HMS Sphinx 1775 by Hollowneck - FINISHED - Vanguard Models - 1:64

[druxey]

A nice idea of presentation! Hope it turns out the way you visualize it, Ron.

[TomShipModel]

The partially furled/brailed up main course will be a very good addition and will work wonderfully in your diorama.

[hollowneck]

On 9/30/2022 at 2:14 PM, druxey said:

A nice idea of presentation! Hope it turns out the way you visualize it, Ron.

 

On 9/30/2022 at 3:23 PM, TomShipModel said:

The partially furled/brailed up main course will be a very good addition and will work wonderfully in your diorama.

Thank you gentlemen. If I can get this sail to look the way I'd like, I believe showing a sail in this working configuration will add some "zing" to Camilla's chase in the Channel...

 

Here is today's progress update on rigging the clues and shaping the sail's foot. Also, a quick reconnoiter on the crucial bunt lines that will cinch-up the middle section of the sail.

A look at the Mainsail from starboard. All the sail's robands have been laced and tied-off to the main yard. The clue, sheet and tacks are rigged with the sail's corner leech brailed in.

The port side of the Mainsail in a trial position for the clue, sheet and tack lines. The loose foot of the sail will be finessed upward once the bunt lines start to cinch up the middle of the sail.

A view from the bow on the partially-shaped and positioned Mainsail. Clues and sheets, port and starboard, are rigged. Tacks will be added after the bunt lines are rigged.

I'm pleased the translucency of this sail is visually quite similar to the much thicker topsail above it. I was a little concerned that using only a single layer of silkspan on this sail would make it too translucent. The folds and "bunching" effect diminishes the difference between this sail and the layered, fully billowing ones, particularly the topsail above it. The arrow points to a port bunt line that is hauling up the center portion of the sail.

  

A closer look of the effect of the center bunt lines on the sail. The foot has "turned turtle here;" I'll use some adroit finger manipulation to reshape this portion of the sail into a more convincing presentation. The two bunt lines will require additional single blocks on the main top, similar to the ones I added to the foretop. I'm not sure where the bunt line falls will belay but this isn't a big issue...however, squeezing another set of 3mm blocks into a very tight rigging space is a little disconcerting at this late stage...but as the saying goes: "Don't Give Up The Ship!"

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by hollowneck
grammar, some typos

[mtaylor]

The sails look great add to the effect of heading into battle.

[Gahm]

Your sails are very convincing. Beautifully done!

 

Thomas

[hollowneck]

6 hours ago, Gahm said:

Your sails are very convincing. Beautifully done!

 

Thomas

Thanks, Thomas.

Making realistic-looking sails and then figuring-out how and to mount them is a lot of fiddly and arduous work I must admit: there is nearly as much work involved to add working sails as the entirety of all the other basic rigging. Of course, I could have chosen to not make a diorama as these certainly demand realism IMHO.

There's an appropriate English saying: "Horse For Courses..."  There are several definitions of this but the one I like is "what is suitable for one person may not suit another."

[hollowneck]

Small update: yet another diversion from my sail mounting...

 

I've removed the anchor lines (hawse ropes) from Camilla due to her inclusion in a diorama on an "action chase." I'll fit her with a variation of what I did several years ago for my model of HMS Ardent (64) shown below.

 

The "stoppers" in her bow's hawse rope openings were called  "Hawse Bucklers." I haven't yet discovered a detailed explanation of how these were constructed but I imagine they had to have a suitable mechanism that allowed them to be released from inside the ship and that they had to be quite water-tight to be effective: sort of like a big cork that could be easily pushed out to clear the way for a big, fat rope. My photo also shows a lead sheath that protected the stem's cutwater. Ships that were anticipated to be in action had to protect this area as there was often lots of floating bits encountered that could damage the hull if not protected.

 

Aside: Ardent's coppering has taken on a nice brown patina after 8 years of oxidation. I could touch-up some of the shiny bits with a weathering chemical to even out the look but I've got a few other items on my modeling punch list at the moment...

 

Edited October 3, 2022 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

On 9/30/2022 at 9:39 PM, mtaylor said:

The sails look great add to the effect of heading into battle.

Thanks, Mark. The first battle is happening in my workshop! To the Victor Go the Spoils! - or, is it the other way round?

[Blue Ensign]

Hi Ron, did you have any issues with the fair run of the Fore Tack from the Boomkins to the clue of the foresail?

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

3 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

Hi Ron, did you have any issues with the fair run of the Fore Tack from the Boomkins to the clue of the foresail?

 

B.E.

B.E., ...and here I thought you'd never ask. 🤣

I love it when you talk to me like this...simple answer: "No." It's a close call though. I'll take a pic and post it.

The more difficult rope positioning is going to be the tack on the hauled Main course once I get the sail's bunt folds properly fiddled.

[shipman]

While I enjoy looking at your well presented model, Ive just noticed what I can only imagine are the golf balls all over your copper bottom. As I understand it, the nails were flush.

 

Also, though your sails are admirable, it always strikes me as incongruous seeing a ship with sails set yet sitting on a plinth!

 

But each to his own.

 

[hollowneck]

4 minutes ago, shipman said:

While I enjoy looking at your well presented model, Ive just noticed what I can only imagine are the golf balls all over your copper bottom. As I understand it, the nails were flush.

 

Also, though your sails are admirable, it always strikes me as incongruous seeing a ship with sails set yet sitting on a plinth!

 

But each to his own.

 

Thank you for looking-in, your compliment about my sails, Shipman. Much appreciated.

I'd like to note that my Chris Watton designed, early 21st- century Caldercraft kit model of HMS Agamemnon came complete with copper-plated golf balls fastening her copper plating. I didn't even pay extra for this detail.

You may be unaware that this HMS Camilla build will be presented in an English Channel action diorama. I also agree that it strikes me as incongruous seeing a ship with sails set yet sitting on a plinth.

This information dense forum is a formidable one, indeed: chock full of important details that can be easily overlooked, or just missed.

 

[hollowneck]

Nearing the finish line on sails and their rigging. Some small changes, diversions (improvements?)...

I've removed the hawse cables and mounted a bower anchor. The hawse bucklers (plugs for the thick anchor rope openings) are yet to be scratched and inserted. The Fore course tack rope is very close to the cathead, yet it does lead fair to the boomkin block. This is because the foresail is hauled up against the wind which draws the clue and tack inward. The boomkins should extend further and thus be a little longer. Oh well...next model.

The sail rigging necessary to present a hauled Main course is completed. The two bunt lines (center of sail) are rigged to blocks added to the top (like the additional foretop rigging for the Fore course) )and then led down to the deck through shroud "rigging trucks." I'll carefully paint these in a brown acrylic as I think these were made of wood, not iron. These were not supplied with the kit, but filched from my vast stash of rigging gubbins....I know, another 17th-century technical term...

The sail's tack rope hasn't been rigged yet in this photo. When rigged, the tack line, (leading fore), will help gather the dangling clue corner of the sail more upward and closer to the yard.

The Main Course is hauled and both tacks lead to the mid-deck bulwark cleats. Now that sail rigging is complete, I'll adjust and secure all the lines at the midship's jeer blocks and various shroud cleats. The fore topsail's yard bracing will be done last in this area of the model owing to the limited access after the sail rigging is cinched-up and done.

 

In the log, I've somehow overlooked mentioning that my Maincourse shown here was made from silkspan in roughly half the actual length of the sail to allow a better and more natural depiction. I did mention however, that unlike all my other sails, this Maincourse was created from a single layer of colored silkspan with reinforcement linings and partial bolt ropes at the clues. As a result, the single layer is more translucent, but to my eye this isn't a deal-breaker by being highly noticeable or incongruous.

A view of the hauled Main course from the starboard stern. Clue, sheet and tacks have brailed the gathered sail close to the yard, but the sail won't be "gasketed" (tied tightly to the yard with additional ropes) since Camilla is in "fighting sail" configuration.

The outline of the added bunt line tackle block that permits the bunt ropes to gather the large sail at the center can be seen at the very corner of the top. Like the Fore top buntline blocks, these two blocks are 3.0 mm stropped, single-sheave ones.

 

 

 

Edited October 6, 2022 by hollowneck
grammar, added text

[Kevin]

What a stunning build

[hollowneck]

1 hour ago, Kevin said:

What a stunning build

Thank You, Kevin, much appreciated.

[druxey]

Looks great, Ron. BTW, 'rigging trucks' are called bullseyes.

[hollowneck]

1 minute ago, druxey said:

Looks great, Ron. BTW, 'rigging trucks' are called bullseyes.

Thank you, druxey. Can I claim I've "hit the bullseye(s)?"

[druxey]

Not far off the mark!

[hollowneck]

An update on the completion of some details that get me closer to having HMS Camilla ready for her diorama to be made.

Some final rigging has been accomplished on the gaff sail at the stern (spanker). I have yet to make the large ensign that will be hoisted on haliards rigged to the gaff yard. The large flag will require a block and tackle to haul it. The ensign staff provided in the kit has been removed; this created the space for the flag as well as the rigging required for handling the fore-to-aft sail.

With the rigging of the gaff I've nearly completed all the critical sail rigging; the large array of temporarily positioned ropes - sail as well as running - can now be tightened, battened down and then fixed in place.

In addition to a large Royal Navy ensign, HMS Camilla will fly a lengthy top gallant pennant. I haven't decided yet whether or not to fly a Union "Jack" at her bow. The flags will be made from paper and shaped to show the effect of the following wind.

After rigging the gaff, the final running rigging ropes were run from the Main top gallant yard to the deck. The bracing lines (adjusting the top gallant's yard for tacking & wearing) require the longest run of ropes on the model. From the foc'sle's forward pin rails to the midship jeers and cleats on the main shrouds, the area is still relatively wide open for finishing all the belaying points. Once rope hanks are made and mounted, the skids and the ship's boat will be returned along with a spare topmast.

 

I thought it might be helpful to show the array of tools I use for rigging. Of course, there are others who will use other tools. For my work, all these long manipulation tools are essential for getting into a myriad of tight spots. There are a few areas where the long surgeon's scissors can more effectively trim a line where the small embroidery ones and fingers just won't fit. Even the dental pick is handy, especially for mounting rope hanks to cleats and belaying pins.

....a follow-up look at how I approached making and mounting the hawse buckler's (large stoppers for the anchor ropes that have been removed). I led a small rope from each buckler pair up to the caprail, both starboard and port.

... just when I needed a break from never-ending rigging*, two sailors showed-up to crew Camilla!

 

 

I did a little research on the uniforms of the era and I believe I got it reasonably correct. The two "tars" (Royal Navy sailors) flanking Cpt. Pennypincher came all the way from the 3D printing machine in Chris Watton's shipyards in the U.K. The bases on the figures will be removed (likely with a disc sander); retaining them while detail painting is a help. Since my pared-down crew (eight plus Pennypicher in total) is an active one in a diorama, I have taken my builder's liberty to "weather" their clothing. Clean,white trousers and stockings? No way. With figures of this quality, the subtle details of the sculpts can be easily emphasized with finishing "washes" after the principal colors have been painted. After I've let the painting thoroughly dry I'll spritz them with some Testor's DullCote ( a lacquer acrylic) to tone down the "shine" of the paint.

A closer look at the Boss and one of his employees. These figures are superbly-sculpted and cast in very fine, high-quality resin. The details are quite extraordinary, right down to facial expressions and details of the hands. But, I do have to admit I couldn't see fingernails or whiskers. There's always room for improvement, right?...

 

I'm happy to say "Good Bye" to the sad Amati crew from the 70's....and, there are rumors that a Vanguard six man gun crew is about to board ship.

And the brushes needed to paint these 28mm (1:64 scale) figures: a 20/0, a 12/0 and a #1 round pointer brushes. Small acrylic bottle for scale.

 

* never-ending rigging. Yes, it seems at times that I'll never see the end of the rope(s)! The Truth is that I do like this stage of building. But it is quite draining, especially on the eyes and the steadiness of my hands and fingers. Only a few hours at a time is how it works for me. Taking a break to work on something else keeps my sanity - and fun - a thing of delayed gratification. I believe anyone on this forum who rigs sailing ships of any era or variety won't have a problem with this sentiment..

 

Edited October 14, 2022 by hollowneck
Grammar, a couple typos

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking absolutely fantastic Ron.  The sails are really impressive!  Can't wait to see the ship in it's glory when you get it in the diorama!

[hollowneck]

8 minutes ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Looking absolutely fantastic Ron.  The sails are really impressive!  Can't wait to see the ship in it's glory when you get it in the diorama!

Thanks for the good words, Mike - and the fast look-in on this Build thread.

I'm getting excited to see the special order carpenter's casing wood arrive so I can begin to address the "box" she'll sit in. There's still a bunch of details (like making/mounting rope hanks), weathering of all the sails and the paper flags so Ive got some things to do before Big Shop Tools start making sawdust!

[druxey]

Nice work, Ron. Congrats on reaching the conclusion of another stage with rigging. You've done a really nice job painting up your figures. You can always add fingernails and beard shadow with paint, you know!

[Blue Ensign]

Re: The Ensigns.

Altho’ the Ensigns are not always worn at sea, I like to show them, but the Commissioning pennant is always worn at the Main T’gallant head.

 

I don’t think the Union flag is usually worn at the Jackstaff when at sea, and unless a model is displayed ‘bare stick’ I would leave it off.

 Nice work on the crew figures Ron, they look convincing.

 You may already have them but there is a nice little paperback book by Osprey publishing called ‘Nelson’s Sailors’ detailing the clothing of sailors, and companion books Nelson’s Midshipmen and Officers, and Nelson’s Navy.

 

Modestly priced and readily available on Amazon.

 

I see that the two crew figures you show are taken from the artwork in the Nelson’s Sailors book, and very nicely done.

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

7 hours ago, Blue Ensign said:

Re: The Ensigns.

Altho’ the Ensigns are not always worn at sea, I like to show them, but the Commissioning pennant is always worn at the Main T’gallant head.

 

I don’t think the Union flag is usually worn at the Jackstaff when at sea, and unless a model is displayed ‘bare stick’ I would leave it off.

 Nice work on the crew figures Ron, they look convincing.

 You may already have them but there is a nice little paperback book by Osprey publishing called ‘Nelson’s Sailors’ detailing the clothing of sailors, and companion books Nelson’s Midshipmen and Officers, and Nelson’s Navy.

 

Modestly priced and readily available on Amazon.

 

I see that the two crew figures you show are taken from the artwork in the Nelson’s Sailors book, and very nicely done.

 

B.E.

Thanks for the insights on the ensigns, B.E. You share with us an encyclopedic knowledge of the British Navy and her fighting sail.

Not mounting a Union Jack is how I've been leaning. The Main T'gallant pennant is a must and will be accompanied by a large ensign at her stern.

 

I did Google for Royal Navy sailors, early-18th-C and the uniforms that appealed to me matched the Captain's. HMS Camilla's dress code is shipshape and - Fashion Forward. As far as the cannon team, I've seen that a couple of the impressed men from Cinderford go shirtless, so their dress will be considerably less formal. 😂

 

Appreciate your info on the books, especially the Osprey one; I believe what popped-up in my image search was from a page in Nelson's Sailors.

[hollowneck]

16 hours ago, druxey said:

Nice work, Ron. Congrats on reaching the conclusion of another stage with rigging. You've done a really nice job painting up your figures. You can always add fingernails and beard shadow with paint, you know!

Thanks for your encouragement, druxey. When I have nothing else to do, I just might attempt to put a 17:00 shadow on one of these dudes.

[hollowneck]

With only a few of her rigging details left to complete (rope hanks, flags, sail weathering details, etc.), I need to estimate the base area for her diorama so I can order custom millwork. In the two photos, I've placed some long strip stock on the table tennis top to get a visual on the maximum size of the "pan" I'll construct from plywood and the 4" high architectural door casing for its sides. I needed to get the lengths of the custom casing right to confirm my order. The tentative dimension of the base is 36" W X 24" D. The placement of the model here is not exact.

 

I have two long carpenter's clamps that will be necessary to hold the sides to the ply base when I do the lay-up. The final base measurements help me determine the size of the water creation materials too, which I'll need to order in the next couple weeks.

This photo shows an approximate "heel" to the ship (to starboard). Her bow will be riding up on a wave. Her keel will likely rest on the plywood base, like my other dioramas. This means that there will be an approximate "depth" of the water/wave action of about 3"-5," a little deeper than my previous dioramas (weathery, choppy seas with a couple rollers). The ply base will likely be from 3/4" surfaced ply (to help prevent warping over time). This results in the 3" minimum measurement for the water depth effect.

For visual reference on the overall diorama size, my previous 6th-rate model (HMS Swan-12) was placed in a 40" X 20" base presenting the model on a slight port heading, bow forward. HMS Camilla will be presented with a starboard heading on a significant tack showing her stern in an approximate position shown in the previous photos.

-------

 

So, until I the custom door casing millwork arrives at my doorstep (a long 94" tube via Fedex), I'll go back to some loose ends (literally!)...

 

To make numerous rope hanks, I've made a new rope hank jig.

I will need two different rope hank lengths for Camilla's rigging. I had to toss an older hank jig as the placement of the pins didn't correspond well with the smaller hanks; it was also pretty tired from previous projects. The photo shown here was a test to check a new approach for gluing and I'll add several more "stations" to it subsequent to my successful test.

 

I've drilled three (3) pin (brass brad nail) holes in two edges of this 9" long piece of spare wood (an armature) for making the hank loops: one hole is on the thin top and two others on the wider face. The forming nails are brass because the water solution of the glue will - in just a few uses - start to rust regular nails.

 

In the photo, the coil has been turned four times and secured on the shortest length of two facing pin holes for the brass nails. Next to these nail positions, I've drilled another much smaller hole on the top for a sample belaying pin. This is the 8 mm size pear pin that I've used throughout the model. I did this this to check the fidelity of the thickest running rope that I'll use as well as the size of the loops. A little less than half the total number of hanks I'll need will be on the small belaying pins, the other hanks will mount to the larger shroud and bulwark cleats (hence, the longer size pin placement that will facilitate fashioning longer coils - the dark hole at the base of the coil will be the maximum hank length, another 4 mm).

 

This single station at the jig's end was to determine whether or not I could use diluted Liquitex Matte Medium adhesive on my hanks/coils. It worked.  On some previous models, I used diluted PVA for hanks and struggled with this approach; I recall a nearly 50% failure rate with various issues that plagued my method. When I thought I got the perfect mix of glue and water to allow a hank to be smoothly removed from the jig, they fell apart when I began mounting them because the glue wouldn’t hold the shape.Grrrrr…
 

The long top edge of the wood armature is rounded-off slightly because...

 

...before coiling a precut length of rope around the two brass pins, I rub a small disc of beeswax along the edge where the rope will contact the wooden armature. The beeswax helps to release the completed rope without having it come unravelled (I still use pointed tweezers to carefully remove the dried coil after pulling the brass pins out by carefully twisting them with my fingers). After coiling the rope and leaving a short length on the final "tail" wrap, the entire hank is coated with diluted Matte Medium with a small brush (about a 50/50 mix). The "tail" gets tucked back through the coil and trimmed after removing it from the jig. The matte adhesive dries in about 15 minutes (in a warm shop). From previous experience I know I can also use a hair dryer to speed this up to under 5 minutes per run.

 

I will now add another 5 or 6 "stations" to his jig so I can lay-up multiple hanks at a go. I'll post another photo of my final hank jig. I'll show how I dress the formed hank to their belaying pins and cleats when I add them later.

 

Another detail here, before I paint the balance of Camilla's crew (the six impressed cannoneers).

I've coated the sailor on the left with a light touch of the Testor's Spray Lacquer ( previously branded "Dull Cote") to diminish the natural shine of the acrylic paint job. In comparison, the Captain hasn't been spritzed yet. The effect is certainly subtle, but to my eye nonetheless dramatic under less intense lighting. I lit this purposefully to show the contrast between the "dulled" figure and one that hasn't been toned-down. Placing the two in position on the model under normal overhead lighting the dull figure is much more convincing. Tamiya makes a "Clear Coat" spray product but I've never used it. The recommendation from this manufacturer is for it's use on polycarbonate surfaces. I'm not certain what this would do to acrylic paint on 3D-printed resin figures.

 

These are the sort of OTT details some of us OCD "miniaturists" obsess over.😂

 

...and, I aver...18th-C sailors' clothing was made from wool (or linen) primarily and would not have been "shiny." Shiny is for the Captain's buttons, epaulettes and sword handle.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by hollowneck
added descriptions, photo

[hollowneck]

Completed rope hank jig, a test for the Ensign, and reassigning Cpt. Pennypincher...

My completed hank jig has five stations. The Matte Medium adhesive for securing the coils as well as the beeswax that acts as a release agent on the wood armature (I rub this along the top and facing surfaces about every two or three runs of hanks). On the righthand side, three short coils; on the left, two longer ones. The openings in the wood came with the spare piece. The ends of the hanks have been taped down with a strip of Tamiya tape until the coils dry.

 

I've estimated that I'll need a total of approximately 90 total rope hanks, a mix of the two sizes shown below.

These are the two sizes for nearly all of the running rigging on the model: .35 mm & .45 mm tan rope.

I found a good image for the Royal Navy ensign online and I downloaded it so I could edit it in P'Shop. I then resized it in good resolution (200 ppi). I wanted to double-check the overall size before committing to a color print file. However, I no longer have a color printer so I've printed out the flag in its correct size with a home office black & white printer: 3.62"W X 2.12" H. I'll take the image file (including a reverse image "flipped file" for the opposite side of the flag) to an imaging vendor (probably Staples) and print out a couple copies in color (Red Ensign). Notice how large the ensign is next to the sailor figures.

 

When I was removing the resin bases for three of my 3D printed sailors with my disc sander, Captain Pennypincher's leg disappeared into the void somewhere on my shop floor, never to be found again. I've considered fashioning him a "peg leg" with a toothpick but now owing to his disability, I decided to transfer him to another post ship and bring aboard a new Captain...

... meet HMS Camilla's new man-in-charge, Captain C.W. Wigglesworth. He may be a tad shorter than Pennypincher, but he is much-admired among his sailors. The ultra-thin 3D print base will allow me to remove it with a sharp craft knife and thus, I can save his leg post-painting. What's one more figure to paint? Wigglesworth will get in line with his six cannoneer crew next week for wardrobing. The grey sprue on the right is Wiggleworth's sword & scabbard.

 

 

Edited October 17, 2022 by hollowneck
typo

[Blue Ensign]

He looks like he’s dancing a horn pipe, or maybe a spot of highland dancing.

 

I’m sure he will continue to give good service, in good company with Captain Ahab  with a nicely turned whale bone leg.

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

4 minutes ago, Blue Ensign said:

He looks like he’s dancing a horn pipe, or maybe a spot of highland dancing.

 

I’m sure he will continue to give good service, in good company with Captain Ahab  with a nicely turned whale bone leg.

 

B.E.

😁...Indeed, he could be dancing a jig... however, I've updated my Log with an important announcement that he'll be given another post. I confess I have no whale bone in my shop since it's now illegal.

[hollowneck]

Making rope hanks continues, tidying-up rigging continues too. Two days ago, the custom millwork I'd shown a few posts ago arrived for Camilla's base/diorama! 

About 30 coils made. 50 more to go. grrrrrrrrrr.... This is tedious, repetitive busy work, but necessary. I'll be very glad when I can start mounting these guys where they belong.

Ta-da! the millwork for Camilla's base/diorama arrived. I temporarily set-up "shop"on my pong table to eyeball the proportions of the base in context with the model. I've decided to make the width an even 36" and the depth (port-to-starboard- more or less), 26". In this photo I've cut two lengths with their 45 degree mitres and temporarily stuck them together to get a sense of the completed base size. The architectural door casing wood came in two 7 foot lengths which will give me little room for error; there will be short length cut-offs I can use for experimenting with the color of the stain and the infill accent on the repeating acanthus pattern. The wood is poplar, medium soft, nearly knot-free and from experience I know it should take the base and accent stains evenly. 

A lower view of what the model will look like (sort of - since HMS Camilla will be quite a bit lower once she's placed into position in the "base" after the sides are affixed to a plywood base). The height of this casing millwork is 4". The nominal thickness is 13/16". "Nominal" because the shaped profile isn't uniform, patterned front to back: there is a 1/16" thickness variance across the section. This small difference required me to shim the stock when cutting the mitres so the 45 degree angled cuts wouldn't be skewed owing to this small disparity.

Here is a mitered corner of the casing, before gluing, sanding and filling (if necessary). Because of the convoluted section profile, the mitre saw I own (power) required the stock to be securely clamped and shimmed while on the saw's platen before making the angled cuts. There is less than a 1/16" fudge factor to all the cuts; once glued and clamped any small discrepancies in the corner tolerances should come together without thin corner cracks showing. This process is similar to what custom picture framing shops do: precision measurements requiring very precise cutting. I use a 10.5" dia. narrow kerf blade in my mitre saw.

Dramatic lighting, huh? 🙄...Hopefully, after I've glued the four sides to the ply base (the next process), all four corners should look like this. 🤞The play of lighting on the diorama's base will be very interesting once colored and finish sealed. Art history buffs will notice I'm shooting for an English "Georgian" period look to the overall base design.

 

I'm about to dive into the English Channel's freezing water within just a few days. Most materials I need are in the shop - including some Earl Grey's tea, scones, clotted cream and raspberry jam. Mmmmmmmm

 

Cheers Mates!

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by hollowneck
Grammar