Le Soleil Royal by Bill97 - FINISHED - Heller - 1/100

[Bill97]

Thanks guys for your very kind compliments. It was truly a work of love I could not have even began to complete without each of you. If I scroll back through the build log I find times each of you provided me with the advice and encouragement I needed to accomplish a task I was struggling with. For all those times I am forever grateful. Marc early on I decided I could not replicate what you are doing, but continued to follow your build to pick up small bashes I could do here and there. I will continue to follow to the day your artistic masterpiece is revealed. Ian as always, starting with my Victory, you are the professor with the ton of knowledge I able to go to for the needed answer. And Henry, with your background, you always seem to be the guy with first hand helpful knowledge. That knowledge way back lead to moving the big knighhead that was positioned behind the foremast, and learning to mold and cast additions to the ship. Again thanks to each of you so much. I am in hope that my build log will be helpful to future builders of the SR but I have yet to find where the moderators have included it in the index. 

[Hubac's Historian]

Bill, you really have done an incredible job, here, with your Soleil Royal.  As noted, your pace is astounding and enviable.  I think you have made excellent choices in what you have chosen to modify and upgrade.  That can be a slippery slope, there, as my new friend Eric Wiberg is in the process of discovering.

 

This has been an enjoyable journey to ride along on, my BlueGrass buddy!  I, too, have learned a great deal from all contributors to this log.

Edited January 31 by Hubac's Historian

[Kevin-the-lubber]

Although I haven't been commenting I've been following with interest and this is a fantastic achievement Bill. Not only is it a great looking build, your work rate is incredible and you're making it look easy. On top of which, here we have another build log that I'm sure will become the go-to for many that follow.

[Bill97]

Thanks Marc. I appreciate your comments. It may be surprising but the one thing you did that I debated doing the most are the side skids (I guess you call them) on the side of the hull. I like the way they look but was not confident I could get a profile close enough to matching the side of the hull. 
 

Thanks Kevin. I hope my build plays it forward for future builders. 

[Bill97]

Ian you asked what is going to be my next project. It is still going to be a bit before I am completely finished with my SR. Still need to paint and add the boats and crew. Then I need to design and build the display case. I plan to display both Heller ships, Victory and SR together.  
 

Then I will start my next project. With my background experience in fine woodworking I am going to tackle my first totally wood model. Knowing this was my future goal I practiced turning my own wood masts and yards while building the SR. The model I have purchased and have waiting in my stash is the OcCre Endeavor. Building this model will require double planking the hull frame, laying individual deck boards, and making all the masts and yards, etc. Will be a completely new model ship building experience including the hand tools and adhesives, and sanding dust! I will advise you guys when I start the log here on MSW and hope so much you will follow. There are a number of great Endeavour builds in the index for 1751-1800 ships. Of note is the finished OcCre Endeavour by Kiwiron and several others as well I will be looking to for inspiration. 

[Veszett Roka]

Although she is not entirely finished yet, but only i can do is to praise this model and its builder. Fabulous work!

[Bill97]

Per chance you guys wondered if I was kidnapped or fell off a bridge somewhere let me put those concerns to rest. 😊

I took a few days off from the ship yard and went south to the coast to warm up my old bones. Now back to work. Spending some time making inside planking and painting the boats. 

[Bill97]

Gentlemen I am kicking around a possible crazy thought. I am considering taking my Soleil Royal off the base I made for it and placing it in an ocean diorama. I have looked at numerous photos and videos and really like the display and think it will further enhance the appearance of my ship. What do you think?

[Hubac's Historian]

Well, Micheal D. (72Nova) did an excellent job of setting his full-hull SR into a seaway.  He showed me a few pictures, at one point, and as I recall, the case base was made deeper to accept the depth of the hull below the waterline.  I can’t remember what his approach was to making the water, but it really looked great.

[Bill97]

Thanks Marc. I will check to see what Michael did. I know how to do the water. I have done dioramas on other things in the past. The trick is going to be getting an exact outline of the hull at the water line now that the ship is built. Will also need to decide if I am going to display the diorama with the ship at anchor (still in the water) or moving (having a gentle wake behind it). 

[72Nova]

Hey Bill, I too decided to set mine in a waterline after completion, unfortunately all my in-progress pics got lost through Photobucket but I traced the hull profiles in cardboard then transferred to 1" Styrofoam and set into the new base, fairly simple task. A couple of photos (if you don't mind) to show the result, somewhat generic for my only attempt.

 

Michael D.

 

 

[Bill97]

Thanks Michael. I like it. Do you remember how you traced the hull profile onto the cardboard?  That is the one part that I am debating best process. I can definitely use your photos to determine a good waterline. Is your’s basically 1” up from the bottom of the keel since you used 1” styrofoam?

Edited February 11 by Bill97

[72Nova]

Bill,

I used a contour gauge, I think the one I had was 10" so I had to do it in a few sections, first attempt gets you real close then you fine tune the next template to where you want it then transfer to the Styrofoam.

I'm not sure how far up from keel but that doesn't really matter, I used 1" foam basically to carry the weight of the model without flexing. I'd get the contour of the hull right at the bottom of lower wale at midships, mine sits up a little high so that would look about right. Hope that helps Bill.

 

Michael D.

 

[Bill97]

Thanks again Michael. 

[Veszett Roka]

Bill,

 

if you intend to display Victory and Soleil Royal together, i think then Vic must have a sea base too. For making a realistic sea base, you might want to check out Ebroin's Miniatures on youtube: this Korean modeler is a master of waves.

 

 

[Bill97]

Good point Veszett. I watched the video. This guy does some incredible work with a 3D printer. 

Edited February 12 by Bill97

[Kevin-the-lubber]

On 2/12/2024 at 1:34 PM, Bill97 said:

Good point Veszett. I watched the video. This guy does some incredible work with a 3D printer. 

Never mind the printing, that's just button-pressing; look at the painting skills! What I'd give to be able to do that, let alone have the underlying knowledge.

[Bill97]

Cardboard template made of the hull profile. Will use it to cut hole in whatever material I eventually decide to use for making water surface. 

[Bill97]

Yes Kevin, his painting skills are remarkable!

[Ian_Grant]

Bill, I think your waterline's too low. Just IMHO.

[Bill97]

That is an easy fix. You think up a little closer to the bottom wale?  Maybe one more plank?  I just kind of went with how Michael did his. I noticed where his water line was on the rudder hinge and set mine at that level. 

[popeye2sea]

I am thinking one plank width below the bottom wale amidships. Maybe one and a half, at most.

 

Regards,

Henry

Edited February 15 by popeye2sea

[Hubac's Historian]

I agree with Henry, at a maximum, and would veer toward one plank width or slightly less.  The Heller model is a very tall superstructure.

[Ian_Grant]

If I ever build my SR the waterline will touch the wale if I keep the whole hull "dry" on a stand, but this oddly-shaped hull begs for a sea display like you plan Bill in which case I agree with Henry and Mark.

[Hubac's Historian]

Ian, we are here for that when you do start your SR.  You know you want to 🙃

[Bill97]

Thanks guys. I will trim my template so my SR sets in it to around the 1st-2nd plank below the bottom wale. Ian , like Marc said, you know you are itching to start your’s. I am as well to see what ideas you go with in your build. 
 

Appreciate you guys. 
 

Bill

[Ian_Grant]

Yes, but I have the galley and Preussen to finish first, and I'm also itching do to an RC square rigger at least ship-rigged but maybe even a four-poster barque like Neville Wade does. This despite just turning 65 last week....do I have the time before fingers and eyesight fail?

I've been bitten by the RC bug again after decades away.

 

[Bill97]

Sounds pretty exciting Ian. Those are some beautiful models in the video.  Belated happy birthday my friend. I would say welcome to Medicare but I don’t know if Canada has something similar, or even needs it. Yes you still have plenty of time with the fingers and eyesight. I turn 72 this summer and am still plugging a way. 😊

Edited February 15 by Bill97

[Ian_Grant]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

 Belated happy birthday my friend. I would say welcome to Medicare but I don’t know if Canada has something similar, or even needs it. Yes you still have plenty of time with the fingers and eyesight. I turn 72 this summer and am still plugging a way. 😊

Thank you Bill. It was a nice birthday as we were in Bonaire last week with lots of very nice seafood places. Had barracuda for the first time - it is delicious!

 

Canada has "lifelong" publicly-funded i.e. socialist medical coverage although for years now they have been overwhelmed by aging population and wait times for common surgeries are very long; getting an MRI or even a referral appointment to a specialist can take months and months or even over a year. People go the States or even overseas now to bypass the wait at their own expense. Yet the gov't broadly refuses to allow "private" medical clinics; did you know your American system is held up as the "bogeyman" in Canada, a system Canada just cannot and must not emulate? Even if we cannot get the services as it is.

 

On the plus side I now qualify for the "senior discount" at stores. 😊

[Bill97]

Ian I was thinking that was the case.  Just not sure. On the flip side a number of our politicians from time to time push for some kind of coverage similar to Canada’s. Go figure.