USS Constitution Cross Section - Model Shipways MS20245 - 1:76 - by JeffT [COMPLETED BUILD]

[Jeff T]

Hi Jeff That's a great looking model every time I I check the log I see something new in the detail I hadn't noticed before.
I'm looking forward to your new build it's definitely not the easiest kit with lots of challenges along the way but it looks great when finished.

Thanks for the comments, Tony. The cross section was a fun build. I am looking forward to building the full ship and I am certain it will offer challenges that I have yet to foresee.

 

[EspenT]

Thanks, Grant.

Fantastic looking model. Which of the two cross sections you have built do you recommend the most?

 

[BMT]

Wonderful detail.

I truly enjoyed my cross-section of the Navio Rayo Puesto de Combatej. Gave me a better understanding of what the ships were like.

 

[Jeff T]

Fantastic looking model. Which of the two cross sections you have built do you recommend the most?

I would say it depends on your perceived skill level. The Constitution is significantly more difficult to build. It also takes more vertical space to display if that makes any difference to you.

 

[icebiker3]

Installation of the orlop deck diagonals.

After installing the berthing deck and its sidewalls. I cut, painted and glued in the diagonal along the orlop deck sidewalls. You can see how the waterways on the berthing and gun decks fit in these photos as well.

Questions-
1. Why are the Orlop Sidewall Diagonals installed after the deck is on?
2. The Orlop Deck Stanchions seem to appear like magic. There does not seem to be an instruction about them, in print or in these threads.
3. Where is the proper place to criticize the boxed instructions? Should I go back to Expo? I used to write instructions, and these are very frustrating at times. I would have thought that Foran would have touched them up, or am I totally in the dark on the entire process?
BTW, this is a great build, and rather touchier than I anticipated. Good Job, Jeff. -John

 

[Jeff T]

Questions-
1. Why are the Orlop Sidewall Diagonals installed after the deck is on?
2. The Orlop Deck Stanchions seem to appear like magic. There does not seem to be an instruction about them, in print or in these threads.
3. Where is the proper place to criticize the boxed instructions? Should I go back to Expo? I used to write instructions, and these are very frustrating at times. I would have thought that Foran would have touched them up, or am I totally in the dark on the entire process?
BTW, this is a great build, and rather touchier than I anticipated. Good Job, Jeff. -John

Thanks for the compliment on my build.

1. I don't have a good answer for you on the installation order. I may be related to getting the diagonals located in the right place relative to the berthing deck level.
2. You are right that the orlop deck stanchions are not discussed in the instructions. Detailed instructions are written for the berthing deck stanchions and the orlog deck stanchions are shown in pictures in the instruction and on Plan 2.
3. My thoughts on the kit instructions: The set is the best I have seen in a Model Shipways kit as well as the best in any kit that I have built to date. Are they perfect? Not at all. I am currently on my 4th MS kit and it is obvious that this kit has the best instructions. Compared to the instructions with the Bluenose or the USS Constitution they are amazingly clear with detailed color pictures. OcCre instructions are good as well. The other 3 kits I have built had horrible instructions. Addendums to MS instruction are sometimes available from Model Expo's website. That being said, MS is not very good about correcting their kits after initial designs. As an example, the whaleboat (MS-2033) is building horse cut wrong and has been an issue as long as the kit has been available.

As a general comment on wooden ship kit instructions: These are complex builds and the industry seems to have taken the stance that builders will complete the kits the way they want to and not necessarily follow step by step instructions. That's where resources like SOS really stand out as resources for help and to possibly make some online friends as well.

Good luck with your Conny cross-section.

 

[icebiker3]

10596

Thanks for the compliment on my build.

1. I don't have a good answer for you on the installation order. I may be related to getting the diagonals located in the right place relative to the berthing deck level.
2. You are right that the orlop deck stanchions are not discussed in the instructions. Detailed instructions are written for the berthing deck stanchions and the orlog deck stanchions are shown in pictures in the instruction and on Plan 2.
3. My thoughts on the kit instructions: The set is the best I have seen in a Model Shipways kit as well as the best in any kit that I have built to date. Are they perfect? Not at all. I am currently on my 4th MS kit and it is obvious that this kit has the best instructions. Compared to the instructions with the Bluenose or the USS Constitution they are amazingly clear with detailed color pictures. OcCre instructions are good as well. The other 3 kits I have built had horrible instructions. Addendums to MS instruction are sometimes available from Model Expo's website. That being said, MS is not very good about correcting their kits after initial designs. As an example, the whaleboat (MS-2033) is building horse cut wrong and has been an issue as long as the kit has been available.

As a general comment on wooden ship kit instructions: These are complex builds and the industry seems to have taken the stance that builders will complete the kits the way they want to and not necessarily follow step by step instructions. That's where resources like SOS really stand out as resources for help and to possibly make some online friends as well.

Good luck with your Conny cross-section.

Jeff-
Thank you for that answer. That clears up a lot. Having done 1/1 ships, and heavy machinery for 40 years, I guess my perspective was out of alignment and needed some reality checking. OK. Expectations have been adjusted. Thank you. Carry on, shipmate.

 

[johnv]

Jeff T, thankyou for posting your build. I came to it using the SOS search for Constitution completed builds, as I needed to make a decision about spar footropes. Your excellent photos have resolved my query. (Black or natural color). I am well into the rigging of an old Mamoli 1:93 Constitution kit, my first wooden kit build. It might be the last after those 2000 knots for the ratlines! (just kidding. I have already ordered my next build.... the Khufu great pyramid ship. No rigging on that one.)
My hesitation in using black footropes related to the effect that the tarred ropes would have had on the sailors bare feet. Or did they wear shoes?

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

Hello Jeff,

I'm just getting to the part of my Constitution build where I'm looking at the specs for the halliards.

This is a picture of your main's rigging - presumably at an intermediate stage with more rigging to come.



In my Model Shipways plans for the jig tackle of the halliards, the rigging on the starboard side, which I believe is the left side above, calls for one of the two top sail halliards and the lone royal halliard to be attached to the jig tackle, which in turn is attached to eyebolts in the channels. I believe that's what I'm seeing above. If I'm reading my plans correctly, the blocks for the both the top sail and the top block of the royal jig tackle are all double blocks, but the bottom block of the royal jig tackle is a single block. I'm pretty sure the top blocks above are doubles, but I can't zoom in closely enough to see the details on the bottom blocks.

I'm also wondering about what should be on the port side for the main. My plans suggest that the second topsail halliard and the topgallant halliard are rigged on that side. The plans call for two double blocks all the way around for those.

Could you please confirm what block setup is happening here?

Also, it would be a big help if you could you post photos of the details of the rigging for all of the jig tackle.

Thanks in advance,
Peter (aka Der Alte Rentner)

 

[Jeff T]

Peter,

Thanks for your interest.

I have attached some pictures of the build as well as shots from the full Constitution plans. Hopefully they will be useful to you.

 

[Der Alte Rentner]

Thanks Jeff!

You have confirmed in your pictures what I suspected. The bottom blocks of the jig tackles for the royal, top galllant, and topsail yards are all singles. Also helpful is seeing how they are rigged.

Interesting that the one photo in the plans that actually describes the jig tackle isn't in the set of drawings you provided. The photo I'm referring to is on the bottom right of the same page in the plans as the other diagrams you show above.

Thanks again. You've been a great help. One of these days I'll get past researching this and actually start the rigging