DelF

I understand she was built and launched as a two-decker but razeed almost as soon as she hit the water, and just before she was commissioned. Fashions and military requirements change. In any event, she will make a fine model.

Agreed, for the reasons you and Tony @tkay11 mention. Derek

You should be OK using PVA on the first layer of planks if you are also pinning them (I'm assuming Lady E is double-planked?). I normally only use CA for the second layer. Planking can be challenging, especially when you first start ship modelling, but there is plenty of information, tips and techniques on the forum, both in individual logs and under Modelling Techniques (<More> on the menu bar). I wouldn't worry too much about the first layer - you can use plenty of sanding and filler. The key is to provide a sound, smooth surface for the second layer. Having said that, the first layer is also a safe place to practice techniques so it's worth making an effort, but without fretting about it too much. Btw, if you can make musical instruments you will have more than enough skill for a miniature shipwright! Derek

I'm sorry to hear that Paul from Just Bases is no longer in business. On your recommendation I ordered a case from him for Royal Caroline and I was very pleased with it. I found him a pleasure to do business with and would certainly have ordered more from him. Well done on getting a case for Spinx before he retired. I guess we'll have to make our own in future

Stunning Glenn. Your trademark immaculate finish, captured with expert photography. I hope you won't let her gather dust too long - she may be a little Flirt, but she deserves to be treated right!

Nor here - Windows 10 & Chrome.

I would do the WOP first. That way, if any white paint seeps through the masking tape it won't soak into the wood and it'll be easier to clean off. I might then apply WOP over the whole hull to protect the paint, but I'd experiment on a piece of scrap wood first to make sure the WOP would look good on the paint.

I agree John. She was under motor power when I saw her in Falmouth, and I expect the engine gets a lot of use inshore.

I agree with Tim. Personally, I take it as a compliment if someone uses one of my ideas. As they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Well that's great! We're in Alaska for two weeks so if the distances involved aren't too great we'll take a day off the trip to pop over and see you In Alberta and Yves in North Carolina (did I mention geography's not my strong point?). Good luck with your own planking. You won't regret using WOP.

Steve Good to see another Vanguard Model on the stocks. You can't go wrong with Chris's designs and instructions - I'm on my second with a third waiting on the shelf. Despite already achieving very high standards he is always seeking improvements and innovations. I think you've made a wise choice going for a comparatively straightforward but still very attractive kit for your first model. Joining this forum was another good choice - I've learned more since joining than I'd every learned about ships and modelling, especially since I stopped 'lurking' and started actively participating. Well done for starting a log, and enjoy your build. Derek

I spotted this strange little vessel in Falmouth harbour earlier this year: With her square rig and a line of portholes painted in a checkerboard pattern mimicking the gunports on a man of war, I thought she must either be a rich person's modern toy or perhaps a film prop. However I found she was called the Marjorie and she's well over 100 years old. According to the National Historic Ships UK website she was built in 1913 as a motor-powered ketch by David Munroe and Sons of Blairmore on the River Clyde, possibly for an Air Commodore Upfill-Brown. After being requisitioned for service as a Thames River patrol boat during the First World War she was eventually bought in 1938 by Vice Admiral Richard Bell Davies who had her converted to a brig with two new masts in 1939. His motives for the conversion aren't known, but Bell Davies is a notable figure for several reasons - he was among the last cadets to be trained under sail, one of the first naval pilots (he joined the Royal Naval Air Service the year Marjorie was built) and one of only four to be awarded the Victoria Cross. He was awarded the latter for what has been described as the first known instance of the rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines. He picked up a fellow pilot under heavy fire and got them both safely back to base. His single-seater cockpit was such a tight squeeze he had to push his comrade into a tiny space beyond his foot controls - it took two hours to extract him! From 1917 he was heavily involved in aircraft carrier development and was the first man to land on a carrier-proper (as opposed to a converted warship). I expect this might spark some debate, but I checked the claim in several sources. He was actually sailing Marjorie in summer 1939 when he received his joining instructions from the Admiralty and he did not see her again until 1945. She has remained in the Bell Davies family ever since. Here's a picture of this fine little brig under sail: Derek

Decks, bulwarks and an experiment with wipe on poly Not much time in the dockyard lately but I've made some progress. I decided in the end to use the etched decks supplied in the kit. Although I enjoy planking my own decks and did so on Speedy, the ones supplied with this kit seem such good quality I thought I'd give them a go. They fitted without issue along with the interior bulwark patterns, following the steps clearly set out in the manual: Whilst continuing to dither over whether or not to paint the hull below the waterline, I decided I ought to at least apply a finish to protect the wood before I got on with other tasks such as painting the blue and red areas along the upper part of the hull. I have used shellac for a long time and love the finish I get with the pale version. However I've seen the results other people achieve with wipe on poly and thought I'd give it a go. The ready mixed products aren't commonly available in the UK so after some research on the web and the forum I made up my own from a 50:50 mix of matt polyurethane varnish and white spirit (aka mineral spirits on the other side of the pond). Early results were not promising, taking ages to dry and leaving a less-than-impressive finish. I knew I must be doing something wrong, but rather than starting a load of hit and miss experimentation I asked @glbarlow, someone who clearly knows what he's doing as evidenced by his current (Flirt) and previous builds. Glenn kindly sent me two detailed messages setting out his methods and advice. Straightaway I saw what I was doing wrong - I was wiping on but I wasn't wiping off! I tried again and soon, as they say in these parts, I was cooking on gas. I'm sure Glenn won't mind if I paraphrase his method: Apply generously with a soft cloth (eg old cotton t-shirts cut up) AND (the real key to a nice finish) wipe it off before it dries, leaving only what’s absorbed into the wood. If you let it dry on thick the finish will look too artificial. Leave to dry thoroughly before buffing with a clean soft cloth. It can take 12-24 hours to dry depending on conditions. You know it’s dry if you can buff it without it seeming gummy. If it is stop and wait longer. For a deeper finish like on a hull, lightly sand with 400 grit making sure to wipe with a cloth to remove dust and then repeat the wipe on/wipe off process Use a brush on small nooks and crannies, but only if you can get in immediately with a cloth to wipe it off. Two coats are better than one, with at least three on the hull. Different woods will vary in absorbing the wop so the key is simply to repeat the process until it looks right. I experimented with matt and satin polyurethane. I found the matt a little too dull whereas the satin gave a beautiful silky finish. In both cases the varnish tins had been unused for a while and needed a lot of stirring to thoroughly mix the particles that give the matt/satin finish to what would otherwise be gloss. As I was just experimenting I used tiny amounts - I found 6ml of poly mixed with 6ml white spirit was more than enough for three coats on the Duchess. For measuring I used one of those plastic pipettes sold for model paints eg these at £2.99 for 50 from Amazon. Here's some pictures: It's difficult to convey just how silky smooth the result is, both to the eye and the finger. Glenn told me I'd know I'd done enough when after buffing I looked at it and smiled. I'm smiling now 😁 Derek

You've bought a recognised classic Dave. I've got it, and can reassure you that you've not wasted your money. To quote one top modeller "Everything you wanted to (and should) know about sailing period ships". Derek

I agree with Glenn's comments above. Mine's about 20" X 10", but that's only because I've got 6 grits. I could probably get away with just using three most of the time, and if you wanted to save space you could stick less-used grits on the other side of the glass.

Bob Here's a copy of part of a post I did on this in Glenn Barlow's Cheerful log. The best advice I can give is to watch Paul Sellers' videos which I've linked in the following text: I've abandoned traditional sharpening stones in favour of sandpaper. Stones inevitably wear and need to be reground or replaced. So does sandpaper, but it is considerably cheaper and, when glued to 1/4" plate glass it stays dead flat. Plus, it is easier (and cheaper) to have a wide range of grits to suit your needs. Another point - and I apologise if this is teaching granny to suck eggs - but when you say you haven't sharpened your chisels yet it occurred to me that you might not realise that chisel and plane blades bought straight from the manufacturer are not best suited for immediate use. They need a degree of preparation, sometimes called initialisation - even Veritas tools! This takes a bit of work on the sharpening station but once done it becomes quick and easy to hone your blades back to perfect sharpness. Paul Sellers does the best videos I know on woodworking - here's his explanation of initialising new chisels. Interestingly, Paul is using three sharpening stones in this three year old video - he now uses sandpaper. [NB - here's a link to another post in which I've included a link to Paul's video on using sandpaper] If you decide to set up a sharpening station like this you'll find you will be much more inclined to keep all your blades in tiptop condition. Glenn subsequently made his own sharpening station and followed the initialisation process, and reports that he now has super-sharp chisels. Hope this helps Derek

Hi Mike This is purely my personal experience, but because the Veritas guide has a single roller I found it difficult to keep the blade level as I moved it up and down the sharpening surface, particularly with a very narrow tool like the 1/8" chisel I showed in my earlier picture. I found it hard to stop it wobbling from side to side. Other Veritas users have told me they've had the same difficulty, especially with very narrow tools. The Kell guide avoids this by having two wheels which hold the chisel rock steady. The two wheels also clamp the tool between them, ensuring it is held absolutely square. As I said before, Veritas make great tools and it may be lack of skill on my part that makes it hard for me to get good results with their honing guide - after all, some people hone freehand with great results, but I'm not one of them! I just find the Kell guide takes the skill element out of it. I should also add that it is a beautifully engineered tool, a real gem to own and use. Richard (a one-man-band with whom I have no commercial or other relationship) is a toolmaker by trade and it shows in his products. Hope this helps Derek PS a couple of people sent personal messages asking what sharpening stones I use. I gave up stones some time ago in favour of wet-and-dry paper stuck to a sheet of plate glass. That way I can use (and easily replace) a wide range of grits to suit whatever sharpening or honing I need to do.

The Kell guide comes with a table showing how far a blade's cutting edge should project beyond the steel support rods to achieve various honing angles. For example, 0.5" for 30 degrees. I find this measurement easy to make if I hold a 6 inch steel rule against the chisel in the guide.

Hi Dave. It's in a lathe, but a drill would do equally well. It's square stock and as it's only 1mm centering isn't really an issue. You just need to spin it fast then press it into the 1mm hole in a drill gauge to round it off. Dead easy. It's a very similar method to Gregory's.

I love Veritas tools and have tried their honing guide. Like all Veritas products it is well made, but with very narrow chisels I find it can be difficult to get the blade to sit absolutely square, and with a single roller it can be difficult to avoid the blade rocking as you move it up and down the sharpening surface. The best guide I've found for these blades is the No.1 Honing Guide from Richard Kell. Richard is a one-man-band based in Northumberland, and although his products were at one time available through US retailers I believe that is no longer the case. However I know several people on the forum have ordered direct from Richard and now swear by the guide. See Glenn Barlow's current Flirt build for example. Here it is on my sharpening station (I couldn't resist including my collection of Veritas tools !): The key feature is that the blade is clamped between two rollers and so is held dead square. I've got the 1/8" chisel in it, but it will take up to 1". Because there are two rollers it doesn't rock, and because you mount a blade under the two steel guide rods rather than over them, it can handle very short blades which otherwise wouldn't project far enough from the guide to get the correct honing angle. If you look on Richard's own site you will find more details.

Hi Dave. Excellent work on the carriage sides. One variation you might want to try some time is to start with a single rectangular block of wood, mill the shape of the carriage side into it in one go, then salami slice off the individual sides with a thin saw blade. I found the best way to get the curved shape on the lower edges of the carriages was to use a file. At least you only have to do it once with the salami method. On the axles, you may want to try a method I used to make fids on my last build: The final detail in the tops are the fids. These are supposed to be square or rectangular, but at this scale I can only do round holes. So I cheated by making each fid in two parts, each part a piece of 1mm square boxwood with one end rounded. With the boxwood held in the lathe (just as easy in a drill) I pressed the end against the 1mm hole in a metal drill gauge to round off the first couple of mils. Should work with axles, and any decent wood should do. Hope this helps. Derek

Hi David, happy I was able to help on the cut-out. Can you tell me what tape you use to get such a neat edge? Apologies if you've already said and I've missed it. Derek

That paintwork looks really neat and sharp David. What masking tape do you use? Your problem might be that the cut-out in the maple deck doesn't line up with the corresponding hole in the sub-deck. That's certainly the case in my kit, but the manual says this has been corrected in later versions so you may be OK. If not, I suspect it would be easier to pin the wheel support in place rather than trying to cut a hole in the sub-deck. That's what I usually do on kits from other manufacturers where items just sit on the deck. Of course you would have to cut off the part of the support that would otherwise project through the deck, but if you pin and glue it the result should be strong enough. As an aside, one of the things that first impressed me about the accuracy and quality of Chris Watton's designs was the way that items like bitts and pumps were secured on Speedy. The legs of these items were made extra long so that they passed through the upper deck then located in cut-outs in the lower deck. In each case everything aligned perfectly. Keep up the good work! Derek

Hi Vaddoc I started using proportional dividers this year and would highly recommend them. Here's a link to my description of using them in my build log. I wouldn't go for the cheap modern ones you might find on Amazon. Fortunately good second hand ones are usually available on ebay. Thanks for the tutorial on spiling by the way - very informative. Derek

Looking fine David. I'm glad you're ahead of me on this build as I'm still learning from your log. I'm still in two minds about planking the deck myself. On a positive note, I experimented with sanding the laser decks with 320 grit paper to remove all traces of char, and I was pleased to find that this didn't destroy the pattern. One thing I wondered about after reading ahead in the manual, was this little rectangle in your aft deck: Does this relate to the information in the manual about some early versions of the kit where you need to open this hole out? Here's the part I read: Derek