Wilhelmshaven 1:200 scale USS Constitution

jasco

Member
My wife thinks I'm obsessed by every ship or airplane that crosses my field of vision!:grin: Many a newlywed's spat was spatted over just how much time I was going to devote to my latest "interest". When I started spending $$$ on full size aviation, those little models didn't seem like such a bad idea after all. What she doesn't know is that now I want to build a (real) sailboat :twisted:
 

Jim Krauzlis

Active Member
Hi, Gang!:)

I was able to do a little bit more this weekend, adding the tie downs for the Captain's boat stowed on the main hatch and putting in the final deck fittings for the mizzen deck area, including the mizzen fife rails.

Here's what the Captain's boat now looks like with the tie downs added:
sboattiedownshx0.jpg


I used my fly tying silk attached to card battens that span across the top of the boat's gunwale, and the ends are tied to eyebolts along the main hatch coamings. I'm glad to finally get that part done!

Next, here is the mizzen fife rail now installed to the deck. I added the base of the mizzen mast, which is called a mast boot, to the opening in the deck where the mizzen mast will eventually go because it would be difficult to add this later on. The mizzen has an interesting set up, which will be seen later in the construction, in that it is fitted with a spanker mast abaft the mast rather than having the gaff and boom rigged directly to the mizzen mast.

First, a view of the installed mizzen fife rail:

mizzenfiferailshl1.jpg


Here is another view of the mizzen fife rail, in which you can see the mast boot which as a step leading aft for the spanker boom (it's that white thing glued to the deck in between the fife rail stanchions):

quarterdeckdetailsch1.jpg


You might also be able to see the boom traveler which is the fitting just before the transom, running athwartships, with the cleat just forward of that for securing the boom sheet.

Next on the list is to add the hammock nettings along both sides of the quarter deck bulwarks; this will entail mounting the hammock netting irons, then the netting itself, just like I did along the forecastle bulwarks earlier. I hope to be able to at least start that this weekend, but I will post another update once that is done. Pretty soon I'll be making up the masts and spars, the channel (those platforms along the ship's sides where the lower shroud deadeyes are attached) and beginning the rigging...but that's still a ways off.

Well, that's about it for now. Thanks for stopping by again and taking a look!

Cheers!
Jim
 

Jim Krauzlis

Active Member
Thanks, guys! I really appreciate the very kind words!

paper warrior, here is a picture of the magnifiers I use in building some of these smaller assemblies:

magnifiersee3.jpg


The one on the left is a pair of reading glasses (I couldn't see anything clearly without my reading glasses!) with a pair of flip-up clip on magnifiers. This one is said to be 400 power, whatever that means; I have another clip on that is 200 power, which I use more often. It's a general use magnifier to bring things into focus better than with just my reading glasses. Oh, I have a special set of reading glasses I use for modeling that is a tab stronger than the ones I use everyday. With my eyes I need that extra clear vision for making clean, straight cuts.

The one on the right is a clip on monicule (sp?) that is rated at 3x power...this one really lets me see things very closely and magnified, but I have to practically put the model up to my nose to bring it into focus. I only use this one when I absolutely have to see some very small areas clearly. I used this when threading the Captain's boat tie downs and to put the belaying pins into the fife rails.

So, actually, with my eyes I need a lot of help just to see these things! Someday soon I fear I'll need to get an electron microscope to do some of this stuff!:twisted:

Thanks again, everyone, for the very nice comments!

Cheers!
Jim
 

Jim Krauzlis

Active Member
Another update....

I started work on the starboard quarterdeck hammock nettings and was able to complete them tonight.

Just as with the forecastle hammock nettings, first I made a bunch of hammock netting irons using small nicron wire. They are all formed in a "U" shape, with as flat a bottom as I can manage with my sausage fingers. Then I mark their appropriate positions on the top of the bulwarks...there are fifteen irons between the gangway and hammock boards (those little brown colored pieces, one at the gangway and the other further aft on top of the bulwark) with one iron each at each board, on the inside surface. I painted them flat black to replicate the actual oxidized finish they have. This is how they looked once installed:

hammockironsinstalledstjl5.jpg


Next, I made up the hammock nettings using that scarf I bought from a street vendor, mentioned in an earlier posting. Same construction sequence was used, gluing lines at the top and bottom edges, and then they are trimmed to shape to remove the excess netting outside the lines. This is how they looked when done and trimmed for length:

hammocknettingwk8.jpg


Then, they are installed on the irons and bulwarks. I like to do the inboard side first, seems easier to get to doing it this way. Here is how the inboard netting looked once installed:

inboardhammocknettingsigo6.jpg


Then, the outboard netting is installed, in the same way. Here's the finished hammock netting for the starboard quarterdeck:

outboardhammocknettingsry4.jpg


I should mention that I used PVA glue through out the construction, and it works out very well. I find it dries nice and flat, and I can dilute it and it still adheres very well; this is very helpful with the netting since if you used the glue straight it would clog up the gaps in the weave or leave hideous clumps of dried glue everywhere. I apply it with a thin sable brush and then go over all the glued edges before it fully sets to thin down and dilute the glue spots that might crop up during the process. This is particularly useful when gluing the lines on the netting at top and bottom since I found if I run a damp brush over the glue spots that invariably show up when gluing the lines it dilutes the glue fairly well and removes the "blemishes." This works very well when done with the netting on top of a piece of paper towel that soaks up the excess water and glue, removing it from the netting...just a trick I came across in this part of the build.:twisted:

Well, that's it so far! I didn't have to use any of those fancy magnifiers on this part of the build, just my reading glasses (remember, I'm fairly blind without them for close work!:grin: ).

That's it for this installment...I might start a bit on the port quarterdeck hammock nettings, but won't have that done tonight but I'll post an update once that's finished. I already started on the channels, cut the basic parts out for the mizzen mast channels, but nothing worth seeing yet...that's for a future update.

Thanks again for stopping by and having a look, mates!

Cheers!
Jim
 

Amazyah

Senior Member
What is it you always say, Wotcher Bazzer!
If I got that right, well ten fold to you!
This whole project is just absolutely amazing, Jim!
I am stunned and flabbergasted every time I view this thread!
Your work is the pinnacle of achievement in the paper modeling world!

I look forward to your every post in this thread as I know I will be awed.

Cheers to you also,
Russell
 

barry

Active Member
racks

Wotcher Squinty

Russel said it all allready...............but it's magnificent

respect

barry

PS Image Shack is acting strangely for me as well I can see todays pics but not the ones on the previous page but I can see the ones on the David's Mosquito build.:cry:
 

Jim Krauzlis

Active Member
Thanks again, guys! I'm really glad you are all enjoying the progress I've been making on this little lady. I'm sure it's not all what you say it is, but I do appreciate the very generous comments.

I was able to work in the port hammock nettings and now they are all done! Same drill as with the starboard side, installed the hammock irons, then the inboard nets and finally the outboard nets.

So this is how it all came out:

quarterdeckhammocknettith4.jpg


And a close up view:

closeupofportquarterdecdp2.jpg


Here's a view from the port quarter:

quarterdeckviewfromportms7.jpg


So, this is what she now looks like, from the starboard quarter:

quarterdeckviewfromstaruz1.jpg


And, finally, a closer view from the after port quarter:

closeupofportquarterqk5.jpg


So, a pretty productive weekend! I realized after going over the model and plans I still have to install the stern davits before I get to work on the channels. The quarterdeck davits will be installed once the mizzen mast channels are in place since they go on top of them. I will also have to put in a few other items, like the bumpkins, which are small spars that extend from the hull and are used for rigging some of the sailing lines, and perhaps I'll get the anchors installed, but then it's on to the masts, yards, etc., and the rigging will begin. Thought I'd never get to this point, huh? Well, it's still going to be a bit slow going, but at least the hull is just about finished.

Till next time, take are everyone!

Cheers!
Jim
 

Amazyah

Senior Member
Wotcher Bazzer!
I realize I lay it on pretty thick sometimes but only when it is well deserved, Jim!
This is really an awesome build and when you take into account the detail you have put into it at this scale, this is truly a museum quality build!
Still in awe over your work!
Kudos, Jim!

Russell
 

thewoodengraver

Active Member
Been watching this thread since I joined...don't know if I said anything yet...
no words can describe what I feel when I look at her...Panacea might be close...all pain goes away.
Thank you Jim!
 
T

Texman

Jim, Jim, Jim.

That's about all I can say. I'm speechless. Just sit and stare. Awesome!

Ray
 

Tirta

Member
Wow Jim, wow

The pictures are unbeleivable.
The details of your work are amazing.
Gotta agree with the others, I am also speechless.

Thanks for sharing the updates. :D

Tirta
 
Jim,

The scratch building skills you posses are amazing. The attention to detail is first-class. Keep the updates rolling. I can't wait to see more.
 
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