HMS Vanguard by marktiedens - Model Shipways - scale 1:72

[glbarlow]

Nicely done. Brings back memories. The stern was a favorite part of the build for me. 

[marktiedens]

Thanks guys - it came out better than I expected (I am always my worst critic).  Kudos to the designer.  I should probably get back to the upper gun deck now - I keep putting it off because I don`t really like to rig gun carriages with all those tiny blocks.  Speaking of that,I need to check my inventory of Syren blocks.  The kit blocks are about average as far as kit blocks go,but Chuck`s are so much nicer.

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Hi - finally got myself in gear & got the upper gun deck guns done.   I only rigged the ones that are not hidden under the upper decks. I used Chucks 2.5mm blocks - the smallest I can work with.   Most of the other fittings for this deck are already made - just have to place them all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mark

[Old Collingwood]

That looks excellent Mark.

 

OC.

[marktiedens]

Thanks O.C..    I think I would rather tie ratlines than rig guns.

 

 

Mark

[Old Collingwood]

2 minutes ago, marktiedens said:

Thanks O.C..    I think I would rather tie ratlines than rig guns.

 

 

Mark

I know, thats why I cheated on my Pearl build  - tried  but said to myself  "nah  too much hassle"    but enjoyed the ratline -ish  (tiny ish)

 

OC.

[fmodajr]

Excellent Job on the gun rigging Mark!

 

Frank

 

[marktiedens]

Thanks Frank.   Forgot to mention that the carriages were a little too tall partly because the deck planking provided is thicker than the Amati planking.  I had to sand some flats on the wheels,plus file the trunnion slots deeper - not really a problem since the supplied carriages are much better than the awful metal ones in the Amati kit.  I was not able to add the quoins or the guns would be pointing at the ground.

 

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Upper gun deck is now fitted out.  Gratings,ladders,capstans,bulwark cleats, cannon balls,& stove are all in place now.

 

 

 

Thanks for looking in

 

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Hi - not a lot to show this time.  The upper false deck has been glued in place along with the beams & marked off for a 4 butt shift for the planking.  The screen bulkhead was also assembled & glued in place.  The instructions say to add the margin planks next,but they are not shown on the plans so I will just add them as I see fit.  The columns on the bulkhead will be added after the deck is planked.   I had to file a small notch in the second beam from the front to clear the capstan,which was a touch high after adding the platform under it - won`t be seen after the ship`s boats are in place.

 

 

 

Mark

[glbarlow]

I remember every step of this build. It was so much more fun after getting all the copper plating finished. 

[marktiedens]

Yep,it`s all going together pretty well.   I should be further along than I am - just taking my time trying not to mess anything up.   Speaking of messing things up,I just noticed I didn`t make the mouldings on the upper part of the hull properly - they should have a profile instead of being just flat planks.  It`s pointed out on the plan sheet with the paint schemes,so I guess I can chalk it up to not paying enough attention to the plans.   It would have been much easier to have seen that if it was put on the main hull profile plan sheet,though.  The good thing is,it`s hardly noticeable with that area painted black along with the chain wales & shrouds covering most of it eventually.

 

 

Mark

[Old Collingwood]

Looking super mate  - really tidy accurate work.

 

OC.

[marktiedens]

Thanks O.C.

 

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Another little update - the upper deck is now planked.  I used a pencil on the edges of the planks to darken them,then a #78 drill bit was used to make a small indentation to simulate treenails.  The deck was then scraped & sanded & a coat of poly applied.  The treenails can`t be seen at arm`s length,but show in the close-up - just what I was aiming for.

 

 

 

 

Mark

[Old Collingwood]

Very tidy work mate  -  you got those tree nails perfect   not in your face  just nice and accurate.

 

OC.

[AON]

I think the caulking and treenails look absolutely fantastic!

[marktiedens]

Thanks guys - I was going to use an even smaller bit,but a #78 was the smallest my pin vise would grip tightly.  Also,some of the planks did not fit together as tightly as I wanted due to some of them having rough or splintery edges.  Spent a lot of time sanding the edges,but that was a little difficult to do with the planks being only 3mm wide.

 

 

Mark

[fmodajr]

Excellent work!

 

 

Frank

[marktiedens]

Thanks Frank

 

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Not a lot to show,but the inner bulwarks were planked & painted along with adding the columns on the bulkhead,which can barely be seen after the poop deck is added.  I left a notch in the bulwark planking for the forward-most poop deck beam to sit on.  The bulwark planks were pre-painted to avoid making a mess of the deck.

 

 

Mark

[marktiedens]

Hi all - been working on the cannons for the upper decks.  First off,the carriages were supplied as 3mm thick - way to thick,so I thinned them down to 2mm.  The carriage beds were cut as a straight rectangle, so I sanded them down to be narrower at the front.  Next, the trucks were only 3mm in diameter - made the carriages look like one of those cars with a space saver spare you see sometimes - so I got some 4mm ones from Model Expo - much nicer.    The cannons were painted satin black & the breech ropes were added.  The trunnion caps are simply black cartridge paper.  These carriages are way too small to show a proper clasp, so I just added some small black nails to them.  They are somewhat flat because the trunnions were way to small in diameter for the cut-outs in the carriages.  The tackles will added when I get some more blocks from Syren.  This is also a test of my new iphone camera - seems much better than my old stand alone camera!

 

 

Mark

  

[marktiedens]

Hi everyone - still working on the cannons.  One note about that ladder - the bottom of it is supposed to sit on the coaming of the grating down below, but if I did that, the treads would not be anywhere near level, so I will leave it as is.  Once the poop deck is in place, it`s near impossible to see the lower end anyway.  Seems that Model Shipways just provided generic ladder kits - the grooves for the treads are not angled nearly enough

 

 

I thought I may as well build the carronades for the poop deck

 

 

 

Also, taking a break from the cannons to build some of the upper deck fittings

 

 

 

The cannons are going really slow due to rigging those tiny blocks.

Thanks for looking in.

 

 

Mark

[fmodajr]

Looking nice Mark!

How is the quality of the Carronades that come with the kit?

From the photo, they look to be cast?

 

I hope all is well,

Frank

 

[marktiedens]

Hi Frank - the carronades are indeed cast.  They are pretty well done with little or no mold lines.  The carriage" wheels" are a little wonky, but can hardly be seen once painted black.  There are no pictures or instructions on how any of the cannon or carronade carriages are to be assembled, so I am just winging it from pictures elsewhere in the forum & past experience.  Also not real happy about the coarse grain on some of the deck fittings, but it doesn`t  look that bad in person & won`t be noticeable once all the rigging is done.  The camera is very unforgiving!

 

 

Mark

[ccoyle]

1 minute ago, marktiedens said:

The camera is very unforgiving!

 

Indeed! I'm always aghast at the little mistakes and boo-boos on my card models until I take off my magnifiers and step back to a normal viewing distance.

[Landlubber Mike]

Nice work Mark!  Nice to see I'm not the only one that manages to get my feet in my build pictures 😆

[marktiedens]

Yep - didn`t even notice until after I posted

 

 

Mark 

[Old Collingwood]

Great work Mark, dont worry about the ladders, I had the same issues with mine.

 

OC.

[marktiedens]

Hi - a little more progress.  Upper deck guns & some of the deck furniture in place aft of the waist.  The fore deck guns & furniture will be added after the caprails & poop deck are in place.  The windows in the binnacle were done using the liquid window maker.  Also, the wheel will not be rigged - it can`t be seen after the poop deck is in place.  The 4 guns behind the bulkhead will not be rigged either, as it would be impossible to see without a flashlight.

 

 

 

Mark