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

[aydingocer]

Build day 178: 1 hr / Total 371 hours

 

Photo 925: Fore Yard Jeers. One of the most challenging blocks to insert the threads so far. After several tries I managed to install them.

Edited June 14 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Build day 179: 1 hr / Total 372 hours

 

Photos 926-928: Fore Topsail Yard Tye and Halliards. 

[aydingocer]

With the Fore yard ties, jeers and halliards complete, my 4th task completion status turns to green

Next move will be #5, i.e Yard Lifts.

[aydingocer]

Build day 179/2: 2 hr / Total 374 hours

Yard Lifts. Started and finished Mizzen Yard Lifts as well as the Main Yard Topsail yard lift. 

 

Photo 929: Main Yard Topsail Yard Lifts.

[aydingocer]

Build day 180: 2 hrs / Total 376 hours

Today having completed the rest of the Main Mast and Fore Mast Yard Lifts, I finally  finished the Yard Lift work. Below are three photos showing sections of the lifts Fore, Main and Mizzen masts. 

 

Photos 930-932:

[aydingocer]

Yard lifts cell of my task list turns green (i.e. complete). Up next: Sheets and Tacks

[aydingocer]

Build day 181: 2 hrs / Total 378 hours

 

Continuing with Sheets and Tacks as per the task list I shared above . Started and finished on Mizzen (the green check marks on the plan for reference below):

Photo 933: A photo showing some of it. Go figure

 

[aydingocer]

Build days 182-183: 4,5 hrs / Total 382,5 hours

 

Main mast Sheets and Tacks completed in these 2 days of work, total of 4,5 hours.

 

Photo 934: Some threads and parts in addition to those already installed.

Photos 935-936: These holes need opening properly for the thread to pass through.

 

Edited June 24 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photos 937-938: Threads passing through the body and ending up at inner bulwarks.

[aydingocer]

Photos 939-940: Thread structures on the sides.

[aydingocer]

Photos 941-943: First two photos showing the final status. In the third photo the green ticks on the plan show the completed riggings.

[aydingocer]

Build day 184: 4 hrs / Total 386,5 hours

Photos 944 - 948: Started and completed Fore Sheets and Tacks. Some photos showing a few details and . It was not really possible to take a photo showing everything.

 

[aydingocer]

With Fore Sheets and Tacks in place, my Step 6 of the rigging process is complete.

Next in line: Main Stay Tackle and Fore Hatch Tackle.

[aydingocer]

Build day 185: 1,5 hrs / Total 388 hours

Photos 949 - 954: Started and completed Main Stay Tackle and Fore Hatch Tackle. Took altogether 1,5 hours, including the time for investigation on the plans and instructions. As instructed, they stay loose for the moment, waiting for the beams and lifeboats to be installed.

 

I figured that the drawings of the tackles  on Plan Sheet 21, (Rigging Plan #2) use a different scale (neither 1/64 nor 1/128). According to my calculation I had to divide the lengths on the plan by 0.75 (in other words multiply by 4/3) to get to the 1/64 scale.  The distance between the masts is 24 cm, while in the plan roughly 18 cm. Hence, 18/24 =0,75. I needed this calculation in order to identify  the separation  between the two tackles:

 

 

Parts that make the tackles:

Parts installed on the threads:

Tackles ready to be installed:

Tackles in place:

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 11:51 AM by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Next: Yard Braces:

[aydingocer]

Build day 185/2: 1 hr / Total 389 hours

Photo 955: Started and completed Mizzen yard braces. One photo showing the connections with gaff and stern.

[Ronald-V]

It seems quite daunting...all that rigging. One step at a time I guess  

[aydingocer]

3 hours ago, Ronald-V said:

It seems quite daunting...all that rigging. One step at a time I guess  

Indeed, the plans look intimidating at first... but they are excellent. And as you wrote, one step at a time.

[aydingocer]

Build day 186-187: 5,5 hrs in 2 days / Total 394,5 hours

Started and completed Main and Fore braces in these two days. 

With this, rigging  is complete, not counting that of mounting the boats. 

Photos 956-961: Some photos showing a few details. 

 

[aydingocer]

The final step of rigging is mounting the boats.

[aydingocer]

Build day 188/1: 2,5 hrs / Total 397 hours

 

Having completed rigging, I think have 4 tasks remaining to finish Sphinx:

1. Mount the boats

2. Fix the broken ensign pole

3. Make the anchors

4. Assemble the acrylic display cradle

 

I want to share more details about the boats. I will be glad if my way of doing it gives some hint for the builders who view this log.  

The way I see it, they are rather big structures to fit into the place properly with all the rigging going on around the ship. Without careful planning, I am sure it will be a failure to mount them properly. I am especially talking about their rigging to the beams.

 

So, here we are:

 

Photos 962-964: I had built the boats and beams. They have been waiting for this moment in a plastic box all this time. Now they are seeing the light of the day. I am also glad I had labelled the beams with numbers as well as on the plan. It will help a lot.

 

[aydingocer]

Photo 965: I am dry-fitting the beams one by one on the deck to ensure that they'll sit nicely. I needed to expand a few of the fitting holes using a micro drill.

[aydingocer]

The boats will sit only on beams "1" and "3". That's why I am installing the other two already on the deck.

These "1" and "3" will need special care so here's what I did:

 

Photo 966: I took a photocopy of the plan and put it on a piece of soft sponge. Then I mounted the two beams on it, matching their exact location that'd be on the deck. I am mounting the 28 foot pinnace (the boat in the middle) already on dry-dock, as otherwise it would be heck of a challenge to lash it on the beam, while on deck.

Photo 967: Dry-fitting the boats to ensure the beams' alignment.

Photo 968: Rigging the 28 foot pinnace in place:

Photo 969: Pinnace is rigged. Next task is to move the structure to the deck and secure these two beams in their place.

 

[aydingocer]

Photo 970: The structure is in place. Note the Main Stay and Fore Hatch Tackles are still hanging loose, until all the boats have been mounted.

[aydingocer]

Photo 971: The threads for the second boat.

Photo 972: Second boat on the cradle, with threads loose.

Photos 973 - 974: 2nd boat in place.

[aydingocer]

Photos 975 - 977: The 3rd boat in place using the similar approach as the 2nd boat.

The 2nd and 3rd photos show the Main Stay and Fore Hatch Tackles hooked and tightened. 

Boats are now mounted properly in place!

 

[aydingocer]

Build day 188/2: 2 hrs / Total 399 hours

 

Just 1 hour to hit the 400 hour mark!

 

Next in line is the anchors. I somehow thought there would be two, but actually there are 4 anchors!

 

Photo 978: Parts that make the anchors:

Photos 979 - 980: Assembly starts. The laser cut chars will be cleaned later in the process.

[aydingocer]

Photo 981: Painting the anchors using black primer - the black paint will follow later.

Photos 982 - 983: Anchor hoops, made from a straight wire by rolling around a suitable wooden rod and then cutting them off.

This is all for today. I hope to complete the anchors tomorrow. Paint job consumes time while waiting to dry.