Longlegs55 builds ZHL Soleil Royal

Longlegs55 said:
so I am not going to start with a grand box unveil, suffice to say everything that was supposed to be sent has arrived.
having previously only built Caldercraft kits I feel a little bereft at the lack of instructions. three AO sheets and a dvd. ive printed the dvd pages and am none the wiser so its off to Jotika to reprint the Victory instructions as a guide.

Hopefully building will start tomorrow with some pictures!
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Hallo @Longlegs55
we wish you all the BEST and a HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Birthday-Cake
 
sorry for the long absence health not been great. Hopefully I am back for a While now!!

Not been completely idle since my last post, have finally finshed gilding all the "bling", over 500 sheets of imitation leaf and i dread to think of how many hours i spent just on that.

I have managed to fit and decorate both Galleries finishedIMG_20240305_161746.jpg weighgs a ton and i haven't done the rear yet!!

Happy modelling everyone
 
Longlegs55 said:
sorry for the long absence health not been great. Hopefully I am back for a While now!!

Not been completely idle since my last post, have finally finshed gilding all the "bling", over 500 sheets of imitation leaf and i dread to think of how many hours i spent just on that.

I have managed to fit and decorate both Galleries finishedView attachment 432751 weighgs a ton and i haven't done the rear yet!!

Happy modelling everyone
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Fancy!
 
further progress being made if slowly, rear is all blinged up apart from the very top decorationIMG_20240419_233712.jpg, lower gunports to be completed,IMG_20240419_233704.jpg, and decks are progressingIMG_20240419_233733.jpg. I don't know if anybody else noticed, though i'm pretty sure you all would have, but, if you install all the gunports open, as i intend to, then you are actually short of 2 dummy barrels. the same is the case for the square gunports, if you install the two in the galleries as per the plan sheets then they too are two short in number. However, after a couple of emails with the ever reliable Max at ZHL, the missing parts are as we speak winging their way across the oceans and at no charge to myself. that is what i call customer service. so a big shout out to Max and all at ZHL!!
 
having excitedly stated that i had finished with the gold leaf, i decided to replace all the square block stantions under the handrails with turned ones so i think there is somewhere in the region of 130 of those to do!! never mind though, i have managed to do 5 so far!!
 
Longlegs55 said:
further progress being made if slowly, rear is all blinged up apart from the very top decorationView attachment 442734, lower gunports to be completed,View attachment 442735, and decks are progressingView attachment 442736. I don't know if anybody else noticed, though i'm pretty sure you all would have, but, if you install all the gunports open, as i intend to, then you are actually short of 2 dummy barrels. the same is the case for the square gunports, if you install the two in the galleries as per the plan sheets then they too are two short in number. However, after a couple of emails with the ever reliable Max at ZHL, the missing parts are as we speak winging their way across the oceans and at no charge to myself. that is what i call customer service. so a big shout out to Max and all at ZHL!!
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Longlegs55 said:
further progress being made if slowly, rear is all blinged up apart from the very top decorationView attachment 442734, lower gunports to be completed,View attachment 442735, and decks are progressingView attachment 442736. I don't know if anybody else noticed, though i'm pretty sure you all would have, but, if you install all the gunports open, as i intend to, then you are actually short of 2 dummy barrels. the same is the case for the square gunports, if you install the two in the galleries as per the plan sheets then they too are two short in number. However, after a couple of emails with the ever reliable Max at ZHL, the missing parts are as we speak winging their way across the oceans and at no charge to myself. that is what i call customer service. so a big shout out to Max and all at ZHL!!
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Outstanding work, you are doing great. Hope to catch up with you but the tedium of painting each piece is wearing on me. Yes, Max does great customer service.
 
Longlegs55 said:
further progress being made if slowly, rear is all blinged up apart from the very top decorationView attachment 442734, lower gunports to be completed,View attachment 442735, and decks are progressingView attachment 442736. I don't know if anybody else noticed, though i'm pretty sure you all would have, but, if you install all the gunports open, as i intend to, then you are actually short of 2 dummy barrels. the same is the case for the square gunports, if you install the two in the galleries as per the plan sheets then they too are two short in number. However, after a couple of emails with the ever reliable Max at ZHL, the missing parts are as we speak winging their way across the oceans and at no charge to myself. that is what i call customer service. so a big shout out to Max and all at ZHL!!
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Yeah, I just closed the aft hatches. I found it difficult to place the boxed for the dummies in the aft section. You’re doing well. Wait till you get to the rigging. Are you doing sails?
 
Vfordyce.
yes, i've decided to go the whole hog and rig it up with sails. brain can't cope with thinking that far ahead, just had a glance over the rigging plans and, much as i love the model, they stand up about as well as the as the other instructions. i decided to print out the enclosed cd because i thought it would help but at times i think it would just be easier to stick a finger in the wind and hope. that is the only real criticism i have of the kit but i guess i was spoiled by building caldercraft kits to start with. anyone got any suggestions as to what to build next??

I had thought of the model shipways USF confederacy but i would want to build it as the kit is shown but then incorporate all masts and rigging but i am struggling to find any sort of rigging plans anywhere. I am sure some kind person on here could point me in the right direction.

I hope anyway!!
 
Longlegs55 said:
Vfordyce.
yes, i've decided to go the whole hog and rig it up with sails. brain can't cope with thinking that far ahead, just had a glance over the rigging plans and, much as i love the model, they stand up about as well as the as the other instructions. i decided to print out the enclosed cd because i thought it would help but at times i think it would just be easier to stick a finger in the wind and hope. that is the only real criticism i have of the kit but i guess i was spoiled by building caldercraft kits to start with. anyone got any suggestions as to what to build next??

I had thought of the model shipways USF confederacy but i would want to build it as the kit is shown but then incorporate all masts and rigging but i am struggling to find any sort of rigging plans anywhere. I am sure some kind person on here could point me in the right direction.

I hope anyway!!
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The sails from Sergal have pretty thorough rigging plans. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough belaying pins. I wound up using the pins from another ship to supplement them. I also fastened the lines to the rails.
 
IMG_20240509_190006.jpgso, a little more progress has been made. Added a splash of colour to break up the sides, think it's called artistic licence!!IMG_20240509_185235.jpg, holes drilled into the painted hull for the round gunports IMG_20240509_185307.jpg, ballustrades completed on the starboardIMG_20240509_185708.jpg, and gradually being placed down the port sideIMG_20240509_190006.jpg, and thats about it for now. rest of ballustrades to do and then i think its onto the bow gratings and then deck furniture. thanks for looking and happy modelling. cheers Neil
 
Longlegs55 said:
View attachment 446447so, a little more progress has been made. Added a splash of colour to break up the sides, think it's called artistic licence!!View attachment 446441, holes drilled into the painted hull for the round gunports View attachment 446442, ballustrades completed on the starboardView attachment 446443, and gradually being placed down the port sideView attachment 446447, and thats about it for now. rest of ballustrades to do and then i think its onto the bow gratings and then deck furniture. thanks for looking and happy modelling. cheers Neil
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Good morning Neil. Lovely work on the balustrades. AL is always a good thing as this is “our canvas”. Cheers Grant
 
please please please, nobody else be lulled by bright flashy adverts and end up buying "cheap" acrylic paint. i gave up after repainting the hull after about 6 or 7 attempts with it conastantly fading from a "nice" darkish blue to the chalky white shown in the photo. this changed colour within a week!!!!!IMG_20240517_192820.jpg I have since repainted a part of the hull (yet again!) and have taken a photo half way through to show the contrast. the chalky lower colour even changed after being varnished whereas the "new" colour hasnt changed in a fortnight so i think it is safe to varnish a few topcoats on. by the way the original paint was royal and langnickel so not that cheap anyway but the new colour is vallejo intensive blue. sorry for the rant!!!
 
most of the deck "furniture" now in placeIMG_20240607_132146.jpgIMG_20240607_132202.jpgirst of the cannons rigged and fittedIMG_20240607_132157.jpg and now moving to the bow to complete that areaIMG_20240607_132222.jpg sadly, that will be it for about 3 weeks as i have to take she who must be obeyed to Egypt for a sunshine break! will post on my return, in the meantime, happy modelling!
 
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