CRI-CRI

Three gun-ports done :

No painted finition, I don't like the false grey-green color I tested yesterday, I also removed the garland tested on bulwarks, a nice result was impossible "Le mieux est l'ennemi du bien" (Voltaire - Dictionnaire philosophique 1770)

Test of a gun-port installation :

Following work about garlands of ship’s bulwarks (not glued) :

Hi dear modellers ! I think the grey-green patine is not very realistic, a browned color must be more indicated At sea, the bronze get a cooper chloride patine, not a hydro-carbonated one : The guns of Strasbourg (Officer's Mess near Place de la République) are under acid rains, they show the same patine with church's cooper covers En français pour Marc : Cela n'enlève rien à la qualité extraordinaire de cette réalisation, c'est juste une remarque à propos d'un exemple... que je connais bien 😀 Regards Chris

After ending first battery, following work with a detailed test about garlands of ship’s bulwarks :

Twenty-four about twenty-eight guns of first battery (86% done) :

A typical rail in style Louis XIV, more elegant than the monograph's proposition, and realizable at my sense :

It's a test of a general idea, I have to find an adapted draw for use on a larger place (I don't like the red proposition of the monograph 😡)

Test for qualification of a décortive rail in a wooden imitation :

I received basswood planks 4 mm thick for mini-desks of guns (twenty done about twenty-eight = 72%) :

Sixteen guns on carriages about twenty-eight (57 % done) :

Ten guns with carriages about twenty-eight (36% done) :

Beginning installation of guns on carriages for the first thirty-two pounder battery :

First duplicata of low battery gun (all carriages are now ready for receive their guns) :

All carriages sides cut (twenty-eight done) :

I think that the best for these guns is the natural unvernished brass, which will become weathered alone 😀

Result with grey-green patine, at 60° C :

Cut of twenty-four carriage sides about twenty-eight = 86% done :

Cut of twenty-one carriage sides about twenty-eight = 75% done :

Thanks Mark Much preparations can be found on line For fast darken effect on brass (selenium) : For more slow grey-green effect on brass (unknown composition I hav'nt tested) : Before, the piece must be well cleaned with acetone After, a stop vernish can be required, I use simple water, and finish with a light polish by smooth clothe

Painted test of old gun's color :

Following cut of guns carriages of first low battery (left side done, fourteen pieces = 50 %) :

Colour of low battery guns The low battery of the Saint Philippe is the only bronze one of the ship, which poses the problem of its color. Indeed, bronze contains copper, which can give several varieties of grey green by corrosion in a wet environment To summarize, in the presence of water charged in CO², the grey green formed is copper hydro-carbonate, which shoots frankly on the grey-green, as its name indicates. In contrast, in the marine environment, salt from spray forms a copper chloride, which rather pulls on the greenish-brown For model making, there is the possibility to soak the cannons in water with added cooking salt, and vinegar to accelerate the reaction, which is nevertheless very slow. or ammonia vapours (faster, but very toxic) There is also the satin paint, with an exact color difficult to find Finally, it remains the solution to allow the natural aging of the brass, which will brown slightly over time, and lose all alone its glittering aspect : For other batteries, iron made, the classic tourmaline, or browner, works well and fairly quickly since brass is an alloy containing zinc that blackens on contact with selenium salts (a bath of fifteen minutes is enough to blacken the brass) I admit that I do not know what to do, since the model is made of natural wood, I am wary of painted or stained accessories I’m interested in your opinion Thank you in advance

Following cut of guns carriages :