Revell USS Constitution 1:96 build log

JohnB163 said:
When I joined this group I had started working on the USS Constitution made of wood. It was my first attempt at a wooded model. It was an old kit with badly hand cut parts. Everything went great until I got to the metal gun ports. Nothing lined up. I sanded the gun flush with the first layer of planking. It took me 4 month.
Now I am working on the Revell USS Constitution and the gun port are again giving me problems. Every time I start working the main deck I break off the gun port doors or the canons.
It seem like the super glues, Tamiya, and
Testors is having a tough time adhering to the plastic used in these old kits.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? If so we're you able to find a solution?0
Click to expand...
"Now I am working on the Revell USS Constitution and the gun port are again giving me problems. Every time I start working the main deck I break off the gun port doors or the canons."

You and me both!

"Testors is having a tough time adhering to the plastic used in these old kits.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?"

I built the Revell USS Constitution 42 years ago. The Testor's glue I used then may be different, using toluene as the solvent, and it seemed to stick to the sail plastic. I used a pin to punch holes near the edge of the sail, being careful not to rip a slot out of the edge, and tied lines to the clews for blocks and the head of the sail for attaching it to the yard. The sails were delicate. at the edges and could get torn free of the rigging if you're not careful. You may want to heat a pin with a torch and use the hot pin to pierce the holes. The hole will then be round, and not a straight tear in the plastic. Now that I learned Ohla's technique in cloth sails, I would never use plastic sails even again, and go with cloth since they are a bit more robust. It depends on what you are comfortable with.
 
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS said:
"Now I am working on the Revell USS Constitution and the gun port are again giving me problems. Every time I start working the main deck I break off the gun port doors or the canons."

You and me both!

"Testors is having a tough time adhering to the plastic used in these old kits.
Has anyone else experienced this problem?"

I built the Revell USS Constitution 42 years ago. The Testor's glue I used then may be different, using toluene as the solvent, and it seemed to stick to the sail plastic. I used a pin to punch holes near the edge of the sail, being careful not to rip a slot out of the edge, and tied lines to the clews for blocks and the head of the sail for attaching it to the yard. The sails were delicate. at the edges and could get torn free of the rigging if you're not careful. You may want to heat a pin with a torch and use the hot pin to pierce the holes. The hole will then be round, and not a straight tear in the plastic. Now that I learned Ohla's technique in cloth sails, I would never use plastic sails even again, and go with cloth since they are a bit more robust. It depends on what you are comfortable with.
Click to expand...
Thank you.
 
I have had it with the gun port covers and the lower canons.
I have decided to remove the main deck (the paint job is crappy anyway).
Remove all gun port covers all the canons.
I am going to buy several packages of wood strips 1x2x500 mm. Cover the lower deck so it looks like a deck (lightly stain). Then put the canons back, but not through the hull.
Then glue the gun port covers closed.
Re-assemble the main deck. Again use the wood strips to create a deck.
I don't think 1 mm in height will be very noticeable.
Finally I need a recommendation from the group for an adhesive that my work gluing this older kit.
 
I too built the USS Constitution back in 1970. I don't remembering having this many problems. I am sure you are correct that toluene was being used at that time.
 
Can you educate an old man?
When is says 1:96
It that one foot to 96 feet
One meter to 96 meters
One centimeter etc.
 
I have to tell this story before I pass away.
I was in Cuba when
Kennedy declared a blockade. I was station on fleet tugboat. Our job was to tow things. In
Cuba we towed targets for people to shoot at (and hoped they didn't shoot us).
We were armed with a world war two 3 inch 50. This was manually loaded and turned. At first they had us going back and forth at entrance to the harbor. Why I don't know. We had no sonor.
We we docked in the base we were the only ship in a rather long pier.
The officer of the deck was given a 45 pistol, but no bullets.
They stationed me at the beginning of the pier at the shore. They gave me a world war two helmet, a M1 rifle (no bullets), and a whistle.
My orders were if the Cubans came over the hill to blow my whistle.
I am so glad that our military has matured.
 
Making progress. Since I have been getting poor adhesion I decided to remove all the paint from the two decks. I realize when I put the wooden deck on these deck top will be hidden, but I am still concerned with the wood adhering to the plastic.
Do you all think 15 minute epoxy might work.
 
JohnB163 said:
Making progress. Since I have been getting poor adhesion I decided to remove all the paint from the two decks. I realize when I put the wooden deck on these deck top will be hidden, but I am still concerned with the wood adhering to the plastic.
Do you all think 15 minute epoxy might work.
Click to expand...
I have yet to see something where epoxy doesn't work, but it's messy and I don't think you can paint it. With the wooden cannons, I always put a pin in the bottom of the cannon frame and drill a small hole in the deck and then I glue the pin to the deck. I am not sure if I am making any sense, but I hope I am. Is there anyway you could do the same with the plastic cannons?
 
JohnB163 said:
Making progress. Since I have been getting poor adhesion I decided to remove all the paint from the two decks. I realize when I put the wooden deck on these deck top will be hidden, but I am still concerned with the wood adhering to the plastic.
Do you all think 15 minute epoxy might work.
Click to expand...

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Almost finish scrapping the paint off the gun deck. Wood strips on order Christmas will probably slow delivery. I have a lot of dust. I have used a small vacuum to remove the big pieces. Used compressed air to get rid of most of the dust, but I am going to have to put in the shower to clean it so my paint will adhere

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Hi John, I sent you the spare parts, remember. I am a little confused. Do you have two models? One plastic and one wood or are you trying to fuse some wood into a plastic model. The only photos I have seen of your models are all plastic of the hull, decks, etc. If it is a Revell from way back it is definitely plastic. I have a brand new one in my basement which I purchased from an old guy years ago for $20.00, plus two other hulls with various parts which someone attempted to build. That is where I found the parts you requested. I still am working on the same plastic model which was given me years ago. (Poor old ship is looking pretty good.) Then I found this sight and thought guys like these were museum people doing it for a living. Was I wrong! I did not know this sight existed and now it is what I do for fun.
How about skipping the glue to plastic deck and make a wood deck to pop in place of the plastic deck? Just a thought. Anyway, good luck and bye the way when you were in Cuba with no bullets, I was three years old.

Merry Christmas
 
Thank you for all the spare parts.
Yes I am working on two USS Constitions, one wood and the other is plastic.
The wood one was a poorly hand cut kit, but was going fairly good until I got to planking the bow it was not curved properly.
I thought I wood do a plastic. Again a lot of problems.
I have scraped all the paint on the gun deck and main deck. I plan to cover these with 1 mm planking.
Also plan to remove some of the planks on the wood one. Get the proper curve and finish the first layer of planking.
I received the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Cuba. The military decided it was a potential combat zone. So in their judgement it is a combat metal. I joined the VFW.
I am working with the VA to be buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery. I have a brother , uncle and first cousin buried there.
Since I am in Texas I have a lot of paperwork to gather.
Spent 20 years in the Naval Reserve 1960-1980.
Another 6 years in the Texas National Guard/ Army Reserves.
 
I think everyone knows I intend to put a wooden deck on my plastic USS Constitution. I need a recommendation: should I just use one long strip and make it look like the strip is cut (by drawing a dark line across it), or should I actually cut the strips? I bought two packages of 10-minute epoxy so I should get better adhesion.
 
JohnB163 said:
I have to tell this story before I pass away.
I was in Cuba when
Kennedy declared a blockade. I was station on fleet tugboat. Our job was to tow things. In
Cuba we towed targets for people to shoot at (and hoped they didn't shoot us).
We were armed with a world war two 3 inch 50. This was manually loaded and turned. At first they had us going back and forth at entrance to the harbor. Why I don't know. We had no sonor.
We we docked in the base we were the only ship in a rather long pier.
The officer of the deck was given a 45 pistol, but no bullets.
They stationed me at the beginning of the pier at the shore. They gave me a world war two helmet, a M1 rifle (no bullets), and a whistle.
My orders were if the Cubans came over the hill to blow my whistle.
I am so glad that our military has matured.
Click to expand...
My brother was on base security in Basrah, Iraq during the war. Has armed with an M-4 carbine containing an underslung grenade launcher.
He had one magazine with 30 rounds of 5.56mm ammo and no grenades, and they were routinely harassed by hit and run attacks using rockets.
The Army hasn't learned a goddamned thing.
 
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