Connie's mast and cannons

Chuck,

Yes, I would recommend placing a metal rod inside the lower masts.  As for the upper masts, use your variable speed drill or mototool at low speed to hold and turn the mast or spar, and use fine sand paper for shaping.  It works fairly well.

As for the cannon, Model Expo or Bluejacket are good sources.  Just match the kit cannons with the catalog listings. Measure them and go from there.

Bill

Tricky part there is that the catalogs do not have a uniform measurement in the specified length of the cannon, some include the cascabel, others do not.

Then, there is the issue that not all cannons are the same shape or length, and "scale" very poorly--a 1/48 12pdr is not a 1/96 24pdr.

Order the least quantity you can at first, until you find the pattern you like best.

Bluejacket probably has the best "scaled" 1/96 Connie armament, but, you'll still have to clean some seams, as those are cast britannia metal.  But, the carronades (the most visible weapons) will be right-sized.  Britainnia metal can also be chemically blackened, which can look better than paint, too.

Note, replacing the cannon barrels introduces another bugaboo, cannon carriages are tapered to match the cannon.  The kit's carriages are relentlessly parallel, and once you know this, will sore annoy, too.  This can be corrected, but it is as tedious as cleaning seams on all those cannon, too.

Wonderful tips. I wouldn't mind cleaning the brass cannons. Forgive my ignorance, but what is 'pdr'? How can I chemically blacken the brass cannons (just point me in the right direction)? As I'm retired, I have lots time to complete this. I don't mind tapering the carriages. This will be the finest model I've ever made and I don't mind taking extra steps to insure the quality of the model.

Thanks again,

Chuck

Look for a product called BlackenIt, it will chemically blacken brass.

The brass cannon out there do have the virtue of being turned, meaning no seams.  They generally need cleaning in acetone or mineral spirits before blackening. 

Definitely browse the Bluejacket catalog line for Connie stuff, though--their full kit is also 1/96 IIRC.

I've been watching the 1/100 Arfix/Heller HMS Victory thread here and considering how to apply the "thickening" strategy to Connie.  No answers yet, only half-baked ideas mostly to distract me from my foreclosure woes.

Oh, and the britannia blackener is Pewterblack or some such--dang it, I'll have to go browse the Bluejacket catalog . . . <G>

Yes, I could clamp my Dremel rotary tool in a small machinist's vice I have and rest the other end of the masts in an easily made 'V' block.

It's the minor suttle things I am most concerned about. Like "Besides that, how'd you like the show Mrs. Licoln?"

Well, having planed spars out of square stock before, I find it a tad easier than using a rotary tool.

It can even be restful in its way.  You need a card template to show where the square bits ate, the octagon ones, the round parts--the built up parts where sheaves  go, and the like.

Then, you get a collection of planes, microplanes, spokeshaves and the like handy.  For larger spars, you can even put a wedge in the V jig to match the taper, and use the top edge for a screed.

There's a real sense of accomplishment when you see the octagon taper to round, of getting the yard arms just right, too.

The cannons on the Constitution would have been bronze, not brass.  Model expo used to have some bronze plated cannons- don't know if they still do.  Actually, the ship was in service a long time, and I assume in its later service the cannons would have been cast iron, probably painted black.

Thanks Don, I appreciate it.

Chuck in Eagan, MN

Thank you for all of your suggestions and tips. They will save me much anguish.

Best regards,

Chuck