1/96 RVL Constitution Build, reference and source guide.

I will post some pics here shortly on all those items so you guys can see what I am talking about. 

The brass strap comes in different lengths, going to measure them tonite. This strop (top left) is for 5mm deadeye.

Deadeye to left is the MS 4mm to right is the Falkonet 5mm. The holes are almost into the channel the strop fits in on the Falkonet.

Hard to see in pic, but the white metal 6mm belay pin has around 1/3-1/4 thinner pin. If your making pin or fife rails and make them a bit wider than the kits, then the wood belay pins would look good.

Dale , do they still make or sell brass belaying pins? I used a lot of them years ago. They are treally nice. 

Gene, yes they do. I have some 5mm brass pins, but they are a bit too small. I have yet to find any 6mm brass pins, that is what I would rather have than the wood or white metal. 

Dale, try BlueJacket; they have .25" or 6.35 mm belaying pins part number FO119. That is .35 mm longer than the kit pins; but you will not see the difference. The problem is that they are pricey at $8 per dozen (I suspect that the listed price may be wrong).

Thanks my friend. I was doing the math at the first price and it was like $80 in just pins. I can handle $40 or so. That is to replace all the pins on kits pin rails and fife rails, thing is you dont actually even use them all.

Dale, what are you doing on your Connie now. I keep  looking at them & a new one is down to $68 shipped. They have a bunch on ebay, all new & at cheaper prices. These are made in China. I thought the new ones were made in Germany, or is that just the USS United States?

    I would probably get one, but it is sort of dumb for me to have more than a years supply, & that is what I have, plus. Anxious to see more of your pictures after seeing the real thing you are building. It really looks good.

Hi Gene, thanks. I have not done a whole lot more since you seen it. Do have all the spardeck guns actually glued and tied in place now.  Trying to find the right size deadeyes with holes big enough to allow for the right size line has been an issue.  I should of planned this before gluing hull halves together. The pins that hold the chain link straps in place, that I found would work need to be pushed through hull. The pins are like cotter pins where you can seperate into 2 halves after pushing through hull and bend in opposite directions. This along with gluing will assure holding the chainplates and deadeyes in place. Just gluing is not goint to suffice, if any pressure is put on the same.

Also I had someone steal several items from my mailbox equalling to about $130, so that kinda put a cloud on my building mood this past week.

I am going to be off mon & tues and hope to make some more progress on the netting mounted to my stanchions for drying hammocks and kits.

I have really been looking over the BlueJacket Constitution manual and plans. I previously had only glanced at them, now wish I had really read all the manual and looked closely at the plans.  I suggest to anyone who is wanting to do a bit more and beyond than a OOB build to get that manual and plans and scrutinize them well. I would not be having the issues I am now if I had.

ShipWreck got me looking and BlueJacket has all the deadeyes etc at what should be the right size. Just refer to the plans and numbers on parts list and you can order about anything off the parts list. One of those "gray moments" I am sure it will not be the last.  

As mentioned in my previous post I had items stolen from my mailbox. One of the items was the FSM 10 yr collection 2009-2017. For the police report I had to contact kalmbach publishing to find the true value since I had gotten it on a special deal. I was also going to re-order. The Lady I spoke too was not only very pleasant but she shipped me out a new order for free ! This really surprised me. So Kudos to FSM magazine and Kalmbach publishing you got my business forever.   Dale

I am back, after long hiatus due to medical reasons and some other things in life that kept me away. 

Just started working on my Connie again a few days ago. Had to get the dust off and get all my tools and goodies organized. 

Got boats lashed too deck, working on stanchions, trying to decide if I want to use thread or netting for them.

Thanks my friend. Got abducted by aliens, but they decided I was more than they wanted to deal with :)  I am ok, just have to learn how to do things a bit differently now. Need to catch up with all the builds and my friends on here. I see some very nice new builds of Connies going and some old builds being worked on again. 

Glad you are back and hope to see more posts of your Connie.  Watching with earnest.

Bob

Glad to have you back Dale, looking forward to seeing some updated pics , my Connie looks really crude compared to what you and others are curently building.

Michael D.

Thanks guys, all your builds are looking great.

I have also decided to go back too more of a oob again. But will suggest to anyone building this or any revell kit, Do not use the included eyebolts, get some made of brass, worth the monies. You will need 2 sizes. Those included in kit, bend and break very easily. 

I blackened mine using "Birchwood Casey gun black" then glued them in using "Formula 560 canopy glue" it leaves no signs of being glued. It also glues painted parts together with no need to clean paint from glued area. One of the best glues I have ever used.

The past few days I have spent, tying down the four boats to spar deck, one additional eyebolt needs added here to make the small boat look properly secured to larger boat it is set inverted on. Got all those stanchions mounted to the bases, they are very easily broken, glad kit has extras, I also coated them with Formula 560, made a big difference in them not being so flimsy and brittle. Now I have to mount and try netting them or running ropes.