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

[Old Collingwood]

Really nice work  with the lowers.

 

OC.

[EJ_L]

Been building masts and have now topped out S.R.'s final height. None of them are glued in place yet, just dry fit and will be coming back down soon to allow for the rigging to continue. She is no doubt a very large model.

[Hubac's Historian]

Truly massive!  Coming along splendidly, EJ.

[popeye the sailor]

looks great!  

[EJ_L]

Thank you all for the nice words and likes. This is always one of my favorite milestones on a build. To see her full height, even if it is temporary, really drives home the awesome size of these ships. Running the numbers on her, from keel to tip of the main mast she would be around the equivalent of a 19-20 story building. 

 

Next up, I will disassemble the masts and apply the wood finish to the individual parts. While that work is underway, I will start to cut and shape the yards. I bought some muslin cloth a few weeks ago to attempt to make sails, most of which will be furled but, depending on how they turn out, I may go ahead and set the top sails. While I've been kicking this idea around since the beginning, I have reached the point in the build where I have to make a decision so I make sure to rig her accordingly.

[md1400cs]

E.J,

 

Super nice job serving the shrouds!  It's time consuming but much worth the effort.

 

Cheers

[EJ_L]

Thank you Michael. It is indeed time consuming though I have to admit that Chuck's serving machine has made it faster and far easier than trying to do it by hand. On that note, I know that the serving line would normally be the same color as the shrouds but, I wanted to accent this detail for better viewing of my friends and family who would not know to look for it otherwise.

[md1400cs]

Funny 

 

Yes Chuck's serving machine rocks as well as his ropes and blocks - as you know.

 

re: friends who would never know "anything" right or wrong about our hobby - I know  many of these kind folks, in fact I live with one hahaha.

The other one (great son) is finally off of my payroll living large in SF CA.

 

Cheers,

 

 

[EJ_L]

Just a small update. Yard construction has started. Needed to get them shaped and cut to length in order to measure for sails. Trying to finish the “dirty” work and get all the wood parts created and ready for rigging. 

[EJ_L]

Tying ratlines. Slow progress but I’m gaining. 

[Old Collingwood]

On 9/16/2019 at 2:38 AM, EJ_L said:

Just a small update. Yard construction has started. Needed to get them shaped and cut to length in order to measure for sails. Trying to finish the “dirty” work and get all the wood parts created and ready for rigging. 

Its fun shaping the yards  isn't it - getting them both the same shape each end.

 

OC.

[Hubac's Historian]

Wow!  Those ratlines look really good.

[Old Collingwood]

57 minutes ago, EJ_L said:

Tying ratlines. Slow progress but I’m gaining. 

Really nice on the ratlines  much neater than mine.

 

OC.

[EJ_L]

Thank you all for the kind words and likes.

 

O.C., shaping the yards usually is a nice break from detail work into something simpler however, this time I ran into an annoying snag. My chuck on my mini lathe had one of the jaws get jammed up with some small bits of metal shavings. After several attempts to clean it out, I was forced to take the chuck apart and give it a thorough cleaning. Good in the long run but, not what I wanted to do at the time. I would have simply switched to the big lathe however, I had both chucks in use on it as well for a project that I did not want to dismount as alignment was critical. So I fell back on hand shaping. Broke out the trusty Lie-Nielsen hand plane to taper the ends and then sanded them smooth. Took longer but, got it done. Will add the various details to them as I get closer to needing them.

 

As for the ratlines, I actually don't mind tying them as it is really a very simple action. It's the several thousands of times you have to repeat tying a clove hitch that wears you down. Clamping the shrouds helps to keep the spacing and alignment and a good set of magnifying glasses combined with a couple pair of needle nose tweezers make the job go smooth. The only thing left is lots of patience....

[Old Collingwood]

I cheat  with my ratlines  as I do a half knot at one end to start from then add a dab of ca,   then I just do a simple loop around the middle ratlines till I get to the other end where I do another half knot and add another dab of ca  (inlcuding the inner loops)   - said I cheated.

 

OC.

[EJ_L]

Nothing wrong with that O.C. With most of these scales you can’t really tell the difference between a clove hitch and simply looping the lines. 

 

Well I finished up the lower foremast shrouds. Also installed the cap, topmast and the lifts for the topmast. 

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by EJ_L

[Old Collingwood]

Great work  - really tidy mate.

 

OC.

[BLACK VIKING]

Very nice work on those ratlines 

Martyn

[popeye the sailor]

second that!  

[EJ_L]

Slower building progress lately. Got a new recumbent trike a few weeks ago and I have been trying to get in as much ride time as possible before winter sets in.

I have made progress though as the fore top fore top has been installed along with the deadeyes for the fore topmast and the futtock shrouds. I also added the back stay for the spritsail topmast and the crows feet for the fore top. Now to repeat on the main mast.    

[Old Collingwood]

Quote

 

Really nice progress  and Wow  I love that recumbent,   have you heard of the make  Cresswell  Cycles  UK?

 

OC.

Edited October 20, 2019 by Old Collingwood

[EJ_L]

Thanks O.C. and thank you all for the likes and continuing to follow along on the build. This is that stage of work where many hours of rigging doesn't add much visually but, when it is all done, the spider web of lines is a thing of beauty.

 

O.C., I have heard of Cresswell Cycles. I've not seen one personally, only pictures but, they do make some nice folding bikes. My trike will fold up to about half the size but, is nowhere near as easy to carry as one of those. It will come in handy when  need to transport two of them when my buddy and I go riding but, mostly it stays unfolded as it fits fine in the back of my truck. This one replaced my old sidewinder model which, while a fun trike was not the best for long distance riding with a rigid frame and little adjustment in the seat position. I don't ride with music and my phone is in a carry bag for emergencies and mapping my ride. I enjoy the silence when I'm riding around. I get to spend a few hours unplugged from the world which is rare and very nice.  

[Old Collingwood]

2 hours ago, EJ_L said:

Thanks O.C. and thank you all for the likes and continuing to follow along on the build. This is that stage of work where many hours of rigging doesn't add much visually but, when it is all done, the spider web of lines is a thing of beauty.

 

O.C., I have heard of Cresswell Cycles. I've not seen one personally, only pictures but, they do make some nice folding bikes. My trike will fold up to about half the size but, is nowhere near as easy to carry as one of those. It will come in handy when  need to transport two of them when my buddy and I go riding but, mostly it stays unfolded as it fits fine in the back of my truck. This one replaced my old sidewinder model which, while a fun trike was not the best for long distance riding with a rigid frame and little adjustment in the seat position. I don't ride with music and my phone is in a carry bag for emergencies and mapping my ride. I enjoy the silence when I'm riding around. I get to spend a few hours unplugged from the world which is rare and very nice.  

I asked about Cresswell  as I used to work for them as the assembler/engineer  putting  our range of recumbents-folders and  hook on carriers  together and testing new products, we were a small company  with a very small  workforce  - great times while I was there.

 

OC.

[kpnuts]

Looking splendid 

[EJ_L]

It’s been slow going but it is still going. Lower main mast shrouds and ratlines are complete. Working on attaching the deadeyes to the main top as well as the other blocks then I can set the top mast. The cold temperatures have been setting in so staying inside and working on the ship is becoming more and more the thing to do. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Wow - EJ - your standing rigging really looks amazing, and appropriately scaled.  All of that extra time is really paying off!

[Old Collingwood]

2 hours ago, EJ_L said:

It’s been slow going but it is still going. Lower main mast shrouds and ratlines are complete. Working on attaching the deadeyes to the main top as well as the other blocks then I can set the top mast. The cold temperatures have been setting in so staying inside and working on the ship is becoming more and more the thing to do. 

Looking Superb mate.

 

OC.

[BLACK VIKING]

Stunning work on the rigging EL J . 

Martyn

[EJ_L]

Main mast has shrouds, ratlines top and top mast in place. Time to work on the mizzen mast. Fortunately, it is smaller and hopefully will go a bit faster than the fore and main mast did. 

[CDW]

it's just getting better and better every post.