Soleil Royal- Re-engineering Artesania Latina's New Kit by NMBROOK

Thanks Marc

I will have a ponder and do a few experiments, I do like the bling factor and would not want to loose the gold's lustre.I do know the gold is very sensitive and is a clear suspension of micro ground anodised aluminium particles.The paint is in effect translucent, heavily reliant on the gloss black undercoat.Even over application of the gold can loose the lustre.
 
NMBROOK said:
Hi All

I was determined not to buy any more kits as I have enough projects and pastimes to keep me going beyond retirement. However this release changed all that, I simply HAD to build it. Not because it is an amazing model straight out of the box but more a case that I realised the potential of the kit.

The kit supplied decoration has far more than a passing resemblance to the late Michel Saunier's model.His build is shown on MSW and Gerard Delecroix's forum.The quality of the castings is far greater than the one's you get in a current Mantua group model.It also includes some very fine photo etch details for bow and stern.

The biggest issue is that whilst the bow and stern are done well, everything in-between needs a redesign if you want a model that follow's French practice of the period. The gunport spacings are wrong, the deck Sheer is wrong and all the decks are enclosed on their ends, these would have most likely been open.

When the marketing video first appeared it stated 1/65, now the box and catalogue state 1/72?? So which is it? Working from the height between decks, this works out at 1/65.You cannot work from the model's length, the design for some reason has been shortened and the model is far too short for either scale.Given that the original is stated as having a length (gun deck) of 160 French feet, this model is at least 100mm too short.

It is my intention to redesign the kit's false keel to make the model the correct length and space out the kit bulkheads to compensate.The last few bulkheads at bow and stern will remain stock spacing as not to interfere with the kit decor.I am hoping that this "stretch" shall maintain the hull profile and just make the transition of curves a little more gradual.

I have already started to draw out the revised side view of the ship and have enough information established to start on the keel.The picture below shows the kit keel dry assembled on top of my work in progress drawing.In the next post I will show the extended version

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Hallo Nigel alias @NMBROOK
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Thanks Grant

I cut the rudder stock from Boxwood of the same thickness as the keel and then covered it in coloured veneer so the lines follow that of the hull.

I have milled the reliefs for the hinges, these areas will be painted as they are not only small but they are also very awkward shape to try and veneer.

I have started production of the hinges. So far they consist of 0.25mm sheet cut into 2mm wide strips and 2mm brass tube. They are set up in a jig to solder the tube to the jig.The tube will later be sawn through to give me the individual parts.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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Thankyou!

The hinges were soldered together, drilled for the pins, cleaned up and cut to length. These were then chemically blackened.

The head of the rudder has been milled and a boxwood tiller arm fitted.The end is drilled to accommodate the iron that takes the whip staff but I may well leave this piece off until the rudder is installed.

The hinge cut outs have been painted and the waterline up has had a coat of Poly which is currently drying.Tomorrow I will mask the white and spray with a mist coat as I did with the hull.

Kind Regards

Nigel

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