HMS Victory and Le Redoutable at Trafalgar (1/300)

[wefalck]

... and how did you make the blocks?

[marijn van gils]

Many thanks guys!

Yes, I should include a finger or a lucifer more often in the photographs...

... and how did you make the blocks?

Good question! I made them years ago, so I barely remember myself now...

Basically, I scratchbuilt a small series of masters of each type and size, and had a friend cast these in resin.
I used more or less the system used for scratchbuilding wooden blocks in larger scales, but I did it in styrene and of course smaller (and I added the strops already in the masters).
The process is explained in more detail with photographs here:
viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167367&start=660#p966067

The smallest size (1 mm) can serve for 10 to 11 inch blocks.
For smaller blocks, I am using discs that I punch from styrene sheet with a punch and die set. These are round however, so I slice a sliver from two opposing sides so they look more oval. The strop and sheave openings are only painted on.
I didn't need anything smaller than 1mm on the bowsprit, but I did for the mizzen. The block hanging from the starboard end of the crossjack yard is one of them:

Any chance you can share some details on how you created those ropes in this scale?

Of course!
The ropemaking is easy: I just twisted strands of copper wire together. I used a small lathe, which is convenient, but a powerdrill clamped to a table would work fine too. I took this technique from the books of Philip Reed. His 'Period Ship Modelmaking' explains it best.
I used different diameters of wire to get different diameters of 'rope'.
Twisting 2 or 3 strands together doesn't result in a different appearance of the 'rope', but it does create a slightly larger diameter.
They can be straightened by pulling gently from both ends.

Most of the ropes were painted before gluing to the model. I used two layers of Humbroll enamels, pulling each wire between a paintbrush and a puddle of paint, and hanging it from a shelf with double-sided tape to dry.

They were all drybrushed with one or two lighter shades of paint to bring out the 'rope' texture. I did this mostly after gluing them in place. But I think, in the future I will often do it before installing them instead, because that would often be easier and faster.

All of that is easy. The hard parts are:
- Not to kink them too much while handling. This is mostly solved by leaving some extra length for handling for as long as possible.
- Not to damage any rigging already in place. This mostly takes planning: first glue in place what will not be in the way of other lines.
And for both: yes, you need to be a little carefull...

Any idea how are you going to tackle the shrouds?

Yes! Because I already did the lower mizzen shrouds on Victory.
But that was also already some pages ago: viewtopic.php?f=59&t=167367&start=1240#p1059770

I also took the technique from the same Philip Reed book.
I had to crumble and drape those shrouds over the hull. But damaging them and making them hang over the ships sides in a convincing way was actually much harder than making them 'undamaged'. So I feel confident about those!


I would like to do some more details step-by-steps of the rigging in the future. That will be for August though, because for my holiday abroad I want to take some figures (much easier to fly with than a ship model!).

[Dan K]

Love that bowsprit and rigging.

[marijn van gils]

Thank you Dan!

[SG1]

Beautiful, beautiful work!

[TF17Greg]

Beautiful, beautiful work

[Joelle]

I am always amazed when I see this wonderful gem.

[marijn van gils]

Thank you very much guys!

[Frank Spahr]

Thanks for a view of the dizzy heights a master modeler like you can take the hobby, Marijn...

Flabbered and Gasted, Comprehensively

Frank

[hypno7]

This is incredible work Marijn! Your work inspires (and intimidates) my efforts in ship modeling.

[zs180]

Getting better and better with each update!
I am looking forward to more years of awe-inspiring evolution of this phenomenal work of art.

[pascalemod]

The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn? It looks like 1:96 scale or smth similar. I can only imagine how awesome it will look in person, please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person.

[marijn van gils]

Many thanks guys!

The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn?

I'm using a Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro OS HSM for Canon for the close-ups. A sturdy tripod and a good amount of light are also important.
BTW, the depth of field in these photo's is much more than would physically be possible. I'm using a focus stacking program for that: Helicon Focus, as described here by John Leyland: http://www.modelwarships.com/features/h ... /tips.html

please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person.

Since I haven't finished any models recently , I have been taking the work-in-progress to any show I attend.
The next days, I'll be at the World Model Expo in Versailles: https://wme2025.com/
In October, I'll go to Scale Model Challenge in Veldhoven: https://www.scalemodelchallenge.com/
And within Belgium, I always visit the Belgian Scale Modellers Convention in Putte in December: https://www.bsmc.be/
There may be more this year, but nothing certain yet.
Hope to see you at a show some day!

[pascalemod]

Many thanks guys!

The photography is fantastic btw, which lens are you using Marijn?

I'm using a Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro OS HSM for Canon for the close-ups. A sturdy tripod and a good amount of light are also important.
BTW, the depth of field in these photo's is much more than would physically be possible. I'm using a focus stacking program for that: Helicon Focus, as described here by John Leyland: http://www.modelwarships.com/features/h ... /tips.html

please keep us posted where you plan to exhibit this, Im afraid its no longer acceptable only you get to enjoy looking at it in person.

Since I haven't finished any models recently , I have been taking the work-in-progress to any show I attend.
The next days, I'll be at the World Model Expo in Versailles: https://wme2025.com/
In October, I'll go to Scale Model Challenge in Veldhoven: https://www.scalemodelchallenge.com/
And within Belgium, I always visit the Belgian Scale Modellers Convention in Putte in December: https://www.bsmc.be/
There may be more this year, but nothing certain yet.
Hope to see you at a show some day!

Well familiar with Helicon Focus! Have that myself too. Sure makes models look impressive and "bigger".

[wefalck]

I may be in Versailles next Sunday ...

[marijn van gils]

Did you get there Eberhard?
Even though the practical organisation was not exactly top notch, the people and models present made it an unforgettable show! Three days was still not long enough...



The last couple of weeks, I have been doing some more rigging.
But in July, I went on a holiday abroad and needing something easy to transport on the aeroplane. So, I did another batch of figures.

These figures will populate the foreground of the diorama, manning the small boats and clinging to wreckage:


With dioramas, composition is paramount. So, I started by selecting suitable figures and mocking up their positions. Note that a lot of them will still need to converted after this.

From right to left:
A British launch, with its crew rowing (oars will be added only when installing the painted figures in the boat and the sea):


Sailors clinging to some spars and waving to that launch:


Crew on some floating pieces of mast, with a small cutter trying to take some of them aboard:


And some last sailors on a piece of mast:


In the above photos, some figures are lying flat on the sea while they should be hanging down in the water, like the photo below. I will need to carve holes for them in final seascape.


Then I converted part of the figures, stuck them on toothpicks, gave them a �primer� coat of Humbroll flesh, and took them on the holiday where I painted them. The numbers on the toothpicks prevent me from forgetting where they will go on the diorama (n�1: on the floating mast at the left; n�5: in the launch; �).


Sorry, I didn�t take any step-by-step photos of all of that�
I can also not show them installed in their final position, because that will only happen near the end of the entire project, after the ships are fixed in the seascape etc.

But I can show you how I transported them on the plane!
I stuck them firmly to the lid of a plastic container with Blue-Tac:


When closed, it is a compact but sturdy package. It is also transparent, so if necessary it is easy to show what�s inside:


There is just enough headroom to be safe inside my hand luggage:


A bit of cling foil makes sure it can�t open by accident, while being easy to remove if asked to open it up at the X-ray machine (which didn�t happen):


Paints and tools went in the main luggage. You don�t want scalpels etc. showing up in the X-rays!


I forgot to take a sheet of PE with me on the trip, so I had to do the following after returning home:

I make swords and bayonets (scabbards) from sections of PE (the handguard of the swords is a bent piece of thin copper wire):


Horizontal sections of 1/700 railing are perfect for this. Straight pieces for bayonets, and curved (�chain�) railing for curved swords. I prefer stainless steel for this, as it doesn�t bend as easily when accidentally touched.


And painted:

[Devin]

Amazing work as always. I trust this will be on display at SMC in October?

[Dan K]

There's something very disturbing about all those crewmen being staked.

Marijn the Impaler?

[Joelle]

Wow, that look so fantastic

[SG1]

! ! ! A W E S O M E ! ! ! Am stunned. Are you planning to add any shark fin sailing the surface of the sea or a shark's shadow glimpsing under the surface? (sporadic and distant from the castaways if you do, it could work -oceanic whitetips usually don't take long to show up at the scene of a shipwreck - https://ioa.factsanddetails.com/article/entry-190.html -)
Incredible conversion work and painting of the figures. Well done!