USS Constitution by Model Shipways. - First Build Log

[rturcic72]

Started the deck planking work. Had the hatch comings in place, but not glued in just yet. While it looks easy, to me this has been a nightmare because I had to make many tweaks along the way and following the practicum, I realized there were a lot of inaccuracies in the practicum because it's based on Bob Hunts exact model size and and variances in the wood for the deck planking. There doesn't appear to be enough wood for the deck, or at least the 1/16x3/32 strips. There are two similar sizes in the kit and one has dark edges as if it were a pure laser cut and the other like any other strip of wood. Bob claims that a slightly large strip in the kit is acceptable and could be used as is, or shaved slightly down to the. I'm still debating this while I ordered some wood from a hobby shop. The strips of wood have very minute variances in width that it isn't apparent until you've laid many. There is tapering, but no where near the level Bob explains based on the strips size we're recommended to use. I found my self constantly measuring from the centerline throughout because I would need to add some type of filler to make up for the extra space. The number of planks from the centerline to to the waterways by the transom is supposed to be a total of 25, but I found this not to be true at all. Having 24 on either side of the centerline in this area is not even close. Anything outside of those planks are what gets tapered, but nothing more. Although I'm almost finished with laying the planks, it still takes an eternity so everything looks remotely correct. I think many builders got creat8ve to make the deck look good like a deck, but not perfectly in numbers and sizes as you would think. Anyway, I'm patiently waiting so I can start sanding and staining the deck and get that pice over with and then touch up what I've already painted and then some. Until next time...

 

[Tony H]

Started the deck planking work. Had the hatch comings in place, but not glued in just yet. While it looks easy, to me this has been a nightmare because I had to make many tweaks along the way and following the practicum, I realized there were a lot of inaccuracies in the practicum because it's based on Bob Hunts exact model size and and variances in the wood for the deck planking. There doesn't appear to be enough wood for the deck, or at least the 1/16x3/32 strips. There are two similar sizes in the kit and one has dark edges as if it were a pure laser cut and the other like any other strip of wood. Bob claims that a slightly large strip in the kit is acceptable and could be used as is, or shaved slightly down to the. I'm still debating this while I ordered some wood from a hobby shop. The strips of wood have very minute variances in width that it isn't apparent until you've laid many. There is tapering, but no where near the level Bob explains based on the strips size we're recommended to use. I found my self constantly measuring from the centerline throughout because I would need to add some type of filler to make up for the extra space. The number of planks from the centerline to to the waterways by the transom is supposed to be a total of 25, but I found this not to be true at all. Having 24 on either side of the centerline in this area is not even close. Anything outside of those planks are what gets tapered, but nothing more. Although I'm almost finished with laying the planks, it still takes an eternity so everything looks remotely correct. I think many builders got creat8ve to make the deck look good like a deck, but not perfectly in numbers and sizes as you would think. Anyway, I'm patiently waiting so I can start sanding and staining the deck and get that pice over with and then touch up what I've already painted and then some. Until next time...View attachment 523028View attachment 523029

Great start on the deck, I took the easy way out by planking the whole deck and fixing the hatches on top of the planks.
I don't remember having a shortage of planks but there was some inconsistencies in the width.

Tony

 

[GrantTyler]

Started the deck planking work. Had the hatch comings in place, but not glued in just yet. While it looks easy, to me this has been a nightmare because I had to make many tweaks along the way and following the practicum, I realized there were a lot of inaccuracies in the practicum because it's based on Bob Hunts exact model size and and variances in the wood for the deck planking. There doesn't appear to be enough wood for the deck, or at least the 1/16x3/32 strips. There are two similar sizes in the kit and one has dark edges as if it were a pure laser cut and the other like any other strip of wood. Bob claims that a slightly large strip in the kit is acceptable and could be used as is, or shaved slightly down to the. I'm still debating this while I ordered some wood from a hobby shop. The strips of wood have very minute variances in width that it isn't apparent until you've laid many. There is tapering, but no where near the level Bob explains based on the strips size we're recommended to use. I found my self constantly measuring from the centerline throughout because I would need to add some type of filler to make up for the extra space. The number of planks from the centerline to to the waterways by the transom is supposed to be a total of 25, but I found this not to be true at all. Having 24 on either side of the centerline in this area is not even close. Anything outside of those planks are what gets tapered, but nothing more. Although I'm almost finished with laying the planks, it still takes an eternity so everything looks remotely correct. I think many builders got creat8ve to make the deck look good like a deck, but not perfectly in numbers and sizes as you would think. Anyway, I'm patiently waiting so I can start sanding and staining the deck and get that pice over with and then touch up what I've already painted and then some. Until next time...View attachment 523028View attachment 523029

Good afternoon. Looking great, very good progress. Cheers Grant

 

[rturcic72]

 

[rturcic72]

And...the deck planks are getting there...unfortunately I had to order more strips of wood, 1/16 x 3/32. As I mentioned earlier, there were two types with of wood strips in this size in the kit. It appeared to be a mix of balsa and bass woods, so there is a mild variance in size when I measure what's from the centerline to port and from the centerline to starboard. The practicum recommended using 1/16 x 5/32 if I'm corrected if the modeler prefers it and using them mainly in the midships area where the most tapering is required. I chose to just buy some more wood instead to keep things uniform. The practicum also discusses the 25 strips in the center starting from the after part of the main hatch coming, which would be tapered between 1/16 and 1/32 ending at the transom. I feel this is somewhat negligible, especially with variances in the width of the strips already in the kit. I personally do not think it is necessary to taper the center when it appears to be required in the midships area towards the transom. The strips are very thin in the first place, unless they absolutely need to be tapered. The plan sheet also is not very clear regarding the width of the planks and appear slightly wider with no taper in the center group of 25 planks. Anyway, should I redo this part of the deck, or let it go and flow into the build?

 

[rturcic72]

 

[rturcic72]

Well, my wood strips finally made it. I will say this though, these are 1/16 x 3/32 fresh cut out of basswood. The wood in the actual kit does not compare, and each strip in the kit had a minute variation, that it changes the actual number of planks that the practicum states there are. However, at the end of the day, I'm not going to tear up the deck and redo it unless something is completely off. It still looks good, and no one is going to count how many planks there are from the centerline to port or starboard...maybe unless you're submitting it in a competition, or someone like Rain Man, lol. I will be sanding my butt off when the planks are in because of the slight difference in the height of thickness of the planks. Once the deck is sanded, then it will be stained based on the recommendation in the practicum, which looked awesome in the pictures, but mine whack at it will probably be like a 5-year-old trying to draw inside the lines with crayon.

 

[rturcic72]

Next you will notice that I've taped off the upper hull at the gunports which is typically painted in some matte white version. I chose to paint over the white and redo this. When using a brush on a taped off area on a wooden ship, I did not like the bleed-over even though my model paint tape is very good. so, to correct this, I decided to tape off each individual gunport and instead of brushing it on, I will airbrush it on because airbrushing from a distance can be controlled and likely retain a much better rectangular shape without the bleeding. Also, it's applied in layers that dry faster. Brushes on the other hand put the paints on in globs and easily causes the bleed over. Using a polyurethane after sanding is hit and miss and I did not see a major difference. It's supposed to help make the paint go on easier when applying it to the surface, but I see that as more of a preference. I do want to make at least the outside of the hull look more professional that a toddler going to town in a coloring book. I know purists might argue using hand printing versus airbrushing. If it is a good solution to a problem, then that's what I will do. This is probably the only area of the ship that I'll airbrush and no other spot.

 

[rturcic72]

Finally. I had no warning that as you get close to finishing planking the deck, it gets friggin tough because there's little space to work in and you're tapering the wood strip to fit in there like a glove. It's enough that the top center of each bulkhead on the ship is slightly higher than the rest of the bulkheads, so adding shims to different parts of the bulkheads so the planks stay as leveled horizontally as possible. I did find out that the three type of CA glue do different things. I bought a set that had thin, medium, end thick. The medium was by far my favorite and the thick although I glued my digits several times because I never learn the first time. The one that kick me right in the bum was the thin on. I had no idea that when it saif thin, they meant watery, and it dries super-fast. So fast indeed that I accidentally glued all of my fingers from my left hand all at once instantly because I accidentally tips over the bottle. I had my hand soaking in acetone for like 5 minutes before I could pry them off of each other. But I also learned it can be your friend. When you need to glue a tight spot, of several planks together when you need to join them together, one drop would get absorbed into the wood quickly and spreads easily as well. If you do it too long, it will spread to the other planks or whatever wood nearby and like...welds them together. Alright, once I get the deck stained then I'll send more pictures, and then it's rivet time on the inside of the waterway. I don't know how many rivets are required, but I did buy 1,000 of them because there are also rivets on the hull as well. So, this will take a while and feel like an endless funeral. I didn't realize the practicum has the rivet piece in there considering having read several the narrative from several builds debating, "To rivet or not to rivet...that is the question." I'm choosing to do it because it really does look good and great for covering up flaws and mistakes.