ancre La Créole 1827 by archjofo - Scale 1/48 - French corvette

[Gahm]

Gorgeous work!

 

Thomas

[md1400cs]

Johann,

 

I (we most certainly all have) learned SO much from following your beyond superlative work - no! art really - as always thanks for also posting superb build logs -

I have attempted to emulate - well sort-of attempted to copy some of your work details in part of my current build - (many images from your work are in my files - yet to be attempted)

That said, It's also been a wonderful way of trying to improve my work in this hobby - A big thank you    And the pleasure of admiring your work is such a pleasure to the eyes and senses. 

 

Regards,

 

[Roger Pellett]

Johann,

 

My apologies if you have already covered this elsewhere in your posts but do you make your own brass castings?

 

Roger

[archjofo]

@Roger Pellett

 

Hi Roger,

 

you do not need to apologise for your interest in my construction report. I am therefore happy to answer your question.
I had the castings made by a jewellery foundry in Germany. I made the master patterns from brass myself. These were then cast from brass using the lost wax process.
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

[albert]

Hello your work and just great compliments you are very good.

[archjofo]

@Jorge Diaz O

@Hubac's Historian

@Gahm

@md1400cs

@Roger Pellett

@albert

Hello,

there still seems to be interest in my construction report. Thank you for your nice comments and also for the many LIKES.
I am very happy about that and it gives me further motivation for the next sections.
I would like to express my sincere thanks for this. 

 

But let's continue here.
I was able to finish the double blocks for the breast backstays in the meantime.

 

 

 

And here is an overview of the back stays of the La Créole:

 

The Shifting Backstays are already in preparation.
More about that soon.

Edited May 22, 2021 by archjofo

[mbp521]

20 minutes ago, archjofo said:

there still seems to be interest in my construction report.

Johann, on a build like this, there will always be an interest. Marveling at a master at work never gets old. 
 

-Brian

[archjofo]

@mbp521

Hi Brian,

thank you for your nice comment and thank you to all the others for the many LIKES.

 

Here is the continuation of my report:

I imitated the leather lining of the caps accordingly.I use real leather with a thickness of approximately 0.25 mm. I split the thinnest leather I could buy with my own device.

 

 

 

[GrandpaPhil]

Incredible work!

[Gahm]

Gorgeous!!

 

Thomas

[allanyed]

Your build is one of those that is worth watching from start to finish,,,,,, more than once.

Allan

[archjofo]

@GrandpaPhil

@Gahm

@allanyed

Many thanks for the nice comments und all the others for the LIKES.

 

Fore topmast stay - Étai petit mât de hune 
According to my announcement in the last post, I am dealing with the topmast stays. So I prepared the assembly for the fore topmast stay. According to my original assumption that a left-hand rope was used here, this is obviously not the case according to my current research. The stay had a diameter of 41 mm in the original, which corresponds to 0.85 mm in model scale.
The fore topmast stay is attached in the same way as the main stay. This requires an open eye. The two legs are spliced into the stay. Finally, the ends receive spliced-in eyes, which then receive a lashing, as can be seen in the following picture. For comparison, I have laid a rope next to it that corresponds to the mainstay.

          

The fore topmast stay was routed on the starboard side of the bowsprit top via stay sheave to the bow for fastening by means of thimble and eyebolt. The area of the stay that was led around the sheave was served.  
     

Source: Atlas du Génie Maritime

 

 
Source: Original model in the Musée de la Marine Paris

 

The lashings for the fore topmast stay have to be applied directly to the model, as it is then no longer possible to pass the rope through the sheave cleat.

 

The next picture shows the eyebolt with thimble of the stay attachment on the forecastle.
 
Here you can see the guidance of the stage over the side sheaves with the served areas.

  
The last picture shows the fore topmast stay on the topmast crosstrees.

     
To be continued ... 

 

 

Edited July 16, 2021 by archjofo

[Jorge Diaz O]

13 hours ago, archjofo said:

@AbueloPhil

@Gahm

@allanyed

Muchas gracias por los lindos comentarios y todos los demás por los LIKES.

 

Estancia de mástil de proa - Étai petit mât de hune 
Según mi anuncio en el último post, me estoy ocupando de las estancias de mástil de proa. Así que preparé la asamblea para el mástil de proa. De acuerdo con mi suposición original de que aquí se usó una cuerda a la izquierda, obviamente este no es el caso de acuerdo con mi investigación actual. La estancia tenía un diámetro de 41 mm en el original, lo que corresponde a 0,85 mm en la escala del modelo.
El mástil de proa se fija de la misma forma que el principal. Esto requiere un ojo abierto. Las dos piernas se empalman en la estancia. Finalmente, los extremos reciben ojales empalmados, que luego reciben un amarre, como se puede ver en la siguiente imagen. A modo de comparación, he colocado una cuerda al lado que corresponde al pilar.

          

El tirante del mástil de proa se encaminó en el lado de estribor de la parte superior del bauprés a través de la polea del tirante a la proa para sujetarlo mediante dedal y cáncamo. Se sirvió el área del estay que se condujo alrededor de la polea.  
     

Fuente: Atlas du Génie Maritime

 

 
Fuente: Modelo original en el Musée de la Marine Paris

 

Los amarres del tirante del mástil de proa deben aplicarse directamente al modelo, ya que entonces ya no es posible pasar la cuerda a través del listón de la polea.

 

La siguiente imagen muestra el cáncamo con el dedal del accesorio de estay en el castillo de proa. Aquí puede ver la orientación del escenario sobre las poleas laterales con las áreas servidas.
 

  
La última imagen muestra el mástil de proa se mantiene en las crucetas de los mástiles.

     
Continuará ... 

 

 

 

 Wonderful, a great reference to all his work. Admirable

[archjofo]

@Jorge Diaz O

Hello,

I am particularly pleased with your last post. I would like to thank you very much for that.

 

Hello,

and here it goes on:

Fore topgallant stay - Étai petit mât de perroquet

In preparing to make the fore topgallant stay, the following question needs clarification and I hope for your expert assistance to clarify it:

In the monograph for La Créole, a diameter of 40 mm is given for the fore topgallant stay, not only in the overview with rigging plan but also in the text.
The fore topmast stay has a diameter of 41 mm. In this respect, the fore topgallant stay with a diameter of 40 mm seems to me to be much too thick. In my opinion, the stay should be
be much thinner, perhaps around 19 mm in diameter.
What do you think?

Edited July 17, 2021 by archjofo

[druxey]

Just catching up with your wrk. Terrific attention to detail!

[Dowmer]

Johann, I don’t think it is a typo. Look at the Main topmast and topgallant stay diameters. They are all similar proportions. Which tells me they are intentional. Topgallant and topmast stays seem to be practically the same diameter….almost. 
 

Of course this is a French rigged ship, but I would be interested how it compares to a British rigged frigate of the same period. Or perhaps other French rigged ships as well. 

[Dziadeczek]

Hi, 

I am not an expert on your "La Creole", so I cannot help you to answer your question, but currently I am having similar problems with my 74 gun ship I am building, following Boudriot's 4 volumes. I noticed that in his books he sometimes says one thing, and elsewhere he contradicts himself. For example, he says that the running end of the fore topmast preventer stay is tied to a deadeye and the second deadeye is made fast to a jackstaff standard on the bowsprit, with a lanyard in between. But on his plans he clearly shows two blocks instead! Go figure!

I think that either you will have to faithfully follow Boudriot, or use your own best judgement and perhaps make your stay, say 25 mm thick - something in between 40 mm and 15 mm, (which is on item nr. 26 on your plan).

Thomas

PS: I always hugely admire your build - it is an inspiration for me with my own build, but I cannot come to your quality nearly enough!   😬

[archjofo]

@druxey

Hello, thank you for your words of appreciation.

 

@Dowmer

@Dziadeczek

I would like to thank you both very much for the important advice. It helps me further.

[Gahm]

Johann, your ropework like everything else you do on this model is breathtaking! 

 

Thomas

 

[G. Delacroix]

Hello,

 

In the "Manuel du gréement" by F. A Costé which dates from 1828, the author gives the method to calculate the dimensions of the rig.
The result of this calculation gives the following diameters:
Fore topmast stay: 43 mm
Fore topgallant stay: 26 mm.

This "manuel" is here : https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9768285f?rk=42918;4

 

I am still in awe of this beautiful model.

 

GD

 

[archjofo]

@G. Delacroix

Hello,

 

Fantastic, finally a concrete statement. 
Thank you very much for the competent information. That makes me really happy.

[Jeronimo]

Hello Johann,

 

this is the  "knightly accolade" from G. Delacroix for your beautiful model.

 

Dies ist der " Ritterschlag " von G. Delacroix für dein wunderschönes Modell.

 

Karl

[archjofo]

@Jeronimo

Hi Karl,

many thanks for the nice comment.

 

Main topmast stay - Étai grand mât de hune
The main topmast stay of the La Créole had a diameter of 43 mm, which corresponds to a diameter of 0.89 mm in model scale 1:48. I made the corresponding rope from the finest Japanese silk yarn from Yli; 4 x 3 righthanded, and then these 3 strands were laid to the left to form a cable.

 
The next picture shows the main topmast stay with the open stay eye and the eyes spliced into the legs. Next to it is the prepared guide collar with thimble, which is placed around the masthead and then lashed down.
 
The main topmast stay is led through the thimble in the guide collar down to the deck and fastened there. I still have to finalise this detail.

To be continued ...

 

[jdbondy]

Ganz herrlich!

[archjofo]

@jdbondy

Many thanks !

In the meantime, the rope for the mizzen topmast stay was made from fine silk yarn, three strands are laid up right handed to form a hawser laid rope with ø 0.77 mm in model scale, which corresponds to ø 37 mm in the original.  A guide collar was also made, as for the main topmast stay, to guide it down along the mast for attachment.
As already mentioned for the main topmast stay, this detail needed further clarification, which has now been done. Behind both the foremast and the mainmast was a set of guide blocks, which were carried on an iron rod. The respective stay was attached in the middle to this iron rod, which was fastened to the deck with three holders.For this purpose, the iron rod was inserted through the thimbles tied into the stays.
Here you can see the binding of a thimble:

The following three pictures show the mizzen topmast stay from the top to the attachment point:

 

 

 

The following are three pictures of the main topmast stay from the top to the attachment point at the guide blocks:

 

 

To be continued ...

[archjofo]

Ratlines for the topmast shrouds 
The topmast shrouds were thinner than the lower shrouds (comparison on the model: Fore mast shrouds ø 1.08 mm / fore topmast shrouds ø 0.66 mm), their ratlines are also to be made with smaller diameters in proportion, which is the result of earlier research.

 
Some time ago, I tried to clarify whether the required eye splices could be made with a thickness of ø 0.25 mm. For this purpose I made a splicing tool with a smaller diameter ø 0.8 mm, as shown in the next picture. 

  
The fake splice (2x sticking through) with a dew thickness of ø 0.25 mm was already quite successful at that time. 
In the following picture you can see the comparison of the ratlines thickness again.I don't like the simpler alternative version with knots, because it is too thick and doesn't correspond to the original version.
 

In the meantime I have found the time and muse to make these filigree ratlines with the fake splice directly on the model. It has to be said that this is an extremely difficult job, but it can be done. In my opinion, the result speaks for itself. In this respect it is worth the effort.

 
But now we will continue with mizzen topmast stay. I still have to find out how it was attached. 
I would be very grateful for any information. 
See you soon ...

 

Edited August 19, 2021 by archjofo

[jdbondy]

Your splicing tools appear to be hypodermic needles with the edges dulled so that they don't cut the line. Is that right? Genius!

[archjofo]

Hi JD,

Sorry, I only got around to answering you today.
You are right, these are prepared hypodermic needles. I rounded off the sides to prevent the yarn from being cut.
Thank you for your interest.

[archjofo]

Hello,

here it goes on after a small creative break:

In the meantime I have made the ropes for the main topmast preventer stay (Ø 0.63 mm) and mizzen topmast preventer stay (Ø 0.50 mm). 
In principle, these are attached as shown in the following sketch.

Source: Internet unknown

This method of attachment was described in the monograph by J. Boudriot. I hope that I have interpreted it correctly.
Accordingly, the collars were prepared with thimbles. At the corresponding places the stays are served.

 

 

Shortly I will show how they are then mounted on the model.

 

Edited September 7, 2021 by archjofo

[archjofo]

Hello,
I have not yet come to the assembly of the mizzen topmast preventer stay and main mast preventer stay. I still have to finish these steps and will of course report on them.
 

At the moment I am dealing with the detail clarification for the following stays:
Mizzen topgallant stay and main topgallant stay  - Étai mât de perruche et Étai grand mât de perroquet

The mizzen topgallant stay of La Créole had a diameter of 22 mm, the main topgallant stay 28 mm (recalculated according to G. Lacroix method). 
  
Source: Atlas du Génie Maritime, Annexe Pl. 1

These stays did not have open eyes like the top mast stays (Fig. 1). The collar was spliced directly to the stay (Fig. 2) and served accordingly. Based on the illustration in the atlas (1860), I assume that these stays, also due to their small diameters, were made as hawser laid rope. Unfortunately, I did not find corresponding information in the monograph on La Créole, also not regarding the continuations and fixations on the respective tops. Also on the picture material available to me I cannot see any indications in this respect.
Only to the mizzen topgallant stay I have read in the monograph that this is led down to Mars via a single block, which was attached to the mast cap. About the attachment of the stay again nothing concrete can be taken from the description.
Therefore a few questions arise in this connection, which I try to bring to a clarification.

In addition first the following representation for the overview of these two stays:

 
Source: Monograph "La Creole" by J. Boudriot, p. 129

 

 

 
My research gave, as shown graphically above, from my point of view a conceivable fixing possibility for these stays (numbers of the overview assigned) on the respective crosstrees. In my opinion, the main topgallant stay could be forwarded by means of a collar (number 3) with a thimble. 
To what extent this way of fixing and forwarding the stays for the La Créole is historically correct, I could not find out.

 

Therefore I would be grateful for any hints and your valued opinion. 

See you soon ...

 

 

Edited September 17, 2021 by archjofo