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 Rank: Vice-Master     Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Sunday November 20th, 2011 - current status Two additional images, same date as the above message. In the background you can see two other models I have currently on build: the dutch privateer Dolphyn, from Corel and the spanish 74 guns ship San Juan Nepomuceno, later HMS San Juan, from Artesania Latina. Sometime I will finish them too. . . 01 P1070914.jpg  02 P1070915.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Tuesday January 10th, 2012 After a long pause due to Christmas holidays and some additional health problems, I resumed the work of the Soleil Royal and today I have something new to show you. The work was focused on applying the second planking, chestnut and mahogany veneer. Now I reached a reasonable point on both sides and the most critical and boring area to plank, around the gun ports, is over. Here below some images I shot today . . 01 P1070924.jpg  02 P1070926.jpg  03 P1070930.jpg  04 P1070931.jpg  05 P1070934.jpg  Now I can decide to continue upwards or to start planking downwards. To proceed downwards I need to install new wales. I will decide how to proceed but I'm thinking to continue downwards. Cheers, Jack.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Wednesday January 11th, 2012
After some thinking I decided to continue planking downwards. Today I spent a very productive afternoon: I installed on both sides a beechwood wale below the lower deck gunports, then a plank of mahogany followed by another wale. In total the equivalent of six planks, but very demanding. I'm very satisfied because the final ship shape is emerging. Last but not least I started to plank with chestnut below the lower wale
As soon as possible I will publish new photos. Cheers, Jack.Aubrey
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Rank: Vice-Master  Groups: Registered
Joined: 26/05/2014 Posts: 912 Points: 2,773 Location: East Sussex UK
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Hi jack May i ask what type of cutter did you use for the veneer ? Thanks Paul Building: DelPrado HMS Victory. Building: DeAgostini Sovereign Of The Seas.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Gibbo wrote:. . May i ask what type of cutter did you use for the veneer ? Hi Paul, for this task I use a very common set of cutters like the ones showed here below. It is important to use cutters with interchangeable blades in order tho have the edge always in perfect conditions. jack.aubrey attached the following image(s):
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Thursday January 12th, 2012 Today I continued the work started yesterday, now the two sides are specular. And this evening I shot some images of the resulting evolution. In these new images you can observe the new wales and the planks below them. Now the great time of planking is the main task of the near future. I'm also thinking about the decision to paint in dirty white the quickwork or leave it as it is. Kind regards by Jack.Aubrey. 01 P1070942.jpg  02 P1070943.jpg  03 P1070946.jpg  04 P1070948.jpg  05 P1070955.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Wednesday January 18th, 2012 The images shown in this message allow you to look at how the second planking process is evolving downwards. Currently the two sides are not equal because on the right side there are four planks missing, more or less a couple of hours of work. I think to apply in the same manner two or three other planks downwards and after I believe it is arrived the moment to plank from the keel upwards. But, before starting this new process, I have to do something new: install the missing pieces of the keel, the stem and the stern. This installation follows a method I have already used in other models (Dolphyn and San Juan). For my Soleil Royal this method is also pushed by the quality of the wood supplied for these pieces; they are made with a plywood that is absolutely inadequate for this role. The keel must appear of solid wood and of good quality . . Starting from these considerations I decided to cover the plywoord with mahogany veneer, in line with the wood used for the remaining parts of the hull. Just to show an example I attach here an image of my model of Dolphyn, where I applied the same method and where it is possible to judge the result. P1060641.jpg  For more details see also: http://i619.photobucket.com/albums/tt277/jack_aubrey/Varie/P1060641.jpg Here below the images of the Soleil Royal shot today: Kind regards, Jack.Aubrey. 01 P1070956.jpg  02 P1070957.jpg  03 P1070958.jpg  04 P1070959.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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. . continuation from previous message. Additional zoomed images of some aspects of this second planking. 01 a.jpg  02 b.jpg  03 c.jpg  04 d.jpg  See you soon, Jack.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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January 28th, 2012 Since my last message I had only four days available for my Soleil . . as anticipaded I decided to stop planking downwards and to start from the keel. But before I had to install the "visible" pieces of the keel. While the material supplied was not the best, anyway they were perfect in term of shape and cut so I did not have any problem to install them correctly. To assure a perfect fixing of these pieces to the hull I used the vinyl glue supported by a steel nail hammered every 8 cm into the hull. Once the keel (in this case only the plywood) was definitely in place I started the application of the planks, in order to position them as near as possible to it. Here below two overall images . . 01 P1070960.jpg  02 P1070961.jpg  After two o three planks I covered the plywood of the keel with mahogany veneer, having with this operation the possibility to close any kind of gap between the keel and the first plank. Only the stem is incomplete because I have before to finish the hull. New images with focus of the keel . . . 03 P1070969.jpg  04 P1070963.jpg  05 P1070964.jpg  Then I continued regular planking upwards and now, as you can see, there are more or less seven planks per side to finish this huge task. I foresee two full working afternoons. And finally I have to build a basement, not the definitive one. It must have some properties that allow me to work on the model comfortably and on a stable platform. The keel clamper used until now (is was blue painted) cannot be used for the future. Kind regards, Jack.Aubrey.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Friday February 3rd, 2012
Quick update, without images.
Yesterday I have finished the 2nd planking . . and I can complete the installation of the stern post. This element is made with plywood and I have to cover it with veneer in the same way I've done with the keel.
In addition I started to work around the stem, previously installed, by applying also there the same mahogany veneer.
Today it is a very cold day, outside it's snowing, and this helps to stay at my workshop working. And I want now build a stable basement, a new platform capable to support the next tasks to be done on the hull until I will not judge it's time for the display case.
That's all for today, Jack.Aubrey
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Sunday February 5th, 2012 Here I'm attaching some images of my Soleil with 2nd planking completed, although not 100% because there are still the upper sides to finish, but this is a very simple job. The main work is now over . . . I will have to refine and level the hull by sand-papering with care, but in the reality there is not too much to level: it's more a matter of making this just to unify the wood colour. Some wood tends to become darker with the light and this is what happened on my hull: I spent a lot of time planking and there are many areas of the hull that show a different wood colour. By sanding everytihg in one shot the colour will become the same everywhere. May be these differences are not so evident in the photos but they are there. See you soon, Jack. 01 P1070971.jpg  02 P1070972.jpg  03 P1070973.jpg  04 P1070974.jpg  05 P1070975.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 26/05/2014 Posts: 912 Points: 2,773 Location: East Sussex UK
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jack.aubrey wrote:Gibbo wrote:. . May i ask what type of cutter did you use for the veneer ? Hi Paul, for this task I use a very common set of cutters like the ones showed here below. It is important to use cutters with interchangeable blades in order tho have the edge always in perfect conditions. thank you Jack Paul Building: DelPrado HMS Victory. Building: DeAgostini Sovereign Of The Seas.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 26/05/2014 Posts: 912 Points: 2,773 Location: East Sussex UK
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The ship looks amazing Jack, i'm going to make this my next project after The Sovereign of The Seas, got to finish my Victory first regards Paul Building: DelPrado HMS Victory. Building: DeAgostini Sovereign Of The Seas.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Gibbo wrote:. . i'm going to make this my next project after The Sovereign of The Seas, got to finish my Victory first . . Hi Paul, I'm not sure it is available today in UK, may be in a near future ? In Italy it's long time the partwork collection is over . .
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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00 P1070976.jpg  The object shown above is the "working" pedestal I built for Soleil Royal. My objective was to prepare a stable base where to insert the hull and work on it in the next months. I have used a very strong plywood (it was a table used to prepare pasta) and I cut with my table saw (Proxxon FET): another experience with this tool and the proper blade. The two longitudinal strips serve to contain the ship's keel: it enters perfectly inside the gap. At the two ends are some stoppers to keep the model horizontally avoiding any movement. Anyway, after a short period of usage, I have identified some changes because the stability is not exactly I expected and I find difficulties in handling the model due to lack of points of grasp. As soon as possible I will make the changes and I will show you. Now I take the opportunity to show two other images of Soleil Royal, with the hull capsized, where you can see how the planking resulted and where you can also see the keel. Just to show you how the colour of chestnut changes in relation to its exposition to light, there is the possibility to see, in these images, two areas where the colour is different: the upper area is lighter because a fine sandpapering I made a couple of weeks ago, and below, there is a rectangular trace left by a piece of masking tape I didn't remove for some days. These are two examples why the complete sanding of the hull is necessary, and hopefully immediately followed by a coat of oil for wood to stabilize the wood .. PS: I previously wrote about my initial intention to paint with dirty white the bottom of the hull, below the waterline. Now, after having seen the result I have to admit I'm beginning to change idea . . as usual in these situations, I will let the time to clarify my ideas before taking any final decision . . Cheers, Jack.Aubrey 01 P1070995.jpg  02 P1070996.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Four additional images, more detailed and focused on the bow and the stern. The first two images show the current status of the bow, with the stem still to be completed with new pieces and finishing: here I have to cover the plywood with the mahogany veneer in the same way I made for the keel and the stern. 01 P1070989.jpg  02 P1070990.jpg  The next two images, on the other hand, show the stern completed. Another task to do is that now I have also to modify the pedestal that is not performing as well as I expected: in practice the choice I made of adopting only two hull supports instead of four was unsuccessful. See you next time, Jack.Aubrey. 03 P1070991.jpg  04 P1070993.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Thursday February 9th, 2012
During these days I didn't rest, on the contrary I began a lot of small tasks for my Soleil Royal. The problem is that these works are disorganized and there is no need to show them with images.
More in detail I worked a lot around the prow, the stem in particular, by continuing the application of the mahogany veneer. I have also prepared, in the same way, the rudder. Infact also this component was made with plywood and needed to be refined.
Then I'm preparing the small deck at the prow above the stem. I don't know the english term. It is an important element also to provide strength the the stem itself. Regarding the rudder I rejected another time the rudder gudgeons and pintles supplied with the kit and I built them using brass plates and tubes. I'm not too much confident with welding but my poor abilities in this matter were enough to achieve my target. I will also have to burnish them before installation.
Last, I definitely modified the pedestal to increase stability and handling. Cheers, Jack.Aubrey.
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Also today, February 10th, 2012, I spent the afternoon working for my Soleil Royal. I worked mainly around the prow platform/deck. I had to prepare the gratings in the proper shape and I had to refine the whole. I started in this way an activity that took me a lot of time because I was looking for a perfect result. Image 03 shows this platform with some refinements to be done. Later in the afternoon I completed it. The first two images show the prow and the stem, now 99% covered with the veneer strips. At this point I am very interested to see the colour of this detail after a coat of oil . . Last, image 04 shows the pedestal I modified sometime ago. Now it is more useful than the first version. The horizontal plank has the objective to simplify handling by supplying a secure grasp to the pedestal. I have also installed four rubber feet below the pedestal. Kind regards, Jack.Aubrey 01 P1070999.jpg  02 P1080003.jpg  03 P1070998.jpg  04 P1080007.jpg 
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Saturday February 12th, 2012 - The bow I have finished the bow platform/deck. I started to build this detail some days ago and I show its evolving in the previous message. When finished I installed immediately in its final place because it represents a reinforcement of the entire prow/stem. Infact this detail keeps together a significant part of the stem and the hull. In this point of time the stem is particularly weak if left totally free. 01 P1080019.jpg  02 P1080020.jpg  03 P1080021.jpg  04 P1080022.jpg  When the installation of this platform was completed I was so eager to see the wood colours of the whole prow complex that I applied immediately a coat of oil on some details, to see and appreciate its real appearance. I think the difference is so evident that it doesn't need any comment . . See you next time. Jack.Aubrey
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Rank: Vice-Master Groups: Registered
Joined: 28/05/2014 Posts: 938 Points: 2,823 Location: Milan (Italy)
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Saturday February 12th, 2012 - Rudder, pintles and gudgeons . . The first image presented here shows the rudder, made up with a piece of pre-cut plywood supplied with the kit and completely covered with strips of veneer, like the keel, the stern and so on. The work resulted well done and I am fully satisfied. In the same image there is also an attempt of product placement (I hope this is the right term): the book I used as background for this photo. This book describes with great detail of information the Trafalgar Campaign and Battle and, after having read it, I recommend this book to all the italian readers interested in marine history. 01 P1080010.jpg  Then I worked around the pintles and gudgeons. The elements supplied in the kit are commercial pieces, ready to be used and already bored. They can be seen in the image here below. But I reached the conclusion they were not good enough for me because they were built for being wedged on a 4mm stern, while in my case the need was for 6mm. In addition the gap between the rudder and the stern seemed me too much . . so I decided to build them from scratch. 02 P1080018.jpg  The next image shows the raw materials I used to build the pintles & gudgeons. A strip of brass cropped in the right measure from a sheet of the same material and a brass small tube. I found these raw materials in my "Used Shop Warehouse", so no additional expenses. As tools I used a electric soldering iron, some tin and a piece of wood of the same thickness of the stern and the rubber. 03 P1080015.jpg  First of all I "cooked" the brass on the gas cooker. This made the brass pliable. I placed the strips on the wood to give them a "U" shape. All the pieces were then clamped together and I welded the tube above the short side. After welding, I cut with the minidrill the tube obtaining the finished pieces. A final refinement with a file, followed by blackening and the job was done . . 04 P1080016.jpg  Now I have to bore these pieces, but I will do this as last step, when these pieces will be fixed on the hull. Into the bore I will insert the head of a nail, of the proper size. 05 P1080017.jpg 
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