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John Clements

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  1. John Clements
    Hi and thanks for asking. I have just finished all the main deck gun tackles and added the deck furniture so that I could fix the quarterdeck in place. I have been using Radimir's wooden decking so had to sand the plastic deck down to keep the original thickness, which was a pain but it is now fixed in place. However, somehow the deck is not slightly bowed upwards in the middle as it should be (and to match the railing), in fact quite the reverse, and I think I am going to have to insert a couple of non-prototypical pillars under the forward edge of the deck to push the centre upwards and make it look right. They will be hidden behind the water barrels more or less, so not too obvious. When I've done that, I'll post some pictures.
  2. John Clements
    Your exploration of the archives is fascinating. I'm sure you will turn up a lot of interesting stuff even if you don't find the answer to your question. I envy your patience and single-mindedness; I really could not see myself undertaking such a task, not least because I never learnt French at school, only German (not by choice). I am still wading through all those gun tackles on the main deck and can only bear to do one a day. I can't remember now why you decided to move the channels down a deck. They certainly look much better and more secure where you have fixed them.
  3. John Clements
    As you say, it is disappointing when there are so many good things one could say about the kit that there are such obvious errors like the lack of decoration - and the whole hull painted blue. Sadly they haven't been following this thread and have skimped on their research. An opportunity wasted.
  4. John Clements
    Rather a long break but today I put a thread through a block for the first time since my last post here over three months ago. Now a bit of a digression, but I hope you'll see why. I have spent some time over the summer reflecting on my frustrations at the painfully slow progress of this project, which led to a severe pruning of other modelling projects, and some re-assessment of priorities. I've given up my ambition of modelling the modern French navy in 1/400 scale; it just takes up too much room, and I've thinned out my collection. The last couple of months I've been working on a newly released 1/700 kit of an modern RN ship which was all resin, PE and 3d printed parts. The detail is truly amazing but so many of the parts were simply too small and delicate for me to handle, and have ended up broken or somewhere in the carpet, that I've realised I can't hope to work at that level, if I ever could. I did ponder abandoning the SR too; it is such a big thing and will definitely be my last large-scale kit, and I don't even like it as a ship, but on the other hand I've invested a lot in it, and it suits the way I work (a lot of short spells during the day rather than one long session), so yes, I am hoping to finish it and I've made a re-start tonight on all those gun tackles that I need to do next, and haven't been looking forward to but they need to be done.
  5. John Clements
    A lot of wonderful progress since I last dropped by. I was especially interested to read about how you fitted the upper bulwark pieces as I found they did not fit that well and needed a lot of fettling to get a proper fit and to be really secure. Your patience and thoroughness are an example to so many modellers (I include myself) who are so keen to get on with projects that they don't always take enough time to think things through properly and and end up taking even longer as they have to correct their mistakes. I'm back on track with my own version after a break, so will be keeping tabs on your progress more often now, and pinching a few ideas, I expect. Looking forward to seeing the pictures pre-show.
  6. John Clements
    Another Wow! for this latest episode, and for several reasons. To spend five hours a day on one project is beyond me. I struggle to concentrate for an hour, which is partly why I have several projects in completely different areas on the go at one time to give variety, as well as 'normal' life of course. Painting the centre of those monograms blue is a great idea and completely changes their appearance - for the better. You've also reminded me that I need to do something myself to create that flow between levels in the bulwarks that you've made with the dolphins, and the picture of the other ship has me wondering about creating some more complex deck edge rails on the SR too, rather than the somewhat plain ones provided. There's just so much to think about with this kit, which makes it quite different from any other that I've attempted.
  7. John Clements
    The colours do really bring the plastic to life. I'm envious of your very steady hand as evidenced in those close-ups!
  8. John Clements
    I bought a second-hand copy of the Mondfeld book. Yes, it is full of fascinating information and very easy to read. I quickly discovered some explanations of terms I had not understood in Boudriot and Lemineur. It turns out though that it is not so useful for the gun tackle questions, not because the answers are not there but because I already had them. The St Philippe book gives the rope sizes for each size of gun, and I have a table from Radimir which explains which block to use for each size of rope. I just hadn't put the two together. So far, so good. It seems that the 3mm blocks are correct but then, to my mind, the aesthetics take precedence. The 3mm blocks simply don't look right because there is insufficient space between the eyebolts for the line to be taut. That is what shows in the picture above. and I think part of the problem is that the hooks and eyes are over-scale, especially the hooks, and don't leave enough space for the blocks to separate. I do think that although the blocks on the front tackles can be very close, they do need to have a gap between them to look tidy and realistic, so I think now I will settle for the 2.5mm blocks and move the rear eyebolts as far back on the carriages as I can, as in the second photo above. This reflects the diagram in Mondfeld (of which I had already found a copy on the web) for the French style of tackle. Now I'm away for a week and will mull it all over before ordering the blocks.
  9. John Clements
    Thanks, Bill. I will certainly have a look at that before going further.
  10. John Clements
    I have now experimented with the 2mm and 2.5mm blocks for the gun tackles and the outcome is in the pictures below. Not perfect but enough to show the intention, I hope. I do think the 3mm blocks are too big. The 2mm blocks are fine and are really the only ones that show a gap between the blocks of the front tackle but are difficult to manage (several just disappeared into the ether whilst I was rigging them), so I have settled on a mixed economy - 2mm blocks for the front tackle and 2.5mm for the rear. I have also moved the eyebolt at the rear of the carriage a little further back and am attaching both tackles to it, which does accord with the diagram Radimir sent me for continental tackles. I also have to be more careful to make sure that the hooks are in alignment so the tackle is not twisted, as some of these are, especially for the more visible guns (these are mainly under the fo'c'sle deck). It's good to have come to a conclusion on this - only another 30 guns to go!
  11. John Clements
    Thanks for your comments, EJ & Ian. I am experimenting with different sizes of blocks and eyebolt positions on the gun tackles. There are an awful lot of them so it will be some time before there is any visible progress!
  12. John Clements
    Thanks, Henry & Michael, for your helpful comments. Actually, the blocks are properly rigged - I've just checked with a bright light. It's an illusion created by the angle of the camera, the rope and block being the same colour, and the slight groove in the block between the two channels into which the rope has sunk. They say the camera never lies but in this case it has! But thanks for being helpful, anyway. I'm not sure about changing the arrangement of the rear tackle. It would certainly be simpler but I have already glued the guns to the deck and glued the eyebolts in (as indicated in documentation given to me by Radimir). As the carriages are quite fragile, I'm afraid of damaging them if I drill more holes in them. I may have to leave these as they are, and try the single tackle on the higher decks. I'll have a think.
  13. John Clements
    Just to add to the above, Radimir at HisModel, helpful as always, is sending me some 2mm and 2.5mm blocks to try out.
  14. John Clements
    I can't believe it's two months since I last posted progress but I don't have much to report. I have glued all the main deck guns in place and fitted the recoil tackles, and all the eyebolts in the deck, the bulwarks and the gun carriages. Now my problem is that the distance between the eyebolts is so short that the 3mm blocks I am using for the tackle are touching each other as the photo below shows. It may be that the rear end of the tackle should be fixed further back on the carriage; I used the pre-drilled holes in the carriage but my feeling is that the blocks should be smaller. That size is probably fine on a larger carriage such as on the lower decks but the upper deck guns are appreciably smaller and I believe the blocks should be too. At the end of the day, I think aesthetics has to come into it as well,; if it looks a mess, it's going to spoil the model. So I'm going to try the 2.5mm blocks, and if it still looks cramped, will use 2mm blocks which I can't say I would be looking forward to, given their size and my eyesight.
  15. John Clements
    It's always so interesting to come back after a few weeks and see how you are progressing. I agree with all those comments about the bulwarks not fitting and had the same experience of it all appearing not square when glued up. Quite a lot of filing and filling needed. And the bulwarks did keep coming loose until the joint was saturated in plastic weld, though I still try and pick it up by the stand when I have to handle it. I did like your solution to the sheets being put through the bulwarks in the wrong place. I had been puzzling over that myself and the built-in sheaves just seems the right answer.
  16. John Clements
    Those figures look really good and the whole scheme has a brightness and clarity with the colours you have used which looks far better than the overall red or blue finish. And that painting you found is a real gift and quite a challenge to replicate in the scale of the model sculpture. Really looking forward to seeing the end result on the stern panel.
  17. John Clements
    You've made a great job on those figures, making a great success where I quailed at the thought of what needed doing and, as you've seen, ended up with them supporting the brackets rather than the actual balcony. They are amongst the smallest parts in the kit, bar the blocks and pulleys, and nicely moulded so very much worth keeping.
  18. John Clements
    Hi Marc. Those blocks give a much better joint with the hull than the Heller offering and a better shape to the whole structure. My own guess about how it was built would be for the planking option, which would be lighter and simpler, I think, and would match the rest of the construction. I'm not sure where they would have sourced a piece of lightweight timber of such a size. The book sounds very interesting and right up my street as a Baroque enthusiast. I'll be having a look this weekend. This coming Monday shops are open again so I'll be able to pop down to my local art shop and buy all those bits and pieces I couldn't be bothered to order on-line.
  19. John Clements
    Well, here is my cheapskate solution to the surplus lower gallery supplied by Heller, which I think doesn't look too bad. It's basically bending, cutting and filling the original piece, after removing the floor, so that it sits flush against the stern. I didn't want to waste the four supporting figures (despite not being able to find any evidence that there would have been any sculpted figures in that position) but luckily they fit against four of the brackets under the next gallery. Again, one of the pleasures of this vessel is being able to - within reason - make up your own mind about detail. My real reservation is with the false windows along the side. I made them rectangular to match the upper window in the Heller moulding, but they really don't look right. On the other hand, the stern window pattern looks too small, so some sort of compromise is needed. As I've now got probably quite a long pause whilst fitting up the visible guns and their tackle, I'll have some time to think about it.
  20. John Clements
    Great to catch up and see how you are getting with those quarter galleries which is so problematic and incorrect in the kit. I echo everyone else's appreciation of your attention to detail and historical probability, and the workmanship that lies behind it all. Being in the midst of my own struggles in this area, I can only say that one strives towards something satisfactory for one's own level of skill, whilst being lost in admiration for your craftmanship. Even though I am attempting something much less complicated and original, it is really useful seeing how you are approaching the problems and resolving them.
  21. John Clements
    Sorry to be so late with my reply to your question, Christian, and to post my latest update, but my PC has been under repair and only just now restored to working order, though I will have to replace it soon. The reason I chose to paint the main gun deck bulwarks in red ochre rather than vermilion was really aesthetic, rather than trying to be truly authentic. I thought to paint all the area vermilion would look too bright. I was also conscious of the view that vermilion was an expensive shade, and so it proved to be even now. The cadmium red I am using (and I know that cadmium was not available to the 17th century artist but it is the nearest shade to vermilion in the range I am using) is far and away the most expensive tube of acrylic paint I have bought for this project. So this is where I am up to now: As you see, I have made some modifications to the quarter galleries; opening out the main gallery and putting false windows in the lower part, and blocking up the (I think) quite erroneous gunport. There is still some tidying up to be done and a bit of new moulding to be made and painted to hide some of the awkward joins. I hope you like the painted main sculpture. I think it works well but it's a pity that Heller couldn't have thought to mould in some reins, which it is obvious Apollo is holding in those outstretched hands and which would accord with Baroque paintings of that scene. After all, they are horses and how else do you control them? I did think of painting them in but in that scale it would be quite difficult painting them on freehand. I did add a bit of shading to bring out the relief. I've just got to the end of making up the 48 gun carriages from HisModel, so my next job is to paint them, add the barrels and make tackles for the visible ones. I think the next step on the stern will be to fit the main sternwalk so that I can see how the four supporting figures can be attached to the cut-down piece which was the lower gallery, but which will now fit flush up against the stern below the lowest set of windows. So much to think about with this kit! e
  22. John Clements
    Thanks, Michael. I appreciate your comments. At that size (and price) one really would expect Heller to have done a better job if this was to be their top French sailing navy offering but it does mean we can all use our imagination a bit, and it's really nice to see all the different versions on this site. Putting her afloat is certainly an option but I'm put off by the sheer size of it. We will see.
  23. John Clements
    Can I put in my ha'porth? Marc is right about the copper oxide blues, and there was indigo too. Both could be lightened by mixing with lighter colours, as is evident from skies in paintings. And can I also add that cerulean blue is similar to the drum in the picture I posted earlier, French blue is the colour of the drummer's coat and Prussian blue (only invented in 1706 as Christian said) is noticeably darker again. Any reputable colour chart will show that. What I think is more important, though, is how can we be sure that the artist chose the exact colour (assuming that they saw the same ship), or that the document has not faded or the colour metamorphosed with time and the degradation of its chemical elements? And as I think Christian infers, as the processes of dying cloth and painting solid surfaces are quite different, can we make assumptions from one to the other and use common terminology? This is all such a minefield!
  24. John Clements
    The cerulean blue, which is quite close in shade to the blue plastic used by Heller, is one of the Bourbon house colours as in the drum in the picture below (best I could find in a hurry). It was extensively also used as the background in the triple fleur-de-lys coat of arms used by the Bourbons which appears on ships and on military flags, so I think it is a very suitable colour to use.
  25. John Clements
    It is really fascinating watching and reading about how you are working your way through all the potential designs and deciding what to do. Your patience and workmanship are an example to us all, and certainly far beyond the time and effort I am willing and able to put in to my own project (not least because I am also building a Heller Scharnhorst - another model that requires a lot of research and extra work to get right, and one or two other non-maritime models). As I mentioned before, I am sticking mainly with the kit's parts and adjusting those. It was interesting to see the much more three-dimensional carving on the stern of the Paris model but trying to emulate that is quite beyond me. What a shame Heller seem to have thought so too. Did you say earlier that you might be thinking of painting the sun chariot panel in full colour, rather than just gilt? That would be quite a departure but very striking. Interesting too to see how you have tackled the cannon. I can identify with your frustration at losing barrels; I had to buy several extra barrels to replace ones I pushed into the lower decks of the Glorieux. I am just hoping that I've lathered enough glue over the SR carriages that they stay in place. Like Christian, I have drilled the holes for the port lid ropes and glued the ropes on the inside so they don't disappear too until the lids are fixed on at the end. Still waiting for my guns and tackle bits to arrive from HisModel; I think Brexit is causing us Europeans a lot of headaches, not least that I might end up paying tax on the purchase twice over. Looking forward to the continuation of your amazing project.

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