ChrisLBren

We’re our own worst critics !!! Nice fix

Lou its trial and error - this is my third attempt on the stem to get the fit as close to where Im satisfied with the assembly. The flitch of French Pear I bought a couple of years ago is really nice. I had a local facility mill it to my specs for billets @ 3/8, 1/4 and 3/16 for 100 dollars - way cheaper than buying milled sheets. And you get consistency of color.

Who needs a laser cutter ? Keel cut out in three parts with my Dewalt Scroll saw - dead flat and true.

Congrats Kortes - beautiful job on one of my favorite subjects !!!!

Looks terrific ! I notice a lot of Russian Modelers use Black Hornbeam instead of Ebony. Is it easier to work with - it certainly looks great. Thanks, Chris

Wow - looks terrific !!!

Hey Chuck, Youre doing a beautiful job here - as Greg suggested - maybe try another finish. I do like the idea of either a shellac finish which the masters used - wouldnt be tough to learn that technique or sanding sealer for an unfinished look.... Regardless - nice work !!!

Looks terrific Marsalv I am also thinking of not adding the additional ports and build her as launched. I still need to finish my keel assembly ! Chris

Gorgeous model - congratulations !

Nice work - thanks for these close up shots of your keel - these are really helpful ! Have you decided whether your adding the extra gun ports or modeling her as launched ? Chris

Looks great Mark !!!

Thanks John and Mark - you were with me every step of the way for Confederacy ! Don't worry Mark - Im keeping all of my "precious" French Pear scraps- since the ship will almost entirely be constructed out of it - Im sure I will find a use for most of it at some point or another.

Wow !!!

Looks really good Chuck !

Thanks guys - yes Mike - it is my French Pear - cuts beautifully. This really is a learning curve - I'm having to relearn how I build using for the most part the Byrnes tools, the Proxxon Mill and chisels. I am finding the larger scale 1/36 a little more approachable. So far its really challenging and I have yet to complete the keel and its assemblies !

Nice work Patrick !!!!

Greetings MSW. I am back after completing Chuck's Confederacy scratch after a 7 year build finished in 2016. (he did give me some cheats on the figurehead and some sculptures....) She is an incredibly designed kit - I learned a ton - and ironically it was built in several apartments while single with nothing but a crappy Delta scroll saw and an old Preac table saw, along with Xacto knifes. Jeff Hayes perfectly milled wood helped a ton ! And then I got married and my twins were born which slowed down everything in 2013. I have always wanted to build a fully framed French ship and collected a full library of Ancre subjects (the 74 Gun Series, Monographs of the 74 timbers, Commerce de Marseille, and La Renommee). So after buying a house in the suburbs - I built out a workshop. I gathered the necessary tools over the past few years - Byrnes Table Saw, Thickness Sander, Disc Sander, Proxxon Mill, Proxxon Planer, Wood River spindle sander and a Dewalt full size table saw to reduce my flitch of pear wood to usable size. I have also collected Lie Nielsen chisels and its Lee Valley Sharpening system. So it seems I can't fail right ? I did... Call it being a Dad of young twins or just sheer intimidation. I could not complete the stem for La Renommee to my standard so I quit. I then decided - maybe a simpler subject would work - so I began construction on La Jacinthe in 1/32 scale. Not only did I have issues with consistency of enlarging the plans (thanks FedEx/UPS store) - I grew bored with its construction - I have already successfully completed several plank on bulkhead models. So I returned to the enlarged plans that Delacroix sent me for Le Gros Ventre in 1/36 scale - a noble subject - with nice lines, simpler sculptures and yet a serious challenge. I have heard from several members on this forum that building fully framed in larger scale is easier... So here is the start of my build log - it will be messy showing all of the mistakes in order to build a fully framed model. Here are my results after 2 months of work - the last photo showing my useable parts.

Sweet !!!!!

Chris - the Bellona would be your best bet in terms of interest. If I were producing the kit - I would offer it with cherry wood (very affordable/cuts well) and a lighter inexpensive wood for the decks. The kit bashers can adopt as needed. You can't please everyone - but a nicely designed kit with costs under control will keep you in business - especially with this subject - a British 74.

Hi Mark, Congrats on your new build ! She's always been one of my favorite subjects. My friend Keith built this ship in your scale and drafted her in POF. http://i-am-modelist.com/2011/10/22/belle-poule/ Im sure he'd be happy to help - send me a PM if you want his contact info. Best, Chris

Nice work !!!!

Hi Jim, Actually its a brand new Thurston 293 .040 kerf - and this is a 1/4 inch piece of Basswood - something is off. It should cut this like butter. We can start a new thread - I hate to hijack this one - unless everyone finds this helpful.

Those are great videos for both tools - quick question - I did a check today on my saw. It looks like when I rip a piece of wood Im off about .008 - meaning the front of the piece is .008 narrower than the rear. I bought my saw used here so just want to see if my saw needs adjustment. Based on the video its perfect out of the box ! Thanks so much for any feedback.

Looks great - congrats on another fine build !

Interesting technique !!! Really nice progress Chris