USF Confederacy by ChrisLBren - FINISHED - 3/16 Scale

[mtaylor]

L'Orient really sounds promising.  I'd love to do that one with the Billy Ruffian sitting next to it when they were at the Battle of the Nile.   So many ships, so little time..<sigh>    

 

Enjoy the Zin.

[ChrisLBren]

Not perfect - but the cheeks are carved and installed...

Edited November 22, 2013 by ChrisLBren

[Trussben]

Hi Chris and I think the cheeks look superb, your carving ability is really coming along excellently! I hope when I get to that point on Pegasus I have the patience you have shown in learning that most difficult of skills.

Really well done mate.

 

Ben

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks Ben - was just editing a better photo when you sent your reply.  Honestly i think carving is the most important skill for scratch building - making frames and repetitive assemblies doesn't scare me with a  full frame build - its being able to do justice to these gorgeous vessels with sculpture - which is what draws the eye - thats the artistry.   Im feeling semi OK with carving rails/filargee - next is being able to carve humanity and not relying on Chucks beautiful resin copies painted to resemble wood.

[rafine]

If not perfect, Chris, it's hard to see how they're not.

 

Bob

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks Bob !  Appreciate you checking in - I've always admired your work - and watching your progress on Essex.

[ChrisLBren]

They arrived today - Volumes 2 and 3…..

 

Now I can become an expert on French Naval Architecture thanks to Mr Boudriot!

[mtaylor]

Great job on the cheeks and carvings.   I'm hoping I can do half as well on mine as I agree with what you said about the carvings.

[Chuck]

That looks very god Chris.  The painting of the trailboard and the figurehead are especially good and blend in very well with the wood.   

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks Chuck and Mark !  Trail board is dyed swiss pear and the humanity - thanks to you Chuck -  are your resin copies painted to resemble boxwood.  Now if one day I can carve as half as good as Chucks sculptures…..

[ChrisLBren]

Rail construction continues… And everything is lining up - unbelievable !!!

Edited December 9, 2013 by ChrisLBren

[dvm27]

Thanks Ben - was just editing a better photo when you sent your reply.  Honestly i think carving is the most important skill for scratch building - making frames and repetitive assemblies doesn't scare me with a  full frame build - its being able to do justice to these gorgeous vessels with sculpture - which is what draws the eye - thats the artistry.   Im feeling semi OK with carving rails/filargee - next is being able to carve humanity and not relying on Chucks beautiful resin copies painted to resemble wood.

 

At least you have Chuck's beautiful sculptures to fall back on. It's hard to imagine any kit produced chunk of metal complementing your skillfully done model.

[mtaylor]

Beautiful work, Chris.  I'm taking it that you had doubts about them aligning?   I think the rest of us have faith in you given what you've already accomplished.

[Rustyj]

Hi Chris, Of course they fit! It’s just a testament to the great care and patience

you have put into building her. Very nicely done.  

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks guys - next up the head timbers - which should be fun/challenging. I've got plenty of 1/8 costello boxwood!   Then its really all down hill from there to finish her up.  

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks man - I'm merely imitating Bernard Frolich's approach - using boxwood, swiss pear and dyed swiss pear to resemble Ebony -  all woods sourced from Hobby Mill - which I can not recommend highly enough.

[ChrisLBren]

I'm still working and not just daydreaming about my next project.  Chesstree installed - bit of glare as the tung oil dries - hoping to tackle the fenders and ladders next

[Mirabell61]

Chris,

 

I just had a look into your beautiful build`s Progress, and must say it realy gets me excited....

That is eyecandy all the way

Well done !

 

Nils

[Trussben]

I'm still loving that Swiss pear Chris, looks beautiful with the oil finish.

Look forward to seeing you finish this baby off, maybe I'll get back to mine at some point but having way too much fun on the Pegasus.

 

Ben

[mtaylor]

Looks fantastic, Chris.  Now put away L'Orient.... 

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks Mark - actually putting away the plans isn't too hard - I can't begin construction until we move to a new house for my next project.  Ben -  hate to say it - your progress is looking great on Pegasus - you may not ever get back to Confederacy now that you are working with better wood and have been bitten by the scratch building bug.  I've got a Wappen Von Hamburg hull along with a Bob Hunt Fair American hull unfinished sitting in my workshop - I doubt ill ever get back to them - its all a learning process. Nils - appreciate you checking in on my log !

[Trussben]

Hi Chris,

 

I do intend to get back to my Confed, sometime, maybe when I need a break from Pegasus but I don't see that happening anytime soon.

I can wait to see you start that 74 scratch.

 

Ben

[ChrisLBren]

Actually L'Orient is a 120 gunner - if I decide to dive off that high jump. 

[mtaylor]

Actually L'Orient is a 120 gunner - if I decide to dive off that high jump. 

 

But then you'll want to do the Billy Ruffian along side her at the Nile.  <ducks><runs for cover>

[Trussben]

120 guns! Good grief, what scale are you thinking of? Surely not 1:48?? It would be enormous and you'd need a second mortgage to pay Hobbymill!

 

Ben

[ChrisLBren]

64 inch hull Ben @ 1/48.  Yet to be decided whether its Full Frame or POB - could easily reduce the plans to 1/64 - hull would be closer to 50 inches. 

[ChrisLBren]

Hi Group,

 

I wanted to share this build log.  This model is gorgeous - built completely "Belgian Style" in all pear.  Leaning towards this approach for my next build - note no simulated caulking but joinery and fastenings are well articulated all in 1/36 scale.  

 

http://5500.forumactif.org/t671-modele-le-gros-ventre-au-1-36-par-gbesson 

[mtaylor]

Go for it, Chris.   You can do it!!!!

[ChrisLBren]

Thanks Brian - big fan of your work and all of your posts here helping out.  

 

A friend of mine who is an architect blew up the plans of LGV to 1/36 to give me an idea of size - right around a 43 inch hull which is doable.  My passion is French Naval Architecture after reading Boudriot's 74 Gun Ship series.  As much as I love the idea of building L'Orient - she will be over 63 inches at 1/48 which just doesn't work for my space considerations.  I could shrink the plans to 1/64 and she is doable - but I don't want to build full frame anything smaller than 1/48 so she would have to be POB.  

 

So ( I could change my mind yet again) - but I want to build full frame so my next project will be LGV at 1/36.  At this scale you have so much room for detailing and sculptures are easier to realize.   She has an interesting history in connection with Western Australia and has elegant lines.  The 74 awaits in the wings if I ever finish this one !

 

As far as approach - it will either be exclusively pear wood (Belgian School) or i will use boxwood for sculptures as I do have some good English boxwood stashed.  No dying pear to resemble ebony, no simulated caulking, but all fastenings and joinery will be executed.  As far as finish - i want to explore some options - pure tung oil worked really well on Confederacy - but does involve buffing - which could be a nightmare on a full frame build with all of its nooks and crannies.  I may need to look into wax as a possible alternative.  Some of the French Modelers use old fashioned shellac which was used on the original museum models - very tricky in its application.  

 

More photos on Confederacy later this week,

Chris

[Landlubber Mike]

Amazing work Chris.  After seeing your results, I'm taking that approach with my next build, the Corel Unicorn, that I would end up kit bashing anyway.  The three primary colors on your Confederacy work so well - I just hope I can execute it half as well as you do.