Hi Marc,
Happy birthday, I hope you have a great day and the coming year ahead is happy and healthy.
Cheers,
Stephen.
Happy birthday, I hope you have a great day and the coming year ahead is happy and healthy.
Cheers,
Stephen.
-
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Soleil Royal by Heller - an Extensive Modification and Partial Scratch-Build by Hubac’s Historian
- Thread starter Hubac’s Historian
- Start date
- Watchers 79
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- Tags
- 1689 heller hubac refit soleil royal
Happy Birthday Marc
Glad that I see your work here - just found it.
Cheers
Glad that I see your work here - just found it.
Cheers
Gentlemen, I am so sorry for being so late in reply. A hearty THANK YOU to all for your kind birthday wishes!
I don’t even get email notifications for my own log, unless I’ve checked-in recently, which I haven’t since the last posting. I only made this realization while sifting through the “new posts” section on the main browser. I hope none of you will think me rude or harbor any bad feelings
It ended up being a very nice 52nd birthday. While we’ve been popping around to various locales for summer vacation, in recent weeks, I find myself at home alone, for the next week, while my family enjoys their last vacation in Sag Harbor. The Italy trip ate up most if my available vacation time.
I plan to make use of the free time, though. I’m almost ready to install all of these main deck gunnery accoutrements, and the free-standing bitts that I’ve forgotten the proper name for.
All of these parts after their walnut ink distress wash:
I will try, also, to catch up with all of your logs this week. Paul, I was just on your SP build, and that framing is sublime!
I don’t even get email notifications for my own log, unless I’ve checked-in recently, which I haven’t since the last posting. I only made this realization while sifting through the “new posts” section on the main browser. I hope none of you will think me rude or harbor any bad feelings
It ended up being a very nice 52nd birthday. While we’ve been popping around to various locales for summer vacation, in recent weeks, I find myself at home alone, for the next week, while my family enjoys their last vacation in Sag Harbor. The Italy trip ate up most if my available vacation time.
I plan to make use of the free time, though. I’m almost ready to install all of these main deck gunnery accoutrements, and the free-standing bitts that I’ve forgotten the proper name for.
All of these parts after their walnut ink distress wash:
I will try, also, to catch up with all of your logs this week. Paul, I was just on your SP build, and that framing is sublime!
A very belated Happy Birthday Marc, sorry. Glad you had a good day and look forward to seeing your progress with fitting out
So, I’ve managed to make some progress. I finished painting the deck hardware. On the one hand, the degree of detailing I put into the lin-stock tubs may seem like overkill for something so small, that is largely overshadowed by the waist gangways. However, I truly enjoyed the process of engraving them, boring them out, banding them, painting/weathering them, and making ears and annealed wire handles for them. It gave me the sense, once again, that I was engaged with the project, in the limited time I had available.
(honestly - not sure why so many of these images are importing vertically, when they are horizontal in my photos)
For placing these tiny items where clumsy fingers fear to tread, I found that wall-tack putty rolled around the end of a toothpick enabled me to place these items precisely, in the limited time before the CA sets.
I did make one shot-rack placement error, but it will be completely concealed beneath the f’ocsle deck. It wasn’t worth creating a paint repair problem.
Now, I still have cleats and blocks and cavals to place on the main deck. I still also have to belay sheet and tack lines to the inner bulwarks for the eventual rigging. I had momentum, though, and wanted to continue making significant progress. I decided to begin detailing the f’ocsle deck as a motivator to finally route my belay points on the main deck, so that the whole project can move forward.
A few of these plank lines are a little ragged, but from most perspectives those flaws will not be very apparent. I found that, at first, I was moving a little too quickly with the engraving, and not taking enough score passes to create a clean channel to back-drag the tip of my blade. The proof will be in the paint, when those lines really jump out, but I think it will be okay.
Next up, I decided to make the galley chimneys:
I blacken the edges with graphite, so that I can more easily gauge the bevels I am filing into them.
Next up - I wanted to make a f’ocsle capstan because I see evidence of one on the Louis Quinze model at the musee.
A montage:
The foundation of the machine are 4 pcs of .100 square stock cemented together, and then trimmed to 3/16” square. I then faceted the barrel into an octagon:
I am always looking for places where I can re-purpose the stock ornamentation, and these radiant fleurs from the quarter galleries seemed like a fitting complement to this machine.
The capstan will stand four scale feet above deck and the capstan bars will just clear the height of the chimneys:
All-in-all, this little machine was one of my favorite elements to make for this project. I still have to make the capstan locking pawls that engage at the foot of the machine.
Next, I think I will design the break rail and belfry. Thank you, as always, for the likes and looking-in.
(honestly - not sure why so many of these images are importing vertically, when they are horizontal in my photos)
For placing these tiny items where clumsy fingers fear to tread, I found that wall-tack putty rolled around the end of a toothpick enabled me to place these items precisely, in the limited time before the CA sets.
I did make one shot-rack placement error, but it will be completely concealed beneath the f’ocsle deck. It wasn’t worth creating a paint repair problem.
Now, I still have cleats and blocks and cavals to place on the main deck. I still also have to belay sheet and tack lines to the inner bulwarks for the eventual rigging. I had momentum, though, and wanted to continue making significant progress. I decided to begin detailing the f’ocsle deck as a motivator to finally route my belay points on the main deck, so that the whole project can move forward.
A few of these plank lines are a little ragged, but from most perspectives those flaws will not be very apparent. I found that, at first, I was moving a little too quickly with the engraving, and not taking enough score passes to create a clean channel to back-drag the tip of my blade. The proof will be in the paint, when those lines really jump out, but I think it will be okay.
Next up, I decided to make the galley chimneys:
I blacken the edges with graphite, so that I can more easily gauge the bevels I am filing into them.
Next up - I wanted to make a f’ocsle capstan because I see evidence of one on the Louis Quinze model at the musee.
A montage:
The foundation of the machine are 4 pcs of .100 square stock cemented together, and then trimmed to 3/16” square. I then faceted the barrel into an octagon:
I am always looking for places where I can re-purpose the stock ornamentation, and these radiant fleurs from the quarter galleries seemed like a fitting complement to this machine.
The capstan will stand four scale feet above deck and the capstan bars will just clear the height of the chimneys:
All-in-all, this little machine was one of my favorite elements to make for this project. I still have to make the capstan locking pawls that engage at the foot of the machine.
Next, I think I will design the break rail and belfry. Thank you, as always, for the likes and looking-in.
To create these bits and bobbles at scale is mind numbing. Bravo Marc. Your work never disappoints.
- Joined
- Dec 14, 2021
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- 168
Incredible work at this scale - you are doing by hand what I could only do with my machines and even then, there are times when I struggle. I also really like that capstan design, it's a lot more interesting than the typical 'barrel-with-a-few-square-holes' affair.
Magnificent work Marc, always a joy to see your work.
Cheers,
Stephen.
Cheers,
Stephen.
Thank you, gentlemen!
Excellent work my friend, deck clutter is starting to build up nicely
Thinking well in advance here, buy at what stage are you fitting the model to it's seascape?
Just thinking it will she less prone to damage on her base
Thinking well in advance here, buy at what stage are you fitting the model to it's seascape?
Just thinking it will she less prone to damage on her base
Hi Nigel - that’s a good question, and one that I haven’t thought too much about.
Basically, my plan was to carve a sea into 1” foam-board sheet, and use one of any number of techniques (newspaper and glue, gesso) to build up the surface.
This won’t be a terrifically animated water surface. The first step, though, will be to place the model on the un-carved sheet and trace it’s outline, so that I can route a shallow 1/8” cavity for it to sit in.
Given that I have such limited storage space in my apartment, I probably won’t do any of that until the end-stages of the build.
Basically, my plan was to carve a sea into 1” foam-board sheet, and use one of any number of techniques (newspaper and glue, gesso) to build up the surface.
This won’t be a terrifically animated water surface. The first step, though, will be to place the model on the un-carved sheet and trace it’s outline, so that I can route a shallow 1/8” cavity for it to sit in.
Given that I have such limited storage space in my apartment, I probably won’t do any of that until the end-stages of the build.
One last thought on Waldemar’s observation (made on the MSW edition of this log) - a closer look at the L’Ambiteaux capstan does show a staggered 2-level series of sockets for the capstan bars, while Lemineur’s SP is a single level of sockets. Really, I have no idea whether that represents an evolutionary timeline from 1680 to 1693, or whether it is merely a designer’s assumption that has the privilege of plausible deniability for the lack of primary source information.
As I have one more radiant fleur emblem at my disposal - I could grind off the existing emblem; fill every other socket on the existing level; add an upper level of alternating sockets; and re-cap with a new top and emblem. That is a possibility that - so long as I don’t botch the emblem extraction, wouldn’t take too long to do. What do you think guys? Is it worth it? I will weigh your responses, carefully.
Currently, I have begun designing the f’ocsle breast-rail and belfry. I’m playing around with another ornamental extraction. This time it is the garland-ensconced royal monogram that would be a fitting central panel beneath the belfry:
This whole process begins by fitting a card template (always soda boxes) to the exact camber of the f’ocsle deck beam. Once my sanding stick brings the template to rest, I like to harden the card edge with CA, because this template is now a drawing tool for transferring that camber up the breast-rail.
The central belfry will rise up above the breast caprail by almost the same height as the breast-rail.
As I have one more radiant fleur emblem at my disposal - I could grind off the existing emblem; fill every other socket on the existing level; add an upper level of alternating sockets; and re-cap with a new top and emblem. That is a possibility that - so long as I don’t botch the emblem extraction, wouldn’t take too long to do. What do you think guys? Is it worth it? I will weigh your responses, carefully.
Currently, I have begun designing the f’ocsle breast-rail and belfry. I’m playing around with another ornamental extraction. This time it is the garland-ensconced royal monogram that would be a fitting central panel beneath the belfry:
This whole process begins by fitting a card template (always soda boxes) to the exact camber of the f’ocsle deck beam. Once my sanding stick brings the template to rest, I like to harden the card edge with CA, because this template is now a drawing tool for transferring that camber up the breast-rail.
The central belfry will rise up above the breast caprail by almost the same height as the breast-rail.
Hi Marc,
I am not qualified to comment regarding further alterations, all I can say is what ever seems right to you I am sure will be wonderful.
Cheers,
Stephen.
I am not qualified to comment regarding further alterations, all I can say is what ever seems right to you I am sure will be wonderful.
Cheers,
Stephen.
Hi Marc
I could only suggest regarding the Capstan that L'Ambiteux is perhaps a better researched Monograph and as you say more in keeping date wise.Saint Philippe was built after a reform of construction techniques but wether or not this spread to deck fittings, who knows.
The only mechanical advantage to two rows of bars would be if there was not another capstan on the deck below.
I could only suggest regarding the Capstan that L'Ambiteux is perhaps a better researched Monograph and as you say more in keeping date wise.Saint Philippe was built after a reform of construction techniques but wether or not this spread to deck fittings, who knows.
The only mechanical advantage to two rows of bars would be if there was not another capstan on the deck below.
Thank you, Gentlemen. I’m going to go ahead and modify the capstan. Over the course of this build, you guys have made a number of really good suggestions. I don’t always follow-through on them, but here is an instance where I can bring a detail more in-line with historic reality, without having to scrap the truly labor-intensive aspect of the part. I value all of your input, and Waldemar is quite right to point this out.
I am also happy to report that I have arrived at my f’ocsle breast-rail design. My idea with the breast-rail will be to adapt an exterior detail - in this case, the bow trailboard - and bring it in-board. For a reminder of the particular framing of the trailboard:
The trailboard is, itself, an adaptation of the original design. Where the “X’s” are, there should be shells in the top and bottom negative spaces. At the time that I made this part, that was just too small and fiddly for me to make a good job of, so I chose to leave those spaces open.
For this breast-rail, though, I could show alternating shells and fleurs within the same lattice framework:
The beauty of this process is that I only have to draw one of each panel. The spacing remains the same for all six openings, so I merely have to make a mirror photocopy for the starboard side. It will be fleur/shell/fleur, which picks up on the alternating design of the bulwark frieze.
French belfries tend to be rather plain, in comparison with their English counterpoints. There’s enough ornamental work going on below, so I decided to pick-up the reverse cyma curves of the tafferal for the belfry’s coronation.
When I get to the quarter deck rail, I will again draw inspiration from an exterior detail. In this instance, I will adapt the framing and monogramed cartouches of the middle balcony rail:
At the poop breast rail, I will adapt the quarter deck level of the gallery, with it’s series of X’s:
The Arms of France will also appear at this level.
The breast rail of the poop-royal deck will adapt the simple sheer rail “linked circles” of L’ambiteaux:
(photo courtesy of Marc Yeu)
I am also happy to report that I have arrived at my f’ocsle breast-rail design. My idea with the breast-rail will be to adapt an exterior detail - in this case, the bow trailboard - and bring it in-board. For a reminder of the particular framing of the trailboard:
The trailboard is, itself, an adaptation of the original design. Where the “X’s” are, there should be shells in the top and bottom negative spaces. At the time that I made this part, that was just too small and fiddly for me to make a good job of, so I chose to leave those spaces open.
For this breast-rail, though, I could show alternating shells and fleurs within the same lattice framework:
The beauty of this process is that I only have to draw one of each panel. The spacing remains the same for all six openings, so I merely have to make a mirror photocopy for the starboard side. It will be fleur/shell/fleur, which picks up on the alternating design of the bulwark frieze.
French belfries tend to be rather plain, in comparison with their English counterpoints. There’s enough ornamental work going on below, so I decided to pick-up the reverse cyma curves of the tafferal for the belfry’s coronation.
When I get to the quarter deck rail, I will again draw inspiration from an exterior detail. In this instance, I will adapt the framing and monogramed cartouches of the middle balcony rail:
At the poop breast rail, I will adapt the quarter deck level of the gallery, with it’s series of X’s:
The Arms of France will also appear at this level.
The breast rail of the poop-royal deck will adapt the simple sheer rail “linked circles” of L’ambiteaux:
(photo courtesy of Marc Yeu)
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