HMS Sphinx 1775 by aydingocer - Vanguard Models - 1:64 - Revision #2

[James H]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Hi Aydingocer

This is great as you show a very clever way to do this with a simple tool such as your drill. 

 

Do the yards on a sixth rate have an octagon center quarter?  The octagon shape in the center quarter of the yards started about 1690 according The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War, page 13 but Lees does not say if all yards on all rates had this design feature after 1690 so I am curious.  Volume IV of TFFM by David Antscherl describes the octagon on the yards of a 14 gun sloop.  If they do take this shape, it is probably easier to make the octagon at the maximum dimension needed, then sand as you have clearly shown leaving the center quarter as an octagon. 

Allan

 

Yes, the plans have this detail, should the modeller wish to do it. It would be up to them.

 

[aydingocer]

13 hours ago, allanyed said:

Hi Aydingocer

This is great as you show a very clever way to do this with a simple tool such as your drill. 

 

Do the yards on a sixth rate have an octagon center quarter?  The octagon shape in the center quarter of the yards started about 1690 according The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War, page 13 but Lees does not say if all yards on all rates had this design feature after 1690 so I am curious.  Volume IV of TFFM by David Antscherl describes the octagon on the yards of a 14 gun sloop.  If they do take this shape, it is probably easier to make the octagon at the maximum dimension needed, then sand as you have clearly shown leaving the center quarter as an octagon. 

Allan

Hi Allan,

Thanks for the appraisal.

I applied a slight octagon shape on this one yes, mostly to try and see if it is worth the effort. This is the spritsail yard. The octagon is barely noticeable and it will be even less visible once I have mounted it on the bowsprit and among the riggings. So I'll decide one by one as I go along. As James also mentioned above they are in the plans and one can skip them at will. Otherwise I am not too knowledgeable about the period accuracy of these ships.

/Aydin

[allanyed]

On 7/19/2023 at 3:57 PM, James H said:

Yes, the plans have this detail, should the modeller wish to do it. It would be up to them.

Thank you Chris.  The drawing you posted is SUPER.   

 

What I am curious about is whether all yards on all rates up to and including royals, had this feature on the actual ships.

 

Interestingly I found that this design did not start until circa 1690.  The British started making the large spars from two pieces scarfed together from 1773.  In that case, 8 battens were used in the mid quarter rather than the 8 sided shape of the spar itself. For modeling purposes, the use of battens may be an alternative to get the look of the octagon.

 

Allan

[aydingocer]

Build days 111-114: 7,5 hrs / Total 247,5 hours

 

Summer travels, spending time outside followed by a thorough workdesk rearrangement slowed down the build log a bit. But nevertheless there is some progress to share.

 

Photos 753-755: Spritsail yards construction and installation on the Bowsprit. These are the first two of the many yards that will come. I used nails (clipped their heads and inserted to 0.5mm holes I drilled on both parts) to mount the yards to the Bowsprit, strengthened by the threads.

 

 

[aydingocer]

Build days 115-116: 3 hrs / Total 250,5 hours

 

Mizzen Topsail Yard

Photos 756-758. Here I mark on the plan  the parts I have done with a green check so that I don't miss anything.

[aydingocer]

Build day 117: 1,5 hrs / Total 252 hours

Mizzen Gaff. I don't know why I painted this one to black, too, like the yards, but anyway it is black now.

 

Photos 759-761: Jaws needs to be bewelled to fit the Mizzen mast's angle. The guide line is provided. Nice detail.

[aydingocer]

Photos 762-766: Photos showing the progress.

[aydingocer]

Build day 118: 1 hr / Total 253 hours

Main yard. It normally uses 8 mm dowel to be tapered to 6mm in the middle and 3.5mm at the ends. I found a 6 mm dowel in my stock that saved me from most of the heavy work. It will be painted in black therefore the color does not matter

 

I have to regretfully confess that the total length of my Main Yard will be 6 mm shorter than in the plan from both ends. The reason is that my display shelf is just damn 10 mm too narrow to fit the Sphinx. The Main Yard determines the width of the ship.

 

Photo 762: Dowel tapered. All the metal and wooden fittings (except for the blocks) are in the metal cup.

[mtaylor]

Looking good.    If you hadn't told us about shortening the spar, we never would have known.  

[aydingocer]

Build day 119: 2 hr / Total 255 hours

 

Photo 763: Main Yard complete. It took altogether about 3 hours.

 

[aydingocer]

Build day 119 continued: 1 hr / Total 256 hours

Photo 764: Main Topgallant Yard complete. 70cm long natural thread is attached on both ends. I wrapped them around a piece of paper and secured with a tape in order to keep them safe moving around.

 

[allanyed]

Very neat work Aydingocer.    One thing that looks off and it may be the photo but the blocks in the last photo appear to be upside down so the line would rub against the inside of the shell rather than around the sheave.  If they are upside down it would be pretty easy to drill the second hole as in the second photo below and would look as found on real blocks anyway. 

Allan

 

 

[aydingocer]

1 hour ago, allanyed said:

Very neat work Aydingocer.    One thing that looks off and it may be the photo but the blocks in the last photo appear to be upside down so the line would rub against the inside of the shell rather than around the sheave.  If they are upside down it would be pretty easy to drill the second hole as in the second photo below and would look as found on real blocks anyway. 

Allan

 

 

Good point, Allan. Actually until now I never paid attention to the orientation of the holes. I even found it is easier to rig if the hole is actually further away from the mast or yard, making it easier to reach during rigging. Hmm. I am not sure if I modify those I have already done but definitely will check their position going forward. 👍

/Aydin

Edited August 25, 2023 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Build day 120: 5 hr / Total 261 hours

 

Crossjack Yard, Fore Topgallant Yard and Main Topsail Yards ready. Below Fore Topgallant-  and Main Topsail Yards.

 

Photos 765-766:

[aydingocer]

Build days 121-122: 2,5 hr / Total 263,5 hours

 

Fore Topsail Yard. Similar process here with nothing too special to mention.

Photo 767:

Edited August 31, 2023 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Build day 123: 4,5 hr / Total 268 hours

Fore Yard, the last one of my yard construction. For tapering I followed a different approach at this one. I used two halves tapered on one side, the joint glued together using pin enforcement and wood fill. Partly out of curiosity, partly thinking it would be easier to make symmetrical tapers at both ends (you can put side by side and compare). Also the joint would not be visible since I paint the yard to black. Overall it seems to work. 

 

Photos 768-774:

Here as usual the dents on the thicker edges are from the drill chuck:

Complete.

 

Edited August 31, 2023 by aydingocer

[Theodosius]

I like your detailed explanations of your rigging-process!

[aydingocer]

After a short break for some other projects occupying my workbench, my Sphinx is back on the dock. Now all the masts, yards and boats ready, it is time to put them together and start rigging.

 

Photos 775-777

[aydingocer]

Gathering from the manual and plans, this is roughly the order I am planning to follow. 

 

How does it look? Any advice, warning, suggestions appreciated.

 

1. Fit the masts
2. Rig lower shrouds
3. Rig upper shrouds
4. Fit the yards (not rigging them yet)
5. Fit the crossjack sling to the crossjack yard (at this point for accesibility)
6. Rig the mast stays
7. (Omit Main Stay Tackle and Fore Hatch Tackle at this stage)
8. Add the Crowsfeet to the mast tops
9. Rig the back stays
10. Rig the yards
11. Fit Sheets and Tacks
12. Fit the Main Stay Tackle (but do not lash done yet)
13. Rig the Yard Braces
14. Fit the ship's boats
15. Lash down the Main Stay Tackle and Fore Hatch Tackle

Regards,

Aydin

[aydingocer]

Another question: How deep should I insert each mast through their slots? Or better way to ask; how high should they rise from their decks? I didn't find much clue in the plans.

 

Using my caliper, I measured the following depts for their slots. Shall I insert them all the way?

Fore Mast: 66 mm

Main Mast: 39 mm

Mizzen mast: 66 mm.

 

Thanks in advance for the answers.

/Aydin

[Glenn-UK]

I always fully insert, the internal framework is designed for this.

[aydingocer]

2 hours ago, Glenn-UK said:

I always fully insert, the internal framework is designed for this.

Thanks Glenn, I've also figured out that it seems to be the way to glue them: where the mast rests on the bottom surface.

[aydingocer]

Build day 124: 1 hr / Total 269 hours

Photo 778: Alright. The masts are carefully in place now. Apologies for the noisy background.

[Theodosius]

Great work! The white on the steering wheel is, äh, unusual 😉

 

[aydingocer]

On 10/2/2023 at 5:30 PM, Theodosius said:

Great work! The white on the steering wheel is, äh, unusual 😉

 

Just following the instructions. It is supposed to be white

[aydingocer]

One question about the bowsprit rigging. See the bowsprit rigging plan below. What thread should I use for where I marked with "X"? I didn't find a clue. Second. Also check the second picture for the tip of the bowsprit where I marked a "?" in the first picture. That's how I assume, i.e. the "X" thread goes through the hole and the "G" around the block. Did I get it right? I am a bit confused because the G looks like a single thread that starts from the block.

Post EDIT: Forget what I asked about the 2nd picture and check the new 3rd and 4th pictures. Is that the correct way? But if "G" is supposed to be tied to the block, in the bowsprit plan (last picture) there is no hook or loop on the blocks to tie it to.

POST EDIT PICTURES:

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by aydingocer

[Glenn-UK]

Hello

You need to look at plan sheet 18 (Mizzen and Bowsprit) as these show the rigging threads for the spritsail yard braces. 

 

Hope this helps

 

Glenn(UK)

[aydingocer]

4 minutes ago, Glenn-UK said:

Hello

You need to look at plan sheet 18 (Mizzen and Bowsprit) as these show the rigging threads for the spritsail yard braces. 

 

Hope this helps

 

Glenn(UK)

Thanks a lot Glenn, that answers my first question, i.e.  it is a 0.25mm natural thread . In sheet 18 it says 650mm but now I see I had read it 65mm and installed too short thread, which confused me.  

How about my 2nd question about tying the "G" to the block on the tip of the bowsprit? According to the bowsprit plan I did not make any loop to the edge of the block for tying any thread. I wonder if I should just loop the "G" thread around the block. See pictures 1, 3 and 4 above.

[Glenn-UK]

10 minutes ago, aydingocer said:

Thanks a lot Glenn, that answers my first question, i.e.  it is a 0.25mm natural thread . In sheet 18 it says 650mm but now I see I had read it 65mm and installed too short thread, which confused me.  

How about my 2nd question about tying the "G" to the block on the tip of the bowsprit? According to the bowsprit plan I did not make any loop to the edge of the block for tying any thread. I wonder if I should just loop the "G" thread around the block. See pictures 1, 3 and 4 above.

I have taken some pictures of what I did, hope they help. I think they were looped with a half hitch (or maybe a clove hitch)

 

[aydingocer]

Thanks a lot once again Glenn. So if I see correct you have tied them directly on the bowsprit itself, not to the blocks.