HMS Speedy by Vane - Vanguard Models - Scale 1:64 - Master Shipwright (limited edition)

[Vane]

Well, they turned out ok and the proportions looks great. Just need to be very careful here. The MDF design is very different from all other kits I come across. It would be interesting to try it out for a much larger ship. The skeleton of your 1/64 Victory looks really impressive. I guess you will have that design for your upcoming Bristol as well?

  

[Vane]

Made a few side projects before continueing with the planking. Everything is precut making it very easy to work.

[Ronald-V]

You're Speedy to! Nice to see the progress

[Vane]

Thanks, its an inspiring kit to work on and its also abit exciting to be one of the first to build it. 🙂

[Vane]

Dry-fitting some of the details...

[Edwardkenway]

Looking very nice Vane, you're doing a great job!!

[Damian]

Looking great, can't wait to start my own.

[DelF]

I can't believe how fast you are - it'll take me at least 3 months to get as far as you have, and I'm retired! How much does Chris's innovative design help in that regard? Everything certainly seems to fit together really well.

 

Keep up the good work. I'm really enjoying your log and can't wait to get my Speedy at Christmas.

 

Derek

[Vane]

Thanks. Well its a design that dont require that much fitting.  Its also a small ship. Planking Victory in the same design would take alot more time just due to size. And i am also abit devoted at the time. I Will be travelling over Xmas and NYE so the build will take a 3 week break soon...

[Vane]

Boxwood... i am in love! 

Its a very hard material and the result is way different than my Tanganyika. My new Proxxon sander really came in handy here. Its a hard mtrl so much more difficult to cut.

[Vane]

Wow,  that was really fast... I am lucky i got mine... #02 

[Vane]

This is optional according to the manual. But I decided to attach the keel elements before starting the 2nd planking simply because its kind of a slippery hull when everything is sanded  smooth. With the keel my fingers gets something to grab when holding the ship. We will see if it was a good decision i guess...

[Vane]

This part of the work is a bit repetitive but done with the first step. These are very small.

[Vane]

The first plank of the second planking is always really important to get right. Here i also like the design with lasercut markings so you dont need to measure anything.

[Vane]

When i did this the first time I used boiling water, PVA and pins. That is ok if you will paint the hull completely and can use woodfiller afterwards. Nowadays, especially on models when the wood will be visable, I have upgraded my technique and go with the "Chuck method". Instead of bending and pinning down the plank, I spend much more time on preparations. This involves two things: i prebend the plank in the "wrong direction" using hot air and clamps. I also spend some time on sanding to make sure it will lie flat against the previous plank. The final result is an S-shaped plank.

 

 

[Vane]

To fix the plank  i put CA on the first 10cm and press it down for just a few seconds until it sticks.  

Thereafter I use a toothpick or some pointy scrapwood with CA on top of it adding more on the plank and press it down. Repeat a few times and finally the whole plank is fixed. 

 

[fnick]

Hi Vane

 

Lovely build. I did exactly the same thing with some of my second planking but spaced out the CA so that I could add normal wood glue as well. That should give a stronger bond to the first planking.

 

My two pennies worth anyway! 🙂

 

Nick

[Vane]

Interesting, I have to try that too. there are many ways to do this. But i Think the gamechanger for me was when i bought my heatgun from Proxxon and started prebending the planks sideways. Everything fits so much better.

 

[petervisser]

Great build log Vane! Lots of good photos and explanations. I'm getting some great ideas. Thanks!

 

Peter

[Vane]

Thanks 4 the support.  Since this is the first buildlog on Vanguards  Speedy, I try to explain  more and also review the kit as i work on it. 

[Vane]

Yes I know, this looks ridicurlos! 

However, by using leftover walnut strips on the areas that will be coppered i will save at least 25 strips of boxwood. I am also not that carefull on the details here. Pins, Water and PVA!

[Edwardkenway]

I like your thinking with the walnut and saving boxwood strips, Vane, you're doing a great job on a very nice ship.

Edited December 15, 2019 by Edwardkenway

[Vane]

Thanks alot. Boxwood looks really flat and precise once its sanded. Some people just use Walnut and hardly sand at all. I have started to pay more attension to everything nowadays. It will be really intresting to compare my Tanganyika Granado hull with this Boxwood hull once things start to be finilized.

[PhillH]

Really enjoying your build log Vane, as you spearhead the speedy builds.

Can you clarify for me your technique for bending the planks with hot air and clamps. Do you just heat them up bend then clamp or do you soak them first?

 

Phill

 

[Vane]

Thanks. I dont use water at all. I just fix a strip of Wood with 3 clamps to an old cutting board. Then I open the left clamp and bend the strip as far as possible in the "wrong" direction without it breaking and clamp it down again. Then I do the same to the right side. Sometimes I adjust the position and even bend it further by adding an additional clamp. Once I got the shape I want, I take my airgun and heat up the bended parts for 20 seconds and then let it rest and cool down for a few minutes. Remove the clamps and viola.. u are done!

[Vane]

The heat makes the wood flexible and once it cools down it fixes itself in the new position.

[VTHokiEE]

16 minutes ago, Vane said:

Once I got the shape I want, I take my airgun and heat up the bended parts for 20 seconds and then let it rest and cool down for a few minutes. Remove the clamps and viola.. u are done!

A heat gun is an interesting idea, of course I recently bought a small travel iron to apply the heat but I feel like the heat gun would be easier (maybe not cheaper though). Thanks for sharing the technique!

[Ronald-V]

7 hours ago, VTHokiEE said:

A heat gun is an interesting idea, of course I recently bought a small travel iron to apply the heat but I feel like the heat gun would be easier (maybe not cheaper though). Thanks for sharing the technique!

Did you already experimented with the traveler iron? I bought also one after seeing it in the video of Chuck.

[Norway]

Splendid work! 

Bending with clamps and heatgun or iron....

Does that work with walnut and lime wood?

[VTHokiEE]

3 hours ago, mugje said:

Did you already experimented with the traveler iron? I bought also one after seeing it in the video of Chuck.

Not yet (I haven’t done a planked model yet 🤫 but my next one will be), I saw one in a store and thought that I would pick it up for when I get to planking.