USS Constitution by Model Shipways 1:76 scale

Jack Sparrow said:
Looking great. Congratulations.
I ran into an issue with the canon doors. Some were broken and some broke when I installed them. I wound up using my 3D printer to create these parts. A bit of a steep learning curve, but it's fun. I used Freecad for the design and Cura for the slicing. I am debating if I should make the lifeboats with the 3 d printer...
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Hi
Model shipways has a very good policy of replacing damaged or missing parts the only problem is the time it takes to get the parts.
Do you have a build log I would like to see some pictures of your ship. I'm also using freecad a lot of my projects are never as simple as I first thought, I still have a lot to learn.

Tony
 
no i didn't start a build log, since you both have one already and I feel mine would be redundant. But, I am putting sails on this ship and I was planning on doing a build log for that part.
That is at least 1 year away, though
I agree that model shipways have a good policy in regards to replacement parts. Truth be told, I am looking for opportunities to use freecad and my 3D printer.
 
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Toni, I too have this model. I've set it aside for a while. And too have Hunt's practicum. Hunt's practicum is more useful than the instruction booklet provided with the kit. Not sure where you are with your build but you can install a second deck in this model. Hunt points this out later in his practicum. My mistake was not reading all his instructions before starting my build. If had I would have read that part and I would have installed the second deck. The advantage of the second deck is that you can install "real" cannons in that deck rather than the dummy cannons provided with the kit. Hopefully that's helpful.
As others have pointed out this is a big ship and the standing rigging is complex but it is a beautiful ship when you finish.
Best wishes for a great build!
 
Jack Sparrow said:
no i didn't start a build log, since you both have one already and I feel mine would be redundant. But, I am putting sails on this ship and I was planning on doing a build log for that part.
That is at least 1 year away, though
I agree that model shipways have a good policy in regards to replacement parts. Truth be told, I am looking for opportunities to use freecad and my 3D printer.
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I would like to put sails on mine but rigging is not my strong point, I'll be interested to see the process of installing them when you're at that stage.
3D printing adds a new dimension to modelling I'm a little reluctant to put plastic parts on a wooden ship, so I only use the printer for parts I struggle to make with wood. I can post my 3d printer files if they are any help to you.

Tony
 
Tony H said:
I would like to put sails on mine but rigging is not my strong point, I'll be interested to see the process of installing them when you're at that stage.
3D printing adds a new dimension to modelling I'm a little reluctant to put plastic parts on a wooden ship, so I only use the printer for parts I struggle to make with wood. I can post my 3d printer files if they are any help to you.

Tony
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very kind of you. It didn't really bother me that they were plastic because I have to paint them anyways, so I think I should be ok. I use acrylic paint which seems to stick to anything.
 
Craig C said:
Toni, I too have this model. I've set it aside for a while. And too have Hunt's practicum. Hunt's practicum is more useful than the instruction booklet provided with the kit. Not sure where you are with your build but you can install a second deck in this model. Hunt points this out later in his practicum. My mistake was not reading all his instructions before starting my build. If had I would have read that part and I would have installed the second deck. The advantage of the second deck is that you can install "real" cannons in that deck rather than the dummy cannons provided with the kit. Hopefully that's helpful.
As others have pointed out this is a big ship and the standing rigging is complex but it is a beautiful ship when you finish.
Best wishes for a great build!
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Thanks Craig.
I have heard a lot of good things about Hunts practicum, I sometimes wish I had a copy. I agree the instructions leave a lot to be desired I learn more from reading other people's build logs.
I decided before I started I wouldn't be adding the second deck, it's enough of a challenge to build it standard to drawing.
Definitely a wonderful ship and a stunning model when finished.
 
Just a quick update from me, I've been putting this operation for a while wishing I had done it earlier before the outside planking. The holes for the catheads needed to be made on a compound angle and both sides had to match. I made up a copy of the deck plan and extended the lines for the catheads. Using these lines to guide in one direction drilled a small hole on a vertical angle. Using a square file I opened up the hole until the cathead fitted correctly.

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Tony H said:
Just a quick update from me, I've been putting this operation for a while wishing I had done it earlier before the outside planking. The holes for the catheads needed to be made on a compound angle and both sides had to match. I made up a copy of the deck plan and extended the lines for the catheads. Using these lines to guide in one direction drilled a small hole on a vertical angle. Using a square file I opened up the hole until the cathead fitted correctly.

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good idea. I just made sure the catheads were perpendicular to the hull. Seems to have worked for me.
 
HMSFly said:
Dear Bill,

The con as it is docked in Boston today has undergone several transformations over the last 200 years of its existence. Today only 10% of his original material survived. To illustrate, some images from Karl Heinz Marquardt's book...So it's quite possible that the gun ports in the past had a different layout....

Today the gun ports are indeed divided into two parts with a rubber seal where the gun barrels protrude.
As they are also depicted on the Model Shipways plan (The Model Shipways CON is based upon today's version in the Boston harbor).
And I follow the plans in order to avoid a "historical" mismatch... :)

You can find more on the USS con's museum website: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/discover-learn/modeler-resources/

Cheers

Marc

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Thanks for the response! I appreciate it very much.

Looking at the numerous paintings, especially by Michael Corne, neither Constitution nor her sisters had the split half doors nor did the guns protrude from them. If anything, the doors were either removed before action, or they were not mounted. Please note that Corne and other artists were contemporary to the times. Hence my question.

Bill
 
HMSFly said:
I've been busy wiring the ratlines for a week now...pffff...very time-consuming and I'm doing my best... Sick

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Hi Marc
Nice neat ratlines I have a love/hate relationship with them, they're OK to begin with but after a while I need to do something else.
Congratulations with the new project very exciting, how does it compare with the Constitution? I came close to buying it myself a few years ago.

Tony
 
HMSFly said:
Dear Bill,

The con as it is docked in Boston today has undergone several transformations over the last 200 years of its existence. Today only 10% of his original material survived. To illustrate, some images from Karl Heinz Marquardt's book...So it's quite possible that the gun ports in the past had a different layout....

Today the gun ports are indeed divided into two parts with a rubber seal where the gun barrels protrude.
As they are also depicted on the Model Shipways plan (The Model Shipways CON is based upon today's version in the Boston harbor).
And I follow the plans in order to avoid a "historical" mismatch... :)

You can find more on the USS con's museum website: https://ussconstitutionmuseum.org/discover-learn/modeler-resources/

Cheers

Marc

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Yes, I am fully aware that ships undergo refits and changes throughout their lives, particularly one as long-lived as the Constitution. This is well reflected in the modelling world. For example, the 1/96 scale Revell USS Constitution reflects the ship after the 1924 refit, showing her with square lids. Similarly, the Revell 1/196 model shows her in her 1830s configuration, featuring the split lids and an Andrew Jackson Figurehead. Speaking of the wood kits, I'm totally unsure of the old Scientific Models kit but the more recent kits are of the ship as she appeared post-modern refits. Only the Bluejacket kit shows her in her 1812 configuration. She is featured with square lids. I have made reference to several secondary references showing this trend.

Bill
 
Peter Gutterman said:
Welcome to model ship building from wood model kits. I feel your pain. And consider, Model Shipways is better than most! Chuck Passaro's Syren Models kits are pretty good and fairly user friendly. But having built the Queen Anne Royal Barge from Syren, there were still a LOT of areas I found to be overcomplicated and easier to execute relying on my own experience. I was emailing back and forth with Mr. Passaro throughout. He is very pleasant and kind and generous with his time. None the less, I most often chose to trust in my own conclusions. Not withstanding, he seemed to be favorably impressed with the finished results in the end.
Wood ship model building from kits is still largely innovation and scratch building at best ,having been supplied with some ( I stress SOME) useful materials , a manual and some plans ( of widely varying usefulness and accuracy) and a collection of often not very usable parts. A ratio of research to build time is often 2 or 3 to one.
To Paraphrase David Letterman: Like buying lottery ticket, investing in a wood model kit only marginally increases your chance of success.:rolleyes:
and Occam's Razor: " The simplest solution is most often the right one".
Patience with your kit and mostly with your self is what gets you there.;)

Pete
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Don't forget about Bluejacket Models. I find that they are well-designed with exceptional materials. Granted that Model Shipways are also quite exceptional. Both are American-made!

Bill
 
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