HMS Leopard by toms10 - FINISHED - 1:85 scale POF/POB

[the learner]

Fantastic build, I like the cutout construction that you have defined. The details are well done for all the internal construction. Limit the internal lighting I think an overbright display would not look good. Keep up the fantastic work!

[toms10]

Hi Learner,

Thanks for feedback.  I am way past the lighting stage.  That needed to be completed before the hull was closed up.  To your point though, there are only a few yellow lights to somewhat illuminate the lower decks.  They actually look like candle illumination.  You can't see the LED bulbs, they are hidden behind walls and I am bouncing the light off of the surfaces to tone them down.

 

Tom

[toms10]

Amidst the C-19 chaos I managed to get in a little modeling. I got the lower shrouds for the main and fore masts installed. Also have the main and fore stays and preventers made. Just need to tie them to the bow sprit and then snake them. That should be fun. 
 

I also managed to get the bow sprit glued in and attached the hearts for the stays and other standing rigging. 
 

Boomkins are dry fit for now. I think it is time for me to put on my sculpting hat and get the figurehead completed. Right now there is just a rough 5 minute attempt out of play-doh for spacing. My sculpting endeavors are not all that extensive unless you count the sand castles 🏰 at the beach!  This should be fun. Michael Angelo move over - there’s a new kid in town. 😜😁.
 

Below are some progress pics. Stay safe everyone and happy modeling!

 

Tom

 

[Bluto 1790]

Hi Tom,

 

Your progress is looking great - - - at your present rate you'll soon be on to your next build!

 

I can see a yellowish ghost-like shape occupying the figurehead's space -- I'm waiting to see it take shape!

 

. . . and I can still see that scary looking bundle of 'stuff' hanging from the fore top.  The main top's 'stuff' doesn't look just as scary!

 

Your ship's boats are looking really good sitting there.  I did make a start on my boats but got a bit stalled along the way. Meanwhile I'm having a go at a cross section (of Leopard) at almost twice the scale that I did the whole ship.  It's really nice to be working at this scale for a change.

 

B.T.W.  do you have any pics of your sand castles that you could post?

 

Stay safe in this very unsafe time.

[toms10]

Hi Jim

The rats nest hanging from the fore top looks a lot worse than it is. As for the sand castles... the tide came in 😭. 
 

I have been snooping and know you are doing a Leopard cross section. You just can’t get enough of this boat can you! 😁

 

Tom

[Bluto 1790]

1 hour ago, toms10 said:

Hi Jim

The rats nest hanging from the fore top looks a lot worse than it is. As for the sand castles... the tide came in 😭.    
 

I have been snooping and know you are doing a Leopard cross section. You just can’t get enough of this boat can you! 😁

 

Tom

Hi Tom,

 

Pity about the tide.  You should have done the sand castles in the Mediterranean -- virtually no tide there!

 

As for doing more Leopard stuff -- since I had the basic plans/drawings I decided just to try to adapt from them.  As they're not very detailed plans, that adds an extra bit of challenge!  (as if just building a ship or section isn't enough of a challenge!)

[Leopard]

Not the OP, but I just had to show off a bit with this.  My son and I built a star fort on Orange Beach in December.  He did the gateway (and the little wall around the gateway) by himself.  It was fun explaining enfilading fire to him.

 

 

We had started adding parapets when we ran out of time and had to go get ready for dinner.

[toms10]

Okay. So in these troubled times I figured everyone could use a chuckle or two. Here is a very rough outline of my first attempt at sculpting my figurehead. It’s okay to laugh; I did. It would still need a good bit of sanding and filing after baking but then again I have a whole 1 hour of experience. This could take a while. Good thing I have enough Sculpy to make 20 more!  Then i can pick and choose. In reference to my previous post, Michael Angelo... your job is safe. Smile and enjoy. 😁😜
 

Tom

[toms10]

Hi MSW

I need an opinion on the color of my figurehead. I could go all one color with antique gold. 

or I could go with antique gold hair, a buff color for skin and a sea foam green for the dress. I think if I went with the green I would darken it just a bit. 

 

I like the little splash of color. It brings a focal point to the overall model. Bear in mind the final sculpture is much better than this one in my opinion. This one is one of my earlier attempts and practice working with Sculpey clay. Just using it to play with for now.   What does everyone think color wise?  Does anyone have a different idea?  Remember I am not an artist!  
 

Tom

[mtaylor]

I'd say go with the colors you've picked.   

[Siggi52]

Hello Tom,

 

if it is the Leopard of 1790, then I would paint the figure head in natural colors. Do not guild it.

[Timmo]

My two cents: I prefer muted natural colours or only a small amount of colour. I know many were likely painted with quite bold colours but it’s like Greek sculptures- even though they were originally quite colourful a modern audience expects them to be plain white marble because that the aesthetic we expect after seeing them only like that in museums. 
I like the plain lion with maybe some subtle shading to deepen tones.  But remember it’s your ship!

Edited April 13, 2020 by Timmo

[Bluto 1790]

Hi Tom,

 

Just as Timmo said above -- remember it's your ship!

 

Like you, when I built mine I kept everything fairly neutral.  Apart from black, white and the natural colours of the wood the only other colours on the ship were in the bowsprit jack and the figurehead.  Even at that, she had black hair, neutral-ish skin and a red dress.

Your chosen colour is green --- just go with what pleases you.

 

 

[toms10]

Thanks everyone, looks like I am going with my original gut feeling, the subtle color theme.

8 hours ago, Siggi52 said:

Hello Tom,

 

if it is the Leopard of 1790, then I would paint the figure head in natural colors. Do not guild it.

Siggi, it is intended to be the 1790 version ... at least to the best of my abilities.

 

Tom

[toms10]

So here is my figurehead as it stands today and probably forever. It is not glued on yet so I have time to think about it. It is not terrible i am am actually okay with it. I don’t see it winning too many sculpting honors but I don’t think I will be losing much sleep. 😜

Suggestion are always welcome. 

Tom

[Leopard]

What is she supposed to be holding in her hands?  Ship's biscuits?  Scrubbing pads (with the straps around her hands)?  Cymbals?

Not an indictment of your modelling/sculpting skills, which are much better than mine.  Do we even know what they were supposed to be?

[toms10]

Leopard

I asked the same question in an earlier post.  I researched and found nothing. If anyone has any info please share. Maybe she is trained in using a defibrillator!  

The picture reveals that I have to do some more smoothing and shaping to do. Every time I look at it I think i can do better. I guess that means I am not totally satisfied and will work on it some more. This could go on for a forever!  Well at least until I am tired of fussing with it.   I am going to go for a couple mile run now; maybe it will look better when I get back? 😜😁

Tom

[toms10]

Did a bit more work this weekend. Attached the main and fore stays and snaked with the preventers. Also rigged the boomkins. 

I think I going to change gears a bit now and work on the anchors and their rigging. 
 

Tom

 

[toms10]

Here is one of 4 anchors. It is all wood except for the blackened brass bands and the rope covered ring. I used the size formulas laid out in Mondfeld’s Historic Ship Models to get the size. At first it seemed very large but when I temporarily placed it on the bow and looked at other models of the Leopard it looked OK. I guess I never realized how big these things were!  Now I need to make 3 more just like it😜. 

Stay safe

Tom

 

[Beef Wellington]

Hi Tom, looking good. One question, see that you have the anchor stock parallels to the arms, I've never seen these anything other than being set at a right angle to each other.

[toms10]

4 hours ago, Beef Wellington said:

Hi Tom, looking good. One question, see that you have the anchor stock parallels to the arms, I've never seen these anything other than being set at a right angle to each other.

Hi Beef!  Thanks for pointing that out. I also realized this the next morning when I looked at it again. Something didn’t quite look right and when I looked at the picture in the book ... duh. Luckily I only assembled that one before I slapped my forehead and called myself things I care not to put in print here. 🤬🤬.

 

I have not worked on them for a few days because of a 5 yard pile of mulch that l needed to get off my driveway and into the landscaping beds. That is done so now I can figure out how to hopefully fix the problem without going through build another set of components. 
 

I am thinking maybe cutting off the shank flush with the underside of the stock and then pinning the two back together at the proper angle. If it doesn’t work oh well. That is why I have extra wood. 😜
 

Tom

[toms10]

Okay. So the pin idea worked. The shank and flukes are now 90* from the stock. I used a .025 dia brass nail and snipped the head off. Drilled a hole in the end of the skank and underside of the stock. Pressed in the pin and glued. Much better than making it all over. I need to stop working on the model late at night. Sometimes the brain shuts off but forgets to tell you. 😜. Thanks again to Beef Wellington for pointing this out to me. 

Tom

Edited May 6, 2020 by toms10

[Jasseji]

Havent looked at it in a while, that side opening really looks superb and the deck openings !

Edited May 12, 2020 by Jasseji

[toms10]

Hi all

I got to spend some time Time on my build amid all the spring yard work and planting. I rigged up the anchors along with the anchor bouys. The bouys are currently attached to the anchors but the lines are just laying on the deck until I get the first few rat lines installed. Then I can mount the bouys to those and the shear pole. I put a question out there regarding the shear poles in the mast and rigging section but did not get any responses. 

Also got the Mizzen mast and fore and main topmasts in place. I plan on attacking the Mizzen shrouds next and the the rest of the masts so I can work on the standing rigging some more. This is what she looks like to date. 

Just need to find some blocks of time to keep plugging away at her. 
Tom

[toms10]

Got a little further. The lower shrouds and sheer poles are all in place. I guess mounting the crosstrees for the topmasts are next so I can put on the upper shrouds next.   Just keep picking away at the standing rigging. Also need to mount the flying job boom so I can finish the bow sprit standing rigging. 
 

As far as wood work I still need to make all the yard/spars ant that should be about it for making saw dust. 

Hope everyone is safe and well as we plow through this pesky pandemic. Happy modeling. 

Tom

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Tom.   

[toms10]

A little more progress picking away at the standing rigging. My crows now have feet😁.  From what I read in various sources, crows feet at the turn of the 18th century seemed to be somewhat “optional” or at the discretion of the captain or sailing master. I liked what they added to the model so me being the captain instructed my sail master to have them installed. 

 

I enjoyed making these. There is one on each mast. The closeup above is the one on the main mast. 
 

Tom

[md1400cs]

Tom,

Excellent work - looks just perfect

[the learner]

The build has progressed nicely, beautiful done and interesting. If it's not too much to ask would it be possible if available could you post a couple of pictures on how you delt with the keel in transition between POB and POF portion of your build, I know you said you used walnut for the POF, but how did you tie the walnut in with the two portions?

 

 

[toms10]

Hi Guy,

I am not really sure I understand your question.  The keel is laid just as any other keel.  The full frames in the center where the cut is are attached to the keel as would normally be done.  I used bulkheads aft and forward of that section and notched them just as you would a frame where they attach to the keel.  I then put little spacers between the bulkheads to help keep them square and strong.

 

 

Hope this pic helps,

Tom