Le Soleil Royal by EJ_L - FINISHED - Sergal - Scale 1:77 - 1669 Version

[Sjors]

Your planking is just awesome E.J.

I have to remember that for the next time.

 

Sjors

[EJ_L]

Well I'm back from a very relaxing vacation and am back in the shipyard continuing planking. No picture tonight as I have not done much yet but I thought I would stop in to say that progress is again being made! Hopefully in the next couple of days I will have made some substantial progress and will update then. If I get really fortunate in my build time I may even finish the lower hull planking this weekend. That may be asking a lot though...

 

Thank you to both Vic and Sjors for the kind words and encouragement on the planking. How I lay them down takes a long time but I think the end result is worth the effort. Plus it is fun to see people's faces when I tell them that I laid each plank individually and show the pictures proving it. That look of disbelief combined with the thoughts going through their heads thinking, "This guy is crazy" always makes me laugh.   I am looking forward to moving upward again with the planking and also working on the final shape of the upper works. Then of course there is the stern galleys and decorations......

 

 

[Robin Lous]

4 hours ago, EJ_L said:

the thoughts going through their heads thinking, "This guy is crazy"

convinced 

[EJ_L]

Finished planking the lower hull a few minutes ago! Some sanding to do but overall I'm happy with it. Now I will set her back right side up and continue the upward planking. Plus side is this is the easier planking as it is mostly straight runs with very little if any to bend. More to follow soon!

[Landlocked123]

Hi EJ,

 

I've been following along pretty religiously (though quietly) but I have to tell you how beautiful she's turning out.  Planking that monster was a monumental job and you pulled it off fantastically.  After the first planking I was a bit apprehensive and now she's beautiful.

 

Best,

John

 

Edited October 8, 2017 by Landlocked123

[EJ_L]

Thanks John. With P.O.B. kits I really need to stop trying to piece in the planking board by board for the first layer like I do on the second. The supports and frame structure are not very helpful for that style of planking. Instead, that first layer should be full length pieces which would give a much better appearance and smoother surface. Then I can plank piece by piece.

 

I remain stubborn on doing it the harder way mainly because it is practice for me. My ultimate goal is to only have to do one layer of planking so I keep practicing and with each build I get a little better. I'm making my way through those 99 ways to do something wrong in order to find that one way of doing it right!

 

I'm looking forward to being able to give her a good sanding and apply the finish coat. I did a small test sample and really liked the way t came out. Now I want to see it across the entire surface. Ready to see that wood coloring at it's best! Still a little way off but with the completion of the lower hull, it is a lot closer. 

[yancovitch]

gads, i hope you haven't already revealed this, but what glue did you use to install the planks?....ca?...if so.....no allergies? ha, my wife's sinuses clog up when she's exposed to ca fumes...i'm starting to react too....but, coming to the end of my build, i't not a problem...

Edited October 9, 2017 by yancovitch

[BLACK VIKING]

Stunning planking EJ looking forward to seeing it all sanded up 

 

Martyn

[EJ_L]

I use a combination of CA and yellow wood glue. On flat runs or decks, basically anywhere I do not need to hold the piece in place I will use wood glue. On curves, vertical sections or anywhere that needs some pressure applied to hold the wood, I will use a thin layer of wood glue but will also add in some CA glue to help it bond and stay in place faster. That eliminates the need the need for clamps, nails or anything that may damage the finished surface.

 

The reason I use both glues is that I have read a lot of people saying that the CA glue fails faster over time than the wood glue. While I have not personally experienced this with either glue if applied properly, I admit that there are a lot of people with far more experience than I and so I figured it was in my best interest to take precautions. Plus glue is relatively cheap so other than an extra minute of build time, I'm not really out anything.

 

As for allergies, I've been fortunate in my life that so far I have only found that I have allergic reactions to Bubinga wood. Nothing in glue yet has bothered me. Wish I could say the same about the rest of my health but, be grateful for the good.

[Baker]

Well done with the planking EJ.

She looks beautiful.
Always a pleasure to follow

[Hubac's Historian]

You have to be careful with those CA glues.  In my twenties and thirties, none of that stuff bothered me.  We were using massive amounts of West System epoxy, and washing it off our skin with lacquer thinner.  Stupid.  Now I find I am sensitive to funes from curing epoxy.  Same with CA glue.  I used to use it a lot, but now I find that I can't tolerate the fumes.  Make sure you ventilate.  And if you are using a lot of that stuff, go get yourself an organic vapor respirator.

 

All that being said - the ship really looks beautiful EJ.  Great work!  Sorry about the soapbox.  I just wish I had taken that stuff more seriously when I was younger.

[CDW]

Above is very good advice concerning CA and epoxy fumes.

[EJ_L]

I do have good ventilation in the shipyard and for heavy amounts of it I go out to the garage. To me the fumes from Testors liquid cement are more potent than the CA that I am using. Maybe brands or I'm just used to them and don't notice anymore. My warning that the fumes are bad is when the Admiral starts complaining. She is the best hazard alert I have!

 

Maybe need to pay a bit more attention to that though. Hate to cut modeling years short....

 

On happier note, thanks to all for the compliments and likes! My head is clear once again after vacation and I'm ready and motivated to keep on building! Should have another update in a few days.

[testazyk]

Congratulations on a major milestone--looking good and putting my progress to shame!

 

To weigh in on the CA debate, I've stopped using it altogether after developing an allergy to the fumes.  I've found that anaerobic glues, also called threadlockers are best for attaching metal to wood.  They are virtually odourless an much easier to work with than epoxy.

Edited October 9, 2017 by testazyk

[Hubac's Historian]

Interesting tip on anaerobic glues, Testazyk.  Are they onle effective on metal/wood, or good for plastics, as well?

[Robin Lous]

[testazyk]

I'm not sure, Hubac--I haven't tried that.  My guess is that it wouldn't work as well as model cement because it doesn't bond that way and it has a drying time, too.  But it works best on nonporous surfaces, so it may well bond plastic.  To test it out, I've stuck two scrap pieces of plastic together in my high tech materials lab (aka basement) and I'll let you know how it goes.

[Hubac's Historian]

I appreciate your "MythBusters" experimental mentality.  I'll be looking for your empiracle update.

[EJ_L]

I too am interested in the results. Always on the lookout for new things to try out. Would love to find a glue that doesn't bond to skin as each of these ships has literally taken pieces of me with them! 

 

 

[popeye the sailor]

she's look'in good E.J.   planking looks top notch!   

[testazyk]

I let the test sit overnight and the results are 100% success!  It was two flat pieces of smooth plastic and they've bonded nicely.  Hope this helps.

[Hubac's Historian]

Well, I might have to give that a try.  The Testers  liquid cement doesn't bother me much, but I do ventilate pretty aggressively.  Would be good to have a backup option.

[KenW]

Do you guys have a recommended brand and strength?

 

[testazyk]

I use a brand called BSI only because it's available here.  It is pricey which is why I only use it for attaching decorative metal pieces.  They come in three kinds, green, blue and red and those colours mean increasing strength.  Blue seems best because it's a little thicker in consistency. These adhesives are designed to be but on bolt assemblies to prevent them from vibrating loose.  Blue and red are thin and runny to help them flow into the screws.   Also check because some of them specify that they aren't for use on plastics.  Hope that helps.

[EJ_L]

So here are the main glues that I use for the wood works. The wood glue is just readily available Elmer’s wood glue. I actually buy it in gallon size jugs and refill the smaller bottles as needed. The CA glue I use I buy at the Hobby Store and I get both the super thin and extra thick. The extra thick is the one I use one the majority of the CA needs. It is easily controlled so I can apply very small amounts easily. The super thin glue I like to use if the wood I’m using has tendencies to split easily when drilling or cutting. Since it comes out very runny and thin, it works great to cover a piece of wood in a thin layer of glue that holds the wood together to prevent splitting. Once he holes or final shape is cut, it sands off easily. I have some others I. The collection but most of my builds are done with just these. 

Edited October 12, 2017 by EJ_L

[EJ_L]

So I know I was planning on getting back to work on S.R. now that vacation is over but the past few days I have been distracted as my inner child got to play with his favorite toy. While on vacation I picked up the Lego Disney Cinderella's Castle. It is built with 4,080 pieces, stands 29 inches tall and 19 inches wide. Comes with 5 characters; Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Tinkerbell and has an amazing collection of details from several Disney movies. As both the Admiral and myself are huge Disney fans this was a great addition to our collection. It took me 14 hours to build so that is what happened to my ship yard time since Saturday. 

 

Now I can get back to work on ship modeling as I shouldn't have any more distractions!!

 

 

[donrobinson]

hey EJ that's pretty cool, looks like it is pretty big

Edited October 18, 2017 by donrobinson

[popeye the sailor]

used to do legos with my oldest son.......during a blackout one time {storm related}  we built a street front {just some buildings using city street tiles for the base,  it was lots of fun.   looks like a really cool project   

[EJ_L]

My dad and I did a similar thing when I was a kid. Then we both got into model railroading and those street scenes began to look a lot more real! I still have a huge box of Lego's at my dad's from childhood. Wish I would have taken better care of them growing up. I was rough on them and many found their way into air ducts, lost in the yard, swallowed a few, dog swallowed a few, left who knows how many at friends' houses and some I think just vanished like socks in a dryer. I can still recreate the majority of the structures, vehicles etc. that I once had but some will be missing a few pieces here and there.

 

They are actually what got me started into model building. I was constantly trying to build more realistic cars and buildings out of Lego. Dad saw this and so when I was 8, he began buying me model car kits and buildings for our train. He would work with me on them, teaching me painting techniques and how not to get glue on everything. Of course those early models looked bad but, I learned a lot and with endless possibilities of things to model and ways to modify them, I quickly fell in love with model building. Still played with Lego (obviously ) but now I could really let my creativity come to life with the realism I wanted.

 

Ok! I promise, ship building updates soon!

 

 

[EJ_L]

As promised I am back in the shipyard and working hard. I raised the planking up to the 6th wale. From here up the planking will be painted blue with the wales still in walnut. I plan on pre-painting the planks before I install them to help ensure clean lines where the paint breaks against the wales. I will also give the lower hull a good sanding and apply the first coat of finish.

 

The break from the build was nice and refreshing but now I'm ready to get back to building. Now just hoping that whatever bug has the Admiral sick and in bed stays away from me!