Build the USS CONSTITUTION The world’s oldest commissioned naval vessel afloat 03 Build the USS CONSTITUTION Contents STAGE PAGE 17 Walls and gun mounts 39 18 Walls and gun mounts 41 19 Walls and gun mounts 43 20 Walls and gun mounts 45 21 Walls and gun mounts 47 22 Stern reinforcements and nails 49 23 Walls and gun mounts 51 24 Grating strips, wooden strips and eyerings 53 25 Wooden strips and nails 55 26 Wooden strips and nails 57 27 Wooden strip, grating strips and a cannon 59 Editorial and design by Continuo Creative, 39-41 North Road, London N7 9DP. Published in the UK by De Agostini UK Ltd, Battersea Studios 2, 82 Silverthorne Road, London SW8 3HE. Published in the USA by De Agostini Publishing USA, Inc.,121 E. Calhoun Street, Woodstock, IL 60098 All rights reserved © 2017 Warning: Not suitable for children under the age of 14. This product is not a toy and is not designed or intended for use in play. Items may vary from those shown. USS CONSTITUTION STAGE: 17 16C Once the reinforcements have dried, you can Walls and gun mounts move on to shaping the frame of the hull. You should prepare a few tools, such as the sanding blocks and files shown below. C 1. Fore walls 2. Gun mounts 1 16D To create a sanding block; wrap a large 2 strip of wood in some sandpaper. D 16A Retrieve the reinforcement A fret (Stage 15). Mark the four pieces with A and B, as shown, then remove them from the fret and sand them smooth. B A 16E Start smoothing the sides of the frames, A moving the sanding block from bow to stern (arrow). This will remove any roughness and begin to create a smooth line for the planks. B 16B Place the two A B E reinforcements either side of the false keel between frames 9 and 10, and the two B A reinforcements between frames 10 and 11. B 9 10 11 39 USS CONSTITUTION 16F Smooth the stern area, F 16I This is how the reinforcements and frames at especially the reinforcements. the bow should look when shaped. Take care not to alter the curve of the frames. I 16G Use a half-round file to smooth the curved frames, and to remove the bottom of the reinforcements to match the shape of the frames (Step J). G J 16H Take one of the walls and H hold it against the side of the frames. Slide the wall down the sides of the frames to check that the piece is in full contact with 16J This is how the reinforcements and frames at all of them. the stern should look when shaped. K 16K This stage is now complete. Store any materials that you haven’t used, because they will be needed in future stages. 40 USS CONSTITUTION STAGE: 18 Walls and gun mounts 18C Once the wall is the correct shape and fit, press it against the port side of the spar deck and tops of the frames. 1. Midship walls C 2. Gun mounts 1 D 2 18A Retrieve the walls supplied A 18D Make sure that the wall is flush against the with Stage 17. Smooth the edges edge of the deck. of the two walls with sandpaper. 18E To attach the wall to the hull properly, you will need to use the nails. The best tool to use to apply the nails is the nail pusher, which has a hole in the end where you place the head of a nail. You then use the pusher to push the nail into the wood. B 18B Before adding the walls, E test-fit them in place around the spar deck at the bow. You will need to shape these to a curve by submerging them in water and carefully bending them. Apply a small amount of glue to the highlighted contact areas. 41 USS CONSTITUTION 18F Fix the wall to each of the F I frames at the points indicated, by pushing a nail through the wall and into the frame. 18G If you find that pushing G 18I Glue the wall into place up against the side of the nails won’t get them in all the deck and the frames. the way, you may need to use a hammer to drive them in fully. 18J Secure the wall to the frames with nails, as before. H 18H Prepare the other fore wall J to fit on the starboard side. Make sure that the cutouts are aligned on both sides. K 18K This stage is now complete. Store any materials that you haven’t used, because they will be needed in future stages. 42 USS CONSTITUTION STAGE: 19 Walls and gun mounts C 1. Aft walls 2. Gun mounts 1 19C Place the wall up against the side of the deck, as shown. D 2 19A Test-fit one of the midship A 19D Once the wall is in position, fix it in place walls (Stage 18) along the side with the nails. of the spar deck, aft of the fore wall. 19E Glue the second midship wall to the port side of the spar deck, as shown. 19B Apply glue to the contact B E points between the wall and the deck and frames. 43 USS CONSTITUTION 19F Nail the wall to the frames. 19I Now fix the other aft wall to the port side of the deck, behind the midship wall. F I 1 G 19G Test-fit one of the aft walls 1 on the starboard side of the spar deck, aft of the midship wall, as shown. 19J Then secure the wall to the frames with nails. H J K 19H Glue the wall to the deck 19K This stage is now and then nail it into place. complete. Store any materials that you haven’t used, because they will be needed in future stages. 44 USS CONSTITUTION STAGE: 20 Walls and gun mounts C A 1. Fore walls 2. Gun mounts 20C Take one of the A pieces and glue it over the 1 last gun port of a fore wall, aligning the inner edges of both. 20D Now take one of the B pieces and glue it onto the A piece. D 2 B 20A Test-fit the fore wall from A this stage underneath the wall 1 fitted in Stage 18. Starting at frame 1, engage the tabs in the top with the corresponding cutouts in the wall above. Shape to fit around the frames. E B 20B Remove two gun mount 2 components from the fret, and remove the centre from part A. Then smooth the pieces B with sandpaper. 20E As you can see here, the edges of the front A two gun ports sit very close to the frames (dotted lines). You will need to cut away part of the A pieces for them to fit here (see Step F). 45 USS CONSTITUTION F 20H Apply glue to the points of H contact between the wall and frames, then fit the wall into position and nail it into place. A B A 20F Here you can see how the forward two gun mounts have been cut to fit around the frames. Glue gun mounts to the I rest of the gun ports of the wall. 20J When the second fore wall is ready, fix it to the port side of the hull. G 20I Prepare the other fore wall, J following steps A-G and using one of the previously received gun mount tabs. 20G Test-fit the wall into place, K 20K This stage is now with the gun mounts fitted. complete. Store any materials You may need to reshape some that you haven’t used, because of the mounts to fit with the they will be needed in frames (inset). future stages. 46 USS CONSTITUTION STAGE: 21 Walls and gun mounts C 1. Midship walls 2. Gun mounts 1 21C As with the fore walls, two of the midship gun ports are positioned very close to the frames, so you will need to adjust the mounts to fit. 21D Cut one side of the mounts off (dotted lines) to fit with the frames. D 2 21A Smooth both midship walls A 1 received with this stage. Test- fit the walls on either side of the hull, aft of the fore walls, as shown. 21E Glue mount A to the wall first, then the B piece over it. Make sure that the edge of the B piece is aligned with the cut side of the A piece. 21B Remove the A and B pieces B E from the fret and smooth with sandpaper. Glue the first A B piece over the forward gun port. Look at the following steps B before proceeding. A A 47 USS CONSTITUTION 21F Test-fit the wall into position again, then I glue into place. F 21I Secure the wall to the frames with nails. 21G Secure the wall to the G frames with nails. 21J Use a hammer to ensure the nails are in as deep as they can go. H J 1 21H Test-fit the second K 21K This stage is now midship wall to the other side complete. Store any materials of the hull. Fit gun mounts to that you haven’t used, because the inside of the wall, following they will be needed in the process in Steps C and D, future stages. and then glue into place.