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

[GrandpaPhil]

Thanks for all the comments and the likes!

 

I’ve been busy today.  I painted the head and touched up the rest of the model.

 

I remade the rudder, and painted and coppered it.  I also made hinge straps.  I had a little accident involving superglue, so some of the hull got another layer of copper.  I made a tiller and attached it.

 

 I made some trim, following the Smithsonian’s model.  I also made the bottom part of the deckhouse, it’s not glued down yet.

 

All in all, I’m making decent progress and am happy with the results.

[CPDDET]

Decent progress is an understatement. Looks great!

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

I am working on the aft deckhouse which is now glued down.  

 

I made the skylight out of card and the plastic from my X-Acto blister.

 

Tip for those making lanterns and windows: blister packs are a great source of clear plastic.  I use them frequently.

 

 I accidentally used too much glue when I attached the skylight to the deckhouse which means I get to do some paint work tomorrow.

[GrandpaPhil]

I finished the aft deckhouse.

 

 I have also scratch built my first ever grating.  I am pretty happy about it.  I am learning a lot with this build.

[GrandpaPhil]

The gratings are made, but not glued down.  The galley funnel is also made, but not glued down.  I will glue them down after I paint them.

 

 I have 2 winches, 1 mast base, 2 pumps, 2 bitts and a deckhouse remaining for deck furniture.  I still need to make the catheads, the bitts on the cap rail, the channels, the anchors and some fife rails, so that I have belaying points.  I also need to make a platform, above where the bowsprit will be mounted, and a figurehead. 

 

After that I need to make some decisions about the guns.

 

 I think that I am going to use continental guns (French) and gun tackle because the Prince de Neufchatel was fitted out for privateer service in Cherbourg.  I am going to have most of the gunports open.

 

 I also need to make the ship’s boats.  The Smithsonian’s model has 3.  I think that I will do likewise.  They will be the last things that I make before making the masts.

[GrandpaPhil]

4 hours ago, Wallace said:

Your woodworking and skills came to the fore here Phil. Good call with that clear plastic sir. 

Thank you, Mark!

[GrandpaPhil]

I have all hatches (with grating hatch covers) glued down along with the funnel and the base to the main mast.  There is no base to the fore mast.

 

 

[GrandpaPhil]

Pumps and winch.  I carved the drums because I don’t have a lathe.

[GrandpaPhil]

Winch installed.  As a quick note, I know that it looks weird, but it is supposed to lean towards the mast.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Fore mast winch

Edited January 7, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

The majority of the deck fittings are made and installed now.

 

The next step will be to make the bulwark fittings and the bowsprit.  I am going to temp install the bowsprit so I know where to place the platform, that sits on top of it.

Edited January 7, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[mtaylor]

Phil,

Since you don't have a lathe, improvise.  You'd be surprised what you can chuck into an electric drill or even a Dremel and then shape with files, sanding sticks, etc.  I must say that you did a nice job without a lathe. 

[GrandpaPhil]

11 hours ago, mtaylor said:

Phil,

Since you don't have a lathe, improvise.  You'd be surprised what you can chuck into an electric drill or even a Dremel and then shape with files, sanding sticks, etc.  I must say that you did a nice job without a lathe. 

Thank you!  

 

I’m going to try to chuck a dowel rod into my drill for my cannons, and deadeyes.

[GrandpaPhil]

3 hours ago, Wallace said:

Nicely done Phil. 

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

I made the catheads and timberheads in the bow.  Next I’m going to install the stern bitts (at least I think they’re bitts).

[GrandpaPhil]

Stern bitts, painting pending 

Edited January 7, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

I painted the stern bitts.

 

 I have also made the forward channels.

 

In the Endymion’s action report, the Captain states that Prince de Neufchatel didn’t have channels.  I made them really narrow (1/8” wide) to go with this.

[GrandpaPhil]

Channels are attached.  I added extra glue to give more strength.

 

 I made proof of concept rigging blocks.  I think that they turned out okay.

 

I’m pretty happy with my progress so far, and how the model is turning out.

 

I’m learning a lot.

[GrandpaPhil]

The original figurehead of the Prince de Neufchatel was described as a “Coronal” figurehead.  It was unshipped at sea when the British captured the Prince de Neufchatel.  I believe that’s a polite way of saying that the British commander threw it overboard.

 

 The Prince de Neufchatel was named after Napoleon’s Chief of Staff Louis-Alexandre Berthier.  I believe that the figurehead was in the likeness of the Monsieur Berthier.  Given the state of things at the time, I wouldn’t necessarily have blamed the British commander for tossing it overboard.

 

By the way, to give credit, I learned all of this on this forum.

 

 I would like to build the Prince de Neufchatel as I believe she would have appeared while an American Privateer, so I am going to make the figurehead in the likeness of the Prince de Neufchatel, Louis-Alexandre Berthier.

 

I’m not the greatest artist (or carver), but here goes:

Edited January 12, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

One figurehead.  It’s not perfect, but I think that it will look okay on the model.  It’s carved in basswood (because I have lots of it).  I already dry fitted it, and it fits perfectly.

 

This is my first three dimensional carving.

 

 The rest of my carvings have been flats, like stern carvings.  I did a bunch of those during a recent business trip.  I just carved pieces from random ships.

 

Note: this will be painted before being attached to the model.

Edited January 12, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you!

[GrandpaPhil]

I did a little bit of work on the figurehead.  I reshaped the lower part of the torso to follow the shape of the breakwater.

 

 I sealed the figurehead in preparation for painting.

[GrandpaPhil]

This is my impression of the Prince de Neufchatel, Louis-Alexandre Berthier.  I do not know if it is correct because there is no actual historical record of the original figurehead, but I think that it is a decent rendition and it will do quite nicely for this model. 😀

[GrandpaPhil]

Note: all drybrushing and highlighting will be done after the model is assembled, so I can see where I need it.

Edited January 14, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

The figurehead is attached.  I’m happy with it.

 

I’m working on making a nice collection of rigging fittings (blocks, deadeyes, etc.).

 

I’m waiting on the “Search for Speed Under Sail” by Howard Chapelle before I arm and rig the Prince de Neufchatel.  I’ve  been trying to get a copy of it since December 10.  I’ve ordered it twice now, lol.  I didn’t get the first one (I got my money back).  The second order has ended up on a truck on the wrong side of the country.  I’m waiting to see if I actually get it.  

 

If I don’t, I’m going to use the rigging plan in “American Sailing Ships”, which is 1/320 scale (half of this model has been guesswork anyway), and arm it with 4 x 9 pound long guns, 2 x 12 pound long guns and 12 x 12 pound carronades.  

 

Zu Monfeld has some nice drawings of Continental gun carriages that I will use to make the carriages.  I have plans of 9 and 12 pound long guns and an older style 12 pound carronade in my Anatomy of the Ship books.

 

I still have to make the ships boats anyway.  I’m using the plans in the Victory’s Anatomy of the Ship book.  I’m going to make a male mold out of wood and build them like Zu Monfeld demonstrates (only out of card).  

 

I need the scale molds anyway, because I plan on building many more models.  I very much enjoy the hobby.

 

[GrandpaPhil]

I’ve been making single-sheave blocks and deadeyes.  

 

I’ve been making the blocks out of 1/8” stock.  I measured them off 13/64” intervals.  I made a cross cut there on all four sides.  I then drill the hole for the line and make a longitudinal line on all four sides.  Then I cut the blocks free.  I’ve been making 12 at a time.

Edited January 14, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

To make deadeyes I’ve been using dowel rods.  I started by cutting the grooves with a knife.  Make sure when cutting the groove you make the first cut from the outside-in, otherwise the wood will split.   Next, I cut the deadeyes off.  Then I drill the holes and sand the deadeyes smooth.  

 

I started out predilling the holes in the dowel rod, but that caused alignment problems.

 

 I used an Excel hobby knife with a #11 X-Acto blade and a pinvise.

Edited January 14, 2019 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Note: pictures didn’t load in order.

[GrandpaPhil]

On 1/15/2019 at 7:30 AM, Wallace said:

Nice work Phil. Do you tumble them all afterwards? 

 

I might make a block tumbler.  I’ll have to look into it.