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GrandpaPhil

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Everything posted by GrandpaPhil

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Note: all drybrushing and highlighting will be done after the model is assembled, so I can see where I need it.
  4. 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. 😀
  5. 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.
  6. 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.
  7. 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:
  8. 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.
  9. 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.
  10. 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).
  11. Thank you! I’m going to try to chuck a dowel rod into my drill for my cannons, and deadeyes.
  12. 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.
  13. Winch installed. As a quick note, I know that it looks weird, but it is supposed to lean towards the mast.
  14. 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.
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