Build Log - Heller 1:100 Scale Le Soleil Royal

[Murph]

Masts day today , hard to understand instructions despite instruction book and downloaded PDF , very complicated got there in the end ........

 

[GuyM]

If you thought that was complicated, wait till you get to the rigging)))))))))))))))))))))))

 

[Murph]

GuyM just flicked through the rigging pages in the manual , OMFG !!!!!

Still on masts duty , think I'll need a holiday before starting the dreaded rigging !!

 

[GuyM]

Oh yes)) and don't try to do too much at once, it will eat you up))))))

 

[Murph]

Few more piccies of the stern , quite proud of the paint job......... one cluttered kitchen table ...... and old meets new , Flying Dutchman model and a modern day container ship on its way past us on the way to Ringiskiddy container terminal , Oh , and me playing some trad Irish songs for the tourists , outside the Mauritania bar (the one in the red ) as asked for by the landlord John , complimentary drinks instead of a fee .......

 

[GuyM]

Who are the three musicians?

 

[Murph]

A beautiful Irish sunset and this is how close the ships and cruise liners come past our front window.....

 

[GuyM]

I hope the sea wall is high enough))

 

[Murph]

GuyM , the waves come over the top now and again, storm Ophelia a few years ago made one hell of show , unfortunately it coincided with a spring tide and a southerly wind , wind speeds recorded at 170kph at it's height , waves hitting the front window road covered with seaweed and jellyfish and small crabs everywhere , rescued a baby crab that was still alive , just as I was about to throw him back the little shit nipped me with his claw !! That's thanks for ye eh ? Musicians from L to R Scouse John , me , and Tina

 

[GuyM]

)))) Climate change does that to remind us a few things) And crabs too!)))))))

 

[Murph]

All going well , thinking of changing top deck cannons to these (see below) but they'll be painted black with a red carriage and the decorated parts on the cannons picked out with gold acrylic pen .... both sides now painted blue , yellow stripes to follow ......

 

[GuyM]

Which side parts are painted blue with yellow stripes?

 

[Murph]

GuyM , Sides all blue as you can see , trying a yellow on the 4 raised horizontal lines , 4mm wide , saw one the same somewhere online and liked the look ...... may use some car striping tape as it'll be a bit of a delicate job for me with my eyesight and a steady hand these days ....... hull is the wash of burnt umber , shows the planking really well close up.
Masts not yet glued in place until sails and pulleys are done , anyone wondering what the sign on the wall says , It's ..... "When I die bury me under the pub so my wife will visit me 7 times a week" 3rd pic a bit blurred but I'm sure ye'll see what I mean.

Sláinte Murph

 

[GuyM]

I like that saying)))))))))))))))))))))

 

[Murph]

By the way , anyone who is attempting to put rigging thread thru pulleys , get a pack of needle threaders , dirt cheap and a god send

 

[GuyM]

Hmmm....I don't see how that thing works.....

 

[Murph]

GuyM , believe me they do work , very well , the thin wire at the bottom closes up when you pass it thru the smallest hole in anything , then opens up again on the other side enabling ye to put the thread thru , pull it back and bingo , job done.
Given up on weathering the sails with a wash , couldn't get two the same , so they're now bright red !!! I'm a Liverpool fan !!!!
I've discovered a complete lack of a ships steering wheel in this kit , maybe It's me but nothing in any instructions , did they have remote control or sat nav in pirate days ?????

 

[GuyM]

In that period they didn't have wheels; they had a long piece of wood which the person steering the ship would push to one side or the other;
He had his post on the rear part of the middle deck, so you would see him or the steering mechanism....The captain's orders went through an auxiliary person and it all worked by voicing the command....

 

[Murph]

Ready to give up the pulleys , just too awkward for me , I'll let you all into a little secret , I've only got one good arm and hand , the left ones , and the fingers on me right hand are permanently bent following an accident which severed the motor nerve in the right arm leaving me with no bicep muscle , and hardly any grip , I'm now 64 and have got gradually worse over the years.
I can lift a pint of Guinness perfectly with me good arm !!!
So not a bad job by a one armed fella eh ???

 

[GuyM]

Indeed it is It must be really hard to work on very smaal pieces woithout full mobility of the fingers....