Dilbert55

Is time to install the shrouds but am not going to follow the kits instructions. It suggests to fix the deadeyes on the chainplates with a copper wire which will be at the inserted into a 1mm hole on the hull. Its not practical... its not easy... it doesnt look nice.... and it isnt strong enough. (see instr. picture)
 
And mainly its not the way is done on the real ship! (See picture underneath)
Am going to do it as the real ship.

Progress made.... rigging is slow... but I enjoy it.

Es geht voran 

@Nirvana thank you so much for your excellent remark Sir. It seems you saved my model! You got an eye! Thats fascinating seeing that just through a picture.
 
@cog  I did what you said me to do! Thank you my friend... it was decisive what you told me, the moment you did and your concern over the disaster I was facing this morning.
 
Hura rescue operation of this morning, called "mission impossible"... SUCCEEDED! 
Here the result: 
 
 

Shipyard's electricians worked some overtime today to install the position lights on the foremast. Rigging begins on Monday and it looks it want be easy. I never had a for- and - aft boat.
 

Shipyard open today after Christmas holidays. Masts continued  and crow's nest started and almost finished.... wasnt easy because of the round brass wire.

Wall construction

USING A FLASH OR NOT?
 
Last week, a man, in an exhibition, was saying that he was always using a flash in manual mode, never in TTL (true the lens).  Many years ago, it was true. Todays flash are much more performing.
 
Here is another common belief : a studio flash is much more performing than  a flash on a camera. With the development of the electronic technology; you can buy a flash  which fits on the camera hot shoe and it can perform in TTL as good as in manual. This week, I got a new on camera flash and I am very please by his performance.
 
On the last 2 photos, untouched, show the result of this morning test : The first one : with a flash in TTL mode, 100% automatic. The last one : no flash, neon lighting. The color are not as much appealing!  

Installation of the terrace floor. Only a table is missing for the party.

photos with 2 table lamps

Part 2  Searching the perfect knife
 
When a  new model ship builder begins, one of the first tool we buy is an Exacto which is the standard. Peoples  get accustom to this tool and a great % prefer to work with the Exacto.
 
Is there another step for the search of a better knife? Yes, it is possible to find a same style knife with a better handle and also with a better blade. To classify the blades, Exacto has a standard knife blade and the next step would be a razor blade. Swann Morton provides a good answer in both categories of the knife, the blade and the handle. The blade is much sharper, this means that less work and pressure are required to cut, so the advantage is that this tool can be control much more easily. This search of the knife is a multi layered adventure. Now that we get the blade, Swan Morton went another step ahead with the handle. Working hours with a small metal blade becomes painful for the hand. Handle 5A is covered with  soft acrylic giving a greater comfortability to hold the tool.
 
Is there a third step in that spiral? Is it possible to get a better handle and a better blade? Is there aspects which can be modify for a better version? The answer is yes to all these questions.
These small medical blades are razor sharp. They are ideal for small works. But they have a major weakness; this tool is not made to resist in torsion and for this reason, the blade is very easy to break. The easy way to fix this problem is to add a strong spline to that blade. Of course that blade will be made in one part, we will not solder the spline to the Swan Morton blade. Now for the choice of the steel, how about a multi layered steel, as in the famous Japanese Katana saber: Damascus steel. The shape of the sharp edge will be straight , not in a curve way.
 
Few words about the handle. I did demonstrate by building a 74 guns at 3 different scales that the bigger the piece that you hold, the more control you will have  and a greater quality part will be resulting.  The same principle applies here. So this means if we increase the size of the handle,  this will result in much more control of the blade.
 
With the parameters to guide us, let's find a knife with a comfortable handle in the hand with a good quality steel with razor sharp edges.
 
The following part is not part 3 but part 1, sorry, I wrote it before.
 
After few days of trials, I am very please with the results, the blade is as razor sharp as the scalpel blade and with more control. Finally, one last aspect. This knife is heavier than the scalpel and this additional weight is beneficial for the control of the tool.
 
last photo: blade profile

Life boats and some more small instalations on the deck

More details

Small things....

So 144 hrs on Sir Winston Churchill so far.... I enjoy it
 
 

So today came with the post the figure head of SWC to replace the one I misplaced.I did that a few weeks ago, after I took it out of its paking and was afraid of loosing it. It was then that I believed I found a safe place to put it, in order not to loose it! 
 
The "Zootoy jp" web shop (seller of my kit) had found me a spare one and within 6 days it came from Japan. I paid 8 euros shipment included.
 
So this is what I did with it:
 
 

Some minor progress....

Fitting for a moment the furniture without glue just to see how it looks on the yacht

Zootoy jp will send me the lost (misplaced) Lion figurehead.
 
In the mean time wooden cover and metal rails are getting inplace

Installation of the deck, painting the green line and ofcourse giving to the deck planks a clear mat finish.
 
And thats all for now, the shipyard closes down until next Tusday... my son is coming for a visit.

planking is coming near its end. Am planning to coat the inside of the hull with a glue (wood glue/pva) and water solution, to reinforce it before I start sanding it.
 
The kit suggests that to be done by a two parts epoxy... but I think thats too much.

Here its a video I did as a building log book of the model... with some imagination though 😁
 
 
 

This is the end!  L'Hermione is completed!
Started in March 17, it took 18 months. I believe, or I calculated roughly about 800-900 working hours.
 
Its been a great pleasure and fan. The thing is: never stop working even a few hours a week.
 
Here are the finished pictures

Anchors up in position.... and ofcourse the rear lantern is ready to be lighten up.
 
Am almost there.... still some more crew figures to be painted (among them General Lafayette and Captain De La Touche) and L'Hermione is finished.