cdrusn89

For those of you following the customs duty "saga" - UPS stopped a second time this PM and I now have both the Sphinx and Indy kits.

Customs (or whatever) charge was $45.67 total for both kits.

Pressing ahead with Saucy Jack until Monday anyway.

This is my first experience with customs duty on stuff from the UK.

I bought HMS Speedy a few years ago and although I had to certify by signing some form that the MDF in the kit was "okay" in some sense there was no customs duty. Likewise with a number of purchases from the SipwrightShop but never anything like the value of a Sphinx kit. Interestingly I also have an Indy kit coming and the customs duty (or whatever the charge) is the same as for the Sphinx in spite it being almost double the cost.

It is an ill wind - two more days to work on the Saucy Jack. might get the second layer of planking done by Monday.

New Sphinx kit has been delayed again - now $45.67 is customs duty is due "at delivery". I tried paying UPS on-line but that did not work for some reason so they will attempt delivery again on Monday - I will be sure to stay home Monday!

Anyway I have been working Saucy Jack and some of the other pieces of the Sphinx.

Here are the upper and lower capstans and the rudder (as far as I can go I think without the hull) joining the other pieces in the "to be installed someday" box.

When I went to add the outer "patterns" to the keel I noticed that in addition to the slots not being equidistant from the ends they are also not equidistant from the top (or bottom). Don't ask me how I know but it IS possible to get them on "upside down". I believe the correct orientation is with the larger portion toward the bottom of the keel. It IS possible to get at least one on the other way but the difficulty getting the second one on caused my to re-examine things and come to the above realization.

I moved on to the lower counter outer "pattern". Having learned that it is entirely possible for the part to slip while adding the rubber bands I decided to form the part first and then glue it down. As I have seen before, when completely dry the pear wood will retain the shape assumed when wet. Once that is done I will go back and add the outer keel (and stern post) patterns and get on with the second layer of planking.

New Sphinx kit has been delayed - now due Friday. Will concentrate on Saucy Jack and trying to bring some order out of the disorder before starting the new hull.

Thanks Rick!

Anyway i got the rest of the spars completed and have the appropriate blocks and such attached as per the instructions. The bowsprit and boom still have some extra length that makes for a handy place to grab them while applying the Wipe-on-Poly. For the spars I did that with a small disposable "brush" as trying to use a cloth is very hard around all the "stops" that seem to be attached at every opportunity.

I also have the hull in good enough shape to proceed. to my dismay I find that the primer plus filler that I previously bought at an auto parts store is no longer carried. IO tried some Rust-oleum Primer plus filler from Walmart but I either bought the wrong one or this is a very different product from what I used before as the filler clogs up the sand paper in very short order - which did not happen with whatever ir was I used previously - of course I do not have a can lying around.

So now to trim up the over long spars and start preps for hull planking layer 2.

The rudder ready for the paint booth.

I will take a chance that I can use this rudder to set the waterline on the new hull. Otherwise I would have to leave the rudder "as is" and wait until I have the hull waterline established which is probably several months in the future. And I can always build another rudder although I would not be looking forward to cutting the heads of another six dozen brass pins.

I believe the new Sphinx kit will be here Thursday. I am still trying to figure out the best way to proceed without becoming hopelessly confused about which part is where. That is a big enough problem with just one box (and a large box it is) to content with.

Main and top mast completed just need to add the line to the double block on the aft side of the lower mast cap - it will be the throat halyard for the gaff.

The two pieces are not yet glued together. Too much opportunity for damage with long, thin "things".

Working the other spars and the hull is in the paint booth for its first coat of primer + filler. Will let that dry overnight and the prepare for the second "try".

The replacement HMS Sphinx kit looks to be here on Thursday so I need to keep pressing on the Saucy Jack. I would like to get it to the stage where I can work on it a little at a time while I rebuild the Sphinx hull.

With filler on the port side of the hull drying I turn my attention to the spars.

Six spars but only three (bowsprit,main and topmast) need tapering. I am not crazy about the dark colored wood but since they are all the same and since making relatively long thin spars out of rectangular stock can get pretty tricky I will use these.

Also - no painting so one less thing to accomplish.

The first layer of planking is complete.

The starboard side has the first "coat" of thinned filler applied and some of the filler "straight" (see below). The port side planking has the 50/50 PVA/H2O that was painted on the last few rows of planking drying.

On the starboard side there was a significant discontinuity between the bulwark planking and the first row of planking near the bow. Clearly there was some problem with my fairing of the hull in that area.  So I will attempt to fair the two areas together with filler so the second layer will not make a repeat performance.

I will try and get this layer smooth using several courses of thinned filler, 220 grit sandpaper. and auto body spray paint with filler. That course of action worked (finally it seemed like a dozen  courses but was actually significantly less) on the hull of HMS Sphinx.

Six rows on each side. I used split planks for both rows five and six as making things"fit" at both ends is harder with a single plank. And there are no extra points for doing it the hard way.

Successfully made the transition to the stern post. I had to add a little "sealer" to the starboard side.

If I could just do this well planking Sphinx I would be a happy camper.

Next is to add the garboard strake and then work from there back towards the sheer.

The stove joins the anchors in the "to be installed someday" box.

So on to the stove.

Assembly per the instructions proceeded apace until I came to the doors and covers on the top and side of the stove (firehearth I think it was called).

Anyway the objective is to get the doors/covers which have two holes in each aligned with the holes that are in the sides/top of the stove assembly.

The holes as provided are pretty small; smaller than a #76 (0.200"/.05mm) drill bit. To give myself a fighting chance of getting the holes lined up I drilled them out to #76 on the doors/covers and stove.

I cut two pieces of .020" phosphor-bronze wire (two slightly different lengths but long enough to stand proud of the stove side/top when inserted and stopped on the far side/bottom (aka workbench).

Then I threaded the door onto the wire. Two different lengths makes this a bit easier.

Slide the door down the wires, placed an ever so small drop of thick CA under where the door will land and pressed the door down and once seated used a toothpick to hold in place while gently removing the wires.

Forgive the pealing black paint - these parts were oversprayed while painting something else and had not been prepped so the paint is not sticking and I sanded some of what did stick off so the CA will bond the metal not the paint.. Hopefully all will be better once the stove is assembled and finally painted.

So the "proof in the pudding" is whether the handles will now fit into the doors/covers since that was the whole purpose of have the holes line up in the first place.

Not so fast - the handles are square (maybe rectangular) in cross section and the holes are round. Turns out, at least on this version the handles are too big to fit into even the drilled out holes. I had to go to a #74 (.0225/.57mm) drill to get the handles to fit. There was enough friction getting them it that I did not use any glue - they are just "sitting there".

The numbers on the wood were put there as they came off the carrier sheet although as it turns out they are pretty "self-identifying".

Now on to the chain drive and flue.

When I got to the port side fifth row I decided to split that plank.

This is the plank (at least on this side) that completes the more or less horizontal run of planks - the next row will start up the stern post area.

I had to do a little surgery on the supporting bulkheads as I thought there was too much vertical movement at the very aft end of the plank.

But in the end I think it worked out okay.

Because I did not get the stern transom pattern on exactly in the center (as you can see below) the starboard side fifth row will not land in the same place as the port. I am not sure what I will do about that now - perhaps use a slightly wider plank (at least the after half) and use the extra width at the stern to bring the plank to the horizontal/vertical transition like the port side.

I have four rows of planking on each side completed and have used a single plank in each row from stem to stern so far.

Unlike some of my previous attempts at hull planking this time I am using medium CA to attach the planks to the bulkheads, one at a time after appropriate (I hope) tapering, so far only at the bow.

After the plank is in place I use a small brush and paint 50/50 PVA/H2O in the joint between planks.

so far so good - I will put two or three more rows from the op then and the garboard plank and work up to meet the upper band. I want the last row of planks to be below the turn of the bilge where what inevitably turns out to be a pretty "unusual" run of planking is not too visible - although this is only the first layer I need the practice.

Thanks druxey - they have to be done at some point, why not now while awaiting the new Sphinx kit so I can make another attempt at correctly assembling the hull. I can't wait to do another double set of planking.

All the masts, yards and associated items completed.

On to the stove, capstan, rudder etc.

New Sphinx kit procurement approved by "higher authority" so I better not screw this one up "or else"!

Here are the Main Top Sail and Top Gallant yard arms joining the rest of the "family".

Mizzen Top Sail and Top Gallant to go.

Inner bulwark (parts 92 and 93) pinned in position and "painted" with 60/40 PVA/H2O

I will let this dry overnight and then the real fun begins tomorrow.

One of the things I really like about the Vanguard kits is how quickly the hull structure goes together.

Here after less than two days efforts I am almost ready to start planking.

Once the lower counter dries (I used full strength PVA since you have to get the forward corners to wrap around the structure) I add the keel and stem and then "let the planking (first layer) begin!

Girlfriend wanted a ship model to fit in a specific space, constrained both horizontally and vertically.

This one fits the requirements so her we go.

I have some experience with vanguard kits so think I know what to expect, more or less.

When I started to enlarge the gun ports I realized that one of the "unintended consequences" was that the gun ports (at least the aft four or five on the starboard side are now going too be to large and the provided covers will no longer fit. And when I trimmed the out bulwark I had to remove a goodly number of the pre-drilled holes which I am sure will cause a problem later.

Soooo - I am going to pause the Sphinx hull construction and work on the spars, rudder, stove, capstan etc. and hope for an inspiration to strike or "she who must be obeyed" approves another Sphinx kit.

So the "plan" as far as I have thought it through so far:

   Finish adding the pieces to the stern.

   Cut out the interfering pieces at the top of the gun ports - otherwise some of the aft cannon will not fit.

   Adjust the top of the starboard bulwark so it meets the top of the stern fascia; tapering so that nothing is removed from the front section.

Cut the bottom of the locating "tab" on the upper part number 45 so the tab is only 1mm thick (versus 2mm unaltered). This will have the part 45 sit 1mm lower than "normal".

Thin from the top the upper part 45 to 1.5mm (versus 2mm) which will lower the top of the upper part 45 by another .5mm.

Repeat these actions on the other part 45 and part 45a.

Assume that a 1.5mm adjustment will be sufficient to bring the two sides into a least much better alignment.

I have not yet figured out what the "unintended consequences" of these actions will but I highly suspect there will be some.

Thanks for the posts guys - it helps to have more than one set of eyes on the problem.

I decided to proceed with the lower transom installation and then see how the windows look before taking any other action.

In the meantime I am finishing up the yard arms - only four more to go.

Well, not being able to leave well enough alone I decided to see what the impact of the misaligned sides might be.

My first thought was one side of the qdeck beams would be higher than the other but I measured all 18 beam slots and they were less than 1mm different from one side to the other so it appears that will not be a bigger issue than it would otherwise (on Wincheslea it took me quite a bit of effort to get the qdeck beams to fair correctly).

So I decided to check the locations of the qgallery slots - If I am correct then the starboard side should be 2mm (+ or -) higher than the port.

So I put the hull back in the Amati holder and adjusted to get it as level as I could. It appears the mis-match is only on the after piece of the lower bulwark so I put the digital level across the hull amidships.

And using my digital height gauge confirmed that the starboard side slots for the qgallery is 2mm higher than the port. So the qgalleries will be misaligned by that much unless I take measures (not sure what those might be at this point) to correct it. And yes, I still have to fix the waterline issue at the stern.