Sir Lancelot 1865 by Luis Felipe - FINISHED - 1:100 - Tea Clipper

[Luis Felipe]

Introduction:

Hi, English is not my native language, but I´ll try my best. I started the building of this ship in September 2001, that´s right, 22 years ago. At that time I bought a set of plans from "Taubman Plans" and in the first sprint complete the hull and the major major deck fittings. Sir Lancelot was my second serious attempt on building a ship model, the first one was the Bluenose. 

At that time other projects distract me efforts and Sir Lancelot went to the shelf waiting for attention.  

 

[rwiederrich]

Welcome.
Glad to see another clipper build of “Another” clipper typically not doing the rounds.   I build American clippers……namely those of Donald McKay.   
 

I’ll be following along.  
 

Rob

[druxey]

Welcome aboard, Luis!

[Roger Pellett]

Very nice work Luis!  Your English is fine.

Roger

[Luis Felipe]

On 6/17/2023 at 12:03 PM, Luis Felipe said:

Introduction:

Hi, English is not my native language, but I´ll try my best. I started the building of this ship in September 2001, that´s right, 22 years ago. At that time I bought a set of plans from "Taubman Plans" and in the first sprint complete the hull and the major major deck fittings. Sir Lancelot was my second serious attempt on building a ship model, the first one was the Bluenose. 

At that time other projects distract me efforts and Sir Lancelot went to the shelf waiting for attention.  

 

Hi, thanks for viewing and for your kind comments. I was very much impressed by the research work done for the Great America, sources for Sir Lancelot were very poor, low resolution Dutton´s lithograph in the book "The tea Clippers" by David MacGregor", another in "The China Clippers" by Basil Lubbock and the splendid model by Donald McNarry searchable in the web. Most of the deck fittings were "assumed" based on the very detailed and well presented information contained in the book "China Tea Clipper" by George Campbell.

 

Copper Sheathing 

Back in 2001 the copper sheathing was difficult but at that time the texture and finishing were satisfactory. The thing is that does not last. 

I suspected that the use of contact cement was the root cause of the failure. So I did the job again using copper strips  with double contact tape, this work but only if the strips are continuous, this is in one piece, from bow to stern, finally at the third attempt I apply some workarounds with a barely acceptable result, it is what it is.   

[Roger Pellett]

Luis,

 

I have a whole collection of models that I am thinking about building.  In my head I solve all sorts of problems when I have nothing better to do.

 

My current project is a steel hulled vessel with overlapping plates.  I tried using double sided transfer tape to secure brass hull plates.  I could not get an acceptable bond to the hull.  In my opinion the longevity of any pressure sensitive tape is suspect.

 

If I were to build a model with a copper sheathed hull I would use paper glued down with ordinary PVA adhesive.  I would paint the paper using an airbrush.  It should be possible to spray different shades to give a subtle appearance. It helps to seal the paper beforehand with shellac.

 

Roger

Edited June 19, 2023 by Roger Pellett

[Luis Felipe]

Hi:

Thanks Roger for your advice, I didn´t use a standard double sided transfer type, but  if it not hold then I will have to do something like do you suggest. 

Rob, I will be following you, I am thinking in build and American Clipper after this one, probable a McKay clipper, your job is very inspiring.

 

Then continuing with the building.

 

Bow/Stem decoration 

I based the decoration in the drawing of Mr. George Campbell contained in his book " The China Tea Clippers". The built is on a wood base with the motives carved in aluminum as well as the figure head, the white paint is Zinc-White Oil painting straight from the tube, has texture, covering capacity and volume. I think it goes pretty well.

 

   

[Luis Felipe]

Stern Decoration

 

I try several options to do the stern decoration, twisted wire, bronze, gold paint, but with no good results. Experimenting, by chance I found that the metal tube of the shaving cream that I use was golden in the inside and a  soft metal easy to cut and to emboss, so after a couple of trials I decided to go for it. The result were not as expected, but better that the other ways tried before.

 

      

[Luis Felipe]

Mast & spars 

Initially Sir Lancelot was fitted with iron mast, but on its first journey was dismasted in the English Channel, a new wooden set of mast was deployed. So for the model I used wood for the masts and spars. All the metal work was done using metal strips cut from ordinary cans (Coffee, candies..) and standard electronic solder 60/40. For the Jackstays I use steel guitar strings.

   

 

[Luis Felipe]

Hi, some pics on the yards

[Luis Felipe]

And a distraction, bells & position lights. In US the position lights were required since 1958, was the same in England? 

[rwiederrich]

You're doing a great job fer sure.

 

Here is an antique model of Thermopylae.  The Sir Lancelot is similar.  Beutiful vessels.

Edited July 6, 2023 by rwiederrich

[Luis Felipe]

Many Thanks Mr. Rwiederrich, what a wonderful model of the Thermopylae, very beautiful indeed and inspiring.

[Rick310]

Rob, where is that beautiful model?

[rwiederrich]

14 hours ago, Rick310 said:

Rob, where is that beautiful model?

I'm not quite sure...I think it is in the UK.  My files don't contain the models location..... Sorry.

 

Rob

[Roger Pellett]

The Transport Museum In Glasgow has what appears to be a very nice model of Thermopylae.  Unfortunately, the museum has embraced the concept of “The Museum as Art” so the Model is displayed in a way that does not allow close study.

 

Roger

[Luis Felipe]

Standing rigging

All references pointed to the use of steel wire for the standing rigging, crossing steel wire sizes with what was available I end up using black shoemarker´s thread in 3 sizes, diameters aprox.  of 0,3 mm, 0,2 mm and 0,1 mm (serving & ratlines).

One of the challenges was the production of the deadeyes with diameters of 3, 2,5 and 2 mm. Finally and end up making the deadeyes using electronic solder 60/40. The hull side was done filling a thin metal strip folded in a circle of the right diameter and the shroud side filling a formed wire that was retired after.

For the seizing of the shrouds I end up using grey PVC insulation of data cables AWG 26 and AWG 24, I was able to pass the wire using an adapted needle threaders creating a loop were to fix the deadeye, this solution also provides the ability to easy adjust the position of the deadeye.

  

 

[Luis Felipe]

Some more pictures on the standing rigging

[rwiederrich]

Here are some images of Sir Lancelot.   A lithograph and her hull drawings. 
 

Rob

[Luis Felipe]

Thanks Rob, this is also an oil paint of Sir Lancelot that I found beautiful 

[Luis Felipe]

Running Rigging

For the running rigging I use also tan shoemaker thread (0,3/0,2 and 0,12 mm) with most of the splicing done as the standing rigging with tan 26/24 AWG wire PVC insulation. I start doing the blocks from scratch but the results, specially in the small ones (2 mm) were unsatisfactory, I ended buying the high-quality blocks from Model Shipways with very good results.

[Luis Felipe]

Sails

I used old handkerchiefs with seams for my previous model, but the sewing generates too many wrinkles spoiling the result, so, for Sir Lancelot I want something better.

I do several trials with silk span applying the techniques found in the web, at the end the texture does not fully convince me. So I went back to the fabric, I use and old white cotton shirt and I come with the idea of soaking the fabric in diluted hide glue to add stiffness when dried, the idea was that if the fabric was stiff then the sewing will result in less wrinkles, and it works at some extend but the result was to rude for the scale.

[Luis Felipe]

The hide glue treated fabric results very workable, can be ironed (even with steam), cut as paper with a cartonnier knife and the borders does not fray easily, then I come with the idea of mark the seams with an awl, the result was satisfactory, finally I simulate the seams making a mark with the awl followed by marking lightly with a carbon pencil in each side of the sail.

The reinforcements and the hems were done using fabrics glue.  Leech ropes were also glue to the sail borders.

Other interesting thing is that the more you work or manipulate the sail the stiffness becomes softer.

[Luis Felipe]

The sails/running rigging at the model:   

[Jim Lad]

That looks pretty special, Luis.

 

John

[ClipperFan]

On 7/16/2023 at 11:51 AM, Luis Felipe said:

Thanks Rob, this is also an oil paint of Sir Lancelot that I found beautiful 

Luis,

I hope you don't mind, but since I'm somewhat familiar with this artist's work, it occurred to me that this particular image is washed out. I found a more colorful version and share it here. The full title of this work is: "Sir Lancelot downstream on the Thames" by French artist Roger Chapelet. You're doing an impressive job on a famously lovely tea clipper. 

[ClipperFan]

Luis,

I found a couple historic photos of your subject model. The National Maritime Museum of South Australia has an amazing treasure-trove of literally dozens of these beautiful clipper ships. First pic is of Sir Lancelot in Shanghai in 1867 when she was just two years old. The other is years later in her career when she had her mizzen re-rigged as bark. What's notable is that her hull, fore and mainmast all look identical in both scenes. A tribute to her solid construction. Interestingly, her original Camelot Knight figurehead now resides beneath the 1869 tea clipper Cutty Sark Museum, Greenwich, England. His right arm originally held an uplifted sword while it seems like his left grips a shield, probably embossed with an English lion. Technically the figurehead is a bust, since his waist ends wrapped in a red garment. Contrary to Cutty Sark's pure white Witch 'Nannie' the Sir Lancelot figurehead is all natural, painted in brilliant colors. The Knight himself has dazzling blue eyes and sports a Fu-Manchu moustache reminiscent of a character from a Gilbert & Sullivan play.

[ClipperFan]

Luis,

This series of images are all of Donald McNarry's breathtaking scratch-built scale tea clipper Sir Lancelot waterline miniature. This was originally on display at the American Marine Model Gallery, Salem, Massachusetts. What I found interesting is that his tiny figurehead is painted identically to the one in the Cutty Sark Museum. She also sports beautiful mint green bulkheads instead of the more prevalent white. McNarry is famous for his meticulous research on the vessels he builds. I find your version of tea clipper Sir Lancelot is every bit as impressive as Donald McNarry's, which is well deserved!

[ClipperFan]

Luis,

This series of images are all from a 1-96th scale scratch-built model of the tea clipper Sir Lancelot in the Royal Museum, Greenwich, England. Here's how this lovely vessel built by I.W. Marsh is described:

"Sir Lancelot (1865); Cargo vessel; Ship; Tea Clipper

 

Scale: 1:96. A highly detailed exhibition full hull model of the composite ship 'Sir Lancelot' (1865). The hull of the model is copper sheathed and fully rigged with the yards braced round, the whole of which is mounted in its original glazed case.

 

The 'Sir Lancelot' was built by R. Steele of Greenock, Scotland, and launched in 1865. Measuring 197 feet in length by 33 feet in the beam, the composite construction of wooden planking on iron frames was ideally suited for the punishing voyages she encountered whilst employed on the China tea trade. On its second trip in 1866, it was dismasted off Ushant and a year later, was converted to a barque rig.

 

After 1883 the 'Sir Lancelot' traded mainly between Bombay, Calcutta and Port Louis. In 1885 it was lost in a cyclone off Sand Heads at the mouth of the River Hooghly while on passage from the Red Sea to Calcutta with a cargo of salt."

[rwiederrich]

Rich, wonderful contributions to this thread. 
 

Love the painting and images…….not to mention the models. 
How you doing these days? Mike has asked about you.  
 

Rob