Donald Posted October 22, 2021 Report Share Posted October 22, 2021 (edited) Hi all, cold weather is forcing my "ship in bottle season" to open up. I have a wonderful, albeit large, model of The Sovereign of the Seas. I plan on restoring her in the future as the model is about a hundred years old. I bought it at an auction years ago and was later surprised to find tucked within her was a letter written by the gentleman that built it. I found a wonderfully large bottle on ebay and I decided to utilize the expertise and guidance of the Labistours' book "Making Ships In Bottles", and build this beautiful clipper ship within' it. As a newby I have learned a bit of what not to do via the "hard way". I have a collectors model of the Labistour's, that is among my absolute favorites. I found their book and I just love the methods, tips as well as the way it was written. I have fashioned a work stand per instructions and have begun the hull. That being said, I hope I can do the book justice. I found a book on how to make clipper models that included deck plans, sheer plans, breadth plans. rigging plans, jibboom plans etc. There is more detail than could be included on a S.I.B. but better too much information than the other way around. Edited October 22, 2021 by Donald duplicate pics IgorSky, Chasseur, John Fox III and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Fox III Posted October 23, 2021 Report Share Posted October 23, 2021 Greetings, Looks like a good start! Good luck with the build. Plenty of people around here can help you if you run into difficulties not covered in the book. Anchor's A Weigh! John Fox III exwafoo, Donald, Chasseur and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted October 28, 2021 Author Report Share Posted October 28, 2021 I am deviating slightly from the book, however I want to utilize the techniques within' for the majority of the build. Deviations are primarily for historical accuracy. I am going to try not to overthink too much, as I sometimes get lost in the tiny details, rather than producing a realistic facsimile of the ship overall. I have misplaced my pin vise and while I wait for a new one's arrival I have fashioned the basic hull shape, shaved some bulwarks, the bowsprit, a capstan, windlass, cats head timbers and a bit of planking in the fore. I don't know about anyone else, but I am pretty good at consistently creating a huge mess, just to produce a miniscule piece. Chasseur, Onni, Bernard Kelly and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chasseur Posted October 29, 2021 Report Share Posted October 29, 2021 Looking good!!!! Bernard Kelly, Donald, JesseLee and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLee Posted October 30, 2021 Report Share Posted October 30, 2021 The detail on what you have started looks pretty darn good! Bernard Kelly, exwafoo and Donald 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 2, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 2, 2021 (edited) Still waiting a pin vise, however in the meantime I fashioned a cabin with lifeboats fixed on top. The whole cabin is removable at the moment as a mast will be directly in front of it and may obstruct it's lowering. I put a bit-o-planking mid-ship and made a hatch. I'm going for a bit of a weathered look to her. I also ordered some photo etch anchors and the smallest "portholes" I could find, which have not yet arrived either. I know it's an "easy" way out but I was super disappointed in my attempts at those two. Edited November 2, 2021 by Donald JesseLee, Onni, Bernard Kelly and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 3, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2021 Placed a fife rail, made some bollards, steps, navigation lights etc. I rubbed a bit of ash into my planking to try to accentuate the seams with a little success. Making it appear weathered allows me an excuse to be less than super clean here and there. exwafoo, Bernard Kelly, Onni and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onni Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 Nice details,splendid job! Donald and JesseLee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2021 I believe I originally said I wouldn't try to overthink this one but the scale is such that it allows a lot more detail, and using tips from the Labastour's book it's fun. Onni, exwafoo and Bernard Kelly 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JesseLee Posted November 12, 2021 Report Share Posted November 12, 2021 Wow! You have quite the talent for miniature detail. This looks like a larger scale build. Donald, Bernard Kelly and Onni 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2021 My pin vise has actually been here for a bit, it's just about time to use it. I need to paint my chain black, then start on her masts and yards. John Fox III, Bernard Kelly, JesseLee and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 I started rigging her a bit. Since I got a bit prematurely excited and added deck details too early, I've had to remove some in order to rig her. I must have been quite tired last night since, as I look at the masts, the foremast is placed "bass-ackwards". The yards are tied to the rear instead of the front. In this case I am going to allow myself to be human and make mistakes rather than undoing what exists and starting over. I highly doubt anyone besides you folks and myself will ever know. Very frustrating though. JesseLee, Onni and Bernard Kelly 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted November 30, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 30, 2021 I was just peering at my 1st of 3 sets of masts and decided on second thought, that it will drive me mad if I don't fix it. It just won't get fixed today. Onni, Bernard Kelly and JesseLee 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onni Posted December 1, 2021 Report Share Posted December 1, 2021 I think that’s the right decision. Best to take your time to fix it . Donald 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2021 On 12/1/2021 at 3:14 PM, Onni said: I think that’s the right decision. Best to take your time to fix it . Agreed! I think I just misplaced my patience for a minute there. I would have hated it had I left it. Bernard Kelly and Onni 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 6, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 6, 2021 Got a bit of rigging done and will soon start on her bowsprit, followed by sails. Onni, John Fox III, Bernard Kelly and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 10, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 10, 2021 Covered the lifeboats on davits with "canvas", fairly happy with my bowsprit, though it appears messy with all the lines currently. Last night I hung up some silkspan and airbrushed it a yellow/brownish "aged" look for my sails. JesseLee, John Fox III, Onni and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 12, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 12, 2021 Hung a few sails, made a few "blocks", placed a white thread at waterline and at the rails. Alex Bellinger, Onni, JesseLee and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2021 Since the Sovereign of the Seas was designed and built in Boston Massachusetts, I decided to add the Boston Lighthouse as she, roughly, would have appeared in 1850. I ended up with a couple different types of clay laying around my house so I made the rocks and land from polymer clay in 3 sections, to fit through the neck, then baked them. The Lighthouse as well as the sea bed, I made from plastacine. I managed to get the "scene" in there and am fast approaching ...Bottling day. Onni, JesseLee and IOAN 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2021 I managed to squeeze her in there without disaster. I still need to adjust her yards, make a neck model and figure out how I will cork it. IOAN, JesseLee, exwafoo and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onni Posted December 19, 2021 Report Share Posted December 19, 2021 Very nice work indeed Donald. Well done. Donald and JesseLee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Posted December 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Onni said: Very nice work indeed Donald. Well done. Thank you Onni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alvaro004 Posted June 23, 2022 Report Share Posted June 23, 2022 Hi: Fantastic job...you have a magics hands. Greatings. JesseLee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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