hollowneck

I mentioned "Simulated wood carvings to P/E" in my last post. Here's what I use to turn the Vanguard's multilevel P/E into "wood:" 1. A base coat of Liquitex acrylic Raw Sienna and 2. a Citadel wash of Seraphim Sepia - both water soluble.
 
With Vanguard's "multi-level" P/E in the Sphinx kit (and I believe all other Vanguard kits with decorative P/E), it isn't necessary to add more than a paint and wash. However, on single level P/E, I simulate the thickness of a wood carving by applying a gesso - or a matte medium (both by Liquitex) - before painting. The gesso or matte dries fairly quickly and you may need more than one application.
 
The results for "carved wood" simulation are so much better looking than just sticking on a flat piece of P/E. I realize not all this P/E was actual carving on some ships but it is a good approximation of a hand painting technique which is difficult (to say the least) at modeling scales below 1:48.
 
Ron


The arrow points to the column decorations on the beautiful HMS Bellona model in the U.K. This also shows very clearly the colorations of these elements. I have chosen to paint my HMS Camilla gallery and stern light columns in white and the window sash and mullions in brown to simulate varnished wood, the reverse of the chosen colors in the kit's manual. I believe this choice creates a more historically accurate rendering. The frieze decorative painting on this particular model (trompe -'loeil - "fool the eye") is stunning; I want to do this someday - either directly on the finished bulwarks or by painting off the model on a piece of paper and then applying it. This won't happen until I build my first 1:48 model!
 
A correction: actually, the Sphinx manual shows that the decorative columns for both the galleries and the stern in gold, the window sash in white. Similar to this model of the Bellona, I'm using the gold color (Vallejo Liquid Gold as recommended) very sparingly and predominately on the stern where the color will act to highlight the one-piece, detailed resin casting; you can see the edge of the model's stern carvings finished in gold.
 
 

I mentioned "Simulated wood carvings to P/E" in my last post. Here's what I use to turn the Vanguard's multilevel P/E into "wood:" 1. A base coat of Liquitex acrylic Raw Sienna and 2. a Citadel wash of Seraphim Sepia - both water soluble.
 
With Vanguard's "multi-level" P/E in the Sphinx kit (and I believe all other Vanguard kits with decorative P/E), it isn't necessary to add more than a paint and wash. However, on single level P/E, I simulate the thickness of a wood carving by applying a gesso - or a matte medium (both by Liquitex) - before painting. The gesso or matte dries fairly quickly and you may need more than one application.
 
The results for "carved wood" simulation are so much better looking than just sticking on a flat piece of P/E. I realize not all this P/E was actual carving on some ships but it is a good approximation of a hand painting technique which is difficult (to say the least) at modeling scales below 1:48.
 
Ron


The arrow points to the column decorations on the beautiful HMS Bellona model in the U.K. This also shows very clearly the colorations of these elements. I have chosen to paint my HMS Camilla gallery and stern light columns in white and the window sash and mullions in brown to simulate varnished wood, the reverse of the chosen colors in the kit's manual. I believe this choice creates a more historically accurate rendering. The frieze decorative painting on this particular model (trompe -'loeil - "fool the eye") is stunning; I want to do this someday - either directly on the finished bulwarks or by painting off the model on a piece of paper and then applying it. This won't happen until I build my first 1:48 model!
 
A correction: actually, the Sphinx manual shows that the decorative columns for both the galleries and the stern in gold, the window sash in white. Similar to this model of the Bellona, I'm using the gold color (Vallejo Liquid Gold as recommended) very sparingly and predominately on the stern where the color will act to highlight the one-piece, detailed resin casting; you can see the edge of the model's stern carvings finished in gold.
 
 

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

Nicely done.

Thank you for going into a lot of detail on how you built and rigged the tiny pop-gun cannons.  I struggled on Syren, and I can see part of the problem was doing it with the cannons already glued to the deck.  Much easier to do as much as you can before mounting.  
 
I'm one of those that needs some lessons in tying knots.  No fishing experience, and I've seen the standard knot diagrams which I find a bit confusing.  I can see quad-hands is very useful for this, and I'm sure many other things, so will get one of those.  In general, I've gotten frustrated doing knots, so invariably resort to simple overhand ones.  Unless you take closeups, it's often hard to tell the difference, but I'd still like to learn how to do it the correct way.  There's always a reason why certain knots are used. 
 
I've used weathering powder a little on model airplanes, there are many brands.  On Syren I used some on the white hull of the long boat to dull it slightly making it look not quite so clean white.  Also used it to darken or take the shine off the tan rigging line a little by rubbing line between by fingers with weathering powder (this was with model expo rigging line included in the kit).  Some of the airplane guys do incredible weathering on their models.  Might be something to think about on future model ship.
 
I'm always amazed at how good your work looks in closeup photos!

The Deck
As seen in my last post I have made and painted most of the deck furniture. I elected not to paint anything black and instead spent a lot of time removing char so that some could be left natural with just a single coat of WOP. Some of the pretty boxwood deserved not to be painted over.
 

 
I tried to draw a balance between what was red and what is natural, try as I might I couldn’t remove a satisfactory amount of char from the winch, so red it became. It had its own challenges besides that, one of the small resin ‘axels’ broke off so I had to replace it with a bit of brass rod, after it was assembled the other side broke, that I just had to glue. I’m sure it was my fault but in my opinion the resin winch would be less of a wench wth a brass rod all the way through for stability, the thin plastic is a tad fragile. (PS: don’t tell my wife I borrowed one of her sushi serving dishes).
 

 
As I assembled the pumps it dawned on me there was no way for the water to drain as it is presented in the instructions. So I drilled a hole in the side the dowel about a third of the way in. After drilling a hole in the center of a smaller dowel and painting the inside Admiralty Paints Ironworks Black (left rough on purpose) plus a brush of weathering powder I cut it to a few millimeters and inserted that into the drilled hole - and now water can flow across the deck. Of course I added weathering power to the metal parts after painting them Ironworks Black. Once I had them fitted to the deck I stopped short of gluing them in. Looking ahead to the rigging diagrams I noted there are a number of ropes passing through and belayed around the winch and main bits. Those would be difficult to access working around the pumps, so I’ll pull them out and glue them in once the rigging in that area is complete.
 

 
With everything made it was time to complete the deck work, first up was the port battery. It’s a little bit amazing I used everything in this photo to build 14 of the tiny little cannon shown sitting in the middle. A production line of sorts and a great deal of patience is required to make these little dudes. As small as they are they take the same steps as a larger version, just less to hold on to, along with various tools and jigs.
 

 
As I noted in the earlier post, for the starboard battery I used commercial eyebolts and rings on the cannon and the kit provided PE versions on the bulwarks. Again I rigged the breaching ropes off the ship, first making them with a jig, then attaching one to each cannon. I glued the cannon to the deck and then the breaching rope to the bulwarks in that order. Again apologies to Derek for any part I played in his rigging the gun tackle on his Speedy, no way would I attempt that on this model. The barrels first were primed with black and the weathering powder added before assembly. I also weathered the trunnions after bending them on my little jig, then adding them to the carriages. One installed I used my soft weathering brushes to buff up the barrels. The resin barrels in the kit are so much nicer than the old brass or cast metal versions, they have nice detail and finish up easily. Definitely a major upgrade.
 
 

 
 

 
With that the deck is complete. I didn’t get out the cameral or lighting gear for this, just an off-white cloth, my work lights, and my iPhone 12 Pro. While it takes pretty decent photos it did create a lot of white balance problems with my off-white cloth. So anyway, here are some quick and basic photos.
 

 
The stern, with a visit from Admiral Cochrane.
 

The bow and midships. I had a bit of trouble with the chimney. This is a folding piece of brass PE, which is nice as long as you fold it the right way, I didn’t and ended up with a piece broken off which I glued back on with CA. I painted it Ironworks Black on top of the black primer and added weathering powder. I use Rusty Brown almost always as I did here (the name is misleading given the effect), however for fun I coated the inside and top edge of the chimney Smokey Black rather thickly and didn’t buff it. It came out kinda nice and provides an excellent touch of detail to the deck.
 

 

 
And midship. Here you can see I used 8mm belaying pins from Crafty Sailor. Unlike most commercial wood belaying pins these are much more in scale, they come in multiple lengths, I may could have gone down a millimeter, but this length will come in handy once rigging begins.
 
The last step for the deck is the channels, strops, and deadeyes, and that’s up next.  Thank you for stopping by, for the likes, and especially the comments.  Until next time…

Damn, Glenn, that is gorgeous, a real 'Museum Quality' example if ever I saw one!
 
Gobsmackingly good.

Finishing the hull
 
The last step for completing the hull are the channels, strops, and deadeyes.
 

 
In anticipation of that I sanded and finished (with WOP of course) my walnut mounting stand and epoxied the brass pedestals using a scrap of the same board size as the keel for alignment. All of my models are mounted this way, I like the polished look of the finished walnut and brass not to mention the firm, epoxied attachment of the model to the board. As I mentioned way back at the beginning of this log I drill the holes for this mount at the start of the build well past the keel into the bulkhead former for strength. I also add a brass plate with the name and year (so I remember), Flirt’s plate is on the way.  Halex Awards is a fast, economical source for these plates.
 

 
Can’t pass up the chance to use my fancy tools, The mill is handy here as a drill press to drill straight and centered holes in the back side of the channels for placing the mounting pins.
 

 
With those pins (the brass nails from the kit cut to size) glued in the next step is bringing out the air brush for painting the channels Admiralty Dull Black. I like the look of the airbrush painted parts on Flirt, though I’m not sure its necessarily faster than brush painting. As I’ve mentioned it takes as long to clean properly the airbrush as it does to paint with it, still it’s worth it. Glad I’ve come over to the dark side with airbrushing…just for some things, I still prefer brush painting.
 

 
Here’s my collection of tools used to for adding the deadeyes to the strops and that assembly to the hull via the channels. The colored band on the tools are also an idea I got from my dentist, making them easy to identify when I’m reaching for them I got them from a dentist supply website.
 
Kit PE strops can be a real pain to assemble, however Vanguard has done as good a job as I’ve seen with Flirt, all one piece with enough etched detail to provide as realistic appearance as you can get and making assembly an easier task. Of course nothing about forcing apart the loop wide enough to insert the deadeye is ever that easy.
 
I first primed the PE strops and then painted them Admiralty Iron Works Black, which held up pretty well to the stretching, I added the tape around my pliers (which on this particular pair have no grip on the business end, just flat metal) to further minimize scratching - still I had touch up work to do which I did with 20/0 and 10/0 brushes, I like coordination and dexterity tests…
 

 
This drill, which is actually a battery powered screwdriver with a separate drill chuck attachment, I found on Amazon via the courtesy of another MSW member, it is perfect for this gentle work. Although a bit bulky, it is slow, exactly what I want for drilling a hole that can’t be too deep. It’s almost like spinning the pin vise myself in terms of rotation speed, this delicate work doesn’t need Dremel speed.
 
 

 
I got the required angles by measuring the distance between the bottom of the strops using the plans and the next strop. It’s a slow process but there’s only 26 total, so it didn’t take long to complete.
 
And with that the hull is complete. Here are a few photos, just using my off white cloth and iPhone. (you may notice the pumps are not aligned, recall I have not glued them in so I can remove them later to work on the rigging around the wench and bits).
 

 

 

 

 

 

 
I’ve enjoyed the build of this Vanguard Models Master Shipwright Version hull. Chris has a great design and puts so much into little extras I didn’t notice or think about until I compared them mentally to other models I’ve made in the past. The design, the very detailed instructions (thanks @James H), and the quality of all the components and wood results in a model that modelers of all skill levels can be successful building, if they take their time of course. So thanks @chris watton!
 
I am not leaving Flirt as an “admiralty model,” I intend to fully rig her starting with making my own boxwood masts. However at this point I am going to place this build on ‘Pause.’ Absolutely nothing to do with this wonderful kit, it’s just that the pull of starting Winchelsea has become too strong. With the hull complete I’m at a good point to temporarily shelve Flirt, pause this log, and begin Winchelsea.
 
Thank you for following this build, I appreciate the likes and especially the comments. I hope you’ll join me as I begin my Winchelsea log linked below in my signature.
 
 

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Glenn, this kit is a gem - however, it is not for the faint-of-heart. The tolerances are the tightest I've yet encountered in a kit build - which, is a good thing. Despite little niggling details that are for the most part, very minor annoyances, the results of Chris' design is that he demands a level of attention that kicks the entire build up by several notches. One of those notches being the one at the prow!...haha (joke).😂
 
I see on your log that you've taken delivery of a second Sphinx kit from Vanguard. Bravo.
Measure once, build twice, I say!
 
Ron
 
 

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.
 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.
 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.
 
Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣
 
 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.
 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.
 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.
 
With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.
 
I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.
Ron
 
 
 

Thanks for the support and comments.   
 
I will say, this is NOT the fault of the kit.  I just blew it is all.  As for the joints on this side being all in a row, it was intentional.  I did shift on the other side (the first one I finished).  Both sides were about a 3rd of the way done working one plank at a time and alternating between sides.  Then I just focused on the first side and realized I messed up the planking.  So finished the second side realizing that sand-fill-sand and paint was the answer at this point.
 
Chris has a good method.   I looked again at Belle Poule and the photos, etc. of the ill-fated Licorne.  I know damn well I can do better and will next time.  Be a bit better organized, etc. 
 
Now to carry on and do the best I can do and learn from it... or maybe it's "re-learn" from it.  
 
 

May I suggest next time at least using overlapping thirds so all the joints aren’t in one place. 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.
Ron
 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.
 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 
 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.
 


Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!
 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).
 
 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.
 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.
 
 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.
 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).
 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.
 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.
 

Clare,
I opened P'Shop and re-rezzed some of my photos for my Takes A Village and I think this fixed the upload interpolation problem!...enjoy.
I'm going to post these now to MSW gallery since I've figured out the problem which has been preventing me from contributing these to the MSW forum.
You get an early peek!!🤩
 
Thanks for the incentive!!
Best,
Ron
PS there's only one in this batch that didn't take on my fix...sorry

Ron
I do need to learn how to measure. I have learnt such alot from the first build so I am hoping the 2nd build will be much better, planning to start work on the v2 kit in the next couple of weeks, once I have finished with the forecastle and quarterdeck.

There is a slight gap on mine also, but I made a right mess when I installed the left hand side. I had to rip it off and reglue due to a misalignment on my part.