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

[hollowneck]

4 minutes ago, James H said:

Looking real nice. Noted your fix at the front too, so that'll be a help if anyone experiences that. 

 

I worked to the last production prototype that was changed for parts that were amended, and this was my build in that area. Some things are unfathomable 🤣

Thanks, James. Good fix, true, the "unfathomables" ...and it looks like you're a more exacting fettler than I!

Allow me to comment that those annoying little holes in the rails still need some stainable wood filler in them.😂

 

Ron

 

 

4 minutes ago, James H said:

 

 

[chris watton]

Nice save.

 

I did actually give a 1.5mm extra length for those bow parts, to take into account differing builds, so it's disappointing to see yours do not meet.

 

Regarding the coamings, I never try to sand the edges until the top and bottom patterns are firmly glued together. I do have scrap sheets for spares, if you wanted a new coaming set.

[hollowneck]

James,

That these two pieces didn't align better is likely my error; it makes perfect sense to me that you and Chris would allow a liitle extra "margin" - even if it's only 1.5mm. Do you think the tiny gap here may have been the result of some minor "shrinkage?" (i.e. hot water)

 

I didn't glue the pieces together and that likely didn't make the job any easier. Thanks for the kind offer for an extra coaming set, but I'm good now with my glue job. As I said, the only ones who will ever know is the entire MSW universe of builders.😆

Ron

Edited November 8, 2021 by hollowneck

[Glenn-UK]

There is a slight gap on mine also, but I made a right mess when I installed the left hand side. I had to rip it off and reglue due to a misalignment on my part.

[hollowneck]

8 minutes ago, glennard2523 said:

There is a slight gap on mine also, but I made a right mess when I installed the left hand side. I had to rip it off and reglue due to a misalignment on my part.

 

Glenn, this kit is a gem - however, it is not for the faint-of-heart. The tolerances are the tightest I've yet encountered in a kit build - which, is a good thing. Despite little niggling details that are for the most part, very minor annoyances, the results of Chris' design is that he demands a level of attention that kicks the entire build up by several notches. One of those notches being the one at the prow!...haha (joke).😂

 

I see on your log that you've taken delivery of a second Sphinx kit from Vanguard. Bravo.

Measure once, build twice, I say!

 

Ron

 

 

[Glenn-UK]

54 minutes ago, hollowneck said:

I see on your log that you've taken delivery of a second Sphinx kit from Vanguard. Bravo.

Measure once, build twice, I say!

 

Ron

 

 

Ron

I do need to learn how to measure. I have learnt such alot from the first build so I am hoping the 2nd build will be much better, planning to start work on the v2 kit in the next couple of weeks, once I have finished with the forecastle and quarterdeck.

[hollowneck]

Building out the foc'sle and some related details.

Ron

 

I've used small nails to accurately help position the gunwale for gluing to the forward bulwarks. The nails are pushed through holes in the gunwale pattern and when it's carefully aligned along the entire (curved) length, the nails are gently pushed into layered wood of the bulwarks. This helps to keep the gunwale piece accurately aligned during subsequent gluing.

 

Close-up of a properly mounted cathead in the slot through the bulwarks layers. The gunwale will fit tight against the cathead after gluing. 

 

A cathead slot after two additional inner bulwarks pieces have been mounted. I will again use a small handsaw, a new sharp blade in my X-acto and small diamond files to prep this slot for the final cathead mounting to the deck. You'll need to remove all the layers right down to the deck surface in order to properly mount it. This angle is quite steep, nearly 40 degrees from vertical to the deck is my best guess.

 

Two views of the positioned starboard gunwale, ready for gluing. No cathead knee yet. The eagle-eyed among you will note the tiny sanded "relief" on the underside where the gunwale meets the cathead. I could have filed a slight notch in the cathead too, but opted to delicately sand into the outside of the thick gunwale that will get black paint and no one (except you guys) will be the wiser!

 

Nailed it! A location nail thru the gunwale pattern, a clamp for downward pressure (holding on to a nail); the tiny gap will disappear with some paintable filler (and black paint).

 

 

Ta-da! a completed starboard bulwark, all pieces glued, alignment nails removed. The pear pieces are dimensioned with extremely close tolerances, so take your time getting these built-up items to fit properly. The next step is the port side and the thin pear finishing pattern (.6mm) needs to meet its twin to starboard very precisely at the deck's peak.

 

Mind The Gap. A little stainable wood filler here and no one will know that there was a .3mm gap. The open area under the downward "lip" will be covered by a combination of the gangway and mid-deck gunwale patterns.

 

 

The starboard side decorative volute at the foc'sle bulwarks. Including the rail patterns on the hull's exterior there are five (5!) layers here to match-up. I've done a little filing/shaping here and again, a 500% magnification will show EVERYTHING. I'll do a tad more, knowing that this piece will be painted black to match the gunwales. The gunwale fit to the volute is very, very close as seen in the previous photo.

 

Drilling down, guys. The tiny laser holes in the foc'sle deck (and the q'deck) are for rigging eyebolts and when I attempted to push and glue one into a hole, the P/E part bent! Another assignment for Mr. Thumb Drill! Open-up those squarish holes so eyebolts can be glued into the deck(s).

 

Here's a bird's eye view of the twin "thrones" - sometimes referred to in 19th-century literature as "seats of ease." This arrangement must have encouraged quality bonding experiences with your shipmates... uh, back to facts: I've fixed the offending gaps, did some paint and stain touchup and added a strip of molding pear (1.5mm) below the lower rail to better join the slotted planking to the hull. I'm still not 100% happy though; I'll add another tiny piece to fill the obvious space in the lower rail.

 

I clamped onto the temporary "alignment nails" to get downward pressure on the gunwale after applying wood glue to the bulwark. There may be other techniques to get this critical part of the model properly built, but this worked a treat! Even pressure applied and no ripples or gaps. After glue dried, I simply removed the clamps and pulled the nails out of their small holes.

 

Edited November 10, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

Continuing with work on the bow of HMS Camilla. Affixing the cathead and support knee. Delicate P/E application tool. Filling the "GG" the Gunwale Gap. Pics first, commentary to come. I know, I know: there's char on the edge of the gunwale pattern: see the next photos.

 

The sticky bit on the end of this handy tool is wax and it's a lifesaver for applying tiny stuff like P/E decorations. It can also help for placing tiny wood parts in hard-to-reach places. It rarely happens, but If a bit of residual wax is left from the "Pulp Dent" tool, no problem, just wipe it off. These plastic sticks come in packs of two dozen (see other photo). A couple will last the better part of a single build.

You'll need to remove the lower portion of the curved molding in order to get a proper fit for the cathead support knee. As can be seen, I just used my X-acto to slice off the offending bit and then it popped right off, clearing the area for the subsequent mounting of the knee (to a flat surface!). I could have hacked all the other molding pieces away to mount the knee directly to the hull, but this degree of surgery is not called for with this model ... wait!..I changed my mind.

 

...This detail is still slightly awkward; On reflection and seeing this enlargement, I'll do something to fix it. I'll carefully slice off the leftover bit of the upper curved molding and paint the area blue. This, indeed, is small stuff to think about; unfortunately for me, I often sweat these details... There is more touch-up to come: CTBR, the residual char on the knee (aaarrrgh) and adding some paint to the simulated wood carving of the decorative P/E.

 

Note Bene: If for no other reason, I'd recommend to all my colleagues to take good close-up photos of your model as it's being built (like this and others logs); you'll really see where future problems can crop-up and you'll undoubtedly discover how much more time you need to invest to sharpen your skills (and eye)!🤣

 

 

Described previously, the handy applicators. A dental practice staple I'm told. I think I got them from a dental supply company: Google it.

 

Love that stainable wood filler! It won't be stained here however since the gunwale is painted black. But the gap, even at .3mm, would have been awful looking.

 

The "spikeys"...The spikes show why the holes are important (should you choose to rig/prep her anchor rigging). The little nails run through the cathead pulley holes are just a reminder to test fit the size of the rigging rope for the anchor tackle - before  I get too much further on the build.

 

With this kit, it pays to look WAY AHEAD of where you are in the moment. This is a good rule-of-thumb, of course, but it's especially important with a high-calibre model like this one.

 

I think it's important to mention at this point in my log that I am only loosely following the sequencing of steps outlined in the (well done) manual. I have departed from the step-by-step approach for a number of reasons. Generally speaking, if you do follow the manual page-by-page you'll be fine.

Ron

 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

I mentioned "Simulated wood carvings to P/E" in my last post. Here's what I use to turn the Vanguard's multilevel P/E into "wood:" 1. A base coat of Liquitex acrylic Raw Sienna and 2. a Citadel wash of Seraphim Sepia - both water soluble.

 

With Vanguard's "multi-level" P/E in the Sphinx kit (and I believe all other Vanguard kits with decorative P/E), it isn't necessary to add more than a paint and wash. However, on single level P/E, I simulate the thickness of a wood carving by applying a gesso - or a matte medium (both by Liquitex) - before painting. The gesso or matte dries fairly quickly and you may need more than one application.

 

The results for "carved wood" simulation are so much better looking than just sticking on a flat piece of P/E. I realize not all this P/E was actual carving on some ships but it is a good approximation of a hand painting technique which is difficult (to say the least) at modeling scales below 1:48.

 

Ron

The arrow points to the column decorations on the beautiful HMS Bellona model in the U.K. This also shows very clearly the colorations of these elements. I have chosen to paint my HMS Camilla gallery and stern light columns in white and the window sash and mullions in brown to simulate varnished wood, the reverse of the chosen colors in the kit's manual. I believe this choice creates a more historically accurate rendering. The frieze decorative painting on this particular model (trompe -'loeil - "fool the eye") is stunning; I want to do this someday - either directly on the finished bulwarks or by painting off the model on a piece of paper and then applying it. This won't happen until I build my first 1:48 model!

 

A correction: actually, the Sphinx manual shows that the decorative columns for both the galleries and the stern in gold, the window sash in white. Similar to this model of the Bellona, I'm using the gold color (Vallejo Liquid Gold as recommended) very sparingly and predominately on the stern where the color will act to highlight the one-piece, detailed resin casting; you can see the edge of the model's stern carvings finished in gold.

 

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

Back at the bench. A week of distractions. Here are some photos of progress in several areas of my build. All these show critical detail work.

 

Introducing Lady Camilla, a Sphinx if ever I saw one. I'm following my philosophy with Vallejo Liquid Gold paint: less is more. The resin cast figurehead is a beautiful thing, ready to mount (more or less- I had to do some minor filing to get the fit to the stem). Camilla is indeed a Satyresque being and thus, her brown, furry, feral body. But she does have golden wings! - and a human head and protruding human breasts which I suspect my painting details will get a few snickers here by the "guys." The dangling headworks rail is only temporary; there's an ugly gap at the forward support which I think I'll fix with some flat black paint post-gluing.

 

Gangway pattern "tweaked." After aligning the mid-ship gunwale in its optimum position, and then placing the starboard gangway tight against it, I needed to remove a tiny sliver of where the gangway met the multi-stacked volute detail. The gunwale is temporarily aligned with a small nail. This view is looking toward the prow, the foc'sle deck pattern. The five layers that comprise the volute are quite evident and again, the gunwales will be painted black along the entire model. This volute has been carefully sanded and filed and will look good when all is completed. ANOTHER REMINDER FOR ALL WHO ARE BUILDING THIS MODEL: the tolerances are quite tight nearly everywhere throughout this build. I recommend dry-fitting every wooden component. In this photo, to make everything fit nicely, I had to do the complete opposite of what is instructed in the manual by retaining the full width of the gangway and relieving the areas where it meets the forward and aft volutes on both sides; it also varied slightly with the port gangway fit. I suspect others might not face this change, but it does illustrate (at least with my execution) how critical the tolerances are to this overall design. A Good Thing- but demanding an extra dose of patience - and careful sanding!..🤪

 

The gangway at the starboard quarterdeck: a slight sanded "relief" to mate the parts; the last gangway support (not seen, below the wide portion where it meets the beam) is a little high and I'll alter it to lower the position of the gangway when I mount it. There are additional parts to add in this area, a "step" of sorts and this needs to fit properly as it will be very visible when completed. Once again, note the five layers that comprise the aft volute. The fit requires precise fitting of all the layers to look right. Be careful on these wonderful decorative details; it's tempting to file and sand too much and destroy these delicate embellishments.

 

Problem areas; my fixes include some post-gluing paint, (on the left) and removing a little of the odd curved piece just below the cathead support. I haven't stained the pear support (nor the curved upper piece temporarily in position - forgot its name!) yet which will better match the surrounding details when completed. The magnification here is another reminder that attending to the minor details does matter. Scary, but necessary IMHO!

 

Glue time for the quarterdeck pattern. The only way that I could think of to get a tight fit to the multiple curved beams and a full alignment front-to-rear, was to temporarily place the bulwarks build-up pieces against the sides and clamp them down against the deck. Same for the alligator clips on the front beam (with anti-marring scraps). The temporary mizzen mast also has a clamp that's pressing down the middle of the pattern which wants to rise up. Even with all this, I found myself holding and pressing the pattern with my fingers. I did apply white glue across every beam (there are many as we know), especially at the outer ends that meet the bulwarks on both sides. The aft end of the deck pattern needs to fit tightly against the thin plywood support and flush against the inner transom. Phew! After overnight drying, everything seems to have worked well. No buckling or huge gaps AFTER Removing the temporarily placed, bulwarks build-up pieces. They're next to mount- three per side. These all do align nicely and will require only minor tweaking (a small gap to fill) but a single long pear piece (.6mm) - watch for the engraved side only evident at the brace bulwarks pulley ! - will cover the gap.

 

Another glue view. Get those clamps ready. Careful where you place them. I did knock-off one channel support in error, but it was easily re-attached. As Salt n' Pepa sang in the 80's: "Push it. Push It Real Good!"

 

Ahhhh, yes. My continuing obsession with these volutes. Doesn't this detail look good? Just wait 'til it's painted and forms a continuous sinewy, snake-like undulation along the length of her entire svelte body... there will be a lowering of the gangway support here too as well as getting the final pear interior bulwark of the quarterdeck to more precisely meet-up with the volute.

 

 

Arrow indicates where I'll sand the deck clamp (it got too elevated here) so it drops the gangway into a better, slightly lower position.

 

This gluing task was fun (not); the toothpick performed an essential job to hold the thick (2mm) pear build-up volute piece in position as it dried. After dry-fitting this area it became immediately apparent that I had to mount the volute pieces out-of-order from the instructions. This area can easily be messed-up if you don't double-check all your fits before moving ahead. You'll also note I foreshortened one of the gangway supports (that won't be viewed by anyone unless they break their neck peeking), so I wouldn't need to wrestle the angle of the gangway when It comes time to glue it in-place.

 

That's my story, and I'm sticking....

Ron

 

 

Edited November 19, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

A few progress photos for today with helpful descriptions hopefully!

 

Dos Oros Liquidos. I decided to use two slightly different shades of "gold" on Camilla's P/E decorations. I believe this helps to add a little more visual interest to these pieces. Still in the category of "less is more" for my build. Vallejo offers several "metallic" paints and they are not inexpensive...however, they have no equal in my experience, other than applying gold leafing! 

 

A delicate repair job. A tiny piece of the upper rail that joins the bulwarks at the foc'sle broke off; I have no idea how this happened with my obsession to make these curvy gems a special feature of my build. Oh well...I snipped a piece of pear from some scrap and carefully glued it with white glue and then sanded it. I was envisioning a little "divot" showing-up - a gap when I am ready to paint all the gunwales black. In this case, a "divot"  (and not a "davit") is not desirable.

 

Drilling-down again. Don't forget to drill-out the numerous lasered square holes along the edges of the quarterdeck pattern, immediately adjacent to the built-up bulwarks. These will receive eyebolts for various rigging lines and trying to get into this area after the entire q'deck is completed will be a challenge better resolved sooner than later. The long, thin (.06mm pear) finishing pieces fit extremely well along the edges that meet the q'deck; be aware that it's very easy to swap the two sides and you'll hide the small engraving the defines the rigging pulleys on both sides of the q'deck.

 

My Quarterdeck pattern came-up a little short of a snug fit to the transom's interior boarding. I'll add a small strip of .6mm boxwood to hide this tiny, yet very visible gap. The transom knees, various cleats and the ensign supports haven't been mounted yet, but I still think a gap here would be unacceptable. I maintain a supply of "small section" hardwoods (pear and boxwood, 1mm strip and smaller) for fixing problems like this one where my joinery has been less than perfect.

 

Pthalo Blue acrylic paint to be applied to the area where I removed a portion of the ill-fitting rail pieces that fall under the cathead supports. Both sweeping top rails are in-place but I'm going to stain them in a darker oak color to better match their surrounding elements of darker pear.

     The various lasered wood pieces in this kit match-up very well generally - except in this instance. This kit's laminated rail piece is a clever build-up to this difficult part of the model's headworks. This is one of the most difficult areas to execute well - whether scratch or kit provided - but here as you can see, the mismatch in the wood color stands out like a sore thumb if not toned-down in appearance. The shape and the build-up design is fine, but not the resulting coloration. This may not be the case with other's kits where the differences in the lasered pear stock may not be so evident. If, after I stain the top rails a darker tone to compensate for this visual disparity and it still doesn't look right to me, I'll scratch pear replacements using the kit's "spare" pattern as a template. 

Ron

 

Edited November 20, 2021 by hollowneck

[druxey]

The cathead supporter and ekeing rail are the most awkward parts in a ship as the curves are in two planes. Perhaps cutting a bit off the bottom of the supporter and fitting an intermediate piece will give you that smooth, curved transition.

[hollowneck]

47 minutes ago, druxey said:

The cathead supporter and ekeing rail are the most awkward parts in a ship as the curves are in two planes. Perhaps cutting a bit off the bottom of the supporter and fitting an intermediate piece will give you that smooth, curved transition.

Thank You druxey, what a good suggestion. Your fix would certainly make this area present better.

 

Should I end up scratching the entire top rail, I can likely fashion a small transition piece to make the cathead support and ekeing rail a better fit. It's occurred to me more than once that ship modeler's of 18th century frigates need to develop a unique vocabulary all our own; it's a good thing we both speak English!

Ron

 

[hollowneck]

Progress on the Q'deck.

A balustrade on the q'deck, shaped and mounted (finger for scale). It is upright, parallel to the  vertical, not cocked; my camera was at a slight angle. There are six of these little guys. The first one took me about 30 minutes to shape the lasered pearwood pattern. Five more to go!

 

Better "upright" view of a balustrade. The manual says to paint them black. I'll likely leave them in stained natural wood if they all turn out this nicely after shaping. The natural wood tone will emphasize the shapes of these delicate pieces; black paint would partly disguise their attractiveness. This one of my favorite parts of a build for ships of this era. Art and design mattered to the craftsman and the officers alike, nearly as much as speed and firepower of these hunter-seekers.

 

 

The tools I use to shape the delicate pear pieces. Gentle curves and squared-off angles: diamonds (and patience) can be a ship modeler's best friend. Take your time with these little guys; they will be quite prominent when completed, whether black or natural.

 

A work-in-progress midships view. Eyebolts and cleats mounted along the q'deck bulwarks. I'm contemplating a couple critical decisions now: whether to add a slightly darker stain to the quarterdeck and whether or not to stick with my original plan to build-up the bulwarks on the quarterdeck so that Camilla can carry four additional, new-fangled carronades.

 

The thin fife rails along the entire length of the quarterdeck are very appealing to my eye. I've tested "the look" of the delicate woodworking pieces and studied the temporarily placed timberheads against the overall lines of the hull; I'm now less inclined to add these carronade "upgrades" to her. NOTE: the P/E hammock cranes along the q'deck bulwarks are NOT SHOWN in the manual prototype build - but shown prominently on the plans). Decisions, decisions.

 

My same technique for gluing the sweeping quarterdeck gunwales to the bulwarks: nails and clamps exerting downward force so the gunwales are evenly attached along the entire length of the pear wood pattern- on both sides. Post gluing (white glue BTW), the nails are removed. The nails were inserted into drilled holes, unlike the foc'sle gunwales patterns that have lasered holes for these temporary positioning pins. Doesn't matter: the little mounting holes will be filled with stainable filler, sanded and then painted flat black.

 

The capstan and a q'deck look-in. The manual calls for painting both capstans in red (to match the interior bulwarks). I prefer a natural look to all these components. I retained the red as a minimal contrast to the interior and the thin "line" on the exterior bulwark sweep. Like gold paint, less is more. The brass pins on the capstan's cam locks will be painted black., the über-delicate pear wood ladder will be stained natural. As I've noted previously, I paint, stain, and finish as I build. Don't forget to "break" all the sharp edges of the lasered pear, like the capstan drum head components, the coamings and grates.

 

 

The stern transom support: the Q'deck- to - bulwark/gunwale connection. This piece is tricky to get right as it needs a reverse, double sanded angle to fit correctly. The clamp is holding the gunwale firmly in-place as the glue dries. The brass nail had a positioning hole drilled into the wood to secure the gunwale after glue was applied. All this to prevent this piece from rising-up and having visible gaps. Speaking of which: the tiny gap between the bulwarks finishing strip and the deck I can live with. It's about .002-003 under this magnification. Despite this minor annoyance, the tolerances with many of the components of this kit are impressive.

 

The leading timberheads at the Quarterdeck. The thin edges will get painted black with a smaller brush better suited for this task than the one I used to get the black on the larger surfaces. DON'T FORGET TO GIVE CHARACTERISTIC SHAPE TO THESE four pear wood pieces; all the "heads" along the gunwales require precise shaping to render an accurate depiction of these utilitarian posts.

 

 

Another close-up of the transom area. In keeping with my visual preferences, there is no red paint here. Because my one-piece quarterdeck pattern didn't fit flush to the angled transom, there was a small gap (noted in the previous post). I added two pieces of 1mm square section of pear to either side of the ensign mounting base at the deck. Looks fine, like it belongs.😉

Edited November 24, 2021 by hollowneck

[Landlubber Mike]

Looking great Ron!

 

i haven’t tried Vallejo’s Liquid Gold line, but I’ve used some of their other Metal Colours and really like them.  Another thing to consider is using gilding wax.  It’s a paste like wax that people use to give an antique metal look to furniture, etc.  I used it when I turned some wooden magic wands for my kids and i really liked the effect.  I was thinking of using it on my Renommee build.

 

I also like your approach on using gesso to build up the multi-layer PE.  One reason I was looking into scratch building the ornamentation on my Pegasus was I wasn’t exactly thrilled with the look of layered PE.  Using gesso to build it up is a great idea.

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

[hollowneck]

Mike,

Thanks. Gilding wax, something I've never heard of! Perhaps, I possibly could have used some of that on my granddaughter's doll house! I actually "coppered" portions of the Victorian Mansard roofs - wait for it - with copper foil. Harry Potter wands. Kool. They'll treasure those wands forever I'll bet!

 

If you do use the gilding wax on a build, I'd like to see the effect, the outcome.

 

Modelers here have also added "weathering metallic" to the black resin cannon of their HMS Sphinx builds to impart a more metallic look; it does render a nice, realistic look to the metal cannon but I'm of a different mind about this: I prefer the dull, flat, nasty black iron appearance of the Vanguard cast resin cannon.

 

The gesso build-up I employ on flat P/E (or on some of the stacked decorative pieces) helps immensely to better depict wood carving. It's another step to add to the multi-step painting/finishing process but I think it is worth the effort. Here's a pic showing how I used this "fake wood" technique on my HMS Swan (nee' Pegasus) model.

 

Best to you - and your family - on this Thanksgiving Eve!

Ron

Edited November 24, 2021 by hollowneck

[Landlubber Mike]

Your Swan came out great!  Love the effect!  Did you paint the frieze?  I'm thinking of free-hand painting the freeze as opposed to using the PE.

 

Not sure if you are aware, but a Russian model outfit (www.v-hobby.com) put together a carved wood set for the decorative Pegasus elements.  I ordered it mostly for the quarter galleries, and it is fantastic.  I'll probably use more from it.

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by Landlubber Mike

[hollowneck]

13 hours ago, Landlubber Mike said:

Your Swan came out great!  Love the effect!  Did you paint the frieze?  I'm thinking of free-hand painting the freeze as opposed to using the PE.

 

Not sure if you are aware, but a Russian model outfit (www.v-hobby.com) put together a carved wood set for the decorative Pegasus elements.  I ordered it mostly for the quarter galleries, and it is fantastic.  I'll probably use more from it.

 

 

Thanks again, Mike. My "frieze" (shown in the previous pic) was, in fact, the P/E that came with the Pegasus kit; I turned all the bulwarks and quarter gallery pieces into "wood carvings" using my matte acrylic build-up and paint/wash technique - after I attempted to paint a decorative, flowing acanthus with various objects (fruit, cherubs, little creatures, drapes...you get the idea) at this small scale; it didn't look great and it was painstaking to accomplish. I tossed my mediocre-looking paper strip that would have been applied to the upper bulwarks area (only - not the q'galleries). If I build a model at 1:48, frieze painting might work better for me. I may - or may not - ever find out since 1:64 is my preferred build "zone."

 

Thanks for the reference to the Russian site...however, I was warned off in three different browsers that it could be hacked. Russia, With Love. They have so much to give and show us, these Russian masters - including internet pandemic digital diseases. Sorry. There are only a couple Russian sites I trust and this one didn't make my "safe" list. Thanks anyway. You should be aware of www.craftysailor.com (Canada). Igor, the owner, is a friendly reseller of excellent, untainted Russian goodies - like Falkonet and Master Korabel; Both Russian companies that are basically endorsed by Chris Watton and Jim Hatch.

 

My Tiger (Vanguard's Alert kit) also has a minimal amount of P/E decorations on the aft bulwarks that I turned into carvings. Here's a pic of the effect.

Ron

 

 

Edited November 24, 2021 by hollowneck

[Landlubber Mike]

25 minutes ago, hollowneck said:

 

Thanks for the reference to the Russian site...however, I was warned off in three different browsers that it could be hacked. 

 

 

When I went to purchase it a few months ago, I didn't get that warning.  This time around I did.  If I recall correctly I did the transaction through PayPal which adds a layer of security, but if I got that warning message a few months ago I certainly would not have placed the order.  Guess I was lucky with the timing.

 

Your Tiger is fantastic by the way!  Love the sea!!

[hollowneck]

 

 

I've been anxious to see what the delicate breast rail and fife rails will look like. The kit provides two complete sets of pear wood balustrades for the breast rail. I was able to shape these six supports without pinging one into the ether...still, it was comforting to know that if I'd bunged a couple, there were more at the ready. The kit includes many duplicate laser-etched pieces as spares.

 

Fastening the lower and upper rails requires a light touch to get all pieces aligned. After gluing the balustrades while ensuring they were perfectly perpendicular to plumb and all aligned to the transverse on the beam, the top breast rail fit perfectly; I also used my thumb drill to align the hammock crane holes in all four pear patterns. The top rail is two laminated pattern pieces that required clamps to set correctly. Again, I used scrap pieces under the mini-alligators to keep from marring the smooth wood.

 

The completed breast rail. This is one of a number of very attractive aspects of this model. The manual shows all the elements of this item painted in black. I chose to keep the upright balustrades as well as the top rail in natural pear which I have stained with Natural Minwax. The holes at the top hold the hammock cranes when they're installed later.

 

A close-up of the breast rail. The delicate shape to the laser-etched 2mm thick balustrades was demanding; time-consuming and twitchy due to their small size and the delicate sections. I spent 3 hours fashioning these 6 pieces. I am pleased with the result, the time was worth it.

 

Even Lord Cochrane thinks it's a good idea to hang out by Lady Camilla's fancy breast rail...😂...

 

The basic belfry assembly at the foc'sle deck's edge. A cleverly-designed, and nicely detailed little thing, this is. I may paint it black as shown in the plans, but I'm not certain yet. I may keep it in natural pear after fixing the tiny alignment holes (at the top) with stainable filler. Also, the cleats (lower portion) will be replaced with extras from thicker stock. There will be rigging lines attached to these cleats and I want them sturdier than the thin ones shown here. The belfry supports I will likely paint black regardless of my decision on the finish for the belfry. 

 

 

Vanguard Models includes nice"surprise" goodies with their kits - like this useful coaster that supports a Peroni beer every once in a while...🤪

A previous photo that shows the nicely-molded scale figure of Lord Cochrane came with an earlier kit I purchased from Vanguard. I also received a paperback novel in another kit (the story of Captain Cochrane). Nice perks, Chris (Watton)...much appreciated.

 

Ron

 

 

Edited November 26, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

A change of mind on Camilla's Foc'sle deck details...namely, "super detailing" the belfry. NO black paint here.

 

The "enhanced belfry" assembled, modified and mounted in position on the foc'sle deck.

 

A closeup; the black bar will get a length of rope so the bell can be rung from the gun deck.

 

Tweezers shown for scale. The kit's basic pieces that comprise this delicate item are fine, however, this little jewel still screamed out to me to be "Superdetailed." I replaced the thin cleats with two beefier ones (at the base of the assembly). An extension bar was added so a rope can be attached to the bell's support yoke (a tiny brass eyelet shown in front forms the bar for attaching the rope). Incised marks were carefully cut into the yoke's ends (it has to swing on a fore/aft axis in order for the bell to ring!). Tiny alignment holes in the layered, laser-engraved capping on both sides were filled and then stained. I also "darkened" some areas with a chestnut stain to highlight carved details like the marks to either side of the bell's yoke.

 

A set of starboard belaying rails have been mounted alongside the belfry. To me, these small items look especially good in natural wood finish after I bevel-detailed the three post heads. I'll add a complementary set of rails to complete the port side.

 

I can't recall where I bought these very small brass eyelets; if I remember I'll post the source later. I use these eyelets in several instances that demand very small hardware. In addition to forming the extension bar for the belfry, I'll use these eyelets on the tompions for the ship's cannon. When I begin rigging, I may add a few in strategic spots in addition to the P/E that's provided in the fittings that came with the kit. These brass eyelets blacken nicely and of course, can also be painted.

Edited December 1, 2021 by hollowneck

[hollowneck]

Progress...more detailing. Upgrading the binnacle. Fashioning and finishing the fife rail. Snatch block with sheave. Bitts and belaying pins. Gratings for the q'deck "fix."

The kit's binnacle is laser-etched pear and it assembles nicely- however- it was missing its windows! The brisk and unrelenting wind on the weatherdeck would have constantly blown out the illumination source and made it difficult for the helmsman to see what heading the ship was on! I remedied the situation with a couple small pieces of clear acetate before I buttoned-up the assembly.

 

Voila! Kool brass chimney (painted flat black) on this little top deck eye candy. Stained with Natural Minwax only. Needs some rope to keep it from toppling over; on my punch list for later this week... a detail that can't been seen in this photo is the thin, internal P/E brass piece that depicts dual compasses and a place for an oil lamp in the center. I know it's there, a "sweet touch."

 

BTW: the cannon on this deck will be early 12 pounder carronades on "trucks" (essentially a version of long cannon carriages). I am looking at where the four carronades will be positioned along the slender bulwarks and exposed timberheads and fife rail stanchions. 6th-rate (and 5th rate) "post ships" quickly adopted carronades on their quarterdecks (and later the foc'sle). It didn't take long for the Navy Board to discover that these ships needed to have "built-up" bulwarks to protect the crews and come up with a new method for mounting the powerful "smashers" to the bulwarks.

 

The unique "sliding carriage" was invented specifically for these large-muzzled, close-range intimidators (it also pivoted the carronade on a single-point axis in the center of the gunport).

 

I'm making my HMS Camilla an "early adopter" of carronades (just four on her q'deck), but prior to having her aft bulwarks enhanced with more planking. I'm liking the superbly-designed fife rails provided in the kit, their delicate look that is part of the OTT decorative "art" she was so confident to display.

 

Cut the Falkonet gratings to size, testing their locations.

 

Another view of the quarterdeck showing the breast and fife rails. I'm keeping both in natural wood finishes. The gunwales will still be painted black, but I may leave all the timberheads in natural; haven't decided on this color detail just yet. I'll scrape-off the black paint on the pair of black-painted timberheads shown here should I go for the "all natural look." Black paint hides so much of the delicate wood carving.

 

Another midships view; starting to paint the gunwales in black.

 

Another view showing the slender fife rail mounted. A cannon placed temporarily (a placeholder, of sorts) for evaluating the positions of the four carronades that will be mounted on the quarterdeck (two on each side).

 

A close-up of the aft-most portion of the fife rail.The arrow points to the "alignment holes" that are provided to align the three-piece, built-up rail. Thin nails help align the pear pieces for gluing and are then removed. The holes are eyesores (like others sprinkled throughout the design) and need to be filled. My choice again: stainable filler. The "O" ring is a rigging piece in P/E that will be painted black.

 

I've added pear sheaves to the snatch blocks located on the foc'sle gunwales. The 4mm diameter sheaves are from Falkonet, a Russian ship model company that are making very nice, scale-accurate "bits" (as well as a few kits)... I'll likely feed anchor rigging ropes through these blocks. It would look really peculiar to see ropes winding through empty assemblies.

 

Snatch blocks with sheave, mounted and ready to do some heavy lifting.

 

Enlarging the holes in the forward bitts to make room for belaying pins. I'll add 9mm turned pear belaying pins throughout my build (from Falkonet as previously mentioned in my thread). These are things of beauty, scale-accurate and they'll be stained natural (unstained shown here). I used a needle file to gently turn the square P/E pin lasered holes into round-ish ones.

 

I'm approaching the halfway point in just a few weeks. I call it this because the masting, rigging and sailmaking will take about the same amount of time that I've devoted to the kit's completed hull build. My personal rule-of-thumb over the past several years of building ships in the Era of Sail is that I'm still many fathoms away from home port when the hull is completed.

 

I know there are ship modelers who don't look forward to the "other half" of their sailing ship's completion. I'm not one of them. I relish the next stages; it's not over until the wind meets the canvas ... and with HMS Camilla, her keel hitting the H2O.

 

Ron

 

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by hollowneck

[chris watton]

Superb!

[Blue Ensign]

Nice detailing Ron, for me one of the most enjoyable parts of a build.

 

B.E.

[hollowneck]

Thank you, gentlemen. Indeed, this is the "fun part!"

 

Ron

[hollowneck]

In between the Holiday Madness...more detail work...a few things left,

then off to masts & yards.

 

Love this rope! The correct scale, the correct color...but it unravels into three wild-hair strands if one isn't careful! Russian rope (Falkonet),da! The rope feeds through the deck and is termed "steering rope" as it guides the rudder via a series of below decks pulleys.

I kept the outer brass circular P/E "ring" and made the main P/E component of the Big Wheel in "wood."

 

I added three layers of burnt umber acrylic paint to build up the handles and spokes (slightly). Being P/E, these are all flat. I also did a paint "fill-in" on the P/E ring: after painting (and drying), you scrape-off the paint with a knife or sanding file (my preferred technique). This leaves the tiny brass heads and the shiny rings intact with the paint only filling the lower recess all around.

 

The binnacle, mounted. Temp mast in-place for scale.

 

A gull's eye view of midships. A nice clean deck, unlike the hood of my car.

 

This is a three-piece, layered detail. Not clear in the manual, but spotted in the lasered pear sheets. This is the fish davit crutch. I kept looking for the spanshackle* P/E, but there aren't any. Will I scratch one? probably not since I'd be then semi-obligated to add the actual lengthy davit that literally spans across the entire foc'sle deck!...

 

*this is a test: what is this and what does it do? Correct answers to what this is will get a free shot of 18yo Inverness Scotch (neat or rocks) at my house this Holiday Season...

 

 

Breastrail and gangway details close-up; the rope is much brighter here due to intense overhead lighting*. The rope is the same tawny hemp color seen in previous detail photos in my log. Yummy stuff, this rope. 

 

* I use three direct overhead light sources which helps immensely, especially when I'm evaluating critical color painting and then shooting decent detail photos. 

 

A view that says:" I'm nearly done with the hull!" Hammock cranes come next after installation of the chains, which I always leave for much later in my builds.

 

 

 

Rigging (reeving) tools: I use brown upholstery thread for reeving. In this photo I'm tying-off the ends of the cannon breeching lines to their eyebolts. Tweezers mandatory. Quadhands holder is excellent for this although I only needed two of the four flexible tentacles to get the job done. I use CA in infitessimally small drops to secure the lines...and a secret weapon for nearly all rigging tasks: my Gingher embroidery scissors. 

 

 

My inspiration for adding the companionway doors to Camilla; this is a pic of an NMM "Admiralty Board" model of a 5th-rate that is nearly identical to the Vanguard's Sphinx kit of the same era. The double wheel is kool and I thought about scratching this too. The Sphinx (& Camilla) didn't carry normal Ferguson long cannon on their q'decks normally - but, rather the shorter 12lb carronades (in trucks, not swivels) which I'll add as soon as Vanguard can send them.

 

 

 

Midships closeup; gangway rails, steps and companionway doors (scratch added). Borrowed (unused) P/E hinges from an earlier part of the kit build and made simple 3mm pear strips. See previous museum photo.

 

Ron

 

Edited December 7, 2021 by hollowneck

[Landlubber Mike]

Looks fantastic Ron, very very nice!

[hollowneck]

Mike,

Thanks for the shout-out!

I hope to get to her masts before the Season wipes out my shop time (7 children, 13 g'kids.)

 

Happy Holidays (did I say this already?)

 

Ron

[chris watton]

Again, very nice work!

 

Amazon Class (1770's) is very much on my To Do list

[glbarlow]

I may be mistaken, it looks like you can only turn to port. Shouldn’t the rope come up from below, wrap around the wheel then go back down below on the opposite side?  Looks you only have it coming up one side. Again I don’t know what a spanshackle is so…😳