Artesania Latina model
 

I recently picked up the USS Constellation at an estate sale for $35. Box had been opened but that's it. It will be my first plank on bulkhead and I am looking for any suggestions for working with this model or POB in general. Thanks !

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Hi Ken,

Congratulations on a great find! That's kind of how I got my first plank-on-bulkhead kit, Artesania Latina's U.S. Revenue Cutter Dallas. Not sure what advice to give you yet except to take your time, test fit the bulkheads before you glue it all up and also before you glue up, sight down the length of the keel to make absolutely sure the assembly is straight.

Good luck and post photos!

Clare

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Hi Ken,

To go along with what Clare has told you, make sure to equally plank both sides of the hull as you progress, this will help keep the hull from warping.

Regards,
Gerald

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Great suggestion ...Thanks !

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Here is a link to a great tutorial on planking: http://www.modelshipworld.com/phpBB2/hptintro.php
Also, if this is your first wood kit, you should buy Frank Mastini's "Ship Modeling Simplified"
Alan

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

I built AL 's "Enterprise" a few years ago (see avatar) , I also have the Constellation kit. The kits are similar. Enterprise was lots of fun.. take it one staep at a time.. you'll be fine Took about 8 months I had a seamstress make the sails for a nice touch.

Take your time..

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Ken, You might want to check out the book, Modelling the USF Constellation by Gilbert McArdle, Cornell Maritime Press, First edition, 1985; second printing 1991, ISBN 0-87033-334-8 . It would be an excellent reference source for your project. Check out Amazon, you can usually find it there, used and at a very reasonable price. Shoot for a "Very Good" condition for the used books. Good luck! Joe N.

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Before installing the upper deck you should install all of the full guns on the lower deck as well as the hatches, the railings around those hatches, and the cannon balls. Reason being is that all of these items on the lower deck are difficult to do once the upper deck is installed.

The plywood bulwarks pieces will have to be slightly wet down before bending them to fit. Use a wet towel around them a few minutes at a time until they bend. Be careful not to over wet them as the plywood layers will come apart.

None of these things are shown in the instructions but are needed to keep you from pulling your hair out.

Also, don't throw away the box lid because you will need to reference the picture at times throughout the build.

I agree that the ship modeling simplified book is a good reference for the constellation model.

All in all this a good kit for starting out because of the easy to understand picture book and the good drawings. The instruction book is almost useless though.

Richard

Re: Artesania Latina model
 

Hi, Ken:
I too have the AL kit. After a fair amount of research, I'm pretty sure that this kit is an amalgam of the Constellation of 1798 and the 1867 version in Baltimore Harbor. Specifically, the stern galleries on the kit are NOT of the original Colonial design. (I'm still researching this to see if there's any salvaging of this kit.)