting. There will be more drawings to come and I will gladly share these (when complete) with other forum members.

 

The two pictures here show what I started with and what I came up with for the upright stern frame pieces if the frigate were cut down the center line.

[Guest Tim I.]

I had torn off the stern framing I had installed up to this point because it didn't look right. I figured out what I didn't like. The drawings I had (compliments of Russ) that were drawn by William Bass of Constitution's earliest decorations and configuration weren't drawn with the anticipation to adapting to Model Shipway's model. I took the drawings and crossed them with the drawings out of the AOTS book and decided that I was going make a hybrid of the two concepts and hand draw these into copies of my plans. Here's what I have so far. Please point out if what you think if you feel like commenting. There will be more drawings to come and I will gladly share these (when complete) with other forum members.

 

The two pictures here show what I started with and what I came up with for the upright stern frame pieces if the frigate were cut down the center line.

 

Patrick,

 

That is a good idea. I have shelved my Constitution build because of issues like this. I look forward to seeing your solution.

 

- Tim

[GLakie]

Hi Patrick,
 
As like Tim, I'll be watching with interest for your solution.
 
Cheers 

[patrickmil]

This is my plan on how many and where those redesigned stern frame pieces will be placed. I've also taken measurements on the width of the bulkheads at the gundeck level and I will be reshaping bulkheads P through R to accommodate. The green pieces are the stern timbers and the blue pieces are the beams to hold it all together at the gundeck level. The rest of this will be drawn up in written plans after I get the new stern in place and get the waterways in place.

[patrickmil]

Here are five of the seven total stern timbers cut out. These are the center five. The two most outboard timbers are shorter. These five are supposed to be 7/32" thick so I had to laminate two 1/8" pieces per timber. They need their final thickness sanding, notched for the deck beams and then they get their final dimensions and get installed.

 

Please please please please, feel free to jump in with comments if something doesn't look right.

[GLakie]

"Please please please please, feel free to jump in with comments if something doesn't look right."

They look good to me Patrick, and it seems like you have a good handle on it.  I wish I could offer advice, constructive criticism, or anything else, but I'm afraid you're blazing new trails with this design because, so far, I haven't found any build that's attempted this yet. I am definitely interested in the era you are building though since there are no really definitive paintings or drawings. I think you're doing a well thought out and bang up job Patrick, and like we used to say out on the job sites when things looked a bit shaky---------No Juevos---No Blue-Chips!  

 

Cheers   

[fletch944t]

Hi Patrick,

 

I presume you're doing this because you're interested in fully modeling the Captain's quarters? If so, I knew that I was going to be headed in this direction but, I had no idea how I was going to get there. Now I do. Thanks for this.

 

Fletch

[patrickmil]

George, thanks for the positive comments. Fletch, in fact I will do my best to fully model the entire gundeck including the Captain's quarters. Hopefully this won't be a build log on how not to do it.

[fletch944t]

That's just beautiful Patrick. I too plan to fully model the entire gun deck. And, of course it's something we have to do very early on in the build. That's one of the reasons I started working on the 24 lb long guns so early.

 

Again, I like the way you're handling the framing for the Captain's Quarters. And, I'll be watching closely as I'm interested to see how you're going to do the overhead framing in that area (i.e. the support for the spar deck). I was thinking of doing something similar to the framing you're doing except including the overhead framing as an integral part of the individual frames. However, I don't know if that's feasible.

 

I'm guessing that on the sides of each of the outside frames you're going to shape a small filler block for the undersides of the quarter galleries?

 

It's looking great so far. Keep up the good work.

 

Fletch

Edited December 19, 2014 by fletch944t

[patrickmil]

Fletch, I've got some filler blocks to make, that's for sure. I think I'm going to make regular filler blocks for below the stern's framing for now so I can get to the planking to strengthen everything. I plan on this order: 1) Basic stern framing 2) Waterways and decking 3) Hull planking 4) Gunports and galleries.

 

I'm still toying with the idea of interior lighting. I think it would look cool to see at night time. I have decided that I will completely plank the deck and any detail would have to be viewed through windows. "Why bother then?" you ask. To practice for future scratch builds with non-planked hulls.

[fletch944t]

Well. I wouldn't be one of the ones asking why bother? I too am looking at interior lights. From my perspective, if you model the Captain's and Commodore's quarters leaving both sets of doors open, you could see a lot of detail on the gun deck through the stern windows - especially if the gun deck is illuminated. So, proceed on.

[patrickmil]

Thanks for the likes and encouragement! It really helps. There are pictures tonight! Woohooooo!!!!

 

I took a picture of an early Christmas gift. The Proxxon table circular saw will be incredibly useful in getting those perfectly cut pieces of wood (ie. planking)

 

The other pictures are of the three stern timbers I have mounted so far. They may not look like much but I'm incredibly proud of designing my own pieces and fitting them onto my ship like they were perfectly cut puzzle pieces. My measurements are lining up well and things are falling (snugly) into place.

 

Tonight's post is brought to you by Led Zeppelin and Kenny Loggins.

[GLakie]

She's looking great Patrick! Fine piece of design work. Pretty nice Christmas present.  I do about the same thing when I work, by plugging in a few Clapton or CSN&Y CD's. 

 

Cheers and Happy Holidays to you and yours! 

Edited December 23, 2014 by GLakie

[lb0190]

Hi Patrick,

I finally made time to look at your log and what an impressive build. It looks very challenging but your making great progress. Now if Sjors will share the popcorn I'll sit in and watch your Connie come to life.