Wednesday, June 6, 2012
These days I applied myself to build all the stairways and ladders available on the Soleil Royal. I experienced also a variation in the construction of the ladders that allowed me to build them, let's say, in "mass production". In addition I designed and implemented a totally personal way to build the four "low" ladders connecting the gangways to forecastle and quarterdeck. I really like this solution, more realistic. At the moment I do not have pictures, but you'll see them in due time.
Now I am left with essentially three jobs before embarking on a major new enterprise: re-glue guns, fix some new elements around the mainmast, paste all the stairways and ladders that I painted for the occasion in blue.
After this point, more or less a matter of few hours, I will devote myself to the building of the poop.
It's a while I think what to do at this point and I came to conclusion that it is better for me to concentrate in the building of infrastructures and galleries of the poop, maybe finishing it completely, but surely coming to a point at least which I will no longer need to heavily manipulate the hull to perform the work. The objective is to leave the finish of the gunwale at that point, when you can work without tipping too the hull thus avoiding possible breakage.
Today I have collected all the material for the components of the poop and I studied very carefully all the instructions for its construction. I must become confident with the whole process, because I have in mind a set of possible variations that intrigue me very much. Finally, to take help from other modelers, I downloaded all the images of the poop of the modelers who have already built it . .
a small advantage to stay a little back and let others go ahead to open the track . . images that will be very useful to keep in mind the point of arrival!
See you soon, Jack.
Monday, June 11, 2012
In these past days I focused myself on the study, the material collection and the initial operations planning for the tasks related to the building of the complex poop of this ship, more in detail I studied how to prepare and mount the three galleries.
The material provided by De Agostini for these tasks is quite dissimilar in quality: some pieces are of good quality, while others are less if not worse. . it is a constant problem in these partworks: often between an issue and the next the quality of a similar piece is totally different. In this case there are only two possibilities: 1) to request De Agostini to re-ship the whole issue (losing roughly three weeks) or 2) rebuilding the wrong/bad piece with a better material. In my case, however, the quality is not as important because all the "bad" pieces will later be hidden.
Once mounted the floor of the lower and middle galleries I had to adapt them to the shape of the hull so that they fit perfectly in their final position . . evaluate it, change eventually a bit and try again. . until the piece is OK.
Then I proceeded to plank the top of the floor with strips similar to those used for the decks, I remember that decks on this model are in beechwood.
To fix the floor I used the vinyl glue but, for safety, I also put in place four pins of metal.
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This gallery should be aligned with the fourth wale (from the bottom) and, thanks to the inexistent drawings and to the instructions where you were not told to take a particular care, I discovered that, to maintain the ideal sheer of the wale, the floor appears to be in a higher position of a few millimeters than it should be. . . The picture below shows this gap. Obviously at this point the remaining two galleries will also be located higher with possible implications not currently quantifiable. However I was expecting similar situations. In due time I will see how to manage the problem.
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Finally, a personal interpretation of the positioning of the ladder to access the "higher" deck (I do not know how to call it exactly): in that position, I thought to locate a door. But now I can't put in front of the door a staircase. . (again, some drawings of the model would certainly have helped).
So I thought to correct the error by moving the ladder back and here explained the need of this small platform added now and protruding.
I imagine the reactions of the "purists", in this case being them totally right, but these situations are recurrent with these partworks . . linked with other amenities such as instructions sometimes lacking of clarity and the chronic absence of drawings.
About drawings: if I can imagine and understand why drawings are not published for these kind of kits, from another point of view it would be enough some sketches, of proper size, showing particulars or even prospective views similar to the one in the Soleil Royal model plans from Panart (Mantua) and more precisely the table No. 4. Such views cannot be used as plans themselves, then would meet the needs of the publisher, but they would be incredibly useful to the modelers . .
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After these amazing discussion on materials and plans, I greet you and wish you a good day. Jack.Aubrey
