USF CONSTELLATION by toms10 - FINISHED - Artesania Latina - scale 1:85 - first wooden build

[toms10]

The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter!   Finished the main mast sails and rigging along with the braces for the fore mast yards.  Mizzen is next in line.  Then have to make 127 rope loops for the belaying pins.

 

 

[mtaylor]

You are close to the end, Tom.   Looking very good with her sails billowed out.

[Jparsley]

Wow she is looking good nearly there Are you planning your next one yet

[toms10]

Thanks all for the likes and comments.

 

Jparsley, I am starting to look at different builds.  I like the San Juan Nepomucemo but I am far from deciding.  I was also looking at a scratch build Pandora or maybe the Triton on MSW but I don't think I am quite ready.  I don't have all the mini saws and tools yet and not sure if I want to invest in tools or model kits.  The money tree is not producing much fruit!    I am going to build a case for the Constellation. I drew up some plans to build a narrow table with some drawers underneath and then a lit glass enclosure with wood trimmed corners.  I have an "office" in my house which may need to be redecorated with a nautical theme.  It's a pretty big model so finding a space where it gets a lot of views is a challenge.

 

I have several other furniture projects that have been on the burner for a while so I will do those before I start another model.  Otherwise they will be on the burner forever.

 

Tom

[Jparsley]

I hope you get those projects done soon   i want to keep looking at your beautiful ships   to you have done a great job   your build has inspired me to make mine look even better than i thought i could   you should be very proud of her and please put her in a spot where everyone entering your house can view her and be amazed

[Jparsley]

I have to say my friend your figuring out the rigging is a wonder Having some fun trying to figure mine out getting the rigging book you suggested I am still amazed how your girl is looking can't wait to see all the pretty detailed photos of her hint hint close ups of everything lol

[toms10]

Thanks to all for the likes/comments.

 

I got a little closer to the finish line this weekend but it still at least couple of weeks away.  The mizzen sails and almost all the yard braces are in place.

 

Still need to:

1) Attach the spanker sail to the gaff and boom and then run the rigging.

2) Coil up 127 loops of rope for the belaying pins

3) Run the colors!  I didn't care too much for the supplied flag so I printed some jpeg images on a piece of cloth with an inkjet plotter and they came out pretty nice.  Working in an engineering office with nice printers has its advantages.  I also found out the the supplied flag is technically wrong.  It should have 15 stars and 15 strips (not 13) according to the Flag Act of 1794.  They went back to the 13 stripes pretty quickly however when more states joined the union and they could not add a stripe as well as a star for each state. Since I am constructing "my" 1797 version I am going with 15/15.

 

Tom

 

[thomaslambo]

Tom,

 

Beautiful work...love the way the sails hang 

[Jparsley]

Nice tom Great eye for detail noticing the inconsistency with the flag I have no way of making a new one so I'll have to figure something else out How did you get the sails to hang like that it looks great I am excited for you my friend She looks great

[toms10]

Tom, thanks for the kind comment.

 

Jeff,  the clew lines pull up on the bottom corners of the sails and give them a somewhat billowed effect.  The instructions do not include them but with a little help from my MSW friends and some period rigging ship books they added a nice look.  The down side is you have to add 2 belaying pins per sail and that totally changes the belaying pin layout.  I guess that is where the "kit bashing" part comes in! 

 

Tom

[Jparsley]

Nice So did you have to add pins or were there enough in the kit I'll have to look up clew lines

[toms10]

No, I needed to buy pins.  I also needed to reconfigure the belaying pin racks (added a few).  It pretty much meant tossing out the pin layout in the instructions and going through several of my own until I got all the lines to keep from crossing themselves when bringing them down to the pins.  The inventory of the kit was a bit disappointing.  It was short blocks, pins, parrel beads and many other small components.  The kit requires some "enhancements" but gave a small hint about scratch building which definitely looks interesting... once you invest in all the tools.

Tom

[Jparsley]

I've thought about wanting to scratch build for the simple fact is your right the kits lack I would like to use higher quality pieces and wood next go around Did you place bunt lines along with your clew lines or just the clews Can you show me how you set up the rigging on let's say your main sail course yard

[toms10]

No, I found out bunt lines were not used until the early nineteenth century.  I will see if I can draw up a sketch and post it.  The only thing different from the instructional diagrams is adding a single block on the yard for each clew line.  The block is positioned near the outer ends for the royal and gallant sails and at about the midway point between the mast and the end of the yard for the top and course sails.  The fun comes in when you need to figure out where on your boat to put the pins and tie off the lines.

Tom

[Jparsley]

What I've read is that the clew lines ran down the inside of the shrouds passed through the wood rail above the upper dead eyes and tied to the pin rack does that make sense

[toms10]

Jeff,  that is pretty much how I understood it and how I did it.  On the course sails I went under the bottom ratline directly to the belaying pin because the block on the yard was out past the hull of the ship.  Again, I don't think there really is a correct pattern.  If it makes sense and looks good then it should be fine.  I tried to picture myself tying and untying each line as if I was on the ship.  If it didn't get tangled or twisted with another line or put a bend in one when they intersected then it was good.... rigging according to Captain Tom.

[Jparsley]

Sounds like a great and doable plan

[toms10]

Tom, thanks for the compliment.

 

Jeff, the sails naturally want to curl on the bottom with the addition of the clew lines.  The clews pull up the corners and the sheet lines keep the bottom corners on the same plane with the yard.  The result is the sails move forward and stay curled as you see in my pics.  The larger ones tend to hang straighter because of their weight.  I may play around with some material stiffner and try to get the big ones to billow more but I really don't want to mess with them... I am afraid.  I have seen some sails on MSW that are ridiculously real looking.  Maybe on the the next one.

 

Finished the spanker sail and started putting on the rope loops on the belaying pins.  Looking back I probably should have done the ropes as I tied off each line of rigging.  The loops are made on a little pin fixture I made up and then glued to the pin racks to give the illusion of actually being tied.  Now I have to weave my way through the rigging lines to place the loops.  Not impossible but it does make it harder in the areas with a lot of lines which is pretty much everywhere.  Once the loops (about 127 or so) are put in place I believe I can call it finished.

 

Almost forgot,  I also need to go to the local trophy shop and get a name plaque made up to put on the base.  Then on to the case build.

[Jparsley]

Wow tom such a beautiful ship I am proud to have been able to follow this build Other than learning with you I've also seen a transformation of a few scraps of wood turn into a majestic ship congrats my friend

[toms10]

Jeff,

You are too kind.  It has been a rewarding journey.  Your Constellation is coming along quite nicely.  You should be proud.  I am not sure what ship I will build next or when I will start it.  I have been leaning toward the San Juan Napocumeno but I am not sure I want to do two AL kits in a row.  They all seem to be pretty much the same but the price for this one isn't bad.  I don't want to drop a ton of money on the next kit but I am a believer you pretty much get what you pay for. At least I hope so.   I am not confident I can do a scratch build yet but it is not out of the question.  I just see it taking forever and I don't have all the tools yet.  I don't plan on another build for months (too many other projects to finish) so I have time to think about it.

Tom

[Jparsley]

Well when you decide to get back on the ship train Please let me know I would love to follow along

[mtaylor]

Tom,

 

Shipshape and Bristol Fashion.  Looks great and I love the sails.

[toms10]

Wow, this build log is now at an end... I never thought it would happen.  I kept a work journal and the final tally for the actual working time (not counting research) was 785 hours over 13 1/2 months.  I can no longer use the excuse it is my first wooden ship build!  Good thing it is only a hobby or that would really put the pressure on!     Here are a couple of pics of the final product.  I will have more pics in the completed kit section.

 

 

Thank you all for your help, support and kind words.  This would not have been possible with out MSW.  Now on to building a case and thinking about which ship to build next.   I will  post some pics of the case and the "final resting place" for my Constellation when I get to that point.

 

In the mean time I will be following and learning from everyone here.  Thank you again and happy modelling.

Tom

[Jack12477]

Tom, very nicely done.  I especially like the set of the sails. Excellent job. Congratulations on finishing it. I will definitely be using your build as a reference when I start my AL Constellation.

[thomaslambo]

Congratulations on a great build...I'll be looking forward to your next voyage 

[mtaylor]

Congratulations, Tom.  That isn't an easy kit and it was a 1st kit to boot.  It looks super.

[Jparsley]

Tom Great job She looks like the real deal I am glad I was able to follow your build Can't wait to see her final birthing You did an amazing job

[toms10]

Jack, Boyd, Mark and Jeff,

Thanks for the comments and support along the way.

 

And thanks to everyone for all the likes and following my build.

Tom

Edited January 1, 2016 by toms10

[donrobinson]

Beautiful build, congratulations!!  

[davec]

congratulations on finishing.  beautiful work!

 

Dave