Prince de Neufchatel by GrandpaPhil - FINISHED - 1/72 - from Chapelle Plans - Card

[GrandpaPhil]

One side is coppered.  I used copper tape, a pounce wheel, an X-Acto knife, and a ruler.  At 1/72 scale, a copper plate comes out to about 3/8” by 3/4”.  This is making coppering the Prince de Neufchatel much easier than the Victory.

[GrandpaPhil]

That went well.  I have now coppered two hulls.  Note to self, always buy new copper tape, it works infinitely better, lol.

[GrandpaPhil]

I cut out the gunports and sweep ports on the port side.

 

I’m getting used to the bulwarks being spongy because they are made of pulp board.

 

If I ever build another card model of a ship with guns, I will precut the sections with gunports.  Lessons learned.

 

[GrandpaPhil]

All gunports and sweep ports are cut out.

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you, Mark.

I cut the tape in 4 1/2” pieces and marked the plates, 3/4” apart, with a pounce wheel, which simulates the nails securing the plates to the hull.  I did cut the individual plates apart where I needed to in order to follow the curves around the hull.  There is only a single band of plating, due to the small size of the ship.  

 

Victory had 3, which is part of what took me so long when coppering it.  This one went so much better.

Edited December 31, 2018 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

I planked the inside of the port bulwark.  It looks much better now.  After I get the starboard side done, I’ll seal both bulwarks and paint them dark green like the Smithsonian’s model.

[GrandpaPhil]

I had to cut more planking strips.  I made enough for the deck, too.

 

The insides of the bulwarks are now planked.  Time to seal them and paint them.

[GrandpaPhil]

5 hours ago, Wallace said:

I am going to keep this in mind Phil. Thanks. 

You’re welcome Mark.

 

Under the framing and planking section of the article database, there’s a great article by Gene Bodnar (who is a master ship modeler) on copper sheathing a hull. I strongly recommend it.  I read it several times before I attempted to copper Victory’s hull.

[GrandpaPhil]

I painted the stripe across the gunports.   There is a khaki pinstripe along the top of the wales, on the Smithsonian’s model, that I will add tomorrow, after the paint dries overnight.  About the same time, I intend to paint the insides of the bulwarks.

[Omega1234]

My God, Phil - you do work fast!

 

Looking mighty good. 

 

Cheers. 

 

Patrick 

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you very much for the comments and the likes!

 

I added the pinstripes and painted the insides of the bulwarks green.

 

One of the pinstripes is a little crooked because I followed the wales.  I couldn’t find the location for the wales in the plans, so I eyeballed it from pictures of other models.  

 

I’m using one of the Chapelle plans out of his books (Plate V in The History Of American Sailing Ships between pages 133 and 134) as my primary resource, and am still learning how to interpret the drawings.  The sail and rigging plan are on page 147 with an isometric picture on page 151.  

 

The funny thing is that I just figured out exactly where the wales should have gone and they’re a quarter inch too low.  That’s part of the learning process.  Using these sets of plans is a steep learning curve, but I’m getting it.

[GrandpaPhil]

Happy New Year everyone!

[GrandpaPhil]

Port sills are green.  Touch ups are done.   Now, the Prince de Neufchatel needs a deck.  If you will notice, I waited until after I painted the bulwarks before I made the deck.  This is so I didn’t have to mask anything to paint the bulwarks, 

 

Since this is all card stock (read poster board and contact paper), I’m going to dry fit the deck, pull it back off, plank it and paint it before permanently installing it. Then I will make the rudder and install that.

[GrandpaPhil]

One fitted underdeck.  It’s a lot straighter than it looks in the picture.

 

Time to plank it, with the wood grain contact paper, and paint it.

[GrandpaPhil]

One dry fitted planked deck!

[GrandpaPhil]

The main deck is down.  It’s not perfect, but I have learned a lot for next time.

[CPDDET]

Nice work!

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

Caprails are on!  I have a few touch ups to do, to fix paint damage, but I’m making progress!

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

Working on the head.

[CPDDET]

You are just a working machine! Keep up the great work.

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

 

All head timbers are made and installed.  I’m going to let everything cure overnight and make the head rails tomorrow.

[GrandpaPhil]

The head is mostly assembled now.  I have to trim the port side head rail and add a few minor details.  Then I will paint it.

[GrandpaPhil]

The head is now complete.  It still requires a bit of trimming tomorrow, after everything dries and cures, but I think it’s about ready to paint.

[GrandpaPhil]

13 hours ago, Wallace said:

That looks like fiddly work to me Phil

She is starting to come together nicely. 

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

I didn’t work on the model too much tonight.

 

I just remade the rudder due to a scaling error.  The original was too small.

 

 I also made some eyebolts.  I am making them out of green floral wire that I got out of the craft section at Walmart.  

 

I am using a method that I learned here on Model Ship World (I’ve learned a lot here).  I am using a drill bit to size the hole and twisting around it.

 

It’s working okay so far.  I’m trying to make 100 of them.

[Omega1234]

Congratulations on doing those head rails, Phil.

 

They’re  looking fantastic.  I know, from past experience just how tricky they are to do, so well done.

 

Cheers

 

Patrick

Edited January 5, 2019 by Omega1234

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

1 hour ago, Wallace said:

That should keep you occupied for a while Phil

I guess you are making that many to have a surplus for other builds?

I wasn’t sure how many I needed, because I have to rig all of the guns and gunports in addition to the rigging.

 

I’m using Zu Monfeld’s Historic Ship Models as my main reference for the gun tackle.  I’m still going to have to simplify due to scale, but I’m going try and get it as close as I can.

Edited January 5, 2019 by GrandpaPhil