Frecap

Hello everyone! Bellona had a long sailboat-like life. Apparently, she went through a number of repairs during this time. The original painted bottom was covered with copper sheathing, and the pattern on the sides changed several times... Although Charles Middleton's model is not a Bellona-class model, it provides us with an idea of one of the possible paint schemes. I believe that each modeler has the freedom to determine how their ship will look. I would like to follow historical accuracy, but at the same time I want to do what I like personally. And the color scheme of the Middleton model is not very satisfied. In addition, the material that I got in the set of Corel is completely inconsistent with this model. But I want to observe some points. Such as the black color of the barhout and the blue background with ornamentation on the bulwarks, stern and fore. I don't know if I'll be able to draw an ornament on a blue background, but I've decided to create the background itself. This is the point where I have to make a decision about the sequence of further work... Until the quarterdeck deck is installed, I can't accurately calculate the location of the gun ports on it. In turn, it's better to paint the outer side when the gun ports are in place. And the main deck guns should be installed after the painting. It's a vicious cycle. Therefore, I've decided to paint the sides first and make adjustments later. So far it has turned out like this…

Hi Ronald! Your work is an example of how to do things neatly and beautifully! What kind of paint did you use? Was it ready-made, or did you choose the color?

Hi Andy! There are many things to be done to the Corel model, but even if some things are left and it will not be noticeable, the thick sternpost and knyavdiged look rough compared to the graceful watercuts of the prototypes. The knyavdiged narrows from the stem to the nasal figure both in the top view and in the front view. Similarly, the sternpost narrows from top to bottom. If you are thinking about further work, you can still make these corrections at this stage by planing these elements. Then you can lay the stern planking all the way to the sternpost.

Hello everyone! I want to work on the stern gallery, install the windows, columns, decor, and fences. However, the many small and fragile details that make up this structure can be easily damaged during subsequent work. Therefore, I am postponing it for now. However, the decorative roof above the upper tier of the side balconies does not protrude much, and it can be completed now. Thomas Slade's model doesn't have these elements, but Charles Middleton's model, which is also referenced by Brian Lavery in his ship anatomy, and other similar models, features this element as if it were made from potsherds with semi-circular edges, but at a scale of 1:100, these curves are so small that I couldn't figure out how to create them. I tried to add a drawn element, but it looked poor. I need to create it in three dimensions. From the very beginning, I decided to use paper. It's quite thick, like for watercolors. To draw this image, I used a 2 mm steel tube, which I traced with a pencil and then cut out with scissors. However, I wasn't satisfied with the result. The image was too large, and it looked unnatural on the model. In the end, I simply ground the tube on a sandstone at an angle, like a syringe needle, and used it to cut out the desired ornament from the paper. This small detail included four layers of paper, which provided the necessary size and volume. After painting and installing it in place, I got what I needed. The upper railing of the side sinks on the Charles Middleton model is also decorated with openwork. Initially, I also made an imitation of it, then tried a drawing, but it was terrible, so I decided to make this railing out of wooden slats. It wasn't perfect, but it was definitely better than what it was. I will install it later, along with the rest of the stern gallery elements.

Hi, Nearshore! When I read the posts of fellow modelers, I always try to imagine this or that master sitting at a table doing his favorite hobby. What does he do, what instrument does he use, what kind of surroundings are around… Therefore, the description of your workplace with the history of its development is very interesting, and the photos allow you to see it firsthand. You have a very cozy place and everything you need is always at hand, which is great. It is very interesting for me to observe the process of building your model, and I constantly refer to photographs of various components and details that I also have to make. One of the latter, the one that was made from the quarterdeck towards the forecastle with rows of standing guns, gave a sense of presence on a real ship. It's a very pleasant feeling. Since I've only been building my model for about a year, and even less on this forum, I haven't read all your posts in detail, but I've looked at all the photos. The work is neat and beautiful! I want to wish you good luck and progress in this interesting business! Yours sincerely, Frecap

Hi, Ronald! Your work is an example for me of how important it is to be meticulous in the details. I have little experience, and I'm learning a lot as I build my model. Thank you for providing a detailed description of your work. The result is impressive! Good luck to you!

Hello everyone! While I'm trying to figure out the sequence of work on the quarterdeck deck, I'm slowly getting into various small tasks. For some reason, nothing happens until you put your hands to it) So I started working on the cannons, but I'll post photos of these projects later. In the meantime, as planned, I replaced the quarterdeck and forecastle bulkheads, making them similar to the aft gallery bulkhead. I've already installed the forecastle bulkhead, and I'll install the quarterdeck bulkhead once the deck is completed.

Hi, Nearshore! Yes, it's clear how much effort has been put into this process. But the result is worth it. I think the more details there are, the more interesting the model will look! You have a great tool, but the key is patience and perseverance, which are essential for repetitive and monotonous work. Good luck! Regards, Frecap.

Hi Andy! The sheathing is very smooth and neat. I think it's a great idea to use short slats partially. It looks amazing! Best wishes, Frecap.

Nearshore, hello! I'm impressed with your work on the cannons! It's been a long and meticulous process that has led to a remarkable outcome! The cannons look stunning! I believe the time spent installing the rivets on the wheels was well worth it. These small details add a touch of elegance to the overall appearance. And six rivets are just the right amount! Similarly, the use of wooden axles instead of brass wire is of great interest to me, as I have yet to explore these options. I want to take these decisions into account, if you don't mind, of course) Also, as I see it, you haven't installed the quarterdeck deck yet. Obviously, in order to be able to mount the guns under this deck. I have not yet determined the assembly sequence for myself, so I am not installing this deck yet either. But I still have a lot of work to do before making this decision, and I hope it will become obvious in due course. And good luck and inspiration to you in this difficult but interesting job!

I don't like the way Corel's proposed aft gallery bulkhead looks, so I decided to do it my way. At this scale, the window frames should be very thin. I don't know how to make them out of wood, so I printed them on a 3D printer. Same with the columns. I used a smartphone screen protector as a glazing simulation. I painted the wall of the frame opposite the window frames a dark gray color. In my opinion, it turned out better than the stock version. I like it. I think I'll tear off the stock bulkheads of the forecastle and quarterdeck and make them the same way.

Hello everyone! I decided to make a stern sink, not an imitation, as Corel suggests, but as it was on the prototype and on the museum models. To do this, I had to cut out a part of the afterdeck deck. There is a beautiful decor on the inside of the sink, but I'm not a good artist, so I just painted it red. I may add an applique later. I also experimented with the colors of the exterior paint and the decor of the side balconies. I'm not very satisfied with the result, so I'll probably redo it.

Very painstaking and high-quality work! A work of art, just like the entire model! It's a pleasure to look at!

Your approach to laying the first layer was very well thought out, which helped to avoid the incorrect positioning of the gun ports on the main deck. I was in a hurry at this stage, and later had to raise the gun ports by making inserts at the bottom and cutting them out at the top

Great job! Beautiful and neat! I'm watching the process with interest.

Hello everyone! I haven't figured out how to make the moldings of gratings lighter yet, so I've been busy with other things. I've made the afterdeck and balcony decking and started working on the aft gallery. I've attached the parts that give it the desired shape, and to achieve the correct positioning of the moldings, I've used double-sided tape to attach the windows and brass photo-etched decor. I don't like the way it looks, and I won't be using these parts. It's just to help me understand where to attach the moldings.

Hi, Nearshore! Thank you for your feedback! When making the cable reels, I didn't use all the details suggested by Corel. I made the cheeks them from walnut wood planks, following the shape described in Brian Lavery's book "Anatomy." I used squares of black paper to model the holes for the bars. I really like your work. It looks great! I've been following your publications with interest even before I started creating my own model.

Hi, Paul! Thank you for your feedback! I think the comings of the gratings should be lighter. I'll try some bleach.

I don't want to remake the grates a third time. Can someone tell me how to lighten dark wood?

Since the structure of dark walnut slats contains even darker, almost black fibers, the slats look overly contrasting on a light-colored deck.

But then, looking at the photos of the museum models, as well as the photos of the HMS Victory, I decided that the shape of the grates should be the same as it is there – rounded at the top. During the processing, all the thin slats were worn down, and the grates became light again. Therefore, I had to redo them for the third time. I made the camings out of dark walnut and gave them the desired shape. Here is what I got:

Hi! I wanted to see more small details on the model. I decided to start with the gratings on the main deck. As suggested by Corel, I made the grate comings out of light beech wood. However, I was disappointed with the result. The finished product almost blends in with the light deck. It doesn't look good. Therefore, I decided to add a thin, darker rail on top. Here's what I got.

Hi, Harlequin! Thank you for the feedback, I'm trying my best!) Before building my model, I carefully reviewed everything I could find on this topic. Including your excellent work. I've learned a lot from it!) And I'll keep learning more!)

Hello everyone! I spent the past week fixing the location of the gun ports on the main deck. I had to raise them 2-3 mm and cover the bottom part with a walnut rail insert. I probably should have matched the rail better in color, but it turned out the way it turned out. The inserts are visible in the photo, but the general appearance of the model does not catch the eye. I also started making frames for the main deck gun ports. The slats for them were previously painted in a dull red color.

Hi All! So, the work is moving. Since my last post, I have lathed the main deck, the inside of the bulwarks, installed the waterway and the afterdeck gunwale. From the outside, I installed anchor cushions, alignment of the cleats and a False wale. Glued the transom board and installed the bulkheads of the forecastle and quarterdeck. I don't like the fact that the bulkheads are made of brass plate, which doesn't paint very well, but I thought that both of these details are deep in the structure and don't catch the eye. I painted them brown (to look like wood), shaded the window openings with a simple pencil, and painted the columns on the quarterdeck bulkhead white. Maybe I'll add some more details to them later. The waterways were also pre-painted so as not to suffer on the assembled model. After sheathing the main deck, a very unpleasant problem came to light. Apparently, I hurried to cut through the main deck gun ports. After assembling one cannon and trying it on, I saw that the port was cut very low. The cannon barrel rests against the bulwark above the port… Cutting the port up 2-3 mm will not be any problem. But then it won't be square in shape, but rectangular. We'll have to make some kind of inserts to close the undersides of the ports.