Admiral Beez
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Everything posted by Admiral Beez
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I received a helpful email reply from Heller France today, directing me to the much improved instructions https://www.heller.fr/downloads/1000808950_MA_Building_Instructions.pdf. I'm going to try to use the tool.
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You're probably right, but I'll try to make one shroud and see how it looks. At this small 1/150 scale it might look fine.
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I'll likely have a similar experience, but I think I'll give it a go. Many builders of the Heller kits toss the yards and masts and replace them with wood, which is easy enough, but I took the stubborn view and used everything, but reinforced both with carbon fibre rods on either the inside or affixed to the outside. Here's a video of the rig in use.
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My kit's now complete except the rigging. Has anyone had success with Heller’s shroud loom, shown below beside my build? I’d welcome any tips.
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The ship build is now complete, except the the rigging. I’m a little trepidation about using the shroud loom (click here for how to video), but we’ll give it a go. Next steps is collect the various gauge black and tan threads for standing and running rigging. I’m going to attempt to install the yards with only rope, no glue, but we’ll see.
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Here's the set https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B092V33YX3
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@AON Here we go…. I usually reduce my displayed images to 700 pixels in order not to crowd people’s screens and not to delay page load speed, but if you click on the photos they’ll open to full size.
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Will do today. I'm also keeping a photo journal of the entire build.... https://modelshipworld.com/topic/30073-hms-spartiate-by-admiral-beez-heller-1150-kit-bashing-the-heller-le-superbe/
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The box of assorted nylon washers has proven to be very useful. Since this kit does not include studdingsail booms, I used nylon washers to add rings to the end of the lower yards. I’ll then use spare carbon fibre rods, originally bought for reinforcing the masts, to serve as studdingsail booms.
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Thanks again Allan. I used some fibre washers and I’m pleased with the results.
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Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you’re having a safe and happy day. I’m pleased with the latest progress. I bought a pack of nylon washers and used different sizes to serve as the ring deck seal around the masts. I used a cone bit on my Dremel to enlarge the hole size to fit each mast. For the stern lights that I fabricated using my wife’s plastic beads, I cut additional nylon washers to serve as the mounts. I still need to touch up the paint on the stern.
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The topsail and topgallant sail yards are very flimsy. Also, the kit does not include studding sail yards, as shown on this model… So, I have a solution to both strengthen the yards and address this omission; carbon fibre rods cut in the middle and affixed to the yards.
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The single large stern lantern that comes with the kit will not do for the Royal Navy, where three lanterns are the norm. So I have raided my wife's collection of plastic beads to see what works. There are larger oval shapes, smaller ball shapes and medium sized diamond shaped beads. I think I'll go with the latter, which I can paint black or ochre on top and put verticals lines below to suggest the framing for the glass panes. Here's HMS Victory for reference. The middle lantern is supposed to be larger like below, but I think the three equal-sized beads I've chosen will work best, as the smaller ones I have a round balls and would look inconsistent with the diamond shaped middle lantern.
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Spartan/Roman figurehead now installed. Masts completed. Next step I need to fabricate the three stern lanterns the British used rather than the single large lantern that comes with the kit.
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I’ve got a donated Roman Centurion to stand in for the Spartan figurehead. See Spartan below. I need to add the eyes, the Greek A onto the shield and perhaps darken the sword. I may also paint the figure’s nose gold to better model the Spartan helmet.
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I'll go to the hardware shop and buy some fiber washers to mimic the mast seals.
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Thanks @allanyed. This is a great help. I shall cut out some circles from card stock and paint them black to serve as the canvas ring. Question, should my canvas reach up the mast, like on HMS Victory below? I like this image. The Type 45 destroyer in the background is just slightly shorter than an Invincible class battlecruiser.
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I’m building a plastic kit, Heller’s Le Superbe. Before I permanently install the masts, shouldn’t there be a gasket or seal to close up the large holes in the deck around the masts. I understand that the hole was supposed to be bigger to allow for flex and rake changes, but we can’t have the water flowing in. What do we recommend? Online HMS Victory and Trincomalee appear to have a seal of some sort around the base of the masts. Thanks for any guidance or info.
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I wanted some ideas on how to get a more varnished wood colour for the upper masts. So, I asked ChatGPT. Q: What model paint colours can I mix to make paint that looks like vanished wood? A: To create a paint that mimics the look of varnished wood, you can mix various brown tones and incorporate a glossy medium to simulate the shine of varnish. Experiment with mixing brown, sienna, and ochre hues, adding a touch of red or orange for warmth. Additionally, blending in a gloss or varnish medium will enhance the finish. Adjust the ratios until you achieve the desired wood-like color and sheen. I’m happy with how it turned out. The upper masts and outer bowsprit look like varnished wood to me now, rather than the raw wood look I’ve used on the decks. Two coats of custom paint. Now, I had already clear coated the masts, so admittedly I’m painting without a primer, but I will clear coat it again tomorrow morning (after I touch up the black) to seal it all in. You can also see my repaired mizzen mast below.
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Was removing the tape on my newly painted mizzenmast, and snap! I guess hollowing out the mast and then inserting a carbon rod left a cavity at top that severed. I’ll insert another carbon rod to fill the gap and serve as a guide to align the two pieces.
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Making progress. Masts and iron hoops painted. I still need to add the black hoops to the mizzenmast and add patina to the upper masts so they more resemble the deck colour.
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I like how someone created wooden decks for this plastic model. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/223990286973
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I don't think so, the masts would be even weaker than plastic. I'm probably over thinking it, and my ship would have looked fine with the masts as is. But this is my experimental or training project, so I am trying different ideas. Masts now primed. The mizzen topmast and topgallant masts are crooked, but I'll see what I can do with rigging to make it straight.
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@greenskin true points. Several builders swap out the masts and yards for wooden ones. But that's beyond my level of commitment and skill. I've just finished priming the carbon fibre reinforced masts. Always make sure to wear a ventilator and work in a room with an extraction fan, like a small bathroom. Work continues....
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I think this is the last plastic sailing ship I'm going to make. The masts and yards are just too bendy. Heller should have cast these parts in resin or something more rigid. I'll still make plastic ships, but no more sailing craft. Mind you, it's taken me three years to get to this point.... so we'll see.
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