Soleil Royal by EricWiberg - Heller - 1/100 - started 45 years ago

[Hubac's Historian]

Excellent process and results.  I agree to err on the side of smaller.

[Ian_Grant]

They do look great Eric.....could you possibly submit a pic with a ruler in view so we can appreciate the scale? 🙂

[EricWiberg]

Ian - I hope this helps! The two on top are 30mm long (way too big, but they were practice). The bottom four are 20mm long, and I personally am liking the one in the middle of the second row, as the tail and body are a bit beefier. Maybe even the right-hand one in the second row with it, simply because they are similar, but clearly different. My story would be that they were carved by two different wood carvers!

 

[EricWiberg]

Well, I have any number of dolphins now to choose from... and the smallest ones are down to 15-18mm in length, so I think - based on drawings and other models - that the size is scale appropriate. I am not sure of my terminology, but there are three parts to the "hance" at the sheer step (?)., and this is what I have so far.

 

 

The first part is the curved stock plank that ties together the two different railings together (note the blue circle on the piece); I will refer to this as the "hance piece". Next, I want a simple curved ribbon (name? - also a "hance piece"?) nestled into the curve of the hance piece where the bulwark has been cut away, and this appears to be the primary support for the dolphin.

 

 

However, it is obvious that the curls at the ends are too big. They need to be nice and small... so I made a jig and will figure out how to make those tiny curls at the ends.

 

 

Compared to my learning curve for the dolphins, it should be a lot quicker to make the curled hance pieces. It's a bit more difficult as I want the ribbon to be 2.5mm wide to match the thickness of the bulwark. I am finding that the Apoxie Sculpt needs to be 2-3 hours old, almost at the point that it is unworkable, otherwise the ribbon wants to deform every so slightly from its own weight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 16 by EricWiberg

[EricWiberg]

College soccer is back, so coaching will slow any work in the ship yard way down for the next few months. However, I did get the look that I wanted for the first sheer step, especially with the 1.5mm half-round (it took some experimenting with boiling water to bend the Evergreen piece into shape).

 

The dolphin needs a little clean up now that the Apoxie Sculpt has cured and I think I will trim some of the hance piece (under the curved piece of half-round) so that only a little bit shows under the half-round to match the rest of the horizontal run. Otherwise I can move on to the next sheet step, as I already have the clay pieces made.

 

I am wondering if in real-life, there was a curved base that the belly of the dolphin would nestle into for additional support?

[Hubac's Historian]

Aaah, coaching - extremely rewarding, but time-consuming!  I can relate to the fact that it is definitely very difficult to find energy and time when the season is on.

 

Dolphins look truly awesome - nicely done!  As for there being more connection to the dolphin belly, they were drawn to suggest open space, but for practical strength purposes, it does not seem unreasonable that there might have been complete connection, with the inner scroll carved as a raised relief.

[EricWiberg]

OK.. that's about it for labor in the shipyard for this weekend... it's too nice outside!

 

I did solve my dolphin issue at the sheer steps. I was unhappy that the dolphin body was all in the same plane. I needed the belly to rest on the carving and the head and tail to come out from the body 2-3mm so they could be on the side of the rail.

 

So I finally figured out to have 2mm Evergreen "steps" for the head and tail to rest on. Now the belly is not in the same plane as the head and tail. However, I will be waiting for some time to glue in the dolphins, I think, as they might as well have a sign on their necks that says "fragile, please knock me off!"

 

 

 

I am so close to glueing in the bulwarks so I can finish the upper wales and get to "listons d or". It is time to clean up and make sure all of the holes are drilled etc. And I also am giving lots of thought to the quarter gallery layout... due to the sheer of the wales, I cannot use the kit QG. The inner bulwark planking needs a light scribe to finish it, etc.

 

 

 

Edited August 31 by EricWiberg

[Snug Harbor Johnny]

For the lion's heads on the inside of Vasa's gun port lids, I made a master - then poured a two-part silicone resin over it.  Once cured, the mold is flexible and the original popped out (the base being flat).  Duplicates are done in two-part epoxy put into the mold and drawn flat against the back surface of the mold.

[EricWiberg]

When I get to needing many items like that, I will certainly make molds as you have. I am OK with the dolphins being "hand made" individually as when they are almost dry, I can add any subtle bends or twists etc to make them fit snugly at the various sheer steps.

[Hubac's Historian]

Daniel posted this link in his Victory log of the Texel Roads diorama.  Many wonderfully detailed photos of ships being worked.  What is very evident to me are the design parallels between these early Dutch ships of the 1660’s and their French counterparts, often designed by naval architects with Dutch training backgrounds, like Laurent Hubac:

 

https://www.modellmarine.de/index.php/fotogalerien/178-/1624-die-reede-von-texel-teil-2

 

The head structure, the pronounced tumblehome, steep sheer, broad sterns - it is all there.

 

The draft and underwater lines would of course be different, in order to navigate the more shallow Dutch coastal waterways.

[EricWiberg]

Work has continued over the last month, albeit at a snails pace (coaching college soccer consumes some time in the Fall!).

 

However, I have enough time this AM to complete the rabbets for the port side gun ports.... that leaves only the fighting holes at the waist... and then I get to install the timber heads and cap rails.

 

It is interesting to me to look at the "before/after" appearance of the bulwarks.

 

 

And soon enough, they will be glued in place...

 

 

[EricWiberg]

Finally... the port side is almost caught up with the starboard side (getting 3 hours of work every morning this week by waking at 5AM!).

 

 

I had to finish the scarf joint through bolts and then the wale "bolts" on the port hull (tiny little round head nails that I found online).

 

 

 

Then it was on the putting the timberheads on the sheer rails. Honestly, when I first saw how Marc (Hubac's Historian) did this several years ago and how he had to patiently account for the sheer step at every timberhead... I dreaded reaching that point in my build. However, I can honestly say it was so much easier to do than I thought. I would have absolutely no problem adding this detail again. Part of it may be the "Chopper"... it makes very nice, consistent cuts in the polystyrene.  I made the initial timberheads 7mm in length before gradually cutting/sanding them down to 2.5mm in height; starting with 7mm made it very easy to use my laser level to ensure the timberheads were always plumb.

 

 

Then I used 0.5mm thick stock to make the framing on each timberhead.

 

So I simply have to finish the framing on the timberheads and drill out the fighting holes in the waist; so in 1-2 days, I will be finally in a position to glue in the bulwarks as GuyM has done. Of course, the hull is NOT glued together yet... the bulwarks need to be on to create the upper wales and also to see the area on the rear bulwqrk that I have available to festoon with fluer de lis.

 

 

 

[Hubac's Historian]

In addition to the audaciousness of the build-concept, what I love about watching this all unfold is your personal journey of discovery into scratch-work.  Any heavily scratched project, considered in its whole, seems absolutely daunting.  In reality, though, it’s just a long series of mini-builds that aggregate into the finished thing.  All it takes are patience, time, and commitment to an ideal of the finished project.  You have all of those qualities in spades, Eric.

[EricWiberg]

Marc.. I never thought of it that way... "In reality, though, it’s just a long series of mini-builds that aggregate into the finished thing"... but that sums it up in one sentence!

 

 

[EricWiberg]

And.... we are ready to glue the upper bulwarks in! Cap rails, fighting holes, miscellaneous items are alll done. Some minor things can't be done until the bulwarks are in, such as finishing the interior planking, but the major focus will be on adding the upper wales with listons d' or. 

 

I have a several day wait for some spring clamps that I ordered online to arrive. I could not - even at the local box stores - find any clamps that had a minimum 4" long neck to fit over the bulwarks. They should be here on Monday... fingers crossed.

 

In the mean time, I continue to puzzle over how to "finish" the top of the steps on the side of the hull. I will not have a gangway deck at the waist, so I may well have to somehow add a ladder on the interior. But, I have seen some drawings of Dutch ships that actually have a hinged door at the top of the bulwark at the waist, cap rails included on the door.

 

Edited October 24 by EricWiberg

[EricWiberg]

Whew... the starboard bulwarks are glued in.

 

 

.. thanks to zip ties and clamps.

 

 

I knew that the the little rabbett available for glueing didn;t offer much structural support, so I made liberal use of Apoxie Sculpt to fill the inside gaps... I am also using small tabs affixed with CVA glue as well. After 48 hours of curing, the hull/bulwarks structure does seem much more rigid.

 

I will have a lot of gentle sanding to do on the exterior. Note this large gap, into which I push a thread of Apoxie Sculpt. I then apply several drops of the Apoxie Sculpt solvent and gently rub, so the the Apoxie Sculpt becomes almost watery and it spreads out very well.

 

The first half of the gap, from the waist to the bow, will be covered by one of the upper wales. However, the upper wales will sheer upward as it approaches the stern to match the lower and middle wales, so I have to fill/level the gap as best I can. This may take several iterations of Apoxie Sculpt before I am satisfied that the gap is levelled out. I won't touch the port side bulwarks until I learn from the starboard side; dry fitting shows that the port side bulwark fit is tighter, though,

 

Glueing the bulwarks on at this stage initially seemed intimidating, but after a lot of thinking and reviewing the many other builds out there, I was able to lay out a sequential plan, andf then just execute the plan. I am sure that there will be plenty of "I didn't think of that!" down the road, but I will just deal with those as they arrive. 

Edited October 29 by EricWiberg

[Hubac's Historian]

All of the extra tabbing along the interior joint will serve you well.  I like your idea to thin the ApoxieSculpt and massage it into the joints.

 

Just thinking ahead, you may have the opportunity to raise your waterline up to maybe mid-way of the lowest wale.  The waterline should be 4.5 - 5’ scale feet below the lowest gun port, which works out to 9/16” - 5/8” in 1:96.  This will be an easy enough thing to pencil onto the hull after the hull-halves have been glued together.

[EricWiberg]

The front/rear bulwarks are glued on... Apoxie Sculpt makes a rock hard bond! Zip ties and clamps held the port side rear bulwark in place for 24 hours (the last bulwark to be attached).

 

 

As the port side glue bonds dried, I affixed the upper wales on the starboard side, at 3.2mm wide, thinner than the middle and lower wales, and only 0.75mm thick to allow the listons d'or to be attached and seem to be carved out of the wale strip. The listons d' or for the upper wales are made from 16 gauge copper wire twisted together to imitate rope; the back side will be sanded on a belt sander almost 1/3 of the way through to make a flat surface for glueing.

 

 

The starboard side is waiting for the Apoxie Sculpt to dry for light sanding of the bulwark/hull joints.

 

 

The interior planking of the bulwarks are completed as well..

 

 

Finally, before she sits for the next 24 hours to dry, this is an attempt at a waterline photo to show the bulk of the ship above the waves.

 

 

 

Edited November 2 by EricWiberg

[Hubac's Historian]

Fabulous is an understatement, here, Eric.  I really love the graduation of the wales.  It makes a big difference, and you have really nailed the sheer.

 

Now, I’m going to preface what I’m about to say as a step or two too far for me, personally; it would be quite a lot of work for I’m not sure how much gain.

 

However, in actual practice the planking strakes between the wales would follow the sheer of the wales.  There, I’ve said the horrible thing.  One COULD fill the kit plank lines at the point where they diverge from the sheer; mark out new plank lines with an ordinary drafting compass, following the wales; and then, very carefully engrave the new lines as they fair into the forward seams that you did not fill.

 

This becomes exponentially more difficult for the complicated underwater portion of the hull.  Personally, I don’t think I would do this.  I think it depends, mostly, on what your paint plan is.  However, if you are looking for some guidance as to how the under-hull of a ship like SR might be planked, I will direct you here:

 

 

I talk about this model all the time because I love it so much.  It is the best scratch-build of the ship that I am aware of.

 

When I fantasize about doing another SR kitbash of this earliest representation of the ship - and your build has certainly dared me to dream - I imagine that I would do an all pale blue hull, with a thinned grey wash-coat.   That wash-coat, though, would highlight all of the plank seams, and that dissonance with the wale sheer would be that much more apparent.

 

As it builds out of the box, Heller failed to correctly represent the planking between the wales.  At the bow, there are several thin sharply pointed plank lines that end into the wale sheer.  It’s wrong, but the sheer is much flatter than what you are representing, here, so it doesn’t really jump out at you.  Anyway, food for thought, or not, as you please.

 

As for the listons d’or, I would gild these before applying them to the hull.  It’s just easier.  Personally, I think it is very difficult to get really good results with actual gold leaf.  ‘72Nova’s La Reale build is a glittering example of the best possible results.  I prefer paints and doing a layered gold with lowlights and highlights.

Edited November 2 by Hubac's Historian

[EricWiberg]

Marc, as usual, I really appreciate any and all of your comments! Hmmm... you have given me something to think about with the planking... I have been dissatisfied with enough of my initial efforts that removing them and starting over - 2-3-4 times! - is commonplace.

 

Thanks for the observation on gilding, as that is just one of the many things that are in my mind!

[Hubac's Historian]

To be clear - I don’t think you would have to undo your wales, if you wanted to re-scribe plank lines.  It’s just a lot if effort and it may not be worth it, frankly.

[EricWiberg]

Regarding the underwater paint scheme for White Stuff.... I have imagined that to be a gooey mess that is smeared on. Would that have the effect of hiding the underwater plank lines?

[Hubac's Historian]

Here’s a thread on that very subject:

 

 

Somewhere along the way, I also read that horse hair would be applied as a binder.  So, yes, the white stuff would certainly obscure the planking strakes, if not completely obliterate them.  You could fill most of what’s there and leave a few faint trace lines, here and there, to suggest the planking.

 

Color, as these fine gentlemen note, would likely have been a dingy, yellowish white.

[EricWiberg]

Well, Marc... I agree with you regarding the plank lines. The photo below from your Pinterest site clearly shows the plank lines match trhe sheer lines of the wales.

 

 

I have come too far on this 1671 SR path to ignore an inaccuracy like this. So with a little bit of Tamiya putty... 

 

The good news is that there really is no issue at the bow or amidships. My "new" wales start to sheer up closer to the stern. Now, after light sanding and the rescribing, the hull truly will look like Frankenstein's Monster, but nothing that some primer and the eventual paint scheme won't cover up.

 

 

Edited November 3 by EricWiberg

[Ian_Grant]

You're a brave man Eric!  Amazing model!

[EricWiberg]

Thanks, Ian! Not sure about the brave part, though... maybe... "not aware of what I got myself into"!

[Hubac's Historian]

Yeah, it all becomes a slippery slope in short order.  But, I’m rooting for ya!

[EricWiberg]

Well, that wasn't too painful! After Marc's observation that, in actual practice, the sheer of the hull planking would have aligned with the sheer of the wales... I had to fix it. Perhaps hard to see, but it should be much easier to see after painting and a wash coat. Of course, I have some touching up to do...

 

 

 

Now to affix the upper wales to the port side. It was actully very easy to do, as once I got the lower bottom wale on ages ago, that became my guide. I just cut little spacer blocks to maintain the desired seperation between the wales, just by sliding the block back and forth and then clamping the wale in place.

 

 

 

And I finally got a sample listons d'or available to see how it fits. The listons d' or is two 16 gauge copper wires twisted together so the diameter is 0.090"; then the wire is laid in a channel created by wood strips 0.055" high. A couple of passes with a belt sander results in a flat side and a rope that is now almost half its orginal thickness.

 

 

As per Marc (Hubac's Historian) and GuyM, when laid on a wale, the goal is to have it appear that the gilded rope was carved down right out of the wale strip.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 6 by EricWiberg

[Hubac's Historian]

Excellent work on those plank lines.

[EricWiberg]

College soccer is done and outdoor preparations for winter are complete... so finally a lot more time is available for me to work in the shipyard!

 

The wales and drift rails are complete on the starboard side.

 

 

The upper wales and bottom drift rail will be covered with a golden listons d' or "rope", but the upper drift rail will be plain, so I am using bolts on the upper drift rail as I did on the lower and middle wales. I used 0.5mm (.020") diameter bolt heads on the lower/middle wales, so I used 0.3mm (0.012") diameter bolt heads on the top drift rail.

 

 

 

I also fabricated new fenders and am ready to glue them in place... fortunately I remembered to make them a bit more proud than the listons d' or rope will be.  That leaves the outside ladder steps/rail to be completed. So after the port side is completed in several days, I am on the verge of being able to paint the hull halves.

 

 

Edited November 13 by EricWiberg