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1/96 scale USS Constitution build.

What a trip! Bringing this old kit to life is awesome, excellent work!
Thanks Steve. It's my 3rd go around with this kit. This is farther then I've gotten with the previous attempts. I'm realizing that whoever drew up the kit's rigging plan wasn't to sure where the lines went either...lol.
 
Can you imagine the mess Trumpeter might have made of such instructions in translation?
"You tree-trunk long thingies in holes in floor. Put on wire spider-web rope thread to hold tree trunk up. Stick big blankie bed cloth to tree branch. Do best work boat play model, Yankee Plick!" :bigrin:
:lol:
 
Can you imagine the mess Trumpeter might have made of such instructions in translation?
"You tree-trunk long thingies in holes in floor. Put on wire spider-web rope thread to hold tree trunk up. Stick big blankie bed cloth to tree branch. Do best work boat play model, Yankee Plick!" :bigrin:
:lol:
You did that well, almost to well...like your really the guy that writes thier instructions 🤔🤣.
 
Today was kind of all over the map with the build. First I had to replace all of the mast's (there's 16 on the channels) backstay deadeyes. They are smaller than the shroud deadeyes. I knew this yet I still did them the wrong size🤭.
Then I realized I had forgotten to add the Spencer mast when I glued the mizzen mast to the hull. With a little modification and fidgeting I was able to get it installed.
Third pic is how I'm modifying the kit's pulley blocks. I cut off the moulded on strop rings and file notches in the corners to catch the line. Their much better without that clunky ring.
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Haven't timed myself but it takes about 5 minutes to do a block.
Great Gobs of Goose Poop! 5 minutes for EVERY block? Are there 100 blocks? Nevermind about boring ME!
I am enthralled by this whole build AND I'm taking notes! :vgood:
 

I found this guide to the mast & sail nomenclature of HMS Bounty. Rest your mouse on the part of the masts & rigging you want to the name of.
This way those of us that are curious will seem well versed in sailing ship part names.
SHHHhhh! Don't tell Tim how we're cheating!
 
The mizzen mast's top, topgallant and royal stays as well as it's backstays are done. I'm glad I replaced the kit's plastic topgallant and royal masts with wood. The line tension would make it near impossible to keep the plastic ones straight. It's hard enough to do it with the stiffer wooden ones. Everything has to be done in a proper sequence to keep from warping these smaller masts.
For adding the stays the kit instructions say to start at the foremast then the main and finally the mizzen. But the jib lines wanted to pull the foremast out of alignment. So, I'm doing the opposite, rigging forward. It seems to be working better for me. All of the shroud's ratlines will be added later on down the road because they'll be all in the way when doing the running rigging.
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the main mast's stays will keep the foremast from bending forward.
 
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