Commerce de Marseille by Michele Padoan - 1/72 scale

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Good morning, this is one of my three active construction sites that I am working on. It will not be a copy of the Orient I have already built in 1/48 scale, as here I will try to leave every possible detail visible.  
I start with the first pictures of the axial carpentry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Archway construction, diverted ribs and cubia scalms.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Pulled over.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Paramezzal, sleepers and garlands.

 

 

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Now that I have secured all the longitudinal reinforcements, I proceed to open the hull from the left side.

 

 

[albert]

Great beautiful work Michele.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Girdle courses and gunnery opening.

 

 

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Below is the Orient in 1/48 scale and the Commerce de Marseille in 1/72 scale.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Small gallery of images of the model in workig progress.

 

 

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Good morning, I am continuing with the execution of pork.

Edited September 6, 2022 by MICHELE PADOAN

[MICHELE PADOAN]

I proceed with the false bridge. The whole thing is treated with shellac and judea bitumen to give the model a somewhat lived-in look.

[James H]

That is spectacular!

[allanyed]

Stunning workmanship Michele!   Your attention to detail is unwavering and to be commended.

Allan

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Preparation and temporary laying of the beams of the first bridge.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Outer planking in the starboard side.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Structure of the first bridge.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Judea bitumen treatment.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

I reinforced the spur with dolphins, fills, and cubia cushion with associated lead linings. Finally, I glued the frisata bas-relief made of cow bone because at that time decorations were painted white on the vessels and made of ivory and sometimes bone on the models.

[albert]

Wonderful work.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Good morning, cartouche with vessel name, crowning hundred and rudder.

[Waldemar]

 

Fine ships, fine workmanship, fine French monographs... and a happy choice of wood. Nothing left to be desired.

 

🙂

 

 

[allanyed]

I am sorry if I missed an earlier post, but I would like to know a bit more about your carving as it is so beautiful. Are you marking your pieces, with ink, marker pen, or something else?   Are you carving the bone with burrs or chisels or something else?  Last, what type of adhesive do you use for the bone on wood?

Thanks Michele, your log is a pleasure for all of us to follow.

Allan

[MICHELE PADOAN]

On 8/9/2022 at 12:49, allanyed said:

Scusa se mi ero perso un post precedente, ma vorrei sapere qualcosa in più sul tuo intaglio perché è così bello. Stai segnando i tuoi pezzi, con inchiostro, pennarello o qualcos'altro? Stai intagliando l'osso con frese o scalpelli o qualcos'altro? Infine, che tipo di adesivo usi per l'osso su legno?

Grazie Michele, il tuo log è un piacere per tutti noi seguirlo.

Allan

Hi, sorry you that I only just read your question.
For the Commerce de Marseille, I chose to make all the carvings in bovine bone as an alternative to boxwood, drawing on the old arsenal models exhibited at museums where ivory and sometimes bone were precisely used for white-painted decoration at that time ( late 18th century/early 19th century).
The carving is done with cutters and I must say that they work very well. Because it is harder than boxwood, you can create small details with less risk of breakage.. It can also be worked with mini files for small details, whereas for gouges I find it too hard.
The only drawback is that it is white and therefore very light and you can't distinguish well, as in wood, the details you are carving as you work. With a little practice, though, you get used to it afterwards. The time to make a carving is also longer, but the results are great. Then there is also to say that only small bone cuts are commercially available. In this 1/72 scale it is possible for me to make all the decorations, which I could not do in a larger scale.
Instead, to cut thin pieces such as frisate I use fretwork. While with boxwood I start with a thicker board and once cut I bring it to the desired thickness using the mini grinder being very but very careful. With bone, the plates I used are 8/10 of a mm thick and it would have been impossible to cut them without breaking them. In this case I glued a wooden board underneath ( if you look at the third and fifth photos you can see it), which I removed at the end of the job.
What can I say, I find it great in some respects. With that natural, warm color it gives the model a unique visual impact, certainly a material to consider for certain cases.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Cannon hinges and hatches.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Good evening, regarding the artillery of the Commerce de Marseille, only the starboard side will have cannons deployed. Only one full 36-lb cannon on the first deck, the other 15 just the shafts. Seventeen 24-lb guns on the second deck, 17 12-lb guns on the bridge deck, and 9 8-lb guns on the castle and quarterdeck.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

I continue with the assembly of the shafts.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

Turning and burnishing of reeds.

[MICHELE PADOAN]

I finished the artillery.

[ChrisLBren]

Incredible work at this scale - amazing !!!

[scrubbyj427]

I’m speechless. Just amazing work!