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

[aydingocer]

3 minutes ago, chris watton said:

The gun ports are not exactly square shaped, they will need cutting/filing to the same size as the MDF frames for the gun ports. You have the gun port opening and shape ready made, I do not know why you think you would mess it up?

Well, OK not a mathematical square but I meant that when I look at the gunport openings on the inner bulwarks from the deck side, they are perfectly laser cut and identical looking, though I understand that those cuts are made smaller than normal, to be trimmed later to the size of the MDF frames. I was just wondering if I would avoid trimming them from outside with a knife, would it cause a problem during construction later, other than visual. Maybe I am just being lazy.

[chris watton]

The laser cut gun port openings are deliberately made a little smaller than they should be, to take into account any slight deviations with each build. This is why you need to finish the gun ports with a knife or file. Just file until you each the edges of the MDF frames.

 

Usually with kits, you have a paper template or just one ply pattern with the gun ports on, and then you have to either transfer the paper template to the hull, mark the positions and then cut out each opening from scratch, or with the latter, plank both the inner and outer ply pattern. In both cases, you have a lot more work to do with the gun ports than you do with the Sphinx set up.

 

I have said this before, these are not Tamiya kits where you can just add the parts and forget, you still need to finish most parts, being wood, and not plastic.

[aydingocer]

Build day 12: 1 hour / Total: 21 hours

 

Thank you Chris for this short chat and I finally decided to trim the openings. Overall I used the x-acto and two different sizes of files, it went quite alright for the total of 20 gun ports. It took about an hour in total, at a few minutes per opening.

 

Photos 159-161: Here are some before and after photos, they do not necessarily belong the same gun port opening.

Edited July 12, 2022 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photos 162-163: In the mean time the Upper Hull Side Patterns are being soaked in hot water in a flower vase deep enough I found at home.

 

 

[aydingocer]

Photos 164-166: Upper Hull Side Patterns dry fit (or wet fit to be correct ) waiting to dry overnight. If you look at the photo taken from above, they fit almost  airtight to the hull, making me overall satisfied with my hull construction... except for that little over-fairing at central keel at the prow discussed in my recent post.

Edited July 12, 2022 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

BUILD DAY 12-13: 2 hours / Total: 22 hours

 

Photo 167: The parts dried enough overnight. This is one of them to show that the shape remains after removing.

 

Photo 168: Brushing diluted wood glue, as recommended in the instructions. Here I mixed it with a bit less water, thus let it a bit thicker, compared to for example when I brushed in to the joints bulkheads, since in this case I don't need it to penetrate into any joints. This way it also won't run and leak. It is enough that it gives you time to make adjustments before it cures.

Photos 169-171: Carefully glued them in their positions. My main reference was to align the bow and then go on aligning with the gun port openings. You see in the last photo I used pins to ensure contact in a few spots where there was a gap at bottom edge with the bulkheads.

 

Photo 172: Waiting for the glue to dry. I am not starting planking today so I give them the whole overnight to dry properly. As you see I also placed the jigs into place, so the hull shape maintains correct while the glue dries. I wanted to do this because some bulkhead ears move slightly inwards/outwards when I use clamps. The jigs keep them in position.

Edited July 13, 2022 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photos 173-176: Well, while the glue is drying, I decided to get my hands on to these Amati planking clamps. I had bought them many years ago and had never used. I even forgot about them and when I saw them in Glenn's Sphinx build log, I thought I'll give them a try. It is a small project to prepare them:

[Glenn-UK]

I did find the Amati clips a useful tool when I was doing the first planking.

[aydingocer]

3 hours ago, glennard2523 said:

I did find the Amati clips a useful tool when I was doing the first planking.

If it occured to me before, I could have used them for Upper Hull Side Patterns, too, like you did. Instead I used nails.

 

[aydingocer]

BUILD DAY 14: 2 hours / Total: 24 hours

 

Back to build after 2 weeks of vacation in Kusadasi, Turkey at the Aegean Sea coast.

 

The first 3 rows of planking went just like in the instructions, quite straightforward with no need of tapering. So far it takes about half an hour to plank one strip per side (i.e. 2 strips). I am sure with my speed it will take longer than this in the coming planks where I will need to do the tapering.

 

Photo 178: This was the only bending I had to do for the first 3 rows. 

 

 

Photos 179-180: Overall the strips contact the bulkheads quite nicely. I applied nail only in some locations.

[aydingocer]

As autumn comes, busy times at work and in general with life, I can rarely find any time to continue with planking. But still, first planking is proceeding. 

Since this task goes rather scattered with sometimes only one hour in a day and nothing several weeks, it does not make much sense to count build days and hours at this point. So, I will make a total estimate of time it took to complete the first planking, when it is complete. As I wrote earlier it takes about half an hour to complete one row of stripes on both sides, hence, the total time will be roughly (number of plank rows) / 2 hours

 

Here are some photos to show the progress. Overall no surprise, going pretty much like in the instruction manual. You'll notice the planking on the bow not as it is supposed to be. This is because I had screwed up the bow structure by oversanding it, if you read my earlier posts. Right now I make it so that the strips meet in the bow. I will then sand them to the shape to fit the Prow Outer Patterns.  

 

Photos 180-182:

Edited September 25, 2022 by aydingocer

[James H]

You're doing a nice job of your planking. Good to see her coming along so well.

[aydingocer]

Photos 183-186: Some more progress this weekend. After 13 rows of planking, the strips would start to overlap on the previous one quite much so I decided to continue from the bottom. Now around 5-6 rows left to complete the first planking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aydingocer]

BUILD DAYS 15-21: 15 hours / Total: 39 hours

Photos 187-188: First layer of planking is now complete. I have logged roughly 7 build days and a total 15 hours for the whole first planking.

 

Sanding work and small fillings (if I find necessary) is next.

 

As I was not careful and had oversanded the bow component earlier, I adjusted the bow curve by sanding it to fit the curvature of the Prow Pattern (#445).  In the second photo, you can see it has a nice dry fit. I am satisfied with it at the moment, as there will still be the second planking, which will give further chance to cover any remaining imperfections. 

[aydingocer]

BUILD DAY 22: 3 hours / Total 42 hours.

Today was about sanding first planking and installing stern counter, and prow- keel- and rudder patterns.

Photo 189: First I used these scrapers to level the planks as much as possible as well as get rid of any hard glue particles. The various contours make it easy to scrape nicely.

 

Photo 190: Now the surface looks more ready for sanding.

[aydingocer]

Photo 191: After scraping I sanded with 80 grit and finally with 120 grit paper. The photo may not tell but it feels good enough to the hand for second planking. 

Edited October 16, 2022 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photo 192: Inner stern counter soaking in hot water to curve. 

 

Photo 193: Wrapped around a spray can, secured with rubber until dry.

Photo 194: Nicely curved. Still waiting a bit until it is totally dry.

[aydingocer]

Photo 195-197: Inner stern counter in place, repositioned slightly higher than the photo in the manual as instructed. You see also prow-, keel- and rudder patterns installed.

 

[James H]

Looking at the counter, I think you placed it lower, not higher, than mine. Higher is closer to top of stern, not higher when upside down.

 

Take a look where mine falls in relation to the rudder post, and then elevate yours about 2.5mm closer to top of hull than that.

 

[aydingocer]

1 hour ago, James H said:

Looking at the counter, I think you placed it lower, not higher, than mine. Higher is closer to top of stern, not higher when upside down.

 

Take a look where mine falls in relation to the rudder post, and then elevate yours about 2.5mm closer to top of hull than that.

 

Jesus where did I go wrong?

Here is a photo from another angle (mine is on the right). I was focusing on getting the top edge of the inner stern counter at the same height as the bottom of the stern timber slots and didn't really watch what's going on at the rudder post side (lower side). So, in yours it is about 2mm below the bottom of the timber slots, and therefore I raised it 2 mm making it at the same level as the bottom of the timber slots. 

 

But I can't explain why it it goes below the rudder post level on the other edge. Maybe I shall just trim the stern counter from the lower edge and make it level with the rudder post. It is very firmly glued in place now, I could do more harm trying to remove and reposition it. After that I could try to rectify the situation when installing the outer counter pattern.

 

Edited October 16, 2022 by aydingocer

[James H]

If you temporarily sit the the upper counter and stern fascia in place, and the fascia sits about 2mm above the bulwark level, then you'll be perfectly ok.

[James H]

Ah, and if that piece is still damp, it won't have shrunken back to its proper size. Pear swells a LOT, so you need to make sure it's bone dry.

[aydingocer]

6 minutes ago, James H said:

Ah, and if that piece is still damp, it won't have shrunken back to its proper size. Pear swells a LOT, so you need to make sure it's bone dry.

That's most probably the case. It is the first time I am working with pear and I have to admit it was not perfectly dry. I have left my workshop room for the day now and I'll see tomorrow how much it shrank. Luckily after all it will stay under the upper counter so I am hoping there is room for correction.

[aydingocer]

10 minutes ago, James H said:

If you temporarily sit the the upper counter and stern fascia in place, and the fascia sits about 2mm above the bulwark level, then you'll be perfectly ok.

This I should try, indeed.

[James H]

I think we recommend that the pear should be allowed 12-24hrs to throughly dry. I know I've still had the stuff swollen by a few mm even after almost a full day's bench session. It's like the final welling only goes back in last hours 🤪

[James H]

I did try 🤣 (from the Sphinx manual)

 

[chris watton]

I cannot stress enough just how important it is to thoroughly read the text in the instruction manual. Each model has been built twice (at the very least) before it even enters kit form, so we know the methods and parts work well - but this is very dependent on the modeller reading the text that accompanies the pictures in the manual.

[aydingocer]

BUILD DAY 23: 1.5 hours / Total 43.5 hours

Photos 247-248: The idea of these location pegs alone is enough reason to prefer this kit. Great help!

 

Photos 249-250: This way you achieve the most precise alignment of outer Prow-, Keel- and Rudder outer patterns

 

[aydingocer]

Photo 251: Fore outer planking patterns. Soaked in hot water and clamped in position, waiting to dry... this time completely, I promise 🤣!

[Rokket]

Looking like a ship now. Well done.