I think I’ll try that first. Maybe some polyurethane, oil, and amber shellac on different sections of the back.
USS Constitution from Scientific Models
- Thread starter Vfordyce
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I used the provided decking. I used 2.5MM deadeyes for the standing rigging. I purchached 1.5MM blocks for the rigging. I used wire to produce the upper shroud spreaders.
I've got some small blocks I've used for gun rigging, but nothing THAT small. I also don't see how thread can fit into that small a block.
I ordered .016mm thread from Blue Jacket and 1.5mm blocks from Dry-Dock featured on this site. I also did the same for the Scientific model Cutty Sark.
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Anything else would be WAY out of scale.
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Hey Vic, I'm on board. I'm really going to enjoy this project. Maybe not as much as your friend, but close.
A wise woman once told me, "You can get back most lost things, love, money, friendships. There is only one thing you can never get back, time. It's the most precious of commodities. So don't waste it." I didn't, I married her.
Giving the gift of your talents and your time to your friend says a lot!
As far as my recovery, if you mean COVID, yes. The beast was beat back, soundly. If you're referring to my little accident, almost. I hope to have an update on my project's thread in a little bit. In the mean time, I will read posts and live vicariously through all the work that you and other talented builders do.
Cheers!!
Ken
A wise woman once told me, "You can get back most lost things, love, money, friendships. There is only one thing you can never get back, time. It's the most precious of commodities. So don't waste it." I didn't, I married her.
Giving the gift of your talents and your time to your friend says a lot!
As far as my recovery, if you mean COVID, yes. The beast was beat back, soundly. If you're referring to my little accident, almost. I hope to have an update on my project's thread in a little bit. In the mean time, I will read posts and live vicariously through all the work that you and other talented builders do.
Cheers!!
Ken
Thanks for the uplifting words, Ken! You’ve been an inspiration to me. And my sentiments exactly on the Admirals.
Well, I’ve tried polyurethane and amber shellac to see either of them ameliorated the look of the burl/ swirls in the wood. Neither fixed it, but the shellac did a better job of hiding it. In fact, the poly made it worse. 
And I have no idea how to make planks thinner than a toothpick (1.8 mm) in a consistent manner with the tools I have. I think I’ll go with the shellac. The Admiral thinks the deck will be covered with stuff anyway.
And I have no idea how to make planks thinner than a toothpick (1.8 mm) in a consistent manner with the tools I have. I think I’ll go with the shellac. The Admiral thinks the deck will be covered with stuff anyway.
I probably didn’t sand the bow quite right. The stem doesn’t fit as well as I’d like. I’ll probably have to use some putty to close up the space below. It will be painted. I used my Dremel to sand away the big parts and followed that up with 220 and then 400 grit.
I looked online and found several of these kits for under $30. If you’re looking for an inexpensive quick one after a massive galleon, this could be the one.
Liquid putty added.
A little more sanding and she should be okay.
A little more sanding and she should be okay.
Keel glued. 
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
My first kit was the Phantom, Pilot Boat, a solid hull kit, and probably my last solid hull kit, I hated all the extra work to get the hull shaped and my mentor at the time said just cut off the bulkward and lay the deck all the way across the top and then he showed me how to build new bulkward to install on the ship.
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what is so cool about this model is the leech lines which were not included in the 1987 model I have. If you look up the original sail plan for this ship it includes an upper spanker sail " never used" and a mizzen main sail "never used". It also explains the different types of material and thickness of each section of the sails.
Ouch. Shaping the hull was harder than I expected, but it turned out nicer than I thought it would. It would have been murder without power tools. I used a Ryobi sander on the hull and a scroll saw to cut out the stem and rudder pieces.
It actually has more rigging than my Billing Connie which is much larger than this one!
Sorry, I used to teach AP English back in the day."ameliorated" - had to look that one up in the Dictionary
Kurt Konrath
Kurt Konrath
Not sure about your kit, but the phantom came with cardboard to cut with printed hull lines to fit just like the bulkheads on POB ship would have so it was sand and file one frame at a time on each side.
And they you had the stem and stern piece fittings like you had to deal with.
And they you had the stem and stern piece fittings like you had to deal with.