I can never find these links when I'm on my phone. But somewhere at ships of scale there's an index of builds. If you find that, you can search the USS Constitution, and look around to see which ones suit your needs.
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USS Constitution - Model Shipways
- Thread starter Der Alte Rentner
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- Watchers 21
Welcome to our little "community" of USS Constitution builders on Ships of Scale! Almost all of us, whether we are working on the Model Shipways version, the BlueJacket version, the Mantua version, or a scratch-build, follow and support each other either here on SoS or on other build log sites (if not multiple). So, you are in good company! And may I ask in your next post that you tell us what you prefer to be called in replies? Identifying you as "Mr. Grunt" just doesn't sound appropriate! <shrug> lol
As Peter (Der Alte Renter) pointed out, you can do a search for USS Constitution on the main page, but another unique feature of this website is, for whatever topic you are on, if you scroll down to the bottom of the page, you see a bunch of related topics on other posts. So, if you look at the bottom of this page, you will see similar threads related to the USS Constitution in one form or another, including the build logs of many of those folks I mentioned in the first paragraph.
As to your desire to build the Constitution as her roughly 1812 version, excellent decision! I am also building her as close as I can to its Cmdr Isaac Hull version. There were a couple of completed build logs done on the Model Ship World site, but since the crash a few weeks ago, those are all gone, unfortunately. I haven't looked deeply here on SoS, but may look into that myself at some point. I am pretty early on in my build, as well, as I am just to the point of framing gunports and will soon begin the hull planking.
Let us know when you begin your build and create your log here! Have fun!
One of them at least is back. Thanks to Jon, XKen's build log is back up at MSW. To my knowledge, that's the only completed USS Constitution build log available there. But if you're going to pick one to consult, that is the Mack Daddy of all build logs in terms of detail.
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Thanks, you're right, Mr. Grunt wouldn't be my preference.
"Rich" would be great, though you'd never know that from my signature. I suppose "grunt" would be OK as well.
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I can't seem to find Xken's log on MSW by searching "USS Constitution" or "Xken." Any suggestions? Thanks again!
Hey Rich! Thanks for your reply. Regarding the failed search for xken's build log, unfortunately Ken's build log, like everyone else's build logs, as well, was lost in the recent Model Ship World data breach and crash.
However, I just looked on MSW and it appears he is in the process of rebuilding his log. Here is the link - https://www.modelshipworld.com/topic/338-uss-constitution-by-xken-model-shipways/#comment-2704
Hey Peter, meant to ask you... what drill bit are you using to make the holes in this brass tubing? I recall Ken giving some advice on what types of bits are best to use for brass and have the info stored somewhere (I hope still!), but curious how you fared.
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Thanks very much Gregg!
I See that Gregg sent you a link. This one should take you to page one of his Constitution build repost. Your bases should now be covered on that front.
Welcome to the club!
Gregg,
I use the drills that came with pin vise kit. At Amazon, you can also order replacement bits for this set. A pack of ten sets costs about the same as this Craft911 kit.
I drilled the holes in the brass with a .68mm big from this kit. (Brass was clamped into a vise on the Proxxon mill, where the drilling was done.)
2026 July 15: Moving from experimentation to production?
The irons I made on July 10, ((you'll have to scroll back a page) were a proof of concept experiment. The problem is that the two experimental parts weren’t close enough to identical to one another for me to want use them. The connector between the arc and the cylinder was a bit too long, even on the shorter of the two.
Yes, I could have used them, and probably I’m the only one who would notice that the one of jibbooms would be slightly farther from the main yard than the other. But my thinking is that, moving forward for all the other yards, I needed fixtures to make sure that the jibbooms on both sides of a yard were fairly close to, as well as parallel to the yard.
So, I made a large scale sketch, which of course I forgot to photograph, and used that to make a pair of soldering fixtures. One for the single iron and elbow at the yard arm end, and another for the pair of cylinders that are several inches in from the end of the yards. Fortunately, I noticed that the layout for the former was captured in the picture of the pin vise in the previous post.
There's a 4 mm hole drilled into the board. 8mm to the right of the center of that hole is a hole the diameter of the brass rod I will bend. A dowel will be pressed into the hole that is the same diameter as the inside diameter of the smaller cylinder. A 0.5mm spacer (scrap wood), will rest between the cylinder and where the elbow will be inserted into the hole. My next visit to the shipyard will be to deal with that process for the main yard.
Here's part of the setup I used to remake the inboard "irons".
The fixture with the three parts staged.
Flux and solder chunk added..
After applying heat (using American Beauty tweezer style RSU). Ugly...
There's quite a bit of cleanup required, but ultimately we arrived at the finished product.
I wish I could achieve the same result without solder, but I just don't think epoxy will do the job. So, this process, like so many others in the build so far, is going to take a while to complete.
The irons I made on July 10, ((you'll have to scroll back a page) were a proof of concept experiment. The problem is that the two experimental parts weren’t close enough to identical to one another for me to want use them. The connector between the arc and the cylinder was a bit too long, even on the shorter of the two.
Yes, I could have used them, and probably I’m the only one who would notice that the one of jibbooms would be slightly farther from the main yard than the other. But my thinking is that, moving forward for all the other yards, I needed fixtures to make sure that the jibbooms on both sides of a yard were fairly close to, as well as parallel to the yard.
So, I made a large scale sketch, which of course I forgot to photograph, and used that to make a pair of soldering fixtures. One for the single iron and elbow at the yard arm end, and another for the pair of cylinders that are several inches in from the end of the yards. Fortunately, I noticed that the layout for the former was captured in the picture of the pin vise in the previous post.
There's a 4 mm hole drilled into the board. 8mm to the right of the center of that hole is a hole the diameter of the brass rod I will bend. A dowel will be pressed into the hole that is the same diameter as the inside diameter of the smaller cylinder. A 0.5mm spacer (scrap wood), will rest between the cylinder and where the elbow will be inserted into the hole. My next visit to the shipyard will be to deal with that process for the main yard.
Here's part of the setup I used to remake the inboard "irons".
The fixture with the three parts staged.
Flux and solder chunk added..
After applying heat (using American Beauty tweezer style RSU). Ugly...
There's quite a bit of cleanup required, but ultimately we arrived at the finished product.
I wish I could achieve the same result without solder, but I just don't think epoxy will do the job. So, this process, like so many others in the build so far, is going to take a while to complete.
That's mighty impressive fabrication, Peter. If you are into chemicals there is a pickling compound you can use to lighten the load on cleanup. You can find it on Amazon: SPAREX No 2. It works better if the resultant solution is heated. By no means do I think this is necessary to achieve a nice result - but I do enjoy spending other people's money.
Nice! Thanks for that info, Peter! It's always difficult for me to find quality bits that work well going through brass without snapping. I recall reading a response Ken made to Jon way back in a 2017 thread where he mentioned locating an industrial tool supplier in your local area and using a cutting fluid, as well. So, was interested in what you had success with. Appreciate the response!
I had to do some digging. But will try pickling, super pickling and finish off with a vinegar/salt bath. I don't think tumbling in steel pins is going to be an option..
These are the largest of the parts. Sanding even smaller ones will be a royal PITA.
Thanks for the suggestion.
I've decided to depart from the Bob Hunt practicum yet again, specifically as it relates to the irons at the ends of the yardarms. Instead I will follow Mustafa's lead and keep it simple.
All that will go at the end of the Yards are these.
This is the setup I used to do the soldering for the above.
Thank you Paul for the suggestion on trying pickling agents. I've experimented with three. The only one I haven't tried yet is the one I'm waiting on the sodium bisulfate to do. I've tried vinegar and salt, citric acid and water, and acetone. All three do a credible job of removing most of the debris. All leave a copper cast. I'm hoping the bisodium sulfate will do the trick going forward. But the elbow grease to achieve the above results wasn't terribly bad.
I ran out of Shipyard time today, so it didn't mount the irons to the main yard. But here are the twins that will be positioned on the inboard side of the Yards.
Note, that's not one iron. It's the pair stacked one on top of the other.
In parting, here's a tip for anyone who plans to follow my lead on the soldering fixture. Use boxwood, not Basswood. I had to turn the dowels on the lathe to the exact diameter of the inside of the brass cylinders. Basswood disintegrates on the lathe. I will never use Basswood again for anything as long as I live. Boxwood, on the other hand, is beautiful to work with.
All that will go at the end of the Yards are these.
This is the setup I used to do the soldering for the above.
Thank you Paul for the suggestion on trying pickling agents. I've experimented with three. The only one I haven't tried yet is the one I'm waiting on the sodium bisulfate to do. I've tried vinegar and salt, citric acid and water, and acetone. All three do a credible job of removing most of the debris. All leave a copper cast. I'm hoping the bisodium sulfate will do the trick going forward. But the elbow grease to achieve the above results wasn't terribly bad.
I ran out of Shipyard time today, so it didn't mount the irons to the main yard. But here are the twins that will be positioned on the inboard side of the Yards.
Note, that's not one iron. It's the pair stacked one on top of the other.
In parting, here's a tip for anyone who plans to follow my lead on the soldering fixture. Use boxwood, not Basswood. I had to turn the dowels on the lathe to the exact diameter of the inside of the brass cylinders. Basswood disintegrates on the lathe. I will never use Basswood again for anything as long as I live. Boxwood, on the other hand, is beautiful to work with.
I do not look forward to working with a drill bits and brass again as I have documented my failures endlessly with them on my log. I don't know what my plans are when I get to this point.
I have always preached using hardwood, i.e., boxwood, pearwood, etc. when fine detail, strength, and bare wood finish is required. However, if the wood surface is to be hidden by being covered i.e., hidden structural pieces, paint (decking or hull) or copper plate (hull), then by all means, use the cheaper wood.
Jon
I have always preached using hardwood, i.e., boxwood, pearwood, etc. when fine detail, strength, and bare wood finish is required. However, if the wood surface is to be hidden by being covered i.e., hidden structural pieces, paint (decking or hull) or copper plate (hull), then by all means, use the cheaper wood.
Jon
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Thanks for the heads up.
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hello. i am curious. what is the end goal of this process? is it to remove the burn stains?
That's right, Cap'n Jack. The pickling removes the leftover flux and really anything that's not solder and brass.
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good idea. I have always used a toothbrush for this purpose but it doesn`t really remove everything. It`s amazing what you can hide with paint. lol