Robert Taylor

Small update on my SOLEIL ROYAL

Nothing much to right up about apart from I have now completed hand sewing 4 of the 14 sails I intend my ship.
Updates now will be few and far between as it's pretty pointless putting sail completion updates everytime one is finished. Hopefully I can get these done and rigged up before the start of September in time for the Model/show exhibition I've been invited to display at, if the ship isn't finished it can still go on display as a Work in Progress.
Hope everyone is OK, have a great time all with your builds.
A few photos below...

Well that's the 14 Sails measured, drawn up and cut out next step is the long process of Hand sewing all the detailed lines etc.. I've also made the flagstaff out of wood with only a little aid of the plastic support, as well as 2 brass halves of Fleur de lys bonded together, next will be a little paint and weather for the support and staining of the wood.

Fore Top gallant mast, Fore Top mast, Fore main mast sails drawn up and cut out from cloth.

Its been a while since my last update due to other circumstances. All the Futtock Shrouds and Ratlines are now complete as is all the backstays on my Soleil Royal and the rigging to a point. Next up is measuring and drawing the sails on to cloth, after which is hand sewing all the detail on to them. Roughly 14 sails to do as I won't be adding the studding sails as this would make the width too much for where I want to display the ship when finished.
Still a good 3-4 months work involved in hand sewing the sails as well as adding reef points.

Just rigging up the deadeyes for the Fore topmost Shrouds in my usual unorthodox way. The modelling wire on the lower deadeye will go through the hole on the crowsnest then I will bend it up into a loop, where I can then tie the Futtock Shrouds from, this is the same way I rigged the futtock Shrouds on my Occre Endeavour build.
The 2nd pic below is for information only as to what I mean, not taken from my Endeavour build.

SOLEIL ROYAL UPDATE : 

the Lower ratlines are now complete from the Spritsail, Foremast, Main and Mizzen mast, with 942 clove hitches being tied in the process.
Now moving on to rig the deadeyes/shrouds for Top masts of the Fore, Main & Mizzen.

On 12/17/2024 at 8:36 PM, yvesvidal said:

Incredible model and assembly. You are turning this Plastic kit into a little marvel: Pimping it up, should I say !

 

I remember assembling the Heller Royal Louis some fifty years ago, but it was far from your level of expertise.

 

Looking at the stern of that vessel, one can see the differences of richness and decorations between the French and British vessels. The French builders were definitely putting more emphasis into the glamor and opulence. That "Chateau Arriere" is absolutely amazing.

 

Yves

Thank you very much for your kind words Yves. I have also built the Heller Royal Louis a few years back to which I improvised on that kit too when still finding my feet bk in modelling after a 40yr absence. I didn't  improvise as much as on this Soleil Royal kit obviously because of the scale difference. Here is some photos  of my Royal  Louis 1/200 Heller kit finished.

Ratlines started on the Lower Shrouds...
Foremast Lower ratlines completed now with 288 clove hitches tied, on the Mainmast Lower ratlines.

The Lower Shrouds are finished now to start the ratlines...🤺🤺⚓⚓

Heller Soleil Royal 1/100 
Wood Improvised kit update.

Most of the standing rigging done now, just a couple of bits I'll need to improvise on regards to the poor Heller instructions where there is no exact tie off point for these.
I have also improvised on the double blocks adding hooks at the end which was a little tricky even using my dremel drilling between the 2 hole small holes with about 1mm to spare.
Lifts and most of interior running rigging done, just really the running rigging for the bowlines of the sails, but obviously this will be done at a later date when I've made the sails.
The pegs are merely to stop the thread tangling until they are ready to be tied off to the sails.
Just started rigging the wooden 7mm triangular deadeyes I bought in to improvise the kit sometime ago.
Slowly coming together the way I usually work from inside to out.

On 10/27/2024 at 6:36 PM, Kelp said:

Robert,  your model looks fantastic!  I especially like the gold painting on the quarter galleries and stern.  The wood deck also looks great and was worth doing.  
 

I have a couple of questions:  

 

What type of glue did you use to attach the decking to the plastic?  What size paintbrush did you use to paint the gold?

 

Looking forward to seeing your next build update.

 

Don

Hi Don 

Thank you very much for your kind words. To affix the wooden planks to the plastic decks(taking care to file/sand down  the recesses for the Cannons first) I always  use Expo PVA or Expo Fast setting PVA wood glue both of which set to the plastic excellently as if it was wood.  

Secondly the Brush size I use for the very fine detail painting is size 000. 

They are called "Major Brushes" where I bought them on ebay. I bought quite a few of this size(finest) and even trimmed a couple to a more fine point with my Expo micro snips I usually use for my rigging thread. 

Hope this helps Don 

All the best 

Robert 👍🏼 🤺 ⚓ 

These Crowsfeet are going to take a bit of Improvisation. These are supposed to be 12 individual holes, but with shorts in the plastic, they more or less ended up with 4 x 3 large holes both for the Foremast and Mainmast.

Just touching base again after an absence of 5-6months due to personal family reasons. 
Just finding my feet again... 

My Heller Soleil Royal bk in progress albeit small steps at a time. 
All the masts and yards are finished with appropriate rigging blocks and foot ropes.

I have now started the Standing rigging and certain other running rigging particularly for the Bowsprit. Just about to start scratch building the collars for the Crowsfeet. 

A long way to go, the Heller plans aren't  great so I am researching other ships and from that time period as well as  trying to improvise  along the way.

SOLEIL ROYAL 1669 update...

Hull construction work has now finished.
Stern is finished along with all architectural features including the lanterns and some added ones. Boats and cradle are finished as well as the channels and rigging eyepins for the start of the rigging.
I am pretty pleased they way she has turned out, considering I didn't really have a vision of how it would go.

Next up will be working the wood to make the masts and yards so it will stand up to the rigging tension.

On 4/7/2024 at 3:47 PM, Late to Soleil said:

Beautiful work! I do have a question, though. Did you position the bowsprit halyard guide as per some instructions, or were you self-guided? I can find no solid instructions as to the positioning

of the guide. and will glue really hold under the tension of the rigging?

  Ed K.

Hi Ed 

Yes I positioned the Bowsprit as per instructions which are pretty much self explanatory in the plans.  

The thing is with Heller's instructions and plans they are a bit all over the place so sometimes you need to look further in the plans for something that should be nearer the beginning if that makes sense.

Failing that having built sailing ships for a long time I can work things out before hand if the plans are poor.

Regards

Robert 👍🏼 

SOLEIL ROYAL - 1/100 Heller update... 

Forecastle deck, Waist balconies, quarter decks, poop deck, Officer's quarters and Captain's cabin all finished.

Now starting on the Stern balconies and boats.

Main deck now finished, Cannons rigged, deck detail added regards to Cannon balls/carriage, barrels/kegs spare wood for yards etc.. stairwell rigged and eyepins added to gratings. 6 running rigging lines attached as per instructions 2 of which get rigged to the Main sail as far as I can make out, will obviously have to double check the poor rigging plans just to be sure.
The Hull architectural sides are all permanently fixed.
Slowly coming together

SOLEIL ROYAL 1669 The most intricate Painting process, its great to get back on her after the festive period 👍🤺⚓

2 hours ago, Baker said:

Nice work 

Thank you very much 👍 

Lower Deck detail finished on the SR even though this deck won't be visible.

26x24pdrs & 6x18pdrs rigged.
32x Cannon ball carriages(stained in Walnut) with 160 Cannon balls, 4x14mm Barrels & 8x10mm barrels.

Next stage fitting the 2nd deck.

Well after several months of major house refurbishments it's bk to Heller's SOLEIL ROYAL. 

The lower deck and 2 sides of the Hull are now joined, I have rigged up the lower deck Cannons using 2 sizes of thread, using 1mm & 0.5mm Amati beige thread, albeit not fully as the angle curvature of the plastic Hull made this impossible, obviously with wood you have a lot more leeway regards space as your building the Hull.
I have also rigged up the 4 Capstans on the lower deck using 1.30mm Caldercraft thread, and I am now in the process of rigging the ropes for the Gunport Hatches using 0.5mm Amati beige thread, the Hatches obviously will be added much later into the build.
I am tempted to add more detail to this deck but not sure if I should as this deck will be hidden completely from view. Cannon balls, Cannon loading utensils, belaying pins, Rope hanks and Barrels/kegs spring to mind for detail addition.

Not the best of Lower Stern fittings on the Soleil Royal having to fill with putty then obviously will be painted once dried.
Just glueing together the bow structures before painting begins.
Have added some deck detail regards to barrels will be adding cannon shot as well once they arrive as I Don't have enough in stock to do the whole bottom deck.
Was thinking about a couple of belaying pins with rope hanks but will need to get them at a scale that doesn't look out of place.

The bow segments have now been painted and wash applied to both the wood effect and the Gold architecture rails(black wash).This was done slightly differently from the Hull to get the same shade of wood effect. This was because the 2 Hull halves were moulded in black so only needed Humbrol matt 94 brown yellow applied thinly and drybrushed then the Humbrol Dark brown was applied. The bottom of the stern and bow sections were moulded in a light blue colour, while the Rudder sections were moulded in white, so to get the same shade effect I dry brushed Revell matt 8 black firstly òn the base of these sections, then obviously once dry, again drybrushed Humbrol matt 94 brown yellow, before applying the Humbrol Dark brown wash again to get the weathered effect.
Next will be to size up cartridges to hold the cannon balls which arrived yesterday.
As well as building the Ship stand within the kit as I will be nearing adding the bow sections and Rudder as well as the 2nd deck.

Small steps but slowly coming together 👍🤺⚓

11 hours ago, Jeff T said:

Very detailed painting — looks great!  Do you plan to do any lighting or interior work for the stern?  (Quite a few windows to see inside.)

Hi Jeff

Tbh I haven't really thought about it atm. I am not really  a lighting guy, just my view but I think lighting takes away the representation of a model ship, its purpose and development and turns it into just an ornament imho.

Interior work could be a possibility again I haven't really  though too much about as yet as their is no construction work  going on atm as my house is getting  a refurbishment. 

The scale is good to work with but it will need some long term thought.

SOLEIL ROYAL : Heller 1/100 (side project cont'd) 
Small update

Stern Gallery painted just to add a slight wash and of course any touch ups I've maybe missed. I have painted the 7 Hexagonal type panels blue instead of Gold as I intend to add decorative work to these and  I will be adding some more decorative pieces to the SR at a later date. 
This has taken most of the week out with work, a highly detailed piece but very attractive. It's only when you are painting these parts you appreciate the work that has went into designing moulds  through the process of Engineering, I take my hat off to Heller for producing a Superb Historical work of Art, it must have cost a fortune to produce this at the time.  

Yes these kits have been  around a long time, I just wish more on this scale and magnitude would be produced. 

Next up will be the wash then the painting of the side Hull architecture/Gun ports/railings or the Architectural Bow fittings.

Such a wonderful Hobby for all of us to enjoy 
👍🍻🍻🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

On 7/23/2023 at 10:15 PM, popeye2sea said:

This is one heck of a side project!  I really like the wood decks.

 

Regards,

 

Henry

Thank you very much for your kind words Henry. 👍🤺⚓

SOLEIL ROYAL : Heller 1/100 (side project cont'd) 
Small update

Side Galleries painted just to add a weathered wash. It's took the best part of 3 days to finish this to the best of my abilities. There will probably be still the odd bit here and there that maybe touch up, as with detailed painting like this you always notice something later on.

Apologies  for the photo the blue in the photo looks lighter than it actually is, it's actually more of a mid blue (Humbrol matt 25) to be exact.

Next up will be the wash then the painting of either the stern or the side Hull architecture/Gun ports/railings.