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

[Bill97]

Ok as far as placement of parts. I set the wheels to where the edge of the wheels are flush with the front and back edge of the carriage. It is also interesting that if I set the trunnions right in front of the trunnion support the barrel is in a satisfactory position.  Since the front of the barrel sets on the little thingy in the front (another nautical term) the trunnions on the model pieces serve no real purpose except cosmetic. So now for the cannons that will be visible I will just need to come up with a convincing trunnion movement. I could simply cut them off, save them, and once I glue the cannon to the carriage put a tiny bit of glue in the raised semicircle and drop in a trunnion. Might be easier than trying to drill all these barrels. 

[Bill97]

Looking at this picture in the instructions I see there are only 24-28 cannons that will be in full view once the model is complete. 

[Bill97]

Henry did carving a new semicircle for the trunnions cause the barrel to drop about 1/16” or so?

[Ian_Grant]

When I became aware of this issue, I thought (when I get there) I will get some sculpy clay or something, fill a little box with it,  then press 1/2 a cannon barrel into it, flush.  After it's dry I than clamp it in position on my drill press table and place cannons into it one by one to drill.

 

The projecting "hoist handles" or whatever would be a minor issue.

[popeye2sea]

2 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Henry did carving a new semicircle for the trunnions cause the barrel to drop about 1/16” or so?

Yes, the barrel did drop a bit. But the change was not large enough to make any difference in the placement of the guns in the ports.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Great. Thanks Henry. 

[Bill97]

I have entered a phase of my build where there won’t be much progress to report on a daily basis so my post will be fewer for just a bit here. I don’t see a point in posting just to post. Of course the friendly exchange of conversation is nice even if not pertaining to model ship building. I am solid into building the hundred and some odd cannons. My building table looks like an old factory assembly line with many partially completed cannon carriages lined up to move forward for the wheel attachment. Barrels are also being assembled and painted in another “factory”. Soon the painted carriages and barrels will be joined together and prepared for loading on the SR.  My intention is to separate out the cannons that will ultimately be seen. They will be in need of trunnions modifications. 

[Bill97]

Henry I am steadily reading through your build now picking up a lot of great ideas and techniques. I was pleasantly surprised to read the part about you working as a character on the USS Constitution!  That is pretty cool. I know that was a number of years ago when you wrote that comment. Are you still doing that in the summer?  I have really enjoyed visiting the ship when I am in Boston. Have done it several times over the years. Who knows, our paths may have crossed on the ship one day in the past. I built the Revell 1/96 Constitution years ago. Some of its crew deserted and became crew on my Heller Victory 😊.

[popeye2sea]

Bill,

I am the current President of a non-profit corporation called Historic Marine Education, Inc.  We represent/portray the marines who would have been aboard Constitution during the war of 1812.  The active duty Navy crew aboard the ship consider us to be part of the crew. We are aboard regularly throughout the year to give demonstrations and interact with the public.  The ship conducts about six sailing demonstration per year out in the harbor. I have been underway on every one of them for the past 10 years or so.  It never gets old. I'll probably continue to sail Constitution until I can no longer make it up the gangway.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Ian_Grant]

Awesome!  I've been aboard once but never seen her under sail. Amazing to think she still sails at her age. When I took my family there maybe 15 years ago they were talking about a refit to put camber back into the deck, undoing a previous refit which put down a flat deck for some reason.  Or did I mishear the story?

[Bill97]

Henry that is incredible!  What an amazing experience. Have you built a model of the Constitution?  Surly you have. I need to check the index. How great of an information source that would be. I can picture it. You working on your model and trying to figure out how something should be. Then thinking, I will just check the real thing tomorrow when I am on board. You have got to attach a photo of you on board in your 1812 marine uniform. 

[popeye2sea]

4 hours ago, Ian_Grant said:

Awesome!  I've been aboard once but never seen her under sail. Amazing to think she still sails at her age. When I took my family there maybe 15 years ago they were talking about a refit to put camber back into the deck, undoing a previous refit which put down a flat deck for some reason.  Or did I mishear the story?

No, you heard right. 

[popeye2sea]

1 hour ago, Bill97 said:

Henry that is incredible!  What an amazing experience. Have you built a model of the Constitution?  Surly you have. I need to check the index. How great of an information source that would be. I can picture it. You working on your model and trying to figure out how something should be. Then thinking, I will just check the real thing tomorrow when I am on board. You have got to attach a photo of you on board in your 1812 marine uniform. 

I did build the Revell Constitution many years ago.  Long before MSW. But that model was lost, foundered in a storm of cleaning by the Admiralty Board (mom) while I was still a young lad.

I have another one on deck, waiting to start construction. I am thinking of kit bashing to her as launched configuration.  

Regarding popping aboard for reference photos, I do that all the time.  I have even done it on request for MSW members.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Popeye2sea i can not wait to follow that build when you start it. That would be great to see. As I mentioned I have built it twice. Once like you many years ago and another time about 3 years ago. Right when I got back into modeling after retiring. That build is here on MSW but looking back at it now I see how elementary my skills were and how I think I have improved over time with the help from you guys. If you have a photo of you on board in uniform I would love to see it!  Post one here. 
Oh well, back to painting cannons!

[Bill97]

As I continue to read through builds like Henry’s, Marc’s, and several others I get so much inspiration for the little bashing details of this SR build. Before and during my HMS Victory build there was plenty of comments about the amount of time the build would take if I wanted to do a nice job. And in fact it did take a year and a half. The build time was the result of doing a lot OOB, a lot of bashing with MSW member recommendations, using Longridge’s book for rigging, using Daniel’s etched parts, etc.  All of these things had a bearing on how long the build took. Some added time and some reduced overall build time. With everything I learned and reading everyone’s builds I plan to attempt many of the new things skills in my SR build. I fully expect this to add a great deal of build time, most likely longer than my Victory. Each little bash I think about, like making my own chains and eyebolts, causes me excitement to adventure and learn. This is going to be fun. 

[popeye2sea]

3 hours ago, Bill97 said:

Popeye2sea i can not wait to follow that build when you start it. That would be great to see. As I mentioned I have built it twice. Once like you many years ago and another time about 3 years ago. Right when I got back into modeling after retiring. That build is here on MSW but looking back at it now I see how elementary my skills were and how I think I have improved over time with the help from you guys. If you have a photo of you on board in uniform I would love to see it!  Post one here. 
Oh well, back to painting cannons!

My profile pic is me next to a carronade on the spar deck.  I hesitate to post all that stuff here because it doesn't really fit the MSW profile. But, visit us at www.1812marines.org or our facebook page USS Constitution 1812 Marine Guard for tons of photos of our group in action.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

I will do that Henry. 

[Bill97]

First battery of cannons complete. These will be on the lower decks with only the end of the barrel visible if I display with hatch open. As a result I did not bash the trunnions. I did move the wheels more forward and back. I painted the trunnions red and set the cannon with the trunnions positioned in front of the trunnion support. I then painted a little black stripe along the top of the support. Unless you look real close you cannot tell the red trunnions are not part of the red carriage. Also the black bit of paint looks like a plate to hold the trunnion in place. Of course no one is ever going to see this once under a deck. 

[Bill97]

I am planning to do something here on MSW as I make my way through the build. There were times during my Victory build that I completed an important task and posted about it only to have my friends suggest that it would have been better if I had done something a little different. With that in mind from time to time before I attack an important task I am going to put up post titled:

 

        WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?

 

When you see a post from me with that lead in understand I am asking for your advise and recommendations. Feel free to reply if you like. I, of course, will not ask this before every task I start. This will just be before fairly important things that could effect later steps in the build. Hopefully with your recommendations and advice I can decide before I approach a task what I want to do and won’t have future regrets. 

 

 

[Bill97]

Good afternoon Marc!

[Hubac's Historian]

Good afternoon, Bill!

[Bill97]

Second battery of cannons completed. These are the 64 cannons that will go on the two lower decks. 

[Bill97]

  WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND?
 

OK this is my first what would you recommend post. I will soon be putting the bottom deck into the hull. I have thoroughly looked through the instructions and the blog of other builders. So far I have not found anything that different from just gluing it in. It does not appear any rigging or structural aspects go this far down into the ship so I don’t know if I need to strengthen it anymore than just the OOB instructions. I have yet to paint the deck sections. Not sure if I need to waste the paint since it will not be seen. 
 

Prior to putting in this deck I have to make my final decision on the display stand. I am thinking of a couple different designs that would use brass pedestals and need a bolt through the keel. If I go that way I obviously need to do that before putting in the deck. If I go with the Heller display stand or other cradle design I can move on with the deck. 
 

in the meantime I have two more batteries of cannons to make. 

Edited November 18, 2022 by Bill97

[Hubac's Historian]

Before putting in the lower deck, I would re-enforce the seam on the inside with strip styrene; you will have to flex the hull, a little, to get the glued-together deck in place, so I always think it is worthwhile to do this.

 

I would not bother painting the lower decks.  You’ll want a good styrene to styrene bond for the carriage wheels because you definitely don’t want to have to fish around for loose carriages when all of the decks are covered over.

 

Victor Yankovich is doing an amazing SR bash, and I’m pretty sure he used brass pedestals on the keel.  This is a nice upgrade.  The Heller base is not bad, but the brass looks really swanky.

[popeye2sea]

I agree with Marc,  reinforcing the center seam is a good idea.

I am not a fan of the Heller stand.  If you do go with pedestals I would highly recommend using something like epoxy to fix a threaded nut into the base to take the bolts of the pedestals. You don't want them to come loose. Mine did and now I have to come up with another plan to secure the model to it's base. It is going to involve further surgery to the keel.

 

Regards,

Henry

[Bill97]

Worked on another battery of cannons. Still one to go. The last battery along with 10 cannons from the battery I am working on will have the trunnions modified and eyebolts installed for rigging. They will all be visible. 
I also designed and made my custom base. I decided not to use the Heller base. I made my base using mahogany and brass pedestals. I will finish it by doing a final very fine sanding and a thorough coat of teak oil to preserve the rich mahogany color. I had to grind the top of one of the brass pedestals down to match the small height of the keel at the front of the hull. I have a threaded rod I will run up through the base, pedestal, and hull. I poured a pool of epoxy inside the hull at the stern end where the rod will come up.  I wanted a flat level surface for the nut to tighten. Henry I will epoxy around the nut once tightened. My original plan was just to have the two pedestals but I was concerned the SR would be quite a large ship to rely just on the top of the two pedestals to hold it solidly so I added the center cradle that will prevent the model from tilting on the base. 
 

Reference the reinforcement of the seam on the lower deck with styrene. Will I be able to expand the hull enough to get in?  Luke the Victory the instructions show putting the two sections in separate and folding them together. 

[Hubac's Historian]

I really like that base you made.

[Bill97]

Thanks Marc. Today I will find out if my mad scientist plan works when I attempt drilling everything and putting it together! 😳

[Bill97]

Marc are you shoveling snow?

[Hubac's Historian]

It is frigid today, but no snow in NYC, at least.