Le Soleil Royal by popeye2sea - Heller - PLASTIC - 1:100

[Hubac's Historian]

Thanks, Henry, for the quick reply.  You have corroborated what I have found in my own reading, regarding the main and fore sheets.  On Dan Pariser’s Queen Anne’s Revenge, he incorporated sheaved fair leads into his bulwarks, but that ship is a little bit later - around 1710.

 

I know what you are referring to on Michel’s SR.  I’m not sure about whether that was a common practice for the time, on the beakhead bulkhead;  no idea, really.  From a mechanical advantage standpoint, it makes perfect sense.  I have, however, seen a similar belaying station between knight heads, aft of the main and fore masts.  Maybe also on Dan’s QAR.  I can’t remember clearly, but a little later I’ll reference his log to see what I find.

Edited January 13, 2018 by Hubac'sHistorian

[popeye2sea]

I know it is common for the main and fore knights and even other knights located about the deck.  For those it is absolutely necessary to have the line pass through a sheave at the bottom.  You would have massive problems if you tried to belay directly to the head of the knight.  But I have not seen it before at the beakhead bulkhead.  The line there can be redirected using the rail itself.

 

Regards,

[popeye2sea]

In a previous post I spoke about shifting the fore halyard knight off centerline.  Here are the promised photos.

 

 

The knight is removed and the hole is lengthened to starboard approximately it's own width.  A strip of styrene is glued beneath to hold up the new deck.

 

 

This photo shows the old centered location of the knight.

 

 

 

A small section of matching deck was cut from a spare forecastle deck (old kit).

 

 

The section is trimmed and fitted.

 

 

Gaps filled and deck painted.

 

 

Knight remounted in new location and paint touched up.

 

Regards,

 

P.S.  I really like the new set up I am using for photography.  I am using a macro lens filter attachment and photo flood lamps. Post processing using Adobe photoshop.  Still think there is room for improvement with the lighting and shadows.

[popeye2sea]

Another small update.

 

I decided that the straps for the main yard tyes were too long.  Plus I did not like the contrast of the tarred strap with the natural tye.  So here is the quick correction.

 

First photo is the old strap.  These straps are made on a serving machine by taking 12 or so turns between the prongs then serving over, leaving an eye at both ends.  The eyes are then lashed together end to end to make a continuous loop.  This results in an unserved gap over the eyes that is then served manually (not using the machine).  The result is called a selvagee.  I also use this method, or variations of it, to make the strops of blocks.

 

The second photo is a comparison of the new and old straps.  The blocks on either side are the main sheet blocks rose lashed in place.   The other unfinished loops are place holders for blocks that still need to be installed.

 

Here are both of the new straps installed.

 

This last photo will give you some idea of how the tye attaches to the strap.  When installed on the ship a seizing will be clapped on above the hitch to secure it.

[Hubac's Historian]

Great work, Henry!  How you manage to achieve such detailed rigging ona relatively small scale - well, I hope to figure out how to do that some day.

[popeye2sea]

I started work on the main yard parrel.  Still trying to determine how these were rigged.  The sources I have are all confused on the issue.  There are lots of guesses but nothing definitive.  And the diagrams I have seen do not look like they would actually work.

 

Anyway,  here is what I have so far.  The parrel trucks are cut from .03 x .125 styrene strip.  Holes are drilled for the parrel ropes and then the trucks are given their final shape.

The parrels themselves are 10/0 glass beads I purchased from a craft store.

 

This is not the final configuration.  My initial thought is to reeve the parrel ropes such that there will end up being a thimbled eye splice at the top left and bottom right corners.  The other end of the ropes will emerge from the opposite corners and be left long enough to pass around the yard, through the eye, and then to a tackle at the deck.  The trucks will be painted.

 

Anyone have thoughts on the proper way to rig a yard parrel?  I'm eager to hear what others have done.

[popeye2sea]

Here is the put together yard parrel.  It works, sort of.  It needs to be reduced by 1 or 2 segments.  And I probably need to lash together the eye and the hauling part so that it ends up middled at the end of the parrel .  The pull will be more even.  The center parrel rope will be finished off with a stopper knot.  The center truck is a slightly different shape in order to accomodate additional holes for the nave line

 

 

[EJ_L]

The parrel looks good Henry! As for rigging them, I've used Anderson's 17th Century Rigging book as a guide for that. I do not remember precisely what he states in it and I am not at home to look it up. If you do not have that book, first I would highly recommend it and secondly, I would be glad to share what he says in it for the parrel when I get home tonight. Even with it, there is still room for variances and how/where the lines attach to the deck I am uncertain about. If you do have the book, then this post is relatively useless to you other than to say that I share in your confusion!

[popeye2sea]

Progress in very small increments, but progress nontheless.

 

Here is the finished main yard parrel.  The length of the parrel has been cut to four sets of trucks.  The center rope that holds it all together is stoppered, and the tackle trusses are seized to their eyes.  This parrel actually works.  The ends of the truss are passed around the yard and then through the thimbles before leading to a tackle at the deck.  The span spliced into the center rib takes the nave line which helps lift the parrel over obstructions on the mast as it is lowered.

 

Next up are the materials and tools I used to make thimbles out of brass tubing 1.6 mm o.d.  The tubing is from K&S Precision metals and is stocked at my local hobby store.  I use the punch to start opening out the ends of the tubing.  The tubing is cut into @ 1mm lengths.  Once the edges have been opened out and the inside diameter of the hole has been opened to about 1mm I hammer the thimbles on the bench block to reduce the thickness a bit and further spread the edges.  These thimbles are just over 2mm  diameter

Here is another item I am working on.  I will let you guess what they are, but I will give you a description of how they are made.  An eye is spliced around a thimble at one end.  The eye is served over and the service extends form the eye a scale 30 inches along the length.  The remaining length is unlayed and then made up into a flat sennit braid. The end is whipped to secure the braid.

The one addition I made to this is that under the serving I have wormed the rope with some thin wire to make this section stiffer.  BTW this work would be impossible using the Morope I have for the main rigging.  I purchased some rope from Chuck Passaro.  It will hold together beautifully while making these eye splices and sennits. 

 

Crazy?   Probably!!

Let me know your guesses!

 

Regards,

[popeye2sea]

Well, either no one is interested in this build anymore because of the glacial pace of the build, or no one wants to surmise what these are.

 

So, they are the stirrups that suspend the horses (foot ropes) from the yard.  The braided portion wraps around the yard and is nailed in place.  They are evenly spaced along the yard, three to a side on the main and fore yards.  As soon as I make a few more I will mount them and provide a photo.  I may want to buy some thinner wall tubing to improve the performance of the thimbles.  The thick wall may not allow a fair lead for ropes and hooks.

 

Regards, 

[glennreader]

Just to mention I make thimbles in a similar way using tubing with a 0.1mm wall. Care is required. I find I cannot open 1 side fully and then turn it over and try to do the other side, it just opens the first side more. Turning frequently is required. Also I get some cracking, but most of the time this can only bee seen using x10 magnification.

 

How do you cut your 1mm lengths? I use a jewellers saw but with the wall thickness being only 0.1mm the teeth catch so I have to cut by drawing the blade backwards after starting the cut.

 

Glenn

[lambsbk]

Henry...you are still followed. I am ALWAYS amazed at the detail you use on your models. Those stirrup straps look fantastic. (and I would never have guessed where they went until you pointed to it)

 

Dave

[popeye2sea]

8 hours ago, glennreader said:

Just to mention I make thimbles in a similar way using tubing with a 0.1mm wall. Care is required. I find I cannot open 1 side fully and then turn it over and try to do the other side, it just opens the first side more. Turning frequently is required. Also I get some cracking, but most of the time this can only bee seen using x10 magnification.

 

How do you cut your 1mm lengths? I use a jewellers saw but with the wall thickness being only 0.1mm the teeth catch so I have to cut by drawing the blade backwards after starting the cut.

 

Glenn

 

I use a jewelers saw also, the blade I am using is about 32 teeth per inch.  I also use a the tubing cutter vise shown below.  The distance between the adjustable head and the blade guide is just over 1 mm.  It is the shortest length capable on this tool.  The blade does have a tendency to bind halfway through the cut.  I too found that frequent turning is required while swaging the ends of the tubing.

 

Regards,

[glennreader]

Thanks henry. I had not seen the tube cutting vice before. It looks very usefull, I have put it in my wishlist on Amazon. Now I need to wait for a family member to spot it and a special event. Unfortunatly my birthday was in January. Fathers day in the UK is June 17th (74 days to wait)

 

I do not know how many tpi the blade I use is, its just the finest one I have. The other thing I do is push some solid stock down the middle, but I always feel that is such a waste. What can you do with lots of 1mm lengths of 1.6mm brass rod; the tubeing I have been useing riecently is 1.8mm o/d.

 

glenn

[keelhauled]

Nice work Henry, 

she's looking great!

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Oh dear, Henry, I have a horrible feeling you are going to be the cause of many more fretful evenings for me. I’m still in the early stages of my 1:100 victory, which is supposed to be the only major kit I’ll ever do, but the Soliel in your hands is becoming a siren call. Please keep posting, I’ve only grazed your log but, if I am foolish enough to buy this soon, I’ll be using your log to guide me through.

[Papa]

Amazing detail work. 

[popeye2sea]

The build isn't dead.  Just on hold.  I hope to get back to it this spring.

 

Regards,

[Bill Morrison]

Greetings!  Great job so far!  I know you are working on another build, but have you made progress on SR?  If I may, I'd like to recommend that you look at the build by David_K on the Fine Scale Modeler.  He did an outstanding job that answers common questions about this build.  You won't regret it!

 

Bill

[Bill Morrison]

I love your methos for filling in the knee of the head! That is a really creative approach.  Great job!

 

Bill

[popeye2sea]

Thanks Bill,

 

This build and modelling in general keeps getting pushed to the back of the priority list.  Work, running a non-profit business and life in general keep getting in the way.  The SR keeps staring at me from the top of my desk and I will get back to work on it eventually.  The total build years has accumulated to over 40 now.

 

Regards,

[Bill Morrison]

Henry,

I have the good fortune that I am retired and can focus more on modeling.  It's great!

Bill

[yancovitch]

gads....if i only had  your patience.....so cool....such clean work...i should be embarrassed about how quick i'm putting mine together and taking shortcuts...but you are an inspiration

Edited August 22, 2022 by yancovitch

[Bill97]

Henry I am really finding your blog so helpful in my build. I read through parts of it often and find you out ideas clear and easy to understand. So very helpful. Great job my friend. 

[popeye2sea]

Thank you, Bill.

 

I have just taken the build down off the shelf to start dusting it off after a couple of years of non activity.  I am going to enter it in the USS Constitution Model Shipwright Guild annual model show as an in-process model.  As I continue to work through all the other stuff I have going on the build continues to work it's way higher on the priority list. Hoping to start construction again soon.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Henry please let me know how the model show goes. Do you know if pictures, or anything else, will be available on line?

[popeye2sea]

They ought to be. I'm the photographer.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Anxious to see some of the photos. 
I read through this blog over and over. I see where you used Easy Mold years ago to make ornamentation. Trying to understand how it works. I looked it up online. I understand using the substance to press onto what you wanted to mold to get the design, but then what do you put into the mold to get the final product?  Does Easy Mold come with an additional product you put into the hardened mold to get your finished ornament?

[popeye2sea]

There is a product in the same line called Easy Cast. It is a clear epoxy casting resin. Once you have the mold you mix the two part resin and pour the casting.  Once it sets you can unmold, trim and paint.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Thanks Henry. I ordered that as well as the Easy Mold. I also ordered ca spray can of cast releaser just in case I need it. Did you have any problems with getting the casts to release from the mold?  
Speaking of casts, I have read through your build here over and over again. Today I noticed, I guess for the first time, that way back in the early pictures you showed the gammoning done on the bowsprit. At that time there does not appear to inclusion of the carved piece between the knees nor your added ornaments. Did you have to go back and remove the already completed gammoning in order to add the pieces you made?