USS Constitution cross section by Mamoli

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I started a build log on this ship on Model Ship World and got some good feedback so I thought I might continue it here. If you want to see the MSM log its; https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23...ooden-ship-model/?tab=comments#comment-684173

Many years ago (25-30?), before the advent of the internet, I bought and started construction of this cross section of the USS Constitution. It may have been following a visit to that venerable ship in Boston that I felt so inspired. I got the frame built,deck beams formed and installed, and the planking done outside and in. At that time I started to feel overwhelmed,with many questions that needed answering before I went any further. With no help readily available I packed the unfinished kit away. Someday.


I never lost my love of wooden ships and had the opportunity to visit several including the CW Morgan of Mystic, Cutty Sark in Greenwich, and the Draken Harfarge Viking ship. I still felt the tug of building a ship and when we moved to Maryland 3 years ago I started reading about The Pride of Baltimore II which I decided I'd really like to build. I figured that my long neglected Constitution would be a great practice project since I already had most of the hull built, and it only has one mast and spars, and associated rigging.
I know my work is nowhere near the caliber of some of the tremendous builders on SOS but I'm OK with that. This is more of a learning build than a showpiece and I'm learning a LOT!
20200519_104709[1].jpg
The smaller chainplates are missing from my kit so I jury rigged some with black wire. Pretty ugly, but since the model will mostly be viewed head on, they'll have to do.20200519_104650[1].jpg
One thing I've learned that building a model ship is like playing chess; you have to think many moves ahead. If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have put all the deck beams in place at once, just the lower ones. This would give me room to work on rigging the canons which I found impossible with all the beams in the way.20200519_104719[1].jpg20200519_104608[1].jpg
I worked on the yards while I waited for the Syren shop to re-open. I've cheated here, mounting the blocks with 28ga black wire, which I also used for the stirrups and footropes. One advantage there is that they'll hold a curve like on a real hanging footrope.
In the thinking ahead department, while doping out the running rigging I realized that there are quite a few blocks and other doodads mounted to the mast. Once I rip out the temporary standing rigging, I'll take the mast out of the hull and mount those things with the mast at a more convenient height.
20200519_104643[1].jpg
Here she is as of this morning. I know that the shrouds and ratlines are all out of whack, but I just did those for practice. One of the things that made me shelve the model years ago was the dread of rigging those with no idea at all how to go about it. I just ordered miniature rope from Syren in dark brown and plan to rip out these temporary ones and do them up more evenly with the new rope.
I'm open to any and all suggestions and comments. Thanks for looking!
 
Your build looks nice, and I hate rigging also, but there are some things in life you just have to do and learn.

At least rigging a single mast will get you started for work on a larger full ship later down the road.

My small ships I have built so far have shrouds with no ratlines and very simple sails and booms, no yards to deal with.
 
That was my idea--single mast,fewer problems but a good start on building some skills. I don't hate rigging. I just had no idea how to go about it,with no resources to help. The directions on the Mamoli plans are minimal at best.
I already have a Pride of Baltimore II kit which I got partially started on eBay at a great price. Keel's together and bulkheads are glued in so I have a bit of a head start,assuming that the guy who started it didn't screw up too badly.
I see you have Cutty Sark sitting in drydock. I built the Revell plastic kit when I was pretty young and it kindled my love of ships. A couple of years ago my wife and I visited London and I got to see the real ship,inside and out. I don't mind telling you I nearly broke down in tears, she is so spectacular. I have a bunch of pictures which I'll upload when I get a chance.
 
There are some blogs on the forums on rigging that may give you help.

Use the search tool and enter Rigging, or Rat Lines, which is the hard part.

Rat Lines are the horizontal lines on shrouds, that take up a lot of time in doing correct.

I have seen video where one modeler used strip of wood or card stock cut to width for scale spacing and as he completed a row he moved the spacer up and used clips to hold in place, it gave him a good guide to keep lines straight and even spaced.
 
I have seen video where one modeler used strip of wood or card stock cut to width for scale spacing and as he completed a row he moved the spacer up and used clips to hold in place, it gave him a good guide to keep lines straight and even spaced.

That's how I spaced the trial ratlines that I've done. I think it's an easier option than placing a full scale print of the shrouds and ratlines behind the cordage while working.

Stitching the ratlines rather than tying a bunch of hitches seemed like a good simple option except for the fact that they looked stitched. I came up with a way of stitching the ratlines and still simulating the hitches which I liked for my trial run. When my Syren rope arrives and I do the actual rigging I'll take pictures of the technique and post them here.

Oh, speaking of looking a few steps ahead... while looking at the rigging plans I noticed a few lines running down but had no place indicated for where they either went through a block or were belayed. It turned out that a couple of eyes on shafts are needed on the deck near the mast, but those aren't shown on the diagram of the deck. Adding those once some of the standing rigging was in place would have been very difficult!
 
I have seen a few photos of people who use grid sheet with proper spaced lines behind shrouds for spacing guidance.

I guess the issue of to knot or not, (pardon the pun) is based on scale and how visible the lack of knots would be.
 
The sling for the main yard is stationary,not adjustable on the real ship,right? If so, how would the main yard be lowered if necessary? I'm guessing that this would rarely need to be done and the sling would just be un lashed then re done when the yard was raised again?

I'm also wondering how much of this work could be done with the mast out of the hull? I find it a bit shaky to work with my arms high enough to work on things high up on the mast with the mast in place and the hull on my workbench. For example,would it be feasible to rig the yards into place,leaving enough running rigging attached and bound up in hanks to be attached to the deck or fife rail later on? It looks like I ought to be able to do that and then work around them enough to do the shrouds and stays once they're done and I put the mast back into the hull. I'm waiting for my Syren standing rigging and it would be nice to be able to get the yards in place now,with the mast held low down in my bench vise.
 
Nothing ventured,nothing gained, so yesterday I loosely installed my yards to the mast. I didn't tighten up any of the lines running through blocks, so I can easily move the yards out of the way a bit when I start to work on the standing rigging. I left plenty of extra line so that when it's time to connect to other blocks or belaying pins I have plenty to work with. I found that it was indeed easier to work on this with the mast out of the hull. I was able to clamp the mast into my vise so it was nice and stable while I worked. The temporary "lifts" are just sewing thread. Since I took this picture, I've fixed the uneven main yard jeers.Time will tell how easy the standing rigging will be.

20200524_131037[1].jpg
 
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I started a build log on this ship on Model Ship World and got some good feedback so I thought I might continue it here. If you want to see the MSM log its; https://modelshipworld.com/topic/23...ooden-ship-model/?tab=comments#comment-684173

Many years ago (25-30?), before the advent of the internet, I bought and started construction of this cross section of the USS Constitution. It may have been following a visit to that venerable ship in Boston that I felt so inspired. I got the frame built,deck beams formed and installed, and the planking done outside and in. At that time I started to feel overwhelmed,with many questions that needed answering before I went any further. With no help readily available I packed the unfinished kit away. Someday.


I never lost my love of wooden ships and had the opportunity to visit several including the CW Morgan of Mystic, Cutty Sark in Greenwich, and the Draken Harfarge Viking ship. I still felt the tug of building a ship and when we moved to Maryland 3 years ago I started reading about The Pride of Baltimore II which I decided I'd really like to build. I figured that my long neglected Constitution would be a great practice project since I already had most of the hull built, and it only has one mast and spars, and associated rigging.
I know my work is nowhere near the caliber of some of the tremendous builders on SOS but I'm OK with that. This is more of a learning build than a showpiece and I'm learning a LOT!
View attachment 152295
The smaller chainplates are missing from my kit so I jury rigged some with black wire. Pretty ugly, but since the model will mostly be viewed head on, they'll have to do.View attachment 152296
One thing I've learned that building a model ship is like playing chess; you have to think many moves ahead. If I had it to do over, I wouldn't have put all the deck beams in place at once, just the lower ones. This would give me room to work on rigging the canons which I found impossible with all the beams in the way.View attachment 152297View attachment 152298
I worked on the yards while I waited for the Syren shop to re-open. I've cheated here, mounting the blocks with 28ga black wire, which I also used for the stirrups and footropes. One advantage there is that they'll hold a curve like on a real hanging footrope.
In the thinking ahead department, while doping out the running rigging I realized that there are quite a few blocks and other doodads mounted to the mast. Once I rip out the temporary standing rigging, I'll take the mast out of the hull and mount those things with the mast at a more convenient height.
View attachment 152289
Here she is as of this morning. I know that the shrouds and ratlines are all out of whack, but I just did those for practice. One of the things that made me shelve the model years ago was the dread of rigging those with no idea at all how to go about it. I just ordered miniature rope from Syren in dark brown and plan to rip out these temporary ones and do them up more evenly with the new rope.
I'm open to any and all suggestions and comments. Thanks for looking!
Hallo,
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
Thanks! I'll spend at least part of the day working on my Constitution!
As of now, I've installed the shrouds and ratlines. For some reason my shrouds twisted when I laced the lanyards. I've read that it has to do with the lay of the lanyards and read several fixes. I've elected to simply add sheer poles and fix them in place with the shrouds untwisted. Not accurate for Connie, but it seems an easy and not too egregious fix. I'm also redoing the mainmast ratlines. I cut a lot of corners on them but by the time I finished the topmast ratlines I was doing them a LOT better which made the lower shroud ratlines look pretty awful. I'll post pictures when they're all re-done. Next, the stays and then on to running rigging which I'm looking forward to.
I hate to rush too much, but I'm getting very antsy to start my Pride Of Baltimore II!
 
Beauty.... I built this same model some 15 years ago.. It is still on display.
 
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