La Couronne Corel/scratch 1:100 First build [COMPLETED BUILD]

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Working a little further in sail making, the perimeters of several of the sails were sewn. A patch of cloth for the top lining was taped with masking tape to the rear side of the fore and main topsails, and secured to the sail with the stitch along the foot of the sail. The top liner is an extra layer of fabric that protects the center area at the foot of the topsails from wear caused by rubbing against the front of the tops and their railings. More sewing on all these sails will be done later. I will buy a lighter color of thread for the panel seams, finishing sewing on the top liner, and other reinforcements such as reef bands. How the stitches for the laces that join the bonnets to their courses for the main course, fore course, and mizzen lateen are going to be made is something I haven't figured out yet.



Front of main topsail


Rear of main topsail

 

[Vfordyce]

Thanks, The Amazon price is good and the sales pitch covers the bases. I'll look forward to more convenient small work but still need readers for regular reading or are those ocular senior sensors???? PT-2

Mine are permanently part of my head now. I’ve turned into a borg.

 

[Charles QC]

Even if the S.R. is one of my favourite ship I will never start a big project like your. Do not have the skill to do it so I just admire your work

 

[PT-2]

Besides the magnifier and light on my head, when it arrives, my wife will not be able to call it if I put it down and forget where. . . unlike calling my cell phone to tone out for recovery;-) PT -2

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Lots of sail work was done today, guys. I finished the sewing of the seams, reef bands, and top lining reinforcements. I'm debating whether or not to add reinforcements for the cringles or not. The drain holes that will be cut in the spritsail were reinforced by hand sewing with the same thread used to make the panel seams. Top linings and reef bands are sewn with a second layer of fabric. I was careful to line up the weave directions for both layers first. Masking tape is helpful in holding the second layer in position while sewing with the sewing machine. The sewing went a lot faster than expected, only two days of work. Lots of pictures below show the entire process. After staining, bonnets will be cut away from their respective sails before bolt ropes are sewn on.

Two colors of thread used. Lighter one is used for panel seams. Below is the process of making the mail topsail.


Making the fore topsail.


Spritsail with hand sewn drain holes.


All sails shown below, with perimeter edges, panel seams, top liners, and reef bands sewn. The first ones below are the fore and main courses.


Fore and main topsails.


Fore and main topgallant.


Sprit topsail and spritsail.


Mizzen crojack sail.


Mizzen lateen sail.

 

[PT-2]

Lots of sail work was done today, guys. I finished the sewing of the seams, reef bands, and top lining reinforcements. I'm debating whether or not to add reinforcements for the cringles or not. The drain holes that will be cut in the spritsail were reinforced by hand sewing with the same thread used to make the panel seams. Top linings and reef bands are sewn with a second layer of fabric. I was careful to line up the weave directions for both layers first. Masking tape is helpful in holding the second layer in position while sewing with the sewing machine. The sewing went a lot faster than expected, only two days of work. Lots of pictures below show the entire process. After staining, bonnets will be cut away from their respective sails before bolt ropes are sewn on.

Two colors of thread used. Lighter one is used for panel seams. Below is the process of making the mail topsail.
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Making the fore topsail.
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Spritsail with hand sewn drain holes.
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All sails shown below, with perimeter edges, panel seams, top liners, and reef bands sewn. The first ones below are the fore and main courses.
View attachment 173959

Fore and main topsails.
View attachment 173960

Fore and main topgallant.
View attachment 173961

Sprit topsail and spritsail.
View attachment 173962

Mizzen crojack sail.
View attachment 173963

Mizzen lateen sail.
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Great job with your precise sewing. Did you do this straight off or have you used a sewing machine before? Maybe some guidance from someone close by. With this production you can apply as an apprentice sailmaker or at least in a tailor's shop for fine clothing. Go new as with repairs you never know what hidden critters lurk in the pockets. Hopefully when you move to a wet stage there will not be a shrinkage problem. I'll look forward to seeing these bent onto the yards and fore stays. PT-2

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Great job with your precise sewing. Did you do this straight off or have you used a sewing machine before? Maybe some guidance from someone close by. With this production you can apply as an apprentice sailmaker or at least in a tailor's shop for fine clothing. Go new as with repairs you never know what hidden critters lurk in the pockets. Hopefully when you move to a wet stage there will not be a shrinkage problem. I'll look forward to seeing these bent onto the yards and fore stays. PT-2

When I was 12 years old back in 7th grade, I was one of the few guys who paid attention when learning how to use a sewing machine. I saw it as another valuable skill, not something I'd never use again, even though all we made was a silly cartoony dog pillow. Later, I make medieval cloaks and tabards to go with my armour. Sails are easy compared to clothing. The hard part is coming up though, hand sewing the bolt ropes, clews, and cringles.

 

[Vfordyce]

When I was 12 years old back in 7th grade, I was one of the few guys who paid attention when learning how to use a sewing machine. I saw it as another valuable skill, not something I'd never use again, even though all we made was a silly cartoony dog pillow. Later, I make medieval cloaks and tabards to go with my armour. Sails are easy compared to clothing. The hard part is coming up though, hand sewing the bolt ropes, clews, and cringles.

Thanks for the step by step. I’ve been scratching my head so long over sails I am about to go bald.

 

[PT-2]

Thanks for the step by step. I’ve been scratching my head so long over sails I am about to go bald.

I was the only guy in a typing class because my parents said that I needed that skill if I was going to college. It didn't matter though as there were a lot of cute girls typing away close by. )) PT-2

 

[Vfordyce]

I was the only guy in a typing class because my parents said that I needed that skill if I was going to college. It didn't matter though as there were a lot of cute girls typing away close by. )) PT-2

The Admiral is both my sewer and typer. I have to settle for one cute girl!

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

More sail work. The challenges for making sails for 1:100 ship are different than making sails for larger models, which most people prefer. Corel is the only company that makes most of their models in this scale, and the details which are sacrificed from larger models have to be carefully selected or you will throw out things that would have made the model look more extravagant. On the other side, if you add details which appear on larger models, you cannot make them tiny enough to fit in scale. They appear grossly oversized. Things like hull trenails and iron tails, blocks, lines, and sail stitching are tempting to include on a small model when you are aware they should be on a ship, but at the scale of 1:100, some must be left out so that the appearance of the model at 1 meter will approximate the appearance of the real ship at 100 meters.

After careful consideration of how to make the bonnets and lace them, it was decided that the bonnet lacing would be simulated by a simple 3mm running stitch above the 0.5mm foot stitch of the main course, fore course, and lateen sails. 100% poly general purpose thread, #8060 "ecru" was used, and it is a shade darker than the tabling stitch thread on the periphery. The running stitch simulating the bonnet lacing was carefully and slowly machine sewn. The running stitch will appear equally on the rear side, when it shouldn't, but that is something I'll have to live with using this method. It would have been nice to have two running stitches atop one another to simulate the lacing loops, but I cannot run two stitches over one another accurately at the scale, it would over-complicate the appearance as well. At present, the bonnets and sails are still part of the same piece of cloth, but after staining, the parts will be cut into separate pieces so that the bolt ropes for bonnet and sail may be hand sewn onto their entire periphery.

 

[Vfordyce]

More sail work. The challenges for making sails for 1:100 ship are different than making sails for larger models, which most people prefer. Corel is the only company that makes most of their models in this scale, and the details which are sacrificed from larger models have to be carefully selected or you will throw out things that would have made the model look more extravagant. On the other side, if you add details which appear on larger models, you cannot make them tiny enough to fit in scale. They appear grossly oversized. Things like hull trenails and iron tails, blocks, lines, and sail stitching are tempting to include on a small model when you are aware they should be on a ship, but at the scale of 1:100, some must be left out so that the appearance of the model at 1 meter will approximate the appearance of the real ship at 100 meters.

After careful consideration of how to make the bonnets and lace them, it was decided that the bonnet lacing would be simulated by a simple 3mm running stitch above the 0.5mm foot stitch of the main course, fore course, and lateen sails. 100% poly general purpose thread, #8060 "ecru" was used, and it is a shade darker than the tabling stitch thread on the periphery. The running stitch simulating the bonnet lacing was carefully and slowly machine sewn. The running stitch will appear equally on the rear side, when it shouldn't, but that is something I'll have to live with using this method. It would have been nice to have two running stitches atop one another to simulate the lacing loops, but I cannot run two stitches over one another accurately at the scale, it would over-complicate the appearance as well. At present, the bonnets and sails are still part of the same piece of cloth, but after staining, the parts will be cut into separate pieces so that the bolt ropes for bonnet and sail may be hand sewn onto their entire periphery.

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I appreciate your going over the details Darius. I just wish I knew what the heck you were talking about. I guess I need to curl up with a good dictionary.

 

[Vfordyce]

More sail work. The challenges for making sails for 1:100 ship are different than making sails for larger models, which most people prefer. Corel is the only company that makes most of their models in this scale, and the details which are sacrificed from larger models have to be carefully selected or you will throw out things that would have made the model look more extravagant. On the other side, if you add details which appear on larger models, you cannot make them tiny enough to fit in scale. They appear grossly oversized. Things like hull trenails and iron tails, blocks, lines, and sail stitching are tempting to include on a small model when you are aware they should be on a ship, but at the scale of 1:100, some must be left out so that the appearance of the model at 1 meter will approximate the appearance of the real ship at 100 meters.

After careful consideration of how to make the bonnets and lace them, it was decided that the bonnet lacing would be simulated by a simple 3mm running stitch above the 0.5mm foot stitch of the main course, fore course, and lateen sails. 100% poly general purpose thread, #8060 "ecru" was used, and it is a shade darker than the tabling stitch thread on the periphery. The running stitch simulating the bonnet lacing was carefully and slowly machine sewn. The running stitch will appear equally on the rear side, when it shouldn't, but that is something I'll have to live with using this method. It would have been nice to have two running stitches atop one another to simulate the lacing loops, but I cannot run two stitches over one another accurately at the scale, it would over-complicate the appearance as well. At present, the bonnets and sails are still part of the same piece of cloth, but after staining, the parts will be cut into separate pieces so that the bolt ropes for bonnet and sail may be hand sewn onto their entire periphery.

View attachment 174207View attachment 174208View attachment 174209

In another log I had asked about the use of tree nails. If the real ship builders use bungs of the same wood and run the grain the same direction, one could barely see them up close. I did the virtual tour of the Victory and only saw three identifiable bungs during the tour of at least five decks. For me, the use of tree nails on my USS Constitution at 1:100 scale was an interesting thought, but on further musings, it was a non-starter. Again, thanks for your good work and your meticulous sharing.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

In another log I had asked about the use of tree nails. If the real ship builders use bungs of the same wood and run the grain the same direction, one could barely see them up close. I did the virtual tour of the Victory and only saw three identifiable bungs during the tour of at least five decks. For me, the use of tree nails on my USS Constitution at 1:100 scale was an interesting thought, but on further musings, it was a non-starter. Again, thanks for your good work and your meticulous sharing.

Iron nails were used far more than trenails (bungs) in the 18th century ships you work with. Remember, I am working on a vessel from 1636. The technology changed a lot since then. A treenail, also trenail, trennel, or trunnel, is a wooden peg, pin, or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together, especially in timber frames, covered bridges, wooden shipbuilding and boat building. The grain of a trenail is perpendicular to the plank, it follows the axis of the trenail.

 

[Vfordyce]

Iron nails were used far more than trenails (bungs) in the 18th century ships you work with. Remember, I am work on a vessel from 1636. The technology changed a lot since then. A treenail, also trenail, trennel, or trunnel, is a wooden peg, pin, or dowel used to fasten pieces of wood together, especially in timber frames, covered bridges, wooden shipbuilding and boat building. The grain of a trenail is perpendicular to the plank, it follows the axis of the trenail.

Thanks for clarifying that, Darius.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

The sails were hand washed with laundry soap, and the pencil marks have disappeared. Next is staining...

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

The test sail (a copy of the main topgallant sail) was immersed in purified kerosene with pine tar in it. It was then washed in soapy water, rinsed off, and dried. The first two pictures show the test sail next to unstained sails. It looks okay. So, I treated all the other sails the same way. The staining is very subtle, the darkening of the stitching being the most remarkable change. They are now drying now over a fan. The shade of the test sail is a couple shades darker than the original ivory sateen fabric. I think the sails will look pretty good color wise. After they dry, it will be time to apply some CA glue on the fabric just outside the stitching around the outside and trim away the excess cloth.

 

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Moving forward working on the test sail, CA glue was applied outside of the table stitch that runs around the outside edge of the sail. A little soaked past the stitch, but who's perfect? When dried, the extra fabric was carefully trimmed away with a sewing scissors.

 

[Vfordyce]

The test sail (a copy of the main topgallant sail) was immersed in purified kerosene with pine tar in it. It was then washed in soapy water, rinsed off, and dried. The first two pictures show the test sail next to unstained sails. It looks okay. So, I treated all the other sails the same way. The staining is very subtle, the darkening of the stitching being the most remarkable change. They are now drying now over a fan. The shade of the test sail is a couple shades darker than the original ivory sateen fabric. I think the sails will look pretty good color wise. After they dry, it will be time to apply some CA glue on the fabric just outside the stitching around the outside and trim away the excess cloth.

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Pretty amazing stuff, Darius. I don’t think I’ll go that far on my first ship. But I will use a lot of what you did.

 

[Vfordyce]

Moving forward working on the test sail, CA glue was applied outside of the table stitch that runs around the outside edge of the sail. A little soaked past the stitch, but who's perfect? When dried, the extra fabric was carefully trimmed away with a sewing scissors.

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Are the thread lines supposed to be that dark? Just asking out of ignorance on my part. I’ve been debating the color of thread to use.