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USS Constitution 1:70 Scratch

JSGerson said:
I'm on year 9 and haven't finished the spar deck! Slow and steady, and everyone else finishes before me! But it's not a race, it's a journey.

Jon
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I think your model looks spectacular. One can tell that it has been worked on for a long time

that's right its a journey. My problem is that I keep changing the scope of work all the time and add more stuff. I mean why would I want to put 1812 rigging on the MS version of the boat? Just because.
 
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Jack Sparrow said:
I think your model looks spectacular. One can tell that it has been worked on for a long time

that's right its a journey. My problem is that I keep changing the scope of work all the time and add more stuff. I mean why would I want to put 1812 rigging on the MS version of the boat? Just because.
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I took the easy route and decided to build the Constitution in its present-day form. The reason is that there are countless photos of the current version available online, and I’m making extensive use of them.
 
mtbediz1 said:
I took the easy route and decided to build the Constitution in its present-day form. The reason is that there are countless photos of the current version available online, and I’m making extensive use of them.
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A smart move Mustafa. I decided to make her as she was in 1812 and had no idea what a research project that would become. August marked 3 years for me. Hoping to finish in 6 or 7. We'll see
 
g8rfan99 said:
A smart move Mustafa. I decided to make her as she was in 1812 and had no idea what a research project that would become. August marked 3 years for me. Hoping to finish in 6 or 7. We'll see
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i am just using the 1812 rigging. Everything else is as the kit is designed. They should have kept the 1812 rigging on the real ship anyways, imho
 
I can't say enough to praise your craftsmanship.

I do have one question that has been lingering in my mind. Everytime I see the bow, I can't help wondering if you are going to add the white trailboard scroll work that defines the look of the ship. I believe at one point you stated that you hadn't decided or figured out how to properly apply the decoration. Had you decided to forgo this detail?

Jon
 
JSGerson said:
I can't say enough to praise your craftsmanship.

I do have one question that has been lingering in my mind. Everytime I see the bow, I can't help wondering if you are going to add the white trailboard scroll work that defines the look of the ship. I believe at one point you stated that you hadn't decided or figured out how to properly apply the decoration. Had you decided to forgo this detail?

Jon
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Thank you Jon. I’ll try to do the scrollwork on the trailboard last. For now, I don’t want to waste time on it. I don’t want to rush it and end up with a sloppy job.
 
Paul (Dockattner) showed me some precision cutters and files that I wish I had when I carved the scroll work. I did it the hard way with a rather difficult to use power scroll saw and some awful files. I haven't yet invested in his rotary carving bits, but I did buy the Grobet USA files (12 piece set, cut #2), and from the little that I've used them already to fine tune parts of the crosstrees, these would have made a huge difference in doing the scroll work.

You are correct that the MS plans do not use blocks for the royal yards. The halliard is simply attached via sling. Did you find it easier to incorporate a block then merely tie a sling?
 
Der Alte Rentner said:
You are correct that the MS plans do not use blocks for the royal yards. The halliard is simply attached via sling. Did you find it easier to incorporate a block then merely tie a sling?
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No, Peter, tying the sling was easier, but using a block looked more appealing to me visually. There is no other reason. :)
 
mtbediz1 said:
No, Peter, tying the sling was easier, but using a block looked more appealing to me visually. There is no other reason
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Fair enough... I did not find adding blocks to the yard all that easy, so will likely go with the slings - when I get there.

In the meantime, I'm now constructing crosstrees. I looked back to where you made yours in this build log, and have to ask. Is there any reason not to just glue the cheeks and crosstrees onto their respective mast segments right away?

I saw that you postponed adding the fighting tops to their trestles until after you had done some preliminary rigging, and I have the vague recollection that you cautioned me about holding off on another part in the installation of the fighting tops as well, but right now, I am wondering if I can go ahead and do some sub-assembly on the crosstrees while I'm handling them.

I think the only thing I need to worry about is getting the mast cap on (unglued) first. (and of course adding the sheaves at the bottom of the octagonal section of the mast). Yes?

I'm assuming that you provided for the mast angle when you installed the cheeks? Although, I just now checked the MS plans, and there does not seem to be an angle for these cheeks. The top edges are perpendicular to the mast. That can't be right. Or can it?

From your build log.
1789057018450.png
1789057061848.png
 
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Der Alte Rentner said:
In the meantime, I'm now constructing crosstrees. I looked back to where you made yours in this build log, and have to ask. Is there any reason not to just glue the cheeks and crosstrees onto their respective mast segments right away?
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No Peter, there’s really no reason not to glue the cheeks and crosstrees directly onto their mast segments right away.
Der Alte Rentner said:
I'm assuming that you provided for the mast angle when you installed the cheeks? Although, I just now checked the MS plans, and there does not seem to be an angle for these cheeks. The top edges are perpendicular to the mast. That can't be right. Or can it?
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I cut the top edges of the cheeks at the same angle as the mast, so the fighting top and trestletrees sit on them parallel to the deck.
 
mtbediz1 said:
No Peter, there’s really no reason not to glue the cheeks and crosstrees directly onto their mast segments right away.

I cut the top edges of the cheeks at the same angle as the mast, so the fighting top and trestletrees sit on them parallel to the deck.
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Hello,
I am just curious why you had to cut the cheeks. At least in my kit, they were already angled. I am asking because I am wondering if i did something wrong.
 
Jack Sparrow said:
Hello,
I am just curious why you had to cut the cheeks. At least in my kit, they were already angled. I am asking because I am wondering if i did something wrong.
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Hi Jack, I don’t have a kit, I’m building everything from scratch. I only answered because Peter asked, but maybe I misunderstood his question. If that’s the case, I’m sure he’ll get back to me.
 
mtbediz1 said:
Hi Jack, I don’t have a kit, I’m building everything from scratch. I only answered because Peter asked, but maybe I misunderstood his question. If that’s the case, I’m sure he’ll get back to me.
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oh i am sorry. For some reason I thought you were using the MS kit and modifying it.
 
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