Thanks again rpope and Rob! Feels like this one is heading down the home stretch now.
USS Constitution Cross-Section 1797 - 1:76 - Model Shipways by rlwhitt [COMPLETED BUILD]
Mast, continued...
This mast is built up around the middle with some strip wood, making things called "chafing fish". I thought it odd that they were called "fish" and decided to ask the Google Machine to explain. Naturally, Google helpfully showed me 5000 forms of chafing "D"ishes, since I was too dumb to spell it correctly. Said I wanted Fishes anyway and it was stumped. Searched the forum for the term - nothin'. I think the person writing the manual is having a joke on us.
Anyway, those strips are to gap filled and sanded round. I've been using this Elmer's wood filler and I really like it. Dries quick, sands really nicely. It is quite thick and sandy as is though, so I like to add a drop or 2 of water to thin it down to a more workable creamy putty.
The instructions have you place several square bands and a bunch of round ones along the mast. They provide thin brass strip for this purpose. It didn't look like they provided enough, but no matter - I'd already decided to go another way. I used some thick card stock, double thick to match the brass strip. Lot's easier to cut, glue and especially paint. And since its painted it really doesn't matter that it's not metal, IMHO.
Completed mast, before paint:
And a couple shots fast forwarded a bit (didn't get any further in-progress shots, sorry. I get a little carried away in the work and forget). Mounted fighting top with deadeyes and eyebolts.
This mast is built up around the middle with some strip wood, making things called "chafing fish". I thought it odd that they were called "fish" and decided to ask the Google Machine to explain. Naturally, Google helpfully showed me 5000 forms of chafing "D"ishes, since I was too dumb to spell it correctly. Said I wanted Fishes anyway and it was stumped. Searched the forum for the term - nothin'. I think the person writing the manual is having a joke on us.
Anyway, those strips are to gap filled and sanded round. I've been using this Elmer's wood filler and I really like it. Dries quick, sands really nicely. It is quite thick and sandy as is though, so I like to add a drop or 2 of water to thin it down to a more workable creamy putty.
The instructions have you place several square bands and a bunch of round ones along the mast. They provide thin brass strip for this purpose. It didn't look like they provided enough, but no matter - I'd already decided to go another way. I used some thick card stock, double thick to match the brass strip. Lot's easier to cut, glue and especially paint. And since its painted it really doesn't matter that it's not metal, IMHO.
Completed mast, before paint:
And a couple shots fast forwarded a bit (didn't get any further in-progress shots, sorry. I get a little carried away in the work and forget). Mounted fighting top with deadeyes and eyebolts.
Mast wrap up
So, the final bells andwhistles pikes for the mast. The ship's bell and boarding pikes that is. The instructions say to paint the pike handle section of the brass rod brown, as would be proper. But you don't have to be Nostradamus to see where that was going. Half the paint scraped off trying to load these things in the racks. I'll take blackened, please...
Speaking of boarding pikes, just so happens I ran across this link a few days ago. How fortuitous. Not familiar with these guys or how good their info is, but it's pretty interesting - all you need to know (and maybe more) about boarding pikes:
So, the final bells and
Speaking of boarding pikes, just so happens I ran across this link a few days ago. How fortuitous. Not familiar with these guys or how good their info is, but it's pretty interesting - all you need to know (and maybe more) about boarding pikes:
Shrouds
Progress has slowed a bit because - rigging - and dreading of same. But I'll get through it.
One lower mast tackle fall ready to install:
In-progress installing the tackle and first deadeye, using the jig/pattern included on the plan sheet - glued to some cardboard - for alignment. This will be used for a ratline guide.
And lastly, all the shrouds done. Not especially well, but the operative word being "done". Next up is ratlines. Ugh.
Progress has slowed a bit because - rigging - and dreading of same. But I'll get through it.
One lower mast tackle fall ready to install:
In-progress installing the tackle and first deadeye, using the jig/pattern included on the plan sheet - glued to some cardboard - for alignment. This will be used for a ratline guide.
And lastly, all the shrouds done. Not especially well, but the operative word being "done". Next up is ratlines. Ugh.
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
When I looked at my AOTS on the USS Constitution it shows the eye bolt not having a chain plate, but just bolting thru the channel board. Not saying your wrong and I am correct, but please do proper research before bad mouthing an company on not having proper parts or taking shortcuts.
Others who have built models and researched the Connie may be able to say what is correct for fasting of the eyebolts.
I'm sure you're correct. I don't have the books nor have I done the "proper research" to build this kit. I refer to the instruction manual as shown here:
Clearly the designer thinks there are supposed to be 6 per side. Maybe your complaint should be with them rather than a novice builder just trying to make some sense of a kit that has been found to have discrepancies. I don't think it's a bit unfair to "bad mouth" as you say, a vendor that produces an incorrect product. On the contrary, I think I do a service to others who come along and see this log and are made aware of where the pitfalls are.
Looking at the segment of the instructions you provided, I can see where there could be confusion. Where they say 6 jackstays and 6 split rings, is that 6 on each side, or 6 total with 3 on each side. It's not very clear.
It's pictured to have 6 stays per side with 3 of them having split rings. I agree that the text is bit mismatched with that.
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Ratlines
I have started the ratlines, and it's going a bit easier than I thought it would. I've got a few slack ones, but in all it's suitable to me. This is not a great picture due to the shadows, but I think you can see that the paper guide has every 5th line colored yellow, where we tie the ratline all the way across, including the shroud with the tackle. All the intermediate ones will only tie to the deadeye shrouds.
I had a bit of a thread dilemma. Three weights of black thread are provided - the thickest being the shrouds themselves, the medium for deadeye lanyards, and then a thin weight. Instructions said to use the medium weight for the ratlines, but it felt a bit heavy to me. The thinnest feels a tad light. I looked back on the old build thread I've been leaning on a bit. The fellow had some photos of the actual ship and the lines looked closer to the thinnest I have, so I used that. For me it's also a bit easier to tie the knots and hitches with.
I have started the ratlines, and it's going a bit easier than I thought it would. I've got a few slack ones, but in all it's suitable to me. This is not a great picture due to the shadows, but I think you can see that the paper guide has every 5th line colored yellow, where we tie the ratline all the way across, including the shroud with the tackle. All the intermediate ones will only tie to the deadeye shrouds.
I had a bit of a thread dilemma. Three weights of black thread are provided - the thickest being the shrouds themselves, the medium for deadeye lanyards, and then a thin weight. Instructions said to use the medium weight for the ratlines, but it felt a bit heavy to me. The thinnest feels a tad light. I looked back on the old build thread I've been leaning on a bit. The fellow had some photos of the actual ship and the lines looked closer to the thinnest I have, so I used that. For me it's also a bit easier to tie the knots and hitches with.
Ratline Finish
Found some better thread in some old stash I had bought for an ill-fated plastic Mayflower model years ago. Turned out to be a better size for the ratlines and better thread too - easier tying.
The kit provides for a rather complicated futtock shroud installation that attempts to represent the real ship, which it sort of does but the provided thimbles (30 of them!!) are way too big and the tying of all of them into the shrouds was quite involved. I made the decision to vastly simplify this. I seized the shrouds to the deadeye eyebolts and ran them directly to the Bentinck shroud thimble, as shown here. I'm satisfied with the simpler representation:
At the other end of the Bentinck, some bullseyes and lanyard near the deck to tighten it up
And finally, such as it's going to get, rigging is finished. Those who've been looking in since the beginning of the log will recall that I'm going to be stopping at the lower mast and not fitting any spars. The kit of course provides for the entire mast, spars and full rigging. As a famous man in the movies once said, "a man's gotta know his limitations", and mine is patience for rigging. My future builds will be hull-only models.
Almost there! Last items will be a stub of the topmast and the fighting top railing.
Found some better thread in some old stash I had bought for an ill-fated plastic Mayflower model years ago. Turned out to be a better size for the ratlines and better thread too - easier tying.
The kit provides for a rather complicated futtock shroud installation that attempts to represent the real ship, which it sort of does but the provided thimbles (30 of them!!) are way too big and the tying of all of them into the shrouds was quite involved. I made the decision to vastly simplify this. I seized the shrouds to the deadeye eyebolts and ran them directly to the Bentinck shroud thimble, as shown here. I'm satisfied with the simpler representation:
At the other end of the Bentinck, some bullseyes and lanyard near the deck to tighten it up
And finally, such as it's going to get, rigging is finished. Those who've been looking in since the beginning of the log will recall that I'm going to be stopping at the lower mast and not fitting any spars. The kit of course provides for the entire mast, spars and full rigging. As a famous man in the movies once said, "a man's gotta know his limitations", and mine is patience for rigging.
My future builds will be hull-only models.Almost there! Last items will be a stub of the topmast and the fighting top railing.
Mast wrap up
Here's the small part of the topmast and main cap that I will include, rough cut and square hole prepped for the 1/16" pin (don't recall its proper name) that it will rest on:
Painted and installed.
Lastly, the fighting top needs a back rail. It's made from 2 main pieces with some netting trapped in between. I taped it down and used CA to attach the netting before laminating the 2 rail pieces together.
And installed on the fighting top:
Here's the small part of the topmast and main cap that I will include, rough cut and square hole prepped for the 1/16" pin (don't recall its proper name) that it will rest on:
Painted and installed.
Lastly, the fighting top needs a back rail. It's made from 2 main pieces with some netting trapped in between. I taped it down and used CA to attach the netting before laminating the 2 rail pieces together.
And installed on the fighting top:
Fini!
Have to say this has been an interesting and fun build! I would highly recommend this kit to anyone that wants something a little different.
Have to say this has been an interesting and fun build! I would highly recommend this kit to anyone that wants something a little different.
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Good looking build.
Thanks Kurt!
Congratulations for finishing this project - you made a very good model out of it
Beautiful Build! Thank you for sharing your skills with us.
Thanks Uwe and Rob!