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

[aydingocer]

Build days 88-89: 3 hrs / Total 201.5 hours

 

Hitting the 200 hour milestone, now the Mizzen mast construction commences.

 

Every single step in these constructions use the plan as a reference. It is essential for correct alignment of the parts. You need to check everything from all axes (side, front, back) before gluing anything.

 

Photo 659: Starting with the platform. The part looking like an imperial sun on the lower right is actually a scrap of the one on its left

 

Photo 660: I tried to use minimal amount of glue for assembling the two parts, in order to avoid any stains. Micro drops on the tip of the ribs and a few drops around the edge.

 

Photos 661-662: Mizzen cross-tree assembly. After dry fitting, it was aligned so well, I didn't want to remove them for applying glue, so instead I brushed diluted glue on the joints.

 

 

Photos 663-664: Complete platform assembly

 

Edited April 25, 2023 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photos 665-672: Mizzen mast lower section. Though it doesn't have tapering all along, the top part of this section has several change of shapes.  Below is a sequence of photos showing the progress.

 

I used rough sanding block, fine sanding sticks, file, masking tape and caliper as you'll see in the photos.

 

 

[aydingocer]

Photos 673-675: Fitting the platform to the mast along with a few other parts. The platform sits slightly inclined towards front to counter the rake of the mast.

[aydingocer]

Photos 676-680: Iron bands (made of black paper sliced in 1 mm width) and mizzen mast battens.

 

For correct positioning I carried the measure from the plan using an invisible tape. 

 

I used CA to glue them on the mast. At this point I am not worried about any discoloration caused by the glue nor about the laser char around the edges as this section will be eventually painted in black.

 

 

That's all for now. Thanks for watching!

[aydingocer]

Now I have a problem. I appreciate any assistance:

 

I am building the Mizzen mast and at this stage I am supposed to slide the Mizzen Topmast through the Mizzen Mast Cap as in this instruction. 

Photo 681:

 

I already glued the cap in the previous step and it looks like this now (photo from the instruction manual):

Photo 682:

 

Photos 683-684: However it doesn't seem possible to slide it, as the lowest part of the topmast has a diagonal width of 5,2mm (or even 5,4mm if you calculate it mathematically), while the cap (part 470) is only 4mm in diameter.

Photo 685: This is how it is supposed to look like afterwards:

 

What am I supposed to do? If I enlarge the cap hole diameter to 5.2mm then I worry that it will look ugly since it will be only a 3,8mm diameter rod passing through it. The options I see are:
- Cut the mast from where it will be inside the cap and install it in two pieces, or
- Make the lower part also a round 3,8mm diameter and slide it in like that, in this case it will be a deviation from the original 

All advices welcome.

Edited May 2, 2023 by aydingocer

[chris watton]

You can push the topmast through the hole in the mast cap and then add the fid.

[aydingocer]

17 minutes ago, chris watton said:

You can push the topmast through the hole in the mast cap and then add the fid.

Hi Chris,

The hole in the mast cap is too small to push the topmast and that's my issue. Mast cap hole is 4mm diameter while the topmast I need to push it through has a 5,2mm diagonal thickness, when I sand it to a 3.8m x 3.8mm square. 

[chris watton]

9 minutes ago, aydingocer said:

Hi Chris,

The hole in the mast cap is too small to push the topmast and that's my issue. Mast cap hole is 4mm diameter while the topmast I need to push it through has a 5,2mm diagonal thickness, when I sand it to a 3.8m x 3.8mm square. 

Ah, OK. I have always put the mast caps on from the tops and slid down into position. If I didn't do that, then I would square the lower part of the mast enough so it could be fitted through the mast cap hole.

[aydingocer]

8 minutes ago, chris watton said:

Ah, OK. I have always put the mast caps on from the tops and slid down into position. If I didn't do that, then I would square the lower part of the mast enough so it could be fitted through the mast cap hole.

Thanks for the advice. I think in this case I will sand the lower part to thinner than 3.8x3.8 mm, maybe 3.2 x3.2 or something and slightly enlarge the mast cap hole also if I need to.  

[DonSangria]

Maybe you can slide the topmast through the hole from below?

[aydingocer]

13 minutes ago, DonSangria said:

Maybe you can slide the topmast through the hole from below?

The platform below blocks it to some extent, you'd still need to sand the mast. Also towards the top of the mast there is a thickness of 4.5mm which is thicker than the hole (4mm). Therefore I guess right now the best move is to sand the lower part of the mast until it slides through the cap hole.

[VTHokiEE]

3 hours ago, aydingocer said:

already glued the cap in

What glue did you use? Would it not be possible to debond it?

[aydingocer]

54 minutes ago, VTHokiEE said:

What glue did you use? Would it not be possible to debond it?

No, it simply would risk more visible harm than using a slightly thinner diameter, though not impossible. 

Anyway I am proceeding already with the option.

[paul carruthers]

If you have to enlarge the hole use a band of cartridge paper to hide the gap, it’s all painted black and will not be seen

[glbarlow]

It would be easy to remove the mast cap and slide it over the top of the mast. If CA use acetone, if PVA use denatured alcohol to remove. Done carefully and slowly you’d never know later. 

[aydingocer]

3 hours ago, paul carruthers said:

If you have to enlarge the hole use a band of cartridge paper to hide the gap, it’s all painted black and will not be seen

 

2 hours ago, glbarlow said:

It would be easy to remove the mast cap and slide it over the top of the mast. If CA use acetone, if PVA use denatured alcohol to remove. Done carefully and slowly you’d never know later. 

Thanks for very useful tips. I have actually managed this section now but I will definitely refer to these tips in the coming steps. There are still several similar tasks ahead with the masts. 

[aydingocer]

Build days 90-93: 4,5 hrs / Total 206 hours

Continued with the Mizzen mast with 4,5 hours of work spread into 4 days, concluding what I call "Part 1". This means leaving the details (eyelets, blocks, cord wraps etc) for later to do together with all three masts, in accordance with the instructions.

 

Photos 686-688: Mizzen topmast cross tree construction. Black part in the picture is from the photo etched sheet.

[aydingocer]

Photo 689: A picture showing the Mizzen Topgallant Mast progress. Also here I used my Proxxon handheld rotary tool for turning it to taper it with sandpaper. 

[aydingocer]

Photos 690-691: Mizzen Belaying Pin Ring and belaying pins. I painted them first and then glued in position on the mast. 

[aydingocer]

Photo 692: Mizzen mast Part 1 ready.

 

That's all for now. Thanks for watching!

[allanyed]

On 4/25/2023 at 3:00 PM, aydingocer said:

Iron bands (made of black paper sliced in 1 mm width .

This model looks quite nice and your workmanship is super.  As a point of interest, not at all a critique, according to James Lees in The Masting and Rigging of English Ships of War, page 2,   iron woolding bands did not supersede the use of wooden bands, until 1800.  As Sphinx 1775 served in the RN until 1811, (except for when she was French for two months in 1779), iron bands may very well have been in place in the latter years.   

Allan  

Edited August 30, 2023 by allanyed

[aydingocer]

Quick update: I am now continuing with Main Mast. Main mast goes several shapes from bottom up, as you see in the plan. I realized I could try my Proxxon Bench Circular Saw (Model KS 230), which has been sitting on the shelf for a long time I even forgot I have it. It worked well. Here I wanted to post some photos showing how it worked.

Photos 693-699:

[James H]

I admit that I always find those lower mast sections to be a chore!

[JeffT]

That worked out well.

[aydingocer]

2 hours ago, JeffT said:

That worked out well.

Yes this Proxxon is quite precise compared to its bulky look.

[aydingocer]

Build days 94-98: 8.5 hrs / Total 214.5 hours

After a total of 8.5 hours of work spread to 5 days, main mast Part 1 is ready. As I indicated before, by "Part 1" I mean leaving the details (eyelets, blocks, cord wraps etc) for later to do together with all three masts, in accordance with the instructions. I have already posted some of the work in the post above. Here are some of the remaining photos: 

 

Photos 700-705

This is how the drill chuck squeezes the dowel. Needless to say, you cut the dowel in excess enough length to accommodate for inserting the drill machine chuck:

That's all for now. Thanks for watching!

[aydingocer]

Build days 99-101: 5 hrs / Total 219.5 hours

Foremast Part 1, took altogether 5 hours in 3 separate days. Some photos showing the progress. 

Also with this post I am  leaving 100 build days behind! With 220 hours of work, it is around an average of 2hrs per build day. 

 

Photos 706-711

 

Edited May 23, 2023 by aydingocer

[aydingocer]

Photos 712-713: Next job is the so called my "Part 2" work on the masts: finishing work such as painting, blocks, deadeyes etc.

It will help to label them with the same letter codes as on the plan.

 

[aydingocer]

Photo 714: First installation on masts. In the photo it is the Mizzen mast. I  did the black paintings first. This was a bit like a test to see how I am adjusting the hand and fingers to start working with different parts such as blocks and thread  

 

[aydingocer]

Build day 102: 3,5 hrs / Total 223 hours

Today I spent around 3,5 hours to complete Mizzen Mast Part 2 (i.e. the details)

Photos 715-716: Some blocks have a loop at their end. In my previous models they have always been made of wire, but in Sphinx you'll make them from thread. I made them with the help of a toothpick as below:

 

Photo 717: PE parts painted, waiting to dry. Those in the photo are for deadeyes.