French Ironclad Solferino 1861 by GrandpaPhil - FINISHED - Orel - 1/200 - CARD

[GrandpaPhil]

Forward Stays and Bob Stays are up:

[GrandpaPhil]

Shrouds!

Slowly but surely!

 

And, Merry Christmas to all!  Happy New Year!

[GrandpaPhil]

Foremast lower shrouds and the foremast backstays are in place:

They are going very slowly.

 

I have been having problems getting behind the davits and the vertical supports for a railing type piece of rigging that will go all the way around the ship.

The small size of the deadeyes has been giving me some problems, too.

Many of the shrouds and a couple of the backstays so far have been replaced a couple of times, too.

 

However, as much of a difficulty as these are, real ratlines look infinitely better than ratlines made on a loom with fake deadeyes.

 

This part of the model has been a lesson in Adapt and Overcome.

Edited December 26, 2022 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Yesterday was kind of a wash.

My halogen stand lamp fell on my model, yesterday, inflicting massive damage to the jib lines.

 

There was a LOT of rework.

 

I replaced the damaged stays.

 

The other rigging already in place saved the foremast and the bowsprit.

 

I also corrected the sag on the starboard double ship’s boats davits.

 

I did manage to run 6 new lines, 1 backstay and 5 shroud lines.

 

The backstay and several of the shrouds went through several iterations.

Edited December 27, 2022 by GrandpaPhil

[Keith Black]

 Phil, I hate hearing you had a shipyard disaster. It's hard enough without having issues/disasters arise that cause setbacks. It's good to see you get back on the horse so quickly. 

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you Keith.  

Fortunately, I am very stubborn.
 

This model has been a learning experience and has already served its purpose for me.

 

I only needed the hull to detail out the builder’s plans I got from the French Ministry of Defense’s Historical Office.

 

I have learned a lot about mid-19th century ship construction and the fittings thereof.

I had planned on terminating the build after the hull had been built, to serve the same purpose as a shipyard model would have served back in the day.

Then my Admiral asked for this one for herself.

 

She wanted it as a Christmas gift for her.

 

It will be slightly late, but these models take time.

 

[Keith Black]

55 minutes ago, GrandpaPhil said:

Fortunately, I am very stubborn.

 Of all the attributes necessary to be become a successful ship modeler, stubbornness maybe number one on the list. 

[GrandpaPhil]

Lol, absolutely!

[GrandpaPhil]

Main Mast Lower Shrouds and half of the Mizzen Mast Lower Shrouds are on:

I have been working in a sort of round robin pattern to give glue time to dry.

 

 

I have been installing a port side main mast line, a port side mizzen mast line, and starboard side mizzen mast line and then finishing a round with a starboard side main mast line.

 

I have 12 lines, out of 44, to go before lower shrouds and backstays are complete.

Edited December 27, 2022 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Oops:

Ordinarily I would upset about this, however this was a very opportune break.

 

I dropped something on it.

 

The silver lining is that I can now get to those two deadeyes.

[GrandpaPhil]

The lower shrouds and all backstays are installed:

All broken davits are repaired.

 

 

This definitely went better than the last time I rigged a barque (or any other variation of a square rigged vessel), 7 years ago.

 

This process here took a couple weeks.

 

I still have to install ratlines, but I am going to save that for after I install the top shrouds, and tie all of them at once.

[GrandpaPhil]

Top shroud deadeyes are in place:

I am going to install the top shrouds and then rat all the shrouds down.

 

I will start with the lower main mast because that will be the most difficult.

[GrandpaPhil]

All shrouds are in place:

That means the standing rigging is done except for the ratlines.

 

Ratlines will commence shortly.

This also means that I am mostly done with most of the leftover parts from this model and it is time to straighten up my work area before proceeding and just leave out the yards, gaffs and sails/flags.

 

I will be using blocks originally purchased for the Victory 2 years ago.

Edited December 28, 2022 by GrandpaPhil

[GrandpaPhil]

Making progress:

Still on the first side of the first mast, lol.

[GrandpaPhil]

Starboard Side Lower Main Mast Ratlines completed:

 

Port Side Lower Main Mast Ratlines a little over half completed:

They are time consuming, but so worth it.

 

Also, once you get into a groove, they go better.

 

It actually kind of reminds me of cross stitching.

 

I think I guesstimated about 2200 knots for the ratlines on this model.
 

I have been listening to classical music, and something called Coffee Shop Music, when I have been working on the ratlines.

[GrandpaPhil]

The most difficult and lengthy set, the lower Main Mast Ratlines are done:

On to the Lower Foremast Ratlines and then I’ll do the Lower Mizzen Mast Ratlines.

[GrandpaPhil]

Port side lower foremast ratlines are done:

[GrandpaPhil]

The hammocks/bedrolls were sitting in their container, just begging to be lost, so I added them to the model, now that the shrouds are run:

[GrandpaPhil]

The lower foremast ratlines are done:

Now on to the mizzen mast ratlines and then all 3 of the top mast ratlines!

[GrandpaPhil]

All lower ratlines are done!

All 3 sets of the topmast ratlines should go quicker than the lower ratlines.

[GrandpaPhil]

Starboard main top ratlines:

[GrandpaPhil]

Main top ratlines are done:

Next up, foretop ratlines!

 

The mizzen top ratlines will be last!

[GrandpaPhil]

Portside foretop mast ratlines done:

This means that top mast ratlines are now 50% complete!

Edited January 3, 2023 by GrandpaPhil

[yvesvidal]

I admire your patience, at this scale.

 

Yves

[GrandpaPhil]

Thank you very much!

 

This has been very slow going, but the ratlines are almost done!

 

Then, there are a couple of minor lines for the standing rigging and on to the yards, sails and running rigging!

[GrandpaPhil]

Foretop Mast Ratlines are done!

Just the mizzen top mast ratlines to go!

[GrandpaPhil]

Ratlines are done!

I think that these were just about the worst set of ratlines I’ve ever done.

 

They are spaced out between 1/16” to 3/32” apart.

 

That is insanely close and they were very difficult to keep spaced out properly.

 

You are looking at about 60 hours worth of work for just the ratlines, lol.

 

I think that I am close to 300 hours into this one.

 

Loved every minute of it for the most part, though.

 

These card models are fun.

 

They lend themselves to model ships very well.

 

I will say that the next one that I do is getting enlarged to either 1/96 or 1/72 scale, depending on the size of the ship.

 

1/200 scale is not the greatest for anything smaller than 6-700 feet.

 

Another quick note is that card kits would make great templates for wood models too.  
 

The bulkheads and decks are already there.

All you would have to do is allow for the thickness of the wood and the planking.

 

With most plans, whether they be shipyard or for models, you have to allow for planking thickness anyway.

 

All the fittings are pre-mapped out.
 

You can just glue the pieces down to wood and cut.

 

I have been doing that with my Mercury.
 

For rolled pieces, just measure each end and divide by pi to get diameter.

 

That’s how I made my masts and some other rolled parts out of wood for this model.

 

Either way, these models are a lot of fun, however you build them.

 

Come join the Card Side!

[GrandpaPhil]

All standing rigging is done!

Now for yards and gaffs!

[GrandpaPhil]

I’m working on yards and just realized that this ship only has 12 sails.

 

[GrandpaPhil]

All yards and gaffs are made:

They still need paintwork, sealed and blocks installed, but at this point, all the wood parts are made.

 

I used an old dowel rod I found laying around, a kitchen skewer and a couple of toothpicks.

 

They are all carved with a scalpel.

 

I laid them out in order as I was making them.

 

Right to left it’s foremast, main mast and mizzen mast.

 

I already sealed all sails and flags.

 

Those will be cut out, have blocks installed, glued in place (at 1/200 scale, I am not sewing the sails to the yards, due to scale) and rigged, sequentially.

 

As with any other vessel I make, yards and gaffs will be installed with sails already attached, and rigged in place, one at a time.

 

I like to work fore to aft, bottom to top.