JeffT

@The Art of Age of Sail, I was looking for materials about the Indefatigable around 2017 and your reconstruction was almost the first I encountered then, so I clearly remember it.
 
I think the model in Naval Action/Ultimate Admiral computer games is also based on your project.

Thank you for that, the original build was in 2014, but close enough!

But MarisStella are not responsible for the design. It's from the same designer behind MarisStella's Ontario and Speedy kits -- we have reviews of both kits in the reviews section. Neither kit has yet been the subject of a build log, probably because both are pretty expensive compared to comparable kits from other manufacturers. Speedy is available from ModelExpo for $700, which is roughly twice the cost of the same subject from Vanguard Models. Ontario is also available from ME for the eye-watering price of $825.

Lower Foremast Shrouds Completed
After a few days work I have finally completed adding the ratlines to the lower foremast shrouds. There were a total of 588 clove hitch knots required to complete the task and I am pleased with the end result. They are not perfect but they are a marked improvement compared with my previous builds.
 
I am now contemplating what I should tackle next. I am currently leaning toward constructing the bowsprit.
 
The natural thread used for the ratlines will be coated with black Indian ink, but I will probably wait until all the ratlines have been added before I do this.


I have included a few pictures of the decks.

Better to use PVA only along the inside edges of the deck, and around the inside of the deck openings, but not so close to the edge that allows the glue to seep out.

Upper wing is now completed.
 

 
I plan to build all of the major sub-assemblies -- wing, empennage, landing gear -- off the model and then add them later. Next up is the empennage. Parts have been cut out -- still need a little prep work.

 

Both anchors have been assembled:
 

 
Next, is the insertion on the model.
 
Yves

Progress update. Finished all the hull stuff. A couple odds and ends to clean up but I'll do that in the end. Pressing on to building the boats and starting the rigging.
 

Another short update. I finally got all the deck stuff done. Struggling with some health issues the past several months so I've been a little slower than usual.
 

Another quick progress update. Most of the outer hull work is done. I ended up using water based wipe-on poly to secure the photo etch details and it worked out very well. It ended up being pretty easy to do.
 
Its turning out to be a very nice looking model.
 

Progress update. It looks like I'm a little behind on my build log. I finished most of the main hull work, just have to put the photo etch details on. Here is a couple of pics of the progress. 
 
I wanted to show how I'm assembling the ladders. I was struggling to get them squared up properly. I used an angle block to steady things up (shaky hands).
 
Here I clamped one side of the ladder to a machinist square and lined up the slot just a hair above the top of the square.

 
Then I glued the ladder step on with just a tiny bit of CA glue to be sure it didn't stick to the metal. This worked great to make sure everything was square.

 
The ladder step sits flat on top of the square and I used the back of the square as a reference to line up the step.
 

 
I did one step on both sides of the ladder on opposite ends and ended up with this.

 
Then I glued both halves together and finished installing the steps. I reinforced the steps with glue on the back sides of the steps.

 
Current progress. I really struggled with getting the quarter galleries built but it turned out okay. I had to scratch build some of the parts as the kit parts just wouldn't work. I really screwed this up somehow.  I also had to butcher one of the lower pieces of PE to get tit to fit below the lower rail. Not sure why it turned out that way.
 
I'm not sure how I will approach the PE along the port and starboard. A couple of pieces are pretty long and somewhat easy to distort. I don't know yet how I will put them on the model. I may separate them into smaller pieces.
 
I painted the top of the channel knees black to cover up the char that remained.

 
Stern view. The PE on the right is slightly off target and may have to debond and fix it, or not. The stern and the rudder were both kind of like little models all by themselves. I enjoyed the process of completing them.

 
The bow. Not a great picture but I painted the inside of the bow parts blue to cover up the char.

 
I started assembling some of the deck components while I think about the PE. I chose to have the hinges and the door handles face outwards on the forward bulkhead. I just think its a nice detail to not hide. I had to make some adjustments to the deck beams as they were a little too wide. Probably because I couldn't use the jigs after I broke all the tabs off (accidentally). I test fitted all deck beams and most needed some adjustment. Of course that means the deck itself will need some work to get a good fit 🤔

 
 
 
 

A quick update. I finished the second layer of planking (finally). Added some filler in the area where it will be painted and sanded smooth, nothing too exciting. The next part is, at least for me. Laying in the foreground is the main wale piece. I don't trust my skills on trying to glue this on in one big piece. I'm going to use a scalpel and try very delicately to separate it into 3 pieces. The idea is to cut along the engraved lines to hide it as best as possible. If that doesn't work out I will just plank the wales with planking material. Onward and upward.

I finally have an update. I finished the first layer of planking. I was just winging it and wasn't really being too careful here as the second layer will cover everything up. I still have a bit of sanding and filling to do to make sure I have a nice smooth surface for the second layer.
 

 

 

 

Another quick update. As before, pretty much stuck to the instructions. The exception is that I painted all the bulwarks parts off the model. Next up is fairing the hull.
 

 

 

 

Current state of the sphinx. The only variation from the instructions is the extra support added along the false deck.
 

 

 

 

Well, I decided yo go ahead and get a jump on the Sphinx since I'm waiting for the instructions and plans for the Granado. A picture is worth a thousand words so not much to say here that's not already been said so here you go:
 
I have an extra set of hands to help out, thanks little dude
 

 
A courtesy dry fit shot
 

 
I wasn't sure how critical this was but wanted everything as squared as possible.
 

 

 
 

 
Pre-sanding all done. I was a little nervous about doing this off model but I just went for it.
 

 
On to the bow. Used the angle plate for this too to keep it all square.
 

 
All sanded. I left a little at the top until after attaching to the hull. I was a little worried about squaring this area off too much.
 

 
And here they are attached. All the bulkheads are glued on at this point. I glued the bulkheads on the old fashioned way...one at a time squaring each one along the way. The lower deck was glued on using the watered down glue method. I watered the glue down about 90/10. You may be able to see the pencil mark on the lower rear part of the stern section in the last picture. A little more will need to come off there when I do the final fairing.
 

 
 

 

 
 


 
This is the sander I used for the off hull work on the bow and stern. It seemed to work the best for me. This is an ADC mini sander with 150 grit.
 

Thanks!

Progress update. Finished all the hull stuff. A couple odds and ends to clean up but I'll do that in the end. Pressing on to building the boats and starting the rigging.
 

Quick update to let you all know the build is still progressing! Unfortunately no pics yet as I want the next pics to be impressive! I’ve been planking under the wales to the waterline in boxwood and it’s looking much neater. I find once you get into your battle rhythm with a build things start getting good.
 
I’ve increased the drill size for the trenails by one measure and there’s a good improvement in progress with no noticeable reduction of quality (I.e I’m not sitting there trying for 5min with every single trenail to squeeze an 0.6mm nail into a 0.65mm hole only to have it plink out of my tweezers across the room never to be seen again. It’s easier with an 0.7mm hole. Each plank has over 20 holes so you can imagine why progress is slow). It’s worth noting here - the HMS Diana models at the National Maritime museum, crafted at the time of the original ship likely for the first captain and admiralty… no bloody trenails. 
 
I was considering ripping out the upper wales that have the large visible nails but I think I’ll leave as-is. Port will be cleaner. 
 
I spent today cutting the planks for the counter out of ebony. They’re looking pretty good so far (they will likely fit). I cut them as pre-shaped pieces rather than risking bending them in two dimensions again (ebony fights this). I’m getting better at realising where things could mess up, slowing down and re-assessing my approach before cutting wood. 
 
Other noteworthy progress is that I’ve been studying both the captains log and the Boudriot 74 gun ship book 4 to get a better idea of what sails would be aloft. I need those sky sails up, and interestingly studdingsails could occasionally be set alternated, port on main mast, stbd on fore for example, not a symmetrical ‘all stunsls’ as one might imagine! Fore-topsl had its wind stolen too so that will be interesting to model! Also, don’t get me started on where the stay sail were set! I spent a good few hrs looking into that. 
 
Finally, I’ve decided it’s probably best to do all black hull planks on the upper in ebony too or it’ll look weird with altering textures and finishes. I’ll avoid this in the next model! (HMS Sophie).
 
Plus - there won’t be any blue or red hull paint. I can’t find any evidence of it in 1806 but there’s plenty of pictorial evidence of black/white/yellow stripes. The overall objective of this piece is for the sails to draw the eye so the lack of colour shouldn’t matter.  Hopefully the eye then closes in and notices the thousands of bloody trenails! I’m planning on gold leaf for the rear decoration though so that should look quite fancy. 

Thanks!

The Port side is sofar done. I will buy a paper cutter to cut the rest of the missing plates. I will start next with the Starboard side. It's not perfect, but I am happy the way it turned out. First time I did the copper plating. Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

About that
what I have planned for the Foredeck is to laminate the deck substrate with its camber out of 2 or 3 layers of .4mm ply over a form  the after end is housed in the heads and its forward end in the knightheads and its sides rebated into the bottom of the main rail which becomes the margin plank, therefore the deck is strong and not needing to be supported by frames at all. this means styrene can be used to create the framing seen under.
of course the samson posts and pillars will offer support though but the planking can be reduced in thickness to take up the thickness of the substrate.
2-3 layers of this .4mm 3 ply is very very stiff when laminated with epoxy, its surprising

A couple more shots of the forward longitudinals fitted, keep in mind they need to be clamped down flush with beams.
Also  the hatch coamings are not fitted yet, I have not cut them yet.

That a beautiful result so far!

Thank you Nils.👍
 
Post One Hundred and Nineteen.
 
 Back to the blunt end
Time to attend to the unfinished stern.
 I had figured out on the bow area how to finish the Pearwood mouldings and pilasters to be used on the stern.

3088
Vallejo Ochre Brown over the Pear followed by a coating of the water-based wood stain I used on the Boxwood hull timbers. This gives a fair match to the varnish hull finish.

3086
The stern is otherwise painted in Vallejo Black/grey.

3085

3084

3091

3093

3094
When it comes to the frames for the lights I have seen examples of white frames which look quite attractive. However, they would be the only white elements on the model so I am sticking with Ochre Brown.

3080
The frames are prepared on the fret, priming with Metal prep 4K, followed by two coats of Ochre brown.
 
The trickiest part of this exercise will be fitting the frames without marring the  ‘glass’ with glue smears.
 
Tomorrow’s interesting little exercise. 🫤
 
 
B.E.
18/12/2023