Dave's Model Ships

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2011-07-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your visit. Please enjoy.

My Two La Couronnes

2008-12-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

Using them for my personal training in the art of scratch building model ships, I built the La Couronne twice. The second build, 25% larger scale, turned out considerably better than the first.

With this photo, I am trying to show the difference in size of the two ships.

Obviously the La Couronne in the background is the new project.

Both La Couronne's

2008-12-17T18:10:00.000-08:00

I think this does a better job of showing the increase in size.

La Couronne II Finished

2008-12-14T13:10:00.000-08:00

Finally finished La Couronne II this morning. Compared to the first model, I would say this is a considerable improvement.

I'm pleased to be finished with the La Couronne's and can now move on to my next build.... HMS Victory.... a much more complex project. Just hope I'm up to it.

Mid Ship Rigging

2008-12-14T13:09:00.000-08:00

Mid ship rigging.

2008-12-14T13:07:00.000-08:00

Fore mast rigging.

2008-12-02T13:12:00.000-08:00

Most of the bowsprit rigging is now complete.

2008-12-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

The "lateen yard" is now hanging from the mizzen mast.

The shrouds and ratlines are nearing completion.

An interesting note regarding ratlines and shrouds (the rope ladders that go up each mast).

When completed, there will be over fifteen hundred (1,500) knots (clove hitches) attaching the ratlines from shroud-to-shroud.

I sometimes tie them in my sleep.

2008-12-02T12:52:00.000-08:00

I guess it's time for an update on my current La Couronne model.

At this point, the standing rigging is beginning to take shape.

2008-11-18T13:10:00.000-08:00

Here is the current state of progress of my La Couronne model number two.

You can see that I have now applied all of the cannon-port doors with brass hinges.

You can also see that I have begun some of the rigging. The "stays" are in place in order to keep the masts from being pulled out of alignment during the process of rigging the shrouds.
The ships boat has also been stained and is mounted in place.

You can see La Couronne I lurking off at a distance. I hope she doesn't decide to attack!

2008-11-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

There are six of these tops to be made.

Each one requires at least 2 to 3 hours work.

The most time consuming part I would guess is the tiny rail spindles. Starting with round toothpicks, each one must be reduced to about 1/32" at the point in order to fit into the holes drilled in the rim of the top.

The "ribs" you see around the center area is also made of toothpicks.

Just another day at the office.

2008-11-12T14:29:00.000-08:00

Guess I might as well show you the poker table while we're at it.

Custom poker tables was my final business before I retired a couple of years ago. "Regal Poker Tables" - You can find them online. I sold out to a competitor "DK Poker Tables".

I still think they are the finest custom poker tables in the world. But then, what else would you expect from me?

My Work Table

2008-11-12T14:17:00.001-08:00

After spending most of my working career sitting behind a desk with a phone stuck to my ear, THIS is what I call a "work station"!

Retirement is soooo kooool!

Oh, by the way.... right behind the chair, just out of camera range, is my poker table where my little group meets every Tuesday night for our Texas Hold'em tournament.

2008-11-10T11:19:00.000-08:00

Oh.... check out the little Fleur de Lis' my friend JW Miller came up with.

No way could I have fashioned these with my Dremel Tool. Much too small to get the detail and consistency to look acceptable.

There will be about 40 of these ornamenting the sides of the ship!

JW created them on metal foil with an adhesive back using his laser machine.

2008-11-10T11:09:00.000-08:00

The Chain Plates - Again, since this ship model is not a kit, I am having to fashion all of the parts from whatever materials I can come up with. The chain plates were a considerable challenge due to their scale and function.

Using metal rods, each plate was hammered flat and then, using a grinding wheel on my Dremel Tool, I was able to shape them with a tiny hook in one end that fastens to the dead-eye and drill a hole in the other end which is bolted to the ships hull (looks like a tiny crowbar huh).

Each brass nail is snipped from brass wire and "headed" by tapping one end with a tack hammer.

The metal "strops" around each dead-eye is fashioned from florist wire.

I placed the little ships boat in the picture for no related reason..... just showing off some detail work.

2008-11-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

NEW La Couronne.... Now here's the way it should have been done in the first place.

The dead-eyes are "stropped" with metal rings forming a loop at the bottom which passes through the channel and is fastened to metal "chain plates"

The chain plates are mounted on the hull at angles which should point in line with the direction of the shroud to which they are attached.

2008-11-10T10:48:00.000-08:00

SOME BIG ERRORS IN MY FIRST PROJECT!!!

By far, the single biggest fou-pa I made in the building of my first La Couronne was in the method of attaching the dead-eyes to the channels. I completely misinterpreted the small picture I had to go by. Since I did not build the ship from a "kit", which would have provided more details, and being a complete novice at this hobby, it appeared that the channels were supported with simple braces attached to the hull (as seen in this picture).

BAD WRONG!

Another mistake - I placed the main channels much too far forward, thinking that it should be somewhat centered on the mast..... also WRONG!

Finally, you can see that one of the round cannon ports is blocked by the second dead-eye from the aft. Can't do that!!!

2008-11-07T18:23:00.000-08:00

The carving on the head of the stem is depicting the figure of a man mounted on a beast-headed serpent.

I may take another pic of this feature since this one doesn't quite show the details.

2008-11-07T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a closeup of the method used to build out the masts.

The crossed lumber (called "cross-trees") will support the tops (the platforms) found at the joining of each mast to another. The "top" is the platform most of usually think of as the "crows nest".

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a "crows nest" except for maybe a place where crows lay their eggs and raise their little chicks. Just a guess.

2008-11-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

The La Couronne has a number of very unique design features, one of which was the mounting of eight forward pointing cannons.

To me, this just does not seem very practical with all the rigging (not yet attached) out in front of the little bow deck.

Then there are the cute little gallerias hanging off each side. I do not think I would want to be in one of those quarters during a heavy storm.

The "Bowsprit" will soon be attached. That is the mast that sticks out from the bow.

2008-11-04T13:36:00.000-08:00

I like the new carvings on the stern much better than the carvings on my first attempt ....the little railing you see across the stern balcony are another improvement in detail.

I'm not sure exactly what the actual historic carvings were since I have found at least two different versions. One source shows only two windows off the stern, while another source shows five windows. I'm not going to lose any sleep over which is more accurate.

2008-11-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

The stern galleries are done in much greater detail than the first project.

The middle quarters is planked on this model, where it was not planked on the first.

The peeks of the domed galleries have gold ornaments applied.

The gold ornamentation's decorating the sides were carved from basswood.

2008-11-04T13:27:00.000-08:00

Fast forward another four weeks.

The deck is beginning to take shape. Cannons are all mounted.

Ladders and railings all in place.

Note the gold carvings guarding the doors to the quarters on the second deck.

2008-11-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

OK.... now we're getting into some serious stuff.

All of the cannons (64 of them) are turned on my wood lathe from solid oak dowels. Each gun is secured in place with block and tackle rigging just like the real thing.

They actually fire tine-tiny little cannon balls..... kidding!!!

2008-11-04T13:17:00.000-08:00

Another view of the deck construction. Note the little doors to the ships quarters below the upper galley deck.

2008-11-04T13:10:00.000-08:00

Planking the deck.... note that the cannons are also mounted on the lower deck.

All of the decking is planked with oak strips separated with a strand of black nylon fishing line. Each joint has four pegs fashioned from round toothpicks.... a lot of toothpicks.

2008-11-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

Very big event today (for me).

As you can see, I am now very close to closing up the planking of the hull.

Within the next couple of hours, I will lay in the last planks against the keel.

Then lots of sanding..... sander sealer..... staining......and finally three or four coats of clear lacquer.

Then I can start playing with in the tub!!!

Note: Two days later.... The "couple of hours" stated above turned out to be more like SIX hours! Now I know why I could never be a custom builder. I would go broke quoting my labor costs!

2008-11-04T10:02:00.000-08:00

So I decided to build the same ship again..... bigger and better.
As soon as I finished the first project, I began working on "La Couronne II".

The new ship is being built on a scale of 1:100 (about 25% larger than the first ship).
For one thing, the larger scale allows for much more detail, and that was a primary objective in doing the second project.

I think you will see my point with the following pics of project #2.

La Couronne I Finished

2008-11-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

I kind of wish I had taken a few more shots of this first project during the development stages, but since I didn't, the next pic is a fast forward (several weeks) to the finished project.

TA-DA!!!

I present to you the "La Couronne" - 1636

Best I can guess, I probably put something like 600 hours in this ship. Sounds like a lot of work huh. I actually prefer to think of it as 600 hours of not sitting on my butt in front of the TV.

2008-11-03T19:40:00.000-08:00

Foredeck View - Note the little stowed anchor.

2008-11-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

2008-11-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

Bow View - Note the figure head carving on the stem. It is little man riding on a big hunting bird.

2008-11-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

Midship View

2008-11-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

Stern View

2008-11-03T17:27:00.001-08:00

Bow View - More railing around the foredeck and bow stem. Ever heard of the saying "Stem-to-stern"...... well here's the "stem".

2008-11-03T17:19:00.001-08:00

Midship view - Note the little ships boat in the lower deck.

The railing spindals were all created by turning round toothpics into the shape.

2008-11-03T17:11:00.000-08:00

This is the stern decks and the cute little gallery's attached to sides.

You can also see a couple of the little cannons mounted on the main deck.

2008-11-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

So I broke out my old Dremel tool and went to work. After several weeks of spending several hours a day in my shop, I was beginning to feel pretty good about the progress.

Here are a few of the first pics I took just to share with some friends.

At this point I thought I was getting pretty close to finishing the project.......WRONG!

Beginning with the plan

2008-11-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

I found the plans for building this magnificent historic warship - "La Couronne" on a website. Since I was actually looking for information on another great ship, "Victory", which I built some 35 years ago. I was amazed to find that there was actually an entire set of detailed plans for this ship.... everything a person would need to build the fully rigged model from scratch without purchasing an expensive kit.