Le Soleil Royal by jack.aubrey - FINISHED - De Agostini - Scale 1:70

[WackoWolf]

She is one beautiful looking ship and with the base it makes her stand out even more. Keep the pictures coming.

[jack.aubrey]

Monday October 8, 2012

 

I've almost finished the building of the display case: now the only part missing is the plexiglass cover, but this can wait sometime. I have started and finished a couple of tasks that I left behind, such as the browning of all decorative elements. 
In particular, I have devoted great attention to the figurehead and a couple of human figures that will be placed at the stern. In the photographs they seem worst as they appear in real life, but I'm not happy with the result: they seem to me a little vanishing, as if there were no reliefs enhancing the depth effect. Before installing them I'll wait to find some ideas to increase their realism.  
 
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Then I started the preliminaries for a new task: the installation of metal small columns that will be the basis of the gunwales all around the decks. As a logical consequence of having all the metal decorations properly gilded I can't leave the columns as they were originally delivered. . there would be an inconsistency so I took the decision to treat them too, although this would force me to spend much more time than usual.
 
I guess now you all understand why the model progresses so slowly. . and the remarkable qualities of patience I developed in this adventure, qualities that I didn't absolutely have before . .
 
After the application of two coats of primer I had two options: gold paint or another color. At the end, I opted to color them in red (but after having also evaluated the blue color). Maybe this choice will appear a little crazy to most of you but I think there's already enough gold on this model . .
 
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Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Below a possible idea of how to position and present the ship boats, externally to the model, on the display case basement. If we exclude the black base which of course is not needed, this presentation system would have two advantages: allow to display the boat with more viewpoints visible and the possibility of fixing the boat base to the basement with a simple double-sided tape. .
 
01 pinfin4_863.jpg

 
Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Wednesday, October 11, 2012 - Third ship boat

 

As I wrote a few messages ago, I decided to build a third boat for my Soleil Royal. This boat that will be exposed on the basement of the case, as I decided for the larger of the two I built before, whose material was included in the kit.
 
I used a project already in my hands for some time and some work done in the past.
Here below some pictures of the longboat under construction and still unfinished.
 
01 disappeared thanks to DeAgostiniPassion.it

02 disappeared thanks to DeAgostiniPassion.it

03 disappeared thanks to DeAgostiniPassion.it

04 disappeared thanks to DeAgostiniPassion.it

 
Yesterday afternoon and Monday I prepared the gun port lids that will be installed of the lower and intermediate decks. For the solution that I had in mind the pre-cut material supplied by DeAgostini was not suitable, not so much for the pieces themselves as the lack of an adequate system of fixing to the hull. So I've built the lids from scratch using other material. For the moment I am still in the process, even though I already painted the inside in red. In the coming days I could show you how I imagine the necessary finishes that I have in mind: hinges, rings and ropes for their opening and closing . .
 
Sincerely, Jack.

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[Kevin]

 

Below a possible idea of how to position and present the ship boats, externally to the model, on the display case basement. If we exclude the black base which of course is not needed, this presentation system would have two advantages: allow to display the boat with more viewpoints visible and the possibility of fixing the boat base to the basement with a simple double-sided tape. .

 

01

 

Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

 

Jack i am hoping to display my ships boats on acrylic stands at the height of the waterline, as part of a diorama, I love your work, well done

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, October 13, 2012 - Gun port lids

 

As I have previously written, I changed all the necessary material for the gun-port lids because I wanted to implement a method of securing themselves to the hull that was very strong. In fact the pieces proposed in the kit, although correct from a formal point of view, do not provide any appropriate method to fix them on the hull.
 
So, as I wrote, I re-did from scratch everything. For the larger square, originally plywood with 2mm thickness, I did it again using plywood (1.5 mm) on which I glued strips of chestnut veneer (0.5 mm), the same wood used for the second planking of the hull. I have prepared in this way bars of 15 x 10 cm and then I cut with the table saw piece to piece.
 
Regarding the second piece, the smaller square, I re-did it in a different form: instead of square I made it rectangular, so that it protrudes from a side of about 3mm from the larger square element. If you look at the picture below you will easily understand what it came out.
 
Then glueing the two pieces together using a template to ensure all result the same and, finally red acrylic paint of the inside. 
 
01 P1080403.jpg

 
Then it was the turn of the eyebolts. Those proposed by the kit are out of scale for me. 
 
I opted for building from brass wire/thread. The ring has an inner diameter of 0.75 mm. Must be burnished prior to assembly.
 
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I developed a prototype that I brought up to the final assembly stage, to see if it satisfied me. It is visible in the three images that follow. The eyebolts used have an internal diameter of 1.5 mm as I have used material already available to accelerate the process. The final version will use the smaller ones. I also have in mind further improvements.
 
For gluing the lid to the hull, as well as the half-barrel, I used two-components epoxy glue. I've seen that this glue provides a very strong bonding. For the lid would be enough the vinyl glue, but since I had already prepared the epoxy I used the latter. But I think the epoxy is much more tenacious, then I'll probably use this one for the future.
 
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Once finished the prototype now I have to move to mass production for all the rest. The work to be done is a lot: about 200 eyebolts, three holes for door, assembly, ropes, etc.. For the moment, what I wanted was the prototype while for the rest there is time, since before there are more important things to do.
 
See you next time, Jack.Aubrey.

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday October 20th, 2012

 

This week I did not too much . . I have almost finished the remaining ship boats.
The bulk of the work were the oars. . .
 
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Cheers, Jack.

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Monday, November 12, 2012

 

I decided to work on the gunwales above the third deck battery (waist), an activity that involves the use of the metal columns that I had previously colored red.
 
Obviously I was prepared myself teorically to manage this step and I came to the conclusion that: 

1.     
2. I would have used the bi-component epoxy glue to bond the metal columns to the deck, and that
       
       
3. I would have bent the rails 2 x 7 to follow the curve of the waist and the forecastle using the trick to prepare two strips 2 x 3,5 glued together, so as to form a 2 x 7, on a template obtained from the same contour of the deck.
   

 
For the second point it seems obvious to point out that once the whole composite was dried completely would have had the exact shape of one side of the waist and forecastle.
 
Due to the long drying time of the bi-component glue, I spent a day bonding all the columns on the waist while I spent the next day to apply the strip prepared in step 2, the columns are glued in turn to the top strip always with bi-component glue.
 
It was not a difficult job, the only real problem was caused by the same columns that, perhaps because of the molding process not very accurate, were not all exactly with the same height and then in some cases were too short and other too long.
With a lot of patience I leveled all the columns with the mini-drill, which was mounted on a grinding wheel suitable for metal. 
Some adjustments to the bulwarks profile which lacked a few tenths in certain points and then I could proceed with the final bonding.
 
The third day was dedicated to finishing the job done and to complete some of the remaining two ship boats accessories (rudders, eye bolts, coils of rope, etc.), to install accessories today in order to have the boats "really" finished .
 
Below are some pictures of the work done.  
 
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Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

I take this opportunity to add more photos. .

 

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Edited September 4, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[yvesvidal]

Beautiful Jack. What a great kit.

 

Yves

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, December 1, 2012 (please look at the date, its important to understand this message) . . 

 

I spent this last week to choose, collect, prepare and load into the car all what I'll need to "winter" in Tuscany, centre of Italy.

 

I just finished loading on my car almost everything; the remaining bargage for next morning, at the last useful moment.

 

Tomorrow,  at around 10:00, with the tide, sailed the anchors, I put the bow to south / south-east in "deep downwind close-hauled" to Parma, then south-west with "starboard tack" until La Spezia and then south to Pisa with "the wind in the sails". Go back upstream on Arno river with the favourable tide and I will arrive . .

 

The ship yard is now closed and will be reopened in 2013, most probably in May.

 

Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, June 1, 2013 - Next reopening of the shipyard

 

Good morning, in the coming days, probably tomorrow, after six months of total lack of news due to my absence from home, I'll reopen the yard of the Soleil Royal. The yard will be managed in parallel with the shipyard of Twelve Apostles that for at least five/six months from now will be fluctuating.

 

I want to work hardly on this model in order to finish it, health permitting, by the end of the year 2013. Let's hope so. Tomorrow afternoon I'll start a planning session to take up the model in the right direction. I have to admit that in these six months I have forgotten many things regarding its construction.

 

Sincerely, Jack.Aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Thursday, June 6, 2013 - surprise. .

 

I spoke too soon. . . As I wrote in the previous post, I put away all the material of the 12 Apostles and I resumed the one of the Soleil Royal.

 

Then I started to study a working plan and, since it was more o less six months I didn't think about this model, I started reviewing all the material, just to collect ideas and become familiar again with the secrets of this model.

 

You have no idea how many memories people can forget in six months, especially "my past six months" I spent in Tuscany this winter. .

 

Well, I started looking for the famous columns to build the railings and balusters, which I painted red and I had applied for an initial test just before closing the shipyard in November . . and I do not find them! Anyway, after a couple of hours of frantic searching, finally I successfully found them.

 

Then I said to myself, maybe it's better that I control all the materials very well. . and I discover I cannot find the three ship boats I had spent almost three months to build. The fact is that I'm looking everywhere for three days and today I have not yet found them.

 

I'm very angry with myself and at the same time I'm a little desperate. .

 

Yesterday I got the sixth pack of 12 Apostles and at this point I decided to switch to the latter: I think that in three / four days I will use all the material available and after I can enjoy almost a month of calm before receiving the seventh package . . In the meantime I'll continue looking for the "bloody boats".

 

Greetings (although angry), Jack.Aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, June 8, 2013

 

After much searching and cursing I found yesterday the "bloody boats" . . they were where I left them time ago, watching me without hiding . .

 

In conclusion now there is nothing missing. So when I'll finish with the new issues of the 12 Apostles, I will resume this model immediately.

 

I have to admit that I don't know my emotional reactions if I didn't find them . . the idea to invest another two/three months of work to rebuild them was something like a nightmare . . friendliness, Jack.

[yvesvidal]

Big relief!!!! Thank you Jack, for the good news.

 

Yves

[jack.aubrey]

Thursday, June 20, 2013 - back to work

 

Today, after a few days when the hot weather was the absolute master, I finally started to work around my Soleil Royal. .

 

Date absolutely to remember: it was since November of last year that the show was over. I'll manage this shipyard concurrently with that of the Twelve Apostles where I'll probably have frequent downtime because of the monthly shipments.

 

The aim of this first activities is to install on the forecastle the red columns that long time ago I prepared. There are also some hardwood rings, that will serve as "open gunports" for the forecastle guns.

 

First I prepared the two (curved) handrails for the castle, which will then be applied over the red columns and the rings. I took the exact shape of the curve on both sides, in order to prepare the curved pieces. I glued together two strips 2.5 x 2mm and retained them over the previously obtained template. When the glue made its mission the two pieces were permanently curved and ready for use.

 

Then I started the preparation of the straight rack at prow: twelve columns spaced from each other by 91 mm. When drilled the holes to receive the columns I bonded the latter in place with epoxy glue. Now they are drying waiting for tomorrow, when they will be mounted in an "extra strong way".

 

I then started to prepare the material for the ladders that are located on the two sides of the hull: by the time I prepared only the basic element consisting of a compound strip 4 x 1 plus another 2 x 2. 

 

Of course I have no images to show, virtually there is nothing interesting to show in the work done today.

 

That'a all for today, see you next time, Jack.Aubrey.

[jack.aubrey]

Sunday, June 23, 2013

 

Friday I missed the usual appointment with my Soleil Royal because I had another appointment, not with a beautiful woman but with the dentist and I also missed Saturday morning because I cut the grass in the garden of my mother-in-law and in the afternoon I was too tired.
 
But on Sunday I resumed the activities and the day turned into a fruitful event: after spending last Thursday preparing all the necessary pieces, yesterday I started to reap the benefits.
 
Let's discuss a detail that I worked on between the downtime on the main work: the preparation and installation of the "stairs to climb on board" (whatever they call?) On the two sides, amidships, of the model.
 
Here I repeated the same method of construction adopted at the time I prepared the ladders at the bow: 1) apply a sheet of veneer on a plywood tablet, taking care to paste only the two ends; 2) then paste the steps (the composite strip element built Thursday) in a parallel manner to the right distance and, 3) cut the pieces with the table saw. An example is in Figure 01, where you can see from left to right, the initial piece, a piece cut out ready for use and two pieces already in use, where there are no elements of the ladder.
 
01 P1090548.jpg

 
Below you can see these ladders applied on both sides of the ship.
 
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Then I continued to work with the metal columns on the forecastle. I will cover this topic with a separate message.
 
Sincerely, Jack.Aubrey

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Sunday, June 23, 2013

 

And now let's discuss the famous red columns on the forecastle. The first image shows the composite handrail, prepared in advance and already shaped on the lines of the hull. Bending is permanent and non-deformable.

 

01

 

The various elements, including columns, applied in place and ready for the next step, namely the fixing of the "handrail". The wooden parts are fixed with vinyl, the columns with the two-components epoxy. By the way, I decided not to color of gold the circular gunports: I prefer the natural wood color . . 

 

02

 

03

 

04

 

In the next session I'll install the handrails and then I should close the works in the bow and forecatle area. Regards, Jack.

 

High Resolution Images: to view in high resolution the images of this message, please left click on the image. You will be prompted with a new page containing the same image. Left click over the magnifying glass located near the right bottom of the image. You will get another image and you need again to left click on the magnifying glass . . and finally you win !! I beg you pardon for the idiot programmer that changed the behavior of the web site where I store my images in a similar way . . Jack.

[jack.aubrey]

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

 

Yesterday afternoon was dedicated to the Soleil Royal.
 
Specifically, I completed the handrails of the forecastle area.
 
After two or three minutes of thoughts, I decided not to use the metal garnishments of the handrail estremities provided with the kit: too simple and not accurate. I spent a couple of hours to test prototypes of different shapes using a small tablet of pear wood (I was going to try some kind of engraving).
 
At the end I opted for a simple shape, easier to achieve, given that my first engraving attempts with various tools could not properly be called a success.
 
Here are some pictures, the first three before making some finishing, especially the "home made" garnishments. The other two are finished and after a coat of oil to enphasize the wooden color.
 
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I also worked on the preparation of other details located on the forecastle, when they will be completed and installed I'll show them. This afternoon relax. Sincerely, Jack.

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Sunday, June 30, 2013 - Forecastle

 

Today I finished some details on the forecastle . . I lost quite a bit of time to prepare the missing pieces, painting and installing them, but at the end, this part of the ship should be complete. Of course the guns and something else are surely missing,but for now it's okay.
 
Now I'll work on the rear decks of the ship, although first of all I need to study in deep how they should be arranged.
 
On the forecastle all the pieces where a metal piece is involved are bonded with bi-component glue: are attached in a truly "strong" way . .
 
Greetings, Jack.Aubrey. 
 
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Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, July 6, 2013

 

It's several days I don't show any progress . . I have done quite a lot of work in spite of the heat that is back now, but I didn't have till now anything interesting to show. 
 
The work done, incidentally, is still about the well known "columns": the forecastle is almost finished, so i started to work on the other decks located in the stern area.
 
I had no big problems to deal with them, but the work has evolved rather slowly for several reasons, among which the main course is always the bi-component epoxy glue that takes a life to take hold and dry.
 
I have discovered a kind of epoxy glue that in theory works in 5 minutes instead of hours but for this type of work it is not suitable: once mixed you have only three minutes to paste the piece and for this reason is not suitable to be used on many pieces concurrently (like our columns). Ii's more suitable for one or two pieces, otherwise you do not have enough time to use it. So its usage is delayed to the next first available opportunity.
 
I am attaching four photos of details of the work done on the rear decks . . 
 
Kind regards. Jack.Aubrey
 
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Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Sunday, July 7, 2013

 

Nothing new compared to yesterday, only three pictures where the whole model is portrayed. Regards, Jack.
 
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Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

 

Even a small step forward in the installation of the gunwale with columns. Now only a piece is missing. It's a piece a bit complex because I need to insert a round gunport, but after it what remains is very simple. Let's say three working sessions, one per day, then three days.
 
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Kind regards, Jack.

 

Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Saturday, July 13, 2013

 

Some pictures of the aft gunwales practically finished. Now all the pieces are perfectly glued. There are now only a couple of things to be done to finally complete this phase:
- Cut the railing (visible in the photo n° 05) to open the gap in the middle. This element was glued in one piece to ensure a perfectly straight line;
- Decide how to color the gunwales top extremities: I scratch made these elements instead of the quarter-circle golden elements proposed by De Agostini;
- Remove all the dust, now practically covering the whole hull, with the air compressor;
- One coat of oil on the rails and maybe even on the decks.
 
Until next time with new images. . Jack.
 
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Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[jack.aubrey]

Hello Brian C, your comment is surely right. . in fact both the red color of the columns (and of other elements) than the blue color of some details of the stern are overly bright.

 

In fact, looking in normal light the model with my eyes, these two colors are not so bright but much darker.

 

The fact that you see this effect in practically all the photos I've posted in this topic is correlated to the flash of the camera I had always used to shot images.

 

I think I explained, many posts ago, this aspect just to explain why the red color looks too strange, with no shadows at all.

However, I welcome comments like your, they are always welcome as there is always something to learn from the exchange of views and opinions.

 

Regards, Jack.Aubrey

[WackoWolf]

I really think she looks Beautiful. But this is my option. Keep the pictures coming.

[jack.aubrey]

I'm publishing other five pictures of my Soleil, always dated back to Saturday, July 13, showing further details and / or views of the complete model.

 

On Sunday I still worked on the model for a couple of hours working on further trim the ends of the rails to embellish a bit. I also glued five stairs/steps on the decks . . then I left the Soleil and I started to apply seven / eight strakes on the deck of the 12 Apostles.
 
Now I have to think a little bit about the upcoming activities. Of big stuff there would still be a two/three things:
- End to apply decorations (boring part but that sooner or later I have to finish);
- Install the channels and related chain plates and deadeyes;
- Install all the gunports.
 
Then there would be other jobs that could be interesting (the stumps of the trees, the guns on the forecastle and quarterdeck, etc.). We'll see though probably (and rationally) follow my plan just stated above.
 
A cordial greeting, Jack.     
 
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Edited September 5, 2017 by jack.aubrey

[yvesvidal]

Congratulations jack. This is a very nice vessel.

 

Yves

[jack.aubrey]

Thank you Yves . .Jack.

[JPett]

Ahoy Jack

 

Your work is magnificent. The full size image really shows off your attention to detail and craftsmanship. Thanks for sharing