Craigie65

And I will be looking at your Alert - think I will definitely get the better deal.

001 - Hull Construction Part 1
There is not going to be much of a description in this post as I have simply been following the build manual instructions verbatim.
 
With the manual on the workbench along with the first MDF sheet I am now ready to make a start.

Using my rotary tool, the initial fairing of the first 5 bulkheads to the guideline was carried out. When I started on bulkhead 5, I had a senior moment started to apply a reverse camphor. I marked out the required sanding line on the other side of bulkhead 5 and carried on. Not a great start and I hope it is not a bad omen.

Next the camphor's were added the last three bulkheads. You will note, both on the previous photo and the photo below, that I have added some pencil marks on the bulkheads and keel. These marks indicate the bottom the locating slots. When the pencil marks are aligned, I know the parts are fully engaged.

Stage 1 completed

Next up was camphor and add the filler pieces. I need to review some other build logs to check the bow filler pieces camphor's along the keel edge with the bulkheads. There is plenty of material to sand in order to get a smooth line, or I can fill the gaps with some offcuts.



With all the bulkheads and filler pieces in place it was time to add the deck. Apart from the filler pieces, which were glued in place (as per the instructions), everything is still a dry fit.

Bulkheads 12, 10, 7 and 4 require a cross piece to be glued in place. With the pieces in place, I used some clamps to hold the parts in place as the glue gripped.

The two longitudinal hull brace patterns were slotted into place followed by the 2 sets of stern frames (inner, middle and outer).

With everything looking good I mixed up a diluted titebond solution and brushed it in between all the joints. The hull will now be left overnight to fully cure before I move on to the next build phase.
 

Good warning - I used the plans for one mast and could not understand why it looked wrong when attaching all the cleats, eyelets etc.   There was also bit of discussion on this when it came to the sails. @AJohnson was making his own.  Turns out plans were reduced by about 15%.
 
Anyway your build is looking great - the mast look very neat.  Mine has stalled just shy of starting the masts.  Tempted to leave it, but I do have the wonderful sails and it would be a shame not to use them.

Eventually got round to attaching the hinges. See some comments below. Completed the masts gaffs and booms etc. Tapering the dowels turned out to be perfectly achievable just by hand with sandpaper and files.
 
Here are some comments on the build so far in no particular order.
1. To attach  the steam valve to the steam box rather than do a butt join I drilled a hole, elongated the hole with a knife blade - the brass is soft.
2. The plans are not to 1:1 scale (sorry for the obvious) so don't rush ahead and cut to dowels to the plans - I nearly fell into this.
3. I attached  the rudder hinges with shortened bass pins - this was a mistake and looked horrible - I can't correct it now
4. I wouldn't use the spray Varathane satin varnish again it just doesn't have the silky finish I wanted - the quest continues (recommendations? for Alert?). 
5. The bowsprit was installed not fully resting on the woodwork - I probably will not go back and fix this.
6. Probably should have stained the main mast 
 
So I'm trying a 75:25 mix of oak brown and scarlet mix (RIT) for the staining of the sails - the end is in sight
 

I re-took the photo of the cabin area as there was too much glare on the deck and the background was dirty. 
 
So, here it is. 

The cabin walls and internal cabin screen are now painted, and the screens fitted out.
 


 
 
 
I can finally glue into place the cabin walls, screens and partition. Note the eyelets are added to the ports and floor. 

 
 
 
Did I say this came with a cabinet? No? Well, it does, and this is now fitted into place.


 
 
 
The carronades in this area differ from the others as they will retract into hull during the hull painting process. They can be rolled out into position when that job is complete. These are now fitted to the cabins area.




 
 
 
Time for some furniture and maps too. 


 
 
 
Hope you like the work so far. Onwards!!

it just gets better

Ok, just an interim update. 
 
I was going to leave this until weekend when the office was installed, but I may as well show the upper deck being fitted and prepped for further work. Indy will be supplied with deck planking material as standard. At the moment, this looks like it will be red alder, which is gorgeous. I have some here that I'll do a couple of stages showing how to present it, assuming the modeller will have a good idea already. Indefatigable isn't marketed at modellers who are novices or intermediate. This is an 'Advanced' level kit in VM's new 5-point kit categorisation. More on that when it's released. What you see here are the standard ply sections which are laser-engraved so you have something as a planking guide. 
 

 
 
 
This is where checking the lay of the deck beams really does pay off. This deck is fitted in halves, unlike the main deck, simply as it's a more complex item. With everything test fitted and dry run several times, the deck beams have glue added to them and the deck is slotted into the outer bulkhead ears. Weights and clamps are then used to hold things down until dry. The 2 inch clamps are perfect for this, especially the cutouts where the front end clamps the joint and the clamp tail holds down the opposite side. 

 
 
 
And then the other deck half is fitted in the same way. 

 
 
 
There is a little more internal fairing to do, but this is easy enough. This is where the cabin walls will be installed and I need to make sure there's no bumps anywhere. 

 
 
 
And while this seems drastic, these frames DO need to now be removed as the next build stages will incorporate engraved inner bulwarks which glue onto the the sides.

 
 
 
The forecastle bulkhead ears are now history too.

 
 
More at weekend when I have the painted furniture in hand.

A very brief update before the weekend one. 
 
The office furniture has been painted by a friend of mine, and here it is. The round table will not be included with Indy, but the other table will, along with a couple of chairs. Here you can see a couple of incarnations of the furniture, 3D-printed and painted with oils. My friend also added the navigation charts for some extra effect!
 

 
These items, including the round table are available already though. https://vanguardmodels.co.uk/product/cabin-furniture/

I note Jim has compared the hulls of Indy and Victory in previous posts - Here is another comparison, both at waterline level.

After the doing the fairing thing I started the first planking beneath the bulwarks using six full width planks. After the garboard plank I worked my way up, again using full width planks until the last few funky ones. As you can see from the pictures below, I didn't worry all that much about gaps.
 
The starboard bow ...

and stern:

The port side planking looks about the same.
 
Fortunately the second planking covered the anomalies.

I laid down seven full width pear planks to get below the waterline. I installed two full width planks at the bottom then switched to tapered planks, working from the top down. I used the tick strip trick* (go ahead, say that fast 🙂) so these had consistent (mostly) widths except for the last one (third from the bottom).
 
The sanded starboard side now looks like this at the stem ...

... and this at the stern.

After sanding I was pleased with the planking above the waterline. There's one board a little darker than the others; I'm hoping the varnish will even things out. There are some gaps between the planks below the waterline but they will disappear after I slap on some paint.
 
Next up is the port side. I'm shooting for zero defects from top to bottom in preparation for planking the unpainted Alaskan Cedar (gasp) Cheerful, if and/or when I start that build.
 
Jonathan
 
*It's actually not a trick at all. It's a technique but I couldn't pass up the opportunity!

I think it is quite certain that almost everyone on these forums know this, me included, as I have read every single book more than twice over. I also know the books refer to Indy actions at a time when she did not even exist as a razee.
 
I asked for a Lieutenant Hornblower, and this is what I got.

Included in the kit will be a set of optional lodging and hanging knees. It'll be up to you if you want the extra work, but for the manual, I have to take one for the team! These are the hanging knees. The truncated ones are the parts that will be fitted where the gun port would otherwise be obstructed by the longer part. Of course, each part also needs to be specifically shaped to its position. Plenty of spares are supplied.
 

 
 
 
 
Here they are fitted, along with the lodging knees.

 
 
 
 
And the fore deck beams are now added, with the optional knees also installed, followed by the boat beams. These also have optional knees. 


 
 
 
And here she is so far!!
 

Excellent work!

Tiny update as I am doing a few other things in other build areas of Indy too.
 
I now have some colour on the model. I first varnished the exposed strip on the inner bulwarks and then used masking tape before I added paint. For this, I used some Plastikote Red Oxide (same as on the lower fisher hulls) and decanted it from the aerosol so I could airbrush it. The paint was left to de-gas for a few hours. That's important as it'll boil if you try to use or do anything with it when fresh from the rattle can. The paint was then thinned with mr Levelling Thinner, about 60:40 paint to thinner. When completely dry, I airbrushed Tamiya Flat Red over the red oxide. 
 

 
 
After more judicious masking (and masking the ports off from interior), I did the same paint regime for the gun ports. Once dry, everything was unmasked.

 
 
 
The standard kit will be supplied with Red Alder for deck planking. This is a beautiful timber. However, for this, I am using an engraved maple veneer deck. There will be an option for a maple deck, but it's an actual maple deck, not veneer. Fitting the deck will be the same as for this, with a subtle flex and sliding into the rear first, underneath the stern timbers. First though, a test fit should be done and the edges sanded so it lies flat to the bulwark edges. 

 
 
 
The deck was then glued down and left to dry. In the meantime, the main gu deck coamings were masked and airbrushed in Tamiya Flat Black. The grates will be added after the coamings are fitted, so to reduce rigidity when fitting.


 
 
More soon(ish) 

Thanks' guys
 
Yes, it's a Scharnhorst, I replaced its place with Yamato, thinking my wife wouldn't know, but she spotted the huge box being brought down our path on the door camera, dammit...
 
Not sure if I will ever get time to make them, may just find someone to do them for me at some point!
 
I think that, because of the copper situation right now, my next kits after Indy will be pre-copper era. But I will probably do a diorama/vignette type kit first.
 
I have attached a couple of pics showing the first of my new three printers working, Bristol sterns and Alert winch drums, just completed and about to be removed from build plate and cleaned up.

Just had my second and third 8k 3d printer arrive. I need this many as kits have a lot of multiple parts, like cannon barrels.
 
This is my main 'production area' now, along with laser material storage. (and completed Indy laser cut parts). I will need to get a third extractor for the smaller laser machine at some point, though, as both of my current ones are attached to the large laser. Right now, the laser is cutting more Sphinx 0.6mm pear, as I was running short.

Numbs the pain of the midges 🦟
And the minuscule photo etch on my return to the dark side of plastic ships😱 
(with apologies to Bowline for the detour on this excellent build)

Numbs the pain of the midges 🦟
And the minuscule photo etch on my return to the dark side of plastic ships😱 
(with apologies to Bowline for the detour on this excellent build)

OK, had my final set of files sent to me today for the remaining figures I commissioned my carver to do. These are the very first off. Again, there is a cook (will be sold as an individual figure), Marine officer and private (sold together) and also sold together, 2 sailors. The hands will allow the insertion of rope if required (although at 96th scale, I am not sure how that would work). I plan to do all in 96, 72nd, 64th (of course..), 48th and 32nd scale.

Numbs the pain of the midges 🦟
And the minuscule photo etch on my return to the dark side of plastic ships😱 
(with apologies to Bowline for the detour on this excellent build)

Back at the coast and the main shipyard here on Roanoke Sound of North Carolina.  I have been able to make modest headway on cannon installation and gun tackle rigging, it still needs some editing and adjusting to make the lines lay down more realistically, and I still need to make a bunch of flemish coils, etc.  However, progress is being made and I am going to celebrate it as it happens.  😃  I threw in a nice sunset picture after a heavy rain as eye candy for those stopping by and taking a look at the build!
Brian

Semi-corrected the fish hatches to align on starboard edge - first time using the CA de-bonder - it does work!! Added some fittings. I couldn't really find in the manuals/diagrams where the forward cleats where to be attached - so I put them half way up the timber heads (two each side). I have assembled most of the other deck fittings but won't glue them in place until I finish the hull -- the filling & painting, in case I knock them off. Where the h**l is my filler - there is too much Scotch/Irish blood in me to order another tube locally.  

You won't survive in Skye long without Scotch in your blood! 🥃

my hatches where unpainted - so it didn't leave a mark, I figured if it did (leave a mark) I could just glue the hatch back in the same place and cover it up ---- but if they had been painted I wouldn't have chanced it - it could create a big mess presumably with the paint dissolving and spreading over the deck.