Bill97

Beginning the work on my diorama. I really like the artwork on the kit box cover and decided to replicate it in my diorama. My display will be of the ship at anchor with two of the boats in use by crewman. I framed a 2” thick block of styrofoam and hollowed out an area for the SR to set. I then spray painted the surface with an ink blue paint. After it dried I used silicone to hold the SR and the two small boats in place. Then I used Liquitex clear gel to form the ocean surface. Once it dries clear I will add additional colors to resemble an active ocean. I will also use stretched out pieces of white cotton held in place with additional Liquitex to form small wake around the boats and dry brushed white paint on wave peaks. I will follow this up with painting the frame, attaching the name plate, drilling holes and running the anchor ropes into the water surface, and finally putting the crewman to work. 

Henry the fact ships like this were built with out power tools and heavy lifting machinery is a testament to how good these carpenters were. 

Me either Marc. This is a fascinating video. I assume it is all accurate. No reason to refute any of it. 

Just found and watched this YouTube video. It is fascinating!  I had no idea of many things explained about these ships. A big unknown to me was the fact that the walls of the officer quarters would be drawn up to the ceiling to provide extra room during battle. 

Wow Ian that is rough. I know here in the states more doctors are specializing and moving away from GP. Not sure what all us older people are going to do!  Kind of scary my friend. 

Ian I was thinking that was the case.  Just not sure. On the flip side a number of our politicians from time to time push for some kind of coverage similar to Canada’s. Go figure. 

Sounds pretty exciting Ian. Those are some beautiful models in the video.  Belated happy birthday my friend. I would say welcome to Medicare but I don’t know if Canada has something similar, or even needs it. Yes you still have plenty of time with the fingers and eyesight. I turn 72 this summer and am still plugging a way. 😊

Thanks guys. I will trim my template so my SR sets in it to around the 1st-2nd plank below the bottom wale. Ian , like Marc said, you know you are itching to start your’s. I am as well to see what ideas you go with in your build. 
 

Appreciate you guys. 
 

Bill

Marc I would expect moving the trunnions is, for you, a relaxing endeavor!  With the intensity you are putting in to each and every part of your build I would think a period of “rinse and repeat” would provide a bit of relief. Beautiful job. I may have taken a short cut in that I only moved the trunnions on the cannons that showed 😉. Don’t tell anyone for I fear I will be banned from MSW 😀.

That is an easy fix. You think up a little closer to the bottom wale?  Maybe one more plank?  I just kind of went with how Michael did his. I noticed where his water line was on the rudder hinge and set mine at that level. 

Yes Kevin, his painting skills are remarkable!

Cardboard template made of the hull profile. Will use it to cut hole in whatever material I eventually decide to use for making water surface. 

Good point Veszett. I watched the video. This guy does some incredible work with a 3D printer. 

Thanks again Michael. 

Thanks Michael. I like it. Do you remember how you traced the hull profile onto the cardboard?  That is the one part that I am debating best process. I can definitely use your photos to determine a good waterline. Is your’s basically 1” up from the bottom of the keel since you used 1” styrofoam?

Thanks Marc. I will check to see what Michael did. I know how to do the water. I have done dioramas on other things in the past. The trick is going to be getting an exact outline of the hull at the water line now that the ship is built. Will also need to decide if I am going to display the diorama with the ship at anchor (still in the water) or moving (having a gentle wake behind it). 

Gentlemen I am kicking around a possible crazy thought. I am considering taking my Soleil Royal off the base I made for it and placing it in an ocean diorama. I have looked at numerous photos and videos and really like the display and think it will further enhance the appearance of my ship. What do you think?

Per chance you guys wondered if I was kidnapped or fell off a bridge somewhere let me put those concerns to rest. 😊

I took a few days off from the ship yard and went south to the coast to warm up my old bones. Now back to work. Spending some time making inside planking and painting the boats. 

Ian you asked what is going to be my next project. It is still going to be a bit before I am completely finished with my SR. Still need to paint and add the boats and crew. Then I need to design and build the display case. I plan to display both Heller ships, Victory and SR together.  
 

Then I will start my next project. With my background experience in fine woodworking I am going to tackle my first totally wood model. Knowing this was my future goal I practiced turning my own wood masts and yards while building the SR. The model I have purchased and have waiting in my stash is the OcCre Endeavor. Building this model will require double planking the hull frame, laying individual deck boards, and making all the masts and yards, etc. Will be a completely new model ship building experience including the hand tools and adhesives, and sanding dust! I will advise you guys when I start the log here on MSW and hope so much you will follow. There are a number of great Endeavour builds in the index for 1751-1800 ships. Of note is the finished OcCre Endeavour by Kiwiron and several others as well I will be looking to for inspiration. 

Thanks Marc. I appreciate your comments. It may be surprising but the one thing you did that I debated doing the most are the side skids (I guess you call them) on the side of the hull. I like the way they look but was not confident I could get a profile close enough to matching the side of the hull. 
 

Thanks Kevin. I hope my build plays it forward for future builders. 

Thanks guys for your very kind compliments. It was truly a work of love I could not have even began to complete without each of you. If I scroll back through the build log I find times each of you provided me with the advice and encouragement I needed to accomplish a task I was struggling with. For all those times I am forever grateful. Marc early on I decided I could not replicate what you are doing, but continued to follow your build to pick up small bashes I could do here and there. I will continue to follow to the day your artistic masterpiece is revealed. Ian as always, starting with my Victory, you are the professor with the ton of knowledge I able to go to for the needed answer. And Henry, with your background, you always seem to be the guy with first hand helpful knowledge. That knowledge way back lead to moving the big knighhead that was positioned behind the foremast, and learning to mold and cast additions to the ship. Again thanks to each of you so much. I am in hope that my build log will be helpful to future builders of the SR but I have yet to find where the moderators have included it in the index. 

Gentlemen here is a handful of pictures. Except for adding the crewmen and deciding if I am going to put the boats on board, I think my SR is very very close to finished!  I am sure I will find a few threads here and there that need to be trimmed, belay points that still need a coil, and a touch up bit of paint here and there, but with all you guys I think I got it across the finish line. 

Aye aye captain!

Thanks. I am learning to improvise 😊
Had to hang something from this tackle

Marc I believe the size works OK.