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

[Vane]

2 hours ago, Norway said:

Splendid work! 

Bending with clamps and heatgun or iron....

Does that work with walnut and lime wood?

It doesnt matter what type of Wood. You are just heating up the ricin inside the Wood and when it cools down its like gluing the internal fibers to a new position. 

[Vane]

Unfortunately, this will be my last build update for a few weeks. I am on the far side of the world to get some sun.  I even thought of bringing some parts with me so i could keep Working on her but decided not to.

 

Anyway, 2nd planking is progressing and the boxwood is excellent to work with.

 

I might do a few tweets on the kit itself but the shipyard is closed for the holidays.

[Vane]

🙂

[Vane]

Thought i would say a few things about the manual and plans while being far away from my kit. 

 

Compared to my previous experience with Corel and Caldercraft, Chris has again done something much better. 60pages of instructions with a huge number of colour photos. So far i have not even had to look at the plans.  The photos says it all and its very little text you have to read.  I am not sure what its called in English,  but the pages are put together with wire making its really easy to fold up the page u need to look at. 

[Vane]

Plans are of high quality and a Good thing is that much of the bigger illustrations is in 1:2 scale making each plan small. I really hate those enormous sheets that are folded 10times. 

[Vane]

The only "complaint",  and now i am really picky (and most because i am a photographer myself) , is that the whitebalance of some colour photos seam to be slightly off, making them kind of blueish. There are hundreds of photos so this is just estitical.  

[chris watton]

Am still learning a lot regarding the photography. Speedy is the last model I take construction stage pictures using the blue background. In future, the background will be white.

[druxey]

A neutral grey might work better from an exposure point of view, Chris.

[ccoyle]

55 minutes ago, Vane said:

I am not sure what its called in English,  but the pages are put together with wire making its really easy to fold up the page u need to look at. 

This is called spiral binding or wire binding, and it is particularly used in just such instances when something needs to be capable of being opened and laid flat.

 

There -- now your English is far better than my German (much less Swedish, of which I know practically nothing) can ever hope to be. 😉

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

43 minutes ago, chris watton said:

I take construction stage pictures using the blue background. In future, the background will be white.

A nice background is important. A nice color background can be very nice:

A color background is easy to do.

A black background is very easy to do.

A white background is very difficult to do.

 

Black or white are usually the nicest one.

[Vane]

1 hour ago, chris watton said:

Am still learning a lot regarding the photography. Speedy is the last model I take construction stage pictures using the blue background. In future, the background will be white.

I think your photography is excellent of the ships and also the "explaining" photos.  I also dont mind the blue background at all. I am only talking about consistency where the colours are slightly different in different shots. You can either fix this "in photoshop" or perhaps better (and which will save u some time considering how many photos you take) is to make sure you are using the same settings and setup for every photo. My guess is that you have had the "whitebalance" setting in auto, and the camera has interested it differently where some photos are "too cold". Just switch the whitebalance to manual and 5500K usually match most flash. 

 

In "Product photography" consistency is key, compared to other forms of photography where you might want to be  more exprimental. Just find a style that suites you and your website and stick with it. 

[Norway]

Ordered my Speedy from @chris watton and Vanguard Models yesterday 😊

The kit itself with the finish and instructions seems to be a huge leap compared to my Caldercraft Pickle. 

[Vane]

Congrats, I am sure you will be really happy with this kit. It will also be great to see more buildlogs of the Speedy.

 

I just have a limited experience with various kits but its a different level on all counts compare to what i have seen so far. My Diana is a great build but its way outdated in plans and in design. The "newer" Granado from Caldercraft is much better but its still not even near Vanguards. 

[bigcreekdad]

I received this excellent kit for Christmas, and you are doing such a fine job, I know I'll be referring to your build log often once I start it. It will be a little bit yet, as I'm just starting the second planking of my AVS. 

 

I always struggle with planking to try to get it right, and am still not where I would like to be. Adopting Chuck's method of bending has helped a lot, but I need much more practice IMO. I have been using a hair dryer, but it just doesn't seem to get quite the bend I would always like and I see you are using some type of heat gun. I wonder if that might work better than the dryer. Any thoughts?

[druxey]

If you can afford one, a thermostatically controlled soldering iron delivers heat to where you want it very well. Don't use the same iron tip for soldering!

[Vane]

17 hours ago, bigcreekdad said:

I received this excellent kit for Christmas, and you are doing such a fine job, I know I'll be referring to your build log often once I start it. It will be a little bit yet, as I'm just starting the second planking of my AVS. 

 

I always struggle with planking to try to get it right, and am still not where I would like to be. Adopting Chuck's method of bending has helped a lot, but I need much more practice IMO. I have been using a hair dryer, but it just doesn't seem to get quite the bend I would always like and I see you are using some type of heat gun. I wonder if that might work better than the dryer. Any thoughts?

I am using the Proxxon heatgun which has various of funnels that u can put on to make the airbeam tighter.  It just cost me 30-40 euro so a no brainer investment instead of using my girlfriends hairdryer. 

 

The great thing with this kit is that the manual includes so many photos that you hardly need to look at any buildlogs to understand how to do everything. I always look at others buildlogs to get inspiration but also to understand the manual better. For my Snake and Diana other peoples buildlogs are extremily valuable because its not easy to get everything right. But Speedy stands on its own. 

 

However, it will be really Nice to see how everyone else is decide on the details since there are Always many ways to cut a cake.

 

 

[Vane]

I thought i should do a New years post to sum up 2019. First of all I want to thank everyone that has followed my endevours and also everyone with inspiring buildlogs contrcontributing to this forum. Second, after many years i am really happy that I picked up this hobby again. I started destined to complete my first build from the 90s. It turned out quite differently and now i have 5 parallell builds. Probably madness but i enjoy the building process and as long as things are progressing i am quite happy. So what have i done?

 

HMS Victory 1:98 Corel

Little disappointing, I finished all the masts, bowsprit and done alot on the yards. Some rigging. I really need to put more efforts in this ship next year. 

 

HMS Snake 1:64 Caldercraft 

Perhaps Most work have gone into this ship. The hull is basically finished with planking, coppering, gunports, paint. Just started with the deck. 

 

HMBV Granado 1:64 Caldercraft 

Progressing rapidely. Decided to plank in Tanganyika. Gunports finished. Working on the mortarhouses and Will soon paint the bottom White.

 

HMS Diana 1:64 Caldercraft

I just bought it to have it. Abit of a Dreambuild. Couldnt keep my hands off of it though. Put the skeleton together and some planking on the lower decks. Not a priority. I can wait for this one. 

 

HMS Speedy 1:64 Vanguard models

I had no plan to buy a 5th kit. But watching this kit develop in Chris thread and when he offered me a kit before its release it was a no-brainer.  I also really want to support this New Company getting started and see it as an investment for many New interesting kits coming out on the market in the future. Once i recieved it got priority 1 and so far i am halfway into the 2nd planking. "Unfortunatly" i am now in Thailand for a long holiday... and i am almost waiting to get back to the snow to continue!

I have also invested in some proxxon tools to help me out. Will likely soon buy a lathe.

 

Thats it, happy New years everyone!

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Vane
photos

[Vane]

Just a post on how i try to keep all parts of my builds organized. I bought lots of cheap boxes. Things that can easily be identified without the numbers i simply cut out and move. Its really handy instead of having everything in the Main box. 

And i clearly mark each box where i store them so i dont have to mix different kits up.

[Vane]

I still have another week in the sun until i get back home and can continue on my beloved Speedy. But since we are entering a new decade I thought i would do a post on what I am dreaming to do for the upcoming 10 years 🙂

 

First of all I am already doing 5 parallell builds in various stages so basically i have to focus on those before starting anything new. Hopefully i can finalize my Speedy and Victory this year which will be the priority. I hope to get the decks ready for Snake and Granado. Maybe some planking on the Diana. 

 

I am probably not the only one that look into the various manufacturing catalogs and make plans for future builds. These plans may likely change and its always the uncertainty of how much time the builds will take so nothing written in stone. But here is some of the future kits i have been looking into. I can also say that I am mostly into the Royal navy 1750-1820 and i very much want to avoid different scales and Will try to Only build in 1:64. 

 

Starting from the largest ships but not likely I Will build in this order. 

 

HMS Victory 1:64 Amati

Even though i am already doing the Corel 1:98, this will be the kit of the century. Extremily large so i have to move to a bigger place in order to just be able to put it anywhere. 

 

HMS Bellona

A really beautiful ship. 74 guns and its also great to be have the AOTS book to help out. Unfortunately, there is no available 1:64 kit version out there yet. Coral has a 1:100 version and Chris Watton did a 1:72 for Amati which has not been released. But who knows what the future will bring? Perhaps my first scratchbuild? 

 

HMS Agamemnon from Caldercraft 

Nelsons favourite and a "mini" Victory with one less deck. I also loves the look of the crow feet in the rigging. 

 

HMS Bristol from Vanguards models

Not yet available but it has a similar look to Belona but slightly smaller with 50 guns. 

 

HMS Pegasus from Amati

Cool looking ship and perhaps more doable considering its size. But i would never build it in walnut.

 

The smaller bomb vessel from Caldercraft

I am already building the Granado and this can be a nice complement. 

 

A one mast ship

Various alternatives here: Alert from Vanguards, Lady Nelson from Amati or Sherbourne from Caldercraft? 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Vane
added photos

[Bobbuild]

Looks like an interesting plan. I hope Chris at Vanguard decides to do the Bellona kit. It looks like a really beautiful ship. I will be starting the Speedy after finishing POF of Bob Hunts LSS AVS "Patrick Henry" and Vanguard's Alert

[Vane]

Well we will see how much i will be able to do. Building takes alot of time. 

 

Yes, Chris Bellona is one of my absolute favourite builds on this forum. So i hope he will do a 1:64 version 🙂

[Bob Portsmouth]

In my eyes there is little that can match Speedy's prettyness. I've been working up to a build for 3 years, now the time has come. Chris' kit appears very nice but 1:64 for a cutter sized ship if far too small for me, I don't know why he chose this over a quarter scale. I was going to scratch a POB but Maris Stella's 1:48 will save a lot of time, If it doesn't arrive soon I'll start without them!! Which parts are boxwood Vane?? Cheers, Bob

[GrandpaPhil]

That looks like a good selection for the future.  I am also trying to finish my Victory this year.

I also have the Bellona and Granado planned for sometime in the future (although mine will be from the AOTS plans, probably in 1/72 scale).

 

I look forward to seeing your progress on your various builds.

Edited January 6, 2020 by GrandpaPhil

[James H]

If you can hold off a couple of years, then the Amati Victory looks like a good proposition  

[Vane]

10 hours ago, Bob Portsmouth said:

In my eyes there is little that can match Speedy's prettyness. I've been working up to a build for 3 years, now the time has come. Chris' kit appears very nice but 1:64 for a cutter sized ship if far too small for me, I don't know why he chose this over a quarter scale. I was going to scratch a POB but Maris Stella's 1:48 will save a lot of time, If it doesn't arrive soon I'll start without them!! Which parts are boxwood Vane?? Cheers, Bob

I am guessing that he intends to do most of his line up in 1:64. Yes its a very small brig but with all lasercut parts and details i dont think the scale will be a problem and as i said earlier, I prefer to do all my builds in the same scale. 1:48 would definitely take it up a notch but other larger kits would be very impractical in enourmous size so i think 1:64 is the sweetspot. 

 

You get some extra stuff in this version, Chris thread explains it. When it comes to boxwood its the strips for the 2nd planking.

Edited January 7, 2020 by Vane

[Vane]

Furthermore, looking into the "competition" there are a few other kits that kind of are in the same segment, mostly from Caldercraft. Mars, Crusier,  Jealoise, Badger, Supply brig. Perhaps even the Russian Mercury. Those are larger 2 masters but doesnt come near the beautiful lines of Speedy IMHO. 

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Vane
Photos

[Vane]

9 hours ago, James H said:

If you can hold off a couple of years, then the Amati Victory looks like a good proposition  

Its not like i am running out of current work yet....haha

[DelF]

Hi Vane,

 

I hope you are still enjoying your holiday in the sun. I've been following your Speedy log with interest, and have just started my own. I have got to the stage where I need to fit the gun port patterns, and want to make sure I get it right. Like you, I use a hot air gun to bend wood, and I don't think I'll have a problem bending the patterns round the curves from bow to stern. However it looks like the strips will also have to bend widthwise (ie top to bottom)  in order to follow the curves of the bulkhead frames, especially around the bow area. In the instructions Chris advises clamping the strips to the top of the frames and using pins to keep the bottom edges tight. 

 

Did you find that this was sufficient to keep the patterns in close contact with the frames? When I tried a dry fit I found it very difficult to keep the bottom edges of the patterns flat against the front few bow frames. I'd be grateful for your thoughts before committing any glue - the last thing I want is an ugly 'step' that would throw the subsequent planking.  

 

Derek

[Bob Portsmouth]

I quite like the Halifax but I chose Speedy because of the graceful looks. There was only Speedy and Flirt built on cutter lines. (Funny to think Cochran was given Speedy as a punishment for 'insubordination') I only build small ships (I've lived a mile from Victory for 45 years, I never did like the looks! Nor did Peter G and he was the curator!! Too fat!) So I have a living room full of 1:48's and 1:50's. That keeps M S's kit in scale with my other ships. There isn't a 'Sophie' as described in the novels, O'Brian invented it. It's Speedy with a masters cabin under a poop deck. I'm currently building Diligence, POF, which is my 4th cutter. It's larger (1:44) because it was intended to go into the Dockyard Museum. I don't think it will be good enough so no doubt I'll keep it. After a brig I'll probably move back to coastal fishing boats where I started. My idea is to produce an action diorama, blood on the decks, have a try at smoke and flame (lol) There'll be so much detail and scratch made crew etc. I would seriously benefit from a kit to save time. Meantime I'm enjoying your build, please keep it detailed with any problems you run into. Lots to learn!!

[Bob Portsmouth]

DelF. If you don't laterally bend the strakes (downwards) it's difficult to avoid buckling. See Chuck Passaro's youtube video Planking the Winchelsea. I use a different technique but the thinking is the same. I only single plank so they're a lot thicker, 1,5mm minimum, so I use a steamer cobbled together with B&Q plumbing bits! Then usually clamp onto the frames to set. It's a bit of a time consuming fag but I enjoy planking, and there's loads of guns to build!!