Soleil Royal by Hubac's Historian - Heller - An Extensive Modification and Partial Scratch-Build

[shipmodel]

Hi Marc - 

 

I finally got fully caught up with your excellent progress after some time away for life matters. 

Great work on the decorative details.  I can only envy your casting and molding success.  These are skills that I have never mastered. 

I agree with your decision on the capstan.   As far as I know it was a transitional time for this element and either style would be appropriate, but the earlier style is more 'stylish', IMO.

 

I am scheduled for surgery of my own - knee replacement - in January, so we can compare crutches.

 

Dan

[Hubac's Historian]

Thank you, Dan!  Although knees can be difficult to rehab, it is good that you are doing this sooner, rather than later.  In fact, once you have fully rehabbed, you will probably wonder why you waited so long.  To be free of that sort of pain is transformational!

[shipmodel]

At 75 I have survived all of the transformations that I care to.

I'll be happy if I can walk around the block at a brisk, non-transformational pace.

 

D

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

I have decided to keep my momentum going, and I am currently in the process of designing and making my QD breast rail.

 

In a moment of pre-install vanity, here is the f’ocsle belfry placed:

I wanted to be sure that the scale of the thing looked right, although I did mock-up the main stay during the design process and the top of the belfry is well below it.  With the Louis Quinz model as my reference, I think it looks just about right:

photos courtesy of Marc Yeu

 

Continuing the theme of bringing the outboard details, inboard, I used the main deck level balcony rail as my design reference:

The wonderful part of this hobby is that you are constantly learning and refining technique:

In order to more uniformly draw the three port side lattice frames, I realized I could create a series of reference lines (diagonals and a mid-line) that would help me to layout these shapes in a consistent way.

 

I was lucky that I still had six oval cartouches that I could extract from the kit QGs.  It was necessary, though, for me to cast another name cartouche out of BONDO, which came out with perfect casted detail.

 

The oval cartouches are cast with tiny fleur-de-lis.  On each side of the central panel, I will engrave the central ovals with the crossed-Ls monogram of Louis XIV, while the outer ovals will remain fleurs.

 

Little by little, we are getting there!  Thank you for visiting the build!

 

Bonus - I found this amazing VdV portrait of an unknown Dutch two-decker.  I just love the beautiful silhouette these Dutch ships cut on the water:

 

[druxey]

Your posts always make me smile, Marc!

[72Nova]

It's been quite the journey thus far Marc, the amount of hand fabricated parts in a world of 3D printing is nice to see and has really brought your build to life!! That proverbial light shines brighter upon competition of every detail/phase. 

 

Michael D.  

[Hubac's Historian]

Thank you, Gentlemen.  I am continually amazed by what 3D printing now makes possible, however, I always like the slight irregularities of a handmade thing.  For me, this is the fun part of the hobby; you start out with scraps of sheet plastic, and at the end of it you have a super-detailed breast rail.

[scrubbyj427]

Lovely work Marc! 

[shipmodel]

As always, a great illustration of the powers of observation, innovation, and persistence.

Bravo.

 

Dan